Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Commentary 5 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Verſe 1. BƲt it diſpleaſed Jonah exceedingly] Mirablilis homo profectò fuit Jonas, ſaith Winckleman here, as ſtrange a man was Jonas of an honeſt man, as you ſhall lightly heare of. Well might David caution Pſa. 37.8. Ceaſe from anger and forſake wrath: fret not thy ſelf in any wiſe to do evill. A fretfull man is eaſily drawn to evill. David was (once at leaſt) diſpleaſed at Gods dealing: which was no whit for his credit, or comfort 2 Sam. 6.8. Diſcontented he was, not at Gods lenity, as Jonah, but at Gods ſeverity, againſt Ʋzziah: and that all the peoples joy ſhould be daſhed and damped with ſuch a ſad and ſudden di…aſter. How much better minded was he when dumb, not once opening his mouth, becauſe God did it, Pſal. 39.9? The Greeks give this Rule, Either ſay nothing, or ſay that which is better then nothing. O that you would altogether hold your peace, and it ſhould be your wiſdome,foreign. ſaid Job to his friends, Iob 13.5. Silence ſometimes comes to be a vertue; and never more then when a man is cauſeleſly diſpleaſed. Prima ſemper irarum tela maledicta ſunt, ſaith Saluſt. Angry people are apt to let flie, to mutter, and mutiny againſt God and man; as here. Reaſon ſhould ſay to choler, that which the Nurſe ſaith to the childe. Weep not, and you ſhall have it.Plut. But either it doth not: or if it do, yet the ear (which taſteth words, as the mouth doth meat) is oft ſo filled with gall (ſome creatures have fel. in aure) that nothing can reliſh with it. See Exod. 6.9. If Moſes his anger was pure, free from guile, and gall, Exod. 32.19. yet Ionah's was not ſo. It is ſurely very difficult to kindle and keep quick this fire, without all ſmoke of ſinne. Be angry, and ſinne not, is, ſaith One, the eaſieſt charge, under the hardeſt condition that can be. Men, for moſt part, know not what they do in their anger; this raiſeth ſuch a ſmoke. Put fire to wet ſtraw and filthy ſtuffe, and it will ſmoke and ſmutch you quickly; yea ſcorch you and ſcald you, when once it breaks out. Levit. 13.5. we read of a leproſie breaking out of a burning: ſeldome do paſſions burn but there is a leproſie breaking out of that burning. It bliſtereth out at the lips: hence the Hebrews have but one and the ſame word for Anger and foaming at the mouth, Eſth. 1.18. Zach. 1.7.Ketſeph. Spuma. Hoſ. 10.7. They have alſo a Proverb, that a mans diſpoſition is much diſcovered, Bechos, bechis, becagnab; by his cup, by his purſe, and by his paſſion: at which time, and in which caſes. A fool uttereth all his mind, Prov. 29.11. (all his wrath, foreign a fool, and foreign ſuddenly, raſhly, is from the ſame root. De ſera unmin: vindict.ſay the Seventy) and that ſuddenly, raſhly, as the Hebrew intimateth: but a wiſe man keepeth it in till afterwards, Prov. 29.11. Ahaſhueroſh when hee felt himſelf enraged againſt Haman, walked into his garden, Eſth. 7.7. And Platarch tels of one Archytas, that, diſpleaſed with his ſervants for their ſloth, he flung from them, ſaying, Valete quoniam vobis iraſcor, I will leave you; for that I am angry with you. The very firſt inſurrections of inordinate Paſſions are to bee cruſht, the firſt ſmoke of them to be ſmothered, which elſe will fume up into the head, and gather into ſo thick a cloud, as wee ſhall loſe the ſight of our ſelves, and what is beſt to be done: Ceaſe therefore from raſh anger and ſtint ſtrife betime. The beginning of it, ſaith Solomon, is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention before it bee medled with, Prov. 17.14. Storms riſe out of little guſts: and the higheſt windes are, at firſt, but a ſmall vapour. Had Jonah ſtopt, or ſtept back, when he felt himſelf firſt ſtirred, he had not ſo ſhamefully over-ſhot himſelf, nor heapt up ſo many ſinnes, as he did in the following entercourſe with Almighty God. He was naturally hot, and haſty: and ſo were thoſe two brethren the ſounes of thunder; they had quick and hot ſpirits, Luke 9.55. Now, where there is much untowardneſſe of nature, there Grace is the more eaſily overborn: ſowre wines need much ſweetning. Gods beſt children, though ingrafted into the true vine, yet carry they about them a reliſh of the old ſtock ſtill. It is thought by very good Divines, that Ionah feeling his own weakneſſe in giving place to anger, thought to ſtrive againſt it, and ſo addreſſed himſelf to prayer, verſe 2. but tranſported by his paſſions of grief and raſh anger, while by prayer hee thought to have overcome them, they overcame him, and his prayer too: ſo true is that of the Apoſtle; The wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſſe of God, Jam. 1.20.
