shal coÌ„tempne And albeit thow promes mercy grace yet shall we dispaire and remaine iâ— inâ—idâ—litie Onles that thow creat in vs new heartes write thy Law into the same and â—eale into vs remission of our sinnes and the sense and â—ealing of thy â—atherlie mercy by the power of thy holie Spirite To the originall â—orld thoâ— spak by Noha To Pharo and his people by thy 〈◊〉 Moyses To all Israell by the fearfull Trumpet of thy Law To the Cietie of Ierusalem by thy owen wisdome our Lord Iesus Christ. And to y â— multitude aswel of Iewes as Gentiles by the preaching of thy holy Apostles But who gaue obedience Who trembled and constantly feared thy hote displeasure Who did rightly acknowledge the tyme of their visitatioÌ„ And who did embrase and kepe to the end thy fatherly promises Onely they ô Lord to whome thy Spirite wes the in warde teacher whose heartes thow opened â–ª from whome thow remoued Rebellion and inâ—idelitie the rest were externally called but obeyed not they heard aswel mercy offered as threatninges pronounsed but nether with the one nor with the vther were they affâ—ctuâ—lly moued We acknoâ—ledge ô Lord that the same corruption â—â—rcketh in vs that budded â—urth in them to their distruction and iust condemnation And therefore we moste humbly beâ—eak thâ—e ô Father of 〈◊〉 for Châ—ist Iesus thy sâ—nes 〈◊〉 that as thow hast caused the lyght of thy worde clearely to shyne amongs vs and as thow hast plainely instrâ—cted vs by the external ministerie in the ryght way of Saluation So it will please thee inwardly to moue our dulle â—eartes and by the power of thy holy Spirite that thow will write and 〈◊〉 into them that holy fear and 〈◊〉 which thow crauâ—st of thy chosen childâ—ene and that faithâ—ull of ediâ—nce to thy holie will together with the sealing and sâ—nse that our sinnes are fully purged frâ—ly râ—mitted by that only 〈◊〉 Sacriâ—ice â–ª whiche onely by it self is acceptable vâ—to thee to wit the 〈◊〉 death mediation of â—hy â—nâ—ly Sâ—ne our Souerane Lord â–ª 〈…〉 Mediator and 〈…〉 our Lord Iesus Christ. To whome with thee and with the holy Ghoste be all honour and glore worlde without end ¶ This Confession ended the Minister or Reâ—der 〈…〉 read the 27. anâ— 28 â–ª of 〈◊〉 which eâ—ded â–ª the Minister shall wishe 〈◊〉 mâ—n to discend sâ—cretly into him self to exâ—mine his owen coâ—â—cieâ—ce whereinto he findeth him selfe giltie before God The Minister him self with the people shâ—ll prostrate them selues remâ—iâ—e in priuate mediâ—ation a reasonâ—ble space as the quarter of an houre or more Thereafter shal the Minister eâ—horte the people to confesse with him their sinnes and offences as â—olloweth IVST and râ—ghteous 〈◊〉 thow ô Lord God â–ª Father eâ—erlasting holy is thy Law and moste iuâ—t are thy iudgementes yea euen when thow doest punishe in greatest seueritie we do confesse as the treuth is that we haue transgressed thy whole Law and haue offended thy godly Maiestie in breaking and violating euerie precept of the same And so moste iustly mâ—y thow poure â—urth vpone vs all plagues that are threatned and that we â—inde powred furth vpone the disobedient at any tyme from the beginning And so muche the rather ô Lord because that so loÌ„g we haue bene called by thy holie worde to vnâ—eâ—ned repentance neâ—nes of lyfe and yet haue we still remaned in our former Rebelliâ—n â–ª and therefore if thow wilt enter in iudgement with vs we caÌ„â—â—ther esâ—â—ape confusion in this lâ—fe nor iust condempnatioÌ„ in the lyâ—e to cum But Lord thy mercy is â—ithout measâ—re and the treâ—th of thy promises abydeth for euer 〈◊〉 are we that thow shuld 〈…〉 looke vpone vs but Lord thow hast promised that thow wilt show mercy to the moste grieuous offeÌ„dâ—rs whensoeuer that they repeÌ„t And further thow by the mouth of thy deare Sone our Lord Iesus Christ hast promised that thow wilt giue thy holy Spirite to suche as humblie 〈◊〉 vnto thee In boldnes of the whiche promes we moste humbly beseak thee ô Father of mercies â–ª that it wold please thy godly Maiestie to worke into our stubburne heaâ—tes an vnâ—eane◠〈◊〉 for our former offâ—nces with some seâ—se â—nd â—ealing of thy grace and mercy together with an earnest desyre of Iustice and righteousnes in the which we are bounâ— continually to walk But because that nether we nor our prayers can stand before thee be reason of that imperfectione which still remâ—neth in this oure corrupted nature We 〈◊〉 to the oâ—edience and perâ—ite Iustice of Iesus Christ oâ—r onely Meâ—iator in whome and by whome we call not onely for remission of our sinnes and for assistance of thy holy Spirite but also for all thinges that thy godly wisdome knoweth to be expedient for vs and for thy Church vniuersall Praying as he hath taught vs saying Our Father that art c. ¶ This ended the Minister shall read the Text whereupone he will ground his sermon FIRST he shal expone the dignitie and equitie of Gods law Secondly the plagues and punishmentes that ensew the contempt thereof together with the blessinges promised to the obedient