Newes from Niniue to Englande brought by the Prophete Ionas Which newes is plainlye published in the Godly and learned exposition of Maister Iohn Brentius folowing translated out of Latine into Englishe by Thomas Tymme Minister The silent tongue the listning eare which harkeneth after newes With staring eye and gaping mouth this title makes me vse ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham dwelling in Pater noster rowe at the signe of the starre 1570. To the right honourable Lord Willyam Cobham lord Warden of the cinque Portes Thomas Tymme wisheth Nestors yeares increase of honor with preseruation of desired health THE CVRTEOVS BEhauiour the noble vertue but speciallye the godlye zeale Right honourable which fame and report certefieth me to be in you hath kindled such an earnest affection in me that my rudenesse and base state stayeth mee nothing at all to dedicate this simple worke vnto you For I know that Nobilitie gratefully accepteth at others hands slender giftes and of small reputation according to their habilitie that offer the same Artaxerxes his good acceptation of a handfull of running water made mee thus bolde to offer this Pamphlet to your honour as a token of my good will hoping that as he thought no disdain◠of the one so you wil not take scorne of the other Let me craue therefore this one thing at your honours handes that the basenesse of my translation of the learned Brentius procure not you to refuse the patronage and defence of my slender woorke Which as I know vndoubtedly shall neuer counteruayle your worthinesse so do I assuredly hope that it may be a proofe of my good will and meaning The worthy Prophete IONAS deserueth a worthie personage to be his defence and garde agaynst scoffing Lucian and fretting Momus Wherefore if your honor refuse not but vouchsafe to take the same vpon you as I perswade my selfe you will weying the giuers intent and seing that these are partly the first fruites of his trauaile you shall not onely purchase immortall prayse of others but I also shall be incouraged and animated to greater and waightyer attemptes which I shall no sooner atchieue but you shall be a witnes of my indeuours and a rampire to my exploytes Thus hauing boldly required your honors assistance and tediously molested your eares with circumstaunces leauing now at length to abuse your friendly pacience I end wishing to your honor the increase of Nobilitie with a most happie estate and after this lyfe the gladsome ioyes of the euerlasting lyfe to come Beneficium dando accepit qui digno dedit Your humble Orator Thomas Tymme The translator to the Reader THe Merchant man that often sayles vpon the rockie seas Hath oftentimes for recompence the gaine that doth him please The Fisher man that castes his net and layes his bayted ginne Doth trust at length by happie hap his pray of fishe to winne The Plowman eke that sowes his séede on soyle with toyle for gaine The Winters trauaile being past doth reape the riped graine If Plowman then and Fisher too haue stedfast hope for gaines As recompence for their sore toyle and daily pinching paines Why should not I as well as they by paine some profite haue Since that my Muse as recompence most iustly doth it craue The which good reader thou shalt graunt if that thou take in woorth This simple Pamphlet at hir hande which she hath nowe set foorth And helpe to mosell Momus mouth and bridle Zoilus chappes Which like a Curre ech willing Wight with currish fanges he snappes This done well quighted is hir paine hir recompence is had And if thereby shée doe the good shée is excéeding glad Thomas Tymme ¶ The Preface of Iohn Brentius vpon the Prophecie of Ionas THe Apostle Paule writing to the Corinthians of the meeting and comminge togither of the Church cōmaundeth all thinges to be done in the same congregatiō to edifying When ye come togither sayth he euerye one of you hath a song hath a doctrine hath a tongue hath a reuelation hath an interpretation Let all things be done to edifiyng Seing therefore it is determined that wee must come togither certaine dayes in the weeke I will take in hande by the assistance of Gods holy spirite for our exercise at that time the explication of the Prophet Ionas to the ende wee may be godly occupied and exercised in this oure meetinge For wee come not togither in the Church to trifle and playe but we come to the ende we might be instructed in the worde of the Lorde Neyther are we created by God and redeemed by the precious death and bloudshedding of Christ to the ende we should ryot lyue in excesse and giue our selues to all kinde of filthye pleasure but we are created and redeemed to the ende we might glorifie God by our lyfe and conuersation We haue taken in hande therefore to expounde the prophecie of Ionas that by this prophecie we maye be admonished of our office dutie and calling And although the booke of this prophecie be very small yet notwithstanding it contayneth an excellent and famous hystorie First of all therefore we will declare who was this Prophet Ionas Then what and how great authoritie his prophesie hath And last of all we wil shewe the argument and what the summe of the doctrine contayned in this booke is First there are many which thinke and iudge the prophete Ionas to be the sonne of the widowe of Sarepta which receyued and fedde Elias in the time of famine but their iudgement is neyther likely nor probable For of this Prophet Ionas we haue mention made in the fourtenth Chapter of the fourth booke of Kinges how that Ieroboam king of Israel reedified his decayed Kingdome accordinge to the worde of the Lord which he spake by the prophet Ionas the sonne of Amithay which was of Gathhepher By the which it appeareth that hee made not only the sermon contayned in this booke but many other notable and famous sermons which are not writtē For he preserued by his sermons two of the most excellent kingdomes that were Excellent was the kingdome of Israell but in the time of Ionas it was a decayed and ruinous kingdome by impietie and inuasion of enimies Ionas therefore being stirred vp by the holye ghoste exhorteth the people to repentaunce and incourageth king Ieroboam valiauntlye to gouerne his common welth promising that God will sende a time of mercie wherein he will restore his kingdome And so in deede it came to passe that the coast of Israell from the entring of Hemath vnto the sea of the wildernesse was restored by the goodnesse of the Lorde Famous also was the Citie of Niniue for in it was the greatest Monarchie of the whole worlde But the Lorde had determined to destroye the Citie of Niniue from the face of the earth Yet notwithstanding Ionas saued the same by his sermon Wherefore seeing Ionas by hys sermons saued such two excellent kingdomes he is not to bee counted among the
many yeares as in Idolatrie in abusing the name of God in adulterie in vsurie yea in all kinde of wickednesse The which are so growne so increased and so ripe that they ascende into heauen before the maiesty seate of god Wherfore there is nothing more certaine than that England hath deserued extreme punishment and perdition Furthermore let vs vnderstand and know that séeing the worde of God is reuealed and preached so fréelye vnto vs there is some hope left vnto vs of saluation For except the Lorde sought to saue this Realme of Englande he woulde not haue sent IONAS I meane the preachers of his worde vnto the same Séeing therefore he hath reuealed his will by IONAS and his whole intent we haue a manifest argument of his clemencie and loue towardes vs Wherefore if we will escape the punishment threatned we must fall to repentance the vse wherof hereafter God willing more plainely shall be declared But and if we be contemners of the worde of God and impenitent let vs looke vndoubtedly for destruction and euerlasting perdition Wherevpon our sauiour Christ sayth This is condemnation that light came into the worlde and men loued darkenesse more than light ¶ And Ionas made him readie to flie vnto Tharsis from the face of the Lorde IONAS flieth to Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde which some interprete to be the sea other thinke it to be the proper name of a Citie which men call now Tunetum sometime Carthage Here therefore twoo thinges are to bée considered the one is the disobedience of IONAS and his flight from the presence of the Lorde The other is the cause why he fled and was disobedient to the calling of God. First let me here demaund a question What meaneth the Scripture when it sayth that IONAS fled from the presence of the Lorde Howe coulde IONAS flie from the presence of God when as his maiestie fulfilleth both heauen and earth and all places else Whither shall I goe sayth the Psalmist from thy spirite or where shall I hyde me from thy presence if I climbe vp into heauen thou art there if I go downe to hel thou art there also and so forth And the Prophete Amos sayth They shall not flie awaye there shall not one of them escape nor be deliuered Though they were buried in the hell my hande shall fetch them from thence though they climbe vp to heauen yet shal I cast them downe though they hyde themselues vppon the toppe of Carmell yet shall I séeke them out though they créepe down from my sight into the déepe of the sea I shall commaunde the serpent euen there to bite them Let vs therefore note that if mention be made here of the eternall and omnipotent maiestie of God then there is none that can flie from hys hand or presence The which thing the example of IONAS proueth very well For here he flieth from the hande and presence of the Lorde taketh shippe and goeth about to passe into a straunge countrie yet notwithstanding he could not escape from the presence of the Lorde God sawe his flyght yea God sawe his secret councell purpose and intent And he so stayeth him wyth his mighty arme in the sea that the more he séeketh to escape the more straightly he is helde with the hande and power of God and is cast into extréeme peril and daunger which he sought to auoyde Wherefore méere foolishe and vaine is their purpose which thinke by their deuise and pollicie to escape from the power and presence of god But where as the scripture sayeth that IONAS fled from the presence of the Lorde it signifieth that he fled out of the lande of Israell in the which God is sayde aboue all other nations to dwell First bicause in that lande was the chiefe place of the Churche of God and the Arke of the testament by the which it pleased God oftentimes to aunswere Secondly bicause God had appointed in that lande the publike ministerie of the preaching of his worde and was wont to reueale himselfe to the Prophets and to worke miracles to confirme his promises as concerning Christ Last of all bicause in that lande the stocke of Christe dwelt which is the true face and liuelye presence of God bicause whosoeuer séeth Christ séeth the