retaine 7 Grace to practise the sincere doctrine of Gods holy word THE TEXTS HEarken ô Israell vnto the ordinances and statutes which I teach you Deut. 4. 1. Heare my Law ô my people incline your eares to the words of my mouth Psal. 78. 1. This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him Mat. 3. 17. Hee that heareth of mee these words c. Mat. 7. 24. Hee that hath an eare to heare let him heare Mat. 11. 15. Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches Reu. 2. 7. Take heed what ye heare Mar. 4. 24. Beware of false Prophets that come vnto you in sheeps-clothing Mat. 7. 15. They searched the Scriptures whether those things were so Acts 17. 11. Proue all things hold that which is good 1 Tâ—es 5. 21. Try the Spirits whether they be of God or not 1. Ioh. 4. 1. They haue not reiected thee but they haue reiected me 1 Sam. 8. 7. Hee that heareth you heareth me and he that heareth me heareth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. Blessed is hee that heareth the Word of God and keepeth it Luk. 11. 28. Ye receiued the Word not as the Word of men but as it is indeed the Word of God 1 These 2. 3. The Word of God is liuely and mighty in operation c. Heb. 4. 12. If any man speake let him speake as the Word of God 1 Pet. 4. 11. I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God vnto saluation to euery beleeuer Rom. 1. 16. Man liueth not by bread only but by euery Word that proceedeth from the mouth of God Luke 4. 4. Hee that heareth my words and belieueth in mee hath life eternall and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Ioh. 9. 24. To whom shall we goe Thou hast the words of eternall life Ioh. 6. 68. He that refuseth me and receiueth not my words hath one that iudgeth him The word which I haue spoken it shall iudge him at the last day Ioh. 12. 48. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had not had sin Ioh. 15. 22. Wee are the sweete smelling sauour of Christ in them that are saued and them that perish 2 Cor. 2. 15. To the one wee are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life verse 16. Continue in Praâ—er and watch in the same with thanksgiuing Colos 4. 2. Praying for vs that God may open to vs the dore of vtterance to speake the mysteries of Christ. verse 3. That I may vtter it as it becommeth me to speake verse 4. A certaine woman named Lydia heard vs whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things that Paul spake Acts 16. 14. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law Psal. 119. 34. And this I pray that ye may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement Phil. 1. 9. That yee may discerne those things that differ verse 10. The Lord giue thee a right iudgement in all things 2 Tim. 2. 7. God that commanded the light to shine out of darknesse is he that hath shined in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. 2. Cor. 4. 6. The Apostles said Lord increase our Faith Luke 17. 5. For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ c. Ephes. 3. 14. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith verse 17. And his Mother kept all these sayings in her heart Luk. 2. 51. I haue hid thy promises in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal. 119. 11. Whosoeuer heareth of mee these words and doeth the same I will liken him to a wise man that built his house vpon a rock Mat. 7. 24. If ye know these things blessed are ye if ye do them Ioh. 13. 17. Be ye dooers of the Word not hearers only deceiuing your own soules Iam. 1. 22. The Preparatory Hymne wherein the deuout soule expresseth her a High esteeme of the Word b Continuall meditating on it c Exceeding delight in it Feruent desire to be d Instructed in it e Ruled by it a My soule breaketh for the longing it hath vnto thy iudgements at all times Psal 119. 20. The Law of thy mouth is better to me then thousands of gold and siluer verse 72. The Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal. 19. 7. The Statutes of the Lord are right and reioyce the heart the commandement of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes ver 8 The feare of the Lord is cleane enduring for euer the Iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether verse 9. More to bee desired are they then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then hony and the hony combe verse 10. Moreouer by them is thy seruant taught and in keeping of them is great reward verse 11. b I will meditate in thy precepts and haue respect to thy waies Psal 119. 15. O how I loue thy Law it is my meditation all the day ver 97. Thy words haue I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee verse 11. c I will delight my selfe in thy statutes I will not forget thy word verse 16. Thy testimonies are my delight my counsellers verse 24. Thy testimonies haue I claimed as mine heritage for euer for they are the very ioy of mine heart verse 111. d Open thou mine eyes that I may behold the wondrous things of thy Law verse 18. Make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts so shall I talke of thy wondrous workes verse 27. e Order my steps in thy Word and let not any iniquity haue dominion ouer me verse 133. Make thy face to shine vpon thy seruant and teach mee thy statutes verse 135. The Preparatory Prayer GRatious God who hast appointed the opening of the Scriptures by preaching to bee the ordinary meanes of saluation to all thy chosen blesse this thine ordinance to me and prepare me for it Grant that thy Word being mixed with faith in me may bee vnto me a sauour of life vnto life and not a sauour of death vnto death Direct and assist thy Minister that hee may rightly diuide it Open vnto him the dore of vtterance that what he hath conceiued in thy feare vpon thy holy Oracles hee may deliuer to thy glory Fill him with the holy Ghost that his lips may bee full of grace and that he may speake instruction to mine ignorance correction to my errors comfort to mine afflictions and peace to my conscience Guide the sword of the spirit in his hand that it may meete with and smite my speciall corruptions and bosome sins knowne or vnknowne and giue me patience to
drinkes neither in feasting or fasting and Tertullian's censure is obseruable Hee that worshippeth God by meates or placeth worship in them is not farre off from making his belly his god yet it may bee truly called not only a good work but also a religious i. e. a worke commanded by religion and tending to religion as a preparation and helpe thereunto 〈…〉 to two 1 The Spirituall or metaphoricall fast of the soule which is the abstinence from the forbidden fruit of sin and this Fast although it may truly be so termed in regard of the restraint of our carnall appetites which as greedily desire sinfull objects as our stomake doth meate yet it is indeed a Feast as Salomon calleth it A good conscience is a continuall Feast 2 Corporall when wee abstaine from bodily sustenance and this is also 2 fold 1 Constrained and inuoluntary when Either we want meate to our stomake as in famine Or stomake to our meat as in sicknesse 2 Voluntary vndertaken deliberately when we abstaine from meate though wee could and might eate and this is 3 fold 1 Medicinall when wee forbeare either certaine meates or all meate for a while for the preuenting of sicknesse or recouering health 2 Ciuill when some kinde of meate is forborne for the profit of the Common-wealth 3 Religious when our abstinence is for the mortifying of our flesh and fitting and preparing vs to religious duties This also is either 1 Priuate in which euery man's conscience guided by Scripture and discretion must bee his law 2 Publike for which there must be a command from lawfull authority These publike fasts are either 1 Extraordinary as in time of warre plague or the like 2 Ordinary as the holiday Eues Embers anâ— Lent Fasts Place this first and second Table of Fasting in M btween fol. 260 and 261. Of the Lent Fast. THe Lent Fast is a mixed constitution partly ciuill appointed by the King or State to preserue young cattell spend fish and encourage fishermen partly Ecclesiasticall ordered by the Church for religious ends As those that haue a care of their bodily health vsualy purge in the Spring so the Church of God hath thought fit to prescribe this physick of fasting for the soule in the same season of the yeere for these ends especially 1. To beate downe the flesh at that season when by reason of the heate of the blood it vsually waxeth most wanton The ancient Romans vsed to hallow a spring to God and the Primitiue Church disdaining to bee outstripped by the heathen in any thing that sauored of Deuotion likewise consecrated the spring to the more strickt Seruice of God by fasting and prayer then at other times 2. To conforme the members to the Head In this season of the yeere our Lord's Agony and bitter Passion were endured and are remembred and therefore most fit it is that by fasting watching and teares wee expresse true remorse and sorrow for those our sinnes which were the causes of those his sufferings Godfrey of Bulloigne after he had conquered the holy land and regained it from the Saracens yet would neuer bee crowned there saying That it was not fit that the seruant should were a crowne of gold there where the Lord and Master ware a crowne of thornes Neither would Christ's dearest Spowse at that time of the yeere crowne her selfe with rose-budds in which Christ ware that crowne of thornes nor lye in beddes of downe when hee lay on the hard bed of his Crosse nor fare deliciously or drinke liberally when hee had nothing but