be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Zeph. 2. 1. 2. 3 2. The obseruatiō of good people of euery sort falleth vpon this necessitie and cryeth for a publicke humiliation The causes are so manifest and vveightie that anie who is not blinded may perceiue them vvhat is this else than a mutuall exhorting one of another Come let vs returne to the Lord For he hath spoiled and he will heale vs Hee hath wounded vs and hee will bind vs vp Hos. 3. 6. 1. Gods prouidence is a reall calling a commanding of vs to this Fast. Hee hath begun his Iudgements in other places we are vnder the same sinnes and hee is shaking that rod vpon vs. It vvas time for Dauid to pray for Ierusalem vvhen hee saw the Angell stretch his Sword ouer it Hee prayed and God made the Angell stay his hand 2. Sam. 24. Seeing then vvee are ladened with so many sinnes and compassed vvith so many troubles and God by his vvord and vvorkes and our Conscience calleth vs to Repentance Fasting vve may not neglect this Fast. For he who will not afflict his Soule in the day of expiation that Soule shall bee cut off from his people Leuit. 23. 29. And in that day sayeth the Lord I called to weeping mourning to baldnes girding with sackcloth And behold ioy gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing Sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let vs eate and drinke for tomorrow wee shall die And it was reuealed to mee by the Lord of Hostes Surelie this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you till you die sayeth the Lord. Isa. 22. 12. 13. 14. Neither let vs keepe the Fast of Hypocrites who disfigure their faces and looke sowrlie that they may bee knowne of men to fast Matth. 6. 16. They afflict their Soules for a day hing their heads as a bulrush and yet they finde pleasure and oppresse their Neighbour in the day of their Fast. Isa. 58. 5. Neither let vs keepe the Papists Fast who are Hypocrites in their externall shewe and Epicures in the dyet of their Fasting There can bee no afflicting of their bodie where for qualitie they haue libertie to eate bread Confections Conserues Fruits to drinke all sorts of Wine for quantitie to tak their satietie fill of them and yet in so doing they breake not their Ecclesiasticall Fast. This is a mocking of the Christian Fast a scorning of the VVorld the feeding of the flesh and a deceate of themselues in that wil-worship a Feasting for Fasting But let vs keep the Christian Fast in a simple abstinence frō all that may comfort the bodie in true and vnfained Repentance and forsaking of our euill wayes turning to the Lord our God with all our hearts that he may haue mercie on vs. If vvee seeke the Lord vvhen hee may bee found then vvee shall cry and hee will answere wee shall call hee shall say Behold heere I am if thou take away from the midst of thee the yocke of sinne Isa. 58. 9. And for this ende wee muste first inquire where these sinnes are that so grieuouslie offend God that not by prying in our Neighbours to lay all the blame on them and transferre it from our selues and so to foster a conceate of our owne innocencie in this common guiltinesse It is a deepe policie of Sathan to cousen men in this case to cleanse themselues and blame their Neighbours This is one olde lesson wee haue of our first Parents Adam layed the sinne vpon the Woman and the woman on the Serpent Wee are forward to commit sinne but are ashamed of it when it is committed and would father it on another Wee defile our selues reallie by the guiltinesse of it and labour to cleanse vs by a conceate But God will not bee so put off and that shifting is a doubling of our guiltinesse So after that Core and his complices were punished the people murmured against Moses and Aaron saying Yee haue killed the people of the Lord. Nu. 16. 41. The cause of Corahs punishment was not in Moses and Aaron but in Corahs sinnes who inuying their credite ambitiouslie affected the like and seditiouslie made a faction and drew the people after him against them whom God had set ouer them But the foolish people not considering his sinne nor their owne factious following of him layed all the blame vpon Moses and Aaron This is to harden our selfe in our sinne impenitencie and to freeze on our dregges Zeph. 1. 12. But euerie one of vs ought to examine first most our selues and wee shall finde seuen abominations in our hearts If we looke in the glasse of Gods Law we shall see our leprosie bee forced with the Lepers to cry out I am vncleane I am vncleane So Dauid albeit GOD beeing angrie at Israel suffered him to number the people said to the Lord I haue sinned and I haue done wickedlie but these sheepe what haue they done 2. Sam 24. 1. And Ieremie putteth himselfe in with the rest vvee haue sinned and thou hast not spared Lament 3. And Daniel Wee and our Fathers haue sinned Dan. 9. It is a token of true Grace in the censure of our selfe with the Apostle to count our selues the first of all sinners and a token of true Repentance 1. Tim. 1. 5. In the appearance of sin with Ionah to say I know that for my sake this storme is come vpon you Ionah 1. 12. Euerie one of vs hath broght his coale to this great fire of Gods wrath so let euery man come and take out the coale hee hath cast in it draw waters out of his brokē heart and powre out the teares of true Repentance to quench it withall Let vs search and try our vvayes and turne againe to the LORD Lament 3. 40. As on the one part wee ought not Pharisaicallie to lay all the fault on others so neither should weelazelie waite vpon the Repentance of other Euerie one ought indeede to stirre vp another to this holie Exercise But if other remaine in their hardnesse and will not bee stirred vp to seeke the Lord wee ought not to delay Repentance by their euill example Euerie one is bound to keepe his owne Soule If yee vvill not repent my Soule shall mourne in secrete for your pryde Ierem. 13. 17. As the multitude of the godly cannot secure an euill man from Gods justice hee found out Achan among the thousands of Israel and punished him So the multitude of impenitent Sinners shall not hyde one mourning Sinner from his mercie He sendeth not out his wrath till first hee marke them that sigh and cry for the abomination of Ierusalem Ezch. 9. And promiseth to Baruch his life for a prey Hee had the Arke readie to saue Noah and a Zoar to receiue Lot 2. Next for this holy Exercise let vs rent our hearts and that by a true and godlie sorrow for our
two but for all our lifetime thereafter The purposes vowes of obedience which we make in our Repentance must be practised and performed Though the act of Repentance indure not euer in it selfe yet the vertue of it remaineth constantlie in the godlie In Baptisme we are Sacramentallie changed and at the time of our effectuall calling wee feele that Sacramentall grace in justification and sanctification and all our following dayes vvee are bound to goe forward in them Since Repentance then is nothing but Sanctification contracted And sanctification all our life is nothing but Repentance inlarged and continued it will follow that if sanctification doe not kyth constant after our Fasting there hath beene no true Repentance in it Remission of sinne proueth the same For though Iustification and Sanctification be two seuerall graces in themselues and bring seuerall respects dispositions in vs yet they are inseparable for God neuer pardoneth the guilt of sin but iontlie therewith he slayeth sin originall As he washeth away the blot of all sinne so he woundeth deadlie the roote of sinning sin in vs And the cōscience of our washing in the blood of Christ doeth euer beget in vs a care to keepe these garments cleane which God hath cleansed Therefore if there be not after our Fastings a visible amendement of life neither haue wee repented nor God pardoned our sinne but we haue added greater and worse sinnes to the former and brought vpon vs a degree of judiciall induration and hardnesse of heart When Christ had healed the sicke man at the Poole of Bethesda hee commanded him Sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Ioh. 5. So when we are washed in the house of the Lords aboundantlie powred out mercie let vs keepe our selfe from sinne thereafter If God be with vs accept our Prayers then we may be sure of these following fruits 1. Of Remission of sinnes in Iesus Christ So when Dauid confessed his sinnes and said I haue sinned against the Lord hee was answered by Nathan The Lord hath also put away thine iniquitie he had a warrād more speedilie to absolue him thā he had to accuse him ◠Sa. 12. And whē the Publicane knocked on his breast said The Lord haue mercy on me a sinner he went home justified Lu. 18. And whē the forlorne Son came in Repentance to his Father he receiued him in his fauour house againe Luk. 15 He seeth no sin in Iacob nor transgressiō in Israel Our God pardeneth iniquitie passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his Inheritance hee retaineth not his anger for euer because hee delighteth in mercie Hee will turne againe he will haue compassion on vs hee will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes in the bottome of the Sea Mica 7. 18. 2. He will accept of our persons vnder his shaddow nothing holdeth vs out of that secrete refuge but our sinne because hee is of purer Eyes than hee can beholde sine and he pursueth sinne in all and can no more protect an impenitent sinner than hee can denie his justice But when the heart is purged from euerie euill conscience thē his refuge is open to vs. 3. As for our Enemies wee should consider their estate better than themselues they are in Gods worke for our punishment but neither in his fauour nor of his disposition They are more foolish than Sathan hee durst not hurt Iob without a Cōmission of God but they think all possible lawfull to them And when he set on to execute that Commission though malice blinded his desire yet not his minde for hee did fore see a disappointing because hee knew Gods loue to Iob by so manie pledges and testimonies of his sinceritie in Grace But our enemies are not so wise as hee They goe on without Cōmission sought obtained they expound their preuailing as Gods sentence approuing their cause and see not that all their businesse is a prouyding of a Coffine and beare-trees to carrie them out of this combate with shame confusion God will pleade his cause against them Hee hath giuen them a hard but a just commission against vs for our sinnes Assur is the rodde of mine anger I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation against the people of mine anger will I giue him a charge to take the spoile But they passed the bounds of their commission and satisfied their owne wicked heart vpon the people of God For Assur meaneth not as God doeth but his heart is to destroy and cutte off Nations Isa. 10. They say Let vs defile Sion but they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither vnderstand his Counsell Micah 4 12. And when God suffereth them to preuaile for the humiliation of his owne they sacrifice to their owne net and impute all this successe to their owne Idols Habak 2. 11. When God hath humbled vs and pardoned our sinnes then their Commission expyreth and God will plague them in his furie for their own wickednesse in doing his work peruerslie And therefore he will turne him against them plead his cause saying I am verie sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease For I was but a little displeased with my people the Enemies helped forward the affliction I was angrie with my people and polluted mine Inheritance and giuen them in thine hand But thou hast shewed them no mercie thou hast layed vpon the Auncient a verie heauie yocke Zach. 2. 16. Is. 47. 6. And in his due time hee will turne the rage of the enemie to his praise the remnant of their rage hee will restraine Psal. 76. Hee will stretch out his hand against the wrath of our enemies and his right hand shall saue vs. Psal. 138. 7. So that wee may iustlie say to them Reioyce not against mee O mine Enemie when I fall I shall rise when I sitte in darknesse the Lord shall bee a light vnto mee I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill hee pleade my cause and execute Iudgement for mee Hee will bring mee foorth to the Light and I shall behold his Righteousnesse Then shee that is mine Enemies shall see and shame shall couer her which said vnto mee Where is the Lord thy God Mine eyes shall behold her now shee shall bee troden downe as myre in the streete Mica 7. 8. 9. 10. They are nowe an instrument in his hand to execute his anger on vs but they shall be the Bute and marke of his greater anger 4. As for the Churches now desolate God will returne to them in mercie in his own time And this time is when they are purged from sinne and the sinnes and insolencie of the Enemie are come to an hight Then God will ryse and haue mercie vpon Sion For the time to saue her euen the sette time is come Psal. 102. 13. It is time for the Lord to worke when they haue made voyde his Law Psal.
bloodie persecution of Antichrist are cleare documents to vs in this Land commanding vs in time to turne to God lest the like or a worse befall vs. Wee can no wayes compare with these worthie Churches neither in Grace nor in the fruites of the Gospel And yet God hath begunne at them If hee haue done so to the greene tree what will hee doe to vs who are a dry and a barren tree God in our sight and hearing these eight years hath smitten seuerelie thogh justlie these Churches and that to teach vs Repentance But wee are as Iudah who mended not at the captiuitie of Israel VVhen I had put away backslyding Israel for all her iniquities and giuen her a bill of diuorcement then trecherous Iudah seared not nor turned not to mee with all her heart but fainedlie Ierem. 3 8. 9. Though euerie report of their calamitie bee Gods calling vs to sack-cloth and mourning yet for all the newes of their trouble wee are not turned to Repentance They were not the greatest sinners in Ierusalem on whome the Tower of Siloh fell neither were they the worst Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices They are not the worst Protestants whose blood is shed by this Romane Tyrannie and persecution but except we repent we shall all likwise perish Luk. 13. Their tryall is our lesson and their chastisement is our document VVee shall learne it and tak it out wiselie if their example turne vs to God But if we doe not so the heauier judgement abideth vs They haue drunken the brimme of the Cup of wrath â—â—t the dregges of the bottome are reserued for 〈◊〉 except in time wee repent Neither let vâ—â—â—inke that their affliction doeth not concerne vs because they are farre distant from vs For the communion of Saincts knoweth no distance of place and the Church of Christ which is his Bodie as it hath him for the Head so his Spirite for the life and that Spirit quickning all the Bodie indueth it with a fellow-feeling of others miseries If wee haue fellowship with them in Christ vve must feele their troubles and mourne with them If wee doe not so wee proue wee haue no fellowshippe with them Let such hard-hearted and sensles Christians reade their Doome and dittay in the Prophet Amos Woe to them that are at ease in Sion they put the euill day farre from them They lye on their beddes of Yvorie and stretch themselues on their beddes and eate the Lambes of the Flocke the Calues out of the midst of the stall They drink wine in bowles but no man is sorie for the affliction of Ioseph Therefore now shall they goe into Captiuitie with the first that goe captiue the sorrow of them that strech out themselues is at hand Amos 6. 1. 3. 4. 6. 