honorable in the earth Nô was full of people and lay in the rivers and had the waters rounde about it whose ditch was the sea her wall was from the sea yet for her sins was shee caried away and went into captivity her young childrē were dashed in peeces at the head of the streets and they cast lots for her noble men and al her mighty men were boūd in chaines Nahum 3.10 Yea Babylon called a great citty as wel as Niniveh that said in her hart I sit as Queene I am no widdow shall see no mourning by reasō of her iniquities hath her iudgment pronouned by the angel It is fallen it is fallen is become the habitation of Divels and the hole of all foule spirites and the cage of every vncleane and hateful bird Revel 18.2 Nay Ierusaleus though the perfection of beauty and ioye of the whole earth Lament 2.15 Though shee were as deare vnto the LORDE as the signet on his right hand and the onely spowse of the greate king of heaven yet because shee became wanton and played the harlot and would not be reclaimed shee was made a spectacle of vengance iudgment to all the coasts of the earth natiōs of the world That sanctified city that chosen citty of the Lord that citty built in vnity the Queene Empresse of the Provinces was so defaced and leveled with the ground that not one stone was left standing vpon an other neither in their houses wals bulwarkes turrets nor in the altars sanctuary or temple the old the young the matrones the virgins the infantes the princes the priests the Prophets the Nazerites were al slaine famished fettered scattered abroad vtterly consumed For further knowledge of all which J referre you to Iosephus de bello Iudaico where these things are largely set downe and he that readeth that story with dry eies I wil say that his hart is harder then the hardest adamant and himselfe lesse compassionate then the most barbarous Scythian in the world Si sit in viridi quid fiet in arido If this be done in the greene tree what shal be done in the dry Luk. 23.31 If the Lord dealt so severelye with the Iewes that were the natural branches what will he doe vnto them that are but the wilde branches Rom. 11.21 And if he brought so heavy a destruction vpon his own city for sin then let not this famous citty of London flatter her selfe in her security but let her and all the citties of the world feare and tremble least committing the like sinnes the Lord bring vpō thē the like iudgmēts For as his mercy is comfortable so is his iudgment inevitable and they that wil not with Niniveh imbrace him in the on in accepting the time of 40 daies to their conversion shal vndoubtedly feele him in the other in receiuing a perpetual iudgment to their confusion And so much be spoken concerning this second circumstaunce of the first general parte which was Gods iudgment denouncing destruction against Niniveh if in the time allotted she would not amend And Niniveh shal be destroyed Now lett vs see what further vse applicatiō we may make of these things vnto our selves Jhad thought Right Honorable Application of the former doctrines right worshipfull dearly beloued in Christ Iesus when I first made choice of this text to haue applied this sermon of Ionas to this renowned city of London being the Metropolu of al England as Niniveh was of Assyria because in my simple iudgment this argument heere handled may very wel befit this place these times But considering with my selfe that many of this greate assembly are inhabitants of other places of this land I doe rather thinke it best to apply it to the people of England in general that what is spoken of them every man in particular may accompt as spokē vnto himselfe And here beloued to proceede according to our Prophets method If ever there were nation or kingdome vnder the cope of heauē to whō the Lord hath manifested himselfe to be a God of much patience long suffering surely ours is that nation ours is that kingdome How hath hee desired Englands salvation Gods mercies to England how hath he waited for her conversion how hath he sought to win and wooe her to contrition He hath sent her not one Ionas one time but many hundred Prophets and teachers daily and howrely to call her to repentance He hath giuen her not 40. daies as he did Niniveh but full forty yeares and more to bethinke her selfe vnder the peaceable governement of a most gracious soveraigne Neuer did any father so long indure the vntoward linesse of a wicked sonne neuer did anie Prince so long suffer the rebellions of a disloyall subiect neuer did any Lorde so long forbear the punishment of a negligent servant never did any husband so long sustaine the iniuries of a levvde-living wise as hee our gracious father hath done vs prodigal sonnes as he our heauenly king hath done vs vnnarural subiects as he our mightie Lorde hath done vs carelesse servants as he our loving husbande hath done vs faithlesse wines His mercie forbearance to the Israclits was nothing in respect of that he hath shewed to