of hys lawe not to harken vnto his voyce nor to walke in hys wayes to go after the prauitye and euylnes of euer owne hartes The viciatynge and iuste vse of the Lordes supper i. Cor. xi Also y ◠neglecrynge of wydowes and orphalynges causes not to iudge ryghte iudgemente to the power Ierem. v. These causes muste be auoyded or else truelye thy sayinge of Ieremye wyll take place Chap. vii You trust in youre selfes and in lyes that nothynge profytteth The nexte waye to returne the hande of gods angre great displeasure against vs is to folowe Iosophat the kinge that appoynted good iudges and godlye pryestes in euerye cyty The iudges to iudge after the true lawes of the realme and the preystes to do all thynges in the churche accordynge to the worde of God which teacheth suche knowledge and feare of God and of the magystrates that all the wysedome lawes and bokes that euer were made be but counterfeete and folyshe in respecte of it Nor euer had God in heauen or kynge vpon the earthe suche a frende as is the holy Bible For it reacheth y ◠people and subiectes of the realme the feare of God obedyence to the kynges maiestye and hys Magestrates and all mutuall and fraternal loue Thys example and counsel of Iosaphat if it beneglected ther cā no godlynes be amonge the people as the texte sayeth when Prophecye wanteth the people shall be dysipated scattered abrode Prouerves xxix To the doinges of these godlye offyces shoulde all menne be exhorted specyallye suche as bare the name of Bishoppes and preistes If they will not be desyrous and glad to haue helpe the mynistery of the church to the primatyue and perfecte estate agayne the Lorde dothe crye vengeaunce towardes them and wyl not onlye requyre the lose of them selfes but also of all the people at theire handes Ezech. iii. xxxiii Let them remember the complaynte of God hym selfe Ierem. i. My people hath haue a loste flocke my shepperdes haue deceiued them and haue made them go astraye vpon the hylles If these threatnynges wyll not amend theym Gracyous Kynge and you my honourable Lordes of his highe counsel muste do wyth them as the mariners did with Ionas What y ◠is seing it pleased the kinges maiestie and you my Lordes of his moste honourable councell in the lente to heare by me I haue nowe at the request of manye godlye persons caused it to come abrode and dedicated the same to youre Pryncelye maiestye and mooste prudente Counsell that youre hyghenes maye be bothe iudge and recorde of my doctrine vnto youre Maiestyes true and louing subiectes The whyche doctryne is Catholyke and godly in al thynges nothynge dyssentinge but agreable wyth the Prophetes and the Aposteles as I am accordynge to my bonnden dutye redye at all tymes to make answere if anye thyng shal be attempted to the contrarye Incase ther be now thē added a word more or lesse or peraduenture some sentence yet I know well y e matter is not chaunged nor aultered other wyse then I spake it before youre maiestye for I haue memoryaies wherin I wrot before y ◠inuenciō order disposition of al the matters I wolde entreate vpon As I vse euer wyl doo of all thinges I speake in goddes behalfe to the people wryt my selfe or cause an other to wryte the pethe and disposycion of al thinges I speake vpon that I maye as well learne a farther knoweledge my selfe thereby as make answere to myne enemyes if any shuld accuse me of false doctryne The God of all strengthe and consolation gouerne poure maiestye an youre mooste honourable counsell wyth hys holye spyryte and gyue you the vyctorye of all your ennemies Ami. Anno. M. D. L. Septembris .vi. Sence y ◠angel of god slew in the armye of Senacherive gods ennemie a hundreth thousand and syue thousande menne Anno. M.M.C.C. lxxx viii ¶ The fyrste Sermon made the .xix. day of March in the yere of our lord a. M. CCCCC.L before the kinges maiestie his most honourable Counsel by Ihon Hoper Preacher vpon the holy Prophet Ionas ¶ Preface vnto the Prophet IT is the offyce and dewty of euerye good chyld that studiousli laboreth to obey and folow hys fathers commaundemente before all thynges to know perfectly the nature and condiciō of hys fathers wyl Wherof if he be ignoraunte manye tymes in the same thynges he iudgeth best of he moste offendeth and the thynges moste pleasaunte and acceptable as thynges moste dyspleasaūt and vnacceptable vnto hys father he flyeth and refuseth Euen so wee that be subiectes and the chyldren of God the father almyghty can do nothyng gratefully and acceptable vnto his Maiesty excepte we first knowe hys good wyl and pleasure towards vs or else we shal ther most offēde hym wher as we mynde moste to please him And agayn happyly to improue as pernicious and heretycal that his wisdom approueth to be most Godlye and profytable Wherefore as the fyrste poynte of a louynge Childe is to know what pleasyth and what dyspleasyth what contentyth and what discontentyth hys father least he should by ignoraūce displease where as hys sonnelyke affeccion by naturall zeale woulde please so is it the second poynt of a good Chylde hys fathers wyll once trulye knowen dyligently to obserue and kepe the same least he should by neglygence or contempt be seene wilfullye to contemne the thynge he hathe wyth dylygence and studye obedyentlye submyttyd hym selfe vnto And incase as suche cases be moste common and daylye that infyrmities or other occasyon ledde the sonne from the obedyence of hys father The thyrde poynte of hys dewtie is speedely to acknowledge his offēce and desyre pardon merci for his trāsgressiō As the prodigal and disobedient sonne dyd Luke xv And Dauid ii Samuel and so after the remyssyon and pardon obtayned to be more circumspect and wyse how he fall and transgresse agayne Psal. li. These proposicions