Eighteen Choice and Useful Sermons, Sermon 16
The Sixteenth SERMON.
JONAH 3.1. &c.
And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the ſecond time ſaying, Ariſe, go to Nineveh that great City, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. So Jonah aroſe and went to Nineveh.
THey that dig into the Mines of the earth for ſilver or gold, or the like mettals, they find faith the Philoſopher, parvum in magno, a little in a great deale, but little good ſubſtance among a great deale of droſſe, but ſmall ſtore of mettal in a great compaſſe. But they who ſearch into the Mines of the Scripture, they finde on the cōtrary magnum in parvo, a great deal in a little, great ſtore of matter in few words, and much excellent treaſure in a ſmall compaſſe. This Prophecy of Jonas is very ſhort; yet as St. Jerom faith of ſome the Epiſtles in the New Teſtament, that they are (Breves pariter et longoe) both ſhort and long, ſhort in words, long in ſubſtance; the ſame may be ſaid of this Prophecy of Jonas, it is ſhort in words, but yet very full of excellent matter; and among the reſt, it containes in the compaſſe of foure ſhort Chapters, three memorable examples of the riches of Gods mercy upon heinous ſinners. The firſt upon the Marriners. The ſecond upon Jonas. And the third upon the Ninivites.
The Mariners and they that were in the ſhip with them were all of them Idolaters, they worſhipt feign'd Gods of mens deviſing; but as for the true God that made Heaven and Earth, there was not one among them all that either ſerved or knew him. Yet God who would as the Apoſtle faith, have all men to be ſaved,1 Tim. 2.4. and to come to the knowledge of the truth, by his providence brought Jonas into the ſhip among them, that he that was then flying from the true God, might be a meanes to bring them to the knowledge of him, and that they who were in danger by his meanes to periſh, might by his meanes be kept from periſhing.
The ſecond upon Jonas, whoſe ſinnes were more hainous and offenſive to God, then the ſinnes of the Mariners, becauſe he was a Prophet, and knew Gods will, and yet diſobeyed it, and the Servant that knoweth his Maſters will, as Chriſt faith,Luke 12.47. and doth it not, that Servant ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. God Commanded him to go to Nineveh, he refuſed to go, and reſolved to take ſhip, and to flee to Tarſhiſh: God was ſo offended with him for it, that he preſently ſent a Purſevant after him, he purſued him with a tempeſt, and would not ſuffer the Sea to be quiet, till he were caſt into it: yet ſuch was Gods mercy, that when Jonas was caſt into the Sea, God would not ſuffer him to periſh, according to his deſert, but wrought his preſervation after a ſtrange ſort, by cauſing him to be devoured, that he might not be drowned, and making his devourer to bring him ſafe to Land, and ſo ſaved his life, even then when he was in the very jawes of death.
The third upon the Ninevites, who were ſo hainous ſinners, that their wickedneſſe was come up before God, and cried up to Heaven unto God for vengeance: and God was ſo provoked, that the ſentence was already gone out of his lips, that Nineveh ſhould be overthrown after forty dayes: yet upon their Repentance and Humiliation, God that is infinitely rich in mercy, did ſpare the City, and repented of the evil which he had intended againſt them. Nay, when Jonas, to whom God had been ſo gracious, was offended that God would be ſo gracious to the Ninevites, as to ſpare them when he had proclaimed their deſtruction: God took upon him the defence of the Ninevites; and pleaded for them. All theſe examples plainly verifying that which God faith by the Prophet, and confirmes it with an Oath, Ezek. 33. As I live, Ezek. 33.11.faith the Lord, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. The two former examples, of Gods mercy upon the Mariners, and Gods mercy upon Jonas, are ſet down before in the two former Chapters: and in this Chapter and the next, it ſet down eſpecially Gods mercy upon the Ninevites, though the beginning of this Chapter containes his mercy to Jonas. For in the words of my Text, we may obſerve theſe 3 things.
