JONAHS' SERMON, AND niniveh's repentance. A SERMON PREACHED AT Paul's Cross 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 Balliol College in Oxford.  
The second Impression.  Matth. 12.41. 
The men of Niniveh shall rise in judgement with this generation and condemn it.  
Printed at Oxford by joseph Barnes, and are to be sold in Paul's Churchyard at the sign of the Crown by Simon Waterson. 1606.   

To the Christian Reader.  
I am not ignorant (beloved in Christ jesus) how fruitful this age of ours is in bringing forth, to the view of the world, many new books, in somuch that wise men do account it a fault of these times, that so many simple pamphlets are suffered to be committed to the press. Wherein, if I be justly blamed with the rest, for publishing these my rude & raw meditations: accept of my just excuse, which is not (as commonly others allege for themselves) importunity of friends, for than I had printed my sermon, assoon as I had preached it: being there unto earnestly desired by many that heard me, as well strangers, as of my familiar acquaintance. But understanding since, that many copies, as they were taken by note, are scattered abroad in London & else where whereof some have come unto my hands, and finding them to be very unperfect: I am the more willing to publish the same, as I delivered it, not adding, or detracting, any one word in the whole. And whereas in the second general part, I largely amplified the several circumstauntes, when I first penned the I do now only point at them, in this printed copte, partly to avoid tediousness, & partly because I was constrated so to do, when I preached this sermon being then cut off by the unseasonableness of the weather, and shortness of the time. But how simple & unperfect soever it be yet for the arguments suke, befitting these heave times (which was an other cause of my printing it) I am the rather bold, to offer it to the consideration of every well-disposed Christian: beseeching God, who giveth a happy success to alour labours, so to bless it, that he who readeth the same, may so meditate on the partence and long-suffering of God, and of his judgement and justice: that by the one be may be alured unto repentance, by the other deterred from sin. That as the people of Niniveh, bearing the words of jonas Sermon, did all turn from their evil ways so the people of England, reading an exposition on jonas sermon may all become new converts unto the Lord. That as the Lord in mercy dealt with them, in withhoulding his punishments so he may as mercifully deal with us as this time, in removing his heavy plagues, and fearful judgements from us, and from our Land. Thus recommending is to thy Christian meditation, and myself, & all my studies to thy daily prayers, I bade thee heartily far well in the Lord. From Palioll College in Oxford October. 10. 1603.  
Thine in the Lord, ROBERT WAKE-MAN.   

jonah. 3.4.5.  
The Analysis of the Text.  
In these two verses I observe 2. general parts. 


1. jonas sermon to the Ninivites, whereof there are 2 principal parts. ver 4 

1 The patience & long suffering of the Lord, in that he did not presently destroy these Ninivites, but gave them a good space to repent: yet 40 days.  
2 His justice and judgement denouncing destruction against them, if in the time allotted they would not repent and amend. And Niniveh shall be destroyed.    
2. The Ninivites' repentance at jonas sermon descriped in 4. circumstances ver. 5. 

1 By their faith which was not fruitless. So the people of Niniveh believed 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.       
There are some other observations by the way pointed at, which are not specified in this table.   

A SERMON PREACHED at Paul's Cross jun. 20. An. 1602  
The Text.  jonah 3.4, 5. 
Yet 40. days and Niniveh shall be destroved. So the people of Niniveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.  
When jonas the Prophet of the Lord (Right Honourable, 
The occasion & argument of this Prophecy.  Right worshipful, & well-beloved in the best beloved Christ jesus) had a long time in vain preached and prophesied in Jsraells' he had an express charge given him from the highest, to go and cry against Niniveh the thief city of the Assyrians: that provoking them the gentiles to repentance, he might the rather lean the obstinate Israelits inexcusable. But such was, either his wilful obstinacy that he would not, or his frail imbecility that he did not regard his lords designment: thinking with himself that his labour should take little effect among strangers to God and himself, seeing it had done so small good on Jsraell his own people. And therefore, in steed of going to Niniveh whither he was bound, he shippeth himself for Tarshish, & committeth himself unto 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, sends out his heralds after him, a great wind, & a mighty tempest: who raised the sea, and rolled the waves, and rocked the ship, and so roused up sleepy jonas, that he finds no rest in the ship, the ship no safety in the waves, the waves no quiet in the sea the sea no calm in itself, until the mariners had thrown out jonas to appease it. And yet see the providence of a good God to a disobediennt Prophet: though he is cast out, yet the Lord doth not cast him of: though the mariners by his own appointment takes him up, & throws him into the sea: yet a great fish by the lords appointment swallows him up, and casts him on the dry land. Being thus delivered out of the deep by the mighty hand of God, he had the second time the same charge laid upon him, b Arise & go preach to Niniveh the great city. 
jon. 32.  Which the Prophet had no sooner hard, but behold his obedience 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. days journey, as the Prophet calls it. Yea he cried against it, and said as before I read unto you. Yet forty days & Niniveh shall be destroyed. So the people of Niniveh believed God, & proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them unto the least.  
In which two verses, for my easier proceeding, and your better understanding, may it please you to observe, and consider with me these two general parts.  
2. 
The general division. two parts  general parts. 


1. jonas sermon to the Ninivites in these words, Yet forty days & Niniveh shall be destroyed.  
2. The Ninivites repentance in the next words, So the people of Niniveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, etc.     
The 1. setteth down a message from the Lord to a great City. The 2. declareth the conversion of a great city unto the Lord. In the 1. mercy & judgement are preached by one, and that is jonas. In the 2. faith & good works are practised by many, & they are Ninivites. Behold in the one, the duty of all true Prophets, to declare with boldness the Lords will unto his people. Behold in the other, the duty of all faithful people, to obey with alacrity the voice of the lords Prophets. The 1. general part containeth in it these.  
2. particular branches. 


1. The patience and long suffering of the Lord, in that he did not presently destioy these Ninivites, 
The subdivision of the 1. into 2. mebers.  but gave them a good space to repent. Yet 40. days.  
2. The judgement and justice of the Lord denouncing destruction against them, if in the time allotted they would not amendt And Niniveh shall be destroyed.     
So that I may well compare this sermon of jonahs' to david's song Psal. 101.1. My song, saith David, shall be of mercy and judgement. For lo while he sayeth Yet 40. days, there is a song of mercy. And Niniveh shall be destroted, there is a song of judgement. Or to that 
f Himera.  river in Sicily, that parteth itself into two channels the one yielding fresh water the other salt: for behold while he saith. Yet 40. days, there is a stream of sweet water issuing from the fountain of God's exceeding favour. And Niniveh shall be destroyed, there is an Ocean of bitter water running from the spring of God's heavy displeasure. The 1. is a word of comfort to all dispaiting souls, Yet 40. days. The 2. is a rod of correction to all presuming sinners, and Niniveh shall be destroyed. The one declareth unto us that God is a God of compassion, if we will repent, Yet 40. days. The other that he is a God of justice and severity, if we still provoke him, and Niniveh shall be destroyed. Yet 40. days, & Niniveh shall be destroyed. The 2. general part declareth the effect, 
The subdivision of the 2. into 4. circumstances.  which this Sermon wrought in the Ninivits, or their repentance, which is described by 4. circumstances.  
by 4. circumstances. 


1. By their faith which was not fruitless. So the people of Niniveh believed 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 unto the least.     
1. They believed God. There is faith the true cause of good works described. 2. They proclaimed a fast. There is a good work the effect of a lively faith deciphered. 3. They put on sackcloth. There is the garment of humility expressed. 4. From the greatest to the least. There is a mutual conversion of all declared. 1. They believed God. Behold their heathenish infidelity is turned into religious piety. 2. They proclaimed a fast. Behold their luxurious feasting is changed into moderate fasting. 3. They put on sackcloth. Behold their royal robes are cast away for simple rags. 4. From the greatest of them unto the least. Behold the consideration of the sins of all hath wrought repentance in all. So the people of Niniveh believed God and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  
Thus you see (most dear & Christian brethren) the sum & substance of that whereof at this time, by the assistance of the Almighty, and your accustomed patience, I purpose to entreat even the tenor of jonas sermon to the Ninivits, and of the Ninivites repentance at jonas sermon. God grant I may speak of them with the same spirit as jonas did, & that all this great & Honourable assembly may hear and receive them with the like fruit as did these Ninivits. And so I come to the particular handling of the words themselves. Yet 40. days.  
Partis. 1 As Noah's dove came from the waters of the flood, with an olive branch in her mouth. Gen. 8.11. Obser. 1 Even so this he avenly dove (for so the name of jonah in the Hebrew importeth, & St. Jerome on the 1 of this prophecy & elsewhere so interpreteth it) cometh unto these Ninivets', from the waters of the sea, wherein a little before he had been almost drowned with an olive branch in his mouth, preaching mercy and peace unto them if they would repent, and turn from their wicked ways. A singular argument of God's exceeding love & favour unto this city Niniveh. For he might presently have sent his Angel from heaven to have destroyed it, as he did the host of Senacharib. 2. Reg. 19.35. He might have consumed it with fire and brimstone, as he did Sodom and Gomer. Gen. 19.24. He might have spoiled it with the edge of the sword, as he did jericho jos 6.21. He might have laid it in the dust in the twinkling of an eye, as he hath done many, and as he is able to do all the cities in the world. But behold the Lord is a pitiful God Psal. 86.15. He taketh a milder course with Niniveh. He sendeth his Prophet to her, and giveth her a day, and a day yea even forty days together, before he will power down the viol of his wrath, before he will execute his judgements on her. And as a noble and worthy Emperor laying his sieg, and levying his army against some famous & renowned city: beholding in it the goodly buildings, the stately walls, the high ascending towers, the multitude of people, the numberless number of babes and sucklings; of infants & innocent persons: from a noble and heroical disposition is moved with the bowels of compassion towards it & therefore in regard hereof doth not presently batter it down & overthrow it, but first sends his herald at arms to proclaim a parley for certain days, and to offer peace unto the same: right so doth the Lord of heaven & earth deal with Niniveh that famous and renowned city. He saw the stateliness of her buildings, her thousand & five hundred towers, 
Munster, Cosmograph. l. 5. cap. 61. jon. 4. vers. vlt.  her high & spacious walls, her multitude of citizens, her sixscore thousand infants and innocent persons, her head of cattle almost innumerable: all which did make the bowels of compassion to yearn within him, &, before he would overthrow, it to send his Prophet as an herald at arms, to proclaim a parley of forty days and to offer her peace if she would receive it. Famous is that of Scipio Africanus, that all things in wars ought to be assayed, before the sword be drawn. And as famous that of the good Emperor Theodosius, who, until ten days were past after he had besieged any city, never offered violence to the inhabitants: saying and proclaiming every day, that those ten days he gave them, to the end they should profit themselves by his clemency, before they should make proof of his power. But as far as light excelleth darkness, truth error, heaven earth: so far, in pity, mercy, and compassion, doth the Creator of all excel the best of all his creatures. Never was there any so pitiful, as he the God of pity. Never any so merciful, as he the God of mercy. Never any so compassionate, as he the God of all compassion. O how often doth he persuade by promises, how often doth he allure by rewards how often doth he entreat by favours how often doth he assay all fair means to convert a sinful soul, before he draw out his sword of vengeance against him? O when did he spoil any country once, before he had spared it often? When did he overthrow any nation in one day, which he had not most lovingly wooed before many a day? When did yet any place feel the judgements of his fury, that had not long before tasted the sweetness of his mercy? For this was the rule of Gods own law, this was the decree of his heavenly will, that no city should be destroyed, before peace were offered unto the same. as we read Deut. 20.10. And in the Gospel it was our Saviour's commandment to his disciples, that into what house soever they did enter: they should begin the exordium of their message with a pax vobis saying peace be unto this house Luk. 10.5, and it is well worth our observing, that virtues 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 Gospel, although the Lord when he came and sought it, found no fruit thereon, shall not be presently cut down, but shall have a year, & a year, & a year, to that, & shall be digged, & dunged, before it be destroyed Luk. 13.7.8. This also did the Lord of mercy do in the time of old. He sent Noah to the men of the old world a preacher of righteousness. 2. Pet. 2.5. We sent Lot to those wicked Sodomites in the spirit of meekness to beseech them not to do so wickedly. Gen. 19.7. He sent Moses & Aaron to the Egyptian Exod. 5.1. He sent Prophets from time to time to the children of Jsrael. He sent john Baptist, and our blessed Saviour, & the holy Apostles, besides signs in the host of heaven, & tokens in the elements, to the people of jerusalem, before they were destroyed. And although that city were grown to a full measure of iniquity, & to the very height of all manner of impiety, so that both the servants & son of God were slain by them, the Sabaoth of the Lord polluted, the sanctuary of the Lord profaned, the law of the Lord despised, the testimony of the Lord neglected; yet see the infinite mercy & patience of a loving Lord behold, for a warning, full forty years were allotted unto her, before God sent up 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 weep for her, how did he woo her as the bird groom his spouse to turn unto him, & to forsake her evil ways, how did he manifest his love & affection towards her? O jerusalem jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thee together, as the hengathereth her chickens under her wings, & thou wouldst not. Mat. 23.37. I will not trouble you with many testimonies, and examples out of the word of God, to confirm the truth of this doctrine, being a point so manifest. Look but into the 9 chap. of the book of Nehemiah, and the most obstinate shall be constrained, will he nile he, to confess, that God is a God of much patience, and long suffering. The whole chapter is spent in this argument, setting down in order, the great benefits and blessings which the Lord in his mercy had bestowed upon the children of Israel in times past, their unthankfulness unto the Lord for the same, and yet the exceeding patience & mercy of the Almighty extended towards them. For first, as we there may read, 
Vid Nehem 9 read the whole chapter.  he considered their afflictions in Egypt, and hard their cry by the red sea, he saved them in the deep, and drowned their enemies in the mighty waters. He led them in the day with the pillar of a cloud, and in the night with a pillar of fire to give them light. He came down upon mount Sinai, & spoke unto them from heaven, & gave them right judgements, true laws, & good commandments. He gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and water out of the rock for their thirst; he fed them forty years in the wilderness, they lacked nothing, their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swollen not. He gave them kingdoms and people, he multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, and brought them into a good land: where they possessed houses full of goods, and did ear, and were filled, & became fat, and lived in pleasure through the Lord's goodness. But behold this people, whom the Lord had thus extraordinarily blessed above all the nation in the world became rebellious, & behaved themselves proudly, and hardened their necks, so that they hearkened not to his commandments, nor remembered the marvelous works which he had done for them: & yet for all this the Lord forsook them not. They made them a molten calf, & said, this is thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and committed great blasphemies; & yet for all this the Lord forsook them not. They were disobedient and rebelled against him, and cast his law behind their backs, & slew his Prophets sent to convert them: and yet for all this the Lord forsook them not. They did evil before him, & sinned against his judgements, and pulled away their shoulders, and were stiffnecked, & would not hear and yet for all this the Lord forsook them not, & yet for all this did he not consume them, but forbore them many years together. O what a God of pity, O what a Lord of mercy is this! abundant in goodness, gracious, & full of compassion, of long suffering, slow to anger, and of great kindness. joel. 2.13. Reserving mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin Exod. 34.7. How truly might he say of this people, All the day long have I stretched forth my hind to a rebellious people, to a disobedient gain saying & unbeleening people! Rom 10.21. How truly might he say that they had a long time grieved him, & yet he had waited that he might have mercy on them! Es. 30.18. How truly might be profess of himself, I desire not the death of a sinner, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. turn you, turn you from your evil ways, for why will ye die o ye house of Israel? Ezech. 33. 1●. What should I say more (beloved in Christ Jesus) God is the same God unto us all, as he was unto them: & there is not one to be found in this great Congregation, from the most ancient father to the youngest child, but in some measure hath had experience of these things. Every one hath felt in himself God to be a God of much mercy & expectation. For when his Angel had offended he stayed not at all for him, but threw him down to hell. When Adam had transgressed he deferred not his punishment, but drove him strait way out of Paradise. But if we examine ourselves we shall find that he waiteth for every one of us indeed, and forbeareth us some ten years, some twenty; some to 30. some to 40. some to old age, some to dotage. Yea he spareth us all because he is the lover of souls as the Wiseman calls him. He is patiented towards us and would have none to perish but all of us to come to repentance. 2. Pet. 3.9. He maketh as though he saw not our sins, because we should amend. Wisd. 11.20. He prolongeth our days, although we doevil against him an hundred times. Eccles. 8.12. Let us then be ware (beloved in the Lord) that we abuse not the patience and long suffering of so good a God, lest after so many sweet showers of mercy, & pleasant calms of comfort, he power down upon us the bitter storms, and hot thunderbolts of his judgement & indignation. And as the Prophet telleth Niniveh in this place: Yet forty days & Niniveh shallbe destroyed: So yet a little while, & if we will not repent and turn unto him, behold a final destruction and overthrow shall over take us. And so from my first observation, the patience & long suffering of God, in that he did not presently destroit Niniveh, but gave it a good space to repent, Yet 40. days. I now come to the second note of my first general part, which was the justice and judgement of the lord, denouncing destruction against it, if in the time allotted it did not amend, and Nintveh shall be destroyed.  
And Niniveh shallbe destroyed. Our Prophet doth not come only with a song of God's mercy to Niniveh, but also with a song of judgement; intimating that if they will not embrace the one, they shall undoubtedly feel the other. For albeit, being a stranger to that place, a man of another country & kindred, & Niniveh large and spacious, and full no doubt of many barbarous & cruel people, he might in some sort (because he was flesh and blood) be discouraged to deal so roundly & plainly with them, as to denounce so heavy a judgement on them, for fear lest they should have killed him: yet behold the courage & audacity of a faithful Prophet, He preferreth the discharge of his duty before the safety of his life: and, having received this message from the Lord, he is not afraid (although he were but one & that a stranger) to pronounce it in the midst of Niniveh, yea peradventure before the king and nobles of Niniveh (for so it is probable) although it declare noless then niniveh's overthrow & destruction. Out of whose bold and faithful course of proceeding, let me, by your Honourable & Christian patience (most dear & blessed brethren) give this one note to my brethren and fellow-labourers in the ministry: that, when they are to deliver their message from the Lord unto his people, out of these and the like places, they be careful, 
* A note for Ministers, from jonas his boldness.  by our Prophet's example, to lift up their voices like trumpets, boldly to reprove sin & sinners, to tell the house of jacob his iniquities, & Israel his transgressions. Let them not be terrified to declare God's judgements against the greatest, let them not be a afraid of the faces of men, for the Lord is with them. jer. 1.8. They must with Amos preach the death of jeroboam and captivity of Israel even at Bethel in the king's chapel and in the king's court although with Amos they be banished for it. Amos 7.12. They must with Michaiah prophesy the truth to Ahab, although with him they be hated for it. 1. Reg. 22.8. They must with Zachary tell the people of Israel, that because they have for saken the Lord, the Lord also hath for saken them, although by the commandment of the king with Zachary they be stoned for it 2. Chron. 24.21. They must with john Baptist tell Herode that it is not lawful for him to have his brother Philip's wife, though with him they be beheaded for it. Mat. 14.10. They must with Nathan tell David thou art the man 2. Sam. 12.7. They must with Eliah tell Ahab, it is thou and thy father's house that trouble Israel. 1. Reg. 18.18. They must with jehu tell jehoshaphat, that for his wickedness the wrath of the Lord is upon him 2. Chron. 19.2. They must with the Prophet tel Amasiah the king of juda, that for his sin God hath determined to destroy him. 2. Chron. 25.16. They must with Azariah the priest tel Vzziah the king, that for his transgression he shall have none honour of the Lord. 2. Chron. 26.18. They must with Nehemiah rebuke the Princes and Rulers of Israel, for laying such heavy burdens upon their brethren, Nehem. 5.7. Finally they must with jonas in my text tell Niniveh, yea glorious & goodly Niniveh, yea stout and stately Niniveh, yea proud and populous Niniveh, that for her sins it shallbe quite defaced and overthrown. Thus must the Minister of God be bold to reprove sin in the mightiest ones in the world, & with the spirit of courage and audacity beat down whatsoever lifteth up itself against God.  
Ispeake not this (beloved in Christ jesus) to condemn all kind of mild and gentle persuasion: and to uphold the hot and indiscreet reproovers of our time, 
Indiscreet reproovers not allowed.  who are so fervent & forward in denouncing judgement against the least offenders, that with james and john nothing will content them, but only fire from heaven to consume them Luk. 9.54. They are the of spring of cursed Cham, delighting in nothing so much, as to uncover the nakedness of their fathers. They are, as Saint Bernard speaketh of such in his 78. Epistle, non correpteres sed corrosores, not reproovers but gnawers. Not unlike the Cynic Philosopher, who for his impudent taunts against all, was commonly called of all Convitiorum canis, the dog of reproaches. For as those Indians headed like dogs, in am of speech, use to bark, as Pliny in his 7. lib. and 2. chap. writeth of them: so these, in steed of speaking to their brethren after the manner of men, use to bark at them, after the fashion of dogs. My speech doth not apologize or countenance any such, either dogged and in discreet railers, or rude intemperate reproovers.  