7. These are twinne branches of a senslesse and carelesse heart in the day of the Churches affliction First they put the euill day farre from themselues maka couenant with Death as though it neuer should nor would come neere to them Next they put the affliction of their Brethâ—eÌ„ far from their feeling and affection as a thing that concerneth them not The first is a fleshlie dreame of their owne immunitie The other a senslesse mis-regarde of their Brethren and both of them a just cause and certaine presage of a grieuous ruine to come vpon them who are so graceleslie disposed But the godlie are otherwayes affected with the troubles of Syon For they take pleasure in the stones and delight in the dust thereof Psal. 102. Though Nehemiah was in the fauour of his King and great prosperitie yet when he heard that the Iewes were in great affliction and reproach and the wall of Ierusalem broken downe and the gates thereof burnt with fire hee sate downe and weeped and mourned certaine dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of Heauen Neither could all his courtlie happinesse smoother the griefe of his heart But when the King perceiued the sadnes of his countenance and asked the cause of it he said VVhy should not my countenance bee sadde when the Citie and House of the Sepulchre of my Fathers lyeth waste Nehemia 1. If hee was so grieued for the violation of the Sepulchres of the dead Shall not the cruell murther of the liuing Temples of the holie Ghost moue vs more And Ieremiah though hee was at libertie among the people and well looked to by Nebuzaradan yet when hee saw Ierusalems desolations For these thinges I weepe mine eyes casteth out water because the Comforter that should refresh my Soule is farre from mee my Children are desolate because the enemie preuaileth Lame 1. 16. Beside the respect of their persons their cause should also moue vs to this holy griefe The Gospel of Christ true Religion in them is persecuted and oppressed And if wee haue found grace and comfort in that Gospel should we not be grieued wheÌ„ so glorious a meanes of grace is obscured and the cause of our good God borne downe by his enemies God hath lighted that candle to discouer the darknesse of Sathan and destroy his worke And when the prince of darknesse preuaileth so farre as to put out that Candle and to cast downe the Candle-stickes on which it shined if wee bee the Children of Light wee must sorrow for that change Therefore if vve feele not their sorrowes wee declare wee haue no communion with them in the Bodie of Christ and no part in the grace of the Gospel which in their handes is persecute No feeling no Communion and no Communion no vnion with them and Christ If wee haue no griefe for the Light put out vvee haue no part in the Life and Grace that the Light carrieth We ought then a brotherlie compassion to them vnder their trouble because they are Brethren and fellow members of Iesus Christ and the more because their affliction is not for ciuill or common causes but for Religion As wee are commanded to mourne with them that mourne so much more with them that suffer for the Gospel Bee partaker of the suffering of the Gospel according to the power of God 2. Tim. 1. 8. Shall Sathan make errour and heresie so forcible in his Supposts as to joyne their heartes and hands to giue their power to the Beaste to fight against the Lambe And shall not Trueth and Charitie in the Children of God procure at least a brotherlie compassion of the griefes of other The first is a wonder to see the Spirit of diuision make such an union among his adherents But it is a greater wonder not to see that compassion in them who are one Spirit in Christ Iesus But though wee would in the hardnesse of our heart cutte our selues off from all feeling of their miseries that would not secure vs from punishment but rather double our sinne and hasten a double punishment vpon vs Wee stand in that same case with them In a true Religion in the abuse of
for that were to tempt God Though the Apostle had an expresse promise that none of his companie should perish in the Storme yet when the Mariners minded to conuoy themselues away hee said Except these men abyde wee can not bee saued Act 27. Neither ought wee on the other part with Asa to put our trust in meanes as to rely on the reede of Egypt or the Arme of flesh for that is to prouocke God to Iealousie Both extremes make God our Enemie either in tempting him by neglect of meanes or prouocking him by trusting on them The midst is his ordinance which hee will euer blesse to wit the use of them in holie wisedome and confidence in God Our maine care should bee to bee at peace with him that so the Lord of Hostes may bee with vs and the God of Iacob may bee our refuge Psal. 46. In this case wee are inclosed in Gods pannall and he is set on his Throne to Iudgement and the decreete will come foorth in the sentence bring forth the own executiō except in time wee agree with our God Long hath hee spoken by his Prophets in his reforming directing and exhorting Word But wee haue neglected all that faire proceeding He is gone to an harder Word euen the worde of Iudgement and Processe And let vs assure our selues hee will not leaue off till hee bring it to some end When I beginne I will also make an end 1. Sam. 3. 