true and euerlasting god By this we may learne that then a man is sayde to flye from the presence of God or to hyde him from his sight when he flyeth those places in the which the worde of God is preached or when hée shunneth those men which preache the worde of god So Caine is sayde to go forth and to flie from the presence of God bicause he fled from his father Adam and dwelt farre from him least he shoulde be reprehended of his father by the worde of god So disobedient seruants and sonnes flie from the face of God when they flie from their parents and maisters least for their disobedience they shoulde be reprehended by the worde of the Lorde and punished So the wicked and vngodlye flie from the face of God when they despise the preaching of the word of God fearing least by the same they should be reprehended from their sinne wickednesse Wherefore although no man as touching the omnipotencie of God can flie from his maiestie power and presence yet notwithstanding as touching the externall preaching of the worde of God those flie hys presence which doe despise his word neglect his sacraments continue in disobedience towardes him and go forwarde in a wicked lyfe What shall we saye then Can such as flie the presence of God escape God hymselfe and his punishment which they so feare No vndoubtedly For the more they flie the worde and sacraments of God the more they fall into his hande and incurre his wrath prouoking iust vengeance vppon themselues Caine fled from the presence of the Lorde but the more he fledde the more hée was tormented with horror of minde IONAS fled from the presence of the Lorde but the farther he fled the more subiect he was to perill and daunger Wherefore we must not flie from God in sinne and in the feare of punishment but rather we must approche vnto God by repentance and inuocation by the which meanes alone we escape the wrath of God and the deserued punishment for sinne But of this we will speake more plentifully anone Secondlye it is demaunded for what purpose and intent IONAS fledde out of the lande of Israell and woulde not obey the calling of God sending him to Niniue Of sundrie men sundrie and diuers causes are declared and alleaged Some saye that IONAS was afearde of the daunger that might come vnto him at Niniue for his ambassage sake For to preach that a citie should sodenly be ouerthrowne and destroyed in the Citie it selfe is inough to stirre vp against a man all the Citizens inhabitants of the same and to make himselfe to be accused of sedition Other some thinke that
common sort of men but euen among the chiefest Prophetes that haue beene eyther before his time or since Secondly we must consider the certaintye and aucthoritie of this booke The Church as yet neuer reiected or refused this booke but haue accounted the same among those which wee call Canonicall bookes of holye scripture and which haue Ecclesiasticall and heauenlye testimonies Furthermore we haue our sauiour Christ as concerning this matter a sufficient testimony and witnesse as may appeare by the .xij. Chapter of Mathew where he alledgeth the example of Ionas for his resurrection affirming that the comming of Ionas out of the Whales bellye was a type of the same Furthermore Christ preferreth the Niniuets before the Israelites bicause the Niniuets repented at the one onelye sermon of Ionas and the Israelites woulde not be conuerted vnto the Lorde by many sermons Wherefore if euer any man did or shall hereafter doubt of the aucthoritie truth and certaintie of this booke Christ by his testimonie hath so confirmed the same that though an Aungell came from heauen teaching the contrary he ought not to be beleued Last of all we must knowe the argument or summe of this prophecie in the which certayne perticuler places are noted 1 The first place conteyneth the seueritie of the wrath of God towardes all such as walke disobediently in their calling Ionas was a Prophet which was most acceptable vnto god and which before had done notable things in Israell and by his sermons had preserued the kingdome of the same notwithstanding when hee fled and was disobedient to his calling he was cast by the ordinaunce of God into the Sea. An example of Gods seuere punishment worthye to bee noted The lyke we haue of Saule who disobeying the commaundement of God reserued part of the pray of Amelecke for the which disobedience hee was rent from his kingdome Another example we haue of the prophete whom the Lion slue by Gods appoyntment for his disobedience Wherevpon it is sayde to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of Rammes 2 The seconde place conteyneth the wonderful and inspeakeable mercy of God by the which he commonly deliuereth all those which call vpon him in truth Ionas was cast into the sea and deuoured of the Whale And although he coulde not be saued and deliuered naturally yet notwithstanding by the diuine power and clemencie of God he is supernaturally and miraculouslye deliuered This miracle to certaine worldly wise men and contemners of the worde of God seemeth ridiculous and like vnto olde wyues tales And amongst all others scoffing Lucian being stirred vp of Sathan the Deuill the father of lyes to obscure discredit and deride this miracle hath written a booke intituled De veris narrationibus that is a booke of true narrations in the which hee maketh mention of certaine men which being in a ship were swallowed vp shippe and all of a Whale in the which Whale sayth he there were Mountaynes woods and Cities to the which the men arriued with their shippe and had great delectation there This fonde fable seemeth to bee inuented by Lucian to deride the Christians which beleeue the storie of Ionas to be true But this and many other such are deuised by the Deuill and his ministers to deride and deface true and godly myracles But let vs vnderstand that this myracle was done in deede and that it hath heauenly testimonies to proue and ratifie the same as we haue alreadie declared God which created heauen and earth of nothing and which raysed and will rayse the dead to life could also for a time saue and preserue Ionas in the whales belly Let vs acknowledge therefore this myracle to be a declaration of the power and clemency of God and an example also of the resurrection of Christ and of all the godly also to euerlasting lyfe as hereafter GOD willing shall be declared 3 The thirde place conteyneth the doctrine of repentaunce There haue beene many which haue denyed to sinners after their fall any hope of gods grace And there are manye which when they haue sinned perswade themselues that there is no way of saluation left vnto them Here therefore there are two examples of repentaunce propounded vnto vs The one in the Prophete Ionas who although he fell into disobedience yet notwithstanding repenting he is receyued into Gods fauour againe The other in the Niniuets who although they had greatly sinned insomuch that they deserued eternall destruction and damnation yet notwithstanding repenting they are receyued into Gods fauour and preserued with their Citie Let vs therefore turne to the Lorde by repentaunce being perswaded that the Lorde will receyue vs and that the Aungels in heauen shall reioyce ouer our repentaunce Thus gentle Reader I haue declared who this Prophet Ionas was what aucthoritie this booke hath and which are the speciall places of this booke The which if thou well obserue and note they will profite to the nourishing of the feare of God to the encrease of fayth and to the bringing forth of true obedience which are the most acceptable seruice of God. ¶ A godly exposition of the Prophet Ionas The first Chapter THE VVorde of the Lorde came vnto IONAS the sonne of Amithai saying Arise and get thee to Niniue that great ciâ—ie and preache vnto them howe that â—heir wickednesse is come vp before mee THe Scripture of the olde Testament doth often and verie much testifie â—hat God in times past hath spoken with â—he Patriarches and Prophets As sayth the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to the Hebrues God in times past diuersly and many wayes spake vnto the fathers by Prophetes Let vs therefore vnderstande and knowe howe and after what maner God hath reuealed his will to the Patriarches and Prophets 1 Sometimes he spake with them by sending Aungels visiblye vnto them example we haue in the booke of Genesis where we reade that Aungels came vnto Abraham in the likenesse and shape of men Also there came Angels vnto â—oth which brought him out of Sodome before it was destroyed And so an Angell appeared visibly vnto Zacharias the father of Iohn to the virgin Marie likewise and to many other 2 Sometimes God spake vnto the fathers by the voice of an Aungell inuisibly And so he talked with Moses out of the bushe where Moses hearde the voyce of an Angell speaking in the person of God but sawe no Aungell So the Aungell in the person of God recited the lawe in the Mount Sinai the which voice was heard of more than sixe hundreth thousand men but they sawe no man as appeareth by the wordes of Moses saying You hearde the voyce of his wordes but you sawe no forme or shape at all So God spake by an inuisible Aungell vnto Samuell So I thinke also that the Lorde spake to Moses from the mercye seate as appeareth â—y this text And from thence I will testifie
vnto thée and will common wyth thée from of the mercie seate 3 Oftentimes he spake vnto the fathers â—y dreames as maye appeare by the examples of Nabuchadnezar Ioseph and such like 4 Oftentimes by the Ephod of the Priest which shone with precious stones the which stones as Iosephus sayeth when God aunswered the demaunde of the Priest by his Ephod excelled and surmounted their accustomed shyne and brightnesse but when God refused to answere the precious stones remayned in their woonted glorie nothing altered or chaunged That the Lorde did sometimes aunswere by Ephod it is apparaunt by the scriptures as by the thrée and twentie and eight and twentie Chapters of the first booke of Kings 5 Oftentimes he spake to the fathers by visions the whiche visions the holye ghost by secrete inspiration reuealed and interpreted 6 And oftentimes he spake vnto them without visions onely by the secret inspiration of the spirite But howsoeuer it pleased God to speake and talke with this our Prophete IONAS there is no mention made neyther is it greatly necessary to be knowne For it is sufficient to vs to knowe that God in déede spake with IONAS and that the calling of the Prophet to preache the worde of the Lorde was done in déede by the will of god And although there be many curious persons which thinke those times to be most happie in the which God by so many waies spake vnto the fathers and doe affirme that they would more willingly beléeue the worde of God if so bée it would please him to talke with them after that fashion Notwithstanding if wée well consider of the matter nowe that Christ is come and hath published hys Gospell throughout the whole worlde we must néedes confesse that the times are much more happie than they were in times past For God hath spoken with vs not by Aungell not by dreames or visions but by his owne sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who by his diuine maiestie excelleth all Aungels Wherevpon in the Epistle to the Hebrues it is written In these last dayes God hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne whome he hath appointed heyre of all things And Christ himselfe sayth Blessed are the eies which sée those things that ye sée And streyght after he addeth saying many haue desired to sée those things that ye sée and haue not séene them And the Apostle Paule sayth Nowe saluation is nearer vnto vs than it was then For séeing that the sonne of God is commended vnto vs by the voyce of God from heauen saying This is my beloued sonne heare him He is most happye which so heareth him by his Gospell that by fayth he comprehendeth the same obeyeth his calling For whosoeuer he be that beléeueth not thys sonne of God he will not beléeue though all the Aungels in heauen all the Patriarches all the Prophetes and fathers stoode before him to testifie of the worde of god Wherefore let vs not neglect the felicitie and happinesse of our time but let vs attende and giue eare to the voyce of the sonne of God whereby we maye obtayne euerlasting saluation Nowe it followeth to shewe to what thing the worde of the Lorde called IONAS Arise sayth he goe to that great Citie of Niniue and preache in it howe that their wickednesse is come vp before me As concerning the Citie of Niniue and who was the first builder of the same we maye reade in the tenth Chapiter of Genesis This citie was so inlarged that in bignesse it was comparable to Babilon which was fiftéene myles compasse according to the myles of Germanie Wherevpon it followeth in the text Niniue was a great Citie and of thrée dayes iourney And in the ende of this Prophesie it is said that in that citie there were an Cxx. thousande children Howe great then was the number of men women seruants maidens and straungers Wherfore Niniue was one of the greatest Cities in the whole worlde And at that time when IONAS was sent vnto it the mightiest Monarchie of the whole earth was in the same Moreouer circumcised Iewes dwelt not in it but vncircumcised Gentiles had their habitation there When as therefore it pleased God to sende the Prophete IONAS vnto it hée doth plainely declare himselfe to be no respecter of persons which shoulde fauor one nation and abhorre another and which should be only the God of the Iewes and not the God of the Gentiles also Wherefore God woulde not haue one nation or people but all men to be saued There is no difference sayth Paule betwéene the Iewe the Gentile for there is one Lord of all c. But this is not so to be vnderstoode as though God saueth all the Gentiles without difference although they abide in their impietie and be not conuerted vnto the Lorde but that he desireth to haue all men saued and reiecteth none that repent acknowledge the true god Wherevpon the Apostle Paule sayth not simply there is one Lorde of all riche towards all But he addeth to such as call vpon him For all simplye shall not be saued but all such as call vppon the Lorde Euery one sayeth he which calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shall be saued But how shall they call vppon him in whome they beléeue not therefore they which desire to be saued must of necessitie heare the worde of God beléeue the same and call vpon God through Iesus Christ For there is saluation in no other Wherevppon we maye gather that the Niniuets are not simply saued But a Prophete is sent vnto them to declare the worde of God that they might beléeue and repent Furthermore when the Lorde sayth preache vnto them bicause their wickednesse is come vp before me and so forth he plainly declared what affection he beareth towards those that are sinners For although he hateth sinne and iniquitie yet notwithstanding he desireth to haue all men saued if so be they repent Before the floud came the Lorde called men to repentance by Noe. Before the burning of Sodome the Lorde called the Sodomites to repentance by Loth. When the destruction of Hierusalem was at hand the Lorde called the Iewes to repentance by the Prophetes and afterwarde by Christ and the Apostles So in this place before Niniue shoulde be destroyed the Citizens are called to repentance by IONAS And bicause they repented they escaped punishment as hereafter shall be declared These things therfore are diligentlye to bée considered of vs bicause in these dayes God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his worde and therefore calleth this Realme of Englande to repentaunce Wherefore first of all let vs consider and knowe that the wickednesse of Englande is ascended and come before the presence of God and that his iust wrath and punishment is at hande for the same For it is not at this time or of late that England hath begonne to sinne or to commit abhomination But it hath sinned and continued in the same
IONAS feared least that the Niniuets which were Ethnickes shoulde receyue the worde of God and repent and be receyued of the Lord to be his people and so the Israelites to be reiected Therefore least his countriemen the Israelites shoulde be reiected hée rather sought to flie than to obey the calling of god And it maye be that IONAS had such cogitations in his mind But IONAS himselfe in the fourth chapter folowing rehearseth the true and certaine cause of his flight For when God did spare the Niniuets and destroyed them not according to the preaching of IONAS IONAS reasoned with God and sayth O Lorde was not this my saying I pray thée when I was yet in my countrie therefore I hasted rather to flie vnto Tharsis By these wordes we may plainly gather that IONAS hearing the commaundement of the Lorde by the which he was commaunded to preache the subuersion of the Niniuets thought within himselfe of the inspeakable clemency and mercy of God by the which God is wont to forgiue those that repent and séeke for the same He feared therefore least he preaching the ouerthrow of the Niniuets they in repenting shoulde be preserued and so he counted and estéemed as a vaine and false Prophete For IONAS was not of the common sort of men neyther was he only famous in Israell But he was a singular and excellent Prophete and so he was estéemed and accounted of not onely among the Iewes his countriemen but also among other nations Which fame he got by this that according to his prophesie the whole kingdome of Israell was restored as it is written in the booke of Kings Wherfore IONAS feared to impaire his fame and glorie by preaching that to the Niniuets which afterward should not come to passe whereby he myght be counted a lyer the which thing to the vertuous IONAS was more grieuous than death But what Coulde IONAS by his determined flight escape daungers and preserue the fame and glorie of his name No truly but rather he casteth hymselfe into extréeme perill and doth not only by his disobedience bring infamy to himselfe but also putteth his lyfe in venture and suffereth euen the paines of hell whyle he is constreyned thrée dayes to lye in the belly of the Whale alwayes looking for present destruction Here therefore wée maye sée that the common prouerbe is oftentimes verified namely that the wyse man sometimes prooueth himselfe a foole IONAS was the wisest and the holiest Prophet in Israell And yet notwithstanding in this poynt he is so ouerwhelmed wyth foolishnesse that he thinketh by disobedience and sinne to preserue hys name and fame not considering that by this waye he shoulde rather loose all his goodes both corporall and spirituall than preserue and kéepe them from shipwracke and hazarde He knewe no doubt that Salomon sayth that the thing which the vngodly feareth falleth alway on him But thys saying came not now into hys mynde For so it was wont to come to passe that if God doe staye his hande then not one Prophet abideth in true obedience First of all therefore let vs learne by this example of IONAS the feare of god No man ought to trust to hys wysedome holynesse power or other gyftes but onely to the clemencie and mercie of God in all his actions to call vpon God by Christ his sonne that he will vouchsafe to preserue and kéepe vs in the true obedience of his worde We maye not by the example of IONAS take anye thing rashly or disobediently in hande and saye if God preserued IONAS in his disobedience he will also preserue mée wherefore I also will be disobedient vnto god This is detestable rashnesse and temptation of god For God preserued IONAS not that we should learne to be rashe and disobedient but bicause we should learne to feare God and to obey him bicause truly we may fall with IONAS but peraduenture wée cannot rise with him againe specially if we rashly tempt god But and if we fall vnaduisedlye then the example of IONAS teacheth vs to repent and to trust to the mercye of god and so we shall be deliuered Furthermore the example of IONAS veryfieth and confirmeth the saying of Salomon namelye that the thing which the vngodly man feareth falleth on him For it is commonly séene that men séeke to escape daunger by impietie and sinne as IONAS did who went about to put awaye infamie by disobeying the will of god So Pilate would auoyde exile and banishment from his dominion and office by shedding the innocent bloud of Christ So artificers merchant men and other occupiers goe about to auoyde pouertie and néede by craft fraude and deceyte in bargayning and selling But that which they so greatly feare falleth vpon them Let vs therefore abyde in our calling and obedience towards god so shal we in déede escape all daunger and perill ¶ And gatte him downe to Ioppa where he founde a ship ready to go vnto Tharsis So he payed his fare and went abourde that he might go with them vnto Tharsis from the presence of the Lorde The disobedience of IONAS is already described and nowe his securitie is set forth For after he had determined to flie out of the lande of Israell not to Niniue wherevnto he was called but by sea vnto Tharsis that is to Aphrica in Carthage or as men nowe call it to Tunetum he taketh his iourney voyde of all care He feareth no daūger in fléeing he thinketh not that God is angrye with him for his disobedience he thinketh and perswadeth himselfe that he is not séene but that he lyeth hidden from the eies of the almightye And therfore he goeth to the ship and payeth his fare that he might séeme to be a iust and honest man And afterwarde when the tempest arose he getteth hymselfe vnder the hatches voyde of all care and sléepeth thinkinge that this tempest peraduenture came eyther by chaunce or else bicause of those wicked Idolaters and vncircumcised which were also in the shippe In this place of IONAS an example of humaine securitie after sinne committed is described For this is the nature of man namelye when he hath newly sinned or committed any kynde of wyckednesse he carelesselye contemneth the iudgement of god Hée thinketh then that the wrath of God is not so grieuous as it was sayde to bée and that hell fire flameth not so much as men paynt it out So Adam after the eating of the Apple became carelesse He thought himselfe to be sufficiently hidden with his aperne of figge leaues So Caine after he had killed his brother carelesly sayth am I the kéeper of my brother So Dauid when hée had newlye committed adulterie and homicide carelesly he maried the adulteresse saying diuers is the chaunce of warre which some while killeth one some while another So Iudas after his treason walked carelesse for a whyle not waying the heynous offence that he had committed So Peter when he had denyed Christ before the damzell
