to an other end euen to the true humbling of vs before God for our sins which if we do not attaine vnto by these meanes it is not onely not accepted but further prouoketh the wrath of God For God is a spirit and will be so worshiped and though men iudge of vs after the outward appearance yet God looketh to the heart and when this outward abstinence hath beene vsed without these inward graces of humilitie and such like the Prophets haue iustly found fault with them and namely the Prophet Esaie Esai 58.3 Wherefore haue we fasted saie they thou seest it not we haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not Behold in the day of your fast you will seeke your owne will and require all your debtes Behold yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse yee shal not fast as yee doe to daie is it such a fast that I haue chosen Without thâ— which it is nothing woorth that a man should afflict his soule for a day and to bow downe his head as a bul-rush and to lie downe in sackcloth and ashes wilt thou cal this a fasting or acceptable day vnto the Lord and so foorth as it followeth at large in that place Where the hypocrites complaine that they had fasted and had that way punished their bodies greatly and God regarded it not but he answereth that if they were neuer so weake with fasting euen like a bul-rush that can not hold vp the head against the winde yet because they were as cruell and hard-hearted to their brethren as full of contention as before and had not profited to the inward vertues of humilitie and contrition of heart which was the principall end of it therefore he did not accept of it And indeed if we content our selues with this outward abstinence the very brute beasts and cattell euen the bullocks and sheepe at Nineue did keepe as good a fast as we â—ona 3.7 for they were couered with sackcloth and did neither feed nor drinke water Therefore we see what must make all our fasting acceptable vnto God euen that we be furthered by them in al such graces of his spirit in our soules and consciences as the Lord in such cases requireth For as in the Sabbath bodily rest is first commanded yet the sanctifying of the day of rest in the holy worship of God is chiefe As the rest of the Sabbath is to be referred vnto the sanctification of the day and that whereunto the other is referred and without the which the other is nothing worth els they that sleepe all day or the cattell that are not wrought might keepe as good a Sabbath as we So in the day of fast though abstinence from meat be first required yet in it selfe such bodily exercise profiteth little as the Apostle saith but is vsed to another end Therfore as if we wil keepe that fourth commandement we must so rest that hauing our minds bodies drawn froÌ„ all worldly things we might in both be wholly occupied in gods seruice so if we will celebrate a fast vnto the Lord we must so vse the outward ceremony as thereby we might be furthered in the inward vertues of the mind We are then to consider what they be for in them resteth the second part of fasting The second part of fasting consisteth in the inward grace of the mâ—nde for as it was sayd before the whole action consisteth in two things the one outward concerning the body whereof we haue hitherto spoken the other inward apperteining to the soule which now remaineth to be intreated of And that is all those inward vertues of the minde and graces of the spirit which this way the Lord would haue vs furthered in all which are so much the more excellent and therefore the more diligently to be laboured after than the other by how much the soule is better than the body and how much it is better to approoue our selues and our doings vnto the Lord as we shall do in the one then vnto men as we may doe in the other These are of two sorts Heere then we are to consider what these inward vertues be whereto by this outward abstinence we should labour to be furthered which though they be many yet for breuitie and memories sake we will principally consider of two The first is the true humbling and casting downe of ourselues before the high Maiestie of God with sorrow and griefe of heart for all our sinnes in the conscience and feeling of them and of the miserie due vnto vs for the same The second is the assurance and good hope that we should haue through the free mercy of God in his gratious promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of euery one of them for Christ Iesus his sake vpon our true repentance and vnfained turning from them and so that we being thus reconciled vnto God shall obtaine the things that we stand in need of and by earnest prayer alwayes ioyned vnto fasting wee make sute vnto him for whether it be the turning away or remouing from vs some grieuous iudgement and punishment of his or the bestowing or continuing of some great blessing of his vpon vs or vpon others And these two Esra 8.21 as they be chiefe and principall so they are both of them mentioned in that fast that Ezra kept with the rest of his companie As appeareth in the fast of Ezra and his companie And there at the riuer by Athana I proclaimed a fast that we might humble our selues before our God and seeke of him a right way for vs and for our children for all our substance for I was ashamed to require of the king an armie and horse-men to helpe vs against the enemie in the way because we had spoken to the king saying the hand of our God is vpon al them that seeke him in goodnesse but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him