Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 19
THE XIX. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 1. The Niniuites are not obstinate, but yeeld. 3. The force of the word of God. 5. Conscience and present feare maketh sooner to repent. 6. The Pastour must not be discouraged if at the first he preuaile not. 7. The Pastour is neare to God. 8. Therefore he should be very wary. 9. The people should vse their Ministers reuerently. 10. Godlinesse is most imbraced where it may be least expected. 11. Fasts are to be proclaimed by the Magistrate. 13. The force of fasting and praying. 14. But we are negligent herein.
Ionah. 3.5.
So the people of Niniueh beleeued God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them euen to the least of them.
IT hath bene shewed before, how fearefull a message the Prophet Ionas brought to mighty Niniue. That yet forty dayes and Niniue shall be ouerthrowne. Yet forty dayes, and then as Ioel sometimes spake,Ioel. 2.2. a day of darknesse and blacknesse, of cloudes and obscurity, of lamentable horrour, and vnspeakeable desolation. The great city, the rich city, the Imperiall commaunder of all the East parts, he knoweth not how, nor he speaketh not how, but be it howsoeuer, shall be surely destroyed. I am now to lay downe, according to the order of the story, the good intertainement which this messenger found. Who would not imagine, that men in that height of prosperity, in the top of the wheele, now bearing rule ouer a great part of the world, would hauehave vsed this stranger in some strange manner, sutably to that pride and disdainefull contempt, which commonly waiteth vponupon abundance. That an vnknowne fellow, simple, out of countenance, hauing neither statelinesse of apparell, nor any attendants to commend him, should come facing and threatning, with a tale of that nature, neither respecting himselfe, nor his superiours. If it be want of maners in him, he must be taught good maners: if it be lacke of wit, he must be taught wit, not to disturbe or interrupt the peace of such a city. Ahab although he knew well inough who Elias was, yet in like case would hauehave sayd vntounto him, Art thou he that troublest Israel?1. Reg. 18.17. Act. 7.57. The Iewes would hauehave serued him, as they serued Saint Steuen, shoute at him, stop their eares, runne vponupon him at once, draw him out of their city, and stone him.Cap. 22.22. Or as they serued Paule, crye Away with such a fellovv from off the earth, it is not fit that he should liue, and then againe shoute and cast off their clothes, and throw dust into the aire. Verie few of the qualitie of the citizens of Niniue, would hauehave forborne to imprison him, or d…e him from among them.
2 But the Auditors here, being made of other more gentle and soft mettall, do beare themselues better. The sound of his voyce being entred into their eares, hath descended to their hearts, and there hauing wrought an effectuall conuersion, reflecteth it selfe so againe, that their vttermost members are affected therewith. The soule hauing once giuen credit to this so imminent an euill, the whole man is possessed with a fearefull contemplation; the body quiuereth at it, and all the ioynts do tremble: the voyce is lifted vp to proclaime mortification: the belly shall be pinched with a macerating fast: the backe shall be disguised with sordidity of sackcloth: the head shall be couered with ashes and dust; the tongue shall crye mightily vntounto God for merciemercy. Yea great and small of them, without any exception, shall thus be brought downe. Such a change, in such a moment of time, was neuer seene. That the voyce of musicke should be turned into mourning; the sound of the viole and harpe, into howling and schreeching; that the Princes and beggers should be equalled together, that the daughters of Niniue, the daintiest of ten thousand, depriued of their delicacy, and luxurious attire, the ioy of their hearts formerly, and pleasure of their eyes, should lye grouelling on the ground in sobbing & bitternesse, as vilefied creatures and as deiected wormes. So mightily did Gods word, and the horrour of their sinne preuaile among them. But this was a happy fall, to shrinke once and stand long for it; to sinke a while, and rise againe. Here because the things are diuerse, which my text saith they did in signe of repentance; to the end that you may particularly vnderstand, so much of them as I thinke fit at this time to deliuer, I suppose it best, for plainnesse sake, to braunch all into these two heads: First the force of the word, whereby they were brought to beleeue the Lord, So, that is vponupon his preaching, they beleeued God. And secondly, the effect which followed of their beleeuing, they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth. For auoiding of confusion, I do not now name such subdiuided circumstances, as do arise from these, but they shall be tou…hed as they lye.
The people beleeued God.
foreign3 I stand not to dispute whether Belohim in this place, with the prepositiue letter B, being put to Elohim, be better translated by they beleeued Deo, or in Deo, or in Deum, they beleeued God, or they beleeued in God, or they beleeued on God, as diuerse diuersly hauehave it; for howsoeuer otherwise these may hauehave their difference, yet in this place as I take it, they come all to one end: they beleeued that the Prophet had reported from God, whatsoeuer he reported. But I rather obserue the excellent vertue of the word of truth, and such a force in it as cannot be vttered; that in so short a time, as the preaching of one day (for so the text best beareth it) by a man so vnacquainted with that place,Ionah. 3.4. in a Citie so auerse from sanctitie and deuotion, it should worke so strong an effect, that flesh and bloud may maruell, and the naturall man may stand amazed at it. But is not this it,…say. 55.10. which Esay hath compared to the snow and raine, who come downe from aboue, but returne not thither againe, but water the earth, and procure a fruite out of it? Is not this it which the Apostle doth affirme to be liuely and mightie in operation, Heb. 4.12.and sharper then any two edged sword, and entreth through euen to the diuiding a sunder of the soule and the spirit, and of the ioynts and the marrovv, and is a discerner of the thoughts, and the intents of the heart? Is not this it which by Christ is called a net, Matth. 13.47.which doth take the greatest fishes, euen against their will? Which as it made Iosias a religious Prince,2. Chron. 34.27. Act. 24.26. to melt at the heart, vponupon the reading of it, so it forced Felix also an irreligious Deputie, to tremble at the hearing of Saint Paule, when he disputed of iustice, and temperance, and the iudgement to come. Then surely this also might do good among the Niniuites.
