Six sermons preachedSixe sermons preached

So sins follow one another like links of a chain, till the tempest of destruction break it in sunder. Therefore one said, I have sworn and God did not punish me, therefore I will steal: I have stolen, and God did not punish me, therefore I will kill: I have killed and God did not punish me, then why may not I do what I list? I may do this as well as I have done other things heretofore. Jonah confesseth his sin, that we might confess. First, he confesseth that he knew his masters will, and did it not: secondly, he took another course quite contrary to that he was commanded; but happy were Jonah if he had gone before he was made to go. If that he had considered with himself that God is the Lord, who is all seeing and almighty, from whom nothing can be concealed, he would never have taken his journey to Japho, or when he came to Japho he would not have paid the fare, or when he payed the fare, he would not have entered the ship, or when he was gone into the ship, he would not have hoist the sails, but rather would have leapt out of that ship that should carry him from his God, but he forgets himself, thinking that the creatures can hide him from the creator, which is an ⟨p. 114⟩¹absurd thing to think, seeing nothing can be hid from him. And so Nineveh is still like Nineveh, but Jonah is not like Jonah, then sin is crying, and the Prophet is flying, and so all falls to confusion. All those that pity Jonah, let them pity themselves, for if we consider our own estate, we have as many and as foul sins in us as there were in Jonah, yea or in Nineveh. But here mark the subtlety of the devil, §1he thought that if he could let Jonah from going to Nineveh by these former reasons, then the goodliest city in all Samaria should be destroyed, and so the very angels in heaven should mourn. §2Further, that if Jonah would repent & turn back from going, (being commanded) then Jonah should be counted a false Prophet in Israel, and so a Prophet should be discredited. §3Further, he thought that if Jonah would repent, he could put such a Prophet out of Gods favour, & make him be despised, he thought that then he should get well by his labour. So we see that the devil hath power to tempt us to sin, but not to force us to sin. Then lo a comfort, that our enemies power is in our fathers hand: