see whereunto this fast of ours must be referred I meane the outward abstinence and what we must specially labour after in it namely that wee may be humbled before God for all our sinnes which haue so greatly prouoked the wrath of God that it may easily be seene of all and that we seeke to him by feruent praier for the turning away of his heauie hand that hath a long time beene most greeuously vpon many parts of this lande if we seeke not after these and by this abstinence finde our selues furthered in them our fasting is nothing woorth because wee come not vnto the chiefe part of it nor vnto the marrow and substance of it but content our selues with the shell and as it were the bare shadow fo it For as it is said in the common prouerbe and as it is true in all other things as good neuer a whit as neuer the better so in this in like maner The first vertue is true humility and what that is To speake therefore in order first of the humbling and casting downe of our selues this humilitie of minde is a vile esteeming and base iudgeing or thinking of our selues before God and men in respect of our innumerable great sinnes wherewith we haue defiled our selues and offended God and prouoked his heauy wrath and displeasure against vs whereby it commeth to passe that wee are displeased with our selues and offended and grieued at our selues yea are as it were at vtter defiance with our selues because of our sinnes and the curse of God and all miserie due to vs for the same And this humilitie is contrarie to that pride and hautinesse of minde Contrary to pride which is in many whereby they thinke too highly of themselues and are puft vp and full of selfe loue iudgeing better of themselues then there is cause being also thereby ready to iustify themselues before God and men like vnto that proud Pharisie that Christ speaketh of in the Gospell who thus vaunteth of himselfe before God through hypocrisie and want of due examination of himselfe and also despised the Publicane who praied by him saying I thanke thee O God Luk. 18.11 that I am not as other men extortioner vniust adulterer or euen as this Publicane whereas the other standing a farre of giueth many tokens of their humility for he would not lift vp so much as his eies to heauen but smot his breast and saide O God be mercifull to me a sinner This humbling of our soules is and must be answerable to the afflicting of our bodies And this casting downe of our selues in our owne iudgement as it is required so it is very fit and answerable to the outward exercise of fasting for therefore doe we absteine from the outward comfort and maintenance of this life for a time that wee might haue a quicker feeling of our vnwoorthinesse namely that for our sinnes we are vnworthy of all of them and of any comfort by them yea of life it selfe and thus we bring downe the bodie that the minde might bee brought downe and we afflict the bodie that the deserued death of soule and body might be the better knowen and felt of vs. We therefore abstaine from all pleasures and delights thereof lawful in themselues that thorough conscience of our sinnes and the deserued wrath of God for them not onely present but that that may come heereafter we might be drawen to a greater sorrow which inward affliction and griefe of the soule if it be seuered from the other it is as a dead carkasse without a soule yea a shadow without a bodie that is it is nothing woorth For this sorowing and mourning is so vnseparablie proper vnto the time of fasting and so fitly answereth to the outward ceremonie of it that the thing it selfe is thus noted out by Christ himselfe Math. 9 1â— Can the children of the mariage chamber mourne as long as the Bridegroome is with them Therefore vnto fastinâ— is alwaies ioined mourning but the daies will come when the Bridegroome shall be taken from them and then shall they fast Where Christ defending his disciples that they did not then fast speakes of fasting as of a time of mourning for in the one place hee saith Fast and in the other Mourne Luk. 5.34.35 to shew what we must come vnto in the day of fast euen to mourne And this hath also beene the practise of the seruants of God that in the daies of fasting they haue thus cast downe themselues and haue not onely inwardly sorowed but haue outwardly testified the same by weeping as indeed great sorow many times causeth teares For so is it said of Dauid when tidings was brought him of the death of Saul that he sorowed and wept and fasted both himselfe and his company 1. Sam. 1.12 Then Dauid tooke holde on his clothes and rent them and likewise al the men that were with him and they mourned and wept and fasted vntill euen for Saule and for Ionathan his sonne and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel because they were slaine with the sword Heere there fasting was ioined with mourning and weeping So likewise did all the people of Israel when they were twise ouerthrowne by the Beniamites they sorowed and wept and fasted vnto the euening as it is said in â—â—e book of the Iudges Then all the children of Israell went vp Iudg. 20. â— and all the people also came vp vnto the house of God and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day vnto the euening offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And againe in the daies of Samuel when they were oppressed by the Philistims he exhorteth them to confesse their sinnes to God and leaue them and seeke vnto God that they might find mercy with him and they then fasted and praied and wept so aboundantly that it is saide they drew out whole buckets of water out of their eies For Samuel 1. Sam. 7 said Gather all Israel together to Mizpah and I will pray for you vnto the Lord and they gathered together to Mizpah and drew water and poâ—red it out before the Lord and fasted the same day said there We haue sinned against the Lord. Thus in this fast of theirs also they confessed their sinnes and sorowed woonderfully as appeared by the plenty of teares And to bee short this is that which the Prophet Ioel speaketh of and exhorteth them vnto â—â—el 2.17 as a thing necessarie Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lorde weepe betweene the porch and the altar and let them say Spare thy people O Lord wheÌ„ as he had said in the verses vers 13. going before Thus saith the Lord Turne you vnto me with all your hart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and rent your hearts and not your clothes So that he not only speaketh of fasting as that wherunto the Lord did then cal
other thing in him to recompence anie or al of these losses and so his heart is not yet humbled But when he seeth how many waies he standeth guiltie before God and what a great account hee hath to giue vnto him that hee seeth his sinnes to be more in number then the heires of his head or the sandes of the sea and then how many punishments and plagues in this world and in the world to come are dew to him in soule and body for euer and euer according to the manifold curses of the law of God and his immutable iustice contained in them this shall bee able to make him cast away all his pride conceit in himselfe or in any thing else and to thinke of himselfe as he is indeed in himselfe to bee a most vile creature and so to crie out of himselfe as the Apostle doth â—om 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Now the holie spirit of God worketh this in vs by the true vnderstanding and right vse of the lawe of God set downe in the tenne Commandements We are brought to the sight oâ— our sinnes by the true vnderstanding and right vse of the law and also of the blessings promised to those that keepe the law and the curses denounced against them that breake it which are to this end annexed to the same law According to which lawe if men not partiallie examine themselues they shall see both how many duties they haue left vndone and also how manie sinnes they haue committed against God men For that is as a cleere glasse to let vs see the least spot or blemish in our face that is the least sinne committed in our life Psal 119.105 and as a light vnto our pathes and a lanterne to our feete to let vs see how one thing differeth from another good from euill euen as the difference of colours is easily discerned when a light commeth in which was not before and to be short it is a rule to shew what is crooked and what is straight that is what is agreeable vnto or what differeth from the will of God which is the perfect rule of all righteousnesse And we are â—rther humâ—led by considering the â—romises and â—urses anâ—exed to the â—aw Then if wee come to the promises of the law we shall see howe manie good things which God of his meere mercy had promised and others haue inioied we haue lost through our own default both for soule and bodie for our selues and ours for this life also and for the life to come and so in what an vnhappie estate we are