Here was unbelief, as if God could not repair his name, and repay him for the loss of his credit: Here was uncharitableness and want of love towards the poor Ninevites, whose condition called for the deepest compassion. What answer can be judged tart enough to such a passionate prayer? What language can be too harsh, what carriage can be too heavy towards such a cross-grained child? Its abominable for any man to contend with his Maker. Its bad for servants to strive with their Master; or children to resist their Father, though both these are their fellow-creatures: But for any to contend with God, whose dominion over us is unquestionable, and their dependence on him indispensable, between whom and them there is an infinite distance, is infinitely worse: But for Jonah, not only a man, but a new man, a child of God, a Prophet of the Lord, that should have taught others by his precepts and by his pattern, to submit to the severest Divine pleasure, one that had been signalized above others with eminent and distinguishing favours, both for this and the other world, to fly thus in Gods face, is worst of all. Surely, no punishment can exceed the desert of such peevishness, such passion: Some dreadful thunder cannot but be expected, as the consequent of such hot weather. But hear O heavens, give ear O earth, and be astonished at the calm mild voice of the Great God; And the Lord said unto Jonah, Jonah, dost thou well to be angry? Mark what love sounds in this language? Such an affectionate voice after such gross disobedience might make even marble to weep; and as that voice from ⟨p. 297⟩heaven, turn a Saul into a Paul. Could the fondest and most indulgent Father in the world be more meek, more mild in his expression! He appeals to Jonah's conscience whether such behaviour was answerable to his Oath of Allegiance; Dost thou well to be angry? Is this passion suitable to that submission which thou owest to me and my Providences! Eli said as much to his wicked sons; It is not a good report which I hear of you my sons, &c. when God was so incensed against him for his mildness, that he sends him an ear-tickling and an heart trembling message:
Here was unbelief, as if God could not repair his name, and repay him for the loss of his credit: Here was uncharitableness and want of love towards the poor Ninivites, whose condition called for the deepest compassion. What answer can be judged tart enough to such a passionate prayer? What language can be too harsh, what carriage can be too heavy towards such a cross-grain'd child? Its abominable for any man to contend with his Maker. Its bad for servants to strive with their Master; or children to resist their Father, though both these are their fellow-creatures: But for any to contend with God, whose dominion over us is unquestionable, and their dependance on him indispensable, between whom and them there is an infinite distance, is infinitely worse: But for Ionah, not onely a man, but a new man, a child of God, a Prophet of the Lord, that should have taught others by his precepts and by his pattern, to submit to the severest Divine pleasure, one that had been signalized above others with eminent and distinguishing favours, both for this and the other world, to flie thus in Gods face, is worst of all. Surely, no punishment can exceed the desert of such peevishness, such passion: Some dreadful thunder cannot but be expected, as the consequent of such hot weather. But hear O heavens, give ear O earth, and be astonished at the calm milde voyce of the Great God; And the Lord said unto Ionah, Ionah, dost thou well to be angry? Mark what love sounds in this language? Such an affectionate voyce after such gross disobedience might make even marble to weep; and as that voyce from ⟨p. 297⟩heaven, turn a Saul into a Paul. Could the fondest and most indulgent Father in the world be more meek, more milde in his expression! He appeals to Ionah's conscience whether such behaviour was answerable to his Oath of Allegiance; Dost thou well to be angry? Is this passion sutable to that submission which thou owest to me and my Providences! Eli said as much to his wicked sons; It is not a good report which I hear of you my sons, &c. when God was so incens•d against him for his mildness, that he sends him an ear-tickling and an heart trembling message:
