The Remains of John Corbet, Verse 1 – Verse 3
Ver. 1. Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fiſhes belly.
Before this trouble he was froward againſt God, and fled from him; now he is humble and yielding.
Our diſtreſs and trouble is ſanctified to us, when our frowardneſs and averſeneſs from duty is overcome, and we are made humble and yielding to God, and ready for duty; when we are brought to our good behaviour.
Let us look after this fruit of our diſtreſſes, troubles, or croſſes, that we be brought in and ſubdued to God. Let us alſo look after this kindly fruit of pubblick troubles.
He flees to God by prayer. Our diſtreſs and trouble is ſanctified to us, when it drives us to prayer, that we ſet about it in earneſt, and continue in it, and ſo bring us cloſe to God. Iſa. 26 16. Lord in trouble have they viſited thee. They poured out a prayer when thy chaſtning was upon them.
Let us look after this kindly fruit of our publick and private troubles, that we be more in prayer, and much viſit the throne of Grace; that inſtead of running from God, we run to him and caſt our ſelves into the arms of his mercy, Then hath God reduced us, and brought us home to our true reſt, that we might be ſafe; then he hath done us good indeed.
Further we hence learn, That prayer to God is a refuge to the afflicted, both to the Church, and to every faithful ſoul; and they find relief in it. All the diſtreſſed that take this courſe, find ſure comfort.
Becauſe God is rich in mercy to all that call upon him, Rom. 10.12. The ſame Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Yea, God is more eſpecially helpful to the diſtreſſed, Hoſ. 14.3. In thee the fatherleſs findeth mercy.
This inſtructs us what is our refuge in all our troubles, and what courſe to take wherein we ſhall not fail to ſpeed, Jam. 5.13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Be ſincere in this duty, and perform it with unfeigned repentance for your former neglect.
Moreover it is here ſaid, That Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God. The Lord was ſtill his God, notwithſtanding his ſevere hand upon him.
When God corrects us for ſin, he doth not caſt us off as none of his. Correction is not Rejection. Still his gracious relation to us, and our Covenant-intereſt in him abides.
Wherefore let them that fear the Lord ſtill look to him, and claim an intereſt in him as their God, tho he be angry, and ſeverely chaſten them. Thus the Church lays claim to him, Iſa. 63.16. Doubtleſs thou art our Father, &c. Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer, &c.
And let us take hold of his Covenant whereby he is our God, for encouragement in prayer, and the ground of our humble confidence toward him. Let as many as are humble, and willing to accept his grace, do this.
Here is noted, the condition whereid he was, out of the fiſhes belly; a diſtreſs into which he had brought himſelf by his rebellion, or wilful diſobedience.
Hence we learn, That after wilful diſobedience we may ſue to God for mercy. He hath not ſhut up the way againſt us; becauſe there is Forgiveneſs with him, and he hath left room for repentance.
Let this goodneſs of God lead ſinners to repentance. Let ſuch goodneſs overcome their hearts; for it is ſet forth for this very end. God hath not ſhut up the way. Let not them ſhut out themſelves. Let a penitent people encourage themſelves, as Iſrael is encouraged, Hoſ. 14.1. O Iſrael, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou haſt fallen by thine iniquity. Let the children of God after high provocations, being duly humbled, encourage themſelves in his mercy.
Tho we have wilfully brought our ſelves into trouble by our own Folly, yea run into it; yet we muſt not diſcourage our ſelves, as if it were in vain to pray to God for help. This is indeed a very uncomfortable circumſtance in our ſuffering, to draw it upon our ſelves; yet this was Jonah's caſe. Therefore in ſuch a caſe let us judg and lothe our ſelves; let us fear and tremble in our ſelves; yet let us not deſpair, nor be driven from ſeeking our relief. For God delights to ſave them that have undone themſelves.
V. 2. I cryed by reaſon of my affliction, unto the Lord, and he heard me: out of the belly of hell cryed I, and thou heardſt my voice.
This verſe expreſſeth the ſum of his trouble, his exerciſe in it, and his gracious audience. His trouble, and his prayer in it, I cried by reaſon of my affliction: out of the belly of hell cried I. Here was a deplorable ſtate, and in appearance deſperate; yet his Faith could look through to Gods Mercy-ſeat.
