very good Expreffion of their Careleffness and Unconcernednefs about all their worldly Matters, and their entire giving up themselves to Sorrow. But this by the by, for the giving fome Light to this Paffage of Scripture.

To proceed. This Fafting and Afflicting of their Bodies was not the only Expreffion of the Ninevites Repentance: They were by the Proclamation commanded every Man to cry mightily to the Lord. To v. 8. put up earneft Prayers to him, that he would pardon their Sins, and spare their City. And not only fo, but which was the main thing of all, to turn every Man from his evil ways; to forfake those Sins they were guilty of; efpecially that which was the crying notorious Sin of the City, which it seems by the Text was Injuftice and Oppreffion. Let every one turn from his evil v. 8. Way, and from the Violence that is in his Hand. And this, as it follows, they faithfully put in Practice. What now was the Refult of all this? What Benefit did the King of Nineveh receive by this their folemn Fafting and Prayer? Why they obtained all that they defired; for it is told us, that God faw their Works, that they turned from their evil Way; and God repented of the Evil that he faid he would do unto them, and he did it not.

This is a brief Account of the Cafe of Nineveh, as it is here related by the Prophet.

phet. Two things we may gather from it, very proper to be infifted on upon this Day. On this Day, I fay, wherein after the Example of the Ninevites, the whole People of this Land, by Proclamation of the Queen and her Nobles, are met together, To humble our felves before Almighty God for our manifold Sins, and to fupplicate his Divine Majefty for the Pardon of them, and the Prefervation of us from the Hands of our Enemies, by protecting her Majefty, and giving happy Success to her Arms both by Sea and Land.

Two things, I fay, we may gather from this Story.

First, Of how great Efficacy publick
Fafting and Prayer, when duly per-
formed, are, for the averting publick
Judgments, and the procuring pub-
lick Bleffings.

Secondly, What is required to a due
Performance of publick Fafting and
Prayer, fo that they may prove thus
effectual. I begin with

I. The Efficacy of Publick Fafting and Prayer, when duly performed, for the averting publick Judgments and obtaining publick Bleffings. We cannot deny our Affent to this, if we believe the Story of the Ninewites, which I have now given an Account

of

of. And we can no more doubt of the Truth of that Story, than we doubt of the Truth of what our Saviour himself hath delivered. For he on folemn Occasions has confirmed the main Parts of that Story, by giving Teftimony both of Jonah's being three Days and three Nights in the Matt. 12, Whale's Belly, and likewife to the Repen 40, 41, tance of the Ninevites upon his preaching to

&

C. 20. V. 1.

them. But there are other as illuftrious Proofs to be met with in Scripture of the Efficacy of Fafting and Prayer, for those Purposes, as is this Inftance of the Ninevites. When the Moabites and Amorites 2 Chron and other neighbouring Nations were gathered together in a great Army against Judah, and the King and all the Nation were in a very great Confternation, by reafon of the Danger that thereby threatened them, what Courfe do they take to obtain Deliverance of God from thofe very Enemies? Why it is told us in the Chapter that was read this Morning, That Je- 2 Chron. hoshaphat the King was afraid, and fet him- 20. v. 3. Jelf to feek the Lord, and proclaimed a Faft throughout all Judah. And Judah gather-v. 4. ed themselves together to ask Help of the Lord; even out of all the Cities of Judah they came to feek the Lord. And the Succefs of their Fafting and Prayer was anfwerable to their Expectation. For God was intreated hereby, and wrought that Day a great Deliverance for his People, destroy- &c.

ing

V.

ing all their Enemies, and that without any fighting on their parts, by fetting them one against another.

Thus alfo when the Jews were carried captive into Babylon, what other Means did they use for their Delivery out of that Bondage, but those we are speaking of: A publick folemn Faft, and Prayer to God. Ezra 8.21. Thus it is told us, That a folemn Faft was proclaimed, that they might afflict themselves before the Lord their God, to feek of him a right way for them, and for their little ones, and for their Subftance. And then it follows, That they fafted and befought God for this, and he was intreated of them.

v. 23.

3. V.13.

Thus again when the whole Nation of the Jews was in danger to be utterly deftroyed, by the cruel Orders that Abafuerus the King had fent forth, that on a certain Efther, c. Day they should be maffacred, Man, Woman, and Child, throughout his Dominions; the Remedy which they apply to in this Extremity, was ftill Fafting and Prayer. In every Province wherefoever the C.4. v.3. King's Commandment and his Decree came, there was a great Mourning among the Jews, and Fafting and Weeping; and many lay in Sackcloth and Alhes. And God had Regard to this their Fafting and Humiliation, and raifed-up Queen Efther to fave them from Deftruction; fhe likewife having firft prepared herself for this Work, by folemn Fafting and Prayer.

Laftly,

Laftly, To name no more Texts: This is the Method that God himself prescribed to his People for the preventing that Destruction that he had folemnly threatened them with by his Prophet Joel. Now, Joel zi faith the Lord, turn ye even unto me, with v.12. all your Heart, with Fafting, and with Weeping, and with Mourning; and rent your v.13 Hearts, and not your Garments, and turn unto the Lord your God; for he is gracious and merciful, flow to Anger, and of great Kindness, and repenteth him of the Evil. Blow the Trumpet in Sion; fanctify a Faft; v.15. call a folemn Affembly; gather the People; v.16. affemble the Elders; gather the Children, and thofe that fuck the Breafts; let the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber, and the Bride out of her Clofet: Let the Priests, v.17, the Minifters of the Lord, weep between the Porch and the Altar; and let them fay, Spare thy People, O Lord, and give not thine Heritage to Reproach, that the Heathen fhould rule over them. Well, what Success were they to expect when they had done this? Why it follows, Then will the Lord v.18. be jealous for his Land, and will pity his People: Yea, the Lord will answer, and fay v.19 unto his People, Behold, I will fend you Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and ye shall be fatisfed therewith: and I will no more make you a Reproach among the Heathen; but I will remove far off from you the Northern Army, and fo on.

VOL. VI.

I

But

V. 20.