Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 18
THE XVIII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 1. How the Sermon of Ionas might be short and yet effectuall. 4. Numbers are obserued in Diuinitie, 5. and may be abused. 7. How they may be rightly vsed. 8. Gods merciemercy in forbearing sinners. 11 Sinne is forcible to draw downe vengeance. 14. It is the more fearefull, that they are not told how they are like to perish. 15. God hath many wayes to destroy. 16. No place is inuincible.
Ionah. 3▪4.
Yet fortie dayes and Niniueh shall be ouerthrowne.
HE little conceiueth the purpose of this Prophecie, who seeth not that Gods drift from the beginning of it was, to hauehave Ionas go and preach to the Niniuites. You hauehave seene what worke he hath had, to bring this businesse about. The sea & ayre hauehave bene troubled; the mariners much disquieted; Ionas himselfe so vexed, that he hath spent halfe this booke, to tell what did befall him, because he did not preach. But at last, after all this, he is come to it; and therefore we may now very well expect a long Sermon and a large.Elephanti partu…. For like to the young of an Elephant, it hath bene long in breeding: therfore it may be great. Else it may be said, that we stay long for a litle: & he came far for a small message: and a great head to a childs body: and a Preface very tedious, to a tale which is quickly ended. But God tyeth not himselfe to the rules of Rhetoricke, so to fit the fancies of men, but as in matter he is euermore the same, to speake nothing but truth, so in manner he is oft-times different, now longer and then shorter, now sharper and then sweeter. But the qualitie of his shortest speech, doth recompence want of quantitie, for much is in a little, and in few things there are many things. Yet if that which is short be repeated many times, the frequent repetition doth also make that large; as that Psalme is no small one which hath reiterated in each verse,Psal. 136.1. for his merciemercy endureth for euer. Then if our Prophet being in Niniue, and going from one street to another, had vsed in the ends and middle of them, but these words, Yet fortie dayes and Niniue shall be ouerthrowne, he might first hauehave spent his day & found himself work enough, and secondly hauehave left much more amazednesse in the people, that he would denounce one thing so frequently and so confidently, and say no more nor lesse, and thirdly he might also fulfill the end of his comming.
2 My text saith that he cried, and I reade of another cryer, who tooke the selfe same course in a citie of no lesse note, although somewhat meaner in quantitie. When the time was come that Hierusalem soone after was to be destroyed by the Romanes, a countreyman while yet there was great peace and prosperitie,Ioseph. de bello Iudaic. 7.12. cried day and night in the street, and sometimes in the Temple: A voyce from the East, a voyce from the West, a voyce from the foure winds, a voyce against Hierusalem and the Temple, a voyce against new maried men, and against new maried women, a voyce against all this people. This was continued by him in the selfe same words, sauing that sometimes he added, Wo, wo vntounto Hierusalē. The man who did this was named Iesus. I doubt not but in this case of Niniue, our Prophet was a Preacher: and I reade of another Preacher, who tooke the same course also.Hieron. in 6. ad Galatas Hierome writeth concerning Iohn the Euangelist, that he abode at Ephesus till he was so old, and f…eble by reason of age, that he could hardly be borne to Church by his scholers. But being there, and his memorie or voyce not framing to his mind, he would say againe and againe ouer, and multiply it oftentimes, Litle children louelove one another, litle children louelove one another. And when his scholers and auditours were wearie, with the continuall hearing of these words, and no other, they asked him the reason of it; who gaue them this answere, It is the commaundement of our Lord, and this alone is sufficient, if it be done as it should. If our Ionas as a Preacher, should like that Preacher Iohn, or our Ionas as a crier, should like that crier Iesus, hauehave sung the selfe same song, and redoubled the selfe same note, I feare not, but as these men offended not in the manner, but caused much admiration, so he might hauehave done likewise.
