Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 2
THE II. LECTVRE.
The chiefe points. 1. The veritie of the Scripture appeareth in that the writers thereof doe declare many things against themselues. 6 Reasons which might moue Ionas to flie to Tarshish, and the insufficiencie of them. 12 Where Tarshish was. 13 The vocation of the Ministerie is not to be relinquished. 16 Men are more free to spend money about euill things then about good. 17 What it is to flie from Gods presence. 19 Comfort and instruction to the Minister.
IONAH. 1.3.
But Ionah rose vp to fly into Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went downe to Iapho: and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he payed the fare thereof and went downe into it: that he might go with them into Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
IONAS hath receiued his charge to go to Niniue, with a message of much importance; which he might do the better, because he came with authoritie, and not as a common person, to chide and brawle about iniuries, or bad reckenings which fal out betweene man & man, but with a proclamation of weight from the eternall God. Here a naturall man would looke, that since Ionas is to write this storie of himselfe, (for no man I thinke maketh doubt thereof) he should speake for his owne credit; with what diligence and audacitie he performed this message; how he spared not the king of Niniue, but told him his owne; or if he had failed to do that which was enioined to him, or for want of wit or wil, had missed in his designement, a worldling would iudge, that for his reputation, he should hauehave concealed it: let others if they wold hauehave spoken their pleasure of him, but not he of himself: or if needs he must hauehave spoken, he would hauehave told the better part, and left out the worst. But if Ionas would be naught, and erre as fowly in penning, as he did before in practise, he hath here met with his maister, who well can keepe him from it, euen the mightie Spirit of God, which dealeth with him in this place as it did with Dauid in his one and fiftieth Psalme, that is, maketh him to confesse that against God, Psal. 51.4.against him only he had sinned, & done euill in his sight, that the Lord might be iustified when he did speake, and pure when he did iudge, that God might hauehave his true honor, and man beare his deserued blame. This here maketh our Prophet say so much against himself, and lay open his owne infirmitie, yea his grieuous disobedience, that himselfe was a runagate,Ionah. 1.5. and fugitiue from his God, yea a very carelesse rebel: that he slept in the ship-bottome, when all other were praying, for feare lest they should be drowned:Chap. 4.5. that he crosseth the Lord alwayes, wishing vengeance vponupon Niniue, when God would hauehave merciemercy;Chap. 4.1.4.9. yea that as the testiest man who euer did liue, he did fret and scold with God, and for anger would be dead; and lastly that chiding hand-smooth with his maker, he did iustifie his wrath, that he did well to be angrie.
2 This course (not only here but through other scriptures also) of inculcating & redoubling their faults, whom the books do most concerne,Iob. 3.1. 2. Sam. 11.17 1. Reg. 11.3. Num. 11.11. Chap. 20.12. Ierem. 20.14. as the impatiency of Iob, the murther of Dauid, the idolatrie of Salomon, the discontentednesse of Moses, by Moses himselfe, and Gods punishment on him for it, that he came not into Canaan; so by Ieremy himselfe, the fretting of Ieremy, because all things were not well, doth argue to the reader some thing very supernaturall that is in these bookes; since contrary to the course of humorous ambition, which delighteth in her owne glorie, and either openly or secretly, by some insinuation doth aime still at her owne praise, they which are the Spirits secretaries, should discouer themselues, & display their owne ouersights. Among other that follow in the processe of this Prophecy, this is an excellent argument, against those wicked ones of our age, who call the Scripture in question. If they, who in the way of carnalitie to magnifie themselues, and make their wordes seeme glorious, dare oppose their wits against heauen and earth, against Iewes and Gentiles, against God and men, could remember the endlesse wisedome of the word of life, they might plentifully admire their spirit, who to giuegive God the glory,2. Cor. 12.5. do reioyce in their infirmities, & proclaime their owne follies. And if they would compare the maner of these writers inspired with the holy Ghost, with the workes of other men of what sort soeuer, they must either shut their eyes or confesse a great difference.
3 For the writers of this world, howsoeuer against enemies they speake all and more then all, as Zozimus did against the Christians; or for their friendes and countrymen set all at the highest,Salust. in prae fatione Coniurat. Catil. as Salust doth obserue that the Athenien and Greeke writers did long before his time; yea howsoeuer sometimes they speake truth where it cometh to their notice, or toucheth not themselues, or their partiall friends; yet in them we find few examples of laying open the errors of themselues, or of their friēds, especially when in any sort it may be concealed. Let Tully be a witnesse, of whose faults we do not reade in any thing of his owne;Tull. Offic. 1. but that Rome was saued by him from the furie of Catiline; that when he was Consul he did more then good seruice to the common-wealth, his tong and his pen hauehave neuer done. What learned man hath not heard of his
Cedant arma togae, concedat laurea linguae.
