The Guide Unto True Blessedness, Section 47
SECT. XLVII. of Faſting, the extraordinary circumſtance of prayer.
Q. TO adde ſomewhat then concerning Faſting; What meane you thereby?
A. Not any naturall abſtinence, ariſing from ſickneſſe: nor medicinall, vſed to preuent, or remoue the ſame: nor ciuill, enioined ſometimes by authoritie, as in caſe of dearth, ſometimesa2. Kings 6.25. enforced by neceſſitie as in ſiege, ſeafaring &c: nor yet morall, forb1. Cor. 9.27. ſubduing of carnall concupiſcence, and preſeruation of chaſtity, required (eſpecially in ſome conſtitutions,) by vertue of the 7. Commandement: butcIoel. 1.14. religious, that is, referred to religious ends, for the furtherance of the ſpeciall practiſe of repentance, and the enforcing of our prayers.
Q. What neceſsitie is there of faſting?
A. Howſoeuer theaRom. 14.17. Kingdome of God conſiſt not properly in the matter of meate and drinke, whether vſed or forborne; yet faſting, as an extraordinarie helpe vntounto the chiefe exerciſes of pietie, hath the warrant & waight of a dutie, as well from precepts, as examples, both out of thebLeuit. 23.27, &c. Ioel 1.12 Eſa. 22.12. old Teſtament, and thecMat. 9.14, 15 Act. 13.3. new.
Q. When is this religious exerciſe of Faſting to be performed of Chriſtians?
A. When God calleth vponupon vsus for this duety by thedMat. 9.15 occaſions, ariſing from his prouidence, and our own neceſsities.
Q. What are thoſe occaſions, whereby the Lord calleth vsus to faſting?
A. They are generally two: Viz
1. Euils, which, being felt, or feared, we deſire to remoue, or to preuent; ase1. Sam 7.6. 1. Cor. 5.2 ſins, and thefEſther. 4 16 Jonah. 3.7. Math 17.21. iudgements of God for ſinne.
2. Good things, gAct. 10.30ſpirituall, orhNehem. 1.4 outward, which we deſire to enioy, and therefore doe thus ſeeke them, and prepare our ſelues for the receiuing of them.
Q. Whome doth God call vntounto this exerciſe of faſting?
A. aZech. 12.12 &c.All Chriſtians, enabled by vnderſtanding, and grace, to iudge, and performe aright this weighty duty; vnles any be exempted by preſentbMath. 12.7 1. Sam. 14.29, 30. debility: but differently according to the diuerſe occaſions of faſting, & kindes thereon depending.
Q. What are the kindes of faſting?
A. They are two. Viz.
1. Publique, when thecIoel 2.15. gouerners and magiſtrates, ſtirred vp by conſideration of commondNehem. 9.1, &c. ſinnes, eIona. 3.7; 8calamities, neceſsities, or buſineſſes of great importance, doe, in the name of God, blow the trumpet, & cal a ſolemn aſſembly, or aſſemblies; in which caſe he that obeyeth not, isfLeuit. 23.29. culpable before God and man.
2. Priuate, when vponupon the view either ofgEzek. 9 4. Ier. 13.17. publique cauſes, not conſidered of by ſuch as are in authoritie, or of the like, but more priuate occaſions (as domeſticall, or perſonall &c.) a Chriſtian is moued, either with hishZech. 12.12. 1. Cor. 7.5. familie, or ſpeciall friends, or by himſelfeaMath. 6.17 ſolitarilie, to humble himſelfe before the Lord.
Wherein the more ſecrecie is vſed, the greater proofe is there of ſinceritie and hope of bleſsing.
Q. What are the parts of a true Chriſtian faſt?
A. They are two. Viz.
Firſt,*1. Tim. 4.8. bodily exerciſe, ſeruing to the inward ſubſtance.
Secondly, an inward ſubſtance, ſanctifying the bodilie exerciſe, and making it profitable vntounto the vſers.
