Sermons on Jonah

, and natural affection to all that be in their custody, principally to save them from the wrath which is to come, and afterward to encourage them, that they go with an upright foot; to quell that which is rebellious, to take pity upon the weak, to rectify the untoward, to think that to be the field wherein God hath bestowed them, and they will strive to make it like the Paradise of the Highest, by planting choice plants in it, by pruning them, by watering it, by fencing it and hedging it, by keeping out the boar; to take comfort in the beauty and prosperity thereof, and to delight in all happiness which shall befall unto it. Thus the faithful steward doth, being always pleased best when the common good doth flourish; not thinking himself a body besides the public body, and so as two substances to be contradiuided things, and all well which is scraped and scratched away from the members, but a head unto that body where and in whom he liveth, and so to have a fellow-feeling of the sufferings of other. This doth well in all things, but in nothing so much, as urging them to aim at things celestial; to beg of God the continuance of his graces upon them; or to entreat him to be pleased, to turn away that fury which is coming out against them. And in this last case, the king of Nineveh may well be proposed as an example very singular, who thinketh not his duty to be discharged at all, unless besides the subjecting and debasing of himself, he do stir up his people to a lively apprehension of the state wherein they stood, that they as the followers, & he as the leader, but both they and he, & he as well as they, like humble suppliants might make intercession, to recover God's favor, or at least to be pardoned. He showeth himself a man worthy to bear a scepter, worthy to wear a crown, who is so considerate as to think, that since they should have part of the punishment, he might do well to bring them to part of the penance.

6 Now as this in general is gathered of that act, which is imported to us, by the scope of this verse & the next, so I judge that some farther matter is naturally yielded in this, that he put forth a precept or mandamus, an imperial Edict, and an urging Proclamation, that everyone should fast. And this is, that Princes by the prerogative of their dignity, have under God a power, not only to animate, and encourage, and exhort, but by commandment to contstrain, and by law to enforce their people, to the performance and practice of those religious proceedings, which they warranted by the word shall think fit. They may ordain laws in Ecclesiastical causes, as we commonly term them, and use compelling means to bring men to God. He who should dispute this against the Church of Rome, may easily declare out of the Scriptures, both in particular and sufficiently, concerning all the circumstances whereupon they do stand, that it is holy & just which our Princesse doth claim, and our Church doth maintain. And this most plentifully hath been shown in excellent works extant to the view of the world. Therefore it shall be enough for me, now to touch and go. Wise Solomon deposed Abiathar from the Priesthood, and placed Sadoc in his room. Therefore Princes may deprive their Bishops of their dignities, if they deserve it, and place other in their steed. Jehoash doth call the Priests to an accompt, for their negligent carelessness in repairing the Temple. Good Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah do make laws, for the recalling and exercising of the service of God; they restore it and renew it according to the law: and therefore Christian Princes by their example may do the like. And if we will look lower, how great was Constantine's care for settling the faith of Christ? how did he labor both in the Nicene Council and otherwise? Doth he not call himself, as Eusebius reporteth, a Bishop out of the Church? Others were Bishops within the Sanctuary, because they were to preach and administer the Sacraments; but himself one without, by reason of his care to discharge that duty which was imposed on him. How many laws did he make in causes of the Church? and Theodosius after him? yea this prerogative was retained, until the time of Charles the Great, and Lodouicus after him, as appeareth by so many decrees extant to this day. These and many other knowing more fully then the Ninevite spoken of by Jonah did, that God had appointed them to bear the sword not in vain, made Edicts, and put out Proclamations, to command men to the exercise of Christian devotion. Yea some of them went farther, and by laws repressed diverse heresies, and enforced men to an embracing of the Orthodox Catholic faith.

7 A matter which may seem most strange, and improbable unto such, as in truth mistaking the issue of this question, do much use that Maxim, Fides non cogitur, faith cannot be enforced. It is very true that faith is an assent of the inward man, which indeed cannot be extorted, (if we will speak of the actual and complete apprehension in believing) for in that there must be a willing framing of the mind it self from within. But the means whereby men get faith, are visible and external, as the hearing of the word, the receiving of the Sacraments, the repairing to the Churches where religion is set forth, the flying from the Synagogues of heretics and schismatics, lest other should be infected: the forbidding of their assemblies: and these things Princes may not only use and set on foot, but they are bound by duty to the highest Lord, to exercise and execute them. Josiah in his fervent zeal compelled all in the land, or bound them as other translate it, to serve the Lord their God.. And his deed is commended. Doth not Christ in the Parable show, that he who made the banket bid his servants go forth, and enforce them under the hedges to enter into his house, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , compel them to come in : out of which text Thomas of Aquine doth conclude and resolve, that men are to be enforced unto faith. Theodosius took this course as we read in Sozomen, when he made most severe laws, & put forth Proclamations against all those who crossed the stream of the Christian religion; and yet many of those laws were as the same author observeth, but only in terrorem. And that so much the more argued his religious affection, that he rather sought by frights and threats to win them, then by rigorous severity, unless against his will he should be constrained to chastise them by their obstinacy and intemperate behavior. Never any of the Fathers of the Primititiue Church, did more ponderously consider of this question, then Saint Agustine did, and accordingly without any scruple he giveth his opinion, resolving this doubt. In one place, The Kings of the earth may serve Christ, in making laws for Christ. And in another: The Emperors when they command good, it is none but Christ who commandeth by them. Again: God doth not look for the help of worldly warfare, when he rather bestoweth it as a benefit on kings when he inspireth into them, that in their kingdom they should take order, that the commandment of their Lord should be done. For unto whom was it said, And now you Kings understand, be learned ye that are Judges of the world? And when some disliked this position, in another place he speaketh fully to them: They do marvel because the Christian powers are stirred up against the detestable dissipatours and scatterers of the Church. But should they not be moved? And how should they yield an accompt of their government to God? Let your charity observe what I speak, because this pertaineth to the Christian Kings of the world, that they should be willing that in their times, that Church their mother of whom they are spiritually borne, should be peaceable. I deny not but some of the ancient who lived a little before Saint Augustine's time, and had not experience so much in this behalf as he had, were of a different opinion, and therefore they spake otherwise. As Lactantius: There needeth no violence and injury, because religion cannot be enforced: the matter is rather to be dealt in by words then by stripes, that so there may be a will. So Athanasius speaking against the Atrians, who by stripes and imprisonment did seek to draw men to their opinion: It is the property of holy religion, not to enforce but to persuade. For the Lord not enforcing but leaving liberty to the will, said openly to all: If any of you will come after me: And to his Apostles, will you also be gone? And so Gregory Nazianzen, I do think it fitter to persuade then to compel. This was the judgment of them, who living not in times altogether so settled, as God sent afterward, could not have that in-sight into this case, as Saint Agustine, who was purposely consulted in it, and more industriously did • ift it, and discuss it. And that causeth him to show, that many were drawn from the Circumcellians, to be good Catholics, by violence which was offered them by the Magistrates. But he there requireth that there should be teaching joined to terror, and not most grievous punishment to be inflicted without instruction. But to my point, He who bindeth a frantic man, and rowzeth him up who is sick of a lethargy, although he be troublesome to both, yet he loveth both. And elsewhere: If any laws be made against you (speaking of the Donatists who objected, that it was not in any man to enforce their wills to his religion) you are not by them compelled to do well, but you are forbidden to do ill. For no man can do well unless he choose to do so, unless he love it, which consisteth in free-will: but the fear of punishments, albeit yet it hath not the delight of a good conscience, yet at the least it restraineth evil lusts within the closet of the thoughts. And once more: When God will stir up the Magistrates against heretics, against schismatics, against wasters of the Church, against such as would blow off Christ, against blasphemers of Baptism, let them not wonder: because God raiseth them up, that Agar may be beaten by Sara. If any man would yet see farther in this learned Father, concerning that opinion, he may find in his Retractations, that whereas once himself had been minded, that it did not belong to the Magistrate, to compel men to the communion of the Orthodox: upon sounder experience, and more advised consideration, he doth plainly retract it. Vpō all which we hold for an undoubted truth, that the Prince hath a power in commanding & proclaiming for God & God's religiō, & all exercise of the same, which as you have heard I have gathered from that act of the king of Nineveh, imposing upon his a fast by open Proclamation.

8 Then to return to him: in the next place it is said, that the Edict which was made, was by advise of his Nobles. As that which was said before doth import unto us his zeal, so this implieth his wisdom, that to direct himself he refuseth not good counsel, & to purchase the more authority he joined in his style his counselors and great officers. And in civil affairs what can be more judicious then to hearkē to the wise? then to listen unto many? Many eyes see more then one: many ears hear more thē one: many minds conceiving diversely, do utter most of understanding. where counsel is not saith Salomō, there the people shall fall: but health is where are many counselors. And, without counsel thoughts come to nothing; but in multitude of counselors there is stableness. And again, Thoughts are strengthened by counsels, and by counsels are wars to be taken in hand. The impression of this matter hath wrought with all men of worth, with David & with Solomon, whose Nobles and great captains were at hand with their instructions: yea hath had place in all estates, as the Ephori in Sparta, the Areopagites in Athens, the Senators in Rome did make manifest in old time: and in our age there is not the Russe, but hath his solemn Senate, not the Turk but hath his Bassas, who at all turns may inform him. Now as that land is happy, where the Princes eat in time, for strength and not for drunkenness, that is, are sober and temperate, so blessed is that Prince who hath such men about him, as may be right hands, not left hands, men faithful and fearing God, wise persons and hating covetousness: otherwise himself and all doth easily run to ruin. Ahaziah the king of Judah had a mother, and other kinsfolks, who were of the house of Ahab for his counselors, which turned in the end to his destructiō. Joash is ill advised by the great men of his kingdom, which drew him to idolatry, & brought sin upon him, & all the land besides. Roboams case is well known, what good green heads did to him. Few kings have stood upright, when they have leaned on crooked props. It showeth that they are weak, when they cannot find the deprauednesse or infirmity of the other: but if themselves were able men, yet having none about them but silly or corrupted ones, or careless or unfaithful persons, many things must needs run to wrack, if men reputed wise have conceived things aright. Lampridius in the life of Alexander Seuerus, citeth this out of the works of Marius Maximus, as an approved truth, that the state is better, & a great deal safer, wherein the Prince is naught, if the Counsellers who be about him be good, then that wherein the friends of the Prince be evil men, although himself be good: for one who is amiss may easily be corrected by many which are right; but when many are depraved, it is hard for one to rectify thē. Thē it is well with that Prince, who being for his own part virtuously minded, hath other virtuous ones to assist him.

9 I might amplify this by the example of Justinus the Emperor, spoken of by Euagrius, who being grown into much misery, imputeth the cause of it to his Magistrates, and those great men who were about him: but my purpose is rather to remember, that the highest should much depend upon good counsel, and not thinking themselves to be disgraced thereby, as not being self-sufficient, but to repute it their greatest honor, to hear as well as to speak. That which the Roman Minutius said of himself and Fabius, is very true, that the best thing is to give counsel: and he is but next the best, who can take it when other give it: but he is a most miserable man, who can neither give nor take. He is not the most eminent, whose weakness is such that he must only follow other men; but since none here can be absolute, as it is the highest glory to give, so to take it is no dishonor. Who was ever among the Romans more gracious for his person, or glorious for his acts, then Scipio Africanus, and yet as Plutarke writeth, he so used his faithful and true friend Laelius for his counselor, that some spared not to say, that Laelius was the Poet, and penner of all the play, and Scipio did but act it, and present it upon the stage. True wisdom had taught that honorable General, to be no way wanting to himself, howsoever other men would talk their pleasure of it. I could wish that in our age, persons of high esteem, would so use the help of their wise and faithful friends, that they might oftentimes run into so happy an error. You see that he who commanded Nineveh did hold this rule; and the Spirit of God doth record it to the instruction of our age, and (if we will so receive it as I have expounded it before) to his exceeding commendation, that in so weighty a cause he would take the advise of his Nobles. And yet to say what I think, it may not unfitly be gathered, by those deeds which are reported of him in the former verse, that he himself stirred up his Princes, and was as a spurr to them to give assent to his Edict: howbeit to show his mind to be temperate, and moderate, and humble unto men, as well as devout to God, he joineth them with himself, as not failing to grace them, and honor them in their places. The ambitious man, and he who is desirous of much gain agree in this one point, that they love to have no fellows. The man who is greedy upon money, excluding from himself all other companions, can in his private thought only, devour the greatest pray. And the hawtie and proud heart, being like to the jealous man in his jealousy, loveth not to communicate to other, the least part of that honor, which gladly he would appropriate to his own actions. The more runneth to the boughs, the more the stock is lessened: shred all the boughs saith Machiavelli, and the sap then going but one way, the body of the tree will prove the greater. But is that the way to be honorable? The mightiest that ever were have found it the truest glory, that bearing the rains aright (for that must ever be looked to) they have been kings over kings, and reigned not over beggars, but over men of worth. And God is better pleased, when good things shall be commanded, first by the highest in place, and then after it shall be added, by the Lord's spiritual and temporal, and by the assent of the commons: And princes which are gracious do never grieve at this; and wise men do love that style, when all is not appropriated to one, but there is a kind of parting. Plutarke in his state-precepts, telleth that when himself and another joined in office with him, were sent forth as Proconsuls, in some businesses for Rome, and occasion so fell out that his fellow stayed by the way, so that all was done by himself: whē being again returned, he was to make declaration of all things which he had done in his journey, his own father lessoned him before, that he should not tell his tale in the singular number, but speak still plurally: not I went, but we went: and not I, but we said; assuring him that by this he should ease himself of much envy, and by his fair behavior be very lovely and amiable. He was a wise father who taught thus, and he was a son much to be esteemed, who so inwardly embraced his good precept, that he thought of it many years afterward, & recorded it to be remembered of others. Now if it were wisdom and modesty in him so to do, then what humility was it, for the great king of Nineveh to join with him, I do not say his fellows (for this great Monarke had none such) but his subjects in his style, by the King and his Nobles. And this I have gathered hitherto, frō the Preface or induction to this Proclamation: now a little while let us enter into the Edict it self.

10 It is good when an action is carried cleanly throughout, to be well and coherent both in matter and manner. Even ceremonies and circumstances detract much from good causes, if there be a failing in them: but where is a show of accidents, and the substance shall be defective, there all is but ridiculous. Diodorus Siculus telleth, that on a time Dionysius the great tyrant of Sicily, according to the custom used in those days by men of much honor, did send to the games of Olympus, diverse singers and Poets, who made so excellent music, that everyone admired them, and commended them beyond measure. But afterward when the Poemes (which were the matter of most expectance) came to be rehearsed, they were so base and barren, that both they and their master were scorned and derided by all men. That proved a matter fit to be laughed at, because the Proem was curious, and the main did not answer to it. This king here in my text had deserved the like reproof, if after all his preparation, not in a game of sport, as were those shows at Olympus, but in the most earnest cause, which could touch him and his people, he had been weak and imperfect, when he came to the substance. If after his entertainment of the news of the Prophets preaching, after the coming down from his throne, after the putting off of his robe, after putting on of sackcloth, & sitting down in ashes, yea after charge of commanding his people to join with him, and assembling of his Nobility, no other thing had come forth, but some mouse from a mountain, some frivolous or vain thing, this scorn might be taken up, Much adoo about a trifle: much expected and naught performed. But here it is clean contrary: the precedents have been right, but the subsequent is admirable; such as few Christian Princes being taken upon the sudden, would have equalled or matched, yea although they had been brought up all their days in the faith. For it is for a fast to be kept both from meat and sin, for an abstinence in general by men and brutish cattle, and for prayer in all vehemency of spirit, to be joined with it. But now only of the fast.

11 When the wrath of God is to be appeased, the Scriptures propose unto us, as one thing most effectual among many, the humbling of the body by abstaining from meat. And withal they mention this to us, as a means to stir up the favor of God toward us, to procure anything needful for us. The Israelites when they were distressed for the murder of their men, which were slain down by the Benjamites, wept and fasted all the day. When David's child was sick, he wept and fasted for it. When the enemies of the Jews had invaded his kingdom, Jehoshaphat commanded a public fast to be kept. And so did Nehemiah of purpose to turn away that vengeance, which might justly have befallen them, for marrying of strange wives. This was exercised by Moses, and Elias, and our Savior Christ at such time, as when great matters were to be attempted by them. And we find in the New Testament the renowned use of this, by persons which were most holy, as in Anna and Cornelius. And among those weapons wherewith Paul oppugned his enemies, were fastings and watchings. And this was frequēted among men of fame in the Primitive Church. When Arius the heretic having an injunction of the Emperor for it, would needs come to the Communion, Alexander the good Bishop did betake himself to abstinence; and fasting did pray Christ Jesus, to take the matter into his own hand, which accordingly was granted unto him, to the destruction of the heretic both in soul and body. Socrates rehearseth this as a most shining virtue in the younger Theodosius, that he spent much time in fasting. Many are the commendations which the Fathers give unto it. As Saint Cyprian: By fasting the sink of vice is dried up: wantonness waxeth cold: concupisences grow faint, and pleasures like fugitiues run away. And in another place he exhorteth us unto it: In imminent dangers let us sigh and groan, not with the voice alone, but with fasting and tears, and all kind of deprecation. So Tertullian: Temptations which are incident upon fullness and immoderatnesse of belly, are choked by abstinence. And Saint Agustine: Wilt thou have thy prayer fly up to God? then get thee two wings to it, that is fasting & alms. And Chrysostom upon Genesis: As the lighter ships do more swiftly pass over the sea, but contrariwise they which are too heavy laden are drowned, so fasting making the mind lighter, doth cause it to pass the sea of this life the more lightly, and to look up to heaven and heavenly things, and not to esteem things present, but imagineth them to depart as shadows and meaner things. But drunkenness, and surfeiting, &c.

12 Hitherto the Church of Rome and we do well agree, & both of us do like the fast of the men of Nineveh here: but we go a little farther, and observe that these men in this place mentioned, are forbidden to taste anything, taste nothing nor drink water. He doth not say, forbear flesh, and feed on most dainty fish, (as the Carthusian Monks do) and pour in wine withal: neither doth he say, eat of fruits, or sweet meats, but take heed of flesh, or of white meats, because they come from flesh; but he commandeth an entire abstinence. And that we do hold indeed to be an external circumstance required in a fast, & marvel at the stupidity of those who teach the contrary. If God had esteemed sea-creatures before those of the land, certainly he would have told us of it; or if he had forgotten it, yet S. Peter who was a fisher, and oftentimes did follow that trade, would at the least have thought upon it, in some corner of some Epistle. But what reason can be imagined, why God should prefer the fish before the meat of the butcher? Saint Paul doth make no distinction, when he useth the word flesh, applying it to fishes. There is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another of fishes, and another of birds. In this disputation I speak not of positive laws, which are made for common-wealths, but I honor them and reverence thē, according to their due place: but here I discuss the institution of God, who neither directly nor by any consequent, doth propose to us this difference. And concerning pampering of the flesh, which is many times objected, it is no hard thing to prove, from Physicians, and Philosophers, and Historians old and new, yea by reason and experience, that fruits and roots, & fishes, are not any way inferior to the most dainty flesh, & therefore are oftentimes bought at highrates & prices. But I will not pursue that argument. Only thus much I may say, that the reproof which Saint Agustine useth against the Manichees, doth fitly fall upon these men, saving that those old heretics did hold that for every day, which our Papists hold but for some days. But Saint Agustine derideth those, when they thought that he was not more abstinent, who fed moderately and sparingly, only upon salt swine's flesh, then those who at their pleasure swilled in wine, and the purest juice of the most choice fruits: who did eat most fine cakes, and sweet meats of all makings, and rice, and garden fruits belayed with pepper and sugar, and the costly spice of the world. See whether in our time this be not a custom among some people, that if a man were disposed to Epicurize a little, he would not rather choose to fast as some hold fasting, then to feast at a sober banket. This is a blind superstition, and so palpably gross and filthy, that if it. were not, that custom from old time had so prevailed, and diverse of our countrymen did yet so hold it in their blindness, (and it is our duty to seek to win them) I should think myself very idle, and should partly be ashamed to speak of it in this place. The fasts in Scripture are pure abstinence: men eat nothing and drink no water: but here they may eat and drink, and be full and yet fast too. This is one of the grossest Paradoxes which the blind beast of Rome, that deceitful whore of Babylon, doth broach unto her followers.

13 And yet poor souls they see it not, nor the fondness of that doctrine, that such and such days should be fasted, not for laws sake and policy, but for religion and devotion. I do marvel what sound warrant they can have for that conclusion: for no such thing can be derived from any place of Scripture. Hear S. Augustine's judgment upon that matter: If you ask my opinion in this point, I reuoluing it in my mind do find, that in the writings of the Evangelists and the Apostles▪ and in all that instrument which is called the New Testament, fasting is commanded. But what days we should not fast, and what days we should, I see it not defined by the precept of the Lord or the Apostles. And in the ancient Church they had another custom then is kept at this day. Origen upon Leviticus saith, that they had the fourth & sixth day of the week, wherein they solemnly fasted. Now to tie this, or the alteration from it, to be a case of religion, is a servitude of all seruitudes, and a Babylonian bondage. The time of Lent I confess, is a very ancient custom, but so far from being found a point of faith and salvation, that the most approved ancient histories, tell how diversely it was kept, one day, or two days, or seven days, and by some for twenty days, and by some other for forty, by some coniunctim, by some diuisim, some abstaining from this food, some from that, but that the Apostles left it (for so Socrates doth speak) to the liberty of the Church; nay to every man's mind and will. I would that our people vndestood this everywhere, that they might take things a • ight, civil orders to civil orders, and customs which were indifferent, for nothing else but indifferent, and not to put heaven and hell upon superstitious observances. True fasting is not of custom, but upon an especial purpose, by the good motion of the mind.

14 Yet these are not the only errors, in the fasts of the Church of Rome, but this may be added to them, that commonly they respect the external work alone. But the Apostle telleth us, that if there be nothing else, bodily exercise profiteth little. There must be a directing faith, and an understanding knowledge which must make all acceptable. The end why it is done, doth much make or mar the matter: if it be to humble the body, to work in it more obedience, so to practice spiritual things; if it be to testify true devotion, if to seek to abate the Lord's fury, this showeth that all is right: but these other being for the most part ignorant, do think the thing barely done, to be a deserving work, & a meritorious action. And this thought being once received multiplieth evil on it self so far, that many in their superstition, do not fear to spill their body, that they may merit the more; and so macerate the flesh, that they make themselves unfit, to perform such Christian duties, as otherwise they might do. They procure diseases to themselves, and impotency by reason of sickness, whereby they make their body which is the house of their mind, to sink down on their soul, and to lade it over heavily. Then that mind, which with alacrity might many ways have served God, with impatiency peradventure, but assuredly with much grief, doth groan under the body. And so in steed of increasing, they diminish true devotion. Jerome as it is easy to be gathered, alludeth to this, when he saith, that a little meat and a belly which is ever hungry, is preferred before fasting three days. And again: Do thou impose on thyself such a measure of fasting, as thou art able to bear. Let thy fasts be pure and chaste, and single and moderate, and not superstitious. And he addeth fully to that point, which I mentioned a little before, What doth it profit not to eat oil, and to seek out such troubles and difficulties of meats, carrets, pepper, nuts and dates, fine cakes and honey, and baked things? So Fulgentius giveth an item for fasting moderately, A temperature is in such sort to be added to our fasts, that neither saturity do stir up and provoke our body: nor immoderate abstinence weaken it. But some other of the ancient have not only dehorted it, but have perstringed it with right severe censures, and written against it. As namely Athanasius, If thy enemy the Devil do suggest into thy mind great exercises of devotion, that thou mayest make thy body unprofitable and weak, do thou on the other side see that thy fasting have a measure. He reputeth it for no better then a temptation of the Devil, if it be excessive. Saint Basil speaketh to this matter, most soundly and with much reason, I do not so beat down my body, that I wear it out with immoderate wounds, and make it unprofitable for service; but that is my only cause of chastising my body, that I may subdue it to service, and make it rightly obedient to his master. But he who bringeth his servant so under by hunger, that not only he is unprofitable for the ministry of his master, but is not sufficient for himself, what else doth he, then make himself a servant to his servant? For it must needs be that the body being unable to serve, and by infirmity waxing faint, his master must now serve him, while he must stand amazed about the curing of the infirmity of the other. So far Basil, who esteemeth the mind as the master, and the body as the servant, Unto these I will only add the judgment of Saint Bernard, who uttereth a most godly and sober doctrine. Watchings, fastings and such like do not hinder, but help, if they be done with reason and discretion. Which things if by fault of indiscretion they be so done, that either by the spirit failing, or the body faynting, spiritual things be hindered, he who so doth, hath taken away from his body the effect of a good work, from the spirit a good affection, from his neighbor a good example, from God his honor: he is a sacrilegious person, and guilty of all these things toward God. Not that (according to the meaning of the Apostle) this seemeth unfit for a man, and be not decent and just, that the head should sometimes ache in the service of God, which hath aked oft before in the vanity of the world, or that the belly should be hungry even to croaping and roaring, which hath been filled oftentimes even to vomiting; but a measure is to be used in all things. The body is to be afflicted sometimes, but not to be quite worn out. See how gravely these learned fathers, inveigh against immoderate abstaining from necessary things▪ and give us to understand, that we may feed sparingly and moderately, and yet serve God too, although sometimes there be an abstinence from all meat to be required.