In the Commentaries of Caesar a booke worthily penned, may we find any thing which maketh against himselfe, yea in his ciuill warres?Hirtius de bello Hispa. But in his friend Hirtius, what is there to be read that doth not make for him? The writings of Mahomet, I meane such as are written of him, do make him the onelyonly Prophet in the last age of the world, the great seruant of the Highest, hauing messages from aboue, and oracles from heauen, yea & such a one as was able bodily to rise againe from the dead, but that must be after eight hundred yeares (he taketh a pretie time for the trying of that conclusion,Iohn 2.19. Lod. Viues de veritate fidei lib. 4. Ioh. 16.7. whereas Christ tooke but three dayes) yea as Viues obserueth, that he was the Cōforter whom Christ promised to send into the world after his ascension: and that it was written in the Gospell of Saint Iohn, I will send you a Comforter, and that shall be Mahomet, but that those last words concerning Mahomet, were razed out by the Christians.
4 By these we may iudge of the rest. But it is so farre off from men, who are but naturall men, to be detectors and discouerers of their owne falles to posterity, that they cannot with patience endure, that they should be opened by other. For that is a common fault and not proper to one, which Pliny reporteth of one in his time. And that was, that whereas according to the custome of that age, a certaine writer had read and rehearsed in the presence of diuerse a peece of a booke, which truly deciphered the faults of some men, and sayd that he would reserue the rest vntil the next day to be heard,Plin. Iunior Epist. lib. 9. ad paternū. Tantus a…diē di quae fecerūt pudor quibus nullus faciendi quae audire erubescunt. the friends of one party who was touched in that booke, and not without desert, came in the meane while to the Author, and most earnestly intreated him in their friends behalfe, that he would forbeare to reade of that matter any further. Which made Pliny to inferre this, in one of his Epistles, Such shame is there of hearing such things as are done, by them who shame not to do that which they blush to heare. What his friends could not endure, himselfe would much lesse, & what to heare had bene grieuous, to write had bene ashame. The Prophets and pen-men of the Spirit of God, by a peculiar prerogatiue are singular in this kind, to shew that their bookes are the bookes of their Maister: and so by that one meanes among other,Aug. Epist. 7. Secūdas partes habeat modedestiae qui primas non potuit habere sapiētiae. to stop the mouths of blasphemers and miscreants, who measure God by themselues, and pietie by their profanenesse. Ionas was better taught, not to giuegive the glory to himself, but to God, hauing learned that lesson which Saint Austen afterward did mention, that he who hath failed in the first degree of wisedome, that is vertue and obedience, should betake him to the second, that is, modestie in confessing and acknowledging his fault. Heare now therefore what he did, and how he performed his message.
He arose to flie into Tarshish.
5 Ionas thus farre was obedient, to arise when he was bidden, but he might as well hauehave sate still, for anie good which he did. He rouzeth vp himselfe, as if he intended to fall hardly to his matters; but after the first step, he trode not one foot right. He should hauehave rose to crie, and he arose to flie: he should hauehave gone East to Niniue, and he went Westward to Iapho. But euen cleane contrary. A liuely example of the infirmitie of man, that without Gods grace we very soone plunge into all maner of sin, without measure or meane, when a Prophet so experienced in the mysteries of saluation, could play so foule a part. But there is no man that sinneth not, 1. Reg 8.46.as Salomon saith, And the iust man doth fall seuen times, Hieronym. Epist. 46. Si cadit quomodo iustus, si iustus quomodo cadit? Iacob. 3.2.whereof although Hierome aske, If he be iust how doth he fall, and if he fall how is he iust? yet he answereth himselfe, that he looseth not the name of a righteous man, who ariseth by repentance, and we may say further, he falleth by nature, and ariseth by grace, he falleth by sinne, and is righteous by faith. In many things we sinne all, saith S. Iames: not you only who be the people, but we also the Apostles. And if that there should hauehave come any other after the Apostles, that should not hauehave sinned, it is very likely that our Sauiour in the midst of his wisedome, wherewith he gouerneth his Church, would hauehave appointed for them some other prayer, then the ordinary Lords prayer:Matth. 6.12. they should not hauehave sayd, forgiue vsus our trespasses, because they had none. This is a cooler both to the Pharisees and Nouatians, who were wont to despise sinners. If Ionas fall, and Iob, and Noe, and Lot, and Dauid, whom the scripture calleth iust and righteous persons, and after Gods owne heart, let other men take heed of presumption, and trusting in themselues. Yet this is a comfort to sinners in the weakenesse of their soules. If God forgaue Ionas repenting and beleeuing, he will forgiue vsus also, if we beleeue and repent. Therfore let not despaire deuour our wounded consciences. Yet let not this be an incouragement to offend in any wilfulnesse. Many will fall with Dauid, but they will not arise with Dauid. Our Prophet at the length amendeth, but his fall was great the while. Let vsus first see the reasons that moued him to his flight, and then the maner of it.
