Exposition of Jonah, Chapter 1 · Verse 13, 14
Ver. 13.14.
Nevertheleſs, the men rowed hard to bring it to the Land, but they could not; for the Sea wrought, and was tempeſtuous againſt them.
Wherefore they cryed unto the Lord, and ſaid, We beſeech thee, O Lord, we beſeech thee, Let us not perſh for this mans life, and lay not upon us innocent blood; for thou, Lord, haſt done as it pleaſed thee.
Though Jonah had deſired them to caſt him into the ſea, and all ſhould be well; yet ſee how loving and tender-hearted the men are to ſpare his life. Nevertheleſs, the men rowed hard, they digged the ſea, ſaith the Hebrew; they took as hard pains as he that goes to ditching and delving: A wonderful matter in Seamen, and thoſe heathens; but he that gave Joſeph favour in the fight of Potiphar, and the Keeper of the priſon, gav… Jonah favour in the ſight of theſe Mariners, that though he ſaid, Caſt me forth into the ſea, yet they rowed hard to bring the ſhip to dry land.
Note. Be tender of mans life.The example teacheth us, as far as we can poſſibly to ſpare the life of our Neighbour; life is a precious thing, better then all a man hath beſide; Skin for skin, and all that a man hath, he will give for his life; it ought therefore to be preſerved and cheriſhed to the uttermoſt; and if we can do any thing thereunto, we are bound in conſcience to do it. He that ſaid, Thou ſhalt not kill, meant moreover we ſhould prolong life to the beſt of our skill and power.
Uſe. Remember, Chriſtians, and take example by theſe heathen Mariners; together with grounds of Chriſtianity, to ſave the life of any, in any of your relations, or within any compaſs of your Calling. The Son of man came not to deſtroy, but to ſave life, and ſo ſhould we. The Lord by his general providence preſerves both man and beaſt, and ſo ſhould we. And, a good man is merciful to the life of his beaſt, much more to his Brother.
What is it then? thy Brother, or Friend, or Child is in danger of his life. 1. Learn of theſe Mariners to take pains for ſaving him; run, ride, ſend, call in help, uſe friends, do all that may be done to keep him alive. By uſing means we have ſeen thoſe to live, whom we thought very likely to die.
2. If there be a plot againſt the life of any, diſcover and prevent the miſchief, as did Pauls Siſters Son, Act. 23. much more, if it be levelled againſt the lives of many, in bringing a Nation to confuſion. As by prayer, ſo by prudence, we muſt put our ſelves into the breach, and prevent the overthrow.
3. Supply food and raiment, and all that is requiſite to keep Nature alive, not only in Children and near Friends, but in them that are farther off. For this ſee Jam. 2.14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
Object. He is naught.
Anſw. Preſerve his humanity, that he may have time to wax better.
4. If he be ſick, let him have phyſick and other cheriſhing as the occaſion requireth. The Syrophenicean woman went to Chriſt in behalf of her diſtreſſed Daughter, and the Nobleman in behalf of his ſick Sonne, John 4.46.
5. Worldly ſorrow cauſeth death; therefore grieve no man over much; vex not, make him not weary of his life; do rather what may be comfortable, and chear his ſpirits againſt his affliction; eſpecially with ſpiritual conſolations and inſtructions; ſay, Faint not, nor be weary when thou art corrected, Heb. 12.
Neither ſhould a man grieve himſelf for loſſes or croſſes, whereby his life and health may be endangered, as is too uſual; and it is a ſin: It thruſts God out of his place, denies his Soveraignty, Impeaches his Providence, preſcribes againſt his Wiſdom, and arrogates to ones ſelf the way and praiſe of finding contentment for his life; therefore moſt juſtly, in ſtead of contentment, a man haſtens his own death, and goes the ſooner to give account to God for his impatience and fooliſhneſs. Take heed, and be moderate.
They rowed hard to bring the ſhip to Land, Note. All pains nothing without God.but they could not.
All mans Induſtry without Gods leave and bleſſing avails nothing. Except the Lord build the houſe, and keep the City, all that men do will be in vain, Pſal. 127.1, 2. And there be many grounds of it, as Gods diſpleaſure, Mans ſin, and inſenſibleneſs of his ſin, and of Gods diſpleaſure for croſſing him; then Gods inſiſting ſtill on his own way, bringing about his own ends, blaſting of our endeavours and hopes, diſabling of the creatures, diſgracing of mans wiſdom, and intention to bring the ſinner to his own bent; as is ſaid, Man lives not by bread only, Deut. 8.3.but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Uſe. Tradeſmen ſee how they decay.Many a man doth his true endeavour, and takes faithful pains in his Calling, and yet can make nothing of it when all is done; rows hard, and yet cannot bring his Veſſel to land; is ready to break, and gives over his Calling. What is the matter? the Lord hath ſent a ſtorm upon him, and it cannot be got to ceaſe; the Sea works ſtill and is tempeſtuous againſt him; do what he can he doth no good upon it. Why? the Lord is offended with his earthlineſs, and neglect of a religious courſe: Civil he is, and obſerves a form of Religion, and toils enough, and too much; but, he is fugitive from God, therefore is in great ſtraights.
