Six Sermons, Sermon 4
THE REBELLION OF IONAH, IN TWO SERMONS.
Ionah 1. 2. 3.
2 Ariſe and go to Niniuie that great Citie, and crie againſt it, for their vvickedneſſe is come vp before me.
3 But Ionah roſe vp to flie to Tarshish from the preſence of the Lord, and vvent dovvne to Iapho, and he found a ship going to Tarshish, ſo he paid the fare therof, and vvent dovvne into it that he might go vvith them vntounto Tarshish from the preſence of the Lord.
TO comfort Ionah againſt all euill temptatiōs which might befall him, God ſaith that their wickedneſſe is come vp before him. As if he had ſaid, feare nothing, but go, for the quarel is mine, I hauehave ſent thee, their ſinnes prouoke me thus to ſtand againſt them.
When God ſends criers vntounto a people, it is a moſt manifeſt ſigne that their wickedneſſe is come vp before him, which doth cauſe him thus to exclaime againſt them, and then if they wil not repent while Gods criers continue crying amongſt them, the Lord of hoſts will riſe vp in armes againſt them.
I ſhewed you the Niniuites ſinnes in a ſcroll, to ſee how they go in rankes vp to heauen, thereby to ſhew to the daughters of Niniuie, that wealth and wickedneſſe go together, proſperitie and ſecuritie kiſſe each other: and yet the world tempts, and the fleſh yeelds afore we ſinne.
To them which aske how our ſinnes aſcend and flie vp vntil they come before the preſence of God, I anſwere, that God here ſpeakes vntounto vsus after the maner of men, who can not ſee a thing afore it be brought nigh vntounto them, euen where they are.
Sin amounts vp on high, like the tempter which led Chriſt vntounto the top of the pinacle to beholde all the pleaſures of the world at once, and then when we fal downe before the god of this worlde, the God of heauen is tempted, whether he be iuſt or no: therefore wrath ſpeakes out of the fire, now thou haſt taken thy pleaſure, thou muſt take alſo thy puniſhment.
For your wickedneſſe is come vp before me.
As if he had ſaid, O Niniuie, you are like men araigned and your ſinnes ſtand crying at the barre not for merciemercy and forgiuenes, but for iudgement, wrath, and vengeance to fall vponupon you for your outragious ſwarmes of iniquities.
A moſt heauie and grieuous thing it is if you knew what you are doing here, and what your ſinnes are doing at the barre of Gods iuſt iudgement. For euen now before you came hither, you were ſeruing the deuil in ſinne, but now it is too late to ſpeake of it, and where are they now? fleſh and blood could not ſtay them, nature could not ſtay them, pleaſures could not ſtay them, riches could not ſtay them, nor it could not ſtay it ſelfe, but it is aſcēded vp before the face of the eternall God, to ſtand at this barre and crie for vengeance to fall vponupon vsus, for committing ſuch hainous ſinnes againſt the maieſtie of God.
An arrow is ſwift, the Sunne is ſwifter, but ſinne is ſwifter then all: for in a moment it is iudged in heauen, puniſhed in hell, and ranging vponupon the earth. Nemrod could not reach to heauen, but his ſinnes could reach to heauen. Our ſinnes aſcend like the tower of Nemrod, but they fall to confuſion like Gen. 11.Babell.
It is like the Eagle which taketh a ſhelfiſh, and flieth into the skie with it, and then ſhe letteth it fall vponupon the rocks, and ſo daſheth it in peeces, and then ſhe deuou…es it.
My laſt note was, that that which we caſt behind vsus, the Lord doth ſet before him, We faſt before him, we pray before him, we giuegive almes before him, and we do euerie good thing before him, becauſe we do it freely, & as it were, caring not who lookes vponupon vsus: but we ſuppoſe we ſinne behinde him, becauſe at ſuch a time our conſcience accuſing vsus, we fall to hiding and cloking of our ſin, thinking if we can hide it from men, that God cannot ſee it. But let vsus not deceyue our ſelues, for God ſeeth not as man ſeeth. Iob. 10. 4.Man cā ſee but only outward things committed in action: but God ſeeth and knoweth, and ſearcheth the ſecrets of the heart, all Pro. 16. 3. Heb. 4.the thoughts and imaginations of it.