6 We need not to doubt, but Satan who is euer at hand to promote bad causes, could yeeld reasons enough for the hinderance of this worke. He had cause to feare, that by the meanes of Ionas many soules in Niniue might escape his net. Perhaps therefore he would suggest and put this in his mind, that he was but a strāger there, acquainted with no man, & so should be but ill welcome.1. Sam. 21.13 This was one part of Dauids feare, whē being with Achis he fayned himselfe mad, because among strangers out of his owne countrey, he had none on whom he might repose him selfe, as on his familiar and fast true friend. But a meaner man then a Prophet, might here hauehave answered Satan, that the whole earth is the Lordes, Psal. 24.1. Gen. 12.10. Ruth. 1.1.and all that therein is, the compasse of the world and they that dwell therein. He who kept Abraham in Egypt, where he was but a meere stranger, and Naomi in Moab, could keepe Ionas here also. It may be that the tempter would insinuate vntounto him, that he was but one man. What? one man to a multitude? a single person to a whole kingdome? A ridiculous thing. Yea but Ionas might hauehave heard, that the day was, when those which were with Elizeus and his seruant,2. Reg. 6.16. were more in number then all the enemies which were against them. Where God is and his Angels, there man is not alone. He could not but know,2 Pet. 2.5. Exod. 3.10. Exod. 32.20. that a time had bene, when one Noe was to preach to all the world, one Moses to Pharao and all the land of Egypt. The same Moses had stood against all the tribes of Israel, when he came downe from the Mount, and found the people dauncing about the golden calfe.Num. 14.6. It was but one paire, when Iosua and Caleb resisted all the people, who murmured vponupon the returne of the spies out of Canaan. Therefore as no reason should stop the mouth of the Minister, or detaine him from his charge, so this should least of all other. They who neuer knew God, hauehave gone as farre as this: as Phocion among the Atheniens, of whom it is written,Plut. in vita Phocionis. that when Apollo by his Oracle at Delphos, had giuen an answer, that one man did disagree, although all the rest of their Citie consented;Desinite sollicitè inquirere quisnam is sit vir▪ ego sum de quo quaeritur: soli enim mihi nil eorum quae aguntur probatur. and they were much troubled to know who that one was, Phocion of his owne accord stepped foorth and sayd, giuegive ouer to wonder or enquire too carefully, who that man is: I am he of whom the question is, for indeed I like of nothing that you go about. Ionas might hauehave bene as bold as euer Phocion was, for he had a farre better theame to speake vponupon.
7 It might be that our Prophet might hauehave a conceit, that for bringing such a message as the destructiō of Niniue, he might be murthered, or at the least be much abused; and that therefore it was better to keepe him away. Good sleeping in a whole skin. What wise man wold aduenture his life, among barbarous people, which knew neither God nor goodnesse? If among them who knew something,1. Reg. 19.1. Chap. 13.1. Elias could hardly escape the fingers of Iezabel, and another Prophet could scant get away from idolatrous Ieroboam, what might not be well feared among Gentiles, and proud bloudie people? If it were but to be imprisoned, or rayled at, or spit on, who would euer come there, that might keepe himselfe thence? yet this was a carnall reason, if the Prophet so thought.Plutarch. de Exilio. Ridemus eum qui dixit meliorem Athenis esse lunam quā Corinthi. It was noted for follie in him that could say, that there was a better Moone at Athens then any was at Corinth. It sauoured of infidelitie in him that should thinke, that God was not as strong at Niniue, as he had bene in Israel. But Ionas wouldst thou not aduenture an abusing, to win vntounto the Lord so goodly a Citie as Niniue was? such a king, and such a people? enlarge heauen with so manie? A Philosopher after thee,Diogenes Laer…ius in vita Aristippi. Aristippus by name, in a desire that he had to gaine Dionysius but vntounto morall vertue, could endure that the tyrant whose good he did seeke, should raile and spit on him. And he could say for himselfe, that if fisher-men for the getting of a litle fish, could be well contented to soile and fowle themselues in the mud and mire, why should he refuse to endure any disgrace, if he might catch such a great fish as Dionysius was. The king of Niniue and his people, had bene as the taking of a whale, in comparison of Dionysius, although a king in Sicilia. But if it had bene worse, Ionas, that thou must hauehave lost thy life, woldst thou hauehave stucke thereat? To bestow thy life on God, who bestowed it on thee? to yeeld it when he called for it, who might call for it when he would? Could not he hauehave restored it in this world, if it had pleased him? or could he not make recompence in the kingdome of heauen? Thou couldst not but know, Ionas, that his Sonne afterward, should for thy sake lose his life. Was the seruant aboue the maister? How many for their Princes? how many for their countreys hauehave willingly died? Shall men do that for men, which thou wilt not for thy God? It was many yeares after thee,Eccles. 1.10. (but the saying of Salomon in specie is true, that there is no new thing, and so the like might be before thee) that at the siege of Auaricum a city of France by Iulius Caesar,Caesar. Comment. lib. 7. one frenchman being slaine, by the stroke of an engine in warre called a Scorpion, a second commeth in his place, and when he was slaine, a third, and when he was dead, a fourth, they so entring certaine death for the safegard of their countrey. Shall souldiers do more for the keeping of a Citie, then a Prophet will do for the kingdome of heauen? This yet therefore is no reason: let vsus heare a litle further.