I rather aim at those in another extreme, who are so far from being to forward in reproving of sin, that they dare not take in their mouths but that cold rehrehension of old Ely unto his sons, Do so no more my sons, do no more so. 1. Sam. 2.24. But as deceitful Ambassadors, either for fear of punishment, or for hope of gain, they forbear to deliver the Lords Embassage unto his people: Soothing them in their sins and flattering them in their follies, and furthering them in their iniquities. Those are our temporising preachers, our time serving Prophets, our trencher Chaplains who, either to satisfy the lust of their humorous Lord, or to delight the itching ears of their vain auditors, speak nothing but placentia, court phrases, sweet and pleasing words: that sow pillows under men's elbows, and build up their sins as a wall, and daub up their filthy corruptions with the untempered mortar of palpable adulation. Whom I may justly brand with the same name as Crates the Theban did those parasites, of his time whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: because, sitting at great men's tables, they were ready with that cunning dissembler in the comedy to say, Ais, aio? negas? nego. Whatsoever they affirmed they would affirm the same, and whatsoever they denied they would be as ready to deny though never so untruly. right so, beloved, I am afraid our church hath to many such fawning and flattering Ministers: who sitting at noble men's tables (if happily they be thereunto admitted) for fear of displeasing, will say as they say: although their own conscience I doubt not many times tells them they have said amiss. Speaking good of evil, and evil of good, putting darkness for light, and light for darkness, bitter for sweet, and sweet for sour to use the words of the Prophet Esa. 5.20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Making merchandise of the word of God, as the Apostle speaketh 2. Cor. 2. vlt. and selling the cause of the Lord for a meals meat, or as the Prophet tells us for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread. Ezech. 13.19. I cannot more fitly resemble such false Prophets to any, then to that flattering and dissembling Priest of jupiter: who when Alexander the great (as Plutarch in his life testifieth) came to the oracle, saluted him by the name of Jupiter's son, & all to get some great present & large-reward from him: so they, to procure the sooner unto themselves some promotion Ecclesiastical, will make the Alexanders of the world believe, that they are Demy Gods or at the leastwise a degree above the natural condition of the sons of men. They are fit chaplains for such radies as the mother of Cyrus was, who, as Plutarch reporteth, commanded, that whosoever spoke to the king, he should use soft & silken words: for surely in their preaching and reaching before such great on's of the world, they use no other but such soft phrases & silken speeches as shall befit their humours. And as the natural bistorian in his 2. lib. & 41. ca of his history reporteth of the herb called Heliotropium, that it regardeth & looketh towards the sun: ever as he goeth turning with him at all hours. yea even also when he is shadowed under a cloud: so do they, in the whole course of their ministry, regard & consider their Lords and Ladies humours, and thereunto do they apply themselves at all times, yea even then also when they are covered with the clouds of many gross and crying sins. 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 history, coming into an emperors court, & there seeing many sooth up great men in their sins, said of them, purpuran ipsos magis quam Deum colere, that they did more reverence purple robes then God himself and I am persuaded (beloved in Christ Jesus) that they who thus sooth up the mighty potentants of the world in their transgressions, quod purpuram ipsimagis quam deum colant, that they more respect the countenance of man, than the favour of the everliving God. For otherwise they would never, as many times they do, conceal the council & will of God, to gain a little commodity & preferment at the hands of a mortal man. And if it happen, (beloved) that these men come abroad at any time, to preach among the vulgar sort in meaner places, they have so used themselves to a smooth & pleasing vain, that even then I may say of them, as Diogenes the Cynic said of orators, as it is in the 9 lib. and 19 cap. Elian. de varia histor. that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very slaves & vassals of the common people. For to win their least favours, they will be favourable to their greatest sins. And as Pliny in his 5. lib. & 15. chap. saith that the river jordan is a pleasant river, winding & turning in & out, seeking as it were for love & favour, and applying itself to please the neighbour countries. So do these time-serving preachers turn & wind themselves in their sermons to the multitude: seeking rather to win their favours by flattering them in their sins, then to discharge their own duties to God by revealing his will unto them. But let these men consider how much the Lord is offended with such deceitful handling of his word. Let them consider the grievous complaint of the Lord against such false Prophets, who healed the hurt of the daughter of his people with sweet words, saying peace, where there was no peace. Jer. 6.13. Let them consider how much he was moved with them that taught vanities, & spoke the vision of their own hearts, & not out of the mouth of the Lord. Saying to every one that walked after the stubbornness of his own heart, no evil shall come upon you, prophesying false dreams & causing the people of the Lord to err by their lies and by their flatteries. jer. 23. Finally let them consider the severe judgement of the Lord pronounced against such faithless messengers in the same Prophet. Behold they that flatter the people in their sins, & sar that the sword & famine shall not be in the land, by sword & famine shall these Prophets be consumed. Jer. 14.15.  
Wherefore to conclude this point, let us (beloved) I speak this to all my brethren and fellow-labourers in this holy business, let us I say, as trusty Embasadours, boldly deliver our lords Embassage: not fearing him that can kill the body only, but him that can cast both body and soul into hell fire. Matt. 10.28. And yet let us not seek to gall & grieve the wounded conscience of our weak auditors, by to rash & indiscreet doubling & redoubling woes upon them, always killing them with the kill letter of the law. Let us take heed lest if we thus always preach to others judgement without mercy, we ourselves be judged of the Lord without mercy. Let us rather by our Prophet's example, keeping the golden mean, temper them both together. Let us sometimes with the sweet balm of the Gospel bind up the broken hearted: and yet sometimes also with the hard hammer of the law bruise and break down the strength of impiety. Let us sometimes as good chirurgeons apply pleasant lenitines to supple: & yet sometimes also sharp corasines to exasperate the festered wounds of our sick patients. Let us sometimes like skilful Physicians minister comfortable refections to cherish; & yet sometimes also sharp and bitter potions to offend their distempered stomachs. Let us sometimes with that good Samaritane Luk. 10, with the oil of mercy cheer up the fainting conscience of a penitent Christian: & yet sometimes also with the wine of reprehension rub up the contagious maladies of hard hearted worldlings. Let us sometimes with the sons of jacob stand upon the mount Gerizzim to bless, & yet sometimes also upon the mount Eball to curse the Lords enemies Deut. 27.13. Let us sometimes with St. Paul Come in the spirit of meekness to comfort: and yet sometimes also with the same Apostle with the rod of correction to control 1. Cor. 4. 21. Let us sometimes say with our master pax vobis, peace be unto you Luk. 24.36. & yet sometimes also vae vobis, woe be unto you. Matt. 23.13. Let us sometimes be like that soft voice wherein God came 1. Reg. 19.12. and yet sometimes also like john Baptist the voices of criers or crying voices in the wilderness of this world Math. 3.3. Let us sometimes be like Barnabas sons of Consolation. Act. 4.36. and yet sometimes also like james & john 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sons of thunder Mark. 3.17. Lastly let us sometimes come with jonas in my text with a song of mercy as in the first part of his sermon yet 40. days: and yet sometimes also with a song of judgement as it followeth in the second and Niniveh shallbe destroyed.  
And Niniveh shallbe destroyed. And herein a word before I proceed further: Let me remove a stumbling block of offence, which may arise to the weak out of these words: For whereas our Prophet here setteth down, that after the space of 40. days, Niniveh should be destroyed, it is manifest in the last verse of this 3. chapter that God repent of this evil which he had purposed to do unto it, & he did it not. question How then is the council of the Lord infallible, how is the verity of his word immutable, how are his decrees unresistible, how is his judgement here denounced by jonas inevitable? and Niniveh shallbe destroyed.  
Opinion 1 For answer where unto we must observe, that some of the ancient fathers in the primitive church have been of this opinion, that by Niniveh here is understood, the sin & iniquity of the people of Niniveh. As if the Prophet had said, Yet forty days & Niniveh shall be destroyed, that is, not the men, the walls, & the buildings of Niniveh, but the sins & transgressions of Niniveh; the sinful city shall become an holy city, the idolatrous people a sanctified people, the height of their impiety shallbe destroyed by the tears of their penitency. Thus shall sinful Niniveh be quite defaced, thus shall ungodly Niniveh be overthrown. Of this opinion was Sr. Austen in his 21, lib. & 24. chapter de civitate dei. Where he saith thus. That God useth to overthrow sinners two manner of ways. Either when he punisheth the men for sins committed, as he did the Sodomites Gen. 19.25. or when he destroyeth the sins of men through their unfeigned repentance, as in these Ninivits. And in this sense, saith Sr. Austen, is the word of the Lord true, that Niniveh in her people & buildings stood still, but in her wicked ways and transgressions she was overthrown.  
But saving the judgement of so learned a father (whom notwithstanding of alother of the fathers generally for his interpretations of the Scripture I hold to be most worthy of reverence) I rather fasten upon another interpretation of these words. 
2. Opinion  And that is that they are spoken by our Prophet with a condition implied in them, as if he had said: the Lord your God is a patiented God, he will not wound you before he warn you. Lo he giveth you yet 40 days more to bethink yourselves, if in this space you will not turn unto him, then assuredly you shallbe destroyed. And this I rather take to be the Prophet's meaning in this place: not only for that the whole current of our latter & sounder interpreters do agree here unto, but also, because I know this manner of denouncing judgement, is very usual with the spirit of God in holy scripture. Witness that one place instead of all, in the prophecy of jeremy, I will speak (saith the Lord) suddenly against a nation, against a kingdom, to pluck it up and to root it out, and to destroy it. But if this nation against whom I have pronounced, turn from their wickedness: I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring upon them. jer. 18.7.8. There you see, the condition is set down in express words. If they turn from their wickedness I will repent. But elsewhere it is necessarily implied and understood as for example. When Abimelech the king of Gerar, had took unto him Sara, the wife of Abraham: God said unto him, thou art but a dead man because of the woman which thou haste taken. Genes. 20.3. Here the judgement seemeth absolute. But this condition must needs be understood, that he was but a dead man, if he did not restore the woman without touching her body. For when he had purged himself with an upright mind, and innocent hand have I done this: the Lord forbore to execute this sentence on him. So likewise the Prophet Esaie biddeth Ezechiah from the Lord. to set his house in order, for he should die & not live, Es. 38.1. What speech can be more absolute than this? And yet we must needs confess, that this condition is therein contained: thou shalt die, if thou appease not the wrath of God by thy tears and unfeigned repentance. For when he had once so done, the Lord removed away this judgement, and added unto his days fifteen years, as it is in the same chapped. Agreeable to this is that of David, who when he had killed Vriah the Hittite, and taken his wife unto himself: the Lord told him, that for this, the sword should never departed from his house 2. Sam. 12.10. A sentence without exception: and yet when he confessed, that in this he had sinned against the Lord (a condition no doubt in the former judgement implied) it was told him by Nathan, that the Lord had put away his sin and he should not die: verse. 13. So in the words of my text, here is destruction denounced by jonas against Niniveh, yet 40 days and Niniveh shall be destroyed. And yet, Niniveh repenting, the Lord withholdeth his judgements from it: & therefore we must needs understand a condition in the words: yet 40. days and if Niniveh go on still in her wickedness, doubtless Niniveh for her wickedness shall be destroyed. Having thus cleared this doubt, and made manifest the meaning of our Prophet: let us now come to the next observation, which in the beginning was proposed out of these words and Niniveh shall be destroyed.  
