vnder the heauen and so there is a time wherein we are as well commanded to fast as we haue liberty to feast and therefore as Esra and the Leuites would not haue the people to fast weepe then Nehem. 8.10.11 but rather to eate and reioice when it was a time of ioy So the Prophet Esay findeth fault with some of his time Esay 22.12.13 who when the Lord called them by his worde and punishments vnto fasting they fell to feasting and so there was as he said killing of sheepe and oxen eating and drinking And so neither of them knew what was fit for their seuerall times we must therefore be perswaded that as there are times in which God of his great mercy giueth vs liberty to feast and to vse his creatures not onely for necessitie sparingly but for delight abundantly as at marriages and other times of reioicing so there is a time also when he would haue vs not onely eate temperately which we must doe alwaies euen at feasts that wee fall not to surfiting and drunkennesse but euen to absteine wholly from meat and drink and all other comforts of this life to those blessed endes for which he hath ordained it â—he Iewes â—d a stanâ—ng fast â—erely â—eu 16.29 To this end wee may remember what is written concerning fasting in the booke of Leuiticus and namely how there it is said that the Lord commaunded the Iewes once a yeere that euery soule should humble it selfe with fasting before the Lorde in one of the great assemblies where Moses sheweth or rather the Lord by him that this fast should be kept perpetually once a yeere and in what moneth and what day of the moneth and to what end namely to humble themselues for their sinnes and therefore what must then be done viz. that they must abstaine from all worke and worldly businesse and be occupied in all exercise of Gods worship as vpon the Sabbath day and that the Priest should make attonement by praier to obtaine remission of their sinnes And the same commandement is set downe againe in as many wordes in the 23. Leu. 23.2 chapter of the same booke where he sheweth that all were bounde to it and that they should then lay aside all their wordly businesse and haue an holy conuocation and therein haue sacrifices and praier that it might be a Sabbath vnto them as all fastes are of the nature of the Sabbathes sauing that in them they abstaine from meat and then all things are done to an other end euen that there might be great humiliation in them for their sinnes which two are not so proper vnto the Sabbath and so vpon their repentance God might be reconciled vnto them and spare them which are most excellent ends of fasting and a great fruit of that worke which might prouoke all vnto it and none might repent them of their labour And in these places though there be no mention of absteining from meate and drinke and so they may seeme not to appertaine to this argument of fasting yet besides that all learned men doe thus take them that this was a day of yeerely fasting euen the verie circumstance also of the text doth necessarily lead vs vnto this interpretation for when he not onely makes it a daie of abstaining from al worke and spending it wholly in Gods seruice publikely but also that the end of it should be that they might be humbled for their sins so reconciled vnto God this humbling of their souls is principally vrged and we know that the humbling of the body is a meanes to humble the soule and the body is specially humbled and brought downe by abstaining from meate and drinke and other comforts of it and besides we finde by practise in the Scripture that in other times of great humiliation the seruants of God haue abstained from these things therefore wee may be assured that this is ment in these places and that this was their practise that vpon this day they abstaining from meat and drinke did thus also cease from worke and were occupied in Gods worship to this end euen to the humbling of themselues before the Lord and so this was the thing that was commaunded them yeerely to doe euen to keepe a daie of fast And there was great reason of it There was great reasâ— of it for in the yeere many great sins might be committed of al sorts which might iustly prouoke Gods wrath against them and so they had great cause to be humbled for them and once in the yeere God might shew some tokens of his displeasure in some of his punishments as by raising vp some enemies against them by sending sicknes scarcitie vnseasonable weather and such like therefore they might thinke that once in the yeere at the least there was cause for them thus to humble themselues especially when God had coÌ„manded them so to do For though they should thus humble themselues continually for their sinnes as they sell out yet to helpe their iâ—fiâ—mitie â—hey had a set time appointed for it 〈◊〉 doe it more thorowly For as the◠〈…〉 Sabbath giuen them that 〈◊〉 a weeke they might wholly 〈◊〉 â—om their labors and attend vpon the worship of God for their good tâ—ough they should euery day redeeâ—e the time and as they had their daily sacrifices morning and euening and so times for praier So heere though all should continually be humbled for their sinnes priuate and mourne for them that were publike when they saw any tokens of Gods displeasure yet to helpe their infirmitie heerein they had a solemne day appointed for this purpose that the time it selfe might not onely put them in minde of that which otherwise would haue beene forgotten of the most or not so seriously thought vpon but also further them therein And as we finde by experience how needful it is to haue a Sabbath to put vs in minde of and to further vs in Gods seruice for how few doe it at all or as they should vpon the weeke daies and then what would they doe if there were no Sabbath at all So the godly no doubt in those daies did finde by their owne experience that though they had oftentimes cause in respect of their sinnes and the punishment of them to fast publikely and priuately yet if they had had no set time appointed for it they should verie often haue failed in so necessarie a dutie euen as we see among our selues that because we haue no such times appointed for vs that verie few though they haue great cause do practise it at any time Therefore this was Gods goodnesse to that people to giue them such a commandement How farre he equity f that law â—indeth vs. Now though the ceremony of the yeerely day be taken away as many other solemne daies of theirs are yet the thing it selfe that is Fasting is not taken away for though we be not tied to that yeerly day yet we are bound at somtimes
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
of God Leu. 23.27 So likewise Moses speaking of the day of fast sayth It shal be an holy conuocation vnto you and you shal humble your soules and offer sacrifices made by fire vnto the Lord where he doeth not onely say that their assemblies then should be to an holy end as vpon the Sabbath and that they shuld not meet about worldly matters but speaketh of sacrifices as a part of Gods worship then to be vsed Therefore concerning the seruice of God this day to be vsed as vpon the Sabbath day besides the dayly morning and euening sacrifice there was a peculiar kinde of sacrifice appointed for that day Num. 28.9 namely two lambes of a yeere olde c. and so all things were then doubled and thus they spent the greatest part of the day in we publicke seruice of God so ought it to bee vpon the day of fast And this was the practise of the people of God as we reade in the booke of Nehemiah Neh. 9 1. where it is sayd That all the Israelites assembled with fasting Therefore longer time then ordinary should be spent in the publike assemblies and with sackecloth and earth vpon them the Leuites stood vp in their place and read in the booke of the law of the Lord their God foure times on the day and they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God foure times So that both for the exercise of the word and for prayer all was extraordinarie and so ought it to bee among vs that we should not onely do as we do namely twise a day once in the forenoone and againe in the afternoone but wee should continue both the times longer than we do and haue more exercises of the Word and of prayer if wee were able or had more helpe as it is sayd in this Congregation of the Iewes they had for the Leuites are reckoned vp by name who spake euen Ieshua and Bani Kadmiel vers 4.5 Shebaniah Bunni Sherebiah Bani Chenani who cried with a loud voice vnto the Lord their God and they stood vp and said Praise the Lord your God for euer and euer and let them praise thy glorious name O God which excelleth about al thanksgiuing praise where wee see that there were manie that prayed vnto God and exhorted the people which could not be all at once because of disorder and confusion but one after another whereby also it came to passe that they were able to continue so long euen to preach to pray foure times in the day And thus we see how this day ought to be spent therefore they that come to the Church in the forenoone and absent themselues in the afternoone without any necessarie cause to be approued of God and men do not keepe this holie day of fast as they should In the popish fasting dayes worke was ordinarily permitted And here againe we haue iust cause to finde fault with the popish pretended fastes who as in manie other things they swarued from the word of God so in this one point they came nothing neere it for vpon their fasting daies there was no restraint of worke but it was lawfull for them to followe their businesse as vpon any other day they that professed to keepe it most deuoutly yet did not leaue their businesse vntill noone and then not wholly neither for besides dressing vp of houses preparing of linen against the next daie if they had any worke of their owne to doe at home within the doores they thought that they might lawfully doe it though it held them occupied vntill night so they made no conscience of not working And besides this they had no speciall seruice vpon such daies and if they had few or none came to it and held themselues bound to it but