Firſt, Gods gracious renewing of Jonas his Commiſſion, when he had ſo highly offended him, The word of the Lord came unto Jonas the ſecond time.
Secondly, the Charge or Command which God gave Jonas, ariſe, go to Nineveh that great City, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
Thirdly, Jonas his execution of Gods Charge or Command, ſo Jonah aroſe and went to Nineveh.
Concerning the firſt, Gods gracious renewing of Jonas his Commiſſion, God had given Jonas this Commiſſion before, and that almoſt in the very ſame words (in the firſt Chapter, the firſt and ſecond verſes) yet becauſe Jonas had made his firſt Commiſſion void by his diſobedience unto God, it was requiſite, that if God would ſtill have him to go to Nineveh, he ſhould renue his Commiſſion, and give him a ſecond Charge, about the ſame buſineſſe, and that eſpecially in two reſpects.
Firſt, to remove ſome ſcruples out of Jonas his minde, which otherwiſe might have made Jonas to think that God would not imploy him any more in it. For Jonas did not know what was befallen Nineveh, whether Nineveh yet ſtood, or was overthrown ſince the time that God had given him his firſt Commiſſion, and had appointed him to proclaime their deſtruction: he could not tell, whether God had ſent any other thither in his roome, to execute the charge which himſelf ſhould have done, and he could not but think, that he had made himſelf unworthy of ſuch an imployment, who had carried himſelf ſo rebelliouſly in it. And therefore it was requiſite, that if God would ſtill have him to go to Nineveh, he ſhould renew his Commiſſion, as here he did. So when Peter had denied his Maſter, and had made himſelf unworthy of his Apoſtleſhip, by ſo foule a denial, leaſt Peter might ſuppoſe, that thereby he had deprived himſelf of his place, and was no longer one of Chriſt Apoſtles, Chriſt was the more careful to reſtore him to his Office. And therefore as ſoones as Chriſt was riſen, the Angell, Mar. 16.7. had the women that came to the epulcher, to tell the Diſciples and Peter, that Chriſt was riſen.Mar. 16.7. But why is Peter named more then any of the reſt? was not he comprehended among the Diſciples? But if the women had ſaid, that the Angell willed them to bring the Diſciples this Meſſage, Peter might have thought that he was not one of them, as having made himſelf unworthy to be Chriſt Diſciple, becauſe he had denied him. And therefore Peter is more ſpecially named, to aſſure him the better that Chriſt had both pardoned the ſinne of his denial, and ſtill counted him to be one of his Diſciples as he was before. And ſo leaſt Jonas might think that he had made himſelf unworthy of his propheticall Office, that had carried himſelf ſo rebelliouſly in it, God therefore here renews his Commiſſion, and imployes him again in the ſame work whereunto he had before deſigned him.
Secondly, God renews his Commiſſion, and gives him a new charge to go to Nineveh, becauſe otherwiſe if Jonas had gone thither, upon his firſt Commiſſion which he had made void, he had gone without his warrant from God, which had been dangerous for him. This we may ſee by the like example of the Iſraelites, in the 14. of Numbers. God had promiſed to give them the Land of Canaan, and ſo they were to fight with the Canaanites, and God would aſſiſt them. The ſpies that were ſent thither did bring up an evill report of the Land, that the Inhabitants dwelt in high walled Cities, that they were men of great ſtature and very ſtrong, and that they ſaw the Sonnes of Anak, who were Giants among them: which when the people heard, they preſently fell to their old veine of murmuring, and diſtruſting Gods promiſe of bringing them into Canaan, they would have choſen them a Captain to lead them back into Egypt. Hereupon God ſent a plague among them, then they would needes go and fight with the Canaanites, but then Moſes forbad them, go not up, faith he, for the Lord is not among you, becauſe ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord wil not be with you. But they notwithſtanding went & fought with the Canaanites, and were diſcomſited by them. For they had made themſelves unworthy of Gods help and aſſiſtance, by diſtruſting his promiſe, and ſo had not Gods warrant for their fighting with them. And thus here it had been dangerous for Jonas, to have gone to Nineveh upon his