obseruers of it Thridly he â—all teache Christ Iesus to be the end and perfection of the Law who hath perâ—itely accomplished that whiche wâ—s impossible to the Law to do And so shall he exhorte euerie maÌ„ to vnâ—eaned repentance to steadfast faith in Christ Iesus and to showe frutes of the same The Sermone ended the commone prayer shalbe vsed that is conteaned in the Psalme booke the 46. page thereof beginning thus God almyghtie and heaueÌ„ly Father c. Which ended the 51. Psalme shalbe soung whole so with the benediction the Assemble is to be demitted for that exercise At after noune EFTER inuocation of Godes Name publictly by the Minister and secretly by euery man for a reasonable space The Minister may take the argument of his Sermone from the beginning of 119. Psalme where the deligent Reader shall obserue the properties conditions of suche as in whose heartes God writeth his Law Or if that be thought ouer hard then may ye take the Text of Iohne God is lyght and into him there is no daâ—cknes if we say we haue fellowshipe with him c. The prayer is referred vnto the Minister the 6. Psalme shalbe soung The benediction and exhortation to call to mynde whereâ—ore that exercise is vsed being ended The publict eâ—ercise shalbe put to end for that day Aâ—Bâ—IT that to 〈◊〉 wart the peâ—ple can not well conâ—ene euerie day betuix the two Sonday 〈◊〉 â–ª yet in Bâ—ougâ—es â—ownes we think they ought to conuene an hour before none and an houre more at after none The houre before none to be the houre accustomed to the commone prayers The houre at after none to be at 3. houres or after ¶ The exercise of the whole weke THE beginning euer to be with
THE ORDOVR AND DOCTRINE OF THE GENERALL FASTE APPOINTED be the Generall Assemblie of the Kirkes of Scotland halden at Edinburgh the 25. day of December 1565. ☞ †☜ Ioel. 2. Therefore also now the Lord sayeth Turne yow vnto me with all your heart and with Fasting with weaping and with murning IMPRINTED AT EDINBVRGH BE ROBERT LEK PREVIK ANNO. DOM. 1566. ⧠THE SVPERINTENDENTES MINISTERS AND COMMISSIoners of Kirkes Reformed within the Realme of Scotland conuened in the Generall Assemblie at Edinburgh the 25. day of Dâ—cember 1565. To all that trewly professâ— the Lord Iesus within the same Realme or els where wishe grace and mercy from God the Father and from his onely Sone our Lord Iesus Christ with the perpetuall conâ—ort of the holie Spirite THE Present troubles being somewhat coÌ„siddered but greater feared shortly to follow it wes thoght expedient dearelie beloued in the Lord Iesus that the whole Faithfull Within this Realme shuld together and at one time prostrat them selues before their God crauing of him pardone and mercy for the great abuse of his former benefites and the assistance of his holy Spirite by whose mightie operation we may yet so conuert to our God that we prouoke him not to take from vs the lyght of his Euangle which he of his mercie hath caused so clearly of laite dayes to shine within this realme But because that suche publicte Supplicationes requyre alwayes Fasting to be ioyned therewith And publict Fastynge craueth a certane time and certane exercises of godlynes then to be vsed with greater streatnes then at vther tymes The whole Assemblie after deliberation hath appointed y â— last Sonday of February and the first Sonday of Marche nixt following the date of the said assemblie to that moste necessare exercise as tyme now standeth of publict Fasting And further did require the same to be signified be all Ministers to their people the Sonday preceading the said last Sonday of Februarie But lest that the Papistes shall think that now we begine to authorise and praise that which some tymes we haue reproued and dampned in them Or els that the ignorant who knowe not the commoditie of this moste godlie exercise shall contempne y e same We haue thoght expedient somewhat to speak to the one and to the vther And vnto the Papistes first we say that as in puritie of conscience we haue refused their whole abhominationes and amongest the rest that their supersticious and Pharisaicall maner of Fasting So euen vnto this day do we continew in the same purpose boldely affirming that their Fasting is no Fasting that euer God approued but that it is a deceauing of the people and a meare mocking of God which moste euidentlie will appeare If in the Scriptures we searche what is the ryght end of Fasting what Fasting pleased God and which is it that his soule abhoreth Of Fasting in the Scriptures we finde two sortes the one priuate the vther publicte The priuate is that which man or woman doeth in secrete before their God for such causes as their owen conscience beareth record vnto them As Dauid during the time that his Sone which wes begotten in adulterie wes struken with mortall seicknes fasted weapâ— and lay vpon the ground because that in the seicknes of the Chylde he did considder Godes displeasure agains him self for the remouing whereof he fasted murned prayed vnto suche tyme as he saw Godes wil fulfilled by the