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
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
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
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
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
better feele the deserued misery of our sinnes euen that we are worthy of death and also that we might outwardly declare and by this practise professe the same Now whereas it may seeme vnto carnall men Ob. God being a spirit regardeth not these outward thing such as measure things onely by reason that this outward abstinence is a thing of no value and such as God regardeth not neither are wee to ascribe any vertue to that at all seeing the Lord is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth again forasmuch as in themselues meate and drinke are indifferent things by vsing or leauing them they cannot make vs better or worse Rom. 14.17 for the kingdome of God consisteth not in meate and drinke but in righteousnesse peace and ioy of the holie Ghost and therefore he that eateth or eateth not â— Cor. 8.8 hath neither more or lesse and and so is neither neerer the kingdome of God nor further of from it by either of them Matt. 15.11 And if Christ said that that goeth into a man defileth not the man then to abstaine that cannot sanctifie a man and so if a man fast he is neuer a whit the holier and if he fast not he is neuer a whit the woorse and thus vpon such foolish conceits men should make light account of this holy ordinance of God and wholly neglect it as too manie doe For answer vnto all these Answer and such like we must remember that fasting is the Lords ordinance and that he doth command that wee should thus abstaine as hath beene prooued in the former Homilie out of the old new Testament therefore wee must not leaue it vndone but thinke our selues bound vnto it Secondarily God that hath commanded it will also accept of it and giue it a blessing to all those that in feare and obedience shall vse it and thirdly he hauing ordeined it to a most excellent end euen to humble the soule hee will make it prosperous to them to this end euen as water in Baptisme and bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord are nothing in themselues nor rest vpon the Sabbath if it bee considered in it selfe yet all these being ordained of God haue a great blessing to them that vse them in reuerence and in faith Furthermore seeing this outward abstinence is appointed to this ende to further vs in true humilitie and affliction of our soules â—nd hath â—mmanded for the â—mbling 〈◊〉 our soâ—les â—eu 16.29 as hath beene shewed out of Leuit. 16. where it is precisely and in expresse words required that euery one should humble his soule vpon that day and so appointed to this end that otherwise we cannot attaine vnto it in that measure that we should for then had God appointed it in vaine which once to imagine were most horrible blasphemie in respect of this God doth require it and we cannot without neglecting of the inward vertue refuse the outward exercise For as the Sacrament is appointed to that end that thereby we might effectually remember Christes death according as it is written â— Cor. 11.16 Doe this in remembrance of me and so wee are bound to vse it continually vnto his comming againe â—nd by sâ—â—ing 〈◊〉 arâ—â—reat 〈◊〉 surâ—erâ—â— in 〈◊〉 humitie and vse it to that end that thereby as by an outward signe we might remember him and without this wee cannot remember him as often and as we should So the very abstinence from meate and drinke being appointed of God to further vs in some inward vertues which otherwise we cannot attaine vnto or not in that measure though it be an outward bodily thing yet commaunded of God and commanded to these endes we are not onely bounde vnto it but we must beleeue that it is acceptable vnto God and will greatlie further vs. 1. Cor. 9.25 For as the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians Euery man that prooueth masteries abstaineth from al things that is those which rather run in a race or wrestle for the best game were woont to abstaine from all such things as might either hinder their exercises or make them lesse able to performe them with praise and whatsoeuer strength or agilitie they had for this purpose in their armes or legges or any part of their bodie yet they neglected not this abstinence and found by experience that it did greatly profit them for the better brething and othewise inabling of them to the performing of those exercises with the best commendations And may not we then be assured much more that that abstinence which the Lord hath appointed for the better fitting of vs to the spirituall wrestling with the sinfull lustes of our fleshly mindes as vnbeleefe deadnesse and dulnesse hardnesse of heart want of feeling of our sinnes and the deserued punishments of them priuie pride want of feruencie in praier and such like shall greatly further vs to these endes euen to preuaile against them and though we had greater strength of the spirit then we haue yet by this abstinence wee shall finde all things in vs greatlie furthered for this spirituall warfare By fasting we shall sâ—â—p the â—outhes of the papists who châ—lâ—nge vs for the neglect of it And besides this there is another fruit of our abstinence which is none of the least euen that by thus vsing of it we shall stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries the papists who falsely boast that all fasting was in their religion and since the preaching of the Gospell came vp men haue giuen it ouer as though they did open a windowe to all licentiousnesse of eating and drinking Wherin though themselues were altogither voide of the right maner of fasting prescribed in Gods worde as shall appeere more fully heereafter and so should haue pulled out the great beame first that was in their owne eie before they medled with the mote that was in ours according to the counsell of our Sauiour Christ yet we cannot denie Matth. 