and Promises of Reformation which they forget as soon as the danger is past and return with the Dog to the vomit and the washed Sow to her wallowing in the Mire CHAP. XIII Directions in Fasting THE next Duty I shall Direct you in is that Useful though much neglected Duty of Fasting which though in it self is no part of Divine worship neither is it Commanded for it self yet when 't is performed in a right manner and to a right End is a notable help in other Religious Duties and a good Spur to put us forward to worship God and fits us for his worship Now before I shew you what a Fast is I shall shew you what Fast I mean for there are Fasts of several sorts and 't is not the bare abstinence from Meat that is sufficient There are some necessary Fasts when men Fast whether they will or no as when they have nothing to eat and this is too oft the Poor mans and the Prisoners Fast but this is against their wills and so not thanks-worthy Again there is a Natural Fast when a man abstains from Food for want of a Stomack as the other did for want of Meat and this is the Sick mans Fast and oft-times the Rich man Fasts also this also is in-voluntary and deserves no praise There is also a Physical Fast undertaken for Healths sake this is not it we Treat of and there is a daily Fast when Men use the Creatures very temperately and moderately not to please or satisfie their Appetite but to maintain their Life and strength to do God service they eat to live and not live to eat and live to serve and praise God and this should be every Christians Fast There is also a Superstitious Fast such as the Papists use an abstinence from certain meats upon Religious Accounts when in the mean time they fully gorge themselves with other meats every way as nourishing and provoking to Lust and this upon the Account of Merit And there is also a Civil Fast when upon Politick Accounts some sorts of meats are forbidden at some times as with us Flesh in the Lent for the encouragement of our Trade of Fishing and for the preservation of Cattle There are some Miraculous Fasts as that of Moses and Elijah and of Christ himself all which Fasted forty days together and tasted no Food but these are for our Admiration not for our Imitation There is also a Spiritual Fast an abstinence from Sin which all should Imitate and there is a Hypocritical Fast such as the Pharisees used to be seen of Men Mat. 6.2 c. These hang down the Head like a bulrush Isa 58.5 And there is a Diabolical Fast wherein the Devils Service is promoted A Fast for strife and debate and to strike with the Fists of Wickedness Isa 58.4 Such a Fast Jezebel Proclaimed when under pretence of Religious Worship she took away Naboath's Life for his Vineyard 1 Kings 21.8 c. This is of the Devils Invention But there is a Religious Fast set apart upon a Religious Account for a man to Afflict his Soul and this is that we now speak to which is the Sanctifying or setting apart a day or some portion of time to the Lord upon some extraordinary Occasion by the voluntary abstinence from meat and drink and other Comforts of this Life as also from Labour and Worldly business so far as Mercy Comeliness and Necessity will permit for the more serious humbling of the Soul before God and pouring out our requests to him for the preventing or removing of Judgments felt or feared or the begging the Mercies we want or the continuance of those we enjoy That such a kind of Fast is Lawful the Scripture is evident it was Commanded Lev. 23.27,28 Exod. 33.5 Joel 2.15 Mat. 6.16,17 9.15 1 Cor. 7.5 And such a Fast was Observed Esther 4.16 Dan. 9.2,3,4 c. 1 Cor. 7.5 Acts 13.23 We have the Examples of the best men yea of Christ himself in so doing Nay Jews Turks Papists Protestants c. all agree in this that it is a Duty though they differ in the manner and Ends of the Duty Yet must we not look upon it as any part of Religious worship or desirable for it's own sake for 't is a thing indifferent in it self and 't is to be used so far forth as it conduceth to the main design of God's Honour and the good of the Soul and serves to the Ends propounded in the Scriptures which is the humbling of the Soul and making us more sensible of our wants and more fervent in our Prayers And Experience shews when it hath been joyned with fervent Prayer very great things have been wrought by it great Deliverances have been got great Mercies procured and great Judgments diverted Now this Religious Fast is either Publique or Private Publique when Commanded by Publique Authority and generally Observed as Joel 1.19 Jonah 2.7 2 Chron. 