firſt Commiſſion, which he had now made void by his diſobedience unto God, but that God ſent him thither with a ſecond Warrant. Here then obſerve Gods wonderfull goodneſſe and mercy to Jonas, in not onelyonly pardoning his former Rebellion, but reſtoring him to his propheticall Office and dignity from whence he was fallen. God deales more graciouſly with his Servants, then earthly Princes do vvith their Subjects. If a ſubject that is in any high Office, do rebel againſt his Prince, though the Prince be ſo gracious as to pardon his Rebellion, yet he vvill not ſuffer him to hold his Office, but vvill deprive him of it, even in point of policy, that he may be the leſſe able, being in lower place, to rebel hereafter, and that the loſſe of his Office may remaine as a ſcarre and blemiſh unto him for his former Rebellion. But God here deales more graciouſly vvith Jonas, vvho had carried himſelf ſo rebelliouſly againſt him, both pardoning his ſinne and reſtoring him to his place, that not ſo much as the leaſt ſcarre of his former Rebellion, might remain to be ſeen, which ſhewes by the vvay, that the hereſie of the Novatians was very groſſe, in holding that all ſuch as after Baptiſme fell into ſinne, vvere cut off from the Church, and could not attain unto ſalvation, howſoever they carried themſelves afterwards, and ſought it vvith teares. But vvas not Circumciſion the ſame to the Iſraelites, vvhichwhich Baptiſme is to Chriſtians? and did not Johnas, after he vvas circumciſed, rebell againſt God, and yet vvas pardoned and reſtored by God to his propheticall Office? Did not David after he vvas circumciſed, commit adultery and murther, and yet did not the Lord put away his ſinne upon his repentance? Did not Peter, after he was baptized, denie our Saviour, and yet was reſtored unto his Apoſtleſhip, and afterwards proved a glorious Martyr? Therefore vvhen Aceſius a Biſhop of the Novatians, at the Councel of Nice, ſhewed Conſtantine the ſtrictneſſe of their opinions, how a man after Baptiſme, if he will be ſaved, muſt live vvithout ſinne, the good Emperour anſwer'd him, if this be ſo Aceſius, then ſet up a ladder for thy ſelf, and climbe alone into Heaven. For vvho could be ſaved, if none vvere admitted into Heaven that ſinne after Baptiſme? But vve know that Gods promiſe to ſinners is generall, that at vvhat time ſoever a ſinner repents, God vvill put all his vvickedneſſe out of his remembrance. Chriſts invitation of ſinners is generall,Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are Weary and heavy loaden, and I will refreſh you. And Chriſt teacheth us daily to pray unto God for the pardon of our ſinnes, to ſhew that as vve daily ſinne, ſo vve are daily to pray for pardon, vvhichwhich ye know vvere in vaine, if no man vvere pardoned that ſins after Baptiſme. But God here not onelyonly pardon'd Jonas, but ſet him againe in his former place, and renewed his Commiſſion which before he had given him. The Word of the Lord came unto Ionas the ſecond time.
Did God then deale ſo graciouſly with Jonas who had ſo highly offended him; Let us therefore firſt learne by Gods example, to deale graciouſly with thoſe that offend us, to pardon their offences, and to receive them into favour as God did Jonas. It cannot be while we live in this world but that offence will be given us, and that we ſhall have juſt cauſe to be offended with others; yet that we may not be ſo offended as to ſeek to be revenged, the Scriputre ſtill mentions Gods pardoning of them that offend him, to provoke us thereby to forgive others: God ſpeaking as it were by his example unto us, and ſaying as Gideon did to his followers,Iudg. 7.17. Judges 7. Looke on me and do ye likewiſe. But we ſee that God is prone to pardon them that do grievouſly offend him, as here he did Jonas; and therefore we muſt forgive thoſe that offend us. This the Apoſtle requires of us, Eph. 4 Forgive one another, Epheſ. 4.32.as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you. This Chriſt requires of us, Math. 6. both with a promiſe, that if we forgive others, God will forgive us; and under a penalty, that God will not forgive us if we forgive not others: and binding us no otherwiſe to ask God forgiveneſſe, then upon this condition that we forgive others, Forgive us our treſpaſſes as we forgive them that treſpaſſe againſt us.
