Sermons on Jonah, Lecture 25
THE XXV. LECTVRE.
The chiefe poynts. I. Ionas doth not quite turne from God. 3. The force and vertue of orayer. 5. Our prayers are ofentimes faulty. 7. Ionas to excuse himselfe will lay the blame on God. 10. The forbearance and patience of the Lord. 13. The words of Ionas condemne himselfe. 14. They are blinded who frame not themselues to Gods will.
Ionah. 4.2.
And he prayed vntounto the Lord and sayd, I pray thee, ô Lord, vvas not this my saying, vvhen I vvas yet in my countrey? Therefore I preuented it to flye vntounto Tarshish. For I knevv that thou art a gracious God, and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnesse, and repentest thee of the euill.
THat the Prophet was to blame, for being angry with any thing, which the Lord wold hauehave done, I hope from the former verse, hath bene made plaine vntounto you. Yet furious as he is, he is not so forgetfull as to turn… quite away from God, and to leaue him in the plaine field: he doth not throw downe his liuerie, neither doth he openly answer him, that he will no more belong vntounto him: but follow him he will,Marc 14.54. although it be as Peter followed Christ, a farre off, with infirmities and weaknesses heaped vp with ouer-measure. When the women in Samaria,2. Reg. 6.31.33. by reason of the violent & strong famine, which was caused by the siege, fel to eating their childrē, Iehoram rageth at it, and there is neither God nor good man that commeth in his way, but at him he doth strike. God do thus and thus to me, if the head of Elizeus stand on him this day. And, this euill is of the Lord: shall I vvaite any longer on him? That was the rage of a reprobate, who could hauehave bene content there had bene no Lord in the heauen; or that he had had his will on him. Like to which or something worse, is the fury which is described by Saint Iohn in his Reuelation,Apoc. 16.21. where when haile like talents is mentioned to fall, men on earth are sayd to grieue at it, yea to blaspheme the Almighty, for the plague of the haile. Ionas is not so farre gone, but although he fret that his will is not eueryevery way completed, yet he shaketh not quite off the yoake of obedience and humility, neither yet taking the bit peruersely in his teeth, runneth on to his destruction. He is not so farre in as he should, nor so farre out as he might be, if Gods grace had forsaken him. Notwithstanding to testifie some thing, for indeed it is but some thing, he betaketh himselfe to his prayers: he prayed vntounto the Lord.
2 Then a generall obedience yet remaineth in this sinner, wherein he could wish all well, as hauing learned by his smart, to stand in awe of that great Maiesty, which had so followed him before, and might recken with him afterward. But as water which ariseth from the purest and cleanest fountaine, if it come through a puddle channell, will keepe still to be water, but it will be troubled water, by meanes of that which it toucheth: so his intendment to pray, springing certainely from deuotion, is so mingled with dregges of wrath, and vanity and excuse, to quit himselfe and blame God, that as good almost not at all, as not to be better. Some drammes and graines of gold, appeare in him and his action; but drosse is there by pounds. Little wine, but store of water: some wheate, but chaffe inough. That he came to God it was good, and that he came by prayer, for that is the best sacrifice which the soule can send vp into heauen: but that it was in such sort, to expostulate, not to begge, to reason, not to confesse, to chide, not to aske pardon, is a many faults put together. My meaning is not to exagitate this in Ionas, otherwise then by looking particularly to the circumstance of the fact, to see how good instructions we may gather from this his prayer, to right our selues and straight our steps, in that where he went amisse; which I shall the better do, if I propose vntounto you these three things to be considered: First, the preface which here is vsed; And he prayed vntounto the Lord: Secondlie, the excuse which he maketh, I pray thee vvas not this my saying, vvhen I vvas yet in my countrey? Therefore I preuented it to flye vntounto Tharshish. And thirdlie, the reason whereon he grounded all, because the Lord was mercifull. In the first I shall speake of prayer: in the second of our excusing and shifting sinne from our selues; and in the third, of that wherein must be all our comfort, that the Lord is kind and long suffering.
And he prayed vntounto the Lord.
