their chiefe maister The same thing sée we in Ionas Euen whē as the Maister of the shyppe first rebuked his drowsie sléepe when he sayd at the least thou yet call vpon thy God what meanest thou O thou sléepie heade thou lyest here lyke a blocke and in the meane tyme séest vs to be plunged in extreame daunger When as therfore the Shypmaister so sharplie thus first inueyghed against Ionas and then againe all the other Shypmen with one voyce beganne to bayte him certainely we perceyue that he is made subiect to the censures of all men because he woulde take away from God his emperie or gouernment If therefore at any tyme the lyke happen vnto vs that the Lorde maketh vs subiect to the reprochfull tauntes of men when as we woulde priuilie escape or auoyde his iudgement let vs not maruayle But euen as Ionas here gentlie aunswereth and neyther murmureth nor resisteth so also at the length with the true spirite of méekenesse let euerie of vs acknowledge our sinnes when they be reproued yea euen although chyldren be our Iudges or if any of the most base or contemptible ryseth against vs let vs suffer it patientlie and let vs know this kinde of Controwlers happeneth vnto vs by the prouidence of god Nowe it followeth Vers 11 The text ¶ And they sayd vnto him what shal we do vnto thee that the Sea maye depart from vs For the Sea went that is was troubled and was tempestuous Vers 12 And he sayde vnto them Take me and cast me forth into the Sea and the Sea shall depart from you for I knowe that for my sake this great tempest happened vpon you that is is come vpon you Caluin THat the Mariners take counsayle of Ionas thereby it appeareth they were touched with a certaine reuerēce of him so that they durst not touch him We sée therefore howe greatly almost in one moment they profited when they spare a man being an Israelite because in that people they acknowledge the true God the chiefe king of heauen and earth to be worshipped For without all doubt feare was the onelie let that immediatlie they cast not Ionas into the sea For when it was certayne that for his offence God was angrye with them all why deliuer they not themselues of that great offence That therefore they staye in so great daunger and straight way durste not snatche vp Ionas therby is it euident truly that they were withhoulden with the reuerence of God whereof I spake Therefore demaunde they what was necessary to be done What therefore shall we doo vnto thee that the sea may depart from vs for the sea went sayth he By the verbe of going Ionas vnderstandeth that the sea was vnquyet For when the sea is calme it is sayd to be quyet but when it is troublesome then hath it diuerse motions tossings The Sea therefore dyd goe or wrought then it was tempestuous we sée then that God was not contented with the ignominie of Ionas but woulde also further persecute his faulte Ionas therefore must be brought to the punishment which he had deserued although myraculouslie he was afterwarde delyuered from death as we shal sée in place conuenient Ionas then aunswereth Take me and cast me into the Sea and it shall depart from you Here ryseth a question whether Ionas ought of his owne accorde to offer himself to death for this séemeth to be a token of desperation For he mought submit himself to their censure But here as it were he pricketh them forewarde Cast me sayth he into the Sea for otherwise then by my punishment ye shall not please God. He séemeth lyke a desperate man when so of his owne minde he hasteneth to his ende But without doubt Ionas perceiued that from aboue he was required to punishment It is vncertaine whether he then conceyued any hope of safegard that is whether with present confidence he rested himselfe vpon the fauour of God but whatsoeuer it be we may yet gather that he commeth foorth to death because he vnderstandeth and is certainely perswaded that he was therevnto soommoned after a sorte euen by the manifest voyce of God and so it is not doubtfull but that patiently he vndertaketh the iudgement that the Lorde hath brought against him Therefore sayth he Take me and cast me into the Sea and afterwarde the Sea shal depart from you Here Ionas not onelie pronounceth that God may be pacified by his death because the Lotte fell vpon him but else otherwyse knoweth he that his death may suffice in stéede of Sacrifice that the tempest maye cease And to the same ende foloweth the reason I knowe sayth he that for my sake this tempest is vpon you When as he saith he knoweth this cannot be referred vnto the Lotte for this knowledge was common vnto them all But Ionas here as it were by the spirite of Prophecie speaketh And there is no doubte but he confirmeth the thing that I first touched euen the God of Israel to be the chiefe and onely king of heauen and earth This certaintie of knowledge therefore of the which Ionas speaketh ought first to be referred to his conscience secondly to the instructiō of godlinesse wherwith he was endued But now we maye gather out of these wordes a most profitable doctrine euen that Ionas here reasoneth not the matter with God neyther contemptuously doth frete that God so seuerelie punisheth him For he taketh vpon him wyllinglie both the guyltinesse and the punishment euen as first when he sayde I am the worshipper of the true god Howe confesseth he the true God whose most heauy hande he at that time felt But we sée Ionas so to be subdued that he left not of to yéelde vnto God his iust honour yea although present death were before his eyes Although the wrath of God burned against him yet we see as we haue saide howe he gaue vnto God his honour So the same in this place is repeated Beholde sayth he I knowe that for my sake this great tempest is ligted vpon you He certainely murmureth not against God that vpon him selfe taketh all the blame This therefore is the true confession of repentaunce when as we acknowledge God and wyllinglie also witnesse before men that he is iuste although to our fleshlie senses he séeme cruelly to rage against vs When as we geue vnto him the prayse of righteousnesse then truelie doo we showe our repentaunce For except the anger of God constraine vs to this humilitie alwayes we shal be fylled with bytternesse and howsoeuer we waxe silent for a tyme our harte notwithstanding wyll be contemptuous and rebellious Therefore this humilitie alwaye foloweth repentaunce euen tyll the sinner prostrateth himself before God willingly taketh vpō him his offence endeuoureth not by shifting sleights to escape And it is no maruayle that Ionas so farre humbleth himself For we see the Shypmē to doo the same when they say that the Lotte is to be cast adding withal Come
