common sort of men but euen among the chiefest Prophetes that haue beene eyther before his time or since Secondly we must consider the certaintye and aucthoritie of this booke The Church as yet neuer reiected or refused this booke but haue accounted the same among those which wee call Canonicall bookes of holye scripture and which haue Ecclesiasticall and heauenlye testimonies Furthermore we haue our sauiour Christ as concerning this matter a sufficient testimony and witnesse as may appeare by the .xij. Chapter of Mathew where he alledgeth the example of Ionas for his resurrection affirming that the comming of Ionas out of the Whales bellye was a type of the same Furthermore Christ preferreth the Niniuets before the Israelites bicause the Niniuets repented at the one onelye sermon of Ionas and the Israelites woulde not be conuerted vnto the Lorde by many sermons Wherefore if euer any man did or shall hereafter doubt of the aucthoritie truth and certaintie of this booke Christ by his testimonie hath so confirmed the same that though an Aungell came from heauen teaching the contrary he ought not to be beleued Last of all we must knowe the argument or summe of this prophecie in the which certayne perticuler places are noted 1 The first place conteyneth the seueritie of the wrath of God towardes all such as walke disobediently in their calling Ionas was a Prophet which was most acceptable vnto god and which before had done notable things in Israell and by his sermons had preserued the kingdome of the same notwithstanding when hee fled and was disobedient to his calling he was cast by the ordinaunce of God into the Sea. An example of Gods seuere punishment worthye to bee noted The lyke we haue of Saule who disobeying the commaundement of God reserued part of the pray of Amelecke for the which disobedience hee was rent from his kingdome Another example we haue of the prophete whom the Lion slue by Gods appoyntment for his disobedience Wherevpon it is sayde to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of Rammes 2 The seconde place conteyneth the wonderful and inspeakeable mercy of God by the which he commonly deliuereth all those which call vpon him in truth Ionas was cast into the sea and deuoured of the Whale And although he coulde not be saued and deliuered naturally yet notwithstanding by the diuine power and clemencie of God he is supernaturally and miraculouslye deliuered This miracle to certaine worldly wise men and contemners of the worde of God seemeth ridiculous and like vnto olde wyues tales And amongst all others scoffing Lucian being stirred vp of Sathan the Deuill the father of lyes to obscure discredit and deride this miracle hath written a booke intituled De veris narrationibus that is a booke of true narrations in the which hee maketh mention of certaine men which being in a ship were swallowed vp shippe and all of a Whale in the which Whale sayth he there were Mountaynes woods and Cities to the which the men arriued with their shippe and had great delectation there This fonde fable seemeth to bee inuented by Lucian to deride the Christians which beleeue the storie of Ionas to be true But this and many other such are deuised by the Deuill and his ministers to deride and deface true and godly myracles But let vs vnderstand that this myracle was done in deede and that it hath heauenly testimonies to proue and ratifie the same as we haue alreadie declared God which created heauen and earth of nothing and which raysed and will rayse the dead to life could also for a time saue and preserue Ionas in the whales belly Let vs acknowledge therefore this myracle to be a declaration of the power and clemency of God and an example also of the resurrection of Christ and of all the godly also to euerlasting lyfe as hereafter GOD willing shall be declared 3 The thirde place conteyneth the doctrine of repentaunce There haue beene many which haue denyed to sinners after their fall any hope of gods grace And there are manye which when they haue sinned perswade themselues that there is no way of saluation left vnto them Here therefore there are two examples of repentaunce propounded vnto vs The one in the Prophete Ionas who although he fell into disobedience yet notwithstanding repenting he is receyued into Gods fauour againe The other in the Niniuets who although they had greatly sinned insomuch that they deserued eternall destruction and damnation yet notwithstanding repenting they are receyued into Gods fauour and preserued with their Citie Let vs therefore turne to the Lorde by repentaunce being perswaded that the Lorde will receyue vs and that the Aungels in heauen shall reioyce ouer our repentaunce Thus gentle Reader I haue declared who this Prophet Ionas was what aucthoritie this booke hath and which are the speciall places of this booke The which if thou well obserue and note they will profite to the nourishing of the feare of God to the encrease of fayth and to the bringing forth of true obedience which are the most acceptable seruice of God. ¶ A godly exposition of the Prophet Ionas The first Chapter THE VVorde of the Lorde came vnto IONAS the sonne of Amithai saying Arise and get thee to Niniue that great ciâ—ie and preache vnto them howe that â—heir wickednesse is come vp before mee THe Scripture of the olde Testament doth often and verie much testifie â—hat God in times past hath spoken with â—he Patriarches and Prophets As sayth the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues God in times past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes Let vs therefore vnderstande and knowe howe and after what maner God hath reuealed his will to the Patriarches and Prophets 1 Sometimes he spake with them by sending Aungels visiblye vnto them example we haue in the booke of Genesis where we reade that Aungels came vnto Abraham in the likenesse and shape of men Also there came Angels vnto â—oth which brought him out of Sodome before it was destroyed And so an Angell appeared visibly vnto Zacharias the father of Iohn to the virgin Marie likewise and to many other 2 Sometimes God spake vnto the fathers by the voice of an Aungell inuisibly And so he talked with Moses out of the bushe where Moses hearde the voyce of an Angell speaking in the person of God but sawe no Aungell So the Aungell in the person of God recited the lawe in the Mount Sinai the which voice was heard of more than sixe hundreth thousand men but they sawe no man as appeareth by the wordes of Moses saying You hearde the voyce of his wordes but you sawe no forme or shape at all So God spake by an inuisible Aungell vnto Samuell So I thinke also that the Lorde spake to Moses from the mercye seate as appeareth â—y this text And from thence I will testifie
many yeares as in Idolatrie in abusing the name of God in adulterie in vsurie yea in all kinde of wickednesse The which are so growne so increased and so ripe that they ascende into heauen before the maiesty seate of god Wherfore there is nothing more certaine than that England hath deserued extreme punishment and perdition Furthermore let vs vnderstand and know that séeing the worde of God is reuealed and preached so fréelye vnto vs there is some hope left vnto vs of saluation For except the Lorde sought to saue this Realme of Englande he woulde not haue sent IONAS I meane the preachers of his worde vnto the same Séeing therefore he hath reuealed his will by IONAS and his whole intent we haue a manifest argument of his clemencie and loue towardes vs Wherefore if we will escape the punishment threatned we must fall to repentance the vse wherof hereafter God willing more plainely shall be declared But and if we be contemners of the worde of God and impenitent let vs looke vndoubtedly for destruction and euerlasting perdition Wherevpon our sauiour Christ sayth This is condemnation that light came into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more than light ¶ And Ionas made him readie to flie vnto Tharsis from the face of the Lorde IONAS flieth to Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde which some interprete to be the sea other thinke it to be the proper name of a Citie which men call now Tunetum sometime Carthage Here therefore twoo thinges are to bée considered the one is the disobedience of IONAS and his flight from the presence of the Lorde The other is the cause why he fled and was disobedient to the calling of God. First let me here demaund a question What meaneth the Scripture when it sayth that IONAS fled from the presence of the Lorde Howe coulde IONAS flie from the presence of God when as his maiestie fulfilleth both heauen and earth and all places else Whither shall I goe sayth the Psalmist from thy spirite or where shall I hyde me from thy presence if I climbe vp into heauen thou art there if I go downe to hel thou art there also and so forth And the Prophete Amos sayth They shall not flie awaye there shall not one of them escape nor be deliuered Though they were buried in the hell my hande shall fetch them from thence though they climbe vp to heauen yet shal I cast them downe though they hyde themselues vppon the toppe of Carmell yet shall I séeke them out though they créepe down from my sight into the déepe of the sea I shall commaunde the serpent euen there to bite them Let vs therefore note that if mention be made here of the eternall and omnipotent maiestie of God then there is none that can flie from hys hand or presence The which thing the example of IONAS proueth very well For here he flieth from the hande and presence of the Lorde taketh shippe and goeth about to passe into a straunge countrie yet notwithstanding he could not escape from the presence of the Lorde God sawe his flyght yea God sawe his secret councell purpose and intent And he so stayeth him wyth his mighty arme in the sea that the more he séeketh to escape the more straightly he is helde with the hande and power of God and is cast into extréeme peril and daunger which he sought to auoyde Wherefore méere foolishe and vaine is their purpose which thinke by their deuise and pollicie to escape from the power and presence of god But where as the scripture sayeth that IONAS fled from the presence of the Lorde it signifieth that he fled out of the lande of Israell in the which God is sayde aboue all other nations to dwell First bicause in that lande was the chiefe place of the Churche of God and the Arke of the testament by the which it pleased God oftentimes to aunswere Secondly bicause God had appointed in that lande the publike ministerie of the preaching of his worde and