IONAHS SERMON AND Ninivehs repentance A SERMON PREACHED AT Pauls Crosse Jun. 20. 1602. and now thought fit to be published for our meditations in these times By RO. WAKEMAN Master of Arts. and fellow of Balioll Colledge in Oxford The second Impression Matth. 12.41 The men of Niniveh shall rise in iudgment with this generation and condemne it Printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes and are to bee sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson 1606. To the Christian Reader I am not ignorant beloued in Christ Iesus how fruitful this age of ours is in bringing forth to the viewe of the world many new bookes in somuch that wise men doe accompt it a fault of these times that so many simple pamphlets are suffered to bee committed to the presse VVherin if I be iustly blamed with the rest for publishing these my rude raw meditations accept of my iust excuse which is not as commonly others alleadge for themselves importunity of friendes for then I had printed my sermon assoone as I had preached it being ther vnto earnestly desiered by many that heard me as well strangers as of my familiar acquaintance But vnderstanding since that many copies as they were taken by note are scattered abroad in Londō else where wherof some haue come vnto my hands and finding them to be very vnperfect I am the more willing to publish the same as I delivered it not adding or detracting any one worde in the whole And wheras in the secōd generall part I largly amplyfied the severall circumstauntes whe I first penned the I do now only point at them in this printed copte partly to avoide tediousnes partly because I was constrated so to do when I preached this sermon beeing then cut off by the vnseasonablenes of the weather and shortnesse of the time But how simple vnperfect soever it bee yet for the arguments suke befitting these heave times which vvas an other cause of my printing it I am the rather bould to offer it to the consideration of every well-disposed Christian beseeching God who giueth a happy successe to alour labours so to blesse it that he who readeth the same may so meditate on the partence and long-suffering of God and of his iudgement and iustice that by the one be may be allured vnto repentance by the other deterred from sin That as the people of Niniveh bearing the wordes of Ionas Sermon did all turne from their evill waies so the people of England reading an exposition on Ionas sermon may all become newe converts vnto the Lord. That as the Lorde in mercy dealte vvith them in with-houlding his punishments so he may as mercifully deale with vs as this time in removing his heavy plagues and fearefull iudgments from vs and from our Land Thus recommending is to thy Christian meditation and my selfe all my studies to thy daily praiers I bad thee hartely fare well in the Lord. From Palioll Colledg in Oxford October 10. 1603. Thine in the Lord ROBERT VVAKE-MAN Ionah 3.4.5 The Analysis of the Text. In these two verses I obserue 2. generall parts 1. Ionas sermon to the Ninivites whereof there are 2 principall parts ver 4 1 The patience long suffering of the Lorde in that hee did not presently destroy these Ninivites but gaue them a good space to repent yet 40 daies 2 His iustice and iudgement denoūcing destruction against them if in the time allotted they would not repent and amend And Niniveh shall be destroied 2. The Ninivits repentance at Ionas sermon descriped in 4. circūstances ver 5. 1 By their faith which was not fruitelesse So the people of Niniveh beleeved God 2 By their fasting which was not privat And proclaimed a fast 3 By their attire which was not costlie And put on sackcloath 4 By their number which were not few From the greatest to the least There are some other observations by the way pointed at which are not specified in this table A SERMON PREACHED at Pauls Crosse Iun. 20. An. 1602 The Text. Ionah 3.4 5. Yet 40. daies and Niniveh shall be destroved So the people of Niniveh beleeved God and proclaimed a fast and put on sack-cloath from the greatest of them even to the least of them WHē Ionas the Prophet of the Lorde Right Honorable The occasion argument of this Prophecie Right worshipful wel-beloued in the best beloued Christ Iesus had a long time in vaine preached and prophecied in Jsraells hee had an expresse charge giuen him from the highest to goe and cry againg Niniveh the theife city of the Assiriās that provoking them the gentiles to repentance he might the rath r leane the obstinate Israelits inexcusable But such was either his wilful obstinacy that he would not or his fraile imbecility that he did not regard his Lordes designement thinking with him selfe that his labour shoulde take little effect among strangers to God and himselfe seeing it had done so small good on Jsraell his owne people And therfore in steed of going to Niniueh whither he was boūd he shippeth himselfe for Tarshish cōmitteth himselfe vnto the sea thinking thereby to fly from the presence of the Lord. But behold he that is the God as well of the sea as of the dry sand sendes out his heraulds after him a great wind a mighty tempest who raised the sea and rowled the waues and rocked the ship and so rowsed vp sleepy Ionas that he finds no rest in the ship the ship no safty in the waues the waues no quiet in the sea the sea no calme in it selfe vntill the marriners had throwne out Ionas to appease it And yet see the providēce of a good God to a disobediēnt Prophet though he is cast out yet the Lord doth not cast him of though the mariners by his owne appointment takes him vp throws him into the sea yet a great fish by the Lordes appointment swallowes him vp and castes him on the dry land Beeing thus delivered out of the deepe by the mighty hand of God he had the second time the same charge laid vpon him b Arise goe preach to Niniveh the great city Ion. 32. Which the Prophet had no sooner hard but behold his obediēce to the Lords call c He arose saith the text and went to Niniveh according to the word of the Lord. Yea to Niniveh as great and excellent city of 3. daies iourney as the Prophet cals it Yea he cryed against it and said as before J read vnto you Yet forty daies Niniveh shall be destroyed So the people of Niniveh beleeved God proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them vnto the least In which two verses for my easier proceeding and your better vnderstanding may it please you to obserue and consider with mee these tvvo general partes 2. The generall divisiō two parts generall partes 1. Ionas sermon to the Ninivites in these wordes Yet forty daies
in as bad manner and no lesse measure reigne revel in England what other sequele thē is to be feared thē that the Lord should shower downe his plagues and iudgements vpon vs in as great measure as ever he did vpon thē For he is the same God now as he was then and his harted ro sin is stil the same We read of three greivous punishments which the Lord threatneth to bring vpon his people for their sinnes I wall consume them saith he by pestilence by famine and by the sword ser 14 12. Beloued in Christ Iesus Gods iudgments rustly to be expected on England if it doe not speedily repent let not England slatter her selfe any longer with the Lords patience for shee hath provoked him to long Beholdnow the axe of this anger is put to the root of the tree his fan is in his land to purge his flore his fire is kindled his bow is ready bent the arrows of his vengance are ready drawn to the head the ful viols of his displeasure hangs over our heades ready to power downe the like or greater iudgments vpon vs if wee speedely turn not vnto him by a true vnfained repērāce The great plague in England 1593. See Stowes Cronicle The yeares are not yet many nor the time long since the inscriptions on your dores without were as evident testimonies of the destroying Angel of the Lord within since the arrow that flieth by day the pestilence that vvalketh in the darknesse the plague that destroyeth at noone day devoured many thousands in this citty other places of this land And had not Gods mercy bin the greater in saying then to his Angel as in like case we read he did it is sufficient hould new thy hand 2. Sam. 24.16 A mā might haue wādred about our conntry as Diogenes sometimes did about Athens with a candle and lanterne in his hād at noone-day to seeke I do not say a good mā but any mā at al not haue foūd him The great dearth 1597 The yeares are not yet many nor the time longe since the husbandmā as the prophet spekaeth sowed much and brought in little since the heavens over vs stayed themselves frō dew the earth vnder vs brought not forth her fruites since the staffe of our bread vvas broken cleanes of teeth foūdin alour villages want of victuals in alour citties And had not Gods mercy bin the greater then vnto vs in sending a plentiful increase our skin had cleaved to our bones withered like a stock Lament The Spanish fleete 1588. 4.8 Finally the yeares are not yet many nor the time longe since the sword of a forraine foe hath bin shaken at our lād threatning an overthrowe of the same since tidings of warres rumors of manifold troubls haue bin sounded in our eares to say nothing of our wicked attempts divelish conspiracies of many of our vnnatural countri-men at home But ô Lord as thou hast given but abad successe to such evil interprizes so wee beseech thee stil to bring to nought the proiects purposes of al such either forraine adversaries that seeke our realmes destructiō or trecherous Absolons that lift vp their handes against their dread soveraigne thine anointed Let vs not thinke my deare brethren that these iudgmēts of pestilence of famine the sword haue come vnto vs by chaunce so gon away againe There is a God above that in some measure hath made vs tast of them for our sins whom if we stil provoke by heaping sin vpō sin assu redly he hath these greater plagues in store to power down vpō vs. For the arme of the Lorde is not shortened hee that hath striken vs once can wil for our sins strike the secōd time He that hath smot some few of our nation with the sword can wil for our disobedience if we repent not in time with the sword againe destroy many thousands and millions more Hee that with the plague of pestilēce hath takē away here there on can wil for our vnthākfulnes if wee repent not in time with the same or a greater disease take away * The lamentable experience of this wee feele in this yeare 2603. whole multituds togither nay devour whole citties and towns and leave our land as desolate as a wildernes He that hath punished our bodis in the time of dearth for want of bread can wil for our rebellion if we repent not in time suffer our soules to perish for wāt of spiritual comfort yea he will bring on our land as the Prophet speaketh not a famine of bread but of hearing the word of the Lord And wee shal wander from sea to sea and from the North evē vnto the East shal wee runne to fro to seeke the word of the Lord and shal not finde it Amos 8.11 12. A heavy iudgment of al other my deare brethren yet most vsual where Gods word is contemned set at naught Great was the glory glorious the light which the Church of God sometimes had in Asia the lesse at what time the blessed Evāgelist St. Iohn Policarpus many other schollers of the Apostles floorished there How famous for the word preached were those citties of Graecia florishing Churches of Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colosse