two but for all our lifetime thereafter The purposes vowes of obedience which we make in our Repentance must be practised and performed Though the act of Repentance indure not euer in it selfe yet the vertue of it remaineth constantlie in the godlie In Baptisme we are Sacramentallie changed and at the time of our effectuall calling wee feele that Sacramentall grace in justification and sanctification and all our following dayes vvee are bound to goe forward in them Since Repentance then is nothing but Sanctification contracted And sanctification all our life is nothing but Repentance inlarged and continued it will follow that if sanctification doe not kyth constant after our Fasting there hath beene no true Repentance in it Remission of sinne proueth the same For though Iustification and Sanctification be two seuerall graces in themselues and bring seuerall respects dispositions in vs yet they are inseparable for God neuer pardoneth the guilt of sin but iontlie therewith he slayeth sin originall As he washeth away the blot of all sinne so he woundeth deadlie the roote of sinning sin in vs And the cōscience of our washing in the blood of Christ doeth euer beget in vs a care to keepe these garments cleane which God hath cleansed Therefore if there be not after our Fastings a visible amendement of life neither haue wee repented nor God pardoned our sinne but we haue added greater and worse sinnes to the former and brought vpon vs a degree of judiciall induration and hardnesse of heart When Christ had healed the sicke man at the Poole of Bethesda hee commanded him Sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Ioh. 5. So when we are washed in the house of the Lords aboundantlie powred out mercie let vs keepe our selfe from sinne thereafter If God be with vs accept our Prayers then we may be sure of these following fruits 1. Of Remission of sinnes in Iesus Christ So when Dauid confessed his sinnes and said I haue sinned against the Lord hee was answered by Nathan The Lord hath also put away thine iniquitie he had a warrād more speedilie to absolue him thā he had to accuse him ◠Sa. 12. And whē the Publicane knocked on his breast said The Lord haue mercy on me a sinner he went home justified Lu. 18. And whē the forlorne Son came in Repentance to his Father he receiued him in his fauour house againe Luk. 15 He seeth no sin in Iacob nor transgressiō in Israel Our God pardeneth iniquitie passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his Inheritance hee retaineth not his anger for euer because hee delighteth in mercie Hee will turne againe he will haue compassion on vs hee will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sinnes in the bottome of the Sea Mica 7. 18. 2. He will accept of our persons vnder his shaddow nothing holdeth vs out of that secrete refuge but our sinne because hee is of purer Eyes than hee can beholde sine and he pursueth sinne in all and can no more protect an impenitent sinner than hee can denie his justice But when the heart is purged from euerie euill conscience thē his refuge is open to vs. 3. As for our Enemies wee should consider their estate better than themselues they are in Gods worke for our punishment but neither in his fauour nor of his disposition They are more foolish than Sathan hee durst not hurt Iob without a Cōmission of God but they think all possible lawfull to them And when he set on to execute that Commission though malice blinded his desire yet not his minde for hee did fore see a disappointing because hee knew Gods loue to Iob by so manie pledges and testimonies of his sinceritie in Grace But our enemies are not so wise as hee They goe on without Cōmission sought obtained they expound their preuailing as Gods sentence approuing their cause and see not that all their businesse is a prouyding of a Coffine and beare-trees to carrie them out of this combate with shame confusion God will pleade his cause against them Hee hath giuen them a hard but a just commission against vs for our sinnes Assur is the rodde of mine anger I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation against the people of mine anger will I giue him a charge to take the spoile But they passed the bounds of their commission and satisfied their owne wicked heart vpon the people of God For Assur meaneth not as God doeth but his heart is to destroy and cutte off Nations Isa. 10. They say Let vs defile Sion but they know not the thoughts of the Lord neither vnderstand his Counsell Micah 4 12. And when God suffereth them to preuaile for the humiliation of his owne they sacrifice to their owne net and impute all this successe to their owne Idols Habak 2. 11. When God hath humbled vs and pardoned our sinnes then their Commission expyreth and God will plague them in his furie for their own wickednesse in doing his work peruerslie And therefore he will turne him against them plead his cause saying I am verie sore displeased with the Heathen that are at ease For I was but a little displeased with my people the Enemies helped forward the affliction I was angrie with my people and polluted mine Inheritance and giuen them in thine hand But thou hast shewed them no mercie thou hast layed vpon the Auncient a verie heauie yocke Zach. 2. 