3 That anguishes and perplexities do here waite vponupon vsus, as companions more vnseparable then the shadow to the body, is a matter by Scripture and experience so euident, as is the light at noone day.Psal. 34.19. Act. 14.22. 2. Tim. 3.12. Many are the troubles of the righteous. By many afflictions vve must enter into the kingdome of God. And whosoeuer vvill liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution. Persecution is of diuerse sorts: it may be inward or outward, in body or in mind, in goods or in fame, in sicknesse or in sorrow, and the most holy hauehave abundantly tasted some one of these, the Patriarkes and Prophets, the Apostles and Martyrs, Christ Iesus himselfe. The weight of which burthen, he is not well aduised who seeketh not to support by some firme vnderunder-lyer, and that is faithfull inuocation vponupon the name of God, and flying to him by prayer. For if there be any thing which may appease sorow, & ease the grieued hart oppressed with the feeling of temporall occurrents, or wounded with the want of spirituall consolations, it is to hauehave recourse to the throne of grace, and there with watered eyes and cheekes be deawed with teares, to lay open those grieuances which breed sorow vntounto vsus.Psal. 1 16.4. I shall find trouble and heauinesse saith Dauid, but I shall call vponupon the name of the Lord. Iacob. 5.13.It is the counsell of Saint Iames, Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Hanna being vexed in her spirit, did betake her selfe to this medicine:…. Sam. 1.11. she went to the Tabernacle, and there she earnestly intreated. The whole booke of Psalmes doth witnesse, that this was the Altar whereunto Dauid when he was pursued, did still retire himselfe. This was the stay of Hezechiah when he turned him to the wall,2. Reg. 20.2. being in extreame anguish. And Saint Paule being buffeted by the Angell of Satan,2. Cor. 12.8. ranne to this as a refuge: I besought the Lord thrise sayth he, that is, many times. And where can be comfort, if it be not in this? When worldly things do faile vsus, and there is helpe from no man, when friends are few, or weake, or absent, or perhaps growne vnfaithfull, but foes are fierce and malicious; when Sathan himselfe suggesteth all things to the worst, when the thoughts within are much disquieted, the conscience euen amazed and standing at the gaze, scant knowing which way to walke: then to powre foorth our complaints, and discouer our miseries to him who doth know all, because he is almightie, to him who considereth all, because he is our father; and who both can and will take pity of the distressed. The practise of this, doth both expeditely and assuredly bring reliefe to him that trieth it: that sigh which breatheth out sorow, by a backe-breathing bringeth in ioy. That hand which being thrust out, doth reach a supplication vpward, reacheth downe contentation: deliuerance doth breake foorth, or at least patience sitteth within: yea now there may be ioy in suffering. Thus merciemercy is powred downe, and seasonable showers of sound and sure refreshing do fall vponupon vsus, as vponupon the thirsty land. Were it not for this precious ointment, the heart which is sometimes puffed and stretched with care, would breake and rent in peeces: but by praying it is suppled and mollified, and stroaked, till it returne vntounto his setled nature.
4 Then are not we to blame the while, who hauing a remedie so faire, so louely in it selfe, for what is like speaking to God? so profitable for vsus, for what doth so asswage our grife? so acceptable to our maker, for what doth he account a better sacrifice then this? so readie at hand to vsus, for where or when may we not pray? Yet in our manie molestations, we rather seeke to ease our selues, with any thing then with this; and so indeed we disease our selues, either presently heaping more euill vponupon euill, or if we thinke that we slacke our sorow, it commeth foorthwith more vehementlie on vsus, as the feuer doth to him who drinketh cold water in his fit: there may be a superficiall skin bred aboue, but rankled, festered, dead flesh doth putrifie vnderneath. If one mightie man do oppresse vsus, we seeke to backe our selues by another which is his equall: if our neighbour agree not with vsus, the law shall end all betweene vsus: if we speede not there, then more money shall be imployed, to fetch it another way: if that practise go not forward, we will trye a farther conclusion of slander and defamation, so to quit a friend in his kind. If that way we cannot reach him, yet we will hauehave our peny-worthes out, in railing vponupon him, or at least in secret whispering: inward we chafe, and outward we act it, with more then tragicall gesture And thus we do in those things, which we account not as trifles, but in such as bite and gripe vsus, and breake our sleepe and quiet. Yea in matters of greater consequence, we runne a very wrong race. If our conscience be now touched with the horrour of some thing past, or feare some future punishment, or a falling away from grace, which terrours are sometimes incident to the faithfull, we either wish merry company, or some sport to passe the time, or musicke, or some stage-play, or if we be much possessed, we throw our selues on our beds, and in melancholy we muse, or we walke solitarie, till we be euen steeped and dissolued in most dull contemplation, the heart frighted, the spirits weakened, the braine crased, the remembrance perished, and so either Gods graces are obscured, and diminished in vsus, or endangered quite to leaue vsus, which I cannot speake without horrour. Where now is our Christian wisedome, and spirituall vnderstanding, when we hauehave a helpe so compendious, so forcible, so effectuall, to be wanting yet to our owne good? Here the author whereon we should take told, is earnest and frequent prayer: we are to get vsus into our chambers, and there with mightie contention, to knocke and rap at heauen gate, to begge resolution and constant patience, of him who denieth not any good thing to the asker, that so the issue may prooue well, and the end may be with comfort. In this sort to sollicite with a liuely faith, and not sleepingly or faintingly, is the launcing of that impostume, which doth canker and heate within vsus: and this we may do, if we were but single & alone. But if this serue not the turne, then let vsus ioyne with other faithfull: the more cōpany the more cry. Where two or three be together, there Christ will be among them.Matth. 18.20. That which commeth slowly when it is intreated by seuerall ones, commeth quickly when many are ioyned together. And therefore God hath made the communion of Saints, that one might helpe another. As men going vponupon the ice or some slipperie place, do stand so much the surer, if one hold hands with the other, Gregor. Epistol. lib 1. Epist. 24▪so is it sayth Saint Gregorie, vvhen we ioyne hands in prayer, we aske so much the stronger, we obtaine so much the sooner. But whether we be alone or otherwise, the heauen and our heart will make a consort, which will allay all distemper. If the fire be not thus let out, or our wine be not thus vented, it doth breake the place which holdeth it. Wise men vponupon obseruation, lay it downe as a most expedient rule, that griefe of mind should be imparted to some one or other: it is much eased with the telling: but by taking part in the hearer, and by counsell and comfort from him, it is very much diminished. If it be prescribed to vsus, to do thus by man, then how fit is it that we should hauehave recourse to God, that we should double our selues before his approoued goodnesse, who best considereth, and helpeth soonest, and therefore were it but in that, he excelleth all other; but otherwise none of Adams children is to be compared to him: for he scorneth not at the miseries of other men: he dissembleth not hypocritically: he telleth no tales to enemies, who would ioy at the fall of those whom they hate: he playeth not false as men do, who take aduantage of the sufferings of their neighbours; but concealingly and compassionately he seeth all, and he salueth all. He then who flieth to this sanctuary, is well, and very sure of succour.
