Six Sermons, Sermon 5
THE SECOND SERMON OF THE REBELLION OF IONAH.
Ionah. 1. 3. 4. 5.
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.
4 But the Lord ſent out a great vvind into the ſea, and there vvas a mightie tempeſt in the ſea, ſo that the ship vvas like to be broken.
5 Then the mariners vvere afraid, and cried euerie man vntounto his God, and caſt the vvares out that vvere in the ship to lighten it thereof: but Ionah vvas gone dovvne into the ſide of the ship, and he lay dovvne and vvas faſt aſleepe.
But Ionah roſe vp to flie vntounto Tarſhiſh from the preſence, &c.
THe laſt time you heard how the righteous fall, and now no leſſe then a Prophet, yea ſuch a Prophet as was the figure of Chriſt. But who would hauehave thought that ſuch a Prophet ſhould flie from the Lord, yea and that when he ſhould do him moſt ſeruice, who counteth that wickedneſſe now, that he neuer thought off while he was among the wicked? A feareful example, therefore let him that thinkes he ſtandeth, take heede leſt he fall, for the way is ſlipperie wherein we are to walke. When thou remembreſt the fall of the Prophet, then conſider that thou art much weaker then a Prophet, and therefore the eaſier to be encountered and ouerthrowne, wherefore thou art likelie to hauehave a more grieuous fall, except the Lord do mightily vphold thee, ſeeing ſuch a one cannot ſtand in the ſight of his ſo mortall enemie by his owne ſtrength.
Secondly, if thou ſee Ionah flie, Moſes murmure, Ieremie complaining, Eſay repining, Dauid fall to adulterie, Salomon to idolatrie, and Peter to forſwear, his maſter, then maiſt thou learne not to truſt vntounto thine owne ſtrength, for it is weakneſſe, nor to thine owne fleſh, for it is ſinfull, but ſeeke helpe and craue ſtrength at the hands of almightie God, which giueth to euerie one that aſketh Iames 5. 5.indifferently, and hitteh no man in the teeth, which doth not bruſe the broken Mat. 12. 20.reed, nor quench the ſmoking flax, but doth rather increaſe our zeale then diminiſh it.
Thirdly, iudge wiſely of the fall of Ionah, not raſhly condemning him for his fault, for although Dauid ioyned murther with adulterie, yet he repented, and is the deare child of God.
But Ionah roſe vp to flie vntounto Tarſhiſh.
Ionah being ſent to Niniuie, he flies to Tarſhiſh, yet he went to Niniuie at laſt, not of free will, as meaning onelyonly to performe his dutie, but being terrified by the whale, and all the other creatures of God which were bent againſt him for his diſobedience. So we ſerue God and do his will, when terrors do compell vsus by thundering into our eares, & glauncing before our eyes, & melting our harts for feare. And this is my opiniō, that they which come hither to Church onelyonly on the Sabboth, come not of conſcience, but for feare of the law, yet let them know, that in ſo doing they flie from their comfort, yea they flie from God. Now Ionah went to the hauen, and there he found a ſhip not going to Niniuie but to Tarſhiſh. As ſoone he ſet forward to flye from God, Sathā ſtraight wayes prepared a ſhip, ſo that temptation and occaſion of ſinne do always go together. Shal Iudas lack money, or Ionah ſtay for a ſhip? no (ſaith Sathan) by the mouth of his miniſters, here Iudas take thee money and betray thy maſter, and Ionah here is a ſhip for thee, go haſt thee away, and flye from the preſence of the Lord. Therefore if any will aske what the deuils occupation is, it is to prouide ſnares and gins whereinto to entice, and therein to catch thee and me.
And he payed the fare thereof.
This money was caſt into the ſea, for it did him much harme, yet it did him ſmall good. There are many which will ſpend & waſt they care not how much vponupon cards & dice, an vnlawfull game: this money alſo is caſt into the ſea, for it doth thē much more harme then they know of, but it doth thē no good. And ſo men care not what they pay for vanities and braueries, the moſt part of which is vnprofitable, & rather hurtfull thē neceſſary for thē, but onelyonly for the vaine vſe of the preſent time, and for ſome vayne reſpect: this alſo is caſt into the ſea, and thus men care not what they pay for vanities, ſo it do pleaſe their minde for the preſent, without conſideration of the end and purpoſe thereof, but they will giuegive litle or nothing to do good withall: ſo that Lazarus Luk. 16. 21. 1. Sam. 25. 10. 11.cā get nothing, and Dauid can get no meat. Shall I take my bread and my wine and the fleſh which I hauehave prouided for my ſhearers, & giuegive them vntounto thee, whom I know not, ſaith churliſh Naball? We can be content to giuegive any thing or do any thing to winne the world thereby, but we will giuegive nothing, nor do nothing, thereby to winne the kingdome of God.
