Twelve Sermons, Sermon 1
THE CALLING OF IONAH.
Ionah. 1. 1. 2.
1 The word of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai saying,
2 Arise, and go to Niniuie that great Citie, and crie against it, for their wickednesse is come vp before me.
YOu hauehave heard the sweete song of old father Simeon, like the pleasant song of a sweete bird before her death, setting foorth the ioy of the righteous which embrace Christ Iesus. Before Christ Iesus vouchsafed to come vntounto vsus, we wold not come vntounto him, but in al our doings we wrought our condemnation, and through the innumerable heapes of our iniquities, laboured to driue him without all hope of mercy from vsus. So we continued like flies which flutter about the candle till they hauehave consumed thēselues. When we had done asmuch as in vsus lay to driue him away frō vsus, then he saued vsus, & recompenced good for euill vntounto vsus. So that if God had loued vsus no better then we loued our selues, we might hauehave perished in our sinne, and our bloud should hauehave bin vponupon our owne heads. If Christ be the light of the Gentiles, let vsus embrace him, and eueryevery one walke as becommeth the children of light: but many do shut their eyes against it, lest they shold see, & not only many smother their owne light: but the Sun saith vntounto the Moone, shine not, & the Moone saith vntounto the stars, be not bright. And many hauehave smothered their light so long, that the dampe hath put out the candle, and thus they labour to bring the darkenesse of Egypt vponupon Goshen: so that their eyes hauehave forgotten to see, & so many go out of the way because they would not looke vponupon the candle, and the diuel giueth to eueryevery one that which he wisheth, so it may be for his hurt. But who can but pitty, that with the same Manna which commeth from heauen and feedeth many to life euerlasting, so many are poisoned and find in it nothing but the sauour of eternall death.
The Iewes had no cause to enuie our light, for he gaue them glory: he was poore, and yet he gaue them riches: he was counted base, and yet he made them honourable, he was contemned, and yet he made them beloued: they were full of darkenesse, and he brought them light, but they contemned this light, & so procured their owne condemnation. And therefore now it is come to passe, that they are become vagabonds vponupon the earth, & most contemned of all other nations, and eueryevery people hauehave a dwelling, wheras since they prophecied euil vntounto themselues, saying, his bloud be vponupon vsus and our children, goodnesse hath put on the face of bashfulnesse amongst them.
If thou embrace Christ as Simeon did, then Christ is thy glory, but if thy glory consist in beauty which fadeth, in gay cloth which weareth, in wealth which wasteth, or in gold which rusteth, then Christ is not thy glory.
We hauehave gone long with an old man, & now we hauehave lost him, but we are loth to part with him, he is such a good companion, neuerthelesse we hope to find him againe in Ionah.
We hauehave gone but slowly with him as with an old man that is not very swift of foote, but now we must run with Ionah as with a post, lest Niniuie be destroyed.
The prophecie of Ionah.
I neede not to shew the authority of Prophets, but concerning their sorts and difference: there are three sorts of Prophets. The first were such as called vponupon the name of the Lord in prayer for the people, and receiued an aunswere from the Lord in the peoples behalfe, of which sort was Samuell, and these were called Seers. A second sort of Prophets were such as God raised to expound 1. Sam. 10. 9.the law & declare the will of God vntounto the people, when the Priest and such as shold do so, were slacke in their callings, of which sort was Esay, Ieremie, Ezechiel, Daniel, Hosee, Ioel, Amos, Obadiah, & the rest of the holy Prophets. A third sort were such as hauehave bin since Christ, working such like effects, of which sort was the Prophet Agabus, of whom mention is made in thee leuenth of Acts. 11. 28the Acts and the 28. verse.
Now in the second sort of these, Ionah, whom God sent to declare his will vntounto his people, vntounto whom also the Lord did reueale the subuersion of kingdomes, the ouerthrow of Tribes, the captiuity of Nations, the calamities that were to come vntounto the sons of men for iniquitie and rebellion against God.
As all wise men were not borne at once, nor liued together: so these holy Prophets hauehave not bin at once, but were raised vp by the Lord God, some here, some there, according to his pleasure, and as he saw the people stand in need of them by reason of the corruption of the times.
And furthermore, the Lord hath not at any time reuealed vntounto one of these, all thinges that might bee reuealed, but as much as was sufficient for them eueryevery one in their times and places. Neither hath any of them told as much of the will of God as might be declared, nor fully expounded his lawes: but the Patriarkes left some to the Prophets, and the Prophets left some to the Apostles, but they hauehave left none for vsus, but they hauehave al seft open the whole will of God vntounto vsus, and eueryevery Prophet now bringeth only gold, myrrhe, and frankensense, like the wisemen which came to see our Lord.
There are three thinges which moued me to take this story in hand aboue all others. First because you know the story, and therfore can the better conceiue of the matter as I go forward with it. Secondly, because it is briefe and doth containe a great deale in a litle. Thirdly, because it is most agreeable for the time and state of this sinnefull age wherein we liue, and therefore most conuenient for vsus. It is manifest that Ionah liued in a very troublesome time, namely in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israell, a wicked king, though not hee which is called the Ieroboam that made Israell to sinne. For of this second Ieroboam in whose time he prophecied, it is written. 2. King. 14. 24. he departed not from any of the sinnes of Ieroboam that made Israell to sin, which commendeth the holinesse of Ionah, in that he in the midst of the corruptions wherewithall the people were ouerflowne, was vncorrupted and vnspotted, and called to be a Prophet among the people of God. For he had prophecied in Israell before he was sent to Niniuie, as the word also doth argue, which layeth open and magnifieth the great louelove of God, in that he sent a Prophet to admonish his vngodly people, when as he shold hauehave sent a thunderbolt to terrifie them, or rather vtterly to destoy thē: 2. King. 14. 25.so that there mercy stept before iudgement.
His name was Ionah, which signifieth a doue, which admonisheth vsus, that as we labour to be as wise as serpents, so we should also desire that we might be as simple as doues. His fathers name was Amittai, which signifieth trueth. I would that trueth were eueryevery preachers father.
There are two speciall thinges contained in this historie. The first, the great mercy of God shewed to three sorts of men: the Niniuites, Ionah, and the mariners. In respect of the Niniuites, that sorts of men 1 he sent a Prophet to Niniuie a Citie of the Gentiles, which were strangers from the couenant, from the promise, and strangers from the common wealth of Israell, and conuerted them by his preaching, and so spared them now. In regard of Ionah, sorts of men 2 that being, for his disobedience in flying to Tarshish, when he was sent to Niniuie, throwne into the sea, hee prepared a great VVhale to swallow him, and in his belly euen in the bottome of the sea, where there was no hope of life for him, preserued him, and after three dayes deliuered him thence safe, and then cast him not off, but continued him in his calling, and wrought powerfully by him, both in the ship conuerting the idolatrous mariners, and in Niniuy, humbling the king and the whole city: and lastly when he sorts of men 3 had most vnworthily doubly murmured and iustified himselfe against God, he contented himselfe with gentle and mild reproofe of him. In consideration of the mariners, that hauing bin idolaters all their liues, and now in danger, giuing the honour of God to their owne fancies, God yet conuerteth them, so that they called vponupon him, and sacrificed, and made vowes vntounto the true God, and by his mighty power hauing the wind and seas calmed, were then and for euer saued.
The second thing is Ionahs fall, and rising again. His fall, first sinning, both flying from God, and murmuring, and therein iustifying himselfe: secondly sustaining his punishment manifold, and long feares, casting into the sea, & continuing in the Whales belly three dayes, and afterward his reproofe and conuiction. His rising, first repenting in the ship in the belly of the Whale, and being cast out of it. Then also faithfully discharging his dutie, crying against Niniuie couragiously.
We hauehave seene Ionah a farre off, if we would we might see him nearer. Hee that receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receiue a Prophetes reward. Therefore let vsus prepare our eares to heare, and receiue the word of God preached by his Ministers, and let vsus thinke that Ionah is come againe to our houses to preach, and whether it be fortie dayes, or fortie weekes, or fortie yeares, they that liue like Sodome, shall be punished like Sodome. But as our Sauiour said to his Disciples: Pray that your flight be not in the winter; nor on the Sabboth: so Mat. 24. 21.say I vntounto you, pray that the Lordes comming be not on the weeke dayes, for if he come then, how should hee finde you? Therfore I pray you learne at least now, and giuegive good eare, that ye may heare sufficient for all the weeke.