Q. What is the bodily exerciſe in faſting?
A. It is the forbearing of things, otherwiſe lawfull, and conuenient, as labor in our vocations, (in which reſpect ſuch times are calledbLeuit. 23.32. ſabbaths)cEſther 4.16 food, (from whence the whole action hath his name of faſting) ſleepe, dJoel 2.16. 1. Cor. 7.5.vſe of the marriage bed, eDan 6.18.muſicke, mirth, perfumes, fExod. 33.4 &c.choice apparell, or whatſoeuer ornaments of the body. All which, and the like are to bee forborne, in whole, or in part, for the time of humiliation (as fromgIud. 20.26. 2. Sam. 3.35. morning till euening, or from*Leuit. 23.32. euening till euening againe) ſo as nature bee chaſtiſed, but not diſabled for ſeruice; and the delights of ſence laid aſide, but yet without annoyance & vncomelineſſe.
Q. What is the ſpirituall ſubſtance of duty, whereto the bodily exerciſe ſerueth?
A. It is an extraordinary endeauour ofaEzra. 8.21 humbling our ſoules before the Lord, and of ſeeking his face and fauour: conſiſting
1. In thebIoel 2.13 abaſing of our ſelues, by examination, confeſsion and hearty bewailing of our owne, and the commoncEzra 9.3, 4, &c. Nehem. 9.1, 2, &c. Dan 9.3, 4, 5, &c, ſinnes; ſetting before our eies the glaſſe of Gods holy law, with the bitter curſes, threatned to the breakers thereof, the examples of vengeance on the wicked, the iudgements now felt, or feared of vsus: but eſpecially the ſpiritualldZech. 12.10 &c. contemplation of our bleſſed Sauiour, bleeding on the croſſe, with the wounds, which our ſinnes hauehave forced vponupon him.
2. InaLuc. 15.18, 21. drawing neere vntounto the Lord by faith, enabling vsus, not onelyonly feruently and importunately to knocke at the gate of his merciemercy for thebPſal. 51.1, 2 &c. & verſ. 14. pardon of ſinne, remoouall of iudgements, and graunt of the graces, and bleſſings we need: but alſo to make acNehem. 9.38. ſure couenant with his Maieſtie, ofdEſa. 55.7. Ionah. 3.8. renewing, and bettering our repentance thenceforward, in a more earneſt & effectuall hatred of ſin, and louelove of righteouſneſſe.
Q. What fruit or ſucceſſe may wee looke for, hauing thus ſought the Lord?
A. eIoel 2.14, 18. &c. Jonah. 3.9, 10.Who knoweth, whether by this meanes wee may ſtand in the gap, and cauſe the Lord to repent of the euill intended, and to ſpare his people? At the leaſt, for our particular, we ſhal receiue thefEzek. 9.4, 6. marke, and mercy promiſed to ſuch, as mourne for the abhominations generally committed;gMat. 6.18. Pro. 28.13. 1. Joh. 1.9. together with plentifull euidence of our ſaluation, and aſſurance of the louelove of God towards vsus; ſtrength againſt tēptations; patience, and comfort in afflictions; with all other graces, plentifully vouchſafed (eſpecially vpō ſuch renuing of acquaintance) byaHeb. 11.6. him who is the rewarder of all that come vntounto him. So that wee neede not doubt, but that as we hauehavebPſal. 126.5. ſowen in teares, ſo we ſhall reape in ioy: and as wee hauehave ſought the Lord with faſting & mourning, ſo he will yet againe becEzek. 36.37. ſought, and found of vsus, with holy feaſting & ſpirituall reioycing.
AdPſal. 30.11, 12. & 50.15. Nehe. 8.10. Eſther 9.22. dutie required, for the acknowledgement of ſuch mercies, as we hauehave by the former courſe obtained: and ſo anſwering thereto, that from the one, with due reference, the other may be conceiued.