Exposition of Jonah, Chapter 1 · Verse 8-10
Ver. 8.9, 10.
Then ſaid they unto him, Tell us we pray thee, for whoſe cauſe this evil is upon us; what is thine Occupation? and whence comeſt thou? what is thy Country? and of what people art thou?
And he ſaid unto them, I am an Hebrew, and I fear the Lord the God of Heaven, which hath made the Sea and the dry Land.
Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and ſaid unto him, Why haſt thou done this? for the men knew that he had fled from the preſence of the Lord, becauſe he had told them.
Parts.In theſe three Verſes we have three things to be conſidered and improved. 1. The humanity of theſe Mariners toward guilty Jonah, ver. 8.2. The Confeſſion of Jonah upon the examination of the Mariners, ver. 9.3. The Mariners reverent reſpect of God, and chiding of Jonah, ver. 10.
For the firſt of theſe, though the Mariners ſaw Jonah was taken tardy by a token from God himſelf, yet they do not raſhly fall foul upon him, to rail at him, or throw him overboard as ſome now-a-days would do; but firſt they queſtion him in many things, that they may find out the truth to the bottom, and ſo proceed judiciouſly in what is to be done, as the God of Heaven ſhall will, and declare to be his mind.
Mot. Be gentle to all, even offenders.Hearken, Chriſtians, and learn humanity of theſe Heathens. Be not raſh and head-long toward any whom ye conceive to be offenders; Though ye think ye have reaſon on your ſide, yet take heed and queſtion the matter a little farther. Conjectures and probabilities there be, and it is very likely there is a fault made; but conjectures are uncertain, and ſometimes deceive; and though a thing be likely to be true, yet it may prove otherwiſe: If it be true, it is well done to enquire and find out the whole truth: If falſe, we avoid he ſin and danger of raſh judgment; namely, to be judged of the Lord. However, deliberation will do well.
Which ſerves greatly to reprove thoſe that are raſh in puniſhing, Uſe. Reproof to the raſh, or harſh.or in paſſing their Verdict upon perſons accuſed; either through an haſty ſpirit, which Salomon ſaith exalteth folly, or through intemperate zeal which exceeds the bounds of diſcretion. Zealous we ought to be, and it is good to be alway zealouſly affected; but firſt be ſure it be in a good matter, Gal. 4.18. And offenders ought to be reproved or puniſhed according to the merit of their cauſe; but firſt be ſure both of the fact, and of the manner of doing, and in what degree of wickedneſs the offence ſtandeth. Jonah ſhall be puniſhed ſufficiently, but firſt he ſhall be queſtioned in many things; what, who, whence, what occupation, and of what Country? And we all know how paſſion is apt to exceed the meaſure of Reaſon and Equity.
Fi… upon raſh and harſh Chriſtians,Eſpecially toward ſtrangers. who in their ſuſpicions, or upon odd informations, ſhew no moderation to accuſed Brethren, but break out ſuddainly both to condemn and execute all in a fury; and not only Brethren, but Strangers who ſhould be more pitied. In ſome there is an enmity to Forraigners, and if they offend them never ſo little, they uſe them Rigorouſly, Unjuſtly, Tyrannically. Yet theſe Mariners uſed Jonah courteouſly and gently though unknown to every of them, and now deſigned by God as guilty unto puniſhment. A ſhame to violent and unreaſonable Chriſtians, who profeſs acquaintance with God.
Moſtly where the life is queſtioned.But the greateſt ſin is to be raſh and violent in the matter of Life and Death; Judges, Jury-men, Witneſſes, Officers of every ſort, ſhould be very tender in this caſe, and not ruſh head-long toward a ſentence. Conſider the matter, conſult and give ſentence, Judg. 19.30. conſider of it, take advice, and ſpeak your mind; when God was going to deſtroy Sodom, he told Abraham he would first go down, and ſee whether they had done altogether according to the cry of their ſins. Now be followers of God as dear Children, ſaith the Apoſtle; as otherwiſe, ſo in this.
For the ſecond, I obſerve a two-fold confeſſion that Jonah makes.G…n. 18.11. Eph 5.1. 1. Of his Faith, ver. 9. I am an Hebrew, and fear the Lord the God of heaven. 2. Of his Fault, ver 10. He told them how he had fled from the preſence of the Lord.
For the Confeſſion of Faith which Jonah makes, it is like that of Paul in the like danger of ſhip-wrack, Act. 27.23. This night there stood by me the Angel of God, whoſe I am, and whom I ſerve. The Note to be obſerved is this: It is the property of a good heart, to own God however.
Note. Own God however things go.1. In the midſt of all his guiltineſs, though he hath ſinned greatly, as here Jonah, he had not carried himſelf as one that feared the God of Heaven; but the contray, and now he might well be aſhamed to ſay he feared the Go… of heaven. But a believing heart knows no ſin breaks off the relation between him and his God; Though it make a great gaſh, yet the wound is not mortal, and all the breach will ſhortly be made up again, as between God and Jonah. Renewing of Repentance makes all well again.