5 Then hitherto our Ionas is right, that in the midst of his disturbance mentioned in the former verse, he went and prayed to the Lord. But he doth not keepe him there: for although the cloth were good, he setteth an ill dye vponupon it; yea he staineth it and marreth it all. For if we will but looke backward, and see what anger was in that mind of his, from whence all was deriued, and if then we will looke forward, and see how turbulent the words themselues are, laying a sault on God, and drawing an ill conclusion, from the pity of him who is most mercifull, and afterward wishing to dye, we may easilie coniecture that the fashion marred the garment, and the sauce disgraced the meate, I meane the qualitie of his worke, defaced the goodnesse of it. For he prayed indeed, but it was tumultuously, and expostulatory-wise, rather chiding then beseeching: he calleth God to a reckning, as if his counsell were amisse, and Ionas were in the better: and on he goeth most impatiently, and wished that he were dead. How apparant is the infirmitie of man, and how vnfit is he for celestiall businesse, when our prayers which are the beautie and glorie of our best thoughts, shall be mingled with so much euill? And how do other men swarue, when Prophets go thus awry? In matters touching men what slips are there, when in that which immediatly appertaineth vntounto God, there is such stumbling and falling? How many are the sinnes, which we must hauehave forgiuen at Gods hand, before that we can speed well, when we faile so in his seruice? When eueryevery thing requireth a purity and cleannesse;Exod. 3.5. the ground whereon we stand, that the shooes of all base affections should be put off from our feete; the Tabernacle whereinto we enter, that we should be washed and purged; the seate before which we appeare, that the best clothes of our soule should carefully be put on; his greatnesse to whom we come, that we should onelyonly intend to him; yea the approching of our selues, that for that time at the least we shold be appropriated, and deuoted to himselfe, we are, and we are not; we draw neare with our lips, and our hearts are a great way from him. The very name of praying, and of praying to a Iudge, should strike a terrour into vsus, and imprint in vsus a reuerence both what we did and how.Chrysost. Homil. in dictum Iohannis, Veniet hora. Looke sayth Chrysostome on the manner of prayer. Doest thou not when thou shewest thy hands, openest thy breast, liftest vp thy face vntounto heauen, castest vp thy eyes, shew thy selfe wholly vntounto the Lord thy maker? Then happy be thy hāds if they be cleane, blessed is thy breast if it be pure, glorious thy face if it shine in simplicity, vvorthy thine eyes if they be not spotted vvith concupiscence, happy thy whole man if all of it be vndefiled. But this serueth not our turne: we will pray although it be vnfitly, as God knoweth it is many times.
