The Holy Exercise of Fasting, Sermon 9
HOMIL. IX.
The ninth Homilie continueth to ſhew the cauſes of publike faſtes, namely, when the wrath of God to come hath beene iuſtly feared, in reſpect of the great ſinnes, that hauehave abounded: and of the iudgement of God, denounced against the ſame openly by the ministers of God. And when Gods wrath hath not onelyonly beene vponupon themſelues, but vponupon others of their brethren, the children of God.
THe laſt daie we entring into this treatiſe of the conſideration of the cauſes of publike faſtings, hauehave hitherto proceeded thus farre; to ſhew that the ſeruants of God hauehave beene mooued thereunto, not onelyonly when ſome great puniſhment as a teſtimonie of Gods diſpleaſure hath beene vponupon them,The wrath of God to come, conſidered in ſinne, that hath abounded, hath beene cauſe of publike faſts. but when in the courſe of nature, or of ordinarie meanes to ſerue Gods prouidence by, there hath beene ſome likelihood of it: it remaineth that I ſhould proceed. Therefore ſecondarily they hauehave conſidered of Gods diſpleaſure likely to come vponupon them, by ſeeing and obſeruing diligently the manifold great ſinnes, and notorious offences, which in their time hauehave beene committed: for which they truely iudged, and feared that God muſt needs ſome waie puniſh them, according to the number and greatneſſe of the ſame, though hee had borne with them a long time; and the longer that of his great patience he had forborne them, the greater and more ſpeedie ſhoulde his puniſhment bee, according to his iuſtice. And this they hauehave certainely gathered from the conſtant trueth of Gods threatnings reuealed in his holy lawe, and from the continuall execution of the ſame vponupon others from time to time. Seeing then that the Lord is iuſt and true, and that he hath threatned to puniſh ſinne ſo and ſo, as is largely ſet downe in the Lawe and the Prophets, ſpecially the bookes of Moſes, Leuit. 26. Deut. 28.when they hauehave ſeene ſinne to abound, then they hauehave no leſſe wiſely, then certainely concluded, that wrath is at hand, becauſe God is offended. For euen as when all fleſh had corrupted their waies vponupon earth,Gen. 6. hee brought in the floud of water, and drowned the whole world: and when the crie of Sodom and Gomorrah was great, and their ſinne exceeding grieuous,Gen. 18.20 the Lord rained brimſtone and fire from heauen vponupon them,Gen. 15.16. and ouerthrew them, and all the inhabitants of them: And when the wickedneſſe of the Ammonites and of the Canaanites was full,Iudg. 2.11. then the land ſpued them out: and when the Iſraelites in the time of the Iudges did wickedly in the ſight of the Lord, and ſerued, Baalim and Aſhtaroſh, the wrath of the Lord was hot againſt them, and he deliuered them into the hands of ſpoilers that ſpoiled them; and hee ſolde them into the hands of their enemies, round about them, ſo that they could no longer ſtand before their enemies. And in the time of the Kings for the ſame cauſe they were caried away captiues into Babylon;2. Chro. 36.15. becauſe the Lord ſending his meſſengers to reclaime them from their ſinne, riſing earelie, becauſe hee had compaſſion on them, they mocked the meſſengers of God, and miſuſed his prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt them, and till there was no remedie: for he brought vponupon them the Kings of the Chaldeans, who ſlew their yong men with the ſword, in the houſe of their Sanctuarie, and ſpared neither yoong man, nor virgine, ancient nor aged; God gaue all into his hand: And at the laſt for refuſing Chriſt and his holie Goſpell, they were vtterly deſtroied by the Romanes: ſo that alwaies when ſinne hath abounded, the wrath of God hath beene neere,Rom. 1.18. and readie to be reuealed from heauen againſt all vngodlineſſe and vnrighteouſneſſe of men: and they that hauehave beene wiſe-hearted hauehave obſerued it: and ſo this hath beene ſufficient cauſe to mooue them by faſting and praier to ſeeke betimes to hauehave it turned awaie.
