Twelve Sermons, Sermon 2 – Table of contents 2
THE SECOND SERMON OF THE PVNISHMENT OF IONAH.
Ionah. 1. 7.
Afterward they sayd euerie one to his fellow, come and let vsus cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this euill is come vponupon vsus. So they cast lots, and the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
NOw followeth another meane which the mariners vse to appease the tempest.
They cast lots.
But first they consult & consent to cast lots. The tempest was so strange, that they concluded with thēselues it was the reuenging power of some angrie God, for the sinne of some notorious wretch that was amongst them.
Seeing therfore neither they, nor Ionah praying, had appeased the tempest, but it was rather increased, and no man confessed he was that sinner: they take coūsell, & agree to find him out by lots. Wherein let vsus obserue first, neuer a one of thē is of Dauids spirit, who whē he saw the people plagued, said, Lord it is I. Euerie mā excuseth himself: for eueryevery man would extenuate his owne sin, & diminish it, and eueryevery one thinketh his sinne salued, when he hath excused himselfe. Let Adam be his owne iudge, and hee will say, the woman tempted him to sin, and let the woman bee her owne iudge, and she will say yonder serpent perswaded her to it. Let euerie one be his owne iudge, and there will be such posting off of sinne, that neuer a one will be found guiltie. There is none that wil be so impudent as to say he hath no sinne at all, yet few that will freely confesse they hauehave grieuously sinned. Therefore these here say eueryevery man within himselfe, though he be a sinner, yet he is no great sinner. None are accounted sinners vnlesse they be openly detected of some notable and hainous crime. If they be dicers, swearers, drunkards, brawlers, pickers, flatterers, prophaners of the Saboth, sleepers at church, and such like, they be not thought sinners: these actions are counted no sinnes, but rather recreations. For the multitude count none sinners, vnlesse they be theeues, traitors, open and grosse idolaters, and taken with such like capitall crimes: no nor these neither, were it not for feare of the law: as none among the Iewes, but publicans, were counted sinners, all the rest were good fellowes, and iust men.
The Papists say, some thoughts, affections, words, and outward actions, not agreeing with the law of God, are easily washt away with a little holy water, &c. they are not deadly, they deserue not the wrath of God, they are but venial. Did you neuer read of these veniall sins in the Scripture? But thinke you they hauehave nothing but Scripture? yes, they hauehave decrees, they hauehave decretals, the ceremonies whereof obserued, these veniall sins are soone pardoned, and they hauehave a Pope that can forgiue any sins. Thus they lessen sins, thus they abate the price of sins, & they can buy out sins with mony, or redeeme them with masses, and by a litle short penance, purchase a large and long pardon.
And as the mariners, eueryevery man thought he was no great sinner: so Ionah thought with himselfe, though I bee a great sinner, yet am I not so grieuous a sinner as these idolatrous heathens: or if he throughly condemned himselfe, yet vnwilling to be knowne such a rebel, he thought, it may be, it is mostlikely, they are many, I but one, peraduenture therefore the lot will not fall vponupon me, like a thiefe, which notwithstanding in his owne heart hee acknowledge himselfe guiltie of that where withall he is charged yet will not confesse, vntill the matter be throughly sifted, and so clearely proued to his owne face, in such sort, that he cannot for shame, though with shame he confesse, deny it. Therefore, if God had not sifted out this sinner the better, Ionah would not hauehave beene knowne the man, and the mariners would still hauehave contended who was the lesser sinner, therefore they consult to cast lots.
Let vsus cast lots.
They did not vse to cast lots, this was no custome among the mariners: but the tempest was so wonderful, that it made them seriously to thinke of God, & willing to vse the meanes prescribed Pro. 18. 18. Pro. 26. 33.by God for the ending of doubtfull matters, acknowledging that he ordereth all, and the lot is the sentence of God: by the falling of the lot, he reuealeth the truth.
These like worldlings neuer confesse God, but when he cōmeth in a tempest: they wil not see his mercy vntill his iustice appeare, they will not acknowledge Gods gouernement, before hee bring on them some iudgement: like Pharaos sorcerers, who confessed Exod. 5. 2.not Gods maiestie, while they liued at ease, but when the Lord plagued them then cried out: This is the finger of God.Exod. 8. 19.
Let vsus cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this euill is vponupon vsus.