and Thessalonica wherin St. Paule preached planted so many holesome doctrines of the Christian faith and to whō he wrote so many divine Epistles extant in our church to this day But for the sinnes iniquities of the inhabitāta of those places were not the bright shining lamps of religion quite extinguished among them was not the light of the Gospell quite taken from them and since removed into the West Nay the citty Rome was once the mirrour of nations the glory of the world the wōder of the West the sanctuary of religiō the very habitation of true piety when her faith was published throughout the whole worlde Rom. 1.8 But when religious Rome once proved beastly Babylon the holy cittie an harlot when idolatrie and superstition began once to rule raign in her beholde her candlesticke was removed into the northerne parts and among the rest to vs of this land where if wee giue it no better welcome entertainment thē they did how may we not iustly feare the like iudgement least the Lord deprive vs of so great a blessing giue it to Tartarians and Moores wilde and savage people that wil with greater alacrity receive it peradventure with greater fruit entertaine it then we haue done Wherefore my deare brethren yet the word of the Lord is amongst vs yet the Prophets are in Israel yet the pearle is in our field yet the sound of the Gospel is heard throughout our land O thē let vs make more reckoning account of it then heretofore we haue done lest this sunne be defaced lest this light bee put out least it be told
those tenne daies he gaue them to the end they should profit themselus by his clemēcy before they should make proofe of his power But as far as light excelleth darkenes truth error heaven earth so farre in pitty mercy and compassion doth the Creator of all excell the best of all his creatures Never was there any so pittifull as he the God of pitty Never any so merciful as he the God of mercy Never any so compassionate as he the God of al compassion O how often doth he perswade by promises how often doth he allure hy rewards how often doth he intreate by favours how often doth he assay al faire meanes to convert a sinful soule before he drawe out his sword of vengance against him O when did hee spoile any country once before he had spared it often Whē did he overthrow any natiō in one day which he had not most louingly wooed before many a day When did yet any place feele the iudgmēts of his fury that had not long before tasted the sweetnesse of his mercy For this was the rule of Gods owne law this was the decree of his heavenly will that no citie should be destroyed before peace were offered vnto the same as we read Deut. 20.10 And in the Gospel it was our Saviours cōmandemēt to his disciples that into what house soever they did enter they should begin the exordiū of their message with a pax vobis saying peace be vnto this house Luk. 10.5 and it is wel worth our observing that vertues and miracles were first wrought in Corazin and Beth saida before their woe was pronounced against them Matth. 11.20 Yea the fig tree in the Gospell although the Lord when he came and sought it found no fruit therō shall not be presently cut downe but shall hane a yeare a yeare a yeare to that shal be digged dunged before it be destroyed Luk. 13.7.8 This also did the Lord of mercy do in the time of olde He sent Noah to the men of the olde world a preacher of righteousnes 2. Pet. 2.5 We sent Lot to those wicked Sodomites in the spirit of meekenes to beseech them not to do so wickedly Gen. 19.7 He sent Moses Aarō to the Aegyptian Exod. 5.1 He sent Prophets from time to time to the childrē of Jsrael He sent Iohn Baptist and our blessed Saviour the holy Apostles besides signes in the host of heavē tokens in the elemēts to the people of Ierusalem before they were destroied And although that citty were growen to a full measure of iniquity to the very height of al manner of impiety so that both the servants sonne of God were slaine by thē the Sabaoth of the Lord polluted the sanctuary of the Lord prophaned the lawe of the Lorde despised the testimony of the Lord neglected yet see the infinite mercy patience of a louing Lord behold for a warning ful forty yeares were allotted vnto her before God sent vp Vespasian Titus to sack-it As Eusebius in the 3. lib. 8 cap. of his Ecclesiastical history reporteth Before which time how did the Saviour of the world call on her to repent how did he weepe for her how did he wooe her as the brid grome his spouse to turne vnto him to forsake her evil waies how did he manifest his loue affection towards her O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thee togither as the hengathereth her chikens vnder her winges thou wouldest not Mat. 23.37 J will not trouble you with many testimonies and examples out of the word of God to confirme the truth of this doctrine being a point so manifest Looke but into the 9. chap. of the booke of Nehemiah and the most obstinate shall be constrained wil he nil he to confesse that God is a God of much patience and long suffering The whole chapter is spent in this argument setting downe in order the great benefits and blessings which the Lord in his mercy had bestowed vpō the children of Israel in times past their vnthankfulnes vnto the Lord for the same and yet the exceeding patience mercy of the Almighty extended towards them For first as we there may reade Vid Nehem 9. reade the whole chapter he considered their aflictions in Aegypt and hard their crie by the red sea he saved thē in the deepe and drowned their enemies in the mighty waters He ledde thē in the day with the pillar of a cloud and in the night with a pillar of fire to giue them light