Newes from Niniue to Englande, brought by the prophete Ionas vvhich newes in plainlye published in the godly and learned exposition of Maister Iohn Brentius folovving, translated out of Latine into Englishe by Thomas Tymme minister.

¶ And IONAS prayed vnto the Lord his God, out of the fishes bel∣lie, and sayde: In my trouble I called vnto the Lord, and he heard me, out of the bellie of hell I cried and thou heardest my voice.

Here followeth the Psalme which IO∣NAS made to giue thankes vnto God for his benifits. But we must not thinke that he had so much leysure, that hée myght walke vp and downe in the Whales belly securely, and sing this Psalme, to passe away the time: for he was ouerwhelmed with infinite dolors and griefes of death, and hell, hauing no hope almost of deliue∣raunce.

Therefore he prayed vnto the Lorde in the Whales bellye, both with a sorowfull minde, and wyth an vndoubted fayth al∣so. But after he was deliuered, and had es∣caped daunger, hée made this Psalme, by the whiche hée did not onelye declare the

thankfulnesse of hys minde towards god, but also commended this myracle to his posteritie, that all men being in daunger, by his example should call vpon God, and looke for vndoubted helpe at his hande.

It was a common custome among the auncient fathers in olde time to commit the diuine miracles into publik verses and psalmes, which is an acceptable kynde of seruice of God, as testifieth the Psalmist, I wil praise the name of God with a song, and will magnifie him, and it shall please God more than a Bullock that hath horns and hoofes. For first of all by this worship∣ping of God, his goodnesse, clemency, mer∣cy, and omnipotencie is set forth.

Furthermore, men are stirred vppe to fayth and inuocation of God in all aduer∣sities. These are the holy and acceptable thinges which please God, and by the which wée ought to declare a thankefull minde for those benifites that wée haue re∣ceyued. And if any man require examples of this matter, we haue Moses, Debora, Anna the mother of Samuell, Dauid, E∣zechias, Zacharias the father of Iohn

the Baptist, Symeon, and Marie the mo∣ther of Christ for examples. Wherefore it is our partes and duties to knowe, and learne such Psalmes, and by these wée be∣ing admonished of the diuine miracles, maye conceyue a firme and vndoubted hope in aduersitie, and may stirre vp the holy ghost, by the which we are made apt to call vppon God, and so wée shall be in déede deliuered in aduersitie. For euerye man which calleth vpon the name of God shall be saued.

But to returne to our Psalme, which IONAS made, and committed to the Church to be song, wée must know that it comprehendeth seauen verses. The first verse is: I cryed in my trouble vnto the Lorde, and he hearde mée. This verse comprehendeth in it selfe the argument and summe of the whole Psalme, namely, that IONAS was ouerwhelmed with great sorrowes and griefe of the mynde. But when he called vppon the Lorde by fayth, hée was wonderfully and miracu∣lously deliuered.

1 First of all therefore, when he turneth

himselfe aright, vnto the Lord, not to any of the Patriarches which were deade, he teacheth vs y^t wée ought not in our trou∣bles, to turne vs eyther by vowes or pray∣ers vnto deade Saincts, but onely to God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and that in the name of Christ, and for Christ his sake, séeing that we haue a manifest promise: Whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name, he will giue it you.

2 Furthermore, it teacheth vs, what time is most apt to offer our prayers and supplications vnto God. Ignoraunt and vnlearned men iudge, and estéeme, that that time is fitte and méete to praye vnto God, when eyther they rise in the mor∣ning, or go to bedde at night, or else when they leade a happie and prosperous lyfe: and truly we ought not to pretermit pray∣er at these times and seasons. But when as great and grieuous afflictions do arise, and daungerous perilles approche, men thinke then that it is hye time, and more fitte to blaspheme, to curse, and to rage a∣gaynst God and men, than to praye vnto God. But the Prophet when he sayth, in

my trouble I cryed vnto the Lorde, and from the bellie of hell I cried, he plainelye declareth that then, the time is most cōue∣nient to praye vnto God, when great pe∣rils are at hand, and we compassed round about with present death, as testifieth the Prophet Dauid, saying: The Lorde is nigh vnto them that are of a broken hart, and he will saue such as are of an humble spirit. And agayne: Call vpon me in the daye of trouble, and I will deliuer thée, and thou shalt glorifie me. Also it is writ∣ten: I am with him in trouble, I will de∣liuer him and glorifie him.

3 Thirdly, the Prophete teacheth vs by his owne example in all our trouble, to looke for certaine helpe and deliuerance, if we repent and cal vpon God by true faith. For the Prophete fell into this daunger, not for his owne righteousnesse & obedi∣ence of Gods calling, but for vnrighteous∣nesse, and disobedience, by the which hée fled the calling of God: yet neuerthelesse when in the middest of daungers hée ac∣knowledged his sinne, and conuerted him selfe by fayth and prayer vnto the Lorde,

he was hearde, saued, and miraculouslye deliuered. Externall saluation, and deli∣uerance is not alwaies wont to happen to euery one in extréeme perils and daunger. Yet notwithstanding it is most certaine and sure, that if a sinner euen in the midst of his trouble and aduersitie, repent and conuert vnto the Lorde, he shall alwayes obtayne true, and eternall saluation, al∣though he shoulde perishe with corporall death. Wherevpon the Psalmist sayth, Approche vnto the Lorde, and be lightned, and ye shall not be ashamed. This poore man IONAS cried, and the Lorde heard him. And Christ himselfe sayth, I am the resurrection and the lyfe, he that beléeueth in me though he were deade, yet shall he liue. Wherefore let not our sinnes dismay or discourage vs from calling vppon God in our trouble and aduersitie, but rather let them be a meane to stirre vs vp to re∣pentance, that we may call vpon God by fayth, and looke certainly at his hands for the promised saluation.

Notes

• The text.
• This Psalme consisteth of seauen verses.
• Iohn 16.
• Psal. 34.
• Psal. 50.
• Iohn. 11.