Verſe 2. And he prayed unto the Lord,] i. e. He thought to have done ſo; but by the deceitfulneſſe of his own heart, he quarrel'd with God; and inſtead of wraſtling with him, as Jacob, he wrangled with him. The words ſeem to be rather a brawle then a prayer; which ſhould ever proceed from a ſedate and ſetled ſpirit, and hold conformity with the will of God. Could Jonah be in caſe to pray, when he had neither right conceptions of God, nor bowels of mercy to men: but that millions of people muſt periſh rather then he be held a falſe Prophet? Say there were ſomething in it of peace for Gods glory, which he thought would ſuffer; as if God were either mutable, or impotent. Say that there were in this outburſt, ſomething of affection to Gods people, who had then no greater enemy to fear, then theſe Ninevites; whom therefore Jonah would have had deſtroyed according to his prediction: yet cannot he be excuſed for falling ſo foul upon God, and upbrayding Him with that which is his greateſt glory, Exod. 33.28, 19. with Exod. 34.6, 7. The truth is, nothing makes a man eccentrick in his motions, ſo much as head-ſtrong paſſions, and private reſpects. He that brings theſe into Gods preſence, ſhall do him but little good ſervice. The ſoul is then onelyonly well carried, when neither ſo becalmed that it moves not when it ſhould, nor yet toſſed with tempeſts to move diſorderly, as did Jonah here, and Job, in that peeviſh prayer of his, chap. 6.8, 9. See alſo Jer. 20.7, 8.
I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my ſaying, &c.] that is, my thought: for whether he worded it thus with God till now, it appeareth not: but God heareth the language of mens hearts: and their ſilence to him is a ſpeaking evidence.
when I was yet in my countrey.] And had Jonah ſo ſoon forgotten what God had done for him, ſince he came thence? Oh what a grave is oblivion! and what a ſtrange paſſage is that (and yet how common?) Then beleeved they his words, they ſang his praiſe. They ſoon forgat his works, they waited not for his counſel, Pſal. 106.12, 13. Jonah did not ſurely wait for Gods counſel, but anteverted it. Idcirco anteverti, ſaith he in the next words, (Therefore I fled before) and thought hee had ſaid well, ſpoke very good reaſon. It is the property of luſt and paſſion, ſo to blear the underſtanding of a man, that he ſhall think he hath reaſon to be mad, and that there is great ſence in ſinning. Dogs in a chafe bark at their owne maſters: ſo do people in their paſſions let flie at their beſt friends. They ſet their mouth againſt the heavens, and their tongue walketh thorow the earth, Pſal. 73.9. Ionah in his heat here, juſtifieth his former flight, which he had ſo ſorely ſmarted for, Et quaſi quidam Ariſtarchus, he taketh upon him to cenſure God for his ſuperabundant goodneſſe, which is above all praiſe.
For I knew that thou art a gracious God, and mercifull, &c.] This He knew to be Gods name, Exod. 34.6, 7. but withall he ſhould have remembred, what was the laſt letter in that Name; viz. that he will by no means clear the guilty. See Nahum 1.2, 3. The ſame fire hath burning heat and chearfull light. Gracious is the Lord, but yet righteous, ſaith David, Pſal. 116.5. his mercy goes ever bounded by his truth. This Jonah ſhould have conſidered; and therefore trembled thus to have upbraided God with that mercy by which himſelf ſubſiſted: and but for which he had been long ſince in hell, for his tergiverſation and peeviſhneſſe. But mercy rejoyceth againſt judgement, and runneth as a ſpring, without ceaſing.Jam. 2. It is not like thoſe pools about Jeruſalem that might be dried up with the tramplings of horſe and horſe-men. The grace of God was exceeding abundant, 1 Tim. 1.14. It hath abounded to flowing-over, as the Sea doth above the hugeſt rocks. See this in the preſent inſtance. Jonah addeth ſinne to ſinne,foreign. and doth enough to undo himſelf for ever: ſo that a man would wonder how God could forbear killing him, as hee had like to have done Moſes, when he met him in the Inne. But He is God, and not man: he contents himſelf to admoniſh Jonah of his fault, as a friend and familiar, velut cum eo colludens, jeſting with him, as it were, and by an outward ſigne, ſhewing him how grievouſly he had offended.Mercer. Concerning theſe Attributes of God here recited, ſee the Note on Joel 2.13. and ſay with Auſtin, Laudent alij pietatem: Dei ego miſericordium. Let no ſpider ſuck poiſon out of this ſweeteſt flower: nor out of a blind zeal make ill uſe of it, as Jonah doth, for a cloke of his rebellion: leſt abuſed mercy turn into fury.
