But it may be demanded how the Ninevites believed God,1 sith to the• no hope was given of salvation: for there can be no faith without the taste of the fatherly benevolence of God. Who so conceiveth that God is displeased and angry with him, it must needs be that he must altogether despair: When as therefore Jonah gave them no •ast of the goodness of God, he might rather an hundred times terrify the Ninevites, then once call them to the faith: but the speech may be Synecdochical, that is put part for the whole. For it is not whole faith, when as men, being called to repentance, do submissively humble them selves before God: but yet it is a part of faith, as the Apostle saith,2 in the 1• to the Hebr. that Noah by faith feared. Where he bringing the fear, which Noah conceived, by the Oracle of God, out of faith, he teacheth that it is a part of faith, and that it proceedeth from thence. And yet, the mind of the holy Patriarch must be by some other mean raised up then by the threatenings, to build the Ark, to be for him a sanctuary of safeguard. So also by Synecdoche may this place be expounded, that the Ninevites believed the Lord: even because when they understand that God was to give them their deserved punishment, they submit themselves to him, & yet in the mean time flee unto him to crave pardon. But there is no doubt but that the Ninevites conceived more by the words of Jonah, then a naked terror and fear: because if they had only apprehended that part, even that they were guilty before God, and worthily were called to pain & punishment, they had been confused & dismayed with terror, & never had aspired to the desire of pardon. When as therefore they do humbly prostrate them selves before God, certainly they conceive some hope of grace and favour at Gods hand. Therefore they were not so touched with repentance and the fear of God, but that there was mingled with all soul ta•• of grace▪ so they believed God, because although they understood that they were most worthy of death, they yet despaired not, but ⟨image 56⟩had recourse unto prayers. When as therefore we see that the Ninevites sought that remedy, we may certainly think, that they profited more by the preaching of Jonah, then that they should only understand that they were culpable in the sight of God. And this thing is certainly to be held.
But it may be demaunded how the Nineuits beléeued God,1 sith to the• no hope was geuen of saluation: for there can be no fayth without the taste of the fatherlie beneuolence of God. Who so conceyueth that God is displeased and angrie with him, it must néedes be yt he must altogether dispayre: When as therfore Ionas gaue them no •ast of the goodnes of God, he might rather an hūdred times terrify the Nineuits, then once call thē to the fayth: but the speach may be Synechdochiall, that is put part for the whole. For it is not whole fayth, when as men, being called to repentaunce, doo submissiuelie humble them selues before God: but yet it is a parte of fayth, as the Apostle sayth,2 in the 1• to the Hebre. that Noah by fayth feared. Where he bringing the feare, which Noah conceyued, by the Oracle of God, out of fayth, he teacheth that it is a parte of fayth, and that it proceedeth from thence. And yet, the minde of the holy Patriarche must be by some other meane raysed vp then by the threatninges, to builde the Arke, to be for him a sanctuarie of safegarde. So also by Synechdoche maye this place be expounded, that the Nineuits beléeued the Lord: euen because when they vnderstand that God was to geue them their deserued punishment, they submytte themselues to him, & yet in the meane tyme flée vnto him to craue pardon. But there is no doubte but that the Nineuits conceyued more by the wordes of Ionas, then a naked terror and feare: because if they had onely apprehended that parte, euen that they were guiltie before God, and worthely were called to paine & punishment, they had bene confused & dismayed with terror, & neuer had aspired to ye desyre of pardon. When as therfore they do humbly prostrate them selues before God, certainlie they conceyue some hope of grace and fauour at Gods hande. Therefore they were not so touched with repentaunce and the feare of God, but yt there was mingled with al soule ta•• of grace▪ so they beléeued God, because although they vnderstoode that they were most worthy of death, they yet dispayred not, but ⟨image 56⟩had recourse vnto prayers. When as therefore we sée that the Nineuits sought that remedie, we maye certainly thinke, that they profited more by the preaching of Ionas, then that they should onelie vnderstand that they were culpable in the sight of God. And this thing is certainly to be helde.
- 1The fatherly good will of God is the cause of faith.The fatherly good will of God is the cause of fayth.
- 2Heb. 11
