As the enuious Philistenes stopped the welles of Abraham and fylled them vp wyth erth, to put the memoryall out of mynde, to the entent that they myght chalenge the grounde: euen so the flesshelye mynded ypocrites stoppe vp the vaynes of lyfe whiche are in the scripture, with the erth of their tradicions, false symilytudes and lyenge allegories, and that of lyke zele, to make the scripture theyr owne possessyon ∧ marchaundice: and so shutte vp the kyngedome of heuen whych is Gods worde neyther enterynge in them selues nor soferynge them that wolde.

The scripture hath a bodye wythoute, and wyth in a soule, spirite and lyfe. It hath wythout a barcke, a shell and as it were an hard bone for the fleshly minded to gnaw vpon. And within it hath pith, cornell, mary, and all swetenes for Goddes electe whyche he hath chosen to geue them his spirite, and to write his lawe and the fayth of hys sonne in their hertes.

The scriptur conteyneth thre thynges in it, fyrst the lawe to condemne all fleshe: secondaryly the gospell that is to say, promises of mercye for all that repente and knowlege of their sinnes at the preaching of the law and c&obar;sent in their hertes that the lawe is good and submyt them selues to be scolers to lerne to kepe the lawe and to learne to beleue the mercy that is promysed th&ebar;: and thirdlye the stories and lyues of those scolars both what chaunces fortuned them, ∧ also by what meanes their scolemaysters taught them and made them perfecte, and how he tried the true from the false.

When the ypocrites come to the lawe, they put gloses to and make no more of it then of a worldelye lawe whyche is satisfyed wyth the outward worke and which a turke maye also fulfyll. Wh&ebar; yet Gods lawe ner ceaseth to condempne a man vntyll it be wrytten in hys herte and vntyll he kepe it naturally wythout compulsion and al other respecte, saue onely of pure loue to God and hys neyghboure, as he naturallye eateth when he is an hongred, without compulsyon and all other respecte saue to slake hys hongre onely.

And wh&ebar; they come to the gospell, ther they mingle their leuen and saye. God now receaueth vs no more to mercye, but of mercye receyueth vs to penaunce, that is to wytte, holy dedes that make them fattte belyes and vs their captiues, both in soule and bodye. And yet they fayne theyr Idole the Pope so mercyfull that if thou make a lytle monye glyster in his Balams eyes, there is neyther penaunce nor purgatorye nor anye fasting at all but to fle to heau&ebar; as sweft as a thought and at the twynkellynge of an eye.

And the liues stories and gyftes of men which are conteyned in the Byble, they reade as thinges no more perteynynge vnto them, then a take of Robyn hode, and as thinges they matte not where to they serue, saue to fayne false discant and inglynge allegories, to stablish their kingdome wyth all. And one the chefest and fleshliest studye they haue, is to magnifie the sayntes aboue measure and aboue the truth, and wyth their poetrie to make them greater then euer God made them. And if they finde any infirmytye or synne ascrybed vnto the saynctes, that they excuse wyth all dylygence, dymynyshynge the glorye of the mercye of God and robbyng wretched sinners of all their comforte, and thinke therby to flatter the saynctes and to obtayne their fauour and to make speciall aduocates of them euen as a man wolde obtayne the fauoure of wordely tyrauntes as they also fayne the saynctes more cruel then euer was any heathen man and more wrekefull and vengeable them the poetes fayne their goodes or their furies that torment the soules in hell, if their euens be not fasted and their images vysited and saluted wyth a Pater noster whyche praier onely oure lyppes be accoynted wyth our hertes vnderstandynge none at all worshyped wyth a candell and the offeringe of oure deuocion, in the place whyche they haue chosen to heare the supplicacions and make peticions of their clientes therin.

But thou reader thinke of the lawe of God howe that it is all to gether spirituall, and so spirituall that it is neuer fulfilled with dedes or workes, vntyll they flow out of thyne herte wyth as greate loue towarde thy neyghboure, for no deseruynge of hys, ye though he be thine enemye, as Christ loued the ∧ died for the, for no deseruinge of thine but euen when thou waste hys. And in the meane tyme, thorout all oure infancis and chylde hode in Christ, tyll we be growen vp into perfecte men in the full knowledge of Christ and full loue of Christe agayne ∧ of our neyghboures for hys sake, after the ensample of hys loue to vs, remember that the fulfyllynge of the lawe is, a fast fayth in christes bloud coupled wyth oure profession and submyttinge oure selues to learne to do better.

And of the Gospell or promyses which thou metest in the scrypture, beleue fast that God wyll fulfyll th&ebar; vnto the, ∧ that vnto the vttermost Iot, at the repentaunce of thine herte when thou turnest to hym and forsakest euell, euen of his goodnesse and fatherlye mercye vnto the, ∧ not for thy flatterynge hym with ypocritish worckes of thyne owne faynyng. So that a fast fayth onely wythout respecte of all worckes, is the forgeuenesse both of the sinne which we dydde in tyme of ignoraunce with luste and consent, to synne, and also of all the sinne whych we doo by chaunce ∧ of fraylte, after that we are come to knowledge and haue professed the lawe out of oure hertes. And all dedes serue onely for to helpe oure neyghboures and to tame oure flesshe that we fall not to sinne agayne, and to exercise oure soules in vertue, and not to make satisfaction to God warde for the synne that is one paste.