Verſe 3. Threfore now, O Lord, take I beſeech thee my life from me,] A pitifull peeviſh prayer, ſuch as was that of Job, and that of Jeremy above noted: to which may be added Sarah's haſty wiſh for God to arbitrate betwixt her and her husband: Moſes his quibling with God, till at length he was angry, Exod. 4.10, 14. Eliah's deſire to die out of diſcontent, &c. What a deal of filth, and of fleſh, clogs and cleaves to our beſt performances? Hence David ſo prayes for his prayers, and Nehemiah for pardon of his reformations. Anger is ever an evil counſellour; but when it creeps into our prayes, it corrupts them worſe then vinegar doth the veſſel wherin it ſtandeth. Submit your ſelves therefore to God (as Ionah ſhould have done) reſiſt this devil (of pride and paſſion) and he will flee from you:Jam. 4.7. as by giving place to impatiency ye give place to the Devil, Eph. 4.26. who elſe (by his vile injections, or at leaſt by his vain impertinencies) will ſo flie-blow and marre our duties that we may well wonder, they are not caſt back as dirt into our faces. Sure it is that if the holy Ghoſt had not his hand in our prayers, there would not be the leaſt goodneſſe in them: no not uprightneſſe and truth, without which Chriſt would never preſent them, or the Father accept them.
for it is better for me to die then to live] ſc. in that diſgrace that I ſhall now undergo of being a falſe prophet, not henceforth to be believed. Lo, this was it that troubled the man ſo much, as it did likewiſe Moſes, Exod. 4.1. They will not believe me; for they will ſay, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee. But God ſhould have been truſted by them for that, and his call obeyed howſoever, without conſults or diſputes; careleſſe of their own credit, ſo that God might be exalted. True it is, that a man had better die with honour, then live in diſgrace, truly ſo called. It were better for me to die, 1 Cor. 9.15.ſaith holy Paul, then that any man ſhould make my glorying void. Provident we muſt be (but not over-tender) to preſerve our reputation: learning of the unjuſt ſteward by lawfull (though he did by unlawfull) means to do it: for our Saviour noted this defect in the children of light, that herein they were not oft ſo wiſe as they ſhould be, Luke 16.8. But Ionah was too heady and haſty in this wiſh of his death; becauſe his credit, as he thought, was crackt, and he ſhoulld be lookt upon as a lyar. But was the Euge of a good conſcience nothing to him? was Gods approbation of no value, nor the good eſteem of his faithful people? It was enough for Demetrius, that he had a good report of the truth 3 Iohn. 12. what ever the world held or ſaid of him. What is the honour of the world but a puffe of ſtinking breath? and why ſhould any Jonah be ſo ambitious of it, as that without it he cannot find in his heart to live. Life is better then honour. Joſeph is yet alive, ſaith Jacob. To have heard that Joſeph lived a ſervant would have joyed him,D. Hall. Cont. more then to heare that he died honourably. The greater bleſſing obſcureth the leſs. He is not worthy of honour, that is not thankfull for life. St. Pauls deſire to be diſſolved that he might be with Chriſt, which is farr farr the better Phil. 1.3. was much different from this of Jonah
Verſ. 4. Doest thou do well to be angry?] Or what? art thou very angry? Nunquid rectè? Summon the ſobriety of thy ſenſes before thine own judgement: and ſee whether there be a cauſe. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?Mat. 20.15. Is thine eye evil becauſe I am good? Shall I not ſhew mercy on whom I will ſhew mercy? Or envieſt thou theſe poor Ninivites their preſervation, for my ſake? Cannot I provide for mine own glory, and for thine authority by other means and wayes then thou imagineſt? Have patience Jonah, and reſt better ſatisfied with my diſpenſation. Be ſwift to bear, ſlow to ſpeak, ſlow to wrath. For, I wot well, the wrath of man worketh not the righteonſneſſe of God. Jam. 1.19, 20.This thou wilt ſee and ſay as much, when come to thy ſelf, for now thou art quite off; and being tranſported as thou art, Nil audire voles,Hora…. nil diſcere, quod levet aegrum.