A man can ſee but one thing at once, he cannot turne his right eye one way, and left eie another: he cannot ſee two things at one inſtant: but God ſeeth all things at one inſtant. Though we, ſinne as cloſely aswe can for feare of hatred, or ſhame of the world, or for any other reſpect: yet God ſaith, your ſinne is come vp before me. For though we couer it, and hide it and colour it, yea and as it were burie it as well as lieth in vsus, yet all is open vntounto him: therfore … ſaith, your ſinne is come vp before me.
When we ſpeake euill, he is all eares to heare vsus, when we do euill, he is all eyes to behold it, and when we will be obſtinate in our wickedneſſe, then he is all hand to puniſh and plague vsus, and in the end to root vsus out from all our pleaſures. But when we repent, he is all merciemercy and louelove, and when we amend our liues, and leaue all our wicked wayes to walke before him in holineſſe euer after, then he is all truth and righteouſneſſe to forgiue vsus all our former wicked life, and to waſh vsus from our vncleanneſſe & ſinne. Therefore ô fooliſh man, do not thinke that God ſeeth not that which man ſeeth not: for when he lookes vp, he ſees all below alſo, and when he lookes downe, he ſees all aboue alſo.
Ananias might hauehave gained by his craft Acts 5.if God had not ſeene his heart which men ſaw not, therefore he loſt his life, and his goods too.
If God had not ſeene that which men ſee 2. King. 5.not, Gehezi might hauehave gained a bribe for his labour, when he ranne after Naaman the Aſſyrian, and tolde him a lie for his profite. But God ſeeing his fetches which men ſaw not, turned his bribe to a leproſie, & ſo made him a leper for his lobor. A fearfull example for ſuch as take bribes: they care not what bribes they take ſo men ſee it not.
My huſband is gone forth ſaith the harlot to her louer, in the Prouerbs, and he ſhal Pro. 7. 19. 20. Luke 12.not ſee this. The man that ſaid, Be merrie my ſoule, and take thy pleaſure for manie yeares, might hauehave done it if God had not ſeene him, & rewarded him as his meaning deſerued: did not my ſpirit go with thee, ſaid 2. King. 5.Eliſeus to Gehezi? did not this eye go with thee? O Lord what is man that thou ſo watcheſt him? If God had not ſeen Achā take vp the peece of gold, he had kept it to himſelfe Ioſu. 7.for his labor, & no man ſhould hauehave knowē where he had it. But God ſeeing it (though cloſely done) rewarded him with ſhame and griefe in the ſight of all Iſrael. O Lord what is man that thou ſo watcheſt him. Achan would neuer hauehave ſtolen if he had knowen that God did ſee him. Gehezi durſt neuer hauehave takē a bribe, if he had thought that god beheld his doings. Wilt thou ſteale, the owner looking on thee? wilt thou ſpeake treaſon in the kings hearing? Neither would we lye, nor ſweare, nor ſteale, nor hurt, nor be prophane at any time, if we conſidered that the Lord ſeeth vsus, and remembred that he watcheth vsus: if we would do thus, ſin might go …begging for want of ſeruice. Therefore if you will marke but this part of my ſermō, that God ſeeth all, you would refraine from thoſe things ſecretly, (that are to the offence of god) which you for feare or ſhame wil not do before men, & you would ſay euen when your hand is at it, I wil not do it, becauſe the Lord ſeeth vsus… Now therefore repent thee of all the euill that thou haſt done, runne and …ie thee as faſt as euer thou canſt, and ſtriue who goes faſteſt, thy ſinne or thy prayers.
Theſe are the faint ſpies, that went to ſee the land of Canaan, which ſay, that iourney is farther then you are able to go all your life, the way is like a thicket, and the doore like a needels eye, therefore it is impoſſible for you to come thither. But when you ſend faith, hope, and louelove (thoſe meſſengers of peace and truth) they will bring you word ſaying, your ruffes muſt be ruffled, and your fardingales cruſht, and none ſhall be kept out, but ſuch as louelove the world better then heauen, or ſuch as wil take their ſinnes with them: for that it is not the faſhion of that countrey; but we muſt leaue them like the ſhadow when we go into the doore, and we muſt ſhake hands with them, and bid them fare-well.