4 The Law of the Lord, as Dauid hath taught vsus, giueth vvisedome to the simple. Plal. 19.7.I may adde that it maketh the rough wayes plaine, and crooked things straight; it remooueth away that which is scandalous, it doth rectifie the vntoward. GiueGive me a man sayth Lactantius vvho is angry, Lactant. Diuinar. Institut. lib 3.an euill speaker and vnbridled, and by a fevv vvords of God, I vvill make him as milde as a lambe. GiueGive me a man that is greedie, couetous and hard, and I vvill returne him to thee liberall, and such a one as vvith his owne and full hands vvill bestovv his money. GiueGive me one that is afrayd of smart and death, and foorthwith he shall contemne the gallowes and fire, and the very bull of Phalaris. Chrys. in Proaem. in Isaiam.Let sinne (sayth Saint Chrysostome) be like an Oke which hath taken deepe roote in thee; yet Gods word is like an axe, which will hew downe that Oke, and if it do it not at one stroke, yet it will be brought about, with doubled and multiplied blowes.August. de Sanctis Sermon 33. Matth. 13▪31. Saint Austen, or whosoeuer he is, who is the authour of that Treatise De sanctis, alluding to the parable of Christ, sayth that the word is like to mustard seede, which being first ground and then tasted, by the biting thereof maketh the countenance sowre, the forehead contracted, or drawne into a narrow roome, the teares to breake foorth; but it is wholesome, and purgeth the head. So the word of the Lord being receiued, maketh the minde heauie, the bodie disquieted, the teares to drop downe, but yet all this in such sort, as that saluation is gayned with this weeping and bitternesse. Then if it be so powerfull, and the basenesse of the messenger detract nothing from it, but rather adde honour to it (for by weake things and foolish things,1. Cor. 1.27. God will confound the wise, and his power is made perfect by vveakenesse, 2. Cor. 12.9.and the vvords of fishermen are read, but the neckes of Oratours are subdued by them, August. de verb. Domini. Serm. 59.as the afore named Saint Austen hath) then no maruell if so many were pricked in their hearts, at the speech of this poore Prophet; and as being wounded to the bone, could not bee at any quiet, till the sore were both searched and healed. No maruell if this Sermon did worke as much with them, as once a letter of Paules did with the people of Corinth, whereof himselfe doth witnesse thus, What great care it hath vvrought in you: 2. Cor. 7.11.yea vvhat clearing of your selues: yea indignation: yea feare: yea great desire: yea zeale: yea punishment. So this here procured, that all the faculties of their minde, were frighted and mooued, and busied to the full, to turne away that wrath, which now did hang ouer them.
5 And although they had many things, yea all the things that might be, to deteyne them from these good motions, prosperitie, securitie, satietie of bread, a wall of sinne about them, a sea of sinne within them, superstition and ignorance and contemning pride, which so loueth it selfe that it loueth not to bee controlled, yet the breath of one mortall man (although inspired indeede from an immortall God) doth ouertumble all. For first albeit the words of his Sermon, be most briefly set downe here, yet without question he inueighed against their sinnes, the enormitie of their liues, the crookednesse of their wayes, their outragious impiety, their insolent intemperancie. And vppon this they were stricken with a biting remorse, and feare, that some diuine essence, or supreme Iusticer, would take vengeance vppon them. For the minde of all euill men,Genes. 3.…. agreeth with Adam in this, that after that a sinne is done, there is a horrour for the same, and blushing and concealing; and there is an impression by the very light of nature, that transgression is punishable, and the integritie of iustice is louely and acceptable. The Atheniens and Greekes who neuer knew God did admire vertue, as may be euident by the deedes of Socrates and Aristides, and the writings of Plato and Xenophon; and they seuerely chastised some iniquitie; yet they knew not the Scripture. But where the Lord himselfe speaketh (if men be not impudent, euen their faces of brasse, and their bowels of the adamant) they must needes shew a conformitie, in acknowledging the equitie of his exclamations against sinne, howsoeuer in some mysteries they yeeld not their consent.Petr. Maffeus lib. 1…. Hist. Petrus Maffeus a Iesuite reporteth in his historie, that when his fellowes came first to preach in the East Indyes, the Gentiles and Infidels there, hearing the ten Commaundements, did exceedingly commend, and magnifie the equity and vprightnesse of them. For what could be (thought they) more reasonable, or more holy or iust, then that men should not steale, or murther one another, or liue in adulterie, or dishonour those that bare them, or abuse the name of him, whom they accounted for their God, and so of the rest? Thus ignorant men do assent, that there is a good and an euill, a lawfulnesse and vnlawfulnesse, that vertue is to be praysed, and sinne deserueth punishment; and this opinion well rooted in the men of Niniue, doth make much for the Prophet. Secondly it is manifest, that his threates were of such daungers, as were soone after to follow, so that wrath was at their gates, and vengeance at their doores, and would quickly breake in vppon them. But onelyonly fortie dayes space, and all must to destruction. If it had bene yeares or ages, they might hauehave contemned: but they are put to their dayes, and fortie dayes God knoweth will soone bee expired. The long suffering of the Lord, maketh Atheistes to scorne and deride, Where is the promise of his comming?2. Pet. 3.4. and the opinion of impunitie, or scaping scot-free, vntill the daie of iudgement, maketh the wantons of the world persist in disobedience. But here is no such remoouing, nor putting off of time, no repriuing till next Assises, or binding to expect iudgement a hundred yeares after, as once the Iudges at Athens serued a woman,A…l. Gella… ▪ 12.7▪ whose cause they knew not how to sentence. It is a daunger which is to follow