Runaway Jonah and the Convenient Ship

Runaway Jonah and the Convenient Ship

A SERMON DELIVERED ON LORD'S-DAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1890, BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

INTENDED FOR READING ON LORD'S-DAY EVENING, AUGUST 10, 1890.

"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord,
and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish." Jonah
1:3.

SAD sight! Here is a servant of God running away from his work. As well
see the stars wandering from their spheres! When we read that he fled
from the presence of God, we do not suppose that Jonah thought that he
could get away from God as to His Omnipresence, but he wanted to escape
serving in the Divine Presence–he wished to avoid being employed by
God in his special service as a Prophet. He thought that the Lord might
call him and send him upon errands if he went to Nineveh, for Assyria
had some measure of evident relationship to the Lord and His people.
But if he could once travel as far as Tarshish, he would be out of the
world altogether and would no more have to speak in the name of the
Lord. He imagined that there could be no relationship between Tarshish
and Israel and he would not be expected to do any further prophetic
work. Or, if he did, he would not suffer in repute, for the report
would not reach Jerusalem. If he did not want to get away from the
toilsome and self-denying duty of prophecy, he did, at least, wish to
avoid an expedition to the heathen of Nineveh–an expedition which, he
foresaw, would not be for his own honor.

Now, why did he desire to get away from his work? Whatever reason he
had, it must have been a bad one, for no servant of God ought, on any
account whatever, to think of quitting the service of his Lord. We
should not wish to avoid the doing of the Lord's will. When we know
what our duty is, we ought to follow it with unswerving determination.
We must not wish to leave our post, no, not even to go to Heaven. We
ought not to be sighing to be gone. Employers do not like a man who is
always looking for Saturday night! Let him attend to the work of
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and the week will end quite soon enough.

One does not like to see a fellow standing about, stretching his arms
upward and sighing, "The week is very long. I wish it were Saturday."
You like a man who means to do a fair day's work for a fair day's wage
and who does not watch till you turn your back that he may slacken his
labor. We must not be crying, "Oh that I had wings like a dove!" What
should we do with them if we had them? Such heavy mortals as some of us
are had better keep nearer the ground! Whatever reason anyone thinks he
has for avoiding the Lord's work, the reason is as vicious as the thing
he is aiming at, for children of God have no right to leave the service
of their heavenly Father and, when they do so, it is at their own
peril.

What was his reason? Was it, in part, that he considered the work to be
too great for him? Certainly he had a great task appointed him.
"Nineveh, an exceedingly great city of three days' journey"–how was
one man to admonish and evangelize the whole of it? Preposterous! Might
he not have been aided by at least one colleague? Even Moses had his
Aaron! Why did not the Lord send forth a college of Prophets, or an
army of preachers and bid them go and divide the vast city into
districts? Then they could hold services in all the large halls, at the
street corners, or even visit from house to house! Just one man is
pitted against hundreds of thousands?

Would a single voice be heard amid the noise of a city which was full
of tumult? The odds were great against the lone man. Was that why Jonah
ran away? I think not–but it has been the cause of the flight of many
others. Is there a servant of God here who feels unequal to his work
and therefore wishes he could escape from it? My dear Brother, you are
unequal to your work, for you have no sufficiency of your own! I know,
also, that I am, in and of myself, unequal to my own calling–shall we,
therefore, run away?

No, no! That is not the true line of argument. This is the reason why
we should stick to our work all the more closely. Every hard thing can
be cut by something harder and the most difficult work can be done by
stern resolution. But if the work cannot be well done by us, how will
it be done without us? If our diligence seems too little, what will our
negligence be? If there is too much for us to do, should we therefore
leave undone what we can do? God forbid! Pluck up courage, my Brother,
and in your own personal weakness find a strong reason for getting to
your work, for, "When I am weak, then am I strong" and the strength of
God is made perfect in our weakness! With more prayer we shall have
more power.

I hardly think that fear of being overdone was Jonah's reason for
deserting his post. Why did Jonah wish to run away? Because he did not
like the Ninevites? I think that there was something of that on his
mind. He was a stern old Jew and he loved his race–and he felt no
desire to see anything done for the Gentiles or for the heathen outside
the Abrahamic Covenant–therefore he had no passion for a mission to
Nineveh. Is there anybody here who does not want to go to a certain
service because he does not like the people? Will you flee to Tarshish
to get away from a dreaded sphere? Are you backing out of your duty
because those with whom you are to serve are not quite to your
taste–too ignorant or too cultured, too countrified or too polite?
Come, my dear Brother, this must not be! Be not of a cross, morose
disposition as Jonah undoubtedly was. If the men to whom you are sent
are worse than others, let that be a call for you to go to them, first,
even as the Apostles were to "begin at Jerusalem." If those to whom you
are sent are greater sinners than others, they need Christ all the
more! And if you have heard a very bad report of them, surely there is
a call for you to elevate them.