15 I do urge this doctrine so far, for some few who yet remain in our land here and there: but not for the common sort, who stay themselves enough from taking harm by abstaining. For a great part of men spend much of their time in gluttony and riot; and very few now fast, if it be not for want of meat. And herein our sensuality may be justly reproved, that whereas there is such occasion offered, to study for the turning away of God's judgments (which appear in sending famine and otherwise) and again when whatsoever is spared, may find good vent by poor men's bellies, yet we live not so temperately, as in reason we should. Surely the Almighty doth much threaten us, and therefore we should awake: and besides that, we enjoy many things, the continuance of whom is very well worth the begging, as especially the Gospel, and health and peace, and a lovely and gracious Prince: let us therefore not be so far wanting to our selves, as to forget to pray that these may endure. And as here by the example of the Ninevites, there should in great cases be a great abstinence, so let every ma • ordinarily, so keep under his body, that it may be fit for all celestial and spiritual duties. And yet I do not think it convenient, for us who live in this country, to emulate and imitate the fasts of holy men in the Scriptures; I mean not, those of Moses and Elias, which were for forty days, and indeed were miraculous matters; but such as was that of the Jews under Hester, who did eat nothing nor drink water, for three days and three nights; or of some other Christians▪ who as Saint Agustine mentioneth, did forbear in like sort, being both men and women. The difference of climates for heat and cold, maketh the stomach different, and that may be endured in hot countries, which in the cold cannot. Their inward heat is less, and therefore their appetite is not equal. Philosophers and Cosmographers do yield the reason of this, and why men eat more in the Northern countries, then in the Southerne, and do digest it more readily. And experience doth so far witness this, that as Buchanan hath noted, the French men do think that we of Britany, that is Englishmen and Scots, are great devourers of flesh: so the Spaniards think of the French men; and the people of Africa do imagine so of the Spaniards. Then is it an unequal match, for us that are coldly situated, in comparison of thē who live nearer the Tropike, to imitate them in fasting. And this consideration together with a remembrance, that amating and fear of death, do utterly quell the stomach, giveth much light to that place, where it is written, that Paul's company did abstain for so many days together, in the danger of a shipwreck. It is said that they continued fasting▪ and received nothing, which I understand to be meant, that they received nothing by any set and orderly meal, or they received nothing in comparison of their ordinary feeding. And so much I thought good to speak concerning fasting, being occasioned thereunto by the deed of the Ninevites, and the Kings proclamation. This verse doth yield one thing more, that the cattle and beasts were enjoined here to the penance, which because it is offered again, in the next verse, I do defer it thereunto. In the mean time let us pray to God, that he will pardon us our negligence in our duty, and that he will stir up our spirits, partly by example here of these Ninevites, and partly by other in his word, to be fearful of his displeasure, and to be willing to serve him, that after the expiring of this life, we may live together with him, to whom with his blessed Son, and his most holy Spirit be glory for evermore.

THE XXII. LECTURE.

I Have read this verse, as an imperatiue speech, but the Septuagint translate it, as an Indicatiue in the time past, that men and beasts did put on sackcloth, and cried mightily unto God. Wherein, as it may well be collected, they did not so much respect the original words in the Hebrew, as intended to make the deed of the Ninevites plain, who doubtless did repent, and performed that charge which their King did put upon them. But since the words and letter of the text are otherwise, as it is plain in the Prophet, and all other interpreters as far as I can find, do with one consent translate it as I read it; I think that they might well have forborne, to take on them the office of Expositors, or openers of the text at large, and kept themselves to the letter, allowing that to God's spirit, which is very familiar with it; that is to say, that oftentimes it should briefly insinuate things, and leave that by necessary circumstances to be understood, which yet it doth not openly specify in word. And the truth concerning this place now in hand is, that it is meant that we should take it, that the Ninevites repented: and so much is implied by such consequents, as afterwards follow: but this verse is a part of the Kings Edict, wherein he enjoineth something more then a fast, which should pinch the belly, and commandeth sackcloth to be put on the back, as an external sign of sorrow, and then prayers to be poured out to the Lord, with vehement exclamation; and last of all, that there should be a conversion from iniquity and sin, that the cause of the wrath being once removed, vengeance it self might cease. I can never sufficiently commend the care of this mighty ruler, who left nothing unperformed, which might win God unto him. A man worthy to be eternized, in the memory of all ages. But my meaning is, that thos • things which he did, should rather commend him, then any praise of mine. You have heard some arguments of his goodness before, which I need not to repeat, but now there [ 1] are offered to us three branches of his commandment. First, [ 2] that men and beasts should wear sackcloth; Secondly, that [ 3] there should be prayers. And thirdly▪ a full conversion, and departing from sin. These are the points which at this time I stand upon, the good Spirit of God assisting me.

2 That sackcloth in times past was used for a sign of sorrow, I noted upon the sixth verse; and therefore if it should be taken here most literally, for it self and nothing else, it serveth fitly for our purpose, that is to import great sorrow. But if you list imagine, that every man in Nineveh did not suit himself so suddenly, neither yet his cattle in such attire; then Metaphorically we may understand thereby, all sorowing mourning weed, that is to say the basest apparel, and most sordide kind of vesture that the men could put on; and that the beasts were left rough, and vncombed, and vndressed, and every way untrimmed in their kind. And that it may be so expounded, we have warrant from that place, where God saith of himself, I clothe the heavens with darkness, and make a sack their covering, which must needs be taken Tropically, for some ugly kind of appearance, and not for a material sack; for how doth that agree with the heaven? Then the beasts did want their ornaments, or were covered with some vile substance, and the men were rudely appareled, contrary to their custom: It is said by the wise man, that clothes are one of those things, which show what a man is. And indeed it is true; for so far as external things may witness of the inward, monstrous clothes show monstrous minds; & for the most part, sober apparel showeth a sober disposition. But in the course of every particular man's life, a difference in his garments noteth a difference in other matters. In solemn feasts, or whē the mind is filled with joy & gladness, robes & dainty attire are put about the body: but when sorrow over-whelmeth & oppresseth the inward man, gaynesse is laid aside. God being offended with the Israelites, telleth them that indeed they should go into the land of Canaan, but he himself would not go before them, as he had done in former times, but only would send his Angel. At this the people so grieved, because God would not go before them, that it is said, they sorowed, and no man put on his best raiment. There is no greater outward token of heaviness, and dejection of the mind, then to go in very mournful clothing.

3 The great Monarke of Nineveh meaning to purchase his peace, giveth commandment to his subjects, that laying aside their glorious and luxurious attire, they should be most meanly clothed, thinking thereby to strike a horror into the minds of his people. For when their eyes should take knowledge of that which they saw without, and as windows should let their receipts in to their understanding; and whereas things seen do move most▪ and nature not perverted loveth cleanliness and decency, white garments and the head annointed: How could their heart choose but humble, and cast down it self within, to know that the limbs were compassed with most doleful apparel, and fine linen, and the best purple should be turned into rags, or course sackcloth, or hairecloth? And when such as they did meet, should represent the like show, and so many witnesses of grief should be as so many spur • es unto groaning, it is very probable that a broken spirit and a contrite heart might grow from those visible things; and that of all other, is most acceptable to the Lord. So the maker and governor of all things might take notice of their melting for their sin, and draw back his out-stretched rod. He who pitied that evil King Ahab, who had sold himself over unto sin, when he once put sackcloth upon him, and fasted and went softly; he might right well spare the great city Nineveh, when his eyes should as fully see their debasing of themselves, as his ears plainly receive the cries, which they sent up unto him. So the people by their mourning attire, might be bettered in works and conversation, and God's favor might be procured, when there was a witness both inwardly and outwardly of their repentance. Now as this is worth the knowing, concerning the reason of the changing of their clothes, so the doubt may not unfitly be moved, why the beasts are named here, as if they had offended; and why they should be so disguised? The reason is very manifest, wherefore it should be so with the men and women: they had grieved the Lord, by transgressions of all sorts, and therefore it was fit, that they should make amends. Yea the very little infants, and those who suck the breasts, as the Prophet Joel speaketh, might well taste of the bitterness, as being slips of an evil root, cut out from a rotten rock, come from a polluted fountain: in the very propagation stained with original sin: But it is not so plain a matter, why the dumb beasts should fast, and b • barred of their food (for so it is in the former verse) or why they should be covered with sackcloth and mourning weed, who knew not what it is to offend.

4 But one reason might be, that the people might in those creatures see as in a glass, what was their own state. For when their ears should hear the bellowing of the oxen, the braying of the asses, the bleating of the sheep, the howling of the dogs, making piteous exclamation for want of food to their bellies; and their eyes also should see the out-sides of them to be ugly and deformed, like that ground which lieth as over-grown, they might forthwith remember, that themselves had deserved to be pined, and starved to death, and to be deprived of all pleasures, and delights which they did enjoy, that from henceforth bearing on them many woes and lamentations, they might finally be over taken with unspeakable desolation. God made such use as this is, of the cattle in the old Levitical sacrifices: for when he for whom they were offered, did see them to be slain, their blood to be let out, some of them to be burnt, all of them to be used with much violence, if not quartered and cut in pieces and mangled; he might presently be stricken at the heart, to think of his own deserts, that if he had his demerits, he should be martyred and mangled in his body here upon earth, and his soul should burn and fry in unquenchable flames of hell. It doth teach the Lyon obedience, when he seeth that dog whom he loveth, and useth as his play-fellow, to be cudgeled and beaten before him. And when for the young kings fault, the garment which he weareth should be beaten with many stripes, the Prince who had offended, might learn what his error was, conceiving himself blame-worthy by that representation. The children of the Spartanes might make this use, when they beheld the bondslaves of their fathers, lie tumbling in that filthiness, which drunkenness caused to them, as to think that they should be but loathsome beasts, if they proved to be drunkards. A sight so lively in their eyes, might be as a sharp spurr in the consciences of the Ninevites, to deplore their own case, with a most careful contemplation of it, unless they were insensible & so obdurate in heart, as that no good thing could pierce them. Diodorus Siculus writeth, that in Ethiopia there is a people of that quality, that they are not at all moved with the speech of them who sail by them, or with the sight of strangers approaching to them, but only looking upon the earth, they use to stand unmovable, as if their senses took knowledge of no man. If any, saith he, should strike them with a drawn sword, they fly not, but bear the stripes and injuries: neither is any of them moved with the wound, or hurt of another, but oftentimes without any kind of passion, they • ehold their wives and children slain, showing no manner of token, of anger or of pity. An insensible sort of people, if there should be any such, which in truth I believe not: but these Ninevites should have been like to them, if when they had beheld horror and grief, and weeping, and out-skreeking, in everything attending them, they would not be moved to think, that their part was in the bargain. And if it were so with that which wanted wit and reason, and knowledge to do evil things, how then should it stand with themselves, who had all these and abused them? Then the cattle served in such manner, might be an instruction this way to their masters.

5 Secondly, by the laws of the grand Creator, there is such affinity between man, and the beasts which are subjected to his use, that the sorrows of the better do easily touch the worser. For God hath so coupled all creatures to mankind, with a chain of strong dependence, that the being of them is much suitable to the flourishing, or fading of the other. It is a very mystical point, which Saint Paul hath in the eight to the Romans, that the creature shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, And that the creature groaneth and travaileth in pain with us ; yet if we well weigh it, that text shall argue thus much unto us, that the heaven and earth and the other elements (for I may not amiss name the heavens, because Saint Peter telleth us, that they shall melt with heat) by the fall of our first parents, fell into grievous bondage, even sinking in their excellency, when man did sink, to whose service next after God they were made. And when in the day of judgment, there shall be a renewing and restoring of that image of God, wherein man was first framed, then shall they return to that beauty, wherein they at first were established, so retaining still their substance, howsoever they may melt in the fire like gold, loosing their dross and corruption. If then these mighty masses, the heaven and earth and the elements, have such a reference unto man, as being made to grace him; the earth for him to walk on, the air for him to breath on, the water for him to feed on, the heaven for him to look on, the Sun to give him light, everything to yield him comfort, and when he standeth they stand, and when he falleth they fall, and when he is new molded, they also shall be recovered; may we not much more imagine, that sheep, and oxen, and cattle, yea and all the beasts of the field, which as Jerome noteth, were made for our using, or for our eating, are tied and chayned unto us, with a straighter bond of analogy or proportion, that as we fare, so in reason they should do, either well or ill? It is truth, that man hath not that sovereignty in all degrees, which he had: that is one part of his punishment: for as Chrysostom doth observe, God hath taken away from man, a great portion of his power; for he who at the beginning was made a fearful Lord, and master over living bodies, when like an ungrateful servant he had offended a higher Lord, was brought into contempt of those, who were placed to be his servants. And thereupon (as it is by one noted) many creatures are grown in their behavior toward him, as vndisciplinated things; but most of all, the greatest and the least; Lions, Tigers and Panthers (to say nothing of the whale fishes) are very hardly brought to be tame, but bees and gnats, and flies, and such little ones, not at all. Thus man's dominion is scanted, and drawn into a narrow room.

6 But these creatures are not so quitted, but although they do less to man, yet with man they suffer more. For together with him, who now is but as a young master, or a kind of quarter-master to them, they stand both generally, and particularly, in deep disgrace. They which otherwise would have taken pleasure to do the will of their master, must now with blows and stripes oftentimes be forced unto it. They which should only have been used to good, and to the glory of their maker, by his fault who hath fallen, are now applied to evil; yea they be not in that esteem with him, who first created them. As in earthly kingdoms when a Nobleman, who hath received many favors and material benefits from his Prince, doth requite him who advanced and honored him before, with treason and rebellion, then not only his own person (which lieth subject to the law) doth under-go the displeasure of his offended Sovereign, but every man about him, feeleth the smart of that rod, yea everything that was his; his family is frowned on, his followers are held suspect, those which were preferred by him, are turned out of their livelihood and maintenance; and moreover his houses which were glorious before, are let run to decay, their stateliness soon droopeth, their beauty mouldreth away, his gardens and his orchards are over-grown with vncouthnesse, his fish-ponds and other pleasures lie disorderly and neglected; yea if there were any tame thing wherein he did delight, for lack of being handled, it groweth wild and untamed: So when Adam in Paradise, being in the highest degree of honor, proved a traitor to his God, to whom he was beholding even for his very self, the earthly house where he dwelt, grew out of fashion to him, his pleasurable profits were turned to briars and thistles, the arms of his nobility were utterly defaced; but those who were his servants, to attend and wait upon him, especially all domestical kinds of cattle, partaking the reproach which lay upon their master, are subjected to much misery. And as in civil affairs, the restoring again of blood, and calling back into favor, putteth life into all the adiacents, and dependants of whom I spake before, and maketh them resume some courage; yea the hope of such a matter doth a little cheer their spirit, but the greater the hope is, the greater is their alacrity; and yet as he still is dejected, so still again they fall: Even so without doubt, all regaining of good aspect from the Highest, doth refresh these inferior bodies, as sometimes appeareth, when in noted prosperity of the owner, the cattle fare the better; but while man doth stand disgraced, they must expect the like fortune; and if extraordinarily at any time he do smart, they must also look for some unusual kind of sorrow. Then when this strange fear and heaviness, possessed the minds of the Ninevites, the horses and beasts of Nineveh by partaking that misery, which belonged to their masters, might be taught to be affected with some measure of that sorrow, as knowing that some evil was now lighting upon them.

7 This matter will grow plainer, if this also be considered, that the cattle many times do actually feel shrewd pains, together with their owners. When destructions happen unto places, all things abiding in those places, have their share in the misery. When a town of war is assaulted, do not the houses oft taste of the enemies battery, and are not those razed or fired, together with the desolation of the walls? Are not the trees of pleasure near adjoining very often cut down? Yea are not the horses wounded, and perhaps slain in the fight? or other cattle burnt in the stall? Is not that proverb experimented diverse times in this case, Love the master, love his dog, hate the master, hate his dog ? When Saul was sent to destroy Amalek, was there not a strong charge laid upon him, to kill the sheep and the oxen, and every living thing? And if God send forth a pestilence, come there not as well rottes of cattle, and great murrens of beasts, as mortalities of men? But if there should be some earth-quake, which either should cast down the houses, and crush that which were under them, or should force the ground to open, so to swallow up that where withal it meeteth, how could the dumb creatures hence escape? When therefore it was foretold, that within forty days, desolation should betide the city Nineveh, and mention was not made in what particular sort it should come, the inhabitants could not tell, but that the beasts in their place, had as much need to cry, as those who were their owners. Add to these, that some living things whom use hath made domestical, are not so deuoyde of feeling, but that sensibly they perceive the joy, or discontentedness of those which are their keepers, and oftentimes are affected with some things like to man. Birds have their dumps and their notes, and take knowledge in general, when they hear the voice of music. Vsing to the hand, doth make the horse, and dog and calf, to play and be wanton, and to express some signs of joy. And I think that I do not abuse the word, to say, that some of them in some things, have a kind of fellow-felling with us. Now there is nothing, which doth more teach this, then by giving or denying them food for their bellies, which was done among the Ninevites, while the fast continued. For as the ox doth know his owner, so the Ass doth take notice of his masters crib: although he be dull, yet his sense can serve him, to observe those things which make for the filling of his paunch. And if this be moreover true, that those beasts do take delight in their furniture and ornaments, and the proud neighing horse, as we may gather from the words of Job, knoweth when he goeth to the battle: if he think himself the brauer, for his saddles and caparisons, or bells or plumes of feathers, which be about him; then by a reason drawn frō the contrary, there may be in them a perceiving, what it is to be spread with vile things, and so it might be a discouragement, to be clothed with sackcloth. So we see by this time, that it was not without reason, when by the proclamation of the king, the beasts had their part, as well as the men; that either as a glass set before them, they might move them to think of themselves, by seeing the creatures, whose affliction could not choose but touch them, since they are given to men for helps: Or because by the providence of God, they are pinned to the suffering of man; in ordinary disgraces to be disgraced with him, and in sorrows extraordinary, to have their part in like manner. If I had not already been over-long in this point, I might join this also, to that which hath been said before, that it is the more reasonable, that the dumb creatures should feel some portion of the pains for sin, because they oftentimes are apparent means, and helps and instruments, for men to sin withal, as might largely be amplified. But no more of that matter.

[ 2] 8 I observed in the second place, that next to the sackcloth imposed on the men and beasts, it was enjoined by the King, that both the one and the other, should cry mightily to God. Then the next help which they had, was prayer and invocation. I mean not much to dispute, whether the cattle may be said to cry to God. We may hold it for an undoubted truth, that there be no such meditations, and reasonable discourses in them, as are fit to be in one of us, when we are praying: they have no such understanding: and yet the Lord, who in his providence doth take care over hairs and sparrows, respecteth all their cries, and taketh many of those cries, as a kind of calling on him. We need not fear to speak that, which the Spirit of God hath spoken. In the hundredth forty and seventh Psalm, our common translation hath, he feedeth the young ravens that call upon him : the letter in the Original goeth not so far, but he feedeth the young ravens who do cry or croape, not mentioning that they call upon God. But if we will supply it, from the nine and thirtieth of Job, we may perfect it up to this purpose: for there the Lord himself speaketh thus: Who prepareth for the rauen his meat, when his birds cry unto God, wandering for lack of meat? He who heareth the cry of the ravens, heareth the cry of other things; and he who reputeth their croaping, a calling upon himself, may do so in other creatures. Then it offendeth him not, when together with the out-cries of the men, and the howlings of the women, and the schreeking of the children, the bellowing of the oxen, and the bleating of the sheep was heard: nay without doubt it was the more gracious in the ears of the Lord of hosts. For as when men do sing, it maketh the more perfect music, to join to their lively voices, the sound of diverse instruments, which are dead matters without life or feeling, so it helped the heavenly harmony of these calling and praying Ninevites, to have the out-cries of the cattle mixed with them; and God did hold this variety, to be the more perfect a consort. So that the place beareth it not amiss, that both the men and the beasts cried mightily upon God. But if there should be any man, more scrupulous then need is, he may take this to be spoken by the figure Synecdoche, which applieth unto both, that which is meant of one only: and the whole (by that means) hath that adjunct, which is proper but to a part. And then it may be understood, that the dumb creatures had their portion in the sackcloth and the fast, but the men only did pray. But be it either the one way or the other, it yieldeth this lesson to us, for the instruction of our duty, that when danger is threatened, and there is fear or feeling of any direful thing upon us, among other our preparations, or above other if you will, we should break into open prayer, and jointly deplore our sins, and so call to God for mercy. For if anything in such cases will serve the turn, it is faithful invocation, which is better then all burnt sacrifice. Surely the King of Nineveh took the rightest course that may be; and whether it were that he were taught, and informed by the light of nature, or the teaching of any other, or by secret revelation from the spirit of the Eternal, certainly he was in the right pathway, to purchase grace with God, when both himself and all his people, as humble suppliants did lift up their voice in prayer.

9 For very great is the reckoning which God doth make of prayer: he commandeth it, and expecteth it, and rewardeth it in his Saints. Call on me in the day of trouble, and I will hear thee. And in another Psalm, The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him, yea all such as call upon him faithfully. So our Savior Christ biddeth, Ask and you shall receive: knock and it shall be opened to you. Those many good things which were granted to Moses, to Joshua, to Samuel, to David and Solomon, confirm this plainly to us. Elias bound up heaven by a request to the Lord, and had rain again for asking. How but by prayer, did Hezekiah turn the evil thought of Sennacherib away for his land and people? How was Peter brought out of prison, but by the cries of the Congregation? By this the good Constantius was said, to strengthen his family: but Constantine the Great, his son, did hereby fortify all his Empire. This is the sword and the shield, to which we all should fly, when the enemy doth invade us: and to this we should retire our selves, when famine doth pinch our bellies, when we are in sickness or sorrow, in bondage or in banishment. This is it which flieth to the heavens, and is not kept back by the clouds, nor terrified with the height, nor frighted with the frowns of ius • ice. But especially in our combats with our spiritual foes, we are to run to this, as to a most safe sanctuary, and to desire him who is the conquering Lyon of the tribe of Judah, to assist us and uphold us. Let not Satan on the one side be so fierce upon us, as we on the other side be earnest upon the Lord: if he urge us with sin, let us cry out for grace: if he talk to us of justice, let us beg the more for mercy. And when the trembling conscience, shall thus by request have recourse unto him who can help, it doth not return dismayd, but as being spoken to by God, cometh back with assured comfort. In the presence of Christ saith Saint Syprian, tears which are never held superfluous do beg a pardon for us, neither ever doth the sacrifice of a contrite heart take repulse. As often as I see thee groaning in the sight of the Lord, so often I do not doubt but the holy Ghost breatheth on thee: When I see thee weeping, I imagine him to be pardoning. So gracious and so pitiful is our good father to us. We may then account it as one of our sins, that when inward and outward sorrows, oftentimes do lay hold upon us, we do not use this remedy. We go on like insensible men, as frantic ones being most sick, and yet we understand it not. And if we find that we need help, we least of all require it by prayer; and he who should first be thought of, that is God the judge of all, doth come last in the reckoning. The Ninevites must all cry, and they must cry to the Lord, and nothing else, not to idols, not to Angels, not to Saints, or any creatures: but I handled that argument once already, upon some words of the second Chapter, that Jonah prayed to the Lord, and therefore I do now leave it.