He came downe vpon mount Sinai spake vnto them from heaven gaue them right iudgments true lawes good commaundements He gaue them bread from heaven for their hunger and water out of the rock for their thirst he fed them forty yeares in the wildernesse they lacked nothing their clothes waxed not olde and their feete swelled not He gaue them kingdomes and people hee multiplied their children as the starres of heauen and brought them into a good land where they possessed houses ful of goods and did eare and were filled became fat and lived in pleasure through the Lords goodnes But behold this people whom the Lord had thus extraordinarily blessed aboue al the nation in the world became rebellious behaued themselues prowdly and hardned their neckes so that they harkened not to his commandements nor remēbred the marvelous workes which he had done for them yet for al this the Lorde forsooke them not They made them a molten calfe said this is thy God that brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and cōmitted great blasphemies yet for al this the Lord forsooke them not They were disobedient and rebelled against him and cast his law behind their backes slue his Prophets sent to convert them and yet for al this the Lord forsooke them not They did evil before him sinned against his iudgments and pulled away their shoulders and were stiffnecked would not heare and yet for al this the Lord forsooke thē not yet for all this did he not consume thē but forbare thē many yeares togither O what a God of pittie O what a Lord of mercy is this abundant in goodnes gracious full of cōpassion of long suffering slow to anger and of great kindnes Ioel. 2.13 Reserving mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34.7 How truly might he say of this people All the day long haue I stretched forth my hīd to a rebellious people to a disobediēt gaine saying vnbeleening people Rom 10.21 How truly might he say that they had a long time grieued him yet he had waited that he might haue mercy on thē Es 30.18 How truly might be professe of himselfe I desire not the death of a sinner but that the vvicked turne from his way and liue turne you turne you frō your evill waies
honorable in the earth Nô was full of people and lay in the rivers and had the waters rounde about it whose ditch was the sea her wall was from the sea yet for her sins was shee caried away and went into captivity her young childrē were dashed in peeces at the head of the streets and they cast lots for her noble men and al her mighty men were boūd in chaines Nahum 3.10 Yea Babylon called a great citty as wel as Niniveh that said in her hart I sit as Queene I am no widdow shall see no mourning by reasō of her iniquities hath her iudgment pronouned by the angel It is fallen it is fallen is become the habitation of Divels and the hole of all foule spirites and the cage of every vncleane and hateful bird Revel 18.2 Nay Ierusaleus though the perfection of beauty and ioye of the whole earth Lament 2.15 Though shee were as deare vnto the LORDE as the signet on his right hand and the onely spowse of the greate king of heaven yet because shee became wanton and played the harlot and would not be reclaimed shee was made a spectacle of vengance iudgment to all the coasts of the earth natiōs of the world That sanctified city that chosen citty of the Lord that citty built in vnity the Queene Empresse of the Provinces was so defaced and leveled with the ground that not one stone was left standing vpon an other neither in their houses wals bulwarkes turrets nor in the altars sanctuary or temple the old the young the matrones the virgins the infantes the princes the priests the Prophets the Nazerites were al slaine famished fettered scattered abroad vtterly consumed For further knowledge of all which J referre you to Iosephus de bello Iudaico where these things are largely set downe and he that readeth that story with dry eies I wil say that his hart is harder then the hardest adamant and himselfe lesse compassionate then the most barbarous Scythian in the world Si sit in viridi quid fiet in arido If this be done in the greene tree what shal be done in the dry Luk. 23.31 If the Lord dealt so severelye with the Iewes that were the natural branches what will he doe vnto them that are but the wilde branches Rom. 11.21 And if he brought so heavy a destruction vpon his own city for sin then let not this famous citty of London flatter her selfe in her security but let her and all the citties of the world feare and tremble least committing the like sinnes the Lord bring vpō thē the like iudgmēts For as his mercy is comfortable so is his iudgment inevitable and they that wil not with Niniveh imbrace him in the on in accepting the time of 40 daies to their conversion shal vndoubtedly feele him in the other in receiuing a perpetual iudgment to their confusion And so much be spoken concerning this second circumstaunce of the first general parte which was Gods iudgment denouncing destruction against Niniveh if in the time allotted she would not amend And Niniveh shal be destroyed Now lett vs see what further vse applicatiō we may make of these things vnto our selves Jhad thought Right Honorable Application of the former doctrines right worshipfull dearly beloued in Christ Iesus when I first made choice of this text to haue applied this sermon of Ionas to this renowned city of London being the Metropolu of al England as Niniveh was of Assyria because in my simple iudgment this argument heere handled may very wel befit this place these times But considering with my selfe that many of this greate assembly are inhabitants of other places of this land I doe rather thinke it best to apply it to the