Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 22
THE XXII. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. 2. Some apparell sheweth sorrow. 4. Reasons why beasts bore part in this humiliation. 8. How cattell may be sayd to cry to God. 9. The necessity and force of prayer. 12. Reformation of life must go with fasting and prayer.
Ionah. 3.8.
But let man and beast put on sackclo…h, and cry mightily vntounto God: yea let eueryevery man turne from his euill way, and from the wickednesse that is in their hands.
I HaueHave read this verse, as an imperatiue speech, but the Septuagint translate it, as an Indicatiue in the time past, that men and beasts did put on sackcloth, and cried mightily vntounto God. Wherein, as it may well be collected, they did not so much respect the originall words in the Hebrew, as intended to make the deed of the Niniuites plaine, who doubtlesse did repent, and performed that charge which their King did put vponupon them. But since the words and letter of the text are otherwise, as it is plaine in the Prophet, and all other interpreters as farre as I can find, do with one consent translate it as I reade it; I thinke that they might well hauehave forborne, to take on them the office of Expositours, or openers of the text at large, and kept themselues to the letter, allowing that to Gods spirit, which is very familiar with it; that is to say, that oftentimes it should briefly insinuate things, and leaue that by necessary circumstances to be vnderstood, which yet it doth not openly specifie in word. And the truth concerning this place now in hand is, that it is meant that we should take it, that the Niniuites repented: and so much is implied by such consequents, as afterwards follow: but this verse is a part of the Kings Edict, wherein he inioyneth some thing more then a fast, which should pinch the belly, and commandeth sackcloth to be put on the backe, as an externall signe of sorrow, and then prayers to be powred out to the Lord, with vehement exclamation; and last of all, that there should be a conuersion from iniquity and sinne, that the cause of the wrath being once remooued, vengeance it selfe might cease. I can neuer sufficiently commend the care of this mighty ruler, who left nothing vnperformed, which might win God vntounto him. A man worthy to be eternized, in the memory of all ages. But my meaning is, that thos… things which he did, should rather commend him, then any praise of mine. You hauehave heard some arguments of his goodnesse before, which I neede not to repeate, but now there are offered to vsus three branches of his commandement. First, that men and beasts should weare sackcloth; Secondly, that there should be prayers. And thirdly▪ a full conuersion, and departing from sinne. These are the points which at this time I stand vponupon, the good Spirit of God assisting me.
Let men and beasts put on sackcloth.
2 That sackcloth in times past was vsed for a signe of sorrow, I noted vponupon the sixth verse; and therefore if it should be taken here most literally, for it selfe and nothing else, it serueth fitly for our purpose, that is to import great sorrow. But if you list imagine, that eueryevery man in Niniue did not sute himselfe so suddenly, neither yet his cattell in such attire; then Metaphorically we may vnderstand thereby, all sorowing mourning weede, that is to say the basest apparell, and most sordide kind of vesture that the men could put on; and that the beasts were left rough, and vncombed, and vndressed, and eueryevery way vntrimmed in their kind. And that it may be so expounded, we hauehave warrant from that place, where God sayth of himselfe, I clothe the heauens vvith darkenesse, and make a sacke their couering, which must needs be taken Tropically, for some vgly kind of appearance, and not for a materiall sacke; for how doth that agree with the heauen? Then the beasts did want their ornaments, or were couered with some vile substance, and the men were rudely apparelled, contrary to their custome: It is sayd by the wise man,Sirac…d. 19.28. that clothes are one of those things, which shew what a man is. And indeed it is true; for so farre as externall things may witnesse of the inward, monstrous clothes shew monstrous minds; & for the most part, sober apparell sheweth a sober disposition. But in the course of eueryevery particular mans life, a difference in his garments noteth a difference in other matters. In solemne feasts, or whē the mind is filled with ioy & gladnesse, robes & daintie attire are put about the body: but when sorrow ouer-whelmeth & oppresseth the inward man, gaynesse is layd aside.Exod. 33.2.3.4. God being offended with the Israelites, telleth them that indeed they should go into the land of Canaan, but he himselfe would not go before them, as he had done in former times, but only would send his Angell. At this the people so grieued, because God would not go before them, that it is sayd, they sorowed, and no man put on his best rayment. There is no greater outward token of heauinesse, and deiection of the mind, then to go in verie mournefull clothing.
3 The great Monarke of Niniue meaning to purchase his peace, giueth commandement to his subiects, that laying aside their glorious and luxurious attire, they should be most meanely clothed, thinking thereby to strike a horrour into the minds of his people. For when their eyes should take knowledge of that which they saw without, and as windowes should let their receipts in to their vnderstanding; and whereas things seene do mooue most▪ Visa mouent maxime.and nature not peruerted loueth cleanlinesse and decencie, white garments and the head annoynted: How could their heart chuse but humble, and cast downe it selfe within, to know that the limmes were compassed with most dolefull apparell, and fine linnen, and the best purple should be turned into ragges, or course sackcloth, or hairecloth? And when such as they did meete, should represent the like shew, and so many witnesses of griefe should be as so many spur…es vntounto groning, it is very probable that a broken spirit and a contrite heart might grow from those visible things; and that of all other, is most acceptable to the Lord.Psal. 51.17. So the maker and gouernour of all things might take notice of their melting for their sinne, and draw backe his out-stretched rod. He who pitied that euill King Achab,1. Reg 21.27. who had sold himselfe ouer vntounto sinne, when he once put sackcloth vponupon him, and fasted and went softly; he might right well spare the great city Niniue, when his eyes should as fully see their debasing of themselues, as his eares plainely receiue the cryes, which they sent vp vntounto him. So the people by their mourning attire, might be bettered in workes and conuersation, and Gods fauour might be procured, when there was a witnesse both inwardly and outwardly of their repentance. Now as this is worth the knowing, concerning the reason of the changing of their clothes, so the doubt may not vnfitly be mooued, why the beasts are named here, as if they had offended; and why they should be so disguised? The reason is very manifest, wherefore it should be so with the men and women: they had grieued the Lord, by transgressions of all sorts, and therefore it was fit, that they should make amends. Yea the very little infants, and those who sucke the breasts, as the Prophet Ioel speaketh,Ioel. 2.16. might well tast of the bitternesse, as being slips of an euill roote, cut out from a rotten rocke, come from a polluted fountaine: in the very propagation stayned with originall sinne: But it is not so plaine a matter, why the dumme beasts should fast, and b… barred of their foode (for so it is in the former verse) or why they should be couered with sackcloth and mourning weede, who knew not what it is to offend.
4 But one reason might be, that the people might in those creatures see as in a glasse, what was their owne state. For when their eares should heare the bellowing of the oxen, the braying of the asses, the bleating of the sheepe, the howling of the dogs, making piteous exclamation for want of foode to their bellies; and their eyes also should see the out-sides of them to be vgly and deformed, like that ground which lyeth as ouer-growne, they might foorthwith remember, that themselues had deserued to be pined, and starued to death, and to be depriued of all pleasures, and delights which they did enioy, that from hencefoorth bearing on them many woes and lamentations, they might finally be ouer taken with vnspeakable desolation. God made such vse as this is, of the cattell in the old Leuiticall sacrifices: for when he for whom they were offered, did see them to be slaine, their bloud to be let out, some of them to be burnt, all of them to be vsed with much violence, if not quartered and cut in peeces and mangled; he might presently be striken at the heart, to thinke of his owne deserts, that if he had his demerites, he should be martyred and mangled in his bodie here vponupon earth, and his soule should burne and frie in vnquenchable flames of hell. It doth teach the Lyon obedience, when he seeth that dogge whom he loueth, and vseth as his play-fellow, to be cudgeled and beaten before him. And when for the young kings fault, the garment which he weareth should be beaten with many stripes, the Prince who had offended, might learne what his errour was, conceiuing himselfe blame-worthy by that representation. The children of the Spartanes might make this vse, when they beheld the bondslaues of their fathers, lye tumbling in that filthinesse, which drunkennesse caused to them, as to thinke that they should be but lothsome beasts, if they prooued to be drunkards. A sight so liuely in their eyes, might be as a sharpe spurre in the consciences of the Niniuites, to deplore their owne case, with a most carefull contemplation of it, vnlesse they were insensible & so obdurate in heart, as that no good thing could pierce them. Diodorus Siculus writeth,Diodor. Sicul. Antiq. lib. 4▪3. that in Ethiopia there is a people of that qualitie, that they are not at all mooued with the speech of them who sayle by them, or with the sight of straungers approching to them, but onelyonly looking vponupon the earth, they vse to stand vnmoueable, as if their senses tooke knowledge of no man. If any, sayth he, should strike them with a drawne sword, they flye not, but beare the stripes and iniuries: neither is any of them mooued with the wound, or hurt of another, but oftentimes without any kind of passion, they …ehold their wiues and children slaine, shewing no manner of token, of anger or of pitie. An insensible sort of people, if there should be any such, which in truth I beleeue not: but these Niniuites should hauehave bene like to them, if when they had beheld horrour and griefe, and weeping, and out-skreeking, in eueryevery thing attending them, they would not be mooued to thinke, that their part was in the bargaine. And if it were so with that which wanted wit and reason, and knowledge to do euill things, how then should it stand with themselues, who had all these and abused them? Then the cattell serued in such manner, might bee an instruction this way to their maisters.
5 Secondly, by the lawes of the graund Creatour, there is such affinitie betweene man, and the beastes which are subiected to his vse, that the sorrowes of the better do easily touch the worser. For God hath so coupled all creatures to mankind, with a chayne of strong dependance, that the being of them is much sutable to the flourishing, or fading of the other. It is a verie mysticall point, which Saint Paule hath in the eight to the Romanes,Roman. 8.21. that the creature shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God, 22.And that the creature groneth and trauelleth in payne vvith vsus; yet if we well weigh it, that text shall argue thus much vntounto vsus, that the heauen and earth and the other elements (for I may not amisse name the heauens, because Saint Peter telleth vsus,2. Pet 3.7. that they shall melt with heate) by the fall of our first parents, fell into grieuous bondage, euen sinking in their excellencie, when man did sinke, to whose seruice next after God they were made. And when in the day of iudgement, there shall be a renewing and restoring of that image of God, wherein man was first framed, then shall they returne to that beautie, wherein they at first were established, so retaining still their substance, howsoeuer they may melt in the fire like gold, loosing their drosse and corruption. If then these mightie masses, the heauen and earth and the elements, hauehave such a reference vntounto man, as being made to grace him; the earth for him to walke on, the ayre for him to breath on, the water for him to feede on, the heauen for him to looke on, the Sunne to giuegive him light, euerie thing to yeeld him comfort, and when he standeth they stand, and when he falleth they fall, and when he is new moulded, they also shall be recouered; may we not much more imagine, that sheepe, and oxen, and cattell, yea and all the beasts of the field,Hieron. contra louinianum. lib. 2. Ad esum aut ad vsum. which as Hierome noteth, were made for our vsing, or for our eating, are tyed and chayned vntounto vsus, with a straighter bond of analogie or proportion, that as we fare, so in reason they should do, either well or ill? It is truth, that man hath not that soueraignty in all degrees, which he had:Chrys. lib. de Virginitate. that is one part of his punishment: for as Chrysostome doth obserue, God hath taken away from man, a great portion of his power; for he who at the beginning was made a fearefull Lord, and maister ouer liuing bodies, when like an vngratefull seruant he had offended a higher Lord, was brought into contempt of those, who were placed to be his seruants.Pererius in Genes. lib. 4. ex Hugone de Sancto Victo…e. And thereupon (as it is by one noted) manie creatures are growne in their behauiour toward him, as vndisciplinated things; but most of all, the greatest and the least; Lyons, Tygers and Panthers (to say nothing of the whale fishes) are very hardly brought to be tame, but bees and gnats, and flyes, and such little ones, not at all. Thus mans dominion is scanted, and drawne into a narrow roome.
6 But these creatures are not so quitted, but although they do lesse to man, yet with man they suffer more. For together with him, who now is but as a young maister, or a kind of quarter-maister to them, they stand both generally, and particularly, in deepe disgrace. They which otherwise would hauehave taken pleasure to do the will of their maister, must now with blowes and stripes oftentimes be forced vntounto it. They which should onelyonly hauehave bene vsed to good, and to the glory of their maker, by his fault who hath fallen, are now applied to euill; yea they be not in that esteeme with him, who first created them. As in earthlie kingdomes when a Nobleman, who hath receiued many fauours and materiall benefits from his Prince, doth requite him who aduanced and honoured him before, with treason and rebellion, then not onelyonly his owne person (which lyeth subiect to the law) doth vnderunder-go the displeasure of his offended Soueraigne, but eueryevery man about him, feeleth the smart of that rod, yea eueryevery thing that was his; his familie is frowned on, his followers are held suspect, those which were preferred by him, are turned out of their liuelihood and maintenance; and moreouer his houses which were glorious before, are let runne to decay, their statelinesse soone droopeth, their beautie mouldreth away, his gardens and his orchards are ouer-growne with vncouthnesse, his fish-ponds and other pleasures lye disorderly and neglected; yea if there were any tame thing wherein he did delight, for lacke of being handled, it groweth wild and vntamed: So when Adam in Paradise, being in the highest degree of honour, prooued a traytour to his God, to whom he was beholding euen for his very selfe, the earthly house where he dwelt, grew out of fashion to him, his pleasurable profits were turned to bryars and thistles, the armes of his nobilitie were vtterly defaced;Psal. 8.6.7. but those who were his seruants, to attend and wayte vponupon him, especially all domesticall kinds of cattell, partaking the reproch which lay vponupon their maister, are subiected to much miserie. And as in ciuill affaires, the restoring againe of bloud, and calling backe into fauour, putteth life into all the adiacents, and dependants of whom I spake before, and maketh them resume some courage; yea the hope of such a matter doth a little cheere their spirit, but the greater the hope is, the greater is their alacritie; and yet as he still is deiected, so still againe they fall: Euen so without doubt, all regaining of good aspect from the Highest, doth refresh these inferiour bodies, as sometimes appeareth, when in noted prosperitie of the owner, the cattell fare the better; but while man doth stand disgraced, they must expect the like fortune; and if extraordinarily at any time he do smart, they must also looke for some vnusuall kind of sorrow. Then when this straunge feare and heauinesse, possessed the mindes of the Niniuites, the horses and beastes of Niniue by partaking that miserie, which belonged to their maisters, might bee taught to be affected with some measure of that sorrow, as knowing that some euill was now lighting vponupon them.
7 This matter will grow playner, if this also be considered, that the cattell manie times do actually feele shrewd paynes, together with their owners. When destructions happen vntounto places, all things abiding in those places, hauehave their share in the miserie. When a towne of warre is assaulted, do not the houses oft tast of the enemies batterie, and are not those razed or fired, together with the desolation of the walles? Are not the trees of pleasure neare adioyning verie often cut downe? Yea are not the horses wounded, and perhaps slaine in the fight? or other cattell burnt in the stall? Is not that prouerbe experimented diuerse times in this case, LoueLove the maister, louelove his dogge, hate the maister, 1. Sam. 15.3.hate his dogge? When Saule was sent to destroy Amalek, was there not a strong charge layed vponupon him, to kill the sheepe and the oxen, and euerie liuing thing? And if God send foorth a pestilence, come there not as well rottes of cattell, and great murrens of beasts, as mortalities of men? But if there should be some earth-quake, which either should cast downe the houses, and crush that which were vnderunder them, or should force the ground to open, so to swallow vp that where withall it meeteth, how could the dumme creatures hence escape? When therefore it was foretold, that within fortie dayes, desolation should betide the citie Niniue, and mention was not made in what particular sort it should come, the inhabitants could not tell, but that the beastes in their place, had as much neede to crye, as those who were their owners. Adde to these, that some liuing things whom vse hath made domesticall, are not so deuoyde of feeling, but that sensiblie they perceiue the ioy, or discontentednesse of those which are their keepers, and oftentimes are affected with some things like to man. Birdes hauehave their dumpes and their notes, and take knowledge in generall, when they heare the voyce of musicke. Vsing to the hand, doth make the horse, and dogge and calfe, to play and be wanton, and to expresse some signes of ioy. And I thinke that I do not abuse the word, to say, that some of them in some things, hauehave a kind of fellow-felling with vsus. Now there is nothing, which doth more teach this, then by giuing or denying them foode for their bellies, which was done among the Niniuites, while the fast continued. For as the oxe doth know his owner,Isay. 1.3. so the Asse doth take notice of his maisters cribbe: although he be dull, yet his sence can serue him, to obserue those things which make for the filling of his paunch. And if this be moreouer true, that those beasts do take delight in their furniture and ornaments, and the proud neighing horse,Iob. 39.22. as we may gather from the words of Iob, knoweth when he goeth to the battell: if he thinke himselfe the brauer, for his saddles and caparisons, or bels or plumes of fethers, which be about him; then by a reason drawne frō the contrary, there may be in them a perceiuing, what it is to be spred with vile things, and so it might be a discouragement, to be clothed with sackcloth. So we see by this time, that it was not without reason, when by the proclamation of the king, the beasts had their part, as well as the men; that either as a glasse set before them, they might mooue them to thinke of themselues, by seeing the creatures, whose affliction could not chuse but touch them, since they are giuen to men for helpes: Or because by the prouidence of God, they are pinned to the suffering of man; in ordinary disgraces to be disgraced with him, and in sorrowes extraordinary, to hauehave their part in like manner. If I had not already bene ouer-long in this point, I might ioyne this also, to that which hath bene sayd before, that it is the more reasonable, that the dumme creatures should feele some portion of the paynes for sinne, because they oftentimes are apparant meanes, and helpes and instruments, for men to sinne withall, as might largely be amplified. But no more of that matter.
