Twelve Sermons, Sermon 2
THE REBELLION OF IONAH.
3 But Ionah rose vp to flie vntounto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went downe to Iapho, and found a ship going to Tarshish: so hee payed the fare thereof, that he might go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
THE charge giuen to Ionah hath hitherto bene spoken of, now it followeth to bee shewed, how it was by Ionah discharged. First Ionah rebelliouslie neglected it, then being chastized, & so repenting, he faithfullie discharged it. First therefore let vsus consider his rebellion, afterward we shall see his correction.
But Ionah rose vp to flye to Tarshish, from the presence of the Lord.
We cannot stand to speake of Tarshish, nor what it is to flie from God, but this shall be our meditation. Ionah the Prophet was commaunded to go to Niniuie, and there to crie out against sinne, to preach against pride, and all kinde of vngodlinesse, thereby to reclaime them, and stirre them vp, in laying open their sinne, and the punishment which hanged ouer them, that they might speedily repent, and so turne away from them the wrath of God thereby deserued. How beautifull should hauehave bene the feete of him that should hauehave brought so powerfull a message, as should hauehave wrought such an happie effect! How blessed should Niniuie hauehave bene when the Lord had vouchsafed them so great merciemercy? but still one flie or other marres the whole boxe of ointment: as soone as hee was commaunded to go thither, Sathan Eccl. 10. 1.stood in the gap, and entised him to go to Tarshish, for hee thought, that if hee could let Ionah from going to Niniuie, then first of all hee should put a singular Prophet out of Gods fauour, and bring vponupon him some iudgement, not onelyonly inward, as torment of conscience, decay of giftes, or the like: but visible also, whereby the people to whom he had preached might thinke hee was some false Prophet, as they are euer ready to condemne for hated of God, whom they see grieuouslie afflicted. And so secondly the people should bee hardned in their sinnes, and obstinatly contemne euer after, him, his like, and their preaching too. And thirdly the goodliest, the most populous, and the wealthiest Citie in Assyria should be destroyed, the good with the wicked, the young with the old, one with another, all should vnrepentant dye in their sinnes, and so the verie Angels in heauen should mourne. So that he thought hee should by stopping Ionah, euerie way gaine well by his labour. Therefore he comes to Ionah, hee flatters him, he tēpts him, thus he begins with him; It is good that men looke before they leape, hast makes wast, wordes are not alwayes to be takē as they properly signifie: one thing is oftē spokē & another meant: but thinkest thou God meaneth thou shouldest go to Niniuie? Why? doth he regard Idolaters, and his professed enemies, so that to hauehave them admonished of their ruine, hee will bring shame vponupon his owne people? for the very going of a Prophet from Israell to preach to Niniuie, must needs proclaime that there is more hope of most sinfull Gētils thē of naturall Israelites. And how couldest thou seeme so to thinke of thine owne nation, thine owne brethren, thine owne bloud, the chosen of God? or if thou doe, shalt thou not thereby procure their vtter hatred for euer, and make them to detest both thy person, and whatsoeuer thy preaching, whatsoeuer thou hast heretofore, or hereafter shalt teach them? What? for thy faithfull prophecying here among Gods people, will God thinkest thou recompence thee; thee whom hee hath made reuerend, and to bee honored of Kings and Princes of Israell: recompence I say thee with shame and contēpt among heathens, yea with a cruell death, or with a more miserable life? For what other successe may bee hoped for at the Niniuites hands of such a message by thee? for thou knowest they hauehave all Iewes in contempt: therefore when thou shalt come among them, and tell them not these few words onelyonly, and in this forme which God hath spoken them in, for if thou so doe, who will not count thee rather a mad man then Gods Prophet? but at large, that there is one al-seeing, most iust, almightie, and euerliuing and no moe? and so all their gods are no gods but Idols: and that they aboue all other hauehave giuen his glorie to stockes and stones, worshipping them for Gods, alluring