Exposition of Jonah, Chapter 1 · Verse 16
Ver. 16.
Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a ſacrifice unto the Lord, and made vowes.
This is the Mariners thankfulneſſe for the great mercy of deliverance: and it hath three Clauſes.Parts. 1. For inward worſhip, they feared the Lord exceedingly: 2. For outward worſhip, They offered a ſacrifice unto the Lord. Theſe for the preſent. 3. For the future they made vowes,] bound themſelves to the ſervice of the true God.
For the firſt of theſe: twice before it was ſaid, that the Mariners were a fraid, verſ. 5. and 10. once for the ſtorm that was ſo dangerous to them; another time for that they heard Jonah tell of the God of the Hebrews to be his maſter, and that he had declined his ſervice: And now again they fear exceedingly when the ſtorm is over, Jonah being caſt into the Sea: A ſigne their fear of God was a work of grace in them: why? they fear the Lord and his goodneſſe, as Hoſ. 3.5.
One would have thought it ſhould have been ſaid, That they rejoyced exceedingly, namely to ſee the Sea quiet, the danger paſt, and themſelves ſet in ſafety: naturall men uſe to be frolick in ſuch eſcapes, and poure out their hearts unto pleaſures: it is a matter of ordinary obſervation: But,
Grace teacheth a man not to reſt in the works of God which are joyous and comfortable, Note. but to look up unto God himſelf; to fear him, that is, by a part for the whole, to perform all worſhip to him, of Faith, Love, Joy, Deſire, Zeal, other gracious affections, and actions that are ſutable.Pſal. 111.10. So the fear of God is ſaid to be the beginning of wiſdome; that is, an Introduction to all religious affection and behavior: Timor initialis, as the ſchooles ſay; neither altogether ingenuous and Child-like as in ſetled Chriſtians, nor altogether ſlaviſh as in natural men, who are only terrified with their ſins and Gods judgments; Felix for example; but of a mixture of theſe, as uſeth to be in time of converſion; foreign,Cl. Alex. a fear joyned with an holy reverence toward the great God, and it continues ever with a Chriſtian once converted, to bring the work of grace to perfection, 2 Cor. 7.1. perfecting hol…neſs in the fear of God.
Such fear (in all likelihood) poſſeſſed the hearts of theſe Mariners; namely, that now preſently, upon the caſting of Jonah into the Sea, ſuch a calm followed: Oh the great Power, and Holineſs, and Juſtice, and Mercy, of the God of the Hebrews! how is he to be feared above all other Gods! who can do as he alone! therefore him alone will we fear and ſerve all our dayes. So ſay we at the end of a great Plague; or of a great fit of ſickneſſe: or eſcaping a danger by Land or Water, Fire, War, other terrible matters: Oh feare the Lord, ye his Saints: for there is no want to them that fear him, Pſal. 34.9.
Uſe. It ſerves to reprove all graceleſſe people, who never fear God that afflicteth, neither in the danger, nor after the danger, to be the better for any of their afflictions. Poſſibly they are afraid while the danger laſteth; for the pain, or the loſſe they may ſuſtain, and eſpecially the loſſe of their lives; it may be, it is Magor-Miſſabib, fear round about; Jer. 20 3.they are ready to dye for fear before the evil comes near them; ſometimes more afraid then hurt; but for God in whoſe power their breath is, and who can caſt both Body and Soul into Hell,Signes of not fearing God. him they fear not; though that be the only gracious fear commanded in Luk. 12.4, 5.
1. For departing from evil, as did Job, Joſeph, and the Midwives of Egypt: what fear of God is in thoſe that live in the conſtant practice of one ſin or other, drunkenneſſe or what ever it be? ſin is the greateſt enemy that God hath, and yet numbers make a trade of is, according to the humor of each; walk in the way of the wicked, or ſit in the ſeat of the ſcornfull; though they have been in great danger of life or eſtate, yet on they go in a tract of ſinning. The danger is paſt, and they make account they live to do all their abominations.
2. For the beginning of wiſdome; Numbers have no ſigne of the fear of God in them. Sapientia dicitur quaſi ſapida ſcientia: but Numbers have no ſavor of God and Religion: Mercies, Afflictions, Ordinances, all paſſages of Providence, have no more ſavor then the white of an Egg: no heart to Prayer or other duty, or to accept a good motion that is made for edification. Theſe Mariners that feared the Lord, offered him ſacrifice: but where are theſe mens ſacrifices? great and precious mercies are received: but what return do they make in way of thankfulneſſe?
3. For perfecting holineſſe in the fear of the Lord: how doth this agree to thoſe, who fall back from the good way of God, either into Hereſie or Profaneſſe or Worldly-mindedneſſe? or thoſe that ſtand at a ſtay in Religion? A round of dutyes there is, and that is all: the ſpace of many years makes no difference in their profeſſion, unleſſe it be for the worſe: they would be troubled if they thrived no better in their outward eſtate; but for the eſtate of their Souls, they minde no thriving.
4. For fearing the Lord exceedingly, as did theſe Mariners: Numbers profeſs to fear God, but they fear men more, Loſſes, Troubles, Dangers, Perſecutions: exceſſive fear ſurpriſeth them, that they are taken off from duty,Prov. 29.25. and the way of God; the fear of man is a ſnare, and catcheth many unto Atheiſm: Or, they fear the Lord, and the gods of the Land, as did the mungrel Samaritans, 2. King. 17.33.
5. The fear of God hath a daſh of holy joy with it, as Pſal. 2.11. rejoyce unto him with trembling: fear him as a glorious God, but rejoyce in him as a loving Father, reconciled and tenderly affected in Chriſt. So the Childe fears his Father, and the wife her Husband. But numbers mind no ſuch relation between God and them: or care not to have it: or preſume to have it, but get no comfort by it in a dark houre: foreign their fear is an heavy paſſion of unbeſ…efe.
Adde outward worſhip to inward. 1 Cor. 6.20.For the Second: They offered a ſacrifice unto the Lord.
Outward worſhip muſt be added unto inward. As we muſt glorifie God with the Spirit, ſo alſo with the body: for both are God's, and both are bought with a price. And the ſame God made both Soul and body, and deſerves to be ſerved with both, commands and expects it.
What kinde of ſacrifice theſe Mariners offered to the Lord, we read not, nor is it materiall to know. Only this: they had Learned by tradition of their neighbours, and by the neighbourhood of the Jews, that thank-offerings would do well in way of gratitude for deliverance: and ſo did all the Gentiles round about: therefore ſo do they.
Note. Expreſs thankfulneſs in good actions.Our leſſon is: In way of thankfulneſſe for mercies received we muſt uſe holy expreſſions of Loyalty and duty to our good God: not only fear him, with other internal vertues as before, but with outward worſhip and ſervice. Chriſtians alſo have their ſacrifices of righteouſneſse appointed for them, as was propheſied Deut. 33.19.
But what are they? Anſw. 1. A mans whole ſelf, with all powers of Soul and Body, Rom. 12.1. Preſent your ſelves a living ſacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reaſonable ſervice. 2. Holy and hearty prayers, Pro. 15.8. The ſacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. 3. Hearty praiſes, with voice and life, Heb. 13.15. By Chriſt let us offer the ſacrifice of praiſe to God continually. 4. Works of love to the poor members of Jeſus Chriſt, Ver. 16. With ſuch ſacrifices God is well-pleaſed. 5. Releif and comfort to good Miniſters who need aſſiſtance, Phil. 4.18. An odor of a ſweet ſmell, a ſacrifice acceptable, well pleaſing to God. 6. Suffering in the cauſe of God, Ch. 2.17. If I be offered upon the ſacrifice of your faith, I joy and rejoyce with you all. 7. All parts of the publick or private worſhip of God, 1 Pet. 2.5. A spiritual Prieſthood to offer up spiritual ſacrifices acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt. 8. All dealings with men carried in a loving and righteous manner, Pſal. 4.4. Offer the ſacrifices of righteouſneſs, and put your truſt in the Lord.
Whereby we ſee that none hath cauſe to ſay he wants Uſe. 1 a way and means to ſhew his thankfulneſs to God for great mercies and deliverances he hath received.None but may ſo expreſs. Levitical ſacrifices are ended in Chriſt; and he is loth to offer ſacrifice in a blind manner, as theſe Mariners did; and I deſire to teſtifie my thankfulneſs for eſcaping ſuch a danger, or receiving ſuch a mercy; but what ſhould I offer?
Anſw. He hath ſhewed thee O man what he requireth, and what he will accept as a gratuity, Mic. 6.8. and the Map now delivered ſhews a great Bed-roll of Chriſtian ſacrifices: Peruſe, and ſee if one way or other thou canſt not offer a ſacrifice to the Lord; only find the Altar of an holy heart, and a ſacrifice will quickly he had; Out of the abundance of the heart will come forth much good.
A man poſſibly hath not wealth to diſtribute among the poor, or is not called to ſuffer for the truth and way of God; cannot entertain Miniſters, cannot build and endow Hoſpitals, repair Bridges, do other works of bounty as our fore-fathers were wont to do. Shall he therefore be wholly excuſed of offering to the Lord? No, the pooreſt and meaneſt Chriſtian that is, out of a gracious heart is able to pray, praiſe God, live holily, deal righteouſly, converſe to the Edification one of another: Calves of the lips, spiritual ſacrifice, a body prepared and fitted to do ſervice, and a mind with meditations and affections.
Uſe. 2 Offer theſe and it ſhall ſuffice: The Jew that was not able to bring a Bullock, muſt bring a pair of …urtle-doves or two young Pigeons; ſo the Chriſtian, let him do his beſt and it will go for currant. Only with this Caution, he that is able to offer a great ſacrifice, ſhall not be excuſed by a leſs. Curſed be the deceiver, who hath a male in his flock and ſacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing, Mal. 1.14.or offers the torn, the lame, or the ſick, ſhells of outward ſervice, or old age that is now able to do nothing for God; or meerly good meaning, without doing what might and ought to be done, as ſome do flatter themſelves; all ſuch are deceivers, and draw a curſe upon themſelves inſtead of a bleſſing. Theſe Mariners offered what they could, but ſo do not theſe.
For the third, they made vows. Not only in the preſent did theſe Mariners worſhip the Lord, but meant to worſhip him for time to come, and thereunto bound themſelves by vows;2 King 5 17. ſo Naaman the Syrian, Hereafter I will ſerve no God but the God of Iſrael.
Note. This is the right uſe of afflictions, and of eſcaping out of them; not only be Religious for a time, but for ever. Many can ſeem to be Religiouſly affected while they are under Gods rods, or when they are newly got out of his hands, but in a little ſpace grow as bad as ever; it may be more hardened, as iron that hath been heated and cold again.
Take heed of dodging with the God of Heaven. Uſe. He looks for plain and honeſt dealing of thoſe he delivers, or to whom he vouchſafes mercy. It is a condition upon deliverance from enemies, To ſerve him in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the days of our life, Luke 1.74, 75. The mercy laſteth alway, and ſo muſt the duty: and no reaſon can be alledged for ceaſing from that duty. Go then, and learn what means to hear for the time to come, to pray continually, Eſa. 42, 23.to receive Sacraments often, even untill Chriſt come.
They made vows. What, we read not, nor matters it.Vows of Chriſtians, what they are. But to our purpoſe;
1. The main matter of Chriſtian Vows is, that we bind our ſelves to the Lord in a Covenant that ſhall never be broken; as Presper ſaid, Seipſum voveas, ſeipſum reddat; he that will vow to the Lord, let him devote himſelf, and render himſelf to his Majeſty: and David ſaid,Pſ. 119.106. I have ſworn that I will keep thy Commandments; not Counſels, but Precepts are the grounds and bounds of a Chriſtians vows: Therefore not Monkiſh, nor any other will-worſhip.
2. The entrance into a lawful vow is at our Baptiſm, where we promiſed to be the Lords; to believe, to obey, to renounce all his and our enemies, implyed in that phraſe, Baptized in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; that is, dedicated, devoted, ſet apart for his ſervice and glory; relinquiſhing all others, as a good Wife to cleave to her Husband alone.
3. The vow of Baptiſm is renewed many times afterward, either at a Sacrament of the Lords Supper, or in the time of danger; and it ought to be Religiouſly remembred and obſerved, as Pſal. 66.13, 14. I will pay that my vows which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble. Whether theſe Mariners kept their vows, we know not; but are ſure that we ought to keep ours.
Uſe. Remember, and make Conſcience of performing theſe vows; be as faithful in keeping them, as thou ſeemdſt Religious in making them. Remember the fears, and pains, and cares of thoſe ſad hours, and what religious affections were then ſtirring; mind all thoſe paſſages, and now reduce all into act: Now is the time, now and ever. Take heed, it will be no ſafe mocking of God;Gal. 6.7. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: All the mocking would return upon thine own ſoul, to thy eternal damnation.
Where for better performance, remember that clauſe, not to put off the paying of vows, Eccl. 5.4. When thou haſt vowed a vow to God, defer not to pay. This delay is it which marres abundance of good purpoſes and reſolutions; while we think there is time enough, the motion dies, and no good effect follows. A deceitful heart, a ſubtle Devil, a flattering or encumbring world, vain or wicked Companions draw quite another way.