and sentences be so true that no resonable man doubteth of them But as the deuyll hath lefte in the world no truth nor veritie whych by argument and question he hathe not called into dout so trobleth he in this case the myndes of men wyth twoo questiōs The first is how and from whence the wyll of God maye be knowen The seconde what y e wil of god is So hath he preuayled amonge men for synne that the truthe of these questions is vnknowen to the greatest part of the world as it was in Moses tyme Christes tyme now in oure tyme more ignoraunte and far from God thē thei He perswaded in those daies that the wil of God was knowen not from heauen nor out of the scripture Canonical as the Patriarches Prophets and the Apostles tawghte but that it was knowē by the writings decrees and statutes of mē that were in the earth and that the wyl of God was to do that man commaunded and not that God commaunded But as almighty God left
thing shalbe to y e best vnto those that loue the lorde Ionas also in thys hys peruerse froward opinion to w tdraw the mercy of god froÌ„ the Niniuits expresseth y e noughty opinion that saieth that sinners can neuer be receaued into grace after they fal once froÌ„ the Lorde They would abrogate y e greatest work of god to say hys mercye that it shoulde not woorke where it pleaseth hym but where as it pleaseth mans fancies to appoynte it The Lord doth not onelye fauour and bear with Ionas infirmityes but also couereth him from the burnyng heate of the sunne and also teacheth him by the tree that he is offeÌ„ded w tout cause what tree this was it is not agreed vpon yet among writers but it maketh no matter therof it is ynough we knowe it was a tree wyth brode leaues wherby the lord would succour both the bodye and knowledge of the infirme Ionas That it grewe vp sodenly and wythered away sodenly it beareth therein the ymage and propertie of suche honours riches and treasures as be in thys world whych sodenly ryse and sodenly fall agayne Noman therfore shuld hasard or daunger hys sowle for so britle and fraile things And by the withering away of this lytle tree God woulde shew Ionas howe vncharitable he was angry that y â— great Citie of Niniue was saued as though he had sayd if it greue the somuch for the losse of this lytle tre shuld it not be a greater grefe vnto the to se the destruccion of so greate a Citye For the tree sprang vp in one nyght and the Citie had stand many hundred yeares Againe for the tree Ionas laboured neuer a dele but God buylded Niniue The tree is but one thynge the Citie had greate nombre both of men and catel And least Ionas myght haue sayd yea but al men of the citie be euyl therfore worthy to perysh but God addeth to the mater and sayth there were in the citie aboue a hundred and twentye thousande persones that knewe not betwene the ryghte hande and the lefte that is to saye chyldren and foules Of thys dialoge betwene God and Ionas we maye gather thys generall and vniuersal doctrine that god wyl saue al penitente synners .i. Timo. ii for seyng he gaue hys onely soÌ„ne for vs whiles we wer yet his enemies how shuld it be he wold not in him giue vs al thiÌ„ges Romaynes .viii. Mathe. xi But here of commeth oure losse and perdicion that we repente not from oure euyll as the Proclamacion of the king of Niniue commaunded the people and subiectes thereof that woulde not onelye men to amend theyr yuel liues but also they shuld restore agayne all false goten goodes and make restitucioÌ„ therof as well to god as to man Restitucion towardes God is when al honoure and glory is geuen vnto hym as saynte Paule sayeth .i. Timotheus .i. But thys glorye is and hathe bene taken froÌ„ God by men of euery sorte as well by those of the Ecclesiasticall polycye as those of the Ciuile policie Those of the Ecclesiastical Policye take awaye thys honoure and prayse from God two waies One by neglecting the true doctrine the other by defeâ—dynge of false doctryne By negligence offend such as know God and hys ministerie bi the holi word of god yet for priuate respectes ether for lucre or for feare of them selues suffer many tokens monumeÌ„tes and ceremonyes of supersticion as is the dyuersitie of meates for religions sake yet I aproue the commaundemeÌ„t of the Magistrates that for a Ciuile Policie cause certayne dayes apoynted to eat fish in ymages forbyddyng of mariage in the lent the vse of suche vestimentes or apparel as obscure the mynysterie of Christes churche and representeth the forme and fasshyon of the Aaronicall ministerie of the old law abrogated and ended in Christ eyther els seldom or neuer teach the people neither procure them to be taught Al those I exhort to restitucioÌ„ or els doubtles theyr thefte wyll bryng them to damnacioÌ„ Let them preach truly the woorde of God and minister his Sacramentes after the institucioÌ„ of Christ and theÌ„ theyr harme done in time past shall not be thought vpon Ther be an other sorte that refuse not only to mocke thys satisfaccion but also obstinatly maintaine and defend false doctrine and study to oppresse the true doctryne Of thys sort is no smalle numbre But those I exhorte also to leaue theyr yuel sayinges and to make restitucion As many as be of the laytie as thei be called that is to sai not of the publicke ministerie of the church robbeth also god of hys glory honoure They seke remedy for synne by another meanes then through the death of Christ as by the marchaundies of Masses Indulgences InuocacioÌ„ of saintes the peines of Purgatorie but I aduyse them to geue God that for it appertayneth onlye vnto hym Harken vnto the woord of God and call vpon hys name as he teacheth thorowe Christ in spirit and veritie And thancke hym for all hys gyftes he geueth bothe to your body and soule