10 And yet I must not here omit one circumstance of prayer, that they are bid cry might • lie, strongly, aloud, or earnestly: not that God doth rather hear, when the most noise is made: for he is not like Baal, who must be awaked with loud crying, but he knoweth the heart and reins, and searcheth the very thoughts. That is truly found to be so in the Lord, which Tertullian reporteth of the Devil (or spirit of the Oracle of Apollo) that he assumeth thus much to himself; I both vnderst and • he dumb, and hear him who speaketh not. God could say to Moses, why criest thou unto me, and yet he spake never a word: but within he sighed and groaned, and was troubled in his spirit. Then it is not for any weakness in the Lord, that man should cry aloud, but to signify that when we desire to obtain, our prayers should be vehement and with motion, not only formal or perfunctory, or cold, or drowsy and sleepy. But the usual prayers of the most men in our time are such; without touch what themselves do ask, and therefore it is no marvel, that they are heard so few times. It is a right good precept, and also a just reprehension to the people of his time, which Saint Cyprian doth use, and it may well be applied to our age, wherein the minds of many in the time of their devotions are upon pleasure, or profit, or some other such earthly thing: Thus he speaketh: Let all earthly and secular and carnal thoughts depart, neither let the mind then think on anything, but only that for which it prayeth. What sluggishness is it to be estranged and taken with unfit thoughts and profane ones, when thou prayest to the Lord, as if there were anything else whereupon thou shouldest rather think, then that thou art speaking with God. How doest thou require that thou mayest be heard of God, when thou doest not hear thyself? This is to be awake with the eyes, and to be asleep with the heart, whereas a Christian man should then be awake with his heart, when he sleepeth with his eyes. Here that we may testify our zeal, and withal prevent this drowsiness, it is not amiss when we find our selves to be heavy, that we do such things, as may be in place of whetstones to sharpen us; as to bend our knees, to cast up our eyes, to lift our hands to heaven, to beat our breasts, or the like, yea also with contention of spirit, and extension of voice, if time and place serve, to relieve our own infirmity. But this in sincerity as before God, and without feigned hypocrisy, which is a double wickedness.

[ 2] 11 There may also be a second use of this praying aloud, Seneca a heathen man, and yet as if seemeth religious in his Ethnic superstition, doth complain in this manner: What a madness is this in men? They do whisper unto their God's most filt hie requests: and if a man do hearken unto them, they will bold their peace, and what they would not have a man know, that they tell to God. This custom hath prevailed among Christians, that lewd men will not fear to ask lewd things in their prayers, the wanton to speed in his wantonness, the deceiver in his bargains, the oppressor in his oppressions. Loud crying doth meet with this, for although we dread not God, yet we stand in fear of men. The Pythagoreans in old time did observe this well enough, of whom Clemens Alexandrinus doth write thus: What do the Pythagoreans mean, when they bid men cry aloud? Not as I think that they imagined, that God would not hear such as speak secretly: but because they would have the prayers of men just, which they should not fear to utter, yea although men did know it. It is certainly a preposterous course, more to respect men who stand by, then the Lord before whom they stand: but since the folly of men is such, it is to be met with in his kind. He alluded well to this, who although he spake not of loud crying, yet gave counsel that we should so speak to men, as if God did always hear us (that is, our talk should be with sobriety and wisdom) and so speak to God, as if men did ever hear us, that is, reverently and religiously. Now as this doth teach us something, so I am rather of that mind for the king of Nineveh, that he commanded his by Proclamation, to cry stongly upon God, that by their importunity and vehement exclamation, the Lord might be more moved to take mercy upon them. When the hear of the heart within shall break forth into the tongue, it is so much the more forcible.

12 There is yet a third thing to be found in this Proclamation, [ 3] that besides fasting and prayer, there should be a reformation in manners and life. Let every man turn from his evil way, and from the wickedness that is in their hands. That which our English readeth wickedness, is by other most fitly translated violence, or robbery, or rapine, but Jerome and the Septuagint have iniquity, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Where one kind of sin is put in the place of all the rest: that one sin for all his fellows, either because that fault did much abound in Nineveh, I mean rapine and oppression toward those who were their subjects, or toward the poor among them: or because in general, all men who know not the Lord, are soon taken in that crime, as from some words of Saint Paul may not unfitly be gathered; where after that he hath exhorted them, to possess their vessels in holiness, & not in the lust of concupiscence, as the Gentiles who know not God, he doth name this as a special fruit of their not knowing God, dehorting them from it, that no man oppress, or deceive his brother in anything. But to leave this particular, the doctrine is, that every man who will turn to the Lord, must hate evil and fly wickedness, because the Lord requireth that, as a certain sign of repentance. When Solomon consecrating the Temple made his prayer, he speaketh to God on this manner: When the heaven shall be shut up, and there shall be no rain, because they have sinned against thee, and they shall pray in this place and shall confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou doest afflict them, then hear thou in heaven. The condition is put in, that they must turn from their sin. So in the Prophet Jeremiah: O Israel if thou return, return to me saith the Lord, and if thou put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. It was the preaching of John the Baptist, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , repent, be wiser, change your minds, or amend, and alter you lives, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. So the Apostle Peter, Amend your lives and return, that your sins may be put away. And this putting off of sin; this laying away of the old man, is that which maketh us apt to walk the ways of the Lord. For doing so we are expedite and nimble to tread his paths, to do as he doth command us, to go whither he biddeth us. But the pack of sin is so heavy, that we cannot choose but double under it, and sink and fall. Then why do we not make hast to be freed from this burden? If men, as Saint Agustine speaketh, should bear any heavy load of wood, or stone, or the like, yea if it were something gainful, of wine, or corn, or money, they would hasten to put that off. But they bear a greater load of sin, and make no speed to be freed from it. But the retaining of this so long, doth in the end so tire out the conscience, that it fainteth under the burden, as appeareth too often when in sickness & otherwise, the minds of some are so distracted, that they tremble & dread much, lest it be too late to cry for mercy. They have given way to malice, and have heaped evil upon evil, and are so incorporated into it, that they cannot in thenselves see any way of separation. Yet let not such men despair, for God's mercy is infinite, and if a sentence were gone out against such, yet as Saint Ambrose writeth, in his Commentary on Saint Luke, God knoweth how to change his sentence, if thou know how to amemd thy fault. But the fault at last must be amended, and the former offenses unlearned and forgotten: else it is no good repentance. For he alone doth show himself worthily penitent, who so deploreth evils past, that he doth • not again commit the same afterward; for he who bewaileth sin, and afterward committeth that sin, is as if he were washed a raw or vndried brick, where the more he rubbeth it in washing, the more dirt he doth make. Whosoever then cometh to God, who is a God of pure eyes, must know that it is his will, that first he depart from evil.

13 And if this be not done, then all external works are but hypocritical shows: thy prayer is but hypocrisy, for thou faiest to God, thy will be done, and yet thou doest thine own. Thy sackcloth is but a cover of a counterfeit and deceiver. Without a whited sepulcher, within full of dead men's bones. Thy speaking of good things, or condemning that which is evil, is but to condemn thyself, who in word doest renounce it, and yet in deed doest embrace it. Tacitus reporteth, that in the civil war between Vitellius and Vespasian, a soldier had killed his own father, who was of and in his enemies army. This was bruted about the host, and every man complained, and execrated that war, which caused such unnaturalness. And yet saith Tacitus, they never the less, nor slower, spoiled their neighbors, and kinsmen, and brethren, who were slain by them, they cried that naught was done, and yet themselves still did it. This is thy case, who speakest against sin, and yet every day committest it. Thy fasting and thy abstaining, is so far from being acceptable in the eyes of the most High, that it is exceeding odious. For as here the King of Nineveh did join virtue with his abstinence, and a turning away from wickedness with his fast, so God doth still expect, that it should be done in all fasts. The mind must forbear malice, and injury, and oppression, as well as the belly doth meat. See how plainly God speaketh to this purpose, You fast to strife and debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. Is this the fast which I have chosen, that a man should afflict his soul for a day, and bow down his head like a bulrush, and lie in sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fasting, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fasting which I have chosen, to loose the bands of wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that wander unto thy house, when thou seest the naked that thou cover him? Then it is the leaving of sin, which the Lord doth more respect, then the emptiness of the belly. And of this the holy Saints of God have always thought: As Ambrose: This is the will of the Lord, that we should fast together from meats and from sins. Let us impose an abstinence on our bodies, that we may the more estrange our souls from vices. For the body when it is sucked dry, is a bridle to the luxuriant soul. And Origen: Fast from all sin, do thou take no meat of malice, neither any delights of pleasure. And Gregory: To sanctify a fast is, when other good things are adjoined, to show an abstinence of the flesh worthy of God. Let anger cease, let chidings be laid asleep, for the flesh is in vain tired out, if the mind be not refrained from his naughty pleasures.

14 I wish that such of our people, as yet have familiarity with that filthy harlot of Babylon, would think upon this matter, that it is not only ceremony, or bare performing of outward things, which doth appease the Lord when he is offended, no not if it be to macerate and pine the body to death, unless a sincere faith do purify all within, and an honest conversation do make all clear without. It must be a lively conversion, which God taketh for payment of us. And we who profess religion, may hold this for an assured ground, that our faith is but a dead faith, unless it shine by love: that all our speaking and seeming, is fraudulent and deceitful, if our life be not joined to it. Our repayting to the Church, and professing of strict holiness, will be rejected as too light, if we either oppress our neighbor, or grind the face of the poor, or scratch we care not what, be it never so unlawful, or lead lives polluted, with whoredom and adultery. If we make our selves rich with usury or bribery, if we circumvent men in bargaining, if we profane the Sabaoth, or despise the ministry, we frustrate that which we do pretend. And the very King of Nineveh, who could learn with little teaching, that amendment of life was the truest devotion, and that as a most necessary clause, must be joined with all ceremonies, shall in the judgment condemn us, who after the hearing of many years, use to bring but half-repentance, and would willingly be the Lord's, but we would be this worlds also. And so wishing, that this doctrine of amendment, may evermore be remembered by us, I leave you to Christ Jesus, who multiply all good graces in us to the end, and bring us to his father, to whom with himself and his Spirit, the Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity be glory for evermore.

THE XXIII. LECTURE.

T He broken melting heart, and contrite spirit of the king of Nineveh, hath been signified unto you, in the words before going; how as a good Prince he giveth his people a religious example, and first by his deed coming off from his throne, and putting sackcloth on him; and afterward by his word, and commanding Proclamation, he stirreth his people up, to a rare humiliation. Here it might be discussed, of what sort their faith was, by which they apprehended the fear of the Lord, and how far their repentance went; either to be a permanent and justifying faith, a faith saving eternally, which could not be in them, but by hearing of Christ Jesus, the redeeming Messias-( for among men there is no name given under heaven, whereby we must be saved, but that name of Christ) or whether their believing, was a temporary assent to that which they heard (and unto nothing else) of the destruction of their city, which might strike a mighty horror into their mind for a time, as the preaching of Elias did to that wicked King Ahab, when he humbled himself and fasted; yet they might relent afterward, and return to their vomit, allured by the world, or inueigled by such lusts, as were usual in former time. Howsoever it was; if you allow it to the least, but a short and particular faith, it teacheth us thus much, that if they in • heir ignorance arose to so high a measure, then we in so much knowledge, should arise to much more, and so their example is not to us in vain. But for the main point, since the Spirit of God is silent therein, and doth not directly in any place determine it, for ought that I find, and the reasons which the interpreters do draw by consequent, concerning this faith of the Ninevites are such▪ as conclude not substantially without doubting, I pass over that question, and rather come to that, which literally and apparently, even at the first sight, the narration of the Prophet doth offer unto me.

2 Then, in the tenth verse, followeth God's accepting of their sorrow, and how mightily their dejection, and debasing of themselves in sackcloth and ashes, with fasting and lamentation, wrought effectually with the Highest, to diminish his displeasure, yea to remove his wrath. But because the closing, and shutting up of that serious Proclamation in the ninth verse, doth intimate some opinion (although it be with a fearful mammering) of some such thing as might be, that the Lord might be appeased, although that were not very likely, in the eyes of flesh and blood, that must not be slipped over, but taken in the way. For thereby it shall appear, that sin is very horrible to the conscience of the sinner, conceiving the guiltiness thereof, that it may well make a trembling, and shaking and dread, a suspicion that God will not be moved to mercy, and yet this distrust doth not so kill the mind, but if faith be underneath, it will presume the contrary, be it never so weakly. It doth not resolve for, neither yet define against. On these terms, in these words, standeth the great King of Nineveh. But that which was to him uncertain and unresolved, is determined by God, and he spareth indeed. Now that the doctrine may be orderly deduced from these roots, for our better instruction, we may devide the words, [ 1] as the verses are divided, into these two general heads. First, [ 2] the doubt of the King, Who knoweth if God will turn, and then the Lord's resolution, And God saw their works, and repented of the evil. The first part doth touch the prisoner, who standeth upon his trial; the second, the Judge, who is to give the sentence. Of both these as God's Spirit, shall at this time enable me.

[ 1] 3 He doth not speak here confidently, Surely God will return, and take mercy upon us, but he useth a word of more extenuation, as supposing that it was not very likely to be done. For even in the strongest faith, when such a phrase is uttered as I doubt, or peradventure, or it may be, or who knoweth, it importeth that men conceive much difficulty and hardness, in bringing that about which is in question. Caleb maketh request, that the mountain wherein the Anakims, and great Giants did dwell, might be assigned him for his portion, If saith he the Lord will be with me to expel them, as the Lord himself hath spoken. He believed that he should compass it, but that if intendeth much difficulty, in the reason of man. And so did that of Ionathas, when he speaketh thus to his armor bearer, Let us go up against the Philistines, It may be or peradventure the Lord will work with us. That saying of Peter unto Simon Magus, Repent of this thy wickedness, and pray unto God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven unto thee, doth note much more hardness: because as it should seem, the Apostle did much fear it; so rotten was Simon at the root. But as a mean between these, and most resembling my text, is that of Joel, where after a denouncing of very horrible judgments, the Prophet exhorting to repentance, doth add, Who can tell if he will turn, and repent and leave a blessing ? as if he had said, it may be that God may do this, although it be much unlikely, and it may be much despaired of; our sins are so plentiful, and his wrath is so furious. In the first book of Samuel, when the people of the Philistines were stricken with the Emerods, they asked counsel of their Soothsayers, how this plague might be stayed. They enjoined that some solemnities should be used to the Ark, which was now to be sent away, and thus they speak (as it is nearest to the Hebrew) Peradventure God will lift his hand from you. Gregory writing on that place, doth draw this doctrine from those words: When they say peradventure God may stay his hand from you, what else can be taken in this word of doubting, but that the reconciling of men who are grievous sinners, is shown to be difficult, as saith he, doth appear in the third Chapter of Jonah, Who knoweth if God will turn? Then by the judgment of Gregory, it is noted in this place, that the reconciling of the Ninevites to the Lord, was a matter of much hardness.

4 Then in the heart of this heathen man, it is firmly imprinted, by that little light which he had received, that sin in the justice of some supreme power, doth deserve a punishment: that the greater the sin is, the more it doth provoke: that if by ob • tinacie and impiety, it be immeasurable, it will scant be remitted. And this is a common opinion in all the world, that impiety is horrible, and may well be wondered at, for those punishments which it draweth upon men. The mariners who were in the ship with Jonah, seeing the tempest to grow terrible, and much beyond ordinary, conceived by and by, that sin was at one end of it, and drew down that severity. The people in the Island Melite (which we now a days call Malta) did miss in their particular, when they took Paul for a murderer: but their general guess was good, that vengeance doth follow intolerable transgressions. That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there spoken of, being the supposed Goddess of judgments, and punisher of guilty persons, as also that Nemesis which the Ethnics, and their Poets did hold, for an unavoidable revenger of evil men, appointed to be so by their Jupiter, doth witness that everywhere was a settled opinion, that crimes leudly done, would not lightly be passed over. And herein the wisdom of the Almighty Lord, is very highly to be admired, that whereas he hath not given down any law written in books, yet by the finger of his power, he hath written it in men's hearts, that there is a good and an evil: lawful things and unlawful: that their wise men should teach, that the observing eye of some superior Judge, was ever at hand to look on the deeds of men, and at one time or another, to make them smart for committing of evil. That their law-givers should forbid that, which God himself forbiddeth, and should punish that in their people, which the Lord doth punish in his own. The Scythians to condemn theft, the Romans adultery, the Egyptians idleness. That among them should be required a strictness of life, a performing of ceremonies, an offering of sacrifices, a consulting of Oracles, a frequenting of Temples, and a reverence to such who did perform those things, as in Rome a high opinion was had of Scipio, when he omitted not a day, but that he went to the Capitol to perform his devotions.

5 But as I take it, the wisdom of the Lord in declaring to the ignorant how far he hateth evil, doth appear more fully in nothing, then by putting into men, a conscience within, which should accuse and condemn the most hard hearted sinner: which so often as by maliciousness great mischiefs are done, should represent the sin unto the inward thought, with terrible suggestions of vengeance to follow, and should give no rest to the disquieted sinner. Among ignorant men, there is no one token which enforceth like this token, that ungodliness is loathsome, and odious in it self, and beareth a sting with it. And this hath so far been known to haunt the offenders, and torture them within, that Tragedians on their stages, have oftentimes represented those passions, by furies of hell fearfully tormenting some, which thing Tully doth truly interpret, of the conscience of the transgressing sinner, which doth use to discruciate the person affected, in unspeakable manner. Now what is it, that the conscience being in this case, doth give warning of? Even that at the least it is unlikely; but many times that it is impossible that they should be remitted. And hereof, in the Scriptures, Cain and Judas are eminent examples, who had an opinion, that they had faulted so far, that they could not be pardoned. The biting remorse of heinous offenses, doth gnaw, and gnaw through. The persecutors of others have tasted of this cup, and smarted with this rod. Philo Judaeus writing against Flaccus, telleth that the same lewd man, played all the parts of cruelty, which he could devise against the Jews, for their religion sake; but afterward when the doom of Caligula fell upon him, and he was banished into Andros, an Island near Greece, he was so tormented with the memory of his bloody iniquities, and a fear of suffering for them, that if he saw any man, walking softly near to him, he would say to himself, This man is devising to work my destruction. If he saw any go hastily; Sure it is not for nothing: he maketh speed to kill me. If any man sp • ke him fair, he suspected that he would cousin him, and sought to entrap him. If any talked roughlie to him, then he thought that he contemned him. If meat were given him in any plentiful sort, this is but to fat me, as a sheep or an ox is fed, to be slaughtered. Thus his sin did lie upon him, and ever remember him, that some vengeance was to follow, from God, or men, or both. In our time such measure hath been measured to murderers: their thoughts have been so troublesome after their wickedness done, that they have no more rested, then if continually and vncessantlie, they had been pursued with legions of evil spirits. The ages which are past have had their examples in this kind. When Theodorike sometimes King of the Goths, had unjustly and tyrannouslie slain Symmachus and Boëtius, two Noble men of Rome, the cruelty of that deed, and guilt of that foul trespass, did so boil in his heart, that when once at his table, among other meat a fishes head was set, he conceived it to be the very head of Symmachus, the eyes to be his eyes, the teeth to grinne upon him, and falling into a fright, and stiff coldness withal, he lieth him down, as a • an much distracted, and dieth. So heavy a burden is sin in the heart, which depresseth and crusheth down, without recovery if it be not helped with some better persuasion, sent immediately from God. There may in a natural man, be a struggling and wrestling against such motions: but his heart and conscience are greater then himself, and will put him in mind, that terrible desolation remaineth for him, who hath sinned presumptuously, or willfully, and of purpose, and that he is not very likely to be quitted from such crimes. This knowing of monstrous iniquities in Nineveh, doth make the king thereof, as one who was amated and distracted, to hope but doubtfully, and fearfully, for reconcilement between God and his soul, between the Lord and his people.

6 And if he had reason for this, because of the heaviness of that sin, which even by the light of nature, and assent of his own heart, he might fear would be punished, we may make this use thereof, that boldly and audaciously we dive not into wickedness, and plunging into the depth, do not tumble in the suddes of it, and wallow in the sink, lest when we would be glad to come forth again, and turn another leaf, distrust be our portion, and doubting in a high degree, whether God will receive us. It is good so to embrace the mercy of our Savior, that we also remember the severity of our Judge. When for many years together, we with greediness have drunk in the puddle-water of wickedness, we cannot be assured, that the Lord at our beck will bend himself to clemency. Perhaps, time may be wanting: perhaps the counsel of God's Ministers; it may be the mind inured to a custom of filthiness, cannot extricate it self: perhaps God will not give the gift of repentance, but as we have despised to hear when he calleth us, so when we shall call to him unfruitfully and unfaithfully, he will not attend. It may be that the canker of desperate sins, hath so eaten out all faith in us, that we cannot by any means appropriate God's mercy, to our selves and our souls. It is a fearful thing, when the Lord's goodness shall be ingeminated again and again, to the fainting heart, how ready he is to receive the repentant; how he calleth to sinners, and openeth the bosom for them, and stretcheth out his arms: and how Christ of purpose came to die for offenders; and yet all this shall find no other answer, but, These things are for other, they be not for me. I doubt not but the Ministers of God, who have had trial in like cases, do sometimes quake in their flesh, and tremble in their bones, to remember such examples, as their own eyes have seen. It had been good for such, who at length be so touched, and indeed for all men, to have made stay in time; for if they go on, and will not be reclaimed when mercy is offered, who knoweth if afterward God will turn and repent, and show pity upon them? Then learn to fly from sin, as from a killing pestilence: go from it soon and far, and never turn again. This is worse then the pestilence: it is poison sugared over, which may be sweet in taste, but is pernicious in effect. The pleasure is soon gone, but the guilt remaineth. Saint Chrysostom therefore doth make a fit Antithesis, between it and the travel of a woman. She, saith he, hath her throbs and pangs at the first, which in truth are very vehement; but afterward there cometh joy, when she beholdeth a child borne of her self into the world. But on the other side, while it is in performance, sin maketh much mirth and glee, and the humor is contented with it, but when it is come forth, and now may be seen, it causeth to the committer more sorrows and anguishes, then the sorrows of a woman. And what can be truer? For what grief is like that, when the creature who might have been assured thereof, shall make doubt of the mercy of his maker? It is not well, when the heart shall go but thus far, at the highest, Who knoweth of God will turn ? or it may be, that he will do it, but we cannot reckon of it.