and enforcing others likewise to dishonour him: that they hauehave abused his blessings most vnthankefully, most vngodly to all excesse, and are most proud contemners of their betters, and most notorious drunkards, gluttōs, fornicators, adulterers, theeues, oppressors, witches, murtherers, and the like, and therefore hauehave so prouoked him that is most mercifull and patient, that he will without all pitie destroy man, woman, young and old, high and low amongest them, yea their very citie also, and all that is therein, whereby they hauehave bene so wicked, and that within fortie dayes. When I say, thou being a Iew, shalt tell them this, thus in despight reuile (for so they will take it) thus vtterly condemne them and their gods; will not the best of them mocke and despise thee? will not the rest gnash their teeth at thee, be ready to teare thee in peeces, put thee to exquisite torments, condemne thee to some horrible death, or continue thee in intollerable paines, in a most bitter life? No question. Thinke not therfore that thy good God, thy most kind and tender father will recompēce thy faithfulnesse, with sending thee so farre to sustaine such miserie. It were impietie to thinke he willed it, it is blasphemy, treble blasphemy to thinke he cōmaunds it: for it is to cōdēne him of vnkindnesse, for thou hast shewed feruēt louelove: of vntruth, for he hath promised it should go well with the iust: of iniustice, for godlines should hauehave the reward due only to wickednesse. Yea he should seeme contrary to himselfe, to charge thee cruelly to murder thy self, which hath commanded all to kill none, if hee should will thee to prouoke that bloudy Citie so. But the very thing it self also argueth, God meant nothing lesse thē to cōmit thee to such dāger, or that thou shouldest do to the proud Niniuites such a message. For to what end shouldest thou so crie against that Citie? to make them flie, & so to free them from destruction? How shouldest thou then not be found a false Prophet and God a lyer? What then? To bring them to repentance & then to spare them? How should not God so againe be found vntrue, & thou his lying messenger? What then? To cōuert them, & so to destroy them? What iustice were that? & how cōtrarie to his promise to Salomon? Sam. 7. 14. Therefore it is manifest God meant not thou shouldest goe and crie so against Niniuie: but signified that thou wert as good, for any good may be done here, to exclaime so like a franticke man against Niniuie, as to preach in Samaria any longer now. Men here are so hardned that they contemne all, partly are so cloyed that they loath all, the best part litle esteeme all that is preached: of none is the word accounted precious, of none reuerently heard: and therfore thou shouldest for a time, to make the word precious, & to sharpen mens affections towardes it, giuegive ouer preaching here, and where thou wilt refresh thy selfe a while. Now here thou mayest not be idle: at Tarshish thou mayst be quiet: thou mayst at Tarshish that famous Citie, among the straungers of many countreys heare many straunge things, much delight thy selfe in the varietie of their manners, in the abundance of all things with great pleasure liue. No time so fit as this to see the world. At Iapho thou canst not want shipping thither. Seeme not to make small account of this kindnesse of God, defraud not thy selfe of thy graunted good.
Thus Sathan is euer crossing, tempting entising vsus when we Exod. 3. 11. and 4. 10. 13. Ierem. 1. 6. Ezek. 3. 14. 15. Nehe. 2. 18. 4. 2. 8. 5. 5. 65. 6. 7. 10. Luke. 22. 31. 32. Mat. 4. 1. Luke. 4. 2. 4 13.are or should be addressing our selues to do the will of our God. So was Moses, Ieremie, Ezechiell, Nehemiah, Christ himselfe tempted, being about most notable workes. What said our Sauiour to Peter? Sathan hath desired to sift you and winnow you as wheate. Who are these whose perill Sathan so earnestly desireth? euen Peters, and Iames, and Iohns. No maruell, for Christ himselfe though acknowledged the sonne of God, was most fiercely assaulted of the tempter fortie dayes, and then indeede was left, but it was onelyonly for a season. Luke. 4. 13. Therefore neuer dreame of a truce with Sathan whosoeuer thou be, whatsoeuer thou art about to do. For the enemie, the enuious foe, the tempter, the false accuser goeth about continually seeking whom he may deuour.1. Pet. 5. 8.
