Exposition of Jonah, Chapter 1
In the firſt Chapter we have the behaviour of Jonah, and of the Mariners.
Of Jonah we read theſe things, 1. the Meſſage given him, v. 1.2. 2 his declining of the Meſſage, v. 3. 3. the apprehenſion of him when he was fugitive, ver. 4. 4. the execution, ver. 15.
The Meſſage is ſet down, both generally, it was the word of the Lord; and eſpecially, Jonah muſt go to Nineve, and cry against it.
Ver. 1.Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah. Or, And the word of the Lord came; that is, to Jonah as well as to the other Prophets. Or, This Meſſage to Nineve as well as the other Meſſages to Iſrael, with all the circumſtances here related. Jonah by his Calling was an ordinary Teacher of Gods people, but now extraordinarily he is ſent to Preach among the Gentiles; Note. Teaching us to abide in in our particular place and ſtation till the Lord pleaſe to take us off, and ſend us elſewhere. Teachers in the Church ought not to wander up and down, or thruſt themſelves into other mens Offices, as the faſhion of ſome is. It is the ſin of ſome, ſcarce of ordinary gifts, to pretend an extraordinary Vocation. Uſe. It is certainly Zeal without Knowledge to undertake this work, and diſturb the Peace of the Church: They ſhould firſt have been ſure, that the word of the Lord came to them; and for ſatisfaction to Gods people, they ſhould be able to make it appear to the Rulers of the Church; which of late dayes was utterly rejected▪ and all confuſion thereby brake in upon us as a mighty flood.
The word of the Lord came unto Jonah; Namely, by Inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, 2 Pet. 1.20, 21. and foreign is aſcribed to the whole Scripture, 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture is given by Inſpiration of God. There are divers ways of manifeſtation, but all by one and the ſame Spirit,foreign. Num. 12.6. Heb. 1.1. God in times paſt ſpake in divers manners; ſuppoſe in a Viſion, or in a Dream; and ſometime poſſibly by an audible Voice. So David tells us, 2 Sam. 23.2. The Spirit of the Lord ſpake by me, and his word was in my tongue. Be aſſured hence,
The writings of the Prophets are of Divine Authority, Doctr. Prophets from God wrote what we ſee.the word of the Lord, the Viſion of the Lord, the burthen of the word of the Lord: He ſpake by the mouth of the holy Prophets from the beginning of the world, Luke 1.70. and ſee Chapter 24.25, 44. and 1 Pet. 1.10 11, 12.
Which ſerves to comfort us concerning our Faith in all Uſe 1 the Articles of it; they are all grounded in the Writings of the Prophets, therefore Divine, and may well be believed. The word of the Lord came unto Jonah, to Amos, to Hoſea, and to the reſt of the Prophets. We have a ſure word of propheſie, yea more ſure then Viſions and Oracles, 2. Pet. 1.16, 17, 18, 19. much more then Fancies of men, pretending the Spirit, and craking of a light in them, which muſt ſway againſt the written word, Miniſters and all. Bleſſed be God, who hath put a Bridle into their mouths, and reſtrained their Fury. For our part, we are ſure all is right and ſtraight whatever we believe according to the Prophets.
Uſe 2 2. It ſerves to convince the world of wickedneſs, in not receiving the word of the Prophets. We admire the obſtinacy of the Jews, who were never the better though they had men ſent among them with extraordinary Gifts and Graces, and immediate teachings of the Spirit: but ſtay, Is there not the ſame obſtinacy in our people now-a days? Miniſters Preach over the ſame Doctrines again and again, and who almoſt regardeth?Eſa. 53.1. Who hath believed our report? Drunkards there be ſtill, as in the Prophets time, Swearers, Liars, Sabbath-breakers, otherwiſe wicked. And the ſame judgments hang over the heads of our ſinners, as the Prophets told their people. Faith and Repentance are Preached ſtill as they Preached, and namely Jonah in this Book. Oh the invincible hardneſs of mens hearts, not to believe the Prophets and Preachers! What do you think? muſt we needs go to Nineve, to Preach and get Converts? If we did, we might ſpeed; but wo be to unbelieving Chriſtians, whom neither Prophets, nor Apoſtles, nor Holy men coming with their Doctrine can work to Repentance! Certainly, ſeeing they believe not theſe, they would not believe though one ſhould riſe from the dead, Luke 16. ult.