3 But I rather thinke that this case, was the case of Iohn the Baptist,Matth. 3.3. who had both persons in him, a crier in the wildernesse, and a Preacher among the people. Yet when his Sermon is described by Mathew the Euangelist, it is in as short termes, as this was here at Niniue,2. Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. Where although the words be few, yet those were but the knitting vp, and briefe of a great deale more: for Iohn sung not one note, but rose, and fell, and varied, as occasion was offered vntounto him, as in the middest of the chapter is manifest to the reader. For the Pharisees had their errand, and the Saduces had their item;Lu. 3.7.12.14 and Luke goeth farther yet, the Publicanes had one lesson, and the souldiours had another, and the people went not free. Yet because the solide substance of all which Iohn did say, was reduced to that head of repentance, and to informe them, that the kingdome of grace, and appearance of Messias, was now to be seene of them, all his doctrine and preaching is layed downe in that briefe summe. So it may be rightly supposed, that this messenger did tell a longer tale in Niniue, euen the narration of himselfe, to procure more credit to his words: and the recounting of his punishment, and escaping from the same; but especially, did inueigh against those noted sins, which were in that great citie, their oppression and their rauening, their tyrannie and bloud-shedding, which they exercised vponupon those who were vnderunder them; their arrog…ncie and pride, whereunto prosperitie did puffe them; their auarice and their wantonnesse, but most of all their securitie growing by their abundance: and that for these and the like, destruction and a speedie ruine should be their portion. Yet because the burthen of all, was fortie dayes and destroying, all is closed vp in those words. So that it which being folded vp, doth fill but a little roome, if it be opened and spred, doth make a greater shew. Caesars veni, vidi, vici, contained much matter in it.Luc. 18.13. The Publicane had but few words, ô God be mercifull to me a sinner, but they were more effectuall, then the long prayer of the Pharisee. The Pater-noster is but short,August. de haeresibus ad quod vult Deum. but those heretikes called Euchitae, who prayed all their life time, neuer said so much in substance, as those few lines hauehave in them. It is the wisedome of God, & it is the grace of the Scripture, to say much in a littl…; to be in shew compendious, yet indeed to be large.Iohan. 6.10. In fiue loues there was foode to feede fiue thousand men, in fiue words here is matter to teach many thousands more. The Lord who guided the toung of Ionas, to speake them at first, direct my toung now, to open them at this present. Then to auoid curiositie, or farre fetched speculation, conceiue all in these two points. First the time which here is limited, yet fortie dayes. And secondly, the sequele which should follow, and Niniueh shall be destroyed. To speake then to the former of them.
Yet fortie dayes.
4 In opening the Scripture, it is a custome among the auncient, that if they find any thing, wherein some speciall number is noted and layed downe, they will out of that number collect somewhat, which is obseruable, as if there were in numbers, some matter of mysterie, which by subtile conceit, or some queint allusion, did intend a thing more then common. Few of the graue Fathers, but harpe vponupon this string, which the elder sort among vsus who hauehave read them, do know so sufficiently, that they can know nothing better. But for the younger sort, to giuegive one example most naturall for this place,…ieron. in Ionae. 3. Hierome vponupon this text saith, that this number of fortie, which is here allotted to the Niniuites, is very fit for sinners, for fasting and praying, for sackcloth and teares, all which followed afterward in them. So Moses did fast full fortie dayes in the mount.Exod. 24 18. 1. Reg. 19▪8. Matth. 4.2. So Elias flying from Iezabell, was fortie dayes without meat. Christ Iesus the true Ionas, fasted fortie dayes saith Hierome, and left vsus the inheritance of fasting in like manner, before that we eat his body. He meaneth the time of Lent before Easter, at which the Sacrament is by Christians receiued. He might also hauehave added, that this number of fortie might be well applyed to the ouerthrow and destruction of a citie, since (as Eusebius hath it) Hierusalem was quite razed,Eu…eb. Eccl. Hist. 3.8. fortie yeares after Christs death. And to speake a truth in this question, we find in the Scriptures that sometimes numbers are pointed out for speciall things indeede, as the seuen fat kine,Genes. 41.26 and the seuen leane kine, and the seuen eares of corne, to signifie seuen plentifull yeares at the first, & then seuen yeares of famine afterward.Exod. 28.17.…1. Twelue precious-stones were set in the brest-plate of the Priest, but it is there expressed, that they were to represent the twelue tribes of Israel, for whom he was to pray, and to whom he was to giuegive iudgement. So in the time of Iosuah,Ios. 4.3. the twelue stones set vp in the riuer Iordan, and the other twelue which were taken thence by them, and pitched in Gilgal, are expressely said in the text, to note the twelue tribes of Israel.
