threatened judgments. And behold how God deals with this daring transgressor ! He calmly asks him, " Dost thou well to be angry11?" And when the sullen rebel goes out of the city, and sits down in earnest hope that he shall see the whole city destroyed, God takes yet further means to convince him that his anger was unreasonable, and his complaint unmerited. Truly, Jonah, thou hast given occasion for such a display of God's mercy as thou thyself couldst not previously have conceived to be within the reach of possibility, or to be con- sistent with the other perfections of the Deity !]
O, Brethren, let us see in this history,
1. What monuments of mercy we ourselves are —
[Who amongst us has not rebelled against the commands of God ; and betaken himself to any place, any company, any employment, rather than fulfil the duties to which he was averse? Who amongst us has not betrayed a sad in- difference to the welfare of his fellow-creatures; seeking his own ease, his own interest, his own honour, when he should have been labouring rather for the salvation of those to whom he might have gained access for their good ? And who has not grievously overlooked, or with base ingratitude forgotten, the deliverances that have been vouchsafed to him, even from diseases or accidents that have been fatal to others, and that might have had a fatal issue with him also? Aye, who has not been unmindful even of that wonderful redemption which God has vouchsafed to us, through the death and resurrection of
his only dear Son? 1 may add, too, who amongst us,
when crossed in any particular object that has affected his interest, and especially his honour, has not been so vexed, as to murmur, if not directly against God, yet indirectly, being irritated against those who were the means and instruments which he employed in the dispensation that we complained of? Possibly, under some grievous trial, where our pride has been wounded, we have even wished ourselves dead, when, alas! we were far from being in a state to appear before God. Yet, notwithstanding all our provocations, here we are still on mercy's ground, when we might well have been made monuments of God's righteous displeasure ! Truly, then, we may say to God, " / know that thou art a gracious God, and merciful ; yea, / am myself a living witness that thou art slow to anger, and repentest thee of the evil." Yes, my dear brethren, flagrant beyond conception as was the impiety of Jonah, we, methinks, are not the persons to throw a stone at him ; every one of us having indulged too much of the same spirit as he, and trodden too much in his steps. We should
" ver. 4. VOL. X. T