And this they hauehave done euen then,Euen then, when outwardly there hath beene no ſhew of danger. when there was no likelihood of anie euill to come vponupon them in reſpect of any outward meanes that did portend it, but onelyonly their ſinnes (the cauſe of it) in reſpect of Gods iuſtice, did giuegive them cauſe to feare it. Thus did Ezra Ezr. 9.1.the prieſt and the reſt of the Iewes that feared God, euen a verie great congregation, when he vnderſtoode, that the Prieſts, Leuites, and the reſt of the people had married ſtrange wiues contrarie to the law of God, euen of the Canaanites, Hittites, Iebuſites, Egyptians, and ſuch like: he feared ſome plague to come vponupon them for it, and ſo confeſſed their ſinne vntounto God, and craued pardon with all humilitie and earneſtneſſe in faſting and praier: for he rent his clothes, and his garments, and pluckt off the haire off his head, and of his beard, and ſate downe aſtonied: and there aſſembled vntounto him all that feared the wordes of the God of Iſrael, becauſe of the tranſgreſſion of them of the captiuitie, and ſo he ſate downe aſtonied with them vntill the euening ſacrifice: and then he tell vponupon his knees, and ſpread out his hands vntounto the Lord God, & made that humble ſupplication for them, that followeth there.Ezr. 9.6. And after that, he aroſe vp from before the houſe of God, and went into a chamber, but he did neither eate bread, nor drinke water, for he mourned, becauſe of the tranſgreſſions of them of the captiuitie.Ezr. 10.6. Thus though in reſpect of all outward things they had great cauſe of reioicing, for he and many of the people were but newly returned out of their long captiuitie, and were come vp to Ieruſalem from Babel, & Artahſhaste the King of Perſia had thē giuen him all his requeſt,Ezr. 7.6. according to the hand of the Lord his God, which was vponupon him: yet in reſpect of the common ſinnes of their time they ſound Gods wrath, and mourned for it, and by faſting and prayer ſought to preuent it. If we then had but eyes to ſee, and hearts to conſider of the innumerable great ſinnes of our time, which as a great floud hauehave ouerflowen the whole land, ſo that there is no place nor calling free from the ſame: but as it is ſayd of the Iſraelites (The Prieſts and the people treſpaſſed woonderfully) ſo it may be ſaid of our time,2. Chro. 36.14. The commo… ſinnes of ou… time might more vsus to publike faſting, if there were nothing els.High and low hauehave woonderfully offended God: we might eaſily perceiue, that though there were no plague at all among vsus, or puniſhment vponupon vsus, nor any by all likelihood to be feared; yet for our ſinnes, the crie whe…of is exceeding grieuous in the cares of the Lord of hoſts, and is aſcended vp into the heauens long agoe, and calleth for vengeance againſt vsus, as theirs of Sodom and Gomorrah did:Gen. 18.2…. wee had iuſt cauſe to feare his wrath, and ſo by faſting and prayer to ſeeke ſpeedilie to preuent it. For to let paſſe the ſtrange mariages between the Proteſtants and Papiſts, which without any ſcruple of conſcience are too frequently vſed, which ſeemed to be the onelyonly ſinne of that time, in the daies of Ezra, …zr. 9.2.that the people of God were ſo vnequallie yoked, and as it is ſaid there, they had mixed the holy ſeed with the people of the landes. To let this paſſe, wee may with the Prophet beholde a thouſand abominations more:…zek. 8.9.…8.15. for what peri… rie & blaſphemie is there beſides common ſwearing? what intolerable pride in all ſorts, euen like vntounto Lucifer himſelfe? what ſwelling one againſt another? what enuie, heart-burning, hatred, malice, crueltie, oppreſſion? what drunkenneſſe, and gluttonie, and ſurfetting? what abominable adulterie, fornications, and all kinde of vncleanneſſe with chambering and wantonneſſe? as though men had cleane forgotten the Lord,1. King. 21.20. and ſolde themſelues to doe euill. But to paſſe by all theſe things with ſilence, though they bee verie great, let vsus looke but to this one thing, the generall contempt of Gods holie Word, that ineſtimable treaſure of his Goſpell, which he hath beſtowed vponupon vsus, euen that precious p…rle,Math. 12.43. which when a man hath ſound, hee ſhould ſell all that he hath, and buy it:Eſpecially the generall contempt of the Goſpell in all place… whether wee conſider of thoſe places, where it is not, how it is neglected, & not ſought for of them, or where it is, how it is not there regarded; how many hauehave no care to preach it ſincerelie, and more hauehave no care to follow it in their liues: ſo that the profeſſion that is made of it, is more for eſtimation and credit, than of conſcience and louelove that then beare to it; and it is more in the head than in the heart, more in the tongue than in deed, more in ſhewe than in trueth. And a great number though they hauehave had it thus long, yet are not only not bettered thereby, but are a great deale worſe than they were many yeeres ago. This open and manifeſt contempt of the Goſpell, I ſay, which is a greater ſinne than all the ſinnes of Sodom, …ath. 10.….(For it ſhall be eaſier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement, then for them) we muſt needs confeſſe, that for it we had cauſe long agoe to feare the death of our moſt gracious ſoueraigne Queene; and now ſince it hath happened, we may well ſay with Job, The thing that we feared,…b. 3.25. is come vponupon vsus: and though the Lord hath maruellouſly and beyond all our hope recompenſed that great loſſe, by ſending ſo worthy a King into her roome; yet we might then hauehave feared ſome other great puniſhment: as we ſee how this plague hath followed, and there was cauſe to feare it before, though few did thinke of it; and what may be next vntounto this, we know not, wee are ſure that much hath beene deſerued, and ſo by faſting and prayer in reſpect of theſe great ſinnes, wee had need to ſeeke to the Lord to turne it away. And thus much for the ſecond cauſe, which might mooue vsus to feare ſome great wrath and diſpleaſure of God to bee ſhewed in ſome kinde of correction and rodde of his, whereby wee might willingly humble our ſelues before him in publike faſting, euen the great ſinnes that in all ſorts eueryevery where abound, and moſt ſhamefully lift vp their heads vncontroled.
Thirdly and laſt of all,Gods nor … to come apearing i… his iudgement; denounced, hauehave been cauſes of publike ſ… ſ…ing. concerning, this matter the ſeruants of God in former times hauehave wiſely diſcerned beforehand of the ſtormie tempeſt of Gods wrath to come, by the fearefull threatnings of Gods iudgement denounced againſt them by his faithfull ſeruaunts that hauehave ſpoken to them in his Name: whom as they hauehave beene perſwaded, that they hauehave beene ſtirred vp by his holy ſpirit, to ſpeake vntounto them from his mouth, and to warne them thereby out of his word, as from himſelfe; ſo they hauehave feared the things that hauehave beene ſpoken againſt them, and as though they did ſee them comming, hauehave ſought vntounto him by faſting and prayer, to eſcape them. And this is the thing that mooued the King of Niniue to doe as he did, namelie, that when hee heard the preaching of the Prophet Iona, how hee did crie out againſt their ſinne, and threatned Gods vengeance to light ſpeedily vponupon the whole citie, vnleſſe they did ſpeedilie repent;…ona. 3.4. euen that within fortie dayes Niniue ſhould be ouerthrowen: when this word came vntounto him, hee aroſe from his throne, & laied his robe from him, and couered himſelfe with ſackecloth, and ſate in aſhes, and proclaimed a faſt thorow the whole citie (by the counſell of the King & his nobles) ſaying, Let neither man nor beaſt feed nor drinke water: that ſo in all humilitie they ſeeking to God for mercy, and turning eueryevery man frō his euill wa…es, they might bee ſpared in this which they ſaw, they had ſo great cauſe to feare: for it is ſayd, 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: they beleeued in God, and that moued them to do ſo; that is, they beleeued that Iona, Iona. 3.5.who thus preached, was a true Prophet, and that God had ſent him to doe this meſſage vntounto them, and that their ſinnes had deſerued this vtter deſtruction threatned, and that of his iuſtice God might bring it vponupon them, and therefore though they yet ſawe not howe and which way it ſhould come to paſſe, yet beleeuing theſe things, they fell to faſting and prayer, to pacifie Gods wrath, and to eſcap… it. So that as the ſound of the trumpet doth warne men to prepare themſelues to battell, and to go meet with their enemies: ſo this preaching of Gods ſeruant, who lifted vp his voice againſt them, as a trumpet, did awaken them out of the ſleepe of ſecurity, and to meet the Lord, who was become their enemie by reaſon of their ſinnes; and in faſting and praier humblie ſubmitting themſelues vntounto him, to intreat at his hands conditions of peace. And truelie in this reſpect, if we ſhould not in like maner ſeeke to the Lord with faſting & praier, that his wrath might be appeaſed towards vsus, we could not plead ignorance, as not knowing anie cauſe why we ſhould doe ſo:…Ve hauehave not wanted this …auſe of publike fasting, …mong vsus. for we muſt needes confeſſe, that the faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt hauehave often and long ago in the pulpits proclaimed open warre againſt vsus for our ſinnes; that is, they hauehave threatned Gods heauie iudgements againſt vsus out of his Word, to rowſe vsus from the drowſie ſecuritie of ſinne.
HaueHave we not heard it preached vntounto vsus, as it was to the Iewes, that the kingdome of God ſhould bee taken from vsus for our great barrenneſſe,Mat. 21.43. and green to a nation, that ſhould bring forth the fruits thereof? And hauehave we not heard the words of the Prophet,…ſa. 5.1. that whereas the Lord had planted among vsus a vineyard in a very fruitefull hill, and had hedged it, and gathered out the ſtones of it, and had planted it with the beſt plants, and had built a tower in the middes thereof, and made a wine-preſſe therein, and then looked that it ſhould bring foorth grapes, but it brought foorth wilde grapes: that therefore hee would take awaie the hedge thereof, that it might be eaten vp, and would breake downe the wall thereof, that it might be troden down, and that he would lay it waſte, that it ſhould not be digged, but briers and thornes ſhould growe vp in it, and woulde commaund the cloudes that they ſhould not raine vponupon it? And as this hath beene threatned, ſo the Lord might according to our deſerts, after the death of our late Queene Elizabeth, hauehave giuen vsus vp either into the hands of ſome forraine enemies abroad, or rebellious perſons at home, who might hauehave broken downe all, and laid vsus & the Church of God waſte: Now though he hath ſpared vsus this waie, yet according to former iudgement denounced, hee hath not let vsus alone in our ſinnes, but hath taken vsus into his owne hande, by ſending this peſtilence among vsus; which Dauid accounted a great fauour, when it was offered vntounto him by the prophet Gad, 2. Sam. 24.13.after that hee had offended the Lord in numbring of the people, whether of theſe three puniſhments he would chooſe, either ſeuen yeeres famine to come vponupon the land, or to flie three monthes before his enemies, or that there ſhould be three daies peſtilence in the land; ſaying, I am in a woonderfull great ſtrait: let vsus now fal into the hand of the Lord, for his mercies are great, and let me not fall into the hand of men, and ſo hee choſe the peſtilence, as a mercifull viſitation of the Lord: and ſo muſt we thinke, that though the Lorde hath brought this upon vsus for our ſinnes, according to that that hath beene threatned by his ſeruants, yet heerein he hath delt verie mercifully with vsus, in that he hath deliuered vsus from the cruel oppreſſion of bloody men.For Gods iudgements to come, for our ſinnes hauehave beene constantly threatned. We muſt needs then acknowledge, that the ſeruants of God hauehave not kept ſilence againſt our ſins; but hauehave out of his worde ſhewed, that of his iuſtice and trueth hee muſt needes puniſh vsus ſome waie for our ſinnes, vnleſſe we ſpeedily repent. And this as it hath beene alwaies the vſuall dealing of God towards his Church (to which ſpecially he hath giuen his worde, and the Miniſters thereof) to warne them of his deſerued puniſhments beforehand, as it is ſaide of the Prophet Ezekiel, Ezek. 3.17.Sonne of man I hauehave made thee a watchman to the houſe of Iſrael, therefore heare the worde at my mouth, and giuegive them warning from me: ſo we have not wanted this great merciemercy of God. For by the Miniſters of our time from the trueth of Gods worde wee hauehave beene warned of his iudgements to come from time to time. Who though by the ſpirit of prophecie they could not foretel whē, in what daie, or monethmonth, or yeere, or after what maner, either with the ſworde, famine, or peſtilence, as the prophets did in their time, to whom it was ſpeciallie reuealed: yet out of the moſt certaine trueth of Gods worde, and the conſtant courſe of his dealing in former times, they hauehave conſtantlie auouched and ſaide, that God muſt needes before it bee long ſome waies puniſh vsus for our ſinnes: as it is nowe come to paſſe, and as it hath beene preached vntounto the people before.
And hath not this bene ſeuerelie denounced againſt vsus often,Math. 3.10. which Iohn Baptist did againſt the Iewes? Now is the axe put to the roote of the tree: therefore euerie tree, which bringeth not foorth good fruite, ſhal be hewen downe, and caſt into the fire? hath it not beene preached, that God would vtterly deſtroy all thoſe that liue vnprofitable vnderunder his Goſpell, deſtroie them, I ſay, euen by the rootes? yet vndoubtedly this hath beene often ſounded in the eares of all hearers:chap. 21.19 and that the figge-tree that hath nothing on it, but leaues ſhall be accurſed and wither, that is, all hypocrites that content themſelues with a bare outwarde profeſſion of the Goſpell, and labour not for the inward vertue and power of it in their life, to the glory of God, and the benefite of others, ſhall be diſcouered in time, and come to nought: according to the praier of the prophet. Doe well, O Lord vntounto thoſe,Pſal. 125.4 that be good & true in their hearts: but theſe that turne aſide by the crooked waies, them ſhal the Lord lead with the workers of iniquitie: but peace ſhall bee vponupon Iſrael.Luk. 13.6. And though he be a moſt patient God towards al, euen towards the wicked, yet he wil ſeuerely puniſh thoſe at the laſt, that abuſe his great patience: as appeareth in the parable of a certaine housbandman, who had a figge-tree planted in his vineyard, & he came, and ſought fruit therein, and found none: then ſaid he to the dreſſer of his vinyard, Behold this three yeres hauehave I come, and ſought fruite of this figge-tree, and find none: cut it down; why keepeth it alſo the ground barren? And he anſwered and ſaide vntounto him, Lord let it alone this yeere alſo, till I digge round about it, and dunge it, and if it beare fruit, well: if not, then after thou ſhalt cut it downe.Rom. 2.4. So the God of patience, who thereby leadeth all men to repentance, or leaueth them without excuſe, hath waited for our repentance and amendment of life, as the fruit of all the paines that he hath taken with vsus in his Goſpell, but vndoubtedly, if after this preaching from yeere to yeere, we remaine vnfruitfull, at the laſt he will root them vp, which make the Church barren, which is in it owne nature the moſt fruitfull place in the world.And therefore wee ought long agoe to hauehave ſought vntounto God in faſting and …raier, to eſcape this wrath. Theſe & ſuch like things hauehave not onelyonly beene preached euerie where, but with greate earneſtneſſe and zeale ſo vttered, that we might eaſilie diſcerne, that they ſpake not of themſelues, but were thereunto ſtirred vp by the ſpirit of God, ſo that God warned vsus of his iudgements by them and therefore wee ſhould hauehave beleeued them, and ſo hauehave ſought heeretofore by faſting and praier to hauehave theſe …ings turned away. For as Dauid whē …he prophet Nathan terrified his con…ience with the fearefull denuntiation Gods iudgement for his ſinne, ſay…g,2. Sam. 12.9 Wherefore haſt thou deſpiſed the commandement of the Lorde, to doe euill in his ſight? therefore the ſword ſhall neuer depart from thine houſe; then he beſought the Lord, & faſted, and lay all night vponupon the earth, before all came vponupon him: And as Ahab King of Iſrael when Eliah the prophet reproouing him ſharpely for his ſinne, ſaide vntounto him in the name of God, behold I will bring euill vponupon thee, and take awaie thy poſteritie,1. King. 21.21. &c. when hee heard theſe words, hee rent his clothes, and put ſackecloth vponupon him, and faſted: and ſo both theſe, when they did heare from meſſenger of God, what was due to them for their ſinnes, they ſought by priuate faſting to hauehave it turned away: So when the Lord euerie where ſtirred vp his ſeruants with all zeale and feruencie of ſpirit more then ordinarily thus to ſpeake vntounto vsus, and did ſing vntounto vsus the dolefull ſong of his heauie iudgements, and ſo with Iohn Baptiſt did mourne vntounto vsus,Luk. 7.32. that we might hauehave wept: we ſhould hauehave done as the Niniuites did,Iona 3.5. that is, wee ſhould hauehave beleeued God, and his ſeruants, and hauehave put on ſackecloth from the greateſt to the leaſt, and ſo by faſting and praier hauehave ſought vntounto the Lord to turne it away: & not careleſly to hauehave taried till the hand of God was vponupon vsus, as now we hauehave done. Wee ſhould hauehave beene wiſe, as others hauehave beene before vsus, to hauehave taken knowledge of Gods wrath to come by the threatnings of his word, preached vntounto vsus by his ſeruants, and ſo ſought to preuent them as they did.
Thus we ſee,A concluſio… ſhewing what cauſe there is of publike faſting in reſpect of Gods wrath appearing againſt our ſelues. that whether we looke to the time preſent, or to come; and therein to the courſe of Gods prouidence, whereby (if wee conſider all things well) wee hauehave more cauſe to feare our ſelues, then to be ſecure: or wee looke to ſinne, that aboundeth euerie where, which being vnrepented of, calleth for vengeance at Gods hand againſt vsus; or wee conſider this, that our ſinnes hauehave beene ſharpely reprooued and Gods curſe for them threatned againſt vsus by thoſe that hauehave ſpoken vntounto vsus in his name: we hauehave great cauſe to doe, as we doe, I meane, to reſort thus to the Church, to ſeeke vntounto God by faſting and praier: yea wee ſhould hauehave done it long before: and ſeeing that there are ſo manie cauſes of publike faſting among vsus, wee muſt therefore thinke, that the Lorde requireth the thing it ſelfe at our hands. Which we ſhall the rather alſo be perſwaded of, if beſides all this that hath beene ſpoken to that end, we further conſider that the people of God alwaies making this a ſufficient cauſe of their faſtings, euē the wrath of God appearing againſt his Church (as we hauehave ſeene before) hauehave conſidered & regarded this wrath of his to moue them thereunto, not onelyonly againſt themſelues particularly, but againſt others alſo of the ſame ſocietie and fellowſhip of true religion, that themſelues were of, through a mutuall feeling and compaſſion, which they hauehave one of another, as the liuely members of one and the ſame myſticall bodie, whereof Chriſt Ieſus is the head,The wrath of God againſt other chur…hes hauehave mooued the god y to publike faſting. Rom. 12.15 and which he quickeneth by one ſpirit, according to the doctrine of Saint Paul: Reioice with them that reioice, and weepe with them that weepe, bee of like affection one towards an other. So that though they hauehave bene free from any token at all of Gods diſpleaſure themſeues, yet when they hauehave ſeene it lie heauilie vppon the ſhoulders of their brethren, they hauehave by faſting and praier put to their helping hand,Gal. 6.2. and hauehave ſought to remooue it, that they might be eaſed; & ſo hauehave borne one anothers burden (as the Apoſtle ſaith) fulfilling therein the lawe of Chriſt. As appeareth by the faſt, that was held at Antiochia, Act. 13.2.which was taken in hande for the great miſerie of the mother Church of Ieruſalem, rather then for any preſent calamity that was then in that citie. For it is ſhewed in the Chapterchap. 13.1. going before, that Herod the King raiſed a great perſecution againſt that Church, and ſtretched out his …and to vexe it there, and firſt he killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the ſword: and when he ſaw that it pleaſed the people, hee proceeded further t… tak… …ter alſo, and when he had caug… him, he put him in priſon, cauſed him to be bound with chaines, and deliuered him to foure quaternions of ſoldiers to be kept: and what he would hauehave done to him, wee may eaſily coniecture, if the Lord had not diſappointed him, as it followeth in that Chapter: where is ſhewed how this cruell perſecuting tyrant, when he was in the middeſt of his pride, and was cōtented to be ſaluted by his flatterers with the name of God, ſaying, the voice of God,verſ. 22. and not of man, then the Angell of the Lord ſmote him; becauſe he gaue not glorie vntounto God, ſo that he was eaten vp of wormes, & gaue vp the ghoſt. Then preſently the Euangeliſt maketh mention of this faſt, when Paul and Barnabas were returned from Ieruſalem to Antiochia, and as it is moſt like, told them of all the troubles that were there; and there is no mention of any ſpeciall calamitie that was there, but rather of Gods great bleſſings, for there were many excellent men, euen Prophets and teachers, whereof ſome are named there: ſo that it is manifeſt,In which reſpect we hauehave cauſe t… do it, for th… calamitie that is vponupon our brethren. that this faſt was to intreat for the Church at Ieruſalem. Therefore though there were no euill at all vponupon our ſelues, vponupon our owne perſons, or any that belong vntounto vsus, or vponupon our towne, or any likelihood of any to come vponupon vsus: yet this fearefull and great plague that is, and hath bene a long time vponupon our brethren in many places of this land (vnited vntounto vsus in the profeſſion of the ſame religion & Goſpel, beſides the ſame allegiance which we owe all vntounto the ſame ſoueraigne King) in manie places, (I ſay) as in London, Norwitch, Yarmouth, Cambridge, and ſuch like, ſhould mooue vsus in compaſſion to ſuccour them with our praiers as much as wee can, and therefore to intreat the Lorde to remooue this heauie hand of his from them, though we feele not the weight of it our ſelues, & ſo to faſt publikely for theſe cities and townes, as they of Antiochia did for them of Ieruſalem.