16. Is. 47. 6. And in his due time hee will turne the rage of the enemie to his praise the remnant of their rage hee will restraine Psal. 76. Hee will stretch out his hand against the wrath of our enemies and his right hand shall saue vs. Psal. 138. 7. So that wee may iustlie say to them Reioyce not against mee O mine Enemie when I fall I shall rise when I sitte in darknesse the Lord shall bee a light vnto mee I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntill hee pleade my cause and execute Iudgement for mee Hee will bring mee foorth to the Light and I shall behold his Righteousnesse Then shee that is mine Enemies shall see and shame shall couer her which said vnto mee Where is the Lord thy God Mine eyes shall behold her now shee shall bee troden downe as myre in the streete Mica 7. 8. 9. 10. They are nowe an instrument in his hand to execute his anger on vs but they shall be the Bute and marke of his greater anger 4. As for the Churches now desolate God will returne to them in mercie in his own time And this time is when they are purged from sinne and the sinnes and insolencie of the Enemie are come to an hight Then God will ryse and haue mercie vpon Sion For the time to saue her euen the sette time is come Psal. 102. 13. It is time for the Lord to worke when they haue made voyde his Law Psal.
beaten with the stormie Seas of calamities and the multitude like Ionah in the sides of the Shippe and are fast asleepe in their sinne Wee ought to rouse them vp and cry What meanest thou O sleeper Arise and call vpon thy God If so be God will thinke vpon vs that we perish not Ionah 1. 6. VVhy will yee die in your sinnes O house of Israel Ezech 18. 31. The people also ought to coÌ„sider their dueties heereâ—n 1. To count it a blessing of God to haue Pastours that will waken them for none of themselues can awak out of the sleepe of sin Dauid a Prophet tender hearted had neede of a Nathan to waken his sleeping Conscience 2. Therefore they should heare and receiue information from their Pastours whom God hath set ouer them As hee hath bound Pastours vnder heauiest paine to informe them so are they bound in Conscience to heare them and receiue their instruction 3. To deale with their pastors to interceed for them with the Lord Cease not to cry to the Lord for vs that hee would deliuer vs from the Philistmes said Israel to Samuel 1. Sam. 7. 8. And pray to the Lord for thy seruants that wee die not ibid. 1. 4. To ioyne their prayers with the prayers of their Pastors If they lye still in senslesnesse the prayers sent vp to God for them will not auaile Pharaoh desired Moses to pray for him but prayed not for himselfe Thogh Moses and Samuel stood before me yet my mind could not be toward this people Ier. 15. 1. But when Pastors people joyne their prayers together then God suffereth himselfe to bee bound with the bonds of his owne making euen his mercie and trueth in the promise layed vpon him by faith in feruent prayers A cleare proofe of all these dueties in Pastours and people is in Samuel the Prophet and the Israelites When hee reproued them for their sinne the people drew out water not out of wells but out of their broken hearts and powred it out at their eyes and fasted and weeped that day and said Wee haue sinned against the Lord and besought the Prophet to pray to God for them Then hee offered a sacrifice and cryed to the Lord for them and the Lord heard him and deliuered in their handes the Hoast of the Philistimes which was come vp against them 1. Sam. 7. If wee minde sincerelie to approue our selues to God in Fasting it must bee both publicke and priuate Publicke humiliation at such solemne times is both first and most required for sindrie reasons 1. To iustifie God who hath arrested vs and threatned or begunne judgementes by publicke confession of our sinnes proclaiming that hee hath just cause of wrath against vs and so by that publicke homage done to him to acknowledge our obligement to him for a newe holding of the life that hee spareth to vs. 2. Secondlie to make a more forcible onset on him by all our prayers joyned together For he who hath promised to heare vs in secret apart and to bee in the midst of two or three that are met in his Name will not he be in the midst of some hundreths and thousands when they are come before him Matth. 6. 6. And he who said Moses Let me alone as though Moses prayers did bind him shall hee not suffer himselfe to bee stayed from executing his wrath when many thousands feruent and faithfull prayers lay holde vpon him at once 3. For our mutuall and greater incitation Many who in Congregations meete together possiblie haue gone before other in euill example and some haue offended and stumbled at the fall of other It is therfore moste expedient that these see one another in that solemne Deuotion That they who haue giuen euill example in sinne may giue good example by their Repentance they who haue conceiued just offence of other may lay aside their offence when they see them ryse froÌ„ their sin Dauid offended manie by his sinnes but doubtlesse his Repentance satisfied them and conuerted moe people to God 4. For Sathans greater conuiction hee intendeth no lesse in drawing vs to sinne than to yock God and vs