God before those things which concerne not onely our temporall but also spirituall good The fourth last thing is a reproofe check of those who haue no zeale of Gods glorie for seeing the Lord promiseth to the faithfull that they shall glorifie him and elsewhere by oath confirmeth that to those that he re-redeemeth he will giue this grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse therefore we may easily discerne in what number they are to be reckoned who haue no care to praise God for this deliuerance neither haue any desire to glorifie him To conclude therefore that this affliction and hand of God afflicting vs may be remoued let vs flie vnto God by humble heartie and effectuall prayer as we are commanded in this place let vs humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God let vs turnâ— vnto him that hath smitten vs let us be carefull to meete him in his iudgements let vs repent of our sinnes let vs vnfainedly vow the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing and a serious care hereafter to glorifie God that so with better assurance of faith we may intreat him to deliuer vs let vs be mindfull to glorifie him and to render our vowes vnto the most high that so it may plainely appeare that our preseruation and life is joyned with the glorie of God Otherwise if we shall forget this great mercie of God and dishonour him by our sinnes we are to feare lest some more grieuous iudgement shall befall vs. As our Sauiour Christ said to the man whom he had cured Behold thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS VVhat fasting in generall is viz. Not a sober Or abstemious vse of food But an vtter abstinence therefrom Of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas Varinus Nor yet a forced abstinence Act. 27.33 Or want Psal. 102.4 109.24 Amos 4.6 Act. 27.21.33 But a voluntarie forbearing of food Mat. 15.33 Maâ— 8.3 Mat. 6.16.17 18 The sorts of fasting For it is either naturall or ciuile 1. Sam. 14.24 or spirituall Hieronymus And that is either the moral and chast fast or the religious and deuout fast VVhat the chast fast is 1. Thess. 4.4 5. 2. Cor. 6.19 And what other helpes must concurre therewith viz. 1 Sobrietie in moderating not only the inward fancies affections bâ—â— also the outward seâ—ces Psal. 119.37 Iob. 3â— 1 Eccles. 9.8.9 2 Temperancie in diet Mat. 19 11. 1. Cor. 7.7 3. Prayer 4. Vigilancie 1. Pet. 4.7 1. Thess. 5.6 5. Diligence painefulnesse Auoiding contrariwise intemperancie in diet Hieronym 2. Cor. 6.6 Ad Rusticum Monach. de viuendi formae Ad Furiam de viduitate seru. August de temp serm 56. Hieronym ad Eustoch de custodia virginit Ad Furiam de vidâ—itate seru. Terent. Eunuch Ouid. 2. de Remed Prou. 23.33 Gen. 19.32 33. Valer. Max. lib 2. c 1. Slouthfulnes c. Ezek. 16.49 Ouid. 2. de remed Theophrast Definit breuior 69. 2. Sam. 11. †Ergo vbi visus eris nostra medicabilis arte Fac monitis fugias otia prima meis Otia si tollaâ— periere Cupidinis arcuâ— c. Ouid. * Rom. 13.12 13 VVhich meanes of chastitie not sufficing in single life 1. Cor. 7.2 9. Men are bound to flie to mariage as the lawfull remedie against lust VVhat the religious fast is viz. § 2. That it is an exercise of religion ordained of the Lord. Both in the old TestameÌ„t and that not as ceremonial and peculiar to the Iewes Leuit. 16.29 23.27.29 Zac. 7.5 8.19 * Mat. 6.17 * Ioel. 2.13 Esay 58.5 1. King 21.27 Esay 58.5 Mat. 6 16. 2. Sam. 12.20 Esth. 4.1.3 Ezr. 9.3 Dan. 9.3 10.3 But as a morall and common to all Leuit. 23. Nehe. 8.9 10. Esth. 9.18 19. 2. Chro. 20.3 Ezr. 8.21 Ioel. 1.14 2.15 Leuit. 23.32 Esay 58.5.13 But also in the new Testament Mat. 6.16 Vers. 18. Mat. 9.14 Luk. 5.33 Mar. 2.18 Mat. 17.21 Luk. 2.37 Aâ—â— 13.3 Act. 14 2â— 2. Car. 11.27 And yet not ordinarily to be performed 1. Cor. 7.3.5 Mat. 9.15 Phil 4.4 1. Thes. 5.16 Mat. 9.16 Esay 22.12 Ioel. 2 1â— Leuit. 23.29 But extraordinarily as speciall and vrgent occasion is offered The causes of fasting are either the obtaining of some speciall good Nehe. 1.4.11 Ezr. 8.21 Esth. 416. Rom. 1.16 1. Cor. 1.21 Act. 13.3 14.23 Hicronym in pâ—ologo super Math. Or remouing of some euill whether it be the euill of sinne Act. 9.9.11 1. Sam. 7.6 Ezr. 9.3.6 10.6 Neh. 9.1.2 Or the euill of affliction that either imminent Esay 22.12 Ionas 3.5.6 Chro. 20.3 Or present As famine Ioel. 1.14 2.12.15 Ios. 7 6. Sword Captiuitie Dan. 9.3 Sicknesse and mortalitie 1. Sam. 12.16 Psal. 35.13 Vpon such occasions necessitie is imposed Esay 22.12 Definit breuior 129. 130. On publicke persons who haue authoritie to proclaime Ioel 2.25 And on priuat persons to obserue the fast Ezek 9.4 Math. 6.18 Rom. 13.14 Gal. 6. â— The religious fast consisteth on two parts viz the outward and the inward exercise 1. Tim. 4.8 In the outward exercise we are to consider from what we are to abstaine and for how long It is abstineÌ„ce first froÌ„ helpes of this life as first from food wholly 2. Sam. 3.35 Ezr. 10.6 Esth. 4 16. Ion. 3.7 Act 9.9 Math. 12.7 Gal. 5.13 The reasons why abstineÌ„ce from food is required Rom. 14.17 1. Cor. 8.8 Luke 21.34 Col. 2.23 2. Cor. 7.11 2 From sleepe in part Col. 4.2 1. Pet. 4.7 2. Sam. 12.16 Esth. 4.3 Ioel. 1.13 1. King 21.27 3 From ornaments costly attire Exod. 32. Exod. 33.1 Vers. 2. Vers. 3. Vers. 5. Vers. 4. Vers. 6. 4 From delights pleasures Quest. Euangel lib. 2. c. 18. 1. Cor. 7.5 Ioel 2.16 2 From bodily labours and worldly businesse Ioel. 1.14 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leuit. 23.36 Deut. 16.8 Leuit. 23.28.30.32 Why rest from labours is required Polit. 4.15 How long this abstineÌ„ce is to be vsed or the time of the fast Leuit. 23.32 Iudg. 20.26 2. Sam. 1.12 Ios. 7.6 2. Sam. 3.35 Hieronym in vita Hilarionis Esth. 4.16.17 Act. 9.9 1. Sam. 31.13 Dan. 10.2 3. Of the fortie dayes fast of Moses Elias and Christ. Dan. 10.3 1. Sam. 1.18 2. Sam. 12.20 Of the spirituall exercise or inward fast without which the outward is of no value Rom. 14.17 1. Tim. 4.8 Ion. 3. Iohn 4.23 24. Zach. 7.5 Vers. 5. Luk. 18.11 12 14. The inward fast is a solemn exercise of prayer ioyned with repentance Ezr. 8.21 Iam. 4.2 1 Iohn 5.14 Iam. 4.3 Esay 59.2 Iohn 9.31 Prou. 15.8.29 Mat. 11.21 Iob. 42.6 The two parts of repentance concurring with both the parts of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 panitentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resipiscentia But for distinction sake we are first to speake of humiliatioÌ„ which is as it were a preparatiue to praier secondly of the parts and properties of prayer thirdly of
strike vs or else as he hath threatned to lay his judgements vpon vs then doth the Lord especially call vs to fasting and mourning howbeit the chiefe cause of mourning must be not so much the consideration of the judgement it selfe whether present or imminent as the detestation of our sinne whereby we haue offended God and prouoked him either to threaten or to inflict that judgement vpon vs. Examples hereof we haue in respect of judgements imminent in the Niniuits who when destruction was threatned against them for their sinnes humbled themselues before God in fasting and prayer In Iosaphat who hearing of an inuasion attempted against him by the Moabits and Ammonits feared and set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah In respect of afflictions and calamities present as famine sword pestilence captiuitie and such like messengers of Gods wrath we haue both commaundements as our rules and examples as precedents in this behalfe In the time of famine the Lord by his Prophet Ioel commandeth the Iewes to turne vnto him with all their heart and with fasting weeping and mourning And to that end he biddeth them to proclaime and sanctifie a fast And as touching the sword when the men of Ai had discomforted the Israelits Iosua and the elders of Israell fasted vntill the euen In the time of captiuitie Daniel greatly desired the deliuerance of the Iewes out of the captiuitie of Babylon at the end of seuentie yeares according to the promise of the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie he turned his face vnto the Lord God and sought by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes And as touching sicknesse and mortalitie we haue a notable example in Dauid who when his child which hee had begotten in adulterie was sicke he besought God for it and fasted and went in and lay all night vpon the earth yea when some that prooued his enemies were sicke he professeth Psal. 35 that he clothed himselfe with sackcloth and humbled his soule with fasting and that he prayed for them with such compassion that hanging downe his head for griefe his prayer returned vpon his bosome And if fasting is to bee vsed for priuat persons when they are sicke much more in a publicke visitation and in the time of pestilence 15. These allegations therefore of holy Scripture may be sufficient directions for vs when we are to vndertake this exercise namely when we haue some vrgent cause of a more than ordinarie humbling of our selues before God in prayer And when such causes are offered we may not thinke that it is a thing meerely arbitrarie whether we will vse this exercise or not but by warrant of the former Scriptures we are to be persuaded that the Lord doth call vs to this exercise It is well said of Basill 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The time of fasting is not euerie mans will but the necessitie of those who come to Gods worship and in a time of such necessitie to fast it is necessarie When as therefore there is publike necessitie those which are in publicke authoritie must thinke that a necessitie is imposed vpon them to blow the trumpet in Sion and to proclaime a fast And those which are