LONDON's REMEMBRANCER A CALL AND PATERN For TRUE and SPEEDY REPENTANCE BEING An ABRIDGMENT of those many severe SERMONS By Thomas Reeve B. in Divinity INTITULED GOD's PLEA for NINEVEH The only seasonable Work that can be done in this day Jer. 18 7. At what instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil way I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them Sam. 3.12 When I begin I will also make an end LONDON Printed for Th. Dawks 1683. * This is Abridg'd The Author's DEDICATION To the Religious Citizens of LONDON who are sensible of the Sins and do suplicate for the Safety of their CITY Honored Sirs and Citizens of a famous City c. I Call you out to a new Merchandize many of you have been negotiating in most of the known Cities of the World but did any of you yet Trade at Nineveh Let this be your Empory buy up her Commodities and set up an Exchange of her Wares others may call upon you to traffick elsewhere I direct you to this City Some of Nineveh's Ashes Sack-cloth men with new lips feet and hands would be more useful now than all the precious Rarities the richest Marts can afford Nineveh is the Place the way is beaten you shall never repent of the Journey 't is a renowned place in whose Ruins you may find Treasure enough to redeem you out of the present hazards and to prevent future Miserys Indeed I lay your Sandals before you yet be not discouraged ye shall go but like Merchant-Adventurers if ye be Industrious ye may drive a very advantagious Trade and come home laiden with the Riches of the same linger not set forth speedily and make a quick return and Millions shall bless you quarrel not who shall go first but walk peaceably and God Almighty prosper you Apply your selves to the right work and fall to right down Christianity let him be the best Man which can be most Zealous in this Religious Service 'T is hard to build a City and 't will be as hard to preserve it When a City is grown crazy with Sin they must be Master-Workmen that repair its decays or keep it from a Down-fall be ne'er so well prepared your Task requires almost Angelical puriâ—y and perfection to discharge Consider what ye are to do to wring a Spear out of the Almighty's Hand to turn back an Host of Judgments upon their March appear in 〈◊〉 2. compleat Harness and quit your selves like men But by what Citizens shall this 〈◊〉 done By them that are truly Religious and are sensiâ—le of the Sins and do supplicate for the safety of the City I Must have such as have the Sins of the City smarting upon their Hearts and the safety of the City ecchoing in their Lips I take no delight in hearing Citizens commended for exterior things such are The conspicuous Persons which are perspicuous in Graces and the Eys that see them bless them for their Piety whose chief Mart is in Heaven and Trade for such Riches as excel all the Treasurâ—s of Aegypt whose Hearts are knit to the City and whose Tongues are soliciting for it which weep over the Sins of the City and would even sacrifice themselves in Expiatory Dutys to prevent Judgments from it Pardon me I judg not the City by Furs and Gold-Chains c. These have no place but only the feeling Conscience and fervent Soul the rest I might send to C. M. Coriolanus who in the greatest necessity never tendred the well-fare of the Inferiors but lookt only to provide for his own Greatness and his great Ones and held the poorer Citizens to sad sufferings lest being supplyed with what they wanted they might be enabled to call him and the rest to account for their Injurys Having taken upon me a dolorous Service to whom should I apply my self but to the true Mourners in Jerusalem yes there are sins in the City and these sins do threaten Judgments All ye which do face the one and fear the other let me intreat You to sigh and sacrifice with me that the City being penitent neither the Peril nor perishing of the City may be dreaded To obtain this Blessing I confess I have as I can sanctify'd my self with some solemn Resolutions I desire you to enter into the same Vow with me not to desert the City with your Repentance and Devotion till a discharge be brought out of Heaven and the City settled in a Condition to be spared I hear a loud speech what is not this City able to do I wish it may be able to examine amd to extricate her self I cannot but love your City for her Breast that she proved such a kind Nurse to them which had neither Milk nor Maintenance when upon the Death of their Mother they were as exposed Children I thought once to have call'd in all the Nobility and Gentry of the Nation to joyn in this Work I would have Invited the Reverend of the Clergy to have assisted in this Religious service I would have drawn in all the Civil and Common Lawyers to plead in Heaven for this City I would have summoned in all the Physicians to have administred a soveraign Potion to this City I thought to have sent down to all the Citys in this Kingdom to have repaired hither themselves or send faithful substitutes their Conversion to officiate for the City in her greatest peril for seeing this is the Metropolis why should not all the Daughters do their Duty to their Mother and wait upon her with their Prayers Tears Humiliation and Mortification yes they here vending all their Commoditys and buying their principall Wares 't is convenient should bless her with their Repentance which hath blessed them with Revenue But because the most proper Cure is that which is personal people being able to prepare their Antidote therefore ye knowing both the Malady and the Medicine what need I trouble others when ye are able if ye will to do the work your selves and to be your own Physicians And now I have left you in your own Hands setting Life and Death before you Oh that I could speak to the City in general that as ALL Nineveh so ALL your City would be unanimous to unite their Repentance to keep oft a Judgment But I see such a Complicated Disease of bad Opinions and such 〈◊〉 Cakexy of evil Life amongst you some only magnifying the Virtues of the 〈◊〉 others going on in an Insensibility of any thing that it is either Sin or Danger that dispair to find the generality apprehensive either of Disease or Cure I remember that Calcedon was called the Town of the Blind because they would not suffer an experienced Work-man to build their Houses and so such a blind City shall I leave you if I set on Work half sighted Architects who can neither
restraint of Delicacies for they neither did eat Meat nor drink Water Cato told Julius Caesar That he only came Sober to Destory the Common-Wealth but we cannot come sober to preserve the Common-Wealth we cannot shut up our mouths to fence out a Judgment nor loose a Meals Meat to obtain a Blessing 'T was truly said by Jovius That the English Nation above all others upon Earth was most addicted to the Throat if a true account could be brought in for one years Table Expence in this Nation what a large Bill of Fare would there be I doubt whether the Spanish Indies would defray one years Charge Oh that we could send the Glutton and Wine-bibber out of the Nation then there might be some hopes of Sacrificing a true Sin-Offering we are too lusty and vigorous too full fed and drencht in Liquors to Repent true Repentance must be lean and meager c. 11. They put their whole strength to the work but we think a small company will suffice to do the Church work a few are enough to prevent Judgments and preserve the Land 12. They had a memorable thing to testify their Repentance for they made their Beasts to fast What do we do to the honour of Repentance we are for the via trita the beaten road 13. They had an Anguish for Sin the whole City is a Mourner but we are the joyous City the Tabret and the Harp do not depart from us 14. Nineveh confesseth her Sins but alas our Mouths will not open no man saith What have I done we rather hide our Sins than bring them to light we love not to shew our Raggs tell our Debts or open our Sores no we will Plead Not Guilty and be prest to Death rather than confess the Indictment Peccavi I have sinned is too big a word to get out of a Sinners mouth we desire powerful Teaching Thundering c. but we would have it against others Sins and not our own c. 15. Nineveh made some Reparation he that had seen Nineveh in Pomp and Pride Crisped and Curled Bathed in Pleasures as a ruling City but now as a ruful City dejected ashamed blushing pronouncing her self unmeet to be seen or known fitter to pine above ground or to rot under ground than to draw Breath above ground he would think Nineveh was about to make amends for all her excess for every strip of this Sack-Cloth every handfull of the Ash-heap the Bowels griping for Food the Beasts lowing for Fodder do testify Nineveh to be a most satisfying Creature O Londoners how long will it be before ye be brought to make this Reparation for Sin Another Life doth require another Diet when our Hearts change every thing about us should have a change I know there is no compensant satisfaction of Justice for Sin but of hatred against Sin not as a cause of reconciliation but as a sign of Detestation not as a cleansing from the Curse but as a horror of the Trespass not as an Instrument of Justification but as an Adjunct of Mortification not to procure Innocence but to declare Humility and shall we renounce Sin without smiting it at parting or give it a farewell battering there is nothing more offensive to Sin than to see it self abased and its opposite in its place there is no Repentance without a Holy Revenge which is making a Reparation 16. They had devout Supplication they cry mightily we must not look for mighty Comforts without mighty Cryes God sits on his Throne but none make Addresses to him 17. Nineveh hath a Renovation of Life Let them turn every one from their evil ways but alas He that was filthy is filthy still not one Tract altered some amazement no amendment a little Humiliation but no Reformation We would rather Teach Repentance than Practise it what VVhoremonger hath yet unclapsed his hands with his VVhore c. were there ever so many Unregenerating Sermons the Moors are black still Time-may turn there may be several variations in humane affairs but not in humane Actings Men are resolv'd and settled they will not turn from their evil ways Who has believed our Reports c. was ever so many Alarums sounded and so few mind it many may watch over Souls but who wins Souls Faith and Repentance are the two great Lights of the Church but now Eclipsed 18. Nineveh was touched with Oppression for 't is not barely said Let every one turn from his evil way but likewise from the violence of his Hands If