Observat. 2 It is reported of Tamburlaine that mighty conqueror of his time, that when he laid siege to any city: he displayed the first day his white flag before the same, as a token of his clemency if they would yield unto him: Which if they then refused, the next day he set up his red flag, as threatening the shedding of their blood, if they remained obstinate: whereat if they were not moved, the third day he advanced his black flag, to signify, that the door of all pity & compassion was now shut up, and that nothing was to be expected, but utter ruin and desolation. The like course, in some proportion, doth the Lord of heaven and earth take with his city Niniveh: he first displaieth his white flag of mercy, not for a day with Tamburlaine, but even for 40, days together: whereat if they will not yield, they shall behold the red flag of his severity, nay the black flag of his irrevocable judgement, denouncing their utter overthrow and destruction. For the saying is most true, Laesa patientia fit furor, the patience of the Lord too far provoked, is turned into fury. Seravenit, sed certa venit vindicta: it is long ere he revenge himself on sinners, but he pays then with a witness at the last. And howsoever the punishment of malefactors come eaten, yet in never misseth in the end. As the 
* Plin. lib. 2. c. 7.  heathen man by the light of nature could tell us. Lento graduad vindictam divina procedit ira. Tarditatemque judicij gravitate pensat saith 
* Valerius Maximns lib. 1.  another. God is said to have leaden feet because he cometh slowly to execute vengeance; but hands of iron because when he cometh he stricketh home. And by how much the longer he expecteth our amendment, so much the more strictly he will judge us if we do neglect. Experience teacheth us that the axe the higher it is lifted, the heavier it falleth. A stone the further it is cast up into the air falleth with greater force upon the earth. Awater course the more it is stopped, when it breaketh forth, runneth with greater violence: even so the longer the Lord heareth & forbeareth to punish the sins of men, the heavier will his punishment be in the end. And howsoever he can be content along season to have patience with them: yet at the last, as he speaketh by the Prophet, he will overturn, overturn, overturn, Ezech. 21.27. Where, by thrice repeating of the word, is understood an absolute destruction and desolation indeed. Pliny in his 8. lib. and 7. cap. and Aristotle in 9 lib. & 46. cap. de natura animalium do writ of the elephant, that by nature he is very mild and gentle; and others say, that he suffereth many wrongs of inferior beasts but being still provoked by them to wrath his fury is not pacified, until he hath revenged himself to the full. That which is said to be true of the creature, is in this sense most true of the creator of all things God himself. His very nature and essence is, to be A God full of compassion and mercy, flow to anger, and of great kindness. Psal. 103.8. He sustaineth many wrongs of the sons of men: being crushed with their sins, as a cart is laden with sheaves, to use the words of the Prophet: wherewith if they still continue to load him, he will ease himself of his burden, and cast it on the ground of confusion. And albeit, as the Psalmist speaketh, he be patiented, and is provoked every day: yet if a man will not turn, he will whet his sword, he will bend his bow, & make it ready. Psa. 7.12. For it is most true which Gregory saith in his 33. book of morals and 15. chapter.  pius, ita justus est conditor. As our maker is merciful, so is he likewise just. Gracious and righteous is the Lord, Psal. 25.8. gracious in the multitude of his mercies, & righteous in the severity of his judgements. Gracious to them that turn unto him, righteous to them that cast him from them. The Lord is slow to anger, there is his patience to penitent sinners: but he is great in power, & will not surely clear the wicked. Nahum. 1.3. there is his judgement to impenitent reprobates. I have a long time holden my peace at your sins, I have been still, & restrained myself, there is his long suffering declared: but now will I cry like a travailing woman, I will destroy & devour at once. Es. 42.14. there is his heavy wrath described. The Almighty is a patiented rewarder, there is mercy offered to him that will receive it: but he will not leave the wicked unpunished. Eccles. 5.4. there is justice pronounced to him that will neglect it.  
Thus you see (most dear and Christian brethren) that love & wrath, pity, and revenge, patience and judgement, as the 2. daughters of the great king, go hand in hand: his mercy & truth do meet together, his righteousness and peace do kiss each other. Mercy going before with a pax vobis, peace unto them that accept it: judgement following after with a vae vobis woe unto them that refuse it, the one coming with an open bosom to receive the penitent: the other following with a drawn sword to devour the hard-hearted. Mercy is first offered to leave the wicked inexcusable: judgement is last executed to destroy the wicked that are culpable. For this is the usual course which God taketh with the sons of men: first to try them a good space by gentle forbearing, which if it draw them not unto repentance, than his arrows of vengeance are ready prepared for destruction. So did he deal with the old world: he spared it an hundred & twenty years, but when he saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, & that all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. Gen. 6.5. He did by a mighty flowed destroy every thing that was on the earth from man to beast. Gen. 7.23. So did he deal with the fig. tree in the Gospel, he spared it 3. whole years together, and suffered it to be digged & dunged carefully: but continuing itself barren, & making also the ground barren round about it, the Lord will no longer bear with it, it must be destroyed, it must be cut down. Luk. 13.7. So did he deal with those Egyptians of old, he sent Moses & Aaron to instruct them, who wrought divers signs and miracles among them to win them to repentance: whereof when none could move them, or pierce their hardened hearts, they were quite overwhelmed in the midst of the sea, Exod. 14.27. So did he deal with his own city, he sent Prophets & teachers early & late, to woo her to Christ as the spouse to her bridegroom, he sent his own son to win her from her sin: but when she would be gathered by none of these, behold her house was left unto her desolate. Luk. 13.35. Finally so doth he deal with Niniveh in my text, he giveth her full 40. days for her probation and trial: wherein if she forsake not her sinful ways, and turn unto the Lord, there shall not a day or hour be further spent, until the judgement of her overthrow be pronounced, and Niniveh shallbe destroyed.  
Now the greatness of this judgement, is here further amplified, from the place against which it is denounced, being Niniveh, no petty town of the nations, no obscure place of the world, no little village or hamlet of the East, no small city in Assyria, as Bethlem was in juda: but a great and excellent city of three days journey, even than one of the greatest cities in the world. For as Diodorus Siculus in his 3. lib. and 1. cap. Herodotus in his Clio and Strabo in the 16. of his Geography have at large described, thy Niniveh was 400. and 80. furlongs in circuit. whereas Babylon, which Aristotle in his politics calleth rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a country then a city, had almost fewer by one hundred. And some have been of opinion that afterwards as it grew in wealth, so it was much more enlarged. Her walls were in height an hundred feet, in breadth sufficiently capable to receive three carts on a row, in compass 400. miles, adorned with a thousand & five hundred towers, whereof the height of every on was two hundred feet a piece. The buildings of it very fair, being (as some have noted) eight whole years a raising up, & not by fewer at once than ten thousand workmen. The state of it very commendable, being ruled by a king and his nobles, jon. 3.7. The people of it almost innumerable, seeing there were six score thousand infants, that could not discern between their right hand and their left. jon. 4.11. In a word if I name but Niniveh I then name all, a beautiful & pleasant city, as the Hebrew word whence it is derived importeth. Not only a great city as Moses calleth it, Gen. 10.12. but a great & excellent city, or a city great unto God, as our Prophet calleth it, o herein is the judgement aggravated! This excellent and famous and renowned Niniveh, this large and spacious & populous Niniveh, this fair and glorious & goodly Niniveh shallbe destroyed. Niniveh that imperial commander of all the Eastern parts, that lifted her head above the nations, that dwelled in confidence and said, I am and there is none besides me, Niniveh shallbe destroyed. Niniveh in times passed highly renowned, proud of her walls and bulwarks, puffed up in the wealthines of her inhabitants, & the goodliness of her buildings, Niniveh shall be destroyed. Niniveh the mother city of Assyria, the Metropolis of the Country, the golden head of the picture, the glory of the earth, the seat of the Empire, the Lady of the East, the Queen of nations, the riches of the world, Niniveh shallbe destroyed.  
Objection. But some man peradventure will say, what sins hath Niniveh committed; how hath she offended God: that she so great and excellent, so famous & renowned city, should have so severe a judgement, denounced against her from the Lord? Answer. For answer whereunto I must confess that the sins, for which Niniveh is here so threatened, are not expressed in my text, but else where set down by the spirit of God. That this city was given to idolatry, it appeareth in the second book of Kings where it is said that Senacherib was worshipping his false God, in the temple of Niniveh, when his two sons slew him. 2. King. 19.37, And if ye look but into the third chap. of the Prophecy of Nahum; you shall find other sins of this city there reckoned up by the prophet. For he calleth it a mistress of witchcrafts, a bloody city, full of lies & robbery, from whence the prey departeth not. Unto which sins, I may also add the sins of infidelity, & gluttony, and pride, which I do the rather judge to be general faults among them: because in their repentance (as anon by God's grace ye shall hear) mention is made of suppressing these sins, of suppressing their infidelity, by believing in God, of suppressing their gluttony by proclaiming a fast, of suppressing their pride by putting on sackcloth from the greatest unto the least. But that one place is instead of all the rest, to declare the sin of Niniveh, it is in the beginning of this prophecy of jonas: where it is said that the wickedness of this people was come up before the Lord, where the name of Wickedness in the original (as the learned note) signifieth the greatest extremity that can be, and is not restrained to this or that sin one of a thousand, but is a most absolute, & all sufficient term, to all manner of impiety.  
