Art thou only without a God, without religion? What meanest thou by this strange unconcern?" "Arise, call upon thy God; if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not."

Probably the master knew, or suspected, that Jonah was an Israelite; and as, in trading to Joppa, he might hear something about the greatness of the God of Israel, he might expect that Jonah's God would prove superior to the gods whom he and his crew had been adoring, and would be better able to help them in this extremity. He therefore exhorts the drowsy prophet, to arise and call upon his God, in the hope that he might have mercy upon them. Amidst difficulties and dangers, it is good not to let go our hope; for where despair enters, exertion is at an end. The captain's prospects were dark in the extreme, yet a ray of hope faintly shone through the gloom. Escape was next to impossible; yet, who could tell but that the God who raised the tempest so suddenly, might as quickly still it? The deities already invoked had rendered no assistance, yet relief might be obtained from Jonah's God. "Arise, call upon thy God; if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not." The words in which his hope is expressed are remarkable ; "if so be that God will think upon us." The same kind of language is often used by the people of God, to express their humble expectations of his mercy. Thus Nehemiah prayed; "Think upon me, my God, for good" and the dying prayer of the converted malefactor was; Lord, remember me when thou comest

into thy kingdom." If the Lord have gracious thoughts towards us, and remember us with that favour which he bears unto his people, all shall be well. We must not prescribe to him any particular plan of operation, bat leave it to himself to accomplish our deliverance in his own way.

The hopes of the shipmaster were far from being sanguine; there seemed to be no more than a possibility of escaping; and yet he urges Jonah to pray, though the prospect of success was extremely faint. A bare chance of deliverance appeared sufficient to warrant the most fervent prayers, and most strenuous efforts. O that men were as eager for the salvation of their immortal souls! Did the gospel merely state, that peradventure we may be saved by coming to Jesus, even this would justify every possible endeavour to obtain a redemption so invaluable. How inexcusable then are we, if we neglect this great salvation, while there is not merely a possibility or a probability, but a full assurance given us, that he who believeth shall be saved, that he who cometh unto Christ shall in no wise be cast out; and while we hear the voice of a redeeming God, beseeching us to accept the offers of his grace, proclaiming to lost sinners, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely !"* What meanest thou then, O careless hearer of the gospel? Arise, call upon God, lest thou perish for ever. Shake off thy spiritual sloth; awake from thine unwarrantable slumbers; and flee for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before us. *Mark xvi. 16. John iii. 16. vi. 37. 2 Cor. v. 20. Rev. xxii. 17.

F

Is not the salvation of thy soul at stake? Is not eternal life freely offered thee? Art thou not hanging between life and death; ready to fall into everlasting perdition, if mercy prevent not? Why then despise the offers of infinite love? Why refuse to flee from the wrath to come? O reject not this great salvation, procured by the blood of the Son of God, and generously granted without money and without price! "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."

LECTURE III.

JONAH'S GUILT DETECTED.

Chap. I. 7-10.

Ver. 7. "And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah."

We may figure to ourselves the consternation of Jonah, when he awoke and beheld the horrors of the tempest, while his own conscience told him, that he was the man who had provoked the wrath of Jehovah, and whom this righteous judgment was so fiercely pursuing. No doubt he complied with the captain's wholesome advice, and prayed earnestly to his God for deliverance: yet his prayers appeared to have no more effect than those of the heathen sailors; the storm was sent to arrest him, and bring him back, and it would not abate till its object was gained.

But, though Jonah prayed and made confession to God, he did not as yet acknowledge his guilt to the people on board and now they fall upon a method of discovering the cause of the storm, that something may be done, if possible, to appease the wrath of offended

Heaven. The light of nature had taught them, to view the calamities which fall upon mankind as punishments inflicted for sin; especially those calamities which are sudden and striking, and which human agency has no share in producing. Such sentiments

When

are natural even to the most untutored minds. Paul and his companions in peril had been shipwrecked at Melita, and a viper started up from among the sticks which they had thrown on the fire, and fastened on Paul's hand, the natives instantly concluded, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he báth escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.”* They supposed him to be some notorious criminal, whom an offended Deity had marked out for destruction; and who, baving narrowly escaped from one, minister of vengeance, was now overtaken by another, In the application of this principle, mistakes may sometimes be made, as in the instance now quoted, and in the case of Job, whose unparalleled troubles were supposed to have been sent for some enormous crimes : yet the principle is just upon the whole; natural evil is the fruit of moral evil, and heinous sins are frequently punished with remarkable judgments. Since, there. fore, the tempest that pursued Jonah was so extraor dinary, both in its rise and its effects, the Tarshish mariners naturally judged, that some one on board had grossly insulted the majesty of Heaven, and brought down upon them the weight of divine vengeance. Under this impression, the seamen resolve on

*Acts xxviii. 4.