Whenſoever therefore thou art offended with any, and thinkeſt to be revenged on him that wrongs thee, conſider the great danger if thou do it, conſider the great benefit if thou do it not, and ſet GOD as a patterne before thine eyes, and remember how he pardons our offences. For what canſt thou or any one pretend, why God ſhould be willing to forgive thee, if thou be unwilling to forgive him that offends thee?
If thou ſayeſt, that he that hath offended thee, is one that hath many times done thee vvrong, that thou haſt forborne him a long time and forgiven him often; and therefore canſt not indure to forbear him any longer, ſeeing he ſtill provokes thee to be revenged on him. I would ask thee again, and haſt not thou more often offended God, then any can poſſibly offend thee? Hath not God forborne thee ever ſince thou wert borne, and doſt thou not ſtill every day offend him? Well therefore may'ſt thou forgive him that offends thee, if God have ſo often forgiven thee; Forgive him that offends thee an hundred pence, when God hath forgiven thee ten thouſand talents.
If thou ſayeſt againe, But I have been alwayes a friend unto him that hath done me wrong, I have ſhewed him much kindneſſe, and never deſerved but well of him; and therefore ſeeing he requites me evill for good, how can I forgive him? I would ask thee again, But hath not God deſerved alwayes far better of thee, then thou of him that offends thee? Is it not God that gives thee life and health, and all things beſides? Is it not he that gives thee rain from Heaven and fruitfull ſeaſons,Acts 14.17. filling thy heart, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, with food and gladneſſe? Is it not he that continually preſerves both thee and thine from a thouſand dangers? And yet thou notwithſtanding doſt daily requite him evil for good, by ſinning againſt him: and therefore if he do thus forgive thee, then why ſhouldſt not thou forgive him that offends thee?
If thou ſais;t again, But if I ſtill pardon and forbear him that wrongs me, I cannot but reap diſcredit thereby, becauſe every man will think the more hardly of me. I would ask thee again, But did ever any man reape diſcredit by doing that which God commands him? And if thou ſhouldſt reape diſcredit thereby; yet were it not better that thou ſhouldſt be diſcredited, then that God ſhould be diſobeyed? Were it not better that men ſhould think bardly of thee then that God ſhould condemn thee? men thingk hardly of thee for ſuffring wrong, then that God ſhould condemn thee for revenging the ſame? And therefore howſoever thou art wrong'd or oftended, regard not what others will think of thee; but what God commands thee; and let his example move thee to forgive others, who here forgave Ionas, that had ſo highly offended him, and reſtored him to his Propheticall office.
