this! What is here given as the prophet's "prayer," is doubtless the brief recollection, afterwards recorded, of the kind of thoughts which had filled his mind during his dark sojourn; with the addition of some pious and grateful sentiments caused by the review. This devotional composition gives by much the most favourable view of his character. It makes us regret that he could not be so good a man on the surface of the earth, as in the depths of the ocean. In order to pray in the best manner, he must be unable to see, or move, or breathe. The final result, no doubt, of these mental exercises, was, a full consent of his will, that He who had sent him hither, should send him anywhere else he pleased, even to Nineveh. And then, the sea-monster had to finish his office by discharging the prophet on the shore, most likely, near Joppa,-after three days and three nights, during which the earth and heaven had been concealed from him by such a veil as never was drawn before any other eyes!

It is to be noted that our Lord declares all this to have been a type of Him, (Matt. xii. 40.) We may trace the analogy in the being consigned to the deep, and to the grave, in order that others might be saved;-the duration of time the same in the dark retirement ;-the coming to light and life again, for the reformation of mankind. This citation in the New Testament is an authentication of the wonderful history. It may not, perhaps, be impertinent to mention a pagan authentication;-Hercules was fabled to have had the same three days in a fish.

We shall just follow Jonah to Ninevah, where we must leave him. Surely, his recollections, during the journey, would be most vivid. The image of "the great fish," would be predominant above those of all the objects that passed before his eyes. He came to the great city, described as having been more than fifty miles in circuit, and which may

be calculated to have contained more than half a million of people. Nineveh was at a great distance from the scene of the wonderful facts, and we do not know whether Jonah carried with him thither any witnesses, or evidences, of what had befallen him on that city's account.

That he should, would seem a thing of great importance to his success, at least to his gaining the people's attention. For it does not appear that he showed any "signs and wonders" in Nineveh. But even were it so, we are still in the train of miracle; a moral miracle being required to account for so unparalleled a success. For, what could be more inadequate as a cause, than the appearance, and proclaimed denunciation, of this unconciliating stranger,when we consider, that he addressed a proud monarch-a corrupt profligate nobility-and hundreds of thousands of ignorant, wicked, and idolatrous people? Yet there was a speedy, general humiliation, under the displeasure of a God, of whom they could have known little or nothing before. And whatever deficiency of enlightened understanding there might be in this humiliation, there was more in it than outward show,-than mere sackcloth and ashes; -for God would not be mocked. How long this great effect might continue, we are not informed. But for the present, it was such that "God repented him" of the intended evil; an expression accommodated to human notions and language. There was a mighty change in the aspect of this vast and proud city; to many eyes it would have appeared a change for the worse. Suppose there were ambassadors there from some of the magnificent monarchies of the East, they might think the city miserably degraded, in comparison with its previous splendid and gay condition, -the brilliancy of the palace and court,-the array of guards and legions, the gay processions and amusements, thea

tres, &c. But then the Divine wrath hovered over it; now the Divine clemency shines on it!

To Jonah all this ought to have been a delightful spectacle; but we have to deplore and hate his most perverse temper. Instead of aiding and instructing the people in their repentance, he made him a booth outside of the city and waited to see its fate; but strongly apprehending that he was now to be exposed for-as he would name it—a false prophet. It is very probable, too, (as commentators have observed) that there was something of narrow, proud, and malevolent patriotism in the case. Just now was the right moment, he might think,-for blotting a proud, mighty, hostile, heathen power, from the face of the earth. And why should not the God of the Jews do it? do it in favour of the Jews, who had a claim to be paramount and supreme on the earth. We will not attempt to excuse him by observing how much of this spirit (and a spirit highly extolled) has prevailed among even Christian nations toward one another.

The direction the affair was taking displeased Jonah exceedingly-so as to move him to a murmuring and angry prayer even for death! yes, for death!-but he was not well prepared yet to mingle with those spirits among whom "there is joy over one sinner that repenteth." And how he failed, in this point, to be a type of Him that wept at the sight of Jerusalem! It was well for Jonah that his prayer for death was not then granted. He so recoiled from men, as to sympathize rather with the dying gourd. Most wonderful condescension was displayed in the expostuiations of God with him! Well may we take the words of David, and say, "Let us fall into the hands of God, rather than of men, for great are his mercies." The history closes. upon Jonah in this unhappy temper. We will hope that

he retired to practise the lesson taught him by the Ninevites-and to experience the same Divine mercy.

The general lesson to us, from the whole, ought to be, that of the necessity-the inexpressibly urgent necessityof a constant discipline of the Divine Spirit, to break down all our rebellious dispositions towards God,-to constrain us, by an almighty force of grace, to an entire submission, and a cheerful obedience;-a cheerful obedience, especially, in the promotion of God's beneficent purposes.

Nov. 14th, 1822.

LECTURE XIX.

THE INCREASE OF FAITH.

LUKE xvii. 5.

"The Apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our Faith."

But it

WE are not accustomed to much exactness in the use of the term Faith. In its strict acceptation, it means Belief on Testimony. But it is often used to express belief on any evidence, short of demonstration. And it is often used for mere belief—a simple assent of the judgment. has another and higher sense, in which it is generally used in Scripture-namely, such a belief that the proper effect of that belief acccompanies or follows it. It is, therefore, an influential belief—a persuasive belief-an efficacious conviction. Taken in this sense, we easily see that man, as a moral agent, can be nothing, scarcely, without it. We say, as a moral agent, for there is some portion of the action of his nature which may be called merely animalsome mechanical,—some instinctive, perhaps, and some merely the action of habit. But after this exception, it is plain throughout the great system of human action, that men act because they believe something, are persuaded of something. They apprehend the value, or desirableness of certain objects or effects, and believe that certain ways of action will attain them; therefore they do those actions. This is the manifest state of the matter over the whole field of men's temporal interests and pursuits, in all the numberless departments.