There is no ſtate ſo deplorable, and ſeemingly deſperate, that the people of God may be brought into, but their Faith may ſee a way through it to the throne of Grace, whether it be the ſtate of any particular Child of God, or of his Church and people in common.
Is any Child of God ſo diſtreſſed, that he can ſee no outlet? yet let him look through it to the Throne of Grace. There is hope for him in his God; and let him look to God, and be comforted; Iſa. 50.10.
Doth the condition of the Church appear forlorn and hopeleſs, as Jonah's was, that we can ſee no way to eſcape? yet God can open a way by a ſtrange hand of Providence. He is fearful in praiſes, doing wonders, Exod. 15.11. Tru…y our condition is very deplorable, if we look to human help. Yet the Providence of God, and his appearances for us are ſome glimps of light, ſome token for good. Therefore be not faithleſs, but believing; do not abandon your hope; tho greatly diſtreſſed, encourage your ſelves in the Lord your God,
I cryed by reaſon of my affliction, &c.
Great diſtreſs calls for great importunity in prayer; not only to call upon God, but to cry to him; to cry mightily, as the King of Niniveh commanded his ſubjects. Jonah 3 8. Let them cry mightily unto God. When we thus cry, our own neceſſity is feelingly acknowledged, and Gods mercy is duly valued.
Let the diſtreſs of our Nation, and the Church a…d people of God therein, excite us to ſend up ſtrong cryes to him that is able to ſave. So did Chriſt himſelf, Heb. 5.7. Let his example ſtir…u, up. Let us wreſtle with God as Jacob did, Gen. 32.26 He ſaid, I will not let thee go except thou bleſs me; and he had ſucceſs. Importunity and unceſſancy in prayer, is a token for good. When God pours out a ſpirit of prayer, and ſo prepares our hearts, he will cauſe his ear to hear.
Now follows the gracious audience, I cryed, and he heard me.
God will hear the cry of the diſtreſſed; he will regard their importunity, and help them in their extremity.
For he is merciful, and full of compaſſion; he waits that he may be gracious. When he delays his help, he doth but wait for our preparedneſs. But when he ſees our unfeigned humiliation, and our earneſt faith in his mercy, and our fervent and unceſſant deſire of his relief, then his bowels yearn over us: A… he ſaith c ncerning Ephraim in ſuch a frame of ſpirit, My bowels are troubled for him; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, Jer. 31.20.
This is for the comfort of a praying people, whoſe great diſtreſs raiſeth their importunity in prayer. Let it comfort us to think upon it, that our voice is heard out of the belly of Hell. In the extremity of evll we are not ſhut out from a gracious audience. Our prayer reacheth Gods ear.
V. 3. For thou haſt caſt me int t…e deep, in the midſt of th… ſeas, and the floods compaſſed me ab…ut: all thy billows and thy waves paſſed over me.
Here he enlargeth the narration of his trouble. He ſhews he had to do with an angry God, who purſued him in his juſt and high diſpleaſure.
God may purſue his people in his juſt anger for their high provocations, and caſt them into overwhelming trouble; he may plunge them into the depth of miſery. He may make them know, that he purſues his controverſie with them; and that becauſe they have walked contrary to him, he alſo will walk contrary to them; and he will greatly diſtreſs them.
For God will maintain his honour, and make it known, that it cannot be well with any in going croſs to him; no, not with his dear children Who hath hardned himſelf againſt him, and hath p…oſpered? Job 9.4.
Let the p ople and ſervants of God take heed of provoking him to anger, and raiſing his juſt diſpleaſure, and ſo engaging him againſt them. We provoke God by any wilful contrariety to him; eſpecially by perſiſting in it, as was the caſe of Jonah. Here let us conſult our own peace, and the peace of our Nation. Let us therefore fear before him, ſtand in awe and ſin not, Pſal. 4.4. Beware of him, provoke him not. Thus the Lord warns the Iſraelites concerning the Angel, their Conductor, ſuppoſed to be the Son of God, the Mediator. Exod. 20.21. Behold I ſend my angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice: provoke him not, for he will not pardon your tranſgreſſions; for my Name is in him. He will not pardon your tranſgreſſions; that is, he will not let any wilful indignity and contempt offered to him, paſs unpuniſhed, or without taking notice of it, for your humiliation and abaſement. Carefully prevent provoking ſins; and if there be any provocation, ſpeedily ceaſe from it.