The prophete Ionas with an introduccion: before teachinge to vnderstonde him and the right vse also of all the scripture/ and why it was written/ and what is therin to be sought/ and shewenge wherewith the scripture is locked vpp that he which readeth it/ can not vnderstonde it/ though he studie therin neuer so moch: and agayne with what keyes it is so opened/ that the reader can be stopped out with no sotilte or false doctrine of man/ from the true sense and vnderstondynge therof

In Short

This sixteenth-century text is both a commentary on the Book of Jonah and a polemic against the religious establishment of its day. By treating Jonah as a "young scholar" whose struggles mirror those of every believer, the author argues that scripture is not a collection of fables, but a living dialogue between God and the individual soul. The book has endured because it strips away the layers of institutional tradition to focus on a direct, heart-centered relationship with the divine, emphasizing personal repentance and the necessity of internal transformation over external rituals.

The Story

The narrative arc begins with a diagnostic challenge: the author asserts that the scriptures have been "locked up" by the "earth of traditions" and false teachings. He posits that the story of Jonah is not merely a historical account but a vital contract between God and the reader. Jonah is introduced as a man chosen by God, yet one who is initially "weak and rude"—a spiritual novice who attempts to flee from his divine commission. His flight to Tarshish is characterized as an act of fleshly self-deception, a desperate attempt to bury his conscience under the distractions of daily life.

God intervenes by sending a tempest, revealing that Jonah’s internal conflict has external consequences. The sailors, despite their pagan background, represent a raw openness to truth; they cast lots and, discovering Jonah’s guilt, are forced to cast him into the sea. Jonah’s subsequent ordeal within the fish is described as a "furnace" that purges him of his "fleshly wisdom." The author emphasizes that Jonah’s prayer from the belly of the fish—which he presents as a song of gratitude and praise—marks the moment of his spiritual awakening.

Upon being released, Jonah is transformed. No longer acting out of his own imagination or desire for rest, he obeys the command to preach in Nineveh. The city, described as the greatest in the world, responds with an immediate and thorough repentance, which the author contrasts sharply with the hardened hearts of the religious leaders of his own time. When God spares Nineveh, Jonah’s initial human frailty resurfaces in the form of anger. He is dissatisfied that his prophecy of destruction did not come to pass. The story concludes with a divine lesson: God uses a vine, a worm, and an east wind to teach Jonah about the nature of compassion. By highlighting God’s care for the vast population of Nineveh, the author underscores the triumph of divine mercy over human vengeance and rigid legalism. He argues that this lesson is not for Jonah alone, but serves as a perennial warning to all who would prefer their own rigid doctrines to the expansive, merciful heart of God.

How It Unfolds

The nature of scripture The author establishes that the Bible contains a "body" of outward signs and a "soul" of internal truth. He warns that those who focus only on the literal shell miss the pith and sweetness intended for the faithful.

The flight of the prophet Jonah is portrayed as a reluctant, immature servant attempting to escape the presence of God. This act of disobedience is shown to be a futile effort to find peace by fleeing the responsibilities of the spirit.

The storm and the casting of lots The tempest serves as the physical manifestation of Jonah’s internal unrest. The sailors’ reaction and the eventual selection of Jonah by lot demonstrate how one person’s spiritual state can impact those around them.

The furnace of the fish The time spent inside the fish acts as a profound, transformative experience. This period of isolation forces Jonah to confront his true nature and ultimately leads him to a state of humble submission.

The preaching to Nineveh Jonah’s mission to the great city highlights the power of sincere, direct preaching. The people of Nineveh, by responding with genuine repentance, provide a model that condemns the hardened hypocrisy of the religious elite.

The final lesson of the vine The book concludes with Jonah’s stubborn anger and God’s gentle correction. Through the withering of the vine, Jonah is forced to acknowledge the vastness of divine compassion compared to his own narrow, self-centered worldview.

The People

Jonah occupies the center of the text, not as a perfected saint, but as a "young scholar." His journey is one of stumbling, fleeing, and eventually being refined by adversity. He represents the potential for growth in any believer who is willing to move from fleshly resistance to spiritual obedience.

The sailors serve as a foil to Jonah’s self-absorption. Though they are pagans, their pragmatic response to the storm and their eventual reverence for God highlight the author’s belief that truth is not the exclusive property of the institutionally "holy." They act with a clarity of purpose that Jonah momentarily lacks.

The "hypocrites" or "fleshly minded" are the primary antagonists. Representing the religious establishment, they are depicted as those who stop up the "wells of life" with traditions and allegories to protect their own profit and power. They are the ones who make God’s law a worldly, manageable burden, and whose own hearts have become as stony as the clay in a furnace, rendering them incapable of true repentance.

In Its Own Voice

Regarding the tendency to bury the actual meaning of scripture under layers of human invention:

As the envious Philistenes stopped the welles of Abraham and filled them vpp with erth/ to put the memoriall out of minde/ to the entent that they might chalenge the grounde: even so the fleshly minded ypocrites stoppe vpp the vaynes of life which are in the scripture.

Regarding the way God uses adversity to bring the individual back to a place of truth:

For his mercy wayted vppon the/ to rid them out agayne/ assone as they ware lerned & come to the knowlege of their awne hertes.

Regarding the contrast between outward religious performance and internal devotion:

To beleue that god only is the sauer/ is the thynge that all the Iewes vowed in theyr circumcision/ as we in oure baptim.

What It's Really About

The central argument is that the scriptures are a map for the individual soul’s encounter with the divine, intended to be understood through the "keyes" of faith and spiritual repentance rather than the "false doctrine of man." The author posits that the entire Bible is an "obligacion" between God and the reader, proving that God remains merciful, long-suffering, and consistent throughout time. The text rejects the idea that religious rituals or human-made laws can satisfy the soul or justify a person before God. Instead, it argues that genuine transformation happens only when the individual stops relying on outward works—what the author calls "holy hypocrisy"—and turns directly to the promise of mercy, allowing the law to first reveal their own inner filthiness and then guide them to grace.

Why Read It Today

This book will resonate with readers who are weary of institutional dogma and are searching for a more direct, raw experience of faith. It offers a bracing, unvarnished look at the struggle between personal desire and spiritual calling. The writing is passionate, muscular, and deeply urgent; it feels less like a dry academic commentary and more like a manifesto written by someone who has staked their life on the ideas within.

However, the reader must be prepared for the realities of the period. The language is early modern English, which—while beautiful and rhythmic—requires some patience to decipher. The author is also famously combative; his deep-seated frustration with the religious leaders of the sixteenth century is palpable and occasionally harsh. Readers should expect an uncompromising critique of the "Pope" and institutional authority, which reflects the intense sectarian conflicts of the Reformation era.

If you can move past the archaic spelling and the specific historical grievances, you will find a timeless, deeply psychological portrait of a person trying to run away from their purpose and being brought home by a mix of catastrophe and unexpected grace. It is a work that asks for your full engagement, challenging you to stop "reading for show" and start "reading for your life."