7. that we haue giuen them too iust occasion of their slander because wee haue not vsed it publikely and priuately as often as we should But againe for our defence we must remember what Christ said in the defence of his Disciples Luk. 5.34 Can yee make the children of the wedding chamber fast as long as the Bridegroome is with them but the daies will come euen when the Bridegroome shall be taken froÌ„ them then shall they fast in those daies Besides no man putteth a peece of a new cloath into an old vesture for then the newe renteth it and the peece taken out of the newe agreeth not with the old God blessing this time of the Gospell with sundry great benefits did many times dispense with vs as being a time of ioy and of the Bridegroomes presence and a great many for their ignorance were altogether vnfit for it and so in that respect were priuileged from it for a time But now seeing the Lord requireth
would not hearken vnto our voice that is he would not giue ouer fasting though they earnestly intreated him So that whiles the childe laye sicke hee continued his fasting and prayer vnto the Lorde for the life of it for the space of diuers daies for it died not vntill the seuenth day after that it fell sicke Which godly fast of his doth shew that if any shal haue any afâ—liction vpon them and so the Lord giue them cause of sorrow and of humiliation more than others or which others haue not at all no not they which are of the same familie then they are for a time to put themselues apart as it were from the rest and in priuate fasting and prayer to seeke vnto the Lord for mercie more than others So did Ahab when Gods iudgement was denouÌ„ced against him as Dauid did heere So is it sayd also of Ahab King of Israel that when the Prophet Elijah had sharplie rebuked him for his sinnes denounced the curse of God against him and his whole familie for it 1. King 21.20 saying Thou hast solde thy selfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord therefore Beholde sayeth the Lord I will bring euill vpon thee and will take away thy posterity and wil cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall as well him that is shut vp as him that is left in Israel and so foorth as it followeth in that place vers 27. When Ahab heard those wordes hee rent his clothes and put on sackecloth vpon him and fasted and lay in sackecloth and went softly Thus because the wrath of the Lord appeared speciallie against him for his sinne though he proclamed no publike fast thorow his kingdome yet he saw that it was high time for himselfe at the least to practise it So ought all other men and women doe in the like case Therefore if any shall haue fallen into any grieuous sinne as these two Kings had whereby the Lord by the ministerie of his Word threateneth against them some notable punishment and their owne consciences tell them that they haue iustlie deserued it or some grieuous thing is alreadie befallen them then they must know it to be their bounden dutie to seeke to turne away the wrath of the Lord from theÌ„selues and from their houses by priuate fasting and prayer and they must not onely acknowledge that the Lord requireth that they should humble themselues before him in fasting and so could be contented that there were some publicke fasts then whereunto they might resort and thinke themselues discharged because there bee none and so tarie vntill some by publike authoritie vpon some occasion be coÌ„manded but because it is their own case onely and none others they must see what God requireth of them alone Reasons to persuade men to priuate fasting And truly if all men would thus do they might preuent manie of Gods heauie iudgements which otherwise befall themselues and theirs but often times many sinnes are most grieuously committed and Gods holy law broken not onely by some one in a familie but by diuers both gouernours children and seruants as adulterie fornication and other vncleannesse drunkennesse and gluttonie swearing and blaspheming the most holy name of God contempt of Gods word and sacraments besides all ruffianlinesse and prophannesse pride oppression and such like and they doe not seeke priuately to humble themselues before God for them when they breake out and are iustly by Gods Ministers reproued for them but rather they go on obstinately and stand in the defence of the same they do not I say after some extraordinarie maner of fasting and prayer seeke feruently vnto the Lord and so his iudgements breake out against them and some plague or other entreth