Here the man might take notice of Gods diſpleaſure againſt him, and ſeek to remove it. Such croſs providence is eſteemed a judgment, Hab. 2.33. Behold, is it not of the Lord of hoſts, that the people ſhall labour in the very fire, and the people ſhall weary themſelves for very vanity? ſo in Hag. 1.5, 6. Conſider your wayes; ye have ſown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye cloath you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages, earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes. So now-a-days, men make Cloth and cannot ſell it; would work, but cannot provide Wool to ſet them on work; or, the inferiour Cloth-workers muſt be paid, but the Maſter ſcarce knows how to get bread.
Great ſtraights! one would think, that in this leiſure-time men would addict themſelves more to Religion, which in an hurry of buſineſſes uſed to be too much neglected. But I doubt much, whether it be ſo done, or no: I doubt much of earthly hearts, which as yet are alienated from the life of God; thence this working ſea which continues tempeſtuous againſt you.
Oh no, that is not the cauſe; Object. ſome have as little Religion as we and yet have good trading, get money, and live finely.
Anſw. 1. Some of them live upon the quick ſtock, Anſw. which makes them pine, and fret within themſelves, but they cannot help it.Mat. 5 …5 2. For the proſperity of worldings, ſome of them very wicked, it may be meer Atheiſts, there is little comfort in it: It is only of the general providence of God, whoſe Sun ſhines, and Rain falls upon good and bad; And without repentance there is coming forth againſt them a tempeſt which ſhall lay them in the bottom of the ſea of his fiery indignation. 3. It were good for Tradeſmen in theſe tempeſts to think of Gods intention toward them; namely, of induſtrious, civil, and well-natured men to make them Religious men, which all this while they have not been to purpoſe. See, ye have time enough, only find hearts, ſeek God, be religious in earneſt, and then the tempeſt may ceaſe, there may be a great calm, Cloathing may be as quick as ever it was.
Wherefore they cryed unto the Lord, we beſeech thee, we beſeech thee.
Mark how theſe mariners profit in Religion by little and little. At firſt they cryed every one to his God, to be delivered in that great diſtreſs; but now they leave their Idol gods, and cry to Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews whom Jonah had preached to them; they heard his word, and they ſaw his terrible works which made them afraid; and now they call on him alone for mercy and deliverance, and afterward we ſhall hear more of their piety, ver. 16.
This is the progreſs of Religion in true Converts, Note. that by little and little they grow very good and zealous, like leaven in three pecks of meal, working on till the whole lump be leavened; or like Corn ſown in the field, ſtill growing on; firſt the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear, Mark 4.28. Though their beginning be but ſmall, yet their latter end encreaſeth exceedingly.2 Pet. 3.18. 1 Theſ. 4.1. So we are commanded, Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and, As ye have received how ye ought to walk and pleaſe God, ſo increaſe more and more.
Reaſon. Phil. 1 6. Col. 2.19. Phil. 1.19.The reaſon is, He that begun a good work in them, will finiſh it to the day of Chriſt; it is a Divine conception, the ſeed of God abideth in them; and we read of increaſing with the increaſe of God and of Chriſt the Head, whereby all the body ſo increaſeth; and of the ſupply of the ſpirit, carrying on the work with power.
Ye may conceive theſe degrees.
1. The Convert lives in none of his old ſins, though pleaſant and profitable. He is cleanſed from all his idols, and all his filthineſs. Theſe Mariners left their gods which their Fathers worſhipped, and called upon the God of the Hebrews; ſo Naaman, Thy ſervant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor ſacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord, 2. King. 5.17.
2. A true Convert improves and grows both by the word and works of God; as theſe by the preaching of Jonah, and by the dangerous tempeſt that lay upon them. Grace turns all into the nouriſhment of it ſelf; Ordinances, Providences, Mercies, Afflictions, yea ſins too; to be more humble, and ſtand better upon the guard, and turn unto God that ſmites them.