6 For sometimes when we aske good things, as the enlightning of our soules, the free way of the Gospel, the increase of the faithfull, the tranquilitie of the Church, the continuance of graces from aboue, yea patience and repentance, and euerlasting life, we do it with such coldnesse, such perfunctory formality, such idle and gaping sleepinesse, that we our selues are not mooued with any zeale towards Gods glorie, but we do it because we do it, and we care not much what cōmeth of it. Yea if we will acknowledge that which is the truth of the matter, we are filled with such wandring thoughts, and stragling cogitations of Mammon and of ambition, of enuy or of lust, that rather we do any thing,Deut. 6.5. then that which we are doing. Whereas all the heart, and all the soule, and all the strength should be the Lords, the vigour of our wit, the intentnesse of our braine, the most fixed meditation of the spirit, that if it were a thing possible, we should be wrapped from the earth, and sequestred from that body, while we be in that holy exercise. Some other times, the manner is not the onelyonly thing wherein we trip, but the matter it selfe is naught. For gold and precious stones we bring stubble and straw: we aske such things of him, who is an immaculate, vnspotted and vndefiled spirit, as we would be ashamed that men should know. We tender that to our maker, which we would not aske of our neighbour. I do not here speake of such vanity, as wherein the Pharisee abounded,Luc. 18.11. I thanke God I am not as other, but rather of carnall deuotions. We intreate for our sports, and for our wantonnesse, as for euerlasting matters. I had leyfer that you should heare from the words of Saint Gregory,Gregor. in 40. Homil. 27. rather then from mine, what things we do aske. In the house of Iesus you seeke not Iesus, if in the Temple of eternity, you importunely aske for temporall things. Behold one in his prayer asketh for a vvife, another beggeth for a farme, a third maketh request for a garment, another would hauehave meate giuen vntounto him. Nay, may not we go farther,Erasm. in Peregrinat. Religionis Ergo. euen as sometimes Erasmus noted, how in the dayes of superstition the Virgin Mary was sollicited: for the souldier prayeth for his booty, the theefe for his rich cheate, the dicer for his good fortune. Do not these things very sutably agree with so sacred a Maiesty? Do they not become vsus very well? I doubt not but that we may aske for such things, as are needfull to this life, if we place them in their fit place, and sue for them with condition, If it shall seeme good to the Lord; but those other things are toyes and trifles, and do fauour of carnall motions. And it is no maruell, if in such cases we speed not: for as once it was sayd, to the mother of Iames and Iohn, Ye aske you know not what, so it is with vsus in our prayers. God seeth that such things do hurt vsus,Matth. 20.22. and therefore in his kind louelove, he denieth them vntounto vsus. Here that of Saint Iames hath place, Yee aske and receiue not because yee aske amisse, Iac. 4.3. Bernard. Serm. 5. in Quadragesima.to consume vponupon your lusts. And that also of Saint Bernard: When his little child asketh bread, the father reacheth it vntounto him, but when he asketh for a knife, he denieth it. So God doth graunt fit things to those who aske them, but vntounto him who intreateth for voluptuous or bad matters, he doth deny them. And surely if he should giuegive them, they were rather tokens of his displeasure, then of his fauour to vsus. But how mercifull doth God appeare to be, when he beareth these things at our hands, and doth not consume vsus, as he did those who brought strange fire vntounto his Altar?Leuit. 10.1. Let vsus study to amend this fault, neither begging in bad manner with other, nor bad matters with Ionas, but let vsus be earnest in that, which we know to be good, as that intreaty of Fulgentius is, where he prayeth for himselfe,Fulgentius de praedestinat. lib. 1. I beseech him who is the truth, that by his mercy preuenting me and following after me, he will teach me vvhatsoeuer things are healthfully to be knowne, and I know them not: that he vvill keepe me in those true things which I do know: that wherein as a man I am deceiued, he will correct me: in what true things I do stumble, he will confirme me: and that from false and hurtfull things he will deliuer me. And thus much of the preface. Now come we to the words themselues, which do mention his excuse.
Was not this my saying, when yet I was
7 It were well for the Prophet, if his choyse had bene as good, as his resolution was. Those things which he apprehended, had need be iust and holy, for were it well or otherwise, if he once had entertained a matter, he would strongly hauehave maintained it. He imagined that God in the end would not destroy the Niniuites, but that his mercy would ouer-way, and ouer-ballance his iustice: therefore fearing lest himselfe denouncing their destruction, should be taken but for a lyer, and so Gods name should be blasphemed, he thought to end all at once, and runne away from his calling,Ion. 1.3. as it is in the first Chapter. In steed of land he getteth him to sea, for Eastward he goeth Westward, for Niniue to Tharsus. What God thought of this, he had prety well felt already. The tempest which belaboured him, the lot which deprehended him, the whale which deuoured him, might acquaint him what the Lord conceiued of him. But to the end that no doubt may remaine, God a second time biddeth him go, and preach to the Niniuites. Here duty would hauehave supposed, that the Lord knew well inough what he did, and the issue of the matter would be his glorie. But Ionas thinketh otherwise, that God might spare his honor, and himselfe might saue his labour, and stay at home at the first, and not come with a great shew, and all but in a sleeuelesse errand. And whereas he ranne to Tharsus, he supposeth that he had reason for it: he tooke the best course that might be; and if the Lord might be pleased so to thinke of it, he did well: he did as