from their wicked wayes he repeÌ„ted of the yuel whyche he sayed he would do vnto theÌ„ and dyd it not Ye haue hearde howe thys myghtye kynge at the preachynge of Ionas corrected both hys faythe and maners And how by publycke proclamacion he wylled al hys subiectes to do the same Of thys fact of the Niniuites we maye learne how that it is our office to obei vnto al godly and vertuous commaundemeÌ„ts proclamacioÌ„s and decrees of princes as many times as they coÌ„maunde amendement of relygyon and maners But oure people and especially the multitude of Priests be otherwyse affected for they do dysobeye both God and theyr kyng It were a charytable way yf they haue anye thynge to obiect agaynst thys reformacion that the kynges Magestie and the couÌ„sel godly inteÌ„deth to bring forth argumentes not force and violence of armoure God therfore seeth that is to say approueth their works not because thei wer clothed in sackcloth but because thei turned from theyr wycked waies that they had chaunged theyr fals religioÌ„ restored y e goods agayne they had by vyolence and extorcion takeÌ„ from theyr neyghbours and euerye man walked in hys vocacion And euen as the Lord pityed them so wyll he doo vs yf we amend our faythe and conuersacion and lyue in oure vocacion accordyngly Esay lviii Ezech. xviii But and if we hate not from the bottom of oure hartes y e yuel we haue committed we tary styl in deathe That God repenteth on the yuel he purposed to do vnto y e Niniuites we learne that al y â— threatniÌ„gs of god be coÌ„dicionally y t is to say to fal vpoÌ„ vs if we repeÌ„t not of our iuel deds That is Godly shewed Iere. xviii in these wordes Repente lo quar aduersum genteÌ„ â–ª et aduersus regnum ut eradicem et destruam et disper dam illud Si penitenciaÌ„ egeâ—it geus illa a malo suo quod locutus sum aduersus eam ago et ego penitenciam super malo quod cogitaui ut facereÌ„ ei That is to say I wyll speake quickly agaynst the people or kingdome to wast and destroy them If that people agaynst whom I haue deuysed coÌ„uert from theyr wyckednes immediately I repent of the plage that I deuysed to bring vpon them The same may ye se. Esech xviii zach i. Turne vnto me sayth the Lorde and I wil turne vnto you yet shulde not God be accoumpted inconstaÌ„t though he punyshe not as he threatned for thys is hys nature that can not be chaunged to receaue penitent sinners into grace Esech xviii Mat. xi Io. iii. v The heresy and false doctryne of the Catharones that denye mercy and remission of sinne to sinners is damnable and naught ¶ The fourthe Chapter of Ionas The Argument THe suÌ„me of this chapter is that God wyll shewe mercy vnto penitent and sorowfull synners yea though al the world wold say naye Thys mercy god declareth in this chapter not only with words but also with a metaphor similitude of a tre ¶ The diuision of y â— chapter IT is diuided into two partes The one conteineth how Ionas was angri for y â— merci coÌ„passioÌ„ god toke vpoÌ„ y â— peniteÌ„t Niniuits wherfore he is reprehended of god The second part coÌ„tayneth how Ionas beyng in the fieldes is taught of the Lords by a tree that sodenly growed vp and sodenly peryshed agayne that he dyd noughte to be angrye wyth gods doynges towards the Niniuites and declareth farther that he coulde do none other then saue them Therefore Ionas was sore dyscontente and angry he praied vnto the Lorde and sayde O Lorde was not thys my saying I pray the when I was yet in my Countrey Therefore I hasted to fly rather to Tharsis For I knowe well inough that thou art a mercyfull God full of coÌ„passion longe suffering and of great kindnes and repentest wheÌ„ thou shuldest take punyshmente Of thys text we learne first how horrible and wycked the peruersenes of oure nature is seyng Ionas I can not tel vpon what loue towards him selfe is angrye and not wyth man but with God that wold fauoure of mercy the sorowful Niniuites Seyng ther was suche imperfeccion and infyrmities in the holye Sayntes how much nede haue we to see what lyeth in vs myserable and wrâ—tched synners Oute of thys texte also wee learne what difficultie hardnes is in y e office of preaching if it be truely and wel done coÌ„tinually whether it happeÌ„ and come to passe y t he speaketh or it come not to passe the preacher staÌ„deth in dauÌ„ger of obloquie and contempt We maye se an example hereof in Ionas that preached by the worde of God the destruccion of Niniue whych if it had come so to passe they woulde haue called Ionas a cruell tyraunte and seker of blud And now that he seeth the citi spared he feareth least he shoulde be accomted a false prophet not only among hys owne countrimen the Israelites but also amonge the Gentils and then al his preachynge shoulde be taken for a mockery Thys contempte so sore feareth Ionas and is therwythal so troubled that he offeÌ„deth God greuously I may accommodate y â— same fortune vnto my self and others right wel When we speake for a reformacion of the church scholes and polycyes In to the churche we wyshe to be putte such ministers as can would teach the doctryne of the apostles and that they should not be knowen by theyr vestimentes and shauings but by their doctryne TheÌ„ such as would minister the sacramentes grauely relygyouslie and simply as Christe and hys Apostles dyd In Baptisme nothynge to be vsed but the woorde and the symple and bare water In the supper of the Lorde to vse the Ceremonies and Rites of Christ and hys Apostles and al occacions of supersticion to be auoidid But although this doctryn be as true as Christ his Apostles be yet I perceiue displeasure greate ennimitie ryse here vpoÌ„ to me to other yea not onely vnto vs that be subiectes but also to y e kyngs magesty his most honorable councel But the lord kepe vs out of teÌ„ptacion gyue grace and strength to do all thinges to y â— glorye of God to praye for our enemyes And as touchyng scholes specially y â— vniuersities they muste be amended and good heades rulers apoynted in the Colleges or els y e word of god shuld be hindred alwaies bi such as ought most to set it forth Such godly meÌ„ as haue wherw tal shuld helpe prouide to haue schols to bringe vp youthe in euerye where through thys realme theÌ„ shuld godli learned childreÌ„ occupy y e place of supersticious ignoraunt men wherwithal this realme of EnglaÌ„d is sore to much god amende it pestered hurt withal this might bishops in theyr dioceses help wel if they inteÌ„ded as muche good as they beare the worlde in hande they dooe and bestow some part oâ—
An ouersight and deliberacion vpon the holy Prophete Ionas made and vttered before the kynges maiestie and his moost honorable councell by Ihon Hoper in lent last past Comprehended in seuē Sermons Anno. M D.L. Excepte ye repente ye shall al peryshe Luke xiii Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ To the mooste puisaunt Prince and our most redoubted Soueraign Lord Edward the syxt by y ◠grace of God Kyng of England Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth in earth next and immediately vnder God of the Churches of England and Ireland the supreme head And also vnto the moste wyse godly and most honorable Lordes of his highnes priuie coūcel his most humble louing and obedient subiecte Ihon Hoper electe and sworne Byshoppe of Glocester wysheth al grace and peace from God wyth long and the same most godlye prosperous raigne ouer vs in all honoure healthe and perpetual felicitie AMong al other moste noble and famous dedes of kinges and Princes none is more godlye commendable nor profytable to the cōmon wealth then to promote and set forthe vnto their subiectes the pure and sincere religion of the eternal God kyng of al kynges and Lord of al Lordes Then shal iustice peace and concord raygne the doore of Idololatrie be shut vp vi the whyche hath entred all euyl and kynges and kyngdomes fallen into ieopardye as the writinges of y ◠Prophets do testifie But the more thys noble fact is glorious godly and princely the more difficile hard it is For the enemy of God of al mankynd the Deuyll customablye is wont to deceiue the princes of y e world so that eyther they vtterly neglect the religion of the true God as a thynge folyshe and of no estimacion eyther prouoke thē cruelly to persecute it If he cā bryng neither y e one neither the other of these to pas he wyll do the beste de can to preserue a myxte and myngled religion that shall nether playnly be agaynst nor wholye wyth hym And so vse the matter that partly goddes truth shall take place partly the supersticious inuēcion of man The whych myngled and myxed religion is so muche the more daungerous as it is accompted for pure and good Therfore it is earnestlye forbidden by God as the examples of the scripture declareth Iehu the kynge of the Israelites when he had remoued all grosse and sensible Idololatrye and with the swerde had taken away all the Idololatricall priestes iii. Reg. x is reproued of God neuertheles because he walked not in the lawe of God wyth all his herte and lefte not the wayes of Ieroboam And againste these minglers and patchers of Religion speaketh Elias the Prophet iii. Reg. xviii Howe longe sayth he wyl ye halt on both sides If y ◠Lord be God folow hym if Baal go ye after hym Euen so we may iustly say If y ◠priesthod ministery of Christe with his notes and markes be true holy absolutely perfect receiue it in case it be not folow y ◠pope Christ can not abide to haue the leuē of the pharises myngled wyth hys swete flowre He wold haue vs ether hote or cold the luke warme he vometeth vp and not wythout a cause For he accuseth God of ignorancie and folishenes that entendeth to adorne and beutifye his doctrine and decrees with humaine cogitacions What kynge or prince of the world wold suffer hys statutes lawes and testament to be cut of and set on at euery mans libertie and pleasure Shulde not the same glory maiesty and honour be geuē vnto the lawes and testament of Christ that is sealed wyth hys precious bloude The worde of God