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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03464	The Christian exercise of fasting, priuate and publike plainly set forth by testimonies of holy Scriptures, and also of old and late writers: wherein is shewed how religious families priuatly, and the congregations publikely, haue humbled themselues before almightie God, making vse of iudgements past, auoyding euils present, and preuenting future calamities, &c. Together with sundrie abuses of fasting in three generations of hypocrites: the first in the dayes of the prophets: the second in the dayes of Christ: the third in the dayes of Antichrist. Hereunto also are added some meditations on the 1. and 2. chapters of Iob, to comfort and instruct all such as be afflicted with any crosse, either inwardly in minde, or outwardly in bodie. By H. Holland, minister and preacher of Gods word.	Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.	1596 (1596)	STC 13586; ESTC S104147	181,008	249

King 8.11.12 he wept for the Church as for his owne priuat affliction thirdly he telleth bloodie Hazael what euill hee should do vnto the people of God first fire their cities secondly put to sword the strongmen thirdly dash in peeces the very infants 4. And as voyde of all humanitie rip vp and rend in peeces their women with childe And we may not doubt but as hee wept so also hee fasted and prayed for the Church for so did the Prophets and holy men in the ages following Nehemias fasted wept and prayed himselfe in his priuat chamber for the Church because of the miseries and desolations of Ierusalem in his time Chap. 1. So did Ezra with a few well affected weepe and mourne hauing all day humbled themselues in fasting in the euening hee made a most worthie confession of sins vnto God for the Church in this forme and māner following he fell vpon his knees and spread out his hands vnto the Lord Chap. 9.5.15 saying O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head Learne of Ezra how to pray for the Church and our trespasse is grown vp vnto the heauen from the dayes of our fathers haue we been in a great trespasse vnto this day and for our iniquities haue we our kings our priests been deliuered into the hands of the Kings of the lands vnto the sword vnto captiuitie into a spoyle and into confusion of face as appeareth this day And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God in causing a remnant to escape and in giuing vs a nayle in his holy place that our God may light our eyes and giue vs a little reuiuing in our seruitude For though we are bond men yet the Lord hath not forsaken vs in our bondage but hath inclined mercy vnto vs in the sight of the Kings of Persia to giue vs life and to erect the house of our God and to redresse the desolate places thereof and to giue vs a wall in Iudah and in Ierusalem And now our God what shall we say after this for wee haue forsaken thy commaundements which thou hast commaunded by thy seruants the prophets saying The land whereunto yee goe to possesse it is an vncleane land because of the filthines of the people of the landes which by their abhominations and by their vncleanenes haue filled it from corner to corner Now therefore shall yee not giue your daughters vnto their sonnes neither shall ye take their daughters vnto your sonnes nor seeke their peace nor wealth for euer that yee may be strong and eate the goodnes of the land and leaue it for an inheritance for your sonnes for euer and after all that is come vpon vs for our euill deedes and for our great trespasses seeing that thou our God hast stayed vs from being beneath for our iniquities and hast giuen vs such deliuerance should we returne to breake thy commaundements and ioyne in affinitie with a people of such abhominations Wouldest not thou be angrie towards vs till thou hadst consumed vs so that there should be no remnant nor any escaping O Lord God of Israel thou art iust for we haue been reserued to escape as appeareth this day beholde we are before thee in our trespasse therefore wee cannot stand before thee because of it Thus farre Ezra for the Church and sinnes of the people of his time So prayed Dauid and fasted no doubt full often for the Church of God for thus hee speaketh Psalm 69.9 10. For the zeale of thine house hath eaten me and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee are fallen vpon me for this cause he addeth I wept and my soule fasted And as hee doth himselfe so hee exhorteth others 2. Sam. 24. Psalm 25. last verse and 15. last verse Pray for the peace of Ierusalem let them prosper that loue thee peace be within thy walles and prosperitie within thy palaces And to be short this godly zeale we finde also to burne Daniels heart for that when he vnderstoode by