Why? what are they the better whē know him? what wold they do with him on whom the lot shold fall? Surely they supposing, or rather clearely seeing this tempest to be sent from some wrathfull power, & that for some one mans sin amongst thē, they determined, hauing found him, to sacrifice him vntounto the God that was so offended by him. God turneth euil into good, but the diuel turneth good vntounto euil. The Gentils had a custome in the time of cōmon plague, to sacrifice one for the rest. This custome they took by imitatiō of the Iewes, in offering beasts, & of Abraham in offering his son: the diuell that father of lyes, & schoolemaister of all mischiefe, teaching them. So the diuel took aduantage to do euill by the seruice of God, in mouing the Gentiles to worke abhomination, by offering men, imitating the Iewes cōmanded sacrifices. But if they had rightly knowne the true God, they wold hauehave taken their sins by the throte, and hauehave sacrificed them.
Come, let vsus cast lots.
The mariners were not so wise to preuent the tempest before it came, as they be diligent to allay the tempest when it may not be layd. We ouertaken with Gods iust iudgements, are very carefull alwayes, to vse all meanes to be rid of them. But who keepeth a watch of his owne wayes, and diligently laboureth to keepe himselfe free from that which necessarily draweth on itselfe Gods iudgements? who purgeth himselfe of his sinnes, least he be sicke? who letteth or fetcheth out his corrupt bloud, of pride, lust, couetousnesse, least he be sore? who keepeth a good diet, and maketh his choise of holy exercises, godly companions, religious conferences, &c. But know we, he is not safe that is not sound, neither he sound that is intemperate.
So they cast lots.
Whether it be lawfull to cast lots, it is not euident by this example, because they were Gentiles, and therfore no president for vsus: but so farre may we vse them, as the word doth leade vsus, & no further. There are two goates brought to Aaron, that he might Leuit. 16.cast lots, to see which goate should be killed, and which shold not: these goats signifie Christ: for as he died, he liued againe: and as he was buried, he rose againe. Againe, the land of Canaan is parted Num. 33.by lots, to see what part each tribe should inhabit. Againe, that theefe Achan is found out by lots, first by his tribe, then by Iosua. 7.his familie, and lastlie by his particular person.
Againe it is said, that Saul was chosen king by lots, & lest anie 1. Sam. 10.shold hauehave said, that it was his good lucke, his good lot, or chance to be king, therefore the Lord appointed that he shold be annointed before he was chosen by lots.1. Sam. 9.
Againe, Mathias is chosen by lots to the Apostleship in stead of Acts 1.Iudas. So that it is lawfull in some cases to cast lots, so that they do attribute nothing vntounto them, and acknowledge that the lot is cast into the lap, but the disposition thereof is from the Lord: Prou. 16. 33.for they must not saie, that it is their chāce, fortune, or good lucke, for so they make an idol of it, and rob God of the honor due vntounto him. For it was not Sauls fortune to be king, but Gods merciemercy; it was not Achans chaunce to be caught, but Gods iudgement. Lots may be vsed to preuent strife, when all other meanes hauehave bin vsed, & somtimes before all other meanes, when in wisdome it is thought the best means. Bretheren often & godlie at first deuide their inheritance by lots, as the children of Israel deuided the lād of Canaā. Therfore in the church of Geneua there is an order, that in the time of plague, there should be an house set apart for the sicke to lodge in, and lest they should be vncomforted, they chuse out a minister by lots to do it.
So they cast lots.
Now we are come to put vp our sutes to the court of Lawyers, to see if they wil do anie thing for God, for conscience, or for louelove, vz. that they would end mens sutes quicklie, & let the poore clients hauehave equitie. Some saie, that Lawyers be good vntill they be counsellers, like lions, which wil be gentle vntil their tallents grow: be not offended, but amend, for malice speakes not.
I am perswaded, that if the lots were cast to see who troubles the ship, it wold fall vponupon the Lawyers: be not offended, but amēd, for malice speakes not. A poore client commeth forth accusing one, and going home accuseth an hundred, for so manie seeke to gaine by him, so few seeke to further him, and so manie seeke to hinder him, that all his gaine is but labour and losse.