2. In the viſible tokens of Gods diſpleaſure for ſin; which at this time lay heavy upon Jonah, and upon Heman, Pſal. 88.1. A Believer hath got his Leſſon by heart,Hab. 3.2. that in wrath the Lord remembers mercy, and that his anger is but as the waters of Noah, ſoon paſſing away, Eſa. 54.7, 8, 9. And he concludes, here is a dark hour, but the Sun will break forth again; Sorrow may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning; why? becauſe of the Covenant and Promiſes made to Believers, and will hold at the loweſt.
3. In grievous Scourges which the hand of God hath laid upon him; as here, this deſtroying Tempeſt upon Jonah; whoſe ſtiff and diſobedient ſpirit was hereby broken, that now he began to relent, and yield to his great Maſter. And this is the fruit of Gods fatherly chaſtiſement to the faithful, that they learn his ſtatutes; and when they are corrected, they are inſtructed out of his Law, Pſal. 94.12. This is all the fruit, Eſa. 27.9. Jonah now will go and do his Errand. But this is wanting in the wicked, ſtill ſtubborn.
4. Among a Company of wicked men, it may be enemies of God and Religion. Jonah here is amidſt a number of Infidels, and ſee what a profeſſion he makes of his faith; the true God is avowed, and they led to the acknowledgement of him, and afterward they offer ſacrifice to him.1 Pet. 3.15. 1 Tim. 6.12, 13. This alſo is our duty, Give a reaſon of the hope that is in thee, witneſs a good Confeſſion. And this among other Articles, I believe in the God of Heaven that made the Sea and dry Land.
Remember, Chriſtians, Uſe. and own God openly and againſt all diſcouragements, or amidſt all tokens of wrath; fear him, as Jonah here profeſſeth, and remember what are the effects of fearing God; and that fear is put for the whole worſhip of God. Mal. 3.16. they that feared the Lord ſpake often one to another, which may well be, becauſe no part of his worſhip may be void of an holy fear and reverence toward the God of Heaven; ſerve the Lord with fear, Pſal. 2.11. Heb. 12 28.and rejoyce with trembling, ſerve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear, pray with an awful regard of his great Majeſty, tremble at his word;Phil. 2.12. And all muſt work out their ſalvation with fear and trembling.
Now from Jonahs Confeſſion of his fault before the Mariners, we learn, It muſt be the humility and modeſty of Chriſtians,Note. Confeſs faults one to another. to confeſs their faults one to another; ſo is the Commandment, Jam. 5.16. confeſs you faults one to another, and pray one for another. Not only confeſs to God as in the ſerious exerciſes of Repentance, but to men whom it concerns to know what evil we have done; as here, it behoved Jonah to declare what fault he had committed, which cauſed this Tempeſt; God hath pointed him out for a Malefactor, and he muſt acknowledge wherein.
So this Confeſſion muſt be twofold.
1. Publick if the offence hath been publick and ſcandalous; when the whole Congregation hath been offended, the whole Congregation muſt receive ſatifaction; namely, by an open teſtifying of ſhame and ſorrow: So the inceſtuous Corinthian had puniſhment inflicted on him by many, 2 Cor. 2.6. ſo ſhould our ſcandalous members be ſerved that by the ſhame they may be brought to repentance, and their ſouls ſaved; that the Venom of the bad example may be ſtopt, and go no farther; that the mouths of Idolaters may be ſtopt, and they not occaſioned to blaſpheme; that others may fear, and not do the like; that the Plaiſter may be as wide as the wound; that the love of the Congregation may be gained to the offendor; and their prayers, and a Brotherly converſe together.
2. Private if the offence hath been private. It ſhall ſuffice in ſuch a caſe that the party offending acknowledge the fault he hath made, and the party offended ought to accept of his confeſſion, Luke 17.3, 4. Take heed to your ſelves; if thy Brother treſpaſs againſt thee, rebuke him; if he repent, forgive him. And if he treſpaſs againſt thee ſeven times in a day, and ſeven times in a day come again to thee, ſaying, I repent, thou ſhalt forgive him. So in the fift Petition of the Lords Prayer, Forgive us as we forgive; and our Saviours Expoſition, Mat. 6.14, 15. If ye forgive men their treſpaſſes, your heavenly Father will alſo forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will your Father forgive your treſpaſſes.
Object. It were a ſhame to come to Confeſſion. Anſw. 1. It is a Duty. 2. There is a Propheſie, that Converts in the New Teſtament ſhould be aſhamed and confounded for their ſins, Ezek. 16.61. and 20.43. 3. This propheſie is fulfilled in Rom. 6.21. What fruit had ye in thoſe things whereof ye are now aſhamed? 4. There ought to be that humility and modeſty in true Chriſtians, as to take their ſhame and blame home to them; ſaying,Dan. 9.7, 8. To us belongs nothing but ſhame and confuſion of face. 5. We have an example of Gods own directing of Delinquents to Confeſſion before the party offended, Job 42.7, 8, …. Jobs friends had gone awry in rebuking him; and therefore they muſt go and humble themſelves before him, gain his prayers for them, and ſo be fully reconciled to God and him.
