Works of John Bunyan Volume II Part 89

Now unto Jonah, old Amittai's son, Thus did the word of the Almighty come, And said, Arise, go thou forthwith and cry 'Gainst that great city Nineveh; for why, The sins thereof are come up in my sight.

But he arose, that he to Tarshish might Flee from G.o.d's presence; and went down and found A ship at Joppa unto Tarshish bound: He paid the fare, and with them went on board For Tarshish, from the presence of the Lord.

But the Almighty a great wind did raise, And sent a mighty tempest on the seas, So that the ship was likely to be broken.

Then were the mariners with horror stricken; And to his G.o.d they cried every one; And overboard was the ship's lading thrown To lighten it: but down into the ship Was Jonah gone, and there lay fast asleep.

So to him came the master and did say, What meanest thou, O sleeper! rise and pray Unto thy G.o.d, and he perhaps will hear, And save us from the danger that we fear.

Then said they to each other, Come let's try, By casting lots, on whom the fault doth lie, In bringing all this evil now upon us.

So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonas.

Then said they, We entreat thee let us know, For whose cause we this evil undergo, Whence comest thou? What is thine occupation?

What countryman art thou? And of what nation?

And unto them himself he did declare, And said, I am an Hebrew, and do fear The living Lord, the G.o.d of heaven, who Alone hath made the sea and dry land too.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid; And, wherefore hast thou done this thing? they said: (For they did understand he did forego G.o.d's presence, for himself had told them so.) What shall we do unto thee, then they said, That so the raging of the sea be stay'd?

(For it did rage and foam.) Take me, said he, And cast me overboard into the sea; So shall the sea be calm, for on my score

I know it is, that thus the waves do roar.

Nevertheless they rowed hard to gain The land, but all their labour was in vain; So much against them did the tempest beat.

Wherefore they the Almighty did entreat, And said, We do beseech thee, and we pray, O Lord, that thou would'st not upon us lay The charge of guiltless blood, nor let it be, That now we perish, on th' account that we Take this man's life away; for thou alone As it hath pleased thee, O Lord, hast done.

So they took Jonah up, and to the seas Committed him, then did the tempest cease.

Then did the dread of the great G.o.d on high, Seize on the mariners exceedingly.

And they did offer up a sacrifice, And vowed vows unto the Lord likewise.

And now the Lord for Jonah did contrive A mighty fish, to swallow 'im up alive, And in the fish's belly for the s.p.a.ce Of three days and three nights, poor Jonah was.

CHAP. II.

Unto the Lord his G.o.d then Jonah pray'd Out of the belly of the fish, and said, By reason of affliction, which lay sore Upon me, I the Lord G.o.d did implore, And he gave ear; and from h.e.l.l's Belly I Cry'd unto thee, and thou, Lord, heard'st my cry: For thou into the deep hadst cast me out, And there the floods did compa.s.s me about; In the midst of the sea, thy waves were sent, And all thy billows which my head o'erwent.

Then said I though thy presence hath forsook Me, to thy holy temple will I look.

The waters compa.s.sed about my soul, And the great deeps did round about me roll, The weeds were wrapt about my head, I went Down to the bottom of the element; The earth with her strong bars surrounded me, Yet thou, O Lord, from death hast set me free.

When my soul fainted, on the Lord I thought, And to thee, to thy temple then was brought My prayer. They their own mercies do despise, Who have regard to lying vanities.

But with the voice of my thanksgiving, I Will offer sacrifice to thee on high, And pay my vows which I have vow'd, each one, For why? Salvation's of the Lord alone.

And now the fish, as G.o.d did give command, Did vomit Jonah out upon dry land.

CHAP. III.

And now the second time to Jonah came G.o.d's word, and said, Arise, go and proclaim To that great city Nineveh, what Have heretofore commanded thee to cry.

So Jonah rose up, and prepar'd to go To Nineveh, as G.o.d had bid him do.

(Now was the city Nineveh so great, That it was three days' journey long complete) And as into the city Jonah made His first day's journey, he cry'd out and said, When forty days shall be expired and past, This city Nineveh shall be laid waste.

Then did the Ninevites with one accord, Believe this was the message of the Lord; And did proclaim a fast, and every one, From greatest to the least, put sackcloth on: For to the king this news was quickly flown, And he arose, and came down from his throne, And having laid aside his robes of state, He put on sackcloth, and in ashes sate: And issuing out his royal proclamation, And through the city making publication Thereof (being by the king and council sign'd) A solemn and a general fast enjoin'd; And said, I will, that neither man nor beast, Nor flock, nor herd, shall their provision taste: But let them all put sackcloth on and cry Unto the Lord with greatest fervency; Yea, let them all their evil ways refrain, And from the violence which they retain.

Who knows if G.o.d will yet be pleas'd to spare, And turn away the evil that we fear?

And G.o.d beheld their works, and saw that they Had turned from the evil of their way.

And G.o.d turn'd from his wrath, and did revoke The dreadful judgment whereof he had spoke.

CHAP. IV.

But hereat Jonah was extremely vext, And in his mind exceedingly perplext: And to the Lord his G.o.d he pray'd, and said, O Lord, I pray thee, was not I afraid Of this, when I was yet at home? Therefore I unto Tarshish took my flight before: For that thou art a gracious G.o.d I know, Of tender mercy, and to anger slow, Of great compa.s.sion, and dost oft recall The evil thou dost threat mankind withal.

Now therefore, Lord, I earnestly do pray That thou would'st please to take my life away, For I had better die than live. Dost thou Do well, said G.o.d, to be so angry now?

So then out of the city Jonah went, And on the east side of it made a tent,[8]

And underneath the shade thereof he sate, Expecting what would be the city's fate.

And over Jonah's head behold the Lord Prepar'd, and caused to come up a gourd To shadow him, and ease him of his grief; And Jonah was right glad of this relief.

But G.o.d a worm sent early the next day, Which smote the gourd; it withered away: And when the sun arose, it came to pa.s.s, That G.o.d a vehement east wind did raise; Besides the sun did beat upon his head, So that he fainted, saying, Would I were dead, For it is better for me now to die, Than thus to lead my life in misery.

And to distressed Jonah, said the Lord, Dost thou well to be angry for the gourd?

And he unto the Lord made this reply, I do well to be angry e'en to die.

Thou hast had pity, Jonah, on the gourd, For which thou didst not labour, said the Lord, Nor madest it to grow, which also came Up in a night, and perish'd in the same.

And should not I extend my gracious pity To Nineveh, so populous a city, Where more than six score thousand persons dwell, Who 'twixt their right hand, and their left can tell No difference, wherein are also found Cattle which do in mult.i.tudes abound.

THE LIFE OF JOSEPH, TAKEN OUT OF THE LATTER PART OF THE BOOK OF GENESIS.

CHAP x.x.xVII.

When Jacob from his brother Esau fled, He by the hand of providence was led To Padan-aram, in a.s.syria, where He serv'd his uncle Laban twenty year; During which time he was in all things blest, And with a num'rous issue 'mongst the rest: Amongst whom none so pleasing in his sight As Joseph was, who was his chief delight: Who by the time that Jacob was return'd Into the land, where's fathers had sojourn'd, Was full arrived at seventeen years of age; And by his hopefulness did then presage, He was endued with a n.o.ble mind, That would to virtuous actions be inclin'd; For being sent to feed his father's flock, Among his brethren he great notice took Of what they did, and if in any sort They did amiss, he thereof made report Unto his father, and did thus create His father's favour, but his brethren's hate.

His father loved him better than the rest, As being the son wherewith his age was blest.

And that his kindness might the more appear, Made him a party colour'd coat to wear.

But as it often haps, his father's love Did in his brethren greater hatred move.

But that which most incens'd them was his dreams, By which, in a prophetic way, he seems Their low submission, and his future state Of greatness plainly to prognosticate.

For to his brethren thus his dreams he told, And said, As we were binding sheaves, behold, My sheaf arose and stood up in the field, And all your sheaves stood round about, to yield Obeisance unto mine: And what, must we Indeed, say they, be subject unto thee?

Their wrath increas'd, this added to his crime.

And Joseph dreamed yet a second time; And said, Behold, I saw the sun and moon, And the eleven stars to me fall down.

At which his father highly was offended, And for these words, the lad he reprehended, And said, Fond youth, dost thou pretend to shew That I, thy mother, and thy brethren too, Must all submit to thee? Thou dost but dream: But Jacob kept his words, and thought of them.

Now Jacob's sons did feed their flocks in Shechem, And he desired Joseph to go seek them, And find them out, and come again and tell If all things with them and their flocks were well.

So Joseph went, and wander'd here and there, But could not find out where his brethren were, Until a man had told him their intent Of going to Dotham, where he also went.

And when his brethren at a distance saw him, They held a consultation how to slay him, And said, Here comes the dreamer, we shall see What the event of all his dreams will be; For we will kill, and in a pit will hide him, And say some beast or other hath destroy'd him.

But Reuben somewhat tend'rer than the rest, Endeavour'd to persuade them to desist From murder, saying, Into this pit let's cast him, And this he said in hopes to have releas'd him.

And now when Joseph came not dreading ought, They stript him of his party colour'd coat, And led him to a pit that was hard by, And threw him into't, but the pit was dry.

And sitting down to eat, they chanc'd to spy, A company of Ishmaelites pa.s.s by, Who with balm, myrrh, and spice, their camels lading, From Gilead came, and were to Egypt trading.

Then Judah said, 'Twill do us little good To slay our brother, and conceal his blood; Come therefore, brethren, be advis'd by me, Let's sell him to these Ishmaelites, for he Is our own flesh, and 'tis a cruel deed, To kill him, and to this they all agreed.

Their brother then out of the pit they hale, And to these merchants offer'd him to sale: Who, him for twenty silver pieces bought, And with them to the land of Egypt brought.

But Reuben, ignorant of what was done, Came to the pit, and seeing the lad was gone, He rent his clothes in a great consternation, Returning back with heavy lamentation.

And now that they might make their story good They kill'd a kid, and dipped in the blood Their brother Joseph's coat, and home they came, And to their father's view expos'd the same, And said, This we have found, now thou dost know Whether it be thy son's coat, yea or no.

And Jacob knew the coat full well, and said, Now hath some evil beast devour'd the lad; Joseph is torn in pieces without doubt, For, too, too well I know this is his coat.

He rent his clothes, and putting sackcloth on, He for a long time mourned for his son.

His children striving to a.s.suage his grief Endeavour'd to administer relief: But he refus'd, and said, Since he is gone, I will in sorrow to the grave go down.

Such lamentation made he for his son.

CHAP. x.x.xIX.

And now these merchants, sons of Ishmael, Again did poor afflicted Joseph sell, To an Egyptian, named Potiphar, The captain of King Pharaoh's men of war.

And G.o.d was with him, and did greatly bless, And crown his undertakings with success.

Whereof his master being well aware, Committed all he had to Joseph's care; And made him overseer of his house, And, from the time his master us'd him thus, The Lord was pleas'd to give him to partake, So many blessings, e'en for Joseph's sake: Of that with plenty he was hedg'd about, And prospered within door and without.

Such was his master's love, and he so just, That all things were committed to his trust.

Now Joseph was grown up to manly stature, Of goodly presence, and most comely feature.

Wherefore his mistress, with a l.u.s.tful eye, Beheld his beauty, and resolv'd to try, If to unchaste embraces she could gain The youth, but her endeavours prov'd in vain: For he refus'd, and said, My master knows In all the house of nothing that he owes,[9]

For his concerns are all at my dispose: There's not a thing that he hath kept from me But all is in my hand, save only thee; Then how can I commit so foul a fact, And the displeasure of my G.o.d contract?

Yet still she sued, and still did he deny her, Refusing to be with her, or lie by her.

Now on a time when all the men were gone Out of the house, and she was left alone: And Joseph at that instant coming in, About some business he'd to do within; She took advantage of their being together, And held his clothes to force him to lie with her.

But Joseph strove, and from her hands got loose, And left his coat, and fled out of the house.

And when she saw that he had made's escape, She call'd her servants, and proclaim'd a rape: Come see now how this Hebrew slave, said she, Your master's favourite, hath affronted me.

He came to violate my chast.i.ty, And when he heard that I began to cry, And call for help, afraid lest you should find him, He's fled, and left his garment here behind him.

And now to give her words the greater credit, Until her husband's coming home, she hid it, To whom she spake, and said, Why hast thou brought This Hebrew here, to set me thus at nought?

The slave attempted to defile my bed, And when I cry'd, he left his coat and fled, See here it is. Which when he saw, and heard The heavy accusation she preferr'd, He was exceeding wroth at his behavior, And utterly cashier'd him from his favour; Nay more, he cast him into prison, where In fetters bound, King Pharaoh's pris'ners were.

But Joseph's G.o.d, who never yet forsook Him in extremity, was pleas'd to look With great compa.s.sion on his injuries, And gave him favour in the keeper's eyes; So that he was entrusted with the care And charge of all the pris'ners that were there: All were committed unto Joseph's hand, And what was done, was done at his command.