common sort of men but euen among the chiefest Prophetes that haue beene eyther before his time or since Secondly we must consider the certaintye and aucthoritie of this booke The Church as yet neuer reiected or refused this booke but haue accounted the same among those which wee call Canonicall bookes of holye scripture and which haue Ecclesiasticall and heauenlye testimonies Furthermore we haue our sauiour Christ as concerning this matter a sufficient testimony and witnesse as may appeare by the .xij. Chapter of Mathew where he alledgeth the example of Ionas for his resurrection affirming that the comming of Ionas out of the Whales bellye was a type of the same Furthermore Christ preferreth the Niniuets before the Israelites bicause the Niniuets repented at the one onelye sermon of Ionas and the Israelites woulde not be conuerted vnto the Lorde by many sermons Wherefore if euer any man did or shall hereafter doubt of the aucthoritie truth and certaintie of this booke Christ by his testimonie hath so confirmed the same that though an Aungell came from heauen teaching the contrary he ought not to be beleued Last of all we must knowe the argument or summe of this prophecie in the which certayne perticuler places are noted 1 The first place conteyneth the seueritie of the wrath of God towardes all such as walke disobediently in their calling Ionas was a Prophet which was most acceptable vnto god and which before had done notable things in Israell and by his sermons had preserued the kingdome of the same notwithstanding when hee fled and was disobedient to his calling he was cast by the ordinaunce of God into the Sea. An example of Gods seuere punishment worthye to bee noted The lyke we haue of Saule who disobeying the commaundement of God reserued part of the pray of Amelecke for the which disobedience hee was rent from his kingdome Another example we haue of the prophete whom the Lion slue by Gods appoyntment for his disobedience Wherevpon it is sayde to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of Rammes 2 The seconde place conteyneth the wonderful and inspeakeable mercy of God by the which he commonly deliuereth all those which call vpon him in truth Ionas was cast into the sea and deuoured of the Whale And although he coulde not be saued and deliuered naturally yet notwithstanding by the diuine power and clemencie of God he is supernaturally and miraculouslye deliuered This miracle to certaine worldly wise men and contemners of the worde of God seemeth ridiculous and like vnto olde wyues tales And amongst all others scoffing Lucian being stirred vp of Sathan the Deuill the father of lyes to obscure discredit and deride this miracle hath written a booke intituled De veris narrationibus that is a booke of true narrations in the which hee maketh mention of certaine men which being in a ship were swallowed vp shippe and all of a Whale in the which Whale sayth he there were Mountaynes woods and Cities to the which the men arriued with their shippe and had great delectation there This fonde fable seemeth to bee inuented by Lucian to deride the Christians which beleeue the storie of Ionas to be true But this and many other such are deuised by the Deuill and his ministers to deride and deface true and godly myracles But let vs vnderstand that this myracle was done in deede and that it hath heauenly testimonies to proue and ratifie the same as we haue alreadie declared God which created heauen and earth of nothing and which raysed and will rayse the dead to life could also for a time saue and preserue Ionas in the whales belly Let vs acknowledge therefore this myracle to be a declaration of the power and clemency of God and an example also of the resurrection of Christ and of all the godly also to euerlasting lyfe as hereafter GOD willing shall be declared 3 The thirde place conteyneth the doctrine of repentaunce There haue beene many which haue denyed to sinners after their fall any hope of gods grace And there are manye which when they haue sinned perswade themselues that there is no way of saluation left vnto them Here therefore there are two examples of repentaunce propounded vnto vs The one in the Prophete Ionas who although he fell into disobedience yet notwithstanding repenting he is receyued into Gods fauour againe The other in the Niniuets who although they had greatly sinned insomuch that they deserued eternall destruction and damnation yet notwithstanding repenting they are receyued into Gods fauour and preserued with their Citie Let vs therefore turne to the Lorde by repentaunce being perswaded that the Lorde will receyue vs and that the Aungels in heauen shall reioyce ouer our repentaunce Thus gentle Reader I haue declared who this Prophet Ionas was what aucthoritie this booke hath and which are the speciall places of this booke The which if thou well obserue and note they will profite to the nourishing of the feare of God to the encrease of fayth and to the bringing forth of true obedience which are the most acceptable seruice of God. ¶ A godly exposition of the Prophet Ionas The first Chapter THE VVorde of the Lorde came vnto IONAS the sonne of Amithai saying Arise and get thee to Niniue that great ciâ—ie and preache vnto them howe that â—heir wickednesse is come vp before mee THe Scripture of the olde Testament doth often and verie much testifie â—hat God in times past