And all other stories of the Byble, without excepsion, are the practisinge of the law&ebar; and of the Gospell, and are true and faythfull ensamples and sure erneste that God wyll euen so deale wyth vs, as he dyd wyth them, in all infirmities, in all temptacyons and in all lyke cases and chaunces. Wherin ye se on the one syde, howe fatherly ∧ tenderlye and wyth all compassi&obar; God entreateth his electe whych submytte th&ebar; selues as scolers, to learne to walke in the wayes of hys lawes, ∧ to kepe them of loue. If they forgatte them selues at a tyme and went agayne with all mercye. If they fell and hurte them selues, he healed them agayne wyth all compassion and tendernesse of hert. He hath of brought great tribulacion and aduersite vpon hys electe: but all of fatherlye loue onelye, to teache them and to make them se their owne hertes, and the synne that there laye hyd, that they myghte afterwarde feale hys mercy. For hys mercy wayted vpon them, to ryd them out agayne, assone as they ware lerned and come to the knowlege of their owne hertes: so that he neuer cast man awaye howe depe soeuer he had sinned saue them onelye which had fyrste cast the yocke of hys lawes from their neckes, wyth vtter diffyaunce and malyce of herte. Whyche ensamples how comfortable are they for vs, when we be fallen into sinne and God is come vpon vs wyth a scorge, that we dyspeare not, but repent wyth full hope of mercye after the ensamples of mercye that are gone before? And therefore they were wrytten for oure lerninge, as testifyeth Paul. Ro xv to comforte vs, that we myght the better put oure hope and trust in God, when we se, how mercyfull he hath bene in tymes paste vnto oure weake brethren that are gone before, in all their aduersities, neade, temptacions, ye and horrible synnes into whyche they nowe and then fell.

And on the other side ye se how they that hardened their hertes and synned of malice and refused mercye that was offered them and had no power to repent, perished at the latter ende wyth all confusi&obar; ∧ shame mercylesselye. Whych ensamples are very good and necessary, to kepe vs in owne and dreade in tyme of prosperitye as thou mayest se by Paule.i.Cor.x. that we abyde in the feare of God, and wax not wylde ∧ fall to vanities and so synne and prouoke God and brynge wrath vpon vs.

And thirdely ye se in the practise, howe as God is mercyfull and longe sufferinge, euen so were all hys true prophetes and preachers, bering the infirmities of their weake bretherne and their owne wronges ∧ iniuryes wyth all pacyence and longe sufferynge, neuer castynge any of them of their backes, vntyll they synned agaynst the holy ghost, maliciouslye persecutynge the open and manyfest trouthe: contrarye vnto the ensample of the Pope, whych in sinning agaynst God and to quench the trueth of hys holye spirite, is euer chefe captayne and trompet blower, to set other a worke, and seketh only hys owne fredome, liberte, priuylege, welth, prosperite, profite pleasure, pastyme honoure and glorie, wyth the bondag, thraldome, captiuite, miserie, wretchednesse ∧ vile subiection of hys bretherne: ∧ in hys owne cause is so feruent so styffe and cruell, that he wyll not suffre one worde spoken agaynst hys false magyste wyly inuencyons and tuglynge ypocrysye to be vnaduenged, though all christendome

shulde be set together by the eares, ∧ shuld cost he cared not how many hundred thousande their lyues.

Now that thou mayste reade Ionas fruytefullye and not as a poetis fable but as an obligacion betwene God and thy soule, as an ernest penye geuen the of God, that he wyll helpe the in tyme of nede, if thou turne to hym ∧ as the worde of God the onelye fode and lyfe of thy soule, this marke and note. First counte Ionas the frende of God ∧ a man chosen of God to testifye hys name vnto the worlde: but yet a yonge scolar, weke and rude after the facion of the appostles, whyle Christ was yet wyth them bodylye, whych thoughe Christe taught them euer to be meke and to vmble them selues yet oft stroue amonge them selues who shulde be greatest. The sonnes of Zebede wolde sit, the one on the right hande of Christ and the other on the lyft. They wolde praye, that fire myghte descende fr&obar; heauen, and consume the Samaritanes.

When Chryste axed who saye men that I am, Peter answered, thou art the sonne of the lyuinge God, as though Peter hadde bene as perfecte as an angell: But immediately after, when Christe preached vnto them of hys death and passion. Peter was angrye and rebuked Christe and thoughte ernestly that he had raued and not wyste what he sayde, as at another tyme, when Christ was so feruentlye busyed in healynge the people, that he had no leyser to eate, they wente oute to holde hym, supposynge that he hadde bene besyde hym selfe. And one that caste oute deuelles in Christes name, they forbade, because he wayted not on them, so gloryous were they yet.

And thoughe Christe taught all waye to forgeue, yet Peter after longe goinge to scole, axed whether men shoulde forgeue .vij. tymes, thynkynge that .viij. tymes had bene to moch. And at the laste soper Peter wolde haue dyed wyth Christe, but yet within fewe howres after, he denied hym, both cowardlye and shamefully. And after the same maner, though he had so longe hard that no man myght auenge hym selfe, but rather turne the other cheke to, them to smyte agayne yet when Christ was in takyng, Peter axed whether it were lawefull to smite with the swerde, and taried none answere, but layed on rasshely. So that though when we come fyrste vnto the knowledge of the truethe, and the peace is made betwene God and vs, and we loue hys lawes and beleue and trust in hym, as in our father and haue good hertes vnto hym and be borne a new in the spirite, yet we are but children and yonge scolers weake and feble and muste haue laysar to grow in the spirite, in knowledge, loue and in the dedes therof, as younge chyldren muste haue tyme to growe in their bodies.

And God our father and scole mayster fedeth vs ∧ teached vs accordynge vnto the capacite of our stomakes, and maketh vs to growe and waxe perfecte, ∧ fyneth vs ∧ trieth vs as gold in the fyre of temptacions and tribulations. As Moses witneseth Deut. viij. sayenge Remember all the waye by whyche the Lorde thy God caried the this .xl. yeares in the wildernes, to vmble the ∧ to tempte or prouoke the, that it myght be knowen what were in thyne herte. He broughte the into aduersytys and made the an hongred, ∧ then feed the wyth man whych neyther thou nor yet thy fathers euer knew of to teach that a man lyueth not by bread onlye, but by all that proceadeth out of the mouth of God. For the promises of God are lyfe vnto all that cleaue vnto them, moch more then is bread and bodylye sustinaunce, as the iourney of the chyldren of Israell out of Egypte into the land promised them, ministreth the notable ensamples ∧ that aboundantlye, as dothe all the rest of the Bible also. How be it it is impossyble for flessh to beleue ∧ to trust in the truethe of Gods promyses, vntyll he haue learned it in moch tribulacion, after that God hath delyuered hym out thereof agayne.