Thus than you see (most dear and blessed brethren, beloved in the Lord jesus) that it is not for a small thing, or matter of light moment: but for many & most grievous sins, even the height of all impiety, for which Niniveh this notable city must be destroyed. For howsoever her state was most powerful, her government most excellent, her walls most stately, her towers most high, her citizens most wealthy, her name most renowned, her people almost innumerable: yet neither the mightiness of her state nor the excellency of her government, nor the climbing of her walls, nor the aspiring of her towers, nor the riches of her citizens, nor the honour of her name, nor the multitude of her people, if she once give over herself to sin; can make her secure from the wrath of God. For greatness of sins will shake the foundation of the greatest cities, and multitude of offences will diminish and consume whole multitudes of men. jericho the city of palm-trees as she is called. Deut. 34.3. being withal a wicked and uncircumcised city, idolatrous in the worship of God, and hostile to his people, had a lamentable end. For lo the men of arms, at the Lords appointment, utterly destroyed all that was in it, both man & woman, young and old, beasts and cattle, oxen & asses, with the edge of the sword, Ios. 6.21. Tyrus was rich with the seed of Nilus that brought her abundance, the harvest of the rivers were her revenues, and she a mart of the nations, it was a glorious city, and her antiquity of ancient days: she crowned men and her merchants were Princes, & her chapmen the nobles of the world. Es. 23. Yet behold the judgements of the Lord, against that city for her sins, as it is in the same chapter: it was told her, that her own feet should lead her a far of to be a sojourner: for the Lord of hosts had decreed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring to contempt all the honourable in the earth. Nô was full of people, and lay in the rivers, and had the waters round about it: whose ditch was the sea, & her wall was from the sea yet, for her sins, was she carried away, and went into captivity: her young children were dashed in pieces at the head of the streets, and they cast lots for her noble men, and all her mighty men were bound in chains, Nahum. 3.10. Yea Babylon called a great city as well as Niniveh, that said in her heart, I sit as Queen, I am no widow, & shall see no mourning: by reason of her iniquities hath her judgement pronouned by the angel: It is fallen, it is fallen, & is become the habitation of Devils and the hole of all foul spirits, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Revel. 18.2. Nay jerusaleus though the perfection of beauty, and joy of the whole earth, Lament. 2.15. Though she were as dear unto the LORD as the signet on his right hand, and the only spouse of the great king of heaven: yet because she became wanton, and played the harlot, and would not be reclaimed: she was made a spectacle of vengeance & judgement to all the coasts of the earth & nations of the world. That sanctified city that chosen city of the Lord, that city built in unity, the Queen & Empress of the Provinces, was so defaced, and leveled with the ground, that not one stone was left standing upon an other, neither in their houses, walls, bulwarks, turrets, nor in the altars, sanctuary, or temple, the old, the young, the matrons, the virgins, the infants, the princes, the priests, the Prophets, & the Nazerites were all slain, famished, fettered, scattered abroad, & utterly consumed. For further knowledge of all which, I refer you to josephus de bello judaico where these things are largely set down; and he that readeth that story with dry eyes, I will say that his heart is harder than the hardest adamant, and himself less compassionate than the most barbarous Scythian in the world. Si sit in viridi quid fiet in arido? If this be done in the green tree, what shallbe done in the dry? Luk. 23.31. If the Lord dealt so severely with the jews that were the natural branches: what will he do unto them that are but the wild branches? Rom. 11.21. And if he brought so heavy a destruction upon his own city for sin: then let not this famous city of London flatter herself in her security: but let her, and all the cities of the world fear and tremble, least committing the like sins, the Lord bring upon them the like judgements. For as his mercy is comfortable: so is his judgement inevitable, and they that will not with Niniveh embrace him in the on, in accepting the time of 40 days, to their conversion; shall undoubtedly feel him in the other, in receiving a perpetual judgement to their confusion. And so much be spoken concerning this second circumstance, of the first general part. which was God's judgement, denouncing destruction against Niniveh, if in the time allotted, she would not amend.  And Niniveh shallbe destroyed. 
Now let us see, what further use & application we may make of these things unto ourselves.  
Jhad thought (Right Honourable, 
Application of the former doctrines.  right worshipful & dearly beloved in Christ jesus) when I first made choice of this text to have applied this sermon of jonas to this renowned city of London being the Metropolu of all England as Niniveh was of Assyria, because in my simple judgement this argument here handled may very well befit this place & these times. But considering with myself that many of this great assembly are inhabitants of other places of this land, I do rather think it best to apply it to the people of England in general; that what is spoken of them, every man in particular may account as spoken unto himself. And here, beloved, to proceed according to our Prophet's method. If ever there were nation or kingdom under the cope of heaven, to whom the Lord hath manifested himself to be a God of much patience & long suffering: surely ours is that nation, ours is that kingdom. How hath he desired England's salvation, 
God's mercies to England.  how hath he waited for her conversion, how hath he sought to win and woo her to contrition? He hath sent her not one jonas, one time, but many hundred Prophets and teachers, daily and hourly to call her to repentance. He hath given her not 40. days as he did Niniveh, but full forty years and more to bethink herself: under the peaceable government of a most gracious sovereign. Never did any father so long endure, the untowardness of a wicked son, never did any Prince so long suffer, the rebellions of a disloyal subject, never did any Lord so long forbear, the punishment of a negligent servant, never did any husband so long sustain the injuries of a lewde-living wise, as he our gracious father, hath done us prodigal sons, as he our heavenly king, hath done us unnarural subjects, as he our mighty Lord, hath done us careless servants, as he our loving husband, hath done us faithless wines. His mercy & forbearance to the Israclits, was nothing, in respect of that he hath showed to us the people of England. He hath delivered us from the spiritual darkness of Egypt, the palpable obscurity of ignorance and superstition. He hath appointed us his laws and ordinances, his statutes and his commandments. He hath given us Manna from heaves, angels food, the bread of our souls, the word of life, where with he hath fed us these many years. But as the young hinds in job, being once grown sat with corn go from their dams, and return not to them again. job. 39.7. So we being fatted and replenished with these and a thousand the like unspeakable benefits and blessings forget and forsake the Lord of heaven. Witness our unthankfulness and disobedience, our grudging and murmuring against our maker. Witness our cold zeal and lukewarmness in our profession, witness our backsliding from the truth, our neglect & contempt of the word of God. Witness the burden of innumerable sins, under which our land groaneth: enmity & dissension, fraud and dissimulation, covetousness and oppression, pride & ambition, adusterie and fornication, swearing and forswearing, lying and stealing & the like, all which had long since pulled down the heavy wrath of God and his just judgements upon us: had not his mercy and loving kindness hindered the same. Let us not (my dear brethren) to far provoke this gracious and loving God, whom we have already grieved more than 40. years by our iniquities. You know that pride, & fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, and no stretching forth of hands unto the poor, were the very capital and head sins, which did even wrist and wring from the Lord, his heavy and fearful judgement on Sodom and Gomor. Ezech. 16.49. And yet who doth not know, that all these sins, and infinite other, do in as bad manner, and no less measure, reign & revel in England what other sequel than is to be feared, than that the Lord should shower down his plagues and judgements upon us, in as great measure as ever he did upon them? For he is the same God now, as he was then, and his hearted ro sin is still the same. We read of three grievous punishments, which the Lord threateneth to bring upon his people for their sins I wall consume them, saith he, by pestilence, by famine, and by the sword ser. 14: 12. Beloved in Christ jesus, 
God's judgements justly to be expected on England, if it do not speedily repent.  let not England slatter herself any longer with the Lords patience, for she 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 vengeance are ready drawn to the head, & the full viols of his displeasure hangs over our heads ready, to power down the like or greater judgements upon us: if we speedily turn not unto him, by a true & unfeigned repenrance. 
The great plague in England 1593. See Stows chronicle.  The years are not yet many, nor the time long, since the inscriptions on your doors without, were as evident testimonies of the destroying Angel of the Lord within: since the arrow that flieth by day, the pestilence that walketh in the darkness & the plague that destroyeth at noon day, devoured many thousands in this city, & other places of this land. And had not God's mercy been the greater, in saying then to his Angel, as in like case we read he did: it is sufficient hold new thy hand 2. Sam. 24.16. A man might have wandered about our conntry, as Diogenes sometimes did about Athens, with a candle and lantern in his hand at noonday: to seek, I do not say, a good man, but any man at all, & not have found him. 
The great dearth. 1597  The years are not yet many, nor the time long, since the husbandman, as the prophet spekaeth sowed much and brought in little, since the heavens over us stayed themselves from dew, & the earth under us brought not forth her fruits, since the staff of our bread was broken. & cleans of teeth foundin alour villages, & want of victuals in alour cities. And had not God's mercy been the greater than unto us in sending a plentiful increase: our skin had cleaved to our bones, & withered like a stock Lament. 
The Spanish fleet 1588.  4.8. Finally the years are not yet many, nor the time long, since the sword of a foreign foe, hath been shaken at our land, threatening an overthrow of the same: since tidings of wars, & rumours of manifold troubles, have been sounded in our ears: to say nothing of our wicked attempts & devilish conspiracies of many of our unnatural countrymen at home. But o Lord as thou hast given but a bad success to such evil interprizes: so we beseech thee still to bring to nought the projects & purposes of all such either foreign adversaries that seek our realms destruction, or treacherous Absalon's that lift up their hands, against their dread sovereign, & thine anointed. Let us not think (my dear brethren) that these judgements of pestilence, of famine, & the sword, have come unto us by chance, & so gone away again: There is a God above, that in some measure hath made us taste of them for our sins: whom if we still provoke, by heaping sin upon sin, assuredly he hath these, & greater plagues in store, to power down upon us. For the arm of the Lord is not shortened: he that hath stricken us once, can, & will, for our sins, strike the second time. He that hath smote some few of our nation with the sword, can, & will, for our disobedience, if we repent not in time, with the sword again, destroy many thousands and millions more. He that, with the plague of pestilence, hath taken away here & there on, can, & will, for our unthankfulness, if we repent not in time, with the same, or a greater disease take away 
* The lamentable experience of this we feel in this year 2603.  whole multitudes together, nay devour whole cities, and towns, and leave our land as desolate as a wilderness. He that hath punished our bodis in the time of dearth for want of bread, can, & will for our rebellion, if we repent not in time, suffer our souls to perish for want 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 we shall wander from sea to sea, and from the North even unto the East shall we run to & fro, to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. Amos 8.11 12. A heavy judgement of all other (my dear brethren) & yet most usual, where God's word is contemned & set at nought. Great was the glory, & glorious the light, which the Church of God sometimes had in Asia the less, at what time the blessed Evangelist St. john & Policarpus, & many other scholars of the Apostles flourished there. How famous for the word preached were those cities of Graecia, flourishing Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colosse, and Thessalonica, wherein St. Paul preached, & planted so many wholesome doctrines of the Christian faith: and to whom he wrote so many divine Epistles extant in our church to this day! But for the sins & iniquities, of the inhabitanta of those places, were not the bright shining lamps of religion quite extinguished among them, was not the light of the Gospel quite taken from them and since removed into the West? Nay the city Rome was once the mirror of nations, the glory of the world, the wonder of the West, the sanctuary of religion, the very habitation of true piety, when her faith was published throughout the whole world, Rom. 1.8. But when religious Rome once proved beastly Babylon, the holy city an harlot, when idolatry and superstition began once to rule & reign in her: behold her candlestick was removed into the northern parts, and among the rest to us of this land: where if we give it no better welcome & entertainment than they did, how may we not justly fear the like judgement: lest the Lord deprive us of so great a blessing, & give it to Tartarians and Moors wild and savage people, that will with greater alacrity receive it, & peradventure with greater fruit entertain it, than we have done.  
