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
might be persuaded that God requireth fasting of vs as well as of our forefathers â—ing is â—anded ell in â—ime of Gospell 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the Gentiles as well as of the Iewes vnder the Gospell as well as in the time of the Law we shall see that it hath warrant in such cases as these as well from the New Testament as from the Olde As when Christ was challenged for this â—5 33 That his Disciples did not fast though Iohn and his Disciples did often hee doth so defend them that he doth not wholly put it away from them as though they were not bound to it in the time of the Gospell but sheweth that as yet they were dispensed with because Christ Iesus the bridegroome was with them and so it was a time of ioy but the time should come when he should be taken from them great affliction should befall them then hee requireth fasting of them saying The dayes wil come Luk. 5.35 when the bridegrome shal be taken from them then shal they fast in those daies commanding them and all other euen vnder the Gospell in the time of great affliction to fast This time of the Pestilence is a time of great sorrow of great affliction therefore now by the Olde and New Testament wee are bound to it And so this may be sufficient to certifie the consciences of all that are not euill disposed That to serue God in fasting and prayer is a thing that he requireth of vs and so if there were no commandement from men to inioyne vs yet the authoritie of his Word in the Olde and New Testament and the practises of his seruants vpon the same ground should compell vs vnto it HOMIL II. The second Homilie sheweth what are the parts whereof this fasting consisteth and first which be outward belonging to the body and to what end they serue as to abstaine wholly for a time from all kinde of meat and drinke and sleepe and costly apparell and such like comfortes of the bodie and yet what libertie we haue then in all these in times of necessitie BEing thus persuaded of the necessitie of this holie exercise of fasting by good and sound reasons from the Olde and New Testament and that it is our duetie to obserue it and that the Lord requireth it at our hands it remaineth that I should further declare wherein this blessed ordinance of fasting consisteth and what are the parts and nature of it that we being willing to obey God in this dutie might not erre of ignorance 1. Cor. â— 30 and so not only obtaine nothing at his hand thereby but pul his heauy iudgement vpon vs for abusing it For as the Apostle sayeth of the abuse of the Sacrament of the Lords supper among the Corinthians For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe and so that which in it selfe rightly vsed was a means of health for soule and bodie was by their ignorance and abuse the cause of manie grieuous diseases mortalitie among them so it might come to passe that whereas by this meanes wee seeke to pacifie the wrath of God alreadie broken out against vs which also we shall do in time if it be rightly vsed for the neglect or abuse of it or both the Plague should not onely not stay but we should further prouoke the Lord to strike vs. â—sting conâ—teth of two â—rts This exercise therefore of fasting consisteth of two parts the one is outward the other inward the outward appertaineth to the body and is called a Bodily exercise as to abstaine from meat drinke sleepe and such like which of it selfe without the other is nothing worth though commanded of God the other is belonging to the soule and consisteth in the inward vertues and graces of the minde holpen forward by this bodily exercise and this simply and in it owne nature is profitable as hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come And of both these the Apostle writeth vnto Timothie Tim. 4.8 saying Exercise thy selfe vnto godlinesse for bodilie exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things which hath the promise of the life present and of that that is to come Where he saith that godlinesse and the pure worship of God consisting in the inward graces of the minde as in humility faith repentance c. is profitable in it owne nature but fasting and all such exercises of the bodie and austeritie of life is so farre foorth profitable as they farther vs in these Therefore as the whole man consisteth of soule and bodie but the soule is most principall so doth this exercise of fasting consist of these two parts whereof this later appertaining to the soule is the cheefe And as in the sanctification of the Sabbath there are two things the one to rest from all bodily labour appertaining to the bodie the other to sanctifie that time of rest belonging chiefely to the soule which is the principall end of the other So in fasting there are these two things to be considered the one to absteine from all food which directly concerneth the body the other is the end why we vse that abstinence which is to further our soules in godlinesse which is the chiefest of all and giueth life to the other euen as the soule doth to the body Therefore though abstinence be necessarily required yet that is not all nay it is the least part of this holy exercise though the whole action haue the name of that as being most subiect to the outward sense so best knowen for it is called fasting as in keeping holy the Sabbath day to rest is the least part of our dutie therein yet the whole daie hath the name of that for it is called the Sabbath this is the daie of rest The first â—art belonâ—eth to the â—ody and â—onsisteth in â—he abstiâ—ence from â—ll comfort â—f the same First then we are to consider what is the outward ceremonie in fasting and the bodily exercise and then what be the inward vertues to be adioined vnto it and to which end the other is vndertaken The former is an abstinence for a time wholly from all the commodities and pleasures of this life thereby to make vs fitter for the inward graces of the minde as to absteine from meat and drinke sleepe and such like that the bodie being thereby humbled and pulled downe the mind thereby might be humbled and cast downe also in it selfe before God So that this outward abstinence is therfore coÌ„manded that we might feele in our soules and in feeling outwardly might professe that we are vnwoorthie for our sinnes either of life or of any thing that belongeth to the vpholding of it and therefore we doe willingly for a time bereaue our selues of the vse of them So that vpon this and such like daies we ought to abstaine from al comforts of the body to these ends both that we might thereby the