8 Perhaps he did remember, that he did no good by preaching in his owne countrey, to men of rebellious hearts: & what good then should he do in preaching to infidels? If they would not heare who had the Law and the couenāt,Rom. 3 2. & to whom were committed the oracles of God, and knew what belonged to all these, what should be expected of ignorant persons? of superstitious idolaters? He who had lost one labour in so large a sort spent, would hardly endure to lose another. As good sit still at home, or do something else, as go so farre and do nothing. This obiection yet was worldly, for how could he tell what the Lord would do?Rom. 11.33. Matth. 3.9. Had he diued into those counsels which are so vnsearchable, and those wayes which are past finding out? God was able of stones to raise vp children to Abraham. He could make the rough wayes plaine, & set the crooked things straight. Who should be of power to soften and mollifie the heart, of flintie to make it fleshie, but he who made the heart? Howsoeuer let the Minister do his dutie, & leaue the rest to him. Paule planteth, 1. Cor. 3.6.Apollos watereth, but God giueth the increase. But if God be not pleased to giuegive anie increase, yet let Paule plant, and let Apollos water. The resolution which Ioab sometimes did beare speaking to the Israelites, should be the resolution of the Minister,2. Sam 10.12. Be strong, and let vsus be valiant for our people, and for the cities of our God, and then let the Lord do what seemeth good in his eyes. So should Ionas hauehave said. In an vnknowne countrey God might hauehave sent him fruite, who found none in his owne.Ioseph. Anti. lib. 16.6. It is noted of Herod the great, by Iosephus, that he who at home was a man most vnhappie in his wiues & his children, was abroad a man most happie, for his great friendes and acquaintance and much other prosperitie. So it might hauehave bene with the Prophet. Therefore this yet is no reason.
9 It may be that he stomaked it, that the Gentiles should know God, which was a fault in his country-men, while they accounted all other men dogges, but themselues the holy seed. We hauehave Abraham to our father. Matth. 3.9. Ioh. 8.39. Act. 10.44.In respect whereof, when Peter had preached to the Gentils, and the gifts of the holy Ghost had fallen on Cornelius, and those which were with him; they of the Circumcision did chalenge the Apostle,Act. 11.2. that he had gone in to mē vncircumcised. So the Prophet being sicke of his country-mens disease, might murmure that the Niniuites should be preferred before the auncient people of God, his word being taken from these, and giuen to the other, as if they had better deserued it. This might in time bring in the refu…all of the Iewes, and the calling of the Gentiles so spoken of by Noe,Gen. 9.27. Chap. 49.10. Deut. 32 21. Psal. 68.31. so told of by Iacob, so fore-prophecied by Moses, so fore-written by Dauid, all which more then apparantly did aime at such a matter. But is it come to this passe that the axe shall leade the workeman? or shall man teach his God what people he shall chuse? Hiram although a Gentile,1. Reg. 5.8. yet had a finger in the Temple of Salomon; so Niniue of the Gentiles might be a part of Gods spirituall temple. If Israel were to be reiected, they might thanke none but themselues for that losse, who had the custodie of so precious a treasure, as the Arke was and the Cherubins, which signified Gods presence, and lost all the fruit of them and many blessings besides. But by many wordes of the old Testament, that time could not yet be come, nor the generall calling of the Gentiles, till that Messias did appeare, who was farre inough from Ionas. Therefore as the rest, so this was no pretence for the Prophet, to flie away from his charge.
10 Thus hauehave I touched such causes, as sense and reason yeeld, and the expositions on this place. The text doth not contrarie these, and it is not vnlikely, that all or diuerse of them, were tumbling at that time in the working head of Ionas. But there is one which expresly is named in the bodie of the text, as appeareth in the fourth chapter.Ion. 4.2. Ionas stood on his reputation, that he was the Lords messenger, & therfore was to speake nothing but truth. He imagined that it might be his grosse discredit, to be taken in a lye; and he thought it might be a meanes, that Gods name might be reproched, and the Lord be blasphemed. For I know saith he, that thou art a gracious God and mercifull, slow to anger and of great kindnesse, and repentest thee of the euill. Thus the man is so straight laced, that rather then him selfe would lose a word, he careth not if a million of men do lose their liues; if that goodly glorious citie were ruinated to the ground; if the innocent sucking infants were deuoured vp by destruction. A preposterous zeale, and furious, and which wanteth no ignorance also. For he should ha… learned to distinguish betweene Gods absolute word, and his conditionall threatnings. Some things are without anie condition, …e will hauehave them to be so: some other things are with an If, as, if they do not repent. It was an absolute speech: The seed of the woman shall bruse the serpents head.Gen. 3.15. But it is a word with condition, The Lord will not forsake his people, that is, if they do not first forsake him, which maner of intended, or included condition if Ionas had remembred, when he was to vtter his speech, That Niniue should be destroyed, Verum est, if they repented not, and called for grace, God might hauehave done his pleasure, and his seruant hauehave said true also.