For a small matter manie will come to law, to striue for that which with reason might easilie be attained without such cōtention; and others seeke to enrich themselues with contending for a small matter at the law with their neighbours, yet in the end loose that they sought, and that they had beside: and so they contend & striue about a thing commonlie til the Lawyer hath gained more by them then the thing which is in controuersie, is worth. These are like the mouse and the frog, which stroue so long about marsh ground, that at length the kite came and tooke them both from it. Others will come vp to law about a small matter, and therein so entangle themselues, that they cannot rid their hands of it, vntill it hauehave almost vndone them, like a sillie sheep that is hunted of a flie, which runneth from bush to bush, and euerie bush catcheth a locke of him, so that the poore sheepe is thrid-bare ere hee hath done, and hath not a fleece left him to couer himselfe withal. So he runs from Court to Court, to sue, to complaine, to pleade, til he hauehave spent his cloake for his coate: were it not better to hauehave cast lots for the coate at first? for the law is like a butlers boxe, play stil on till all come to the candlesticke. Therefore it is lawfull to ende and controuersie in a hard matter, to vse this meane. Now whether it be lawfull to cast dice, if lots may not bee vsed (as Salomons words, Prou. 18. 18. The lot causeth contention to cease, compared with Heb. 6. 16. proue) but in hard matters, and waightie causes, when the thing is doubtfull, and all good meanes are tried before to auoid strife: that question is decided, Argumēts against dicing.which none but voluptuous men make question of, namely, whether dice-play bee a meete exercise for a Christian soule. Salomon saith, the lot causeth contention to cease, therefore lots are to Pro. 18.ende strife, but these lots make strife, for before thou takest the dice, thou knowest thine owne, and no man striueth to take it from thee, but when thou castest the dice, thou dost (as it were) aske whether thine owne bee thine owne, and makest a strife of no strife. Art thou not worthie to loose the gifts of God which venturest to loose them when thou needest not? doest thou not deserue to forfeit thine owne, which art so greedy of anothers, that thou wouldest hauehave his liuing for nothing but for turning of a die? Esau did not sell his birthright so lightly, but hee had somewhat for it, which refreshed his hunger, but God hath giuen thee a liuing, and thou spendest it for nothing. The mariners did cast lots to find out the sinner, they did not cast dice to see who should win, as dicers do, for to whom the lot fals, he takes all, which deserues to loose all aswell as the other, and hath no right vntounto it by anie lawe. For God hath not allowed one man to take anothers goods for the tripping of a die, but either they must bee merited, or they must bee giuen, or they must bee bought, or else it is vnlawfull, vngodly, vnconscionable to take thē. Besids the brawles, cosinages, the othes annexed to this game which would not agree with it, vnlesse it had bin a meete companion for thē; thou takest another mans goods for nothing, whereas God hath appointed thee to get thy liuing with the sweate of thy browes, for thou takest away that which others sweat for, and wheras thou sholdest liue by working, thou seekest to liue by playing, like the ape which liues by toying. Doth any dicer thinke hee doth well? tell me what thinkest thou? for euerie sinner doth condemne in his praier to God, that which he excuseth before men, if they which are gamesters repent it, how can they which are gamesters defend it? Thou shouldest doe nothing but that thou woldest hauehave God find thee doing: if he shold come to iudgemēt, woldst thou hauehave him take thee at dice? I am sure thou wouldest not hauehave God see thee so vainely occupied: neither canst thou thinke, that Christ, or his Prophets, or Apostles, or his Euangelists were dicers, for no such lots are named in the holy Scripture, and yet the Lords day is most prophaned with this exercise, cards and dice, as though they kept all their vanities to celebrate holy dayes. What hast thou to alleadge for dice, now euidence is giuen vp against thē? hast thou any patron to speake for thē, but thy vain pleasure and filthy couetousnesse which are condemned alreadie, and therfore hauehave no voyce by law? take away these, & take away dice. The patron condemnes the clients, when one voice condemnes another: if the exercise were lawfull, such patrons as pleasure and couetousnesse would not speake for it. Take thy pleasure therefore in that which is good, and the Angels will reioyce with thee if this were good, God wold prosper them better that vse it: but neither winners nor loosers are gainers. I know not how, but there is not so much wonne as lost, as though the Diuell did parte stakes with them, and draw away with a blacke hand, when no mā seeth; for the winner saith he hath not won halfe so much as the looser hath lost. One wold thinke that some of them should flow, when so many ebbe: there is neuer an ebbe without a flowing, neuer one leeseth but another winneth, but at dice. What a cursed thing is this that turnes no man to good, which robbes others and beggers them selues? the schoole of deceipt, the shop of othes, and the field of vanities. Thou doest not onelyonly hazard thy money (in this gaine) but venturest thy saluation, and castest dice with the diuel, who shal hauehave thy soule. For eueryevery thing that commeth well to a man, he giueth thankes, but for that which commeth by dice, he is ashamed to giuegive thankes: which sheweth, that in conscience that gaine is euil gotten, & that he sought it without God. Can this be good when worst men vse it most? if it were good, the euill would like worse of it then the good, but the more a man sauoureth of any goodnesse, the more he beginnes to abhorre it, & his conscience doth accuse him for it as for sinne. They which doubt whether God do allow it, need but look how he doth prosper thē that vse it, but they trust not in God (as the termes of their occupation descries) for they call all their casts chances, as though they relied not vponupon God but vponupon chance. Therfore if dice make strife without cause, if they take away others goods for nothing, if we may not liue by playing but by labour, if they which hauehave bin dicers repent it amongst their sinnes, if the holy men neuer vsed this recreation, but the worst most delight in it, if thou wouldest not hauehave God see thee when thou plaiest at dice, nor take thee at it when he comes to iudgement, if nothing but pleasure and couetousnesse speake for them, if they do not prosper which take pleasure in it, if they trust not vponupon God, but relie vponupon chance, if thou doest not onelyonly venture thy money but hazard thy soule, then the best cast at dice is to cast them quite away.
And the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
The lot fell vponupon Ionah, not because he was the greatest sinner of them all: for so is the opinion of the common people, to censure Luke. 13. 1. 2. &c.them worst whom they see most afflicted: If any one bee seene to beare his crosse, then many will say, this is a wicked man, and so thinke well of themselues, supposing that God is not bent against them to punish them as well; but because Ionah should feele the hand of the Lord both punishing, and preseruing him, and be reformed. For God correcteth all his, as he did his sonne, to learne them obedience. But if iudgement begin with the house Heb. 5. 8. 1. Pet. 4. 17 18.of God, what shall become of the vngodly?
And the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
Now when the sinner that troubled the ship is taken, now Ionah can hide himselfe no longer. Now he might also feare to be sacrificed by the mariners presently. For the mariners, partly for the paine they had endured, partly for the losses they had sustained, partly for the daunger wherein they remained, were no doubt as the she wolues robbed of their whelpes, out of measure furious, and fully bent to sacrifice him on whom the lot fel, to appease the wrathfull God. But God stayed, and restrained the rage of the mariners, and made them afterward willingly to abide the tempest a while, and put themselues to more paine to saue him, endeuoring by rowing to recouer land. For hauing heard of the true God, and though they lost their goods, hauing found God who is all good, shall we (said they) destroy him that hath saued vsus? shall we giuegive him vp to death vnnecessarily, that hath brought vsus to life, and assured vsus to raigne with God in all glorie euerlastingly? Surely the thanklesse are gracelesse: especially they that louelove not, and shew not forth the labor of louelove for their gracious Prou. 20. 1. Psal. 33. 15 Psal. 306. 46. Isa. 10. 6. Ezra. 1. 14. Isa. 3. 24. Nehe. 1. 11. Psal. 105.guide to God: but therefore we may see that the hearts of men are in the hands of God, and he turneth them which way he list, he fashioneth their hearts euerie one, yea euen kings hearts as riuers of waters doth he turne to water, & make fruitfull his vine: to pitie and to persecute, to honor and to shame, to louelove and hate his people, to deliuer their power to the beast, Reu. 17. 13. and againe to eate the whores flesh, and to burne her with fire. 17. 16. 17. Therefore let vsus neuer feare to performe our duties whatsoeuer to whomsoeuer: for he formeth the hearts of all, who hath promised to honor them that honor him, but to make them contemptible 1. Sa. 2. 30.that do despise him. Neither let vsus put confidence in man, not in Princes; for their hearts are riuers of water of them Psal. 146. 3selues fleeting, easily as they be led following. But especially let vsus not forget chiefly to make prayers, supplications, intercessions, 1. Tim. 2. 1.and to giuegive thankes for all those, on the godlinesse, or prophanesse of whose heartes the flourishing or defacing of the Gospell of Christ Iesus, and the chosen of God doth most depend.
And the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
Now Ionah could not denie, he was that sinner, vnlesse he wold accuse God of vnrighteous iudgement: For the lot is cast into the lap, but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Now therfore he must needs confesse it. The windes thundring, the waues tumbling, the ship cracking, the mariners quaking, vponupon their gods crying, their wares forth casting, Ionahs prayers requesting, to cast lots consulting, Ionah kept himselfe close, hee would not be thought that sinner. The wind said, I will ouerturne thee, the water said, I will drowne thee, the ship said, I cannot hold thee, the mariners said, we cānot helpe thee, his prayers said, we cannot profit thee: his conscience within bleeding, and God at the doore of his heart knocking, and the lots now ready for casting, sayd threatningly, for thee the tempest is come, thou fugitiue, & we wil discouer thee.
Yet Ionah conceales his sinne, so much did hee abhorre the shame of men, of strange men, a few men, fraile men: or the feare of the furie of flesh. Therefore after the windes had roared, and also the waues raged, and the ship reeled, and the mariners cried, and the lot, his conscience, and God himselfe threatned him: the lot also condemned him, and the feare of being sacrificed by sinners to Sathan terrified him, so that he forthwith repēted throughly, and declared it openly, hee confessed his sinne freely. Such a sturre hath God before he can come by his owne: he must crosse vsus, and set himselfe, and all his creatures against vsus, he must straine our bodies, or leaue our soules, and constraine vsus to it, before wee will returne from our wicked wayes, and throughly humble our selues to yeeld him due obedience. O the goodnesse of the great God, ô long sufferance and bountifulnesse vnspeakeable: which not only leadeth, but also in the chaines of louelove draweth vsus to true repentance.
It was Gods great goodnesse to Ionah that the mariners sacrificed him not: greater, that he truly repented: that God continueth him in his calling, and blesseth his (whose flying from God, deserued flinging to Sathan) not so much solemne preaching, as suddaine confession, & short denunciatiō of vengeance, yea made it so powerfull that it conuerted Idolatrous heathens, most hardned Idolaters: first mariners, then Niniuites.
For what a blessing felt Ionah, God vouchsafing him of this honour, to offer them a liuely, holy, and acceptable sacrifice to God, by whom he presently before greatly feared to hauehave bin offered a dead, vnholy, and so a delightfull sacrifice to Sathan. This feare banished, and that ioy possessing him, what a mercy of the Almighty did Ionah thinke it? But before he conuerted the Niniuites, he was more to be humbled, fuller to be strengthened, better eueryevery way to be prepared. Therefore God would hauehave the sea to wash him, the whale to fast him, and yet miraculously safe to preserue him, that being purified, he might pray feruently, and being deliuered, find power, comfort and courage aboundantly. Wherfore when by lot being taken, and by his owne confession found Iona. 1. 7. 10.the man that had procured the tempest, the mariners in louelove and compassion of him, had assayed by rowing to get to land but 13could not, the sea raging more and more, and Ionah himselfe 12professed he knew the tempest was sent for his cause, and would be layd, he being cast into the sea: Ionah at length was cast out of the ship into the swelling surges of the tempestuous sea. What hope of life then left? is there any? to swallow vp all, soone after he is swallowed whole of a whale.
Here let vsus marke, that after the tempest had terrified Ionah, the mariners reproued him, when they had reproued him, his conscience pricked him, when his conscience had pricked him, the consulting to cast lots grieued him, after griefe for consulting, their concluding to cast lots vexed him: vexed at their conclusion, the lot condemnes him: the lot hauing condemned him, in what an agony thinke we was Ionah: partly, that he should bee held that notorious wretch that had brought this wo? partly, least they in their raging griefe, for their great trouble of body, losse of goods, danger of life, should foorthwith kill him for a sacrifice, to appease the vnknowne angry God? But after this agony the terror of drowning followed, and after that the horror of the huge fish: first least it teare him in peeces, then least it melt him, afterward least it poison him: lastly, three dayes and three nights, the comfortlesse horror of darkenesse, and noisome stinch in the fishes belly tormented him.
First then see, the windes could not further him, the waters could not beare him, the ship could not hold him, the mariners could not helpe him: and being cast out least all for him be cast away, the whale would not spare him, the stinch would ill feede him, the darkenesse would lesse glad him, and light might not visit him. Now see then what Ionah got by this iourney. Notwithstanding all the promises of which Sathan assured him, and all the furtherances which the serpent procured him: he lost his labour, lost his money, lost his ioy, lost his credit, lost his quiet, and saw no hope but to leese his life too: finding plentifully, and bitterly feeling dreadfull feares. He trusted to the winds, the winds could not serue him: he trusted to the ship, the ship could not keep him: he trusted to the mariners, the mariners could not hold him: he trusted to the lot, the lot would not spare him: hee trusted to the waters, the waters could not beare him: neither would the whale forbeare him, neither did any thing make shew of likelihood to saue him. Therefore we may see in Ionah, what it profiteth a man to flie from God, forsaking his calling, and so practising the euill motions of Sathan, in stead of the knowne will of God. Assuredly, if we follow his flatteries as Ionah did, wee shall hauehave as he had, accusing consciences, fearfull hearts, and the wrath of God vponupon our heads. For he hath nothing to giuegive vsus, although hee promise and make vsus beleeue hee hath great kingdomes: Yes indeed, he hath horror of mind for all that obey him, and hell for the reward of his, which will make all their hearts to ake which receiue it.
See secondly in this punishment of Ionah, the iustice of God. The Bee when she hath once stung, doth leese her sting, so that she can sting no more: so doth not Gods iustice punishing sin: for it retaineth power, it hath store of stings to vexe still: when one iudgement is executed, she euer hath other inow ready, either of the same kind in another degree more sharpe, or of another sort. For all the creatures with their seuerall powers, are Gods darts to strike vsus when he commands. Therefore if we be sicke, sickenesse is not dead with vsus: if we be poore, pouertie endeth not: if we be in danger, danger is not therefore put downe for euer after: and if wee bee vexed, vexation hath not therefore left his sting: his darts, his weapons also are as sharpe now as they were at the first, and sharper too: because we are sinfuller. For according to the sickenesse is the medicine, and wounds more dangerous require more dolorous plaisters.
