The Holy Exercise of Fasting, Sermon 8

The Holy Exercise of Fasting · Sermon 8

p. 253HOMIL. VIII.

The eight Homilie intreateth of the ſecond kind of faſts, which are publike: & why ſo called: and how all ſorts ought to come to them: and what a great fault it is for any to be abſent: And then of the cauſe of them, wh…ch is the wrath of God againſt his Church: either preſent, as it is now vponupon vsus: or likely to come: which the godlie hauehave conſidered in the courſe of Gods prouidence, and ſo hauehave ſought by fasting and praier to preuent it, and not alwaies taried till it came vponupon them.

THe ſecond and laſt kind of faſting,Publike faſts: and why they are ſo called. which I am to intreat of at this time, is publike or common: 1and is ſo called, becauſe p. 254it is and ought to be vſed not of a few, but a whole Church and congregation in a towne or citie, or of manie Churches in the ſame, or in a countrie 2or realme: and thus vſed by the publike authoritie and commandement of them, who (next vntounto Chriſt Ieſus) hauehave the gouernment of thoſe places, where the faſt is held, and not by the motion or aduiſe of ſome priuate man, as the other (that we ſpake of before) 3is. And therefore alſo theſe kindes of faſtes are kept in the publike places openly, where they vſe to hauehave their common aſſemblies for the worſhip of God (where the Church is conſtituted vnderunder a Chriſtian Prince) and not in any priuate houſe, or houſes: 4And the cauſe of them is ſome general calamitie of the Church for the moſt part, and not priuate to one or ſome few: and that either in the ſame place, where the faſt is ſanctified, or in ſome other churches of their brethren, neer or farre of, for whom they ſeeke vntounto p. 255the Lord according to the bond of Chriſtian louelove, that ought to bee among all the Churches of God, as … mong the members of one myſticall body, whereof Chriſt is the head: and the ſame calamity either preſently vponupon them, or imminent & greatly to be feared. So that briefely or in a word a publike faſt is that, which is impoſed by publike authoritie vponupon all the people of that place, to be kept openlie in the common place of their holie aſſemblies, for ſome common plague to be remooued or turned away, or for the obtaining of ſome common benefit, belonging to the whole bodie of the ſame Church, or to ſome principal member of the ſame.

