whiche they sawe layd open before them both rich and very precious Neyther doth he without good reason so ofte make mention of the affliction and destruction of the Iewes admonishing therby that they committe no such thing against others whome they sée both vndone in goodes and their life also to stand in great hazard By these words therfore are confuted their reasons who if they espie any mens substance laide forth to the spoyle immediatly they also are snatching at the same Why say they should not I also get somewhat for my selfe whē as although I withold my handes yet some other will fall to catching of the same who peraduenture hathe not so muche right therevnto as we haue And this is it that God layeth to the charge of those Edomites For althoughe it be his pleasure to punishe the offences of some by warre and spoyling yet giueth he not euerie man leaue violentlye to rushe vpon them as neyther the father maketh his chyld subiect to the leude ordering and malapertnesse of all his seruantes although he be minded somwhat sharply to correcte him And continually shall that saying of God remayn ratified VVo be vnto thee that robbest others and art not robbed thy selfe c. Looke Esaye 33. Thirdly he addeth Stande not in the parting of the vvays or in the high ways to murther suche of them as are escaped nor take them prisoners that remain that is suche of the Iewes as are lefte in the day of theyr trouble In which place he reprehendeth the crueltie more than barbarous of the Edomites who not béeing satisfied with the destruction of the Citie and nation of the Iewes did yet carefully take héed that none should escape the hands of their enimies and béeing well acquainted with the outpassages situations of the places had a manner 〈◊〉 to entrap and take vp by the way suche as were fled and eyther deliuer them euer to their enimies or else to shut them vp and make them their slaues The lyke crueltie did the Prophets Amos blame the Philistines and Tyrians for at this day no doubt al they shall to gether with them be punished that imitate their maners as for example they doe which with too too muche ignominie entreate suche as are driuen out banished men from their own countrey they also that hauing repulsed such kynde of men from their selues offer them into the hands of their enimies they agayne who in tyme of common dearth practise vsurie and all maner of legier demain so abusing the publique calamitie of the néedie to fil the gorge of their owne gréedie lustes And what shal wée say of those kinde of men that compell suche as an escaped from the tyrannie of Antichrist to returne to wicked superstitions not suffering them to enioy Christian libertie These are plain shewes of the Edomitish crueltie which the Lorde will not suffer vnreuenged who accompteth it as done to himselfe whatsoeuer is doone against those that are his according to that saying VVho so toucheth you toucheth the apple of myne eye And agayn Saule Saule vvhy persecutest thou me Looke Zacha. 2. and 12. and Act. 9. Heerevnto nowe serue those thynges whiche nowe he addeth of Plagues that should surely follow therby to declare by what meanes he himselfe will bring to passe that afterwarde they shall not be able though they would to commit any such thing agayne For the daye of the Lorde sayth he is harde at hande ouer all Heathen By this daye of the Lorde is meant the tyme of reuengement when as he reuengeth the wyckednesse of the vngodly And hereof is often mention made in the Scriptures to teach vs that mortall mennes matters are not caried at all aduentures neyther that God is ignorant of the insolent dealings of the vngodly but that he hath alreadie a time appointed wherin both in this worlde he will punishe the sinnes of euery nation and sorte of men and hereafter also in that great daye drawe out the rigoure of his iudgemēt ouer al the vngodly together At this presente the Prophet séemeth to reason as the Logitians call it ab exemplo or à comparatis as though he shoulde say God will shortly punish all the Heathen Ergo he will also punish you seeing ye liue all after one sorte Or thus Syth God hath determined to punishe all the Heathen muche more will hée punishe you whiche in impietie and iniquitie excell all other And incontinentlye he setteth out the maner of their punishment saying As thou haste done to others so shall it be done to thee thy revvarde or hyre shall be revvarded thee euen vpon thy head For as of all other the lawe of like for like is most equal so is God wont chiefly to obserue the same in reuenging the iniuries doone to his people Now what he menaceth the Edomites withall in this place it shall streightways appeare if we consider what thinges he vpbraydeth them for For he affirmeth that they shal suffer the same thinges whiche the Iewish people suffred of them not long before And that this threat mighte the better be beleued he confirmeth it with an other argumēt fet ab exēplo whereas he addeth For likevvyse as yee haue drunke vpon my holie hill so shall all Heathen drynke continually yea drinke shall they and svvalovve vp so that they shall bee as though they had neuer bene In whiche place by the word Drinke many Interpreters suppose that there is noted the immoderate reioycing and wantonnesse of the Edomites who bicause Hierusalem was takē so hopped for ioye as drunken men are woonte to doe in a riottous banket so that this may be the meaning As you wātonly leaped for ioy vpon my holie Moūt Sion when my people was led away into captiuitie so shal you your selues also cause other nations in lyke manner to reioice when as the same Babylonians shall lay wast your countrey also and swallow vp all your substaunce so that there shall scarcely remaine any print or token of your nation But bycause this sense if it shoulde be examined word by word hath many things to farre fet I am of the mind that this place might more simply and plainely be expounded if we say that there is vsed in this place a turning of task from the Edomites to the Iewes whom the Prophet in this whole Sermon is about to giue consolation vnto if also by this word drinke we say ther are signified the affliction and punishements which God will lay vpon the vngodly Heathen As though he might say Euen as you whiche are my people and vpon Sion haue obserued the rytes and ceremonies which I deliuered for other your offences haue drunke of the cuppe of mine iudignation that I reached out vnto you by the Babylonians so shall also the rest of the Heathen be constreyned to drinke of the same cuppe yea to suppe it off euen to the dregges when as I am purposed to pull them out by the rootes Thys sense
commendatioÌ„ assaiâ— euen in extreame daungers Most fonde are they therefore that laying the feare of God aside trust to suche kind of aides sith that in déede they may not defende Let vs rather learne to lay vp our hope in God who as Dauid confesseth bothe strengthneth the mindes with heroicall courage and addresseth the handes to warre and the fingers to fighte Looke Psalme 18 27. and .144 After he hath nowe taken away all trust in outward aydes he adioyneth a cause of their so great destructioÌ„ Bycause thou hast oppressed thy brother Iacob thou shalte be couered thy selfe vvith shame and perish for euermore Hee might haue rehersed many other but he rather made mencion of this as moste agréeing with the argument of this prophecie namely that the Iewes who were afflicted mighte take consolation therby vnderstanding that God woulde be the reuenger and punisher of suche Iniuries as they suffered And hée vseth such a word as amongst the Hebrewes signifieth not euery kinde of oppression but suche a one as is verie violente and ioyned with greate wrong as whereby a man is enforced to leaue his own place and goe his waye For he putteth in the name of Iacob therby to shew that this hatred is of antieÌ„t time long coÌ„tinuance which being begon a great whyle since by Esau is not yet satisfied wyth so many Iniuries as haue folowed these many hundreth yeares And that therefore it is nowe highe tyme for them to vndergoe suche Plagues as they haue deserued And these plagues he declareth shall not bée after the common sorte but hée threatneth them perpetuall confusion and bannishemente whereout they shall neuer bee restored agayne By this example let vs learne howe detestable an offence it is to oppresse oure neighbours