At your death commende your soules to hym for Christ that dyed vnder Pontius Pilate as Saynte Steauen did Act .vii. And do not dout of y â— dead for they be at rest al redy eyther in heauen eyther in hell Io. iii. v.i Cor. xv.i. Tess. iiii Apoca. iiii Wherefore rather gyue thankes to God for theÌ„ then praye from them ¶ Of restitucion to be made to man IN external goodes maye a man offend thre maner of wayes In yuel getting of theÌ„ An euyl kepyng of theÌ„ And in euyll spendyng of theÌ„ They be yuel gotten manye wayes Fyrste when they be taken from an other by murder Rape Uyolencie Crafte or Thefte Thus offeÌ„did quen Iesabel in takyng away Nabothes vineyard .iii. Reg. xxi at length she was torne wyth dogges for her labour Then be they iueâ— gotten by subtylties fraudes corrupcion of lawes by lying flattery and such other Let euery man make restitucion of goodes thus gotten or els he shal sure perish Let the sedicious hurtful and daungerous traytoure that contrarye vnto Gods lawes taketh weapon agaynst hys leage Lorde and kynge restore both hys hearte and hys goodes agayne to the Kynges pleasure and commaundement Let al men cease from gettyng of theyr goodes by thys vnlawfull meanes and the goodes so gotten lette them restore againe As zacheus dyd Luc. xix And that they may be y e better fensed against thys vnlawful vngodly gettiÌ„g to gether of goods I prai theÌ„ to read the Canon of saint Paul .i. Tim. vi Such as wil be ryche et cetera Goodes be yuel kept Fyrste if thei exalt theÌ„ vnto arrogancie and pryde whych bringeth the contempt of other and theÌ„ if in the aboundauÌ„ce of goods thou forget God Thyrdly yf hauynge goodes thou cease from labour and put thy selfe to ease so that thou make thy selfe profitable neither to god neyther to y â— commune wealth thou dwellest in Here offende verye
not hys Church thē wythout some that shoulde kepe the truthe of bothe these questions amonge the people to preserue thē from the daunger that muste needes folowe where as truthe is not knowē So hath he done now at thys presente tyme. And by the same authoritie as the deuyll authore and father of all questions and lyes was confounded thē so is he now Moses instructynge the people in the truith of the fyrst questyon whence the wyl of God should be knowē commaundeth them neither to loke it in Aegipt nor else where but in the worde of God Deut. xxx and Sayncte Paule doth the same Roma x. and S. Ihon .i. sayth Noman hath sene the father but y e sōne and he vnto whome the sonne hathe openyd the father vnto God therefore and hys blessed wyll is knowen vnto vs because he hathe spoken vnto vs by hys deare beloued sonne Heb. i. As he spake before time vnto y e world by his prophets From Christ therfore and hys worde commeth the knowlege of Gods wil for the father bid vs hire him Mat iii.vii Io. x. Nowe what hys wil is y e truth also appereth out of the booke of God and oute of none other mans writinges Mark i. hys wyll to the worlde is thys Do penaunce and beleue the Gospel That is to saye let euerye man bewayle and repēt him of hys synnes and desyre the remyssyon and pardon thereof for Christes sake For whom the Gospel sheweth our sinnes shalbe forgeuē Ihon. i. iii.iiii v. vi Math. xi Rom. v. Eph. i. Thys doctrine from the fal of mā hath bene alwayes taught in the Catholicke Churche of Christ vnto al nacions as the wrytynges of the Prophetes and Apostles dothe testifye in whom is fully and aboūdaūtly conteined al truth and veritie and lefte here for oure doctrine and consolaciō Rom. xv Among the whych is also conteyned as a most faythful wytnesse of all truthe and verytie thys holye Prophet Ionas who was sende by God to the Citie of Niniue to preach vnto them Gods pleasure and amendemēt of lyfe or else wythin fourtye daies both they and the Citie shoulde be destroied Thys Prophet haue I takē to interpretate for two causes The one to declare vnto y e kynges maiestye and his most honorable coūsel that the doctryne we preach vnto hys maiesties subiectes is one and the same with the Prophetes and Apostles And as olde as the doctrine of them both and not as new as these Papystes and new learned men of Papystry wold beare the people in hand The secōde cause is to declare whych way the synfull worlde may be reconcyled vnto God And for the better vnderstandynge of the Prophet I wyll deuide him into fowre partes The fyrst cōteineth into what daunger Ionas fel by dysobeing of Gods commaundemēt The seconde parte conteyneth howe Ionas vsed hym selfe in the fyshes bellye The thyrde part conteineth the amēdemēt and cōuersyon of the Niniuites at y e preachyng of Ionas The fourth part cōteyneth an obiurgacion rebuke of god because Ionas lamented the saluacion of y e people and citie The fyrst Parte The first part is deuided in to thre members The one conteineth the Embassage and legacye of Ionas vnto Niniue The other conteyneth Ionas dysobedience The thyrde conteyneth the payne and punishment of Ionas disobedience ¶ The Embassage is described wyth these wordes THe worde of the Lorde came vnto Ionas y e sōne of Amithai saying Arise and get the to Niniue that great Citie crye out againste it for theyr wyckednesse is come vp before me It is not y e lest help that the reder or teacher of ani prophet or other part of y e scriptur shal haue to knowe of what place vnder what king in what state of cōmon wealth y e prophet liued y t he purposith to interpretate al these things as touchīg our Ionas is declared in the iiii booke of y e kings the. xiiii cap. He liued in Samaria vnder an Idololatrical king Ieroboam y e sonne of Ioas a detestable Idololater in Iuda at y t time reigned kīg Amasias And thys Ionas labored in the ministery of Gods word at one tyme wyth Amos Oseas and Ioell