Now his manner of tempting is, first and most vsually with flattering, but yet verie often with most terrible threatning. For whatsoeuer we do or feele, commeth from one of these three spirites, the spirite of Sathan, the spirite of God, or our spirit. Now our own spirit of it self is alwayes occupied about worldly things, seeking delights in pleasures, not disquiet by threates. The spirite of God is gentle, louing, and meeke, not forcing, nor threatning. Therefore Christ saith, If any will follow me, let him deny himself, Luke. 9. 23.and take vp his crosse daily, &c. And marke his spirit, he saith not, you shall follow, but you shall denie your selues, and take vp your crosse, but if any will follow me, let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse: (let him.) The same is to be seene in the Canticles, where he saith; Open vntounto me my sister, my louelove, my doue, Cant. 5. 2.my vndefiled. For mine head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. For when she opened not vntounto him, making 3most vnmeete excuses, though he had most louingly prayed, and liuely vrged her to open, and she most vnkindly, most vnworthily had denied, yet hee went his way mildly, without anie 2. 4. 6.threats. But the spirit of Sathan takes another course. For when by lying, and deceipt he cannot allure to sinne, hee threatens most fearfully with sin, griefe or losse of goods, solitarinesse, and want of pleasure, and sometime by his ministers, limmes of his owne likenesse, he threatneth death and earthly torments, whatsoeuer they may inflict vponupon any. Christ saith, If you will follow me. If you wil: but he saith, I wil make ye follow me, & do as I bid you, you shal hauehave fire & fagot, scalding lead, and burning pitch, if you will not follow me, you shal, whether you will or no: we wil make you to do as we command, saith his eldest son Antichrist, vsurping authority ouer nations, & inflicting torments on the saints. His order of tempting is first to make vsus doubt of the word of God: whether such & such doctrine be true, such and such an action bee commanded, such & such a promise, such & such a threatning be certain. Then secondly he fals to flat denying of it, this doctrine, these promises, these threatnings are false: this thing is not commanded, this action is not condemned. And then comes hee in with his contradiction, contrarie assertions, and countermands. For there is no commandement of God, but the Diuell commaunds the contrarie, and he is euer gaine-saying that which God saith. For our God saith vntounto Adam, if you eate of the forbidden fruit, you shall surely die: the diuell came, and he told them, first it is Gen. 2. 17.not certaine you shall die, then you shall not die, then thirdly you shall be as Gods knowing good from euill. God saith, submit Gen. 3. 4. 5. 1. Pet. 5. 5.your selues one to another in brotherly louelove: the Diuell saith, first, you neede not to abase your selues so much, secondly you should not yeeld to others, then thirdly, aduance your selues, and contemne others. God saith, LoueLove thy neighbour as thy selfe: the diuell saith, first louelove litle and outwardly, then louelove none but Mat. 22. 39thy selfe, then thirdly, hate thine enemies, enuie thy betters, disdaine thine equals, despise thine inferiours. God saith, labour for the foode which perisheth not: the diuell saith, first care not much Iohn. 6. 27.for it, then secondly contemne it, then thirdlie stir not an inch for it. God saith, Forsake the world, the Diuell saith, first neglect not Rom. 12. 2. 1. Ioh. 2. 18.the world, then louelove the world, then thirdlie giuegive ouer your selues to the world, aboue all follow the world with all the lustes thereof.
Now the meanes wherby the diuel tempts, are argumēts fetcht, some from the wit and reason of man, or from the customs of the world: some from the holy Scriptures, either corrupted, or wrong applied. Now in consideration of the persons, then in regard of the thing it selfe, &c. In respect of the persons to whome hee shold preach, and himselfe, Ionah is here tempted, and so thus reasoneth with himselfe: 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 godlinesse, and therefore will esteeme my wordes the lesse.
Thus Ionah is loth to loose his labour, and puts it in a doubt where he needes not, because he considered not the great power of God in mens hearts. The Niniuites are heathen people, and therefore (saith Ionah) why should I venture my selfe amongst them? for seeing mine owne countrey men kicke against my words, and cannot abide to heare the word which commeth from the Lord to reproue sin, then how much more shall I be despised by these, and persecuted to death? Thus flesh and bloud standeth staggering when it should do any good, misdoubting troubles, iealous of his owne ease: but when it goeth about to do any mischiefe, it neuer considereth the danger, it weigheth not the following wo: yet doing good, it is vncertaine whether al will not according or euen aboue our hope succeed: it is more likely we shalbe kept safe: but doing euill, mischiefe most certainely is procured, not danger only, but losse of the best things cōmonly, peace of cōscience or spirituall graces, of some blessings, alway or at least not receipt of those things which much wold reioyce vsus. For surely this was a sore temptation, to bid a man (being in reasonable good estate touching his body and life) that he should go & preach vntounto a sauage heathen people that neuer heard of preaching, & that this doctrine; That there is but one only true God, to thē who wil Deut. 6. 4.serue a thousand, and cannot abide the contrarie to be spoken.