the Churches were as empty vpon those daies And the seruice of God was little regarded as vpoÌ„ any other and they that were most superstitious in that religion were of opinion that if they came for a quarter or halfe an houre in the euening they had done as much as could be required of them though they vnderstood not one word of that that was said or done so far were they from hauing any holy assemblies or doubling of their seruice that day that they had none at al for the most part but all was differred vntill the day following as though they should fast vpoÌ„ one day and serue God vpon an other and not doe them both together And thus much of the time when and howe long we should fast and how the same time ought to be spent HOMIL VII The seuenth Homilie intreateth of the seuerall kindes or sorts of fasts whereof the one is priuate and the other publike and first of priuate fastings and how to behaue our selues in them and how they ought to be intertained into mens houses and for what causes and what great good may come thereby and what liberty the Gouernors haue in appointing of them aboue all the rest of the familie THe nature and thus condition of this holie exercise of fasting being thus hitherto described out of the worde of God both that it is an ordinance and commandement of almightie God and not an humane constitution and brought in by the policie of men and therefore that which all men must submit themselues vnto of conscience and also that it consisteth in that outward bodilie exercise of abstinence from all the coÌ„fort of this life for a time and in those inward vertues of the minde as true humilitie and feruencie of praier whereof we haue heard and that the time fit for it is specially the time of some great affliction and that then it must bee held longer or shorter time according to the greatnes of the same affliction whether it bee present or iustly to be feared that the said time of fasting is of the nature of the Sabbath and therefore must be so spent of all as vsually the Sabbath is ought to be both in abstaining from all the workes of our callings things of necessitie onely excepted and also in being occupied in the seuerall parts or Gods worship as the exercises of the reading and hearing of the worde of God praier vnto him and all meditation and good conference that might further them thereunto â—he seuerall â—undes of â—astes It remaineth now that I shoulde in order speake of their seuerall sorts and kindes of fasting that we might know how many they be and what they are that so we might vse them in their seuerall time and place as the Lorde shall require them of vs and as we shall see that wee haue cause so doe and that when we can not vse the one as there is no cause for it at all yet wee might perceaue that there was cause of the other and so thinke our selues bounde vnto it and that we should not thinke our selues wholly discharged of our obedience vnto the Lord this way because wee can
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
THE HOLY EXERCISE OF FASTING Described largely and plainly out of the word of God with all the parts and causes and seuerall kinds of the same together with the most fit times and conuenient seasons when and how long it should be held with the manifold fruite and commoditie that redoundeth to vs thereby and the whole nature and order thereof In Certaine Homilies or Sermons for the benefit of all those that with care and conscience intend at any time publikely or priuately to put in practise the same By Nicolas Bownde Doctor of diuinitie Perused and allowed by publike authoritie Occupie till I come Luk. 16.13 Math. 25.11 It is well done good seruant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy masters ioy Printed by IOHN LEGAT Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1604. And are to be sold at the signe of the Crowne in Pauls Churchyard by Simon Waterson To the right Reuerend father in God and right honourable Lord Doctor Iohn Iegon Lord Bishop of Norwich the continuance and daily increase of all those heauenly vertues and graces which the Apostle S. Paul requireth in a Bishop 1. Tim. 3.2 RIght reuerend father and very honourable Lord besides many other weightie reasons whereby I haue beene mooued to commend this simple present vnto your Lordships fauour which it is not necessarie nor conuenient to make all the world acquainted with it is enough that your Lordship priuately doth take knowledge of them it may be sufficient openly to professe thus much That whereas my selfe with all the rest of my brethren fellow ministers were in our countrie and in all the rest of your L. Dioces of Norfolke and Suffolke the last sommer inioyned by your letters sent to your officers to that ende according to the order set downe before in print by the authoritie of the Kings most excellent maiestie to come to the Church euery weâ—ke vpon the wednesdaies and fridaies with the rest of our people flocke committed vnto vs there and then to be occupied in praier and fasting to intreat the Lord for our sinnes and for the sinnes of the rest in this land that so his heauie hand which by the pestilence was then very sharpely and that a long time stretched out in many cheife cities and towns of this realme and namely of this your L. Dioces as Norwich and Yarmouth and some other might be called in at his appointed time Sam. 24.16 as it was in the daies of king Dauid Whereby it came to passe that both here and in many places els there was much more preaching hearing of the word of God and praying vnto him then was before and otherwise would haue beene So that by meanes of the straite charge laid vpon all by your L. letter there was much good done in this countrie at that time the fruite whereof I hope remaineth vnto this day For though the booke containing the cause and order of those fasts which was made by some of the cheife gouernours in the Church of England and was authorized by the Kings Highnesse did as I take it not onely giue leaue vnto all places publikely to meete vpon these aboue named daies to these ends but did inioyne them to it and so all men might haue taken knowledge of it and of their dutie therein from thence especially when the cause of it namely so grieuous and so vniuersall a plague was so notorious that it could not be hid from any yet it was found too true by experience in many places that vntill such time as men were further called vpon by your Lordships letter full of great and weightie reasons to perswade thereunto that neither many ministers had any care to call vpon their people to so holy and necessarie a seruice nor the people any great deuotion to come So slowe are men vnto any part of Gods seruice yea though it doth so greatly coÌ„cerne them especially to this principall part of it in fasting and praier which hath beene very long out of vse that they had neede not onely lightly to be called vpon but with many strong coards violently hailed vnto it though vnto all matters of the world they are so forward and hastie that they runne of their own accord and none can stay them Hereupon it hath come to passe that a great part of the good that this way hath beene done vnto the people of God and seruice to his maiestie is to be imputed vnto your lordships diligent care who did so timely and effectually stirre vp men vnto it especially in respect of those cheife places others vnder your Lordships iurisdiction which then were greatly subiect vnto this visitation as well as other parts of this land neither are they all of them yet free from it Therefore these beeing part of my labours at that time they are in some sort due vnto your Lordship by whose means I receiued incouragement thereunto as others did to the like And I haue presumed to present them vnto your Lordship that by them you may see and by one may iudge of the rest how readie we are and shall be to yeild obedience to all your L. godly proceedings promising for my selfe and presuming of the rest that when we shall be likewise commanded which we expect and hope for in time to keepe solemne dayes of thanksgiuing for the mitigating of this plague in so great measure in the most places and for the cleane taking of it away in many we will be by the grace of God as ready to performe that part of seruice as we haue beene forward vnto this And in the meane season according to our bounden duty we will indeauour not only priuatly to be thankfull vnto God but vpon all such daies as we haue our publike assemblies to doe it in some part and to call vpon our people to be thankfull to God with vs both in hart words and life least the Lord for our vnthankfulnes doe returne vpon vs with the same or some other great punishment of his Which we haue so much the more cause to feare vnles we thus seeke to preuent it because the late memory of so great a worke both of iustice in sending the plague and of mercy in taking it away is not so fresh effectuall with all men nay with very few as it should but they like to vngratious children so soone forget the rodd as it is off their back And seeing by these your Lordship may take knowledge that by your godly incitation many were made more painfull in their callings at the least for that time then otherwise they would have beene whereby also God was more honoured and the people more instructed your Lordship will according to that high place wherein God hath placed you especially to that end take all opportunities by word and writing still to incite all men to be zealous and feruent in the worke of the ministery by giuing all good