was wont to reueale himselfe to the Prophets and to worke miracles to confirme his promises as concerning Christ Last of all bicause in that lande the stocke of Christe dwelt which is the true face and liuelye presence of God bicause whosoeuer séeth Christ séeth the true and euerlasting god By this we may learne that then a man is sayde to flye from the presence of God or to hyde him from his sight when he flyeth those places in the which the worde of God is preached or when hée shunneth those men which preache the worde of god So Caine is sayde to go forth and to flie from the presence of God bicause he fled from his father Adam and dwelt farre from him least he shoulde be reprehended of his father by the worde of god So disobedient seruants and sonnes flie from the face of God when they flie from their parents and maisters least for their disobedience they shoulde be reprehended by the worde of the Lorde and punished So the wicked and vngodlye flie from the face of God when they despise the preaching of the word of God fearing least by the same they should be reprehended from their sinne wickednesse Wherefore although no man as touching the omnipotencie of God can flie from his maiestie power and presence yet notwithstanding as touching the externall preaching of the worde of God those flie hys presence which doe despise his word neglect his sacraments continue in disobedience towardes him and go forwarde in a wicked lyfe What shall we saye then Can such as flie the presence of God escape God hymselfe and his punishment which they so feare No vndoubtedly For the more they flie the worde and sacraments of God the more they fall into his hande and incurre his wrath prouoking iust vengeance vppon themselues Caine fled from the presence of the Lorde but the more he fledde the more hée was tormented with horror of minde IONAS fled from the presence of the Lorde but the farther he fled the more subiect he was to perill and daunger Wherefore we must not flie from God in sinne and in the feare of punishment but rather we must approche vnto God by repentance and inuocation by the which meanes alone we escape the wrath of God and the deserued punishment for sinne But of this we will speake more plentifully anone Secondlye it is demaunded for what purpose and intent IONAS fledde out of the lande of Israell and woulde not obey the calling of God sending him to Niniue Of sundrie men sundrie and diuers causes are declared and alleaged Some saye that IONAS was afearde of the daunger that might come vnto him at Niniue for his ambassage sake For to preach that a citie should sodenly be ouerthrowne and destroyed in the Citie it selfe is inough to stirre vp against a man all the Citizens inhabitants of the same and to make himselfe to be accused of sedition Other some thinke that
Bullock that hath horns and hoofes For first of all by this worshipping of God his goodnesse clemency mercy and omnipotencie is set forth Furthermore men are stirred vppe to fayth and inuocation of God in all aduersities These are the holy and acceptable thinges which please God and by the which wée ought to declare a thankefull minde for those benifites that wée haue receyued And if any man require examples of this matter we haue Moses Debora Anna the mother of Samuell Dauid Ezechias Zacharias the father of Iohn the Baptist Symeon and Marie the mother of Christ for examples Wherefore it is our partes and duties to knowe and learne such Psalmes and by these wée being admonished of the diuine miracles maye conceyue a firme and vndoubted hope in aduersitie and may stirre vp the holy ghost by the which we are made apt to call vppon God and so wée shall be in déede deliuered in aduersitie For euerye man which calleth vpon the name of God shall be saued But to returne to our Psalme which IONAS made and committed to the Church to be song wée must know that it comprehendeth seauen verses The first verse is I cryed in my trouble vnto the Lorde and he hearde mée This verse comprehendeth in it selfe the argument and summe of the whole Psalme namely that IONAS was ouerwhelmed with great sorrowes and griefe of the mynde But when he called vppon the Lorde by fayth hée was wonderfully and miraculously deliuered 1 First of all therefore when he turneth himselfe aright vnto the Lord not to any of the Patriarches which were deade he teacheth vs that wée ought not in our troubles to turne vs eyther by vowes or prayers vnto deade Saincts but onely to God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that in the name of Christ and for Christ his sake séeing that we haue a manifest promise Whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name he will giue it you 2 Furthermore it teacheth vs what time is most apt to offer our prayers and supplications vnto god Ignoraunt and vnlearned men iudge and estéeme that that time is fitte and méete to praye vnto God when eyther they rise in the morning or go to bedde at night or else when they leade a happie and prosperous lyfe and truly we ought not to pretermit prayer at these times and seasons But when as great and grieuous afflictions do arise and daungerous perilles approche men thinke then that it is hye time and more fitte to blaspheme to curse and to rage agaynst God and men than to praye vnto god But the