The lectures or daily sermons, of that reverend divine, D. John Calvin, pastor of…The lectures or daily sermons, of that reuerend diuine, D. Iohn Caluine, pastor of…

For the Lord here again repeateth that the mind of Jonah was otherwise: even that he took it grievously that the City should be delivered from destruction. And it is the less tolerable, that this Hierom excuseth Jonah, for that Jonah flatly and boldly maketh answer unto GOD, that he doth not offend, in being angry even unto the death, That fellow surely dare without any shame, notwithstanding all this, cast a colour, that he may excuse such a shameful contumacy. But let it suffice us to hold and know the natural and true sense or meaning of the Prophet. For here under the person of God, he declareth that his cruelty worthily is condemned, in that so desirously he wished the the destruction of that populous City. The parts of the similitude are also to be marked, when as he saith: Thou hast pitied, there is in the pronoun Tu, Thou, an Emphata, or vehemency. For God compareth him self with Jonah, as thus: Who art thou? Certainly a mortal man shall not be so prone to mercy and pity, as I am. Thou permittest to thy self this law, that thou wilt needs pity the Gourd, even thou which art framed of clay wilt do this. Now this Gourd (saith he) is not thy workmanship, Thou hast not laboured for it, that is, it came not forth by thy tillage or labour: again, Thou madest it not to grow, or, thou broughtest it not out of the earth: Thirdly: It was the daughter of one night, and in one night it perished. It was but a small withered plant or herb. Therefore if thou respect the nature of the Gourd, ⟨image 80⟩or if thou respect thy self, and addest together all other circumstances, there is no cause for thee to be angry. And now I which am God, in whose hand are all things, should not I pity saith he? I whose continual property it is, mercifully to bear with men, and to suffer them, though they be worthy of destruction, should not I pity? again this is a great City. For here is now no dealing about a plant, but about a wonderful great people.

For the Lorde here againe repeateth that the minde of Ionas was otherwyse: euen that he tooke it gréeuouslie that the Citie shoulde be delyuered from destruction. And it is the lesse tollerable, that this Hierom excuseth Ionas, for that Ionas flatlie and bouldlie maketh aunswere vnto GOD, that he doth not offende, in being angrie euen vnto the death, That fellowe surely dare without any shame, notwithstanding all this, cast a colour, that he maye excuse such a shamefull contumacie. But let it suffice vs to holde and knowe the naturall and true sense or meaning of the Prophet. For here vnder the person of God, he declareth that his crueltie worthely is condempned, in that so desyrouslie he wyshed the the destruction of that populous Citie. The partes of the similitude are also to be marked, when as he sayth: Thou hast pittied, there is in the pronoune Tu, Thou, an Emphata, or vehemencie. For God compareth him selfe with Ionas, as thus: VVho art thou? Certainelie a mortall man shall not be so prone to mercie and pittie, as I am. Thou permittest to thy selfe this lawe, that thou wylt néedes pitie the Gourde, euen thou which art framed of claye wylt doo this. Nowe this Gourde (sayth he) is not thy workmanshippe, Thou hast not laboured for it, that is, it came not forth by thy tyllage or labour: againe, Thou madest it not to growe, or, thou broughtest it not out of the earth: Thirdlie: It was the daughter of one night, and in one night it perished. It was but a smal wythered plant or herbe. Therfore if thou respect the nature of the Gourde,