So we fasted besought our God for this and he was intreated of vs. Where we see how he in his returne from Babylon to Ierusalem after the captiuity with many other at such a place proclaimed a fast to these ends both that they might humble themselues before God for their sinnes which were the cause of their captiuitie and might now hinder them from such blessings as they stood in need of and that they might by praier seeke earnestly vnto God with hope that he would direct and blesse them in the waie and defend them from their enimies So in their obedience they did aime at these two inward vertues first â—o bee thoroughly humbled for their sinnes and then by earnest praier to seeke to God with hope that hee would giue them the thing that then they stood in need of euen defence from their enimies in the way and a prosperous iourney to Ierusalem And so in this practise of theirs as in a glasse we most cleerely
vs is contagious and so may easely spread euen vnto vs quickly by them that come from the places infected as thus it hath come to manie places a farre off already Therefore in respect of all these we are bounde by Gods law to giue our selues to fasting and praier as well as the Iewes were though we be not tied to that moneth and to that daie â—ugh the â—moniall 〈◊〉 of the â—es fast â—brogaâ— yet faâ—g remaiâ— still For euen as though the Iewish Sabbath be taken away which was vpon the Satterday yet whether wee consider the end of fasting or of sanctifying a day of rest we are stil bound to keepe one in seuen and this one that we doe and wee haue as much need of it as the Iewes had so we may say of the day of fasting though that prescript day be taken away yet if we consider the endes and causes of it namely to humble vs for our sinnes we are bounde to it still vpon some daies and haue as much need of it as euer they had Therefore we must be perswaded that now God doth require it of vs and not onely the king and so let vs doe it in obedience vnto him principally and conscience of our dutie Thus we see also what we ought to haue done and what God required of vs often heeretofore though we haue neglected it when wee haue seene sin abound threatning Gods iudgement yea when wee haue seene and felt his punishment vpon vs in vnseasonable weather in scarcitie and deere yeeres in the time of common sicknesse in the feare of our enemies in traitors at home and such like which if we had vsed more as we had occasion and the time called vs vnto it we might haue looked for greater blessings and many punishments had not lien so loâ—g vpon the people But that that we haâ—e failed in before let vs now make a supply of and to that end let vs farther consider what proofe we haue more that God requireth it of vs. If this yeerely day vpon these grounds that we haue heard be not sufficient to bind vs then let vs remeÌ„ber that besides it they had other mooueable vncertaine fastes The Iewes had other mooueable fasts vpon sundry occasions which were holden at diuers times vpon sundrie occasions that we seeing how we haue the like occasions among vs might knowe that wee haâ—e the like commandement from God to doe as they did and so should fall into the like practise and not to thinke it to be a thing commanded onely by man and so indifferent and therefore that a man may choose whether he will vse it or leaue it To this end consider what is written by the Prophet Ioel cap. 2. â—el 2.12 Therefore now the Lorde saith turne you vnto me with all your heart aâ—â— with fasting and with weeping â—â—d with mourning where he telleth them plainely that at that very time God commanded them to fast in the former part of that Chapter hee had put them in minde of a great punishment of God that was vpon the fruits of the earth by caterpillers and such like vermine and then sheweth them what God required of them in such a case as the onely remedie euen to humble themselues for their sinnes the cause of it and to seeke to him with fasting and praier â—â—mmanded y the Lord. and therefore saith that God commanded them so to do If then this was done by the commandement of God vpon such an occasion then may wee be assured also that other publike fasts that we reade of in the Scriptures vpon the like occasions had the like commandement from God though it bee not in expresse wordes so set downe For if when the fruits of the earth were destroied he commandeth them in the name of God to fast as the onely remedie to be holpen then may we be assured that we are commanded not onely by the king which is sufficient to binde all men but by God himselfe to doe as we doe when not the fruits of the earth so much as men for whom they were made By the saâ— reason Gâ— commanâ— vs to fasâ— this preseâ— 2 Sam. 1. by this pestilence and hand of God are destroied in great number Thus Dauid by the wisedome of gods spirit according to the equitie of his law did see that he had great cause to fast when he heard of the ouerthrow that the Israelites had by the Philistims and so himselfe and his companie did fast for that great losse accounting as it is written 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 if he saw that God required it of him when the people were slaine by men then ought we to beleeue that he requireth it of vs also when so manie are slaine by his owne hande and he hath not yet ceased but his arme is stretched out still as the Prophet saith In like maner Iehosaphat the king of Iudah 9.12.21 when the Ammonites and the Moabites and they of mount Seir came against him and