Therefore no man muſt thinke, that theſe publike faſts which we keepe by the commaundement of our gouernours, doe concerne others and not themſelues, nor ſay, We are all well heere (God bee thanked) what need we vexe and trouble our ſelues with anie ſuch thing before we hauehave cauſe? this order is appointed for ſuch places where the plague is, heere is none yet, neither is any neere vsus, Gods name be bleſſed for it: Theſe are good wordes indeed, and I pray God, that they may ſo conſider of the goodneſſe of God towards vsus indeed, that wee may labour to be truely thankefull to him for the ſame. But doth not the Apoſtle ſay,…. Cor. 12.…6. that in the naturall body by the verie inſtinct of nature, if one member ſuffer and be pained,That as in …he naturall …ody there is … feeling of …he paine of …ther mem…ers: ſo it may be in …pirituall. all ſuffer with it, and hauehave the feeling of it? And ſhall not we which are the bodie of Chriſt, and members for our part (as he ſaith in the ſame place) by the inward working of Gods ſpirit, be mooued with the aduerſitie, ſickeneſſe, paine, and loſſe of our brethren? but bee ſo hardhearted, and voide of all life of the ſpirit of God, of all ſence of feeling, as dead and rotten members, or rather cleane cut off from the bodie, that we ſhal daily heare of many thouſands of our brethren & ſiſters in Chriſt to be in ſo great heauineſſe and ſorrow for themſelues and for their friends, and not to bee mooued with it? and yet count our ſeules members of that bodie, when wee ſhall hauehave little or no feeling at all of their eſtate. That part of the bodie is dead, that is without feeling, not onelyonly of it owne ſelfe, but of the other members; ſo we may wel thinke of our ſelues, that we are cleane voide of that ſpirit of life, that quickneth the whole body, if in ſo great miſerie of others we ſhould be ſenſeleſſe, & not moued with it. Did not Nehemiah that woorthy ſeruant of God, though he was in the Kings court, and in office there, and in great fauor with the King, and all was well with him, yet ſo ſorrow for the miſerie of his brethren in Ieruſalem, that he faſted, and praied for them? according as it is written of him:Neh. 1.2. That there came Hanam one of his brethren vntounto him, and ſome other of the men of Iudah, and hee asked them concerning the Iewes that were deliuered, which were of the reſidue of the captiuitie, and concerning Ieruſalem: & they ſaid vntounto him, the reſidue that are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince are in great affliction & in reproch, and the wall of Ieruſalem is broken downe, & the gates thereof are burnt with fire: & when he heard thoſe words,As Nehemi…h beeing in …reat proſpe…itie mour…ed and fa…ed for the …iſerie of …is brethren. hee ſate downe and wept, and mourned certaine daies, and faſted, and praied before the God of heauen for them: which zealous and godly praier of his proceeding from the aboundance of his ſorrowful heart is ſet downe there. And this griefe of heart which hee conceaued for the affliction of others did ſo worke vponupon him in this great proſperitie of his owne, that hee was not able to hide it, but it did manifeſtly bewraie it ſelfe in his countenance, ſo that the king, when he waited at the table did perceiue it, and asked him the cauſe of it, ſaying,Neh. 2.2. Why is thy countenance ſadde, ſeeing thou art not ſicke, this is nothing but ſorrowe of heart; Then he told him the cauſe of it, and ſaid to the king, God ſaue the …ng for euer▪ why ſhoulde not my countenance be ſadde, when the citie and houſe of the ſepulcher of my fa…hers lieth waſte, and the gates thereof are deuoured with fire? Thus we ſee how hee in all pittie and compaſſion ſorrowed for the deſolation of others: and ſhall we thinke, that we may now giuegive our ſelues to feaſting, and chearing, to myrth and pleaſure, to recreation and paſtimes, and to all kinde of meeting to theſe endes, as in times paſt, and hauehave little or no ſorrowe at all, when our brethren in other places are in great affliction, and manie houſes lie waſte with the peſtilence? We muſt doe, as wee would be done vntounto; if we were in their caſe, or in any other miſerie, we would be glad, that others ſhould pittie vsus, and in pittie praie for vsus,Then ſhall …thers alſo pittie vsus in the like caſe and praie for vsus. and it would be a great comfort vntounto vsus, to heare that any did ſo: then muſt we in the meane ſeaſon thus pittie others, and in a brotherly compaſſion praie for them; that when it ſhall be our owne caſe that waie, or any other way, we might not bee left to our ſelues, but others might doe as much for vsus, as we hauehave done for them before, according to the promiſe of our Sauiour Chriſt in the Goſpell: GiueGive,Leu. 6.36. and it ſhall bee giuen you, a good meaſure, preſſed downe, ſhaken together, and running ouer ſhall men giuegive vntounto your boſome, for with what meaſure you mete, with the ſame ſhall men mete vntounto you againe.