If a preacher were commanded to go and preach at Rome gates, against Anti christes iurisdiction and the idolatry that is so inordinately vsed in that Sinagogue of vncleannesse, seeing that is a matter, for which they torment & kill al that preach it sincerely: I feare it wold hardly come to passe at all, that this preacher wold go from a reasonable quiet estate touching his body, to venter his life among such cruel tirants: I feare he would rather content himselfe with his present ease, then commit himselfe to so likelie miserie.
If I go and preach vntounto these infidels, saying, yet fortie daies, and Niniuie shall be destroyed, then (saith Ionah) it may be, they will repent, and God will hauehave mercy vponupon them, so I shall bee counted a false Prophet for my labour. And thus wee regarde our credite more then the glorie of God, in the obedience of his will: and rather then we would receiue any reproch by our doings (in the sight of the world,) we rather choose to enter into no great action touching the glorie of God, and the good of the Church. In respect of the Israelites and himselfe: If I leaue mine own people, & preach vntounto the Gentils (saith Ionah) I shal bring shame vponupon Israell before all people, because a Prophet is gone from them for their obstinacie, chusing rather to preach vntounto vncircumcised Gentils then vntounto them, as if there were more hope of the Gentils then of them. So Ionah more feareth the childrens disgrace then the fathers dishonour, and their dispight then his displeasure. Sathan is too well acquainted with mans nature, & so more certainely knowes, then we wisely consider, that all Adams sonnes are from labour, easily brought to loiter, more willingly from feare and paine, to securitie and pleasure: therefore seldome or neuer doth he in tempting omit this entisement, it will be for thy ease, for thy delight, for thy securitie. Therefore he saith to Ionah, not onlie the waie to Niniuie is long and dangerous, thy person and message odious, therefore thy trauell must needes bee tedious, thy troubles greeuous, &c. but also thy passage to Tarshish is easie, thy securitie there sure, thy pleasures many, thy delight great. Yea with this he assaulted Christ himselfe, saying, when he had shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glorie of them; All these will I giuegive thee, &c. And doth he not also euermore perswade vsus, this good, this gain, this glorie, this pleasure, or this preferment shalt thou get, if thou thus and thus deale: if you will leaue the societie, the exercises, the profession, and the company of the children of God, and serue, me, and worship me: preferring your couetousnesse, your pride, your lust, before the seruice of God, not being scrupulous to sweare for your gaine sometime, nor to lie for your pleasure, nor to cosin for riches: then you shall not onelyonly be free from the reproches wherewith professors are ouerwhelmed, and the contempt wherein they are had, and the manie heauy sighes which they are forced to fetch, but you shall also grow rich soone, and so be well thought of, and had in estimation, and by your wealth liue in ease with all pleasure, procuring eueryevery thing at your hearts desire. Thus Ionah which way soeuer he looke, is tempted on euerie side: tempted to sinne, but not constrained: vrged, but not compelled: for the Diuell hath power to entise to sinne mightily, but not to enforce violently. Loe then comfortes against this crosse. Our enemies power is in our fathers handes: and our Sauiour praieth for vsus being most glorious in heauen, as 1. Cor. 10. 1…. Rom. 8. 34. Luke. 22. 32he on earth in humility praied for his Apostles, that our faith faile vsus not. Behold then also encouragements to fight against his assaults; yet see a greater, God hath giuen vsus this priuiledge: this promise hauehave we: resist the diuell and he shall flie from you, Iam. 4. 7. God hath giuen no promise to the Diuell, that if he perswad, he shall preuaile, if he vrge, we shall yeelde: what a shame then is it to vsus, that Sathan is bolder in tempting, then we are in resisting? is he not? O that we could truly say, we are as wise, as watchfull, as thoughtfull to withstand Satans assaults, as he is wily, vigilant, and more then diligent to assault.