8 I obserued in the second place, that next to the sackcloth imposed on the men and beasts, it was inioyned by the King, that both the one and the other, should cry mightily to God. Then the next helpe which they had, was prayer and inuocation. I meane not much to dispute, whether the cattell may be sayd to cry to God. We may hold it for an vndoubted truth, that there be no such meditations, and reasonable discourses in them, as are fit to be in one of vsus, when we are praying: they hauehave no such vnderstanding: and yet the Lord, who in his prouidence doth take care ouer haires and sparrowes,Luc. 12.6.7. respecteth all their cryes, and taketh many of those cryes, as a kind of calling on him. We neede not feare to speake that, which the Spirit of God hath spoken. In the hundreth forty and seuenth Psalme,Psal. 147.9. our common translation hath, he feedeth the young rauens that call vponupon him: the letter in the Originall goeth not so farre, but he feedeth the young rauens vvho do crye or croape, not mentioning that they call vponupon God. But if we will supply it, from the nine and thirtieth of Iob, we may perfect it vp to this purpose: for there the Lord himselfe speaketh thus: Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, Iob. 39.3.vvhen his birdes crye vntounto God, vvandering for lacke of meate? He who heareth the cry of the rauens, heareth the cry of other things; and he who reputeth their croaping, a calling vponupon himselfe, may do so in other creatures. Then it offendeth him not, when together with the out-cryes of the men, and the howlings of the women, and the schreeking of the children, the bellowing of the oxen, and the bleating of the sheepe was heard: nay without doubt it was the more gracious in the eares of the Lord of hostes. For as when men do sing, it maketh the more perfect musicke, to ioyne to their liuely voyces, the sound of diuerse instruments, which are dead matters without life or feeling, so it helped the heauenly harmony of these calling and praying Niniuites, to hauehave the out-cryes of the cattell mixed with them; and God did hold this varietie, to be the more perfect a consort. So that the place beareth it not amisse, that both the men and the beasts cryed mightily vponupon God. But if there should be any man, more scrupulous then neede is, he may take this to be spoken by the figure Synecdoche, which applieth vntounto both, that which is meant of one onelyonly: and the whole (by that meanes) hath that adiunct, which is proper but to a part. And then it may be vnderstood, that the dumme creatures had their portion in the sackcloth and the fast, but the men onelyonly did pray. But be it either the one way or the other, it yeeldeth this lesson to vsus, for the instruction of our duty, that when daunger is threatned, and there is feare or feeling of any direfull thing vppon vsus, among other our preparations, or aboue other if you will, we should breake into open prayer, and ioyntly deplore our sinnes, and so call to God for merciemercy. For if any thing in such cases will serue the turne, it is faithfull inuocation, which is better then all burnt sacrifice. Surely the King of Niniueh tooke the rightest course that may be; and whether it were that he were taught, and informed by the light of nature, or the teaching of any other, or by secret reuelation from the spirite of the Eternall, certainely he was in the right pathway, to purchase grace with God, when both himselfe and all his people, as humble suppliants did lift vp their voyce in prayer.
9 For very great is the reckening which God doth make of prayer: he commaundeth it, and expecteth it, and rewardeth it in his Saints.Psal. 50.15. Call on me in the day of trouble, and I vvill heare thee. Psal. 145.18.And in another Psalme, The Lord is nigh to all that call vponupon him, yea all such as call vponupon him faithfully. So our Sauiour Christ biddeth,Matth. 7.7. Aske and you shall receiue: knocke and it shall be opened to you. Those manie good things which were graunted to Moses, to Iosuah, to Samuel, to Dauid and Salomon,Iacob. 