and afflicte those whom God hathe ioyned vnto vs by a brotherlye league And truely suche is the condition of al Christians who are not brethreÌ„ in one only respect sith they haue one the selfe same father in heauen séeyng they loke for the same inheritaunce in heauen and moreouer through vnitie of faith and one Baptisme are members of the same body Loke Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 12. An horrible trespasse therfore wil it be to persecute them that are suche and for tryfling iniuries to forgette so néere a knitting together as is betwene Christ and vs Wherefore laying aparte oure owne affections let vs loue one another that Christe Iesus acknowledging vs for his owne maye in tyme to come receyue vs to be partakers of his Kyngdome To whom belongeth thankesgiuing honour glorye and dominion for euer Amen The thirde Homelie IN the daye vvhen thou stoodest ouer against euen in that day vvhen the alientes caried avvaye his substance and strangers came in at his portes and caste lottes vpon Ierusalem thou also thy selfe vvast as one of them Loke not vpon the day of thy brother vpon the day of his alienation neither reioyce ouer the children of Iuda in the day of their destruction and opeÌ„ not thy mouth vvide in the day of their tribulation Enter not vvithin the gates of my people in the daie of their destructioÌ„ beholde them not in their affliction in the daye of their destruction and stretch not thy hande to their goods in the daye of their fall And stande not in the parting of the vvayes to murther such of theÌ„ as are escaped nor take theÌ„ prisoners that remaine in the day of their truble For the day of the Lorde is hard at hand ouer all Heathen as thou hast done to others so shal it be done to thee thy reward shall bee revvarded thee euen vpon thine head For likevvise as ye haue dronke vpon my holie hill so shall all Heathen drinke continually yea drinke shall they and svvalovve vp so that they shall be as though they had neuer ben AS god being a righteous iudge is wonte to punishe none withoute weightie causes so doth hée for the moste part reueale vnto men by his worde the causes of his plagues partly that they which be punished may vnderstande that they are worthyly punished partely also that by their examples others may be taughte what they must doe if they haue a desire to kéepe themselues from partakyng of the lyke And to this ende ought the prophecie of Abdias to be referred who after he hath threatned the Edomites with the destruction of their whole nation and spoyle of all their goodes hauyng therewithall confuted the whole confidence in outward aydes incontinently declareth also the principall cause of all â—â—ese euils namely the deadlye and vnreconciliable hatred wherwithal contrarie to the commen lawes of Nature they had persecuted the Nation of the Iewes béeing their brethren from the fyrste beginning thereof till nowe a thousand an hundred and threescore yeares and laste of all when as the Babylonians besieged them were the chiefe causers of their destruction and miserie In déede the Edomites had manie things that they mighte pretende for the excuse of their fact Namely that the Iewes peryshed not by theyr meanes but thoroughe theyr owne defaulte and that them selues dyd nothyng but that they were enforced to doe of Necessitie séeyng they coulde not otherwyse prouyde for theyr owne safetie Or else they mighte alledge that those Edomites which ayded the Babilonians were not sent vnto them by any authoritie but ran oute vnto them of their owne accorde as among nations accustomed to warfare is no seldome séene thing By which reasoÌ„ also many at this daye take in hand to excuse themselues yet in the meane season greatly set by such kind of men are coÌ„tent eueÌ„ for small rewards to be patrons of their cause To all these things therfore doth God at this present make answere to the full in such sorte maketh rehersall what they haue done what punishment they haue deserued that any maÌ„ may easily gather hereby what all suche may loke for as at these dayes imitate the maners of these men First of all he confuteth their excuse manifestly proueth that it was the Edomites the oppressed the people of the Iewes In the day saith he VVheÌ„ thou stodest ouer against eueÌ„ in that daye vvheÌ„ the alients caried avvay his substance strauÌ„gers came in at his portes and caste lottes vpon Ierusalem thou also thy selfe vvast as one of them The meaning of these wordes is this What auaileth it to denie that whiche I saw with mine owne eyes for that which there may be broughte forth so many witnesses For put the case that thou wast no partie in the destructioÌ„ of the Citie temple yet what reason moued thée to stand ouer against like an idle loker on wheÌ„ it was beaten downe of the Babylonians Yea rather wheÌ„ as they violeÌ„tly entred in into the Citie why wast thou séene vnder their banners Why also when as they deuided by lotte those that were taken captiue and the residue of the pray why wast thou as one of them Neither wanteth it
it was committed Not withoute good reason therefore doe wée bewayle the wretched crueltie of thys oure age whyche so farre is set on fyre that with many it is thoughte but a playe and a pastyme to cut a mans throate For they will for moneye be hyred to runne oute a warrefaryng euen contrarye to the Lawes of the Countreye and wyll herein hunte after the greatest commendation of valyantnesse if they haue slayne the greattest number of menne of whome notwithstandyng they neuer susteyned any damage at all Howbeit very gréeuous sentence doth God pronounce against them by Moyses Deut. 27. Cursed is hee that taketh any revvarde to slea innocent bloud and all the people shall say Amen Nowe howe greate the force of Gods cursse is appeareth playnly hereby for that sodeynly almoste with all their substance they perish and become infamous as many as giue themselues to this bloudie kynde of vice Here againe note the excuse that these mariners do vse For thou O Lord hast doone euen as thy pleasure vvas Euen by this reason hope they to become innocente bycause in casting Ionas into the sea they are obedient vnto God who will haue it so done And in verie déede this reason is of verie great effect as wherby we may excuse both our sayings and doings seing it is certain by the Scriptures that the wil of God must be our rule for them all The same dothe also kéepe magistrates blamelesse when they pronounce sentence of deathe ouer murtherers adulterers incestuous persons blasphemers inchaunters false prophets and suche lyke whome God in his lawe hath commaunded eyther to be stoned or brent with fire or hanged on the galows or by some other punishement taken away For it is not in vayn that the magistrate beareth a sworde neyther ought he to be takē among the number of them that vsurpe the swoorde forasmuche as God hath giuen it vnto Magistrates to the end they may be executers of his iudgementes They may not therefore be dismayed by the peruerse opinions of suche as say It is a detestable thing that any man should be put to death for any kinde of misdemeanour do so highly aduance mercie that in the meane season they take all iustice away Salomons opinion was muche better when as he sayde The Lorde hateth as vvell him that iustifieth the vngodly as him that condemneth the innocent And as for the histories of Saule and Achab which most of all prouoked God by their preposterous pitie they are wel knowne Achab for that he had let goe Benhadad the king of Syris Saule bicause he had spared Agag the Amalechite bothe the whiche God had commaunded to be slayne Looke 1. Samu. 15. and .1 Kings 20. Nowe lette vs passe ouer to the other part of this place wherein is sette out howe manyfolde commoditie redounded to them all after they had shewed themselues obediente vnto god As touching the Mariners first the sea gaue ouer his vehemencie or rather rage if wée will leane to the true Exposition of the Hebrue worde And in this sense is danger or rage ascribed to the sea and other thinges without life for that they are also instruments of vengeance to them whiche by their sinning prouoke the wrathe of god By this example wée are admonished that it is a moste sure and readie way for the pacifying and turning away of all tumultes and daungers if such offenders be remoued from amongest vs as God beeing angrie withall doth with his