30.13 And Private when 't is performed by a Person or Family Esther 4.6 And of this Fast Christ speaks Mat. 6.17,18 Now that you may keep a Fast as it ought to be kept take these following Directions 1. Direct If thou wouldest prevaile with God in such a duty as this either to beg the mercy wanting for thy self or others or to divert the judgment felt or heard 't is necessary that thou be rightly qualified for the work for an unqualified Person is like to do but little good a fast as I told you was either publick or private that which is publick is commanded by Authority and here all men are enjoyned for to come and indeed 't is every mans duty because every man hath offended for high and low rich and poor noble and ignoble young and old one with another none are excepted no not the Bridegroom or the Bride nor the child that sucks upon the Mothers breast Joel 2.16 Gather the People sanctify the Congregation assemble the Elders gather the Children and those that suck the Breasts Let the Bridegroom go forth out of his Chamber and the Bride out of her Closet c. nay the very Beasts of the field are not exempted Jonah 3.7,8 Let nither man or beast heard or flock taste any thing let them not feed or drink water but let man and beast be covered with sack cloath and cry mightily unto God yea let them turn every one from his evil ways and from the violence that is in his hands who can tell if God will turn or repent c. In this fast the Minister most commonly is their mouth to God and Gods mouth to them yet they have need of qualifications for the duty for though he perform much of the external part of the duty yet the internal rests upon them thy heart should be qualified to put up an acceptable prayer to God great ones are not excepted from this duty for their sins are great yea perhaps greater and admit of greater aggravations than others do and their examples much
42.15 Josh 14.9 1 Kings 20.3 Yea in Gospel times Paul Rom. 1.9 God is my Witness whom I serve in my Spirit I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost c. We have the Custom of all Nations which shews 't is a Principle in Nature who when witness is wanting take an Oath as a Religious Band and because they know not the Heart appeal to God that doth know it Neither is there any thing in an Oath that is intrinsecally Evil neither the Matter Form nor End the calling upon God the Searcher of the Heart to bear witness to the Sincerity of our Intentions for the Satisfaction of others that cannot otherwise be satisfied what Evil can there be in that Heb. 6.16 An Oath is for Confirmation the end of all strife 2 Cor. 1.23 Indeed all rash common Swearing is forbidden by Christ and also by St. James 1. Direct As concerning Oaths Consideration must be had of the parties themselves concerned and they are either the Parties requiring an Oath or the Parties of whom an Oath is required for both of them require some Satisfaction He that requires it should do it by Authority and have a Lawful ground or otherwise he cannot he ought not to exact it by force every Man cannot force another to Swear and without just Cause no one ought in such a Case they ought not to be Obeyed And for the Person Swearing which is Agens Principalis the chief Actor in the business 'T is necessary that he have the use of Reason and that he be sui Juris his own Man and the things that he swears to give be at his own Dispose and hence it follows the Children before they come to the right use of Reason ought not to take an Oath neither indeed should their Oaths be imposed or regarded neither doth such an Oath bind the Conscience being Ignorantly taken they are Ignorant of the Nature of an Oath neither can they come with deliberation as they ought or compare their Action with the Rule or right Reason therefore they ought not to be Admitted But at what Age that is I think is not easie to determine for doubtless some attain it soon some later but I think our Laws say Sixteen Years of Age and before that time their Testimony is not Valid And an Oath may bind the Conscience of some if otherwise Lawful though the Testimony be not Valid by the Law But alas how Common oh too Common is that Customary Swearing of Children even before they can speak plain as if they suckt it in with their Mothers Milk and had been taught it with their Mother Tongue as doubtless they are either by Precept or Example for how many before they can speak plain lisp out Oaths against God himself whose Name they Profanely abuse to the dishonour of God the shame of their Parents the damage of the Nation where they Live for because of Oaths the Land mourns and to the apparent hazard of their own Souls who without Repentance will Eternally Curse their Parents in Hell for their sinful Education Again Mad and Frantick Men are not fit to take an Oath for the same Reason for though they once had the use of Reason yet through their Distemper 't is lost The like we may say of Fools and Idiots that never had it and so never knew the use of an Oath though too many of them