Ieremies prophecie concerning the captiuitie of the Church that seuentie yeares must bee accomplished in the desolation of Ierusalem he turned his face to the Lord God Chap. 9.2.3 c. and sought by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes c. And this Prophet addeth also vnto his fasting a most worthie confession of sinnes for the Church which being so needefull for our instruction and imitation I haue set downe the whole as followeth Oh Lord God Learne of Daniel how to fast and pray for the Church which art great and fearefull and keepest couenant and mercy towards them which loue thee and towardes them which keepe thy commaundements wee haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea wee haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts Confession of sinnes and from thy iudgements for we would not obey thy seruants the prophets which spake in thy name to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers to all the people of the land O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and vnto vs open shame as appeareth this day vnto euery man of Judah and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem yea vnto all Israel both neere and farre off Pray that God would giue repentance to all states and degrees of men through all the countries whither thou hast driuen them because of their offences that they haue committed against thee O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because wee haue sinned against thee yet compassions and forgiuenes is in the Lord our God Pray that Gods voyce and word may be known and may be glorified 1. Thes 3.1 albeit we haue rebelled against him for we haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord our God to walke in his law which he had laid before vs by the ministerie of his seruants the prophets yea all Israel hath transgressed thy law are turned backe haue not heard thy voice therefore the curse is powred vpon vs and the oathe that is written in the law of Moses the seruant of God because we haue sinned against him And he hath cōfirmed his words which he spake against vs and against our iudges that iudged vs by bringing vpon vs a great plague for vnder the whole heauen hath not been the like as hath been brought vpon Ierusalē Al this plague is come vpon vs as it is witten in the law of Moses yet made not we our prayer before the Lord our God that wee might turne from our iniquities and vnderstand thy trueth Therefore the Lorde hath made readie the plague and brought it vpon vs for the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes which he doth for we would not heare his voyce And now O Lord our God that hast brought thy people out of the land of Aegipt

feede more daintily or greedily of fish we thinke not that therefore he hath broken his fast albeit in excesse wee beleeue he sinnes venially 7. Againe they say drinking of wine will not hinder fasting so that men drinke not till they be drunken sayth Durandus and Alexander thinkes wine very * Wines worke farre more spedely and effectually and fill the vaines sooner then any meat Fernel method medic lib. 1. ca. 20. Innocentius Durand lib. 6. de 4. feria cap. 7. num 22. Vinū in ieiunio sic bibere permittitur vt ebrietatem omnino fugiamus Petrus de palude needfull the fasting day because of fish and to feede on some figs will not hinder fasting sayth another but wee must not preach these things 8. They appoint their times for fasting binding men to keepe the fasts appointed vnder paine of damnation Bernardinus O quot ad inferum demerguntur quia non ieiunant O how many are plunged in hell because they fast not And another sayth It is deadly * Comedere ante horam comedendi ante missā in ieiunijs statutis mortale peccatū esse sacri Canones affiomant Durand lib. 6. de ieiunijs cap. 7. num 15. sinne not to keepe the set fasts But voluntarie fasts be works of supererogation in these to eate something before Masse is but a veniall sinne ibid. 9. We must fast say they the Lenten fasts the spring time of the yeare because Adam fell in the spring time and because they thinke all men are most subiect as they are to their carnall lusts this time of the yeare 10. We must fast say these blind guides in Lent fortie dayes first because it is the * But 36. daies is the tenth parte and therefore here they dispute much but that Durand hath found this A. ecclesia non cūrauit de minutijs quamuis sit parum plus vel minus lib. 6. cap. 32. num 1. Alexander Thomas Bernandi Durand ibid. num 2. The impudencie of Sathan in this blinde age Durand ibid. tenth part of the yere secondly because of the foure disordered affections agaynst the Decalogue and foure times ten make fortie Thirdly the Lenten fast is for the generall pardon of sinnes like the Iubile for the number