are to go in them to make a goodly City Quinzay honoured as it is reported with 12000 bridges and a lake in the midst of the City of 30 miles compasse with two Islands wherein are gorgeous houses magnificent Palaces Grand Carre built where Memphis once stood or nigh to it which hath in it as some Historiographers write 18000 streets insomuch that Sel mus the great Conquerour was three daies in passing them â—hrow and such numbers of people that they count it nothing in a great plague every seventh year if they lose but 300000 in the year Hispua now called Casbin which the proud Persisians do call Half the world and say that the compasse of it cannot be rid about on horseback under lesse time then a whole day Musco that wooden City which hath in it sixteen Churches and the Princes Palace with seventeen Turrets and three great Bulwarks and 25000 Souldiers for a constant guard Cambalu the seat of the Crim Tartar who is called the shadow of spirits which is said to be 28 miles in compasse and hath in it a mighty confluence of merchants insomuch that there are said to be 10000 Carts to have come formerly every year laden with silks from China and besides other Inhabitants it is reported to have 50000 Astrologers in it Vienna famous for beautifull Temples stately Monasteries and a magnificent Palace for their Emperours but it hath in it no great quantity of ground nor multitude of Inhabitants but as the Court doth replenish it Paris which is said to be ten miles in compasse and hath in it lofty and curious buildings and 600000 Citisens besides Souldiers and Schollars of which last there are a multitude by reason of their 55 Col-Colledges Sevill which is said to be six miles in compasse and hath many excellent buildings Churches Monasteries Princely houses and a goodly bridge over the River Baetis and indifferently well peopled Constantinople where the spread Eagle was first plumed and flew out of her nest into the Imperiall Armes and that not onely here began to look towards the East and West but chiefly because when Constantine had resolved to build a glorious City and had laid the foundations of it in Asia some say in three severall places the Eagles would not suffer the Workmen to go forward but took up their tools in their bills and claws and carried them to Byzantium where this glorious City was built glorious it was once and somthing now sightly be it but for the Mosques State-houses Almes-houses and the Seraglio Tlascalan which is a goodly City in Guastacan of large extent and so shining afar off that Ferdinando Cortez thought at the first fight of it that it had been built all of pure silver Mexico which is in Tremistatan six miles at least in compasse and had in it about 70000 Families and a goodly lake joyning to it whereupon there were wont to be 40000 Canaoes fishing and all the banks of the Lake spread round about with fair Towns Cusco which hath in it one of the goodliest Market-places in the world and highly decked with rich and sumptuous buildings for every Courtier was commanded there to build a Palace and the whole City seemed to be nothing but a large Chest heaped up with silver and gold Imperiall a City in Chile which was able once to set out 300000 Souldiers against their Enemies El Dorado the greatest City of America some say of the world full of Gold in Coin golden Plate and Armour a City so big that Deigo Ordas was a day and a half travelling before he came to the Kings Palace Yet none of these Cities in their greatest glory were able to equall beams of Majesty with Nineveh no I have gone a large peregrination to visit all the chief Cities in the world but when I would shew to you the nest of the Phoenix I must carry you back to Assyria and wish you to turn your eyes upon Nineveh Whatsoever it is it was the Prince of Cities That great City Great for the Founders Jeron in Loc. Hebr. Hâ—go de S. Victore Pezel in Mellif Histor Arius Montanus Graâ—ay Hervin for Ashur departing from Nimrod for his great cruelties came hither and laid the foundations of this City which not only the scripture doth witnesse Gen. 10. but it is confirmed by the testimonies of many learned men And Belus his Son added somthing to the glory of it for he after he had subdued so many Countries that his subjects made him a God and offered the flesh of their Captives to him for a sacrifice out of great depredations hee bestowed much cost upon the City But it never came to perfection till the time of Ninus who reigning 52 years Sabell l. 1. Aeneid 1. and being a Prince of invincible courage and happy successe joyning with Ariaeus he vanquished Pharnus the King of the Medes and crucified him and some say he killed Zoroastes though Volateran say he dyed with the flashes of lightning howsoever certain it is hee won his Country of Bactria as he did Armenia Arabia and Lybia and grew to be such a mighty Prince that the Caldeans called him Hercules and the Assyrians Jupiter now this Ninus comming home full of prey to this Nineveh after hee had built three Temples in gratitude for his victories one to Belus his Father another to Juno his Mother and the third to Rhea his grandmother to the perpetuall eternising of his name he bestowed all the rest of his vast treasure upon this City Euseb in Chron. Coactis undique viribus his quae ad tantum opus spectarent urbem câ—ndidit Diodor Sic. Euseb in Chron Bâ—d in Genâ—â— q 6â— Aug. de civi tate Dei l. 16. cap. 3. Paterauâ—n oppidalum caput Imperii statait Strabo l. 6. Ab Ashur initia ejus civitatis caepisse quam postea Ninus ampliorem augustio rem fecit Pezel in Mellif Histor de Chald. pers Graec. Monarch usque ad Romanos Nava habitavit Jonah 3.3 which was to be called after his own name Nineveh of Ninus though some call it Ninoe and Eusebius Nisibis and the better to beautify the City he caused all his principall Artificers and the flowre of his Nobility to come and build here so that it became at last the splendour of Assyria and the Wonder of the whole world It is true many learned writers do hold Ashur and Ninus to be the same person yet by the judgement of very choise Authors the contrary is maintained Strabo saith that Ninus raised up his Fathers little town to be the head of an Empire Pezelius out of very good Antiquities doth affirm that it may be safely held that Ashur gave but the beginning to the City and that Ninus set it up in perfect beauty Yea it was That great Conquerour that made it That great City And that it was such a City I shall make evident not only from forced derivations by which some Criticks would assert the
forbear to shew you the faces of the Monsters or to hold up the Gorgons head in your sight but thus much I will say in generall that Gods name is much dis-honoured his truth corrupted his Deity blasphemed his Lawes violated his Messengers despised prayers are but customary gales praises but ditties of humours Sermons but notional speculations Sacraments but badges of an affected community the Saints weep the poor cry and the oppressed roar Grace is turned into a vizard and Religion into refined policy and if I should reckon up all a man would think here were sinnes enough amongst us to bury the ancientest family in oblivion to shake the greatest City in the world into scattered stones nay to cast Adam out of Paradise again if he were in his greatest Dominion and to throw down the Angels out of heaven again if they were in their greatest brightnesse Oh then that ye are the Contrivers of the fall of so great a City Is it nothing unto you to be held Conspirators against the safety of a City yes Cilicon that deluded the City of Miletum Suidas with continually saying All things are well till he had delivered it up in the hands of the Priennenses Pausan in Achaic Strabo l. 12. Zenias that carryed all faire to the City of Elis till he had brought it under the subjection of the Lace demonians Dorylaus Tacticus which betrayed Eupator in his head City Baditzes that when the Saracens had a long time besieged Amorium and were ready to depart from it sent a secret Letter to them Cedren that if they would but renew the assault they might easily enter at such a place as he named to them which they did and the City was put to slaughter all these are branded with infamy for seeking the destruction of their own Cities how much more then you which by your prodigious sinnes are plotting greater treachery against your City then these or the most perfidious persons that ever lodged within a City walls for these brought but armed men into a City but your sinnes are ready to bring hosts from heaven yea to fetch down the Angels from above to be revenged of you for all the execrable impieties which have been committed in this City Take away therefore the heynousnesse of your sinnes as ye would have the eminency of the City to be preserved The City may stand long if ye do not weaken the foundation of it If the City doth fall we know what hands to charge for pulling it down they are not the hands of justice but the hand of transgression that are guilty of this fact they are your provocations and abominations that neither profession can shame nor Pulpits restraine that are making their combinations to work the ruine of the City Neither Catiline nor Marius nor Dositheus nor Lasthenes nor all the treacherous freinds are like unto your proditorious sinnes no these call in Gods judgements open the City-gates to them put arms into their hands to slaughter on the right hand and on the left yea so enrage them that they will not leave wasting till they have laid the City levell with the ground The City hath been great is great and may continue great if ye your selves do not conspire against the greatnesse of it God ye see is no enemy to the City nor doth he envy the greatnesse of it no an eminent City doth carry an eminent respect with Him make him not an enemy then and he will not shake one stone of your greatnesse but adde more stones to build up your greatnesse ye see his high inclination to the preservation of eminency he would not destroy Nineveh because it was That great City but he would spare Nineveh because it was That great City Should not I spare Nineveh that great City Thirdly This doth shew the horror of this Cities desolation if ever it doth happen to perish for it is That great City and it will be that great casualty Oh the dream be to our enemies and the interpretation to them that hate us Let the woman called Wickednesse which doth sit in the midst of the Ephah of curses rather fly into the Land of Shinar then take her flight to this City and here rest as upon her Base For if this City come to be visited there are not tongues enough in the whole City to reckon up all the miseries that such a judgement will bring along with it Our cheeks may look pale our eyes drop and our hearts tremble at the apprehension of such a fatall day ruit alto à culmine Troja Ilium ingens sure I am Troy then shall fall from her very Culmen it is Ilium the Great and great will be the infelicity of such a curse It was Troy-novant it is Troy le-grand and it will be Troy l'extinct Do Cities fall with a small crush no let me carry you to the broken walls and lead you through the ruins of other Cities Heliopolis that was once a City beautiful in buildings and had a famous Temple in it now so razed that there is not a foot-step to be seen either of City or Temple Neque urbis neque Templi ullum restat vestigium Jeron in Dan. c. 11. Thebae ad unam portam redactae vix votus nomen servant Paus in Arch. Execrutus est quicunque eum locum instauraret Strabo l. 13. Paus in Phoacis fundamenta adhuc monstrantur Strabo l. 10. Thebes destroyed all but one Port so that it doth not seem to keep the old name Sidena utterly ruined and a curse laid upon all men by Craesus which should go about to rebuild it All the Cities in Phocis in the holy War as they called it wasted by the Amphyctions that it seemed a large Country without a City as Pausanias Eretria in Eubaea so demolished that there is nothing but the foundations of it like the dry bones of a consumed Carkasse to be shewn I might shew you the like of Troy Carthage Cyropolis Myrenae Alba Aquileia Cremona Masilia and many other glorious Cities which are so desolated that it would be an hard thing to find but a stone of the old foundation And well it were that the rage had but extended to bare walls but the City and the Citizens often perished together the walls of stone and the walls of flesh had the like battery the pick-axe and hammer brought forth for the one Persae instar sagenae incolas includentes tanta Barbarorum multitudo mure sese circumfuderat Herodot the sword and pole-axe brought forth for the other oh what murthers massacers have there happened at the destruction of many Cities The Citizens of Eretria being inclosed as it were in a net were all put to the sword The Citizens of Scotussa in Thessaly being called forth into the Market-stead to hear the lawes of conquest which they were to observe the elder men were made away by Bowmen and Dartmen Pausan which lay in secret to murther them
after it or look upon it that I heare a childe crying as if it had lost a Father or his fatherly providence and preservation Can God prepare a Table in the wilderaisse I am weary of my life what good shall my life do me who shall raise up Jacob for he is small thy breach is great like the Sea who can heale thee all joy is darkened the mirth of the Land is gone Wo is me now for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow I fainted in my sighings and have no rest When I cry and showt he shutteth out my prayer The anger of the Lord hath divided them he will no more regard them Is this the City that men call the perfection of beauty the joy of the whole earth The Lord hath cast off his Altar abhorred his Sanctuary Our bones are dryed our hopes are lost we are cut off These are the sad groans of an asslicted family the broken speeches of perplexed Sion we are chastised and the rod will never be hung up we are brought to a mourning condition and we must moisten our graves with our dying teares we are the footstool of the earth and all the Angels of heaven cannot remove this trampling foot our collar is loosened and we shall never be girded again with strength we are carried away to Babylon and we shall never see Sion again they which have dominon over our bodies rule over us with rigour and God hath forgotten us the earth is a Correction-house and heaven is no Sanctuary for us Barth Bonon in ejus vita yea as Antonius Vrceus Codrus for a little Chamber which he had burnt down went against the perswasion of all his friends and lived in the Woods and after that returning he lay the first night upon a Dunghill and when he entred into the City he could not be drawne to live in his owne house or in any other house of quality but lived six moneths in a mean mans house as if all were lost and he were never able to rise againe So if a few sparkes be fallen upon our estates or we but fired out of a little meanes we think we are never able to repair these losses no we are punished and we shall perish Porus King of India Justin lib. 12. when he was vanquished by Alexander he took it so heavily that though he had his life given him yet he would not for a great space eat any meat suffer his wounds to be dressed or be perswaded to live So if we be but crosed in any of our designs and cannot enjoy that liberty and fulnesse which formerly we had or carry any cuts about us we would even starve upon accidents or suffer our wounds to rankle we are unwilling to live or despaire ever again to live happily But oh sigh gently speak softly chide not with providence roare not under casualties fret not your selves into your graves for are ye the men that maintain a Creed and stand up to the Creed what one true article of faith have ye howsoever do ye believe a God what thus to loosen all the joynts of a Christian dependance to distrust a God oh remember that ye have suffered nothing but what the wisedome of God held convenient and the providence of God is able to restore double for it Moses fled for his life and kept sheep and afterwards became a mighty Ruler Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen thâ— end which the Lord wrought Jam. 5.11 Howsoever do ye suffer any thing out of Gods sight no his eye is upon all your trialls all your miseries are scored up in heaven he doth keepe a Catalogue of all your sufferings oh therefore take courage lift up your hands which hang down strengthen your feeble knees witnesse patience expresse confidence for why should ye be a fainting people under a knowing God no when ye are ready to complain and murmur and vex restrain these distempered passions by calling to mind that ye have a seeing and a searching God that hath taken notice of all your sorrows he can tell you all your losses reckon up all your injuries and indignities repeat to you all your extremities and exigences ye know not better how many eyes ye have in your heads nor how many fingers ye have upon your hands then he can bring in the full tale of all your distresses That he is such an observing and intelligent God ye may see herein Nineveh he can number out to her all her thousands and the surplus Wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons Secondly This doth serve to represse sin for oh that thou darest trespasse before such a knowing God canst thou doe any thing in such a close reserved manner that he shall not have cognizance of it I know there are a company of men which are all upon the point of secrecy and laying snares privily saying Who shall see them Psal 64.5 Yea a generation of men that have set their mouthes against heaven which say How doth God know and is there knowledge in the most high Psal 73.11 But these men shall hear God ere long answer them in thunder and tell them I know your manisold transgressions and your mighty sins Amos 5.12 Yea these things hast thou done and I kept silence then thou thoughtest wickedly that I was such an one as thy selfe but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Psal 50.21 Oh Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising thou understandest my thought asar off Thou compassest my path and my â—ed and art acquainted with all my wayes There is not a word in my tongue but lo O Lord thou knowest it altogether Thou hast beset me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me Psal 139.1.2 3 4 5. God could tell Adam of his eating the forbidden fruit Cain of murthering his Brother Abel Saul of sparing Agag and taking a part of the prey David of slipping in to his neighbours Bed and covering the fowlnesse of that guilt with the skin of a dead Husband Asah of trusting in his Physitians Hezekiah of shewing his treasures to Merodach Baladan the Scribes and Pharisees of their secret lusts which deserved stoning Aâ—anias and Saphira of their keeping back part of the price what then unto God can be undiscovered no he hath not only a multitude of about spies thee but he himself is the constant visiter of all thy actions Mercury feared not Gallus not Vulcan nor all the Gods so much for the discovering his close passages with Venus Natales Comes l. 2. Myth c. 6. as the Sun so this Sun is shining into all corners to reveal the most hidden passages yea God will beat the woods to make the birds fly out of their secret nests and smoak the dens and burroughs to make the beasts which are earth'd under ground to appear thine own dogs shall bark in thine ears thine own corrupt
prosecute her she is the party that will most bow and stoop before a mercifull Creditor Thou canst say that if there be two Debtors and the one be forgiven 50 and the other 500 pence that that party will love most to whom is most forgiven then why should not I pronounce that Mary Magdalen will have the most fervency kindled in her breast towards me Yes in respect of thy sparkes she will have flames so that in the point of pardon and favour she doth far exceed thee and not so likewise in the point of provision and the feast Yes I might object that she came of her own accord thou hadst some motive she for favour thou for same she to serve me thou to observe me she to be acquitted by me thou to be acquainted with me sheto seek reconciliation thou to seck resolutions she for gracious answers thou for difficult questions she to satisfie conscience thou to satisfie curiosity she as a sinner thou as a Pharisee she to give me spirituall sustenance thou to give me natural she to satiate me with tears thou with juncates she to refresh my desire thou my appetite she to feast my soule thou my body in these respects Mary Magdalen hath the precedency the sinners banquet doth excell the Pharisees she hath the best Cook-room and may carry it at the supernaturall dresser But to let passe these things and to come to those accidents contingencies and coincident things which have happened at the banquet thou hast feasted me in state she in humility thou in pompe she in dejections thou like a worthy she like a wretch thou like a Pharisee she like a sinner she hath given me more then thou didst bestow upon me for since I entred into thy house thou gavest me no water for my feet but she hath fetched water out of a new spring she hath washed my feet with her teares and she hath been more compleat in her provision for thou allowedst me nothing to dry and clean my feet but she hath brought a towel along with her the strangest and finest that ever touched flesh she hath wiped my feet with the hairs her head she hath been more debonair then thou thou didst entertain me onely with a few faire looks thou wert too haughty to be too familiar but she hath made me the better man used me like a Lord honouring the meanest part about me Thou gavest me no kiss but she hath not ceased to kisse my fees She hath made me to smell in the room but what perfumes didst thou bestow upon me no nourishment was enough for me from thee but ointments thou thoughtest were too chargeable My head with oyl thou didst not annoint but this woman hath annointed my feet with oyntment What now then thinkest thou of thy selfe what thinkest thou of this woman thou hast been looking on her a great while hast thou eyed her rightly No I doubt thou hast beheld her all this while with the Pharisee's eye For feare therefore that thou shouldest wrong her with thine eye though she hath all this while stood at my back yet I will now turn my face upon her take a sight of her yea I look and look thou again take a better view of her Seest thou this woman this woman this rare precious peerlesse woman thou lookest for high praise for thy entertainment and I praise thee but thou must not except equall thanks or honour with this woman no thou hast spread thy Table but Mary Magdalen is the Feast-maker Her water and napkin and kiss and oyntment far exceed the variety of Dishes which thou hast prepared So that the Penitent with Christ doth carry the credit from the Precisian Mary Magdalen hath more commendation from the Saviours lips then the Pharisee and the Pharisee it seemeth thought so for as a man convinced after Christ had expressed the inequality he doth make no replication The Pharisee is silenced and now our Saviour doth continue his discourse he doth leave the Pharisee and enter into parley with the woman yea whereas we do not find that he justified the Pharisee but doth leave him to his Synagogue balsomes this woman hath what she doth come for she is paid for her water and napkin and kisse and oyntment Woman stand up stand forth thou hast given me water and I rinse thee thou hast wiped me and I spunge thee thou hast kissed my feet and I set my Saviours lips to thy soul thou hast annointed me and I perfume thy spirit thou camest a sinner but I will not send thee away a sinner no thou hast seen thy last minutes of a sinner Thy sins are forgiven Luk. 7.48 And whereas there are new murmurers arise that after the Pharisee hath left muttering inwardly there are others that say in themselves a cavilling generation which had learned their spirit of contradiction from their old opposing Master that when he had laid down his weapons they renew the assault being loath that the woman should go away without her old name the Sinner traducing Christ that he should dare to absolve her For they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves Who is this that forgiveth sins also v. 49. That the woman might not be troubled with this