I.
Patience is often displeasing, but it assuages heavy hearts, and
quenches malice.
Happiness follows sorrow.
It is better to suffer than to be angry.
Matthew tells us of the promises made by Christ: Blessed are the poor,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall “wield the world.”
Blessed are the mourners, for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the hungry, for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for mercy shall be their reward.
Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see the Saviour.
Blessed are the peace-makers, for they shall be called God’s sons.
Blessed are they that live aright, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
These blessings are promised to those who follow poverty, pity, penance,
meekness, mercy, chastity, peace and patience.
Poverty and patience are to be treated together.
They are “fettled in one form,” and have one meed.
Poverty will dwell where she lists, and man must needs suffer.
Poverty and patience are play-fellows.
What avails impatience, if God send affliction?
Patience is best.
Did not Jonah incur danger by his folly?
II.
Jonah was a prophet of the gentiles.
God’s word came to him, saying, “Rise quickly, take the way to Nineveh.
Say that which I shall put in thine heart.
Wickedness dwells in that city.
Go swiftly and carry my message.”
Jonah is full of wrath.
He is afraid that the shrews will put him in the stocks, or put out
his eyes.
He thinks that God desires his death.
He determines not to go near the city, but fly to Tarshish.
Grumbling, he goes to port Joppa.
He says that God will not be able to protect him.
Jonah reaches the port, finds a ship ready to sail.
The seamen catch up the cross-sail, fasten the cables, weigh their
anchors, and spread sail.
A gentle wind wafts the ship along.
Was never a Jew so joyful as was Jonah then.
He has, however, put himself in peril, in fleeing from God.
The words of David.
Does He not hear, who made all ears?
He is not blind that formed each eye.
Jonah is now in no dread.
He is, however, soon overtaken.
The wielder of all things has devices at will.
He commands Eurus and Aquilo to blow.
The winds blow obedient to His word.
Out of the north-east the noise begins.
Storms arose, winds wrestled together, the waves rolled high, and never
rested.
Then was Jonah joyless.
The boat reeled around.
The gear became out of order.
Ropes and mast were broken.
A loud cry is raised, Many a lad labours to lighten the ship.
They throw overboard their bags and feather beds.
But still the wind rages, and the waves become wilder.
Each man calls upon his god.
Some called upon Vernagu, Diana, and Neptune, to the sun and to
the moon.
Then said one of the sailors: “Some lawless wretch, that has grieved his
God, is in the ship.
I advise that we lay lots upon each man.
When the guilty is gone the tempest may cease.”
This is agreed to.
All are assembled, from all corners of the ship, save Jonah the Jew, who
had fled into the bottom of the boat.
There he falls asleep.
Soon he is aroused, and brought on board.
Full roughly is he questioned.
The lot falls upon Jonah.
Then quickly they said: “What the devil hast thou done, doted wretch?
What seekest thou on the sea?
Hast thou no God to call upon?
Of what land art thou?
Thou art doomed for thy ill deeds.”
Jonah says: “I am a Hebrew, a worshipper of the world’s Creator.
All this mischief is caused by me, therefore cast me overboard.”
He proves to them that he was guilty.
The mariners are exceedingly frightened.
They try to make way with their oars, but their endeavours are useless.
Jonah must be doomed to death.
They pray to God, that they may not shed innocent blood.
Jonah is cast overboard.
The tempest ceases and the sea settles.
The stiff streams drive the ship about.
At last they reach a bank.
The seamen thank God, and perform solemn vows.
Jonah is in great dread.
III.
Jonah is shoved from the ship.
A wild whale swims by the boat.
He opens his swallow, and seizes the prophet.
It is not to be wondered at that Jonah suffered woe.
The prophet is without hope.
Cold was his comfort.
Jonah was only a mote in the whale’s jaws.
He entered in by the gills, and by means of one of the intestines of the
fish, came into a space as large as a hall.
The prophet fixes his feet firmly in the belly of the whale.
He searches into every nook of its navel.
The prophet calls upon God.
He cries for mercy.
He sits safely in a recess, in a bowel of the beast, for three days and
three nights.
The whale passes through many a rough region.
Jonah makes the whale feel sick.
The prophet prays to God in this wise:
IV.
“Lord! to thee have I cried out of hell’s womb.
Thou dippedst me in the sea.
Thy great floods passed over me.
The streams drive over me.
I am cast out from thy sight.
The abyss binds me.
The rushing waves play on my head.
Thou possessest my life.
In my anguish I remembered my God, and besought His pity.
When I am delivered from this danger, I will obey thy commands.”
God speaks fiercely to the whale, and he vomits out the prophet on a dry
space.
Jonah has need to wash his clothes.
God’s word comes to the prophet.
He is told to preach in Nineveh.
By night Jonah reaches the city.
Nineveh was a very great city.
Jonah delivers his message; “Yet forty days and Nineveh shall come to
an end.
It shall be turned upside down, and swallowed quickly by the black
earth.”
This speech spreads throughout the city.
Great fear seizes all.
The people mourn secretly, clothe themselves in sackcloth, and cast
ashes upon their heads.
The message reaches the ears of the king.
He rends his robes, clothes himself in sackloth, and mourns in the dust.
He issues a decree, that all in the city, men, beasts, women and
children, prince, priest, and prelates, should fast for their sins.
Children are to be weaned from the breast.
The ox is to have no hay, nor the horse any water.
Who can tell if God will have mercy?
Though He is mighty, He is merciful, and may forgive us our guilt.
All believed and repented.
God forgave them through his goodness.
V.
Much sorrow settles upon Jonah.
He becomes very angry.
He prays to God and says: “Was not this my saying, when Thy message
reached me in my own country?
I knew Thy great goodness, Thy long-suffering, and Thy mercy.
I knew these men might make their peace with Thee, therefore I fled unto
Tarshish.
Take my life from me, O Lord!
It is better for me to die than live.”
God upbraids Jonah, saying: “Is this right to be so wroth?”
Jonah, jangling, uprises, and makes himself a bower, of hay and
ever-fern, to shield him from the sun.
He slept heavily all night.
God prepared a woodbine.
Jonah awakes, and is exceedingly glad of the bower.
The prophet, under its gracious leaves, is protected from the
sun’s rays.
Jonah wishes he had such a lodge in his own country.
God prepared a worm, that made the woodbine wither.
Jonah awakes and finds his woodbine destroyed.
The leaves were all faded.
The sun beat upon the head of Jonah.
He is exceedingly angry, and prays God that he may die.
God rebukes the prophet.
“Dost thou well,” He says, “to be angry for the gourd?”
Jonah replies, “I would I were dead.”
God asks if it is to be wondered at that He should help His handy work.
Is not Jonah angry that his woodbine is destroyed, which cost him no
labour?
God is not to be blamed for taking pity upon people that He made.
Should He destroy Nineveh the sorrow of such a sweet place would sink to
His heart.
In the city there are little bairns who have done no wrong.
And there are others who cannot discern between their right hand and
their left hand.
There are also dumb beasts in the city incapable of sinning.
Judgment must be tempered with mercy.
He that is too hasty to rend his clothes must afterwards sit with worse
ones to sew them together.
Poverty and pain must be endured.
Patience is a noble point, though it displeases oft.