A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 2
Jonah CHAP. II.
THIS Chapter contains Jonah's Doxology for his Deliverance.
Remark the Firſt, As his Sinning is ſpecified together with his Suffering, in Chap. 1. ſo here is his Sorrowing after a godly ſo…t, 2 Cor. 7.9, 10. and his gratulatory Song (as Tremellius calls it) for his miraculous Deliverance from a double Danger of Death: For the Whale was as probable means of his Deſtruction in devouring him, as was the Sea for drowning him: No doubt but Jonah prayed, both while he was in the toſſed Ship, and when they were caſting him into the Sea, as well as while he felt himſelf ſinking into the Belly of the Fiſh, where he ſeemed to be buried alive; but when he perceived that his God was preſent with him, to preſerve him alive in the Whale's Bowels, he principally deſigneth here to ſhew forth his gratitude to God, giving him High Praiſes for the return of his humble Prayers, ver. 2, 6, 7. for ſo the Word [Vajith-palel] ſometimes ſignifies Praiſing 1 Sam. 2.1. as well as Praying, and his Words which he here uttereth, being wholly Euchariſtical, do intimate (ſaith Piſcator) that he thus cryed, after the Fiſh had ſpewed him out, ver. 10. or at leaſt He then did better Methodize his confuſed Conceptions (he had) while in the Whale's Belly.
Remark the Second, The ſtrange Strife and Conflict of Fleſh and Spirit in Jonah's Oration, here; 1. The Fleſh in him prompted him, and made him prone to Deſpair, ſaying [I am caſt out of thy ſight] ver. 4. [nigraſhti, Hebr.] imports it, which Word in the Latine Language, ſignifies [Thou haſt ſet a black Brand upon me.] Such a Temptation had brought David into the like Diſputes of Deſpair (ſaith Mercerus) Pſalm 31.22. and in a Deſertion deplores, that the Flouds of God's diſpleaſure cover'd him, Pſalm 42.7. as Jonah did here, ver. 3. and not much unlike Cain's Complaint, Gen. 4.13, 14. But 2. The Spirit in him takes him up as one Dead, and revives him to ſpeak [yet will I look again toward thine Holy Temple] ver. 4. Words of ſtrong Conſidence, ſaith Mercerus, checking himſelf for his Doubting and Deſpondency, as David did chide David three times over, Pſal. 42.5, 11. and 43.5. Here Hagar (his Carnal Senſe) is caſt out of doors, and Sarah (his Spiritual Faith) is ſet up alone,; tho' the Lead ſank down the Net, yet the Cork kept it above the Water; tho' his Soul fainted within him, ver. 7. yet looks he again to the Temple, either that at Jeruſalem, a Type of Chriſt, for whoſe ſake Jonah's prayer was heard, or Heaven it ſelf, the Habitation of God's Holineſs; So high his prayer aſcended, as Acts 10.4. Tho' he poured it forth out of the Belly of H…ll, ver. 2. yet procured it an Anſwer from Heaven.
Remark the Third; Jonah's great Gratitude to God his Deliverer, for his ſo gracious Deliverance, when the Lord made the Fiſh ſhip him ſafe to ſhore, ver. 8, 9, 10. (1.) Acknowledging that ſinners refuſe their own felicity, ſinning againſt their own Souls, Numb. 16. v. 38. Hab. 2.10. He ſpeaks his own woful experience, but God will bring them to Judgment, Eccleſ. 11.9. (2.) He promiſeth Sacrifices of Praiſe, and Vows to pay them to the God of his Salvation; not only his general as an Iſraelite, but his particular Vows made in his Diſtreſs, as Gen. 28.20. and 1 Sam. 1.11. and Pſal 132.1, 2, &c. 'Twas a good Rule Pliny gave [Be ſure to be the ſame when well, that you vowed to be when ſick.] And (3.) He preacheth the praiſe of God's mighty Power in opening the mouth of Leviathan, &c. which no man can do, Job 41.14. and ſo God can open the mouth of the grave, Heb. 11.35. therefore it may not be thought a thing incredible that God ſhould raiſe the dead, Acts 26.8. As Jonah is out of the Whale's belly vomited up unto dry Land, Death ſwallowed up Chriſt, and was ſwallowed up in Victory thereby, Hoſ. 13.14. 1 Cor. 15.54. Rev. 20.13.