people of England in general that what is spoken of them every man in particular may accompt as spokē vnto himselfe And here beloued to proceede according to our Prophets method If ever there were nation or kingdome vnder the cope of heauē to whō the Lord hath manifested himselfe to be a God of much patience long suffering surely ours is that nation ours is that kingdome How hath hee desired Englands salvation Gods mercies to England how hath he waited for her conversion how hath he sought to win and wooe her to contrition He hath sent her not one Ionas one time but many hundred Prophets and teachers daily and howrely to call her to repentance He hath giuen her not 40. daies as he did Niniveh but full forty yeares and more to bethinke her selfe vnder the peaceable governement of a most gracious soveraigne Neuer did any father so long indure the vntoward linesse of a wicked sonne neuer did anie Prince so long suffer the rebellions of a disloyall subiect neuer did any Lorde so long forbear the punishment of a negligent servant never did any husband so long sustaine the iniuries of a levvde-living wise as hee our gracious father hath done vs prodigal sonnes as he our heauenly king hath done vs vnnarural subiects as he our mightie Lorde hath done vs carelesse servants as he our loving husbande hath done vs faithlesse wines His mercie forbearance to the Israclits was nothing in respect of that he hath shewed to vs the people of England He hath delivered vs from the spiritual darknesse of Aegypt the palpable obscuritie of ignorance and superstitiō He hath appointed vs his laws and ordinances his statutes and his commandements He hath given vs Manna from heaues angels foode the bread of our souls the word of life wher with he hath fed vs these manie yeares But as the young hinds in Iob beeing once growne sat with corne goe from their dams and returne not to them againe Iob. 39.7 So wee being fatted and replenished vvith these and a thousand the like vnspeakeable benefites and blessings forget and forsake the Lord of heauen Witnes our vnthankefulnesse and disobedience our grudging and murmuring against our maker Witnes our cold zeale and luke-warmenes in our profession witnes our backsliding from the truth our neglect contempt of the word of God VVitnes the burden of innumerable sins vnder which our land groaneth enmity dissention fraud and dissimulation covetousnes and oppression pride ambition adusterie and fornication svvearing and forswearing lying and stealing the like al which had long since pulled downe the heavy wrath of God and his iust iudgements vpon vs had not his mercy and loving kindnesse hindred the same Let vs not my deare brethren to farre provoke this gracious and loving God vvhom wee haue already grieued more then 40. yeares by our iniquities You know that pride fulnes of bread aboundance of idlenes and no stretching forth of handes vnto the poore vvere the very capital and head sinnes which did even vvrest and wring from the Lorde his heavie and fearefull iudgment on Sodome and Gomor Ezech. 16.49 And yet who doeth not know that all these sinnes and infinite other doe
from being to forward in reproving of sinne that they dare not take in their mouths but that cold rehrehension of olde Ely vnto his sonns Do so no more my sons do no more so 1. Sam. 2.24 But as deceiptfull Embassadours either for feare of punishmēt or for hope of gaine they forbeare to deliver the Lords Embassage vnto his people Soothing them in their sins and flattering them in their sollies and furthering thē in their iniquities Those are our temporizing preachers our time seruing Prophets our trēcher Chaplaines who either to satisfy the lust of their humorous Lord or to delight the itching eares of their vaine auditors speake nothing but placētia court phrases sweet and pleasing words that sow pillowes vnder mens elbowes and build vp their sinnes as a wall and daub vp their filthy corruptions with the vntempered morter of palpable adulatiō Whom I may iustly brand with the same name as Crates the Thebane did those parasites of his time whō hee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because sitting at great mēs tables they were ready with that cunning dissēbler in the comody to say Ais aio negas nego Whatsoever they affirmed they would affirme the same and whatsoever they denyed they would bee as ready to deny though never so vntruly right so beloved I am afraid our church hath to many such fawning and flattering Ministers who sitting at noble mēs tables if happely they be thervnto admitted for feare of displeasing will say as they say although their owne conscience I doubt not many times tels them they haue said amisse Speaking good of evill and evil of good putting darkenesse for light and light for darkenesse bitter for sweet and sweet for sower to vse the words of the Prophet Esa 5.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Making marchandise of the vvord of God as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 2. vlt. and selling the cause of the Lord for a meales meat or as the Prophet tels vs for handfulls of barly and peeces of bread Ezech. 13.19 J cānot more fitly resemble such false Prophets to any then to that flattering and dissembling Priest of Iuppiter who whē Alexander the great as Plutarch in his life testifieth came to the oracle saluted him by the name of Iuppiters sonne all to get some great present large-reward frō him so they to procure the sooner vnto themselues some promotion Ecclesiastical wil make the Alexanders of the world beleeue that they are Demy Gods or at the lestwise a degree aboue the natural conditiō of the sonnes of men They are fit chaplaines for such radies as the mother of Cyrus was who as Plutarch reporteth cōmanded that whosoever spake to the king he should vse soft silken words for surely in their preaching and reaching before such great ons of the world they vse noe other but such soft phrases silken speeches as shal befit their humours And as the natural bistorian in his 2. lib. 41. ca. of his history reporteth of the hearb called Heliotropium that it regardeth looketh towards the sunne ever as hee goeth turning with him at all howers yea even also when he is shadowed vnder a cloude so doe they in the whole course of their ministery regard consider their Lords and Ladies humours and thervnto do they apply themselves at all times yea evē then also whē they are covered with the cloudes of many grosse and crying sinnes So that I may truly say of such as the Philosopher did of the like who as Nicephorus reporteth in the 10. lib. 42. cap. of his Ecclesiastical historie comming into an Emperours court there seeing many sooth vp great men in their sins said of them purpurā ipsos magis quam Deum colere that they did more reverence purple robes then God himselfe and J am perswaded beloved in Christ Jesus that they who thus sooth vp the mighty potentants of the world in their transgressions quod purpuram ipsimagis quam deum colant that they more respecte the coūtenance of man then the favour of the everliving God For otherwise they would never as many times they doe conceale the councel wil of God to gaine a little commodity preferment at the hands of a mortal man And if it happen beloued that these men come abroad at any time to preach amonge the vulgar sorte in meaner places they haue so vsed themselves to a smooth pleasing vaine that even then J may say of them as Diogenes the Cynicke said of orators as it is in the 9. lib. and 19. cap. Elian. de varia histor that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very slaues vassals of the common people For to win their least favours they wil be favourable to their greatest sins And as Pliny in his 5. lib. 15. chap. saith that the river Iordan is a pleasant river winding turning in out seeking as it were for loue favour and applying it selfe to please the neighbour coūtries So do these time-serving preachers turne winde themselves in their sermons to the multitude seeking rather to win their favours by flatering them in their sinnes then to discharge their owne duties to God by revealing his wil vnto thē But let these men consider howe much the Lorde is offended with such deceitful hādling of his word Let them cōsider the grievous cōplaint of the Lord against such false Prophets who healed the hurt of the daughter of his people with sweete wordes saying peace where there was no peace Jer. 6.13 Let them cōsider how much he was moued with them that taught vanities spake the vision of their owne hearts not out of the mouth of the Lord. Saying to every one that vvalked after the stubbornes of his owne hart no evil shal come vpon you prophecying false dreames causing the people of the Lord to erre by their lies and by their flatteries Ier. 23. Finally let thē cōsider the severe iudgmēt of the Lord pronoūced against such faithlesse messēgers in the same Prophet Behold they that flatter the people in their sinnes sar that the sword famine shal not bee in the land by sword famine shal these Prophets be consumed Jer. 14.15 Wherfore to conclude this point let vs beloved I speake this to al my brethren and fellow-labourers in this holie busines let vs I say as trustie Embasadours boldly deliuer our Lordes Embassage not fearing him that can kill the body only but him that can cast both body and soule into hell fire Matt. 10.28 And yet let vs not seeke to gal greeue the woūded conscience of our weake auditors by to rash indiscreete doubling redoubling woes vpon them alvvaies killing thē vvith the killing letter of the law Let vs take heede least if we thus alwaies preach to others iudgmēt without mercy wee our selues bee iudged of the Lord without mercy Let vs rather by our Prophets example keeping the golden meane temper them both togither Let vs
vs as it was tolde the Angell of the Church of Ephesus that our candle sticke shal be removed Revel 2.5 Least the Arke of God bee taken from vs as it was from the Israelits 1. Sam. 4.12 Least as Paule and Barnabas saide to the Iewes to you is the worde of this salvation sent but seeing yee put it from you loe wee turne vnto the Gentiles Act. 13.46 So the Lord say vnto England to thee ô England haue J given my worde but because thou hast cast it away from thee iudgest thy selfe vnworthy of everlasting life loe J will take it away and giue it to a barbarous nation that shal bring forth the frūits therof Math. 21.43 Yet the Lord offereth his grace vnto vs O then let vs according to St. Augustines Councel in tract 33. in Iohan. Vse it now if we wil vse it at all Least the gate of mercy which to day is open to morrow be shut and never opened againe vnto vs Yet the messengers Ministers of God doe beseech vs for Christ his sake to be reconciled to him O then let vs now become newe men in the Lord least a heavier iudgement light vpon vs Yet the daies of plēty are amongst vs O then let vs nowe with Ioseph lay vp in store least wee die in the famine Yet the season is calme the weather faire O then let vs nowe with Noah build vp an arke least with the rest we perish in the flowde Gen. 7.21 Yet the Angell tarieth at the gates of Sodome O then let vs now with Lot departe thence and hast away with the Angell least with that wicked people wee be destroyed Gen. 19.24 Yet the bridgroome taryeth and waiteth for vs O then let vs make hast to enter in with him to mariages solēnity least with the foolish Virgins we be repelled with a non novi vos I know you not Mat. 25.12 Yet wisdome crieth in our streeres vsque quo O how long wil yea love vanity O then let vs nowe seeke vnto her least seeking hereafter we seek in vain and shee laugh at our destruction Prou. 1.26 Yet the Lord setteth open his store-house of mercy O then let vs now run to him for a blessing least comming too late with Esau we finde none though we seeke it with teares Heb. 12.17 Yet the Lord knocketh at the dore of our harts O then let vs now open vnto him least hee saie to vs as he did to Ierusalem O that thou hadst knowne at the lest in this thy day the things that belonge vnto thy peace but now they are hid frō thee Luk. 19 42 Yet the Lord cryeth vnto vs to a mend O then let vs in this acceptable time of grace harken vnto him least he say of vs as he did of a hard harted people as I haue cryed to you and you woulde not heare me so a time shal come when ye shal cry vnto me and I wil not he are you Zach. 7.13 Yet the Lord calleth vs vnto him O then let vs nowe come least if we come hereafter it be too late as Ioab came to Absolon whē his barly fields were burnt 2. Sam. 14.31 Yet the Lord waiteth for our returne from Babylon O thē let vs now returne vnto him while wee haue time least hereafter he say to vs as the Angel sware there shal be no more time Revel 10.6 Yet the Lord wooeth England London as he did Ephraim and Iuda O England what shal I do vnto thee O London how shal I intreate thee O then let vs imbrace the riches of his bountifullnesse his exceeding patience least wee heape vnto our selues wrath against the day of wrath of the declaration of the iust iudgment of God Rom. 2.5 Finally yet the Lord by Ionas cryeth in the streets of Niniveh many hundred Ionasses in the Citties and townes of England yet 40. daies and if yee wil not repent not only Niniveh but the rest of the land also shal be quite defaced O then let vs al with Niniveh in my text repent vs of our sinnes beleeue in God proclaime a fast and put on sackcloth least this heavy iudgment denounced by our Prophet against Niniveh iustly fal on vs for our transgressions And so much concerning my first general part which was Ionas Sermon to the Ninivits with the application therof vnto our selues Now followeth the consideration of the second parte in the next words to wit the Ninivites repentaunce wherof a word or two and so I will commit you to God So the people of Niniveh beleeued God proclaimed 〈◊〉 fast c Heere is the fruite and effect which this Sermon wrought in the Ninivites described as I toulde you before in these 4. circumstances 1. By their faith which was not fruitlesse soe the people of Niniveh beleeued God 2. By their fasting which was not private and proclaimed a fast 3 By their attire which was not costly and put on sackcloth 4. By their number which were not few from the greatest to the least The least of which 4 circumstāces if I might dwel vpon thē would require a longer time then is allotted mee for the handling of them all And J must confesse that my meditations haue beene so farre inlarged in this second point that the time beeing almost past and the weather so sodainely vnseasonable I shall not now deliver without offēding your patience the on quarter of that which I had purposed How be it because I perceiue no mā desirous to depart but everie one willing to stay and so settle himself vnto attentiō J wil be bold to point at those foure observatiōs which are included in this second part breifly running them al over tanquam Canis in Nilo lambēs picking here and there a litle as may most befit this auditory and these times leaving the consideration of the rest to every mans private meditation Obser 1. So the people of Niniveh beleeued God That is they did beleeue Ionas sermon to be as true and the iudgment therein denounced to be as certaine if they did not repent as if God himselfe had spoken it vnto them Thus faith commeth by hearing hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.17 A notable ground-worke sure foundation of their repentaunce quo sublato omne quod super struitur destruitur adificium VVhich being taken away and remoued in vaine and to no purpose do we build vp our selus in sanctity of life and sinceritie of conversation For as the blessed Apostle speaketh Hee that cōmeth to God must first beleeue that God is Heb 11.6 VVithout this faith it is vnpossible to please God what soever is not of this faith is sin Rom. 14.23 By how much the more it augmenteth the commendation of these Ninivites whose faith was the first stone in their spiritual building their first step in their Christiā race their first link in their goldē chaine of Christianity the first signe of their new conversion the first degree
senteÌ„ce such is the vertue of Gods word such is the authority of his everlasting truth And is this even so Jsthe word of the spirite so mightye in operation hath it wrought so strange effects and brought forth such wonderful fruites in ignoraÌ„t people to whom the Lord sent but one Prophet and that in so shorte a space How great then shal our iudgment be of this land to whome the Lord in mercy hath seÌ„t so many Prophets teachers these foure and forty yeares togither to instruct vs and to cal vs to repentance and yet we lie stil frozen in the dregges of our iniquities For if we doe but examine our selues by these Ninivits vve shall finde that our repentance coÌ„meth farre short of theirs Doe we in the first place imitate the Ninivits faith in beleeving of God I know that many doe God forbid there shoulde bee anye in a Christian commoÌ„-wealth either so wilfully ignorant as not to beleeue or so maliciously obstinate as not to confesse this truth and yet there are not vvanting amongst vs and they of great place also it is to bee feared that saie vvith the foole in the Psalme There is no God at all Thou damned Atheist whosoever thou art lifte vp thine eies vnto the heavens behold therein the sun the moone and the stars the wonderful works of God Cast down thine eies vpon the earth and behold therein trees plaÌ„ts hearbs flowers beasts cattel in them coÌ„fider not the power of nature as thou foolishlie callest it but of the God of nature which framed fashioned all Consider the ebbing flowing of the sea and the wonderfull workes of the highest in the deepe Looke into thy selfe a little worlde how art thou fashioned behinde and before within withe out hovv wonderfully art thou made vvith varietie of faculties distinction of members proportion of body to saie nothing of thy soule a heavenlie creature And if al this vvill not make thee confesse there is a God yet knovve this that the horrour of thy conscience for this thy so greate blasphemie shall make thee vvhether thou wilt or no acknowledge this truth Or if thy conscience bee seared with an hot yron in this world yet be thou well assured that the vvorme of conscience that never dyeth in the worlde to come shal torment thee in the lake that ever burneth and in the fire that neuer goeth out Do we in the secoÌ„d place with these Ninivites betake our selues to fasting for our sinnes What then is the cause that there are so many amongst vs who like those voluptuous Princes of Israell doe stretch themselues vpon their beds of ivory and cate the lambes of the flocke the calues out of the stal delighting them selues in the sound of the violl and other instruments of musicke that drinke wine in boles and annoint themselves vvith sweet ointments not remembring the afflictioÌ„ of poore Ioseph Amos 6.6 These are the Epicures of the world who wil rather feasT luxuriouslie with druÌ„keÌ„ Holofernes then fast religiously with these godly Ninivites These are they whose God is their bellie vvhose glory is their shame whose only felicitie consisteth in delicate fare being of his minde in the history * Philoxenus apud Aâ—â—â—ianum de vatia hist lib. 10. cap 9. who said of his meate that that was the sweetest which vvas the deerest But as the historian there very wel couÌ„celleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These examples must be remembred not that any should follow imitate them but that every one shoulde abhorre and detest them Thirdly do we imitate the Ninivites attire in clothing our selues in sackcloth and course garments Howe then commeth it to passe that the vgly and detestable monster pride hath so over-run our land that al estates and degrees amoÌ„gst vs are so tainted infected with this blemish Noble-men in the courte Gentlemen in the country serving men every where vpstart Swaggerers cutting Caveliers who when they haue no inward qualities to commend theÌ„ they must haue the ivy bush of long haire to hang over their shoulders not regarding St. Paules reproofe 1. Cor. 11.14 nor Absolons iudgement 2. Sam. 18.9 These are our inventors of newe fashioned garments our French our Turkish our Spanish our Italian English-men For a man may see a liuely resemblance of al these in their apparel as if the vanities of al nations vvere little enough to make vp the measure of an Englishmans pride Let them not thinke that want of other matter hath driven vs to tax these follies in theÌ„ It is rather want of grace in them that they will not amend For if we should not cry out against these their foul filthy sins they would on day cry out before the tribunal seate of God against them and vs. Good God that the sonns of Adam should so farre degenerate froÌ„ their father Adam He good man wos content with a garment of figg-tree leaues to hid bunakednes Gen. 3â— But we wil scarce be pleased with the ratest and richest workmanhip that art or nature can affoord to cover our sinful bodies Nay as Plinie in his 5. lib. first chapter noted the riott and excelle of his time so may we iustly do the like of outs Because forrests are sought out farre and neere for iuory and citron trees and all the rocks of Gerulia are searched for sheifishes that yeeld the purple crimson colour to make our apparell shew glorious But ô folly and vanity of advanities saith the same another euer to think oÌ„sidering our simple beginning that we were sent into the world to line in pride to adorne decke our carkesses in braverie that are nought but clay put refaction Finally do we with these Ninivites in the last circumstance generally turne vnto the Lord humble our selues before him froÌ„ the greatest vnto the least what theÌ„ is the cause that all of vs yong and old high and low haue so erred in our waies everyone turning into his own race as the horse rusheth into the battle to speake with the Prophet Ier. 8.6 What is the cause that in this bright sunnshine of the Gospel such palpable darkenesse of errour ignorance such reliques of superstitioÌ„ idolatry should remaine amongst vs What is the cause that so many of vs are meere temporizing newters luke warme professors neither hote nor colde like them Revel 3.15 halting betweene two opinions coldlie professing the Religion established but in hart imbracing Papistical false-hood What is the cause that the IesuÌ„ites and Seminaries finde such secret favour amoÌ„gst vs who like subtil deceavers are at open warre on with another but yet tyed to gither by the tasse like Sampsons Foxes with fire brandes to destroy our Church What is the cause that after the Gospel so long preached holines of life is so little practised that many come not at all to heare the worde of God or coÌ„ming with the dease adder they stop their eares at the