them. 3. "These ,\"-inevites are the foes of my country; let one of their own citizen8 be rai.<ed up to warn them." National hostility and 11ersonal prejudice have done much to hinder God's work in all ages. II. SuoH BIN IN GoD's PEOPLE IS FOLLOWED BY CHASTISEMENT, 1. Ol,astisemen• does ,wt always follow Bin. Sometimes it precedes and prevents it. Paul's thorn in the flesh was sent, not because he was exalted above measure, but lest he should be. But often an affliction is intended to bring a sinner to a right state of mind about sin 11lrrady committed. 2. Chasti.sement gives us time to think. Jonah acted on impulse, 1rnd hurriedly fled to Joppa. When cast into the sea he imagined that all was over with him; but when he was miraculously preserved he had opportunity to reflect on his own wrong-doing and on God's marvellous mercy. So the ill health which prevents work, the fan,ity affliction which keeps us within doors, the failure which sets us free from an ac.customed sphere,--give us time to think of neglected duties and to recover strength by prayer. ::l. In chasti,sement God is near. Jonah felt that he was not beyond Divine help. "My prnyer ea.me in unto thee." Compare Peter in prison, and Paul in the storm, and John in Patmos, and Bunyan in jail. Listen to the words or Bradford, " I thank God more of this prison and of this dark dungeon than of any parlour, yea, than of any pleasure ever I had; for in it I find God, my sweet God always." Jonah was cast out as Adam was from Paradise, and as Job was from his home, that he might learn, through prayer, to suffer and be strong. III. CHASTISEMENT, RIGHTLY RECEIVED, BRINGS ABOUT REPENTANCE. 1. In order to this it was necessary for Jonah to recognize God's hand in this event. He felt it was not the result of chance nor of human action. Hence he does not say, "The sailors cast me ill to the deep," but "thou" (ver. 3); nor does he speak of "the waves and billows of the sea," but "thy billows and thy waves" (ver. 3). We too must learn to look beyond second ea.uses, such as an unfortunate step or a man's injustice, and see God as the Disposer of all events. 2. Thi.• thought led Jonah to true repentance. He did not despair, although there seemed no hope of deliverance. He did not pray to be delivered from danger, but earne~tly thanks God for his rescue from the sea, and praised him in the belly of the whale that he had been so good and merciful. The reality of his repentance was shown in this, that he grat-efully and bravely did the work he bad formerly refused. His vow made in trouble was faithfully kept. Pliny advised one who wished to please the gods to be the same when well as he had vowed to be when sick. A lesson for us. IV. SUCH REPENTANCE UNDER CHASTISEMENT LEADS TO ACCEPTABLE PRAYER. His prayer shows that he had not given up hope, that he still believed that Jehovah was his God, and would do what was best with him. Strangely and soon the prayer was answered. CoNCLUSION. We may obtain mercy as Jonah did. We may find that the very instrument of death becomes the preserver of life, as the great fish proved an ark of safety t-0 Jonah; and as he was cast upon the shore, so a trouble may cast us on the shore of duty, and death will cast us on the shore of heaven.-A. R.
EXPOSITION. CHAPTER III. word of the Lord came unto him there. But all unnecessary details are omitted Ters. 1-1O.-Part Ill JoNAH'e PREACH· from the account, and we know nothing ING IN NINETIIB; THE REPENTANCE OF THE about this matter. The beginning of the NINEVITES. next verse, "arise," seems to imply th11t he Vera. 1-3.-§ I. Jonah is sent a second was then in some settled home, perhaps at Ge.th-hepher. time to Nineveh, and obeys the command. Ver. 2.-That great city (see note on oh. Ver. 1.-The &eoond time. He is forgiven i. 2). Preaching; rendered "cry" in eh. i. and restored to his office, and the commis- 2; Septuagint, 1<1,pvyµa. Thie time the sion formerly given is renewed. Commen- proclamation is unto it, as interested in the taturs he.vt BUpposed the.t he went up to message, not "age.inst it," as doomed to Jeruwl(:m to pay his vows, e.nd that the destruction (Pusey). tltl, It!, 1-10.] 'l'TIE nooK OF JONAU. 5()