By John Hartcliffe M. A. and Fellow of Published at the Request of the Stewards. LONDON, Printed by Ralph Holt, for Samuel Carr at the 2 The First Chapter of JONAH, the latter part of the Eighth and Ninth Verses. What is thine Occupation, and whence comest Thou? VVhat is thy Country, and of what People art Thou? And He faid unto them, I am an Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of Heaven, who made the Sea, and the dry Land. Iniveh, that great City and Metropolis of Affyria, had now filled up the Measure of its Iniquities, which called aloud for Vengeance from Heaven: Infomuch that the Prophet Jonah was going to give the Inhabitants notice of their unavoidable Destructi on, unless they Repented. He Embarks himself in a Ship bound for Tarshish; and no fooner was He got out to Sea, but a terrible Storm arifes, fuch a one, as made the very Sailors tremble; altho they are a hardy fort of Men, very familiar and acquainted with Dangers: After they had for a long time tug'd the leaky Veffel to no purpose, in a great Fright they call every Man upon his God, Belus perhaps, or Aftarte, Melcartus and Ilus. But Jonah was all this while miffing, who was fallen afleep in fome hidden Corner of the Ship: After they had found him out, they enquire prefently what Country-Man He was; because He was not calling upon his God, as well as others, in this Distress of Weather. : To which, He replys, that He was an Hebrew, and that He feared the Lord, the God of Heaven, who hath made the Sea, and the dry Land the Worship of Him was his daily Occupation; and he expected no Relief from any fuch Gods, as were the Creatures of Fear, or a deluded Imagination; But his God was the Creator and Preferver of all Things; and if ever they efcaped the Tempeft, it must be by Confiding in Him; if ever they arrived fafe Ashore, it must be thro his Power and Providence, whom alone the Winds and the Seas Obey. We may fuppofe, the Prophet told them, how vain a Thing it was, to fly to Stocks and Stones in this Cafe; when their Safety was only in the living God; when their deliverance could be wrought only by his Power and Mercy. You may indeed cry out, mangle and cut your selves, as Baal's Priefts did: But no one hears, or can anfwer your Requests; because you Address your. |