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

Now followeth it how this man behaved him self in the time of his trouble. When he perceived in the fishes belly some hope and sparkle of life, he fell unto prayer. But because prayer containeth in it self two things, the knowledge of the fault, and hope of forgiveness, I admonish all the Jonasses of this realm that they acknowledge and leave of from their faults, and beg pardon for them, except ⟨image 88⟩they will dye eternally. The Bishops and the priests that hath either with false doctrine destroyed the church, either by negligence not builded it with the true word of God, let them acknowledge their faults, amend it, and ask remission betime if they will not dye in their sin. The noble men and the Lawyers that are secretly touched with the word of God, and their conscience condemneth them of wrongs, frauds, Injuries, and deceits let them not indurate and harden their hearts, but pray to the Lord to take from them pride, arrogancy blindness, and covetousness, lest they dye in their sin, as Saul did. The people let them ⟨p. lxxx⟩pray unto God for knowledge and patience, that they may know and suffer all things as true subjects ought to do. And that from hence forth they hate discord, dissension, treason, conspiracy, whoredom, adultery, idleness, hatred, envy, disdain, and such like as provoketh God's Ite, and leadeth to the destruction of a commune wealth. But this prayer of Jonah is so acceptable, it might be thought of some men, that the place where Jonah prayed in should have bettered it, as the foolish opinion of the world is at this time: that judgeth the prayer said at the high altar to be better then that which is said in the Quier, that in the ⟨image 89⟩query better then it that is said in the body of the church: that in the body of the church better then the prayer said in the field, or in a mans chamber. But our Prophet saith: the lord hath no respect to the place, but unto the heart & faith of him that prayeth: and that appeareth: for penitent Jonah prayeth out of the whales velly, and miserable Job upon y• dung heap, Daniel in the Cave of the Lions, Hieremye in the clay pit, the thief upon the cross, Saint Stephen under the stones. Wherefore the grace of God is to be prayed for in every place and every where as our necessity shall have need and wanteth solace.