Hierome ſeeks to excuſe Jonah's anger: but God here condemneth it, as not well: and Ionah himſelf, partly by not anſwering again, and partly by recording the ſtory, ſeems to ſay of himſelf as Father Latimer doth in another caſe; I have uſed in mine earneſt matters to ſay,Serm. 3. Sund. in Advent. Yea, by Saint Mary, which indeed is not well. Anger is not altogether unlawful, ſo it be well carried; It is, ſaith one, a tender vertue: and as it is not evil to marry, but good to be wary, ſo here. Let a man ask himſelf this queſtion, Do I will to be thus angry? and is mine indignation rightly regulated for principle, object, meaſure, end? If it be not, the ſpirit of God will be grieved in the good ſoul, and ſenſibly ſtirre, Eph. 4.30, 31. yea, thou ſhalt hear the correcting voice thereof within thee, ſaying, Doſt thou well to be thus angry? Should not all bitterneſſe and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-ſpeaking be put away, with all malice? And ſhould ye not be kind one to another, and … hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you? Eph. 4.31, 32.
Verſ. 5. So Jonah went out of the city,] As not yet knowing what God might do, though he found him inclinable to ſhew them mercy upon their repentance. Or he might think haply, that theſe Ninivites were onelyonly ſermon-ſick, penitent indeed for the preſent, but it was too good to hold long: theſe ſeemingly righteous men would ſoon fall from their righteouſneſſe, and then be deſtroyed, though for preſent ſomewhat favoured of God. Mercer reads the text in the preterpluperfect tenſe, and makes it an hyſteron proteron thus, exierat autem Jonas; but Jonas had gone out of the city, ſc. before he had ſhewed himſelf ſo hot and haſty againſt God, and brawled with him as above. Others think, that when he ſaw which way the ſquares were like to go, he flung out of the city in a great pelt: and if God had fetcht him again with a flewet on the ear (as Queen Elizabeth did the Earl of Eſſex her favourite,Camb. Eliſa…. when being croſſed by her of his will …he uncivilly turned his back as it were in contempt) he had done him no wrong: But God is long-ſuffering, &c. He conſidereth whereof we are made, and with what ſtrong corruptions we are beſet. He knowes that ſinne hath a ſtrong heart, and will not eaſily be done to death: that nothing cleaves more pertinaciouſly, or is more inexpugnable then a ſtrong luſt; whether it be worldlineſſe, wantonneſſe, paſſionateneſſe, pride, ambition, revenge, or the like: theſe Jebuſites will not eaſily be driven out; theſe ſturdy rebels will hardly be ſubdued; theſe ſtick cloſeſt, as a ſhirt doth to a leprous body; and cannot be done off but with great adoe. Now if Jonah be of a cholerick conſtitution, and ſoon kindled; if this evil of his nature have been confirmed by cuſtome (a ſecond nature) if Satan ſtirre up the coals, and ſay to him as the people did to Pilat, Do as thou ever haſt done: God graciouſly conſidereth all this, and beareth with his evil manners.
and ſat on the eaſt-ſide of the city] Quite out of the precincts; where he might ſee their ruine, and not ſuffer with them. Faux after he had laid his train, and ſer it awork to fire the powder at ſuch an hour, was to have retired himſelf into Georges fields, and there to have beheld the ſport. That Jonah was ſo uncharitable as to wiſh and wait the overthrow of Niniveh, and not that they would rather return and live, admits of no excuſe. But that expecting its overthrow (according to that God had threatned by him) he ſecured himſelf by ſeparating from thoſe ſinners againſt their own ſouls, was well and wiſely done of him. See Eſa. 48.20. and 52.11. 2 Cor. 6.17. Rev. 16.4. Lot did ſo from Sodom, foreign.the people from Core and his complices, John and his diſciples from Cerinthus the heretick: he ſprung out of the Bath from that blaſphemer, leſt he ſhould be puniſhed with him: ſo the Church of Ieruſalem packt away to Pella, &c.…ſob. l. …. c. ….
and there made him a booth] A ſorry ſomething, wherein to repoſe himſelf, till the indignation were over-paſt. Miniſters as good ſouldiers of Jeſus Chriſt muſt ſuffer hardſhip, be content to dwell in tents, or to lie in huts, till they come to the heavenly palace, where they ſhall have a better building, 2 Cor. 5.1. yea, a throne in that city of pearl, whoſe maſter builder is God, Heb. 11.13.Turk hiſ…. fol. 3.1…. Mean while let them not ſeek great things for themſelves: but as the Turks never build ſumptuouſly for their own private uſes, but content themſelves with ſimple cottages how mean ſoever, good enough ſay they, for the ſhort time of our pilgrimage here: ſo much more ſhould Chriſtians, & eſpecially Miniſters; whoſe reward (how little ſoever upon earth) is great in heaven. Let them live upon reverſions: and though their dwelling be but mean, a booth or little better, yet they ſhall have ſtately manſions above:Ma…. 5.12. and in the mean time, if they can but ſay as that Heathen did, foreign, God dwels here with me, this houſe of mine is a little Church, a tabernacle for the God of Iacob; oh how happy are they in that behalf, even above the great Turk with his Seraglio, (which is two miles in compaſſe) yea, with his whole Empire,Turk. hiſt. which (ſaith Luther) is but a cruſt caſt by the great houſe-keeper of the world to his dogs.