5 So that in Diuinitie, wilfully to reiect all obseruation of numbers, is to depriue our selues of a good measure of knowledge, and to seeke to hauehave that concealed, which God to good fruit and purpose would hauehave to be knowne. But there may be an abusing of that which in it selfe is not euill; when sanctitie shall be attributed, or superstition put in this or that number, or ouermuch curiositie shall be bestowed therein, to make the world beleeue that to be a point which is very much materiall for the sound knowledge of Christianitie, which indeede is nothing else, but an idle speculation of our fantasticke brayne, although with shew of ground in some thing. Did not those heathenish people put sanctitie in odde numbers, the manners of whom the Poet Virgil describeth in his eighth Eglogue,Virgil. Eglog. 8. where when they were to vse charmes for some purposes, he telleth that they made three streakes, and three pictures of a man, and giueth that reason for it, Numero Deus impare gaudet. God delighteth in an odde number. Did not old Balaam cary this opinion when going to curse the Israelites,Numer. 23.… 13.14▪ 29. he not only chaunged his standing, supposing one place to be more luckie, and another more v…luckie, as gamsters and dicers oftentimes do, thinking that that may fadge here which elsewhere doth not proue, but he must hauehave seuen altars, and then seuen other altars, and seuen bullockes, and seuen rammes, as if that seuen were much to the purpose. In case of superstition we need no example more familiar, then that of our grosse Papists, who in their blind deuotion, stand much vponupon account,Vide Polyd. Virgil. de inuent. rer. lib. 5 9. and hauehave their beades for that purpose: three Credoes for such a matter, fiue Paternosters for this, ten Aue-maries for that. See whether Christ aymed not at them, when he speaketh of vaine repititions, and counter-chaungings of prayers,Matth. 6.7. and addeth that they thinke to be heard for their much babling. Genebrard. Chronolog. lib. 4.Well fare thee Gilbert Genebrard, who doest tell vsus that one Peter an Hermite of Amboyse, was the first who did inuent those beades for Pater-nosters, that we may know the authour, and he may hauehave the praise of that hypocrisie for his owne. But Genebrard thou hadst this (as thou professest) out of Polydore Virgil,Polyd. Virg. vt suprà. where thou mightst hauehave added that, which thy authour there addeth, that these beades made now a dayes not onelyonly of wood and amber and corall, but of gold and siluer, Sintque mulieribus instar ornamenti, & hypocritis praecip…i fucos… honitatis instrumenti.are both vntounto women in steede of an ornament, and to hypocrites in steede of a speciall instrument of counterfeit goodnesse. Thine authour did suspect that there was some hypocrisie in the vsing of these toyes, for the saying ouer of that, which you call The Ladyes Psalter. ▪ But because it is fit and expedient that eueryevery man should be praised and commended according to the proportion of his owne inuention, and no farther, it may much be doubted, lest this Peter borrowed the ground of that, which is now fathered on himselfe,Sozom. Hist. Eccl. lib. 6.2… from one Paule who was some hundreds of yeares before him. For Sozomen doth tell of one such, who seemed to dedicate his whole time to prayer, so that eueryevery day he did say three hundred prayers which he offered as a kind of tribute to God; and because he would not faile in his reckening, he put three hundred little stones into his lappe, and at the end of eueryevery prayer he cast out one, by which meanes he knew when his tale was vp. Thus did superstition long agone begin to shew it selfe. In our dayes let a man of meane consideration looke into the Iesus Psalter, and see if there be not there a vaine and fond numbring of that which is to be said. In the Preface of that booke,In Praesat. Psalt. Iesu Anglicè impresso. Anno. 1583. we are giuen to vnderstand that there be three kinds of Psalters. The first is Dauids Psalter, which containeth thrise fiftie Psalmes: the second our Ladies Psalter, and containeth thrise fiftie Aues, and the third is Iesus Psalter, containing fifteene petitions, which being ten times repeated do make in all thrise fiftie. And indeede sutable hereunto there are fifteene Petitions, where Iesu, Iesu, Iesu merciemercy is ten times word for word to be repeated in the beginnings of them. And if you faile in the compt, the deuotion is not perfect. What is it to put superstition in numbers, if this be not? And where are the people kept in bondage, and blindnesse of darkenesse and grosse errour, if it be not in these toyes? Iesus Christ open the heart of many of our nation, but especially of that sex… which is the weaker vessell,…. Pet. 3.7. that at the last they may shake off this yoke of vanitie and superstition.
6 Of the third kind who offend rather in curiositie, and do not deserue to be reprooued so sharply as those two other sorts, are some that fault in Diuinitie, and some other in other matters. In Diuinitie such, as if they can catch any nūber, in a peece of Scripture which is to be intreated of, their people aboue all things shall hauehave that for a note, either in their preaching or writings, as if there were more in that, then in the best text of the Bible, yea such mysteries and such secrets, as that he is scant a Christian man who doth not vnderstand them; or at the least he is but a simple fellow, and fit to be despised. As for example sake:Genes. 2.2. Exod. 20.1…. there is much in the number of seuen. The seuenth day in the creation, was the day wherein the Lord did rest: the seuenth day was the Sabboth of the Iewes:Iosuah. 6.4. at Hiericho seuen Priests did take seuen trumpets of Rammes hornes, and they went seuen dayes about,Act. 6.5. and the seuenth day seuen times: and the Deacons were seuen whom the Apostles chose: and Iohn wrote to the seuen Churches,Act. 1.11.20 where seuen starres, and seuen candlesticks are mentioned in like manner. And this is vrged, without any reason which may imply fruit of doctrine, or sound edification, or without any necessitie of the place, and yet is pursued and followed more, then if it were an Article of the faith; as if the whole lawe and the Prophets, and the greatest meanes of comming to saluation consisted in such points as these, and in the ripping vp of Genealogies. It is good to be wise: but yet be wise to sobrietie. Not so much trickes of our owne wit, and the glorifying of our selues, is to be respected of vsus, as an vpright zeale to magnifie our eternall and fearefull maker. But for the matter it selfe, how many numbers be there, which might be amplified in such sort? As for two, to say the two tables wrought by the finger of God; the two Testaments old and new, the two persons in Christ, the Diuinitie and the manhood: the two parts of a man, the bodie and the soule. For three, the blessed Trinitie, and the three who came to Abraham.Genes. …8.2. Daniel. 7.3. Ezech. 1.16. For foure, the foure beastes in Daniel, the foure wheeles in Ezechiel, the foure Euangelistes in the new Testament. For fiue, the fiue bookes of Moses, the fiue sences,Matth. 25.1. the fiue wise virgins. This may be said for ten, and twelue, and thirtie, and fiftie, and many more, whom I follow not, lest I my selfe may iustly be reprooued, in this my reproofe of other. Yet I giuegive a tast by the way, of the Non sequitur of the matter. In cases of other nature, those come within this compasse, who do tye the euent of things to Pythagorean numbers, as the chaunges of states and kingdomes to the ends of seuen yeares, and of nine yeares, being multiplied vp and downe.Bodin. Method. Hist. cap. 6. Herein Bodine in his Methode of Historie is too free, howsoeuer for other matters of inuention and good wit, scant thought of before his time, his industrie is praise-worthie. Now if any should make a booke, containing nothing else but examples of some one number, and seruing in truth to no purpose, that should neede no other censure but to be termed, the fruite of an idle wit. From which I would that our countreymen at last would keepe their hands cleane, leauing iudgement and iudicious workes to our nation (for which some Critickes will say that we are fit, by the stayednesse of our constitution, and robustiousnesse of nature) but trickes to the Italians, who suppose that their wits more abound. Thus let numbers of curiositie, of superstition, and of sanctitie be quite remooued and separated from vsus.