into their houses which with their sinnes they haue defiled that as the Cananites were spued out of that fruitfull land for their wickednesse Leu. 18.28 so are they by sicknesse and death cast out of their goodly houses Which kinde of wickednes coÌ„mitted closely in houses as it was the principall cause that this late plague first entred into them so in that respect some had iust cause to begin sooner and to continue longer their priuate fast then by publike authority all were inioyned vnto it For if Ahab who was an idolater a wicked man did then see that now he had cause to fast though other did not then we that are taught by the Word of God should much more discerne of the times and know when in respect of our priuate sinnes and calamities present The good that might redound to priuate families thereby or iustly to be feared we haue cause to fast and pray though other do not And if Ahab in thus doing did obtaine a release from this particular iudgement so farre foorth that it was put off and came not vpon his house in his dayes according to that that is said of him by the Lord himselfe vnto Eliiah Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me because he submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring that euill in his dayes but in his sonnes daies will I bring euill vpon his house Then wee much more vsing this holy ordinance in sinceritie and trueth might put far from vs and from all ours manie grieuous plagues which our sinnes haue deserued Therefore let vs bee perswaded that it is our bounden dutie sometimes not onely to giue our selues vnto priuate praier which shuld be ordinarie and continuall but euen to fasting and prayer And this is that which we reade of Dauid againe 2. Sam. 3.30 â—hen Abner was traiterously slaine by â—oab and Abishai his brother because not only for the losse of so woorthie a captaine but especially for that great sinne in murthering him Dauid fastâ—d priuatly for the death of Abner which might procure Gods wrath against himselfe and his whole Realme and that it might appeare that hee was free from his blood he not onely sorrowed greatly for his death and prouoked the rest of the people thereunto as it is sayd of him Rent your clothes and put on sackecloth and mourne before Abner and King Dauid himselfe followed the beere and when they had buried Abner in Hebron the King lift vp his voice and wept besides the sepulchre of Abner and all the people wept but also Dauâ—d the King did further humble himselfe by fasting that day because he saw more into the hand of God and was more touched with it for it is written of him That all the people came to cause Dauid to eat meat vers 35. while it was yet day but Dauid sware saying So God do to me and more also if I taste bread or ought else till the Sunne be downe so that it is written of him and of him alone that in this common cause of heauinesse hee not onely mourned with the rest but fasted also and praied vnto God which is to be vnderstood as a thing necessarily ioined vnto fasting though
labours and therefore they can not make choise of a day of priuate fasting for of that we speake and not of publike wherein both master and seruant must be at the appointment of their gouernour but so farre onely as their superiours shall giue them leaue So that if they can not or wil not spare their labours for a time they are of necessitie to keepe all their priuate fasts vpon the Sabbath dayes wherein they are bound to rest from their labours and to serue God as well as any other and so their masters and gouernours should not onely giue them leaue to doe but also are charged by God so to doe and haue authoritie giuen ouer them to that end according to the expresse words of the commandement Sixe dayes shalt thou labour Exod. 20.9 and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruant nor thy maide where they are willed not only not to hinder them from sanctifying of the day but to looke diligentlie vnto them that they doe religiously obserue and keepe it and so vpon that day they may at any time the times of necessitie being alwaies excepted without any offence to their gouernors by defrauding theÌ„ of their seruices keepe their fasts And so may they doe any day of the weeke els if they haue their leaue otherwise not For though this be a speciall part of Gods seruice and that which he requireth of all at one time or other yet because it is not ordinarie and the sixe dayes are appointed for all the works of our seuerall callings ordinarilie and they are not their owne men as we say but at the disposition of others euen of their gouernours therefore he hath giuen theÌ„ leaue to breake all such purposes of theirs as shall vpon any of these dayes hinder them from any of those workes or seruices If they doe their gouernours haue power to breake them wherein they are to imploy them and vse them And so as they may not vpon these dayes leaue their worke and go to a Sermon heere there which some not ill minded might be willing to doe and so leaue their masters businesse vndone and thus vnder the colour of deuotion and well meaning not only idlenesse might be nourished in them but many disorders brought into a familie so much lesse are they at their own pleasure to take vp whole dayes to themselues