Secondly, Seeing God dealt ſo gratiouſly with Jonas, that had ſo grievouſly offended him; Let it therefore teach us, how heinunſly ſoever we have offended God, not to deſpaire of pardon. For Gods merty to others may well be a comfort and incouragement to us. Ye know it was an incouragement to King Benhadad and the Syrians to ſubmit themſelves to the King of Iſrael, 1 Kings 20.and to hope he would pardon them: becauſe they had heard, that the Kings of Iſrael were mercifull Kings. We know that God the King of Kings is mercifull and gracious. Pſa. 116.5. Gracious is the Lord and righteous, ye our God is mercifull. Bis miſericordiam poſuit ſaith Ambroſe, ſemel Juſtitiam, He ſaith but once that God is juſt or righteous, but twice in one verſe that God is gracious: that as his juſtice might keep us fró ſinning ſo his mercy & grace much more might keep us from deſpairing. Therefore to ſhew that he is gracious and mercifull, he commonly bears a long time vvith ſinners, he doth not puniſh them ſo ſoon as they offend him, but doth long forbear them, that his forbearance and long-ſuffering might lead them to repentance. He cries to ſuch as go on in their ſinnes,Prov. i. 22 Prov. 1. Ʋſque quo ſimplices, How long ye ſimple ones will ye love ſimplicity, and ye fooles hate knowledge? He cries to Jeruſalem, Mat. 23.37.Mat. 23. Quoties volui. How often Would I have gathered thy children together, as a her doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would net? He was content (Luke 13.) to expect fruit of the fig-tree the fourth year, when he had forborne it three years before. He was able to charge them, (Numb. 14) that though they had ſeen his glory, Num. 14.22 Pſal. 95.10.yet they had provoked him ten times. Nay he was able to charge them, that forty years long he had been grieved with that generation. So gracious is God in forbearing them long that do offend him. And as he is long-ſuffering, ſo he is ſlow in puniſhing, not inflicting his judgements altogether, and at once, but by little and little, and by degrees. Therefore it is ſaid, Revel. 16. That the Angels powred out the vials of Gods wrath upon the earth. Revel. 16.1.Now ye know a viall hath a narrow mouth, that which is poured out of it, comes but guttatim, drop by drop, and is long coming out. So it is when god puniſhes, his puniſhments come ſlowly, that even while he is puniſhing, men might be drawn to repentance. And if they repent, how many ſoever their ſinnes have been, hovv hainous ſoever, and hovv long ſoever they have continued therein, he is ready to forgive them. You will ſay, indeed if I could repent of my ſins, I doubt not but God who is ſo infinitely mercifull would receive me into favour, and be reconciled unto me in Chriſt Ieſus: but I have ſo hard a heart, that ſtill I go on, and continue in ſinne, and cannot repent. I would therefore aske thee, But art thou not diſpleaſed with the hardneſſe of thy heart? and doeſt thou not deſire to forſake thy ſins, and to be reconciled unto God? Oh this, you vvill ſay, is that which I deſire above all things in the World. Then knovv for thy comfort, that thy ſtate is better then thou ſuppoſeſt, and I may ſay unto thee from Chriſt, as Chriſt ſaid to the Scribe,Mark. i…. 34. Marke 12. Thou art not far from the Kingdom of God. For could'ſt thou be diſpleaſed vvith the hardneſſe of thy heart, if thy heart vvere hardned? could'ſt thou be deſirous to forſake thy ſinnes, if thou vvert not weary of them? and could'ſt thou deſire to be reconciled unto God, If thou didſt not love him? for theſe, though thou thinkeſt thou canſt not repent, are ſignes of thy repentance, vvhichwhich though it be weake, yet he who hath promiſed, that he will not break the bruiſed reed, nor quench the ſmeaking flax, will accept of it: and notwithſtanding thy ſinnes, will he gracious unto thee, as he was here unto Jonas. And ſo from Gods gracious renewing of Jonas his Commiſſion, I proceed to the Charge which God gave Jonas, which containes two things.
Firſt, The place which God ſends him unto, Ariſe, and go to Nineveh that great City.
Secondly, The work which God appoints him to do, Preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
The place which God ſends him unto is Nineveh. The Ninevites were ſo hainous ſinners, that their wickedneſſe (as we heard before) was come up before God, and cried up to Heaven unto God for vengeance, yet God would not deſtroy them before he had ſent unto them, that before their deſtruction, they might have warning.
Doct. Here then obſerve Gods dealing with ſinners, He commonly firſt ſends to admoniſh them of their ſinnes, before he inflicts his judgements upon them. God might, if he pleaſed, and that without any breach of juſtice, be revenged on the ſudden upon the wicked, without ſending unto them, and giving them warning: but firſt, he threatens before he puniſhes, to teach them thereby to avoid his judgements.Deut. 20.10. God made this Law, Dent. 20. That no City ſhould be deſtroyed, before that peace had been offered unto it, that before their deſtruction they might have warning, and might imbrace, if they would, the conditions of peace to prevent their ruine. As God will have us to deale in mercy with our enemies, ſo he himſelfe likewiſe deales with ſinners.