immediatly, that will make men looke about them. Tell a scorner in his iolity, that he must dye one day, he answereth vvhat remedy, and maketh no more of it; but let him heare that which Ezechias did,2. Reg. 20.1. Set thine house in order, for now thou must dye, or as Nero sent word to diuerse, that they by their owne hands must foorthwith make away themselues,Cornel. Tacit. Annal. lib. 15. or else they should dye with torture; and this ruffler is by and by abated in his courage, groweth pale in his countenance, and is deiected like a miserable caytife. Cato had oftentimes cryed out, that Carthage must be destroyed by the Romanes;Plutarch. in Catone Maiore. that it was too neare a neighbour to their citie. For a long space together, he made no speech in the Senate house about whatsoeuer businesse, but that was brought in, as his conclusion in eueryevery Oration. But this earnestnesse of his preuailed not. And that so much the rather, because Scipio Nasica with a contrary opinion, did in eueryevery speech maintaine, that it was for the good of the Romane common-wealth, that Carthage should continue. Yet as Pliny writeth,Plin. Natural. Histor. lib. 15.18. when Cato on a day, brought a greene figge into the Senate house among them, and auowed vntounto them that but three dayes before that figge was growing in Carthage, he made plaine demonstration to them, that if the wind did serue, and all other things were ready, within the space of three dayes, an enemy might come from Carthage to Rome, with a fleete of ships, and an armie, and besiege them in their Citie. And the nearenesse of this daunger, did so much mooue, and earnestly affect the beholders, that whereas they could neuer before be brought to it, they gaue not ouer till Carthage were layd on the ground. Beware of euill at hand: it is that which stingeth in earnest. The word of God coupled with these two attendants, first that sinne deserueth punishment, and then that this plaguing was immediatly to follow, hath preuailed so farre, from the mouth of Ionas.
6 A thousand things beside these do waite vponupon the word of God, as allurements, reasons, promises of infinite variety, and that doth fasten one way, which doth not catch another, and that is done one day, which is not done another. Then let the faithfull Pastour, who standeth betweene the Lord, and the consciences of the people, still hope the best of his labours, that his haruest may be great, although yet he reape little, of an of-ward, and vntoward, and stif-necked congregation. Let him plant with diligence, and let him waite with patience;1. Cor. 3.6. let him teach and let him pray, and God will giuegive an increase. But let not him appoint the time, and be wiser then his maker. It is the Lords owne word, a softening, seasoning, piercing, a working, winning word, and by the force thereof, he who hath fished a whole night, and caught nothing, may make a draught to be wondered at,Luc. 5.5. in a Sermon of one houre. That sinfull man Ionas, who lately by his notorious disobedience, and sleeping vponupon his fault, had prouoked the Lords high displeasure, and was accordingly chastised for it, hath his labours so countenanced, and graced eueryevery way by his maister, that he stirred the greatest city that all the world had, to fasting and repentance. And shall thy single heart deuote it selfe to the Lord, and consecrate all his ability, sincerely and entierly to the honour of his name, and to the enlarging of his kingdome, and shall not a blessing follow thee, yea an inestimable blessing? OnelyOnly see that thou do serue him in integrity of thy soule, and go in and out as thou shouldest, without halting or paultring: and if thou gaine not much, yet thy ioy is with the highest, and thy comfort is with that blessed one, that thy heart doth beare thee true witnesse, that the fault is not in thee. He who laboureth to draw other vntounto euill, although he preuaile not, yet he is punished as a naughty man for his wils sake,August. lib. 1▪ Cōtra Cresconium Grā matic. when he speedeth not (this most plainely appeareth in cases of treason.) And God forbid, that the pastour who endeuoureth to bring the stray sheepe home to Christs fold, should loose his reward with the Lord, for his willing trauels sake; although he should be refused or reiected by men. This is the comparison of Saint Austen. And he addeth farther afterward, that Christ wept ouer Hierusalem, and professed that he would hauehave gathered them together,Matth. 23.37. as a hen gathereth her young ones vnderunder her winges, and yet they would not. By this sayth he; he intended to teach vsus, that if we striue to conuert men to grace, and do not obtaine our purpose, we should not thereupon sinke and be discouraged in our hearts, because Christ sped so before vsus. So if we do our dutie, we are sure on eueryevery side. To winne nothing, is the worst that in reason can befall vsus: yet we our selues do fare well. But if our faith bee stedfast, and we apply the meanes without fainting, we may build so farre vppon God, in the confidence of his promises, that for his owne names sake, and for his Churches sake, our worke shall grow and prosper. If the heart within be perfect, and the externall powers be vowed to God as a sacrifice, our lippes, and tongue, and mouth, shall be instruments of his prayse, to the great louelove of the godly, and wonderment of the wicked. It is more then an ordinarie trust, to be put in trust with such Oracles, and that eye which neuer slumbreth,Psal. 121.4. doth follow and obserue those, who hauehave this in their charge: and if this trust be discharged, he crowneth his seruants here in this life with much comfort. For there is no ioye like to this ioye, when a man doth tread the steppes of the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world, and is a meanes vnderunder God, to saue the soules of them, for whom Christ came from heauen. There is no comfort like to that comfort, to stand in a congregation, and turning this waie and that waie, in humilitie to say vntounto the Lord, Behold here am I, Hebr. 2.13.and the children vvhichwhich God hath giuen mee.