Wherefore (my dear brethren) yet the word of the Lord is amongst us, yet the Prophets are in Israel, yet the pearl is in our field, yet the sound of the Gospel is heard throughout our land: O then let us make more reckoning & account of it, than heretofore we have done: lest this sun be defaced, lest this light be put out, lest it be told us, as it was told the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, that our candle stick shallbe removed, Revel. 2.5. Lest the Ark of God be taken from us, as it was from the Israelits, 1. Sam. 4.12. Lest as Paul and Barnabas said to the jews: to you is the word of this salvation sent, but seeing ye put it from you, lo we turn unto the Gentiles, Act. 13.46. So the Lord say unto England to thee o England have I given my word but because thou hast cast it away from thee, & judgest thyself unworthy of everlasting life, lo I will take it away, and give it to a barbarous nation, that shall bring forth the frunits thereof, Math. 21.43. Yet the Lord offereth his grace unto us: O then let us according to St. Augustine's Council in tract. 33. in johan. Use it now if we will use it at all: Lest the gate of mercy, which to day is open, to morrow be shut, and never opened again unto us! Yet the messengers & Ministers of God do beseech us for Christ his sake to be reconciled to him: O then let us now become new men in the Lord, lest a heavier judgement light upon us! Yet the days of plenty are amongst us: O then let us now with joseph lay up in store, lest we die in the famine! Yet the season is calm & the weather fair: O then let us now with Noah build up an ark, lest with the rest we perish in the flowed! Gen. 7.21. Yet the Angel tarrieth at the gates of Sodom: O then let us now with Lot depart thence, and hast away with the Angel, lest with that wicked people we be destroyed! Gen. 19.24. Yet the bridegroom tarrieth and waiteth for us O then let us make haste to enter in with him to marriages solemnity: lest with the foolish Virgins, we be repelled, with a non novi vos, I know you not! Mat. 25.12. Yet wisdom crieth in our streeres usque quo? O how long will yea love vanity? O then let us now seek unto her, lest, seeking hereafter, we seek in vain, and she laugh at our destruction! Prou. 1.26. Yet the Lord setteth open his storehouse of mercy: O then let us now run to him for a blessing, lest, coming too late with Esau, we find none though we seek it with tears! Heb. 12.17. Yet the Lord knocketh at the door of our hearts: O then let us now open unto him: lest he say to us as he did to jerusalem, O that thou hadst known at the lest in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace, but now they are hid from thee! Luk. 19 42, Yet the Lord crieth unto us to a mend: O then let us, in this acceptable time of grace, hearken unto him, lest he say of us, as he did of a hard hearted people: as I have cried to you, and you would not hear me, so a time shall come when ye shall cry unto me, and I will not he are you. Zach. 7.13. Yet the Lord calleth us unto him: O then let us now come, lest, if we come hereafter, it be too late: as joab came to Absalon, when his barley fields were burnt. 2. Sam. 14.31. Yet the Lord waiteth for our return from Babylon: O then let us now return unto him, while we have time, lest hereafter he say to us as the Angel swore there shallbe no more time Revel. 10.6. Yet the Lord wooeth England & London, as he did Ephraim and juda: O England what shall I do unto thee, O London how shall I entreat thee? O then let us embrace the riches of his bountifulness, & his exceeding patience: lest we heap unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath, & of the declaration of the just judgement of God Rom. 2.5. Finally yet the Lord, by jonas, crieth in the streets of Niniveh, & many hundred jonasses in the Cities and towns of England, yet 40. days, and, if ye will not repent, not only Niniveh but the rest of the land also shallbe quite defaced: O then let us all, with Niniveh in my text, repent us of our sins, believe in God. proclaim a fast, and put on sackcloth, lest this heavy judgement denounced by our Prophet against Niniveh justly fall on us for our transgressions. And so much concerning my first general part which was jonas Sermon to the Ninivits with the application thereof unto ourselves. Now followeth the consideration of the second part in the next words, to wit the Ninivites repentance; whereof a word or two and so I will commit you to God:  So the people of Niniveh believed God, proclaimed 〈◊〉 fast. &c: 
Hear is the fruit and effect which this Sermon wrought in the Ninivites, described as I told you before in these 4. circumstances, 1. By their faith, which was not fruitless so the people of Niniveh believed 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 circumstances, if I might dwell upon them, would require a longer time, then is allotted me for the handling of them all. And I must confess that my meditations have been so far enlarged in this second point, that (the time being almost past and the weather so suddenly unseasonable) I shall not now deliver, without offending your patience, the on quarter of that which I had purposed. How be it because I perceive no man desirous to departed, but every one willing to stay, and so settle himself unto attention: I will be bold to point at those four observations, which are included in this second part: briefly running them all over, tanquam Canis in Nilo lambens, picking here and there a little, as may most befit this auditory and these times, leaving the consideration of the rest to every man's private meditation. 
Obser. 1.   So the people of Niniveh believed God. 
That is, they did believe jonas sermon to be as true, and the judgement therein denounced to be as certain, if they did not repent, as if God himself had spoken it unto them. Thus faith cometh, by hearing, & hearing by the word of God, Rom. 10.17. A notable groundwork & sure foundation of their repentance, quo sublato, omne quod super struitur destruitur adificium. Which being taken away and removed, in vain and to no purpose do we build up our selves in sanctity of life, and sincerity of conversation. For as the blessed Apostle speaketh, He that cometh to God must first believe that God is, Heb, 11.6. Without this faith it is unpossible 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 Christian race, their first link in their golden chain of Christianity, the first sign of their new conversion, the first degree in their holy conversation, the first ronnd in their jacobs' ladder, where by they ascended up into the presence of the Lord a strange & a wondered matter, that is here said of this heathenish & idolatrous people of Niniveh, that they believed God. Where some thing was expected, there nothing is to be found, & where nothing was looked for, behold great abundance: the fatted soil is become barren, and the barten ground beareth much increase, the natural olive is withered away & the wild olive is become fruitful: the natural vine hath no grapes, & the bastard vine beareth many clusters. Credidit Ni niveh, & I sraell incredulus perseverat, credidit praputium, et circumcisio manet infidelis, saith S. Jerome upon this place. jonas had a long time preached to the Israelits, & lo Israel was not Israel but a disobedient nation. He preacheth but one sermon among these Ninivits, & he findeth more true Israelites among them than in his own country: the circumcision scorneth, and the uncircumcision are made heirs of the promises, the children prove rebels, and the rebels are changed into children, the jews contemn the word, and the Gentiles embrace it. The Israelits that were the elect of God, the sons of Abraham, the heirs of the covenant remain unfaithful: and the Ninivites that were Gentiles in the flesh, that were called the uncircumcision, alients from the common wealth of Israel, strangers from the covenant of promise, they are found faithful. So the people of Niniveh beiceved God.  
Observe. 2 Now because Faith without good works is but a dead faith, and the Devil's faith, as St. james calleth it. Jac. 2. Faith in them (which if it be a true faith is never solitary in any) bringeth forth the good work of fasting. They proclaimed a fast. Faith leadeth the way as the mistress, fasting a good work is ready at hand, as the handmaid. Faith as the foundation is first laid, fasting as the building is raised on it. Faith as the tree is first planted, fasting as the fruit groweth thereon, faith goeth before as a cause of fasting, fasting followeth after as an effect of faith. And they proclaimed a fast. Not a contentious fast, as their was, who fasted to strife and debate Esa. 58.4. Not an Hypocritical fast, as their was who disfigured their faces, that they might be seen of men to fast Mat. 6.16. Not a meritorious fast, as their was, who had thought, by this means to have merited something at the hands of God Zach. 7.5. Not a superstitious fast, as the fast of the Papists is, who hold it no less than damnation, on certain days to eat the least bit of flesh: and yet at the same times they can be content, to epicurize it with the sweetest wines, hottest spices, daintest fruits, that foreign countries, and most delicious fish, thet the farthest seas can afford-But the Fast of Niniveh was an orderly fast, it was a public fast, it was an absolute fast, it was a religious fast. Orderly, because not seditiously under taken by the multitude, but designed and appointed by the King and his Nobles. Public, because proclaimed to be kept, not of this or that family, but of every thing that breatheth among them both man and beast. Absolute, because they did not, with the Carthusian monks & others of the like sort, for bear flesh, & feed on dainty fish, and swill in their booles of wine: but as it is in the 7. verse of this chapter, they were forbid to taste any thing at all. Religious, because they were commanded in this their fast, to turn from their evil wares & from the wickedness of their hands. O what a worthy fast was this, O what a singular means to appease the wrath of God? Pliny in his 7. lib. and 2. chap. saith that fasting spittle is present death to serpents. How true that is I know not. But of this I am sure and certain, that such a fast as this, (so solemnly undertaken, so sincerely performed,) cannot choose but be a great means, to weaken the power of the great Dragon the old Serpent, and quench all the fiery darts of the Devil as 
a Ardertes Diaboli fagictae ieiuniotum fri●ore restringendae sunt.  St. Jerome speaketh. This is the foundation of alother virtues as the same father 
b Ad Deme triadem virginem  calleth it. This is the destroyer of sins, as 
c De Elia & jeiunio.  Ambrose nameth it. This is the token of humility, and extinguisher of lusts, as 
d Epist. 121. & ser. de ieiuni●.  Augustine termeth it. This is the rooter out of all transgressions, as St. Bernard usually defineth it. This is the tamer of the flesh, as Gregory in many places describeth it. This is the expeller of temptations, as Tertullian commonly speaketh of it. This was the means which the Israelits used, when they were distresled for the slaughter of their men by the Beniamites: they wept and fasted all the day unto the evening judg. 20.26. this was the means which jehoshophat used, when his enemies came against him to battle: He proclaimed a fast throughout all judah 2. Chro. 20.3. This was the means which David used, when his child was sick, he fasted and lay all night upon the earth. 2. Sam, 12.16. Finally this was the means which the Ninivites used in my text being terrified with the judgement denounced by the Prophet they believed God, and proclaimed a fast.  
Obser. 3 Now the 3 circumstance, that setteth down what effect this sermon wrought in them, was their attire, which was not costly, they put on sackcloth. Ahabit very fit to express the humility of the mind, and well joined in this place to fasting. For these 2. are the weapons of repentanc as 
e Saecus & jeiunium at ma sunt paenueti●● auxilae peccatorum Hierom.  St. Jerome calleth them, And therefore the same father saith: consequenter ad jeiunium saccam copulant, ut inanis venture, & habitus luctuosus, ambitiosiùs dominum deprecentur. They add unto fasting homely attire, thereby to further their prayers, and to make themselves more fit, to apply their suit unto God. And whereas no doubt they had offended God, both inwardly and outwardly: they do herein show the signs of their grief, both within & without. Within, by debarring their belly, & stomachs, of their usual substance, as they did by their absolute abstinence in their fast. Without, by making that flesh which had taken delight before in beauty and bravery to be now basely, and ugly clothed, with no better a garment than simple sackcloth, wherein as Gregory in his 35. ●●●moral noteth, is showed a roughness & a pricking, even the compunction of our sins: And Tertullian calleth it maroris ensign the very ensign and badge of sorrow: because heretofore, in ancient time, they did use to wear it upon such occasions. Witnesle the Patriarch jacob, who, upon the news of his son josephes' death, is said to rend his clothes, to put sackcloth about his loins, & to sorrow for his son a long season. Gen. 37.34. Witness Mordechai, who, when the King had yielded to the bloody request of Haman, for murdering all the jews, put on sackcloth & ashes, & cried a great cry and a bitter, in the midst of the city. Hest. 4.1. Witness David, who, in sign of his sorrow for Abner, commanded the people to rend their clothes, & to put on sackcloth. 2. Sam. 3.31. Witness, in steed 〈…〉 whereof I speak, whose king rose up from his throne, and laid his rob from him, & covered himself with sackcloth, & sat in dust & ashes, whose nobles followed him, whose Commons imitated them; from the highest to the lowest, from the eldest to the youngest: from the richest to the poorest, all were called in sackcloth & base array, as it followeth in the text, from the greatest to the least.  
Obser. 4 The last circumstance (for I cannot stand to amplify any) wherein these Ninivets' repentance is described, is taken from their number, which were not few, from the greatest unto the least. For it is not one of a house, or some few of a family, or some of the better sort of the people, that thus were ready to humble themselves before the Lord: but all in general, & every on in particular, from the eldest father, to the youngest suckling, from the greatest potentate to the meanest peysant, of what sex, estate, or condition soever they be, all are ready to further this holy duty. I might here justly take occasion to speak of the duty of superior magistrates, who may be here understood by the greatest, as also of inferior subjects, who are specified by the least: how they should, as at all times so especially in the times of common calamities, with a mutual consent, cast down themselves in a general humiliation before the highest. But I can but point at this doctrine. Let it be sufficient for our instruction, that seeing these Ninivits did so universally perform this, that without doubt, they shall rise up in judgement against us at the last day, if we be defective here in having the like occasion. For in their holy exercises, behold a pleasant harmony & agreement, maior aetas incipit, & usque ad minorem pervenit, saith a good father. The elder fort begin, and the younger they follow after; the superiors say to the inferiors, look on me and do ye likewise. jud. 7.17. And the inferiors answer the superiors, as the people did joshua, all that ye command us we will do Ios. 1.16. In a word, as according to Philosophy in the natural body, the heart alone is not warm, but the heat thereof is a propagating heat, diffusing itself in an orderly sort to the rest of the members, even the hands and feet the most remote parts of the whole: so in the commonwealth of Niniveh, which was a bodie politic, the Magistrates and governors themselves were not only thoroughly warmed with the heat of devotion: but the common people also, and vulgar sort did participate of that quality: and as the precious ointment upon Aaron's head ran down by his beard, to the skirts of his clothing, Psal. 133.2. So these notable effects of believing God, and fasting, and putting on sackcloth, were derived from the king to his council, and nobility, and from them to the meanest subject. And as we read of the multitude of believers, that they were of one heart, and of one soul, Act. 4.32. So here was a general consent, among a greater number of new converts: there was but one heart, and one soul, one mind, and one meaning, one faith and one fast, one desire, and on attire, among them all from the greatest to the least. O what a goodly sight was this? O how was it possible but that such a general cry and consent as this so universal a humiliation, should be acceptable unto the Lord? For if he hath promised, that were two or three are gathered together in his name, he willbe in the midst of them, Math. 18.20. How much more the, when so many thousands of all estates conditions, assemble themselves in fasting, sackcloth, and prayer, before their God in the great Congregation?  
Thus you see (Right Honourable, Right worshipful most dear and blessed brethren) what a plentiful harvest, cometh of a little seed sown, what goodly rivers issue from a little fountain, what rare & singular effects, are wrought in these Ninivits, by a few words spoken by the Prophet jonas. Shall I here commend the Prophet's eloquence, who, like a good orator, did so rule and reign in their minds, that as it was said of Hercules Celticus, the ears of his auditors, were tied with a chain, to the tip of his tongue? Or shall I attribute it to the soft, & gentle disposition of these Ninivites, who so easily yielded at the sound of the Prophet's voice? 
I his one general doctrine ishueth from all the 4. particulars of this part.  Or rather shall I not here admire, at the powerful operation of the word of God, that being delivered by the voice of on man, and that a stranger, it should make so great a king, so stately nobles, so rich citizens, so many thousand of barbarous & heathen people, to vail bonnet, and to descend from the throne of their pride, and to cast down themselves, in fasting and sackcloth before the Lord? Surely this is that word, which, like the snow & rain never returneth void, but prospereth in the thing where unto it is sent. Es. 55.11. This is that word, which is the power of God unto salvation. Rom. 1.16. This is that word, that is like a fire & a hammer that breaketh the stone. jer. 23 29. This is that word which is lively and mighty in operation, sharper than any two edged sword, and entering through, even to the dividing a sunder of the soul & the spirit, and of the joints, and of the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12. This is that word, that is mightily through God, to cast down holds and to overthrow every high thing, that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and to bring into captivity every thought, to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor: 10.5. Finally this is that word, which made the disciples hearts to burn within them, while they talked with Christ. Luk. 24.32. Which made Felix tremble, Act. 24.26. Which made the jews to be pricked in their hearts, Act. 2.37. Which made David confess, he had sinned against the Lord, 2. Sam, 12.13. Which made the people publicans, and soldiers, ask john Baptist, what they should do. Luk. 3.14. Which made jonas denounce destruction to Niniveh, and Niniveh to repent, for fear of the destruction denounced so the message of their overthrow, overthrew the message, the prophecy fell, and the city fell not, be cause her fall was prophesied. O new and admirable thing, (saith St. Chrysostome in his 5. Hom. ad populum Antiochenum) the denunciation of death, hath brought forth life, the sentence of the destruction, hath made a nullity in the sentence: such is the virtue of God's word, such is the authority of his everlasting truth.  
And is this even so? Jsthe word of the spirit so mighty in operation, hath it wrought so strange effects, and brought forth such wonderful fruits, in ignorant people, to whom the Lord sent but one Prophet, and that in so short a space? How great then shall our judgement be of this land, to whom the Lord in mercy hath sent so many Prophets, & teachers, these four and forty years together, to instruct us, and to call us to repentance: and yet we lie still frozen in the dregs of our iniquities? For if we do but examine ourselves by these Ninivits, we shall find that our repentance cometh far short of theirs. Do we, in the first place, imitate the Ninivites' faith in believing of God? I know that many do, & God forbidden there should be any in a Christian commonwealth, either so wilfully ignorant, as not to believe, or so maliciously obstinate, as not to confess this truth: and yet there are not wanting amongst us, and they of great place also it is to be feared, that say with the fool in the Psalm, There is no God at all. Thou damned Atheist, whosoever thou art, lift up thine eyes unto the heavens, & behold therein, the sun, the moon, and the stars, the wonderful works of God. Cast down thine eyes upon the earth, and behold therein, trees, plants, herbs, flowers, beasts, & cattle: & in them consider not the power of nature as thou foolishly callest it, but of the God of nature, which framed & fashioned all. Consider the ebbing & flowing of the sea, and the wonderful works of the highest in the deep. Look into thyself a little world, how art thou fashioned behind and before, within & with out, how wonderfully art thou made with variety of faculties, distinction of members, proportion of body, to say nothing of thy soul a heavenly creature? And if all this, will not make thee confess there is a God: yet know this, that the horror of thy conscience, for this thy so great blasphemy, shall make thee, whether thou wilt or no, acknowledge this truth. Or if thy conscience, be seared with an hot iron in this world yet be thou well assured, that the worm of conscience, that never dieth, in the world to come shall torment thee, in the lake that ever burneth, and in the fire that never goeth out.  
Do we in the second place with these Ninivites betake ourselves to fasting for our sins? What then is the cause, that there are so many amongst us, who like those voluptuous Princes of Israel, do stretch themselves upon their beds of ivory, and eat the lambs of the flock, & the calves out of the stall, delighting themselves in the sound of the viol, and other instruments of music that drink wine in boles, and anoint themselves with sweet ointments, not remembering the affliction of poor joseph. Amos 6.6. These are the Epicures of the world, who will rather feasT luxuriously with drunken Holofernes then fast religiously with these godly Ninivites. These are they, whose God is their belly, whose glory is their shame, whose only felicity consisteth in delicate fare: being of his mind in the history 
* Philoxenus apud A●●●ianum de vatia hist. lib. 10. cap 9  who said of his meat: that that was the sweetest which was the dearest. But as the historian there very well counseleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. These examples must be remembered, not that any should follow & imitate them, but that every one should abhor and detest them.  
Thirdly do we imitate the Ninivites attire, in clothing ourselves in sackcloth and course garments? How then cometh it to pass, that the ugly and detestable monster pride, hath so overrun our land: that all estates, and degrees amongst us, are so tainted & infected with this blemish? Noblemen in the court, Gentlemen in the country, serving men every where, upstart Swaggerers & cutting Caveliers, who, when they have no inward qualities to commend them, they must have the ivy bush of long hair to hang over their shoulders; not regarding St. Paul's reproof. 1. Cor. 11.14. nor Absalon's judgement. 2. Sam. 18.9. These are our inventors of new fashioned garments, our French, our Turkish, our Spanish, our Italian Englishmen. For a man may see a lively resemblance of all these in their apparel: as if the vanities of all nations, were little enough, to make up the measure of an englishman's pride. Let them not think, that want of other matter, hath driven us to tax these follies in them. 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 seat of God, against them and us. Good God, that the sons of Adam, should so far degenerate from their father Adam! He good man was content, with a garment of figtree leaves to hid bunakednes. Gen. 3●. But we will scarce be pleased with the ratest, and richest workmanhip, that art or nature can afford, to cover our sinful bodies. Nay as Pliny in his 5. lib. & first chapter noted the riot and excel of his time: so may we justly do the like of outs. Because forests are sought out, far and near, for ivory and citron trees, and all the rocks of Gerulia are searched for sheifish, that yield the purple crimson colour, to make our apparel show glorious. But o folly and vanity of advanities saith the same another, ever to think, onsidering our simple beginning, that we were sent into the world, to line in pride, & to adorn & deck our carcases in bravery, that are nought but clay & put refaction.  
Finally do we with these Ninivites, in the last circumstance, generally turn unto the Lord, & humble ourselves before him, from the greatest unto the least? what then is the cause, that all of us young and old, high and low, have so erred in our ways: everyone, turning into his own race, as the horse rusheth into the battle, to speak with the Prophet? jer. 8.6. What is the cause, that, in this bright sunnshine of the Gospel, such palpable darkness of error & ignorance, such relics of superstition & idolatry, should remain amongst us? What is the cause that so many of us, are mere temporising neuter, lukewarm professors, neither hot nor cold like them. Revel. 3.15. halting between two opinions, coldly professing the Religion established, but in heart embracing Papistical falsehood? What is the cause, that the jesunites and Seminaries, find such secret favour amongst us: who, like subtle deceavers, are at open war on with another, but yet tied together by the tasse like Sampsons' Foxes with fire brands to destroy our Church? What is the cause that, after the Gospel so long preached, holiness of life is so little practised: that many come not at all to hear the word of God or coming, with the dease adder they stop their ears at the sound thereof or hearing it, bring not forth the fruits of repentance: or repenting for a time, return at length with the dog to his vomit, & the swine unto her filth? Lastly what is the cause that our land is full of adulterers, and because of oaths the land mourneth, to use the Prophet's words jer. 23.10. that usury hath corrupted the rich cormorant, ambition the proud Prelate, covetousness the greedy lawyer, disdain the scornful courtier, deceit the cunning artificer, & the like. that all estates and degrees, are known by their several sins, as every gentleman by his several cognisance? Is this our universal conversion unto the Lord? is this the fruit of the Gospel? are these the badges of our repentance? Are these the effects, I say not of one sermon as jonas his was to Niniveh, but of so many thousand sermons, delivered from time to time unto us? 
Never more preaching never less prattling.  Beloved in Christ jesus, I am verily persuaded, that the immortal seed of God's word, was never more plentiful sown since the Apostles time, than it hath been amongst us, these many years togitherithe Lord make us thankful for so great a blessing. And yet as Lictantius said, there was never less wisdom in Greece, then in the time of the 7. wise men: so I sear me it may be to truly said, there was never less piety in England, then in this long eontinuance of so many godly and zealous Pastors. Sodom & Gomer, Tire & Sidon, shall rise up at the last day and condemn us: for if half so many lecturs, and sermons, & exhortations, & instructions, had been preached among them, as have been amongst us, They had surely repent in sackcloth & ashes. The Queen of the South, shall rise up in judgement, against us at the last day for she came from the uttermost part of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon Mat. 12.42. But many of us, refuse to step out of our doors, to hear the heavenvly wisdom of the true Solomon Christ jesus, revealed in his heavenly word. The Publicans and soldiers, shall rise up at the last day & condemn us: for at the preaching of on john Baptist, they were moved in their minds Luk. 3.14 But let all the Ministers & messengers of God, cry out till they be hoarse against our sins, & yet our hearts are nothing pricked, & yet our affections are nothing stirred up. Those wicked jews, that crucified the Lord of life, shall rise up at the last day & condemn us; for they, at on sermon of St. Peter, were converted to the number of three thousand. Act. 2.41. But how many fermous shall a man make amongst us, before he convert on sinful soul, before he bring home one stray sheep to the sheepfold of Christ jesus? The Ninivits as you have hard, at one little sermon of a few words, delivered by one jonas, repent in sackcloth & ashes, from the greatest to the least, but we have hard, not in this place only, but in all the corners, & quarters of our land, many hundred jonasses, yea many thousand pastors & prophets, & preachers of the word: & yet for all this, where is our faith in believing God? where are the fasts we have proclaimed? where is the sackcloth we have put on? where are the superiors to design? where are the inferiors to put in practise these holy exercises? Lastly all the creatures of God, shall rise up at the last day & condemn us: for they, in their several places, do in their kind, perform their duty to their creator, & are obedient to his word: but we only, as the most unreasonable, & insensible of all other, continued obstinate & rebellious still. The heavens declare the glory of God, the lights obey him with fear, the stars shin in their watch, the moon keeps her appointed season, the sum knows his going down, the waters fly at high rebuke: the earth trembleth & the mountains shak. The stork in the air knoweth her appointed time, & the turtle, and the crane, and the swallow observe the time of their coming: the ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his masters cribb: but we only, as the most unreasonable, and insensible of all creatures continue obstinate & rebellious still. What should I say more (beloved in Christ lesus) senseless stones are more obedient to God's voice than we are. Behold Moses with his rod struck the rock but twice, and the waters gushed out abundantly. Num. 20.11. but though the God of Moses, strike our stony hats, twice twenty times, with the hammer of his word: yet, where is that penitent Peter amongst us, I say not, that weopeth bitterly, but that sheddeth one tear, in remembrance of his transgressions? Behold the stony walls of jericho, after God had summoned them by his Priests, sounding their trumpets thrice, at the third found, fell flat upon the ground. Ios. 6.20. But we have resisted, not the third, or the fourth, or the sift only, but more the five hundred solemn summons, & several sounds: none of them could ever move us, none of them could once awake us. Isidore in his 12. lib. and 2. cap. de brutis animalibus, reporteth of the young Lions, that, after 3. days, they are raised and roused, by the roaring of the old: but the Lion of the tribe of judah Christ jesus, by preaching of his word, hath roared, not 3. days alone but more than 43. years together amongst us, & yet for all this we are not roused, and yet for all this we are not awaked. what? is not Christ the same Christ still? is not his Gospel as fruitful, is not his doctrine as effectual, is not his word as powerful now as ever it was? yes my dear brethren. But the fault is in us. Our marble & flinty hearts will not be softened, with the sweet showers of Gods heavenly word, comfortably falling down upon them: our stiff & yronsinewed necks, will not bow with any yoke, either the sweet & easy voke of the Gospel. Mat. 11.30. or the heavy & unsupportable yoke of the law. Act. 15.10. our faces are like whores foreheads, that will not blush jer. 3.3. our ears are so deaf, our eyes so dry, our senses so dull, our wills so obstinate, our affections so barren, our desires so cold: that neither the infamy and shame of the world can move us, nor all gentle admonitions allure us, nor the terrible threatenings of God's judgements fear us, nor the continual preaching of all the creatures of God under heaven persuade us unto repentice. Nay we are so sound rocked and lulled a sleep in the careless cradle of security, that neither the golden bells of Aaron, nor the thundering trump of Esay, nor the well tuned cymbals of David, nor the shrill sound of God's word, continually ringing in our cares, can once awake us. Being herein like to those bears, of whom Selinus writeth, in his 39 chap. qui tam gravi semno premuntur, ut ne vulneribus quidem excitariqucant. who are so far oppressed with a heavy sleep, that though they be wounded, yet can they not be wakened. Or like those fishes of whom Aristotle in his 4. l. & 10. c. de hist. animalium writeth: that they sleep so sound that, though they have spears thrust into their sides, yet they stir not at all: so senseless also are we in this our carnal security, that though the Ambassadors of the King of heaven, as so many sons of thunder, with jonas in my text denounce judgement against us, out of that word, which is sharper than any two edged sword: yet for all this, we do not with these Ninivits yield & cast down ourselves before the Lord: but rather like to the drunkard sleeping in the top of the mast Pro 23. when we are thus stricken we feel it not, when we are thus beaten we awake not, when we are thus admonished we amend not.  
Wherefore (most dear & blessed brethren beloved in the bowels of Christ lesus) to conclude all in a word, 
〈…〉  as he said to the Angel of the church that is at Sardis: so give me leave, I beseech you, to say the same to every on of you, that heareth me this day. Remember how you have received etc. Rev. 33. Remember that this day you have hard of a message from the Lord to a great city, & of the conversion of a great city unto the Lord. Remember in the one God's patience to Niniveh, in sparing it long Yet 40. days: And yet his severe judgement of destruction, if she would not amend, and Niniveh shallbe destroyed: Remember in the other the Nini vits turning unto the Lord, begun with faith, continued with fasting, declared in sackcloth, performed of all, from the greatest unto the least. And remember that the Lord hath sent, the same messag this day to England, to London, nay to us all, as he did to Niniveh: giving us yet time to repent, if we will accept him. O then let us love him in his mercy: threatening our o verthrow, if we do neglect him, o them let us fear him in his judgements, let us now repent, while we have time, lest hereafter we would repent, when we shall have no time. Let us now turn unto the Lord, in believing on him, in pinching our bellies with fasting, in clothing our backs with sackcloth, and in a general humiliation of ourselves before him, that so he may turn away his wrath, and heavy judgements, from us & from our land. Let us now open our ears, at the sound of his word preached. That being opened, we may hear it carefully, &, carefully hearing it, we may conceive it rightly, and, rightly conceiving it, we may believe it faithfully, and, faithfully believing it, we may discern it fruitfully, and, fruitfully discerning it, we may practise it effectually, & bring forth the fruits thereof accordingly, thereby growing from strength to strength, from virtue to virtue, until at the last we become perfect men in Christ jesus. That so being now accepted as sons, into the kingdom of grace in this world, we may hereafter be received as heirs, into the kingdom of glory, in the world to come. Which the Lord of his infinite mercy grant unto us all, for his Dear Sons sake jesus Christ, to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, three Persons, one eternal, everliving, and only wise God, be rendered and ascribed all Honour, and Glory, Power and Praise, Might and Majesty, Dignity and Dominion, now and for evermore. Amen.  
FJNIS.