But what doth Ionah, thus as we hauehave heard, by Satan assaulted? Resists he as manfully as the diuel hath set on him cūningly? Alas no: Ionah is no sooner disswaded to go to Niniuie, then he is perswaded it were great folly: he is assoone resolued as he is entised to go to Tarshish, thinking it a chiefe point of wisdom to seek his owne ease, his owne pleasure, his owne sweete delight. One Gen. 1. ….said, God spake & it was done. Surely the deuill also but speaketh and it is done: for he is such an orator, that no man can deny him. For who can gainesay him that counselieth as a speciall friend, yea as a most holy Angell? For he would seeme to be not onelyonly carefull, both to keepe vsus from danger, and the feare thereof, and to procure vsus all good: but also iealous of Gods honor, fearfull least 2. Kin. 5. 22. 2. Tim. 4. 10 Mar. 26. 48 70. Gen. 14 8 Gen 27. 13. 14. 18. Gen. 16. 43.men should despise the word, and so their owne saluation. Therefore he made not only Gehezi to take a bribe, Demas to imbrace the world, Iudas to betray his maister, and Cain to kill his brother: but Rebecca also to perswade Iaacob, and Iaacob to be bold by lying to seeke for the blessing: yea the father of the faithfull to commit folly with Hagar, as here Ionah not to go to Niniuy: least forsooth God shold not be true of his word: as if what to man seemeth vnlikely, that were with God impossible, and he could not be righteous vnlesse we shew our selues impious.
We hauehave seene some causes why Sathan assaulting vsus, hee straight ouercomes vsus: would any see more? we hauehave bene taught his power, mallice, watchfulnesse, and wilinesse: wee hauehave most fit and sufficient armour ministred vntounto vsus: we hauehave a promise, Ephes. 6. 11. 14. 10. 16. Iam. 5. 7.that resisting him, we shall make him flie from vsus. Therefore surely we forget our enemy, or neglect the promise, or take not to vsus the whole armor of God, specially we like not that armorbearer humility; Submit your selues to God, and then resist the deuill. But moreouer we to our owne certaine perill and paine (so corrupt are we) ioyne with our enemy, more ready to do his will Iam. 5. 7.then Gods word. Hereof no doubt foolish Balaam asked againe and againe, till God seeing him bent contrary to that he had bene commanded, left him vntounto himself: & so Balaam went on in sin so Num. 22. 8. 19. 21.long, til the very asse wheron he rode was constrained to reproue him. But wold you howsoeuer Satā tempts, not be turned by him out of the right way? howsoeuer hee fights, not be foild by him? wold you hauehave him soone to forsake you, speedily to flie from you, that is, would you resist him? for when we begin valiantly to fight, thē forthwith he flies. Cōsider how shameful a thing it is being eueryevery way encouraged to fight, to shew our selues most dastardly cowards: how dishonorable to our captain Christ to yeeld the victory to his deadly: enemy how dangerus for our selues: knowing he is a most cruell tyrant, and most inexorable, that most glorieth, and specially taketh pleasure in putting vsus to the most bitter paine that possibly he can, and therefore hauing ouercome vsus, will for euer continue vsus in most intollerable torments. Yea sayest thou, these things considered, would make vsus couragiouslie to encounter with Satan, and so soone to conquer him, but he comes often as a friend, as an Angell of light: how shall I then descry him, that I may desie him, and make him to flie?
How? here indeede is the hardnesse: for he is a notable hypocrite, the father of hypocrisie. But thou must follow the counsell of Christ, Reue. 3. 18. Thou must annoint thine eyes with eye salue that thou maist see. Thou must be fulfilled with the knowledge Reue. 3. 18.of Gods will, in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding, and Col. 1. 9.moreouer watch and be sober. And lastly consider, first how thy spirit is affected: for our owne spirit (by nature euermore hard) 1. Pet. 5. 8.if it be moued by the spirit of God, is sad, soft and slow: but if it be moued by the spirit of Sathan, is proud, boisterous, and stout; then, whether that which thou art indeed mooued to, be good or euill: if good, that is, agreeable to Gods word, then acknowledge it comes from God, for all good motions are the worke of the spirit of God, howsoeuer they seeme to proceed of our selues. But if it be euill, that is, not agreeable with the word of God, then it is alwayes either a lust of our corrupt nature, or a suggestiō of Sathan. Wherefore it is a sure way to say when we are tempted to euill, this motion is of the diuell, for euen our corruption came of his suggestion. For the spirit of man is alwayes tossed betweene these two contrary spirits, the spirit of God procuring our saluation, and the spirit of Sathan seeking our condemnation. So that if any will get the victorie of Sathan, hee may not bee without the spirituall sword, which is the word of God. Ephes. 6. 17. Yea he must hauehave the word of God dwell in him plenteouslie. Col. 3. 17. and crie still, open mine eyes O Lord. Psalm. 119. 18. GiueGive me vnderstanding. 34. and encline mine heart vntounto thy testimonies. 36. and beware that he submit himselfe duely, and diligently watch
Thus Ionah tempted, hath consented to neglect his charge, and doth he forthwith repent? No, he prepares himselfe to his purposed iourney. But Ionah arose to flie vntounto Tarshish. As Ionah was no sooner tempted to go to Tarshish but he yeelded, so assoone as he had yeelded, forthwith he to go. So Ionah made himselfe a run-away, and shewed himselfe a disobedient seruant to his God. And in the meane while, Niniuie set on the score, and had no ho with them in working wickednesse: but still filling the cup of all abhominations, ran downe to hell with as much force and speed as they could. So Niniuie is still Niniuie, but Ionah is not like Ionah: for the Prophet is flying, and sin is crying, and so all falles to confusion.
But Ionah arose vp to flie vntounto Tarshish, &c.
Ionah flyeth vntounto Tarshish before he would go to Niniuie, and eueryevery one is like the sonne which said he would not, before hee Gen. 15. 25 26.went: and so sinne is borne first, as Esau was borne before Iacob. Therefore if euill may compare with goodnesse in particular actions, in all mankind corrupt, euill may say, he is the ancienter. But assoone as thou perceiuest any euill cogitation or motion in thy selfe, be thou wrath with it, nip it in the head, put it to death, and then the vncleane spirite that hath long bene strong, and with delight dwelt in thee, wil soone be wearie of thy house, and say as the euill spirit said; Here is no dwelling for vsus, let vsus go to yonder Mat. 8. 31.heard of swine.
But Ionah rose vp to flie to Tarshish.
Ionah was sent to Niniuie, but he went toward Tarshish. And so it is alwayes with vsus, we are euer doing that we should not do.
For either we do nothing, or that which wee are not commanded, or else otherwise then we are commanded. Somtime most rebelliouslie we do that which we know the Lord straightly forbiddeth. And as Ionah tooke Tarshish for Niniuie, so wee take the diuell for an Angell, light for darkenesse, &c. But Ionah rose vp, &c. They that should preach at Niniuie, are flying to Tarshish, and though he be like a drone, yet doth he, euen the non-resident keepe his benefice fasting, feasting himself: but wilt thou keepe it still? go and preach at Niniuie as ye hauehave bene doubly commanded, or for shame leaue your priuiledge and benefice: but they stand staggering, ashamed to keepe it, and loth to leaue it. For the sweete morsels of Baals Priests are so pleasant vntounto them, that they cannot find in their hearts to leaue them, as long as they are able to keep thē. But no maruel that Ionah fled to Tarshish, when he should go to Niniuie. For this is a stumbling vocation amongst men, yea reiected by the children of this world, which alway kicke against it: so that if you would aske for a painfull vocation, this is it: if for a thanklesse vocation, this is it: if for a contemptible vocation, this is it. For, reprouing we are reproued; blessing, we are cursed; preaching peace, we make warre; proclaming liberty, we are imprisoned; do what we can, we are persecuted; and for our worke worthie of louelove, we receiue of the most hatred: of few, yea verie few, not any more then a cold affection. Here of it hath come to passe that Moses and Ieremy called, excused themselues. Exod. 3. 11. 4. 10. 13. Ierem. 1. 6. Ezech. 3. 14. 3. 15. Exod. 5. 22. 23. 1. Kings. 19. 10. and 14. Iere. 20. 7.Ezekiell hauing receiued his charge, went in bitternesse and indignation of his spirit, and seuen daies neglected his charge, as Ionah here doth his: and Moses, Eliah, and Ieremie at length complained: and (which to the best men is the greatest griefe) it is as easie almost to wash a Blackmore white, as to conuert a sinner, because Sathan is euer crossing men doing the will of God, but specially hindring the course of right preaching.