gall giuen him to eate and viniger to drinke 3 To prepare vs to the celebration of the Feast of Easter and the participation of the Blessed Sacrament VVhat time fitter to call our selues to an accompt for the whole yeere then at or before the time which the Church hath appointed is in it selfe most proper for the most generall and solemne communion of the Lords Bodie and Bloud 4 To celebrate and as farre as wee are able to imitate our Lord 's fast of fortie dayes at least by some kind of abstinence during that whole time to imprint that miraculous fast of our Sauiour for vs deeper in our memories Question Doth the Church of England keepe the Lent fast as religious or a meere ciuill constitution Answere Not as a meere ciuill but also a religious sanction for as it appeareth in the booke of Common Prayer speciall Collects Epistles and Gospells with a Commination are appointed for diuers dayes in Lent Obiection Is it not Popery to keepe strictly the Lent fast as a religious institution An. It is not for First The religious obseruation of Lent is far more ancient then popery There are such euident prints and footsteps of it in the Authenticall Records of the Primitiue Church that he is altogether ignorant in the writings of the Fathers or blinde that seeth them not Secondly we keepe not Lent as the Papists doe but as the antient Christians did before Popery was hatched As in other things so in this we purge away the drosse wee retaine the gold wee remoue the abuse wee preserue the vse 1. Wee place not Religion or the substance of Gods worship in abstaining from any kinde of meate 2. We renounce all merit by fasting 3. Wee abstaine not from flesh as being any way conceiued by vs to bee more vnholy then fish 4. We doe not equalize humane constitutions Ecclesiastical or Ciuill to Diuine Lawes The one we teach directly and immediately to binde the conscience the other but indirectly iâ—mediately 5. We keepe it not by vertue of any papal constitution but in conformity to the ancient Church and obedience to his Maiesties Ecclesiasticall Lawes THE LENT' 's DEVOTION beginning on Ashwednesday â‚ The ground or at least the occasion of this Fast. In the Old Testament TYPES In the New an example in our LORD'S Fast. The Type Moses was with the LORD fortie dayes and fortie nights he did neither eate bread nor drinke water Exod. 34. 28. Hee went in the strength of that meate fortie dayes and fortie nights till hee came to Horeb the Mount of God 1. Kings 19. 8. Example Then Iesus c. Mat. 4. 1. And when he had fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights afterward he was an hungry ver 2. Being 40 daies tempted of the diuell and in those daies he did eat nothing Luke 4. 2. And the diuell tooke him vp into an high mountaine ver 5. IVdicious Caluin Videlius other excellent learned Doctors of the reformed church teach that this Fast of Christ was miraculous so no patterne for our imitation and they put Saint Chrisostome vpon it also whose words are Christ said Learne of mee not that I fast although hee could haue sayd so for he fasted forty dayes yet he saith not that but Learne of mee that I am meeke and lowly in heart The solution is not difficult for Christ's Fast may be considered two waies First
as a miraculous demonstration of his Diuinity or an euidence that hee was the true Messias because hee accomplished the Types foregoing in Moses and Eliah and in this regard it is to bee admired of vs but no way to be imitated And in this sence Caluin Videlius's words mayâ—passe and Saint Chrisostome must bee taken vnlesse thy will haue him contradict himselfe Secondly as a morall remedy against tentation or rather a spirituall Armour which Christ tooke vpon him when he was to buckle with the Diuell and thus wee may and ought to imitate Christ's Fast in the kinde though not in the degree As we cannot fast as Christ fasted so neither can we pray as Christ prayed whole nights and with strong cries and a bloody sweat yet no Christians euer doubted but that we may and must follow Christ in all religious exercises though not with euen paces yet as wee are able And because they appeale to S. Chrysostome let him be the Vmpire Our Lord Iesus Christ wheÌ„ he entred into the lists with Sathan fasted forty days giuing vs an example how wee ought to arme our selues against the Diuel Certainely if the Learned Bishops afterwards Martyrs that penned our Booke of Common Prayers had thought Christ's Fast of forty dayes no way to belong to our Fast they would neuer haue appointed the Story of Christ's Fast for the Gospell the first Sunday in Lent nor touched vpon it in the Collects For thine instruction meditate on Christ's Fast. For thy comfort apply the benefit of it to thy soule For thy correction condemne thy luxury and consider what great cause thou hast to humble thy soule with fasting Quicken Thy repentance by the Psalme Thy fasting by the exhortation Thy Deuotion by the prayer ensuing The Psalme for Ash-wednesday PVt mee not to rebuke ô Lord in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure Psal 38. 