The Whole Armor of God, Exegesis · Treatise 3 · Part 2 · Section 97 – Section 102
§. 97. Of teares in Prayer.
TEares are the moſt vſuall ſignes of earneſt and ardent Prayer, in which reſpect they are powerfull with God.tOſe. 1. 2. 4 Iacob had power ouer the Angell, and preuailed; for why? He wept, and praied. uHeb. 5. 7Chriſt was heard in that which be feared. For why? He alſo offered vp prayers with teares. xIſa. 38. 3Hezekiah wept ſore, and was heard. Peters teares, the ſinfull womans teares, Annahs teares, the teares of Gods children at all times hauehave beene regarded, and accepted. Yea, it is noted that God*Pſal. 56. 8 hath a bottle wherein he putteth the teares of his Saints: and with great Emphaſis ſaith Dauid, Are they not in thy Booke? there recorded to be remembred?
Obiect. Eſaus yHeb. 12. 17.teares were no whit regarded,zIud. 20. 23. nor the teares of the Iſraelites when they went to fight againſt Beniamin, no nor*2 Sam. 12. 22 Dauids teares when he prayed, faſted, and wept for his child.
Anſw. 1 Teares ſimply in themſelues are no whit acceptable vntounto God, but as they are ſignes of true prayer. Eſaus teares were not ſuch, they roſe from griefe of a worldly loſſe, and from anger, malice, and indignation againſt his brother.
Secondly, If any continue in ſinne, and repent not, their teares are not regarded. The Iſraelites had not repented of their owne ſinnes, and yet would take vengeance of their brothers ſinne: they wept becauſe they preuailed not, but they wept not becauſe they repented not of their owne ſinnes. Afterwards when in token of their repentance, they faſted, and offered burnt offerings, and peace offerings vntounto the Lord, Iudg. 20. 26and ſo wept, the Lord heard them, and they preuailed againſt Beniamin.
3 Though God grant not that particular which by teares is craued, yet may the teares be acceptable to the Lord, as Dauids were:
Then are teares moſt powerfull and effectuall,When teares are effectuall. when they ariſe from compunction of heart for ſinne committed againſt God, as the teares of the ſinfull woman, and of Peter. Nothing more moues the true Chriſtian heart to melt, and eyes to flow forth with teares, then a due conſideration of Gods tender and mercifull dealing with man, and his vngratefull, and vngracious cariage towards God. The feare of Gods wrath, and iudgements, and horror of hell, may ſtrike the heart with aſtoniſhment, and amazement, and make it as Nabals heart, like a ſtone. But griefe for diſpleaſing a mercifull Father,1 Sam. 25. 37. and ſorrow for loſſe of Gods fauour, is it which eſpecially maketh the …eart ſend forth, and the eyes ſhed teares.
§. 98. Of extraordinary continuance in Prayer.
EXtraordinary Prayer further conſiſteth in long continuance, when prayer is held out longer then at vſuall …nd accuſtomed times.cGen. 32. 24 Iacob continued a whole night …n prayer:d2 Sam. 12. 16 ſo did Dauid, andeLuke 6. 12 Chriſt. fExod. 17. 12Moſes ſpent a day …herein: ſo didg…oſh. 7. 6 Ioſhuah and the Elders of Iſrael. hPſal. 22. 2Dauid …alled vponupon God night & day. No doubt but Ionah ilon. 2. 1ſpent …he three dayes & three nights that he was in the Whales …elly in prayer.12. Expounded. kDan. 10. 2, 3It may be gathered that Daniel continued one and twenty dayes in prayer. (Not that without any intermiſſion he ſo long prayed, but that eueryevery day in that time hee returned to extraordinary prayer:) for ſo long he was in heauineſſe, and eate no pleaſant bread. (Now faſting and ſorrow in the Saints are companions of prayer,) beſides the Angell of God came to him at the end of thoſe three weekes (when his extraordinary prayers are to be ſuppoſed to end) and ſaid to him; From the firſt day that thou didſt ſet thine heart to vnderſtand, and to humble thy ſelfe before thy God, thy words were heard. Here he ſheweth that with Daniels humiliation prayer was ioined, elſe how could his words be heard. Secondly, that there were diuers daies ſpent therein, elſe he would not ſay from the first day, &c. Now that firſt day being the beginning of the three weekes, and the Angell comming at the end of the three weekes, it is like he continued his extraordinary prayers ſo long.Pſal. 69. 3. Dauid indefinitely ſaith, that he cried till he was weary, till his throate was drie, till his eies failed.
