Whole Works, Biblical prologues · Old Testament · Jonah
The Prologue of the Prophete Ionas made by William Tyndall.
AS the enuious Philiſlines ſtopped ye welles of Abraham, and filled them vp with earth, to The Papiſtes kept the Scriptures from the lay people, becauſe they onelyonly will be the publiſhers & expoſitors therofput the memoriall out of mynde, to the entent that they might chalenge the grounde: euen ſo the fleſhly minded hipocrites, ſtoppe vp the vaynes of life, which are in the ſcripture, with the earth of their traditions, falſe ſimilitudes, and lying allegories, & that of lyke zeale, to make the Scripture their owne poſſeſſion, and merchaundice, and ſo ſhut vp the kyngdome of heauen, which is Gods worde, neither entring in themſelues, nor ſuffering them that would.
The Scripture hath a body without, The ſcripture hath a body and a ſoule.and within a ſoule, ſpirite & lyfe. It hath without a barke, a ſhel, and as it were an harde bone, for the fleſhlye mynded to gnaw vponupon. And within it hath pith, cornell, mary, and all ſwetenes for Gods elect, which he hath choſen to geue them hys ſpirite, & to write hys law, and the fayth of hys ſonne in their hartes.
The ſcripture conteineth iij. thinges in it: Firſt, the lawe to condemne all The ſcripture contayneth iij. thinges.fleſh: Secondarily, the Goſpel, that is to ſay, promiſes of mercy for al that repente and knowledge theyr ſinnes, at the preachyng of the lawe, and conſent in their hartes that the lawe is good, and ſubmit themſelues to bee ſcholers to learne to kepe the law, and to learn to beleue the mercye that is promiſed them: and thirdly, the ſtories & lyues of thoſe ſcholers, both what chaunces fortuned them, & alſo by what meanes their ſcholemaiſter taughte them, and made them perfect, and how he tried ye true from the falſe.
When the hipocrites come to the The maner of hipocrites in reading the law of god.law, they put gloſes to, and make no more of it, thē of a worldly law which is ſatiſfied with the outwarde worke, and whiche a Turke may alſo fulfill. When yet Gods law neuer ceaſeth to condemne a man, vntil it be written in hys harte, and vntill he keepe it naturally without compulſion, and all other reſpect, ſaue onelyonly of pure louelove to God, and his neighbour, as he naturally eateth when he is an hungred, without compulſion, and all other reſpect, ſaue to ſlake hys hunger onelyonly. And when they come to the Goſpell, The papiſticall and corrupt doctrine of the papiſtsthere they mingle their leuen and ſay. GOD now receiueth vsus no more to mercy, but of mercy receueth vsus to penaunce, that is to witte, holy deedes y• make them fatte bellies, and vsus their captiues, both in ſoule and body. And yet they fayne their Idole the Pope ſo mercifull, that if that thou make a litle money gliſter in hys Balaams eyes, there is neither penance, nor purgatory, nor any faſtyng at all, but to flye to heauen as ſwift as a thought, & at the twincklyng of an eye.
And the liues, ſtories, and giftes of men, whith are contayned in the bible, Now the Papiſtes …ring and wreſt the ſcriptures.they reade as thinges no more pertaining vntounto them, then a tale of Robin hood, & as things they wot not wherto they ſerue, ſaue to faine falſe diſcant, and iuglyng allegories, to ſtabliſhe their kyngdome with all. And one of the chiefeſt and fleſhlieſt ſtudies they hauehave, is to magnifie the …aintes aboue meaſure, and aboue the truth: & with their Poetry to make them greter thē euer God made them. And if they find any infirmitie, or ſinne aſcribed vntounto the ſayntes, that they excuſe with all diligence, diminiſhyng the glory of the mercy of god, and robbyng wretched ſinners of all theyr comforte: & thinke therby to flatter the ſaintes, and to obtayne their fauour, and to make ſpeciall aduocates of them, euen as a man would obtayne the fauour of worldly tyrauntes: as they alſo fayne ye ſaintes more cruell then euer was any heathē man, and more wreakeful, and vengeable, then the Po…tes fayne their goddes or furies, that torment the ſoules in bell, if their euens be not faſted, and their images viſited, and ſaluted wyth a pater noſter, which prayer onelyonly our lippes be acquainted with: our hartes vnderſtandyng none at all, and worſhipped wyth a candle, and the offring of our deuotiō, in the place which they hauehave choſen to heare ſupplicatiōs, and make petitions of their clientes therin
But thou reader, thynke of the law of god, how that it is altogether ſpirituall, and ſo ſpirituall, that it is neuer fulfilled wyth dedes or works, vntill they flowe out of thyne harte, wyth as great louelove towarde thyne neighbour, for no deſeruyng of his (yea thoughe he bee thyne ennemy) as Chriſt loued thee, and dyed for thee, for no deſeruyng of thyne, but euen when thou waſt hys ennemy. And in the meane tyme, through out all our infantie, and childhoode in Chriſt, till we be grown vp into perfect men, in the full knowledge of Chrſt, and full louelove of Chriſt agayne, and of our neighbours for hys ſake, after the enſample of hys louelove to vsus, remēbring that the fulfillyng of the law, is a faſt fayth in Chriſtes bloude coupled with our profeſſion, & ſubmit ous ſelues to do better.