hath spoken with â—he Patriarches and Prophets As sayth the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues God in times past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes Let vs therefore vnderstande and knowe howe and after what maner God hath reuealed his will to the Patriarches and Prophets 1 Sometimes he spake with them by sending Aungels visiblye vnto them example we haue in the booke of Genesis where we reade that Aungels came vnto Abraham in the likenesse and shape of men Also there came Angels vnto â—oth which brought him out of Sodome before it was destroyed And so an Angell appeared visibly vnto Zacharias the father of Iohn to the virgin Marie likewise and to many other 2 Sometimes God spake vnto the fathers by the voice of an Aungell inuisibly And so he talked with Moses out of the bushe where Moses hearde the voyce of an Angell speaking in the person of God but sawe no Aungell So the Aungell in the person of God recited the lawe in the Mount Sinai the which voice was heard of more than sixe hundreth thousand men but they sawe no man as appeareth by the wordes of Moses saying You hearde the voyce of his wordes but you sawe no forme or shape at all So God spake by an inuisible Aungell vnto Samuell So I thinke also that the Lorde spake to Moses from the mercye seate as appeareth â—y this text And from thence I will testifie
Newes from Niniue to Englande brought by the Prophete Ionas Which newes is plainlye published in the Godly and learned exposition of Maister Iohn Brentius folowing translated out of Latine into Englishe by Thomas Tymme Minister The silent tongue the listning eare which harkeneth after newes With staring eye and gaping mouth this title makes me vse ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster rowe at the signe of the starre 1570. To the right honourable Lord Willyam Cobham lord Warden of the cinque Portes Thomas Tymme wisheth Nestors yeares increase of honor with preseruation of desired health THE CVRTEOVS BEhauiour the noble vertue but speciallye the godlye zeale Right honourable which fame and report certefieth me to be in you hath kindled such an earnest affection in me that my rudenesse and base state stayeth mee nothing at all to dedicate this simple worke vnto you For I know that Nobilitie gratefully accepteth at others hands slender giftes and of small reputation according to their habilitie that offer the same Artaxerxes his good acceptation of a handfull of running water made mee thus bolde to offer this Pamphlet to your honour as a token of my good will hoping that as he thought no disdain◠of the one so you wil not take scorne of the other Let me craue therefore this one thing at your honours handes that the basenesse of my translation of the learned Brentius procure not you to refuse the patronage and defence of my slender woorke Which as I know vndoubtedly shall neuer counteruayle your worthinesse so do I assuredly hope that it may be a proofe of my good will and meaning The worthy Prophete IONAS deserueth a worthie personage to be his defence and garde agaynst scoffing Lucian and fretting Momus Wherefore if your honor refuse not but vouchsafe to take the same vpon you as I perswade my selfe you will weying the giuers intent and seing that these are partly the first fruites of his trauaile you shall not onely purchase immortall prayse of others but I also shall be incouraged and animated to greater and waightyer attemptes which I shall no sooner atchieue but you shall be a witnes of my indeuours and a rampire to my exploytes Thus hauing boldly required your honors assistance and tediously molested your eares with circumstaunces leauing now at length to abuse your friendly pacience I end wishing to your honor the increase of Nobilitie with a most happie estate and after this lyfe the gladsome ioyes of the euerlasting lyfe to come Beneficium dando accepit qui digno dedit Your humble Orator Thomas Tymme The translator to the Reader THe Merchant man that often sayles vpon the rockie seas Hath oftentimes for recompence the gaine that doth him please The Fisher man that castes his net and layes his bayted ginne Doth trust at length by happie hap his pray of fishe to winne The Plowman eke that sowes his séede on soyle with toyle for gaine The Winters trauaile being past doth reape the riped graine If Plowman then and Fisher too haue stedfast hope for gaines As recompence for their sore toyle and daily pinching paines Why should not I as well as they by paine some profite haue Since that my Muse as recompence most iustly doth it craue The which good reader thou shalt graunt if that thou take in woorth This simple Pamphlet at hir hande which she hath nowe set foorth And helpe to mosell Momus mouth and bridle Zoilus chappes Which like a Curre ech willing Wight with currish fanges he snappes This done well quighted is hir paine hir recompence is had And if thereby shée doe the good shée is excéeding glad Thomas Tymme ¶ The Preface of Iohn Brentius vpon the Prophecie of Ionas THe Apostle Paule writing to the Corinthians of the meeting and comminge togither of the Church cōmaundeth all thinges to be done in the same congregatiō to edifying When ye come togither sayth he euerye one of you hath a song hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a reuelation hath an interpretation Let all things be done to edifiyng Seing therefore it is determined that wee must come togither certaine dayes in the weeke I will take in hande by the assistance of Gods holy spirite for our exercise at that time the explication of the Prophet Ionas to the ende wee may be godly occupied and exercised in this oure meetinge For wee come not togither in the Church to trifle and playe but we come to the ende we might be instructed in the worde of the Lorde Neyther are we created by God and redeemed by the precious death and bloudshedding of Christ to the ende we should ryot lyue in excesse and giue our selues to all kinde of filthye pleasure but we are created and redeemed to the ende we might glorifie God by our lyfe and conuersation We haue taken in hande therefore to expounde the prophecie of Ionas that by this prophecie we maye be admonished of our office dutie and calling And although the booke of this prophecie be very small yet notwithstanding it contayneth an excellent and famous hystorie First of all therefore we will declare who was this Prophet Ionas Then what and how great authoritie his prophesie hath And last of all we wil shewe the argument and what the summe of the doctrine contayned in this booke is First there are many which thinke and iudge the prophete Ionas to be the sonne of the widowe of Sarepta which receyued and fedde Elias in the time of famine but their iudgement is neyther likely nor probable For of this Prophet Ionas we haue mention made in the fourtenth Chapter of the fourth booke of Kinges how that Ieroboam king of Israel reedified his decayed Kingdome accordinge to the worde of the Lord which he spake by the prophet Ionas the sonne of Amithay which was of Gathhepher By the which it appeareth that hee made not only the sermon contayned in this booke but many other notable and famous sermons which are not writtē For he preserued by his sermons two of the most excellent kingdomes that were Excellent was the kingdome of Israell but in the time of Ionas it was a decayed and ruinous kingdome by impietie and inuasion of enimies Ionas therefore being stirred vp by the holye ghoste exhorteth the people to repentaunce and incourageth king Ieroboam valiauntlye to gouerne his common welth promising that God will sende a time of mercie wherein he will restore his kingdome And so in deede it came to passe that the coast of Israell from the entring of Hemath vnto the sea of the wildernesse was restored by the goodnesse of the Lorde Famous also was the Citie of Niniue for in it was the greatest Monarchie of the whole worlde But the Lorde had determined to destroye the Citie of Niniue from the face of the earth Yet notwithstanding Ionas saued the same by his sermon Wherefore seeing Ionas by hys sermons saued such two excellent kingdomes he is not to bee counted among the
nowe wée must say somwhat of the indignation and displeasure which IONAS tooke at the repentance and conseruation of the Niniuets For after that IONAS sawe that the Niniuets at his preaching were conuerted vnto the Lorde and had obteyned not only remission of their sinnes but also the safegarde of the Citie he should greatly haue reioyced euen as the Aungels reioyce more ouer one sinner that repenteth than ouer ninetie and nine that are righteous but he is so farre from reioycing that he rather taketh indignation and displeasure with him selfe and inueyeth with his complaint agaynst the Lorde our God for sparing them For he sayth O Lorde was not this my saying I praye thée when I was yet in my countrie By the which expostulation and complaint he casteth God in the téeth with his excéeding mercie and long sufferance and accuseth him of iniustice and vnrighteousnesse And also he sorroweth so much for the repentaunce and preseruation of the Niniuets that he wisheth death vnto himselfe Although many men were woont to excuse the faultes of holy men and to interprete them to the best yet notwithstanding bicause this déede and this indignation of IONAS is reprehended of God himselfe as hereafter shall appeare therfore it is not lawfull for vs vainelye to excuse this sinne of the Prophete Charitie truly bindeth vs to couer the sinnes of our neyghbours so much as we may But yet we may not make righteousnesse of sinne neyther must we say that sinne is equitie and equitie sinne IONAS therefore in this sinneth once againe bicause he is offended at the repentance and preseruation of the Niniuets He séemeth trulye to himselfe to haue iust cause of indignation For first of all when God spared the Niniuets IONAS thought that the worde of God which he preached was in daunger of discredit For he had sayd it would come to passe within fortie dayes that Niniue shoulde bée ouerthrowne The which thing when it came not to passe according to his prophecie who would afterward beléeue the worde of the Lorde who would beléeue the promises of God if God fulfill not the threatnings of his worde who woulde not condemne the Prophetes of vanitie and leasing IONAS therefore thought that it woulde be to the glorie of Gods name to haue the Citie of Niniue destroyed The which whē it came not to passe he thought that the glorye of Gods name was in hazarde and perill Furthermore when he saw the Niniuets which were Ethnickes and vncircumcised to obtayne remission of sinnes and to be receyued into gods fauour he thought that the lawe of Moses and Circumcision was in great perill bicause the other