though they cannot speak Reason can Swear and Curse and take the Name of God in vain and their proneness to this and other sins and their backwardness to what is good discovers them to be of the Sinful Off-spring of lapsed Adam and is a strong Argument for Original Sin and their want of the use of Reason is some extenuation of their Sin God requires little where little was given yet it excuseth not a toto but a tanto it discovers a foul Fountain that thus bubbles up their Words their Actions their Discourse is not to be heard why then their Oaths Again Men when far gone in Drink or Passion are not fit for this considerate Duty neither can they do it without Sin because not with Mature Deliberation though some Cases their promisory Oaths may bind them and they ought not to break them though it be to their own damage Psal 15.4 For Drunkenness or Immoderate Passion is no Excuse of their Sin but an Aggravation for one Sin will not Excuse another Again if a Man be in his right mind and otherwise qualified yet 't is necessary that he be sui juris his own Man at his own dispose and not anothers in the thing he swears otherwise he cannot avoid sin what Course soever he take As suppose a Son under the Tuition of a Father or a Servant of a Master should without Parents or Masters Consent swear to go a Journey as suppose in Popery on a Pilgrimage this is a Sin because he is not at his own dispose We read in the time of the Law if a Woman Vowed a Vow or a Maid in her Fathers House if her Husband or Father approved not of it it was void consider then whether Vows of single Life or Marriage Promises without Parents consent be valid I am sure they are sinful Those under Authority should not dispose of themselves by Oath without Parents Consent 2. Direct Having already shewn you who may swear and who ought not to swear I come in the next place to tell you by whom you ought to swear and here also we shall meet with much Corruption in Practice though an Oath is Lawful when Lawfully required as by a Lawful Magistrate in a Lawful Cause from a Person rightly qualified as I hove already Discoursed yet 't is not Lawful to swear by whom he pleaseth for an Oath as I told you is part of Divine Worship due to God and his Glory is Concerned in it and he will not give it to another Gen. 21.53 Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac that is by the God whom his Father feared That we ought to swear by God I have shewed you already both by Scriptures and Examples Deut. 6.13 10.20 and many more But where we have any Injunction or Toleration given to swear by any thing that is not God is not easie to find yea it is plain Idolatry to ascribe unto any Creature Divine Worship 't is a setting of them in the place of God yea a dishonouring of God and setting up something else in his stead In a Lawful Oath we do not only assert the Truth for that we do or ought to do without an Oath but we ascribe Omniscience Omnipotence Omnipresence yea the Justice wisdom and Truth to God we acknowledge him to be the Searcher of the Heart and the Tryer of the Reins and that he is both the witness Judge and Revenger of Falshood and Lying and furthermore by Prayer and Invocation God is called upon to give Testimony with
sins Lev. 16.21 Christ is our Scape-Goat let him bear all our Iniquities To name thy sin without sorrow is but an aggravation of it mourn for it therefore but let the Love of God and not the fear of punishment be the strongest Motive to Repentance When thou seest Christ Crucified afresh before thine Eyes in the Ordinance consider and say to thy self Oh what a wretch was I to pluck him out of the Arms of his Father and cause him to suffer such Hellish Torments for my sake it was my sin that were the Nails that pierced his Hands and his Feet the Spear that wounded his Side the Thorns that pricked his Head the Traytor that betrayed him the Judge that Condemned him and the Executioner that put him to Death It was not the Devil nor his Instruments the Jews nor Gentiles nor all the wicked Men in the World could have done it had it not been for the sins of his Elect Me-thinks the consideration of this should work upon an Ingenious Heart and when thou hast confest thy sin resolve to forsake it God makes no promise of Pardon to any other And look stedfastly upon Christ offered to thee in the Sacrament for Pardon of sin and power against it he is a propitiation for sin Rom. 3.25 The Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World John 1.29 Having now found out thy defects of Grace for 't is weakness of Grace that makes us run into sin Go to God for a supply Christ is ready with supplies if thou be but sensible of thy wants come to the Ordinance in God's way and where thou art weak Christ will strengthen thee and where Corruptions are strong he