And of the goſpell or promiſes which thou meeteſt in the ſcripture, beleue faſt that god wyll fulfill them vntounto thee, & that vntounto the vttermoſt iot, at the repentance of thyne hart, when thou turneſt to hym and forſakeſt euill, euen of hys goodnes, and fatherly mercy vntounto thee, and not for thy flatteryng hym with hipocritiſhe woorkes of thyne owne fayning. So that a faſt fayth only, without reſpect of all works, is the forgeueneſſe both of the ſinne, which we did in tyme of ignorance, with luſt and conſent to ſinne: and alſo of that ſynne which we do by chaunce, and of frailtie: after yt we are come to knowledge, and hauehave profeſſed the law out of our hartes. And all dedes ſerue only for to helpe our neighbours, and to tame our fleſh that we fall not to ſinne agayne, and to exerciſe our ſoules in vertue, and not to make ſatiſfaction to Godwarde for the ſynne that is once paſte.
And all other ſtories of the Bible, with out exception, are y• practiſing of ye law, & of the goſpel, & are true and faythfull enſamples, and ſure earneſt that God will euen ſo deale with vsus, as he did with them, in all infirmities, in all temtations, and in all lyke caſes & chaunces. Wherin ye ſee on the one ſide, how fatherly and tenderly, and with all cō paſſion GOD entreateth hys elect, which ſubmit themſelues as ſcholers, to learne to walke in the wayes of hys lawes, and to kepe them of louelove. If they forgate themſelues at a tyme, he would ſtirre them vp agayne with all mercy, if they fell and hurt themſelues, he healed them agayne with all compaſſion and tendernes of hart. He hath oft brought great tribulation and aduerſitie vponupon hys elect: but all of fatherly God correcteth where he loueth.louelove onelyonly, to teach them, and to make them ſee their owne hartes, and the ſynne that there lay hid, that they might afterward feele hys mercy. For his mercy wayted vponupon them, to ridde them out agayne as ſoone as they wer learned, and come to the knowledge of God caſteth none away, but ſuch as refuſe to kept his lawes, and will not harken vntounto hys voyce.their own hartes: ſo that he neuer caſt man away, how deepe ſo euer he had ſinned, ſaue them onelyonly which had firſt caſt the yoke of hys lawes from their neckes, with vtter de…iaunce, and malice of harte.
Which enſamples how comfortable are they for vsus, when we be fallen into ſinne, and God is come vponupon vsus with aſcourge, that we diſpayre not, but repent with full hope of mercy, after the enſamples of mercy that are gone before? And therfore they were written for our learnyng, as teſtifieth Paule, Rom. 15. to comfort vsus, that we might the better put our hope & truſt in god, when we ſee, how mercifull he hathe bene in tymes paſt vntounto our weake brethrē, that are gone before in al their aduerſities, nede, temptations, ye and horrible ſinnes into which they nowe and then fell.
And on the other ſide, ye ſee how they that hardened their hartes & ſinned of malice, and refuſed mercy that Such as hardē their hartes and not harken to the will of God to do it, God caſteth outwas offered them, and had no power to repent, periſhed at the latter ende with all confuſion and ſhame mercileſſely. Which enſāples are very good and neceſſary, to keepe vsus in awe, and dread in tyme of proſperitie, as thou mayeſt ſee by Paul. 1. Cor. 10. that we abide in the feare of God, and waxe not wylde and fall to vanities, and ſo ſinne and prouoke God, and bryng wrath vponupon vsus.
And thirdly, ye ſee in the practiſe, how as God is merciful and long ſuffering, euen ſo were all hys true Prophetes and preachers, bearing the infirmities of their weake brethren, and The Prophetes of God bare the weakenes of their brethren, & their … ries alſo with patience.their own wrongs, and iniuries with all patience, and long ſuffering, neuer caſting any of them of their backs, vntill they ſinned againſt the holy ghoſt, maliciouſly perſecutyng the open and manifeſt trouth: contrary vntounto the enſample of the Pope, which in ſinnyng agaynſt God, and to quench the truth of his holy ſpirite, is euer chiefe Capitaine and trompet blower, to ſet other a worke, and ſeketh only his own fredome, libertie, priuiledge, wealth, proſperitie, The Pope and his miniſters are perſecutors ouer their brethren.profite, pleaſure, paſtime, honour and glory, with the bondage, thraldom, captiuitie, miſery, wretchednes, and vile ſubiection of his brethrē: and in hys owne cauſe is ſo feruent, ſo ſtiffe and cruell, that he will not ſuffer one worde ſpoken agaynſt hys falſe maieſtie, wily inuentions, and iugling hipocriſie to be vnauenged, though all chriſtendome ſhould be ſet together by the eares, and ſhould coſt he cared not how many hundred thouſande their lyues.
Now that thou mayeſt read Ionas frutefully, and not as a Poetes fable, but as an obligation betwene god and thy ſoule, as an earneſt penny geuen thee of God, that he wyll helpe thee in tyme of nede, if thou turne to him, and as the worde of God the only foode, & lyfe of thy ſoule, this marke, and note. Firſt count Ionas the frend of God, & a man choſen of GOD, to teſtify his name vntounto the world: But yet a yong ſcholer, weake and rude, after the faſhiō of the apoſtles, whyle Chriſt was with them yet bodily, which thoughe Chriſt taught them euer to be meeke, and to humble thēſelues, yet oft ſtroue among thēſelues who ſhould be greateſt. The ſonnes of …ebede would ſitte the one on the right hand of Chriſt, the other on the lefte. They would praye that fire might deſcend from heauen & conſume the Samaritanes. When Chriſt aſked who ſay men that I am? Peter aunſwered, thou art the ſonne of the liuyng God, as though Peter had bene as perfecte as an angel. But immediatly after whē Chriſt preached vntounto them of hys death and paſſion: Peter was angry and rebuked Chriſt, and thought earneſtly that he had raued, and not wiſt what he ſayde, as at another time, when Chriſt was ſo feruently The cruell opiniō that the diſciples had of Chriſt.buſied in healyng the people, that he had no leiſure to eat, they went out to hold him, ſuppoſing that he had bene beſide hymſelfe. And one that caſt out diuels in Chriſtes name they forbade, becauſe he wayted not on them, ſo glorious were they yet.