God should demand according to Law hand for hand Exod. 21.24 what a dismembred Nation would there be the hand of the Avenger would persue too many Whether they wash them yea or no I know not sure I am their hands are full of Blood Thus at large you have seen Nineveh's Repentance O that Face could answer Face in the Water ye have acknowledged Sin but do you come with Mineveh's Confession ye have been soliciting Heaven but did ye ever awaken God with Nineveh's mighty cry VVe are immured little hopes of a Goal-Delivery Now we come from the Name of the place to the Nature of the place That Great City wherein c. God himself doth produce Reasons why he should spare Nineveh and that because it was no Family or Village or Borrough but a City and no obscure City but a vast large great City there are three things considerable the subject City the attribute Great the eminency That That Great City 159 For the subject City hence observe That a City in it self is an Attractive of Pity Gods great Providence is seen in the greatest things what more Beautiful than a City There is a great weight in the name of a City all Men are carryed to a City as to a place of the greatest honour Solomon compares the strength of Affection to a strong City Prov. 1.8.19 And Isaiah saith That there are houses of Joy in the joyous City Isai 32.13 Yea God doth Animate Jeremiah to deliver his Message with Confidence for he had made him like a fenced City Jer. 1.18 What offerings were there appointed to be at the Building of a City Ezek. 4.8 and what Solemnities were there used at the Dedication of the Wall of a City Nehem. 12.27 God himself as he would not be without a Law an Ark a Tabernacle So he would hot be without a City which is called the City of God yea how dear a City is to God may appear by the name of it in Hebrew which comes from a word that signifies to stir up as if God by the name of a City were stirred up to provide for it Indeed he keepeth the City and his Eyes are towards the City And it is Graven upon the Palms of his Hands 1. A City is a good resting place 2. Citys are places of meeting for the seed of the City is as the Gravel Esai 48.19 It doth multiply Merchants like the Stars of Heaven Nahum 3.16 3. Cities are places of order
they are not VValls but Laws that keep Cities 4. Cities are places of Arts and Sciences In the Country are Herdsmen but in the City is the cunning Artificer 5. Citys are Conspicuous a City set upon a Hill cannot be hid God doth land his Judgments upon the Shore-side and doth make them take a long March through the Country before they do pitch down their Tents dig Trenches lay streight Sieges and set up scaling Ladders against the City Indeed if a City doth live out of Fear live in pleasure dwell carelesly if the Harp Viol Tabret Pipe and the VVine be in their Feasts if they deride and defy Judgments then God may fray the City in the midst of her Jollity Case up her Musical Instruments bring in the Voyder to her sumptuous Banquets turn this Dancing City into a sorrowful Lady yea make this Melodious City a Ramah wherein there shall be nothing but Mourning and VVeeeping and great Lamentation instead of the Mirth of the City and its Jollity the cry of City shall go up to Heaven 1 Sam. 5.12 If a City wax proud insolent and daring it shall know neither Gates Bars VValls Towers impregnable Castles or Millions of Armed Men can or shall secure her Gods confounding Judgment shall pull down the most potent and haughty City A City of perversness shall be a City of Perplexity Ezek. 9.9 Then the City shall be smitten Ezek. 33.24 Laid desolate Esa 27.10 Made a Den of Dragons Jer. 10.22 A defenced City shall be made an heap Isaiah 25.2 Yea God will set his Face against the City for Evil and not for Good Jer 21.10 Application 161 This shews that God is the Citys Friend yea the City hath not such a Patron as this Preserver of Men. Except the Lord doth keep the City the Watch-man waketh hut in Vain Psal 127.1 1. Trust not in your Marshals or Magistrates these are but your Dij Medioxumi middle Gods ye have the Lord God Almighty to rely upon what need the City fear any thing if God be their Friend tho' Friendship somtimes is dangerous Men care not how they sell their Friends like Commodities they have no use of or make spoils of them as spend-thrifts do of Estates the perfidiousness of Friends is such that it is a snare to be familiar But God will give his own Weapons to the City to fight with as Hercules gave his Bow and Arrows to Philoctetes his dear Friend God will go through all extremitys with his City 't is no easy matter to perswade a City out of Gods Favour he will rather shew her the Accusations brought against her to testify the Confidence of his Love then make her away upon Suggestions and Informations It must be a high thing that can dis-unite God and his City God will search strictly before he will separate He doth so love a City that he would not ruin Sodom before he had examined it ten Righteous might have at last preserved it it was burnt to Cinders for want of Saints and not for want of a Compassionate God God so loves a City that he gives Laws for its safety Deut. 20.10 When thou comest nigh to a City to fight against it then proclaim Peace unto it Wo be to him that doth make a breach or shake a Stone in the VValls or shed a drop of Blood or rifle an innocent Trades-man till Conditions of Peace be offered So that if God be your Friend and restless grievances han't provoked him to be your Adversary you may Trade freely rest quietly fear no molestation neither at the Custom-House or Council Chamber Zac. 8.4.5 There shall be old Men and old Women in the Streets and every man walk with his staff in his hand for very Age the streets of the City shall be full of Boys and Girls playing in it God will lead them out of Doors in the day-time and put them to bed at night keep the Keys of the City and set Guards over them serve God and he will not only give you a Charter but be the City Standard-bearer and Champion Whosoever will not spare HE will spare because it is a City should I not spare Nineveh a City 2. This shews that a City in it self is a place of Honor do men cast contempt on that which God himself doth magnify will God spare Nineveh because a City and shall not a City be thought worthy of an excellency else we correct Gods Heraldry and strive who shall be the best Judges about Titles of Honour let none deprive the City of its Cap of Maintenance or abuse the Furr'd Gown for a City is the most principal thing of all things which can be constituted by Mans Reason saith Aquinas 't is an ignoble spirit to vilify that which God and Nature has dignify'd If a Man would commend a place 't is enough to say 'T is a City Kindness may be in the Hind but the Breath of a Citizens Lips is Courtesy c. II. A City is a place of Honor because Men there get Estates in a more noble way than other Men as in Merchandising Diodorus says several Kings have been Merchants and Merchants must be supposed to get their Means in a splendid way for Princes would never spot their Courts and soil their Robes in medling with sordid Callings III. A City is a place of Honour because there is a dayly Mart where by Exportation and Importation it doth supply other Countreys and store it self with all manner of Necessaries 4. A City is a place of Honour because multitudes live there with a unanimous Expression yea many hundred Thousands linked like persons of one Tabernacle many a Family not so combined as a City therefore called a Society or Corporation 5. A City is a place of Honour because of Buildings Houses and Riches are given of the Lord. Art can present the Eye with no more pleasing object than the sight of a City Princes thought they could never set out their Royalty better than in building Cities as Asher in building this Nineveh Gen. 10.11 and Nebuchadnezzar Babylon 6. A City is a place of Honour because there are Liberties the Apostle says ye are Citizens with the Saints Eph. 2.19 by that he would intimate that Citizens had great Immunities 7. Because there are degrees of Honour The Livery the Benchers the Gold Chains St. Paul says He was a Citizen of no mean City Acts 21.29 It means it had no mean Government and Jurisdiction to belong to it 8. A City is a place of Honour in respect of large Payments now in defraying Tributes and Customs who exceeds the Citizens III. This shews That as a City is chief so it should be chief in commendable Demeanour A City should be a place of Example the great Idea from which all round about should be effigiated the Prototype by which all adjacent places should be stamped Doth not a Citys Virtues diffuse vertue when it was asked why Peloponesus was so good It was presently
where the spread Eagle was first plumed and flew out of her Nest into the Imperial Arms and not only 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 Foundation in Asia some say in three several places the Eagles would not suffer the Workmen to go forward but took up their Tools in their Bills and Claws and carryed them to Byzantine where this once Famous City was built and something sightly still be it but for the Mosques State-houses Alms-houses and the Seraglio Tlascalan the goodly City in Guastacan of large extent so much shining afar off that Ferdinando Cortez thought at first sight of it that it had been built of pure Silver Cusco which hath in it one of the goodliest Market places in the World deck'd with rich and sumptuous Buildings for every Courtier was commanded there to build a Palace the whole City seeming to be nothing but one large Chest heaped with Silver and Gold Imperial And now I have thus done I must bring you back to Nineveh and say That none of these Citys in their greatest Glory is able to equal Beams of Majesty with Nineveh 1. It was called Megalopolis the great City the original says A City to God or a City for God as if fitter for God than Men to dwell in 2. 