the true Prophetes of God The state and condicion of the commone wealthe was troublous and verye vnquiet forbecause y e Israelits bi their Idololatri in folowing y t learning inuented by man and leuing y e word of god God punyshed them w t many greate cruel warres Yet after hys accustomed pytye and compassiō vpon those that he punysheth to remoue y e occasion that worketh gods yre and displeasure he sent them dyuers tymes his holy Prophetes that shoulde cal thē from theyr Idololatry and corrupt lyuyng as Elias Elizeus and this our Prophet Ionas but all in vayne they wold be noughty Idololatres and vicious lyuers continually mawgree gods heade and would as we now adayes for the most parte do rather geue faythe vnto the Prophetes of men and lyars then vnto the Prophetes of god that be true men But ther reward was as ours shalbe except we amende vtter destrucciō and losse both of them selues and theyr commune wealthe The commone wealth and state of Israel and Iuda thus troublouslye being afflicted the commaundement of god came vnto thys oure Ionas that he sholde go to the great Citie of Niniue as the text saith In the which words note fyrste that no man can or may teach truly y e word of god but he be called ordynarylye or extraordinarily Ordinarily wher as is no corruptiō of the ministery in the church neither in doctrine neither in the right ministracion of the sacramēts whyche be as seales and conclusions of Gods holy worde Wher as this integritie I say remayneth in the Churche noman ought w tout the appointment of the hygher powers to intrude or appoynt hym self to preache or minister as it was in Moses tyme and the Apostelles Extraordinaryly is when immediatelye any mā is called by God wher as the ministery of the church is corrupted as it was in the tyme of y t prophets and of Christ that called to minister such as the common face and greatest multitude of the worlde woulde not admitte no not the hygh byshop and those that then were called the holye churche as is to be seene by Amos Ionas Hieremie Moses and Paule wyth other They are to be rebuked therfore that intrudeth and put them selues wythout lawful callynge into y e ministerye of y e Church other wyth money or praier and bye them selues into the Churche which thing through al papistry is acōmon practyse dayly vsed thinge For in case they sought not of their bishopprik more ryches and honoure then the necessari trauels labours that be annexed vnto the vocacacion they woulde not stryue so sore who might lepe vp first to the bishoppes and persones vocacion Ther woulde not so many princes contend and labour for the seate of Rome the nest of
abhominacion If ther were not in it rather the patrimonye of Iudas and Simon Magus then the laboure of Christ Peter more ease then payne more ryches then bourden The Text saith that thys prophet beyng called by God was sente to Niniue Of thys cityes originall reade the .x. of of Gen. It was the chiefe citie of the AssiriaÌ„s vnto the whych Ionas was sent and the consideracion therof that in case the heade Citye be well instructed of a realme there is the better hope of all the reast Therfore god hath vsed from the beginnynge of common wealthes to be mercyfull vnto the greatest cities therof and hath sent the most preachers of y â— truithe as it is to be seene in these dayes what God hathe shewed vpon London And as he offereth them fyrste the tokens of hys merci so first he reueÌ„geth their vnkyndnes wyth hys punishment if they neglect and contemne the grace offered It is to be noted that thys Cytye of Niniue was Idololatrycall and Gentelyshe neuer vnder the dysciplyne and doctryne of Moses Yet vnto it sendeth the lord his Prophet to declare vnto y e Iewes that the Ceremonies workes of the law wherof they most gloried and extolled them selues were not necessari to saluacion but geuen for a time to excercise theyr obedience in the commaundement of God And to trust in Christe of whoÌ„ their rites sacrifices were fygures and shadowes of further the Lorde declareth by thys embassage vnto Niniue that the ignoraunte and supersticious GeÌ„tils be more redy to receaue the lyuing worde of God then the harde harted Iewes As it is to be sene at thys preseÌ„t day More easie it is to conuert vnto God ten symple and ignoraunt soules theÌ„ one that hath bene broughte vp is wedded to the vngodlye doctryne and tradycions of men Moreouer the Lord in sekyng the wealth of these AssitiaÌ„s declareth that he is not onelye the God of the Iewes but also of the GeÌ„tils Rom. iii. Act. x. The text declareth to what ende Ionas was sent to the Citye What to doto bryng in the Ceremonyes of of Moses law Nay but to cry out agaynst it That is to say playnlye and openlye to shewe Gods pleasure vnto them and not agaynst one or twoo of the citie but generally against the whole Citie without respect of persons Against the kyng the Prynces the lawers the Priestes and the common people And thys was the dewtye and offyce of all the Prophetes Esay lviii Crye out and ceasse not Also Hier. ii vii The same commaundemente was geuen to all the Apostles Mark xvi Math. xxviii The same commaundeth S. Paule ii Tim. iiii preache in tyme and out of tyme. Thâ—s is the note and marke to know the byshoppes and ministers of god from the mynisters of the deuyll by the preachyng tounge of the Gospel and not by shauyng clyppyng vestyments and vtward apparel The text maketh answer to an obieccioÌ„ that myght be demaunded wherefore God woulde sende Ionas a man of base sorte to rebuke so greate a kyng wyth hys councell and common wealth Because theyr syns are come vp before the face of the Lord. Of thys aunswer we learn three thynges The fyrste that the Lorde seyth marketh and is displeased wyth our sinnes