iudgements pursue Thus after Achan who had committed sacrilege was slayn the children of Israell founde God mercyfull vnto them The posteritie of Saule béeing once ridde out of the waye the hunger ceased which God had sent in by reason of the Gabaonites whom Saul had afflicted In like maner Baals priestes the false prophets that liued in the tyme of Helias beeing destroyed bothe rayne and the blessing of God was restored to the lande of Israell These things ought they to haue remembred who at this daye syt in consultation for the pacifying of vprores and turning away of cōmon daungers They make theyr complaint in déed that the whole world is in disquiet and that the wrath of God dothe euery where shewe foorth it selfe but in the meane while they suffer such to iette vp and downe vnpunished as by whose detestable actes the wrath of God is alredie set on fyre Yea some there be that dare ascribe the cause of al these euils vnto the doctrine of the truth affirming that it is not possible otherwise to haue things in good staye vnlesse it be vtterly rooted out What maruel is it thē if those ships be continually in trouble and hazarde from whence good men are throwne out wicked men and such as God hateth being appointed to gouerne the sterne Moreouer not onely from ieopardie were the mariners deliuered but also wonderfully profited they in religion so that a man may see that the word of god which Ionas had sowen in their myndes broughte foorth suche encrease as Christe doth attribute therevnto in the Gospell For they who a little before being amazed with feare called vpon false and feyned Godds nowe stande in awe of Iehouah hymselfe the true God whose iuste and mightie hand they had alreadie experience of And thus obteyn they at this present the first principle or chief poynt of true wisedome which Salomon doth testifie to consist in the feare of the lord Yea they not only stand in feare of God but this feare and true religion they also professe with outward tokens of holines For they offred a sacrifice vnto the lord but what maner of one it was it is vncertaine Hierome vnderstandeth therby a sacrifice of prayse which Hoseas termed the calues of our lips Yet seemeth it that there is some other thing mente neither shall it be inconuenient if so be we shal vnderstand this place of some fyred sacrifice or if you had rather of some suche as mighte be eaten of And in that they sacrifice to the true God whiche among the Iewes was worshipped by the name of Iehoua with a long farewell renounce they their false gods Here is also mencion made of a vowe whiche in like sorte they vowed vnto god And this I suppose was no other thing but that they made faithful promise that they woulde perseuer in the seruice of this knowne God and at all seasons be thankfull vnto him Such duties as these be are they detters of that are deliuered oute of perils and haue felt the ayde of God. First they may not be proude or fierce mynded but conceyue in themselues an awe of God whose roddes they haue tasted on and the same awe not seruile but free such as beséemeth children which beeyng ioyned togyther with a loue of God may retayne them still in a careful studie to obey Then let them testifie this religion with outwarde déedes and offer those sacrifices cōtinually vnto him whiche
an Emphasis in that he sayth Thou also thy selfe As though he shoulde say It coulde be no great maruell that the Babylonians should beare deadly enmitie towarde the people of the Iewes who as they haue employed their care for the space of certaine hundreth yeares to enlarge the borders of their empire so also being stirred by the rebellion of the Iewes and conspiracie of Zedechias wherin ye likewise were partners toke that warre in hand But forasmuche as you the Edomites who in respect both of néere neyghbourhood and consanguinitie oughte to haue releeued them in their extremitie or at the least to haue vsed compassion and by some signification of a redie mynde to haue assuaged their sorow haue contrarywyse with no lesse crueltie than the other runne vpon them béeing in miserie this surely hath happened beside all expectation of man and may bee adiudged in maner of a woonder contrarie to Nature Neyther can ye make allegation that some of your countrey folks made inuasions not as sente there aboute by publique authoritie of the whole Nation but rashely of their owne priuate brayne For I know your dealings and am sure that they were honourably entertained of you that by the praie that came thereof you your selues were enriched Ye shall all therfore vndergoe one kinde of punishment c. So now by this place we are admonished that God will admit no suche kinde of excuses but that whole Nations are inwrapped in lyke guilte with suche bloudsuckers if they mainteyn their wantonnesse and allowe their bloudie endeuors And verie méete is it that they become partners in punishment which though it were but in fauoring affection were diuiders of the gain and praie Let no man then with these kinde of deuises deceiue himself For that God which searcheth the hearts the reines cannot be ignorant with what mindes we take any thing in hande and if so be at al times he doth not openly cōuince vs by his worde yet at the least with secrete enspiring of his holy Ghoste hee so teachech our consciences that we can in no wyse denie but that we are worthie of plagues To the aforesayd things the Lord now adioyneth certayn preceptes whereby hée teacheth them what to doe afterwarde In which preceptes is included a manifest kinde of taunting wherby he both vpbraydeth them for the dueties of mutuall Charitie on their partes omitted and also excuseth the rigour of his owne iudgemente that they should not thinke themselues ouer hardly dealt withall séeing they had with no lesse crueltie oppressed their owne brethren In making rehersal wherof he vseth very many words thereby to minister ocasion vnto them to thinke vppon their abhominable factes and therewithall to declare that he is ignorant of none of those things whiche we committe against the lawes of brotherly loue So thē this vpbrayding of detestable acts is with diligence to be weyghed that we may learne thereby howe greuous sentence God pronounceth ouer those things which amongst men for the most parte are thought scarce worthy of blame First saith he Looke not vppon the daie of thy brother or as some other interprete it Be not séene in the day of thy brother For both these expositions fall to one sense which is as he himselfe afterward expoundeth it that they shuld take no pleasure or delight in the calamities of their brethren the Iewes And he termeth it the day of alienation when as God in suche sorte giueth ouer those that are his to the lewde lust of the vngodly that they séeme nowe not to be hys children or of his owne houshould but altogither alients from his family He addeth also Open not thy mouth vvide in the day of their tribulation That is take no occasion by their afflictions to glorie and vaunt of thy selfe and thy superstitions And thus doth he gaily paint out the behauioure of the wicked who persecuting the godly with such an hatred as will not be reconciled and in manner commeth by inheritaunce from their forelders are wonderfully glad at their calamities and hearing that they are in affliction immediatly runne out not to helpe them with any aide but with this miserable spectacle to féede their owne cruell mindes And this they do both for that they wish them euill and also for that they thinke they haue iust cause thereby to glory in their owne superstitions For then are heard such manner of spéeches as wherby they are accustomed to giue open testimonie of their hatred and to shew forth weightie and iust causes thereof if the Goddes be so content and arrogantly also to commend their own innocencie yea they then giue it out that God is a witnesse and reuenger of their wrongs as though he in correcting his children were wont in maner of an executioner to satisfie and gratifie the rancours of the vngodly And this is a detestable abhomination which Ieremy also and Daniell found faulte withall in the Babylonians with the which it is very cōuenient that christian men haue no acquaintance And truly it apperteyneth nothing to the vngodly to iudge of religion as they are wont by the successe sith they are destitute of the word of God which he himselfe hath appointed to be