vs the people of England He hath delivered vs from the spiritual darknesse of Aegypt the palpable obscuritie of ignorance and superstitiō He hath appointed vs his laws and ordinances his statutes and his commandements He hath given vs Manna from heaues angels foode the bread of our souls the word of life wher with he hath fed vs these manie yeares But as the young hinds in Iob beeing once growne sat with corne goe from their dams and returne not to them againe Iob. 39.7 So wee being fatted and replenished vvith these and a thousand the like vnspeakeable benefites and blessings forget and forsake the Lord of heauen Witnes our vnthankefulnesse and disobedience our grudging and murmuring against our maker Witnes our cold zeale and luke-warmenes in our profession witnes our backsliding from the truth our neglect contempt of the word of God VVitnes the burden of innumerable sins vnder which our land groaneth enmity dissention fraud and dissimulation covetousnes and oppression pride ambition adusterie and fornication svvearing and forswearing lying and stealing the like al which had long since pulled downe the heavy wrath of God and his iust iudgements vpon vs had not his mercy and loving kindnesse hindred the same Let vs not my deare brethren to farre provoke this gracious and loving God vvhom wee haue already grieued more then 40. yeares by our iniquities You know that pride fulnes of bread aboundance of idlenes and no stretching forth of handes vnto the poore vvere the very capital and head sinnes which did even vvrest and wring from the Lorde his heavie and fearefull iudgment on Sodome and Gomor Ezech. 16.49 And yet who doeth not know that all these sinnes and infinite other doe
IONAHS SERMON AND Ninivehs repentance A SERMON PREACHED AT Pauls Crosse Jun. 20. 1602. and now thought fit to be published for our meditations in these times By RO. WAKEMAN Master of Arts. and fellow of Balioll Colledge in Oxford The second Impression Matth. 12.41 The men of Niniveh shall rise in iudgment with this generation and condemne it Printed at Oxford by Ioseph Barnes and are to bee sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon Waterson 1606. To the Christian Reader I am not ignorant beloued in Christ Iesus how fruitful this age of ours is in bringing forth to the viewe of the world many new bookes in somuch that wise men doe accompt it a fault of these times that so many simple pamphlets are suffered to bee committed to the presse VVherin if I be iustly blamed with the rest for publishing these my rude raw meditations accept of my iust excuse which is not as commonly others alleadge for themselves importunity of friendes for then I had printed my sermon assoone as I had preached it being ther vnto earnestly desiered by many that heard me as well strangers as of my familiar acquaintance But vnderstanding since that many copies as they were taken by note are scattered abroad in Londō else where wherof some haue come vnto my hands and finding them to be very vnperfect I am the more willing to publish the same as I delivered it not adding or detracting any one worde in the whole And wheras in the secōd generall part I largly amplyfied the severall circumstauntes whe I first penned the I do now only point at them in this printed copte partly to avoide tediousnes partly because I was constrated so to do when I preached this sermon beeing then cut off by the vnseasonablenes of the weather and shortnesse of the time But how simple vnperfect soever it bee yet for the arguments suke befitting these heave times which vvas an other cause of my printing it I am the rather bould to offer it to the consideration of every well-disposed Christian beseeching God who giueth a happy successe to alour labours so to blesse it that he who readeth the same may so meditate on the partence and long-suffering of God and of his iudgement and iustice that by the one be may be allured vnto repentance by the other deterred from sin That as the people of Niniveh bearing the wordes of Ionas Sermon did all turne from their evill waies so the people of England reading an exposition on Ionas sermon may all become newe converts vnto the Lord. That as the Lorde in mercy dealte vvith them in with-houlding his punishments so he may as mercifully deale with vs as this time in removing his heavy plagues and fearefull iudgments from vs and from our Land Thus recommending is to thy Christian meditation and my selfe all my studies to thy daily praiers I bad thee hartely fare well in the Lord. From Palioll Colledg in Oxford October 10. 1603. Thine in the Lord ROBERT VVAKE-MAN Ionah 3.4.5 The Analysis of the Text. In these two verses I obserue 2. generall parts 1. Ionas sermon to the Ninivites whereof there are 2 principall parts ver 4 1 The patience long suffering of the Lorde in that hee did not presently destroy these Ninivites but gaue them a good space to repent yet 40 daies 2 His iustice and iudgement denoūcing destruction against them if in the time allotted they would not repent and amend And Niniveh shall be destroied 2. The Ninivits repentance at Ionas sermon descriped in 4. circūstances ver 5. 1 By their faith which was not fruitelesse So the people of Niniveh beleeved God 2 By their fasting which was not privat And proclaimed a fast 3 By their attire which was not costlie And put on sackcloath 4 By their number which were not few From the greatest to the least There are some other observations by the way pointed at which are not specified in this table A SERMON PREACHED at Pauls Crosse Iun. 20. An. 1602 The Text. Ionah 3.4 5. Yet 40. daies and Niniveh shall be destroved So the people of Niniveh beleeved God and proclaimed a fast and put on sack-cloath from the greatest of them even to the least of them WHē Ionas the Prophet of the Lorde Right Honorable The occasion argument of this Prophecie Right worshipful wel-beloued in the best beloued Christ Iesus had a long time in vaine preached and prophecied in Jsraells hee had an expresse charge giuen him from the highest to goe and cry againg Niniveh the theife city of the Assiriās that provoking them the gentiles to repentance he might the rath r leane the obstinate Israelits inexcusable But such was either his wilful obstinacy that he would not or his fraile imbecility that he did not regard his Lordes designement thinking with him selfe that his labour shoulde take little effect among strangers to God and himselfe seeing it had done so small good on Jsraell his owne people And therfore in steed of going to Niniueh whither he was boūd he shippeth himselfe for Tarshish cōmitteth himselfe vnto the sea thinking thereby to fly from the presence of the Lord. But behold he that is the God as well of the sea as of the dry sand sendes out his heraulds after him a great wind a mighty tempest who raised the sea and rowled the waues and rocked the ship and so rowsed vp sleepy Ionas that he finds no rest in the ship the ship no safty in the waues the waues no quiet in the sea the sea no calme in it selfe vntill the marriners had throwne out Ionas to appease it And yet see the providēce of a good God to a disobediēnt Prophet though he is cast out yet the Lord doth not cast him of though the mariners by his owne appointment takes him vp throws him into the sea yet a great fish by the Lordes appointment swallowes him vp and castes him on the dry land Beeing thus delivered out of the deepe by the mighty hand of God he had the second time the same charge laid vpon him b Arise goe preach to Niniveh the great city Ion. 32. Which the Prophet had no sooner hard but behold his obediēce to the Lords call c He arose saith the text and went to Niniveh according to the word of the Lord. Yea to Niniveh as great and excellent city of 3. daies iourney as the Prophet cals it Yea he cryed against it and said as before J read vnto you Yet forty daies Niniveh shall be destroyed So the people of Niniveh beleeved God proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them vnto the least In which two verses for my easier proceeding and your better vnderstanding may it please you to obserue and consider with mee these tvvo general partes 2. The generall divisiō two parts generall partes 1. Ionas sermon to the Ninivites in these wordes Yet forty daies
late to wooe her to Christ as the spouse to her bridegrome he sent his owne sonne to winne her from her sin but when shee woulde bee gathered by none of these beholde her house vvas lefte vnto her desolate Luk. 13.35 Finally so doeth hee deale with Niniveh in my text he giveth her ful 40. daies for her probation and triall wherein if shee forsake not her sinnefull waies and turne vnto the Lord there shal not a day or houre be further spent vntill the iudgement of her overthrow be pronounced and Niniveh shal be destroyed Now the greatnes of this iudgment is here further amplified frō the place against which it is denounced beeing Niniveh no petty towne of the nations no obscure place of the worlde no little village or hamlet of the East no smal citty in Assyria as Bethlem was in Iuda but a greate and excellent city of three daies iourney even then one of the greatest citties in the world For as Diodorus Siculus in his 3. lib. and 1. cap. Herodotus in his Clio and Strabo in the 16. of his Geography haue at large described thi Niniveh was 400. and 80. furlongs in circuit wheras Babylon which Aristotle in his politicks calleth rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a country then a city had almost fewer by one hundred And some haue beene of opinion that afterwardes as it grew in wealth so it was much more inlarged Her wals were in height an hundred feete in breadth sufficiently capeable to receaue three carts on a row in compasse 400. miles adorned with a thousand fiue hundred towers wherof the height of every on was two hundred feete a peece The buildings of it very faire beeing as some haue noted