7 Hauing other things to discourse, I feare that I stand too long on the force of the word of truth; and therefore I steppe a little farther. It hath extorted and wrung out from these Niniuites (although they formerlie had bene stubburne) a faith and beleeuing on it. The people of Nin…ueh beleeued God. But why is it not sayd that they beleeued the Prophet, but that they beleeued God? The authour is here named, and the instrument is vnderstood. Ionas did speake in Gods name, and they receiued it as from God. They respected not this mans weakenesse, but thought vppon the maiestie of the sender. And they are sayd to beleeue God, who beleeue a man speaking by Gods word.Exod. 14.31. In Exodus the text hath, the people feared the Lord, and beleeued the Lord and his seruant Moses. In that place both are named. But commonly the messenger, as being a person necessarily vnderstood, is included within the mention of his maister the sender. So the Prophets in old time did euermore vse, Thus saith … Lord: and yet it is intended that they also did speake. By this we may conceiue the regard which God doth beare to his seruants, the ministers and preachers of the word, that as he doth impart his name vntounto Magistrates, I hauehave said that you are Gods, Psal. 82.6.so he communicateth his spirituall actions with his pastours, and doth giuegive to them as to a kind of fellow-workemen, the credite of that which is his owne, and so backe againe assumeth to himselfe their actions and their sufferings.1. Sam. 8.7. They hauehave not cast thee avvay, but they hauehave cast me avvay that I should not raigne ouer them saith God vntounto Samuel.Num. 16.11. Thou and all thy company are gathered together against the Lord, saith Moses to Corah, and vvhat is Aaron that you murmure against him? God doth attribute to Ieremie that which belongeth to himselfe. Behold this day hauehave I set thee ouer nations, Ierem. 1.10▪and ouer the kingdomes to plucke vp, and roote out, and to destroy and throw dovvne, to build and to plant. It is a great warning to vsus who stand before the altar, that in regard of his holinesse and righteousnesse whose person we represent, our cariage and behauiour should be framed to a resemblance of the immaculate Deitie: that we liue if not like God (for who can match that sanctitie which resideth in that pure essence) yet like to men of God. The titles which we beare, the office which we sustaine, the person which we present, the neerenesse of our vocation to that absolute integritie, which is onelyonly in one great maiestie, are remembrancers vntounto vsus of this. Then we had need be aduised, how we take this office on vsus, and how we vse it afterward.
8 God is a God of knowledge, and of inconceiuable puritie. The Priest should treade those steppes. The Vrim and the Thummim,Exod. 28.30. the light of knowledge and perfection, should rest vponupon his breast. He should know how to put a difference, betweene a sheepe and a sheepe, to speake a woord in due season, to bind vp that which is broken, to beat downe that which is froward. There is committed to him as Gregorie calleth it,Gregor. Pastoral. curae. part. 1. cap. 1 the art of all arts, and science of sciences, the regiment of mens soules. Then he had need know how to handle them. If one should hauehave in a viall or glasse, the precious bloud which distilled from Christ on the crosse, and were forced to remooue it, and transport it from place to place, how wise should this party be, that he did handle it warily, lest if the glasse should breake, all should perish? This were no charge for an ignorant or silly body.Bernard. de aduentu Domini Serm. 3 But the Minister as Saint Bernard hath well obserued, hath the keeping of those soules in his congregation, whom Christ loued more then his bloud, for he who was no vnwise merchant, gaue that to redeeme them; and therefore he who should hauehave to do with these, should be no babie for knowledge and vnderstanding. How fearefull should an ignorant and vnskilfull person be, to runne when he is not called, and to thrust himselfe into this businesse? He will be in place of God, who hath scant the sence of a man: for I wish that in diuerse places, there were not such, as want those cōmon complements, which men of reason hauehave. He to whom you would scant commit the meanest thing to be gouerned, must rule that which is most precious. EueryEvery man should put to his hand to amend this errour, which crept in while Poperie raigned, and can hardly yet by so many good lawes, be vtterly rooted out. Let Patrons thinke on this, who for gaining a little trash, which is cursed by God and all goodnes, as being a sacrilegious thing, set such to guide their owne soules, and the soules of their sonnes and daughters, their seruants and their tenants, to heauen and eternall blessednesse, as a man of vnderstanding would scant set to guide his husbandry, yea his cattell to the water. A blind god among Christians, is ridiculous and contemptible, but a blockish god much more. But he who is to thee in Gods place, is apparantly blind and blockish. How filthie a thing is it saith Gregorie,Gregor. pastoral. curae. part. 2.11. that a man should be to learne, when he is in place to teach? As in knowledge, so in life we should approch to Gods image, a…d therfore we shold carefully estrange our selues from all notorious crimes. It is farre from that Highest to be spotted or disorderly: so it should be far from vsus, as much as mans frayltie may suffer. A little staine in a white garment, doth make a sensible blemish. Such things as are conspicuous, hauehave their faults seene most easily. Cut off the haire but from one eye-brow, and how disguisedly will the face looke? there is little taken from the bodie, but a great deale frō the beautie.August de ciuitate Dei. 1….22. It is Saint Austens comparison. Thou art in place to purge other, therefore first purifie thy selfe. Thy people are to thee, as the shadow is to the bodie. If the bodie stand vpright, the shadow is vpright also. But maruell not if the shadow do double, if the body be first crooked. Thy fals draw other on with them. For thy callings sake, and for his sake whose marke is stamped in thy forehead, hauehave an eye vntounto thy wayes. But aboue all follow him in this. He sitteth on high in the heauen, & there is no earthinesse with him: let not thy celestiall spirit be fixed vponupon the earth, and lye groueling on the ground. Thy outward man,Philip. 