And if thou be disobedient, then hee will leade thee through Leuit. 26. 18. 24. 28. 36. 37. 38. 39. &c.them all, vntill he hath humbled thee, & made thee to glorifie him with obedience, or vtterly destroyed thee.
Thirdly, let vsus not forget, neither lightly thinke of this, that God knoweth how to punish for sinne, yea most seuerely to correct his children, though repenting. If our Prophet Ionah here, may not keepe thee some good while in a due meditation of it, let that man after Gods owne heart, the sweete Prophet of Israell 2. Sam. 18. 6. 10. 27. c. . 2 Sam. 12. 13. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. chap. Psal. 30. & 75. Hos. 6. 4.come to thy mind, and in him see, whether God cockereth his entirest friends, or something sharpely, if not bitterly, handleth them, setling themselues in their dregs, or securely seruing the Lord.
Lastly, yet consider God is rich in mercy, and full of compassion, loth to punish, vnlesse too farre prouoked, content to shake his rod ouer vsus, to make vsus feare only, and keepe vsus free from feeling his strokes: if that may hauehave his due worke in vsus, that is, recall, reforme, and confirme vsus: for as the winds could not ouerthrow Ionah, nor the waters drowne him: so neither could the whale consume, poison, or annoy him, or ought but feare him, though it had swallowed him, For Ionah remembring God, God shewed he forgot not Ionah. Therefore, when and where Ionah thought verily and speedily to hauehave perished, then and there God causeth him to be three dayes, and as many nights, most safely preserued. O power omnipotent, ô goodnesse all sufficient, in all things, at all 2. Pet. 2.times! God then aswell knoweth to deliuer his out of all distresse in due time, as to reserue the wicked to the day of iudgement to be punished. And in what danger shall we dispaire? in what extremities ought not we to hope in our most mighty Sauiour, remembring Ionah in the whales belly, Ieremy in the mire of the Iona. 1. 17. Iere. 36. 6. Dan. 6. 22. Dan. 3. 23. Numb. 1. 46 Exod. 17. 3. Exo. 16. 13. Iona. 2. 10. Iere. 38. 13. Dan. 6. 24. & 3. 26. Exod. 17. 6. Exo. 16. 13. Exod. 2. 15. 3. 10. Gene. 29. 20. 41 40. 45. 7. 8. Act. 9. 1. 2. 1. Cor. 15. 10. Mark 14. 71. Act. 4. 11. 12. Iona. 2. 10. Amos. 7. 14. Exod. 2. 3. Iona. 2. 10. Luke. 2. 7.deepe dungeon, Daniel among the fierce Lions, his three companions in the hote burning fornace, nay 600000 men of war, and three times as many moe, of men and women, young and old, in the wildernesse, lacking now drinke, then meate: and all these deliuered out of all daunger, these last miraculously satisfied with drinke out of the rocke, and with meate abundantly from heauen.
Secondly, though Ionah be cast into the troublous sea, and swallowed of a huge whale, yet he must preach at Niniuie: though Moses flie out of Egypt, yet he must bee the leader of Gods people thence. Ioseph is in prison, but he must be Lord of Egypt, and preserue the Church aliue: who would hauehave thought, that Saule should become Paul, or forswearing Peter so faithfull a preacher? Suspend then thy iudgement, and wonder at Gods workes, whether of mercy or iustice, and thinke not the worse of a man, though he were cast out of the sea, as Ionah, or basely brough vp as Amos: for the deliuerer of Israell was brought out of the flags, and the conuerter of Niniuie out of a whale, and the saluation of the whole world out of a stall.
And the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
The lot fell vponupon Ionah, that he might bee cast out of the ship, that as the ship was almost broken, but not altogether, so Ionah might be almost drowned, but not altogether, almost consumed, almost poysoned in the belly of the whale, but not altogether: & that being in the double deepe duly humbled; and as gold in a fornace, fined and fit for Gods workes, he might thence in a miraculous manner come foorth like Lazarus in his winding sheete, that he might glorifie God once againe, and couragiously crie against Niniuie.
And the lot fell vponupon Ionah.