God therfore to teache Ionas and to shew hym his owne herte and to make hym perfect and to instructe vs also by hys ensample, sent hym oute of the lande of Israel where he was a prophete to go amonge the Heathen people and to the greatest ∧ myghtiest citie of the worlde then, called Niniue: to preach that within .xl. dayes they shulde all perishe for their synnes ∧ that the cytie shoulde be ouerthrowen. Whyche message the fre wyll of Ionas had as moch power to do, as the weakest herted woman in the worlde hath power, yf she were commaunded, to leppe into a tobbe of lyuynge snakes and adders: as happelye if God had commaunded Sara to haue sacryfyced her sonne Isaac, as he dyd Abraham, she wolde haue dysputed with hym yet she had done it, or though she were stronge ynough, yet many an holye sainte coulde not haue founde in their hertes, but wolde haue disobeed and haue runne awaye from the presence of the commaundement of God wyth Ionas if they had bene so strongly tempted.

For Ionas thought of this maner: loo, I am here ∧ prophete vnto Gods people the Israelytes. Whyche though they haue Gods worde testifyed vnto them dayly, yet dispice it and worshype God vnder the lykenesse of calues and after all maner facions saue after hys owne worde, and therfore are of all nacyons the worst and most worthy of punishment. And yet God for loue of fewe that are amonge them and for hys names sake spareth them and defendeth them. Howe th&ebar; shuld God take so cruell vengeaunce on so great a multitude of them to whome hys name was neuer preached to and therfore are not the tenth part so euel as these: If I shal therfore goo preache so shall I laye and shame my selfe and God therto and make them the more to dispice God and sette the lesse by hym ∧ to be the mae cruell vnto hys people.

And vpon that ymagynacion he fled from the face or presens of God: that is, oute of the contre where God was worshypped in and from the prosecutinge of Gods commaundement, and thought, I wyll gete me another waye amonge the Heathen people and be no more a Prophete, but lyue at rest and out of all combraunce. Neuerthelesse that God of all mercye which careth for hys electe chylderne and truneth all vnto good to them and smyteth them to heale them agayn and kylleth them to make them alyue agayne, and playeth wyth them (as a father dothe sometyme wyth his yonge ignoraunce chyldren) and tempteth them and proueth them to make them se their owne hertes, prouided for Ionas, how al thynges shuld be.

Wh&ebar; Ionas was entred in to the shyppe, he layed hym downe to slepe and to take hys rest: that is, hys conscience was tossed betwene the commaundement of God which sent hym to Niniue, and hys fleshlye wysedome that dissuaded and counseled hym the contrarye ∧ at the laste preuayled agaynst the commaundemente and caryed hym another waye, as a shype caught betwene .ij. streames, and as poetes fayne the mother of Meliager to be betwene diuers affecci&obar;s, while to aduenge her brothers deth, she sought to sle her owne sonne. Where vpon for verye payne and tediousenes he laye downe to slepe, for to put the commaundement whyche so gnewe and freate hys conscience, out of mynde, as the nature of all weked is, when they haue sinned a godd, to seke all meanes with riot, reuell ∧ pastyme, to driue the remenbra&ubar;ce of synne out of their thoughtes or as Adam dyd, to couer their nakednes wyth aporns of pope holy workes. But God awoke hym out of his dreame, and set hys synnes before hys fate.

For when that Lot had caughte Ionas, th&ebar; be sure that hys synnes came to remembraunce agayne and that hys conscience raged no lesse them the waues of the sea. And then he thoughte that he onelye, was a sunner ∧ the Heathen that were in the shyppe none in respecte of hym, and thought also, as veryly as he was fled fr&obar; God, that as verylye God had cast hym awaye: for the sight of the rodde maketh the naturall chylde not onely to se and to knoweledge hys faulte, but also to forget all hys fathers olde mercie ∧ kyndnesse. And then he confessed hys synne openlye ∧ had yet leuer perisshe alone then that the other shuld haue perished with hym for hys sake: and so of very desperacion to haue liued any lenger, had cast him into the sea betymes, excepte they wolde be loste also.

To speake of lottes, howe far forth they are lawful is a lyghte question. Fyrste to vse them for the breakynge of strife, as when partenars, their goodes as equally diuided as they can, take euery man hys part by lotte, to auoyde all suspicion of disceytfulnesse: and as the Appostles in the firste of the Actes, when they soughte another to succede Iudas the traytour ∧ . 11- persones were presentes then to breake strife and to satisfye all parties, dyd cast lottes whether shulde be admitted, desirynge God to temper them and to take whome he knewe moste mete, seynge, they wyste nor whether to preferre, or haplye coulde not all agree on eytheyr is lawfull and in all lyke cases. But to abuse them vnto the temptyng of God and to compell hym ther wyth to vtter thinges where of we stonde in doubte, when we haue no commaundement of him so to do, as these heathen here dyd, though God turned it vnto hys glorye, can not be but euell.

The Heathen shypmen astonied at the syght of the myracle, feared God, prayed to hym, offered sacrifyce and vowed vowes. And I doute not, but that some of them or haplye all came ther by vnto the true knowledge ∧ true worshyppinge of God and were wonne to God in their soules. And thus God whiche is infynite mercifull in all hys wayes wroughte their soules healthe out of their infirmite of Ionas, euen of hys good wyll ∧ purpose ∧ loue where with he loued them before the worlde was made ∧ not of chaunce, as it appeareth vnto the eyes of ygnoraunt.

And that Ionas was .iij. dayes ∧ .iii. nyghtes in the belye of hys fysshe: we can not therby proue vnto the

Iewes and infideles or vnto any man, that Christe must therfore dye and be buryed and ryse agayn. But we vse the ensample ∧ lykenesse to strength the faith of the weake. For he that beleaueth the one can not doute in the other: in as muche as the hande of God was no lesse myghtie in preseruynge Ionas alyue agaynst al naturall possybylytie ∧ in delyuering him safe out of his fyshe, then in rysynge vp Christ again out of his sepulchre. And we maye describe the power and vertue of the resurreccion therby, as Christ hym selfe boroweth the symilitude therto. Math .xij. saying vnto the Iewes that came aboute him, and desyred a sygne or a wonder from heauen, to certyfye th&ebar; that he was Christ: this euell and wedlocke breaking nacion (which breake the wedlocke of fayth wherwyth they be maried vnto God, and beleue in theyr false workes) seke a sygne, but there shal no sygne be geu&ebar; them saue the sygne of the Prophete Ionas. For as Ionas was .iij. dayes and .iij. nyghtes in the bely of the whale, euen so shal the sonne of man be ,iij. dayes and .iii. nyghtes in the hert of the earth. Which was a watche word, as we saye, and a sharpe threatening vnto the Iewes and as much to saye as thus, ye hard harted Iewes seke a sygne: lo this shal be youre signe as Ionas was rysed out of the sepulchre of his fyshe and then sent vnto the Niniuites to preache that they shoulde peryshe, euen so shal I ryse agayne out of my sepulchre, ∧ come and preache repentaunce vnto you. Se therfore when ye se the signe that ye repent or els ye shal surely perysh and not escape. For though the infirmities, which ye now se in my flesh be a lette vnto youre fathers, ye shal yet then be wythout excuse, when ye se so great a miracle and so greate power of God shed out vpon you. And so Christe came agayne after the resurreccion in his spirite, and preacheth repentaunce vnto them, by the mouth of hys apostles and disciples, and wyth miracles of the holy ghoste. And all that repented not, perished shortly after, and the rest caried awaye captiue into all quarters of the world for an ensample, as ye se vnto this daye.

And in lyke maner sence the world beganne, whersoeuer repentaunce was offred ∧ not receyued, there God toke cruel vengeaunce immediatly? as ye se in the floud of Noe, in the othrowing of Sodome and Gomor, and al the countre about ∧ as ye se of Egipt, of the Amorites, Cananites and afterwarde of the very Israelites, and then at the last of the Iewes to and of the Assariens and Babiloniens, ∧ so thoroughout al the imperies of the worlde.

Gildas preached repentaunce vnto the olde Brytaynes that inhabited Englande: they repented not, and therfore God sent in their enemies vpon them on euery syde, and destroyed them vp, ∧ gaue the land vnto other nations. And greate v&ebar;geaunce hath bene taken in that lande for synne sente that tyme.

Wycleffe preached repentaunce vnto oure fathers not longe sence: they repented not for their hertes were indurate, ∧ theyr eyes blynded with their owne Pope holye ryghtwesnesse, wherwith they had made their soules gaye agaynst the receyuynge agayne of the wicked spirite that bringeth .vij. worse then hym self wyth him, and maketh the later ende worse then the begynnynge: for in open synnes there is hope of repentaunce, but in holye ypocrysye noue at all. But what folowed (they slewe their true and ryghte king and set vp .iij. wronge kinges arowe, vnder which al the noble bloud was slayne vp and halfe the comens therto, what in fraunce and what wyth their owne swerde, in fyghtynge amonge them selues for the croune, and the cities and tounes decayed, ∧ the land brought halfe into a wyldernesse in respecte of that it was before.

And now Christe to preache repentaunce, is rysen yet ones agayne oute of hys sepulchre, in whiche the pope had buried him and kept hym doune wyth hys pylars and polaxes and al dysgysynges of ypocrysye wyth gyle wylles and falshed, and wyth the swerde of al prynces, which he had blynded wyth hys false marchaundice. And as I doubte not of the ensamples that are paste, so am I sure that great wrath wyll follow, except repentaunce turne it backe agayne and cease it.

When Ionas had ben in the fyshes bely a space ∧ the rage of his conscience was somwhat quieted and swaged and he come to him self agayne, and had receyued a lytle hope, the qualmes and panges of desperacion which went ouer his herte, half ouercome, he prayed, as he maketh mencion in the text saying: Ionas prayed vnto the Lord his God out of the bely of the fysh. But the wordes of that prayer are not here set. The prayer that here stondeth in the text, is the prayer of prayse and thankesgeuyng, which he praied ∧ wrote when he was escaped and past al ieopardye.

In the ende of which prayer he sayeth, I wyl sacrifyce with the voyce of thanckesgeuynge ∧ paye that I haue vowed, that sauynge commeth of the Lorde. For verely to confesse out of the hert, that al benefytes come of God, euen out the goodnesse of hys mercye and not deseruynge of our dedes, is the onely sacrifyce that pleaseth God. And to beleue that all the Iewes vowed in their circumcisyon, as we in oure baptyme. Whyche vowe Ionas nowe taughte with experience, promyseth to pay. For those outwarde sacrifyces of beastes, vnto whyche Ionas had haplye asscribed to much before, were but feble and chyldysh thynges and not ordeyned, that the workes of them selues should be a seruyce vnto the people, to put th&ebar; in remembraunce of this inwarde sacrifyce of thankes and of faith to trust and beleue in God the onely sauer. Whyche sygnificacion when was awaye, they were abhominable and deuyllysh ydolatrye ∧ image seruyce: as oure ceremonies and sacramentes are become nowe to al that trust and beleue in the werke of them ∧ are not taughte the sygnificacions, to edifye their soules with knowledge ∧ the doctrine of God.