althoughe we lyue in al securitie and careles as though oure synnes offended God nothyng at all The seconde as manye tymes as God sendeth suche Preachers as wythoute feare sheweth vnto the world Gods woorde and punyshmente for synne that theyr synne is full rype and that they must either amende at the preachynge or vtterlye to peryshe vnder the plage and scourge of God Thus Noah was preacher before the flood Ionas before the destruccioÌ„ of Niniue Loth of Sodome Christ and his Apostles of Hierusalem Seyng nowe that God hathe sent hys worde hys king his magistrates and hys Preachers into England it is take hede of it a very token that the sinnes of Englande is ascended vp into hys sight and that out of hand we amend or sodenlye to looke for the most seuere cruel punyshment of God Al men confesse that synne neuer so abouÌ„ded but none of vs say it is I that prouoke the Ire of God and I wil ameÌ„d The nobilitie putteth al the fault in the people the people in the nobilitye in the Bishops marchauntes priestes and other But wil ye he iudged at one worde by the testimony of a noble wise man Noble Esay the prophet saith The Oxe knoweth hys Lord and y â— Asse hys owners stable wo is me ye sinful people people laden with iniquitie a sede malicious lost childreÌ„ ye haue forsaken the Lord and the holy one of Israel ye haue prouoked as Esay i. Let euery man looke vpon hym selfe knowledge hys synne and studye to amend it from the hyghest to the lowest for the Lord is redy to smyte The thyrd doctryne oute of thys place is a descripcion of Gods nature and longe sufferaunce towards kyngdomes realmes publicke and priuate persons for wher as he myght most iustlye punyshe and take vengeaunce vpoÌ„ vs for synne he is yet so mercyfull that he premonysheth forewarneth of hys scourge to come by hys prophets Apostles and preachers and wylleth the worlde to amende in case they so do he wyl turne hys Ire from them if they wyl not no remedye but vtter destruccion as ye maye read Gene. vii of the flud Ge. xix of Sodomme Exo. xiiii of Pharo But let vs rather folow the exaÌ„ple of the Niniuits and amende then the example of the Aegiptians and perish Thus much is to be takeÌ„ hede of in the legacye of Ionas in the fyrste parte of the chapter Now foloweth the seconde part conteyning Ionas dysobedieÌ„ce after this sort in y e text Wher vpon Ionas rose to fly from the face of the lord into Tharsis came to Iapho founde a shyp pressed towards Tharsis paiing his passage he weÌ„t into her to come wyth them vnto Tharsis Ionas was coÌ„mauÌ„ded to cry preach against y e Niniuites but being afeard suspecting y t difficulty of y t vocacioÌ„ flyith an other way Here first ar two things to be noted whether he flyeth froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he flieth the text saith he fledde to Tharsis which some meÌ„ thiÌ„k is y t sea called Mare mediterraneuÌ„ but y â— more true opinioÌ„ is y t Tharsis is the citi caled Tunes or Carthage Iapho is the citie called Ioppe a haueÌ„ towne in Palestina He flieth from the face of God that is to wyte from the beneuolente and mercyful god that appoynted hym to the vocacion of preachyng Of thys text we learne manye Godlye doctrines First how hard difficult a vocacioÌ„ it is to be a preacher that incase he be not wyth a synguler mercy of God comforted and strengthned he can not nor is it possyble he shuld preach truly Gods word as it is to be sene by Moses Ex. v. vi Esay vi Hier. i. ii Math. x. and in
for the better vnderstandyng of al things that folow I wil deuyde the chapter into hys partes which ar iiii The firste conteyneth the cōmaundement of god to Ionas The second Ionas obedience The third the repentaūce of the Niniuites The fourth the mercye and compassyon of God towardes the penitent sorowfull Niniuites The fyrst parte The worde of God came the seconde tyme to Ionas after thys sorte Ryse go to Niniue that great citye and preache in it the preaching that I haue spoken vnto the of That Ionas goeth not to the citie to preache of his own heade but tarieth to be called vnto it by God we learne no man shuld wysh or desyre for any office or vocacion to a priuate commoditie and his own lucre but to tarye tyl God cal hym to it chiefely the offyce of a byshop or preacher For that office hath so many difficulties labours daūgers that incase the man that is in it be not wel perswaded y e he cam to it by y e calling of god he shal neuer be able to endure the troubles anexed to the vocaciō as the perfit mans tidyousnes and werines therin declareth Iere. xx who decreed w t hym selfe to haue preached no more because of the malice of the people and for the contempt that folowed him in doyng of hys vocacion Euen so is the office of a good counceler good magistrate that incase he loke not to come to hys dignitie and honour for ambicion pride and priuate lucre but commeth whē he is called of God he shal fynd so manye labours vnquietnes in hys vocacion that doubtles wer it not for God he could be glad to leaue it to an other mā For incase the magistrate doo any thyng cōtrary vnto God doutles he shal fal into two yuels fyrst into Gods displeasure then the thing he doth shal neuer prosper as it is to be scene by the Israelites that warred before they were commaūded by God Num. xiiii Let nomā therfore run into an offyce before the tyme god cal him neither bye hym selfe into y ◠office as is now adaies cōmonly vsed for I know surelye he that byeth wil sel neuer do God the king neither the subiectes good seruice but dyshonoure the first and rob the other That Ionas is byd to rise and go to Niniue in that is declared that of al thinges in euery vocacion idlenes sloth must be chieflye auoyded and labours exercysed the whyche if we leaue vndone being