and ſat under it in the ſhadow] Having food and reyment ſaith the Apoſtle, let us therewith be content. foreign.Where the word rendred rayment ſignifieth any covering over head, if it be but an haircloth. Some ſay it ſignifies domicilium an houſe: others ſay that houſes are not named, for that they were not any where to fix:Eſtius. Vt Hamax… but to be ready to run from place to place, and to leave houſe and all behind them: or as ſouldiers burn their huts when the ſiege is ended, that they may go home to their houſes; being diſcontentedly contented in the mean while: ſo ſhould we, glad to hover and cover under the ſhadow of the Almighty by the grace of faith, quae te pullaſtrum, Chriſtum gallinum facit, which makes Chriſt the hen, and thee the chicken ſaith Luther.
till he might ſee what would become of the city] whether God would not ratifie his word by raining down hell from heaven upon it, as once he did upon ſinfull Sodom: or overwhelme it with the river Tigris, as once he did ſome part of it, ſaith Diodorus Siculus, Diod. lib. 2.ſo that twenty furlongs of the town-wall were thrown down by it. And the Prophet Nahum threateneth, that with an over-flowing flood God would make an end of the place thereof, chap. 1.8.
Verſe 6. And the Lord God prepared a gourd] ſc. after that his booth was dried up, and the leaves withered, God by his providence, and not without a miracle (becauſe without ſeed, and ſo ſuddenly) furniſhed Ionah with this gourd or ivybuſh, or white vine, or the plant called Palma Chriſti, or Pentadactylon, becauſe it reſembleth a mans hand with five fingers: ſomething it was, but what, is not certainely known. Kimchi thus deſcribeth it: Eſt herba longis & altis frondibus umbroſa. It is an herb or plant that yeeldeth good ſhade with its long and large leaves. And many yeares before him, one Rabba ſon of Hanna ſaid, that it growes by the waters ſide, is commonly ſet for ſhade-ſake, before tavern doores: and that oyle is made of the ſeeds of it.
and made it to come up over Ionah] Not only to refreſh him, (who having been ſo lately in the whales-belly was haply more tender-skinned then before, and not ſo well able to endure the heate of the Sun) but alſo to make way to that reproof he afterwards gave him ver. 10. Hoc enim exierno ſigno, ſaith Mercer, for by this outward ſigne, God ſporting with him, as it were, clearly convinceth him of his impatiency, & admoniſheth him of his duty: & this He thinketh was not done till the forty dayes wore over.
to deliver him from his grief] from his head-ach, cauſed by the heat of the Sun; which yet he curſed not as the ſcorched Atlantes are ſaid to doe. Or to exhilarate and refreſh his ſpirits after his ſelf-vexing: for the haſty man never wants woe, and the envious perſon, becauſe he cannot come at another mans heart, feedeth upon his own.Eſa. 5.7. Now though God chide him for his fault, yet as a father he tendereth his infirmity, and taketh care that the ſpirit faile not before him and the ſoule that he had made. And it is as if he ſhould ſay: Ionah goeth on frowardly in the way of his heart; I have ſeen his wayes and will heale him: I will leade him alſo, and reſtore comforts unto him Eſay 57.16, 17, 18 As it is a rule in Phyſick, ſtill to maintaine nature.
ſo Ionah was exceeding glad] Heb. rejoyced with great joy, that is, ſupra modum, he was exceſſive in all his paſſions, which ſpeakes him a weake man. Some think he rejoyced the more in the gourd, as conceiving that God thereby voted with him, and for him. This was alſo Leahs errour, when rejoycing in that whereof ſhe ſhould have repented rather, ſhe ſaid Gen. 30.18. God hath given me my hire, becauſe I have given my maiden to my husband, and ſhe hath borne me a fiſt ſon. So much miſtaken are the beſt ſometimes: and ſo bladder-like, is mans ſoule; that filled with earthly vanityes though but wind, and gone with a wind, it growes great, and ſwels in pride and folly: but if prickt with the leaſt pin of piercing grief, it ſhriveleth to nothing.