And ſuch is this that we hauehave,Theſe which we now keepe are publike. and doe keepe this day by the authoritie firſt of the Kings moſt excellent Maieſtie, and then of thoſe that are in authoritie vnderunder him in Eccleſiaſticall matters, and for the well ordering of all things to bee done in the Church: p. 256vntounto which all ſorts of men and women ſhould come in al cities & towns. Such was the faſt that was celebrated in Niniue at the preaching of Iona: Iona 3.7.Jonah 3:7for the King cauſed it to be proclaimed through Niniue, euen through that great citie of three daies iourney, (by the counſell of the King and his nobles) ſaying,verſ. 5. Let neither man nor beaſt taſte any thing, feed or drinke water: and as the proclamation was thus generall, reaching vntounto all, ſo it was accordingly put in practiſe, for it is ſaide a little before, the people of Niniue beleeued God, and proclaimed a faſt, and put on ſackecloth from the greateſt of them euen to the leaſt of them: ſo that the faſt was kept by all the people of that citie. The like may be ſaide of that, that was obſerued in the daies of Heſter, for though in reſpect of the places, where it was, as in their ſeuerall houſes cloſely, it may be called priuate; yet in regard of the multitude that kept it, euen al the Iewes and people p. 257of God in that citie, and in reſpect of the perſon by whoſe direction they were moued vntounto it euen the Queene, it may truely be called publike; for it is ſayd, that ſhe ſent this commandement to Mordecay, Goe and aſſemble al the Iewes, that are found in Shuſhan, and faſt for me; and Mordecay went his way, and did according to all that Heſter Heſt. 4.16.had commanded him: ſo this faſt was impoſed vponupon all the Iewes, and all of them kept it.And therefore all ſorts of people ſhould come to them. And ſo to the obſeruation of theſe faſtes of ours all ſhould come, not one or two in a familie, and ſay, goe you to daie, and we will come the next day: for by the authoritie and commandement of our gouernors all are inioined vntounto it.Exod. 20.1…Exod 20:1 And as vponupon the Sabbath, becauſe it is a daie appointed for the publike ſeruice of God, all are commanded to keepe it holie: Thou and thy ſonne, and thy daughter, thy man ſeruant, and thy maide ſeruant, and the ſtranger that is within thy gates: So vponupon theſe daies, p. 258which are of the nature of the Sabbath, and are alſo publikely commanded, all ſhould thinke thēſelues bound vntounto it.Eſa. 2.3.Isa 2:3 Therefore as vponupon the Sabbath day they ſhould come together, and ſaie one to another, Come let vsus goe vp to the houſe of the Lord: ſo vponupon theſe daies of faſting one ſhould call vponupon another. Therefore not onelyonly that is a great fault, if any ſhould not come at all, but if any ſhould come for nouelties, and then giuegive it ouer againe; yea and if they ſhould come ſeldome now and then: or if they ſhould come alone, and bring none, or verie few of their houſehold with them.Reaſons why all ſhould come, and not a few onelyonly. For beſides that it is appointed by our gouernors, vntounto whom all muſt yeeld obedience in the Lord, and they alſo hauehave power and authoritie ouer all alike: and ſeeing that the end of it is to turne away that wrath and diſpleaſure of the Lord, which is iuſtly deſerued of all; and as it is alreadie vponupon many, ſo it threatneth and terrifieth all, why p. 259ſhould not all thinke thēſelues bound, to ſeeke to hauehave it turned awaie? So that no man muſt bee ſo ſimple, to thinke it indifferent for them to keepe it, or not to keepe it, and ſo make no conſcience of it: but ſeeing it is common in reſpect of the commandement of our gouernors, and in reſpect of the cauſe of it, which is our ſinnes, all ſhould thinke that they are tied in conſcience to it: and ſo eueryevery one ſhould ſtirre vp themſelues to bee foreward, and one call vponupon an other, eſpecially them of the ſame houſehold: that they may come with their companies as Dauid did, who ſaith of himſelfe,Pſal. 42.4.Ps 42:4 that he had gone with the multitude, and lead them into the houſe of God, as a multitude that keepeth a feaſt: So that as men goe to feaſts not alone, but by companies; and when a whole familie is inuited, they go altogether: ſo alſo ſhould they goe to a faſt, wherein publikely all of them are called vntounto it. Therfore as God threatneth deſtruction p. 260not to ſome few, but to all vnleſſe they repent: and all are commanded to ſeeke vntounto him, to pacifie his wrath ſo let al be willing to do it: eſpecially ſeeing that we heere, and ſee, that when this iudgement of the peſtilence entreth into an houſe, it taketh awaie not one, or two only, but ſomtimes ſweepeth away all.