11 This reason of the Prophet wherfore he should fly from Gods seruice, is more grieuous then the rest. For would he shorten the Lord of his merciemercy? Would man that was a sinner, and must be saued by a pardon, enuie that other sinners should hauehave their pardō also?Matth. 20.15. Was Ionas his eye euil because Gods eye was good? Then wellfare Saint Paule writing to Titus, whom he would hauehave to remember his charge, and the people whom he taught,Tit. 3.2.3. to shew meekenesse to all men, and he layeth this downe as one cause, for that we our selues also were in times past vnwise and disobedient. Tullius pro M. Marcello.Tully was of better nature, who would hauehave Marcellus spared, because himselfe before had by Caesar bene spared. But he reprocheth it vntounto Tubero, that he would offer to accuse Ligarius of that,Pro Q. Ligario. August. Homil. 6. Tomo 10. Quia Deus extendit pontem misericordiae suae vt tu trāsire posses, hoc vis vt iam subducat ne alius transeat? wherein himselfe and other had bene guiltie. S. Austē in the sixth of those, which are only called by the name of his Homelies, doth by a secret inclusion compare this mind of man, to one who is to passe ouer a ditch, or streame of water, (where if he passe not he dieth, and if he plunge in, he drowneth) and there doth find that fauour to hauehave a bridge or planke of timber layed crosse to helpe him ouer: but when other do come after, who are in that state as he was, he would hauehave it withdrawne from them. When God saith he hath stretched out his bridge of mercy that thou mayst go ouer, wilt thou that he shall withdraw it, least some other do come that way? This is a cruell position, and should not be in the child of God. Graue Seneca doth acount it a great fault in Lysimachus,Senec. de Ira. lib. 3. that whereas himselfe vponupon Alexanders displeasure, was cast vntounto a Lion to be deuoured, and happily escaped by killing that Lion, yet he caried so furious and cruell a heart toward another man, as to cut off the eares and nose from Telesphorus Rhodius, whom in former time he had entertained as his friend, but then afterward kept him being so mangled, in a cage, as if he had bene some strange beast. He should hauehave learned by his owne example to hauehave pitied another man. That verse of Dido is good,
Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco.Virgil. Aeneid. 1.
I who hauehave tasted of sorow, hauehave learned thereby to pitie those whom I see to be in misery. That partie who hath found merciemercy, should not grudge merciemercy vntounto other. Our Prophet hath forgot this. Nothing else but thunder and lightening, and fire from heauen would serue the turne, if he must go to Niniue. A humour verie ambitious, which to feed it selfe in his fancies, careth not if other perish. This is a grieuous fault wheresoeuer it be found. The magnifying of one man, and the loftinesse which he conceiueth, should not be the ruine of manie. What is the cause saith Saint Bernard of such fury many times? Nothing else saith he but this, Bernardus Epistol. 126. Luc. 2.14. Displicet mortalibus Angelica illa partitio qua gloria D…o & pax hominibus nūciatur: & dum gloriam vsurpant, turbant pacem. Augustin. de verbis Dom. Serm. 15.that the diuision of the Angels doth not please mortall men. For they say, Glorie to God on high, and peace to men: but vvhile men do seeke the glorie they do disturbe the peace. The Prophet in this place, is sicke of this disease. Let Niniue and ten Niniues sincke, burne, or do what it will: he had leifer hauehave his minde satisfied, then all the world besides. Whereof because he feareth that he shall faile, he will take such a course, as in the end proueth little to his owne ease. He ariseth as God bad him, and away he goeth with haste; but better that he had halted, so it had bene in the right way, then to run with speed in a wrong way. And thus now hauing heard the reasons which are by anie supposed to put him besides his dutie, let vsus see the course which he taketh.
He went downe to Iapho, &c.
Septuagint. foreign. Hierony. in hunc locum.12 The Septuagint translate it, he went vp to Iapho; but Hierome doth dislike it, being moued thereto both by the Hebrew word, and by his owne experience. For liuing long, as he did in the holy land as we commonly call it, he saw that Iapho did stand low, and therefore to be more fit for descending then ascending. It is a hauen towne in Palestina standing vponupon the Mediterrane sea, and it is the same which is called Ioppa in the tenth of the Actes,Acts. 10.15. whither Cornelius sent for Peter. This is one of those townes, which the Christians sometimes in their voyage to the holy land,Roger. Houeden in Richardo primo. Guliel. Neubringens. Hist. 4.27. Arias Mont. in hunc locū Hieron. in Ezec. 27.12. did recouer from Saladine the great king of Egypt: and it had afterward bene regained by him, but that Richard the first then king of this land, being returning on his iourney for England, did bring backe his armie, and succour it at need, as Neubringensis writeth. From this Iapho our Prophet would go vntounto Tarshish, which some hauehave thought to be the old citie Carthage, and Hierome himselfe though not in this place yet in the seuen and twentieth of Ezechiel doth reade Carthaginiens, where as we reade, men of Tarshish. Yet because we are not sure, that Carthage was then built, (for this Prophecie is auncient, and Salomons time more auncient, when Tarshish was right famous, which I thinke Carthage was not) I therefore followe them who take it for Tarsus a towne of Cilicia in Asia the lesser,Gualther. in hunc locum. which was nearer to the Iewes, and well knowne among them, as may be gathered by Pauls speech, saying that he was borne there, and calling it a famous citie in Cilicia. I am the more induced hereunto,Ioseph. Antiquit. lib. 9.11. because Iosephus reciting this storie saith expresly, that Ionas meant to flie to Tarsus in Cilicia. And I suppose this to be the place, whither Salomon did send for things of pleasure, and of profit, when it is said that he sent vntounto Tarshish for gold and siluer and iuorie and Apes and peacockes.1. Reg. 10.22.