to fast and that by vertue of that coÌ„mandement giuen to them as well as they were For if we consider the end and see the equitie and reason of it we shall finde that it bindes vs as much as them and so we hauing the same cause among vs which mooued the Lord to inioine them this practise must thinke that we haue the same commandement also of fasting thogh not at that time and yeerely yet at some time in a yeere at the least in many yeeres For it being ordained to this end that they being humbled for their sinnes priuate and publike and there testifying their humiliation the wrath of God against them either threatned iustly in the lawe or vpon them alreadie or appearing imminent might be turned away and so they reconciled vnto God and spared we haue the same cause to bee humbled manie waies especially at this present and so now God commandeth vs to vse it And first of all in respect of our great vnwoorthinesse of Gods manifold benefits for looke to rhem that be publike past and present as the long and happie and peaceable raigne of our late soueraigne Queene Elizabeth of famous memorie To be humbled both iâ— respect of thâ— death of ouâ— late Queen Elizabeth with the Gospell and freedome from our enemies and other plagues and then consider on the other side the little fruit of them the great vnthankfulnesse for them nay abuse for them and of Gods patience in them and we shall see great cause of humilitie and of earnest seeking to God for the continuance of them by fasting and praier especially if we well way the late great losse of ours in the death of her Maiestie For if Dauid bad the people of his time mourne for the death of Saul their King because they enioyed manie great benefits vnder his gouernment saying â— Sam. 1.4 Ye daughters of Israel weepe for Saul which clothed you in scarlet and with pleasures and hanged ornaments of golde vpon your apparell then we much more haue cause to lament for her death by whose life we enioyed and that so long so many inestimable benefits both for soule and bodie for profit and for pleasure and truely it is to be feared that her death is too lightly passed away of the most The Lord indeed in much mercy hath most happily supplied it beyond all our expectation but yet that must not be forgotten and the more gratiously and speedily he hath supplied it and yet we vnwoorthy of the former the more cause haue wee to be humbled For when many great benefits come heaped vp one after another and no measure of true thankfulnesse and obedience answerable vnto it there must needs come some great punishment afterwards if it be not preuented And so the sight and consideration of these great benefits thus continued with the little or no fruit at all of them should humble vs and so driue vs to shew it in fasting and prayer that God might forgiue vs and so still continue his benefts Besides this if they vpon this day had cause to bee humbled for their sinnes And in respect of our sinnes and for the punishment of them either present or imminent then if our sinnes be as great and many or more than theirs because we haue more and greater benefits for his Word in the ministery of the Gospel is more cleerely come to vs and this time hath many things which the time of the Law had not then seeing to whom much is giuen â—uke 12.48 of them much is required we hauing receiued so much in comparison of them and done so little for it haue more cause to be humbled than they and so are bound by vertue of this law to holde some dayes of humiliation as well as they though not that yeerely day especially if we consider the punishment not onely to be feared but alreadie vpon vs. For though God hath giuen vs a most gratious and worthy Prince yet see how there hath beene feare of losing him by the desperate attempts of his traiterous enemies whom thogh in their plot it hath pleased God to disapoint and we hope and pray that he alwayes so will yet he hath suffered them somwhat to breake out that all might take knowledge of them to be humbled for their sinnes the cause of them For he is not King for himselfe but for vs in his preseruation consisteth all our good in his death the losse of vs all especially when they seeke also to put out his whole race and to bring in some Popish Spanish pretended heire then consider the losse of Religion and the more than hazzard yea vtter ouerthrow of our peace and all that we haue we should come vnder the popish and Spanish yoke either of which were intolerable as our forefathers haue learned by too lamentable experience therefore in respect of this also we haue cause to be humbled and so to fast both to bring vs to it and outwardly to declare it Moreouer if we consider the great sicknes and mortality that raigneth hath done a long time in most of the chiefe places in the land And this present pestilence that is in many parts of this land as in London where haue died 2000. this last weeke and more and truly this is much considering how many haue remooued out of this citie and how many haue died before so that it is reported that there are certaine hundred houses standing emptie besides in most of the villages about London and in other cities and great townes as in Norwich and in manie coast townes and other in Norfolke and Suffolke as Yarmouth Laystaffe Ipswich c. that I speake not of those which are in other shires as Colchester Cambridge Newmarket and many more that we know not If there were nothing but this there were great cause to be humbled for so manifest a token of Gods wrath so apparently and so vniuersally and so long shewed And this mooued the Kings Maiestie of his Princely care that he hath of all his subiects to set downe this godly order of weekely fasting For concerning our selues though by the free mercy of God it be not vpon vs yet â—om 12.5.16 yet these are our brethren and therefore as the Apostle saith we should be of like affectioÌ„ one towards another Luk. 13 and so ready to weepe with them that weepe Besides as our Sauiour Christ saith of them vpon whom the tower of Siloam fell slew them that they were not the greatest sinners aboue all that dwelt in Ierusalem so must wee say of these men and women that haue died of the plague and of those places where it hath beene and is so heauie but except we amend we shall all likewise perish therefore wee in them as in a glasse are to see what we haue deserued and so for our owne selues to be humbled also considering that this punishment of God vpon them for their sinnes deserued also by
it of vs more then euer he did in our time for we haue not knowen so great a plague why should we not now by the practise of fasting both for our owne good and to stop the mouthes of our enimies and that the Gospell might bee well spoken of take away such occasions Thus though fasting be but an outward bodilie exercise yet being commanded of God he doth and will accept of it and tending to the humbling of vs it shall be profitable to that end and we ought to vse it also that we might deliuer the Gospell from that slander which by the too great abuse of their libertie in eating and drinking carnall men haue brought vpon it as that it should be a doctrine of licentiousnesse and of pampering the flesh Now let vs consider wherein this abstinence doth consist Fasting coâ—sisteth in aâ—staining froÌ„ all meat aâ— drinke for a time and that may partly be vnderstood by that that hath beene sayd of it alreadie Heere then first of all commeth to be considered the abstinence from meat and drinke which because it is one of the principall outward obseruations the whole exercise tooke the name of that for it is called Fasting and not onely in our vulgar tongue but in other And besides that the nature of the word doth signifie so much the whole practise of the Church of God in the Olde and New Testament doth sufficiently declare that this is a principall thing in this ordinance of God Vtterly to refraine for a time from all kinds of meats and drinkes whatsoeuer For so is it sayd of that fast which the King of Nineue caused to be proclaimed thorowout all that citie Let neither man nor beast bullocke nor sheepe taste anie thing â—a 3.7 neither feed nor drinke water where man beast vpon both which this fast was imposed are forbidden all food and water and not so much as to taste of them So is it sayd of Dauid when he fasted and prayed for the life of his child begotten in adulterie That he would not eat any thing during that time though the Elders chiefe men of his house did persuade him thereunto for these are the words of the text Sam. 12. â— 17 That Dauid besought God for the childe and fasted then the Elders of his house arose to come vnto him and to cause him to rise from the ground but he would not neither did he eate meat with them And so it is sayd of Ezra the Scribe zra 10.6 when he fasted and praied mourned for the sins of them that had returned from the captiuity euen for the strange wiues that were among them he did neither eate bread nor drinke water so he did wholly abstaine from all food euen from that that was common as bread and water And to conclude this is that which Queene Hester Hest 4.16 willed Mordecay to command the Iews when they should fast and pray for her that shee might finde fauour with the King in that sute which she should make for them Fast yee for mee and eate not nor drinke So the right fasting prescribed in the Word And is not a sober or spare kinde of diet is not a sober vse of meates which must be alwaies nor yet a more sparing diet than at other ordinâ—rie times and so to eat but a little but an vtter abstaining from euening to euening from all meat and drinke whatsoeuer therefore when wee professe to keepe a fast thus must we do Whereby it appeareth that the Popish fasts which they so greatly boasted of were nothing lesse than that true fast which the Scripture teacheth and which we must practise for they brake it diuers wayes both in fulnesse also in all delicacie of meats which they permit vnto themselues in great measure euen vpon their fasting daies and first of all they offended in superfluitie and fulnesse The abuse of Popish fastes in permitting fulnesse of meat vpon their fasting dayes for that it was lawfull vpon their fasting dayes as well as vpon any other day to fill themselues at dinner with all kindes of meats flesh onely excepted and also at breakefast and supper to fil themselues with bread and drinke as much as they would but the word of God teacheth vs and this hath beene the practise of all the godly that we abstaine breakfast and dinner that wee might fast from euening to euening And besides this generall libertie or licentiousnesse