And though Chriſt taught alway to The ignoraunce and imperfection of the apoſtles.forgeue, yet Peter after long goyng to ſchole, aſked whether men ſhould forgeue ſeuen tymes, thinkyng that viij. tymes had bene to much. And at the laſt ſupper Peter would hauehave dyed with chriſt, but yet within few houres after, he denyed him, both cowardly and ſhamefully. And after the ſame maner, though he had ſo long heard that no man might auenge him ſelf, but rather turne the other cheeke to, then to ſmite agayne, yet when Chriſt was in takyng, Peter aſked whether it were lawful to ſmite with the ſword, and taried none aunſwere, but layed on raſhly. So that though when we come firſt vntounto knowledge of the truth, and the peace is made betwene God and vsus, and we louelove his lawes, and beleue and truſt in him, as in our father and hauehave good hartes vntounto him, and be borne a new in the ſpirite, yet we are but childrē and young ſcholers, weake and feble, and muſt hauehave leyſure to grow in the ſpirite: in knowledge, louelove and in the ded… therof, as young children muſt hauehave tyme to grow in their bodies.
And God our father and ſcholemaſter feedeth vsus, and teacheth vsus accorcordyng vntounto the capacitie of our ſtomackes, and maketh vsus to grow and waxe perfect, and fineth and trieth vsus, as gold, in the fire of temptations and tribulations. As Moyſes witneſſeth Deutero. viij. ſaying. Remember all the way by whiche the Lord thy God caried thee this xl. yeares in the wilderneſſe, God doth mercifully try & tempt vsus, to moue vsus to vtter our hartes & myndes towardes hym.to humble thee, and to tempte or prouoke thee, yt it might be knowen what were in thine hart. He brought thee into aduerſitie, and made thee an hungred, & then fed thee with Manna, which neither thou nor yet thy fathers euer knew of, to teach that man lyueth not by bread onelyonly, but by all that procedeth out of the mouth of GOD. For the promiſes of God are lyfe vntounto all that cleaue vntounto them, muche more then breade and bodyly ſuſtenaunce, as the iourney of the children of Iſraell out of Egipt into the land promiſed them, miniſtreth thee notable enſamples, and that aboundantly, as doth all the reſt of the Bible alſo. Howbeit it is impoſſible for fleſh to beleue, and to truſt in the truth of Gods promiſes, vntil he hauehave learned it in much tribulation, after that God hath deliuered him out therof agayne.
God therefore to teach Ionas, and to ſhew him his owne hart, & to make him perfect, and to inſtruct vsus alſo by his enſample, ſent him out of the lande of Iſraell where he was a Prophet to go among the heathen people, and to the greateſt and mightieſt Citie of the world then, called Niniue: to preache that within xl. dayes they ſhould all periſh for their ſinnes, and that the Citie Ionas of himſelfe, was an vn mete meſſenger to be ſent of ſuch a meſſage, but god aſſiſted him with his holy ſpirit.ſhould be ouerthrowen. Whiche meſſage the free will of Ionas had as much power to doe, as the weakeſt harted womā in the world▪ hath power, if… were commaunde… to leape int…e of lyuyng ſnakes and adders: as happely if God had cōmaunded Sara to hauehave ſacrificed her ſonne Iſaa… as he did Abraham, ſhe would hauehave diſputed with him, yer ſhee had done it, or though ſhe were ſtrong enough: yet many an holy Saint could not hauehave founde in their hartes, but would hauehave runne away from the preſence of the commaundement of God, with Ionas, if they had bene ſo ſtrongly tempted.
For Ionas thought of this maner: loe, I am here a Prophet vntounto Gods The carnal imagination of mans nature without Gods ſpirite.people the Iſraelites: Whiche though they hauehave Gods worde teſtified vntounto them dayly, yet deſpiſe it, and worſhyp God vnderunder the likeneſſe of calues, and after all maner faſhions ſaue after hys owne word, and therfore are of all nations the worſt, and moſt worthy of puniſhment. And yet God for louelove of fewe that are among them, and for his names ſake ſpareth and defendeth them. How then ſhould GOD take ſo cruel vengeaunce on ſo great a multitude of them to whō hys name was neuer preached to, and therfore are not the tenth part ſo euill as theſe? If I ſhall therfore go preach, ſo ſhal I laye and ſhame my ſelfe and God thereto, & make them the more to diſpiſe God, and ſet the leſſe by him, and to bee the more cruell vntounto his people.
And vponupon that imagination he fled from the face or preſence of God: that Ionas ſo long as he was in his carnall imagination, could n…t abyde the voice of God, but fled: howbeit God called hym …ne.is, out of the coūtrey where God was worſhipped in, and from the proſecutyng of Gods commaundement, and thought, I will get me an other way among the heathen people, and be no more a prophet, but liue at reſt and out of all combraunce. Neuertheleſſe the God of all mercy which careth fo… his elect children, & turneth all vntounto good to them, and ſmiteth them, to heale thē againe, and killeth them to make them aliue agayne, and playeth with them (as a father doth ſome tyme with his young ignoraunt children) and tempteth them, and proueth them to make them ſee their owne hartes, prouided for Ionas, how all thinges ſhould be.