will weaken them Be not ashamed to shew to him thy nakedness unlap thy Sores that thou mayst have a Plaister and Christ will be thy Chyrurgeon and Physitian In thy decays of Grace though there be great cause of shame and sorrow yet none of despair there are Recovering Plaisters as well as Healing be but sensible of thy want and go boldly for a supply Come with an empty Soul to Christ and he will fill it 't is the full that are sent empty way 5. Direct When thou comest to this Ordinance be sure to set thy Grace on work quicken them up unto the Duty let them not flag nor faint for then thy work will be to little purpose what good will Tools do if not used and how can they be used if not in Order A Workman that would Live by his Works sees that his Tools be sharp and fit for the work without them we can do nothing nay if they be dull or blunt the work will not go forward and therefore let us stir up our Graces as Deborah did her Soul when she was to sing forth the praises of the Lord Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a Song c. Or as David did his Soul Psal 42.5 Why art thou so sad O my Soul And why art thou so disquieted within me c. Psal 103.12 Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me praise his Holy Name c. Stir up thy Self and lay hold upon him Isa 64.7 This is the time for thee to renew quicken and strengthen thy Grace it was given thee for such a time and for such a Use as this is let not this Opportunity be let slip that may be done now which cannot be done at another time renew thy Repentance and quicken it This may be done by the consideration of the Number Nature and Effects of thy sins and among the rest this is one it brought the Lord Jesus Christ to this shameful Death Here thou mayst see him Crucified before thy Face his Body broken and his Blood poured out and mayst look upon him whom thou hast pierced and mourn for him as for an only Son Zach. 12.10 Quicken thy Love to God also and this thou mayst do by the consideration of his Love to thee and what he hath done for thee especially in the work of thy Redemption held out in this Ordinance of the Sacrament Hadst thou had a Temporal deliverance from Turkish Slavery thou wouldst have been thankful to thy Deliverer and have Loved him for it much more then is due to him that Redeemed thee from the guilt of sin and from the filth of sin and from the punishment due to sin from the Curse of the Law the wrath of God the Slavery of Satan and from Everlasting Damnation Renew thy fear of him also consider the Fervency of his wrath against Sin and Sinners when thou seest it was so hot against his own Son when he stood in the room of Sinners and let this make thee fear to Offend This also may quicken thy Love to thy Brethren yea to thine Enemies when thou considerest how dearly God Loves thy Brethren in Christ and what he suffered for them and to thine Enemies when thou considerest the Torments which Christ indured for thy sake when thou wast his Enemy and Commands thee to imitate him in Loving those that hate thee But especially quicken and Exercise thy Faith for this is all and in all in this Duty and much conduceth to the well performing of it 'T is true Christ hath all fulness in himself to fill empty Souls he is the Bread and Water of Life to feed and Refresh the Hungry and Thirsty of his Fulness we receive Grace for Grace John 1.14.16 In him all Fulness dwells Col. 1.19 There is in him both fulness of Merit and fulness of Spirit Mortifying Sanctifying Quickning Virtue Here Soul-wants may be supplyed But the way of obtaining this at God's Hands the way of emptying of Christ into the Soul is by the way of Ordinances the Word and Sacraments are the Breasts of Consolation from whence we must suck and be satisfied These are the Pipes through which the Water of Life run from the Fountain into the Cistern from Christ to our Hearts Christ is the Olive and these the Golden Pipes that convey the Oyl into the Candlestick Zach. 4.12 'T is true he could convey it immediately and empty himself into the Soul without any Instrument at all but this is not usual where the Word and Ordinances are to be had But that we may get benefit by the Ordinances Faith is necessary the Well is deep and Faith is the Bucket to draw up this water of Life and though the Conduit be full of water and we empty Vessels yet if we bring them not thither they will still remain empty nay though we bring them and place them under the Cock if we turn not the Cock they are empty still The Child that plays with the Breast is not satisfied till it suck Thou must suck Honey and Oyl out of this flinty Rock Deut. 32.13 Faith is the Souls Eye which must be fixed upon Christ the Souls Hand to lay hold upon Christ the Souls Mouth to feed upon him Christ and all his Benefits are offered in