For extraordinary continuance,Intentio ſicut non eſt obtundenda ſi perdurare non poteſt, ita ſi perdurauerit, non cito eſt rumpenda. Aug. Epiſt. 121 he which prayeth muſt conſider his owne ſtrength and ability, and not endeauour to goe beyond that, for this is to prefer ſacrifice before mercy,mMat. 12 7. which is againſt Gods will.
Neuer muſt this branch of extraordinary prayer be ſeuered from the other, I meane continuance in time from feruency in heart. For though prayer may be extraordinarily feruent, when it is not long continued, asnLuke 22. 24 Chriſts prayer, yet ought not prayer long to continue, except it be hearty and feruent; for then will it be no better then thatoMat. 6. 7, &c. foreign. much babbling, and p thoſe long prayers which Chriſt reproueth.
Thus hauing in generall ſhewed what is extraordinary prayer; for our better direction therein, and ſtirring vp thereunto, I will further declare: Firſt, the occaſions thereof. Secondly, helpes. Thirdly, motiues thereunto.
§. 99. Of the occaſions of extraordinary prayer.
THe occaſeons muſt be extraordinary,Occaſions of extraordinary prayer are, 1 Bleſſings with-held. and they may be drawne to two heads,
Bleſsings.
Iudgements.
For bleſſings, if they be withheld, extraordinary prayer muſt be vſed to obtaine them (a1. Sam. 1. 11. thus Annah obtained a ſonne) if they bee withdrawne and taken away, to recouer them againe (bPſal. 51. 12. thus had Dauid the ioy of his ſaluation reſtored to him) In theſe two examples wee ſee both temporall and ſpirituall bleſſings, to be occaſions of extraordinary praier. Beſides, when we enterpriſe any thing that requireth an extraordinary bleſſing, extraornary prayer is to be vſed.2 Publike worſhip. As when we prepare our ſelues to ſanctifie the Sabbath, to partake of the holy Communion, or to hauehave our childe baptized:3 Waightie affaires. Likewiſe when wee marry, enter into any waightie calling, or office, eſpecially when Miniſters are ordained, or firſt ſet ouer vsus. Chriſt prayed extraordinarily, when hee choſe his Apoſtles (Luke 6. 12. 13.) ſo did the Church when it ſent forth Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13. 3.) And when they ordained Elders, (Acts 14. 2.)
Iudgements are either ſinnes,4 Temptations to ſinne. or puniſhments of ſins. In regard of ſinnes, extraordinary prayer is to be made, either to free vsus from temptations thereunto, (ascRom. 7. 24. Paul prayed with great ardencie, ſaying, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me from the body of this death: d2. Cor. 12. 8.and againe, he prayed thrice againſt a temptation: yeaeMat. 26. 41. Chriſt expreſly commandeth his Diſciples to watch and pray that they enter not into temptation) or to pardon ſuch ſinnes as hauehave been committed,5 Burden of ſinne. and lye heauie vponupon our conſcience, becauſe they are in their kinde notorious, or we hauehave long continued in them, (thisfPſal. 51. 1. &c. mooued Dauid very earneſtly to pray, as alſogMat. 26. 75. Peter, andh2 Chr. 33. 13 Manaſſeth.
Puniſhments of ſinne are either threatned,6 Puniſhmēts for ſinne. or inflicted. They may by extraordinary prayer be preuented, (as iIon. 3. 9the deſtruction of Niniueh, threatned by Ionah was,) Theſe may be remoued (ask2 Chr. 33. 12 Manaſſes captiuity was.)
As ordinary prayer is to be made for others,7 Others need. as well as for our ſelues; ſo likewiſe extraordinary prayer is to be made for others, as iuſt occaſion is offered.lExod. 32. 31, 32. Moſes his extraordinary prayer was for the ſinne of the Iſraelites, and for Gods iudgement threatned againſt them; ſo wasmEzra 9. 1, &c. Ezraes prayer.
§. 100. Of the ſundry kinds of Faſts.
THe helps affoorded to extraordinary prayer are eſpecially two,Faſting an helpe to extraordinary prayer.
Faſting.
Vowing.
To Faſt according to the notation of the*foreign. Greeke words, ſignifieth to abſtaine from foode. In this generall and large acceptation, a Faſt is diuerſly taken. For there is a phyſicall, politicke, inforced morall, ſpirituall, extraordinary, hypocriticall, ſuperſticious, hereticall, and religious faſt.
1 A phyſicall faſt, 1 The ſicke mans faſt.is when for health ſake a man forbeareth foode. In many caſes Phyſitians giuegive direction to their Patients to abſtaine from eating and drinking for a time.
2 A politicke faſt, 2 The Statemans faſt.is when ſomtimes of abſtaining from foode, are enioined for the preſeruation of plenty, and preuention of penury.
3 An inforced and neceſſary Faſt, 3 The poore mans faſt.is when men hauehave not ſufficient for ordinary meales: as in a City beſieged, or in a ſhip on Sea farre from Land, prouiſion being very ſcarſe, men are forced to take but one meale a day, or to make eueryevery other day a faſting day. Thus many poore folke are forced often times to faſt, becauſe they hauehave nothing to eate.
4 A morall faſt, 4 The ſober mans faſt.is when men eate and drinke ſparingly, not ſo much as their appetite deſireth, but onelyonly ſo much as may preſerue nature, and maintaine health and ſtrength, that their wanton and luſtfull fleſh may not be pampered, but rather kept vnderunder: to which purpoſe tendeth this exhortation of Chriſt;Luk. 21. 34. Take heed to your ſelues, leſt at any time your hearts be ouercharged with ſurfetting and drunkenneſſe. This is not properly a faſt, becauſe ſomething is taken, but onelyonly reſpectibly, becauſe ſomething is forborne.
5 A ſpirituall faſt,5 The ſanctified mans faſt. is when men abſtaine from vice, which is as food to their corrupt nature: Hereof the Lord ſpeaketh,Iſa. 58. 6. where he ſaith; Is not this the faſt which I hauehave choſen to looſe the bonds of wickedneſſe? This is called a faſt onelyonly by way of reſemblance.
6 A miraculous faſt, 6 The extraordinary mans faſt.is when men extraordinarily aſſiſted by the power of God, abſtaine from all manner of foode longer then the nature of man is able to endure: ſuch were the faſts of Moſes, Eliah, and Chriſt, Exod. 34. 28 1 Kings 19. 8.who faſted forty dayes together.Mat. 4. 2.
7 An hypocriticall faſt, 7 The hypocrites faſt.is when men without reſpect to any occaſion of faſting, appoint ſet times weekely or monthly, or quarterly to faſt. Thus the Phariſies (aMat. 6. 16. whom Chriſt taxeth of hypocriſie) faſted bLuke 18. 12.twice in a weeke; and …lamed Chriſt becauſe his Diſciples faſted not, not regarding the occaſion, ascMat. 9. 15. Chriſt noteth in his anſwer to them.
8 A ſuperſticious fast, 8 The ſuperſtitious mans faſt.is when men place Religion and …olineſſe in the abſtaining from meate, making the very …utward act of faſting to be a part of Gods worſhip: contrary to that which the Apoſtle ſaith both of it, and other like outward exerciſes;1 Tim. 4. 8 Bodily exerciſe profiteth little.
9 An hereticall faſt, 9 The hereticks faſt.is when men making difference betwixt meats for conſcience ſake, abſtaine from one kind, and glut themſelues with another kind, and yet count this a faſt.Auguſt. de mor. Manich. l. 2. c. 13. So did the Manichees of old, and ſo doe the Papiſts at this day. This the Apoſtle reckoneth vp among the Doctrine of Diuels.1 Tim. 4. 1. 3
10 A religious faſt, 10 The true Chriſtians faſt.is when men ſeaſonably abſtaine from refreſhing their bodies, to make them fitter for religious dueties.
§. 101. Of the difference betwixt a religious faſt, and other faſts.
THis religious faſt, is the faſt which is to be vſed as a… helpe to extraordinary prayer. I will therefore mor… fully vnfold the deſcription of it, and declare firſt ho… farre we muſt abſtaine from refreſhing the body.
2 What is the ſeaſonable abſtinence here meant.
3 What are the religious duties whereunto wee ar… made more fit by faſting.
A religious faſt, is in theſe three points diſtinguiſhe… from all the other forenamed faſts.
By the firſt from a morall, ſpirituall and hereticall faſ… For a morall faſt, though it keepe a man from pamperin… and glutting his body, yet it hindereth not a comfortab… nouriſhing, and refreſhing of it, as a religious faſt do… for the time of the faſt. A ſpirituall faſt is no whit hind… red by the bodies ſuſtenance, if it be moderate. As for t… hereticall faſt, therein it is permitted euen to glut the b… dy with fiſh, ſweete meats, and ſuch like delicates, ſo fle… be forborne.
By the ſecond, from a miraculous faſt, which is not according to the courſe of nature ſeaſonable; and from an hypocriticall faſt, which for the occaſion of it is not ſeaſonable; whereas the religious faſt is both for time and occaſion (as we ſhall*§ 104. 106 after heare) ſeaſonable.
By the third, from a phyſicall, politicke, forced, and ſuperſtitious faſt: all which hauehave other ends then a religious faſt.
Obſerue thoſe things which more largely and fully ſhall be deliuered in explication of the three forenamed points concerning a religious Faſt, and compare them with the deſcriptions of other Faſts, and the ſaid differences betwixt a religious Faſt, and other Faſts will be eaſily diſcerned.
§. 102. Of forbearing to eate and drinke in the time of a Faſt.
VNderUnder this phraſe of cheriſhing the Body, I. Point. How farre we muſt abſtaine from refreſhing the body in a Faſt.is eating and drinking eſpecially meant: for thereby is the body more then by any other thing nouriſhed and refreſhed; nothing ſo abſolutely neceſſary thereto as food. Beſides, the generall nature and matter of a Faſt conſiſteth therein eſpecially: and therefore the Scripture moſt vſually expreſſeth abſtinence from food when it mentioneth a faſt. Faſt (ſaith Eſter) and neither eate nor drinke. Eſt. 4. 16.Let neither man nor beaſt (ſaith the King of Niniueh, when he proclaimed a Faſt) taſte any thing: let them not feede, nor drinke water. Ion. 3. 7.Of Dauid it is alſo noted, that in the day of his Faſt,2 Sam. 12. 16. he would not eate meate.
Queſt. Whether it be lawful to eate or drinke in the time of a Faſt.May not then in the time of a religious Faſt any nouriſhment be taken?
Anſw. To reſolue this doubt, reſpect muſt be had both to the continuance of a Faſt, and alſo to the perſons that faſt.
1 There may be occaſions to continue a Faſt longer then the ſtrength of man is able to endure; and then ſo much food as may preſerue nature, and maintaine health and ſtrength, may, and muſt be taken: yet with theſe two prouiſoes.
1 That the food which in ſuch a caſe is taken, be not delicate, but rather courſe; ſo it be agreeable to his nature that taketh it.
2 That it be not taken vntounto fulneſſe, but rather ſo ſparingly, as the perſon which faſteth may feele the want of foode; ſo as no more then needs muſt for the preſeruation of health and ſtrength is to be taken.
Such a Faſt as this,Dan. 9. 3. was that which Daniel kept for three weekes; and with the forenamed prouiſoes was it obſerued.
2 Among the perſons that keepe a Faſt, ſome may be of a good & ſtrong conſtitution, and able without weakning their bodies to abſtaine from all ſuſtenance a day or two: theſe ought altogether to abſtaine, though they feele ſome want of foode. Others are ſo weake, as if their ſtomacks be cleane empty of all food, they are vnfit for any good duty: yea, if long they continue empty, they may be ſo weakened as hardly they will recouer their ſtrength againe. Many women when they are breeding and with child, cannot leaue reatching (as we ſpeake) after they riſe in a morning, till they hauehave eaten ſomething. Foure and twenty houres faſting may make many aged and ſickly perſons ſo weake, as they cannot be able with comfort to performe any religious duty. Such perſons therefore may ſo farre forth refreſh themſelues as their neede and weakeneſſe require. Though we hauehave no example of this caſe propounded in Scipture, yet wee hauehave a ſufficient ground for it, namely, that rule which both in the olde and alſo in the new Teſtament is laide downe in theſe words; I will hauehave mercy, and not ſacrifice. To Faſt, Hoſe. 6. 6.is not more then Sacrifice, Mat. 12. 7to ſuccour the body according to the neede thereof, is mercy.