When Ionas was cast vpon lande again, then his wyl was fre, and had power to go whether God sent him and to do what God bade, hys owne imaginacions layd a parte. For he had bene at a newe scole, ye and in a fornace where he was purged of muche refuse and drosshe of fleshlye wysedome, whyche resysted the wysedome of God and led Ionases wyll contrarye vnto the wyll of God. For as ferre as we be blynde in Adam, we can not but seke and wyll oure owne profyte, pleasure and glorye. And as ferre as we be taughte in the spirite, we can not but seke and wyll the pleasure and glorye of God onelye.

And as the .iij. dayes iourney of Niniue, whether it were in length or to go rounde about it, or thorow al the stretes, I commit vnto the discrecyon of other men. But I thynke that it was then the greatest cytye of the worlde.

And that Ionas went a dayes iourney in the cytye, I suppose he dyd it not in one daye: but went fayre ∧ easyly preaching here a serm&obar; ∧ there another ∧ rebuked the sinne of the people for which they must perish

And when thou art come vnto the repentaunce of the Niniuites, there hast thou sure erneste, that howe so euer angre God be, yet he remembreth mercye vnto al that truely repente ∧ beleue in mercye. Which ensample oure sauyour Christ also casteth in the teeth of the indurat Iewes saying: the Niniuites shal ryse in iudgement with this nacion and condemne them, for they repented at the preachinge of Ionas, and behold a greater then Ionas here meanyng of him self. At whose preachynge yet, though it were neuer so myghtye to perce the herte, and for all hys miracles therto, the hard herted Iewes coulde not rep&ebar;t: when the heath&ebar; Niniuites rep&ebar;ted at the bare preachig of Ionas rebuk&ibar;g their sines without any miracle at al.

Why? For the Iewes had leuended the spirituall lawe of God and with their gloses had made it altogether erthy and fleshly, and so had set a vaile or couerynge on Moses face, to shadowe and darken the glorious brightnesse of hys coutenaunce. It was synne to stele: but to robbe wedowes houses vnder a coloure of longe prayenge, and to polle in the name of offerynges, and to snare the people wyth intolerable constitucions against al loue, to ketch their money out of theyr purses, was no synne at al.

To smyte father and mother was synne. But to withdrawe helpe from them at their nede, for blynde zele of offringe, vnto the profyte of the holy phareses was then as meritorious as it is nowe to let all thy kynne chose whether they wyll sinke or sweme, while thou buyldeste and makest Godlye foundacyons for holye people, which thou hast chosen to be thy christe, for to so wyle thy soule wyth the oyle of their swete blessynges, and to be thy Iesus for to saue thy soule from the purgatory of the bloud that onely purgeth synne, wyth their watchinge, fastynge, wolward goinge and rysyng at midnyght. ∧c. wherwyth yet they purge not th&ebar; selues fr&obar; their couetousnes, pride, lechery or any vyce that thou seist among the lay people.

It was greate synne for Christe to heale the people on the sabboth daye vnto the glorye of God hys father, but none at al for them to helpe their catell vnto their owne profyte. It was synne to eate with vnwashen h&abar;des or on an unwashen table, or out of an vnwashen disshe, but to eate oute of that purifyed dysshe, that whych came of brybery, thefe and extorsyon, was no synne at al.

It was exceadynge meritorious to make many disciples. But to teache them to feare God in hys ordinaunces, had they no care at all.

The hye prelates so defended the ryghte of holy churche and so feared the people wyth the curse of God and terryble paynes of hell, that no man durste leaue the vilest herb in his gardaine vntythed. And the offerynge and thynges dedicate vnto God for the profytye of hys holye vycars wherin such estymacion and reuerence, that it was much greater synne to

swere truly by them, th&ebar; to for swere thy self by God, what vengeaunce then of God, and how terrible ∧ cruell damnacion thynke ye preached they to fall on th&ebar; that had stolen so the holy thinges? And yet sayth Christ, that right wisenes and faythe in kepynge promise mercie ∧ indyfferent iudgement were vtterlye troden vnder fote and cleane dyspised of those blessed fathers, which so mightely mayntened Arons patrimonye ∧ had made it so prosperous ∧ enuironed it ∧ walled it aboute on euerye syde wyth the feare of God, that no man durst twech it.

It was greate holynes to garnysshe the sepulchres of the prophetes ∧ to condempne theyr owne fathers for sleynge of them, and yet were they them selues for blynde zele of their owne constitucion, as redy as their fathers to sle whosoeuer testified vnto them, the same truth whiche the prophetes testifyed vnto their fathers. So that Christ compareth all the right wysenesse of those holye patriarkes vnto the outwarde bewtye of a paynted sepulchre full of stench and all vnclennesse wythin. And fynallye to begylde a mans neyghboures in setle bargenynge ∧ to wrappe ∧ compasse hym in with cauteles of the lawe was then as it is now in the kyngdome of the Pope. By the reason whereof they excluded the lawe of loue oute of their hertes, ∧ c&obar;sequ&ebar;tly al true rep&ebar;taunce: for how could they rep&ebar;t of that they could not se to be synne.

And on the other syde they had sette vp a ryghtwenesse of holy worckes, to clense their soules with al, as the Pope sanctifyeth vs wyth holy oyle, holy bread, holy salt, holy candels, holydome ceremonies, and holidome blessinges, and wyth whatsoeuer holines thou wylt saue wyth the holynes of gods worde whych onely speaketh vnto the herte and sheweth the soule his fylthinesse and vnclennesse of synne, and leadeth her by the way of repentaunce vnto the fountaine of Christes bloude to wsashe it awaye thorow faith. By the reason of whych false rightwesnes they were disobedient vnto the rightwisenes of God, whych is the forgeuenesse of synne in Christes bloud and coulde not beleue it. And so thorowe fleshly interpretynge the lawe and false imagined rightwysenesse, theyr hertes were hardened and made as stonye as claye in an hoote fournace of fyre, that they could receyue nether repentaunce nor fayth or any mayster of grace at all.

