Heathen And in thy hand is power and myght and none is able to withstaÌ„d thee Haste not thow our God cast out the inhabitantes of this Land before thy people Israell and haste giuen it to the sâ—â—d of Abraham thy freand for euer c. But now the Ammorytes and Moabytes the Mont Seir ar come to castvs out of thy possession O Lord our God shall thow not iudge them In vs there is no strengh to stand against this great multitude that commeth against vs nether knowe we what to do but vnto thee are our eyes bent c. Of this Historie we haue the first cause of publict Fasting and the solempnitie thereof sufficiently prowen For the feare of ennimies coÌ„pelled Iosaphat to seik the Lord he knowing him selfe burdened with the care of the people exhorted them to do the same They fra all cieties and quarters repared to Ierusalem whereupone a statute day the King and the people yea wyues and Childrene presented them selues before the Lord in his holy Temple exponed their necessitie implored his hâ—lpe against that enraged multitude that alwayes wes ennimie to Godes people gaue open confession of their oweÌ„ weaknes leaning onely to the promes and protection of the omnipotent Which exemple we euerie people likewyse assaulted may and ought to follow in euerie poynt This onely excepted that we are not bound to conuenâ— at any one appoynted place as they did at Ierusalem For to no one certane and seuerall place is that promes made that then wes made to the Temple of Ierusalem which wes that whatsoeuer men in their extremitie shuld ask of God in it God shuld grant it from his holie habitation in the heauen Iesus the Messias then looked for whose presence wes sought in the merciâ— seat and betuix the Cherubinnes is now entered within the vale that is in the heauen and there abydeth onely Mediator for vs vnto whome from all the coastes of the earth we may lift vp pure handes direct our prayers supplicationes and complaintes and be assured that they shalbe receaued in whatsoeuer place we conuene And yet in tyme of suche publict exercyses we wold wishe that all men and wemen shuld repare to suche places as their conscience may be best instructed their Faith moste edified repentance moste liuely sturred vp in them and they by Godes worde may be moste assured that their iust peticions shall not be repelled Which thinges caÌ„ not be done so liuely in secrete and priuate meditatiÌ„ as that they are in publict Assemblie where Christ Iesus is trewly preached this muche shortlie for the firste head Of the second to wit that the angrie face of God punishing aught to dryue vs to publicte Fasting humiliation of our soules before our God we haue two notable exemples the one written in Iosua who hearing and vnderstanding that Israell had turned the back before the Cananite â–ª and the Elders of Israell rent their clothes fell vpone their faces before the Arke of the Lord vnto the nyght and caste dust vpone their heades in signe of their humiliation and deiection The vther is expressed in the booke of the Iudges where Israell being commanded by God to fight against Beniamin because that they menteaned wicked men that deserued death loste the first day twentie two thousand of their armie and the second day eightene thousand At the firste lose they were â—â—ghtlie touched and asked counsall if they shulde reneâ— the battell but at the secoÌ„d ouerthrow the whole people repared vnto the hous of the Lord sat there weapt before the Lord Fasted that day vnto the night for then began they to considder Godes angrie face against them In this last historie their appeareth iust cause why the people shulde haue rune to the onely refuge of God because that there first army of fourtie thousand men wes vtterlie distroyed But what iust occasion had Iosua so lamentablie to complaine yea so boldely as it were to accuse God that he had deceaued him in that that against his promeis he had suffered Israell to fall before their ennimies Wes the lose of thrette men no mo sel that day in the edge of the sword so great a mater that he shuld dispare of any better successe that he shulde accuse God that he had brought them ouer Iordane and that he shuld feare that the whole army of the Lord shuld be inueroned aboute and consumed in the rage of their ennimies yea if Israell had onely looked no further then to the lose of the fourty thousand men they had bene but feable Soldioures for they had sufficient strenth remaning behinde for what were fourtie thousand in respect of all the trybes of Israel Nay nay deare brethren it wes an vther thing then the present lose that terrified effrayed their consciences and made them so effeminatlie so wold fleshe iudge to complaine weap and owle before God to wit they saw his angrie face against them they saw his hand fortifie their ennimies and to fight against them whome both he had commanded to fight and had promised to giue them victorie For euerie commandement of God to do any thing against his ennimies hath included within it a secrete promes of his godly assistance which they fand not in the beginning of their interpryses and therefore they did considder the fearcenes of his displeasure did tremble before his angrie Face whose myghtie hand they fand to fight against them and that wes the cause of their dolorous complaintes and fearfull crying before their God What wes the cause that God delt so framedly with the one and with the vther we may perchance somewhat speak when that we shall entreat of the frutes of Fasting and of those thinges that may holde back from vs the assistance of God euen when we prepare vs to put his commandement in execution The thride cause of publict Fasting is Godes threatninges pronounced ether against a multitude or against a persone in particulare Of the former the exemple is Niuiue vnto the which Ionas cryed yet fourtie dayes Niniue shalbe distroyed which vnpleasing tydinges cuÌ„ming to the eares of the King he proclamed a Faste he humbled his owen soule yea eueÌ„ to Sackcloth and sitting in the duste he straitlie commanded reformatioÌ„ of maners in all estates yea and that signes of repentance of terrours and feare shuld appeare not onely in men wemen but also in the brute beastes from whome wes all kynde of nurishement commanded to be withdrowen to witnes that they feared aswell Godes iudgementes to fall vpone the creatures that serued them in their impietie as vpoÌ„e them selues that had prouoked God to that hote displeasure Of the vther the exemple is moste notable moste notable we say because that it fell in a wicked man to wit in Achab who by instigation of his wicked wyfe lesebell saulde him self to do all iniquitie And yet when that he hard the fearefull
threatninges of God pronounced by the Prophet Elias against him against his wyfâ— and hous he rent his royall garmentes put on Sackcloth sleipt therein fasted and yead baire footed what ensewed the one and the vther of these we shall after heare The fourt cause of publict Fasting and murning for they two muste euer be ioyned is iniquitio deprehended that before wes not ryghtly considdered The testimony whereof we haue in Esdras after the reduction of the captiuitie that the temple the work of the Lordes hous wes stayed It wes shawen vnto Esdras that the people of Israell the Preistes and the Leuites were not seperat from the people of the Nationâ— but that they did according to their abhominations for they maryed vnto them selues and vnto their Sonnes the doughters of the Cananites the Pherisites Hithetes Iebusites Ammorites Moabites and Egiptiens so that the holy sead wes mixt with Prophane Idolateris which thing being vnderstand more deaply considdered then it wes before for then Esdras sawe iust cause why the worke of the Lord prospered not in their haÌ„des This considdered we say Esdras taking vpone him the sinne and offence of the whole people rent his clothes and pulled furth the heares of his head and beard sat as a man desolate of all conforte till the euening Sacrifice and then rysing he bowed his kneis and streached furth his hande before the Lord and made a moste semple humble confession of all the enormities that were committed be the people as well before the captiuitie as after their returning and ceased not his lamentable coÌ„plaint vnto suche tyme as a great multitude oâ— men wemen and childrene moued by his exemple weapt vehementlie and promised redres of that present disordour and impietie Of the last cause of publict Fasting â–ª to wit the zeale that certane persones beare for preseruation of Godes people for aduâ—â—cing of his glorie and performing of his worke according to his promes We haue exemples in Mardochous Daniell and in the faithfull assembled at Antioche for when that Mardocheus hard of that cruell sentence which by the procurement of Human wes pronounced against his Nation To wit that vpone a day statute and affixed shuld the Iewes in all the prouinces