Now it followeth how Ionah fled to Tarſhiſh. We can not ſtand to ſpeake of Tarſhiſh, nor what it is to flie from God, but how Ionah was ſent to Niniuie, and how he went to Tarſhiſh, this ſhall be our meditation. Ionah the Prophet was commanded to go to Niniuie, and there to crie out againſt ſinne, to preach againſt pride, and all kinde of vngodlineſſe, therby to reclaime them & ſtir them vp in laying open their ſinne, and the puniſhment which hanged ouer them, that they might ſpeedily repent, and ſo turn away from them the wrath of God thereby deſerued. What a happie meſſage was this? and what a happie thing for Niniuie, that the Lord would vouchſafe thē ſo great merciemercy? O but ſtill one flie or other marres the whole boxe of ointment: as ſoone as he was Eccles. 10. 1…commanded to go thither, Sathan ſtood in the gap, and entiſed him to go to Tarſhiſh, leſt the Niniuites kil him or ſome way hurt him. Ionah was no ſooner tempted, and thus entiſed by Sathan to go to Tarſhiſh, but he forthwith yeelded, and hauing yeelded, then he to go, and ſo Ionah made him ſelfe a runaway and a diſobedient ſeruant to his God. And thus Sathan is euer entiſing or croſſing vsus, when we are addreſſing our ſelues to do the will of our God. There is no commaundement of God, but the deuill commaunds the contrarie, and he is euer vnſaying that which God ſayth: for our good God ſayth vntounto Adam, if you eate of the forbidden Gene. 2. 17.fruite you ſhall die, the deuill came, and he told them, no, you ſhall not die, but you ſhal be as Gods if you eate theof. God ſaith, Gen. 3. 4.ſubmit your ſelues one to another in brotherly 1. Pet. 5. 5.louelove, the deuill ſaith, be proud and luſtie, ſcornfull and ambitious: God ſayth, louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, the deuill Mat. 22.ſaith, be enuious, but louelove thy ſelf and none but thy ſelfe: God ſaith, labor for the food Iohn. 6. 27.which periſheth not, the deuill bids labour for ſuch food which periſheth, as dainties, and plentie of pleaſant things: God ſayth, forſake the world, the deuill ſaith, louelove and Rom. 12. 2. 1. Ioh. 3. 18.eſteeme the world with the things of the world, and we do it at his commandement. And thus is man led captiue to deſtruction with the chaines of ſin. One ſaid, God ſpake and it was done, but I ſay, the deuill ſpeaketh Gen. 1. 3. 9.and it is done: for he is ſuch an Orator that no man can denie him. This made Demas to embrace the world, Iudas to betray 2 Tim. 4. 10… Mat. 26. 48. 70. Iud. 14 17. Gen. 4. 8. 2. King. 5. 22. 24.his maiſter, Peter to denie his Lord, Sampſon to reueale his ſecret, Cain to kill his brother, Gehezi to take a bribe, and there is ſuch harping in the ballance, that conſtancie is put out of her place. Yet this priuiledge hath God giuē vntounto vsus, that if we reſiſt the deuill, Iames 5.he wil flie away from vsus. But the deuil hath not this promiſe, that when he reſiſts, we ſhall flie from him, notwithſtanding the deuill is euer as buſie as if he had ſuch a promiſe, yea & full often doth ouercome, which is a ſign that we do not reſiſt him any thing throughly: but rather as it ſhould ſeeme we ioine with him, rather to do his wil thē gods will: and this made fooliſh Balaam to aske Num. 22.againe and again, till God ſeeing him bent contrarie to his will, left him vntounto himſelfe. and ſo Balaam went on in ſin ſo long til the verie aſſe wheron he rode was conſtrained to reproue him, and crie out againſt him.
But Ionah roſe vp to go downe to Tarſhiſh, and he went to Iapho.
