Six Sermons, Sermon 6
THE PVNISHMENT OF IONAH.
Ionah 1. 5. 6. 7.
5 But Ionah vvent dovvne into the ſides of the ship, and he lay dovvne and vvas faſt a ſleepe.
6 Then the ship-maiſter came vntounto him and ſaid, vvhat meaneſt thou ô ſleeper? ariſe and call vponupon thy God, if ſo be he vvill thinke vponupon vsus that vve perish not.
7 And they ſaid euerie man to his fellovv, come let vsus caſt lots, that vve may knovv for vvhoſe ſake this euill is come vponupon vsus: ſo they caſt lots, and the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
THey prayed vntounto their gods, & their gods were now deafe whiles they were toſſed, and Ionah is gone to ſleepe when he ſhould hauehave bene better occupied: we come hither to heare the word, and here we fall a ſleepe, but it were farre better we were away, for we ſleepe when we ſhould heare, and ſo we ſleepe in ſinne: therefore let them now giuegive eare that are a ſleepe, and thinke that the ſhipmaſter doth iogge vsus by the elbow as he did Ionah. Now we are come to Ionah his ſleeping; not that we ſhould ſleepe with him, but by his ſleeping to be warned of our ſecuritie, and we ſhall ſee him waked, that we may learne to wake with him. By Ionah his ſleeping we ſee the nature of all the ſonnes of Adam, whē they liſten to the ſerpēt they are like chāgelings. For when they forget God and his word, and bid conſcience adew, they ſleepe in ſinne, and ſleepe to death like one ſicke of the lethargie.
Ionah his name ſignifieth a doue, as I hauehave told you, and it may well be compared, for as the doue being gone out of the Arke could finde no reſt for the ſole of her foote till ſhe returned into the Arke againe: ſo when Ionah roſe vp frō the preſence of the Lord, he could finde no reſt for his minde, neither by ſea nor land, vntill he returned againe vntounto the Lord.
The cauſe of Ionah his going downe to ſleepe, was to eaſe his mind, for it was grieuouſly troubled. Therefore now, ô that Ionah could ſleepe till the tempeſt were paſt, but it will not be, for the tēpeſt is ſent purpoſely to waken him.
And he was faſt a ſleepe.
See how litle Ionah is aſhamed of his ſin… all the world ſmarted for it, and yet he ſleepes, as if he ſhould ſay, neither the winds blowing, nor the waters …oſſing, nor the ſhip reeling, nor the wares caſting, nor the mariners Ionah ſleeps whiles all elſe ſturres.crying, with all this ſturre, ſhould moue him, waken him from his ſleepe, or raiſe him from his ſinne. Now Ionah might ſay, I was a ſleepe, and all might hauehave periſhed for me, if one God had not helpt more then all the reſt, for Ionah ſleept, but God waked, and called to the windes and the waters ſaying, waſh him, but you ſhall not drowne him: feare him, but you ſhall not kill him: whippe him, and when you hauehave whipt him, ſend him to me, that I may ſend him to Niniuie. It ſeemeth that Ionah was faſt a ſleepe, when the windes ouer him blowing, and the water vnderunder him toſſing, the ſhip about him reeling, the mariners by him crying, the wares ouerboord in caſting, yet Ionah felt nothing, but ſleept as if there were no ſturring.
We go farre beyond Ionah in ſecuritie, for the Lord cauſeth the tempeſt to blow downe houſes, the heauens to thunder ouer vsus, the earth to quake vnderunder vsus, the water to ouerflow the land, fire to conſume vsus and all that we hauehave, froſt and ſnow ready to kil vsus with cold, and all things in an vprore round about vsus, thereby alwayes croſſing vsus one way or other, and ſo to put vsus in minde of our dutie, the neglect wherof is the cauſe of all theſe troubles which the Lord doth ſend vsus, but we ſleep with Ionah in our negligence, voyde of feeling, becauſe we conſider not, nor ſearch out as the mariners did, for whoſe ſake theſe tempeſtes or troubles are vponupon vsus, whereas eueryevery croſſe ſhould …urre vsus vp to amendement of life. Ionah repented of his diſobediēce, that we ſhould repent of ours: ſhould we follow his example, whē we ſee it to be ſo euill that he repē ted it? if we do, God will deale more roughly with vsus then he did with Ionah, for the Lord cauſed a whale to ſwallow him, and afterward to caſt him vp againe, but we ſhal be ſwallowed of that Serpēt which neuer reſtoreth againe. He ſhould hauehave bene their teacher if he were not a ſleepe, he ſhould hauehave taught them to pray aright if he had any good feeling in him. For all this while we read not that Ionah once condē ned his thoughts, not ſo much as once to ſay in him ſelf, Ionah take heed what thou doeſt, thou knoweſt how God may handle thee vponupon the waters; if thou flye, he can ouertake thee, or if thou hideſt thy ſelfe, he will finde thee out. How ſhould we be ſtrong if a Prophet, and ſuch a Prophet as was the figure of Chriſt could not withſtand this one temptation, but ſuffred him ſelfe to be led away ſo farre that when he ſhould run, he lay ſtill, and when he ſhould cry, he held his peace, and when he ſhould preach at Niniuie, he is going to loyter at Tarſhiſh? and ſo Niniuie is in her ſinne, yet Niniuie is in better caſe then Ionah.
In Ionah his ſleeping we note and obſerue In Ionah… ſleepe two things. I Moſt ſecure in greateſt daunger. Act. 12. 21. 22. Dan. 4. 27. 30. Dan. 5. 4. 5. Luk. 12. 19. 20. Iudg. 16. 25 30. Suddēly deſtroyed.two things. The firſt is, that when we thinke our ſelues moſt at reſt, then we are in greateſt daunger, when the ſhipwracke is at hand, then Ionah is a ſleepe, when Herode was vaunting, then he was ſtricken, when Nebuchadnezzar was in his greateſt pride, then he was turned out, when Balthaſar was banqueting, the hand wrote his cō demnation, when the rich man ſaid vntounto his ſoule, thou haſt inough, then his ſoule was taken frō him and his goods alſo, when the Philiſtines were ſporting, thē the roofe fell; and thus wrath ouertaketh ſinners whē they leaſt thinke of it, like a Leopard which is taken while he ſleepeth, or a byrd when ſhe ſingeth, therefore ſuſpect thy pleaſures like a baite.
The ſecond note is the nature of ſinne, 2 Sinne pleaſant whiles it is in doingwhich is here expreſſed (while it is a doing) to be not bitter, but ſweet, not painfull, but pleaſant, like a harlot which ſheweth nothing but her brauerie and bewtie. Adam ſwallowed the forbidden fruite with pleaſure, 2. King. 5. 27. 30. Gehezies briberie. Gene. 9. 21. Noahs wine. Da…ids adulterie. 2. Sam. 11. 4. Prou. 10. 24. 33.Gehezie lied for gold with delight, Noah dranke his wine with mirth, Dauid committed whoredome with gladneſſe, and ſo ſinners go merily, till wrath ouertakes them at vnwares like the foole, I will ſit a little longer, and fold my hands together a little, yet a little and a little lōger, ſo: I hauehave done it, and I was not eſpied, but at laſt it choppes him ouer the eares, & the tempeſt cōmeth & bloweth him quite away. Where art thou now Ionah? why didſt thou not remember the end? the Serpents ſting is in her taile.
Then the ſhip-maiſ…er came vntounto him and ſaid; what meaneſt thou ô ſleeper, ariſe and call vponupon thy God.
Here Ionah is taken napping: ſinne hath brought him a ſleepe, and now the ſhipmaſter wakens him. It may be the mariners may do him more good then the tempeſt, it is good to vſe all good meanes in extremitie. Whom ſinne ſhould waken perill cannot waken, the windes are not loude enough, not the waters rough enough, therefore the ſhip-maiſter muſt waken him, elſe all ſhall be endangered. If the winds wil not waken him, let the waues waken him if the waters will not waken him, let the mariners waken him; if he will not be wakened; let him periſh in his ſleepe, and die in his ſinne.
Now marke who is a ſleepe, and who wakens A Prophet wakened by a pagan.him, Ionah is a ſleepe, and the mariners waken him, an Iſraelite, an infidell: what a thing is this, that he which is the ſonne of Abraham, who is wiſer then a thouſand mariners, is now wakened and told his dutie by a mariner? this is a ſhame for Ionah, that he which ſhould teach the Niniuites, the mariners told him his dutie, he that ſhould So God of… ſhames his ſeruants.waken others, muſt be wakened by others, and he that ſhould reproue ſinners, is often reproued of ſinners. And thus the Lord ſomtimes ſhameth his ſeruants, and doth vexe them with a fooliſh nation, as he reproued Abraham by Abimelech, and Balaam by an Gen. 20. 9. Num. 22. 28.aſſe.
Now one might aske Ionah, ſaying, why didſt thou write that thou fledſt from God, or that when thou hadſt moſt neede to pray, thou didſt ſleepe? If thou hadſt not thus laid open thine owne ſhame, thou mighteſt hauehave bene reckened as one of the beſt Prophets, therefore why didſt thou ſo? Ionah did it to this end, that in him we may ſee the reward of diſobedience; for as Paule ſaith, whatſoeuer is written, is written for our inſtructiō, and Ionah would neuer hauehave written it, had it not bin for our ſakes. If he hath done thus much for vsus, which way ſhall we requite him? That which he would hauehave vsus do for him is this, to be warned by him, to ſuppreſſe all euill motions, not ſuffering them to take effect as he did.
What meaneſt thou ô ſleeper? ariſe.