But the heathen Niniuites, though they were blinded wyth lustes a good, yet were in those .ij. poyntes vncorrupte and vnhardened, and therfore wyth the onely preaching of Ionas came vnto the knowledge of theyr synnes and confessed them ∧ repented truely and turned euery man from his euel dedes and declared their sorowe of hert and true repentaunce, wyth theyr dedes, whych they dyd oute of fayth and hope of forgeuenesse, chastysynge theyr bodies with praier and fastinge and wyth takyng al pleasures from the fleshe: trustynge, as God was angre for theyr wekednesse, euen so shuld he forgeue them of hys mercy yf they repented and forsoke their wysse lyuinge.

And in the laste ende of all, thou hast yet a Godly ensample of lerninge, to se howe erthye Ionas is styl for al hys tryengin the whales bely. He was so sore displeased, because the Niniuites perished not, that he was wery of hys lyfe and wyshed after death for very sorow, that he hath lost the glory of hys prophesienge, in that hys prophesie came not to passe. But God rebuked hym with a lykenesse sayenge: it greueth thyne hert for the losse of a vyle shrob or spraye thyne wheron thou bestowed dest no laboure or cost neyther was it thyne h&abar;de wercke. How moch more then shuld greue mine hert the losse of so greate multytude of innoc&ebar;ts are in Niniue, which are al myne handes worcke. Nay Ionas. I am God ouer all, and father as well vnto the Heathen as vnto the Iewes and mercyfull to all and warne yer I smyte, neyther threte I so cruelly by any Prophete, but that I wyll forgeue if they repente and ax mercy: neyther on the other syde, what so euer, I promyse, wyll I fulfyll it, saue for their sakes onely whyche trust in me ∧ submytte them selues to kepe my lawes of very loue, as naturall chyldren.

On this maner to read the scripture is the right vse therof ∧ why the holy ghoste caused it to be wrytten. That is that thou firste seke out the lawe, that God wyll haue the to do, interpretinge it spirituallye wythoute glose or coueryng the bryghtnesse of Moyses face, so that thou fele in thine herte, how that it is damnable sinne before God, not to loue thy neyghboure that is thyne enimye, as purelye as Christ loued the, and that not to loue thy neyghboure in thyne herte, is to haue c&obar;mytted all ready all synne against hym. And therfore vntyll that loue becomme, thou muste knoweledge vnfaynedly that there is synne in the best dede thou doest. And it muste ernestlye greue thine herte and thou muste wasshe al thy good dedes in Christes bloud yet they can be pure ∧ an acceptable sacrifice vnto God, ∧ must desire God the father for his sake, to take thy dedes a worth and to pardon the imperfectenesse of them, and to geue the power to do them better and with more feruent loue.

An on the other syde thou muste serche dilygentlye for the promyses of mercye whiche God hathe promysed the agayne. Whiche twoo pointes, that is to were, the lawe spirituallye interpreted, how that all is damnable synne that is not vnfayned loue out of the grounde and botom of the herte after the ensample of Christes loue to vs because we be all equaly created ∧ formed of one God oure father, and indifferently bought ∧ redemed with one bloude of oure sauiour Iesus Christe: ∧ that the promises be geuen vnto a repentynge soule that thrusteth ∧ longeth after them of the pure and fatherlye mercye of God thorowe oure faythe onelye withoute all desernynge of our dedes or merites of oure worckes, but for Christes sake alone, ∧ for the merites ∧ deseruynges of hys workes, deth ∧ passions that he suffered altogether for vs ∧ not for hym selfe: whiche .ij. poyntes I saye if they be wrytten in thine herte are the keyes which so open all the scripture vnto the, that no creature can locke the out, and with which thou shalte go in ∧ out, and finde pasture ∧ fode euery where. And if these lesons be not wrytten in thine herte, then is all the scipture shutte vp, as a cornell in the shale, so that thou mayste read it and comen of it, ∧ reherse all the storyes of it and dyspute so tyltye ∧ be a profunde Saphister, ∧ yet vnderstande not one Iot therof.

And thirdelye that thou take the stories and liues which are conteyned in the Byble, for sure ∧ vndoubted ensamples that God so wyll deale with vs vnto the worldes ende.

Herewyth Reader farewell and be commended vnto God, and vnto the grace of hys spyrite. And fyrste se that thou stoppe not thyne eares vnto the callynge of God, and thou hard&ebar; not thyne herte begyled with fleshlye interpretynge of the lawe and false imagyned ∧ ypocritishe rightwisenes, ∧ so the Niniuites ryse wyth the at the daye of iudgem&ebar;t ∧ cond&ebar;ne the,

And secondarily yf thou fynd oughte amysse, when thou seyst thy selfe in the glasse of Gods word, thinke it compendious wysedome, to amende the same betymes, monyshed and warned by the ensample of other men, rather then to tary vntyll thou be beten also.

And thyrdelye if it shal so chaunce, that the wylde lustes of thy fleshe shal blynde the ∧ carye the cleane awaye wyth them for a tyme: yet at the latter ende, when the God of all mercye shall haue compased the in on euery syde wyth temptacions, tribulacion, aduersytyes and combraunce, to bryng the home again vnto thyne owne herte, and to set thy synnes whyche thou woldest so fayne couer and put oute of mynde wyth delectacion of voluptuous pastymes, before the eyes of thy conscience: then call the faythful ensample of Ionas and all lyke storyes vnto thy remembraunce, and wyth Ionas turne vnto thy father that smote the not to cast the away, but to lay a corosye, ∧ a freatynde plaister vnto the pocke that lay hyd and fret inwarde, to drawe the disease out and to make to appeare, that thou mightest feale thy syckenes ∧ the daunger therof, and come and receyue the healynge playster of mercy.

