Four godly and fruitful sermons two preached at Drayton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…Foure godlie and fruitful sermons two preached at Draiton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…

This was practised by the Ninevites, who hearing Gods judgements denounced against them for their sins,¹ that within forty days Nineveh should be destroyed, except they repented, what did they? All of them, both King and people, humbled themselves in fasting, bewailing their evil & sinful ways and works, and crying mightily unto the Lord for pardon, and resolving to turn from the wickedness that was in their hands, that so God might turn away from his fierce wrath. Yet they had enjoyed but little teaching: they had heard only one Sermon from Jonah, who was a man unknown unto them, and did not bring such testimonies of Scripture to convince their consciences as are now alleged unto us, &c: and therefore we should be much ashamed to come short of them in this holy exercise, especially seeing we have not one Jonah, but many; not a judgement threatened, but executed, and the sword of the Lord still drawn against us, and devouring by hundreds and thousands in many quarters of our land. Let us then search and examine our hearts, and grieve, and judge our selves for all our former transgressions; and covenant with the Lord to avoid them hereafter, craving strength from him for that purpose, that we may be enabled to subdue and keep under all our corruptions: and then our hearts being broken with godly sorrow, they shall be healed with godly joy; and being truly cast down before the Lord, he will raise us up in due season, and make it known by good effect, that he is appeased towards us.

This was practised by the Niniuites, who hearing Gods iudgements denounced against them for their sinnes,¹ that within fortie daies Niniue should be destroyed, except they repented, what did they? All of them, both King and people, humbled themselues in fasting, bewailing their euill & sinfull waies and workes, and crying mightily vnto the Lord for pardon, and resoluing to turne from the wickednesse that was in their hands, that so God might turne away from his fierce wrath. Yet they had enioyed but little teaching: they had heard onely one Sermon from Ionah, who was a man vnknowne vnto them, and did not bring such testimonies of Scripture to conuince their consciences as are now alleaged vnto vs, &c: and therefore we should be much ashamed to come short of them in this holy exercise, especially seeing we haue not one Ionah, but many; not a iudgement threatned, but executed, and the sword of the Lord still drawne against vs, and deuouring by hundreds and thousands in many quarters of our land. Let vs then search and examine our hearts, and grieue, and iudge our selues for all our former transgressions; and couenant with the Lord to auoid them hereafter, crauing strength from him for that purpose, that we may be enabled to subdue and keepe vnder all our corruptions: and then our hearts being broken with godly sorrow, they shall be healed with godly ioy; and being truely cast downe before the Lord, he will raise vs vp in due season, and make it knowne by good effect, that he is appeased towards vs.