But the Lord ſent out a great wind into the ſea, and there was a mighty tempeſt, ſo that the ſhip was like to be broken.
The ſinne is paſt, but the puniſhment is to come: ſo after ſinne followeth reuenge, the heauieſt companion of wickedneſſe, although ſhe louelove not ſinne, yet ſhe wilbe alwayes where wickedneſſe is, full of ſtrēgth like a Lyon which will not be tamed. For ſeeing obedience to the commaundement was wanting, therefore the tempeſt would beare rule, for vnleſſe it be an imperious croſſe, we wil not yeeld, ſo head ſtrong ſinne is: therefore it is ſaid that God ſent a mightie tempeſt that ſinne might hauehave the foyle, and the tempeſt the victorie: he that ſailes to Tarſhiſh whither he is forbidden to go, would hauehave as good wind as he that ſailes to Niniuie, or whither he is commaunded, but he that doth one thing for another, ſhall receaue one thing for another, like Achab 1. King. 22. 15. 35.which ceaſed not til Michaiah had ſaid like the other Prophets go vp and proſper, but he went vp and periſhed. Ionah thought to ariue at Tarſhiſh as ſurelie as the Spaniards thought to ariue in England, whoſe deſtruction their fellowes at home do wonder at, how their inuincible power could be deſtroyd. But God is ſtrōg inough for thē that kicke againſt him, & diſdaineth to be croſſed of duſt and aſhes. Now Sathan thou haſt brought him into the ſhip, and perſwaded him to flye from his defence for his ſafetie, and made him beleeue that he ſhould come ſafe to Tarſhiſh, that is, to liue at eaſe & libertie, enioying all temporall benefites at his pleaſure, & now thou haſt left him, whē he is in greateſt daunger, and rather ſeekeſt to drowne him then to ſaue him. O moſt wretched and deceiptfull lyer, he that truſteth his enemie, and he that beleeueth thee, ſhall euer be deceaued, for now might Ionah ſay, beware by me, for thus hath the tempter deceaued me, he hath allured me with flattering fantaſies, and perſwaded me that it was but an eaſie thing to flie from the preſence of the Lord, that ſeeth alwayes all Pro. 15. 11. Iere. 23. 24.things, and from whom no man, no nor ſecret lurking in any mans heart can be hid, but all are alwayes in his preſence. He made me beleeue that light could be brought out of darkneſſe, that good may come of euill, for he aſſured me, that if I would ſet forth toward Tarſhiſh, I ſhould not onelyonly ſhun the preſence of the Lord, but ſhould liue at eaſe like one vnknowne, both for my vocatiō and alſo for my behauiour in the execution therof, and ſo I might creepe into a familiaritie with theſe people, and enioye the benefit of their ſocietie. Otherwiſe if I went to Niniuie as the Lord commaunded, they would hate and perſecute me, yea and ſo I ſhould end my life in miſerie, both becauſe they being Gentiles and I a Iew, they can not abide me, for the one holdeth the other in cōtempt: and alſo becauſe of my meſſage, namely a Prophecie of deſtruction, grounded vponupon a reproofe of their vile and ſinnefull pleaſures. Which meſſage, Sathan perſwaded me that it would be ſo hainouſly taken, that no death nor torment that they could deuiſe for me would be thought ſufficient, & ſo I ſhould be ſure neuer to eſcape their hands aliue if I wēt, as though the eternall and moſt glorious God which ſent me thither, were not able to defend me from all euill when I come thether, as well as he did Damell in the den of Lyons, and Iohn in the Iſle of Pathmos among the ſauage beaſtes. And when Sathā had thus perſwaded me, I beleeued him, & ſo tooke my iourney to fly frō the preſence of the Lord (if I could hauehave performed my intētion.) But the Lord who ſeeing the ſtubburneſſe and diſobedience of my heart, followed me with great diſpleaſure, ſending ſuch a tēpeſt vpō the ſea wheron I was, that it had like to ouerwhelmed vsus all, and ſo neare as I was to the water, ſo neare I was to death by all likelihood.