7 Yet being kept in measure, they hauehave their good and profitable vse. As first where the word of God doth apply them, directly and apparantly to any purpose, we may also do the like, and amplifie them so farre, as they serue naturally to expresse the text in question.Apoc. 22.2. In the last of the Reuelation there is speech of the tree of life, which is said to beare twelue fruites, and to giuegive fruite eueryevery monethmonth, and that the leaues thereof do heale all kinds of diseases. Here to speake of the twelue moneths of the yeare, and of twelue fruites, is fitly to the matter. Yea to note that eueryevery monethmonth in the yeare hath seuerall pleasures, and that some things are more seasonable in one monethmonth then in another, as some fishes are for speciall times, and fruites in hotter countreys (where the daintie orchards are) are more kindly at set seasons. And moreouer that many diseases do follow termes of the yeare; but yet that by the tree of life, there is prouision made for all these matters; in the diuersitie of whose good things, the various ioyes of heauen are painted out vntounto vsus; and that nothing is conuenient for heauen, but there it is to be had: all this is consonant to the place, and both for the matter and number, it may be soberly discoursed. Where there is an vse which is not forced and wrested, there the Spirit of God is so farre off from forbidding vsus to apply numbers, and make ou… benefite by them, that it giueth vsus the example. In the beginning of Saint Matthewes Gospell,Matth. 1.17. in shewing the discent from Abraham to Christ, are named fourteene generations, and then fourteene generations, and so againe the third time: but that is partly to helpe memorie, but most of all to note the times which were of fame, as that of Dauid, and the other of the captiuitie. In such cases as are manifestly offered by the text which is in hand, we may very well stand on numbers. Secondly I do not thinke, but we may also apply them, when we vse some allusion, which is consonant and agreeable to the analogie of faith, or in which there is reason to thinke in the true feare of God, that the Lord himselfe had a reference to such matters.Ioseph. de bello Iudaico. lib. 6.6. Exod. 25.31. Leuit. 24.5. Iosephus doth expound the seuen candles, which did burne in the Candlesticke in the Tabernacle, to signifie the seuen planets, and the twelue loaues of shew-bread, to note the twelue signes of the Zodiacke. Here if we beleeue the assertion of that learned man, I hold it to be very lawfull, to obserue those seuen and twelue, for the one and for the other. So he saith that the veile in the Tabernacle,Exod. 26.31. of blew silke and purple, and scarlet, and fine linnen, did intend the foure elements; and he giueth good reason for that. And the same is also the opinion of Saint Hierome.Hieron. Epistola. 128. Here to compare foure and foure, hath a naturall vse in discoursing of the elements, the good creatures of God. Nay it will not do amisse, if by a farther allusion we shall make application thus: that as we reade in Exodus, that the veyle made of those foure things,Exod. 2….33. did hang betweene the holy place whither the Priests did come to offer, and the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Holy of Holyes, where the presence of God was, so that they who stoode in the one, could not behold the other, vntill the veyle which was betweene them were rent or remooued: So the holyest man that is, euen the very Priest at the altar, cannot see God as he should in the high abode of his holinesse, vntill that his flesh and bodie which are made of those foure elements, be torne off and remooued away, by death and by the graue. This or the like about numbers, may be thought to be naturall and not strayned, so that I dare not determine against it; as also against nothing else, which apparantly hath true and proper vse of doctrine, or due application. But I leaue to your consideration, whether the authour of the booke De Spiritu sancto, (who sometimes but not rightly, is supposed to be Saint Cyprian) or other like to him,Cyprian. de Spiritu sancto. do keepe close within these bounds, when he especially magnifieth the number of seuen aboue other, because it consisteth of three and foure, where, saith he, three shew the three persons of the Trinitie, and foure noteth the foure elements, which intendeth that God who is signified in the mysterie of the Trinitie, is caried with a louelove ouer his creatures, who are figured in the compasse of the foure elements. A man may go too farre. And this I hauehave obserued, by reason of Saint Hieromes note vponupon this place concerning fortie, which I hold to be not vnfit for this auditorie, because it is few times touched. But now for the benefite of the vnlearned, I come to doctrine which is more morall.
8 When God giueth the Niniuites fortie dayes to bethinke themselues, it implyeth his exceeding merciemercy, who as he was very louing to them, when he sent them warning of their destruction, so is his louelove more abundant, when he giueth them space of repentance, that they might turne away his wrath which was to breake out against them. The prayer of the Leuites is true, Thou art a God of mercies, Nehem. 9.17. Psal. 103.8.gracious and full of compassion, of long suffering and of great merciemercy. And so is that of Dauid, The Lord is full of compassion and merciemercy, slow to anger and of great kindnesse. We can neuer sufficiently admire his bearing patience. That citie which for the manifold euill of it, had deserued to hauehave perished in one day, shall hauehave a day and a day, and fortie dayes of grace, to purge it selfe if it will. The tree which bore no fruit,L…. 13.7. shall hauehave this yeare of probation, and the next yeare of expectation, and shall be pruned and dounged, before it be cut downe. So that Lord who is iealous in his anger, is yet a mild God in his suffering. It is obserued in men, that they are long in making any thing, but very quicke in marring of it. A house built in a yeare, may be plucked downe in a monethmonth. A castle which hath bene long in setting vp, by mining and powder may be blowne vp in a moment. A citie whom many ages hauehave but brought to her beautie, is consumed in a little time, by fire put to it of the enemie. OnelyOnly God is quicke in making, but pawseth vponupon destroying, he commeth not but by steppe after steppe; and when he should strike he stayeth, and turneth and looketh away, and will not roote vp, till iustice can no longer endure.Genes. 1.6. He made the heauen in a day, and might hauehave done in a moment, but Niniue that one citie shall hauehave fortie dayes to breath in, before her ruine come. The Sunne, and Moone, and starres, had but one day for their creation,Cap. 6.3. but man had warning for a hundred and twentie yeares, before the comming of the floud in the time of Noe; and Hierusalem shall hauehave admonishment by the Scriptures, before the appearaunce of Christ, by Iohn the Baptist afterward, by our Sauiour personally: and when they hauehave killed that iust one,Euseb. Hi…. Eccl. 3.8. Genes. 2.1. yet fortie yeares shall passe ouer, before that it be quite destroyed. Sixe dayes made the whole world, but almost sixe thousand yeares hauehave beene affoorded to it, before that the end ouertake it. Thus iustice in many cases is, if not swallowed and deuouted vp, yet much shadowed by merciemercy, which sometimes ouer-weigheth it, and other times ouer-layeth it; when it is readie to rise, preuenting it and holding it downe. And there be few of vsus, who may not feele this proposition true in our selues.
9 If we looke vponupon our own land, how may we breake out and say, that pitie and compassion hauehave abounded on vsus from him. See whether he hath not lent vsus as many yeares to repent, as he did dayes to Niniue, when the infinit prouocations wherwith we hauehave prouoked him, in hypocrisie, in luke-warmnesse, in gluttony, and in wantonnesse, in securitie and vnthankfulnes, hauehave called on him for a shorter time. Seueritie might hauehave said, Fortie yeares I hauehave bene grieued or contended with this generation;Psal. 95.10. & yet clemēcie stayeth that speech. He lent not so much time to our fathers next before vsus: his merciemercy did straine it selfe to affoord sixe yeares to them, of free passage of his word, v…der his gracious instrument King Edward, whose memorie li…e for euer; and yet that was encombred with seditions of the subiect, and tumults of the Commons, as also with much hurrying and banding of the Nobilitie. But concerning our time the question may be, whether is more to be admired the greatnesse or the goodnesse, the length which is very memorable, or the varietie of those blessings which we do little conceiue, because we most enioy them; euen as no man noteth the benefit of the ayre whereon we breath, because we hauehave store of it, and yet nothing is more precious then it, or nearer to life it selfe. So in a common generalitie, God doth beare with vsus all. But farther, if each man will take the paines to looke on himselfe in priuate, he may say that he hath had his fortie dayes oft-times told, together with Niniue our citie here. Saint Bernard in one of his Sermons shall speake that which I do meane.Bern. Ser. de triplici misericordia. The merciemercy and expectation of the Lord is great toward thee, for when the Angell had offended, he stayed not at all for him, but threw him downe to hell, and when Adam transgressed, he did not deferre his punishment, but droue him straight out of Paradise. But now he wayteth for thee, he will not see thy faults, he forbeareth thee ten yeares, yea twentie, yea to old age, euen to dotage. And who is he among vsus that hath not his part of this, if not to come to old age, yet at least to a great deale more age, then euer he could deserue? He who hath liued so long, as to know that he should turne to God, hath had much time yeelded him: and the least here hath seene that. But the greatest sort of vsus hauing had space to do good, hauehave turned that another way, and hauehave rather found time to do a great deale of euill; and whereas therefore shame and confusion do belong vntounto vsus, God hath borne with vsus, and yet beareth many dayes and moneths and yeares. So we hauehave had time with Niniue. We tast of this louing kindnesse. We go forward to prouoke him, and he goeth on to spare vsus.