It is written of Vriah the Hittite one of Dauids woorthie captaines, that when hee was ſent for home in pollicie by the King, that by going home to his owne houſe, the adultery that was cōmitted with his wife Bethſhebah in his abſence might be hidden:2. Sam. 11.… and therefore the king ſaid vntounto him, Goe downe to thine houſe, and waſh thy feete: ſo Vriah departed out of the kings pallace, and the king ſent a preſent after him; but Vriah Vriah departed from his lawfull delightes, becauſe his brethren were in aduerſity▪ſlept at the doore of the kings pallace with all the ſeruants of his Lorde, and went not downe to his houſe: then they tolde Dauid, ſaying, Vriah went not downe to his houſe, and Dauid ſaid vntounto Vriah, commeſt thou not from thy iourney? Why doeſt thou not goe downe to thine houſe? Then Vriah anſwered Dauid: The Arke, and Iſrael, and Iudah dwell in tentes, and my Lord Ioab, and the ſeruants of my Lord abide in the open fieldes: ſhall I then goe into mine houſe, to eate and drinke, and to lie with my wife? by thy life, and by the life of thy ſoule I will not do this thing. Is this good and holy man Vriah would not go home to his houſe, and make much of himſelfe, when the King bad him, & when there were ſo manie reaſons for it, becauſe his Lord and captaine Ioab, vnderunder whom he ſerued, and manie other of the people his fellow ſouldiers were in the field before their enemies, and ſo in danger of their liues, but thought it meet in godly wiſedome, though hee was abſent from them, to beare part of the burden with them.So ſhould we fall from our …leaſures in …his great ſo…ow & loſſe …f others. Then wee, if wee hauehave the like compaſſion to our brethren that hee had, ſhould thinke, that wee ought to abridge our ſelues ſomewhat at the leaſt of our honeſt lawfull delights, and to cut off not only all ſuperfluity and exceſſe, but ſomewhat of our ordinarie diet, and to ſorrow with thoſe our brethren, who though they are not in the open fields and in the face and feare of their enemies, yet are in no leſſe danger & feare of their liues by reaſon of this great plague;Pſal. 91.5. which as an arrow flieth by day, and walketh in the darkeneſſe, and deſtroieth at noon day, ſo that neither day nor night they are in ſafetie, or without feare, and is as deadlie as the ſword, for it cauſeth a thouſand to fall on the one ſide, and ten thouſand on the other: and ſo they hauehave manie fearefull dayes, and take little reſt in the night, neither can they eat their meat quietly, or with any comfort. So that vnleſſe we will be addicted, and liue whollie to ourſelues, and care for none other, this great wrath vponupon our brethren ſo long and ſo heauie, ſhould driue vsus to weepe with them, to faſt and pray for them: and ſeeing they are ſo greatly humbled in themſelues, we ſhould ſome wayes caſt downe our ſelues with them. Therefore let vsus ſet their lamentable eſtateTo that end we ſhould ſeriouſlie thinke of their lamentable eſtate. before our eies, and let it be a looking glaſſe vntounto vsus; let vsus in the feare of God thinke of it ſeriouſly and in good earneſt, as if it were our owne caſe, that wee may be thorowly mooued with it: and let vsus not hauehave ſuch ſtonie hearts, ſo void of all bowels of compaſſion, that wee ſhould heare weekely of the death of our brethren, and what great lamentation is made euerie where, ſome for the loſſe of their husbands and wiues, ſome for the death of their parents and children, others for the departure of their ſiſters and brethren, friendes, neighbours, kinſefolke and acquaintance, and we ſhould hauehave no ſorrow for it at all: this were the verie next way to prouoke God againſt our ſelues, and wilfullie to pull the ſame miſerie vponupon our owne heads. Dauid was ſo full of pitie, that he faſted, & beſought the Lord not onelyonly when the hand of God was vponupon ſome of his own houſhold,2. Sam. 12.15. as when the Lord had ſtriken the child that was begotten in adultery, & so it lay ſick: but alſo when it was vponupon others, euen vponupon his enemies,Pſal. 35.13. as he profeſſeth himſelfe; They rewarded mee euill for good, to hauehave ſpoiled my ſoule, yet I when they were ſicke, I was clothed with a ſack, I humbled my ſelfe with faſting, & my praier was turned vponupon my boſome, that is, I prayed for them continually: I behaued my ſelfe, as to my friends, or as to my brother; I humbled my ſelfe, mourning as one that bewaileth his mother. If he did thus for his enimies, how much more ſhould we doe it for them, who hauehave giuen vsus no other cauſe to iudge of them, but as of our friends? if he did it for ſome one, or a few priuate perſons, then how much more ſhould we doe it, when the affliction is ſo common? and not onelyonly to manie perſons, but to manie places, euen the chiefe cities and townes of this realme.
When as Haman ſought the deſtruction of Mordecai principally, becauſe hee would not ſatisfie his proud humour in giuing him that reuerence, which hee required, and then for his ſake the deſtruction of all the Iewes:Heſt. 3.5. for his malice was ſo great, and hee was ſo full of wrath and indignatiō againſt him, that he thought it too little, to lay hands onelyonly one Mordecay and bicauſe they had ſhewed him the people of Mordecay, Haman ſought to deſtroy all the Iewes, that were throughout the whole kingdome of Ah…ſ…ueroſh, euen t… …eople of Mordec…y▪ and had preuailed thus farre with the king, that he had obt…ined a commiſſion to that end ſealed with the kings ring, euen to roote out, to kill and deſtroy all the Iewes both yoong and old, children, & women in one day: and Queene Hester, Heſter being without danger, faſted for the mi…ery of others.who was a Iew herſelfe, had intelligence of this, from Mordecay: ſhe might hauehave thought that al this did not appertaine vntounto her; ſhe being the Queene, and ſo deare vntounto the king, none durſt be ſo bold, as to touch her; if all the reſt of the Iewes were ſlaine, yet ſhe ſhuld eſcape: for all this ſhe is in great compaſſion affected with the ſorrow and miſerie of the reſt of the people, and ſo ſhe putteth off her princely attire, entreth into her ſecret chamber,H…ſt. 4.16, & there with her maides humbleth her ſelfe before God for them in faſting and praier three dayes, and three nights together. If then it were poſſible for vsus in this ſo common and daungerous contagion and mortality of many of our brethren in ſo many places of this land diſperſed, to hauehave as good hope and likelihoode of our owne ſecuritie and freedome from it, as this good Queene might hauehave had from that deſtruction, that was intended generally againſt all the Iewes; yet wee ſhould be ſo touched with the eſtate of others, that are like to periſh,So ſ…ould w… that a…e wh…, for them that are viſited with the plagu…. that we ſhould ſeek to ſuccor them, at the leaſt by our prayers and ſupplications vntounto God for them, with faſting and humbling of our ſelues to that end, as ſhe did. But eſpecially, we ſhould be farre from that prophane ſecuritie, and carnall voluptuouſneſſe, which is noted to hauehave beene in the King and Haman, …eſt. 3.15.that they two ſate drinking, and making of good cheere, when the whole Citie of Shuſhan was in great perplexitie: ſo we ſhould giuegive our ſelues to eating and drinking, and all kind of mirth and iolitie, like Epicures and belligods, as it is to be feared that too many doe, when in many Cities and Townes, other are in great diſtreſſe and perplexitie of mind. Yea, we are to feare that fewe of the better ſort, hauehave layde this great viſitation ſo neere their heart as they ſhould, which is one cauſe, that it continueth ſo long, and in that great meaſure, that it doth. Let vsus then put vponupon vsus the perſon of our brethren, and labour to hauehave the feeling of their eſtate,A concluſion ſhewing what cauſe we hauehave to faſt for our brethren. as though it were our owne: and then we ſhall know and confeſſe, that if there had beene no order taken for theſe faſtings publikely, wee in louelove ſhould hauehave ſubmitted our ſelues vntounto them priuately: but now ſeeing we are commanded by the publike authoritie of our Superiors, and that alſo vponupon ſo good ground, as wee hauehave heard, that wee are bound vntounto it ſo much the more. And the rather that we might doe it, we may know thus much, that they obſerue this faſt in Scotland for vsus, becauſe now we are not onelyonly vnderunder one Religion, but vnderunder the ſame gouernement, and therefore we muſt account the eſtate of the one common to the other, as they by this practiſe for their part, ſhew that they doe: if they that are ſo farre off, are mooued with it ſo greatly; then we that are ſo neere, muſt needes be too ſenſeleſſe, and void of compaſſion, if we ſhould not by faſting and prayer ſeeke, that ſo great a wrath of God, ſo long continued, might in Gods moſt bleſſed time bee remooued and taken cleane away: that ſo it might pleaſe him of his infinite merciemercy to worke that true repentance in all, whereby he might be mooued to heale all thoſe places, that hauehave a long time bene diſeaſed, that there might be that intercourſe of dealing betweene man and man in all places without danger or feare, that hath beene; and that it might not onelyonly be remooued, but with the fauour of God, and with the amendement of all our ſinnefull liues, that ſo it might be a bleſſing in deede, and not a curſe, and that we may ſo profit by it for the time to come, that we take that warning, which our Sauiour Chriſt gaue vntounto the diſeaſed man whom he had healed:Ioh. 5.14. Behold thou art made whole; ſinne no more, leaſt a worſe thing come vntounto thee. Which grace, God grant vntounto vsus, and to all the people of this lande, for Ieſus Chriſts ſake: to whom with the Father, and the holy Ghoſt, three perſons, and one true immortall, inuiſible, and only wiſe God be aſcribed from vsus, and from all his creatures all honour, glory, and praiſe power and thankeſgiuing, from this time foorth and for euer hereafter, world without end. Amen.