most earnestly to seeke to God for his pardon and for the bestowing of all vpon vs againe and by howe much the more wee doe so and professe that in our selues by reason of our sinnes we are vnwoorthy of any thing in the world by so much the more let vs hope from the mercy and promises of God and seeke accordingly that in Christ Iesus Heb. 1.2 Rom. 8.1 whom hee hath made heire of all things we may be founde woorthie of all and fellow heires of them with him as the Apostle speaketh And euen as a man if he were condemned to death would sue earnestly for his pardon especially if hee were lead from the iudge to the place of execution and were also vpon the ladder and had the rope about his necke and the neerer he were to death and had the verie badges and tokens of it vpon him the more earnest suter wold he be for his pardon if hee coulde but conceaue that there were any hope of it So we the more that by this holie exercise of fasting we see and professe that we are woorthy of all Gods punishments and plagues yea of eternal death and condemnation it selfe by so much the more earnestlie wee must praie that God would forgiue vs our sinnes and spare vs. Therefore in the daies of fasting there must be a speciall kinde of striuing with God in praier and wee must as it were wrestle with him therein and neuer giue him ouer or suffer him to haue rest vntil he haue sent vs away with some blessing Euen as it is saide of the holy patriarke Iacob â—e must rastâ—e and riue w th â—nd in our â—aiers that in his returne homeward from Laban as he did praie vnto God most feruently so all night long he wrestled with an angell in the shape of a man that is â—en 32.26 with God himselfe so appearing vnto him and hee held out with him in wrestling euen vnto the morning and then he said vnto him let me goe for the morning appeareth vnto whom he answered I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me and so he held him fast stil then he bestowed vpon him this great blessing by changing his name from Iacob to Israel that because hee had power and had preuailed with God hee should preuaile with men much more So that vision of the angell wrestling with him and the change of his name tended both to one end namely to assure him that God had heard his praier which hee made before and would deliuer him out of the hand of Esau Gen. 32.11 whom he feared and therefore whereas hee was called at his birth Iaacob that is one that holdeth by the heele and so ready to ouerthrow him for thus was he borne holding his brother Esau by the heele Gen. 25.26 in token that in time hee should by the power of God preuaile against him and so also against all his enimies now he is called Israel that is Gen. 32.28 a prince of the strong God because as the interpretation is giuen in the text he had power with God and shoulde preuaile with men that is he had preuailed with God in his praier as was declared vnto him in the vision of wrestling and should preuaile against Esau and al other his enimies but how he did and should heereafter preuaile with God and obtaine all things of him the vision did shew namely that hee praied so feruently and so continually that he did not giue ouer vntil he had some assurance from the Lord by his holie spirit that he had heard him and would defend blesse him according vnto his own desire Gen. 32.9 the Lords promise Thus must wee also striue with the Lord in our praiers as the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes Rom. 15.30 and requireth of them that they would striue with him by praier to God for him and we must put all our strength to it as Iacob did when he wrestled with the angel And to see it againe more cleerly in the same comparison As a man that wrestleth for the best game will put all his might and skill to it and wil not giue ouer as long as he hath anie thing in himselfe that he might preuaile so must we in our praiers bee so earnest importunate with the Lord that we rise not vp from praier or depart away from him vntill hee haue blessed vs and the harder that we find it to obtaine anie thing because of our sinnes the more earnestly must wee striue in praier for it Therefore now in thee daies of fasting let vs stirre vp our selues vnto praier and striue against all vnfitnesse that might hinder vs and as for other things so that this great mortalitie might haue an end without which feruencie of praier all our fasting is nothing woorth Seeing then that feruencie and continuance in praier is so proper vnto the time of fasting as we haue heard and it is specially vndertaken to that end The papists had no speciall praier vpon their fasting daies we may see by this also how farre the church of Rome al Papists are from the true fast prescribed in Gods word practised of this seruants thogh they would be thought to be the onely men in the world that fast and pray For vpon the Fridaies and other fasting daies there was no speciall time appointed as also not in Lent appointed for praier neither did manie of them that professed fasting come to the Church at all to that end and if some of them did praie vpon their Saints eeuen at night yet many did not which were bound to the fast and they that did all the rest of the daie were without praier and vpon those daies they went about their businesse as at all other times especially vnto noone or vnto eeuen-song as they called it Whereas the whole day of fast is altogither of the nature of the Sabbath both for resting from worke also for sanctifying of the time and therefore vpon those daies they had holy conuocations and assemblies for the worde and praier as in the booke of Leuiticus â—eu 1.6 31. â—eu 23.27 the yeerely day of fast for the Iewes is called a Sabbath of rest and besides it is further added therein you shall haue an holie conuocation and yee shall doe no worke Therefore when these Catholikes falsely so called did rest in the bare ceremonie of fasting and did not giue themselues that daie to praier more then at other times for the most part they neglected that that was principall in it and whereunto it should be referred And so we see what the Lord requireth of vs al at this present and to what end we abstaine euen that we hauing nothing to hinder vs inwardly nor outwardly in our bodies to presse vs downe to the earth our mindes might be lifted vp in all feruencie of praier vnto our heauenly father in the mediation of our Lord and Sauiour so