for fasting without the priuitie and good liking of those vnder whom they are and if they should enterprise any such thing they are by them to be reprooued and amended according to the power that God hath giuen them And heerein as in some other things doth the law of God take place that is set downe by Moses Num. 30.4 If a woman vow a vow vnto the Lord binde herselfe by a bond being in her fathers house in the time of her youth and her father heare her vow and bond wherewith she hath bound her selfe and her father holde his peace concerning her then all her vowes shall stand euery bond wherewith shee hath bound her selfe shall stand but if her father disallow her the same day that he hereth al her vowes and bonds wherewith she hath bound her self they shal not be of value the Lord will forgiue her because her father disalowed her Where first he saith That if any make a vow or binde themselues with any bond to God or man they must keepe it but if a maid in her youth Because this kinde of serâ—ice is but voluntary and in her fathers house that is whiles shee is vnder his gouernment make a vowe and when hee heareth it by his silence or otherwise approoueth it then it is in force and must be performed but if he disallow of it then it shall be of no value and God will pardon her because her father hath broken it So that they haue not power while they be vnder gouernment to vowe what they will no not to God as to fast which is a voluntary seruice and may be vowed but if they haue done the father may breake it The equitie of this law giueth the same authoritie to the father ouer his sonnes and to the master and mistresse ouer their maid seruants and men seruants bindeth all them to be obedient vnto theÌ„ in such cases especially wheÌ„ as the Lord himselfe setteth downe the same law for the wife making a vowe without the knowledge and approbation of her husband vers 7 saying If she haue an husband when she voweth or pronounceth ought with her lippes wherewith she bindeth herselfe if her husband heareth and holdeth his peace concerning her the same day he heareth it then the vowe shall stand and her bonds wherewith she bindeth herselfe shall stande in effect but if her husband disalow her the same day that he heareth it then shall hee make her vowe which she hath made and that she hath pronounced with her lippes wherewith she bound herselfe of none effect and the Lord will forgiue her where wee see that the spirit of God vseth manie wordes to giue vs to vnderstand that though they haue determined neuer so certainly to do it yet they by their absolute authoritie may hinder them And truely if it were not thus manie might and would vnder this colour pretence somtimes of fained holinesse defraud their parents and masters of their seruice when they should most need them but God is the God of order and therefore hauing subiected children vnto their parents and seruants vnto their masters their persons and their willes and hauing commanded them to be obedient vnto them in the Lord in all things woulde haue them in all such matters Col. 3.20.22 as are but voluntarie to depend vpon their willes I confesse that it is to be granted In duties absolutely commanded the gouernours cannot restraine their inferiors that in things absolutely necessarie either for the glorie of God a mans saluation the preseruation of life the good of others and such like as to worship God purely and to be of a sound religion and to bee no heretike papist sectarie or atheist and to be of an holie life and conuersation and not to be prophane like Esau or like the silthie sowe 2. Pet. 2.22 that wallowerh in the mire generally to keepe all Gods commandements and to beleeue all the articles of our faith these things I saie they are to do yea although they cannot haue their consent For heere the wordes of the Apostles are in force who when they were brought before the counsell of the high Priests and Elders and there by them straightlie charged that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus Act. 4.18 answered them and saide whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge yee So that
did so worke vpon him in this great prosperitie of his owne that hee was not able to hide it but it did manifestly bewraie it selfe in his countenance so that the king when he waited at the table did perceiue it and asked him the cause of it saying Neh. 2.2 Why is thy countenance sadde seeing thou art not sicke this is nothing but sorrowe of heart Then he told him the cause of it and said to the king God saue the â—â—ng for euer why shoulde not my countenance be sadde when the citie and house of the sepulcher of my faâ—hers lieth waste and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire Thus we see how hee in all pittie and compassion sorrowed for the desolation of others and shall we thinke that we may now giue our selues to feasting and chearing to myrth and pleasure to recreation and pastimes and to all kinde of meeting to these endes as in times past and haue little or no sorrowe at all when our brethren in other places are in great affliction and manie houses lie waste with the pestilence We must doe as wee would be done vnto if we were in their case or in any other miserie we would be glad that others should pittie