3.20. and thy inward man, and all thy conuersation must be aboue in heauen, not in scraping or in scratching, as if thou hadst a perpetuall habitation in this world. How shall other by thy example learne to contemne that world, which thou with greedinesse doest embrace, and shewest thy selfe, as if thou hadst lost much time at thy studie in the Vniuersitie, and wast now to recouer it, with a preposterous emulation, of the fiercest hungriest worldlings? There is nothing farther from heauen then this;Sarisbur. de nugis curialium. lib. 7.16 there is nothing more vnlike to thy maker. It is noted that those creatures which are nearest the earth, take most care to get store: those which are more remote, are lesse busied, but those who liue next the heauen, hauehave their hearts least set vponupon it.Prou. 6.6.8. What hoordeth like the Emet or pismire, which is an earthy thing, and dwelling thereupon? But the birds of the ayre, who flye next to the heauen, as Christ himselfe doth teach, do neither sow, Matth. 6.26.nor reape, nor carie into the barne. Let thy meditations cary thee much higher then their wings, that although thou liue with men, yet thy louelove may be with God. So thy celestiall contemplation, thy pastourlike conuersation, thy knowledge fit for a teacher, may shew that thou art one of them, by whom the Lord doth speake, and that title shall be giuen thee. And so much for the Minister.
9 But the people are also taught from hence, to yeeld an vnfained reuerence, to their pastors and preachers, yea although they be such as hauehave their infirmities. For who had more then Ionas? and yet his speech is called Gods speech, & the beleeuing of his words, the beleeuing of the Lord. The profite which is brought by the true Pastours to their congregations, their maister who doth send them, and the message which they bring do deserue to be well regarded. It is more then men do accompt it to seeke out what goeth astray, to comfort the broken hearted, to leade in the way of peace, to feede that with spirituall foode, which otherwise would perish. To ouerturne the strong holds of Satan and of sinne, is that which is worth the receiuing. But as Origene once said, as the wals of Hierico fell downe by nothing, but by the trumpets of the Priests,Origen. in Iosuam. Homil. 7. so be the strong holds of Satan ouerthrowne by nothing, but by the doctrine of good teachers. These come from the immortall Lord, who is a iealous God and a terrible, and doth hold the disgrace done to his Ministers, as a disgrace offered to himselfe, and punisheth it accordingly. A Christian captaine could once say to Valens the Emperour,Theodoret. Hist. Eccles. l…. 4 19. that he lost a victorie for abusing of Gods ministers, and they (saith he) who fight against the Lord do prosper in nothing. Moreouer, the message which they bring, is the true peace of conscience, and ioy in the holy Ghost. A treasure beyond all treasures: and although they be but earthen vessels, (and therefore brittle) who bring it, yet for the treasures sake, they should be well intreated. How do they keepe this lesson▪ who accompt it part of their happinesse, if with facilitie they may abuse and with promptnesse depraue those, whom in truth they shold honour,1. Tim. 5.17 for so the Apostle speaketh, and yet they will be Christians, and men knowne for religion. Thou who so doest, art an vnhappie man: thou wrongest thy self and knowest it not. Heare what Saint Cyprian saith vntounto thee:Cyprian. de Lapsis. Thou art angrie with him who laboureth to turne away the wrath of God from thee, thou threatnest him who intreateth the merciemercy of God for thee, who feeleth that wound of thine, which thou thy selfe doest not feele, who powreth out those teares for thee, which thou thy selfe perhaps doest not powre out: for thus the true Pastour doth I may adde; Thou wicked heart, why doest thou render him so ill thankes for his labour? Commest thou not vntounto his Church? by that meanes thou debarrest thy selfe, from the communion of Gods saints. Doest thou come, & ioynest not with him in prayer and inuocation? then thou secludest thy selfe from a multitude of men, who call vponupon the Lord: and it is better that thou hadst beene absent; for now thou condemnest thy selfe, for coming and yet refusing. But thou prayest ioyntly with thy Pastour: then let Saint Chrysostome speake vntounto thee,Chrysost. Homil. 33. in Matthaeum. when he saith, peace be to you, (as we say in our Liturgie, the Lord be with you) thou answerest, & with thy spirit, (for in old time, they replyed so also, as we do now.) Thus thou sayest in the Church, and as soone as thou art come out, thou impugnest him, thou despisest him, thou reuilest him, and priuily with a thousand reproches thou rentest him and tearest him: what a peace is this to his spirit, which thou doest wish vntounto him? Take heede and be aduised ô you sonnes of men, lest despising those whom your God fauoureth, you purchase his high displeasure. Learne of the Gentiles of Niniue, to thinke of God in his messengers, and by the visible creature, to remember the inuisible Lord, and to respect them both, the Eternall for himselfe, the other with a reference, because he commeth from him.
10 Now to returne to my Prophet: by him speaking from God, and by God sending his word, his louing, moouing word, faith is wrought in the Niniuites,Rom. 10.17. according to that of the Apostle Saint Paule, that faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. They by a terrour apprehend the conscience of their sinnes, and imagine that without repentance, destruction and vnauoidable desolation is at their doores. See the straunge effect of one sermon, and the doctrine of one day (for so I do still take it) among a forlorne people. The stonie heart is made like waxe, the flintie mind is made soft. But how strange a worke is this? where something was expected there nothing is to be found, and where nothing was looked for, there it commeth in great abundance. There is more treasure in a wildernesse, then in the treasure house. He had long preached to the Israelites, and Israel was not Israel, but a disobedient nation: Gods people were now become a Niniue, or a Babylō, in comparison of that which they should hauehave bene. He commeth among the Niniuites, and there he findeth more of Israel, then he did in his own countrey. The circumcision scorneth, and the vncircumcised are made heires of the promises. The children prooue to be rebels, and the rebels are chaunged into children. So in the time of our Sauiour, the Iewes who dwelt neere, contemned and neglected Christ, but the wise men who dwelt a great way off, came from farre vntounto him,Matth. 2.1. Chrysost. in Matth. Hom. 7. & 8. and adored him. A new thing saith Saint Chrysostome, and maruellous to behold: Palestina lyeth in wait to destroy Christ in his cradle, and Aegipt receiueth & harboureth him. So those who are nearest to the Sanctuarie, are sometimes farthest from sanctitie. The Moone hath least light, when it is nearest the Sunne, but when it is most remooued from him, then it is full of beames and brightnesse. They who heare the word but few times, make more profite, by opening all the hatches of their hearts, and by swallowing it and deuouring it, euen as the chapped earth doth the raine, then those who by a wantonnesse, and euill disposition, do loath euen the foode of Angels. He goeth little abrode who seeth not this experimented: poore people of the countrie, who heare not of God many times, do more attentiuely regard, and more fruitfully receiue one sober and graue instruction, comming from a godly Preacher, neuer catching nor censuring at it, then those places which we take to be most solemne auditories. This is no fault in the word, neither is it to be blamed in the poore people, but it is a shame for the other, who yeeld not their best deuotion. Israel scant lendeth an eare; but Niniue eares and heart, and doth not stay there, but will giuegive triall outwardly of their intendment: a fast shall be proclaimed, and sackcloth shall be put on, that if any thing may mitigate the furie of the Lord being offended, that may not be forgotten. And this is it which my second part in this place doth offer to me.
And they proclaymed a fast.
This Sermō was preached on the Act Sunday.11 It may seeme an vnfit time, to speake of fasting and sackcloth, when feasting and gay clothing are in their heighth among vsus. But blessed be the God of our Soueraigne, and of our land who sendeth vsus such peace, as that we may in some measure, hauehave fruition of these things. It is a mightie blessing, if we compare it with the estate of our neighbours. I will therefore not vnaduisedly, but of purpose deferre this, which is here mentioned concerning sackcloth to the next verse, where it shall hauehave ashes with it: and I will put ouer almost all the circumstances concerning fasts, to that which afterward followeth; onelyonly noting now, and that as I take it, not vnfitly for this auditorie, by whom solemne fasts and abstinence, whensoeuer they are called, should be designed and appointed. If any man will suppose, that here the people of Niniue did helpe to set this forward, I will not be against his opinion; for in as much as they are first named, I will not be difficult to thinke, that they hearing the voyce of the Prophet, might by themselues or by meanes, hauehave recourse to the nobles, and the nobles to the King, and so make knowne their terrour, yea in humblenesse be solicitors & beseechers, that there might be a humiliation. For in this sort the feet may be a monitour to the head,2. Reg. 5.13 the seruants of Naaman to Naaman their Lord, the subiects to their Prince, the gardiner to the greatest. But the letter and plaine words of the Prophet, is contrarie to that surmise, that the people did decree it. It was the King and his nobles, who made the Proclamation. And albeit at the first it be briefly said, that the people proclaimed the fast, yet obserue what followeth, and the matter will be euident. The manner of Scripture is sometimes to propose an action, at the first in grosse, and then afterward to particularize the circumstances of it. So here it is, and the next verse as an Exegesis to the former, doth explane the difficultie. Moreouer the name of people may signifie all the inhabitants, and in them the King and the nobles, as populus Romanus did include the Consuls, and Senatours, and Equites as well as the commons. Then the commandement for the fast did come from the king: and that among Gods people hath euer obtained, and beene obserued, that the Magistrates and Elders should determine of it, and not inferiour men.