The word of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai, saying, Arise and go to Niniuie, &c.
Herein I obserue that Ionah went not before hee was sent: for going to preach vntounto the Gentiles, it was needfull that he should hauehave a speciall calling and commission from the Lord himself: for it was vnmeete to cast the childrens bread vntounto dogges, vnlesse he had a speciall commandement from God so to do.
None ought to take vponupon him the function of preaching in the Church, vnlesse they hauehave their warrant or authoritie from God, as Aaron had. And although they hauehave not their authoritie in that Heb. 5. 4.forme & manner as Ionah had his (namely) as it were by word of mouth, euen from God himself, Arise and go to Niniuie: yet they must hauehave their warrant from him, else their calling is vnlawfull.
But now here is another authoritie crept into the Church, that makes so many Idols, which hauehave eyes & see not, tongs & speake not, eares & heare not, & that is this, Whē one stalleth vp another into Moses chaire, not hauing Moses rod, nor Moses spirite. But this gal wil not hold spurring. Further I obserue, that as the word of the Lord came to Ionah; so the word of the Pope came to his Priestes, Iesuites and Seminaries, but so and in such sort many times, that they are drawne to Tiburne while Masses are said for them at Rome.
The word of the Lord came vntounto Ionah, &c.
That which came vntounto him was not alwayes with him, but so it was, that when the word of the Lord came vntounto any of the Prophetes, then they were well furnished with abilitie, to teach, to preach, to reproue, or to commaund whomsoeuer the Lord would hauehave so handled. As by example: Nathan the Prophet bad Dauid the king that he should build a Temple. 2. Sam. 7. and 1. Chron. 17, And a litle after he came and bad him that he should 2. Sam. 7. 1. Chro. 17.not build it. Where we see, that when hee bad him build it, then the spirite of the Lord came not vntounto him to bid him so to doe. And therefore the spirite of God came vntounto him the verie same night, and bad him that he should go to Dauid, and bid him that he should not build it. For this is euident▪ that as God himselfe is constant, so his spirite and his word are constant, and therfore neuer saith and vnsaith one thing.
Againe the Prophet Elisha said. 2. Kings. 4. that the Shunamits 2. Kings. 4.heart was grieued, but the Lord had hid it from him, and had not as then declared the same vntounto him: which doth note vntounto vsus, that the same word whereby the Lord hath, and doth reueale maruellous things vntounto his Prophetes, was not now vponupon him, neither is alwayes vponupon any Prophet, but according to the will of God it comes vntounto them, to reueale vntounto them what he would hauehave them to doe, and when it pleaseth him.
Also Daniell said that the Lord did not reueale the kings Dan. 2. 30.dreame vntounto him, for any wisedome that hee had more then any liuing, but onelyonly for the kings sake, and for the poore people of Gods sake: and so you must thinke of vsus that are the Ministers of the Gospell, that the Lord doth not reueale his will vntounto vsus, for any wisedome or worthinesse that is in vsus, more then other men, but for your sakes, and that we might reueale it to you. Therefore heare vsus euen for this cause, because the Lord hath reuealed vntounto vsus these things for your sakes and good. From the calling we come to the charge.
Arise and go to Niniuie that great, &c.
God commeth and findeth vsus all asleepe, then hee bids vsus arise, for they are not fit to conuert others, which are not yet conuerted themselues, according to that saying of Christ to Peter: When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethrē, teaching them Luk. 22. 32.by your experience. Now a dayes men take vponupon them to reproue others for committing such things as themselues hauehave practised, & do practise without amendemēt, notwithstanding their diligence in teaching others their dutie: they can teach all the doctrine of Christ sauing three sillables, that is: Follow me. Therefore these are like some Taylers, which are very busie in decking and tricking vp of others, but go both bare & beggerly thēselues. Yet they will not let vsus plucke out the moate that is in their eyes, vntill we hauehave plucked out the beame which is in our owne eyes.
Go to Niniuie.