in in our selues And though this be verie much to humble a man to thinke thus much good haue I wilfully lost yet if we further coÌ„sider the curses not onely dispersed in the whole Scripture but specially set down at large Deut. 28. for sin to to be brought vpon vs in soule and bodie and otherwise as incurable sicknesses diseases terror feare of minde scarcitie and famine the sword and such like in this worlde besides eternall destruction of soule and bodie in hell fire after this life these will let vs see our miserie much more that so we might feele acknowledge what vile wretched creatures we be men and women that haue iustly brought vpon our selues so great calamity We are then for the better humbling of our selues before God as at other times so especiallie in the day of fasting to giue our selues to the serious and earnest meditation of these things namely of the law of God and that in euery commandement and applie it to our conscience and the appurtenances also of the same law that is the promises made to the obedient and the punishments threatned to the disobedient and pray to God for his good spirit that it might worke vpon vs euen vpon our hearts that by this meanes wee might come to that measure of humilitie that is meet for vs so great sinners to come vnto and that he would cast vs downe vnder his holie hande euen so low as his owne children should be for want of which our hearts are hardened though our estaâ—e be so desperate and forlorne as at all other times so euen in the day of fasting wherein greatest humiliation is required And besides all this to further vs in this most excellent vertue of humiliation which in time will lift vs vp as high as wee were cast downe before according to the Prouerbe of Solomon Pro. 15.32 Especiallie how the Lord from time to time hath verified the same Before glory goeth humilitie we must also consider the execution of these iudgements vpon men from time to time that we might know God to be iust and will assuredly doe as he hath saide and that he hath not threatned in vaine as many men doe imagine that so wee might feare and tremble when wee shall see as it were others beaten for the like sinnes before our faces And these iudgements wee must well weigh both generally brought vpon whole nations and countries Gen. 6. as how hee spared not the olde world when all flesh had corrupted their waies but brought an vniuersall deluge vpon it and how hee ouerthrew Sodom and Gomorrha Gen. 19. and the rest of the cities for their filthinesse yea how he spared not the ten tribes of Israel 2. King 17. 2. King 24. 25. Lam. 1.3 nor Iudah it selfe but caried them both captiues out of their owne country for their idolatrie other sinnes And also his iudgements particularly broght vpon priuate men Genes 25.33 27.33 Heb. 12.16.17 Gen. 21.10 Gal. 4.29 as how Esau was cast off from Gods people for his profannesse how Ismael was put out of his fathers house and so out of the Church of God for his scorning and mocking wherewith hee persecuted his brother 2. Sam. 18.9 and how Absolon was hanged between heauen and earth by the haire of his head for rebelling against his father Hest 7.8.9 how Haman was hanged vp vpon an high gibbet for his pride against men 1. King 22.38 and king Herod eaten vp with vermine for his intollerable pride against God and men 2 King 9.35 how Ahab and Iesabell were slaine for their oppression of Naboth so that the dogs did licke the bloud of the one 2. Sam. 12.10.11 and deuour the carkase of the other yea how Dauid was grieuously punished for his adulterie and wrong done to Vriah 1. Cor. 10.8 and 23000. in one day destroied for their filthie fornication and to conclude how the Lord from time to time in all ages and places hath not spared men in their sinnes that so we might not onely see in them what wee haue deserued but how he is readie to punish also for there is no respect of persons with him And not onely vpon the wicked but vpon his owne children And in all these wee must
beyond the bounds of modestie and good maners so if we could aswell see and feele this great miserie that we and our brethren are in it would make vs to be so importunate with the Lord in our prayers that we would haue no nay at his handes but still stand knocking at the gate of his mercie vntill hee hath opened and sent vs away with a gratious answer as Dauid in the one fifty Psalme pressed downe with the heauie burden of his sinnes did crie vnto God againe and againe for mercie and would not haue his mouth stopped vntill the Lord had mercie vpon him saying Haue mercie upon me O God Psa 51.1.2 according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy coÌ„passions put away mine iniquitiâ—â— wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and clense me from my sin purge me with Hysope washe me make mee to heare ioy and gladnesse and so foorth as followeth where euerie verse almost containeth a seueral petition earnestly crauing mercie of God for his sinnes yea as blinde Bartimaeus cried after Christ in the waie Mar. 10.46 Iesus the sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me and manie rebuked him because he should hold his peace but he cried much more O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me and would neuer leaue calling and crying vntill Christ stoode still and commanded him to be called so we in this case should neuer leaue calling vpon God vntill by diminishing of the plague we might see some token of his mercie Nay we should be like to the woman of Syrophenisse who came suing to Christ for her daughter Math. 15.21 and saide Haue mercie on me O Lord the soone of Dauid and he by his silence seemed not to regard her and when his Disciples did speake to him for her he answered them as though she were not to be regarded saying I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel when shee came neerer her-selfe and saide Lord helpe me then he seemed cleane to cast her off and to leaue her without all hope â—4 01 〈◊〉 in saying It is not good to take the childrens bread and to cast it to whelpes yet for al this she would not giue ouer her need was so great but desired as a whelpe to eate of the crummes And by earnest suite we shall finde â— supplie in time that fell from her masters table and so Christ heard her at the last and said vnto her O woman great is thy faith be it to thee as thou desirest and her daughter was made whole at that houre Euen so our selues though we may seeme all this while to haue praied in vaine and to haue lost our labour and the Lorde God not to regard vs because the plague is not one whit lessened but rather increased yet because our need is so great let vs not giue ouer but in all feruencie of praier hold out and waite vpon God and how Psal 123. â— Euen as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters and as the eies of a maiden vnto the hand of her mistresse so let our eies waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. And let euerie one saie Psal 130.5 I haue waited on the Lorde my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his worde my soule waiteth on the Lord more then the morning watch watcheth for the morning and so let vs incourage all Israel euen the people of God to waite vpon him for with him is mercy with him is great redemption and he wil redeeme them from al their iniquities that is as he hath manie waies and meanes to deliuer those that be his so he will vpon their repentance forgiue them all their sinnes and much more deliuer from the deserued punishment of the same â—he consciâ—ce of our â—woorthiâ—sse must â—t hinder â— but raâ—er make 〈◊〉 more ferâ—ut in praiâ— Moreouer that wee might praie so earnestly as we should let vs further consider our great vnwoorthinesse by reason of our innumerable sinnes that when wee shall see that whether wee looke to our selues or to other there is no cause that the Lord should heare and helpe vs for wee haue not done our dutie as we ought wee haue not profited by his worde and great patience nay wee haue by the abuse of them and by other of our sinnes prouoked his wrath against vs and haue deserued that this deadly plague shuld continew and make an end of vs all we may be importunate with him to spare vs that so though not for anie thing that is in vs of his great mercie for Christes sake by opportunitie hee may be ouercome as wee haue seene by the parable of the wicked Iudge how he will be and as we haue seene how Iacob would not giue ouer wrestling vntill he had blessed him at the last obtained the blessing So the Lord seeing that we are not wearie of calling vpon him though he finde vs vnwoorthie might heare and helpe vs. And so let not the conscience of our vnwoorthinesse stoppe our mouthes hinder our praiers but rather mooue vs to be the more earnest confessing the same as Ezra Ezra 9.6 doth I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eies vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen and as Daniel Dan. 9.8 doth O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our kings to our princes and to our fathers because we haue sinned against thee yet compassion and forgiuenesse is in the Lord our God albeit we haue rebelled against him and so may we truely say of our selues and of our land and countrey wherein we liue And lastly for this present let vs consider that as in no other thing so in this most of all none can helpe vs but the Lord â—nd the conâ—eration of â—is that â—e can â—lpe vs but 〈◊〉 Lord. there are meanes appointed for euery thing but vnlesse hee giue them we can not haue them and then also the right vse and successe of them is of the Lord so that he can not onely denie them vnto vs but curse them when we haue them that they shall do vs no good so that we may truly saie My helpe commeth from the Lorde 〈◊〉 121.2 who hath made both heauen earth therefore we had need to praie to him so much the more earnestly for the trusting to this and that hindereth our praier But the time cutteth mee off from this and so I leaue it to be supplied by the spirit of God which is able to giue you vnderstanding in all things HOMIL V. The fifth Homilie doth further intreat of feruencie of praier requisite in fasting and to the end we may consider what great things God hath promised to fasting and praier and how he hath performed the same not onely to the godly but euen to the wicked who haue thereby
kill them all both yoong and old children and women in one daie Then all the Iewes at the aduise and commandement of Queene Hester Hest 4.16.17 did fast and praie vnto God three daies and three nights to intreat the Lord that she might find fauour with the King that this wicked deuise might bee frustrate and disanulled whereby it came to passe that the Lord in whose hands are the hearts of all men to turne euen as the riuers of waters and who hath saide that when a mans waies doe please the Lord Pro. 16.7 hee will make his enimies his friends did so change the Kings heart I say that they had thereby not onely to defend themselues and to gather themselues togither and to stand for their liues but also to roote out and to destroy all the power of the people Hest 8.11 and of the prouince that vexed them both children and women and to spoile their goods And by this meaâ—es the Iewes â—â—d ouerthrow the diuelish praâ—tise of proud Haman and so also they did and God blessed them therein yea and Haman the Iewes great aduersarie was hanged vpon the high gibbet which hee had prepared for Mordecay and after that tenne of his sonnes also were hanged and Mordecay and all the Iewes were greatly aduanced and honored Hest 9.28 and the daies of weeping and fasting were turned into great reioicing and feasting yeerely Thus we see how wonderfully God did blesse them being so humbled in fasting and praier before and what great things they obtained thereby as not onelie the sauing of their liues goods thereby but the vtter ruine and ouerthrow of their most deadly and professed enimies and therefore no doubt if wee could humble our selues this way and praie earnestly as they did if we were as neere deathes doore as they were and had receaued euen the sentence of death in our selues as they had 2. Cor. 1.9 it were possible for vs to escape it and to finde mercie with the Lord as they haue done before vs and that not onely for our selues but for our brethren as they did For as hee hath promised that if we turne vnto him vnfainedly in the middest of destruction he will leaue a blessing behinde him for vs as was said before out of Ioel Ioel. 2.14 so heere in this people wee see the truth and accomplishment of it Besides wee may consider of that woorthy example of Gods mercy this way shewed vpon those that humbled themselues by fasting and praier in the daies of Iehoshaphat that good King of Iudah as it is set downe in the second booke of the Chronicles 2. Chr. 20.2 where it is saide that the Ammonites the Moabites and the people of mount Seir came foorth to battle against him and hee fearing the danger that might befall him and his people proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah and praied earnestly to God for himselfe and for them which praier of his is there set downe And before they had ended their praier the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iahaziel a Leuite in the middest of the congregation who by the spirit of prophesie did foretell the victorie saying 2. Chro. 20.17 Yee shall not need to fight in this battle stand mooue not and behold the saluation of the Lorde towards you And king Iehoshaphat thereby obtained victorie against their enimies O Iudah and Ierusalem feare yee not neither be afraid to morrow goe out against them and the Lord will be with you And so it came to passe for their enimies slew one another euen the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of mount Seir to slay and destroie them and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir euerie one helped to destroy an other and so the Iewes entred vpon the spoile of them found among them aboundance both of substance and of bodies laden with pretious iewels which they tooke for themselues till they could carie no more and were three daies in gathering of the spoile for it was much and in the fourth day they praised God in the valley of Berachah which from that day had the name of that action for there they blessed and praised God for the victorie which he had giuen them and so called it the valley of blessing or praise and so they returned home to Ierusalem with great ioy Here we may consider the fruit of their fasting to be this that when by earnest praier they sought vnto God being in great feare as it is saide of the King that he feared and set himselfe to seeke the Lord 2. Chr. 10.3 then he made them to reioice So if we could thus rightly consider of this hand of God stretched out against vs that seeing our sinnes to be the cause of it wee would feare God and his wrath and suffer it to work vpon our consciences and seeke vnto God in feare earnestly to turne it awaie it might please him so to blesse vs at the last that we should haue great cause to reioice But verie few doe so laie it to heart that they haue all this while any thing profited by it in the true feare of God to repent them of any thing that is past to determine a better course heereafter and therefore cannot so earnestly seeke vnto God as they should for the remoouing of it and so it may iustly still be continued till it worke in vs this true feare which God grant that it may speedilie doe But let so manie as by the due consideration of this visitation haue set themselues to feare the Lord and to seeke vnto him in truth consider how God was found of this people and so will be of vs in his good time and as hee caused them after their great feare to returne home with as much ioy so he may bring those that for feare haue with griefe forsaken their townes and houses sal 126.5 bring them home againe with as much reioicing and whereas they haue sowen with teares they may reap with ioy and going out weeping and carying precious seede might returne with ioy and bring their sheaues as the prophet speaketh Lastly concerning this mattter we may see how the prophet Iona Ion. 3.4 comming to Nineue according to the coÌ„mandement of the Lord to denounce Gods heauie iudgement against them for their sinnes euen that within forty daies the whole citie should be ouerthrowne the King beleeuing this fearfull curse threatned to bee iust and deserued By this mâ—anes the Nineuites escaped thaâ— destruction that was threatned against them proclaimed a fast to this ende that euerie one turning from his euill waies and from the wickednesse of his hands that they might crie mightilie vnto the Lord as they did Wherupon it came to passe that God seeing their works to be good and that they turned from their euill waies indeed heard their praiers granted their requests and did repent him of the euill that
of sorrow and griefe that that fast of his was not vnrewarded of the Lord. For by that meanes he obtained that the execution of that iudgement against himselfe and all his posteritie which we haue heard of concerning the rasing of him and them from the kingdome and throne of Israel was put off and differred vntill his sonnes daies as it is saide in the wordes of that text that when he had heard what the prophet had prophesied against him 1. King 21.27 hee rent his clothes and put sackecloth vpon himselfe and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went softly in token of mourning and the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Theshbite saying Seest thou how Ahab is humbled because hee submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring this euill in his daies but in his sonnes daies I will bring euill vpon his house If the Lord then did so iustify this ordinance of his in the person of this wicked man when he did stoope but vnto the outward ceremonie and bodily exercise of it and was altogither voide of true humilitie and sound repentance resting onely in the bare outward tokens of them and had not his heart throughly broken by faith that hee differred this deserued and denounced iudgement so long that it came not in his daies which was a great outward blessing and honour vpon him how then much more if we so vse this outward abstinence as we doe Much mâ—re will he doe it to his seruants that vse it in trueth that especially we ioine to it the inward vertues of humilitie and repentance and contrition of hart and feruencie of praier will the Lord be appeased towards vs and at the least bee so farre foorth intreated that hee differre that great wrath of his that otherwise might breake out to our vtter destruction For if the Lorde hath shewed such mercie to the wicked as to spare them in this world for a time wheÌ„ they haue submitted themselues to the outward obedience of this commandement of humbling theÌ„selues in fasting though in great hypocrisie then howe much more will he spare his owne children that vse it in sincerity and trueth Therfore let this example also somewhat incourage vs with hope of good successe that wee shall finde the Lorde mercifull vnto vs in thus seeking vnto him in this time of great need And wee haue great reason so to doe if we doe but well weigh the dealing of one man towards another that when in affliction they haue submitted themselues vnto them they haue founde fauour with them By humble subâ—ission and pâ—aâ—er men haue found sâ—uouâ— with their enimiâ—s though they had greatly offended them before the onelie hope of this hath mooued them to seeke after this maner euen to those which were their professed enimies before and they haue done it not in vaine For thus it is written of Benadad king of Aram that when he was ouercome in two battels of Ahab king of Israel 1. King 20.29 and receaued so great an ouerthrow in the latter that in it were slaine of the Aramites an hundred thousand footemen in one daie and so was out of hope of anie safetie for himselfe at the length by the aduise of his seruants he put his companie into sackcloth with roapes about their heads and so came to the kind of Israel and intreated for their liues hoping by submitting theÌ„selues vnto him after this maner to obtaine pardon as indeed they did For the messengers when in this araie they came vnto him 1. King 2â— 33 said Thy seruant Benhadad saith I praie thee let me liue vsing all words and behauiour of great submission and Ahab answered he is my brother is he yet aliue goe bring him to me and when hee came hee made a couenant with him and let him goe See what is the fruite of true humiliation and humble supplication and if men will humble themselues and sue earnestly vnto men in hope of pardon 〈…〉 Gâ—d howe much more should they doe it vnto the Lorde whom they haue more offended and who hath greater power to punish them and if vnto those of whom they had no promise before of obtaining any thing but come to them altogither as it were at aduenture then much more to him of whom we haue so manie gratious promises in the Gospell to allure and encourage vs and if vnto those which were their open and professed aduersaries then most of al vnto him that is reconciled vnto vs by the blood of his sonne and is become our father in him and if vnto them where we haue none to speake and intreat for vs but our selues then especially to him where we haue an aduocate and mediatour 1. Ioh. 2.2 euen Iesus Christ the righteous who is also the propitiation for our sinnes and if vnto them of whose loue we neuer made triall before then vnto him much more who as he hath first shewed it aboue all measure in giuing his sonne to die for vs and that when we were his enimies hath since confirmed it vnto vs many waies that we need not doubt of it And on the other side if so great mercy hath beene thus found of men who haue scarce one drop of that compassion in them which is like a great deepe sea in the Lord then may we be assured that we shall not misse of it at his hands if we continue seeking and waite vpon him for it as we should and if a man hath found it of his enimy then much more of his God to whom he is reconciled and if where none speake for him but mortall men like themselues then much more where Iesus Christ the sonne of God maketh continual intercession for vs. So that euery waie we see we haue cause to doe as we do hoping assuredlie that we shall not doe it in vaine 〈…〉 praier Therefore if the commandement of God did not compell vs to the obedience of this humble submission as it doth yet the liberall and most certain promises which are made to them that shall vse it and especially the experience that we and other haue found of the vndoubted trueth of them should prouoke vs to this holy exercise of fasting and praier which if men will not come vnto so farre as they be able what remaineth for them and what other thing can they looke for but that if they will not humble themselues with the people of God to finde mercie they shall taste of his wrath with the wicked and if they wil not weepe now for their sinnes with the one they should houle in the punishment of them when it shall be too late with the other and if they wil haue no part nor portion in the obedience of Gods commandement giuen to his people both vnder the Law and the Gospell that they should haue part with them in the promises of reward made to them in them both Euen as the Lord himselfe in plaine words hath threatned that
not serue him in that kinde of fasting that our selues doe desire All fastes therefore are of two sortes they are either priuate or publike The one priuate the other publike either vsed of one person man or woman or of some one familie and household or of some fewe priuate persons in one family or out of diuers according to the seuerall neede that they shall finde in themselues or see to be in other or else vsed of an whole Church congregation publikely in a towne or of many Churches in the same towne or citie and so is common to them all or of diuers Churches in a countrie or realme according to the affliction that is or like to be vpon a towne citie countrie or realme and that not onely their own but some other as their neighbour townes or countries or generally anie part of the Church of God and so are mooued to it not onely in respect of themselues but of some others in loue and desire to succour them And vnto both there kindes all that hath beene hitherto saide of fasting doth truely and properly appertaine both for the commandement of God binding them to it and for the nature of it wherein it consisteth that it should be kept strictly after the maner that hath beene saide and for the time when and how long it should be held and how during that time we shoulde be occupied and so it shall be sufficient once to haue set them downe generally which must be practised of all that celebrate anie fast either publike or priuate so it shall not be needful in handling of the seuerall kinds to intreat of anie of theÌ„ particularly againe â—hat a priâ—ate fast is That I might speake therefore orderly I will first speake of a priuate fast which is that that is vndertaken and held by some priuate person man or woman rich or poore of what calling or degree soeuer prince or people or of a priuate familie or some few in the same or out of diuers housholds gathered together vpon their owne priuate motion yet orderly and in the feare of God according to anie calamitie that shall be vpon them or they shall haue iust cause to feare or as they shall be â—ouched and mooued in compassion more then other with the calamitie of the Church or common-weale wherein they liue or with the miserie of some particular persons in the same or of other Churches and the members thereof And that there ought to be such priuate fastes it is most apparant out of the Scripture for as the Lord doth by threatning or sending publike calamities That there ought to be priuate fast call whole countries and nations to a publike fast that when the cause is common to all all might humble themselues for it as we haue seene in the prophet Ioel Ioel 2. Ionah 3. Hest 4. and as was practised among the Niniuites and also among the Iewes in the time of Queene Hester where because the punishment present as of famine or threatned as vtter destruction of them all was generall therefore all were willed to fast and all did so So if there be any calamitie vpon any particular person or priuate persons they must thinke by the like proportion that God calleth them vnto it and that they stand bound to submit themselues to this ordinance though others doe not neither haue they any such cause or as the Lord shall giue them to see and to feele more then other the afflictions of their brethren and so are more willing