13 This Citie then being a place of great traffike, whither marchants did frequent, to buy and sell wares, doth yeeld probable coniecture, although no necessarie inference, that Ionas not liking his message to Niniue, wold now for worldly respects, leaue his calling and become a marchant. It would wel hauehave becommed him, to renounce his vocation, and fallen to merchandising. His sanctified gifts would hauehave well serued to that purpose. That calling in it self is certainly not vnlawfull, but yet not lawfull to euerie man. There are in it, as by men it is commonly vsed, great occasions of abuses, and those so great, that Syracides saith of it,Eccles. 26 30. Chap. 27.2. A marchant cannot lightly keepe him from vvrong. And, As a naile in the wall sticketh fast betweene the ioynts of the stones, Herodotus in Clio. Non extimui …nquam homines illos, quibus locus est in media vrbe vacuus ad quem collecti mutuis ipsi s…bi iuramentis imponerent.so doth sinne sticke betweene the selling and buying. Cyrus the king of Persia did note great fraud and deceipt to be in the Greeks, when he could say of them, that he feared not such men, as had a place emptie in the midst of their citie, to the which they gathering eueryevery day, beguiled one another with othes and swearing. These wordes saith Herodotus did Cyrus cast foorth against all the Greekes, because they had large market places wherin they vsed their traffiking, as among vsus might be a Bource or Exchange. Let this rather be a fault of the persons then of the things, since God hath ordained that trade to his glorie, to the vse of nauigation, to the discouerie of countreys, to the communicating of cōmodities in one nation to another, to the bringing in of such things as are comfortable to man; yea seruiceable in religion, as wine to vsus Northerne people, to be vsed in the Sacrament, as the best representation of the bloud of Christ Iesus. But howsoeuer for a Prophet, to leaue his preaching in the name of the Lord, and fall to marchandising (if we will take it so) was a fault in the highest degree, to run from God to men: from heauen vntounto earth.
14 I find in the new Testament, that from towl-gatherers and fishers men came to be Apostles; and I know that after their sanctifying,Ioh. 21.3. Act. 18.3. for a need they did vse their occupations, as the Apostles went a fishing, and Saint Paule did make tents; but these things were but as hand-maidens to the studie of Diuinitie, and to the Mistresse the word; but that preaching was left for anie of these, I thinke a man may turne the whole Bible ouer, and ouer againe,2. Tim. 4 10. and find no such example. OnelyOnly this, it was small praise to Demas as here it is to Ionas, that he left S. Paule, and embraced this present world. In our time let mē take heed, whō God hath blessed with verie good gifts, that it be not layd vntounto their charge, that they with Ionas hauehave chosen to do something else, as to be farmors, or graziers, or husbandmē in the country, rather then to preach the word, whereunto in former time they were in shew selected. I speake not in bitternesse, but rather do grieue at it. The Church hath had a wound by it. If when they did teach before, they preached and were not called, that were a grieuous fault, to run & not be sent. If they formerly were called, then who hath now recalled thē? Those things about which they faint and fall, are not of that moment, as is the preaching of the word. I do not yet find any thing, either expresly or by consequent, directly to be drawne throughout the whole booke of God, for the leauing or refusing of this or of that garment, & so of other circumstances, which somtimes were in question, but I am sure that I find this plainely,1. Cor. 9.16. wo is vntounto me if I preach not the Gospel. I do iudge no mans consciēce, but leaue that to the Lord. Yet to speake mine opinion, I do feare that it cā be but smal cō fort, to the heart of a true Christian, in so glorious a time of the Gospel, as we hauehave (and the Lord make vsus thankful for it) to say that in England he is persecuted for preaching of the Gospell. Lesse comfort to be said truly, to be a cause to himselfe, of stopping his mouth from preaching of the Gospell. But least of all, with Ionas to go from Niniue to Tarsus, from being a Prophet, to be a marchant, or follow some other calling. Ionas by it sped but il, let thē looke to themselues. I desire that all should be wel.
He found a ship going to Tarshish.
15 God doth manie times suffer those things to be ready, by the which we may fall, that we may learne that in our selues there is no measure of iniquitie, if God once do giuegive vsus ouer, or leaue vsus for a time. Whereupon we hauehave need to pray, not only as some pray,Matth. 6.13. foreign. that he wil not suffer vsus to be led into temptation, but that he will not leade vsus into temptation, by causing vsus to see enticements, and if he do, that then he will deliuer vsus from euill. That is, if he trie vsus, that he will not suffer vsus to fall: if he lay a burthen on vsus, that he will giuegive vsus grace to beare it. But that is another matter. He findeth a ship readie, and like a man that meant to trauell, hauing money in his purse (so the Prophet is not thread-bare, he hath money in his purse) he payeth the fare of her. He may be thought in this, to be a man of good conscience, that such as laboured for him, should hauehave the price of their paines. A lesson worth the learning, for those which hauehave to do with labourers, and poore workemen, that they do not detaine their wages.Matth. 10.10. The labourer saith our Sauiour, is worthy of his hire. God hath diuerse sayings in his Law, that the wages of such persons as are hired,Leuit. 19.13. Deut. 24.14. should not be detained from them, least in anguish of their soule the men crie vntounto the Lord, and he take it not well. The rich men that do this, are bidden by Saint Iames to weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vponupon them. Iac. 5.1.3.And it is added, Your gold and siluer is cankered, and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you, and shall eate your flesh as it were fire. The Prophet howsoeuer in other things he deale carelesly, yet in this he will not offend. He will rather breake with God, then cracke his credit with men. If they worke they shall hauehave money.