then fasting Euen as a Physitian shoulde prescribe vnto his patient that yerely vpon such a day of the moneth or weeke hee should take such a purgation when as it may fall out that then hee is in consumption and so had more need of some cordiall electuary or restoratiue medicine than of anie purgations and if any should so vnaduisedly prescribe we woulde count him a foole rather then a Physitian But as he that is skilfull in his arte and conscionable toward his patient will minister nothing vnto him either for purging or blood-letting but he will consider not onely the state of his bodie at that present but also the time and season of the yeere whether it be the spring or the fall of the leafe winter or sommer whether it bee hot or colde or temperate and accordinglie he will give his direction But we must haue a care diligently to obserue it So the gouernours of the Church who in this respect may bee called the spirituall Physicians of our soules in prescribing of this abstinence and diet as it were for the curing of our soules that is for the bringing of vs to humility and repentance for our sinnes must haue principall regard to the time and to the qualitie of the time as whether it be a time of sorrow or of ioy that so they may know which is the sittest season for it which we haue heard to be the time of affliction and then it must not onely be in wisedome prescribed of them but also diligentlie vsed of the people if they will recouer the health of their soules euen as Physicke must not onely be prescribed of the wise Physitian in time conuenient but â—â—e patient in taking of it must not neglect the â—ime appointed by him So that in this holie exercise as in all other things the godly wise and they that looke to get anie good by it must regard what is the time that God hath appointed them to vse it And heerein they must learne wisedome of the children of this worlde who obserue the times for haruest and for seed and know what is fit for euery time so they must know what is the time for euerie dutie and accordinglie practise the same But to proceed in this doctrine of fasting as we haue hitherto seene the time when this holie exercise ought to be vndertaken of all Christians euen the time of sorrow for the want of some benefit or presence or feare of some punishment so now we are farther to consider in few wordes howe long it should continue that is when we see that we haue cause to fast and minde to doe it how long the time of our fast should last The time oâ— a fast must be longer or shâ—rter according to the greatnesse of the cause And for this one point I doe generally answere thus much that it must be alwaies according to the greatnesse of our affliction or according to the need than we haue to be humbled more or lesse and so somtimes it ought to be longer and sometimes shorter according to the discreet wisedome of those to whom it belongeth to appoint the same this alwaies prouided that when it is the shortest wee must continew it at the least for one whole day that is from euening to the next day at the same time In which time we must wholly abstaine from any breakefast in the morning or dinner at noone from the morning at the least to the euening they must giue themselues to all good exercises of the word and praier singing of Psalmes And it must be alwaies held one daie at the least meditating vpon their sinnes and vpon the present affliction and such like publikely and priuately And thus is the time of fasting limited vnto vs in the worde of God for Moses speaking of that yeerely day of fasting which was prescribed vnto the Iewes calleth it a day of reconciliation â—eu 23.27 saying the tenth of the seuenth month shall be a day of reconciliation so that it was not a worke of an houre or two but of an whole daie and oftentimes in the same place hee speaketh of a daie and not of a peece of a daie and further addeth that they should keepe it from eeuen to eeuen saying ver 32. This shall be vnto you a Sabbath of rest and yee shal humble your soules in the ninth daie of the month at eeuen from eeuen to eeuen shall yee celebrate your Sabbath to shew that it ought to be a naturall day consisting of sower and twentie houres And when we thus straightly require an whole daie An excepâ—ion it is to be vnderstoode with that limitation that wee haue heard of before wherein liberty hath beene granted for eating and drinking some thing for all those persons which through age or infirmitie or some sicknesse are not able to continue fasting so long So that as the Sabbath is an whole day and must so be kept Exod. 20. for it is called the seuenth daie and in the creation and so since it consisted of euening and morning that is of day and night as well as anie other so is the time of fast this is the least time for any ordinarilie in some cases some are excepted as hath beene saide and they may somwhat abridge of this time but yet the generall rule is for a daie For the daie of fast is of the nature of the Sabbath and it is also so called and hath that name giuen vnto it Leu. 23.32 as in the forenamed place of Leuitâ—cus in the ninth day of the month yee shall celebrate your Sabbath from eeuen to eeuen where hee speaketh not of the seuenth daie commonly called the Sabbath but of the yeerely daie of fasting called the day of reconciliation Wherein againe most euidentlie appeareth the foolishnesse of popish fastes â—he popish â—sts were â—t for a â—ece of the â—ay who did limite them not to a daie but to a peece of a daie and vnto the least part of the day as namelie to supper so that they held it a very good fast if a man went to bedde supperlesse vpon their fasting daies insomuch that if hee tooke a good breakefast and dined well with all kinde of fish other dainties flesh onelie excepted then wheÌ„ their bellies were well filled tooke no supper they were counted well to haue kept their fast But we see that it must not be a fasting night as they commonly called it but a fasting daie euen an whole day vntill euening Therefore if wee will keepe it aright we must abstaine not a peece of a day as in the foorenoone onely but vntill euening and so the whole daie And this must be ordinarie for all fastes But if the affliction be greater and the wrath of God appeere to be more seuere and so we haue greater cause of deeper humiliation Sometimes fast must continue tâ—â— or three daies together then the fast must continue longer as