Verſe 7. But God prepared a worm] All occurrences are to be aſcribed not to Nature, Fate, or Fortune, but to God: who as he is Great in great things, ſo is he not little in the leaſt. Maximus in magnis, nec parvus in minimis.He prepared firſt the gourd, and then the worm, and then the wind. He was the great doer in all. He ſo attempereth all, that his people ſhall have their times and their turns of joy and ſorrow. Theſe two are tyed together, ſaid the Heathen, with chaines of Adamant: hence alſo Ageronia's altar in the temple of Volupia. Flut.See the circle God uſually goes in with his, Pſal. 30.5, 6, 7. &c. to teach them that all outward comforts are but as graſs or flower of the field, which he can ſoone blaſt or corrode by ſome worme of his providing. Moneo te iterumque iterum que monebo, ſaith Lactantius, I warn thee therefore, & will do it againe & againe, that thou look not upon thoſe earthly delights as either great or true to thoſe that truſt them:De opiſicio Da. ad Dem. but as things that are not onelyonly deceitfull, becauſe doubtfull but alſo deadly, becauſe delicious. There is a worm lies couchant in every gourd to ſmite it, a teredo to waſt it, beſides the worm of conſcience bred in that froath and filth, for a perpetuall torment.
and it ſmot the gourd that it withered] Plants have alſo their wounds, diſeaſes and death,Lib. 17. cap. 14. ſaith Pliny. The gourd being gnawed at the root, and robbed of its moiſtneſs withered. Sic tranſit gloria mundi. But the righteous ſhall flouriſh like a palmtree tree (not like this palm-criſt) Pſal. 92.12. Now the palm-tree though it have many waights at the top, and many ſnakes or wormes at the root, yet it ſtill ſayes,Alciat: Emb. Nec premor nec perimor, I am neither born down, nor dried up: but as Noahs olive drown'd, kept its verdure; and as Moſes buſh fired but not conſumed; ſo fareth it with the righteous, perſecuted but not forſaken &c. 2 Cor. 4.8, 9. and at death a crown of life awaites him, Quanta perennis erit, an immarceſcible crown,Sr. Thom. Bodlye's poſy. an inheritance undefiled and that withereth not, Pet. 1.4. that ſuffereth no Maraſmus, but is reſerved freſh and green for you in heaven; like the palm-tree which Pliny ſaith never loſeth his leafe nor fruit: or like that Perſian tree, whereof Theophraſtus ſaith, that at the ſame time it doth bud, bloſſome and beare fruit.
Verſe 8. God prepared a vehement Eaſt-wind] The windes then blow not where they liſt, at randome I mean, and without rule: but are both raiſed and layed againe by God at his pleaſure. He prepared, and ſent out of his treaſures,Jer. 10.13. this
violent Eaſt-wind … Heb: ſilent: R. Selomoh.ſo called either becauſe it ſilenceth all other winds with its vehemency: or becauſe when it blowes, men are made ſilent or deaf with its dinn, ſo that their tale cannot be heard. There are that by ſilent here underſtand a ſtill, low, gentle Eaſt-wind, that cooled not the heate of the avre inflamed by the Sun, but rather added to it, and ſet it on: foreign the Greeks interpret it: and this ſuites well with that which followeth.
and the Sun beat upon the head of Jonah] Ʋſſit & laeſit Pſal. 121. So the Poet, — ſeriente cacumina Sole. Chryſoſtome cannot but wonder, that whereas all fire naturally tendeth upwards, the Sun ſhould ſhoot his beames downwards, and affect theſe lower bodyes with his light and heat. Whereby if he be troubleſome to any Jonah, foreignit is becauſe God will have it ſo (for he is a ſervant, as his name in Hebrew importeth) without whom neither Sun ſhineth nor raine falleth Mat. 5.45.Mat. 13.6.21. Rev. 7.16. and 16.8.9. 1 Pet. 4.12. and who by afflictions (ſet forth in Scripture by the heate of the Sun) bringeth back his ſtraglers Pſal. 119.97.
that he fainted] Though the head of man bath a maniſold guard upon it, as being overlaid firſt with haire, skin and fleſh, like the three-fold covering of the Tabernacle; and then encompaſſed with a skull of bones like boards of Cedar; and afterwards with diverſe skins like ſilken curtaines: Obtectue fuit maerore foreign. Sept.and laſtly encloſed with the yellow skin which Solomon calleth the golden ewer Eccle. 12.6.
yet Jonah fainted and wiſhed in himſelf to die] Ita ut ab animo ſuo peteret mori, he required of his ſoule to go out of his body, Egredere ô anima mea, as Hilarion ſaid, but in a better ſenſe he called for death, as his due: being, belike, of Seneca's mind, that Nature hath beſtowed this benefit on men, that they may bereave themſelves of life, whenſoever they pleaſe: not conſidering that God is Lord of liſe and death, neither may any one lay down his life but when He calleth for it: as a ſouldier may not leave his ſtation, but at the command of his captaine.