wherwyth he gouerneth and ruleth his church is a septer of yron Psal. ii and not a rod of wylowe to be bowed wyth euerye mans finger either a rede to be broken at mans wyll no neither a pece of lether to be stretched and reached out wyth any mans teth These thynges be spoken of me most gracious and vertuous kyng to commende youre maiestyes and your moste honorable councels doinges that seke the glorye of God and the restituciō of hys holye and Apostolycall churche The whyche thing as your highnes your most honourable and wyse councel haue gracyouslye be gon goddes mercye in the bowels of Chryst Iesu graūt you moost gratiously to perfourme The people of Englande were oppressed wyth the vyolente and cruel tyrannye of Antychryste darckenes and ignorauncie occupied y ◠mindes all moost of all menne so that fewe knew the true way to eternal saluatyon And yet manye Prynces and wysemen delyte and tarye in thys darckenesse and can not or wyll not bare nor suffer the radiant and shynynge beames of the Gospell more then the night crow can the beames of the sonne but the merciful father of heauen shall better their syghte when hys good and mercyfull pleasure is But the Lorde be praysed your magestye youre moste honourable and wyse counsel haue not cared what y ◠greatest parte but what the better dothe that the lawe of the hyghe and myghtye God maye be knowne to your hyghnes people as did Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosyas And in your maiesties so doing ye bynde not only the true and lyuynge members of Chryste to geue God thanckes in thys behalfe but also declare your selfe to be the verye fauroure nource and helper of the word of God according to the sayinge of Esaye .xlix. Perseuer gracyous kynge in thys quarel daungerous enterpryce Youre hyghnes shall not neade to feare eyther the strength or cautelles of your ennemyes for there is no witte wsdome nor coūcel against y e Lord as Salomō saith pro. xxi No although they had syluer as the grauell of the sea and golde as commune as the claye of the stretes zach ix for albeit the horse is prepared for the day of battell yet the vyctorye commeth from the Lorde Prouerb .xxi. I am he sayth the Lord that do comfort you what art thou that fearest mortall manne eyther the sonne of manne that shalbe made as haye canst thou for got the Lorde thy maker y t streachith forthe the heauens and laieth the foundacion of the earthe Esa. li. Let these diabolycall soundes speakynges of euel menne nothyng trouble your highnes nor your wise and godly councellour◠As long as the kynge is in hys tender age hys councell shulde do nothinge in matters of religyon For those mens folishenes rather I shuld sai malice is condemned by the worde of God that teacheth howe a kynge in hys younge age wyth hys wyse and godlye counsell shoulde abolyshe Idolatrye and sette forthe the true godly religyon of the liuing God Thus declareth the notable godlie facte of Iosias that folowed the relygyon of hys father not Ammon the Idolater but of Dauid nor declynynge to the rightt hande neyther to the left hand And destroyed not onlie the Images of his father but also of Ieroboā of Solomon iiii Reg. xxii .xxiii.
This scuit of Iosias holp his godly coūcellers vertuous priestes Euē so Ioas beynge but a child was holp by his coūcellers in the lyke procedinges reformaciō of religion In case y t princes Bishops priests had not knowen it to be the cōmaundemēt of God to haue obeyed these .ii. yonge godlye kynges they wold not haue consented vnto his procedinges But we see howe gladde they were to do it The Princes and councellours moued no sedicion the Bishop and the priestes soughte not for the defence of their proper doctrine eyther to myngle theirs with goddes but were content wyth the sole and onely lawe of God Ye noble Princes and councellours praise be vnto the liuinge God for your great wisdome and godlye assistaunce in this behalfe And the Lorde be magnifyed in all the godlye and learned Bishoppes and others of this Realme that haue and do put to their helpes and studies to brynge the churche of Chryste to her olde and reuerende perfeccion agayn And al other that hynder your maiesties godlye purpose openly or secretelye God wyll douteles reuenge at length The godly and vertuouse begynnynges moste noble Prince of your father the kynges maiestie Henry the eyght of a blessed memorie shall by your hyghnes godlye be ended in hym that can and wyl do al thinges for Christ his deare sōnes sake And a thousande tymes the rather shal your maiestie restore agayn the true ministerie of y e church incase ye remoue take away all y ◠monumētes tokens leauinges of papistry For as longe as anye of them remayne there remayneth also occasion of relapse vnto the abolyshed supersticion of Antichriste Seynge I see in the writynges of the Prophets God to require the obseruacion of his lawe onely concerninge religion and threatneth all Prynces priestes and prophets w t his displeasure that neglecte or contaminate it with their own cogitacions I can do no lesse howe soeuer the worlde shall take my doynges but exhorte and pray the magistrates to brynge the churche to her fyrst perfeccion For if I shulde studye to please man herein I were not the seruaunt of God And I am afrayd leste the dissease that infected the Pharises infecteth also many now a dayes that minister in the church vnto whom Chryst spake Ihon .v. Howe can ye beleue that seeke glorye one of other and the glory of God ye contemne God geue grace I maye not saye Hinc ille lacrime Helpe ye therefore O ye Byshoppes and pryestes the kynges maiestyes and hys noble couurelles procedinges that all thynges maye be broughte to a perfecte and Apostolicall reformacion it is not inoughe to laye the foundacion of the temple but there muste bee buylded vpon it golde syluer and precyous stone But in anye case wee muste take heede we laye no strawe nor stubble upon the foundacion if we do it wyll be burned i. Corrinth iii. If wee do not buylde vp vpon the foundacion then shal we be shente as the Israelites were Agge .i. Lette no manue excuse hym selfe vpon the kynges maiesties age for the age canne not excuse the kynges maiestie it selfe If hys relygyon in hys youthe be accordynge to goddes woorde he hathe the fauoure and promyses of God to blesse preserue and keepe hys maiestye and hys Realme thoughe the Deuyll and hys members wolde saye nay If in youthe hys maiestye take a wronge relygyon he shall bee assisted of goddes displeasure as it is to be seene .iiii. Regum xxi Manasses beynge of twelue yeres olde was crouned kynge and in his youth reuoked the Idololatry that his father Ezechias had abolished and in hys so doing displeased haynously y ◠maiestie of God at lēgth was sore afflicted and punyshed for his so doyng Behold y ◠displeasure of God in a yonge kynge for a false religion Ieoachim crouned the eyght yere of hys age for the euyll he dyd in the syghte of the Lorde he was taken prisoner by the kynge of Babilon .ii. Paral. xxxvi wyth all the goodly vessels of the Lorde Thys kinge raygned but thre monethes ten dayes before the Lorde reuenged the false doctrine he mainteined These examples I dout not moste godlye kynge and vertuouse councellers moneth you to be carefull of the true religion The Lorde hathe strengthe and power inough seeke ye hym and geue no place to the infirme perswasions of the flesh for the Lorde shall be wyth you Souche as thynke peace and quyetnes shal come to the realme a better waye then to haue the true relygyon of God restored they shal knowe the contrarye in the Prophete Ie. Chapter .vi. the whyche Chapter if the kynges maiestye bare in mynde and folowe it is wourthe a kynges reuenue If a Lord the value of hys lande if the Byshoppe the estimacion of hys Byshopprycke if the marchaunte the gaynes of hys laboure if the husbande hys Oxen plough And the same commaunded God Leuit .xxv. Obserue my statutes and my iudgementes then shal ye dwell safelye in the earth and the earthe shal brynge forthe her frute ye shall eate and be satyfied and dwel in the earthe wyth out feare It is a fonde opynyon most gracyous kynge and vnmete for a chrystyan man to bare the Magystrates of God in hande that incase the doctryne of Chryste and hys holy sacramentes shuld not be decked and set forthe wyth these plausible and well lykynge ceremonyes that is to speake playnelye w t papysticall superstisticion it were to be feared of sediciō and tumults Doutelesse if the Popes members woulde not deceyue the people but teach thē gods word y ◠people wold sone see the truthe and willingelye leaue asmuch as God and their king shulde commaunde them as y ◠gests and factes of Iosyas and Ioas declareth Moste gracyous kynge and noble councellers as ye haue taken away the Masse from the people so take from them her fethers also the aulter vestmentes and suche like as apparelled her And lette the holye communion be decked wyth the holye ceremonyes that the hyghe and wyse preyste Chryste deckyed and apparelled her fyrste of all And frō whence myghtye Prynce and soueraygne Lord spryngeth warre and sedicion Come they not frome the onlye God beynge angrye for the neclectynge of hys lawe so we be taughte by Esa. l. And Ieremye .ix. sayeth who is wise vnderstandeth thys and he vnto whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken declareth wherefore the earth perisheth and is like vnto the burned wildernes y t no man maye passe by it And the Lord sayed because they haue forsakē my lawe whyche I put vnto them and hearde not my wayes and walketh not therein but folowed the desyre of theyr owne hertes and after Baalimas they were taughte by there fathers And because wee myngle mennes inuencyons wyth his lawe For he sayeth menne worshyp hym in vayne wyth the preceptes of men Math. xv And in the .ix. of Ieremy the Lord declareth other manner of causes of warre and sedicion The forsakynge
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