awaytaking of the Chylde Priuatlie fasted Anna wyse to Alcana euen in the verray Solempne Feastes during the tyme of hir barrennes For she weapt and eat nothing but in the bitternes of hir heart she prayed vnto the Lord nether ceased she from sorow and murning vnto suche tyme as Eli the hie Preist concurred with her in prayers by whose mouth after that he had hard her petifull complaint she receaued conforte Of this Fasting speaketh oure Mâ—â—ister Iesus Christ in these wordes when ye Fast be not sowr as the Hypocretes for they disfigure their faces that they may some vnto men to Fast. But thow when thow Fastest anoynt thy heade and washe thy face that thow seame not vnto men to Fast but vnto thy Father which seeth in secrete and will rewarde the opinly Of the same no dout speaketh y â— Apostle when that he sayeth defraude not one another except it be with coÌ„sent for a tyme that ye may giue your selues to Fasting and prayer To this priuate Fasting which staÌ„deth chiefly in a temperat dyet in powring furthe of our secrete thoughtes and necessities before God can be prescriued no certane rule certane tyme nor certane ceremonies but as the causes and occasiones why that exercise is vsed are diuers yea so diuers that seldome it is that many at ones are moued with one cause so are diet tyme together with all vther circumstances requyred to suche Fasting put in the libertie of them that vse it To this Fasting we haue bene faithfully and earnestly exhorted by oure Preachers as oft as the Scriptures which they entreated offered vnto them occasion And we dout not but the godlie within this Realme haue vsed the same as necessitie craued albeit with the Papistes we blew no Trumpetes to appoynt thereto certane dayes The vther kynde of Fasting is publict so called because that it is openlie awowed some tymes of a Realme some tymes of a multitude some tymes of a cietie and some tymes of a meaner company yea some tymes of particulare persones and yet publictlie vsed and that for the wealth of a multitude The causes thereof are also diuers for sometymes the feare of ennimies sometymes the angrie face of God punishing sometymes his threatning to distroy some tymes iniquitie deprehended that ryghtlie before wes not considered and sometymes the earnest zeale that some beare for preseruation of Godes people for aduaÌ„cing of his glorie performing of his worke according to his promes moue men to publict Fasting confession of their sinnes solempned prayers for defence against their ennimies recouering of Godes fauoures remouing of his plagues preseruatioÌ„ of his people setting fordwarde of that workâ— which he hath of his merce promised to finishe as in the subsequent probationes euideÌ„tly shall appeare ¶ When Messingers came to Iosaphat saying there cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea out of Aram that is Syria c. Iosaphat feared and set him self to seke the Lord and proclamed a Faste throughout all Iuda And Iuda gathered them selues together to aske counsall of the Lord they come euen out of all the cieties of Iuda to inquire of the Lord. And Iosaphat stoode in the CongregarioÌ„ of Iuda and Ierusalem in the hou of the Lord before the new court And all Iuda stoode before the Lord with their yonge ones their wyfes and their Chyldrene And Iosaphat said ô Lord God of our Fathers are not thow God in heauen and reignest not thow in all Kingdomes of the
oppressing of the poore labourers of the grouÌ„d for his defence is ready I may do with my owen as best pleaseth me The Merchand is iust yneugh in his owen conceat If before men he can not be conuict of thist and deceat The Arâ—ificer and Craftisman thinketh him self fre before God albeit that he nether worke sufficient stuffe nor yet sell for reasonable price The worlde is euil sayeth he and how can men liue if they do not as vther do And thus doeth eueriâ— maÌ„ leane vpone the iniquitie of another and thinketh him self sufficientlie excused when that he meitteth Craft with Craft repul seth back violence ether with deceat or els with open iniurie Let vs be assured deare brethrene that these be the sinnes which heretofore haue prouoked God not onlie to plague but also to distroy and vtterlie ouerthrowe stronge Realmes and flourishing common wealthes Now seing that the iustice and Iudgementes of our God abyde for euer and that he hath solempnedlie pronounced â–ª that eueâ—riâ— Realme Nation or Ciâ—tie that sinneth as did Iuda and Ierasalem shalbe like wise punished â—et that fearefull distruction thâ—t came vpone them into the whiche aster honger and pest the sworde deuo red without discretion the ryche and poore the Noble and those that were of basse degre the yong and olde the Preistes and Prophetes yea the Matrones Virgines eschaped not the day of that sharp visitation Let their punishment we say prouoke vs to repentaÌ„ce and so no dout we shall finde fauour in the eyes of our God albeit that he hath begune to showe vâ—to vs â—uident signes of his displeasure iustlie conceaued against vs. But as God forbide