Conversion of Nineveh, Gods Trumpet, Physic Against Famine, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
THREE TREATISES. Viz.
1. The Converſion of NINEVEH.
2. Gods Trumpet ſounding the Alarum.
3. Phyſicke againſt Famine.
Being plainly and pithily opened and expounded, in certaine Sermons.
By William Atterſoll, Miniſter of the Word of God, at Isfield in Suſſex.
IONAH, 3.5.10.
So the people of Neneveh beleeved God, and proclaimed a faſt, and put on ſackcloth, from the greateſt of them, even to the leaſt of them.
And God ſaw their workes that they turned from their evill way, and God repented of the evill that he had ſaid that hee would doe unto them, and he did it not.
LONDON. Printed at by Tho. Cotes, and are to be ſold by Michael Sparke, at the blue Bible in Greene Arbor. 1632.
THE CONVERSION OF NINEVEH: Wherein is declared, on the one ſide, the lively power of the Miniſterie working Faith and Repentance in the hearers: and on the other ſide, the admirable effects of Prayer and Faſting, calling backe the judgements of God threatned againſt ſinners.
By William Atterſoll, Miniſter of the Word of God, at Isfield in Suſſex.
Mat. 12.41. The men of Nineveh ſhall riſe in judgement with this generation, and ſhall condemne it, becauſe they repented at the preaching of Ionas, and behold a greater than Ionas is here.
2 Cor. 10.4.5. The weapons of our war-fare are not carnall, but mighty through God, to the pulling downe of ſtrong holds: Caſting downe imaginations, and every, &c.
Printed at London, by Tho. Cotes, and are to be ſold by Mic. Sparke, at the blue Bible in Greene Arbor. 1632.
To the Right Worshipfull Sr. John Rivers, Baronet, one of his Majeſties Iuſtices of the peace in the County of Kent; Encreaſe of grace in this life, and addition of glory in the life to come.
Right Worſhipfull,
HAving heretofore upon ſundry occaſions divulged ſundry Bookes which are abroad in the world, whereby J received much encouragement, J reſolved notwithſtanding being now in yeares, and as it were donatus rude, Horat. lib. 1. epiſt. 1.preparing for a nune dimittis, utterly to give over, and to enjoyne my ſelfe a perpetuall ſilence touching this kind of writing, and to content my ſelfe with performing the other more neceſſary duty of teaching. Nevertheleſſe being requeſted, or rather importuned by friends to publiſh ſome things which had lyen a long time by mee (whereof they doubted not but J had ſome ſtore) J delivered into their hands, theſe two ſhort Treatiſes both of one nature, preached at ſuch time as the heavie hand of God was gone out againſt us in Towne and Citie. For after that he had ſent forth his deſtroying Angel, Pſal. 91.7.and that thouſands fell at our ſide, and ten thouſands at our right hand, and by his Majeſties expreſſe appointment and commandment, we were enjoyned weekly to aſſemble together for the practiſe of piety in the exerciſes of humiliation, that the Lord at length might ſay, It is enough, 2 Sam. 24.16. 1 Chro. 21.15.Stay now thy hand: J thought J could not beſtow the time better, than to deliver and inſiſt upon the doctrine of repentance, which is the life of all our faſting (albeit handled before by many) that we repenting of the evill which we had committed, he might repent of the evill which he had executed. For what is all our praier but lip-labour and a ſacrifice abominable in his eares? or what is all our outward faſting and abſtinence, but meere hypocriſie which his ſoule abhorreth, unleſſe they be accompanied with faith in his promiſes, and with repentance from dead workes? Chryſoſt, ad… verſus Iudaos or atie prima.It was well ſaid of Chryſoſtome long agoe againſt the Iewes, Ne ita dixeris, jejunant: quin potiùs illud mihi oſtendito, eos ex Dei ſententia jejunare; quod ni ita fiat, quavis ebrietate ſceleratius eſt jejunium. Let no man ſay to mee, they faſt; rather let them ſhew that they faſt according to the minde and meaning of God, or as he hath ordained; for unleſſe they faſt after this manner, their faſting is farre worſe than any drunkenneſſe, no doubt becauſe they abuſed the holy name of God, and under a pretence of piety they practiſed all kinde of impiety. And immediatly afterward, Ne que enim ſolùm conſiderandum eſt quid ab iſtis fiat, verùm illud etiam obſervandum, quam ob cauſam faciant, that is, we are not onelyonly to conſider the action what men doe, but the affection is