'T is That great City from the duration of it what City upon Earth had such an uninterrupted Felicity as Nineveh Some say for 1500 years others for 1400 all agree for above one Thousand 3. For the vast Wealth it had for Bilesus joyning with Arbaces being present at taking and burning of it beg'd of Arbaces after sacking and rifling it to have barely the Ashes of it to be bestowed upon him which was freely granted he got thereby an incredible Estate being an hundred Millions of Talents of Gold and a Thousand Millions of Talents of Silver besides the Heaps of such Coin as was gathered up in the several corners of the City 200 Well then let it be for that great Treasure the great City 4. For the great Emulation that was born against it for many did malign the honour and greatness of it among the rest Semeramis This Semeramis from being a base Child as some say from being an exposed Child as most averr by the Mercy of Shepherds was taken up and fostered till ripe years and then appearing to be a Peerless Beauty she was presented to the Vice-Roy of Syria who being rapt at the sight of her received her both Joyfully and Thankfully and Married her to his Eldest Son Menon The Vice Roy being summoned to wait upon Ninus in an expedition He with his Son and Daughter went together according to Custom into the Wars Ninus casting his Eyes upon Semiramis thought her too rich a Jewel for a Subject to use wrested her from Menon who strangled himself and made her his Bride being fonder of her then all the other Beautys which were his Lust-Baths Semiramis seeing she had the Victor in Fetters made use of her opportunity secretly envying Nineveh's glory and ambitious to do something that should out-beam Niveveh she beg'd leave to build a City her self her Prince not being able to deny her any thing granted her Suit and furnished her with Treasure she instantly pitcht upon Babylon and thought to make it the Mirrour of Architecture and the Nymph of Citys the Walls indeed were esteemed as one of the Wonders of the World But because she saw she had a restraint in her boundless desires so long as Ninus lived she presented another Petition viz. That he would give her leave to step out of his Bed-chamber into the Throne and Reign as an absolute Prince for some short time some say but for one day others for two and others for five Ninus being infatuated with passionate Affection granted it Oh prodigious new Prince what mischief may be perpetrated in a little space for Semiramis before the last Minute of her stinted Government got her Husband to be made away Well she being foot-loose wading through her Husbands blood she dedicated all her Husbands Treasure to the shrine of Babylon But because vast expences will drain even Princes Coffers she finding a decay of Riches goeth forth to dig the Gold Mines abroad Mustering an Army she marcheth forth with such a Besom of Soldiers that she was able to sweep all the Earth as she went In this Expedition she Conquers the Ethiopians and so returning back with Fame and Spoil she invades the Sagdians H rcamans Parthenians Arachosians Araspians Parmisedans and many more Kingdoms where being Victorious she brought home the Wealth of all these Countrys as a present to Babylon And when all this was spent she carries her Purse abroad again to be filled Her next Trace was to India and there she carries such a vast Army that not Tamarlain Cignis Pompey the great Augusius the mighty the great Cham the great Turk the Mogul the Emperor of China Metuzama Atabaliba no not Ziba the Ethâ—â—pian or Xerxes himself nor any I could read of ever appeared in the Field with such Pomp and Power for she had in her Camp three Millions of Foot-men five hundred Thousand Horse-men and a hundred Thousand Chariots as many Camels whereupon Men rid with Swords of four Cubits long and as many Camels and Horses to bear Burdens and go upon Errands and as many Elephants which some say were natural others artificial and two Thousand Ships carryed upon Camels Backs to convey her Soldiers over Rivers others say there number were ten Thousand with this formidable Army she passed the River Gâ—â—ges and entered Staurobates's Dominions defeated him and harressed his Country some say the contrary but 't is a groundless assertion for the current of all ancient Writers avouch That she conquer'd Staurobates She dyed at Bactria where she being warned by the Oracle of Jupiter Hâ—man That the time of her Death drew nigh she called all her Captains and Commanders about her causing them to Swear Allegiance to her Son and so resign'd up the Empire to him the EPITAPH she caused to be Ingraven upon her Tomb was Here lyes Semiramis the Great whosoever will open this Tomb shall find Treasure enough which Darius some say Cyrus attempting he found nothing but a Paper with these Words If thou were not a bad man a d insatiable after Gâ—ld thou wouldst not have disturb'd the Sepulchre of the Dead So long as Semiramis sate on the Throne and Reigned and Fought for Babylon it had her Eye her Tongue Head and Hand yet once an undutiful Hand-Maid for she rebelled once against her the news coming to Semiramis while she was Combing her Hair she took it so offensively That shâ— Vowed n verâ— to dress her Head till she had reduced her to Obedience which she really performed for half Drest as she was she marcht away and laid such a streight Siege to the City that she brought down
her haughty Spirit and forc'd her on her Knees to beg Pardon Having thus humbled her and severely chastised her setting up her Picture in Brass with her Hair disheveled in Memory of that Rebellion she renewed her affections to her making her the Minion of her â—avour and yet notwithstanding this Munificence and Magnificence with which she was thus adorned she fell short of great Nineveh for Nineveh had fifteen hundred Turrets Babylon but seven hundred Nineveh four hundred and eighty Furlongs in compass Babylon not above three hundred and eighty Nineveh in breadth one hundred and ninety Furlongs Babylon not above one hundred Nineveh a City of three days Journey Babylon as far as we can read not a days Besides the largeness of the Streets and the beauty and numerosity of Buildings in Babylon were nothing comparable to those in Nineveh so that though Babylon was fair yet not able to match Faces with Nineveh No Babylon was a great City but Nineveh was That great City Though Babylon exceeded Nineveh in strength of the Walls and in the Bridge over Euphrates which was five Furlongs long and in two Palaces yet it was not half peopled so much as Nineveh Quintus Curtius saith That but ninety Furlongs of it were Built the rest was for Vinyards and Tilth to maintain them in a siege 203 5. That great City Strabo saith It ruled far and nigh within Euphrates and beyond Euphrates Car Stephanus saith That under three days a Man could not have the full sight of it through Streets and Lanes it was the most peopled place in the World and the most delightful place to behold Arias Montanus saith That the Walls were an hundred foot in height and so broad that three Carts might go a-bredth on it It command d the whole Earth Obs That Eminency hath an eminent respect with God Almighty he is loth to pull down a City which he has suffered to rise up to the heighth of Greatness Our Saviour wept over Jerusalem not for its Forts and Towers but because he was to shed the first Tears and Jerusalem was to weep her self Blind yea Dead Jerusalem had been the Cut-Throat of the Prophets The Stones of Persecution will be the Stone-heap that will crush the Head of a whole City with direful Curses Ephraim had been another famous City and how is God pained to the Heart to behold Ephraim in Danger Hos 6.4 Oh Ephraim what shall I do unto Thee Ah and when God is constrained to be rough with him as if a Father should tear out the Bowels 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 Oh Ephraim how shall we part what shall I do unto Thee Micah 6.9 The Lords Voice cryeth unto the City What is this Cry to call-in Invaders to assault it or Conquerors to Fetter it No to call up a prudent Person to acknowledge the kind Founder But what need of this Cry what great need for the City is ready to be carryed to the Correction House to be lead to the Whipping Pillar for there is a Rod prepared and a hand lifted up to strike Danger indeed what shall procure Deliverance is there any means left to keep the City from the Lash Yes saith God if the City hath but a good Ear it need not fear its Back it shall not suffer if it do but harken nor feel the Rod if it do but listen to the Rod therefore hear the Rod and who hath aâ—pointed it T was said of Titus that noble Emperor that he had rather perâ—sh himself then destroy So God will as soon part with his Essence as his Compassion See how he expostulates with Jonah about Nineveh he would spare it because it was eminent it was that great City should I not spare Nineveh that great City 1. God will spare Nineveh that great City to teach the World that things of Eminency are to be prized What strange Eyes are in your Heads that cannot see Beams in those things which excel all other as far as Light doth excel Darkness Shall not that be valued which is invaluable Then ye are not to be valued whatsoever is excellent ought to be look'd upon with an Eye of Reverence Epithaniuâ— Bâ— of Ticinum when Theodoricus took the City was so regarded by the barbarous Soldiers though of a contrary Judgment that they used him with all Civility whilst they stayed with him and wept at their departure from him Shame to them which abuse that which is pretious and can honour nothing but what is contemptible 2. God will spare Nineveh to shâ—w that his Mercy is not to be limited Jonah was for destroying it above all places because it was that great City full of Sin and Provocation but God would have it spared because it was full of Danger and had most need of Mercy There are Men liberal in their Judgments that we may say to them as Diogeneâ— said to one in the like kind How long is it since thou camest out of Heaven where these Men have Liberty many a wicked Man shall be saved and the Godly condemned 3. God would spare Nineveh because he desired to be honored in a great Preservation God would be abundant in Goodness and Save by a great Deliverance not spare a particular eminent person or a distinct eminent Family but that great City that upon aâ—l the Glory there might be a defence this is the Tryumph of Divine Favour and the Trophe he aims at when great Countrys great Nations participate of his Mercy that it may be said here is Gods Banner displayed and his Buckler hung up That he might be honored with an Eminency he will spare with an Eminency Should I not spaâ—e Nineveh That great City Application The Excellency of London above other Citys 1. This doth shew the Happiness of this Place for are ye only a City no a City with Eminency the greatest of the Land the greatest of many what are Amsterdam Hamborough Quinborough nay the Royal Citys of many Countries Stockholm Copinhagen Vienna Rome it self to you Yours is such a City as 't is fit only to be shown upon Holy Days This City for Courts of Justice doth seem to be a grand Tribunal for Provisions for the Poor a wide Hospital for War-like preparations an admirable Arsnal for much Trading a stored Ware-house for beautiful Building a gorgeous Palace for means of Salvation the Temple of the Earth 't is a renowned City look'd upon as the Stage of Wonders consider the several Jewels lock'd up in this Cabinet I fear you darken your own Splendor and diminish your Portion you mind not her dayly Commodities landed at your Stairs oh you know not the price of your City-Sword nor the worth of the Cap of Maintenance c. God might give this City to new Dwellers that might say Their Lot is fallen to them in a pleasant