rather which they gaue vnto all some of the poorer sort and seruants and others also would fill their bellies of purpose on Thursday at night and on Friday at dinner that with lesse feeling to themselues they might passe away their fast whereas it is requisite in fasting that we should feele the want in our bodie that by it wee might bee brought to feele the wants of our soules What an abuse was this thus to peruert the right end of Gods ordinance into that that was cleane contrarie vnto it which as we do iustly condemne in them so we must take heed that we fall not into it our selues for then we should be inexcusable before God our selues as the Apostle sayth Rom. 2.1 for in that that we condemne another wee condemne our owne selues because we that condemne them do the same things our selues Secondarily in their fasting daies they did greatly offend in delicacy daintinesse of meats and drinkes Another abuse in permitting all delicacie of meates and drinkes at the same time for whereas vpon that day when we doe eate wee should content our selues with ordinarie and common meate sufficient onely to preserue health because fasting is to humble vs they did at dinner permit the vse of all things sauing flesh and so did giue liberty for greater dainties and greater stirrers vp of the sinfull lustes of the flesh then they did forbid and take away and besides these which were too much wine of all sorts was not onely then permitted but in great plentie vsed and at euening when they did especially professe to fast they had all dainties except flesh fish as spice-bread cakes wafers marmelade and sucket with all kinde of fruites as apples peares wardens quinces and such like growing at home and oringes limons figges and all kates else that could be had from beyond the seas Was not this a plaine mocking and a ridiculous yea more then apish imitation of their fasting that when they did most of all professe it for the humbling of their bodies and therefore did abridge themselues of many things they did eate and drinke very plentifully of all those things which did most of all pamper it and that without all scruple of conscience So that with them it was a verie good fast kept if at supper and dinner a man did eate no flesh though he did eate al other dainties besides in what kinde soeuer and with them it was a great fault to eate but one bitte of flesh euen of colde
praier and whereas praier is ought to be a daily exercise of euery christian man woman euen as the Iewes had their daily morning and euening sacrifice which were not without praier and as it is saide of Daniell Dan. 6.10 that it was his custome to praie three times euerie day Yea earnest and feruent and continuall praiers in the daies of fasting they haue vsed a speciall and extraordinarie kinde of praier differing from all other that they haue vsed before both in zeale and strength of praier and also in continuance Therefore we in the daies of our fastings also should be more zealous feruent in praier and also longer and more continuall then at other times as then we haue alwaies some speciall cause to mooue vs vnto it and the outward abstinence also should further vs thereunto And this we read to haue beene the practise of the Niniuites in their publike fast which they kept that then according to that knowledge that they had they did all praie verie earnestly vnto God that he would spare them according to that that the king commanded saying Iona. 3.8 Let man and beast put on sackcloth and crie mightily vnto God that is praie earnestly vnto him for mercie as Dauid vseth the like phrase in the same sense Psal 130.1 Out of the deepe places haue I called or cried out vnto thee O Lord. And this feruencie of praier the prophet Esay Esay 58 4. required of the Iewes in their fastes when hee saith Behold yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse yee shall not fast as yee doe to daie to make your voice to be heard aboue this latter part of the verse others doe read thus whose interpretation and iudgement heere I follow You doe not fast that you might lift vp your voice on high that is to God in feruent praier which is one speciall cause of fasting and therefore it is called a day of reconciliation Lâ—u 23.27 because that then the priest by earnest praier did seeke to reconcile the people vnto God But to returne to the prophet Esay he finding fault with them that they did not fast to a right end namely to humble themselues and conuicting them plainly of the want of humilitie and repentance because there was strife and debate and contention among them which ought not to haue beene neither could haue beene if in the sight of their sinnes they had beene rightly humbled to seeke vnto God for mercy saith farther that they did not fast as those times did require to lift vp their voices earnestlie to God in praier they did chide and were earnest and aloud one with another but they were not earnest and aloud in praier vnto God as they should haue beene therefore whereas it is translated Yee shall not fast as you do to daie to make your voice to be heard aboue referring this lifting vp of the voice vnto loud words in contention as for the most part men will then be heard others doe read it as wee haue heard you doe not or you will not fast that your voice might be heard aboue referring it to the lifting vp of the voice to God in praier and in more then ordinarie praier noted by the lifting vp of their voice as was said before that the Niniuites did not speake onely but crie out and that mightily or with all their strength vnto God Therefore in â—he daies of â—asting we â—ust inforce â—ur selues to â—eruent and 〈…〉 So that to fasting must bee ioined a most earnest kinde of praier as the time shall then require and as men must not praie coldly and from the teeth outward as we say at anie time so then especially they must not bee wearie but consider well what great necessitie there is of praier both in respect of their sinnes and of the punishment of them and so inforce themselues to an earnest kinde of long praier as if a man were fallen into a deepe pit or well he would crie out aloud and long with all his strength euen vntill he were hoarse or had lost his voice that so he might be heard and holpen and would not fauour himselfe in such a case Thus it appeareth that when Ezra and the rest that feared God with him fasted because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie that hee praied verie earnestly and long as wee may gather both from his behauiour and from the wordes that hee then vsed which were full of great affection Ezra 9.4 for it is written of him that he sate downe astonied vntill the euening sacrifice and after the euening sacrifice he arose vp from his heauinesse and when he had rent his clothes his garments he fell vpon his knees and spread out his handes vnto the Lord God and saide O my God I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eies vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our head and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen and so foorth as it followeth in that praier of his full of all humilitie and zeale The like may be said of the prophet Daniel who in the end of the seauentie yeeres of their captiuitie vnderstanding by bookes as he saith of himselfe and namely by reading the Prophecie of Ieremie that the number of yeeres which the Lord would accomplish for the destruction of Ierusalem were now almost expired and turned his face vnto the Lord Dan. 9.3 by praier and supplications with fasting and sackcloth ashes and then how zealously feruently he praied as it appeereth in the whole praier in which he often breaks out into many passionate exclamatioÌ„s so especially by the often doubling of the same petitions which was no vaine babling in him ful of words without any great matter but did arise of the abundance of his earnest desire and great feeling that he had of that which he praied for as when he saith Dan. 9.15 O our God heare the praier of thy seruant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine vpon thy Sanctuarie that lieth waste for the Lords sake O my God incline thine eare and heare open thine eies and behold our desolations and the citie whereupon thy name is called for we doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse but for thy tender mercies O Lorde heare O Lord forgiue O Lord consider and doe it deferre not for thine owne sake O my God for thy name is called vpon thy citie and vpon thy people Thus both of them praied verie feruently and with great zeale which argued that they had great hope of obtaining their suites otherwise they would soone giuen them ouer and not haue beene so importunate For it is most certaine that according to the hope that we haue of obtaining any thing at the handes of God or man so are our desires and requestes vnto them more earnest or more cold therfore when
of sorrow and griefe that that fast of his was not vnrewarded of the Lord. For by that meanes he obtained that the execution of that iudgement against himselfe and all his posteritie which we haue heard of concerning the rasing of him and them from the kingdome and throne of Israel was put off and differred vntill his sonnes daies as it is saide in the wordes of that text that when he had heard what the prophet had prophesied against him 1. King 21.27 hee rent his clothes and put sackecloth vpon himselfe and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went softly in token of mourning and the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Theshbite saying Seest thou how Ahab is humbled because hee submitteth himselfe before me I will not bring this euill in his daies but in his sonnes daies I will bring euill vpon his house If the Lord then did so iustify this ordinance of his in the person of this wicked man when he did stoope but vnto the outward ceremonie and bodily exercise of it and was altogither voide of true humilitie and sound repentance resting onely in the bare outward tokens of them and had not his heart throughly broken by faith that hee differred this deserued and denounced iudgement so long that it came not in his daies which was a great outward blessing and honour vpon him how then much more if we so vse this outward abstinence as we doe Much mâ—re will he doe it to his seruants that vse it in trueth that especially we ioine to it the inward vertues of humilitie and repentance and contrition of hart and feruencie of praier will the Lord be appeased towards vs and at the least bee so farre foorth intreated that hee differre that great wrath of his that otherwise might breake out to our vtter destruction For if the Lorde hath shewed such mercie to the wicked as to spare them in this world for a time wheÌ„ they haue submitted themselues to the outward obedience of this commandement of humbling theÌ„selues in fasting though in great hypocrisie then howe much more will he spare his owne children that vse it in sincerity and trueth Therfore let this example also somewhat incourage vs with hope of good successe that wee shall finde the Lorde mercifull vnto vs in thus seeking vnto him in this time of great need And wee haue great reason so to doe if we doe but well weigh the dealing of one man towards another that when in affliction they haue submitted themselues vnto them they haue founde fauour with them By humble subâ—ission and pâ—aâ—er men haue found sâ—uouâ— with their enimiâ—s though they had greatly offended them before the onelie hope of this hath mooued them to seeke after this maner euen to those which were their professed enimies before and they haue done it not in vaine For thus it is written of Benadad king of Aram that when he was ouercome in two battels of Ahab king of Israel 1. King 20.29 and receaued so great an ouerthrow in the latter that in it were slaine of the Aramites an hundred thousand footemen in one daie and so was out of hope of anie safetie for himselfe at the length by the aduise of his seruants he put his companie into sackcloth with roapes about their heads and so came to the kind of Israel and intreated for their liues hoping by submitting theÌ„selues vnto him after this maner to obtaine pardon as indeed they did For the messengers when in this araie they came vnto him 1. King 2â— 33 said Thy seruant Benhadad saith I praie thee let me liue vsing all words and behauiour of great submission and Ahab answered he is my brother is he yet aliue goe bring him to me and when hee came hee made a couenant with him and let him goe See what is the fruite of true humiliation and humble supplication and if men will humble themselues and sue earnestly vnto men in hope of pardon 〈…〉 Gâ—d howe much more should they doe it vnto the Lorde whom they haue more offended and who hath greater power to punish them and if vnto those of whom they had no promise before of obtaining any thing but come to them altogither as it were at aduenture then much more to him of whom we haue so manie gratious promises in the Gospell to allure and encourage vs and if vnto those which were their open and professed aduersaries then most of al vnto him that is reconciled vnto vs by the blood of his sonne and is become our father in him and if vnto them where we haue none to speake and intreat for vs but our selues then especially to him where we haue an aduocate and mediatour 1. Ioh. 2.2 euen Iesus Christ the righteous who is also the propitiation for our sinnes and if vnto them of whose loue we neuer made triall before then vnto him much more who as he hath first shewed it aboue all measure in giuing his sonne to die for vs and that when we were his enimies hath since confirmed it vnto vs many waies that we need not doubt of it And on the other side if so great mercy hath beene thus found of men who haue scarce one drop of that compassion in them which is like a great deepe sea in the Lord then may we be assured that we shall not misse of it at his hands if we continue seeking and waite vpon him for it as we should and if a man hath found it of his enimy then much more of his God to whom he is reconciled and if where none speake for him but mortall men like themselues then much more where Iesus Christ the sonne of God maketh continual intercession for vs. So that euery waie we see we haue cause to doe as we do hoping assuredlie that we shall not doe it in vaine 〈…〉 praier Therefore if the commandement of God did not compell vs to the obedience of this humble submission as it doth yet the liberall and most certain promises which are made to them that shall vse it and especially the experience that we and other haue found of the vndoubted trueth of them should prouoke vs to this holy exercise of fasting and praier which if men will not come vnto so farre as they be able what remaineth for them and what other thing can they looke for but that if they will not humble themselues with the people of God to finde mercie they shall taste of his wrath with the wicked and if they wil not weepe now for their sinnes with the one they should houle in the punishment of them when it shall be too late with the other and if they wil haue no part nor portion in the obedience of Gods commandement giuen to his people both vnder the Law and the Gospell that they should haue part with them in the promises of reward made to them in them both Euen as the Lord himselfe in plaine words hath threatned that
they that wil not afflict themselues with sorrow for their sinnes in fasting and mourning at times conuenient he will destroy and roote them out from among his people saying This is a day of reconciliation Leu. 23 2â— to make an attonement for you before the Lorde your God and euery person that humbleth not himselfe that same daie shall euen be cut off from his people HOMIL VI. The sixt Homilie sheweth what is the proper time for fasting namely the time of affliction sorow and then how God requireth it and his seruants haue practised it and so how the Lord requireth it of vs in this time of our sorow and how long the time of a fast should continue and how the same time should be spent HAuing shewed in the former Treatises as you haue seene that this holy ordinance of fasting is grouÌ„ded vpon the commandement of God and that he straitly vpon our allegeance that wee owe vnto him requireth it of vs and so it can not be left vndone of vs without a manifest disobedience and contempt of his Word and moreouer that the whole action consisteth both in that outward bodily exercise of abstinence and forbearing of those things for a time which we haue heard of and also and especially in those inward vertues of the minde and graces of the spirit to be then attained vnto vsed and professed which haue lastly beene intreated of and therefore is to be obserued of vs after that maner that hath beene declared if we will haue our seruice therein acceptable vnto God and profitable to our selues it remaineth to shew what is the time proper and peculiar vnto this exercise and when the Lord especially requireth it of vs. For it is not an ordinarie and common seruice of God Fasting is not an ordinary seruice of God fit for all times that which shuld be practised euery day as some others are and so it is not fit for euery time but an extraordinarie part of his worship and of our dutie vnto him and so more meet for some times than for other Solomon by the wisdome of Gods spirit sayth in the booke of the Preacher as we haue heard before that there is to all things an appointed time Eccle. 3.1 a time to euerie purpose vnder the heauen and so a time to weepe and a time to laugh vers 4. a time to mourne and a time to dance and therefore a time to fast and a time to feast So then as it were a verie preposterous thing for any to make great feasts when they should fast and in the times when the Lord by his word and works of iustice calleth to fasting that then they should giue themselues to all kinde of cheering vp of themselues which kinde of prophanesse the Prophet greatly complaineth of in his time Esa 22.12 saying And in that day did the Lord God of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and girding with sackcloth and beholde ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating and drinking and mocking the doctrine of the Prophet with these words For to morow we shall die so on the other side it were a thing of very great disorder We must be able to discerne betweene the time of fasting and of feasting for any to afflict themselues to fast when God would haue them to reioice and feast as we see some of those that returned from the captiuity of Babylon of a good deuotion but of great ignorance and so were rebuked for it For when in the feast of Tabernacles they did heare the Law of God read whereof they had beene ignorant a great while and thereby perceiued how they had offended God they wept for their sinnes and began also to abstaine from their meat as appeareth by the answere of Esra and the rest of the Leuites who sayd vnto them Neh. 8.9 This day is holy vnto the Lord your God mourne not neither weepe but goe and eat of the fat and drinke the sweet and send part vnto them for whom none is prepared for this day is holy vnto our Lord be ye not sorie therefore for the ioy of the Lord is your strength So that it is as if they had sayd This is a time of great ioy for our deliuerance and other great benefits of God bestowed vpon vs and therefore not of fasting But this is the great blindnes and ignorance of many that this way they know no difference of times but all are alike to them if they may haue meat Heerein the Lord hath beene mercifull vnto vs and hath directed vs aright by his worde which as it is a light vnto our pathes Psal 119.105 and a lanterne to our feete in all other things so also in this when he hath shewed vs both by expresse commandement and also by the common practise of al the godlie in all ages The time of affliâ—â—ion sâ—rrow is the mâ—st â—râ—per time of fasting that the time of affliction is the most fit and conuenient time for fasting and as it were most proper vnâ—o it when as we haue cause of sorrow either for some great benefit that we want or others whom we loue in the Lord or some iudgement