most earnestly to seeke to God for his pardon and for the bestowing of all vpon vs againe and by howe much the more wee doe so and professe that in our selues by reason of our sinnes we are vnwoorthy of any thing in the world by so much the more let vs hope from the mercy and promises of God and seeke accordingly that in Christ Iesus Heb. 1.2 Rom. 8.1 whom hee hath made heire of all things we may be founde woorthie of all and fellow heires of them with him as the Apostle speaketh And euen as a man if he were condemned to death would sue earnestly for his pardon especially if hee were lead from the iudge to the place of execution and were also vpon the ladder and had the rope about his necke and the neerer he were to death and had the verie badges and tokens of it vpon him the more earnest suter wold he be for his pardon if hee coulde but conceaue that there were any hope of it So we the more that by this holie exercise of fasting we see and professe that we are woorthy of all Gods punishments and plagues yea of eternal death and condemnation it selfe by so much the more earnestlie wee must praie that God would forgiue vs our sinnes and spare vs. Therefore in the daies of fasting there must be a speciall kinde of striuing with God in praier and wee must as it were wrestle with him therein and neuer giue him ouer or suffer him to haue rest vntil he haue sent vs away with some blessing Euen as it is saide of the holy patriarke Iacob â—e must rastâ—e and riue w th â—nd in our â—aiers that in his returne homeward from Laban as he did praie vnto God most feruently so all night long he wrestled with an angell in the shape of a man that is â—en 32.26 with God himselfe so appearing vnto him and hee held out with him in wrestling euen vnto the morning and then he said vnto him let me goe for the morning appeareth vnto whom he answered I will not let thee goe except thou blesse me and so he held him fast stil then he bestowed vpon him this great blessing by changing his name from Iacob to Israel that because hee had power and had preuailed with God hee should preuaile with men much more So that vision of the angell wrestling with him and the change of his name tended both to one end namely to assure him that God had heard his praier which hee made before and would deliuer him out of the hand of Esau Gen. 32.11 whom he feared and therefore whereas hee was called at his birth Iaacob that is one that holdeth by the heele and so ready to ouerthrow him for thus was he borne holding his brother Esau by the heele Gen. 25.26 in token that in time hee should by the power of God preuaile against him and so also against all his enimies now he is called Israel that is Gen. 32.28 a prince of the strong God because as the interpretation is giuen in the text he had power with God and shoulde preuaile with men that is he had preuailed with God in his praier as was declared vnto him in the vision of wrestling and should preuaile against Esau and al other his enimies but how he did and should heereafter preuaile with God and obtaine all things of him the vision did shew namely that hee praied so feruently and so continually that he did not giue ouer vntil he had some assurance from the Lord by his holie spirit that he had heard him and would defend blesse him according vnto his own desire Gen. 32.9 the Lords promise Thus must wee also striue with the Lord in our praiers as the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes Rom. 15.30 and requireth of them that they would striue with him by praier to God for him and we must put all our strength to it as Iacob did when he wrestled with the angel And to see it againe more cleerly in the same comparison As a man that wrestleth for the best game will put all his might and skill to it and wil not giue ouer as long as he hath anie thing in himselfe that he might preuaile so must we in our praiers bee so earnest importunate with the Lord that we rise not vp from praier or depart away from him vntill hee haue blessed vs and the harder that we find it to obtaine anie thing because of our sinnes the more earnestly must wee striue in praier for it Therefore now in thee daies of fasting let vs stirre vp our selues vnto praier and striue against all vnfitnesse that might hinder vs and as for other things so that this great mortalitie might haue an end without which feruencie of praier all our fasting is nothing woorth Seeing then that feruencie and continuance in praier is so proper vnto the time of fasting as we haue heard and it is specially vndertaken to that end The papists had no speciall praier vpon their fasting daies we may see by this also how farre the church of Rome al Papists are from the true fast prescribed in Gods word practised of this seruants thogh they would be thought to be the onely men in the world that fast and pray For vpon the Fridaies and other fasting daies there was