When Ionas entred into the ſhyp, he layd him down to ſlepe, and to take his reſt: that is, his conſcience was toſſed Ionas fleſh r…belled agaynſt the ſpirite.betwene the commaundement of God which ſent him to Ninine, and his fleſhly wiſedome that diſſnaded, & counſelled him the contrary, and at the laſt preuailed againſt the commaundement, and caryed him an other way, as a ſhyp caught betwene two ſtreames, & as Poetes faine the mother of Meliager to be betwen diuers affections: while to aduenge her brothers death, ſhee ſought to ſlea her owne ſonne. Whereupon for very paine and tediouſnes he lay down to ſlepe, for to put the commaundement which ſo gnewe and fret his conſcience, out of mynde, as the nature of all wicked is, when they hauehave ſinned a good, to ſeke all The wicked ſeke to to co…er their wickednes with …ope holy workes.meanes with riot, reuell and paſtime, to driue the remembraūce of ſinne out of their thoughtes, or as Adam did, to couer their nakednes with apornes of Pope holy workes. But God awoke him out of his dreame, & ſet his ſinnes before his face.
For when yt lot had caught Ionas, then bee ſure that his ſinnes came to How Ionas was …rapped & made a…rayed.remembraunce agayne, and that his cōſcience raged no leſſe then the waues of the Sea. And then he thought that he onelyonly was a ſinner, and the heathen that were in the ſhyp, none in reſpect of him, and thought alſo, as veryly as he was fled from God, that as veryly God had caſt him away: for the ſight of the rodde maketh the naturall child not onelyonly to ſee, and to knowledge his faulte, but alſo to forget all his fathers old mercy and kindneſſe. And then he Ionas beyng afrayd comeſſeth his ſinnes.confeſſed his ſinne openly, and had yet leuer periſhe alone, then that the other ſhould hauehave periſhed with him for his ſake: and ſo of very deſperatiō to hauehave lyued any longer, he bad caſt him into the Sea betimes, except they would be loſt alſo.
To ſpeake of lottes, how farre forth they are lawfull, is a light queſtion. Firſt to vſe them for the breakyng of Lets howe they may be vſed law fully.ſtrife, as when parteners, their goods as equally diuided as they can, take eueryevery man his part by lot, to auoyde all ſuſpition of diſceitfulneſſe: and as the Apoſtles in the firſt of the Actes, when they ſought an other to ſuccede Iudas the traitour, and two perſōs were preſented then to breake ſtrife, and to ſatiſfie all parties, did caſt lottes whether ſhould be admitted, deſiryng God to temper them, and to take whom he knew moſt mete, ſeyng they wyſte not whether to preferre, or happely could not all agree on: either is lawfull, and in all like caſes. But to abuſe them vntounto the temptyng of God, and to compell hym therewith to vtter thinges wherof we ſtand in doubt, when we hauehave no commaundement of him ſo to do, as theſe heathen here dyd, though God turned it vntounto his glorie, can not be but euill.
The heathen ſhypmen aſtonyed at Miracle moueth the heathen to know god, and to call vponupon him.the ſight of the miracle, feared GOD, prayed to him, offered ſacrifice and vowed vowes. And I doubte not, but that ſome of them, or happely all came thereby vntounto the true knowledge, and true worſhipping of GOD, and were wonne to GOD in their ſoules. And thus God which is infinite mercifull in all his wayes, wrought their ſoules health out of the infirmitie of Ionas, euen of his good wil and purpoſe, and louelove wherewith he loued them, before the world was made & not of chaunce, as it appeareth vntounto the eyes of the ignoraunt.
And that Ionas was three dayes and three nightes in the belye of hys As Ionas lay three dayes and iij. nightes in yt Whals Bely, ſo Chriſt lay thre dayes and three nightes in the earth.fiſhe: we can not therby proue vntounto the Iewes, and infideles or vntounto any mā, that Chriſt muſt therefore dye, and bee buried and riſe againe. But we vſe the enſample and likeneſſe to ſtrength the fayth of the weake. For he that beleueth the one, cā not dout in the other: in as much as the hand of GOD was no leſſe mightie in preſeruyng Ionas alyue agaynſt all naturall poſſibilitie, and in deliueryng him ſafe out of this fiſh, then in raiſing vp Chriſt agayne, out of his ſepulchre. And we may deſcribe the power and vertue of the reſurrection thereby, as Chriſt him ſelfe boroweth the ſimilitude therto. Math. xij. ſaying vntounto the Iewes that came How chriſt ſheweth his death, & reſurrectiō by Ionas the Prophet.about him, and deſired a ſigne or a wō der from heauen, to certifie them that he was Chriſt: this euill and wedlocke breakyng nation (whiche breake the wedlocke of faith, wherwith they bee maried vntounto God, and beleue in their falſe woorkes) ſeke a ſigne, but there ſhall no ſigne bee geuen them ſaue the ſigne of the Prophet Ionas. For as Ionas, was three dayes and three nightes in the bely of the Whale, euen ſo ſhall the ſonne of mā be three dayes, & three nightes in the hart of the earth. Which was a watch word (as we ſay) and a ſharpe threatenynge vntounto the Iewes, and as much to ſay as thus, ye hard harted Iewes ſeke a ſigne: loe this ſhal be your ſigne, as Ionas was raiſed out of the ſepulchre of his fiſhe, and then ſent vntounto the Niniuites to preach that they ſhould periſh, euen ſo ſhall I riſe againe out of my ſepulchre, and come and preach repentaunce vntounto you. See therfore, when ye ſee the ſigne that ye repent, or els ye ſhal ſurely periſhe and not eſcape. For though the infirmities whiche ye now ſee in my fleſh, be a let vntounto your fathers, ye ſhall then be without excuſe, when ye ſee ſo great a miracle and ſo great power of God ſhed out vponupon you. And ſo Chriſt by the mouth of his Apoſtles preached repentaunce to the Iewes.Chriſt came agayne after the reſurrection in his ſpirite, and preached repentaunce vntounto them, by the mouth of his Apoſtles and Diſciples, and with miracles of the holy Ghoſt. And all that repented not, periſhed ſhortly after, & the reſt caried awaye captiue into all quarters of the world for an example, as ye ſee vntounto this day.