of God present as most like shortly to come vpon our selues or vpon them and as any of these be greater so haue we more cause alwaies to fast and God doth then require it of vs especially at that time And this is that which our Sauiour Christ sheweth in the Gospel where to this captious question of the Scribes and Pharesies saying Why doe the Disciples of Iohn fast often and praie Luk. 5.33 and the Disciples of the Pharesies also but thine eate and drinke he made this answer Can yee make the children of the wedding chamber to fast as long as the bridegroome is with them but the daies will come euen when the Bridegroome shall be taken away froÌ„ them and then shall they fast in those daies Where he excuseth his Disciples for not fasting at that time because the Bridegroome was with them as yet and so by Christs presence it was a time of ioy vnto them but ere it were long he should be taken from them and they should want him and there should come some great trouble vpon them which should cause them to phet euen that their deserued destruction was so neere at hande vnlesse they did speâ—dily repent and so put on sackecloth fâ—om the greatest of them euen to the least of them Thus in this time of great heauinesse they tooke vpon them this exercise of fasting which in the prosperitie and wealth and flourishing estate of the citie they knew not of neither were acquainted with it before but nowe they saw that the time it selfe did call them to another kinde of behauiour and so they did practise it willingly The like may be saide of the people of the Iewes in the daies of Queene Hester when Haman for the
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
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
Peter and Iohn when they were forbidden to preach which Christ had necessarily inioined them by vertue of their office of Apostleship and so in obeying them therin they shuld haue disobeyed God they answered as you haue heard and so did that which God necessarily commaunded thogh men forbad theÌ„ And this must be the practise of all inferiors when they are forbidden any thing of their superiours which God hath commanded them in his worde either as they be Christians or otherwise and heere is their defence in so dooing But yet all these aboue-named degrees of persons Inferiors may make choise of the Sabbath day for their priuate fastes in their subiection though they be restrained from the choise of the day yet are not therefore set free from the thing it selfe I meane from the practise of priuate fasting when they shall haue iust cause for they may celebrate them vpon the Sabbath in which their masters should giue them leaue to bee wholly the Lords seruants and so not incumber them with anie seruice excepting things of necessitie which are permitted euen in the day of fastes And though there bee few vnder gouernement in families of that godlinesse and conscience that they are like to practise these priuate fastes yet neither am I out of hope of all and I thought it necessarie to deliuer the doctrine for it is their dutie thus to doe though the greatest part be ignorant or make no conscience of it And so this shall suffice to haue beene spoken of the first kind of fast which is priuate HOMIL VIII The eight Homilie intreateth of the second kind of fasts which are publike why so called and how all sorts ought to come to them and what a great fault it is for any to be absent And then of the cause of them whâ—ch is the wrath of God against his Church either present as it is now vpon vs or likely to come which the godlie haue considered in the course of Gods prouidence and so haue sought by fasting and praier to preuent it and not alwaies taried till it came vpon them THe second and last kind of fasting Publike fasts and why they are so called which I am to intreat of at this time is publike or common and is so called because it is and ought to be vsed not of a few but a whole Church and congregation in a towne or citie or of manie Churches in the same or in a countrie or realme and thus vsed by the publike authoritie and commandement of them who next vnto Christ Iesus haue the gouernment of those places where the fast is held and not by the motion or aduise of some priuate man as the other that we spake of before is And therefore also these kindes of fastes are kept in the publike places openly where they vse to haue their common assemblies for the worship of God where the Church is constituted vnder a Christian Prince and not in any priuate house or houses And the cause of them is some general calamitie of the Church for the most part and not priuate to one or some few and that either in the same place where the fast is sanctified or in some other churches of their brethren neer or farre of for whom they seeke vnto the Lord according to the bond of Christian loue that ought to bee among all the Churches of God as â—mong the members of one mysticall body whereof Christ is the head and the same calamity either presently vpon them or imminent greatly to be feared So that briefely or in a word a publike fast is that which is imposed by publike authoritie vpon all the people of that place to be kept openlie in the common place of their holie assemblies for some common plague to be remooued or turned away or for the obtaining of some common benefit belonging to the whole bodie of the same Church or to some principal member of the same And such is this that we haue These which we now keepe are publike and doe keepe this day by the authoritie first of the Kings most excellent Maiestie and then of those that are in authoritie vnder him in Ecclesiasticall matters and for the well ordering of all things to bee done in the Church vnto which all sorts of men and women should come in al cities towns Such was the fast that was celebrated in Niniue at the preaching of Iona Iona 3.7 for the King caused it to be proclaimed through Niniue euen through that great citie of three daies iourney by the counsell of the King and his nobles saying vers 5. Let neither man nor beast taste any thing feed or drinke water and as the proclamation was thus generall reaching vnto all so it was accordingly put in practise for it is saide a little before the people of Niniue beleeued God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackecloth from the greatest of them euen to the least of them so that the fast was kept by all the people of that citie The like may be saide of that that was obserued in the daies of Hester for though in respect of the places where it was as in their seuerall houses closely it may be called priuate yet in regard of the multitude that kept it euen al the Iewes and people of God in that citie and in respect of the person by whose direction they were moued vnto it euen the Queene it may truely be called publike for it is sayd that she sent this commandement to Mordecay Goe and assemble al the Iewes that are found in Shushan and fast for me and Mordecay went his way and did according to all that Hester Hest 4.16 had commanded him so this fast was imposed vpon all the Iewes and all of them kept it And therefore all sorts of people should come to them And so to the obseruation of these fastes of ours all should come not one or two in a familie and say goe you to daie and we will come the next day for by the authoritie and commandement of our gouernors all are inioined vnto it Exod. 20 1â— And as vpon the Sabbath because it is a daie appointed for the publike seruice of God all are commanded to keepe it holie Thou and thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and thy maide seruant and the stranger that is within thy gates So vpon these daies which are of the nature of the Sabbath and are also publikely commanded all should thinke theÌ„selues bound vnto it Esa 2.3 Therefore as vpon the Sabbath day they should come together and saie one to another Come let vs goe vp to the house of the Lord so vpon these daies of fasting one should call vpon another Therefore not onely that is a great fault if any should not come at all but if any should come for nouelties and then giue it ouer againe yea and if they should come seldome now and then or if they should come
recompensed that great losse by sending so worthy a King into her roome yet we might then haue feared some other great punishment as we see how this plague hath followed and there was cause to feare it before though few did thinke of it and what may be next vnto this we know not wee are sure that much hath beene deserued and so by fasting and prayer in respect of these great sinnes wee had need to seeke to the Lord to turne it away And thus much for the second cause which might mooue vs to feare some great wrath and displeasure of God to bee shewed in some kinde of correction and rodde of his whereby wee might willingly humble our selues before him in publike fasting euen the great sinnes that in all sorts euery where abound and most shamefully lift vp their heads vncontroled Thirdly and last of all Gods nor â—â— to come apearing iâ— his iudgement denounced haue been causes of publike sâ— sâ—ing concerning this matter the seruants of God in former times haue wisely discerned beforehand of the stormie tempest of Gods wrath to come by the fearefull threatnings of Gods iudgement denounced against them by his faithfull seruaunts that haue spoken to them in his Name whom as they haue beene perswaded that they haue beene stirred vp by his holy spirit to speake vnto them from his mouth and to warne them thereby out of his word as from himselfe so they haue feared the things that haue beene spoken against them and as though they did see them comming haue sought vnto him by fasting and prayer to escape them And this is the thing that mooued the King of Niniue to doe as he did namelie that when hee heard the preaching of the Prophet Iona how hee did crie out against their sinne and threatned Gods vengeance to light speedily vpon the whole citie vnlesse they did speedilie repent â—ona 3.4 euen that within fortie dayes Niniue should be ouerthrowen when this word came vnto him hee arose from his throne laied his robe from him and couered himselfe with sackecloth and sate in ashes and proclaimed a fast thorow the whole citie by the counsell of the King his nobles saying Let neither man nor beast feed nor drinke water that so in all humilitie they seeking to God for mercy and turning euery man froÌ„ his euill waâ—es they might bee spared in this which they saw they had so great cause to feare for it is sayd The people of Niniue beleeued God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackecloth from the greatest of them euen to the least of them they beleeued in God and that moued them to do so that is they beleeued that Iona Iona. 3.5 who thus preached was a true Prophet and that God had sent him to doe this message vnto them and that their sinnes had deserued this vtter destruction threatned and that of his iustice God might bring it vpon them and therefore though they yet sawe not howe and which way it should come to passe yet beleeuing these things they fell to fasting and prayer to pacifie Gods wrath and to escapâ— it So that as the sound of the trumpet doth warne men to prepare themselues to battell and to go meet with their enemies so this preaching of Gods seruant who lifted vp his voice against them as a trumpet did awaken them out of the sleepe of security and to meet the Lord who was become their enemie by reason of their sinnes and in fasting and praier humblie submitting themselues vnto him to intreat at his hands conditions of peace And truelie in this respect if we should not in like maner seeke to the Lord with fasting praier that his wrath might be appeased towards vs we could not plead ignorance as not knowing anie cause why we should doe so â—Ve haue not wanted this â—ause of publike fasting â—mong vs. for we must needes confesse that the faithfull Ministers of Christ haue often and long ago in the pulpits proclaimed open warre against vs for our sinnes that is they haue threatned Gods heauie iudgements against vs out of his Word to rowse vs from the drowsie securitie of sinne Haue we not heard it preached vnto vs as it was to the Iewes that the kingdome of God should bee taken from vs for our great barrennesse Mat. 21.43 and green to a nation that should bring forth the fruits thereof And haue we not heard the words of the Prophet â—sa 5.1 that whereas the Lord had planted among vs a vineyard in a very fruitefull hill and had hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and had planted it with the best plants and had built a tower in the middes thereof and made a wine-presse therein and then looked that it should bring foorth grapes but it brought foorth wilde grapes that therefore hee would take awaie the hedge thereof that it might be eaten vp and would breake downe the wall thereof that it might be troden down and that he would lay it waste that it should not be digged but briers and thornes should growe vp in it and woulde commaund the cloudes that they should not raine vpon it And as this hath beene threatned so the Lord might according to our deserts after the death of our late Queene Elizabeth haue giuen vs vp either into the hands of some forraine enemies abroad or rebellious persons at home who might haue broken downe all and laid vs the Church of God waste Now though he hath spared vs this waie yet according to former iudgement denounced hee hath not let vs alone in our sinnes but hath taken vs into his owne hande by sending this pestilence among vs which Dauid accounted a great fauour when it was offered vnto him by the prophet Gad 2. Sam. 24.13 after that hee had offended the Lord in numbring of the people whether of these three punishments he would choose either seuen yeeres famine to come vpon the land or to flie three monthes before his enemies or that there should be three daies pestilence in the land saying I am in a woonderfull great strait let vs now fal into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of men and so hee chose the pestilence as a mercifull visitation of the Lord and so must we thinke that though the Lorde hath brought this upon vs for our sinnes according to that that hath beene threatned by his seruants yet heerein he hath delt verie mercifully with vs in that he hath deliuered vs from the cruel oppression of bloody men For Gods iudgements to come for our sinnes haue beene constantly threatned We must needs then acknowledge that the seruants of God haue not kept silence against our sins but haue out of his worde shewed that of his iustice and trueth hee must needes punish vs some waie for our sinnes vnlesse we speedily repent And this as it hath beene alwaies the vsuall dealing of
God towards his Church to which specially he hath giuen his worde and the Ministers thereof to warne them of his deserued punishments beforehand as it is saide of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 3.17 Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman to the house of Israel therefore heare the worde at my mouth and giue them warning from me so we have not wanted this great mercie of God For by the Ministers of our time from the trueth of Gods worde wee haue beene warned of his iudgements to come from time to time Who though by the spirit of prophecie they could not foretel wheÌ„ in what daie or moneth or yeere or after what maner either with the sworde famine or pestilence as the prophets did in their time to whom it was speciallie reuealed yet out of the most certaine trueth of Gods worde and the constant course of his dealing in former times they haue constantlie auouched and saide that God must needes before it bee long some waies punish vs for our sinnes as it is nowe come to passe and as it hath beene preached vnto the people before And hath not this bene seuerelie denounced against vs often Math. 3.10 which Iohn Baptist did against the Iewes Now is the axe put to the roote of the tree therefore euerie tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire hath it not beene preached that God would vtterly destroy all those that liue vnprofitable vnder his Gospell destroie them I say euen by the rootes yet vndoubtedly this hath beene often sounded in the eares of all hearers chap. 21.19 and that the figge-tree that hath nothing on it but leaues shall be accursed and wither that is all hypocrites that content themselues with a bare outwarde profession of the Gospell and labour not for the inward vertue and power of it in their life to the glory of God and the benefite of others shall be discouered in time and come to nought according to the praier of the prophet Doe well O Lord vnto those Psal 125.4 that be good true in their hearts but these that turne aside by the crooked waies them shal the Lord lead with the workers of iniquitie but peace shall bee vpon Israel Luk. 13.6 And though he be a most patient God towards al euen towards the wicked yet he wil seuerely punish those at the last that abuse his great patience as appeareth in the parable of a certaine housbandman who had a figge-tree planted in his vineyard he came and sought fruit therein and found none then said he to the dresser of his vinyard Behold this three yeres haue I come and sought fruite of this figge-tree and find none cut it down why keepeth it also the ground barren And he answered and saide vnto him Lord let it alone this yeere also till I digge round about it and dunge it and if it beare fruit well if not then after thou shalt cut it downe Rom. 2.4 So the God of patience who thereby leadeth all men to repentance or leaueth them without excuse hath waited for our repentance and amendment of life as the fruit of all the paines that he hath taken with vs in his Gospell but vndoubtedly if after this preaching from yeere to yeere we remaine vnfruitfull at the last he will root them vp which make the Church barren which is in it owne nature the most fruitfull place in the world And therefore wee ought long agoe to haue sought vnto God in fasting and â—raier to escape this wrath These such like things haue not onely beene preached euerie where but with greate earnestnesse and zeale so vttered that we might easilie discerne that they spake not of themselues but were thereunto stirred vp by the spirit of God so that God warned vs of his iudgements by them and therefore wee should haue beleeued them and so haue sought heeretofore by fasting and praier to haue these â—â—ings turned away For as Dauid wheÌ„â—he prophet Nathan terrified his conâ—ience with the fearefull denuntiation Gods iudgement for his sinne sayâ—g 2. Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lorde to doe euill in his sight therefore the sword shall neuer depart from thine house then he besought the Lord fasted and lay all night vpon the earth before all came vpon him And as Ahab King of Israel when Eliah the prophet reproouing him sharpely for his sinne saide vnto him in the name of God behold I will bring euill vpon thee and take awaie thy posteritie 1. King 21.21 c. when hee heard these words hee rent his clothes and put sackecloth vpon him and fasted and so both these when they did heare from messenger of God what was due to them for their sinnes they sought by priuate fasting to haue it turned away So when the Lord euerie where stirred vp his seruants with all zeale and feruencie of spirit more then ordinarily thus to speake vnto vs and did sing vnto vs the dolefull song of his heauie iudgements and so with Iohn Baptist did mourne vnto vs Luk. 7.32 that we might haue wept we should haue done as the Niniuites did Iona 3.5 that is wee should haue beleeued God and his seruants and haue put on sackecloth from the greatest to the least and so by fasting and praier haue sought vnto the Lord to turne it away not carelesly to haue taried till the hand of God was vpon vs as now we haue done Wee should haue beene wise as others haue beene before vs to haue taken knowledge of Gods wrath to come by the threatnings of his word preached vnto vs by his seruants and so sought to preuent them as they did Thus we see A conclusioâ— shewing what cause there is of publike fasting in respect of Gods wrath appearing against our selues that whether we looke to the time present or to come and therein to the course of Gods prouidence whereby if wee consider all things well wee haue more cause to feare our selues then to be secure or wee looke to sinne that aboundeth euerie where which being vnrepented of calleth for vengeance at Gods hand against vs or wee consider this that our sinnes haue beene sharpely reprooued and Gods curse for them threatned against vs by those that haue spoken vnto vs in his name we haue great cause to doe as we doe I meane to resort thus to the Church to seeke vnto God by fasting and praier yea wee should haue done it long before and seeing that there are so manie causes of publike fasting among vs wee must therefore thinke that the Lorde requireth the thing it selfe at our hands Which we shall the rather also be perswaded of if besides all this that hath beene spoken to that end we further consider that the people of God alwaies making this a sufficient cause of their fastings eueÌ„ the wrath of God appearing against his Church as we