Land or create new Members of this Corporation that would sing a Hymn to him for such variety of Blessings alas ye possess much ye prize but little ye are more successful than sensible Oh consider in what an Eden God hath placed you ye are not only a City but above many Cities in the World Ye may be called That great City Should I not spare Nineveh that great City 2. This shews that the City is eminent with God if Ye do not withdraw his Affections from it he doth prize the City because its That great City the City cannot be too great for God if it be not too great for your Selves he is satisfy'd with your large Circuit if ye do not cast your selves out of your own Walls Make him Chief over the City and hold it in Fee under him as long as you will do but true Homage to him and he will deliver back again to you your Sword and Mace and Keys to keep for many Ages if ever ye perish your Blood be upon your own Heads Thy Destruction is of thy self O Israel Misery will never come from Gods Justice but from your own Wickedness his Rod will never be felt till the Scorner doth call for Stripes yet so lie loveth your Pavements if ye don't break them up he delights in your Buildings if ye don't pollute them he rejoyces in your Treasures if ye don't forfeit them Ye are blessed why are you sick of your own Felicity Do ye wish well to the City or desire to continue its Eminency No Methinks I see you bring â—ick-axes to dig down your own Walls and spring Mines to blow up your own Houses and kindle Sparks that will set the whole City in a Flame from one end to the other what means the City-Jars Differences and Distinctions of each other by several Names these if Wisdom prevent not will bring ruin to a City for a City doth signify no more nor less than the unity of Citizens and indeed if it want unity it is but a Tumult a wresting place a pitched Field and not a City the Towers are then undermining and the Walls shaking and falling A Miserable thing it is when their Tongues are divided and there is a strife in the City Psal 55.9 Scornful Men i.e. Turbulent and Factious bring the City into a sâ—are then is the City becoming a City of Destruction Epictetus said well That discord is the wit-foundring of a City Diodorus makes a sad relation concerning the Citizens of Argos falling into Dissentions and Distractions about Superiority which caused such a woful face of Misery and Desolation that no man lived in safety for many were Tortured to Death and others cut their own Throats that they might not be â—ortured yea certain Orators arising so stirred up the People against the Rich that no Man of Wealth was secure thirty of them were questioned tortured and slaughtered at once and after that two Thousand and two hundred afterwards the Orators out of Remorse refusing to accuse any more the Rage fell upon them and they were Murthered and Perished among the rest The Citizens of Constantinople falling into Contention in the seventh year of ustinian giving their popular pledge to raise Partys what Troubles did there break forth Citizens were Banisht Houses Burnt the Temple Defaced and the uproar nor ally'd until three Thousand were Slain when Carthage was divided how soon did it come to be an enslaved City Discords of Citizens have ever been Ominous and divers times fatal Beware O London Oh this Unity doth carry in it an universality of Felicity it is the Basis and Battle-ax to a City Hath God Built this City for his own Service and Worship No it seems to be a Bear-Garden or a Nest of Cockatrices Oh the hideous noises the filthy smells the dung-heaps the execrable Sins that are committed in this City It seems to be nothing but a fenced Vale for Miscreants and Anak ms to shelter themselves in to speak modestly I wont shew you the Faces of the Monsters or holâ— up the Gorgons Head in your sight but I will say in general That Gods Name is Dishonored his Truth Corrupted his Deity Blasphemed his Laws Violated his Messengers dispised Prayers but Customary Gales Praises but Ditties of Humour Sermons but Notional Speculations Sacraments but badges of 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 here 's enough to bury the ancientest Family in Oblivion to shake the greatest City in the World into scattered Stones to cast Adam out of Paradise again and to throw the Angels out of Heaven if they were in the greatest brightness Oh then that ye are the Contrivers of the fall of so great a City Is it nothing that you be held the Conspirators against the safety of the City Yes Cilicon that deluded the City of Mâ—lâ—tum with continually saying All things are well tell he had delivered it up into the hands of the Priennenses Zenias that carryed all fair to the City of Elis till he had brought it under the Lacedemonians Dorylâ—us Tacticuâ— which betrayed Eupator in his head City Baditzes that when the Saracens were ready to depart from Amorium sent a secâ—et Letter to tell them that if they would renew their Assault in such a place they might easily enter which they did and put the City to Slaughter all these are branded with Infamy for seeking the Destruction of their own Citys How much more then you which by your Prodigious Sins are plotting greater Treachery against your City than these For they brought but Armed Men into the City but your Sins are ready to bring down Hosts from Heaven yea to fetch Angels from above to be revenged on you for all your execrable Sins If the City doth fall we know whose HANDS to charge for the pulling it down Not the Hands of Justice but the Hands of Transgression that are guilty of this Fact they are your Provocations and Abominations that neither Profession nor Pulpits can restrain no Popish TRATORS nor Treacherous Friends are like your proditorious Sins those call in Gods Judgments open the City Gates put Arms into their Hands to slaughter on the right hand and on the left yea so inrage them that they will not leave wasting till they have left the City level with the ground the City has been great is great and may be great if your selves don 't conspire against its Greatness God would not destroy Nineveh because it was that great City Should I not spare Nineveh that great City 216 3. This shews the horror of the Citys 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 Enemys and the Interpretation to them that hate us Lot the Woman called Wickedness which doth sit in the midst of the Epha rather fly into Shinar then take her flight to this City and
Nineveh beleiving the Prophet is spared 9. Foolhardiness the way to Ruine ib. The Pit is filld with persons of high Birth ib. The English addicted to Gluttony 10. If Heart changes every thing changes 11. A City is an Attrictive of pity 12. GOD the Cities Friend 13. A City a place of honor on 8 Accounts 14. A City should be a place of Example 15. A City a Pattern of Holiness 16. Reproof those delighting to destroy Citys 17. to mens blindness and stupidness ib. God no Enemy to Greatness 18. Such as God hath made great ought to be great in thankfulness 19. Look back to your Beginnings 20. Great Penitents are to save a City ib. Several famous Citys in the World yet all short of Nineveh 21 21. Nineveh emulated by Semeramis her Original Valour and Death 24 25. Ninevehs Excellencies 26. The Excellency of London above other Cities 28. Discord of Citizens brings certain Ruine to both Parties 29. Prodigious Sins another way to ruine Cities 30. Conquer'd Citizens most miserable 31. Conscience then a Sufferer too 32. Judgments marching rank and file bring ib. Fire 33. Massacres 34 35. Popery 36. Repentance represents to God every thing in us that should draw Compassion 37. Cleopatra's Pomp to meet M. Anthony 38. God a diligent Observer of the Penitent ib. Sin will bring Confusion upon a City if the Walls were Brass Guards Anakims 39. Happiness Carries Propriety with it 40. Greatness consists not in bare Titles 41. Present Bliss the Honored Bliss ib. God continues as well as conveys Blessings ib. Phillip K. of Macedon making his Oration to his Souldiers standing upon a Sepulchre 't was look'd upon as ominous 42. Man made by Deliberation 43. Macrinus's Son born with a Crown ib. Men the Treasure of a Câ—ty 44. Sinners worse than the filth of a City ib. Sacking Cities not so bad as slaughtering Citizens 45. The Lives of the Vanquished are not at the Mercy of the Conqueror ib. Dire Exampl of Cruelty at taking Cities ib. A great Blessing to abound with people 47. Bless God for preserving you from an other Plague 48. Plagues can depopulate Kingdoms ib. The Terror of the Plague 49. Numbers should be a Motive to Compassion a destroyer of Multitudes cruel 50. God is exeact in numbring he knows the Thousands and the Surpluss ib. Therefore chide gently with Providence 51. Dare not to sin against so knowing a God ib. God knows his Elect. 52. Man a wanting Creature 53. God glorious in Extremities ib. Poland miraculously delivered from the Heathens invading them ib God doth not discern where Man dot not discern 54. A door of Hope for impotent Persons 55. Compassion for the impotent ib. Physitians Eminent seve rallâ— contriving to prevent the Plague 48. Severe Censures have made the World a slaughter-house 55 Christianity I doubt hath not sanctified Judgment Seats Blood under Tribunals doth cry 56. What justifiable Ignorance is ib. Reproof for them that sin against their own Discernings ib. Infants and simple Men are highly cared for by God 57. The Necessity of Childrens Education 58. The great returnes Persons have made their Tutors 59. Infants rightly baptized have certain salvation ib. We should be tender of wronging Infants ib. Lycurgus's uprightness to an unborn Infant 60. Orphans out-cry against unjust Execut. 61. The highest of Cruelties to kill Infants 62. Innocency ground of divine Comiseration ib. God will conceal nothing that may tend to the advantage of his Saints And also 63. God a Restless Advocate for his Saints ib. Reproof for a Politician vaunting himself 64 God is most passionate for Mercy ib. Envy an incorrigible Sin ib. God is compassionate to the very Beasts And much Cattle ib. A d sobedient people cursed in the increase of their Kine 65. Tame Beasts forsaking Pastures and Wild Beasts running in the Streets ib. Men draw in Traces for want of Cattle ib. Man a Right to the Creature ib. Commiseration to Cattle taught to Men. 67. He is a beast that is barbarous to his beast ib. Plenty of Cattle an eminent Blessing ib Gods bounty in small things conspicuous 68. Where there is much Cattle there God expects much Commiseration ib. There should be much Circumspection in ordering a great Estate ib. Men have not a scape Goat to take away the sins of the People but they have a Kid to send to an Harlot ib. A Herod will perjure himself at a Strumpets Motion and behead a J. Bap. too ib. Several wayes the Devil prevails with Men to abuse Cattle 69. Where much Booty is will be much spight ib Pompey's Rich Spoils ib. Rape gives no just possession ib. Q. Fabius and Alcibiades c. not suffer the Souldiers to plunder the Citizens ib. Pekah King of Israel conquering Ahaz King of Judah is severely threatned for purposing to keep under the Children of Judah c. ib. The Authors pathetical Perswasions to Repentance backed with all manner of Reasons He greives that the City should lose it self for want of a proper Duty Repentance ib. Nineveh forth-with repented what not you ib. Lucius Silla blushed to see Pompey a young man ride in triumph before him ib. Sudden Judgment should affright and afflict you ib. Alexander Severus did cut in sunder the sinews of a mans hand because he falsly represented a case to him and will false Repentance go unpunished 72. Many wish your destruction and are sorry they can't make you miserable ib. Their Hearts boil Brains works Mouths foam ib. Enemies in the City ib. The sins threaten more Calamities then all the implacable Adversaries ib. The Dangers apparent the Misery will be unspeakable ib. THE LONDONERS Looking-Glass Or PATTERN for REPENTANCE Jonah 4.11 And should not I spare Nineveh that great City wherein are more than sixscore Thousand Persons that cannot discern between their right Hand and their left and also much Cartel GOD and the Prophet are here in earnest Dispute Jonah raging and God reasoning Jonah full of Passion and God full of Compassion Boni viri Lachrimabiles good Men should be ready to melt at Judgments Jonah was first unfaithful and next impatient Ah Jonah what thy God gentle and thou cruel Nineveh's Repentance in the time limitted prevented its Destruction God hath no Sword for the yielding but the obstinate How many Prophets have not been so successful in forty Years as Jonah was in forty Days God will not remain dumb in the case of his Saints but he will be a consulting and a conferring God both give reason and have reason for them he will plead with Cain for Abel's Blood with Abimelech for taking away Sarah from Abraham with Ahab for wresting away Naboth's Vineyard As the Faithful have the Arrows of Gods Deliverance 2. King 13.17 So they have the Argument of his Justification When a Soldier desired Aug. Caesar as his Gratious Emperor to Plead for him at the Bar he said no but I will allow an Orator I thank thee not for this said the Soldier for at
and sedulity bestowed upon it as a great Project or Fancy we have Brains and Arms enough for other business but for the Citys preservation we have neither Pregnancy nor Proness we think to save so great a City without laying both Shoulders to her Support or calling for the two Master-Workmen Body and Soul to do their utmost for her Preservation this great City hath not so much regard shown her as a great Beast or a great Picture Oh how tender we are of these how negligent of This we walk in the City and discern no Breaches in it gaze upon it and behold not its side cracking All Nations admire our City but we slight it and neglect it we have neither affection to her Well-fare nor compassion over her Ruin yet forty days and Nineveh shall be distroyed let it be destroyed for we wont keep it from sinking or burning who is frighted at Gods Threatnings c. when I read what great things Heathens have done to pacify the Gods I am astonished to see with how cheap Sacrifices we would procure an attonement for the City Oh the City doth look pale fetch Blood into her Cheeks by your Pity the City doth crack prop her up with your Petitions 't is sick cure her with your Conversion I have no Martial Tongue to wish you to Fight and Kill but I desire you to Plead and Pray bring forth your right Artillery the stout Hands I call for are Supplicating Hands the bright Harness I require is the compleat Armour of Righteousness not Field but Temple-Ammunition I press for no Camp but Closet-Ordnance oh that the Penitent were discharging with his Eyes and the Supplicant shooting with his Lips Oh that our hearts were edged with Repentance and our Tongues sharp pointed with Devotions the Soldiers I desire are Intercessors the Captains I long for are Advocates Oh that I could gather the Company together summon all the Trained Bands see them all stand in Battle-Array and say to God Almighty oh cast away our Sins and rinse us not in Vengeance for 't is a great City for then multitudes must feel thy Displeasure many must be soaked in ruin if thou puttest the Cup of Astonishment to our Mouths vast numbers must be drunk with this fatal Bowl Oh bring forth your strongest Shore to under-set this Building and with your whole Estate redeem this Jewel Oh Citizens where are your City Bowels City Groans City Crys Oh the great Pride Riot Lust Oppression Malice Perfidiousness Apostacy Heresy and Blasphemy of this City doth require a Catholicon and Composition of all Penitential Ingredients to purge out the several noxious humours out of this diseased Body great Sins and great Judgments do necessitate a great Repentance Broken Hearts trickling Eyes penitent Petitioners where shall feel see or hear you are ye at ease in Zion when the Gates of Zion are ready to lament Are ye asleep with Sampson when the Philistins God 's Judgments are upon you O no sigh in the Temple that you do not Sob in the Street groan in your Closet that you do not roar in the Fields wash the City in Tears that it be not washed in Blood Remember that it is a great City and in great Danger and therefore express great Humiliation if you have any Remnant of Grace any Reverence to Gods Laws any Sense of Sin any dread of an Omnipotent God consider and correct try and cleanse weep and reform God would spare if ye would but prepare for Mercy but ye must be fervent Petitioners and Solemn Converts for 't is a great City that you wish to be spared Should I not spare Nineveh that great City 196 THAT For Eminency THAT That is the Paragon and Gem of Citys Here I might have run over all the World and give you an Account of all the Famous Citys that have been therein and of all the glorious Excellencies of each of them Yet was there ever any greater than Nineveh No former times had not its like nor latter time its equal 1. Had not former times Thebes in Egypt that opened an 100 Gates Corinth that with her strong Castle built upon the Acro-Corinth was called one of the Fetters of Greece Telesine which contained in it once 16000 Families Carthage which was 21 Miles in compass Babylon which amazed Alexander to see her stately Walls her pensil Gardens which seemed to hang in the Air her artificial Groves where Trees seem'd to grow without any Earth about them her lofty Castle and miraculous kind of Bridg built over the Euphrates Rome which was built so loftily that Augustus Caesar was forced to make a Law that no Man should build above 70 foot high which was so large that it contained in it 7 Hills 37 Gates and 400 000 Men under the Cense and so full of rare Spectacles that it was accounted an earthly Bliss to see Rome in her flower As former Ages had none so neither have latter times had Citys to stand in Competition with Nineveh I confess one may read of excellent Citys in these days viz. Odia in Siam 't is said to have above 40 000 Familys Calecut in Malavar doth stretch out three Miles by the Sea-shoar Mandao is so large and so full of Provisions that it maintain'd a siege 12 years against Miramudus the great Mogul Cambria is reported to have in it 800 000 persons Nanquin hath in it besides a large number of people 10 000 Ships which are able with the Marriners that go in them to make a goodly City Quinzay honored with 12000 Bridges and a Lake in the midst of the City of thirty Miles compass with two Islands wherein are gorgeous Houses and magnificent Palaces Grand Cair as some write hath in it 18000 streets so that Selimus the great Conqueror was three days going through it and had such a number of people that they counted it nothing to lose every seven years in a great Plague 300000 persons Hispua called new Casbin which the proud Persians call half the World the compass whereof can't be rid about in less time than a whole day Musco that Wooden City hath sixteen Churches and the Princes Palace with 17 Turrets three great Bulwarks and 25000 Soldiers for a constant Guard Cambalu the Seat of the Crim Tartar who is called the Shadow of Spirits is 28 Miles in compass and hath in it a mighty confluence of Merchants in so much that 't is said There are 10 000 Carts to have come formerly every year laden with Silks from China and besides other Inhabitants 't is said to have 15000 Astrologers in it Vienna famous for beautiful Temples stately Monasteries and a magnificent Palace for their Emperors but it hath no great quantity of Ground nor multitude of Inhabitants but as the Court doth replenish it Paris 10 Miles in compass hath lofty and curious Buildings and 600 000 Citizens besides Soldiers and Scholars of which last there are a multitude by reason of their 55 Colledges Constantinople