7 Yet as this which I have spoken, may be gathered from the hardness of the thing, from the guiltiness of maliciousness, from the strictness of God's justice, from the doubtful speech of the King: So observe I pray you therein, a faith like a grain of mustard seed, a spark among the ashes, a little breath in the body. Who knoweth if God will turn? It may be: yet, it may be: it is not a thing impossible: God may do that which we think not of: no man can swear the contrary. Here then was a wrestling between hope and despair, between faith and distrust, where although the better part were foiled and overthrown, and laid along and wearied, yet lying upon the ground, even when it cannot arise, it looketh upward: albeit it have no strength to live, yet it will not die while it can live. It is recorded as a famo • s matter of Abraham, that he did hope beyond hope: when all reason did cease, yet he did not give over. Of David, that he held on, when innumerable troubles did come about him, when his sins had taken hold of him, when they were more in number then the hairs of his head, yea his heart did fail him too, in very great measure. Such a property hath faith, it is not quite discouraged, where once it hath set footing. Even this Ninevite, he who is far from perfection, doth think that God can spare sinners; that it standeth with the nature, with the custom, with the honor, of so excellent a being as that Supreme power is, to pardon and forgive. That although in themselves the errors of men deserve desolation, and irrecoverable destruction, yet in that true compassion whereof God is the father, he may be pleased to bear, and wink at transgressions. So that when of man's part, not a dram of any commiseration may be expected, of the Lord's part somewhat may be looked for. And that is the only stake whereunto we must trust, the anker to fly to, the altar to lay hold on, in confidence whereof, the offender who can believe may lift up his head; although his faith be full of weakness, and had much need to be helped. If thou Lord shouldst be extreme, to mark what is done amiss, who might abide it? But there is mercy with thee. But there is mercy with thee.

8 And indeed so there is, very plentifully and abundant mercy with our Creator, and that more in this time of grace, and the days of the Gospel, then was in former ages. He who in the wilderness was a consuming fire to the Israelites, is now a gentle father: he who was an exacting Judge, is now a redeeming Savior: he who punished those that came not, now calleth men to come, and with an appeased countenance, and intent to be merciful, he meeteth them and embraceth them. We may now cry with Saint Cyprian, Thou who in times past, wast a God of revengement, now pitiest and sparest those who have offended: thou healest the broken in heart, and bindest up the wounded; to the prodigal son returning, thou reprochest not his riot: to the adulterous harlot, thou obieclest not her wantonness, thou refusest not the service of the woman, albeit she were a common sinner: to him who ought thee money, thou doest forgive the debt. So the wounded conscience may apprehend that comfort in another, which it cannot find in it self, and may oppose God's only love, as a most sufficient shield against all temptations. And where this is once conceived with a mite of catching faith, which is true and unfeigned faith, although an humble, stowping, creeping, weak and unable faith, there the soul doth not quite sink, but floateth above the water, until more strength be gathered. The son of man showeth pity, seeketh out that which is lost▪ bindeth up that which was broken, helpeth that which is weak; the bruised reed he breaketh not, the smoking flax he quencheth not. His coming was to save sinners: he came not to call the righteous. If we had no faults in us, we had no work for his blood: and our sins be they many, or be they mighty, are not so powerful, but his blood is of more virtue. Therefore as Gregory speaketh: Let not the multitude of our wounds depress us unto despair, because the power of our Physician is greater then the greatness of our sickness. For what is it that he cannot repair unto salvation, who could create all things of nothing? And when we shall rest our selves upon this, even after our offense some comfort doth remain. But my purpose here is not much to follow this point, concerning God's mercy, because a full occasion of discussing the same, will be offered again in the second verse of the next Chapter; yet now withal remember, that although the king of Nineveh were frighted at first, lest pardon should be denied him, for the heinousness of his crimes, yet he doth not despair, but with a glimce of faith, doth put it to the adventure, saying God can return, he is able to stay the plague, which we have deserved. And the doctrine of Christianity doth most incline to this, where albeit we speak of justice, yet we rather offer mercy, according as Saint John doth direct us, My babes I write these things unto you, that you sin not, that is, that you abstain from it so far forth as you may, that willingly you do it not, nor of purpose, nor presumptuously, but if any man have sinned, that is by weakness or infirmity, or repent for it when he hath done, we have an advocate with the Father, we be not left quite destitute, even Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins. And thus hitherto having spoken of the doubt of the king, now let us see how God determineth it.

[ 2] 9 It is a rule in giving of benefits, that those are bestowed happily, who light on such a one, as is so far intelligent, as to know what he receiveth, that he may think thereof accordingly; and surely in our devotions it is man's great felicity, that he sendeth them up to God, who knoweth all and considereth all. Not one cup of cold water, but he taketh notice of it. If it be for his sake, and for a good conscience, that we are driven up and down, he telleth our flittings, he putteth our tears into a bottle, he noteth all in a book. He is not as Baal was, whose servants might cry and launce themselves with knives, and all for his honor, yet himself be never the wiser. The Ninevites fasted and put on sackcloth and prayed, upon the news of the Prophets preaching, and with lamentable behavior did labor to show their sorrow, that they should be reputed justly so vile in God's eyes. They acknowledge themselves to be ashes and dust: they stand as the stubble now ready for the flame. How the heaven might help they know not, but from the earth, is like to come no consolation. The Lord whose drift it was to bring them to that pass, and had no other end of the sending of Jonah, so far from his own country, but to work them hereunto, sitteth above in the heaven, and beholding it, is much pleased. A favorable Judge, who will turn his eyes of jealousy, into a gracious aspect, and will endure as much to save men, as he will to spill them. As the crying sins of Nineveh, and of Sodom and like places, had access unto his cares, and so did call for vengeance, so the repentance of the Ninevites had access unto his seat, and did plead hard for a pardon. Yea to show that he delighteth to help, rather then to hurt, to spare rather then to punish, he who would not receive the cries of the great sins of the Sodomites, until he came down to prove whether it were so or no, taketh the sorrows of the city, even at the first rebound, and not standing to examine them, in the strictness of his severity, is by and by appeased. He who is slow to anger, is quick • sighted at repentance, and when his son is coming home, he beholdeth him a great way off, and meeteth with him, and falleth on him, and kisseth him, and with much love embraceth him.

10 He saw that which they did. But mark, God saw their works. That which they ou • wardly did, was a token of their mind, and a fruit of their faith; which faith had entered into their heart, and in some measure purified that, which of it self was corrupt. But he beheld their works: not their speech but their deeds, not their tongue but their hands; not that afterward they would do better, but that already they had left their filthiness. And this fruit is it which God requireth to testify, whether the root be good. If words would have served the turn, the Prophet needed not have gone to the Gentiles in Assyria: the Israelites and Jews, could have furnished him well enough; who made no spare to say, that they would serve the Lord; the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord was ever in their mouths: and afterward, We have Abraham to our father, but they did nothing which was suitable, but clean contrary to their speaking. The Pharisees who succeeded long after our Prophets time, had by this reckoning been very holy, for they could pray in the streets, and disguise their faces with fasting, yet Christ brandeth them for hypocrites; and speaketh to all in general, Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven. Saint Basil vpō these words of the Prophet Isaiah, And if they multiply their prayers, I will not hear them, doth declare what the mind of God is, toward such as think religion to be in words: They who in this life do no work, which is worthy the name of virtue, but only for the lengths sake of their prayers, do hold themselves to be righteous, let them hear these words with attentive ears. For prayers are not a help, when they are poured out in any sort whatsoever, but if they be uttered with earnest and fervent affection. For the Pharisee did multiply prayers in show, but what saith the Scripture? The Pharisee standing did pray thus with himself. But it was not with the Lord. For all of it returned to the good opinion of himself; for he still remained in the sin of pride. That man who would not be taken for such a Pharisee, and so consequently be refused of the Lord, must think that there is something else in the service of the Highest, then to say or seem to be holy. For that is a matter common to reprobates, to idolaters, to dissemblers and deceitful men, which yet escape not his eyes who trieth the hearts and reins, and rewardeth men accordingly. Saint Bernard observeth that the two Kings Saul and David, when they were reproved by the two Prophets Samuel and Nathan, cried peccaui both alike, and yet Saul heard that sentence, the Lord hath taken thy kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant, and David heard that comfort, The Lord hath removed away thy sin, and thou shalt not die for it. What was this saith Saint Bernard, but that Saul had not that in his heart, which he had in his mouth: but with David it was otherwise.

11 Then he who hath gone astray, and by that means hath offended God, and desireth to return at last (after a thousand provocations) into the Judges favor; let him first depart from evil, and purge himself of all poison, as the serpent doth going to drink, and let him never again resume it: but secondly therewithal, let him do that which good. His light must shine before men, that they may see his good works: his life must shine before God in purity and integrity. Of which how little all sorts of men do think now a days, experience too much witnesseth. For who is he almost, that intendeth to that which he should? I speak not of the Atheist, who is an enemy to God the father? I speak not of the Papist who is no friend to Christ the son (many points of their doctrine crossing the life of his redemption) but of those who seem to be somewhat. The Pastors which are learned, are almost like the unlearned. The one cannot, the other will not, but neither of them do preach. They think it is enough to be able to de somewhat, when they shall see occasion: that to censure the works of other, this was well, or this was ill, is a great part of learning, but work they will not themselves; neither God nor men see their labors. The gentlemen in the country, I mean very many of them, think it is enough, if they like not anything which cometh from Rome: but if they can declaim in the greatest assemblies, against the errors of the Clergy, or spy a fault in their government, they are more then common men: yea, but if they come so far, as to have prayers in their houses (which is a very holy sacrifice, if other things accordingly be joined) they think that there is no more needful to heaven. But as for any works of mercy, or charitable pity, they are not oftentimes to be found. They yield small comfort to the poor, who perish before their faces. Little help unto the Minister, who may conflict with poverty, with bareness, and with hunger: nay he shall speed very well, if some portion of his maintenance be not detained, and kept from him with violence • or with cunning. For his necessary relief, who must teach them the way to heaven, it would be death to part with the price of the meanest gown, which their wives or daughters wear. In very many places, the citizens and townsmen desire to have much preaching, but scant any taketh care of following: they are more scrupulous, lest some old word which was used in time of Popery, should be named in common talk, then to deceive their brother, in selling or in bargaining. It is good that the smallest things, in their kind should be cared for, and that words and external iesture should be composed unto sanctity; but yet let the greatest matters, be embraced with greatest zeal. They are works which God expecteth, and not naked words only. Yet there was never age, wherein that complaint of seeming, and not being, might not truly be made: but the complaint is there most grievous, where religion is most professed, when that may be taken up which Saint Bernard sometimes wrote, There are many who have the commandments of the Lord; but yet they keep them not: many have them in their book, but have them not in their mind: many have them in their speech, but have them not in their work; many have them in their memory, but have them not in their life: many have them in their word, but not in their example.

12 But the Ninevites left their evil ways, and betook themselves to better. Now see what followed of it. God repented of the evil which he said that he would bring upon them. This phrase may seem a strange phrase, that there should be repentance in God, which implieth a change of purpose, and also a taking of notice, that something which was before, was not so well disposed, or determined or decreed; which is much, to be once suspected in the Lord, whose counsels are immutable, and all his ways appointed before hand, to be without variation. This may argue weakness in him, who is the Lord of strength: and an unresolved mind in him who is most constant: A thing which he would not have his creatures, in any sort to think of him, and therefore proclaimeth, that indeed the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man that he should change or repent. How then cometh it about, that the King should say this of him? Or if we will imagine that a heathenish and ignorant man, might mistake a word toward God, yet how is it that the Prophet, who was so well instructed in celestial things, should record that word to all ages? Yea that Joel also should second it, in the place which I named before: Who knoweth • f he will return, and repent, and leave a blessing? For removing of which doubt, we are to hold that fast, that the Lord doth not upon any occurrence, alter his decrees, which he proposeth in his counsels; but what he once resolveth, either in circumstance or in substance, he accomplisheth in due time. He grieveth not as men do, that this or that falleth out, which maketh him change his mind. Yet speaking as men speak, and so framing his greatness to the capacity of us weak ones, he altereth that which did seem to men, to be his purpose, and this he meaneth by repentance. Gregory thus layeth down the matter, Because he who is immutability in the highest degree, doth speak with those which are mutable, after the manner of them with whom he speaketh, being said to repent that he made Saul King, he noteth that the rashness of proud men doth despl • ase him. He then reputeth it for a phrase, which is only used for our understanding.

13 Justinus Martyr in his Questions and Aunswers, Ad Orthodoxos, moving this doubt, That if no change do fall upon the Godhead, why the Lord did say, concerning the annointing of Saul, that he repented, and of the ouerturning of Nineveh, that another thing was determined, giveth this answer to it: God both in that which he is, and in this, that he doth such actions, as best beseem himself, is immutable: but taking care of those who are subject to change, he provideth for the commodity of them, over whom he doth take care, and oftentimes he changeth things. Therefore when he doth pardon and when he doth not pardon, he retaineth his immutability: for those who amend their faults, he pardoneth and changeth not, and those who remain in their faults he pardoneth not, and yet changeth not. He applieth this to Saul's case, and that other of the Ninevites. The words are somewhat obscure: but in substance he decideth it thus: that the Lord doth hold fast his counsels, but yet changeth things of appearance, which it was thought that he minded. Gregory whom I have named before, hath a saying much to this purpose: Because God himself who is immutable, doth change that which he would, he is said to repent, although he change the things, but doth not change his counsel. If this yet be not so plain, that the ignorant may conceive it, then take it thus: that God from the beginning meant to spare them, but yet on that condition, that they should first repent. And to bring them to that repentance, he sent his threatenings by Jonah, of purpose wishing their good: yet because absolutely in word he denounced that unto them (the more to fear and fright them) which he purposed but conditionally (if they turned not unto him) therefore he speaketh of God, as they thought, not as he did. Jerome doth fully give down his mind, according to some part of this doctrine: God is said to change his mind: Nay rather God persevered in his purpose, meaning from the beginning to pity them: for no man desiring to punish, will threaten that which he meaneth to do. Then by his threatenings he showeth, that he meant not to destroy them.

14 For conceiving of the rest, whereof Jerome doth make no mention, we are farther to take knowledge, that generally God when he threateneth, intendeth that if men repent not, then this or that shall fall out: but if they turn unto him, that it shall not be done. And God layeth this down universally, as a certain Axiom of himself, to be so understood in all the course of the Scripture, where any threats are mentioned. But yet more significantly in no place, then by the Prophet Jeremiah, where he speaketh in this manner: I will speak suddenly against a nation or a kingdom, to pluck up, and to root out, and to destroy. But if this nation against which I have pronounced, do turn away from his wickedness, I will repent of the plague which I thought to bring upon them. Now this being allowed for a maxim, all denouncings of judgment from him, do contain in them a condition, secretly and inclusively: where if the threats be not executed, no absolute speech is broken (for far be that from the Lord) but only a comminatorie word hath obtained that, which it would have. God sent unto Hezekiah, and bad him set his house in order, for he should die, and not live. This seemed to be an absolute speech, yet it contained in it this condition, if Hezekiah did not make his peace by tears and repentance: but when that once was accomplished, Hezekiah lived and died not. Yet because such fearful words, are delivered from the Lord, as firmly resolved by him, and men know not the contrary, but that he meaneth to strike, he forbearing is said to change that which indeed he never decreed, and this supposed change he calleth a repenting: therein framing his words to our dullness, who are men to be taught, and learn best, when we hear our own phrases.

15 I think it yet not amiss, to mention thus much farther. That there be some of the ancient, who think that God fulfilled his threatenings upon Nineveh, so that Nineveh was destroyed: that is, the sinful City did cease now to be sinful, so that the evil of it was overturned, not the men, not the walls, not the houses; and this way God performed whatsoever himself did threaten. And this is the opinion of Saint Agustine: The walls saith he standing up, the city was overthrown in the evil manners of it, and so albeit not simply Nineveh, yet sinful Nineveh perished. Jerome on the fourth of Daniel, subscribeth to this doctrine, but it is in other words. The Lord doth change his sentence, but that is not on the men, but on the works which were changed. For God was not displeased against the men, but against their vices, which when they were not in the men, God doth not punish that which now was ceased to be. He thinketh that sin being abated, the city might stand upright, and yet God keep his word also. Thus we see that God, and good men agree, that it was that penance which they laid on themselves, nay which they laid on their sins, which kept them from the Lord's punishment. For either God or they were to chastise their evil ways. All iniquity great or small, must of necessity have punishment, either from man repenting, or from the Lord revenging. But he who repenteth, layeth a chastisement on himself. Then the upshot of all, is on the part of these Assyrians, that with their tears and cries so affectionate and so passionate, so hearty and sincere, the Lord who had strong reason to deal with them as with Sodom, to root out their memorial from the earth, and from under heaven, hath changed that doom, which of likelihood was to be pronounced against them. His anger is appeased: his fury is dissolved: the city standeth as it did: no ruin, no destruction.

16 This is a great comfort to us, that if the Eternal father did deal thus with these Ethnics, that whē they turned to him, he turned also to thē, nay he first sent one to turn thē, we may assure our selves a fair deal more of his mercy: if after our transgressions, & very many infirmities, we run & fly to him with a believing sorrow. For if he did take such cōpassiō under the law, what will he do under the Gospel? If he did so show forth his kindness, to barbarous heathen men, what will he do to Christians? If he shown that he did love thē, by sending one Prophet to thē, to preach his word once among them, what care doth he take of us, to whom he hath given his word, and his Sacraments in so great abundance, by so many of his messengers, and for so many years together? It seemeth that he wooeth us with a iealosy, and sueth unto us that we would be his own. Let us not take heart thereby, to abuse his kind affection: let us not provoke his justice, with willful provocations. He loveth to spare, but such as are willing to be spared: not those who offend upon malicious wickedness. He overthroweth the proud Oke, which will not stoop at his blasts, but he cherisheth the bending reed. He receiveth them to grace, who are grieved to grieve him, & who by their good will would not fall, but being fallen do mourn at it. Thē let the heavy conscience lift us his head at last. He who could find a pardon, for so many thousand bad ones, will never stick at one, who cometh trembling before him. Yea all who feel themselves to be weary, and heavy laden, if they come to him, or his son, he hath promised to help them. God enrich us so with his grace, that with the Ninevites we fall not into crying transgressions: but since we are oftentimes down, he so raise us up with his Spirit, that his anger and displeasure may still be removed from us, that our sins may be washed away in the blood of Christ, who is the true object of our repentance, that so after this life, we may follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, into that kingdom of blessedness, to the which the Father bring us for his Son Christ his sake, to both whom and the holy Spirit be glory for evermore.

THE XXIIII. LECTURE.

B Eing now come to this fourth Chapter which is the last of this Prophecy, and remembering with myself, how long it is since I first began this work, I partly imagine it to be fatal to the business which is handled in this book, to be done very slowly. For the Prophet was very long, before he would begin, and could not be hailed to it, till it might not be avoided: sometimes he goeth backward, and other times slowly forward, and what with flying to the sea, and lying there in the whale, and going afterward to preach, and staying when he had done, he is long about a little. And God hath so disposed of me, that I have been much slower, in opening to you how far he is from speed. Before that I can come to this fourth Chapter, the fourth year is now expired, in which time a quick discourser, might deliberately have gone over a good part of the Scripture, if either this place had called him oftener to it, or other occasions had not elsewhere diverted him. But be it as it may be; God's will must be done: and perhaps he may be pleased to afford so much grace, that he who hath attained to the end of three, may complete the fourth also, that so, although slowly (for ouerrunning my Prophet) yet surely at the last, according to that power which God shall give unto me, I may on to the end.

2 Now then hitherto we are come, that he who at first refused and could not be induced to it, hath preached to the Ninevites as sharp as sharp may be: yet forty days, and Nineveh is like to be destroyed: and his sermon hath so wrought, that their beauty, and pleasure, and music, and all mirth is turned out of door, and sackcloth and ashes, and weeping and lamenting, great signs of repentance are come in steed of them: their heart is dismayed, and their whole body shaken: no help now nor comfort, unless it be from heaven. But where man's means do fail, there God's mercy doth break forth: he is moved to pity, and in commiseration all past shall be pardoned. Here a man would have thought, that in the mean while, the messenger as sent from God, and therefore full of all mild and lovely behavior, would have opened his heart with the largest joy, because the seed which he had sowed, had fallen in so good ground, that it had now brought forth not thirty, not sixty, but many thousand fold. That his tongue had so far been the instrument of God's glory: that his threats as the thunder should so be trembled at: that his mouth had in so high a degree been the means of the Lord's mercy, that both Prince and people, old and young should be quit of their transgressions, and excused of their iniquity. But it falleth out clean contrary, and he as the man who had only learned that lesson, to do nothing aright, is grown into great anger, and is so filled with choler, that he fretteth and chafeth hand-smooth with the Lord, that he had not razed down the whole city Nineveh even to the foundation. That which should have been to him for his glory and his crown, to have helped so many prisoners from the dungeon of darkness, and the shadow of death, is the greatest vexation and corrosiue that might be to him in his distemper; which yieldeth to us a singular example of the infirmity of man, that such a one as he was, on so light an occasion should be so far offended, and that with God himself. The true cause whereof, howsoever it seem different and diverse to diverse, yet by all is agreed on to be most blame worthy. I cannot so fitly expound the manner of it as this history requireth, but that by degrees I must descend unto it, and so out of one thing win the matter of another. I think therefore best, first to refer all things to these two heads, a general doctrine which may be gathered in [ 1] gross, and a particular instruction which the words literally offer, [ 2] both fitly in my judgment taken out of the text. And both these do contain their several considerations, as by God's assistance I shall make plain unto you. But I begin with the general.

3 When I look into the narration which doth follow frō [ 1] henceforth to the end of this Prophecy, & see how all runneth against Jonah himself, and describeth him to be froward, and testie, and peevish, rebellious and overthwart, even brawling with the Lord, and chopping word for word with him, as if he were the wiser and better of the two, Doest thou well to be angry? Yea to be angry to the death: such an answer as scant any man was ever known to make, not a Judas, not a Cain; I therein do admire the excellency of the Scripture, and rare wisdom of him, whose glory it most concerneth, that he so overruleth the pens of the writers, that they must depress themselves to infamy and disgrace, and for their follies and infirmities, be offered as wonderments to all succeeding ages. It declareth a singularity in those books and writings, that the glory of God is the only thing which is aimed at, and that men who naturally are ambitious & desirous to blaze their own praises, or if they have fallen, to extenuate their faults by Apologies and excuses, are not left to their own liberty, in setting down of that, which he appointeth for the Canon to direct our lives by. But that as Saint Peter speaketh, no prophecy in the Scripture is of any private motion, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. They therefore who did well, are commended for their well doing, but if they did amiss, their friends or their own writings paint them out to the full. The falls of Noah and Lot are not concealed by him, who honored the memory of Noah and of Lot. Whether it were Baruch or Jeremiah, who wrote the Prophecy of Jeremiah it is not much material, but therein he himself is not forgotten, for his vexing impatiency. Luke as all men may suppose, loved Paul and Barnabas well, yet recording their behavior, he showeth that there was between them so hot a contention, as becōmed not two such men. But most do conceive that Jonah in his own person delivered this Prophecy to the Church, (and there is no reason to the contrary) but yet from the beginning to the end thereof, he telleth such a tale, that if all his enemies should have studied to lash him, they could not have matched that, which his own hand hath published: not one word to his commendation, but all to his dispraise. That he fled from his charge, and would have gone to Tharshish: that he slept in security, and a heathen man did awake him, and teach him his duty: that the lot fell upon him as a noted malefactor, that for his due desert (after that a tempest had pursued him) he was tumbled into the sea: that there for three days he was iayled up in a whales belly: that all that while he was little better then in distrustful despair. Nay moreover, that when he was out again he preached indeeed, but as a shrewd cow after that she hath given milk, doth cast it down with her heel, so he marred all with his murmuring, and furious displeasure. And this was the case of Moses, who without doubt wrote those five books which are called by his name: & there as he spared not his brother nor his sister, that is, Aaron and Miriam, nor Tsippora his wife, if she came in his way, so he least favoreth himself, but relateth that the Lord had almost killed him for his negligence, in not circumcising his child: that in those provocations wherewith the people provoked God himself did fall to murmuring: that the Lord was so displeased with him, that therefore he debarred him from coming into Canaan. Thus the inditing spirit doth rule the writers pen, and as over-maistering the hand of a young learner, maketh him to set down what it will, and not what the other fancieth. This is one great argument of the finger of God, and a supernatural power that is in these books of holy writ, that not flesh and blood, and sensual carnality which is swayed with affection, are the composers of them, but an author more glorious first made them and now keepeth them.

4 There are many demonstrative proofs of the unmatchable excellency, and incomparable rarity of the volumes of the Bible, although the dazzled eyes of some know not how to behold them. That the truth of so many things should be fulfilled [ 1] in their time, when they had been spoken of so long before: that their credit should continue from the days of Moses unto our [ 2] age: that there should be an universal approbation of them, in [ 3] all parts of the world, by men & tongues so different: that every [ 4] part thereof should have such coherence, and agreement with it self, when it was written by so diverse parties, in seueuerall ages and places: that the scope of it should be to build up [ 5] no worldly thing, but to direct all to Christ: that there should [ 6] be such a majesty in the style thereof, not so powerful in words (yet in words very mighty) as forcible and effectual in working and operation, renting the heart and marrow, and dividing the bones in sunder. Saint Jerome can say of Paul, As oft as I read him, it seemeth unto me that they be not words, but thunders which I hear. And Bernard confesseth this of himself: In times past Tully seemed sweet unto me, Virgil stole away my affection, and being as Mermaides sweet to destroy, had enchanted mine understanding. The Law, the Prophets, the Gospel, the Epistles, and all the glory of the sentences of my Lord, and his servants, seemed either small or none unto me. But now I know not what sweeter thing the son of less doth whisper into me, who by the diverse harmony of his speeches and sentences, doth make all those whom I was accustomed to love, vneloquent and very dumb. Eusebius speaketh more generally: When I do compare the Philosophers of the Gentiles, either among themselves or with other, I will not deny but they were excellent men. But when I compare them to the Divines, and Philosophers of the Hebrews, and I lay the doctrine of the one with the doctrine of the other, all those things which their Philosophers have devised, seem to me to be brittle and frivolous. Furthermore that we [ 7] should have the Old Testament delivered to us from the Jews, who as friends do not conspire with us, to make a pack for both purposes; but are enemies both to us, and to our Savior Christ. And yet as Saint Agustine observeth, those Jews are scattered over the world, and bear those books with them, that the enemies of our faith may be witnesses to our truth. Moreover [ 8] that those who were the holy Spirits secretaries, should be in request with all, not while they lived, but when they were dead and rotten, whereupon Basil hath well noted, that they were made Princes over Princes, and Lord's over the highest Kings, yea more mighty then they, for they swayed while they lived; but these most after death. This made Chrysostom compare them to the flesh of beasts, which no man at all doth eat off, while they are alive, but when they are dead, men taste of them. So scant any man respected the Sermons of the Prophets, and other divine writers, while they were living upon earth, but after their death everyone layeth hold upon them. These matters and many moe do show, that there is a singularity in the sacred volumes of the Bible, but that whereof I spake being joined [ 9] to them, is not the least; that the compilers of those books were not free, and had liberty to touch their own fancies, but they were taught in the first place, to renounce all their affections, and as men inspired to deliver the message of another, even against their own glory and reputation.

5 Look upon the works of other men. who were not directed so immediately by this spirit as those were, and this shall be more evident. There is not any worldly writer, but although he profess to lay down the only truth, yet sometimes he strayneth a string, either by ignorance or affection: this friend or that faction shall receive a partial • auour. If wisdom bear some stroke, it shall not be palpably and grossly to be noted, but secretly and covertly, and by insinuation: and his own industry in searching out the depth of deeds, or his truth in reporting, or boldness in detecting, shall deserve commendation. Not Liuy, not Plutarke, not Seneca (as it may easily be shown) but may this way be touched. Herein they are all fellows more or less. Yet there be books in the Scripture, which appear not to come so far. But that any one should in sobriety, and advisedly and of purpose, make a treatise to declare the faults of himself, and have no other argument but what must needs be joined with that, as it is here with our Jonah, I verily am persuaded is nowhere to be found, in all the works of the heathen, no not in the most sober and grave. To give examples from the greatest sort of them, Tully will not have it buried, that Rome was beholding to him for Catilines cause, and otherwise too. Dion will have the world know, that he was a man of employment in businesses of the Common-wealth. Xenophon will record his counsels to posterity, and Josephus is plentiful in relating his own stratagemes: But if we will look among the Poets, we shall have Ouide ending his Metamorphosis tell us,

I have ended such a work, as never anything shall deface. Horace will not be behind him, but will conclude one of his books thus, I have set up a monument which will last longer then brass, and is more eminent then the Pyramids in Egypt. But Martial for his part, rather then he will be out, will tell us that for trifles he is equal with the best. Thus men will be men, that is to say humorous and ambitious, & full of self-love, and it will not be restrained, but that directly or indirectly they will to their kind. Nature will not be driven away, no not with a forke. Yet where grace is predominant, and God doth rule the stern, there self-love is laid aside, and out it shall come, I will confess my sins against myself, yea commend them to posterity, that the ages to come, and the ends of the world shall take notice of mine errors. Thus as God hath no peers, so his book hath no fellows, but is every way full of judgment, and justice, and truth, and wisdom, and perfection. God will ever be the Lord, and every man is a sinner. But in the third verse of the first Chapter, I touched this somewhat more largely, and therefore I now leave it.

6 My next observation in this general compass, is that Jonah is here described, to have sinned once again. This plentifully appeareth in the first Chapter, & so it doth in this last chapter, by the reproof of God himself used toward him: and the words of my text do necessarily include it: for to be grieved at the Lord's will, and to be angry at his works, is a very high transgression. And so much the higher, because it is in a Prophet, a sanctified servant, sequestered for God's business, and attendance on himself, more enlightened then ordinary, and better acquainted with divine mysteries, then other men. Then from this man it is evident, as well as from David, from Solomon, from Josiah, from Hezekiah, from Peter, that the greatest in this life fall, and fall to the ground. There is no man that sinneth not. The just man doth fall seven times and ariseth again. In many things we sin all, saith the Apostle Saint James. And Saint John doth second it, If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and there is no truth in us. Jonah being once freed, and delivered from his sin by the mercy of the Lord, which purged him by a suffering, is a second time in, and yet remaineth God's servant, and a member of the Church, clean contrary to that heresy which the Novatians held, who denying repentance to sins after Baptism, and secluding offenders from acceptance into the congregatiō among the faithful, much impeached God's mercy, and laid an intolerable burden upon men's consciences. Why should the servant be hard, where the master is easy and gentle? Where the wise owner is well pleased, why is the steward straight? When he whom it most concerneth, hath proclaimed by his Prophet, that if a sinner repent be it once or be it often, from the bottom of his heart, God will put away his sins quite out of his remembrance. Indeed from the falls of the old Patriarchs, we should not learn, to adventure upon iniquities with greediness and boldness, lest presuming, we come short of that which was granted unto them. For if we will provoke God, in hope of that which in likelihood will never be given to us, because we would so provoke him, who can tell whether the Lord will turn, and repent, and abate his fury? The end wherefore the examples of falls in the greatest men, are proposed to our reading, is not to encourage us to ill, for that were to abuse the kindness of God, and out of a good flower to suck deadly poison. Yet it is a thing too common for Libertines and carnal men, so to apply good to evil. Many will fall with David saith Saint Agustine, and will not arise with David. There is not proposed to thee any example of falling, but of arising when thou art fallen. Take heed thou do not fall. Let not the slip of the greater, be the delight of the lesser, but let the fall of the greater, be a trembling to the lesser. What he there saith of David, may most fitly be applied to the rest of the Patriarchs, and other Prophets, that by anything of theirs we must not be enticed to disobedience.

7 Saint Chrysostom taketh occasion by David, of whom Agustine also spake, to draw a threefold benefit from the example of his transgression, which I think not amiss to be mentioned in this place. David saith he, for three reasons was suffered to go astray. First that he might make the righteous man to [ 1] look more earnestly to his way. He perhaps saith to himself, I am a religious man: I am famous for many merits: now I have done those things which appertain to the garland. Deceiue not thyself, saith he, thou hast done no more then David. His meaning is, that if such captains and leaders in the faith, so gracious with the Highest, so acceptable in God's sight, yet by human infirmities have fallen, and fallen notoriously▪ then no man should be proud, none senselessly secure, no man confidently foolish, because his turn may be next. He should set a watch before his heart, and a hatch before his lips, that nothing may enter thither, nothing may come out thence, which is not weighed and balanced. And that this is one of the causes, why the oversights of the best are made known in the Scriptures, Saint Agustine also consenteth: The sins of great men are written to this purpose, that the saying of the Apostle may everywhere be trembled at, where he saith, Let him that standeth, take heed lest he fall. The second reason in Saint Chrysostom is, that [ 2] it might appear, that Christ Jesus alone in man's body was pure from all offense. For if the holiest creatures, and most sanctified sons of women, men upright and fearing God, men after the Lord's own heart, the best men of famous memory, yet bore about them a body which was heavy to the soul, and were shamefully overtaken with crimes, which their inferiors knew to be enormous, then the single prerogative, and that privilege of innocence and unspottedness, which is not to be communicated to any of Adams children, appeareth to belong only to Christ. He alone could say to the Jews, Which of you can rebuke me of sin ? But all other have this sin on them, although it reign not in them. The just man must confess that of Jerome to be very true, that while we dwell here in the tabernacle of this body, and are compassed with frail and brittle flesh, we may moderate our affections, and rule our perturbations, but cut them off we cannot, we cannot root them out. Then all arrogant merit-mongers may boast themselves while they will, of meriting of salvation, and Pelagius he may vaunt that he can keep the law, but we account those speeches to be cursed, and heretical, and derogatory from the eminency of Christ. We say to thē as Orosius sometimes wrote to that heretic Pelagius: Thou sayest that it is possible that a man should be without sin. I repeat it again & oftentimes, the mā which can do this is Christ the Son of God. Either take that name unto thee, or lay aside thy boldness. God hath given that but to one, and that is he which is chief, and first borne among many brethren. Then other, yea the Virgin Mary her self, must renounce themselves and all their possibility, and admire the unspotted beauty of Jesus our Redeemer.

[ 3] 8 The third reason in Chrysostom, is a matter of more comfort: The faults of others are written, that sinners may the less despair of their own errors: but if any one have offended, let him daily confess his sins: yea if he have sinned a thousand times, yet let him go forward to confess a thousand times. Forthere is nothing worse then distrust or despair. This sentence of turning again a thousand times to God, was it whereof Socrates speaketh, that Chrysostom did dare to teach this, in that time which was so filled with the Nouatian heretics. And this is a most comfortable point to a distressed conscience, which I think did never more need to be plastered and suppled, then in these our present days, wherein Satan is busy, to take advantage of the tenderness and softness of them, who earnestly desire to have peace with God. And he seeing that it grieveth them, to displease so good a father, straightway representeth to their eyes the fearfulness of his justice, and the multiplicity of their crimes. Oh it is a deadly enemy, suttle and full of sleights: he hath baits for everyone. For the wanton, shows of wantonness: for the idolater superstitions; for the Atheist, ways of obstinacy: for the envious, cause of spite: for him who hateth to sin, a tickling pride of doing well: for those who love the word, terrors out of the word, to beat them down & to drown thē: so that all threatenings shall be applied to thē, & mercies shall be passed over, as no way appertaining unto their comfort. How careful had we need be, & stand continually on our watch, serve God while we have time, pray to him for perseverance, & evermore be busied about that which is good, that solitary idleness & melancholic tentatiōs, great means to a greater fall, do not grievously oppress us? But to prevent that obiectiō, which is common to all those who are so affected, as I speak of God who writeth for all our good, that testified in his sacred book, that the bel-wethers of his flock, have stūbled & lain along, & that not in toys or trifles, but in causes of great importance, they have given witness of much weakness. And yet they have risen again, more humbled and more purged, more renewed by grace, taught to fly from themselves unto the throne of mercy, to repose all their salvation on him who is far more sure, then the strongest rock or castle. And when the spirit is thus contrite, God accepteth it as a sacrifice: he is so far from despising the troubled broken heart, that he loveth it and embraceth it. Thus he dealt with them in old time, under the threatening law: and therefore he will rather do so under the Gospel. The errors of our time are no otherwise then theirs were: we are made of the self same metal: he is made of the self same mercy. He changeth not, he varieth not, he evermore remaineth himself. Then why should we yield our selves to diffidence and distrust? why sink we under our burden, which lieth heavy for a moment, and no longer? Sorow may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. He tempteth not above our strength, but in the midst of trial he giveth an issue out. That which we feel in the mean while, is our burden and we must bear it. We cannot live here like Angels. Our purity is in hope: it is not yet indeed. Christ well knew that there would be faults in us, when he bad us every day to pray, forgive us our trespasses. Then let us rouse up our spirits, and shake off that dull kind of blockishness, and sin that hangeth so fast on, and let us with alacrity run to Jesus our Redeemer, our brother and Savior, and the finisher of our faith. He sometimes was tempted himself, which maketh him the better know, how to pity those which are tempted. And thus much generally I have spoken, that the Scripture maketh no spare, to display the worst of the writers thereof, and how the best do offend, yea and double it too with Jonah, and yet still remain God's servants.

[ 2] 9 By this time you expect as I think, that I should not stand so far off, and look on my text per transennam, but that I should touch it nearer, and so indeed is my meaning. All this while you have heard that the Prophet was out, but what was it wherein he faulted? It displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry at it. And what was it whereat he vexed, and knew not which way to take it? That Nineveh should be spared. God meant to continue the standing of that city, and Jonah would not have it so. The Lord thought best to spare the inhabitants, but our man is of another mind. Here in the mean time are two sides, but the match is very unequal. I am certainly persuaded, that Jonah is not like to gain much by such bargains. The potter is of one side, and the pot-sheard of another. Fire and thunder and flaming lightning doth say it shall be so, and flax and towe doth say otherwise. And yet this weak one is right angry, that he may not bear away the bucklers. Now a man might have seen this messenger a perfect male-content, that everything went not as he conceived before, that it should. But why should this fretter grieve, that Nineveh should have a taste of his mercy, who is the father of pity and compassion? All agree that he did so, but there is not any common consent, what that was which specially did move him. Jerome telleth that some imagined, that Jonah was now grown spiteful, and boiled very much with envy, that the Gentiles should be called. As if God's grace toward him, and other of his people, were now so much the less, because it was communicated to a foreign nation. This was to make no difference between the sons of Cham and Sem: to bring Esau and Israel to be beloved alike. This were to make the Ethnics as good men as the Jews, yea to make such as were, or hereafter might be great enemies to Jerusalem, to taste the best fruits of Zion. Where then was the promise to Abraham, or the oath which was sworn to Isaac, if the Ninevites should be called, as well as the holy seed? Thus perhaps flesh might reason, and murmur in our Jonah.

10 If this were it which troubled him, he might justly be concluded to be envious and malicious, and therefore to sin highly. For was his eye grown evil, because his master was good? Would he repine that other should find that kindness at the Lord's hand, which himself had felt before? As soon as he was over, must the bridge by and by be broken? As soon as he was in, must the door forthwith be shut? Would not that sufficiently content him, that he should have a place in heaven; but must he be the porter, nay rather the householder, to direct who should come after? his friends and acquaintance only? This was a fault which reigned much among the people of the Jews: they could not brook the fellowship of the despised Gentiles. Christ noted this their envy, by the parable of the elder brother, grudging that the younger which was the prodigal son, should be received with such grace. But it is very manifestly storied to be true in the Acts, as both at Antioch and so otherwise at Thessalonica: for when the Greeks began to believe, the Jews envied at it, and reviled with evil words, yea made an uproar. But when Paul another time being at Jerusalem spake unto them, they heard him with great patience, till he came to that sentence, Depart, for I will send thee a great way hence to the Gentiles : but when once they heard that from him, as men able to hold no longer, they lift up their voices and said, Away with such a fellow from off the earth, for it is not fit that he should live. Surely charity and humanity should have weaned them from that fault; but piety should much more have remembered Jonah, not to dislike God's will, although it had been to destroy: But when it savored of clemency, and recovering that which was lost, he should more vehemently have loved it. God's servants joy, when those graces which are most visible in themselves, be communicated to other. When two were said to prophecy, Moses was not troubled at it: but he rather wished that all the Lord's people could do so. When Paul grew to be a preacher, the pillars of the Apostles envied him not that office, but gave to him and Barnabas the right hands of good fellowship, being glad to see many more besides themselves, in the livery of their master. Yea we read of some other men, that being now ready to step into heaven, by the bloody way of martyrdom, grudged not that other should follow, but whereas there were some, whom their carnal reason might rather have wished, to be secluded from eternal comfort, I mean their murderers and persecutors, they notwithstanding setting aside their private injuries, desired and earnestly prayed, that they might be admitted into the same glory, whither themselves are going. Let Stephen be an example for this, of whom Fulgentius noteth, that whither he went before, being slain by the stones of Paul, thither did Paul come after, helped by the prayers of Stephen. He meaneth those requests, which he made as he was dying, when he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge. He did not malign his enemies, but wished them the same favor, which he himself enjoyed. If the calling home of the Ninevites, was that whereat Jonah grieved, how far was he frō the mind of Stephen, or frō another holy man named Paul, of whō Eusebius reporteth, that when he went to be martyred, he prayed for the Jews & Gentiles, that both might be converted to the faith. He begged of God also for the Emperor, by whose laws he was condemned; for the Judge who pronounced the sentence against him; yea for the very hangman who executed him, that his death might not be laid as a sin against them. Then it was a fault in Jonah, that when as by his education, and knowledge in God's service, he knew as much as those other, yet he would suffer malice & emulation, to carry him so contrary a way.

11 But Jerome writing upon this text, doth disclaim that to be the reason of this man's choler here, and cannot think that the Prophet was so simple, as to vex at it. And indeed I am of this mind, tha • this was not the cause. For it seemeth in the next verse, that he oftentimes thought of that, that God was pitiful and merciful, and very slow to anger. Whereby he might well gather, that it was no news, nor strange thing, that he should spare offenders. But what then was it, which caused this sorrow? Jerome giveth a more pregnant reason, that he by this foresaw, that the fall of Israel was come, so that it must be rejected. He remembered that of Moses, They angered and provoked me by those who were no God's, and I will anger them again, by those who are no people. I will stir them up to wrath, by a very foolish nation. Hence saith Jerome, he despaireth of Israel's salvation, and breaking forth into sorrow, he uttereth it thus in a manner, Am I the only Prophet who by saving of other men, should foreshow ruin to mine own? To make this the more plain, he bringeth in that for this cause Christ wept over Jerusalem: that he would not take the children's bread, and give it unto dogs: that he first sent his Apostles to preach to the lost sheep of Israel: and for this saith he, Paul desired to be Anathema for his brethren. Now in truth this were a more tolerable case, to be jealous in that sort for his countreymē. For if the rising of others had been the standing of Israel, that jointly as two sisters they might have served the Lord, two people, but of one church, it had been a gain to the latter, but no loss to the former. But being that it was with thē, as the Poets imagined it to be with Castor & Pollux, that when the one lived the other died; or as with two buckets in one well, while the one dippeth the other drieth, this might trouble & disquiet a man otherwise much resolved. The Jews could not be blamed, when they were displeased at Agrippa (as Josephus showeth) for whē he had built Cesarea, he did not only adorn that being a foreign city, & so neglected all his own, but took away such ornaments as were any way in his kingdom, and removed them to that place, so that the flourishing of this new one, was the sinking of all the rest. If the fault of 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Jonah were of this nature, it was a very commendable fault, agreeing with all good Israelites, yea with every Christian mind, who would desire the celestial, and spiritual good of his country and people: yea with our Savior Christ, who did so love the Jews, and was so troubled at thei • •• sll, that it made him shed tears for it.

12 But as sometimes it was said by Tully, declaring how Romulus pretended a law, to kill his brother Remus, it was a fault by the leave of Romulus or Quirinus, so by the leave of Jerome so rare and renowned a father, there was a fault in the matter: and this could not be the reason; for the Prophet imputeth the cause of his anger to God's mercy, and not to his justice: I knew thou wast a merciful God, not I saw that thou wouldest leave the Israelites. Not one word of rejecting: not anything of his people. But to put it out of question. That had been a zealous jealousy toward the honor of the Lord, an affection to the Church, an imitation of Moses, a drawing near to Christ, a thirst that his people should be saved. But my text doth not grace it so, but calleth his passion, anger. He was displeased: he was angry. And lest any man should imagine him to be angry and not to sin, God himself is in dislike with him for it, which he useth not to be, but toward those who transgress, Doest thou well to be angry ? Then let us go a little farther, and take it that he murmured, because the Ninevites perished not: & this not because he desired their destruction, as principally intending it; neither because he originally envied their finding grace with the Lord; but because it followed consequently, upon that which he intended. But the main point which did vex him, and put him to all the sorrow, was lest he should be accounted a false and lying Prophet, to tell a tale, and deliver a message which proved clean otherwise. He had spoken it definitely, in the name of the Lord, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed. And since that the city stood in majesty as before, untouched and vnharmed, he might very well be taken for a forger and a fainer. And this is declared by the text, to be the cause of his moving. Was not this saith he my saying, when I was yet in my country ? that is, did I not suppose, that thou who art so merciful, and doest take pity so soon, wouldst relent from this thine indignation, and so I should be sent but on a sleeuelesse errand? Therefore I took this course, and prevented this inconvenience by flying to Tharsis. Then his anger was, because by the Lord's direction he was forced to say that, which he saw fell out otherwise.

13 It is his reputation then whereupon he so much standeth: yet perhaps with a certain reference to this, lest God should be blasphemed, and traduced as unconstant. But under this opinion, not knowing of what spirit he is, or ought to be, in a most preposterous zeal he could have wished with the Apostles, that as in the days of Elias, fire might be brought from heaven, to consume the city Nineveh, or that the earth might open under them and swallow them up, as Corah and Abiron were served. All this while he runneth on a very wrong ground, exacting overmuch the rigor of the letter in his preaching, and not knowing that inclusively God understood this condition, Nineveh shall be destroyed: that is, if they repent not. But he is firmly persuaded, that the glory of the Lord is like only to appear, and be eminent by vengeance. He had already said it, and auerred it, that ruin and desolation was immediately to follow: and a Prophet was sent forth of purpose to do that message; therefore in his opinion it is high time, that the thing were now performed. If we think of him alone, then a matter of reputation and credit in the world, doth carry him so far headlong. But that was fame dearly bought; and the credit of one man, prized at too high a value. What? must God be the minister and worker of his ambition, and must he establish it by such a ruin, and such destruction of so many thousands? This, although in a different sense, was pride little inferior to that of wicked Haman, who because he would teach such fellows as Mardocheus was, next time to bow before him, would have all the Jews, which were dispearsed through six score and seven Provinces, to be slain upon one day, and the mighty king Ahasuerus must be he that must do it, by a very sharp proclamation. Our Prophet looketh so much to the ruffe of his own glory, that rather then himself will be tainted for his word, not an earthly Ahasuerus, but God must be the instrument, to destroy the lives of thousands. In the wars, he is thought but a hard General and Commander, who when himself unadvisedly by fury or sudden passion, hath said he will have this; or such a day he will do it, when afterward it falleth out to be a thing of great difficulty, yet will thrust his soldiers on, and make them be slain like sheep; whereas if he had his will, that for which he did sweat, will bring no profit to him, but the matter is, he will keep his word. Oh the lives of men should be dear, and blood should be much esteemed. There was a Roman who could say, I had leyser save one citizen, then destroy ten of mine enemies. The Ninevites who formerly were miscreants, are now come to be God's subjects: then Jonah thou shalt be but a bloody leader, if for thy words sake, thousands of them should die. It is better, that thou shouldest loose thy will: better that thou shouldest lose thy longing, then they should lose their lives.