Prophet when he sayth in my trouble I cryed vnto the Lorde and from the bellie of hell I cried he plainelye declareth that then the time is most cōuenient to praye vnto God when great perils are at hand and we compassed round about with present death as testifieth the Prophet Dauid saying The Lorde is nigh vnto them that are of a broken hart and he will saue such as are of an humble spirit And agayne Call vpon me in the daye of trouble and I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me Also it is written I am with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him 3 Thirdly the Prophete teacheth vs by his owne example in all our trouble to looke for certaine helpe and deliuerance if we repent and cal vpon God by true faith For the Prophete fell into this daunger not for his owne righteousnesse obedience of Gods calling but for vnrighteousnesse and disobedience by the which hée fled the calling of God yet neuerthelesse when in the middest of daungers hée acknowledged his sinne and conuerted him selfe by fayth and prayer vnto the Lorde he was hearde saued and miraculouslye deliuered Externall saluation and deliuerance is not alwaies wont to happen to euery one in extréeme perils and daunger Yet notwithstanding it is most certaine and sure that if a sinner euen in the midst of his trouble and aduersitie repent and conuert vnto the Lorde he shall alwayes obtayne true and eternall saluation although he shoulde perishe with corporall death Wherevpon the Psalmist sayth Approche vnto the Lorde and be lightned and ye shall not be ashamed This poore man IONAS cried and the Lorde heard him And Christ himselfe sayth I am the resurrection and the lyfe he that beléeueth in me though he were deade yet shall he liue Wherefore let not our sinnes dismay or discourage vs from calling vppon God in our trouble and aduersitie but rather let them be a meane to stirre vs vp to repentance that we may call vpon God by fayth and looke certainly at his hands for the promised saluation ¶ Thou haddest cast me down in the middest of the sea and the floude compassed me about yea all thy waues and rowles of water went ouer me I thought that I had bene cast awaye out of thy sight But I will yet agayne looke towarde thy holy temple The waters compassed mee euen to the verie soule the deepe laye about mee and the weedes were wrapt about my head I went downe to the bottome of the hilles and was barred in wyth earth for euer In the first verse of this Psalme the whole state and summe of the Psalme is conteined as we haue shewed before And now the other seauen verses followe in the which that which was briefly comprised in the first verse is plentifully expounded And first of all the Prophet rehearseth and expoundeth the tribulations afflictions and sorrowes which he suffered the which no man can sufficiētly vnderstand vnles he himself at some time féele in dede the lyke Thou hadst cast me sayth hée down in the middest of the sea We know that the Prophete was caste of the Mariners into the sea and receyued of the Whale Beholde therfore and sée how copiouslye he doth expounde and dilate thys thing Thou hast cast me not simply in the sea but in the déepe of the sea in the hart of the sea in the middest of the sea that the water might compasse me about on euery side yea that all thy waues and rowles of water might go ouer me For I did not only swimme vpon the superficiall part of the sea but also when I was receyued into the Whales bellie the waters did so compasse me that they entred euen into my soule that is I was euen ready to bée choked For I was in the déepe of the sea and when the heade of the Whale in the which I laye was wrapped about with wéedes and sedge I séemed also to be tangled and tyed in the same insomuch that I looked for no waye to escape Neyther was I caried simplye by the sea shore but of necessitie I was constreyned to beare the Whale companie euen to the stéepe and déepe valleyes of the mountaynes in the sea where I thought my selfe to bée barred in for euer To be short bicause I was in the Whales bellie I was so subiect to the sea that I
their naturall impietie by the which they haue deserued euerlasting punishment if God for Christs sake had not forgiuen the same Furthermore that they maye be styrred to the more ardencie of prayer and faith So IONAS also although he were so excellent a Prophete that by his preaching he restored the decayed kingdome of Israell as it is written in the xiiij Chapter of the fourth booke of kings Yet notwithstanding he is nowe compassed about with so great feare of death that in dying he is more cowardly and effeminate than any common or rascall Souldiour But God would exercise him in this feare that he might know his owne estate and so be stirred the more earnestly to pray Wherefore let vs not feare our saluation in the perill of death but rather let vs haue a sure trust hauinge respect vnto Christ the sonne of God who hauing suffered the feare of death hath deliuered vs from the malediction of this feare that although we be wrapped and tangled in the same yet notwithstanding we shall not perishe but be saued for Christes sake Thirdly IONAS is not onely vexed with grieuous feare of death but also dispayreth of hys corporall lyfe I am cast sayth he out of thy sight that is thou hast