of the King Artaxarses be destroyed oulde and yong men and wemen and that their substance shuld be expâ—ned in pray This bloody senteÌ„ce we say being hard Mardocheâ—s rent his clothes put on Sackcloth and Ashes past â—urth in the middest of the cietie and cryed with a great and bitter crye coming to the Kinges gate gaue knoweledge to Ester what crueltie wes decreed against the Nation of the Iâ—wes willing her to make intercession to the King in the coÌ„trare who efter certane excuses said Go and gather all the Iewes that are in Susan and faste for me â—at not nor drinke not thre dayes and thre nyghtes and I also and my haÌ„dmades shall likewyse faste then shall I enter vnto the King although that I shuld perishe In this we may clearely se that the zeale that Mardocheus had to preserue the people of God moued not onely him self to publict Fasting but also Ester the Quene her maides and the whole Iewes that hard of the murther inteÌ„ded and moued Ester also to hasart her lyfe in going vnto the King without his commandement Of the uther to wit that the earnest desyre that Godes seruandes haue that God will performe his promes manteane the worke that he hath begune Exemple we haue in Daniell and in the Actes of the Apostles For Daniell vnderstanding the nomber of the yeares forespoken by the Prophet Ieremie that Ierusalem shuld ly waist to haue bene completit in the first yeare of the Reigne of Dâ—rius turned him self vnto God fasted huÌ„bled him self in Sackcloth and Ashes and with vnfâ—aned confession of his owen sinnes and of the sinnes of the people he vehementlie prayed That according to the promises sometymes made be Moyses and after rehearsed by the Prophet I say Ieremie he wolde suddingly send them deliuerance and that he wolde not delay it for his owen Names sake When the Gentiles began to be illuminated and that Anteochia had so boldely receaued the Euangle of Iesus Christ that the Disciples in it first of all tooke vpone them the name of Christianes The principall men of the same Church thrusting no dout that the Kingdome of Iesus Christ shulde further be enlarged and that the multitude of the gentiles shuld be instructed in the ryght way of Saluation Fasted and prayed whill that they wer so exercised charge wes giuen that Paule and Barnabas shuld be seperated frome the rest to the worke whereunto God had called them c. Of these former Histories and Scriptures we may clearly se for what causes publict Fasting and generall supplicationes haue bene made in the Church of God and ought to be made when that euer the lyke necessities appeare or occasions are offered Now let vs shortly heare what conforte and frute ensewed the same For the ennimie yea the murtherer of all godly exercise is disperation for with what corage can any man with continuaÌ„ce call vpone God If he shall disperatly dout whether God shall accept his prayer or not How shall he humble him self before his Throne Or to what end shall he confesse his offence If he be not perswaded that there is mercy and good will in God to pardone his sinnes to accept him in fauour to grant vnto him more then his owen heart in the middest of his dolour can requyre or ymagine Trew it is that this vennome of disperation is neuer throughlie purged from our heartes so long as we cary this mortall Carcasse But yet the constant promises of our God and the many folde docu mentes of his mercy help show en vnto men in their greatest extremitie ought to animat vs to sollow their exemple and to hope for the same successe that they haue gotten abufe mannes expectation Iosaphat after his humiliation and prayer obtened the victorie with out the lose of any of his Soldioures for the Lord reased Ammon Moab against the inhabitantes of Mont Seir who being vtterly destroyed euerie one of the ennimies of Godes people lift his sworde against another till that of that godles mulâ—itude there wes not one left aliue Iosua and the Israelites after their deiection wer coâ—forted againe Niniue wes preserued albeit that Ionas had cryed destruction yea Achab not withstanding all his vngodlynes loste not the frute of his humiliation but wes râ—compensed with delay of the vttermoste of the plagues during his lyfetyme The murniÌ„g of Esdras wes turned in ioy when that he saw the people willing to obey God and the worke of the hous of the Lord to go fordwart The bitter crying of Mardocheus and the painefull Fasting of Ester were aboundantly rewarded wheÌ„ not onely wes the people