14 If it were, that he thought the glory of God was hazarded by that bargain, and thereupon he was angry, that is a most inconsiderate zeal, to take on him to be wiser, then the very fountain of knowledge. Can man be more jealous then God himself is of his glory? Can the creature better know what belongeth to it, then his maker? How dareth flesh band with God, for justice or for mercy, or for true understanding? Were it not the easier way for it, to think it self to be ignorant, to be defective, to be far short of the Lord's projects and purposes? and to suppose that he best knoweth what is fittest for himself, and for all those which are under him? If the Prophet had been set to the guiding of an Elephant, or a ship upon the sea, he knew not how to rule it: yet the silly man would now sit in a throne, and dispose of Nineveh, and by a consequent, of the world, and of God also, how he should order it. And although it be the Lord's honor which is in question, yet he will be the caruer, to tell what best befitteth. It had been his part rather, to subject his discretion to the discretion of his maker, and if that wise Creator would in justice have proceeded against that people, to like well of that justice, because the Lord liked of it: but if he would have inclined to a favorable pardoning, to be best pleased with that. Nay rather if he with Moses had stepped in as an intercessor, it had argued more charity; or if he imagined that to undertake that, was too hard a point for him to manage, yet at least upon the smallest inkling, that grace should be afforded, he should have waited for it, and should have rejoiced that light might break out of darkness, and that the frowning countenance of God, had been turned into a pleasing. And if he could not be induced to go thus far, yet he should never have made stay, to be content with the Lord's doing: let him work his will: but to fret and grieve and vex at it, yea to chide with God as he did afterward, is a fault of a grievous nature.

15 The doctrine which we must learn by it, is of more then ordinary benefit. Wheresoever we live, and God offereth unto us any matter, wherein we are to spend our labor, it concerneth us to be diligent & industrious in the performance of that, which belongeth unto us. In season and out of season, by friends, by purse, by presence, by all our strength and indeuor, to further and forward that, which we undoubtedly know to be good, and to advance all duty of piety and charity, or of service to the Church. But when we have done all, let us leave the event to God: let us leave the success to him, to whom it properly appertaineth, & let there not be the least murmuring, or grudging if we speed not. For our friends or children, the Lord better knoweth what is good, then we our selves can devise; but in the mean while, we must pray and beg the best of him; and yet with this condition, Thy will be done. That which we think is most dangerous, turneth oftentimes to our good: and thence whence we expect our undoing, God raiseth our greatest comfort. The case of Monica, mother to Saint Agustine is famous: she grieved that her son was spotted with the heresy of the Manichees, and she prayed that the Lord would bring him to the Orthodox Catholic faith. She remembered this, day by day, and yet as himself doth witness, for nine years together he continued so infected. It fell out afterward, that he would needs go, and travel out of Africa into Italy. His mother being loath to part with him, who was as the staff of her old age unto her, earnestly prayed, that God would hinder him of that purpose. Yet Agustine went, and by hearing the Sermons of Saint Ambrose at Millaine, he was converted to that, which in former times he could never like. He reporting all this matter doth use this good speech of it, Thou ô God being deep in counsel, and hearing the substance of my mothers desire, didst not care for that which she did then ask, that in me thou mightest do that, which she ever asked. Thus the Almighty dealeth with other of his servants, working all things to the best, but it is at such times as he himself doth think good. If it be in him to bless, it is in him to do it, when it seemeth good to himself. Therefore let us never be angry, and repine at that, which he altereth from the intent of our mind.

16 But among all, let the Minister be most patient this way. He peradventure beateth down pride, or crieth out against extortion: he is derided for it: then he poureth out many threats against scoffers and deriders. If repentance follow in them afterward, and so their prosperity continue, let not him be offended at it, but let him rather rejoice, that God hath so prospered the word which came out of his mouth. Again, it may be that he requesteth at the hands of his heavenly father, that he would spare some whom he seeth to be tempted, and in Christian commiseration, wisheth that they were refreshed, with the sweet dew of God's comfort: Or else he seeth some tainted with superstition, and doting on the See of Rome, whom yet he loveth in human affection, as being of neighborhood or kindred, or because they be of his charge, or for their lovely behavior, and other amiable moral virtues. Let him use the best means that he can to bring them unto the sheepfold, by preaching, by exhortation, by conference and by prayer, but especially by honest and holy conversation: but if God still shut their eyes, let him not be angry at it, and fret against the Almighty: but leave all to his dispensing. Perhaps that hour which afterward shall appear, is not yet come. Perhaps God meaneth that it shall never come; but according to his unsearchable purpose, he will leave them in darkness. Here do thou admire God's justice toward them; but his favor to thyself: stand amazed at the one, and kindly embrace the other: but be patient in both. And as it may be said of Socrates, Aristides, or Curius, or Fabricius, that for the desire of honesty which was more in them, then in other people of their time, we could in human commiseration, wish that they were in heaven, among the Lord's elect, but that when we in Christian understanding do think upon the matter, we find that it is not for us to be more merciful, then God the father of mercy, and fountain of loving kindness; so in this case of our own experience, we may not take upon us, when we have wisely considered of our duty, to be more pitiful to our friends, then God who is perfect pity. Let us in humility sigh and groan for them, and be thankful for our selves, but no anger, no displeasure. God is King over all the earth, and on whom he will have mercy, on him he will have mercy: and whom he will, he will harden. Now he who is this gracious father to us, continue this favor on us, for his own Son Christ his sake, that in the joy or the sorrow, the welfare or the ill fare of our selves or other men, we may yield our selves to his will, who is the rule of justice, of integrity, and of clemency, that so we may be obedient unto him, to whom be praise and glory for evermore

THE XXV. LECTURE.

T Hat the Prophet was to blame, for being angry with anything, which the Lord would have done, I hope from the former verse, hath been made plain unto you. Yet furious as he is, he is not so forgetful as to turn • quite away from God, and to leave him in the plain field: he doth not throw down his livery, neither doth he openly answer him, that he will no more belong unto him: but follow him he will, although it be as Peter followed Christ, a far off, with infirmities and weaknesses heaped up with over-measure. When the women in Samaria, by reason of the violent & strong famine, which was caused by the siege, fell to eating their childrē, Jehoram rageth at it, and there is neither God nor good man that cometh in his way, but at him he doth strike. God do thus and thus to me, if the head of Elisha stand on him this day. And, this evil is of the Lord: shall I wait any longer on him? That was the rage of a reprobate, who could have been content there had been no Lord in the heaven; or that he had had his will on him. Like to which or something worse, is the fury which is described by Saint John in his Revelation, where when hail like talents is mentioned to fall, men on earth are said to grieve at it, yea to blaspheme the Almighty, for the plague of the hail. Jonah is not so far gone, but although he fret that his will is not every way completed, yet he shaketh not quite off the yoke of obedience and humility, neither yet taking the bit peruersely in his teeth, runneth on to his destruction. He is not so far in as he should, nor so far out as he might be, if God's grace had forsaken him. Notwithstanding to testify something, for indeed it is but something, he betaketh himself to his prayers: he prayed unto the Lord.

2 Then a general obedience yet remaineth in this sinner, wherein he could wish all well, as having learned by his smart, to stand in awe of that great Majesty, which had so followed him before, and might reckon with him afterward. But as water which ariseth from the purest and cleanest fountain, if it come through a puddle channel, will keep still to be water, but it will be troubled water, by means of that which it toucheth: so his intendment to pray, springing certainly from devotion, is so mingled with dregs of wrath, and vanity and excuse, to quit himself and blame God, that as good almost not at all, as not to be better. Some drammes and grains of gold, appear in him and his action; but dross is there by pounds. Little wine, but store of water: some wheat, but chaff enough. That he came to God it was good, and that he came by prayer, for that is the best sacrifice which the soul can send up into heaven: but that it was in such sort, to expostulate, not to beg, to reason, not to confess, to chide, not to ask pardon, is a many faults put together. My meaning is not to exagitate this in Jonah, otherwise then by looking particularly to the circumstance of the fact, to see how good instructions we may gather from this his prayer, to right our selves and straight our steps, in that where he went amiss; which I shall the better do, if I propose unto you these three things to be considered: First, the preface [ 1] which here is used; And he prayed unto the Lord : Secondly, [ 2] the excuse which he maketh, I pray thee was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I prevented it to fly unto Tharshish. And thirdlie, the reason whereon he grounded all, because the Lord was merciful. In the first I shall speak of prayer: in the second of our excusing and shifting sin from our selves; and in the third, of that wherein must be all our comfort, that the Lord is kind and long suffering.

[ 1] 3 That anguishes and perplexities do here wait upon us, as companions more inseperable then the shadow to the body, is a matter by Scripture and experience so evident, as is the light at noon day. Many are the troubles of the righteous. By many afflictions we must enter into the kingdom of God. And whosoever will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. Persecution is of diverse sorts: it may be inward or outward, in body or in mind, in goods or in fame, in sickness or in sorrow, and the most holy have abundantly tasted someone of these, the Patriarchs and Prophets, the Apostles and Martyrs, Christ Jesus himself. The weight of which burden, he is not well advised who seeketh not to support by some firm under-liar, and that is faithful invocation upon the name of God, and flying to him by prayer. For if there be anything which may appease sorrow, & ease the grieved heart oppressed with the feeling of temporal occurrence, or wounded with the want of spiritual consolations, it is to have recourse to the throne of grace, and there with watered eyes and cheeks be deawed with tears, to lay open those grievances which breed sorrow unto us. I shall find trouble and heaviness saith David, but I shall call upon the name of the Lord. It is the counsel of Saint James, Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Hanna being vexed in her spirit, did betake her self to this medicine: she went to the Tabernacle, and there she earnestly entreated. The whole book of Psalms doth witness, that this was the Altar whereunto David when he was pursued, did still retire himself. This was the stay of Hezekiah when he turned him to the wall, being in extreme anguish. And Saint Paul being buffeted by the Angel of Satan, ran to this as a refuge: I besought the Lord thrice saith he, that is, many times. And where can be comfort, if it be not in this? When worldly things do fail us, and there is help from no man, when friends are few, or weak, or absent, or perhaps grown unfaithful, but foes are fierce and malicious; when Satan himself suggesteth all things to the worst, when the thoughts within are much disquieted, the conscience even amazed and standing at the gaze, scant knowing which way to walk: then to pour forth our complaints, and discover our miseries to him who doth know all, because he is almighty, to him who considereth all, because he is our father; and who both can and will take pity of the distressed. The practice of this, doth both expeditely and assuredly bring relief to him that trieth it: that sigh which breatheth out sorrow, by a back-breathing bringeth in joy. That hand which being thrust out, doth reach a supplication upward, reacheth down contentation: deliverance doth break forth, or at least patience sitteth within: yea now there may be joy in suffering. Thus mercy is poured down, and seasonable showers of sound and sure refreshing do fall upon us, as upon the thirsty land. Were it not for this precious ointment, the heart which is sometimes puffed and stretched with care, would break and rent in pieces: but by praying it is suppled and mollified, and stroked, till it return unto his settled nature.

4 Then are not we to blame the while, who having a remedy so fair, so lovely in it self, for what is like speaking to God? so profitable for us, for what doth so asswage our grife? so acceptable to our maker, for what doth he account a better sacrifice then this? so ready at hand to us, for where or when may we not pray? Yet in our many molestations, we rather seek to ease our selves, with anything then with this; and so indeed we disease our selves, either presently heaping more evil upon evil, or if we think that we slack our sorrow, it cometh forthwith more vehementlie on us, as the fever doth to him who drinketh cold water in his fit: there may be a superficial skin bred above, but rankled, festered, dead flesh doth putrefy underneath. If one mighty man do oppress us, we seek to back our selves by another which is his equal: if our neighbor agree not with us, the law shall end all between us: if we speed not there, then more money shall be employed, to fetch it another way: if that practice go not forward, we will try a farther conclusion of slander and defamation, so to quit a friend in his kind. If that way we cannot reach him, yet we will have our penny-worthes out, in railing upon him, or at least in secret whispering: inward we chafe, and outward we act it, with more then tragical gesture And thus we do in those things, which we account not as trifles, but in such as bite and gripe us, and break our sleep and quiet. Yea in matters of greater consequence, we run a very wrong race. If our conscience be now touched with the horror of something past, or fear some future punishment, or a falling away from grace, which terrors are sometimes incident to the faithful, we either wish merry company, or some sport to pass the time, or music, or some stage-play, or if we be much possessed, we throw our selves on our beds, and in melancholy we muse, or we walk solitary, till we be even steeped and dissolved in most dull contemplation, the heart frighted, the spirits weakened, the brain crazed, the remembrance perished, and so either God's graces are obscured, and diminished in us, or endangered quite to leave us, which I cannot speak without horror. Where now is our Christian wisdom, and spiritual understanding, when we have a help so compendious, so forcible, so effectual, to be wanting yet to our own good? Here the author whereon we should take told, is earnest and frequent prayer: we are to get us into our chambers, and there with mighty contention, to knock and rap at heaven gate, to beg resolution and constant patience, of him who denieth not any good thing to the asker, that so the issue may prove well, and the end may be with comfort. In this sort to solicit with a lively faith, and not sleepingly or faintingly, is the lancing of that impostume, which doth canker and heat within us: and this we may do, if we were but single & alone. But if this serve not the turn, then let us join with other faithful: the more company the more cry. Where two or three be together, there Christ will be among them. That which cometh slowly when it is entreated by several ones, cometh quickly when many are joined together. And therefore God hath made the communion of Saints, that one might help another. As men going upon the ice or some slippery place, do stand so much the surer, if one hold hands with the other, so is it saith Saint Gregory, when we join hands in prayer, we ask so much the stronger, we obtain so much the sooner. But whether we be alone or otherwise, the heaven and our heart will make a consort, which will allay all distemper. If the fire be not thus let out, or our wine be not thus vented, it doth break the place which holdeth it. Wise men upon observation, lay it down as a most expedient rule, that grief of mind should be imparted to someone or other: it is much eased with the telling: but by taking part in the hearer, and by counsel and comfort from him, it is very much diminished. If it be prescribed to us, to do thus by man, then how fit is it that we should have recourse to God, that we should double our selves before his approved goodness, who best considereth, and helpeth soonest, and therefore were it but in that, he excelleth all other; but otherwise none of Adams children is to be compared to him: for he scorneth not at the miseries of other men: he dissembleth not hypocritically: he telleth no tales to enemies, who would joy at the fall of those whom they hate: he playeth not false as men do, who take advantage of the sufferings of their neighbors; but concealingly and compassionately he seeth all, and he salueth all. He then who flieth to this sanctuary, is well, and very sure of succor.

5 Then hitherto our Jonah is right, that in the midst of his disturbance mentioned in the former verse, he went and prayed to the Lord. But he doth not keep him there: for although the cloth were good, he setteth an ill die upon it; yea he staineth it and marreth it all. For if we will but look backward, and see what anger was in that mind of his, from whence all was derived, and if then we will look forward, and see how turbulent the words themselves are, laying a sault on God, and drawing an ill conclusion, from the pity of him who is most merciful, and afterward wishing to die, we may easily conjecture that the fashion marred the garment, and the sauce disgraced the meat, I mean the quality of his work, defaced the goodness of it. For he prayed indeed, but it was tumultuously, and expostulatory-wise, rather chiding then beseeching: he calleth God to a reckoning, as if his counsel were amiss, and Jonah were in the better: and on he goeth most impatiently, and wished that he were dead. How apparent is the infirmity of man, and how unfit is he for celestial business, when our prayers which are the beauty and glory of our best thoughts, shall be mingled with so much evil? And how do other men swerve, when Prophets go thus awry? In matters touching men what slips are there, when in that which immediately appertaineth unto God, there is such stumbling and falling? How many are the sins, which we must have forgiven at God's hand, before that we can speed well, when we fail so in his service? When everything requireth a purity and cleanness; the ground whereon we stand, that the shoes of all base affections should be put off from our feet; the Tabernacle whereinto we enter, that we should be washed and purged; the seat before which we appear, that the best clothes of our soul should carefully be put on; his greatness to whom we come, that we should only intend to him; yea the approaching of our selves, that for that time at the least we should be appropriated, and devoted to himself, we are, and we are not; we draw near with our lips, and our hearts are a great way from him. The very name of praying, and of praying to a Judge, should strike a terror into us, and imprint in us a reverence both what we did and how. Look saith Chrysostom on the manner of prayer. Doest thou not when thou showest thy hands, openest thy breast, liftest up thy face unto heaven, castest up thy eyes, show thyself wholly unto the Lord thy maker? Then happy be thy hands if they be clean, blessed is thy breast if it be pure, glorious thy face if it shine in simplicity, worthy thine eyes if they be not spotted with concupiscence, happy thy whole man if all of it be undefiled. But this serveth not our turn: we will pray although it be unfitly, as God knoweth it is many times.

6 For sometimes when we ask good things, as the enlightening of our souls, the free way of the Gospel, the increase of the faithful, the tranquility of the Church, the continuance of graces from above, yea patience and repentance, and everlasting life, we do it with such coldness, such perfunctory formality, such idle and gaping sleepiness, that we our selves are not moved with any zeal towards God's glory, but we do it because we do it, and we care not much what cometh of it. Yea if we will acknowledge that which is the truth of the matter, we are filled with such wandering thoughts, and straggling cogitations of Mammon and of ambition, of envy or of lust, that rather we do anything, then that which we are doing. Whereas all the heart, and all the soul, and all the strength should be the Lord's, the vigor of our wit, the intentnesse of our brain, the most fixed meditation of the spirit, that if it were a thing possible, we should be wrapped from the earth, and sequestered from that body, while we be in that holy exercise. Some other times, the manner is not the only thing wherein we trip, but the matter it self is naught. For gold and precious stones we bring stubble and straw: we ask such things of him, who is an immaculate, unspotted and undefiled spirit, as we would be ashamed that men should know. We tender that to our maker, which we would not ask of our neighbor. I do not here speak of such vanity, as wherein the Pharisee abounded, I thank God I am not as other, but rather of carnal devotions. We entreat for our sports, and for our wantonness, as for everlasting matters. I had leyfer that you should hear from the words of Saint Gregory, rather then from mine, what things we do ask. In the house of Jesus you seek not Jesus, if in the Temple of eternity, you importunely ask for temporal things. Behold one in his prayer asketh for a wife, another beggeth for a farm, a third maketh request for a garment, another would have meat given unto him. Nay, may not we go farther, even as sometimes Erasmus noted, how in the days of superstition the Virgin Mary was solicited: for the soldier prayeth for his booty, the thief for his rich cheat, the dicer for his good fortune. Do not these things very suitably agree with so sacred a Majesty? Do they not become us very well? I doubt not but that we may ask for such things, as are needful to this life, if we place them in their fit place, and sue for them with condition, If it shall seem good to the Lord; but those other things are toys and trifles, and do favor of carnal motions. And it is no marvel, if in such cases we speed not: for as once it was said, to the mother of James and John, Ye ask you know not what, so it is with us in our prayers. God seeth that such things do hurt us, and therefore in his kind love, he denieth them unto us. Here that of Saint James hath place, Ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss, to consume upon your lusts. And that also of Saint Bernard: When his little child asketh bread, the father reacheth it unto him, but when he asketh for a knife, he denieth it. So God doth grant fit things to those who ask them, but unto him who entreateth for voluptuous or bad matters, he doth deny them. And surely if he should give them, they were rather tokens of his displeasure, then of his favor to us. But how merciful doth God appear to be, when he beareth these things at our hands, and doth not consume us, as he did those who brought strange fire unto his Altar? Let us study to amend this fault, neither begging in bad manner with other, nor bad matters with Jonah, but let us be earnest in that, which we know to be good, as that entreaty of Fulgentius is, where he prayeth for himself, I beseech him who is the truth, that by his mercy preventing me and following after me, he will teach me whatsoever things are healthfully to be known, and I know them not: that he will keep me in those true things which I do know: that wherein as a man I am deceived, he will correct me: in what true things I do stumble, he will confirm me: and that from false and hurtful things he will deliver me. And thus much of the preface. Now come we to the words themselves, which do mention his excuse.

[ 2] 7 It were well for the Prophet, if his choice had been as good, as his resolution was. Those things which he apprehended, had need be just and holy, for were it well or otherwise, if he once had entertained a matter, he would strongly have maintained it. He imagined that God in the end would not destroy the Ninevites, but that his mercy would over-way, and over-balance his justice: therefore fearing lest himself denouncing their destruction, should be taken but for a liar, and so God's name should be blasphemed, he thought to end all at once, and run away from his calling, as it is in the first Chapter. In steed of land he getteth him to sea, for Eastward he goeth Westward, for Nineveh to Tharsus. What God thought of this, he had pretty well felt already. The tempest which belaboured him, the lot which deprehended him, the whale which devoured him, might acquaint him what the Lord conceived of him. But to the end that no doubt may remain, God a second time biddeth him go, and preach to the Ninevites. Here duty would have supposed, that the Lord knew well enough what he did, and the issue of the matter would be his glory. But Jonah thinketh otherwise, that God might spare his honor, and himself might save his labor, and stay at home at the first, and not come with a great show, and all but in a sleeuelesse errand. And whereas he ran to Tharsus, he supposeth that he had reason for it: he took the best course that might be; and if the Lord might be pleased so to think of it, he did well: he did as he should: that did he. Oh the incredible folly of man, that to justify it self in a most indecent action, careth not how it layeth about it, and rappeth it esteemeth not whom. The Highest was overseen: not the best but sometimes sleepeth: and the servant was in the right. Yet welfare king David: Against thee have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be just when thou speakest, and pure when thou doest judge. And when the Angel with the pestilence destroyed seventy thousand, he standeth not to defend his folly, but confesseth that he had sinned. Old Eli wanted no faults, yet he had learned that lesson, not to stand on his justification, when threats were denounced against him, but replieth, It is the Lord, and let him do what seemeth good unto him. But our man where he taketh an opinion, will not be removed from it, be it right or be it otherwise. Although here he would withdraw from himself the blame of his former flight (which while he goeth about to maintain, he maketh himself twice guilty) yet still he will be innocent. Wherein appeareth how blind man naturally is: when it cometh to him or his, there will be a self-weening, a self-liking, a self-conceit, in the grossest errors that may be. This sin of thinking well of our selves, sitteth close and long, even when other sins are shaken off, which showeth that the speech reported of Plato is true, that this is as the inmost garment, or shirt next the skin, which doth sit on last and fastest, yea when we have put off all the rest of our other clothing. Hence it is, that be accused who will, we for our parts are always innocents. When Saul had spared King Agag, and brought home the best beasts of Amalek, it was the people that did it, his hand was not in the fact: nay he could make good use of the oversight: the cattle would serve for sacrifice, to be offered to the Lord. Pilate will not be to blame, for crucifying of Christ: he taketh water and washeth his hands, and the Jews only are in [ 4] fault. The high Priests were wondrous clear, when Judas brought back the money, and threw it into the treasury: and if there were any betraying of the innocent blood of Christ, it was iudas that must look to that, for what was it to them? And almost there is no cause in the world between man and man, touching discord or discourtesy, or quarrel or question, but the party who is conferred with, is clear and free from offense, and the other side hath transgressed. The remembrance of which matter, made Lodouicus Viues compare men to his children, who oftentimes disagreed, as children use to do, yet never any of them did wrong, but injury was done to him. All the earth doth run this race: other men are only nocent, and we innocent in all causes.