Now the mariners, waken him, as if they ſhould ſay, why Ionah doſt thou not ſee how we are encloſed, doeſt thou not behold our wares caſt out? why doeſt thou not come & labour with vsus in this dangerous time? is this a time to ſleepe in, when we are all in perill of our liues? ſhall we crie, & thou be mute? ſhall we labour… and thou reſt? ſhal we fight and thou flie? this is no time to ſleepe, it is a time to pray vntounto thy god for his aſſiſtance, & to vſe the meanes that may ſaue our liues. Now Ionah did not ſnap like ſome curriſh dogges, and bite him that wakened him, but he ariſeth and confeſſeth his ſinne, being content to beare the puniſhment, and when Ionah remembred him ſelfe, the windes and the waters remembred them ſelues, and became quiet.
Manie of you come to heare the word, & Againſt ſleepers.here you fall a ſleepe when you hauehave moſt neede to be waking, but I am glad I hauehave now gotten a text to waken you, for now I can not reade my text, but I muſt ſay, what meaneſt thou ô ſleeper? ariſe: but I pray you, hauehave not I wakened you, and yet you ſleepe againe? If you marke what is ſaid vntounto you, you are a ſleepe though your eyes be open, and if you were as wiſe as Ionah, you would not ſleepe here in the ſight of all the people, but would rather get you to ſleepe in ſome corner, for Ionah went vnderunder the hatches to ſleepe, and would not ſleepe in the ſight of the mariners. If you were as wiſe as Ionah, you would thanke him that wakened you. Salomon ſaith, that he which reproueth, ſhall hauehave more fauor of a wiſe man, thē he which flattereth. The Lord Ieſus ſaith, wo be vntounto that ſeruant, that when his maſter commeth he ſhall find ſleeping, canſt thou not watch one houre, ſaith he to Peter cā you not wake while I ſpeake vntounto you? You all would be found in the Church when the Lord commeth, but you would not be found ſleeping in the Church, you are watched (I ſee you not below) and none of you can ſteale a nap & not be ſpied, but when your eyes be moſt ſhut and ſee leaſt, then moſt eyes be vponupon you, and I can as well ſtand in this pulpit vnſeene, as you can ſit and ſleepe there and not be eſpied. I maruell how you can ſleepe hauing ſo many eyes looking on you, ſo many clamors in your eares, and God him ſelfe ſpeaking vntounto you. Shall I continue iogging till you be wakened? how long ſhal I preach afore I can conuert the vſurer, the extortioner, the drunkard, or the blaſphemer, ſeeing I ſpeake thus long? for I can not conuert you from your ſleeping. What would you do if I read ſome Homilies vntounto you, whereas you cannot waken, while I preach vntounto you and ſpeake againſt you? If you ſhould ſee a traitour ſleepe vponupon the hurdle, or if you ſhould ſee men ſleepe with meate in their mouthes, would you not maruell? yet euen ſo do you while I denounce the great iudgemēts of God againſt you, and while I am feeding ſome of you, you fall a ſleepe, and ſo I preach in vayne. There is a countrey whereof it is ſaid, that it is night with them, when it is day with vsus, I thinke that countrey be here, for how manie are here that hauehave loſt their eyes and their eares ſince they came hither? If all of you were, as manie of you be (I meane a ſleepe) the ſtrangers which come hither to heare, would thinke that you were all dead, & that I preach your funerall ſermon, therfore for ſhame leaue your ſleeping. What meaneſt thou ô ſleeper? ariſe, ſleep no more, and I will waken you no more.
Ariſe and call vponupon thy God, if ſo be he will thinke vponupon vsus, that we periſh not.