5.17. confirme this plainely to vsus. Elias bound vp heauen by a request to the Lord, and had rayne againe for asking.2. Reg. 19 15. How but by prayer, did Ezechias turne the euill thought of Sennacherib away for his land and people? How was Peter brought out of prison,Act. 12.5. but by the cryes of the Congregation?Euseb. de vita Constantini. lib. 1.11. Lib. 4.14. By this the good Constantius was sayd, to strengthen his familie: but Constantine the Great, his sonne, did hereby fortifie all his Empire. This is the sword and the shield, to which we all should flye, when the enemie doth inuade vsus: and to this we should retire our selues, when famine doth pinch our bellies, when we are in sicknesse or sorrow, in bondage or in banishment. This is it which flyeth to the heauens, and is not kept backe by the clouds, nor terrified with the height, nor frighted with the frownes of ius…ice. But especially in our combats with our spirituall foes, we are to runne to this, as to a most safe sanctuary, and to desire him who is the conquering Lyon of the tribe of Iuda, to assist vsus and vphold vsus. Let not Sathan on the one side be so fierce vponupon vsus, as we on the other side be earnest vponupon the Lord: if he vrge vsus with sinne, let vsus cry out for grace: if he talke to vsus of iustice, let vsus begge the more for mercy. And when the trembling conscience, shall thus by request hauehave recourse vntounto him who can helpe, it doth not returne dismayd, but as being spoken to by God, commeth backe with assured comfort. In the presence of Christ sayth Saint Syprian,Cyprian. de Caena Domini. teares which are neuer held superfluous do begge a pardon for vsus, neither euer doth the sacrifice of a contrite heart take repulse. As often as I see thee groning in the sight of the Lord, so often I do not doubt but the holy Ghost breatheth on thee: When I see thee weeping, I imagine him to be pardoning. So gracious and so pitifull is our good father to vsus. We may then account it as one of our sinnes, that when inward and outward sorrowes, oftentimes do lay hold vponupon vsus, we do not vse this remedie. We go on like vnsensible men, as frantike ones being most sicke, and yet we vnderstand it not. And if we find that we neede helpe, we least of all require it by prayer; and he who should first be thought of, that is God the iudge of all, doth come last in the reckening. The Niniuites must all crye, and they must cry to the Lord, and nothing else, not to idols, not to Angels, not to Saints, or any creatures: but I handled that argument once alreadie, vponupon some words of the second Chapter,Ionah. 2.1. that Ionas prayed to the Lord, and therefore I do now leaue it.
10 And yet I must not here omit one circumstance of prayer, that they are bid cry might…lie, strongly, aloud, or earnestly: not that God doth rather heare, when the most noyse is made: for he is not like Baal,1. Reg. 18.27. who must be awaked with lowd crying, but he knoweth the heart and reynes, and searcheth the very thoughts. That is truely found to be so in the Lord,Tertullian. de Oratione which Tertullian reporteth of the Diuell (or spirite of the Oracle of Apollo) that he assumeth thus much to himselfe; I both vnderst and …he dumme, and heare him who speaketh not. God could say to Moses,Exod. 14.15 why criest thou vntounto me, and yet he spake neuer a word: but within he sighed and groned, and was troubled in his spirit. Then it is not for any weaknesse in the Lord, that man should crye aloude, but to signifie that when we desire to obtaine, our prayers should be vehement and with motion, not onelyonly formall or perfunctorie, or cold, or drowsie and sleepie. But the vsuall prayers of the most men in our time are such; without touch what themselues do aske, and therefore it is no maruell, that they are heard so few times. It is a right good precept, and also a iust reprehension to the people of his time, which Saint Cyprian doth vse, and it may well be applyed to our age, wherein the minds of many in the time of their deuotions are vponupon pleasure, or profite, or some other such earthly thing: Thus he speaketh:Cyprian. de oratione Do nanica. Let all earthly and secular and carnall thoughts depart, neither let the mind then thinke on any thing, but onelyonly that for which it prayeth. What sluggishnesse is it to be estranged and taken with vnfit thoughts and profane ones, when thou prayest to the Lord, as if there were anything else whereupon thou shouldest rather thinke, then that thou art speaking with God. How doest thou require that thou maiest be heard of God, when thou doest not heare thy selfe? This is to be awake with the eyes, and to be asleepe with the heart, whereas a Christian man should then be awake with his hart, when he sleepeth with his eyes. Here that we may testifie our zeale, and withall preuent this drowsinesse, it is not amisse when we find our selues to be heauie, that we do such things, as may be in place of whetstones to sharpen vsus; as to bend our knees, to cast vp our eyes, to lift our hands to heauen, to beate our breasts, or the like, yea also with contention of spirit, and extention of voyce, if time and place serue, to releeue our own infirmitie. But this in synceritie as before God, and without fained hypocrisie, which is a double wickednesse.