Niniuie was the greatest and the auncientest Citie in the land of Assyria, and the name of it signified Beautifull, which name was giuen it rather for the greatnesse & beautie thereof, then for the name of Ashur, which was the builder and fitst founder therof, as we reade in the booke of Genesis. It had a faire name, but Gen. 10. 12foule deedes, like this Citie.
Go to Niniuie, &c.
God would not suffer any people to be vntaught, therefore hee hath written his name in great letters easie to bee read of all. The heauens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth Psal. 19. 1.the worke of his handes. They hauehave no speech nor language, 2without them is their voyce heard. Their line is gone foorth 3through all the earth, and their wordes into the endes of the world. In them is manifest for all what may be knowen of God. Rom. 1. 19. 20.For his eternall power and God-head are seene by the creation of the world: but especially he teacheth some by his word also. Therefore he sent vntounto the old world Noah, Lot to Sodom, Moses Gene. 6. Gen. 19. Act. 16. 6.to Israell, and here Ionah to Niniuie. But when Paule with Silas and Timothie had gone throughout Phrygia, and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden of the holy, Ghost to preach the word in Asia. Then came they to Mysia, and sought to go into Bithynia, but the spirite suffered them not.
Go to Niniuie.
The Iewes would not heare the word of God by Ionah, and therefore the Lord sent him to Niniuie. They that grieue the spirite, quench the spirite. Then goes the Prophet from Samaria to Niniuie. The word was in Samaria, it went thence to Niniuie: the Gospell was at Ephesus, it is gone out of that Citie, it is come into Reu. 2. 4. 5.England: but it may depart from Englād againe. If any thinke that he standeth, let him take heede least he fall.1. Cor. 10. 12.
But the Prophet goes from Samaria to Niniuie, that was both to shake off the dust of his feete, to witnesse against them their obstinacie and hardnesse of heart: and secondly to let them see that the wickedst Gentiles were more righteous then they, in that they repented at the voice of one Prophet, yea and that with one Sermon: whereas themselues refused, and resisted all the holy and worthie Prophetes that God sent vntounto them. And thirdly it may be to signifie, that the Iewes for their contempt and negligence should be reiected, and the Gentiles should be receiued into the fauour of God, that they might be an holy and sanctified people vntounto the Lord in their stead.
That great Citie.
Niniuie had. 1500. towres in it, as some write, and 120000 Ionah. 4. 11litle children, as it is noted in the end of this storie. Therefore it may well be called a great Citie: but the greater it was, the more vngodly it was. For as one mā taketh sicknesse of another: so one man is infected by the wicked wordes and ill exāple of another, and so taught to sinne the more, till the measure of sinne be full.
And crie against it, &c.
First God biddeth him, Arise and shake off all impediments, and then to go and call them to the battell, and now he bids him crie out against them, and so terrifie them. Euerie Prophet is a crier, as appeareth where the Lord biddeth Esay to lift vp his Esay. 48. 1.voice like a trumpet. Euerie Prophet must both be plaine and bold, and this many times maketh the poore seruaunts of God to speake their minds as plaine & bold as if they sate in iudgement. Iohn was a voyce, a voyce would not serue, he was the voyce of Luke. 3.a crier, and yet he could not make all the crooked straight, nor the rough plaine.
And because all the Preachers of the Gospell should crie, that is, preach zealouslie, in the second of the Actes it is written; The holie Ghost came downe in fire, & tongues: but this fire is quenched, & the tōgs are tied vp, so that they who shold cry are starke dumbe: but though they cannot speake, they can see, they can see if a great benefice fall, though it be a hundred miles off, and Pharaoh had more care of his sheepe, then we hauehave of our soules.
If preachers were not deafe, they needed not to crie one to another, but such is the dumbnesse of Preachers, & the deafnesse of all sortes of hearers, that there is great slownesse of followers, so that there is but little good done, and but a few fruites gathered. If ye were not deafe, we neede not to crie, but because ye be dull of hearing therefore we crie with mouth, with heart, with hand, with foote, & with all the powers of our bodies vntounto you, & yet how little do you regard it? But are not ye commanded to heare aswell as we to crie? yet the cocke croweth when men are fast a Mat. 26. 70. 72. 74. Prou. 28. 9.sleepe, yea the cocke croweth, and still Peter denieth his maister.