sometimes two daies or three daies at the discretion of those that haue such cause to vse it And this appeareth by the fast of the Iewes which they kept in the time of their captiuitie of whom it is saide in the booke of Hester that when Mordecay sent vnto her the copie of the Kings commission sealed with his own signet for the rooting out of all the Iewes in one daie so that it was decreed that the whole Church of God should bee rased wit from the face of the earth at once Hâ—st 4 1â— then she promised that she would aduenture her life for them and goe into the King to make suite for them and that she and they might finde fauour with the Lord and with the King she willed them all to fast and praie three daies and three nights and neither eate nor drinke and she promised that her selfe and her maides woulde doe the like and it is said moreouer in the text that Mordecay went his way and hee and the Iewes did as they were commanded So that in this great extremitie of theirs they continued their fast for the space of manie daies together and so ought we to doe if the like affliction were vpon vs. But for this present though by the grace mercy â—f God it be otherwise with vs yet vndoubtedly in respect of this visitatoÌ„ which is verie grieuous wee ought to continue our fast one daie weekely so long as it shall be continued vpon vs and so though wee doe not keepe it maâ—â—e daies together yet we may and ought to doe it manie daies one after an other For seeing that it is appointed for the time of affliction and then one whole daie at the least is alotted for it so long as this time of affliction shall continue we should not be vnwilling weekely to bestow one day this waie that so the Lord may bee intreated with vs at the last And thus much for the time how long any fast should be held Now further we are to consider how we should bestow this time of fasting and wherein we are to be occupied in the daie of fast The time of fasting is 〈…〉 the 〈◊〉 of thâ— Sabbath And for the better vnderstanding of that wee must knowe thus much that the time of fasting how long soeuer whether it bee but one daie or more is alwaies of the nature of the Sabbath therfore looke how we ought to bestow the Sabbath in resting from the ordinarie labors and workes of our callings and from all kinde of recreations and pastimes much more and come to the Church and be occupied in Gods seruice publikely and priuately so ought we to do vpon the day of fasting And that we might be assured heereof first we doe read that this day as it is of that nature so it hath that name giuen vnto it for it is called a Sabbath Leu. 23.23 This shal be vnto you a Sabbath of rest yee shal humble your soules in the ninth daie of the month at eeuen from eeuen to eeuen yee shall celebrate your Sabbath where twise in one verse Moses calleth it a Sabbath Secondlie it is called a Sabbath of rest and they are willed to rest their Sabbath to shewe that vpon that daie as vpon the ordinarie Sabbath day they should rest from the labours of their calling and more particularly they are forbidden to doe anie kinde of worke vpon that daie Leu. 23.28 as it is saide Yee shall doe no worke that same daie for it is a day of reconciliation to make attonement for you before the Lorde your God And this euerie person is forbidden And therefore then we ought to râ—st from the ordinary worke â—f our â—aking that vnder the punishment of Gods high displeasure to bee poured vpon them to their vtter destruction as it is set downe in the next verse following and euerie person that shall doe anie worke that same day the same person wil I destroy from among his people Therefore vpon this day all men should carefully giue ouer all ordinary workes of their calling and haue nothing to doe with them and not onely from their hands but their mindes from them according to the same strictnesse that they are bounde vnto vpon the Sabbath daie Insomuch that if there bee occasion to keepe a fast in the time of haruest or seed-time or any other time of businesse so manie as doe professe to keepe it must altogither abstaine from all such workes as were otherwise not onely lawfull but necessarie Which that we might the rather most yeeld vnto Workes of necessitie arâ— then permitted wee acknowledge and teach that in this daie of rest there is that liberty granted vnto vs both for the preparing of meat and drinke at the euening yea and at other times also of the daie if it be necessarie as for those that bee weake and sickely and for all other works of necessitie as anie occasion shall be offred that we haue vpon the Sabbath daies As for example if any be sicke it is lawfull to take paines about them yea to ride go for them if any sudden casualtie fall out by fire or water or theeues or such like it is lawfull to take all paines to represse the rage and furie of them But setting all such cases of necessitie aside all men ought wholy vpon these daies to rest from their labours which the Lorde hath straightly forbidden with the denunciation of a fearefull curse that he will assuredly bring vpon al those that breake it euen that he will cut them off from his people And besides this resting from worke which is necessarily required wee ought to bestow the whole day in the publicke and priuate exercises of the worship and seruice of God We must beâ—tow that lay wholly on the seruice of God as in hearing the Word of God read and preached confessing our sinnes and praying vnto the Lord and in all other meanes that might further vs thereunto and most of all which may quicken vs vp vnto true humilitie and feruency in prayer And therefore the Prophet Ioel Ioel 1.15 thus speaketh of it exhorting them to keepe a solemne day of fast sayeth Sanctifie a fast call a solemne assembly he doth not will them to appoint a day of fasting but to sanctifie it and keepe it holy to shew that it ought to be kept euen as an holy Sabbath So that as the seuenth day was sayd to be sanctified from the beginning because it was not appointed for the works of our calling but for the worship of God Exod. 20. and we are willed to remember it to keepe it holy so we should thinke of this day of fast as of an holy day and so remâ—mber it and thinke of it before hand that we take order for and so dispose of all our worldly businesse and affaires that that day we haue nothing to hinder vs from bestowing it wholly vpon the worship and seruice
THE HOLY EXERCISE OF FASTING Described largely and plainly out of the word of God with all the parts and causes and seuerall kinds of the same together with the most fit times and conuenient seasons when and how long it should be held with the manifold fruite and commoditie that redoundeth to vs thereby and the whole nature and order thereof In Certaine Homilies or Sermons for the benefit of all those that with care and conscience intend at any time publikely or priuately to put in practise the same By Nicolas Bownde Doctor of diuinitie Perused and allowed by publike authoritie Occupie till I come Luk. 16.13 Math. 25.11 It is well done good seruant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy masters ioy Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1604. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Churchyard by Simon Waterson To the right Reuerend father in God and right honourable Lord Doctor Iohn Iegon Lord Bishop of Norwich the continuance and daily increase of all those heauenly vertues and graces which the Apostle S. Paul requireth in a Bishop 1. Tim. 3.2 RIght reuerend father and very honourable Lord besides many other weightie reasons whereby I haue beene mooued to commend this simple present vnto your Lordships fauour which it is not necessarie nor conuenient to make all the world acquainted with it is enough that your Lordship priuately doth take knowledge of them it may be sufficient openly to professe thus much That whereas my selfe with all the rest of my brethren fellow ministers were in our countrie and in all the rest of your L. Dioces of Norfolke and Suffolke the last sommer inioyned by your letters sent to your officers to that ende according to the order set downe before in print by the authoritie of the Kings most excellent maiestie to come to the Church euery weâ—ke vpon the wednesdaies and fridaies with the rest of our people flocke committed vnto vs there and then to be occupied in praier and fasting to intreat the Lord for our sinnes and for the sinnes of the rest in this land that so his heauie hand which by the pestilence was then very sharpely and that a long time stretched out in many cheife cities and towns of this realme and namely of this your L. Dioces as Norwich and Yarmouth and some other might be called in at his appointed time Sam. 24.16 as it was in the daies of king Dauid Whereby it came to passe that both here and in many places els there was much more preaching hearing of the word of God and praying vnto him then was before and otherwise would haue beene So that by meanes of the straite charge laid vpon all by your L. letter there was much good done in this countrie at that time the fruite whereof I hope remaineth vnto this day For though the booke containing the cause and order of those fasts which was made by some of the cheife gouernours in the Church of England and was authorized by the Kings Highnesse did as I take it not onely giue leaue vnto all places publikely to meete vpon these aboue named daies to these ends but did inioyne them to it and so all men might haue taken knowledge of it and of their dutie therein from thence especially when the cause of it namely so grieuous and so vniuersall a plague was so notorious that it could not be hid from any yet it was found too true by experience in many places that vntill such time as men were further called vpon by your Lordships letter full of great and weightie reasons to perswade thereunto that neither many ministers had any care to call vpon their people to so holy and necessarie a seruice nor the people any great deuotion to come So slowe are men vnto any part of Gods seruice yea though it doth so greatly coÌ„cerne them especially to this principall part of it in fasting and praier which hath beene very long out of vse that they had neede not onely lightly to be called vpon but with many strong coards violently hailed vnto it though vnto all matters of the world they are so forward and hastie that they runne of their own accord and none can stay them Hereupon it hath come to passe that a great part of the good that this way hath beene done vnto the people of God and seruice to his maiestie is to be imputed vnto your lordships diligent care who did so timely and effectually stirre vp men vnto it especially in respect of those cheife places others vnder your Lordships iurisdiction which then were greatly subiect vnto this visitation as well as other parts of this land neither are they all of them yet free from it Therefore these beeing part of my labours at that time they are in some sort due vnto your Lordship by whose means I receiued incouragement thereunto as others did to the like And I haue presumed to present them vnto your Lordship that by them you may see and by one may iudge of the rest how readie we are and shall be to yeild obedience to all your L. godly proceedings promising for my selfe and presuming of the rest that when we shall be likewise commanded which we expect and hope for in time to keepe solemne dayes of thanksgiuing for the mitigating of this plague in so great measure in the most places and for the cleane taking of it away in many we will be by the grace of God as ready to performe that part of seruice as we haue beene forward vnto this And in the meane season according to our bounden duty we will indeauour not only priuatly to be thankfull vnto God but vpon all such daies as we haue our publike assemblies to doe it in some part and to call vpon our people to be thankfull to God with vs both in hart words and life least the Lord for our vnthankfulnes doe returne vpon vs with the same or some other great punishment of his Which we haue so much the more cause to feare vnles we thus seeke to preuent it because the late memory of so great a worke both of iustice in sending the plague and of mercy in taking it away is not so fresh effectuall with all men nay with very few as it should but they like to vngratious children so soone forget the rodd as it is off their back And seeing by these your Lordship may take knowledge that by your godly incitation many were made more painfull in their callings at the least for that time then otherwise they would have beene whereby also God was more honoured and the people more instructed your Lordship will according to that high place wherein God hath placed you especially to that end take all opportunities by word and writing still to incite all men to be zealous and feruent in the worke of the ministery by giuing all good
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
praier and whereas praier is ought to be a daily exercise of euery christian man woman euen as the Iewes had their daily morning and euening sacrifice which were not without praier and as it is saide of Daniell Dan. 6.10 that it was his custome to praie three times euerie day Yea earnest and feruent and continuall praiers in the daies of fasting they haue vsed a speciall and extraordinarie kinde of praier differing from all other that they haue vsed before both in zeale and strength of praier and also in continuance Therefore we in the daies of our fastings also should be more zealous feruent in praier and also longer and more continuall then at other times as then we haue alwaies some speciall cause to mooue vs vnto it and the outward abstinence also should further vs thereunto And this we read to haue beene the practise of the Niniuites in their publike fast which they kept that then according to that knowledge that they had they did all praie verie earnestly vnto God that he would spare them according to that that the king commanded saying Iona. 3.8 Let man and beast put on sackcloth and crie mightily vnto God that is praie earnestly vnto him for mercie as Dauid vseth the like phrase in the same sense Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe places haue I called or cried out vnto thee O Lord. And this feruencie of praier the prophet Esay Esay 58 4. required of the Iewes