Jonah 2

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. II.—Many are forced to pray when and where they never expected. But no place can shut out a saint from communion with his God: nor need he doubt his nearness and willingness to help in a time of need. But how fearful is it to fall into the hands of the living God, even as a provoked Father! Into what hells, what depths, what pits of corruption, desertion, temptation, and affliction, may a saint be plunged! and be reduced, how near the brink of despair! But troubles should lead us directly to our God, and make us by faith call to mind his new covenant characters and promises. To expect happiness in sinful courses, or idolized creatures, is to forsake our own mercy. And, if we run from our proper work, we run from our substantial comforts. It is unreasonable, on this side hell, to indulge despair. For great is the power of God over all creatures: and infinite and unbounded his mercy towards penitent and praying offenders. But noted deliverances ought always to issue in high praises and thanksgivings, and in redoubled applications to our duty. 2 This prophet began his predictions a little after Isaiah, and continued prophesying along with him about fifty years. His scope is to convince the Israelites, and especially the Jews, of their wickedness and danger, and so to bring them to repentance; chap. i—iii. vi. and vii. 1—6; and to comfort the people of God with promises of mercy and deliverance, of the incarnation of the Messiah, and the grace of the gospel through him; chap. ii. 12, 13; iv. v. and vii. 7—20