Before you crie vntounto the Lord, heare what the word crieth vntounto you, and let not your workes crie for vengeance while your tongues crie for mercy.Pro. 15. 18
When men heare the Preacher speake against pride, hypocrisie, couetousnesse, or any other sin, then they looke one vponupon another, as though it belonged not vntounto them: but who can say his heart is cleane?
And crie against it.
Our sinnes buffet God on eueryevery side, as the Iewes buffeted Christ, first on the right side, then on the left side, and neuer leaue till they hauehave prouoked him to crie against vsus.
When God cries, then we should weepe, considering wherefore hee cries: for there is nothing that can prouoke the Lord to crie, but sinne, and that hee euer crieth against. Do what you will, and say what you will, and the Lord will not be offended with you vnlesse you sinne: but if you commit sinne, hee is iust, and therefore will not leaue till hee hauehave by crying slaine either you, or sinne that raignes in you. For as an angrie man euer pursueth that which hee hateth, vntill he hath destroyed it: so the Lord crosseth and followeth vsus with his iudgements, vntill hee hath slaine that which most deadly he hateth, sinne.
And crie against it, &c.
Reproofe is the necossariest office, yet it is least regarded, yea most abhorred For now we think, if one reproue vsus, he hateth vsus. But the Lord saith. Leuit, 19. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in Leui. 19. 17thine heart, but shalt reproue him, and suffer him not to sinne: noting thereby, that if we flatter any in their sinne, or see them sinne, and not reproue them for it, it is a manifest signe that we do it of hatred, how great louelove and good will soeuer we pretend toward them: seeing the matter tendes to the hurt of their soules, and the offence of God.
Yea if a Preacher reproue sinne, hee is thought to doe it of hatred, or of some particular grudge: and to be too busie, too bitter, too sharpe, too rough, and therefore say, hee should preach Gods louelove and merciemercy, for hee is a preacher of the Gospell, hee tels vsus of and threatens with the law, and so throwes vsus downe too low, some to dispaire, as though we preached the law onelyonly, or chiefly, and not the Gospell also continually, to them that loath and striue against their sinnes, though they sinne grieuously. Others as though they were galled, will say, let him keepe his text, or they will say, hee is beside his booke, as though no text in Scripture reproued sinne, and so of al doctrines the doctrine of reproofe and reprehension of sinne is most contemned, and least esteemed. But let a preacher preach darke mysteries, or prophane speeches, or vnprofitable fables, or friuolous questions, or curious inuentions, or od conceits, or brainsick dreames & any of these will be more welcome vntounto thē then reprehēsion which is most profitable and necessariest of all. Balaams asse neuer spake Num. 22. 28.but once, and then he reproued. Then if Balaams asse reproued Balaam, how much more ought Balaā to reproue asses, or such as will be no otherwise then beastes in their behauiour? But perswade your selues beloued, which is most true, though we speake as if we were angrie with you, & threatē as if we would hurt you, & crie against you as if we hated you, yet we louelove you in the dearest bloud we hauehave, and therefore though with persecution, we preach the law to lead you to the Gospel, we preach iudgement, that you may find mercy, we preach hell to bring you to heauen. Whatsoeuer & howsoeuer we preach, we do all to fil your hearts with ioy in beleeuing, and hauing made you fruitfull in all good workes, present you without spot, nay glorious also as a Virgin most beautifull, to the Lord of all grace and glory, Christ Iesus.
Hitherto we hauehave heard of Ionah called, and charged to crie, but what should he crie? Indeede it is not expressed in this place. But what then? why then the Papistes may say that he was charged to crie against them for neglecting their traditions. Assuredly Ioh. 16. 12. Ioh. 21. 25 Actes. 1. 3. 1. Tim. 6. 20. 2. Tim. 1. 13. and. 22.they may with as great truth and as much probabilitie as they do, gather out of diuerse places of the new Testament, that they ought to be obserued. But Ionah hath not left it doubtfull what he was to crie, for in the third chap. vers. 2. the charge is repeated, and thus expressed: go and proclaime against it the proclamation which I spake vntounto thee: he was thē to crie what God had cōmāded him. O that none would crie but what God hath cōmanded.