For the Lord was not so earnest to stop the way of Balaam, least he should commit wickednesse, as the diuell is earnest to stop the way of eueryevery Ionah, least he fulfill righteousnesse, that is, crie against Niniuie, longing, and duly, that is, wisely, and earnestly labouring to conuert Niniuie.
But Ionah rose vp to flie vntounto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, &c.
The righteous fall, and now no lesse then a Prophet, yea such a Prophet as was the figure of Christ. But who wold hauehave thought that such a Prophet should flie from the Lord, yea and that when he should do him most seruice? who counteth that no wickednesse now, that he euer thought and taught was rebellion, while he was among the wicked? A fearefull example, therefore let him that thinks he standeth, take heede least 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 bee encountred and ouerthrown, & the likelier to hauehave a more greuous fal, except the Lord do mightily vphold thee, seeing such a one cannot stād in the sight of his so mortall enemy, but by him receiueth so greeuous a fall.
Secondly, if thou see Ionah flie, Moses murmure, Dauid fall to adultery, Salomon to idolatry, and Peter to forsweare his maister, then maist thou learne not to trust to thine owne strength, for it is weaknesse, not to thine owne wisedome, for it is sinfull, but seeke Iam…. 5. 5. Mar. 12. 20helpe, and craue strength at the hands of almighty God, who giueth to eueryevery one that asketh indifferently, and hitteth no man in the teeth, which doth not bruse the broken reede, 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 hee repented, and is the deare childe of God.
And he found a ship going to Tarshish.
Ionah was no sooner come to Iapho, but he goes to the hauen, or meets with mariners, and presently vnderstands of a ship not going to Niniuie but to Tarshish. As soone as he set forward to flie from God, Sathan straight wayes prepared a ship, so that temptation and occasion of sinne do alwaies go together. Shall Iudas lacke money, or Ionah stay for a ship? no (saith Sathan) by the mouth of his ministers, here Iudas take thee money and betray thy maister; and Ionah, here is a ship for thee; go hast thee away and flie from the presence of the Lord. For the diuell is alwaies a very seruiceable, and pleasant deuill to such as flie from God: hee can finde occasion at all times, and meanes, and instrumentes fit for that purpose. If thou wilt flie from God, the Deuill will lende you both spures, and a horse, yea a posthorse, that will carrie you swiftly, and lustily away vntounto all vanitie and vngodly lusts. Therefore if any will aske what the deuils occupation is, it is to tempt, to entise by all meanes, to prouoke to sin, and then to prouide vsus of the meanes to practise our purpose to commit, and as Iames speaketh, to bring forth sin.
And he payed the fare thereof.
This money was cast into the sea, it did him as little good, as if he had vtterly lost it, it had bene good for him if he had lost it, for it did him much harme. There are many which will spend & wast they care not how much vponupon cardes and dice, and vnlawfull games, this money is also cast into the sea, for it doth them much more harme then they know of, it doth them no good, it were good for them they had not a penny to leese. And so men care not what they pay for vanities and braueries, the most part of which is vnprofitable and rather hurtfull then necessary for them, but only for the vaine vse of the present time, and for some vaine respect: this also is cast into the sea, and better should they bee, if they had it not to lauish, and to their owne and many others hurt so to garnish themselues. Men care not what they pay for their vanities, so it doth please their minde for the present, without consideration of the end and vse thereof, but they will giuegive little or nothing to do good withall: so that Lazarus can get nothing, and Dauid can get no meate. Shall I take my bread & my wine, and the flesh which I hauehave prouided for my shearers, and giuegive Luke. 16. 21. 1. Sam. 23. 10. 11.them vntounto one, whom I know not, saith churlish Naball? We can be content to giuegive any thing, or do anything to win the world thereby, but we will giuegive nothing, nor do nothing, therby to win the kingdome of God.
We hauehave heard Ionah confessing that hee receiued a charge to go to Niniuie, but he arose, and fled toward Tarshish, and went downe to Iapho, and found a ship going to Tarshish, and paid the fare thereof, and went downe into it: hereafter we shall heare, that being entred the ship, hee went to sleepe, and slept soundly, and being wakened, he confessed not his sinne, but suffered the Mariners to deuise to finde out for whose cause they were so troubled, & at length also the lots to be cast, neuer confessing it til he was enforced to it, what needed he to reherse all this? had it not bene inough to hauehave said, that he left his businesse vndone, he was a sinner? No, for God would hauehave men to know the stubbornnesse and disobedience of Ionah, in that this thing was not done vponupon the sudden, but vponupon deliberation, and in no short time, but in some continuance, while he went from Samaria to Iapho: and thence was departed, and had some while sayled. In which space, he had leasure inough to hauehave repented, but did not. Ionah confessed his sinne, that hee should not once hauehave listned to Sathans assaults or reasons of the flesh, and when he had listned, he should not hauehave liked them, and when he had liked them, he should not hauehave consented to obey them, and when hee had consented, hee should not hauehave put them in practise: he should not hauehave fled toward Iapho, and when hee was come to Iapho, hee should not hauehave gone to the hauen, nd when he came to the hauen, he shold not hauehave paid the fare, and when he had paid the fare, he shold not hauehave entred the ship; and when he was entred the ship, he should not hauehave hoysed vp the sailes, and sayled, and gone to sleepe. But this he did, teaching that sin runs on wheeles, as it were downe a hill, in all post hast, & neuer stayes till it arriue euen in hell. For Ionah thought, because he came safe to Iapho, therefore he may go to the hauen, and because he came well to the hauen, therefore he may pay the fare, and because he paid the fare in peace, therfore he may take shipping & because he entred the ship in safety, therfore he may hoise vp the sailes to go; & because he hoised vp the sailes without danger, therefore he may go securely to sleepe, and safely to saile to Tarshish.
So sins follow one another like linkes of a chaine, til the tempest of destruction breake it in sunder. So saith the forborne sinner, I hauehave sworne, & God did not punish me, therefore I will steale: I hauehave stolen, & God did not punish me, therfore I will kill: I hauehave killed, and God did not punish me, then why may I not do what I list? I may do this as well as I hauehave done other things heretofore. But if Ionah had considered with himselfe that God is the Lord, who is al-seeing & almighty, from whom nothing can be concealed, he would neuer hauehave taken his iourney to Iapho, or when he came to Iapho, he would not hauehave paied the fare, or when he had payd the fare, he would not hauehave entred the ship, or when he was gone into the ship, he would not hauehave hoist the sailes, but rather would hauehave leapt out from that ship that should carry him from his God, carying him from his duty: but he forgets himself, thinking Heb. 4. 13.the creatures can hide him from the Creator, which is an absurd thing to thinke, seeing nothing cā be hid from him. Neither wold any, I say, adde drūkennesse to thirst, or heape sin vponupon sin, or suffer an euil thought to take place in them, if they cōsidered that the iust Iehouah beheld them in all their very thoughts. All those that pitie Ionah, let them pitie themselues, for if we consider our owne estate, we hauehave as many & as foule sins in vsus, as there were in Ionah, yea in Niniuie. Ionah confessed his sin, that we might confesse. He confesseth it freely, he confesseth it fully, that he knew his maisters will, but not onelyonly did it not, but also tooke another course quite contrary to that which was commanded; and that not in purpose onelyonly, but in deede also, not for an houre, but a long time, not in strugling with his weakenesse, but in a profound vngodly carelesnesse, or in striuing to ouer-maister his conscience, accusing him for his wickednesse. And wherefore hath he written it, but to admonish vsus narrowly to looke to our selues, and manfully to fight, that we may stand where he fell and when we hauehave fallen, as freely and fully to confesse it to God alwayes, and to man also, when wisedome commandes?