man but as the messenger of god And this also might bende their hartes that they might vnderstande although no mortall man coulde punishe their wickednesse yet that they coulde not escape the vengeaunce of god This therefore is the reason why the Lorde pronounceth him selfe to be the Iudge of Nineueh And also it admonisheth that although the Nineuits doo flatter them selues and doo beare nowe the plause and glorie of the whole world by reason of their power all this notwithstanding to be of no moment or force because in the meane tyme their sinne and wickednesse ascended into the heauens Therefore when we are rebuked there is no reason why we shoulde turne our eyes vnto men hyther or thether but immediatlie we ought to offer our selues to be examined of God yea we our selues ought to make of our selues a voluntarye examination which thing God of vs requireth So shall it come to passe that we nourishe not our sinnes with wicked flatteries as the Hipocrites alwayes looke about on the ryght and lefte syde and neuer lyft vp their senses into Heauen Let vs goe forwarde The text Vers 3. ¶ And Ionas rose vp to flie that he might flee to Tharsis from the face of the Lord and he came downe to Iapho and he found a Shippe which passed ouer to Tharsis and he payde the hyre that is the fare the price of the carriage and he went downe into it that he might goe with them that is with the marchaunts or shypmen into Tharsis from the sight of the Lorde Caluine NOwe declareth Ionas that he sought lurking hooles that he might conueigh him selfe from the obedience of God not that he deceyued him selfe with so manifest madnesse as though he shoulde not be subiect vnto God if he were on the other syde the Sea but he woulde as it were flée the lyght of this present lyfe when he went into a straunge Region Neyther is it any doubte but that he was not onely of a troubled minde but plainelie astonied when he vndertooke such a deuise The question is why Ionas so fled from the commaundement of god The Iewes as they couldlie tryfle in matters Diuine saye that he feared if he shoulde come to Nineueh that he shoulde be destitute of the spirite of prophecie as though the lyke daunger were not if he passed the Seas this is to friuolous and chyldishe And againe they fayne a matter of no weyght or importaunce séeing other reasons waighty inough doo yéelde them selues of their owne accorde vnto vs For this was straunge and vnaccustomed the Prophete to be taken awaye from the elect people and sent to prophane Nations When Peter was sent to Cornelius although he had bene admonished before of the future calling of the Gentiles yet he doubteth and stayeth vntyll by a vision as it were with violence he were constrained What therefore might come in minde to Ionas if onelie for one man the minde of Peter was so quayled that be thought it to be a phantasie where he was sent to be a teacher to Cornelius when Ionas was sent to Nineueh to a Citie so populous what might he thinke with him self Therefore the noueltie of the matter without doubt might greatlie shake the minde of the holye Prophete and make him that voyde of counsayle he might flée or conueigh him selfe else whether This thing also distrust might cause For what hope had he that that people coulde be conuerted which dyd euen triumphe in the lycenciousnesse thereof For he had fyrst tryed the hardnesse of the elected people he was faithfully occupied in doing of his duetie he had pretermitted nothing whereby he might establish the worship of God and true pietie in the people of Israel but profited lytle and yet the Iewes were called euen from the wombe What then might he looke for when the Lorde tooke him awaye to the Nineuits For there raigned vnbrydled lasciuiousnesse and then was there extreame blindnesse they had not at any tyme any taste of the worshipping of god Lastlie they were drowned in profounde darknesse and the Diuell raigned by all meanes there This distrust therefore might vexe or breake the minde of Ionas that he obeyed not the commaundement of god The imbecilitie or weaknesse of the fleshe might also hinder him whereby he followed not his lawful calling He might reason thus what truelie I shall come into the principall seate of that Monarchie which this daye treadeth all the earth vnder féete I being a contemned and obscure and moreouer shall bring a message full of hatred which immediatlie shall styrre vp the mindes of men vnto furie What shall I saye to the Nineuits you are wicked men God can no longer suffer your impietie therefore horrible vengeaunce is at hande vnto you Howe shall I be entertayned Therefore Ionas might being as yet enuironed with the infirmities of the fleshe conceyue feare in his minde which might cast awaye or shake off from him the affection of obedience And I doubt not for my parte but Ionas pondered all these thinges with him selfe for he was not lyke a blocke And this is not superfluous as I sayde before that he declared that Citie to be greate God truely was wylling to remoue the offence but Ionas argueth on the contrarie part I see sharpe warre shall come vppon mée yea an heape of troubles to inuade mee which an hundred tymes myght ouerwhelme mée when the Lorde not in vayne foretolde him of the greatnesse of the Citie And although he might conceyue hope if they were rebuked that they woulde yéelde due honour vnto God yet he confesseth that this commeth as a let into his minde that he shoulde not goe forewarde in the course of his calling Therefore aswell distrust as feare of the flesh dyd delay or stay Ionas and that noueltie or straungenesse might euen as I haue sayde already moue him that he had rather as it were enter the graue then to vndertake that office which in a manner was voyde of all reason For to what ende are the Prophetes sent but that they might profite somwhat by their labour and might reape some fruite but Ionas hoped for no such thing Moreouer to the Prophetes is geuen some authoritie or at the least some lybertie to teache But Ionas thought that al wayes to enter were shut from him And further Ionas thought that this was contrarie to the couenaunt of the Lorde For he had chosen one only people to him selfe and nowe Ionas thought that he was as it were tyed to one stake when he was ordayned a Teacher in his owne countrey He coulde not therfore be taken thence to another place but he felt in him selfe great resistaunce I therefore thinke that Ionas obeyed not the commaundement of God partlie because the weaknesse of the flesh partlie the stâ—aungenesse of the case third lie his dispayre of fruite or successe of his doctrine were an hinderaunce vnto him But nowe there is no doubte but that he sinned or offended gréeuouslie For the