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

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

…he cauſe of …ublike faſts … the wrath …f God a…ainſt the …hurch.Now concerning the cauſes of publike faſtings, they are ſet downe particularly to be diuers in the holy Scripture; but for the moſt part and generally the cauſe is expreſly noted to be the wrath and anger of God againſt the Church, as appeareth by all the faſts that we reade of in the old & new Teſtament. And this is diligently to be obſerued of vsus, that wee ſeeing the ſame cauſe among vsus, might knowe, that though wee are commanded by publike authoritie to vſe them, and ſo all are bound to them, yet when wee ſhall further vnderſtand, that God himſelfe, not man onelyonly, for this cauſe calleth vsus vntounto them, then wee ſhould iudge, that all are bound vntounto them ſo much the more. And this wrath of God (the cauſe of publike faſts) is conſidered 1two waies, either that which is 2alreadie come vponupon men, or which is iuſtly to be feared ſhortly; and to whether of theſe two cauſes wee ſhall caſt our eyes, we ſhall clearely ſee, that we hauehave great cauſe to do as we do, that is, publickely to humble our ſelues in faſting before the Lord.And first of all, when it i… preſently vponupon them. Iudg. 20.26Judg 20:26 For concerning the former, which is the wrath of God preſently vponupon the Church, wee reade in the time of the Iudges, when in two battels there were ſlaine of the Iſraelites fortie thouſand; this heauie hand of God being then vponupon them, all the children of Iſrael went vp, and all the people came alſo vntounto the houſe of God, and wept, and ſate there before the Lord, and faſted that day vntounto the euening: ſo that in this preſent calamitie all the people came to the faſt, which was held for it in the houſe of God. Since this plague began among vsus, by all eſtimation there hauehave not ſo few as forty thouſand died in this land, therefore wee hauehave alſo as great cauſe to faſt for this preſent apparent token of Gods wrath, as they had, and ſo all the people ſhould come to the houſe of God to that end. Moreouer, the Prophet Ioel ſayth to the people of Iudah, that ſeeing there was ſo great a famine among them, that God commanded them all publikelie to faſt, ſaying,Ioel 2.15.Joel 2:15 Thus ſaieth the Lord, Blow the trumpet in Sion, ſanctifie a faſt, call a ſolemne aſſemblie, gather the people, ſanctifie the congregation, gather the elders, aſſemble the children, and thoſe that ſucke the breaſts, let the bridegrome goe forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her bride chamber, let the Prieſts, the Miniſters of the Lord weepe. Where we ſee that becauſe the preſent ſcarſitie of the fruits of the earth was ſo great, he calleth all ſorts of men and women, yoong and olde, without exception vntounto publike faſting, to pacifie Gods wrath, and that by the commaundement of the Lord, ſaying,As it is now vponupon vsus in this peſtilence. Thus ſaith the Lord. If the anger of God appearing in the famine, was a ſufficient cauſe to moue them to p. 269it, then ſeeing it appeareth no leſſe, if not a great deale more, in the deadlie contagions, and mortalitie of the peſtilence, that we may be aſſured that the Lord doth require the ſame of vsus alſo. Againe, if the Iſraelites when they were ouerthrowen in battle by their enimies the Philiſtins in the daies of Samuel, did thinke that there was great cauſe to confeſſe their ſinnes vntounto God with all humilitie in faſting & praier publikely, according to the direction of the ſaid Samuel, 1. Sam 7.6.1 Sam 7:6who ſaid, Gather al Iſrael to Mizpeh, and I wil pray for you vntounto the lord: & they gathered togither to Mizpeh, and drew water, & powred it out before the Lord, that is, wept abundantly, and faſted the ſame day, and ſaide there, wee hauehave ſinned againſt the Lorde; and afterwards in the daies of Dauid vponupon the like occaſion, of whom, and of all whoſe companie, it is ſaide,2. Sam. 1.122 Sam 1:12 That Dauid tooke hold on his clothes and rent them, and likewiſe all the men that were with him, p. 270and they mourned and wept, and faſted vntill euen for Saul and Ionathan his ſonne, and for the people of the Lord, and for the houſe of Iſrael becauſe they were ſlaine with the ſword. Then ſeeing the plague deuoureth no leſſe then the ſword, of which it is ſaid, that it ſo deſtroieth at noone-daie,Pſa. 91.7.Ps 91:7 that it cauſeth a thouſand to fall on the one ſide, & ten thouſand on the other: & ſeeing the wrath of God appeareth in the one, as well, as in the other, though wee hauehave eſcaped that which wee feared, namely, that wee hauehave not fallen into the handes of our enemies; yet ſeeing the Lorde hath ſent this great ſcourge of the peſtilence vpō vsus which we looked not for, we hauehave as great cauſe to humble our ſelues with faſting, confeſſing our ſins vntounto God in praier,In which reſpect we are bound to keepe them by the commandement not onelyonly of men, but of God. as they. So then we may perceiue, that ſeeing this one cauſe of publike faſting is among vsus, namely the ſenſible and apparent token of Gods wrath in great meaſure, p. 271that the thing it ſelfe ought to be practiſed of vsus, and that we are called to it now, not onelyonly by the voice of man, but of the Lord our God, and ſo eueryevery one ought to thinke themſelues bound to it ſo much the more.

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

And concerning the ſignes and tokens of Gods wrath ſhortly to come, they hauehave wiſely obſerued and conſidered of them diuerſly: As firſt of all in the courſe of his prouidence, that ſeeing ordinarily ſuch and ſuch cauſes p. 249doe bring forth ſuch effects & euents, and therefore by the cauſe, as by a ſigne more then probable,Which ſigne hauehave beene conſidered in the ordinary courſe of gods prouidence. they hauehave not vnaduiſedly feared ſuch ſequels, and hauehave ſeene Gods anger in them. And namely we ſee that vnſeaſonable weather, as want of raine in due ſeaſon, or too great aboundance of it out of time betokeneth ſcarſity of the fruites of the earth, and ſo conſequently dearth and famine: preparation for warre by a mightie and ſtrong enimie threatneth the loſſe of men, and ſpoiling of goods: the beginning of the plague portendeth great mortalitie, and ſuch like, therefore when there hath beene but the beginning of ſuch things, ſeeing the ſtormie tempeſt as it were ariſing, they hauehave ſought by this ordinance of faſting, as by a ſure refuge to eſcape it. And ſo we read that when there came ſome and told Iehoſhaphat King of Iudah, ſaying,2. Chr. 20.22 Chr 20:2 There commeth a great multitude againſt thee from beyond the ſea out of Aram, p. 292and behold they be in Hazzon Tamar, which is in Engedi. And Iehoſhaphat fefeared, & ſat himſelfe to ſeeke the Lord & proclaimed a faſt throughout all Judah: & Iudah gathered themſelues together to aske coūſel of the Lord, they came out of all the cities of Iudah to inquire of the Lord. Thus we ſee when this huge armie of the Ammonites & Moabites, and mount Seir did but come vp againſt Ieruſalem at the firſt hearing of it, though yet nothing was done, neither were they come to them conſidering what was likely to be the euent of that warre, if they had proceeded, and if the Lord had not holpen them, he proclaimed a faſt, and did thus ſeeke to eſcape that, which was like to come. So likewiſe in the time of the captiuitie, when ambitious and cruell Haman the mortall enimie of the Iews, ſo breathed after their vtter deſtruction, that he ceaſed not to caſt lottes from day to day, to finde out a proſperous time to bring his miſchieuous p. 293purpoſe to paſſe, and at the laſt had got the King to ſet his hande to a Decree concerning the finall racing of them all out in one daie; and Mordecay had ſent the copie of this commiſſion to the Queene Heſter: Heſt. 4.6.long before the bloodie day of that intended maſſacre came, they ſought vntounto the Lorde;And ſo they hauehave ſought to preuent Gods wrath and hauehave not taried, till it came vponupon them. for Hester commanded heereupon that they ſhould aſſemble all the Iewes, and faſt and pray for her, as ſhe likewiſe promiſed for herſelfe & for her maides, that they woulde doe ſo alſo: So that theſe before their enimies began the ſlaughter, by all probability of that that was done already, ſeeing what was moſt like to inſue, if God were not mercifull vntounto them, to turn the hart of the king towards thē, before-hand they ſought by faſting & praier to eſcape it; and did ſo, as it followeth in that ſtorie more at large. And ſo by theſe few examples we ſee how the ſeruants of God that hauehave beene godly wiſe hauehave not alwaies p. 294taried vntil Gods wrath in ſome of his puniſhments hath ſeaſed vponupon them, but the very foreſight of it a loofe of hath bin enough to moue thē to ſeeke vntounto the Lorde in faſting and praier to eſcape it, or to finde merciemercy in it. Euen as an ingenuous childe, and he that is of anie good diſpoſition ſeeketh to his father for pardon, not onelyonly when he is vnderunder the rodde of correction, and feeleth the ſtripes, but when hee ſeeth his father with an angrie countenance comming towards him with the rodde in his hands: ſo they hauehave not taried till they hauehave felt the ſmart of Gods correction vponupon themſelues: but the verie ſhew of his wrath comming againſt them, hath beene ſufficient to moue them, to humble themſelues before him, and to craue his pardon.