And forget not that whatsoeuer ensample of mercy God hath shewed sence the beginning of the worlde, the same is promised the, yf thou wylt in lyke maner turne agayne and receyued it as they dyd. And wyth Ionas be a knowen of thy synne and confesse it and knowledge it vnto thy father.

And as the lawe whyche freteth thy conscience, is in thyne herte and is none outwarde thinge, euen to seke wythin thyne herte, the playster of mercye, the promises of forgeuenesse in oure sauioure Iesus Christe, accordinge vnto al the ensamples of mercye, that are gone before.

And wyth Ionas let them that wayte on vanities and seke God here and there and in euery t&ebar;ple saue in their hertes go, ∧ seke thou the testament of God in thyne herte. For in thyne herte is the worde of the lawe, ∧ in thyne hert is the word of fayth in the promyses of mercy in Iesus Christe. So that yf thou confesse wyth a repentyng hert ∧ knowledge and surely leue that Iesus is Lord ouer al synne, thou art safe.

And fynally wh&ebar; the rage of thy conscience is ceased ∧ quieted wyth fast fayth in the promyses of mercye, then offer wyth Ionas the offerynge of prayse ∧ thankes geuynge, ∧ paye the vowe of thy baptyme, that God onely saueth of his only mercye and goodnesse: that is, beleue stedfastly ∧ preache constantlye, that it is God onely that smyteth, ∧ God onely that healeth: ascribynge the cause of thy trybulation vnto thyne owne synne, and the cause of thy deliueraunce vnto the mercye of God,

And beware of the leu&ebar; that fayth we haue power in oure fre wyl before the preachyng of the gospell, to deserue grace, to kepe the lawe of congruyte, or God to be vnrightwesse. And saye wyth Ihon in the

Niniue. fyrst, that as the law was geuen by Moses, euen so grace to fulfyll it, is geuen by Christ. And when they say our dedes wyth grace deserue heauen saye thou wyth Paule. Rom.vj. that euerlastinge lyfe is the gyft of God thorow Iesus Christe one Lorde, ∧ that we be made sonnes by fayth. Ihon.i. and therfore hertes of God wyth Christ. Rom.viii. And saye that we receyue all of God throwghe fayth that foloweth repentaunce, and that we do not our worckes vnto God, but ether vnto our selues, to sley the sin that remaneth in the flesh and to waxe perfect, ether vnto oure neyboures whych do as much for vs agayn in other thinges. And when a man exceadeth in giftes of grace, let hym vnderstond that they be geuen hym, as wol for hys weake breathern, as for hym selfe: as thoughe all the breade be commytted vnto the panter, yet for hys felowes with hym, whiche geue the thankes vnto their Lorde and recompence the panter agayne wyth other kynde seruyce in their offices. And when they saye that Christe hath made no satysfaccyon for the synne wee do after our baptyme: saye thou wyth the doctrine of Paul, that in our baptyme we receyue the meryces of Christes death thorowe repentaunce and fayth of which two, baptime is the sygne. And though when we sin of frayltie after oure baptyme we receyue that sygne no moare, yet we be renewed agayne thorow repentaunce and fayth in Christes bloud, which twaine, the signe of baptime euer continued amonge vs in baptisynge oure yong childern doeth euer kepe in mynde and call vs backe agayne vnto our profession if we begonne astraye, ∧ promyseth vs forgeuenesse. Nether can actuall synne be wasshed awaye with our werkes, but with Christes bloude: nether can there be any, other sacrifyce or satisfaccyon to Godward for, th&ebar; saue Christes bloud. For as moche as we can do no werckes vnto God, but receyue onely of his mercye with oure repentyng fayth, thorow Iesus Christ our Lorde and onlye sauer, vnto whom and vnto God oure father thorow hym and vnto hys holye spiryt, that only purgeth, sanctifieth ∧ wassheth vs in the innocent bloud of oure redemption, be prayse for euer. Amen. ¶ The boke of the Prophete Ionas. The fyrst Chapter. Of the flyght of Ionas when he was sente to preache. A tempeste aryseth, and casteth hym in the sea for hys dysobedyence.

A   The worde of the Lorde came vnto Ionas þe; sonne of Amithai, saying: Aryse, and get the to Niniue that greate cyte: ∧ preache vnto them, how that their wyckednes is come vp before me. And Ionas made hym ready to fle vnto ^note Tharsis from the presence of the Lord, and gat hym downe to Ioppa: where he founde a shyppe ready for to go vnto Tharsis. So he payde his fare, ∧ w&ebar;te aborde, that he myght go wyth th&ebar; vnto Tharsis, from the presence of the Lorde. But the Lorde hurled a greate wynde into the sea, and there was a myghtye tempest in the sea: so that the shippe was in ieoperdy of goinge in peces. Then the maryners were afrayde, ∧ cryed euery man vnto hys God: ∧ the goodes þt; were in the shyppe, they cast in to the sea, to lyghten it of them. But Ionas gat hym vnder þe; hatches, where he layed hym downe and slombred.

B   So the master of the shyppe came to hym and sayde vnto hym: why slomberest thou? Vp, call vp&obar; thy God: yf God (happely) wil thyncke vpon vs, that we peryshe not. And they sayde one to another: come, lett vs cast lottes: that we maye knowe, for whose cause we are thus troubled. And so they cast lottes, and the lot fell vpon Ionas.

C    ^noteThen sayde they vnto him: tel vs, for whose cause are we thus troubled? what is thyne occupacyon? whence commest thou? what countre man art thou, and of what nacyon? He answered them: I am an Ebreue, and I feare the Lorde God of heauen, whych made both the sea ∧ drye lande. Then where þe; men exceadingly afrayed, ∧ sayde vnto hym: why didest thou so? (for they knewe, that he was fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had tolde them) ∧ sayde moreouer vnto hym: What shal we do vnto the, that the sea maye ceasse from troubling vs? (for þe; sea wrought ∧ was troublous) he answered them: D   Take me, and cast me in to the sea, so shall it let you be in rest: for I wote, it is for my sake, that this great tempest is come vpon you.