it is better for me to die then to live] Not ſo Jonah, unleſſed you were in a better mind. You ſhould rather ſay as Martinus on his ſick-bed did,Sever. Epiſt. 3. Bernard. Domine ſi adhuc populo tuo ſum neceſſarius, Lord if I may yet be ſerviceable to thee, and uſefull to thy people, I refuſe not life and labour. Or as Mr. Bolton on his death-bed deſirous to be diſſolved, when he was told by ſome ſtanders by,Mr. Bagſhaw. in the life of Mr. Bolton. that though it was better for him to die then to live, Yet the Church of God would miſs him: He thus ſweetly replied with David 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. If I ſhall find faevour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again &c. but, if otherwiſe, loc here I am, let him do what ſeemeth good in his eyes. A good man is born for the benefit of many, as Bucers Phyſitians ſaid to him: neither may he deſire to die out of diſcontent,Mel. Ad. Non ſibiſ…ſed multerum utilitati eſſe natum. as Jonah did for a trifle, wherein he was croſſed; and rather then which to have been deprived of, Niniveh that great city, by his conſent, ſhould have been deſtroyed. That he never after this would return to his own countrey, but was ſo ſick of the fret that he died of the ſullens, as ſome Hebrewes ſay, I cannot beleeve. See the Note on ver. 3.Eneid. lib. 1.
Ver. 9. Doeſt thou well to be angry for the gourd?] What? ſo ſoon blown up for a thing of nothing? Tantaene animis coeleſtibusira?
— Dijne hunc ardorem mentibus indunt
Euriale?Ae…neid. lib. 1. an ſua cuique deus fit dira libido?Ibid. lib. 9.
Knew not Jonah that to be angry without a cauſe, was to be in danger of the judgement? Mat. 5.22. that it was a mortall ſin, and not veniall, as Papiſts falſly conclude from that text; which ſets not forth a different puniſhment of raſh anger, but a diverſe degree of puniſhment? that it is the murther of the heart, as our Saviour there ſhewes, and the ſountaine of the murther both of the tongue, and of the hand? will he be like the fooliſh bee, who loſeth her life to get revenge? See the Note on ver. 4.
and he ſaid] Before he ſaid nothing when reproved for his raſh anger ver. 4. and that was beſt. Now he chats againſt God, laying the reines in the neck of his unruly paſſions, and running riot. Who can underſtand his er…ours? and who can tell how oft a ſervant of God may fall into a foul ſin, if ſtrongly inclined thereto by nature, or violently tempted by ſatan and his inſtruments? Of Judah indeed it is expreſly noted, that he knew his daughter-in law Tamar againe no more Gen. 38.26. But what ſhall we ſay to Lots double inceſt? to Sampſons going down againe to Gaza Iudg. 16? to Abrahams twice denying his wife? to Iohns twice adoring the Angell Rev. 19.10. and 22.8? Let him that ſtandeth, take heed leſt he fall: and let Gods people ſee that there be no way of wickedneſſe found in them, that they allow not, wallow not in this guzzle: ſith hereby they looſe not their jus haereditarium, but yet their jus aptitudinale, not their title but yet their fitneſſe to Gods kingdome: and perhaps, their fulneſſe of reward there 2 Iohn 8.
and he ſaid, I do well to be angry, even unto death] A fearefull out-burſt: reſiſt paſſion at the firſt riſing up: elſe who knowes whither it may tranſport us? Paſſions, ſaith One, like heavy bodies down ſteep hils, once in motion move themſelves: and know no ground but the bottome. Ionah (ſaith Another upon this text) ſlights admonition, riſeth up in an animoſity againſt it to a deſperate degree of anger: ſuch wild beaſts are ſurious paſſions when we give them the reines. Thus He, Surely as the Lion beateth himſelf with his own taile: and as ſullen birds in a cage beate themſelves to death, ſo could Ionah in this rage find in his heart to do: and he ſhames not to tell God as much. It was therefore no ill wiſh of him that deſired God to deliver him from that naughty man Himſelf, Domine libera me à malo hemine meipſo.from headlong and headſtrong paſſions, which may not only diſſweeten a mans life but ſhorten it. The Emperor Nerva died of a ſever contracted by anger. Valentinian by an irruption of blood. Wenceſlaus King of Bohemia in a rage againſt his cup bearer fell preſently into a palſey, whereof he died. What diſeaſe Ionah died of I know not: but this I know, that in his heat he did and ſaid enough here in this text, to have made Almighty God reſolve as he did once againſt thoſe muttering Mutineeres in the wilderneſſe, As truly as I live, ſaith the Lord, as ye have ſpoken in mine eares, ſo will I do to you: Num. 14.28.Thou ſhalt ſurely dye Jonah; out of thine own mouth will I judge thee &c. But God choſe rather to glorifie himſelf in Jonah's ſalvation, then in his deſerved deſtruction. Dat igitur poenitentiam, & poſte à indulgentiam (as that father prayed) He therefore firſt giveth him repentance, and then pardon, as appeareth partly by his recording of theſe paſſages, and ſo ſhaming himſelf, as it were, before all the world: and partly alſo by his cloſing up his Propheſie with ſilence: not ſtriving with God for the laſt word, as Peter did with Chriſt, and would needes carry it, till the event of things confuted him, and he was glad to ſeek a corner to cry in Mat. 26.35. with 75.