12. And there is none end but one of two either our iust destruction or mercifull preseruation If wee dispute with him hee is righteous for we cannot answere to one of a thousand And wee cannot flee from him Whether shall wee goe from his Spirit Neither can we resist him for he is Almightie Since then we can neither answere to him nor flee from him nor resist him our onelie best is to flee to him with the forlorne Sonne and cast our selues in the Armes of his fatherlie mercie Thus God who knoweth best how to bee intreated commandeth vs. Come let vs reason together Isa. 1. 18. Call a solemne Assemblie sanctifie a Fast. Ioel. 2. Onelie acknowledge your iniquitie Ierem. 3. 13. And as hee commandeth so he promiseth a blessing Though your sins were as the Skarlet they shal be as the Snow Thogh they were as the Crimson they shall be as wooll If ye returne and repent Isa. 1. 18. And he will leaue a blessing behind him Ioel. 2. Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble I will deliuer thee Psal. 50. And I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him I will glorifie him Psal. 91. 15. And as he promised a blessing so in all time hee hath performed it for his people did neuer sincerelie humble themselues before him but hee gaue them a visible blessing The Book of Iudges is full of this practise 1. Israel sinned against him 2. And hee gaue them ouer in the hand of some Enemie 3. And when they felt their miserie they cryed vnto God by Prayer Fasting 4. The Lord raised vp a Iudge or Sauiour who deliuered them When Niniuie was threatned with destruction and humbled themselues in Fasting and praying the Lord spared them Ionah 3. 4. And though Ahab was a wicked Hypocrite yet when hee put on Sacke-cloath and fasted the Lord said to Eliah Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before mee Because hee hath submitted himselfe to mee Therefore I will not bring this euill in his dayes 1. Kings 21. Prayers and Teares are the kindlie weapons of Gods Church which they use in all their necessities and dangers And that neuer without an euident blessing They ouercome God and bow him to mercie because hee hath bound himselfe to accept the Sacrifice of a contrite heart A contrite and a broken Spirit hee can not refuse Psal. 51. 17. And vvhen hee is reconcealed to vs in Christ and our sinnes pardoned hee becommeth our Friende and Protectour So long as sinne remaineth hee is our Aduersarie and our sinnes bind his hand that hee cannot helpe and stoppeth his eare that hee cannot heare Isa. 59. 1 But vvhen God is appeased then he becommeth our deliuerer frō all our dangers And though they seeme but vveake vveapons to the Naturall man vvho would haue his eyes filled with bodilie meanes yet they are most forcible against our enemies And Sathan himselfe is affraied of nothing more than solemne humiliation and Repentance Hee knoweth so long as God is angrie with his people hee will finde both great permissions large commissions against them to their hurt But when God and his people reason together and his mercie pardoneth their sinne then Sathans permissions are restrained and his commissions end and a certaine shame and disapointment is concluded against him There is neuer a solemne humiliation in the Church but it bringeth a notable ruine to his kingdome Our groanes and teares are as great Ordinances to batter and beate downe his building of iniquitie All the Armories in the world haue not so terrible Canouns to Satan as faithfull hearts grieued for sinne Neither so fearefull Bullets as feruent prayer and supplications sent vp with strong cryes and groanes to God Though such hearts bee broken in sending them vp yet they batter Sathans Kingdome and bringe health to themselues To these Prayers and Teares wee haue now a cleare calling As God in his word commandeth so he is by his worke applying that command to vs. 1. By the obseruation of all his Seruants the Prophets who with a pastorall heart and eye seeth the present iniquities of this Land and wrath hanging aboue our head This burden is layed on vs who are Watchmen to stand on our Watch and sitte vpon our Tower and see what God will say to vs Sonne of man if the Watch-man when hee seeth the Sword comming blow the Trumpet and warne the people Then whosoeuer heareth the sounde of the Trumpet and taketh not warning if the Sword come take him away his blood shall be vpon his owne head Hee heard the sound of the Trumpet and tooke no warning his blood shall bee vpon him But hee that taketh warning shall deliuer his Soule So thou O Sonne of man I haue sette thee a Watch-man vnto the house of Israel Therefore thou shalt heare the VVorde at my mouth and warne them from mee Ezech. 33. 2. 3 4. 5. 7. Vpon this heauie charge layed on vs and the care to saue our selfe and our people we cry a loude and spare not wee lift vp our voyce as a Trumpet to shew to Israel his sinne and to the house of Iaacob their transgression Isa. 58. 1. Therefore gather your selues O Nation not worthie to bee loued before the decree come foorth and yee bee as chaffe that passeth in a day before the fierce wrath of the Lord come vpon you before the day of the Lords anger come vpon you Seeke ye the Lord all ye meek of the Earth It may