16 But may we not rather collect something here, which maketh against the Prophet, that so firily he is set, and so hotely enflamed to run from his dutie, that rather then faile, his purse shall go for his passage? Here is earnestnesse with a witnesse; he careth not for his companie, be they Gentiles, or infidels, or idolaters as they were, (for that will appeare by it which followeth) he careth not so that he may be gone. So that he may do amisse, he will not spare his money. See the corruptnesse of our nature. They who are otherwise straight-handed inough, in promoting that which is good, will spare no cost at all to further that which is euill. I do not finde that the Priests were verie liberall to the poore, especially out of the common treasurie: yet that Christ may be betrayed,Matth. 26.15. Chap. 27.57. Iudas shall hauehave for his part thirtie peeces of siluer. Let Ioseph of Arimathea bestow cost if he wil, on burying Christ crucified; the rulers will none: but so that it may be rumoured, that his Disciples came by night and stole him away,Chap. 28.12. the souldiers shal hauehave large pay.Socrat. Hist. Eccles. 3.12. The Apostata Iulian was eger inough to get money from the Christians, by exactions and oppressions, but when he bad the Iewes build the Temple at Ierusalem, in spite of Iesus Christ,Chap. 17. Ammian. Marcel. li. 23. who had told before that it neuer should be reedified, it is certaine that his purse, as well as his tongue, did go in that bargaine. Our age hath too manie of such men as these be. Such as be of good place, if they be solicited by their honest neighbours, to helpe forward a Lecture, for the teaching of the people of God, their owne children and seruants, yea perhaps themselues too (who are most ignorant of all) or to maintaine an able Minister; they hauehave not a penie, their charge is so great, and so many wayes they are burthened: but to disturbe their Preacher, or call him in question, or make him stand in law for his tithes and due maintenaunce, they hauehave money inough. For the vsing of Gods gifts to the honour of his name, they hauehave other businesse: but to vse them against God or anie of his good children, they hauehave store and will inough.
17 He payeth that he may be gone, and he telleth the other circumstances, that he may confesse his sinne to be more grieuous before God. But twise in this verse it is named that he would fly from the presence of the Lord. In the beginning & in the end. But might that be done Ionas? Can anie withdraw himself from the sight of the Lord? Is not he ruler as well of the sea, as of the land? Can a man see himselfe anie where, where God can not see him?Psal. 94.9. He who framed the eye shal not he see? or he who made the eare, shall he not heare? Surely Ionas could not be ignorant, that this was not the matter. We will not do such wrong to him, as to thinke that a Prophet had not read Dauids Psalmes. And if he had done that, then he well might remember that excellent Psalme of Dauid;Psal. 139.3. Thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe, and art accustomed to all my wayes. There is not a word in my tongue, but lo thou knowest it wholly ô Lord. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I fly from thy presence? If I ascend into heauen thou art there: if I lye downe in hell, thou art there. Let me take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parts of the sea, yet thither shall thy hand leade me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Then the caues of the earth, the secretes of walles, the darkenesse of the night, the distance of the place either by land or sea, cannot detaine from Gods presence. Perhaps Adam and his wife, for want of experience (for they had neuer fallen before) might thinke that by running among the trees of Paradise,Gen. 3.8. they might hide thēselues. But when God had once found them (which was not long to do) they might be out of that opinion. Their posteritie which came after them, & had read the Scriptures, might be resolued for that matter.Acts. 17.28. For in God we moue and liue and hauehave our being. And therefore wheresoeuer we do moue, or wheresoeuer we do liue, or wheresoeuer we hauehave our being, there God is by his power, there God is by his presence. It shall be then but a bad shift for the miscreants of the earth, to crie in the day of vengeance, to the mountaines and the rockes, Apoc. 6.15.fall on vsus and hide vsus from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. They cannot escape his sight, they cannot auoyd his iudgement.Diodor. Sic. Bibliothecae lib. 12. When Pericles once was sad, about yeelding an account of much money to the Atheniens, which he possibly could not discharge, his nephew Alcibiades did helpe him with this good counsel, that he should not beat his braines, how he might giuegive a reckening, but he rather should deuise how he might giuegive no reckening. He tooke this course indeed, and by plunging the Atheniens into a grieuous warre, he did auoyd the account. Before the Lord of heauen this will not serue the turne: he knoweth all things and seeth all things. Ionas could not be so grosse as to run so from his presence.