no more respect vnto me to preserue me in this life neyther shall I sée any more thy holy temple that is I am constrained in this Whale to die that I may go no more to the flocke of thy Church in thy temple What is the cause therefore that the Prophete dispayreth of his lyfe where is his fayth Coulde he beléeue that GOD would saue his soule and not beléeue also that he would preserue and saue his body Can not God rayse vp men from death to lyfe how could he not than preserue those in lyfe which are yet liuing Did he not saue the Israelites in the redde sea howe than coulde hée not saue IONAS in the Whales belly These and such like might be obiected to the prophet dispayring of his corporal life in the Whales belly But the prophet by this desperation sheweth foorth no part of wicked incredulitie or distrust no more than Paule did when he sayde we were grieued out of measure passing strength so greatly that we dispaired euen of lyfe Also we receyued an aunswere of death in our selues For there is two maner of deliuerance or saluation from death The one is corporall the other is spiritual And euerye one truely which beleueth in Christ hath the certaine promise of the spirituall and heauenly saluation and deliueraunce from death For Christ hath ouercome death and sayth Euerye one which béeleueth in me shall not die for euer Wherefore we must in no wyse doubt or dispayre of this deliueraunce and saluation For whosoeuer dispayreth of the same shall die for euer The other is the corporall lyfe the which although it hath béene promised and is perfourmed by God towardes manye yet notwithstanding wée haue not a generall promise at the handes of God that euery one which beléeueth in Christ shall alwayes corporally be deliuered from the perils of death Wherfore séeing this externe and corporall deliueraunce hath not a certaine promise it can not certainly be looked for but we must committe our will to the will of god Wherevpon we may gather that our Prophete IONAS dispayred not of the true and eternall saluation and deliueraunce which hath a certaine promise in the séede of the woman and in the séede of Abraham which is Christ As touching the corporall saluation and deliueraunce séeing it hath not a certaine and expresse promise it cannot conceyue a certayne and vndoubted trust but it must call vpon God and repose and commit the certaintie of the deliueraunce to his will. For so Christ taught vs by his praier that we being compassed about with externe and corporall perils from the which to be deliuered we haue no certaine promise shoulde pray vnto God that he woulde vouchsafe corporally to defende and deliuer vs Let this cup passe sayth our sauiour Christ from me yet not as I will but as thou wilt This if we doe with hart and minde then shall wée oftentimes haue a deliueraunce out of perill vnlooked for when all hope is gone euen as it happened to IONAS to the thrée yong men in the fierie Ouen in Babilon to Daniell Dauid and such lyke Yea in all our trouble God will make a way in the midst of the same whereby we may escape But if this deliueraunce happen not vnto vs yet neuerthelesse our celestiall deliueraunce is most sure and certaine by the which whosoeuer beleueth in Christ and calleth vpon the father in his name shall neuer be destitute Now it foloweth in the other verses what the Prophete did in so great feare of death and desperation of life ¶ But thou O Lorde my God hast brought vp my life againe out of corruption when my soule fainted within me I thought vppon the Lorde and my prayer came in vnto thee euen into thy holye temple They that hold of vaine vanities will forsake his mercye But I will doe thee sacrifice with the voyce of thankesgiuing and will paye that which I haue vowed for why saluation commeth of the lord And the Lord spake vnto the fishe and it cast out IONAS againe vpon the drie lande THe Prophete hath rehearsed the troubles afflictions yea the flames of hell fire with the which he was tormented in the Whales bellie Nowe followeth the other part of the Canticle or Psalme in the which the Prophet sheweth what he did to obteyne delyuerance from such narrowe strayts and to slake the tormenting heate and rage of hell fire Although sayth hée I went downe to the bottome of the hilles and was barred in with earth yet notwithstandinge thou O Lorde God hast brought my lyfe againe out of corruption But hast thou deliuered mée I doing nothing or rather dispairing No truly I was not ydle in the Whales bellye but when my soule was troubled within me I remembred thée O Lord that my prayer might come to thy holy temple We sée here that the Prophet in his extréeme necessitie had no other respect and regarde than to the Lorde himselfe to whome he came by earnest and faythfull inuocation and prayer Whereas many of vs being set in affliction and trouble make haste to impacience to curssing to blaspheming the name of god But by this way we obtaine not deliuerance but our affliction miserie is the more increased For if we couet to be preserued and deliuered in aduersity and trouble we must make hast to pray vnto the Lorde For inuocation is the waye by the which we purchase vnto vs true deliuerance Euery one sayth the Prophet Ioell which inuocateth or calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued The which saying being once vttered by the Prophet Ioell is also repeated by Peter and Paule and therfore worthy to be noted There is nothing that