8 This is a pretty paradox: the man who is most culpable, is least of all to be blamed. But it were more tolerable, if mā only to man used this, by a strain of wit to divert, or boldly to over-face that, which justly may be reproved: But this is it which passeth a good man's understanding, that so we may be scot-free, the just and terrible Judge, all whose ways are truth and equity, shall have the spot cast upon him. If anything be amiss, it is by God's decree, or by something which he hath done, which we cannot avoid: or if we had had our will, it had proved far otherwise: I foresaw this in my country, saith Jonah, and therefore I prevented it by flying, and getting me to Tharsh • sh: but the Lord would have his own way, and now see what is come of it. Here he showeth himself to be a very right son of Adam, who although he had borne himself disobediently in Paradise, yet he would shift the matter, and lay it upon God. Adam doth not say saith Saint Agustine, the woman gave me the fruit, but the woman which thou didst give me. And with sinners nothing is so familiar as to attribute that to God whereof they be accused. It was marvel that Adam going a little farther, he had not added this: Why should I not eat this fruit, for if it be not good what doth it here in Paradise? and if it be good why should it be forbidden to us? Since God made it and set it here, he is to blame if we may not eat it. This humor is by propagation derived far and near, and although it be not shown in toys, where our patience beareth no burden, yet when there is any grievous feeling, too many do run that way. My natural inclination doth lead me to this folly. I have it from my nativity. I do but tread the steps of my father, from whom I have it hereditary, that I know not how to avoid this love to Bacchus and Venus. Why should God give me a body, which by sicknesses and diseases, is so subject to impatiency, if he like not that I should grieve thus? He ordained me for a beggar, or laid a curse on my patrimony, which is come down on me, and on my fathers house, and therefore if luxuriously I wast all, who can hinder that which must be? who can hold that which will away? These are fearful & cruel words which being uttered falsely and unadvisedly, provoke great wrath from heaven. If anything in thee be amiss, it is by imitation of evil, or by a degeneration from the commandment at the first; and the miseries which do follow thee, are either sins in thyself, because thou fliest from grace, or punishments of such sins as were in thy predecessors, of whom thou hast part by their means. But if thou wouldst call for grace, and inure thyself to good, and to a desuetude of evil, thy natural inclinations would be turned to be spiritual; thy soul would cast her slough of impiety and presumption, and the maladies of thy body would all turn to thy benefit, that is, to increase thy faith and humility. Then learn to confess thy sins to the Lord against thyself, and let him be excused.

9 For such bitter words as these be, do not savor of the spirit, but of that furious fiend who waiteth vpō the reprobates. And they oftentimes (as Paul intimateth) to quit themselves of such sins as bring condemnation on them, lay all upon the Lord's appointment and decree unto life or death, which they cannot withstand. So they know not, that howsoever God in his secret counsel (which we are to wonder at and not to search into) doth leave them to themselves, yet they by heaping up of wickedness, do make up their own condemnation, and add unto their torments; and that whereas by original stain they are too much infected, yet by actual willfulness they will multiply the guilt of the former, by some thousands of degrees. And herein is their grievous error, that they impute that to God, which is their own by inheritance, and besides that, purchased also through their merit, and so by a double right: but it is the Lord's in no other circumstance, saving because he will be just, which he is and ever will be, let them spurn while they can. It were a more direct course, and more honorable in the end, to let God go untouched, to allow what he alloweth, and to ratify what he liketh: to accuse man who deserveth it, and not to seek crickes and starting holes, to lay the fault on the Judge. But especially to be vigilant, that with all thy power thou fly sin: for be thou either elect or reprobate, that shall bring ease unto thee. If yet thou be in doubt whether thou be the Lord's, or not his, thy faith not being yet fervent, then love virtue morally, that the Almighty may the • ooner bring thee to the sheepfold, if he mean at all to pour grace on thee. And evermore h • pe the best: for he can call the most wicked, and of stones raise up seed to Abraham. Yea if thy heart seem to condemn thee, yet God doth rule thy heart, and can mollify it and soften it; and the devil himself which tempteth thee, is but a lying spirit, for although he do suggest, that thou art nothing but a cast-away, yet he is a deceiver, and is not of God's counsel. But suppose that thou belong not to him (whereof I would not have any man distrustfully to doubt) yet fly from sin, and do moral virtues, and that at least shall ease some part of the extremity of those torments, which thou shalt have in hell fire. Although thou gain no joy by it, yet thou shalt escape much evil. Thy pain shall be the less: not because thou hast done well, but because thou hast less declined from virtue, as Agustine speaketh, making difference between Catiline and Fabricius: Fabricius shall be less punished then Catiline, not because he was good, but because the other was more bad: and Fabricius was less wicked then Catiline was, not in that he had true virtues, but because he did not as far as might be, stray from true virtues. But be it the one or the other, take all thy sins upon thyself, and seek not to excuse the nocent, by accusing the innocent, who is free from the smallest blemish. In a lesser matter then eternal life or death is, it was a fault in our Prophet, that he would assume the better, and God must have the worse: he will be clear, and the Lord shall be culpable. And let this be said of his excuse.

10 The third note is the reason, whereon he groundeth his [ 3] defense, & that is the Lord's procliuity and propenseness unto mercy. And here, howsoever the former matters may trouble us by a remembrance that they may be our own case, yet this maketh amends for all, that we have to do with a Lord, whose goodness is so great, & whose graciousness so plētiful, that we need words to utter it. Jonah therein walking right howsoever else he tread ill, goeth as far as may be. A gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil : such a one is ready every way to take pity, but cometh to vengeance and fury with heavy and leaden feet. Our man doth so well at this, that we need not doubt but he had a good schoolemaister to direct him, and that is the Lord himself, who appearing unto Moses, doth cry thus of his majesty, The Lord, the Lord, strong and merciful, gracious and slow to anger, abundant in goodness and truth, reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin ; in which place of Exodus although afterward there follow a little of his justice, which he may not forget, yet we see the main stream runneth concerning mildness, and kindness, and compassion. That is it wherein the Lord may be said to delight, joying to be a Savior, a deliverer, a preserver, a redeemer & a pardoner, rather thē to be a Judge. He hath one skale of justice, but the other doth prove the heavier: mercy doth ouerway. He who is ever just, is merciful more then ever, if possibly that may be. And it seemeth that every day, as his Gospel was growing on, so his pity came also forward. He who for one transgression, thrust the Angels out of heaven, and for his first slipping awry, turned Adam out of Paradise (his fury breaking forth against both them) now in the days of grace, beareth with us years and years, from our cradle to our grave, after a thousand and a thousand falls, of weakness and willfulness, by word, by thought, by deed. Yea he came to this soon, not long after the creation, giving in the days of Noah, a hundred and twenty years of repentance, before the flood. Our Nineveh from the mouth of this present Prophet, had forty days, before it should be destroyed. But Jerusalem being grown to the height of all iniquity, so that both the servants and Son of God were slain by them, the Sabaoth polluted, the Sanctuary profaned, yea a horrible sink of filth being now among them, yet was spared forty years, before that God sent up Vespasian and Titus. See whether this be not tollerancie, which we with amazedness may admire. Indeed when nothing would serve, but the member being quite incurable, must needs be cut off by him; when their sin extorted and wrung down vengeance; he paid them for all together, that they who would none of his love, might have full heaps of his hatred. His arm being lift up the higher, did fall so much the heavier: the water-course stopped the longer, did break out the more fiercely, according to the custom of God, who as Bernard sometimes spake, By how much the longer he expecteth that we should amend, so much the more strictly he will judge us if we neglect. The Jews felt this to the full: but how slow was he to his anger?

11 Christ Jesus who is the image, and engraven form of his father, was not behind hand in this property, while he lived here upon earth. He taught it by the fig-tree, which bearing no fruit, was not by and by cut down, but first for one or two years it should be dunged and trimmed, to see what good would come of it. He sustained many ignorances, & vntowardnesses in the Apostles, and yet did not reject them: yea his patience was so great, that it shown it self to Judas, No marvel saith Saint Cyprian that he shown himself patient toward his obedient disciples, who could with long suffering endure very Judas to the last; could take his meat in company of his enemy; knew a foe to be in his house, and did not openly descry him; yea refused not the kiss of a traitor. He might rightly be called a lamb, yea that innocent Lamb of God, by an excellency above all other, who could see such a one, and suffer him so often and so near him, and scant say a word against him. This did no good on Judas, but as the same Cyprian observeth, the like tollerance was effectual to salvation in other men. If those who did shed the blood of Christ, had been taken presently after, they had perished everlastingly: but God so graciously disposed for their good, that they were pricked in their hearts, and so brought home to the sheepfold; of enemies being now made friends. Which made that father say, He who shed the blood of Christ, was quickened by the blood of Christ; such and so great was Christ's patience, which if it had not been such and so great, the Church should not have had Saint Paul for an Apostle. Thus the holy and blessed Trinity dealeth with men in this present age, in great mercy after years and twenty years before they come to the grave, respecting such as have been men audacious and impudent in ungodliness; such as have been superstitious, and Popish even unto idolatry; such as in a conceited fancy were so fastened to Antichrist, that to lose their lives for the beast, they thought to be to do God good service. Those persons who had lain & fried in hell, as fire-brands to be burnt, remediless and everlastingly, if they had departed in that mind to the grave, the place where is no redemption; by compassion from the mighty one, whose bowels are made of mercy, are suffered to live, till with tears they wash away many folli • s. But then apprehending Christ aright, they bless the eternal father, who hath thought upon them so kindly: they bless the day and the hour, that ever their eyes were opened: that their mist was removed away: that they have changed the puddle of traditions and superstitions, and will-worships and ignorances, of customs and vain inventions, into the bright delightful water, which streameth from him and his word who is the well of life.

12 We who never drank of those dregs, yet may make the same confession: for we feel God's favor every day. It is an argument of his love, that we have so many things, life and breath, and food and raiment: that many such accidents do not overtake us, as whereby other come to ruin, sword and fire, and hunger and pestilence, and diverse others occurrence, which destroy many in this life: that in so many provocations, for forty years together we have enjoyed such rest, that the ages to come will hear it and scant believe it, but never again expect it: the soul so fed and the body: such honor and reputation, in all the coasts of the earth, under a woman's conduct, that we cannot choose but confess, that the Lord's aspect hath been good over this blessed Island. But besides that general sea of grace, which lieth open to all that come, how long suffering is the Lord to everyone of us? Indeed he is singular in clemency, for when he found nothing in us, why his eye should be upon us, then he prevented us with grace, and touched our heart with a feeling. Since that time, when we would slip from him, he catcheth us and holdeth us fast: when every toy would allure us to sell God & be gone, he will not so part with us: if we be lost, out he seeketh us, if we lie long he raiseth us, if we come not, then he draweth us, in temptation he doth strengthen us, in strong despair he relieveth us. Who would ever have to do with such a froward generation, so slippery and so tickle, so giddy and so perverse, but only he who is like himself, who will love because he will love: our inconstancy shall not hinder his firm and sure good pleasure. The pains of the mother with the infant, is a matter of various labor: her sleep his broken, her business hindered, her necessities even neglected: yet because she loveth she swalloweth all: but she must come short of God, who, were it not that he is resolved to do it, because he is full of mercy, he would never so wait upon us, and expect us as he doth. We reap the comfort of it, and he reapeth the praise, the honor and admiration. For as everything in him is worthy to to be wondered at, so this is to be embraced with admiring amazedness, that he so respecteth man. Hilary hath a sentence worthy to be recited here. This is an especial thing in God: this is to be wondered at in that mighty one, not that he made the heaven, because he is powerful: not that he settled the earth, because he is strength: not that he tempered or distinguished the year with the stars, because is wise: not that he gave man a soul, because he is life: not that he did move the sea into anebbing and a flowing, because is a spirit: but that he should be merciful who is just; but that he should be pitiful, who is a King: but that he should bear with us, who is a God. At this we may wonder, but receive it with great comfort, for the harvest thereof is ours.

13 But to return to my Jonah. Thou saidest when thou wast in thy country, that God was so kind and gracious, and would relent from the fury which he threatened to the Ninevites: then wherefore doest thou now grieve at it? Thou didst resolve before, that the end and conclusion would be such; therefore it is likely, that God advisedly performed that which he did, since thou hadst thought so long of it. Then why art thou now angry at it? Who would grieve that fire should burn, or water should be moist? that the earth should be dull and heavy? that the Sun should yield forth light? The creatures cannot so much challenge those properties, as God doth challenge to himself the title of mercy. Then so it is, and thou thinkest so, and saidest so long agone, and yet thou grieuest that it is so. Thou thoughtest it so in the Theorike, but beleeuedst it not in the Practike. He is gracious where thou listest, but must not be so where he pleaseth. To Jonah he is and may be, but not so to the Ninevites. But thou saidest that he would do it, and yet thou chafest that he did it. Now Jonah thou condemnest thyself: thine own mouth hath so taken thee, that thou canst not avoid this straight. For if God be just, and do punish this people, then thou saidest ill, that he would repent of the evil: if he be kind and do not destroy them, then thou frettest amiss, that he who is grace and pity, should show himself in his kind. Then thy collection for the justifying of thine anger is most absurd and preposterous: God is merciful, therefore I fret because he will show mercy: when it should have been clean contrary, God is merciful, therefore I should grieve, if he should not show mercy to them: or, he is slow to anger, therefore he will forgive them. The master in the parable would have turned this answer on him, Not thou evil, but foolish servant, from thine own mouth I condemn thee. For what a speech is this, did I not say that it would be so? Yes: but why then doest thou murmur that it is so? Thou saidest that the Lord would deal thus with the Ninevites; then when it had been done, thou shouldest not have grumbled at it.

14 It is a lesson to us, that still we submit our judgment to the judgment of the Lord: that we seek not with our own wit to carry that which is his, besides the streams of his purposes, but to look to his revealed will, and with modesty and humility, to submit our selves thereunto. For if upon any affection of discontent, or envy, or ambition, or gain-saying, we will vary from his designements, he will let us be as absurd and unreasonable as Jonah was, to please our selves in conclusions, which manifestly teach the contrary to our opinion. God is marvelous and unsearchable, in taking entangled man in the snares of his own inventions. And if we be as Jonah, that is Prophets, & will be foolish, in things which touch his own determinations, he will most of all take and whip us. In this case God's counsels are deep, and oftentimes leave a scar, of a mind unsatisfied in it self, or of just reproof with other, when the crachets of our wit must over-rule his will, and we will have it our way, when God hath said it otherwise. What a dash of great reproach to this day, did light upon Origen, besides the fear of a farther danger, when the spirit of his conceit, must be taken for the marrow of the Scripture, and look what with tricks he devised, other men must straight believe. His conclusions grew as inconsequent, as ever this did of Jonah. Because we also are Prophets, let us fear in like sort, to force the word of God to anything, but to what he meant it; or to broch any new devises by singularity of opinion. For as the Lord both blesseth and graceth things done with a good mind, although they have their imperfections, so when our purpose is but vanity, or rareness, or a fancy to sing a note beyond all men, in that where soundness seasoned with care and industry, is best, God a little to bridle us, leaveth us unto our selves, and in steed of praise more then common, our spot is more then ordinary. Concerning the matter of God's business, the best ground is the common way: to teach as the Lord doth teach, and as the words are naturally, and then if all other good helps be used, it is not amiss: but let no human passion make us vary from the substance, because we will have it one way, when God will have it another, lest the Almighty be not so much honored as otherwise he should, and we our selves be discomforted. God grant that we may make use of the examples in the Scriptures, that in need we may seek to him who is able to help us: that we may pray to him as we should, in humility and obedience, accusing our own infirmities, that so we may taste of that mercy, wherein he is so plenteous, especially in his Son, to both whom and the holy Spirit be praise for evermore.

THE XXVI. LECTURE.

I T is a speech true, as well in Divinity as in Philosophy, that grant one absurdity, and a many will follow: which is more commonly seen in practice of life, then in holding opinions. For when we have once gone aside from God's law, and from the rule of virtue, one sin draweth on another, as the links of a chain move their fellows, where the first plucketh on the second. And as a stone which is cast into a pool or standing water, maketh one circle where it falleth, and that circle breedeth another, and so forward successively, till it come to the bank; so evil groweth of evil, and the first begetteth one farther, and there it will not rest, but on in infinitum, unless grace sent from heaven as a bridle of restraint, do make stay in the soul. When Adam had once yielded to hearken to the woman more indulgently then he should, credulity cometh on him: that hatcheth out ambition: thence floweth disobedience; after that cometh excusing, and posting all over to God. When Saul by a foolish pity, had spared the king of Amalec, and by a greedy covetousness had saved the cattle alive, he despaireth upon those threatenings, which were denounced against him by Samuel: then he grieveth to lose his kingdom: afterward hearing that David was the man, who should succeed him, he seeketh every way to slay him. After his hatred toward him, he hated every man who in least sort entertained him, he murdered the Lord's Priests: and then to the end that he might procure that from hell, which would not come from heaven, he consulteth with a witch: and at last for the up-shot he slaughtereth himself. Jonah is not so far left to his own disposition, as to mar all in the end: God's grace is more upon him: yet to show how far weakness in his calling had surprised him, he maketh an ill gradation. Being in up to the shoes, he will on to the shoulders, and it was more by grace then by nature, that he had not diued over head and all. For first he had unadvisedly resolved on the destruction of the city, without any sparing: and in his longing for it, he was grown bloody in mind; then seeing that God would pardon them, he is displeased at it, and he proveth angry with the Lord himself. His wrathful mind breaketh forth, and excusing himself for all, he layeth the fault on the Lord. Yet here he sitteth not down, but furious as he is, in all hast he will be dead, to be rid of all the trouble. And although the Lord do interrupt him there, yet he will be dead the second time, as afterward it doth follow.

2 In this place I am to handle the conclusion of his prayer; wherein after that he had tendered his own justification, as it is in the former verse, and had vexed himself that he could not see that which he intended, he requesteth that he might die, accounting his peevish anguish to be a thing so intolerable, as that a living man might not bear it. Wherein he still continueth an example of human frailty, which being led by aff • ction, and fancy-full opinion of some present encumbrance, forgetteth the rules of piety, and very grounds of reason, and speaketh it knoweth not what. For how unfit was that motion, because other men must live, Jonah himself will die. Because he might not have revenge on those who hurt him not (for their faults were against the Highest) he would be revenged on himself. Thus dealt he at that time; when as a man whose heart had been seasoned with understanding, should have taken such contentation, at the conversion of so many sinners, that his joy should have been the greater, and his life should have been the sweeter, to see such a metamorphosis, that unrepentant sinners should be now crying out for pardon. But my text leadeth me to speak, not what a one he should be, but what a one he was, and therein these two verses offer to us several matters: [ 1] the one, the desire of Jonah that his life should be taken from [ 2] him: the other the increpation or rebuke, which the Lord bestoweth on him. And these two are the main drift. But the former doth branch it self into a second sort of instructions, [ 1] as first that the Lord is he, who taketh away life from man, [ 2] secondly that therefore to deprive our selves of our breath, is against [ 3] his holy ordinance: and thirdly in what cases we may wish our selves to be dead, and in what it is unlawful. These three things being handled, as God's spirit shall enable me, I will come to Lord's reproof.

[ 1] 3 This impatient Prophet mingling good and bad together, layeth it down in his ecstacy, that it belongeth to God, to take away life from man. Not I will die for anger, or I will destroy myself, but Lord take away my life. And in their greatest sobriety, the holiest Saints have and must acknowledge that Jehovah was he who in the first creation, breathed into the clay a living moving soul. In him saith Saint Paul, we live and move, and have our being. And whose it is to build, his it is to destroy: whose the making is, his is the marring. This caused Moses speaking plainly in God's own person, to join them both together. Behold now for I am he, and there are no God's with me: I kill and I give life, I wound and I make whole, neither is there any who can deliver out of my hands. So Job that holy man: In God's hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. If in his hand, then to give it where he pleaseth to give it, and where he listeth to deny it. Solomon the wise doth apparently aim at this, where he saith: Man is not Lord over his breath, to retain his spirit, neither hath power in the day of death, nor deliverance in the battle. Where by an Antithesis it must needs be understood, that God thē is Lord over it, and he doth dispose of it. And he hath learned little in the school of Christ Jesus, who perfectly knoweth not this, that his breath in his body as a tenant at will, is put into a house, whereinto it may not enter, but by the good will of the landlord, and being once in, there it must keep and hold the building upright, till it have his discharge to remove some whither else. It must not stay longer, then the term set by the owner, neither must it depart till that moment come. In the beginning of our being, it is God who giveth the barren a power to conceive, who quickeneth that within, sometimes sooner, sometimes later, which he meaneth shall see the Sun: who bringeth it into the world: thou art he saith the Prophet David, who took me out of my mothers womb : who preserveth from the cradle, by thee have I been holden up ever since I was borne : and leading us along, he lengtheneth or he shorteneth the race which we shall run, and when we come to the period of the time decreed by himself, there he biddeth us stay and fall. Our glass being run, we return to the earth from whence we were taken.

4 And that it might appear, to be only his prerogative, to begin and end life, howsoever he giveth the entrance unto it but by one way, that is by generation (as a heathen man noteth) yet arbitrarily, by innumerable means he dissolveth it and destroyeth it. And this he doth not at hap-hazard, but he ordaineth it before with an immutable decree, so that it may not be changed. Jeremiah the Prophet useth these words: The king of Babel when he cometh shall strike the land of Egypt, such as before death unto death, and such as be appointed for captivity to captivity, and such as be for the sword to the sword. This intimateth that by the providence of the Lord, who did set that king on work, several persons in their times are determined to their several ends, some to the sword, some to famine, some to the pestilence, and some other to the teeth of wild beasts (which are the Lord's four great plagues) and some other to other deaths. The execution of this decree is so various and so manifold, that there is no one man's tongue which possibly can describe it. Abel he is slain by his brother. Abimilechs brains are beaten out by the hand of a woman, throwing a piece a mil-stone from a wall. Agag is hewed in pieces. Jehoram slain with an arrow. Isaiah cut with a wooden saw. Amos slain with a door-bar: the blood of other was mingled with the blood of their own sacrifices. Some there were on whom the tower of Siloah did fall, Anacreon the Poet as Pliny telleth, was choked with the kernel of a raisin, and Fabius the Senator was served so with a hair. Pope Adrian the fourth as Cremonensis writeth, was choked with a fly. Valentinian the Emperor came to his end, by straining himself with crying too loud. Iouian another Emperor was found dead in his bed. And to recite no more of ancient time, now in our days, many come to their graves by Apoplexies and Lethargies, and dead palseyes, some by falling, some by drowning, some other as a wasted candle go out naturally. What the Lord hath appointed over them, that everyone partaketh. So that it is a thing peculiar to his own pleasure, to withdraw breath from mankind, which if at any time he be not pleased to do, no devise of man can bring about the destruction of the least person: snares and ambushes laid as against Elisha, shall be frustrated and escaped. Lions teeth shall stand still as they did at Daniel: fire shall not burn, as it was in that oven, where the three children were. All policy shall sink, and all complots shall be dissolved, as the Lord hath manifestly testified in his anointed handmaid, who reigneth over us: whom he hath kept hitherto amidst most strange conspiracies, because his purpose is, that yet longer he will honor her.