the rule whereby hée will be worshipped Againe the lawe of charitie enioyneth vs to wéepe with thē that wéepe and to be sory with them that are sory Rom. 12. Whiche thing who so refuse to do most commonly they are cōstrayned to be waile their owne calamities and euen at that time also offer thēselues as a pleasaunt spectacle for theyr enimies to beholde Secondly Enter not vvithin the gates of my people in the day of their destruction He speaketh this of theyr enuious comming or rather rushing in and forbiddeth them to vse any suche adoe afterwarde Whereas also this is full of consolation that he vouchsafeth to call them by the name of hys people whome for theyr offences he so punished as they mighte séeme alientes from hym And so by thys so honorable a title he confuteth the malicious detractions of the vngodly who for that they sawe the Iewes caried away captiue condemned the faythe and religion comprehended in theyr lawe And straightway hée repeateth it that before he has spoken of the wicked mens reioycing that they toke by the affliction of his people Beholde them not in their affliction in the day of their destruction Neyther is thys repetition in vayne seing it is a matter of very great difficultie so to bridle in the affections of the fleshe that wée hunte not after some delectation in the calamities of our enimies But chiefly appertayneth to thys second part that which followeth And stretch not thy hand to his goodes in the day of his fall For in these words he expresseth the principall cause that moued the Edomites like enimies to make inuasions into the Citie namely for that they being men acquainted with warre and raueny were set on fire with gréedinesse of the pray
agréeth with many other places of the Scripture And that the metaphor of the cuppe and of drinking is vnderstoode after this sorte it is more manifest than that it néedes demonstration with many wordes séeing we are assured that Christe also in the Gospell often vsed the same And in the selfe same cause the like wordes are vsed by other Prophetes whome Abdias no doubte was a follower of as is euidente by the whole course of hys Sermon Certainely in Esay 51. Chapter the Lord cryeth out Avvake avvake stande vp Hierusalem thou that from the Lords hande hast drunken the cup of his indignation vvhich hast drunken and supped of the slumbring cup dregs and all c. And in Hiereme it is written Babylon vvas a Golden cup in the hande of the Lorde making drunken the vvhole earth c. And in another place namely in the 25. Chap. the Prophet is commanded to reache out this cuppe vnto all nations wheras amongst other words the Lords sayeth thus If so be they refuse to take this cup of thy hande to drinke thereof tel them Thus sayth the Lord of hostes Yee shall not fayle but drinke thereof For beholde I begin to plague the citie that is called after my name and shoulde you escape altogether vnpunished Hereto therefore had Abdias also respecte in saying these wordes namely that the Iewes should take no offence at the wanton felicitie of the Edomites ▪ sith that within short space they should suffer the gréeuouser punishment Now from hence may be fet a generall doctrine and verie necessarie to bée marked namely that the afflictions of Goddes church are shewetokens of suche Plagues as the wicked world must néedes be ouerwhelmed withal For iudgemēt beginneth at the house of God as not long since vpon the Prophete Amos hathe bene admonished And continually ought that saying of Christe to be before our eyes If this be done on the grene tree vvhat shal become of the drye And surely greate difference is there betwéene the Iudgementes of God ouer the godly and the vngodly For the godly drinke the cuppe of affliction from the Lordes hande but béeing drunken therewith God rayseth them vp againe as before vpon Esaye wée haue declared least they should vtterly perishe Contrarywise the vngodly for that they acknowledge not the iudgementes of God but become worse and worse thereby are vtterly lost both in bodie and soule Lette vs then bée myndefull of these things and paciently abyde what soeuer he layeth vppon vs and vse the same to the amendement of oure lyues that in tyme to come wée may in Heauen drink of that abundaunt cuppe of Eternall felicitie whiche Christe Iesus oure Lorde hath promysed to them that remaine with him To whome belongeth Thankesgiuing honour glorie and dominion for euer Amen The fourth Homelie BVt vpon the mount Sion shal be a safegard and it shal be holie and the house of Iacob shal again enioye her old possessions And the house of Iacob shall be a fire and the house of Ioseph a flame the house of Esau shal be the stravve vvhich they shall kindle and cōsume so that there shall be nothing left of the house of Esau for the Lord himself hath said it And they shal possesse the South namely the mount of Esau the plain coūtrey of the Philistines They shal also possesse the fieldes of Ephraim and the fielde of Samaria and Beniamin shal possesse Gilead And the armie of the children of Israel that shal returne shal haue all that belongeth to the Chananites euen vnto Zarphat and Hierusalem that shall retourne shall possesse vvhat soeuer is in Sepharad euen the cities of the South And there shall goe vp sauiours vnto the mounte Sion to Iudge the mounte of Esau and the kingdome shall be the Lordes HItherto Abdias in the firste part of his Sermon hath threatned to the Edomites the horrible iudgement of God thereby to salue that offence which was obiected to Captiues in Babylon when the Babylonians sawe them caste out of their natiue countrey and many wayes subiect to miserie the posteritie of Esau contrarywise flourishing in prosperous estate and ouer insolently bragging against the people of god But bicause men are not alwayes in the better case althoughe their enimies bée putte to due punishemente for theyr vniuste dealing and crueltie therfore ensueth nowe the other parte wherin hée promyseth that the Iewes shal be restored agayne therby to let them vnderstande that GOD will not onely reuenge the Iniuries doone vnto them but that he will also be mindefull of hys promises and set vp agayne that kingdome amongst them whch he so ofte had promised to theyr fathers And from hence we also are to fet consolation that God is not in manner of a furious man caried with a blinde rage against his ennimies but that the reuenge whiche he taketh vppon them is ioyned also wyth their deliuerance to succéede But before we take in hande the wordes of Abdias that which lately was spoken in the conclusion of Amos his prophecie must here also be marked namely that those things which the Prophets speake of the restoring againe of Israell haue their full perfection none otherwise but in Christ who alone hath reedified that eternal and blessed kingdome of God amōgst mē Wherfore with the historicall sense wée must also ioyn togither the mysteries of Christ and his Churche and forth with shall we perceiue that al stay of saluation is comprehended in the same Firste of all by a generall promise hée teacheth that they all shall haue peace in Gods Church as many as holde themselues within the lappe thereof In the mount Sion shal be saith he a safegard and it shall be holy c. He séemeth to set these words against all the other that he had spoken before of the cruel layings in waite of the Edomites and euen of all the ennemies of the Churche as if thys were the sense Although now ye are caried away into Babylon and there susteine all kind of miseries againe althogh the Edomites busie themselues aboute intercepting of suche as do yet remaine and hauing intercepted them either send them ouer to the Babylonians or else by force take them away to become theyr slaues yet shall they neuer bring it to passe but that vpon mount Sion God wil set vp his Church which may be a sanctuarie of safetie for al that flye therevnto and that the same mount may remayne consecrate vnto my honoure in such sort that I will not suffer it to be continually prophaned of the Gentiles And hereout shall it come to passe that the house of Iacob shal againe enioy hir old possessions that is to witte The land which of olde tyme I promysed vnto Abraham or as others interprete it they shall possesse suche as at this present haue the rule ouer them And this thing in the wordes that folowe by a more plentyfull reckoning vp of the partes hee will expresse These thinges