Uſe 3 3. Take heed, I beſeech you, and ſeeing the Prophets deliver the word of the Lord, let them be regarded accordingly: As thus,
1. Take pains to know the meaning of the Prophets in their ſeveral Propheſies; There are obſcurities in them; but ſearch to underſtand them more fully and clearly; Search the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. Read, Hear, Pray, Confer, Obey, any thing to get out the hidden treaſure; Be both frequent and earneſt in ſearching out the meaning of places; Dig, Cry, lift up your Voice for underſtanding; plain Apoſtles feed the ſimple, hard Prophets exerciſe the more witty and underſtanding.
2. Be reverent in all your converſing with the word, whether by Reading or Hearing. King Eglon ſtood up to receive Ehuds Meſſage from the Lord. Cornelius and his Company ſet themſelves in the preſence of God, to hear what ſhould be ſpoken by Peter. The Congregation of Iſrael in hearing ſome Meſſage from God, bowed their head and worſhpped; even ſo do ye; take heed to the word of propheſie, give earneſt heed to the things that are ſpoken.
3. Believe all that the Prophets have written; not as the ſlow of heart, whom our Saviour reproved, or as thoſe now-a-days who deſerve to be reproved: King Agrippa, believeſt thou the Prophets? I wiſh I could ſay of every one, I know thou believeſt. Certainly, the word doth no good, unleſs it be mingled with faith in them that hear it;Heb. 4.2. as Meat, except it be digeſted; or Phyſick, except it be kept for a while. Faith implies knowledge, Conſent, and Application.
4. Obey the Voice of the Prophets and Apoſtles, as being the Voice of the Lord. When God delivered the Commandements, Iſrael made account they muſt obey all that he ſaid, and promiſed ſo to do, and (ſaid he) Oh that there were ſuch an heart in them! It had been well for them, and it would be well for us, if ſo pliant and obedient: Conſider our Reading, Hearing, Praying, Conferring, is all to be referred to obeying; Obeying hath the promiſe, as is ſaid, Bleſſed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it; and, Hearers of the Law ſhall be bleſſed in the deed.
5. Be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles, Eph. 2.20. Building is, to add Stone to Stone, and Timber to Timber; ſo you to your Gifts and Graces: Chriſtians ſhould not only be ſetled and eſtabliſhed in the truth, but increaſe daily more and more. This is often required, 1 Theſ. 4.1. and 2 Pet. 3.18. And it is required, that to the beſt of your skill and power ye ſuffer not the Doctrine of the Prophets to be gain-ſayed, or corrupted.
6. Honor Jeſus Chriſt, whom all the Prophets pointed at, Act 3.19 Jonah here is a Figure of his Death and Reſurrection; other Prophets tell of the place of his Birth, of the time of his Coming, of the holineſs and glory of his Kingdom, and the like. Both the Prophets that went before, and the Apoſtles that followed after, all cryed Hoſanna to the Son of David! Let us alſo who come up in the Rear, give our Acclamations to honor Jeſus Chriſt, eſpecially in the way of obedience.
Take heed, let not Chriſt find honour and obedience among Indians, and loſe it among Chriſtians. Iſraels ingratitude was here upbraided by the Ninevites Repentance;Rev. 2.5. And a remove of the Goſpel hath been long threatned, beware leſt at laſt it be removed indeed: Jonah muſt go when God ſends him, and ſo muſt other good Miniſters.