here rest upon her Base For if the City come to be Visited there are not Tongues enough in the City to utter all the Miseries that such Judgments will bring upon us The M sery of the City when Judgments approach Our Cheeks may look pale our Eyes drop and our Hearts tremble at the apprehension of such a fatal day Sure I am Troy will fall from her very Culmen it is Ilium the great and great will be the Infelicity of such a Curse 't was Troy novant 't is Troy le Grand and it will be Troy le Extinct Do Citys fall with a small Crush No Let me carry you to the broken Walls and lead you through the Ruins of other Citys Heliâ—â—olis once a City beautiful in Buildings is now razed not a foot-step to be seen either of its City or Temple Thebes destroyed all but one Port Sidena utterly ruined and a Curse laid on all Men by Cressus that should offer to rebuild it All the Citys in Phocis in the Holy War wasted by the Amphyctions I might shew you the like of Troy Carthage Cyropolis Myrenae Alba and many other glorious Citys laid so desolate that it would be hard to find a stone of the old Foundation And well were it that the Rage had but extended to bare Walls but Citys and Citizens often perish together The Misery of poâ—r Conquered Citizens the Walls of Stone and the Walls of Flesh had the like Battery the Pick-ax and Hammer brought forth for the one the Sword and the Pole-ax for the other oh what Murders and Massacres have happened at the destruction of Citys 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 to hear the Laws of Conquest the Elder Men were made away by Bow-men and Dart-men which lay in Secret the Young Men hewn to pieces and the Women and Children sold for Slaves under the Crown as they call it the City of Sybaris in Greece Which had once twenty five Citys under the Jurisdiction of it and led out above an hundred Thousand Men against Crotoniates being at last taken by their Adversarys were for the most part drowned by the River which they let into the City and those which escaped that Death perished by the Soldiers Swords and 't was well they suffered but a common Death for in many places they were put to Death with Torture and Extremity M. Fluvius by the Counsel of Pollia did not only kill the Tusculanes but whipt them grieviously and then struck off their Heads with an Ax. The â—ocrenses first defiled the Bodys of their Captives with Lust then they thrust Needles into their Fingers-ends keeping them in pain then they beat them to Death in a Mortar and cast them into the Sea Lucius Cataline was wont to destroy his Enemys first by breaking their Arms and Thighs then by cutting off their Ears then by plucking out their Tongues paring off their Noses and tearing out their Eyes and at last by beheading Henry 6. Conquering the Sicilians did seith some to Death in hot Cauldrons others he fryed to Death others he sewed up in Sacks and threw them into the Sea he put Brazen Crowns on the Heads of some full of Nails some he set upon a Brazen Chair made red Hot some have been so Savage to their Enemys that they have sown them up in the Bodys of new slain Beasts and there let them lye tell they have rotted and been devoured by Beasts some have tyed hungry Vultures to the heels of their Captives which might eat out their Bowels by pieces and have sprinkled the Faces of their Hospital Gods with the Blood of their slaughtered Enemys as if they had done a most pious work and did offer a most pleasant Sacrifice and they have consecrated their Instruments of Cruelty calling them Holy Swords and Sacred Spears Nor will they spare your Goods no these were the foments of the War the leading-staff of the March ye are the Drudges they are the Heirs Are not these the common Accidents upon rifling Citys When Mahomet the Great did win Constantinople he was astonish'd at the Wealth he did meet withal and 't is a Proverb among Turks that if any grow suddenly rich They â—avâ— been at the Siege of Constantinople These are the Ruines of Estates upon the loss of Citys the Keys wrested out of their Hands their Treasure scattered and the rich owners must then wander about for relief to beg and kiss the feet of their Adversarys And happy were it the Misery of taking Citys would end here The wâ—rst of Miserys is Conscience becomes a sufferer but after all CONSCIENCE comes to her punishment this also must be made a Captive and wear the Slaves Chain Men are not only locked out of their Houses but out of their Temples not only their Goods are gone but they are deprived of the PEARL their Liberties are not only lost but their Freedom of the Ordinances Pure Doctrine pure Worship and Faith are in bondage and the Soul is inthralled A whole City in Phrygia because it would not change its Religion was compassed about with Armed Men her City and Citizens both burnt to Ashes In the City of Alexandria Julian coming to take Possession of it and because the Christians would not turn Heathens his Soldiers wounded most stoned some strangled others some were slain with the Sword others crucified friend spared not friend nor Brother his Brother nor Parents their own Children Hunerick was no sooner Conqueror but in all the Citys he conquered he commanded alteration of Religion and not being obeyed he instantly Banished five Thousand Bishops Priests and Men of all Orders 't were infinite to relate the Cruelties and Tortures that Citys have undergone in point of CONSCIENCE when they come under a Conquerour It is a thing so evident Records need not be scarch'd to prove that Conscience has been an old Slave upon such Accidents That Men who will not permute a God and suffer their Faith to be new stamp'd must either run or dye for it 220 N. B. Oh if ever your Sins bring in Gods Judgments into your City marching Rank and File see the variety of Sorrows you must weep under As happy as ye seem to be ye must have another Face of Wretchedness amongst you whatsoever your present Comforts are yet Then nothing but Exigents and Dysasters The Fire time your Looking-Glasses will be snatch'd away your Mirrour crack'd your Diamond shivered in pieces this goodly City of yours all in shreds ye may seek for a Threshold or Pillar of your ancient dwellings but not find one all your spacious Mansions and sumptuous Monuments are then gone not a Porch Pavement Seeling Stair Case Turret Lanthorn Bench Skreen Pane of a Window Post Nail Stone or Dust of your former Houses to be seen No with wringing
streets A great Cry may be heard in the midst of the City at Mid Night when thou art supposing neither the Slaughter of the First nor First born the Avenger of Blood may persue Thee and pluck Thee out of the Cities of Refuge God may slay thee whilst thou art laying hold on the horns of the Altar Hath not God destroyed as mighty a people as you yea the Amorites were potent yet when their sins were full they were emptied out of their Nation Hath not God ruined as religious places as yours yes Go ye now to my place which is in Shiloh where I set my name first and see what I did to it for the Wickedness of my people Israel Jer. 7.22 Yea go to Jerusalem how was that Fortress of the Earth demolished yea that City of Oblations made a Sacrifice to the Justice of a provoked God Oh therefore be not confident neither upon your own Prowess nor Profession for 't is neither your formidable Chivaldry nor formâ—l Religion which will priviledg you or protect you but 't is your Repentance must sheild you and shelter you See then what must save you and what is your only Preservative There are a great Company among you famed for Parâ—s and magnifyed for Piety to You I write You I summon intreating You by all the Worth that Your Names are embelished with and adjuring You by all the Orthodox Truth which ye seem to have reserved out of the defection and declension of the Times that You would first go a Circuit through your own Consciences and then that you would walk the streets and go from one end of the City to the other and observe the Face and Fate of the City that you would take notice of the Maladies and Ulcers of the City and consider what prognosticating Symptons there are of an Emigration and Exanimation Oh feel the weak Pulse of the City toutch her cold Lips and behold her grisly Cheeks look upon the present Dangers and Disasters apprehend what a Flag of Defiance is hung out upon Eaâ—th and what a Sword is bathed in Heaven Can such Sins and the Citys Safety such Impenitency and the Citys Impunity long stand together Fear ye not some Plague Some general Massacre some Coal blown with the Breath of the Almighty that may sparkle and kindle and burn you to such Cinders that not a Wall or Pillar may be left to testify the remembrance of a City They whose Judgment was not to drink of the Cup have assuredly drunk it off and shalt thou altogether go unpunished Jer. 49.12 May not the Vial of red Wine be reserved for the Lips of this City Is there more Sin and shall there be less Justice Vengence deferred is not recalled a forbearing God may double his dismaying and cofounding Stroaks Oh therefore mark the bad Crasis i. the Complexion or Mixture of your natural Humours and the sad Crisis i. the time of Conflict between Nature and Diseases of the City Help at an Exigent Repent when there is nothing but Repentance left for an Antidote Repent truly lest your Repentance prove a Scandal and a Curse Repent throughly lest one unmortifyed sin frustrate the vertue of a Humiliation repent timely lest not knowing the time of your Visitation the Blessings you wish for be hid from your Eyes 1 Repent for your-selves For as the pure minds had need to be warned so the pure Consciences had need to be cleansed The best of you I fear have not past through the Puddle without some Filth sticking upon your Skins therefore search out your Spots and leave not a Stain to be an Eye-sore to Heaven Weep out all your Contaminations pray away all your Pollutions purge away all your Defilemens have an hour in a day a day in a year for strict and solemn Repentance 2. Repent to teach others Repentance When thou art converted confirm thy Brethren When ye are quickned yourselves with Repentance unto Life propagate it if possible unto Multitudes that it may be said Behold here am I and my Children Let your beleiving in God beget faith in others your standing up from your Seats excite others to rise your empty Bowels provoke others to fast your stript Backs cloath others in Sack-Cloth your moist Eyes set others on weeping your confessing Lips stir those Tongues in other Men which have bee silent these many years your making Reparation for Errors cause others to deface the Memory of foul Facts with oppsite Vertues your mighty Crys fill the City with Eccho's of Devotion your turning from your evil Ways change the Steps of others from Exorbitancy your purging your hand from Violence procure Oppression to ake in the Joyns of ther 's Mens Fingers Do your Closet-work well and be exact in your Street-work Repent and make a whole City propense to Repentance To some I might say Have ye not heard of Repentance Do ye not know how to repent Do ye not understand the Effects of Repentance Have ye not seen Fruits of Repentance Can ye not repent Will ye not repent When did ye ever repent When will ye at last repent Oh that ye were as eminent in Repentance as Nineveh Oh that ye could be rid of the Libertines and Hypocrites amongst you and that there were none but Penitents in the City Oh that ye stood upon equal Numbers that ye were but the third the twentieth the fiftieth the hundred part of the City that there but a common Hall of you that ye did but equal the number of the Officers or Watches in the City that ye were but enough to take the Frowns out of God's Forehead the Menaces out of his Cheeks to retard his Feet to bind his Hands to put Audience in his Ears Compassion in his Eyes Reconciliation in his Breast Pardon in his Lips to keep his Trumpeters from the Gates of the City or his Troopers out of the Streets of the City Oh! Religious Cittizens try the Compleatness of your Numbers and the Perfection of your Gifts Be not blind under so many Greivances deaf under so many Warnings sleepy under so many Judgments Beleive not your Politicians if they tell you your City is in no Danger Beleive not your Pulpits if they preach you up to be pure enough against God's examining Justice beleive not your own Consciences if they perswade you that you are prepared sufficiently against all Accidents Consider how many are wit-foundred with Humours which stare upon themselves as if Heaven must look upon them with an enamored Eye how hard is it to get People to confess that there is a guilty Nation or a sinful City howsoever that They are the peccant People or that God should visit a Place for their Impieties Oh! behold how many things there are to tempt you to Security to cauterize you in Sin and to stupify you to Repentance And as ever you would seem to have risled your own Hearts dissected your own Consciences to have sent the Intelligencer into the City