workes annexed wyth our vocacion we declare oure selues vnmete for the roume and vocaciō we be appointed vnto Incase any man had a seruaunte apoynted to dreasse his meate in the kytchen or to kepe hys horse in the stable yet wold neglect the labours paynes that the offices ordinarily and of deuty requyred who gladly would be contented wyth such a seruaunt or desyre he shulde be preferred to anye offyce in his house Therfore commaūdeth S. Paul y t he y t wyl not labour shuld not eat i. tes iiii The thyrd doctryne of this fyrst part declared for asmuche as it behoueth euery man to auoyde idlenes in his vocation It myght be demaunded what shuld a man do to satysfye hys vocation It is tolde Ionas in thys place Preache sayeth the text He saieth not take y e regimente and gouernaunce of the cōmune wealth but preach Of these wordes we learn that euerye man is bounde to do the workes of the vocation he beareth the name of and not to medle with other mens laboures It is not the offyce of the Byshoppe to playe the kinge and Lorde nor the kinges parte to playe the Byshoppe For the kynges offyce is inoughe for a kynge and the Bishoppes office inoughe for a Byshop let them do the best they can and studye eche of them in their office But let the kynge take hede he be able to iudge whether the Byshop do true seruice to God in his vocacion bi the worde of God and let the Byshop do the same take hede whether the kynge or councell wolde commaunde hym to do anye thynge contrarye to the workes of his vocacion which is to preache gods worde incase he do wyth knowledge and sobernes to admonyshe hym and to brynge hym to a better mynde If y u be a iudge remember thi name and do the workes of ryght iudgemente If a iustice do accordinge to thy name if a marchaunt bye and sell truelye if anye other subiecte doo accordinge to the name thou bearest as oure subiectes of Englande of late dyd neuer awhyt For master person an olde wyfe taughte them to forget the dueties of true and godly subiectes and wolde haue made them all kinges but the Lorde cast them in to the sea Thys duety of eche man is handsomly set forth by terteyne pictures in the towne house at Basyll in thys verse In supplex ora tu regna tuque labora There be thre images the one of the Pope the other of the Emperoure the thyrde of a plough manne and the verse teacheth all thre their dueties He biddeth the Pope pray the Emperoure to raygne and the plougheman to laboure Let therfore al Byshops priestes knowe their office is to preach pray This I saye God to recorde of no hatred but of loue for I am afraied of gods threteninges vēgeaunce toward them if they amende not For God sayeth he wyl requyre the bloude of the people at the Byshoppes hande Eze. iii. xxxiii And Paule sayeth wo be vnto me if I preach not .i. Cor. ix Here myghte the Bishoppe or the person paraduenture partlye excuse them selfes and saye I knowe my faulte and wolde gladlye amende it if I coulde but I am so olde I can not preache nor neuer vsed miselfe there vnto I wold aduise hym then to folow the doinges of Ualerius the Byshoppe of Hipponensis that in hys olde and latter dayes perceiuinge hys age coulde not satysfye the laboures dewe vnto hys vocation associated to hymself a coumpanion and coadiutor Saint Augustine as he testifieth Epist. cxlviii In the begynninge of that Epistle thus he wryteth Before al thynges I wold your godlye prudence shulde thinke in this our tyme nothing to be more acceptable facile or more desired of mē thē the office of a Bishop priest or decō if their office be slightly slēderly vsed but with God no thynge is more dampnable miserable or sorowful The same knewe Samuel for in his age he instituted his sōnes to help and ease the intollerancye and importaunce of hys offyce◠so I woulde euerye Byshop and personne that for age or lacke of learnyng cannot do hys offyce should institute and take vnto hym some wyse and learned preacher to helpe him and not a synger as nowe is vsed If this counsel and doinges of the godlye men rehersed before lyke thē not let thē deuise some other lyke and all is one to me so they exchue the Ire of God For doutles it is horrible
to fall in this parte into the handes of God For what shal it auayle them to wynne al the world and lose their own soules I wold lykewyse praye admonysh the Magistrates to se the scholes better maintayned for the lacke of them shall bring blindnes into this church of Englande againe And such as be the patrōes and geuers of benefyces lette them take hede they gyue and bestowe them vpon worthie menne and sel them not to Asses and blind blocke headed felowes For if they bestowe theire benefices for lucre or affeccyon to suche as can not or wil not fede with the worde of God the people of hys cure the patrone shall dye eternallye for it as well as hys blynde and naughtye curate person or vicar The forth doctrine of this first part is very necessary for when the Bishoppes and priestes heare theyr offyce is to preache then thinke thei but what we prech it is no matter it lyeth in oure arbitrement pleasure Naye sayeth the texte Preache that I byd the and so sayth Saint Peter .i Pet. iiii Math. xxviii In thys vocation of preachynge the preacher should so vse hym selfe as he myght saye all wayes my doctrine is not my doctryne but hys that hathe sende me For it is goddes woorde and his lawe that turneth the hartes of people to repentaunce Psal. xix cxix For the word of God written is as perfect as God hym selfe and is in deade hable to make a man perfecte in al thinges .ii. Timo. iii. Wherefore it needeth not that blasphemous and stinkinge helpe of the Bishoppe of Rome that durst say the law of God is not of it self but by his interpretacion holsome and sufficiēt But by this meanes