But what did God commaund him to crie? euen that which he afterward cried, Yet fortie dayes, and Niniuie shall be ouerturned. Ouerturned? yea auncient Niniuie, faire Niniuie, proud Niniuie must be destroyed. No man sits so high, but destruction sits aboue him, and will fall on all that persist in their defection. Iustice would hauehave come against them, before it cried against thē, but God the most gratious would hauehave them cried against, that they might cry out woe and alas for their sinnes, so preuēting deserued and threatned vengeance: for they hearing the cry of God cried out of themselues, and that in great humbling to God: so God heard their cries, and tooke pitie on them.
Isaiah was commaunded to crie, and hee cried. All flesh is Isa. 40. 6. 7grasse, yea all the glorie thereof like the flower of the field. The grasse withereth, the flower fadeth when the spirite of Iehouah bloweth on it. Surely the people is grasse. Iohn was commaunded in the spirite of Eliah to crie, and he cried, Prepare the way for Iehouah, make euen in the desert a path for our God. And Isa. 40. 3 Mat. 3. 3. Ion. 1. 2. & 3. 2.Ionah was commaunded to crie, and hee cried. Yet fortie dayes, and Niniuie shalbe ouerthrowne. All the preachers of the Gospell are commaunded to crie and that alowd, not to spare, to lift vp their voyces like a trumpet, to shew Gods people their Isay. 58. 1defections, and the house of Iacob their sinnes. And then also, if they thereby be truly humbled, to proclaime vntounto them, their iniquitie is pardoned, they hauehave receiued of the hand of Iehouah double for all their sinnes: It is required of the disposers of Gods secrets, Isay. 40.. 2. 1. Cor. 4. 2that they be found faithfull. And woe to them that louelove the pleasures of sinne, more then the glorie of God.
For their wickednesse is come vp before me. For, &c. We hauehave heard the charge it selfe giuen, heauie newes, that a most beautifull Citie, a most rich Citie, a most populous Citie, and a most auncient Citie, must be ouerturned, and that within fortie dayes; what is the cause? their wickednesse is come vp before me: As if he had said, Niniuie hath followed her lustes, and forgotten the law, to satisfie her desires, she hath notoriouslie despised her soueraigne, defied all well meaning, all good dealing: and this is knowne to the iust iudge, and at his barre she is arraigned, and her accusers stand crying at the barre for iustice. Therefore she may no longer be forborne, execution of iustice must needes be done: let her therefore prepare for death, and that she may, Crie against her, yet fortie dayes & Niniuie shalbe ouerturned: for their wickednesse is come vp before me.
When God sendes criers vntounto a people, it is a most manifest signe that their wickednesse is come vp before him, which doth cause him thus to exclaime, thus to crie out against thē. And then if they will not repent whilest Gods criers cōtinue crying amōgst them, the Lord of hostes will rise vp in armes against them.
Their wickednesse.
Will you see the Niniuites sinnes in a scroll, that withall, you the daughters of Niniuie may see, that wealth and wickednesse go together, prosperitie, and securitie kisse each other? Niniuie (saith Nahum) was like a poole of waters, most populous, and Nahum. 2. 8. 9.full of all store, which to increase, it wholy was full of lying, deceipt, and fraud, full of robberie, oppression, and all violence, a bloudy citie: whereby it increased in wealth, they florished in honour 3. 1. and 2. 11. 12. Zephan. 2. 15. Nahū. 3. 4.and glorie, and therefore as Zephaniah hath it, was a reioycing, a rioting Citie, sate securely, and proudly cōtemned others, saying, I am, & none is besides me. Moreouer it was the mistresse of witchcrafts, a most Idolatrous Citie, yea sold people through her whoredomes, and nations through her witchcraftes, & made other Idolatrous like her selfe, as 2. Kings. 16. 10.
Their wickednesse is come vp before me.
Sinne mounts vp on high, like the tempter which led Christ vntounto the top of the pinacle to behold all the pleasures of the world at once, and then because we hauehave falne downe before the God of this world, and tempted the God of heauen, whether he be iust or no, therfore wrath speakes out of the fire, now thou hast taken thy pleasure, thou must take also thy punishment.
A most heauie and grieuous thing it is, if you knew what you are doing here, and what your sinnes are doing at the barre of Gods iust iudgement. For euen now before you came hither, you were seruing the deuill in sinne, but now it is too late to speake of it, and where are they now? flesh and bloud could not stay them, nature could not stay them, pleasures could not stay them, riches could not stay them, nor they could not stay themselues, but they are ascended vp before the face of the eternall God, to stand at his barre and crie for vengeance to fall vponupon vsus, for committing such hainous sinnes against the maiestie of God.
An arrow is swift, the Sunne is swifter, but sinne is swiftest of all: for in a moment it is committed on earth, it comes before God in heauen, & is condēned to hell. For though Nimrod could not climbe vp to heauen, his sinnes flew vp to heauen: & though we stay below, our sinnes ascend high, like the tower of Nimrod, but they fling vsus downe to confusion, and we become Babell. For when we sinne we are as the shell fishe which the Eagle taketh, and flieth into the skie with, and then letteth it fall vponupon the rocks, and so dasheth it in peeces, and then deuoures it. For the wrath of God taketh vsus vp on high, and throweth vsus down low vponupon the rockes of shame and contempt, and terrour of conscience: and so hauing crushed vsus, and brused our verie bones, consumes vsus with double death, the graue deuouring vsus, hell swallowing vsus.
Is come vp before me.
To them which aske, how our sinnes ascend and flie vp afore God, I answer, God here speakes vntounto vsus after the manner of men, who cannot see a thing afore it be brought vntounto them, euen where they are, and before them. So that hereby is signified God had seene their wickednesse.
We fast as before him, we pray as before him, we giuegive almes as before him, and we doe eueryevery good thing as before him, because we do it freely, and as it were, not caring who lookes vponupon vsus. But we sinne as behind him, because we hide and cloake our sinnes, and commit them in secret, loth that men should spie thē: our conscience in such actions accusing vsus, and instantly telling vsus, we are about that which we cannot iustifie. And we suppose that we sin behind him, because we sinne here below, saying with our selues in the consideration of our blinded hearts, as Eliphaz accuseth Iob to hauehave said. Is not God in the height of heauen? Iob. 22. 12.and see the highnesse of the Starres, how high are they? Therefore how should God know it? Should he be able to see through 13 14the darke? The thicke cloudes are a couering to him, that hee may not see, and hee walketh vp and downe the round circle of the heauens. But then chiefly we imagine that God beholdes vsus not, when men cannot see vsus: as if God could not know, what man cannot espie. But let vsus not deceiue our selues, for God seeth not as man seeth. Man can see but onelyonly outward things committed in action, but God seeth, and knoweth, and searcheth the secretes of the heart, yea the secretst thoughtes and imaginations of it. Againe, man can see but one thing at once, he can not turne his right eye one way, and left eye another: he cannot see before him and behind him with one looke: but God seeth all things at all times. Though we sinne as closely as we can for feare of hatred, or shame of the world, or for any other respect: yet God saith, your sinne is come vp before me. For though we couer it, and hide it, and colour it, yea and as it were burie it aswell as lyeth in vsus, yet all is open vntounto him: therefore he saith, your sinne is come vp before me.
For when we speake euill, hee is all eares to heare vsus, and when we do euill, he is all eyes to behold it. Therefore ô foolish man, do not thinke that God seeth not which man seeth not: for when he lookes vp, hee sees all below also, and when he lookes downe, he sees all aboue also. If he should not, much wickednesse should lye in darknesse vnrewarded, and men should not be terrified from sinne, but rather by the example of others allured to sinne freely secretly. For Ananias might hauehave gained by his craft, if God had not seene his heart, which men saw not: but God saw his distrustfull and dissembling and corrupt heart, therfore he lost his goods and his life too.Actes. 5.
If God had not seene that which men see not, Gehezi might 2. Kings. 5.hauehave gained a bribe for his labour, when he ran after Naaman the Assyrian, and told him a lye for his profit. But God seeing his fetches, which mē saw not, turned his bribe to a leprosie, & so made him a leper for his labour. A fearefull example for such as take bribes: yet many care not what bribes they take so mē see it not.