vs and in pittie praie for vs Then shall â—thers also pittie vs in the like case and praie for vs. and it would be a great comfort vnto vs to heare that any did so then must we in the meane season thus pittie others and in a brotherly compassion praie for them that when it shall be our owne case that waie or any other way we might not bee left to our selues but others might doe as much for vs as we haue done for them before according to the promise of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell Giue Leu. 6.36 and it shall bee giuen you a good measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer shall men giue vnto your bosome for with what measure you mete with the same shall men mete vnto you againe It is written of Vriah the Hittite one of Dauids woorthie captaines that when hee was sent for home in pollicie by the King that by going home to his owne house the adultery that was coÌ„mitted with his wife Bethshebah in his absence might be hidden 2. Sam. 11. â— and therefore the king said vnto him Goe downe to thine house and wash thy feete so Vriah departed out of the kings pallace and the king sent a present after him but Vriah Vriah departed from his lawfull delightes because his brethren were in aduersity slept at the doore of the kings pallace with all the seruants of his Lorde and went not downe to his house then they tolde Dauid saying Vriah went not downe to his house and Dauid said vnto Vriah commest thou not from thy iourney Why doest thou not goe downe to thine house Then Vriah answered Dauid The Arke and Israel and Iudah dwell in tentes and my Lord Ioab and the seruants of my Lord abide in the open fieldes shall I then goe into mine house to eate and drinke and to lie with my wife by thy life and by the life of thy soule I will not do this thing Is this good and holy man Vriah would not go home to his house and make much of himselfe when the King bad him when there were so manie reasons for it because his Lord and captaine Ioab vnder whom he serued and manie other of the people his fellow souldiers were in the field before their enemies and so in danger of their liues but thought it meet in godly wisedome though hee was absent from them to beare part of the burden with them So should we fall from our â—leasures in â—his great soâ—ow losse â—f others Then wee if wee haue the like compassion to our brethren that hee had should thinke that wee ought to abridge our selues somewhat at the least of our honest lawfull delights and to cut off not only all superfluity and excesse but somewhat of our ordinarie diet and to sorrow with those our brethren who though they are not in the open fields and in the face and feare of their enemies yet are in no lesse danger feare of their liues by reason of this great plague Psal 91.5 which as an arrow flieth by day and walketh in the darkenesse and destroieth at noon day so that neither day nor night they are in safetie or without feare and is as deadlie as the sword for it causeth a thousand to fall on the one side and ten thousand on the other and so they haue manie fearefull dayes and take little rest in the night neither can they eat their meat quietly or with any comfort So that vnlesse we will be addicted and liue whollie to ourselues and care for none other this great wrath vpon our brethren so long and so heauie should driue vs to weepe with them to fast and pray for them and seeing they are so greatly humbled in themselues we should some wayes cast downe our selues with them Therefore let vs set their lamentable estate To that end we should seriouslie thinke of their lamentable estate before our eies and let it be a looking glasse vnto vs let vs in the feare of God thinke of it seriously and in good earnest as if it were our owne case that wee may be thorowly mooued with it and let vs not haue such stonie hearts so void of all bowels of compassion that wee should heare weekely of the death of our brethren and what great lamentation is made euerie where some for the losse of their husbands and wiues some for the death of their parents and children others for the departure of their sisters and brethren friendes neighbours kinsefolke and acquaintance and we should haue no sorrow for it at all this were the verie next way to prouoke God against our selues and wilfullie to pull the same miserie vpon our owne heads Dauid was so full of pitie that he fasted besought the Lord not onely when the hand of God was vpon some of his own houshold 2. Sam. 12.15 as when the Lord had striken the child that was begotten in adultery so it lay sick but also when it was vpon others euen vpon his enemies Psal 35.13 as he professeth himselfe They rewarded mee euill for good to haue spoiled my soule yet I when they were sicke I was clothed with a sack I humbled my selfe with fasting my praier was turned vpon my bosome that is I prayed for them continually I behaued my selfe as to my friends or as to my brother I humbled my selfe mourning as one that bewaileth his mother If he did thus for his enimies how much more should we doe it for them who haue giuen vs no other cause to iudge of them but as of our friends if he did it for some one or a few priuate persons then how much more should we doe it when the affliction is so common and