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
and 7. Isai. â— and 66. c. And diuers vther places but because that inside litiâ— lurketh oft in the heart and can not well be espyed but by the bitter and rotten frutes that spring thereof The Spirite of God hath painted furthe vnto vs in plaine wordes what vices may make vs and all our workes odious before our God so that nether will he heare our prayers nor regarde our Fasting Salomon sayeth he that ditteth his eâ—re from the crye of the poore his prayer shal be abhominable before God And Isai in the persone of God sayeth Albeit that ye shall strâ—tche out your haÌ„des and multiplie your prayers yet will I not heare yow for your handes are full of blood But most plainely to our purpose speaketh the same Prophet saying The hous of Iacob daylie seaketh me they wolde knowe my wayes as a Nation that wrought iustice and that had not left the iudgement of their God They ask me iudgementes of iustice that is they querrell with me and they desyre that God shall drowe neare Why haue we fasted say they and thou beholdest not We haue afflicted our soules and thow â—n if knowest it The Prophet answereth in the persone of God and sayeth Beholde in the day of your Faste ye will seak your will and require â—ll your dâ—ttes beholde ye Faste â—o strife and debaite and to smyte â—ith the â—ist of wickednes Ye shall â—ot Faste as they do to daye to â—ake your voice be heard aboue that is to oppresse vthers so that they are compelled to crye vnto God Is it suche a Fasâ—e that I haue chosen That a man shuld afflict his soule for a day and to bow downe his head as a bul raâ—h and to ly downe in Sâ—ckcloth and ashes Wilt thow â— call this a Fasting or an acceptable day vnto the Lord Is not this the Fasting that I haue chosen to louse the bâ—des of wickednes to take of the heauie burdinges and to let the oppressed go fre and thâ—t ye break â—ueriâ— Yock Is it not to deale thy bread vnto the hongrie And that thow bring the poore that wandreth vnto thy hous When thow â—eest the Nacked thâ—t thow couer him And hyde not thy self from thy owen â—leshe Then shall thy light break furth as the morning and thy health shall growe spedelie thy righteousnes shall go before thee and the glorie of the Lord shall embrase thee c. In these moste notable sentences and in suche as follow in the sâ—me place we haue to marck what thiÌ„ges may make our Fasting to be reâ—iâ—ted of God what he crauâ—th of sâ—che as Faste fruteâ—ullie and what promes he maketh to such as obey him This people externallie professed God they daylie sought his face by reparing to the Temple hearing of the Law and exercising of the Sacrifices yet did God plague them in mo sortes then one as in the bookis of the Kinges Cornickles we may read In their extremitie they ran as to them appeared to the vttermoste refâ—ge they Fasted and vnfeanedly humbled their bodies for that the Prophet meaneth when that he sayeth that they Fasted till that their neckes were weakned and made faint as a bull rashe for verray lack of corporall â—oode They layed of their gorgious garmentes and put on Sâ—ckcloth c. And yet wer their troubles nothing releued And that wes the cause why they querrelled with God and said Why haue we Fasted and thoâ— hast not sene c. And in verray dead to the natural man it wes strange for god had promised that he wolde conforte his people wheÌ„soeuer they shuld humble them selues before him notwithstaÌ„ding their former iniquitie In the externall ceremonies nor in the corporall exercises there could no fault be espyed Why then doeth not God heare them complaine they God answereth that their outwarde profession wes but Hipocrisie their Fasting wes but mocking of God and their prayers could do nothing but prouoke him to further displeasure Because that albeit they reteaned the Name of God and albeit that they appeared in his Temple yet had they forsaken bothe his iudgementes statutes and holie ordinaÌ„ces Albeit the bodie stouped wes afflicted by Fasting yet remaned the heart proude and rebellious against God for they followed their owen corrupted wayes they oppressed suche as were subiect vnto them their heauie Yoâ—k lay vpone the neckes of suche as could not ridde them selues from their bondage Amonges them were stryfe debaite whisperinges of malice yea open contention and manifest violence which all were euident declaratioÌ„s of proud heartes and impenitent Soulles And therefore God giueth vnto them open defyance in the tyme wheÌ„ they think that they seak his peace moste earnestly And here to ought we this day that professe the Lord Iesus haue renounced abhominations of Papistrie within the Realme of Scotland giue deligent head For it is not the semple knoweledge of the trueth onelie nor yet the externall profession of the same that is acceptable before God Nay nay deare brethrene he requireth the frutes of repentance and they are â–ª to declyne from euill and to do good as we may read in many places of the Scripture Thing we it a thing aggreable with the nature of the Eternall our God that he shal receaue vs in fauour after that we haue offended And we will not for his saike remit the iniuries that are done to vs. Can we thinke to be at peace with him When that we stubburnelie will continew in strife amonges our selues Shal he releiue our greif bondage or Yock And we will not releiâ—e the burdinges that vniustly we lay vpone our brethrene Shall â—e bestowe his vndeserued mercie vpone vs And we can showe no bowels of mercie to such as we se in miserie before our eyes 〈◊〉 vs not be deceaued God can not deny him self murther malice 〈◊〉 trent crueltie oppression stryfe thift deceat iniust dealing couetousnes auaritiousnes and vnmercifulnes vnto the poore besydes pryde horedome adulterie vâ—â—tones and the rest of the workes of the flesh are so odious before god that whill that any of them reigneth in the heart of man he and his whole workes are detestable before God And therefore if we desyre that Gods fearefull iudgementes shalbe stayed let vs that knowe the trueth and say that we professe the same vnâ—eanedlie returne vnto our God Let vs not be inferioures to the King of Niâ—iue who commanded euerie 〈◊〉 to turne from his wicked 〈◊〉 and from the iniquitie that wes in his handes Let vs considder what our God craueth of vs but especâ—â—â—â— let Earles Lordes Barrons Burgesses and Artificers considder by what meanes their substances are increassed It is not yneugh to iustisie vs before God that ciuile â—awes can not accuse vs. Nay brethrene the eyes of our God pearseth deaper then mannes Law can streache The Law of man can not conuiâ—t the Earle the Lord the Barrone or Gentilman for