And in like maner ſince the worlde began, where ſoeuer repentaunce was offered, and not receaued, their GOD tooke cruell vengeaunce immediatly: Where ther is no repē taūce, there God powreth out his vengeaunce.as ye ſee in the floude of Noe, in the ouerthrowynge of Sodome and Gomorra, and all the countrey about, and as ye ſee of Egypt, of the Amorites, Cananites and afterward of the very Iſraelites, and then at the laſt of the Iewes to, and of the Aſſirians, & Babilonians, and ſo throughout all the impeires of the world.
Gildas preached repentaunce vntounto the old Britaines, that inhabited England: Gildas a writer of yt Brittiſhe Chronicle.they repented not, and therfore God ſent in their enemies vponupon them on eueryevery ſide, and deſtroyed them vp, and gaue the land vntounto other nations. And greate vengeaunce hath bene taken in that lande for ſynne, ſince that tyme.
Wicleffe preached repentaunce vntounto our fathers not long ſince: they repented, Wicleffe a preacher of repen…n̄cenot for their harts were indurate, and their eyes blinded with their own Pope holy righteouſneſſe, wherewith they had made their ſoules gay againſt the receiuing agayne of the wicked ſpirite, that bringeth ſeuen worſe thē him ſelfe with him, and maketh the later ende worſe then the begynnyng: for in open ſynnes there is hope of repentaunce, but in holye, hypocriſie none at all. But what folowed? they ſlew their true and right kyng, and ſet They ſlew Richard yt ſecond.vp three wrong kynges arowe, vnderunder which all the noble bloud was ſlayne vp, and halfe the commons thereto, They ſet vp Henry the fourth.what in Fraunce, and what with their owne ſword, in fightyng among them ſelues for the crowne, and the Cities Henry the fift.and Townes decayed, and the lande brought halfe into a wilderneſſe, in reſpect Henry the ſixt.of that it was before.
And now Chriſte to preache repentaūce, Chriſt now preacheth repētaunce vntounto vsus.is riſē yet once agayn, out of his ſepulchre in which yt Pope had buried him, & kept him downe, with his pillars & polars & all diſguiſinges of hipocriſy, with gyle, wiles & falſhode & with the ſword of all Princes, whiche he had blinded with his falſe marchaū diſe. And as I doubt not of the enſamples that are paſt, ſo am I ſure that great wrath will follow, except repentaunce turne it backe againe, & ceaſe it.
When Ionas had bene in the fiſhes Ionas called vponupon God out of the fiſhes belly.bely a ſpace, and the rage of his conſcience was ſomewhat quieted, and ſwaged, & he come to him ſelfe againe, and had receaued a litle hope, the qualmes and panges of deſperation which went ouer his hart, halfe ouercome, he prayed, as he maketh mention in the text ſaying: Ionas prayed vntounto the Lord his GOD out of the bely of the fiſh. But the wordes of that prayer are not here ſet. The prayer that here ſtandeth in the text, is the prayer of prayſe, and thankeſgeuyng, which he prayed, and wrote when hee was eſcaped, and paſt all ieopardie.
In the end of which prayer he ſaith, I will ſacrifice with the voyce of thankeſgeuyng, The ſacrifice that Ionas offereth vntounto God.and pay that I hauehave vowed, that ſauyng commeth of the Lord. For verely to confeſſe out of the hart, that all benefites come of GOD, euen out of the goodneſſe of his merciemercy, and not deſeruing of our dedes, is the onelyonly ſacrifice that pleaſeth God. And to beleue that all the Iewes vowed in their Circumciſion, as we in our Baptiſme. Whiche vowe Ionas now beyng taught with experience, promiſeth to pay. For thoſe outward ſacrifices of beaſtes, vntounto which Ionas had happely aſcribed to much before, were but feble, and childiſh thinges, and not ordeined, that the workes of them ſelues ſhould be a ſeruice vntounto the people, but to put them The ſacrifices of the olde lawe were ordeyned to put vsus in remē braunce of the ſacrifice of thankeſgeuyng.in remembraunce of this inward ſacrifice of thankes and of faith, to truſt and beleue in GOD the onelyonly Sauiour: whiche ſignification when it was away, they were abhominable and deuiliſhe Idolatrie, and Image ſeruice: as our ceremonies and Sacramentes are become now to all that truſt and beleue in the worke of them, and are not taught the ſignifications, to edify their ſoules with knowledge, and the doctrine of God.
When Ionas was caſt vponupon lande Ionas dyd that God commaunded hym.agayn, then his will was free, and had power to go whether God ſent hym, and to do what GOD bade, his owne Imaginations layd a part. For he had bene at a new ſchole, yea and in a fornace where hee was purged of much refuſe and droſſe of fleſhely wiſedome, whiche reſiſted the wiſedome of God, and led Ionaſſes will contrary vntounto the will of God. For as farre as we be blinde in Adam, we can not but ſeke, and will our owne profite, pleaſure & glory. And as farre as we be taught in the ſpirite, we can not but ſeke and wil the pleaſure, and glory of God onelyonly.
And as the iij. dayes iorney of Niniue, Niniue was the greateſt Citie in the world▪whether it were in length, or to go round about it, or thorough all the ſtretes, I commit vntounto yt diſcretion of other men. But I thinke that it was then the greateſt Citie of the world.