in their fastes when hee saith Behold yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse yee shall not fast as yee doe to daie to make your voice to be heard aboue this latter part of the verse others doe read thus whose interpretation and iudgement heere I follow You doe not fast that you might lift vp your voice on high that is to God in feruent praier which is one speciall cause of fasting and therefore it is called a day of reconciliation Lâ—u 23.27 because that then the priest by earnest praier did seeke to reconcile the people vnto God But to returne to the prophet Esay he finding fault with them that they did not fast to a right end namely to humble themselues and conuicting them plainly of the want of humilitie and repentance because there was strife and debate and contention among them which ought not to haue beene neither could haue beene if in the sight of their sinnes they had beene rightly humbled to seeke vnto God for mercy saith farther that they did not fast as those times did require to lift vp their voices earnestlie to God in praier they did chide and were earnest and aloud one with another but they were not earnest and aloud in praier vnto God as they should haue beene therefore whereas it is translated Yee shall not fast as you do to daie to make your voice to be heard aboue referring this lifting vp of the voice vnto loud words in contention as for the most part men will then be heard others doe read it as wee haue heard you doe not or you will not fast that your voice might be heard aboue referring it to the lifting vp of the voice to God in praier and in more then ordinarie praier noted by the lifting vp of their voice as was said before that the Niniuites did not speake onely but crie out and that mightily or with all their strength vnto God Therefore in â—he daies of â—asting we â—ust inforce â—ur selues to â—eruent and 〈…〉 So that to fasting must bee ioined a most earnest kinde of praier as the time shall then require and as men must not praie coldly and from the teeth outward as we say at anie time so then especially they must not bee wearie but consider well what great necessitie there is of praier both in respect of their sinnes and of the punishment of them and so inforce themselues to an earnest kinde of long praier as if a man were fallen into a deepe pit or well he would crie out aloud and long with all his strength euen vntill he were hoarse or had lost his voice that so he might be heard and holpen and would not fauour himselfe in such a case Thus it appeareth that when Ezra and the rest that feared God with him fasted because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie that hee praied verie earnestly and long as wee may gather both from his behauiour and from the wordes that hee then vsed which were full of great affection Ezra 9.4 for it is written of him that he sate downe astonied vntill the euening sacrifice and after the euening sacrifice he arose vp from his heauinesse and when he had rent his clothes his garments he fell vpon his knees and spread out his handes vnto the Lord God and saide O my God 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 so foorth as it followeth in that praier of his full of all humilitie and zeale The like may be said of the prophet Daniel who in the end of the seauentie yeeres of their captiuitie vnderstanding by bookes as he saith of himselfe and namely by reading the Prophecie of Ieremie that the number of yeeres which the Lord would accomplish for the destruction of Ierusalem were now almost expired and turned his face vnto the Lord Dan. 9.3 by praier and supplications with fasting and sackcloth ashes and then how zealously feruently he praied as it appeereth in the whole praier in which he often breaks out into many passionate exclamatioÌ„s so especially by the often doubling of the same petitions which was no vaine babling in him ful of words without any great matter but did arise of the abundance of his earnest desire and great feeling that he had of that which he praied for as when he saith Dan. 9.15 O our God heare the praier of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuarie that lieth waste for the Lords sake O my God incline thine eare and heare open thine eies and behold our desolations and the citie whereupon thy name is called for we doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy tender mercies O Lorde heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people Thus both of them praied verie feruently and with great zeale which argued that they had great hope of obtaining their suites otherwise they would soone giuen them ouer and not haue beene so importunate For it is most certaine that according to the hope that we haue of obtaining any thing at the handes of God or man so are our desires and requestes vnto them more earnest or more cold therfore when
they that wil not afflict themselues with sorrow for their sinnes in fasting and mourning at times conuenient he will destroy and roote them out from among his people saying This is a day of reconciliation Leu. 23 2â— to make an attonement for you before the Lorde your God and euery person that humbleth not himselfe that same daie shall euen be cut off from his people HOMIL VI. The sixt Homilie sheweth what is the proper time for fasting namely the time of affliction sorow and then how God requireth it and his seruants haue practised it and so how the Lord requireth it of vs in this time of our sorow and how long the time of a fast should continue and how the same time should be spent HAuing shewed in the former Treatises as you haue seene that this holy ordinance of fasting is grouÌ„ded vpon the commandement of God and that he straitly vpon our allegeance that wee owe vnto him requireth it of vs and so it can not be left vndone of vs without a manifest disobedience and contempt of his Word and moreouer that the whole action consisteth both in that outward bodily exercise of abstinence and forbearing of those things for a time which we haue heard of and also and especially in those inward vertues of the minde and graces of the spirit to be then attained vnto vsed and professed which haue lastly beene intreated of and therefore is to be obserued of vs after that maner that hath beene declared if we will haue our seruice therein acceptable vnto God and profitable to our selues it remaineth to shew what is the time proper and peculiar vnto this exercise and when the Lord especially requireth it of vs. For it is not an ordinarie and common seruice of God Fasting is not an ordinary seruice of God fit for all times that which shuld be practised euery day as some others are and so it is not fit for euery time but an extraordinarie part of his worship and of our dutie vnto him and so more meet for some times than for other Solomon by the wisdome of Gods spirit sayth in the booke of the Preacher as we haue heard before that there is to all things an appointed time Eccle. 