Thus Sathan perſwadeth vsus as he did Ionah, he ſaith to vsus as he ſaid to Chriſt, if you will fall downe and worſhip me, I will giuegive Luke. 4. 7.you all things you would hauehave: if you will leaue the ſocietie, the exerciſes, the profeſſiō, and the companie of the children of God, and of the ſeruice of God, and ſerue me, and worſhip me, in preferring your couetouſneſſe, your pride, your enuie, your luſt, before the ſeruice of God, then you ſhall grow rich, and you ſhall not be ſo ſcrupulous to ſweare for your gaine ſometime, or to lye for your pleaſure, and to coſin for riches, and you ſhall hauehave good lucke, and ſhall hauehave eueryevery thing at your hearts deſire. But if we do his will, we ſhall ſpeede as Ionah did, we ſhall hauehave the wrath and vengeance of God vpō our heads: for he hath nothing to giuegive vsus, although he makes vsus beleeue we ſhall hauehave great kingdomes. Yes we ſhall hauehave hell for our reward, which wil make al their hearts to ake which receaue it, other reward he hath none. So the deuill is alwayes a very ſeruiceable and pleaſant deuill to ſuch as fly from God: he can finde occaſiōs at all times, and meanes and inſtrumēts fit for that purpoſe. If thou wilt fly from God, the deuill will lend you both ſpurres, and a horſe, (yea a poſt horſe) that will carrie you ſwiftlie & luſtilie away vntounto all vanitie and vngodlie luſts. But ſee what Ionah got by his iourney, notwithſtanding all the furtherances that Sathan could worke for him, he loſt his money, loſt his ioy, loſt his credit, and almoſt loſt his life too. Thus we ſee in Ionah what it profiteth a man to flye frō God, in obeying and practiſing the euill motions and tēptations of Sathan in ſteed of the knowen will of God, for the very dumbe creatures were bent againſt him for his diſobedience: the wind blowes as though it would ouer turne all, the waters roare as though they will drowne all, the ſhip reeles and tumbles as though ſhe were wearie of all, & the mariners crie and caſt out their wares apace, as though they would looſe all: And yet the wind could not ouerthrow him, nor the waters drowne him, nor the whale eat him; and thus Ionah fled from God but not God from Ionah.
But the Lord ſent out a great wind into the ſea, and there was a great tempeſt, ſo that the ſhip was like to be broken.
Firſt God ſpake gentlie to him, Ariſe Ionah, go to Niniuie: then he would not go, but ſeeing wordes would not ſerue, the Lord would take another way, and try whether that could make him obedient to his voice. So the Lord cauſed a mightie tempeſt to ariſe in the ſea, which ſet them all in a maze, and made them examine both whence the tēpeſt came, & alſo wherefore, or for whoſe ſake it troubled them ſo ſore, that Ionah might ſee (at the leaſt) if he would ſee it, that the vegeāce of God doth alwayes accōpany the ſtubburne and diſobedient whither ſoeuer they go: and for the accōpliſhment therof, that all the creatures of God are bent againſt them, to moleſt trouble, and croſſe them in their euill wayes.
God ſent a great wind.
He that made the windes, commaunded Pſal. 141. 18 Iſa. 13.them, and they obey his voyce: the wind & the waters obey him, but man will not obey him. He ſaith not, that a wind aroſe, but ſaith, The Lord ſent a great wind; then it was not by chance, nor yet by witchcraft, for the mariners (notwithſtanding they were infidels) were not ſo groſſe as to aſcribe it vntounto anie ſuch cauſe, but rather thought it to be ſent from ſome reuenging power, being prouoked to indignation by ſome particular perſon among them, that had committed ſome hainous fact: elſe why did they caſt lots, to know him and find him out that had ſinned, and whoſe ſinne did procure the tempeſt to be ſent? Though this tempeſt had almoſt drowned Ionah, yet he ſaith, the Lord ſent it: ſo the Lord ſendeth wind to bring ſhips to land in ſafetie, and the ſame Lord ſendeth tempeſts to drown, & breake, and ſincke other ſhips. Therefore Iob ſayd when he was bereft of all his ſubſtance at once, and left as poore as might be, that the Lord had taken them from him (which alſo gaue all to him,) adding alſo a thākſgiuing Iob. 1. 21.euen for the perſecuting hād of God, which did ſo moleſt him. If ſome had ſo much loſſe by tempeſt as Iob, and ſuch danger as Ionah, they would ſurely ſay with Iob, Bleſſed be the name of the Lord for it.
Now the wind blowes, the water toſſes, the whale ſwims, & all to meet Ionah which flies from God, to ſee if they can turne his hart which ſleeps in diſobedience. The ſhip goes roundly for a time, the Prophet is ſleeping, the mariners are ſporting, their ſailes flaunting, the waters calming, the windes guiding, ſo merily ſinne goes on before the tempeſt comes. The wind blowes not yet, therfore go on yet a litle, & yet a little more, but yet the tempeſt ruſhes vpō them before they be ware of it, and tumbles them vp and downe, & ſuddenly all is like to be vndone. Now Ionah is in more danger then the Niniuites. And now, ó that he had ſtayed at home and ſaued his money, ſaued his credit, & ſaued his life from the danger of the furious & vnmerciful ſtreame. Here we may ſee what paines a ſinner takes, & all to hurt him ſelfe. He came to the hauen, and payd the fare, and entred the ſhip, and hoiſt vp ſailes, and went on forward, and all to flie from God, and yet he fled not from him but to him. Therfore Dauid ſaith, if I take the morning Pſal. 139. 7. 8. 9.wings and flie aloft, lo thou art there, if I go into the neathermoſt depth, thy hand will find me out: therefore whither ſhall I flie from thee? ſo that when we thinke that we flie from God, in running out of one place into another, we do but run from one hand to the other, for there is no place where Gods hand is not, and whither ſoeuer a rebellious ſinner doth run, the hand of God wil meet with him to croſſe him, and hinder his good ſucceſſe, although he prophecieth neuer ſo much good vntounto him ſelfe in his iourney. The winds could not further Ionah, the waters could not beare him, his ſleep could not ſaue him, the ſhip could not hold him, the mariners could not helpe him, the whale would not ſpare him, but he poore man muſt be caſt out, leſt all through him be caſt away. The ſhip that was full of wares of great value, was readie to ſinke when Ionah entred into it. He truſted to the winds, and the winds could not further him; he truſted to the waters, and the waters could not beare him; he truſted to the ſhip, the ſhip could not hold him; he truſted to the mariners, the mariners could not help him. What had he offended the winds, or the waters, or what had he offended the ſhip that bare him ſuch enmitie? The winds and the waters, and Iob. 5. 23.all Gods creatures, are to take Gods part againſt Ionah or anie other rebellious ſinner.
Though God in the beginning gaue power to mā, & authoritie ouer all his creatures to rule them, yet whē mā ſinneth God giueth power & ſtrēgth vntounto his creatures to rule & bridle man. Therfore he that euē now was Lord ouer the waters, now the waters are Lord ouer him. But if Ionah had thought that God would hauehave brought things thus to paſſe, he durſt not hauehave been ſo bold in this enterpriſe. Therfore we may ſee that ſinne hath no eyes while it is on going. Tuſh (ſaith the foole) it is faire weather yet (while he goeth to the ſtockes.)Pro. 7. 22.
But God ſent a mightie tempeſt into the ſea, ſo that the ſhip was like to be broken.
Such a ſtirre hath God before he can come by his owne, he muſt croſſe vsus, and ſet him ſelfe and all his creatures againſt vsus, he muſt ſtraine our bodies and conſtraine vsus to it before we will yeeld him due obediēce. The tempeſt muſt blow, the ſea muſt rage, the ſhip muſt reele, the heart muſt trēble, & all muſt be in an vprore againſt vsus, & God muſt croſſe vsus in all our doings afore we will returne frō our wicked wayes. The bee when ſhe hath once flung doth leeſe her ſting… ſo that ſhe cā ſting no more: ſo is not puniſhment for it goeth in generall, when one tempeſt is gone, another comes vpō vsus, for if we be ſicke, ſickneſſe is not dead with vsus, if we be poore, pouertie endeth not, if we be in daunger, daunger is not therefore put downe for euer after: and if we be vexed, vexation hath not therefore left his ſting in vsus… but all theſe things are Gods weapons whereof he hath ſtore, and if thou be diſobedient, he will lead thee through them all, Le…it. 26. 18. 24. 28. 36. 37. 38. 39. &c.vntill he hath humbled thee, and made thee to glorifie him with obedience or vtterly deſtroyed thee.