3. A true Convert preſently falls upon a courſe of prayer, ſo to get more ſtrength, wiſdom, and hold of the love of God; ſo did Paul preſently upon his converſion, Act. 9.11. behold, he prayeth. Theſe mariners pray to Jehovah, that the blood of Jonah may not be laid to their charge; and that with earneſtneſs, We beſeech thee, we beſeech thee.
4. A true Convert ſtudies the point of thankfulneſs for the great mercy of God in ſaving his ſoul; as theſe, for ſaving their lives, ver. 16. they offered a ſacrifice unto the …ord; and we muſt come before God with our ſpiritual ſacrifices, thinking what may be done for his honor; What ſhall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? and ſtirring up all that is within us, not to forget any of his benefits. Temporal mercies bind not firmly, but ſpiritual do.
5 A true Convert binds himſelf to God by honeſt and faithful purpoſes, even after a mercy received; as theſe, when the calm had taken them off from their danger, ver. 16. they made vows. A carnal Chriſtian is full of good words during his ſickneſs or other danger, but the true Chriſtian is for …after-times;Eſa. 42. hears for the time to come, prayes, partakes of a Sacrament, all to become better, and to live afterward more carefully and profitably.
Hear, ye that begin to mind Religion, Uſe. and ſee that ye profit in theſe particulars, and in all other. The courſe of Gods Children is as the courſe of our Children, to grow ſtrong by little and little: And as a man after a great fit of ſickneſs deſires daily to pick up his crumbs more and more; ſo muſt thou upon this recovery out of the eſtate of ſin and wrath: Mind and grow.
Let us not periſh for this mans life, and lay not upon us innocent blood.
Even rude and barbarous people have abhorred murther as a grievous ſin; as theſe Infidels,Note. Murder a hainous ſin in the eye of heathens. and thoſe Barbarians in Act. 28.4, 6. And ſome for expiation of their murthers have in the guiltineſs of their conſciences, put themſelves voluntarily into baniſhment or other ſorrows, as it were ſo many pennances. Uſe. 1
The more ſhame to this cruel and bloody age wherein we live, which ſets nothing by the life of a man; yea of many men; it may be many hundreds and thouſands of men ſlain in battel; poſſibly in meer malice or corrupt affection, poſſibly for Pay only, ſo much a week to kill men. No matter whether it be innocent blood or no, no deprecation of the wrath of God, We beſeech thee, we beſeech thee. No making account that they may periſh for thoſe mens lives; As if the Law were not made for murtherers; or, as if murderers ſhould ever inherit the Kingdom of God,1 Tim. 1.9. Rev. 21.8. contrary to the expreſs words of Scripture.
Uſe. 2 Take heed, Chriſtians, both of the ſin, and of thoſe corrupt affections which lead to the ſin. Remember the Commandment, Thou ſhalt not kill; Remember the argument uſed, in the Image of God created he man; Remember the threat, He that takes the ſword, ſhall periſh by the ſword; Remember the expiation of blood in the time of the Law, and the Cities of refuge, and how no price might be taken to ſave the life of a murtherer, Numb, 35.31. And thoſe heathens confeſs they need Gods mercy for caſting Jonah into the ſea, though a guilty perſon, both by his own confeſſion, and by the judgement of God who diſcovered him by lot.
But how then do the Mariners talk of innocent blood?
Anſw. It was innocent as to them, or for any quarrel they had to him; but in reſpect of God he was not innocent. Jonah had confeſſed his guiltineſs, and deſired them to caſt him into the ſea; whence that clauſe in the Verſe, For thou O Lord haſt done as it pleaſeth thee.
Note. God alone or ders the death of evil doers.None but the will of God can juſtifie the putting of any to death; He is the Soveraign Lord of life and death, and provoked by the ſins of his people, ſo as ſometimes he calls for their blood to make ſome part of ſatisfaction; And this he doth by the Magiſtrates, into whoſe hand he hath committed the ſword of juſtice, and he muſt not bear the ſword in vain; and, He that ſheds mans blood, by man ſhall his blood be ſhed.
In vain therefore do ſome talk, Uſe. that no man ought to be put to death for any cauſe whatſoever. A very foolery, ſo to extoll mercy, as to take away juſtice; Solomon pronounceth them equally abominable to God, who acquit the wicked and condemn the righteous. We know the example of Saul, who loſt his Kingdom becauſe he ſpared the King of the Amalekites; and of Ahab, whoſe life muſt go for Benhadads life, becauſe he let go a man worthy to die: Wholſome ſeverity is as neceſſary as mercy and kindneſs; that offendors be puniſhed according to the nature of their wickedneſs.