Thus Satan persuadeth us as he did Jonah, he saith to us as he said to Christ, if you will fall down and worship me, I will give 1you all things you would have: if you will leave the society, the exercises, the profession, and the company of the children of God, and of the service of God, and serve me, and worship me, in preferring your covetousness, your pride, your envy, your lust, before the service of God, then you shall grow rich, and you shall not be so scrupulous to swear for your gain sometime, or to lye for your pleasure, and to cousin for riches, and ⟨p. 126⟩you shall have good luck, and shall have every thing at your hearts desire. But if we do his will, we shall speed as Jonah did, we shall have the wrath and vengeance of God upon our heads: for he hath nothing to give us, although he makes us believe we shall have great kingdoms. Yes we shall have hell for our reward, which will make all their hearts to ache which receive it, other reward he hath none. So the devil is always a very serviceable and pleasant devil to such as fly from God: he can find occasions at all times, and means and instruments fit for that purpose. If thou wilt fly from God, the devil will lend you both spurs, and a horse, (yea a post horse) that will carry you swiftly & lustily away unto all vanity and ungodly lusts. But see what Jonah got by his journey, notwithstanding all the furtherances that Satan could work for him, he lost his money, lost his joy, lost his credit, and almost lost his life too. Thus we see in Jonah what it profiteth a man to fly from God, in obeying and practising the evil motions and temptations of Satan in steed of the known will of God, for the very dumb creatures were bent against him for his disobedience: the wind blows as though it would over turn all, the waters roar as though they ⟨p. 127⟩will drown all, the ship reels and tumbles as though she were weary of all, & the mariners cry and cast out their wares apace, as though they would loose all: And yet the wind could not overthrow him, nor the waters drown him, nor the whale eat him; and thus Jonah fled from God but not God from Jonah.
Thus Sathan perswadeth vs as he did Ionah, he saith to vs as he said to Christ, if you will fall downe and worship me, I will giue 1you all things you would haue: if you will leaue the societie, the exercises, the professiō, and the companie of the children of God, and of the seruice of God, and serue me, and worship me, in preferring your couetousnesse, your pride, your enuie, your lust, before the seruice of God, then you shall grow rich, and you shall not be so scrupulous to sweare for your gaine sometime, or to lye for your pleasure, and to cosin for riches, and ⟨p. 126⟩you shall haue good lucke, and shall haue euery thing at your hearts desire. But if we do his will, we shall speede as Ionah did, we shall haue the wrath and vengeance of God vpō our heads: for he hath nothing to giue vs, although he makes vs beleeue we shall haue great kingdomes. Yes we shall haue hell for our reward, which wil make al their hearts to ake which receaue it, other reward he hath none. So the deuill is alwayes a very seruiceable and pleasant deuill to such as fly from God: he can finde occasiōs at all times, and meanes and instrumēts fit for that purpose. If thou wilt fly from God, the deuill will lend you both spurres, and a horse, (yea a post horse) that will carrie you swiftlie & lustilie away vnto all vanitie and vngodlie lusts. But see what Ionah got by his iourney, notwithstanding all the furtherances that Sathan could worke for him, he lost his money, lost his ioy, lost his credit, and almost lost his life too. Thus we see in Ionah what it profiteth a man to flye frō God, in obeying and practising the euill motions and tēptations of Sathan in steed of the knowen will of God, for the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience: the wind blowes as though it would ouer turne all, the waters roare as though they ⟨p. 127⟩will drowne all, the ship reeles and tumbles as though she were wearie of all, & the mariners crie and cast out their wares apace, as though they would loose all: And yet the wind could not ouerthrow him, nor the waters drowne him, nor the whale eat him; and thus Ionah fled from God but not God from Ionah.
- 1Luke. 4. 7.