interposition and alteration Christ doth renew his authorizing grant putting another seal to the pardon For he said to the woman Thy faith hath saved thee go in peace v. 50. So that the woman now is cleared and discharged forgiven and saved Oh gracious Saviour oh blessed Mary Magdalen All this long discourse have I used that by one full instance ye might see when God is pleased to shew mercy he will find out all the incentives that may conduce to compassion a here ye see that God omitteth nothing that might bring off this penitent creature with honour there is not onely an assertion that she was worthy but here is a dissertion a large dispute about it Christ hath a gradation of arguments for her And is it not so here in my Text Yes there was a discussion and an enforcement that Nineveh was to be spared because it was a City a great City that great City and that great City which hath things of price in it persons and their multitudes and surplusage mentioned that they had sixscore thousand and more and their disabilities that they cannot and in a thing of the highest consequence that they cannot discern and not for intricate things but for common triviall things they cannot discern between their right hand and their left and lest all this should be too little that the sparing grace should not be condiscended to God if he hath not said enough he will say more adds to the affirmation a confirmation and to the enforcement an enlargement And also Should not I spare Nineth that great City wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons which cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand And also Application First this
the gates of heaven put the triumphant palm into the hand and set the Crown of immortal glory upon the head oh be thou visible in this Nation till thou canst make us the new Jerusalem make us Nineveh Oh beloved listen to repentance begin the work make it compleat think it a necessary thing to repent think it not an easie thing to repent make a strict inquisition and have an heart-aking discussion fall upon your knees hold up your hands let not your conversion be too high-browed nor your repentance too blunt-edged blush and bleed sigh and sob wring and wayl scrape the walls infected with the leprosie hate the garment spotted by the flesh Mortifie your members which are upon earth abstain from all appearance of evill live as if ye conversed with Angels and did but tread below to clense your selves before ye put on the white Robe Oh come out of the finig-pot without any dross come out of the Bath without a steyn as your crimes have been exorbitant so let your repentance be exemplary So me-think I see judgement drawning back the destroying Angell called off the arrows taken off from the string the viall of wrath set by for if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted So long as ye are peccant can God pardon sinne so soon as ye are penitent can God punish repentance No I see Gods compassionate eye looking upon this renewed face fire from heaven falling upon this acceptable sacrifice tears shall quench all indignation repentance prevent all judgements and reformation be the Rahabs thred hung out at the window to keep the house in safety if ye be humbled God will be pacified if ye be Nineveh ye shall be spared Should not I spare Nineveh Now let us come from the name of the place Nineveh to the nature of the place That great City and to the description of it wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand and also much cattel That ye may not forget that which I delivered unto you in the beginning I will for the present joyn both these parts together and shew you as I did at first that God in these words doth produce reasons why he should spare Nineveh and that because it was no Family or Village or Burrough but a City and no obscure vulgar City whose streets were short lanes streight buildings low or compass narrow but a vast large great City yea match all the Cities upon earth yet as the Poet said Let Rome be to me instead of all Sit mea Roma mihi so Nineveh had the precedency and preheminency it was the most celebrated and magnified City That great City But will some say We shall know a City by the City-rarities are there any things to be found in it Yes Wherein Wherin Ah but when Is there not some precedent age to be looked back unto to set out the glory of this City Indeed we have been Trojans is little comfort or honour no Fuimus Troes fore-past happinesse is rather anguish then solace misery then honour what therefore hath not this City been flourishing but is now decayed and desolate no it is in the standing beauty it is for the present magnificent for there are Are what are there gorgeous structures rich merchandises but scarce inhabitants to dwel or trade in it no there are Persons Persons but in what numbers if a man take the sum of them is there any