of 50. is made of 40. by addition of 10. Fourthly our flesh doth consist of foure elements we fight against the flesh with the 10. commandements and foure times ten make fortie therefore the Lenten fast is 40. dayes Fiftly for that God rayned in the deluge 40. daies and 40. nights Sixtly for that the Niniuites had 40. daies to repent Seuenthly for that the Iewes were in the wildernesse 40. yeares And Durandus addeth Per quadraginta mansiones and by 40. stations or standing places came to the land of promise lib. 6. cap. 32. Numb 1. Eightly for that Elias came in 40. dayes to the mount of God Ninthly Christs ascension was not till 40. dayes after his resurrection were past Tenthly Quia Dominus venit ad nos c Because Christ came vnto vs by 42. generations Dominus suo quadragenario c. Christ dooth descend vnto vs in this number of 40. because Matthew hath 42. generations that wee might ascend vnto him in the same number Eleuenthly Vt perueniamus ad requiē that we may follow Christ to the euerlasting rest for he after that he had conuersed with his disciples 40. dayes ten dayes after did he ascend vp to heauen and sent them the holy Ghost Duran l. ibid Twelfthly for that thus fasted Moses Elias and Christ Et hoc pro institutione exemplo And this for instruction and example Alexander insumma de ieiunio or imitation 11. We fast say they that we may satisfie the breach of the Decalogue Blasphemie 12. The fast of the foure times are for the sinnes committed in the foure parts of the yeare Blasphemie 13. A little fast doth satisfie for that sinne which deserueth an exceeding great punishment Blasphemie 14. Fast was appoynted that thereby we might merit a perfect reconciliation with God Blasphemie 15. A voluntarie fast kept in loue meriteth eternall life 16. Fasting for the dead a worke to helpe and deliuer soules out of * Gratian. 14.2 cap. anima verba Grego purgatorio eximūtur animae aut precibus aut ieiunio cognitorum Ex Burchardo wermaciens Episcopo circa annum 1020. purgatorie 17. Wilfull murther must make satisfaction by 40. dayes fast and seuen yeares penance 18. Hee that killeth a man ignorantly or by chaunce must fast 40. dayes and beare fiue yeares penance 19. Hee that maimeth any man is bound to fast 40. daies 20. Periured men satisfie by foure yeares fast seuen yeares penance 21. Sacriledge 120. dayes fast and 7. yeares penance 22. Adulterie if but one of the persons were married hath 40. dayes fast and seuen yeares penance but both married 80. dayes fast and 14. yeares penance 23. Rape must make satisfaction with 40. dayes fast and 7. yeares penance 24. Fornication with Nunnes 40. dayes fast and 7. yeares penance 25. For the breach of fasts appoynted by the Church penance was inioyned 20. or 40. dayes 26. Slaunder and rayling must haue 7. dayes fast And thus farre of this rotten and vnsauourie superstition wherein Antichrist we see doth more blaspheme and dishonour Iesus Christ according to his name 2. Thes 2. then all former ages Tertullian Quod primum verum adulterinum quod posterius Truth hath the first place and is most ancient errour and corruption come after Cyprian Sicut in aquae ductibus Note this similitude quando in remotioribus canalibus aqua turbida velfaeculenta apparet c. Like as in water conduits when the water is troubled and vncleane in the furthest pipes wee then search the pipes next the spring head and at the last we come to the spring it selfe So in ecclesiasticall controuersies wee must haue our recourse to the testimonies of the auncient or primitiue Church but specially to the * That is to the holy scriptures springs of the citie of God August de morib Manichaeorum cap. 13. Si quis existat ita homo parcus c. If any man bee so sparing and so frugall that to moderate his bellie and his throate he will not feed twise in one day and this man in supper hath set before him a salet of hearbes with some fat bacon the salet but a little tempered with the fatnesse of the bacon he taketh so much of this as wil serue to slake hunger and cooleth his thirst for healthes sake with two or three cuppes of pure wine An other on the other side will taste no flesh no wine but feedes cheerefully about the ninth houre vpon curious and strange fruites varietie of dishes well spised and when nights comes on he sups with like dishes he drinkes bastard or mixt wine and syrupes much like wine more pleasant then wine drinks of these