as fellow members of the same bodie to mourne for them then others who through ignorance or hard heartednesse are not so well affected towards them And of these priuate fastes doth our Sauiour Christ speake in the Gospell Math. 6.16 When yee fast looke not sower as the hypocrites for they disfigure their faces that they seeme vnto men to fast Verily I saie vnto you they haue their reward but when thou fastest annoint thine head How we ought to behaue our selues in priuate fastâ—s and wash thy face that thou seeme not vnto men to fast but vnto thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret will reward thee openly Where hee condemneth the hypocrisie of those who in their priuate fastes when they came abroad would make great shew of it that they might be thought to be verie holie men to that end would so change by arte the naturall colour and hue of their face that they might seeme leane and without blood as though they had greatly pined awaie themselues with abstinence fasting and biddes them rather seeing it is priuate hide it as much as they can and to that end hee willeth them to looke cheerefully to dresse vp themselues well for it is sufficient that the Lord who seeth all things euen those that are done in secret taketh knowledge of it and he will reward them openly though they haue no praise and commendation of men as he had said before of almes Math. 6.3 Let not thy left hande know what thy right hand doth that thine almes may be in secret and thy father that seeth in secret will rewarde thee openly where he doth not disallow of almes but of their vaine ostentation in it who this way sought the praise of great charity among the people and saith that is sufficient that God knoweth it who will openly rewarde euerie man according to his workes We haue a practise and example of this priuate kinde of fasting in the person of King Dauid Sam. 12. when the Lord had stricken the childe with sickenesse that was begotten in adulterie of Bathshebah the wife of Vriah because that was a particular punishment vpon himselfe and hee did see the hand of God vpon himselfe very heauie in it according to that which Nathan the Prophet had threatned against him before â—auid kept a â—â—iuate fast â—hen his â—â—ulde lay â—â—cke Because thou hast caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the childe that is borne vnto thee shall surely die he humbled himselfe before the Lord alone by himselfe and sought vnto him by fasting and prayer that if it were possible according to his holy will he would spare him and this he did alone by himselfe for it is sayd That he fasted vers 16. and went in namely into his priuate chamber and withdrew himselfe from all company that hee might be alone and hee did lie all night vpon the earth and when the Elders chiefe men of his house came vnto him to perswade him to rise from the ground and to eat meat he would not neither did eat meat with them So that the rest of his householde did take their ordinarie food but he fasted And thus it seemeth he did more than one day during the sickenesse of the child for when it was dead they were afrayd to tell him of it saying while the child was aliue we spake vnto him and hee
the glorie of God and loue to the saluation of our brethren that wee should wee might see that besides this grieuous plague that is and hath beene not onely vpon our enimies if wee haue anie but vpon our neighbours friends which requireth publike fasting wee had many causes to haue done it priuately often long before this in respect of the horrible abominations and sinnes committed against God and against men euery where And that we might be mooued vnto it indeed we may further consider that we haue not onely the example of men but of godly women in this kind who haue giuen themselues much vnto priuate fasting For we read in the Gospell of Anna the daughter of Phanuel who was a Prophetesse Luk 2.37 and a widow of a great age who went not out of the temple but serued God with fasting and praier night and day Anna the â—rophetesse â—sed much priuate fasting This holie woman liuing in those corrupt times a little before the comming of our Sauiour Christ when all things in the Church were out of order did often humble her selfe before God in fasting and praier and sought earnestly vnto God tor a redresse of them she did not hecrein loose her labour but had the fruite of them for it came to passe that though she were a widdow and about foure-score and foure yeres yet she liued to see Christ come in the flesh to her vnspeakeable comfort and confessed him likewise and spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Ierusalem to the comfort of many Thus we see how we ought to haue fasted priuately oftentimes before so might we happely haue escaped at the least some great things that haue befallen vs and obtained manie great blessings which now wee haue wanted and also we see what we must doe heereafter if wee will looke to escape many euils and enioy manie blessings with the children of God and that at this present we had neede to doe as wee doe euen to continue these publike fasts that so wee might make a supply of that which we should often priuately haue done before Thus also in the daies of Queene Hester the fast that was kept by all the Iewes in Sushan A priuate fast held in manie seuerall families at once for the turning awaie of that great mischiefe that was intended against them by proud Haman though it was coÌ„mon in respect of the whole Church of God in that citie that kept it yet it was priuate in respect of the seuerall places where it was kept namely not in any coÌ„mon place of assemblie but in their seuerall houses dispersed heere and there so that Hester Hest 4.16 and her maides kept it by themselues as she promised for herselfe and for them euen as the rest of the Iewes were willed to doe it â—he duties of 〈◊〉 houshoulâ—ers herein So ought euerie godly houshoulder at the foresight of anie iudgement of God like to come vpon the Church where they liue in which if anie such thing should come they must thinke that they are like to haue their part as Mordecay saide â—est 4 13. to Hester Thinke not with thy selfe that thou shalt escape in the kings house more then all the Iewes to seeke humblie vnto the Lorde themselues and theirs so many as are capable of it by fasting and praier priuately for the turning of it away when there is no publike order taken for it or likelihood that there shall be And this is that which the Apostle hath respect vnto when he thus writeth to the Corinthians â— Cor. 7.5 Defraud not one another except it bee with consent for a time that you may giue yourselues to fasting and praier and again come together that Satan tempt you not for your incontinencie Where hee speaketh to the maried parties the houseband and the wife and sheweth what duties they owe one to another 1. Cor. 7.3 as Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence and likewise also the wife vnto the husband yet for fasting and praier they may and ought for that time with both their consents separate themselues So that there may be occasions in all times for which the husband and the wife themselues alone or with the rest of their familie or with some other of their godly neighbors and friends may and ought to giue themselues priuately to fasting and praier and then the apostle sheweth how the maried coople should for a time in one dutie of theirs behaue themselues one toward an other And truely if wee had rightly considered of all things that haue fallen out in our time and well weighed them Priuate fasting ought to be intertained into mens houses and laide them to hart we might easely haue seene long agoe that God had giuen vs iust occasion to haue intertained this speciall part of his worship into our houses as well as anie other though hitherto it had little or no intertainment at all with the most nay they haue not once so much as saluted it a farre off And as by the grace of God wee haue in many houses where the Gouernours are anie thing religious priuate praier morning and euening and at other times priuate reading of the Scriptures priuate singing of Psalmes so ought we also somtimes to haue priuate fasting For wheÌ„ the Lorde hath laide some grieuous sickenesse euen vnto death vpon anie of our children sonnes or daughters as he did vpon Dauids then shoulde we haue with fasting praier sought vnto the Lord for them 1. Sam. 12.15 as hee did much more then when others haue beene in that case For what causes and what good might come thereby who haue beene neerer vnto vs as the husband or the wife who lie in the bosome one of another and are but one euen in the neerest bond as one flesh But especially when God hath taken any of them away and so hath come neerer vnto vs with his correction then had we much more cause thus in fasting to cast downe our selues at his feet in the humble confession of our sinnes which were the cause of it 2. Sam. 3.35 as Dauid did when Abner was slaine if he did so for one that was so farre off from him and had sometime also beene his enemie then we much more for those that haue beene neere vnto vs and alwayes our friends as of our familie and of our flesh And besides when God hath laid any speciall affliction vpoÌ„ our seruants Psal 35.12 69.9 for if Dauid did it for his enemies then wee much more for those whose seruice is not hurtfull but profitable vnto vs yea when any great sinnes haue broken out in any of our houshold which haue threatned some grieuous iudgement of God to enter in vpon vs for it or when wee haue seene sinne openly abound in others And if all men had thus done it might not onely haue kept this great plague out of many houses
but many other great punishments wherewith for want of it they haue beene iustly afflicted Yea we ought thus to haue done when wee haue wanted some great blessing of God or sought for some speciall thing at the hand of the Lord for our soules or bodies for our selues or for our children as in the matter of mariage or some other weighty thing that we haue had in hand which hath greatly concerned vs or them that we might be directed and blessed in the same as the children of the captiuitie did when they returned home towards Ierusalem Ezr. 8.21 for they proclaimed a fast and humbled themselues before God sught of him a right way for themselues and for their children and for all their substance and the Lord was intreated of them for he gaue theÌ„ good successe in their iourney and deliuered them from their enimies So we might doe it priuately that the Lord might blesse vs in the waightie affaires of ours keepe vs from all dangers that might otherwise befall vs. For though we obtaine many things daily at the mercifull hands of our heauenly father by our ordinarie prayers publike and priuate yet he hath made the largest promises of blessing vnto fasting and prayer and greatest things haue been obtained that way of all the seruaunts of God Math. 17.14 For as Christ sayd vnto his Disciples to whom a certaine man brought his sonne possessed with a deuill but they could not cast him out and they demanded of their Master why they could not doe it Many thing are not obtained without those prayers whereunto fasting is adioyned This kinde is not cast out but by prayer and fasting that is a most feruent kinde of prayer whereunto fasting is to be adioyned to quicken vs vp thereunto that it might be as it were a whetstone to sharpen our dull spirits and to set an edge upon our blunt hearts So that wee may easily perceiue that some things yea many things that we stand in need of are not obtained or euils remooued without this kinde of prayer whereunto fasting is adioyned For as some things are not to be had without a great price nor many sutes obtained of great men without long and earnest supplication so some things are not to bee receiued from God without those feruent prayers and supplications which can not be without fasting nor without that huÌ„ble prostrating of our selues which is wrought in vs by that meanes And thus we are taught that wee ought to haue vsed priuatelie this part of Gods seruice a great deale more than wee haue done whereby we might haue brought into our houses more blessings and have kept out more afflictions than now wee haue But indeed the ignorance of the most part is so lamentable By reason of their great ignorance many are vnfit for priuate fasts that if they shuld not onely haue thus done before but should now vpon the hearing of this doctrine heerafter determine for some good cause best knowen unto themselues to take this exercise vpon them they know not how to behaue themselues in it or to performe it in anie measure so as it might be acceptable vnto God and comfortable to themselues So that it would fall out with them as with those of whom our Sauiour Christ speaketh in the Gospell Luk. 5.36 that they should not only not be bettered thereby but made worse euen as if a piece of a new garment were put into an olde vesture then the new renteth it and the piece taken out of the new agreeth not with the olde or as if new wine were put into olde vessels the new wine would breake the vessels and it would run out and the vessels would perish By which parables he teacheth vs that fasting unfitly vsed of them that are not meet for it nor onely maketh them worse but vtterlie destroyeth them Therefore better were it for such not to vse it at all than by abusing it for want of skill further to prouoke Gods wrath against themselues in which respect hee excuseth his Disciples for not vsing this priuate fasting as yet â—ut in this â—ng and â—leere light â—f the Gâ—spel â—gnorance â—xcuseth â—one though the Disciples of Iohn Baptist did But surely for vs this long time and plentifull preaching of the Gospel so many yeres might haue made all of vs fit enough for this holie excrcise so many as are of yeres of discretion and so this grosse ignorance and thereby wonderful vnfitnesse that is in men doth not excuse them as it did the Disciples who were but Nouices in his schoole for hee had beene then but a little with them Therefore wee see what God requireth of vs priuately as any occasion shall fall out namely that wee should serue him not onely in other holy dueties but in fasting and prayer and therfore that we ought all of vs so to profit by the publike ministerie of the Word while it is among vs that we may be fit for it when the Lord by his word or by his worke shall call vs vnto it But to draw towards an end it is further to bee obserued concerning these priuate fasts that we now intreat of that all sorts of men and women haue not power to appoint vnto themselues what time they wil for this purpose no though they euidently see that they haue iust cause to vse it For besides that the man and woman are so neerely vnited by the bond of mariage as by the couenant of God Prou. 2.17 Math. 19.5 1. Cor. 7.5 whereby it commeth to passe that they are no more two but one flesh as Christ sayth in the Gospell so that they can not separate themselues one from another no not for a time and to this end without continuall consent as wee haue seene a little before all they that are vnder the priuate gouernment of others None vnder gouernment can make choise of daies for priuate fasts without consent of their gouernors are at the disposition of their gouernours by the law and commaundement of God as sonnes and daughters men seruants and maid seruants scholars all labourers and hired men for the time and such like so that none of these can without the knowledge and free consent of those vnder whom they are make choise of what day in the weeke they wil to obserue their priuate fasts in For seeing the day of fast is to be kept holie and being of the nature of the Sabbath as hath beene prooued before in it they must wholly rest from all the works of their ordinarie calling from euening to euening and must spend that time in the worship of God they can not at their owne will and pleasure giue ouer these workes and so consequently not appoint vnto themselues a day of resting but must be contented heerein to be ordered by the discretion of those to whom they haue either by the bond of nature or by some couenant wholly addicted themselues and all their
that we lacke helpe and that we had need still to call for more and so to stir vp those that come not or come seldome and to call vpon them that doe that they would bring as manie with them as they can euen their whole familie and all the seruants in the same And doe we not see by this that it is our bounden dutie to do as we do that we may continue it willingly of conscience and that we had not need to be remisse or slacke one whit either in true humilitie for our sinnes or in feruencie of praier seeing Gods hand is not slaked but rather stretched out still Therefore to conclude this point as the commandement and cause is publike so by our practise let it appeare among vs that our fasts are so and not priuate as it were to some few â—he cause of â—ublike fasts 〈◊〉 the wrath â—f God aâ—ainst the â—hurch Now concerning the causes of publike fastings they are set downe particularly to be diuers in the holy Scripture but for the most part and generally the cause is expresly noted to be the wrath and anger of God against the Church as appeareth by all the fasts that we reade of in the old new Testament And this is diligently to be obserued of vs that wee seeing the same cause among vs might knowe that though wee are commanded by publike authoritie to vse them and so all are bound to them yet when wee shall further vnderstand that God himselfe not man onely for this cause calleth vs vnto them then wee should iudge that all are bound vnto them so much the more And this wrath of God the cause of publike fasts is considered two waies either that which is alreadie come vpon men or which is iustly to be feared shortly and to whether of these two causes wee shall cast our eyes we shall clearely see that we haue great cause to do as we do that is publickely to humble our selues in fasting before the Lord. And first of all when it iâ— presently vpon them Iudg. 20.26 For concerning the former which is the wrath of God presently vpon the Church wee reade in the time of the Iudges when in two battels there were slaine of the Israelites fortie thousand this heauie hand of God being then vpon them all the children of Israel went vp and all the people came also vnto the house of God and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day vnto the euening so that in this present calamitie all the people came to the fast which was held for it in the house of God Since this plague began among vs by all estimation there haue not so few as forty thousand died in this land therefore wee haue also as great cause to fast for this present apparent token of Gods wrath as they had and so all the people should come to the house of God to that end Moreouer the Prophet Ioel sayth to the people of Iudah that seeing there was so great a famine among them that God commanded them all publikelie to fast saying Ioel 2.15 Thus saieth the Lord Blow the trumpet in Sion sanctifie a fast call a solemne assemblie gather the people sanctifie the congregation gather the elders assemble the children and those that sucke the breasts let the bridegrome goe forth of his chamber and the bride out of her bride chamber let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe Where we see that because the present scarsitie of the fruits of the earth was so great he calleth all sorts of men and women yoong and olde without exception vnto publike fasting to pacifie Gods wrath and that by the commaundement of the Lord saying As it is now vpon vs in this pestilence Thus saith the Lord. If the anger of God appearing in the famine was a sufficient cause to moue them to it then seeing it appeareth no lesse if not a great deale more in the deadlie contagions and mortalitie of the pestilence that we may be assured that the Lord doth require the same of vs also Againe if the Israelites when they were ouerthrowen in battle by their enimies the Philistins in the daies of Samuel did thinke that there was great cause to confesse their sinnes vnto God with all humilitie in fasting praier publikely according to the direction of the said Samuel 1. Sam 7.6 who said Gather al Israel to Mizpeh and I wil pray for you vnto the lord they gathered togither to Mizpeh and drew water powred it out before the Lord that is wept abundantly and fasted the same day and saide there wee haue sinned against the Lorde and afterwards in the daies of Dauid vpon the like occasion of whom and of all whose companie it is saide 2. Sam. 1.12 That Dauid tooke hold on his clothes and rent them and likewise all the men that were with him and they mourned and wept and fasted vntill euen for Saul and Ionathan his sonne and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel because they were slaine with the sword Then seeing the plague deuoureth no lesse then the sword of which it is said that it so destroieth at noone-daie Psa 91.7 that it causeth a thousand to fall on the one side ten thousand on the other seeing the wrath of God appeareth in the one as well as in the other though wee haue escaped that which wee feared namely that wee haue not fallen into the handes of our enemies yet seeing the Lorde hath sent this great scourge of the pestilence vpoÌ„ vs which we looked not for we haue as great cause to humble our selues with fasting confessing our sins vnto God in praier In which respect we are bound to keepe them by the commandement not onely of men but of God as they So then we may perceiue that seeing this one cause of publike fasting is among vs namely the sensible and apparent token of Gods wrath in great measure that the thing it selfe ought to be practised of vs and that we are called to it now not onely by the voice of man but of the Lord our God and so euery one ought to thinke themselues bound to it so much the more Furthermore the wrath of God is to be considered of vs not only when it is 〈◊〉 presently vpon vs and may be felt Secondly the signes of gods wrath to come haue beene cause of publike fasting but wheÌ„ it maybe descerned a far off and when there is iust cause to fear it as that that is neere vs and readie shortly to come vpon vs if it be not speedily preuented whereof when the seruants of God haue seene euident signes and apparent tokens they haue in the wisedome of the spirit of God sought by fasting and praier to turne it away and haue not carelessely taried vntill such time as it came vpon them And so that hath beene an other sufficient cause of fasting vnto
them namely the signes of Gods wrath by al likelihood shortly to come vpon them Wherein they haue prouidently behaued themselues like vnto those that are wise who being in their iourney and spying a blacke cloud to arise so perceiuing some great tempest to be at hande haue either prepared themselues well for it or haue sought some shelter against it So they foreseeing by all probable coniectures so great calamity to come vpon them haue by fasting and praier sought vnto the Lord as to the onely gouernour and disposer of all things either of his great mercy to turne it away from them or of his infinite compassion to mitigate the extremity of it or to giue them patience and strength to beare it or that some way or other they might finde fauour with him in it And concerning the signes and tokens of Gods wrath shortly to come they haue wisely obserued and considered of them diuersly As first of all in the course of his prouidence that seeing ordinarily such and such causes doe bring forth such effects euents and therefore by the cause as by a signe more then probable Which signe haue beene considered in the ordinary course of gods prouidence they haue not vnaduisedly feared such sequels and haue seene Gods anger in them And namely we see that vnseasonable weather as want of raine in due season or too great aboundance of it out of time betokeneth scarsity of the fruites of the earth and so consequently dearth and famine preparation for warre by a mightie and strong enimie threatneth the losse of men and spoiling of goods the beginning of the plague portendeth great mortalitie and such like therefore when there hath beene but the beginning of such things seeing the stormie tempest as it were arising they haue sought by this ordinance of fasting as by a sure refuge to escape it And so we read that when there came some and told Iehoshaphat King of Iudah saying 2. Chr. 20.2 There commeth a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea out of Aram and behold they be in Hazzon Tamar which is in Engedi And Iehoshaphat fefeared sat himselfe to seeke the Lord proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah Iudah gathered themselues together to aske couÌ„sel of the Lord they came out of all the cities of Iudah to inquire of the Lord. Thus we see when this huge armie of the Ammonites Moabites and mount Seir did but come vp against Ierusalem at the first hearing of it though yet nothing was done neither were they come to them considering what was likely to be the euent of that warre if they had proceeded and if the Lord had not holpen them he proclaimed a fast and did thus seeke to escape that which was like to come So likewise in the time of the captiuitie when ambitious and cruell Haman the mortall enimie of the Iews so breathed after their vtter destruction that he ceased not to cast lottes from day to day to finde out a prosperous time to bring his mischieuous purpose to passe and at the last had got the King to set his hande to a Decree concerning the finall racing of them all out in one daie and Mordecay had sent the copie of this commission to the Queene Hester Hest 4.6 long before the bloodie day of that intended massacre came they sought vnto the Lorde And so they haue sought to preuent Gods wrath and haue not taried till it came vpon them for Hester commanded heereupon that they should assemble all the Iewes and fast and pray for her as she likewise promised for herselfe for her maides that they woulde doe so also So that these before their enimies began the slaughter by all probability of that that was done already seeing what was most like to insue if God were not mercifull vnto them to turn the hart of the king towards theÌ„ before-hand they sought by fasting praier to escape it and did so as it followeth in that storie more at large And so by these few examples we see how the seruants of God that haue beene godly wise haue not alwaies taried vntil Gods wrath in some of his punishments hath seased vpon them but the very foresight of it a loofe of hath bin enough to moue theÌ„ to seeke vnto the Lorde in