eight whole yeares a raysing vp not by fewer at once then tenne thousande workemen The state of it very commēdable beeing ruled by a king and his nobles Ion. 3.7 The people of it almost innumerable seeing there were six score thousand infāts that could not discerne betweene their right hand and their left Ion. 4.11 In a word if J name but Niniveh I then name al a beautiful pleasant city as the Hebrew word whence it is deriued importeth Not only a great citty as Moses calleth it Gen. 10.12 but a great excellent city or a citty great vnto God as our Prophet calleth it ô herein is the iudgemēt aggravated This excellent and famous and renowned Niniveh this large and spacious populous Niniveh this faire and glorious goodly Niniveh shal be destroyed Niniveh that imperial commaunder of all the Easterne partes that lifted her head aboue the nations that dwelt in confidence and said I am and there is none besides me Niniveh shal be destroied Niniveh in times past highly renowned prowde of her wals and bul-warks puft vp in the wealthines of her inhabitants the goodlines of her buildings Niniveh shal be destroyed Niniveh the mother city of Assyria the Metropolis of the Country the golden heade of the picture the glory of the earth the seat of the Empire the Lady of the East the Queene of nations the riches of the world Niniueh shal be destroied Obiection But some man peradventure wil say what sinnes hath Niniueh committed how hath shee offended God that shee so great and excellent so famous renowed citty should haue so severe a iudgment denounced against her from the Lord Answere For answere whervnto J must confesse that the sinnes for which Niniveh is here so threatned are not expressed in my text but else where set downe by the spirit of God That this city was given to idolatry it appeareth in the second booke of Kings where it is said that Senacherib was worshipping his false God in the temple of Niniveh whē his two sonnes slew him 2. King 19.37 And if yee looke but into the third chap. of the Prophecy of Nahum you shall finde other sins of this cittie there reckoned vp by the prophet For he calleth it a mistresse of witchcrafts a bloudy citty full of lies robbery from whence the pray departeth not Vnto which sinnes J may also adde the sinnes of infidelity gluttonie and pride which I doe the rather iudge to be general faultes among them because in their repentance as anone by Gods grace ye shall hear mention is made of suppressing these sinnes of suppressing their infidelitie by beleeving in God of suppressing their gluttony by proclaiming a fast of suppressing their pride by putting on sack-cloath frō the greatest vnto the least But that one place is insteede of al the rest to declare the sinne of Niniveh it is in the beginning of this prophecie of Ionas where it is said that the wickednes of this people vvas come vppe before the Lorde where the name of VVickednes in the original as the learned note signifieth the greatest extremity that can be and is not restrained to this or that sin one of a thousand but is a most absolute all sufficient terme to al manner of impietie Thus then you see most deare and blessed brethren beloued in the Lorde Iesus that it is not for a smale thing or matter of light momēt but for many most grievous sins even the height of al impietie for which Niniveh this notable citty must be destroyed For howsoever her state was most powerfull her gouernment most excellent her wals most statelie her towers most high her citizens most wealthy her name most renowned her people almost innumerable yet nether the mightines of her state nor the excellencie of her gouernmēt nor the climing of her wals nor the aspiring of her towers nor the riches of her citizens nor the honor of her name nor the multitude of her people if shee once giue over her selfe to sin can make her secure from the wrath of God For greatnes of sins wil shake the foundation of the greatest citties and multitude of offences wil diminish and consume whole multituds of men Iericho the city of palme-trees as she is called Deut. 34.3 beeing withal a wicked and vncircūcised citty idolatrous in the worship of God and hostile to his people had a lamentable ende For loe the men of armes at the Lords appointment vtterly destroied al that was in it both man woman young and olde beasts and cattel oxen asses with the edge of the sword Ios 6.21 Tyrus was rich with the seed of Nilus that brought her abundance the haruest of the rivers were her revenews and shee a mart of the nations it was a glorious city and her antiquity of ancient daies shee crowned men and her marchants were Princes her chapmen the nobles of the world Es 23. Yet beholde the iudgmēts of the Lord against that city for her sins as it is in the same chapter it was tould her that her owne feete should lead her a far of to be a soiourner for the Lorde of hostes had decreed it to staine the pride of all glory and to bring to contempt al the