However, I am not sure that this was very much Jonah's case, though it
may have been one of the many arguments that worked together to produce
his undutiful behavior. Was it not, possibly, because Jonah knew that
God was merciful? "Now," said he to himself, "if I have to go through
Nineveh and say, 'Yet 40 days and Nineveh shall be overthrown,' and if
these people repent, it will not be overthrown! And then they will say,
'Pretty Prophet that Jonah! He is a man that cries, 'Wolf,' when there
is no wolf,' and I shall lose my reputation." Do I address any servant
of God here who is afraid of losing his reputation? This is not a
reason which will stand examination.

My Brother, that is a fear which does not trouble me. I have lost my
reputation several times and I would not go across the street to pick
it up! It has often seemed to me to be a thing that I should like to
lose–that I might no longer be pressed with this huge throng–but
might preach to two or three hundred people in a country village, look
after their souls and stand clear, at last, to God about each one of
them. Whereas, here I am tied to a work I cannot accomplish– pastor to
more than 5,000 people! A sheer impossibility! How can I watch over all
your souls? I should have an easy conscience if I had a Church of
moderate size which I could efficiently look after. If a reputation
gets one into the position I now occupy, it certainly is not a blessing
to be coveted.

But if you have to do anything for Christ which will lose you the
respect of good people and yet you feel bound to do it, never give two
thoughts to your reputation for, if you do, it is already gone in that
secret place where you should most of all cherish it. The highest
reputation in the world is to be faithful–faithful to God and your own
conscience. As to the approbation of the unconverted multitude, or of
worldly professors, do not care the turn of a button for it–it may be
a deadly heritage. Many a man is more a slave to his admirers than he
dreams of–the love of approbation is more a bondage than an inner
dungeon would be. If you have done the right thing before God and are
not afraid of His great judgment seat, fear nothing, but go forward! I
think that there was a little of regard for reputation in
Jonah–possibly a great deal.

But still there was a higher and a better motive, though even that was
a bad one, for anything is bad, however true and excellent in itself,
that leads a man to run contrary to God's mind. It was this. He thought
that the Character of God Himself would suffer, for if he went down to
Nineveh and proclaimed, "Yet 40 days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown,"
then the people might repent and Jehovah would allow them to live. And
then, after a while, the people would say, "Who is Jehovah? His Word
does not stand fast. He does not carry out His judgments. He lays His
hand on the hilt of His sword and then pushes it back into the
scabbard." Thus the Lord Himself, by His mercy, would lose His name for
Truth and Immutability.

Jonah would have preferred the destruction of Nineveh to the least
dishonor to the name of the Lord. Have you ever felt as if you could
wish that God would execute judgment on deadly forms of error and cruel
forms of oppression? Have

you not been half weary of His longsuffering? I stood at the bottom of
Pilate's staircase in Rome. Pretentious imposition! It is said to be
the staircase from which our Lord came down from Pilate's Hall–and
there are certain holes in the wood which covers the marble wherein are
said to be seen the drops of blood which fell from our Lord's bleeding
shoulders. As I saw people going up those stairs on their knees and the
priests looking on, it occurred to me that if the Judge of all would
lend me His thunderbolts for about five minutes, I would have made a
wonderful clearance.

It was the Jonah spirit stirring me and I felt I did well to be angry.
But, you see, the good Lord did not empower me to be an
executioner–and I am right glad that He did not! Have you ever felt a
zeal for the Lord of Hosts which led you, like John, to wish to call
fire from Heaven? Did you not feel half sorry that the Lord withheld
His anger when it seemed necessary to execute vengeance in order to
maintain the honor of His Gospel? Have you not almost said, "Oh, that
He would punish such tremendous iniquities"?

Not long ago, when these streets of ours were ringing with stories of
licentious infamy, did you not feel as if something must be done,
something terrible, to sweep away the dens of lust and cleanse the
Augean stables of pollution? But God did nothing in the way of plague,
or war, or famine. In His longsuffering He passed by the transgressors
and allowed them, still, to go on in their wickedness as He has done
these many years, bearing and forbearing, if haply men may come to
repentance. This is a trial to righteous souls!

That, I think, was the great fear that lay in the heart of Jonah, for
he said to God, when God had spared the city, "I pray You, O Lord, was
not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled
before unto Tarshish: for I knew that You are a gracious God, and
merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repent You of the
evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech You, my life from me; for
it is better for me to die than to live." This was not because the
people were spared, but because he thought God had lost His honor by
not fulfilling His threats.

