John Trapp on Jonah 3:6

Verſe 6. For word came unto the k[illegible: 1 letter]ng of Nineveh] I can hardly beleeve that this was Sardanapalus (as ſome will carry it) but ſome other better Prince, that (Veſpaſian-like) was patientiſſimus veri, Quintilian. one that had thoſe about him that would tell him the truth of things, and he was content to heare it, and ſubmit to it. Like enough it is, that this was but harſh newes to him at firſt hearing: but when he had well conſidered it, and taken adviſe upon it, he ſet upon a reformation. Our Chroniclers tell us of a poore Hermite that came to Richard the firſt Anno 1195. and, preaching to him the words of eternall life, bad him be mindfull of the ſubverſion of Sodom, and to abſtaine from things unlawfull. Otherwiſe, ſaid He, the deſerved vengance of God will come upon thee. The Hermite being gone, the king at firſt ſeemed to ſl[illegible: 1 letter]ght his words. But afterwards falling ſick, he more ſeriouſly bethought himſelf: and waxing ſound in ſoule as well as body, he grew more devout and charitable to the poore,Hovedon 428. Speed 542. riſing early and not departing from the church till divine ſervice were finiſhed &c. If the king of Nineveh had ever heard of Jonah his being in the wh[illegible: 1 letter]les belly, it might well be ſome inducement to him to beleeve his preaching, it might do him no leſſe good then Iohn Friths book called A preparation to the croſſe, brought in a fiſh's-belly to the Univerſity of Cambridge a little before the Commencement, did to ſome good people here, that had hearts to make uſe of it. One grave Divine gave this Note upon it in a ſermon before the Parliament, Mr. Jeremy Dike above twenty yeares ſince, That ſuch a book, ſhould be brought in ſuch a manner, and to ſuch a place, and at ſuch a time, when by reaſon of peoples confluence out of all parts notice might be given to all places of the land, in mine apprehenſion it can be conſtrued for no leſſe then a divine warning, and to have this voice with it, England prepare for the croſſe.

he aroſe from his throne] Laid aſide his ſtate, as the great Turk alſo doth, at this day, when he entreth into his temple to pray. Jer. 13.18 Say unto the King and to the Queen Humble your ſelues, ſit down: for your principalities ſhall come down, even to the crown of your glory. This great king could not but know himſelf to be a great ſinner: and that his ſins had done much hurt. 1. by Imputation: for plectuntur Achivi, Horat. the people oft pay for their Rulers follyes, as in Davids dayes, 2 Sam. 24. 2. by Imitation: for Magnates are Magnetes, they draw many by their example: and as bad humours flow from the head to the body; ſo do bad Rulers corrupt the reſt. This conſcious, and (as ſome think) conſcicucious King therefore riſeth up from his throne,Jud. 3.20. Zarnou. (as Eglon that unweildy king of Moab had once done to heare Gods meſſage by Ehud) & qui paulò antè ſedebat ſuperbus in folio, nunc jacet humilis in ſolo, he lieth low, and putteth his mouth in the duſt Lam. 3.29. laying aſide all cogitation and pride of his kingly majeſty: together with all ſoft and ſumptuous rayment (that neſt of pride, as One calleth it.)

he laid his robe from him] Paludamentum ſuum, ſaith Tremelius; but that's a cloak which the Romane Emperours uſed to put on when they went forth to battle, and therefore not ſo proper here (as Piſcator thinkes) ſith there was no viſible enemy, which makes the Ninevites repentance the more remarkable. Mercer rendreth it Chlamydem ſuam, his imperial cloake; the Chaldee his precious garments. The word ſignifieth his ſumptuous and gorgeous attire, his cloake of State, no leſſe coſtly (perhaps) then that of Alciſhenes the Sybarite, ſold to the Carthagians by Dionyſius for 120.Athen[illegible: 1 letter]us. talents: or that of Demetrius of Macedon, which none of his ſucceſſors would weare propter invidioſam impendij magnificentiam for the exceeding great coſtlineſſe thereof. This robe or purple and other ornaments the King of Nineveh laid aſide, as was fit, in this day of reſtraint, as a faſt-day is fitly called. So the children of Iſrael ſtript themſelves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb, where they had made a golden calf Exod. 33.6. For the Lord had ſaid to Moſes, Say unto the children of Iſrael, ye are a ſtifnecked people: I wil come up into the middeſt of thee, and conſume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee. ver. 5. that I may determine how to diſpoſe of thee: and this is ſpoken after the manner of men, who judge by the outward actions as Gen. 18.21. and 22, 12. for otherwiſe, God knoweth all his works from the beginning of the world Act. 15.18. But he ſpeaketh this here as if he would hereby judge of their repentance, whether it were true or falſe. The Prophet Eſay objects it to thoſe of his time for a foule fault, Behold in the day of your faſt, ye find your pleaſure chap. 58.3.

and covered him with ſack-cloth] And ſo, as Chryſoſtome hath it, quod non poterat diadema, id ſaccus obtinuit: ſicut ferrum poteſt quod aurum non poteſt. Sackcloth could prevaile more then ſilk: as iron can do what gold cannot.

and ſat in aſhes] In cinere Illo, ſo Vatablus rendreth it: in that aſhes wherein he uſed to ſit, when he moſt mourned. Our ſorrow for ſin ſhould be the deepeſt of all ſorrowes Zech. 12.11, 12, 13. See the Note there.