in priuat place must thinke a necessitie imposed on them to obserue and sanctifie the fast And if it happen that they which are in authoritie neglect this duty then those who according to the example of the faithfull Ezek. 9 which were marked to saluation doe mourne either for the common calamities or for the common enormities of the time which are forerunners of calamities they are to vse this exercise priuatly and secretly which also they are to do when their owne necessities require As for those who neither by publicke calamitie nor priuat necessitie can be drawne to this dutie but continually take care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof they must know that they are but carnall mâ—n who as they sow to the flesh so of the flesh shall reape corruption 16. Thus we haue heard that the religious fast is a solemne exercise of religion to bee vndertaken of vs when we are humble suters to the Lord vpon some vrgent occasion Let vs now consider wherein this exercise doth consist which is expressed in the rest of the definition whereout we may gather that this exercise consisteth on two points viz. the outward or bodily and the inward or spirituall exercise The former being the means to the latter the latter being the end of the former for the bodily exercise profiteth little or nothing at all vnlesse it be referred to the spirituall exercise as a meanes to further it The bodily exercise is an outward abstinence from food and some other commodities and delights of this life and also from bodily labours and worldly businesse during the time of the fast which is a Sabbath of humiliation Here therefore we are to consider in respect of the outward exercise from what we are to abstaine and for how long 17. First we are to abstaine from food from whence the whole exercise hath his name And here we are to vnderstand not an abstinence in part nor a sober and abstemious vse of diet as I haue shewed before but a totall abstinence both from meat and drinke so farre as our health will permit for this is required to the nature of a fast as hath bene declared and further may bee proued by the examples of such fasts as are recorded in the scriptures Dauid when he fasted and mourned for the death of Abner swore that he would not tast bread or ought else till the Sunne were downe Ezra when he fasted for the sinne of the people he did neither eat bread that is not so much as bread nor drinke water that is not so much as water The fast which Esther required and performed was the totall abstinence from meat and drinke The Niniuits when they proclaimed a fast gaue a charge that none should tast any thing whether it were meat or drinke And of Paul it is sayd Acts. 9 that for the time of his fasting and prayer he did neither eat nor drinke That we should not thinke either that fasting is an abstinence from meat and not from drinke or that it standeth onely in choise of meats And yet this totall abstinence from meat and drinke is not so strictly required but that they whose health cannot beare it may for their necessarie sustenance take some little refreshing for the Lord who desireth mercie rather than sacrifice doth not so require this outward abstinence that it should impaire our health or make vs vnfit for his seruice in the spirituall exercise of the fast but that it might further vs therein But here we must take heed that we vse not this libertie as an occasion to the flesh pretending we cannot when
basely of our selues as being worthie not onely of that judgement which is vpon vs but of all the plagues threatened in the law and vnworthie of the least of Gods mercies vnworthie of food signified by our abstinence therefrom vnworthie of our garments which therefore wee lay aside vnworthie to tread vpon the earth which they were wont to signifie by putting earth vpon them In a word the outward abstinence is therefore ordained that by afflicting the bodie the soule may be humbled Yea such an vsuall companion of fasting is the humiliation of the soule that not onely the faithfull in the Scripture are said to humble their soule by fasting but sometimes also euen the outward fasting is called the humbling of the soule This inward humiliation consisting partly in the godly sorrow and partly in this base estimation of our selues is very needfull for vs if indeed we would be humble suiters vnto the Lord with hope to obtaine For the sacrifices of God are a contrit spirit and a broken heart which the Lord in no wise will despise yea he hath respect to those who are of a contrit spirit and hee is neare vnto them when they call vpon him 32. And that we may attaine to this humiliation we are seriously to meditat of the judgements of God presently either threatned or laid vpon vs for therefore the Lord doth threaten his judgements that by humbling our selues before him and preparing our selues to meet him they might be preuented and turned from vs and that judging our selues we might not bee judged of the Lord. And therefore also doth the Lord inflict his judgement that we might be humbled vnder his mightie hand For not to sorrow when the Lord smiteth it is a signe of an hard and incorrigible heart And secondly we are to enter into a serious meditation of the haynousnesse of our sins and of our wretched estate in our selues by reason thereof which we may conceiue first by the deserts of them and namely by that judgement of God which perhaps is the occasion of this exercise For whatsoeuer other causes there may be thereof the author and inflicting cause is God and the meriting cause is sinne And not onely that judgement but also all those plagues both temporall in this life and eternall in the world to come which in the word of God are threatned against transgressors And these threatnings of the law we are both vndoubtedly to beleeue and also effectually to apply to our selues Againe the same appeareth by the sufferings of Christ For hereby it is most euident that our sinnes are so heynous and grieuous in the sight of God that nothing in the whole world could bee found a sufficient ransome to satisfie Gods justice and appease his wrath for them or to expiat vs from the guilt thereof but the precious death of our Sauiour Christ the sonne of God And therefore if God hath giuen vs the spirit of grace and supplication we shall lament and mourne as a man weeping for his only sonne when we looke vpon him whom we haue pierced And thirdly our sinne will appeare exceedingly sinfull if we compare and lay together Gods vnspeakable bounties towards vs and our almost vncredible vnthankfulnesse towards him For if thou doest truly and vnpartially consider what thou hast rendred to the Lord for all his benefits which he hath bestowed on thee and findest nothing but a heape of sinnes whereby thou hast shewed thy selfe so vngracious towards him who hath beene so gracious vnto thee and dishonored him that hath so honoured thee this if anything in the world will make thy heart relent and melt within thee And to these former considerations let there bee added when we come to make our request to God who is in heauen full of majestie and glorie a remembrance of our mold that we are but dust and ashes which humbled Abraham when he was to intreat the Lord in behalfe of the Sodomits Behold saith he I haue begun to speake to my Lord and I am but dust and ashes And forasmuch as naturally we are selfe-conceited and hard hearted we are therefore to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vnto vs soft and fleshly hearts and that with the eye-salue of his spirit he would annoint the eyes of our mind that we may see and with the finger of his spirit hee would effectually touch our hearts that we may be humbled for our sinnes 33. From the inward humiliation two other things arise which vsually accompany deprecations Namely from the inward sence of our woe and sorrow for our miserie proceedeth an outward bewailing and lamenting of our estate which in the faithfull sometimes breaketh forth into expostulation And from the base esteeming and judging our selues ariseth confession of our sinnes in respect whereof we acknowledge our selues vnworthie of the lest of Gods mercies but worthie of his greatest judgements Lamentation is the outward expressing of our inward mourning whereby we particularly bewaile our wofull estate before the Lord making our mone vnto him and pouring foorth our griefe as it were into his bosome Examples hereof we haue in Dauids Psalmes as Psal. 6. 22. 38. 79 c. in Ieremies Lamentations In Ezekias who in his griefe did chatter like a crane or a swallow and mourned like a doue Thus some expound that place 1. Sam. 7 where it is said that the Iewes bewailing their miserabe estate Drew water and poured it soorth before the Lord that they vsed this ceremonie before the Lord to signifie that without his special mercie and assistance they were as water spilt vpon the earth to which purpose Dauid saith vnto the Lord Psal. 22.14 I am like water poured out and the wise woman of Tekoah vnto Dauid 2. Sa. 14 We shall be like water that is spilt on the groūd which cannot be gathered vp againe And to this bewailing of our estate before the Lord we may be induced by consideration of Gods mercy who because hee is mercifull doth heare the cry of his creatures in their distresse for if the Lord doth heare sometimes the cry of wicked men in their anguish although perhaps it be not a prayer but the voice which the extremitie of their griefe expresseth from them yea the crie of vnreasonable creatures as of the yong Lyons and the rauens c. how much more wil he haue respect to the mournefull crie of his owne children But the faithfull sometimes in ther mourning and lamentations doe proceed as I sayd to expostulations which are vehement interrogations expressed from them by their griefe whereby they doe expostulat with the Lord concerning either the greatnesse or continuance of their affliction As Moses Exod. 5. Iosua chap. 7. Dauid Psal. 6.3 22.1 2. Iob oftentimes the Church afflicted Psal. 79. 80 Lam. 5. And our Sauiour on the crosse Math. 27.
proud And as the blessed virgin saith He filleth the hungrie with good things but the rich he sendeth emptie away 41. Another notable meanes to confirme our faith in the assurance of obtaining our sute is to forsake our sins which make a separation betweene God and vs and to promise amendment for the time to come which also is testified by our fast For it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes if we would find mercie with God but also we must forsake them And if we desire to be deliuered from the euill which doth afflict vs and to obtaine the contrarie blessing which doth affect vs then it behooueth vs to forsake our sinne which is the cause of the affliction and also an obstacle and as it were a partition wall betwixt God and vs to keepe his blessings from vs. Wouldest thou then haue thine affliction remooued remooue the cause which is thy sinne And if thou wouldest haue God to repent him of the euill of affliction which he hath either threatned or inflicted then must thou also repent of the euill of sinne which hath merited the affliction Now if we shall truly repent of our sinnes and vnsainedly purpose amendment of life for the time to come then may we persuade our selues that our preseruation and deliuerance shall be joyned with Gods glorie consequently may be emboldned with better assurāce of faith to desire the Lord to preserue deliuer vs euen for his own glory for his names sake But here as we desire any sound cōfort so must we deale soundly with the Lord and not as the common practise of the most in the time of affliction to promise greatmatters vnto the Lord which they haue no true purpose to performe for this is to flie vnto God and to go about to deceiue him with our lippes 42. And hereby appeareth the great necessitie of joyning the practise of repentance with the exercise of prayer in our fast And therefore fasting as it was ordained to be an helpe vnto our prayer so also to bee both a testimonie furtherance of our repentance as I haue shewed Now our repentance standeth in two things in the eschewing of euill and doing of good As touching the former abstinence from euill and ceassing from sin is signified in our fast by abstinence form food and delights and by cessing from our labors For therefore the Lord doth the rather require in our fasts the abstaining and ceassing from things in themselues lawfull that thereby we might be admonished much more to abstaine from that which is vnlawful In which respect Basil calleth fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a medicine to take away sinne And Augustine this is sayth he the profit of fasting that whiles we fast from lawfull things wee are admonished more and more to forbeare vnlawfull things If therefore wee auoid things which sometimes are lawfull let vs chiefely auoid sinnes which are neuer lawfull if we fast from meats much more let vs fast from sinnes Quid prodest vacuare corpus ab escis animam replere peccatis What auaileth it to keepe the body emptie from meats and to fill the soule with sinne For abstinence from things lawfull if it be not joyned with abstinence from things vnlawfull that is to say if our fasting from food and other delights be not joyned with fasting from sinne it is odious and abhominable in the sight of God A day of rest and not resting from sinne the Lord cannot endure together It is not the emptinesse of the bellie or cleannesse of the teeth but the puritie of the foule and cleanenesse of the heart nor the outward rest from labour but the spirituall rest from sinne that is acceptable vnto God without which the outward fast as it causeth vs to smell worse to men according to the prouerbiall phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so maketh it vs to stinke before God 43. It is well said of the heathen man that we ought to fast from sinne For as Basill truly sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true fasting is abandoning of euill And to the like purpose others of the fathers Chrysostome True fasting sayth he is abstinence from euill and againe the commendation of a fast is not abstaining from meat but auoiding of sinne Augustine The fasts of Christians are rather spiritually to be obserued than carnally Wherfore let vs principally fast from sinne For what a thing is this that any deceiuer should abstaine from meats which God hath created and should grow fat with sinne principally therefore let our mind fast from euill for seeing fasting is the humbling of the soule what a thing is that to be humbled and abated in food and increased in sinne And likewise Cyrill Wilt thou haue mee shew thee what manner of fast thou must obserue fast from all sinne take no food of mallice receiue no dainties of pleasure inflame not thy selfe with the wine of lust fast from bad practises abstaine from euill speeches containe thy selfe from wicked thoughts such a fast pleaseth God But these testimonies of men were of little weight if the Lord himselfe did not auouch the same truth See therefore Esay 58. and Zach. 7. where the Lord rejecteth the fasts of the Iewes because whiles they fasted and forbare their food they did not forbeare their sinnes We must therefore remember when we obserue a fast and consecrate a Sabbath of humiliation vnto the Lord that we turne away our foot that is our affections from doing our owne will therein neither must we follow our owne waies nor seeke our owne delights nor speake a vaine word 44. And as we are to abstaine from all sinne in generall so especially from those wherein we haue chiefly offended and haue thereby prouoked the Lord either to shake his rod at vs or else to correct vs therewith For they being the cause of the judgement must be remoued away if we would haue the judgement it selfe remoued And therefore the Niniuits when they proclaimed a fast gaue in charge that euery one should turne from his euill way and from that violence for that was the crying sinne of the Niniuits which was in their hand And when God saw their workes that they turned from their euill waies he also repented of the euill that he had said that he would doe vnto them that is to say he did it not And we must so abstaine from our sinnes as that we may not seeme to haue laid them aside for a day or two but to haue cast them off for euer For that is not the fast which the Lord hath chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and hang downe his head like a bullrush For as the sonne of Syrach sayth He that washeth himselfe because of a dead bodie and toucheth it againe what auaileth his washing so it is with a man
of his life Manasses though the most wicked of all the kings of Iudah yet being in trouble he prayed vnto the Lord and humbled himselfe greatly before God and was receiued to mercie and restored to his kingdome And to omit other particular examples Dauid testifieth of diuerse sorts of men being in diuerse kinds of troubles that when they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble he deliuereth them out of their distresse But for as much as some man may object out of his owne experience That hee being in trouble hath called vpon God and yet hath not bene deliuered and that this is not his case alone but is and hath beene in all ages the case of many thousands It behoueth vs therefore diligently to consider how this promise is to be vnderstood for that is the matter of greatest importance which offereth it selfe to bee considered of in the vnfolding of this text For that the promise is not to be vnderstood absolutly generally of euery prayer of euerie man in euery affliction the experiēnce of all times doth sufficiently declare But by conference of this promise which other places of Scripture it may appeare that it doth admit a threefold limitation or restraint The first in respect of the partie that prayeth the second in regard of the prayer it selfe the third concerning the thing which is prayed for For as touching the first If any wicked man or impenitent sinner shall object against the truth of this promise that hee hauing called vpon God in the time of trouble hath notwithstanding not beene deliuered let him heare what immediatly followeth this promise in the next words of the Psalme verse 16 But vnto the wicked saith God what hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances or to take my couenant into thy mouth as though my promises belong vnto thee For indeed not onely in this place but in many other places of the Scripture the promise concerning the hearing of our prayers is restrained to the faithfull and denied to the wicked Prou. 15 The sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him And againe The Lord is farre off from the wicked but he heareth the prayer of the righteous Likewise Psal. 34 The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their cry But the face of the Lord is against them that do euill to cut off their remembrance from the earth The man which had bene blind Iohn 9 deliuereth this sentence as the receiued opinion of the faithfull in those times We know saith he that God heareth not sinners meaning impenitent sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him heareth he It is therfore the faithfull man whose prayer is accepted of God the just man who is just before God by faith and before men by repentance Iames 5 The prayer of the righteous man auaileth much Psalme 34 When the righteous cry the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of their troubles The man that feareth God Psal. 145 The Lord will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he also will beare their cry and will saue them That loueth God Psal. 91 Because he hath loued me therefore will I deliuer him I will exalt him because he hath knowne my name He shall call vpon me and I will heare him I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him That walketh vprightly Psal. 84 For the Lord God is a sunne that is the author of light and all comfortable blessings and a shield that is a protector from all euill the Lord will giue grace and glorie grace in this life and glorie in the life to come and no good thing will be withhold from them that walke vprightly That perseuereth Iohn 15 If you abide in me and my words abide in you aske what you will and it shall be done to you That hath an humble and contrit heart Psal. 34.18 The Lord is neare vnto them that are of a contrit heart and will saue such as be afflicted in spirit Esay 66. To him will I looke saith the Lord euen to him that is poore and of a contrit spirit and trembleth at my words Psal. 51 The sacrifices of God that is that which God esteemeth in steed of all sacrifices is a contrit spirit a contrit and a broken heart ô God thou wilt not despise But as for the wicked the Lord plainely professeth that he will not heare them Mich. 3. Though they make many prayers Esay 1. though they cry loud in his eares Ezech. 8. Wherefore beloued in the Lord if we continue in our sinnes whereby we haue prouoked the Lord to execute his judgements vpon vs and if the Lord seeme not to heare vs neither doth deliuer vs according to our desire we may not object against God either that he is vntrue in his promises or vnable to helpe vs but let vs heare what the Prophet Esay saith in this case Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Therefore iudgement being farre from vs and iustice not comming neere vnto vs we wait for light but lo it is darknesse for brightnesse but we walke in darknesse for health but it is farre from vs for our trespasses are many before the Lord c. And that we may descend to some particulers If we be guiltie of crueltie and oppression the Lord will not heare vs. Esay 1 When you shall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of bloud or if we bee vnmercifull to the poore for he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also cry and not be heard Prou. 21 or if we refuse to heare and obey the word of God for as Salomon saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his prayers shall be abhominable for as in prayer we speake to the Lord so in the preaching of the word the Lord speaketh vnto vs. And good reason it is that the Lord should not heare vs if we will not heare him Therefore it is come to passe saith the Prophet Zacharie That as he cried and they would not heare so they cried and I would not heare saith the Lord of hosts Or if we be close sinners and hypocrits making faire shewes openly and yet be addicted to secret sinnes for as Dauid saith Psal. 66. If I regard wickednesse in mine heart the Lord will not heare me Wherefore beloued as it is certaine that our sinnes are the cause of our affliction so we must be
carefull to auoid our sinnes if we desire that our affliction may be remoued for they are as a wall of separation betwixt God and vs. If therefore thou wilt not ceasse to sinne neither will God ceasse to afflict thee vnlesse perhaps hee will giue thee ouer as one that is incurable as Phisitians sometimes giue ouer their patients when they thinke them past cure And to conclude this point if when thou callest vpon God in the time of trouble the Lord doth not deliuer thee examine they selfe whether thou doest not continue in sinne without repentance and if thou doest breake off thy sinne by repentance and turne vnto the Lord and he will heare thee for so he saith by the Prophet Esay after hee had protested that hee would not heare their prayers whiles they continued in their sinnes Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes before mine eyes ceasse to do euill learne to do well seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse defend the widdow Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll The second limitation is in respect of the prayer it selfe For we haue no assurance that God will heare euerie prayer but onely such as is made according to his will reuealed in his word as Iohn saith this is our assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. We must therefore be carefull that our prayer be conformable to the word of God both in respect of the maner and forme how we pray and also in regard of the end as touching the manner there are three things which are especially required First that we pray in truth for it maybe that when thou callest vpon God thou prayest in hypocrisie and not from thine heart either because thou prayest with wandring thoughts or with fained lippes With wandring thoughts when as thy tongue vttering a prayer thy heart goeth a wandring or whoring after the vanities of this world or is otherwise distracted with other vnseasonable thoughts For if when thou commest neere to the Lord with thy lippes thou remouest thy heart from God thou maist justly feare left in steed of the blessings which thou seemest to aske thou pull down the judgements of God vpon thee according to the threatning of the Lord by the Prophet Esay chapter 29. For if thou shouldest joyne into one speech the thoughts of thy mind and the words of thy mouth both which the Lord doth vnderstand a like thou wouldest be ashamed to deliuer such a speech to a mortall man which thou art not ashamed to vtter vnto the immortall God Or how canst thou looke that God should heare or regard thy prayer when thou doest not heare nor regard thy selfe With fained lippes thou prayest when the desire of the heart doth not agree with the prayer of thy lippes when thou askest with thy mouth that which thou doest not desire with thine heart or when thou pretendest that in thy prayer which thou doest not intend or promisest that which thou doest not meane to performe this is no better than lying vnto God when men cry vnto God but not from their harts as the Prophet Hosea speaketh for what doth a man but lie when hee speaketh otherwise than he thinketh This is a common fault of men when they are in affliction to promise and pretend great matters when notwithstanding their heart is not vpright with God and therefore the more carefully to be auoided of vs lest we seeme with the vnsound Israelits when the hand of God was vpon them to go about to deceiue the Lord with our mouth and with our tongue to speake lies vnto him It is true indeed that God hath promised to heare the prayers of them that call vpon him but this promise is to bee vnderstood with restraint to them that call vpon him in truth As Dauid most plainely teacheth Psal. 145 The Lord is neare to all that call vpon him what to all yea to all that call vpon him in truth For that payer which is acceptable to God is not onely the moouing of the lippes or the speech of the tongue or the lifting vp of the eyes or hands but it is the lifting vp of our soules as Dauid describeth his prayer Psal. 25 A lifting vp of our hearts with our hands vnto God in the heauens as Ieremie exhorteth vs to pray it is the pouring forth of our soule before the Lord as Anna expresseth her prayer 1. Sa. 1 and as Dauid willeth vs to pray Ps. 62. The second thing required in respect of the maner is that we pray with feruencie of spirit It may be when thou callest vpon God thou prayest for fashion rather then for feeling and so vtterest a cold or luke-warme prayer like to thy selfe which thou mayst justly feare is no more acceptable vnto God than luke-warme water to the stomacke It is true that the prayer of the righteous man auaileth much but with this addition if it be feruent This is that prayer which pierceth the clouds and is effectuall with God If therefore we would obtaine our sute let vs craue the assistance of Gods spirit by whose helpe and direction we may pray with sighes that cannot be expressed let vs learne to poure forth our soules like a streame of water let vs as the Apostle speaketh in the Epistle to the Thessalonians pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superabundantly or exceedingly let vs with reuerence be it spoken to the glorious majestie of God wrestle with the Lord in our prayers as the Apostle speaketh which kind of wrestling Iacob hauing vsed Gen. 32 he became Israell that is one which preuaileth with God as the Prophet Hosea sheweth chapter 12.3 4. The third thing required in the manner is that wee pray with faith It may bee when thou prayest thou art in doubt whether thou shalt be heard and therefore mayst not looke to obtaine thy sute For it is the prayer of faith to which the promise is made whatsoeuer you aske in prayer saith our Sauiour Christ if you beleeue you shall receiue it Likewise Iames If any man saith he want wisdome let him aske it of God and it shall be giuen him But let him aske in saith and wauer not for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the wind and caried away Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. If therefore thou wouldest pray acceptably thou must pray with faith for without faith it is impossible to please God With faith I say in God for how canst thou call vpon him in whom thou doest not beleeue with faith in Christ being assured that both thou though sinfull in thy selfe thy prayer though vnperfect in it selfe