I have given too much time to these excuses of Jonah. If you have any
excuses for not doing what you ought to do, turn them out of doors and
never let them in again. Away with them! Away with them! You need not
even take the trouble to repeat them to yourselves, or to judge their
comparative value–they are all mischievous. If you are a servant of
God, obey Him at once without question. If you are not a servant of
God, God grant that you may be, for, if you are not His servant, you
are His foe. And if you turn not to Him through Jesus Christ and do not
find mercy at His hands, what will become of you?

Now I come to the text. Jonah desired to go away from his prophetic
work by journeying to the out-of-the-way place called Tarshish. And
when he came to Joppa, which was the port of Jerusalem, he found a
vessel bound for the place which he desired to reach. May we be taught
of the Holy Spirit certain practical Truths of God from this incident!
I would teach you four things.

I. The first is–WE MAY NOT FOLLOW OUR IMPULSES TO DO WRONG. Jonah felt
it come upon him, all of a sudden, not to go to Nineveh, but to
Tarshish. "Tarshish! Tarshish!" was constantly whispered in his ear,
till he had Tarshish on the brain and go he must. Now I very commonly
meet with persons who say, "I felt that I must do so-and-so. It came
upon me that I must do so-and-so." I am afraid of these impulses–very
greatly afraid of them! People may do right under their power, but they
will spoil what they do by doing it out of mere impulse and not because
the action was right in itself.

People far oftener do very wrong under impulse and I feel it necessary
to give a warning to any here who are prone to be so led. Our impulses
are not to be depended on–our thoughts run wild. Do you say, "It came
into my mind all of a sudden to do so-and-so"? And do you think this a
good reason for your act? You are much mistaken! Do you say, "It
flashed upon me to do so"? Do not let this be the rule of life. As well
follow a will-o'-the-wisp as follow these freaks of fancy. You must
never obey an impulse to do wrong!

Now, in Jonah's case the impulse was, "Go to Tarshish. Go to Tarshish."
I dare say that he could have pleaded that he felt pressed in spirit to
do so. "Go to Tarshish, go to Tarshish," was still beaten upon the drum
of his soul. Now it may be that the impulse is to do a very brave
thing. To go to Tarshish was a daring act. Jews never took well to
seafaring. They were a land-loving people. Will Jonah go in a ship? We
nowadays think little of it–but the Hebrews thought it a very terrible
ordeal to go upon the sea. And then, to go to Tarshish–to the utmost
ends of the earth–who but the men of Tyre would venture so far?

These Hebrews did not know what kind of a place Tarshish was, but Jonah
is bold to go. Some of you who are now in the Tabernacle ought to be on
the Congo, or in North Africa, or in India, or in China–but you do not
go from lack of courage. Yet, you see, men are bold enough when bent on
going wrong. They will take great leaps in the dark! Whereas others are
afraid to follow the right along a far safer way, Jonah will go to
Tarshish! He is not afraid of the sea, or the storm, or anything–but
although the impulse may seem to call him to that which is brave and
noble, it is evil– for it leads him to oppose the plain command of
God.

Impulses may also appear to be very self-denying. It was disagreeable
to go to sea and to leave his native land and all its associations. Yet
on this point of self-denial it is easy to go wrong. A man may be
worshipping self by practicing what he calls self-denial. The devil can
readily use this as a raiment of light under which to hide the demon of
arrogant self-righteousness. Men may fast from bread that they may
gorge their souls on pride. It seemed also that he might have claimed
liberty in this matter. Surely he might go to Tarshish if he liked! It
is true he was a Prophet, but could he not quit the service if he
wished? Does God turn men into slaves that they may serve Him? Surely a
Prophet may make an excursion and take a holiday!

If he did not feel happy in going to Nineveh, was it right for him to
go? Have you ever met with this form of argument? I have heard people
speak about sacred duties in this style. Take, for instance, Believers'
Baptism–they believe that it is Scriptural, but they say–"I never
felt called upon to attend to it." As if we were not called upon to
obey every command of Christ! I have heard persons say, "No doubt it is
in the Word of God, but I have never felt it laid home to me." What a
wicked thing to say! If I had a boy and I gave him a command, and he
told me that he did not feel it "laid home," and therefore should not
obey me, I think I should take care to lay it home very soon in a way
which he might not appreciate.