Niniue was a great Citie vnto God namely of three daies iorney And IONAS went to and entered into the Citie euen a dayes iourney IONAS at the length escaped oute of the Whales belly that is from extréeme death and hell For after that IONAS had repented and called vpon the name of the Lorde by true fayth the Whale was constrayned to cast him out aliue and to let him go frée For God being reconciled vnto vs all creatures are constrayned to minister vnto vs and to serue our necessitie and those thinges also which before were hurtfull vnto vs bring then muche profite and commoditie with them to oure great comfort and consolation Therefore nowe consequently the ministerie to the which IONAS after hys deliueraunce was called by the mouth of God must be declared For he is now sent of God as he was before to Niniue to the ende he might preach there the destruction of the Citie Vp sayth he and get thée to Niniue that great Citie As concerning the greatnesse of the Citie of Niniue it was before declared And now the things which are to bée considered in this place are these First IONAS after his deliueraunce is not placed of God in a soft Fetherbed but he is sent to preache the worde of God in Niniue which was a worke not onely laborious but also daungerous Here therefore wée are taught whervnto we are called of God and what we ought to doe when we haue receyued any benifite at his hande For we truly are so corrupted by nature with sinne that after we haue receiued benifites we are more peruerse and disobedient vnto God than we were before And we sée by experience that they which haue come from extréeme beggery and penury to great riches and possessions and from the dunghill to Nobilitie haue béene then more insolent and vnthankefull then they were before But the example of IONAS in this place teacheth vs true obedience and pietie For after that we are deliuered out of great perils and daungers we must not be ydle neyther must we then begin to dispise God but rather it is our duties to obey God and his calling and to bée thankefull for those benifits that wée haue receyued at his handes In the fift Chapter of Saint Iohn our Sauiour Christ sayth to the man that was restored to hys helth Behold thou art now made whole go and sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thée So IONAS also séemed to say within himselfe beholde thou art now deliuered from the perill of death and the goulfe of hell sée therefore that thou be no more disobedient but obey the calling of God least a worse thing happen vnto thée Euen so it is our partes to thinke also after that we are deliuered eyther from the perill of pouertie from the perill of infirmitie or from the perill of death Beholde thou hast receyued an excellent benefite at the handes of God bée not therfore vnthankefull but séeke by all meanes thou canst to shewe a thankefull minde by dooing thy dutie For God most liberally bestoweth his benifites not that we shoulde be worse but to the ende wée should be better But and it we abuse the benifites of God as riches to luxvrie and to fulfill our pleasure wyne to drunkennesse and health to dishonestie and wicked lyfe then let vs looke for nothing else but to be depriued not onely of these corporall benifits but also of heauenly treasure and felicitie and to perish with euerlasting paine and punishment Wherefore let vs consider that after the benifits receyued we are called to thankfulnesse and obedience the which if we perfourme we shall prouoke the Lorde to bestowe greater benifites vpon vs Furthermore we must consider in the example of IONAS hys singuler obedience For the Text sayth IONAS arose and went to Niniue according to the worde of the Lorde Before IONAS arose to flie from the presence of God. But nowe he ariseth not to flie but to obey the calling of the Lorde What was the cause that IONAS is thus altered and chaunged and that he is so prompt and readie to perfourme the wil and commaundement of God Surelye the affliction perill and trouble was the cause as hath béene alreadie at large declared We sée therefore what is the principall reason why God doth oftentymes lay crosses and sundry afflictions vpon vs IONAS would not simplye at the first obey the worde of the Lorde he is cast therfore into the sea that séeing he would not by the worde and in prosperitie learne to obey he might learne the same by crosse in aduersitie The lyke oftentimes happeneth vnto vs For God first of all calleth vs being sinners and disobedient to righteousnesse and obedience by the preachinge of his worde when we are in prosperitie But when we flie obedience then he casteth vs into the sea of diuers afflictions to the ende we might learne that in aduersitie and trouble which we refused in prosperitie and ease So the Lorde God of our fathers sent to the Citizens of Hierusalem that they should forsake their idolatrie but when they woulde not obey his worde in libertie they were constreyned to learne obedience in captiuitie Wherefore when we flourishing in prosperitie are called to repentance let vs not despise the voyce of the Lord but let vs obey him in time least with the wicked wée be afflicted and