In which reſpect alſo (beſides that, that we ſpake of before) we muſt needs confeſſe, that wee hauehave great cauſe to faſt and pray publikly; for beſides that great wrath of God, that hath beene a long time vponupon our brethren,In reſpect of Gods wrath likely yet further to come vponupon v…, there is cauſe of theſe publike faſts. which is a thing preſent, and ſo ought to moue; if we further conſider, what cauſe wee hauehave to feare our ſelues, our houſes, and our townes, though hitherto by the grace of God nothing is come vponupon vsus we, ſhall acknowledge it to bee true. And to this end we muſt acknowledge the nature of this diſeaſe to be very contagious and infectiue aboue all other, and that it ſpreadeth from one place to another after a ſpeciall maner; and that it infecteth alſo after an extraordinarie kinde; as not onelyonly 1by touching, and eating and drinking with them, and keeping them companie that are ſicke of it, as ſome other diſeaſes doe; but euen by the breath that we draw in, which as it is the moſt common nouriſhment that wee hauehave, and without the which wee can not liue, ſo it is moſt ſubtile and ſpeedie aboue all other; ſo that it worketh in vsus with great expedition: whereupon it commeth to paſſe, that euen by paſſing by thē, euen ſuddenly with the breath and ſauour of them that are infected, we are corrupted: and it is a poiſon, and ſo infecteth deadly and ſpeedilie (as all poiſons doe) all the parts of the body;…f we conſi…er the con…agious na…ure of the plague, how ſpeedily, and how deadly …t infecteth. and not ſo much corrupteth the humors of the bodie (which is ſufficient to breed deadly diſeaſes) as it infecteth the heart, and the ſpirits, and all the vitall parts; and therefore diſpatcheth a man quickely, and killeth him ſpeedily; & ſo may die ſuddenly, as experience teacheth euen in this plague, that ſome being taken into a mans houſe ouer night, hauehave beene found dead in the morning; and ſome hauehave fallen from their horſes as they trauelled, and ſo hauehave died in the hie waies, 2And againe, it is like the leproſie that was among the Iews,Leu. 14.34.Lev 14:34 which did hang in their houſes and in certaine veſſels a long time; ſo it doeth remaine in the houſes, and bedding, and garments of them that are dead a long time after, p. 297and ſo breaketh out at the laſt, ſometimes a monethmonth and a great deale more after, if good order be not taken to aire them, euen then, when they thought that all feare of danger was paſt. All which doe ſhew what danger we are in, though yet nothing be come vntounto vsus. And we may ſee it much more, if we conſider how the Pſalmiſt compareth it to an arrow that flieth from one place to another ſpeedily, when hee ſaith, Thou ſhalt not be afraied of the 3feare of the night,Pſal. 91.5.Ps 91:5 nor of the arrow that flieth by day (ſpeaking of the peſtilence) ſo that as an arrowe flieth from one place quickely to another, ſo doth this.Flying abroad ſpeedilie and cloſely like an arrow. For a man ſhall come from one place to another a great way off, and paſſe thorow many townes without hurting of anie, though himſelfe hath the plague, euen as an arrow ſhal flie aloft in the aire, and do no hurt, nor touch any thing: but then hee ſhall lodge or reſt in ſuch a towne twelue or twentie miles off or more, and there he p. 298ſickneth and dieth, and leaueth the infection behinde him; euen as an arrowe ſhot by a ſtrong man is there mortall where it lighteth, ſo is this arrow of the Lord ſhot out by his mightie hand, who is skilfull to direct it to the place whither hee mindeth to ſend it: & ſo we may be in more danger thā we thinke, though we be a great way off, as a skilfull archer ſtanding heere, ſhooteth his arrow a great way off to 4the marke. And ſometimes they that goe abroad with running ſores about them, or hauing the infection in their garments, and ſeeming to others to be in health and without danger, hauehave infected others in the way as they hauehave gone, where they hauehave tarried but a ſmall while, euen to eat and to drinke: euen as an arrow doeth often hurt by glauncing at a thing, beſides the place, where it lighteth. Moreouer, ſuch is the nature of this diſeaſe, that we may get hurt not onelyonly by men liuing and dying, but euen by other creatures, p. 299which ſhall goe to, or come from ſuch places as are infected, as cats & dogs moſt of all: and therefore in time of common plagues there is order taken in al cities or towns corporate, (which are well gouerned) to kill vp all dogs that are not ſhut vp, but runne abroad, of what nature, or kinde, or qualitie, or price ſoeuer they be, leaſt by comming into mens companie they ſhuld ſpread abroad the infection: And we read that ſome onelyonly but buying a dogs skinne in the market, and bringin it home, they hauehave brought the peſtilence into their houſe to the ouerthrow and deſtruction of the whole familie. Seeing then that it is, & hath beene a long time in ſo many places, there is no place ſo farre off from it, or ſo free, but hath iuſt cauſe to feare it more or leſſe,And therefore there is no place ſo cleere, whether it may not ſpeedily come. becauſe there are ſo many open and ſecret waies to bring it, and ſo in the ordinarie courſe of gods prouidence all that hauehave wiſedome may thinke it likely to come vponupon them in this time, if the Lorde be not mercifull vntounto them. Therefore in reſpect of Gods wrath manifeſtlie appearing in this grieuous peſtilence, though not yet vponupon vsus, through the infinite goodneſſe and mercy of God, yet iuſtly to bee feared (as wee hauehave ſeene) wee muſt thinke and confeſſe, that wee hauehave great cauſe by faſting & praier to ſeeke vntounto the Lord to turne that from vsus before it come; which as our ſinnes hauehave deſerued, ſo wee ſee many means, to bring it ſpeedily vponupon vsus, as other of his ſeruants hauehave done in the like caſe before. And thus much for this preſent (ſeeing the time cuttes me off from the reſt) of the firſt ſigne and token of Gods wrath likely to come, obſerued in the courſe of his prouidence as a ſufficient cauſe of publike faſting.