vs Wherefore let vs paciently receyue his punishment and repent vs of oure sinnes Furthermore although the Mariners went about to bring the shippe vnto land least they should cast him into the sea whom they iudged innocent yet notwithstanding the more they striued agaynst the streame the greater was the tempest neither did the vnlading of the ship help them any thing at all By this example we are taught that the daungers which are sent of God are not auoyded by mans pollicie and witte but onely by obedience which is due to god It was humane pollicie to vnlade and lighten the ship it was humane pollicie to bring the ship to shore but those deuises profited nothing Onely obedience would haue profited For God layde the punishment vpon IONAS and appointed the Mariners to be executours of the same This office this obedience was fulfilled of the Mariners Wherfore they sought not to auoyde the perill and daunger before they left theyr owne deuises and obeyed the councell and motion of god in casting IONAS into the Sea. The which councell and will of God was reuealed as well by lot as by the confession of IONAS himselfe This example in these difficult and daungerous tymes is to be considered speciallye of Magistrates parents and Maisters of housholdes For God hath euen nowe begonne to punishe vs and to afflict vs for our sinnes and reuealeth his wrath by diuers stormie and boysterous tempestes For at this present he afflicteth vs with warre with penurie with pestilence with ciuill contention and greater plagues no doubt than these hang ouer our heades and are at hande And what doe we to auoyde or eschew this iust vengeance of God Surely according to our accustomed and naturall woont wée followe our owne deuices we trust vnto them we make fleshe our arme Agaynst the forreyne enimie we fortifie and arme our selues But what doth that profite vs against the wrath of God To auoyde the plague or pestilence so called we take preparatiues diuers medicines but what can they preuayle agaynst the wrath of God Yet notwithstanding I say not that the vse of such ordinarie meanes are to be forsaken But if we will preuayle and haue good successe we must cloth our selues with repentaunce wée must exercise our selues with obedience and wée must arme our selues with fayth God commaundeth the Magistrate to punishe the fault and offence of the common people euen as he required the Mariners to cast IONAS into the sea Except therefore this commaundement be obeyed in punishing the enimies of God I meane the Papistes the blasphemer the drunkarde the fornicator the vsurer and such lyke the wrath and punishment of God cannot haue an ende The wrath of God fell vpon the children of Israell for whoredome but after that Phinees began to punishe the same the wrath of God was appeased The lyke example we haue of Achan and such like But we must take an ensample of these Mariners and consider with howe great feare of God Magistrates ought to punish the wicked For they tooke not in hande to cast IONAS into the sea before they had made theyr prayers vnto God saying we beséech thée O Lorde suffer vs not to perish This example all Magistrates ought to followe in punishing malefactors and wicked offendors For to punish wickednesse and to put the malefactors to death is a worke onely pertayning to the diuine power of god For in the lawe it is sayde thou shalt not kill This lawe is naturall pertayning generally to all men Wherevpon before the floud when as Magistrates were not ordeyned it was not lawfull for any man though he were a murtherer to be put to death Caine and as some thinke Lamech were murtherers yet they were not put to death But after the floud the office of a Magistrate was ordeyned to the which God gaue power and authoritie to put malefactors to death according to lawe All Magistrates therefore ought to execute their office with the feare of god least they punishe the innocent for the offender The second Chapter BVT the LORDE prepared a great Fishe to swallowe vppe IONAS THis sentence comprehendeth few wordes but if we cōsider and marke them well they bring vnto vs great comfort and consolation in al aduersities and troubles For wheras the Text sayth not simplie that IONAS was cast into the sea and deuoured of the fish but that the Lord prepared a fishe which swalowed vp IONAS it manifestlye declareth that the clemencie and prouidence of the Lorde is so great in preseruing his people and defending his Church that he will suffer no hurt or harme to happen vnto them vnlesse he haue appoynted and prouided a meane and waye before by the which hée may preserue and deliuer them the which thing both the examples and promises of scripture doe testifie Among examples let this which we haue here of IONAS be the first For although the Lorde was angrye with IONAS for his disobedience yet notwithstanding bicause he acknowledgeth him not onely for a member of his Church but also for a Prophete beloued of him he prepareth for him a lodging or guest Chamber in the sea before he was cast into the same For he woulde neuer haue suffered the Mariners to cast IONAS into the sea vnlesse he had foreséene and prouided first a meane by the which hée might preserue him in the sea and deliuer him againe Another example we haue in the Israelites who were oppressed many yeares vnder the cruell tyrannie of Pharao in Aegypt and yet notwithstanding they were the people or Church of god But vnlesse God had foresene and prouided a way by the which he might deliuer them from so cruell tyranny he would neuer haue suffred them to haue come into Aegypt and to haue béene there afflicted For that he had prouided such a meane before his people went into Aegypt and were there afflicted it is euident by the fiftene of Genesis where it is fayde vnto Abraham Thy séede shall be a straunger in a lande that apperteyneth not vnto them And shall serue them and they shall intreate them euill foure hundred yeares But afterward they shall come out with great substaunce Here we may sée that God had appoynted a meane to deliuer them out of affliction before they were afflicted An other example we haue in the Citizens of Hierusalem For it was appointed that within a hundred yeares or there aboutes after the death of Ezechias Hierusalem should be destroyed of the Babilonians the Citizens caried into captiuity But before this thing came to passe the lord prepared Cyrus to be their deliuerer of whom Esay prophecied the said Cyrus being yet vnborne and promised deliuerance to his church before affliction came For of so great prise is the Church or Congregation of the Lorde vnto him that he winketh not at the aduersaries but punisheth them in the ende and deliuereth his Church from all trouble and vexation And therefore also the Prophete Ieremie
séemeth more easie than to call vppon the name of the lord For what worke can be more sleight and easie than the tongue to speake and saye Our father which art in heauen c. Yea the children and Infantes can vtter these wordes But childishe inuocation is one and true and earnest inuocation is another The one is most easie the other is most harde I remember a certaine Father sayde there is nothing more harde than to praye and inuocate the name of god For it is an easie matter to recite the words of prayer But to pray and call truly vpon the name of God is a great worke and painefull labour For no man can call truly vpon God except he bée first of all in the fauour of God and reconciled vnto him For how shouldest thou call vppon or praye vnto him whome thou hatest and knowest to be thine enimie For thou canst not be in Gods fauour and reconciled vnto him vnlesse thou repent thée trulye of thy sinnes And in repenting aright we must first acknowledge our sinnes and wickednesse and auoyde them Then we must beleue that our sinnes are put away by Christ and forgiuen by the which faith there followeth a true obedience towards God in euery calling Here let vs consider how harde a thing it is to call vppon God aright in aduersitie For no man calleth truly vppon him but he which repenteth him of his sinnes flieth the same and beléeueth firmely that he hath frée remission in Christ and then giueth himselfe wholy to the obedience of god But what séemeth more difficult vnto mē than to hate sinne to flie the same and to follow the works of righteousnesse Let no man therfore think that he is called to an easie or light worke when hée is called to inuocation of God and prayer These things are set before vs not that we shoulde be terrified or discouraged from inuocation but that we should be stirred to earnest true and feruent prayer Our Prophet IONAS is set here for an ensample vnto vs For he is cast into the sea for his sinne bicause he fled from the presence of the Lorde and obeyed not his calling He sawe therfore in the bellye of the Whale the wrath of God to follow his disobedience What doth he therefore He beginneth to crie vnto the Lorde and to call vpon god But God is angrye He is therefore constrayned first of all to acknowledge hys sinne and to attribute vnto God the glorye of righteousnesse namely bicause God iustly punished him with so great and daungerous perils neither had he done vniustly if he had suffered him to haue perished euerlastinglye Hauing acknowledged his sinne he beléeued certainely that by the promised séede of Abraham which was Iesus Christ hée shoulde haue frée remission and pardon for the same Then in hart he promised obedience vnto God that he would euer afterwarde serue him and neuer runne away again as he had done before These things being done hée might boldlye come vnto God call vpon his name and looke for deliuerance out of the bellie of the Whale But some man will saye many call vppon God which notwithstanding are not deliuered from their corporall trouble Did not Christ himselfe call vppon God the father that the cup of his passion might passe awaye from him and yet notwithstanding Christ was not deliuered from the externall crosse Steuen called vpon Christ Iesus and yet notwithstanding he was stoned We must so thinke therefore of inuocation that although externall saluation happen not alwayes yet notwithstanding eternall saluation shall alwayes happen to the true caller vppon god So Christ was not deliuered from the externall crosse but yet he was deliuered from death it selfe and obteyned a name aboue all names So Steuen was not deliuered from the stoning but neuerthelesse he was deliuered from death and hell and when he saw Iesus Christ at the right hande of God he was receyued of him into the fellowship of his kingdome But how did IONAS behaue himselfe towardes God for the wonderfull benifite of his deliuerance Surely he offered vnto God the acceptable sacrifice of thankes giuing as appeareth by the texte I will doe vnto thée sacrifice with the voyce of thankesgiuing And before it is sayde they that holde of vaine vanities will forsake his mercie By the which words the Prophete maketh a difference betwéene the thankfulnesse of the godly and the thankesgiuinge of the wicked The wicked when they receyue anye benifite at the handes of God they referre it to their Idolles and to their hypocriticall worshippings and seruice The Ethnicke or heathen being deliuered from a Feuer or any other disease runneth straight way to Iupiter and for his health offereth to him the offring and sacrifice of thankesgiuing The hypocrite being deliuered from the paine of tooth ache goeth to Saint Appoline to whome for the ease receyued he offereth the sacrifice of thankesgiuinge The Monke being deliuered from the perill of waters maketh haste to S. Frauncis or to his Masse where he yéeldeth the sacrifice of thankesgiuing But what saith the Prophete here of such They that holde of vaine things sayth he will forsake the mercy of the Lorde That is they which followe vayne Idolles and hypocriticall worshippinges in offering thankes vnto God these forsake the mercy of the Lorde which he bestowed vpon them and make themselues vnworthie of the same But I sayth the Prophete will doe to thée sacrifice with the voyce of thankesgiuing and will perfourme that which I haue vowed for why saluation commeth of the Lorde That is I in offering the sacrifice of prayse and thankesgiuing will not do as the wicked and hypocrytes doe which worship God with abhominable Idols with vaine worshippings and fained inuentions But I will offer vnto thée my true God and sauiour the voyce of praise yea I will prayse thy name for euer and will set foorth the glorie of the same vnto all men I will preach and proclayme thy clemencie and mercie so long as I liue And I will pay my vowes that is I will doe those thinges which I ought to doe I will not deuise and inuent fayned sacrifices as the hypocrites doe but I will doe those dueties which God requireth at my handes to be done If it please God to send me againe vnto Niniue I will not murmure but with heart and minde I wyll séeke the performance of his will. This example therefore of the Prophete IONAS is set foorth vnto vs to the ende we might learne to offer the true sacrifice of thankesgiuing vnto God for those benifites which we receyue at his handes whether they pertayne to the bodie or to the minde that we may continually abyde in the fauour of the Lorde The thirde Chapter THen the worde of the Lorde came to IONAS againe saying vp and get thee to Niniue that great Citie and preache vnto them the preaching that I bade thee So IONAS arose and went to Niniue at the Lordes commaundement
Niniue was a great Citie vnto God namely of three daies iorney And IONAS went to and entered into the Citie euen a dayes iourney IONAS at the length escaped oute of the Whales belly that is from extréeme death and hell For after that IONAS had repented and called vpon the name of the Lorde by true fayth the Whale was constrayned to cast him out aliue and to let him go frée For God being reconciled vnto vs all creatures are constrayned to minister vnto vs and to serue our necessitie and those thinges also which before were hurtfull vnto vs bring then muche profite and commoditie with them to oure great comfort and consolation Therefore nowe consequently the ministerie to the which IONAS after hys deliueraunce was called by the mouth of God must be declared For he is now sent of God as he was before to Niniue to the ende he might preach there the destruction of the Citie Vp sayth he and get thée to Niniue that great Citie As concerning the greatnesse of the Citie of Niniue it was before declared And now the things which are to bée considered in this place are these First IONAS after his deliueraunce is not placed of God in a soft Fetherbed but he is sent to preache the worde of God in Niniue which was a worke not onely laborious but also daungerous Here therefore wée are taught whervnto we are called of God and what we ought to doe when we haue receyued any benifite at his hande For we truly are so corrupted by nature with sinne that after we haue receiued benifites we are more peruerse and disobedient vnto God than we were before And we sée by experience that they which haue come from extréeme beggery and penury to great riches and possessions and from the dunghill to Nobilitie haue béene then more insolent and vnthankefull then they were before But the example of IONAS in this place teacheth vs true obedience and pietie For after that we are deliuered out of great perils and daungers we must not be ydle neyther must we then begin to dispise God but rather it is our duties to obey God and his calling and to bée thankefull for those benifits that wée haue receyued at his handes In the fift Chapter of Saint Iohn our Sauiour Christ sayth to the man that was restored to hys helth Behold thou art now made whole go and sinne no more least some worse thing happen vnto thée So IONAS also séemed to say within himselfe beholde thou art now deliuered from the perill of death and the goulfe of hell sée therefore that thou be no more disobedient but obey the calling of God least a worse thing happen vnto thée Euen so it is our partes to thinke also after that we are deliuered eyther from the perill of pouertie from the perill of infirmitie or from the perill of death Beholde thou hast receyued an excellent benefite at the handes of God bée not therfore vnthankefull but séeke by all meanes thou canst to shewe a thankefull minde by dooing thy dutie For God most liberally bestoweth his benifites not that we shoulde be worse but to the ende wée should be better But and it we abuse the benifites of God as riches to luxvrie and to fulfill our pleasure wyne to drunkennesse and health to dishonestie and wicked lyfe then let vs looke for nothing else but to be depriued not onely of these corporall benifits but also of heauenly treasure and felicitie and to perish with euerlasting paine and punishment Wherefore let vs consider that after the benifits receyued we are called to thankfulnesse and obedience the which if we perfourme we shall prouoke the Lorde to bestowe greater benifites vpon vs Furthermore we must consider in the example of IONAS hys singuler obedience For the Text sayth IONAS arose and went to Niniue according to the worde of the Lorde Before IONAS arose to flie from the presence of God. But nowe he ariseth not to flie but to obey the calling of the Lorde What was the cause that IONAS is thus altered and chaunged and that he is so prompt and readie to perfourme the wil and commaundement of God Surelye the affliction perill and trouble was the cause as hath béene alreadie at large declared We sée therefore what is the principall reason why God doth oftentymes lay crosses and sundry afflictions vpon vs IONAS would not simplye at the first obey the worde of the Lorde he is cast therfore into the sea that séeing he would not by the worde and in prosperitie learne to obey he might learne the same by crosse in aduersitie The lyke oftentimes happeneth vnto vs For God first of all calleth vs being sinners and disobedient to righteousnesse and obedience by the preachinge of his worde when we are in prosperitie But when we flie obedience then he casteth vs into the sea of diuers afflictions to the ende we might learne that in aduersitie and trouble which we refused in prosperitie and ease So the Lorde God of our fathers sent to the Citizens of Hierusalem that they should forsake their idolatrie but when they woulde not obey his worde in libertie they were constreyned to learne obedience in captiuitie Wherefore when we flourishing in prosperitie are called to repentance let vs not despise the voyce of the Lord but let vs obey him in time least with the wicked wée be afflicted and destroyed ¶ And he cried saying there are yet fortie dayes and then shall Niniue be ouerthrowne This is the sermon which IONAS made in Niniue being very briefe and short if we haue respect to the number of the words but if we consider the sentence it is very long and containeth much matter First of all let vs weye and consider the place of the Citie in the which IONAS began to preache When he had entred sayth the text into the citie euen a dayes iourney and so forth Therefore IONAS preached euen in the middest of the citie almost not in the comming in nor in the going forth to the ende the fame of his sermonde or preachinge might the more easily be spred among al the citizens and inhabitants thereabout For the word of the Lorde must be preached not to a fewe men onely neyther in an obscure place but to all men openlye to the ende no man might haue excuse Herevppon it came to passe and was accustomed that alwayes from the beginning of the world the word of God was preached in the chiefe Monarchies Cities of the earth For as IONAS could not go from house to house generally throughout the Citie of Niniue but stoode in a conuenient place of the City that the fame of his preaching might come to all men euen so the word of the Lord is not wont to be caried to euery corner of euery region but it is reuealed published in the speciall and principall kingdomes that by them the fame thereof might be spred abrode throughout the whole world that no man might haue excuse So
the worde of the Lorde was preached in the time of Abraham in Canaan Aegypt which were in those places and tymes the speciall kingdomes So likewyse in the Monarchie of Babylon and Persia by Daniell And so the worde of God was preached in Rome by the Apostles Wherfore they which lurke in woods and mountaynes haue no excuse that the worde of God is not brought peculiarlye vnto them by the Prophetes and Apostles but it is sufficient that the word of God is preached openly and fréely in publike places wherby the fame maye be spred into all places But this is not spoken to the ende the Parishes in little townes vilages shoulde be neglected abrogated For our auncestors appointed ordeined Parishes with their great cost and the inhabitants of villages to pay their tenthes that they might haue Pastors appointed vnto them Wherfore they which care not to haue Pastors or Preachers which might shew the worde of the Lorde vnto them but kéepe the tenth and tribute to themselues These I say are open théeues and spoilers of the Church of god But they are rehearsed and spoken to the ende we maye knowe that no man in the whole earth wheresoeuer hée dwelleth might haue any excuse of his impietie wickednesse or ignoraunce bicause that although the worde of God bée not preached in euerye mountaine and woode yet notwithstanding it is preached in the speciall places of the earth It grieueth not the Merchaunt man to make a long and daungerous voyage from Englande to Spaine to Ginnie to India to fetche his merchaundise thence for aduantage and gaine and shall it grieue vs to séeke for the hearing of the word of God that precious pearle iewel bicause the place where it is preached is farre distant from vs God forbid For if that we be so slowe in seking for that heauenly treasure the muck and drosse of this world which is so diligētly sought for shal condemne vs in the day of iudgement Furthermore wée must also wey and note the maner of IONAS preachinge for the text sayth he cried We must not thinke here that he cried out or raged with exclamation as mad men doe or such as be drunke but rather that he spake plainely placing his wordes without obscuritie Wherefore it is the dutie of all Pastors and Preachers after the example of IONAS to auoyde and eschewe all obscuritie in their doctrine which teacheth not euidently plainly the way of truth Such were the Sophisters and others in old time which indeuoured themselues alwayes to speake obscurely mistically and darkely of religion Such also are the Papistes and enimies of Gods truth which publish and set forth all their ceremonies and seruice in an vnknowne tongue Wherfore although they howle chaunt pipe and bable much in the Latine tongue before the common people in their churches yet notwithstanding they doe but whisper and talke to them that haue no eares They doe but speake in the ayre as witnesseth Saint Paule For if the trump giue an vncertaine sounde who shall prepare himselfe to the battayle Euen so ye sayth the Apostle speaking with tongues except ye speake wordes that haue signification howe shall it be vnderstoode what is spoken For so the simple and vnlearned man maye saye Amen to him that curseth when he shoulde blesse Wherefore let euerye man desire with Saint Paule rather to speake fiue wordes in the congregation to the information of other than ten thousand words with the tongue Nowe let vs heare what the Prophete preached There are yet fortie days sayth he and then shal Niniue be ouerthrowne A short sermon trulye to be made in so great a citie yet notwithstanding so great in effect that IONAS thereby stoode not only in perill of his lyfe but also in hazard of his good name and fame For the king of the Niniuets and his Citizens might haue surmised by this sermon that IONAS with forreine enimies had priuilye conspired the destruction of the Citie eyther by fire in the night or else by tumult and so might haue accused him of sedition and destroyed him Further if they had beléeued that it was the worde of God which he preached as they did in déede and the same had not bene fulfilled then myght they haue accused IONAS to be a vayne and a lying Prophet Neuerthelesse the Prophet is not discouraged by these perils of his life and fame but procéedeth in his calling with obedience shewing that to the Niniuets which he was commaunded of God to declare By the which example we are admonished that in following our vocation and calling we shoulde rather haue a consideration of the wrath of God towardes disobedience than of perill and daunger which happen vnto vs by disobedience For if God be angry with vs for disobedience then wée maye assure our selues to suffer perill in the which vnlesse we repent we maye looke for nothing but euerlasting distruction But if we obey the calling of god although most daungerous perils horrible destruction lye before our eies ready to deuour vs yet neuerthelesse they shall eyther not happen vnto vs or if they doe happen vnto vs God shall myraculously saue defende and deliuer vs Examples of this we haue Ioseph in Aegypt the Israelites in the desert Daniell in the Lions denne Iob on the dunghill the thrée children in the fierie Ouen and many other But what shall we say to the sermon of IONAS which sayde that Niniue should be destroyed within fortie dayes and yet was not destroyed Is the Prophet therfore a lyar Truly this was the speciall cause why the Prophet fled before from the presence of the lord would not preache destruction to the Niniuets For he considered that if they shoulde repent the Citie should continue in the former state and he counted a vayne and lying Prophete And yet notwithstanding being exercised with crosse and trouble he obeyeth the calling of God and publikely preacheth that the Citie shall be destroyed within fortie dayes How then is the Prophecie to be vnderstoode and cléered of a lye Some dissolue it after this sort affirming that there are two maner of Prophecies namely the prophecie of Predestination and the prophecie of commination or threatning The prophecie of predestination is that which by no meanes maye be retracted such was the prophecy of the Messias to come and of the publishing of the Gospell throughout the whole worlde This is the prophecie of predestination that is without any certayne condition which coulde not eyther by anye mans power wisedome or wickednesse be stayed or frustrate The prophecie of commination is which threatneth only the euill of punishments to come the which notwithstanding may be stayed and preuented by the repentance of the hearers and such is this Prophecie of the destruction of the Niniuets And these things truly are rightly spoken of the prophecie of commination if so be that they be rightly vnderstoode The which that we may in déede let vs
teacheth vs the true and perfite way to repent For the Scripture sayth the people of Niniue beleued in the Lorde This is the true and certaine way of repentaunce to beléeue in the Lorde The which thing being vttered and spoken Epicures and contemners of true godlynesse can scarce refraine laughter estéeming that there is nothing more easie to be done than to beleue in the lord But I would not that we should erre For whē fayth in the Lorde is required of vs let vs knowe and vnderstande that a worke no lesse hard heauenly and diuine is required of vs than was the creation of heauen and earth If a man should say vnto thée make heauen and earth thou wouldest thinke that a worke impossible and aboue thy strength were required of thée But when it is sayde beléeue in the Lorde a thing no lesse impossible is required of thée then the creation of heauen and earth Impossible I meane it is to fleshe bloud but not impossible to the spirite and spirituall force The which thing to explicate let vs take the example of the Niniuetes For where as it is sayde that they beléeued in the Lorde it is ment that they beléeued the sermon which IONAS made at the commaundement of the Lorde that it was the true diuine and heauenly voyce of god But how hard a thing it was to beléeue this many thinges doe declare For first of all if we haue respect to the person of IONAS although he were counted a great Prophete among the Israelites yet notwithstanding he was not of so great authoritie among the Niniuetes whiche were vncircumcised Gentiles It is maruell therefore that they sayde not what haue we to do with that Iew that straunger what meaneth that fugitiue and runnagate fellow hath God talked more with him than with our Bishops and high Priestes If it had béene the purpose of God to ouerthrowe our Citie woulde hée not sooner haue reuealed it to our King or to some of our chiefe rulers in the Citie than to this runneawaye iewe But neither the Citizens nor the Magistrates nor the King himselfe obiected any suche thing to IONAS but simply beléeued his worde as the worde of god Wherefore it is manifest that they were stirred vp to beléeue not by humane power but by heauenly force euen by the spirit of god Furthermore if we marke the text well when it sayth They beléeued in the Lord it shall easily appeare that fayth is not a humane worke but a diuine worke For to beléeue in the Lorde comprehendeth thrée things 1 The first is to beléeue that the lawe of God is true when it reproueth vs of sinne and condemneth vs for sinne and pronounceth vs to be guiltie of all as well corporall as eternall punishmentes But to beléeue this is not a worke of the fleshe but a worke of the spirite Let vs beholde therefore the sermon of IONAS There are yet sayth hée fortie dayes and then shall Niniue be ouerthrowne This is a sermon of the lawe which is in effect as if he had sayde You Niniuets ye are vngodly men and the moste wicked sinners in the whole world Wherfore God within fortie dayes will so ouerthrowe and destroye your Citie that ye shall be cast both body and soule into hell To take such a sermon in good part and to beléeue the same to be true is not of the flesh and bloude but a worke of the holy ghost For men being left and giuen ouer vnto their strength cannot abyde to be reprehended much lesse to be tolde that they shall bée damned Wherefore if they pacientlye beare reprehension and acknowledge their sinne and damnation it is manifest that they are indewed with the power of the holy ghost 2 Secondly to beléeue in the Lorde is to beléeue the promise made to Abraham as concerning Christ that is to beléeue that the remission of our sinnes our lyfe and saluation is eternall true and infallible But to beléeue this cannot be brought to passe in man but only by the holy ghost For it is not a worke of the flesh or of humane wisedome but only of the spirite of god Let vs therefore once agayne consider of the sermon of IONAS There are yet saith he fortie daies and then shal Niniue be destroyed Although this sermon séemeth only to be a sermon of the law yet notwithstanding he which vnderstandeth the lawe of God aryghte he vnderstandeth also that in this sermon is conteined the sermon of the Gospell of Christ For Paule as concerning the law sayth The law is a schoolemaister vnto Christ Wheresoeuer therfore the lawe doth condemne vs there doth it referre vs vnto Christ that wée might be deliuered from damnation Moreouer S. Paule sayth The scripture that is the law of the Lord hath concluded al things vnder sinne that the promise of the faith of Christ Iesus might be giuen to those the beleue That is to say The law bringeth vs to the knowledge of sinne not that we shoulde perish in sinne but that we shoulde be referred to Christ by fayth and by him obtayne saluation Also the Lorde by the mouth of Ezechiell sayth I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he turne from his wickednesse and lyue But the law threatneth death to the sinner yet not that hée shoulde perishe by death but to the ende he might be stirred vp to come vnto Christ by fayth and so obtaine lyfe So this sermon of IONAS includeth in it selfe the Gospell of the séede of Abraham as concerning Christ For he woulde not that the Niniuets should perishe but that they shoulde be conuerted to the séede of Abraham which is Christ by faith and might haue in him remission of sinnes and eternall lyfe To beléeue this is not a worke of the flesh but of the spirite 3 Thirdly to beléeue in the Lorde comprehendeth also in it selfe to beléeue the commaundementes of the Lorde to be diuine and that it is necessarie to exhibite vnto them obedience by faith and to bring forth the true fruites of repentaunce namely the acknowledge of our sinne and fayth in Christ To doe this also we are vnable without the ayde of Gods spirite For we cannot truly obey the commaundements of God vnlesse the Lorde encline our hartes therevnto by his holye spirite Wherefore when it is sayd in the texte that the Niniuets beléeued the Lorde it meaneth not that they only had a light beliefe and imagination of God but it signifieth that they shewed foorth these thrée things namely that they beléeued themselues to be sinners and that they deserued not only destruction but also eternall damnation Secondly that they beléeued to receiue pardon and forgiuenesse of their sinnes for the seede of Abraham onelye which was Christ whose Prophete IONAS was Thirdly it signifieth that they determined with themselues euer after to auoyde sinne and to obey the commaundements of god This is that true repentance which God regardeth and which obteyneth
remission of sinnes and punishments What meaneth it then that the Niniuets proclaime a fast and put on sackecloth These are not the true workes of repentaunce but they are the externall signes of repentaunce For fasting is not auayleable to put away sinne but serueth only to chastise the fleshe and to make it apt and obedient to heare the worde of god Therefore when the Niniuets proclaimed a fasting they did it to the ende the Citizens might come sober to the sermon and euery man to doe his dutie But whereas they did put on sackecloth that is base apparell it is a signe and token of publike sorrowe and griefe for sinne and an admonition to true repentance which is the chiefest thing to be looked for as shal appeare by the proclamation of the king ¶ And tydinges came vnto the king of Niniue which arose out of his seate and did his apparell off and put on sackcloth and sate him downe in ashes And it was cryed and commaunded in Niniue by the authority of the king and his Lordes saying See that neither man nor beast Oxe or sheepe taste ought at all and that they neyther feede nor drinke water but put on sackcloth both man and beast and crie mightily vnto god Yea see that euerye man turne from his euill waye and from the wickednesse that he hath in hande Who can tell God maye turne and repent and cease from his fierce wrath that wee perish not The text here maketh no mention of the Kings name But by what name soeuer he were called he deserued great cōmendation For he was not adorned and bewtified onely with kingly vertues but also with heauenly graces 1 First of al when tydings was brought vnto the King of the sermon which IONAS made and of the studie and endeuor of the Citizens he maketh not exclamation of the Prophete he accuseth him not of sedition and tumult but beléeueth also himselfe the worde of IONAS The Prophete Hieremie reproueth the Citizens of Hierusalem for their wickednesse and impietie and sayth that vnlesse they repent it will come to passe that the temple of the Lorde shall be destroyed as Siloh was and so forth The hie Priestes then and the common people tooke him and woulde haue put him to death as a blasphemer and sedicious person So some wicked tyrant would not haue wincked at the preaching of IONAS when he sayde the Citie shoulde bée ouerthrowne but woulde haue apprehended him and put him to death as if he had bene of some secret conspiracie to destroye the same at a sodeine by fire or else to bring in the enimie by night But the godly king of the Niniuetes suspected no such thing in IONAS but receyueth him as a true Prophete of the Lorde and acknowledgeth his sermon for the worde of god For we may not thinke that this king was so simple so rashe or so madde that he would vnaduisedly beléeue the wordes of this Prophet And although in hearing Sermons we must specially note not who speaketh but what is spoken yet notwithstanding in great matters and thinges pertayning to saluation we must not rashely credit euery straunger which preacheth newe thinges without certaine and manifest testimonies Proue sayth saint Paule all things and kéepe that which is good And saint Iohn sayth Beléeue not euery spirite but proue the spirits whether they be of God or no. So we must thinke of this godly king of Niniue that he beléeued not rashely the sermons of IONAS but that he first proued who it was that preached these thinges and what testimonies he had of his calling For IONAS was neyther vnknowne to the king nor to the Citizens of Niniue but they knew him to be the true prophete of the Lord bicause his fame was spred euen to Niniue when as by his prophecie the Kingdome of Israell was restored by Ieroboam as it is written in the booke of Kinges Furthermore the godly king knewe that God woulde not suffer sinne and wickednesse to scape vnpunished and that he was seuere in looking for repentaunce Séeing therefore IONAS to haue certaine testimonies that he was the prophete of the Lorde and perceyuing how all thinges were corrupt in the Citie with wicked maners he worthily receyued the Sermon of IONAS as a diuine Oracle By the which example we are taught not to receyue the doctrine of euery one by and by which bosteth himselfe to be a prophete as the worde of God and not to allowe by and by the prophecie of euery one which sayth that he hath the spirit of god For this were a great token of lightnesse to beléeue euery busie bodie But after that we knowe that the worde set foorth and expounded vnto vs is the worde of God in déede then we must beléeue the same without al doubt or delay that we may obtaine and enioy the ende of fayth which is as sayth saint Peter the saluation of oure soules 2 Secondly this king when he hearde that Niniue for sinne shoulde bée ouerthrowne he preferreth not himselfe before his Citizens he iudgeth not himselfe to be more iust than other men but in repenting he putteth of his kingly robes and Maiestie and putteth on the apparell of a mourner repenting and acknowledging his sinne For he put off his kinglike apparell and clothed himselfe with sackcloth which is a garment betokening repentaunce Neyther doth he sit in his throne or chayre of estate wrought with silke with néedle worke and with golde but he sitteth with the rest of his subiectes in the dust that is in filthie places and vndecked to testifie and declare that he also lamented and bewayled the common state of the Citie By the which example we are not taught that kinges and princes when they repent should forsake the office and rule of their kingdome go into a Monastery and there put on a Coole For hitherto or to this passe Monkes brought Princes when they went about to repent perswading them to forsake their kingly and princely calling and to putte the yoke of Monkery vpon their neckes to satisfie for sinne This was great impietie and abhominable But kinges and princes are here taught when GOD reuealeth his wrath against sinne not to think that they by the priuiledge of their maiestie are iust before God and that the rude and rascall sort are onely wicked and vniust before him no rather they are taught to thinke themselues to be comprehended among the common sort of men of whom it is sayde Euery man is a lyar Also All haue erred and gone out of the way there is not one that doth good no not one And again No man liuing shall bée iustified in thy sight Wherefore from the king that sitteth on his throne to the begger that lyeth in the streate there is not one but he hath sinned and hath néede of the glory of god We haue all néede of one Iesus Christ of whom euery one is partaker according to the measure of
nowe wée must say somwhat of the indignation and displeasure which IONAS tooke at the repentance and conseruation of the Niniuets For after that IONAS sawe that the Niniuets at his preaching were conuerted vnto the Lorde and had obteyned not only remission of their sinnes but also the safegarde of the Citie he should greatly haue reioyced euen as the Aungels reioyce more ouer one sinner that repenteth than ouer ninetie and nine that are righteous but he is so farre from reioycing that he rather taketh indignation and displeasure with him selfe and inueyeth with his complaint agaynst the Lorde our God for sparing them For he sayth O Lorde was not this my saying I praye thée when I was yet in my countrie By the which expostulation and complaint he casteth God in the téeth with his excéeding mercie and long sufferance and accuseth him of iniustice and vnrighteousnesse And also he sorroweth so much for the repentaunce and preseruation of the Niniuets that he wisheth death vnto himselfe Although many men were woont to excuse the faultes of holy men and to interprete them to the best yet notwithstanding bicause this déede and this indignation of IONAS is reprehended of God himselfe as hereafter shall appeare therfore it is not lawfull for vs vainelye to excuse this sinne of the Prophete Charitie truly bindeth vs to couer the sinnes of our neyghbours so much as we may But yet we may not make righteousnesse of sinne neyther must we say that sinne is equitie and equitie sinne IONAS therefore in this sinneth once againe bicause he is offended at the repentance and preseruation of the Niniuets He séemeth trulye to himselfe to haue iust cause of indignation For first of all when God spared the Niniuets IONAS thought that the worde of God which he preached was in daunger of discredit For he had sayd it would come to passe within fortie dayes that Niniue shoulde bée ouerthrowne The which thing when it came not to passe according to his prophecie who would afterward beléeue the worde of the Lorde who would beléeue the promises of God if God fulfill not the threatnings of his worde who woulde not condemne the Prophetes of vanitie and leasing IONAS therefore thought that it woulde be to the glorie of Gods name to haue the Citie of Niniue destroyed The which whē it came not to passe he thought that the glorye of Gods name was in hazarde and perill Furthermore when he saw the Niniuets which were Ethnickes and vncircumcised to obtayne remission of sinnes and to be receyued into gods fauour he thought that the lawe of Moses and Circumcision was in great perill bicause the other Ethnicks when they should heare that god without respect of persons receiueth those that truly repent although they were vncircumcised woulde saye by and by what auayleth Circumcision what profite shall the law of Moses bring vnto vs when these being Ethnickes are receyued without Circumcision and the lawe of Moses into Gods fauour IONAS iudged these things to be most vniust Fearing therefore least by the sufferaunce of God the truth of his worde the glorie of Circumcision and the lawe of Moses shoulde be in daunger of discredit he taketh such indignation at the matter that he wisheth death vnto himselfe But IONAS I saye greatly erred For as touching the preseruation of the truth of Gods worde God in sparing the Niniuets truly fulfilled the truth of his worde For although it were sayd There are yet fortie dayes and then shall Niniue be ouerthrowne yet notwithstanding as it is sayde before this is so to be vnderstoode that Niniue shall be ouerthrowne if the Citizens of the same did not repent But and if they repent then shall the Citie abide in safetie For that this is the meaning of Gods threatnings those wordes and Epithytes which IONAS himselfe in this place rehearseth declare For if God be gentle mercifull and long suffering he will willinglye no doubt forgiue the sinnes of those that turn vnto him as appeareth by the mouth of Ezechiell I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hée turne from his wickednesse and liue Wherefore IONAS feared in vaine that God in sparing the Niniuets shoulde lose the credit and authoritie of his worde And as touching the Circumcision and lawe of Moses which séeme to be aduentured bicause God receiued the Niniuets into his fauour without those IONAS declareth agayne his ignorance For Circumcision and the lawe of Moses so farre as it conteyneth the ceremoniall and iudiciall rightes pertayne not to the Gentiles but onely to the externe posteritie of Abraham And God is not onely the God of the Iewes but also the God of the Gentiles For although the Iewes only had a promise that Christ shoulde spring out of their nation yet notwithstanding the promise was not so made vnto them that they alone shoulde obteyne saluation by Christ but as Saint Peter sayeth amonge all people whoso calleth vpon the name of the Lord is acceptable vnto him And againe Euery one which calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall be saued Wherefore IONAS once againe falleth into a foule errour Here therefore beholde and sée with how great feare of God euery man ought to walke in his vocation and neuer to turne awaye his eyes from Gods holye worde This IONAS was a great Prophet which by inspiration of the holye ghost prophecied of many thinges and by his prophecie restored the kingdome of Israell with whome also it pleased God to talk And yet when he was left to his own strength and turned away his eyes from the worde of the Lord he greatly erred in the vnderstanding of the law and the gospell He vnderstandeth not the true sense and meaning of the law namely that the lawe bringeth not death but to impenitent persons onely He vnderstandeth not the condicion of Christ namely that he pertaineth to all nations which by fayth in him repent them of their sinnes Therfore let vs not be prowde of our gifts but let vs walke in the feare of the Lorde and persist in his calling let vs be thankefull to God for his benifits least by our ingratitude he take them from vs This is also to be noted that we must not trust to our good intentions as some terme them but wée must direct all our doings by the worde of god IONAS in thys his indignation and displeasure hath as séemeth vnto him a verye good intention and meaning he perswadeth himselfe to haue iust causes of offence but when they are examined by the worde of God they shall be found manifestlye repugnaunt agaynst the same Wherevpon it is sayde in Deuteronomie that no man shall doe that which séemeth right to be done in his owne eyes let vs take héede therefore in all our actions that we take nothing in hande contrarie to the calling of the worde of God. But the titles and Epithytes of God which IONAS here rehearseth are not to be pretermitted For although he reciteth these
to reason and argue with God yet notwithstanding they are most true and taken out of the bookes of Exodus and Numeri which are set forth before our eyes to the ende we maye learne to know what affection god beareth vnto vs and what opinion we ought to haue of him 1 A mercifull God. This title God attributeth to himselfe in all places of the scripture to the ende we might knowe his nature that although he be sometimes angry yet notwithstanding he is not angry to destroy but to saue all those that hope and call vppon him He is angry sayth the Prophet Esay to the ende he might be mercifull he maketh deade to the ende he might reuiue This tytle if we well consider of the same confirmeth our fayth in all aduersitie And fayth is the obseruation of the first commaundement Wherefore this title being well knowne maketh vs to obey the first and speciall commaundement of God. 2 Full of compassion This title properly pertayneth to naturall beneuolence such as we sée commonly in parentes towardes their children The mother so loueth hir children that for their payne she sorroweth euen at the very heart and desireth if it might be possible for the ease of hir childe to féele the same hir selfe Such and farre greater is the mercy of god towardes his afflicted Church He is not simplye sorye for it but hée is sorie in heart and minde yea if I may so speake he yerneth in the bowels of his mercye This tytle of God being well knowne worketh in our hearts by the holy ghost pacience in trouble and affliction For if God be sorye for our euill and harme euen as the mother is sorye for hir childe it cannot be that euils whatsoeuer they be shall oppresse vs For God will not suffer vs to perishe in them but will make a way euen in the verie midst for vs to escape 3 Long suffering Thys title teacheth vs the feare of God that we flatter not our selues in our sinnes For God wynketh at sinners not that he doth alow their sinnes but bicause he looketh for repentaunce Wherfore if they repent they are saued If they be impenitent they receyue a iust reward for the same Knowest thou not sayth saint Paule that the long sufferaunce of the Lorde leadeth thée to repentaunce This place also teacheth vs pacience in aduersitie For whereas it doth not at the first punish those which doe molest or trouble vs it commeth so to passe bicause he is long suffering the which vertue we ought to imitate and paciently to looke for helpe at hys handes 4 Of great kindenesse That is excéeding benificiall and liberall For God is not onely mercifull louing and kinde in heart but also he testifieth the same by many benifites bestowed vpon vs And he bestoweth in déede more and greater benifits vpon vs than eyther we can or dare aske at his handes Wherefore let vs not dispaire in aduersitie ¶ And the Lorde God prepared a wilde Vine which sprang vp ouer IONAS that he might haue shadow ouer his head to delyuer him out of his paine And IONAS was exceding glad of the wilde Vine IONAS being gone out of the citie after his sermon waited that he might sée wyth his eyes what happened to the Citie But when he perceiued in déede his expectation to be frustrate and that it came farre otherwise to passe than he looked for and that all thinges prooued contrarye to his preaching he was greatly vexed tormēted in minde as we haue shewed before But in the meane season whyle IONAS behelde what shoulde happen he is greatly troubled in the fielde with the heat of the Sunne in so much that he desireth to die in so great affliction rather than to lyue any longer For although IONAS had made him a Boothe peraduenture of such boughes and shrubs as came next to hande yet notwithstanding this Boothe could not so shadow him from the beames of the sunne but that he might be parched with the same Wherefore the Lorde prepared for him a wylde Vine with the shadowe wherof IONAS was so refreshed that he greatly reioyced First of all therfore here note that where as the Boothe which IONAS builte holpe him nothing at al neyther defended him from the heate of the Sunne it is plainely set forth vnto vs that humane studies pollicies and deuises doe helpe vs nothing at all in our great temptations and afflictions For although our indeuors if so be they be godly and done with a good conscience are not in aduersitie to be omitted but all godlye iuste right lawfull and honest meanes are to be vsed least God be tempted yet notwithstanding necessitie constrayneth vs that when we haue done all that euer we can not to trust vnto the same but onely to depend vpon the Lorde our God and to beséeche him that he will vouchsafe to prosper and giue good successe vnto our indeuor We ought alwaies to haue in minde Peters fishing who hauing labored all the night in vaine to take fishe and letting slip againe his Nets to make a draught at the commaundement of Christ inclosed a great multitude of fishes The woman likewise which was diseased with an issue of bloud a long time and spent all hir goodes vpon Phisitions to be cured and could not yet neuerthelesse afterwarde by the onely worde of Christ she receyued present remedie and health So IONAS also was nothing holpen by his Booth which he made himselfe but after that the Lord had caused a wilde Vine to growe ouer him he was not onely defended from the heate of the Sunne but also he was greatly refreshed and filled with ioy These things are not spoken to the ende we shoulde be negligent or slothfull in our vocation and carelesse in doing our duetie For we ought to leaue nothing vnassayed in perils and daungers which maye be done godly honestly and lawfully But these things are spoken to this ende that when by our industry we haue prouided all thinges necessarie we may yet know that the help of God is most necessarie and that we ought to call for the same by prayer According to the saying of the Prophete Dauid Except the Lord kéepe the Citie the watch man waketh but in vaine Furthermore where as God in so great trouble of heate prepared a wylde Vine for IONAS by the shadow whereof he was recreated we learne that God is of so great clemencie and louing kindenesse that so many as walke in hys vocation and are afflicted in the same shal receyue at his handes a meane to indure the same according to the Psalmist The Sunne shal not burne thée by day neither the Moone by night Also it is sayde Who so dwelleth vnder the defence of the most highest shall abide vnder the shadow of the almightie Further it is sayd A thousand shall fall beside thée ten thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thée And the Prophet Esay