God ſent a mightie tempeſt into the ſea, ſo that the ſhip was like to be broken.
This ſhip which was ſo faire and goodly euen now, is now like a poore ſhip toſt & readie to be torne in peeces, ſuch ſtrife is alwayes betwixt Gods wrath and mans diſobedience. When Gods word will not turne vsus, Gods ſword muſt ſpurne vsus.
I obſerue that oftentimes many are puniſhed for one mans ſinne (as all the hoſt of Iſraell Ioſ. 7. 5. 12. Many puniſhed for ones ſinne, therefore ſuffer ſinne in none.were puniſhed for the ſinne of Achan, and here all the mariners for Ionahs ſinne.) &c. To the end that men might learne therby to admoniſh one another when they ſee them do amiſſe, with louelove: and not to ſay with Cain, am I the keeper of my brother? for he that is not carefull to keepe his brother Gen. 4. 9.from ſinne, is not carefull to keepe him ſelfe from ſinne, therefore let vsus take heede that a wicked one be not found amōgeſt vsus vnadmoniſhed. I would there were not many worſe then Ionah amongeſt vsus. Will you know what I thinke of you? I thinke you are worſe thē Infidels, Turkes, or Pagans, that in this wonderfull yeare of wonderful mercies, are not thankefull, do not beleeue in God, nor truſt in him, nor glorifie his name: but like Pharoes ſorcerers, who ſeeing the great workes of God which Moſes expreſſed, Exod. 8. 19.paſſing their skill, confeſſed ſaying, ſurely this is the finger of God: ſo you confeſſe that it is the great worke of God (as you muſt needs,) but where is the fruites it hath brought forth in you? The Captaine ſaith, I hauehave done nothing, the ſouldier ſaith, I ſturred not, but the Lord ſent out a mighty tē peſt vponupon thē, & after that they eſcaped our handes, the Lord ſtretched out his might … arme againſt them, and Pharao is drowned in the ſea, ſo that he neuer attained the land of promiſe which he gaped for, and made full accompt to po…eſſe. Further, herein we Mans extremitie, Gods oportunitie.may note, that extremitie is Gods oportunitie: for when the wind had almoſt ouerturned all, and the waters had almoſt drowned all, and deſtruction had almoſt deuoured all, then, and not afore, was Gods oportunitie, to ſet forth his glory. While the ſhip reeled, and the waters fluſhed, and the mariners ſhriked, Ionah ſlept in ſecuritie and voyde of flying, which ſhould hauehave admoniſhed all the reſt, and repented of his ſinne which was the cauſe thereof.
The ſhip was almoſt broken, but not altogether brokē, and Ionah caſt into the ſea, and then was he not almoſt drowned, but altogether drowned, had not God prepared a great whale, which ſaued his life in a miraculous maner, out of which God brought him foorth like Lazarus in his winding ſheete, that he might glorifie God once againe, and ſee if he could finde the way to Niniuie.
The effectes, that this great tempeſt wrought were theſe. The ſhip was like to be brokē & the mariners were ſore affrayd. The ſhip which was ſo ſtrong that it might hauehave encountred with inſtrumēts of warre, and made ſo ſtrong that it might be able to go many voyages, and indure great tempeſtes and many waues, was now with one tempeſt and at one voyage in ſuch a taking, that they which were in it feared that it ſhould hauehave been torne all to peeces, and ſo they ſhould looſe their ſhip, their liues, goods & all: & ſo vehement was the tēpeſt, that they were fully perſwaded it was no cōmō nor ordinarie thing, but extraordinarie, & for ſome extraordinarie cauſe ſent vponupon thē by ſome great diuine power. And the mariners (which liue in the ſea almoſt Marine… like the fiſhes.like the fiſhes, and hauehave the waters as their neceſſarieſt element) now trēbled for feare, like women which ſhrike at eueryevery ſtirre in the boat, & like little childrē when they are frighted. Now theſe couragious fellowes are brought downe by daunger, which defied daunger, like a young ſouldier which ſtarteth at the ſound of a gunne.
Then the mariners were afrayd, and cryed eueryevery man vntounto his god, and caſt the wares out that were in the ſhip to lighten it thereof. But Ionah was gone downe into the ſides of the ſhip, and he lay downe, and was faſt a ſleepe.