10 This is the more to be magnified, since he offereth not so full a measure of grace to all. Many of farre better parts in the eyes of flesh and bloud, more noble, and more honourable, more rich, and wise, and glorious, hauehave perished in a moment. Those which hauehave lead the daunces, hauehave bene straight way in the pit.Iob. 21.11.13. Seneca in Thyeste. He whom the morning hath seene brauing it, the euening hath beheld dying. How many hauehave bene hastily catched away by the sword, by ruine and fall of houses, by the pestilence or by poyson, by dead palseyes & apoplexies, by diseases which men know not, by falling from their horses, by sinking downe as they stood, by dying in their bed suddenly, yea by thunder and by lightning, which doth make the eares of as many as heare of it to tingle? Which although it be all one, to a man prepared (as all of vsus euer should be) as if it were at more leysure, yet how fearefull and dreadfull is it, when we looke on common men, of whom we hauehave little hope, that they hauehave called for merciemercy? Imprint this in your hearts and reuolue it, deare brethren, and tell me whether my speech be vntrue and false, that we hauehave tasted of clemency, more then this city of Ionas did. But other men must not by our example, be incouraged to deferre, and prolong their repentance, and to hope that they shall still speed so; neither must we our selues presume to take hartie grace, to run on in iniquity and vngodlinesse: for he may beare a while, which yet will not beare euer. He who is crushed with our sinnes, as a cart is loaden with sheaues, if we will not disburden him, will ease himselfe of his loade, and cast that loade on the ground of confusion and desolation. We may be too bold with our friend, and we may take too much of him who is most free. God beareth with man a long time, but as Dauid sayth, Except he turne, he hath whet his sword, Psal. 7.12▪he hath bent his bowe and made it ready, and we know what followeth afterward, euen the blacke arrowes of destruction. And this is seene no where better, then in the words of my text: for Niniue shall hauehave forty dayes, but if then it repent not (for these threatnings are conditionall, as if God giuegive leaue, I may shew in the end of this Chapter) it shall be ouerthrowne. And this is it which at the first, I layd downe for my second part.
And Niniueh shall be destroyed.
11 The saying is most true, that patience being too farre prouoked,Patientia lasa vertitur in furorem. is turned into furie. The hand lift vp the higher, doth fall so much the more heauie. If a water-course be stopped, when it breaketh foorth againe, it commeth with the greater violence. If thou stand in daunger of it, let it not runne vponupon thee, but turne it another way. If fortie dayes will not serue, there remaineth nothing for Niniue, but wo and lamentation, and vnspeakable desolation. Here in the first place, the forcible guilt of sinne doth offer it selfe to be thought on, that it should hauehave in it a power to draw downe so great a vengeance. God himselfe is a God of mercy, and taketh delight to be mild: and his louelove is such a quality, as stayeth not in himselfe, but diffuseth it selfe to other, and that to all his creatures.Psal 145.9. For his mercy, as Dauid sayth, is ouer all his workes. But especially vntounto man, the most excellent of all things, either terrestriall or visible, the glory of his workmanship, the resemblance of his sonne, the beauty of all the world. If to man then to many men, to hundreds and thousands yet more, to Niniue that great city, the greatest of all the earth, where were so many aged persons, so many vnable women, so many sucking infants, whose innocent age did keepe them from very many actuall sinnes. Notwithstanding all this, that sinne should be so strong, that Niniue which was externally blessed, & made the Lady of all the East, by the Lords owne preferment, should by the force of it be so quickly ouerthrowne. That there should be so many things to helpe, in God, in man, in number, in greatnesse and continuance, yet naughty sinne and vngodlinesse should counterpoize all these, and ouer-way them farre. This is a stinger indeed: heauy more then a mil-stone. This is it whose cry will go vp,Genes. …8.…1. as it was sayd of Sodome. Sicknesse cannot be hid, and fire cannot be kept in, but sin exceedeth them both. When it groweth once to be horrible, God cannot forget himselfe (for it standeth with his essence to be iust) but he must pay and pay home. His strictnesse in iudgement may be couered with a cloud, or eclipsed a while with forbearing, but it may not be extinguished.Habac. 1.13. He is a God of pure eyes, of innocency and integrity, and will not be vrged too farre. Too much he sayth is too much.