whiche they had alreadie susteyned and also moued them theyr owne daunger whiche presentlye they were in béeing little estéemed to employ their care about the preseruation of an other Many at this day are of the opinion that they may lawfully eyther reuenge euen with moste extremitie suche iniuries as they haue susteined or béeing placed in any ieopardie carelesly neglect all others yea or to prouide for themselues though it were with the smarte of other men Howebeit it was God that so turned the myndes of these men and planted in them a reuerende feare of his seruaunt as of the same thing there are set forth in the Scriptures examples not a fewe For the same God made Ioseph in fauour with the keeper of the prison and so aduaunced him also afterwarde in the sight of Pharao that he was content to commit vnto him the charge of his whole realme And it was God that made Dauid in fauour with the Philistians and Daniel with Nabuchodonosor and Darius and Paule the Apostle with the captaines and souldiours that they founde them fauourable and gentle Yea it is Gods doing that at this day of a sodaine they become our frendes whom before we knewe not somuch as by name To this ende ought these examples to be considered that wée maye not take it gréeuously to followe suche vocation as God calleth vs vnto who as wée heare hath the heartes of men in his hand and bendeth them according to his owne plesure Neyther shall they bée able to alledge any excuse who for feare of men striue against God whose force is sufficient for the defence of his euerywhere and agaynste whomesoeuer Moreouer they muste imitate these Maryners as many as haue taken any into theyr tuition least they eyther vnaduisedly be wraye them or béeyng prouoked by some lyght iniurie shewe them selues in deadlye displeasure agaynste them For it is a double wrong to forsake or whyche is more lyke enimies to sette oure selues agaynst hym who warranteth hymselfe to fynde a salfe hauen and Sanctuarie among vs whome also eyther by reason of some Couenaunte made or else by common ryght of hospitalitie we were bounde to defende c. Now when these Mariners perceiue all theyr endeuours bestowed in vaine and that euen by the myghtie hande of GOD they are enforced to hurle Ionas into the Sea they tourne themselues to moste feruente prayer crauing that no offence maye bee taken wyth theyr dooings O Lorde vvee beseeche thee lette vs not perishe for this mans deathe neyther laye thou innocente bloud to our charge That is Impute not vnto vs the crime of sheading innocent bloud The reason is For thou O Lorde haste done euen as thy pleasure vvas This is thy dooing thou haste decréed that thus it shoulde bée whose determination wée must of necessitie obey And hauing thus spoken They cast him into the sea This truely deserueth greately to be considered that it séemeth so heynous a matter euen to barbarous menne and suche as had bene brought vp in heathenisme to slea him whose death they vnderstoode euen by the iuste iudgement of GOD to be soughte for It was no doubte graffed in them by the lawes of Nature whereby menne are taughte to abhorre from bloudshead and manquelling And if wée tourne ouer the histories it will manyfestly appeare that the abhomination of manquelling hath ben iudged a moste horrible thing among all nations as whyche coulde no otherwyse bée purged but wyth newe and straunge satisfactions This is euidēt by Pausanias in the historie of Theseus who bicause he had killed Pallas sonnes made a viage to Peloponesus for his purgation and as wée reade in Herodotus Adrastus departed to king Cresus vpon the lyke occasion Héervnto also deserueth the same to be referred which Luke in the 28. of the Acts mencioneth of the men of Miletum who when they saw the hand of Paule whiche had but lately escaped shipwracke sodeinly assayled with a viper incontinently they iudged him to be a murtherer whome thoughe he had escaped the sea yet the vengeance of God pursued and woulde no longer suffer to lyue And surely if wée will déepely weigh the matter it selfe it shall soone be séene that God did not without greate skill imprinte this sense of Nature in men so greatly to detest murthers For firste of all by Murther men offend against the verie lawes of Nature whiche as by a common bond of necessitie it hath bound vs to the mutuall ayding one of an other so hath it also created vs naked withoute weapon lest we should once thinke that we haue reuengement in our owne handes Secondly he sinneth against the misteries of christian Religion that slayeth his neyghbour with whom he is a member of the same bodie vnder Christe the head whose mynde is to haue vs ioyned together in the vnitie of spirite and by this means do manquellers exclude them selues from the felowshippe of the congregation Besydes that this mischiefe redoundeth euen to God who framed mā after his owne likenesse and therefore will not suffer it to be violated withoute punishment In the meane season I say nothing howe that when murthers are in force neyther common peace neither priuate safetie of men can haue any sure grounde Not without good cause was it therfore that euen from the verie beginning of Gods creatures God appointed lawes wherein he forbad bloudsheading and murthers with wonderful seueritie For streightwaye after the floud when the worlde was newly growing againe he prescribed a lawe with these wordes Hee that sheadeth mannes bloud shall haue his bloud shead by man agayne For God made man after his ovvne likenesse And in the lawe it is written Ye shal take none amends for the lyfe of the murtherer but he shall in any vvise be put to death Also ye shall take none attonement for hym that is fledde to a free citie that he shoulde come agayne and dvvell in the lande before the death of the highe Prieste And see ye defyle not the lande vvhich ye are in for bloud defyleth the lande And the lande can none othervvise be clensed of the bloud that is shead therin but by the bloud of him that shead it Adde heere vnto the woordes whyche Chryste vseth in the Gospell All that take the svvorde shall perishe vvith the svvoorde Math. 26. And those also He that killeth vvith the svvorde muste himselfe be killed vvith the svvorde c. Apoc. 13. And least God shoulde omitte any thing in this matter he appoynted cities of refuge whether they might flée whiche had done a murther but not of set purpose least otherwyse vnder a coloure of reuengemente they myght be slayne themselues by his kinsefolkes that was alreadie killed And as for that murther that was happened the authour whereof was not knowne he also ordeyned a kinde of pacifying of God whiche must haue bene doone openly and solemnely leaste the guiltynesse thereof shoulde be imputed to that citie within the boundes whereof
he euermore requireth at their handes namely Prayers themselues also whiche Paule called a quicke sacrifice and a reasonable seruing of God together with bountifulnesse towardes all but chiefly the poore whome God hathe made his substitutes that we shoulde bestow vpon them such things as we wold vpon himself if he were now conuersant vpō the earth corporally as in times past he was And bicause new vowes are not needful of them who alreadie owe al that they haue vnto God to whome also in Baptism they haue wholly bound them selues herein let them shewe all careful endeuour that the same which ther they vowed they may faythfully perfourme and without any intermission shew them selues thankful vnto God their redéemer And this is the very same that we heare Dauid in his psalmes many times make promise of So that neither this nor any like places can in any wise maintein the vowes of the Papists and monks which superstitious men without the warrant of Gods word and hauing not first tried their own habilitie dare take vpon them and that not withoute confidence to merite therby which presūption alone with the leauen therof being very pharisaical maketh all the other worship vnacceptable to god But of the mariners lette this suffise that we haue alredie spoken Let vs now looke vpon Ionas whiche himselfe also is allotted an happie end of so greate a daunger For he who a little before coulde not be safe in the ship but that both wind and water thirsted for his punishment is now in the midst of the sea betwene billowes stormes kepte safe sounde and being restored to his office he who