he should: that did he. Oh the incredible folly of man, that to iustifie it selfe in a most vndecent action, careth not how it layeth about it, and rappeth it esteemeth not whom. The Highest was ouerseene: not the best but sometimes sleepeth: and the seruant was in the right.Psal. 51.4. Yet welfare king Dauid: Against thee hauehave I sinned, and done euill in thy sight, that thou mightest be iust when thou speakest, 2. Sam. 24.17.and pure when thou doest iudge. And when the Angell with the pestilence destroyed seuenty thousand, he standeth not to defend his folly, but confesseth that he had sinned. Old Eli wanted no faults, yet he had learned that lesson, not to stand on his iustification, when threats were denounced against him,1. Sam. 3.18. but replieth, It is the Lord, and let him do what seemeth good vntounto him. But our man where he taketh an opinion, will not be remooued from it, be it right or be it otherwise. Although here he would withdraw from himselfe the blame of his former flight (which while he goeth about to maintaine, he maketh himselfe twise guilty) yet still he will be innocent. Wherein appeareth how blind man naturally is: when it commeth to him or his, there will be a selfe-weening, a selfe-liking, a selfe-conceipt, in the grossest errours that may be. This sinne of thinking well of our selues, sitteth close and long, euen when other sinnes are shaken off, which sheweth that the speech reported of Plato is true,Euagr. Hist. Eccl. lib. 1.21. that this is as the inmost garment, or shirt next the skinne, which doth sit on last and fastest, yea when we hauehave put off all the rest of our other clothing. Hence it is, that be accused who will, we for our parts are alwayes innocents. When Saule had spared King Agag,1. Sam. 15.21. and brought home the best beasts of Amalek, it was the people that did it, his hand was not in the fact: nay he could make good vse of the ouersight: the cattell would serue for sacrifice, to be offered to the Lord.Matth. 27.24. Pilate will not be to blame, for crucifying of Christ: he taketh water and washeth his hands, and the Iewes onelyonly are in fault. The high Priests were wondrous cleare, when Iudas brought backe the money, and threw it into the treasurie: and if there were any betraying of the innocent bloud of Christ, it was iudas that must looke to that, for what was it to them? And almost there is no cause in the world betweene man and man, touching discord or discourtesie, or quarrell or question, but the party who is conferred with, is cleare and free from offence, and the other side hath transgressed. The remembrance of which matter,Viues de bello Turcito. made Lodouicus Viues compare men to his children, who oftentimes disagreed, as children vse to do, yet neuer any of them did wrong, but iniurie was done to him. All the earth doth runne this race: other men are onelyonly nocent, and we innocent in all causes.
8 This is a prety paradoxe: the man who is most culpable, is least of all to be blamed. But it were more tollerable, if mā only to man vsed this, by a straine of wit to diuert, or boldly to ouer-face that, which iustly may be reprooued: But this is it which passeth a good mans vnderstanding, that so we may be scotfree, the iust and terrible Iudge, all whose wayes are truth and equitie, shall hauehave the spot cast vponupon him. If any thing be amisse, it is by Gods decree, or by some thing which he hath done, which we cannot auoide: or if we had had our will, it had prooued farre otherwise: I foresaw this in my countrey, sayth Ionas, and therefore I preuented it by flying, and getting me to Tharsh…sh: but the Lord would hauehave his owne way, and now see what is come of it. Here he sheweth himselfe to be a verie right sonne of Adam, who although he had borne himselfe disobediently in Paradise, yet he would shift the matter, and lay it vponupon God.August. lib. 2. contra Manicheo…. Adam doth not say sayth Saint Austen, the vvoman gaue me the fruite, but the woman vvhichwhich thou didst giuegive me. And with sinners nothing is so familiar as to attribute that to God whereof they be accused. It was maruell that Adam going a little farther,Aug. in Psal. 70. he had not added this: Why should I not eate this fruite, for if it be not good what doth it here in Paradise? and if it be good why should it be forbidden to vsus? Since God made it and set it here, he is to blame if we may not eate it. This humour is by propagation deriued farre and neare, and although it be not shewed in toyes, where our patience beareth no burthen, yet when there is any grieuous feeling, too many do runne that way. My naturall inclination doth leade me to this folly. I hauehave it from my natiuity. I do but tread the steps of my father, from whom I hauehave it hereditary, that I know not how to auoide this louelove to Bacchus and Venus. Why should God giuegive me a body, which by sicknesses and diseases, is so subiect to impatiency, if he like not that I should grieue thus? He ordained me for a begger, or layed a curse on my patrimony, which is come downe on me, and on my fathers house, and therefore if luxuriously I wast all, who can hinder that which must be? who can hold that which will away? These are fearefull & cruell words which being vttered falsly and vnaduisedly, prouoke great wrath from heauen. If any thing in thee be amisse, it is by imitation of euill, or by a degeneration from the commandement at the first;Genes. 3.6. and the miseries which do follow thee, are either sinnes in thy selfe, because thou fliest from grace, or punishments of such sinnes as were in thy predecessours, of whom thou hast part by their meanes. But if thou wouldst call for grace, and inure thy selfe to good, and to a desuetude of euill, thy naturall inclinations would be turned to be spirituall; thy soule would cast her slough of impiety and presumption, and the maladies of thy body would all turne to thy benefite, that is, to encrease thy faith and humilitie. Then learne to confesse thy sinnes to the Lord against thy selfe,Psal. 32.5. and let him be excused.
9 For such bitter words as these be, do not sauour of the spirit, but of that furious fiend who waiteth vpō the reprobates. And they oftentimes (as Paule intimateth) to quit themselues of such sinnes as bring condemnation on them,Roman 9.1…. lay all vponupon the Lords appointment and decree vntounto life or death, which they cannot withstand. So they know not, that howsoeuer God in his secret counsell (which we are to wonder at and not to search into) doth leaue them to themselues, yet they by heaping vp of wickednesse, do make vp their owne condemnation, and adde vntounto their torments; and that whereas by originall staine they are too much infected, yet by actuall wilfulnesse they will multiplie the guilt of the former, by some thousands of degrees. And herein is their grieuous errour, that they impute that to God, which is their owne by inheritance, and besides that, purchased also through their merite, and so by a double right: but it is the Lords in no other circumstance, sauing because he will be iust, which he is and euer will be, let them spurne while they can. It were a more direct course, and more honorable in the end, to let God go vntouched, to allow what he alloweth, and to ratifie what he liketh: to accuse man who deserueth it, and not to seeke crickes and starting holes, to lay the fault on the Iudge. But especially to be vigilant, that with all thy power thou flye sinne: for be thou either elect or reprobate, that shall bring ease vntounto thee. If yet thou be in doubt whether thou be the Lords, or not his, thy faith not being yet feruent, then louelove vertue morally, that the Almighty may the …ooner bring thee to the sheepfold, if he meane at all to powre grace on thee. And euermore h…pe the best: for he can call the most wicked, and of stones raise vp seede to Abraham.Matth. 3.9. Yea if thy heart seeme to condemne thee, yet God doth rule thy heart, and can mollifie it and soften it; and the diuell himselfe which tempteth thee, is but a lying spirit, for although he do suggest, that thou art nothing but a cast-away, yet he is a deceiuer, and is not of Gods counsell. But suppose that thou belong not to him (whereof I would not hauehave any man distrustfully to doubt) yet flie from sinne, and do morall vertues, and that at least shall ease some part of the extremity of those torments, which thou shalt hauehave in hell fire. Although thou gaine no ioy by it, yet thou shalt escape much euill. Thy paine shall be the lesse: not because thou hast done well, but because thou hast lesse declined from vertue, as Austen speaketh, making difference betweene Catiline and Fabricius:Augustin. contra Pelagianum Iulianum lib. 4. Fabricius shall be lesse punished then Catiline, not because he was good, but because the other was more bad: and Fabricius was lesse vvicked then Catiline was, not in that he had true vertues, but because he did not as farre as might be, stray from true vertues. But be it the one or the other, take all thy sinnes vponupon thy selfe, and seeke not to excuse the nocent, by accusing the innocent, who is free from the smallest blemish. In a lesser matter then eternall life or death is, it was a fault in our Prophet, that he would assume the better, and God must hauehave the worse: he will be cleare, and the Lord shall be culpable. And let this be sayd of his excuse.
The mercy of God.
10 The third note is the reason, whereon he groundeth his defence, & that is the Lords procliuity and propensenesse vntounto mercy. And here, howsoeuer the former matters may trouble vsus by a remēbrāce that they may be our own case, yet this maketh amends for al, that we hauehave to do with a Lord, whose goodnesse is so great, & whose graciousnesse so plētiful, that we need words to vtter it. Ionas therein walking right howsoeuer else he tread ill, goeth as farre as may be. A gracious God and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnesse, and repentest thee of the euill: such a one is ready eueryevery way to take pity, but commeth to vengeance and fury with heauy and leaden feete. Our man doth so well at this, that we need not doubt but he had a good schoolemaister to direct him, and that is the Lord himselfe, who appearing vntounto Moses,Exod 34.6.7. doth cry thus of his maiesty, The Lord, the Lord, strong and mercifull, gracious and slow to anger, aboundant in goodnesse and truth, reseruing mercy for thousands, forgiuing iniquity, transgression and sinne; in which place of Exodus although afterward there follow a little of his iustice, which he may not forget, yet we see the maine streame runneth concerning mildnesse, and kindnesse, and compassion. That is it wherein the Lord may be sayd to delight, ioying to be a Sauiour, a deliuerer, a preseruer, a redeemer & a pardoner, rather thē to be a Iudge. He hath one skale of iustice, but the other doth prooue the heauier: mercy doth ouerway. He who is euer iust, is mercifull more then euer, if possibly that may be. And it seemeth that eueryevery day, as his Gospell was growing on, so his pity came also forward. He who for one transgression, thrust the Angels out of heauen, and for his first slipping awry, turned Adam out of Paradise (his fury breaking foorth against both them) now in the dayes of grace, beareth with vsus yeares and yeares, from our cradle to our graue, after a thousand and a thousand fals, of weaknesse and wilfulnesse, by word, by thought, by deed. Yea he came to this soone, not long after the creation, giuing in the dayes of Noe,Genes. 6.3. a hundred and twenty yeares of repentance, before the floud. Our Niniue from the mouth of this present Prophet, had forty dayes,Ion. 3.4. before it should be destroyed. But Hierusalem being growne to the height of all iniquity, so that both the seruants and Sonne of God were slaine by them, the Sabaoth polluted, the Sanctuary profaned, yea a horrible sinke of filth being now among them, yet was spared fortie yeares, before that God sent vp Vespasian and Titus.Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. 3.8. See whether this be not tollerancie, which we with amazednesse may admire. Indeede when nothing would serue, but the member being quite vncurable, must needs be cut off by him; when their sinne extorted and wrung downe vēgeance; he payd them for all together, that they who would none of his louelove, might hauehave full heapes of his hatred. His arme being lift vp the higher, did fall so much the heauier: the water-course stopped the longer, did breake out the more fiercely, according to the custome of God, who as Bernard sometimes spake,Bernard. de Anima. cap. 2. By how much the longer he expecteth that we should amend, so much the more strictly he will iudge vsus if we neglect. The Iewes felt this to the full: but how slow was he to his anger?