he gote authoritie ouer the scripture to bury it and to stablyshe what he woulde were it neuer so deuilishe and heretical Therfore let suche as be of God do as they haue in commission from hym and not as they please them selfes for if they do they be of the deuell and not of Chryste The obedience of Ionas Then Ionas arose and wente to Niniue at the commaundemēt of the Lorde Ionas now being an obediente seruaunt loketh no more for a shyppe to flie but goeth the nexte waye whether he is commaunded though the iournye was paynefull and daungerous to the fleshe But the Crosse of trouble is not vnprofitable to the Chrystyans it mortyfyeth the fleshe so that in the afflicted dwelleth the spirit of God it excersiseth the faythe and proueth obedience As Dauid saith wel it is with me that thou haste chastened me Lord that I maye learne thy commaūdemēts Both good bad are afflicted in this world but y ◠good therby is amended and the euel is appeyred so they peryshe in theire trouble Dauid was amended herewith ii Regum xii xxiiii So was Ezechias esa xxxviii So was Daniel Dani. ix These like vnto them be chastened in the world because they shulde not be dampned wyth the worlde The euyll wyth affliction be not amended but indurated hardened throughe their owne malyce obstynacie as Saul and Pharao And the paines tormēts here be the beginning of the paines eternal This diuersitie and contrarye effect of persecution godly setteth forth the holy prophet Dauid Psa. lxxv wonderful godlye The whiche Psalme I woulde all Byshopppes shuld reade that knoweth the truthe yet wyl take no paynes to set it forthe but liue idle such as haue no liuyng to set it forth or of malice whister and secretlye hyndreth the settynge forthe of it for doutles at length they shal not only drinke of the wyne of aduersitie but be compelled to drinke dragges and all So shal al these rauenyng and couetouse noble men that wyth iniuries and wronges now afflicte the poore at length they shalbe most afflicted them selues so shall the auaricyous iudge the Couetous marchāt and the traiterous and sedicious subiect But I red you be wyse in time and as ye haue folowed this rebell Ionas in euyll so folow hym in the good and amende if not the kinges maiestie muste caste you in to the sea The obedience of Ionas is set forth and cōmended with manye circumstaunces and shulde therefore the better be noted Fyrste because he went the next waye to Niniue and hyred none other nor substituted hys suffragane nor wente not into Samaria to aske coūcell at hys fryndes what was beste to do but went streighte way hym selfe The second circūstance is worthy annotaciō that he dyd all thynges as the Lorde bad hym Wherein we are taughte to be diligente we see all our doinges actes and obedience to be according and as the worde of God biddeth There is putte in as thoughe it were by a parentesis the descripcion of Niniue And Niniue was a great citie to the Lord of three dayes iourney Thys dyscryption settethe forth the obedyence of Ionas that diligentelye preached the roughe the hole cytye the pleasure of God that it shoulde be destroyed wythin .xl. dayes The cytye is called greate vnto God that is to saye euerye greate cytye as the Cedre of God the mounte of God c. Or else it is called the cytye of God for the wonderfull respecte and pitye that the Lorde had in the sauinge of it Whether the cytye were thre dayes Iournye aboute or else thre dayes space to vysytte all the streates thereof it is not agreed yet vpon amōg al wryters but this we knowe it was a notable cytye and amonge al cytyes in the Easte of mooste famous reporte Nowe it foloweth what Ionas dyd after he entrede into the cytie When Ionas hadde entred the cytye one dayes iournye he cried and saued within this xl dayes Niniue shall be destroyed Of this text we learne that Ionas lyued not idle after he came to the place whether he was sente by God but that he walked abrode and cryed So shulde euerye man that is called to the office of a Bishop or pastor it is not inoughe he go to his dioces or personage but that he must walke abrode there and crye oute the comaūdemente of the Lorde Or else they be wyth al theire titel glorye pompe and name dome dogges subiect vnto the vengeaūce and plage of God And this is the marke thoushuldest knowe a Byshoppe and priest by by hys tounge that soundeth the worde of the Lorde and not by hys cap or vtward vesture So shulde the iudge go abrode in his countrey and speake and declare euery wher iustice So shuld the prouost heades of Colledges masters of scholes go and teache the thynge apertayneth to theyr place and vocacion The texte maketh mencion of the summe and pryncypall state of hys sermō that is that the citie shuld be destroied w tin .xl. daies and y t spake he simple and playnely wythout cōdicion or glose Yet maye wee easily gather of y ◠long time of x◠dayes that was geuen vnto it that it was reuersed vnto penance and amendemente of lyfe And god