thys ye may see the dyuersitie betwene the ministerye of God of y ◠deuil of Christ and of Antechrist Christs mynistery is ful of labors paines sclounders and calamytyes Antichrist is ful of care pleasures cōmodities honoures as ye maye see through all the kingdom of the Pope for ther is not a byshoppricke nor benefice cā fal but ten ar reddy to take it or it come to the groūd Yea and healpe awaye the incumbēt wyth an Italion figge before tyme as ye may rede of Uictor the thyrd The seconde doctryne is that who so euer leaueth vndone the office commaunded vnto him by god flieth from the fauour and good wyl of God as it is to be sene i. Regu xv Here be al bishops and priestes admonished to beware how they leaue their deuties and cures They flie from y ◠face of god as many as beare that name and preache not the word of God and instruct not the people after the mouthe of god Myserable and cursed is our tyme of gods owne mouth that ther be such dom bishops vnpreaching prelats and such asseheadded Mynysters in the church of God Christ institutid nether singers nor massers but preachers and testimonies of his true doctrine Mar. xvi Mat. xxviii Luk. xxiiii Act. i. He that leaueth thys doctryne vntaught in the church or teacheth a contrary doctrin flieth from the face of god and do incurre the daunger and dampnacion that is wrytten Ezechi xxxiii iii. I wyll requyre theyr losse sayeth God to the preacher at thy hand Let nomā therfore be offended if the cryer speake agaynst the faultes of al degres wythout excepcion seing he is commaunded so to do vpō the paine eternal of his soule and Paule sayth wo be vnto me if I preache not i. Cor. ix Let all men take heede to do the thing that apparteyneth to theyr offyce least they depart from the face of the Lord as kyngs do if they make any laws contrary to the lawe of God and the lawe of nature or suffer theyr subiectes to be tawght in anye doctryne for the saluacion of theyr soules beside and contrary to the expresse word of god The iustyce departeth from the face of God when y t he for fauor preposterous peti or for bribes iudgeth not iustly The gentle men when bysyde charity seke themselues wyth the hurt of their neighbours The commons of euery realme departeth frō the fauour of god when sediciously inobedientlye they make tumults and sedicion lyftynge vp weapon agaynst theyr kyng and rulers whych leadeth to eternal dāpnacion Rom. xiii Num. xvi But a man might say toush it is not so great a matter if a man walke not in hys vocacion neyther yet is god so much offended with dysobediēce but thys fleshly and peruerse opinion may soone be corrected if mē wold cōsider the daungers that thys poore man Ionas fell into for hys dysobedyence They be in number syxe The fyrste is the perylous wyndes that troubleth the shippe The seconde hys synne and dysobedience is detected and made open by lottes The thyrd he is examyned what he is The fourthe he is constrayned to geue sentence of death agaynst hym selfe The fyfth the shipmen cannot saue him The sixt he is cast into the sea The fyrst daunger hath two partes The one sheweth the daunger of the shyppe The other shewith how the mariners behaueth thē selues in the time of theyr daunger Of the fyrst thus sayth the Prophet The Lorde hurled a greate wynde into the sea and there arose a myghtie tempest in the sea so that the shyppe was in Ieoperdie of goynge in pieces Well we maye thyncke to escape the daunger of GOD though we neglect oure dewty and vocacion but truely it can not be so Whither sayeth Dauyd shoulde I go from thy spirite and whither shoulde I fle frō thy face Psal. cxxxix Ther is no corner of the world wher in man maye hyde hym selfe from the knowlege and punishment of God if we neglect the worckes of oure vocacion He hath all thynges in hys hand heauen earth the wyndes and the waters with the whiche he vseth to punyshe the wyckednes of transgressours wythall at his pleasure when he wil as it is to be seen Samu. i. Of thys place of the text we learne that whosoeuer contrarye to Goddes commaundemente studieth to auoyde one yuell falleth into manye The byshop or the preacher that for the loue or feare of the world letteth to speke the trueth falleth into the burnyng and damnacion of hys owne conscience The people that agaynst goddes lawe woulde defende the pouertye of theyr bodies loste body soule wyfe chyldren and all together The corrupte Iudge in serchynge to serue hyz owne tourne or hys frenfrends in corrupting of iustice bryngeth bothe hym selfe and hys frende into the daunger of eternal dampnacion The text procedeth y t sheweth howe the mariners behaued them selues in this daūger y t whych thyng is dylygently to be noted For in them is expressed averi liuelye ymage of all men that lackyth fayth howe they feare aboue measure in the tyme of trouble Theyr doinges is expressed foure waies First their fayth Second eche of thē calleth vpō his own god Third thei exonerate the ship Fourth they wake Ionas oute of hys sleepe The fear declareth y e greatnes of the daunger they were in theyr ignoraunce of God who onelye comforteth in the dayes and houre of trouble That euery man calleth vpon his own god it appeareth ther were people of sondry and dyuers nacions and also what is common to all men vnder the sunne that haue not lost the vse of reason when we be left destitute of humane healpe we call vpon god not for loue but for feare as it is sayd metus primus in orbe Deos fecit That is to say feare was the fyrste that made Gods in the world These mariners are of some part to be folowed of some part not that in the daye of trouble they praye we ought to folowe them that they praye not to the one and sole God but euerye man to a sondrye God they maye not be folowed For there is but one patron and helper for all men and he is neuer nor no where knowen but by his word Mānes reason knoweth ryght wel in the tyme of trouble that ther is a god but who he is reason cannot tell Therefore worshippeth reasō an idole of hys own heade vnder the name of God and then foloweth man eyther hys owne opinion eyther the tradicion of hys elders And thys is the fountayne of Idolatrye when that euery manne thyncketh hym to be hys God that he hym selfe hys elders or custome hath taken to be god From hence came suche diuersitye of gods among the Gētiles so many patrons among y e supersticious sort of Christians These goddes all together be forbyd Exodi xx Deutrono vi They lyghten the shyp when they felt that prayers auayled nothynge they tourne to laboure whyche also eased them
muste do But before we take vpon vs theyr examination we wyll praye vnto almightye god for his holye spirite of wysdome lest in this necessarye and profitable examination we erre and be deceiued And also that they vpon whome the Lottes do fall and can not iustelye excuse theyr faultes maye learne to amende theym and tourne vnto the Lorde and from hensforth maye lyue in puritie and in nocencye of trueth and vertue all the dayes of theyr lyues So be it ☞ The ende of the Preface YE haue hearde howe Ionas for the contempte and disobeyinge of hys vocacyon to haue fallen into syxe greate dawngers Of two we haue spoken nowe we be come to the thirde where as he and his factes be deligentlye examined whyche doutles was agreate crosse and trouble vnto hym For there is nothyng that dyspleaseth man more thē to haue his faults hiddē to be brought vnto lyghte and knowledge God notwythstandynge suffereth that manye tymes for oure good and profit that we beyng brought vnto acknowledge of oure synnes myghte hate the same and praie for the remission thereof and so is it better howe so euer the blynde fleshe iudgeth to haue oure synnes if God wyl opened for oure saluacion then hyd to our losse and damnacion In thys examinacion we se not only the daūger of Ionas but also the office of euery good maiestrate that meaneth to quiet and rest hys commune wealth beynge in trouble Those shoulde be examined that by any signe or probable suspicion seme to be the authors of tumultes And thys vsynge moderacion in examininge the innocente and good shalbe fre from payne and punyshmente and the Culpable and gyltye founde worthye of correcciō First therfore let vs examyne the Byshoppes and priestes whether those y t know the wyll of God by hys holye worde diligentlye teache and preache the same vnto other Then whether any mā of that vocacion teache false doctryne in the churche of Christ. If the one do to litle in the fyrste and the other to much in the secōd or the one neglect the fyrst and the other to diligente in the second both these be Ionas and occasion y e the shyp is moued Agaynste the negligente sorte speaketh Ezechiell iii.xxxiii Agge i. with vehemēt wordes and threteneth eternall dampnacion to suche as preacheth not nor buildeth vp the temple of goddes congregacion lykewyse Saynt Paul .i. Cor. ix Agaynste those that teache false doctrine speketh Christe Io. x. and Paull .i. Timo. iiii Hier. xiiii Amonge the noble men Ionas that troubleth the commune wealth may be foūd amōg two sortes of them The one of them hathe inoughe gyuen him from God yet is not content there withal but for auarice and loue of him self and his insaciable couetousnes scrapethe and gathereth to gether whither with y e law or against the lawe it maketh no forse so he haue it So this Ionas and trobler of the ship with all iniuries and wronges rather woulde ad somewhat where in deade is to much thē to depart a litle where as is nothynge at al. And in vaine glorye pride of the manmon of y e world they wyll condemne and disdayne y e verye Image of God in the poore agaynste whome speaketh Salomon Prouerv xiiii he y t calumniateth the pore abraydeth hys creatoure Take exāple hereof Out of the. ix of Iohn howe the general coūcel of the Phariseis layde to the pore blynde man his blindnes Theyr reproch of gods worke was reprehended and the insaciable and couetous hartes of theym be condemned by Esaye the Prophet Chapter .v. cursed be ye that Ioyne house to house and