of God preserued but Haman their mortall ennimie wes hanged vpon the same gallous that he had prepared For Mardocheus Daniell after his Fasting confession and prayer gat moste notable reuelationes assurance that his people shuld be deliuered yea that in all extremities they shuld be preserued till that the Messias promysed vnto them shuld come and manifestly showe him self And the godly of Anteochea wer not frustrate of their conforte wheÌ„ that they hard how potently God had wrought amoÌ„gest the Gentiles by the ministerie of Barnabas Paule so that we may boldely coÌ„clude that as God hath neuer dispysed the petitions of such as with vnfeaned heartes haue soght his coÌ„fort in their necessities so will he not seÌ„d vs away emptie voyd if with trew repeÌ„taÌ„ce we seak his face If any wolde aske in what extremitie we finde our selues now to be that hertosore we haue not sene And what are the occasiones that shuld moue vs now to humble our selues before our Go by publict Fasting more then tha we did in the beginning When this Euangile wes now last offered vnto vs for then by all apperance we and it in our persones stoode in greater danger then we do yet We answer that the causes are mo then for greif of haert we can expresse First because that in the beginning we had not refused godes graces but contrariwyse with such feruencie we receaued them that we could beare with no kinde of impietie but for the suppressing of the same we nether had respect to frende possession land or lyfe but all we put in hasard that gode treuth myght be aduansed and Idolatrie myght be suppressed And therefore did our God by the mouth of his Messingers in all our aduersities assure vs that our ennimies shuld not preuale against vs but that they shuld be subdewed vnder vs that our God shuld be glorified in our semple vpryght dealing But now sence that carnall wisdome hath perswaded vs to beare with manifest Idolatrie to suffer this realme that God had ones purged to be polluted againe with that abhominatioÌ„ yea allace sence y t some of vs that God made soÌ„e tymes instrumeÌ„tes to suppresse that impietie haue bene the cheif meÌ„ to coÌ„duct conuoy that Idole throughout all the quarters of this Realme yea to the houses of them that sometymes detested the masse as the Deuill his seruice Sence that tyme we say haue we funde the face of our God angrie against vs his threatninges haue bene sharpe in the mouthes of his Messingers which albeit for the tyme we dispysed mocked yet the iust experience conuicteth vs that we were wicked that they in threatning vs did nothing but the dewtie of Godes trew Messingers And this is the second cause that moue vs to this publict humiliatioÌ„ rather now then in the beginning to wit that then we followed god and not carnall wisdome therefore made he few in nomber feare full to many fooles before the worlde to confound the wyse and suche as before neuer had experience in armes made God so bolde and so prosperous in all their interpryses that the expertest Souldioures feared the poore plowmen yea our God faught for vs by sea and by land he moued the heartes of strangers to supporte vs and to spend their liues for our releif But now allace we se no signe of his former fauour for wisdome maÌ„head strength and freindes honour and blood ioyned with godlynes are fallen before our eyes to let vs vnderstand what shall be our distruction if in time we turne not to our God before that his wrathe be further kindled But this is not the end For esperance or at least some opinion had men before that God shulde moue thâ— Quenis Maiesties heart to heare y â— blissed euangle of Iesus Christ trewlie preached and so coÌ„sequentlie that she shuld abandone all Idolatrie and fals Religion But now she hath giuen answer in plaine wordes that that Religion in whiche she hath bene nourished and that is meare abhomination she will manteane and defend And in declaration thereof of laite dayes there is erected a displayed baner against Iesus Christ for corrupted Hypocrites suche as haue bene knowen deceauers of the people are now authorised to spew out their vennome against Iesus Christ his eternall trueth and trew Messingers of the same That Idole thâ— Masse is now againe in diuers places erected And what hereof may ensew yea or what we may looke shalbe the end of suche vnhappy beginninges we desyre the godly deaply to considder But let it be granted that we had not fallen