They that ſhould preach at Niniuie, are loytering at Tarſhiſh, and like a drone doth the Nonreſident keepe his benefice, but for ſhame wilt thou keepe it ſtill, either go and preach at Niniuie as you are cōmmanded, or leaue your priuiledge and benefice. But they ſtand ſtaggering, aſhamed to keepe it, and loath to leaue off, for the ſweet morſels of Bels prieſts are ſo pleaſant vntounto them, that they cannot find in their harts to leaue them as long as they are able to keepe it. Ionah was ſent to Niniuie, but he went toward Tarſhiſh. And ſo it is alwayes with vsus, either we ſay or do euill, or elſe we do nothing, or we take one thing for another and ſo we are euer doing that we ſhould not do. And as Ionah tooke Tarſhiſh for Niniuie: ſo wee take the Deuill for an Angell, light for darkneſſe: pride for handſomneſſe: ſinne for godlineſſe: and euil for goodneſſe. No maruell it was that Ionah fled, leaſt hee ſhould go to Niniuie: for this is a ſtumbling vocation amōg men, yea hated and reiected by the children of this world, which alway Exod. 18. 4. Iere. 20. 7.kicke againſt it, and therefore it was that Moſes murmured, and Ieremie complained. If you would aske for a paineful vocation, this is it: if for a contemptible vocation, this is it: for reprouing, we are reproued: & it is as eaſie to waſh a Blackemoore, as to cōuert a ſinner, becauſe Sathan is euer croſſing men from doing the will of God: and as earneſt as the Lord was in ſtopping the way of Balaam, leaſt he ſhould commit wickedneſſe, ſo earneſtly did the deuill ſtop the way of Ionah, leſt he in obedience ſhould do the will of God.
But Ionah roſe vp to flie vntounto Tarſhiſh from the preſence of the Lord, and went downe to Iapho, and he found a ſhip going to Tarſhiſh. So he payed the fare thereof, and went downe into it, that he might go with them vntounto Tarſhiſh frō the preſence of the Lord.
We hauehave heard how buſie Sathā is to hinder the courſe of preaching, by perſwading Ionah (with ſuch reaſons as ſeemed ſtrong vntounto fleſh and blood) that he ſhould not go to preach at Niniuie. I hauehave long preached vntounto the Iewes, which are the choſen people of God, and ſeeing they will not heare me, it is in vaine to preach vntounto theſe Gentiles, which neuer heard of God or godlines, and therefore will eſteeme my words the leſſe. Thus Ionah is loath to looſe his labour, and puts in a doubt where he needs not, becauſe he conſidered not the great power of God in mens hearts. The Niniuites are heathen people, & therefore (ſaith Ionah) why ſhould I venture my ſelfe among them? for ſeeing mine owne countrimen kicke againſt my words, and cannot abide to heare the word, which commeth from the Lord to reproue ſinne, then how much more ſhall I be deſpiſed by theſe, and perſecuted to death. Thus fleſh and blood ſtandeth ſtaggering whē it ſhould do any good: but when it goeth about to do anie miſchiefe, it neuer thinketh nor conſidereth why or wherefore it ſhould ſin, when as it ſhould be ſorie for it before it be committed, euen as ſoone as it is thought vponupon. When God commands vsus to do anie thing that is holie and good, then we looke one vponupon another as though we cared not who did that, like Peter when he was commanded by our Sauiour to take vp his croſſe, he asketh, what ſhall Iohn do? Iohn. 21. 19. 20.as if he were vnwilling, & wold rather that Iohn ſhould do it then he.
If I go and preach vntounto theſe infidels, ſaying, yet fortie dayes, and Niniuie ſhall be deſtroyed, then (ſaith Ionah) it may be they will repent, and God will hauehave merciemercy vponupon them, ſo I ſhall be counted a falſe Prophet for my labour. And thus we regard our credit more then the glorie of God: and rather then we would receiue anie reproch by our doing (in the ſight of the world,) we rather chuſe to enter into no great action touching the glory of God & the good of the church. If I preach vntounto the Gentiles (ſaith Ionah) I ſhal bring ſhame vponupon Iſrael before all people, becauſe a Prophet is gone from them for their obſtinacie, chuſing rather to preach vntounto vncircumciſed Gentiles then vntounto thē, as if there were more hope of the Gentiles then of them. And further, if theſe Gentiles do repent at my preaching, & the Lord take pitie vponupon them, and receiue them to his fauour, ſo the Iewes ſhall be reiected. Thus Ionah loueth the ſonne better thē the father. And ſurely this was a ſore temptation, to bid a man (being in reaſonable good eſtate touching his bodie and life) that he ſhould go and preach vntounto a ſauage heathen people that neuer heard of preaching to tell thē that there is but one onelyonly & true God, who will ſerue a thouſand, and cannot abide the Deut. 6. 4.contrarie to be ſpoken.