1. For thine arrowes stick fast in mee and thy hand presseth me sore verse 2. There is no life in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne verse 3. For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head they are like a sore burden too heauy for me to beare verse 4. Lord thou knowest all my desires and my groaning is not hid from thee verse 9. Heare my Prayer ô Lord consider my desire ô hearken vnto mee for thy Truth and righteousnesse sake Psal. 43. 1. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified verse 2. My spirit is vexed within me and my heart within me is desolate verse 4. I stretch forth my hands vnto thee my soule gaspeth vnto thee as a thirsty land verse 6. Lord be mercifull vnto me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee Psal. 41. 9. O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth but according to thy mercy thinke vpon me ô Lord for thy goodnesse Psal. 21. 6. I haue eaten ashes as it were bread and mingled my drinke with weeping Psal. 102. 9. And that because of thine indignation and wrath for thou hast taken me vp and cast me downe verse 10. My dayes are gone like a shadow and I am withered like grasse verse 11. When thou with rebuke doest chasten man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a moth fretting a garment euery man therefore is but vanity Psal. 39 12. What man is he that liueth shall not see death and shal deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue Psal. 89. 47. When the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish Psal. 146. 3. What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Psal. 30. 9. Shall the dust giue thanks to thee Or shall it declare thy Truth verse 10. Heare Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my help verse 11. Here my Prayer ô Lord and let thine eares consider my colling hold not thy peace at my teares Psal. 39. 13. For I am a stranger vpon earth and a soiourner as all my Fathers were verse 14. O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I go hence and bee no more seene verse 15. AN ADMONITION FOR ASH-WEDNESDAY OR Exhortation to Fasting THE ANALSYS A deuout Christian ought to Fast because 1 God commandeth it 2 Christ commendeth it by Precept Example 3 The Saints practised it Vnder the Law Vnder the Gospell 4 It expelleth the Diuell 5 It quickens Prayer 6 It humbleth the Spirit 7 It tameth the flesh 8 It auerteth God's Iudgements 9 It obtaineth blessings Temporall Spirituall THE TEXTS BLow the Trumpet in Zion sanctifie a Fast call a solemne Assemblie Ioh. 2. 16. Is this the Fast which the Lord requireth c. Isa. 58. 5. The Bridegroome shall be taken away and then they shall Fast. Mat. 9. 15. When yee Fast bee not as the hypocrites c. Mat. 6. 16. Giue your selues to Fasting 1 Cor. 7. 5. And when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights afterward he was an hungry Mat. 5. 2. Moses fasted Exod. 34 28. Fliah Fasted 1 King 19. 8. I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth Dan. 10. 3. Hanna serued God with Fasting and Prayer Luk. 2. 37. About this howre I Fasted Acts 10. 30. As they Ministred to the Lord and Fasted Acts 13. 2. Then Fasted they and Prayed verse 3. In Fasting often 2 Cor. 11. 27. And Prayed and Fasted Acts 14. 23. This kinde of Diuell goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer Mat. 17. 21. I humbled my soule with Fasting Psal. 35. 13. I beate downe my body 1 Cor. 9. 27. And hee proclaimed through Nineueh Let neither man nor beast taste any thing neither feede nor drinke water Ionah 3. 7. And God saw their workes and God repented him of the euill which hee said he would doe vnto them and hee did it not verse 10. Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shushan and Fast ye for me and eate not nor drinke in three dayes I also and my Maides will Fast likewise Ester 4. 16. And the Posts went forth with speede to exe cute the Kings decrees Ester 8. 14. Mordecay went out in a crowne of gold and to the Iewes was come Ioy and gladnesse verse 15. I Fasted Acts 10. 30. Peter sayd Of a trueth I see c. ver 34. The holy Ghost fell on them verse 4. 4. A Prayer for Ash-wednesday O Let not my Lord be angry that I who am but dust and ashes dare speake vnto him for my sinnes cry for vengeance and shall I be silent for pardon Gracious God either silence them or heare mee If thou wilt not heare the voice of my words heare the voice of my teares if thou wilt not heare them heare the voice of thy sons blood which