Firſt, Giving them warning, and threatning his judgements before be inflicts them. Though God was highly offended with Pharaoh for dealing ſo cruelly with the Children of Iſrael, yet God would not ſend his judgements upon him, till Moſes was ſent to fore-tell him of them. Though God vvere ſo offended with the old World for their ſins, that he purpoſed to overwhelme it with water, and by an univerſall deluge to deſtroy all fleſh, yet he vvould not do it, till Noah had forvvarn'd and admoniſht them of it. And at the end of the World, when the World ſhall be deſtroyed, and conſumed by fire,Luke 21.25. yet there ſhall be vvarning of it; for there ſhall be ſignes in the Sun, the Moon, and the Starres, as our Saviour ſaith, that the very Heavens may become Preachers (as it vvere) unto us to admoniſh us to repent, by fore-warning us of the end of the World, and the day of judgement. And here though the Ninevetes vvere ſo hainous ſinners, yet he ſends unto them, that being fore-warned of the danger they were in, they might repent, and avoid the ſame.
Now Nineveh vvhereunto God ſends Jonas, is here ſaid to be a great City, And ſo it is elſe-vvhere called in the Scripture. Thus Moſes ſpeaking of Nineveh, Gen. 10.Gen. 10.12. The ſame (ſaith he) is a great City; and here in the next verſe, it is called an exceeding great City of three dayes journey. And by that which Hiſtories report of it, it ſeems to have been the greateſt City in the World, and fevv ever ſince for largeneſſe and beauty have been compared to it. Indeed, if it be true, which ſome vvrite of the City Quinſai in the Kingdom of China, it vvas a City far larger then Nineveh, as being in compaſſe a hundred miles, but aftervvards it vvas overthrown by an earthquake, and another Quinſai built but far leſſe, being but thirty miles in compaſſe, which is juſt halfe of that bigneſſe which Nineveh was. For Nineveh was in compaſſe, no leſſe then four hundred and fourſcore furlongs, which make threeſcore miles. The Walls of Nineveh were an hundred foot high, and they were of that thickneſſe, that three Carts might go ſide-long together upon them, and upon the Walls were fifteen hundred Turrets, and each of them an hundred foot higher then the Walls. The City of Babylon was ſo great, that Ariſtotle in his Politicks calls it a Countrey rather then a City, and vvrites that when it vvas beſieged, and the enemy had taken one part of it; ſome part of the City did not heare thereof, till three dayes after, ſo large was Babylon from the one end to the other. Yet Babylon was not ſo large as Nineveh, but leſſe in compaſſe by almoſt an hundred furlongs. Nineveh was many years in building, and by no fewer at once, then ten thouſand work-men, and it was ſo populous, that God tells Jonas in the next Chapter, the laſt verſe, That there were ſix-ſcore thouſand in it that knew not their right hand from their left: and therefore if there were ſo many infants, what a multitude were there of all other ages, no doubt but many more in that one City, then there are now in ſome Kingdoms. But now what muſt Jonas do vvhen has was come to Nineveh? Preach (ſaith God) unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
What this was which he was to preach, we ſee afterwards in the fourth verſe, namely, That Nineveh ſhould be overthrown after forty dayes. This God commanded him to preach, and gave him his meſſage. And from hence we may obſerve, That the Prophets had their direction from God what they were to deliver, God put into their mouths what they were to ſpeak, and they ſpake onelyonly that which they were appointed by God. 2 Pet. 1.21.So ſaith Saint Peter, That Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but the holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt. So ſaith Zachary, Luke 1. That God ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets; becauſe they ſpake onelyonly that which God put into their mouthes. Therefore we ſee in the Old Teſtament, that every one of the Prophets from the firſt to the laſt, have ſtill in their Sermons, Verbum Domini, or haec dicit Dominus, The Word of the Lord came unto me, or, Thus ſaith the Lord, to ſhew that they were but Gods Meſſengers, to deliver that which God appointed them, and that the Meſſage which they delivered, was not theirs that brought it, but his that ſent them.1 Cor. 15.3. 1 Cor. 11.23. So Saint Paul in his Epiſtles, I delivered (ſaith he) that which I received: and I received from the Lord that which I delivered unto you. This was that which Chriſt enjoyned his Apoſtles,Mat. 28.20. Mat. 28. Teach them (ſaith he) to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you: & this is that which God here enjoyns Jonas, Preach (ſaith he) unto it the preaching which I bid thee. And ſo leaving the Charge which God gave Jonas, I come to the laſt point, Jonas his execution of Gods Charge, which containes his obedience to Gods Command, So Jonah aroſe, and went to Nineveh.