feld to feld The experyence of thys curse had Ahab that vngodlye toke from Naboth his vineyard If these men that hath Inoughe wyll not moue the shyppe of youre highnes commune wealth let theym leaue their rauenynge and giue god thankes for that they haue and to theyr abilitye healpe not rob the pore The other sort of noble or gentlemen that make more expēce then their reuenues and condicion is able to beare and liueth by dysse Cardes whordome fraude gile deceite thefte and suche like Indifferent examinaciō not only by gods lawes but also by mānes lawes wyll proue thē not only to be disobedient Ionas but also starke theues The lawiers if they be examined diligently there wil be so many found amonge thē to vnquiet the shyppe of thys commune wealthe that few or none wilbe found clere And among the lawyers I put Iudges and Iustices the one for gaine careth not to defend the faulsest cause and most vniust matter y t can be brought vnto him promiseth like a theyfe y e cause to be good till he haue emptied hys poore Clientes pourse Then washeth he hys hādes with as much foule honestie as he can and referreth the doutfull cause aboue his lerning to the ignoraunt men of y t shire to be iudged at home lyke a fole wher as his pourse can no lenger cause his pratler and ignoraunt lawer to kepe his cause aloofe and out of the shire And in dede suche a subiecte as can not fynde in his herte after gods lawes to ende his contencion without stryfe by the arbitremēt of those that be his neighboures is worthy to fynde such a Ionas as wyll neuer leaue blowinge at hys pourse till he haue vnladed it euen to the bottome and haue caused him to spend asmuch in recouerye of twētie shillinges by lease as he might haue purchased twenty shilinges in fele simple I dāpne not the lawe y t is good but these theues y t abuse y e law for their doinges is nothyng but gile deceate a noble kynd of theuery Against y e which speketh zachari in his v. Chapi And God Exod. xx Deut. v. Thou shalt commit no thefte Thou shall geue no false testimonye agaynste thy neyghboure These Ionasses dothe not only geue false testimony but also for lutre defendeth y ◠same And not for a day but for a yere and yeres The more shame it is to be suffred The iustices be also Ionas for they receiue rewardes and Bribes whiche blindeth the eyes De. xvi maketh them to corrupte iustice to theyr eternall damnacion if they amend not Agaynste whom speaketh Salomon Prouerbes .vii. He that quiteth the euyll doer and cōdemneth the innocent be bothe execreable and damned before God Among the cōmune people ye shal also find many Ionasses but y t we maye the better espye thē out we wyl deuide them into the rustikes or people of the contrye into the Citizens Al euery contry or housbād mā that liueth not of his laboure and geueth hym selfe to Idlenes and so moueth seditiō and treason agaynste theyr lawfull kyng and Magestrate or priuely in theyr conuenticles and assemblyes speke euell cursse or prouoke any thing agaiust their magestrates thei can nor wyll learne nether to knowe god nether to obey ther prince these be those among this sort of people y
the Prophete sayth Chapter .xix. they shall make their vowes to the Lord. The thynge vowed may not be contrarye to anye of the two tables wythin Exod. xx Deut. v. He that voweth must be suche a one as is able to pay and satysfye hys vowe So Saint Paule aduised the yonger wydowes to marye perceiuing how vntuly and vehemeÌ„t the passions of yong age was that they were not apt to lyue sole nor to keepe their vowe if they shulde vowe so to do Now foloweth the second meÌ„bre of the oracion how Ionas beynge caste into the sea was receiued of the whale and it be ginneth the seconde chapter of the Prophet in thys wyse But the Lorde prepared a greate fyshe that shulde deueur Ionas And Ionas was in the fyshes bealy thre dayes and thre nyghtes The texte conteyneth two thynges Fyrste that the fyshe prepared by the Lorde swalowed vp Ionas The seconde how long time Ionas was in the fyshes belye The thynges to be noted in the fyrste meÌ„bre be also two in numbre Fyrste is declared the wonderful pitye and mercye of God that can and wyll healpe the afflicte in the dayes of theyr affliccions Ionas thought none other but to dy and so dyd the Mariners for they besought God not to requyre the innocentes bloud at theyr handes But the Lorde that is redye to helpe as many as cal vpon hym Psalm viii and .ix. lefte not hys penitente and afflicted seruaunt Ionas but preserued hys lyfe though it were wyth trouble Thus wyll he do wyth all those that be the Ionasses of thys realm in case thei repent though thei shoulde be cast from al the honoure and offyces they haue better it were to lose them with the fauoure of GOD then to kepe theym wyth goddes dyspleasure as zacheus dyd Lu. ix Iacob Gen. xxviii The meanes howe God saueth the afflicted be vnknoweÌ„ vnto man and manne shoulde not be curiouse to searche to muche for the knoweledge of theym but commende theym to God For manye tymes God vseth those for lyfe that maÌ„ iudgeth shulde leade vnto death So was Ionas saued by the deuoutynge mouthe of the whale whyche semed vnto Ionas reason rather a present meanes vnto death So vsed he the cribbe of Moyses And the wounderfull passage of the children of Israel through the reade sea If we pourge and clense oure knoweledge religion and maners the lord wyll fynde meanes sufficyente to saue vs whyche we maye not appoynte to oure selues but commende them to the prouydence of God For by the same wayes y t we seake manye tymes the fauoure of God and oure commoditye we find hys dyspleasure and our own dystruccion As Saule dyd .i. Regum .xv. that sacriificed wythoute the commaundemente of God purchased the seuere and iuste ire of God The Israelites that of good meanynge and intencion fasted zacha .vii. and sought by that meanes gods good wyll they founde hys dyspleasure Cayp has soughte by councell Iho. xi to haue oppressed the procedinges of Christ and oppressed hym selfe the whole state of the common wealth also Câ—cero Rome Demostenes Athens eche put their coÌ„mune wealthe in daunger by theyr beste aduised counsell for the preseruacion thereof And so shall all the Ionasses extorcioners oppressours deceiuers flatterers and other of thys Realme come into extreme pouertie by the same meanes thei seeke ryches for the curse of God can not suffer euyll gotten goodes possessions long to prosper Nowe Ionas sayeth that he was in the belye of y â— whale thre dayes and three nyghtes Of thys we learne that God healpeth not by and by the afflicted but exerciseth theym in theyr troubles Fyrste because he maye the better humble theÌ„ and bryng theÌ„ to a true knowledge of theyr faultes whose greatnes is so bygge that it caÌ„not be perceyued where as the payne for it is easy and lyght But the Lorde woulde vs the better to iudge of the fault by the greatnes of the payne and therefore the Lord is sayed to explorate and trye hys in affliccion as the golde is tryed by the fyer Farther his mightye power is the better declared where as he helpeth suche as be playne desperate of al other remedies and helpes Laste of all thys tyme of Ionas beynge in the whales bodye was a type and fygute of Christes beynge in the hearte of the earth thre dayes three mightes Mat. xxii Nowe foloweth it how thys man behaued hym selfe in the tyme of hys trouble When he perceyued in the fyshes belye some hope and sparcle of lyfe he fell vnto prayer But because prayer conteyneth in it selfe two thynges the knoweledge of the fault and hope of forgyuenes I admonyshe all the Ionasses of thys realme that they acknowledge and leaue of from their faults and beg pardone for them excepte they wyll dye eternallye The Byshoppes and the priestes that hath either wyth false doctryne destroyed the churche either by negligence not builded it wyth the true worde of God lette them acknoweledge their faultes amende it and aske remission betyme if they wil not dye in their synne The noble men and the Lawers that are secretelye touched wyth the worde of God and their conscience condempneth them of wronges fraudes Iniuries and deceites lette them not indurate and hardeÌ„ their hartes but praye to the Lorde to take from them pryde arrogancye blindnesse and couetousenesse lest they dye in theire synne as Saul did The people let them pray vnto God for knowledge and patience that they maye knowe and suffer all thynges as true subiectes ought to do And that from hense forth they hate discorde dissencion treason conspiracie whoredom adultery idlenes hatred enuye disdaine and suche like as prouoketh goddes Ite and leadeth to the destruccion of a coÌ„mune wealthe But thys prayer of Ionas is so acceptable it myghte be thoughte of some menne that the place where Ionas prayed in should haue bettered it as the folyshe opinion of the worlde is at thys tyme that iudgeth the prayer sayed at the hyghe aulter to be better then that whyche is sayed in the Quier that in the quere better then it that is saied in the bodye of the churche that in the body of the churche better then the prayer sayd in the fyelde or in a mans chamber But oure Prophet sayth the lord hath no respect to the place but vnto y e heart faith of hym that prayeth and that apereth for penitente Ionas praieth out of the whales velly and miserable Iob vpon y â— doung heape Daniell in the Caue of the Lions Hieremye in the clay pyt the thiefe vpon the crosse Saynte Stephin vnder the stones Wherfore the grace of God is to be prayed for in euery place and euery where as oure necessitye shall haue neede and wanteth solace Althoughe I commend the prayer made to God in the name of Chryste to be lyke in euerye place because that oure necessitie requyreth helpe in euerye place yet I do not condempne the publike place of prayer
