An oversight, and deliberation upon the holy prophet JonahAn ouersight, and deliberacion vpon the holy prophete Ionas

Now Jonah sayeth that he was in the belly of y• whale three days and three nights. Of this we learn that God helpeth not by and by the afflicted but exerciseth them in their troubles. First because he may the better humble them and bring them to a true knowledge of their faults, whose greatness is so big that it can not be perceived where as the pain for it is easy and light. But the Lord would us the better to judge of the fault by the greatness of the pain, and therefore the Lord is said to explorate and try his in affliction as the gold is tried by the fire. Farther his mighty power is the better declared, where as he helpeth such ⟨p. lxxix⟩as be plain desperate of all other remedies and helps.

Nowe Ionas sayeth that he was in the belye of y• whale thre dayes and three nyghtes. Of thys we learne that God healpeth not by and by the afflicted but exerciseth theym in theyr troubles. Fyrste because he maye the better humble thē and bryng thē to a true knowledge of theyr faultes, whose greatnes is so bygge that it cā not be perceyued where as the payne for it is easy and lyght. But the Lorde woulde vs the better to iudge of the fault by the greatnes of the payne, and therefore the Lord is sayed to explorate and trye hys in affliccion as the golde is tryed by the fyer. Farther his mightye power is the better declared, where as he helpeth suche ⟨p. lxxix⟩as be playne desperate of al other remedies and helpes.

Last of all this time of Jonah being in the whales body, was a type and figure of Christs being in the heart of the earth three days & three mightes. Mat. xxii.

Laste of all thys tyme of Ionas beynge in the whales bodye, was a type and fygute of Christes beynge in the hearte of the earth thre dayes & three mightes.