When God commanded Jonas the firſt time to go to Nineveh, he was diſobedient unto God, and refuſed to go, but he paid ſo dear for his diſobedience, that he would have no more of it; God hath ſo ſchooled him by affliction, that now he is become another man, ready to go whitherſoever God would ſend him, and to do whatſoever God would command him, like Paul who being ſtruck to the ground from heaven, was content to do any thing that Chriſt would have him,Acts 9.6. Doct. Lord (ſaith he) what wilt thou have me to do?
Obſerve then from hence, That affliction is a very forcible meanes to reclaime us when we do go aſtray, and to bring us to ebedionce. This David acknowledges of himſelfe in particular, Pſal. 119.67. Before I was afflicted I went aſtray, but now (ſaith he) have I kept thy word: and this Eſay teſtifies of others in generall, in his 26. chap. 9. verſe, When thy judgements (ſaith he) are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſſe.
For Gods judgements are his Meſſengers which he ſends to reclaim us, like Officers which are ſent after fugitive Servants to bring them home to their Maſters. So hunger (ye know) reclaimed the Prodigall, affliction Manaſſes, and a tempeſt as Gods Purſevant reclaimed Ionas, and made him ready to execute that vvhichwhich God commanded, vvhichwhich before he would not. Before, he thought it a very hard Commandement, that he ſhould leave his own Countrey to go to Nineveh, leave the place vvhere he had been bred and borne to preach among ſtrangers, leave the people of God to preach among Infidels. He thought it vvould be very dangerous for him, to carry ſo unwelcome a Meſſage to the Ninevites, that Nineveh ſhould be overthrown after forty dayes. He remembred beſides, that God was ſo gracious, that though God had ſent him to proclaim their deſtruction, yet if the Ninevites ſhould repent, he would ſpare the City, and ſo he ſhould be counted a falſe Prophet among them. And many other ſcruples no doubt came in his mind, for which he thought it a very hard Commandement; but now he ſtands not upon any difficulty, but goes readily about it. His example then may teach us this leſſon, that when Gods will is made known unto us, we muſt readily yield obedience thereunto, and do that which God Commands, though it ſeeme never ſo difficult, never ſo dangerous. It might have ſeem'd unto Noe a very hard Commandement, when God Commanded him to make the Ark, and there were many difficulties which might have taken away the edge of his obedience, and diſcouraged him from taking ſuch a work in hand. He might have been diſcouraged with the tediouſneſſe of the work, that ſeeing God would have him make it ſo large and ſo great, it would hold him a long time before he could finiſh it.