Ierem. 22.24.12 If a place be neare vntounto him, as the signet on his finger, or if you will hauehave more, as deare as the apple of his eye, yet if there be no remedy, he will plucke off the one, and he will pull out the other, & throw it a great way from him. Be Hierusalem his owne city, and Sion the pleasing spouse of the great king of mankind, yet if she play the harlot, and do persist therein, and grow to be so hard-hearted, that she will not be reclaimed, she shall be made a spectacle of iudgement and vengeance, to all the coasts of the earth. The more that she was honoured before, the deeper shall▪ her plague go. God will double misery vponupon her,Ezech. …1.27. as he spake by Ezechiel, I will ouerturne, ouerturne, ouerturne, meaning that head and taile, roote and branches shall tast of his displeasure. And if after one diuorce, which may be sayd to be in the time of the captiuity in Babylon, he be pleased to take her to him againe, yet if she againe turne backward, and grow worse then before, her end shall be worse also. If she once come to that passe,Ioseph de bello Iudaico. 6.16. that Iosephus himselfe could say, that their wickednesse was so monstrous, that he thought in his conscience, if the Romanes had not inuaded them, that the very earth would hauehave opened and deuoured them vp, as it did Corah Dathan and Abiron;Numer. 16.32. Genes. 7.11. or a speciall flould hauehave drowned them, as a generall one in Noahs time, made a riddance of all the world; or fire and brimstone from heauen, hauehave consumed them as the Sodomites;Cap. 19.24. God will no longer endure it, but will roote them vp, and destroy them by misery which cannot be described. And whereas I speake so much as this concerning Hierusalem, what other sinfull place may not tremble? For if those who are so neare him, do so bitterly feele the smart, what shall they suffer who are farther off?Luc. …3.31. If it be thus in the green tree, what shall it be in the dry? If those do not escape whom he hath once loued tenderly, why should they hope for fauour extraordinary, who were neuer otherwise vntounto him then common men?
13 If this do not sufficiently informe vsus, how haynous sin is in his sight, let vsus runne ouer all them, who hauehave notoriously bin punished in the world, and the examples of them are committed to solemne memory, as Adam & Cain and Saule, or Antiochus, or Ananias & Saphyra, or Iudas the traytor, or Iulian the Apostata; yea looke into the Babylonian Empire, or the Persian, or the Graecian, yea particular cities, Corinth, Rome or Constantinople: all these hauehave suffered ruine, onelyonly for their sinnes. The future torments of hell, are prepared onelyonly for sinners. All calamities which our neighbours endure, or we sustaine here in our land, do come to vsus for sinne. The speech which Cyprian vseth Contra Demetrianum,Cyprian. contra Demetrianum. is very fit in this place, Thou maruellest or complainest in this stubburnnesse and contempt of yours, if the raine do few times fall vponupon the ground, if the earth be vnsightly by the filthinesse of the dust, if the barren turfe do yeeld hungry and pale grasse, if the haile falling do spill the vine, if the ouerturning whirle-wind do marre the oliue, if drouth dry vp the springs, if pestilent breathes do corrupt the ayre, if diseases consume men, when all these things come by sinnes prouoking, and God is the more offended, since such and so great things do no good at all. Now by this we may remember to thinke, that it is our sin which bringeth on vsus that famine, which is eueryevery where so bitter. Then if wickednesse be so forcible, it is no maruell if on the one side Niniue were like therewith to perish, in so short a time: but on the other side, let vsus flye from all grosse sinnes, and wilfull disobedience, lest transgressing, we so farre prouoke God as they did, and so bring on our land that, which perhaps we can be content, with patience to heare of them, but should rue to feele in our selues.
14 The second thing here worth the noting, in these words of our Prophet, is that he letteth them know, that they should be ouerthrowne, but he doth not tell them how. He himselfe did not know, and therefore he could not speake it. It was inough of their part, and too much as they thought, that the matter should be verified: they needed not to enquire of the manner. But this kept them in suspence, and made them feare the more, since they knew not what to preuent. For if they had knowne the way, their wits would hauehave bene busied to withstand the thing imagined. That is the froward nature of man, to turne away from the maine, and to looke on some by-thing: as in the like sort, we see the man who is complained off, to his superiour for his fault, striueth not to amend his errour (take heed of that by all meanes) but laboureth to know who it was that complained, that he may be quit with him. If the Prophet here had sayd, that some enemy should inuade them, all their wits would hauehave bene employed (if they had beleeued his message) in mustering of their men, in scowring of their armour, in preparing of their munition, in vniting of their forces. Their citie must hauehave bene victualled, their rampars hauehave bene repaired. If mention had bene made of some inundation to follow, here trenches and there ditches had bene cut, to see whether art and labour, might hauehave turned away the water. And the like is to be sayd of any other set euill whatsoeuer: they would hauehave b…ne busie in prouiding for it. But now while they know nothing, they stand in feare of eueryevery thing. They entertaine that opinion, that it is God who doth threaten them, and allowing him thereupon, to be infinite and Almighty, as amazed men they do feare, what possibly may be dreaded. He is of force to do what he pleaseth, and they onelyonly must be the sufferers. Now as eueryevery man will graunt, that one skilfull at defence, may rap a sillie child, who hath neither strength nor knowledge, and may strike him at his pleasure, on this side and on that side, and aboue and vnderneath, because eueryevery way he lyeth open, so God if he see cause, can lay a burthen of any kind of trouble on men or cities, who must take what he offereth, and in no sort can auoyde it.
15 Then hath he wayes inough to ouerturne great Niniue. He speaketh by his seruant Ezechiel,Ezech. 14.21. of foure grieuous iudgements to chastise men withall, that is the sword and famine, and the noysome beast and the pestilence: what hauocke would these make, and cause cleane worke before them; that what escapeth of the one, might fall vponupon the other, and he whom the first doth not touch, might be crushed with the last? And if these foure would touch the people, but do nothing to the Citie, then remember the force of fire, not onelyonly rained from heauen,Genes. 19.24. as on Sodome and Gomorrha, but being put to by men. How came Corinth to destruction, or Saguntu… to desolation, but by fire which is one of those things, which we truly say hath no mercy?2. Pet. 37. Leuin. Lemnius de Occultis naturae miraculis. 4.2. If all the world hereafter shall be destroyed with fire, what maruell then, if one city might perish with that element? Remember the force of water, which by inundation from sea, within these hundred yeares, hath deuoured great parts of Zeland, and by the ouer-flowing of Tiber, within these forty yeares hath cast downe very many houses in Rome,Anno. 1557. Natales Comes Histor. lib. 10. and hath bene knowne in other places, to hauehave ouerturned many mighty bridges. Yea the generall deluge did drowne the whole world with water, when they thought themselues as sure, as Niniue now could be, & perhaps laughed at the newes which Noe brought to that purpose: therefore a speciall deluge might quickly drowne one city, if God should loose the water. Remember the force of earth-quakes, which destroy both men and buildings. How did Lysimachia fall, and Thessalonica sinke?Agath. Hist. lib. 5. Constantinople in the time of Agathias was sore shaken, and Antioch with a great part of Asia, neare to Antioch, was swallowed vp in Traianes time,Dion. Hist. lib. 68. as Dion writeth, reporting very maruellous things thereof. Remember the force of enemies, assembled in great number and with discipline of warre, what strange things they hauehave done. I spake before of Hierulalem: and who thought themselues more safe, then the inhabitants of that city?Lodo. Viues in praefat. ad libros Augustini de Ciuitate Dei. and yet the Romanes tooke them. The Gothes surprised Rome, when Honorious who was then Emperour, lying quietly at Rauenna, thought the matter so vnlikely, that when newes was brought vntounto him, that Rome was lost, he supposed that they had meant a fighting cocke, which he called by that name. So it might be with other places, euen with this mighty Niniue.
16 Truth it is that they had people, and souldiers in great store, a city strongly defenced, mony and much munition▪ yet these things are not euermore of power, to keepe and saue from an enemy.Plutarch. in Apophthegmatibus. Salus. de bello Iugurth. Natales Comes Histor. lib. 7. You hauehave heard of that speech of Philip, who neuer feared but he might take that city, whose gates were so wide, that an Asse laden with gold might enter. Iugurtha could say, that Rome it selfe might hauehave bene bought for money, if there had bene any to buy it. But it is the note of an historian in our age, that it is a foolish speech which commonly men do vse, to say that any city or fortresse is inuincible. For sayth he, when an enemy hath once layd siege against it, either force of gunnes by violence, or craft of mining in secret, or priuy scaling by night, or tiring out the besieged by long continued labours, or treason, or some stratageme may bring it to the inuader. Yea victuall may want within, or things fit for defence, or the garrison may be worne. And by such meanes, warriours may win any place.Q. Curtins. lib. 4. Let Tyrus be the example, which was gained by Alexander the Great. And if a hold he once taken, why is it not in the mercy of the conquerour, both for the place and the people, to be vsed at his pleasure, to be saued if he will saue, or spilled if he will spill? And is a mortall creature, of power to breake the greatest, and shall we not thinke that God, who mooueth and the heauen doth stir, who speaketh and the earth doth tremble, can plucke Niniue on her knees within forty dayes, or whensoeuer it shall seeme good vntounto him? There is no doubt at all of this matter. Then since they had no suspect of the ability of …s power, and what his will was they had heard, no maruell if all their hearts were filled with such a sorrow, as requireth time to describe it. Thus you now know the cutting Sermon, and galling speech of our Prophet, which is short & not sweet: few words, but full of waight; so heauy that they make the proudest there to quake. Which I shall let you know, as God shall giuegive occasion. In the meane while let vsus pray, that the Lord will send vsus that grace, to leade our liues in his feare, that he in wrath be not enforced by the multitude of our sinnes, to intend such destruction to vsus, as is here proclaimed against Niniue, but that we may do those deeds, which belong to Christ Iesus his seruants; to which Christ with his blessed Father and his eternall Spirite be praise for euermore.