I believe that when Christian people trifle with known duties, their
heavenly Father will soon find a rod to fit their backs. A tender
conscience looks to the Word of the Lord and longs in all things to be
conformed to it. What do you need beyond the command of God? If an
angel were sent from Heaven to command you to obey, the command would
not be more binding upon you than it is now! The Lord has given you
liberty–not liberty to sin–but liberty to obey. Never talk of freedom
to do wrong. It is a horrible thing for one to say, "God loves us to be
free in our service of Him and therefore I shall not serve Him, but
follow my own impulses."

At the same time, Jonah was violating his conscience, running counter
to the inner life. As a servant of God he was bound to go where he was
commanded and he was fighting against that which was to him a necessary
element of life. O Friends, take care of defiling your consciences!
Whatever you do, never trifle with conscience. If you are going to make
a gash in yourself anywhere, make it on your ear, or on your nose, but
not in your conscience! The wounding of your members would pain you and
might injure your beauty–but a wound in your conscience is a far more
serious matter since it touches the center of life. A gash in the
conscience may disfigure a soul forever. Let conscience speak to you in
all things and do not follow fancy. Weigh the impulse in the scales of
conscience and if it is not such that conscience can guarantee it to be
consistent with the mind of God, let the impulse alone. We are no more
to follow vain impulses than cunningly-devised fables. The Word of the
Lord is to be our leading star in all things.

Persons who talk about their impulse will often do what they would
condemn in others. This ought to open their eyes to their dangerous
proceeding. If anybody else had run away to Tarshish when he was told
to go to Nineveh, Jonah would have seen his wrong and would have
rebuked him with all his might. I should like to have seen Jonah
analyzing Jonah's case–just as David judged and condemned the rich man
who took the poor man's ewe lamb–and then found that he had been
judging and condemning himself!

I should like to make some of you into jurymen upon your own cases. I
am sure that you would censure yourselves in burning language for those
very things which you now allow. How clearly would you see the disgrace
of a man's running away from the plain path of righteousness because he
had a miserable impulse urging him to do wrong! Why, you can see the
absurdity of it now. Will you, then, go on with a like course yourself?
Will you flee to Tarshish when God bids you go to Nineveh? Shall self
rule? Shall the flesh be pleased? This presence of impulse is what none
of us would allow to be an excuse if it were made the rule of conduct
towards ourselves. If any person had an impulse to knock us down, we
should not see the propriety of it. If he had an impulse to rob us, we
should feel an impulse to call in a constable! If any man had an
impulse to wrong us, we should appeal to the law for protection.

In the same way, if we feel an inward incitement to do what we ought
not to do, let us not be so silly and so wicked as to imagine that the
law will be relaxed because of the evil movements of our mind! I think
it necessary to take this text and speak in this way because I have
seen several examples of men following, not the Word of God, not the
law of righteousness, but some idle movements of their own minds to
which they attached an authority which did not belong to them. I am
ready to say, "How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?" But
they half imagine that these fancies come from God, whereas God is not
the Author of evil desires and suggestions!

It is much more likely that these thoughts come from the devil–and
most of all likely that they rise from a foolish and corrupt heart. If
anything says to you, "Flee to Tarshish," when God says, "Go to
Nineveh," shut your ears against the evil impulse and hasten to do as
God bids you. What have you to do with the devices and desires of your
own hearts? Are these to be a law to you? I pray you, be not among the
foolish ones who will be carried about with every wind of fancy and
perversity. "To the Law and to the Testimony," should be your cry and
you may not appeal to inward movements and impulses.

II. My second remark is this–WE MAY NOT TAKE A WRONG COURSE BECAUSE IT
SEEMS EASY. Jonah says, "I will go to Tarshish." And he goes down to
the port of Joppa where he finds a ship going to Tarshish. How easy a
thing it often is to carry out an evil purpose! My dear Hearers,
whether you are Christians or not Christians, I want to put you on your
guard against the idea that because a certain course in life is very
natural and easy, you may therefore follow it, though it is not right.
Remember that the way of destruction is always easy. "Wide is the gate,
and broad is the way, and many there are which go in there."

The way to Hell is downhill and this is easy traveling. Because it
seems easy, natural and almost inevitable for you to go along a certain
questionable road, do not, therefore, dream that this gives you a
license to follow it. You have reason to suspect a course in life in
which there is no difficulty, for righteousness is by no means an easy
thing. If a course of conduct should be difficult, you may the more
surely reckon upon its being right, for "strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leads unto life, and few there are that find it."
Remember that to do wrong will always be easy while our carnal nature
is what it is. Men can always find, somewhere or other, the means to
rebel against God. The old proverb is, "You can always find a stick to
beat a dog with"–and I only quote it to show that in some things the
will always ensures the way. Man can always find ways of sinning
against God.