principally to be obſerved, for what cauſe and intent they doe it. It cannot be denied but the Iſraelites faſted and praied before they went to battell againſt their brethren the Benjamites, Iudg. 20.23.they wept before the Lord untill even, yet were they overthrowne, and 18000. of them periſhed with the edge of the ſword. Some men may juſtly marvaile, that the cauſe of the Iſraelites being good, and of the Benjamites bad, yet that they fell before the men of Benjamin, yea albeit they faſted and prayed and conſulted with God who ſhould firſt beginne the warre: Rogers upon Iudges, pag. 921.But whatſoever men may object or mutter, the Lord might diſpoſe of the iſſue and ſucceſſe of it without any injury to them that were overcome; foraſmuch as it is free for him to afflict and chaſten his as it pleaſeth him, who hath alwaies juſt cauſe ſo to doe, and among ſuch as are ſuppoſed to be moſt innocent, what man ſhall be able juſtly to ſay to him, Why haſt thou done thus? Hee doth all things well, neither can evill dwell with the Almighty, whereas wee are corrupt, and in our beſt workes defective. Beſides, he would prevent the evils that hang about us, and abate the ſtrength of pride, or ſome other ſinne whereunto by nature he ſeeth wee are moſt prone; yea, he will make triall, what patience, faith, obedience, and thankfulneſſe is in us, whether ſuch graces be in us, or not. True it is, it is not directly expreſſed what the cauſe was, why God gave Iſrael the foile, and forſooke them in the day of battell: But whether they did truſt in their great armies and put confidence in an arme of fleſh, and therefore doubted not, but preſumed of the victory and prevailing over their enemies; or whether they did it not in truth and ſincerity, becauſe they did not as well purſue the men of Dan for their Idolatrie and forſaking of God, Iudg. 18.30, 31. Gen. 49.18the fact being as horrible every way, as the private injurie offered to the Levites Concubine: It is moſt certaine, they did not throughly repent, as indeed they did afterward, and prevailed, when they were throughly humbled. So then, notwithſtanding the goodneſſe of their cauſe, the greatneſſe of their ſtrength, the conſultation with God, the practiſe of faſting, and the duty of prayer; yet may we ſtill ſay as the ſonnes of the Prophets in another caſe, 2 King. 4.40.There is death in the pot, the want of true turning to God, defiled and deformed all the reſt. This is the great and generall faſting, not to abſtaine from meat and drinke, but to ceaſe from ſinne, as the Prophet ſpeaketh. Auguſt. ſuper Iohan. Eſay 58.6. Chryſoſt. ſu… per Math.Hee that ſinneth and yet withall faſteth, (ſaith Chriſoſtome) doth not faſt to the glory of God, but ſpareth his owne ſubſtance onelyonly. This is handled at large in theſe Treatiſes, wherein is noted, what the true exerciſe of faſting is, what are the outward and inward parts thereof, the one anſwering to the other, together with the ſeverall abuſes of the counterfeit faſtings. True it is, the Church of Rome complaine againſt us, and accuſe us as enemies to faſting, even as the Phariſees ſometimes condemned the Diſciples of Chriſt, Math. 9.14whom he excuſeth and defendeth: but were we worthy of this reproch and reproofe, yet are they the unfitteſt to upbraid us with it, who beſide the bare name and naked title of faſting, have nothing remaining of the true nature and right practiſe thereof; but the end they ayme at, is to ſet up their owne merits, and to puffe up them ſelves with pride, as it was with the blind Phariſees their predeceſſors, whom in this and in ſundry other points they follow. Theſe things thus laid open, J preſume to offer to your Worſhip, whoſe good affection to our Tribe, (ſo much ſcorned and ſcoffed at in the world) and carefull frequenting the exerciſes of religion many wayes appeareth, and as a token and teſtimony of my thankfull remembrance of your love to me, in that you diſdaine not, but upon every occaſion of paſsing by, to come under the roofe of my poore cottage: remembring the words of our bleſſed Saviour, Mar. 6.4.A Prophet is not without honour, ſave in his owne Countrey, and among his owne kinne, and in his owne houſe. The God of heaven and earth encreaſe your zeale to the truth, and finiſh that good worke which he hath begunne in you, unto the day of Jeſus Chriſt.
Your Worſhips at command, William Atterſoll.