18 But if that thought were in him, or if any man wil so take it, he went the worst way to worke for himselfe, that euer man did. For he that would be so blockish, as to thinke he might flie from God, and would go to sea to do it, were worthie to be registred, for a man most vnaduised. This is as much, as if to auoid some heate, that commeth by an ague, the patient should run into the fire, as it is said that Hercules did being troubled with a frenzie:Seneca in Herc. Octaeo. or if another to auoide a showre of raine, should leape into the riuer: for if Gods hand any where do euidently appeare, or if any where it be fearefull,Iuuenalis Satyra 12. Digitis à morte remotus qua. tuor aut septem si sit latissima taeda. it is in being at sea, where, as the Poet speaketh, a man is stil within foure or at most seuen inches of his death: where stormes that be impetuous do cause them to pray, who scant euer prayed before; where rockes, and sands, and gulfes are readie still to deuoure. The remembrance of this made Dauid speake so sufficiently, They that go dovvne to the sea in ships, Psal. 107.23.and occupy by the great vvaters, they see the vvorkes of the Lord and his vvonders in the deepe. Paule found this by experience,Acts. 27.18. when he endured such a storme and wrecke too, in the Mediterrane sea. He who would see more of this, let him reade in Virgil,Virgilius Aeneid. 1. what a tempest is described to hauehave befallen Aeneas in the Sicilian sea. So then if God be present any where to punish or preserue, it is in the huge Ocean. That if a man would hauehave wished to be followed as with a furie, he should do as Ionas did.Plin-Iunior lib. 6. Epistolarum. Erant qui metu mortu mortē precarentur. When Plinie the elder was choked, in going to see Vesuuius a hill which burned in Campania (as Aetna oftentimes doth in Sicilia) the sight thereof was so terrible, that the beholders were all amazed at it. But there were saith the younger Plinie among them some, who were so afrayd of death, that they vvished themselues to be dead. They so feared that which they feared, that they wished for that which they feared. If our Prophet did desire to escape away from the Lord, he did iust as these other: for to flie away from Gods presence, he runneth into Gods presence.
19 Therefore we will not imagine that Ionas was so ignorant, to thinke thus to get from the Lord: but his going from Gods presence, doth signifie in this place a departing from his dutie, and from the execution of his office. For they are said in the Scripture, to be in the Lords presence, or to stand before the Lord, who do execute their ministery or functiō as they should. So the Lord separated the tribe of Leui, Deut. 10.8.to beare the Arke of the couenant of the Lord, and to stand before the Lord, which is expounded there, to minister vntounto him and to blesse in his name to this day. 1. Reg. 17.1.So as the Lord God of Israel liueth saith Elias before whom I do stand, that is, whom faithfully I do serue, there shall be neither deaw nor raine these yeares but according to my word. The verie selfe same phrase doth Elizeus vse, in another place to Naaman the Syrian.2. Reg. 5.16. The contrarie of which speech is vttered by that wicked Cain,Gen. 4.14.16 who did neuer serue God: From thy face I shall be hid. And afterward, Cain went out from the presence of the Lord. He was not in his grace: he would not be in his seruice. Such was our Prophets flight from the presence of the Lord. When he should hauehave performed his calling, & vponupon occasions, continually hauehave taken direction from the voyce of God speaking to him, he did forsake his charge, and could hauehave bene wel contented, if God would neuer more hauehave spoken to him. But his maister will not leaue him so. This is an excellent comfort to the Ministers of the Gospell, that as long as they do their duties they stand before the Lord, who doth protect and preserue them from the rage of bloudie tyrants, from the tempests of the world, from the mischiefe of cruell enemies. Neither can the rage of Sathan lay anie thing more vponupon them, then God giueth them grace to beare. And againe in as much as in this life they are spectacles to men, in preaching and in liuing, they are spectacles to Angels, they are spectacles to God, they are warned that they discharge their function with sinceritie, remembring this good lesson,2. Cor. 2.17. that they be not as many, who make marchandise of the word of God, but as of sinceritie, but as of God in the sight of God, speaking in Christ.
20 In these most perillous times, wherein Satan fretteth and rageth; wherein Papisme is litle weakned, but Atheisme waxeth strong, and the sinnes of men do crie; but on the other side pitie waxeth thin, and charitie groweth cold, This should be a liuely motion to stirre vp the Spirit of God in vsus, that with alacritie we may go forward, to the building vp of Gods house, and not to be wearied in well doing, or withdraw our selues frō the work. In the fifteenth of the Actes,Acts. 15.38. although Barnabas were more mild, and did not take the matter so hainously, yet Paule did so dislike it in Iohn Marke at Pamphylia, that he would not go with them about the Lords seruice, that he refused his companie afterward. Surely God looketh for much of them, whom he hath singled out to be the messengers of his glorie. If with Ionas we should leaue him, and turne away from his presence when he hath vse for vsus in the field, let vsus feare least a greater iudgement befall vsus, then did vntounto Ionas. Which what it was, in the next by Gods grace I shall shew. In the meane time Iesus send▪ vsus due consideration of our calling, that not following wordly reasons which often draw men to Tharsus when they should go to Niniue, but attending Gods commaundement, we may with ioy run our course, and so possesse that inestimable crowne of iustice, which the righteous Lord hath layed vp for all those that louelove his comming. To this God be praise for euer.