The man that said, Be merrie my soule, and take thy pleasure Luke. 12.for many yeares, might hauehave done it, had not God seene him: but he espied him falling to godlesse securitie, & threatned him, that night to bereaue him of his soule. Forget it not ye that abound in wealth, whose cup runneth ouer. If God had not seene Achan Iosu. 7.take vp the peece of gold, he had kept it to himself for his labour, and no man should hauehave knowne where he had it. But God seeing it (though closely done) rewarded him with shame in the sight of all Israel. O Lord what is man that thou so watchest him! Achan would neuer hauehave stolne if hee had knowne that God did see him. Gehezi durst neuer hauehave taken a bribe, if he had thought that God beheld his doings. Wilt thou steale the owner looking on thee? Wilt thou speake treason in the kings hearing? Neither would we lye, nor sweare, nor steale, nor hurt, nor be prophane at any time, if we considered that the Lord seeth vsus, and remembred that he watcheth vsus: if we would do thus, sinne might go a begging for want of seruice. Therefore if you will marke but this part of my Sermon, that God seeth all, you would refraine from those things secretly, that are to the offence of God, which you for feare or shame will not do before men: and you would say euen whē your hand is at it, I will not do it, because the Lord seeth me. But as when we sinne though in secret, he is all eyes to see vsus, and when he sees it requisite to make some examples, to teach all that when man cannot or will not discouer vsus, hee will shew that he saw vsus, thē he is al hand to punish & plague vsus, & in the end to roote vsus out frō all our pleasures: so whē we repēt, he is all mercy & louelove, & whē we amēd our liues, & leaue all our wicked wayes to walke before him euer after in holinesse, then he is all truth and righteousnesse to forgiue vsus all our former wicked life, and to wash vsus from all our vncleannesse. Now therefore repent thee of all the euill that thou hast done, lament it truly, run and hie thee as fast as euer thou canst to the throne of grace, proue whether thy repentance will not as boldly stand before God, & as powerfully crie for pardon, as thy sinnes speedily came vp before God, and vehemently cried for punishment. No doubt the Angell that cried fallen is, fallen is Babylon the great, Reuel. 18. 2. though hee cried vehemently with a loude voyce, cried not so audibly as thou shalt heare the spirite of truth crying and assuring thee thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, the God of glorie loueth thee, sinne shall no longer raigne in thee, no euill shall hurt thee, no good thing shall Rom. 6. 14. Psa. 91. 10 34. 10. and 84. 11. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Cor. 16. Psal. 16. 11 1. Thes. 5. 22. 2. Thes. 2. 10. Heb. 12. 14.be wanting to thee, all things shall worke together to the best for thee. Wilt thou any more? he shall euer dwell with thee, in whose presence is the fulnesse of ioy, and at his right hand pleasure for euermore. Repent therefore, but repent truly, loath all sin, grieue that thou hast committed any, flie eueryevery sinne, yea whatsoeuer occasions of it, and all appearance of euill: but louelove the trueth also, and follow all holinesse, and as much as in you is, hauehave peace with all men, and the God of peace will increase your peace in Christ Iesus.
All which euen this point that we speake of, vz, Whatsoeuer we do God seeth vsus, must sufficiently assureth vsus of: for this so often repeated speech. Reuel. 2. 2. 9. 13. 19. and 3. 1. 8. 35. I know thy workes; is spoken as to rouse the dead Sardians. 3. 1. and to heate the luke-warme Laodicās 3. 15. so to commend the faith, hope, louelove, patience, &c. of the other Churches, and so to stablish and set them forward therein, knowing hee is iust, and a liberall rewarder of them that seeke him. Heb. 11. 6.
Their wickednesse is come vp before me. Sinne once committed castes no doubtes of comming presently before God: but the thoughtes of the heart of the carnall man thinking of the way to heauen, are the faint spies that went to see the land of Canaan, which say, that iourney is farther then you are able to go all your life, the way is like a thicket, & the doore like a needles eye: therefore it is impossible for you to come thither. But when you send faith, hope, and louelove (those messengers of peace and truth) they will bring you word, saying, your ruffes must be ruffled, and your fardingals crusht, pride must be put off, and other sinnes, & none shall be kept out of heauen, but such as louelove the world better thē heauen, or such as will take their sinnes with them: for they be vnseeming the fashion of that countrey; so that ere we come thither, we must leaue them like the shadow when we go into the doore, and we must shake hands with them, and bid them farewell.