in open Sight with an impudent Brow 'T is better to be defiled with Dirt than Sins Oh why do you scatter abroad your horrid Crimes and fill every Corner with your Abominations are ye the Credit of the Corporation No when the City doth present you it doth but shew her own Infamy and Disgrace your vitious behaviours are worse than if there were breaches in your Walls your Buildings half Levelled c. if ye were Vertuous the Innocency of your Lives would more adorn the City than the beautifying the Gates for the City doth shine only in the presence of Saints Oh therefore leave no Stinks behind you but perfume every place you set your Feet your mortifyed Demeanours and gracious Fruits do bring Fame and Renown to your City what is your City-Sword Seal Hall Bench No these are but dumb and dead Ensigns the Honour of a City is in the Citizens the Persons wherein are Persons 4. Let this serve to fright Men from Blood-shed Sacking a City is nothing like Slaughtering of the Persons If Men be of such value they should not be hewen down like Brambles nor butchered like Oxen let shedding of Blood be in the most sparing manner Oh those cursed Cains Doegs Abimeleches Hazaels and Herods how detestable are they both to God and Man These suppose stain of Blood is gone so soon as they have Sheathed their Swords and the noise of Murder is stilled so soon as they have struck down their Enemys speechless No God will make a strict Inquisition for Blood that God which requireth Blood at the hand of every Beast Gen. 9.5 doubtless he will not spare Man for it He that saith Thou shalt not Kill and that his Image is in every living Person Gen. 9 6. will teach Thee what it is to Kill men in a Fury and to deface his Images as if thou wert but battering down Pictures just Wars are lawful but barbarous Executions are devilish Even in the heat of Battle Men should Kill with a desire to preserve Life It is one of the Aenigma's of Profession so to constitute War that there be no culpable scruple in the close Sure I am there must be a full Authority a just Cause and a right Intention so that it must not be ex odio out of hatred and how is that but out of hatred if a Man should shed one drop more than what is necessary out of Insolency and Blood-thirstiness the lives of the Vanquished are not wholy at the Mercy of the Conqueror he had need distinguish well between a Conqueror and a Cut-Throat A vindicative War is lawfulest so that a Man must take heed he be not a too severe Righter of his own Injurys he ought to be satisfyed with the Victory and as much as may be leave Revenge to God The Authors and principal Executors in an Injury ought to be Slain but not the generality which are drawn in to be Parties Killing is only allowed against obstinate and desperate Adversaries for the Community cannot be touched without the hazard of many Innocents saith St. Ambrose Conquest then must end with the least dammage of Enemys and Inhabitants Molina holdeth a Christian taking a Christian Captive cannot sell him to make him a Bond-Slave Now if Liberty be so much tendred how much more Life Oh there is not a more Crimson Sin than when Blood toucheth Blood Hos 4.2 that is that there is no end in Blood-shed when Blood is poured out as Dust and Flesh as Dung Zeph. 2.17 When Widdows are encreased like Sands of the Sea Jer. 15.8 When a Land is soaked with Blood Isaiah 34.7 What dreadful Examples of Cruelty do we meet with in Ages Plutarch tells us That Pericles extirpated the Calcidences and Estiences The French after the defeat at Thermopylâ— as Pausanias saith destroyed the Callienses to a Man plucking the Children from their Mothers Breasts and Killing them tearing in pieces the Marriageable Virgins so that happy were they that could get a French Sword to dye upon to avoid further Torture Totila as Gregorius Turon reporteth flaying quick Herculanus Bishop of Perusium and cutting off the Heads of all the Citizens Syllâ— slaying 12000 in one City of Preneste Aâ—â—ila 30000 at the Sacking of Rome Abderamen 100000 at one Battle in Gall ciaâ—â— Mariâ—â— was so busy in Killing his Country-Men that he wished himself to be the only Roman to be left alone Hannibal was so eager in destroying Flaminius and his Soldiers that he felt not an Earth-quake that happened in the time of the Battle Don Pedron the cruel making Spain in his time a Charnel-house full of nothing but dead Mens Bones Mahomet the Great causing the Streets and Temples of Constantinople to swim in Blood Selim the Turk Killing the Persians so without Mercy that he built a Tower barely of their Heads Oh these Men if 't were in their Power how wo'd they exanimate Nature Dis people the Earth and leave the world as a Wilderness Wounds are their Feats of Activity Blood their Cordial crying Groans their Musick gastly Faces their Looking-Glasses shivered Bones the Reliques of their Puissance and Carcasses the Emblems of their Glorious Tryumphs I do account such Praises which have Blood for the ground of the Ditty but sad Honors these things may be famous amongst Pagans but doleful accidents amongst Christians But we that have such Commands for Love should either Sheath up the Sword in Affection or go to VVar in Tears Whence comes Wars but from Lusts and are Lusts justifiable Pleaders at tho Throne of God Is there a Judge Is the Reckoning hastning and will Blood be one of the most Criminal Guilts at that Tribunal Then how ought we to Skreen our Souls concerning the stain of Blood he which hath slain his Brother how shall he shew his Face before that Father How will the Lives of Men go at an high Rate at that day when God prizes the chief Treasure of a City to be these Persons Wherein are Persons Sixscore Thousand 4. The quantity of the Treasure 120000. So many there were in the Minority of years how many then were there of Riper Age Obs That a great Blessing to a City is to abound in People for a true City is a numerous Multitude 'T is a glorious thing when a City doth pass Arithmetick This is to be a City with an Excellency Nineveh's fame and felicity is here described to be great that she can reckon by her Thousands even six score Thousand Application 1. This doth serve to present to you your Life-Blessing are ye nor peopled Yes the City of Numbers every Street every Lane stored with Inhabitants that it seems to contain a World within her Walls Arâ—â—â—rica in France was so thinned after Maximians War that it was afraid that the Country should be drained of the old Inhabitants After the Battle of Cannâ— Rome was so desolate that it was inforced to raise up an Army of Slaves but these Fears are not come upon you but
the Lord your God hath blessed you and ye are as the Stars of Heaven for Multitude yea that ye are a great People that cannot be numbred Ye know your Bounds but do ye know the vastness of your Inhabitants Ye have the double Blessing amongst you the Blessing of the Basket and the Store Deut 28.5 and the Blessing of the Brest and the Womb Gen. 49.25 What a large Ordinary is this City what a spacious Bed-Chamber what a Spring of People is there here The Breath of Life never stirred quicker in such a quantity of Ground Nature here doth shew her Organizing Art and this is one of her gendring Receptacles The Myrmidons were so many that they were said to be begotten of Pismires this City doth so abound with People that it may be called one of the Ant-heaps of the Earth Living Persons do here so abound that they seem rather to be struck out then brought forth their increase is so plentiful that they come up like Spring-flowers to garnish the City or that they were rained down from Heaven Oh Look about you and see if these persons be your Treasures how fast your Mint doth go and what incredible heaps ye have in banks ye are the Skin'd and Flesh'd City the true Corporation indeed for here are enow to make up not only a body Politick but a Republick of Bodys if all your Bodys should appear at once you 'd scarce have street-room enough they would adorn the City more than Hangings of Arras at your Publick shews your Suburbs do vy Multitudes with the City But are the People Treasures are you affected with these Treasures Have ye done honor to the Lord of the Mine that the City is sprinkled scattered heaped and wedged with these Treasures Did all the Bells in the City ever Ring the Trumpets Blow and the Wind Instruments play I mean your thankful Lips make Melody to the Lord for the People No I doubt ye have forgot your People that though they dayly Face you and their Clappers strike in your Ears yet that ye are both Blind and Dumb in extolling God for this favour What Hecatombs have ye ever offered for this numerous Blessing Have ye ever sung Hosannah in the highest for this high Mercy I question whether ye have an Altar in the City for this Service for that Persons in great Multitudes are a great Blessing ye may see it here by Nineveh who had it mentioned as her great Felicity to reckon Persons by Thousands wherein are six score thousand Persons 2. This shews your present Blessing that you are preserved in your Thousands Ye are yet a populous City and the Lord God if it be his Blessed Will make you a Thousand times more as you are Deut. 1.11 But if the Arrow that flyeth at Noon-day should glide among you A 2d Plague how many wounded Breasts would there be If Hippocrates were among you with his pretious Odours and sweet Oyntments to perfume places If Mindererus were shooting off Guns in every Street to dissipate the Air. If Quercitan and Avicen were prescribing the strictest Rules of Dyet if Galen and the whole Tribe of the most expert Physicians that ever lived were teaching you to make Pills Electuaries Pomanders Cordials c. to make new Fires and Fumigations of Storax Calamint Labdanum and an hundred other Materials to expel ill scents yet they may be all ineffectual to prevent that irresistible stroke For I am not yet resolved with Vido Vidio That Kindred take the Infection sooner from one another than from Strangers because of the assimilation of Blood nor with Minderer us that Virgins are more subject to it than married Women because the Spirits are fluid and retained and so apt to putrify nor that a Man being well Dieted may escape Infection because Socrates if it be true lived in many Plagues being a Man of high Temperance But I hold that a Plague is the Hand of God as David called it and the Sword of the Lord as Chron. 