together so to set vs before him as guiltie persons to bee destroyed both in this life and at the day of our last reckoning But in these publicke Assemblies hee seeth the case altered that God hath preuented the terme and in place of a wrathfull meeting to come to a friendlie commoning to end in a gratious reconciliation When God commeth downe in these meetings and melteth the hearts of his people and reconcealeth them to him such a sight is an heart-breake to Sathan VVe ought also to joyne priuate Humiliation in our Houses with that publicke Exercise And they shall mourne euery Familie apart The Familie of the house of Dauid apart and their wiises apart The Familie of the house of Nathan apart c. Zech. 12. And that for sindrie causes 1. We pollute our houses by sinne and therefore ought to sanctifie them to God particularlie in the time of a solemne Fast. Dauid sanctified his House after Absoloms sin and shall not wee much more consecrate our houses for our owne sinne 2. For Preparation to the publicke worship If wee come out of our owne houses to Gods House without anie preparation wee cannot looke for a great blessing in the Sanctuarie Priuate worshippe before wee come out is as a seede for the greater and publicke worke 3. And when we haue beene in the Sanctuarie and returned to our houses wee ought to turne it in an Haruest in them in reaping the fruit that we haue fouÌ„d in publick Our Houses then are both the Barne and the Garner wherein wee prouide the seede that wee take out to the Sanctuarie and to the which wee bring in the Haruest and increase that we haue found in it 4. Priuate worship is a seale of the sinceritie of Grace for manie doe counterfeate Deuotion Repentance in publicke who haue none exercise of it in their houses all their care is to be seene of men and so they are holie in the Church and profane at home But to exercise Gods worshippe feruentlie in priuate is a token of a true and vigorous grace of God 5. For greater libertie to utter groaning weeping humbling and prostrating of our bodie in priuate than wee can in publicke there wee doe manie things which would finde an vncheritable censure if they were seene of men Affections once loosed will breake out in sindrie actions which in publicke wee must suppresse but in priuate wee giue them libertie Hannah vttered griefe of heart in the Temple and was misconstrued by Eli but her priuate deuotion at home though with greater libertie was not offensiue but a cause of her husbands more tender affection to her 1. Sam. 1. Dauid in priuate watered his bedde with teares Psal. 6. And filled his house with roaring which in publicke hee did moderate Psal. 32. And by this
be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger Zeph. 2. 1. 2. 3 2. The obseruatiō of good people of euery sort falleth vpon this necessitie and cryeth for a publicke humiliation The causes are so manifest and vveightie that anie who is not blinded may perceiue them vvhat is this else than a mutuall exhorting one of another Come let vs returne to the Lord For he hath spoiled and he will heale vs Hee hath wounded vs and hee will bind vs vp Hos. 3. 6. 1. Gods prouidence is a reall calling a commanding of vs to this Fast. Hee hath begun his Iudgements in other places we are vnder the same sinnes and hee is shaking that rod vpon vs. It vvas time for Dauid to pray for Ierusalem vvhen hee saw the Angell stretch his Sword ouer it Hee prayed and God made the Angell stay his hand 2. Sam. 24. Seeing then vvee are ladened with so many sinnes and compassed vvith so many troubles and God by his vvord and vvorkes and our Conscience calleth vs to Repentance Fasting vve may not neglect this Fast. For he who will not afflict his Soule in the day of expiation that Soule shall bee cut off from his people Leuit. 23. 29. And in that day sayeth the Lord I called to weeping mourning to baldnes girding with sackcloth And behold ioy gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing Sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine Let vs eate and drinke for tomorrow wee shall die And it was reuealed to mee by the Lord of Hostes Surelie this iniquitie shall not bee purged from you till you die sayeth the Lord. Isa. 22. 12. 13. 14. Neither let vs keepe the Fast of Hypocrites who disfigure their faces and looke sowrlie that they may bee knowne of men to fast Matth. 6. 16. They afflict their Soules for a day hing their heads as a bulrush and yet they finde pleasure and oppresse their Neighbour in the day of their Fast. Isa. 58. 5. Neither let vs keepe the Papists Fast who are Hypocrites in their externall shewe and Epicures in the dyet of their Fasting There can bee no afflicting of their bodie where for qualitie they haue libertie to eate bread Confections Conserues Fruits to drinke all sorts of Wine for quantitie to tak their satietie fill of them and yet in so doing they breake not their Ecclesiasticall Fast. This is a mocking of the Christian Fast a scorning of the VVorld the feeding of the flesh and a deceate of themselues in that wil-worship a Feasting for Fasting But let vs keep the Christian Fast in a simple abstinence frō all that may comfort the bodie in true and vnfained Repentance and forsaking of our euill wayes turning to the Lord our God with all our hearts that he may haue mercie on vs. If vvee seeke the Lord vvhen hee may bee found then vvee shall cry and hee will answere wee shall call hee shall say Behold heere I am if thou take away from the midst of thee the yocke of sinne Isa. 58. 