The Doctrine of Fasting and Prayer, Title page 1 – Prayer
THE DOCTRINE OF FASTING AND PRAIER, AND Humiliation for Sinne.
DELIVERED
In sundry Sermons at the Fast appointed by publique authority, in the yeere 1625.
By that Late Faithfull and Worthy Minister of Iesus Christ.
ARTH. HILDERSAM.
LONDON, Printed by George Miller, for Edward Brewster, and are to be sold at his shop at the great North-doore of S. Pauls at the signe of the Bible. 1633.
THE CONTENTS OF these Sermons.
SERMON I.
Doctrine.
GOds people ought to take to heart the miseries, and calamities of others; the judgements of God, that are executed upon others. Page 2
Reason.
In respect had. …
1. To them that are afflicted. 3
2. To the Lord. 4
3. To our selves. …
Vse 1.
To exhort us to take to heart, gods judgments upon our brethren, visited with the pestilence. 8
For.
1. It is a fearefull judgement, and their case is lamentable. 9
2. None of us can tell how farre it may goe, how neere it may come to us. 11
3. If this bee neglected by us, it will prove but a forerunner of some more fearefull judgment. 14
2. To exhort us to make right use of it. 15
1. By examining our owne hearts, whether those sinnes be in us, that are the speciall causes of the Plague. 21
2. By taking the right course, speedily to make our peace with God. 21
3. By increasing our care to reforme our families. 23
4. By being more mercifull to them in distresse. 25
SERMON II.
Doctrine.
A chiefe duty we are to performe to them in misery, is to pray for them. Pag. 27.
This duty is to be performed.
1. Whereby we doe expresse our love to any and whereby wee may doe them good. 27
2. For all that are in misery. 27
3. Specially for Gods people. 28
4. In an extraordinary manner, when their misery is extraordinary. 28
5. Publiquely and generally, when the calamitie is common, and generall. 29
Reason.
1. The Lord is he onelyonly that both inflicteth the judgment, and is able to remove it. 30
2. He commandes, desires, and lookes for this duty of us, in this case. 31
3. There is great power, and force in this, to relieve our afflicted brethren. 31
Vse.
1. To teach us what account is to be made of such as are true Israelites indeed, gracious and mighty with God in prayer. 33
2. To reprove such as
1. Either cannot pray, or 35
2. D…e not use to pray, or 36
3. Will not pray. 37
3. To examine our prayers, and inquire how they have proved, and what the causes have beene, why they have proved noe better, and these are 5. principally. 39
SERMON III.
David did not onelyonly pray for his enemies when they were in misery, but he did it in an extraordinary manner. For his help in this prayer, he clothed himselfe with sackcloth. This was used much then in this case, yet not as a religious, but civill ceremony, which we now are not bound to. 4…. 50
Doctrine.
In the dayes of humiliation (besides fervent prayer, and the afflicting of our soules) certaine outward and bodily exercises, are to be used by Gods people; viz. Certaine things are to bee done and perfermed, as 51
1. Reading, and preaching of the Word. 52
2. Singing of psalmes. 53
3. Almesdeeds. 53
4. Censuring and reforming of grosse sinnes: 53
Certaine things also are to be forborne, in the day of our humiliation, for our better helpe in this duty.
1. All manner of meate and drinke. 55
2. All costlinesse, and neatenesse in apparell. 55
3. Delights of all sortes. 56
4. All workes of our calling. And in these 4. points, this abstinence is to be used for a whole day▪ 56
5. Yea some abatement there must bee also in our naturall rest, and sleepe, upon this day. 57
Yet are there 3. Cautions to be observed touching this abstinence.
1. Outward abstinence is not the chief part of a true fast not the chiefe helpe to our prayers in it. 58
2. The outward signes and helpes to humiliation must bee increased, according to the increase, and urgency of the cause thereof. 58
3. The Law of outward abstinence in the dayes of humiliation must give place to the necessity and conveniency of man. 59
Reason.
This abstinence is necessary in the dayes of humiliation. 61
1. To helpe forward the inward humiliation of the heart. 61
2. To helpe forward the fervency of the heart in prayer. 62
3. To professe, and make outward protestation both of our submission to God, and of our repentance and desire to bee reconciled unto him. 62
Vse.
1. To teach us how to keepe our Fasts in the right manner. 64
2. To exhort us to conscience and care in all these particular outward, and bodily duties, yet not resting in them, but referring them to the right ends. 65
3. To reprove sundry abuses which are chiefe causes of the ill successe of our Fasts. 66
SERMON IV.
DAvid afflicted his soule in his fast; And what the meaning of the phrase is. 70
Doctrine.
The chiefe use of a religious fast is to humble, and afflict the Soule, with sorrow, and griefe; And the chiefe thing that makes … prayers powerfull with God, at our fasts, or any other time, when they proceed from humbled and afflicted soules. Yet every sorrow, in this duplicate page duplicate page case pleaseth not God. 72
Reason.
Of that sorrow Gods people have expressed at their fasts, &c. And with which God hath beene so much pleased. 75
1. The fellow feeling of the miseries of others. 76
2. When the Lord, either by his judgements or threatnings hath declared himselfe angry with them. 77
3. When they have seene God dishonored by the sinnes of others. 78
4 When themselves have offended, and dishonoured God by their own sinnes. 79
Reason.
Why the Lord so much desires, and delights to see his people humble themselves with sorrow, and afflict their soules. 80
1. The cause and roote from whence this sorrow springs. 80
2. The end and effect that it tendes unto. For first, It makes the soule more capable of every grace, and fit to receive it. 80
Secondly, It workes repentance unto salvation. 81…
Thirdly, It makes the Word, and Christ and all Gods mercies sweeter unto us. 81
Fourthly, It makes us pray more fervently. 82
Fiftly, It makes us fitter to converse, and walke with God. 82
SERMON V.
1. Vse of the former doctrine is to exhort us to strive for this grace of godly sorrow, and to be able to afflict our owne soules as David did. 85
Motives to provoke us unto this.
1. The example of Gods best servants. 86
2. The promises God hath made unto this grace. 91
SERMON VI.
3. THis is the best way to prevent the Lord from humbling, and afflicting of our soules with his hand. 99
Meanes to attaine to this grace of godly sorrow, where in we are.
To use the helpe of others.
1. A conscionable frequenting of the ministery of the Word. 102
2. A willingnesse to bee privately admonished, and reproved by some faithfull friend. 106
SERMON VII.
THe meanes to attaine to godly sorrow, and tendernesse of heart, wherin we are to be principall agents our selves (for we may do much in this worke our selves) are these. 110
1. We must make choise of a fit time, to goe about this worke. 111
2. We must separate our selves from company, and make choise of a fit place to doe it. 118
3. We must seriously, and impartially, examine our owne hearts. 119
4. We must cry earnestly to God to helpe us in this worke, to blesse our indeavours in it. 128
SERMON VIII.
NEcessary to have notes, and signes given us, whereby sincere, and saving sorrow for sinne may be discerned. 130
1. He that is truly humbled, mournes more for the evill of sinne, then for the evill of punishment. 133
2. He mournes for sinne, not so much in respect to himselfe as unto God, because he is offended and dishonoured by his sinne. 137
And 3. notes to try whether a man doth so. 141. 142
THE AVTHOVRS Prayer, before his Lecture.
THy Word (O Lord) is holy and pure, as is thine owne Majesty, and being sincerely preached, worketh either to the salvation or condemnation of the hearers. And we all that are heere assembled before thee at this time, are of uncircumcised hearts and eares: utterly unworthy by reason of that sinne, wherein we were conceived and borne; and of those actuall transgressions that wee have multiplyed against thy Majesty, in thought, word and deed, from our first being, untill this present houre; once to set foot into thy Temple or to heare thy Word at all▪ Vtterly unfit and unable by reason of our custome in sinne, and the hardnesse of our hearts to profit by it, when as we heare it. So that (Lord) we are at this time in danger, to be unprofitable hearers of thy holy Word, and by being unprofitable bearers of the same, we are in danger of thy heavy displeasure. Yet forasmuch as it hath pleased thee in mercy to command us this exercise, to appoint it to be the onelyonly ordinary meanes, whereby thou wilt worke Faith and repentance in thy children, and the principall meanes whereby thou wilt increase them, to promise also graciously that thou wilt accompany the outward ministery of thy Word, with the inward grace and blessing of thy Spirit, in the hearts of them that shall be reverently and faithfully exercised in the same: We therefore in humble obedience, to this thy holy commandement, and in full affiance and confidence in this thy gracious promise, are bold to present our selves before thee at this time: Beseeching thee in thy sonnes blood to wash away all our si…es, so as they may never bee laid to our charge againe, either in the world to come to our condemnation, or at this time to bring a curse upon this our exercise. Good Lord so sprinckle that blood of thy Sonne upon our consciences, that we may be assured of thy love and favour towards us in him. By it sanctify us at this time, and thy word to our uses, opening and enlightning our understanding so as we may be able to understand and conceave of thy word aright, strenghtening our memories so as we may bee able to remember it, softning our hard and stony hearts, so as wee may be able to beleeve it, to yeeld unto it, to apply it to our owne soules, to meditate and conferre thereupon, to practise it in our lives, and conversations, to stirre up one another to the obedience thereof. That this our exercise may tend to the increase of our knowledge, and of our obedience, of our Faith, and of repentance, the glory of thy blessed name, and the everlasting comfort of our owne soules: Heare us (O Lord) in these our requests, in what else soever thou knowest good for us, or any of thy Church: for Iesus Christ his sake our Lord and only Saviour. In whose name wee continue our prayers unto thee, as he himselfe hath taught us, Saying,
Our Father which art in Heaven, &c.