The lot fallen vponupon Ionah the Iustice of God (both manifesting the truth incorruptly, & chastising his disobedient seruant seuerely) did appeare: but withal singular mercy shined, & the mariners minds were mollified, in that they sacrificed him not to Sathan, but much more, that he by that meanes truly repented. In somuch that the old idolatrous mariners presently by him were cōuerted; and he cast into the sea, was not drowned; swallowed of the whale, & three dayes continuing therein, perished not, but miraculously was preserued, & most graciously cast on land safe: & lastly, crying against Niniuie that sinfull citie, had his preaching so mightily preuailing, that he wonderfully humbled them all. This mercy was maruellous, this goodnesse of God to Ionah most glorious. For the Niniuites hearing; Yet forty dayes, and Niniuie shall be ouerthrowne, first as the mariners had before done, beleeued the word Ionah. 3. 5.of God, though they neuer heard it before. If wee heard the word of God preached as the mariners & Niniuites did, with trembling hearts in the sense of Gods maiesty, it could not be but we shold feele the power of it liuely, and be filled with all ioy in beleeuing speedily. But vneffectuall & fruitelesse is preaching, because there is nothing almost, but vnreuerent & sencelesse hearing. And why shold God teach the heedles to learn? why shold he giuegive pearls to dunghil cocks, nay to very swine? But they beleeued the word asoone as they heard it, though they neuer heard it before: what doth that argue? Surely it sheweth, that the foolish and simple are more diligent & ready both to heare & receiue the word of God, then those that are wise in their owne conceipt, or also in the view Mat. 11. 5. 1. Cor. 1. 26.of the world. What saith Christ? The poore receiue the Gospell. What saith Paul? Not many rich, not many wise. For though we hauehave knowledge, if our knowledge be like the Pharisies, that is, in Mat. 5. 10. Mar. 23. 13 14. 25. 26. 27. 28.shew of sinceritie only, in counterfet holinesse, & hollow harted friendship thorough hypocrisie, it had bin better for vsus that wee had bin ignorant, for it will but leaue vsus the more inexcusable. It will be found insufficiēt to saue vsus, but sufficient the more fearefully to condemne vsus, because we know our maisters will & do it not. Luke 12. 47 48.Therefore as Peter said to Simon Magus, thy mony perish with thee: so will the Lord say vntounto such, thy knowledge perish with Act. 8. 20.thee, seeing it is fruitlesse.
But when Niniuie had beleeued God, what did they secondly? they speedily, they notably repented, they proclamed a fast, they put on sackcloth, they humbled themselues before the Lord, they earnestly besought him to turne away his wrath from their wofull Citie. Ionah preaching at Niniuie, crying against it, seemeth to hauehave humbled them, and that without a miracle (without which, scant any doctrine is of credit among Gentiles,) not Iona. 3. 4.only within fortie but within foure dayes: much within forty daies, he conuerteth Niniuie, ruffling Niniuie, old and idolatrous Niniuie, long before forty daies bee ended, the seede is sowne, growne, increased mightily, and full ripe, in a soyle in reason most barren. Sow therefore ye seedmen where you are set. If ye sow chearefully, ye shall reape plentiouslie in due time. Faint not, say not, I hauehave a stonie, or a starued, or a thornie ground: Niniuie repents in sackcloth.
In which willing submission of theirs, & speedie liuelie repentance at the words of the Prophet, after he had bin three daies and three nights in the whales belly, the calling of the Gentiles by Christ, after he had bin three daies & three nights in the bowels of the earth, might well be signified. For they no lesse willingly then the Niniuites, submitted themselues to the Gospel preached: no lesse speedily, and peraduenture more truly repented. For though Iona. 3. 5. 6.now they thus wōderfully humbled thēselues, not the fearful multitude only, but the richest & greatest, the nobles & king also, & so al escaped now: soone after they returned to their vomit, & neuer ceased to ad sin to sin, till they were by often wars miserably wasted, & at lēgth fulfilling the prophesie of Nahum, vtterly cōsumed. Nah. 3. 19.Therfore, first for the cōfort of the Godly, since Ahab hūbled 1. King. 21. 26 27himself before the Lord, Ahab I say that had done exceeding abhominably, in following Idols, & sold himselfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, submitted himselfe vnderunder the hāds of God, fasting in sackcloth, though he did al in hipocrisie, had not the euil threatned brought vpō him in his daies, seeing Roboam, & 29 2. Chro. 10. 5.the princes of Israel who had forsakē the Lord, & the whole tribe of Iudah, which wrought wickednesse in the sight of the Lord, & prouoked him more with their sins, then all that their fathers had 1. King. 14. 