After that the ſhip-maiſter had wakened Ionah, he bids him call vponupon his God, as if he had ſaid, watch and pray; he ſpeakes like a Saint, yet he is an infidell, he ſayd not, call vponupon our gods, but call vponupon thy God, the ſhip-maiſter would not call him his God, but (ſaith he) call vponupon thy God, and it may be he will helpe vsus: but if he had ſayd, call vponupon our God, when he ſayd call vponupon thy God, and if he had ſaid he will helpe vsus, whē he ſayd if ſo be he will helpe vsus, then he had ſhewed ſome ſparke of faith. Becauſe he wā ted helpe and comfort, he bids him riſe, and becauſe he was fearfull, he bids him pray: it may be (ſaith he) he wil thinke vponupon vsus, that we periſh not, as if he had ſaid, Ionah, we know that thou haſt a God as wel as we, and therefore we ſay call vponupon thy God, for now any god may ſerue, therefore now if euer thou didſt pray in thy life, fall to it now, for if any god do helpe, it is good inough. Thus Sathan leads men a blind way with zeale in hope of ſome reliefe being in trouble. They called vponupon them for helpe, which were neither able to heare nor aſſiſt them: and when they perceaued by wofull experience that there was no kinde of ſu… cour to be had that way, they flie to God, & then Sathan laboureth to vndermine that confidence and expectation of helpe, and to place in ſtead therof doubtfulneſſe and infidelitie. Thus Sathan wil be ſure to looſe nothing by his bargaine any way. That God that layeth the tēpeſt now ſhalbe our God, and we will worſhip him (ſaith the mariners) now therfore Ionah cal vponupon thy God, for we hauehave tryed all the reſt, and if he can not helpe vsus, we are all gone and loſt, for we hauehave called vponupon all our gods, we hauehave laboured hard to mend our ſtate, we hauehave caſt away our goods to lighten the ſhip, but all in vayne, for we are no whit the better, like the woman which had ſpent all Luke. 9.her ſubſtance about Phiſicke, yet all could not helpe her til Chriſt came: ſo the Papiſts while they are well, they pray vntounto eueryevery Saint, and Angell for ſuccour againſt the troubleſome times, but in extremitie or at the point of death none of them can helpe, ſo that then they are faine to flye vntounto God or be deſtitute, as like Idolaters as one fly is like another: they are like the heathē which worſhip Iuno, Venus, Neptune, Pallas, lupiter, and the reſt, ſome hold on the one, and ſome one the other. Some ſay if Iohn be with me, I care not for all the pettigods, becauſe I hold him chief: ſo another ſaith if S. Gabriell be with me, I care not for the reſt, and ſome raiſe great diſputations whether this Saint, or that Saint, this Angell, or that Angell be better, whether our Lady of Bullen, or our Lady of Rome be ſureſt; whether S. Iames of Callis, or S. Iames of Compoſtella be ſtrongeſt and ſo like beggers which run from doore to doore, they run from one Saint to another. If one god will not helpe another will, as though the gods were contrary one to another, and where one bids, the other forbids. So ſome thought that Venus was a friend to the Troians, and Pallas was not their friend, as fooles thinke of witches, one ſtrikes and another heales.
Call vponupon thy God.
They bid him call vponupon his God before Infidels de…ſire the ſa… full to pr… for them.they knew him, but the faithfull would not worſhip a falſe god though they may be helped. By him by the exāple of theſe mariners, we may learne the ſubſtāce of eueryevery temptation that doth vndermine vsus, and we ſhall ſee that it will bid vsus do this euill that this good may come of it: marke when ſoeuer Sinne alwayes promiſed good.thou art motioned to euill, if it do not promiſe thee ſome goodneſſe to come of it. But the ſeruaunts of God ought not to do that which is euill, though they may gayne all things that can be wiſhed by ſo doing: for they hauehave learned their leſſon, & how to anſwere Sathan at ſuch times: why tempteſt thou me Sathan? for it is written thou muſt Rom. 3. 8.not do euill that good may come of it, and this is the armor called Scriptum eſt wherewith the Lord ouercame the deuill in the wilderneſſe: here we may ſee the difference betweene the faithfull and infidels.
Call vponupon thy God.
The mariners bid Ionah pray to his God The truly faithful deſire not infidels to pray for them.in their behalfe, but Ionah ſaith not to the mariners pray to your gods in my behalfe. And this is alſo manifeſt that a Papiſt will ſay vntounto a zealous Proteſtant, and one that liues well, pray for me, but a Proteſtant, if he be any thing zealous, will not ſay vntounto a Papiſt pray thou for me, knowing that whē a Papiſt doth pray he doth it to Idols, Saints, or Angels, and therefore their prayers are abhominable in the ſight of God, and therfore they will not bid them do it, becauſe they will not do euill to the intēt that good may come of it, whereby it is manifeſt that Exod. 88. 28. &c. Pharao deſireth Moſes, Moſes not Pharaoh. 1. Sam. 15. 25.our Religiō is the true Religion our aduerſaries thē ſelues being iudges. And ſo Pharao ſaid to Moſes pray for me, but Moſes ſaid not to Pharao pray thou for me. Saul ſaid to Samuell pray for me: but Samuel ſaid not to Saul pray thou for me; therefore the mariners had need of Ionah to pray for thē, & why ſhould not all pray to Ionahs God, and Pharao pray to Moſes God, ſeeing God hath ſaid call vponupon me in trouble and I will Pſal. 50. 13heare thee? Call vpō thy God (ſay they). Whē they ſaw all the other gods wold not helpe, they ranne to another whom they knew not, yet hoping for to be helped by him, becauſe they thought ſome God there was that could do it: ſo the Papiſts run frō one god to another, from S. Dominicke to S. Frācis, & why ſhould they run frō S. Dominicke to S. Francis, but that they miſtruſted S. Dominicke? and ſo they go forward, but in the end the vnknowen God is thought to be the beſt: yet the Lord taught not Peter one prayer and Iohn another, but taught thē all one prayer vntounto one onelyonly God.
If per aduenture he will thinke vponupon vsus that we periſh not.