his people he being but in feare of some destruction proclaimed a generall fast by praier sought vnto the Lorde and thought it his bounde dutie to doe so as it is saide â—hr 20.3 Hee feared and set himselfe to seeke the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah then we much more haue good cause to doe as wee doe and this fast that is now euerie where obserued by publike authoritie is done vpon good ground euen by the commandement of almightie God When besides the iust cause to feare for the time to come we heare of so great destruction in many places alreadie The like may be said of all other fastes obserued in Gods worde namely that they haue bene taken vp not as a voluntarie or wil-worship that it should be saide of them Isa 1.12 who hath required these things at your hands but as a necessarie obedience vnto the commandement of God though not giuen vnto them in expresse words yet necessarily gathered froÌ„ the equitie of his law Hest 4 1â— As also in the daies of Hester when Haman the Iewes aduersarie sought their ruine and ouerthrow they to preuent it sought to humble themselues before God for their sinnes and therefore gaue themselues to fasting as God requireth in such cases both that therby we might be humbled and also that it might appeare that we were so indeed and this they did because the case was very extraordinarie when the destruction of the whole church of God was sought at once So we may thinke that in so great calamity as this not in one but in many places and so not in one but in many partes of the Church of God God requireth of vs that we should humble our selues in fasting some one day or other Last of all that we
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
aduisedly consider howe God hath not onely punished the wicked for their sinnes but that hee hath not spared his owne children as that hee not onely vtterly destroied those seauen goodly churches in Asia because they fell from their first loue and did not repent in time but also did euen cast off the Iewes his owne people for their contempt of his word Mat. 21.43 and tooke away the Gospell of the kingdome from them vnto this day because they did not bring foorth the fruites of it that as the Apostle saith We by their fall might feare Rom. 11.20.21 and seeing hee spared not the naturall branches we shoulde take heed least hee also spare not vs. But most of all we may see the fierce wrath of God against sinne to humble vs Euen vpon his owne sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour and his vnchangeable iustice in the person of his owne deare Sonne who taking vpon him our sinnes was in all torments of soule and bodie pressed downe with them to the bottome of hell for a time Heb. 5.7 Luk. 22.44 no praiers or supplications that hee could make euen with strong cries could deliuer him no agonie or bloudie sweats that hee indured in his soule and bodie could pacifie it and set him free but he must needs beare it vnto the full and so inded as the Prophet foretolde he was wounded for our transgressions Esa 53.8 he was broken for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was vpon him that so we by the law seeing our sinnes and by his curses acknowledging our desert for the same and by the execution of them his constant and immutable iustice in them might in feare and trembling cast downe our selues at his feet and as in fasting we haue bereaued our selues willingly of all so we might feele and in feeling confesse that we are vnwoorthie of all and so come to this most excellent vertue of humilitie which is the first part of those inward graces which by the outward exercise of fasting is to be laboured after and openly professed And so much of that now remaineth the other to be spoken of HOMIL IIII. The fourth Homilie continueth to intreat of the inward vertues of the mind and namely of the hope that we should haue of the pardon of our sinnes vpon our true repentance and that God will giue vs the things that we seeke to him for which hope must stirre vs vp to feruent and long prayer and how by importunitie wee shall preuaile with God and what things els may quicken vs vnto feruent prayer THe second part of the inward vertues of the mind and graces of the spirit of God which we must not only haue The second inward vertue is the hope that by faith we should haue of the fauour of God vpon our true humilitie but labour to be furthered in by this outward exercise of fasting and to which end we do vndertake it and which also we must openly professe is an assurance full hope that God for Christ his sake vpon our true repentance for our sinnes and vnfained humiliation for them and forsaking of them will pardon them all and will giue vs all those things that we stand in need of and wee then make humble sute vnto him for So then this is also another thing that as at all other times so most of all in the day of fast we must labour after euen an increase of faith whereby wee may be raised vp in our soules through the grace of God in Christ as high as the conscience of our sinnes and the deserued punishment of them doth cast vs downe and a full perswasion that we shall obtaine the remoouing of those euils through the death merits of our Sauior Christ which either presently presse vs or iustly hang ouer our heads For as true repentance humbling vs and as it were casting vs downe with one hand both in sorow for our sinnes and confession of the same leaueth vs not in that downefall lest we should dispaire but gratiously reacheth the other