21.12 So that when where or by what means God will strike is uncertain but 't is certain wheresoever God doth lift up his Hand he will strike home Is there any thing more terrible than the Pestilence No 't is the noisom Pestilence Psal 91.3 and if this stench come up into your Nostrils ye are gone 't is a Weapon so sharp that 't is able to leave a Nation without an Heir for I will smite them with the Pestilence and dâ—s-inhâ—rit them Numb 14.12 If this pale Horse come to Neigh in our Streets he 'le dash many Thousands into their Graves Numb 16.49 14700 dyed in one Plague and Numb 25.9 24000 dyed in another And 70000 dyed in a third 2 Sam. 25.15 The Ectenae a people of Boeetia with their King were all destroyed with a Plague so the Hyantes and Aeones came in their stead to people the Land At Rome in the Reign of Commodus there dyed for a great while 2000 Men a day In Africa there dyed in one Plague 1100000. Under Gallus's there dyed so many in the East West and South that many Countrys seemed so destitute of Inhabitants and for a long time remained uninhabited which occasioned St. Cyprian to write his Book de Mortalitate In this City how often have there dyed ten and twenty thousand in one Plague In Edward the thirds time in the space of one year there were buried in one Church commonly called Cistertians above 50000 persons how many then were buried elsewhere And may not the like happen again God's hand is not shortned there are now more people among you and more sins If the Pestilence doth once discharge how many will be slain at one Shot it will chase men out of their Dwellings as if there were some fierce Enemy pursuing them and shut up shop-doors as if Execution after Judgment were served upon Merchants There will then be no other Musick than doleful knels nor no other Wares carried up and down but dead Corps it will change Mansion houses into Pest-houses and rather gather Congregations into Church-yards than Churches the Markets will be so empty that scarce Necessaries will be brought in a new kind of Brewers will set-up oven Apothecaries to prepare Diet-drinks People are afraid to eat Meat lest they should eat it out of infected Shambles or to wear Rayment lest it should be stitch'd up with the Plague they shall lye down without the least Spot seen upon them and rise up with GOD's Tokens upon them yea with the Carbuncle scalding in the Flesh like a Fire-coal They shall walk well out from their Houses and drop down before they get home again In the time of a Pestilence Fly quickly go far and return slowly every Disease turns into the Plague Come not nigh thy soundest Friend within the distance of two Cubits nor within the distance of infected Persons the space of six Cubits beware lest the Wind blow upon thee from him or lest there be any Sun Fire
there was one much Cattle And also much Cattle Thus you have seen many things concerning a City Infants and Cattle possibly such as you never heard of before sure I am there 's neither of these but have something memorable in them If the stone called Cappotes whereupon Orestes sate when he was recovered of his Madness was laid up and preserved to Posterity then how much ought this place to have an everlasting Record where so many things have been free from impending Ruine Nineveh was famous what should I do in conclusion but look about for the City I cannot find the same City but shall I not the like Nineveh is fallen but can it not rise out of the Ashes Oh that I should lose the City for want of due search or that this City of yours should LOSE it self for want of a proper Duty Can ye not change the name of your City yes Strasburgh was once called Silberthal but being made the Exchequer of the Roman Tribute 't was called Argentina so cannot ye for that remarkable Accident in the Text REPENTANCE part with your own Name to be called Nineveh Is it Impossible to make you such a City what doth hinder give me but your Affections set but your hearts to the Work and the City is raised in an Instant change but your Consciences and ye shall presently change your Name Oh Argentina oh Nineveh When shall I see thee why should I not forthwith see thee If ye love a Sermon if ye love your selves if ye love Safety ye ought to do THIS for 't is not this great City of yours not the multitude of your Persons nor the plenty of your Cattle which will make you HAPPY unless Nineveh doth inclose all these I mean unless Repentance doth give you Title and Testimony Safegard and Security Have Nineveh's Target and fear no Darts have Nineveh's Propitiatory and fear no avenging God Will you alter your Name change your Lives Prepare such a Mercy-Seat to appear upon within your walls Oh that ye can think of Nineveh and not be asham'd of your selves Nineveh was Heathenish you are Christian Nineveh had but one Prophet ye have had many Nineveh had the Cry but of one day or a few days ye have had the Crys of many years yet when will ye match Nineveh in Attention Submission Ashes Sackcloth Fasting Prayer and Reformation Lucius Sylla an old Dictator blushed to see C. Pompey a young man to tryumph before him so may not you count it a highâ—d sparagement to you to see Nineveh but newly entred into Religion a very Tyro to ride in the Tryumphant Chariot before you which are grown grey-headed under profession ye would be spare but when will ye seek God with Nineveh's penitent Heart Oh let sudden JUDGMENT as much afflict you and affright you remorse as much humble you and change you as they did Nineveh as Plato was called Socrates jun. because he so much resembled his Master so ye for resembling this City may be called Nineveh the younger If your Peril be as great let your prevention be equal else in coming short in Pacification ye fall short in the Preservation for can God and ye tread the same ground if ye walk by his side as Enemys No if ye rend away from God by Disobedience he will pluck you off though you were as a signet upon his right hand VVhere is Capernaum lifted up to Heaven in Priviledges Where are the 7 Golden Candlesticks VVe have had personating men long enough when shall we have true penitents Alexander Severus did cut-asunder the Sinews of a mans hand which did present him with a false Brief of a case and do we not fear punishing for offering to God a counterfeit Repentance will ye dissemble to the last and jeopard the ruine of a whole CITY How far can you imagine that ye are off from the collusions of Justice every Corner of your City doth seem to tremble under the voice of a threatning GOD Oh your Sins do cry and Vengeance is awaked with the Voice of them the Heavens are offended with you and the Earth doth seem to rise up in tumults amongst you There are MANY which do WISH your Destruction and are sorry they cannot make you the Miserable of the Earth they consult sad things concerning you yea conspire against you night and day their Hearts do boil their Brains do work their Mouths do foam and they would willingly be stretching out their hands to shake you and shiver you Ye have Enemys within your City ye have Enemys in your own Consciences your sins do threaten MORE Calamities to you than all your inveterate and implacable Adversaries which you have upon Earth how can you oppose such irresistible forces No no though you had Guards of Gyants and every common Souldier were an Ashibench the head of whose Spear weighed 300 shekels of Brass yet your Sins will beat you down before your Enemies Oh stand up in your own Defence open the right Arsenal Have the Armour of righteousness on the right and on the left use Nineveh Weapons to fight This Battle Vanquish all your sins by crying lowder for Mercy than they do for your Ruin escape Vengeance by flying from your Provocations before Indignation hath attach'd you your City is Threatned take heed you do not sleep out the hour of your Security Presumption may subvert let Contrition deliver you the time may be short the VVork is great the Danger is Apparent the Misery will be unspeakable pluck down your haughtiness surcease from Obstinacy your City walls do shake let your Hearts shake your Buildings are loose upon their Foundation groundsel them better by Mortification ALL your Goods are ready to be SACRIFISED to Vengeance bring forth your Sin-offering before the sparks have taken fire If there be any listning to a Warning credence of Threatning obedience to Counsel foresight of Danger sting of Guilt or obligation to Duty PITY the City and PETITION for the City shed Lakes of Tears of the City wear Sackcloth lest you go NAKED Fast lest you STARVE sit upon the Ash-heap lest ye be brought to an Ash-heap creep upon your Knees lest ye do creep into Corners shut up your selves in your Closets lest ye be shut up in Dungeons fly to Heaven lest ye fly OUT of the Land Confess your Sins lest Justice do read the Bill to your Faces Condemn your selves lest ye be sentenced without Reprieve Look upon your Errors with Passions be humbled with Conflicts repent with Agonies appease with Fire reconcile with Ropes weep with Torrents pray with shrieks cleanse with Nitre attend at the Court of Audience lay it out at Gods Judgment-Seat wash in Jordan till the Leprosy be departed wrastle with the Angel till ye have got the Blessing Leave not one greivance in Heaven to prosecute you not one Injury upon Earth to accurse you be perfectly renewed that you may be perfectly secuted Thus if I can now leave you with bleeding