where as goddes word is preached hys holye sacramentes vsed and commune prayer made vnto God but alowe the same and sorye it is no more frequented and haunted but thys I woulde wyshe that the magistrates shoulde put bothe the preacher minister the people in one place and shut vp the particion called the chauncell that separateth the congregatioÌ„ of Christ one from the other as thoughe the vele and particion of the teÌ„ple in the olde lawe yet shulde remayne in the churche where in deade al fygures and tipes ended in Chryste And incase thys were done it shoulde not onlye expresse the dignitie and grace of the newe testamente but also cause y â— people the better to vnderstande the thinges red there by the mynyster and also prouoke the minyster to a more study of the thinges that he readeth leste he shoulde be found bi the iudgemeÌ„t of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ not worthye neyther to reade nor to minister in the churche farther that suche as wold receiue the holie coÌ„munioÌ„ of the precious body bloud of Christ myght bothe heare and se playnely what is done as it was vsed in the prymatyue churche when as the abhomynation done vpoÌ„ aulters was not knowen nor y â— sacryfyce of Christes precious bloud so coÌ„culcated and trodeÌ„ vnder fote The thyrde thynge in thys praier is to be noted lest in the porte it selfe we make shyppewracke offende God in praying to whome we pray Unto hym that onlye seeth the cogitacions of out herte and can and wyl do al thynges for vs accordyngly helpe at neede punish in due seasoÌ„ which onli god caÌ„ do vnto him shuld we direct and make our praier after the examples of the Patryarckes Prophetes the Apostels who called alwaies vpon their God for such as direct otherwise theyr praiers thei fail and erre al the heauens wyde Agaynste whome speaketh Esay lxiii Iere. ii.xv. Eche xiiii And the Lorde is angry wyth hys people as Esaye sayeth Chap. ix because they turned not vnto hym that strake theÌ„ nor vnto the God of armoure And in the Prophet Ose. Chap vii They called not to me sayeth the Lorde in theire hartes And in the same place a litle after sayeth the Prophet they be retourned but not vnto y e highest So lykewyse are they no lesse to be blamed that deuyde their hartes parte vnto God and parte vnto creatures of whome speaketh Osee in the x. Chapter If these thre thynges y t Ionas vsed in y e whales bellye were vsed of the people that professe Chrystes name in oure temples blessed were we But it is al to the contrary we knowe not what prayer is nor yet wyl take the paynes to lern it The more is the petye and the more is God stirred to vengeaunce and punishement and the more cruell shal the payne be when it is executed by God As we knowe by the texte he prayed so may we know by the same how he prayed and what was the forme and manner of hys prayer That is verye requisite to be knowen marked and borne awaye The effecte and suÌ„me thereof consysteth in thre poyntes In two of y â— first verses he putteth forthe bryefly the abridgement Epitome of hys prayer Then declareth he the greatenes of his dauÌ„ger and ieopardy Thyrdly he setteth forthe the pitye and mercie of God The firste parte From my troubles I haue called vpon the Lord and he herd me from the depnes of the depest I cryed thou herdest my voyce ☞ Out of thys fyrst parte we learne two doctrines the one that we shuld not dispaire nor cleane caste of God in aduersitie The other that in aduersitie we shulde not flye nor seeke any forbydden or vnlawefull meanes of help And these two thynges obserued Ionas in this his trouble and we shuld do the same accordynge to the commaundemente of God Psalme rcix Call vpon me in the day of thy troubles and I shall heare the as he dyd at all tymes Psal. xcix And thys cry of Ionas to the Lord was rather the crye of hys herte then the noyse or sounde of his mouth as Moses was Exod. xiiii and the good womans i. Samuel i. The circumstances of true prayer obserued the Lord heareth thys faythfull prayer accordynge to hys promises Whereof all Idololatricall Byshoppes and priestes may learne if they wil forsake their Idololatrye and call vnto the Lord mercy is ready for them And if the lasciuious auaricious or couetouse gentleman or lawyer wyll acknowledge hys faulte and aske remission for it it wyll be forgeuen him And so shall it be to the commen sorte of people if they acknowledge their disobedience rebellioÌ„ treasoÌ„ pride conteÌ„pte of the superiour powers and aske mercy for it The second part of his prayer conteyneth a descripcion of his daungers that he was in after thys sorte Thou hast caste me downe depe in the middest of the sea and the fludde compassed me about yea al the waues rolles of water went ouer me I thought I had ben cast away out of thi sight but I wyll yet again loke toward thi holy teÌ„ple The waters coÌ„passed me euen to my verye lyfe the depe lay about me and the wedes wer wrapt about my head I weÌ„t doune to the botom of the hils was barred in wyth earth for euer It is the coÌ„men sort of al holy men for the moste parte in the holy scripture to make meÌ„cion in their prayers of theyr dauÌ„gers to amplify theÌ„ that their greatnes may be the vetter marked knoweÌ„ and thys is done for thre causes The one because wyth the numbrynge and rehearsall of their great dauÌ„gers they may the more inflame them selues to ardente and earnest prayer For the more a man feleth hys owne griefe the more diligente he wyll be to seeke a remedye The other is to brynge a man the more to a contempte hatred of him selfe for the greatnes of the payne declareth the enormitie and filthines of the transgression and synne The thyrde is to sette forth the power and good wyll of God that can and wyll helpe in extreme and desperate euylles and saue wyth supâ—rabundaunt mercye where as he findeth iniquitye and synne to abounde Romaines .v. and so manye tymes the slauery and miserable state of the afflicted setteth forthe the maiestie and rychenesse of Goddes mercye Math. viii ix Ihon. iiii ix Thys manne of God noted and knewe the dyspleasure of God agaynste synne but oure Ionasses slepe quietly in both eares and feleth not the paine of synne And thys securitie insensiblenes vnder the wrath of God commeth by the ignorauncie that the whole worlde is lapte in almooste as touchynge the daunger of their vocations If the cleargye the Byshoppes and pryestes woulde thynke vpon thys payne annexed vnto theire vocacyon if they do it not truelye faythfully and as they be commauÌ„ded of God Sanguinem illorum de manu tua requiraÌ„ That is to say I wyll requiere their bloud at thy hande
Ezechiel iii. xxxiii they wolde serue the Lorde and vse more diligence in their vocatyon then they do If the Noble men wolde thynke vpon thys texte the Lorde resysteth the proude and thys texte Esay v woo be vnto you that ioine house to house and felde to feld c. and the lawers and iudges that is wrytten Prouerb xvii and Math. xxiii they wolde not slepe in greate rest nor vse the place they be in with such parcialitie and false head as they do incase the commune people wold thynke vpon the .iii. of Gene. where as laboure is commaunded and also .i. Thess. iiii ii Tess. iii. they wolde not forsake laboure and seke weapon and strengthe to tourne and aulter the state and ordre that God hathe appointed vpon the earthe But thys I saye to euerye man of eache of those degrees mencionated of the lesse they fele the dauÌ„ger of eternall damnatioÌ„ the nerer they be vnto eternal pain and haue alreadye one fote in hell whych shal neuer come agayn but the hole bodi and soul shal folowe excepte they repente for no man is farther from heauen then he that feareth not hell Nor no man farther from grace theÌ„ he that feleth not y e daunger of synne as wee se no man in more daungerous disease then he that knoweth not hym selfe to be lycke as those men be that are fallen into freÌ„sie and madnes Let vs lerne with Ionas to knowe in what daunger we be Yet is there an other thyng to be noted in Ionas wordes where as he sayeth thou haste caste me downe Of these wordes shulde those that be damned by the Magistrates acknoweledge that it is not the Magistrat that putteth them to execucion but God whose ministers they be and ought to saue suche as goddes worde saueth and dampne those that gods wordes dampneth It is God that sendeth to hell that hangeth for transgressyon vpon the Gallowes As Ionas knewe in thys hys prayer He accused not the mariners that caste hym into the sea but confessed the execution of the euell to be from God Let therefore from henceforth the Bishop and person that is depryued of theire vocatyons for theyr misbehaueour false or neglygente preachynge in them saye the Lord hath cast me doune So lette the Noble menne and the lawers say wheÌ„n theire Rauyne couetuousnes fraude and deceyte cryeth vengeaunce before God tyll they be dysplaced the Lorde hath caste me downe And the same lette the trayterousse subiecte the thyeffe the murderer and idle maÌ„ say the Lord brought me to the galowes The Lord wolde I shulde trouble the coÌ„mon wealth no longer And I do here appele burden euery subiectes conscience of thys realme of Englande Firste those that haue the doynges receiuinges occupyinges and custody ouersyght rule and offyce of the kynges maiesties goods or laÌ„des TheÌ„ their conscience to whome the kynge and hys counsell hathe commended the teaching and instructioÌ„ of hys people in the knowledge and feare bothe of God and man fynally I apele all the conscyences of the subiectes of this realme whiche me riteth some for deceite falshed and deceyuynge of the kynge losse both of body and goodes some for preaching erronious seditious and false doctrine or for neclectinge the preachyng of the true doctryne deserue most cruel punishmeÌ„t Some for false iudgemente merite the losse of theyr lyues The rest for rebellion sedicion and treason deserue the swerde and the galowes whether in sufferynge the payne appoynted for suche transgression they caÌ„ from their hartes say thys suffer I worthely wyll the vengeauÌ„ce of God because I haue synned agaynst hym the law of my coÌ„munwealth No no y â— Lorde knoweth euery man extenuateth yea excuseth al thinges donne agaynst God hys order But I wyll sayne the y â— thiefe and robber of the kynge and of the commune wealthe to be kynge and the kynge thy offycer receiuer woldest thou thy offycer shulde deceiue the Or y u traiterous false subiect if thou were kynge the king thy subiect woldest y u be coÌ„tented that thy subiecte shoulde conspyre and imagine howe to plucke the out of thy realme What if mi Lord Bishop and master persone were kynges trowye their Maiesties wold be contented that theire Byshoppes and priestes shoulde whyster a tale of treason and sedycyon in auryculâ—r confession or other pryueye conuentycles to theire subiectes Speake all ye that be fayned kynges and speake of youre conscyences I dare saye ye wold not be thus haÌ„dled Wht then do ye handell an other soâ— remember ye not in thys lawe of nature Quod tibi non vis fieri alieni ne facias That is to saye do not to an other that thou woldest not an other shulde do vnto the. Amende therfore euerye man and be true and faythful vnto the realm to the king and lawes of him his realm And for y e loue of God ye noble men Gentelmen iustices and lawers the holsome lawes of the realme that statutâ—s and coÌ„missioÌ„s that hath bene made by the king and the counsel for the preseruacion of the commune wealth and the helpe of the poore whyche be boothe afflicted wyth your insaciable and neuer contented couetousnes Let them be faythfully executed and vpryghtly interpretated according to y â— minde and meanynge of those that made them For the euyll construing and sinister takynge of good lawes and godly meanynge of godlye maiestrates doth not only afflicte the pore of this realme but wyl sure at length caste the whole realme vnder the water It commeth nowe into my mynd a practise of euyl takyng the gouerners worde coÌ„maundement how perilous daungerous thing it is I was once in the rase of Britaine wyth a fore wynde and contrarye fludde the seas in that place goynge both holowe and that by reason of a multitude of Rockes in the same place The master of the shyppe to conduite her the better sate vpon the mayne yerde to see the seas aforehande and cryed to hym that styrred the sterne alwayes vpon whyche syde he shuld styrre the shippe to breake best the daunger of the sea The wynde blowynge hygh where as the master cryed a larde borde he that styrred mystoke it and styrred a stare borde and the once mistakyng of the masters lawe had almoste cast vs vnder the water Then thought I it is not wythoute cause that wysemen compare a common wealthe to a shyppe for one thynge loseth and saueth them bothe For incase the masters officer in the shyp obey not hys lawe the shyp wyll of force drowne So shal thys coÌ„men wealth euery other that wheÌ„ the kyng and hys councell shall make lawes to help saue the pore such as styrre the hynder part of the shyp behind the kynges backe folow not that he is bid to do but that that he lysteth himselfe and his owne priuat coÌ„moditie to do And thus putteth both the shyp the master and all the mariners in daunger of drowning Amend
nor come wythoute the prouision of God Gracious kynge and my lordes of the councell remember this doctrine of Ionas and thē ye nede not to fear to refourme thys Churche of Englande vnto the primatiue state and apostolical doctrine Let the deuyl wyth al hys ministers do what they wil yf the iudges remēbred this doctrin they would not feare to punish euyl doers If y e people knewe thys doctryne they would not take Armoure and weapon agaynste the Magistrates but seke helpe frō God Before all men let the preacher comforte himselfe with this word for he is in daunger of most displeasure if he preach not truly Also let y e persecutours of Gods worde take heede of this doctryne for in the Lorde shalbe their health let them persecute what how they wyl thoughe they burne y e Lord wil quēch If they kil the lord wyl make aliue if they curse the Lorde wil blesse if they damne to hel the Lorde wyl saue in heauen Blessed is thē the man y t trusteth in y e Lord. Now foloweth the conclusyon of the chapter And y e lord spake vnto the fish it cast out Ionas againe vpō the dry lande Here ye may se the effect of a godly ernest prayer that it obtayneth deliueraunce from the daunger Of thys in the hole wee learne that ther is none so great daunger but that we may escape if w t penytēce we returne vnto the Lorde and aske hym mercy As mani Ionasses therfore as be in thys realme that hath doth or falsli vse or negligētly contēne theyr vocaciō let thē acknowlege their offēce and beg pardon or els doutles where penitēt Ionas was cast a drye land they shal remayne for euer in the paines of hel as Saule doth Let them se therfore that be bishops and priestes in what daunger they be that neglect or abuse their vocation if they amende healthe commeth as vnto this miserable and penitent man This I speake to the noble mē and to the lawers also to the cōmen people I pray God al Ionasses of this realme thus repēt Incase al do not yet y t some folow thys godly man that they may be saued as he is So be it ¶ The fifte Sermon vpon Ionas made by Iohn Hoper ¶ The Preface THere is no man that hath anye respecte or care at al of his heal the that would not gladly hys faythe knowledge and faults should be aproued and wel taken of God For he knoweth all labours paines to be in vaine and lost that are not cōmēded by hym Yet in thys behalf mē greuosly offende and goo oute of the way when the thyng that god most estemeth is of our parts most neglected and the thyng that god hateth and is displeased wythal we most diligently do and exercise oure selues in Men be broughte to thys ignorauncie and contēpt of god and hys word that they iudge euery thing done of a good in tenciō and wel meaning shuld please the Lord. From whence spronge this infinite daungerous and supersticious nombre of sacrifices and other seruings of god But what thing after the tyght iudgemente of the scripture chieflye pleaseth God Obediēce that is to say when euerye man in hys state hys vocacion doth the thing he is cōmaūded to do As it is writtē .i. Sa. xiii I desire obediēce not sacrifice Let nomā therfore thynke he can do anye thing acceptable vnto the lord if he neglect the workes necessary appoynted vnto hys vocacion Here may prynces take hede they go not aboute wyth liberalitie to make other men good for them learned for thē vertuous for thē wyse for thē and they them selues neglecte study praier paines labour but to know and do al things thē selues that is requyred to a princely office by the expres word of God Study wysedō knowledge and exercise is requyred in the prince hym selfe Let the bishoppes and prestes beware they goo not about to please God wyth Masse Dirige Pardons Rytes and ceremonyes inuented by men But let them do the workes of their vocacion grauely study dilygently and trulye preache the worde of God Christianely minister the sacramentes seuerely vse discipline and correccion of indurate mens fautes So let the counceloure see what equitie byndeth hym to do the honour of god the obedyence vnto hys prynce and the loue of hys country and so iudge and councel for the glorye of God and wealth of the realme and not for hys owne affeccion or profit and thynke that the persō byshop or priest is able to sing or sai the remission or pardon for the neglectyng of his duety but he must do the works therof him selfe The common sorte of people let them learne to know and obey both god and mā and not trust to the pardon and remission of theyr ignorauncie and disobedient treason and sedicion at the Persons or Uycars hand but thei must know and feare both God and gods magistrat them selues How feyre and relygyous good and Godlye so euer the good intencion of mā appeare and shewe it selfe to men it is playne iniquitie before God as ye maye see by Saule that though God would be pleased wyth the wel ment fat sacrifice of kynge Agag i. Samu. xiii And also that he fought wyth the heathen before Samuels commyng .i. Sam. xv he was not onely rebuked greuouslye for his fault but disherited also of hys kyngdom for euer I dare pronounce y t al these mischeues troubles that happē in thys shyp cōmon wealthe of Englande sprynge oute of thys fountayne No man laboureth to do the workes that God hathe apointed to his vocaciō And an exāple hereof we haue sene in Ionas whose disobedience and want of doyng hys vocacion moued the wyndes in the ayre the waters of the sea so that it had lyke to haue drowned hym selfe the shyppe and as many as were within bord And seynge there is none of vs but is culpable from the hyghest to the lowest in neglecting the workes of out vocacion and therby inobedyent to the good wyl and commaūdement of God let vs repent and returne to a better mynde He that erreth shal not perish if being admonished he return home agayn Eze. xviii Mat. xi Io. x. Let thys glas myrroure of Ionas suffyce vs to behold an other mans yuel in before we fele the lyke our selues we haue sene the disobedience of Ionas and the payne therof we haue sene his amendement and pensyuenes the frute therof hys delyueraunce and saluacion Let vs also nowe see howe much he hath profited learned in Gods schole vnder the rodde of aduersitye and lette vs learne to dooe the same But before we come to the obedyence that thys man learned in aduersytie we wyl pray vnto God WE be come so far as y e text hath made menciō of y e restitucion of Ionas in lyfe vpō the dry groūd And now foloweth his second legacion embassage to Niniue But
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