hand to lift vs vp againe and this is the right end of all true humilitie not to dismay vs but to comfort vs with the hope of Gods fauour euen from thence as it is sayd Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God 1. Pet. 5. â—5 that he may exalt you in due time And againe he resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the humble So this solemne profession of humilitie in fasting and praier much more doth and must so cast vs downe and abase vs in the conscience of our vnwoorthinesse euen of the least of Gods benefits openly in our practise by bereauing our selues of them for a time professing so much as that it doth giue vs so much the more hope of fauour from God by how much we doe then more then ordinarily iudge our selues So that heere is another thing to be furthered in by this outwarde abstinence namely In which wâ— must be furthered by the inward and outward affliction of the body and the minde that wee may haue a greater hope and assurance then before that God for Christs sake will be mercifull vnto vs because we doe according to his commandement more humble our selues then before not for the merite or woorthinesse of that but because of the gratious promises which of his free mercie he hath made to all those that thus turne vnto him and vnfainedly seeke him For as the abstinence without this humiliation is nothing worth so is the casting down of our selues in the sight and feeling of our sins our vnworthinesse for the same of no value or profite without this hope in the goodnesse of God and therefore as this abstinence must bring vs to this contrition of heart so that must further vs in our hope And therefore vnto this abstinence there hath beene alwais adioined as a thing inseparable supplications praiers which cannot be at all in any acceptable maner without some hope and assurance from God that we shall bee heard And therefore fasting is neuer without prayer As then in all maner of fastes we must first cleerely see our sins confesse them vnfainedly and thoroughly iudge our selues for them so must we then also with good hope in the goodnesse of God for Christes sake praie earnestly for the full pardon and forgiuenesse of them and for the turning away or remoouing from vs all heauie iudgements which are due to vs or vpon vs for the same So that this is an other thing required of vs in the day of fasting which we now keepe and to which end we doe abstaine as we do euen that with great hope vpon our great humiliation we might praie to God to remooue from our brethren this heauy hand of his that hath a long time lien sore vpon vs and vpon them And thus we shall find in holy scripture that all the best seruants of God haue in their fastings vsed solemne
of God Leu. 23.27 So likewise Moses speaking of the day of fast sayth It shal be an holy conuocation vnto you and you shal humble your soules and offer sacrifices made by fire vnto the Lord where he doeth not onely say that their assemblies then should be to an holy end as vpon the Sabbath and that they shuld not meet about worldly matters but speaketh of sacrifices as a part of Gods worship then to be vsed Therefore concerning the seruice of God this day to be vsed as vpon the Sabbath day besides the dayly morning and euening sacrifice there was a peculiar kinde of sacrifice appointed for that day Num. 28.9 namely two lambes of a yeere olde c. and so all things were then doubled and thus they spent the greatest part of the day in we publicke seruice of God so ought it to bee vpon the day of fast And this was the practise of the people of God as we reade in the booke of Nehemiah Neh. 9 1. where it is sayd That all the Israelites assembled with fasting Therefore longer time then ordinary should be spent in the publike assemblies and with sackecloth and earth vpon them the Leuites stood vp in their place and read in the booke of the law of the Lord their God foure times on the day and they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God foure times So that both for the exercise of the word and for prayer all was extraordinarie and so ought it to bee among vs that we should not onely do as we do namely twise a day once in the forenoone and againe in the afternoone but wee should continue both the times longer than we do and haue more exercises of the Word and of prayer if wee were able or had more helpe as it is sayd in this Congregation of the Iewes they had for the Leuites are reckoned vp by name who spake euen Ieshua and Bani Kadmiel vers 4.5 Shebaniah Bunni Sherebiah Bani Chenani who cried with a loud voice vnto the Lord their God and they stood vp and said Praise the Lord your God for euer and euer and let them praise thy glorious name O God which excelleth about al thanksgiuing praise where wee see that there were manie that prayed vnto God and exhorted the people which could not be all at once because of disorder and confusion but one after another whereby also it came to passe that they were able to continue so long euen to preach to pray foure times in the day And thus we see how this day ought to be spent therefore they that come to the Church in the forenoone and absent themselues in the afternoone without any necessarie cause to be approued of God and men do not keepe this holie day of fast as they should In the popish fasting dayes worke was ordinarily permitted And here againe we haue iust cause to finde fault with the popish pretended fastes who as in manie other things they swarued from the word of God so in this one point they came