And that Ionas went a dayes iourney in the Citie. I ſuppoſe hee did it not in one day: but went faire and eaſyly preachyng here a Sermon, and there another, and rebuked the ſinne of the people, for which they muſt periſh.
And when thou art come vntounto the repentaūce of the Niniuites, there haſt thou ſure earneſt, that how ſoeuer angry God be, yet he remembreth mercy, vntounto all that truly repent and beleue in mercy. Whiche enſample our Sauiour Chriſte alſo caſteth in the Chriſt is mercyfull to the that repent and call for mercy.teeth of the indurate Iewes ſaying: The Niniuites ſhall riſe in iudgemēt with this nation, and condemne them, for they repented at the preachyng of Ionas, and behold a greater then Ionas, here meanyng of him ſelfe. At whoſe preachyng yet, thoughe it were neuer ſo mightie to pearce the hart, and for all his miracles thereto, the hard harted Iewes could not repent: when the heathen Niniuites repēted at the bare preachyng of Ionas, rebukyng their ſinnes without any miracle at all.
Why? For the Iewes had leuened the ſpirituall law of God, & with their gloſes had made it altogether earthly The doctrine of the Phariſeis and the Papiſts make ſinne of that is no ſinne.and fleſhly, and ſo had ſet a vaile or coueryng on Moſes face, to ſhadow and darken the glorious brightnes of hys countenaunce. It was ſinne to ſteale: but to robbe widowes houſes vnderunder a colour of long praying, and to polle in the name of offerynges, and to ſnare yt people with intollerable conſtitutions agaynſt all louelove, to catche theyr money out of theyr purſes, was no ſynne at all.
To ſmite father and mother was This is y• doctrine of yt Papiſtes and hypocriticall monkes at this day.ſinne: But to withdraw helpe from them at theyr nede, for blynde zeale of offring, vntounto the profite of ye holy phariſes, was then as meritorious as it is now, to let all thy kinne chuſe whether they wil ſincke or ſwimme, while thou buildeſt and makeſt goodly foundations for holy people, whiche thou haſt choſen to be thy Chriſt, for to ſupple thy ſoule with yt oyle of their ſwete bleſſinges, and to be thy Ieſus for to The blynd and fruteles workes of the Papiſtes.ſaue thy ſoule from the purgatory of the bloud, that onelyonly purgeth ſinne, with their watching, faſting, wolward goyng, & riſing at midnight, &c. wherwith yet they purge not themſelues, from their couetouſnes, pride, lechery, or any vice that thou ſeeſt among the lay people.
It was great ſinne for Chriſt to heale Papiſticall ſinnes.the people on the ſabaoth day vntounto the glory of God hys father, but none at all for them to helpe their cattell vntounto their owne profite.
It was ſinne to eate with vnwaſhed handes, or on an vnwaſhed table, or out of an vnwaſhed diſhe: but to eate out of that purified diſhe: that whiche came of bribery, thefte and extortion, was no ſinne at all.
It was exceeding meritorious to make many diſciples: but to teach thē to feare God in hys ordinaunces, had they no care at all.
The hye Prelates ſo defended the Papiſtes taught thē ſelues and theyr workes withall crueltiē.right of holy church, and ſo feared the people with the curſe of God, and terrible paynes of hell, that no man durſt leaue the vileſt herbe in his garden vntithed. And the offeringes and thinges dedicate vntounto GOD, for the profite of his holy vicars, were in ſuch eſtimatiō and reuerence, that it was a much grete… ſinne to ſweare truly by them, then to forſweare thy ſelfe by God. What The falſe & wicked doctrine of the Papiſtes.vengeaunce then of God, and how terrible and cruell damnation thynke ye preached they to fall on them that had ſtolen ſo the holy thinges? And yet ſayth Chriſt, that righteouſnes & fayth in kepyng promiſe, mercy, and indifferent iudgement, were vtterly troden vnderunder foote, and clean deſpiſed of thoſe bleſſed fathers, whiche ſo mightelye maintained Aarons patrimony, and had made it ſo proſperous, and enuironed it, and walled it about on eueryevery ſide with the feare of God, that no mā durſt touche it.
It was great holines to garniſh the Blinde and btpocritical doctrine.Sepulchers of the prophetes, and to condemne their owne fathers for ſlaying of them, and yet were they themſelues for blynde zeale of their owne conſtitutions, as redy as their fathers to ſlea whoſoeuer teſtified vntounto them, the ſame truth which, the prophets teſtified vntounto their fathers. So yt Chriſt compareth al the righteouſnes of thoſe holy patriarckes, vntounto the outwarde beauy of a painted Sepulcher full of ſtenche, and all vncleannes within.
And finally to beguile a mās neighbors in ſubtle bargaining, & to wrap and compaſſe hym in with cautels of the law, was then as it is now in the kyngdome of the Pope. By the reaſon wherof, they excluded the law of louelove out of their hartes, and conſequently all true repentaunce: for how coulde they repent of that they could not ſee to be ſinne?
And on the other ſide they had ſet vp The Phariſeto ſet vp a righteouſnes of workes to clēſe their ſoules withall.a righteouſnes of holy workes, to clēſe their ſoules with all: as the Pope ſanctifieth vsus with holy oyle, holy bread, holy ſalte, holy candels, holy dome, ceremonies, and holy dome bleſſinges, & with whatſoeuer holines thou wilt, …aue with the holines of Gods worde, which onelyonly ſpeaketh vntounto the harte, and ſheweth the ſoule hys filthineſſe, and vncleannes of ſynne, and leadeth her by the way of repentance vntounto the fountayne of Chriſtes bloud, to waſhe it away thorow faith. By the reaſon of By the worldly & fleſhip interpretations of the ſcriptures the Iewes hartes were hardened.which falſe righteouſnes, they wer diſobediēt vntounto the righteouſnes of god, whiche is the forgeueneſſe of ſinne in Chriſtes bloud, and could not beleue it. And ſo thorow fleſhly interpretyne the law, and falſe imagined righteouſnes, their hartes were hardened, and made as ſtony as clay, in an whot furnace of fire, that they could receiue neither repentance nor fayth, or any moyſture of grace at all.