would rather at thys tyme fraye them to make them amende then to punyshe them and lose thē for euer and wold perce thus theyr mindes and brynge them to a knowledge of theyr synnes And as subuercion destruccion was threatned vnto thys Niniue so is it to thys hole realme for ther is among vs as greate and as manye syns God geue grace there be no greater nor nomore as wer among them We muste then amende or els we shall peryshe euerychone Luke .xiii. but what tyme the Lord knoweth not I. Now it foloweth how the preaching of Ionas was accepted And the people of Niniue beleued God preclaymed fastynge and arayed them selues in sacke clothe as well the greate as the small of them Out of this text is fyrst to be noted how that y e Niniuits resisted not the preachynge of Ionas when they had yet yf they would haue excused their euil mani refuges pretexts Ther obedience to the word of god cōdēneth both the Iewes vs of obstynacie malyce i. They might haue pretended thys Ionas is but one man therfore not to be credited ii He is a stranger speketh it of hatred vnto vs of affecciō towardes hys owne countrye .iii. He is of a cōtrary relygion to ours wuld deceaue as frō our fathers faith iiii He is no king but a man that semeth to haue lytle wir and lesse experience v. He is one cōtemned of hys owne countrye men and can not be hearde of them and shuld we credit hys woordes vi He is a noughty lyuer an◠one that God hateth and hath punyshed and shuld we passe of hys sayinges But they remembred theyr own faults at the preachyng of one day they amended they neuer loked for myracle They pretended not the antiquitie and aunciētnes of theyr citie that had stode almost from the tyme of the flud Gen. x. They that heard hym neuer desyred theyr amendement vntyl suche tyme as the kyng the preists and the other elders of the Citie had agreed whether Ionas doctrine were true or not Of thys facilitie quycknes of belyfe in the Niniuites we maye se y t soner beleueth the verye infydels the word of god then such as beareth the name of God and be broughte vp in supersticion And that I thynke were easye to be sene yf experiēce shuld be taken to preach at Babilon or Constantinople he should rather conuert those cities then Rome Farther theyr promptnes cōdemneth our obstinacie and hardnes of harte that daily heare the word of god preached and yet nothyng the better nor nerer to saluacion It foloweth what the Niniuites do when they be conuerted Fyrst they beleue in the Lord second they fast A man ignoraunt of God offendeth twoo maner of waies in bodi and in soule and both these offences must be amended if we wyl be reconciled vnto god By fayth the mynde is reconcyled vnto god and by abstinēce the body is kepte in subieccion and the wantones of cōcupiscence kept in obedience But in thys our myserable and cursed tyme of God for synne is great question and controuersy moued not onely cōcerning fayth but also fasting of which two thinges I iudge it mete somwhat to be spoken of As touchynge fayth it is not an opinion and knowledge onlye but a vehement ernest and certayne persuasion of Gods promises in Christ and out of thys faythe spryngeth all Godlynes and vertuous woorkes and what soeuer spryngeth not hereof is synne And thys faythe the almighty god confirmeth in his true and vertuous people two maner of wayes Inwardly outwardly Inwardlye by the holy gost who testifieth by his spirite with our spirit that we be the chyldren of God Outwardly by preaching of gods word and ministracion of the sacramentes The preachynge conteyne the innumerable benefites and promyses of God made in the new testamēt and y e old vnto vs in Christe who is y e seede that shuld and doth treade and breake the heade of the serpent Gene. iii. Io. iii. The Sacramentes be as visyble woordes offered vnto the Eyes and other Senses as the sweete sounde of the word to the eare and the holye gost to the hart The numbre of these sacramentes in y ◠publycke ministerie of the church be twoo One of baptisme and the other of the lords supper and both these teach and confyrme none other thynge then that the mercye of God saueth the faithfull and beleuers Therfore is the bread in y e holy supper called the bodye of Christ and the wyne the blud of Christ because thei be sacraments and seales of gods promises in Christ. This plaine symple doctryne of the sacramentes were sufficiēt if fraud gile treason heresie supersticion papistrie ignorancie arrogancie miserie and the malyce of men woulde suffer it But these iuels afore rehersed haue called into question and controuersie whether carnally corporally and reallye the precious body of Christ be present and how the communion and sacrament of hys body shulde be ministred and vsed For the resolucion answerynge vnto the whyche questions I wyll sincerlye and playnelye shewe my mynde accordynge to the worde of God ¶ Of the presence of Christes body in the sacrament I Wyl not in this question saye asmuche as I would or could because of late dayes in thys place it was godlye and learnedly touched But yet somewhat muste I saye because the ignoraunce of it bringeth idololatrye Idololatry bryngeth eternal damnaciō eternall dānacion commeth not onlye to the ygnoraunte but also vnto hym that shuld in hys vocacion remoue or do his good wil to remoue the ygnorauncie I am appoynted to remoue ygnorauncye thus therefore I pray you hear how ye may remoue it I wil kepe this order Fyrst I wil shew by many argumēts that ther is no corporal presēce of Christs body in the sacramēt Thē wyll I answer to the argumēts of y ◠aduersaryes y t wold haue it here The fyrst argument THis I take of y e name of christs body which is lyke vnto ours in al thynges except syn Heb. ii Esa. liii And incase it wer not in al thynges like vnto oures excepte synne and immortalitie Sayncte Paules Argument would proue nothynge i. Cor. xv But our bodyes be one to each one measured certaynelye wyth quantitie and qualitie and occupye at one tyme one place therfore so doeth and euer hath done Christes bodye And thus woulde Paule proue our resurreccion because our bodies be as Christes is y t is rysen excepte synne and immortalitie After that thei sat Christ hath now a glorified body so we haue not it maketh nothing for their purpose for whē Christ made hys supper instituted y e sacramēt of hys death he was a mortal and passible man subiect vnto the tyrany and violence of his aduersaries Yea after his immortalitie he shewed manifest tokens and arguments of his pure true and sensible humanitie Io. xxi i. Io. i. For y ◠apostles fyngers touched hym
nothing but the sacrament to his euerlastyng damnaciō I make no mencion here of auriculer cōfession as though that were a thyng necessary to be done before or after the receauynge of the Sacrament For thys confession is not of God as theyr lawe doeth record The glose vpō the decre of penaunce Distinct .v. in penitencia In the receauynge of thys sacrament ther be thynges requyred both in the inward mā and also in the outward man The inwarde preparacion is when the man receauynge the bread and the wine being subiectes and maters vnder the iudgement and censure of the senses the mynde is eleuated and lyfte vp into heauen perswadyng hym selfe by faythe that as truly appertaineth vnto hym y ◠promyses and grace of God throughe the merites and death of Christ as he sensibly and outwardly receiueth the sacramente and wytnes of gods promyses And doubt no more of an inward frendshyp familiaritie cōcord peace loue atonement and fatherly petye and compassyon throughe Christ by the meanes of faith then he douteth y t hys mouthe outwardly doth receaue y ◠signes sacramēts of gods mercies To excitat in vs this faith and beleue in the merytes of Christ the bread is called the body and the wyne hys blud after y e maner and frase of the scripture The vtward behauour and gesture of the receauer should want al kind of suspiciō shew or inclinacion of Idololatrye Wherfore seyng knelyng is a shew and external signe of honoryng and worshipping and heretofore hath greuous and damnable Idololatry ben cōmitted by the honoryng of the sacrament I woulde wyshe it wer commaunded by the Magistrates that y ◠communicatours and receauers shuld do it standyng or syttynge But syttyng in myne opinion were best for many consideracions The Paschal lambe was eatē standynge whyche sygnifyed Christ yet not to be come that shuld geue rest peace quietnes Christ wyth his Apostles vsed thys Sacramente at the fyrst syttyng Declaring that he was come that should quiet and put at rest both body and soule and that the fygure of the Passeouer frō thenceforth shuld be nomore necessary nor that men shuld trauel nomore to Ierusalem once in the year to seke and vse a sacramente of the Lambe to come that shuld take awaye the synnes of the worlde After the receauinge of it there shoulde be thankes geuynge of all the churche for y ◠benefites of Christes death Ther shoulde be prayer made vnto god that thei might perseuer and cōtinue in the grace of God receaued They shuld helpe the poore wyth theyr almes This forme me thinketh is most lyke vnto the fourme of Christe and the Apostles Howe farre the masse differeth from thys al men know I praye God the best may be taken and the wurste lefte throughe oute all the worlde And al such as be yet infyrme by reason of longe custome and lacke of knowledge lette them praye God and searche the scriptures wythoute affeccion Suche as be peruerse and obstinate and wyll admyt no reason for them the ire and dyspleasure of God is readye and prest to punish them whē he seeth tyme. As it is to be sene by the Corinthes .i. Cor. xi that for the abuse of y e supper manye of them fell sycke and into dyseases So wyl he do wyth vs if we neglecte hys moste perfecte and Godlye institucion Let vs repente therefore wyth the Niniuites from our foremer synnes and beleue the remyssyon of theym for Goddes mercye in the deseruynges of Christe Farther lette vs submytte oure selues all oure wysedome and learnynge vnto hys woorde and thynke that Christe and hys Apostles haue instituted and vsed it canne in no wayes be bettered by vs. And you my gracious Lord king restore the right vse of the supper of the Lord as Iosias dyd the ryghte vse of the Paschal Lambe .iiii. Reg. xxiii ii Para. xxxv after the worde of God The text now foloweth of