verse where he sayth Yf peraduenture God will be fauourable vnto vs. Here the shypmaister restraineth not this talke to the God of Ionas but speaketh simplie of one God for howe soeuer the world by his discencion teareth or deuideth God that then Ionas worshipped a God coÌ„trary to others there was to be short an innumerable company of Gods among the Shypmen yet sayth the Shipmaister Yf the Lorde peraduenture Now then he acknowledgeth some one principall God howsoeuer euerie man notwithstanding had their owne proper Gods. Further that there hath bene alwayes a certaine general principle receiued by the consent of al men we see that it is most â—â—ue that I haue sayd euen that by the prouidence of God the world is gouerned then that the lyfe safegard of men are in his hand But for asmuch as they are too farre off from God then they doo not onely slowlie créepe but more prone doo they bende to the earth then aspyre vnto heauen Constaunt are they also and alwaies wauer they therefore seeke they Gods nye at hande and when they can finde none then dare they be bolde euen to make them some When he sayth Yf peraduenture we haue seene already that the holy ghost vseth this phrase although there is no doubt but that onely difficultie is noted Here notwithstanding is it probable that the Shipmaister was as prophane men are wont perplexed and doubtfull and coulde determine nothing certainly of the ayde of god Therefore whyle he thus wauered in minde he sayth that all remedies are to be tryed And here as it were in a glasse maye we sée howe wretched is the estate of all those which call not vpon God with a certaine and sure fayth they crye truely vnto God because the knowledge of Nature enforceth them thereto But they knowe not whether by theyr crying they profite any thing or no they do repete their prayers but they know not whether their wordes vanish away in the ayre or whether they come vnto god So doth the Shypmaister declare thus he had a doubtful minde saying Yf peraduenture God be fauourable vnto vs Then also call vpon thy God. If he had bene certainely perswaded that he had called vpon the true God truely he had not tryed this doubtfull remedie But nowe least any thing shoulde remaine vntouched he exhorteth Ionas that if he had any God he shoulde also call vpon him We sée therefore that the goings about the bush are maruaylous where we kéepe not the right waye An hundred tymes shall men runne rounde about heauen earth sooner then attaine vnto God except where the worde shyneth before them And why so Forsooth because when as they haue tryed the waye then doth a frantike motion draw them to the contrarie parte and they are caryed hyther and thether thus peraduenture this shal be profitable vnto me because by this waye the matter prospered not I wyll trye another way God therefore thus taketh vengeaunce vpon vnbeléeuing men because they holde not the right waye He sheweth further howe great madnesse it is where men let loose the rayne to their owne affections and can not submitte them selues to the celestiall doctrine Asmuch as concerneth the worde I haue sayde that interpreters haue otherwise turned this place For some saye Yf peraduenture God maie thinke vpon vs Othersome againe Yf peraduenture he gratifie vs. This worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properlie is to shyne Nowe seeing it is here put in the coâ—iugation Hitâ—pael it signifieth To shew himself cleere vnto vs. But this is a Metaphor much vsed in the Scriptures that the face of God is duskie or obserue when he is not fauourable vnto vs Againe God maketh his face to shyne and appeare cleare vnto vs when as in verie déede he declareth that he is beneuolous Séeing that therefore this manner of speaking best agréeth I maruayle why other men séeke strange interpretations Afterwarde he addeth Least we perish Here the Shypmaister sufficiently declareth that he perceyueth the lyfe of man to be put in the disposition of God because he finally decréede that they must needes perish except the Lorde succour them Therefore this intelligence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â–ª that is Anticipacion is imprinted in the mindes of all men that God being angrie and against vs we are myserable and imminent destruction is at hande vnto vs also the other Prolepsis or presumption bringeth to passe in the hartes of men that euen so soone as the Lorde hath looked backe vpon vs immediatlie his fauour and good wyll bringeth safegarde vnto vs In this place the holy ghoste speaketh not but a prophane man Further we sée what manner of thing the vngodlinesse of the Shypmen is yet by the instinct of Nature he vttereth this saying and in this place there is no fiction For God as I haue already sayde wresteth from vnbeléeuers in necessitie a certaine confession from the which willingly they would turne their backs Nowe what excusation may we hope for if we thinke that our saluation consisteth in our owne handes if we depende not wholy vpon God if we in prosperitie make none accoumpt of him as if we coulde be safe without his helpe Therefore these wordes ought to be wel weighed when the Shypman sayth Yf peraduenture the face of the Lord appeare cleere vnto vs and we perish not It followeth nowe The text Vers 7. ¶ And euerie man sayde to his fellowe Come and let vs cast lottes that we may know for what cause this euyll is come vpon vs and they cast lottes and the lotte fell vpon Ionas Caluin IOnas also doth not rashly put in this thing that the Shypmen consulted among them selues of casting lottes For hereby we gather that it was no vsuall tempest therefore there appeared some signe of the anger of God for if some winde aryseth this because it often commeth to passe it shal not séeme so great a maruayle if a tempest also followe it is also an vsuall thing it must therfore be some thing more gréeuous that should strike feare into the mindes of men that they might perceyue that God was prest to take vengeance euen as we also know that this hath bene a common thing among prophane men that they neuer perceiued the vengeaunce of God but in matters extreame But when God taketh vengeaunce vppon wickednesse by vnaccustomed meanes then do men beginne to acknowledge that vengeaunce of God the same thing euen nowe testifyeth Ionas Thei saide therefore euerie man to his fellowe Come let vs cast lottes Was this then a common thing that they cast lottes as often as any tempest happened No verelie For there is no doubte but that they fledde to this refuge because they knewe that God styrred not vp this tempest without a most great and weighty cause This is one I can not at this time prosecute the rest I wyll deferre it therefore tyll to morrowe ⧠The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seeing that here we are dryueÌ„ and tossed among
the worshipper of the true God this rather tendeth to the aggrauation of the crime or offence then to any preteÌ„ce or coulor of excusation For if he had simplie saide that he had bene guyltie in his owne sight because he was not obedient vnto God the offence had not bene so heynous But when he maketh his preface that the true God the maker of heauen and earth was knowne vnto him euen the God of Israel which manifested him selfe his lawe being geuen and published when as therefore thus Ionas maketh his preface therein taketh he awaye from him selfe all coulors or excuses of ignoraunce or error He was trayned vp in the lawe and from a chylde had learned who was the true god He coulde not therefore fall by error he also worshipped not counterfeyte Gods as dyd the other men and he was an Israelite Séeing then he was instructed in true godlynesse his offence was the more grieuous when he fell awaye from that God when he contempned his commaundement and as it were shaked of his yoke and was a fugitiue Nowe therefore we perceyue for what cause he here calleth him selfe an Hebrewe and testifyeth him selfe to be the worshipper of the true god First when he sayth that he is an Hebrew he discerneth the God of Abraham from the Idolles of the Gentiles For in all those places the Religion of the elected people was sufficientlie knowne although by the consent of all men it was disallowed For both the Cilicians and al the Asiatikes and Grecians also and on the other side the Syrians knewe what thing the Israelites vaunted of euen that the true God appeared vnto theyr father Abraham and also had made with him a frée couenaunt and further had geuen the lawe by the handes of Moses all this by fame was sufficiented blazed abroade Therefore now Ionas declareth him selfe to be an Hebrew as if he shoulde saye that he medled not with any faygned God but with the God of Abraham which in tyme past had appeared to the holy Fathers and also which had rendred an eternall testimony of his wyll by Moses We sée therefore this that he is an Hebrew to be put Emphatically or for the more plainer expression of that which is intended Afeerwardes he addeth I feare the Lorde God of Heauen By the worde feare is vnderstande vvorship For it is not taken as it is oftentimes otherwhere or in the proper signification therof but feare is transferred vnto vvorship I sayth he am not geuen to strange superstitioÌ„s but haue bene instructed in true pietie God hath reuealed himselfe vnto me from mine infancie I therefore adore none Idoll as almost all Nations haue forged or inuented Gods for them selues but I worship God the creatour of heauen and earth He calleth him God of the heauens that is which onely dwelleth in the heauens séeing that others imagined heauen to be stuffed with a great multitude of Gods. Here Ionas setteth against them one onely God as if he shoulde saye Fayne for your pleasure an innumerable company of gods yet is there one which beareth the chiefe principalitie in the heauens he also it is which Made the Sea and the drie lande Nowe then we perceyue what Ionas intendeth by these wordes For euen here he declareth that it is no maruaile if so grieuously God doth persecute him for that he hath not perpetrated any lyght offence but a deadlie sinne Nowe we sée howe greatlie Ionas profited when the Lorde beganne to handle him roughlie For being sléepie as he was yea rather senselesse in his sinne he had neuer repented but by this so violent a remedie But when the Lorde by his seueritie had awaked him by and by not onelie he confesseth himselfe guyltie or lyghtlie acknowledgeth his faulte but we sée howe that wyllinglie and that vnto prophane men he confesseth him selfe to be wicked euen such a one as hath fallen awaye from the true God in the worshyp of whome he so well had bene instructed This is the fruites of true repentaunce and this also is the fruite of the chastisement which the Lorde layde vpon him Therefore if we wyll haue our repentaunce to be allowed of God let vs not geue backe as is the common vse neyther yet let vs make lyght of our sinnes but with a frée confession let vs testifie before all the worlde what we haue deserued It followeth after that those men feared with a great feare and sayd VVherfore hast thou done this for they knewe that he fledde from the presence of the Lorde because he had tolde them This thing is of some waight That the Shipmen feared with great feare For Ionas signifieth that they were not onelie moued with his speach but also excéedingly afrayde so that they gaue glorie to the true god For we knowe howe that superstitious men in a manner ieste with theyr Idolles Yet truelie oftentimes they coÌ„ceyue marueylous terrors but afterwards they flatter them selues after a sort kotchell their own minds so that they may pleasantly sweetly laugh in their own delights That therfore Ionas here sayth that They feared with a great feare he signifieth that they were so wounded that nowe in déede they perceyued the God of Israel to be a iust Iudge and againe not to be as the rest of the Gentyles fayned him to be but to be armed or furnished with feareful examples as often as he is wylling to take vengeaunce We sée then what Ionas meaneth when he speaketh of great feare Although eache is to be marked that they feared euen for that it was easie to gather out of the words of the Prophet that the God of Israel was the onely maker of heauen and earth then that which followed of great feare must hither be referred euen as I haue alredy saide vnto an earnest and serious feare seing that all feare immediatly vanisheth awaye from those which beléeue not But where as the shipmen and the rest of the passengers did chide Ionas here the Lorde payeth vnto him the rewarde which he had deserued He had fledde from the presence of God by this meanes as we haue saide hadde he abrogated from God the chéefe souerayntie For what manner of aucthoritie is that of Gods if euery of vs refuseth his commaundements and fléeth from his sight when as therfore Ionas would priuily escape God he is subdued vnto men There be prophane yea barbarous men which chaâ—ise his sinne and which be his censors and iudges The which thing also we sée oftentimes to happen For they whiche willingly obaye not God and his worde afterwardes doo throwe themselues into many offences and the filthines of them is séene vnto the common people or publiquelye And then because they cannot suffer God to be their maister and teacher they are compelled to suffer innumerable controulers they are noted with the reproches of the common people they are made manifest euerye where by the finger at the length they are drawn to the galowes and the hangman is
but almost condempned yet perswaded with him selfe that God for all this notwithstanding woulde be mercifull vnto him if he fledde for succour vnto him We sée therefore that Ionas by chaunce as hypocrites are woont to haue the name of God in their mouthes when they be oppressed but he prayed seriously because he was perswaded that God woulde be mercifull vnto him Nowe it is to be marked that the prayer of Ionas was not vttered in these wordes which here are mencioned but Ionas while he was in the belly of the Whale meditated with himselfe these cogitations After what sorte therefore he was affected he declareth in this Canticle and we shal certainly see that he was drawne euery waye as in temptations it must néedes be that our mindes should be moued hether and thether For the seruaunts of God enioy not the victorie without great trouble we must therefore playe the souldier that valiauntly that we may get the victory Ionas therefore in this Canticle sheweth that he was tossed with great disquietnesse sharpe tormentes but with all he sheweth that this principle was stedfastlie fyxed in his minde that God must be sought vnto and againe that he séeketh him not in vaine because he is alwayes ready to helpe those that be his as often as they shall crye vnto him And therefore he sayth I cried vnto the Lorde when I was in trouble and he aunswered mee There is no doubte but that Ionas mencioneth after he came out of the belly of the Whale what happened vnto him gaue thankes to god This first verse therefore conteyneth two partes First that Ionas in his distresse fledde for succour vnto God The seconde parte conteyneth a thanksgeuing for that marueylousie and contrarie to all fleshlie imagination he was delyuered I haue cryed sayth he in my tribulation vnto the Lorde I cryed out of the bellie of hell and thou heardest my voyce Ionas as we shall hereafter sée not without great contention directed his prayer vnto God he striued with many difficulties but howsoeuer many impedimentes dyd concurre yet went he forewarde and stayed not from prayer Now he also declareth that he prayed not in vayne for that he might the more amply set out the grace of God he saith out of the belly of the graue He put this word Affliction in the first member of the verse but here more clerely doth he expresse how notable and worthy of memory was the benefit of God that he escaped safe out of the belly of the Whale because the same belly of the fishe was as the belly of the graue Schol the Hebrewes cal the graue of the corruption that is therein And the Latin interpreter almost in euerye place hath translated it Hell and sometime Schol is taken for Hell it selfe of the estate of the reprobates whereby they perceyue themselues condemned in the sight of God but more often is it taken for the graue which since I gladly in this place keepe euen that the fishe was lyke the graue But he signifieth that he was so enclosed in the graue that there appeared no way out What is the belly of the graue euen the most inward and déepest part of the graue And when Ionas was in this state and case he sayth that he was heard of the lord And here againe it is expedient to repeate that which I lately touched euen that Ionas although in moste gréeuouse tentation was not so oppressed but that his prayer escaped into the presence of god He prayed therfore and not simply prayde but he also expresseth his vehemency and affection when he sayth that he cryed and made a strong noyse and it is no doubt but that very necessitye wrested from Ionas gréeuouse complaynts But how so the matter â—e he howled not as the vnbeléeuers are wont who féele their sinnes and sufficiently complayne but yet they powre out vayne bellowings to no purpose Ionas here discerneth himselfe from them saying that he cryed and called vnto god Now it followeth vers 3 The text ¶ For thou haddest cast me into the bottome in the middest of the Sea and the flooddes compassed me about al thy surges and al thy waues passed ouer me Caluin I Reade this place oppositâ—lie that is that Ionas here for amplification sake declareth his estate This was sure a great thing out of the bellie of the Fish to crye vnto God but farre more difficil a thing it was to lyft vp his minde to praiers wheÌ„ as yet he might make a coumpt that God was his enimie against him For admitte that he myght call vpon God being cast into extreame daungers but when it came into his minde that whatsoeuer euyl he suffered was layde vpon him from aboue because he endeuored to flée awaye from the calling of God how could he pierce through with prayer euen vnto the heauens when such a let came betwéene We sée therefore to what ende his wordes tendeth when he sayth But thou haddest cast me into the deepe euen to the middest of the Sea the flooddes compassed me all thy waues and surges passed ouer me Brieflie Here Ionas sheweth what gréeuous tentations were layde vpon him whyle he endeuored to thinke vpon prayers For this came first into his minde that God was his vtter enimie For Ionas then neuer made a coumpt that he was cast into the Sea by the Mariners and the rest but his minde was throughlie fixed in god This is the reason why he sayth Thou Lorde haddest cact me into the bottome in the harte or middest of the Sea Againe Thy surges and thy waues c. Here he respecteth not the nature of the Sea but as I haue sayde he setteth all his senses on God alone and acknowledgeth that he hath to doo with him as if he shoulde saye Thou O Lorde dost put me to flight or driuest me away in persecuting me and yet I approche vnto thee Thou in feareful sort doest shew that thou art offended and yet I beséech thée so farre are these terrors from pulling me farre from thée that as I were pricked forwarde I come wyllinglie vnto thee because there is not else where for me any hope of saluation Now therefore we sée of what force this Antithesis or Oppositio is when as Ionas setteth that terrible punishment that he susteyned against his prayer Nowe let vs goe forwarde vers 4 The text ¶ Then I sayde I am cast awaye out of thy sight yet I looke againe towardes thy holy temple Caluin IN the first parte of this verse Ionas againe confirmeth that which I sayde euen that when he woulde praye not onely the gate was shut against him but that there were as it were mountaynes in his waye that he should not aspyre with his prayers vnto god Neither yet regardeth he onely in what state he was in but rather chieflie he marketh the cause euen that he had prouoked the anger of God vpon him selfe And therefore he sayth I saide I am reiected from the sight
them Caluin ONe thing escaped me in the thirde verse Ionas sayde that the Citie Nineueh was a great Citie vnto god This manner of speaking is sufficientlie vsed in the Scriptures For the Hebrewes call that Diuine or of God what soeuer excelleth so the Ceders are called the Ceders of God and Mountaines of God and Fieldes of God if eyther in heigth or in any other gyfte they doo excell This Citie therefore is sayde to be Diuine for that in comparison of others it was most famous For this cause I woulde brieflie touch this because certaine men verie subtilly but verie chyldishly almost cal it the Citie of God because God tooke care for it in the which he would shew such an example of conuersion But this kind of speaking is taken of the common manner of speaking But now I returne to the text Ionas saith that the Citizens of Nineueh beléeued the Lorde and hereby we gather that the Preaching of Ionas was not so short but that first he foretold that he was the true Prophet of God that he dyd not rashly vtter those things commaunded And then againe we gather that Ionas so denounced destruction vnto them that with all he shewed that God was the reuenger of al offences rebuked the Nineuitâ— and as it were cyted them vnto the iudgement seate of God shewing vnto them theyr gyiltinesse For if he had simply spokeÌ„ of punishmeÌ„t this certainly could not preuaile but euen to make the Nineuits 〈…〉 a rise vp against god But when as their 〈◊〉 â—â—ults guiltinesse is set before theÌ„ but his meanes they acknowledge the worthelie they suffer punishment and this is a preparation to humilitie repentance â—â—ch of these things is easily gathered out of this word when as Ionas sayth that the Nineuits beloued God â–ª For vnlesse theâ— had bene perswaded that this commaundement procéeded from heauen what manner of fayth had theirs bene Let vs knowe therefore that Ionas so much foretolde of his calling that the Nineuits helde for certaintie that he was a celestiall Preacher and from hence came their fayth Againe the Nineuits had neuer so beléeued God to put vpon them selues Sackcloath but that they were admonished of their sinnes Therefore there is no doubt but that Ionas whyle he cryed out against Nineueh layde open and set also euidentlie before all men howe wickedlie those men had lyued and how heynous and gréeuous their offences were against god And hereby it came that they put on Sackcloth humbly fledde for succor vnto the mercie of God because they vnderstand that they were worthelie called to iudgement for their lyfe wickedly ledde But it may be demaunded how the Nineuits beléeued God sith to theâ— no hope was geuen of saluation for there can be no fayth without the taste of the fatherlie beneuolence of god Who so conceyueth that God is displeased and angrie with him it must néedes be that he must altogether dispayre When as therfore Ionas gaue them no â—ast of the goodnes of God he might rather an huÌ„dred times terrify the Nineuits then once call theÌ„ to the fayth but the speach may be Synechdochiall that is put part for the whole For it is not whole fayth when as men being called to repentaunce doo submissiuelie humble them selues before God but yet it is a parte of fayth as the Apostle sayth in the 1â— to the Hebre. that Noah by fayth feared Where he bringing the feare which Noah conceyued by the Oracle of God out of fayth he teacheth that it is a parte of fayth and that it proceedeth from thence And yet the minde of the holy Patriarche must be by some other meane raysed vp then by the threatninges to builde the Arke to be for him a sanctuarie of safegarde So also by Synechdoche maye this place be expounded that the Nineuits beléeued the Lord euen because when they vnderstand that God was to geue them their deserued punishment they submytte themselues to him yet in the meane tyme flée vnto him to craue pardon But there is no doubte but that the Nineuits conceyued more by the wordes of Ionas then a naked terror and feare because if they had onely apprehended that parte euen that they were guiltie before God and worthely were called to paine punishment they had bene confused dismayed with terror neuer had aspired to the desyre of pardon When as therfore they do humbly prostrate them selues before God certainlie they conceyue some hope of grace and fauour at Gods hande Therefore they were not so touched with repentaunce and the feare of God but that there was mingled with al soule taâ—â— of grace â–ª so they beléeued God because although they vnderstoode that they were most worthy of death they yet dispayred not but had recourse vnto prayers When as therefore we sée that the Nineuits sought that remedie we maye certainly thinke that they profited more by the preaching of Ionas then that they should onelie vnderstand that they were culpable in the sight of god And this thing is certainly to be helde But we wyl speake more in the next Lecture ⧠The Prayer GRaunt O almighty God that seeing there is so much fearfulnesse in vs that none of vs are fytte to folowe thee whether thou callest vs that we being instructed by the example of thy seruaunt Ionas maye prepare our selues vnto perfect obedience and whatsoeuer terrors Sathan the world obiecteth against vs that yet we being confyrmed with the confidence of thy power and ayde which thou hast promised vnto vs maye goe forwarde in the course of our vocation and at no time decline therefro but that we maye so skyrmish against al stumbling blockes lettes of this world tyl we may come to that heaueÌ„ly kingdom where we maye enioye both thee and Christ shine onelie begotten sonne which is our strength saluation and let thy spirite cherishe vs and confirme all our senses vnto thine obedience â–ª so that at that length thy name maye be glorified in vs and we once may be made partakers of that glorye to the which thou inuitest vs by the same Christ our lord Amen vers 6 The text ¶ And worde came to the king of Nineueh and he rose from his Throne and cast awaye his Robe from him and put on sackcloath and sate vpon the duste or in the ashes vers 7 And he proclaymed and sayde thorough Nineueh by the Counsayle of the King and his Nobles saying Let neither man nor cattell or beast bullocke nor sheepe taste any thing neither feede nor drinke water vers 8 And let man and beast put on Sackcloath and crye mightilie vnto God and let euerie man returne from his wicked wayes and from the rapine which is in their handes Caluin IT is doubtfull whether Ionas certaine dayes preached before it was knowne to the King this is truely the more receiued opinion For the Interpreters do so expounde this verse where it is sayd that
this doth the glorie of God chieflie shine that he is appeased so soone as men repent and also in that he offereth himselfe to be a father vnto them Ought Ionas to haue preferred his estimation before the glorie of God I aunswer that the Prophet so was not addicted to him selfe but that alwayes the studie of the glorie of God obtained the highest degrée in his minde this is certaine But he ioygned his ministerie with the glory of God and worthely because it depended vpon his authority Ionas when he entred into Nineueh he cryed not as a priuate man but professed that he was sent from God. Now if the preaching of Ionas be founde false the reproche redoundeth vpon the very author of his calling that is vpon god There is no doubt therefore but that Ionas tooke it greuousely that the name of God shoulde be layde open to the reproches of the gentiles as though he should make them afrayd of nothing and againe speaking dissemblingly should by and by open hell and by and by heauen And there is nothing more against the glory of God then such dissimulation We see then why Ionas was carried away with so great sorrowe he respected not himselfe but because he sawe an occasion geuen or a doore layde open to wicked blasphemies if God shoulde alter his determination or if he should not be constaunt in his word here hence I saye came that so great sorrowe But although this be a verye good reason yet we gather of what force our good intents are with god If any good intente may be imagined certainely this might deserue some prayse that Ionas had rather an hūdred times to dye then to here those wicked blasphemies that the word of God should be a mere laughing stock that the threatnings of God were fables that God did but dissemble this or that as it he should transfigure himselfe into diuerse formes This was an excellent intent if we may be Iudges or if the matter be esteemed according to our sences but by and by we shall sée that it was condemned by the mouth of god Let vs learne therefore not to arrogate vnto our selues iudgement in those things which passe our capacitye but to submitte our minds vnto God and to desire of him the spirite of discretion and iudgement How came it to passe that Ionas so should frette against God but that he was inflamed with the studdy of his glory but this was an inconsiderate zeale because he himselfe woulde be arbiter and iudge hee ought rather to haue submitted himselfe vnto God and this same rule is to be kept of vs all If at any tyme we see many things come to passe from aboue that is by the secret prouidence of God which doo euen laye open the name of God to the blasphemies of wicked and vngodly men this truly is to be lamented but in the mean tyme let vs desire of the Lord that he will at the length conuert those reproches vnto his owne glory but let not vs murmur grudge as many doo which by and by beginne to chide against God as often as a thing is otherwise gouerned and directed then they themselues liste or doo thinke conuenient Let vs learne by the example of Ionas not to measure the iudgements of God by our owne capacitie but let vs paciently waight till he conuert the darkenesse into light In the meane tyme also let vs learne to obey his cōmaundements to follow his call without controuersie although heauen and earth shoulde set them selues against vs although many thinges do come in our waye which might turne vs awaye from the ryght course yet let vs continue in this sure determination that nothing can be better for vs then that we being obedient maye go forwarde in the same waye which he setteth before vs But where as he sayth that He made haste to come to Tharsis he doth not altogether excuse his flight but nowe he declareth more euidētly that he had not refused any trouble or labour nor yet had refused any controuersie or daunger but onely because he was careful for the glorie of God therfore he was drawne away from his vocation To this ende therfore tende the wordes of Ionas as though he would appoint God to be a witnesse and a Iudge that not for feare of daunger nor for slouthfulnesse nor for rebellion nor for any other respect he withdrewe gim selfe from the obedience of God but onely for that he woulde not haue his sacred name violated and defiled for that he would not wyllinglie be a Minister of that preaching which might open the mouth of vngodly prophane men to laugh God him self to scorne When as sayeth he I hoped for none other profite of my preaching but euen that the Gentyles might laugh God to scorne yea might teare in péeces amongst them his holie name as if he were deceyptfull and vaine therefore had I rather flie vnto Tharsis Therefore here Ionas doth not altogether excuse him selfe for then to no purpose had his chastisement lyghted vpon him whereby he ought to haue bene throughly tamed He was called of late from the verie hell shall we saye that he durst so lyfte vp his hornes against God that he would altogether be free from al fault This certainely is to to absurde but as I haue sayde he obiecteth to God that at the beginning he fledde not for any other cause but for that he hoped not for any plausible fruite or successe of his preaching but rather he feared that which he sawe imminent euen that the name of God shoulde be a laughing stocke Immediatly he addeth Because I knew that thou art a God full of fauour and mercifull slowe to anger c. This is surely marueylous that Ionas was called away frō his vocation because he knewe that God was mercifull seeing that no sharper goade ought to pricke vs forwarde when as God wyll vse our labour or dilygence For we knowe that no man can performe his obedience chéerefullye vnto God but he which is euē allured with his fatherly goodnesse So then no man shal be a wylling Prophet or Teacher but he which is perswaded that God is merciful Ionas therfore seemeth to to foolishly to reason when he sayth that he was therfore withdrawne from his office because he knew that God was mercifull Againe howe knew Ionas this euen out of the lawe of god For this place is taken out of the 33. of Exod. where that notable and memoriall vision is described vnto vs where God set out him selfe to be seene of Moses there was exhibited vnto the holy Prophet a lyuelie Image of god And this is no place in the lawe which better and more liuely expresseth the nature of god For there God would familiarly manifest him selfe vnto his seruant For when as therefore Ionas was so instructed and endued with this doctrine of the lawe howe could he exercise the office of a Prophet amongst his owne people countreymen why
of his infirmity because Ionas might more simply haue set downe and noted his ioye then his sorrowe But he playnely expressed his vehemencie and excesse in eyther affection that we might know that hée was carried away with his passions so that in the smallest matters he was to angrye or els being putt vp with ioy he kept in that also no measure and thus muche both of his ioye and sorrowe Nowe in that he sayth that he prayed as he sayde a little-before he onelie vseth that Hebrew word which signifieth to wish He wished sayth he in his harte that he might die It is therefore credyble that Ionas was so ouerwhelmed with sorrowe that he lyfted not vp his mynd any more vnto God and that we sée that he was not forsaken and vncared for of god Now by and by it followeth vers 9 The text ¶ And God saide vnto Ionas Doest thou wel to be angrie in thy selfe for the Gourde and he saide I do wel to be angrie euen to the death Caluin HEre we sée that thus God kept himselfe close for a tyme and yet forsooke he not his seruaunte euen as he oftentymes looketh backeward vpon vs that is while we thinke that he hath forgotten vs he yet marketh what is done with vs to the ende that he may succour vs in tyme And therfore oftentymes when we are falling downe he withdraweth vs and setteth vs vp before we thinke that he is nere vs Such was the cace when he beganne to speake vnto Ionas For as we haue sayde dolour had so choked the mynde of the holy Prophet that he could not any more be lyfte vp vnto god Now therefore with himselfe he desired to dye and yet God forsaketh him not This is a rare example and shewe of the inestimable mercy of God which he vouchsafeth vnto hys people although they yet do cast themselues downe hedlong euen as Ionas here rushed into desperation and was not carfull for any remedye But God wayted not tyll he was sought vnto but he preuented that miserable Ionas yea and the destruction which he beganne to bring vpon himselfe saying Doest thou well to be so angrie for the Gourde As if he should saye that Ionas was to vehementlye troubled and disquieted for so small a matter And this manner of speaking is alwayes to be noted wherof we intreated at large yesterdaye because God doth not simplye chide Ionas or that he tooke it grieuousely that the Gourd was wythered For what then forsooth euen because he was angrye For in anger there is alwayes excesse when as therefore Ionas without any measure or moderation s◠raged God worthely in him chastiseth this great vice Wel I will not now repete that which I spake yesterdaye howe that the faulte was made the greater because that Ionas not onely murmured for the perishing of the herbe but also because he geueth ouer himselfe and boyleth in anger without measure Which thing the aunswere of Ionas approueth when he sayde I doo well to be angry euen to the death Where we sée howe impudentlie the holie Prophet repelleth that admonition of God wherewith he ought yet to haue bene reuoked to a better minde He is not ignoraunt that it is God that speaketh Why is he not immediatlie stroken with feare why is he not moued with the authoritie of him that speaketh by and by to laye downe that crueltie of minde But certainelie euen thus is it wont to be when the mindes of men are once blinded with some preposterous affection although the Lorde thunder or lyghten from heauen they wyll not heare at least they wyll not cease violentlie to runne on euen as here Ionas doth When as we sée therfore an example of such contumacie in so holy a man howe much more ought eache of vs to feare let vs therefore betymes learne to kéepe in and quenche our affections and at the verie beginning to brydle them least if it shall come to passe that they burst out any long whyle we be also at the length euen to the last howre obstinate vnreformeable I do wel sayth Ionas to be angrie euen to the death God obiected onelie vnto his seruaunt Ionas the vice of anger Now Ionas so farre kotchelleth him selfe in his madnesse that he sayth that desperation is without sinne I sayth he doo not offend although I despayre yea although with a rageing furie I geue ouer my selfe vnto death yet I doo not offende Who would haue saide that this could haue come to passe or fallen out in that holie Prophet But by this so notable an example we are admonished what furious bruite beasts the affections of our flesh bée Nothing therefore is better then to restraine them before they gather any more strēgth then they ought For alwayes when any man hath cheryshed his sinnes this contumacie and obstinacie wyll follow But to be wroth or angrie euen to the death is so to lothe lyfe that of our owne accorde we geue ouer our selues vnto death Yet it was not the purpose of Ionas to kyll him selfe but although he abstayned from such violence he yet with settled mind wrought his owne death because he submitted not himselfe vnto God but with a blinde motion or affection was caried away Nowe it followeth vers 10 Text ¶ And the Lorde sayde Thou hast pittied the Gourd for the which thou labouredst not neyther madest it to growe it was the daughter of one night and as the daughter of one nyght it passed awaye That is it sprang vp in one night and in one night also it wythered away vers 11 And should not I spare Nineueh that great Citie in the which are sixe score thousande persons which cannot discerne betwene their right hande and their left and also much Cattell HEre God reuealeth for what purpose he sodainly brought vp the Gourde and then woulde haue it to perish and wyther awaye by the byting of the Worme euen that Ionas might learne that he dealt to vnnaturallie toward the Nineuits And although we sée that the holie Prophet fell into horrible affection yet after a sorte God hauing scorned him admonished of his follie For vnder the figure of the Gourd be declared howe vngentlie he desyred the destruction of so populous a Citie as was Nineueh But this simylitude séemeth not in all poyntes to agrée to the matter For Ionas sorrowed not for the Gourde but onelie had respect to him selfe and therefore he tooke it gréeuouslie that the comfort wherewith he was delyghted was taken awaye from him Therefore when it was discommoditie that so compelled Ionas vnto anger the similitude seemeth not wel to be applyed when as God thus reasoneth Thou wouldest haue the Gourde to be pittied and shoulde not I spare this great Citie Nay he was not carefull for the Gourd For if all the Gourdes in the worlde had there wythered he had neuer bene touched with any sorrowe but because he felte extreame daunger being parched with the excéeding heate of the Sunne therefore