nothing neere it for vpon their fasting daies there was no restraint of worke but it was lawfull for them to followe their businesse as vpon any other day they that professed to keepe it most deuoutly yet did not leaue their businesse vntill noone and then not wholly neither for besides dressing vp of houses preparing of linen against the next daie if they had any worke of their owne to doe at home within the doores they thought that they might lawfully doe it though it held them occupied vntill night so they made no conscience of not working And besides this they had no speciall seruice vpon such daies and if they had few or none came to it and held themselues bound to it but the Churches were as empty vpon those daies And the seruice of God was little regarded as vpoÌ„ any other and they that were most superstitious in that religion were of opinion that if they came for a quarter or halfe an houre in the euening they had done as much as could be required of them though they vnderstood not one word of that that was said or done so far were they from hauing any holy assemblies or doubling of their seruice that day that they had none at al for the most part but all was differred vntill the day following as though they should fast vpoÌ„ one day and serue God vpon an other and not doe them both together And thus much of the time when and howe long we should fast and how the same time ought to be spent HOMIL VII The seuenth Homilie intreateth of the seuerall kindes or sorts of fasts whereof the one is priuate and the other publike and first of priuate fastings and how to behaue our selues in them and how they ought to be intertained into mens houses and for what causes and what great good may come thereby and what liberty the Gouernors haue in appointing of them aboue all the rest of the familie THe nature and thus condition of this holie exercise of fasting being thus hitherto described out of the worde of God both that it is an ordinance and commandement of almightie God and not an humane constitution and brought in by the policie of men and therefore that which all men must submit themselues vnto of conscience and also that it consisteth in that outward bodilie exercise of abstinence from all the coÌ„fort of this life for a time and in those inward vertues of the minde as true humilitie and feruencie of praier whereof we haue heard and that the time fit for it is specially the time of some great affliction and that then it must bee held longer or shorter time according to the greatnes of the same affliction whether it bee present or iustly to be feared that the said time of fasting is of the nature of the Sabbath and therefore must be so spent of all as vsually the Sabbath is ought to be both in abstaining from all the workes of our callings things of necessitie onely excepted and also in being occupied in the seuerall parts or Gods worship as the exercises of the reading and hearing of the worde of God praier vnto him and all meditation and good conference that might further them thereunto â—he seuerall â—undes of â—astes It remaineth now that I shoulde in order speake of their seuerall sorts and kindes of fasting that we might know how many they be and what they are that so we might vse them in their seuerall time and place as the Lorde shall require them of vs and as we shall see that wee haue cause so doe and that when we can not vse the one as there is no cause for it at all yet wee might perceaue that there was cause of the other and so thinke our selues bounde vnto it and that we should not thinke our selues wholly discharged of our obedience vnto the Lord this way because wee can
Peter and Iohn when they were forbidden to preach which Christ had necessarily inioined them by vertue of their office of Apostleship and so in obeying them therin they shuld haue disobeyed God they answered as you haue heard and so did that which God necessarily commaunded thogh men forbad theÌ„ And this must be the practise of all inferiors when they are forbidden any thing of their superiours which God hath commanded them in his worde either as they be Christians or otherwise and heere is their defence in so dooing But yet all these aboue-named degrees of persons Inferiors may make choise of the Sabbath day for their priuate fastes in their subiection though they be restrained from the choise of the day yet are not therefore set free from the thing it selfe I meane from the practise of priuate fasting when they shall haue iust cause for they may celebrate them vpon the Sabbath in which their masters should giue them leaue to bee wholly the Lords seruants and so not incumber them with anie seruice excepting things of necessitie which are permitted euen in the day of fastes And though there bee few vnder gouernement in families of that godlinesse and conscience that they are like to practise these priuate fastes yet neither am I out of hope of all and I thought it necessarie to deliuer the doctrine for it is their dutie thus to doe though the greatest part be ignorant or make no conscience of it And so this shall suffice to haue beene spoken of the first kind of fast which is priuate HOMIL VIII The eight Homilie intreateth of the second kind of fasts which are publike why so called and how all sorts ought to come to them and what a great fault it is for any to be absent And then of the cause of them whâ—ch is the wrath of God against his Church either present as it is now vpon vs or likely to come which the godlie haue considered in the course