I remember, in my younger days, a schoolboy who, when at play with his
companions, would fly into furious passions and would at once throw
something at the person with whom he was angered. And the point I
noticed was that he always found something to throw. Let him be in the
schoolroom, or in the playground, or in the street–there would surely
be a stone, or a book, or a slate, or a cup ready to his hand. So is it
with men who fight against the Lord–they discover weapons everywhere
in the fury of their rebellion. The evil brain is quick in devising.
The depraved heart is swift in apprehending and the sinful hand is deft
in carrying out any and every scheme of disobedience to the Lord. When
a man wishes to sin, it is always easy to sin and therefore the
readiness of any mode of action is no argument in its favor.

Satan also labors to make men sin and his cunning is great. When he
tempted Jonah to go to Tarshish, the Evil One knew that there was a
ship at Joppa waiting for a fair wind to sail for Tarshish. Therefore
he whispered into Jonah's ear, "Go to Tarshish," because he knew that
he would not be thwarted in following out the base suggestion. Our
tempter has a complete acquaintance with what is going on in the world
and therefore he can plot and scheme so that his suggestion shall be
supported by events which are transpiring. He is not Omniscient, but
his army of spies keeps him well posted. He can therefore fit his
temptations to our surroundings.

The way of sin may well be easy since evil men will help you that way.
If anything wrong is to be done, the sons of Belial will lend a willing
hand! Thus an evil device may well succeed since all the world pulls
that way. Only set up a calf and the tribes will hasten to cry, "These
are your gods, O Israel." Sin is soon made popular. All men will praise
the evil way which yields them pleasure. In the rush along the downward
road the eager crowd will carry you off your feet and bear you with
them down to destruction without your needing to exert yourself–and
therefore it is generally easy to go wrong–it is swimming with the
stream, flying with the wind.

Moreover, good things are always difficult. God makes them so for
purposes of discipline to His people. He that can persevere in
goodness, when made to suffer by it, is good, indeed. It is, moreover,
an increase to the honor of saints that they are enabled to do the
right thing under great opposition and to fight their way to Heaven,
foot by foot, at the

sword's point. If virtue were so very easy, where would be the honor of
it? To Glory and Immortality we climb uphill! Do not, I pray you, fall
into the delusion that because an evil act looks to be the next thing,
the inevitable thing, therefore you may do it! The law is not, "Do the
easiest thing," or some would be very virtuous.

Would you excuse other people for injuring you on the ground that it
was easy to do so? Somebody in your house pilfers, robs you of your
trinkets or your cash–but you do not accept the excuse that such
things were so readily got at that it was natural for the thief to take
them! A man only opens his mouth and takes away your character–is the
ease of slander an excuse for it? A person signs your name to a check
and gets the money for it–is it a valid excuse when he says, "I have a
great facility in imitating handwriting. Forgery is very simple and
remunerative, so you can hardly blame me for trying it"? No, Friends,
you denounce the thief, the slanderer, the forger–and even so will you
be denounced if you fall into the sin which does so easily beset you.

I doubt not I am pricking the conscience of some who will do anything
for a quiet life and are gradually slipping down to Hell because the
way there is so smooth that they delight in it–so easy that their
sloth prefers it. I know how many are excusing themselves for doing
wrong because it is, in their case, so natural, while to do right would
cost so great a trial. O Sirs, take yourselves out of the deadly
atmosphere which renders the sleep of sin almost sure to overtake you!
Excuses are soon fabricated! I pray you, quit that unrighteous business
and, at all costs, follow after that which is good! Begin by faith in
Jesus and then go on to build up a holy character. May the Holy Spirit
work it in you!

III. Now, we will go a step further. WE MAY NEVER PLEAD PROVIDENTIAL
ARRANGEMENT AS AN

EXCUSE FOR DOING WRONG. There could hardly ever be a more remarkable
instance of apparently Providential cooperation than we have here!
Jonah wants to go to Tarshish and having selected that place as the
region of his hiding, he must go down to Joppa, on the Mediterranean
sea. He walks on the wharf and the first thing he sees is a ship going
to Tarshish! Is not that Providence? Boats did not often make that
voyage. Do we not confess that it is Providence when we learn that the
vessel will take passengers at a set fare?

Jonah wants to go to Tarshish and the very day that he gets to Joppa, a
decked vessel is about to start for the remote region which he desired
to reach! No one can refuse to see an apparent Providence. This is
often used as a cover for wicked actions. "I could not do otherwise,"
says one. "Providence seemed to point in that way. I should have been
flying in the face of God if I had not done as I have done." Ah, me!
How base is man to seek to saddle his sin upon God! How grossly you
deceive yourself! If Jonah was so persuaded, he was soon cured of his
error. Two or three hours later, when they woke Jonah from his sleep in
the hole of the ship and he saw that awful storm–did he then consider
that a gracious Providence had led him into that tremendous tempest?

He soon wished himself anywhere else than on the great sea! When they
were about to throw him out to the fishes, he did not say much about
Providence–he was too much convinced of his own folly to blame his
God. I have seen a man in trade doing certain tricky things and he has
tried to make it out that the circumstances compelled him to do it.
"Such-and-such a person walked in just at that time and said certain
things–and another event occurred so remarkably pat to the case that
it all looked like a Providential arrangement–and everyone who saw it
would have thought so." Nonsense! Nothing can make it right to do
wrong! I pray you, never blaspheme God by laying your sins on the back
of His Providence!

This is an act of daring presumption and profanity. You will never see
a Providence more remarkable than that which occurred to Jonah and yet
Jonah, for all that, was rebelling against the Lord in going down to
Tarshish! Providence or no Providence, the Word of the Lord is to be
our guide and we must not depart from it under pretext of necessity or
circumstances. It is very easy to make up a Providence when you want to
do so. If you sit down and try to find, in the ways of God, an excuse
for the wrong which you mean to commit, the crafty devil and your
deceitful heart, together, will soon conjure up a plea for Providence.

The man who shot another in malice might say that Providence led him to
carry his gun that morning. The burglar providentially met with a
companion who wished to relieve a householder of his spare plate. The
petty pilferer saw goods lying unprotected near a tradesman's door and
they providentially happened to be exactly what he needed. It will not
do! The pretence is too barefaced. Yet I fear that many who think
themselves Christians are deluded by this wicked argument! Such a
method of reasoning would have led many into sin who are famous in
history for their virtue. The three holy children

would have escaped the fire and Daniel would never have been in the
lion's den if they had been guided by what men call Providences.

But note other plain instances–such as Joseph. Joseph's mistress is so
kind to him and he is in such a splendid position as head of the
household–it is hard for him to deny her desire and lose his place.
Had not Providence put him into his fortunate position? Shall he throw
it away? When his mistress tempts him, shall he risk all? Would it not
be better to think that Providence plainly hinted that he should
comply? Joseph was not so base as to reason in that fashion! He knows
that adultery cannot be tolerated and so he flees from his mistress and
leaves his garment in her hands rather than remain near her seductions.

Look at David, too. He is brought out by Abishai upon the field at
night. There lies king Saul, sound asleep, and Abishai says to David,
"God has delivered your enemy into your hands this day: now therefore
let me smite him, I pray you, with the spear even to the earth at once,
and I will not smite him the second time!" What a Providence, was it
not? The cruel foe was altogether in David's hands and the executioner
was eager to settle all further conflict by one fatal stroke! What
could be clearer or simpler? Wonderful Providence! Yet David never said
a word as to Providence, but replied, "Destroy him not: for who can
stretch forth his hand against the Lord's Anointed and be guiltless?"

He therefore came away and left the king sleeping as he was. He would
not follow opportunities, but would keep to the Law of his God. I pray
you, do the same and if ever everything seems to lead up to
wrong-doing–and many circumstances unite to steer you in that
direction–do not yield to them! Your guide in life is not a so-called
Providence, but an unquestionable precept of the Lord! Do as God bids
you and do it at once. God help you to follow where He has laid down
the lines! By His Spirit may He lead you in the way everlasting, for
the path of obedience is the way of peace and righteousness.

A so-called Providence has often been a pretext for wrong-doing. I dare
say that many have erred through looking at circumstances rather than
at commands. Look at Lot. Lot went and dwelt in Sodom, among a godless,
filthy set of Canaanites. He had been with Abraham in the separated
life before, but now he quit tent life for a city dwelling with its
foul surroundings. Why did Lot go to Sodom? He looked and saw its
well-watered plains–and as he had flocks and herds, it seemed a
Providence that he was able to go there and that his uncle Abraham had
left him free to choose. Did not Providence say, "Go to the
well-watered plain of Sodom"? What could be more plain?

I have known a sort of Providence speak in that fashion to certain
Christian people who were growing rich and desired to get into what is
called society–they jumped at the first chance and fell into bad
company. They entered upon a trade which promised to pay them well.
True, it was a bad trade, a perilous trade to him that carried it on
and a ruinous trade to those drawn into it–but then it would pay well.
It was the well-watered plain of Sodom and they pleaded that they could
not wisely forego it. Others will go to live in a certain district
where there is no Gospel preaching. They leave all their friends, their
Bible class and every opportunity of usefulness for the sake of the
hedges and the birds. Providence has found them a spot where they can
be as idle as they like.

When men go into dangerous courses, they thus speak of Providence. Fine
Providence, is it not? Alas for Lot! In the end he had to read over
again those lessons of Providence by the light of the blazing cities of
the plain. Think, also, of Aaron. He, on one occasion, fell so low as
to try to throw his sin upon Providence. When he had been making the
golden calf for the people to worship and his brother Moses sharply
upbraided him for it, he declared that the people were ready to stone
him and when they brought their gold, he said, "Then I cast it into the
fire, and there came out this calf." It is true the image came out, but
it had first been molded and put in! Aaron wanted to make Moses believe
that a special Providence made the metal form itself into the shape of
the ox-god. A wretched falsehood!

Alas, that the priest of the Most High should palter with truth in this
manner! And so there are people who tell you wonderful stories about
what has happened to them and what has led them into their way of evil.
Blessed forever be the Providence of God! Let the Lord be worshipped
and adored, for He is good and does good, and good only! His Providence
is always holy! Stay clear of every blasphemous charge against it!
Never let us avail ourselves of opportunities to do evil–but if we
dare to do so–let us not saddle the blame of it upon the thrice-holy
God!

Would you excuse any other man who should do you wrong on the ground of
Providence? Suppose a thief broke into your house and said that it was
a Providence that you had not fastened the back window, or that the
fastening was so easy to open? Suppose he said that Providence spared
him a good deal of trouble because your drawers were not locked,

nor your money put into the iron safe? What would you say about such
Providences? A person deceives you in business and takes you in–but he
says that it was a very remarkable Providence that put you in his way!
Do you endorse such talk? Why, you would not listen to the fellow for a
moment–and will you listen to yourself, when your heart begins to make
the holy Lord an accomplice in your transgressions?

No, no, there are devil's providences as well as Divine Providences!
And there are mistaken notions of Providence and wretched perversions
whereby the Holy One of Israel is grossly insulted and provoked! Thus
have I briefly given you three words of caution and the fourth is like
unto them.

IV. WE MAY NOT EXCUSE OURSELVES IN DOING WRONG BY THE LAWFULNESS OF AN
ACT IN ITSELF. What is right in another may not be right in me. That
which another might do without offense may be a grievous wrong in a
child of God.

For the mariner to go to Tarshish was right enough. We do not say that
in itself it was wrong to go by sea to Tarshish. There would be an end
to trade if ships might not roam the watery plains. Yes, my dear
Friend, it may be quite right for certain persons to pursue a course
which you must not even think of! For the Tyrian sailors to go to
Tarshish was their business, their calling, their duty–but it was very
different with the Prophet. It was not Jonah's business, calling, or
duty–why should he go to Tarshish? There is a solemn difference
between being at sea in the path of duty and going there to escape
service.

He did exactly as the sailors did. I mean that, as a matter of form, it
was the same–but they were right and he was wrong. They did not go on
board to escape from the service of God–but he was doing so and that
made all the difference. Two men may do the same thing and the one may
be improving his Grace by doing it–and the other may be increasing his
damnation by doing it. After all, it is the motive that must rule our
judgment of the action. Beware of defending your transgression from the
fact that others may do it without being censured!

But might not Jonah be allowed to go to Tarshish if he wished? Yes, it
might, under certain circumstances, have been right for Jonah. When he
was off duty, it might have been good for his health for him to go to
Tarshish–but it must not be so when God says to him, "Go to Nineveh."
You may not do that which is contrary to the Lord's will, even though,
in itself, the action may be innocent. We may not say, "I have a right
to do it." We have no right to do otherwise than as the Lord commands.
We have no right to do wrong–and the more God loves us and the more
sure we are that we are His children–the more are we bound to follow
closely in the way of truth and holiness. We are not saved by works,
but because we are even now saved, we desire, in all our ways, to
glorify Him who has saved us by His most precious blood. O dear Heart,
if you are, indeed, a servant of God, you will know that obedience is
liberty, holiness is freedom! To the pure in heart sin would be
bondage, while to do what God commands would be liberty. By Divine
Grace we will to do the will of the Lord.

It was no excuse for Jonah's sin that he acted in an honorable manner
in the doing of it. It is true that Jonah paid his fare and that this
was right, if he meant to take his passage. "He found a ship going to
Tarshish, and he paid the fare thereof." He did not steal on board and
try to get a free passage as a stowaway. But someone asks, "When he had
paid his fare, had he not a right to go?" Yes, he had, as far as the
captain of the vessel was concerned. But he had no right before God!
After paying his fare, how could he decline to go? He would lose his
money, and that would be foolish. Yes, it is very easy to construct
excuses for wrong courses, but they will hold no water. Apologies for
disobedience are mere refuges of lies. If you do a wrong thing in the
most right way in which it can be done, it does not make it right. If
you go contrary to the Lord's will, even though you do it in the most
decent and, perhaps, in the most devout manner, it is, nevertheless
sinful and it will bring you under condemnation.

Servants of God, you are under a higher law than anybody else. Redeemed
with precious blood, chosen of God by His Sovereign Grace, made heirs
of eternal Glory, it is yours to "perfect holiness in the fear of the
Lord" by His good Spirit and so to do whatever He says to you, neither
turning aside to the right hand nor to the left. Thus have I shown you
that there is teaching in the incident at Joppa. I think it is
legitimate teaching, from the fact that when Jonah wanted to do evil,
everything seemed ready to his hand–and yet he was doing grievously
wrong. May this warning be useful to some of you, by God's Grace! I do
not know for whom this sermon is meant, but I have felt bound in spirit
to deliver it. It is intended as a warning for somebody who is hearing
it, or shall hereafter read it.

Perhaps some dozen or two may find it applicable to their cases and, if
it comes home to your consciences, I charge you, by the living God, do
not turn a deaf ear to it! Let it search you through and through. Let
it not only plow you, but scar you and cross-plow you and have its full
effect upon your heart–and then, feeling that you have sinned, cast
all your idle excuses to the wind and come to Jesus just as you are.
Come to Jesus and find pardon for all your inexcusable sins! As long as
you are sewing together the fig leaves of excuse, you will never come
to Jesus for true covering. But when you have done with the spider's
webs of foolish argument, the Holy Spirit will bring you to the Lord
Jesus Christ.

Now, if you wished to go to Tarshish, it would be a great Providence if
you found a vessel bound for that port. But if you want to go to Jesus
you may always go to Him. You may go to Him now! Sitting in that pew
you may come to Jesus. If you go to Tarshish, you will have to pay the
fare. There is no fare to pay in coming to Jesus. To Him it is, "Come
and welcome." His salvation is free, gratis–given to all who are
willing to receive. It is not to be bought by way of merit or of
money–it is to be had freely by the way of Sovereign Grace.

I know that the impulse of yonder young man is to fly away from Christ
and hope, and Heaven–the Lord help him to resist the impulse! Your
mother begged you to attend the House of God–the inclination is to go
out for country strolls. Resist the wish and hear the Gospel! Many go
to Tarshish and are lost. I know that the temptation to yonder young
woman is to forsake the way of righteousness, to follow after gaiety
and so to go to Tarshish. Shut your ears to every whisper of the
deluding foe and, however easy it may be for you to obey his
suggestion–however even Providence may seem to make a way for
you–regard not the voice of the Tempter and do not dishonor the Lord
your God by supposing that He can really invite you by His Providence
to do that which He forbids you by His Word.

Listen to me and come to Jesus! Come to Jesus now! Perhaps tonight, if
that young man does not come to Jesus, he will be lured into a den of
vice and led into desperate sin. And for many a year he will not again
feel that tenderness which is stealing over him just now. Trifle not
with the wooing of Divine Grace lest you be ensnared by the lies of
Satan! The man is strongly tempted now–a voice incessantly cries in
his ears, "Go to Tarshish." I implore you, O my tempted Brothers and
Sisters, nerve yourself to fight with this demon! Instead of hearkening
to his alluring note, let the voice of Mercy have power with you. God
the Holy Spirit grant that it may be so! "Come unto Me," says Jesus,
"all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take
My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and you shall find rest unto your souls."

Seek not Tarshish, but Calvary! If you run from the Presence of the
Lord, a storm will pursue you! An angry sea will open its abysses for
you! There may be no fish for you, no friendly whale to carry you to
shore–and you may be lost forever! O man of God, run not away from
your work! O Sinner, lust not after vain and empty pleasure! Child of
God, come back to Him from whom your heart has wandered and, from now
on, by His Grace, be diligently His servant to the end! Sinner, you
that have gone far away from peace and hope, hear the heavenly voice
tonight which warns you of your danger!

Cry, "I will arise, and go to my Father." He will come to meet you! On
your neck He will fall. He will kiss you, wash you, clothe you, save
you and you shall praise Him world without end! Happy, indeed, shall I
be if I have, by the Grace of God, taught some souls to give up their
dissembling and excuse-making! And if I have persuaded them to make
full confession of sin before the Lord Jesus who will wash them till
they are without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing!

PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE READ BEFORE SERMON– Jonah 1,2.