the fast of the Niniuites Of fastynge There was a fastyng proclaymed and weryng of sackecloth from the greatest to the smallest Here be twoo thynges to be noted in the frutes and signes of penitence Fyrst concerning the fast and vilenes of the apparell The seconde howe they fasted from the greatest to the smallest ¶ Of fastynge and sacke cloth THe hypocrites of the world when they hear of this fasting puttyng on of sackecloth damne strayghtwayes the doctryne of faythe and teache that God saueth not onelye for Christes sake whych only fayth apprehēdeth as though faith could not only apprehend the mercy of god and yet haue fastynge anexed with her But this present text confoundeth thys errour for it sayeth the Niniuites fyrst beleued the Lord and then fasted But lest we shuld here erre I wyl speake a lytle of fastinge that we maye loue rather to faste well then obstinately to defend a false fast ¶ What is fasting FAstynge is a moderat vse and takynge of meate and drynke lest the fleshe shoulde by aboundaunce and to muche of it rebel and ouercome the spirite And thys fast eyther it is continually or at certayne tymes vsed Continuallye when as a Christiane man moderatelye fedeth hys bodye wyth thankes geuyng for necessary nutriment and not for to aboūde or surfet Thys fastynge and abstinēce the scripture calleth sobrietie .i. Petri. v. The faste done at certayne tymes is also eyther pryuate or publycke Priuate when any man consideryng and waiynge hys owne infyrmyties bindeth hym selfe frō meates and drynkes to tame and ouercome the vehemente and lasciuious inclinacions thereof to the obedyence and rule of the spirite .i. Corin. vii A publycke fast is when for a publycke and commune calamitie trouble or aduersytie the Magistrates commaunde a solemne and publycke abstynence and fast But in bothe these fastes there muste be vsed a circumspecte and godlye dylygence least in the abuse of fastynge we offende and prouoke the Ire and dyspleasure of God the more agaynste vs we may offende fyrste yf wee faste for anye other purpose then to kepe the bodye in subiection to the spirite Therefore it is to be taken hede of we faste not for merite or for custome The seconde is we offende if we faste in the honour of any creature The thyrde if for one fastynge daye we make thre gloto◠festes as the fashion is for the moost parte I woulde wyshe therefore that the true fast abstinence wet brought in agayne and then the lorde would be pleased I dout not That they amende from the greatest to y e smallest we learne two thynges Fyrste of what greate effycacye the sermon of Ionas was that pleased all people both greate and smalle The lyke hath not bene seene For it is easier for a Cooke to please an hundreth mouthes wyth one mete then a preacher to order one sermon or oracion to please ten heades It were well in our tyme if at euery sermon were one of the magistrates and of the people conuerted and at ten Sermones one Byshop and one prieste
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
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
sore and daungerouslye such as possesse the goodes of the Church and preache not such as haue stipeÌ„des to teach and teach not wages to warre and warre not receaued for a thousaÌ„d souldiers and serueth not wyth fyue huÌ„dreth Such as enioye hospitales almoshouses and the prouisyon of the poore to ther owne priuate commoditie To al these I say repente ye and make restytucion Goodes be euyll spente Fyrste if they be consumed in an yuell case As when they be applyed to pryde and excesse in apparel or meate and drinke to the oppressyon and hurte of the poore Eyther to fynde a greate companye of ydle and loyterynge men Then yf they be not vsed to a good vse to the edifiyng of Christes Churche the helpe of the poore the prisoners and suche lyke For in the latter iudgement the Lord shal aske what care and charge we had of the poore Math. xxv And we see the rych man damned because he gaue not to Lazarus Luc. xvi Unto those also I saye repent ye and spend the giftes of God after knowledge and vertue yf ye wyll not ye shall all peryshe Luke xiii God sleepeth not but seeth all oure actes aud noteth oure dooynges Incase anye of these men whether they be of the Ecclesiasticall Policie or the Ciuile policie of thys your realme mooste Gracious Kynge and you my Lordes of hys most honorable couÌ„sel detract and wyl not make restitucion nor vse theyr goodes well for the offyce ye haue taken from God ye be bounde to compell them to do it And fyrste of all because ther is no maÌ„ but sinneth loke fyrst vnto your selues theÌ„ wyth y e kyng of Niniue and the Nobles of hys realme repente ye and restore vnto God that is Gods and vnto maÌ„ that which is for the coÌ„fort of your subiectes good lawes and dilygent execucion and vsage of the same Then compell both the spiritualtye as they be called and also the temporaltie to make restitucioÌ„ both to God and man accordingly And now the lord hath geuen you peace because ye myght haue leasure to do these thyngs as Paul saith .i. Tim. ii Do therfore as Salomon did .iii. Re. viii Abuse not the peace in playing sportes and pastyme but in the buildynge of Gods temple whych hath a longe tyme layne desolate Ye haue an example Num. v and in any case let that example be folowed Ther be the gestes of Iosaphat the kynge wrytten ii Para. xvii in the whych are thre notable thynges Fyrst he toke away and remoued from hys people Idololatrie The seconde he gaue them true iudges whose godly condicions are wrytteÌ„ in the same booke cap. xix that feared the Lorde accepted in iudgement no persoÌ„s third They receiued no brybes nor rewardes The thyrde he placed and apoynted Priestes not in one place but in all the Cytyes of Iuda and not to the ende they shoulde playe and pastyme but to teache and not euerye thynge but the lawe of God Al these thynges muste ye do mooste Gracious Kynge and you my honourable Lordes of hys highe and wysecouncel if ye wyll lyue in peace and quyetnes I do not exhorte your Maiestye nor your most honorable Counsell lyghtlye but vpon greate and wayghtye consideracion to remoue al these thynges that be eyther the Deuylâ— ether mannes inuincion For in the scripture I fynde that God manye tymes is offended when we giue â—ym but halfe honour Howe well began Hiiu the kynge of Israell .iiii. Regum x. But because he remayned in the synnes of Hieroboam hys kyngdome was not onelye afflycted but at length distroied also Abolyshe therfore godlye kynge all iniquytye and permit not Masse nor such abhominacion to any man wyth in youre hyghnes realme no not to the straungers whyche doubtles shoulde be an occacyon of slaunder to youre realme and subiectes For Asa the kyng of Iuda .iii. Regum xv remouyd hys mother from the rule and gouernaunce of of the realme because she had an Idole in a groue the which her sonne the kyng brent TheÌ„ your magestie muste institute true faythfull and iudges of good conscyence Then sende suche priestes throughe youre realme that haue these twoo condycions Fyrste that they teach theÌ„ y t thie teach the word of God If your magestye doo these thynges then shall God sed peace and quietnes to hys pleasure Farther God shall make you a feare and terrour to foâ—en and straunge nacions that know not the liuing god And this your magesty shal auoeyde the better if ye beware of flaterers and thynk as Ioada in hys youth fauored the truthe of God and in hys age by flattery departed from it iiii Reg. xii so the same yuell and daunger maye corrupte your hyghnes Then if it may please you to commaund more sondry tymes to haue sermoÌ„s before your magestie it wyll not be a lytle healpe to you yf they be wel made wel borne awaye and wel practised And seyng ther is in the yeare .viii. M.vii C.lx. houres it shall not be much for your highnes no nor for al your housholde to bestow of theÌ„ .lii. in the yere to heare the Sermon of God If your magesty do these thinges the blud of youre people shal not be requyred at youre hands But I rede both kyng and counsel to be admonished and to amend thynges amysse Yf not the kynge of Niniue wyth hys people shall ryse aâ— the later daye and condempne bothe kynge and counsell to deathe For they conuerted at the preaching of one man yea at the preachyng of a straunger we haue not only heard y t same by the mouth of straungers but also by the mouth of our owne country men that many tymes Let vs therfore beleue and amende or els we must peryshe God preserue for y e death of Christ the Kyngs magestie al hys honorable councell wyth the hole realme Amen ¶ Faultes eskaped in the pryntyng Foli iiii fac i. linea viii read Mat. xvii Fol. viii faci ii lini xx lacketh a woord was The consideracion therof was Fol. xx faci i lini i. Deut. v. li.xxxii faci ii lini xxi they Fol. xli faci i. lini 〈…〉 Fol. xliiii faci i. lini viii Ionas Fol. xlix faci i. lini xiii Iho. xi Fol. liii faci ii lini ii Magistrate Fol. liii fa. i. ii lini eâ— serue not Fol. liâ—i fa. ii li.xxi nor punish y â— innoceÌ„t Fol. liiii faci i. lini xii intencion Fol. liiii faci i lini xviii as aboundeth Fol. liiii faci i. lini xix thy Fol. lxiii faci ii lini xvi is Fol. lxvii faci i. lini iiiâ—i not Fol. lxxv faci i. lini xix Most Fol. lxxvii faci i. lini viii xix Fol. lxxâ— faci i. lini xii seynge Fol. xc faci i. lini vâ—alteri Fol xcvii faci 〈◊〉 xii preaâ—he truely Fol. cxiii faci i. lâ—ni xii reserued Fol. cxiiii faci li. lin xiii deferred Fol. cxvii faci ii lini xxi nature Fol. câ—viii faci ii lini putforth he shall Fol. cxx faci ii lini viâ—i et lini ix et Fol. cix faci ii lini xiii chaunce Fol cxxii faci ii lini xix Comesâ—â—â— Fol. cxxâ—iiii faci ii lini xxii fygur Fol. cxxâ—vi faci i. lini xxii vi Fol. cxliiii faci i. lini vi omitted Fol. clxix faci ii linâ— i. Ionas ☞ ☞ ☞ Imprinted at London by Ihon Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate and Wylliam Seâ—es dwellinge in Peter Colledge Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum