A word to England touching their FASTINGS.
OH England! look upon the face of thy fastings in Gods word. How is it, that having so plaine a word to direct thee, thou fastest so much in vaine? Dost thou not yet see what the fast is which God hath chosen? How it stands in easing all that are oppressed, and refreshing such as are distressed?
Dost thou not see that it is Mercy that pleaseth the Lord? that is the fast that he hath chosen. Bring no more vaineThat is formes without the true worke of a fast. Oblations; but doe the worke of the fast which God hath chosen.
Unty the bands of wickednesse; hast thou, or thy fore-Fathers made any bands which cause wickednesse? Loose those bands; are thou sensible of any burthens that lye heavy upon the neck of thy Brother? undoe those burthens; seest thou thy Brother under oppressions: set him free. Break every yoke.
And having eased their shoulders of heavy pressures; then go on to refresh such as need thy refreshments: Thy Brother is hungry, and thou hast bread, give to him, and satisfie his hungry soule: Thy Brother is cast out, and thou hast harbour, bring him to thy house; Thy Brother is naked, cover him.
Look upon the wants of thy Brother, that is, every one that stands in need of thee; goe not on the further [Page 2]side to avoid the sight of thy needy Brother, as the Priest and Levite did;Luk. 10.31.32. But looke on his needs, draw out thy soule to him, hide not thy selfe from him, for he is thine owne flesh.Act. 17.26, 27. Mal. 2.10. We are all one off-spring, we have all one Father; one God hath created us.
Let the Magistrate do his part, take off the Lawes that lie heavy upon the Consciences of men, as bands and yokes: and ease also the outward condition of all oppressed ones.
Let the great man of the earth doe his part, Cease to grind the faces of the poore, by straining all out of them that he can get.
Let the meane man cease to interpose betweene the meaner man, and the greater; and cease to sit a greater Oppressour over the poore then the mighty, by inriching himselfe, in enlarging the oppressions of the mighty ones.
Let the Teacher doe his part,Isa. 51.20, 21.22, 23. let him cease to put the cup of affliction into the hands of the people; and let him declare the nailing up of the hand-writing of Ordinances upon the Crosse,Col. 2.14. and the taking thereof out of the way:Tit. 2.11. Luk. 2.10 14. Heb. 2.9. Col. 1.23. Isa. 28.16. Rom. 9.33. Iohn 3.16. 2 Cor. 5.18, 19 Let him declare the perfect mercies of God in Christ to every creature: Let him declare the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the sure foundation that is laid in his death for every Creatures Faith: and let him declare Gods being in Christ; and not imouting of sinne unto the world: Let him deale that bread that came downe from Heaven, to the hungry; let him bring the cast-out ones, wanderers from Christ, unto Christ, our house and habitation; Let him endeavour to cover their nakednesse with his garments; let them declare glad tidings to every creature,Mar. 16.15. Mal. 2.10. and no longer deale treacherously with their Brother, [Page 3]by being partiall in the Covenant; for we have all one Father, and so shall he ease the oppressed, and refresh the distressed in spirit.
Oh ye Magistrates, ye mighty men, ye meane men, ye Teachers of others, let these workes of mercy delight you.
Oh ye inhabitants of England, thou noble Island, how would thy God blesse thee, and delight in thee, if once thou wert weaned from the multitude of thy vain imaginations, and wouldest follow his counsells.
If the worke of a right fast were found in thee, (which is all mercifull dealing,Isa. 58.8, 9, 10, 11, 12. a fruit of Gods mercifullnesse to thee) then should thy light breake forth as the morning, thine healing should spring forth speedily, thy righteousnesse should go forth, the glory of the Lord should be thy reward, thou shouldest call and the Lord would answer. The Lord will satisfie thy soule in drought, and make fat thy bones. Thou shouldest be like a watered Garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters faile not. And they that shall be of thee, should build the old wast places: Thou shouldest raise up the foundations of many generations, and thou shouldest be called the repairer of the breach, and the restorer of paths to dwell in.
But if you refuse to obey the counsell of the Lord, then these things will come upon you.
Ye Magistrates shall be purged away as drosse and tinne, that the Lord may be eased of you;Isa. 1.24, 25, 26, 27. and others shall be restored, who shall redeeme Zion with judgement, and her Converts with Righteousnesse.
Ye mighty ones of the Earth,Isa. 5.15, 17. Isa. 14.4.26. and ye meane or middle men, shall be brought downe, that the oppression of the poore may cease, and that the Earth may be eased [Page 4]of you: for you are too heavy a burthen for it to beare much longer. And whereas your pride causeth you to oppresse, therefore will the Lord of hosts strike home at such pride, and staine all your glory, and bring all your earthly honourable into contempt, who seek honour of men,Isa. 23.9. and would have their honour rise up out of the Earth, and seek not honour of God onely.
Ye Teachers of others, if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to the Name of the Lord, by exalting his free, and full, and faithfull mercies in his Sonne to every Creature, that so all men may see a sure foundation for their Faith; Then heare this word, The Lord will make your solemne things as dung and dirt, and spread that dirt upon your faces, and one shall take you away with it. The Lord will make you base and contemptible before all the people, for being partiall in his Covenant of life and peace.Mal. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
I Heard that you were full of trouble in your spirit, and how it is with you now I know not, it is needfull it should be so with us sometimes, that our faith may be tried and exercised, and we may learne to give more heed to our comforting guide the Holy Spirit, and we may be kept still comming unto that living stone the Lord our Saviour, from whom flowes all our clearnesse of conscience, and consolations: and that we may be taught to keepe in memory what he hath done for us, How that he hath died for our sins, according to the Scriptures; and even from hence ariseth our comfort, that Christ hath died for our sins:1 Cor. 11.2, [...]. he that understandeth and beleeveth this in faith, is comforted by it, and rejoyceth in the Lord; for those plaine and simple tidings, are tidings of great joy, and therein have the Saints rejoyced together in former times, praising God that their sins were not imputed, being laid on his Sonne Jesus Christ, and that this Jesus was risen and ascended, thereby giving assurance of a lively hope for us. Wherefore in the multitude of other affaires and notions, and knowledge, let not this be overlooked or forgotten (though it seeme a common or low notion, and be in the mouthes of such as little understand it) That it is very truth, and there is no lie in it, that our Jesus hath borne our sinnes, and there is given into his hands eternall life for us, for this is tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; and therefore it is to be preached to every creature, and where it hath been received, remember with what peace, and joy, and consolation, and hope, it hath raised up the beleivers of it, as in Acts 2. it is recorded touching the great number that beleeved: [Page 6]and in the sixteenth Chapter, touching the Jailors believing, he rejoyced in God, as also in other Scriptures.
I have sent you inclosed in this Letter a writing touching Englands Fastings, you may peruse it, and as you have opportunity, communicate it as you think it may be profitable: I commit it to you, and leave it to the successe which God shall give it. I take my leave, and rest,