other or both if it may be I am now come by Gods good prouidence to tel thee that thou maist pursue and followe after them with all the power and speed that may be 1. The 14. verse teacheth vs how neer Sathan may be in this world vnto vs whē we think him furthest off if this wicked spirit may thus rush vpon Gods good people whē they are well occupied in their lawfull vocation place and charge what maruell is it if hee bee let loose against the wicked and slothfull men which lie and sleepe in idlenesse and in sinne Peter thought little Sathan had been so neere when he warned his master louingly Let Sathan euer find vs wel occupied to spare and to pitie himselfe Math. 16.23 and when hee promised so confidently that hee would dye with his master Matth. 26.33 Iohn 15.37 Sathan lyeth in waite for vs euery where Sathan shames Dauid in his slothfulnes 2. Sam. 11.2 hee is an olde serpent 2. Cor. 11.3 Reuel 12.9.10 and by all his artes seeketh to circumuent vs to vnderprie vs 2. Cor. 2.10.11 to deuour vs as here we see by all the meanes he can 1. Peter 5.8 Therefore let vs put on our compleat armour euery day Ephe 6. 1. Thes 5. 2. Here againe the Lord aduertiseth vs what need we haue to be garded continually by the holy Angels of God Psal 3.8.91.11.12 Sathan is our common aduersarie but the Lord hath appointed his good Angels to preserue vs otherwise both we and our substance should bee consumed euery day euerie moment of the day The 15. verse teacheth vs Theeues and robbers Sathās speciall hands and instrumēts to worke by 1. How Sathan maketh the children of rebellion his vassals and slaues to serue him and to worke his will Here is no mention made of Sathan yet all this murder and theft by the Sabeans came from him as the chiefe head for that bloudie and cruell spirit worketh spiritually inuisibly and strangely in all the children of rebellion Ephe. 2.2 It is hard to demonstrate in what manner Sathan worketh in the wicked because the scripture When this packe commeth against vs let vs remēber then that Sathan is let loose to proue vs. No mercy with Sathan and his instruments if the Lord rebuke them not they murder all Gen. 45.5 as here so elsewhere doth not so cleerely reueale it But the scriptures full often beate into our eares that Sathan is neere vs and worketh in the vnbeleeuers to the end we might watch and resist him by faith and prayer Iam. 4.7 2. We see here there is no mercie with Sathan and his instruments if the Lord stay not their rage Sathan had leaue and commission granted hee would haue all Iobs seruants murdered theeues and robbers were readie to execute and so bee also this crue but the Lord often cuttes them all short Sathan would haue murdered Ioseph by his brethren but God rebuked him and bridled them God saith he sent me hither for your preseruation So Sathan than and Saul his instrument sought euery day to murder Dauid 1. Sam. 23.14 But GOD deliuered him out of his hand Let vs learne to rest quietly by faith in the Lords sweete protection vse Psal 91.1 And Dauid himselfe so long as hee was caryed away with the spirite of whoredome and murder hee shewed himselfe a most mercilesse man It is a great comforte for a man in miserie to haue some louing friends about him a good wife or a good child or some good faithful seruāt but Iob had none of all these No doubt Sathan slew al the best seruants and left the worst aliue hee spared not his owne best beloued seruant good Vriah the proselyte 3. Sathan did rob Iob of all his faithfull children and best seruants which might comfort him in his miserie but he leaues him some fewe hirelings which hee knew would be meete instruments to scorne him and molest him in his afflictions Hee complaineth of a number such wretches which were about him to whom hee had done good often Children of fooles or of villaines or without name or of an euill name more vile then the earth now I am their song and their talke saith he they whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogges of my flockes And yet was he a father to all the poore and fatherlesse 4. We may learne here againe how artificially Sathan prouides to wound Iobs hart hee kils al this companie excepting this messenger If none had beene left to make relation of this stratageme Sathan artificially playes his parts against Iob giues him no rest or intermission till al the tragedy be ended Iob had not knowen it may be this euill for some daies after in which time he might haue recouered some strength by prayer otherwise by some good meanes from the Lord. For this cause Sathan striues to play all the partes of this tragedie in such good order in one day as that it may most amaze Iob in beholding it and fill his heart with sorrowe and griefe without any ease or intermission Vers 16. And while he was yet speaking another came and sayde the fire of God is fallen from heauen and hath burnt vp the sheepe and the seruants and deuoured them but I onely am escaped alone to tell thee ANd while he was yet speaking c. Before the first messenger had ended his message another seruant came with the like or worse newes The fire of * Like phrase Gen. 50.8 Ionas 3.3 God is fallen from the heauen That is a strange fire or some sudden flashes of lightning in a grieuous tempest a fire which had some secret and diuine causes He speaks after the common manner of speaking the people thinke those fiery meteors which are bred in the highest region of the aire come from heauen God sent it wee knowe not how it came from aboue the heauens or highest region of the aire or the fire of God that is a most great and strange fire as Psalm 36.6 Thy righteousnes is like the mountaines of God that is most great and mightie mountaines And hath burnt vp the sheepe That is this cruell fire hath destroied and deuoured thy 7000. sheep seruants they be all consumed to ashes And I only by some diuine and speciall prouidence of God am escaped to tell thee 1. This verse againe teacheth vs first the subtiltie of our common enemie the great dragon that old serpent Doctrine hee hath begunne his tragedie hee hath begunne to wound Iobs heart Iob is an old souldier and therefore must be beaten downe all at once before he can recouer any strength hee will now giue him no time to gather newe strength He knowes Iob an old souldier which must be beaten downe all at once otherwise all his labour is lost For might Iob haue some rest to turne to God by prayer before hee bee so broken and amazed as hee knowes not where to

may seeme vnto the world that the Sabeans and Chaldeans fire tempest haue only wrought against me spoyled and robbed me of all my substance yet I know and am well assured that my God had the speciall and chiefe hand in al these calamities which are fallen vpon me These wicked instruments were sent from him and stirred vp by Sathan against mee The diuell hath a purpose herein no doubt to destroy me but the Lord notwithstanding all this correction loueth me as deerely as euer he did before I will rest vpon him his secret purpose I know not only this I knowe hee may iustly take away that which he hath geuen or rather lent me with his owne hand Blessed be the name of the Lord. The Lord be blessed for all his workes and his name is wonderfull I must neuer forget to magnifie his name as for all his benefits past the long rest peace and prosperitie I haue enioyed for many yeares so for his fatherlie correction present vpon me For howsoeuer yet I can not see the cause of these strange afflictions yet I trust all shall turne vnto my good in the end Doctrine 1. First where wee see Iob in his most extreme miserie to haue not onely thought well of the Lord and of his prouidence but also to haue sent foorth from a good heart as from a good fountaine most comfortable speeches and good testimonies of his holy faith for it is sayd hee spake with his mouth all these words of this verseful of faith and humiliation we see how farre hee is from the carnall desperate wretches in the worlde which either keepe a dead silence vnto themselues in their sorrowes as did Nabal whose heart was dead as a stone and Achab in his passions was like affected or else they burst out into most horrible cursed blasphemies against God and man as wee see in Cain and a number of his companions at this daye 2. King 21.5 Reuel 16.8.9.11 * Iob in his afflictions doth shew his faith in speaking cheerefully to God in prayer and thanksgiuing the wicked rather are dead and broken hearted or blaspheme God and men for when the wicked are tormented as was prophecied They boyle in great anger and blaspheme the God of heauen for their paines and for their sores and repent not of their workes But Iob vnder the crosse he desired to comforte himselfe in prayer vnto God and with good speeches vnto men For he desired to instruct such friends as were left him in the great doctrine of Gods prouidence that they might learne to rest patiently vpon God in their afflictions a good signe of faith and grace to see men speake cheerefully and with good hearts vpon their bed of sorrowe and sicknes the wicked bee lumpish and mute or worse Psal 6. 38. 2. We learne how Iob desireth to comfort his hart and to confirme his faith with two speciall arguments Iobs heart and affections not set vpon his substance Psal 62.10 which are marueilous effectuall to worke in vs if any thing may in the day of our miserie The first is the consideration of our natiuitie of our birth day and the second is the consideration of the day and houre of our death The Apostle to Timoth. thinkes these arguments to bee effectuall and speciall bands to binde vs and keepe vs in all the waies of true godlines We must not plead against God for taking away his owne blessings from vs. Hee sheweth what moues the godly man to be content with that he hath namely this hee remembers his birth and his death often and how that nothing brought we into this worlde nothing shall wee carry out of this