Verſe 10. Then ſaid the Lord] He did not roare upon Jonah, nor run upon him with a drawn ſword, even on his neck, upon the thick boſſes of his bucklers: but gently ſaid unto him, that he might the more admire his own impotency and Gods lenity;Iob 15.26. both which he ſtudiouſly deſcribeth all along this Propheſy; a good ſigne of his ſound repentance.
Thou haſt had pitty on the gourd] Here is the end ſcope and application of the parable; whereby it apeareth that God prepared not the gourd ſo much for the eaſe and uſe of Jonah's body, as for a medicine to his ſoule, convincing him of the iniquity both of his wayes and wiſhes, by an argument drawn from the leſſe to the greater: and confuting him by a compariſon. Thou, a ſinfull and wretched man, haſt had pitty Or ſpared, and art ſorry it periſhed. The gourd a ſorry ſhrub, a meane muſhrome, and none of thine neither, but as lent thee: Alaſſe maſter, ſaid they it was but borrowed.
for the which thou haſt not laboured] And ſo canſt not be ſo faſt-affected to it.foreign. Ethic. l. 4. For all men love their own works rather then other mens, as parents and poets, ſaith Ariſtotle: proving thereby, that thoſe which have received their riches from their parents are more liberall, then they which have gotten them by their own labour.
neither madeſt it grow] Thou haſt neither planted nor watered it, or any way added to it, by thine induſtry: for that alſo was no part of thy paines but mine. Not that God laboureth about his creatures; for he doth all his work without toole or toile Eſa. 40.28 but this, as many other things in Scripture, are ſpoken after the manner of men, and ſo muſt be taken.
which came up in a night] Heb: was the ſon of a night, not without a miracle? though Pliny ſpeak of the quick and wonderfull grouth of this ſhrub.
and periſhed in a night] Citò oriens, citò itidem moriens, quickly come, and as quickly gone; a fit embleme of earths happineſſe. Surely man walketh in a vaine ſhew; faeneâ quadam foelicitate temporaliter florens: Aug. Ep. 120.they ſhall ſoon be cut down like the graſs, and wither as the green herb. They are but Hemerobij: their life is but a day (and ſuch a day too, as no man is ſure to have twelve houres to it) as this gourd was but of one dayes continuance, a it came up in a night, ſo it periſhed the next; citò crevit, citò decrevit, repentè prolatus, repentè ſublatus, of very ſmall continuance.Tarnou.
Verſe 11. And ſhould not I ſpare Niniveh] I who am all-bowels: I who am a ſin-pardoning God Neh. 9.31. none like me for that Mic. 7 18. I,Ego emphaticum. Mercer. who am the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1.4. whoſe property and practiſe it is to comfort thoſe that are caſt down 2 Cor. 7.6. I, who am ſo tranſcendently gratious, that thou haſt even hit me in the teeth with it ver. 2. ſhould not I be affected with the deſtruction of Niniveh?
that great city] See Notes on chap. 1.2. and chap. 3.3, 4. yea I will ſpare it, ſith it is ten thouſand times more worth then that gourd of thine ſo much pittied.
wherein are more then ſixſcore thouſand Perſons] more then twelve myriads of innocent infants that cannot diſcerne &c. but live a kind of ſenſitive life, as not yet come to the uſe of reaſon, and are therefore matched and mentioned with beaſts. And alſo much cattle (a part of my care) which have had their ſhare, as they could, in the common humiliation; and ſhall therefore ſhare in the common preſervation. And haſt thou an heart to repine at this, and not to be ſet down with ſo good reaſon? Jonah is now ſad and ſilenced: and although we heare no further of him, yet methinks I ſee him (Iob. lik) laying his hand upon his mouth in an humble yeeldance: yea putting his mouth in the duſt, and ſaying Once have I ſpoken, Job 40.5.but I will not anſwer: yea twice, but I will proceed no further. Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: for thou haſt cauſed me to underſtand wherein I have erred. Job. 6.24.25.How forcible are right words &c.