But the heathen Niniuites, though they were blinded with luſtes, yet werin thoſe two poyntes vncorrupte, and vnhardened, and therfore with the only The he… then repented at the preachyng of Ionas.preachyng of Ionas, came vntounto the knowledge of their ſinnes and confeſſed them, and repented truly, and turned eueryevery man from hys euil dedes, & declared their ſorrow of hart and true repentaunce, with theyr deedes which they did out of fayth and hope of forgeueneſſe, chaſtieing their bodies with prayer and faſtyng, and with takyng all pleaſures from the fleſh: truſtyng, as God was angry for their wickedneſſe, euen ſo ſhould he forgeue them of his mercy if they repented, and forſoke their miſſeliuing.
And in the laſt ende of all, thou haſt A good and profitable example.yet a goodly enſample of learnyng, to ſee how earthy Ionas is ſtill for all his trying in yt whales belly. He was ſo ſore diſpleſed becauſe the Niniuites periſhed not, that he was wery of hys life, and wiſhed after death for very ſorow, that he had loſt the glory of hys propheſiyng, in yt hys prophecie came not to paſſe. But GOD rebuked hym with a likenes, ſaying: it greueth thine hart for the loſſe of a vile ſhrub or ſpray wheron thou beſtowedſt no labour or coſt, neither was it thine handy work. How much more then ſhould it greue myne hart the loſſe of ſo great a multitude of innocentes as are in Niniue, which are all mine hādes worke. Nay Note her… the great mercy of God.Ionas, I am God ouer all, and father as well vntounto the heathen as vntounto the Iewes, and merciful to all, and warneere I ſmite, neither threate I ſo cruelly by any prophet, but that I will forgeue, if they repent and aſke mercy: neither on the other ſide, whatſoeuer I promiſe, will I fulfill it, ſaue for their ſakes onelyonly, which truſt in me, & ſubmit themſelues to keepe my lawes of very louelove, as naturall children.
ON this maner to read the Scripture The right maner how to read the Scriptureis the right vſe therof, & why the holy ghoſt cauſed it to be written. That is, that thou firſt ſeke out yt law, that God wyll hauehave thee to do, interpreting it ſpiritually, without gloſe or couering the brightnes of Moſes face, ſo that that thou feele in thyne harte, how that it is damnable ſinne before God, not to louelove thy neighbour that is thine enemy, as purely as Chriſt loued thee, & that not to louelove thy neighbour in thyne hart, is to hauehave committed already all ſinne againſt him. And therfore vntill that louelove be come, thou muſt knowledge vnfainedly that there is ſinne in the beſt deede thou doeſt. And it muſt erneſtly greue thine hart, and thou muſt waſh all thy good dedes in Chriſtes bloud, ere they can be pure, and an acceptable ſacrifice vntounto god, and muſt deſire God the father for his ſake to take thy dedes a worth, All our deedes are made perfect in chriſtes bloud.and to pardon the imperfectneſſe of them, & to geue thee power to do thē better, and with more feruent louelove.
And on the other ſide, thou muſt ſerch diligently for the promiſes of mercye, which God hath promiſed thee again. Which two poynces, that is to witte, the law ſpiritually interpreted, howe that all is damnable ſynne, that is not vnfayned louelove out of the ground, and bottome of the harte, after the enſample of Chriſtes louelove to vsus, becauſe we be all equally created and formed of one God our father, and indifferently bought, and redemed with one bloude of our ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt: and that the promiſes be geuen vntounto a repentyng ſoule, that thurſteth and longeth All the promiſed made by God in Chriſt, are made to thē that repentafter thē, of the pure and fatherly mercy of God, thorow our fayth only with out all deſeruyng of our dedes, or merites of our workes, but for Chriſtes ſake a lone, and for the merites and deſeruynges of hys workes, death and paſſions that he ſuffered all together for vsus, and not for hymſelf: which two The two keyes that open a… the Scripturepoyntes I ſay, if they bee written in thyne hart, are the keyes which ſo open all the Scripture vntounto thee, that no creature can locke thee out, & with which thou ſhalt go in and out, & find paſture, and foode eueryevery where. And if theſe leſſons be not written in thyne hart, then is all the ſcripture ſhut vp, as a cornel in the ſhale, ſo that thou mayeſt read it, and commen of it, and reherſe all the ſtories of it, and diſpute wittily, and be a profounde ſophiſter, and yet vnderſtand not one iot thereof.
And thirdly that thou take the ſtories and lyues which are contained in the bible, for ſure and vndoubted enſamples, that god ſo wil deale with vsus vntounto the worldes ende.
¶ Herewith Reader farewell, and be commended vntounto God, and vntounto the grace of hys ſpirit. And firſt ſee yt thou ſtoppe not thyne eares vntounto the callyng of GOD, and harden not thine hart beguiled with fleſhly interpreting of the law, and falſe imagined and hipocritiſh righteouſnes, leaſt then the Niniuites riſe with thee at the day of iudgement, and condemne thee.
And ſecondarily, if thou fynde ought amiſſe, when thou ſeeſt thy ſelfe in the glaſſe of Gods worde, thinke it neceſſary wiſdome, to amend the ſame betymes, moniſhed and warned by the enſample of other men, rather then to tary vntill thou be beaten alſo.