of Gods prouidence and so haue sought by fasting and praier to preuent it and not alwaies taried till it came vpon them THe second and last kind of fasting Publike fasts and why they are so called which I am to intreat of at this time is publike or common and is so called because it is and ought to be vsed not of a few but a whole Church and congregation in a towne or citie or of manie Churches in the same or in a countrie or realme and thus vsed by the publike authoritie and commandement of them who next vnto Christ Iesus haue the gouernment of those places where the fast is held and not by the motion or aduise of some priuate man as the other that we spake of before is And therefore also these kindes of fastes are kept in the publike places openly where they vse to haue their common assemblies for the worship of God where the Church is constituted vnder a Christian Prince and not in any priuate house or houses And the cause of them is some general calamitie of the Church for the most part and not priuate to one or some few and that either in the same place where the fast is sanctified or in some other churches of their brethren neer or farre of for whom they seeke vnto the Lord according to the bond of Christian loue that ought to bee among all the Churches of God as â—mong the members of one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head and the same calamity either presently vpon them or imminent greatly to be feared So that briefely or in a word a publike fast is that which is imposed by publike authoritie vpon all the people of that place to be kept openlie in the common place of their holie assemblies for some common plague to be remooued or turned away or for the obtaining of some common benefit belonging to the whole bodie of the same Church or to some principal member of the same And such is this that we haue These which we now keepe are publike and doe keepe this day by the authoritie first of the Kings most excellent Maiestie and then of those that are in authoritie vnder him in Ecclesiasticall matters and for the well ordering of all things to bee done in the Church vnto which all sorts of men and women should come in al cities towns Such was the fast that was celebrated in Niniue at the preaching of Iona Iona 3.7 for the King caused it to be proclaimed through Niniue euen through that great citie of three daies iourney by the counsell of the King and his nobles saying vers 5. Let neither man nor beast taste any thing feed or drinke water and as the proclamation was thus generall reaching vnto all so it was accordingly put in practise for it is saide a little before the people of Niniue beleeued God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackecloth from the greatest of them euen to the least of them so that the fast was kept by all the people of that citie The like may be saide of that that was obserued in the daies of Hester for though in respect of the places where it was as in their seuerall houses closely it may be called priuate yet in regard of the multitude that kept it euen al the Iewes and people of God in that citie and in respect of the person by whose direction they were moued vnto it euen the Queene it may truely be called publike for it is sayd that she sent this commandement to Mordecay Goe and assemble al the Iewes that are found in Shushan and fast for me and Mordecay went his way and did according to all that Hester Hest 4.16 had commanded him so this fast was imposed vpon all the Iewes and all of them kept it And therefore all sorts of people should come to them And so to the obseruation of these fastes of ours all should come not one or two in a familie and say goe you to daie and we will come the next day for by the authoritie and commandement of our gouernors all are inioined vnto it Exod. 20 1â— And as vpon the Sabbath because it is a daie appointed for the publike seruice of God all are commanded to keepe it holie Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy maide seruant and the stranger that is within thy gates So vpon these daies which are of the nature of the Sabbath and are also publikely commanded all should thinke theÌ„selues bound vnto it Esa 2.3 Therefore as vpon the Sabbath day they should come together and saie one to another Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord so vpon these daies of fasting one should call vpon another Therefore not onely that is a great fault if any should not come at all but if any should come for nouelties and then giue it ouer againe yea and if they should come seldome now and then or if they should come
alone and bring none or verie few of their household with them Reasons why all should come and not a few onely For besides that it is appointed by our gouernors vnto whom all must yeeld obedience in the Lord and they also haue power and authoritie ouer all alike and seeing that the end of it is to turne away that wrath and displeasure of the Lord which is iustly deserued of all and as it is alreadie vpon many so it threatneth and terrifieth all why should not all thinke theÌ„selues bound to seeke to haue it turned awaie So that no man must bee so simple to thinke it indifferent for them to keepe it or not to keepe it and so make no conscience of it but seeing it is common in respect of the commandement of our gouernors and in respect of the cause of it which is our sinnes all should thinke that they are tied in conscience to it and so euery one should stirre vp themselues to bee foreward and one call vpon an other especially them of the same household that they may come with their companies as Dauid did who saith of himselfe Psal 42.4 that he had gone with the multitude and lead them into the house of God as a multitude that keepeth a feast So that as men goe to feasts not alone but by companies and when a whole familie is inuited they go altogether so also should they goe to a fast wherein publikely all of them are called vnto it Therfore as God threatneth destruction not to some few but to all vnlesse they repent and all are commanded to seeke vnto him to pacifie his wrath so let al be willing to do it especially seeing that we heere and see that when this iudgement of the pestilence entreth into an house it taketh awaie not one or two only but somtimes sweepeth away all What a great fault it is for any to absent themselues from these publike fasts Therefore if we make conscience of the Sabbath daies not onely to come our selues but to bring all ours because it is commanded by God vnto all then ought we also to doe it vpon this day which is to be kept as a Sabbath by the commandement of those who are in Gods stead vpon earth So that they that absent themselues besides that they neglect the meanes of pacifying Gods deserued wrath and so in time it may iustly come vpon theÌ„ before they bee aware of it they doe further prouoke his displeasure and indignation against themselues in that they disobey so good and holy and necessarie a commandement of God Therefore vpon this day of fasting thus authorised vpon so good grounds for men to follow their ordinarie affaires of the worlde and not to come to the Church and heere in this holy action to yeeld their obedience to god and man is a greater sinne then manie take it to be Thinke of it therefore I pray you in the feare of God and consider well whether that the cause being common vnto all and the commandement being giuen out vnto all and the time and place appointed for all and the sound of the bell ringing in the eares of all and the Minister of God ready to preach vnto praie for all consider I saie whether in respect of these all should not come and why one should be bound to it more then another and one thinke that hee may bee spared more then another As if they should refuâ— to helpe to quench the fire burni 〈◊〉 in mens houses To a common burning all should come to helpe to quench it and one or two of an house is not sufficient we would iustly blame them that in such a case would not leaue their ordinary worke yea though they were verie poore and liued of their labour and come to the place and helpe And shall wee not thinke that all are bound much more to lay all things aside and to come put to their helping hand to quench this great fire of Gods wrath which hath flamed out and burned a long time in manie townes and cities and in seuerall parts of the same and like vnto fire not onely consumeth where it commeth and maketh the houses lie waste but also goeth from place to place speedily and without resistance and so spreadeth further and further so that manie men haue this burning fire of the pestilent feauer in their houses at once not so much to the wasting of their houses and stuffe as to the burning euen to death the very bodies of men women and children and that with an exceeding great flame that none almost dare come neere their houses least they perish in the same Surely if there were no commandement from men the very loue to the liues of our brethren should compell vs to it and nothing should keepe vs from it For what hardnesse of heart would we thinke to bee in them Not to come argueth great want of loue to our brethren who seeing their neighbours house on fire and others come wilingly to quench it they would stande still gazing and looking on or goe away about their businesse and not regard it especially if hee should be spoken vnto and called vpon for helpe before So nowe when this great and terrible fire of Gods indignation hath most fearefully beene a long time in the houses of our brethren and is also come neerer vnto vs euen to our neighbours the houses or townes bordering vpon vs when others do come hither with fasting and praier to intreat the Lorde for them that hee would put out this great flame who as hee alone hath kindled this fire so he onely is able to quench it some will carelesly tarie at home or not bring all their household with them and so not yeeld so much helpe as they might especially being called vpon both by the commandement of Gods magistrates and by the intreaty of his Ministers must we not thinke that they haue not this loue in them to their brethren that they shoulde Therefore come come I beseech you helpe helpe come all for there is helpe little enough yea too little For to shew it in the same comparison if we did see a fire Euerie one ought to helpe seeing â—hat there is helpe little enough though it had much helpe notwithstanding all the water that was cast vpon it and al the paines that men tooke about it it should not onely not be extinct but still burning yea increasing and the flame thereof ascending higher and higher and it to kindle and breake out in more places would we not call for more helpe and iustly blame them that being called did not come So when wee see this fire of the pestilence not to be ceased one whit nay growing into greater extremitie and rage in manie places from scores to hundreds from hundreds to thousands and comming also neerer to our houses and so our selues and all ours more in danger and feare of it must we not thinke