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

When as Jonah perceived he could no longer cloak ⟨image 54⟩and hide his offence, he doth not only confess his fault, but also maketh them privy, and uttereth his faith and religion he hath in GOD, unto them. In that he confesseth his fault, we learn that the first gree and proceeding to mercy and remission, is the knowledge of the sin, which is a thing most difficile and hard to the flesh to say: I have offended the Lord, and will amend. For either we deny our sin with Cain, or extenuate and excuse it with Saul. Would to God our Jonasses would acknowledge their faures, & not excuse it nor extenuate it. It is but a mockery once in a year to acknowledge, and murmur our faults in the ⟨p. xlv⟩priests ear. But we should from the heart repent the neglecting of our bounden duties, and unfeignedly amend it, which is not only painful to the flesh, but also grateful unto God. I exhort all men therefore that knoweth them selves guilty, as in dead there is none of us of all parts innocent, we say with Dauyd: we have offended the Lord.

When as Ionas perseaued he coulde no longer clooke ⟨image 54⟩and hyde hys offence, he dothe not onelye confesse hys faulte, but also maketh them priuye, and vttereth hys fayeth and religiō he hath in GOD, vnto theym. In that he confesseth hys faulte, we learne that the fyrste gree and procedynge to mercye and remyssion, is the knowledge of the synne, whyche is a thynge moste difficile and harde to the fleshe to saye: I haue offended the Lord, and wil amend. For either we denie oure syn with Cain, or extenuate and excuse it wyth Saule. Would to God our Ionasses would acknowledge theyr faures, & not excuse it nor extenuate it. It is but a mockeri once in a yere to acknowledge, and murmoure oure faultes in the ⟨p. xlv⟩priestes eare. But we shoulde from the harte repent the neglectyng of our bounden duties, and vnfaynedlye amende it, whyche is not onely paynefull to the fleshe, but also gratefull vnto God. I exhorte all men therefore that knoweth theym selues gyltye, as in deade there is none of vs of all partes innocente, we saye wythe Dauyd: we haue offended the Lorde.