back from our former ferueÌ„cie that we saw not Godes angrie face threatning vs with more fear full plagues to follow that the best parte of our nobilitie wer not exiled this Realme nether yet that our Souerane were ennimie to our Religion and that she bare no greater fauour to flattering freres and to corrupted Papistes theÌ„ that she doeth to our poore Preachers Supponing we say that none of these foresaid causes we had to moue vs as that we haue them all and mo if that we list to recompt them yet is there one which if it moue vs not to humiliation we showe our selues more then insensible For now is Sathan so enraged against Iesus Christ and so odius is the light of his Euangile vnto that Romaine Antichrist that to suppresse it in one prouince Realme or Nation he thinketh it nothing vnles that in all Europe the godlie and suche as abhorre the Papisticall impietie be therewith also vtterly distroyed and so rased from the face of the earth that no memorie of them shal after remaine If any think that suche crueltie can not fall in the heartes of men we send them to be resolued of those Fathers of the last counsall of Trent who in one of their Sessions haue thus concluded All Lutheriens Caluenistes and suche as are of the new Religion shall vtterlie be exterminate the beginning shalbe in France by conducting of the Catholik Kinge Philip of Spaine and by some of the Nobilitie of France which mater say they put to some stay the whole force of bothe together with the Popes Army and force of the Dukes of Sauoy farrar shall assault Geneua and shall not leaue it till that they haue put it to sack sauing in it no leuing creature And with the same mercy shal so many of France as haue tâ—isted of the new Religion be 〈◊〉 Frâ—me theÌ„ce expednion shalbe made against the Geâ—maine to reduce them to the obediâ—nce of the 〈◊〉 seat And so shal they proceâ—d to vther Realmes Nationes neuer ceasing till that all be extâ—â—minate that will not make homagâ— to that Romaine Idole Hoâ— fearefull a beginning this conclusion and determination had France 〈◊〉 remember mo ages then one For how many abuse a hundreth thousand men wemen babes Virgines Matrones and aged Fathers suffered some by sâ— orde some by
water some by fyre vther tormentes The verray ennimies them felues are compelled to acknogeledge And albeit that God of his mercie in a part disapoynted there cruell interpryses yet let vs not thinke that their will is changed or their malice asswaged No let vs be assured that they abyde but oportunitie to sinishe the worke that crâ—ellie against God against his treuth and the trew prosessoures of the same they haue begune The whisperinges whereof are not secrete nether yet the tokenes obscure For the trafique of that dragone now with the princes of the earth his promyses and flattering entysementes tend to none vther end but to inflambe them against Iesus Christ and against the trew professoures of his Euangle For who can think that the Pope Cardinalles and horned Bishopes will offer the greatest portion of their Rentes for susteaning of a warre whereof no commoditie shuld redound as they suppose to them selues If any think that we accuse them without cause let them heare their owen wordes for this they wrate neare the end of the same decre And to the end that the holy fathers on their parte appeare not â—o be negligent or vnwilling to giue their ayde and supporte vnto so holy a warre or to spaire their owen rentes and money haue added that the Cardinalles shall content them selues of the yearely Rent of 5. or 6. thousand Ducates and the rychest Bishope of 2. or 3. thousand at the moste And to giue fraÌ„ckly y â— rest of their Reueneues to the intertenement of the warre which is made for the extirpation of the Lutheriens and Caluinistes sect And for reestablishing of the Romaine Churche till suche tyme as the mater be conducted to a good happy end If these be not open declarationes in what danger all faithfull stand if they can bring their crueltie to passe let verray Idiotes iudge but let vs heare their conclusion France and Germanie say they being by these meanes so chastised abased conducted to the obedience of the holy Romaine Churche the Fathers dout not but tyme shall prouide bothe counsal and commoditie that the rest of the Realmes about may be reduced to one flok and one Apostolick gouernour Pastour c. By this conclusion we thinke that the verray blinde may see what is purposed against the