desert of your sinnes so much as you should doe and no more 1. Cor. 11.31 Math. 11.28 Luk. 15.59 To this end desire God to giue you a broken and a contrite spirite that your hart being soft and tender his word both the Law and the curses thereof and the Gospell with the promises of the same together with all his workes of iustice and mercy vpon your selfe and vpon others might worke on your conscience as they ought to do Luk. 18.13 Psa 51.17 Esa 66.2 Thus groaning vnder the heauie burden of them desire God earnestly for Christs sake to ease you of them and to bestow vpon you the free pardon and forgiuenesse of them receiuing the sacrifice of Christs death as your full ransome and intreat him most earnestly for those sinnes that most trouble you Psal 25.7.18 51.1.2.7 c. Dan. 9.17 c. Beseech him to release you of all those fearefull iudgements of his which you haue most righteouslie deserued both in this world and in the world to come and especially those which you most feare that he wold ease you of al those publike priuate calamities that any wais for your sinnes you are presently in Psal 79.8.9 Iona. 3.8 1. King 8.33.36 c. Pray for the increase of your faith that you may more and more beleeue the forgiuenesse of your sins by the ministerie of the Gospell the vse of his Sacraments and that you may haue speciall faith both in those promises and for the forgiuenesse of those sinnes that you desire most of all to be confirmed in Psal 51.1.7.11.15 25.7 Mar. 9.24 And then pray for these fruites of faith namely that you may haue peace of conscience and quietnesse of minde knowing that you are discharged before gods iudgement seat and that you may in the feeling of his loue reioice with an vnspeakable ioy both aboue all worldlie ioies and in the midst of all worldly sorrowes and thirdly that you may haue good hope for the time to come euen in this world most of all of your saluation and that that may suffice you Rom. 5.1 Psa 51.8.12 Rom. 15.13 Heb. 6.9 Aske the daily increase of vnfained repentance for al your sins past and present corruptions generally and more specially for all those whereof there is most cause and not onely that you may be heartily sorie for thē but that you may also hate and loath them striue most earnestly against them Rom. 7.24 Psal 51.10 2. Cor. 12.8 That you might heereafter preuaile against sin and walke in the commandements of God aske the increase of the graces of his holie spirit and these not only generally but some more specially by name whereof you stand in most neede Psal 119.33.34 c. Psal 51.12 And that you might obtaine these pray that you may make conscience to vse daily all the meanes of your saluation publikely and priuately as all the exercises of the worde and prayer together with the keeping of a good conscience and that God would daily blesse them to you for these endes 1. Thes 5.19.20 1. Tim. 1.19 Obtaining these graces pray God to blesse you in your particular calling and namely that therein you may be painefull and also profitable and for all things that might further you this way Psal 127.1 Prouer. 31.13 c. 2. Tbes 3.10 c. Gen. 24.12 Aske life and health and all outward things as they may most further you in the aboue-named namely as they may make you more fit to serue God and to doe good vnto others name some things as not onely health wealth friends c. but others that you at that time stande in most neede of Pro. 30.8.9 Gen. 28.20.21 Iam. 5.17.18 Therefore pray God to giue you them with his fauour and with his blessing and with the right vse of them and with a contented mind with faith in Gods prouidence that you may depend vpon him Gen. 28 20. Deut. 28.2.3 c. Phil. 4.11.12 Math. 6.25 c. Pray God that you may alwaies be prepared for the crosse whatsoeuer it shall please him to laie vpon you namely that you may haue strength to beare it patience and cōfort in the midst of it grace to profit by it especially that you may bee readie euerie houre for death Math. 16.24 Rom. 8.26.28 Phil. 1. 23. 2. Cor 5.9 c. Then pray for the whole Church of God and therein for some parts especially as those which are vnder the crosse and wherein you doe liue and herein for some by name as the time will permit and as you haue cause as for your Gouernors high and low ecclesiasticall and ciuill for your parents children friends and such as haue desired your praiers Psa 122.6.7 Ier. 29 7. Eph. 6.18.19 1. Sam. 1.17 Last of all giue thankes vnto God in this maner first for all his benefits vpon soule and body for this life and the life to come Psal 103.2 145.1.2 Secondly for all sins which are forgiuen you which you haue beene kept from and which you haue beene recouered out of Psalm 103.3 51.15 16.7 Thirdly for al euill punishments which you haue escaped aboue others or which you haue beene deliuered out of or which haue come vpon you as fatherly chastisemēts and in them you haue beene comforted Exod. 15.1.2 Psal 107.8.15.25 119.67.71 And in all these giue thanks for your selfe and for all yours and for the whole Church of God 1. Timoth 2.1 The continuall vse of prayer is all in all for custome as in all other things so in praier maketh perfect therefore the more you vse prayer the more will God giue you the spirit of prayer Pray alwaies with all maner prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me Eph. 6.18 An order priuatelie to reade ouer with great facilitie the olde Testament once euery yere and the new twise CHAPTERS of the Old Testam 777  CHAPTERS of the New Test 260. Morning Dayes of the weeke Euening 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 5 1 2 6 1 3 7 0 The Olde Testament thus read ouer once in a yeere and there will be two dayes to spare  The New Testament thus is read ouer twise in a yeere and there will be one day to spare The PSALMES 150. These may be read ouer by themselues either once in a moneth or once in a quarter at the least which is foure times in the yeere 1. TIM 4.13 Giue attendance vnto reading Hee that is desirous to learne and remember the Word of God that he might liue according to it let him consider of that which is written Psalme 119. Part 2. THE TEXT  THE PARAPHRASIS Wherewith shall a yoong man clense his waies in taking heed thereto according to thy Word 1 FIrst of all be perswaded that the Word of God is onely that rule whereby the whole life of euery man that in euery thing must be ordered euen the the life of a yong man who thinketh that he hath most reason for himselfe why he should be exused as commonly he is most disordered With my whole heart I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commandement 2 Then vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading hearing of Gods Word as to the meanes whereby he hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the diligent vse of those meanes for his holie spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his Word I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee 3 That which you haue thus learned let it not swimme aloft in your braine but be deepelie setled and hid in your heart as a treasure framing all your affections vnto it that so you may haue it in a readinesse whensoeuer you should vse it otherwise though you know neuer so much it will not keepe you from sinning against God Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes 4 You thus profiting giue thankes to God for that which you learne because be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not your selfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightened because it is lesse   than many others doe and you your selfe should know With my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth 5 But aboue all be carefull to talke of that vnto others which you do dayly learne your selfe and out of the abundance of your heart let your mouth speake For by teaching others you shall learne your selfe I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches 6 That you might do all these things labour to haue ioy in the Word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and be occupied about those things with greatest delight for in whatsoeuer we take greatest delight that will sticke fastest by vs. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes 7 Last of all meditate consider of that with your selfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting your selfe with the generall rules but labouring in your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to your selfe in the particular practise thereof I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy Word 8 Thus doing all these things carefully you shall be sure neuer to forget that which you learne for though you doe not always remember euery thing yet God by his spirit will call so much into your remembrance as is needfull for you to know and then especially when you haue most need of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in iny one of these so may you feare to faile in the trueth of this promise A good helpe for an ill memorie