3.1 a time to euerie purpose vnder the heauen and so a time to weepe and a time to laugh vers 4. a time to mourne and a time to dance and therefore a time to fast and a time to feast So then as it were a verie preposterous thing for any to make great feasts when they should fast and in the times when the Lord by his word and works of iustice calleth to fasting that then they should giue themselues to all kinde of cheering vp of themselues which kinde of prophanesse the Prophet greatly complaineth of in his time Esa 22.12 saying And in that day did the Lord God of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth and beholde ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating and drinking and mocking the doctrine of the Prophet with these words For to morow we shall die so on the other side it were a thing of very great disorder We must be able to discerne betweene the time of fasting and of feasting for any to afflict themselues to fast when God would haue them to reioice and feast as we see some of those that returned from the captiuity of Babylon of a good deuotion but of great ignorance and so were rebuked for it For when in the feast of Tabernacles they did heare the Law of God read whereof they had beene ignorant a great while and thereby perceiued how they had offended God they wept for their sinnes and began also to abstaine from their meat as appeareth by the answere of Esra and the rest of the Leuites who sayd vnto them Neh. 8.9 This day is holy vnto the Lord your God mourne not neither weepe but goe and eat of the fat and drinke the sweet and send part vnto them for whom none is prepared for this day is holy vnto our Lord be ye not sorie therefore for the ioy of the Lord is your strength So that it is as if they had sayd This is a time of great ioy for our deliuerance and other great benefits of God bestowed vpon vs and therefore not of fasting But this is the great blindnes and ignorance of many that this way they know no difference of times but all are alike to them if they may haue meat Heerein the Lord hath beene mercifull vnto vs and hath directed vs aright by his worde which as it is a light vnto our pathes Psal 119.105 and a lanterne to our feete in all other things so also in this when he hath shewed vs both by expresse commandement and also by the common practise of al the godlie in all ages The time of affliâ—â—ion sâ—rrow is the mâ—st â—râ—per time of fasting that the time of affliction is the most fit and conuenient time for fasting and as it were most proper vnâ—o it when as we haue cause of sorrow either for some great benefit that we want or others whom we loue in the Lord or some iudgement of God present as most like shortly to come vpon our selues or vpon them and as any of these be greater so haue we more cause alwaies to fast and God doth then require it of vs especially at that time And this is that which our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the Gospel where to this captious question of the Scribes and Pharesies saying Why doe the Disciples of Iohn fast often and praie Luk. 5.33 and the Disciples of the Pharesies also but thine eate and drinke he made this answer Can yee make the children of the wedding chamber to fast as long as the bridegroome is with them but the daies will come euen when the Bridegroome shall be taken away froÌ„ them and then shall they fast in those daies Where he excuseth his Disciples for not fasting at that time because the Bridegroome was with them as yet and so by Christs presence it was a time of ioy vnto them but ere it were long he should be taken from them and they should want him and there should come some great trouble vpon them which should cause them to phet euen that their deserued destruction was so neere at hande vnlesse they did speâ—dily repent and so put on sackecloth fâ—om the greatest of them euen to the least of them Thus in this time of great heauinesse they tooke vpon them this exercise of fasting which in the prosperitie and wealth and flourishing estate of the citie they knew not of neither were acquainted with it before but nowe they saw that the time it selfe did call them to another kinde of behauiour and so they did practise it willingly The like may be saide of the people of the Iewes in the daies of Queene Hester when Haman for the
desert of your sinnes so much as you should doe and no more 1. Cor. 11.31 Math. 11.28 Luk. 15.59 To this end desire God to giue you a broken and a contrite spirite that your hart being soft and tender his word both the Law and the curses thereof and the Gospell with the promises of the same together with all his workes of iustice and mercy vpon your selfe and vpon others might worke on your conscience as they ought to do Luk. 18.13 Psa 51.17 Esa 66.2 Thus groaning vnder the heauie burden of them desire God earnestly for Christs sake to ease you of them and to bestow vpon you the free pardon and forgiuenesse of them receiuing the sacrifice of Christs death as your full ransome and intreat him most earnestly for those sinnes that most trouble you Psal 25.7.18 51.1.2.7 c. Dan. 9.17 c. Beseech him to release you of all those fearefull iudgements of his which you haue most righteouslie deserued both in this world and in the world to come and especially those which you most feare that he wold ease you of al those publike priuate calamities that any wais for your sinnes you are presently in Psal 79.8.9 Iona. 3.8 1. King 8.33.36 c. Pray for the increase of your faith that you may more and more beleeue the forgiuenesse of your sins by the ministerie of the Gospell the vse of his Sacraments and that you may haue speciall faith both in those promises and for the forgiuenesse of those sinnes that you desire most of all to be confirmed in Psal 51.1.7.11.15 25.7 Mar. 9.24 And then pray for these fruites of faith namely that you may haue peace of conscience and quietnesse of minde knowing that you are discharged before gods iudgement seat and that you may in the feeling of his loue reioice with an vnspeakable ioy both aboue all worldlie ioies and in the midst of all worldly sorrowes and thirdly that you may haue good hope for the time to come euen in this world most of all of your saluation and that that may suffice you Rom. 5.1 Psa 51.8.12 Rom. 15.13 Heb. 6.9 Aske the daily increase of vnfained repentance for al your sins past and present corruptions generally and more specially for all those whereof there is most cause and not onely that you may be heartily sorie for thē but that you may also hate and loath them striue most earnestly against them Rom. 7.24 Psal 51.10 2. Cor. 12.8 That you might heereafter preuaile against sin and walke in the commandements of God aske the increase of the graces of his holie spirit and these not only generally but some more specially by name whereof you stand in most neede Psal 119.33.34 c. Psal 51.12 And that you might obtaine these pray that you may make conscience to vse daily all the meanes of your saluation publikely and priuately as all the exercises of the worde and prayer together with the keeping of a good conscience and that God would daily blesse them to you for these endes 1. Thes 5.19.20 1. Tim. 1.19 Obtaining these graces pray God to blesse you in your particular calling and namely that therein you may be painefull and also profitable and for all things that might further you this way Psal 127.1 Prouer. 