Hear, Chriſtians, Uſe. and learn of Jonah to confeſs your faults one to another; Though it be againſt the Haire, and againſt thy Credit, yet be contented. Go in Gods way, and that is the courſe to ſet all at rights, as here Jonah; though for a while caſt into the Sea, yet after a while he recovered well enough. Numbers learn by the failings of godly men, to offend and go aſtray as they did; but learn thou to confeſs, and mourn, and amend as they did; there they are ſet for an example, and not in the other:Non cadendi exemplum, &c. That we ſhould not luſt after evil things, as they luſted, 1 Cor. 10.6. And that we ſhould take off the offence that hath been given to Children, Servants, Neighbours, Miniſters.
It was a rare example of the worthy Knight,Sir A. Cope. in prayers with the Family to confeſs his own perſonal ſins and failings; A matter of ſhame, but withall may work much upon the hearers to be like-minded, and follow the good example, every one in his own private Devotions.
For the third; Then were they exceedingly afraid. They were afraid before becauſe of the Tempeſt, and of their danger thereby; but now they fear none, becauſe they know more fully how the caſe ſtandeth; they know the true God diſtinctly; they know him the cauſe of this tempeſt and danger; they ſee an offender diſcovered in an extraordinary manner; they ſee he is a juſt God, and bears not with ſin in his own ſervant, and will ſee more of him ſhortly, when he ſends a calm at Jonahs caſting forth, and they eſcape through his mercy.
Note. Stand in awe of Gods judgments.The more diſcoveries we have of God in his Mercy and Juſtice, the more we ſhould be ſtricken with fear toward him; fear to offend him, care to pleaſe him, be the better for his tempeſts and terrible works among us; and by his cords of Love and Bounty be held the cloſer to him in Duty, Job 37 23, 24 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out; he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of juſtice; he will not afflict. Men do therefore fear him, be reſpecteth not any that are wiſe of heart; ſee alſo Jer. 5.21, 22, 23, 24.
Uſe. Then worſe then Barbarians are thoſe Chriſtians, who in all the terrible ſtorms and ſhakings of the times live ſecurely and fear nothing; God, nor Hell, nor Curſe of the …aw, nor Peſtilence, nor any of the Judgments which befall others, and may befall them they know not how ſoon. Such ſhould conſider, that as ſtout men as they have feared exceedingly in ſeeing the fearful ſigns of Gods diſpleaſure for ſin; witneſs theſe Mariners, ſtout and ſturdy men as that kind uſeth to be, but in this gr…at Tempeſt ye ſee how they buckle;Dan 5.6. and ye read in Daniel, How at the ſight of the hand writing Belſhazzars countenance was changed, and his thoughts troublod him; ſo that the joynts of his loyns were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another. And all the Sons of Pride the Lord knows to abaſe.c. 4. 37.
Conſider, as ſtout as thou art, upon a great fit of ſickneſs or ſome other ſtinging croſs, thou mayeſt be brought to fear exceedingly in ſpite of thy heart, as Paſhur in Captivity, Jer. 20 4. He became a terror to himſelf and to all his Friends; even he that was ſo luſty, to put Jeremy into the ſtocks. An hard-hearted ſinner thou art, but haſt not the ſtrength of Steel, or of Stones. Beware, when Conſcience once awakes, and ſin is ſet in order before thee, Pſal. 50.21.all thy hardineſs will prove but as Stubble when it is put to the Fire.
And think of the terrors of the day of Judgment, a day of darkneſs, and of gloomineſs, when men ſhall be at their wits ends, even the greateſt of ſinners, Rev. 6.16. Better to take thy part of fear here, where it may be improved to Converſion. Hereafter there will be nothing but torment in thy fear, as 1 John 4.18. fear hath torment. Then comes the great miſchief which never was feared, but now ſhall be felt for ever and ever.
Laſtly, for theſe mens chiding of Jonah, Note. Why haſt thou done this? and before ver. 6. What meaneſt thou, O ſleeper? ariſe, and call upon thy God. Moſt juſtly do they fall under the laſhes of mens tongues, who ſlip their necks from the obedience they owe to God. Not only Miniſters fall foul upon them, but rude and barbarous men, Jeerers, Mockers, Slanderers, injurious men, wrongly perhaps; Uſe. but it is juſt with God whoſe yoke formerly by you was rejected. If ye had kept in with him better, ye might better have eſcaped their Viperous and baſe tongues. Ye wonder at mens unreaſonableneſs, but look upward, and there ye will find ſome juſt occaſion given; who had Shimei to Curſe?