Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

a .'c o á t:, )arlian be greatI fall into horrible deedes , and the fruit ofthefin whichretnaynethin my members breakethout. Notwithflanding ,the Spirit leaueth mee not , but rebuketh tree , andbringeth meehome againe vntomy profeflion, fo that I neuer cat+offtheyoke ofGod from of my necke , neither yeelde vp my felfe vnto fnnetoferueit, but fight a (lob , and beginneane'xebattaile. And I hadrather you thouid vndertland this forth ofthe Scriptures, by the exam- pleoflonas and the Apofiles. Ionas Was the friendeofGod, and a chofen feruantofGod, to teflifie his will vino the worlde. Hee was fent from the landeofifraell , where he was a Prophet , togoeatnongfl an Heathenpeople and the greatenGit:eof the worlde, then calledNinitte, topreach that with- infortiedayes they fliould beedearoyed fortheir firmes : which meffagethe free willofforms had ds muchpower to doeas the wea'kefi' hearted woman in the worlde had power, iffhe were comtnauiided to leape into tubbeof liningSnakes and Adders : as happely if God had comanaunded Sara to fa- crifice her fonne l faac , ashee didAbraham, (beewouldhaue difputed with God, ere ilaeehad done it, as though thee were thong, enough. Well , Ionas hartenedbyhis owne imagination,and reafoning afterthismaner; I am heere a Prophet vnto Gods people the Ifraelites: which though they haue Gods . word tefti-fiedvnto them daylie, yet defpife and worfhip Godunder the like-- nefeofCalues, and afterall maneroffafhions fateafter his owne word , and thereforeare ofall nations thewordandmolt worthyofpunithment.And yet Godfor lone ofafewe that areamong theta , and for his names fake fpareth and defendeth them : how then{hall God take fo cruel! vengeance oatíogreat amultitude ofthem to whomehis name was neuer preached, and therefore arenot the tenth part fo euill as thefe ? If' therefore (hall goepreach , I (hall lie and fhamemyfelfe andGod too , &make them the more to defpife God. Vpon this imagination he fledfrom the prefenceofGod,& from the country whereGod is worn-lipped. When Ionasentred into the fhip,he laidhimdown' to fleep,fbrhis confcience was tolled betweene the commandement ()Mod which fent him toNiniiae, &hisfleihly wifedomewhich dilfwaded &coun- felledhim to the contrarie,& atlat+preuailedagamathe commandement,& carted himanotherway as afhip caught betweene two tlrearnes (as the Poets fainethemother ofMeleager tobebetween diuersafieeions; while toauenge herbrothers death the fought to fleyherowne fon) whereuponfor verypaine and tedioufneffebelaydown to flcep to thecommandement outofmind, which did fo gnaw& fret hisconfcience: as alto the natureofal the wicked is, when they haue finned ineameft,to feek all means with ryot,reuell, &patlime todriue the remembrance offan forthoftheirhearrs,as Adam. did to couer his wickednes with appernsoffig-leaues.But God awoke him outofhisdreame, & fet his fines before his face:for when the lot had caught Ionas,theri be fure thathis fin came to remembrance again,and that his conferenceragednoleffe then the watersof the fea.And the" he thought,he onlywas a fanner, & thought alto thatasverily ashehad fled fromGod, as milkGodhad call him away: Pf3 for

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=