theyr exces vpoÌ„ the towardly youth of theyr dyoceses So might y â— Nobilitie and our worshipful men of the shyre dooe yea so might euery person and curat do either with his goods help forth the truth and old catholycke faythe of Christe eyther wyth their goodwyls animate them to learne the doctryne of y â— Patriarkes Prophets and the apostles and such as haue the talent of teachyng myght rather teache then play helpe then hyndre buylde then pull downe helpe forth then draw-backe promote God rather then the deuyl fauour Christ then Antichrist agre wyth the kynge then conspire wyth the Pope As concernyng the policâ—e and reformacion therof I haue sayd my mind before the whych God geue grace it may be accepted folowed If it be not yet I haue delyuered my soule God shal requyre your bluddes at your owne hande And incase any man be offended wyth me for my true sayinge I had rather haue dyspleasure of al the worlde then of God that is able to damne â—ath my bodye and my sowle In y â— thyrd place Ionas putteth an excellent discripcion of God the whych we should wel kepe in mynde that he is a pitiful and mercyful God longe suffering and of much clemencie Thys descripcion of God agreeth with Gods own wordes spokeÌ„ to Moses cx.xxxiiii the whych encoraged Iustes shulde do the same to vs if we were of god Great doubtles was the synne of Ionas that toke an occasioÌ„ to be angry by gods fauour and goodnes towardes thys sorowful Citye Euen thus dyd the Pharises that were angry at Christ because he kept companye wyth synners Ionas was then as many meÌ„ be now adayes that thyncke wretched Synners shoulde neuer fynde pardon for theyr synnes before God Now foloweth a farther discripcion of Ionas faute and impaciencye And nowe O Lord take my lyfe from me I beseeche thee for I had rather dy theÌ„ liue Of thys text we learne two thynges fyrste howe sore and haynously thys Ionas offended that rather desyred to dy theÌ„ god should haue pitye vpon thâ—se penytente people by whose preseruacioÌ„ he thought some shame and rebuke shuld happen vnto hym because he did afore speake and threaten theyr perdicion and losse Muche better and more Godly dyd Moses and Paul that wyshed rather their owne harme theÌ„ y e losse of y t people Also thys texte declareth the werynes and impaciencye of the fleshe that wyll not suffer the troubles annexed vnto the vocacioÌ„ but rather wisheth to dye then to lyue So did Elias desyre death .iii. Reg. xix so that the text experience â–ª dayly sheweth the best day that euer a true preacher shal see is the day of hys deathe But as the deuyll hath vsed the vocacion of Bishops and Priestes in this present tyme ther is no day so terrible nor fearefull to them as the dai of death The cause therof me thynketh S. Augustine Episto cxlviii ad Ualerium sheweth right well Ante omnia inquam peto ut cogitet religiose prudentia tua nihil esse in hac vita et maxime hoc tempore facâ—â—iâ—s et letius et hominibus acceptabilius Episcopi aut Presbiteri aut Diaconi officio si perfunctorie atque adâ—â—â—atorie res agatur sed nihil apud deum miserius et tristius et damnabilius That is to say Before al thynges I desyre that your Godlye prudence would thynke nothynge to be more lyght facile or ioyfull in thys lyfe chiefely nowe thys tyme then the offyce of a Byshop Priest or Deacon yf the thynge be done lyghtlye or hypocriticallye but before God there is nothynge more miserable sorowful and damnable Nowe foloweth the answer of god to this angry maÌ„ ¶ God maketh answer to angry Ionas Then sayd the lord art thou so angry Of thys demaund question of the Lord we learne how he in a fume or hastye passion if a maÌ„ may speake so of god wil not cast away this infirme and weake Ionas but wyth sufferaunce trayned hym to a better and more aduised iudgemente So doeth Esaye reporte of Gods nature chap. xlii He wil not put out the towe kindled He dyd not onely consyder the weakenes of the man but also the daungers and trouble of hys pastoral vocacion Pytyâ—ully therfore doth god bear wyth hym and scholeth him to a farther better knowledge Of this maÌ„ we mai learn how to be ware of hasty rash passions of Ire â–ª for if there be not in all oure actes a moderacion thereof we shal neuer doo nor iudge thinges vp ryghtly accordyng to knowledge If meÌ„ would remember this demauÌ„d of God towardes Ionas they woulde not be so angrye when they be rebuked for their faultes but rather thanke y â— admonitoure for hys good admonicion and warning of gods displeasure Now foloweth the secoÌ„d part of the chapter And Ionas gat him oute of the Citye and sat downe on the East syde thereof and there made hym a Boothe and satte vnder it in the shadowe tyll he myght see what shuld Chaunce vnto the cytye WheÌ„ Ionas had no excuse to make why he was angrye nor woulde not confesse hys faulte for he answereth nowe nothyng to the questyon God demaundeth of hym he goeth hym selfe out of the Citâ—e to se the ende whether y e Niniuiâ—es wold perseuer in their penauÌ„ce begone or not Of thys we learne yf we be wrongfully angrye and admonyshed if we wyl not confesse the faulte yet shuld we consyder and way it the more deepelye In that he made hym selfe a boothe we see wyth what symplycitie the good man was contented wyth al and likewyse howe he hym selfe was contente to labour to make hys own couch Our Byshops and Priestes haue all thynges prepared to theyr handes God geue them grace better to deserue it The texte sayeth The Lorde God prepared a wilde vine whych sprang vp ouer Ionas that he myght haue shadowe aboue hys heade to delyuer hym out of hys paine The Lorde here purposeth to helpe the infirmities of Ionas and remoue the sinistre and false iudgement he had of Gods mercye by the ymage of a yong tree He bringeth forth a yong tree that may geue shadow to Ionas wherof Ionas reioyceth very much But the Lorde queeleth it a agayne strayght way and that maketh Ionas eftsones angri In the myddest of hys fumes commeth the Lord and by a collacion and similitude betwene symple tree and the woorthye Cytye of Niniue he sheweth Ionas his fault that was angry for the mercy shewed wnto the Citie But in these thinges be thynges to be marked Fyrst in Ionas then in God thyrdly in the 〈◊〉 In Ionas maye be sene the ymage of aâ—â—an that laboreth and is oppressed with many affeccions and neuer contented with y â— doings of god We shoulde not folowe thys fault but submyt oure iudgementes to his wyl Saing alwaies in al gods works thy wylbe done whether thou send vs myrth or sorow ioy or pain for euery