9. And for this ende wee muste first inquire where these sinnes are that so grieuouslie offend God that not by prying in our Neighbours to lay all the blame on them and transferre it from our selues and so to foster a conceate of our owne innocencie in this common guiltinesse It is a deepe policie of Sathan to cousen men in this case to cleanse themselues and blame their Neighbours This is one olde lesson wee haue of our first Parents Adam layed the sinne vpon the Woman and the woman on the Serpent Wee are forward to commit sinne but are ashamed of it when it is committed and would father it on another Wee defile our selues reallie by the guiltinesse of it and labour to cleanse vs by a conceate But God will not bee so put off and that shifting is a doubling of our guiltinesse So after that Core and his complices were punished the people murmured against Moses and Aaron saying Yee haue killed the people of the Lord. Nu. 16. 41. The cause of Corahs punishment was not in Moses and Aaron but in Corahs sinnes who inuying their credite ambitiouslie affected the like and seditiouslie made a faction and drew the people after him against them whom God had set ouer them But the foolish people not considering his sinne nor their owne factious following of him layed all the blame vpon Moses and Aaron This is to harden our selfe in our sinne impenitencie and to freeze on our dregges Zeph. 1. 12. But euerie one of vs ought to examine first most our selues and wee shall finde seuen abominations in our hearts If we looke in the glasse of Gods Law we shall see our leprosie bee forced with the Lepers to cry out I am vncleane I am vncleane So Dauid albeit GOD beeing angrie at Israel suffered him to number the people said to the Lord I haue sinned and I haue done wickedlie but these sheepe what haue they done 2. Sam 24. 1. And Ieremie putteth himselfe in with the rest vvee haue sinned and thou hast not spared Lament 3. And Daniel Wee and our Fathers haue sinned Dan. 9. It is a token of true Grace in the censure of our selfe with the Apostle to count our selues the first of all sinners and a token of true Repentance 1. Tim. 1. 5. In the appearance of sin with Ionah to say I know that for my sake this storme is come vpon you Ionah 1. 12. Euerie one of vs hath broght his coale to this great fire of Gods wrath so let euery man come and take out the coale hee hath cast in it draw waters out of his brokē heart and powre out the teares of true Repentance to quench it withall Let vs search and try our vvayes and turne againe to the LORD Lament 3. 40. As on the one part wee ought not Pharisaicallie to lay all the fault on others so neither should weelazelie waite vpon the Repentance of other Euerie one ought indeede to stirre vp another to this holie Exercise But if other remaine in their hardnesse and will not bee stirred vp to seeke the Lord wee ought not to delay Repentance by their euill example Euerie one is bound to keepe his owne Soule If yee vvill not repent my Soule shall mourne in secrete for your pryde Ierem. 13. 17. As the multitude of the godly cannot secure an euill man from Gods justice hee found out Achan among the thousands of Israel and punished him So the multitude of impenitent Sinners shall not hyde one mourning Sinner from his mercie He sendeth not out his wrath till first hee marke them that sigh and cry for the abomination of Ierusalem Ezch. 9. And promiseth to Baruch his life for a prey Hee had the Arke readie to saue Noah and a Zoar to receiue Lot 2. Next for this holy Exercise let vs rent our hearts and that by a true and godlie sorrow for our
priuate worship is not onlie to be vnderstood when the whole Family meeteth together in their Hall or other conuenient roome but beside that when the Master of the house hauing discharged that duety with his Family goeth a part to some reteered corner of the house there is yet more free in his deuotion than hee can bee in the sight of his Familie And so other of the house who are come to vnderstanding or any measure of Grace This is the Familie aparte and their wiues aparte In end we haue three thinges to consider in all his work 1. First our preparation for it The worke is transcendent to the naturall man and craueth preparation to lift him aboue Nature in so heauenlie an exercise Though sudden ejaculations waite not on preparation because in them wee are set to worke vpon an instant by some urging occasion yet in the set dyet of his worshippe we are bound to an holie preparation And in this solemnitie we haue neede to double the measure of our deuotion beeing called to the highest extent both of afflicting Nature and stirring vp the grace of God in vs. It is therefore needfull to try if God prepare vs for the worke This we shall know 2. If he open our eyes to see how needfull this humiliation is for vs by seeing our sin his just wrath that wee may be driuen to that resolution that wee must either breake off our sinne by Repentance or else be consumed in his anger 3. And by this sight if he wakeÌ„ our sleeping conscience and make it to set vs to worke that we giue God no rest till hee giue rest to his beloued 4. This is some proofe of that which God telleth I haue beene sought of them that answered not and found of them that sought mee not And before they call I will answere Isa. 65. 