5 Here it shall be no ill advise, to intersert this word: that since the Lord himself, who forgetteth not his other creatures, is notedly & especially so careful over man, to let his life in into him, and to let it out by decree, to measure out his sufferings, and to moderate his endurings, to deliver when he listeth, and to save when he thinketh good (the remembrance of all which, and the like benefits, made David cry out, Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou doest so visit him? ) we should esteem of our selves as of God's special workmanship, in a degree beyond ordinary. My intent is not to puff up our hearts with any pride, or to thrust into a self-liking (for the Lord doth hate pride: it goeth before a fall: and the humble men are those, on whom Christ's yoke is laid) but to rouse us up from that neglect, which commonly is in all carnal men, I mean a careless estimation, and drowsy consideration of the graces of God upon us. For do we not see many, as if they were only borne to be somewhat in the world, and that so small a somewhat, as if it were but nothing, go on as forlorn people, who make no account of their being, and only eat and drink and sleep, and walk on idly, as if they cared not much, whether this or that did fall out, to themselves or other men, and they were but a sort of things, which be they or be they not, it maketh not any matter. A conceit which is very earthie, and dull as is the clay, and in no sort beseeming a reasonable soul, who should carry his face upright to God, and to the heavens, and think himself to be made for somewhat: to glorify the Almighty, to be a part of the Church, to help to adorn the world, to be doing honest actions, while he is here in this life, and not to go poring forward, as a beast which looketh only downward. Is it nothing, that he hath given thee speech and reason, which he denieth to everything but man? Is it nothing, that his son redeemed thee with his blood, and paid such a ransom for thee? Or, to note what my text doth note, is it nothing that thy life is dayed and houred, and inched out, by a fearful God and a terrible? who among so many motions, and directions, and disposings, and altering transmutations, of heaven and earth and water, yet hath thee so in his reckoning, and beareth such an eye upon thee, on thy in-going and thy out-going, of thy lying own & thy rising, of thy sickness and thy health, of thy living and thy dying, as if only he did intend unto thyself in special. Do not thou esteem that to be vile, which he reckoneth of so much worth: let that soul be precious to thee, which he accounteth of so great price: do not hang down thy head, but with industry adorn thy soul, and with diligence in his service, thinking it a shame to see that active, nimble and stirring substance, to be overgrown with mossinesse, and rust of such neglect, as hitherto hath possessed it.

[ 2] 6 Now as it is not improper, to observe this in glauncing sort, because the Prophet giveth that attribute to the Lord, that it is his prerogative to take away life; so from this, there evidently ariseth as a doctrine, to be thought of in the next place, that it is a great fault and a transgression not excusable, to thrust our selves into that which belongeth unto our maker, and so by an usurpation to deprive God of that singular privilege, which is proper to himself, of taking away life from man. I do not here speak of the Magistrates, who carry the sword as from God, and are bound not to acquit or excuse the guilty. To them the charge is given, against murderers and manquellers, that he who sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Moses stoned the blasphemer: Joshua did so by Achan, and Solomon in his uprightness took away the life of Joab. But I speak here of that case, which might touch our Prophet nearer: that is, that although he did pretend, that he willingly would be dead, yet he doth not take a course, violently to lay hands on himself and his own body, but prayeth the Lord to dissolve him. Wherein it appeareth, that although he were perverse and discontent; yet he was not come to that height of iniquity and impiety, as to destroy himself. A sin of the most strange nature, that any is in the world, that whereas all other sins are to preserve the body, indeed, or in a fancy, in circumstance or in substance, this is to overthrow it. Yea to overthrow it with God, and overthrow it with man, in this world and the next, without hope and all recovery, unless the Lord's mercy which cannot be limited, do that whereof is no warrant. His commandment is in general, Thou shalt commit no murder. If no murder upon other, then much less on thyself. For thou must love thy neighbor, but as thou lovest thyself; and the pattern of all duty to be extended in him, is taken from thine own person. Then when the Lord hath created thee, and put thee into the world, and bid thee there to keep, as in a standing place, as in a watch or ward, from whence thou mayest not move till he come to discharge thee, wilt thou dare to leave thy ground, and forsake that which he hath enjoined thee? When thy soul shall come before his just and fearefulll countenance, how must it needs be dismayed, when that speech shall come from his mouth, what doest thou in this place? who sent for thee? who dismissed thee? As thou with violence hast cut thyself from thy body, so with violence I do cut thee from all hope of participation in my glory.

7 What a trembling may this sentence procure upon this soul? what mountains may it not cry to, or what hills to fall upon it, to be freed from such a doom? It is good therefore that every Christian, who desireth to have his part in the holy resurrection, should fly from this, as the way to everlasting damnation. This is a pranke for such as despairing Saul was, to fall upon his own sword: or of cursed crafty Ahitophell, to go home and hang himself: or of Judas, to go forth, and work himself to his end. How many are the miseries and vexations, which a Christian should suffer all his life time here, before that he should once think of this? With what earnestness of prayer, should he resist this temptation? Should I say that Josephus a Jew, with full reasons refuted that, which was urged for this ungodly fact, at such time as he was pressed unto it, by his bloody minded fellows? Yea heathen men have taught this, as Plato in Phaedone, from whom we find, that Macrobius hath collected seven reasons, why we should not dare to attempt this. But the speech of Tully is excellent, in that Somnium Scipionis, whereupon Macrobius there commenteth. For when Scipio had said, If true life be only in heaven, why stay I then upon earth? why hast I not, to come to you? No it is not so, saith his father, for unless that God whose Temple all this is that thou seest, free thee from the fetters of thy body, thou canst not have an entrance thither. For men are begotten, and bred upon that condition, that they should maintain that round thing, which thou seest in the midst of that Temple, and which is called the earth. And there is given unto them a soul, of those everlasting fires, which you call stars and planets. Wherefore ô Publius, both thy soul and the souls of all good men, is to be kept by them, in the safe custody of thy body, neither without his commandment by whom it is given unto you, are you to leave this life, lest you should seem to fly this duty assigned by God. If a heathen man by the light of nature could go so far, it were a thing very admirable, that bare reason should be able to teach so much. But we may very well imagine, that this came from the Divinity of the Jews. For Tully in that place deriveth his position from Plato, which Macrobius plainly noteth, and Plato's divine Philosophy, was by hearing or reading, sucked from the books of Moses, which thing Eusebius in his book De Praeparatione Euangelica, doth manifestly lay down, citing there Numenius the Pythagorian, who writeth that Plato was nothing else, but Moses speaking Greek, or in the Attike language. But be this so, or be it otherwise, the doctrine is most true.

8 First then in this are condemned those, who yielding themselves too much unto Satan's suggestions, willfully destroy their own bodies: frō whom as I dare not generally withdraw the hope of salvation, and everlasting life (for God's mercy may give grace, and a sudden hasty repentance, between the bridge and the water, between the deed & the dying, so that then they could wish all were well, and no violence offered) so on the other side, I cannot but pronounce that the case is very dangerous, and in the highest sort to be suspected and feared, unless the Lord do give apparent tokens of penitency. Do not first take strong poison, and then afterward seek some such remedy, as may be offered in an instant, whereunto to trust thou hast no warrant, but almost all to the contrary. Secondly they are here taxed, who willfully and without cause, adventure upon such things, as are the ways of death, by that means tempting God, to see whether he will preserve them: for so it must needs be, if they think of him at all. Remember how Christ discountenanced all leaping off from the Temple, which in nature had been a means, to dash himself to pieces. Some dangerous tumbling tricks, and walking upon ropes not without danger of life, and other sports of that quality, are very near to this. Here let me acknowledge one thing to you, whereof I have oftentimes thought in myself by occasion of that text, which was cited to our Savior, by Satan the great tempter in the story last mentioned. When he would have Christ throw himself from the pinnacle of the Temple, he encouraged him by that place of the Psalm: He shall give his Angels charge over thee, and with their hands they shall lift thee up, that thou dash not thy foot against a stone. Where, as every man may see, he cited the Scripture falsely, leaving out that which is very material, to keep thee in all thy ways. He shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. I have heard that a reverend mā, preaching on a time in our sister Vniuersity, at the burial of one or two gentlemen, who came to an untimely end by swimming, enforced out of that place of Matthew, that it is the policy of the tempter, to draw men from their own ways, to the ways of other creatures. And therein (as I have heard) he observed, that a mans way was to go, a birds way was to fly, as fishes way was to swim: and if we would leave our own paths, dangerously and without cause, to do as fishes or birds do, we tempt God in that case, and suppress as much of the Psalm to our selves, as Satan did to Christ. For God will keep thee in all thy ways, not in the ways of a bird, not in the ways of a fish. I cannot say that at that time, by collection from that text, or by the doleful example which was then before his eyes, that reverend learned man utterly forbad that exercise, as impious & unlawful; neither dare I do so: for fishermen have use of it: and Peter in the presence of our Savior, girded his linnnen garment to him, and threw himself into the sea: and the means that some escaped from the ship-wrack, in the company of Saint Paul, was their swimming: and soldiers in passing waters, are oftentimes constrained to betake them to this exercise. So that utterly to condemn it, or dislike it, I think it not convenient, or warrantable; but certainly in that sort as many use it, and too many in great cities, and perhaps some in this place, that is to say, young ones, & in the deep, and without company or good help, yea and upon the Sabaoth day, which the Lord hath notedly punished, as some of us may remember, doth fall within just reproof, of being too much accessory of shortening men's own lives. Let the elder and the younger lay this to their own consciences, and make the use to themselves. Only upon occasion of this summer time of the year, I do briefly mention it.

9 Within this compass, there come plainly our chalenges, and defendances for combats in the fields, for every trifling brawl; where not for God and their country, or for their Princes safety, but upon every brauling disgrace, the life is thrust into danger. How uncomfortable a thing is it, in a mortal deadly wound, which may very well be thy share, to think that thou hast sought the dissolution of thy soul from thy body, and to have rather stood on thy manhood, and fame with other men, then upon thy Christian duty? How many laws did Moses make, but none for the duellum, or combat between two? Nay, he who laid it down, that if the head of an axe fly off, as a man is cutting wood, and slay his neighbor being near unto him, with whom he had no quarrel, if the pursuer should take his person, before he came to the city of refuge, it was lawful to kill him; what would he have thought of these men, who will thrust themselves into this straigth, to slay or to be slain? What the Emperor Honorius, son to that good Theodosius, thought of this, appeareth hereby, that as Theodoret writeth, he took away all sword-playings and gladiatorie fights, which so long had been used in Rome, because they were the means of many slaughters. The very Turks in this case are worthy of commendation, of whom I find in the Epistles of Augerius Busbequius, Ambassador sometimes among them, for Ferdinandus the Emperor, that while he was in the country, when one of the Turkish Captains had reported before the Bassas, that he had challenged into the field, another of the San-iacks or Lieutenants of the Turk, of whom he had received some grievance, the Bassas that Graund Segnieur thrust him presently into prison, and used these words unto him: Didst thou dare to denounce the combat against thy fellow soldier? were there not Christians to fight with? You live both by the bread of our Emperor, and would you try for each others life? Know you not that whether soever of you had ben • slain, it had been a loss to our Sovereign? he had lost a man? a soldier? This was but a worldly reason, which yet holdeth among us also. But for the avoiding of slaughter, upon other men or our selves, which point concerneth the Lord's commandment, we should fly from these great occasions of murder, which is so horrible a sin. But to return to the main cause, if these accessories and helps to bring our selves to the grave, be things not to be justified, then what a great fault is man-slaughter, directly done upon our selves?

10 I have said more of these adiacents, then my purpose was to speak: but for the great point, which naturally ariseth from my text, I have therein said less, because I debated this question at large, upon the twelfth verse of the first Chapter of this Prophecy: and in the opening of this book, I have ever aimed at that, not to repeat the same things oft, in manner or in matter. Yet one word more before I leave this, and that is, that in the Primitive Church, it was somewhat a strange kind of opinion, that men confessing Christ might make away themselves, to withdraw their bodies from torments, which their persecutors would offer to them; and they knew not certainly whether their strength were able to sustain. Eusebius in his history telleth, that in the bloody time of cruel Diocletian, there were diverse, who for the reason named, did procure death to thenselves, by throwing their bodies from floors and lofts, & high places. And he addeth farther there, that a certain Chistian mother & her two daughters being taken, and fearing lest she or they should be deflowered, which of all things she detested, stepped aside from their keepers, & threw themselves into the river, and so perished in the water. Afterward, the same Eusebius speaketh of another matron, who going into her chamber, as it were to attire her self, while the officers of the Emperor expected her return, thrust her self through with a sword. And these matters Eusebius doth not only historically relate, but by an insinuation, doth little less then commend them: but of certainty he evidently approveth them. Now true divinity doth maintain, that this praise is not good; but such deeds are very unlawful. God who simply forbiddeth all murder on our selves, doth also forbid this, because he giveth no exception in this point or case, either directly or indirectly. The Prophets and the Apostles, and our Savior Christ himself, did with humility expect, that the will of God should be wrought upon them by others: they did not make themselves guilty, by laying violent hands on their own flesh. That were not patience, but impatiency, and breaking away from the cross imposed on them. By occasion of the example of Razias, mentioned in the second book of the Maccabees, and there said to destroy himself. Saint Agustine very excellently disputeth this against the Donatists, whose treatise who so listeth to read, shall see that he plainly and substantially proveth that this is not to be liked in any Christian. Jerome vpō the first of Jonah, desirous as it seemeth to make excuse for such facts, giveth thus his judgment on this matter: It is not our part to hasten death to our selves, but willingly to receive it being laid upon us by other. Whereupon even in persecutions, it is not lawful for us to perish with our own hands (unless it be where chastity is endangered) but to submit our selves unto the striker. In general he condemneth it, and that particular exception where our chastity is endangered may very well be left out: for violence which is offered to the body of man or woman, and cannot be resisted, doth not make the party sinful. It is consent which staineth us with transgression, and not that force which we cannot avoid, and which we approve in no sort. He who lived in a deeper time of darkness and superstition, that is Sarisburiensis in the fifth of his Policraticus, could see definitely and positively to determine all this doubt. His words are plain and direct, and therefore I think good to cite them: None of them who have laid hands on themselves, are sufficiently excused by me, although the Ecclesiastical story with great commendation, doth extol some who hastened their own death, because they had leyfer that their temporal life should be endangered, then their chastity. His judgment therein is sound, although the faults of those who were surprised, and deceived with such an opinion, should be covered with silence, and left to God's secret judgment. Now to come to my third circumstance.

[ 3] 11 Jonah being full of errors, yet knoweth that it is the Lord's part, to give life and take it away: and he is not ignorant that to use violence on himself, were a very grievous sin: but yet he goeth so far, as to wish himself dead: he prayeth God to end his life, and concludeth it to be better for him, to die then to live. Here is a double fault in the Prophet; one, that the cause which did move him, to such vehemency of thoughts was a matter much unbeseeming: for all his anger was, that the Lord would spare the Ninevites, which he thought was against his credit, and the esteem of a Prophet; and Jonah by a consequent is in this case grown bloody. But of this before in this Chapter. The second fault is, that in this his mad and raging anger, he doth wish himself dead. For this in him proceeded from a vexed unquiet heart, possessed with impatiency, and not from a sanctified resolution. We deny not but in some cases, a man who is here on earth warfaring, and in a combat with his spiritual enemies, may wish himself out of life. As when there is a mere and fervent desire to be joined with his head, to be with the blessed Trinity, and the Angels about the throne, as accoūting that glory to be the garland, for which we must sigh and groan. And this doth Saint Paul teach us by his evident example, where he professeth of himself, that he longed to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. And this love hath filled the minds of many of the martyrs, who thought all to be dung, in comparison of that heavenly celestial beatitude, which is aloft with God. And therefore they feared not to press on to that mark, by fire, and sword, and racking. And is these days of the Gospel, that is one of the consolations, wherein we do abound, that we see many of our Christian brethren and sisters, when in the extremity of their sickness, they lie upon their death-beds, to embrace our Savior Christ, and thirst for their dissolution, to think each hour a year, before they be in heaven. Again, when there is truly in us a settled hate against sin, which ariseth from a servant love to the Lord, whom we grieve to displease, not for fear, but for kindness toward so gracious a father; then it it is a good desire, soberly and with ripe judgment, to wish our selves out of this body, where daily we provoke him, whom we love so entirely. And in this also, we have the steps of holy Paul to tread, and to walk in, who considering the great burden of sin, which was upon him, and how it did evermore disturb him, doth cry out passionatly, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Where certainly he intendeth so much, as that in this consideration, he could wish himself from this earth. But on the other side, if they be but froward thoughts, and werying perturbations, which distemper us too much; or if it be for some sorrows, and afflictions which fall on us; or because by one or other we are thwarted in our designements, then in wishing for death, we prove plainly to be offenders, for want of submitting our will unto the Lord's will, for lack of waiting with patience, and attending the leisure of the Almighty. If Elias that powerful Prophet, be overtaken thus, to cry, now it is enough, O Lord take away my soul, for I am no better then my fathers, because Jezebel pursued him, to destroy him if she could take him, he may not be excused.

12 But for our man, it is evident that he was in this bracke: it was no earnest motion to be with God which did stir him; for now he was angry with him: neither was it because he loathed sin; for he heaped that as fast on him, as possibly he could: but because in a testie peevishness, and unbeseeming curstnesse, he could not see that effected, which he so hotly desired, that was, to see all Nineveh brought to utter desolation. And in this fury, the man would be nothing else but dead. He had never been dead before, and therefore did not know, what it was to come unprovided and unfurnished, yea indeed clothed with frowardness, before so high a Judge. If it then had been removed when it was in that fury, with what comfort could his soul approach before the tribunal? Whereby it appeareth, how mercifully the Eternal dealeth with us, who oftentimes in his love denieth to us those things, for which we wish; which if we should evermore enjoy, we were better be without them. Theseus as Tully saith, by obtaining the thing which he desired, gained this, that his only son Hippolytus was lost, and torn in pieces. The same which that fable reporteth, of those wishes which Neptune granted to him, that they did hurt and not help Theseus, is true of God's part toward us: if he should evermore grant, that which we wish on our selves or other, it would overturn our bodies, and make our souls to perish. Do we not many times, unadvisedly wish our selves in our grave, as Jonah did in this place, when I wis we little think it? And if then there should come any, who would take us at our word, should we not make twenty pauses, yea a hundred exceptions, before we would be ready? It is but Aesopsfable, but the moral thereof is true, that a poor and desolate old man, turning home from the wood with a burden of sticks upon him, threw them down, and in remembrance of the misery which he sustained, called oftentimes for death to come to him, as if he would live no longer. But when Death came to him in earnest, and asked what he should do, the old man presently changed his mind, and said that his request unto him was, that he would help him up with his wood. This most commonly is our case: we would find some other business to set Death about, if he should come to us, when vainly we have wished for him. And it is not much unlikely, that our Prophet in this place, would have played such a pranke, when he prayed to God with such vehemency to take away his soul. But be that as it will be; let this stand good between us, that with anger and with chasing at that which the Lord decreed, and with wishing death in his rage, the Prophet highly offended. Which being so largely discoursed, now come we in the second place, to see how the Lord taketh this, which I shall pass as briefly over, as I have been long in the former.

13 That which Jonah had witnessed in the second verse of [ 2] this Chapter, that the Lord is very merciful and slow to anger, is in this place experimented: for when the pot-sheard so grossly had overseen it self, to grudge against the potter, the creature against his maker, the hot spirit of man would easily have imagined, that he to whom the wrong was done, to the end that he might preserve his greatness entire, would have let him known his own, and received all roughness from him. How would a land-lord here have ruffled up his tenant? but the Prince would have rung such a lesson to his subject, that he should well have remembered with whom he had to deal. Nay may we not justly think, that the mighty Jehovah, who is covered with the thunder, and clothed with the lightening, who speaketh and the earth doth tremble, who moveth and the heaven doth quake, who blasted Nadab and Abihu dead in the instant: who stroke Uzzah in a moment, that he never spake again: who made the body of Gehazi, and the face of King Uzziah to be covered with a leaprosie: who so disgraced Herod, that in the ruffe of his majesty he was eaten up with worms, would have shaken up Jonah so with tauntings and reproaches, that he should never have forgotten it? But the Lord to give a token of his infinite moderation, and inconceivable softness, maketh no answer but this, Doest thou well to be angry ? Wherein as he doth show that Jonah was to blame (and therein overturneth the excuse of Saint Jerome, who most willingly would cover all, as if there were no fault, and therefore goeth not right, since the text is to the contrary) so he beareth with the infirmity of the distracted Prophet, and doth rather warn him kindly, then entreat him very roughly. Doest thou well to be angry? as if he should have said, Thou frettest when thou shouldest not: wilt thou be the Judge Jonah, to decide what is most for my glory? thou takest on thee to prejudice my wisdom, or my will: that either my discretion is not such as it should be; or when I know the best, yet I will follow the contrary. This is not aright Jonah: for if any have occasiō to be angry it is I, who must be ruled now and not rule, be directed and not govern. This mild increpation would have moved any man, but him who was steeped in anger, as Jonah was. I do not here any farther pursue God's patience in his own person, because I have oftentimes touched it.

14 My lesson which I gather here, is rather for our selves, that when we have to do with passionate persons, that is to say, brethren which are weak, but not desperately evil, and see them overtaken with affections of anger, of sorrow, or displeasure, we by our mild behavior, seek to win them from that fault. When rage is repelled with rage, it increaseth farther fury, and so oil is put to flame, and contention to strife. A soft answer appeaseth wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Although to equals this may fitly be applied, and to superiors, yet the saying is general, and hath place toward inferiors also. The bending yielding spirit is most likely to prevail, with the most robustious persons; but a good man will have an eye, that he yield not in things unlawful. The Apostle dealeth thus with the Corinthians: I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I do warn you. The Apostle would not of purpose shame those, whom he saw coming willingly enough to God, but the matter it self will shame (yet with a bashfulness to good purpose) the man who is intelligent, when he shall see another, who is greater then himself, to be calm when he is troubled, yea more & more to be calm, when he seeth another troubled: when himself is surprised with heat to behold his better to stand unmovable, no more but to hear him and be silent, or only to look upon him, or to turn away, to be gone until the storm be past: or if there be a speaking, only to say as God saith here, without further provocation, Doest thou well to be angry ? He who is wise and prudent, hath learned to pity those who are blind and deaf, or distracted in wit, and not to study to be like such: but those who are impatient, are for the time no better. Blind, in that they see not what is commodious: deaf from heating any reason: yea possessed with a frenzy, to speak and do things unlawful. Where although flesh and blood would suggest, that as one noise is best of all beaten back with another noise, or one wooden pin with another, so violence with violence, and great words with great speeches, are soonest done down and appeased, yet Christian imitation of the best, and patience fit for Saints, biddeth tread another path, of quietness and of softness.

15 I know not to whom this precept may rather be commended, then to the Ministers of the Gospel, who should not be over ready, to take knowledge of such censures as their people do pass upon them, for those things which they preach: when it is not of any malice, or pretended thought to disgrace, but of idle curiosity, and because men have their fancies. Into what flames do these matters break forth, whē heat cā hold no longer, but on the next Sabaoth day, to sound out of the pulpit, an invective declaration against such carping judges? when perhaps the words were mistaken, perhaps increased and aggravated, by the carier of the tale. But the end is, that whereas before the party was a brother, and a hearer, now he proveth to be an enemy, and forbeareth to hear the Sermons, from whence he only looketh to be galled: the congregation is disquieted, and in steed of one speaking before, now each man's mouth is open: and the pastour himself being now torn and rent on every side, is troubled in his mind, and discouraged in his calling. How much safer were it here, if it could not be avoided but knowledge must be taken, in private thus to appease the thing which is not right? Do you well to be angry, or do you well thus to say? But if it be a thing possible, the way were to hear and not to hear: to avoid all notice of it. There was never man wiser then Solomon, and he taught much to that purpose, The glory of a man is to pass by an offense, And in his Ecclesiastes, Do not give thy heart also to hear all words that men speak, lest thou hear thine own servant cursing thee. These precepts are true in all, therefore much more in the pastour, who should shine before other men, and should be more observant, because if it be not in the matter, yet in manner or circumstance, he possibly may err. And blessed is the man that feareth always, saith Solomon. To which sense may be applied, the beginning of ano-speech of his, A wise man feareth. Yea the first point of wisdom, is to distrust himself. And so much of God's mild reproof. Let us pray to him, so to guide us that we may walk aright, while we be here in this world, and acknowledging him the giver and sender of life and death, submit our selves in both to his most holy will, unto whom with his Son Christ, and their most blessed Spirit, be glory and praise forever.

THE XXVII. LECTURE.

H Ow some of the ancient fathers of the Primitive Church,