earwhile deserued not so muche as the name of a Prophet becōmeth also a figure of Christ our Sauior For mētion is here made the god prepared a great fish which might restore to lād in good safetie this Prophet after he had ben first with gaping mouth receiued into the fish and then put ouer into the bellye and lastly inclosed there thrée whole dayes long Wonderfull great was this miracle the lyke whereof is scarsly to be founde whether ye consider the Fishe that was so obediente to God or Ionas who notwithstanding the fierce rankes of téethe standing in maner of a sawe the feareful passage through the iawes and the throte that stonke by reason of clammie filthynesse sniuell was yet able to go downe vnhurte into the bealy and liue there for the space of thrée dayes hauing neyther any meate to be susteyned with nor yet enioying the common vse of the light and the ayre without the whiche it is vnpossible for man to kéepe life Whervnto is this also to be added that God for so long tyme restrayned the power digestiue of the stomack least it shuld consume Ionas who was sent downe thither Howbeit let vs leaue off these things for this present and search after the misteries of the holie ghoste and the vse of this hystorie that there may redounde the greater cōmoditie vnto vs therof And here fyrste of all we are admonished by this example how many mischeues are to fall on them that refuse obedience vnto god As for Ionas that he might be placed among the number of such we haue heard before And what thing more terrible coulde haue happened vnto him if all the tirantes of the worlde shoulde haue conspired together to robbe him of his lyfe He was tossed with a tempest whiche beyng occasion of such terrour to the mariners no doubt it made Ionas in maner beside himselfe for feare Afterwarde he heareth the mariners taking counsaile about lots wherby they might searche out him who was the causer of this so great tempest that was raysed Howe fared he in mynde think you certainly knowing that he alone was sought for And shal we not say that he was much terrified by means of those lots as giltie persons are wont to be whē they see the executioners hatchet readie to parte their head from their shoulders Beeing found out he confesseth his horrible fact and accuseth himselfe as one that auoyded his comming to Niniue chiefly in this respect bicause he wold haue his authoritie nothing diminished At length he is cast into the sea among the midde billows whose force he was not able before to abyde no not in the ship What other thing was this than as if he had ben cast into a graue quick and immediatly smoothered with earth After al this yet doth not the iudgement of God who pursueth him stay there but straightwaye he méeteth with an huge Fish which with the wide gaping that it maketh and hauing ranks of teeth so terrible receyueth him and swaloweth him vp whiche one thing alone to a man of the greatest courage in the worlde woulde not onely haue striken him in feare but also haue made his mynde wholly amazed yea rather full of despaire Moreouer in this so huge a gulfe continueth he thrée days space and all this while is he washed with the waters of the billowes that are swalowed vp sometime he is plunged downe into the lowe bottomlesse places sometyme fléeteth he alofte one whyle he is tossed to this syde an other whyle to that and in that vaste goulfe euery moment séeth he a thousand deathes before his eyes What tentations I beséeche you shall wée thinke hee was tormented withall perfectly knowing that all this adoe happened vnto him thorough Gods displeasure Surely these thinges are so outragious to be borne that ten deathes were easier than the abyding of all these togither And like plighte are all they in who to eschue lighter perils and suche as their owne braynes doe fansie set themselues against god Examples are euery where to be founde but moste amongest suche as when persecutions assault denie Christ leaste they shoulde put bothe goodes and lyfe in hazarde For oftentymes it commeth to passe that they wander vp and downe infamous and without renoume they can take no pleasure of their riches and besides that they féele horrible stinges of conscience whereby they are brought euen to vtter despaire It was not for naughte therefore that the Apostle sayd It is an horrible thyng to fall into the handes of the liuing god Hebr. 10. In the consyderyng hereof this is the frute that we must gather euen to learne obedience vnto God who beste knoweth bothe to tourne all daungers awaye and those that walke after his calling to preserue them yea though it were in the myddest of a thousande perilles Consequently here cōmeth the power of God to be marked wherby he is able to keepe in safegarde those that are his euen in the thickest of suche ieopardies where as there seemeth no hope of deliuerance to remayne For that whyche at this present hapned is such a matter as can in no wyse bee credited among prophane men which measure all things by carnall reason Howbeit this remedieth all doubt that might be made seing that it is sayde howe GOD prepared this Fish and so
and so study to come in fauoure with him againe Wherefore whatsoeuer suche things shall happen they must dilligently be marked least while we neglecte them we also suffer losse of oure owne saluacion Moreouer we are admonished that at Gods becke all things come and go For as in the beginning he created of nothing the whole frame of this worlde and afterwarde cladde the earthe with all kinde of plantes and cornes and also by the power of hys worde broughte foorthe things hauing life some liuing on the earthe some on the water and some other flying in the aire and all for mans vse So dothe he alone dayly by his diuine power create and preserue all thinges that serue to the susteining of mans life This thing are we taughte by manye places of the Scripture amongst whiche those are chiefly worthy of remembraÌ„ce which are conteined in the Psalmes Thou O God saithe Dauid sendest the springs vvhiche become riuers that they may runne among the hilles All beastes of the fielde drinke thereof and the vvilde asses quenche their thirst Beside them shall the foules of the aire haue their habitacioÌ„ and sing among the branches He vvatereth the hilles from aboue the earthe is filled vvith the fruite of thy vvorks He bringeth foorth grasse for the cattell and greene herbe for the seruice of men That he may bring foode out of the earthe and vvine that maketh glad the hearte of man and oile to make him a cheerefull countenance and bread to strength mans harte Psalm 145. Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of all liuing creatures And againe in the 147. VVhich couereth the heauen vvith clouds and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grovve vppon the mountaines VVhich geueth fodder vnto the cattell and feedeth the yong rauens vvhen they call VVhiche geueth snovv like vvool and scattreth the hoare frost like ashes c. But as he alone liberally geueth all these things that without any laboure so is he able also sodeinly to take theÌ„ away and to leaue vs destitute of al things necessary if so be that either our sinnes deserue it or it be nedeful for vs that way to be instructed For the same which here chaunced to Ionas namely to haue his wylde vine than the which at this instant he estemed nothing déerer taken away from him by the gnawing of one little worme wée also haue often in experience séeing that one frost or hayle falling within the space of one houre is of force inough to take vp the increase of an whole yeare one lightning comming down from heauen or burning rising of some other causes despoyleth vs of all our substance at once yea we our selues in a maner not knowing how our great wealth and abuÌ„dance melteth away euen within our handes Neither hathe God the ordering of these thinges alone but also he stretcheth out his hand as farre as to oure bodies and by hym commeth it to passe that eyther to muche heate or vnmeasurable colde or corrupt humours bréed diseases in vs wherwithall we are brought so lowe as that we sée euen death before our eyes He himselfe beareth witnesse hereof whereas Exod. 15. he sayth If thou shalt keepe all myne ordinances I vvill put none of these diseases vpon thee vvhich I brought vpon the Aegyptians Again Leuit. 26. I wil visite you vvith terrour svvelling and burning feuers that shal make your eyes dasell and your hearts to pine away And in an other place The Lord shal strike thee in the knees and in the thighes vvith a mischeuous botche vvhiche can not bee healed from the soale of thy foote vnto the croune of thy head c. And in this respect are sicknesses in the scriptures called by the name of scourges euen for that they are not layde vpon vs at all aduentures but by the singular determination of God whose custome is with them to threshe out the wantonnesse of our fleshe that he may the easilier hold vs in doing of our dutie Very profitable is it for vs diligently to be conuersant about the consideration of these things that we maye vnderstaÌ„d how that both prosperitie and aduersitie are sent vnto vs from God as well the one as the other For so shall it come to passe that neither we shal abuse the comfortable gifts of god nor yet murmure in féeling of our plagues which we are assured to be layde vpon vs by the iuste iudgement of God. Howbeit let vs passe ouer to Ionas sée what maner of man he shewed himselfe First as soon as the wild vine was sproÌ„g vp he is glad that not after a competent sort but so that he is almost beside himself for ioy For that dothe the Hebrue phrase importe which maketh mention that he reioyced with great ioye But as sone as he perceiueth it to be withered away and that he himself is tormented with the intollerable broyling of the sunne agayne he sorroweth and retourning to his former complaintes wisheth to die Neither stayeth he there but béeing demaunded of God moste stoutely defendeth he that his rebellyon and cryeth oute that hée hathe bothe iuste and vâ—â—yghtye causes why hée shoulde bée offended I doe vvell sayeth thée beeyng very angry in my selfe euen vnto the deathe that is to say The causes of my wrath are so weightie that I am not withoute good skill wearie of this my lyfe and oughte to preferre death before it By which example we ar taught how greate the force of affections is sith that they are so muche able to preuayle euen in holy men and worshippers of God as that they are not afrayde openly to sette themselues against God and do many other things vnsemely For who will not accompt it a verie chyldish thing that so great a Prophet is so ioyfull of a shrubbe as that he doth not once thinke for what vse God made it And his dooing is not only childish but also foolish for that when he sawe it withered awaye he is as sore disquieted as though there were none other shrubbe left thoroughout the whole worlde or that the lyke chaunce neuer hapned before Now where as he is angrie for such a things sake as hath no life he deserueth the name of a mad man but where as he quarelleth with God his doing is ioyned with manyfeste impietie The selfe same things are at this day also put in practise very commonly For if ther happen any thing vnto vs according to our owne desire streightway we giue our selues to such an excessiue reioycing as that we neither acknowledge God to be the bountifull giuer of this good thing nor yet ponder in our mindes what vse wée ought to take therof But if it so fal out that God plucketh awaye the same from vs againe forthwith we are in such sorte swalowed vp with sorow and heuinesse that we run headlong into desperation as though in the whole world there could no way be deuised wherby to releue
that the historie testifieth their repentance was effectuall and also for that Christe propoundeth this example for vs to followe shewing moreouer that the Niniuites shall in time to come be their iudges as many as beléeue not the preaching of the gospell But chiefly the due considering thereof apperteyneth vnto magistrates and thē that haue the ouersight of whole congregations who here are taughte that it is their dueties also to traine vp men to publique repentaunce if they be desirous to prouide for the safetie of such as are committed to their charge Which that it may the better appeare we will viewe euery portion of this historie as it falleth in order The Prophet beginneth this declaration with a newe calling whereby GOD restored him to his function agayne Whereas also there shyneth foorthe a singuler example of the goodnesse of God. For seeing that Ionas was become disobediēt to the cōmandemēt of God had willingly giuē ouer his vocatiō he deserued now to be vtterly neglected of god or at the least to be iudged vnworthy of the office of preaching any lōger hauīg by his rebellion brought God in no small infamie Which thing euē Ionas himselfe as I suppose did well perceiue for being nowe set on land againe he yet attempteth nothing after his owne pleasure or priuate iudgemente Neuerthelesse God doth here call him the seconde time and so receiueth him being penitent into fauoure againe that he casteth him in the téeth with none of those thinges whiche not long before he had committed The like exāple doth the euangelicall historie set foorth vnto vs by Peter the Apostle who although by his denying of Christe he had cut off himselfe from the dignitie Apostolicall yet is restored to his office againe when as with earnest repentāce he returned vnto him These things serue to our consolation as ofte as our consciēces are tempted for they certifie vs that Gods promise shall alwaies remaine true and ratified which by Ezechiell he hath published saying I vvill not the death of a sinner but that he tourne and liue And againe If the vngodly tourne from hys sinnes I vvill put all his vvickednesse out of my remembrance All hys sinnes that he did before shall not be thought vpon And in Esay the .43 chap. I euen I am he only that for mine ovvne selfes sake do avvay thine offences so that I vvill neuer thinke vpon them Moreouer these kind of examples admonish vs of oure duetie namely that we in like sorte pardon the weakenesse of our brethrē if at any time after their fall they arise vp againe and neuer desire with oure seueritie and rigoure to excéede euen God himselfe But first of all it is mete that we diligently marke this commaundemente of God whiche in all pointes is the same with it that wēt before wherby we may sée that men with all their endeuoures can nothing preuaile againste God but that of necessitie it muste be broughte to passe whiche he hath once decréed to bée done Arise saith he and get thee to Niniue into that great citie c. Agayne he maketh mention of greatnesse to shewe that he ought not to be afraide by consideration thereof but rather to arme himselfe to constancie lest he shoulde committe any thing vnseemely for his office And here mighte some man meruaile why God doth so enforce Ionas to preach vnto the Niniuites seeing he might haue wroughte their conuersion eyther by some other prophet or else by other infinite meanes best knowne to him selfe Howbeit in so doing he commendeth vnto vs the ministerie of his word whereby as by an ordinarie meane he is wont to conuert men We know in déede that the Gentiles were often admonished by wonderous and straunge tokens but amongst his people God would haue the preaching of his word to sound foorth and bicause in the Niniuites he wold display a singuler shewe of his frée beneuolence for all men to beholde wherein also was shadowed the calling of the Gētils therefore did he also sende a Prophete vnto them by whome they mighte be instructed And notwithstanding the promise be peculiarly made to the faithfull of the newe testamente that they shall all be taught of God who will write his lawes in their harts yet doth he not perfourme the fame without preaching which both Christe him selfe began and by whose spirite the Apostles also were guided to publishe by preaching the Gospell thorough out all the worlde Hereto serueth the example of Cornelius whome God admonished by an Angell to send for Peter and by him to heare words of saluation Farewell then all phantasticall heads that dreame of a certaine vnwritten word and gase after newe reuelations For while they contemne Gods ordinarie meanes they do nothing else but proffer themselues to be mocked of the deuill Here is also to be marked that God telleth Ionas in flatte wordes what he must preach among the Niniuites Crye out saith he the preaching vvhich I bid thee Yet was Ionas authoritie very great For he had before the time vsed the office of preaching in the lād of Israel God had cōfirmed his doctrin by most noble victories in the time of Ieroboās reigne He had