1. Where our miserable State hid from our selfe is seene of him so as hee pittieth it to helpe it that our miserie vnwitting of vs calleth for mercie As the sores of a sleeping Childe moue the Father to compassion And though wee neither seeke him nor call on him in anie knowne or sensible incalling yet his Fatherlie pittie answereth the cry of that our necessitie when wee know not This is a preuenting Grace in this point Whereby God finding vs in the pitte of miserie setteth downe Iacobs Ladder to vs afore wee know of our estate or thinke of a deliuerie Next wee should try our disposition in the worke it selfe if Gods preuenting Grace in preparation bee seconded by an assisting Grace which standeth in those points 1. If hee soften our heart to powre out it selfe as water before him and bruse it so as to bee an acceptable Sacrifice 2. If hee powre vpon vs the Spirit of Grace and Supplication his Spirite making intercession for vs to helpe our infirmities in teaching vs both what to aske and how to pray with groanes that cannot bee expressed 3. If hee giue vs Boldnesse to draw neere to the Throne of Grace and to finde accesse to him in the blood of Christ and libertie of Spirit in all our deuotion 4. If he giue vs the desire of our heart in disposing it as we desire to be both casten down for his offence and raised vp in hope and confidence of his mercie To feele our hearts melting in a godlie sorrow is matter of vnspeakable joy while that sorrow is melting the heart the sense conscience of that disposition coÌ„forteth our heart wheÌ„ we find Gods Spirit hath giueÌ„ vs our will ouer our hard heart to sacrifice it to God 5. If wee see his beautie in the Sanctuarie when hee holdeth the golden Scepter of Peace like Assuerus and commeth downe and moueth people to teares and groanes When the Angel of the Lord or the Prophet charged the people of their sins they did mourne so that the place was called Bochim or mourners And assisteth euery one according to their necessitie and place making the Pastours as Trumpets to speak and not spare his words in their mouth is as the Hammer that breaketh the Rocke in pieces Ierem. 23. 23. When hee casteth downe and raiseth vp woundeth and healeth vs againe and worketh so in the Congregation that it may bee seene hee hath appointed that meeting and keepeth it to reconceale his people to himselfe 6. If as hee worketh a godlie sorrow in our heartes so bee putteth wordes in our mouth for his intreatie Take to you wordes and turne to the LORD and say to him Take away all our iniquitie and receiue vs gratiouslie so will we render the calues of our lippes Hos. 14. 2. And againe Let them say Spare thy people Lord and saue thine Inheritance Ioel. 2. 17. It is a token God will heare vs when he giueth vs his Spirit to helpe our infirmities and dytteth our bill Hee cannot refuse that supplication which hee formeth himselfe Hee heard Daniel and send him comfort while he prayed While I was speaking and praying and confessing my sinne the Man Gabriel beeing caused to flee to mee swiftlie touched mee and said At the beginning of the supplication the Commandement came foorth Dan. 9. 20. So sonne as wee are humbled on Earth and send vp our supplications to God hee is readie to answere vs to our heart Thirdlie how vvee close that Exercise If as it beginneth in sorrow for our felt miseries so it end in ioy because our sacrifice is turned in ashes VVee haue sufficient grounds of good successe vpon his promises But beside these promises in his vvord his vvorke in preparing vs for it and disposing vs in it are a good inducement to our hope When hee powreth out the Spirit of Supplication on Ierusalem then assuredlie hee will breake vp a Fountaine to the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse Zac. 13. 1. VVee know not his purpose and thoughts concerning vs but his Spirit vvho knoweth his minde reuealeth them and this is an sort of reuelation by his working For as he knoweth the minde of God so hee vvorketh the godly to that disposition vvhich he knoweth is most requisite for obtaining the purposed blessing Therefore that holie and heauenlie libertie is â—ome sort of euidence to vs that God hath both purposed for vs and will giue vs the blessing which wee craue after that manner When he strengtheneth vs to wrestle with him like Iacob hee will not depart till hee blesse vs and of wrestling Iacobs make vs his preuailing Israel on whom is his peace But let none deceiue himselfe by a voluntar apprehension of Peace or fainzie to himselfe a ioy where hee hath none God hath giuen vs the infalible mark of good successe of Fasting in new obedience Who so after Fasting walketh not in a newnesse of life is deceiued by his seduced heart This is cleare both by the Nature of Repentance and remission True Repentance is not onelie in a sorrowing for sinne and refraining from it for a day or