12 In the time of Iehosaphat,2. Chr. 20.3. when the enemies came in great multitudes against Iuda, the king thereof Iehosaphat proclaimed a fast. At the comming vp of the people from the captiuitie of Babylon,Ezra. 8.2…. the gouernour Ezra proclaimed a fast, to intreat that God would be pleased, to defend them by the way. When Esther was to aduenture her life for her people,Esther. 4.16. she gaue order being Queene, that such an abstinence should be held for three dayes.Ioel. 2.15. The like may be gathered from the prophecie of Ioel, where they are bid to sanctifie a fast, but it is added also, blow the trumpet;Numer. 10.8. which in the Leuiticall lawe, was onelyonly to be blowne by the sonnes of Aaron. The high Priest had a finger, both in the trumpet and the fast. Euen Iezabel knew this,1. Reg. 21.8. who wrote to the Elders and Princes of Samaria, or some other citie where Naboth dwelt, that they should commaund a fast. It must be the publike crier, and publike authoritie, which must set ābroach such things. So it was in England in the fifth yeare of her Maiesties raigne, when by the most sacred power vnderunder God, and by aduise of the chiefe gouernors, it was established, that ouer all the land, there should be set abstinence and prayer, that the Lord would be intreated to stay the hand of his destroying Aungell, who then ouerthrew many thousands in this kingdome, with the plague of pestilence. The people in their parishes, and Ministers in their charges, may be remembrancers, in modest and godly manner, to the Church-gouernours, to exercise this dutie of Christian obedience, when the wrath of the Lord doth hang ouer by greeuous famine, or the sword or pestilence, or other the like daunger: but neither of them may assume that prerogatiue to themselues, to inioyne or to publish a solemnitie of that nature. It is no true fast in a Christian common-wealth, which is begun and ended, with manifest disobedience to that superiour power, which doth serue the same God with them. Do thou expect direction from them, whom the Lord will hauehave to rule, and be not so censorious or Criticall toward them, whom thou (when thou doest wisely and reuerently consider of it) doest know to be no enemies to God and true religion, as to thinke that they conceiue not the conueniencie, and necessity of extraordinarie humbling of mens soules to the Almightie, especially when they are warned of it, and religiously requested. Much lesse do thou suspect them to be hard hearted and insensible. Salomon telleth vsus,Prou. 25.3. that the Kings heart no man can search out, & Magistrates in great place vnderunder him, are not at all times to acquaint all men, with their counsels and intents. But to suppose the worst, if the time do require it, and God doth expect it of vsus, and yet those whom it most concerneth, shall withhold and detaine such an exercise, yea after solicitation and request thereof made; thou mayest then vse thy discretion for thy selfe and thy familie,Act. 10.30. but especially for thy selfe, like a good Cornelius, and without any murmuring concerning other men, or seditious complayning, do thou double thy deuotion. Fast twise if God do so mooue thee, in steed of eueryevery single time before intended; once to turne away the wrath gone out against the land, and secondly, that the Lord will mooue them that be in authoritie, to do that which is truly pleasing in his eyes. So thou hast saued thy owne soule, and the burthen shall lye on the conscience of other. But take heede of seditious singularitie, and ouer-weening contempt, and condemning of other, lest thou more offend with that, then thou profite with thy abstinence. Diuinitie will not iustifie it, that if a Christian state shall giuegive solemne entertainement, for dismissing of Embassadours, who may be suspected to come about no religious practise, the Ministers on the other side at the same time, and in the same place, should of purpose to crosse the first, proclaime a solemne fast: or if the chiefe Church-gouernour should bid stay a while, for reasons not irreligious, inferiour men should therefore make a great deale more hast. Neither may the examples of others make good this. We liue by lawes, not by examples. EueryEvery man must not carie the sword, or be a commaunder. Good things may be done amisse, and so the goodnesse of them may be impeached. It is good to deface idolatry, but whē multitudes in places wheras now reformed Churches be, hauehave run into the tēples, & with violence hauehave plucked downe the images, and taken away the Crucifixes, and made hauocke of the vessels and superstitious things, to speake most mildly of it, it was not well; but it had bin much better, if publike authoritie had beene therein expected. Men who are priuate persons, must wait for Gods leisure, and not runne before their maker. Saint Paule was wise, and commaunded that all things should be done in order.1. Cor. 14.40 Take heede then of disorders, and such gaps as these may be to enormitie. I speake vntounto the wise, and therefore shut vp this point, with that saying of Saint Bernard:Bernard. in Cantic. Sermon. 49. Si suo quisque feratur impetu. Non plane vnitas erit, sed magis confusio. If eueryevery man shall be caried according to his owne motion, after that spirit which he hath receiued, and do flye vponupon eueryevery thing indifferently, euen as he is affected, and do not hasten to it by the iudgement of reason; while no man is contented with the office assigned vntounto him, but all will attempt all things alike, by an indistinct administration, it will not be an vnitie, but rather a confusion.