If a preacher were commanded to go and preach at Rome gates, againſt Antichriſts iuriſdiction, and the idolatrie that is ſo ordinarily vſed in that ſinagogue of vncleanneſſe, ſeeing that is a matter, for which they torment and kill, all that preach it ſincerely: then I thinke that it would hardly come to paſſe at all, that this preacher would go from a reaſonable quiet eſtate touching his bodie, to venter his life among ſuch cruell tyrants, I thinke he would rather flie to Tarſhiſh frō the preſence of the Lord, if by anie poſſibilitie he might do it.
But Ionah roſe vp to flie vntounto Tarſhiſh from the preſence of the Lord, and he went downe to Iapho, where he found a ſhip, and he went downe into it, &c.
This is the way to Tarſhiſh, but nowe what need he to rehearſe all this? had it not bene enough to ſay, that he went to flie, and leaue his buſineſſe vndone? But all this is to ſhew the ſtubburnneſſe and diſobedience of Ionah, yet this thing was not done vponupon the ſudden, but he had time enough to conſider what he did, betwixt Samaria and Iapho: he might hauehave conſidered what he did before he went into the hauen, and when he came to the hauen, he ſhould not hauehave payed the fare; & when he had payd the fare, he ſhould not hauehave entred the ſhip; and when he came into the ſhip, he ſhould not hauehave hoyſed vp the ſayles to flie from God. But thus ſinne runnes on wheeles, as it were downe a hill, in all poſt haſt, and neuer ſtayes till it ariue euen in hell. Now Ionah thinketh, that becauſe he came ſafe to Iapho, therfore he may go to the hauen, therefore he may pay the fare, and becauſe he payed the fare in peace, therfore he may take ſhipping; and becauſe he entred the ſhip in ſafetie therfore he may hoyſe vp the ſailes to go; and becauſe he hoyſed vp the ſailes without danger, therefore he may go ſafely to Tarſhiſh.
So ſinnes follow one another like linkes of a chaine, till the tempeſt of deſtruction breake it in ſunder. Therefore one ſaide, I hauehave ſworne and God did not puniſh me, therefore I will ſteale: I hauehave ſtollen, and God did not puniſh me, therefore I will kil: I hauehave killed and God did not puniſh me, then why may not I do what I liſt? I may do this as wel as I hauehave done other things heretofore. Ionah confeſſeth his ſinne, that wee might confeſſe. Firſt, he confeſſeth that hee knew his maiſters will, and did it not: ſecōdly, he tooke another courſe quite cōtrary to that he was commanded; but happie were Ionah if he had gone before he was made to go. If that he had conſidered with himſelfe that God is the Lord, who is allſeeing and almightie, from whom nothing can be cō cealed, he would neuer hauehave taken his iourney to Iapho, or when he came to Iapho he would not hauehave paid the fare, or when he payed the fare, hee would not hauehave entred the ſhip, or when he was gone into the ſhip, he would not hauehave hoyſt the ſayles, but rather would hauehave leapt out of that ſhip that ſhould carrie him from his God, but he forgets himſelfe, thinking that the creatures can hide him from the creator, which is an Heb. 4. 13.abſurd thing to thinke, ſeeing nothing can be hid from him. And ſo Niniuie is ſtill like Niniuie, but Ionah is not like Ionah, then ſin is crying, and the Prophet is flying, and ſo all falles to confuſion. All thoſe that pitie Ionah, let them pittie themſelues, for if we conſider our owne eſtate, we hauehave as many and as foule ſinnes in vsus as there were in Ionah, yea or in Niniuie. But here marke the ſubtiltie of the deuill, he thought that if he could let Ionah from going to Niniuie by theſe former reaſons, thē the goodlieſt citie in all Samaria ſhould be deſtroyed, and ſo the verie angels in heauen ſhould mourne. Further, that if Ionah would repent & turne backe from going, (being commanded) then Ionah ſhould be counted a falſe Prophet in Iſrael, and ſo a Prophet ſhould be diſcredited. Further, he thought that if Ionah wold repent, he could put ſuch a Prophet out of Gods fauour, & make him be deſpiſed, he thought that then he ſhould get well by his labour. So we ſee that the deuill hath power to tempt vsus to ſinne, but not to force vsus to ſinne. Then lo a comfort, that our enemies power is in our fathers hād: therfore our Sauiour ſaith to Peter, fathā hath deſired to ſift Luke. 22. 31. 32.thee and winnow thee as wheate, but I hauehave prayed for thee that thy faith faile thee not. Who is this whoſe perill Sathan ſo earneſtly deſireth? euen Peters, yea Peter an Apoſtle. Was not fleſh a valiant captaine thinke you, that hath led a Prophet captiue, for who can gainſay him that commeth like an Angell? who can reſiſt him that ſeeth the whole world? will you reſiſt him, if I ſhew to you he is an hypocrite? for he ſaith, If you fall down and worſhip this world, you ſhal come to heauen: ſo he is euer alluring by deceits, ſtealing our hearts away with a vain hope of much pleaſure, becauſe he knoweth mans nature is bent to louelove ſuch things: ſo his baites are pleaſures, and his ſnares are ſinnes. Whatſoeuer we do, it commeth from one of theſe three ſpirits: the ſpirit of Sathan, the ſpirit of God, or our owne ſpirite. The ſpirit of God is gentle, louing, and meeke, not forcing nor threatning, therfore Mat. 10. 16 Luke. 14. 24.Chriſt ſayth, If you will follow me, then take vp this croſſe: and marke his ſpirite, he ſayth not you ſhall follow, but ſayth, if you will follow me. That order is obſerued in the Canticles, where he ſaith, Open vntounto me, Cant. 5. 2.my ſiſter, my ſpouſe, &c. And then if ſhe did not open vntounto him he went his way mildly, Cant. 5. 5.without any threats. The ſpirit of Sathan takes another courſe: for when by lying & deceit he cannot allure vsus to ſin, he threatens vsus with ſinne, griefe, or loſſe of goods, ſolitarineſſe or loſſe of pleaſure, and ſometime by his miniſters, lims of his owne likeneſſe working, he threatneth death and earthly torments, ſuch as they can inflict vponupon any. Chriſt ſaith, If you will follow me, take vp Mat. 1. 16.this croſſe, if you will: but he ſayth, I will make you follow me, and do as I bid you, or you ſhall ſmart for it, you ſhal hauehave fire and fagot, ſcalding lead and burning pitch, if you will not follow me, I will take all from you, and make you to do as we commaund, and ſo doth his eldeſt ſon Antichriſt, which v…urpeth an authoritie ouer nations, inflicting torments on the ſaints. Now our own ſpirit is euermore hard: if it be moued by the ſpirit of God, it is ſad, ſoft and ſlow, but if it be mooued by the ſpirit of Sathan, it is proude, boy ſterous and ſtout. All good motions that we feele in our ſelues are the motions of the ſpirit of God, although they ſeem vntounto vsus as proceeding from our ſelues, for the ſpirit of God worketh in, and mooueth our ſpirits. The ſpirit of man is always toſſed betweene theſe two ſpirits which are euer contrarie one to another. The ſpirit of man when it is alone, is alwayes occupied about worldly things: the ſpirit of God is alwayes occupied about our ſaluation. And the ſpirit of Sathan is euer occupied in procuring our condemnation &c.
But Ionah roſe vp to flie vntounto Tarſhiſh. &c.
Ionah flieth vntounto Tarſhiſh before he wold go to Niniuie: and eueryevery one is like the ſonne which ſaid he would not before he went: and ſo ſinne is borne firſt, as Eſau was Gen. 15. 25. 26.borne before Iacob. Therefore if euill may compare with goodneſſe, euill may ſay he is the ancienter. If thou feele any euill in thy ſelf, be thou wrath with it, laboring againſt it, ſo long by faſting & praier, till it be wearie of thy houſe, and vntill it ſay as the euill ſpirits ſaid, here is no dwelling for vsus, Let vsus go to yonder herd of ſwine: I am loath to Mat. 8. 31.hide my treaſure in the ground, but you can not heare all at once, and therefore here I end.