11 Christ Iesus who is the image, and engrauen forme of his father, was not behind hand in this propertie, while he liued here vponupon earth. He taught it by the figge-tree, which bearing no fruite,Luc. 13.6. was not by and by cut downe, but first for one or two yeares it should be dunged and trimmed, to see what good would come of it. He sustained many ignorances, & vntowardnesses in the Apostles, and yet did not reiect them: yea his patience was so great, that it shewed it selfe to Iudas, No maruell sayth Saint Cyprian that he shewed himselfe patient toward his obedient disciples, Cypr. de bono patientiae.who could with long suffering endure very Iudas to the last; could take his meate in company of his enemie; knew a foe to be in his house, and did not openly descry him; yea refused not the kisse of a traytour. Ioh. 1.29.He might rightly be called a lambe, yea that innocent Lambe of God, by an excellency aboue all other, who could see such a one, and suffer him so often and so neare him, and scant say a word against him. This did no good on Iudas, but as the same Cyprian obserueth, the like tollerance was effectuall to saluation in other men. If those who did shed the bloud of Christ, had bene taken presently after, they had perished euerlastingly: but God so graciously disposed for their good,Act. 2.37. that they were pricked in their hearts, and so brought home to the sheepfold; of enemies being now made friends. Which made that father say,Cypr. vbi suprà. He who shed the bloud of Christ, vvas quickened by the bloud of Christ; such and so great vvas Christs patience, vvhichwhich if it had not bene such and so great, the Church should not hauehave had Saint Paule for an Apostle. Thus the holy and blessed Trinity dealeth with men in this present age, in great mercy after yeares and twenty yeares before they come to the graue, respecting such as hauehave bene men audacious and impudent in vngodlinesse; such as hauehave bene superstitious, and Popish euen vntounto idolatry; such as in a conceited fancie were so fastened to Antichrist, that to lose their liues for the beast, they thought to be to do God good seruice. Those persons who had lyen & fried in hell, as fire-brands to be burnt, remedilesse and euerlastingly, if they had departed in that mind to the graue, the place where is no redemption; by compassion from the mightie one, whose bowels are made of mercy, are suffered to liue, till with teares they wash away many folli…s. But then apprehending Christ aright, they blesse the eternall father, who hath thought vponupon them so kindly: they blesse the day and the houre, that euer their eyes were opened: that their mist was remoued away: that they hauehave chaunged the puddle of traditions and superstitions, and will-worships and ignorances, of customes and vaine inuentions, into the bright delightfull water, which streameth from him and his word who is the well of life.
12 We who neuer dranke of those dregges, yet may make the same confession: for we feele Gods fauour eueryevery day. It is an argument of his louelove, that we hauehave so many things, life and breath, and foode and rayment: that many such accidents do not ouertake vsus, as whereby other come to ruine, sword and fire, and hunger and pestilence, and diuerse others occurrents, which destroy many in this life: that in so many prouocations, for forty yeares together we hauehave enioyed such rest, that the ages to come will heare it and scant beleeue it, but neuer againe expect it: the soule so fed and the body: such honour and reputation, in all the coasts of the earth, vnderunder a womans conduct, that we cannot chuse but confesse, that the Lords aspect hath bene good ouer this blessed Iland. But besides that generall sea of grace, which lieth open to all that come, how long suffering is the Lord to euerie one of vsus? Indeed he is singular in clemencie, for when he found nothing in vsus, why his eye should be vppon vsus, then he preuented vsus with grace, and touched our heart with a feeling. Since that time, when we would slip from him, he catcheth vsus and holdeth vsus fast: when euerie toy would allure vsus to sell God & be gone, he will not so part with vsus: if we be lost, out he seeketh vsus, if we lye long he raiseth vsus, if we come not, then he draweth vsus, in temptation he doth strengthen vsus, in strong despaire he releeueth vsus. Who would euer hauehave to do with such a froward generation, so slipperie and so tickle, so giddie and so peruerse, but onelyonly he who is like himselfe, who will louelove because he will louelove: our inconstancie shall not hinder his firme and sure good pleasure. The paines of the mother with the infant, is a matter of various labour: her sleepe his broken, her businesse hindered, her necessities euen neglected: yet because she loueth she swalloweth all: but she must come short of God, who, were it not that he is resolued to do it, because he is full of mercy, he would neuer so waite vponupon vsus, and expect vsus as he doth. We reape the comfort of it, and he reapeth the praise, the honour and admiration. For as euerie thing in him is worthy to to be wondered at, so this is to be embraced with admiring amazednesse,Hilar. in Psal. 144. that he so respecteth man. Hilary hath a sentence worthie to be recited here. This is an especiall thing in God: this is to be vvondered at in that mighty one, not that he made the heauen, because he is powerfull: not that he setled the earth, because he is strength: not that he tempered or distinguished the yeare vvith the starres, because is vvise: not that he gaue man a soule, because he is life: not that he did mooue the sea into anebbing and a flowing, because is a spirit: but that he should be mercifull vvho is iust; but that he should be pitifull, vvho is a King: but that he should beare vvith vsus, vvho is a God. At this we may wonder, but receiue it with great comfort, for the haruest thereof is ours.