world The Psalmist is of this iudgement that this argument will make a man wise in Gods feare Psal 90.12 hauing shewed the shortnes of our life verse 10. and the power of Gods wrath verse 11. Teach vs to number our daies sayth he to remember our beginning and ending that we may apply our hearts to wisedome The Lord willeth vs to record often what shal be the end of the wicked 1. Pet. 4.17 Psalm 73.15.16 for this is a good spurre also to obedience But a speciall motiue to Gods people is the dissolution of the whole frame of heauen and earth in the ende of the worlde By this argument the Apostles exhort often 1. Pet. 4.7 2. Pet. 3.10.15 Titus 2.11.12.13 Our first entrance into the world was in nakednes miserie sinne and shame And in the ende of our daies follow these things death iudgement hell and damnation on the one hand heauen and saluation euerlasting on the other hand If these two argumentes then can not moue thee nothing shall perswade thee 3. Plinie a naturall man writing of mans natiuitie Prooemio 7. lib. n. hist doth exclaime bitterly against nature or rather the God of nature his wordes bee these Nature saith he is a stepmother vnto man but friendly vnto all other beastes clothing them all in their kinde some with shels some with barkes some with hides some with bristles some with haire some with feathers some with winges some with scales some with wooll from the colde of winter and heate of sommer but man onely is cast forth naked vpon the bare ground in the day of his natiuitie Rom. 5.12 Gen. 3. A. This prophane writer is vtterly ignorant of the originall corruption and fall of man and how the first Adam hath brought a curse vpon himselfe and all creatures For his apostasie hath not onely spoyled him of his imperiall crowne and dignitie but also all his progenie and posteritie which like their first parents are sent forth naked into the worlde yea heauen and earth testifie the great wrath of God for that sinne and all creatures shall grone for it to the worldes ende Rom. 8. Againe this pagane blasphemes in this speech against nature or the God of nature for he is most iust in all his workes Rom. 1. To bee short mans case in regard of this life is farre better then the beasts for he hath choice of things to couer him but the bruite beastes must content themselues with one garment or none at all 4. We learne of Iob that which our Sauiour ca●efullie warneth vs to take heed That if riches doe increase wee set not our hearts vpon them and that wee labour to bee rich in God Iobs patience in the losse of all his wealth appeareth plainely in that his heart affections were not fastned to the drossie fraile things of this life He thought it no iniurie as the greatest part of all rich men doe that the Lord should take his owne againe from him For hee saith all his substance came of Gods meere liberalitie and goodnes Now thē by good reason he may cal for his own at his pleasure wee may not nor ought not to holde plea with that God for anything hee doth which feedeth vs euery day of his owne free goodnes and gracious

will dye shortly and I will kill him The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly Gen. 27.41 We see God doth vs many good turnes and shal we endure no euill at his hand when it pleaseth him 2. When men receiue blessings no thanks to be thankfull but how many are there which forget not soone all the good they receiue And where shall you finde a man which if you offend him neuer so little is not readie to forget all the good he hath receiued And as men doe with men so doe they with God In prosperitie they bee thankfull and perswade themselues of his fauour and praise him but vnder the crosse they murmur and thinke vpon nothing so much as his iustice and wrath Iob on the contrary he forgetteth not now what good he hath receiued and argues by the former blessings both spirituall and temporal which he hath receiued from God that for these chastisements he ought to bee thankfull they cannot proceede but from a louing father Iob here practiseth that which Iames commandeth Iob doth both teach practise Iames. 1.2 Heb. 12.8.9.10.11 Iob. 15.3 My brethren count it exceeding ioyes when ye fall into diuers temptations Wee must be readie at all houres to send God whom againe the blessings which he lent vs with thankfulnes In aduersitie meditations of Gods loue grace and mercy in Christ in prosperitie meditations of Gods iudgements rods and iustice are best So did Iob in prosperitie he gaue himselfe no rest for feare of displeasing his God he so thought of his rods and anger chap. 3. 