This if, perhaps, and peraduenture coſt Adam Paradiſe, thriſe three wordes were changed: the firſt, God ſaid to Adam, if thou doeſt eate of this tree, thou ſhalt ſurely dye, then Euah reported theſe wordes thus: leſt peraduenture we dye, the Serpent ſeeing her in ſuch a minde, ſo careleſſe or forgetfull of the commaundement, he came and quite changed the matter and ſaid, you ſhall not dye; thus ſinne creeps vponupon vsus while doubtfulneſſe remaineth in vsus: ſo God ſaith you ſhal be ſaued, the trēbling fleſh ſaith peraduenture I ſhall, &c. then cōmeth Sathā, & he ſaith thou ſhalt dye. So that if you wil aske Sinners faith.what is the faith of ſinners, or if you would hauehave it defined it is this: peraduenture yea peraduēture no, if you wil aske me, whereupon this faith is grounded, it is vponupon ifs, & ands: this is the faith of the vngodly, to ſay, if ſo be God will helpe vsus, for they cānot aſſure themſelues of any helpe. But we may not doubt of our God and ſay, it may be, or if peraduenture: for we may freely pray to our God with confidence, and may ſay, our God and the God of Ionah wil ſurely helpe vsus, and hath helped vsus, but yet let vsus know that we hauehave ſinned like infidels, and do deſerue to be puniſhed like the Egyptians.
If ſo be he will &c.
This if commeth in, like a little leauen which ſowreth the whole lumpe of dow, and like the moth, which eateth the whole wedding garment, and this ſame litle thiefe hath ſtolen away all the Papiſtes faith. Wickedneſſe lyeth ſicke in bed, and calleth to eueryevery one that commeth by, call vponupon thy god & pray for me, if ſo be he will looke vponupon vsus and helpe vsus, and ſo the beſt hope when the tempeſt commeth is preſent death.
If ſo be he will thinke vponupon vsus.
Our God thought vponupon vsus in the time of trouble, he thought vponupon vsus and layd the tempeſt when our enemies called vpō their gods, Saints, and Angels, but what do we meane beloued, whē mercy is come, to ſend for iudgement? for though we be ſaued with Iſraell, we hauehave deſerued to be plagued with Pharao, becauſe we are not thākfull for this, namely that the Lord hath thought vponupon vsus in our diſtreſſe, for he trauelleth with merciemercy, and laboureth till he be deliuered, he goeth loden like a bee but wants a hiue.
There are two hands, a hand to giuegive, and a hand to receiue: Gods hand to giuegive, and mans hand to receiue, the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand, a hand lodē with liberalitie, full of gracious gifts, therefore let vsus ſtretch foorth the good hand to A good hand.receiue it, (thankfully to embrace it, cheerfully to entertaine it, and carefully to keepe it) let vsus receiue it by the hand of faith, the hand of louelove, and the hand, of prayer, for who ſo commeth with this hand ſhall be filled, and who ſo commeth without it, ſhall go emptie away, becauſe they hauehave deſpiſed the wayes of God: for when I inſtructed thē Pro…. 1. 24. 25.they would not heare, & what I taught them they would not learne ſaith the Lord.
And they ſayd euerie man to his fellow, come let vsus caſt lots, that we may knowe for whoſe ſake this euill is vponupon vsus. So they caſt lots, and the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
Now we are come to caſting of lots, that we may know who troubles the ſhip: for the ſhip is toſſed and readie to ſinke, but no man will confeſſe who is the cauſe thereof, therfore they hauehave concluded among them ſelues ſaying, come let vsus caſt lots that we may find him out.
Danger made them feare, and feare made them gather together their wits, and droue them into an earneſt examination of the cauſe thereof, and perſwaded them to vſe ſuch meanes to auoyd theſe dangers, as were beſt knowen vntounto them, whereupon they prayed vntounto their gods, & ſeeing they could not mend them, then they fall to caſting of lots, thereby to find out him that was the cauſe of all this ſturre, for they thought aſſuredly this tempeſt was ſent from ſome angrie god, to moleſt them all for the ſinne of ſome notorious wretch that was gotten in amongſt them, whom now they labour to find out by caſting of the lots. They did not vſe to caſt lots, this was no cuſtome amōgſt the mariners, but the tempeſt was ſo ſtrange that verie infidels might perceiue therin the mightie power of God. Theſe were like worldlings, which neuer confeſſe God, but when he commeth in a tempeſt, they will not ſee his merciemercy vntill his iuſtice appeare, like Pharaos ſorcerers, which confeſſed not Exod. 8. 1….Gods maieſtie while they liued at eaſe, but when the Lord plagued them, then they cried out, this is the finger of God.
Let vsus ca…t lots.
The lot fell vponupon Ionah in the end, not becauſe he was the greateſt ſinner of thē all, Luke. 13. 1. 2. &c.for ſo is the opinion of the common people, to cenſure them worſt whom they ſee moſt afflicted. If anie one be ſeene to beare his croſſe, then manie will ſay, this is a wicked man, and ſo thinke well of them ſelues, ſuppoſing that God is bent againſt them to duplicate page duplicate page plague them. For he correcteth them as he did his Sonne, but if iudgement begin at the houſe of God, what ſhall become of the vngodly?…. Pet. 4. 17. 18.
Then they ſaid euerie man to his fellow, come let vsus caſt lots, that we may know &c.
Euerie man excuſeth him ſelfe, though they be ſinners, yet they are not great ſinners. They thought that there was but one ſinner among them, for eueryevery one of them ſaid it is not I: they were not of Dauids ſpirite, who when he ſaw the people plagued, 2. Sam. 24. 10.ſaid, Lord it is I.
They had paſt many tempeſtes before, but they neuer caſt lots, for their caſting of lots doth note ſome ſpeciall danger, ſuppoſing this tempeſt to be ſent from ſome angrie god, and that for ſome one mans ſinne amongſt them, therefore they determined to ſeeke him out by lots: and hauing found him, to ſacrifice him vntounto the god that, was ſo offended by him. But if they knewe the angry gods, they ſhould hauehave taken their ſinnes by the throte, and ſacrificed them vntounto them. In that they caſt lots, it ſheweth that their heads were full of doubts in this time of extremitie, for the wind ſayd, I will ouerturne thē, the waters ſayd, I wil drowne them, the ſhip ſaid, I cannot hold them, the mariners ſaid, we cannot help Ionah nor our ſelues, for God was gone from them, and Ionah his conſcience accuſed him, within ſin was bleeding, and God knocked at the dore of his heart, ſaying, it is for thee the tempeſt is come thou fugitiue. It doth not appeare that Ionah doth free him ſelfe, in that he ſaid nothing but hid him, went to ſleepe, and tried it by the lots, for he thought, it may be the lot will fall vponupon me, like a thiefe which (notwithſtanding) in his owne heart he knowes himſelfe guilty of that wherwithall he is charged, yet will not confeſſe vntil the matter be throughly ſifted out and proued to his face, in ſuch ſort that he cannot for ſhame denie it. For euerie man would extenuate Euerie ma… ſhifts off ſin vponupon others.his ſinne and diminiſh it, and euerie one thinketh his ſinne ſalued, when he excuſeth him ſelfe. Let Adam be his owne iudge, and he will ſay the woman tempted Gen. 3. 12. 13.him to ſinne, and let the woman be her own iudge, and ſhe will ſay, yonder ſerpent perſwaded her to it, let euerie one be their own iudge, and there will be ſuch poſting off of ſinne, that neuer a one will be found guiltie. Therefore if God had not ſifted out this ſin the better, Ionah would not hauehave confeſſed. Chriſt ſaith, he that breaketh the leaſt commandement, Mat. 5. 19.and teacheth others ſo, ſhal be leaſt in the kingdome of heauen, but none are accounted ſinners, vnleſſe they be opēly detected of ſome notable and hainous crime. If they be dicers, ſwearers, drunkards, brawlers, pickers, flatterers, prophaners of the ſaboth, ſleepers at Church, and ſuch like, theſe are counted no ſinnes, but rather recreatiōs, for they count them no ſinners, vnleſſe they be traitors, theeues, open and groſſe idolaters, and ſuch like capitall crimes, no nor theſe neither, were it not for feare of the law, for none but Publicanes were counted ſinners, all the reſt were good fellowes & iuſt men. There is none that will be ſo impudēt as to ſay that he hath no ſinne at all, or as the Pope, to ſay that he can not erre, for he that aduaunceth him ſelfe ſhall be as the leaſt in the kingdome of heauen, or as we call it, a Luk. 14. 11.ſquire of low degree. The Papiſtes ſay, that thoughts, words, & ſuch like are but venial ſinnes, for there be veniall ſinnes and mortal ſinnes. Did you euer reade of theſe veniall ſinnes in the Scripture? but you thinke they hauehave nothing but the Scripture: yes, they hauehave decrees, they hauehave decretals, they hauehave viſiōs, & they hauehave a Pope that cannot erre: and thus they leſſen the price of ſinnes, and they can buy ſinnes, ſometimes for money, ſometimes for Maſſes, and ſometimes for other rewards, & by holy water many ſinnes are waſhed away, becauſe they are veniall: but if the deuill turne good vntounto euill, God turneth euill vntounto good.
The Gentiles had a cuſtome, that in the time of common plague, they ſacrificed one for the reſt, this cuſtome they tooke by imitation of the Iewes in offering beaſts, and of Abraham in offering his ſonne. And thus the deuill tooke aduantage to do euil by the ſeruice of God, in mouing the Gentiles to worke abhomination, by offering men in imitation of the Iewes ſacrifices.
Then they ſayd, come let vsus caſt lots.
The mariners were not ſo wiſe to preuent the tempeſt before it came, as they were to lay the tempeſt when it might not be layed. Now whether it be lawfull to caſt lots, it is not euident by this example, becauſe they were Gentiles, and therfore no preſident for vsus, but ſo farre may we vſe them as the word doth leade vsus. There are two goats brought Leuit. 16.to Aarō that he might caſt lots, to ſee which goat ſhould be killed, & which ſhould not, theſe goats ſignifie Chriſt, for as he died, he liued againe, and as he was buried, he roſe againe. Againe the land of Canaan is parted Num. 33.by lots, to ſee what part each tribe ſhould inhabit. Againe, that theefe Achan is found Ioſua 7.out by lots, firſt by his tribe, then by his familie, and laſtly by his particular perſon.
Againe, it is ſayd that Saule was choſen 1. Sam. 1.king by lots, and leſt anie ſhould hauehave ſaid, that it was his good lucke, his good lot, or chaunce to be king, therefore the Lord appointed that he ſhould be annointed before we was choſen by lots.
Againe Mathias is choſen by lots to the Actes. 2.Apoſtleſhip in ſtead of Iudas, ſo that it is lawful in ſome caſes to caſt lots, and it is not vtterly vnlawfull, ſo that they do attribute nothing vntounto them, for the lot is caſt in the lap, but the diſpoſition thereof is from the Pro. 16. 33.Lord: therefore they muſt not ſay that it is their chaunce, fortune, or good lucke, for ſo they make an Idole of it, and robbe God of the honour due vntounto him.
It was not Saules fortune to be king, but Gods mercy; it was not Ionahs chance to be caſt out, but Gods iudgement; lots may be vſed to preuent ſtrife, whē all other meanes hauehave bene vſed, as ſometimes brethren do deuide their inheritance by lots, as the children of Iſraell diuided the land of Chanaan. In the Church of Geneua there is an order that in the time of plague, there ſhould be an houſe ſet a part for the ſicke to lodge in and leſt they ſhould be vncomforted they chuſe out a Miniſter by lots to do it.
Then they ſaid come let vsus caſt lots.
Now we are come to put vp our ſuits to the Court of Lawyers, to ſee if they will do any thing for God, for cōſcience, or for louelove, that they would end their ſuits quickly, and let the poore clients hauehave equitie. Some ſay that Lawyers be good vntill they be counſellers, like Lyons which wilbe gentle vntill their tallants grow: be not offended but amend for malice ſpeakes not.
I am perſwaded that if the lots were caſt to ſee who troubles the ſhip it would fall vponupon the Lawyers, be not offended but amēd for malice ſpeakes not. A poore client commeth foorth accuſing one, and going home accuſeth an hundred, for ſo many ſeekes to gaine by him, ſo few ſeekes to further him, and ſo many ſeekes to hinder him, that all his gaine is but labour and loſſe. For a ſmall matter many will come to law, to ſtriue for that which with reaſon might eaſily be attained without ſuch contention, and others ſeeke to enrich themſelues with contending for a ſmal matter at the law with their neighbours, yet in the end looſe that they ſought, and that they had beſide: and ſo they contend and ſtriue about a thing commonly til the Lawyer hath gained more by them then the thing which is in controuerſie is worth. Theſe are like the mouſe and the frogge, which ſtroue ſo long about marſh grounde till the kite came & tooke it from thē both. Others will come vp to law about a ſmall matter, & therein ſo intangle thēſelues, that they cannot rid their hāds of it, vntil it hauehave almoſt vndone them, like a ſeely ſheepe that is hunted of a flie which runneth frō buſh to buſh, & eueryevery buſh catcheth a locke of him, ſo that the poore ſheepe is thredbare ere he hath done and hath not a fleece left him to couer himſelfe withall. So he runs frō Court to Court to ſue, to plead, till he hauehave ſpēt his cloake for his coate, were it not better to hauehave caſt lots for the coate at firſt? for the law is like a butlers boxe, play ſtill on till it come to the candleſticke. Therefore it is lawfull for to end a controuerſie in a hard matter, to vſe this meane whē other meanes hauehave …in tried. Now whether it be lawfull to caſt dice (if lots may not be vſed as I hauehave proued but in hard matters & weighty cauſes) when the thing is doubtful, and all good meanes are tried before to auoide ſtrife: that queſtion is decided which none but voluptuous Arguments againſt … cing.men make queſtion off… namely, whether dice-play be a meet exerciſe for a Chriſtian ſoule. Salomon ſaith the lot cauſeth cō tētiō Pro. 18.to ceaſe, therfore lots are to end ſtriffe: but theſe lots make ſtriffe, for before thou takeſt the, dice thou knoweſt thine own, and no man ſtriueth to take it frō thee, but whē thou caſteſt the dice, thou doeſt (as it were) aske whether