HOMIL. I.

RIght wel-beloued in the Lord, whereas we haue beene of late comman­ded by the Kings most excellent Maiesty, and that not without iust cause, to meete once a weeke vpon the Wednesday,The occasio [...] of this Trea­tise. to be occupied in fasting and praier: because that the thing it selfe hath [Page 2] beene so long out of vse, that a great number haue little or not at all practi­sed it, yea they haue not so much as beene acquainted with the doctrine of it, and so do almost not know, what it meaneth: I thought it my bound dutie first of all to God, and then to you (committed to my charge) in one part of the day at the least (during this time of fasting) to intreat of the thing it selfe, that so you might know how to behaue your selues in it, and the longer that we shall continew it, (as hauing more knowledge of it) to be the better prepared for it.

Heere then first of all that we might doe this that we doe, not onely in obe­dience to our Lord and King, but espe­cially & most of all in faith, vnto God, without which nothing (yea though it be good) can please him, as the apostle saith, [...]eb. 11.6. [...]sting is [...]t deuised [...] man, but mmanded [...] God. we must be perswaded, that this order of fasting is not a thing deuised by man: but appointed of God, and commanded in his holy word: and [Page 3] therefore that which he doth necessa­rily require at the hands not onely of others, but euen of our selues. And this we had need to be perswaded of the rather, because that some neuer thinke themselues bounde vnto it, and so make no difference of times either for fasting or for feasting, but (if they haue wherewithall) all times are alike vnto them for eating, or not eating. But Solomon the wise sheweth,Eccl. 3.1. that to all things there is an appointed time, and a time to euerie purpose 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, [Page 4] 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.

[...]he Iewes [...]d a stan­ [...]ng fast [...]erely. [...]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 [Page 5] 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, [Page 6] 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 [Page 7] 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 reas [...] of it. for in the yeere many great sins might [Page 8] 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 cōmanded them so to do. For though they should thus humble themselues continually for their sinnes, as they sell out, yet to helpe their i [...]fi [...]mitie [...]hey had a set time appointed for it, [...] doe it more thorowly. For as the [...] [...] Sabbath giuen them, that [...] a weeke they might wholly [...] [...]om their labors, and attend vpon the wor­ship of God for their good; t [...]ough they should euery day redee [...]e the time, and as they had their daily sacri­fices [Page 9] 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 [Page 10] 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 [...]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 to fast, and that by vertue of that cōmandement 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 [Page 11] 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 i [...] respect of th [...] death of ou [...] 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, [Page 12] 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, [...]. 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 [Page 13] 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 [Page 14] 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, [...]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 [Page 15] 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 [Page 16] 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, [...]om. 12.5.16. yet these are our brethren, and therefore as the Apostle saith) we should be of like affectiō one towards [Page 17] 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 vs) is contagious, and so may easely spread euen vnto vs quickly, by them that come from the places in­fected, as thus it hath come to manie places a farre off already. Therefore in respect of all these we are bounde by Gods law to giue our selues to fasting and praier: as well as the Iewes were, though we be not tied to that moneth [Page 18] and to that daie.

[...]ugh the [...]moniall [...] of the [...]es fast [...]broga­ [...], yet fa­ [...]g remai­ [...] still.For euen as, though the Iewish Sabbath be taken away, which was vpon the Satterday, yet whether wee consider the end of fasting, or of san­ctifying a day of rest, we are stil bound to keepe one in seuen, and this one that we doe, and wee haue as much need of it, as the Iewes had: so we may say of the day of fasting, though that prescript day be taken away, yet if we consider the endes and causes of it, namely to humble vs for our sinnes, we are bounde to it still vpon some daies, and haue as much need of it as euer they had: Therefore we must be perswaded, that now God doth re­quire it of vs, and not onely the king, and so let vs doe it in obedience vnto him principally, and conscience of our dutie.

Thus we see also, what we ought to haue done, and what God required of vs often heeretofore, though we haue neglected it; when wee haue seene sin [Page 19] abound, threatning Gods iudgement, yea when wee haue seene and felt his punishment vpon vs, in vnseasonable weather, in scarcitie and deere yeeres, in the time of common sicknesse, in the feare of our enemies, in traitors at home, and such like: which if we had vsed more, as we had occasion, and the time called vs vnto it, we might haue looked for greater blessings, and ma­ny punishments had not lien so lo [...]g vpon the people. But that that we ha [...]e failed in before, let vs now make a sup­ply of: and to that end let vs farther consider, what proofe we haue more, that God requireth it of vs.

If this yeerely day vpon these grounds, that we haue heard, be not sufficient to bind vs, then let vs remē ­ber, that besides it, they had other mooueable & vncertaine fastes,The Iewes had other mooueable fasts vpon sundry oc­casions. which were holden at diuers times vpon sun­drie occasions: that we seeing how we haue the like occasions among vs, might knowe, that wee ha [...]e the like [Page 20] commandement from God to doe, as they did, and so should fall into the like practise, and not to thinke it to be a thing commanded onely by man, and so indifferent, and therefore that a man may choose, whether he will vse it, or leaue it. To this end consider, what is written by the Prophet Ioel, cap. 2. [...]el. 2.12. Therefore now the Lorde saith, turne you vnto me with all your heart, a [...] with fasting, and with weeping, [...]d with mourning: where he telleth them plainely, that at that very time God commanded them to fast: in the former part of that Chapter hee had put them in minde of a great punish­ment of God, that was vpon the fruits of the earth by caterpillers and such like vermine, and then sheweth them, what God required of them in such a case, as the onely remedie, euen to humble themselues for their sinnes the cause of it, and to seeke to him with fasting and praier, [...]mmanded y the Lord. and therefore saith, that God commanded them so to do: [Page 21] If then this was done by the com­mandement of God vpon such an oc­casion, then may wee be assured also, that other publike fasts, that we reade of in the Scriptures vpon the like oc­casions, had the like commandement from God, though it bee not in ex­presse wordes so set downe: For if when the fruits of the earth were de­stroied, he commandeth them in the name of God to fast, as the onely re­medie to be holpen: then may we be assured, that we are commanded not onely by the king, which is sufficient to binde all men, but by God himselfe to doe as we doe, when not the fruits of the earth so much, as men for whom they were made,By the sa [...] reason G [...] comman [...] vs to fas [...] this prese [...] 2 Sam. 1. by this pesti­lence and hand of God are destroied in great number.

Thus Dauid by the wisedome of gods spirit according to the equitie of his law, did see, that he had great cause to fast, when he heard of the ouer­throw that the Israelites had by the [Page 22] Philistims, and so himselfe and his companie did fast for that great losse: accounting as it is written: They mourned, and wept, and fasted vn­till euen for Saule, and for Ionathan his sonne, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they were slaine with the sword: if he saw that God required it of him, when the people were slaine by men, then ought we to beleeue that he requireth it of vs also, when so ma­nie are slaine by his owne hande, and he hath not yet ceased, but his arme is stretched out still, as the Prophet saith. In like maner Iehosaphat the king of Iu­dah,9.12.21. when the Ammonites and the Moabites, and they of mount Seir came against him, and his people, he being but in feare of some destruction, proclaimed a generall fast, & by praier sought vnto the Lorde, and thought it his bounde dutie to doe so, as it is saide. [...]hr. 20.3 Hee feared, and set himselfe to seeke the Lord, and proclaimed a fast [Page 23] throughout all Iudah: then we much more haue good cause to doe, as wee doe, and this fast, that is now euerie where obserued by publike authoritie, is done vpon good ground, euen by the commandement of almightie God. When besides the iust cause to feare for the time to come, we heare of so great destruction in many places alreadie. The like may be said of all other fastes obserued in Gods worde, namely, that they haue bene taken vp, not as a voluntarie or wil-worship, that it should be saide of them,Isa. 1.12. who hath required these things at your hands? but as a necessarie obedience vnto the commandement of God, though not giuen vnto them in ex­presse words, yet necessarily gathered frō the equitie of his law.Hest. 4.1 [...] As also in the daies of Hester, when Haman the Iewes aduersarie sought their ruine and ouer­throw, they to preuent it, sought to humble themselues before God for their sinnes, and therefore gaue them­selues [Page 24] to fasting; (as God requireth in such cases, both that therby we might be humbled, and also that it might appeare, that we were so indeed:) and this they did, because the case was ve­ry extraordinarie, when the destructi­on of the whole church of God was sought at once: So we may thinke that in so great calamity as this, not in one, but in many places, and so not in one but in many partes of the Church of God, God requireth of vs, that we should humble our selues in fasting, some one day, or other.

Last of all, that we might be persua­ded that God requireth fasting of vs as well as of our forefathers, [...]ing is [...]anded ell in [...]ime of Gospell [...] the [...]. of the Gen­tiles as well as of the Iewes, vnder the Gospell as well as in the time of the Law: we shall see that it hath warrant in such cases as these, as well from the New Testament as from the Olde. As when Christ was challenged for this, [...]5.33. That his Disciples did not fast, though Iohn and his Disciples did often: hee [Page 25] doth so defend them, that he doth not wholly put it away from them, as though they were not bound to it in the time of the Gospell; but sheweth, that as yet they were dispensed with, because Christ Iesus the bridegroome was with them, and so it was a time of ioy; but the time should come, when he should be taken from them, & great affliction should befall them, then hee requireth fasting of them, saying, The dayes wil come,Luk. 5.35 when the bridegrome shalbe taken from them, then shal they fast in those daies: commanding them and all other, euen vnder the Gospell in the time of great affliction to fast. This time of the Pestilence is a time of great sorrow, & of great affliction, therefore now by the Olde and New Testament wee are bound to it. And so this may be sufficient to certifie the consciences of all (that are not euill dis­posed) That to serue God in fasting and prayer is a thing that he requireth of vs: and so if there were no com­mandement [Page 26] from men to inioyne vs, yet the authoritie of his Word in the Olde and New Testament, and the practises of his seruants vpon the same ground should compell vs vnto it.

HOMIL. II.

BEing thus persuaded of the necessitie of this ho­lie exercise of fasting, by good and sound reasons from the Olde and New Testament, and that it is our duetie to obserue it, and that the Lord requireth [Page 27] it at our hands; it remaineth, that I should further declare, wherein this blessed ordinance of fasting consisteth, and what are the parts and nature of it: that we being willing to obey God in this dutie, might not erre of ignorance,1. Cor. [...] 30 and so not only obtaine nothing at his hand thereby, but pul his heauy iudge­ment vpon vs for abusing it. For as the Apostle sayeth of the abuse of the Sa­crament of the Lords supper among the Corinthians, For this cause many are weake and sicke among you, and many sleepe; and so that which in it selfe rightly vsed was a means of health for soule and bodie, was by their igno­rance and abuse the cause of manie grieuous diseases & mortalitie among them, so it might come to passe, that whereas by this meanes wee seeke to pacifie the wrath of God alreadie bro­ken out against vs (which also we shall do in time, if it be rightly vsed) for the neglect or abuse of it, or both, the Plague should not onely not stay, but [Page 28] we should further prouoke the Lord to strike vs.

[...]sting con­ [...]teth of two [...]rts.This exercise therefore of fasting consisteth of two parts; the one is out­ward, 1 the other inward: the outward appertaineth to the body, and is called a Bodily exercise, as to abstaine from meat, drinke, sleepe, and such like; which of it selfe without the other is 2 nothing worth, though commanded of God: the other is belonging to the soule, and consisteth in the inward ver­tues and graces of the minde holpen forward by this bodily exercise: and this simply, and in it owne nature is profitable, as hauing the promises of this life and of the life to come. And of both these the Apostle writeth vnto Timothie, Tim. 4.8. saying, Exercise thy selfe vn­to godlinesse, for bodilie exercise pro­fiteth little, but godlinesse is profitable vnto all things, which hath the pro­mise of the life present, and of that that is to come. Where he saith, that god­linesse, and the pure worship of God, [Page 29] consisting in the inward graces of the minde: as in humility, faith, repen­tance, &c. is profitable in it owne na­ture: but fasting and all such exercises of the bodie, and austeritie of life is so farre foorth profitable, as they farther vs in these. Therefore as the whole man consisteth of soule and bodie, but the soule is most principall, so doth this exercise of fasting consist of these two parts, whereof this later appertai­ning to the soule, is the cheefe. And as in the sanctification of the Sabbath there are two things, the one to rest from all bodily labour, (appertaining to the bodie) the other to sanctifie that time of rest (belonging chiefely to the soule) which is the principall end of the other: So in fasting there are these two things to be considered, the one to absteine from all food, (which di­rectly concerneth the body) the other is the end, why we vse that abstinence, which is to further our soules in godli­nesse, which is the chiefest of all, and [Page 30] giueth life to the other, euen as the soule doth to the body. Therefore though abstinence be necessarily re­quired, yet that is not all, nay it is the least part of this holy exercise, though the whole action haue the name of that, as being most subiect to the out­ward sense (& so best knowen) for it is called fasting: as in keeping holy the Sabbath day, to rest is the least part of our dutie therein, yet the whole daie hath the name of that, for it is called the Sabbath, this is the daie of rest.

The first [...]art belon­ [...]eth to the [...]ody, and [...]onsisteth in [...]he absti­ [...]ence from [...]ll comfort [...]f the same.First then we are to consider what is the outward ceremonie in fasting, and the bodily exercise: and then what be the inward vertues to be adioined vnto it, and to which end the other is vndertaken. The former is an absti­nence for a time wholly from all the commodities and pleasures of this life, thereby to make vs fitter for the in­ward graces of the minde: as to ab­steine from meat, and drinke, & sleepe, and such like, that the bodie being [Page 31] thereby humbled and pulled downe, the mind thereby might be humbled and cast downe also in it selfe before God. So that this outward abstinence is therfore cōmanded, that we might feele in our soules, and in feeling out­wardly might professe, that we are vn­woorthie for our sinnes either of life, or of any thing that belongeth to the vpholding of it, and therefore we doe willingly for a time bereaue our selues of the vse of them. So that vpon this, and such like daies, we ought to ab­staine from al comforts of the body to these ends, both that we might there­by the better feele the deserued misery of our sinnes, euen that we are worthy of death, and also that we might out­wardly declare, and by this practise professe the same.

Now whereas it may seeme vnto carnall men,Ob. God be­ing a spirit regardeth not these outward thing. & such as measure things onely by reason, that this outward ab­stinence is a thing of no value, and such as God regardeth not, neither [Page 32] are wee to ascribe any vertue to that at all, seeing the Lord is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit, and in truth; & again, forasmuch as in them­selues meate and drinke are indifferent things, by vsing or leauing them they cannot make vs better or worse:Rom. 14.17 for the kingdome of God consisteth not in meate and drinke, but in righteous­nesse, peace, and ioy of the holie Ghost, and therefore he that eateth or eateth not, [...]. Cor. 8.8. hath neither more or lesse, and, and so is neither neerer the king­dome of God, nor further of from it by either of them.Matt. 15.11. And if Christ said, that that goeth into a man defileth not the man, then to abstaine, that can­not sanctifie a man, and so if a man fast, he is neuer a whit the holier, and if he fast not, he is neuer a whit the woorse: and thus vpon such foolish conceits men should make light ac­count of this holy ordinance of God, and wholly neglect it, as too manie doe.

For answer vnto all these,Answer. and such like, we must remember that fasting is the Lords ordinance, and that he doth command, that wee should thus ab­staine, as hath beene prooued in the former Homilie out of the old & new Testament, therefore wee must not leaue it vndone, but thinke our selues bound vnto it: Secondarily God that 2 hath commanded it, will also accept of it, and giue it a blessing to all those that in feare and obedience shall vse it: and thirdly he hauing ordeined it to a most excellent end, euen to hum­ble 3 the soule, hee will make it prospe­rous to them to this end: euen as wa­ter in Baptisme, and bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord are nothing in themselues; nor rest vpon the Sab­bath, if it bee considered in it selfe; yet all these being ordained of God, haue a great blessing to them that vse them in reuerence and in faith.

Furthermore, seeing this outward 4 abstinence is appointed to this ende, [Page 34] to further vs in true humilitie and af­fliction of our soules, [...]nd hath [...]mmanded for the [...]mbling [...] our so [...]les. [...]eu. 16.29. as hath beene shewed out of Leuit. 16. where it is precisely and in expresse words requi­red, that euery one should humble his soule vpon that day: and so appointed to this end, that otherwise we cannot attaine vnto it in that measure that we should (for then had God appoin­ted it in vaine, which once to imagine were most horrible blasphemie) in re­spect of this, God doth require it, and we cannot without neglecting of the inward vertue refuse the outward ex­ercise. For as the Sacrament is appoin­ted to that end, that thereby we might effectually remember Christes death, according as it is written, [...] Cor. 11.16. Doe this in remembrance of me, and so wee are bound to vse it continually vnto his comming againe, [...]nd by s [...] ­ing [...] ar [...] [...]reat [...] sur­ [...]er [...] in [...] humi­tie. and vse it to that end, that thereby as by an outward signe we might remember him, and without this wee cannot remember him as often, and as we should: So [Page 35] the very abstinence from meate and drinke being appointed of God to fur­ther vs in some inward vertues, which otherwise we cannot attaine vnto, or not in that measure, though it be an outward bodily thing, yet commaun­ded of God, and commanded to these endes, we are not onely bounde vnto it, but we must beleeue, that it is ac­ceptable vnto God, and will greatlie further vs.1. Cor. 9.25 For (as the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians) Euery man that prooueth masteries, abstaineth from al things: that is, those, which rather run in a race, or wrestle for the best game, were woont to abstaine from all such things, as might either hinder their exercises, or make them lesse able to performe them with praise, and what­soeuer strength or agilitie they had for this purpose in their armes or legges, or any part of their bodie, yet they neglected not this abstinence, and found by experience, that it did great­ly profit them, for the better brething, [Page 36] and othewise inabling of them to the performing of those exercises with the best commendations: And may not we then be assured much more, that that abstinence, which the Lord hath appointed, for the better fitting of vs to the spirituall wrestling with the sin­full lustes of our fleshly mindes, as vn­beleefe, deadnesse, and dulnesse, hard­nesse of heart, want of feeling of our sinnes and the deserued punishments of them, priuie pride, want of feruen­cie in praier, and such like, shall great­ly further vs to these endes, euen to preuaile against them? and though we had greater strength of the spirit, then we haue, yet by this abstinence wee shall finde all things in vs greatlie furthered for this spirituall warfare.

By fasting we shall s [...]p the [...]outhes of the pa­pists, who ch [...]l [...]nge vs for the neg­lect of it.And besides this there is another fruit of our abstinence, which is none of the least, euen that by thus vsing of it, we shall stoppe the mouthes of our aduersaries the papists; who falsely boast that all fasting was in their reli­gion, [Page 37] and since the preaching of the Gospell came vp, men haue giuen it ouer, as though they did open a win­dowe to all licentiousnesse of eating and drinking. Wherin, though them­selues were altogither voide of the right maner of fasting prescribed in Gods worde, (as shall appeere more fully heereafter) and so should haue pulled out the great beame first that was in their owne eie, before they medled with the mote, that was in ours, according to the counsell of our Sauiour Christ: yet we cannot denie,Matth. 7. that we haue giuen them too iust oc­casion of their slander, because wee haue not vsed it publikely and priuate­ly as often, as we should. But againe for our defence we must remember what Christ said in the defence of his Disciples:Luk. 5.34. Can yee make the children of the wedding chamber fast as long as the Bridegroome is with them? but the daies will come, euen when the Bridegroome shall be taken frō them, [Page 38] then shall they fast in those daies. Be­sides, no man putteth a peece of a new cloath into an old vesture, for then the newe renteth it, and the peece taken out of the newe agreeth not with the old. God blessing this time of the Gospell with sundry great benefits did many times dispense with vs, as being a time of ioy and of the Bridegroomes presence: and a great many for their ignorance were altogether vnfit for it, and so in that respect were priuileged from it for a time. But now seeing the Lord requireth 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 [Page 39] 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 co [...] sisteth in a [...] staining frō all meat a [...] 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 1 is called Fasting: and not onely in our vulgar tongue but in other. And be­sides, 2 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 [Page 40] 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, [...]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. [...].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 [Page 41] 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 ordin [...]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 [Page 42] 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 [Page 43] 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 [Page 44] 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 [Page 45] 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 meate, that was remaining before, then to fill themselues with al dainties of meat and drinke in any other kinde whatsoeuer: whereas we haue seene, that both the nature of the word Fa­sting, and also the practise of the best in holy Scripture doth require to eate nothing, but wholly to absteine.

Besides this abstinence from meate and drinke, which is first and cheefe,In the day of fast we ought to abridge our selues of some part of our sleepe. and from whence the whole action is denominated, there ought to be some forbearing at that time of sleepe also, for the said end, euen for the humbling of the bodie; that we wanting some­thing of that also, there might not onely be a proportion and an agree­ment [Page 46] betweene meate and sleepe, but the body this way also might some­what be cast downe, for want of natu­rall rest. So that though we should ne­uer play the sluggards, and delight in sleeping, which Solomon greatly con­demneth in many places of the Pro­uerbs: Pro. 6.6. & 24.23. but take our rest as well as our meat moderately & soberly, yet at that time we should deny to our selues som part of our ordinary sleepe, in the eue­ning or morning, or both, and also at noone: and now though this be a time of the yeere, wherein men vse to take there rest at noone, yet on the fasting day they should abstaine from it, both for the humbling of their bodies, and also that they might redeeme that time, bestowing it in some godly exer­cises. Thus the prophet Ioel biddes the Priests lie all night in sackcloth,Ioel 1.13. and so sheweth that they should continue their fast at least som part of the night: euen as it is said of Dauid, 2. Sam. 12.16. that when he fasted, he lay all night vpon the earth: [Page 47] And also as Queene Hester willed the Iewes to fast for her three daies and three nights:Hest. 4.16. So that we may plainely see, that this exercise doth not onely take vp the day, that we might abstain from sleepe then, but also some part of the night at the least. And thus we be­gin ouer night to doe some thing, as to thinke vpon Gods hand, and to praie, and so againe betimes in the morning: and if we doe not, or cannot come to this perfection that other of Gods ser­uants haue come vnto, in their great humiliations; yet seeing they are writ­ten for our instruction, let vs come as neere them as we can: and seeing men will breake their sleepe earely and late for the world, let them doe it for the seruice of God much more.

And the rather that we might be willing to abridge our selues not one­ly of sleepe, but of meat,What liberty we haue of meate and drinke and sleepe in ca­ses of necessi­tie. let vs farther consider, that in this day of humiliati­on, wherein this abstinence from these things is required; all men and women [Page 48] are not so necessarily tied vnto them, but that if there be any who by reason of any defect, or infirmitie of bodie, or age yoong or old, are not able to per­forme it after this strict maner, that then euen by the lawe of God they haue libertie to vse so much in both these kindes, as may suffice for their health:Math. 12.1. For as Christ Iesus excuseth his disciples in the case of necessity for plucking the eares of corne and eating when they were hungrie and faint, that thereby they might be more fit to follow him, and attend vpon his ser­uice:vers. 5. and as Dauid also is there excu­sed for eating the Shew-bread, which by the generall rule was onely for the Priests: So we though by the general law of fasting, are forbidden at that time to abstaine from all meate and drinke, yet in cases of necessitie, when by reason of some thing in our bodies; so to do would hinder vs, and make vs more vnfit for the seruice of God, and to take a little doth further vs, and [Page 49] make vs more fit for it, if by eating or drinking some thing we are so indeed, then in so doing haue wee not onely not brokē the fast, but therby attained vnto the principal end of it. And again as rest vpon the Sabbath is necessarily required, yet in times of necessitie la­bour is not onely permitted but also commanded,1. King. 19.6. and thus Helias fleeing 40. daies together for the safegard of his life from the cruell persecution of Iesabell, his trauell vpon those Sab­baths was no breach of the law: so is not eating a little of necessitie anie breach of fasting, though it seeme to be against the nature of it.

But heerein we must take heed that wee abuse not Gods liberalitie,We must take heed that we a­buse not this liberty. and make it a cloake to our lustes, that vn­der this colour and pretence of our in­firmities, we eate and drinke, and feed our selues, when there is no need. For as it were a great fault to worke or trauell vpon the Sabbath day, when no necessitie did compell vs, because if [Page 50] there be need, God hath not restrai­ned vs; so in the day of fast to eate, when we haue no need, because when there is, God hath giuen vs libertie to doe it. Seeing the Lord dealeth so mercifully with vs all, that euen in the times, wherein he most restraineth vs, he giueth so great libertie to all that need, we must needs be so much the more vnthankefull vnto him for it, if we will not yeeld obedience to this ordinance of his, that is, that all they which for their yeeres, health, and strength are able to absteine, shoulde vpon the fasting daies refuse all kinde of meat vntil the euening, and abridge themselues also of some part of their sleepe.

[...] fasting [...]ur appa­ [...]ell must [...]e answera­le to that ction.The third thing wherein this out­ward exercise doth consist is, that we abridge our selues also somewhat of our apparell: for in the vsing or refu­sing of that, as well as of any of the former, the bodie may be and is easier humbled or puft vp. The King of [Page 51] Nineue in that fast of his did not onely command that man and beast should put on sackcloth,Ion. 3.5.6. but himselfe also a­rose from his throne & place of estate, and laid off his robe and princely ap­parell from him, and couered himselfe with sackecloth, and sate in ashes. And the prophet Ioel willing the people of his time to fast and praie,Ioel. 1.13. and shewing them the right maner of it, bids them lie in sackcloth: and wee oftentimes reade of sackcloth to haue beene vsed in the times of publike and priuate fa­sting: We then though we be not tied to this kinde of weed, yet we must ob­serue the equitie of it, which is to ab­staine from that costly apparell and trimming vp of our selues, which might puffe vp the body with pride, and put on that rather, so farre as it standeth with decencie and comeli­nesse, which might humble it: and so then to weare our woorst clothes, ra­ther then our best, or our second. For as it is said of the Israelites, whē Moses [Page 52] brought them that ill tidings from the Lord, [...]od. 33 4. after their idolatrie with their golden calfe, that he would not goe with them, but send an angell before them. When the people heard this euill tidings, they sorrowed, and no man put on his best raiment: it was a time of sorrow, therefore they did not put on their best raiment: So all times of fasting being times of sorrow, all men and women then should haue off their best apparell, and be dissolute ra­ther then ordinarily careful in dressing of themselues: for what curiositie can there be in putting on of a peece of sackecloth, which in fasting was the common attire of them all?

[...]here ou [...]ht [...] a diffe­ [...]nce of our [...]p [...]arell ac­ [...]din [...] to [...] times.And truely all experience both of holy Scripture and otherwise doth suf­ficiently shewe, that godly wise men & women haue obserued a difference according to the time, as of other out­ward behauiour and things, so of their apparell: and thus as there hath bene a time of feasting, and a time of fasting, [Page 53] so a time to come foorth in their best & in their worst apparell. For it is no­ted of Hester that vertuous and noble Queene,Hest. 5.1. that at the end of the fast she put on hir roiall apparell, that is, such as was meete for a Princes to be seene in, insinuating that during the time of the fast she wore other apparel, or this change on the sudden should not haue beene obserued and declared.2. Sam. 12.20. And King Dauid also, when the childe was dead, and so no longer cause of seeking to the Lord by fasting and praier, for the life of it. He arose from the earth, and washed and annointed himselfe, and changed his apparel, and came in­to the house of the Lord and worship­ped; that is, he clothed himselfe like a king, and did annoint and trimme vp himselfe to looke cheerefully, to shew that whiles he fasted he was dissolute and carelesse of himselfe, and abstai­ned from all ornaments and delights. So Iudith that vertuous woman, when she went to Holophernes for the safe­garde [Page 54] of her people, did put off her widdowes apparell, that is, her mour­ning weede, which during the time of her widdowhood she had worne be­fore, which was a time of mourning, and then she did annoint herselfe, and put on all maner of ornaments, which though she had, yet she did not vse them before; so she had for the seueral times of sorrow and ioy, sutable kinds of dressing, and did vse them accor­dingly. Then in the day of fasting, wherein greatest sorrow should be, and be openly professed, wee should outwardly shew it in our apparell and dressing, as well as in other things; that both for costlinesse and curiositie it should differ frō other: which though they be but outward things, yet seeing they are practised of the godly, and tend to this end, [...]ost [...]inesse f apparell nd curiositie [...] dr [...]ssing a reat fault pon the aie of fast. we must follow their example. Therefore it were a great sinne vpon this day, to set out our selues in pride, either of apparell, or iewels, or sweete odors and perfumes, [Page 55] as flowers in our hands or bosoms, far­ther then necessitie in time of infecti­on requireth, or of starching, or cur­ling and crisping of haire: and so to come abroad to see and to be seene, and (in the daies of greatest humiliati­on, to lift vp themselues highest, and to set out themselues as it were to sale in all maner of brauerie and delight: and then when they should cast down themselues lowest with the Publicane to receaue mercy, they should set vp the Peacocks feathers highest, as though they did not need it, or cared not for it. And this is to be noted the rather, because that some, if they come abroad and be seene, will not abate one haire of their pride, though they be very sluts and slouins at home, if it offend not your eares so to call them.

And these are the outward exercises of the bodie, which are common to al those that professe to keepe this holie ordinance, as they should, of what de­gree or calling soeuer they be: there is [Page 56] one more remaining, which is proper to all that are maried: who as they haue one comfort and commoditie in that estate, euen of their bodies, a­boue others, so they are during the time of fast to abstaine from it: [...]uring the me of fast [...]e maried [...]rties are abstaine [...]om the ariage bed. for if we be debarred then of the vse of those things that are absolutely necessary for the preseruation of our liues, then much more from those which are not of that necessitie, but rather for the comfort of our liues: and as all other pleasures, delights, and recreations, which are at other times lawfull, are to be withdrawen from the bodie, so this also. Therefore then the maried par­ties with mutuall consent are to ab­steine from the fellowship one of an other, and from the mariage bedde, as the Apostle speaketh.Cor. 7.5. Defraud not one an other, except it be with consent for a time, that yee may giue your selues to fasting and praier, and againe come together, lest satan tempt you for your incontinencie: whereas at other times [Page 57] he doth wholly forbid this abstinence, least satan should tempt them to sinne by refusing the remedie of it, so at this time he doth require it to this ende, that hee nameth. And this is so strait­ly required, that it is forbidden euen to them that are but newely maried, as to the bridergroome and the bride, who in this haue the greatest liberty a­boue all other: for the Prophet Ioel calling all sorts of men and women vnto fasting, because the punishment then vpon them was very great, spea­keth euen to both these by name, and not onely willeth them also to fast, but to run out of their chamber, say­ing, Gather the people,Ioel. 2.16. sanctifie the congregation, gather the Elders: as­semble the children, and those that sucke the brests, let the Bridegroome goe foorth of his chamber, and the Bride out of her Bride-chamber. And thus much of the seueral things, wher­in the outward abstinence consisteth, which is the first part of this holy ex­ercise, [Page 58] now it remaineth that I should intreat of the inwarde vertues of the minde to be attained vnto by these meanes which are those that follow.

HOMIL. III.

The out­ [...]ard absti­ [...]ence is to [...]urther vs [...]n the in­ [...]ard graces [...]f the spirit. IN the former Treatise we haue shewed, where­in the first part of fasting consisteth: which thogh it be first in order, yet is last in account, & that which in it self is referred to an other end, euen to the true humbling of vs before God for [Page 59] our sins, which if we do not attaine vn­to by these meanes, it is not onely not accepted, but further prouoketh the wrath of God. For God is a spirit, and will be so worshiped, and though men iudge of vs after the outward appea­rance, yet God looketh to the heart: and when this outward abstinence hath beene vsed without these inward graces of humilitie and such like, the Prophets haue iustly found fault with them: and namely the Prophet Esaie. Esai. 58.3. Wherefore haue we fasted (saie they) & thou seest it not? we haue punished our selues, and thou regardest it not: Behold in the day of your fast you will seeke your owne will, and require all your debtes. Behold yee fast to strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickednesse; yee shal not fast as yee doe to daie; is it such a fast that I haue chosen,Without th [...] which it is nothing woorth. that a man should afflict his soule for a day, and to bow downe his head as a bul-rush, and to lie downe in sackcloth and ashes: wilt thou cal this [Page 60] a fasting, or acceptable day vnto the Lord? and so foorth, as it followeth at large in that place: Where the hypo­crites complaine that they had fasted, and had that way punished their bo­dies greatly, and God regarded it not; but he answereth, that if they were ne­uer so weake with fasting, euen like a bul-rush, that can not hold vp the head against the winde, yet because they were as cruell and hard-hearted to their brethren, as full of contention as before, and had not profited to the inward vertues of humilitie and con­trition of heart, which was the prin­cipall end of it, therefore he did not ac­cept of it: And indeed if we content our selues with this outward absti­nence, the very brute beasts and cat­tell, euen the bullocks and sheepe at Nineue did keepe as good a fast as we, [...]ona. 3.7. for they were couered with sackcloth, and did neither feed nor drinke wa­ter. Therefore we see what must make all our fasting acceptable vnto God, [Page 61] euen that we be furthered by them in al such graces of his spirit in our soules and consciences, as the Lord in such cases requireth.

For as in the Sabbath bodily rest is first commanded, yet the sanctifying of the day of rest in the holy worship of God is chiefe,As the rest of the Sab­bath is to be referred vn­to the san­ctification of the day. and that whereunto the other is referred, and without the which the other is nothing worth; els they that sleepe all day, or the cattell that are not wrought, might keepe as good a Sabbath as we. So in the day of fast, though abstinence from meat be first required, yet in it selfe such bo­dily exercise profiteth little, as the A­postle saith, but is vsed to another end. Therfore as if we wil keepe that fourth commandement, we must so rest, that hauing our minds & bodies drawn frō all worldly things, we might in both be wholly occupied in gods seruice: so if we will celebrate a fast vnto the Lord, we must so vse the outward cere­mony, as thereby we might be furthe­red [Page 62] in the inward vertues of the mind. We are then to consider what they be, for in them resteth the second part of fasting:The second part of fa­sting consist­eth in the inward grace of the m [...]nde. for as it was sayd before, the whole action consisteth in two things, the one outward concerning the body, whereof we haue hitherto spoken; the other inward apperteining to the soule, which now remaineth to be intreated of. And that is all those inward vertues of the minde, and gra­ces of the spirit, which this way the Lord would haue vs furthered in: all which are so much the more excellent, and therefore the more diligently to be laboured after than the other, by how much the soule is better than the body, and how much it is better to ap­prooue our selues and our doings vnto the Lord, as we shall do in the one, then vnto men, as we may doe in the other.

These are of two sorts.Heere then we are to consider, what these inward vertues be, whereto by this outward abstinence we should la­bour [Page 63] to be furthered: which though they be many, yet for breuitie and me­mories sake, we will principally consi­der of two. The first is, the true hum­bling and casting downe of ourselues before the high Maiestie of God with sorrow and griefe of heart for all our sinnes in the conscience and feeling of them, and of the miserie due vnto vs for the same. The second is the assu­rance and good hope that we should haue, through the free mercy of God in his gratious promises, of the pardon and forgiuenesse of euery one of them for Christ Iesus his sake vpon our true repentance and vnfained turning from them: and so that we being thus re­conciled vnto God, shall obtaine the things that we stand in need of, and by earnest prayer (alwayes ioyned vnto fasting) wee make sute vnto him for: whether it be the turning away or re­mouing from vs some grieuous iudge­ment and punishment of his, or the be­stowing or continuing of some great [Page 64] blessing of his vpon vs, or vpon others. And these two,Esra 8.21. as they be chiefe and principall, so they are both of them mentioned in that fast that Ezra kept with the rest of his companie.As appea­reth in the fast of Ezra and his com­panie. And there at the riuer by Athana I proclai­med a fast, that we might humble our selues before our God, and seeke of him a right way for vs, and for our children, & for all our substance: for I was ashamed to require of the king an armie and horse-men to helpe vs a­gainst the enemie in the way, because we had spoken to the king saying, the hand of our God is vpon al them that seeke him in goodnesse, but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him: So we fasted & besought our God for this: and he was intreated of vs. Where we see how he in his returne from Babylon to Ierusalem after the captiuity with many other, at such a place proclaimed a fast to these ends, both that they might humble them­selues before God for their sinnes, [Page 65] which were the cause of their captiui­tie, and might now hinder them from such blessings as they stood in need of: and that they might by praier seeke earnestly vnto God with hope, that he would direct and blesse them in the waie, and defend them from their eni­mies: So in their obedience they did aime at these two inward vertues; first [...]o bee thoroughly humbled for their sinnes, and then by earnest praier to seeke to God with hope, that hee would giue them the thing, that then they stood in need of, euen defence from their enimies in the way, and a prosperous iourney to Ierusalem. And so in this practise of theirs as in a glasse we most cleerely see, whereunto this fast of ours must be referred, I meane the outward abstinence, and what we must specially labour after in it, name­ly that wee may be humbled before God for all our sinnes, which haue so greatly prouoked the wrath of God, that it may easily be seene of all; and [Page 66] that we seeke to him by feruent praier for the turning away of his heauie hand that hath a long time beene most greeuously vpon many parts of this lande: if we seeke not after these and by this abstinence finde our selues fur­thered in them, our fasting is nothing woorth, because wee come not vnto the chiefe part of it, nor vnto the mar­row and substance of it, but content our selues with the shell, and as it were the bare shadow fo it. For as it is said in the common prouerbe, and as it is true in all other things, as good neuer a whit, as neuer the better, so in this in like maner.

The first vertue is true humili­ty, and what that is.To speake therefore in order first of the humbling and casting downe of our selues: this humilitie of minde is a vile esteeming, and base iudgeing, or thinking of our selues before God and men in respect of our innumerable great sinnes, wherewith we haue defi­led our selues, and offended God, and prouoked his heauy wrath and displea­sure [Page 67] against vs: whereby it commeth to passe, that wee are displeased with our selues, and offended and grieued at our selues, yea are (as it were) at vt­ter defiance with our selues, because of our sinnes, and the curse of God, and all miserie due to vs for the same. And this humilitie is contrarie to that pride and hautinesse of minde,Contrary to pride. which is in many, whereby they thinke too highly of themselues, and are puft vp, and full of selfe loue, iudgeing better of themselues then there is cause: be­ing also thereby ready to iustify them­selues before God, and men, like vnto that proud Pharisie, that Christ spea­keth of in the Gospell, who thus vaun­teth of himselfe before God through hypocrisie, and want of due examina­tion of himselfe, and also despised the Publicane who praied by him: saying, I thanke thee O God,Luk. 18.11. that I am not as other men, extortioner, vniust, ad­ulterer, or euen as this Publicane▪ whereas the other standing a farre of, [Page 68] giueth many tokens of their humility, for he would not lift vp so much as his eies to heauen; but smot his breast, and saide, O God be mercifull to me a sinner.This hum­bling of our soules is, and must be an­swerable to the afflicting of our bo­dies. And this casting downe of our selues in our owne iudgement, as it is required, so it is very fit and an­swerable to the outward exercise of fa­sting: for therefore doe we absteine from the outward comfort and main­tenance of this life for a time, that wee might haue a quicker feeling of our vnwoorthinesse, namely that for our sinnes we are vnworthy of all of them, and of any comfort by them, yea of life it selfe: and thus we bring downe the bodie, that the minde might bee brought downe, and we afflict the bo­die, that the deserued death of soule and body might be the better knowen and felt of vs. We therefore abstaine from all pleasures and delights there­of lawful in themselues, that thorough conscience of our sinnes, and the de­serued wrath of God for them not [Page 69] onely present, but that that may come heereafter we might be drawen to a greater sorrow: which inward af­fliction and griefe of the soule if it be seuered from the other, it is as a dead carkasse without a soule, yea a shadow without a bodie, that is, it is nothing woorth.

For this sorowing and mourning is so vnseparablie proper vnto the time of fasting, and so fitly answereth to the outward ceremonie of it, that the thing it selfe is thus noted out by Christ himselfe.Math. 9.1 [...] Can the children of the mariage chamber mourne, as long as the Bridegroome is with them?Therefore vnto fastin [...] is alwaies ioined mourning. but the daies will come, when the Bride­groome shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Where Christ de­fending his disciples, that they did not then fast, speakes of fasting as of a time of mourning: for in the one place hee saith Fast, and in the other Mourne,Luk. 5.34.35. to shew what we must come vnto in the day of fast, euen to mourne. And this [Page 70] hath also beene the practise of the ser­uants of God, that in the daies of fa­sting they haue thus cast downe them­selues, and haue not onely inwardly sorowed, but haue outwardly testified the same by weeping, as indeed great sorow many times causeth teares. For so is it said of Dauid, when tidings was brought him of the death of Saul, that he sorowed, and wept, and fasted▪ both himselfe and his company.1. Sam. 1.12 Then Dauid tooke holde on his clothes, and rent them, and likewise al the men that were with him: and they mourned and wept, and fasted, vntill euen for Saule and for Ionathan his sonne, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel, because they were slaine with the sword. Heere there fasting was ioined with mourning and weeping. So likewise did all the people of Israel, when they were twise ouerthrowne by the Beniamites, they sorowed and wept, and fasted vnto the euening; as it is said in [...]e book of the Iudges. [Page 71] Then all the children of Israell went vp,Iudg. 20. [...] and all the people also came vp vn­to the house of God, and wept, and sate there before the Lord, and fasted that day vnto the euening, & offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And againe in the daies of Samuel, when they were op­pressed by the Philistims, he exhorteth them to confesse their sinnes to God, and leaue them, and seeke vnto God, that they might find mercy with him; and they then fasted and praied, and wept so aboundantly, that it is saide, they drew out whole buckets of water out of their eies. For Samuel 1. Sam. 7 said, Ga­ther all Israel together to Mizpah, and I will pray for you vnto the Lord: and they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water and po [...]red it out be­fore the Lord, and fasted the same day, & said there, We haue sinned against the Lord. Thus in this fast of theirs also they confessed their sinnes, and sorowed woonderfully, as appeared [Page 72] by the plenty of teares. And to bee short, this is that, which the Prophet Ioel speaketh of, and exhorteth them vnto, [...]el 2.17. as a thing necessarie: Let the Priests, the Ministers of the Lorde weepe betweene the porch and the al­tar, and let them say, Spare thy people O Lord: whē as he had said in the ver­sesvers. 13. going before, Thus saith the Lord, Turne you vnto me with all your hart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and rent your hearts, and not your clothes. So that he not only speaketh of fasting, as that wherunto the Lord did then cal them, but of sorrowing & mourning, which in it he required of them. [...]hese fast [...]s [...]urs wee st lab [...]r this true [...]ilitie [...] contrit [...] ­ [...] [...]f minde. And by all these we may easily vnderstand how greatly in these fastings of ours we al­so should deiect our selues in our own eies, & what sorow and griefe of mind should be in vs, because of our sinnes, and of the wrath of God so manifestly appearing against them. And truely if euery man and woman would enter [Page 73] into a serious consideration of their liues past, and examine themselues, their deeds, words, and thoughts in al the commandements of God, wee might be more humbled then we are: especially if we did wisely consider al­so the punishments due to vs for them, and those not onely threatned, but al­readie in great measure vpon vs, by this great mortalitie in manie places, which still increaseth. Therefore let e­uerie one pray to God, that he would worke this in him, that hee may haue a soft and tender heart, a broken and contrite spirit, which is an acceptable sacrifice vnto him, and which he will not despise (as the Prophet saith) that is, will most fauourablie accept:Psal. 51.17▪ that I saie, hee may be wounded and prickt at his heart for his sinne: and let vs all pray that this abstinence and fasting might be blessed to euerie one of vs to these endes: so shall it be ac­ceptable vnto God, and profitable to our selues.

And this must be pro­fessed by our deeds, and confessed in our words.Furthermore as this abstinence is vsed to this ende, euen to bring vs to this sorow for our sinnes, which wee haue spoken of: so also that we might professe to the glorie of God, that we doe thus iudge of our selues indeed.1. Cor. 11.24. For as the Sacrament of the Lordes Supper is appointed not onely that we might remember the death of Christ by it,vers. 26. according as it is written, This doe yee in remembrance of me, but that we might shew it foorth vntill his comming againe, as it is saide in the same place, As often as yee shall eate this bread, and drinke this cuppe, yee shew the Lords death till he come: e­uen that wee looke to be saued by it onely, to the condemning of all those that put their trust in any thing else: So this abstinence is vsed not onely to bring vs to this vile esteeming of our selues for our sinnes, but that in the feeling of it, we might by our practise and in our praiers make open professi­on of the same: euen as Benhadad [Page 75] king of Aram, sent his seruants girded with sackcloth about their loines,1 King. 20.32. and with ropes about their heads, to Ahab king of Israell, to intreat for his life, saying, Thy seruant Benhadad saith, I praie thee let me liue, that he might see, that he iudged himselfe woorthie of death. So the children of God in times past by abstaining from meate and drinke, did confesse with their mouthes, and by this practise did o­penly shew it, that they thus iudged of themselues, euen that they were vn­woorthy of a crumme of bread, or of a droppe of water, or of any suste­nance whatsoeuer: and by putting on sackecloth they professed that they were vnwoorthie of any raiment euen of the least ragge, and therefore also but for shame they would haue gone naked: and by watching, that they were vnwoorthy of sleepe or any rest: and so of other things, as that they were vnwoorthy of the benefite of mariage, and of any comfort in it, and [Page 76] of any pleasure or delight in any crea­ture or ordinance of God, but that it should be iust with God, if hee did cause them to spend awaie their daies in heauinesse. And when they put dust and ashes vpon their heads, that they were vnwoorthie to breath vpon the face of the earth, or to tread vpon the ground, yea so vnwoorthy of life, that if they had their deserts, they should be as deepe vnder the ground, as they were aboue it. And if there had beene any thing else in the world that would haue represented and set foorth the euerlasting paines of hell, & eternall condemnation, that would they haue borne the image of in their bodies, to testify openly against them­selues, that they iudged themselues woorthy of that also. [...]hat we [...]ay iustifie [...]d and [...]ndemne [...]rselues. And so they haue in thus doing iustified the Lord in that vengeance of his, that hath beene ei­ther threatned, or alreadie vpon them: so farre haue they bene from murmu­ring or charging the Lord with anie [Page 77] hard dealing against them. As the pro­phet Daniell Dan. 9.3. in the time of the captiui­tie when in the end of the 70. yeeres foretold by Ieremy hee praied for deli­uerance, and (as it is saide in the text) turned his face vnto the Lord, and sought by praier and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes, and made confession of his sinnes, and of the sinnes of all the people, in his praier hee breaketh out into these words:vers. 7.8. O Lord righteousnesse belong­eth vnto thee, & vnto vs open shame, as appeareth this day vnto euerie man of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ie­rusalem, yea vnto all Israel, both neere and farre off, through al the countries, whether thou hast driuen them, be­cause of their offences, that they haue committed against thee. O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame, to our Kinges, to our Princes, and to our fa­thers, because we haue sinned against thee. Thus by his fasting from meate, and putting ashes vpon his head, hee [Page 78] professed that himselfe and al the peo­ple were not onely vnwoorthy of any deliuerance (which he sued for) but euen of life: yea that they were alto­gether most worthy both of this cap­tiuitie and of the shame and reproch of it, and also of vtter destruction and death it selfe because of their sinnes, which they had committed against the maiestie of God. Ezra also in the like practise maketh the same confessi­on.Ezra 9.6. 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 trespasses are growen vp vnto the heauen.

If we will [...]eape any fruite by our [...]asting, we [...]rust labour [...]o be hum­ [...]led thereby.We see then that if we will keepe a fast acceptable vnto the Lord, we must be humbled in our selues euery one before him for our sins, and this out­ward profession that we make in ab­staining from all things it must be in truth, and our mindes must be answer­able to our deeds: for if we abstaine from the creatures of God, and do not [Page 79] iudge our selues vnwoorthie of them, if we forbeare the comfort of this life, and doe not iudge our selues vnwoor­thie of them also, and of life it selfe, all is but hypocrisie, and God careth not for this outward shew.Luk. 18.13. Therefore let euery man labour to come to this, that he may be humbled in himselfe, as the poore Publicane was, when he stoode aloofe off, and durst not lift vp his eies vnto heauen, but knocked on his brest, and saide,cap. 15.21. Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner: and let him be vile in his own eies, as the prodigall sonne was, when he came to his father, and said, Father I haue sinned against heauen, and be­fore thee, and am no more woorthie to be called thy sonne. So let vs iudge and say of ourselues from the bottome of our harts, that we are vnwoorthie of all his benefites, publike and pri­uate: and most woorthie of all his pu­nishments, euen of this plague that is among vs, and that it should still continue and increase: and so let vs [Page 80] iudge our selues that he may not iudge vs, or that in his good time he may cease iudgeing of vs, as he hath promi­sed.1. Cor. 11.31. For euen as the father looketh that the childe should humble himselfe to the confession of his fault before him, when he hath taken the rod of corre­ction into his hand, and then he is rea­dy to spare him, and not before: so the Lord looketh for this at the handes of men much more: and if we could haue done this thorowly long before, wee might haue escaped happely this pre­sent iudgement: so if we can but euen now doe it, we may come out of it in time, or haue it turned into some bles­sing: and vntill then he will not cease, or if he do, he reserueth vs but to some further iudgement. If then we would haue any good by this fasting, we must humble our selues, and the more wee can do it, to sorrow for our sinnes, the more mercie may wee looke for from God.Ezek. 18.23.31. For he desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should re­pent [Page 81] and liue, as he hath witnessed by his holy Prophet: and the people of Nineue, Iona 3.8. when they turned euery man from his euill way, and from the wic­kednesse that was in his handes, and thus humbled themselues, then God repented, and turned from his fierce wrath, that they perished not, as Jona had conditionally threatened before. But this point is more largely to be considered of heereafter, when I shall by the grace of God speake of the ma­nifolde fruits of fasting: in the meane season, now we onely see what mea­sure of humilitie then God requireth of vs.

But if any should not only not hum­ble himselfe, and be sory for his sinne,But if we grow proud by them, then are they vnpro­fitable and hurtfull vn­to vs. but vpon confidence of his fasting wax bolder to sinne, and in a false persuasi­on that through obedience giuen vnto God in this one point, he may be the bolder to be disobedient in another: as too many thinke, that because they haue done some good seruice vnto [Page 82] God to day, they may at other times take scope and libertie to themselues in sinne, and so set one against another: or if heereupon they grow proud, and thinke well of themselues, because they do so and so, as some are readie to boast and say, Oh we haue beene at a fast to day, but you haue not, and so de­spise other that doe not, and iustifie themselues in comparison of them, like vnto those proud Pharisies, that saide vnto our Sauiour Christ, Why doe the Disciples of Iohn fast often and praie, [...]uk. 5.33. and the Disciples of the Phari­ses also, but thine eate and drinke? then this holy ordinance of God is shame­fully abused, and peruerted from the right end of it; and so that that should be a soueraigne medicine to cure our soules, by this horrible abuse is turned into ranke poison to kill vs. For that that should make vs so to sorrow for our sinnes, that we should vnfainedly purpose to leaue thē, maketh vs more presumptuous and bould to sinne: and [Page 83] that that should humble vs before men in respect of our vilenesse, doth make vs to swell, and puffe vs vp in respect of our holinesse and worthinesse: there­fore we must take heed, that we fal not into these grosse sinnes.

By this also it appeareth how farre the Papists Church is from the true maner of fasting: for they doe great­ly boast of their fastings, as the proud Pharises did before: and they make them meritorious for the pardoning of their sinnes: for this is part of the penance that is inioined them to make satisfaction: euē to fast so many times, vpon such & such daies,As all po­pish fasts are, because they are puf­fed vp in the merit of thē. and after such a maner, more or lesse, strictly accord­ing to the prescript of their ghostly fa­ther. Which fasts of theirs how well they haue kept, We haue seene before, but now we say, that they make them equall with the bloud of Christ, which is onely able to clense vs from all our sinnes. When they then ascribe remis­sion of sins to their fastings, & thinke [Page 84] that partly they deserue it thereby: and that God is bounde as it were vnto them for it: this wickednesse not one­ly bereaueth them of all fruit of it, but maketh them guiltie of horrible blas­phemie: and so all their fasts as they were ridiculous and foolish, placing them in those things, wherein they did not consist, so were they most vn­godly, when they made them able to merite remission of sinnes: whereby it came to passe, that thereby they were not onely not humbled, but contrarie to the nature of it, exceedingly puft vp by them. We then if we will haue anie blessing frō God by these means, must not onely abstaine from this blasphemous pride, to thinke the bet­ter of our selues, because we doe thus, as that euen by this we must labour to come to a greater measure of humili­tie, for our sinnes, then we had before, or otherwise could come vnto.

Seeing then this humiliation is a speciall vertue and grace of God to be [Page 85] attained vnto in the day of fast, it is ne­cessarie to be considered,The medit [...] tion of our sinnes, and the punishment of the is a meane truely to humble vs what is to be done for the effecting of it: that is, how and by what meanes wee may humble and cast downe our selues. And that is done by the consideration of the greatnesse of our sinnes, and the grieuous punishment due to vs for them: for the more that we know and meditate vpon these, the more by the blessing of God shall we be humbled: and the lesse wee know or thinke of them, the further shall we be from this true humilitie. For this one thing, e­uen to consider seriously, how ma [...]e waies wee haue offended God, and how great wrath and condemnation is belonging to vs for it, will breake our harde and stonie hearts, if anie thing in the world will doe it: and no­thing will doe it but this, and so farre foorth as it bringeth vs vnto this. For let a man haue neuer so great a crosse besides, as be he poore, or sicke, or in disgrace, or haue some worldly losse, [Page 86] yet he may hope to recouer that estate, or may thinke that he hath some other thing in him to recompence anie or al of these losses, and so his heart is not yet humbled: But when he seeth how many waies he standeth guiltie before God, and what a great account hee hath to giue vnto him, that hee seeth his sinnes to be more in number, then the heires of his head, or the sandes of the sea: and then how many punish­ments and plagues in this world, and in the world to come are dew to him in soule and body for euer and euer ac­cording to the manifold curses of the law of God, and his immutable iustice contained in them: this shall bee able to make him cast away all his pride & conceit in himselfe, or in any thing else, and to thinke of himselfe (as he is indeed in himselfe) to bee a most vile creature, and so to crie out of himselfe, as the Apostle doth, [...]om. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death?

Now the holie spirit of God work­eth this in vs by the true vnderstan­ding and right vse of the lawe of God set downe in the tenne Commande­ments:We are brought to the sight o [...] our sinnes by the true vnderstan­ding and right vse of the law. and also of the blessings pro­mised to those that keepe the law: and the curses denounced against them that breake it, which are to this end an­nexed to the same law. According to which lawe, if men not partiallie exa­mine themselues, they shall see, both how many duties they haue left vn­done, and also how manie sinnes they haue committed against God & men. For that is as a cleere glasse, to let vs see the least spot or blemish in our face, that is the least sinne committed in our life:Psal. 119.105. and as a light vnto our pathes, and a lanterne to our feete, to let vs see how one thing differeth from another, good from euill; euen as the difference of colours is easily discerned when a light commeth in, which was not before: and to be short, it is a rule to shew, what is crooked and what is [Page 88] straight, that is, what is agreeable vn­to, or what differeth from the will of God, which is the perfect rule of all righteousnesse.

And we are [...]rther hum­ [...]led by consi­dering the [...]romises and [...]urses an­ [...]exed to the [...]aw.Then if wee come to the promises of the law, we shall see howe manie good things, which God of his meere mercy had promised, and others haue inioied, we haue lost through our own default, both for soule and bodie, for our selues and ours; for this life also, and for the life to come; and so in what an vnhappie estate we are in in our selues: And though this be verie much to humble a man to thinke, thus much good haue I wilfully lost, yet if we further cōsider the curses not onely dispersed in the whole Scripture, but specially set down at large, Deut. 28. for sin, to to be brought vpon vs in soule and bodie and otherwise, as incurable sicknesses & diseases, terror & feare of minde, scarcitie and famine, the sword and such like in this worlde, besides eternall destruction of soule and bodie [Page 89] in hell fire after this life; these will let vs see our miserie much more, that so we might feele & acknowledge what vile & wretched creatures we be, men and women, that haue iustly brought vpon our selues so great calamity. We are then for the better humbling of our selues before God, as at other times, so especiallie in the day of fast­ing to giue our selues to the serious and earnest meditation of these things, namely, of the law of God, and that in euery commandement, and applie it to our conscience: and the appurte­nances also of the same law, that is, the promises made to the obedient, and the punishments threatned to the dis­obedient; and pray to God for his good spirit, that it might worke vpon vs, euen vpon our hearts, that by this meanes wee might come to that mea­sure of humilitie, that is meet for vs so great sinners to come vnto, and that he would cast vs downe vnder his ho­lie hande, euen so low, as his owne [Page 90] children should be: for want of which our hearts are hardened, though our esta [...]e be so desperate and forlorne, as at all other times, so euen in the day of fasting, wherein greatest humiliation is required.

And besides all this, to further vs in this most excellent vertue of humilia­tion, which in time will lift vs vp as high, as wee were cast downe before, according to the Prouerbe of Solomon, Pro. 15.32. Especiallie how the Lord from time to time hath verified the same. Before glory goeth humilitie, we must also consider, the execution of these iudgements vpon men from time to time, that we might know God to be iust, and will assuredly doe as he hath saide, and that he hath not threatned in vaine, as many men doe imagine: that so wee might feare and tremble, when wee shall see as it were others beaten for the like sinnes before our fa­ces. And these iudgements wee must well weigh both generally brought vpon whole nations and countries,Gen. 6. as how hee spared not the olde world, [Page 91] when all flesh had corrupted their waies, but brought an vniuersall de­luge vpon it: and how hee ouerthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, Gen. 19. and the rest of the cities for their filthinesse, yea how he spared not the ten tribes of Israel, 2. King. 17. 2. King. 24. & 25. Lam. 1.3. nor Iudah it selfe, but caried them both captiues out of their owne country, for their idolatrie & other sinnes: And al­so his iudgements particularly broght vpon priuate men,Genes. 25.33. & 27.33 Heb. 12.16.17. Gen. 21.10. Gal. 4.29. as how Esau was cast off from Gods people for his pro­fannesse, & how Ismael was put out of his fathers house, and so out of the Church of God for his scorning and mocking, wherewith hee persecuted his brother:2. Sam. 18.9. and how Absolon was hanged between heauen and earth by the haire of his head, for rebelling a­gainst his father;Hest. 7.8.9. how Haman was han­ged vp vpon an high gibbet for his pride against men:1. King. 22.38. and king Herod ea­ten vp with vermine for his intollera­ble pride against God and men:2 King. 9.35. how Ahab and Iesabell were slaine for their [Page 92] oppression of Naboth, so that the dogs did licke the bloud of the one,2. Sam. 12.10.11. and de­uour the carkase of the other: yea how Dauid was grieuously punished for his adulterie and wrong done to Vriah; 1. Cor. 10.8. and 23000. in one day destroied for their filthie fornication; and to con­clude how the Lord from time to time in all ages and places hath not spared men in their sinnes; that so we might not onely see in them what wee haue deserued, but how he is readie to pu­nish also, for there is no respect of per­sons with him.And not onely vpon the wicked, but vpon his owne chil­dren. And in all these wee must aduisedly consider, howe God hath not onely punished the wicked for their sinnes, but that hee hath not spared his owne children: as that hee not onely vtterly destroied those sea­uen goodly churches in Asia, because they fell from their first loue, and did not repent in time: but also did euen cast off the Iewes his owne people for their contempt of his word,Mat. 21.43. and tooke away the Gospell of the kingdome [Page 93] from them vnto this day, because they did not bring foorth the fruites of it: that (as the Apostle saith) We by their fall might feare,Rom. 11.20.21. and seeing hee spared not the naturall branches, we shoulde take heed least hee also spare not vs. But most of all we may see the fierce wrath of God against sinne to humble vs,Euen vpon his owne sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour. and his vnchangeable iustice in the person of his owne deare Sonne, who taking vpon him our sinnes, was in all torments of soule and bodie pressed downe with them to the bottome of hell for a time,Heb. 5.7. Luk. 22.44. no praiers or supplicati­ons that hee could make euen with strong cries could deliuer him, no a­gonie or bloudie sweats, that hee in­dured in his soule and bodie, could pa­cifie it, and set him free, but he must needs beare it vnto the full; and so in­ded (as the Prophet foretolde) he was wounded for our transgressions,Esa. 53.8. he was broken for our iniquities, and the cha­stisement of our peace was vpon him: that so we by the law seeing our sinnes, [Page 94] and by his curses acknowledging our desert for the same, and by the execu­tion of them his constant and immu­table iustice in them might in feare and trembling cast downe our selues at his feet: and as in fasting we haue bereaued our selues willingly of all, so we might feele, and in feeling confesse that we are vnwoorthie of all, and so come to this most excellent vertue of humilitie, which is the first part of those inward graces, which by the out­ward exercise of fasting is to be labou­red after, and openly professed. And so much of that: now remaineth the other to be spoken of.

HOMIL. IIII.

THe second part of the inward vertues of the mind, and graces of the spirit of God, which we must not only haue,The second inward ver­tue is, the hope, that by faith we should haue of the fauour of God vpon our true hu­militie. but labour to be furthered in by this out­ward exercise of fasting, and to which end we do vndertake it, and which al­so we must openly professe, is an assu­rance & full hope, that God for Christ his sake vpon our true repentance for our sinnes, and vnfained humiliation for them, and forsaking of them, will pardon them all, and will giue vs all those things that we stand in need of, and wee then make humble sute vnto him for. So then this is also another thing, that as at all other times, so most of all in the day of fast we must labour after, euen an increase of faith, where­by [Page 96] wee may be raised vp in our soules through the grace of God in Christ, as high as the conscience of our sinnes, and the deserued punishment of them doth cast vs downe: and a full perswa­sion that we shall obtaine the remoo­uing of those euils (through the death & merits of our Sauior Christ) which either presently presse vs, or iustly hang ouer our heads. For as true repen­tance humbling vs, and as it were ca­sting vs downe with one hand, both in sorow for our sinnes, and confession of the same, leaueth vs not in that downe­fall, lest we should dispaire, but grati­ously reacheth the other hand to lift vs vp againe: and this is the right end of all true humilitie, not to dismay vs, but to comfort vs with the hope of Gods fauour, euen from thence, as it is sayd. Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God,1. Pet. 5. [...]5. that he may exalt you in due time. And againe, he resisteth the proud, but giueth grace to the hum­ble. So this solemne profession of hu­militie [Page 97] in fasting and praier, much more doth, and must so cast vs downe, and abase vs in the conscience of our vnwoorthinesse euen of the least of Gods benefits, openly in our practise by bereauing our selues of them for a time professing so much, as that it doth giue vs so much the more hope of fa­uour from God, by how much we doe then more then ordinarily iudge our selues.

So that heere is another thing to be furthered in by this outwarde absti­nence, namely,In which w [...] must be fur­thered, by the inward and out­ward affli­ction of the body and the minde. that wee may haue a greater hope and assurance then be­fore, that God for Christs sake will be mercifull vnto vs, because we doe ac­cording to his commandement more humble our selues then before: not for the merite or woorthinesse of that, but because of the gratious promises, which of his free mercie he hath made to all those that thus turne vnto him, and vnfainedly seeke him. For as the abstinence without this humiliation is [Page 98] nothing worth, so is the casting down of our selues in the sight and feeling of our sins, & our vnworthinesse for the same of no value or profite without this hope in the goodnesse of God; and therefore as this abstinence must bring vs to this contrition of heart, so that must further vs in our hope. And therefore vnto this abstinence there hath beene alwais adioined, as a thing inseparable, supplications & praiers, which cannot be at all in any accepta­ble maner without some hope and as­surance from God, that we shall bee heard.And there­fore fasting is neuer without prayer. As then in all maner of fastes we must first cleerely see our sins, con­fesse them vnfainedly, and thorough­ly iudge our selues for them; so must we then also with good hope in the goodnesse of God for Christes sake praie earnestly for the full pardon and forgiuenesse of them, and for the turn­ing away, or remoouing from vs all heauie iudgements, which are due to vs, or vpon vs for the same. So that this [Page 99] is an other thing required of vs in the day of fasting, which we now keepe, and to which end we doe abstaine as we do, euen that with great hope vpon our great humiliation we might praie to God, to remooue from our bre­thren this heauy hand of his, that hath a long time lien sore vpon vs, and vp­on them.

And thus we shall find in holy scrip­ture, that all the best seruants of God haue in their fastings vsed solemne 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 [Page 100] 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, [Page 101] 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,L [...]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) [Page 102] 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 [...]he daies of [...]asting we [...]ust inforce [...]ur selues to [...]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 [Page 103] 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 [Page 104] 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 [Page 105] he often breaks out into many passio­nate exclamatiōs: 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, [Page 106] 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 they praied thus importunately, it appeareth that in this great humilitie of theirs,And by im­portunitie of praier the Lord will be ouercome. decla­red by their fasting and maner of it, they had great hope of obtaining their requests of God, vnto whom they did sue. And thus must we doe in the day of our fasting, I saie we must labour for that measure of faith in gods good­nesse through the blessed merits of Christ our Sauiour, that might mooue vs to pray earnestly, and as it were to crie mightily vnto God for the remo­uing nowe at the last of this grieuous plague: that though wee haue iustlie deserued it, and a great deale more, [Page 107] yet for the Lords sake it would please him vpon our true repentance, and earnest seeking vnto him for mercie, to turne it away. Which if wee doe, then he vndoubtedly will heare vs in his good time, as hee hath witnessed vnto vs in the Gospell by the Para­bles, both of the wicked Iudge,Luk. 18.2. who by the importunity of the widow, was ouercome at the last, to doe her right; and this was propounded (as Christ himselfe faith) to this end to teach men to pray often, and not to waxe faint; whereupon he inferreth this generall doctrine.vers. 6.7. Heare what the vnrighte­ous Iudge saith: and shall not God a­uenge his elect, which crie daie and night vnto him, though hee suffered long for them? So God will heare those that crie daie and night, that is that praie earnestly and continuallie: And againe in the other parable of the man that came to his friend at mid­night to borrow three loues,Luk. 11.5. who though he was vnwilling at the first, [Page 108] yet because of his importunitie did a­rise, & gaue him as many as he would▪ whereupon hee maketh this generall promise to al those that shal thus seeke vnto God, that is, earnestly and with­out ceasing, that he will heare them, saying: Aske, and it shal be giuen you, seeke and yee shall finde, knocke and it shall be opened vnto you: for euerie one that asketh receaueth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knock­eth it shall be opened; that is, if yee seeke and aske after this maner. So by these examples wee may be assured, that God will heare vs for this thing, if we pray vnto him eatnestly, & with­out ceasing, though we haue hitherto seene little successe of our praiers, for the plague is not only not taken away, but is greatly increased euery where.

He often de­ferreth to giue, that we might bee quickened vp to fer­uencie of prayer.And truely the Lord doeth manie times deferre of purpose, to grant that which we aske, and which also he hath promised, and is purposed to giue, that we might be mooued in the feeling of [Page 109] our want to pray earnestly for it: and that the want of it for a time might quicken vp our dead hearts, and dull spirits vnto greater feruencie of pray­er: that also when we shall see that we haue such things giuen vnto vs, and that wee haue obtained them by our prayer, yea by long and earnest prayer, wee might make the more account of them, and esteeme them as we ought, and also be so much the more thanke­full vnto God for the same. For the Lord indeed hath of his great mercie promised, that if we call vpon him, he will heare vs, as we haue learned euen now out of the Gospell of S. Luke, and may further learne out of many other places of Scripture besides, as,Psal. 50.15. Call vp­on me in the time of thy trouble, and I will heare thee, and deliuer thee; and many other: but he hath set downe no time, when we shall see and perceiue that hee hath heard vs, sauing that it is sayd, I will heare thee in due time,Psal. 10.1. e­uen in affliction. Nowe which is the [Page] most conuenient time for God to help vs in,Act. 1.7. that we must not prescribe vnto him, neither is it alwayes meet for vs to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power: therefore as they be best knowen to his heauenly Maiestie, so wee must leaue the declaration of them to him alone, not doubting, but that he will heare vs in due time, euen in affliction. Hee doth deferre many times of pur­pose for good causes: both that wee might be stirred vp thereby to pray to him earnestly and continually, not doubting one whit of the trueth of his promises; and that when we haue our requests granted, we might esteeme of so great a benefit, and be thankefull to him for the same. For assuredly if wee did alwayes finde, that the Lord did giue vs euery thing at the first asking (though wee graunt that hee giueth vs continually more than we aske) such is our vnthankefulnesse, that both wee would come vnto him very coldly, and [Page 111] pray drowsilie (for wee would make it but an ordinarie matter,Therefore if we conti­nue in fer­uent pray­er, the Lord will heare vs at the last. Aske & haue) and also wee would not so highlie e­steeme of the things giuen vnto vs, nor labor to be so thankfull to him for the same, as our bounde duty did require. Therfore concerning all other things, and namely, this present visitation of the Plague, the more that the Lord de­ferreth to take it away, the more ear­nest let vs be in prayer, and let not the delay of it quench the heat of our de­sire one whit, but kindle it more and more, and I do assure you in the word of the Lord, that if we faint not in prai­er, but lift vp our hearts and hands still vnto the Throne of his Mercy, that he will in time heare vs, and shew mercie vnto vs; and that he will not onely do so, but he will make it manifest and ap­parant vnto the very soules and consci­ences of vs all.

This therefore is another most ex­cellent vse and end of fasting,The out­ward absti­nence must quicken vs vp vnto fer­uencie of pra [...] euen to quicken vs vp vnto greater feruency in [Page] [...] [Page 111] [...] [Page 112] prayer: for as we finde by experience, when our bellies are full, and we are in the abundance of all pleasures and out­ward blessings, wee are not so fit for prayer: and therefore a sober diet, and a moderate vse of all other of Gods creatures and benefits will alwayes make vs the more fit for prayer: but when the bodie is pinched with hun­ger, and the want of other necessarie helpes meet for it, the feeling of our want shall be a meanes to set a sharper edge vpon our prayers, to make them more piercing, and as it were to giue a wing vnto them to flie aloft aboue the clouds, euen to make them enter into heauen, and to come before the throne of God. We ought then in these daies of abstinence thus to profit by the fee­ling of the want of our bodies, so to iudge our selues vnwoorthy not onely of all that which wee abstaine from, but of all other things besides, yea of life it selfe, that we thereby be moo­ued most earnestly to seeke to God [Page 113] 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 [Page 114] 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, [...]e must rast [...]e, and riue w th [...]nd in our [...]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, [...]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 [Page 115] 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 [Page 116] 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 [Page 117] 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 [Page 118] 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, [...]eu. 1.6 31. [...]eu. 23.27. the yeerely day of fast for the Iewes is called a Sabbath of rest, and besides it is further added: therein [Page 119] 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 much the more.

To this end we must giue ourselues as much as we can to a deepe and se­rious meditation of that that is the cause of our fast,The serio [...] considerat [...] of our present estate will incre [...] feruencie [...] praier. whether it bee anie great punishment of God already vpō vs, or imminent and hanging ouer our [Page 120] head, and ready shortly to befall vs: or it be some grace and blessing of God, that we want, or we are afraid to loose, that thereby we might see, and feele in what a wofull and miserable case wee are in, or should be, in respect of that, if the Lord should not heare vs, and be mercifull vnto vs. As we see how the people of Nineue hearing that their destructiō was threatned against them by the Lords prophet, [...]ona. 3.5. and that with­in a short time, euen fortie daies, they beleeued God, (as it is saide in that storie) that is, they were perswa­ded, that for their sinnes they had de­serued it, & also that God had sent him to warne them of it; they therefore perceauing themselues to be in such a wofull case, the king proclaimed a fast, and willed euerie man to crie mighte­ly vnto God, that is, to praie earnestly vnto him, to forgiue them, and spare them: so that they did not onely praie thus feruently vnto God, but the con­sideration of their estate moued them [Page 121] vnto it, which if by beleeuing the pro­phet they had not acknowledged, they could not haue come vnto it in this a­cceptable measure.Hest. 3.13. So in the daies of Hester, when Haman had obtained a decree from the king, and it was sealed with his ring, and the letters were sent by postes into all the kinges prouinces: The tenor whereof was, to roote out, to kill, and to destroy all the Iewes,Hest. 4.3. both yoonge and old, children and women in one day, in euerie prouince and place, whether the kings charge, and his commission came: there was great sorrow among the Iewes, and fa­sting and weeping, and mourning, and many lay in sackecloth and ashes, and three daies and three nights they gaue themselues to fasting and praier: so that the knowledge of this estate of theirs that they came vnto, by hearing of the kings commission granted out against them, did driue them to this great sorrow for it, appearing in wee­ping and mourning, and it so made [Page 122] them to praie thus earnestly, and so long, euen three daies & three nights togither: which they would not, nor could haue done, if they had not by taking knowledge of the kings letters, perceaued their estate to bee so despe­rate, and so forlorne, as indeed it was. Likewise in the time of the Iudges, when the tribe of Beniamin had twise ouerthrowne the rest of the children of Israel,Iudg. 20.26 and had in two set battels slaine 40000. of them: they seeing themselues by the slaughter of so ma­nie greatly weakened, fell a wee­ping before the Lord, and fasted that day vnto euening, and asked counsell of the Lord, not onely by Vrim and Thummim, but by feruent praier, to shew them what they shoulde doe. These then seeing themselues in so ill a case, that many of their brethren were slaine alreadie, or that they, and themselues were like to bee slaine, thought it their bound duty, to seeke vnto God earnestly, to turne that de­struction [Page 123] away, and to staie his heauie hand, and so he did.

So must we also doe at this present,The lamen­table estate of many in respect of this pesti­lence, may moue vs vn­to feruent prayer. that we might come to this earnestnes of prayer spoken of, and necessarily re­quired in such times of fasting: wee must (I say) well weigh and consider of the great calamitie and miserie that is among vs, and in what a pitifull case many of our deare brethren are, and haue beene a long time, without any intermission, how they die daylie and weekly in the chiefe cities and townes of the land, both in these parts and o­ther countreis: as in Norwich aboue an hundred a weeke, and in London aboue three thousand weekely, and thus it hath beene many weeks together, and it spreadeth euery where in small villa­ges, and threatens euery where, and none can tell almost in what place long to be free. During which time of contagion and pestilence it hath come to passe, that many haue had their louing wiues pulled out of their bo­soms, [Page 124] some their prouident husbands taken from them: others haue lost their parēts the stay of their liues, others are left childlesse; some haue neither bro­ther nor sister left, master nor seruant, friend, kinsefolke, nor neighbour: yea euen the whole house and familie is swept cleane away, so that there is no­thing but weeping & mourning, sigh­ing and sobbing, wailing and wring­ing of hands, spending away their time in sorow without taste in any meat, or comfort in sleepe, or any thing els, loo­king themselues euery houre when they should be smitten with the same hand of God, & so follow to the graue them that haue lately gone before thē: we I say must wisely consider of these things, that seeing nothing before our eyes in these times of so great desolati­on, but the vntimely death and destru­ction of our deare brethren, kindred, and friends, yea of our selues shortly, if God be not mercifull vnto vs, might mooue vs to pray earnestly vnto God, [Page 125] both for our selues and for them: and truely if we could so consider of these things as we ought, it might mooue vs in greater humilitie before God, and compassion toward our brethren, to powre out not only at this present, but night and day heereafter, most ardent praiers & supplications vnto the Lord, that in his blessed time hee would put an happie end to so great destruction, and that it might be sufficient vnto his Fatherly goodnesse, that he hath thus farre proceeded in iudgement against vs, and against them alreadie. I say the deepe consideration & inward feeling of this common miserie would make vs to be more often & feruent in pray­er vnto God, and not onely thus pub­likely, but priuately also.

But I can not tell how it commeth to passe (the more is the pitie) through the great hardnesse of mens hearts,As the fee­ling of all our wants will make vs earnest to haue thē supplied. that many of vs thinke little of it, or not so much as they should, because it is so far from them: yet let them know [Page 126] assuredly, that it may soone come nee­rer, God knoweth how soone; and in the meane season, if they will not pitie others, and pray for them, none shall pitie and pray for them, when they shalbe in the like case. So then as they that are in great want of food, and see that they haue nothing at home, bread nor meat, nor money to buy any thing with, are driuen to seeke abroad for themselues & for their children: & be­sides they will be importunate where they come, and haue no nay, their ne­cessitie is so great▪ that it compels them vnto it, euen sometimes to goe beyond the bounds of modestie and good ma­ners; so if we could aswell see and feele this great miserie that we and our bre­thren are in, it would make vs to be so importunate with the Lord in our prayers, that we would haue no nay at his handes, but still stand knocking at the gate of his mercie, vntill hee hath opened, and sent vs away with a grati­ous answer, as Dauid in the one & fifty [Page 127] Psalme pressed downe with the hea­uie burden of his sinnes did crie vnto God againe and againe for mercie, and would not haue his mouth stop­ped, vntill the Lord had mercie vpon him saying; Haue mercie upon me O God,Psa. 51.1.2. according to thy louing kind­nesse, according to the multitude of thy cōpassions put away mine iniqui­ti [...], wash me throughly from mine iniquitie, and clense me from my sin, purge me with Hysope, washe me, make mee to heare ioy and gladnesse, and so foorth as followeth: where e­uerie verse almost containeth a seueral petition, earnestly crauing mercie of God for his sinnes: yea as blinde Bar­timaeus cried after Christ in the waie:Mar. 10.46. Iesus the sonne of Dauid haue mercie on me, and manie rebuked him, be­cause he should hold his peace, but he cried much more, O sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me, and would neuer leaue calling and crying, vntill Christ stoode still, and commanded him to [Page 128] be called: so we in this case should ne­uer leaue calling vpon God, vntill by diminishing of the plague we might see some token of his mercie. Nay we should be like to the woman of Syro­phenisse, who came suing to Christ for her daughter,Math. 15.21 and saide; Haue mercie on me O Lord, the soone of Dauid, and he by his silence seemed not to regard her, and when his Disciples did speake to him for her, he answered them, as though she were not to be regarded, saying, I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel; & when shee came neerer her-selfe, and saide, Lord helpe me, then he seemed cleane to cast her off, and to leaue her with­out all hope, [...]4. 01 [...] in saying, It is not good to take the childrens bread, and to cast it to whelpes: yet for al this she would not giue ouer, her need was so great, but desired as a whelpe to eate of the crummes,And by ear­nest suite we shall finde, [...] supplie in time. that fell from her masters table: and so Christ heard her at the last, and said vnto her, O woman great [Page 129] is thy faith, be it to thee, as thou de­sirest, and her daughter was made whole at that houre: Euen so our selues, though we may seeme all this while to haue praied in vaine, and to haue lost our labour, and the Lorde God not to regard vs, because the plague is not one whit lessened, but rather increased, yet because our need is so great, let vs not giue ouer, but in all feruencie of praier hold out, and waite vpon God: and how?Psal. 123. [...] Euen as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hand of their maisters, and as the eies of a maiden vnto the hand of her mi­stresse, so let our eies waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. And let euerie one saie,Psal. 130.5. I haue waited on the Lorde, my soule hath waited, and I haue trusted in his worde; my soule waiteth on the Lord more then the morning watch watch­eth for the morning, and so let vs in­courage all Israel, euen the people of God to waite vpon him: for with him [Page 130] is mercy, & with him is great redemp­tion, and he wil redeeme them from al their iniquities: that is, as he hath ma­nie waies and meanes to deliuer those that be his, so he will vpon their repen­tance forgiue them all their sinnes, and much more deliuer from the deserued punishment of the same.

[...]he consci­ [...]ce of our [...]woorthi­ [...]sse must [...]t hinder [...], but ra­ [...]er make [...] more fer­ [...]ut in prai­ [...].Moreouer that wee might praie so earnestly as we should, let vs further consider our great vnwoorthinesse by reason of our innumerable sinnes, that when wee shall see, that whether wee looke to our selues, or to other, there is no cause that the Lord should heare and helpe vs, for wee haue not done our dutie as we ought, wee haue not profited by his worde and great pati­ence; nay wee haue by the abuse of them, and by other of our sinnes pro­uoked his wrath against vs, and haue deserued that this deadly plague shuld continew and make an end of vs all: we may be importunate with him to spare vs, that so, though not for anie [Page 131] thing that is in vs, of his great mercie for Christes sake by opportunitie hee may be ouercome: as wee haue seene by the parable of the wicked Iudge how he will be: and as we haue seene how Iacob would not giue ouer wrest­ling, vntill he had blessed him, at the last obtained the blessing. So the Lord seeing that we are not wearie of cal­ling vpon him, though he finde vs vn­woorthie, might heare and helpe vs. And so let not the conscience of our vnwoorthinesse stoppe our mouthes, & hinder our praiers, but rather mooue vs to be the more earnest, confessing the same, as Ezra Ezra 9.6. doth. 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 as Daniel Dan. 9.8. doth, O Lord vnto vs appertaineth open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fa­thers, because we haue sinned against thee: yet compassion and forgiuenesse [Page 132] is in the Lord our God, albeit we haue rebelled against him: and so may we truely say of our selues, and of our land and countrey wherein we liue.

And lastly for this present let vs con­sider, that as in no other thing, so in this most of all, none can helpe vs but the Lord; [...]nd the con­ [...]eration of [...]is, that [...]e can [...]lpe vs but [...] Lord. there are meanes appointed for euery thing, but vnlesse hee giue them we can not haue them, and then also the right vse and successe of them is of the Lord: so that he can not one­ly denie them vnto vs, but curse them when we haue them, that they shall do vs no good: so that we may truly saie, My helpe commeth from the Lorde, [...] 121.2. who hath made both heauen & earth; therefore we had need to praie to him so much the more earnestly: for the trusting to this and that, hindereth our praier. But the time cutteth mee off from this, and so I leaue it to be sup­plied by the spirit of God, which is a­ble to giue you vnderstanding in all things.

HOMIL. V.

I Am at this present to proceede in that argu­ment,To quicke [...] vs vp fur­ther vnto feruent pra [...] er, we mus [...] consider. that I entred into the last day, and could not then well finish for want of time, namely to continue fur­ther to declare, how wee may attaine vnto that feruencie of praier that hath beene spoken of, which is so necessary in the fasting we haue in hand. There­fore besides all that hath beene said to [Page 134] this end, we are lastly to consider, that we might be mooued to praie so ear­nestly as we should, to consider (I say) the gratious promises, that God hath made to all those that haue, or shall heereafter at any time hold this exer­cise of fasting vnto him in any mea­sure of trueth; and how the same from time to time haue beene performed vnto them: insomuch that though the beginning of their fast hath beene full of heauinesse, and with much sorrow for their sinnes, and for the wrath of God against them appearing in some grieuous punishment; yet the end thereof hath beene with much reioi­cing and comfort in assured hope both of the free pardon and forgiuenesse of them, with perfect reconciliation vn­to God, and also with good hope of obtaining of all such things, as they haue sued for by earnest and feruent praier.First what pr [...]mises God hath [...]ade to those that seeke vnto him in fa­sting and praier. And first of all concerning the promise that the Lord of his great mercy hath made to all those that [Page 135] seeke vnto him in all humilitie by fa­sting and praier, we may see what the prophet Ioel Ioel 1.4. saith. Who exhorting the people to fasting and praier, be­cause of that great calamitie, that was vpon them, by reason that the fruites of the earth were so wholly destroied, (for that which was left of the Palmer-worme the Grashopper had eaten; and the residue of the Grashopper had the Canker-worme eaten, and the re­sidue of the Canker-worme had the Caterpiller eaten:cap. 2.1 exhorting them I saie, to turne vnto the Lord with all their hart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, and to rent their hearts, and not their clo­thes, and to turne vnto the Lord their God: that is, not their clothes onely, according to the maner of that time in great sorrow, but their hearts especial­lie, that so their sorrow might bee in truth, & not in appearance onelie, set­teth before them the great mercy of god to al those that so come vnto him, [Page 136] saying; For the Lord is gracious and mercifull, slowe to anger, and of great kindnesse, and repenteth him of the euill; who knoweth if he will returne, namely to his accustomed mercifull dealing, and repent, that is, of that e­uill, that he might further bring vpon them, and leaue a blessing behinde him, euen a meat offering, and a drinke offering vnto the Lorde their God? that is some thing to be serued with, for the glorie of his name, least his seruice should faile▪ as hee had com­plained before; that the meat offring and drinke offring was cut off from the house of the Lorde, [...]oel 1.7. for which the Priestes the Lordes ministers did mourne.

Then we see, how the Prophet in the name of the Lord doth promise vn­to them, that if they would thorowly humble themselues for their sinnes the cause of this great affliction, noted by the rending of their hearts, though the Lord had begunne to punish them al­ready, [Page 137] and that most grieuously, yet he would stay his heauy hand and bestow some blessing vpon them: where in saying, Who knoweth, or who can tell? his meaning is nothing lesse than to call it into question, or any wayes to make them doubt of it, but rather to consider the hardnesse of the thing, and so to seeke for it the more earnest­ly, that they might haue some hope of it: as if he had sayd, Seeing God is so mercifull, as he had spoken of him be­fore, calling him, Gratious, slow to an­ger, and of great kindnes, and one that repenteth him of the euill, there is no doubt of the thing, but that if they could humble themselues as he requi­red, and pray earnestly, though he had begun to punish them already, yet hee would repent and spare them. As also it is sayd in the Prophet Jona, Iona 3.9. by the King of Nineue (who proclaimed a fast, and willed all men to put on sacke­cloth, and to crie mightily vnto the Lord, and euery man to turne from his [Page 138] euill way, and from the wickednesse of his hands) Who can tell, if God will turne, and repent, and turne away from his fierce wrath, that wee perish not? which he vttereth after this maner, say­ing, Who can tell? to shew the hard­nesse and difficultie of it; that they might crie vnto God the more ear­nestly or mightily, as hee also willeth them there. So that as from the fore­named place of Ioel, wee haue a com­mandement to fast publikely, when Gods hand is heauie vpon vs, as it is now, and hath been a long time, when as hee thus speaketh: Thus sayth the Lord,Ioel 2.12. turne you vnto me with all your hearts and with fasting, and with wee­ping, and with mourning, & so forth: so from thence also we haue a promise (as we haue heard) that if we can hum­ble our selues thorowly, iudging and condemning our selues, as we ought, which is meant by renting of our hearts, as was sayd before, and turne with all our hearts from our sinnes, [Page 139] euen with sorrow and griefe for them vnto the Lord, that he himselfe will in this punishment of ours also repent, and leaue a blessing behinde, as is sayd there, that is, some cause to praise and magnifie his holy Name: and the rea­son, why we haue it no sooner is, that men haue not all this while cast down themselues before the high throne of Gods iudgement, as they should, and vnfainedly leaue all their sins; which if men could come vnto in that maner & measure that they ought, then heere is a most gratious & sure promise made vnto vs from the Lord by the mouth of his holy Prophet, that hee will be mercifull vnto vs, and spare vs; which he will also vndoubtedly performe, for he is Trueth it selfe.

Therefore that we might doe this that we doe in faith,Which pro­mises wee must at this present set before our eyes. I meane continue still to fast and pray, and not giue it o­uer, or wax wearie of it, as of our selues wee are too prone vnto it: yea that in thus abstaining, wee might pray ear­nestly [Page 140] vnto God, to stay his heauie hand, and to put an happie end at the last vnto this long and great mortality, Let vs consider that euen this promise is made to vs, and written for this very time, and for this purpose, that if in this fasting euery man will turne from all his sinnes with his whole heart, and be sorie for them euen from the very bot­tome of his heart: that the Lord him­selfe will repent of all that euill that he hath begun to do vnto vs; and though hee hath taken away many thousands alreadie, yet he will spare the rest, and leaue some euery where to praise his Name. So many therefore among vs, as doe thus with true repentance turne from their sinnes, to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life, may praie with great hope and comfort for mercie from the Lord, for the pro­mise is made vnto them, whosoeuer they be: but all they that yeeld to this outward & bodily exercise of fasting, but are not thus broken in their harts, [Page 141] nor affected in their soules, neither haue any care so to be, as they cannot call vpon the name of the Lord with anie earnestnesse of praier, but all is done formally and ceremonially of them, so they cannot haue anie great hope of being heard, but shall speede thereafter.

And especially we may see plainely from the eighteenth verse of that chapter vnto the end of the same,Which pro­mises are most certaine and belong­ing to vs, as well as to the Iewes. how plainely and largely he doth promise, not onely a remoouing of that great punishment, which was verie much; and for the certaintie of it, and to as­sure her faith of it, speaketh of it, as though it were alreadie come, saying, then will the Lord be iealous ouer his lande and spare his people:Ioel 2.18. and a­gaine,ver. 22. be not afraid yee beastes of the field, for the pastures of the wilder­nesse are greene, for the tree beareth her fruite, the figge tree and the vine doe giue their force; be glad then yee children of Sion, and reioice in the [Page 142] Lord your God, for he hath giuen you the raine of righteousnesse, that is, as much as is meet for you in this great drought: In al which words he speak­ing of this benefite to come, as though it were already giuen them, (according to the maner of the prophets) doth shew, that he had alreadie receaued this promise from the Lorde, that if they did thus throughly cast downe themselues in the guiltinesse of their sinnes, and conscience of their deserts, he would spare them and blesse them: and besides hee would poure out his holy spirit most plentifully vpon them. And this vndoubtedly is set downe for our consolation, and instruction, to shew vs, what in the like case we may looke for: And truely it must needes be so, for there is no respect of persons with God, and the promises of his worde though spoken vnto some par­ticular people, vpon some occasion, yet are for all ages and times, and doe generally belong to all alike, vpon the [Page 143] same condition. Therefore when as it saide to them, Turne vnto the Lorde with all your heart, and rent your hearts, and when you are thus hum­bled, the Lord will returne for your good, and so foorth, as it followeth in that place, it is spoken not to them onely, but to all such, as in the like case shall thus do: and so vnto vs now, that we may be assured, that if we thus do, in that measure that we doe it in truth, we shall finde mercie with the Lorde, and so may praie for it most earnestlie in faith, as they were willed to doe.

And the rather that we might thus doe,Secondly consider the fulfilling of these promi­ses to al those that haue vsed fasting and praier. and be confirmed in the truth of this hope, let vs vnto this gracious pro­mise, that we haue heard of, ioine the consideration of all the fastes of the faithfull seruants of God, set downe in the old and new Testament, and see what hath beene the issue of them, and whether they haue not obtained the things, that they haue thus sued for, and if the Lord hath not turned their [Page 144] sorrow into ioy,Isa. 61.3. their fasting into fea­sting, and so hath giuen (as the pro­phet speaketh) to them that haue mourned, beatitie for ashes, the oile of ioy for mourning, and the g [...]rment of gladnesse for the spirit of heaui­nesse. And heere wee may first of all consider, what was the fruite of that fast, which the Israelites helde in the time of the Iudges, when for the wic­kednesse done to the Leuites concu­bine, they fought against the Benia­mites, and were ouerthrowne in the first battle,Iudg. 20. so that there was slaine that daie two and twentie thousand: they fasted and praied, & set vpon them the second time, & yet were ouerthrowne in that battle also; for the men of Ben­iamin slew downe to the ground of the children of Israel againe, eighteene thousand, all which could handle the sword: then they fasted and praied the second time, and got the victory, when they were throughly humbled: So that by fasting & praier they preuailed [Page 145] against them at the last, though not at the first, and might haue done sooner, if they had beene sufficiently humbled before.As the Israe­lites thereby at the last preuailed a­gainst the Beniamites. Wee haue hitherto with the rest of our brethren fasted and praied often that this grieuous plague raging in manie places might haue an ende, and yet haue not thus farre preuailed with the Lord, but the people stil die euerie where in great number; yea it hath increased greatly since wee be­gan: so that ours and their estate is woorse then it was before we began, euen as the Israelites did fall by thou­sands before their enimies after that they had by fasting and praier asked counsell of the Lord: but if wee can hold out in this exercise vnto the end, and not be discouraged, though wee see little successe at the first, and the more that wee see the hand of God increased against vs in iustice, the more wee labour to grow in humilitie and feruency of praier, then we doubt not, but at the last by the euent, as the Israe­lites [Page 146] did, we shall see that we haue not all this while lost our labour, and cal­led vpon the name of God in vaine. Therefore that we might with assured confidence, and good hope perseuer in this holy exercise of fasting and praier, besides the promise of God made vnto it, which we haue heard, let vs set this worthy example before our eies to comfort vs, that though the beginning hath beene full of so [...]owe, as it was with them, yet the end will be full of ioy and consolation to our selues and others, and to the praise and glorie of almightie God.

To this we may adioine that nota­ble and famous example, that we haue in the booke of Hester: Hest. 3.6. where it is said, that Haman for the malice that hee bare against Mordecay, sought the vt­ter destruction of all the Iewes: for he thought it too little to laie handes on Mordecay himselfe alone, and because they had shewed him the people of Mordecay, he sought to destroy all the [Page 147] Iewes, that were through out the whole kingdome of Ahashuerosh; and to this end he had obtained a Decree from the king,Hest. 3.13. to roote out and to de­stroie, and to kill them all, both yoong and old, children and women in one daie. Then all the Iewes, at the aduise and commandement of Queene He­ster, Hest. 4.16.17. did fast and praie vnto God three daies and three nights, to intreat the Lord, that she might find fauour with the King, that this wicked deuise might bee frustrate and disanulled: whereby it came to passe, that the Lord in whose hands are the hearts of all men to turne, euen as the riuers of waters, and who hath saide that when a mans waies doe please the Lord,Pro. 16.7. hee will make his enimies his friends, did so change the Kings heart, (I say) that they had thereby not onely to defend themselues, and to gather themselues togither, and to stand for their liues: but also to roote out and to destroy all the power of the people,Hest. 8.11. and of the [Page 148] prouince that vexed them, both chil­dren and women, and to spoile their goods:And by this mea [...]es the Iewes [...]d o­uerthrow the diuelish pra [...]tise of proud Ha­man. and so also they did, and God blessed them therein▪ yea and Haman the Iewes great aduersarie was hanged vpon the high gibbet, which hee had prepared for Mordecay, and after that tenne of his sonnes also were hanged, and Mordecay and all the Iewes were greatly aduanced and honored,Hest. 9.28. and the daies of weeping and fasting were turned into great reioicing and fea­sting yeerely. Thus we see how won­derfully God did blesse them, being so humbled in fasting and praier be­fore and what great things they obtained thereby, as not onelie the sauing of their liues & goods thereby, but the vtter ruine and ouerthrow of their most deadly and professed eni­mies: and therefore no doubt if wee could humble our selues this way, and praie earnestly, as they did, if we were as neere deathes doore, as they were, and had receaued euen the sentence of [Page 149] death in our selues, as they had,2. Cor. 1.9. it were possible for vs to escape it, and to finde mercie with the Lord, as they haue done before vs, and that not onely for our selues, but for our brethren, as they did. For as hee hath promised, that if we turne vnto him vnfainedly, in the middest of destruction, he will leaue a blessing behinde him for vs, as was said before out of Ioel: Ioel. 2.14. so heere in this peo­ple wee see the truth and accomplish­ment of it.

Besides wee may consider of that woorthy example of Gods mercy this way shewed vpon those that humbled themselues by fasting and praier in the daies of Iehoshaphat, that good King of Iudah, as it is set downe in the second booke of the Chronicles: 2. Chr. 20.2 where it is saide that the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the people of mount Seir came foorth to battle against him: and hee fearing the danger that might befall him, and his people, proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah: and praied ear­nestly [Page 150] to God for himselfe, and for them: which praier of his is there set downe: And before they had ended their praier, the spirit of the Lord came vpon Iahaziel a Leuite, in the middest of the congregation, who by the spirit of prophesie did foretell the victorie, saying,2. Chro. 20.17. Yee shall not need to fight in this battle, stand mooue not, and behold the saluation of the Lorde to­wards you:And king Iehoshaphat thereby ob­tained vi­ctorie a­gainst their enimies. O Iudah and Ierusalem, feare yee not, neither be afraid, to morrow goe out against them, and the Lord will be with you. And so it came to passe: for their enimies slew one a­nother, euen the children of Ammon and Moab rose against the inhabitants of mount Seir, to slay and destroie them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, eue­rie one helped to destroy an other: and so the Iewes entred vpon the spoile of them, & found among them aboundance both of substance, and of bodies laden with pretious iewels, [Page 151] which they tooke for themselues, till they could carie no more: and were three daies in gathering of the spoile, for it was much: and in the fourth day they praised God in the valley of Bera­chah; which from that day had the name of that action, for there they blessed and praised God for the victo­rie, which he had giuen them, and so called it the valley of blessing or praise: and so they returned home to Ierusa­lem with great ioy. Here we may con­sider the fruit of their fasting to be this, that when by earnest praier they sought vnto God, being in great feare, as it is saide of the King, that he fea­red, and set himselfe to seeke the Lord,2. Chr. 10.3 then he made them to reioice. So if we could thus rightly consider of this hand of God stretched out against vs, that seeing our sinnes to be the cause of it, wee would feare God and his wrath, and suffer it to work vpon our consciences, and seeke vnto God in feare earnestly to turne it awaie, it, [Page 152] might please him so to blesse vs at the last, that we should haue great cause to reioice. But verie few doe so laie it to heart, that they haue all this while any thing profited by it in the true feare of God, to repent them of any thing that is past, & to determine a better course heereafter, and therefore cannot so earnestly seeke vnto God as they should, for the remoouing of it, and so it may iustly still be continued, till it worke in vs this true feare: which God grant that it may speedilie doe. But let so manie as by the due conside­ration of this visitation haue set them­selues to feare the Lord, and to seeke vnto him in truth, consider how God was found of this people, and so will be of vs in his good time: and as hee caused them after their great feare, to returne home with as much ioy: so he may bring those that for feare haue with griefe forsaken their townes and houses,sal. 126.5. bring them home againe with as much reioicing: and whereas they [Page 153] haue sowen with teares, they may reap with ioy, and going out weeping, and carying precious seede, might returne with ioy and bring their sheaues, as the prophet speaketh.

Lastly concerning this mattter we may see how the prophet Iona Ion. 3.4. com­ming to Nineue according to the cō ­mandement of the Lord, to denounce Gods heauie iudgement against them for their sinnes, euen that within forty daies the whole citie should be ouer­throwne: the King beleeuing this fear­full curse threatned to bee iust and de­serued,By this m [...]anes the Nineuites escaped tha [...] destruction that was threatned a­gainst them. proclaimed a fast to this ende, that euerie one turning from his euill waies, and from the wickednesse of his hands, that they might crie migh­tilie vnto the Lord, as they did: Wher­upon it came to passe, that God seeing their works to be good, and that they turned from their euill waies indeed, heard their praiers, granted their re­quests, and did repent him of the euill, that he had said hee would doe vnto [Page 154] them, and did it not. Thus we see a­gaine what was the effect of this fast which they held, (in great ignorance no doubt and much weakenesse, yet in truth) namely, that the Lord seeing them sufficiently humbled by the mi­nisterie of his Prophets, in the guilti­nesse of their sinne, and the deserued destruction threatned against them, & euerie one to forsake their euill waies, for which he was iustly offended with them: he staied that plague, which he had threatned, and had otherwise most certainly brought vpon them. And this also may greatly confirme our hope in this seruice of ours, that thogh for our sinnes we must needs confesse, that wee haue deserued not onely this beginning and continuance of the pe­stilence; but vtter destruction; yet if euerie man would so wholly leaue his euill waies, that the Lord (who is the searcher of the heart and reines) might see it, and take knowledge of it, and of that repentance and amendement of [Page 155] life, that should be in all, and so then they would crie mightily vnto God, as these did; he would yet repent him of the euill, which he hath otherwise further determined to bring vpon vs, and not do it: but might stay this grie­uous plague from spreading like a can­ker, and from further comming into those places where yet it is not: and in those places, that are infected with it, he might so diminish it from day to daie, that it cause not a finall destructi­on, as was threatned to the Niniuites, and we haue iustly deserued.

Therefore to conclude this one point,By this exp [...] ­ri [...]nce in o­th [...]rs, wee must be confirmed in hope of God goodnesse to ou [...] selues a [...] this time. that we might haue courage and comfort in this that wee doe by a sure and certaine expectation of some blessed fruit of it in time, we haue hi­therto seene, how the Lord of his great mercy and trueth hath neuer fai­led them, that in fasting and prayer (ac­cording to his owne ordinance) haue sought vnto him in trueth:Heb. 12.1. that we ha­uing so great a cloud of witnesses (as [Page 156] the Apostle speaketh) to subscribe vn­to this doctrine by their owne experi­ence, might not doubt, but that the Lord in due time wil hear vs as he hath done them. Yea if we can remember but our owne experience, and that that our selues haue made triall of through the goodnesse of God, how in former times he hath heard vs,Much more your owne [...]perience [...] times [...]st. when we haue by fasting and prayer thus publikelie sought vnto him: as when the Inuin­cible (falsely so called) Spanish Nauie was vpon our coasts, how wonderfully vpon our earnest sute and supplicati­ons euery where made to that end, not onely wee were preserued from that horrible destruction which they most wickedly intended against vs, but that themselues were drowned in the sea, euen the horse and him that rode vpon him, [...]od. 15.1. as the Aegyptians were when they came against the Israelites. And truly we may remember, what a sudden and great feare all men for the most part were then stricken with, and not with­out [Page 157] cause, and so how earnestly they did seeke vnto God, when as there was in all places much fasting and prayer, and the people came willingly to it: if we could do so now, when the Lord threatneth destruction to vs, and to all places, as he did then (though after an­other maner) wee might by our owne experience comfortablie lift vp our heads, and looke with good assurance for the like mercy, that we found, for God is the same, if we be not changed: when as by former experience like as Dauid said, when he went against Goli­ath to fight with him, whose great sta­ture, and complet armour of brasse, and weapons might iustly haue terri­fied him: The Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the Lion,1. Sam. 17.37. and out of the paw of the Beare, he will deliuer mee out of the hand of this Philistim: so we might all say; The same God of mercy that hath heeretofore heard vs, when we haue in true humilitie sought vnto him, wee doubt not, when wee [Page 158] haue sufficiently profited by this affli­ction, will now heare vs also, and deli­uer vs. For indeed if we finde both in the Scripture, and by dayly experience in our selues and in other,The ordina­ [...]y pray [...]rs [...]f the faith­ [...]ull haue ob­ [...]ained great [...]hings, much more their [...]astings and [...]rayer. that the ordi­narie prayers of Gods seruants, and namely of our selues, are not sent away emptie, but that the Lord doth dayly according to the same blesse vs and them: then these prayers which wee now make with fasting, which are more than ordinary, we may be assu­red shall bring great blessings vpon vs. When at the commandement of He­rod, [...]ct. 12.5. Peter was kept in prison, earnest prayer was made of the Church vnto God for him, and when Herod would haue brought him out vnto the people, the same night slept Peter betweene two souldiers, bound with two chains, and the keeper before the doore kept the prison; and beholde the Angell of the Lord came vpon them, and a light shined in the house, and he smote Pe­ter on the side, and raised him vp, say­ing, [Page 159] Arise quickly; and his chaines fell from his hands, and so he was deliue­red. If then the ordinarie prayer of the Church be of so great force, and doe so greatly preuaile with the Lord, as to frustrate the counsels of great Ty­rants, to procure the helpe & presence of Angels from heauen, to open the prison doores, and to vnloosen fetters and chaines of iron: then what sh [...]ll the extraordinarie prayers of the Church, euen their fastings and pray­ers do? Therefore we need not doubt, but if we cōtinue to profit in humility by this fatherly visitation of the Lord, and in repentance for all our sinnes, and in continuance and feruencie of praier; but we shall see some great fruit of them at the last, euen in that verie thing, that we most of all desire.

And that wee might yet be further comforted in this great heauinesse of ours with hope of some mercie from God, euen that he would spare vs at the last according to our earnest de­sire, [Page 160] let vs remember how when King Ahab a wicked and verie vngodlie man fasted for that destruction, which the prophet Elijah had by the worde of the Lord threatned against him,1. King. 21.21. e­uen that the Lord would bring euill vpon him, and take away al his posteri­tie, & make his house desolate like the house of Ieroboam, what great mercie he obtained of the Lord: Which fast of his,The Lord hath rewar­ded the wic­ked, that haue vsed this ordi­nance but in [...]utward ce­remonies. though it was not ioined with true repentance, or any true know­ledge, how to serue the Lord aright, neither could be (for he was an idola­tour) yet being performed in some sort, onely in keeping the outward ce­remonie, as putting on sackecloth, and abstaining from meat and drinke, and giuing some other outward token 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 [Page 161] 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 [Page 162] 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 m [...]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, whē they haue submitted themselues to the outward obedience of this commandement of humbling thēselues 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 [Page 163] 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 sub [...]ission and p [...]a [...]er men haue found s [...]uou [...] with their enimi [...]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 [Page 164] about their heads, and so came to the kind of Israel, and intreated for their liues, hoping by submitting thēselues 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. 2 [...].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, [...] G [...]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 [Page 165] 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 [Page 166] 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, [Page 167] 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. 23.2 [...] to make an attonement for you before the Lorde your God: and euery per­son [Page 168] that humbleth not himselfe that same daie, shall euen be cut off from his people.

HOMIL. VI.

HAuing shewed in the former Treatises (as you haue seene) that this ho­ly ordinance of fasting is groūded 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 [Page 169] 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 [Page 170] 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, [Page 178] 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 [Page 172] 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 affli [...]ion & s [...]rrow is the m [...]st [...]r [...]per time of fa­sting. that the time of afflicti­on is the most fit and conuenient time for fasting, and as it were most proper vn [...]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 [Page 173] 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 frō 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 [...] [Page 176] phet, euen that their deserued destru­ction was so neere at hande, vnlesse they did spe [...]dily repent, and so put on sackecloth f [...]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 malice he bare against Mordecay, sought the desolation of all them, and had diue­lishly, plotted for it, that he obtained the kings Decree in writing against them for it; which for the more spee­die executing of the same, was sent by postes into all prouinces of his king­dome, where the Iewes were, to roote [Page 177] out and to destroie them all in one daie; both yoong and old, children and women:Hest. 4.1. heereupon it came to passe, that not onely Mordecay him­selfe, when he perceaued all that was done, he rent his clothes,And all the I [...]wes when they mour­ned for the deuise of Haman. and put on sackcloth, and ashes, and went out in­to the middes of the citie, and cried with a great crie and bitter: but also in euerie prouince and place, whether the king [...] charge and his commission came, there was great sorrow among the Iewes, and weeping & mourning, and many laie in sackecloth and ashes.vers. 16. Now in this time of so great heauines & sorrow, as was not heard of before, by the aduise of H [...]ster al the Iewes that were found in the chiefe citie Sushan, were commanded to assemble them­selues together, and to fast and praie vnto God by the space of three daies and three nights, and she promised that herselfe, and her maides woulde doe the like: and Mordecay & the Iewes did according to this commandement. [Page 178] So all of them at this time seeing what cause they had of mourning more then before, knew that nowe fasting and praier was most requisite for them: for though Haman and the king sat drink­ing, and making merie, as fearing no­thing; yet the citie of Shushan was in perplexitie, and so had cause to doe, as they did. So did the Iewes also in Ie­rusalem and all Iudah, in the like case in the raigne of Iehos [...]aphat, when a great armie of the Ammonites, 2. Chro. 20.3. & Mo­abites came vp against him, they fea­red greatly some ouerthrow, euen the losse of their liues,And when they were in feare of for­raine eni­mies. and goods, and all that they had, if the Lotde were not mercifull to them to defend them: and this feare of danger so neere at hande, and so likely to come vpon them, cau­sed great sorrow, for they confesse and saie, there is no strength in vs to stand before this great multitude,ver. 12. that com­eth against vs, neither doe we knowe what to doe: Then the king proclai­med a fast throughout all Iudah, and [Page 179] they gathered themselues together, to aske counsell of Lord, they came out of all the cities of Judah to inquire of the Lord. When they were in this distresse for feare of their enimies, that they knew not themselues what to doe, they humbled themselues before the Lord in fasting and praier, that he would shew thē what they should do. And to be short in so large an argu­mēt, this is that which the prophet Ioel sheweth the people that the Lord re­quired of them in that time of their miserie, that they were fallen into, & that the verie present sorrow, that they were iustly fallen into by reason of the hand of God lying so heauily vpon them, did require, and call vpon them for at that time: for when he had spo­ken of the great scarcitie, that was a­mong them by reason of catterpillers, and other vermine, which had eaten vp, and destroied the fruites of the earth, and so for this present affliction they had all cause to mourne, euen as [Page 180] he calleth all sortes vnto it, euen them that were most senselesse, saying, a­wake yee drunkards and weepe, [...]el. 1.5. and houle all yee drinkers of wine, and a­gaine, Mourne like a virgine girded [...]ith sackcloth, for the husband of her youth, and againe, Girde your selues, and lament yee priestes, houle yee mi­nisters of the altar: [...]. 1 [...]. Thereupon he gi­ueth them this charge, to sanctifie a fast, and to call a solemne assemblie, to gather the elders, and all the inhabi­tants of the lande into the house of the Lord [...], [...]ourning [...] [...]g [...]ther. and crie vnto him. So he shew­eth them that in this time of common sorrow they had all cause to seeke vnto the Lord in fasting and praier, and af­ter [...]ards he sheweth more plainely, that at [...]his time by reason of the com­mon calamitie and griefe for it, the Lord did commaund them so to doe: in these words; [...]. 1 [...]. Therefore nowe the Lord saith; Turne vnto me with all your hearts, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, [Page 181] where he ioineth these two together, fasting, weeping and mourning, and saith that the Lord doth require both of them, and the one should not bee seuered from the other; but seeing the Lord had giuen them so great cause of weeping and mourning, hee would haue them seeke vnto him for mercie by praier and fasting. Seeing then the Lord hath with his owne voice ap­pointed out the time, namely that the time of mourning should be a time of fasting; and also holy men and wo­men in the wisedome of Gods spirite haue so obserued the difference of times, that as there hath fallen out any great cause of sorrow in their time, so they haue put this in practise, as wee haue seene by manie examples: wee must thinke, that the same comman­dement bindeth vs to the like practise, when any such occas [...]on of time shall befall vs, and that their practise must be our imitation.

This is, and hath beene a long time, [Page 182] of great sorrow vnto vs, [...]hat cause [...] common [...]rrow we [...]iue in our [...]ne. if we did right­ly consider of things, as we should: for if there had beene nothing else, but the losse of so gratious, vertuous, & peace­able a Queene, of whose religious, wise, & peaceable gouernmēt we haue had experience these 45. yeeres, that one thing might haue put sufficient sorrow into vs, to cause vs to haue humbled our selues before God in fa­sting and praier for our great vnthank­fulnesse, and other sinnes, which were the cause of it: But when vnto that losse which yet it hath pleased the Lord most mercifully to supplie, by causing our soueraigne Lorde King Iames so quietly to possesse his heri­tance of this crowne, whose royall per­son, and noble progenie the Lord pre­serue and blesse for euer) when vnto this losse (I say) there hath beene ad­ded presently vpon the necke of it, so great a plague and pestilence, as wee haue not knowen, nor hath beene heard of in the daies of our forefa­thers, [Page 183] that, it should continue so long, and in that extremity that it hath done, as to die weekely so many thou­sandes in this lande, and thus from weeke to weeke; and the same not onely to be in one chiefe and mother citie of this realme, but also in al other almost of account, and in townes cor­porate, yea in the sea-coast townes al­so exceeding much, so that many hou­ses in them are left empty and desolate without inhabitant:Especially [...] respect of this great and long co [...] tinued pest [...] lence. and it is also in many villages, and small townes: so that it is dispersed almost all the land ouer, especially in these southerne parts, and scarcely anie shiere or coun­trey is free from it: Such a thing as al­most hath not beene heard of among vs: So that wee say of it, as the pro­phet Ioel speaketh of that great af­fliction, that was in his time: who to mooue them to a most serious and deepe consideration of that hande of God, that was then verie heauily vp­on them, saith on this wise:Ioel. 1.2. Heare [Page 184] O yee Elders, and harken all yee inha­bitants of the lande, whether such a thing hath beene in your daies, or in the daies of your fathers; tell your children of it, and let your children shew it to their children, and their children to another generation: and then he doth at large describe the cala­mitie that was vpon them: but before hand hee telleth them, as wee haue heard, that it was such a strange thing, as neither themselues nor their fathers had seene, nor their posteritie should after them, but he memorie of it was to be kep [...] from age to age, euen to all posteritie.

So we may say of this mortall pesti­lence▪ and pestilent mortalitie, that the like was neuer in our dayes, nor in the dayes of our f [...]thers, the ol [...]est man or woman that liueth can not of their owne knowledge make relation of the like: so that we haue great cause neuer to forget it, but to keepe the memorie of it with profit to our selues: and also [Page 185] to tell it to our children & to our chil­drens children, that they may thinke of it also, & wisely to applie it to them­selues, and so to profit by our harmes: that we all the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham may do,Gen. 18.19 as it is sayd of him, namely, Command our sonnes and our households after vs, that they keepe the way of the Lord, and doe righteousnesse, that God may not on­ly keepe from them all his plagues, but bring vpon them all that good which hee hath promised to those that feare him. Seeing then that the hand of the Lord is more heauie vpon vs, and vpon our brethren this way, then euer we or our fathers haue felt or knowen it, we must needs confesse, that vnlesse we be senselesse and hard-hearted,And so, ho [...] iust cause th [...]re is of publike fa­sting and prayer. we haue great cause to sorrow, and to mourne, and so to know the day of our visitati­on: & so to acknowledge this to be the very time, that God requireth of vs fa­sting and prayer, and all kinde of hu­miliation, that possibly can be. So that [Page 186] if euer we should do it, now we ought; and if there be any time fit for it, this time of so great and so long affliction, and so consequently of so great sorow, weeping and mourning, is most fit for it. Therefore if now we should neglect it, and spend away the time in feasting & in all kinde of mirth and iollitie (as it is to be feared,Esa. 22.12. that too many do) euen as the wicked in former times haue done, there would be more than too great likelihood, that not onely this plague should continue and increase, but some more grieuous punishment should come vpon vs heereafter: and all of vs must needs haue iust cause to feare it. In the time of the law, they were not onely commanded to cele­brate the Passeouer yeerely, but to keepe it at the time that God had ap­pointed, and this he required so strait­ly, that if any had no let and impedi­ment (as if he should be cleare, [...]euit. 9.13. and not in a iourney) and yet should be negli­gēt to keepe the Passeouer, the same [Page 187] parson should be cut off from his peo­ple: because he brought not the offe­ring of Lord in his due season, that man should beare his sinne: if we then do not at this time, when God requi­reth it of vs, bring to him the obedi­ence of fasting and praier, and offer vn­to him in all humilitie (as the time re­quireth) the sacrifices of broken hearts, and contrite spirits, we can not onely not looke for any mercy according to our great need, but we may assure our selues of some further great punish­ment, if wee be not wholly destroyed, and cut off from his people. Therefore let vs not be like vnto those foolish Iewes, who knew not, nor regarded the time of their visitation, and so did not consider, either what mercie God offered vnto them, or what dueties he required of them in that time; of whō our Sauiour Christ iustly complaineth in the Gospell, and vttereth his com­plaint out of the abundance of his loue with many teares, saying,Luk. 19.42 O if thou [Page 188] hadst euen knowen at the least in this thy day those things that belong to thy peace, but now are they hidden from thine eyes. So wee should now be ignorant, what God requireth of vs at this time, and not do it.

Let vs then be perswaded vpon the former reasons, commandements, and examples, that howsoeuer God at o­ther times giueth vs libertie, to feast, and to reioyce, and to vse his benefits not onely for necessity, but for delight, according to the sundrie causes of mirth (which by his blessings is be­stowed vpon vs) he shall offer vnto vs: yet at this time, it being a time of so great affliction, and so of sorrow e­uerie where, as hath not bene knowne or heard of, whiche they doe best know that haue beene vnder the hande of God, and we our selues cannot altogi­ther be ignorant of it; let vs bee per­swaded I say, that the Lord requireth of vs fasting, and mourning, and great humiliation, that so we may doe that [Page 189] that we doe in faith, and in obedience to his holy commandement, and that most willingly also, that he might ac­cept it at our handes and reward vs for it.

And heere againe by the waie we may easily iudge of the fastes held in the time of poperie and ignorance,In poperie this diffe­rence of time for fasting was wholly neglected. namely that they were according to the blindnesse of that time both igno­rantly imposed vpon mens conscien­ces, and also verie superstitiously obei­ed: when as they made no difference or choise of times, but without all di­scretion appointed the time of Lent, and all Ember weekes, (as they call them) and euery Saints eeuen yeerelie to be fasted; let the times be then as they will be: not considering whether the time be or shall be a time of ioy or sorrow, of weeping or of reioicing; as a time of peace or of warre, a time of sicknesse or of health, a time of dearth or of plentie, or generally a time of prosperitie or of aduersitie: & this they [Page 190] doe, not for ciuill pollicie (as we keepe them) but of meere consciene, inioy­ning all men vnder the paine of sinne, and fearefull curse of the Pope, vpon such and such daies, yeerely to fast, e­uen vnto their dying daie; when as it may fal out, for ought that they know, that such times may be full of causes of reioicing publikely or priuately, & so feasting were more fit for them 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 [Page 191] 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 [Page 192] of the wise Physitian in time conueni­ent, but [...]e patient in taking of it must not neglect the [...]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 [Page 193] minde to doe it, how long the time of our fast should last:The time o [...] a fast must be longer or sh [...]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 [Page 194] 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, [...]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 excep­ [...]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, [Page 195] 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 Leuit [...]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 [Page 196] appeareth the foolishnesse of popish fastes, [...]he popish [...]sts were [...]t for a [...]ece of the [...]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 whē 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 [Page 197] deeper humiliation,Sometimes fast must continue t [...] 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:H [...]st. 4.1 [...] 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 [Page 198] 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 [...]f God it be otherwise with vs, yet vndoub­tedly in respect of this visitatō 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 ma [...]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 [Page 199] 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 th [...] 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 [Page 200] 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 r [...]st from the ordinary worke [...]f our [...]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 [Page 201] 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 ar [...] 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: [Page 202] 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 be­ [...]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 [Page 203] 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 rem [...]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 of God.Leu. 23.27. So likewise Moses speaking of the day of fast, sayth, It shalbe 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 [Page 204] 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 [Page 205] 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, [Page 206] 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 [Page 207] 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 vpō 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 vpō one day, and serue God vpon an other, and not [Page 208] 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 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 [Page 209] 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 cō ­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 [Page 210] God, praier vnto him, and all medita­tion and good conference that might further them thereunto: [...]he seuerall [...]undes of [...]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 not serue him in that kinde of fasting that our selues doe de­sire. All fastes therefore are of two sortes, they are either priuate or pub­like,The one priuate, the o­ther publike. either vsed of one person man or woman, or of some one familie and household, or of some fewe priuate [Page 211] persons in one family, or out of diuers, according to the seuerall neede that they shall finde in themselues, or see to be in other: or else vsed of an whole Church & congregation publikely in a towne, or of many Churches in the same towne or citie, and so is com­mon to them all: or of diuers Chur­ches in a countrie, or realme accor­ding to the affliction that is, or like to be vpon a towne, citie, countrie, or realme, and that not onely their own, but some other, as their neighbour townes, or countries, or generally a­nie part of the Church of God, and so are mooued to it, not onely in respect of themselues, but of some others, in loue, and desire to succour them. And vnto both there kindes all that hath beene hitherto saide of fasting doth truely and properly appertaine, both for the commandement of God bin­ding them to it, and for the nature of it, wherein it consisteth, that it should be kept strictly after the maner that [Page 212] hath beene saide, and for the time when, and how long it should be held, and how during that time we shoulde be occupied; and so it shall be suffici­ent once to haue set them downe ge­nerally, which must be practised of all that celebrate anie fast, either publike or priuate; & so it shall not be needful in handling of the seuerall kinds, to in­treat of anie of thē particularly againe.

[...]hat a pri­ [...]ate fast is.That I might speake therefore or­derly, I will first speake of a priuate fast: which is that that is vndertaken and held by some priuate person, man or woman, rich or poore, of what cal­ling or degree soeuer, prince or peo­ple; or of a priuate familie, or some few in the same, or out of diuers hous­holds gathered together vpon their owne priuate motion; yet orderly and in the feare of God, according to anie calamitie, that shall be vpon them, or they shall haue iust cause to feare, or as they shall be [...]ouched and mooued in compassion more then other with the [Page 213] calamitie of the Church or common­weale, wherein they liue, or with the miserie of some particular persons in the same, or of other Churches and the members thereof. And that there ought to be such priuate fastes, it is most apparant out of the Scripture: for as the Lord doth by threatning or sending publike calamities,That there ought to be priuate fast call whole countries and nations to a publike fast, that when the cause is common to all, all might humble themselues for it, as we haue seene in the prophet Ioel, Ioel 2. Ionah 3. Hest. 4. and as was practised among the Niniuites, and also among the Iewes in the time of Queene Hester, where because the punishment present, as of famine; or threatned, as vtter destruction of them all, was generall, therefore all were willed to fast, and all did so: So if there be any calamitie vpon any particular person, or priuate persons, they must thinke by the like proportion, that God calleth them vnto it, and that they stand bound to submit them­selues [Page 214] to this ordinance, though others doe not, neither haue they any such cause: or as the Lord shall giue them to see, and to feele more then other the afflictions of their brethren, and so are more willing as fellow mem­bers of the same bodie to mourne for them, then others, who through ig­norance or hard heartednesse are not so well affected towards them. And of these priuate fastes doth our Sauiour Christ speake in the Gospell:Math. 6.16. When yee fast, looke not sower as the hypo­crites; for they disfigure their faces, that they seeme vnto men to fast: Verily I saie vnto you, they haue their reward: but when thou fastest annoint thine head,How we ought to be­haue our selues in pri­uate fast [...]s. and wash thy face, that thou seeme not vnto men to fast, but vnto thy father, which is in secret, and thy father which seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. Where hee condemneth the hypocrisie of those, who in their priuate fastes, when they came abroad would make great shew [Page 215] of it, that they might be thought to be verie holie men; & to that end would so change by arte, the naturall colour and hue of their face, that they might seeme leane and without blood, as though they had greatly pined awaie themselues, with abstinence & fasting: and biddes them rather, seeing it is pri­uate, hide it, as much as they can, and to that end hee willeth them to looke cheerefully, & to dresse vp themselues well; for it is sufficient, that the Lord, who seeth all things, euen those that are done in secret, taketh knowledge of it, and he will reward them openly, though they haue no praise and com­mendation of men: as he had said be­fore of almes:Math. 6.3. Let not thy left hande know, what thy right hand doth, that thine almes may be in secret, and thy father that seeth in secret will rewarde thee openly: where he doth not disal­low of almes, but of their vaine osten­tation in it, who this way sought the praise of great charity among the peo­ple, [Page 216] and saith that is sufficient, that God knoweth it, who will openly re­warde euerie man according to his workes.

We haue a practise and example of this priuate kinde of fasting in the per­son of King Dauid: Sam. 12. when the Lord had stricken the childe with sickenesse, that was begotten in adulterie of Bath­shebah the wife of Vriah, because that was a particular punishment vpon himselfe, and hee did see the hand of God vpon himselfe very heauie in it, according to that which Nathan the Prophet had threatned against him be­fore, [...]auid kept a [...]iuate fast, [...]hen his [...]ulde lay [...]cke. (Because thou hast caused the e­nemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the childe that is borne vnto thee shall surely die) he humbled himselfe before the Lord alone by himselfe, and sought vnto him by fasting and prayer, that if it were possible according to his holy will he would spare him: and this he did alone by himselfe: for it is sayd, That he fasted,vers. 16. and went in, namely [Page 217] into his priuate chamber, and with­drew himselfe from all company, that hee might be alone, and hee did lie all night vpon the earth: and when the Elders & chiefe men of his house came vnto him, to perswade him to rise from the ground, and to eat meat, he would not, neither did eat meat with them. So that the rest of his householde did take their ordinarie food, but he fasted: And thus it seemeth he did more than one day, during the sickenesse of the child: for when it was dead, they were afrayd to tell him of it, saying, while the child was aliue, we spake vnto him, and hee would not hearken vnto our voice, that is, he would not giue ouer fasting, though they earnestly intrea­ted him. So that whiles the childe laye sicke hee continued his fasting and prayer vnto the Lorde for the life of it for the space of diuers daies, for it died not vntill the seuenth day after that it fell sicke. Which god­ly fast of his doth shew, that if any shal [Page 218] haue any af [...]liction vpon them, and so the Lord giue them cause of sorrow, and of humiliation more than others, or which others haue not at all, no not they which are of the same familie, then they are for a time to put them­selues apart as it were from the rest, and in priuate fasting and prayer to seeke vnto the Lord for mercie, more than others,So did Ahab when Gods iudgement was denoū ­ced against him. as Dauid did heere. So is it sayd also of Ahab King of Israel, that when the Prophet Elijah had sharplie rebuked him for his sinnes, & denoun­ced the curse of God against him and his whole familie for it,1. King. 21.20. saying, Thou hast solde thy selfe to worke wicked­nesse in the sight of the Lord; there­fore Beholde, sayeth the Lord, I will bring euill vpon thee, and will take a­way thy posterity, and wil cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, as well him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israel, and so foorth, as it followeth in that place.vers 27. When A­hab heard those wordes, hee rent his [Page 219] clothes, and put on sackecloth vpon him, and fasted, and lay in sackecloth, and went softly. Thus because the wrath of the Lord appeared speciallie against him for his sinne, though he proclamed no publike fast thorow his kingdome, yet he saw that it was high time for himselfe at the least to practise it.So ought all other men and women doe in the like case. Therefore if any shall haue fallen into any grieuous sinne, as these two Kings had, whereby the Lord by the ministerie of his Word threateneth a­gainst them some notable punishment, and their owne consciences tell them, that they haue iustlie deserued it, or some grieuous thing is alreadie befal­len them, then they must know it to be their bounden dutie to seeke, to turne away the wrath of the Lord from thē ­selues, and from their houses, by pri­uate fasting and prayer; and they must not onely acknowledge, that the Lord requireth, that they should humble themselues before him in fasting, and so could be contented, that there were [Page 220] some publicke fasts then, whereunto they might resort, and thinke them­selues discharged, because there bee none, and so tarie vntill some by pub­like authoritie vpon some occasion be cōmanded; but because it is their own case onely, and none others, they must see what God requireth of them alone.

Reasons to persuade men to pri­uate fasting.And truly if all men would thus do, they might preuent manie of Gods heauie iudgements, which otherwise befall themselues and theirs: but often times many sinnes are most grieuously committed, and Gods holy law bro­ken, not onely by some one in a fami­lie, but by diuers, both gouernours, children, and seruants; as adulterie, fornication, and other vncleannesse, drunkennesse and gluttonie, swearing and blaspheming the most holy name of God, contempt of Gods word and sacraments, besides all ruffianlinesse and prophannesse, pride, oppression and such like, and they doe not seeke priuately to humble themselues before [Page 221] God for them, when they breake out, and are iustly by Gods Ministers re­proued for them, but rather they go on obstinately, and stand in the defence of the same; they do not, I say, after some extraordinarie maner of fasting and prayer seeke feruently vnto the Lord, and so his iudgements breake out a­gainst them, and some plague or other entreth into their houses, which with their sinnes they haue defiled; that as the Cananites were spued out of that fruitfull land for their wickednesse,Leu. 18.28. so are they by sicknesse and death cast out of their goodly houses. Which kinde of wickednes cōmitted closely in hou­ses, as it was the principall cause that this late plague first entred into them, so in that respect some had iust cause to begin sooner and to continue longer their priuate fast, then by publike au­thority all were inioyned vnto it. For if Ahab who was an idolater, & a wic­ked man did then see, that now he had cause to fast, though other did not; [Page 222] then we, that are taught by the Word of God, should much more discerne of the times, and know, when in respect of our priuate sinnes and calamities present,The good that might redound to priuate fa­milies there­by. or iustly to be feared, we haue cause to fast and pray, though other do not. And if Ahab in thus doing did obtaine a release from this particular iudgement so farre foorth, that it was put off, and came not vpon his house in his dayes, according to that that is said of him by the Lord himselfe vnto Eli­iah: Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth him­selfe before me, I will not bring that e­uill in his dayes, but in his sonnes daies will I bring euill vpon his house. Then wee much more vsing this holy ordi­nance in sinceritie and trueth, might put far from vs, and from all ours, ma­nie grieuous plagues, which our sinnes haue deserued. Therefore let vs bee perswaded, that it is our bounden du­tie sometimes, not onely to giue our selues vnto priuate praier (which shuld [Page 223] be ordinarie and continuall) but euen to fasting and prayer. And this is that, which we reade of Dauid againe,2. Sam. 3.30. [...]hen Abner was traiterously slaine by [...]oab and Abishai his brother, because not only for the losse of so woorthie a cap­taine, but especially for that great sinne in murthering him,Dauid fa­st [...]d priuatly for the death of Abner. which might pro­cure Gods wrath against himselfe and his whole Realme; and that it might appeare, that hee was free from his blood, he not onely sorrowed greatly for his death, and prouoked the rest of the people thereunto (as it is sayd of him, Rent your clothes, and put on sackecloth, and mourne before Abner: and King Dauid himselfe followed the beere, and when they had buried Ab­ner in Hebron, the King lift vp his voice and wept besides the sepulchre of Ab­ner, and all the people wept) but also Dau [...]d the King did further humble himselfe by fasting that day, because he saw more into the hand of God, and was more touched with it: for it is [Page 224] written of him, That all the people came to cause Dauid to eat meat,vers. 35. while it was yet day; but Dauid sware, say­ing, So God do to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or ought else till the Sunne be downe: so that it is written of him, and of him alone, that in this common cause of heauinesse, hee not onely mourned with the rest, but fa­sted also, and praied vnto God (which is to be vnderstood, as a thing necessa­rily ioined vnto fasting, though not expressed) for this great sin, and for feare of Gods vengeance against it.

Dan. 9.2. Daniel fa­sted priuate­ly in the time of the captiuitie.Wee haue also a very cleere and pregnant example of priuate fasting, in the prophet Daniel, who when hee vnderstood by bookes the number of the yeeres, whereof the Lord had spo­ken vnto Ieremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seuentie yeeres for the desolation of Ierusalem: and so perceaued that the time of their deli­uerance was drawing on, he turned his face vnto the Lord his God, & sought [Page 225] by praier and supplications, with fa­sting and sackcloth, and after that the Lord according to his promise would now accomplish the same. The af­fliction of captiuitie was common, and so all ought to haue sought vnto God after this maner, aswell as hee, as they did in the daies of Hester: and it may be that some other that feared God, did so then also in their seuerall fami­lies: but as we are vncerteine of that, though charitie bindeth vs to hope well of them, so wee are sure, that Da­niel did priuately seeke vnto God in fa­sting and praier, both for himselfe, and for the people, because it is so written of him. Whereupon we inferre, that not onely when affliction is priuately vpon our selues, wee ought thus to seeke vnto the Lord, but when it is vp­on our brethren, especially when it is vpon the church and common-welth, and we ought then priuately to doe it the rather, because we should be more touched with the common estate, then [Page 226] with our owne particular; so that if in such cases there bee no order taken for publike fasting, then they that feare God, and know the day of their visi­tation, must thus priuately humble themselues before God, and mourne euery familie a part,Zac. 12.12. yea & their wiues apart, as the prophet speaketh. And so at this present in respect of that great mortalitie, that hath bene a long time in the chiefe places of this land,So ought the god [...] to do [...]n the ti [...]e of any [...]ommon ca [...]amitie, as of this pes [...]i­lence. if there had beene no order taken for publike fasting (as by the grace of God, and the Christian wisedome of our gouer­nour there is:) yet it was the dutie of all good men and women, priuately to haue done it: and so must we heereaf­ter doe in like cases: and I doubt not but some or other, yea many at this time, did thus before this godly and re­ligious order publikely came foorth. For though we may not disorderly vn­dertake, and set vp publike fasts in our churches vpon our owne priuate mo­tion, but must sue for, and expect the [Page 227] alowance & commandement of pub­like authoritie; that al things might be done in the house of God honestly & by good order,1. Cor. 14.40. according to the gol­den rule of the Apostle, or rather the spirit of God: yet if any do it priuate­lie, when there is cause, it shalbe both acceptable to God, and profitable to themselues and to others, and no of­fence vnto any. And for this also God will remember them, and shew mer­cie vnto them in such common cala­mities, as he shall bring vpon the peo­ple in their time: euen as the prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 9.4. doth promise to all those that mourned in Ierusalē, for the abhomi­nations of that time: of whom he thus speaketh, that the Lorde called to the mā clothed with linen, which had the writers inkehorne by his side, and said vnto him, goe through the middes of the citie, euen through the middes of Ierusalem,And God will spare them, and blesse them for it. and set a marke vpon the foreheads of them that mourne, and cry for all the abominations, that bee [Page 228] done in the middes thereof: and so to the other he said, that I might heare, goe yee after him through the citie, and smite, let your eie spare none, nei­ther haue pittie: destroie vtterlie the old, and the yoong, and the maides and the children, and the women, but touch no man vpon whom is the marke, and begin at my Sanctuarie. Where we see, that they are marked out, and spared, that mourne for the sinnes of their time; which must needs be vnderstoode principally of priuate mourning, vnto which in some one or other we may presume was ioined fa­sting. Therefore if when we see sinne abound in all sorts and degrees, (as it doth in our time too much) which threateneth some great iudgement v­niuersally to come (as wee haue also felt and doe still by this present pesti­lence (if the gouernors should be care­lesse and negligent in their offices, and so there should be no order taken for publike fasting to turne awaie Gods [Page 229] wrath; yet they that priuately sorrow, and mourne, and fast and praie, as they then ought, shall finde mercie at the hand of God, in the day of their visita­tion, as these in Ierusalem did.

But to returne to Dauid, 2. Cor. 11.27. Dauid faste [...] priuately fo [...] the afflictio [...] of his eni­mies. (of whom we beganne to speake before) as hee was a verie godlie man, so hee did much frequent this holy exercise of fasting: that it may truely be saide of him, as it is of the Apostle Paule, hee was in fasting often. And these fa­stings he vsed not onely for himselfe, but for others; so louing and pittifull was he, and so full of compassion: and so touched with the griefe of others, that when they were in any great mi­serie (as s [...]ckenesse, or otherwise) and these not his friends so much, but his verie enimies, he besought the Lorde for them: as we read in the 35. Psalm.Psal. 35.1 [...] They rewarded me euill for good, to haue spoiled my soule, but I, when they were sicke, I humbled my soule with fasting, and my praier was tur­ned [Page 230] vpon my bosome: I behaued my selfe as to my friends, or as to my bro­ther, I humbled my selfe mourning, as one that bewailed his mother. Where he professeth, that though his enimies reioiced at his fall, and sought his hurt euerie way, yet hee was sorie for their affliction, and praied for them conti­nually, as though hee had caried his praier about with him in his bosome, and this hee did, humbling himselfe with fasting: according to the do­ctrine of the Apostle,Rom. 12.15 which all of vs should practise. Reioice with them, that reioice, and weepe with them that weepe; bee of like affection one to­wards an other. And the like practise of his wee haue in an other Psalme,Psal. 69.9. where hee saith, The zeale of thine house hath eaten mee, and the rebukes of them that rebuked thee, are fallen vpon me:And for the wickednesse of the vn­godly. I wept, and my soule fasted, but that was to my reproofe, I put on sackcloth also, & I became a prouerbe vnto them. Where hee sheweth that [Page 231] hee was so greeued with the outragi­ous sinnes of the wicked against God, as if they had beene against himselfe, and so gaue himselfe vnto fasting and praier vnto the Lord for them. And truely if we had that zeale in vs to the glorie of God, and loue to the saluati­on of our brethren, that wee should; wee might see, that besides this grie­uous plague that is and hath beene not onely vpon our enimies (if wee haue anie) but vpon our neighbours & friends, which requireth publike fa­sting; wee had many causes to haue done it priuately often & long before this, in respect of the horrible abomi­nations and sinnes committed against God and against men euery where.

And that we might be mooued vn­to it indeed, we may further consider, that we haue not onely the example of men, but of godly women in this kind: who haue giuen themselues much vn­to priuate fasting. For we read in the Gospell of Anna the daughter of Pha­nuel, [Page 232] who was a Prophetesse,Luk 2.37. and a wi­dow of a great age, who went not out of the temple, but serued God with fasting and praier night and day.Anna the [...]rophetesse [...]sed much priuate fa­sting. This holie woman liuing in those corrupt times a little before the comming of our Sauiour Christ, when all things in the Church were out of order, did often humble her selfe before God in fasting and praier, and sought earnest­ly vnto God tor a redresse of them, & she did not hecrein loose her labour, but had the fruite of them; for it came to passe, that though she were a wid­dow. and about foure-score and foure yeres, yet she liued to see Christ come in the flesh, to her vnspeakeable com­fort, and confessed him likewise, and spake of him to all that looked for re­demption in Ierusalem to the comfort of many. Thus we see how we ought to haue fasted priuately oftentimes be­fore: so might we happely haue esca­ped at the least some great things, that haue befallen vs, and obtained manie [Page 233] great blessings, which now wee haue wanted: and also we see, what we must doe heereafter, if wee will looke to escape many euils, and enioy manie blessings with the children of God, and that at this present we had neede to doe, as wee doe, euen to continue these publike fasts, that so wee might make a supply of that, which we should often priuately haue done before.

Thus also in the daies of Queene Hester the fast that was kept by all the Iewes in Sushan, A priuate fast held in manie seuerall fa­milies at once. for the turning awaie of that great mischiefe, that was inten­ded against them by proud Haman, though it was cōmon in respect of the whole Church of God in that citie, that kept it yet it was priuate in respect of the seuerall places where it was kept, namely not in any cōmon place of assemblie, but in their seuerall hou­ses dispersed heere and there: so that Hester Hest 4.16. and her maides kept it by them­selues, as she promised for herselfe, and for them, euen as the rest of the [Page 234] Iewes were willed to doe it. [...]he duties of [...] houshoul­ [...]ers herein. So ought euerie godly houshoulder at the fore­sight of anie iudgement of God like to come vpon the Church, where they liue, in which if anie such thing should come, they must thinke, that they are like to haue their part, (as Mordecay saide, [...]est. 4 13. to Hester, Thinke not with thy selfe, that thou shalt escape in the kings house, more then all the Iewes) to seeke humblie vnto the Lorde, them­selues and theirs (so many as are capa­ble of it) by fasting and praier priuate­ly for the turning of it away, when there is no publike order taken for it, or likelihood that there shall be And this is that, which the Apostle hath respect vnto, when he thus writeth to the Corinthians, [...]. Cor. 7.5. Defraud not one ano­ther, except it bee with consent for a time, that you may giue yourselues to fasting and praier, and again come to­gether, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinencie. Where hee spea­keth to the maried parties, the house­band [Page 235] and the wife, and sheweth what duties they owe one to another,1. Cor. 7.3. as Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence, and likewise also the wife vnto the husband: yet for fasting and praier they may and ought for that time & with both their consents separate themselues. So that there may be occasions in all times, for which the husband and the wife themselues a­lone, or with the rest of their familie, or with some other of their godly neighbors and friends may and ought to giue themselues priuately to fasting and praier: and then the apostle shew­eth, how the maried coople should for a time in one dutie of theirs behaue themselues one toward an other.

And truely if wee had rightly consi­dered of all things that haue fallen out in our time, and well weighed them,Priuate fa­sting ought to be inter­tained into mens houses. and laide them to hart, we might ease­ly haue seene long agoe, that God had giuen vs iust occasion, to haue in­tertained this speciall part of his wor­ship [Page 236] into our houses, as well as anie o­ther, though hitherto it had little or no intertainment at all with the most, nay they haue not once so much as sa­luted it a farre off: And as by the grace of God wee haue in many houses, where the Gouernours are anie thing religious, priuate praier morning and euening, and at other times, priuate reading of the Scriptures, priuate sing­ing of Psalmes, so ought we also som­times to haue priuate fasting. For whē the Lorde hath laide some grieuous sickenesse, euen vnto death vpon anie of our children, sonnes or daughters, (as he did vpon Dauids) then shoulde we haue with fasting & praier sought vnto the Lord for them,1. Sam. 12.15. as hee did: 1 much more then, when others haue beene in that case,For what causes, and what good might come thereby. who haue beene neerer vnto vs, as the husband or the wife, who lie in the bosome one of another, and are but one, euen in the 2 neerest bond, as one flesh. But espe­cially when God hath taken any of [Page 237] them away, and so hath come neerer vnto vs with his correction, then had we much more cause thus in fasting to cast downe our selues at his feet in the humble confession of our sinnes which were the cause of it:2. Sam. 3.35. as Dauid did when Abner was slaine: if he did so for one that was so farre off from him, and had sometime also beene his enemie, then we much more for those, that haue beene neere vnto vs, and alwayes our friends, as of our familie, and of our flesh. And besides, when God hath 3 laid any speciall affliction vpō our ser­uants:Psal. 35.12. &. 69.9. for if Dauid did it for his ene­mies, then wee much more for those, whose seruice is not hurtfull, but pro­fitable vnto vs: yea, when any great 4 sinnes haue broken out in any of our houshold, which haue threatned some grieuous iudgement of God to enter in vpon vs for it: or when wee haue seene sinne openly abound in others. And if all men had thus done, it might not onely haue kept this great plague [Page 238] out of many houses, but many other great punishments, wherewith (for want of it) they haue beene iustly affli­cted. 5 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 thē 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 [Page 239] 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, [Page 240] 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 hūble 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, [Page 241] 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 [Page 242] his Disciples for not vsing this priuate fasting as yet, [...]ut in this [...]ng and [...]leere light [...]f the G [...]spel [...]gnorance [...]xcuseth [...]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 [Page 243] 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 [Page 244] 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 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. [Page 245] 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 [Page 246] to their gouernors (by defrauding thē 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 thē 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, [Page 247] 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 [Page 248] 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 ser­ [...]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 [Page 249] obedient vnto thē in such cases: espe­cially whē 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. [Page 250] 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; & [Page 251] 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 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 thē. And this must be the practise of all inferiors, when they are forbidden any thing of their [Page 252] 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 [Page 253] 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 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: 1 and is so called, because [Page 254] 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 2 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) 3 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: 4 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 [Page 255] the Lord according to the bond of Christian loue, that ought to bee a­mong all the Churches of God, as [...] ­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: [Page 256] 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 [Page 257] 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. 20.1 [...] 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, [Page 258] which are of the nature of the Sab­bath, and are also publikely comman­ded, all should thinke thēselues 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 alone, and bring none, or verie few of their household with them.Reasons why all should come, and not a few onely. For besides that it is appointed by our go­uernors, vnto whom all must yeeld o­bedience in the Lord, and they also haue power and authoritie ouer all a­like: and seeing that the end of it is to turne away that wrath and displeasure of the Lord, which is iustly deserued of all; and as it is alreadie vpon many, so it threatneth and terrifieth all, why [Page 259] should not all thinke thēselues bound, to seeke to haue it turned awaie? So that no man must bee so simple, to thinke it indifferent for them to keepe it, or not to keepe it, and so make no conscience of it: but seeing it is com­mon in respect of the commandement of our gouernors, and in respect of the cause of it, which is our sinnes, all should thinke that they are tied in con­science to it: and so euery one should stirre vp themselues to bee foreward, and one call vpon an other, especially them of the same household: that they may come with their companies as Dauid did, who saith of himselfe,Psal. 42.4. that he had gone with the multitude, and lead them into the house of God, as a multitude that keepeth a feast: So that as men goe to feasts not alone, but by companies; and when a whole fami­lie is inuited, they go altogether: so al­so should they goe to a fast, wherein publikely all of them are called vnto it. Therfore as God threatneth destructi­on [Page 260] not to some few, but to all vnlesse they repent: and all are commanded to seeke vnto him, to pacifie his wrath so let al be willing to do it: especially see­ing that we heere, and see, that when this iudgement of the pestilence en­treth into an house, it taketh awaie not one, or two only, but somtimes sweep­eth away all.

What a great fault it is, for any to absent themselues from these publike fasts.Therefore if we make conscience of the Sabbath daies, not onely to come our selues, but to bring all ours, be­cause it is commanded by God vnto all: then ought we also to doe it vpon this day, which is to be kept as a Sab­bath by the commandement of those who are in Gods stead vpon earth. So that they that absent themselues, be­sides that they neglect the meanes of pacifying Gods deserued wrath, and so in time it may iustly come vpon thē, before they bee aware of it; they doe further prouoke his displeasure and in­dignation against themselues, in that they disobey so good, and holy, and [Page] necessarie a commandement of God: Therefore vpon this day of fasting thus authorised vpon so good grounds for men to follow their ordinarie af­faires of the worlde, and not to come to the Church, and heere in this holy action to yeeld their obedience to god and man, is a greater sinne, then manie take it to be. Thinke of it therefore I pray you in the feare of God, and con­sider well, whether that the cause be­ing common vnto all, and the com­mandement being giuen out vnto all, and the time and place appointed for all, and the sound of the bell ringing in the eares of all, and the Minister of God ready to preach vnto, & praie for all: consider (I saie) whether in respect of these all should not come, and why one should be bound to it more then another, and one thinke that hee may bee spared more then another.As if they should refu [...] to helpe, to quench the fire burni [...] in mens houses. To a common burning all should come to helpe to quench it, and one or two of an house is not sufficient, & we would [Page] iustly blame them that in such a case would not leaue their ordinary worke, yea though they were verie poore, and liued of their labour, and come to the place and helpe. And shall wee not thinke, that all are bound much more to lay all things aside, and to come, & put to their helping hand, to quench this great fire of Gods wrath, which hath flamed out and burned a long time in manie townes and cities, and in seuerall parts of the same? and like vnto fire, not onely consumeth where it commeth, and maketh the houses lie waste; but also goeth from place to place, speedily and without resistance, and so spreadeth further and further, so that manie men haue this burning fire of the pestilent feauer in their houses at once, not so much to the wasting of their houses and stuffe, as to the burn­ing euen to death the very bodies of men, women, and children: and that with an exceeding great flame, that none almost dare come neere their [Page 203] houses, least they perish in the same. Surely if there were no commande­ment, from men, the very loue to the liues of our brethren should compell vs to it, and nothing should keepe vs from it.

For what hardnesse of heart would we thinke to bee in them,Not to come argueth great want of loue to our brethren. who seeing their neighbours house on fire, and o­thers come wilingly to quench it, they would stande still gazing and looking on, or goe away about their businesse, and not regard it? especially if hee should be spoken vnto, and called vp­on for helpe before. So nowe when this great and terrible fire of Gods in­dignation hath most fearefully beene a long time in the houses of our bre­thren, and is also come neerer vnto vs, euen to our neighbours, the houses or townes bordering vpon vs: when o­thers do come hither with fasting and praier to intreat the Lorde for them, that hee would put out this great flame, who as hee alone hath kindled [Page] this fire, so he onely is able to quench it: some will carelesly tarie at home, or not bring all their household with them, and so not yeeld so much helpe, as they might especially being called vpon both by the commandement of Gods magistrates, and by the intreaty of his Ministers, must we not thinke that they haue not this loue in them to their brethren, that they shoulde? Therefore come, come, I beseech you, helpe, helpe, come all, for there is helpe little enough, yea too little. For (to shew it in the same comparison) if we did see a fire,Euerie one ought to helpe, seeing [...]hat there is helpe little enough. though it had much helpe, notwithstanding all the water that was cast vpon it, and al the paines that men tooke about it, it should not onely not be extinct, but still burning, yea increasing, and the flame thereof ascending higher and higher, and it to kindle and breake out in more places, would we not call for more helpe, and iustly blame them that being called did not come? So when wee see this [Page] fire of the pestilence not to be ceased one whit, nay growing into greater extremitie and rage in manie places, from scores to hundreds, & from hun­dreds to thousands; and comming al­so neerer to our houses, and so our selues and all ours more in danger and feare of it, must we not thinke that we lacke helpe, and that we had need still to call for more? and so to stir vp those that come not, or come seldome, and to call vpon them that doe, that they would bring as manie with them as they can, euen their whole familie and all the seruants in the same? And doe we not see by this, that it is our boun­den dutie to do as we do, that we may continue it willingly of conscience, and that we had not need to be remisse or slacke one whit, either in true humi­litie for our sinnes, or in feruencie of praier, seeing Gods hand is not slaked, but rather stretched out still. There­fore to conclude this point, as the commandement and cause is publike, [Page 266] so by our practise let it appeare among vs, that our fasts are so, and not priuate as it were to some few.

[...]he cause of [...]ublike fasts [...] the wrath [...]f God a­ [...]ainst the [...]hurch.Now concerning the causes of pub­like fastings, they are set downe parti­cularly to be diuers in the holy Scrip­ture; but for the most part and gene­rally the cause is expresly noted to be the wrath and anger of God against the Church, as appeareth by all the fasts that we reade of in the old & new Testament. And this is diligently to be obserued of vs, that wee seeing the same cause among vs, might knowe, that though wee are commanded by publike authoritie to vse them, and so all are bound to them, yet when wee shall further vnderstand, that God himselfe, not man onely, for this cause calleth vs vnto them, then wee should iudge, that all are bound vnto them so much the more. And this wrath of God (the cause of publike fasts) is con­sidered 1 two waies, either that which is 2 alreadie come vpon men, or which is [Page] iustly to be feared shortly; and to whe­ther of these two causes wee shall cast our eyes, we shall clearely see, that we haue great cause to do as we do, that is, publickely to humble our selues in fasting before the Lord.And first of all, when it i [...] presently vpon them. Iudg. 20.26 For concer­ning the former, which is the wrath of God presently vpon the Church, wee reade in the time of the Iudges, when in two battels there were slaine of the Israelites fortie thousand; this heauie hand of God being then vpon them, all the children of Israel went vp, and all the people came also vnto the house of God, and wept, and sate there be­fore the Lord, and fasted that day vnto the euening: so that in this present ca­lamitie all the people came to the fast, which was held for it in the house of God. Since this plague began among vs, by all estimation there haue not so few as forty thousand died in this land, therefore wee haue also as great cause to fast for this present apparent token of Gods wrath, as they had, and so all [Page] the people should come to the house of God to that end. Moreouer, the Prophet Ioel sayth to the people of Iu­dah, that seeing there was so great a famine among them, that God com­manded them all publikelie to fast, say­ing,Ioel 2.15. Thus saieth the Lord, Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctifie a fast, call a solemne assemblie, gather the people, sanctifie the congregation, gather the elders, assemble the children, and those that sucke the breasts, let the bride­grome goe forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bride chamber, let the Priests, the Ministers of the Lord weepe. Where we see that be­cause the present scarsitie of the fruits of the earth was so great, he calleth all sorts of men and women, yoong and olde, without exception vnto publike fasting, to pacifie Gods wrath, and that by the commaundement of the Lord, saying,As it is now vpon vs in this pesti­lence. Thus saith the Lord. If the an­ger of God appearing in the famine, was a sufficient cause to moue them to [Page 269] it, then seeing it appeareth no lesse, if not a great deale more, in the deadlie contagions, and mortalitie of the pe­stilence, that we may be assured that the Lord doth require the same of vs also. Againe, if the Israelites when they were ouerthrowen in battle by their enimies the Philistins in the daies of Samuel, did thinke that there was great cause to confesse their sinnes vn­to God with all humilitie in fasting & praier publikely, according to the dire­ction of the said Samuel, 1. Sam 7.6. who said, Ga­ther al Israel to Mizpeh, and I wil pray for you vnto the lord: & they gathered togither to Mizpeh, and drew water, & powred it out before the Lord, that is, wept abundantly, and fasted the same day, and saide there, wee haue sinned against the Lorde; and afterwards in the daies of Dauid vpon the like occasi­on, of whom, and of all whose compa­nie, it is saide,2. Sam. 1.12 That Dauid tooke hold on his clothes and rent them, and like­wise all the men that were with him, [Page 270] and they mourned and wept, and fa­sted vntill euen for Saul and Ionathan his sonne, and for the people of the Lord, and for the house of Israel be­cause they were slaine with the sword. Then seeing the plague deuoureth no lesse then the sword, of which it is said, that it so destroieth at noone-daie,Psa. 91.7. that it causeth a thousand to fall on the one side, & ten thousand on the other: & seeing the wrath of God ap­peareth in the one, as well, as in the o­ther, though wee haue escaped that which wee feared, namely, that wee haue not fallen into the handes of our enemies; yet seeing the Lorde hath sent this great scourge of the pesti­lence vpō vs which we looked not for, we haue as great cause to humble our selues with fasting, confessing our sins vnto God in praier,In which re­spect we are bound to keepe them by the com­mandement not onely of men, but of God. as they. So then we may perceiue, that seeing this one cause of publike fasting is among vs, namely the sensible and apparent to­ken of Gods wrath in great measure, [Page 271] that the thing it selfe ought to be pra­ctised of vs, and that we are called to it now, not onely by the voice of man, but of the Lord our God, and so euery one ought to thinke themselues bound to it so much the more.

Furthermore the wrath of God is to be considered of vs, not only when it is [...] presently vpon vs, and may be felt:Secondly the signes of gods wrath to come haue beene cause of publike fasting. but whē it maybe descerned a far off, and when there is iust cause to fear it, as that that is neere vs, and readie shortly to come vpon vs, if it be not speedily preuented: whereof when the seruants of God haue seene euident signes and apparent tokens, they haue in the wisedome of the spirit of God, sought by fasting and praier to turne it away, and haue not carelessely ta­ried vntill such time as it came vpon them. And so that hath beene an o­ther sufficient cause of fasting vnto them, namely the signes of Gods wrath by al likelihood shortly to come vpon them. Wherein they haue pro­uidently [Page 272] behaued themselues, like vn­to those that are wise, who being in their iourney, and spying a blacke cloud to arise, & so perceiuing some great tempest to be at hande, haue ei­ther prepared themselues well for it, or haue sought some shelter against it: So they foreseeing by all probable coniectures so great calamity to come vpon them, haue by fasting and praier sought vnto the Lord, as to the onely gouernour and disposer of all things, either of his great mercy to turne it a­way from them, or of his infinite compassion to mitigate the extremity of it, or to giue them patience and strength to beare it, or that some way or other they might finde fauour with him in it.

And concerning the signes and to­kens of Gods wrath shortly to come, they haue wisely obserued and consi­dered of them diuersly: As first of all in the course of his prouidence, that seeing ordinarily such and such causes [Page 249] doe bring forth such effects & euents, and therefore by the cause, as by a signe more then probable,Which signe haue beene considered in the ordinary course of gods prouidence. they haue not vnaduisedly feared such sequels, and haue seene Gods anger in them. And namely we see that vnseasonable weather, as want of raine in due sea­son, or too great aboundance of it out of time betokeneth scarsity of the fruites of the earth, and so consequent­ly dearth and famine: preparation for warre by a mightie and strong enimie threatneth the losse of men, and spoil­ing of goods: the beginning of the plague portendeth great mortalitie, and such like, therefore when there hath beene but the beginning of such things, seeing the stormie tempest as it were arising, they haue sought by this ordinance of fasting, as by a sure re­fuge to escape it. And so we read that when there came some and told Ieho­shaphat King of Iudah, saying,2. Chr. 20.2 There commeth a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea out of Aram, [Page 292] and behold they be in Hazzon Tamar, which is in Engedi. And Iehoshaphat fe­feared, & sat himselfe to seeke the Lord & proclaimed a fast throughout all Ju­dah: & Iudah gathered themselues to­gether to aske coūsel of the Lord, they came out of all the cities of Iudah to inquire of the Lord. Thus we see when this huge armie of the Ammonites & Moabites, and mount Seir did but come vp against Ierusalem at the first hearing of it, though yet nothing was done, neither were they come to them considering what was likely to be the euent of that warre, if they had pro­ceeded, and if the Lord had not hol­pen them, he proclaimed a fast, and did thus seeke to escape that, which was like to come. So likewise in the time of the captiuitie, when ambiti­ous and cruell Haman the mortall eni­mie of the Iews, so breathed after their vtter destruction, that he ceased not to cast lottes from day to day, to finde out a prosperous time to bring his mis­chieuous [Page 293] purpose to passe, and at the last had got the King to set his hande to a Decree concerning the finall ra­cing of them all out in one daie; and Mordecay had sent the copie of this commission to the Queene Hester: Hest. 4.6. long before the bloodie day of that in­tended massacre came, they sought vn­to the Lorde;And so they haue sought to preuent Gods wrath and haue not ta­ried, till it came vpon them. for Hester commanded heereupon that they should assemble all the Iewes, and fast and pray for her, as she likewise promised for herselfe & for her maides, that they woulde doe so also: So that these before their eni­mies began the slaughter, by all pro­bability of that that was done already, seeing what was most like to insue, if God were not mercifull vnto them, to turn the hart of the king towards thē, before-hand they sought by fasting & praier to escape it; and did so, as it fol­loweth in that storie more at large. And so by these few examples we see how the seruants of God that haue beene godly wise haue not alwaies [Page 294] taried vntil Gods wrath in some of his punishments hath seased vpon them, but the very foresight of it a loofe of hath bin enough to moue thē to seeke vnto the Lorde in fasting and praier to escape it, or to finde mercie in it. Euen as an ingenuous childe, and he that is of anie good disposition seeketh to his father for pardon, not onely when he is vnder the rodde of correction, and feeleth the stripes, but when hee seeth his father with an angrie counte­nance comming towards him with the rodde in his hands: so they haue not taried till they haue felt the smart of Gods correction vpon themselues: but the verie shew of his wrath com­ming against them, hath beene suffi­cient to moue them, to humble them­selues before him, and to craue his pardon.

In which respect also (besides that, that we spake of before) we must needs confesse, that wee haue great cause to fast and pray publikly; for besides that [Page] great wrath of God, that hath beene a long time vpon our brethren,In respect of Gods wrath likely yet further to come vpon v [...], there is cause of these publike fasts. which is a thing present, and so ought to moue; if we further consider, what cause wee haue to feare our selues, our houses, and our townes, though hitherto by the grace of God nothing is come vp­on vs we, shall acknowledge it to bee true. And to this end we must acknow­ledge the nature of this disease to be very contagious and infectiue aboue all other, and that it spreadeth from one place to another after a speciall maner; and that it infecteth also after an extraordinarie kinde; as not onely 1 by touching, and eating and drinking with them, and keeping them compa­nie that are sicke of it, as some other diseases doe; but euen by the breath that we draw in, which as it is the most common nourishment that wee haue, and without the which wee can not liue, so it is most subtile and speedie a­boue all other; so that it worketh in vs with great expedition: whereupon it [Page] commeth to passe, that euen by passing by thē, euen suddenly with the breath and sauour of them that are infected, we are corrupted: and it is a poison, and so infecteth deadly and speedilie (as all poisons doe) all the parts of the body; [...]f we consi­ [...]er the con­ [...]agious na­ [...]ure of the plague, how speedily, and how deadly [...]t infecteth. and not so much corrupteth the humors of the bodie (which is suffici­ent to breed deadly diseases) as it infe­cteth the heart, and the spirits, and all the vitall parts; and therefore dispat­cheth a man quickely, and killeth him speedily; & so may die suddenly, as ex­perience teacheth euen in this plague, that some being taken into a mans house ouer night, haue beene found dead in the morning; and some haue fallen from their horses as they trauel­led, and so haue died in the hie waies, 2 And againe, it is like the leprosie that was among the Iews,Leu. 14.34. which did hang in their houses and in certaine vessels a long time; so it doeth remaine in the houses, and bedding, and garments of them that are dead a long time after, [Page 297] and so breaketh out at the last, some­times a moneth and a great deale more after, if good order be not taken to aire them, euen then, when they thought that all feare of danger was past. All which doe shew what danger we are in, though yet nothing be come vnto vs. And we may see it much more, if we consider how the Psalmist compa­reth it to an arrow that flieth from one place to another speedily, when hee saith, Thou shalt not be afraied of the 3 feare of the night,Psal. 91.5. nor of the arrow that flieth by day (speaking of the pe­stilence) so that as an arrowe flieth from one place quickely to another, so doth this.Flying a­broad spee­dilie and closely like an arrow. For a man shall come from one place to another a great way off, and passe thorow many townes with­out hurting of anie, though himselfe hath the plague, euen as an arrow shal flie aloft in the aire, and do no hurt, nor touch any thing: but then hee shall lodge or rest in such a towne twelue or twentie miles off or more, and there he [Page 298] sickneth and dieth, and leaueth the in­fection behinde him; euen as an ar­rowe shot by a strong man is there mortall where it lighteth, so is this ar­row of the Lord shot out by his migh­tie hand, who is skilfull to direct it to the place whither hee mindeth to send it: & so we may be in more danger thā we thinke, though we be a great way off, as a skilfull archer standing heere, shooteth his arrow a great way off to 4 the marke. And sometimes they that goe abroad with running sores about them, or hauing the infection in their garments, and seeming to others to be in health and without danger, haue in­fected others in the way as they haue gone, where they haue tarried but a small while, euen to eat and to drinke: euen as an arrow doeth often hurt by glauncing at a thing, besides the place, where it lighteth. Moreouer, such is the nature of this disease, that we may get hurt not onely by men liuing and dying, but euen by other creatures, [Page 299] which shall goe to, or come from such places as are infected, as cats & dogs most of all: and therefore in time of common plagues there is order taken in al cities or towns corporate, (which are well gouerned) to kill vp all dogs that are not shut vp, but runne abroad, of what nature, or kinde, or qualitie, or price soeuer they be, least by com­ming into mens companie they shuld spread abroad the infection: And we read that some onely but buying a dogs skinne in the market, and bring­in it home, they haue brought the pe­stilence into their house to the ouer­throw and destruction of the whole familie. Seeing then that it is, & hath beene a long time in so many places, there is no place so farre off from it, or so free, but hath iust cause to feare it more or lesse,And there­fore there is no place so cleere, whe­ther it may not speedily come. because there are so ma­ny open and secret waies to bring it, and so in the ordinarie course of gods prouidence all that haue wisedome may thinke it likely to come vp­on [Page] them in this time, if the Lorde be not mercifull vnto them. Therefore in respect of Gods wrath manifestlie appearing in this grieuous pestilence, though not yet vpon vs, through the infinite goodnesse and mercy of God, yet iustly to bee feared (as wee haue seene) wee must thinke and confesse, that wee haue great cause by fasting & praier to seeke vnto the Lord to turne that from vs before it come; which as our sinnes haue deserued, so wee see many means, to bring it speedily vpon vs, as other of his seruants haue done in the like case before. And thus much for this present (seeing the time cuttes me off from the rest) of the first signe and token of Gods wrath likely to come, obserued in the course of his prouidence as a sufficient cause of pub­like fasting.

HOMIL. IX.

THe last daie we entring into this treatise of the consideration of the causes of publike fa­stings, haue hitherto proceeded thus farre; to shew that the seruants of God haue beene mooued thereunto, not onely when some great punishment as a testimonie of Gods displeasure hath beene vpon them,The wrath of God to come, consi­dered in sinne, that hath aboun­ded, hath beene cause of publike fasts. but when in the course of nature, or of or­dinarie meanes to serue Gods proui­dence by, there hath beene some like­lihood of it: it remaineth that I should proceed. Therefore secondarily they [Page] haue considered of Gods displeasure likely to come vpon them, by seeing and obseruing diligently the manifold great sinnes, and notorious offences, which in their time haue beene com­mitted: for which they truely iudged, and feared that God must needs some waie punish them, according to the number and greatnesse of the same, though hee had borne with them a long time; and the longer that of his great patience he had forborne them, the greater and more speedie shoulde his punishment bee, according to his iustice. And this they haue certainely gathered from the constant trueth of Gods threatnings reuealed in his holy lawe, and from the continuall execu­tion of the same vpon others from time to time. Seeing then that the Lord is iust and true, and that he hath threatned to punish sinne so and so, as is largely set downe in the Lawe and the Prophets, specially the bookes of Moses, Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. when they haue seene sinne [Page 303] to abound, then they haue no lesse wisely, then certainely concluded, that wrath is at hand, because God is offen­ded. For euen as when all flesh had corrupted their waies vpon earth,Gen. 6. hee brought in the floud of water, and drowned the whole world: and when the crie of Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and their sinne exceeding grieuous,Gen. 18.20 the Lord rained brimstone and fire from heauen vpon them,Gen. 15.16. and ouerthrew them, and all the inhabi­tants of them: And when the wicked­nesse of the Ammonites and of the Canaanites was full,Iudg. 2.11. then the land spued them out: and when the Israe­lites in the time of the Iudges did wic­kedly in the sight of the Lord, and ser­ued, Baalim and Ashtarosh, the wrath of the Lord was hot against them, and he deliuered them into the hands of spoi­lers that spoiled them; and hee solde them into the hands of their enemies, round about them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. [Page 304] And in the time of the Kings for the same cause they were caried away cap­tiues into Babylon;2. Chro. 36.15. because the Lord sending his messengers to reclaime them from their sinne, rising earelie, because hee had compassion on them, they mocked the messengers of God, and misused his prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against them, and till there was no remedie: for he brought vpon them the Kings of the Chaldeans, who slew their yong men with the sword, in the house of their Sanctuarie, and spared neither yoong man, nor virgine, ancient nor aged; God gaue all into his hand: And at the last for refusing Christ and his ho­lie Gospell, they were vtterly destroi­ed by the Romanes: so that alwaies when sinne hath abounded, the wrath of God hath beene neere,Rom. 1.18. and readie to be reuealed from heauen a­gainst all vngodlinesse and vnrighte­ousnesse of men: and they that haue beene wise-hearted haue obserued it: [Page 305] and so this hath beene sufficient cause to mooue them by fasting and praier to seeke betimes to haue it turned a­waie.

And this they haue done euen then,Euen then, when out­wardly there hath beene no shew of danger. when there was no likelihood of anie euill to come vpon them in respect of any outward meanes that did portend it, but onely their sinnes (the cause of it) in respect of Gods iustice, did giue them cause to feare it. Thus did Ezra Ezr. 9.1. the priest and the rest of the Iewes that feared God, euen a verie great congregation, when he vnderstoode, that the Priests, Leuites, and the rest of the people had married strange wiues contrarie to the law of God, e­uen of the Canaanites, Hittites, Iebu­sites, Egyptians, and such like: he fea­red some plague to come vpon them for it, and so confessed their sinne vnto God, and craued pardon with all hu­militie and earnestnesse in fasting and praier: for he rent his clothes, and his garments, and pluckt off the haire off [Page 306] his head, and of his beard, and sate downe astonied: and there assembled vnto him all that feared the wordes of the God of Israel, because of the trans­gression of them of the captiuitie, and so he sate downe astonied with them vntill the euening sacrifice: and then he tell vpon his knees, and spread out his hands vnto the Lord God, & made that humble supplication for them, that followeth there.Ezr. 9.6. And after that, he arose vp from before the house of God, and went into a chamber, but he did neither eate bread, nor drinke water, for he mourned, because of the transgressions of them of the captiui­tie.Ezr. 10.6. Thus though in respect of all out­ward things they had great cause of reioicing, for he and many of the peo­ple were but newly returned out of their long captiuitie, and were come vp to Ierusalem from Babel, & Artah­shaste the King of Persia had thē giuen him all his request,Ezr. 7.6. according to the hand of the Lord his God, which was [Page 307] vpon him: yet in respect of the com­mon sinnes of their time they sound Gods wrath, and mourned for it, and by fasting and prayer sought to pre­uent it. If we then had but eyes to see, and hearts to consider of the innume­rable great sinnes of our time, which as a great floud haue ouerflowen the whole land, so that there is no place nor calling free from the same: but as it is sayd of the Israelites (The Priests and the people trespassed woonderful­ly) so it may be said of our time,2. Chro. 36.14. The commo [...] sinnes of ou [...] time might more vs to publike fa­sting, if there were nothing els. High and low haue woonderfully offended God: we might easily perceiue, that though there were no plague at all a­mong vs, or punishment vpon vs, nor any by all likelihood to be feared; yet for our sinnes, the crie whe [...]of is ex­ceeding grieuous in the cares of the Lord of hosts, and is ascended vp into the heauens long agoe, and calleth for vengeance against vs, as theirs of So­dom and Gomorrah did:Gen. 18.2 [...]. wee had iust cause to feare his wrath, and so by fa­sting [Page 308] and prayer to seeke speedilie to preuent it. For to let passe the strange mariages between the Protestants and Papists, which without any scruple of conscience are too frequently vsed, which seemed to be the onely sinne of that time, in the daies of Ezra, [...]zr. 9.2. that the people of God were so vnequallie yo­ked, and as it is said there, they had mi­xed the holy seed with the people of the landes. To let this passe, wee may with the Prophet beholde a thousand abominations more: [...]zek. 8.9. [...]8.15. for what peri [...] ­rie & blasphemie is there besides com­mon swearing? what intolerable pride in all sorts, euen like vnto Lucifer him­selfe? what swelling one against ano­ther? what enuie, heart-burning, ha­tred, malice, crueltie, oppression? what drunkennesse, and gluttonie, and sur­fetting? what abominable adulterie, fornications, and all kinde of vnclean­nesse with chambering and wanton­nesse? as though men had cleane for­gotten the Lord,1. King. 21.20. and solde themselues [Page 309] to doe euill. But to passe by all these things with silence, though they bee verie great, let vs looke but to this one thing, the generall contempt of Gods holie Word, that inestimable treasure of his Gospell, which he hath bestow­ed vpon vs, euen that precious p [...]rle,Math. 12.43. which when a man hath sound, hee should sell all that he hath, and buy it:Especially the generall contempt of the Gospell in all place [...] whether wee consider of those places, where it is not, how it is neglected, & not sought for of them, or where it is, how it is not there regarded; how ma­ny haue no care to preach it sincerelie, and more haue no care to follow it in their liues: so that the profession that is made of it, is more for estimation and credit, than of conscience and loue that then beare to it; and it is more in the head than in the heart, more in the tongue than in deed, more in shewe than in trueth. And a great number though they haue had it thus long, yet are not only not bettered thereby, but are a great deale worse than they were [Page 380] many yeeres ago. This open and ma­nifest contempt of the Gospell, I say, which is a greater sinne than all the sinnes of Sodom, [...]ath. 10. [...]. (For it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom and Go­morrah in the day of iudgement, then for them) we must needs confesse, that for it we had cause long agoe to feare the death of our most gracious soue­raigne Queene; and now since it hath happened, we may well say with Job, The thing that we feared, [...]b. 3.25. is come vp­on vs: and though the Lord hath mar­uellously and beyond all our hope 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 [Page] 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 [...] to come apearing i [...] his iudgement; denounced, haue been causes of publike s [...] s [...]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 [Page] 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; [...]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 frō his euill wa [...]es, they might bee spared in this which they saw, they had so great cause to [Page] 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 escap [...] 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 [Page] 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: [...]Ve haue not wanted this [...]ause of pub­like fasting, [...]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, [...]sa. 5.1. [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] 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 [Page] of his iudgements to come from time to time. Who though by the spirit of prophecie they could not foretel whē, 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 [Page 319] 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 [Page 320] 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 [...]raier, to escape this wrath. These & such like things haue not onely beene preached euerie [Page 321] 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 [...]ings turned away. For as Dauid whē [...]he prophet Nathan terrified his con­ [...]ience with the fearefull denuntiation Gods iudgement for his sinne, say­ [...]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. [Page 322] 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 [Page 333] 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 conclusio [...] 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 [Page 334] 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, euē the wrath of God appearing against his Church (as we haue seene before) haue considered & regarded this wrath of his to moue them thereunto, not onely against themselues particularly, but against o­thers also of the same societie and fel­lowship of true religion, that them­selues were of, through a mutuall fee­ling and compassion, which they haue one of another, as the liuely members of one and the same mysticall bodie, whereof Christ Iesus is the head,The wrath of God a­gainst other chur [...]hes haue mooued the god y to publike fa­sting. Rom. 12.15 and which he quickeneth by one spirit, ac­cording to the doctrine of Saint Paul: Reioice with them that reioice, and weepe with them that weepe, bee of like affection one towards an other. So that though they haue bene free from [Page 335] any token at all of Gods displeasure themseues, yet when they haue seene it lie heauilie vppon the shoulders of their brethren, they haue by fasting and praier put to their helping hand,Gal. 6.2. and haue sought to remooue it, that they might be eased; & so haue borne one anothers burden (as the Apostle saith) fulfilling therein the lawe of Christ. As appeareth by the fast, that was held at Antiochia, Act. 13.2. which was ta­ken in hande for the great miserie of the mother Church of Ierusalem, ra­ther then for any present calamity that was then in that citie. For it is shewed in the Chapterchap. 13.1. going before, that He­rod the King raised a great persecuti­on against that Church, and stretched out his [...]and to vexe it there, and first he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword: and when he saw that it pleased the people, hee proceeded further t [...] tak [...] [...]ter also, and when he had caug [...] him, he put him in prison, caused him to be bound with chaines, [Page 336] and deliuered him to foure quaterni­ons of soldiers to be kept: and what he would haue done to him, wee may ea­sily coniecture, if the Lord had not dis­appointed him, as it followeth in that Chapter: where is shewed how this cruell persecuting tyrant, when he was in the middest of his pride, and was cōtented to be saluted by his flatterers with the name of God, saying, the voice of God,vers. 22. and not of man, then the Angell of the Lord smote him; because he gaue not glorie vnto God, so that he was eaten vp of wormes, & gaue vp the ghost. Then presently the Euangelist maketh mention of this fast, when Paul and Barnabas were re­turned from Ierusalem to Antiochia, and as it is most like, told them of all the troubles that were there; and there is no mention of any speciall ca­lamitie that was there, but rather of Gods great blessings, for there were many excellent men, euen Prophets and teachers, whereof some are na­med [Page] there: so that it is manifest,In which respect we haue cause t [...] do it, for th [...] calamitie that is vpon our bre­thren. that this fast was to intreat for the Church at Ierusalem. Therefore though there were no euill at all vpon our selues, vp­on our owne persons, or any that be­long vnto vs, or vpon our towne, or any likelihood of any to come vpon vs: yet this fearefull and great plague that is, and hath bene a long time vp­on our brethren in many places of this land (vnited vnto vs in the profession of the same religion & Gospel, besides the same allegiance which we owe all vnto the same soueraigne King) in ma­nie places, (I say) as in London, Nor­witch, Yarmouth, Cambridge, and such like, should mooue vs in compas­sion to succour them with our praiers as much as wee can, and therefore to intreat the Lorde to remooue this hea­uie hand of his from them, though we feele not the weight of it our selues, & so to fast publikely for these cities and townes, as they of Antiochia did for them of Ierusalem.

Therefore no man must thinke, that these publike fasts which we keepe by the commaundement of our gouer­nours, doe concerne others and not themselues, nor say, We are all well heere (God bee thanked) what need we vexe and trouble our selues with a­nie such thing before we haue cause? this order is appointed for such places where the plague is, heere is none yet, neither is any neere vs, Gods name be blessed for it: These are good wordes indeed, and I pray God, that they may so consider of the goodnesse of God towards vs indeed, that wee may la­bour to be truely thankefull to him for the same. But doth not the Apostle say, [...]. Cor. 12. [...]6. that in the naturall body by the verie instinct of nature, if one member suffer and be pained,That as in [...]he naturall [...]ody there is [...] feeling of [...]he paine of [...]ther mem­ [...]ers: so it may be in [...]pirituall. all suffer with it, and haue the feeling of it? And shall not we which are the bodie of Christ, and members for our part (as he saith in the same place) by the inward wor­king of Gods spirit, be mooued with [Page 339] the aduersitie, sickenesse, paine, and losse of our brethren? but bee so hard­hearted, and voide of all life of the spi­rit of God, of all sence of feeling, as dead and rotten members, or rather cleane cut off from the bodie, that we shal daily heare of many thousands of our brethren & sisters in Christ to be in so great heauinesse and sorrow for themselues and for their friends, and not to bee mooued with it? and yet count our seules members of that bo­die, when wee shall haue little or no feeling at all of their estate. That part of the bodie is dead, that is without feeling, not onely of it owne selfe, but of the other members; so we may wel thinke of our selues, that we are cleane voide of that spirit of life, that quick­neth the whole body, if in so great mi­serie of others we should be senselesse, & not moued with it. Did not Nehe­miah that woorthy seruant of God, though he was in the Kings court, and in office there, and in great fauor with [Page] the King, and all was well with him, yet so sorrow for the miserie of his brethren in Ierusalem, that he fasted, and praied for them? according as it is written of him:Neh. 1.2. That there came Hanam one of his brethren vnto him, and some other of the men of Iudah, and hee asked them concerning the Iewes that were deliuered, which were of the residue of the captiuitie, and concerning Ierusalem: & they said vn­to him, the residue that are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince are in great affliction & in reproch, and the wall of Ierusalem is broken downe, & the gates thereof are burnt with fire: & when he heard those words,As Nehemi­ [...]h beeing in [...]reat prospe­ [...]itie mour­ [...]ed and fa­ [...]ed for the [...]iserie of [...]is brethren. hee sate downe and wept, and mourned cer­taine daies, and fasted, and praied be­fore the God of heauen for them: which zealous and godly praier of his proceeding from the aboundance of his sorrowful heart is set downe there. And this griefe of heart which hee conceaued for the affliction of others [Page] did so worke vpon him in this great prosperitie of his owne, that hee was not able to hide it, but it did manifest­ly bewraie it selfe in his countenance, so that the king, when he waited at the table did perceiue it, and asked him the cause of it, saying,Neh. 2.2. Why is thy countenance sadde, seeing thou art not sicke, this is nothing but sorrowe of heart; Then he told him the cause of it, and said to the king, God saue the [...]ng for euer▪ why shoulde not my countenance be sadde, when the citie and house of the sepulcher of my fa­ [...]hers lieth waste, and the gates there­of are deuoured with fire? Thus we see how hee in all pittie and compassion sorrowed for the desolation of others: and shall we thinke, that we may now giue our selues to feasting, and chea­ring, to myrth and pleasure, to recre­ation and pastimes, and to all kinde of meeting to these endes, as in times past, and haue little or no sorrowe at all, when our brethren in other places [Page 342] are in great affliction, and manie houses lie waste with the pestilence? We must doe, as wee would be done vnto; if we were in their case, or in any other miserie, we would be glad, that others should pittie vs, and in pittie praie for vs,Then shall [...]thers also pittie vs in the like case and praie for vs. and it would be a great comfort vnto vs, to heare that any did so: then must we in the meane season thus pittie others, and in a brotherly compassion praie for them; that when it shall be our owne case that waie, or any other way, we might not bee left to our selues, but others might doe as much for vs, as we haue done for them before, according to the promise of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell: Giue,Leu. 6.36. and it shall bee giuen you, a good measure, pressed downe, shaken together, and running ouer shall men giue vnto your bosome, for with what measure you mete, with the same shall men mete vnto you againe.

It is written of Vriah the Hittite one of Dauids woorthie captaines, that [Page 343] when hee was sent for home in pol­licie by the King, that by going home to his owne house, the adultery that was cōmitted with his wife Beth­shebah in his absence might be hidden:2. Sam. 11. [...] and therefore the king said vnto him, Goe downe to thine house, and wash thy feete: so Vriah departed out of the kings pallace, and the king sent a pre­sent after him; but Vriah Vriah depar­ted from his lawfull de­lightes, be­cause his bre­thren were in aduersity▪ slept at the doore of the kings pallace with all the seruants of his Lorde, and went not downe to his house: then they tolde Dauid, saying, Vriah went not downe to his house, and Dauid said vnto Vriah, commest thou not from thy iourney? Why doest thou not goe downe to thine house? Then Vriah answered Dauid: The Arke, and Israel, and Iudah dwell in tentes, and my Lord Ioab, and the seruants of my Lord a­bide in the open fieldes: shall I then goe into mine house, to eate and drinke, and to lie with my wife? by thy life, and by the life of thy soule I [Page 344] will not do this thing. Is this good and holy man Vriah would not go home to his house, and make much of him­selfe, when the King bad him, & when there were so manie reasons for it, be­cause his Lord and captaine Ioab, vnder whom he serued, and manie other of the people his fellow souldiers were in the field before their enemies, and so in danger of their liues, but thought it meet in godly wisedome, though hee was absent from them, to beare part of the burden with them.So should we fall from our [...]leasures in [...]his great so­ [...]ow & losse [...]f others. Then wee, if wee haue the like compassion to our brethren that hee had, should thinke, that wee ought to abridge our selues somewhat at the least of our honest lawfull delights, and to cut off not on­ly all superfluity and excesse, but some­what of our ordinarie diet, and to sor­row with those our brethren, who though they are not in the open fields and in the face and feare of their ene­mies, yet are in no lesse danger & feare of their liues by reason of this great [Page 345] plague;Psal. 91.5. which as an arrow flieth by day, and walketh in the darkenesse, and destroieth at noon day, so that neither day nor night they are in safetie, or without feare, and is as deadlie as the sword, for it causeth a thousand to fall on the one side, and ten thousand on the other: and so they haue manie fearefull dayes, and take little rest in the night, neither can they eat their meat quietly, or with any comfort. So that vnlesse we will be addicted, and liue whollie to ourselues, and care for none other, this great wrath vpon our brethren so long and so heauie, should driue vs to weepe with them, to fast and pray for them: and seeing they are so greatly humbled in themselues, we should some wayes cast downe our selues with them. Therefore let vs set their lamentable estateTo that end we should seriouslie thinke of their lamen­table estate. before our eies, and let it be a looking glasse vnto vs; let vs in the feare of God thinke of it seriously and in good earnest, as if it were our owne case, that wee may be [Page 346] thorowly mooued with it: and let vs not haue such stonie hearts, so void of all bowels of compassion, that wee should heare weekely of the death of our brethren, and what great lamenta­tion is made euerie where, some for the losse of their husbands and wiues, some for the death of their parents and children, others for the departure of their sisters and brethren, friendes, neighbours, kinsefolke and acquain­tance, and we should haue no sorrow for it at all: this were the verie next way to prouoke God against our selues, and wilfullie to pull the same miserie vpon our owne heads. Dauid was so full of pitie, that he fasted, & be­sought the Lord not onely when the hand of God was vpon some of his own houshold,2. Sam. 12.15. as when the Lord had striken the child that was begotten in adultery, & so it lay sick: but also when it was vpon others, euen vpon his ene­mies,Psal. 35.13. as he professeth himselfe; They rewarded mee euill for good, to haue [Page 347] spoiled my soule, yet I when they were sicke, I was clothed with a sack, I hum­bled my selfe with fasting, & my prai­er was turned vpon my bosome, that is, I prayed for them continually: I be­haued my selfe, as to my friends, or as to my brother; I humbled my selfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother. If he did thus for his enimies, how much more should we doe it for them, who haue giuen vs no other cause to iudge of them, but as of our friends? if he did it for some one, or a few priuate persons, then how much more should we doe it, when the affli­ction is so common? and not onely to manie persons, but to manie places, euen the chiefe cities and townes of this realme.

When as Haman sought the de­struction of Mordecai principally, be­cause hee would not satisfie his proud humour in giuing him that reue­rence, which hee required, and then for his sake the destruction of all the [Page 348] Iewes:Hest. 3.5. for his malice was so great, and hee was so full of wrath and in­dignatiō against him, that he thought it too little, to lay hands onely one Mordecay and bicause they had shew­ed him the people of Mordecay, Ha­man sought to destroy all the Iewes, that were throughout the whole king­dome of Ah [...]s [...]uerosh, euen t [...] [...]eople of Mordec [...]y▪ and had preuailed thus farre with the king, that he had obt [...]i­ned a commission to that end sealed with the kings ring, euen to roote out, to kill and destroy all the Iewes both yoong and old, children, & women in one day: and Queene Hester, Hester being without dan­ger, fasted for the mi [...]e­ry of others. who was a Iew herselfe, had intelligence of this, from Mordecay: she might haue thought that al this did not appertaine vnto her; she being the Queene, and so deare vnto the king, none durst be so bold, as to touch her; if all the rest of the Iewes were slaine, yet she shuld escape: for all this she is in great com­passion affected with the sorrow and [Page 349] miserie of the rest of the people, and so she putteth off her princely attire, en­treth into her secret chamber,H [...]st. 4.16, & there with her maides humbleth her selfe be­fore God for them in fasting and praier three dayes, and three nights together. If then it were possible for vs in this so common and daungerous contagion and mortality of many of our brethren in so many places of this land dispersed, to haue as good hope and likelihoode of our owne securitie and freedome from it, as this good Queene might haue had from that destruction, that was intended generally against all the Iewes; yet wee should be so touched with the estate of others, that are like to perish,So s [...]ould w [...] that a [...]e wh [...], for them that are visited with the plagu [...]. that we should seek to succor them, at the least by our prayers and supplications vnto God for them, with fasting and humbling of our selues to that end, as she did. But especially, we should be farre from that prophane se­curitie, and carnall voluptuousnesse, which is noted to haue beene in the [Page 350] King and Haman, [...]est. 3.15. that they two sate drinking, and making of good cheere, when the whole Citie of Shushan was in great perplexitie: so we should giue our selues to eating and drinking, and all kind of mirth and iolitie, like Epi­cures and belligods, as it is to be fea­red that too many doe, when in ma­ny Cities and Townes, other are in great distresse and perplexitie of mind. Yea, we are to feare that fewe of the better sort, haue layde this great vi­sitation so neere their heart as they should, which is one cause, that it continueth so long, and in that great measure, that it doth. Let vs then put vpon vs the person of our brethren, and labour to haue the feeling of their e­state,A conclusion shewing what cause we haue to fast for our brethren. as though it were our owne: and then we shall know and confesse, that if there had beene no order taken for these fastings publikely, wee in loue should haue submitted our selues vnto them priuately: but now seeing we are commanded by the publike authoritie [Page 351] of our Superiors, and that also vpon so good ground, as wee haue heard, that wee are bound vnto it so much the more. And the rather that we might doe it, we may know thus much, that they obserue this fast in Scotland for vs, because now we are not onely vnder one Religion, but vnder the same go­uernement, and therefore we must ac­count the estate of the one common to the other, as they by this practise for their part, shew that they doe: if they that are so farre off, are mooued with it so greatly; then we that are so neere, must needes be too senselesse, and void of compassion, if we should not by fa­sting and prayer seeke, that so great a wrath of God, so long continued, might in Gods most blessed time bee remooued and taken cleane away: that so it might please him of his infinite mercie to worke that true repentance in all, whereby he might be mooued to heale all those places, that haue a long time bene diseased, that there might be [Page 352] that intercourse of dealing betweene man and man in all places without danger or feare, that hath beene; and that it might not onely be remooued, but with the fauour of God, and with the amendement of all our sinnefull liues, that so it might be a blessing in deede, and not a curse, and that we may so profit by it for the time to come, that we take that warning, which our Saui­our Christ gaue vnto the diseased man whom he had healed:Ioh. 5.14. Behold thou art made whole; sinne no more, least a worse thing come vnto thee. Which grace, God grant vnto vs, and to all the people of this lande, for Iesus Christs sake: to whom with the Father, and the holy Ghost, three persons, and one true immortall, inuisible, and only wise God be ascribed from vs, and from all his creatures all honour, glory, and praise power and thankesgiuing, from this time foorth and for euer hereafter, world without end. Amen.