This verſe is deuided into two partes. The firſt, that the mariners at this ſodaine ſtorme were frighted and caſt into amaze. The ſecond as touching Ionah his ſleeping. After that God had ſpokē gentlie vntounto Ionah, & ſaw that his wordes would not moue him, the Lord ſent out a mightie tempeſt like the meſſengers which were ſent to cō pell folkes to come to the banquet: ſuch a Luk. 14. 23.ſtirre hath God before he can come to his due, he is faine to ſummon vsus by all his creatures afore we will yeeld vntounto his voyce.
They cryed eueryman vntounto his God, and caſt forth their wares into the ſea, &c.
This is no vſual matter among mariners, vntill they plead for life and death, for now or neuer they muſt beſturre them. EueryEvery one vntounto his God: which ſheweth that they were of diuers nations, for among the Gentiles eueryevery natiō had a ſeuerall God whom they worſhipped. Chamos was the god of the Moabites, & Belzebub the god of the Ebronites, Dagon the god of the Philiſtines, and 1. Sam. 5. 5. Act. 19. 35.the Epheſians worſhipped Diana. Whē the wicked ſee that all their inuentions will not bring their enterpriſes to paſſe according to their minde, but are in extremitie, and like to be caſt away for want of ſuccour, thē they flye vntounto God being driuen by compulſion as a beare vntounto a ſtake, and they crouch and kneele, and make great ſhewes outwardly, of humiliation and pietie, all in hope of helpe from God, & as it were thinking to deceaue him by their hypocriſie.
In our neceſſitie we flie euerie one vntounto In neceſſitie eueryevery one flyes to that he hath confidence in.his god (as theſe mariners) in whom we repoſe our confidence: euerie one flieth vntounto thoſe vanities which moſt feed their humor, perſwading them ſelues of ſufficient releefe from them. Come Phiſicke heale me; come muſicke cheare me; come dainties ſeed me; come gold enrich me; come flatterie pleaſe me; come mirth glad me; come honors aduance me; & come all pleaſures when I wiſh for you, come when I need and I will truſt in you: ſo eueryevery man doth flie vntounto ſuch vanities (in their neceſſitie) as they take moſt pleaſure in, ſuppoſing that they are able of them ſelues to eaſe them: ſo leauing the creator which is all powerfull in him ſelf, & running to his creatures, which hauehave no power ſaue that they receiue from him. Euerie one vntounto his god. That is, in the time of neceſſitie euerie one doth flie for helpe and eaſe vntounto that, wherin he repoſeth moſt confidēce: ſome run to their coffers, thinking that there it is that is able to procure eaſe frō any troubles: other ſome run to their delights and wanton ſports, ſuppoſing that there is no trouble ſo great, but it will eaſe them of it: ſome to their glorious attires & coſtly iewels, as thinking thoſe can make them acceptable in the ſight of God: ſome to their daintie meates: ſome to their ſoft beds and eaſie ſtandings, &c. But when they begin to perceiue that theſe wil not helpe, which they in all the time of their proſperity repoſed their confidence in, and made more account off then God, then they begin to crouch and kneele, & to ſeeke out the true God in hope of releefe. If thou canſt heale thy ſelfe, what needeſt thou a phiſitian? or if thou canſt help thy ſelfe out of troubles, what neede haſt thou of ſuccour? Therefore theſe mariners ſeeing that they could not helpe themſelues, cried vntounto their gods, and laboured with all their ſtrength that they might not be caſt away. Firſt they vſed prayer vntounto the diuine powers for aſſiſtance: then they vſed ſuch ordinarie meanes as they knew beſt in ſuch a time, by caſting out their wares to lighten the ſhip of them, which rule is neceſſaire to be vſed of all Chriſtians in their neceſſitie: In neceſſitie firſt pray, thē vſe law, full meanes.firſt to ſeeke for ayde and aſſiſtance at the hands of God, and then to vſe all ſuch good meanes to helpe them ſelues, as God ſhal enable them to do, truſting that of his goodneſſe he will bleſſe their endeuors, elſe may they go ouer all the world to ſeeke helpe & hauehave none, for there is no other way. God in deed is laſt refuge, but he is alſo the firſt refuge which is to be ſought vntounto, for he is Alpha and Omega, the firſt and the laſt.