destroyed ¶ And he cried saying there are yet fortie dayes and then shall Niniue be ouerthrowne This is the sermon which IONAS made in Niniue being very briefe and short if we haue respect to the number of the words but if we consider the sentence it is very long and containeth much matter First of all let vs weye and consider the place of the Citie in the which IONAS began to preache When he had entred sayth the text into the citie euen a dayes iourney and so forth Therefore IONAS preached euen in the middest of the citie almost not in the comming in nor in the going forth to the ende the fame of his sermonde or preachinge might the more easily be spred among al the citizens and inhabitants thereabout For the word of the Lorde must be preached not to a fewe men onely neyther in an obscure place but to all men openlye to the ende no man might haue excuse Herevppon it came to passe and was accustomed that alwayes from the beginning of the world the word of God was preached in the chiefe Monarchies Cities of the earth For as IONAS could not go from house to house generally throughout the Citie of Niniue but stoode in a conuenient place of the City that the fame of his preaching might come to all men euen so the word of the Lord is not wont to be caried to euery corner of euery region but it is reuealed published in the speciall and principall kingdomes that by them the fame thereof might be spred abrode throughout the whole world that no man might haue excuse So
to cut woode fell into the water This affection is naturall not sprong vp in our flesh by chaunce but by the wisedome and secret councell of god created ingraffed in vs What then doe we learne by this Surely by this sensible affection in vs we learne and are admonished of the insensible and inuisible affection of God towarde vs For if we greatly sorowe for things lost and destroyed which we notwithstanding neyther created nor made let vs vnderstande and knowe that the Lorde doth much more sorrow for men which he hath created and for whose saluation he hath sent his onely begotten sonne into the worlde to suffer death Wherevpon by the mouth of the Prophete he sweareth saying I liue and will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednesse and liue So in the nine and fortie Chapter of Esay he teacheth vs to knowe the affection and loue which he beareth towards vs by the affection of a mother towardes hir childe saying Can the mother forget hir childe that she bare and not pitie the sonne of hir owne fleshe And though shée doe forget yet will I not forget thée So also he propoundeth his loue before vs to be knowne by the affection of a father towards his sonne in the .xj. Chapter of saint Luke saying Which of you being a father of whom if the sonne shal aske bread will giue him a stone If ye then being euill can giue good thinges vnto your children how much more shall your father of heauen giue the holye spirite to those that desire it of him So lykewise in the fiftene of Luke by the Parable of the housholder which sorowed for the losse of his sheepe and by the Parable of the lost groate is set forth vnto vs the excéeding loue of God towardes lost men that is towardes sinners that they might be brought to repentance and saluation Wherefore our affections are ordeined of God to be domesticall preachers vnto vs and to teach vs how God is affectioned towardes vs and to make vs féele the affections of God which otherwise are insensible and inuisible Furthermore when as it is sayde that God spared and had compassion vpon the Citie of Niniue for so many thousands of men which knewe not their right hande from their left there are diuers expositions Some expounde those that knewe not their right hande from their left to be infantes and children Othersome thereby vnderstande the common and simple sort of people But the first opinion is best allowed namelye that they were children as yet not come to age of discretion Notwithstanding we must not think that God spared those infants and children for their innocencie for although children and infants be innocents before men yet they are not innocents before god bicause they are conceyued and borne in sinne But he spared them for two causes The first is bicause he is gentle and mercifull It is neyther sayth S. Paule in the willer nor in the runner but in the mercie of god Moses also eryed and sayd Lorde Lorde God mercifull and gracious long suffering and abundaunt in goodnesse and truth and kéeping mercy in store for thousandes forgiuing wickednesse vngodlynesse and sinne and not leauing one innocent visiting the wickednesse of fathers vpon the children c. The second cause why God spared the Innocents was for that the auncient men of the Citie though not all yet the greatest part repented at the preaching of IONAS God therefore spared the Infants for the elders sake which repented As appeareth by that which he sayth in another place thus Shewing mercie vnto thousandes in them that loue me and kéepe my cōmaundements For as God was woont to destroy children and Infantes for the wickednesse of their forefathers as appeareth in the time of the floode in the destruction of Sodome and in the ouerthrowing of the Amalekyts So he was wont to spare blesse and preserue Infants for the godlynesse of their forefathers