no speciall time appointed as also not in Lent appointed for praier neither did manie of them that professed fasting come to the Church at all to that end and if some of them did praie vpon their Saints eeuen at night yet many did not which were bound to the fast and they that did all the rest of the daie were without praier and vpon those daies they went about their businesse as at all other times especially vnto noone or vnto eeuen-song as they called it Whereas the whole day of fast is altogither of the nature of the Sabbath both for resting from worke also for sanctifying of the time and therefore vpon those daies they had holy conuocations and assemblies for the worde and praier as in the booke of Leuiticus â—eu 1.6 31. â—eu 23.27 the yeerely day of fast for the Iewes is called a Sabbath of rest and besides it is further added therein you shall haue an holie conuocation and yee shall doe no worke Therefore when these Catholikes falsely so called did rest in the bare ceremonie of fasting and did not giue themselues that daie to praier more then at other times for the most part they neglected that that was principall in it and whereunto it should be referred And so we see what the Lord requireth of vs al at this present and to what end we abstaine euen that we hauing nothing to hinder vs inwardly nor outwardly in our bodies to presse vs downe to the earth our mindes might be lifted vp in all feruencie of praier vnto our heauenly father in the mediation of our Lord and Sauiour so
then fasting Euen as a Physitian shoulde prescribe vnto his patient that yerely vpon such a day of the moneth or weeke hee should take such a purgation when as it may fall out that then hee is in consumption and so had more need of some cordiall electuary or restoratiue medicine than of anie purgations and if any should so vnaduisedly prescribe we woulde count him a foole rather then a Physitian But as he that is skilfull in his arte and conscionable toward his patient will minister nothing vnto him either for purging or blood-letting but he will consider not onely the state of his bodie at that present but also the time and season of the yeere whether it be the spring or the fall of the leafe winter or sommer whether it bee hot or colde or temperate and accordinglie he will give his direction But we must haue a care diligently to obserue it So the gouernours of the Church who in this respect may bee called the spirituall Physicians of our soules in prescribing of this abstinence and diet as it were for the curing of our soules that is for the bringing of vs to humility and repentance for our sinnes must haue principall regard to the time and to the qualitie of the time as whether it be a time of sorrow or of ioy that so they may know which is the sittest season for it which we haue heard to be the time of affliction and then it must not onely be in wisedome prescribed of them but also diligentlie vsed of the people if they will recouer the health of their soules euen as Physicke must not onely be prescribed of the wise Physitian in time conuenient but â—â—e patient in taking of it must not neglect the â—ime appointed by him So that in this holie exercise as in all other things the godly wise and they that looke to get anie good by it must regard what is the time that God hath appointed them to vse it And heerein they must learne wisedome of the children of this worlde who obserue the times for haruest and for seed and know what is fit for euery time so they must know what is the time for euerie dutie and accordinglie practise the same But to proceed in this doctrine of fasting as we haue hitherto seene the time when this holie exercise ought to be vndertaken of all Christians euen the time of sorrow for the want of some benefit or presence or feare of some punishment so now we are farther to consider in few wordes howe long it should continue that is when we see that we haue cause to fast and minde to doe it how long the time of our fast should last The time oâ— a fast must be longer or shâ—rter according to the greatnesse of the cause And for this one point I doe generally answere thus much that it must be alwaies according to the greatnesse of our affliction or according to the need than we haue to be humbled more or lesse and so somtimes it ought to be longer and sometimes shorter according to the discreet wisedome of those to whom it belongeth to appoint the same this alwaies prouided that when it is the shortest wee must continew it at the least for one whole day that is from euening to the next day at the same time In which time we must wholly abstaine from any breakefast in the morning or dinner at noone from the morning at the least to the euening they must giue themselues to all good exercises of the word and praier singing of Psalmes And it must be alwaies held one daie at the least meditating vpon their sinnes and vpon the present affliction and such like publikely and priuately And thus is the time of fasting limited vnto vs in the worde of God for Moses speaking of that yeerely day of fasting which was prescribed vnto the Iewes calleth it a day of reconciliation â—eu 23.27 saying the tenth of the seuenth month shall be a day of reconciliation so that it was not a worke of an houre or two but of an whole daie and oftentimes in the same place hee speaketh of a daie and not of a peece of a daie and further addeth that they should keepe it from eeuen to eeuen saying ver 32. This shall be vnto you a Sabbath of rest and yee shal humble your soules in the ninth daie of the month at eeuen from eeuen to eeuen shall yee celebrate your Sabbath to shew that it ought to be a naturall day consisting of sower and twentie houres And when we thus straightly require an whole daie An excepâ—ion it is to be vnderstoode with that limitation that wee haue heard of before wherein liberty hath beene granted for eating and drinking some thing for all those persons which through age or infirmitie or some sicknesse are not able to continue fasting so long So that as the Sabbath is an whole day and must so be kept Exod. 20. for it is called the seuenth daie and in the creation and so since it consisted of euening and morning that is of day and night as well as anie other so is the time of fast this is the least time for any ordinarilie in some cases some are excepted as hath beene saide and they may somwhat abridge of this time but yet the generall rule is for a daie For the daie of fast is of the nature of the Sabbath and it is also so called and hath that name giuen vnto it Leu. 23.32 as in the forenamed place of Leuitâ—cus in the ninth day of the month yee shall celebrate your Sabbath from eeuen to eeuen where hee speaketh not of the seuenth daie commonly called the Sabbath but of the yeerely daie of fasting called the day of reconciliation Wherein againe most euidentlie appeareth the foolishnesse of popish fastes â—he popish â—sts were â—t for a â—ece of the â—ay who did limite them not to a daie but to a peece of a daie and vnto the least part of the day as namelie to supper so that they held it a very good fast if a man went to bedde supperlesse vpon their fasting daies insomuch that if hee tooke a good breakefast and dined well with all kinde of fish other dainties flesh onelie excepted then wheÌ„ their bellies were well filled tooke no supper they were counted well to haue kept their fast But we see that it must not be a fasting night as they commonly called it but a fasting daie euen an whole day vntill euening Therefore if wee will keepe it aright we must abstaine not a peece of a day as in the foorenoone onely but vntill euening and so the whole daie And this must be ordinarie for all fastes But if the affliction be greater and the wrath of God appeere to be more seuere and so we haue greater cause of deeper humiliation Sometimes fast must continue tâ—â— or three daies together then the fast must continue longer as
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
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
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
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
but many other great punishments wherewith for want of it they haue beene iustly afflicted Yea we ought thus to haue done when wee haue wanted some great blessing of God or sought for some speciall thing at the hand of the Lord for our soules or bodies for our selues or for our children as in the matter of mariage or some other weighty thing that we haue had in hand which hath greatly concerned vs or them that we might be directed and blessed in the same as the children of the captiuitie did when they returned home towards Ierusalem Ezr. 8.21 for they proclaimed a fast and humbled themselues before God sught of him a right way for themselues and for their children and for all their substance and the Lord was intreated of them for he gaue theÌ„ good successe in their iourney and deliuered them from their enimies So we might doe it priuately that the Lord might blesse vs in the waightie affaires of ours keepe vs from all dangers that might otherwise befall vs. For though we obtaine many things daily at the mercifull hands of our heauenly father by our ordinarie prayers publike and priuate yet he hath made the largest promises of blessing vnto fasting and prayer and greatest things haue been obtained that way of all the seruaunts of God Math. 17.14 For as Christ sayd vnto his Disciples to whom a certaine man brought his sonne possessed with a deuill but they could not cast him out and they demanded of their Master why they could not doe it Many thing are not obtained without those prayers whereunto fasting is adioyned This kinde is not cast out but by prayer and fasting that is a most feruent kinde of prayer whereunto fasting is to be adioyned to quicken vs vp thereunto that it might be as it were a whetstone to sharpen our dull spirits and to set an edge upon our blunt hearts So that wee may easily perceiue that some things yea many things that we stand in need of are not obtained or euils remooued without this kinde of prayer whereunto fasting is adioyned For as some things are not to be had without a great price nor many sutes obtained of great men without long and earnest supplication so some things are not to bee receiued from God without those feruent prayers and supplications which can not be without fasting nor without that huÌ„ble prostrating of our selues which is wrought in vs by that meanes And thus we are taught that wee ought to haue vsed priuatelie this part of Gods seruice a great deale more than wee haue done whereby we might haue brought into our houses more blessings and have kept out more afflictions than now wee haue But indeed the ignorance of the most part is so lamentable By reason of their great ignorance many are vnfit for priuate fasts that if they shuld not onely haue thus done before but should now vpon the hearing of this doctrine heerafter determine for some good cause best knowen unto themselues to take this exercise vpon them they know not how to behaue themselues in it or to performe it in anie measure so as it might be acceptable vnto God and comfortable to themselues So that it would fall out with them as with those of whom our Sauiour Christ speaketh in the Gospell Luk. 5.36 that they should not only not be bettered thereby but made worse euen as if a piece of a new garment were put into an olde vesture then the new renteth it and the piece taken out of the new agreeth not with the olde or as if new wine were put into olde vessels the new wine would breake the vessels and it would run out and the vessels would perish By which parables he teacheth vs that fasting unfitly vsed of them that are not meet for it nor onely maketh them worse but vtterlie destroyeth them Therefore better were it for such not to vse it at all than by abusing it for want of skill further to prouoke Gods wrath against themselues in which respect hee excuseth his Disciples for not vsing this priuate fasting as yet â—ut in this â—ng and â—leere light â—f the Gâ—spel â—gnorance â—xcuseth â—one though the Disciples of Iohn Baptist did But surely for vs this long time and plentifull preaching of the Gospel so many yeres might haue made all of vs fit enough for this holie excrcise so many as are of yeres of discretion and so this grosse ignorance and thereby wonderful vnfitnesse that is in men doth not excuse them as it did the Disciples who were but Nouices in his schoole for hee had beene then but a little with them Therefore wee see what God requireth of vs priuately as any occasion shall fall out namely that wee should serue him not onely in other holy dueties but in fasting and prayer and therfore that we ought all of vs so to profit by the publike ministerie of the Word while it is among vs that we may be fit for it when the Lord by his word or by his worke shall call vs vnto it But to draw towards an end it is further to bee obserued concerning these priuate fasts that we now intreat of that all sorts of men and women haue not power to appoint vnto themselues what time they wil for this purpose no though they euidently see that they haue iust cause to vse it For besides that the man and woman are so neerely vnited by the bond of mariage as by the couenant of God Prou. 2.17 Math. 19.5 1. Cor. 7.5 whereby it commeth to passe that they are no more two but one flesh as Christ sayth in the Gospell so that they can not separate themselues one from another no not for a time and to this end without continuall consent as wee haue seene a little before all they that are vnder the priuate gouernment of others None vnder gouernment can make choise of daies for priuate fasts without consent of their gouernors are at the disposition of their gouernours by the law and commaundement of God as sonnes and daughters men seruants and maid seruants scholars all labourers and hired men for the time and such like so that none of these can without the knowledge and free consent of those vnder whom they are make choise of what day in the weeke they wil to obserue their priuate fasts in For seeing the day of fast is to be kept holie and being of the nature of the Sabbath as hath beene prooued before in it they must wholly rest from all the works of their ordinarie calling from euening to euening and must spend that time in the worship of God they can not at their owne will and pleasure giue ouer these workes and so consequently not appoint vnto themselues a day of resting but must be contented heerein to be ordered by the discretion of those to whom they haue either by the bond of nature or by some couenant wholly addicted themselues and all their