large tale to be brought in Yes Sixscore thousand Ay but perhaps the reckoning is too great or but nigh to the number no there may be a surplusage added for there are more then sixscore thousand But are not these intelligent persons and so they could foresee the danger and little pitty can belong to them because they perish wilfully no they cannot discern not onely the policies and City arts but not obvious and familiar things they cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand Well is all now spoken no there is a further aggravating reason for And also What is this enlargement about it is about poor dumb beasts there are persons that cannot and there are cattel that cannot discern Well there were sixscore thousand persons but is there any such store of cattel to move pitty yes multitudes of persons and multitudes of beasts much people and much Cattel Now Jonah saith God in effect doth not every word here plead for a sparing yes it would grieve one to see an house set on fire or an hamlet laid levell how much more a City and if a City of mean quality how much more a great City and if any great City how much more that which is the most famed City in the world which is superiour to all in glory That great City And if a City that hath but a little in it how much that which hath some things of price in it for wherein and if a City that was once happy but is now become unfortunate how much more a City in her visible splendor Wherein are And if a City wherein are only Ware-houses and Banquetting-houses Marble-pillars goodly Theaters lofty Citadels how much more that City wherein there are persons And if a City wherein there are persons in thin ranks how much more such a City that hath such a company of persons in it that they are able to plant a little Country even sixscore thousand And if a City that is but voyced up to be so great for ostentation sake how much more that City that hath such multitudes in it that if there were strict inquiry made the former number will not suffice but the Bill must be enlarged for there are sixscore thousand persons and more Oh Jonah whose heart would it not appall and terrifie to see that great City and that vast company perish at one stroke yes and if this be consider'd that many of them are not come to years of understanding they know neither sinne nor judgement provocation nor reconciliation the benefit of life nor the miseries of death for they are blamelesse harmlesse heartlesse artless Infants which know not their own names which cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand Besides if the ruine of reasonable persons do not move compassion should not the rage against bruit beasts the one cannot discern and the other cannot discern the offering of Infants would be grievous and so the sacrificing of so much cattel in the destruction of the City the shrieking of Infants would be dreadful and so the bleatings brayings neighings bellowings roarings of so many bruits Oh thou hast an heart of flint if these things do not melt it thou art no man and worse then a beast if the destruction of so many Infants and so much Cattel do not make thee relent Howsoever if thou hast no sense nor apprehension of these dolefull dismall accidents yet the great numbers both of Infants and Cattel do incline me absolutely
found this to his cost for he was enforced to besiege it three years and he had never taken it Haec totius terrae imperium olim magna pompa maximisque viribus nulli postea regioni aequandum tenuit Ar. Mont. Scimus illam non modo similem fuisse magnis urbibus quales hodiè multae in Europa sunt sed superaste omnia quaecunque praecipuum nomen obtineret Calvin in 4. Jonae Cui par magnitudine neque fuisset antea neque esset futara Ribera in 3. Jonae but for the rising of the River Arias Montanus saith that the height of the walls was an hundred foot in height and the breadth of them so large that three Carts could go abreast upon them the Towers were a 1500 and two hundred foot high and that it was such a stately City that it commanded the Empire of the Earth to which none was yet equall either for Pomp or Force Calvin saith It was not like to our Cities in Europe but it did exceed them all which of them soever have had the greatest fame and renown So that now ye see what is spoken here by the Spirit of God concerning Nineveh is no hyperbole as when we say that a thing is whiter then snow sweeter then holly clearer then the Noon-day No man may have his nimieties of expression his diffluences redundances superjections and transiliences of speech but the Scripture doth not blandish over-phrase extra-fame any thing truth it self cannot falsify Nineveh here hath from God but her just commendation for it was singular and supreme a great City and That great City Should not I spare Nineveh that great City From hence observe that Eminency hath an eminent respect with God Almighty he is loth to pluck down that City which he hath suffered to rise up to the heighth of greatnesse Jerusalem was become a prime City the joy of the whole Earth the perfection of beauty how doth our Saviour weep when he looketh upon Jerusalem weep why weep what is he offended at such a delectable object do the Towers or the Bulwarks the Fort of Sion or the Temple grieve his eyes no he doth weep because he was to shed the first tears but Jerusalem ere long was to weep her self blind to weep her self dead it was an antient City and she was now crumbling away to her first dust it was a great City and she was now demolishing to her first stone yea Not one stone shall be left upon another the very thought of her misery makes our Saviour cry out Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem thou hast killed the Prophets and stoned them which were sent unto thee that blood wil fetch out all the blood in thy veines those stones will dash out thine own brains thou wouldst not be gathered therefore thou shalt be scattered thou wouldst not come under my wings therefore thou shalt fall under other Nation 's claws thou hadst an house but thy house shall be left desolate unto thee Thus ye see that though Jerusalem had been the Cutthroat and Executioner of his Prophets yet becaushe she had been a place of eminency it cannot but grieve him to see how shee hath brought this blood of Martyrdome upon her self to gush to death with the blood of revenge and how her stones of persecution will be the stoneheap that will crush the head of a whole City with direfull curses Christ cannot think of this accident without grones nor look upon this sad fate without tears Ephraim had been another famous City how is God pained to the heart to behold Ephraim in danger When Ephraim spake there was trembling sure I am when God doth speak against Ephraim there is trembling Ephraim is joined to Idols let her alone alone how long see how soon God doth renew his presence and pitty to Ephraim Thou hast gone saith God to the Assyrian and sent to King Jareb and these could not heal thee But what shall Ephraim be without remedy these cannot heal thee shall none heal thee yes alas sick Ephraim if thou wilt thou shalt not yet fester to death in these wounds I saith God offer to be thy Physitian Oh Ephraim what shall I do unto thee Hos 6.4 He will teach Ephraim his own shame him in his exorbitances represent to him what a mixed piece and a clammy patch he is become a meer Time-server and Newter Ephraim is mixed amongst the people a cake not turned Hos 7.8 yea he will call him simple to his face Ephraim is a silly Dove without heart v. 11 yea and he will plead kindnesse to him ask Ephraim if this be the fruit of his affection instruction protection Oh Ephraim did I never do thee any courtesies was I never usefull and beneficiall to thee yes I taught Ephraim to go taking him by the armes I drew him with the cords of a man with the hands of love and I was as one that took off the yoak from his jaws and laid meat unto him Hos 11.3.4 Thus God will hint defection accuse of folly and intimate favour he will counsell and chide admonish and rebuke rather than he will repell and reject he will never leave till Ephraim leave old strayings and come to new tracks till Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols I have heard and observed him I am like a green firr tree from me is thy fruit found Hos 14.8 yea when God is constrained to be rough against Ephraim how is it as if a Father should dishinherit or tear out the bowells of his own heir Is Ephraim my dear Son is he my pleasant child since I spake against him I earnestly remembred him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him Jer. 31.20 With such a heavinesse if ever God doth deliver up Ephraim to judgment shake down his walls bring the yoak of captivity into his streets Oh Ephraim how shall we part how shall I separate my heart from thee thou hast done much unto me yet Oh Ephraim what shall I do unto thee There is a saying in the sixth of Micah 9. That the Lords voyce cryeth unto the City What City What cry A City saith God that I have fetched the stones of it out of a far Country for I have brought you saith God out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of servants yea I appointed Master-workmen to go along with the materialls and advance the buidling I sent before thee Moses Aaron and Miriam v. 4. and I yet further preserved the quarry-pieces whereof the City should be framed by might and miracle that they might not be seased upon scattered and dashed in pieces by the way for Oh my people remember what Balack the sonne of Moab consulted and what Baalam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal Thus farre I have gone for this City nay I never left it till in despight of all opposition and maugre all practisings against it I raised it up to