Ethnicks when they should heare that god without respect of persons receiueth those that truly repent although they were vncircumcised woulde saye by and by what auayleth Circumcision what profite shall the law of Moses bring vnto vs when these being Ethnickes are receyued without Circumcision and the lawe of Moses into Gods fauour IONAS iudged these things to be most vniust Fearing therefore least by the sufferaunce of God the truth of his worde the glorie of Circumcision and the lawe of Moses shoulde be in daunger of discredit he taketh such indignation at the matter that he wisheth death vnto himselfe But IONAS I saye greatly erred For as touching the preseruation of the truth of Gods worde God in sparing the Niniuets truly fulfilled the truth of his worde For although it were sayd There are yet fortie dayes and then shall Niniue be ouerthrowne yet notwithstanding as it is sayde before this is so to be vnderstoode that Niniue shall be ouerthrowne if the Citizens of the same did not repent But and if they repent then shall the Citie abide in safetie For that this is the meaning of Gods threatnings those wordes and Epithytes which IONAS himselfe in this place rehearseth declare For if God be gentle mercifull and long suffering he will willinglye no doubt forgiue the sinnes of those that turn vnto him as appeareth by the mouth of Ezechiell I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hée turne from his wickednesse and liue Wherefore IONAS feared in vaine that God in sparing the Niniuets shoulde lose the credit and authoritie of his worde And as touching the Circumcision and lawe of Moses which séeme to be aduentured bicause God receiued the Niniuets into his fauour without those IONAS declareth agayne his ignorance For Circumcision and the lawe of Moses so farre as it conteyneth the ceremoniall and iudiciall rightes pertayne not to the Gentiles but onely to the externe posteritie of Abraham And God is not onely the God of the Iewes but also the God of the Gentiles For although the Iewes only had a promise that Christ shoulde spring out of their nation yet notwithstanding the promise was not so made vnto them that they alone shoulde obteyne saluation by Christ but as Saint Peter sayeth amonge all people whoso calleth vpon the name of the Lord is acceptable vnto him And againe Euery one which calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall be saued Wherefore IONAS once againe falleth into a foule errour Here therefore beholde and sée with how great feare of God euery man ought to walke in his vocation and neuer to turne awaye his eyes from Gods holye worde This IONAS was a great Prophet which by inspiration of the holye ghost prophecied of many thinges and by his prophecie restored the kingdome of Israell with whome also it pleased God to talk And yet when he was left to his own strength and turned away his eyes from the worde of the Lord he greatly erred in the vnderstanding of the law and the gospell He vnderstandeth not the true sense and meaning of the law namely that the lawe bringeth not death but to impenitent persons onely He vnderstandeth not the condicion of Christ namely that he pertaineth to all nations which by fayth in him repent them of their sinnes Therfore let vs not be prowde of our gifts but let vs walke in the feare of the Lorde and persist in his calling let vs be thankefull to God for his benifits least by our ingratitude he take them from vs This is also to be noted that we must not trust to our good intentions as some terme them but wée must direct all our doings by the worde of god IONAS in thys his indignation and displeasure hath as séemeth vnto him a verye good intention and meaning he perswadeth himselfe to haue iust causes of offence but when they are examined by the worde of God they shall be found manifestlye repugnaunt agaynst the same Wherevpon it is sayde in Deuteronomie that no man shall doe that which séemeth right to be done in his owne eyes let vs take héede therefore in all our actions that we take nothing in hande contrarie to the calling of the worde of God. But the titles and Epithytes of God which IONAS here rehearseth are not to be pretermitted For although he reciteth these
to reason and argue with God yet notwithstanding they are most true and taken out of the bookes of Exodus and Numeri which are set forth before our eyes to the ende we maye learne to know what affection god beareth vnto vs and what opinion we ought to haue of him 1 A mercifull God. This title God attributeth to himselfe in all places of the scripture to the ende we might knowe his nature that although he be sometimes angry yet notwithstanding he is not angry to destroy but to saue all those that hope and call vppon him He is angry sayth the Prophet Esay to the ende he might be mercifull he maketh deade to the ende he might reuiue This tytle if we well consider of the same confirmeth our fayth in all aduersitie And fayth is the obseruation of the first commaundement Wherefore this title being well knowne maketh vs to obey the first and speciall commaundement of God. 2 Full of compassion This title properly pertayneth to naturall beneuolence such as we sée commonly in parentes towardes their children The mother so loueth hir children that for their payne she sorroweth euen at the very heart and desireth if it might be possible for the ease of hir childe to féele