11 There may also be a second vse of this praying aloude, Seneca a heathen man,Senec E. p. 10 and yet as if seemeth religious in his Ethnicke superstition, doth complaine in this manner: What a madnesse is this in men? They do whisper vntounto their Gods most filt hie requests: and if a man do hearken vntounto them, they will bold their peace, and what they would not hauehave a man know, that they tell to God. This custome hath preuailed among Christians, that leude men will not feare to aske leude things in their prayers, the wanton to speed in his wantonnesse, the deceiuer in his bargaines, the oppressour in his oppressions. Loud crying doth meete with this, for although we dread not God, yet we stand in feare of men. The Pythagoreans in old time did obserue this well enough, of whom Clemens Alexandrinus doth write thus: What do the Pythagoreans meane, Clemens Alexandrinus. Strom. lib. 4.when they bid men crye aloud? Not as I thinke that they imagined, that God would not heare such as speake secretly: but because they would hauehave the prayers of men iust, which they should not feare to vtter, yea although men did know it. It is certainely a preposterous course, more to respect men who stand by, then the Lord before whom they stand: but since the folly of men is such, it is to be met with in his kind.Macrob. Saturn. li. 1.7. He alluded well to this, who although he spake not of loud crying, yet gaue counsell that we should so speake to men, as if God did alwaies heare vsus (that is, our talke should be with sobrietie and wisedome) and so speake to God, as if men did euer heare vsus, that is, reuerently and religiously. Now as this doth teach vsus something, so I am rather of that mind for the king of Niniue, that he commaunded his by Proclamation, to crye stongly vponupon God, that by their importunitie and vehement exclamation, the Lord might be more mooued to take merciemercy vponupon them. When the heare of the heart within shall breake foorth into the toung, it is so much the more forcible.
Let them turne from their euill way.
12 There is yet a third thing to be found in this Proclamation, that besides fasting and prayer, there should be a reformation in manners and life. Let eueryevery man turne from his euill way, and from the wickednesse that is in their hands. That which our English readeth wickednesse, is by other most fitly translated violence, or robberie, or rapine, but Hierome and the Septuagint hauehave iniquitie, foreign. Where one kind of sin is put in the place of all the rest: that one sinne for all his fellowes, either because that fault did much abound in Niniue, I meane rapine and oppression toward those who were their subiects, or toward the poore among them: or because in generall, all men who know not the Lord, are soone taken in that crime, as from some words of Saint Paule may not vnfitly be gathered; where after that he hath exhorted them,1. Thes. 4.4.5.6 to possesse their vessels in holinesse, & not in the lust of concupiscence, as the Gentils who know not God, he doth name this as a speciall fruit of their not knowing God, dehorting them from it, that no man oppresse, or deceiue his brother in any thing. But to leaue this particular, the doctrine is, that eueryevery man who wil turne to the Lord, must hate euill and flye wickednesse, because the Lord requireth that, as a certaine signe of repentance. When Salomon consecrating the Temple made his prayer,1 Reg. 8.35. he speaketh to God on this manner: When the heauen shall be shut vp, and there shall be no raine, because they hauehave sinned against thee, and they shall pray in this place and shall confesse thy name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them, then heare thou in heauen. The condition is put in, that they must turne from their sinne.Ierem. 4.1. So in the Prophet Ieremy: O Israel if thou returne, returne to me saith the Lord, and if thou put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remooue. Matth 3.2. cap. 4.17.It was the preaching of Iohn the Baptist, foreign, repent, be wiser, chaunge your minds, or amend, and alter you liues, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. So the Apostle Peter, Amend your liues and returne, Act. 3.19.that your sinnes may be put away. And this putting off of sinne; this laying away of the old man, is that which maketh vsus apt to walk the wayes of the Lord. For doing so we are expedite and nimble to tread his paths, to do as he doth commaund vsus, to go whither he biddeth vsus. But the packe of sinne is so heauie, that we cannot choose but double vnderunder it, and sinke and fall. Then why do we not make hast to be freed from this burthen?Augustin. Tract. 11. in Iohan. If men, as Saint Austen speaketh, should beare any heauy load of wood, or stone, or the like, yea if it were something gainefull, of wine, or corne, or money, they would hasten to put that off. But they beare a greater loade of sinne, and make no speede to be freed from it. But the retaining of this so long, doth in the end so tire out the conscience, that it fainteth vnderunder the burthen, as appeareth too often when in sicknesse & otherwise, the minds of some are so distracted, that they tremble & dread much, lest it be too late to cry for mercy. They hauehave giuen way to malice, and hauehave heaped euill vponupon euill, and are so incorporated into it, that they cannot in thēselues see any way of separation. Yet let not such men despaire, for Gods mercy is infinite, and if a sentence were gone out against such, yet as Saint Ambrose writeth,Ambros. in Lucam. lib. 2. cap. 2. in his Commentarie on Saint Luke, God knoweth how to change his sentence, if thou knovv hovv to amemd thy fault. But the fault at last must be amended, and the former offences vnlearned and forgotten: else it is no good repentance. For he alone doth shew himselfe worthily penitent,Gratian. par. 2. de Paenitentia. Dist. 3. E. Smarag. who so deploreth euils past, that he doth …not againe commit the same afterward; for he who bewaileth sinne, and afterward committeth that sinne, is as if he were washed a raw or vndried bricke, where the more he rubbeth it in washing, the more dirt he doth make. Whosoeuer then commeth to God, who is a God of pure eyes,Habac. 1.13. must know that it is his will, that first he depart from euill.