31.13 c. 2. Tbes 3.10 c. Gen. 24.12 Aske life and health and all outward things as they may most further you in the aboue-named namely as they may make you more fit to serue God and to doe good vnto others name some things as not onely health wealth friends c. but others that you at that time stande in most neede of Pro. 30.8.9 Gen. 28.20.21 Iam. 5.17.18 Therefore pray God to giue you them with his fauour and with his blessing and with the right vse of them and with a contented mind with faith in Gods prouidence that you may depend vpon him Gen. 28 20. Deut. 28.2.3 c. Phil. 4.11.12 Math. 6.25 c. Pray God that you may alwaies be prepared for the crosse whatsoeuer it shall please him to laie vpon you namely that you may haue strength to beare it patience and cōfort in the midst of it grace to profit by it especially that you may bee readie euerie houre for death Math. 16.24 Rom. 8.26.28 Phil. 1. 23. 2. Cor 5.9 c. Then pray for the whole Church of God and therein for some parts especially as those which are vnder the crosse and wherein you doe liue and herein for some by name as the time will permit and as you haue cause as for your Gouernors high and low ecclesiasticall and ciuill for your parents children friends and such as haue desired your praiers Psa 122.6.7 Ier. 29 7. Eph. 6.18.19 1. Sam. 1.17 Last of all giue thankes vnto God in this maner first for all his benefits vpon soule and body for this life and the life to come Psal 103.2 145.1.2 Secondly for all sins which are forgiuen you which you haue beene kept from and which you haue beene recouered out of Psalm 103.3 51.15 16.7 Thirdly for al euill punishments which you haue escaped aboue others or which you haue beene deliuered out of or which haue come vpon you as fatherly chastisemēts and in them you haue beene comforted Exod. 15.1.2 Psal 107.8.15.25 119.67.71 And in all these giue thanks for your selfe and for all yours and for the whole Church of God 1. Timoth 2.1 The continuall vse of prayer is all in all for custome as in all other things so in praier maketh perfect therefore the more you vse prayer the more will God giue you the spirit of prayer Pray alwaies with all maner prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me Eph. 6.18 An order priuatelie to reade ouer with great facilitie the olde Testament once euery yere and the new twise CHAPTERS of the Old Testam 777  CHAPTERS of the New Test 260. Morning Dayes of the weeke Euening 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 5 1 2 6 1 3 7 0 The Olde Testament thus read ouer once in a yeere and there will be two dayes to spare  The New Testament thus is read ouer twise in a yeere and there will be one day to spare The PSALMES 150. These may be read ouer by themselues either once in a moneth or once in a quarter at the least which is foure times in the yeere 1. TIM 4.13 Giue attendance vnto reading Hee that is desirous to learne and remember the Word of God that he might liue according to it let him consider of that which is written Psalme 119. Part 2. THE TEXT  THE PARAPHRASIS Wherewith shall a yoong man clense his waies in taking heed thereto according to thy Word 1 FIrst of all be perswaded that the Word of God is onely that rule whereby the whole life of euery man that in euery thing must be ordered euen the the life of a yong man who thinketh that he hath most reason for himselfe why he should be exused as commonly he is most disordered With my whole heart I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commandement 2 Then vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading hearing of Gods Word as to the meanes whereby he hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the diligent vse of those meanes for his holie spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his Word I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee 3 That which you haue thus learned let it not swimme aloft in your braine but be deepelie setled and hid in your heart as a treasure framing all your affections vnto it that so you may haue it in a readinesse whensoeuer you should vse it otherwise though you know neuer so much it will not keepe you from sinning against God Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes 4 You thus profiting giue thankes to God for that which you learne because be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not your selfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightened because it is lesse   than many others doe and you your selfe should know With my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth 5 But aboue all be carefull to talke of that vnto others which you do dayly learne your selfe and out of the abundance of your heart let your mouth speake For by teaching others you shall learne your selfe I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches 6 That you might do all these things labour to haue ioy in the Word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and be occupied about those things with greatest delight for in whatsoeuer we take greatest delight that will sticke fastest by vs. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes 7 Last of all meditate consider of that with your selfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting your selfe with the generall rules but labouring in your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to your selfe in the particular practise thereof I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy Word 8 Thus doing all these things carefully you shall be sure neuer to forget that which you learne for though you doe not always remember euery thing yet God by his spirit will call so much into your remembrance as is needfull for you to know and then especially when you haue most need of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in iny one of these so may you feare to faile in the trueth of this promise A good helpe for an ill memorie