13 Let not any man mistake me, as if I did dislike the Christian solemntitie of the most publike abstinence: for farre be that from me. My Ionas too well knoweth the fruite of that in his Niniuites, among whom it wrought not least with the eternall Father, when so openly and generally they did that which they did: for all of them did fast, and all of them put on sackcloth, from the highest to the lowest, The King and his Princes began, the people followed after: but the greatest beginne, and the least follow. The eldest are not excluded: the youngest are not excused:Psalm. 51.5. for the child but of one day old, is of spotted seede and corrupted. But all of them ioyne together, that if one want deuotion, another may be right; if one of them preuaile not, yet the multitude may obtaine. What a sight was this to behold, that young and old, male and female, the Ladies and their handmaides, the Nobles and their seruants, should be rufully lamenting on their faces, with voyce lift vp vntounto the highest heauens? How would this pierce to the throne of the vnapprochable Godhead, what heighth could keepe this backe, what cloude would not this seuer, what heauen would not this enter? When so many thousands crye, al Niniue with one eccho, without fraude or hypocrisie, how could God chuse but heare, for the great merciemercy which is in him? The ioynt prayers of mortall men, hauehave much force with the Lord. For, to speake after the manner of men, suppose that he were hardly bent to take vengeance vponupon a nation, & at first when they should call for merciemercy, would seeme to be on sleepe; yet would not this awaken him, when he should hauehave no rest? when on the right hand and left hand, before him and behind him, at the doores and at the windowes, and at the floore which is vnderunder him, there should be knocking and bouncing, which will not be answered with silence, nor take any deniall. The diuersitie of the noyses, as the shrill voyce of the infants, the wailing of the women, the howling of the men would mooue him who is most setled. Their various importunitie will wring foorth pitie from him. Then it is a fault in vsus, that when Gods heauie hand, doth lye sometimes vponupon vsus, we come not with our forces vnited to sollicite him. We do in a sort strain curtesie, who it is that shal go to Church, but the most will be away. And those who come do it so coldly, that it is as good that they were absent. It is the great congregation of spirits throughly mooued & kindled in deuotion, which doth winne God ouer to vsus. When citizens who hauehave transgressed, shall open their gates to their Prince whom they hauehave offended, and the men and women and children, shall lye prostrate at his feete, and acknowledge themselues wholly at his merciemercy and discretion, his heart melteth on them, and spareth them being thus cast downe. So would God deale with vsus. But our proude mind commeth not to this: although much miserie be vponupon vsus,Basil. Serm. contra diuites auaros. we cannot tell how to stoupe. Saint Basile complaineth, that when a most grieuous famine pinched his citie of Caesarea, yet very few of the inhabitants sought for remedie. I come saith he to Church to preach or to pray, but scant any is ioyned with me. The men are about their marchandise, the women about their profites. But very few are with me; and those who be, are so gaping and wearie, and so itching vp and downe, as if they looked still when he who readeth the Psalme, would make an end, that they might withdraw themselues from the Church as from some prison. The most here are the scholers who come from the schoole, which take this comfort by it, that they are from their bookes the while, and make no more vse of it: but the stronger sort the while are carelesly gadding through the streetes. See if he paint not out as with a most perfect pensill, the time wherein we liue. God hath sent vsus such a famine, that if vnderunder his blessing the seas had not serued vsus more happily then the land, to the eternall praise of merchandise, many thousands of men besides those few which are lost, had perished, and the Lord knoweth what had beene done. And yet the prices of all things continue exceeding deere. Now in this case do we from the greatest to the least, assemble before the Almightie? Nay as Basile saith, few come, and those who come, come so carelesly and sleepily, as if they were not present at all: but in many great townes and cities, vponupon a day of ordinarie Lecture, men and women are so scant to be seene, that indeede the boyes of the schoole are more, then all the Church besides: and yet they be not many. This is a fault which cannot be excused; & the greatest herein do as commō ly offend as the meanest. How would the Pastour delight, to see a great flocke about him? how would eueryevery true heart ioy, to heare the sound of Psalmes sung, like the showte of a mightie armie? How would the Lord be pleased to be mooued & called vponupon, by the prayers of such a multitude? We cannot excuse this.
14 Yet I commend the men of Niniue, for what they did, they did wholly. I pray God that it neuer fall out, that they stand vp in the iudgement,Matth. 12.41 and condemne many of our nation, for their forwardnesse and our beckwardnesse. For what do we in comparison of those infidell heathen men? We hauehave receiued gifts farre before them, but bring foorth fruite farre behind them. There came one man to them, but we hauehave had many hundreds: a straunger was their sollicitour, but we hauehave had of our owne:Act. 2.17. God hath powred the spirit of Prophecie on our sonnes and on our daughters, our young men hauehave seene visions, our old men hauehave dreamed dreames. They were onelyonly taught by threatnings, but we hauehave had sweete promises, and perswasions, and allurements: and when these hauehave not serued, we hauehave felt the smart of the rodde, by a hunger and by a sicknesse. They had the word but one day, or a very little time, but we euen fortie yeares, a goodly space and a large: and therein line after line, and precept vponupon precept, now a little and then a little: yet in so many diminishments and extenuations of theirs in comparison of vsus, they repented, and all of them repented in sackcloth and ashes, in fasting and lamentation, but we without repenting, go on to prouoke his wrath. Then what should stay Gods furie, that it doth not breake out against vsus? Nothing certainly, but some few such righteous, as were not to be found in Sodome:Gen. 18.26. but especially his owne merciemercy, which followeth vsus vnthankfull persons, for his owne sake, and his Sons sake, and for his Churches sake. Let vsus pray that this fauour of his may yet lengthen, that it be not cropped off with violence, that we feele not that indeede, which the Niniuites did but heare of, yet a very little while, and much sorrow and affliction. God the Father turne this from vsus: Christ Iesus euer fauour vsus; the holy Ghost still preserue vsus, and to them be eternall glorie now and for euermore.