Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 16:4

4 A wicked, and adulterous generation, seeketh after a sign, and there shall be no sign given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed.

We meet with the same Answer, given to the Pharisees, Chap. 12.39. you pretend your selves to be the Children of Abraham, but you are Bastards rather than his Children; he saw my Day afar off, and rejoyced, you will not believe, tho you see me amongst you and at your Doors; he believed without any Sign, you will not believe, tho I have shewed you many Signs. You shall have no such Sign as you would have, the Sign of the Prophet Ionah is enough: But in our Lords former reference of them to the Prophet Ionah, he instanced in one particular, viz. his being three Days, and three Nights in the Belly of the Whale; here he seemeth more generally to refer to Ionah, as a Type of him in more respects, which indeed he was▪ Chemnitius reckons them up thus. 1. Ionas was thrown into the Sea by the Mariners, to whom he had betrusted himself: Christ was delivered to Death by the Iews, to whom he was specially promised. 2. Ionas was willingly thrown into the Sea. Christ laid down his Life, and Man took it not from him. 3. Ionas by being cast into the Sea, saved those in the Ship. Christ by his Death saved the Children of Men. 4. Ionas after he had been in the Whales Belly three days, was cast up on dry Land: Christ after three Days, rose again from the dead. 5. The Ninivites, tho upon the Preaching of Ionah they made a shew of Repentance, yet returning to their former Sins, were soon after destroyed; so were the Jews within Forty years after Christs Ascension. So as Ionas was many ways an Eminent Sign, and Type of Christ. Our Lord having referred them to Study this Sign, would entertain no more Discourse with them, but leaves, and departeth from them. Mark saith, Chap. 8. v. 13. that he entring into the Ship again, departed to the other side, (the Ship which brought him to Dalmanutha, or, Magdala) and went into the Coasts of Galilee again.