if we mocke his Messingers and dispyse his wordes till that thâ—â—r be no remeadie as they did Then can we whome God hath rased vp to instruct and forewarne yow do nothing but take witnesse of heauen and earth yea and of your owen conscience that we haue faithfullie instructed yow in the ryght way of God as well as concerning his trew worshipping as in doing of your dewties one to another And also that we haue fore warned yow of the plagueâ— to come â—irste by our tounges and now by our pen for a perpetuall memoriall to the posteritie thâ—t shall follow Who shall glorifie God ether for your conuersion or els for your iust condemnation and seueire punishementes if ye continew inobedient To prescriue to euerie man his dewtie in particulâ—re we can not because we knowe not whereintill euerie man and euerie â—state particularlie offendeth but we must remit euerie estate and euerie maÌ„ in his vocation to the examinatioÌ„ of his owen conscience And that according as God commandeth in his hole Law an I as Christ Iesus requireth that suche as shall possesse the Kingdome with him shall do Which is whatsoeuer sayeth he that ye wolde men shulde do vnto yow do ye the lyke vnto them By this reule whiche the Author of all equitie iustice and policie hâ—th established Send we the Earles Lordes Barrons and gentilmen to trye their owen coÌ„sciences whether that they wolde be content that they shuld be â—ntreated if God had made them huseband men and laubowrers of the ground as they haue entreated and presentlie 〈◊〉 entreat suche as some tymes had a moderate and resonable life vnder their predâ—cessours Whether we say that they wolde be content that their steadinges and malinges should be rased from male to ferme from one ferme to two so going vpward till that for pouertie the Ancient â—aubourers are compelled to leaue the ground in the handes of the Lord. If with this entreatment they wolde be coÌ„tent we appeale their owen conscience And if they thinke that they wolde not then in Godes Name we require them to begin to reforme them selucs and to remember that it is not we but that it is Christ Iesus that so â—raueth of them And vnto the same reule we send Iudges Lawers Merchandes Artisicers and â—â—nallie euen the verray laubourers of the ground them selues That euerie one in his vocation may trye how iustlie vprightlie mercyfullie he dealeth with his Nighboure And if he â—inde his conscience accused by the former sentence of our Master let him cal for grace that he may not onclic repent for the bypast but also amend in tymes to cume and so shall their Fasting and prayers be acceptable vnto God If men think that we require the thing that is vn possible For what were this els But to reforme the face of the whoâ—e earth Which neuer wes nor vet shalbe till that the righteous King and Iudge appeare for the restauration of all thinges We answer that we speak not to the godles multitude nether yet to suche as are mockers of Godes Iudgementes whose portion is in this life and for whome the fyre of hell which now they mock is assuredliâ— prepared But we speak to such as haue professed the Lord Iesus with vs who haue communicated with his blissed Sacramentes haue renounced Idolatrie and haue awowed them selues to be new creatures in Iesus Christ in whome they are ingrafted as liuclie braÌ„ches apt to bringfurth good frute Now why it shuld be thought vnpossible that these men of what vocation that euer they be shulde begin to expresse in their liues that which in worde they haue publictlie professed We se no good reasone vnles that we wolde say that it is vnpossible that God shall now work in men of this age as we read that he hath wrought in men before vs and that were blasphemie Seing that the hand of our God is no more shortned towardes vs thâ—n thâ—t it hath bene towardes those that haue past before vs. At Godes semple commâ—ndement Abraham left his Fathers hous natiue countrie Moyses preâ—erred the condition of the people of Israell euen in their greatest afliction to the ryches and glorie of Pharose Courte Dauid vpon the vnction of Samuell did pacientlie abyde the persecution of Saul many yeares Zacheus at an dennar with Christ Iesus wâ—s not onelie content to restore whatsoeuer he had before defrauded but also to giue the half of all his substance to the sustentation of the poore And the faithfull in the dayes of the Apostles solde their possessions and ministrat vnto the indigent None of these excellent workes craue we of the faithfull in our age but onely those without the which the Spirite of Sanctification can not be knowen to be in man to wit that euerie man speak the trueth with his brother that none oppresse nor defraude another in any busynes that the bowels of mercy may appeare amongs suche as God hath called to his knoweledge and finally that we altogether that professe the Lord Iesus and do abhorre Idolatrie abhorre also all kynde of impietie studying to habound in all good workes and to shyne as lyghtes in the middest of this wicked generation Which if we do