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And when the sunne did arise, God prepared also a ferue•• East winde: and the sunne beate vpon the head of Ionas, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fainted, and wished in his heart to die, and said, It is better f•••• me to die, then to liue.
* 1.1THe third part of this same preparation, the which declarer the cause and anger of Ionas: to wit, a parching heat, greate then was vsuall, the which God sent that same day & time. There∣fore this verse conteineth two things: [unspec 1] the one, a third cause so
the which Ionas is angrie, and praieth vnto God in that his cho∣ler and heat of minde. The second comprehendeth a description of this anger, and prayer.
The third cause of Ionas his being angrie, was the parching & burning of the sunne, being greater then it was wōt, by the means whereof it did beate vpon the head of Ionas very grieuously. Of this heat there were two causes, * 1.2 both the ordinarie season of the yeare, and the sunne, & also that same extraordinarie East winde, faint, and dissoluing or loosing the members, such like kinde of windes as are wont commonly to blow in the summer, the ayre beeing drie and void of cloudes, the which windes doe not re∣fresh vs, or coole the ayre: but rather increase the heate of the sunne, because that they also are hot and parching, and faint and calme. By which like meanes the Lord also can scorch and parch the fruits of the earth for the sinnes of his people, as he testifieth Agg. 2.18. where he saith: I smote you with blasting, and mildew, and with hayle, in all the labours of your hands, and yet ye turned not vnto me, saith the Lord. Of this I gather that these things were done in the summer. For Assyria (in the which Ninive is) is no Southerne cuntry, that it should haue any great heats, besides in the summer. Here then also, like as before v. 2. & 3. the anger of Ionas was ma∣lapert & saucie, and the assault of his mind very raging, the which groweth in this place in like sort, of the too wel liking of his owne counsell, and of the things which he approueth or alloweth. For what rashnes and great hastines is this, that he wisheth and desi∣reth out of hand to die? for that he should desire this by and by, and that of God, his hastie anger egged him on thereunto. And Ionas is here angrie through the feeling of the flesh, as before, and that more manifestly, albeit that in shewe he seemed to haue a colourable & reasonable cause, to wit, for that he was deli∣ted with the fairenes of the gourd that was sprung vp, and did so∣lace him selfe therewith, as with a most daintie worke of God, and a fauour of the same God towards him, beeing oppressed or grieued with the heate. This is in deede a faire pretense or shewe of the flesh. But the true originall or beginning of this kinde of anger is the waywardnes and pride of man his wit. * 1.3 For we doe preferre our counsails and will before the wisedome and will of God, so that we take it very hardly and grieuously that it should be and come to passe, the which albeit that it be done by the will of God, yet notwithstanding it falleth out often otherwise then
we would wish. As for Ionas he is not properly or especially an∣grie, because he nowe felt the sharpe heate of the sunne: neither yet doth he pray, that God would strengthen him to beare so great parching of the same, or that God would a bate the heat: but he is angrie, * 1.4 for that those things the which he had made recko∣ning with himselfe should haue continued, and the which for the time ought to haue bin fit and commodious for him, and to be a witnes of the fauour of God towards his selfe and his ministerie, the same were now chaunged and taken away, to wit, his braue gourd, a worke in deede of God and extraordinarily sprung vp in the fauour of Ionas was decaied, and extraordinarily also perish∣ed. Therefore through the selfe same carnall or fleshly wisdome he doth imagine the commendation of his ministerie to lie in the gourd, like as he did before suppose his contempt, to lie in the sa∣uing of the citie. Therefore Ionas is angrie for the dying of the gourd: and not properly for that he was scorched after that man∣ner with the burning of the sunne, as appeareth hereafter ver. 9. & 10. and he doth not now any more desire any other signe and te∣stimony of God his fauour towards him, but death through a trou∣bled and disquiet affection. For through vnstaiednes of minde he desireth to die. The which argueth or proueth the corruption, dis∣obedience, and furie of men in their carnall or fleshly affections, and whilst they doe not wholly submit them selues vnto the will of God alone.
The cause of Ionas his anger.
Two causes of the heat men∣tioned in this verse.
Ionas hath a faire shew for his anger.
The proper cause of Ionas his anger.