thine owne be thine own, and ſo makeſt a ſtrife of no ſtrife. Art thou not worthy to loſe the gifts of God, which ventereſt to loſe them when thou needeſt not? doeſt thou not deſerue to forfeit thine own, which art ſo greedy of anothers, that thou wouldeſt hauehave his liuing for nothing but for turning of a dye? Eſau did not ſell his birthright ſo lightly but he had ſomewhat for it which refreſhed his hunger, but God hath giuen thee a liuing and thou ſpendeſt it vainly. But the mariners did caſt lots to find out the ſinner, they did not caſt dice to ſee who ſhould win, as dicers do, for to whom the lot falls, he takes all which deſerues to looſe all as well as the others, and hath no right vntounto it by any law, for God hath not alowed one man to take an others goods for the tripping of a dye, but either they muſt be merited, or they muſt be giuen, or they muſt be bought, or elſe it is vnlawfully, vngodly, vncōſcionablely to take them. Beſides the brawles, couſinages, the othes annexed to this game, which would not agree with it vnles it had bene a meete cōpaniō for them, thou takeſt another mās goods for nothing, whereas God hath appointed thee to get thy liuing with the ſweat of thy brows, Gene. 3. 19.for thou takeſt away that which others hauehave ſweat for, & whereas thou ſhouldeſt liue by working, thou ſeekeſt to liue by playing, like the ape which liues by …oying. Doth any dicer thinke he doth well, tell me what thinkeſt thou? for eueryevery ſinner doth cōdēne in his prayer to God that which he excuſeth before men: if they which are gamſters repent it, how can they which are gamſters defend it? Thou ſhouldeſt do nothing but that thou wouldeſt hauehave God find thee doing if he ſhould come to iudgemēt, wouldeſt thou hauehave him take thee at dice? I am ſure thou wouldſt not hauehave God ſee thee ſo vainly occupied: neither canſt thou thinke that Chriſt or his Prophets or Apoſtles, or his Euāgeliſts were dicers for no ſuch lots are named in the holy Scriptures, & yet the Lords day is moſt prophaned with his exerciſe, & cardes and dice tables, as though they kept all their vanities to celebrate holy dayes. What haſt thou to alledge for dice, now …uidence is giuen vp againſt thē? haſt thou any patron to ſpeake for thē, but thy vaine pleaſure & filthy couetouſnes which are condē …ed already, and therefore hauehave no voyce by law? take away theſe & take away dice. The patron cōdemnes the clients whē one voyce cōdemnes another: if the exerciſe were lawfull, ſuch patrons as pleaſure, & couetouſnes would not ſpeake for it. Take thy pleaſure therfore in that which is good, & the angels wil reioyce with thee: if this were good, God would proſper thē better that vſe it: but neither winners nor looſers are gainers. I know not how but there is not ſo much wonne as loſt, as though the deuil did part ſtakes with them, & draw away with a blacke hand whē no mā ſeeth, for the winner ſaith he hath not wonne halfe ſo much as the looſer hath loſt. One would thinke that ſome of thē ſhould flow, when ſo many eb: there is neuer an eb without a flowing, neuer one looſeth but another winneth but at dice. What a curſed thing is this that turnes no mā to good, which robbes others & beggers thē ſelues? the ſchoole of deceit, the ſhop of oths, & the field of vanities. Thou doſt not only hazard thy money (in this game) but vētreſt thy ſaluatiō, & caſteſt dice with the deuil, who ſhal hauehave thy ſoule. For eueryevery thing that cōmeth to a mā he giueth thākes, but that which cō meth by dice, he is aſhamed to giuegive thankes: which ſheweth that in conſcience that gaine is euill gotten, and that he ſought it without God. Can this be good when w…ſt men vſe it moſt, if it were good the euill would like worſe of it then the good, but the more a mā ſauoreth of any goodnes, the more he begins to abhorre it, and his conſcience doth accuſe him for it as for ſinne. They which doubt whether God do allow it, neede but looke how he doth proſper them that vſe it, but they truſt not in God (as the termes of their occupatiō deſcries) for they cal all their caſts chances, as though they relied not vpō God but vponupon chaunce. Therefore if dice make ſtrife without cauſe, if they take away others goods for nothing, if we may not liue by playing but by labour, if they which hauehave bene dicers repent it amongſt their ſinnes, if the holy men neuer vſed this recreation, but the worſt moſt delight in it, if thou would not hauehave God ſee thee when thou playeſt at dice, nor take thee at it when he comes to iudgement, if nothing but pleaſure & couetouſnes ſpeake for them, if they do not proſper which take pleaſure in it, if they truſt not vponupon God but relie vponupon chance if thou doeſt not onelyonly venture thy money but hazard thy ſoule, then the beſt caſt at dice is to caſt them quite away.
FINIS.