also declared his fauoure towardes him by a late miracle All this notwithstanding God leaueth him not at his owne libertie to speake what he thinketh good but bindeth him to a determinate commandemente The same order was taken also with other Prophets and afterwarde euen with the Apostles as otherwhere hath bene saide Great then is their presumption who dare rashly thrust in eyther their owne or other mens traditiōs into the Church but greater is their impudencie who being stirred by no reuelation of the holy Ghost but caried away by a blinde carnall affection take vpon them to denounce vnto cities cruell and horrible destructions prescribing also a time for the same as of this sort we haue séene Anabaptists in our age who were not ashamed to abuse these words of Ionas thereby to strike the more terroure into the heads of the simple people But let vs now loke vpon Ionas who immediately obeyeth the commaundemente of god For it followeth So Ionas arose and vvente to Niniue according to the vvorde of the Lorde This declaration is but shorte yet suche a one as sufficiently teacheth how much he had profited in his wrestlyng vnder the Crosse whereby God had chastened him before For hée who not long since had asked coūsel of flesh was terrified by the resons therof had made himself yare to flée as he was fléeing slept in securitie now hauing hearde the commaundement of God moueth no disputations about the matter shaketh of al feare thinketh neuer a whit of fléeing neither yet carelesly settleth himself to rest and ease but streightwaye ariseth taketh his iourney in hand and ordereth all his dooings according to the prescripte of Gods appointment Which very thing the holie Ghost doth meane when as not without an
expresse signification he sayeth That he went to Niniue according to the word of the Lorde So that Ionas mighte haue sayde with Dauid It is good for mee O God that thou haste brought me lovve But that his obedience mighte appeare the more excellente here is interlaced a description of the Citie of Niniue with hese wordes Niniue vvas a greate citie vnto God namely of three days iourney Reporte is made of it that it was greate to God whiche some writers suppose to be the Hebrue phrase as those others be wherein the Ceders of God the mountaines of God are taken for greate and piked Ceders and mountains And of set purpose doth the holie Ghoste vse suche maner of speakings to giue vs instruction that it muste be ascribed to God alone whatsoeuer in this world is excelling or surmounting the residue But bicause this addition great is here set to with this parcell or letter Lamed which oftentimes is a signe of the datiue case I consente rather vnto their iudgemente whiche interprete that Niniue was great not onely by the estimation of men but also by the estimation of god And surely it must néedes be great vnto God séeing that therin he had appointed the chief seate of the monarchie which in no place else endured so many ages seing also that therin he thought good to shewforth a singular proof both of repentance also of his owne goodnesse As touching that whiche is reported of thrée dayes iorney or circuite it accordeth with the prophane writers which tel that it was in mesure foure hundreth furlongs which make vp the summe of fiftie myles We haue here to behold the noble corage of Ionas who when as before tyme he had felte Gods iust mighty hand yet now without any gaynsaying he sheweth himself obediēt Let vs imitate this Prophete and by no kinde of impediment be pulled backe from performing that duetie wherby we are bounde vnto god Ionas entreth into that citie whiche had conquered so many Nations and was ladie ouer the whole East and hauing walked therinto a days iourney peraduenture standyng in the middest therof he cryeth out There are yet fortie dayes and then shal Niniue be ouerthrovven And héere thou mayste not thinke that lyke a madde or braynsicke fellowe with confused and fonde clamoures hée thundered oute these only wordes but as in describing of the sermons of Iohn the Baptist and Christe the Euangelists do only note the sumni◠of that whiche with many wordes they dilated so doth Ionas here touch the chief and principall point of his owne sermon in expressing wherof he hath vsed a very exact declaration of all the circumstances And as much as may be gathered by the order of the historie firste of all he fette forth his owne vocation that the Niniuites might vnderstand how he was sente vnto them from God then afterwarde accused he their sinnes and shewed them that they had deserued within forty days vtterly to perishe with their Citie and nation We haue here in this place to obserue howe great the outragiousnesse of sinnes and wickednesse is in Gods sight For seing that there is nothing derer vnto God than man whom of his frée grace he created at the beginning and béeing lost redéemed him afterward again by the bloud of his sonne horrible of necessitie muste that guilte be whereby hée is moued to turne vpsetdowne whole nations together Nowe that this guilt is none other than our sinnes wherwith naturally we are delited and of many men are scarsly thought blame worthie it is more manifest than that it néede with many words to be declared And as touchyng the Niniuites that they deserued this terrible sentence only in respect of their sinnes euen God hymselfe testifyed in the beginnyng of thys booke when as he willed Ionas therefore to crie out against them bicause their cōsent in wickednesse was come vp into his sight So then hereout lette vs learne to iudge of the maners of this our age At this day reigne the selfe same wickednesses which as before was sayde in the first Homelie reigned among the Niniuites But so much the worser plighte are wée in for that in them wée are become so obdurate as that we can not abide to haue oure selues called into the right path againe neyther by gentle admonitions nor by sharpe threatenings yea I may say truly neither by manifest tokens of God now béeing angrie nor yet by his plagues that he layeth vpon vs. And suche is the peruersnesse of a greate sorte that they dare blame of too muche rigour and crueltie the preachers of gods worde if at any tyme they take in hand somwhat seuerely to rebuke vices Howbeit I am greatly afrayd least a greate sorte of vs beeing more soft than is méete sowe pillowes for so the Prophet termeth it vnder the armes bothe of our selues and also of those that are committed to our charge which in tyme to come wil be the cause of a common destruction vnto all For were it our pleasure to confesse a truthe wée can not denie but that this our age craueth bothe for Ionasses Iohns whiche mighte as it were poynte out with the finger the destruction nowe néere at hād the axe alreadie put vnto the roote of the trées for vs that can not repent lest God require the bloud of as manye as perishe at oure owne handes Looke Ezech. 3. and .33 But to retourne againe to our Ionas his preaching was not without efficacie For the people of Niniue beleued God and proclaymed a fastyng and arayed themselues in sackcloath as wel the great as the small of them In a fewe wordes he comprehendeth that notable chaunge of this so great a citie which in the wordes following he will declare set foorth more to the full Fyrst he sayth They beleeued God. Yet was it Ionas that preached vnto them who as we are assured was but a man Howebeit they beléeue God and not men as many as with faith embrace the worde that is preached by men For that word of Christe is well inough knowne wheras he sayth He that heareth you heareth me And the Apostle cōmendeth the Thessalonians in this respect that they receiued his doctrine not as the worde of man but as the worde of god And bycause the Niniuites beléeued Ionas when he preached the worde of God therefore not without good reason is it sayd that they beleued GOD himselfe And this truely is the beginning of true Repentaunce and saluation For as many as beleeue God they both acknowledge theyr syns to be such as they are estemed in gods iudgement and also from them they conuerte vnto God as whom they perceiue to be full of clemencie mercie And certainly of this vncurable conspiryng in wyckednesse whiche reigneth now adayes and wherby all men runne into ruine there is no other cause to be alledged than this that there are verie fewe whyche giue vnto the worde of GOD that credite that of