26. In aduersitie hee striues to be cheerefull and to thinke of Gods goodnes This argument and the meditation of it is a singular preseruatiue in aduersitie Consider euer vnder the crosse of Gods former loue towards thee so confirme thy selfe For whether wee consider the temporall blessings of God or spirituall which concerne our saluation wee must needes bee comforted in the due consideration of them Runne through some particulars in thy conception thy birth thine election c. behold his almightie power prouidence and goodnes c. But selecting and calling thee by Iesus Christ vnto euerlasting glorie from endles shame how canst thou once think of this but thou must be exceedingly rauished with ioy and be ful of thankfulnes and shal not this God send vs bitter crosses for a time on earth which meanes to aduance vs to such endles glorie in heauen 3. Note here the true mark of Gods faithfull children first where it is sayd he offended not with his lippes The meaning is not that he grudged inwardly and spake well outwardly but that he had such a bridle for his affectiōs that he could well rule his tongue in the middest of this scorching flame of temptatiōs Many inward battels had he but by faith he ouercame them so as they could not appeare outwardly any thing at all in him * An vnbeleeuer will soone discouer himselfe by an vnbrydled tounge vnder the crosse It is a thing most rare when a man hath many conflicts within but that some bitter and euill words escape him without For this cause sayth S. Iames that he which sinneth not with his * In word Iam. 3.2 1.26 Psal 15. tongue is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole bodie Of the gouernment of the tongue First consider Iames arguments 1. Hee that cannot bridle his tongue hath no religion Iam. 1.26 2. He that can bridle and well vse it is a sound wise man 3. Hee that cannot bridle it is set on a wilde horse backe 4. He sits in a shippe which wants a rudder or a helme 5. An euill tongue like a flame burnes vp all euen all the world the diuell fires it 6 He that hath an euill tongue is full of sinne 7 The wicked mans tongue cannot bee tamed 8 Full of deadly poyson 9 He cannot bee a faithfull man which hath an euill tongue Blessing and cursing are contrary One thing be sure till thou hast a good heart thou hast neuer a good tongue Math. 15.19 Learne to speake well to God so shalt thou speake well to men The tongue is a notable instrument well gouerned the worst part if it bee euill euill by nature hard to bee ruled let vs often pray for the good gouernment and good vse of the tongue Thus far of wicked spirits now something would be sayd of the good Angels which kept Iob keep vs euery day Psal 34.7 First They are many Math. 26.53.2 Of great strength Psalm 103.20.3 Faithfull in their obedience ibid. 4. They reioyce in our good Luk. 15.7.10.5 When we dye they carrie our soules to heauen Luk. 16. vers 22. Vers 11.12.13 Now when Iobs three friends heard of all this euill that was come vpon him they came euery one from his owne place to wit Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite for they were agreed together to come to lament with him and to comfort him In these mē which visited Iob in his afflictiōs we are to consider 1. What moued thē to visit him 1. They heard of his calamitie miserie 2. They were his deere friends 2. With what sympathie loue they came vnto him 1. They agreed together to come performe this duetie 2. They intended in loue to come and lament with him 3. They came to comfort him by all meanes that they could best doe it 3. When they were come to the place note 1. The signes of their true loue 1. Weeping 2. Renting garments 3. Humbled in the dust 4. Sate downe by him 7. dayes and 7. nights 2. What moued thē to be silent 1. They waited oportunitie 2. His sore and payne did increase Now when Iobs three friends No doubt he had many When any of the faithful are afflicted al the the world wil ring of it how much more if they be rich being in that high pitch of dignitie chap. 29. but these these were his speciall most wise and faithfull friends Heard of all this euill which came vpon Job That is all the former calamities losse of substance losse of children these last torments in his owne bodie They came euery one from his owne place These three great men which are here named came euery one from his owne countrie or possessions where they dwelt Gen. 25. and 36. not alone but accompanied with many no doubt which came partly with them as attendants and with a number which came purposely to see Iob for diuers causes Eliphaz the Themanite Iob and his friendes al come of the same ancetors for it semes they came all of Esau These surnames some haue thought were giuen them of the places townes or cities whence they came but the best interpreters say these were the names of their ancesters that Eliphaz is called a Themanite of Theman the sonne of Eliphaz Gen. 36.11 42. which was the first borne of Esau And yet we know Theman