He might have been diſcouraged by the great coſt and charges which he was to be at in making the Arke. For beſides his extraordinary paines and labour, it muſt needes be an exceſſive charge unto him. The ſending up and down to provide ſuch a World of ſtuffe and timber, the felling, ſawing, and ſquaring of it, the bringing it to the place where the Arke was to be made, the vvorkmens daily vvages for ſo many years, and the great ſtore of food which vvas to be provided and laid up in the Arke for the preſervation and ſuſterance of all the living Creatures vvhichwhich vvere to abide in the Arke for a twelve-monethmonth and upwards, muſt needes be a matter of exceſſive charges. He might have been diſcouraged by the continual taunts of the vvicked, vvho vvould ſcoffe and deride him for making the Arke, and make him a common by-word among them, vvhile he vvas about it. But Noe having reſpect unto Gods Commandement, his diſobedience brake through all theſe difficulties, and he took the vvork in hand, and accordingly finiſht it: ſo it might have ſeem'd unto Abraham a very hard Commandement, vvhen God commanded him to ſacrifice Iſaac, and there vvere many difficulties vvhichwhich might have diſcouraged him from the doing of it, and hindred his obedience. He might have alleadged that Iſaac was his onelyonly Sonne, and that he had no other to be his Heire, to inherit the goods vvhichwhich God had given him: that God had given him Iſaac to be a comfort unto him in his old age, and had promiſed that all the Nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed in him: that he and Sarah his vvife vvere old, and ſo not like to have any more Children. He might have pretended, that it was a moſt barbarous and unnaturall Act, for a Father to kill his own Sonne, that it would make him odious among his Neighbours, and be a foule diſgrace and reproach unto him, vvhereſoever he came. and many pretences he might have alledged vvhy he ſhould not do it; but having Gods Commandement, he ſtood not upon any difficulty therein, but vvent readily about it. For vvhatſoever it is that God Commands us, though it ſeeme never ſo hard unto fleſh and bloud, yet we are bound to yield him obedience, becauſe he hath abſolute power and Command over us. The Command of a Father over his Sonne is very great, and vvhat will not a Sonne do that lieth in his power vvhen his Father Commands him? Nihil quod pater jubet grave niſi ſitimpoſſibile, Nothing is grievous that a Father Commands, unleſſe he Commands an impoſſibility. We ſee how the Rechabits, Jer. 35. were commanded by Jonadab their Father, that neither they themſelves, nor their Sonnes, nor their Daughters, nor their Children and Poſterity for ever after them, ſhould ever drink any wine, or build any houſes, or ſow any ſeed, or plant any Vineyards, or have any, but that all their dayes they ſhould dwell in Tents. Though their Father hereby did abridge them of many commodities and comforts of this life, vvhichwhich are both lawful and neceſſary, yet becauſe it was the Command of their Father, they abſtained from every thing that he forbad them, and obeyed his vvill. And vve ſee that Iſaac, vvhen his Father was to offer him for a burnt-offring, though Iſaac was then about twenty five years old, as Joſephus vvrites, yet he reſiſted not his Father, but ſuffered him to binde him, and to lay him upon the Altar, ſubmitting himſelf to the very death to his Fathers vvill. So the Command of Princes over their Subjects is very great, and what vvill not a Subject be content to do for his Princes ſake?2 Sam. 23.16. ye know vvhen David did long to drink of the vvater of the vvell of Bethleem, three of his Servants did break through the Hoſt of the Philiſtins, and brought him ſome of it even with the hazard of their lives. So when Xerxes was upon the Sea in a dangerous tempeſt, and the Governour of the ſhip told him, that there was no hope to eſcape, unleſſe the ſhip vvere lightned: divers of his Nobility caſt themſelves into the Sea, that the King might eſcape. And we read of a Prince of Syria, that his Subjects vvere ſo ready to do vvhat he Commanded, that vvhen he called to a Centinel that vvas on the top of an high vvatch-towre, and bad him come down vvith all ſpeed to him, he preſently leapt over the Battlements, and ſtood not upon the loſſe of his life to ſhew his obedience. If Children be ſo much at the Command of their Fathers, and Subjects of their Princes, then vvhat ſhould not vve do for our heavenly Father the King of Kings vvhen he Command us? For he hath abſolute power over us, our goods and our lives, our bodies and our ſoules, and all that we have, are at his diſpoſing, and therefore whatſoever he Command us, though it ſeeme never ſo difficult or dangerous, yet vve ought vvith Ionas here, to yield him obedience.
FINIS.