Saintes of God in all Realmes and Nationes to wit distruction with crueltie or els to make them to worship that blasphemous beast who being an Idole vsurpeth to him selfe the Name of vniuersall Pastoure and being knowen to be the man of sinne and perdition will be holden for an Apostolick Gouernour But some shall say they are yet fare from the end of their purpose and therefore we neid not to be so fearefull nor so sollist We answer the danger may be nerar then we beleaue yea perchance a parte of it hath bene neirar to our neckes then we haue considdered But how so euer it be seing that God of his mercie hath brought furth to lyght their cruell and bloody counsall in the which we nead not to dout but still they continew It becoÌ„meth vs not to be negligent nor sleuthfull but we ought to follow the exemple of Ezechias the King of Iuda who receauing not onely the dispytefull answer but also the blasphemus and threatning letter of Sennaherib first send vnto the Prophet Isayas and pietifully com pleaned of the instant troubles willing him to make intercession vnto God for the remanent that were left Vnto whome albeiâ— that the Prophet answered confortablie assâ—ring the King that the enniâ—ie shuld not cume so neir as to shoote Dâ—rte or Arrow within Ierusalem Yet ceâ—sed not the godlie King to present him self in the Temple of the Lord. And as a maÌ„ dispared of all worldely conforte sored abrod the letters that proud Sennahâ—rib had sent vnto him and made vnto God his moste feâ—â—ent prayer as in the 〈◊〉 Chapter of the Prophet I say as we may read The ennimie had turned back and God had put a Brâ—die in his nosethirles and so men mâ—ght haue thought that the King neded not to haue bene so sollicte But the Spirite of God instructed the heart of his seruâ—nd to seak helpe where it wes onely to be found and from the handes of God who only wes able to put 〈◊〉 end to that tyraÌ„nie The exemple we say of this approued seruand of God we ought to follow now wheÌ„ the like dâ—â—truction is intended against vs yea not against one Realme only but against all that professe the Lord Iesus as before we haue heard Albeiâ— that God of his mercy hath stayed the furie of the Papistes for a tyme we ought not to think that their malice is chaÌ„ged nether that suche as trewly professe the Lord Iesus can be in securitie so long as that Babiloniane hoore hath power to enchant the Princes of the earth Let vs therefore vnderstaÌ„ding that she being dronken with the blood of the Saintes can neuer repent of crueltie murther vse against her the spiritual weapones to wit earnest inuocation of Gods Name by the which we finde the proude tyrannes of the earth in tymes past to haue bene ouerthrowen Abuse all these causes foresaid we haue yet one that ought not to be omitted to wit the body of this Realme hath long enioyed quietnes whill that vther nations about vs haue bene seueirly plagued What thousaÌ„des dyed in the east cuntreyes and in England of the pestâ—anno 1563. 1564. Their owen confessions beare record What crueltie hath bene executed in France what townes spoyled and murther committed somewhat before we haue declared more we myght if that we had not respect to brSuitie and tyme. And what trouble is presently and long hath bene betuix Denmarke and Swaden the posteritie of that euntrie will after vnderstand And in all this tyme now sex yeares and more hath God spared vs so that the publict estate hath alwayes remaned quyet except within these few monethes Ought not the deap consideration of this moue vs now to stoupe before our God For haue we bene spared because that our Rebellion to God is les then is the Rebellion of those nations that we haue sene punished If so we think we are far deceaued For in so great lyght of the Euangle we think that greater inobedience wes neuer showen vnto God nor greater ingratitude vnto his Messingers sence the dayes of the Apostles then of laite yeares hath bene and yet is within this Realme Idolatrie is obstinatly menteaned Huredome and adulterie are but pastyme of the flesh slaugther and murther is esteamed small sinne if any man haue freind in court craftie dealing with the semple disceat and oppression is coÌ„pted gude conques yea allace almoste vniuersally Parcialitie in iudgement is but interpretation of Lawes â–ª yea delâ—ying of Iustice what mater is that what reuerence is had to Goâ—es Messingers and what râ—speâ—t 〈◊〉 the poore that now so multiplies within