And thirdly, if it ſhall ſo chaunce, that the wylde luſtes of thy fleſh ſhall blynde thee, & cary thee cleane away wt A very fruitfull & good leſſonthe for a tyme: yet at yt latter end, when the God of all mercy ſhall hauehave compaſſed thee in on eueryevery ſyde with temtations, tribulation, aduerſities and combrance, to bryng thee home againe vntounto thine owne harte, and to ſet thy ſinnes which thou wouldeſt ſo fayne couer, and put out of mynde with delectation of voluptuous paſtunes, before the eyes of thy conſcience: then cal the faythfull enſample of Ionas, and all like ſtories vntounto thy remembrance, and with Ionas turne vntounto thy father How thou mayſt at all tymes apply the ſtories of the Bible to thy great comfort.that ſmote thee, not to caſt thee away, but to lay a coroſie, and a fretting plaiſter vntounto the pocke, that lay hidde and fret inward, to draw the diſeaſe out, & to make it appeare, that thou mighteſt feele thy ſicknes, and the danger therof, and come and receiue the healyng plaiſter of mercy.
And forget not that whatſoeuer enſample of mercy, God hath ſhewed ſince the beginnyng of the world, the The law muſt be fulfilled with the mercy that is in Chriſt.ſame is promiſed thee, if thou wylt in like maner turne agayne, and receiue it as they did, and with Ionas bee a knowen of thy ſinne and confeſſe it, & knowledge it vntounto thy father.
And as the law which fretteth thy conſcience is in thine hart, and is none outward thing, euen ſo ſeeke within thy hart the plaiſter of mercy, the promiſes of forgeuenes in our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, accordyng vntounto all the enſamples of mercy yt are gone before.
And with Ionas let them that wait on vanities, and ſeke God here and there, and in eueryevery temple ſaue in their hartes, go: and ſeke thou the teſtament of God in thyne harte. For in thyne hart is the word of the law, & in thine In thy hart are the wordes of the law, & in thine hart are the promiſes and mercy of Chriſt.hart is the word of faith, in the promiſes of mercy in Ieſus Chriſt. So that if thou confeſſe with a repentyng hart and knowledge, and ſurely beleue that Ieſus is Lord ouer all ſinne, thou art ſafe.
And finally, when the rage of thy conſcience is ceaſed, and quieted with faſt faith in the promiſes of mercy, thē offer with Ionas the offring of prayſe and thankeſgeuyng, and pay the vowe of thy Baptiſme, that God onelyonly ſaueth, Our ſinne is of our ſelues: but remiſſion & ſorgeuenes therof commeth frely of the mercy of God for chriſtes ſake.of his onelyonly mercy and goodnes: that is, beleue ſtedſaſtly and preach cō ſtātly, that it is God onelyonly that ſmiteth, and GOD onelyonly that healeth: aſcribyng the cauſe of thy tribulation vntounto thyne owne ſinne, and the cauſe of thy deliuerance vntounto yt mercy of god.
And beware of the leuen that ſayth we hauehave power in our free will before the preaching of the Goſpel, to deſerue grace, to kepe the law of congruite, or god to bee vnrighteous. And ſay with Iohn in the firſt, that as the law was geuen by Moſes, euen ſo grace to fulfill it, is geuen by Chriſt. And when they ſay our deedes with grace deſerue heauen, ſay thou with Paule. Rom. vj that euerlaſtyng lyfe is the gift of GOD thorough Ieſus Chriſte, our Lorde, and that we be made ſonnes by fayth. Iohn. i. And therefore heires of GOD with Chriſt. Rom. viij. And ſay that we receaue all of God through faith, that foloweth repentaunce, and that we doe not our workes vntounto God, but either vntounto our ſelues, to ſlay the ſinne that God hath no nede of our works but we muſt do thē for our ſelues, and for the profite of our neighbors.remaineth in the fleſhe, and to waxe perfect, either vntounto our neighbours, which do as much for vsus agayne in other thynges. And when a man excedeth in giftes of grace, let him vnderſtand that they be geuen him, as well for his weake brethren, as for him ſelf: as though all the bread be committed vntounto the panter, yet for his felowes with him, whiche geue thee thankes vntounto their Lord, and recompence the panter agayn, with other kynde of ſeruice in their offices. And when they ſay that Chriſt hath made no ſatiſfaction for the ſinne we do after our Baptiſme: Chriſt hath ſatiſfied for our ſinnes, as well after baptiſme, as before Baptiſme.ſay thou with the doctrine of Paule, that in our Baptiſme we receaue the merites of Chriſtes death through repentaunce, & faith, of which two, Baptiſme is yt ſigne. And though when we ſinne of frailtie after our Baptiſme, we receaue the ſigne no more, yet we be renewed agayne through repentance, and fayth in Chriſtes bloud, of which twaine, yt ſigne of Baptiſme euen continued among vsus in Baptiſing our young childrē, doth euer kepe vsus in mind, & call vsus backe again vntounto our profeſſion if we begon aſtray, & promiſeth vsus forgeueneſſe. Neither cā Our actuall ſinnes are waſhed away in Chriſtes bloud.actual ſinne be waſhed away with our workes, but with Chriſtes bloud: neither can there be any other ſacrifice, or ſatiſfaction to Godward for them, ſaue chriſtes bloud. For as much as we can do no workes vntounto God, but receiue only of his mercy, with our repenting faith, through Ieſus Chriſt our lord, and only ſauiour: vntounto whom and vntounto God our father thorowe hym, and vntounto his holy ſpirite, yt onelyonly purgeth, ſanctifieth, and waſheth vsus in the innocent bloude of our redemption, be prayſe for euer.
Amen.