and elders Wherefore if Parentes wishe well vnto their children and woulde bestowe great benifits vpon their children they shall not néede to scrape great aboundaunce of rythes togither for God will blesse and prouide for them if so be that Parents themselues liue godly and vertuously in their vocation 3 Last of all wheras he addeth Beside much cattell We may not thinke that it is spoken as though God spared such a Citie for the brute beastes sake and that he so much regarded them It cannot bée denyed but that God after a certaine maner hath a care ouer beastes and cattell As we may reade in the lawe where it is sayde In the Saboth day thou shalt doe no maner of worke neyther thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter and in the ende he addeth neyther thy cattell that is within thy gates And in the hundred and fourth Psalme it is said he bringeth forth grasse for the cattell Yet notwithstanding God spareth not men for the cattles sake but he spareth the cattell for the mens sake As we may read that the beasts of the earth are destroyed for the sinnes of men as in the floode in Sodome in Amelecke So also we may reade that beastes were and are preserued for the godlinesse of men as in the .xxviij. Chapter of Deutronomy If thou shalt harken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy god Blessed shalt thou be in the towne and blessed in the fieldes blessed shall be the fruite of thy body and the fruite of thy ground and the fruite of thy cattell the increase of thine oxen and the flockes of thy shéepe c. Wherefore whosoeuer thou be that wilt haue thy cattell thy goodes and substance preserued blessed and increased thou shalt not néede to vse sorceries nor Witchcraftes but sée that thou thy selfe be godly and that thou perseuer in thy calling so shalt thou bée sure and safe in the lande so shall God blesse thée and thy posteritie for euer This we haue passed ouer the Historie of IONAS in the which there are many things to be obserued and noted but specially these First in IONAS we haue an example of the infirmitie and weakenesse of all men and euen of those which are the holyest and the saintes of God for we sée the disobedience of IONAS his terrors and feares in the Whales belly his indignation also and griefe at the repentaunce of the Niniuets But notwithstanding bicause he obeyed the calling of the Lorde and perseuered in the same he is miraculously saued and preserued Last of all we haue an example of repentaunce in the Niniuets by the which we are admonished that although we grieuously offend the diuine maiestie of God whereby we deserue euerlasting destruction Yet notwithstanding we ought not to dispaire of our saluation but rather repent vs truely and vnfaynedly of our sinnes For the gate of heauen alwayes standeth open to receyue penitent sinners And Christ himselfe standeth in the same contynually inuiting and calling suche vnto him saying Come vnto me all ye that labour and are heauie laden and I will ease you Wherefore to him with the father and the holy ghost thrée persons and omnipotent immortall wise and inuisible God be all honor praise glory and dominion nowe and for euer Amen Repent Englande in time as Niniue that Citie did For that thy sinnes before the Lorde are not in secret hid FINIS 1. Cor. 14. 4. Reg. 14. Math. 12. 1. King. 15. 3. King. 13. 1. King. 15. The text Cap. 1. Gene. 18. Gene. 19. Luke 1. Math. 1. Exod. 3. Exod. 19. and .20 Deuter. 4. 1. Reg. 3. Exod. 25. Daniel 7. Genesi 37. Iosephus lib. 3. de antiquita cap. 12. Ezech. 1. Cap. 1. Math. 13. Math. 17. Cap. 3. Cap. 4. A manifest token of Gods loue towards vs. The text Two thinges here to be considered Of flying from the Lorde Cap. 9. Exodus 15. Cap. 4. 4. Reg. 14. The Text. 2. King. 11. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. Ierem. 18. The text Actes 26. Psal. 107. The Text. Inuocatiō Roma 1. The vnlading of the shippe Math. 18. Lottes Prouerb 16. Ecclesiastes 10. The Text. 1. Peter 4. EZech. 9. Iere. 25. Numb 25. Iudges 7. The text Gene. 15. Esay 44. and .45 Esay 53. Respond EZech. 33. Psal. 33. Ier. 3. lamen Math. 10. The text Embryon is the vnperfit shape of the child being in the mothers wombe The text This Psalme consisteth of seauen verses Iohn 16. Psal. 34. Psal. 50. Iohn 11. The text Math. 10. Two causes of afflictions Math. 10. Iob. 1. Cap. 9. Psal. 55. 4. Reg. 14. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 5. 6 Math. 26. Daniel 3. The Text. Ioell 2. Actes 2. Rom. 10. Math. 26. Actes 7. The text Iohn 5. Cap. 1 The Text. Math. 13. 1. Cor. 14. Two maner of prophecies Hiere 48. EZechiel 18. 2. Tim. 2. Rom. 11. The text Nouation heretikes Hiere 3. Hiere 18. Luke 15. Math. 19. 4. King. 14. Galath 3. Chap. 18. The ende of fasting The Text. Hiere 26. Thessa. 5. 1. Iohn 3. 4 Kin. 14. The yoke of Monkerye Psal. 115. Psal. 14. Coloss 3. Luke 17. Genesis 27. Math. 25. 2. Para. 20. The fast of beastes Exod. 20. 2. King. 15. Daniel 3. The text Esay 58. Iames. 1. Psal. 102. Cap. 18. Math. 23. Math. 12. The text Math. 18. 1. Peter 4. Ioel. 2 Esay 28. The Text. Luke 5. Luke 8. Psal. 127. Psal. 121. Psal. 91. Esay 43. The Text. The ende of affliction 3. Kings 19. The text Rom. 1. 4. Kings 6. Esay 49. Luke 11. Luke 15. Exod. 34. Exo. 20. 1. Kings 15. Psal. 104.145.147 Deutr. 28. Math. 11.