the same hir selfe Such and farre greater is the mercy of god towardes his afflicted Church He is not simplye sorye for it but hée is sorie in heart and minde yea if I may so speake he yerneth in the bowels of his mercye This tytle of God being well knowne worketh in our hearts by the holy ghost pacience in trouble and affliction For if God be sorye for our euill and harme euen as the mother is sorye for hir childe it cannot be that euils whatsoeuer they be shall oppresse vs For God will not suffer vs to perishe in them but will make a way euen in the verie midst for vs to escape 3 Long suffering Thys title teacheth vs the feare of God that we flatter not our selues in our sinnes For God wynketh at sinners not that he doth alow their sinnes but bicause he looketh for repentaunce Wherfore if they repent they are saued If they be impenitent they receyue a iust reward for the same Knowest thou not sayth saint Paule that the long sufferaunce of the Lorde leadeth thée to repentaunce This place also teacheth vs pacience in aduersitie For whereas it doth not at the first punish those which doe molest or trouble vs it commeth so to passe bicause he is long suffering the which vertue we ought to imitate and paciently to looke for helpe at hys handes 4 Of great kindenesse That is excéeding benificiall and liberall For God is not onely mercifull louing and kinde in heart but also he testifieth the same by many benifites bestowed vpon vs And he bestoweth in déede more and greater benifits vpon vs than eyther we can or dare aske at his handes Wherefore let vs not dispaire in aduersitie ¶ And the Lorde God prepared a wilde Vine which sprang vp ouer IONAS that he might haue shadow ouer his head to delyuer him out of his paine And IONAS was exceding glad of the wilde Vine IONAS being gone out of the citie after his sermon waited that he might sée wyth his eyes what happened to the Citie But when he perceiued in déede his expectation to be frustrate and that it came farre otherwise to passe than he looked for and that all thinges prooued contrarye to his preaching he was greatly vexed tormēted in minde as we haue shewed before But in the meane season whyle IONAS behelde what shoulde happen he is greatly troubled in the fielde with the heat of the Sunne in so much that he desireth to die in so great affliction rather than to lyue any longer For although IONAS had made him a Boothe peraduenture of such boughes and shrubs as came next to hande yet notwithstanding this Boothe could not so shadow him from the beames of the sunne but that he might be parched with the same Wherefore the Lorde prepared for him a wylde Vine with the shadowe wherof IONAS was so refreshed that he greatly reioyced First of all therfore here note that where as the Boothe which IONAS builte holpe him nothing at al neyther defended him from the heate of the Sunne it is plainely set forth vnto vs that humane studies pollicies and deuises doe helpe vs nothing at all in our great temptations and afflictions For although our indeuors if so be they be godly and done with a good conscience are not in aduersitie to be omitted but all godlye iuste right lawfull and honest meanes are to be vsed least God be tempted yet notwithstanding necessitie constrayneth vs that when we haue done all that euer we can not to trust vnto the same but onely to depend vpon the Lorde our God and to beséeche him that he will vouchsafe to prosper and giue good successe vnto our indeuor We ought alwaies to haue in minde Peters fishing who hauing labored all the night in vaine to take fishe and letting slip againe his Nets to make a draught at the commaundement of Christ inclosed a great multitude of fishes The woman likewise which was diseased with an issue of bloud a long time and spent all hir goodes vpon Phisitions to be cured and could not yet neuerthelesse afterwarde by the onely worde of Christ she receyued present remedie and health So IONAS also was nothing holpen by his Booth which he made himselfe but after that the Lord had caused a wilde Vine to growe ouer him he was not onely defended from the heate of the Sunne but also he was greatly refreshed and filled with ioy These things are not spoken to the ende we shoulde be negligent or slothfull in our vocation and carelesse in doing our duetie For we ought to leaue nothing vnassayed in perils and daungers which maye be done godly honestly and lawfully But these things are spoken to this ende that when by our industry we haue prouided all thinges necessarie we may yet know that the help of God is most necessarie and that we ought to call for the same by prayer According to the saying of the Prophete Dauid Except the Lord kéepe the Citie the watch man waketh but in vaine Furthermore where as God in so great trouble of heate prepared a wylde Vine for IONAS by the shadow whereof he was recreated we learne that God is of so great clemencie and louing kindenesse that so many as walke in hys vocation and are afflicted in the same shal receyue at his handes a meane to indure the same according to the Psalmist The Sunne shal not burne thée by day neither the Moone by night Also it is sayde Who so dwelleth vnder the defence of the most highest shall abide vnder the shadow of the almightie Further it is sayd A thousand shall fall beside thée ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thée And the Prophet Esay