13 But to returne to my Ionas. Thou saidest when thou wast in thy countrey, that God was so kind and gracious, and would relent from the furie which he threatned to the Niniuites: then wherefore doest thou now grieue at it? Thou didst resolue before, that the end and conclusion would be such; therefore it is likely, that God aduisedly performed that which he did, since thou hadst thought so long of it. Then why art thou now angrie at it? Who would grieue that fire should burne, or water should be moist? that the earth should be dull and heauie? that the Sunne should yeeld foorth light? The creatures cannot so much challenge those properties, as God doth challenge to himselfe the title of merciemercy. Then so it is, and thou thinkest so, and saidest so long agone, and yet thou grieuest that it is so. Thou thoughtest it so in the Theorike, but beleeuedst it not in the Practike. He is gracious where thou listest, but must not be so where he pleaseth. To Ionas he is and may be, but not so to the Niniuites. But thou saidest that he would do it, and yet thou chafest that he did it. Now Ionas thou condemnest thy selfe: thine owne mouth hath so taken thee, that thou canst not auoide this straight. For if God be iust, and do punish this people, then thou saidest ill, that he would repent of the euill: if he be kind and do not destroy them, then thou frettest amisse, that he who is grace and pity, should shew himselfe in his kind. Then thy collection for the iustifying of thine anger is most absurd and preposterous: God is mercifull, therefore I fret because he will shew mercy: when it should hauehave bene cleane contrary, God is mercifull, therefore I should grieue, if he should not shew merciemercy to them: or, he is slow to anger, therefore he will forgiue them. The maister in the parable would hauehave turned this answer on him,Luc. 19.22. Not thou euill, but foolish seruant, from thine owne mouth I condemne thee. For what a speech is this, did I not say that it would be so? Yes: but why then doest thou murmure that it is so? Thou saidest that the Lord would deale thus with the Niniuites; then when it had bene done, thou shouldest not hauehave grumbled at it.
14 It is a lesson to vsus, that still we submit our iudgement to the iudgement of the Lord: that we seeke not with our owne wit to carrie that which is his, besides the streames of his purposes, but to looke to his reuealed will, and with modestie and humilitie, to submit our selues thereunto. For if vponupon any affection of discontent, or enuie, or ambition, or gaine-saying, we will varie from his designements, he will let vsus be as absurd and vnreasonable as Ionas was, to please our selues in conclusions, which manifestlie teach the contrarie to our opinion. God is maruellous and vnsearchable, in taking intangled man in the snares of his owne inuentions. And if we be as Ionas, that is Prophets, & will be foolish, in things which touch his owne determinations, he will most of all take and whip vsus. In this case Gods counsels are deepe, and oftentimes leaue a scarre, of a mind vnsatisfied in it selfe, or of iust reproofe with other, when the crachets of our wit must ouer-rule his will, and we will hauehave it our way, when God hath sayd it otherwise. What a dash of great reproch to this day,Vineentius Lyrinens aduers. haeres. cap. 23. did light vponupon Origene, besides the feare of a farther danger, when the spirit of his conceit, must be taken for the marrow of the Scripture, and looke what with trickes he deuised, other men must straight beleeue. His conclusions grew as inconsequent, as euer this did of Ionas. Because we also are Prophets, let vsus feare in like sort, to force the word of God to any thing, but to what he meant it; or to broch any new deuises by singularitie of opinion. For as the Lord both blesseth and graceth things done with a good mind, although they hauehave their imperfections, so when our purpose is but vanity, or rarenesse, or a fancy to sing a note beyond all men, in that where soundnesse seasoned with care and industry, is best, God a little to bridle vsus, leaueth vsus vntounto our selues, and in steed of praise more then common, our spot is more then ordinary. Concerning the matter of Gods businesse, the best ground is the common way: to teach as the Lord doth teach, and as the words are naturally, and then if all other good helpes be vsed, it is not amisse: but let no humane passion make vsus vary from the substance, because we will hauehave it one way, when God will hauehave it another, lest the Almighty be not so much honoured as otherwise he should, and we our selues be discomforted. God graunt that we may make vse of the examples in the Scriptures, that in need we may seeke to him who is able to helpe vsus: that we may pray to him as we should, in humility and obedience, accusing our owne infirmities, that so we may tast of that mercy, wherein he is so plenteous, especially in his Sonne, to both whom and the holy Spirit be praise for euermore.