And cried eueryman vntounto his God.
They did wel in that they prayed, but they prayed not well, for they prayed eueryevery man vntounto his god, that is, vntounto fayned gods, gods in name but not in nature, & ſuch gods they were, as could not helpe ſo much as them ſelues.
And they cried. Which ſheweth that their gods were deafe and could not heare them, no more then they could helpe them. Here is a diſtinctiō in prayer: the righteous pray when they are in need, but the vngodly rore and crie like beares without their pray, for they diſpaire of helpe before they pray for it. Euerie mā vntounto his god. They prayed much like the Papiſts, which in extremitie cry out Papiſtes to their ſundrie Saints.ſome to one ſaint, ſome to another, ſome to ſaints ſome to Angels, for they thinke, if one will not helpe another will. But true prayer hath two wings, betweene which it muſt be carried vp to heauen, elſe it cannot aſcend at Prayers wings to bring it to heauē: faith and louelove.all, namely faith and louelove, without which no prayer can be acceptable or amiable before God. Theſe cried and prayed, & their prayers did beate the skie, but could not lay the tempeſt, yet their prayer is here noted, to ſhew the cuſtome of naturall men: for the heathen do wel perceiue that there is a God, (nature and experiēce doth teach it them,) who hath made the ſtately and moſt glorious frame of the world, with all the excellent creatures therein, yet they know him not. For though the lamps be waſted ſince Adam cōſulted with the deuil that he might be a God, yet there is a litle light which ſtill dwelleth in darkneſſe, like a ſparke hid in aſhes. They would not hauehave prayed at all, but that nature taught them that there is a God, whoſe mightie power they beheld ſo expreſly in all the creatures, that they imagined it to be impoſſible for one God to worke them all: therfore they thought that there were diuerſe gods as there were diuerſe ſeaſons, diuerſe nations, diuerſe trades, diuerſe languages, diuerſe and ſundry kinds of all things; and ſo diuerſe nations worſhipped diuerſe gods. Euerie of theſe mariners did now in their extremitie call vponupon his god, euerie one vponupon that god which he thought moſt highly off, and in whom he hath in his proſperitie repoſed moſt confidence. And now while none could help but Seeking to lay the tempeſt, they increaſe it.one, they cried to many, and by this meanes while they ſought to lay the tempeſt, they ſtirred it more: for their prayers being idolatrous, were ſo wicked, that it had bene ſufficient to prouoke the Lord vtterly to deſtroy them, if his merciemercy were not wonderfull Pſal. 144. 15.ouer all his works, therefore bleſſed is he that hath the Lord for his God. What trouble ſoeuer commeth vntounto the child of God, yet he hath ſome conſolation, patience, and moderation of mind, to beare it withall, but when the Lord ſendeth aduerſitie vntounto the vngodly, they hauehave ſuch a guiltie conſcience, that whē they feele the great hand of God, they are euen diſtracted of their wits, and made as it were ſenſleſſe, that they know not what they do: yea when trouble comes, it makes them like a heedleſſe bee, which buzzeth about ſhe knowes not whither, or like the ſwallow, which by compulſion of the wind, flyeth backward & forward till it fall into the ſea, or like Cain whoſe head was giddie, that he knew not whither to go, fearing to be ſlaine of eueryevery one whom he Gen. 4.ſeeth.
And caſt the wares out that were in the ſhip into the ſea.
Now the mariners are content to caſt their wares into the ſea, in hope of ſome furtherance to ſaue their liues thereby, for though many will venter their liues for riches, yet they rather part with all their riches then their liues. If I regard wickedneſſe in my heart, ſaith Dauid, the Lord will Pſal. 66. 18 1. Cor. 13. 3.not heare me. And Paule ſaith, though I caſt my life into the fire if I hauehave no charitie, if I retaine malice in my heart, it profiteth me nothing, if I caſt not away ſinne, I Caſt away ſinne or tho… caſteſt away all.caſt away all. Some will giuegive to the poore, and yet vſe extortion and vſurie to get money by: but God ſaith to ſuch, that if they regard wickedneſſe in their hearts it profiteth nothing. Though they thinke them ſelues beneficiall to the poore thereby, yet God will accept of them but as hypocrites, he will none of their oblations, vntill they hauehave humbled them ſelues and reformed their owne hearts before him from ſuch vncleanneſſe.