fasting and praier to escape it or to finde mercie in it Euen as an ingenuous childe and he that is of anie good disposition seeketh to his father for pardon not onely when he is vnder the rodde of correction and feeleth the stripes but when hee seeth his father with an angrie countenance comming towards him with the rodde in his hands so they haue not taried till they haue felt the smart of Gods correction vpon themselues but the verie shew of his wrath comming against them hath beene sufficient to moue them to humble themselues before him and to craue his pardon In which respect also besides that that we spake of before we must needs confesse that wee haue great cause to fast and pray publikly for besides that great wrath of God that hath beene a long time vpon our brethren In respect of Gods wrath likely yet further to come vpon vâ— there is cause of these publike fasts which is a thing present and so ought to moue if we further consider what cause wee haue to feare our selues our houses and our townes though hitherto by the grace of God nothing is come vpon vs we shall acknowledge it to bee true And to this end we must acknowledge the nature of this disease to be very contagious and infectiue aboue all other and that it spreadeth from one place to another after a speciall maner and that it infecteth also after an extraordinarie kinde as not onely by touching and eating and drinking with them and keeping them companie that are sicke of it as some other diseases doe but euen by the breath that we draw in which as it is the most common nourishment that wee haue and without the which wee can not liue so it is most subtile and speedie aboue all other so that it worketh in vs with great expedition whereupon it commeth to passe that euen by passing by theÌ„ euen suddenly with the breath and sauour of them that are infected we are corrupted and it is a poison and so infecteth deadly and speedilie as all poisons doe all the parts of the body â—f we consiâ—er the conâ—agious naâ—ure of the plague how speedily and how deadly â—t infecteth and not so much corrupteth the humors of the bodie which is sufficient to breed deadly diseases as it infecteth the heart and the spirits and all the vitall parts and therefore dispatcheth a man quickely and killeth him speedily so may die suddenly as experience teacheth euen in this plague that some being taken into a mans house ouer night haue beene found dead in the morning and some haue fallen from their horses as they trauelled and
did so worke vpon him in this great prosperitie of his owne that hee was not able to hide it but it did manifestly bewraie it selfe in his countenance so that the king when he waited at the table did perceiue it and asked him the cause of it saying Neh. 2.2 Why is thy countenance sadde seeing thou art not sicke this is nothing but sorrowe of heart Then he told him the cause of it and said to the king God saue the â—â—ng for euer why shoulde not my countenance be sadde when the citie and house of the sepulcher of my faâ—hers lieth waste and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire Thus we see how hee in all pittie and compassion sorrowed for the desolation of others and shall we thinke that we may now giue our selues to feasting and chearing to myrth and pleasure to recreation and pastimes and to all kinde of meeting to these endes as in times past and haue little or no sorrowe at all when our brethren in other places are in great affliction and manie houses lie waste with the pestilence We must doe as wee would be done vnto if we were in their case or in any other miserie we would be glad that others should pittie vs and in pittie praie for vs Then shall â—thers also pittie vs in the like case and praie for vs. and it would be a great comfort vnto vs to heare that any did so then must we in the meane season thus pittie others and in a brotherly compassion praie for them that when it shall be our owne case that waie or any other way we might not bee left to our selues but others might doe as much for vs as we haue done for them before according to the promise of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Giue Leu. 6.36 and it shall bee giuen you a good measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer shall men giue vnto your bosome for with what measure you mete with the same shall men mete vnto you againe It is written of Vriah the Hittite one of Dauids woorthie captaines that when hee was sent for home in pollicie by the King that by going home to his owne house the adultery that was coÌ„mitted with his wife Bethshebah in his absence might be hidden 2. Sam. 11. â— and therefore the king said vnto him Goe downe to thine house and wash thy feete so Vriah departed out of the kings pallace and the king sent a present after him but Vriah Vriah departed from his lawfull delightes because his brethren were in aduersity slept at the doore of the kings pallace with all the seruants of his Lorde and went not downe to his house then they tolde Dauid saying Vriah went not downe to his house and Dauid said vnto Vriah commest thou not from thy iourney Why doest thou not goe downe to thine house Then Vriah answered Dauid The Arke and Israel and Iudah dwell in tentes and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fieldes shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drinke and to lie with my wife by thy life and by the life of thy soule I will not do this thing Is this good and holy man Vriah would not go home to his house and make much of himselfe when the King bad him when there were so manie reasons for it because his Lord and captaine Ioab vnder whom he serued and manie other of the people his fellow souldiers were in the field before their enemies and so in danger of their liues but thought it meet in godly wisedome though hee was absent from them to beare part of the burden with them So should we fall from our â—leasures in â—his great soâ—ow losse â—f others Then wee if wee haue the like compassion to our brethren that hee had should thinke that wee ought to abridge our selues somewhat at the least of our honest lawfull delights and to cut off not only all superfluity and excesse but somewhat of our ordinarie diet and to sorrow with those our brethren who though they are not in the open fields and in the face and feare of their enemies yet are in no lesse danger feare of their liues by reason of this great plague Psal 91.5 which as an arrow flieth by day and walketh in the darkenesse and destroieth at noon day so that neither day nor night they are in safetie or without feare and is as deadlie as the sword for it causeth a thousand to fall on the one side and ten thousand on the other and so they haue manie fearefull dayes and take little rest in the night neither can they eat their meat quietly or with any comfort So that vnlesse we will be addicted and liue whollie to ourselues and care for none other this great wrath vpon our brethren so long and so heauie should driue vs to weepe with them to fast and pray for them and seeing they are so greatly humbled in themselues we should some wayes cast downe our selues with them Therefore let vs set their lamentable estate To that end we should seriouslie thinke of their lamentable estate before our eies and let it be a looking glasse vnto vs let vs in the feare of God thinke of it seriously and in good earnest as if it were our owne case that wee may be thorowly mooued with it and let vs not haue such stonie hearts so void of all bowels of compassion that wee should heare weekely of the death of our brethren and what great lamentation is made euerie where some for the losse of their husbands and wiues some for the death of their parents and children others for the departure of their sisters and brethren friendes neighbours kinsefolke and acquaintance and we should haue no sorrow for it at all this were the verie next way to prouoke God against our selues and wilfullie to pull the same miserie vpon our owne heads Dauid was so full of pitie that he fasted besought the Lord not onely when the hand of God was vpon some of his own houshold 2. Sam. 12.15 as when the Lord had striken the child that was begotten in adultery so it lay sick but also when it was vpon others euen vpon his enemies Psal 35.13 as he professeth himselfe They rewarded mee euill for good to haue spoiled my soule yet I when they were sicke I was clothed with a sack I humbled my selfe with fasting my praier was turned vpon my bosome that is I prayed for them continually I behaued my selfe as to my friends or as to my brother I humbled my selfe mourning as one that bewaileth his mother If he did thus for his enimies how much more should we doe it for them who haue giuen vs no other cause to iudge of them but as of our friends if he did it for some one or a few priuate persons then how much more should we doe it when the affliction is so common and