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The Ninevites Repent.
The Inhabitants of Nineveh Repent, at the Preaching of the Prophet JONAH.
AFter that GOD had so wonderfully pre∣serv'd Jonah in, and afterwards deli∣ver'd him from the Whales-Belly, he commanded him a second time to go to Nineveh, and Preach to that Great City, and to declare the Com∣mission he had charged with him. Jonah now no more cast about, how he might avoid the Command laid upon him, but by his ready Obedience made it appear, how much he had profited by the Affliction GOD had sent him, and that he had learnt never any more to op∣pose himself against the Divine Will, though never so difficult or thwarting of his own.
In this disposition he went (contrary to the custom of all other Prophets) to Preach to a People that were Heathen Idolaters, that there∣in also he might be a Figure of Jesus Christ, who in time to come was to Convert the Gen∣tiles. Now Nineveh was a great City, which (as the Scripture tells us) was three Days Journey in length. When Jonah was advanc'd into the City about a Days Journey, he lift∣ed up his Voice, and declared, That yet forty Days, and Nineveh should be destroyed.
The Inhabitants being terrified with this Denunciation, believed the Word of GOD by his Prophet, and with an humble Faith (which according to the Word of our Saviour Jesus Christ, will prove the condemnation of those Ʋnbelievers that do not Repent) they pro∣claimed a Fast, and put on Sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least, to the end that their Sorrow and Repentance might be as ge∣neral, as their Corruption and Sins had been; and that as no Age, Sex, nor Quality had been free from contributing to the Guilt; so none might be exempted from the Penance, that might make Attonement for it.
The King himself being strangely Alarmed with the News of this sudden Destruction, threatning Him and his Subjects, came down from his Throne, and quitted all his Royal Robes and Ornaments, to put on Sackcloth, and sit in Ashes: And not contented to ex∣cite his Subjects to Repentance by his Exam∣ple only, he published an Edict, and caused it to be proclaimed through the City, That neither Man nor Beast, Herd nor Flock, should eat or drink any thing; and that all his Sub∣jects should apply themselves to cry mightily to GGD, and every one of them turn from their Evil ways, and the Violence that was in their Hands: For who can tell (said he) but GOD will take pity of us, and turn away from his fierce Anger, that we perish not?
Thus a whole City, and so great a City as Nineveh was, humbling and abasing them∣selves before the Eyes of GOD, from the King upon the Throne, unto the poorest and most contemptible Subject, moved GOD's Mercy and Bowels in Pity towards them; who seeing them changed from what they were, he also changed the Sentence of Death pronounced a∣gainst them, as having done it only for this end, to make them by their serious and hear∣ty Repentance to prevent the Punishment, where∣with his Justice threatned them.
This Repentance of the Ninevites is a great and illustrious Example of sincere and hearty Repentance; and therefore we ought often to set it before our Eyes, that as we have been and still are Followers of them in Sin and Wicked∣ness; so we might endeavour to imitate and ex∣press their Repentance.
And this the rather, because our Saviour JE∣SUS CHRIST assures us, That this Example of the Ninevites, shall confound and con∣demn all those, who living under the Preach∣ing of the Gospel, do still continue in Impeni∣tence and Ʋnbelief; because the Menaces he has pronounced in the Gospel against Impeni∣tent Sinners, ought without comparison to be more dreadful and terrible to us, than those of Jonah were to the Heathen Inhabitants of Nineveh.