a proclamation for a publick general fast throrowout the realm of scotland scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation for a publick general fast throrowout the realm of scotland scotland. privy council. gibson, alexander, sir, d. . scotland. sovereign ( - : charles ii) sheet ([ ] p.) printed by the heir of andrew anderson, printer to his most sacred majesty, edinburgh : . caption title. royal arms at head of text; initial letter. text in black letter. dated at end: given under our signet at edinburgh, the fifteenth day of november, one thousand six hundred and seventy eight, and of our reign the thirtieth year. signed: al. gibson, cls. sti. concilii. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fasting -- religious aspects -- christianity -- early works to . fasting -- scotland -- early works to . popish plot, -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion c r honi soit qvi mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms a proclamation for a publick general fast thorowout the realm of scotland . charles , by the grace of god , king of scoland , england , france and ireland , defender of the faith , &c. to all and sundry our good subjects , greeting ; forasmuch , as we considering the eminent danger our royal person and government , and the protestant religion have been of late , and are still exposed unto , through an damnable and hellish plot , contrived and carried on by the papists , for taking away our sacred life , and for the subversion of the protestant religion , and of the government of these kingdoms ( which god of his infinite mercy hath hitherto prevented and disappointed , and we hope will prevent and disappoint for the future ) and being very sensible of the fatal consequences of such an horrible and sanguinary conspiracy and designe ; we , out of our religious disposition , have readily approven of an humble motion made to us for commanding a general fast , to be religiously kept throughout this whole kingdom , to implore the mercy of almighty god for the preservation of the protestant religion , as it is by law established , and for the protection of our royal person and government ; as also , to pray that god will more and more bring to light , and confound all secret contrivances and machinations against us , and in us , against all our loyal subjects ; we , with advice of our privy council , have therefore thought fit by this our proclamation , to indict a general and publick fast and day of humiliation , that all our loving subjects may send up their fervent prayers and supplications to almighty god , to , and for , the purposes aforesaid . our will is herefore , and we strictly command and charge , that the said fast be religiously and solemnly kept throughout this our whole kingdom , by all subjects and people within the same , upon the third wednesday of december next , being the eighteenth day thereof , to the end that so necessary and religious and exercise may be performed by all at one and the same time . requiring hereby the reverend arch-bishops , and bishops , to give notice hereof to the ministers in their respective dyocesses , that upon the lords-day immediately preceeding the said eighteenth day of december , they cause read and intimate this our proclamation from the pulpit in every parish church , and that they exhort all our subjects to a serious and devout performance of the said prayers , fasting and humiliation , as they tender the favour of almighty god , and the safety and preservation of the protestant religion , and of our sacred life and government , and as they would avoid the wrath and indignation of god against this kingdom : certifying all those who shall contemn or neglect such a religious and necessary duty , they shall be proceeded against , and punished as contemners of our authority , and persons , disaffected to the protestant religion , as well as to our royal person and government . given under our signet at edinburgh , the fifteenth day of november , one thousand six hundred and seventy eight , and of our reign the thirtieth year . per actum dominorum secreti concilii . al. gibson , cls. sti. concilii . god save the king . edinburgh , prited by the heir of andrew anderson , printer to his most sacred majesty , . an admonition concerning a publick fast the just causes we have for it, from the full growth of sin, and the near approaches of god's judgments : and the manner of performance to obtain the desired effects thereof, which ought to be other than our common forms, and with stricter acts of moritication than is usual amongst us : with an abstract of mr. chillingworth's judgement of the state of religion in this nation in his time : and of a letter from the hague concerning two sermons preached there in the french church at which were present divers of the english nobility. stephens, edward, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing s estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an admonition concerning a publick fast the just causes we have for it, from the full growth of sin, and the near approaches of god's judgments : and the manner of performance to obtain the desired effects thereof, which ought to be other than our common forms, and with stricter acts of moritication than is usual amongst us : with an abstract of mr. chillingworth's judgement of the state of religion in this nation in his time : and of a letter from the hague concerning two sermons preached there in the french church at which were present divers of the english nobility. stephens, edward, d. . chillingworth, william, - . [ ], p. [s.n.], london : . attributed to edward stephens who is known as socrates christianus. cf. nuc pre- . reproduction of original in bristol public library, bristol, england. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fasting -- early works to . judgment day -- early works to . fasts and feasts -- england -- early works to . god -- love -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an admonition concerning a publick fast . the just causes we have for it , from the full growth of sin , and the near approaches of god's judgments ; and the manner of performance , to obtain the desired effects thereof ; which ought to be other than our common forms ; and with stricter acts of mortification than is usual amongst us . with an abstract of mr. chillingworth's judgment of the state of religion in this na●●on in his time . and of a letter from the hague concerning two sermons preached there in the fr●nch church , at which were present divers of the english nobility . london , printed in the year m dc xci . to the queen . madam , since the authority of your majesty hath appeared so particularly in a most necessary appointment of a publick fast and humiliation to be observed in most devout and solemn manner for supplicating almighty god for pardon of our sins , and imploring his blessing , &c. not once , but every month during the war. it may be presumed , that what is sincerely endeavoured , that so necessary and pious a command may happily obtain its desired effects , cannot fail of a favourable and benign construction with a person of so much piety and sense of religion : though to those naturals or animals , in whom the god of this world hath blinded their minds , it cannot but seem foolishness and canting , as must all truth to those , who are both ignorant and yet conceited : and though to such as are big with the wisdom of the world ( which is foolishness with god ) ●ome things in it may seem rude and presumptuous : for true piety could bear even the railing of a shimei in a time of humiliation ; and christian wisdom can easily discern and distinguish between height of fidelity and affection in the plain words of truth and soberness , and that malice and falsehood , which are always ingredients of railing and presumption . even civil prudence , considering the irreparable mischiefs , which are daily wrought in the courts and councils of princes by treacherous flattery , will not only permit and allow , but favour and encourage serious liberty and freedom of speech upon just and necessary occasion in persons of unspotted and undoubted fidelity and affection : but christian wisdom much more ; and especially in times of account , which call for humiliation , repentance , reformation , and judging our selves ; and for publick humiliation , and particular confession of publick and known sins and offences , with their circumstances of aggravation , and carefull search to discover them . which is the only way to lay a sure foundation , and to be raised up by the mighty hand of god. wherefore , madam , presuming that i write to a person more illustrious by such great virtues , than any fading , earthly honour or majesty can make you , besides what i have said in common to all , i shall out of fidelity and great affection humbly represent to your royal consideration some few things more particularly relating to your self . i will not here recount the great things which god hath done for the gradual raising of your glory , nor tell you that the eyes of all the world are upon you , and what great things they hope and expect from you : but this i may say in the name of god , that his eyes are upon you ; the eyes of the lord , ( which ) run to and fro throughout the whole earth , to shew himself strong in the behalf of them , whose heart is perfect towards him : ( chron. . . ) that to whom much is given of them , much shall be required ; and , that if you justly expect from your fellow creatures , whom you imploy , fidelity , zeal , and activity , proportionable to the favours you confer , and the trusts you repose in them ; much more are you obliged to perform all these to the soveraign lord of all in the full improvement of all t●ose greater talents of honour , authority and other advantages , which he hath conferred upon you , for his honour and service ; and with so much the more vigor and resolution , by how much the greater are the difficulties which occur . the highest pitch of all is the least sacrifice that you can offer to him. and therefore i will not , i may not tell you , that the leisure , as well as the calm of peace , will be necessary for this : or , that your resolving on it inwardly before god , will be accepted by him , though you defer the actual performance till that leisure and calm , which you may never see , nor are ever like to see , while difficult duties are declined , neglected or deferred . for this would be to deceive you after the manner of the false prophets of old ? and to expose you and your affairs to the treacheries and abuses of dissolute and depraved men , who be always truer to their vices than to their masters . but on the contrary , this i may be bold to affirm , that when by actual discountenancing and disgracing of vice , and encouraging of virtue by distinguishing marks of your favour ; and by a visible beginning of reforming your court and your people , and particularly that body , which of all others should need it least , it is once understood that you are setled in those noble purposes , this will make the execution of them easie to you , and detect the falsity of such dilatory doctrines : and would have done so sooner if more faithfull advice had not been withstood by such as perverted the right ways of the lord , and mis-led those they should have directed therein . for god hath wrought in the midst of us a mighty deliverance ; and was ready to perfect and stablish that which he hath wrought for us . but it is now apparent that something there is , which doth stop that course of blessings that , seems i cannot now say , but once did seem , ready to flow in upon us . and we have now another count to cast up . we may and ought to recount the mercies and favours of god to us : but we have now , also an account of his judgments and frowns to reflect upon : and this should lead us back to enter into another account , viz. of our sins and provocations . for that course of blessings , which for some time was only stopp'd , was afterwards turned to a course of crosses and disappointments , or of a mixture of mercy and judgment , and is now at last turning , it may be feared , to severe judgment , confusion , and destruction , unless very speedily prevented , by strict and impartial inquiry into the causes , by truly noble and heroick resolutions thereupon , and by a vigilant and vigorous execution . for the king himself , if i , and many others , be not mistaken , hath already suffer'd some diminution in some essentials of his majesty , honour , and most prevalent powers and is in danger to fall lower , from being a glorious instrument of god for good and happiness to this and many other nations , into the deplorable and despicable condition of being an occasion of confusion and misery : only there seems a door of hope still open for him , upon one consideration , if the opportunity be not neglected ; of which more presently : but first i think fit to say something briefly concerning the present state of things in the world , and what may be expected from it . in matters of prudence , none but weak and dull , or depraved souls will expect mathematical demonstrations and sensible evidences , for all their actions : god by his providence hath purposely so ordered the course of things , that his rational creatures , mankind , should be often necessitated to a close application of their minds , and a kind of spiritual discerning , in the management of their own affairs . this faculty , as may be perceived by experience , if well disposed , and carefully observed , extends much farther in many-things than men are able easily to demonstrate to others , and yet even in those often discerns very right . but such indications may sometimes be observed from a concurrence of various circumstances as are sufficient principles of a moral demonstration . my pre-apprehensions of our own occurrences have hitherto proved true in the event ; and i have now some indications to help me . it is very apparent that there have been very few princes or great men in the world for some years , or rather ages , who have manifested in their course of life any great and just apprehension of the business of man upon earth , much less of the proper business of princes , and persons under their circumstances ; but have generally both by their example and their management , been more subservient to the kingdom of darkness , than to the kingdom of light ; and their courts , armies , navies , and all their great meetings , generally little other than seminaries and nurseries of pride , ambition , covetousness , injustice , oppression , luxury , impiety , prophaneness , and all manner of vice and wickedness ; where souls in great numbers have been trained up and habituated to all the diabolical qualities of that dismal crew : and so deceived and abused have they been by false prophets and other instruments of that kingdom , appearing great in the world in pomp and grandure , magnifick names and titles , the superficial ornaments of literature and wisdom of the world , ( all directly contrary to the simplicity of the gospel ) that they have believed it must be so , and cannot be otherwise ; we must not expect armies of saints ; and so have plainly given over all care of reformation of those things , as impracticable , platonick or phanatick-phansies . it is likewise apparent that the people in all places , even where hath been , or still is the greatest profession of religion , ( both laity and clergy ) are most grievously degenerated and corrupted ; a great part with the most gross vices , and scandalous sins ; others of more consideration and sense of reputation , some with atheism and infidelity ; others with formality or superstition ; some with hypocrisie and faction ; and most of the very best with over-valuation of the things of the world , and with pride of some worldly advantage , of birth , of estate , favour with great men , wit , learning , apparel , attendance , or some such hobby-horse or other , over-looking divers necessary christian virtues , and even to despise and be ashamed of christ himself in his members , if appearing in the genuine form of their master ; so that a genuine compleat christian is rare to be found in the world , especially among those who have the greatest share of it : and the sins both of princes and of people seem to have over-grown all the methods of the divine providence for their amendment . and it is also apparent that such are the posture and motions of humane affairs at this time in europe , as are plain indications that almighty god by his providence is producing some great alteration in this part of the world very suddenly . and what this is like to be is well and carefully to be considered . nor is it any presumption to do this soberly ; but so far from that , that to discern the signs of the times is a plain and necessary duty ; the neglect or non-observance whereof is condemned in the jews in the like case , by our saviour , and before by the prophets . the present posture of affairs is a state of war , which is one of god's judgments , for the punishment of princes and nations , and such as the present sinfull state both of princes and people hath justly deserved , and we may therefore reasonably conclude hath provoked . this war is between two great parties , the french and turk on the one side , and the emperor and the confederates on the other : and most princes and states are concerned in it . and if we consider the motions of this war , it was begun by the french king in secret confederacy with the turk and the late kings of england , without any colour of justice , merely to gratifie a proud , haughty , insolent , luciserian , domineering humour , and carried on with barbarous cruelty , even upon his own subjects , and devastation abroad . but the divine providence at last interposed , and put a hook in his nostrils , deprived him of the assistance of both his confedarates , and turned the strength of one of them against him ; and thereby gave an offer of mercy , and a fair opportunity to the confederates to have been the instruments of his judgments against that wicked insolent invader , had they wisely improved that divine favour , for the service of god and the reformation and good of the people . but they have all been insensible of , and unhappily neglected their duty ; and have likewise in a great measure lost that fair opportunity put into their hands ; so that the favour of the divine providence seems in some sort to have forsaken them , and gon over to their enemies for the punishment of this and all their former sins and miscarriages , and unprofitableness for his service . and indeed whether we consider the provocations of god's judgments by this neglect under such circumstances , or the present state of affairs ( which i cannot here particularly observe ) both present us with too just reasons for some apprehensions , that that cruel and barbarous tyrant may now be made the terrible instrument of the divine vengeance , for purging these countries of that wickedness , which they would not reform ; and for casting out such unprofitable servants ; unless it be prevented immediately by some extraordinary and vigorous means of reformation . for , as all the judgments of god are for punishment of sin , and reformation of manners ; so the common sinfull state of all nations in these parts , and the general commotions of all , are a plain indication of some great judgment coming upon all , who do not prevent it by speedy repentance , and some notable reformation . and because the judgments of god are frequently executed not onely upon persons , but in a special manner also upon such things , as have been much abused to his dishonor or disservice , the great work , which all these commotions overruled by the holy providence of god tend to , may in all probability be , not onely the punishment of the persons of all degrees , but the putting down or abolishing of all that rule , authority and power in the world , which hath been so abused , unprofitable and disserviceable to their great and proper master , to make way for that glorious kingdom and blessed theocracy , which shall never be destroyed . this was begun , and should have been done by the confederates against that insolent tyrant and common oppressor , had they well considered their business and subjected their power to their sovereign , and used their authority in subservience to this great work , first by reformation of themselves and of the people subjected to them . but they not considering , but neglecting this principal part , the present posture of things seems to theraten , that they may be first suppressed and the sins and wickedness of themselves and their people punished , by him , and himself at last for all his insolence and wickedness by some extraordinary judgment . yet possibly there is not any of them all , but if they shall in time open their eyes , and without any sinister designs to set up themselves , apply their power sincerely and by direct and proper means to promote the service of god in this great work , they may be received and well rewarded , both with honour here , and happiness hereafter . of all the confederates , none hath been more highly favoured by an extraordinary providence than king william ; but in my apprehension , none hath more failed than he , considering his circumstances , in the duty incumbent upon him ; nor is any in greater danger both in that respect , and in respect of the present state of his affairs , which i take to be in all respects the consequence of that . onely there seems to be yet , as i said , a door of mercy and favour open for him , in as much as it is now apparent , that it was not wholly his fault , but partly his unhappiness , in that he had no better guides to direct and admonish him ; and if he yet be carefull and resolute to doe what he ought , though now more difficult , and therefore to be performed with so much the greater resolution , possibly he may recover in a great measure his former prosperous condition ; though i doubt that he may suffer such loss , as may be just matter for a longer sorrow and repentance ; and that he that hath troubled both him and us shall bear his judgment , whoever he be , unless he prevent it by some proper and eminent works of repentance . many things more i had to have said : but this first work is of so great importance , that unless it be instantly and effectually provided for , it will be in vain to think of farther applications . nay our very fasting and humiliation , and all the prayers in the world , will avail nothing , unless the troublers of israel be brought forth , and the accursed thing be removed . if this were once well resolved upon and concluded , it would not be hard to detect greater troublers of our israel , than those who are now in danger of their lives ; and soon to put things into such a posture of security , as the king need not fear confusions in his absence , which otherwise may be feared . yet one thing there is most peculiar to your self that however ought not to be omitted upon this oceasion ; and that is the manifest judgments of god upon your own royal family , and upon so near a relation as a father ; and judgments both spiritual , of strong delusions ; and temporal , of just and deserved exclusion from the government of these nations . the due consideration whereof will easily discover several obligations upon you . . the consideration of such unhappiness of so near a relation ( which is matter not onely of particular humiliation , but of continual grief and mourning ) requires great seriousness in all your behaviour , and circumspection lest prosperity make you forget it , and thereby offend god , and so bring evil upon your self . . the consideration of the provoking causes requires , first , your humiliation under them , and that you be content and willing , and desirous that they may be plainly and fully detected : first , that you may avoid them , and all participation in them , lest you be overtaken and involved in the judgments of god upon them : but , secondly and principally , for the glory of god , and manifestation of the righteousness of his judgments : for should you offer to hinder this , as it would tend to the scandal of his righteous judgments , so it would certainly provoke him to detect all some other way to your greater shame and confusion , and bring the same judgments upon your self . secondly , it requires your utmost care and circumspection all your life long to avoid them , that you abhor them , come not near them , lest they lay hold on you : for of all they are the most dangerous for you , by reason of the participation in so great a store of guilt , and the warning given you by such judgements , and the special temptations you are like to meet with . there is an iniquity in that family , which might be traced a great way back into scotland ; but king james i , came into england by the favour of providence , in a state of mercy . and therefore we need look no farther back for this purpose . by and under the same favour have all his successors come to the throne , and your self in particular : but they all forseited it , and that you may not , is this plain advice written . his great sins , which have most ensnared his posterity were , . great injustice , and a very wicked design by a mystery of iniquity to subvert a noble constitution of government , which god had intrusted him with , and he had sworn to mainian ; and , . abuse and prophanation of religion to serve his unrighteous design . to give a particular account of each of these would be too long for this place . but there are two effects thereof which have ever since been very pernicious to his posterity and to the kingdom , and at the present are the greatest occasions of trouble and danger to your government , above all other . the one is , false notions concerning the constitution of this government , prerogative , and the rights of the people , which cost your grandfather his head , and your father his crown , and at present mislead many worthy and honest persons , to be your adversaries , who would otherwise have been your loyal and faithfull subjects ; and would be much more mischievous to you , if you should by that faction , flattery , or any temptation be once possessed with them . they are in their original , a mystery of iniquity , a wicked imposture , and such as the vengeance of the righteous god has pursued , and still will , till they be eradicated ; and it concerns you much to be very carefull to avoid them , and that the occasions and stumbling-stones be removed by some deliberate acts of king and parliament , and of a convocation : for they will otherwise prove a root of bitterness to the whole race of the authour . your government is just and rightfull , let but the execution of it be so too , and god's blessing will be upon it . the other is , the overspreading of prophaneness and formality , which all governours are obliged to use their utmost care and endeavours to reform , but you doubly , that you may also discharge your self of the guilt of your ancestors ; i might say trebly , viz. also out of gratitude for the special mercies and favours you have received . nay it is your special business , as much to suppress that , as to cast out popery , without which you cannot prosper . that god will bless your majesty , and that you may be faithfull to him , and to the trust reposed in you , and may flourish in all grace and virtue and prosperity , is the hearty prayer of , your loyal and faithfull subject , an admonition concerning a publick fast , to implore the mercy and favour of god for the averting of his judgments , and the recovering of his blessing . because i have heard that we are like to have a proclamation for a publick fast ; or however , because i am certain we have great need to have one , at least for the use of those who desire to be found mourners in secret for the abominations that be done in the land ; i have thought fit , as an act of duty to god , and charity to my country , to publish this brief admonition concerning the present just causes we have for it , and that manner of performance of it , which must be observed if we expect any good effect thereof . i did formerly , upon occasion of the fast , jun. . . publish a paper of humiliation , of which one of the scoffers of the latter times , at a coffee-house scoffingly said , he supposed that would do more service than men in ireland . but how long did we afterwards see more than men lie near the enemy there , and do nothing at all ! not dare to attack them , though one would think encouraged enough with so great and easie success then so lately in england ! but of the invisible powers , which attend and interpose in the affairs of men , such bruitish animals have little sense or apprehension . and therefore it is not unlikely that this may meet with the like entertainment : but i am perswaded that they shall proceed no further , and that their impiety will very shortly meet with a due correction , if not before by the hand of governors , by the hand of providence and the sword of an enemy in the midst of them . and therefore , leaving them to their own severe mistress , to proceed , there are two great causes to provoke us to an extraordinary humiliation at this time . . the fulness and ripeness of sin. . the near approaches of a terrible judgment . concerning the former to say nothing of other evidences of its maturity , this one i think is sufficient , when it is become past remedy by humane means , it must needs be ripe for the judgments of god. and then certainly is it past all humane means , when it hath either so infected the governors and ministers that they will not , or is become so prevalent that they cannot or dare not correct it , or punish it as it ought . and this is plainly our case . rarely hath any prince been more plainly admonished of a special duty , and of the dangerous consequence of the neglect of it than king william hath been , and in due time : and as rarely any more plainly admonished of his fault when committed , and of the mischiefs thereby incurred , than he bath been again and again . never was parliament more plainly admonished of a foul fault in the beginning of so great a work , than our convention was of that-in their order for the thanksgiving , ( which hath proved a root of bitterness ever since ) but so senseless in such matters is this generation grown , that i doubt we have some doctors , who do not understand it to this day . nor ever were parliaments more provoked to their duty by plain-dealing than ours have been again and again . lastly , never were bishops more honestly and plainly told of their duty , nor more justly and homely reproved for their most shameful neglect , than ours have been . but alas ! here 's the root of all our evil. their unfaithfulness to god , whose special service was their proper business ; unfaithfulness to kings , whom they have magnified above measure , and more slattered for their own advantage , than faithfully admonished for the service of god , and been more forward to conspire with to subvert the rights of their country , than to admonish them of their duty both to god and man , to be protectors of the right of the meanest subject . their neglect of their episcopal authority for reproof and correction of the scandalous sins , especially of great men , against the laws of god ; and on the contrary , abuse of it for punishment of sober and conscientious people with the utmost severity for any breach of their own canons , or laws made for their advantage ; hath been the greatest inlet of all our mischief , of the bruitish and carnal sins of the nation : and again , their earnest and endless pursuit of preferments , and mis-imployment of what they get , hath been the great incentive to those animal sins of covetousness and ambition , which have betrayed the nation , and been the immediate means to bring the judgments of god so near to us , as they are at this time . nor is this all : but besides their unprositableness in that great place and advantage , which they had to have done good in the parliament , they have not only heretofore been the principal obstructors of many good things , which have been proposed and begun in the house of commons , but have of late laid aside a bill for the necessary reformation of manners , and preventing the approaching judgments of god , which was drawn at the request of some of them , without offering any other in the place of it . and besides , some of them have not only in private obstructed the good effect of those faithful admonitions , which have been given to the king , by misrepresenting the person to him who sent them , as if the truth and weight of the admonitions had not been the only thing to be regarded , whoever was the instrument ; but have at last even from the pulpit , in the face of the world , encouraged the king to security in neglect of that great duty , which had been so earnestly pressed in those admonitions for his own good ; and done it in such a manner , as never any of the false prophets of old , ( except only their pretence of special revelation or the great enemy of mankind could have done more subtily and plausibly : which though of sad consideration in other respects , yet may give the more hope of the kings case , that there is in it so much the less of fault as there is more of unhappiness , in that he hath been so unfaithfully dealt with by those about him . and if with this we take . into the consideration the bishops excuse , why they did not offer the bill in the house of lords , viz. lest a thing of that nature should be ridicaled and contemned , and religion with it . i suppose no serious man but will acknowledge all this to be sufficient evidence of the prevalence and full maturity of sin and wickedness in this nation . and now concerning the near approaches of god's judgments upon the nation . every affliction or calamity upon a person or nation is not presently to be reputed a judgment or punishment of sin. some may be for the glory of god , and some for exercise of his creatures . but when we see notorious and provoking sins followed with proportionable calamities and afflictions , then we may safely conclude them judgments ; especially when we see afflictions after afflictions , or interchanges of afflictions and mercies , and the afflictions more and more increasing , but the provocations no whit abated , but either still increasing , or men more and more hardned in them , and insensible of god's judgments , that is a dangerous sign that some terrible judgment is not far off . but when in such case a particular calamity is as visible as a cloud in the air , and as likely to fall upon a nation , as such a cloud to break into a storm , ( as when you see jerusalem encompassed with armies ) then the approaches of that judgment are very near . and whether this be not the case of this nation at this time , deserves our very serious consideration speedily . of the ripeness and maturity of the sins of the nation i have given sufficient evidence before : it remains thereof only to consider what prospect there is of any particular calamity visible , which may probably or possibly be approaching this nation . and if we look back for most part of these thirty years last past , there has been a storm in brewing , often ready to break out very terribly both upon these and some neighbour nations ; but it hath pleased god that it hath as often blown over , and served only for so many warnings . and it was within these three years that we were in very great danger , we and our neighbours too ; and it pleased god to give us as great , and a very extraordinary deliverance . but how little good effect it hath had upon us , may be understood by what is said already ; to which i will add only this , that as we prophaned our thanksgiving for our deliverance with a frothy complement to the instrument , so do we now make a sport and a trade of the approaches of god's judgments ; a matter that hath more of sin and provocation in it , than this sensual generation is apprehensive of and a very ill sign of a dangerous condition . certainly god , after so great a manifestation of his providence in our deliverance , expected other and more substantial returns than such a formality ; and when we notwithstanding neglected our duty , he was graciously pleased the first year to correct our neglect only with a suspension of his blessing ; all things were at a stand with us , nothing prosper'd or succeeded : but when we still continued our neglect , he proceeded one degree further , to a smarter chastisement by a shameful bafflle of our fleet at sea , through the unfaithfulness or fearfulness ( so suitable a punishment ) of some employed in that service ; to say nothing of other misfortunes elsewhere . and now we are come to the third year without any amendment , and with a bolder and brisker attempt of a powerful and active adversary , very early , and with good success , in the view , in a manner , of the king himself ; and perhaps not without some error committed through fearfulness , if not unfaithfulness in some of his council of war. and if we well consider how powerful , active and forward our adversary is , how distracted our allies are abroad , how divided we our selves are at home ; how unfaithfully , or unwisely , or unsuccessfully our affairs are managed both at home and abroad , we have reason to fear the approaches of a very terrible judgment very near . and if things be well examined , we may apprehend not only a proportionable but a suitable judgment in all , unfaithfulness , fearfulness of god's enemies , and adhering to dilatory wicked councils , punished with like unfaithfulness , fearfulness of our enemies , and like dilatory counsels in those we employ . and for the nearness of the approaches of judgments , at the very instant , while i am writing this , are we alarm'd with a terrible beginning of a fire breaking out in the royal palace at whitehal . certainly , we have great reason to believe that the accomplishment of bishop usher's prediction is very near , and that we may soon be taught what monsieur st. jean's thunder under ground did import , by a sudden resurrection and eruption of the plots , which the unsaithfulness and deceitfulness of some have so politickly buried , if not prevented by a very speedy alteration of our ordering of things so as may be both more for the honour and service of god , that we may recover his favour and blessing , and better for the security of the nation , which his favour and blessing alone can help and lead us to . for the recovery of which , ( which is my next business ) we must . first consider the majesty of god , with whom we have to do , in respect of which the greatest majesty upon earth is ten thousand times less than the faintest shadow we can behold , and the greatest monarch but a butterfly ; nay , less than the meanest and most despicable animal . he is a god of infinite mercy indeed , but withal of absolute justice and holiness , and very terrible in his judgments against obstinate and incorrigible sinners . . we must next consider the sinful state and condition of the nation ; the universality of it , having overspread all orders , our kings , our nobles , our priests and our prophets , and all ranks and degrees of our people . the growth and long continuance of it , and the impudence and obstinacy of it , out-facing all humane authority , and standing out without remorse against the various repeated divine methods , both of judgments and mercies , to bring us to repentance and reformation : and the great danger , it is now again fallen into by reason of our unprofitableness upon so late and great a mercy and deliverance as our last was . . and when with such considerations we are affected with such a sense of our condition as is meet , and a sincere internal contrition , we must speedily apply our selves to give glory to god , by serious and solemn external actions of humiliation ; appointing of days for the purpose , afflicting our souls in strict fasting and mortification , confessing the sins of the nation , of our kings , and our priests , and our prophets , and all sorts amongst us , plainly and truly with great seriousness and sense of the evil of them , and the justice of all the judgments we either feel or fear , with humble and earnest supplications and deprecations . but this , if it be done to purpose , had need be done in another manner than is usual in the forms of the church of england , and with more strictness in the acts of mortification than is usual amongst u. when publick sins and manifest judgments require publick humiliation , then to neglect it is a great aggravation of the sin and provocation of judgment : to appoint a day , and not to observe it with the greatest seriousness , solemnity and strictness , is to lose our labour , prophane a sacred duty , and add a greater aggravation and provocation . . but if all thus far be performed never so well and exactly , yet there remains one thing more , which if neglected , will certainly not only frustrate the effect of all the rest , but convert it to the highest aggravation and provocation . and that is the removal of the accursed thing , whatever it be , and reformation of what is amiss , instantly , if it be such as may be done instantly . however , to set about it , and do what may be done toward it ; instantly , and then pursue it with great resolution and constancy till it be throughly accomplished ; banish all false prophets , who have deceived us into neglect and procrastination of so important and necessary a duty , and thereby brought us into so much mischief and danger ; and make examples of notorious scandalous persons ; and by doing all that can be for the present , declare both to god and man a firm resolution to go thorough with it , by the blessing of god , whatever difficulties occur in the way . no difficulties or dangers must stop or stay us : it is for our life and there is no greater danger than in the neglect or delay of so indispensable a duty . we must remember in this case , as well as in many others , that warning of our saviour , he who will lose his life , ( or what else is most valuable ) for my sake , shall save it : but he who will save it ( thinks to secure it by neglect or transgression of his duty or respect to me ) shall lose it , and certainly find himself mightily mistaken in his policy . nor must we rest in an ordinary performance of this part of our duty : for the judgments which threaten both the king and the nation at this time , if i mistake not , are very great , and require the zeal of phinehas to avert them , and pacifie the wrath of god. and here i must take notice of a matter , which deserves to be well consider'd , though i doubt few ever think of it , and that is of giving glory to god in respect of his former judgments , and doing what is necessary for cleansing of the nation from the guilt and pollution of the former sins , of which it is not yet purged as it ought to be . we have these thirty years past rather politickly than religiously kept every year the th of january , as the day of the martyrdom of king charles the first : but it ought to be consider'd , whether ever we have taken care to give god the glory of his judgments in that very thing . it was an extraordinary thing for a king to have his head cut off , at his own door , by his own subjects . but however , if we have had more regard to the dead king than to the living god , and to his hand and judgments in it , that will prove such a piece of hypocrisie , as may concern the church of england to look to it in time , lest god by his judgments set it out to their shame or confusion . and for the late k. james , if we can satisfie our selves with our acquests , and take no care to manifest to the world the justice of our own proceedings in the late revolution , certainly we ought in gratitude to god to have given him the glory of his justice as well as his mercy in it , by publick examination and justice upon some of the notorious criminals . and i doubt not but the judgments of god will reach those prophane politicians , who have studiously smothered and covered such works of secrecy and darkness , as ought for the glory of god to have been set in the light , as well as obstructed justice upon more apparent criminals . and besides , this is a thing that does so greatly concern the king in respect of his duty to god , that as it is a shame to all his bishops and doctors and chaplains about him , if they have been all so unskilful in their own profession , or so unfaithful to him , as that none of them hath admonished him , and endeavoured to make him sensible of the importance of it ; so i doubt it will be imputed to the filling up of the measure . but whatever be done by the church and the state for the preventing of any publick judgment or common calamity , there is that which may be done by private and particular persons , which may both help towards that , and may procure safety and exemption to themselves out of it : which i shall comprize in the following particulars . the first is , to try and examin their own ways , and turn to the lord by repentance and effectual reformation of whatever is amiss , and be sure to cast out every root of bitterness ; leave no matter for the fire of god's judgments to take hold of . if we will escape eternal judgments , we must beware of such deadly sins as procure them . and if we desire to escape temporal punishments , we must be careful , and vigilant , and circumspect to avoid and cleanse our selves from every sin. for every sin shall receive a just recompense of reward , and the sinner shall suffer loss , though he himself may be saved , so as by fire . there is a chastning of the lord , by weakness , and sickness , and death , even of those who shall not be condemned with the world ; and for that purpose that they may not ; which as we would avoid , we must carefully avoid all sin ; or , if we fall into any , be careful speedily to cleanse our selves from it ; which is not to be done without trouble . we must judge our selves , if we will not be judged of the lord. we must afflict our souls . for though it be the blood of christ and the spirit of god only which can perfect our cleansing , yet is there something to be done by us in the use of means , and cooperation with the grace of god : as . serious consideration both of the majesty , holiness and justice of god , and of the evil of sin. . serious use of the means of humiliation , and of the external expressions of it for the more solemn acknowledgment of the sin , and the glory of god , in the sight of men and angels . . resolution and actual reformation , so as to abolish the sin , as much as may be , by restitution , reparation , satisfaction , and practice of contrary vertues . . application to god by supplication and faith in our great propitiation , with acts of mercy and charity to others . th●●● and such as these we must do through the grace of god for our cleansing . the next is to take great care to be of the number of those whom the good archbishop usher hath told us , god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings : and to that end often peruse and ruminate upon that excellent prophesie , and like excellent description of sanctification printed with it ; and study , and strive , and pray earnestly , and above all things , to have that holy work wrought , and indelibly imprinted in their hearts ; and to give it growth by continual exercise and labour of love for the honour of god and good of his creatures , till that noble generous christian property , of exerting our faculties for the common good , make us almost forget our selves , and carry us beyond all private respect : which yet is no more than we see imprinted in the nature of a poor animal ; a fearful hen , which will fly at a kite and a mastiff for the safety of her chickens , from which she would otherwise fly as fast to save her self . what brutes are we , who will not out of our selves for the god of our lives , and the centre of our happiness ! the third is , to look out into the world ; behold and consider well the deplorable state and condition of this nation ; and indeed , of all the reformed churches , by reason of the full growth of sin amongst them , and the terrible judgments of god , which threaten them , and seem so near approaching after so extraordinary a mercy lately afforded them , and a day of salvation , which they seem to have neglected , without any sense of the duties , which such a divine favour and opportunity required ; that so they may become mourners in secret , as well for the indignities offered to god and our saviour , and the abuse of a most holy and excellent religion , as for the calamities , which we have great reason to fear are coming upon them , for just punishment of all that wickedness , which no means could prevail with them to reform ; and may be the better fitted to perform their part in a publick humiliation . the fourth and last is to do what they can for the reformation of others , and thereby for the averting or mitigating of the judgments of god. the zeal of one phinehas turned away the wrath of god from the children of israel , that he did not destroy them . and besides it was imputed to him for righteousness ; and he obtained thereby a blessing upon himself and his posterity , numb ●●● , . psal. . . and many such , tho private persons , 〈◊〉 even of the lower ranks of men , might do much good to the nation ; and especially to themselves , and their own families . this may , and must be done by these means . . by well ordering their own families , if they have any ; and that . by daily prayers in their families ; for which purpose there are many good books to be had , to help them who need . . by religious observance of the lord's day , taking care that all of their family frequent and reverently attend to the publick worship of god , and employ the rest of the day in reading , and other religious employment . . by instructing , admonishing , reproving , and correcting such as may need or give occasion for it ; and discharging from their service and employment such as are incorrigibe . of which more presently . . by admonishing and reproving their familiar friends and relations , and such at they converse with , as occasion may serve or require ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou bear not sin for him , lev. . . and using their best endeavours , that the obstinate , who will not be reformed by such means , may be punished and corrected by the magistrates and governors . wherein if they may seem to lose their labour through the unrighteousness of those in authority , yet their labour will not be in vain in the lord : and besides , if they be constant and unmoveable in the work of the lord , they will animate one another ; and the importunity of many will by degrees , by god's blessing , prevail against the unrighteousness of such judges . this is a duty of greater weight and obligation than most men are sensible of : and the neglect of it hath given great occasion to the growth of sin and wickedness amongst us to that maturity and fulness it is come to , and to the present unhappiness of the nation : and therefore now under our circumstances is it so much the more to be put in execution with zeal and vigour against all ( tho they be as thy right hand , or thy right eye ) by whom the offence cometh , they must not be spared ; thine eye shall not pity them , neither shalt thou spare them , neither shalt thou conceal them ; so shalt thou put the evil way from the midst of thee ; however from thy self , and deliver thine own soul , if it cannot longer be kept off from the nation . but could such a spirit of zeal be raised , but in the despised people , it would be no little ground of hope still . and why should it not ? we see it in some particulars upon occcasion ; and may see it in more , if they be but rightly informed . there is not less reason for it against debauchery than against popery ; it is not less injurious to our religion , nor less dangerous to our nation ; nay , it is believed by many men of learning and knowledge of affairs , that it is one of the bastard brats of popery , and the most pernicious of all , produced by their councils , and faustred by their agents , that they might unman us , and expose us to the wrath of god , and the fury of our enemies . all therefore who have any zeal or indignation against popery , ought to turn it mightily against this . first , to resent the abuse put upon them by the midianites , and their own folly and madness so easily to be led into the snare , as at the same time that they are so warm against the papists , to be through want of consideration , their very instruments to promote their designs for the destruction of this nation ; and at the same time that they profess so much zeal for the protestant religion , to offer greater indignities to it , than any adversary possibly can : and upon such considerations bethinking themselves well , first deliberately and resolutely with indignatión and zeal breaking through those enchantments , and mending their own manners ; in the next place give their zeal as full vent against debauchery as they would against popery ; and against all such infatuated and inchanted tools of theirs , all debauched people , wherever they meet with them in their debaucheries , as they would do against any priests or jesuites , who could never hurt us , were we not first weakned and exposed by our sins and wickedness . consider how they would take it , if a man to their face should reproach their father , or their mother , their near relation or intimate friend , their great benefactor , or their master , lord , or prince , or declare himself ill affected to their country ; and know , that , if they have any thing of manhood or generosity in them , the indignities done to god , the supreme monarch of the world , and , the father , lord , and great benefactor to us all , and to our most holy and excellent religion , the only compleat means of all happiness both here and hereafter , are provocations ten thousand times greater and more reasonable to exert it to the utmost , and to treat all prophane and wicked people accordingly ; that so that impudent prophaneness and leudness , which at present fills all places , should not dare henceforward to appear abroad , or in our streets . this might , for ought i know , were it well considered and encouraged , save the nation . . by a general ( tho implicit ) reproof of the corrupt manners of the age , and a kind of bearing witness against them , declaring a disallowance and abhorrence of them , that is , by avoiding and abstaining from all communication either with the scandalous persons , or with the corrupt manners thereof . that we should avoid all conversation with evil and scandalous persons there are divers considerable reasons : because . it may be a temptation to us to corrupt our manners in divers respects . . it may give advantage to the evil powers , which reside and rule in them , to hurt us . for there is a secret spiritual impression of good or evil in company , such as it is , which few men observe , or are sensible of , . it may be scandalous to us , if it be intimate or familiar , which is a thing we ought carefully to avoid . . our holy religion and profession may be affronted by them in our presence , of which we ought also to avoid all occasions . . we ought to express and manifest our resentment and indignation against their wicked and scandalous actions and practices , for the honour of our religion , and to shame them into repentance and reformation : but familiar conversation with such is an implicit deserting of our profession , disowning of christ , and prostituting our religion in an unworthy compliance , and a means to make them secure in their evil courses . for these and the like reasons we ought at all times to avoid them , unless when we have any hope or design of doing good to them , but more especially under such circumstances , lest we be partakers in their sin , or tainted by them ; lest we be partakers in their punishment , and suffer with them ; and that we may assert and vindicate the honour of our religion , and shame them into repentancc and reformation . by this means may the meanest person many times have opportunity to give a tacit reproof , and such as by the blessing of god may prove very effectual , to the greatest . and every one ought to do it as they have occasion , without regard to their own worldly interest or benefit to be had by them , or to the worldly dignity of the person , without respect of persons . for to neglect it for private interest , is to prostitute religion , and apply to the devils instruments , instead of dependance upon god for supplies , ( if we really need them ) and his blessing . and to do otherwise out of respect to any such person , be his degree what it will , is to prefer a wicked creature before our creator and redeemer , to prefer external temporal honour , before real , intrinsick , and eternal , and to shew more respect to the enemies of god , who dishonour him , and despise his laws , than to god himself upon whom we depend . both which , whatever men think of them , are more wicked and prophane than i can here set out as they deserve , and are ready means to provoke god , whose cause is thereby deserted , to desert them who do so , and leave them to have their part with such company , with insidels and unbelievers . it is so in the meanest christian , and therefore let those of higher degree look to it , how they will answer the transgression of this duty to god , when they are called to account for it , which may be sooner than they expect . it is that which every one ought with great care to observe , who desires to be found faithful to god , and to be preserved in the common calamity by his special favour . the meanest servants ought to avoid such masters and families ; and if by mistake they fall into them , to manifest their dissatisfaction , get leave to be gone ; and if that cannot be had , to fly with moses into the wilderness , rather than abide with such wicked egyptians : every tradesman to despise their custom , and every artist , mechanick and labourer their service or employment , and all to avoid so much as to salute them , or shew them any respect , which would be to be partaker of their evil deeds : be they who they will , who have so little discretion , or command of themselves , as to contemn and affront even the laws , government and religion of the nation , and all the sober people of it , they ought to be slighted and despised by the-very footmen , carmen , and all sorts of people ; and if they offer to draw their sword , or injure any , to be trod in the dirt , as the pests of the nation , and instruments of all our unhappiness ; only magistrates , and men in authority , which is god's ordinance , must not be affronted , but left to the judgments of god , if those who have power over them will not regard it . and for the manners of the age , besides those gross and scandalous sins , there are divers others , which must be avoided and reformed , and cleansed , if we would endeavour to purpose to escape the fire of god's judgments . such are . all secret sins , secret and mean in their commitment , and concealed from the view of men. god will certainly find these out , and manifest his all-seeing providence in the severe punishment of them , if not prevented by a timely and thorough repentance and reformation . . such as in their own nature are not apparent and distinguishable enough to be corrected by humane laws , censure or cognizance ; which are many and various : as , abuse of aliments in indulgence to the appetite , wherein a great part of the people of this plentiful nation are guilty of excess to their own hurt , but especially those bruitish epicures , who glory in their shame , and turning their paunches into dunghils by a modish foolish term , of eating well , would recommend a beastly ravenous action : ease and luxury , sports , and idle and unprofitable employments , loss of time , and divers great advantages , without benefit to others , or to themselves : abuse of the talents of estates and wealth , which ought to be employed for the honor and service of god , and the good of men , to vain-glory and ostentation in apparel , buildings , furniture , attendants , and such like pomps and vanities , which the ancient christians solemnly renounced at their baptism , and as carefully avoided ever after ; and , ( which doubles the sin ) even to emulations beyond proportion , which draw many other mischiefs after them , to themselves , their families , and many other , by the means next to be mentioned : covetousness , and ambition , and insatiable greediness and pursuit of things of the world , and the cursed fruits thereof , frauds , cheats , exactions , extortions , oppressions , breach of trust , faction and treacheries against king and country , for pensions from foreign princes , and preferments at home . . such as are covered , and palliated , and patronized by modes , fashions , customs of the world , and pretence of necessity for the management and promotion of trade , whereof divers are mentioned already in general , and need not be repeated . these , though spread over this nation , ( to say nothing of other protestant countries ) are most rife and notorious in this great city , which give great cause to fear some special judgment upon it . and though i have always been a friend to it , yet i think my self obliged to bear my testimony against the iniquity thereof in one notorious part , and that is abuse of apprentices after great sums of mony received with them . i my self have had no less than four sons , as soberly educated and as well esteemed as most , before they came to be apprentices , and who behaved themselves afterward without any great extravagancies , placed here to suitable trades , with no little pains and charge , yet after all ruined and undone by the iniquity and wickedness of their masters and their partners . but i have seen the judgments of god upon two of them already ; and to him i have committed my cause with the other two . this i write upon my own sad experience , and could say as much of my own knowledge in the case of some others . of which i have written heretofore in a paper , entituled , relief of apprentices , and mention it now as a common cause worthy of consideration , amongst others , of the magistrates for averting the judgments of god from the city . and while i write this of a case wherein i my self have been so much concerned , i cannot but be sensible of the case of some others which i often see and hear of , and in faithfulness to god and to the state , and charity to the poor people , take notice of it upon this occasion : and that is the pressing of men , and sending them out of the realm , to sea , or beyond sea , by force and violence against their wills. i cannot find , or learn upon enquiry , that there is any law or statute , since those made in the reign of king charles i. are expired , for the pressing of mariners and sailers , much less of land-men , and if there be not , i am sure it is contrary to a principal fundamental right of the people , whose goods , much less their persons or liberty , cannot be touched but by order of law and their own consent in parliament ; and would frustrate the principal design and reason of the habeas corpus act , and render it ridiculous and contemptible in cases of greatest exigence , and most needing its relief . the rights of the poor , ought to be preserved inviolable , as well as of the greatest : and they who can be content to see their own rights violated in the meanest of their countrimen , while their own persons and estates are untouched , do not deserve to have them preserved ; and may expect that they or their posterity may , by the just judgment of god , be deprived of them . nor can i see any reason , why the poor of the land , who enjoy so little of it , should be frighted from their employments , and forced from their families , friends , and the trades and labours to which they have been used , to hazard their limbs and their lives against their own wills , to defend and maintain the superfluities and grandeur of the rich ? or how the death of such in the service being forced against their will , tho by law , unless they first forfeit their right by their own ill behaviour , can be excused from murder in the sight of god ? nor lastly , how we can expect that either such should do any great service , or that the blessing of god should be with us in the use of such unreasonable means . if we enquire into the methods of our ancestors in such case , we shall find them more just and reasonable , more prudent and honourable , and more prosperous and successful , when men of honour and interest covenanted with the king to bring in their several numbers , raised them among their tenants and neighbours , and led them themselves ; so that there was a mutual love and confidence between the leaders and soldiers . but this mode of pressing , if i be not much mistaken , is a novel invention , a base project of the authors of ship-mony , put on now , even while a parliament is in being , to the prejudice of the king , as well as of the nation , to furnish such officers with prest involuntary soldiers , who have little interest of themselves to raise volunteers , and whom few are willing to serve under . and since it is done while a parliament is in being , which could have given authority for it ; it may justly be looked upon as no ordinary abuse to the king himself , but as one of the treacherous policies of some evil persons to prejudice his government and cause ; make his government offensive and suspected by the people , and his cause seem absurd , while his authority is abused to violate the rights of the people , which he came to preserve , and in a fundamental point , and contrary to his coronation oath ; and thereby to justifie or excuse the miscarriages of his predecessor : for all this it plainly and directly tends to . it is true , there is a necessity that men must be had : but necessity will not excuse injustice to the poor , with so great violation of common right , and when without either it may be supplied . let not such be excluded from the service , who are able and willing to serve in their own persons , and have interest and reputation to bring in seamen and soldier let the salaries , pay and profits of great officers , especially who sit at home , and are out of danger , be reduced to moderation , and those who venture all , have a proportionable encouragement , both by good pay while in service , and of good provision in case they be disabled , and we shall want no men , nor need any pressing : and let but good discipline be exercised , as it ought to be , in respect of the manners of officers as well as of soldiers and seamen , and we shall not want god's blessing . but to leave these things to the consideration of the parliament and of the city , of the evil manners before mentioned , those which are secret sins , only by secrecy in the commitment , and as they are concealed from men , but otherwise are well enough known to all to be sins , though they have not so much of scandal as those which are openly committed ; yet may they have other aggravations , which may equal that , and require no less severity of judging our selves , if we would not be judged of god. as to the rest , which either in their own nature are not so palpable , or easily discernible from what is lawful ; or by common opinion and usage of the world are reputed lawful and harmless , nay commendable ; and some perhaps excused and patronized in opposition to popery , it is to be considered , . that some are condemned as wholly unlawful , not only by the judgment and practice of all the ancient christians for many ages , and comprehended in that ancient solemn renunciation required of all admitted into the society of christians by baptism , viz. of the devil and his works , the world and the pomps , glory and vanity thereof , and the flesh and its lusts and desires ; but also by the express doctrin of the holy scripture , both under such general comprehensive names , as the flesh , gal. . . lusts of the flesh , gal. . : pet. . : john . . the old man , eph. . . the natural man , i cor. . . desires of the flesh , eph. . . works of the flesh , gal. . . provision for the flesh , rom. . . minding the flesh , and the things of the flesh , rom. . , , : gal. . . walking after the flesh , cor. . : pet. . . minding earthly things , phil. . : col. . , : james . . being of the world , john . : . , . love of the world , john . : . . ja. . . lusts of the world , tit. . . wisdom of the world , cor. . . the course of the world , eph. . . conformity to the world , rom. . . inordinate affection , and evil concupiscence , &c. with weighty admonitions of their provoking the wrath of god , and excluding from the kingdom of god , &c. and by more particular characters , directions and injunctions , as against covetousness , which is again and again called idolatry , and such as both brings down the wrath of god , and excludes from heaven ( which should make people more cautious against it than usually they are ) and divers branches of it , as defrauding , exacting , oppressing , &c. against pride , vain-glory , boasting , ostentation , pride of apparel , particularly that of women , ( in whom it is more pardonable than in men ) prohibited in very express terms by the two chief apostles severally , tim. . . and pet. . . and yet so agreeably , as declares it to be a resolved point and positive injunction , which yet we see frustrated in our times by some , just as the pharisees did by the law in our saviours time ; and against others , some of them noted before , but all too many to be here more particularly noted . . that there are others , which being lawful , or more excusable at other times , are apt to be the less taken notice of , yet are not only unlawful and inexcusable at such a time as this , but greatly offensive and abominable to god , and highly provoking , as impious and prophane , under such circumstances , as may be perceived by the great indignation expressed in the prophet isa. . . against such upon like occasion , as iniquity , which should not be expiated till they should die for it . and indeed , as it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living god ; so there can hardly be a greater provocation , than such behaviour as dectares or implies a contempt or neglect , carelesness or unconcernedness at the approaches or appearance of the judgments of god against a nation , by any particular person . it is very like and the ready way to fix the decree against such a person to be certainly involved in it . now therefore to prevent , and avert the judgments of god from themselves , and , as much as in them lieth , from the nation ; all who in order thereunto desire indeed to have no fellowship with any such evil manners , customs or fashions , and to keep themselves unspotted of the world , must apply themselves seriously to such further means as these , viz. . to abstain and withdraw themselves , as much as their circumstances will permit , from all unnecessary diversions , business and imployment in and about the matters , and conversation with the men , of the world ; and retiring , apply themselves to prayer , reading , meditation and watching ; and frequent the publick worship of god with all reverence as often as opportunity may be had . . to abstain from all acquest of the things of the world in any unfitting manner or unreasonable measure , both which are very common ; but be content with just , and honest , and reasonable gains , according to the real worth , not appearance of things , reasonable rents as times will bear , and moderate fees , according to the real merit of labour , skill , and time , without occasioning more expence than needs ; and likewise , to pay to the full value of commodities , and desert of labour , skill and time : nay , to abstain from all pursuit of some , of preferments , not only after the greedy and ambitious manner , and by the indirect means , which are usual ; but from all , considering more the account , which must be given , and the incumbrance , than the profit and honour ; unless out of charity to men , and love to our country , to prevent the intrusion of evil men for their own advantage , and to the disservice of king and country ; which is now so common as may justifie that which otherwise would be inexcusable . out of which case , for a man to be well qualified and ready to serve his country when he is called to it , is sufficient . and lastly , to abstain not only from pursuit , but from acceptance of others , of insignificant ( as our later reigns have made them ) and burdensom titles of honour . which men of true vertue and wisdom will at no time seek ; especially when by the prodigality of princes they are thrown , and by the vices of nobility trodden in the dirt , and made rather badges of flattery , servility , treachery , vanity and degeneracy , than ensigns of vertue , and of merit by noble and generous service and atchievements , the only substantial grounds of honour : and men of great piety will not easily accept at such a time as this . besides , i am perswaded never any man was made better by them , nor many who were not made some way worse ; and that the whole nation at this time is much the worse , almost undone , and in great danger of ruin and confusion by some aspiring ambitious persons , if they be not speedily taken down : but sure i am they are unsuitable for times of fasting and humiliation , when they who have them , ought in a sort to depose and lay 'em aside during such circumstances . and since now a publick fast and humiliation is appointed by the queen to be observed monthly , in most devout and solemn manner , it is but fit and necessary that the house of lords be admonished of a great disrespect both to god and to the king upon the like occasion the last year ; ( though touched before in the reflections upon the then late action at sea , where the unhappy state of our clergy and church was more fully discoursed , and therefore is spared here : ) for i believe it may concern them not only to have more regard to the eyes of men that are upon them , for their own honour and reputation , but to the all-seeing eye of him , who hath said , them who honour me , i will honour ; but they who despise me shall be lightly esteemed , lest if through their fault ( amongst the rest ) the sun and the moon be darkned , the stars also fall from heaven ; and lest he again shake heaven and earth as he hath formerly done , or more severely . . to abstain from the use of unnecessary things of the world , as , pleasures , vain delights , plays , pomp , state , grandeur and finery , &c. which are at such a time part of that iniquity , against which we see so much divine indignation expressed in the prophet . and here i must not , i ought not to forbear to take notice of that undecent attire of our women upon their heads , at any time unbefitting women professing godliness , but at such a time as this , when god by his providence calls for baldness and sackcloth , and when they should put their mouths in the dust , to set up their crests in that manner , cannot but be displeasing and abominable in the sight of god and the good angels , as it is in the sight of many of his faithful servants upon earth . and therefore i cannot but think it great pity , that a lady of sincere piety and vertue , as i hope and believe , should be betray'd , through the unskilfulness in divine matters of those about her , or their unfaithfulness to her , to prostitute majesty to such a compliance with a vain generation , who should rather have given the law to them , and maintaining her ground on the part of virtue and gravity , which is essential to majesty , by the authority of so great an example have given a tacit reproof and correction to their vanity , and taught them more consideration and regard to their own country , than to do such honour to a foreign enemy , as to glory in a voluntary imitating of their example , even in levity and vanity , as if they would lick up their spittle ; an unlucky presage , that we shall at last be delivered , by the just judgments of god , for correction of our error , to an involuntary subjection to their will and power , whose vain humours we are so apt to follow , if we speedily mend not our manners . nor may i here pass by in silence another such unhappy miscarriage or two : as the celebrating , or rather profaning , of an anniversary solemnity , at a time which at once called for both serious thansgiving to god , and serious humiliation under his mighty hand , with a light and frothy play ; and sullying an illustrious consultation about matters of great seriousness and importance , when the eyes of all the world were upon them , with unchristian excessive drinking . these we may understand by what hath been said already , to be displeasing to god , and by the dishonor , which soon after befell them , who had first so dishonored themselves , viz that it was permitted as a just judgment from him . and these , as they are greater faults in divinity , than the generality of our divines can believe ; for they contract a communication with the common guilt both of the nation at present , and of the preceding kings and their reigns , to say nothing of other circumstances ; so are they greater faults in civil prudence , than our ordinary statesmen and polititians are sensible of ; for they tend greatly to weaken and abate a mans interest in the opinion and esteem of people , making them doubtful both of his sincerity in religion , and of his prudence and magnanimity , who will be prevailed on to be a spectator or actor in either . it is not insolence or ill will , but very faithfulness and great good will , which hath induced me to to write this : and such a disposition of soul toward the majesty of heaven , and sense of things , as the present circumstances require , will make them be well taken from what ever hand they come , with so much integrity and affection . and therefore now to return . . to abstain from the use even of the necessary things of the world , as much as nature and decency will permit , and particularly from the delights and satiety of natural aliments ; not only from the quality of costly and delicious meats and drinks , but from such a quantity of those which are plain and simple , as perhaps the appetite might crave . this is the only way to avoid , that intemperance , which is not easie to be discern'd by others , but is very common , and very much impairs the health , and shortens the lives of many people of this nation , of all degrees , especially of such as are not much imploy'd in hard labour ; is of great benefit for health , and of great advantage for such retirements as i have mentioned ; and is very proper and suitable for such occasions . and to this i might with like reason add and recommend an abridgment of sleep , and use of watching , which a spare diet would render very easie , and conducing to health . . in all conversation with others , to be very serious and grave ; and by much affability , sweetness , and good admonitions , be always endeavouring to do good to all ; never speak of religion to recommend themselves , nor forbear through shame , or for fear of disparagement by it , a common , base and most dangerous fault ; and be always ready to relieve and defend the needy and oppressed , and to right the injured , as far as means , ability , or interest will extend ; only with this caution , that it be done so as may not too much interrupt or disturb the retirement before mentioned , and the proper imployments thereof . as this method will redeem much time for retirements , so the retrenching so much expence , may both countervail the time substracted from business ; and help to supply what is imployed in works of charity ; in all which , regard must be had to peoples different circumstances . and they who shall seriously enter upon it , and with care , diligence and constancy , keep to it , i doubt not but will find light in obscurity , comfort in affliction , confidence and protection in danger , great serenity and satisfaction in this life , and eternal happiness in a better . which , next to the service of our great lord , and the preservation of the nation , is the only design of this discourse . and for the same purpose , i shall here subjoin the following abstracts , viz. . an abstract of mr. chillingworth 's judgment of the state of religion in this nation , in his time , which is much more decayed since . let us examine our ways , and consider impartially , what the religion of most men is ? we are baptized in our infancy , that is , as i conceive , dedicated and devoted to god's service , by our parents and the church , as young samuel was by his mother anna , and there we take a solemn vow , to forsake the devil and all his works , the vain pomp and glory of the world , with all the covetous desires of it ; to forsake also all the carnal desires of the flesh , and not to follow nor be led by them . this vow we take when we be children , and understand it not : and , how many are there , who know , and consider , and regard what they have vowed , when they are become men , almost as little as they did being children . consider the lives , and publick actions of most men of all conditions , in court , city , and country , and then deny it , if you can , that those three things which we have renounced in our baptism ; the profits , honours , and pleasures of the world , are not the very gods which divide the world amongst them ; are not served more devoutly , confided in more heartily , loved more affectionately , than the father , son , and holy ghost , in whose name we are baptized ? deny , if you can , the daily and constant imployment of all men , to be either a violent prosecution of the vain pomp and glory of the world , or of the power , riches , and contemptible profits of it , or of the momentary or unsatisfying pleasures of the flesh , or else of the more diabolical humours of pride , malice , revenge , and such like . &c. when we are come to years capable of instruction , many , which is lamentable to consider , are so little regarded by themselves or others , that they continue little better than pagans , in a common-wealth of christians , and know little more of god , or of christ , than if they had been bred in the indies . a lamentable case , and which will one day lie heavy upon their account , which might have amended it and did not . but many , i confess , are taught to act over this play of religion , and learned to say , our father which art in heaven ; and , i believe in god the father almighty : but , where are the men that live so , as if they did believe in earnest , that god is their almighty father ? where are they that fear him , and trust him , and depend upon him only , for their whole happiness , and love him , and obey him , as in reason we ought to do to an almighty father ? who , if he be our father , and we be indeed his children , will do for us all the good he can ; and if he be almighty , can do for us all the good he will ; and yet , how few are there , who love him with half that affection as children usually do their parents , or believe him with half that simplicity , or serve him with half that diligence ? and then for the lords prayer , the plain truth is , we lie unto god for the most part clean through it , and for want of desiring indeed , what in word we pray for , tell him to his face as many false tales as we make petitions . for who shews by his endeavours , that he desires heartily that god's name should be hallowed ; that is , holily and religiously worshipped and adored by all men ? that his kingdom should be advanced and inlarged ? that his blessed will should be universally obeyed ? who shews by his forsaking sin that he desires so much as he should do the forgiveness of it ? nay , who doth not revenge , upon all occasions , the affronts , contempts , and injuries put upon him , and so upon the matter curse himself , as often as he says , forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us ? how few depend upon god only for their daily bread , viz. the good things of this life , as upon the only giver of them , so as neither to get nor keep any of them , by any means which they know or fear to be offensive unto god ? how few desire in earnest to avoid temptation ? nay , who almost is there , that takes not the devil's office out of his hand , and is not himself a tempter both to himself and others ? lastly , who almost is there that desires heartily and above all things so much as the thing deserves , to be delivered from the greatest evil ; sin i mean , and the anger of god ? &c. and this were ill enough , were it in private , but we abuse god almighty also with our publick and solemn formalities , we make the church a stage whereon to act our parts , and play our pageants ; there we make a profession every day of confessing our sins with humble , lowly , and obedient hearts , and yet when we have talked after this manner , twenty , thirty , forty years together , our hearts for the most part continue proud , as impenitent , as disobedient , as they were at the beginning . we make great protestations , when we assemble and meet together to render thanks to god almighty , for the benefits received at his hands ; and if this were to be performed with words , with hosanna's , and hallelujahs , and gloria patri's , and psalms , and hymns , and such like outward matters , peradventure we should do it very sufficiently : but in the mean time with our lives and actions , we provoke the almighty , and that to his face , with all variety of grievous and bitter provocations ; we do daily and hourly such things as we know , and he hath assured us , to be odious unto him ; and contrary to his nature ; as any thing in the world is to the nature of any man in the world ; and all this upon poor , trifling , trivial , no temptations : &c. our tongues ingeminate , and cry aloud hosanna , hosanna , but the louder voice of our lives and actions is , crucifie him , crucifie him . &c. if i should reckon up unto you , how many direct lies every wicked man tells to god almighty , as often as he says amen , to this form of godliness , which our church hath prescribed ; if i should present unto you all our acting of piety , and playing of humiliation , and personating of devotion in the psalms , the litanies , the collects , and generally in the whole service , i should be infinite , &c. we profess , and indeed generally , because it is not safe to do otherwise , that we believe the scripture to be true , and that it contains the plain and only way to infinite and eternal happiness : but if we did generally believe what we do profess , if this were the language of our hearts as well as our tongues , how comes it to pass that the study of it is so generally neglected ? &c. seeing therefore most of us are so strangely careless , so grosly negligent of it , is there not great reason to fear , that though we have professors and protestors in abundance ; yet the faithful , the truly and sincerely faithful , are , in a manner , failed from the children of men ? what bút this can be the cause that men are so commonly ignorant of so many articles , and particular mandates of it , which yet are as manifest in it , as if they were written with the beams of the sun ? for example ; how few of our ladies and gentlewomen , do or will understand , that a voluptuous life , is damnable and prohibited to them ? yet st. paul faith so very plainly , she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth . &c. how few of the gallants of our time , do or will understand , that it is not lawful for them to be as expensive and costly in apparel , as their means , or perhaps , their credit will extend unto ? which is to sacrifice unto vanity , that , which by the law of christ , is due unto charity ; and yet the same st. paul forbids plainly this excess even to women , — also let women , ( he would have said it much rather to the men ) array themselves in comely apparel , with shamefac'dness and modesty , not with embroidered hair , or gold , or pearls , or costly apparel ; and to make our ignorance the more inexcusable , the very same rule is delivered by st. peter also epist. . . how few rich men are or will be persuaded , that the law of christ permits them not to heap up riches for ever , nor perpetually to add house to house , and land to land , though by lawful means , but requires of them thus much charity at least , that even while they are providing for their wives and children , they should , out of the increase wherewith god blesseth their industry , allot the poor a just and free proportion ? and when they have provided for them in a convenient manner , ( such as they themselves shall judg sufficient-and convenient in others ) that then they should give over making purchase after purchase , but , with the surplusage of their revenue beyond their expence , procure , as much as lies in them , that no christian remain miserably poor , &c. where almost are the men that are or will be persuaded , the gospel of christ requires of men humility , like to that of little children , and that under the highest pain of damnation ? &c. would it not be strange news to a great many , that not only adultery and fornication , but even uncleanness and lasciviousness ; not only idolatry and witchcraft , but hatred , variance , emulations , wrath , and contentions ; not only murthers , but envying ; not drunkenness only , but revelling , are things prohibited to christians , and such as if we forsake them not , we cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven ? &c. if i should tell you , that all bitterness and evil speaking ( nay , such is the modesty and gravity which christianity requires of us ) foolish talk and jesting , are things not allowed to christians , would not many cry out , these are hard and strange sayings , who can hear them ? &c. to come a little nearer to the business of our times , — they that maintain the king 's righteous cause with the hazard of their lives and fortunes , but by their oaths and curses , by their drunkenness and debauchery , by their irreligion and prophaneness , fight more powerfully against their party , than by all other means they do or can fight for it ; are not , i fear , very well acquainted with any part of the bible : but that strict caution which properly concerns themselves in the book of leviticus , i much doubt they have scarce ever heard of it , when thou goest to war with thine enemies , then take heed there be no wicked thing in thee ; not only no wickedness in the cause thou maintainest , nor no wickedness in the means by which thou maintainest it ; but no personal impieties in the persons that maintain it , &c. i cannot but fear , that the goodness of our cause may sink under the burden of our sins : and that god in his justice , because we will not suffer his judgments to atchieve their prime scope and intention , which is our amendment and reformation , may either deliver us up to the blind zeal and fury of our enemies ; or else , which i rather fear , make us instruments of his justice each against other , and of our own just and deserved confusion . . an extract of a letter from the hague . concerning two sermons preached there in the french - church , / mar. / . i was yesterday in the french church , where i heard two very good sermons , and such as would have given you great satisfaction ; one was upon jonah . . but jonah was gon down into the sides of the ship , and he lay , and was fast asleep . the scope of what was said was to shew , that the church was in as great a storm as ever she had been , and that greater security was never seen amongst professors of religion , than was to be found at this day , which threatned greater desolation than our fathers had ever been witnesses to . the other was preached by monsieur arnold , who is the chief commander of the waldenses , as well as their minister . there was a great auditory , and , amongst others , the bishop of london , earl of nottingham , earl of monmouth and mr. wharton : his text was , cor. . . from thence he took occasion to tell us , that we were not to expect fine language from him , it being that which god seldom made use of for gaining the ends of the gospel ; that he was to discourse to us of plain truths , not valuing what should be our censures of him , if he might approve himself to his god ; that we were not to think , that he was afraid before such an appearance of persons of all ranks , to reprove what was amiss ; for if the king himself were present , though he would give him that respect that was due to his character , yet he would speak the truth , as became a faithfull servant of christ : he did with great modesty , without mentioning of particulars , shew in general how by a few hundreds of the waldenses , god had scattered thousands of proud enemies ; and from thence took occasion to exhort us , above all things , to make it our business to have god on our side , because it was through his chusing of them , that the foolish and weak things were able to confound the wise and strong , and withall did shew us , that we were not like persons chosen of god to confound the designs and strength of our enemies , while irreligion , vanity and debauchery did so much abound amongst us , and did particularly insist upon the vain attire of women ; and then , with great seriousness , did exhort us to amend our ways and doings ; assuring us ( without taking upon him , as he said , to be a prophet ) of victory over our enemies if we did sincerely set about a reformation . these things i thought would give you some satisfaction , as they did not a little to me , which hath made me the more particular in my relation . i forgot to tell you that all heard him with great attention , and particularly those of our countrey , i mean britain ; and i did observe that 〈…〉 could not withhold from tears . . an abstract of archbishop usher 's prediction , concerning a great persecution to come upon the protestant church , to one who supposed it might have been over in his life time . all you have yet seen hath been but the beginning of sorrows , to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of christ ; who will e're long fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has been upon them . and therefore look ye be not found in the outward court , but a worshipper in the temple before the altar . for christ will measure all those who profess his name , and call themselves his people ; and the outward worshippers he will leave out to be trodden down by the gentiles . the outward court is the formal christian , whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity , without having an inward life , and power of faith and love uniting them to christ. and these god will leave to be trodden down and swept away by the gentiles . but the worshippers within the temple and before the altar , are those who do indeed worship god in spirit and in truth , whose souls are made his temples , and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts ; and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affections , yea , and their own wills to him . and these god will hide in the hollow of his hand , and under the shadow of his wings . and this shall be one great difference between this last and all the other preceding persecutions : for in the former , the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer most , and were most violently fallen upon ; but in this last persecution , these shall be preserved by god as a seed to partake of that glory , which shall immediately follow and come upon the church , as soon as this storm shall be over : for as it shall be the sharpest , so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all ; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites and formal professors ; but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be overpassed . to this i think very pertinent that other excellent passage of his concerning sanctification , in these words . we do not well understand what sanctification and the new creature are . it is no less than for a man to be brought to an intire resignation of his will to the will of god ; and to live in the offering up of his soul continually in the flames of love , as a whole burnt-offering to christ. and how little are many of those , who profess christianity , experimentally acquainted with this work on their souls ! finis . by the king. a proclamation for a generall fast thorowout [sic] this realme of england proclamations. - - england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing c ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) by the king. a proclamation for a generall fast thorowout [sic] this realme of england proclamations. - - england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) sheet ([ ] p.) by robert barker, printer to the kings most excellent majestie: and by the assignes of john bill, imprinted at london : [i.e. ] dated at end: given at the court at vvhitehall the eighth day of january, in the seventeenth yeer of his majesties reign ... . arms ; steele notation: consideration and so. the dates are given according to lady day dating. reproduction of original in the victoria and albert museum, forster collection, london, england. eng fasting -- law and legislation -- early works to . fasts and feasts -- law and legislation -- england -- early works to . a r (wing c ). civilwar no by the king. a proclamation for a generall fast thorowout [sic] this realme of england. england and wales. sovereign a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion c r diev et mon droit honi soit qvi mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms ❧ by the king . ❧ a proclamation for a generall fast thorowout this realm of england . his majestie taking into his princely and pious consideration the lamentable and distressed estate of his good subjects in his majesties kingdom of ireland , and conceiving it to be a just and great occasion calling upon him , and his people of this his kingdom of england for a generall humiliation of all estates of this kingdom before almighty god , in prayer and fasting , for drawing down his mercy and blessing upon that kingdom : his majestie doth therefore by this his proclamation straitly charge and command , that a generall , publike , and solemn fast be kept , and holden , as well by abstinence from food , as by publike prayers , preaching , and hearing of the word of god , and other sacred duties , in all cathedrall , collegiate , and parish churches and chappels within this his majesties kingdom of england , and dominion of wales ( his majesties cities of london and westminster onely excepted , where it hath already been observed ) on the twentieth day of this present moneth of ianuarie . and his majestie doth further by this his proclamation straitly charge and command , that a generall , publike , and solemn fast be kept and holden , as well by abstinence from food , as by publike prayers , preaching , and hearing of the word of god , and other sacred duties , in all cathedrall , collegiate , and parish churches and chappels within this kingdom of england and dominion of wales ( without any exception ) on the last wednesday of the moneth of february next following the date hereof , and from thenceforth to continue on the last wednesday of every moneth during the troubles in the said kingdom of ireland . all which his majestie doth expresly charge and command shall be reverently and devoutly performed by all his loving subjects , as they tender the favour of almighty god , and would avoid his just indignation against this land , and upon pain of such punishments as his majestie can justly inflict upon all such as shall contemn or neglect so religious a work . given at the court at vvhitehall the eighth day of january , in the seventeenth yeer of his majesties reign of great britain , france , and ireland . ❧ god save the king . ¶ imprinted at london by robert barker , printer to the kings most excellent majestie : and by the assignes of john bill . . a discourse upon prodigious abstinence occasioned by the twelve moneths fasting of martha taylor, the famed derbyshire damosell : proving that without any miracle, the texture of humane bodies may be so altered, that life may be long continued without the supplies of meat & drink : with an account of the heart, and how far it is interessed in the business of fermentation / by john reynolds ... reynolds, john, of kings-norton. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing r estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a discourse upon prodigious abstinence occasioned by the twelve moneths fasting of martha taylor, the famed derbyshire damosell : proving that without any miracle, the texture of humane bodies may be so altered, that life may be long continued without the supplies of meat & drink : with an account of the heart, and how far it is interessed in the business of fermentation / by john reynolds ... reynolds, john, of kings-norton. [ ], p. printed by r.w. for nevill simmons ... and for dorman newman ..., london : . "humbly offered to the royall society" reproduction of original in yale university library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng taylor, martha, b. . fasting -- early works to . fasting -- physiological effect -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - olivia bottum sampled and proofread - olivia bottum text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a discourse upon prodigious abstinence : occasioned by the twelve moneths fasting of martha taylor , the famed derbyshire damosell : proving that without any miracle , the texture of humane bodies may be so altered , that life may be long continued without the supplies of meat & drink . with an account of the heart , and how far it is interessed in the business of fermentation . by iohn reynolds . humbly offered to the royall society . london , printed , by r. w. for nevill simmons , at the sign of the three crowns near holborn-conduit : and for dorman newman , at the chyrurgeons arms in little brittain . . to the deservedly famous , and my honoured friend , walter needham , doctor of physick , as also a member of , and curator elect to the royal society . sir , it were a solaecism of the first magnitude to entertain you with any thing like a narrative of the superennial fast , under all the havooks and depraedations whereof the derby-shire damosell hath hitherto been sustained , though emaciated thereby into the ghastliness of a skeleton , to the great astonishment of the vulgus . your correspondencies are so faithful , and your circumstances so advantageous , as wholly to supersede the necessity of my engaging in , and the possibility of my gratifying you , by such a province . however , indulge me , while bemoaning my self , the liberty to tell you , that concerning the phaenomena's attending this prodigeous abstinence , my own thoughts have been so miserably ravel'd , and my scanty intellectuals so much overmatcht thereby , that i could not with any complacency look into those , nor with any delight consult these . a just reverence to reformed theologues , asserting a total cessation of miracles , forbad me to immure my self in any such supernatural asylum : and a praejudicate opinion of humane bodies in this animal state , allowed me not to eurefuge my fluctuating mind in physical causes clubbing together , by an anomalous c●pulation , to engender so great an heteroclite . while thus lost in the chaos of confused apprehensions , and smarting under the hirricano of my own tumultuary thoughts , i hurry away to a very worthy and compassionate friend , who with a little deliberation runs through the diagnosticks of my malady , pitieth my case , and after some sharp conflicts , with his own modesty , affords the relief of a philosophical elixir ( for so i call the ensuing discourse ) wholly transferring the right , which he had in the happy results of his own contemplations , upon me . now ( sir ! ) what by much importunity i extorted from him , for my own private satisfaction , i make bold to tender the world a view of , under the countenance and protection of your great name , which is not only able to secure it from the critical pharaphrases of an envious age , but also to command it the iustice of an unpraejudicate perusal with such as know your worth . to my own grief , i have found it much an anodyne ; or as a pleasant lullabie to my whimpering fancy ; the issue of all hath been rest : not knowing , but it may minister the like seasonable relief to others , who have not wit and philosophy enough to start any greater objections , than my self ; i judged it worthy to travail the world. the confidence wherein i seek to entitle you to the patrociny of it , is no less than an assurance of your benign nature , singular ingenuity , and obliging goodness , which have begotten and pupil'd in me , that perswasion , ever since i had the happiness and honour to know you . besides your clearer intellectuals , and your vast acquaintance with natures recondite mysteries , made it wholly incongruous to adopt any other the object of this dedication . i do still remember with the deepest resentments of a grateful heart , the happy distinction betwixt parts spermatique and parts haematique , wherewith in pity you relieved me , when anxiously enquiring , upon a religious account , after the principuum individuationis in humane bodies : a notion ( as to me it seems ) more able to rescue the grand article of our creed concerning the resurrection of the same individual body from under suspicion , and the many gross ▪ absurdities , that some phylosophasters , and half-witted atheists , would ●ain clogg it with , than any offerture of humane reason , that i ever yet had the happiness to meet with ! here ( methinks i could break forth into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and congratulate my great , though late felicity , that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) as origen , in one sense or other calls it ) the principle maintaining a numerical identity in humane bodies , through the whole series of vicissitudes , changes , and sanctorian transmutations ; betwixt the vterine formation , and the vltimate reunition of soul and body , should , after many a tedious search , and frustraneous disquisition , at last be suggested by an hand able , in the maintenance of it , to grapple with any contradictor . in this you have satisfied not only my reason , but my curiosity too ; and therefore ( sir , ) so great is my opinion of your skill ( absit omnis adulationis suspicio ! ) that whatever dogma steps abroad with your name written upon it , i could almost surrender up my self as a perfect captive to it ( were i not a man , and which is more , a protestant ) upon an implicit faith ! but i have , i know not well how , digressed , and stept asid● into things heterogeneous to the purport of this dedicatory address . i therefore return to my ingenious friends discourse , upon which , were my judgement in these matters worth any thing , i could afford to be liberal in the bestowance of my encomium's . but as 't is shrouded under your patronage , so 't is submitted to your censure : ( this i am bold to do , knowing the author , so much an admirer of you , that he cannot reluctate ) whether more worthy your pity or your approbation , none can better judge , than your discerning and deserving self . therefore such as it is , i leave it to your mercy ; and beg leave to tell you , that i should presently fall out with my self , did i not , upon a faithful scrutiny , find my self in the number of those that really love and honour you . farewell . worthy sir , your requests to take into consideration the so much fam'd prodigious twelve moneths abstinence of the derby-shire maid , having the force of commands , have produced these lean results of the imposed meditations . it cannot be unknown to a person of your large endowments and hot pursuit after substantial science , that both divines , medicks , historians , yea , poets and legenders have presented the learned world with a great variety of wonderful ab●tinents , some whereof i shall briefly recite , as well to reserve your sliding time for more noble employments , as to manifest that our contemporary derb●●se , is not so sing●lar as some may imagine . most certain it is , that the a learned moses b fasted . dayes , and as many nights whilst he abode on the burning mount ; the great c el●jah , went as long in the 〈◊〉 of a meal , and no less was the fast of the d holy jesus e sword● austin reports , that in his time one survived . dayes fasting : but most strange is the story fathered on f nicephorus of three brethren affrighted by persecution into a cave , where they slept . years , as was known by the coin they produced when they awaked . the learned g fernelius saith , he saw a pregnant woman that lived two moneths without meat or drink . h zacutus lusitanus reports , that at venice there lived a man that fasted . dayes , another there . dayes ; and from langius and forstius ( two considerable writers ) another full three years , and that with just stature , good habit , free countenance , and youthful ▪ wit. the famous i sennertus is copious in such stories ; he relates from sigismundus and citesius ( a person he saith worthy of credit ) that the people of lucomoria inhabiting some mountains in moscovy do every year dye in a sort , or rather sleep or freeze ( like froggs or swallows ) on novemb. . and so continue in that rigid state till april . in which time they use no evacuation , save only that a tenuious humor distilling from their nostrils is presently condens'd by the ambient cold , much like to isicles , by the which those patent pores are precluded , and the most endangered . brain fortified against the fatal assaults of brumal extremities . the same sennertus rehearses a story of a virgin at padua ( from viguntia professor there ) who anno . was afflicted with a fever , then a tumor , then arthritick pains , and pains in the ventricle , and whole abdomen , then with vomiting and nauseating of food , till at last she could take no food for two moneths , then after another fit of vomiting , purging and bleeding , she fasted eight moneths , and after a little use of food ▪ she fasted two moneths more . and to be short , he stories it of three persons that fasted each two years , one three years , another four , one seven , another fifteen , another eighteen , and one twenty , yea one twenty nine , another thirty , another thirty six , and one forty years . famous is the story ( perhaps fiction being poetical ) of k epimenides ( whose words st. paul is thought to cite in his epistle to titus , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) whom some report to have slept years , some years together ; but enough of story , those that are desirous to read more , are referr'd to marcellus donat. l. . de med . hist. mirab . c. . schenk . l. . observ . guaguinus , l. . hist. franc. petrarch . l. . de mirabil . c. . portius de hist. puellae german . uspergensis in chron. lentulus in hist. admir . apol. baccius l. de vini nutritione . bozius l. . c. . de signis eccl . fulgosius , l. . c. . lessaeus , l. . hist. scot. favorinus apud gellium , l. . c. . and especially l●cetus that wrote a particular tract to solve the phoenomena of this prodigy . now sir , it would be our ambition to advance towards the same noble work , were it not our duty to serve those awhile that blot all these stories with one dash of unbelief : that pen certainly drops blasphemy that dares to rase the sacred records ; and that uncharitableness which presumes to write falshood upon all humane testimonies , they that assent to nothing not confirmed by autopsia are unfit to converse in humane societies ; for how can i expect that any body should believe me , whilest i my self will believe no body ? 't is an argument of an empty brain to presume to comprehend all things , and thereupon to reject those things from an existence in the world , that have not their science in its intellectuals . many things forreign and strange may well be admitted on good testimonies , sith , the most obvious objects are scarce pervious to the most eagle-ey'd philosopher ; witness the mistakes discovered by d. cartes , gassendus , &c in aristotle himself , one of the most sublimated wits in all the republick of natural philosophy ; and likewise the spots in hippocrates and galen , those mirrours in medicine , modestly pointed at by our famous harvey , glisson , willis , &c. but further to satisfie these incredulous persons , 't is affirmed that some of these abstinents have been l watch't by the most wakefull eyes and jealous ears , to detect their fraud , if guilty of any ; as was that maid that refus'd all food except only water , for three years , by bucoldian●us , with whom she abode for twelve dayes , at the command of ferdinand the emperour , so that apollonia schrejerana was taken by the senate of bern , and put into the hospital of their town , and there watch'd till they were satisfied in the truth of her total abstinence . but enough to these that cut the knot to save the labour of untying it ; yet i may not step aside to those in the contrary extream , that believe a century of such reports with a faith almost as miraculous as these miracles themselves , for so they seem to them : but sir , as 't is humane infidelity to disbelieve all such reports , because some are false , so 't is superstitious charity to believe all because some are true . some persons as scant in their reading , as they are in their travels , are ready to deem every thing strange to be a monster , and every monster a miracle ; true it is , the fast of moses , elijah , and the incarnate word , was miraculous , and possibly of some others ; yet why we should make all miracles , i understand not ; for what need have we now of miracles ? sith such supernatural operations m are for them that believe not , not for them that believe , as witnesseth that n coelestial philosopher st. paul ; and thence we inferr , beings are not to be multiply'd without necessity . moreover , to what end are such miracles wrought ? certainly , the infinitely wise operator labours not for nought , therefore these abstinents , if miraculous , should confirm some doctrine rejected , or refute some errour received , enfranchise some saints oppressed , subvert some wickedness exalted , foretell some extraordinary events and issues of providence to be performed , or for some other end , at which miracles have been usually level'd ; but not a gry of these from most of our abstinents ; moreover , the fast of our blessed saviour and his prodromi procur'd not the least detriment to their health , but 't is otherwise with most of these . near of kin to these miracle mongers are those that suppose these pretended fasters to be invisibly fed by angels ; but 't is incredible that such a favour should be shewn to persons of no known sanctity , as some of these ( reported to be ethnicks ) were ; moreover , either this food was visible , or invisible ; if visible , 't is strange , that vigilant observers , and jealous suspecters , could neither discover the ingress at the fore-door , nor the excrementitious egress at the back-door ; but if 't were invisible , then altogether incongruous to our bodyes , and therefore miraculous ; of which before . neither is it of easie credibility , that food should be supply'd by doemons possessing them ; for we read of no foot-steps of such a possession i'th● story , and 't would be strange if the devil should grow so modest as to content himself with a single trophy of a captivated rational ; and as strange , that a cloven foot should make such inrodes and not leave a doubled yea redoubled impression . cousin-germanes to these are the presumers that the fasters are dead , and acted by daemons ; but this notion is also incongruous not only to their transmigration , from feeding to fasting without any shew of a dissolution , but also to their regress from fasting to feeding , ( as it hapned to some of these ) and health again . and as for the admirers of occult philosophy who resolve these phrases into the effects of occult qualities , we only repose , that though an antipathy to this or that food , and possibly to all food , may cause abstinence , yet without food i cannot understand how it gives sustenance ; but others attribute all this to the influence of coelestial bodies , whose operations i deny not to be great on sublunary wights , yet 't is not imaginable that this universal cause diffusing its energy so promiscuously , should now and then in a century , here and there in a countrey produce such stupendious effects , without some universal preparation and predisposition of bodies to determine its general efficiency to the production of such a prodigy ; but as the former affect darkness , and these an invisible light , we leave them to their retirements , whilest we hunt the more perceptible prints of natures progress in these anomalous productions . by this time , sir , i hope you 'l grant that the old inconvenient and tottering building is in a measure demolish'd , the rubbish removed , and the ground cleared ; let us now propound the necessities and conveniencies , the ends and uses by our new building to be supply'd and attained , and then we 'll fall to the architecture it self ; i mean , let us consider , what the defect of aliment doth require for the support of humane life . . the natural evacuations by urine , stool , salivation , terms , and transpiration , are so lavish , that without reparation by feeding it seems impossible to avoid a sudden dissolution . dly , how shall natural heat be preserved from extinction without a constant feeding on the radical moysture ? and how shall this oleaginous humour be secur'd from a nimble consumption , if it receive not additions from frequent feeding ? ly , how shall fermentation be continued in the blood without new additions of chyle ? and how shall chyle be added , if no food received ? ly , how shall there be a supply of vital spirits , and consequently of animal , without food and fermentation ? ly , how can life consist without sleep ? and how shall we attain sleep without ascending fumes to the brain from ingested food ? for a foundation i shall premise a few severals ; . the long finger of powerfull providence is undoubtedly to be observ'd in the production of these wonderfull effects ; though these be not advanc'd to the zenith of divine miracles , wrought by the immediate hand of omnipotency , yet the first cause must be acknowledg'd in the proportioning , marshalling , dividing , uniting and actuating of concurrent subordinate second causes for such heteroclite productions ; plato himself could say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and the admirable d. willis acknowledges , that natures parent orders natural o principles as to their quantity and mixture , and consequently as to their operations . . 't is very evident that when higher causes shall disjoyn what nature usually conjoyneth , and vice versâ , and exalt one principle and depress another , then very astonishing results appear upon the stage of humane bodies ; such is the stupendious voracity of some helluo's , the monstrous digestion of your lithophagi , the strange metamorphosis of your sanguineans into midnight melancholy , and of lucid intellectuals into piceous mopishness , &c. . now to supply the defect of food in its most usefull restauration of what by daily evacuations the body is depriv'd of ; as i need not compute the vast expence of the microcosme by stool , urine , spitting and terms , these being vulgarly known , so neither of the transcendent loss by transpiration , reckoned by p sanctorius to preponderate all the rest ; all which exact constant additions to be made by aliment , without which the body would quickly be depopulated . but . let it be considered , that this person ( as 't is most credibly reported ) emptyes nothing by urine or stool ; and 't is probable next to nothing by salivation or transpiration , not by salivation through a considerable defect of drinks ; nor by transpiration , because wanting food there 's a partial defect of fermentation in the blood , and thence of natural heat , and so by the coldness of the parts the pores are precluded , and the diaphoresis impeded ; whence it will follow , that where the parts are duely warm , and the pores patent , there the more active principles are apt to take flight , yet where the parts are cold , and the pores cork'd up , there 't is otherwise ; as generous wines and subtile spirits left in open vessels , will quickly bid adieu to their more volatile and brisk principles ; yet if shut up in safe vessels , these fugitives are imprisoned and kept to their daily offices : the same is verifi'd ina queous humours , which ( our kitchens as well as laboratories experiment ) quickly evaporate through intense subjacent heats , but not without , and so 't is here . thus these plentifull evacuations being suppressed , restauration by food is rendred less necessary . yet lest you should dread from this hypothesis a suffocating mass of excrementitious humours to assault the heart , &c. i therefore subjoyn , that a defect of nutritious assumptions must needs precede a defect of humours : moreover , the blood commands much of these remaining humours for its own chariot-use ; neither may it seem dissonant to reason that the ventricle and some of the intestines are us'd as a receptacle of the more tartarous and terrestrial faeculencies ; as embryo's though they receive large quantities of liquid nutriment , yet there 's seldom observ'd the least excretion by the fundament , but a retention of a quantity of excrementitious terrestreities in the intestines during their whole abode in their maternal cells ; likewise in fermenting liquours the more active principles do precipitate the more sluggish to the bottoms , chinks and walls of their continents ; further it cannot be denyed , that by expiration there is a considerable evacuation , as appears both by the heat of our breath , and its moisture , which is discovered by the reception of it into any concavous body . but . admit that there is some waste either by salivation or transpiration , yet these being small , produce only a lingring consumption , which doth often consist for many years with a declining life : such as our virgins is . . how shall natural heat be preserved , if not fed by oyl , continually supply'd and renew'd by aliment ? there are sir , divers opininos touching humane ignicles , and therefore it highly concerns us to proceed cautiously ; it cannot be deny'd that there is a potential heat more or less in all humane bodyes , which is the calor mixti , remaining when we are dead and key-cold ; such as is the heat of sulphur , arsenick , &c. ( though in a great allay ) this appears from chymical operations on mans blood , by which 't is forc'd to acknowledge its endowments with spirits and volatile salts in great quantities , and some sulphur also . likewise it must be granted , that there is an actual heat abiding in us whilest we live , and somewhile after death ; this is obvious to the sence of feeling it self : this is the heat ( as i conceive ) joyn'd with the primogenite humour to which aristotle ascribes life it self . but yet sir , i am somewhat doubtfull , whether this heat be properly cal'd calor vivens , though the great q riverius term it so ; or an immediate cause of life , though an aristotle himself pronounce it so : for certainly holy writ ascribes life to the blood , the blood is the life thereof : and death to a dissolution of the compositum , the body returns to the dust , and the spirit to god that gave it . but of this dissolution ( i suppose ) the soul is not ordinarily the cause , but the body ; and what part of the body may more justly be challenged to be the parent ( if i may so phrase it ) of death , than the blood , which is in a famous sense the parent of life ? so then , r most killing distempers must arise from the excessive multiplication , consumption or depravation of the blood , and the pernicious effects thereof ; yet mistake me not , this hinders not other parts of the body , bowels and humours to be often peccant , as undoubtedly they are by infecting the blood , and receiving infections morbifick from it . moreover , this heat continues some hours without life , even after the dissolution ; and as it is without life , so is life often found without it , as not only in some vegetables , as lettuce , hemlock , cucumbers , &c. but in animals , as frogs and fish , which are said to be actually cold , and the salamander , reputed cold in a high degree . this heat may possibly be but the effect of matter and motion , i. e. of the blood , or before it of the seed impregnated with active principles , which through their activity and heterogeneity suffer mutual collisions , or fermentations , whence ebullition , and thence this heat , which is by circulation not only promoted , but also convey'd to all parts of the body , and by the same causes preserved , which possibly may prove the summe of s riverius's implanted and influent heat . these things presupposed , 't will not be impossible to guess that this heat is no such coelestial fire , as the most famous fernelius would have it , but only the igneous result of the combinations and commotions of the most active elementary principles ; and if there be any other heat , it may prove to be ( according to the conjecture of great riverius ) the product of the immateriate soul ; but of that i understand little , only this is unquestionable , that the caelestial soul chooseth for its more immediate organs , the most subtiliated , spirituous , and active parts of matter , such as the vital and animal spirits , and the heat before mentioned , which seems to be of the same genius , and all but the mechanick productions of various fermentations , percolations and distillations in the humane engine : wherefore , i shall crave leave to dismiss this fire till we come to discourse of fermentations . and so i pass on the next flame , which is the biolychnium , or the actual flame of the blood kindled in the heart , asserted both by antients and moderns of astonishing titles , and tremendous veneration ; which devouring flame , if once kindled , will quickly depredate all the oleaginous aliment , if not renewed by frequent and plentifull assumptions ; but , therefore 't is greatly suspected to have no existence in our bodyes , because in these jejunants it must needs extinguish for want of sulphureous supplyes , and produce death to those that have liv'd long enough to help to entombe it . 't is strange to me , that provident nature should require such vast supplyes both of meat and drink , out of which to extract a small quantity nutritious juice ; which with divers ferments , colatures , emunctories , and rapid motions , it endeavours to exalt and defecate , and yet after all should expose what she hath attain'd of purity and activity , and consequently of noblest use by her unparallel'd artifices , cost and toil , to the improvident disposal of wastfull flames ; for indeed flames are great wasters , as appears in the preparation of the balsom of sugar , &c. no less wonderfull it is that a flame should continually burn in the heart , and yet the fleshy walls thereof not boiled , roasted , nor so much as a fuliginous or cineritious colour imparted . but lest sir , you should be confident that this perennial slame scorns an extinction by these few drops , i therefore commend to your observation those numerous and plentifull buckets that are poured thereupon by the dexterous hand of the very learned and t candid dr. needham . but yet lest you should be so far praepossessed by the determinations of venerable antiquity , as to reject this new doctrine , and avowedly maintain this unseen fire , i shall therefore adde : . that this flame can be but small through the defect of bodily exercise , and freer ventilations , ( these fasters being mostly close prisoners ) as also of strong fermentations ; therefore the less the lamp , the less oyl will sustain it . . through the defect of heat the pores are bolted , and transpiration restrained , whence a scarce credible quantity of moisture is retained , which returning both by veins and lymphaticks , gives no contemptible quantity of food to this fire . . through the restraint of transpiration the igneous particles are secur'd from their excursions , to the great increase of intestine heat ; for in feeders the loss of transpiration often kindles in the blood a feaverish fire . . the air ( as impregnated sometimes especially ) entring by the mouth , the nose , and pores in parts passing the various concoctions , may be converted into a humour not altogether inept to preserve the lingring life of this dying flame . . in pituitous bodies the abundance of flegme through the various concoctions which it undergoes in the body , may become usefull in the room of more proper aliment to this analogous lamp in its table-supplyes ; which flegme though some reject as excrementitious , yet i suppose they do it only when consideration is from home , of its usefulness in the mastication of our food , wherein ( as some say ) lyes the first concoction ; at least therein lyes the main preparation for the grand concoction in the ventricle ; the constant mixture of our food with our spittle in the jaw-mill , may enforce some considering men to think , that 't is nearer of kin to our natural moisture than hath been formerly acknowledged . . the colliquation of the parts of these emaciated bodies may yield oyl to these lamps ; as 't is usually affirmed in hectick feavers ; besides , if fire be nothing but an innumerable host of sulphurous atomes breaking the prisons of their former compositions with other heterogeneities , u then certainly all fire is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for nothing of that sulphur remains , it leaves only the heterogenious principles , with which it was combin'd . . 't is probable that the moisture of these jejune bodies is much not only condens'd by their cold , but also loaded with terrestreities through the non-reception of aliment imp●egnated with active principles ; whereby 't is rendred more durable in this flame . as oyls the more impure , thick , and clammy they are , the less fiercely they burn , but the more tenuious and spirituous , the more nimbly do they flame and expeditiously consume . as my face and hair did sadly experiment upon the unexpected and suddain conflagration of a quantity of the oyl of turpentine , as i not long since drew it from the fire ; i dare say , the turpentine it self would not , or rather could not have serv'd me so . . this moisture being drawn from more jejune principles ( as air , flegme , and lympha ) x is the less impregnated with intro-sulphurous particles , and therefore less inflamable ; as in oligophorous wines , where the spirit and sulphur are greatly exhaled , and with a quality abundantly dilated , there fire slowly burns . . 't is probable , that the crasis of these bodies is so altered by the predominancy of fixed salts not duely actuated by powerfull fermentations , that they much retard the consumption of oyl by this vital fire ; as if quicklime , soap , or other saline concretes be added to wax or tallow , they will ( say chymists ) make a candle of far greater duration than ordinary . strange is that story of st. austine , who reports a lamp to be found in the temple of venus , that no storms could extinguish . yet much more strange was that torch , reported to have burnt years in the tomb of tullia , cicero's daughter , which being expos'd to the air , by the opening of the tomb , was quickly extinguish'd : now if our humours should chance to attain the disposition of these antient oyls , they might supply the byolychnium long enough . . or if these fixed salts should attain fluidity , as 't is probable they have done , because some of these abstinents were of melancholick complexions , then the sulphurous parts of the humours would be so fettered and oppressed thereby , that they could not so quickly burst from under the yoke into violent flames , but by degrees and leisurably as they could disentangle themselves ; from whence will arise a more durable though less forceable fire . lastly , it seems probable , that extraneous particles of fire may be convey'd into a body , and therein lodged , which shall afterwards cause heats to kindle therein . that igneous particles pass from one body to another seems a matter of daily experience : for 't is not easie to demonstrate how our bodies are warm'd by their approach to the fire , if there be not fiery effluviums from the burning matter that enter our bodyes ; and that these fiery atomes thus lodg'd in a foreign body , may afterwards by water , air , or the like , break forth into a considerable heat , is very imaginable ; as in quick-lime , which before 't is burnt is not at all subject to ●●mbustions by air or water ; but when it hath endured the kill-fire , then 't is readily kindled by the addition of almost any humidity ; which humidities may not be supposed directly to contribute to the kindling of the atomes , but to the dissolving of the concrete , and thereby the disentangling of the atomes , whereupon they fly out into a considerable heat ; like whereunto is that powder , boasted by chymists , to take flame in your hand by the only addition of spittle . thus sir , having tender'd a slender repast for your antique lamp , i crave leave to attend the more modern hypothesis of fam'd fermentation . thirdly , how shall fermentation be continued in the blood without the addition of chyle ? and how can chyle be added without food assumed ? it is the opinion of ingenuous henshavius that fermentation is caused by the addition of chyle to the blood in the heart , like that of wine by the adding of must , from whence doth arise ( he saith ) a necessity of frequent feeding : which the excellent d. needham seems much to approve : and both the incomparable willis and ingenious castle cite hogeland for ascribing heat to a fermentation in the heart , like to that which happens upon the pouring of spirit of nitre on butter of antimony . r. now sir , to help us out at this dead lift also , i shall take notice of the several opinions of the learned touching the causes of fermentation . . there is a ferment placed in the heart it self by the great willis and his hypaspistes , the dexterous anatomist dr. lower , with dr. castle , and other renowned assertors of fermentation . this sir would serve us eximiously , to supply the defect of new chyle , if it were but sufficiently evinced ; but i must confess ingenuously though ( as 't is not unknown to you ) i have laboured to advance the antique glory of the heart , yet i cannot satisfie my self , though i would , that there is any such implanted ferment therein ; for i find not this ferment confirmed by any experiment , or other sufficient evidence , but ( absit invidia verbo ) too precariously asserted : nor any necessity assigned for such a ferment ; the doctrine of fermentation being sufficiently demonstrated without it ; and though the honour ascribed to the heart may seem to require it , yet i cannot approve of conferring honours , which infer a necessity of multiplying beings above what the opus and usus of nature createth . neither can i conceive where this ferment should be nested ; it must be either in the walls of the heart , or in the chambers thereof ; in the walls ( saith dr. castle from severinus , danus , d. cartes and hogeland ) are mechanick spirits , seminal salts or ferments ; but yet ( pace tanti viri ) the heart by its carnous fibres , membranes , colour and consistence seems to be but a muscle , as our worthy dr. needham , and acute steno affirm ; and if so , how a ferment should be there generated any otherwise than in other muscles , i do not understand ; it hath not the parenchyma of the liver , spleen , or other parts which are colatures to the blood , whereby they easily separate , and having separated retain what may conduce to constitute ferments ; but the walls of the heart seem only like other muscles to receive blood for their own private use , but none for a publick stock . moreover , if there were such a salt ferment , it is a wonder it doth not discolour the rutilous fibres ; as the salt in the spleen manifestly doth , but leave it of the same hieu with other nonfermenting muscles ; neither are there any cavities within these walls capacious enough to contain these mechanick spirits for publick offices ; nay it is observable that the heart is more firm , fast , hard , and less stor'd with porosities than other muscles : neither in the auricles , or venticles can these spirits keep quiet possession , by reason of that impetuous torrent which many times in every minute washeth both flores and walls ; and though these cavities have their cellars , yet by the so frequent constrictions of the omnimodous fibres causing the systole , there 's not only a mixture of the blood at the bottom with that on the top , but also a violent extrusion of both made in the same pulsation : neither in dissections is there any considerable difference found betwixt that in the heart , and that in the veins , as famous harvey observeth . yet with a non obstante to these premises i must tell you , i opine that fermentation may not abusively be ascribed to the mechanick structure and operations of the heart , though not enriched with an innate ferment , of which hereafter more seasonably . . it is not unknown that several liquors are self-sufficient to command a fermentation , and that perfective ; as wine , cyder , with other like spiritosulphuro-saline-fluids , as also fruits of a more crass consistence , as apples , pears , plumbs , &c. whereof many are advanced , by lying , to a greater perfection after pull'd from their mothers breast ; and it is at least a violent presumption that the blood confected by such self-fermenting bodies , and they exalted greatly by the various additional concoctions , percolations , and ( as it were ) distillations in the transcendently exquisite , and proto-laboratories of humane bodies is crown'd with the same diadem of self-fermenting principles : and indeed an ordinary analysis of blood according to the rules of pyrotechny will discover all those principles of spirit , sulphur , salt , water and earth , lodg'd in its embraces which are sufficient to elaborate fermentations : which is further confirm'd in that when some of the innate fermenting principles , as suppose salts begin to languish , several artificial ferments prove highly useful ; under this notion ( saith the sagacious will● ) are the fixed sa●ts of vegetables , chalybeats , &c. of such soveraign efficacy . thirdly , after various disquisitions touching the use of the spleen , some exalting it to the honour of sanguifying for the lower belly , others depressing it to the vile use of a sink , 't is now by many upon consideration of its colour , site , and vessels resolv'd to be a colature , wherein the more black and feculent juice is sever'd from the blood , and being there reserved it becomes a ferment to the scarle● liquor ; even as a small parcel of dough reserv'd in a ●aline condiment grows acid , and so arrives to the dignity of a levain , or ferment to the new farinaceous mass . the principles which in this bowell are supposed to be regent , are salino terrestrial , which by over long abode attain fluidity , and so become acetous , like spirit of vitrioll , nitre , and of other saline concretes , and that which renders this the more probable , are the sowre belchings of hypochondriack persons , the whiteness of their tongues , the soreness of their throats , the excess of their appetite , and the emaciating of their bodies : all which seem to proceed from a preternatural acidity : and vice versa , when the spleen hath lost its ferment , then the blood grows too insipid as appears in cachexys , ascites , tympanites , &c. these things premised , 't will be no difficulty to prove that the blood is fermented by the spleen : 't is but very lately that i added spirit of vitrioll to a small quantity of the recent blood of a patient , which caus'd a visible fermentation , and such a coagulation that it became almost of the colour and consistence of our table mustard , only there remain'd some perfect black parts , but no red ones : from whence i conjecture , that 't is an acid humour which causes such a black s●diment in the urine of many hypochondriack persons , and that the same humour it is that coagulates the blood often , if not alwayes , and renders it so unapt for circulation : wherefore by the way , i would offer it to your consideration , whether that sort of scorbute and melancholy which is rooted in blood more than sufficiently hot , florid , and fluid ( as oft-times they are ) can ascribe its origination to a meer acidity , or to fluid salts : and consequently whether it be not a misapplication of the nitrosulphurous plants which renders them of late suspected of impertinency ? for to what end should these plants be given to those persons whose blood exceeds with salt and sulphur already ? yet in the colder more chachectical sorts of scurvy and melancholy nothing possibly may be found more proper ; for 't is well known that fixed salts and fluid salts , or ( which is the same thing ) acid spirits do highly ferment , and cause a considerable heat ; as lately discover'd it self to me in the preparation of tartarus vitriolatus , whence i further conjecture that those preparations of chalybs , corall and other saline concretes which rob them of their salts , or ( which is the same thing ) that glut them with acidities so plentifully as to leave no capacity to receive more acids do spil them eo nomine of their fermenting vertue . but lest i should seem to transgress whilst i intend searcely to digress , i return to remind you that you have a third ferment which in these abstinents is presumeable to be highly useful , for several of them ( not to say all ) were spleneticks before they were abstinents . fourthly , 't is probable that the seminal humours in these virgins may by a long abode in their vessels grow acid , and thereby supply the blood with a more than ordinary ferment . here are two things supposed , the first is that the seed is impregnated with salt , and that is prov'd by the many arguments of the philosophical dr. ente , the other is that the seed by its principles may elaborate the blood , this is evident in females whose seed being grown fecundate and vegete ; it so levains the blood , that except it purge 〈◊〉 by menstrual terms it exposes to innumerable diseases ; but much more manifest in men by the ●ruption of their beards , the greatning of their voice , the heating of their blood , esseminate desires , &c. these things being evidently so , 't will much strengthen our hypothesis to observe that most of these damosels fall to this abstinence between the age of fourteen and twenty years when the seed hath so fermented the blood , that various distempers will probably ensue without due evacuations ; except in our case , wherein through the defect of fermenting food we are enabled to bear the excess of these so much the better . fifthy , there are several other innate ferments placed by nature in humane bodies , as the learned testifie , as that ascrib'd by dr. willis to the brain , for the freeing the spirits from the entanlemen●s of other principles to which they were married whilst they abode in the blood , that so the brains distilla●ion might proceed the more prosperously ; likewise that in the reins , which is like runnet to milk , to precipitate the serosities , that the ureters may exterminate them as useless , burdensome excrements . there are many more assign'd , yea more than can be numbred , if dr. willis's doctrine be true of a fermentation through the habit of the body , caused by the concurrence of arterial blood and nervous juice ; but these i lightly pass over , because i conceive they are not immediately intended for the elaborating of the bloody mass ; yet i may not forget them , because working upon the blood , 't is not to be doubted but the veins derive somewhat of their vertue with the retrieved blood . sixthly , but to approach yet nearer to our mark , i affirm that though there be no edibles received , yet it follows not that there 's no sort of new chyle to renew the bloods fermentation : for first , in these cold bodies there must of necessity be a far greater quantity ( consideratis considerandis ) of pituitous humours than ordinary : for if transpiration be denyed to our bodies but a very small time , what a redundance of flegm doth presently oppress us : which flegm being led into the mouth by a great variety of salivating ducts , and thence conveyed into the ventricle may take off the acidity , the edge of the appetite , by which they tolerate their abstinence with the greater patience ; and also suffer a sorry concoction , which is much advanc'd by the attendance of all the concoctive forces to subact this sluggish matter , which is other bodies are variously diverted by the great variety of food frequently admitted . secondly , 't is probable that some of these fasters were more than ordinarily addicted to flegm before their abstinence , which is usual with those whose concoctions are low , and with these 't is more than an even lay they were not very high , which must needs be augmented by the defect of urine and stool , which if granted , adds somewhat to our purpose . thirdly , the air receiv'd continually into the stomach by the mouth and nose , and also into the blood more directly , though sparingly by the pores , and virtually , if not formally by the lungs , may contribute much to this humour , but more to the fermentation of the blood : that the air is impregnated with salts , the learned dr. ente affirms and ascribes vegetation , as also the production of various animals thereunto , as the worthy willis doth frost and ice : and 't is asserted by chymists that caput mortuum's lixivated , if expos'd to the open air for a good space they shall re-attain their saline principle : and that salts cause fermentation in the blood , hath been already noted . yet one step further i may advance upon good ground , and that is , these salts may much renew the ferment of the stomach also in lieu of other condiments . moreover the liver being an ample bowell , instructed with a great variety of vessels , enrich'd with constant traffique from most of the corporations in the microcosm , so curious in its elections and collections of the sulphuro-saline commodities so diligent in reconding them in a peculiar cell , and thence transmitting them to the intestines upon all occasions ; these severals , i say , considered , it may be rationally inferr'd , that 't is not only helpful to the guts in their excretions , but also in their fermentations , whereby the chyle is rendred not only more fermentiscible in the blood , but also more fermentesce●t thereunto . yet sir , lest this lean meat should not satisfie your more delicate pallat , i must advertise you , that the blood in these persons must needs be sparing , and therefore the lesser chyle may ferment it , especially considering that their fermentations are but small , as appears by the smalness of their heat , and therefore pray do your self the right , not to expect an account of robust ones . seventhly , the heart it self contributes much to this fermentation . 't is acknowledged by all that the circulation of the blood being a rapid motion through the indefatigable pulsation of the heart adds much to the fermentation ; we see that motion given to wine , ale , cyder , or cream of milk though sufficiently fermented , will yet without a new ferment give a new fermentation . but sir , lest you should mistake me when i stumbled at an innate ferment in the heart , and yet stood upon 't that fermentation may be ascribed thereto , let me unbosome my self , that you may see what the heart contributes thereunto . first , the heart is as it were a cistern into which the bloody veins , milky veins , and water veins , or lymphaeducts by mutual consent deposite their multiform juices . secondly , it hath the force of a mill by its quaquaverse fibres continually busied in their constrictions and dilatations to grind and make small the more crassy particles of the juices . thirdly , of a mortar wherein the more exact mixture of these different juices is highly promoted . fourthly , of a ●inne expelling the blood sufficiently subacted , and then to the further execution of its offices , but too too troublesome ; and by the way , the burden of the blood may be one cause of its pulsation , for 't is said , if a live heart be taken out of the body , the prick of a pin will renew its pulsation . fifthly , of a pump to give motion and according to the sanguiterious ducts to the several parts distribution of this juice adapted to nutrition . sixthly , of a loom wherein the blood is fermented . seventhly , of a kind of philosophical furnace , wherein a spirital biolychnium is kindled , i intend only a heat perchance caused only by the motion and fermentation aforesaid . eighthly , of a pelican to rarifie and exalt the vital spirits . ninthly , of an alimbeck ( not vulgar ) whereby the spirits receive a kinde of separation ( though yet they run with the blood ) which being condensed in the refrigeratory of the habit of the body ( as the learned walaeus expresseth it ) are the more easily subject to the brains philtration , and the nerves preservation . tenthly , of a potential philtre , whereby there 's made such a fegregation of homogeneous particles into their proper classes , as renders the blood much more obedient to the colatures , and emunctories of the body ; as runnet in the milk potentially separates the whey , and prepares it for an actual separation by the sieve ; and in chymical preparations the acid liquor , or diluteing large quantity of weakning water , provoke a kinde of fermentation , whereby the suspended atomes in the strong menstruums are precipitated , and so prepa●red for a more facile separation : so that indeed all the engines in natures shop depend mainly upon the right ●o●e , texture , and operation of the heart . from which it seems apparent to me ( which yet i submit to clearer minds ) that the heart is further serviceable to fermentation , and other offices of nature , than meerly pump-like to conciliate motion : which may be further confirmed by the site of the heart in the centre of the body , as also by it's firmest muniments by which 't is garrison'd on its back by the spine , on its face by the sternum , on its sides by the ribs , under its feet by the diaphragme , and over its head by the canopy of the pyramidall thorax , and lastly by its bu●●-coat the pericardium ; and which is not nothing , the curious fabrick with various camerations , the ret●form fibres and various passages , the uniform procedure of nature in the formation of the hearts of animals , whilest often it sports it self in the building of other parts , and its primogeniture , as appears by the 〈◊〉 vesi-cula palpitans first formed in egges ( according to the renowned harvey ) the rudiment of the heart , and the bloods constant flux and reflux to and from the heart , even then when the liver and lungs ( though famous bowels ) are pass'd by unsaluted in the circulation of embryo's ; as also natures great care to supply the defective passages of those viscera by foramen ovale in the septum of the heart , lest the intercourse of the blood with the heart should be impeded , which hole is yet afterwards precluded when the infant is midwiv'd into a new world ; much of this curiosity of nature about the heart , seems utterly unnecessary , if it serv'd only for motion ; but we are sure that god and nature do nothing frustraneously . neither am i yet satisfied , that the whole of the bloods motion is to be ascribed to the hearts pulsation ; for conringius affirms that in live dissections the blood strongly circulates a long time after the left ventricle hath lost its pulse ; yea though the heart be taken out , yet presently is not the motion of the blood destroy'd ; which seems to be confirm'd by the experiment upon frogs , which leap so nimbly , and swim so freely after their hearts are exempted , that they cannot be known from unwounded frogs that exercise in their company ; the story whereof that most dexterous anatomist d. needham hath published ; moreover , if a ligature be apply'd to a vein or artery , whereby the pulse is intercepted with the undulation of the blood also , yet the blood beyond the bond runs its course towards the heart ; and which is so much the more strange , because 't is the motion of a heavy body contrary to its natural tendency , upward . moreover , if the pulse of the heart were the only cause of the motion of the blood , why then is not the menstrual blood thrust into other parts as well as into the uterine ? sith the other parts equally with these receive the constant force of the hearts even pulsations and impartial distributions ; likewise we see that the animal spirits in the nerves , with their juice , the lympha in its ducts , the chyle in its thoracicks , the seed in its seminals , the urine in the ureters , and the flegme in its pituitary vessels are all in motion without the force of any such engine to give the origen thereto . whereupon i am apt to conjecture , that nature hath furnished several parts with an attractive power , the blood with fermentation , and several vessels with a kinde of vermicular motion of their own ( no doubt excited by the nerves ) the porta with asinus in the liver , which serves for a pump , and the cava ( or one part it ) with a pulsifick energy ( by which blood is thrust into the right ventricle , as the learned walaeus asserts ) by which the motion of humours is promoted ; and consequently that the rareness of the structure , unweariedness of the pu●sations of the heart , &c. are designed to some higher ends , than meerly , and as such , to give motion , though that it doth with an emphasis . fourthly , how can spirits both vital and animal be prepared and separated without food , and frequent fermentations ? ● . i. whether there be a flux of animal spirits through the genus nervosum seems yet not fully resolv'd ; and if no flux then the waste is small , and a small reparation may supply a small waste ; but i confess , i understand not how narcotick fumes , nor redundant humours restagnating in the brain can cause an apoplexy , epilepsie , palsie , &c. in the whole body , if there be no flux of spirits from the brain ; nor how the hurt from a coach in the seventh vertebre of the back ( mention'd by great galen ) could cause a palsey in three singers ; nor why we anoint the vertebres of the back for palseys in the extreme parts , if there be no flux of spirits . . supposing a flux of animal spirits through the nervous systeme , yet ( according to the doctrine of famous dr. wharton ) much of the nervous juice separated by the glandules , is returned by the veins and lymphaticks , and so not lost , though ense●bled by its peregrination ; and more yet deposited ( according to dr. willis the great reformer of physick ) by the extremity of the nerves in the habit of the body , is again retriv'd by the lymphaticks , which serving in our abstinents little or nothing to assimulation ( only somewhat to the cherishing of the implanted spirits ) is the more plentifully return'd and so the loss ( thus far forth ) less considerable than ordinary ▪ . 't is apparent that there 's a decay of these spirits , as well as an obstruction in most of these abstinents , as witnesseth their great inability to motion ▪ . the fermentations mentioned before , though small may contribute something to the encrease of these spirits ; for chymists know that there are few juices so 〈◊〉 , so sterile , but by the help of fermentation may yield a not contemptible spirit . . those spirits that pass from the brain to the extremity of the body , and thence returned as before by the lymphaticks , and that more for●eably and plentifully being reflected by the impervious cold and constipated skin seem rather tyred than exhausted , which may by the small ferments aforementioned , the contritions mixtions , and exaltations of the heart , and the perpetual motions of the scarlet liquor be rarifi'd and volatiliz'd to do at a dead lift further good service . . 't is notorious , that sents do hugely affect the brain ; as to instance in apoplexies , hysterical passions , and in some sort of syncopes and cephalalgies common practice doth demonstrate ; so then if feeding animals perceive such strange alterations by odoriferous exhalations ( as of assa faetida , galbanum , verrucae equinae , &c. which according to the prodigious invention of the most philosophical dr. willis are able to restrain the most violent explosions ( like those of gunpowder , than which none more violent ) of the nitro-sulphurous atomes with which in spasmodick distempers the nervous juice is impregnated , ( and by which it 's reduc'd to the greatest disorders ) why may not these abstinents be reliev'd by such enriched fumes also ? fifthly , without sleep no long life , and without food no sleep ; for say the ancients , sleep is the binding up of the first sensorium , or common sence caused by the food digesting in the stomach , elevating its fumes to the brain , which there condensing stop the passages of the animal spirits , whereby they are detained from their just visitations , whence the senses are disenabled for the execution of their offices . r. . 't is not certain that sleep is absolutely necessary to life , for we read of many that liv'd waking : 't is said that ramus studied philosophy so uncessantly , that he became blinde , or deaf , or both , through defect of sleep . bhasis watched so long at his study of physick till at last he could not sleep at all ; likewise a doctor of the law studyed so indefatigably , that he never laid his eye-lids together for four months ; yet all recovered by the use of hypnoticks . the most inquisitive galenist fernelius reports a certain man to have surviv'd moneths waking . the grave heurnius relateth a story , from ( he saith ) a truly learned man ierom montuus , of a noble matron that lived years without sleep , nor hurt thereby ; and of another that lived years waking . seneca reports that maecenas lived three years without sleep , and at last was recovered by musick . . but i affirm not that our jejunants are vigilants , and therefore adde , that though these persons receive no external food , yet airy condensations and concretions , the flegmatick humours , colliquations of the parts , &c. afford matter for such vapours , and so much the more plentifully , because they are environ'd with a thick wall , whose very ●revises , and much more gates , and publick out-lets , are so close shut up and barricado'd , that these troops of exhalations that were wont to be dispersed , are now crouded together , which assaulting the brain may do much to bind up her common sense . . it seems probable by apoplectical dormitators that a cold humour lodged in the brain is a great causer of sleep ; and why such a humour may not lodge in a sufficient proportion in these constipated brains to procure intermitting sleeps , i see not . . 't is apparent that narcoticks , as opium , and in their measure , wines , tobacco , &c. provoke sleep , not by any cold quality , for they are all prov'd to be hot , but ( 't is probable ) by adding such a ferment to the blood , as renders the spirits separated in the brain more torpid , ignave , and consequently inept to motion , and the execution of their offices ; or , ( which is almost the same thing ) as renders the blood inept for separation of spirits in the brains alembick , whence the wearied spirits for want of fresh supplies are be●almed and quiescent . so then if the humours in the bodies of these abstinents should haply partake of these narcotick sulphurs , they may prove somniferous without the elevation of fumes from digesting food . but sir , lest you should be startled at this unphilosophical discourse , in representing sleep rather as a non-emission of spirits from the brains , than a non-immission of them to the brain from the external sences , and consequently as a negation of action rather than of passion , i crave leave to minde you , that i am not only deficient in the beard , but much more in the brain of some very great philosophers who rank not only the external sences but the first internal or common sence in the predicament of passions ; which i confess i cannot understand , because i know , that when devout persons are taken up in divine services , though their eyes be wide open , and presented with various objects , yet they see them not , because they mind them not ; likewise when diligent students are intent on their books , they hear not the clock that strikes at their ears ; and sound sleepers with lethargical persons feel not the pulling and haling of their friends that would awake them , &c. from whence i conjecture , that though objects act ad ultimum virium upon the external sences in imprinting their species , yet that causeth not sensation , except there be an actual attendance of the sensitive spirits upon the sensible objects , a framing of their effigies or species , and a conveyance thereof to the understanding . can you imagine that columbus his journey to the indies , his surveying that unknown world , and returning a map thereof to his own countrey-men , was a meer passion of his , and only the action of a novel jig of american atoms ? or camden's perambulation through all the coasts of this island , with his observations thereon , which he digested into a valuable volume , was meerly his suffering , but wholly the doing of subtile spirits , and aethereal globules magically charm'd into a once happy combination . but to return , . cold juices , as of housleek , lettuce , violets , &c. will conduce to our sleep , and 't is not to be doubted but the juices in these bodies may be cold enough to effect the same . . the animal spirits in these persons being but languid , are the less active , and consequently can give the fewer repulses to the insinuating courtships of somniferous causes . . the spirits of these languishers ( 't is probable ) are scant and defective , and therefore easily tyred by their constant operations , and consequently easily perswaded either by a command of the heaven-born soul , or an exhalation from the earthy body to yield to this temporary death . . great security of minde , pleasing fancies , either from imagination ( such as some of these are said to be swell'd withall ) or from the sences affected by musick , dropping waters , gliding rivers , whistling winds , &c. are usuall promoters of insensation . by all which you may perceive that there are more doors 〈◊〉 our bedchambers than one . thus sir , to satisfie your curiosity , i have travel'd somewhat an unbeaten , yet not altogether unpleasant path , and that i might not return these fruits of my travels as jejune and sterile as the countrey visited , i have therefore taken a slight view of some of the monuments of antiquity , as also of the stately superstructures of the new modell that occurred in our journey ; yet there is one thing remaining that should have been premised ; and that is an exact history of our damosell , but that you cannot expect , because you did not demand , and i suppose you did not demand , because you knew i was unable to perform ; yet that i might not seem to build on the sands , i shall present you with a short narrative receiv'd since i began this discourse , from a person of known ingenuity and honesty , and therefore most worthy of credit . this abstinent is one martha taylor a young damosell , born of mean parentage , inhabiting not far from bakewell in darbyshire , who receiving a blow on the back from a milner , became a prisoner to her bed for several dayes , which being expired , she obtained some enlargement for a time , but by encreasing distempers was quickly remanded to her bed-prison again ; where continuing some time , she found at last a defect in her gula , and quickly after a dejection of appetite , so that about the . of december , anno . she began to abstain from all solid food , and so hath continued ( except something so small at the seldome ebbings of her distemper as is altogether inconsiderable ) till within a fortnight before the date hereof , which amounts to thirteen months and upwards ; as also from all other sorts both of meats and drinks , except now and then a few drops of the syrup of stew'd prunes , water and sugar , or the juice of a roasted raisin , &c. but these repasts are used so seldom , and in such very small quantities , as are prodigiously insufficient for sustentation ; she evacuates nothing by urine , or stool , she spits not that i can hear of , but her lips are often dry , for which cause she takes water and sugar with a feather , or some other liquids , but the palms of her hands are often moist , her countenance fresh and lively , her voice cleer and audible , in discourse she 's free , her belly ●●ap'd to her back-bone , so that it may be felt through her intestines , whence a great cavity is admitted from the gartilago ensiformis to the navil , and though her upper parts be less emaciated ( though much too ) yet her lower parts are very languid , and inept for motion , and the skin thereof de●iled with a dry pruriginous scurf , for which of late they have washed them with milk ; she sleeps so sparingly , that once she continued five weeks waking : i hear nothing of any extraordinary previous sanctity , though since her affliction , being confin'd to her bed ( which lyeth in a lower room , by the fire-side ) she hath learn'd to read , and being visited so plentifully by the curious from many parts , as also by the religious of all perswasions , she hath attain'd some knowledge in sacred mysteries , but nothing of enthusiasm that she pretends unto . and lest she should prove a cheat , she hath been diligently watch'd by physitians , surgeons , and other persons , for at least a fortnight together , by the appointment of the noble earl of devon ; as is already publish'd by mr. robins b. of d. that is , ballad-maker of darby , whose ballad ( they say ) doth much excell his book . likewise several other persons at other times have been pleas'd to watch for their own satisfaction , who detecting no fraud , have given the account above mention'd , which was for the main confirm'd to me by a sophy , the renown of whose wisdom hath often made england to ring , who assured me , that he had an exact account of her . this story being born thus out of due time , it may seem necessary to make some reflections therefrom on the precedent discourse . and . her age confirms the probability of a ferment in the seminals . . an antipathy to meat was not the promoter of the tragedy , but an inability to swallow . . her assumptions of liquors , though seldom and slender , contribute not only to a petite concoction in the ventricle , but also to a fermentation in the heart . . her restrained evacuations by urine and stool adde much to her moisture , as well as to our trouble to render the assumption and non-evacuation consistent : to the performance whereof , let it be remembred , that in this respect she was formerly compar'd to embrio's , who use no excretion by the fundament , but retain in their intestines the more crass feculencies , till the time of their exclusion the uterine embraces ; which is the rather to be admitted , because she , as well as they , receives nothing but liquids ; only in this she differs , they evacuate by the urachus into the allantoides their urinal excrement , but she hath no excretion of urine at all : the defect whereof may yet be supply'd by these three advantages which she hath above them , as is her expiration , extraordinary transpiration in the palms of her hands , and the far smaller quantity of liquors that she receives . . her non-excretion , and the driness of her mouth , argue the remanding of the humours to the further services of nature . . the atrophy of the parts , and inability to motion , seem to argue a defect of nervous juice and animal spirits ; which weakens the necessity of our giving a perfect account how nature may be compleatly sustain'd in the absence of food . . her impetiginous eruptions argue the saltness of her blood , which addes the greater probability to the several saline ferments mentioned before . . her sparing sleep shews not only the no-necessity of the ordinary measures of healthfull dormitators , but also that sleep may be conciliated otherwise than by the powerfull mediation of fuming food . . there 's no cause from any antecedent sanctity to ascribe this mirandous production to miraculous causes . . her abode in a lower room doth accommodate her with a moister air , which is more generative of humours , . her propinquity to the fire conduceth to the extraneous reception of igneous atoms . . her non-pretensions to revelations , and the constant visits she receives from persons of all forms , may serve to occlude not only the mouths that are so unevangelical as to cry her up for a miracle , but those also that are so unphilosophical as to cry her down for the cheat of a faction . now sir , should i take my hand from the table , did i not suspect that some one may possibly reply upon me , and say , if i take it to be possible to live without food , 't is a wonder i fall not my self to this piece of frugality ; i therefore adde , though with this jejune table one may possibly live , yet it follows not that i can , for according to the old saw , that which is one mans meat is another mans poyson : and even in physick 't is affirm'd by that noble philosopher esq boyle ( a worthy fellow of the royall society , of whose admirable designs i would you should know that i am a great admirer ) that some medicines as particularly , salt of amber is effectual for epileptical children ; not so for adult epilepticks ; and the deserving dr. castle affirms , that mercur. dulc . is more safe for children , than grown persons , especially if irrigated with acidities . but sir , i finde my self launching into a wide sea , i shall therefore tack about to do my devoire , and crave your acceptance of this slender offering , and your quietus est for the present , giving you assurance that in so doing you may hereafter command sir , king-norton . feb. . . your observant servant , jo. reynolds . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . acts . . b exod. . . c king. . . d matth. . . e august . in epist. . ad 〈◊〉 . f 〈◊〉 l. . c. . g 〈◊〉 l. . 〈◊〉 c. . h 〈…〉 p. 〈◊〉 . hist. p. . i sennert . pract . l. . par . . s●cl . . c. . de lo●â abstin . p. . k 〈…〉 ubi supra . plutarch . in symp● & l. de 〈◊〉 in orb : 〈◊〉 l 〈…〉 m cor. . . n cor. . . o si hujusmodi limitatiosis causa inquiratu● , di●imus , quod naturae pa●ers pos●it i● primoge to cujusque r●i s●mi●e ta lem spi●itus salis & s●lp●●ris copiam quae pro●●● eadis ●●times corporum stam●●ibus , se●●●camenti s●ssi●●ret . willes de ferment . p. . p sanctor . de staticá medici●a . q river . instit . med . l. . sect. . c. . de calido innato . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . arist. de respir. r willis de morbis coavuls . p. . netdham de form●o f●ctu , p. . ioweri diatribae , p. . ferael . de abdit . l. . c. . s riverius ubi supra . t needham de format . foetu . p. , &c. u willis de fermeat , p. . x willis de ●●br . p. . willis de fer● . p. . french's art of distillation , p. . ioh. baptist. porta . card. de subtilitate . ludovic . vives i● l. . c. . de civitat . dei augustin . guido pancirollus . se●●ert . pract . l. . pa●l . . sect. . de lo●ga absti●●tià . 〈◊〉 art of 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . n●e●h . de form . 〈◊〉 p. . 〈◊〉 de s●b . p. . cast●●'s chym. gal. p. , . wi●lis de 〈◊〉 . p. , . ●e 〈◊〉 . , , . low●● diatr . p. , . castle 's chym. gal. p. , . 〈…〉 〈◊〉 . foet . . ste●o de muse. & gland . de ferm . 〈…〉 de 〈◊〉 p. 〈…〉 . 〈…〉 . c. . p. . apolog. 〈…〉 . p. . 〈…〉 walaeus i● meth. 〈◊〉 . de format . foetu ▪ de. 〈◊〉 . aristot. de 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 . c. . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . galen . de sympt . caus . c. . & de 〈…〉 . c. . 〈…〉 . de med . 〈◊〉 . hist. p. , , . l. . patholog . l. de 〈◊〉 . cap. c. . l. de pro●identia . scept . chym. p. . chym. gal. p. . causes of a solemn national fast and humiliation, agreed upon by the commissioners of the late general assembly, met at edinburgh the . of june and presented to the lords of his majesties most honourable privy council, to be read by the ministers, in all the churches at the intimation of the said fast. church of scotland. general assembly. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing c e estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) causes of a solemn national fast and humiliation, agreed upon by the commissioners of the late general assembly, met at edinburgh the . of june and presented to the lords of his majesties most honourable privy council, to be read by the ministers, in all the churches at the intimation of the said fast. church of scotland. general assembly. sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [edinburgh : ] imprint from wing cd-rom, . reproduction of original in the john carter brown library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng church of scotland -- customs and practices -- early works to . fasting -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion causes of a solemn national fastand humiliation , agreed upon by the commissioners of the late general assembly , met at edinburgh the . of june : and presented to the lords of his majesties most honourable privy council , to be read by the ministers , in all the churches at the intimation of the said fast . the king's majesty , being gone abroad , and engaged in a dangerous war , and his royal person exposed to danger , on whose safety and success under god , the welfare of these nations , and of the churches of god , both at home and abroad ▪ much depends : it is our judgement , that there is great need of pouring out fervent prayer , and supplications to god , for the preservation of his majestie' 's person , and for directing his councils , and blessing the forces of his majesty , and his allyes by sea and land with success ; and in order to our acceptance with god , it is our duty to join fasting and humiliation and reformation , with our prayers , and to be humbled , and lament bitterly before the lord , that tho' there have been for some years past , divers solemn national fasts , and in some of them , a particular enumeration of the nations sins , yet few have been duly humbled for these sins , and few have joined suteable reformation , with their profest humiliation ; and that notwithstanding of all the great things , god hath wrought for us , and the shaking of his terrible judgements of the sword of a cruel enemy , and arrow of famine , yet few have turned from the evil of their ways unto god , or sought him with all their heart , we have been unthankful for our deliverance ▪ many have been angry at , or murmure under it , the gospel hath little success , yea by many is much contemned , iniquity aboundeth in city and country , and in the army , and while some are in great straits , others abuse their plenty to excess and riot and lasciviousness , and by frequent murders blood toucheth blood , animosities and divisions continue , and these contrary to the many obligations we ly under from god , and have taken on us to god , and under all this sin and danger , there is a woful security among us. for these and other sins this nation hath cause , by solemn fasting , to humble themselves before the lord , and to repent and reform , and to pour out fervent prayers to god , that he would give repentance to all ranks of persons , and forgive our sins , and avert deserved wrath , and would bless the gospel with success , remove iniquity from among us , and advance the life and power of godliness , heal our breach●s , unite us more to god , and one another in him , that god , would preserve , and bless the king , and cover his head in danger , and go out with his forces , and these of his allyes , and bless them with success , against the common-enemy , and in due time give a comfortable well grounded peace . we ought likewayes with cordial symphathy to pray for all the reformed churches of christ , and in a special manner for our afflicted brethren of the french and other churches , whom the french king hath grievously persecuted and scattered . we ought also to pray that god would pity and provide for the poor in this present dearth , and that he would alwise bless the land with seasonable weather , that there may be a plentiful crop , and joyful harvest , that the poor may be satisfied with bread. and the saids commissioners do ▪ beseech and exhort all both pastors and people to be sincere and serious in this great work , and who can tell , but the lord will be gracious , and avert deserved wrath , and turn his hand against our enemies , and yet delight to dwell among us , and do us good. extracted by me jo. moncreif cls. commiss . the christians sanctuarie vvhereinto being retired, he may safely be preserued in the middest of all dangers. fit for all men to read at all times, especially for those that are exercised in the schoole of affliction, in the time of gods present visitation. described in two bookes or treatises: i. of the christian exercise of fasting. ii. of holy inuocation on gods name. by george dovvname doctor of diuinitie. downame, george, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the christians sanctuarie vvhereinto being retired, he may safely be preserued in the middest of all dangers. fit for all men to read at all times, especially for those that are exercised in the schoole of affliction, in the time of gods present visitation. described in two bookes or treatises: i. of the christian exercise of fasting. ii. of holy inuocation on gods name. by george dovvname doctor of diuinitie. downame, george, d. . [ ], p. printed by adam islip for thomas man [i], dvvelling in pater-noster row, at the signe of the talbot, london : . qualification of publisher's name from stc. includes anaytical table, bound after a . also intended to be issued with some copies of stc : downame, george. lectures on the xv. psalme. some print show-through. reproduction of the original in the union theological seminary (new york, n.y.). library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fasting -- early works to . prayer -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - judith siefring sampled and proofread - judith siefring text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the christians sanctvarie : whereinto being retired , he may safely be preserued in the middest of all dangers . fit for all men to read at all times , especially for those that are exercised in the schoole of affliction , in the time of gods present visitation . described in two bookes or treatises : i. of the christian exercise of fasting . ii. of holy inuocation on gods name . by george dovvname doctor of diuinitie . salvs vitae . london , printed by adam islip for thomas man , dwelling in pater-noster row , at the signe of the talbot . . to the right worshipfull my singuler good friend m r. iames mountague doctor of diuinitie , and deane of his maiesties chappell . when as it pleased god by his publicke visitation the last yeare , to call vs vnto fasting and mourning , and to mooue the royall heart of our soueraigne lord the king , to proclaime a generall fast to be obserued weekly : i did acknowledge it to be my bounden duty , ( hauing according to direction of publicke authoritie , assembled the congregation ouer which i am placed , for the obseruation of those fasts ) first , to instruct them in the doctrine of fasting and prayer , and after to stirre them vp to the effectuall practise of these christian duties . wherefore , after i had bestowed some paynes that way , i was intreated by a louing friend that i would not only set downe in writing a couple of my sermons which especially handle the dutie of prayer ; but also pen a treatise of the christian exercise of fasting . the which i was the more easily persuaded vnto , because it was then alledged , and i knew not the contrarie , that there was very little written of this argument in the english tongue . howbeit , i do now vnderstand , that not onely before that time , but also since i wrot this treatise , ( which i wholly finished the last yeare ) some others haue taken good paines in this kind . to whose godly labors this booke of mine , though published after them , ought not to be preiudiciall , as though i had gathered into this short sum , what they and & others haue written more at large of this argument : for as i had fully finished this treatise before i saw theirs , so haue i not since taken any thing from them . this treatise of the christian exercise of fasting , together with the other of prayer , containing two sermons on the verse of the psalme ( which were written in the due season , though published thus late , hauing waited at london euer since the last yeare vpon the printing of my lectures on the . psalme : ) i now dedicat to your worship , as a small token of my great loue , and a perpetuall remembrance of mine vnfained thankfulnesse : of my loue , in respect of your manifold vertues , wherewith i was long acquainted whiles we liued together in christs colledge , that famous seminarie of good learning and true godlinesse : of my thankfulnesse , in regard not onely of your former goodwill , but also of your late fauours vouchsafed vnto me since you followed the court. the lord blesse you and enrich you with his graces , and increase your fauour with god and man , to his glorie , and your owne endlesse comfort . amen . mondon in hertfordshire , the . of nouember . anno . your worships in the lord , george downame . the analisis of the first treatise , being the christian exercise of fasting . this treatise containeth the doctrine of the true and christian fast , shewing in generall what fasting is . § . . particular the sorts of fasting . § . . viz. that it is either naturall . ciuile . spirituall : and that is either the morall or chast fast . § . . . . . religious fast . § . . . . , . . . . . whereof there are two parts , viz. the outward and bodily exercise of abstinence . § . . where we consider from what we are to abstaine , viz. from helpes of this life , as from food wholly § . . . sleepe in part . § . . better apparell . § . . worldly delights and pleasures . § . . bodily labours and wordly businesse . § . . . . for how long we are to abstaine , and what the time of the fast is . § . . . inward and spiritual exercise ( § . . ) of prayer joyned with repentance , which we consider ioyntly . § . . seuerally , viz. prayer , whereof the parts are deprecation of euill . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . § . . precation of good . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . § . . properties feruencie . § . . faith. § . . . . . repentance , the parts whereof are humiliation or penitencie ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which is partly inward , and that is the sence of our miserie , and sorrow for sin . § . . humble conceit , and base estimation of our selues . § . . . outward as lamentation and bewayling of our miserie . § . . confession of our sinne . §. . amendment ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) which standeth in eschewing euill , and fasting from sinne . § . . . . ensuing that which is good , both for the time present by practising duties of pietie towards god. charitie towards men : but especially the works of mercie . § . . . to come by purposing and promising amendment . § . sorts , for it is either priuat . § . . publicke , where we consider the appointment of it by whom . § . . vpon what occasion , as the obtaining of some publicke blessing § . . remouing of some publick euil , either of sinne , punishment , either threatned § . . inflicted , as sword. famine . pestilēce . captiuitie § . . . obseruation of it by whom . § . . how , viz. that it is to be sanctified as a sabbath of humiliation ( § . ) both publickly , by the minister . § . . people . § . . priuately . § . . . suruey of the popish and antichristian fast . § . , . . . the first treatise . of the chritian exercise of fasting . fasting , being a voluntarie abstinence from all food for a time , is distinguished from that abstinence , which being only in respect of the quantitie or qualitie , is a forbearing not of all food , but of such and so much . that , which is in respect of the quantitie , is the moderat , sober , and temperat vse of food , auoiding all excesse . that , which is in respect of the qualitie , is the abstemious vse of food , forbearing some kind of meat or drinke , which we suppose to be noysome vnto vs , in regard either of our bodies or soules health . the former , which is the sober diet , ought , and the latter , which is the abstemious diet , may , bee perpetuall among christians . but fasting is an abstinence not onely , à tali & tanto , that is , from such and so much , but à toto , that is , from all food . neither is it a sober or abstemious vsing of food , but a not vsing , or forbearing of food altogether , during the time of the fast . for therfore is it called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth , not eating , or not taking of food . and he is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , fasting , who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , who hath taken no food . and whereas i call it a voluntarie abstinence , therein i distinguish fasting from that forbearing or wanting of food , which is not voluntarie or purposely intended , but forced , either because men cannot eat , being either in sicknesse , or in feare of present danger , or in some other agonie : or because they haue not what to eat , which is not fasting but famine , or as the scriptures call it , cleanenesse of teeth . for this forced forbearing or wanting of food is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is , fasting properly , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth a priuation of food : and is not a dutie voluntarily vndertaken , but an affliction imposed , or a consequent of affliction . for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , fasting , is deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which signifieth to fast , or to obserue a fast . and althogh all they which take no food may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or ieiuni , that is , fasting , yet they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ieiunantes , such as doe fast : for they onely may be said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , ieiunare , to fast , or to obserue a fast , who voluntarily abstaine . . we see then , what fasting in generall is . the sorts of fasting are to be distinguished according to the varietie of the end , for which it is vndertaken . and it is either naturall , or ciuile , or spirituall , according to the threefold life of a christian in this world : vnto the helpe and furtherance whereof , all voluntarie abstinence is referred . the naturall fast is that which is vndertaken for the health of our life naturall : and is sometimes enjoyned by the phisition . the ciuile is that which is referred to the wealth of the life ciuile : and is sometimes enjoyned by the magistrat . the spirituall fast is that , which is vndertaken for the furtherance of the life spirituall in the duties either of chastitie towards our selues and our neighbour , or of religion and repentance towards god , and is ordained of the lord to be vsed to these ends , as necessitie shall require . for although fasting in it selfe be but a thing indifferent , and is not simply either commaunded or forbidden : yet as it may bee a meanes either for the preseruation of chastitie , or for the furtherance of our repentance and religion towards god , so farre foorth it is required and commaunded . for as where the lor● forbiddeth any vice or sinne , there he doth also forbid ●he meanes , allurements , and prouocations thereunto : so where he commaundeth any dutie or vertue , there also hee commaundeth the helpes and meanes which tend thereto . and this is that which an auncient and learned writer sayth , that fasting is not a vertue in it selfe , but a degree to vertue . the spirituall fast therefore is to bee considered of vs , either as a meanes of chastitie , which we may for distinction sake call the morall or the chast fast : or as a helpe to further vs in the duties of repentance and religion , which we may call the religious or the deuout fast . . the morall or chast fast is that whereby men or women finding the sober and abstemious diet not sufficient to represse the concupiscence of the flesh , doe endeuour to subdue and chastise their bodies , that is to say , to make them chast . this fast therefore is not commanded them , who either haue the gift of continencie in single life , or may lawfully vse the remedie ordained against lust in mariage : for to such , the sober diet , moderating the quantitie of their food , and the abstemious diet forbearing such things as prouoke lust , is a sufficient preseruatiue of chastitie ; and therefore as a medicinall purgation to those that are in health , so this fast to such persons is not onely superfluous , but sometimes also hurtfull and pernicious . as for those who find their bodies more prone to lust and vncleanenesse , and may not lawfully vse the remedie against it , which to single men is not permitted at all , whiles they be single , nor to married persons at certaine times : they are to be admonished to vse all good meanes of chastitie , that they may possesse their vessels , that is , their bodies in holinesse and in honour , as it becommeth the temples of the holy ghost , and not in the passion of lust , like to the gentils which knew not god. and to this purpose they are to be exhorted , first , to obserue perpetually the vertue of sobrietie , not onely in respect of gouerning their inward affections and fancies , out also in restraining the pleasures of their outward sences , especially of the sight and tast . of sight , by restraining their eyes from beholding the objects of lust ; such as are louely or lasciuious persons , wanton pictures , loue-bookes , obscene enterludes , and such like . for by the sence of sight , concupiscence is ordinarily conueyed to the heart : for as the old saying is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of looking comes louing . and therefore as wee must pray with dauid , that the lord would turne away our eyes , that they behold not vanitie ; so must we with iob make a couenant with our eyes : that as the sonne of syrach aduiseth , we should turne them away from a beautifull woman , and not to eye the beautie of others : for by the beautie of women many haue beene seduced , and thereby loue is kindled as it were a fire . of tast , by temperancie in diet , that neither in respect of the quantitie they exceed by gluttonie or drunkennesse , nor in respect of the qualitie they affect such meats or drinkes as are fit to prouoke lust . and if they find not this sobrietie and abstinence to be sufficient for this purpose , then are they so oft as their health will beare , and their necessitie require , by fasting to chastise and subdue their bodies . and because continencie is not a thing in our owne power , but the free gift of god , we are therefore with our fasting to joyne earnest prayer for the same . and to our fasting and prayer we must joyne vigilancie and watchfulnesse , that as the apostle exhorteth , wee may bee sober , and watch vnto prayer : and thereunto must wee adde painefulnesse in our calling , or in some honest labour . . for the greatest enemie to chastitie , and chiefest prouoker of lust , is excesse in meat and drinke : ciborum saturitas est seminarium libidinis , fulnesse of meat is the seminarie of lust : for the ouerplus of our nourishment is the matter of generation , which aboundeth where nourishment exceedeth , and that abounding prouoketh to lust , &c. and therefore the chiefe preseruatiue against lust , is by temperancie in diet not to subminister matter vnto it . and if temperancie suffice not , to vse also fasting , that by withdrawing the oyle as it were from the flame of concupiscence , it may bee quenched . to which purpose , let the order and coherence of the apostles words , . cor. . be obserued : in fasting , ( sayth hee ) in chastitie . but here two things are to be obserued : the first , that as ▪ ierome sayth , our fasts bee moderat , least being too much , they weaken the stomacke , and requiring greater refection , breed cruditie , which is the mother of lust : for as hee sayth in another place , nothing doth so inflame the bodie and prouoke vnto lust , as indigested meat , &c. the other thing , that as we vse fasting sometimes , so must wee vse temperance and sobrietie alwayes , auoiding euermore excesse , especially of such things as are apt to prouoke lust . for what are we better for fasting at any time , if we recompence our fasting with fulnesse at other time ? for then our minds by much repletion will wax heauie , & irrigata corporis nostri terraspinas libidinum germinabit : and the earth as it were of our bodies being well watered , will bring forth the thornes of lust . and therefore as ierome well sayth , a spare diet , and a stomacke alwayes hungry , is preferred before fasts continued three dayes together : and it is much better euery day to take but a little , then sometimes though seldome to take too much . but as excesse of all meats and drinkes is to auoided , so especially of wine and strong drinkes . it was truly said of the poet , sine cerere & libero friget venus : and of another , vina parant animos veneri . the same is testified by salomon , prou. . that if we delight in wine , our eyes will looke vpon strange women , and our hearts will speake leaud things . and this the daughters of lot knew too well : for that incestuous copulation which they could not expect from him whiles hee was sober , they obtained by giuing him wine to drinke . for as one sayth , proximus a libero patre intemperantiae gradus ad inconcessam venerem esse consucuit . . the next enemie to chastitie , is slouthfulnesse : which containeth two nurses of lust , idlenesse and drowsinesse . for the matter which gluttonie and drunkennes prepareth for lust , that doth idlenesse preserue . and therefore not vnworthily are fulnesse of bread , & slouthfulnesse , reckoned among the sinnes of sodome , wherby they were incensed to vnnaturall lust . for idlenesse is both the mother and nurse of lust . haec ( otia ) ut ames faciunt , haec quae fecere tuentur : haec sunt iucundi causa cibusque mali . a philosopher being asked , what lust or impure loue is , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , hee said , the passion of an idle mind . for as water which is not stirred putrifieth , and yron that is not exercised , rusteth : so the mind by idlenesse is corrupted . for as the grecians rightly say , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , idlenesse , or doing nothing , is the beginning of doing ill . and as basill sayth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , euery occasion of idlenesse is occasion of sinne . such is the disposition of our minds , that if they be not exercised about lawfull things , they will goe a whoring about things vnlawfull . in desiderijs est omnis anima otiosi , sayth ierome , euery idle mans mind is ouertaken with lust . and that , the example of dauid himselfe doth shew , who on a time giuing himselfe to idlenes , was ouertaken in this kind . and therefore such as haue out of their owne experience prescribed remedies against lust , haue warned men especially to beware of † idlenesse . likewise much sleeping and long lying in bed are * the workes of darkenesse , the companions of wantonnesse , the nurses of lust . for that matter which by large diet is prepared for generation , and by idlenesse and ease preserued , by long lying and much sleeping is concocted and perfited . . whosoeuer therefore hath a true and serious purpose , by fasting to chastise his body ; let him with his extraordinarie fasting and praying ioyne ordinarie temperance and sobrietie , diligence in his calling , and vigilancie . and if hauing vsed these meanes of chastitie in single life , which is the gift of continencie ( to a perpetuitie whereof very few attaine who are fit for procreation ) then let him know that god doth call him to mariage , which he hath prouided as a lawfull remedie against lust : that those who cannot liue chastly in single life , may liue chastly in mariage : for as there is chastitie in single life , so also in wedlocke . and whosoeuer hauing not the gift of continencie , refuseth this ordinance of god , vnder pretence of chastitie he liueth in vncleannesse : or if he striue ouermuch as it were against the streame , by fasting and abstinence to subdue his body , in an erronious desire of keeping the seuenth commaundement , ( which of the most may better be kept in mariage than in single life ) he breaketh the sixt , in shortning his dayes , and making himselfe vnapt for the duties of his calling , and vnfit for the seruice of the church or common-wealth . neither may any man alledge , that in respect of his outward estate it is inconuenient for him to marrie : for no outward inconuenience can be so great , as to liue in sinne . and thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the former sort of spirituall fasts : may chiefe desire and purpose being to intreat of the religious fast . . the religious fast is a solemne exercise of religion , wherein we being humble suters vnto the lord vpon some speciall or extraordinarie occasion , do abstaine not onely from food and some other commodities and delights of this life , but also from bodily labours and worldly businesse during the time of the fast , which is a sabbath of humiliation : that by this outward abstinence our humiliation may be furthered , and our repentance testified , to the increase of our feruencie and confirmation of our faith in prayer , for the obtaining of our request at the hands of god. for further explication whereof we are to cōsider , that where i call it an exercise of religion , that is presupposed which before i touched , that this religious fast is an ordinance of god : for nothing may be offered vnto the lord by way of religion or worship , which is not appointed and ordained of the lord : for whatsoeuer is obtruded vnto him for worship , being not ordained by him , is will-worship and superstition . now , that the lord hath appointed and ordained that we should humble our selues before him by fasting and prayer , for the obtaining of some speciall blessing from him , it may appeare : first , by euident testimonies of scripture in the old testament . whereunto if it shall be objected , that the places of the old testament which require fasting , may seeme to enjoyne it among other ceremonies of the iewish religion , vnto which christians are not bound : i answer , that in the iewish fasts some things were ceremoniall , and so peculier to them ; other things were morall , and so common to vs. the things which were peculier to them , were first , the circumstance of the time in their set and ordinary fasts ; whether that which was appointed by the lord on the tenth day of the seuenth moneth ; or those which the iewes voluntarily vndertooke during the time of the seuenty yeares captiuity , in the fourth moneth , in the fift , in the seuenth , and in the tenth . and secondly , there were certaine habits and iestures vsed among them when they mourned and fasted , which were part of the pedagogie of the old testament , which as they are abrogated by * christ in the new testament : so were they not greatly required in the * old . such were their putting on of sackcloth , renting their garments , sitting in the ashes , putting earth or ashes on their head , not washing or annointing , but deforming their faces , looking sorrowfully , hanging downe their heads , going softly , and such like outward signes and tokens of humiliation , which were obserued both of the godly and of the hypocrites among them : but with this difference , that the hypocrites rested in these outward shewes , without any true humiliation of their soules : whereas in the godly these signes proceeded from the sorrow of the heart , as vnfained testimonies thereof . . but although that circumstance of the time was proper to that people , and those ceremonies peculier to those times : yet the substance of the fast , which is the humbling of our soules by abstinence , is a morall dutie belonging commonly to all nations , in all ages : for as the morall or chast fast is enjoyned in the seuenth commaundement , as a meanes of chastitie , to those that need that helpe ; so the religious fast is enjoyned in the second commandement , and in the fourth . in the second , as it is a meanes to further vs in the worship of god , and in the dutie of prayer vpon extraordinary occasion . in the fourth , as the time of the fast is a sabbath of humiliation , wherein we are to professe our humiliation , and testifie our repentance before god : for when the lord commandeth vs to sanctifie the sabbath , he meaneth all sabbaths , not onely the ordinarie and weekly sabbath , but also the extraordinarie , whether they be sabbaths of joy and festiuitie , wherein by feasting and thanksgiuing we signifie our joy and thankfulnesse for some great blessing receiued , such as was that feast , nehem. , and the feast of purim . esth. : or whether they be sabbaths of humiliation ; wherein by fasting and prayer we signifie the sorrow & desire of our soules , in respect either of some blessing wanting , or of some euill either feared or felt , present or imminent : such as was the fast proclaimed by iosaphat . chron. , or by ezra cha . . &c. for such a fast by the commandement of god is to be sanctified and obserued holy as a sabbath , euen in such maner as the ordinarie sabbath of humiliation was to be sanctified . neither is it to be omitted , that esay , the day of the fast seemeth to be called an acceptable day to the lord , yea his sabbath , and his holyday , which euen as the ordinarie sabbath is to be consecrated as glorious to the lord. . but if to these places of the old testament , we shall add some testimonies out of the new , we shall make it more than euident , that the dutie of fasting belongeth vnto vs. where first consider the doctrine of our sauiour christ , concerning a fast , math. , for when he prescribeth the maner how we are to fast , he presupposeth the dutie that we are to fast . neither doth hee alone require this dutie at our hands , but also maketh a gracious promise of happie reward to those that shall fast aright . and in the same gospell chapter , as also luke , and mar. , when as the disciples of iohn and the phariseys tooke exception against our sauiour christ , because they fasted , but his disciples did eat and drinke : he maketh answer , that although during his abode with them , which was a time of joy and not of mourning , his disciples which were the children of the mariage chamber , were not to fast and mourne , whiles himselfe , who was the bridegroome was among them : yet the time should come when the bridegroome being taken from them , as they should haue occasion of mourning , so also they should fast in those dayes . againe , math. , our sauiour christ seemeth to ascribe great efficacy to the prayer of the faithful holpen by fasting ; affirming that that kind of vncleane spirit , which by no other meanes can be cast out , goeth forth by prayer and fasting . in the second of luke the holy ghost giueth this testimonie of anna the prophetesse , that she being in the temple night and day worshipped god with fastings and prayers . not that fasting in it selfe is a worship of god , as prayer is , but onely is a meanes and helpe to further vs in the worship of god , & to make our prayers more feruent & effectuall : to which purpose anna ioyned fasting with her prayers . and hereunto let vs add the practise of the primitiue church in the time of the apostles : in the . chapter of the acts , the prophets and teachers which were in the church of antioch , before they sent forth barnabas and paul to the worke of the ministerie , whereunto the holy ghost had called them ; they fasted and prayed , and layed their hands on them . and in the fourteenth chapter it is sayd , that paul and barnabas when they had ordained to the faithfull , elders by electioni●n euery church ; hauing prayed with fasting , they commended them to the lord in whom they beleeued . and to conclude , the apostle paul testifieth of himselfe , . cor. , that as he was oft in hunger and thirst by a forced obedience , so he was often also in fastings ; wherby this voluntarie abstinence is meant . hereby therefore it appeareth that the christian exercise of fasting , is not a will-worship , nor an action which is meerely arbitrary , or left to our free choise , whether we will vse it or not : but a dutie enjoyned and imposed vpon vs by the lord. wherefore in the definition i doubted not to call the religious fast , an exercise of religion . . but here it will be objected , that if fasting be an exercise of religion ; a morall dutie , not onely commanded in the morall law of god , which bindeth all men , but also commended vnto vs in the gospell both by the doctrine of the holy ghost , and also by the practise of the faithfull in the primitiue church ; then it may seeme , that so oft as we do not fast , we sinne , &c. i answer , that affirmatiue commandements , though they bind vs alwayes , yet do they not bind vs to performe them alwayes and at all times , but as just occasion is offered , together with a concurrencie of all needfull circumstances : as for example , we are alwayes bound to pray , namely as we haue just occasion to begge any thing at the hands of god , and may do it in some measure as it ought to be done ; but we are not bound to pray alwayes and to do nothing else . and although we are alwayes in this life bound to fast ; yet are we not bound to fast either alwayes , or so oft as we are bound to pray : for we are to pray ordinarily euerie day , and also extraordinarily as occasion is offered : but we are not to fast ordinarily and euerie day , but vpon speciall and extraordinary occasion . and that we are not bound to joyne fasting with the ordinarie exercise of prayer , it is manifest by the doctrine of the apostle , . cor , , where he would haue the husband and the wife ( who are ordinarily to pray euerie day ) to performe mutuall beneuolence , and not defraud one another , vnlesse it be by consent for a time , that they might giue themselues to fasting and prayer , and again come together , that sathan tempt them not through their incontinencie . and therefore we are not bound to joyne fasting with our ordinarie and daily prayers , but when we haue just and speciall occasion to humble our selues in prayer , after an extraordinary maner . and our sauiour christ noteth , that those which do fast , do mourne ; and that the time of fasting is the time of mourning ; and that in the time of joy it is vnseasonable . now ordinarily the faithfull are to be joyfull : and therefore they are not bound ordinarily to fast , and in fasting to mourne , but when they haue some extraordinarie cause of mourning : for as a peece of new cloth put to an old garment maketh the rent worse , so fasting vnseasonably imposed vpon men , maketh them not better , but worse . againe , the time of the fast hath the nature of a sabbath , wherein we are to lay aside all worldly businesse , and the works of our callings , which ordinarily we are to follow . neither is it an ordinarie sabbath , but the extraordinarie sabbath of humiliation ; wherein we are after a speciall maner to humble our soules , and to giue our selues to prayer , abstaining not onely from bodily labour and worldly affaires , but also from our food and other delights of this life . and to the sanctifying of this sabbath we are bound , when the lord calleth vs to fasting and mourning by some special causes of mourning and humbling our selues ( which afterwards i shall touch ) whether they be priuat or publicke . but especially we are then bound to obserue this fast , when not onely the lord by some publicke judgement or calamitie , either threatned or inflicted , doth call vs vnto fasting and mourning ; but also publicke authoritie hath blowne the trumpet , and proclaimed a fast : for to such a sabbath of humiliation , the equity of that law concerning the yearly sabbath of humiliation is to be extended , leuit. , euery person that humbleth not himselfe that day , shall euen be cut off from his people . . and this also i signified in the definition , when i sayd that fasting is a solemne exercise of religion , to be vndertaken of vs , when we are to be humble suters vnto the lord , vpon some speciall and extraordinarie occasion : for when i cal it a solemne exercise , i do not meane that it is a common , vsuall or ordinary exercise , nor yet to be performed after a common or ordinarie maner ; but that as it is vndertaken vpon some speciall vrgent occasion , so we ought to stir vp our selues in the obseruation thereof , to an extraordinarie measure of humiliation , to an extraordinarie feruencie in prayer , to a solemne and extraordinarie testification and profession of our repentance . and when as it is said in the definition , that this exercise is to be vndertaken of vs when we are humble suters to the lord vpon some speciall or extraordinarie occasion , it is plainly signified , that this exercise is not at set and ordinarie times to be performed , but when it pleaseth god to giue just and necessarie occasion either by our wants , or by his judgements , of a more speciall and extraordinarie humbling of our selues in the exercise of prayer and profession of our repentance . . the causes therefore and occasions whereupon this exercise is to bee vsed , are these . first , when we are humble suters vnto the lord for the obtaining of some speciall benefits : especially , when some matter of great importance is to be enterpris●ed : for at such a time an extraordinarie feruency in prayer is required , which may be holpen forward by fasting . nehemiah intending to moue artasbaste for the repairing of ierusalem : first humbleth himselfe before god by fasting and prayer , for good successe in that waightie businesse . and so did ezra in his voyage towards ierusalem proclaime a fast : queene esther before she durst presume contrarie to the law of the persians , to enter into the kings presence , being not called , to make sute vnto him for the preseruation of the iewes against the wicked conspiracie of haman ; she with her maids humbled themselues by fasting and prayer for three dayes , and required the like fast to be obserued of mordecay and the rest of the iewes , who were at susban . in like sort , the ministerie of the word being a matter of great importance ( for it is the power of god to our saluation , and though it be esteemed folly in the world , yet by the foolishnesse of preaching god is pleased to saue those that beleeue ) therefore the church of god hath thought it expedient before they haue ordained ministers , or sent them forth to the worke of the ministerie , to humble themselues before god by fasting and prayer , as we may read in the acts of the apostles . it is reported of iohn the euangelist , that being intreated by the churches to write the gospell of our sauiour , whereby the heresies of ebion and cerinthus , who denied the diuinitie of christ , might be refuted ; he made aunswere , that hee would do it , if first the whole church would in his behalfe humble themselues before god in fasting and prayer . . but as fasting is sometimes to be joyned with precation or prayer , for some speciall good : so more commonly it is joyned with deprecation of euill , whether it be the euill of sinne , or the euill of affliction : for when as men do apprehend thewrath of god for sinne , whether it be in the act of their conuersion , or otherwise finding themselues or their countrey guiltie of some more grieuous sin : it is necessarie that they should humble themselues before god , after a more speciall maner : and for the better humbling of themselues in prayer , and testifying of their repentance , to entertaine this christian exercise of fasting . paul in the first act of his conuersion fasted and prayed three dayes together : when as the people of israell returned to the lord their god from idolatrie , and lamented their former sinnes : they being assembled at the commaundement of samuell , do testifie their humiliation and repentance by a solemne fast : wherein they drew as it were buckets of water from the fountaine of their hearts , & poured the same before the lord , saying , we haue sinned against the lord. ezra when he vnderstood how the people , of israell had joyned in mariage with the heathen people contrarie to the law of god , he prayed and fasted , greatly mourning for the trasgression of the people . and afterwards the people themselues were assembled with fasting , & with sackcloth and earth vpon them ; and hauing separated themselues from the strange wiues with whom they had beene mingled , they confessed their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers . . but when as our sinne hath not only deserued the anger of god ; but also hath prouoked him , either to threaten his judgements , and as it were to lift vp his hand to strike vs ; or else as he hath threatned , to lay his judgements vpon vs : then doth the lord especially call vs to fasting and mourning : howbeit the chiefe cause of mourning must be , not so much the consideration of the judgement it selfe , whether present or imminent ; as the detestation of our sinne , whereby we haue offended god , and prouoked him either to threaten or to inflict that judgement vpon vs. examples hereof we haue in respect of judgements imminent , in the niniuits , who when destruction was threatned against them for their sinnes , humbled themselues before god in fasting and prayer . in iosaphat , who hearing of an inuasion attempted against him by the moabits and ammonits , feared , and set himselfe to seeke the lord , and proclaimed a fast throughout all iudah . in respect of afflictions and calamities present , as famine , sword , pestilence , captiuitie , and such like messengers of gods wrath , we haue both commaundements , as our rules ; and examples , as precedents in this behalfe . in the time of famine , the lord by his prophet ioel , commandeth the iewes to turne vnto him , with all their heart , and with fasting , weeping and mourning : and to that end he biddeth them to proclaime and sanctifie a fast . and as touching the sword : when the men of ai had discomforted the israelits , iosua and the elders of israell fasted vntill the euen . in the time of captiuitie daniel greatly desired the deliuerance of the iewes out of the captiuitie of babylon at the end of seuentie yeares , according to the promise of the lord by the prophet ieremie , he turned his face vnto the lord god , and sought by prayer and supplication , with fasting , and sackcloth , and ashes . and as touching sicknesse and mortalitie , we haue a notable example in dauid , who when his child which hee had begotten in adulterie was sicke , he besought god for it , and fasted , and went in and lay all night vpon the earth : yea , when some that prooued his enemies were sicke , he professeth psal. , that he clothed himselfe with sackcloth , and humbled his soule with fasting , and that he prayed for them with such compassion , that hanging downe his head for griefe , his prayer returned vpon his bosome . and if fasting is to bee vsed for priuat persons when they are sicke , much more in a publicke visitation , and in the time of pestilence . . these allegations therefore of holy scripture may be sufficient directions for vs , when we are to vndertake this exercise : namely , when we haue some vrgent cause of a more than ordinarie humbling of our selues before god in prayer . and when such causes are offered , we may not thinke that it is a thing meerely arbitrarie , whether we will vse this exercise or not : but by warrant of the former scriptures we are to be persuaded that the lord doth call vs to this exercise . it is well said of basill , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the time of fasting is not euerie mans will , but the necessitie of those who come to gods worship : and in a time of such necessitie , to fast it is necessarie . when as therefore there is publike necessitie , those which are in publicke authoritie must thinke , that a necessitie is imposed vpon them , to blow the trumpet in sion , and to proclaime a fast . and those which are in priuat place , must thinke a necessitie imposed on them , to obserue and sanctifie the fast . and if it happen that they which are in authoritie neglect this duty ; then those , who according to the example of the faithfull , ezek. , which were marked to saluation , doe mourne either for the common calamities , or for the common enormities of the time , which are forerunners of calamities : they are to vse this exercise priuatly and secretly , which also they are to do , when their owne necessities require . as for those who neither by publicke calamitie , nor priuat necessitie , can be drawne to this dutie , but continually take care for the flesh , to fulfill the lusts thereof : they must know , that they are but carnall m●n ; who , as they sow to the flesh , so of the flesh shall reape corruption . . thus we haue heard that the religious fast is a solemne exercise of religion , to bee vndertaken of vs , when we are humble suters to the lord , vpon some vrgent occasion . let vs now consider wherein this exercise doth consist , which is expressed in the rest of the definition , whereout we may gather , that this exercise consisteth on two points , viz. the outward or bodily , and the inward or spirituall exercise . the former , being the means to the latter ; & the latter , being the end of the former : for the bodily exercise profiteth little or nothing at all , vnlesse it be referred to the spirituall exercise , as a meanes to further it . the bodily exercise is an outward abstinence from food and some other commodities and delights of this life , and also from bodily labours and worldly businesse during the time of the fast , which is a sabbath of humiliation . here therefore we are to consider in respect of the outward exercise , from what we are to abstaine , and for how long . . first , we are to abstaine from food , from whence the whole exercise hath his name . and here we are to vnderstand not an abstinence in part , nor a sober and abstemious vse of diet , as i haue shewed before ; but a totall abstinence both from meat and drinke , so farre as our health will permit : for this is required to the nature of a fast , as hath bene declared , and further may bee proued by the examples of such fasts as are recorded in the scriptures . dauid when he fasted and mourned for the death of abner , swore that he would not tast bread or ought else till the sunne were downe . ezra , when he fasted for the sinne of the people , he did neither eat bread , that is , not so much as bread , nor drinke water , that is , not so much as water . the fast which esther required and performed , was the totall abstinence from meat and drinke . the niniuits when they proclaimed a fast , gaue a charge that none should tast any thing , whether it were meat or drinke . and of paul it is sayd acts. , that for the time of his fasting and prayer , he did neither eat nor drinke . that we should not thinke , either that fasting is an abstinence from meat and not from drinke , or that it standeth onely in choise of meats . and yet this totall abstinence from meat and drinke is not so strictly required , but that they whose health cannot beare it , may for their necessarie sustenance take some little refreshing : for the lord , who desireth mercie rather than sacrifice , doth not so require this outward abstinence , that it should impaire our health , or make vs vnfit for his seruice in the spirituall exercise of the fast ; but that it might further vs therein . but here we must take heed , that we vse not this libertie as an occasion to the flesh , pretending we cannot , when indeed we will not abstaine . . but now let vs consider , why this abstinence from food is required , seeing the kingdome of god doth not stand in meat and drinke , nor yet in abstinence therfrom : and that , as to eat and drinke , so also to abstaine therefrom , is in it selfe a thing indifferent . i answere , that although in and for it selfe it is not required ; yet as it is referred to the inward and spirituall exercise , it is enjoyned . for seeing the bodie is not onely the habitation of the soule , but also it and the members thereof the instruments of the soule , whereby it exerciseth his seuerall functions : who knoweth not , that the actions of the soule are either furthered by the good constitution of the bodie , or hindered by the indisposition thereof ? and , that the disposition of our bodie doth much depend vpon our diet ? for if by intemperancie and excesse wee ouercharge our selues , then are our hearts made heauie , as our sauiour christ sayth , by surfetting and drunkennesse , and we become vnfit for any good office . or if we be too carefull to pamper our bodies , they will not be so pliable and obsequious to the soule , but rather become like pampered horses , which kick against their rulers . on the other side , if by too much abstinence we pine away our bodies , and denie necessarie sustenance thereto , wee doe make our selues not only vnfit for the seruice of god in the church or commonwealth , and for the discharge of our callings , but also guiltie of selfe-murther : for the difference is not great , whether we murther ourselues at once , or by little and little pine and consume our selues away . and surely , where the lord forbiddeth to kill , he forbiddeth vs to kill our selues . now if any in their superstitious conceit shall in this their not sparing of their bodie , wherby they make themselues guiltie of murther , place religion or merit ; then , as they are injurious to themselues , so also impious against god. that therefore the bodie may bee seruiceable to the soule , we are to diet it ordinarily , according to the rules of sobrietie and temperance : so shall it neither be vnruly to kicke against the soule , nor vnable to serue it . and this disposition of the bodie is the best ordinarie disposition that may be , for the ordinarie performance of our dutie in the worship and seruice of god. notwithstanding , if we shall haue necessarie occasion to humble our selues in prayer after an extraordinarie manner , then is it necessarie also , that to our ordinarie temperance and sobrietie , wee should adde the extraordinarie exercise of fasting . first therefore , this abstinence from food is required , as a meanes of humiliation : for by afflicting the body , the mind is the better humbled . secondly , as a signe and testimonie of our humiliation : for in our abstinence from all food , we acknowledge our selues vnworthie of a peece of bread or cup of water . thirdly , as it causeth the bodily hunger and thirst , so it sharpeneth the spirituall hunger and thirst of the soule : and is therfore acknowledged by all men to be a notable meanes to encrease the feruencie of our prayer . fourthly , as a testimonie of our repentance , when we vse it by way of godly reuenge vpon our selues . fiftly , as an admonition vnto vs , that we abstaining from our food , which is lawfull , should much more abstain from whatsoeuer is vnlawfull . lastly , as a meanes of almes giuing , without any more impairing of our wealth than if we had not fasted , when that which is denied to the belly , is giuen to the poore . and thus , and in these respects , we are in the time of the fast to abstaine from food . . secondly , we are not onely to abstaine from all excesse of sleepe , but also to cut off so much of our ordinarie sleepe , as the want thereof be not an hinderance vnto vs in the worship of god , that so we may watch vnto prayer . to which purpose , the faithfull vnder the law , when they fasted , made choise to lie vneasily : that so they might take no more sleepe than was necessarie , and therby also might shew themselues vnworthie of their ordinarie case and rest , and might ( as i said ) the better watch vnto prayer . when dauid fasted and prayed in the behalfe of his child , he lay vpon the ground all night . whē the iewes had notice of hamans conspiracie against thē , many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes . the prophet ioel exhorting the priests and elders to fast and mourne , because of the famine , he willeth them to lie all night in sackcloth . and in imitation of the faithfull , achab when he fasted , did also lie in sackcloth . . thirdly , we are to forbeare our better or more costly apparell : especially if it be such as may hinder our humiliation , or minister some matter to our pride : for such is the vanity of our corrupt nature , & our pronenesse to pride , that although apparell was ordained to couer our nakednesse , and to hide our shame , the consequent of our sinne and falling from god : yet if it bee any thing gay or costly , we take a pride therein . when as therefore the israelits by worshipping the golden calfe , had broken their couenant with the lord , and had prouoked him to cast them off : the lord commaunded moses and the people to goe towards the land canaan , signifying , that he would be as good as his promise made to their fathers , in giuing to them the land of promise : and to that end would send his angell before them , to driue out the canaanits and the other inhabitants , and to put them in possession : but as for himselfe , he would not be present among them ( or if he should , hee could not but consume them ) neither would he haue ought to doe with them , namely , vnlesse they turned vnto him by repentance . for to that end he propounded that threatning , and withall appointed them to lay aside their ornaments and costly rayments , that hee might know what to doe with them , viz. if they repented , to receiue them to mercie : if not , to cast them off . when as the people therefore heard this euill tidings , they sorrowed ; preferring the fauour of god before the fruition of the land of promise : whereby without gods fauour , they should haue beene fatted as cattell for the slaughter . and in testimonie of their humiliation , they put not on their better attire , but laid aside their ornaments . and this they did , remouing themselues from mount horeb , as acknowledging themselues vnworthie of gods presence , which hee had manifested on that mount . where we see the laying aside of ornaments and costly attire , appointed by the lord himselfe for a signe and testimonie of humiliation . and to the same purpose , they vsed in those times to put on sackcloth ; whereby is meant any course or homely garment . which ceremonie though it were abused by hypocrites in their priuat fasts to ostentation , that they might bee seene of men : yet in publicke fasts it was profitably obserued for the example of others , whose humiliation might bee the more encreased , by the beholding one of another . fourthly , we are to abstaine from all carnall delights , whereby any one of our sences might bee pleased . for the sence of pleasure would abate our mourning , diminish the sence of our want , and hinder our vnfained humiliation before god. wherefore ierome saith , that fasting is to abstaine not onely from meats , but also from all pleasures or allurements . and augustine , the scripture , saith he , teacheth a general fast , not from the concupiscence of meates onely , but also from all pleasures of temporal delights . thus are we not only to abridge our tast of meats , but also to containe our eies from beholding vanities and pleasures , our eares from hearing mirth or musick , which in time of mourning is vnseasonable , our nostrils , from pleasant odours and effeminate smels : our sence of feeling , from the vse of the marriage bed : which as all married persons are to forbeare vpon consent , for such a time of humiliation , that they may giue themselues to fasting and prayer ; so are the bridegroome and bride admonished to come forth of their marriage chamber , in the time of the fast . and all these are to be done , partly as meanes of our humiliation , in remouing the impediments thereof ; partly as signes of our humiliation , whereby we acknowledge our selues vnworthy of these delights ; and partly as tokens of our repentance , in that by way of godly revenge , because all our sences haue sinned , we depriue thē all of their seuerall delights . and as wee are to make all our sences thus to fast : so must wee also weyne our minds from sports and recreations , which would not onely hinder our humiliation and godly sorrow , but also distract our minds from better meditations in sanctifying the fast . and thus haue i shewed , that in our fast we are to abstaine from food and some other helps and commodities of this life , and also from all outward delights and pleasures . now it remaineth , that i should speake of rest from bodily labours and worldly businesse : for the time of the fast hath the nature of a sabboth . and by the prophet ioel it is called dies interdicti , a solemnity , or day of prohibition , wherein men are forbidden to do any worke : as ths lord expoūdeth that word leui. . it is a day of prohibition , or a solemne day , you shall do no seruile worke therein . and deut. . six dayes thou shalt eat vnleauened bread , and in the seuenth day , which shall be a solemnity or day of prohibition to the lord thy god , thou shalt doe no worke . so num. . . for there is the same reason of the extraordinary sabbath of humiliation , and of the ordinary . but the ordinary was a sabbath or rest , in which no worke was to bee done : yea , the lord threatneth to destroy that person from among his people , that shall doe any worke that day . and as i said before , the law of the weekly sabbath is to be extended to other extraordinary sabbaths : but on the weekly sabbath , wee may do no worke , therefore not in this . but let vs consider also , why , and in what respects rest is required in the day of our fast , and bodily labours and worldly businesse forbidden . the lord forbiddeth labour and worldly businesse , and commaundeth rest on euery sabbath : not because simply he either liketh of rest , or misliketh labour ; but because bodily labors & worldly businesse are a meanes to distract vs from the worship of god : and rest from them , is a remedy against distraction . for euery sabbath is to be sanctified and set apart from our businesse and affaires , and is to bee consecrated to the worship of god. and further , on the sabbath of humiliation , we take vpon vs after a more speciall maner to worship god : and therefore that wee may seriously and entirely intend the seruice of god , we are to abandō all other busines and cares . for that is better done which is done alone , as the philosopher hath truly said , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . and it is the counsell of the wiseman , that , what wee doe , wee should do with all our might . for by doing many things our minds are distracted . this therefore doth teach vs , that with free and entire minds , sequestred from all worldly cares , we are to be conuersant in the worship of god ; chiefely , when after a more speciall manner we indeuour to humble our selues before him . for if bodily labours and worldly businesse bee therefore forbidden , because they are meanes to distract vs : then may we be sure that distraction it self in the worship of god is much more forbidden . for distraction breeds hypocrisie in gods worship , and causeth vs when wee draw nigh to the lord with our lips , to remooue our hearts farre from him . . againe , the lord commaundeth vs in all his sabbaths to rest from labours , that this outward rest might be an admonition vnto vs to rest from sinne . for why ( may euery one of vs thinke ) doth the lord forbid me on the day of rest , the lawfull workes of may calling ? or why doe i cease from mine honest affaires ? must i forbeare that which in it selfe is lawfull ; and may i doe that which is vnlawfull ? must i therefore for this time sequester my selfe from my honest businesse , that i may attend vanities or sinnes ? or doth the lord enjoyne me rest , because hee is delighted with idlenesse , and would haue me to doe nothing ? no verily . if he forbid me that which is lawfull , much more doth he forbid that which is vnlawfull . and if he commaund me to rest from honest affaires , it is not because he would haue me idle ( for idlenesse is the mother of much iniquitie ) but because hee would haue me attend better matters . in a word , he forbiddeth me to doe mine owne workes and businesse , that i may doe his worke , and attend his religion and seruice . lastly , there may an outward cause be rendered , why on the day of the fast wee are to cease from bodily labours . for our fraile nature cannot well beare abstinence and bodily labour together : for labour setting the bodie in a heat , wasteth the moisture and spirits , which are to bee supplied by nourishment : otherwise we spend vpon the stocke of our naturall moisture , which is as it were the oyle in the lampe of our life . . we see then , wherein the outward exercise doth consist , and the particulars from which we are to abstain . now wee are briefely to consider , for how long this abstinence is to be obserued . the vsuall time of a fast is the space of a naturall day , viz. from euen to euen , or from supper to supper . for as that was the time appointed for the ordinarie sabboth of humiliation , so also of the extraordinarie , from euen to euen shall you celebrate your sabboth . and accordingly it is noted of the israelits fast , iud. . of dauid and his followers , . sam. . of iosuah and the elders , ios. . that it was vntill the euening . and more particularly of dauids fast for abner , that hee refused to eat any meat while it was yet day , but swore , saying , so doe god to me and more also , if i tast bread or ought else till the sunne be downe . in like sort , not onely the iews , but also the auncient christians vsed to fast vntill the sunne were set . howbeit in processe of time they began especially in the church of rome to dissolue their fasts at the ninth houre , which is three a clocke afternoone : which now they haue brought to the sixt houre , and for the most part on their fasting dayes goe to supper before noone . but the shortest time that is mentioned in the scripture of a fast , is vntill the euening : to which custome their practise is most conformable , who fast all day vntill the ordinarie time of supper . this , as i said , is the vsuall time . but the children of god , when they haue beene pressed with more vrgent occasion , haue sometimes continued this exercise for more dayes together : as esther and the iewes for three dayes , esth. : and likewise paule , act. . the men of iabesh gilead , when they mourned for the death of saule and his sonnes , fasted seuen dayes , . sam. . daniell one and twentie dayes . . as for the fortie dayes fast , which moses , elias , and our sauiour christ did fast , it was miraculous , and therefore not to be imitated . neither did they fast fortie dayes together , either to subdue their flesh , or to humble their soules : but moses being the publisher of the law , elias the restorer of religion , our sauiour christ the author of the gospell ; the lord would by this miraculous fast so countenance their doctrine , as that in respect therof they might seeme not men arising from the earth , or authorised by men , but the two former as angels , the third as the sonne of god , sent from heauen : for their abstinence for the time was angelicall . and we might as well take vpon vs to imitate the angels not taking of food , which they doe not need , as the fast of christ and of the other two ; who were by the power of god aboue the strength of nature so sustained , as that during their fortie dayes , they no more needed food than angels doe . neither did our sauiour christ or either of the other , fast fortie dayes euery yeare , but once onely in all his life . wherefore vnlesse we haue the like cause of fasting , and the like power to support vs ( as indeed none haue ) it is but a vaine thing to goe about to imitat their fast . now when the fast is continued for more dayes together , it is not vnmeet , that as in the meane time we are to take but one meale euery day in the euening ; so also that we should at those times content our selues with a spare diet in respect of the quantitie , and meane in respect of the qualitie , whether it bee fish , or flesh , or neither ; according to the example of daniel . but when our fast is once dissolued , whether it bee at the end of one day , or of more , we may freely vse our ordinary diet , obseruing alwayes the rules of temperance and sobriety . and it fitteth best the faith of gods children , when they haue humbled themselues before god , and poured forth their suit into his bosome ; to cheere vp themselues in this persuasion , that they hauing cōmended and committed their cause to god , he will dispose of it and them , as shall be most for his glory , and their good . to this purpose consider the examples , of anna , . sam. , who after she had fasted and poured forth her soule before the lord , she went her way and did eat , and looked no more sad : of dauid , euen then when the lord did seeme to haue denied his perticuler request , . sam. . he arose from the earth , and washed and annointed himselfe , and chaunged his apparell , and came into the house of the lord , and worshipped , and afterward came to his owne house , and bad that they should set bread before him , and he did eat . and thus much may suffice to haue spoken of the outward fast . now for as much as the kingdome of god standeth not in meat and drinke , nor in the abstinence therefrom , and seeing bodily exercise profiteth little , but piety ( which consisteth in duties of religion sincerely performed ) hath the promises both of this life , and of that which is to come : therefore all this outward abstinence is nothing worth , vnlesse it be ioyned with the inward fast and spirituall exercise of religion , and bee referred thereunto , as to the end thereof . for if men rest in the outward fast , as though that in it selfe were acceptable vnto god , they fast no better than the beasts of niniuie fasted . they fast not vnto god : for god is a spirit , and they that will worship him , must worship him in spirit and truth . wherefore as zacharie sayth to the iewes , who resting in the outward fast , imagined , that they pleased god therby : when you fasted and mourned in the fift and seuenth moneth these seuentie yeares , did you in fasting fast to me , to me , sayth the lord ? likewise esay , when as the lord respected not the fast of the iewes , whereby they looked to win his fauour , as appeareth by their question , vers . . wherefore haue we fasted , and thou respectest it not , we haue afflicted our soules , and thou regardest it not ? he rendreth this reason : because neglecting the inward exercise , they rested in the outward . is it such a fast that i haue chosen , that a man should for a day afflict his soule ( namely by outward fasting ) and hang downe his head like a bull-rush , and lie downe in sackeloth and ashes : wilt thou call this a fasting or an acceptable day to the lord ? but if men shall not onely rest in the outward fast , as if that in it selfe were an acceptable worship of god ; but shall also obserue it with an opinion of satisfaction and merit , persuading themselues , that by their fast they satisfie for their sinnes , and merit euerlasting life : then is it much more abhominable in the sight of god , as being derogatorie to the onely both satisfactorie sufferings and meritorious obedience of christ our sauiour . and such seemeth to haue beene the fast of the pharisie : who for all his fasting twice a weeke , and his other merits which hee alledgeth , went home vnjustified . and such is the fast of the papists at this day , who not onely rest in their outward fast , which notwithstanding in many respects is but a mockefast : but also ascribe satisfaction and merit thereunto . . what then is the spirituall exercise and the inward fast , whereunto the outward abstinence must be referred ? it is an humbling of our soules in a solemne exercise of prayer , joyned with repentance , for the obtaining of our speciall suit , holpen forward and testified by the outward fast : as ezra speaketh , chap. . i proclaimed a fast , that we might humble our selues before our god , and seeke of him a right way , &c. for as the occasion of our fast is some speciall suit or request , which we are vpon vrgent occasion to make to god : so the obtaining of our request is the end of our fast . now that we may obtaine our suit to our comfort , it is necessarie that wee should beg it at the hands of god by prayer . for as iames sayth , you haue not , because you aske not . and because the lord doth not heare euery prayer of euery man , therefore that our prayer may be heard , it is necessarie , that both it be qualified in some measure according to gods will , and our selues also indued with repentance for our sinnes . for if our prayer be not rightly qualified , we may aske and not obtaine , as s. iames sayth , you aske and receiue not , because you aske amisse . neither , if wee repent not of our sinnes , shall we be heard ; because sinne maketh a separation betweene god and vs : neither doth the lord heare impenitent sinners . but if any shall object that we are to pray and repent continually , and therefore that this exercise is to little purpose : i answere , that howsoeuer prayer is to be performed of vs dayly and ordinarily , and repentance is to be practised of vs continually in the whole course of our liues : yet this hindreth not , but that as the lord giueth vs extraordinarie occasion , so we may and ought after a solemne and extraordinarie manner to humble our selues before him by prayer and repentance , which our sauior christ calleth , repenting in sackcloth and ashes , and likewise iob , repenting in dust and ashes . . now whereas i said , that this inward fast is an extraordinarie exercise of prayer joyned with a profession of our repentance for the obtaining of our suit : we are to know , that as of prayer , which expresseth our suit , there be two parts , and two especiall properties : so of repentance , which secondeth our prayer , there are also two parts . the parts of this prayer are , first , deprecation or praying against some euill which we bewaile , and desire to be remooued , whether it be the euill of sinne alone , or the euill of affliction also caused thereby . secondly , precation for the obtaining of some good , whether it be only the assurance for the remission of our sinnes , and grace to withstand them , or also some other speciall blessing which wee craue . the two especiall properties of our prayer , are feruencie of desire , and assurance of faith . the two parts of repentance are , humiliation in respect of our sinnes past , which is penitencie ; and an vnfained purpose of amending our liues for the time to come , both in forsaking our sinnes , and also in embracing the contrary duties , which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( that is , amendment of life ) properly . both these parts of repentance must concurre with both the parts of prayer . and both of them affoord their necessarie helpe to both the properties of prayer . for deprecation of pardon , must be joyned not onely with humiliation ▪ in respect of our sinnes past , but also with a loathing of our sinnes , and an vnfained desire and setled purpose to forsake them for the time to come . and prayer for grace and assurance of pardon , must bee joyned not onely with a desire and purpose of amendment , but also with a sence and acknowledgement of our infidelitie and want of grace . and our feruencie in prayer , as it must proceed from the sence of our want : so may it not be seuered from a desire of obedience and purpose of amendment . and lastly , the promise of hearing our prayer , whereon our faith is grounded , is made both to those that are humbled for their sinnes past , and vnfainedly desire and purpose amendment for the time to come . notwithstanding , there is a more speciall concurrence of humiliation with deprecation , and of an vnfained purpose of amendment with precation : and also a more speciall reference , as of humiliation to the feruencie of our desire , so of repentance , which consisteth in eschewing euill and doing good to the assurance of faith . yea the inward sence and sorrow , and the outward bewayling and confessing of our sinnes in deprecation , are acts of humiliation : and the desire , the promise , the vow of obedience and amendment of life expressed in our precation , are acts of repentance . and therefore for plainenesse and distinction sake , i will first speake of the former part of our suit , cōsisting in the deprecation joyned with humiliation : and after of the second part , which standeth in the precation joyned with amendment of life . . for as touching the former : if wee would bee humble and earnest suiters for the remoouing of euill , whether it be sinne , or punishment , or both ; it behooueth vs first to be affected and touched with a sence and feeling of our miserie , and to be inwardly grieued for our sinnes , that by them we haue offended god , who hath beene so gracious a god , and so mercifull a father vnto vs , and also haue prouoked him to threaten or to execute his judgements against vs for the same . this then is the first thing which we are to labour for in this exercise , that in regard of our sinnes , which haue made vs obnoxious to gods judgements , our hearts may melt within vs , and be resolued into a fountaine of teares ; that they may be pricked with sorrow and remorse , that they may bee rent with griefe , that they may become contrite and broken with godly sorrow . for mourning is so perpetually annexed to fasting , that our sauiour christ vseth these words of fasting and mourning indifferently , to signifie the same thing . for being demaunded , why his disciples fasted not ; he said , can the children of the mariage chamber mourne , as long as the bridegroome is with them ? but the dayes will come when the bridegroome shall bee taken from them , and then shall they fast . for further euidence whereof , we may obserue , that where mathew vseth the word mourne , the other euangelists haue fast . and to the same purpose , when the iewes demaunded of the prophets , whether they were still to obserue the fast of the fift moneth , &c. they propose their question in these words , should i weepe in the fift moneth , and seperate my selfe , viz. from companie and delights ? and this mourning , they which fasted were wont vnder the law to signifie by outward signes : as by renting their garments , putting on of sackcloth , sitting in the ashes , putting earth vpon them . in stead of which signes , the thing signified ( that is , the inward mourning of the heart ) is commended vnto vs , according to the example of dauid , psal. . . in fasting i wept with my soule : or as others read , i wept in the fasting of my soule . for so the prophet exhorteth , rent your hearts and not your garments , and turne vnto the lord with all your hearts , and with fasting , weeping , and mourning . . and to this godly sorrow must bee added an humble conceit of our selues : that as we be grieued with our selues because of our sinne , so also wee should thinke vilely and esteeme basely of our selues , as being worthie not onely of that judgement which is vpon vs , but of all the plagues threatened in the law , and vnworthie of the least of gods mercies : vnworthie of food , signified by our abstinence therefrom : vnworthie of our garments , which therefore wee lay aside : vnworthie to tread vpon the earth , which they were wont to signifie by putting earth vpon them . in a word , the outward abstinence is therefore ordained , that by afflicting the bodie , the soule may be humbled . yea such an vsuall companion of fasting is the humiliation of the soule , that not onely the faithfull in the scripture are said to humble their soule by fasting , but sometimes also euen the outward fasting is called the humbling of the soule . this inward humiliation consisting partly in the godly sorrow , and partly in this base estimation of our selues , is very needfull for vs , if indeed we would be humble suiters vnto the lord , with hope to obtaine : for , the sacrifices of god are a contrit spirit , and a broken heart , which the lord in no wise will despise , yea he hath respect to those who are of a contrit spirit , and hee is neare vnto them when they call vpon him . . and that we may attaine to this humiliation , we are seriously to meditat of the judgements of god presently either threatned or laid vpon vs : for therefore the lord doth threaten his judgements , that by humbling our selues before him , and preparing our selues to meet him , they might be preuented and turned from vs : and that judging our selues we might not bee judged of the lord. and therefore also doth the lord inflict his judgement , that we might be humbled vnder his mightie hand : for not to sorrow when the lord smiteth , it is a signe of an hard and incorrigible heart : and secondly , we are to enter into a serious meditation of the haynousnesse of our sins , and of our wretched estate in our selues by reason thereof , which we may conceiue : first , by the deserts of them ; and namely by that judgement of god which perhaps is the occasion of this exercise : for whatsoeuer other causes there may be thereof , the author and inflicting cause is god , and the meriting cause is sinne . and not onely that judgement , but also all those plagues both temporall in this life , and eternall in the world to come , which in the word of god are threatned against transgressors . and these threatnings of the law we are both vndoubtedly to beleeue , and also effectually to apply to our selues . againe , the same appeareth by the sufferings of christ : for hereby it is most euident , that our sinnes are so heynous and grieuous in the sight of god , that nothing in the whole world could bee found a sufficient ransome to satisfie gods justice , and appease his wrath for them , or to expiat vs from the guilt thereof , but the precious death of our sauiour christ the sonne of god. and therefore if god hath giuen vs the spirit of grace and supplication , we shall lament and mourne as a man weeping for his only sonne , when we looke vpon him whom we haue pierced . and thirdly , our sinne will appeare exceedingly sinfull , if we compare and lay together gods vnspeakable bounties towards vs , and our almost vncredible vnthankfulnesse towards him : for if thou doest truly and vnpartially consider , what thou hast rendred to the lord for all his benefits which he hath bestowed on thee , and findest nothing but a heape of sinnes , whereby thou hast shewed thy selfe so vngracious towards him , who hath beene so gracious vnto thee , and dishonored him that hath so honoured thee : this , if anything in the world , will make thy heart relent and melt within thee . and to these former considerations let there bee added , when we come to make our request to god who is in heauen full of majestie and glorie , a remembrance of our mold , that we are but dust and ashes ; which humbled abraham when he was to intreat the lord in behalfe of the sodomits , behold , saith he , i haue begun to speake to my lord , and i am but dust and ashes . and forasmuch as naturally we are selfe-conceited and hard hearted , we are therefore to pray vnto the lord that he would giue vnto vs soft and fleshly hearts ; and that with the eye-salue of his spirit he would annoint the eyes of our mind that we may see , and with the finger of his spirit hee would effectually touch our hearts that we may be humbled for our sinnes . . from the inward humiliation two other things arise , which vsually accompany deprecations : namely , from the inward sence of our woe and sorrow for our miserie , proceedeth an outward bewailing and lamenting of our estate , which in the faithfull sometimes breaketh forth into expostulation . and from the base esteeming and judging our selues , ariseth confession of our sinnes , in respect whereof we acknowledge our selues vnworthie of the lest of gods mercies , but worthie of his greatest judgements . lamentation is the outward expressing of our inward mourning , whereby we particularly bewaile our wofull estate before the lord , making our mone vnto him , and pouring foorth our griefe as it were into his bosome . examples hereof we haue in dauids psalmes , as psal. . & . & . & , &c. in ieremies lamentations . in ezekias , who in his griefe did chatter like a crane or a swallow , and mourned like a doue . thus some expound that place , . sam. , where it is said that the iewes bewailing their miserabe estate , drew water and poured it soorth before the lord , that they vsed this ceremonie before the lord to signifie , that without his special mercie and assistance , they were as water spilt vpon the earth : to which purpose dauid saith vnto the lord , psal. . , i am like water poured out : and the wise woman of tekoah vnto dauid , . sa. , we shall be like water that is spilt on the groūd , which cannot be gathered vp againe . and to this bewailing of our estate before the lord , we may be induced by consideration of gods mercy , who because hee is mercifull , doth heare the cry of his creatures in their distresse : for if the lord doth heare sometimes the cry of wicked men in their anguish , although perhaps it be not a prayer , but the voice , which the extremitie of their griefe expresseth from them ; yea the crie of vnreasonable creatures , as of the yong lyons and the rauens , &c. how much more wil he haue respect to the mournefull crie of his owne children ? but the faithfull sometimes in ther mourning and lamentations doe proceed , as i sayd , to expostulations , which are vehement interrogations expressed from them by their griefe : whereby they doe expostulat with the lord , concerning either the greatnesse , or continuance of their affliction : as moses exod. . iosua , chap. . dauid , psal. . . & . , . iob oftentimes , the church afflicted , psal. . & , lam. . and our sauiour on the crosse , math. . but here we are to take great heed , that our expostulation be an holy fruit of a liuely faith : lest if it proceed frō want of patience , it do degenerat into murmuring against god. . the other thing which must concurre with deprecation , is confession of our sinnes , which is both profitable and necessarie in these respects . first , that god in his judgements may be justified . and to that purpose it is verie expedient , that the praise of the lord may appeare more glorious , and the sinnes which we confesse , more grieuous ; to make a rehearsall , as of our sinnes , so also of gods benefits towards vs : notable examples whereof we haue nehem. . from the fift verse vnto . and ezr. . . secondly , that judging our selues , we may not be judged of the lord : for if we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes , the lord is faithfull and just to forgiue vs our sinnes , and to clense vs from all iniquitie : but if we conceale our sinnes we haue no promise of forgiuenesse : for as salomon saith , prou. , he that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper , but he that confesseth and forsaketh them , shall haue mercie . and this we see notably verified in the example of dauid , psal. . for whiles hee concealed his sinne , the hand of the lord was heauie vpon him to afflict him : but when he confessed and acknowledged his iniquitie , the lord forgaue his sinne . the practise of this dutie in solemne fasts is commended vnto vs in many examples of the holy scriptures , as . sam. . ezr. . nehe. . daniell . . thus therefore in an inward sence and sorrow for our sinnes , and a base estimation of our selues for the same , together with a bewailing of our woe and confession of our sinne , we are to make our humble supplication and deprecation to the lord , pouring foorth our soule before him : earnestly beseeching him in the name and mediation of christ , that he would remoue his judgements from vs , and for his sake would forgiue vs our sins which haue most justly prouoked him to indignation against vs. a liuely patterne whereof we haue ioel . . let them say , spare thy people ô lord , &c. and other worthie precedents , as dan. , and nehem. . and herein we being summoned as it were before the judgement seat of the lord , are to immitat the ancient custome of guiltie persons among the romans , when they were arraigned before the judgement seat ; who that they might mooue the iudges to mercie and compassion , humbly abased themselues before them , vsing long and neglected haire , and putting on mourning weeds , &c. and as benhadad his seruants and followers , when they being vanquished by achab the king of israell , desired to make humble sute vnto him for their own and benhadad his life and libertie : we haue heard , say they to benhadad , that the kings of the house of israell are mercifull kings , we pray thee let vs put sackcloth about our loynes , and ropes about our heads , and go out to the king of israell : it may be that he will saue thy life . so let vs , hauing sinned against god , and made our selues obnoxious to his judgements , come vnto the lord with all inward humiliation , and outward tokens thereof , as it were with ropes about our neckes , suing vnto him for mercie and pardon , seeing we haue not onely heard that he is mercifull : but also know that he hath commanded vs in our distresse to call vpon him with promise to heare vs : and also hath inuited vs to turne vnto him with all our heart , and with fasting , and with weeping , and with mourning : and that we should rent our hearts and not our garments : for he is gracious and mercifull , slow to anger , and of great kindnes , and repenteth him of the euill . . but forasmuch as we are suters to the lord , not onely for auoiding that which is euill , but also for obtaining that which is good : we are therefore to make our requests knowne vnto god , not onely by supplications and deprecations againsts euils ; but also by petitions and precation for that which is good : and therefore the holy ghost both by doctrine and example hath taught vs to joyne them together : for if we truly bewaile our sins , and earnestly desire to be deliuered from the guilt thereof : we will also craue assurance of the remission of our sinnes to be sealed vp in our conscience by the spirit of adoption : and not that onely , but also we will desire to be renewed and sanctified by the spirit of god , that sinne may die in vs , and that we may liue vnto god in true holinesse and righteousnesse . and lastly , we will craue the assistance of the holy ghost to strengthen and support vs against all the temptations of the flesh , the world and the diuell . but if besides the euill of sinne we haue occasion also to pray against some euill of punishment , then do we commonly pray for the contrarie blessing : or if the obtaining thereof be not expedient for vs ( as in temporall petitions it many times falleth out ) we must willingly submit our selues to gods good will and pleasure , and in steed of asking preseruation from that which is present , we are to craue patience and comfort in affliction , and to beseech the lord that he would blesse his visitation vnto vs , and cause it to turne vnto our good . and therefore these temporall benefits are not ( as i haue elsewhere shewed ) to be asked absolutly , but with this condition , if they may stand with gods glorie , and our spirituall and euerlasting good . . and these two were the parts of our prayer . now in them both there are two things required : feruencie of desire that we may , and assurance of faith that we shall obtaine our request . as touching the former : feruencie is required alwayes in our prayers , but especially when vpon extraordinarie occasion we humble our selues before the lord in prayer : for then we must not onely pray , but also cry vnto the lord ; whereby vehement prayer is signified : yea as the niniuits speake , we are to cry mightily vnto him . and forasmuch as this feruencie of desire proceedeth from the feeling of our want , and is commonly proportionable thereunto : therefore doth the lord afflict vs , that in the sence of our want we might the more earnestly poure foorth our soules before him : and to the same purpose do we afflict our selues by the outward fast , that we might the better giue our selues to prayer : for therefore doe we abstaine from food and delights , that the sence of our want might be increased , and so our feruencie inflamed ; therefore do we abstaine from our bodily labors and worldly businesse , that we might the better attend and intend our prayer ; and therefore also do we abridge our selues of vnnecessarie sleepe , that we might watch vnto prayer . for this cause some haue called fasting , the wing of praier : because the earnestnes thereof being inflamed by fasting , it doth the more forcibly ascend before the lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( sayth basill ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : fasting sendeth vp prayer vnto heauen , being as it were a wing vnto it , to helpe it in the ascent . and to the like purpose , chrysostome , he that prayeth with fasting hath two wings ( saith he ) namely to lift him vp from the earth . and forasmuch as this is one maine end whereunto fasting is referred , hence it is that so often we do read in the scriptures of fasting ioyned with prayer . see ios. . . . sam. . . and . . . . sam. . . . chron. . . ezr. . . neh. . . & . . , &c. psal. . . dan. . . ioel. . . & . . . ionas . . . math. . . luk. . . act. . . . & . . & . . & . . . cor. . . for as bernard saith , ieiu●ium orationem roborat , oratio sanctificat ieiunium : fasting fortifieth prayer : prayer sanctifieth fasting . . the second thing required in prayer , is faith : for as we are in our prayers to call vpon god in the name of christ ; so are we to beleeue , that for christ his sake the lord will heare vs , and so farre forth graunt our requests as shall be most for his glorie , and our good : for howsoeuer when we fast , we are to bee humbled in our selues , mourning for our sinnes and bewailing our wants ; yet we must not so cast downe our selues , that we cast away hope , but contrariwise we are to cast our selues vpon the mercies of god in christ : yea therefore doth god touch vs with a sence of our want , that feeling our miserie , we might flie vnto him for mercie . and therefore are we to humble our selues before god , that being cast downe in our selues , we may bee exalted in christ. wherefore in our fast we are so to deplore our miserie , that withall we implore the mercie of god ; being well assured , though in our selues we are vnworthy to appeare in his presence , or to lift vp our eyes to heauen , yet comming vnto him in the name of christ , we and our prayers shall be accepted of him in his sonne . this faith is to be grounded also on the gracious promises of god made vnto vs in christ : as namely , that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name , he will giue it vnto vs , call vpon me in the day of trouble , i will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me . and more specially the lord promiseth by his prophet ioel to the people of the iewes being afflicted with a grieuous famine , that if they humbled their soules before him in fasting and prayer , he would graunt their desire . . and the same may be confirmed by the experience of those , who hauing vsed this exercise , haue obtained their requests at the hands of god. call to mind the examples in the places before alledged , of annab . sa. . of the israelits . sam. , of iosaphat . chr. . of neb. cha . . of daniel , chap. . of ezra , who professeth his experience in this behalfe : we fasted , saith he , and besought our god for this , and he was intreated of vs. of esther , mordochay and the iewes , who ordained the fast of purim to be celebrated yearely on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the moneth adar , as dayes of feasting and joy , and as perpetuall monuments of that great deliuerance which they had obtained by fasting and prayer : in which sence they are called , verba seu document a ieiuniorum & clamoris sui , esth. . . and for the better confirmation of our faith , let vs to this experience of gods dealing with the faithfull , add the examples euen of rehoboam , of achab , and of the niniuits : for if when the lord had threatned destruction to rehoboam , by shemaiah ; to achab , by elias ; and to the niniuits , by ionas : notwithstanding by fasting and humbling themselues , rehoboam , who with his people had forsaken the lord ; achab , who had sold himselfe to commit wickednesse ; and the niniuits who being not onely aliants from god , but also the posteritie of cursed cham , had filled heauen and earth with their transgressions , escaped that judgement which was threatned against them : how much more is this exercise to be vndertaken of all those that truly repent and beleeue in christ , with assurance of good successe ? feare not my little flocke ( saith our sauiour christ to all the faithfull ) for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome , and therefore he will not denie you small requests , if they may bee for your good . and if the lord hath so loued vs , as that he hath not spared his sonne , but hath giuen him for vs all ; how shall he not with him , giue vs all things also that may be expedient for vs ? he doth not thinke any thing too good or too deare for vs , who hath giuen his sonne to vs in pretium , for a ransome , and reserueth himselfe in pramium , for a reward . . but you will say : if our faith must bee grounded vpon the promises of god , what helpe then doth fasting affoord vnto it ? i answer , first , that fasting being commaunded and ordained of god , it is to be vndertaken with expectation of a blessing vpon his owne ordinance . and secondly , although our faith may not relie vpon the merit of our fasting ( which indeed is none ) but only on the promise of god in christ ; yet being rightly performed , it affoordeth a good testimonie to our conscience , that the promise belongeth to vs : for although we beleeue in generall , the promises of god to be true ; yet we shall haue small comfort by them , vnlesse we can be persuaded that they belong vnto vs. and how can we persuade our selues that they belong vnto vs , if we haue not the condition implied in the promise ? as for example : the lord hath promised to haue respect to the humble , to be neare vnto them when they call vpon him , to giue grace vnto them , and to exalt them : likewise to them that hunger after righteousnesse , and thirst for his grace , he hath promised , that they shall be satisfied . if therefore thou wouldest apply these promises to thy selfe , thou must humble thy selfe before god , and not be lifted vp with pride : thou must hunger and thirst after the grace of god and righteousnesse of christ , and not be full with a conceit of thine owne righteousnesse . but by fasting , our humiliation , as i haue shewed , may be furthered , and our spirituall hunger increased , and so our selues better qualified , according to the condition included in the promise : which condition if we find in our selues , then may we from the promise as it were the proposition , applied to our selues by the testimonie of our conscience , as it were the assumption , gather to our selues a comfortable conclusion . of which comfort they bereaue themselues , who performe this exercise in an opinion of meriting thereby : for when fasting is joyned with a conceit of merit , it doth not so much humble the bodie , as puffe vp the soule , and so make it vncapable of the grace of god : for the lord giueth grace to the humble , and he resisteth the proud . and as the blessed virgin saith , he filleth the hungrie with good things , but the rich he sendeth emptie away . . another notable meanes to confirme our faith in the assurance of obtaining our sute , is to forsake our sins ( which make a separation betweene god and vs ) and to promise amendment for the time to come , which also is testified by our fast : for it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes , if we would find mercie with god ; but also we must forsake them . and if we desire to be deliuered from the euill which doth afflict vs , and to obtaine the contrarie blessing which doth affect vs : then it behooueth vs to forsake our sinne , which is the cause of the affliction , and also an obstacle , and as it were a partition wall betwixt god and vs , to keepe his blessings from vs. wouldest thou then haue thine affliction remooued ? remooue the cause , which is thy sinne . and if thou wouldest haue god to repent him of the euill of affliction , which he hath either threatned or inflicted , then must thou also repent of the euill of sinne , which hath merited the affliction . now if we shall truly repent of our sinnes , and vnsainedly purpose amendment of life for the time to come , then may we persuade our selues that our preseruation and deliuerance shall be joyned with gods glorie ; & consequently may be emboldned with better assurāce of faith , to desire the lord to preserue & deliuer vs euen for his own glory , & for his names sake . but here , as we desire any sound cōfort , so must we deale soundly with the lord : and not as the common practise of the most , in the time of affliction , to promise greatmatters vnto the lord , which they haue no true purpose to performe : for this is to flie vnto god , and to go about to deceiue him with our lippes . . and hereby appeareth the great necessitie of joyning the practise of repentance with the exercise of prayer in our fast . and therefore fasting as it was ordained to be an helpe vnto our prayer , so also to bee both a testimonie & furtherance of our repentance , as i haue shewed . now our repentance standeth in two things , in the eschewing of euill , and doing of good . as touching the former : abstinence from euill and ceassing from sin , is signified in our fast , by abstinence form food and delights , and by cessing from our labors : for therefore the lord doth the rather require in our fasts the abstaining and ceassing from things in themselues lawfull , that thereby we might be admonished much more to abstaine from that which is vnlawful . in which respect , basil calleth fasting , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , a medicine to take away sinne . and augustine , this is ( sayth he ) the profit of fasting , that whiles we fast from lawfull things , wee are admonished more and more to forbeare vnlawfull things . if therefore wee auoid things which sometimes are lawfull , let vs chiefely auoid sinnes which are neuer lawfull : if we fast from meats , much more let vs fast from sinnes : quid prodest vacuare corpus ab escis , & animam replere peccatis ? what auaileth it to keepe the body emptie from meats , and to fill the soule with sinne ? for abstinence from things lawfull , if it be not joyned with abstinence from things vnlawfull , that is to say , if our fasting from food and other delights be not joyned with fasting from sinne , it is odious and abhominable in the sight of god. a day of rest , and not resting from sinne , the lord cannot endure together . it is not the emptinesse of the bellie or cleannesse of the teeth , but the puritie of the foule and cleanenesse of the heart ; nor the outward rest from labour , but the spirituall rest from sinne that is acceptable vnto god : without which , the outward fast as it causeth vs to smell worse to men , according to the prouerbiall phrase , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so maketh it vs to stinke before god. . it is well said of the heathen man , that we ought to fast from sinne . for as † basill truly sayth , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : true fasting is abandoning of euill . and to the like purpose others of the fathers : chrysostome , true fasting ( sayth * he ) is abstinence from euill : and againe , † the commendation of a fast is not abstaining from meat , but auoiding of sinne . augustine , the fasts of christians are rather spiritually to be obserued , than carnally . wherfore let vs principally fast from sinne . for what a thing is this , that any deceiuer should abstaine from meats which god hath created , and should grow fat with sinne ? principally therefore let our mind fast from euill : for seeing fasting is the humbling of the soule , what a thing is that , to be humbled and abated in food , and increased in sinne ? and likewise cyrill , wilt thou haue mee shew thee what manner of fast thou must obserue ? fast from all sinne , take no food of mallice , receiue no dainties of pleasure , inflame not thy selfe with the wine of lust , fast from bad practises , abstaine from euill speeches , containe thy selfe from wicked thoughts : such a fast pleaseth god. but these testimonies of men were of little weight , if the lord himselfe did not auouch the same truth . see therefore esay . and zach. . where the lord rejecteth the fasts of the iewes , because whiles they fasted and forbare their food , they did not forbeare their sinnes . we must therefore remember when we obserue a fast , and consecrate a sabbath of humiliation vnto the lord , that we turne away our foot , that is , our affections from doing our owne will therein : neither must we follow our owne waies , nor seeke our owne delights , nor speake a vaine word . . and as we are to abstaine from all sinne in generall : so especially from those wherein we haue chiefly offended , and haue thereby prouoked the lord either to shake his rod at vs , or else to correct vs therewith . for they being the cause of the judgement , must be remoued away , if we would haue the judgement it selfe remoued . and therefore the niniuits , when they proclaimed a fast , gaue in charge , that euery one should turne from his euill way and from that violence ( for that was the crying sinne of the niniuits ) which was in their hand . and when god saw their workes , that they turned from their euill waies , he also repented of the euill that he had said that he would doe vnto them , that is to say , he did it not . and we must so abstaine from our sinnes , as that we may not seeme to haue laid them aside for a day or two , but to haue cast them off for euer . for that is not the fast which the lord hath chosen , that a man should afflict his soule for a day , and hang downe his head like a bullrush . for as the sonne of syrach sayth , he that washeth himselfe because of a dead bodie , and toucheth it againe , what auaileth his washing ? so it is with a man that fasteth for his sins , and committeth them again : who will heare his prayer , or what doth his fasting helpe him ? . but for as much as augustine saith , it is but a slender fast to abstaine onely from sinne , vnlesse we also adde good workes : therefore wee must know it is our dutie , especially on the day of the fast , not only to eschew euill , but also for the present to be exercised in well doing : and for the time to come to purpose and to promise amendement . the duties wherin we are to be exercised , are both the duties of pietie and religion towards god , which in the time of the fast are to be performed in a speciall manner : and also the duties of loue and mercie towards our brethren ; as to execute true judgement , to shew mercie and compassion euery man to his brother . for is not this the fasting that i haue chosen ( sayth the lord ) to loose the bands of wickednes , to take off the heauie burthens , and to let the oppressed goe free , and that ye breake euery yoke ? among the rest , the dutie of almes-giuing and relieuing the poore is commended vnto vs , as it followeth in the prophet : is it not to deale the bread to the hungry , and that thou bring the poore that wander , vnto thine house ? when thou seest the naked , that thou couer him , and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh , for so he calleth thy poore brother . then shall thy light breake forth , &c. then shalt thou call , and the lord will answere , thou shalt crie , and be will say , here am i. if thou takest away from the middest of thee the yoke , the putting foorth of the finger ( whereby is meant euen the least injuries ) and wicked speaking : if thou poure out thy soule to the hungry ( that is , if with the bowels of compassion thou doest relieue his need freely and chearefully ) and refresh the troubled soule , then shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse , and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day : that is , thine aduersitie and affliction shall be turned into peace and prosperitie . . wherefore it hath beene and is the custome of the godly in the time of their fasts , by doing workes of mercie and giuing almes , to relieue the poore . for as our sauiour hath joyned the doctrine of these three together , almes , prayer , and fasting ; so must we after the example of cornelius joyne them in practise . for as the lord hath promised to shew mercie to the mercifull , and to answere their crie : so on the other side , he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore , himselfe shall crie and not be heard . and surely , vnlesse we will fast for sparing , after the manner of niggards , who will be glad of so good a pretence to spare from their bellies , & to depriue their families of their ordinarie allowance , for the increase of their worldly estate ; wee ought to giue so much to the poore , as by our abstinence is saued : vt ieiunium tuum ( saith ierome ) non sit lucrum marsupij , sed saturitas animae ; that thy fast be not the gain of thy purse , but the saturitie of thy soule . for as augustine sayth , then are our fasts acceptable to god , when as they , whom need doth force to fast , are refreshed by vs. and againe , ieiunium tuum te castiget , sed laetificet alterum : let thy fasting chastise thee , but let it comfort another . so fast , that thou mayest be glad that thou hast dined in another that eateth by that meanes , for the lord loueth a chearefull giuer : for when a poore man eateth of thine allowance , in him christ , who affirmeth himselfe to be hungry in his poore members , doth dine . and elsewhere , accipiat esuriens christus , quod ieiunans minus accepit christianus . let christ , being hungrie in his poore members , receiue that which the fasting christian hath spared . castigatio volentis , fiat sustentatio non habentis : let the chastisement of him that hath and is willing to forbeare , be the sustenance of him that hath not and faine would eat . and to conclude , cyrill , in a certaine booke ( sayth he ) we find it said of the apostles , blessed is hee who fasteth to that end , that he may feed the poore . . and as we are thus for the present to be exercised , so for the time to come we must vnfainedly purpose and faithfully promise amendement , in performing duties heretofore omitted , and in eschewing sinnes heretofore committed . and to this purpose it shall bee needfull for the better setling of our resolution , to bind our selues by a solemne vow , and with the iewes in the booke of nehemiah to put our seales vnto it , that so we may impose a necessitie vpon our selues of well doing : and we are to know , that it is a happie necessitie which forceth vs to better things . the necessitie of this vnfained purpose to be had in this exercise , is euident : because without it wee remaine in our impenitencie . and being impenitent sinners , the lord will not heare vs : as the lord threatened the impenitent iewes , when they fast ( sayth he ) i will not heare their crie , ierem. . and therefore vnlesse wee repent of our sinnes , and resolue to amend ; this exercise , which wee ( being suters ) vndertake for the obtaining of our sute , is performed of vs in vaine . for this wee are to know & to be assured of , that the lord heareth not impenitent sinners . wherefore true is that saying , though of an apocryphall booke : prayer is good , with fasting , almes , and righteousnesse . . and thus we haue heard what the religious fast is , and the parts also wherein it doth consist . now we are to consider the sorts of it : for the religious fast is either priuat , or publicke . the priuat fast , is that which is obserued priuatly : as the fast of some one man , or of a priuat familie . and this is to be vndertaken either for priuat , or publicke causes : for priuat , concerning either our selues and those that belong to vs ; so fasted annah , . sam. . cornelius , act. . dauid , . sam. : or others , as dauid for those that prooued his enemies : and darius ( though an heathen ) for daniell , when he was cast into the lyons den . but we are to fast priuatly , not onely vpon priuat occasions , but much more vpon publicke causes . for as it is the dutie of the faithfull , priuatly to mourne for publicke calamities and common corruptions , which ordinarily are the fore runners of common calamities : so also they may fast therefore . and such was the fast of nehemiah , chap. . and of daniel , chap. . in priuat fasts our sauiour christ requireth that they be so secretly performed , as that vnto men we may not seeme to fast , but onely to our heauenly father , who seeing in secret , will reward vs openly . and for as much as the day of the fast hath the nature of a sabbath , wherein we are to cease from bodily labors and worldly businesse : therefore those which bee vnder the gouernment of others , as wiues , children , and seruants , may not take vpon them to obserue a fast on a working day , without the leaue and liking of their gouernours . . the publicke fast is that , which being vpon publicke cause , by publicke authoritie proclaimed before the lord , is both publickly and priuatly to be sanctified of all as a sabbath of humiliation vnto the lord. in which definition there are foure things to bee obserued : first , who are to appoint the publicke fast ; secondly , vpon what cause ; thirdly , who are to obserue it ; fourthly , how . as touching the first : the appointment of publicke fasts appertaineth to those who haue publicke authoritie to call the people together to the publicke worship of god , and to cause them to cease from their bodily labors and worldly affairs : as appeareth in the examples of publicke fasts recorded in the word of god : as . chron. . . ion. . . . sam. . . ezr. . . ioel . . and this they are to doe by proclaiming of the fast , that is , both by giuing publicke notice of it , and also by charging all men to assemble themselues at the time appointed , to obserue it ; according to the direction of the holy ghost by the prophet ioel : blow the trumpet in sion , sanctifie a fast , that is , by your proclamation ( which is meant by sounding the trumpet ) appoint a fast to be sanctified , proclaime a day of rest , or sabbath of humiliation , assemble the people , &c. and here we are to obserue that which is further added out of ierem. . that this fast is to be proclaimed before the lord , that both they which haue authoritie , doe proclaime it not in any wicked or worldly respect , but in vprightnesse of heart , as before the lord : and also that those who are to obserue it , assemble themselues as before the lord , to sanctifie a fast vnto him . . the next thing to be considered , is the cause whereupon the fast is to be proclaimed : that when there is just cause , those which are in authority may take knowledge of their dutie in this behalfe . and that is ( as i haue generally noted before ) when we haue some important and vrgent occasion to become humble and earnest suters vnto the lord , either for the obtaining of some speciall and publicke blessing , or for the remoouing of some publicke euill : and this either for our selues , or for other churches of christ. as for example , when some publike matter of great importance is to be attempted , then , as we haue extraordinarie occasion to craue the blessing of god vpon vs , so also we haue just cause to fast . consider to this purpose the examples of ezra , chap. . and of the faithfull in the primitiue church , act. . and . both which being to craue the blessing of god ; the former vpon their voyage towards ierusalem after their captiuitie ; the latter vpon the ministerie of his seruants whom they either ordained or sent forth to the worke of their ministerie , commended their sute vnto the lord by publicke fasting and prayer . which examples may be a sufficient direction for appointing publicke fasts , vpon occasions of no lesse importance . in the hystorie of the kings it appeareth to haue beene the custome of the israelits ( though that practise was monstrously abused by iezabell ) that publicke matters of importance should bee enterprised with a fast . . as touching publicke euils , they be either publicke sinnes , or publicke judgements of god for sinne . for if the people of god haue committed some common or publicke sinne , and thereby haue prouoked the lord to wrath and indignation ( as indeed when we sinne , he is angry ) then it behoueth them to judge themselues , if they would not bee judged of the lord , and by humbling themselues before the lord in fasting and prayer , to appease his anger , and to preuent his judgements . the people of israel , when many of them had sinned by idolatrie , and by reason of their sinne stood in feare of the philistims : the prophet samuell assembleth them together to mizpeh , where they solemnized a fast , and pouring forth water before the lord , acknowledged and bewayled their sinne . likewise , when many of the iewes , who were returned from captiuitie , had mingled themselues in mariage with the heathen people of the land , contrary to the commaundement of god , they humbled themselues before the lord in a publicke and solemne fast . if wee therefore would auoid the judgements of god as they did , wee must follow the example of their repentance , when we haue not beene behind them in sinne . but if it please the lord to manifest his wrath , either by threatening his judgements , or by inflicting them , then doth the lord as it were call vs to this exercise . now the lord threateneth his judgements , first , by his prophets and ministers , as by ionas against the niniuits , whereupon they fasted ; secondly , by some manifest tokens of his wrath , as by earthquakes and other prodigious signes , whereby the auncient romans being also gentiles , haue beene mooued to proclaime publicke fasts : thirdly , by giuing vs notice of some imminent danger ; as when we heare of an open inuasion intended by forraine enemies , which consideration mooued iosaphat to proclaime a fast : or vnderstand of some more secret plot or conspiracie , against the church , the prince , or state , such as was the conspiracie of haman against the people of the iewes , for the disappointing whereof the iewes did fast . if therfore the lord do in like sort threaten vs , & as it were shake his rod ouer vs : we must prepare our selues to meet our god and to turne vnto him by repentance , with fasting and prayer . . and if judgements threatened should mooue vs to fast , how much more are wee bound to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of god , when it is vpon vs , scourging and afflicting vs for our sinnes ? as for example , when the lord sendeth any of the publicke messengers of his wrath , as the sword , famine , pestilence , captiuitie . the ten tribes after two discomfitures receiued at the hands of the benjamits , wherein fortie thousand of them were slaine , humbled themselues before the lord by fasting and prayer . the prophet ioel , when the lord sent a grieuous famine vpon the land , earnestly exhorted the iewes in the name of the lord , to turne vnto him with all their heart , with fasting , with weeping and mourning , &c. likewise for the time of pestilence as well as of famine , salomon giueth direction , that men should humble themselues before the lord. which course his father dauid had taken , when the lord sent the pestilence amōg the people of israel : which judgement was occasioned by his numbering of them , but caused by their owne sins . moses also , when the plague was begun among the people of israel for their murmuring , he commaundeth aaron to take his censer , and putting therein incense , to go among the people , and to make an attonement for them : which aaron hauing done , and standing betwixt the dead and them that were aliue , the plague ceased . which doth teach vs , that the meanes to pacifie the wrath of god , and to remooue the plague , is to offer vp our heartie prayers vnto the lord , signified by incense , in the name and mediation of christ our high priest , who standing before the altar with his golden censer , perfumeth the prayers of the faithfull with the odours of his owne sacrifice , and maketh them acceptable vnto god. and for the better humbling of our selues in prayer , and testifying of our repentance , it is very needfull , that as in all other publick calamities , so in this of the pestilence , we vndertake this exercise of fasting . onely this we are to be admonished of , that in places of infection , the vtter abstinence from food is not so precisely to be vrged , but that the people may , yea ought to take something before they come abroad , as a preseruatiue against infection . . lastly , for the time of captiuitie , we haue the example of the iewes , who during their captiuitie in babylon , obserued foure fasts in the yeare : the first in the tenth moneth , because on the tenth day of that moneth nabuchadnezar with his armies began to besiege ierusalem : the second , in the fourth moneth , because on the ninth day of that moneth , king zedekiah and the men of warre flying out of the citie of ierusalem , were taken by the chaldeans : the third , in the fift moneth , because on the tenth day of that moneth the temple was ouerthrown , and the citie sacked : the fourth in the seuenth moneth , because therein gedaliah , together with the iewes and chaldeans , who were at mispeh were slaine ; whereupon , the rest of the iewes who were left , flying into aegypt for feare of the chaldees , there was an vtter desolation in the land . these fasts they took vpon them to obserue during their captiuitie , that therein they calling to mind the former judgements of god , as it were in foure degrees for their sinnes , they might the better be humbled to implore the mercie of god for the time to come . but when as these fasts by long custome grew ordinarie , and many of the iewes obserued them for custome rather than conscience ( insomuch that they thought this custome was to be obserued after their deliuerance frō captiuitie , the cause of their mourning and consequently of their fasting being taken away , and accordingly mooued that question , zach. : ) the lord , as he reprooueth their former hypocrisie , in resting in the outward fast without repentance ; so he promiseth them for the time to come , that if they would truly repent , and walke in the obedience of his wayes , their daies of fasting and mourning should be turned into daies of feasting and joy . . from whence we are to obserue , that if we according to the examples of the faithfull in the scriptures , shall in the time of our distresse turne vnto the lord with all our hearts , and with fasting and prayer humble our selues before him , the lord will take away the cause of our mourning , and turne our fasts into feasts . the which i speake not as though this exercise had been altogether neglected among vs : for to gods glorie , and to the stopping of our aduersaries mouths , the papists ( who know not what the true exercise of fasting meaneth ) it is to be acknowledged , that howsoeuer we haue not beene so frequent in this exercise as were to be wished , yet notwithstanding vpon diuerse publick occasions , there haue beene publick fasts obserued and solemnized among vs , with good and happie successe . as for example , in the time of the great plague , anno : after the great earthquake , anno : after intelligence had of the spanish inuasion , anno : in the time of the famine , anno , and : and now of late in this time of the pestilence , anno . besides the priuat and secret fasting of the faithfull , as it hath pleased god to mooue them either by priuat or publicke occasions . . the third thing to be obserued , are the persons : who , when a publicke fast is proclaimed , are to obserue it . the prophet ioel , besides those of yeares appointeth , that the children , euen those that sucke the breasts , should be assembled to the fast . and the niniuits proclamation for obseruing the fast , was extended not onely to all men , women and children , but also to their cattell . the reason whereof was twofold : first , that the pitifull sight and lamentable crie of the children and cattell might encrease their sorrow : and secondly , that they might be brought to a deeper sight , and more serious acknowledgement of the heinousnesse of their sinne , which had pulled vpon them such an vniuersall judgement of god , as should not onely afflict themselues , but also extend to the very infants , yea and to the bruit beasts . but this practise is to bee reckoned among the ceremonies which in those times were vsed to augment their sorrow and increase the sence of their sinne , and is no more to be imitated of vs than their sitting in the ashes , the renting of their cloths , their girding of themselues with sackcloth , their putting of earth vpon their heads , and such like : among vs , the lord requireth no more to obserue the outward fast , than such as by reason of their vnderstanding and discretion , may the better be fitted thereby to humble themselues before him in this solemne exercise of prayer and repentance : for the outward fast obserued ( as it is ordinarily among the papists ) without any exercise of religion concurring therewith , is nothing worth . but to all those that are come to yeares of discretion , and are exempted by some present necessitie , is the equitie of that law to be extended , leui. . euerie person that humbleth not himselfe on the sabbath of humiliation , shall euen be cut off from his people . . there remaineth the fourth and last thing , viz. how the publicke fast is to be obserued . and this also i signified in the definition , when i sayd , it is to be sanctified both publickly and priuatly , as a sabbath of humiliation . where three things are to bee noted : for first , when as i say it is to be obserued as a sabbath ( which before hath bene proued ) we are to vnderstand that therein a double rest is required : the one outward , from bodily labours and worldly businesse ; the other inward , from sinne . and contrariwise , that the profanation of this sabbath is condemned , whether it be by neglecting the outward rest , and imploying the time in bodily labours and worldly affaires ; or else by abusing our rest , either to idlenesse , or to vanitie , or to sinne : to idlenesse , when men resting in the outward rest , imagining that nothing else is required at their hands , do nothing , and by doing nothing they do euill ; as appeareth by the disjunction included in that question of our sauiour christ , luke , is it lawfull on the sabbath dayes to do good , or to do euill ? whereby our sauiour plainly signifieth , that if we do not good on the sabbath day , we do euill . to vanitie , when as men giue themselues to sports and pastimes : for if that be vnlawfull on the ordinarie sabbath , much more is it vnseasonable on the sabbath of humiliation . lastly , to sinne , for if the workes of our lawfull callings be forbidden on the sabbath , much more the workes of darknes : whereunto whosoeuer addicteth himselfe on the day of the fast , he celebrateth a sabbath to sathan , and not vnto the lord. againe , whereas i said it is to be obserued as a sabbath of humiliation , we learne , that we are therein to abstaine not onely from labours , as on the ordinarie sabbath ; but also from food , from exercise of sleepe , from brauerie in apparell , and from all worldly delights , &c. . thirdly , whereas i add that it is to bee sanctified both publickly and priuatly as a sabbath of humiliation : i signifie , that not onely rest is required , but also an holy rest ; and not onely the outward fast , but much more the spiritual exercise of prayer and repentance . and that this sanctificatiō of the day of the fast ( which standeth in vsing the meanes of sanctification ) is partly publicke , and partly priuat . the publick , is in the assembly : for this , as euerie other sabbath , is a day of an holy assembly , leuit. . , ioel. . . . here therefore we are to consider the office of the ministers , who are the chiefe actors in the publicke sanctification of this , and euerie sabbath ; and the dutie of the people . the office of the minister is noted in generall termes , acts . , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , as they performed the publicke function of their ministerie vnto the lord and fasted : more specially neb. , where they are noted to haue read and preached the word of god ( as before chap. . ) and that foure times , and so oft also to haue called vpon the name of the lord-likewise ierem. , when ieremie being shut vp , could not go into the house of the lord , he sendeth barach with a booke written from his mouth : wherein were specified the judgements of god threatned against the iewes , that he reading it in the audience of the people vpon the day of the fast , they might be brought to a serious humbling of themselues in prayer , and to vnfained repentance . the dutie therefore of the ministers is , to stirre vp themselues in a more than ordinarie measure of zeale to discharge their ministerie , both in preaching the word of god , and also in prayer . in preaching , that it may bee through the blessing of god a powerfull meanes to worke in the people those things which in this spirituall exercise are required , viz. humiliation , prayer with feruencie and faith , and repentance . in praying , that it may be an effectuall meanes in and through the mediation of christ our sauiour , and auaileable with the lord , for the remouing of those euils , and for the bestowing of those good things for which this exercise is vndertaken . . the dutie of the people is , first , to bee present at publick assembly : for if we will sanctifie a sabbath vnto the lord , we must reuerence his sanctuarie : where , as the lord hath promised his presence , so he requireth ours . and for this cause , as i sayd before , this and euerie other sabbath is appointed of the lord to be an holy conuocation : we must therefore take heed that we absent not our selues without very just and necessarie occasion , lest we may seeme either secretly to neglect , or prophanely to contemne the presence of christ , the gathering together of the saints , the publicke worship and seruice of god , the call of the holy ghost , the meanes of our saluation , the publicke occasion of the fast ; as though neither the publicke judgement nor the common good did concerne vs. but it is to little purpose to be present in the publicke assembly , vnlesse we joyne together with the assembly in the sincere worship of god. that being assembled together in the name of christ , we may as it were with one consent call vpon god , and heare his word : praying with humilitie , in respect of our own vnworthinesse , with reuerence of gods majestie , in sence of our wants , with sorrow for our sins , with earnest desire to haue our wants supplied , our sins remitted , and the judgemēts of god remoued , with faith & assurance to find help to obtaine mercie in cōuenient time , with promise & purpose to amend our liues : that in sinceritie and truth we may subscribe to the prayer of the church , and say amen . hearing also the word , with reuerence , with attention , with faith , with desire to profit , with purpose to practise , with submission to euery part thereof : in a word , so hearing the word of god , as in this our present sute , we desire to be heard . vnto these duties of religion and meanes of sanctification , we are to joyne a publicke dutie of charitie , as a worke of sanctification : for it is and hath bene a laudable custome of the church of god , that in publicke fasts there should be publicke collection made for the releefe of the poore . . but we are not onely publickly to sanctifie the day of the fast , but also priuatly : both by vsing meanes of sanctification , and also by doing workes of sanctification . the meanes are especially meditation & prayer : which are to be vsed both with reference to the publicke sanctification ; and that not onely before , to prepare and fit our selues for the profitable and sauing vse of the meanes ( which daniel calleth the setting of his face , and the setling of his mind to seeke the lord , ) but also after , to fit and apply the meanes to our vse : and besides , as priuat meanes by themselues , without reference to the publicke . the workes of sanctification are the duties of repentance , whereof i spake before ; but especially the workes of mercie and charitie , for with such sacrifices god is pleased . . wherefore the day of the fast is to bee obser●ed and sanctified as a sabbath of humiliation , not onely by outward abstinence & rest , but also by vsing the meanes , and doing the workes of sanctification both publickly & priuatly , spending the whole day besides the publicke sanctification , and the time which is to bee spent in our preparation before , and in our meditation afterwards , in the priuat means of sanctification , as reading , meditation , prayer ; & in the priuat works of sanctification , as the duties of repentance towards god , and the workes of mercy and charitie towards our brethren . which course whosoeuer shal take in sanctifying a fast vnto the lord , he shal be sure to obtaine at the hāds of god , either that particular request for which he is an humble sutor vnto the lord , or that which is better : the lord alwayes hearing his children thus suing vnto him , and granting their requests , as shall be most for his glory and their singuler good . . hauing thus set downe the doctrine of fasts according to the rule of gods word and practise of ours and other reformed churches , we are now to take a briefe view of the popish fast : that it may euidently appeare how little cause they haue with the pharisey to despise others , who doe not fast as they do . and first as touching their morall and chast fast , wherby they would seeme to chastise their bodies , and to keepe them vnder , that they some not out lust : they shew themselues vnskilfull phisitians , who prescribe this medicine to all indifferently , as well to those who need it not , as to those who do : for as medicines are not good but when they are necessarie ; so this phisicke where it is not needfull , is hurtfull ; and where it doth no good for the obseruation of the seuenth commaundement , it is many times a transgression of the sixt . for those who liuing single and haue the gist of continencie , as also those who may lawfully vse in mariage the remedie which god hath ordained against lust , to them daily sobrietie and temperance in diet is needfull , but often fasting euerie weeke is hurtfull and pernicious : to such , an ordinarie fast imposed for keeping their bodies chast , is like a new peece of cloth set vpon an old garment , which impaireth the garment , and maketh the rent much worse . and it is against reason , that because their abbie-lubbers and pampered clergie ( who hauing vowed to liue single , though they be neuer so incontinent , and liuing in such idlenesse and and belly-cheere ordinarily , as that no true fasting at times would suffice to keepe them chast , ) had need to fast oftener than the pharisey , who fasted twice a weeke : that therefore others , which liue painefully in their callings , and chastly either in single life or mariage , should be bound to the like obseruation of fasts ; many of them needing rather kitchen-phisicke and cordials to comfort them , than fastings and vacuations to keepe them downe . . but indeed their fasting is but one of their hypocriticall pretences of their not intended chastitie : for as if flesh and whit-meats were the onely prouokers of lust , they forbid all vse thereof in the time of their fast , but permit a fulnesse of all other food : whereas not onely some other kinds of food in respect of the qualitie , but also any other kind almost in a greater quantity , is a greater enemie to chastitie than the moderat vse of flesh or whit-meats . nay that which were strange ( if they meant seriously ) they permit in their fasts the free vse of wine & the strongest drinks , than which , nothing is more forcible to inflame men with lust , and that not onely at their mea● in the middle of the day , but also in the mornings & euenings . and besides this , the richer sort among them may truly be said to forbeare the grosser diet , that they may feed vpon more costly and delicat dainties , and as august●ne saith in the like case , corpori suo magis commutasse , quam subtraxisse ciborum abundantiam videntur : for besides their drinking in the morning , and their supper at noone , wherein commonly they pamper themselues with diuers kinds of broths , and great varietie of fishes , with wanton sauces to prouoke their appetit , and strongest wines to helpe their digestion , and choisest dainties to make vp their meele withall ; they haue also a banquet in the euening , which may not be called a supper , but a collation , wherein with wine and spiced breads , they haue raysins , almonds and figges , marmalade and suckets , with many other confections and junketting dishes . so that of the popish fast it may most truly bee sayd , that it is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , not fasting , but feasting . as for the vulgar sort of papists , their vsuall manner is , either on the day before their fast so to pamper themselues , as that the day of the fast ( though they fasted indeed ) would be scarce sufficient to digest their former repletion : or else at their meele which they take at noone on the day of their fast , so to gorge themselues , that their drinking or collation in the euening may seeme altogether superfluous . wherfore to them may be applied that censure of augustine , tantum capiunt manducando , quantum digerere non susficiunt ieiunando : they take so much in eating , as they cannot digest by fasting . but looke how they chastise their bodies in their fasting , such commonly is their chastitie : let the stewes permitted among them as necessarie euils , and the huge number of bastards begotten where the romish religion is professed , and these popish fasts obserued , be witnesse . . but come we to their irreligious fast , which they doubt not to call a worship of god. howbeit first , it is meerely externall , neither is it joyned with any extraordinarie exercise of prayer or repentance among them : and therefore is of no value in the sight of god. and secondly , although it be nothing but an outward exercise , yet there is not all in it which is required in the outward fast : for in their fast is not required abstinence either from other delights , or yet from labours and worldly businesse , but onely from food . and thirdly , not from all food but only from flesh , egs and whit-meat . as though it were a more holy thing to eat fish than flesh , oyle than butter , broths , jellies , leaches , marmalade , sucket , and such like , than egs , milke , butter and cheese , and if in their fasting , mourning were required , according to the doctrine and examples of the holy scripture , the vse of wine and strong drinks which is permitted among thē , wold be vnseasonable : for wine maketh glad the hart of man , & is giuen to the sorowfull to expel grief . neither is their fast from euen to euen , according to the rules & examples mentioned in the holy scripture . they confesse indeed , that fasting is an abstinence from all food vntill the euening : yea bellarmine teacheth , that it is not sufficient to a fast , that a man eat but one meele in the day , vnlesse his meele be so late , as that it may be called a supper , and not a dinner : and withall professeth , that it is a thing neuer heard of , that any fast should bee dissolued before the ninth houre , which is three a clocke after noone : for they say , in lent they may not eat before euening , and at other times not before three a clock . but the receiued custome of the church of rome , which bellarmine with flat contradiction to those former assertions doth defend , is to take their meele either at noone or before : besides some bread and drinke in the morning , and their drinking or collation in the euening . and because by their canons they may not in lent go to supper before their euening seruice be ended : they do therfore dispatch their euening prayer in the morning , that they may be at supper by noone . but indeed both in lent and other times , their suppers which should be in the euening at the end of the fast , are turned into dinners . and therefore whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrarie , their fast standeth wholly in choise of meats , and abstinence from flesh and whit-meats . durandus saith , because the pope & cardinals , and prelats , and other religious men when they fast , do eat at the sixt houre , that is , at noone ; therfore custome doth wholly excuse all others . . againe , their fasts are statarie , and obserued at set times . wherefore as they are seldome or neuer vnderdertaken vpon any speciall occasion , so are they for the most part vnseasonable , and consequently hurtfull , euen as new wine in old vessels : and yet imposed vpon all , vnder the penaltie and guilt of mortall sinne . if any man object that the same times are obserued among vs : i answer , that it is not a fast which is obserued among vs at those set times , but an abstinence only from flesh in a ciuile respect , viz. that fish and other meats might bee vsed and spent as well as flesh : and that flesh being spared and forborne at such times , might be the more plentifull , and consequently the more cheape . and further , they are also superstitious , standing in the prohibition of meat for religion sake , which is a doctrine of diuels . and so far are they gone in this superstition , as that in their times of fasting , they seeme to place the top of holinesse in abstinence from meats forbidden , and the height of iniquitie in eating flesh : for , to eat one mor●ell of flesh in lent is a greater sinne and more sharply punished among them , than not onely drunkennesse or gluttonie in other meats , but also than whordome or idolatrie , to say no more . lastly , whereas their fast being a more externall fast , and yet but a mock-fast in respect of a true outward fast ; is notwithstanding by them obtruded vpon the lord , not onely as his solemne worship , but also as a worke satisfactorie for their sinnes , and meritorious of eternall life : it it is sacrilegious , blasphemous , abhominable , and in a word , antichristian . and so i leaue them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second treatise : of holie invocation on gods name . psalme . . and call vpon me in the day of trouble : i will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me . this psalme ( as some of the learned judge ) was written by dauid , at what time the angell of god ( after the three yeares famine , and three dayes pestilence , mentioned . chron. . & . ) had shewed vnto him the place which the lord did chuse for his worship and seruice : for after that place was once knowne and prepared for gods worship , the lawes concerning sacrifices , and the whole worship of god , were more accuratly and fully to be obserued and kept , as appeareth deut. . but forasmuch as the greatest part of the israelits did rest in the performance of the externall and ceremoniall worship , as though that in it selfe were acceptable to god : the lord therefore reasoneth with his people concerning his worship , from the . verse to the , teaching and enforming them , that howsoeuer he had ordained lawes concerning sacrifices , which now were more precisely to be kept ; yet that he neither required nor esteemed the externall sacrifices in or for themselues , but that there are certaine other sacrifices which he farre preferreth before those sacrifices of the law : and those are , the sacrifice of praise , verse fourteene ; and the sacrifice of a broken and contrit heart , poured forth before the lord in hartie and earnest prayer , verse fifteene . for we may not thinke that the lord did wholly condemne sacrifices which himselfe had commanded , but so farre forth as men rested in them , as though they in themselues did please him . for if they were rightly and duly offered , namely to testifie the parties humiliation for his sinne , and the acknowledgement of his guilt , which was signified by laying his hand on the head of his sacrifice ; secondly , to signifie his faith in the all-sufficient sacrifice of christ , figured by that legall sacrifice ; and thirdly , to be an obligation for the sacrificing of himselfe vnto god in all thankfull obedience ; they were so acceptable vnto god , that they are called the sacrifices of righteousnesse . neither doth he simply and absolutly reject outward sacrifices , but in comparison of those other sacrifices of praise and prayer , in respect whereof hee would haue his temple ( wherein alone the sacrifices were offered , ) to be called the house of prayer : and thus these places of scripture are to be vnderstood , ierem. . . , psal. . . , hos. . , to wit , comparatiuely ; according to that of samuel , . sam. . , hath the lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices , as when the voyce of the lord is obeyed ? behold , to obey is better then sacrifice , and to hearken is better then the fat of rammes . out of this context therefore and coherence of these words with the former , we may for our encouragement and stirring vp our selues to the performance of these duties of inuocatiō , obserue , that the calues of our lips , as hosea calleth the sacrifices of praise , are preferred before the sacrifices of buls : and the sacrifice of an afflicted soule poured forth before the lord in prayer , before the sacrifices of the law . but now let vs come to the words themselues , which may be diuided into two parts : a precept , and a promise . the precept , enioyneth the faithfull to call vpon god in the time of trouble : wherein foure things are to bee considered . the first is the person to whom this precept is directed , namely the faithfull man : as appeareth not onely by the . and . verses , but especially by the words which immediatly follow this text , vers . . but vnto the wicked saith god , &c. which plainely shew the words of this text not to bee directed to the wicked , but onely to the godly . whereas therefore the lord commaundeth the faithfull to call vpon him in the time of trouble , we gather , that the godly haue their times of trouble , and that it is the lot of the faithfull to be vnder the crosse , and to bee exercised with affliction : as the scriptures elsewhere doe testifie . ioh. . . you shall mourne ( saith our sauiour christ to the faithfull ) and the world shall reioyce : you shall sorrow , but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy . act. . . through manifold afflictions we must enter into the kingdome of god. . tim. . . all that will liue godly in christ iesus ▪ shall suffer persecution . this therefore our sauiour christ said , to all ( that none should think himselfe exempted ) if any man will come after me , let him deny himselfe , and take vp his crosse day by day and follow me . for whom the lord loueth he chasteneth , and he scourgeth euery sonne that hee receiueth . here therefore first the godly are taught patiently and chearfully to beare their crosse , because no strange thing happeneth to them , but that which is common to all the faithfull . yea the sufferings of the godly , are the sufferings of the body of christ , yea of christ himselfe . for such is the communion of saintes , that when the godly are afflicted , with them both christ himselfe and the church also which is his body , doth suffer . secondly , those which are not afflicted , are taught , not to be hasty ( as many are ) in censuring and judging those who are in affliction , as though they were wicked men or hypocrits . which was a foule ouersight in the three friends of iob : who condēned him to be an hypocrit , because god had so grieuously afflicted him . and herein those curious persons did offend , which we mentioned luk. . for they supposed that those galileans , whose bloud pilat mingled with their sacrifices , were grieuous sinners in comparison of themselues . in like sort , the barbarians , when they saw the viper light on the apostles hand , they said among themselues , surely this man is a murtherer , whom , though he had escaped the se● , yet vengeance hath not suffered to liue . the vse then which we are to make of gods judgements vpon others , is in steed of censuring them , to judge our selues ; and by the example of gods correction vpon them , if we will not be like to balthasar , our selues to learne repentance . for if we in this time of the plague shall take occasion by the judgement of god vpon others , to thinke better of our selues and worse of them , we may feare least that sentence of our sauiour may worthily bee applied to vs : doe you thinke , that they which are visited are greater sinners than those commonly are which escape the plague ? i tell you nay , but except you amend your liues , you shall all likewise perish . neither let the papists or atheists thinke the worse of that religion which is professed among vs ▪ because the hand of god is vpon vs : for as peter sayth , iudgement beginneth at the house of god. and those sinnes which the lord seemeth to winke at , or to passe ouer in others , he will not suffer to goe vncorrected in his children . which course the lord taketh with his children , both in respect of his glorie , and their good : for if the lord should spare them , hauing committed some open sinne , the enemies of god would be readie to object , that god were a fauourer of such offences , and that such sinnes were the fruits of that religion which his seruants professe . but in respect of their good also the lord correcteth his owne children sometimes , when he seemeth to spare the wicked , least with the wicked they should goe on in their sinnes , to their destruction . as the apostle sayth , when we are iudged , we are chastified of the lord , that wee should not bee condemned with the world . thirdly , from this doctrine let atheists and papists , and all other wicked persons receiue this terror : for if the lord doth correct his owne deare children with whom he is reconciled in christ , how shall his enemies thinke to escape , who haue no part in christ ? for as peter sayth , the time is , that iudgement hath begun at the house of god. but if it begin with vs , what shall be the end of those who obey not the gospell of god ? and if the righteous scarcely be preserued , where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare ? behold ( sayth salomon ) the righteous shall be recompenced , that is , corrected , in the earth ; how much more the wicked and the sinner ? . wee haue heard that it is the lot of the righteous to be afflicted in this world , let vs now see what is their dutie when they are afflicted : for that is the second thing which is here to be considered , namely , to pray that god would deliuer them , or else arme them with patience . call vpon me ( sayth he ) in the day of trouble . in like sort iames , is any among you afflicted ? let him pray . but here some bodie will object ( who seemeth to himselfe wiser than his fellowes ) that our times are set and appointed of god in his immutable decree , which we may not hope to alter or change by our prayers . i answere , that daniel , although he knew by the prophecie of ieremie that seuentie yeares were appointed to the captiuitie of the iewes in babylon ; yet notwithstanding he thought it his dutie in the end of those yeares to call vpon god for the deliuerance of his people : for hee well knew , which we must also acknowledge , that as the lord appointeth the end , so also he appointeth the meanes , among which the principall is prayer . on the other side , ezechias , although hee heard by the prophet the sentence of the lord , that he should die and not liue ; notwithstanding , by prayer obtained the prolonging of his life . for as god had decreed to adde to his life fifteene yeares , so he decreed prayer to be the meanes whereby that addition should be obtained . and so the niniuits , though the prophet ionas had told them , and they beleeued him , that their citie within fortie dayes should be destroyed ; yet by humbling themselues before god by fasting and prayer , and repenting from their euill wayes , they escaped that common destruction . and hereunto may bee added the examples of the faithfull in all ages , who hauing called vpon god in their trouble , haue beene deliuered out of their distresse . adde also the testimonie of iames , that the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much with god : and also the commandements of god , and his gracious promises , both in this place and elsewhere in the scripture . and let vs know that it is damnable curiositie , vnder a pretence of submitting our selues vnto the secret will of god , to rebell against his will reuealed : for as moses sayth , the secret things belong to the lord our god : but the reuealed things vnto vs and to our children for euer , that we may doe all the words of this law . but by this reason a man might as well refuse his food , because the day of his death is appointed and cannot be altered by him , which euery man knoweth to bee both wicked and foolish . let vs therefore know , that whatsoeuer the secret will of god is concerning vs , that his reuealed will is , that in this time of affliction we should according to the example of dauid , pray vnto him : and let vs assure our selues of this , that if god in his secret counsell hath decreed to deliuer vs for our good , he hath also decreed that our deliuerance shall bee begged and obtained by prayer . yea , but sayth another , afflictions must be borne patiently and meekely , and therfore wee may not pray against them . i answere , that these things may well stand together : for we must patiently beare afflictions , and yet pray against them . indeed we may not pray against them absolutely , but in our prayers we are willingly to submit our selues to the good will and pleasure of god , and resigne our selues into his hands , following therein the example of our sauiour christ : o my father ( sayth he ) if it be possible let this cup passe from me : neuerthelesse not as i will , but as thou wilt . and of dauid , who in his greatest distresse said , behold , here am i , let the lord doe to me , as seemeth good in his eyes . wherefore whiles it pleaseth god to continue the affliction , we are patiently to beare it , and yet without fainting to call vpon god for deliuerance : for so the lord hath commaunded vs in this place . now if it bee our dutie in affliction to flie vnto the lord by prayer , it may not be denied , but that we are to pray in a sence of our want ; and consequently , that wee are to be humbled vnder the mightie hand of god , and that we are to mourne vnder the crosse , because by our sinnes wee haue offended god our gracious and louing father , and prouoked him to lay his rod of correction vpon vs. it becommeth not christians when they are afflicted , to be like stoicks or stockes , without sence and feeling : for it is a signe of an hard heart not to mourn when god afflicteth , ier. . lord thou hast stricken them , but they haue not sorrowed : thou hast consumed them , but they haue refused to receiue correction . neither is there patience where this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or want of feeling is , neither is it possible that any man should profit by affliction , who taketh it not to heart , neither hath any sence thereof . iob , though the most notable patterne of patience , yet was he notably humbled vnder the hand of god : for when the tidings were brought him of those manifold calamities which had befallen him , it is said , that he arose , and rent his garment , and shaued or polled his head , and fell downe vpon the ground and worshipped . and dauid , who was both a valiant man , and a man according to gods owne heart , professeth of himselfe , psal. . that he fainted in his mourning , that he caused his bed to swim euery night , and that he watered his couch with teares . and psal. . that he went mourning all the way , that he roared for the very griefe of his heart , &c. wherefore the hardnesse of their hearts is greatly to be lamented , who are touched with no sence of this common judgement , neither take to heart this fearefull plague : for of such may the lord most justly take vp that complaint , ier. . i haue smitten your children in vaine , they receiued no correction . and yet more fearefull is their estate , of whom that complaint of the prophet esay is verified , chap. . in that day ( the day of publicke trouble and common calamitie ) did the lord god of hosts call vnto weeping and mourning , and to baldnesse and girding with sackeloth : and behold , ioy and gladnesse , slaying oxen , and killing sheepe , eating flesh , and drinking wine , eating and drinking , for to morrow we shall die . but what followeth ? and it was declared in the eares of the lord of hosts . surely this iniquitie shall not be purged from you till you die , sayth the lord god of hosts . but to conclude this point , let vs follow the aduice of the lord by his prophet ioel : therefore also now the lord sayth , turne you vnto me with all your heart , and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning , rent your hearts and not your garments , and turne to the lord your god , &c. and thus it appeareth , that if we are to call vpon god in the day of trouble , then are wee to humble our selues before god in the sence of our miserie . againe , if we are to pray in affliction , we must pray with feruencie and with faith : for the sence of our want must not dismay vs or discourage vs from calling vpon god , but must serue as a spurre to pricke vs forward , and to stirre vs vp to pray with feruencie of spirit , and with sighes that cannot be expressed . and that wee may pray with the more earnestnesse , it is very expedient , that with our prayer we should joyne fasting : onely let vs take heed that our fasting bee not externall onely , but that it be an extraordinarie exercise of prayer and repentance , least wee seeme to fast no better than the beasts of niniuie . and as wee are to pray with feruencie , so also with faith , being assured , that the lord doth not onely accept of vs and our prayers in the name & mediation of christ , but also that our request shall be graunted to vs , so farre forth as is expedient for gods glorie and our good . for as iames sayth , if any man want wisdome ( namely , how to demeane himselfe in affliction ) let him aske of god , who giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man , and it shall be giuen him . but let him aske in faith and wauer not , &c. for it is the prayer of faith that saueth the sicke , and helpeth in affliction . and this faith , as it must relie vpon the intercession and mediation of christ our sauiour , who presenteth our prayers vnto god , and perfumeth them with the odours of his owne sacrifice , that they may be acceptable vnto him : so also vpon the gracious promises of god made vnto vs in christ , and namely and especially vpon this promise , call vpon me in the day of trouble , and i will deliuer thee . which promises of god if we cannot find in our hearts to beleeue , to what purpose should we pray ? wee are therefore to pray in faith , and thereby to comfort our selues in the lord our god , and to rest quietly in his good will and pleasure , assuring our selues , that god will cause all things to worke together for the good of those that doe loue him . lastly , we must pray with perseuerance , and without fainting , as our sauiour teacheth vs by the parable of the widdow and the judge , luke . and therefore wee must not thinke , that euery delay is a finall repulse ; but by the delay of the benefit which we aske , our desire of obtaining it should be encreased . and hereunto belong the exhortations of the apostle , rom. . col. . to perseuere in prayer , and to watch in the same with thankes-giuing . and to apply this exhortation to the present occasion : if god in this common visitation doth not seeme to heare vs at the first , and according to our desire remooue his plague from vs ; wee must neither faint in prayer , as though he did altogether reject vs , neither must we circumscribe or limit him ; as , that if he deliuer vs not by such a time , wee will call vpon him no more : but wee are with faith and perseuerance to craue , and with hope and patience to expect his grace and mercie , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , to helpe in due and conuenient time . as therefore it is our dutie to call vpon god in the time of trouble , so must we be carefull ( if wee would bee heard ) to pray according to god , or as iohn more plainly speaketh , according to the will of god : and namely and especially that wee pray with sence and feeling of our want ; with feruencie of desire to haue our wants supplied , and our requests graunted ; with assurance of faith grounded on the mediation of christ , and on the promises of god ; and lastly , with perseuerance and patience ( without fainting or circumscribing of god ) to wait vpon him for his mercie to be exhibited vnto vs in due time . and forasmuch as we know not what to pray as we ought , wee must therefore craue the assistance of gods holy spirit , the spirit of grace and supplication , that he may helpe our infirmities , and teach vs to pray according to god. . the third thing to be considered , is the person to whom our prayer is to be directed . call vpon me , sayth the lord our god , the mightie god described vers . . hee sendeth vs not to any other , either as deliuerers , or as intercessours , but commaundeth vs to come directly vnto himselfe . for of them which in their necessitie flie vnto others , may that complaint of the lord bee verified , my people haue committed two euils , they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters , to dig them pits , euen broken pits , that can hold no water . now we are to call vpon god , first , because it is he that afflicteth vs : for when we are iudged , that is , afflicted , we are chastised of the lord. it is hee that maketh peace and prosperitie , and it is he that createth euill and affliction . and shall there be euill ( namely of affliction ) in a citie , and the lord hath not done it ? seeing therefore it is the lord that afflicteth vs , it behooueth vs , acknowledging the authour of our affliction , to turne vnto him that smiteth vs , as the prophet esay speaketh . but here some man will say : if god were the authour of mine affliction , there were great reason that i should both patiently beare it , and also flie vnto the lord for deliuerance : but this affliction which i sustaine , it is to be imputed to the vnfaithfulnesse of such a pretended friend , or to the mallice and injurie of such an enemie , &c. and therefore i see not why i may not wreake my selfe vpon them . but i answere , whatsoeuer is the se●ondarie cause of thine affliction , be it the deuill himselfe , it is the instrument of god , who is the authour and principall cause thereof . when it was told iob , that the sabeans and chaldeans had carried away his oxen and cammels , he acknowledged the hand of god , and said , the lord hath giuen , and the lord hath taken away , blessed be the name of the lord. when shemei reuiled dauid , although his tongue were set on fire from hell , as iames speaketh of such cursed tongues , notwithstanding dauid acknowledged the cursed tongue of rayling shemei to haue beene gods rod to correct him . and ioseph likewise , though hee knew that his brethren for mallice and enuie had sold him into aegypt , yet he acknowledgeth them to be the instruments of god , who by their meanes did in great mercie send him before them , to prouide for them in the time of famine . which must teach vs , when we are wronged , not with the dog to snarle at the staffe wherewith he is beaten , but to turne to him that smiteth vs , and to pray vnto him that it would please him to remooue his hand from vs. secondly , as the lord afflicteth vs , so it is he alone that can and will deliuer vs. for who is able without his leaue to remooue his hand from vs ? he is our refuge and deliuerer , he is our hope and strength , and a most present helpe in trouble . come therefore and let vs returne to the lord ; for he hath spoiled and he will heale vs : he hath wounded vs , and he will bind vs vp . thirdly , he onely that commaunded vs to call vpon him , he onely hath promised to helpe vs , he onely is able to heare our prayers and to graunt our requests . therefore thou which hearest the prayer , vnto thee shall all flesh come . fourthly , when as we flie vnto the lord in time of trouble , we glorifie him , acknowledging him to be infinitely good , and therefore willing ; omnipotent and all-sufficient , and therefore able to helpe and deliuer those which call vpon him . and for this cause the lord in this place preferreth the sacrifice of prayer before all the sacrifices of the law . wherefore grieuously do they offend , who when the hand of god is vpon them , doe not call vpon him : for they are not onely injurious to themselues , but to the lord also , whom they rob of that honour which is due vnto him . and this commeth to passe , either because they doe not acknowledge the hand of god , but thinke it to be some misfortune , or rest altogether in the secondarie causes , after the manner of carnall and heathenish men : or because they distrust gods helpe , and therefore either flie to witches and wizards ( that is to say , to the instruments of the deuill , that by his helpe the hand of god may be remooued from them ) or else to some other vnlawfull meanes , whereby they make shift to saue their bodily life for a time , with the wofull losse both of bodie and soule for euer : or else because they beleeue not the promises of god made to our prayers , and therefore are discouraged from praying , and become desperat , as though it would nothing auaile them to call vpon god. . the fourth and last thing to be considered , is , the time when we are to pray vnto god. we are to pray alwayes , and without ceasing ; but especially , as here we are directed , in the day of trouble : and that for these reasons . first because our prayers then are most necessarie : for then we feele , and feeling doe confesse , that gods helpe is so necessarie for vs , as that we vtterly are vndone , vnlesse the lord doe helpe and succour vs. vnto thee o lord ( sayth dauid ) doe i crie , ô my strength be not deafe towards me , least if thou answere me not , i be like to them that goe downe into the pit . secondly , because our prayers then especially proceeding from the inward sence of our want , are most feruent and effectuall . for euen as water whiles it runneth at large hath a still motion , but being gathered into straits , runneth with violence : so it fareth with many men , who being at large in ease and prosperitie , either pray not all , or very coldly ; but being brought into straits , they poure forth their soules before the lord like to a streame of water , as the prophet ieremie speaketh . to which purpose esay sayth , lord in trouble haue they visited thee , they poured out an humble and effectuall prayer , when thy chastening was vpon them . thirdly , because the lord doth therefore afflict vs , that we should flie vnto him , therefore doth he bereaue vs of other helpes and meanes , that wee might the more firmely relie vpon him . for if wee were not afflicted , it may be we should not seeke to him , or if wee had other meanes , we would relie vpon them . this is testified by the lord himselfe in the prophesie of hosea : for i will be ( sayth he ) vnto ephraim as a lion , and as a lions whelpe to the house of iudah . i , euen i will spoile , and goe away , i will take away , and none shall reseue it : i will goe and returne to my place ( that is , i will withdraw my comfortable presence from them for a time ) till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me . in their affliction they will seeke me diligently , saying , come let vs returne to the lord , for he hath spoyled and he will heale vs , &c. and the same may bee confirmed by the examples of men in all ages , who in their trouble doe call vpon the lord. the israelits , though a rebellious people , yet when the lord slew them , they sought him , and they returned , and sought god early . manasses , though the most wicked of all the kings of iudah , yet when he was in tribulation ( being taken captiue and bound in chaines and carried to babylon ) he prayed to the lord his god , and humbled himselfe greatly before the god of his fathers , and prayed vnto him , &c. the prodigall sonne , though he had runne a leaud course , yet when he was pinched with penurie , then hee did bethinke himselfe of returning home to his father , and falling downe before him , said , father , i haue sinned against heauen , and before thee , &c. and this is that which some doe well gather out of this text , that god doth therefore afflict vs , that we may call vpon him , that calling vpon him we may be deliuered , that being deliuered we may glorifie him . fourthly , because the lord many times doth therefore delay his helpe and deferre our deliuerance , that our desire may be inflamed , and our faith exercised , as appeareth by the parables of the two friends , luke . . . and of the widdow and the judge , and the scope thereof , luke . by the practise of the lord with the israelits , iudg. . to whose request hee would not at the first condiscend ; but when they persisted in prayer , confessing and forsaking their sinne , it is said that his soule was grieued for the affliction of israel : by the behauiour of our sauiour christ towards the woman which was a canaanit ; for when she had cried after him to haue mercie on her because her daughter was miserably vexed with a diuell , and our sauiour aunswered not a word , she notwithstanding persisted in calling vpon him , insomuch that his disciples came vnto him and besought him saying , send her away , for she crieth after vs : and although he answered , that he was not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of israel , notwithstanding shee importuneth him againe , and comming vnto him , worshipped him , saying , lord helpe me : and hauing receiued another repulse , our sauiour answering that it was not meet to take the childrens bread , and to cast it to whelpes : she acknowledged her selfe to be such a one , but yet expected such crums as it were from his table . whereupon our sauiour christ hauing tried her sufficiently , commendeth her faith , and graunteth her request . and lastly , because the lord in this place hath not onely commaunded vs to call vpon him in the time of affliction , but also hath promised to deliuer vs. and therefore in obedience to this commandement , and in faith in this promise , wee are to poure foorth our soules before the lord in the day of affliction . but some man will aske , when is this day of affliction , wherein we are to call vpon god ? affliction is euery thing that crosseth our lawfull desires : and that is either priuat , or publicke : priuat , either belonging to our selues , or to others : to our selues , either in our soules , as the anguish of the soule for sinne , which is the greatest affliction , or other heauinesse and passions melancholike : or in our bodies , as sicknesse , infirmitie , hurts , or wounds : or in our goods , as pouertie , want , losses , debts : or in our good name , as infamie by euill reports or slaunders : or in those that belong vnto vs , as wife , children , and seruants . to others , as to our kinred , friends , acquaintance , neighbours , countreymen , brethren in christ , as all christians are to be esteemed of vs , though forrainers in respect of place , and in respect of affection , not well minded to vs : for such a sympathie there ought to bee betwixt those that are members of the same bodie politick , but much more of the same mysticall bodie of christ : especially when other respects also concurre of kinred , amitie , acquaintance , neighbourhood , &c. that in a fellow feeling and christian compassion , we should mourn when other members of the same bodie are afflicted . when the affliction therefore belongeth to our selues , we are in our owne behalfes to call vpon god : when to others , we are in tender compassion of their griefe to commend their cause to god in our prayers . dauid when those who indeed were his enemies , were afflicted , he humbled himselfe in fasting and prayer for them , psal. . . in like sort he mourned and fasted for the death of saule and ionathan , . chron. . and also of abner , . sam. . publicke affliction is , when the countrey , the church or commonwealth is afflicted with any common calamitie ; as famine , sword , pestilence , desolation , captiuitie , and such like . let vs therefore consider , whether this present time be a time of affliction , or not : and if it be , let vs know that this commaundement belongeth vnto vs , and that the lord calleth vs to fasting and prayer . be it that in respect of thy selfe and those that belong to thee thou hast no cause of mourning ( as who almost is free ? ) yet thy brethren , thy sisters , thy friends , thy countreymen , thy fellow members in the bodie of christ are visited by the hand of god , or the places of their dwelling at least infected with this contagious sickenesse . did dauid fast and mourne and pray for his enemies when they were in affliction , and doest not thou mourne for thy deare brethren and friends ? but though we had no priuat cause of griefe , yet the common calamitie should most of all affect vs : seeing the chiefe cities and many other places of the land ( the lord shooting his arrowes on euery side ) are visited with the fearefull plague of pestilence . what ? shall we thinke because we as yet through the goodnesse of god haue escaped this plague , that therefore it is not a time of affliction , wherein wee are to humble our selues before god by fasting and prayer ? farre be it from vs , that we should be so hard-hearted , as that we should not take to heart the affliction of ioseph : or such vnnaturall members of the bodie politicke , or vnsound and rotten members of the mysticall bodie of christ , as that when the chiefe citie , and as it were the head of our countrey , besides many other places and persons , is so grieuously afflicted , that we should not condole and mourne together with them , and pray to god for them ? or may we think , that because our selues , and perhaps also the places where we dwell are free , that therefore this affliction and judgement doth not concerne vs ? yes beloued , it doth neerely concerne vs. for that this affliction is laid vpon the land for sinne , we need not doubt , seeing the scripture so oft doth teach that truth . behold ( sayth the prophet esay ) thou art angrie when we offend . dauid testifieth , that the lord with rebukes doth chastise men for sinne : and ieremie , that men are punished for their sinnes : insomuch , that afflictions and punishments in the scripture are often called iniquities and sinnes . but for whose sinnes i beseech you is this publicke judgement laid vpon the land ? for their sinnes alone , who haue beene visited , or are dead of the plague ? no i assure you ; but for the sinnes of vs all . for although god hauing mercie on vs , doth for our sinnes among the rest afflict others and spare vs , that wee beholding this common judgement in others , deserued by our sinnes as well as theirs , might meet him in his iudgements , and turne vnto him by repentance ; yet may not wee thinke our selues more righteous than they , or esteeme them as more grieuous sinners than our selues , because the lord hath hetherto spared vs , vnlesse we would haue that sentence of our sauiour christ to bee most justly applied vnto vs , i tell you nay , but vnlesse you repent , you all shall likewise perish . wherefore let vs humble our selues vnder the hand of god , let vs turne vnto him that smiteth vs ; that of vs , that at the least may be verified which is said of the israelits , when the lord slew them , they sought him , and turned vnto him . let vs i say turne vnto him with all our hearts , and with fasting and mourning : let vs call vpon god with vpright hearts in this time of our trouble , that being deliuered out of the same , we may glorifie him . who knoweth if he will returne , and repent of this euill ; nay , who knoweth not , or who doubteth but he will haue mercie on vs and deliuer vs ( if our deliuerance may bee for his glorie and our spiritual good ) seeing he hath so graciously promised in this place , that if we call vpon him in the day of trouble , he will deliuer vs , and we shall glorifie him . hauing spoken of the commaundement , we are now to intreat of the promise , which is added as a reason or motiue to stirre vs vp to the obedience of the commaundement . for as the commaundement teacheth vs , that if we desire deliuerance out of affliction that we may glorifie god , we are to begge the same at the hands of god by heartie prayer : so the promise assureth vs that if wee call vpon god in the day of trouble , hee will deliuer vs for his owne glorie and our comfort : for so he saith , i will deliuer thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . in which words two things are promised , deliuerance , and the end or fruit thereof , which is the glorifying of god. as touching the former , we are to consider the circumstance of the person promising , and the thing it selfe which is promised . the person is god : for as it is he that afflicteth , so it is hee onely which deliuereth , as the prophet hosea sheweth : this therefore teacheth vs vnto whom we are both in affliction to flie for deliuerance ( not to saints in heauen , nor to wisards on earth , but to god alone ; ) and when wee are deliuered , to returne thankes . and secondly , we may here obserue the vnspeakeable clemencie of our gracious god , who is so readie ( as this promise importeth ) to aunswere to our prayers , and to graunt our requests : yea , in that he allureth vs to call vpon him by his gracious promise , it is euident that he is more readie to heare , than we to pray . so the lord himselfe testifieth by his prophet esay . , yea before the call , i will aunswere , and while they speake i will beare : and the same is signified in the parable of the prodigall sonne : for when he was about to returne to his father ( by whom is signified god our father ) his father saw him being yet a great way off , and had cōpassion and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him . and this , as it is the priuiledge of gods people to haue god neere vnto them in all things which they aske at his hands , as moses saith : so also this is the assurance of the faithfull , that if we aske any thing according to his will , he heareth vs. and if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske , we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him . the thing promised , is deliuerance : for so he saith , i will deliuer thee . and the same is promised elsewhere : for that which our sauiour christ hath taught vs to aske , the lord hath promised to graunt : but christ our sauiour hath taught vs to pray that we may be deliuered from the euill of affliction , therefore the lord hath promised deliuerance therefrom . the like promise we haue , psal. , when the righteous crie the lord heareth them , and deliuereth them out of all their troubles . and againe , manie are the troubles of the righteous , but the lord deliuereth him out of them all . likewise psa. , to such as loue the lord this promise is made , he shall call vpon me and i will heare him , i will be with him in trouble : i will deliuer him and glorifie him . we are therefore with faith in this promise to call vpon god , in the time of trouble , not doubting of the performance thereof : for god who hath made this promise , is mercifull , and therefore he will in mercie heare those which in trouble and miserie do call vpon him : for so he saith , exod. , when he crieth vnto me , i will heare him , for i am mercifull . and he is also faithfull which hath promised , and therefore will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strength , but with the temptation will giue an issue that we may be able to beare it . it is impossible that god in his word or promise should lie : and therefore heauen and earth shall passe away , but not one jot or tittle of this word and promise of god , rightly vnderstood , shall fall to the ground vnaccomplished . the same ●aith may be confirmed by the experience of the faithfull in all ages , who hauing called vpon the lord in the time of trouble , haue bene deliuered out of the same . the israelits were in grieuous thraldome in egypt , but when they cried vnto the lord he heard their voyce , and deliuered them as themselues professe , num. . . likewise when they cried vnto him , he deliuered them out of the hands of the amorits , the ammonits , the philistins , the sidonians , the amalekits , and other their enemies , as himselfe telleth them , iud. . sampson after he had slaine a thousand philistins with the jawbone of an asse , he cried vnto the lord being readie to die for thirst , and obtained a well in lechi ( for so the place is called ) which for a perpetuall monument of prayer , was called the fountaine of him that prayed . dauid often confesseth to the glorie of god , that he had diuerse times called vpon god in trouble , and that the lord heard and deliuered him . ionas when hee was cast into the sea and swallowed of the whale , cried vnto the lord and was restored safe to land . ezechias hauing receiued the sentence of death , the prophet esay telling him that he should die and not liue , notwithstanding by prayer obtained the prolonging of his life . manasses , though the most wicked of all the kings of iudah , yet being in trouble he prayed vnto the lord and humbled himselfe greatly before god , and was receiued to mercie , and restored to his kingdome . and to omit other particular examples , dauid testifieth of diuerse sorts of men , being in diuerse kinds of troubles , that when they cry vnto the lord in their trouble he deliuereth them out of their distresse . but for as much as some man may object out of his owne experience , that hee being in trouble hath called vpon god , and yet hath not bene deliuered ; and that this is not his case alone , but is and hath beene in all ages the case of many thousands : it behoueth vs therefore diligently to consider how this promise is to be vnderstood ; for that is the matter of greatest importance which offereth it selfe to bee considered of in the vnfolding of this text . for , that the promise is not to be vnderstood absolutly & generally of euery prayer , of euerie man , in euery affliction , the experiēnce of all times doth sufficiently declare . but by conference of this promise which other places of scripture , it may appeare , that it doth admit a threefold limitation or restraint : the first , in respect of the partie that prayeth : the second , in regard of the prayer it selfe : the third concerning the thing which is prayed for . for as touching the first , if any wicked man or impenitent sinner shall object against the truth of this promise , that hee hauing called vpon god in the time of trouble , hath notwithstanding not beene deliuered : let him heare what immediatly followeth this promise in the next words of the psalme verse , but vnto the wicked , saith god , what hast thou to do , to declare mine ordinances , or to take my couenant into thy mouth , as though my promises belong vnto thee ? for indeed not onely in this place but in many other places of the scripture , the promise concerning the hearing of our prayers is restrained to the faithfull , and denied to the wicked , prou. , the sacrifice of the wicked is abhomination to the lord , but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him . and againe , the lord is farre off from the wicked , but he heareth the prayer of the righteous . likewise , psal. , the eyes of the lord are vpon the righteous , and his eares are open to their cry : but the face of the lord is against them that do euill , to cut off their remembrance from the earth . the man which had bene blind , iohn , deliuereth this sentence as the receiued opinion of the faithfull in those times , we know ( saith he ) that god heareth not sinners ( meaning impenitent sinners ) but if any man be a worshipper of god , and doth his will , him heareth he . it is therfore the faithfull man whose prayer is accepted of god : the just man , who is just before god by faith , and before men by repentance , iames , the prayer of the righteous man auaileth much . psalme . , when the righteous cry , the lord heareth them , and deliuereth them out of their troubles . the man that feareth god , psal. , the lord will fulfill the desire of them that feare him : he also will beare their cry , and will saue them . that loueth god , psal. , because he hath loued me , therefore will i deliuer him , i will exalt him because he hath knowne my name . he shall call vpon me and i will heare him , i will be with him in trouble , i will deliuer him , and glorifie him . that walketh vprightly , psal. , for the lord god is a sunne ( that is , the author of light and all comfortable blessings ) and a shield ( that is , a protector from all euill : ) the lord will giue grace and glorie ( grace in this life , and glorie in the life to come ) and no good thing will be withhold from them that walke vprightly . that perseuereth , iohn , if you abide in me , and my words abide in you , aske what you will , and it shall be done to you . that hath an humble and contrit heart , psal. . , the lord is neare vnto them that are of a contrit heart , and will saue such as be afflicted in spirit . esay . to him will i looke ( saith the lord ) euen to him that is poore and of a contrit spirit , and trembleth at my words . psal. , the sacrifices of god ( that is , that which god esteemeth in steed of all sacrifices ) is a contrit spirit ; a contrit and a broken heart , ô god , thou wilt not despise . but as for the wicked , the lord plainely professeth that he will not heare them , mich. . though they make many prayers , esay . though they cry loud in his eares , ezech. . wherefore beloued in the lord , if we continue in our sinnes , whereby we haue prouoked the lord to execute his judgements vpon vs , and if the lord seeme not to heare vs , neither doth deliuer vs according to our desire : we may not object against god , either that he is vntrue in his promises , or vnable to helpe vs ; but let vs heare what the prophet esay saith in this case : behold the lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue : neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare : but your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your god , and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare . therefore iudgement being farre from vs , and iustice not comming neere vnto vs : we wait for light , but lo , it is darknesse : for brightnesse , but we walke in darknesse : for health , but it is farre from vs : for our trespasses are many before the lord , &c. and that we may descend to some particulers . if we be guiltie of crueltie and oppression , the lord will not heare vs. esay , when you shall stretch out your hands , i will hide mine eyes from you , and though you make many prayers i will not heare : for your hands are full of bloud : or if we bee vnmercifull to the poore : for he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore , he shall also cry and not be heard , prou. : or if we refuse to heare and obey the word of god : for as salomon saith , he that turneth away his eare from hearing the law , euen his prayers shall be abhominable : for as in prayer we speake to the lord , so in the preaching of the word the lord speaketh vnto vs. and good reason it is , that the lord should not heare vs , if we will not heare him . therefore it is come to passe , saith the prophet zacharie , that as he cried and they would not heare , so they cried and i would not heare saith the lord of hosts . or if we be close sinners and hypocrits , making faire shewes openly , and yet be addicted to secret sinnes : for as dauid saith , psal. . if i regard wickednesse in mine heart , the lord will not heare me . wherefore ( beloued ) as it is certaine that our sinnes are the cause of our affliction : so we must be carefull to auoid our sinnes , if we desire that our affliction may be remoued : for they are as a wall of separation betwixt god and vs. if therefore thou wilt not ceasse to sinne , neither will god ceasse to afflict thee ; vnlesse perhaps hee will giue thee ouer as one that is incurable , as phisitians sometimes giue ouer their patients , when they thinke them past cure . and to conclude this point : if when thou callest vpon god in the time of trouble , the lord doth not deliuer thee , examine they selfe whether thou doest not continue in sinne without repentance : and if thou doest , breake off thy sinne by repentance , and turne vnto the lord , and he will heare thee : for so he saith by the prophet esay , after hee had protested that hee would not heare their prayers whiles they continued in their sinnes ; wash you , make you cleane , take away the euill of your workes before mine eyes , ceasse to do euill , learne to do well , seeke iudgement , releeue the oppressed , iudge the fatherlesse , defend the widdow : come now , and let vs reason together saith the lord : though your sinnes were as crimson , they shall be made white as snow , though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll . the second limitation , is in respect of the prayer it selfe : for we haue no assurance that god will heare euerie prayer , but onely such as is made according to his will reuealed in his word , as iohn saith , this is our assurance , that if we aske any thing according to his will , he heareth vs. we must therefore be carefull that our prayer be conformable to the word of god , both in respect of the maner and forme how we pray , and also in regard of the end : as touching the manner , there are three things which are especially required . first , that we pray in truth : for it maybe that when thou callest vpon god , thou prayest in hypocrisie and not from thine heart , either because thou prayest with wandring thoughts , or with fained lippes . with wandring thoughts : when as thy tongue vttering a prayer , thy heart goeth a wandring or whoring after the vanities of this world , or is otherwise distracted with other vnseasonable thoughts : for if when thou commest neere to the lord with thy lippes , thou remouest thy heart from god , thou maist justly feare left in steed of the blessings which thou seemest to aske , thou pull down the judgements of god vpon thee , according to the threatning of the lord by the prophet esay , chapter . for if thou shouldest joyne into one speech , the thoughts of thy mind , and the words of thy mouth ( both which the lord doth vnderstand a like , ) thou wouldest be ashamed to deliuer such a speech to a mortall man , which thou art not ashamed to vtter vnto the immortall god. or how canst thou looke that god should heare or regard thy prayer , when thou doest not heare nor regard thy selfe ? with fained lippes thou prayest , when the desire of the heart doth not agree with the prayer of thy lippes ; when thou askest with thy mouth , that which thou doest not desire with thine heart : or when thou pretendest that in thy prayer , which thou doest not intend , or promisest that , which thou doest not meane to performe : this is no better than lying vnto god , when men cry vnto god , but not from their harts , as the prophet hosea speaketh : for what doth a man but lie , when hee speaketh otherwise than he thinketh ? this is a common fault of men when they are in affliction , to promise and pretend great matters ; when notwithstanding their heart is not vpright with god , and therefore the more carefully to be auoided of vs , lest we seeme with the vnsound israelits when the hand of god was vpon them , to go about to deceiue the lord with our mouth , and with our tongue to speake lies vnto him . it is true indeed that god hath promised to heare the prayers of them that call vpon him : but this promise is to bee vnderstood with restraint to them that call vpon him in truth . as dauid most plainely teacheth , psal. , the lord is neare to all that call vpon him : what to all ? yea to all that call vpon him in truth : for that payer which is acceptable to god , is not onely the moouing of the lippes , or the speech of the tongue , or the lifting vp of the eyes or hands , but it is the lifting vp of our soules , as dauid describeth his prayer , psal. , a lifting vp of our hearts with our hands vnto god in the heauens , as ieremie exhorteth vs to pray : it is the pouring forth of our soule before the lord , as anna expresseth her prayer , . sa. , and as dauid willeth vs to pray , ps. . the second thing required in respect of the maner , is , that we pray with feruencie of spirit . it may be when thou callest vpon god , thou prayest for fashion rather then for feeling , and so vtterest a cold or luke-warme prayer like to thy selfe ; which thou mayst justly feare , is no more acceptable vnto god , than luke-warme water to the stomacke . it is true , that the prayer of the righteous man auaileth much , but with this addition , if it be feruent . this is that prayer which pierceth the clouds , and is effectuall with god. if therefore we would obtaine our sute , let vs craue the assistance of gods spirit , by whose helpe and direction we may pray with sighes that cannot be expressed , let vs learne to poure forth our soules like a streame of water , let vs as the apostle speaketh in the epistle to the thessalonians ; pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superabundantly or exceedingly , let vs ( with reuerence be it spoken to the glorious majestie of god ) wrestle with the lord in our prayers , as the apostle speaketh : which kind of wrestling iacob hauing vsed , gen. , he became israell , that is , one which preuaileth with god , as the prophet hosea sheweth chapter . , . the third thing required in the manner is , that wee pray with faith . it may bee when thou prayest thou art in doubt whether thou shalt be heard , and therefore mayst not looke to obtaine thy sute : for it is the prayer of faith , to which the promise is made : whatsoeuer you aske in prayer , saith our sauiour christ , if you beleeue , you shall receiue it . likewise iames , if any man , saith he , want wisdome , let him aske it of god , and it shall be giuen him . but let him aske in saith and wauer not , for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the wind and caried away . neither let that man thinke , that he shall receiue any thing of the lord. if therefore thou wouldest pray acceptably , thou must pray with faith : for without faith it is impossible to please god. with faith i say in god : for how canst thou call vpon him in whom thou doest not beleeue ? with faith in christ , being assured that both thou , though sinfull in thy selfe , & thy prayer though vnperfect in it selfe , are accepted of god in christ : for this is to pray in the name of christ , by whom and in whose name we haue confidence & accesse with assurance through faith in him : with faith in the promises of god made to our prayers ▪ and consequently thou art to beleeue not onely that thou and thy praiers are accepted of god in christ , but also that thy particular request shall be graunted vnto thee : aske , saith christ , and it shall be giuen you , &c. for whosoeuer asketh , receiueth , &c. and againe , verily , verily , i say vnto you , whatsoeuer you shall aske the father in my name , he will giue it you . and thus were we to pray in respect of the manner , viz. in truth and from our hearts , otherwise our prayer is dead and without life : in feruencie , otherwise our prayer is cold and luke-warme : in faith , otherwise it is turned into sinne . againe , our prayer must be conformable to the will of god , in respect of the end . it may be thou askest riches , to spend the same vpon thy lust : or thou askest deliuerance out of thine affliction , that thou mightest follow the pleasures , or haue opportunitie or leisure to follow thine accustomed sinne , &c. but we may so aske , and yet notwithstanding the promise , we may misse our desire : for as iames saith , you aske and receiue not : how so , seeing christ hath said , aske and you shall receiue ? because you aske amisse : and wherein did they aske amisse ? in respect of the end ; that you might consume it on your lusts . but we must remember that in this promise the lord hath joyned these two together , i will deliuer thee , and thou shalt glorifie me . and therefore if we aske deliuerance , we must aske it to this end , that we may glorifie god. wherefore as it is good for the stirring vp of our feruencie and spirituall hunger , with our prayer to joyne fasting : so also it is expedient for the confirmation of our faith , and setling our resolution in glorifying god , to joyne with our prayers godly vowes of some things whereby god may be glorified . and this hath bene the practise of the godly in all ages , as of iacob genes . . of anna , . sam. . of dauid , &c. the third limitation is in respect of the thing which is asked : for if the cause why thou art not heard and deliuered , is not to be imputed either to thy person , being one that doth beleeue and repent ; or yet to thy prayer , being framed in some measure according to gods will , both in respect of the manner and the end ; then art thou to be assured and vndoubtedly resolued , that the thing which thou askest , is either not good for thee at all , or else not yet . and that god doth alwayes heare his children praying vnto him effectually , though not ad voluntatem , according to their desire , yet ad vtilitatem , according to their profit . for if earthly parents who are euill , can giue to their children good gifts , how much more shall our father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him ? thou askest deliuerance out of affliction , and god hath promised to deliuer his chileren that call vpon him ; but it may be , it is not a good thing that thou shouldest be deliuered : and therefore in that case , deliuerance is neither included within the compasse of gods promise , nor yet intended in thy prayer , if it be conceiued aright : for a promise , vnlesse it be of some good thing , it is a threatning rather than a promise : we must therefore remember that god hath promised to giue good things to them that aske him . and that prayer which is conceiued aright for temporall benefits ( such as deliuerance out of affliction is ) must not bee made absolutly , but with the condition of gods glorie and our euerlasting good . whereas thou therefore askest deliuerance out of trouble that thou mightest be restored to thy former estate , it may bee that it is better for thee to be taken out of this world , that thou mayest change thy mortall life for an immortall , and that a finall end may be put both to thy trouble , and to thy sinne , which is the cause of thy trouble . it may be , if thou shouldest liue longer , thou wouldest be infected with the common corruptions of the time , and therefore as it is said of enoch , thou art taken away , least wickednesse should alter thine vnderstanding , or deceit beguile thy mind . for when we are iudged , that is , afflicted , though it be by bodily death , wee are chastised of the lord , that wee should not be condemned with the world . or , if thou shouldest bee continued longer in this life , it may bee that such common calamities as the lord is intended to bring vpon the land , should happen in thy time ; and therefore god in great mercie taketh thee away , as hee did the godly king iosias , that thou shouldest not see the euill which is to come : as it is said of esay . the righteous perish , and no man takes it to heart : mercifull men are taken away , and no man vnderstandeth that the righteous is taken away from the euill to come . or else it is good for thee , that the affliction which thou desirest to bee remooued from thee , should be continued vpon thee : thine estate and disposition being such , that it is very needfull for thee to bee trained vp in the schoole of affliction , and to be dayly exercised vnder the crosse . and therefore , if god doe see it good to take that course with thee , thou must resolue with patience and comfort to take vp thy crosse , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , day by day , as our sauiour christ hath warned thee : and remember , that it is good for a man , if god doe so appoint , to begin betimes , and to beare the yoke of affliction euen in his youth . or at the least , it is not good for thee as yet to be deliuered , because the lord hath not as yet attained to that end for which hee doth afflict thee . for if it haue beene good for dauid and the rest of gods children that they haue beene afflicted , not in respect of the afflictions themselues ▪ but in regard of those profitable and excellent fruits which the holy ghost by their afflictions worketh in them : then assuredly , it is not good for thee , that thine affliction should cease before it hath wrought such good effects in thee , as the lord by it intendeth to worke : vnlesse thou wouldest giue the lord occasion to complaine , that thou art one of those whom he afflicteth in vaine . now the lord afflicteth his seruants , either for their triall , or for their chastisement . the lord trieth them by afflictions , either that his graces may appeare in them to his glorie and the good example of others , or that their weakenesse may be manifested , for their owne amendement and instruction of others . if hee trie men for the manifestation of his graces in them , it is expedient that they should bee tried by a triall proportionable to the measure of their graces , either in respect of the greatnesse , or of the continuance , that patience may haue her perfect worke in them . and hence it is that the best men haue endured the greatest trials , as appeareth in abraham , dauid , and iob , &c. wherefore iames exhorteth vs to count it exceeding ioy , when we fall into manifold temptations : knowing , that the triall of our faith ( for so he calleth affliction ) bringeth foorth patience . and let patience ( sayth he ) haue her perfit worke , that you may be perfit and entire , lacking nothing . if the lord doe trie vs to discouer and bewray our weakenesse , that so hee may abate our pride , and humble vs before him ; it is sometimes expedient that the afflictiō should be prolonged , though to our griefe for the present , yet to our good in the end . because many men are able to endure the first brunt , and therein greatly please themselues , who notwithstanding in the continuance of the affliction , doe notably bewray their weakenesse . but because this kind of triall is also a chastisement , let vs consider those fruits and effects which the lord by chastisements doth worke in his children . . first therefore the lord doth chastise vs , that hee might teach vs to know our selues , and acknowledge our sinnes , and might humble vs vnder his hand : for prosperitie puffeth men vp , and maketh them forget themselues . . that he might stirre vs vp to call vpon him often , and that with feruencie of spirit : for when men enjoy their ease , they are not vsually either so feruent or so frequent in prayer . . that he might reclaime vs from sinne , and might mortifie our corruptions : for as fire purgeth gold , so doth affliction the children of god. . that he might teach vs obedience by those things which we suffer . . that hee might waine our soules from worldly desires . . that he might exercise and strengthen our faith and patience . well then , call thy selfe to an account , thou which thinkest it so long till thou bee deliuered . first , art thou not yet humbled vnder the mightie hand of god , but continuest still as proud and as vaine as in former times ? assure thy selfe it is good for thee that thine affliction should be continued , that thou mayest learne humilitie and the knowledge of thy selfe , and mayest be brought to a more serious consideration of thy sinnes and of thy wretched estate in thy selfe . . doest thou not flie vnto the lord by prayer , or if thou prayest , doest thou pray but coldly , and as it were for fashion sake ? therefore the lord delayeth to helpe and deliuer thee , that thou mayest learne to call vpon him seriously and feruently . . hast thou not yet repented thee of thy sinne , whereby thou diddest prouoke the lords anger against thee ? hast thou not yet turned to him that smiteth thee ? therefore doth he continue thine affliction as thou continuest thine impenitencie : and as thou delayest thy repentance , so doth he delay his helpe . . hast thou not yet learned obedience by that which thou doest suffer ? therfore doth he still continue thine affliction , to teach thee obedience , and to make thee partaker of his holinesse : for although the chastisement of god vpon thee seeme grieuous for the time , yet in the end it will bring foorth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto thee who art exercised thereby . for which cause dauid , as hee professeth of himselfe , that it was good for him that hee had beene afflicted , that ●e might learne the statutes of the lord : so he pronounceth that man blessed whom the lord doth chastise and teach in his law , &c. . art thou still addicted to the world , minding and affecting things below , more than the things which are aboue ? therefore the lord mingleth thy worldly prosperitie with the gall of affliction , that as nurses by laying bitter things vnto their dugs , doe waine their children from them , so hee by affliction might waine thee from the world : and that through bearing the crosse thou mightest bee crucified to the world , and the world to thee . . hast thou not yet learned patiently to beare the crosse , & to repose thine affiance in god more than in the meanes which god permitteth to thee ? therefore doth he still continue thine affliction , that thy patience might be exercised , and by exercise confirmed , as the scriptures testifie : therefore doth the lord bereaue thee of other meanes , that thou mightest relie onely vpon him . here then we are to be admonished to make a right vse of our afflictions , and as we desire to be deliuered for our comfort , so to labour , that these or such like effects may by our affliction be wrought in vs : for if wee desire to bee deliuered out of affliction , before it hath wrought any good effect in vs , wee desire vnawares that god should giue vs ouer as incorrigible . when as therefore a faithfull man hath prayed effectually vnto the lord for deliuerance out of affliction , and yet is not deliuered , let him know that it is not good for him to be deliuered as yet . and withall , let him bee persuaded of these two things : first , that god doth chastise him in loue , for his profit , according to his necessitie , as being not delighted with our afflictions : and therefore inflicteth vpon him no greater measure of affliction , than in his fatherly wisedome he thinketh necessarie . and therefore wee ought to possesse our soules in patience , committing and resigning our selues into the hands of almightie god , as of a most wise and louing father , and most expert phisition of our soules . a sonne that hath any grace in him , will meekely submit himselfe to the chastisement of a wise and carefull father : how much more ought we to submit our selues to the correction of our heauenly father ? a man that hath in his bodie any wounds or sores , he will not onely be patient , but thankefull also towards the surgeon that launceth or seareth his bodie , that hee may cure it : how much more ought we patiently and thankefully to suffer the lord to afflict our bodies , that he may saue our soules ? secondly , let him be assured that the lord doth neuer reject the effectuall prayer of a faithfull man , but alwayes heareth the same graciously , if not according to his desire , yet according to his profit : yea , that hee alwayes graunteth it , if it be rightly conceiued . for as we are to aske spirituall graces necessarie to saluation absolutely ; so wee are to beleeue absolutely , that god will graunt the same vnto vs : yea this is a certaine and comfortable truth , that whosoeuer hath thus much grace , truly and earnestly to desire any sanctifying grace , the same grace is alreadie begun in him , the lord accepting in his children the will for the deed . and as wee are to aske temporall blessings conditionally , so farre foorth as the graunting thereof may stand with gods glorie and our euerlasting good ; so we are to beleeue and to be assured that god will graunt the same , so farre forth as may be for the glorie of his name , and for our spirituall good . wherefore to conclude , if it be good for the children of god to be deliuered out of affliction , the lord deliuereth them when they haue called vpon him , according to his most gracious promise in this place : but if it bee not good for them to be deliuered , then deliuerance ( being not a blessing ) is not within the compasse of gods promise ; and therefore in stead of that , he giueth them patience with the inward comfort of the holy ghost , blesseth and sanctifieth their affliction vnto them , causing it and all things whatsoeuer to worke together for the good of them that loue him . and thus much concerning the deliuerance promised , now followeth the fruit of deliuerance obtained . and thou shalt glorifie me . out of which words wee are briefely to obserue foure things : the first , for the comfort of the godly and the terrour of the wicked . for if wee therefore aske deliuerance , that wee may glorifie god , and haue a certaine purpose and setled resolution , after we are deliuered to glorifie him , especially if wee confirme our purpose and resolution by a godly vow ; wee may from hence conceiue certaine hope that we shall be deliuered , for so much as wee hereby doe plainely see , that our deliuerance and safetie shall bee joyned with gods glorie : and therefore may be bold for the confirmation of our faith to entreat the lord ( as the faithfull haue vsed to doe ) that hee would spare vs for his names sake , and that he would deliuer vs euen for the glorie of his name : that being deliuered , we may praise and glorifie his name among men , which being dead we cannot do : for as dauid saith , in death there is no remembrance of thee : in the graue , who shall praise thee ? but if we haue a purpose to continue in our sinnes , and therefore desire deliuerance that we may haue freedome to follow our owne courses ; as we cannot intreat the lord that hee would deliuer vs for his owne name sake , so can we not conceiue hope that we shall be deliuered for our good , seeing our life after our deliuerance is like to be joyned with the dishonour of god. the second thing serueth for our instruction . that as we are here taught , so we should not onely acknowledge the glorie of god to bee the end of our deliuerance and preseruation , but also bee carefull to referre the same to the glorifying of god : for this is the supreme end of our life and being : whereunto if our life be not referred , we liue in vaine . many when they are in distresse will promise and vow a studie and care of glorifying god after they are deliuered , of which vow notwithstanding afterwards they are vnmindfull . but it may be asked , how are we to glorifie god ? i answer , both inwardly , and outwardly . inwardly , in our minds , by intending the glorie of god in all things , or as the prophet malachie speaketh , by putting into our harts to giue glorie to his name ; that whether we eat or drinke , or whatsoeuer we do , all may be done to the glorie of god. outwardly in our words and deeds . in our words , that we make the glorie of god both the matter of our speech , when we praise and magnifie god , giuing him thankes for our deliuerance , and all other his blessings , for this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to glorifie god , as luke speaketh chapter , and as the lord professeth in the last verse of this psalme , he that sacrificeth praise , doth glorifie me . and we are the rather thus to glorifie god , because this fruit the lord requireth both in this place and elsewhere in the scriptures , and also expecteth the same at our hands . and further , he esteemeth himselfe to bee honored and glorified , when he is praised and magnified , and therefore farre preferreth the sacrifice of praise , that is , the fruit or calues of our lippes confessing vnto god , before all the sacrifices of goats and buls prescribed in his law. and for this cause the faithfull in their affliction , vse to promise by vow these sacrifices of praise ; which being deliuered , they are carefull to performe . howbeit it cannot be denied but that the greatest part of men forget to bee thankfull , as appeareth by the storie of the ten lepers , to whom being all clensed , one onely returned to giue praise and thankes to god , but let vs in this our affliction for the confirmation of our faith seriously vow these sacrifices of praise vnto god : and if it please god to deliuer vs , let vs bee mindfull to offer vnto the lord the sacrifice of praise , and pay our vowes vnto the most high : for if with dauid we should deliberat with our selues what to render vnto the lord for all his benefits towards vs , we must resolue as he doth , to take the cup of saluation , that is , of thankes for his preseruation of vs , and so pay our vowes vnto the lord. and if this be the onely thing almost which we can render vnto the lord , we are exceedingly vnthankfull , if we bee wanting therein . we are also to make the glorie of god the end of our speech , by auoiding all idle words , and rotten speeches , whereby good maners might be corrupted . and contrariwise , endeuouring that our speech being gracious alwayes and seasoned with salt , god may be glorified thereby , and our brethren edified . lastly , we are by our deeds to glorifie god , by bringing forth the fruits of good works : for by this meanes we shall not onely glorifie god our selues ( as our sauiour christ saith , herein is my father glorified that you bring forth much fruit ) but also be authors vnto others of glorifying him , to which purpose hee exhorteth vs so to let our light shine before men that they seeing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen . the third thing to be obserued , is a twofold doctrine . for first , when god doth promise vs this grace to glorifie him , this proueth , that or care and studie to glorifie god , is not a matter in our owne power , but is the free gift of god. and therefore as the lord here promiseth ●nd elsewhere sweareth to giue vs this grace , so are we by earnest prayer to begge the same at his hands , as we are taught in the first petition of that forme of prayer which christ hath prescribed to vs ; namely , that god would giue vs grace to glorifie his name . and secondly , whereas the lord promiseth to the faithfull that they shall glorifie him : hereby it appeareth that the children of god haue a great desire to glorifie god , and esteeme it as a greater benefit than their deliuerance it selfe , if god will vouchsafe to make them instruments of his glorie : for that they acknowledge to be the end whereunto their deliuerance is to bee referred . now the end is alwayes better than that which is destinated thereunto . and the same thing is signified by the order of petitions in the lords prayer , whereby we are taught to preferre the glorie of god , before those things which concerne not onely our temporall , but also spirituall good . the fourth & last thing is a reproofe & check of those who haue no zeale of gods glorie : for seeing the lord promiseth to the faithfull that they shall glorifie him , and elsewhere by oath confirmeth that to those that he re-redeemeth he will giue this grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse : therefore we may easily discerne in what number they are to be reckoned , who haue no care to praise god for this deliuerance , neither haue any desire to glorifie him . to conclude therefore , that this affliction , and hand of god afflicting vs may be remoued ; let vs flie vnto god by humble , heartie and effectuall prayer , as we are commanded in this place ; let vs humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of god , let vs turn● vnto him that hath smitten vs , let us be carefull to meete him in his iudgements , let vs repent of our sinnes , let vs vnfainedly vow the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiuing , and a serious care hereafter to glorifie god , that so with better assurance of faith we may intreat him to deliuer vs , let vs be mindfull to glorifie him , and to render our vowes vnto the most high : that so it may plainely appeare , that our preseruation and life is joyned with the glorie of god. otherwise if we shall forget this great mercie of god , and dishonour him by our sinnes , we are to feare lest some more grieuous iudgement shall befall vs. as our sauiour christ said to the man whom he had cured , behold , thou art made whole , sinne no more , lest a worse thing come vnto thee . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e vvhat fasting in generall is , viz. not a sober or abstemious vse of food , but an vtter abstinence therefrom . of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . suidas . varinus . nor yet a forced abstinence act. . . or want . psal. . . & . . amos . . act. . . . but a voluntarie forbearing of food . mat. . . ma● . . . mat. . . , the sorts of fasting . for it is either naturall , or ciuile , . sam. . . or spirituall . hieronymus . and that is either the moral and chast fast , or the religious and deuout fast . vvhat the chast fast is . . thess. . , . . cor. . . and what other helpes must concurre therewith , viz. sobrietie in moderating not only the inward fancies & affections , b●● also the outward se●ces . psal. . . iob. ● . . eccles. . . . temperancie in diet . mat. . . cor. . . . prayer . . vigilancie . . pet. . . . thess. . . . diligence & painefulnesse . auoiding contrariwise intemperancie in diet . hieronym . . cor. . . ad rusticum monach. de viuendi formae . ad furiam de viduitate seru. august . de temp . serm . . hieronym . ad eustoch . de custodia virginit . ad furiam de vid●itate seru. terent. eunuch . ouid. . de remed . prou. . . gen. . , . valer. max. lib . c . slouthfulnes , &c. ezek. . . ouid. . de remed . theophrast . definit . breuior . . . sam. . † ergo vbi visus eris nostra medicabilis arte , fac monitis fugias otia prima meis . otia si tolla● , periere cupidinis arcu● , &c. ouid. * rom. . , vvhich meanes of chastitie not sufficing in single life , . cor. . . men are bound to flie to mariage , as the lawfull remedie against lust . vvhat the religious fast is , viz. § . that it is an exercise of religion ordained of the lord. both in the old testamēt , and that not as ceremonial and peculiar to the iewes . leuit. . & . . . zac. . . & . * mat. . . * ioel. . . esay . . . king. . . esay . . mat. . . sam. . . esth. . . . ezr. . . dan. . . & . but as a morall and common to all : leuit. . nehe. . , . esth. . , . . chro. . . ezr. . . ioel. . . & . . leuit. . . esay . . . . but also in the new testament . mat. . . vers. . mat. . . luk. . . mar. . . mat. . . luk. . . a●● . . . act. . ● . . car. . . and yet not ordinarily to be performed . . cor. . . . mat. . . phil . . . thes. . . mat. . . esay . . . ioel. . ● . leuit. . . but extraordinarily , as speciall and vrgent occasion is offered . the causes of fasting , are either the obtaining of some speciall good ▪ nehe. . . . ezr. . . esth. . rom. . . . cor. . . act. . & . . hicronym . in p●ologo super math. or remouing of some euill , whether it be the euill of sinne . act. . . . . sam. . . ezr. . . . & . . neh. . . . or the euill of affliction , & that either imminent , esay . . ionas . . . . chro. . . or present : as famine , ioel. . . & . . . ios. . sword , captiuitie , dan. . . sicknesse and mortalitie . . sam. . . psal. . . vpon such occasions , necessitie is imposed . esay . . . definit . breuior . . & . on publicke persons who haue authoritie , to proclaime ▪ ioel . . and on priuat persons , to obserue the fast . ezek . . math. . . rom. . . gal. . ● . the religious fast , consisteth on two parts ▪ viz the outward and the inward exercise . . tim. . . in the outward exercise we are to consider from what we are to abstaine , and for how long . it is abstinēce , first frō helpes of this life , as first from food wholly . . sam. . . ezr. . . esth. . ion. . . act . . math. . . gal. . . the reasons why abstinēce from food is required . rom. . . . cor. . . luke . . col. . . . cor. . . from sleepe in part . col. . . . pet. . . . sam. . . esth. . . ioel. . . . king. . . from ornaments & costly attire . exod. . exod. . . vers. . vers. . vers. . vers. . vers. . from delights & pleasures . quest. euangel . lib. . c. . . cor. . . ioel ▪ . . from bodily labours and worldly businesse . ioel. . . & . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leuit. . . deut. . . leuit. . . . . why rest from labours is required . polit. . . how long this abstinēce is to be vsed , or the time of the fast . leuit. . . iudg. . . . sam. . . ios. . . . sam. . . hieronym . in vita hilarionis . esth. . . . act. . . . sam. . . dan. . , . of the fortie dayes fast of moses , elias , and christ. dan. . . . sam. . . . sam. . . of the spirituall exercise , or inward fast , without which the outward is of no value . rom. . . . tim. . . ion. . iohn . , . zach. . . vers. . luk. . , , . the inward fast is a solemn exercise of prayer , ioyned with repentance . ezr. . . iam. . . iohn . . iam. . . esay . . iohn . . prou. . . . mat. . . iob. . . the two parts of repentance concurring with both the parts of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , panitentia . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , resipiscentia . but for distinction sake we are first to speake of humiliatiō , which is as it were a preparatiue to praier : secondly , of the parts and properties of prayer thirdly , of repentance and amendement of life , which must as it were second ou● prayer : humiliation is partly inward , which standeth in two things ▪ . an inward sence of our miserie and sorrow for the same : . king. . . act. . . ioel . . psal. . . mat. . . mark . . luke . . z●ch . . ios. . . . king. . . ioel . . esay . ● . . psal. . . & . . es●h . . . . ion. . , , . psal. . . ioel . . an humble and vile estimation of our selues . exod. . . psal. . . esay . . leuit. . . . . king. . . psal. . . esay . . psal. . . . how we are to attaine to this humiliation . ezek. . . amo● . . . cor. . . ier. . . . cor. . lam. . . zach. . . gen. . . partly outward , arising from the inward humiliation : whereof also are two branches , first , lamentation arising from the inward sorrow , esay . . . sam. . . psal. . . . sam. . . exod. . gen. . . psal. . & . . . . and sometimes breaketh forth into exp●stulations . exod . . ios. . , , , . psal. . . & . . . psa● . . . & . . lam. . math. . . confession of our sinnes , arising from the humble and base estimation of our selues . psal. . . dan. . . nehe. . &c. ezr. . . . cor. . . . iohn . . prou. . . psal. . , , . . sam. . ezr. . , , &c. neh , , dan. . . . &c. in & with this humiliation , our prayer , and especially our deprecation is to be made . ioel . . dan. . . . , . nehem. . . . kin. . . psal. . . ioel . , . vvhereunto the other part of prayer , which is precation for good , is to be annexed . phil. . . eph. . ● . . tim. . . & . . act. . . in psal. . . the properties of prayer . . feruencie . ioel . . ion. . . de ieiunio serm. . tom. . homil . ad pop . . in quadrages . serm. . faith , which must be groūded first on the mediation of christ , luke . . . on the promises of god. iohn . . psal. . . ioel . . . and is to be cōfirmed , , by experience of those who haue vsed this exercise with happy successe : ez● . . . esth. . . verse . . chron. . . . . . . king. . . ion. . ▪ luke . . rom. . . , by the religious performance of this exercise , wherby we may be the better qualified according to the condition implied in the promise . esay . . psal. . . . pet. . . luk. . . mat. . . iohn . . . pet. . . luke . . . by the practise of repentance , concurring also with our prayer in this exercise . esay . . prou. . . ezek. . . ion. . . psal. . . this repentance or amendment standeth in two things : the former , is eschewing euill : serm. . de ieiunio . de tempore serm . . esay . . non possum ferre iniquitatē & diem interdicti . arist. problem . sect . . quest . . which is the true fast . † serm. . de ieiun . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; plutarch de cohibend . ira . * tom. . homil . . ad populum . † homil. de iejun . ad pop. antioch . de tempore serm. . in leuit. lib. esai . . . . . &c. zach. . . . esay . . . . especially wee are to abstain from those sinnes wherein we haue cheefly offended , & wherby the anger of the lord is or hath beene especially prouoked against vs. ion. . , . esay . . . eccles. . . serm. de temp . . the latter part is ensuing or following after that which is good . by practising good duties for the present towards god & our neighbor , zach. . , . esay . . especially the duties of mercie and almes-giuing . vers. . vers. . vers. . vers. . which must concurre with our fast . mat. . act. . . . mat. . . esay . . prou. . . in alimentis pauperū abrupti apparatus ●tipēdia largiatur . august . de temp . serm. . in esay . ser. de temp . . de temp . serm . . de tempore , serm . ● . in leuit. lib. in fine . by purposing and promising amendement for the time to come . nehem. . . ierem. . . iohn . . teb . . . the sorts of the religious fast , vz. priuat , or publicke . the priuat fast psal. . . dan. . . ezech. . . neh. . . dan. . mat. . , , num. . . the publicke fast ier. . . vvho are to appoint it . ioel. . , . ier. . . . king. . , . vpon what occasion . as first , for the obtaining of some publick blessing . act. . . . king. . . . for remouing some publick euill : whether some publicke sinne , esay . . . cor. . . . sam. . . nehem. . . or publicke iudgement : & that either threatened . ion. . ier. . . . chron. . . esth. . . . am. . . or inflicted : as the sword , iudg. . famine , ioel . . & . . . pestilence , . kin. . , . . sam. . num. . . apoc. . . psal. ● . . apoc. . . captiuitie . zac. . , & . ier. . . ier. . , . ier. . . . kin. . ▪ zach. . . vvho are to obserue the publicke fast . ioel . . ion. . . . leuit. . . how the publicke fast is to be obserued . viz. . as a sabbath or day of rest . luk. . . as a sabbath of humiliation to be sanctified both publickly leuit. . . ioel. . . . by the ministers acts . . nehem. . . nehem. . . ier. . , , . . by the people leuit. . . & . . mat. . . leu. . . . heb. . . math. . act. . . & . . & . . nehem. . . and also priuatly dan. . . & . . neh. . . a suruey of the popish fast● . luke . . & . . math. . . de tempor● serm. . de tempor● serm. . psal. . . prou. . . . de bonès operib , in particular . lib. . ca. . luke . . col. . . . . . tim. . . . . notes for div a -e le. . . & . . rom. . . psal. . . psal. . . esay . . . sam. . . hos. . . iohn . . act. . . luke . . heb. . , . apoc. . . . pet. . . heb. . . act. . . col. . . . cor. . . luk. . . act. . . dan. . . luke . , . . pet. . . . sam. . . . cor. . . . pet. . , . prou. . . iam. . . dan. . , esay . . . ion. . , . iam. . . deut. . . . sam. . mat. . . . sam. . . luke . . ier. . . iob. . . psal. . . psal. . , . ier. . . esay . , . vers. . ioel. . . . rom. . . ioel . . . & . , , , . ion. . . iam. . . . iam. . . apoc. . . . . sam. . . ps. , , . & . rom. . . luke . , . rom. . . col. . . iudith . . heb. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , rom. . . iohn . . rom. . , . zac. . . ier. . . ● . cor. . . esay . . am. . . esay . . iob. . . . ▪ iam. . . . sam. . . gen. . . . psal. . . psal. . . hos. . . psal. . . . sam. . . iob. . . luke . . . thess. . . psal. . . & . lam. . ● . ● esay . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hos. . , . & . . psal. . psal. . . . chr. . . ● . luke . . august luke . . iud. . , , matt. . , , . psal. . . . chro. . . . sam. . . esay . . amos . . psal. . . . . esay . . psal. . . lam. . . amos . . luk. . . esay . . psal. . . ioel. . . hos. . . esay . . luk. . . deut . . . iohn . . psal. . . psal. . . psal. . . exod. . . . cor. , . num. . . iudg. . , . iudg. . . psa. . , , , psal. . . psal. . . . ion. . esay . . . chr. . , . psal. . . , , . prou. . , . psal. . , . iohn . . iam. . . psa. . . psal. . . psal. . . . psal. . . iohn . . esay . . psal. . . mic. . . esay . . ezech. . esay . . verse . . . esay . . prou. . . prou. . . zach. . . ezech. . . esay . , , . verse . . iohn . . esay . , . psal. . . hos. . , . psal. . , . psal. . . psal. . . lam. . . . sam. . . psal. . . apoc. . . iam. . . eccles. . . rom. . . ier. . . ● . thes. . . rom. . . col. . . gen. . . . hos. . . . iam. . . math. . . mar. . . iam. . , , . heb. . . rom. . . iohn . . eph. . . math. . , . iohn . . iam. . . gen. . . , . sam . , . psal. . , . math. . . math. . . apoc. , . wisd. . . . cor. . . vers. . . king. . . esay . . luke . . lam. . . psal. . ier. . . iam. . . iam. , , , . deut. . . gen. . . hos. . . luke . . esa . , , . pe● . . . heb. . . esay . . . heb. . . heb. . . psal. . . psal. . . gal. . . rom. . . i●m . . . apoc. . . heb. . . lam. . . heb. . . . cor. . . rom. ● , , psal. . . . & . . & . . mal. . . . cor. . ● . luke . . psal. , . psal. . , . psal. . heb . . hos. . . psal. . , , , , & , . luke . psal. . . psal. . . . mat. . . eph. . . . cor. . . col. . . iohn . . math. . . . ●o● . . . math. . . luke . . . esay . 〈◊〉 . . iohn . . aleyn mayor. at a common-councel holden at the guild-hall london, on vvednesday the day of november city of london (england). court of common council. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ *]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing l l thomason .f. 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(eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) aleyn mayor. at a common-councel holden at the guild-hall london, on vvednesday the day of november city of london (england). court of common council. alleyne, thomas, sir, fl. . aut sheet ([ ] p.) printed by james flesher printer to the honourable city of london, [london] : [ ] place and publication date from wing cd-rom, . an order of the common council appointing the nd of december to be kept as a fast day. reproduction of original in the bodleian library. eng fasting -- law and legislation -- early works to . great britain -- history -- commonwealth and protectorate, - -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ *]). civilwar no aleyn mayor. at a common-councel holden at the guild-hall london, on vvednesday the day of november . corporation of london a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion aleyn mayor . blazon or coat of arms of the city of london at a common-councel holden at the guild-hall london , on wednesday the day of november . it having pleased almighty god to shew us so much of the fruit of our own hearts and evil ways , as to let us see the very foundations of government razed ; and that we have so much cause to fear our great want of fear and love to his holy name and word , worship and sabbaths , magistrates and ministers , may justly provoke him to withdraw from us , and to loath , abhor and leave us to the lusts of our own hearts , and to our great weakness and folly , till confusion and desolations make us become a reproach to religion , and a scorn to all nations . in most humble desires of that good convincing spirit of promise , to give us a right sight and sense of our great vileness , and his greater goodness , yet able to pardon , recover and heal us ; we desire to bow down and humble our souls before the mighty hand of god , that he may yet pitty and spare , pardon and heal , according to the greatness of his power and goodness : that his name may be glorified , and the kingdom of our lord iesus enlarged , and these nations setled in peace and righteousness , with governors and councellors , iudges and teachers after his own mind and heart , according to his holy word : and that he will not leave us in this houre of temptation , till he hath brought us through all our fears , troubles and darkness , unto true rest , peace and setlement . for these great ends this court hath appointed friday the second of december next , solemnly to seek the face of god , with fasting and prayer at pauls church ; and doth recommend it to the ministers of the gospel , to give notice hereof in all their several churches and congregations , and to desire their assistance and concurrence in their several churches , as the lord shall enable them and all his people throughout this city and liberties thereof . sadler . printed by james flesher printer to the honourable city of london . a short and plaine discourse fully containing the vvhole doctrine of euangelicall fastes. by george buddle, bachelour of diuinitie, and parson of whikkenby in lincolne-shire. buddle, george, b. ca. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a short and plaine discourse fully containing the vvhole doctrine of euangelicall fastes. by george buddle, bachelour of diuinitie, and parson of whikkenby in lincolne-shire. buddle, george, b. ca. . [ ], , - , [ ] p. printed [by john windet] for mathevv lavv, and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard, neere vnto saint austines gate, at the signe of the foxe, london : . printer's name from stc. reproduction of the original in the british library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language 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(qc) and xml conversion a short and plaine discourse . fully containing the whole doctrine of euangelicall fastes . by george bvddle , bachelour of diuinitie , and parson of whikkenby in lincolne-shire . orae , ieinua — london printed for mathevv lavv , and are to be sold at his shop in pauls church-yard , neere vnto saint austines gate , at the signe of the foxe . . to the right reverend father in god , william barlovv lord bishoppe of lincolne , strength of faith in this last sinfull age . right reuerend father , in the common congratulation and great reioycing of the clergie of this diocesse , at our very first most ioyfull hearing of your lordships designation vnto this episcopall sea of lincolne : the mercifull prouidence of god hath assigned me this as my peculiar , that my vniuersitie-father is become vnto me my diocesan-father . my earnest desire is , that in the common iudgment of the best of our clergie , my commending of this present discourse , concerning euangelicall fasts , vnto so fit a patrone , may be accepted , as a peculiar of duetie , fitly answerable vnto so fortunate a peculiar of the prouidence . it is indeed a part of an annuall rent , which for some yeeres yet to come . i haue heretofore promised in priuate to our second jewell of salisbury , out of my diuinity-studie . but that which once in our cambridge philosophy schooles , i sung out of pindarus , with a yonger voice , as a dittie possibly propheticall , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same i may now in riper yeares , more truely sing out an higher chaire : howsoeuer my qiuer full of sharp-headed arrowes may sound well in the hearing and vnderstanding of them , who haue learned with socrates of aesop , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , yet surely i shall please the multitude neither in the maner nor in the matter thereof . for my experience of the countrie is euen the same that good hooker , a faithfull minister of god in the parts of kent , and of worthy memorie , sometimes complaineth of . it hath vnto me , as it did vnto him , verified trismegistus and found him a true man of his word . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . howbeit , with the same worthy hooker , after the example of the apostle , i labour in all things , and haue laboured specially , what i could in this , to please also and satisfie euen our common multitude of my brethren in christ , to their best vnderstanding and profit , so farre forth as i might , without hurt or preiudice vnto the matter of my discourse , which hath beene too vnfaithfully dealt withal by many before me , who , by seruing humorous people too much , haue beene too vndutifull vnto their text. the lord iesus , who hath doubled outward honour in his church , vnto you his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his wel-ruling elder , double , treble , multiply his elizaeus like spirit vpon you , that by your profitable labours night and day , in the word and doctrine , you may , as a second iohn baptist , ioyning with the rest of our zealous bishops , in your vnited force of zeale , against the schismes and shamelesse sinning of this last vngodly world , prepare the way of the lord vnto his second comming . amen . whikkenby , . iunij . . your lordships right humbly deuoted . george bvddle . ❧ to the christian reader , the death of sinne , and the life of christs righteousnesse . they that are christs ( saith the apostle ) haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof . the right christian moderation of fasting , vsed in the primitiue churches , is christs decumanus clauus , that is to say , is christs great naile , wherewith ( christian reader ) thou hauing the good example of the orthodoxall fathers , and of their most orthodoxal children , the learned protestants of this age , as an hammer in thy hand , doest crucifie and naile these affections and lusts of thy flesh , to the crosse of christ . the forge of this naile , and the head of this hammer , is the word of god. take only this manuall for thy manubrium , or handle of the hammer it is so sinned for thy hand , if thou haue any sensible vnderstanding of christ , or strength of grace in thee , as as that thou mayest soone driue the naile to the head , and strike the dead stroke of true mortification into thy fleshly heart . the lord iesus direct thy stroke , that no fond preiudice cause thee to miscensure or handle it amisse . farewell . a short and plaine discourse , concerning euangelicall fasts . vpon these words , but the dayes will come , when the bridegroome shall be taken from them , and then shall they fast mat. . . chap. i. containing the coherence and the analysis . the seed of the woman , the true messias christ iesus had hetherto , till towardes the end of this his first yeares publike preaching of the gospel , sought onely the destruction of the works of the serpent , & of the deuils mischieuous power . no otherwise thē accidentally , had our blessed glorious sauiour destroied the person either of wicked angel or wicked man : but the deuill the serpent by himselfe , and his seed had hetherto first wrought against our sauiours person to destroy it , by violence and infamy ; violence , against his soule by suggestions in the forty dayes temptation in the wildernes ; against his body by herod in his infancy , by the pharisees ( iob. . ) when hee first baptized : by the barbarous clownes of nazaret ( luke . . . ) when hee first preached publikely . infamy , by hauing obiected the basenes of his trade . is not this the carpenter maries sonne ? of his kindred and parentage , are not iames and ioses , iuda and simon his kinsmen ? mar. . ) is not this goodman iosephs sonne ? ( luke . . ) and when nothing would fadge either by violence or infamy to the destroying of christs person , then , euen before the end of this his first yeares publicke preaching , against his publike and priuate worke to destroy it . it is two fold , sauing doctrine ; good life . against christs doctrine , that it is blasphemous . luk. . and this cha. . ver . this man speaketh blasphemies , who can forgiue sinnes , but god ? against christs life , that moses neuer broke the two materiall tables more plainely with his two hands , then christ hath broken the two morall tables of the law both by his sinnes of commission against the negatiue prohibitions thereof , and by sinnes of omission against the affirmatiue commaunds . by sinnes of commission against the first table : for ( iohn the . ) by vttering blasphemie at the feast of tabernacles , and by making himselfe the sonne of god , hee breakes the three first commaundements ; by breaking the sabboath at the same feast , and by healing a bedred man vpon the sabboath day he breakes the fourth commandement , by sinnes of commission and omission against the second table : for ( this cha. . v. ) in that he companieth with gluttons and drunkards , in leui a common tol-gatherer a bad fellowes house , he breakes the negatiue part of the sixt and seuenth commandements to the manifest murdering , and effeminating , or corrupting the pure soules of men , destroying that opinion of necessary austerenes which iohn the baptist , and the pharises had by their austere liues inured the people vnto ; and in that he omitteth all kinds of disciplinary fasts , very necessary for the mortification of the sinfull flesh of his disciples , he breakes the affirmatiue part of the same commandements . this last obiection is of my text . and ( that which heretofore i haue shewed at large , to be the very depth of sathanisme , and of all deuilish policie ) it is vttered against christ not by the pharises disciples , who might be suspected to obiect of malice , and whom in leui his house , christ had alreadie answered ; but it is vttered in the open hearing of thousands , by the deuoutest disciples of his vndoubted and best friend that most famous liuing sanctimonie iohn baptist . the disciples of iohn say vnto him , not , the disciples of the pharises say vnto him : why doe we and the pharises fast much ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) or most seuerely , nay not only fast , but pray ; not only fast and pray much ( 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ) ; but ( as saint luke hath it more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , that is to say , very thickly and often : but thy disciples fast no disciplinarie fasts at all , but eate and drinke and take their ordinarie meales euery day . vnto this so subtle , so weightie , so graue & true accusation in regard of the antecedent ( though most false and friuolous , in regard of the consequent ) our glorious sauiour in these two parables giueth two apologies worthy of himselfe ; the former in this former parable , taken from his owne person , the other in the other parable , taken from the quality and person of his disciples and followers . he himselfe , was now not onely the husband , but euen the bridegrome of his church in the honiemoone , and sweetest feruencie of her first loue . as for the children of his bride-chamber , his disciples and neere attendants , he was able to keepe them in his fathers name , without any paedagogicall or disciplinarie exercise , of sorrow and humiliation for sinne , iohn . . to fast , to mourne , to eate the bread and water of affliction , was now the portion of his festiuall bride cup. to be wed to all kindes of sorrowes and penance , was his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , his owne proper worke alone , as he now came to be mans whole and alone redeemer , a worke not ( without manifest derogation thereof , nor without a necessarie infeebling and weakning of the christian faith ) any waies communicable to the shoulders of his followers . they should indeede heereafter ( when that which he counted his bridall feast of afflictions was once ended , and fully solemnized by him ) all of them , aboue all other men , with the two sonnes of zebedee , be baptized with his bloodie baptisme , wherewith he was now to be bathed and baptised ; they should indeede heereafter all drinke hartily and soundly of his bride cup of penance and of death , wherof he was now to drinke first himselfe . but afore , his bride or they could tast any whit deeply or kindly of this his bride cup , it was first his honest and necessarie dutie , to be himselfe , in himselfe , as moses was to zipporah , a bloodie husband vnto her , and as her true louing bridegrome and redeemer , to beginne therein vnto her himselfe , drinking the hartiest draught , euen to the bottome of the dregges , of all the iust punnishments of sinne . if they or his bride her selfe did now , whilest the bridall lasted , bride it ( as it were ) and sip a little thereof ; that surely might be all , that could yet vpon so high a feast day , well become her . in a word , he was now to treade and to be troden in the wine presse of his fathers wrath alone ; he alone , and no other with him was now to giue his soule an offering for our sinnes , as the prophet , isay , had fore prophecied . he now was that one man , of whom caiaphas so extraordinarily prophecied , that it was expedient , that one man should die for the people , that the whole nation perish not . seeing then , that all cause of mourning or humbling of the soule , which is the first and chiefe end of fasting , is by his bodily presence with them , so necessarily absent from them ; can any reasonable man make the children of the bride-chamber fast , while the bridegroome is with them ? thus standeth christs former apologie , taken from the maiestie and greatnes of his owne person . on the other side , in regard of the weaknes and vnfitnes of his disciples , & euen of the disciples of iohn , and of the pharises themselues , to fast euangelicall fasts , his other apologie is this . his euangelicall or gospel-fasts are as shreds of new cloth , strong , durable , able and fit to mend a rent or a decay in the strongest and most holy soules . but they , who had fasted none but legal or propheticall fasts , were yet as old , worne , thredbare cloth , worne out with the obseruation of the old customes of the ragged , beggarly , vndurable rudiments of the ceremoniall law , which law was not now to indure , or to be mēded & stitched vp any longer . his gospel-fasts againe are as new , vigorous , spiritous , vertuous strong wine , full of spirit and truth . but they yet were not sanctified with his truth ; they knew not yet , whether there were any holy ghost , and newe renewing spirit or no ; they were yet , as old leaking , vnstancht bottels , not able so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , so to containe and absteine , as ( after his ascension and bodily departure from them ) the promise of his father , and the grace and truth of his gospel should instruct and enable them . the rent in the fasters through this vnsuteablenes would now bee made worse , if such fasting should be applied ▪ the fast it selfe , being too strong would take vent , and runne out into manifest losse . what reason then , that such fasters should be set in the paedagogie , or disciplinarie exercise of such a fast ? this double apologie i take to be thus rightly meant in these two parables , and thereby the deuillish and slanderous consequent , of the diffamation of our sauiours offensiue , or dissolute breach of the affirmatiue part of the sixt and seuenth commaundements , to bee most notably and clearely ouerthrowne . he did not with his disciples , omit the keeping of the generall or essentiall duties of mortification , absolutely commanded in the affirmatiue part of those two commaundements : only in regard of his owne quality and person , and in regard of the quality and person of his disciples , he did together with them intermit , rather then omit some duties , tending to the bene esse of mortification , which were not vniuersally and absolutely commanded . my text therefore thus : but the daies will come , when the bridegrome shal be taken frō them , or the daies will come , when new shreds shal be applied to new cloth , new wine shall be put into new bottels , that both may be preserued ; & then shal they fast : is to be annexed in common too , & with both the parts of this double apologie , as a necessary anticipation and preuercion of that obiection , which might yet further worthily haue proued our glorious sauiour to be an obstinate patrone of fleshly libertie . for though in regard of the present state of his person , and of the persons of his disciples , their 〈◊〉 fasting could not proue him a resolute or absolute aduersary 〈◊〉 mortification : yet seeing that fasting hath such power in it to mortifie the flesh , found out by the continuall practise of moses and the prophets , and of him , that was greater then any prophet , iohn the baptist ; if he should haue tooke no order , nor giuen any commaunde at all of religious fasting vnto his followers , his temporary intermission of so necessarie and expedient an exercise , would haue bin soone defined by sathan his accuser , and the accuser of the bretheren , to haue beene an absolute omission of mortification . that therefore at the length the bawling mouth of cerberus , might be soundly musseld and stopt for euer , as iohn ( saith christ ) by authority more then propheticall , which he receiued in the wildernes by oracle : as the pharises & doctors of the law , by authority of the law of moses , and by the authority of the examples of so many prophets , doe grauely , and soberly , trusse vp the loynes and guts of their followers , and do set vnto their disciples a dyet and order of religious , much , and often fasting : so i will & command these my children of the bride-chamber my disciples and followers by my legall , propheticall , more then propheticall , euangelicall authority ( for it pleaseth the father , that in me all fulnes of authority should dwell , and that i should be the onely lawgiuer able to saue & destroy ) that presently after my bodily departure , they also fast and pray : 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ( for those two words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be repeated ) much and often . i dare boldly say , that they who haue made , doe make , or shall make any other meaning either of these words , or of this whole answere of christ : they haue , doe and shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , they haue doe & shall therin shew the infirmity alienae mentis , at least , they haue abalienated , doe abalienate , and they shall abalienate christs right meaning from christs sure words . thus much touching the most necessary analysis . out of the first view of this legall , propheticall , more then propheticall , euangelicall authority of christ : commaunding disciplinary fasts , to be obserued in his church after his departure , who doth not presently gather the great necessity of our obeying the church constitutions , concerning church fasts , crosse , surplice , night watchings , or concerning any expedient matter else , of the like indifferent nature making to piety , mortification or christian honestie ? who doth not presently gather also a plaine distinction betwixt matters commanded absolutely , as essentiall duties of the affirmatiue parts of the moral law , & betwixt matters cōmanded conditionally , when , where , & as they shal be iudged by gods spirit in his childrē to be expedient & necessary ? who doth not presētly gather , how grosse headed & slowharted humorous schismaticks are , who either with t. of aquin & his schollers the papists , haue counted some church fasts , praecepta naturae , as absolute & vnvariable cōmands : or with aerius & iouinian those fleshly libertine damned hereticks , haue esteemed church fasts so indifferently indifferent , as though it were lawfull , though neither sicknes , nor busines , neither impotencie , nor importance vrge vs , to omit them notwithstanding and breake them , whensoeuer it may please our wanton humorous flesh . for the full therefore and more particular declaration of this text : first , concerning the nature and authoritie of christs commaund : [ then shall they fast ] what fasts it doth commaund . whom it doth authorise and commaund to commaund them : who are to be commaunded the keeping of them : with what rigour the partie delinquent are to bee punished . secondly , concerning the obeying of this commaund , as it is further determined , [ then shall they fast much and ●ften their religious fasts , ] with what seueritie , in regard of the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] much , and in regard of the word [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ] often : with what holinesse , in regard of the sixe holy ends of religious fasting , intimated in this scripture , by the words , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , mourne , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , pray , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , both are preserued , it ought to be obeyed : by gods speciall assistance , and by the intreatie of the christian patience of the vnderstanding eare , i will briefely deliuer , that sound and necessary doctrine , which no one writer , either new or old , hath so sufficiently and plainely taught vs , as was requisite . chap. ii. the first generall part. concerning the nature and authority of christs commaund . to the first question ( what euangelicall fasts are directly commaunded by it : ) i answere , as partly i haue answered already , that this commaund is not absolute , but con●ultatorie : neither are these fasts here commaunded vnvariable and vnomissible ; but they are such as may be changed , and omitted also for a time . in a word , the euangelicall fasts here directly commanded by christs authenticall commaund , are our solemne or publike disciplinary fasts , which we cal our church-fasts , being in nature and essence altogether correspondent and answerable to these approueable fasts , wherein iohn the baptist , and the worthiest pharisees had publikely trained and exercised their disciples . to make this part of the distinction of fasts and of their commaund more sensibly plaine : we must know , that a fast of absolute commaund , whether priuate or publike , is of the essence of mortification , and is altogether vnvariable and vnomissible . such a fast , till christ was ascended , was the fast of reconciliation , vpon the a tenth of the seuenth moneth , leuit. , . whosoeuer humbleth not himselfe , ( that is , as s. cyrill doeth truely interpret it ) whosoeuer doeth not fast from euentide to euentide , vpon the feast of reconciliation , that person shall be cut off from his people . our sauiour christ with his disciples , kept this fast euery yeere duely and truely ; neither could these disciples of iohn and of the pharisees , haue taxed them iustly , for any remissenes in the breach of the same . nay , no doubt , if pilate the chiefe deputie , gouernour of iurie , should , as sometimes wicked ahaz did , haue shutte vp the doores of the temple , that they could not haue kept it before the lord in the temple : yet christ would certainely haue caused them ( as he did afterwards cause them , contrary to the will and guise of the iewish elders , to keepe his last passeouer ) to haue kept it with him vpon that very day , which his father had absolutely commanded , and that euen in their priuate houses or in the open fieldes . such a fast of absolute precept , is still our euangelicall fast of extraordinary repentance , appointed by god absolutely , for the necessary remouing of his extraordinary iudgements and wrath , from our extraordinary sinnes . the apostles indeede and neere attendants of christ ( as i haue declared already ) had no cause to keepe this fast , so long as christ was with them , and kept them continually in his fathers name , least any part of the merit of his passiue obedience for our redemption , should haue beene imparted and attributed vnto them , as well as to him . yet he himselfe , for the remouing of gods ordinary and extraordinary wrath , both from vs & from them , held it . daies and . nights together in the wildernesse , and did oftentimes keepe it , though not in sackcloth and ashes , yet by lying whole nightes vpon the ground in the dust , and sometimes by sweating and weeping droppes and teares of his heart blood . it is not surely in the power and consultation of the church , either particular or vniuersall , to omit or repeale this kind of fast . for example , the primitiue churches , immediatly succeeding the apostles , made a catholicke canon , that festis diebus nemo ieinnet : no man should fast vpon holy dayes , vnlesse the holy day fell vpon ashwednesday or vpon good friday . but for the lordes day , our christian sabboth , which ignatius in his epistle ad magnenses , worthily termeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the empresse of all other dayes ; bee saith in another epistle written ad philippenses , that whosoeuer fasteth vpon it , is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , he is a christ murderer . what ? shall we thinke with s. austin , who in his epistle to casulan , admitteth no excuse of the breach of this catholike canon , that he is a murtherer of christ , who fasteth the extraordinary poenitentiall fast vpon the lords day ? god forbid . s. cyrill hath better taught vs to restraine the fasting forbidden by the canon , vpon our christian sabboth , vnto the church-fast , or vnto the priuate ordinary penitentiall fast onely . for as touching the extraordinary penitentiall fast , both solemne and priuate , which , whosoeuer omitteth , he is certainely , both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , both a murderer of christ , & a murderer of his owne soule : s. cyrils wordes are most orthodoxall and sound , when he saith ; that libertas est homini christiano , omni tempore ieiunandi : a christian hath libertie to fast vpon any day . if dauid had not presently cried peccaui , when nathan told him of his extraordinary sinne , if hee had not presently cast himselfe out of his throne into dust and ashes , and refrained his ordinary meales , and all thinking of the ordinary obseruation of church feasts . if the king of niniue , his nobles , his people , euen to the beast that perisheth , had not also at ionas first opening his mouth , against their sinnes , kept that their publicke fast of extraordinary repentance ; alas , alas , where had dauid , where had the niniuites beene at this day ? so necessary ( necessitate praecepti , though not necessitate medii , ) is this kind of extraordinary repentance , vnto the saluation of all them , who haue either sinned extraordinarily , or are extraordinarily afflicted . but on the other side we must know also , that a fast of consultatorie commaund , whether it bee a church fast or a priuate fast , is not of the essence , but of the well being of mortification , and that it is both variable and also omissible , vnlesse it bee votiue . and surely , if it be solemnely or properly votiue , it must bee vowed both solemnely by the church , and properly by priuate men ; alwayes with this cautelous restraint , that we doe not tie our selues by vow vnto it , if god shall extraordinarily visite vs his people , with such a mercie , vpon out votiue-fast-day , as that our nehemiah and ezra , our prince and bishop , haue iust cause to forbid vs to fast , and to say vnto vs , nehem. . . . . this day is holy vnto the lord your god : mourne not , neither weepe ; but goe ye and eate the fat , and drinke of the sweete , and send part thererf vnto them , for whom none is prepared . the ioy of the lord is this day your strength . such a fast was this variable and omissible fast , commanded by iohn and the pharisees vnto their followers , in this text of scripture . for the same iohn , the same pharisees , who had commaunded such fasting , might also , vpon weightie causes , haue changed , intermitted or omitted them for a time , as christ himselfe by his example teacheth them , and as the continuall practise of the church of god , both vniuersal and particular , haue both before christ and after christ taught vs. such a fast is our ancient catholick and most approueable and necessary fast before the communion of the lords supper . aquin in his dispute de ieinnio , . quaest . calleth it praeceptum naturae , that is , as i here interpret it , a fast of absolute precept , included in the affirmatiue part of the sixt and seuenth commandements of the morall law. s. austin in his epistle to ianuarius saith , that it is ieiunium moris christi , qui v 〈…〉 iari non debet ; that it is a fast of christs owne fashion and speciall appointment , because s. paul saith in the . cor. . tha● , if 〈◊〉 man be hungrie , he should eate at home , least the church come together to their condemnation . but this their reason is too weake , to ground any thing demonstratiuely vpon it . for the apostle doth onely by euident demonstration of words , forbid their vnreuerent eating in the publike assemblie . vers . . and so all those primitiue apostolicke churches did vnderstand him , who ( as s. chrysostome writing vpon the same words , doth clearely witnesse ) had euen till s. chrysostomes age , which was the fourth from christ , alwaies receiued the communion after their charistia , or common christian charityfeasts , called by s. iude ver . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . to conclude therefore my answere , to this first necessary demaund , what euangelical fasts are directly commaunded by christ , in this consultatorie precept , [ then shall they fast : ] i answere briefely , that such publike church-fasts are here authorised and commaunded , as may be , and ought to be changed and intermitted , when they chance to hinder or to crosse any christian duties , commanded by the absolute precept of christ , either in his law or in his gospell . sect. . concerning the nature and authoritie of this commaund [ then shall they fast , ] to the second question , whom it doth authorise and command to commaund or inioyne these publik ordinarie paenitential church-fasts , as also how straitly such authorised commanders are bound ( in foro conscientiae ) to command and inioyne them : i answere , first , that not onely the church gouernors , ( such as are here iohn baptist , and the pharisees ; such as is ezra in the chapter of ezra , the . verse : such as are the children of the bride-chamber themselues , in the . and . chap. of the acts : such as were the fathers of the church , when the christian emperours , like gallio , act. . cared not for church-law matters . ) but also the high magistrates , and the whole councell of the church , either catholicke or nationall , consisting both of the clergy and of the laiety of christ may and ought to commaund them . the king of nineuie and his nobles in the third of ionas , esther and mordecay in the fourth of esther , the godly wife and godly husband counselled by s. paul , . cor. . ● . to defraud themselues for a time , that they may the better giue themselues & employ their houshold in fasting and p●●i●r , are demostratiue precedents to the supreme magistrate ; the whole comminaltie of the 〈◊〉 tribes of israel , together with their elders , and phinees the high-priest in the . chapter of the iudges , and the euiled iewes , ioyned in one as one man , in the tenth of ezra , are authenticall proofes , to authorise whole councels and synods . but yet there is one kinde of church-fasts , which now a dayes we call i●●●nia quatuer temporum , called in times past , 〈◊〉 sacrorum ordinum , the fasts of holy orders ; the commaund whereof , doth most properly and principally lie vpon the charge of our bishops and clergie , whensoeuer they either ordaine or institute ministers . for it is plaine out of the storie of the apostles actes , that these children of the bride-chamber , did neuer lay their hands vpon any minister of the word and sacraments , either at his ordination or institution , afore they had first appointed solemne fasting an prayer , and surely , although such fasting bee not of the esse ; yet it is of the bene esse and melius fieri of holy institutions and orders . it pertaineth also most principally to saint pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , abstemious temperate bishop , that hee call vpon the supreme magistrate , and vpon the whole people of christ , and bee a liuely precedent vnto them , for the execution of this consultatorie commaund , [ then shall they fast . ] from whom did s. austin and his mother monica , priuate persons , take their right paterne of fasting , when they liued in millaine , but from saint ambrose the bishop of millaine ? whom doth s austin counsell his friend casulan to follow in the order of church fasts , but chiefely his prouinciall or diocesan bishop ? episcopo tuo in hacre , noli resistere : quod ipse facit , sine vllo scrupulo aut disceptatione sectare . crosse not thy bishop in this matter of a saterday fast , but in this and the like , what thou seest thy bishop doe , that do thou without any scruple or controuersie . secondly , if it be demaunded , whether as it is in the consultation of the church to repeale , intermit , or change these publike fasts of ordinarie repentance ; so it is in their consultatorie power altogether to omit and disannull them : and whether catholicke fasts may be intermitted or repealed by particular gouernours , of particular churches or by nationall counsels , i answere first to the former part of the demaunde ; that there are in the scripture , two kinds of indifferent things not commaunded by absolute precept , left vnto christian mens free consultation , as the spirit of god in his children , shall iudge them to be expedient or vnexpedient to be done . of the first kind are such indifferent matters and duties , as are made lawfull vnto vs only by warrant , and not also by any so much as consultatorie commaund or counsell . and these againe are of two sorts : for either they are both warranted and commended , as are the voluntarie vowes of perpetuall virginity and widowhead , of pouertie , of paying all , or part of our goods to poore christ , whether they be proper voluntarie vowes , or solemne & publicke voluntary vowes ; or they are permitted onely , and tolerated in the booke of god , as lawfull , but no where commended also as laudable , as is that best kind of vsurie , where a man doth no otherwise deale with his brother , thē he himself in the like case , would be very willing to be dealt withal . it is in the consultatorie power of the publicke gouernours of christs church , either altogether to disannull and abrogate , or at their discretion to restraine and correct the abuse of this latter , either by ciuill punishment in their ciuill gouernement , or by excommunication or suspension in their cleargie gouernement . but as touching the former , which are both warranted and commended in the scripture , it is not in the consultatorie power of christs church gouernours , either publikely to commande them , or publikely to disannull and altogether forbid them , whether they be priuate and proper voluntarie vowes or solemne and publicke voluntarie vowes of perpetuall continencie , pouertie , or such like . when thou absteinest from such proper or solemne vowes ( saith the only lawgiuer , able to saue and destroy deuter. . . ) it shall be no sinne vnto thee : who then can binde me ( in foro conscientiae ) either to vow single life , though a thing warranted and commended , or forbid me to vow it publickly , i say , either to commaunde these commended holy voluntarie vowes , or to disannull , and altogether forbid them , is not in the power of any publicke gouernours whatsoeuer . onely it is in their power to restraine and correct the abuses of them , if either the votarie doe vow that rashly , which is not likely to be in his power and abilitie to performe , or doe vowe that wickedly , or to a wicked , vngodly , superstitious end , which he ought not to performe . certaine young widdowes , made a solemne vow of perpetuall widow head in saint paules time . but saint paule seeing , by experience of them , their great vnablenesse to performe such vowes : discommends them greatly in the fift chapter of his former epistle to timothy , and chargeth bishop timothy to restraine the solemne vowes of such votaries , vntill they came to the age of threescore yeares . certaine also of the lewd hypocrits , amongst the israelites in the time of moses law , as it is plaine in the . ver of the . of deuteronomie , had wantonly brought the hire of their whores , and the prices of their dogges , for holy solemne voluntarie vowes into the house of god , as many superstitious , wanton votaries haue done , and doe still vnder the reigne of popish superstition , and as idolatrous people , doe and haue done , who haue solemnely dedicated , and bequeathed their money , lands , goods , vnto masse priests , to sing dirdges for their soules , or to say prayers , for the deliuerance of their soules out of purgatorie , or to the maintenance of the supremacie , and hierarchie of the iudaicall and donatisticall , pseudocatholicke church of rome . god would haue these solemne voluntarie vowes both restrained and corrected . for so saith the law : deut. . . thou shall neither bring the hire of an whore ; nor the price of a dogge into the house of the lord thy god for any vow . for euen both these are an abomination vnto the lord thy god. thus haue i shewed how things of indifferent nature warranted onely , but not at all commaunded in gods word are to be held , or not to be held to be vnder the consultatorie power of the publicke gouernours of christs church . another kind of duties , and things indifferent , not commaunded by absolute precept , but left to christian mens free consultation , is of those which are not onely warranted in gods word , but are also commaunded by that kind of commande and precept , which i haue tearmed consultatorie . these againe are of two sorts . for either they are by such consultatorie commaundement , commaunded onely vnto priuate men ; or they are also commaunded both to priuate men and to publicke officers . of the former sort is continencie , commaunded vnto them who haue the gift thereof , in that consultatorie priuate precept math. . . he that can receiue it , let him receiue it . of the same sort is the renouncing of all wordly busines to follow the studie of christs heauenly doctrine , commaunded vnto them , vnto whom it is expedient , by that consultatorie precept , math. . . if thou wilt be perfect , goe sell thy goods , and giue them to the poore , and come follow mee . but of the latter sort is decencie of apparell , and a discreete constitution of church-orders , commanded in generall by that consultatorie precept , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : let all things be done comely and in order . of the same sort is this ordinarie penitentiall fasting , or this fasting of ordinarie repentance , wherof we now speake , cōmanded here in speciall , then shall they fast . now , as it is not in the free power of a priuate mans consultation , who hath the gift of continencie , or to whom it is most expedient to leaue the world and to follow christ , altogether to disobey christs priuate consultatorie commaunds ; as it is euident by saint paul , who saith in the . ver . of the . chap. of his . epi. to the corinthians , that it was better for him to die , then that he should take a lawfull stipend of the corinthians , which was not then expedient : so much lesse is it in the power of a publicke officer , or of the supreme magistrate , to suffer the church of god to be ruled without all outward decencie , or to disobey christ in not obseruing that , which hee hath specially commanded by this speciall consultatorie publicke commaunde : then shall they fast . and thus haue i shewed also , how things of indifferent nature , left to mans free consultation , not only by warrant of the word , but also by consultatorie priuate , or by consultatorie publicke commandement , are to be held or not to beheld , to be vnder the consultatorie power of the publicke gouernours of the church . for although those indifferent duties , which are commaunded to priuate men , onely by consultatorie priuate commaund , be to be performed by priuate men , so onely as the spirit of god in them shall exact , ( as it did of saint paul , ) their consultatorie obedience in the exact performance of them : yet those indifferent duties , which are commaunded also to publicke officers , by the speciall consultatorie publicke commaunde of christ , the most louing bridegroome of his church : these in different duties , i say , of this so speciall consultatorie publicke commaunde , cannot without neglect of dutie vnto christ their lord and maister , the only lawgiuer , able to saue and destroy , be either intermitted vpon an humour , or omitted and disannulled altogether by the publicke gouernours of christs church . the neglect of these church fasts then , in any church whatsoeuer is a token of some want of that feeling , which the church as a true louing wife should haue of the bodily absence of her louing husband : according to the speach of our sauiour in this my text : but the daies will come when the bridegroome shall be taken from them , and then shall they fast . surely as salomon saith , eccle. . . the heart of fooles , ( who laugh in the face as the apostle speaketh , . cor. . . ) is in the house of mirth , but the heart of wisemen , who laugh in the heart , & are soberly and truely wise vnto saluation , is alwaies in the house of mourning , that is ( as our sauiour heere in my text doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , doth confound and turne the tearmes of fasting , and mourning making them all one ) in the house of fasting , because it is better to goe to the house of mourning , then to the house of feasting , & because by a sad looke the heart is made better . and thus i haue assoiled the former doubt , which might worthely arise , touching the gouernours of the church , their absolute omission and repealing of all church fasts ▪ to the other doubt thus much i speake briefely , that though the fast be catholicke , as is the fast before the communion , and all our other church-fasts except two onely , that is to say , though the fast be vniuersally constituted , and decreed to be kept in all the particular churches of the world , by the vniuersall decree and sentence of an oecumenicall counsell ; yet the oecumenicall counsell doth alwaies with this prouiso decree it , that no particular church shall be further bound vnto it , then as it is an helpe and no wayes an hindrance vnto true mortification . if it be found either through the superstition of this doting old world , or through any other enormitie , wherewith sathan and mans corruption doth often staine and defile the best exercises of godlines , to be any whit preiudiciall to those holy duties of absolute necessitie , which are commanded by absolute precept ; then the practise of the best particular churches , and euen of some diocesan bishops , haue taught vs , that our righter way to obey the oecumenicall counsell is to obey rather the meaning then the bare and dead letter of their decree . i confesse that saint austin saith wisely and well , speaking of these vniuersall customes of fasting , decreed by the plenary counsel of the whole church ; si quid horū tota perorbem frequentat ecclesia , hoc quin ita faciendū sit desputare , insolentissimae insaniae est . if any of these things be vsed by the custome of the whole church , for a man to hold that such a thing ought not , or may indifferently not be done , it is a part and a tricke of most siely fondnesse and madnesse . but he giueth this reason intimated both in his words following , and in his words before going , where he had set downe his formall difference betweene particular church customes , and betwixt vniuersall church customes to be the cause of this his speeach , for that the vniuersall church neuer decreeth any thing , that is contra fidem & bonos more 's , against the faith and good maners , but the particular churches may be supposed to decree some new customes both contra fidem & bonos more 's . out of which reason we may plainely see , how saint austin did vnderstand the decrees of vniuersall counsels , and the minde of all churches , when they chanced to haue the same custome in the vse of an indifferent duty amongst them all , namely , that the intention , and minde , and meaning of the vniuersall church is this to keepe or to decree no custome , that is , contra fidem & bonos more 's : yet that his meaning is not ; neither was it the catholicke meaning of the whole church , that the customarie vse of any indifferent thing , not commaunded by absolute precept , should therefore neuer be altered , because it was once decreed by so vniuersall a decree and consent of all churches . though indeed , whilest such indifferent matters are in vigour and force , and are commanded by the church , he is worthily to be esteemed schismaticus schismate charitatis in the highest degree , who doth not obediently yeeld vnto them ; & also schismaticus schismate fidei , if he dispute against the authority of the church , in giuing out such constitutions : yet no such indifferent matters of catholick constitution and command , are to be held to be perpetual , constant , & invariable or vnalterable for euer . for that prerogatiue saint austin in the sixt chapter of the same epistle to ianuarius , attributeth onely to those customes , which either christ himselfe by speciall commaund , or his apostles from christ , haue immediatly in some part of the new testament ordained and constituted : quod nulla mor●m diuersitate variari poterunt : that they are not , nor may not bee varied or altered by any diuersitie of times or maners . which prerogatiue , i say , that the church of god vniuersall hath not ascribed nor assumed vnto her selfe or to her vniuersall customes , it is plaine , by comparing that which epiphanius writeth of the catholicke customes of his time , with the particular practise of the church of rome , and of our vvesterne churches in later times . hee testifieth constantly and plainely in the conclusion of the eighty heresie , that communiones siue synaxes fieri ordinatae sunt ab apostolis , quarta feria & prosabbato & dominica . quarta vero & prosabbato ieiunium institutum est vsque ad horam nonam . et per totum annum quidem ieiunium hoc seruatur in eadem sancta catholica ecclesia , quarta inquam feria & prosabbato vsque ad horam nonam , excepta sola pentecoste per totos quinquaginta dies , in quibus neque genua flectuntur , ( neque ieiunium imperatum est , & exceptis diebus epiphaniorum , quando christus natus est . communions were ordained by the apostles to bee receiued vpon the wednesday , friday , and the lords day . and vpon the wednesday and friday , no meate was ordained to be taken , vntill three a clocke in the afternoone . which fast vntill three a cloke in the afternoone , vpon wednesdayes and fridayes , is kept in the same holy catholicke vniuersall church , throughout the whole yeere , excepting g onely the pentecost with her fiftie dayes after easter , ( in which dayes , no knees are bowed in the church , neither is there any fast commaunded , ) and excepting the twelve dayes of christmas . in these words of epiphanius , we haue these catholicke customes set downe : first , communions receiued throughout the yeere , thrise euery weeke . . communions receiued fasting at three a clock in the afternoone . . fastings not obserued within the fiftie dayes after easter , nor within the twelue christmas dayes . . knees not bowed publikely in any church , within fiftie dayes after easter . these customes were some of them ( saith he ) set downe by the apostles themselues . k but for all this , that the church of god hath not accounted so of these customes as of apostolicke customes ordained from christ , by absolute vnvariable commaund ; as s. austin doth well admonish vs to distinguish , it is plaine , by the practise of these future ages , wherein wee neither o first keepe our communions thrice , or only thrice in the weeke , nor secondly obserue the determining and ending of our fasts vpon wednesdayes and fridayes , at three a clock in the afternoone , nor thirdly abstaine frō al fasting , and fourthly kneeling in the church within the fiftie dayes after easter . thus much to the two first and principall questions , and to the inferiour demaunds or doubts , which doe necessarily arise from vnder them . sect. iii. concerning the nature , and authoritie of this commaund , [ then shall they fast ] to the third question , who are to be commaunded the keeping of these publicke fasts of ordinary repentance , i answere easily and readily out of this next parable , that our sauiour christ would haue both the shred and the garment both the wine and the bottle , that is , both the fast and the fasters to be [ adaequatae ] to be both measurably proportioned together , to the end , they may both be preserued together . the gouernors therefore of the church , as it is plaine out of ierome and austin their epistles , haue neuer imposed harder tasks of ordinary fasting , vpon the vessels of their inferiour brethen then they themselues were either able in their sickenesse or other impotencies , or willing in their best health to vndergo . sint moderata ●eiunia , ne debilitent stomachum , saith ierome to rusticus : let thy ordinary fasts bee with moderation , and not to the weakening of thy stomacke . and in his epistle to laeta , hee setteth downe another cautionarie rule : ante annos robustae aetatis , periculosa est teneris , & grauis abstinentia : fasting is very dangerous and hurtfull to them , that are not come to their full growth . ( this growth , thomas of aquin in the . article de ieiunto , according to the order of the church in his time , defineth to be finis tertij septennij : the full age of . yeeres . ) the same aquin putteth vs in minde of a third rule , of exemption , to be added according to the analogie of the word , to the two former rules of saint ierom : non est intentio ecclesiae statuentis ieiunia , impedire alias pias & magis necessarias causas : it is not the mind or intention of the church , by appointing fasts , to disallow or hinder any other more godly and weightie matters , or necessarie causes . for the confirmation of which rule , wee may remember that which saint austin summarily setteth downe , as the common sentence and resolution of gods spirit in the church of god , and euen in those most deuout and most seuere fasters of his time . ita pietatem sedulo exercent , corporis vero exercitationem , vt ait apostolus , ad exiguum tempus pertinere nouerunt : the summe of their discreete managing of their fasts , is this , saith austin ; they doe exercise godlinesse , [ which is of absolute precept , hauing the promise of this life and of that which is to come , without which godlinesse also , all fasting is but irreligious , as hereafter i shall fully declare , when i come to speake of the right holy ends of true fasting , ] they doe exercise godlinesse attentiuely , studiously , carefully , diligently . but bodily exercise , as the apostle saith , ( saint austin hath speciall reference to ordinary fasting then practised ) they know , how it of it selfe , or in comparison of more worthy parts and exercises of the minde in godlinesse , is profitable but for a small time . these then are the termes of iust exemption from church fasts , and these two kind of persons are to be exempted from them , vpon the appearance and cleare manifestation of the iustnesse of their cause to the gouernors of the church . . laborers , and men employed in high , weightie and necessarie businesse , . all impotent persons , whether impotent in goods , fasting ieiunium ieiunij , as our diuinitie schoole speaketh , fasting for want of meat , as common beggars , and they , who are knowne to want foode , wherewith to breake their fast , when the church-fast is ended ; or impotent in body , as young folkes wanting growth , olde folkes decaying in growth , sicke folkes wanting health , and hauing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , often infirmities , and many bad fits , as bishop timothy himselfe had . sect. iiii. concerning the nature and authoritie of this commaund : [ then shall they fast ] to the fourth and last necessary question , with what rigour it is to be exacted of them , who are lyable vnto it , and with what rigour the parties delinquent are to bee punished : i answere , that as the fast of extraordinarie repentance hath beene taught , to bee oppositely distinguished from this kind of fast of ordinary repentance , whereof this commaund is directly giuen , in all those determinations already mentioned and specified in the three former questions : so in this answere , an opposite distinction is to bee made betwixt the same two kinds of fast . extraordinary sinnes , whether priuate or publicke , cannot easily be forgiuen vnto men , vnlesse they doe repent extraordinarily , and fast extraordinarily , either in priuate , for their priuate extraordinary sinnes , or in publicke , and in priuate also , for their publicke extraordinary sinnes . therefore , i haue eyther expresly , or by implication , of necessary consequence determined extraordinarie publicke fasts thus . first that they are of a solute commaunde for the mortification of extraordinarie publicke sinnes , and are absolutely commanded in the affirmatiue part of the sixt and seuenth commaundements . secondly , that the publicke gouernours of the church , are publicke murderers of themselves and their brethren , and common bauds of open sinne , and fleshly filthinesse , if they themselues both by their owne example , and also by seuere iniunction of extrarodinarie fasts , doe not presently take order , that the guilt of extraordinarie sinnes be mortified and taken away from themselues and their people , but most principally from achan , that is from the notorious sinner or sinners themselues , who with achan , zimti , cosbi , and such like , doe prouoke and incense the iealousie of christs wrath against the whole common-wealth , where they sinne notoriously . nay farther , that if sathan hath shut the eyes or inclosed vp the hearts of fleshly magistrates , so in their owne fat , and in the well liking of sinne , as that they either see not , or dare not , or will not solemnely sound ioels trumpet to call the assemblies to a publicke fast : such is the necessitie of this humiliation by extraordinarie fasting for publicke sinnes , and for the remouing of all publicke calamities , and extraordinarie iudgements whatsoeuer , as that all priuate christians that know the way of righteousnesse , are with ieremie the prophet bound [ in foro conscienciae ] by absolute commaunde to weepe , fast , pray , and drop downe teares extraordinarily euen in secret , and not onely in secret , but with those godly israelites in the fiue and twentie of numbers , when they see gods vengeance begunne , and yet moses and phinees , that is , the high magistrate , and high priest remaining still acedious or slouthful , and not begunne to doe their dutie in proclaiming a publicke fast : then also in more open view , as in their tent doores , and at the doore of the tabernacle , as it were , to shewe and signifie vnto the high priest , or high magistrate , their earnest desire of a lawfull fast in publicke . and although , it be a furious , corah like , and an anabaptisticall attempt , odious both to god and goodmen , if any priuate persons , or people being vnder the gouernement of others , doe proclaime or set vp a publicke fast : yet it is the necessarie duty of all gods people in this case , which now i haue propoūded , to stir vp & say in the publick audience of many vnto gods maiestrate or gods bishops , as those zealous iews did to ezra , the high priest in the . ch . of ezra the . ver . arise ezra . for the matter , belongeth vnto thee . we will also be with thee : be thou of comfort & do it . thirdly i haue determined , by implying a contra diuisiue opposition , in the assoiling of the third question , betwixt extraordinary fasts , and ordinarie fasts in publicke , that no importance of businesse , no impotencie of person , but onely impotentia facti ( as the canon law speaketh ) that is to say , the impotencie of fact , when there chanceth to want seasonable weather , or a conuenient place for a publicke assemblie to meete in , ( as it chanced ezr. . . . ) can exempt , or excuse the childe , that sucketh on the breast , or the olde man , that leaneth on his staffe , or the pilgrime , that is trauailing on the way , or the beggar , that liueth vpon the daily almes of good people , from bearing some part of extraordinarie humiliation and fasting , for the remouing of the guilt of extraordinarie sinne , or for the remouing of gods publicke extraordinarie vengeance . as these determinations therefore haue bin either expressed , or necessarily implied alreadie in the resolution of the three former questions , and by these determinations , much sound knowledge gained of the true and right distinction of publicke ordinarie , from publicke extraordinarie fasts : so in the resoluing and assoiling of both the articles or doubts arising , as it were , vnder the knees of this fourth and last question , touching the nature and authority of this command [ then shal they fast ] we are lastly to know , that neither the obseruation of these church fasts , or publicke ordinarie fasts is with like rigour to be exacted , nor the breach of these church fasts or publicke ordinarie fasts ( vnlesse contumacious and obstinate contempt be adioyned vnto it ) is with the like rigour to be punnished by the church gouernours , the right heires , & worthy successors of these children of the bride-chamber , as the obseruation and breach , or neglect of extraordinarie publicke fasts are . the extraordinary publicke fast , must be a separation of all persons whatsoeuer , from all worldly businesse ; which separation , is to be imployed as it were in sackcloth , & ashes , and dust cast vpon their heads , necks , loines , in the lowest both inward and outward humiliation , by lying vpon the ground , before the lord , in some publicke place of the assemblie , without all meat and sustenance , for the space of . houres at the least , after the example and demeanor of those true penitents , ioshua and his people , iosh . . . of phinees and his people , iudges . . . of samuel and his people , . sam. . . of dauid and his people , . sam. . . . . sam. . . . . . . . sam. . . . & . . chr. . . of hezekiah & his people , king. . . . of iehosaphat and his people , chron. . . . . ●. . . . of mannasses and his people , . chro. . . . . of iosias and his people , . chron. . . . of ezra and his . hundred exiles , ezra . & . of the church at ierusalem , praying solemnely for peter , in the . chap. of the acts ; lastly of tertullian , cyprian , ambrose , austin , chrysostome , leo , gregory , bernard and their christian people , whose humbliest penitentiall fasting , together with all the circumstances and whole order thereof , is faithfully and fully testified vnto vs in tertullians discourse de paenitentia , in s. cyprians godly epistles , in ambroses . bookes de pententia , in the homilies and popular sermons of chrys . austin , leo &c. and in the epistles of austin , leo , ierom , bernard . the breach of the extraordinary publicke fast , may also be punished with some grieuous or capitall punishment , as with confiscation of all the goods a man hath , and with excommunication , ezr. . cha . . ver &c. for as the transgression of one ignorant or mutinous souldier , is the destruction of the whole armie , so one impenitent achan , one sinning dauid ; as a little leauen sowreth the whole lump of dough , if his sinne or impenitencie bee notorious and publicke . dauids hath not one man sinned ? is it not i that commanded to number the people ? but these sheepe , what haue they done ? would not preuaile with god to the remouing of the destroyer . . chron . . no , no : the text saith , that the elders of israel were also clothed in sackcloth , & fell vpon their faces before the lord , as well as dauid . ahabsrenting his cloathes , putting on sackcloth , going barefoote , extraordinarie fasting , king . . beeing but a priuate extraordinary fast , preuailed with god , but for a priuate , and a partiall , not a plenary remoueall of those fearefull destructions which god had threatned against him by elias . it did iesabel his wife , and his idolatrous filthie issue , little or no good at all , because iesabel & they did not humble themselues and fast with him . the people of samaria , their seeing of iehoram their king his renting his cloathes , and his priuie wearing of his priuie coate of sackcloth , when that cruell famine was publicke , condemned them and him of deepe hypocrisie , in the sight of elizeus , accidentally extolled gods mercie , towards an ill deseruing people , magnified the office of his prophet , but did them no more good , towards the obtaining of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes , then the sight of that miraculous plentie of victuals did iehorams vnbeleeuing courtier good , who was suddenly prest and crowded to death in the gate , and saw onely the abundance of victuals , which elizeus had promised , but eat not thereof at all . in a word , all the godly kings of iuda and israel , knew and practised this absolute necessitie of extraordinarie fasting , except salomon , who was a fore type of our bridegroome : but the vngodly hypocrits , who fasting either partially with ahab , or priuily with iehoram , did all shewe themselues cold and vntoward in the practise and appointing of it , are together with their wanton and vngodly subiects , left vnto vs in the scriptures as examples of gods dreadfull vengeance vpon our christian common-wealths , if in the time of any extraordinarie notorious sinnes , or in the time of any extraordinarie iudgement vpon vs , as of the sword , famine , pestilence , our publicke gouernours , either fast not with that rigorous humiliation , in regard of all those circumstances , which i haue named , or after their proclamation of such a fast , doe not sometimes [ ad terrorem ] capitally and most seuerely punish all those enemies of the crosse of christ , who will not subiect themselues to the precise obseruance thereof . my briefe answere therefore vnto this fourth and last question , touching the rigorousnesse , to bee vsed by church gouernours in the obseruation , and in the punishing of the contempt and neglect of the obseruation of our ordinarie penitentiall fast , which we make , membrum contradiuisum & an opposite part in the diuision of fasts vnto an extraordinarie fast ; is this , that neither a whole dayes separation from all worldly busines , and the consuming of an whole day in publicke prayer , before the lord , and as it were in sackcloth , dust , ashes , in lying vpon the ground , or in hearing the word preached , is to be exacted in the obseruation thereof , nor any capitall punishment is to be inioyned vpon them , that being liable vnto it , doe through infirmitie , and not malitiously , nor schismatically breake it . as epiphanius telleth vs , some godly ones in his time did indeede in their priuate houses vpon their church fasting dayes lie vpon the ground , and bestow the whole night in prayer , other ( as i spake of iehoram ) did sew sackcloth to their loynes , next to their skinne , as a priuate coate knowne only vnto god , & not vnto man , other did separate themselues for the space of . houres from all worldly busines : but none of them did any of these things in the publicke congregation , nay ( he saith ) that the publicke gouernours of his time , would not suffer sackcloth to be worne openly and outwardly vpon the , ordinarie fast dayes . and touching the too seuere punishing of the delinquents , either by confiscation of all the goods a man hath , or by death , or by that which is more grieuous then death , by excommunication as ionathan saide of his father king saul , his rash and tyrannicall folly , both in tying the people by an oath to his ordinarie fast in the pursuite of the philistines , and especially in threatning death vnto ionathan , for reaching a little honie in his faintnesse with the end of his speare , my father hath troubled israel this day : so surely the superstitious fathers and gouernours of the romish church , haue troubled gods israel , and rather weakened their faith , then any whit strengthened thē by ordinarie fasting , in their christian pursuite of their spirituall philistines , the sinnes of their flesh , who for their peoples tasting so much as a little water before the communion , doe for that day excommunicate them , as it were , and denie the communion vnto them , saying that they are damned , if they receiue it not fasting , or doe so persecute them by censures , and other punishments for eating an egge , milke , cheese , butter , or any lactici●ia , that is , any kind of white meates , comming of the cow in their lent-fasts , or in any other ordinarie church-fast whatsoeuer , as that they make poore people through trouble of conscience , and distresse of minde to be wearie of their liues , and to serue god with an vncheerefull heart . and thus you haue the nature , and authoritie of this command [ then shall they fast ] together with the differences of the kind of fast thereby commaunded from all other kinds of fast clearely and fully determined . now followeth the second necessarie part of my declaration of this text , namely , as this command , [ then shall they fast , ] is further determined by christ , both in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which do further command the seueritie of these disciplinary publicke fasts , or church-fasts , and also in the synonymall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , then shall they mourne , which doth further commande the euangelicall holinesse of gospel church-fasts , or of church-fasts vnder the gospel , which ought now to be farre more holy , as it is plaine by that which christ immediately addeth in the next parable , then the paedagogicall , disciplinarie , ordinarie penitentiall church fasts , either of the prophets , or of iohns disciples , or of the pharisees vnder the law had euer beene . chap. iii. of the other general part. touching obedience vnto this commaund , [ then shall they fast ] as the qualitie thereof is further determined , in the words [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ] first , the seueritie of church-fasts , or of ordinary penitentiall fastes , vnder the gospel , commaunded heere by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , [ then shall they fast much ] doth require my orthodoxall and sound answere vnto these three necessary questions : how long the shortest fast is to bee continued ; how the howres of such fasts are to bee bestowed ; with what moderation , and with what kind of meates they are to be broken , when they are ended . to the first question i answere , that the shortest and weakest church-fast , is to continue houres . looke ouer all the examples of religious fasting , either in the booke of god , or in the stories of the church , and you shall finde this plaine , that if any man , from supper time to supper time , or from dinner time to dinner time , tooke any thing ad nutritionem , for the nourishment of his body , vnlesse it were a little anniseed , or a moderate draught of ordinary drinke , ad digestionem & depellendam vertiginem . onely for the remoouing of raw humours , from his cold , weake and queazie stomcke , or for the expelling of winde , causing giddinesse in the head , he was censured to loose the religion of his fast for that day . our mourning for sinne , which alwayes accompanies religious fasting , is very weake , if it breake vs not both of our meales and also of our sleepe for one day . the godly monasteries in saint austins time , when the church of god was indeed the right house of mourning , and kept as it were , her continuall funerals of sinne , sowing in teares , that they might reape with ioy , had in each of them seuerally , three thousand godly persons at the least , and those euen lay men also , who after the example of saint austin himselfe , and of all the deuout cleargie men of those times , kept this shortest fast of twenty foure houres , and eate but one meale a day throughout the whole yeere , keeping besides ( if occasion were giuen ) their extraordinary fasts after the example of esther and saint paul , esther . . act. . . three daies and three nights together , that is , seuentie two houres , without either meat or drinke , or any kind of bodily sustenance . sect. ii. to the second question i answere , that first prayers , and especially those mournefull prayers , which we call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or supplications , are alwayes to be ioyned solemnely with church-fasts of ordinary repentance , and priuately with our priuate fasts of ordinary repentance ; otherwise it is no religious fast , but onely a prophane fast . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : saith christ in this anticipation [ then shall they fast and make supplications , luk. . . . ] secondly , vnto our prayers & supplications , wee are alwayes to ioyne almes ; beatus est , qui ieiunat , vt alat pauperem . blessed is he from christ , who fasteth not , nor putteth lesse into his owne bellie , that he may put lesse also into the pot , and more into his chest , but doth fast , with a mind to ●east the poore , and to bee able to put more into the poore mans bellie and purse : is the speech of one of the apostles , deliuered by tradition , and reported vnto vs by saint cyrill . thirdly , vpon that day , whereon we fast , we ought , after the example of the iewes , in those their foure church-fasts , held all the time of their seuentie yeeres captiuitie in babylon , to separate our selues precisely from al bodily pleasures , and fleshly delights of gaming , dicing , carding , horse-racing ; from all light exercises of bowling , hawking , hunting , foot. ball-play and such like , and ( as saint paul . cor. . . hath counselled vs ) from our wiues , and ( as the better churches of christ did , for the space of the first thousand yeers , in their chiefest solemne fasts ) euen from our naturall sleepe . for they watched often in prayer , either at the beginning or ending of their fasts ; or at the crowing of the second cocke , which they vsually called s. peters cocke ; did rise out of their beds , to weepe with saint peter , for their sinnes , alwaies keeping their soules waken out of the dead deepe of sinning to death , through fleshly presumption , alwayes listening to heare the soft stealing and comming of the feet of the thiefe of the night , the day of iudgement vpon them , ; alwayes hathening , and zealously desiring to heare the first sound of the last trumpet of god ; the first descending of our lord from heauen with a showt ; the first word of the voice of the archangell , crying , surgite mortui , & venite ad iudicium : arise yee dead , and come vnto iudgement . as for our worldly businesse and ordinary labours in our christian callings , we are not , when we fast these ordinary fasts , so absolutely and totally to abstaine and separate our selues from them , as wee are from all worldly pleasures and fleshly delightes . those religious monasteries , consisting of three thousand lay-men in s. austins time , haue taught vs by their example , how farre to relinquish our worldly businesse in these fasts . for they fasting and eating but one meale a day through the yeere , rather gayned then lost time from their necessarie labours . they had indeed euery day throughout the yeere , a learned and godly sermon , made vnto them about three a clocke in the afternoone , before they broke their fast ( which was their supper ) by the learned and godly father of their monastery . but all the other howres from sun-rise , they had first bestowed in those their seuerall labours , which their decani , their deanes appointed as taske-masters ouer euery tenne of them , had inioyned them , and whereof the deanes gaue vp their iust account euery night after breake-fast vnto the father of the monastery . and surely , it is reported by saint austin , that god so blessed their industriousnesse in their daily labours , that they did not onely not liue vpon the sweat of other mens browes , as our popish secular moncks , and irregular regulars , haue done these many ages ; but they also yeerely maintained the poore saints of christ in other places , and ( as he saith ) sent ouer whole ships euery yeere , laden and fraught with linnen , money , cloth and other commodities , which they freely gaue away to the reliefe of those , whom they heard of to be impouerished , banished or imprisoned for the gospel . sect. iii. to the third question i answere , according to old saint martin , that godly famous bishop , who liued in godly iustinian that famous emperors time , his disciplinarie rule of deuotion ; that as our ordinary religious fasts , so also their breake fasts ought indeede to bee [ seuera , but yet not saua ] : they ought to be seuere , but they may not be sauage , neither sauage by too hastie and gluttonous rauening vpon the crea●ures of god , which are first offered to the pray of our hungrie appetites , as the greedie people did at the end of sau●s fasts , who being sharpe sete at the flesh with the blood contrarie to moses law , and and fasting two meales made their third meale a glutton ; nor yet sauage by aquins superstitious abstinence [ ab onis & lactio●●ijs ] from egges , and all white meates , which abstinencie was but a temporarie constitution of one particular church , the church of rome , and ought not therefore by a grosse kind of iudaisme , and donatisine to hold all other particular churches obnoxious vnto it . the strongest bodies and deuoutest mindes , haue broke their fasts , alwayes with the two austere dishes of continence , and abstinence , & haue contented themselues ( as those forenamed monasteries did ) with [ parca , and vilissima ] with a very spare diet , which was their continence , and with a very homely and course diet , which was their abstinence . saint austen hath this apostrophe to christ in his tenth booke of confessions , the . chapter . hoc me docuisti , domine iesu , vt quemadmodum medicamenta ; sic alimenta sumpturus accedam , o lord iesus , thou hast taught mee farre otherwise from that which i had learned in the schoole of manichaus , namely , that i should come to the taking of my meate , as to the taking rather of a necessary medicine to keepe me from sicknesse and from death , then as to the taking either of cates to feed me , or of delicates to delight me . and out of this . chapter de morib . manichaeorum , it is euident , that this ordinary fare was one meale a day throughout the yeare , consisting of lardum & olusculae cum duabus veltribus meracissimi vini potionibus : a little brewesse of fatte bacon , and a few roots drunken downe with two or three moderate draughts of the thinnest & smallest wine , which in those south-countries ( as plutarch informeth vs in catone maiore ) was the common labourers wine . saint hierom saith in his epistle to nepotian , that fortissimum ieiunium est panis & aquae ; the strongest and deuoutest fast is that , which is broken with bread and water only . daniels , ananiahs , misaels , azariahs ordinarie in babylon was beane bread and water . if any man say , that this their ordinarie was miraculous and extraordinarie : let vs heare what daniell saith of his vsuall fasting , when now he was a great prince , and had changed his beane bread , and water , into wheat bread and wine , dan. . . . i daniel was in heauinesse three weekes of dayes , i eate no pleasant bread , neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth . lastly , our sauiour christ the bridegroome , in the time of this first day of the mariage of the lambe , howsoeuer at other mens mariage or feasting dayes , he turned their water into wine , and ( as it is likely ) being bidden to their feasts , did partake somtimes with them in eating of the fatte ( as nehemiah speaketh . . ) & in drinking of the sweet , yet had he for his common ordinary fare ( as it is probable out of the fourth and sixt of iohn ) nothing else but water for his drinke , and a little barley bread and with it sometimes a few fishes for his meate : yet notwithstanding , this seuerity by continent & abstinent breakefast vsed by christ , and his holy ones these children of his bride-chamber and their successors ; they kept themselues i say , from all sauagenesse : for they first had alwayes dîligentiam salutis to vse saint austins tearmes : they had alwayes a speciall care of their bodily health ; and their greatest fasters , ( as anna the prophetesse , who liued . yeares at the least , s. hierom , who liued . yeares , saint chrysostome , and s. ambrose , who liued aboue fourescore yeares , saint austin who liued threescore and sixteene yeares &c. ) were their longest liuers . secondly , they breake their fasts alwaies with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and trueth : the old pharisaiecal and herodian leauen either of malice and wickednesse ▪ or of couetousnesse and niggardlinesse , or of hypocrisie and fraudulencie , or of superstition and fond deuotion , was not to be seene in any of their dwellings , where they kept their religious fasts . of their charitie , when they fasted , saint austin giueth this worthy testimonie , charitatem violare , tanquam deum , nefas au●itur : to breake the rule of charitie , is accounted with them , as if one should offer violence to god himselfe . and therefore the deuoutest fasters , such as were their clergie men , who neither p eate flesh , nor q dranke wine , when they fasted , miscensured not , nor thought any whit worse of them , who were not either able or willing to hold out in the seueritie of fasting with them : nemo vrgebatur in aspera , quae ferre non potuit ; nulli , quod recusauit , imponebatur ; nec ideo condemnabatur acaeteris , quod in ijs se imitandis fateretur inualidum : no man amongst them , was vrged to endure more , then he was well able to endure ; nay , no man had any hardnes imposed vpon him , which he refused or was any thing vnwilling vnto : neither was hee any whit worse thought on by the rest , because he plainely bewraied and confessed , that he was not able to goe with them or follow them , in the seueritie of their disciplinary exercise of true mortification , their godly and seuere fasting , he addeth yet further a memorable note , of the kindelinesse of their christian charitie , where he saith ; that quibusdam languidioribus humanissime ac modestissimé praeberi vinum faciunt , & stulté nonnullos recusantes fraterné admonent , ne vana superstatione debiliores citius quàm sanctiores fiant : they did cause wine to bee giuen most kindely and courteously vnto some of the weaker minded and feebler bodied brethren : and when some weake ones nicely and foolishly refused it , they did brotherly warne them to take heed , lest through fond and deceitfull superstition , they made themselues by their religious and nice abstinence , sooner to become weaker in their bodies , then any whit holier in their minds . of their auoyding of the very suspition of couetousnesse and niggardlinesse , when they fasted , leo his godly sermons made concerning [ legitima ieiunia ] these law-fasts or church-fasts as he termeth them ▪ are an immortall and euerlasting witnesse . in distributione eleemosynarum & pauperum curâ nostra pinguescunt ieiunia . deliciae nostrae sunt opera pietatis . our fasts are fatted with bestowing of almes and prouiding for the poore . our delicates are the works of pitie and mercifulnesse . of their common detestation of hypocrisie and fraudulencie , vsed in fasting , saint ierome in his epistle to nepotian , where he saith , that melius est haec ommia in mente portare quàm in corpore , vt ostentui habeantur : a man doth much better , to fast inwardly in his mind onely , then to fast out wardly in body , to the end , he may get glory by it . quid prodest oleo non vesci & molestias quasdam difficultatesque ciborum qu●rere , caricas , piper , nuces , palmarum fructus , similam , mel , pistacia ? tota hortorum cultura vexatur , vt cibario non vescamur pane . what doth it better a man to make a false shew of fasting , by abstaining from a grosser and feebler kind of mea● , and at the same time notwithstanding to eate fine and lustier meates ? what doth it better a man not to eate oyle , and yet to search out the most curious dainties , which are both troublesome to the cooke to dresse , because he hath not beene acquainted with so strange eates , and also very hard to come by in the whole side of a countrie , as the caricke figs , so much commonded by iulian the apostata , the costliest pepper , almonds , dates , the finest flowre , bread called simnels , hony , and the most daintie bladder nuts , vsed by wantons to prouoke lust ? what a madnesse is this ? we doe not onely trouble and vexe our selues , our caterers , cooks and other seruants , but we do trouble and vexe nature , by forcing her in our orchards and gardens , to bring forth some kinde of feed or fruit , which we may eat in stead of our ordinary bread , from the which , in our fasts , wee are commanded by the church to abstaine : and from which , daniel and the holy ones of god haue abstained in their ordinary fasts . lastly , of their hating superstitious and foolish abstinence , with a perfect hatred , saint austins learned and large discourses against the manichaeans , [ delicata abstinentia , as erasmus doth fitly terme it ] are a plentifull witnesse . for the mad , mannichaeans did , as our fond superstitious papists doe at this day , absteine altogether from flesh ( yea and from wine too , which the papists doe not : ) but yet euen in their deuoutest fasts , they glutted them selues with the costliest banketting dishes , and with other the strongest drinkes , that their parasiticall caterers , apothecaries , brewers could possibly deuise to prouide for them in the whole country , where they liued . so that , as cato in plutarch complaineth of the bellie-gods of rome in his time ; the same might truely haue beene spoken of the epicurisme of the mannichaeans , and may be truely verified at this day of the romish cleargie , making their bellie their god , and their glory their shame ; more is giuen for some daintie strang fish , then for a sed oxe . to shut vp therfore my answer to this third question , touching the seuerity of church-fasts , namely with what moderation they are to be broken and what abstinence is fittest to be vsed , when we break them : the practise of the saints of god , wherewith i haue now confirmed my answere , that the breaking of them ought to bee seuere but not sauadge , is sufficient to resolue and settle him , who hath any wit in his head , and is not fondly contentious . and surely heerein i cannot but by the way greatly commend the good wisedome , and happinesse of the gouernours of our english church , euer since the puritie of gods truth , and the ancient maners of the best ancient churches , and counsells haue beene restored and reformed in it . for who seeth not , how wisely and happily they haue with those ancient fathers seene and shewed vnto the world : quid intersit ( to vse still saint austin● words ) inter portum religionis & sirenas superstitionis : what necessary difference there is betwixt the hauen of true religion , and betwixt the syrens or the syrenian rockes of popish superstition . the papists had so nuzled vs vp in the admiration of their church authoritie , as that the people of this land , thought their decrees to bee the very vnuariable oracles , decrees and customes of the sonne of god , and that to disobey them was as mortall a sinne , as to breake the absolute commandements of the morall law . whereas therefore at this day we are commanded to fast vpon the wednesdayes , and fridayes , &c : our church gouernours doe teach vs , that this commaund is to bee obeyed as an exercise of religion , commanded conditionally by christ , as pertaining to the well being of that mortification , which is absolutely commaunded by him . but in that we are commaunded , when wee breake our fasts at night ( for our gouernours would haue vs to follow the example of better times and not to eate any thing [ adnutritionē ] for the space of twentie foure houres , ) in that i say , we are commanded when wee breake our fasts at night to absteine from flesh , and to eate fish ; our church gouernours doe set downe this distinct kinde of abstinence , and this positiue commaunde , what in speciall we shall eate , not as an exercise of religion , but as an exercise of our ciuill obebience to the ciuill magistrate , whom for conscience sake also , & that euen to the shedding of our dearest heart blood , much more in the restraint of shedding the blood of sheepe , calues , bullockes , and in the killing seething and broyling of a few seelie fishes , we are to obey as the vndoubted deputie of christ . so that turbae imperitorum , quae vel in ipsa vera religione superstiosae sunt ( as saint austin saith of them ) the vnlearned frie of multitudes , who are still prone to superstition ( especially in this old doting age of the decrepit dimsighted world ) euen in those churches of christ , where the truth of religion is taught most reformedly and sincerely , cannot nowe in england fast superstitiously , though they would , nor any longer in a stubburne minde , to shewe their good will towards the church of rome ▪ and their traiterous hearts against the church of england , vpon out fasting dayes absteine from egges , & white meates , as it is an abstinence inioyned superstitiously in the church of rome , a particular church and not the catholicke church of our creed , no wayes at all binding their consciences , who are not visible members of the same particular church . sect. iiii. to the fourth question , touching the seuere obeying of this commaunde of disciplinarie ordinarie fasts , as it is further determined by saint lukes , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [ then shall they mourne , pray , fast often : ] i answere , that although many religious men euen to the number of three thousand together in each monasterie , haue fasted all the yeare through , and although in regard of the great necessitie of our common and ordinarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bee taken by vs of our inordinate appetite , whereby adam and eue did first transgresse , & brought this miserable estate of sin & the wrath of god vpon vs , their posterity , it were to be wished , as not onely diogenes an heathen man , but also saint hierom one of christs saints sometimes wished , that we could alwaies fast and liue without meate : yet the church of god considering the frailtie and weaknesse of man , haue thought their obedience to bee acceptable vnto christ , and answerable inough vnto this his consultatorie commaunde , if they appointed fasts at some times onely , and not at all times of the yeare . these fasts ( briefely ) are either conceptiua ieiunia ( to borrowe tearmes [ docendi causa ] from macrobius ) or they are statiua & stata ieiunia . conceptiua ieiunia are fasts appointed at an vncertaine . such were those primitiue fasts , sacrorum ordinum , appointed and kept first at an vncertaine , by these children of the bride-chamber , these neere attendants of christ , these blessed apostles . for it is plaine , out of the . and . of the acts that because the church of god was then as noahs arke , floating vpon the waters of affliction , and was as the doue of noahs arke , carrying the oliue branch of spirituall peace and rest in her mouth , but finding no bodily peace or rest , for the rest and abode of the sole of her foot ; therefore they could set no certaine time for the fast of holy orders , when they either ordained or instituted ministers . statiua ieiunia are fasts appointed at a certaine : such were those foure fasts kept euery yeere , all the time of the seuentie yeeres captiuitie in babylon , mentioned zachar. . . & . . such are at this day all church-fasts , whether they be catholicke and vniuersall , commanded and frequented by all churches , ( as is the fast before the communion : this fortie dayes fast of lent , howsoeuer in diuers circumstances very variable : the fasts of holy orders , termed also ieiunia quae ●or temporum , of the spring , summer , autumne , winter quarters : the fasts in vigilijs praecipuarum festiuitaturo , that is to say , vpon the chiefe saints dayes euens , and the weekely fasts of wednesdaies and fridayes , appointed first , as epiphanius and austin tell vs , to put vs in continuall remembrance of my text , and of the causes of our bridegroomes first taking away from vs. ) or whether they be locall and particular fasts ; such as is the fast of saturday , which in saint ambrose time was kept euery weeke , at rome , and in all africa beyond the sea , but was not kept at millaine , where saint ambrose himselfe was bishop , nor in any of the easterne churches . such as is also our new ember-weeke fast in rogation weeke , which is kept within the fiftie dayes after easter ; within which dayes , as cyrill , austin , epiphanius , doe all ioyntly witnesse , no church in their time did fast at all . thus haue we the diuision of the frequent or often fasting , commanded and commended vnto vs by christ himselfe , in this consultatorie precept , [ then shall they fast often ] and thus haue the gouernours of the church of christ , from age to age , continued their obedience vnto the commaund of their bridegroome , by commanding straightly , and practising seuerely , all these legitima ieiunia , as leo an ancient father termeth them , besides their voluntaria ieiunia , ( as he also speaketh ) their voluntarie priuate fasts , which after the example of cornelius in the . of the acts , and of saint paul , . cor. . . and . cor. . . they daylie imposed vpon themselues in their priuate houses . amongst these church-law-fasts , ( as leo calleth them ) the catholicke fasts , not onely by reason of their vniuersallitie and antiquitie vltramemoriall ; ( for euen in regard of their antiquitie , many of the fathers haue dared to call them apostolicall ) but also by reason of the weighty causes and speciall holy ends , for the which they were first ordained , haue beene held in highest account , and kept with greatest seueritie , but amongst these catholicke and vniuersall fasts , the fast before the communion hath beene of greatest religiousnesse ; next vnto it , the fasts of holy orders , and of these , the most religious hath been , the fast of the seuenth moneth , in which moneth onely , amongst all the moneths of the yeere , god commanded his people of israel , by speciall absolute precept , to keepe their feast of reconciliation with fasting , from euentide to euentide , because ( as leo and some other fathers not improbably haue imagined ) vpon that very same tenth day of september , adam and eue did first transgresse in paradise , by eating the forbidden fruit . next vnto these in account , haue beene the fasts of lent , especially of caput quadragesima , which wee call ashwednesday , and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which we cal good-friday fast . for vpon these dayes , not onely the competentes or catechameni , and the publicke or priuate extraordinary penitents , but euen euery deuout christian in the time of the fathers , if not openly , as the extraordinary penitents and competentes had , yet priuily ( as before i noted concerning iehoram ) had sacke-cloth or haire cloth sewed about their loynes : lastly , the next vnto these , of principall account , were the fasts [ in vigilijs praecipuarum festiuitatum ] the fasts held vpon the chiefe saints daies eeuens , as it is plaine out of leo his sermons , de ieiunio decimi mensis , and out of the homilies and sermons of ambrose , austin , bernard and others . for to the end they might humbly and reuerently prepare themselues vnto the blessed and ioyfull keeping of christmas , and other high festiuall daies , they did solemnely and publickely bestow the whole nights in prayer , and in singing of psalmes , and in hearing the word of god preached or read vnto them . surely , ( to the iust condemnation of our fleshly and more dissolute times i speake it ) those ancient fathers and their people , in whom there was that primitiue vigour of the spiritous new wine of the gospel , did keepe these and other their ordinary and voluntary fasts , with farre greater humiliation of their soules and bodies before god , then wee at this day , or rather dead night of all christian godlinesse , doe keepe our most piacular extraordinary fasts , when the sword , famine , pestilence , or other more grieuous causes and curses haue smitten vs downe to the place of dragons . and yet they neuer fainted , or were any thing at all wearie , with the weekely ( if not daily ) obseruance of them , neither did they intermit or loose any time , but rather gayned time for the following of the necessary workes of their outward callings . so truely , so wisely , so zealously obedient were they , in the most seuere practise of this commandement [ then shall they mourne , fast , pray and make supplications often . ] the hypocriticall , foolish , filthy & wanton breach or ignorance of which commaundement amongst vs christians at this day , in all the churches of the world , is , as the poet speaketh , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the vnhappy mother of all disobedience , atheisme , barbarisme , which now doe grow so fast vpon this delicious last age of this second vngodly world , the gluttonous and fleshly humorousnesse whereof , must very shortly bee dried & licked vp with the fire of gods last vengeance . sect. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 math. . . there now remaineth but one thing more to be added , for the full and faithfull explanation of this text , and of this whole doctrine , concerning euangelicall fasts ; that is , their holinesse intimated in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mourne , & defined in the next parable to bee farre aboue the holinesse of legall , propheticall , or more then propheticall fasts . for our sauiour christs gospell fasts commaunded heere , and commended in the next parable must be , as newe cloth fit to mend a decay in the best and strongest deuotioned mindes , and as newe wine to bee contained onely in the best seasoned and holiest , and purest vessels , or bottels of his spirit . in a word , they must not therefore bee defined and esteemed to be truely religious and holy , because both fasting and abstinence , are phisicionall , and very wholsome for mans body , ( for then aurelian the heathen emperour , who hauing a strong body is chronicled to haue cured all the ordinarie diseases of his body by much fasting , might haue beene canonized for a saint ; ) nor because they are very praiseable amongst men , and very commodious to common-wealths . ( for then the philosophers , and the niggards fastings might be accompted religious ; ) nor because god hates the flesh or fatte of our bodies ( for then baals fanaticall priests , and the mad mannichaeans might haue beene in the number of holy fasters ; ) nor yet , ex opere operato , because they are fasts , or because they are seuere fasts ( for then catilin that famous traytor , as salust witnesseth of him , and asses , and mules , as saint austin sheweth , might carrie away the prize , and praise of holy fasting from vs ; ) nor because they are commaunded by god without all specifying of their holy end , without the which they being things indifferent , and not simply or actually good of themselues , cannot bee saide to haue any constitutiue forme of holinesse ( for then the abstinence from swines flesh , &c. and the old vnprofitable shreds , or the old fugient low running sowre wine of phansaicall fasting might now haue beene worth the applying to new garments , and the putting into new bottels , and might still haue beene in good request with christ for the children of his bride-chamber ; ) nor because wee absteine from egges , and all white meates , & therein canonically obey the false catholicke church of rome , ( for that were with the donatists to bring in iudaisme againe , and to make the church of rome , which is but one particular church , and at the best but one part only , of the whole body of the catholicke church in our creed , to be the only catholicke church : ) nor because our gospell fasts are perfit vertues , or bona opera primi meriti , properly meritorious either ex congruo or ex condigno , as the blind owles of the vncleane eage of poperie haue not beene ashamed to teach in their supererogatorie schoole diuinitie ( for then these very children of the bride-chamber might worthilie haue fasted , whilst the bridgroome stayed in person with them ; ) for none of these seauen profane ends ( i say ) must or ought the gospell fasts of christ to be esteemed religious . but then , then and onely then they become indeede the fasts , which christ hath chosen as his new shreds , and new wine fit for the new vessels of his spirit , when they haue all these sixe holy ends , or some of the chiefest of them propounded vnto them . the first formall end sanctifying our gospell fast , is hartie mourning , and humbling of the soule before god , both in the sensitiue soule , and also more especially in the two parts of the will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the desire and motion , which are the proper seates of concupiscence , the foster mother of all sinne . in this regard , fasting hath beene counted by the fathers one of our christian nailes of mortification , whereby our flesh is nailed to christs crosse , and saint ambrose cals fasting , venenum vitiorum , the poison of vices . for as he saith , that the naturall serpent is found by experience , to bee kild oftentimes by licking vp the spittle of one , that is fasting : so we that are of yeares , doe find by experience , that the spirituall serpent , the deuils suggestions , and these common vices of drunkennesse , gluttonie , basenesse , timerousnesse , venereousnesse , wantonnesse against christ , lightnesse , inconstancie , pride , talkatiuenesse , blasphemies , forgetfulnesse of god & his wrath against sinne , ignorance of our selues and our betters ( for as it is pro. . . a seruant , when he reigneth : and a foole , when his bellie is full , who is able to beare ? ) we , i say , that are of yeares , doe find by experience , that all these vices are soone ouercommed , and killed in vs by the through decoction of the superfluous abounding humours of melancholie , choler , rheume , sanguineousnes , in our discreet and religious fastings . the second end , is the fatting of the soule with the chiefest christian vertues . etsi ieiumium perfecta virtus non sit : est tamen fundamentum virtutum omnium : although fasting be no perfit vertue , saith saint hierom , yet it is a foundation vnto all vertues . semper virtuti cibus est , saith leo in his second sermon , de ieiunio decimi mensis : it is alwayes as foison and nourishment to vertue . and in his first sermon de quadragesima : parum est si carnis substantia tenuatur & animae fortitudo non alitur : it is to small purpose , if the flesh be abated by fasting , and yet the vertue and constancie of the minde be nothing better fed . temperance , patience , humilitie , tolerance , hardinesse to indure famin in time of persesecution , when with master bradford , wee shall bee brought to an egge a day , and to eate mice , as our banished saints did at strasborough , in the dayes of queene marie , especially our right christian fellow-feeling both what christ himselfe suffered for our sinnes , when he hungred in the wildernesse , and dieted himselfe with barly bread and water , in villages and townes with his disciples , and also what our poore brethren , our fellow-members in christ doe indure , when in a most vncharitable age , they are driuen to runne to the water kit for their drinke , and to the beane-stacke for their bread . these and many other vertues and graces of gods spirit , are bred and fed in vs by fasting . for this outward fasting in the body , is the cause of that , which our church-homily calleth the inward or spirituall fasting , and the saints of god in those ancient prime-dayes of godlinesse , did more especially vse fasting , as an helpe of their deuotions these three wayes . first , ( as saint cyrill testifieth ) they vsed it to make them the better able to keepe their vowes of chastitie . secondly ( which was their most common vse of fasting ) they vsed it , as saint chrysostome did , to the eleuation of their vnderstanstandings , and to raise vp their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . their earthly drooping thoughts vnto the meditation of the highest heauenly misteries and happinesse . thirdly they vsed it commonly for the more holy and happie preparing of their soules and bodies , not onely , to the worthy receiuing of the holy communion , but also vnto all other great and weightie employments , wherein gods glory , and the good of many , was principally procured . ezra , when he led seuenteene hundred of the iewes his brethren , out of babylon to ierusalem , he first proclaimed a fast , & caused them all to fast with him , to the ende , that god might defend and prosper them in their iourney towards ierusalem . nehemias , when hee attempted that great hazard , in desiring arlaxerxes fauour , to repaire the walles and the houses of ierusalem , he first fasted and prayed . saint iohn the euangelist , when hee began to write his gospell , he first fasted and prayed , and caused ( as some report ) the whole church of ephesus to fast and pray with him . saint paul , that chosen vessell , when hee was now to preach that gospell , which afore hee had persecured to the death , first fasted and prayed three dayes and three nights together . the apostles , these children of the bride-chamber , when they first ordained or instituted ministers , they first fasted and prayed . lastly , our glorious sauiour , the holy one of god , when hee first began his publicke ministerie and worke of our redemption , fasted his fortie dayes and fortie nights fast in the wildernesse , and as it is probable ( out of the sixt of luke . verse ) afore hee called his twelue apostles , and sent them forth to the publicke function of their apostleship , hee first had spent a whole day and a whole night in fasting and prayer vpon that mountaine , where hee gaue that long charge , and made that long sermon , recorded in so many places , by the three euangelists , matthew , marke , luke , vnto them the third end of religious fasting , is the more cōmodious maintenance of the state of christendom , especially of our poore hunger starued neighbours , who bring vp themselues and their children most barbarously , basely and vnchristianly in these last dayes of sinne , by reason that their gluttonous land-lords , without feare feeding themselues , doe so in their gurmaundizings liue to eate , and not eate to liue , as that they eate and spend more at one meale , then would find their poore tenant , his wife , children , seruants , their common finding , an whole twelue moneth together . nature , and the god of nature , the father of our lord iesus christ , who giueth vs al things abundantly to possesse , hath not giuen vs ( as master caluin saith ) his greene herbe , his bladder-nut ; his fish , sowle , pullen ; his oile , corne , wine ; his calues , beeues , sheepe , swine , and other more noble creatures then these : as those quailes and that manna to the israelites , in this wildernesse of sinne , to rauen wildely and vnsatiably like mercilesse vermin , vultures , woolues , kites , vpon them , or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , contumeliously and riotously to abuse them at our pleasure : but ( as nemesius an ancient greeke father telleth vs ) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the filling of the gomer and reasonable measure of our necessary and temperate appetite . we cannot then haue aboundance , no , nor sufficiencie of maintenance , in this swilling-tankerd-tinkerly drunken time , where all goes vp for the filling of the bladder and the guts [ not in requisita naturae , as tacitus speaketh ; but according to seneca's termes , in effusa & reliquias ventris ] we cannot possibly , i say , haue any meane sufficiencie of common maintenance , for our selues and christs poore , vnlesse some men and women in the world haue very frugall bellies , and doe fast euery other day . for nature beeing measured and proportioned by gods nomber , line and measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely , onely for the honest reliefe and sustenance of the moderate appetite of his reasonable creatures , and yet not one man being found amongst a thousand , who contenteth himselfe with this his gomer or dimensum , that is , with this his necessary allowance and stint allotted him by god , but euery man seeking with diues in the gospell , to fare deliciously and courtly euery day , without intermission , giuing ( as prudentius our christian famous lyricke speaketh ) no rest at all to his iawes , stomacke , bellie , which are tyred with their continuall gorges : it commeth to passe , that nature becomes often defectiue vnto vs , and diogenes is proued too true a man of his word , that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mans belly is the notable priuy thiefe and deuouring guife of all mans necessary prouision , so that many vnnecessary dearths are stil broght vpō vs christians our selues , who are christs inheritance , and christs houshold , and who should otherwise ( no doubt ) haue meat enough in due season giuen vnto vs. therefore beatus est , qui ieiunat , vt alat pauperem , the state of things being thus , blessed is that man , who thinketh to sanctifie his fast , with this holy end , and considereth the poore and needie , when he fasteth to feast them . is not this the fast , that i haue chosen ( saith god isa . . . . ) to loose the bands of wickednesse , to take of the heauie burdens of rent raising , and rent racking , to let the oppressed goe free , and that yee breake euery yoke ? is not this my fast to deale thy bread to the hungrie , to bring the poore , that wander , vnto thy house ? when thou seest the naked , that thou couer him , and bide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh ? god would haue his fast to be a iubilee fast . the fourth worthy end of our ordinarie fasting , is by it and in it to shew our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our ordinarie & hartie indignation , & reuenge against that our first parents adam and eue , their sinning by their inordinate and immoderate appetite of that forbidden tast , of the fruite of the tree of knowledge , of good and euill . as i haue alreadie declared , god himselfe seemeth to haue propounded this end to that his speciall anniuersary fast , which he so straitely charged the israelites to keepe vpon the tenth day of september . hoc tempu● habemus aptissimum sanationi illius vulneris quod nobi● inflictum est in prima vetiti degustatione , quod tempus ieiunandi & apostolicis & legalibus institutis videmus electum . this time of fasting in the seauenth moneth ( saith leo serm. . de ieiunio septimi mensis ) we haue as the fittest time wherein to cure that wound , which was giuen vs all in that first tast of the forbidden fruite ; which time also we see , was chosen both by the constitutions of the apostles , and by the institution of the law of moses . cum enim per illecebram cibi irrepserit prima causa peccati , quo salubriore dei munere vtatur redempta libertas , quam vt nouerit abstinere a concessis , quae fraenare se nesciuit a vetitis ? and seeing ( as the same leo excellently reasoneth in his sermon de ieiunio pentecostes ) that the first cause of sinne crept in through the alluring baite of necessary food , what more wholesome gift of gods gracious spirit can our redeemed libertie , of eating all the herbes in our gardens , vse in remedie of the abuse of that partiall and halfe demili-bertie of eating but some things in that garden of eden , then that it knowe and remember alwayes to bee able , and willing to abstaine from things lawfull and granted , which remembred not to refraine it selfe at the first from things vnlawfull and forbidden ? quo enim seueriores in nos sunius & aeriore censura quaestionem habemus de peccatis nostris , eo debemus sperare magis propitium ac misericordem deum . for it is maister caluins good and sound diuinitie , discoursing in generall of the necessitie of the seuenth part of contrition , which the apostle cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , reuenge ; that the more seuere we are against our selues , and the more hardly and sharpely we correct , examine , and torture our sinfull flesh and our sinnes , we ought to hope certainly to haue god the more propitious and mercifull towards vs. but especially this reuenge by fasting , is most necessarie of all other , because man being corrupted , especially with the distemperature of this inordinate appetite , whereby adam and eue did sinne , hath now a greater pronenesse to sinne by the same , both in eating and in drinking , then by any other fleshly appetite , or desire whatsoeuer . and for the same cause fasting ought to be continuall , seuere , rigorous against all fleshly appetites , as ben syrach warneth vs. ec. . . the fift worthy end of our fasting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the adorning of the doctrine of the gospell by it , when wee remember , what the apostle saith . cor. . . whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe else , doe all to the glorie of god , and what zacharie complaineth against the hypocrisie of the iewes in babylon for omitting this end of fasting in their fasts : these . yeares in your foure deuout fasts , yee haue not fasted vnto me , saith the lord zachar. . . we bring honour to the truth of the gospell , which we professe either priuatiuely by stopping the slanderous mouths of the aduersaries thereof , as christ doth heere in my text , by adding this anticipation [ then shall they fast , ] or positiuely by confirming to the consciences of all men , that our hypocrisie in words , is that which the fathers tearme , sanctam hypocrisin , the odde kind of holy hypocrisie , when we speake indeed much of mortification of the flesh by fasting , but practise more in fasting then we speake . first wee stop the blasphemous mouths of gentill philosophers , who brag so much of their pythagoras his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : his eating but about a pinte of meale in a day , and of iulian that famous apostata , who in one of his extant greeke epistles saith , that the christian life in his daies was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was but a swinish life , in comparison of his owne austere life , and of the austere liues of iamblichus , plotine , maximus and other his fellow sophisters . these cerberean mouths of hell are presently stopped , when they heare vs tell them of moses , elias , christ , their fortie dayes , and fortie nights fasting : or of the abstinence and austerenesse of dauid , ionadab , daniel , iohn baptist , anna the prophetesse , saint paul : or but of the ordinarie and extraordinarie fasting of common christians : s. chrysostom , ambrose , hierom , austin ; or but euen of their followers , either in monasteries or in secular states , who besides their contenting themselues with the stint of their one gomera day , that is , with one spare homely meale a day throughout the yeare , did oftentimes fast extraordinarilie for the remouing of gods iudgements from themselues and their neighbours three dayes , and three nights together . saint ambrose witnesseth of his people lib. . de paenitent . chap. . that they did sulcare continuis fletibus genas , ieiuno ore semper & pallido mortis speciem spiranti in corpore praeferentes ; that they did make deepe furrowes in their lenten-cheekes through the continuall dropping and falling of teares from their eyes , and hearts for their sinnes , and the miseries of this life , carrying alwayes about with them a very gastly picture of death in their weake breathing bodies , and in their pale lenton faces . the remembrance and true euidence of these fasters , putteth to silence the outward aduersary , the gentile , the apostata , the atheist . the like remembrance and true euidence of christian fasting in the orthodoxall protestant at this day , charmeth the lawlesse tongue of the inward aduersary , the schismaticall brownist , or haereticall papist . caluin , latimer , bradford , iewell , whitgift , whitakers , fox , who haue in their extraordinary and ordinary fasts , and in the perpetuall moderation of a temperate appetite , farre excelled the superstitious , fraudulent , hypocriticall mannichaean fast of the church of rome , are worthy and true euidences hereof . what should i speake of these principall worthies of our dauid , christ iesus , or of any of their compieres , the kindliest childrē of the ancient fathers , and the rightest successors of these children of the bride-chamber . surely , i am perswaded , that euen wee , who keepe but our ordinarie church-fasts throughout the yeere , and doe especially , all these fortie dayes of lent , ( i meane the weeke dayes ) take vnto vs only a morsel of browne bread , and a draught of ordinary drinke after our daily morning prayer , and at night againe take our meales meat ( as we call it ) moderately and sparingly , making it to consist of the homeliest dishes and smallest drinke , are able to beat the deuoutest papist at this his best spirituall weapon , religious fasting . for mine owne part , giue me leaue to speake somewhat fondly of that , which my selfe haue often experienced truely . i could neuer yet , for the space of these ten yeeres , meet with any popish fauorite , or proselyte , since i first began to know , what fasting meant , either in the vniuersitie or in the countrie , who hath beene either willing or able to hold out with me in this , which i take to be our right canonicall english church-fast . namely in this vnfraudulent eating but one course meale a day , whilst lent lasteth . how much more then , will stricter abstinence and fasting , of stronger deuotioned protestants amongst vs , confound them , and al their great brags , of i know not what , their great fasting . but not onely priuatiuely doe wee honour christs trueth , by keeping that calumnious retortion of iobs speech , spoken of behemoth , vnderstood of the diuel and of all fleshly epicures , vires eorum in lumbis eorum , & virtus eorum in vmbilico ventris sui ; their strength is in their lasciuious , venereous loines , and their vertue consists [ in a bene curata cute ] in their bellie timber and in their soft pubble skins : not onely ( i say ) when we fast christs fasts , doe we keepe this diuellish calumny and reproach , from beeing retorted vpon christs church and christs trueth amongst vs : but positiuely also we confirme vnto gods saints and vnto our selues , all these principall conclusions of our christian religion ; namely , that we are here , as in the house of mourning , absented from the bodily presence of our soules bridegroome : that we here , as pilgrimes , trusse vp our loines , and spend no more vpon our bellies and backs , then strangers doe , who are farre from their natiue home , making onely a hard shift for a time , vntill wee come into our heauenly i●ha●a , the paradise of christ : that we liue not by bread onely , but by euery word of power and promise , that proceedeth out of the mouth of god : that christ is our manna and heauenly bread : that ( for the demonstration whereof , moses , elias , christ did principally fast ) the law , the prophecies , the gospel , are altogether spirituall and not carnall : and lastly , that ( as saint ieromes speech is in an epistle to rusticus ) by liuing [ in carne sine carne ] in the flesh ( as it were ) without the flesh , we may begin already to haue our conuersation in heauen , beeing already translated from death vnto life , conforming our vile bodies ( what we can ) to christs glorified body , making our earthly fleshly bodies , a certaine type in themselues vnto themselues , of their vndoubted and certaine future being hereafter heauenly spirituall bodies , according to gods promise , in which dwelleth righteousnesse . the sixt and last safe intention and lawfull end , of our religious fasting , in the time of the gospel , is the assured purchase of that great vndefiled reward , which by a kinde of metalepsis , is out of gods promises , imputatiuely due vnto our fasting , but properly is due onely vnto the onely true and proper merit and condignitie of christs fasting . one part of this reward , is intimated in this next parable . the new shred suteably and rightly applied in the mending of christs new cloth ; the new wine being put orderly into christs new bottels shall both be preserued together , that is to say , both gospel fast and gospel faster shall be ioyntly preserued from losse and hellish destruction an other part is set downe by moses vnto gods israel , in the . deuter. . god fed thee in the wildernesse , with that drie manna , which thy fathers knew not , to humble thee and to prooue thee to the end , that he might doe thee good at thy latter end . a third part is prophecied by isay . . then shall thy light breake forth as the morning , and thine health shall grow speedily ; thy righteousnesse shall goe before thee , and the glory of the lord shall embrace thee ; then shalt thou call , and the lord shall answere ; thou shalt crie , and hee shalt say , here i am . a fourth promise is made againe by christ , in the sixt of matthew . . vers . and that euen to priuate and domesticall fasters . when thou doest fast ( saith christ ) thy secret priuate fast truely and vnfraudulently , as vnto god , and not vnto men , thy father , and the father of thy fast , who seeth thee and it in secret , will reward thee openly , as he did cornelius in the tenth of the acts. fiftly and lastly , not onely are excellent promises made vnto our publicke and priuate fasting , in regard of the blessings , which shall thence redound vnto our owne soules and bodies , or vnto our wiues , children , seruants , neighbours , kindred , friends , but also in regard of a plentifull haruest of spiritual & temporal blessings , which shal thence redound to the whole diocesse , prouince , country , nation , church , where we fast . eccles . . . . woe , we to thee ( o land ) when thy king is a child , and thy princes ( like vnto those worse kind of persian kings ) eate in the morning ( as though they were borne of sardanapalus , that is , for nothing but bed and board : ) but blessed , blessed art thou . ( o land ) when thy king is the sonne of nobles , and thy princes eat in time ( like chast hippolyti , with hunters stomacks in the afternoone ) ad robur , non ad compotationem ; for the necessarie strengthening of their exercised and toiled bodies . if the magistrates , their temperate eating , which oftentimes is euen naturall vnto many men , bring such a blessing with it , to the land and country where they rule in what vintages of all kinds of blessings , will not their right religious euangelicall fasting commanded and commended here by the king of kings , and lord of lords , the sonne of god , procure and purchase to gods church , at gods most mercifull and boundtifull hand ? chap. iiii. the peroration or hortatorie conclusion of this discourse . and thus at length haue i hasted , what i could , to finish my lenten penance , this leane and tedious discourse of fasting , which is ( to vse quintilians terme ) exossata oratio , nothing but hard and harsh skin and bone : thus at length haue i hasted to pay my long vowes to this short text , which few doe vnderstand , manie haue misvnderstood , none of vs with that seueritie and holinesse , doe christianly practise , wherwith christ himselfe , the onely law giuer able to saue and destroy , in these two parables would haue it to be practised , and wherewith not onely these children of the bridechamber , but also the bride herselfe in the first thousand yeares after her bridegroomes departure did most deuoutly , & discreetly and obediently practise it . christ the bridegroome , hath seene and knowne , how i haue behaued my selfe in the handling of this text. before him i doe in all humilitie of spirite protest , that i haue not prophecied anything out of mine owne braine , nor vsurped violently vpon the text , as if it were nasus cereus , a nose of waxe to wrest or descant vpon at my pleasure ; neither haue i vttered any thing vnnecessarie or impertinent ; nor could i more briefely handle it , vnlesse i should haue plaide the part of a deceitfull workeman and beene vnfaithfull vnto it . what now remaineth , but that as our vnderstandings haue suffered their lent-penance , in taking the tedious information of so vnpleasant a discourse : so now our wils and affections , doe take their lenten penance , also by suffering the words of exhortation , that , if the deuill , the world , or the flesh haue catcht any hold , and made any dangerous rent in thē , as in christs new garments ; we wold be wise & carefull presently to make it vp againe with the shred of this new piece , out of christs wardrop , this euangelicall fasting : if the deuill , the world or the flesh , haue vented , abated or any whit diminished the vigour , strength , quantitie or substance of christs new vvine , the graces of his spirit of regeneration in them , being as christs new bottels ▪ we would presently restore , and repaire the losse againe by the readie supplie of this new wine , this euangelicall fasting , which the church of god publickely , we our selues priuately are to drawe out of this cellar , so called in the second of the canticles , this gospell commaunde and word of christ [ then shall they fast . ] if we be not able to follow or imitate the miraculous , and extraordinarie fasts of christ himselfe , of moses , of elias : yet striue we to keepe those fasts , which the children of the bride-chamber , kept and appointed to be kept , when the bridegroome was taken away from them . if their new piece also be vnsuteable ; if their nowe wine be of too strong a grape , because they were men of an extraordinarie spirit : yet let vs not shrinke or refuse to hold out our fasts with tertullian , cyprian , austin , leo , gregorie , bernard ; or but with their people & lay men , men altogether of our own size , strength , mettall and fashion . these are but one meale a day throughout the yeare . if we be not able to humble our selues so lowe , & to mourne with them so long as the whole yeare through ; yet let it not grieue vs in this former spring of the yeare , to consecrate with them this tenth part of the yeare i meane , this fortie dayes fast of lent , as an holy tenth vnto christ the auncient of dayes , that the first fruits of our blood being purged , and holy in the first beginning of the yeare , the whole yeare following may bee sanctified and blessed vnto vs. we are euery yeare very carefull in the latter spring of the yeare , to sweat and toyle to the great hazard of our healths fortie dayes together at the least , that we may inne a plentifull haruest , for the sustenance of our bodies the whole yeare following . surely we haue farre greater reason to plie this lent time ( which the fathers vsually cal the christian haruest of our soules ) and euen to hazard our healths by swearing drops of our heart-blood , at the sight of gods wrath against our ordinarie , and extraordinarie sinnes , by weeping , fasting , and praying , and by continuall hearing , and reading the word of god , to the end , we may inne a rich and plenteous crop for the whole yeares sustenance of our soules . the heathen people ( as athen●ns one of their greeke writers telleth vs ) had euery yeare a spring-song , which they did vse to sing in their streetes at the first sight of the swallow ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . the swallow , the swallow is come bringing the good houres and the good yeare with her . the like spring-song doth christ himselfe sing vnto his spouse the church , in the second of the canticles the tenth verse : arise my loue , my faire one , and come thy way . for behold ( saith he ) the winter is past . the raine is changed , and is gone away , the floures appeare in the earth , the time of singing of birds is come , and the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land . what is this window song , this may-song , this spring-song [ arise my loue , my faire one , and come away &c : ] but our sauiour christ his rouzing of vs out of our dead winter sleepe of sinne , by the preaching of the gospel of repentance at the windowes of our eares , which he openeth with his owne hands , and the power of his spirit ? what is this first appearing , and opening of the spring-floures out of the winter prison of the earth , which was fast-bard , and lock with cold frosts , afore the sunne returning beganne to resolue the frozen cold , and with his heate to make a g●ole-deliuerie of the fruit of the vegetatiue life of earth : but the first appearing and opening of the floures of faith and repentance , by the comfortable and liuely heate of the sunne of righteousnesse christ iesus , who with the heat of his zealous spirit , resolueth the frozen vnfallowed ground of mens sinfull hearts dead in sinnes and trespasses , and with the cold blasts of gods desertions , mollifieth & quickneth them , through their lent-fast , deliuereth them out of the winter-prison of ignorance , infidelitie , presumption , securitie , forgetfulnesse of god , acediousnesse , vnzealousnesse , into which , naturall concupiscence , sathans suggestions , the euill examples and continuall custome of sinne in the world , had either subtilly or by strong hand cast them ? what 's lastly this , which christ cals our land , but the place of his feet , his vineyard , his natiue soile , his church , whereof hee himselfe is the chiefe member , the chiefe vine , the best plant , and of whose sion it is said , that he was borne there ? what 's this voyce of the turtle , heard in this his and our land , but the mournefull voice of the catechumeni , competentes ; ordinary and extraordinary penitents , mourning ( all the time of this forty dayes fast of lent ) as a turtle , or chattering all together , as swallowes , in the dust of ordinary and extraordinary repentance ? like a crane or a swallow , so did i chatter ; said penitent hezekias , isa . . . ) i did mourne , as a doue . but besides this great conueniencie of hauing this fortie dayes haruest for our soules humilation and sanctification at this time of the yeere ; we are further for this cause to be very desirous to follow the saints of god in the seuere keeping thereof , because ( as saint austin saith ) it may be , and ought to bee kept , as a resculptiue and memoratiue fast . the foure fasts in zacharie , kept by the iewes in babylon , were all memoratiue . for the fast of the tenth moneth , was kept in remembrance of nabuchodonosor his first laying of siege against ierusalem : the fast of the fourth moneth , in remembrance of the grieuous famine and taking of their citie , and killing of their nobles : the fast of the fift moneth , in remembrance of nabuzaradan the king of babylons steward , his burning of the temple and the citie : the fast of the seuenth moneth , in remembrance of the cutting off of the last hope of their comfort , namely , of good gedaliah his trecherous slaying , by that ambitious and cursed ishmael , ieremie . . . & . . . after the same maner , this our fortie daies fast of lent , is memoratiue , and is kept by the churches of god , to put vs into a liuely and sensible remembrance of the fortie daies fast of moses , elias , christ ; of the fortie dayes and fortie nights raine , which brought in noahs flood , vpon that former vngodly world ; and of that extraordinary and most humble fortie-dayes fast of the penitent niniuites , wherby they did preuent the vniuersall deluge of destruction threatned by ionas , at the fortie dayes end . to vse no more reasons , to set out vnto our consciences , the great necessitie of this our lent-fast in all churches : let not this still , still bee the aegyptian shame of our church of england , that , when moses is fortie dayes and fortie nights twise told , fasting in mount horeb , the mount of god , partly at the sight of the glorious paterne of gods true worship , partly at the sight of the israelites idolatrous and false worship : wee , with those beastly , prophane , idolatrous , wilde headed , irreligious , fleshly , wanton , caluish minded . israelites , worship our golden calues , and the vanities and lusts of our fleshly appetites , eating and drinking , and rising vp to play ; that , when elias is in his grieuous fast of forty dayes and fortie nights , walking to the same mount of god horeb , we , with ahab and iesabel runne a whoring from god , to the mountaine of samaria , the hautinesse and stubburnesse of our irreligious and impenitent hearts : that , whilest christ himselfe , is for our sakes in the wildernesse , fighting vpon all disaduantages , with the greatest punishment of our sinnes famine , and with the greatest enemie of our saluation , the diuell ; we , after the example of the diuels instruments , the fleshly iewes , altogether mindelesse of our saluation , fight for the diuell and the flesh , against christ , by our impenitencie , in practising our customary maner of sinning all maner of sinnes , of drunkennesse , gluttony , licentiousnesse , wantonnesse , strife , enuie , oppression of our poore people and tenants , following the world and our suits in law , more fiercely and griedily at this time of the yeere , then at any other time besides . that lastly , whilest godly noah , shem and iaphet are lamenting and exercising continencie and fasting , at the fearefull fight of the destruction of an vngodly world , whose dead carkases were continually beaten by the waters & knockt against the side of the arke ▪ to put them in mind of gods iust wrath against sinne ; whilest the king of niniue , descending from his chaire of state , into the dust and ashes of extraordinary repentance , fasteth in sackcloth with his nobles and penitent people , euen to the beast that perisheth , because it is the instrument of mans sinne : whilest tertullian , cyprian , austin , leo , gregory , bernard , and all the godly fathers , for the space of a thousand yeeres and more after christ , are euery yeere marshalling themselues , their extraordinary penitents , their catechumeni , their competentes after the example of so worthy precedents in dust , sack cloth and ashes , for their ordinary and extraordinary sinnes , preaching once at the least euery day , so long as lent lasteth ; frequenting publicke prayer thrice euery day , laying aside a great part of their worldly necessary businesse , watching some nights , and lying vpon the ground , to listen if they might chance to heare the soft and sodaine comming of the feet of the thiefe of the night , the stealing of the day of iudgement vpon them , or to heare the first blast and sound of the last trumpet of god , or the first showt of our lord , at his last descending in the cloudes , or the first word of the voice of the archangel , or at least the crowing of s. peters cocke , to call them out of their dead sleeps or light slumbers of fleshly security , that they might go out & weepe bitterly for their sinnes ; taking but one spare homely meale on the weeke day all this time of lent , reconciling themselues to their aduersaries , in any suite of law , or in any offensiuenesse whatsoeuer , and giuing largely to the poore , especially abating their poore debtors their debts , & tenants their rents , as an easter iubilee , and as a true fruit of that christian fast which god hath chosen : let not this , this , i say , be still , still the burning egyptian shame of our church of england , that so many make no difference at all betwixt lent , & christmas , hauking , hunting , carding , dicing , horsracing , playing at football , letting loose the reines of our flesh to all things lawfull or vnlawfull , casting nets ouer our simple brethren , following and hoately pursuing all vantages , quarrels , demaunds , actions about worldly matters , neuer thinking of the nearest nearenesse of the great day of the great iudgement , continually forgetting the continually gasping mouth of hell , whiche euery other yeare by popish treacheries , either at home , or abroad is gasping , and opening vpon vs , neuer thanking the lord , for so miraculous , and often shutting it , accounting our selues to be with iohn the apostle , whom christ loued , impaled within the armes , and breast of christ , the bridegroome ; shut in there ( as it were ) out of the perill of all gunshot , and out of all danger of plagues , inundations , vnseasonable weather , terrible tuesdayes ( terrible by the gouraean conspiracie , terrible by that gun powder treason , terrible by our late strang winds , winds of that breath of gods wrath , wherewith the fire of hell is kindled . ) if wee cannot fast with one spare and homely meale a day all the weeke dayes of lent , so long as lent lasteth ( as our church would haue vs ) yet at the least let vs heare the word of god read or preached vnto vs , & let vs in truth , and no longer in profane & childish hypocrisie ( according to the words of our common leiturgie ) turne vnto the lord by weeping , fasting , and praying , this whole last weeke of lent , which we call hebilomadam paenosam , the passion weeke , in which we ought ( if euer ) to redeeme our ill-kept lent , and to prepare our selues by nailing our sinfull flesh vnto christs crosse of mortification , to the end , wee may rise againe with him at easter vnto iustification , with whom we haue died by mortification , that also after our suffering with him , we may one day ascend and enter into glorie with him . as leo saith truly of the whole lent fast : quanto sanctius quisque hos dies inuenietur egisse , tanto probabitur pascha domini honorasse religiosius : the more holily a man shall be found to haue kept all the fasting dayes of lent , the more deuoutly will he be found , and find himselfe by experience to haue honoured the feast of easter , or of the resurrection , which followeth and endeth lent : so the same also may be saide , euen of the holy and deuout keeping of this last weeke of lent. for surely now the deuill is most buisie to drawe vs from our worthy celebration of this weeke vnto all profanenesse , worldlinesse , securitie and wantonnesse , and at no time of the yeare , doth hee so earnestly seeke our destruction by forgetfulnesse of god , and of our duties of loue one toward another , as he doth this weeke of christs passion , to the end that hee may still in the same weeke crucifie christ in his members , and make vs altogether vnworthy , through our profanations , and fleshly contentions , both of the merits of christs death , & of the vertue of christs resurrection : as the same leo therefore saith of the whole time of lent , that parum religiosus alio tempore demonstratur , qui in his diebus religiosior non inuenitur : he hath little or no religion in him at other times , who is not more religious on the lent daies , then hee was other common dayes : so i may truly say , that he hath little or rather no religion at all , who is not now contented with those capernaits in the sixt of iohn , in so short a time before the feast of the passeouer , to fast three dayes and three nights , together , or at least to fast euery . foure houres for the space of sixe dayes in hearing christ preach vnto him , that after such humiliation christ , may by his spirit restifie , and comfortably say vnto him , as he testified and saide vnto them : cause this man to sit downe , who is faint with hunger after righteousnesse , and hath followed me fasting now sixe dayes together , that i may refresh him with food at my table because i haue compassion on him . to conclude ; a chiefe cause ( i say it againe ) of pride in magistrates , of wantonnesse in rich folke , of selfe wilfulnesse , and worse then heathenish disobedience and stubburnesse in rude people amongst vs at this day , is this our common , vnregarded , vndisciplined , wanton , humorous , irreligious , rude disobeying of christ and his church their consultatorie commaunds of this fast of lent , and other fasts whatsoeuer . the lord iesus , who hath the keyes of dauid vpon his shoulders , open our eyes and hearts to the seeing and embracing of the truth of the great necessitie of our obedience to this commaunde [ then shall they fall. ] amen . amen . ignatius . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e the earle of salisburie not to iudge vertue according to the skill of common people . neither doe they please the many , neither doe the many please them . notes for div a -e galat. . notes for div a -e the harmony mat. , . . . . mar. . . . . . . luk. . . . . . . . . the coherence , in which is shewed very briefly how hitherto the serpent & the seed of the serpent , had shewed his antipathy against the seed of the woman and how the seed of the woman dealeth with him in this text. verse . . luke . . the analysis . the former apologie taken from christs person . math. . ● . isa . . . and . . iohn . . salomon was a type of christ in this . for iudah and israel were many in his daies , euen as the ●and of the sea in number , eating , drinking , and making mery . . king . . . the other apologie taken from the person of christs disciples . colosse . . . iam. . the thesis or generall doctrine , necessarily gathered out of this right meaning of the text. the two parts of the more particular declaration of the text . the nature and authoritie of the commaund . [ then shal they fast . ] the first question : what fasts are commanded heere . not fasts of absolute cōmand . a vpō this day eue and adam f●ll by inordinate desire of the forbidden fruite , as many deuines doe very probably coniecture . and no doubt euen in king salomons time , iudah & israel fast●d vpon this day . jgnat . ad ph 〈…〉 lip . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ad ●agnenses in eandem senten●am seribit . extraordinary penitentiall fasts whether priuate or publike , are of absolute commaund . . sam. . for the thiefe vpō the crosse had not time to exercise this kinde of humiliation . but fasts of conditionall or consultatorie command , not of the being , but onely of the wel being of mortification . epist . ● . hom. in . cor. cap. . the second question , who , and how straitly they are commanded to command them . . church-gouernors . at the riuer by ahana , ● ezra proclaimed a fast . . high magistrates . . whole councels . ver. . & ● : vers . . . the quart 〈…〉 fa 〈…〉 . act. . & . . tim. . church gouernors must play the most carefull part in seeing to the execut on and obedience of this commaund . the second article of this second question , whether omissible fasts may be altogether omitted . indifferent actions warranted only , and not commanded . indifferent actions warranted and commended , but not commanded . things warranted , and onely permitted , or tolerated , are in the church gouernors power to restraine the abuse of indifferent actions , warranted and commanded is in the power of the church gouernours . to command them , is not at all in the church gouernours power . indifferent things warranted commended , and also by cousultatorie precept commanded , if they be publickly commanded , are wholly in the church gouernours power : and if the church gouernours doe altogether omit them , they disobey god and his christ , because they are neuer altogether vnexpedient . . ver. then shall they fast , or , then shall they mourne . no fasting , no mourning . . articles whether catholicke fasts , may be repealed or changed by particular churches . the catholick constitutions are to be obeyed , so long as they are commanded . but none of them were euen commanded as perpetuall and altogether vnvariable . g also the coūcell of elibert in spain can , . ( which councell was more ancient then epiphanius ) forbiddeth and restraineth all church-fasts in the moneths of july and august . k apostolicke customes specially commanded from christ , are vnvariable . apostolicke customes not specially but onely generally commanded from christ are variable . o ●oure catholicke customes altered and omitted in particular churches ▪ ●ro morum & ●emporum diuersitate . the thirde question , who are to be commanded these fastings out of this next parable . c 〈…〉 l el●bertinum can. . setunta per singulos m●ns●s plaru●t celebrari , exceptis diebus ●uorum mensium iul●i & augusta ob eorundem ●xfirmitatem ab aest● orituram . de morib . ecclesiae catholicae cap. . . tim. . . . tim. . . the fourth question , with what rigour these fasts are to be exacted vpon them , who are liable vnto them , either in regard of their obseruance , or of their penalties . the differences of extraordinarie fasts from these in al the answeres to these foure questions . . 〈◊〉 . . . iere. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ioel. and . ionas . zach. . . . this was called in ancient times , inclusio . a shutting vp ▪ as appeareth by many canons of the ancient councels . surely , had not the superstitious church of rome abused sackcloth , ashes , dust , &c , all these circumstances had still beene fittest humiliations , euen at this day . all must fast the extraordinary publicke fast . priuate extraordinary penance doth little good , when the calamitie and sin is publicke . . king . . . king● . . the ancient law of the counsells , censuring by deposition , & excommunication , is to be vnderstood , to haue proceeded against contumacie . in the conclusion , of his last booke dehaeresibus . . sam. . soter , austin , aquin , and only , either priuate men , or particular churches haue beene the authors of this absolute necessitie of fasting before the communion . it is synonymall , with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ; to fast . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 touching the seueritie cōmanded in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , much . . how long the shortest and weakest fast of ordinary repentance is to be continued . see our church homilie , touching the time how long to fast . the papists fish-feast , with wine and the finest manchet , is neither christian fast nor christian abstinence , as our church homily worthily censureth them and all other hypocrites like vnto them in fraudulent fasts . . how the houres of ordinary penitentiall fasts are to be bestowed . ●ib . ● . in louiti●um . zach. , . a separation from worldly and fleshly pleasures . ambros . ●exā . lib. , cap. . . . thes . . . no intermission of worldly busines ( which is necessary ) in thee ordinary fasts . epiph. in haer . . august de morib . ecclesia cathol . cap. . . of the quantitie and qualitie of meate , to be vsed at the end of our fasts , when we breake and end them . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . contine & abstine . dan. . . apoc. . this i speake , as a probable coniecture . . charitie . p de morib . ecclesiae cath. ] cap. . & contra faustum manichaeum , lib. . . liberallity . . infraudulenci● . epist ad serapionem . . faith. de mori● . manichaearum & contra fatustum manichaeum . de morib . ecclesia cath. cap. . looke the church homilies of fasting . proletaria plebe a. gelli● . touching the seueritie commanded in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often . reuenge . . cor. . . . conceptiue fasts . pacalis oliua . . set fasts . either catholicke and vniuersall . euseb . . . epiph. haer . . socr. sch. . . apud leo●em serm . . de ie. iunio . dec●uni mensis . epiph. ● . haer . august . ad caesul . or locall and particular fasts . august . ad casul . & ad ianuar . the fast of the seuenth moneth , a fast of high account with all the people of god in all ages . thereupon it came , that the saturday fasts and vigils were so th●ckly and often frequented by the church of rome , when she was in a good name , and by the churches of africa in saint austin and leo his time , that people might be the more holily prepared vnto the obseruation of the christian sabboth . the formall holinesse of these euangelicall fasts . seuen profane ends . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . surely this were to reedifie the partition wall , which christ brake downe , and to set vp a new ierusalem at rome . sixe holy ends . in hexane● . ad rusticum . master caluin doth in this regard call fasting ( adminiculum precum ) the vnder prop of our heauie hearts to make them more fit for prayer , which being vnhumbled , and fed with sensualitie , doe sildom pray deuoutly or zealously ▪ ezra . . nehem. . . among these , wee may number tobaccho , which is more sauadgely abused , then any other creature . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . cap. . these are the honest semnologies , of these two honest authors , commonly known to the learned . luc. . . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . venter saturionis nullas residet esuriales ferias . such a glutton , his beli●e hath no holy-dates nor sabboths of rest . plaut . . . cor. . . the fast of the seuenth month . calu. inst . lib. cap. sect . . . cor. . for he that washeth himselfe , because of a dead body and toucheth it againe , what auaileth his washing 〈◊〉 so is it with a man , that fasteth for his sinnes and committeth them againe , who will heare his prayer : or what doth his fasting helpe him : eccl . tit. . . sancta hypocrisis , in the fathers of the church dialect is , when a man doth practise more then he teacheth . . annus est hic aetatir nostrae . ordinibus sacris initiatus eram . anno aetatis . dem. . iob , . . the great necessitie of faisting all the weeke-dayes of lent. catechumeni , are they , who being baptized amongst vs , when they were children , doe now in lent first prepare themselues to the receiuing of the communion at easter . competentes ▪ i call those who in former time haue desired baptisme at easter . zach. . & . deut. . & , . al these things are truely gathered out of the fathers writings . the great necessitie of fasting the last weeke of lent , which is christ and his members , their passion weeke , called by the fathers , hebdomada pa●osa . the deuils passion-weeke . that is , euery day in passion-weeke , taking but one spare and homely meale within . houres . a proclamation, for a publick general fast throughout the kingdom of scotland. at edinburgh, the eight day of august, one thousand six hundred and sixty five years. scotland. privy council. approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). b wing s a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a proclamation, for a publick general fast throughout the kingdom of scotland. at edinburgh, the eight day of august, one thousand six hundred and sixty five years. scotland. privy council. sheet ([ ] p.) printed by evan tyler, printer to the king's most excellent majesty, edinburgh : . caption title. royal arms at head of text; initial letter. text in black letter. signed: pet. wedderburne, cl. sti. concilii. imperfect: stained with some loss of text. reproduction of the original in the national library of scotland. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng fasting -- religious aspects -- christianity -- early works to . fasting -- scotland -- early works to . plague -- prevention -- scotland -- early works to . broadsides -- scotland -- th century. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion c r honi soit qvi mal y pense royal blazon or coat of arms a proclamation , for a publick general fast throughout the kingdom of scotland . at edinburgh , the eight day of august , one thousand six hundred and sixty five years . forasmuch as it has pleased almighty god to visit the city of london , places adjacent , and several other towns and villages of the kingdom of england with the sore plague of desistence ; so that all commerce and trade with that kingdom has been prohibited and forbidden , lest that by importing of commodities , the plague might be brought into this kingdom , to the great prejudice and danger of the lieges : and seing it has been moved to the council , from the right reverend fathers the archbishops and bishops , that a general fast may be appointed and kept throughout the 〈◊〉 kingdom , for imploring the goodness and protection of almighty god , that in his infinite mercy , he may preserve this kingdom from that con 〈…〉 n , and compassionat the sufferings of those that are visited therewith in england , and 〈◊〉 the spreading thereof in all places , which by his mercy are yet preserved there-from : as likewise , that the lord may bless this kingdom with a fair and seasonable harvest , that the fruits of the ground may be reaped for the comfort and maintenance of the people . therefore , the lords of his majesties privy council , by these presents , command and charge , that a fast be religiously and solemnly kept throughout the whole kingdom , by all subjects and people within the same , upon the second wednesday of september next to come , in this instant year of god , being the thirteenth day of the said moneth ; requiring hereby , the reverend archbishops and bishops to give notice hereof to the ministers in their respective diocesses , that upon the lords-day immediatly preceeding the said thirteenth of september , they make publick intimation thereof in every parish church ; and that they exhort all their parishioners to a sober and devout performance of the said fast and humiliation , as they tender the favour of almighty god , the preservation of their native country , and the suffering condition of their neighbours and fellow subjects in england : certifying all who shall contemn or neglect such a religious and necessary duty , they shall be proceeded against as contemners of authority , neglectees of religious services , and unnatural and profane persons . and ordains these presents to be printed and published , that none pretend ignorance . pet. wedderburne , cl. s ti concilii . edinbvrgh , printed by evan tyler , printer to the king 's most excellent majesty , . a declaration of his highness, with the advice of his council inviting the people of this commonwealth to a day of solemn fasting and humiliation. orders in council. - - england and wales. lord protector ( - : o. cromwell) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a declaration of his highness, with the advice of his council inviting the people of this commonwealth to a day of solemn fasting and humiliation. orders in council. - - england and wales. lord protector ( - : o. cromwell) england and wales. council of state. aut sheet ([ ] p.) printed by henry hills and john field, printers to his highness, london : . "given at whitehall this . day of november . printed and published by his highness special commandment.". arms: a. steele notation: kindnesses have said. reproduction of original in the bodleian library, oxford, england. eng fasting -- law and legislation -- early works to . great britain -- history -- commonwealth and protectorate, - -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no a declaration of his highness, with the advice of his council, inviting the people of this commonwealth to a day of solemn fasting and humil england and wales. lord protector c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion blazon or coat of arms a declaration of his highness , with the advice of his council , inviting the people of this commonwealth to a day of solemn fasting and humiliation . when we call to mind , together with the repeated loving kindnesses of god to his people in these nations , the late rebukes we have received , the tares of division that have been sown by the envious one , and the growth they have had , through his subtilty , amongst vs , the abhominable blasphemies vented , & spreading of late , through the apostacy of , and the abuse of liberty by , many professing religion , the continued series of difficulties we have been , and are exercised under , by the secret and open practises of those , that , bearing evil will unto sion , have balaam-like attempted all waies to frustrate our hopes and endeavours of such a settlement and reformation as hath been so long contended for ; as also the weight of the work of this generation . we have thought it a duty becoming vs , not only our selves to lie low before the lord , and to have recourse to him by prayer and humiliation ▪ but also to call upon , and invite , all the people of god in these nations to joyn with vs in solemn and earnest supplications to the throne of grace ( a way wherein we have often experimented the good presence of god ) that the lord will be pleased truly to humble vs and the nation under his righteous hand , that we may be every one searching out the plague of his own heart , and turn unfeignedly from the evil of our waies , that notwithstanding all our provocations , the lord may be pleased to return & smile upon vs . that he will disappoint the designs of those that labour to lift themselves up against the interest of christ and his people . that he will rebuke the aforesaid evils , and give his people to know the things that belong to their peace , that so we may with one heart and shoulder serve the lord both theirs and ours . that his presence may be with those that are more especially engaged in , and entrusted with the great affairs of the nation , by a spirit of counsel and wisdom to enable them faithfully to discharge their weighty trust , and that they may bear some proportion of serviceableness to the great works , designs and promises of god concerning the kingdom of his son , our blessed lord , in these later times , and may be used as instruments in his hand for the continuance and increase of the reformation , and the security and settlement of these nations . vpon these and such like grounds , we have appointed thursday the sixth day of december next , to be set apart for a day of publick humiliation . and the ministers of the several congregations are to give notice hereof on the lords day next before the said sixth day of december . given at whitehall this . day of november . printed and published by his highness special commandment . london , printed by henry hills and john field , printers to his highness , . by the king. a proclamation for a generall fast to be held throughout this kingdome on the second friday in every moneth proclamations. - - . england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing c thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) by the king. a proclamation for a generall fast to be held throughout this kingdome on the second friday in every moneth proclamations. - - . england and wales. sovereign ( - : charles i) charles i, king of england, - . sheet ([ ] p.) printed by leonard lichfield, printer to the vniversity, oxford [i.e. london] : . dated at end: oxford this fifth day of october, in the nineteenth year of our reigne. a london counterfeit, perhaps issued about october (madan). arms ; steele notation: kingdome raised reconciled. reproduction of original in the henry e. huntington library. eng fasting -- law and legislation -- early works to . great britain -- history -- civil war, - -- early works to . broadsides -- england a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no by the king. a proclamation for a generall fast to be held throughout this kingdome on the second friday in every moneth. england and wales. sovereign a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - emma (leeson) huber sampled and proofread - emma (leeson) huber text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion royal blazon or coat of arms c r honi soit qvi mal y pense by the king . a proclamation for a generall fast to he held throughout this kingdome on the second friday in every moneth . vvhen a generall fast was first propounded unto vs , in contemplation of the miseries of our kingdome of ireland , we readily gave our consent unto it , and in our court , and in our person have duely observed it , as a religious duty , fit to be exercised in a time of common calamity . but when vve have seen what ill use hath been made of those publicke meetings under the pretence of religion , in pulpits , and prayers and sermons of many seditious lecturers to stir up and continue the rebellion raised against vs within this kingdome ; and that those who first moved and seemed to affect the reliefe of our distressed subjects of ireland , have deserted the care thereof , and diverted the meanes ordained for the support and preservation of that kingdome , to the destruction of vs and of this kingdome of england : vve have thought it fit to command that such an hypocriticall fast , to the dishonour of god , and the slander of true religion be no longer continued and countenanced by our authority , which hath been too long continued already , to such false and traiterous ends . and yet vve being desirous ( as by our duty to almighty god vve are bound ) by all possible meanes to expresse our own humiliation , and the humiliation of our people , for our owne sins , and the sins of this nation , ( as vve have great cause ) are resolved to continue a monthly fast , but not on the day formerly appointed and so much abused by those who are in rebellion against vs , by using it as a principall engine to their owne designes . vve doe therefore hereby command , that from henceforth no fasts , or publicke meetings under that name be held on the last vvednesday of the moneth in any part of this our kingdome of england , as for many moneths it hath been , nor upon any other day , then as hereby is appointed by vs , which vve are well assured , none of our subjects may or ought to doe without , much lesse against our command : but instead thereof vve doe expresly charge and command , that in all churches and chappells in all parts of this our kingdome of england and dominion of wales , there be a solemne fast held , and religiously observed on the second friday in every moneth , with publicke prayers to god , and preaching in all places where it may be had , when and where we may all both prince and people as one man , earnestly powre out our prayers to god , for the diverting of his heavy judgements from vs , for the continuing of his gracious protection over vs and this nation , for the avoyding of all malitious practices against vs , and the setling and establishing of a happy peace amongst us . and to the end that with one heart and voice we may performe so religious an exercise , we have caused devout formes of prayers to be composed and printed , and intend to disperse them into all the parts of this our kingdome , and doe command that they be used in all churches and chappells at the solemne and publicke meetings . and if thus we shall heartily and unfainedly apply our selves to our good god and gracious father , whom we have offended , and praise him for his many and even miraculous deliverances past , we may with comfort and confidence hope that he will in mercy looke upon vs , and be reconciled unto vs . given at our court at oxford this fifth day of october , in the nineteenth year of our reigne . god save the king . oxford , printed by leonard lichfield , printer to the vniversity . .