euerie day to performe mutuall beneuolence and not defraud one another vnlesse it be by consent for a time that they might giue themselues to fasting and prayer and again come together that Sathan tempt them not through their incontinencie And therefore we are not bound to joyne fasting with our ordinarie and daily prayers but when we haue just and speciall occasion to humble our selues in prayer after an extraordinary maner And our Sauiour Christ noteth that those which do fast do mourne and that the time of fasting is the time of mourning and that in the time of joy it is vnseasonable Now ordinarily the faithfull are to be joyfull and therefore they are not bound ordinarily to fast and in fasting to mourne but when they haue some extraordinarie cause of mourning for as a peece of new cloth put to an old garment maketh the rent worse so fasting vnseasonably imposed vpon men maketh them not better but worse Againe the time of the fast hath the nature of a Sabbath wherein we are to lay aside all worldly businesse and the works of our callings which ordinarily we are to follow Neither is it an ordinarie Sabbath but the extraordinarie Sabbath of humiliation wherein we are after a speciall maner to humble our soules and to giue our selues to prayer abstaining not onely from bodily labour and worldly affaires but also from our food and other delights of this life And to the sanctifying of this Sabbath we are bound when the Lord calleth vs to fasting and mourning by some special causes of mourning and humbling our selues which afterwards I shall touch whether they be priuat or publicke But especially we are then bound to obserue this fast when not onely the Lord by some publicke judgement or calamitie either threatned or inflicted doth call vs vnto fasting and mourning but also publicke authoritie hath blowne the trumpet and proclaimed a fast for to such a Sabbath of humiliation the equity of that law concerning the yearly Sabbath of humiliation is to be extended Leuit. 23 Euery person that humbleth not himselfe that day shall euen be cut off from his people 11. And this also I signified in the definition when I sayd that fasting is a solemne exercise of religion to be vndertaken of vs when we are to be humble suters vnto the Lord vpon some speciall and extraordinarie occasion for when I cal it a solemne exercise I do not meane that it is a common vsuall or ordinary exercise nor yet to be performed after a common or ordinarie maner but that as it is vndertaken vpon some speciall vrgent occasion so we ought to stir vp our selues in the obseruation thereof to an extraordinarie measure of humiliation to an extraordinarie feruencie in prayer to a solemne and extraordinarie testification and profession of our repentance And when as it is said in the definition that this exercise is to be vndertaken of vs when we are humble suters to the Lord vpon some speciall or extraordinarie occasion it is plainly signified that this exercise is not at set and ordinarie times to be performed but when it pleaseth God to giue just and necessarie occasion either by our wants or by his judgements of a more speciall and extraordinarie humbling of our selues in the exercise of prayer and profession of our repentance 12. The causes therefore and occasions whereupon this exercise is to bee vsed are these First when we are humble suters vnto the Lord for the obtaining of some speciall benefits especially when some matter of great importance is to be enterprisâ—ed For at such a time an extraordinarie feruency in prayer is required which may be holpen forward by fasting Nehemiah intending to moue Artasbaste for the repairing of Ierusalem first humbleth himselfe before God by fasting and prayer for good successe in that waightie businesse And so did Ezra in his voyage towards Ierusalem proclaime a fast Queene Esther before she durst presume contrarie to the law of the Persians to enter into the kings presence being not called to make sute vnto him for the preseruation of the Iewes against the wicked conspiracie of Haman she with her maids humbled themselues by fasting and prayer for three dayes and required the like fast to be obserued of Mordecay and the rest of the Iewes who were at Susban In like sort the ministerie of the word being a matter of great importance for it is the power of God to our saluation and though it be esteemed folly in the world yet by the foolishnesse of preaching God is pleased to saue those that beleeue therefore the Church of God hath thought it expedient before they haue ordained ministers or sent them forth to the worke of the ministerie to humble themselues before God by fasting and prayer as we may read in the Acts of the Apostles It is reported of Iohn the Euangelist that being intreated by the Churches to write the Gospell of our Sauiour whereby the heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus who denied the diuinitie of Christ might be refuted he made aunswere That hee would do it if first the whole Church would in his behalfe humble themselues before God in fasting and prayer 13. But as fasting is sometimes to be joyned with precation or prayer for some speciall good so more commonly it is joyned with deprecation of euill whether it be the euill of sinne or the euill of affliction For when as men do apprehend thewrath of God for sinne whether it be in the act of their conuersion or otherwise finding themselues or their countrey guiltie of some more grieuous sin it is necessarie that they should humble themselues before God after a more speciall maner And for the better humbling of themselues in prayer and testifying of their repentance to entertaine this Christian exercise of fasting Paul in the first act of his conuersion fasted and prayed three dayes together when as the people of Israell returned to the Lord their God from idolatrie and lamented their former sinnes they being assembled at the commaundement of Samuell do testifie their humiliation and repentance by a solemne fast wherein they drew as it were buckets of water from the fountaine of their hearts poured the same before the Lord saying We haue sinned against the Lord. Ezra when he vnderstood how the people of Israell had joyned in mariage with the heathen people contrarie to the law of God he prayed and fasted greatly mourning for the trasgression of the people And afterwards the people themselues were assembled with fasting with sackcloth and earth vpon them and hauing separated themselues from the strange wiues with whom they had beene mingled they confessed their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers 14. But when as our sinne hath not only deserued the anger of God but also hath prouoked him either to threaten his judgements and as it were to lift vp his hand to
others as wiues children and seruants may not take vpon them to obserue a fast on a working day without the leaue and liking of their gouernours 49. The publicke fast is that which being vpon publicke cause by publicke authoritie proclaimed before the Lord is both publickly and priuatly to be sanctified of all as a Sabbath of humiliation vnto the Lord. In which definition there are foure things to bee obserued first who are to appoint the publicke fast secondly vpon what cause thirdly who are to obserue it fourthly how As touching the first The appointment of publicke fasts appertaineth to those who haue publicke authoritie to call the people together to the publicke worship of God and to cause them to cease from their bodily labors and worldly affairs as appeareth in the examples of publicke fasts recorded in the word of God as 2. Chron. 20.3 Ion. 3.7 1. Sam. 7.5 Ezr. 8.21 Ioel 1.14 And this they are to doe by proclaiming of the fast that is both by giuing publicke notice of it and also by charging all men to assemble themselues at the time appointed to obserue it according to the direction of the holy ghost by the Prophet Ioel Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast that is by your proclamation which is meant by sounding the trumpet appoint a fast to be sanctified proclaime a day of rest or Sabbath of humiliation assemble the people c. And here we are to obserue that which is further added out of Ierem. 36. that this fast is to be proclaimed before the Lord that both they which haue authoritie doe proclaime it not in any wicked or worldly respect but in vprightnesse of heart as before the Lord and also that those who are to obserue it assemble themselues as before the Lord to sanctifie a fast vnto him 50. The next thing to be considered is the cause whereupon the fast is to be proclaimed that when there is just cause those which are in authority may take knowledge of their dutie in this behalfe And that is as I haue generally noted before when we haue some important and vrgent occasion to become humble and earnest suters vnto the Lord either for the obtaining of some speciall and publicke blessing or for the remoouing of some publicke euill and this either for our selues or for other churches of Christ. As for example when some publike matter of great importance is to be attempted then as we haue extraordinarie occasion to craue the blessing of God vpon vs so also we haue just cause to fast Consider to this purpose the examples of Ezra chap. 8. and of the faithfull in the primitiue Church Act. 13. and 14. both which being to craue the blessing of God the former vpon their voyage towards Ierusalem after their captiuitie the latter vpon the ministerie of his seruants whom they either ordained or sent forth to the worke of their ministerie commended their sute vnto the Lord by publicke fasting and prayer Which examples may be a sufficient direction for appointing publicke fasts vpon occasions of no lesse importance In the hystorie of the Kings it appeareth to haue beene the custome of the Israelits though that practise was monstrously abused by Iezabell that publicke matters of importance should bee enterprised with a fast 91. As touching publicke euils they be either publicke sinnes or publicke judgements of God for sinne For if the people of God haue committed some common or publicke sinne and thereby haue prouoked the Lord to wrath and indignation as indeed when we sinne he is angry then it behoueth them to judge themselues if they would not bee judged of the Lord and by humbling themselues before the Lord in fasting and prayer to appease his anger and to preuent his judgements The people of Israel when many of them had sinned by idolatrie and by reason of their sinne stood in feare of the Philistims the Prophet Samuell assembleth them together to Mizpeh where they solemnized a fast and pouring forth water before the Lord acknowledged and bewayled their sinne Likewise when many of the Iewes who were returned from captiuitie had mingled themselues in mariage with the heathen people of the land contrary to the commaundement of God they humbled themselues before the Lord in a publicke and solemne fast If wee therefore would auoid the judgements of God as they did wee must follow the example of their repentance when we haue not beene behind them in sinne But if it please the Lord to manifest his wrath either by threatening his judgements or by inflicting them then doth the Lord as it were call vs to this exercise Now the Lord threateneth his judgements first by his Prophets and ministers as by Ionas against the Niniuits whereupon they fasted secondly by some manifest tokens of his wrath as by earthquakes and other prodigious signes whereby the auncient Romans being also Gentiles haue beene mooued to proclaime publicke fasts thirdly by giuing vs notice of some imminent danger as when we heare of an open inuasion intended by forraine enemies which consideration mooued Iosaphat to proclaime a fast or vnderstand of some more secret plot or conspiracie against the Church the prince or state such as was the conspiracie of Haman against the people of the Iewes for the disappointing whereof the Iewes did fast If therfore the Lord do in like sort threaten vs as it were shake his rod ouer vs we must prepare our selues to meet our God and to turne vnto him by repentance with fasting and prayer 52. And if judgements threatened should mooue vs to fast how much more are wee bound to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God when it is vpon vs scourging and afflicting vs for our sinnes As for example when the Lord sendeth any of the publicke messengers of his wrath as the sword famine pestilence captiuitie The ten tribes after two discomfitures receiued at the hands of the Benjamits wherein fortie thousand of them were slaine humbled themselues before the Lord by fasting and prayer The Prophet Ioel when the Lord sent a grieuous famine vpon the land earnestly exhorted the Iewes in the name of the Lord to turne vnto him with all their heart with fasting with weeping and mourning c. Likewise for the time of pestilence as well as of famine Salomon giueth direction that men should humble themselues before the Lord. Which course his father Dauid had taken when the Lord sent the pestilence amōg the people of Israel which judgement was occasioned by his numbering of them but caused by their owne sins Moses also when the plague was begun among the people of Israel for their murmuring he commaundeth Aaron to take his Censer and putting therein incense to go among the people and to make an attonement for them which Aaron hauing done and standing betwixt the dead and them that were aliue the
glorie of his name and for our spirituall good Wherefore to conclude if it be good for the children of God to be deliuered out of affliction the Lord deliuereth them when they haue called vpon him according to his most gracious promise in this place but if it bee not good for them to be deliuered then deliuerance being not a blessing is not within the compasse of Gods promise and therefore in stead of that he giueth them patience with the inward comfort of the holy ghost blesseth and sanctifieth their affliction vnto them causing it and all things whatsoeuer to worke together for the good of them that loue him And thus much concerning the deliuerance promised now followeth the fruit of deliuerance obtained And thou shalt glorifie me Out of which words wee are briefely to obserue foure things the first for the comfort of the godly and the terrour of the wicked For if wee therefore aske deliuerance that wee may glorifie God and haue a certaine purpose and setled resolution after we are deliuered to glorifie him especially if wee confirme our purpose and resolution by a godly vow wee may from hence conceiue certaine hope that we shall be deliuered for so much as wee hereby doe plainely see that our deliuerance and safetie shall bee joyned with Gods glorie and therefore may be bold for the confirmation of our faith to entreat the Lord as the faithfull haue vsed to doe that hee would spare vs for his names sake and that he would deliuer vs euen for the glorie of his name that being deliuered we may praise and glorifie his name among men which being dead we cannot do For as Dauid saith In death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee But if we haue a purpose to continue in our sinnes and therefore desire deliuerance that we may haue freedome to follow our owne courses as we cannot intreat the Lord that hee would deliuer vs for his owne name sake so can we not conceiue hope that we shall be deliuered for our good seeing our life after our deliuerance is like to be joyned with the dishonour of God The second thing serueth for our instruction That as we are here taught so we should not onely acknowledge the glorie of God to bee the end of our deliuerance and preseruation but also bee carefull to referre the same to the glorifying of God for this is the supreme end of our life and being Whereunto if our life be not referred we liue in vaine Many when they are in distresse will promise and vow a studie and care of glorifying God after they are deliuered of which vow notwithstanding afterwards they are vnmindfull But it may be asked how are we to glorifie God I answer both inwardly and outwardly Inwardly in our minds by intending the glorie of God in all things or as the Prophet Malachie speaketh By putting into our harts to giue glorie to his name that whether we eat or drinke or whatsoeuer we do all may be done to the glorie of God Outwardly in our words and deeds In our words that we make the glorie of God both the matter of our speech when we praise and magnifie God giuing him thankes for our deliuerance and all other his blessings for this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to glorifie God as Luke speaketh chapter 2 and as the Lord professeth in the last verse of this Psalme He that sacrificeth praise doth glorifie me And we are the rather thus to glorifie God because this fruit the Lord requireth both in this place and elsewhere in the Scriptures and also expecteth the same at our hands And further he esteemeth himselfe to bee honored and glorified when he is praised and magnified and therefore farre preferreth the sacrifice of praise that is the fruit or calues of our lippes confessing vnto God before all the sacrifices of goats and buls prescribed in his Law And for this cause the faithfull in their affliction vse to promise by vow these sacrifices of praise which being deliuered they are carefull to performe Howbeit it cannot be denied but that the greatest part of men forget to bee thankfull as appeareth by the storie of the ten lepers to whom being all clensed one onely returned to giue praise and thankes to God But let vs in this our affliction for the confirmation of our faith seriously vow these sacrifices of praise vnto God and if it please God to deliuer vs let vs bee mindfull to offer vnto the Lord the sacrifice of praise and pay our vowes vnto the most high for if with Dauid we should deliberat with our selues what to render vnto the Lord for all his benefits towards vs we must resolue as he doth to take the cup of saluation that is of thankes for his preseruation of vs and so pay our vowes vnto the Lord. And if this be the onely thing almost which we can render vnto the Lord we are exceedingly vnthankfull if we bee wanting therein We are also to make the glorie of God the end of our speech by auoiding all idle words and rotten speeches whereby good maners might be corrupted And contrariwise endeuouring that our speech being gracious alwayes and seasoned with salt God may be glorified thereby and our brethren edified Lastly we are by our deeds to glorifie God by bringing forth the fruits of good works For by this meanes we shall not onely glorifie God our selues as our Sauiour Christ saith Herein is my father glorified that you bring forth much fruit but also be authors vnto others of glorifying him to which purpose hee exhorteth vs so to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen The third thing to be obserued is a twofold doctrine For first when God doth promise vs this grace to glorifie him this proueth that or care and studie to glorifie God is not a matter in our owne power but is the free gift of God And therefore as the Lord here promiseth â—nd elsewhere sweareth to giue vs this grace so are we by earnest prayer to begge the same at his hands as we are taught in the first petition of that forme of prayer which Christ hath prescribed to vs namely that God would giue vs grace to glorifie his name And secondly whereas the Lord promiseth to the faithfull that they shall glorifie him hereby it appeareth that the children of God haue a great desire to glorifie God and esteeme it as a greater benefit than their deliuerance it selfe if God will vouchsafe to make them instruments of his glorie for that they acknowledge to be the end whereunto their deliuerance is to bee referred Now the end is alwayes better than that which is destinated thereunto And the same thing is signified by the order of petitions in the Lords prayer whereby we are taught to preferre the glorie of