22. 2. Chro. 14. 6done, humbling thēselues before the Lord, & confessing him iust, had not the wrath of the Lord powred vponupon thē, by Shishak king of Egypt were not destroied, but shortly deliuered, yea also things prospered in Iudah, though the Lord had threatned to leaue thē in 7 1…the hands of Shishack, albeit they truly repented not: lastly, for as much as Niniuie that blodie citie, full of lies & robbery, the beautiful 5 13 Nahū. 3. 1. 4harlot, with multitude of fornications, that mistresse of witchchrafts, which sold the people through her whoredoms, & the natiōs through her witchcrafts, hūbling thēselues with fasting, & putting on of sackcloth, the Lord repēted of the euil he had threatned thē, & did it not: how assured may we be, that whatsoeuer iudgemēt the Lord threatneth vsus & howsoeuer he threatē it, it shall not Ionah. 3. 7. 8 10light on vsus, whē we vnfainedly hūble our selues in true fasting, turning frō our euil waies, & from the heart vowing to serue God in al holinesse? For this is the cleare promise of the faithfull God; If I shut the heauen that there be no raine, or if I cōmand the grashopper 2. Chron. 7. 13 14to deuoure the land, or if I send a pestilence among my people: If my people among whom my name is called vponupon do humble thēselues, & pray, & seek my presence, & turne frō their wicked waies: thē wil I heare in heauē, & be merciful to their sin, & heale their lād. Againe, as generally most plainly saith iust Iehouah: I wil speake suddēly against a nation, or against a kingdom (saying) I will plucke it vp, & Iere. 18. 7.roote it out, & destroy it: but if this natiō against which I hauehave pronounced this, turne frō their wickednesse, I wil repēt of the plague 8that I thought to bring vpō thē. Let vsus thē, ô beloued of the Lord, whosoeuer louelove the Lord Iesus, be careful to fulfill the condition, & then confident, nor doubting of the performāce of the promise, by somuch the more, by how much the fewer we be, and by how much the longer and clearer the Lord hath threatned most terrible iudgements.
Now for the terror of the vngodly, as manie of them as repent only when Gods hand is vponupon them, and then humble themselues outwardly only, & that but only whē the fiercenesse of his wrath appeareth, or else after they hauehave escaped the feared iudgement, fall to their wonted wickednesse againe: let thē be sure the strong & iust God, that consumed Niniuie slidden blacke, will ouertake them also in his wrath, & for euer turne thē ouer to easelesse woe. For the greatnesse, the beauty, the strength, and riches of Niniuie, could not withstand the hand of God, or keepe it from destructiō, but rather furthered, & hastened it. For with the more excellent ornaments that it was adorned by the Lord, the more hainous & grieuous in his sight was the abuse of them. Therefore the hugenesse, or the strength of this or any other Citie cannot saue it from the iudgement of God, being sinnefull in his sight.
Great Sodome is destroyed: great Ierico is destroyed: great Gene. 19. Iosh. 6. 1. King. 24. 25. Reue. 18. 2.Niniuie is destroyed: great Ierusalem is destroyed, & great Rome the roome of all vncleane spirits, stayeth for her destruction, like a whore that stayeth for her punishment till she be deliuered, and al these were and shalbe punished for vnthankfulnesse & contempt of the word of God. Yet Niniuie, Ierico Sodome, nor Rome, hauehave had halfe the preaching that we hauehave had yet we are vnthankfull too, thē what hauehave we to look for, but when Sodom was burned, Gene. 19. 21Zoar stood safe: whē Ierusalē was destroied, Bethelē stood stil: so the Lord doth alwayes prouide for his people, though he make Iere. 41. 17.neuer so great a slaughter & destruction amongst his enemies. For Gen. 17. 1. 8the Lord because of his couenāt doth alwayes prouide for his chosen, although they be but a remnant like the gleaning after haruest, or like a cluster of grapes on the top of the vine after the vintage, & Isay. 1. 9. & 17. 5. 6.though there be neuer so great calamity or troble, as we see in the booke of Genesis. 45. chap: whē there was a great time of dearth & scarcity to come vponupon the lād where Iacob was, the Lord had sent Gen. 45.Ioseph to prouide for his father Iacob, lest he shold want bread, he or any of his sons, & folkes; and so ordered the matter, that Ioseph was treasurer ouer all the corne in Egypt. And so among the Turks and Spaniards and infidels, the Lord wil find meanes to do them good which vnfainedly louelove him, and in the dungeon, in prison, and in bondes, yea and in death, the godly shal find God.
FINIS.
FOVRE SERMONS PREACHED BY MASTER HENRY SMITH: And published by a more perfect copie then heretofore.
AT LONDON Printed by P. S. for Cutbert Burby. 1598.
The contentes.
1 The trumpet of the soule.
2 The sinfull mans searche.
3 Maries choycc.
4 Noahs drunkennes.