13 And if this be not done, then all externall workes are but hypocriticall shewes: thy prayer is but hypocrisie, for thou faiest to God, thy will be done, and yet thou doest thine owne. Thy sackcloth is but a couer of a counterfeit and deceiuer. Without a whited sepulchre,Matth. 23.27. within full of dead mens bones. Thy speaking of good things, or condemning that which is euill, is but to condemne thy selfe, who in word doest renounce it, and yet in deede doest embrace it.Corn. Tacitus Histor. lib. 3. Tacitus reporteth, that in the ciuill warre betweene Vitellius and Vespasian, a souldier had killed his owne father, who was of and in his enemies army. This was bruted about the host, and eueryevery man complained, and execrated that warre, which caused such vnnaturalnesse. And yet sayth Tacitus, they neuer the lesse, nor slower, spoyled their neighbours, and kinsmen, and brethren, who were slayne by them, they cryed that naught vvas done, and yet themselues still did it. This is thy case, who speakest against sinne, and yet euerie day committest it. Thy fasting and thy abstaining, is so farre from being acceptable in the eyes of the most High, that it is exceeding odious. For as here the King of Niniue did ioyne vertue with his abstinence, and a turning away from wickednesse with his fast, so God doth still expect, that it should be done in all fasts. The mind must forbeare malice, and iniurie, and oppression, as well as the belly doth meate. See how plainely God speaketh to this purpose,Isay. 58.4. You fast to strife and debate, and to strike vvith the fist of vvickednesse. Is this the fast vvhichwhich I hauehave chosen, that a man should afflict his soule for a day, and bovv downe his head like a bulrush, and lye in sackcloth and ashes? vvilt thou call this a fasting, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fasting vvhichwhich I hauehave chosen, to loose the bands of vvickednesse, to take off the heauie burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that yee breake eueryevery yoke? Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungrie, and that thou bring the poore that vvander vntounto thy house, vvhen thou seest the naked that thou couer him? Then it is the leauing of sinne, which the Lord doth more respect, then the emptinesse of the belly. And of this the holy Saints of God hauehave alwayes thought:Ambros. Serm. 33. As Ambrose: This is the vvill of the Lord, that vve should fast together from meats and from sinnes. Let vsus impose an abstinence on our bodies, that vve may the more estrange our soules from vices. For the body vvhen it is sucked dry, is a bridle to the luxuriant soule. And Origene:Orig. Homil. 10. in Leuiticum. Gregor. in 40. Homil. 16. Fast from all sinne, do thou take no meate of malice, neither any delights of pleasure. And Gregory: To sanctifie a fast is, vvhen other good things are adioyned, to shevv an abstinence of the flesh vvorthy of God. Let anger cease, let chidings be layd asleepe, for the flesh is in vaine tired out, if the mind be not refrained from his naughtie pleasures.
14 I wish that such of our people, as yet hauehave familiarity with that filthy harlot of Babylon, wold thinke vponupon this matter, that it is not only ceremonie, or bare performing of outward things, which doth appease the Lord when he is offended, no not if it be to macerate and pine the body to death, vnlesse a sincere faith do purifie all within, and an honest conuersation do make all cleare without. It must be a liuely conuersion, which God taketh for payment of vsus. And we who professe religion, may hold this for an assured ground, that our faith is but a dead faith, vnlesse it shine by louelove: that all our speaking and seeming, is fraudulent and deceiptfull, if our life be not ioyned to it. Our repayting to the Church, and professing of strict holinesse, will be reiected as too light, if we either oppresse our neighbour, or grind the face of the poore, or scratch we care not what, be it neuer so vnlawfull, or leade liues polluted, with whoredome and adulterie. If we make our selues rich with vsurie or briberie, if we circumuent men in bargaining, if we profane the Sabaoth, or despise the ministerie, we frustrate that which we do pretend. And the verie King of Niniue, who could learne with little teaching, that amendment of life was the truest deuotion, and that as a most necessarie clause, must be ioyned with all ceremonies, shall in the iudgement condemne vsus, who after the hearing of manie yeares, vse to bring but halfe-repentance, and would willingly be the Lords, but we would be this worlds also. And so wishing, that this doctrine of amendment, may euermore be remembred by vsus, I leaue you to Christ Iesus, who multiplie all good graces in vsus to the end, and bring vsus to his father, to whom with himselfe and his Spirite, the Vnitie in Trinitie, and Trinitie in Vnitie be glorie for euermore.