Neuerthelesse, the men assayed with rouwynge, to bringe the shyppe to lande: but it wolde not be, because the sea wrought so, and was so troublous agaynst them. Wherfore they cryed vnto þe; Lord, ∧ sayde: O Lord lett vs not perish for this m&abar;s death, ^note nether laye thou innocent bloude vnto oure charge: for thou, O Lorde, hast done, euen as thy pleasure was.

So they toke Ionas, ∧ cast hym in to the sea, ∧ the sea left ragyng. ^noteAnd the men feared the Lorde exceadingly, doyng sacrifices and makinge vowes vnto the Lorde. The .ij. Chapter. Ionas is swalowed of a whal. The prayer of Ionas.

A   Bvt the Lorde prepared a greate fyshe, to swalow vp Ionas. So was Ionas in the bely of the fysh, thre dayes ∧ thre nightes. And Ionas prayed vnto þe; Lord his God, out of the fysshes bely, ∧ sayde: In my trouble I called vnto the Lord, ∧ he herde me: out of the bely of ^note hell I cryed, and thou herdest my voyce. Thou haddest cast me downe depe in the myddest of the sea, and the floude c&obar;passed me aboute: yee all thy waues and roules of water went ouer me, I thought that I had bene cast awaye out of thy syght: B    but I wyll yet agayne loke towarde thy holy temple.

The waters compased me, euen to the very soule, the depe laye aboute me, and the wedes were wrapte aboute myne head. I went downe to the botome af the hylles, and was barred in wyth earth for euer. C   But thou, O Lorde my God, haste brought vp my lyfe agayne out of corrupcyon. When my soule faynted within me, I thought vp&obar; the Lord: ∧ my prayer came in vnto the, euen in to thy holy temple. They that holde of vayue vanyties, will forsake hys mercy. D   But I wyll do the sacryfyce wyth the voyce of thankesgeuynge, and wil paye that I haue vowed: for

Niniue. why? saluacion c&obar;meth of the Lorde. And the Lorde spake vnto the fysh, and it cast out Ionas agayne vpon the drye lande. The .ij. Chapter. Ionas is send agayne to Niniue. The repentaunce of the kynge of Niniue.

A    ^noteThen came the worde of þe; Lorde vnto Ionas agayne, sayenge: vp, and get the to Niniue that great cytye, ∧ preache vnto th&ebar; the preachinge whyche I bade the. So Ionas arose, and wente to Niniue at th&ebar; Lordes commaundement. Niniue was a greate cyte vnto God, namely, of thre dayes iourney.

And Ionas wente to, and entred in to the cytie: euen a dayes iourney, ∧ cryed, sayenge: B   There are yet .xl. dayes and th&ebar; shall Niniue be ouerthrowen. And the people of Niniue beleued God, and proclamed fastynge, and arayed them selues in ^note sack cloth, as wel the greate as the small of them. And the tydinges came vnto the kynge of Niniue, whyche arose out of hys seate, and dyd hys apparell of, and put on sack cloth, ∧ sate hym downe in asshes.

^noteAnd it was cryed and commaunded in Niniue, by the auctorite of the king and hys lordes, sayenge: C   se that nether man or beast, oxe or shepe taste ought at all: and that they nether fede ner drinke water: but put on sack cloth both man and beast, and crye myghtely vnto God: yee se that euery man turne from hys euell waye, and from the wyckednesse, that he hath in hande.

D    ^noteWho can tell? God maye turne, ∧ repente ∧ cease from his fearce wrath, that we perish not. And when God sawe their workes, how they turned from their wicked wayes, he repented on the euell, whych he sayde he wolde do vnto them, and dyd it not. The .iiij. Chapter. Ionas is reproued of God.

A   Therfore Ionas was sore dysc&obar;tent ∧ angrye. And he prayed vnto the Lord, ∧ sayde: O Lord was not thys my sayinge (I praye the) when I was yet in my countre? therfore I hasted rather to fle vnto Tharsis, for I know well ynough þt; thou art a mercyfull God, full of compassi&obar;, long sufferyng, ∧ of a great kyndnesse, ∧ repentest wh&ebar; thou shuldest take punishm&ebar;t. ^noteAnd now O Lord, take my lyfe fro me (I beseche the) for I had rather dye then lyue. Then sayde the Lord: art thou so angrie? B   And Ionas gat hym out of the cytye, ∧ sat downe on the east side therof: ∧ there made hym a boothe, ∧ sat vnder it in the shadow, tyll he myght se, what shulde chaunce vnto the cytie.

And the Lord God prepared a wylde vyne which sprang vp ouer Ionas, that he myght haue shadowe aboue hys head, to delyuer hym out of hys payne. And Ionas was exceadynge glad of the wylde vyne.

C   But vpon the nexte morowe agaynst the spring of þe; daye. The Lord ordened a worme which smote the wylde vyne, so that it wethered awaye. And when the Sunne was vp God prepared a feruent east wynde: and the Sunne bett ouer the head of Ionas, that he faynted agayne, and wisshed vnto hys soule, that he myght dye, and sayde: It is better for me to dye, then to lyue. And God sayde vnto Ionas: Art thou so angrie for þe; wylde vyne? D   And he sayde: yee very angrie am I eu&ebar; vnto the death. And the Lorde sayde: thou hast c&obar;passion vpon a wylde vyne, wheron thou bestowdest laboure, ner maydest it growe: whyche sprange vp in one nyght ∧ peryshed in another: And shulde not I then haue compassion vpon Niniue that greate cytye, wherin there are aboue an .C. ∧ .xx. thousand persones, that knowe not their right hand from the lefte, besyde moch catell? ¶ The ende of the Prophecye of Ionas.

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