The Christians Sanctuary — George Downame

The Christians Sanctuary · George Downame

THE FIRST TREATISE. OF THE CHRITIAN exercise of Fasting.

FAsting,VVhat fasting in generall is, viz. being a voluntarie abstinence from all food for a time, is distinguished from that abstinence, which being only in respect of the quantitie or qualitie, is a forbearing not of all food, but of such and so much.Not a sober That, which is in respect of the quantitie, is the moderat, sober, and temperat vse of food, auoiding all excesse. That, which is in respect of the qualitie,Or abstemious vse of food, is the abstemious vse of food, forbearing some kind of meat or drinke, which we suppose to be noysome vntounto vsus, in regard either of our bodies or soules health. The former, which is the sober diet, ought, and the latter, which is the abstemious diet, may, bee perpetuall among Christians. But fasting is an abstinence not onelyonly,But an vtter abstinence therefrom. à tali & tanto, that is, from such and so much, but à toto, that is, from all food. Neither is it a sober or abstemious vsing of food, but a not vsing, or forbearing of food altogether,Of foreign. Suidas. Varinus. Nor yet a forced abstinence during the time of the fast. For therfore is it called foreign, which signifieth, not eating, or not taking of food. And he is said to be foreign, that is, fasting, who is foreign, or foreign, that is, who hath taken no food. And whereas I call it a voluntarie abstinence, therein I distinguish fasting from that forbearing or wanting of food, which is not voluntarie or purposely intended, but forced, either because men cannot eat, being either in sicknesse,Act. 27.33. Or want. Psal. 102.4. & 109.24. Amos 4.6. or in feare of present danger, or in some other agonie: or because they hauehave not what to eat, which is not fasting but famine, or as the Scriptures call it, cleanenesse of teeth. For this forced forbearing or wanting of food is not foreign, that is, fasting properly, but foreign, which signifieth a priuation of food:Act. 27.21.33. and is not a dutie voluntarily vndertaken, but an affliction imposed, or a consequent of affliction.But a voluntarie forbearing of food. For foreign, fasting, is deriued of foreign, which signifieth to fast, or to obserue a fast. And althogh all they which take no food may be said to be foreign or Ieiuni, that is,Mat. 15.33. Ma…. 8.3. Mat. 6.16.17, 18 fasting, yet they are not foreign, ieiunantes, such as doe fast: for they onelyonly may be said foreign, ieiunare, to fast, or to obserue a fast, who voluntarily abstaine.

The sorts of fasting.2. We see then, what fasting in generall is. The sorts of fasting are to be distinguished according to the varietie of the end, for which it is vndertaken. And it is either naturall, or ciuile, or spirituall, according to the threefold life of a Christian in this world: vntounto the helpe and furtherance whereof,For it is either naturall, all voluntarie abstinence is referred. The naturall fast is that which is vndertaken for the health of our life naturall: and is sometimes enjoyned by the Phisition.or ciuile, The ciuile is that which is referred to the wealth of the life ciuile: and is sometimes enjoyned by the magistrat.1. Sam. 14.24. or spirituall. The spirituall fast is that, which is vndertaken for the furtherance of the life spirituall in the duties either of chastitie towards our selues and our neighbour, or of religion and repentance towards God, and is ordained of the Lord to be vsed to these ends, as necessitie shall require. For although fasting in it selfe be but a thing indifferent, and is not simply either commaunded or forbidden: yet as it may bee a meanes either for the preseruation of chastitie, or for the furtherance of our repentance and religion towards God, so farre foorth it is required and commaunded. For as where the Lor… forbiddeth any vice or sinne, there he doth also forbid …he meanes, allurements, and prouocations thereunto: so where he commaundeth any dutie or vertue, there also hee commaundeth the helpes and meanes which tend thereto. And this is that which an auncient and learned writer sayth,Hieronymus. And that is either the moral and chast fast, That fasting is not a vertue in it selfe, but a degree to vertue. The spirituall fast therefore is to bee considered of vsus, either as a meanes of chastitie, which we may for distinction sake call the morall or the chast fast: or as a helpe to further vsus in the duties of repentance and religion,or the religious and deuout fast. which we may call the religious or the deuout fast.

3. The morall or chast fast is that whereby men or women finding the sober and abstemious diet not sufficient to represse the concupiscence of the flesh,VVhat the chast fast is. doe endeuour to subdue and chastise their bodies, that is to say, to make them chast. This fast therefore is not commanded them, who either hauehave the gift of continencie in single life, or may lawfully vse the remedie ordained against lust in mariage: for to such, the sober diet, moderating the quantitie of their food, and the abstemious diet forbearing such things as prouoke lust, is a sufficient preseruatiue of chastitie; and therefore as a medicinall purgation to those that are in health, so this fast to such persons is not onelyonly superfluous, but sometimes also hurtfull and pernicious. As for those who find their bodies more prone to lust and vncleanenesse, and may not lawfully vse the remedie against it, which to single men is not permitted at all,1. Thess. 4.4, 5. 2. Cor. 6.19. And what other helpes must concurre therewith, viz. whiles they be single, nor to married persons at certaine times: they are to be admonished to vse all good meanes of chastitie, that they may possesse their vessels, that is, their bodies in holinesse and in honour, as it becommeth the temples of the holy ghost, and not in the passion of lust, like to the Gentils which knew not God. And to this purpose they are to be exhorted, first, to obserue perpetually the vertue of sobrietie,1Sobrietie in moderating not only the inward fancies & affections, b… also the outward se…ces. not onelyonly in respect of gouerning their inward affections and fancies, out also in restraining the pleasures of their outward sences, especially of the sight and tast. Of sight, by restraining their eyes from beholding the objects of lust; such as are louely or lasciuious persons, wanton pictures, louebookes, obscene enterludes, and such like. For by the sence of sight, concupiscence is ordinarily conueyed to the heart: for as the old saying is, foreign, of looking comes louing. And therefore as wee must pray with Dauid, Psal. 119.37. Iob. 3….1. Eccles. 9.8.9.that the Lord would turne away our eyes, that they behold not vanitie; so must we with Iob make a couenant with our eyes: that as the sonne of Syrach aduiseth, we should turne them away from a beautifull woman, and not to eye the beautie of others: for by the beautie of women many hauehave beene seduced, and thereby louelove is kindled as it were a fire.2Temperancie in diet. Of tast, by temperancie in diet, that neither in respect of the quantitie they exceed by gluttonie or drunkennesse, nor in respect of the qualitie they affect such meats or drinkes as are fit to prouoke lust. And if they find not this sobrietie and abstinence to be sufficient for this purpose, then are they so oft as their health will beare, and their necessitie require, by fasting to chastise and subdue their bodies. And because continencie is not a thing in our owne power, but the free gift of God,Mat. 19 11. 1. Cor. 7.7. 3. Prayer. 4. Vigilancie. 1. Pet. 4.7. 1. Thess. 5.6. 5. Diligence & painefulnesse. Auoiding contrariwise intemperancie in diet. Hieronym. we are therefore with our fasting to joyne earnest prayer for the same. And to our fasting and prayer we must joyne vigilancie and watchfulnesse, that as the Apostle exhorteth, wee may bee sober, and watch vntounto prayer: and thereunto must wee adde painefulnesse in our calling, or in some honest labour.

4. For the greatest enemie to chastitie, and chiefest prouoker of lust, is excesse in meat and drinke: Ciborum saturitas est seminarium libidinis, fulnesse of meat is the seminarie of lust: for the ouerplus of our nourishment is the matter of generation, which aboundeth where nourishment exceedeth, and that abounding prouoketh to lust, &c. And therefore the chiefe preseruatiue against lust, is by temperancie in diet not to subminister matter vntounto it. And if temperancie suffice not, to vse also fasting, that by withdrawing the oyle as it were from the flame of concupiscence, it may bee quenched. To which purpose, let the order and coherence of the Apostles words, 2. Cor. 6. be obserued:2. Cor. 6.6. Ad Rusticum Monach. de viuendi formae. in fasting, (sayth hee) in chastitie. But here two things are to be obserued: The first, that as▪ Ierome sayth, our fasts bee moderat, least being too much, they weaken the stomacke, and requiring greater refection, breed cruditie,Ad Furiam de viduitate seru. which is the mother of lust: for as hee sayth in another place, nothing doth so inflame the bodie and prouoke vntounto lust, as indigested meat, &c. The other thing, that as we vse fasting sometimes, so must wee vse temperance and sobrietie alwayes, auoiding euermore excesse, especially of such things as are apt to prouoke lust. For what are we better for fasting at any time, if we recompence our fasting with fulnesse at other time? for then our minds by much repletion will wax heauie,August. de temp. serm. 56. Hieronym. ad Eustoch. de custodia virginit. Ad Furiam de vid…itate seru. & irrigata corporis nostri terraspinas libidinum germinabit: And the earth as it were of our bodies being well watered, will bring forth the thornes of lust. And therefore as Ierome well sayth, A spare diet, and a stomacke alwayes hungry, is preferred before fasts continued three dayes together: and it is much better eueryevery day to take but a little, then sometimes though seldome to take too much. But as excesse of all meats and drinkes is to auoided, so especially of wine and strong drinkes. It was truly said of the Poet,Terent. Eunuch. Ouid. 2. de Remed. Prou. 23.33. Sine Cerere & Libero friget venus: and of another, vina parant animos veneri. The same is testified by Salomon, Prou. 23. that if we delight in wine, our eyes will looke vponupon strange women, and our hearts will speake leaud things. And this the daughters of Lot knew too well:Gen. 19.32, 33. for that incestuous copulation which they could not expect from him whiles hee was sober, they obtained by giuing him wine to drinke. For as one sayth, Proximus a Libero patre intemperantiae gradus ad inconcessam venerem esse consucuit.Valer. Max. lib 2. c 1. Slouthfulnes, &c.

5. The next enemie to chastitie, is slouthfulnesse: which containeth two nurses of lust, idlenesse and drowsinesse. For the matter which gluttonie and drunkennes prepareth for lust, that doth idlenesse preserue. And therefore not vnworthily are fulnesse of bread, & slouthfulnesse, reckoned among the sinnes of Sodome, wherby they were incensed to vnnaturall lust.Ezek. 16.49. For idlenesse is both the mother and nurse of lust.

Ouid. 2. de remed.Haec (otia) ut ames faciunt, haec quae fecere tuentur:

Haec sunt iucundi causa cibus que mali.

Theophrast.A Philosopher being asked, what lust or impure louelove is, foreign, hee said, The passion of an idle mind. For as water which is not stirred putrifieth, and yron that is not exercised, rusteth: so the mind by idlenesse is corrupted. For as the Grecians rightly say, foreign, Idlenesse, or doing nothing, is the beginning of doing ill.Definit. breuior. 69. And as Basill sayth, foreign, EueryEvery occasion of idlenesse is occasion of sinne. Such is the disposition of our minds, that if they be not exercised about lawfull things, they will goe a whoring about things vnlawfull. In desiderijs est omnis anima otiosi, sayth Ierome, EueryEvery idle mans mind is ouertaken with lust.2. Sam. 11. And that, the example of Dauid himselfe doth shew, who on a time giuing himselfe to idlenes, was ouertaken in this kind. And therefore such as hauehave out of their owne experience prescribed remedies against lust, hauehave warned men especially to beware of †Ergo vbi visus eris nostra medicabilis arte, Fac monitis fugias otia prima meis. Otia si tolla…, periere Cupidinis arcu…, &c. Ouid.idlenesse. Likewise much sleeping and long lying in bed are *Rom. 13.12, 13the workes of darkenesse, the companions of wantonnesse, the nurses of lust. For that matter which by large diet is prepared for generation, and by idlenesse and ease preserued, by long lying and much sleeping is concocted and perfited.

6. Whosoeuer therefore hath a true and serious purpose, by fasting to chastise his body;VVhichWhich meanes of chastitie not sufficing in single life, let him with his extraordinarie fasting and praying ioyne ordinarie temperance and sobrietie, diligence in his calling, and vigilancie. And if hauing vsed these meanes of chastitie in single life, which is the gift of continencie (to a perpetuitie whereof very few attaine who are fit for procreation) then let him know that God doth call him to mariage, which he hath prouided as a lawfull remedie against lust:1. Cor. 7.2 9. Men are bound to flie to mariage, as the lawfull remedie against lust. That those who cannot liue chastly in single life, may liue chastly in mariage: for as there is chastitie in single life, so also in wedlocke. And whosoeuer hauing not the gift of continencie, refuseth this ordinance of God, vnderunder pretence of chastitie he liueth in vncleannesse: or if he striue ouermuch as it were against the streame, by fasting and abstinence to subdue his body, in an erronious desire of keeping the seuenth commaundement, (which of the most may better be kept in mariage than in single life) he breaketh the sixt, in shortning his dayes, and making himselfe vnapt for the duties of his calling, and vnfit for the seruice of the Church or common-wealth. Neither may any man alledge, that in respect of his outward estate it is inconuenient for him to marrie: for no outward inconuenience can be so great, as to liue in sinne.

And thus much may suffice to hauehave spoken of the former sort of spirituall fasts: may chiefe desire and purpose being to intreat of the religious fast.

7. The religious fast is a solemne exercise of religion, VVhat the religious fast is, viz.wherein we being humble suters vntounto the Lord vponupon some speciall or extraordinarie occasion, do abstaine not onelyonly from food and some other commodities and delights of this life, but also from bodily labours and worldly businesse during the time of the fast, which is a Sabbath of humiliation: that by this outward abstinence our humiliation may be furthered, and our repentance testified, to the increase of our feruencie and confirmation of our faith in prayer, for the obtaining of our request at the hands of God. For further explication whereof we are to cōsider,§ 2. That it is an exercise of religion ordained of the Lord. that where I call it an exercise of religion, that is presupposed which before I touched, that this religious fast is an ordinance of God: for nothing may be offered vntounto the Lord by way of religion or worship, which is not appointed and ordained of the Lord: for whatsoeuer is obtruded vntounto him for worship, being not ordained by him, is will-worship and superstition. Now, that the Lord hath appointed and ordained that we should humble our selues before him by fasting and prayer, for the obtaining of some speciall blessing from him, it may appeare: first, by euident testimonies of Scripture in the old testament.Both in the old Testamēt, and that not as ceremonial and peculiar to the Iewes. Whereunto if it shall be objected, that the places of the old Testament which require fasting, may seeme to enjoyne it among other ceremonies of the Iewish religion, vntounto which Christians are not bound: I answer, that in the Iewish fasts some things were ceremoniall, and so peculier to them; other things were morall, and so common to vsus. The things which were peculier to them, were first, the circumstance of the time in their set and ordinary fasts; whether that which was appointed by the Lord on the tenth day of the seuenth monethmonth;Leuit. 16.29 & 23.27.29. Zac. 7.5. & 8.19 or those which the Iewes voluntarily vndertooke during the time of the seuenty yeares captiuity, in the fourth monethmonth, in the fift, in the seuenth, and in the tenth. And secondly, there were certaine habits and iestures vsed among them when they mourned and fasted, which were part of the pedagogie of the old testament, which as they are abrogated by *Mat. 6.17.Christ in the new Testament: so were they not greatly required in the *Ioel. 2.13. Esay 58.5.old. Such were their putting on of sackcloth, renting their garments,1. King. 21.27. Esay 58.5. Mat. 6 16. 2. Sam. 12.20. Esth. 4.1.3. Ezr. 9.3. Dan. 9.3. & 10.3 sitting in the ashes, putting earth or ashes on their head, not washing or annointing, but deforming their faces, looking sorrowfully, hanging downe their heads, going softly, and such like outward signes and tokens of humiliation, which were obserued both of the godly and of the hypocrites among them: but with this difference, that the hypocrites rested in these outward shewes, without any true humiliation of their soules: whereas in the godly these signes proceeded from the sorrow of the heart, as vnfained testimonies thereof.

8. But although that circumstance of the time was proper to that people,But as a morall and common to all: and those ceremonies peculier to those times: yet the substance of the fast, which is the humbling of our soules by abstinence, is a morall dutie belonging commonly to all nations, in all ages: for as the morall or chast fast is enjoyned in the seuenth commaundement, as a meanes of chastitie, to those that need that helpe; so the religious fast is enjoyned in the second commandement, and in the fourth. In the second, as it is a meanes to further vsus in the worship of God, and in the dutie of prayer vponupon extraordinary occasion. In the fourth, as the time of the fast is a Sabbath of humiliation, wherein we are to professe our humiliation, and testifie our repentance before God: for when the Lord commandeth vsus to sanctifie the Sabbath, he meaneth all Sabbaths, not onelyonly the ordinarie and weekly Sabbath,Leuit. 23. but also the extraordinarie, whether they be Sabbaths of joy and festiuitie, wherein by feasting and thanksgiuing we signifie our joy and thankfulnesse for some great blessing receiued, such as was that feast, Nehem. 8,Nehe. 8.9, 10. and the feast of Purim. Esth. 9:Esth. 9.18, 19. or whether they be Sabbaths of humiliation; wherein by fasting and prayer we signifie the sorrow & desire of our soules, in respect either of some blessing wanting, or of some euill either feared or felt, present or imminent: such as was the fast proclaimed by Iosaphat 2. Chron. 20,2. Chro. 20.3. Ezr. 8.21. Ioel. 1.14. & 2.15. Leuit. 23.32. or by Ezra cha. 6. &c. For such a fast by the commandement of God is to be sanctified and obserued holy as a Sabbath, euen in such maner as the ordinarie Sabbath of humiliation was to be sanctified. Neither is it to be omitted, that Esay 58, the day of the fast seemeth to be called an acceptable day to the Lord,Esay. 58.5.13. yea his Sabbath, and his holyday, which euen as the ordinarie Sabbath is to be consecrated as glorious to the Lord.

But also in the new Testament.9. But if to these places of the old Testament, we shall add some testimonies out of the new, we shall make it more than euident, that the dutie of fasting belongeth vntounto vsus. Where first consider the doctrine of our Sauiour Christ,Mat. 6.16. concerning a fast, Math. 6, for when he prescribeth the maner how we are to fast, he presupposeth the dutie that we are to fast. Neither doth hee alone require this dutie at our hands, but also maketh a gracious promise of happie reward to those that shall fast aright.Vers. 18. Mat. 9.14. Luk. 5.33. Mar. 2.18. And in the same Gospell Chapter 9, as also Luke 5, and Mar. 2, when as the Disciples of Iohn and the Phariseys tooke exception against our Sauiour Christ, because they fasted, but his disciples did eat and drinke: he maketh answer, That although during his abode with them, which was a time of joy and not of mourning, his disciples which were the children of the mariage chamber, were not to fast and mourne, whiles himselfe, who was the bridegroome was among them: yet the time should come when the bridegroome being taken from them, as they should hauehave occasion of mourning, so also they should fast in those dayes.Mat. 17.21. Againe, Math. 17, our Sauiour Christ seemeth to ascribe great efficacy to the prayer of the faithful holpen by fasting; affirming that that kind of vncleane spirit, which by no other meanes can be cast out, goeth forth by prayer and fasting. In the second of Luke the holy Ghost giueth this testimonie of Anna the Prophetesse,Luk. 2.37. That she being in the Temple night and day worshipped God with fastings and prayers. Not that fasting in it selfe is a worship of God, as prayer is, but onelyonly is a meanes and helpe to further vsus in the worship of God, & to make our prayers more feruent & effectuall: to which purpose Anna ioyned fasting with her prayers. And hereunto let vsus add the practise of the primitiue Church in the time of the Apostles:A…. 13.3. In the 13. Chapter of the Acts, the Prophets and teachers which were in the Church of Antioch, before they sent forth Barnabas and Paul to the worke of the ministerie, whereunto the holy Ghost had called them; they fasted and prayed, and layed their hands on them. And in the fourteenth Chapter it is sayd,Act. 14.2…. that Paul and Barnabas when they had ordained to the faithfull, elders by electioni…n eueryevery Church; hauing prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they beleeued. And to conclude, the Apostle Paul testifieth of himselfe, 2. Cor. 11,2. Car. 11.27. That as he was oft in hunger and thirst by a forced obedience, so he was often also in fastings; wherby this voluntarie abstinence is meant. Hereby therefore it appeareth that the Christian exercise of fasting, is not a will-worship, nor an action which is meerely arbitrary, or left to our free choise, whether we will vse it or not: but a dutie enjoyned and imposed vponupon vsus by the Lord. Wherefore in the definition I doubted not to call the religious fast, An exercise of religion.

10. But here it will be objected,And yet not ordinarily to be performed. That if fasting be an exercise of religion; a morall dutie, not onelyonly commanded in the morall law of God, which bindeth all men, but also commended vntounto vsus in the Gospell both by the doctrine of the holy Ghost, and also by the practise of the faithfull in the primitiue Church; then it may seeme, that so oft as we do not fast, we sinne, &c. I answer, that affirmatiue commandements, though they bind vsus alwayes, yet do they not bind vsus to performe them alwayes and at all times, but as just occasion is offered, together with a concurrencie of all needfull circumstances: as for example, we are alwayes bound to pray, namely as we hauehave just occasion to begge any thing at the hands of God, and may do it in some measure as it ought to be done; but we are not bound to pray alwayes and to do nothing else. And although we are alwayes in this life bound to fast; yet are we not bound to fast either alwayes, or so oft as we are bound to pray: for we are to pray ordinarily euerie day, and also extraordinarily as occasion is offered: but we are not to fast ordinarily and euerie day, but vponupon speciall and extraordinary occasion. And that we are not bound to joyne fasting with the ordinarie exercise of prayer,1. Cor. 7.3.5. it is manifest by the doctrine of the Apostle, 1. Cor, 7, where he would hauehave the husband and the wife (who are ordinarily to pray euerie day) to performe mutuall beneuolence, and not defraud one another, vnlesse it be by consent for a time, that they might giuegive themselues to fasting and prayer, and again come together, that Sathan tempt them not through their incontinencie. And therefore we are not bound to joyne fasting with our ordinarie and daily prayers, but when we hauehave just and speciall occasion to humble our selues in prayer, after an extraordinary maner. And our Sauiour Christ noteth, that those which do fast,Mat. 9.15. do mourne; and that the time of fasting is the time of mourning; and that in the time of joy it is vnseasonable.Phil 4.4. 1. Thes. 5.16. Now ordinarily the faithfull are to be joyfull: and therefore they are not bound ordinarily to fast, and in fasting to mourne, but when they hauehave some extraordinarie cause of mourning: for as a peece of new cloth put to an old garment maketh the rent worse,Mat. 9.16. so fasting vnseasonably imposed vponupon men, maketh them not better, but worse. Againe, the time of the fast hath the nature of a Sabbath, wherein we are to lay aside all worldly businesse, and the works of our callings, which ordinarily we are to follow. Neither is it an ordinarie Sabbath, but the extraordinarie Sabbath of humiliation; wherein we are after a speciall maner to humble our soules, and to giuegive our selues to prayer, abstaining not onelyonly from bodily labour and worldly affaires, but also from our food and other delights of this life. And to the sanctifying of this Sabbath we are bound,Esay. 22.12. when the Lord calleth vsus to fasting and mourning by some special causes of mourning and humbling our selues (which afterwards I shall touch) whether they be priuat or publicke. But especially we are then bound to obserue this fast, when not onelyonly the Lord by some publicke judgement or calamitie, either threatned or inflicted, doth call vsus vntounto fasting and mourning; but also publicke authoritie hath blowne the trumpet,Ioel. 2.1…. and proclaimed a fast: for to such a Sabbath of humiliation, the equity of that law concerning the yearly Sabbath of humiliation is to be extended, Leuit. 23,Leuit. 23.29. EueryEvery person that humbleth not himselfe that day, shall euen be cut off from his people.

11. And this also I signified in the definition,But extraordinarily, as speciall and vrgent occasion is offered. when I sayd that fasting is a solemne exercise of religion, to be vndertaken of vsus, when we are to be humble suters vntounto the Lord, vponupon some speciall and extraordinarie occasion: for when I cal it a solemne exercise, I do not meane that it is a common, vsuall or ordinary exercise, nor yet to be performed after a common or ordinarie maner; but that as it is vndertaken vponupon some speciall vrgent occasion, so we ought to stir vp our selues in the obseruation thereof, to an extraordinarie measure of humiliation, to an extraordinarie feruencie in prayer, to a solemne and extraordinarie testification and profession of our repentance. And when as it is said in the definition, that this exercise is to be vndertaken of vsus when we are humble suters to the Lord vponupon some speciall or extraordinarie occasion, it is plainly signified, that this exercise is not at set and ordinarie times to be performed, but when it pleaseth God to giuegive just and necessarie occasion either by our wants, or by his judgements, of a more speciall and extraordinarie humbling of our selues in the exercise of prayer and profession of our repentance.

12. The causes therefore and occasions whereupon this exercise is to bee vsed,The causes of fasting, are either the obtaining of some speciall good▪ are these. First, when we are humble suters vntounto the Lord for the obtaining of some speciall benefits: especially, when some matter of great importance is to be enterpris…ed: For at such a time an extraordinarie feruency in prayer is required, which may be holpen forward by fasting. Nehemiah intending to moue Artasbaste for the repairing of Ierusalem:Nehe. 1.4.11. first humbleth himselfe before God by fasting and prayer, for good successe in that waightie businesse.Ezr. 8.21. And so did Ezra in his voyage towards Ierusalem proclaime a fast: Queene Esther before she durst presume contrarie to the law of the Persians,Esth. 416. to enter into the kings presence, being not called, to make sute vntounto him for the preseruation of the Iewes against the wicked conspiracie of Haman; she with her maids humbled themselues by fasting and prayer for three dayes, and required the like fast to be obserued of Mordecay and the rest of the Iewes, who were at Susban. In like sort, the ministerie of the word being a matter of great importance (for it is the power of God to our saluation,Rom. 1.16. 1. Cor. 1.21. and though it be esteemed folly in the world, yet by the foolishnesse of preaching God is pleased to saue those that beleeue) therefore the Church of God hath thought it expedient before they hauehave ordained ministers, or sent them forth to the worke of the ministerie, to humble themselues before God by fasting and prayer,Act. 13.3 & 14.23. as we may read in the Acts of the Apostles. It is reported of Iohn the Euangelist, that being intreated by the Churches to write the Gospell of our Sauiour,Hicronym. in p…ologo super Math. whereby the heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus, who denied the diuinitie of Christ, might be refuted; he made aunswere, That hee would do it, if first the whole Church would in his behalfe humble themselues before God in fasting and prayer.

Or remouing of some euill, whether it be the euill of sinne.13. But as fasting is sometimes to be joyned with precation or prayer, for some speciall good: so more commonly it is joyned with deprecation of euill, whether it be the euill of sinne, or the euill of affliction: For when as men do apprehend thewrath of God for sinne, whether it be in the act of their conuersion, or otherwise finding themselues or their countrey guiltie of some more grieuous sin: it is necessarie that they should humble themselues before God, after a more speciall maner: And for the better humbling of themselues in prayer, and testifying of their repentance, to entertaine this Christian exercise of fasting.Act. 9.9.11. Paul in the first act of his conuersion fasted and prayed three dayes together: when as the people of Israell returned to the Lord their God from idolatrie, and lamented their former sinnes: they being assembled at the commaundement of Samuell, 1. Sam. 7.6.do testifie their humiliation and repentance by a solemne fast: wherein they drew as it were buckets of water from the fountaine of their hearts, & poured the same before the Lord, saying, We hauehave sinned against the Lord.Ezr. 9.3.6. & 10.6. Ezra when he vnderstood how the people, of Israell had joyned in mariage with the heathen people contrarie to the law of God, he prayed and fasted, greatly mourning for the trasgression of the people.Neh. 9.1.2. And afterwards the people themselues were assembled with fasting, & with sackcloth and earth vponupon them; and hauing separated themselues from the strange wiues with whom they had beene mingled, they confessed their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers.

14. But when as our sinne hath not only deserued the anger of God;Or the euill of affliction, & that either imminent, but also hath prouoked him, either to threaten his judgements, and as it were to lift vp his hand to strike vsus; or else as he hath threatned, to lay his judgements vponupon vsus:Esay 22.12. then doth the Lord especially call vsus to fasting and mourning: howbeit the chiefe cause of mourning must be, not so much the consideration of the judgement it selfe, whether present or imminent; as the detestation of our sinne, whereby we hauehave offended God, and prouoked him either to threaten or to inflict that judgement vponupon vsus.Ionas. 3.5.6. Examples hereof we hauehave in respect of judgements imminent, in the Niniuits, who when destruction was threatned against them for their sinnes, humbled themselues before God in fasting and prayer. In Iosaphat, Chro. 20.3.who hearing of an inuasion attempted against him by the Moabits and Ammonits, feared, and set himselfe to seeke the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah.Or present: In respect of afflictions and calamities present, as famine, sword, pestilence, captiuitie, and such like messengers of Gods wrath, we hauehave both commaundements, as our rules; and examples, as precedents in this behalfe.As famine, Ioel. 1.14. & 2.12.15. In the time of famine, the Lord by his Prophet Ioel, commandeth the Iewes to turne vntounto him, with all their heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning: And to that end he biddeth them to proclaime and sanctifie a fast.Ios. 7 6. Sword, And as touching the sword: when the men of Ai had discomforted the Israelits, Iosua and the elders of Israell fasted vntill the euen.Captiuitie, In the time of captiuitie Daniel greatly desired the deliuerance of the Iewes out of the captiuitie of Babylon at the end of seuentie yeares, according to the promise of the Lord by the Prophet Ieremie, Dan. 9.3. Sicknesse and mortalitie.he turned his face vntounto the Lord God, and sought by prayer and supplication, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes. And as touching sicknesse and mortalitie, we hauehave a notable example in Dauid, 1. Sam. 12.16.who when his child which hee had begotten in adulterie was sicke, he besought God for it, and fasted, and went in and lay all night vponupon the earth: yea, when some that prooued his enemies were sicke, he professeth Psal. 35,Psal. 35.13. that he clothed himselfe with sackcloth, and humbled his soule with fasting, and that he prayed for them with such compassion, that hanging downe his head for griefe, his prayer returned vponupon his bosome. And if fasting is to bee vsed for priuat persons when they are sicke, much more in a publicke visitation, and in the time of pestilence.

VponUpon such occasions, necessitie is imposed.15. These allegations therefore of holy Scripture may be sufficient directions for vsus, when we are to vndertake this exercise: namely, when we hauehave some vrgent cause of a more than ordinarie humbling of our selues before God in prayer. And when such causes are offered, we may not thinke that it is a thing meerely arbitrarie, whether we will vse this exercise or not: but by warrant of the former Scriptures we are to be persuaded that the Lord doth call vsus to this exercise. It is well said of Basill, Esay. 22.12. Definit. breuior. 129. & 130.foreign. The time of fasting is not euerie mans will, but the necessitie of those who come to Gods worship: and in a time of such necessitie, to fast it is necessarie. When as therefore there is publike necessitie,On publicke persons who hauehave authoritie, to proclaime▪ Ioel 2.25. And on priuat persons, to obserue the fast. those which are in publicke authoritie must thinke, that a necessitie is imposed vponupon them, to blow the trumpet in Sion, and to proclaime a fast. And those which are in priuat place, must thinke a necessitie imposed on them, to obserue and sanctifie the fast. And if it happen that they which are in authoritie neglect this duty; then those, who according to the example of the faithfull, Ezek. 9,Ezek 9.4. which were marked to saluation, doe mourne either for the common calamities, or for the common enormities of the time, which are forerunners of calamities:Math. 6.18. they are to vse this exercise priuatly and secretly, which also they are to do, when their owne necessities require. As for those who neither by publicke calamitie, nor priuat necessitie, can be drawne to this dutie,Rom. 13.14. but continually take care for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof: they must know, that they are but carnall m…n;Gal. 6.…. who, as they sow to the flesh, so of the flesh shall reape corruption.

16. Thus we hauehave heard that the religious fast is a solemne exercise of religion,The religious fast, consisteth on two parts▪ viz the outward and the inward exercise. to bee vndertaken of vsus, when we are humble suters to the Lord, vponupon some vrgent occasion. Let vsus now consider wherein this exercise doth consist, which is expressed in the rest of the definition, whereout we may gather, that this exercise consisteth on two points, viz. the outward or bodily, and the inward or spirituall exercise. The former, being the means to the latter; & the latter, being the end of the former: for the bodily exercise profiteth little or nothing at all,1. Tim. 4.8. vnlesse it be referred to the spirituall exercise, as a meanes to further it. The bodily exercise is an outward abstinence from food and some other commodities and delights of this life,In the outward exercise we are to consider from what we are to abstaine, and for how long. It is abstinēce, first frō helpes of this life, as first from food wholly. and also from bodily labours and worldly businesse during the time of the fast, which is a Sabbath of humiliation. Here therefore we are to consider in respect of the outward exercise, from what we are to abstaine, and for how long.

17. First, we are to abstaine from food, from whence the whole exercise hath his name. And here we are to vnderstand not an abstinence in part, nor a sober and abstemious vse of diet, as I hauehave shewed before; but a totall abstinence both from meat and drinke, so farre as our health will permit: for this is required to the nature of a fast, as hath bene declared, and further may bee proued by the examples of such fasts as are recorded in the scriptures. Dauid when he fasted and mourned for the death of Abner, 2. Sam. 3.35.swore that he would not tast bread or ought else till the Sunne were downe. Ezra, Ezr. 10.6.when he fasted for the sinne of the people, he did neither eat bread, that is, not so much as bread, nor drinke water, that is, not so much as water. The fast which Esther required and performed,Esth. 4 16. was the totall abstinence from meat and drinke. The Niniuits when they proclaimed a fast,Ion. 3.7. gaue a charge that none should tast any thing, whether it were meat or drinke. And of Paul it is sayd Acts. 9,Act 9.9. that for the time of his fasting and prayer, he did neither eat nor drinke. That we should not thinke, either that fasting is an abstinence from meat and not from drinke, or that it standeth onelyonly in choise of meats. And yet this totall abstinence from meat and drinke is not so strictly required, but that they whose health cannot beare it, may for their necessarie sustenance take some little refreshing: for the Lord, who desireth merciemercy rather than sacrifice,Math. 12.7. doth not so require this outward abstinence, that it should impaire our health, or make vsus vnfit for his seruice in the spirituall exercise of the fast; but that it might further vsus therein. But here we must take heed, that we vse not this libertie as an occasion to the flesh, pretending we cannot, when indeed we will not abstaine.Gal. 5.13.

18. But now let vsus consider,The reasons why abstinēce from food is required. why this abstinence from food is required, seeing the kingdome of God doth not stand in meat and drinke, nor yet in abstinence therfrom: and that,Rom. 14.17. 1. Cor. 8.8. as to eat and drinke, so also to abstaine therefrom, is in it selfe a thing indifferent. I answere, that although in and for it selfe it is not required; yet as it is referred to the inward and spirituall exercise, it is enjoyned. For seeing the bodie is not onelyonly the habitation of the soule, but also it and the members thereof the instruments of the soule, whereby it exerciseth his seuerall functions: who knoweth not, that the actions of the soule are either furthered by the good constitution of the bodie, or hindered by the indisposition thereof? and, that the disposition of our bodie doth much depend vponupon our diet? For if by intemperancie and excesse wee ouercharge our selues, then are our hearts made heauie, as our Sauiour Christ sayth,Luke 21.34. by surfetting and drunkennesse, and we become vnfit for any good office. Or if we be too carefull to pamper our bodies, they will not be so pliable and obsequious to the soule, but rather become like pampered horses, which kick against their rulers. On the other side, if by too much abstinence we pine away our bodies, and denie necessarie sustenance thereto, wee doe make our selues not only vnfit for the seruice of God in the church or commonwealth, and for the discharge of our callings, but also guiltie of selfe-murther: For the difference is not great, whether we murther ourselues at once, or by little and little pine and consume our selues away. And surely, where the Lord forbiddeth to kill, he forbiddeth vsus to kill our selues. Now if any in their superstitious conceit shall in this their not sparing of their bodie,Col. 2.23. wherby they make themselues guiltie of murther, place religion or merit; then, as they are injurious to themselues, so also impious against God. That therefore the bodie may bee seruiceable to the soule, we are to diet it ordinarily, according to the rules of sobrietie and temperance: so shall it neither be vnruly to kicke against the soule, nor vnable to serue it. And this disposition of the bodie is the best ordinarie disposition that may be, for the ordinarie performance of our dutie in the worship and seruice of God. Notwithstanding, if we shall hauehave necessarie occasion to humble our selues in prayer after an extraordinarie manner, then is it necessarie also, that to our ordinarie temperance and sobrietie, wee should adde the extraordinarie exercise of fasting. First therefore, this abstinence from food is required, as a meanes of humiliation: for by afflicting the body, the mind is the better humbled. Secondly, as a signe and testimonie of our humiliation: for in our abstinence from all food, we acknowledge our selues vnworthie of a peece of bread or cup of water. Thirdly, as it causeth the bodily hunger and thirst, so it sharpeneth the spirituall hunger and thirst of the soule: and is therfore acknowledged by all men to be a notable meanes to encrease the feruencie of our prayer. Fourthly, as a testimonie of our repentance,2. Cor. 7.11. when we vse it by way of godly reuenge vponupon our selues. Fiftly, as an admonition vntounto vsus, that we abstaining from our food, which is lawfull, should much more abstain from whatsoeuer is vnlawfull. Lastly, as a meanes of almes giuing, without any more impairing of our wealth than if we had not fasted, when that which is denied to the belly, is giuen to the poore. And thus, and in these respects, we are in the time of the fast to abstaine from food.

2From sleepe in part.19. Secondly, we are not onelyonly to abstaine from all excesse of sleepe, but also to cut off so much of our ordinarie sleepe, as the want thereof be not an hinderance vntounto vsus in the worship of God,Col. 4.2. 1. Pet. 4.7. that so we may watch vntounto prayer. To which purpose, the faithfull vnderunder the law, when they fasted, made choise to lie vneasily: that so they might take no more sleepe than was necessarie, and therby also might shew themselues vnworthie of their ordinarie case and rest, and might (as I said) the better watch vntounto prayer. When Dauid fasted and prayed in the behalfe of his child,2. Sam. 12.16. Esth. 4.3. he lay vponupon the ground all night. Whē the Iewes had notice of Hamans conspiracie against thē, many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.Ioel. 1.13. The Prophet Ioel exhorting the priests and elders to fast and mourne, because of the famine, he willeth them to lie all night in sackcloth.1. King. 21.27. And in imitation of the faithfull, Achab when he fasted, did also lie in sackcloth.

20. Thirdly,3From ornaments & costly attire. we are to forbeare our better or more costly apparell: especially if it be such as may hinder our humiliation, or minister some matter to our pride: for such is the vanity of our corrupt nature, & our pronenesse to pride, that although apparell was ordained to couer our nakednesse, and to hide our shame, the consequent of our sinne and falling from God: yet if it bee any thing gay or costly, we take a pride therein. When as therefore the Israelits by worshipping the golden calfe, had broken their couenant with the Lord,Exod. 32. Exod. 33.1. and had prouoked him to cast them off: the Lord commaunded Moses and the people to goe towards the land Canaan, signifying, that he would be as good as his promise made to their fathers, in giuing to them the land of promise:Vers. 2. And to that end would send his Angell before them, to driue out the Canaanits and the other inhabitants, and to put them in possession:Vers. 3. But as for himselfe, he would not be present among them (or if he should, hee could not but consume them) neither would he hauehave ought to doe with them, namely, vnlesse they turned vntounto him by repentance. For to that end he propounded that threatning, and withall appointed them to lay aside their ornaments and costly rayments,Vers. 5. that hee might know what to doe with them, viz. if they repented, to receiue them to merciemercy: if not, to cast them off. When as the people therefore heard this euill tidings,Vers. 4. they sorrowed; preferring the fauour of God before the fruition of the land of promise: whereby without Gods fauour, they should hauehave beene fatted as cattell for the slaughter. And in testimonie of their humiliation, they put not on their better attire,Vers. 6. but laid aside their ornaments. And this they did, remouing themselues from mount Horeb, as acknowledging themselues vnworthie of Gods presence, which hee had manifested on that mount. Where we see the laying aside of ornaments and costly attire, appointed by the Lord himselfe for a signe and testimonie of humiliation. And to the same purpose, they vsed in those times to put on sackcloth; whereby is meant any course or homely garment. Which ceremonie though it were abused by hypocrites in their priuat fasts to ostentation, that they might bee seene of men: yet in publicke fasts it was profitably obserued for the example of others, whose humiliation might bee the more encreased, by the beholding one of another.

4From delights & pleasures.21 Fourthly, we are to abstaine from all carnall delights, whereby any one of our sences might bee pleased. For the sence of pleasure would abate our mourning, diminish the sence of our want, and hinder our vnfained humiliation before God. Wherefore Ierome saith, that fasting is to abstaine not onelyonly from meats, but also from all pleasures or allurements.Quest. Euangel. lib. 2. c. 18. And Augustine, The Scripture, saith he, teacheth a general fast, not from the concupiscence of meates onelyonly, but also from all pleasures of temporal delights. Thus are we not only to abridge our tast of meats, but also to containe our eies from beholding vanities and pleasures, our eares from hearing mirth or musick, which in time of mourning is vnseasonable, our nostrils, from pleasant odours and effeminate smels:1. Cor. 7.5. Our sence of feeling, from the vse of the marriage bed: which as all married persons are to forbeare vponupon consent, for such a time of humiliation, that they may giuegive themselues to fasting and prayer;Ioel▪ 2.16. so are the Bridegroome and Bride admonished to come forth of their marriage chamber, in the time of the fast. And all these are to be done, partly as meanes of our humiliation, in remouing the impediments thereof; partly as signes of our humiliation, whereby we acknowledge our selues vnworthy of these delights; and partly as tokens of our repentance, in that by way of godly revenge, because all our sences hauehave sinned, we depriue thē all of their seuerall delights. And as wee are to make all our sences thus to fast: so must wee also weyne our minds from sports and recreations, which would not onelyonly hinder our humiliation and godly sorrow, but also distract our minds from better meditations in sanctifying the fast. And thus hauehave I shewed, that in our fast we are to abstaine from food and some other helps and commodities of this life, and also from all outward delights and pleasures.

22 Now it remaineth,2From bodily labours and worldly businesse. that I should speake of rest from bodily labours and worldly businesse: For the time of the fast hath the nature of a Sabboth. And by the Prophet Ioel it is called dies interdicti, Ioel. 1.14. & 2.15 foreigna solemnity, or day of prohibition, wherein men are forbidden to do any worke: as ths Lord expoūdeth that word Leui. 23.Leuit. 23.36. It is a day of prohibition, or a solemne day, You shall do no seruile worke therein. And Deut. 16.Deut. 16.8. Six dayes thou shalt eat vnleauened bread, and in the seuenth day, which shall be a solemnity or day of prohibition to the Lord thy God, thou shalt doe no worke. So Num. 29.35. For there is the same reason of the extraordinary Sabbath of humiliation, and of the ordinary. But the ordinary was a Sabbath or rest,Leuit. 23.28.30.32. in which no worke was to bee done: yea, the Lord threatneth to destroy that person from among his people, that shall doe any worke that day. And as I said before, the law of the weekly Sabbath is to be extended to other extraordinary Sabbaths: But on the weekly Sabbath, wee may do no worke, therefore not in this.

23 But let vsus consider also,Why rest from labours is required. why, and in what respects rest is required in the day of our fast, and bodily labours and worldly businesse forbidden. The Lord forbiddeth labour and worldly businesse, and commaundeth rest on eueryevery Sabbath: not because simply he either liketh of rest, or misliketh labour; but because bodily labors & worldly businesse are a meanes to distract vsus from the worship of God: and rest from them, is a remedy against distraction. For eueryevery Sabbath is to be sanctified and set apart from our businesse and affaires, and is to bee consecrated to the worship of God. And further, on the Sabbath of humiliation, we take vponupon vsus after a more speciall maner to worship God: and therefore that wee may seriously and entirely intend the seruice of God, we are to abandō all other busines and cares. For that is better done which is done alone, as the Philosopher hath truly said, foreign.Polit. 4.15. And it is the counsell of the Wiseman, that, what wee doe, wee should do with all our might. For by doing many things our minds are distracted. This therefore doth teach vsus, that with free and entire minds, sequestred from all worldly cares, we are to be conuersant in the worship of God; chiefely, when after a more speciall manner we indeuour to humble our selues before him. For if bodily labours and worldly businesse bee therefore forbidden, because they are meanes to distract vsus: then may we be sure that distraction it self in the worship of God is much more forbidden. For distraction breeds hypocrisie in Gods worship, and causeth vsus when wee draw nigh to the Lord with our lips, to remooue our hearts farre from him.

24. Againe, the Lord commaundeth vsus in all his Sabbaths to rest from labours, that this outward rest might be an admonition vntounto vsus to rest from sinne. For why (may eueryevery one of vsus thinke) doth the Lord forbid me on the day of rest, the lawfull workes of may calling? Or why doe I cease from mine honest affaires? Must I forbeare that which in it selfe is lawfull; and may I doe that which is vnlawfull? Must I therefore for this time sequester my selfe from my honest businesse, that I may attend vanities or sinnes? Or doth the Lord enjoyne me rest, because hee is delighted with idlenesse, and would hauehave me to doe nothing? No verily. If he forbid me that which is lawfull, much more doth he forbid that which is vnlawfull. And if he commaund me to rest from honest affaires, it is not because he would hauehave me idle (for idlenesse is the mother of much iniquitie) but because hee would hauehave me attend better matters. In a word, he forbiddeth me to doe mine owne workes and businesse, that I may doe his worke, and attend his religion and seruice. Lastly, there may an outward cause be rendered, why on the day of the fast wee are to cease from bodily labours. For our fraile nature cannot well beare abstinence and bodily labour together: for labour setting the bodie in a heat, wasteth the moisture and spirits, which are to bee supplied by nourishment: otherwise we spend vponupon the stocke of our naturall moisture, which is as it were the oyle in the lampe of our life.

25. We see then,How long this abstinēce is to be vsed, or the time of the fast. wherein the outward exercise doth consist, and the particulars from which we are to abstain. Now wee are briefely to consider, for how long this abstinence is to be obserued. The vsuall time of a fast is the space of a naturall day, viz. from euen to euen, or from supper to supper. For as that was the time appointed for the ordinarie Sabboth of humiliation, so also of the extraordinarie, From euen to euen shall you celebrate your Sabboth. Leuit. 23.32.And accordingly it is noted of the Israelits fast,Iudg. 20.26. Iud. 20. of Dauid and his followers,2. Sam. 1.12. Ios. 7.6. 2. Sam. 3.35. 2. Sam. 1. of Iosuah and the elders, Ios. 7. that it was vntill the euening. And more particularly of Dauids fast for Abner, that hee refused to eat any meat while it was yet day, but swore, saying, So doe God to me and more also, if I tast bread or ought else till the Sunne be downe. In like sort, not onelyonly the Iews, but also the auncient Christians vsed to fast vntill the Sunne were set.Hieronym. in vita Hilarionis. Howbeit in processe of time they began especially in the Church of Rome to dissolue their fasts at the ninth houre, which is three a clocke afternoone: which now they hauehave brought to the sixt houre, and for the most part on their fasting dayes goe to supper before noone. But the shortest time that is mentioned in the Scripture of a fast, is vntill the euening: to which custome their practise is most conformable, who fast all day vntill the ordinarie time of supper. This, as I said, is the vsuall time. But the children of God, when they hauehave beene pressed with more vrgent occasion, hauehave sometimes continued this exercise for more dayes together: As Esther and the Iewes for three dayes,Esth. 4.16.17. Esth. 4: and likewise Paule, Act. 9.Act. 9.9. The men of Iabesh Gilead, when they mourned for the death of Saule and his sonnes, fasted seuen dayes, 1. Sam. 31. Daniell one and twentie dayes.1. Sam. 31.13. Dan. 10.2, 3.

Of the fortie dayes fast of Moses, Elias, and Christ.26. As for the fortie dayes fast, which Moses, Elias, and our Sauiour Christ did fast, it was miraculous, and therefore not to be imitated. Neither did they fast fortie dayes together, either to subdue their flesh, or to humble their soules: But Moses being the publisher of the law, Elias the restorer of religion, our Sauiour Christ the author of the Gospell; the Lord would by this miraculous fast so countenance their doctrine, as that in respect therof they might seeme not men arising from the earth, or authorised by men, but the two former as Angels, the third as the sonne of God, sent from heauen: for their abstinence for the time was angelicall. And we might as well take vponupon vsus to imitate the Angels not taking of food, which they doe not need, as the fast of Christ and of the other two; who were by the power of God aboue the strength of nature so sustained, as that during their fortie dayes, they no more needed food than angels doe. Neither did our Sauiour Christ or either of the other, fast fortie dayes eueryevery yeare, but once onelyonly in all his life. Wherefore vnlesse we hauehave the like cause of fasting, and the like power to support vsus (as indeed none hauehave) it is but a vaine thing to goe about to imitat their fast. Now when the fast is continued for more dayes together, it is not vnmeet, that as in the meane time we are to take but one meale eueryevery day in the euening; so also that we should at those times content our selues with a spare diet in respect of the quantitie, and meane in respect of the qualitie, whether it bee fish, or flesh, or neither; according to the example of Daniel. But when our fast is once dissolued,Dan. 10.3. whether it bee at the end of one day, or of more, we may freely vse our ordinary diet, obseruing alwayes the rules of temperance and sobriety. And it fitteth best the faith of Gods children, when they hauehave humbled themselues before God, and poured forth their suit into his bosome; to cheere vp themselues in this persuasion, That they hauing cōmended and committed their cause to God, he will dispose of it and them, as shall be most for his glory, and their good. To this purpose consider the examples, of Anna, 1. Sam. 1, who after she had fasted and poured forth her soule before the Lord,1. Sam. 1.18. 2. Sam. 12.20. she went her way and did eat, and looked no more sad: Of Dauid, euen then when the Lord did seeme to hauehave denied his perticuler request, 2. Sam. 2. He arose from the earth, and washed and annointed himselfe, and chaunged his apparell, and came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped, and afterward came to his owne house, and bad that they should set bread before him, and he did eat. And thus much may suffice to hauehave spoken of the outward fast.

27 Now for as much as the kingdome of God standeth not in meat and drinke,Of the spirituall exercise, or inward fast, without which the outward is of no value. nor in the abstinence therefrom, and seeing bodily exercise profiteth little, but piety (which consisteth in duties of religion sincerely performed) hath the promises both of this life, and of that which is to come:Rom. 14.17. 1. Tim. 4.8. therefore all this outward abstinence is nothing worth, vnlesse it be ioyned with the inward fast and spirituall exercise of religion, and bee referred thereunto, as to the end thereof. For if men rest in the outward fast, as though that in it selfe were acceptable vntounto God, they fast no better than the beasts of Niniuie fasted. They fast not vntounto God:Ion. 3. Iohn 4.23, 24. for God is a spirit, and they that will worship him, must worship him in spirit and truth. Wherefore as Zacharie sayth to the Iewes, who resting in the outward fast,Zach. 7.5. imagined, that they pleased God therby: When you fasted and mourned in the fift and seuenth monethmonth these seuentie yeares, did you in fasting fast to me, to me, sayth the Lord? Likewise Esay 58, when as the Lord respected not the fast of the Iewes, whereby they looked to win his fauour, as appeareth by their question, vers. 3. Wherefore hauehave we fasted, and thou respectest it not, we hauehave afflicted our soules, and thou regardest it not? He rendreth this reason: Because neglecting the inward exercise, they rested in the outward.Vers. 5. Is it such a fast that I hauehave chosen, that a man should for a day afflict his soule (namely by outward fasting) and hang downe his head like a bull-rush, and lie downe in sackeloth and ashes: wilt thou call this a fasting or an acceptable day to the Lord? But if men shall not onelyonly rest in the outward fast, as if that in it selfe were an acceptable worship of God; but shall also obserue it with an opinion of satisfaction and merit, persuading themselues, that by their fast they satisfie for their sinnes, and merit euerlasting life: then is it much more abhominable in the sight of God, as being derogatorie to the onelyonly both satisfactorie sufferings and meritorious obedience of Christ our Sauiour. And such seemeth to hauehave beene the fast of the Pharisie:Luk. 18.11, 12, 14. who for all his fasting twice a weeke, and his other merits which hee alledgeth, went home vnjustified. And such is the fast of the Papists at this day, who not onelyonly rest in their outward fast, which notwithstanding in many respects is but a mockefast: but also ascribe satisfaction and merit thereunto.The inward fast is a solemn exercise of prayer, ioyned with repentance.

28. What then is the spirituall exercise and the inward fast, whereunto the outward abstinence must be referred? It is an humbling of our soules in a solemne exercise of prayer, joyned with repentance, for the obtaining of our speciall suit, holpen forward and testified by the outward fast: as Ezra speaketh,Ezr. 8.21. chap. 8. I proclaimed a fast, that we might humble our selues before our God, and seeke of him a right way, &c. For as the occasion of our fast is some speciall suit or request, which we are vponupon vrgent occasion to make to God: so the obtaining of our request is the end of our fast. Now that we may obtaine our suit to our comfort, it is necessarie that wee should beg it at the hands of God by prayer. For as Iames sayth,Iam. 4.2. You hauehave not, because you aske not. And because the Lord doth not heare eueryevery prayer of eueryevery man, therefore that our prayer may be heard, it is necessarie, that both it be qualified in some measure according to Gods will,1 Iohn 5.14. and our selues also indued with repentance for our sinnes. For if our prayer be not rightly qualified, we may aske and not obtaine, as S. Iames sayth,Iam. 4.3. You aske and receiue not, because you aske amisse. Neither, if wee repent not of our sinnes,Esay 59.2. Iohn 9.31. Prou. 15.8.29. shall we be heard; because sinne maketh a separation betweene God and vsus: neither doth the Lord heare impenitent sinners.

But if any shall object that we are to pray and repent continually, and therefore that this exercise is to little purpose: I answere, that howsoeuer prayer is to be performed of vsus dayly and ordinarily, and repentance is to be practised of vsus continually in the whole course of our liues: yet this hindreth not, but that as the Lord giueth vsus extraordinarie occasion, so we may and ought after a solemne and extraordinarie manner to humble our selues before him by prayer and repentance,Mat. 11.21. Iob. 42.6. which our Sauior Christ calleth, repenting in sackcloth and ashes, and likewise Iob, repenting in dust and ashes.

29. Now whereas I said,The two parts of repentance concurring with both the parts of prayer that this inward fast is an extraordinarie exercise of prayer joyned with a profession of our repentance for the obtaining of our suit: we are to know, that as of prayer, which expresseth our suit, there be two parts, and two especiall properties: so of repentance, which secondeth our prayer, there are also two parts. The parts of this prayer are, first, deprecation or praying against some euill which we bewaile, and desire to be remooued, whether it be the euill of sinne alone, or the euill of affliction also caused thereby. Secondly, precation for the obtaining of some good, whether it be only the assurance for the remission of our sinnes, and grace to withstand them, or also some other speciall blessing which wee craue. The two especiall properties of our prayer, are feruencie of desire, and assurance of faith. The two parts of repentance are, humiliation in respect of our sinnes past,foreign, panitentia. which is penitencie; and an vnfained purpose of amending our liues for the time to come, both in forsaking our sinnes, and also in embracing the contrary duties, which is foreign (that is, amendment of life) properly.foreign, resipiscentia. Both these parts of repentance must concurre with both the parts of prayer. And both of them affoord their necessarie helpe to both the properties of prayer. For deprecation of pardon, must be joyned not onelyonly with humiliation▪ in respect of our sinnes past, but also with a loathing of our sinnes, and an vnfained desire and setled purpose to forsake them for the time to come. And prayer for grace and assurance of pardon, must bee joyned not onelyonly with a desire and purpose of amendment, but also with a sence and acknowledgement of our infidelitie and want of grace. And our feruencie in prayer, as it must proceed from the sence of our want: so may it not be seuered from a desire of obedience and purpose of amendment. And lastly, the promise of hearing our prayer, whereon our faith is grounded, is made both to those that are humbled for their sinnes past, and vnfainedly desire and purpose amendment for the time to come. Notwithstanding, there is a more speciall concurrence of humiliation with deprecation, and of an vnfained purpose of amendment with precation: and also a more speciall reference, as of humiliation to the feruencie of our desire, so of repentance, which consisteth in eschewing euill and doing good to the assurance of faith. Yea the inward sence and sorrow, and the outward bewayling and confessing of our sinnes in deprecation, are acts of humiliation: and the desire, the promise, the vow of obedience and amendment of life expressed in our precation, are acts of repentance.But for distinction sake we are first to speake of humiliatiō, which is as it were a preparatiue to praier: secondly, of the parts and properties of prayer thirdly, of repentance and amendement of life, which must as it were second ou… prayer: Humiliation is partly inward, which standeth in two things▪ 1. An inward sence of our miserie and sorrow for the same: 2. King. 22.19. Act. 2.37. Ioel 2.13. Psal. 51.17. Mat. 9.15. And therefore for plainenesse and distinction sake, I will first speake of the former part of our suit, cōsisting in the deprecation joyned with humiliation: and after of the second part, which standeth in the precation joyned with amendment of life.

30. For as touching the former: if wee would bee humble and earnest suiters for the remoouing of euill, whether it be sinne, or punishment, or both; it behooueth vsus first to be affected and touched with a sence and feeling of our miserie, and to be inwardly grieued for our sinnes, that by them we hauehave offended God, who hath beene so gracious a God, and so mercifull a father vntounto vsus, and also hauehave prouoked him to threaten or to execute his judgements against vsus for the same. This then is the first thing which we are to labour for in this exercise, that in regard of our sinnes, which hauehave made vsus obnoxious to Gods judgements, our hearts may melt within vsus, and be resolued into a fountaine of teares; that they may be pricked with sorrow and remorse, that they may bee rent with griefe, that they may become contrite and broken with godly sorrow. For mourning is so perpetually annexed to fasting, that our Sauiour Christ vseth these words of fasting and mourning indifferently, to signifie the same thing. For being demaunded, why his disciples fasted not; he said, can the children of the mariage chamber mourne, as long as the bridegroome is with them? but the dayes will come when the bridegroome shall bee taken from them, and then shall they fast. For further euidence whereof,Mark 2.9. Luke 5.34. we may obserue, that where Mathew vseth the word mourne, the other Euangelists hauehave fast. And to the same purpose, when the Iewes demaunded of the Prophets, whether they were still to obserue the fast of the fift monethmonth, &c. they propose their question in these words,Z…ch. 7 3. Should I weepe in the fift monethmonth, and seperate my selfe, viz. from companie and delights? And this mourning, they which fasted were wont vnderunder the law to signifie by outward signes:Ios. 7.6. 1. King. 21.27. Ioel 2.13. Esay. …8.1. Psal. 35.13. & 69.12. Es…h. 4.1.3. Ion. 3.5, 6, 8. Psal. 69.11. Ioel 2.13. as by renting their garments, putting on of sackcloth, sitting in the ashes, putting earth vponupon them. In stead of which signes, the thing signified (that is, the inward mourning of the heart) is commended vntounto vsus, according to the example of Dauid, Psal. 69.11. In fasting I wept with my soule: or as others read, I wept in the fasting of my soule. For so the Prophet exhorteth, Rent your hearts and not your garments, and turne vntounto the Lord with all your hearts, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

31. And to this godly sorrow must bee added an humble conceit of our selues:2An humble and vile estimation of our selues. that as we be grieued with our selues because of our sinne, so also wee should thinke vilely and esteeme basely of our selues, as being worthie not onelyonly of that judgement which is vponupon vsus, but of all the plagues threatened in the law, and vnworthie of the least of Gods mercies: vnworthie of food, signified by our abstinence therefrom: vnworthie of our garments, which therefore wee lay aside: vnworthie to tread vponupon the earth,Exod. 33.4. which they were wont to signifie by putting earth vponupon them. In a word, the outward abstinence is therefore ordained, that by afflicting the bodie, the soule may be humbled. Yea such an vsuall companion of fasting is the humiliation of the soule, that not onelyonly the faithfull in the Scripture are said to humble their soule by fasting,Psal. 35.13. Esay 58.5. Leuit. 23.27.32. 1. King. 21.29. but sometimes also euen the outward fasting is called the humbling of the soule. This inward humiliation consisting partly in the godly sorrow, and partly in this base estimation of our selues, is very needfull for vsus, if indeed we would be humble suiters vntounto the Lord, with hope to obtaine:Psal. 51.17. For, the sacrifices of God are a contrit spirit, and a broken heart, which the Lord in no wise will despise,Esay 66.2. yea he hath respect to those who are of a contrit spirit,Psal. 34.17.18. and hee is neare vntounto them when they call vponupon him.

32. And that we may attaine to this humiliation,How we are to attaine to this humiliation. we are seriously to meditat of the judgements of God presently either threatned or laid vponupon vsus: for therefore the Lord doth threaten his judgements,Ezek. 33.11. that by humbling our selues before him,Amo… 4.12. and preparing our selues to meet him, they might be preuented and turned from vsus: and that judging our selues we might not bee judged of the Lord.1. Cor. 11.31. And therefore also doth the Lord inflict his judgement, that we might be humbled vnderunder his mightie hand:Ier. 5.3. For not to sorrow when the Lord smiteth, it is a signe of an hard and incorrigible heart: And secondly, we are to enter into a serious meditation of the haynousnesse of our sins, and of our wretched estate in our selues by reason thereof, which we may conceiue: first, by the deserts of them; and namely by that judgement of God which perhaps is the occasion of this exercise: For whatsoeuer other causes there may be thereof, the author and inflicting cause is God,1. Cor. 11 32. and the meriting cause is sinne. And not onelyonly that judgement,Lam. 3.39. but also all those plagues both temporall in this life, and eternall in the world to come, which in the word of God are threatned against transgressors. And these threatnings of the law we are both vndoubtedly to beleeue, and also effectually to apply to our selues. Againe, the same appeareth by the sufferings of Christ: For hereby it is most euident, that our sinnes are so heynous and grieuous in the sight of God, that nothing in the whole world could bee found a sufficient ransome to satisfie Gods justice, and appease his wrath for them, or to expiat vsus from the guilt thereof, but the precious death of our Sauiour Christ the sonne of God. And therefore if God hath giuen vsus the spirit of grace and supplication, we shall lament and mourne as a man weeping for his only sonne, when we looke vponupon him whom we hauehave pierced. And thirdly,Zach. 12.10. our sinne will appeare exceedingly sinfull, if we compare and lay together Gods vnspeakable bounties towards vsus, and our almost vncredible vnthankfulnesse towards him: For if thou doest truly and vnpartially consider, what thou hast rendred to the Lord for all his benefits which he hath bestowed on thee, and findest nothing but a heape of sinnes, whereby thou hast shewed thy selfe so vngracious towards him, who hath beene so gracious vntounto thee, and dishonored him that hath so honoured thee: this, if anything in the world, will make thy heart relent and melt within thee. And to these former considerations let there bee added, when we come to make our request to God who is in heauen full of majestie and glorie, a remembrance of our mold, that we are but dust and ashes; which humbled Abraham when he was to intreat the Lord in behalfe of the Sodomits, Behold, saith he,Gen. 18.27. I hauehave begun to speake to my Lord, and I am but dust and ashes. And forasmuch as naturally we are selfe-conceited and hard hearted, we are therefore to pray vntounto the Lord that he would giuegive vntounto vsus soft and fleshly hearts; and that with the eye-salue of his spirit he would annoint the eyes of our mind that we may see, and with the finger of his spirit hee would effectually touch our hearts that we may be humbled for our sinnes.

Partly outward, arising from the inward humiliation: whereof also are two branches, first, Lamentation arising from the inward sorrow,33. From the inward humiliation two other things arise, which vsually accompany deprecations: Namely, from the inward sence of our woe and sorrow for our miserie, proceedeth an outward bewailing and lamenting of our estate, which in the faithfull sometimes breaketh forth into expostulation. And from the base esteeming and judging our selues, ariseth confession of our sinnes, in respect whereof we acknowledge our selues vnworthie of the lest of Gods mercies, but worthie of his greatest judgements. Lamentation is the outward expressing of our inward mourning, whereby we particularly bewaile our wofull estate before the Lord, making our mone vntounto him, and pouring foorth our griefe as it were into his bosome. Examples hereof we hauehave in Dauids Psalmes, as Psal. 6. & 22. & 38. & 79, &c. in Ieremies Lamentations. In Ezekias, Esay 38.14.who in his griefe did chatter like a crane or a swallow, and mourned like a doue. Thus some expound that place,1. Sam. 7.6. 1. Sam. 7, where it is said that the Iewes bewailing their miserabe estate, Drew water and poured it soorth before the Lord, that they vsed this ceremonie before the Lord to signifie, that without his special merciemercy and assistance, they were as water spilt vponupon the earth: to which purpose Dauid saith vntounto the Lord,Psal. 22.14. 2. Sam. 14.14. Psal. 22.14, I am like water poured out: and the wise woman of Tekoah vntounto Dauid, 2. Sa. 14, We shall be like water that is spilt on the groūd, which cannot be gathered vp againe. And to this bewailing of our estate before the Lord, we may be induced by consideration of Gods mercy, who because hee is mercifull, doth heare the cry of his creatures in their distresse:Exod. 22. for if the Lord doth heare sometimes the cry of wicked men in their anguish,Gen. 21.17. although perhaps it be not a prayer, but the voice, which the extremitie of their griefe expresseth from them;Psal. 147.9 & 104.21.27.28. yea the crie of vnreasonable creatures, as of the yong Lyons and the rauens, &c. how much more wil he hauehave respect to the mournefull crie of his owne children? But the faithfull sometimes in ther mourning and lamentations doe proceed,And sometimes breaketh forth into exp…stulations. as I sayd, to expostulations, which are vehement interrogations expressed from them by their griefe: whereby they doe expostulat with the Lord,Exod 5.22. Ios. 7.6, 7, 8, 9. Psal. 6.3. & 22.1.2. concerning either the greatnesse, or continuance of their affliction: As Moses Exod. 5. Iosua, chap. 7. Dauid, Psal. 6.3. & 22.1, 2. Iob oftentimes, the Church afflicted, Psal. 79. & 80,Psa…. 75.5. & 80.4. Lam. 5. And our Sauiour on the crosse, Math. 27. But here we are to take great heed, that our expostulation be an holy fruit of a liuely faith:Lam. 5 20. Math. 27.46. lest if it proceed frō want of patience, it do degenerat into murmuring against God.

2Confession of our sinnes, arising from the humble and base estimation of our selues. Psal. 51.4. Dan. 9.7.34. The other thing which must concurre with deprecation, is confession of our sinnes, which is both profitable and necessarie in these respects. First, that God in his judgements may be justified. And to that purpose it is verie expedient, that the praise of the Lord may appeare more glorious, and the sinnes which we confesse, more grieuous; to make a rehearsall, as of our sinnes, so also of Gods benefits towards vsus: notable examples whereof we hauehave Nehem. 9. from the fift verse vntounto 36. and Ezr. 9.6. Secondly,Nehe. 5. &c. Ezr. 9.6. 1. Cor. 11.31. that judging our selues, we may not be judged of the Lord: For if we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes, the Lord is faithfull and just to forgiue vsus our sinnes,1. Iohn 1.9. and to clense vsus from all iniquitie: But if we conceale our sinnes we hauehave no promise of forgiuenesse: for as Salomon saith,Prou. 28.13. Prou. 28, He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper, but he that confesseth and forsaketh them, shall hauehave merciemercy. And this we see notably verified in the example of Dauid, Psal. 32. for whiles hee concealed his sinne, the hand of the Lord was heauie vponupon him to afflict him: but when he confessed and acknowledged his iniquitie,Psal. 32.3, 4, 5. 1. Sam. 7 6. Ezr. 9.6, 7, &c. Neh 16, 7, Dan. 9.3.5. &c. the Lord forgaue his sinne. The practise of this dutie in solemne fasts is commended vntounto vsus in many examples of the holy Scriptures, as 1. Sam. 7. Ezr. 9. Nehe. 1. Daniell 9.

In & with this humiliation, our prayer, and especially our deprecation is to be made.35. Thus therefore in an inward sence and sorrow for our sinnes, and a base estimation of our selues for the same, together with a bewailing of our woe and confession of our sinne, we are to make our humble supplication and deprecation to the Lord, pouring foorth our soule before him: earnestly beseeching him in the name and mediation of Christ, that he would remoue his judgements from vsus, and for his sake would forgiue vsus our sins which hauehave most justly prouoked him to indignation against vsus.Ioel 2.17. A liuely patterne whereof we hauehave Ioel 2.17. Let them say, spare thy people ô Lord, &c. and other worthie precedents,Dan. 9.5.16.17, 18. Nehem. 9.32. as Dan. 9, and Nehem. 9. And herein we being summoned as it were before the judgement seat of the Lord, are to immitat the ancient custome of guiltie persons among the Romans, when they were arraigned before the judgement seat; who that they might mooue the Iudges to merciemercy and compassion, humbly abased themselues before them, vsing long and neglected haire, and putting on mourning weeds,1. Kin. 20.31. &c. And as Benhadad his seruants and followers, when they being vanquished by Achab the king of Israell, desired to make humble sute vntounto him for their own and Benhadad his life and libertie: We hauehave heard, say they to Benhadad, that the kings of the house of Israell are mercifull kings, we pray thee let vsus put sackcloth about our loynes, and ropes about our heads, and go out to the king of Israell: it may be that he will saue thy life. So let vsus, hauing sinned against God, and made our selues obnoxious to his judgements, come vntounto the Lord with all inward humiliation, and outward tokens thereof, as it were with ropes about our neckes, suing vntounto him for merciemercy and pardon, seeing we hauehave not onelyonly heard that he is mercifull: but also know that he hath commanded vsus in our distresse to call vponupon him with promise to heare vsus:Psal. 50.15. Ioel 2.12, 13. and also hath inuited vsus to turne vntounto him with all our heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and that we should rent our hearts and not our garments: for he is gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnes, and repenteth him of the euill.VVhereunto the other part of prayer, which is precation for good, is to be annexed. Phil. 4.6. Eph. 6.1…. 1. Tim. 2.1. & 5.5.

36. But forasmuch as we are suters to the Lord, not onelyonly for auoiding that which is euill, but also for obtaining that which is good: we are therefore to make our requests knowne vntounto God, not onelyonly by supplications and deprecations againsts euils; but also by petitions and precation for that which is good: and therefore the holy Ghost both by doctrine and example hath taught vsus to joyne them together:Act. 1.14. For if we truly bewaile our sins, and earnestly desire to be deliuered from the guilt thereof: we will also craue assurance of the remission of our sinnes to be sealed vp in our conscience by the spirit of adoption: and not that onelyonly, but also we will desire to be renewed and sanctified by the spirit of God, that sinne may die in vsus, and that we may liue vntounto God in true holinesse and righteousnesse. And lastly, we will craue the assistance of the holy Ghost to strengthen and support vsus against all the temptations of the flesh, the world and the diuell. But if besides the euill of sinne we hauehave occasion also to pray against some euill of punishment, then do we commonly pray for the contrarie blessing: or if the obtaining thereof be not expedient for vsus (as in temporall petitions it many times falleth out) we must willingly submit our selues to Gods good will and pleasure, and in steed of asking preseruation from that which is present, we are to craue patience and comfort in affliction, and to beseech the Lord that he would blesse his visitation vntounto vsus, and cause it to turne vntounto our good. And therefore these temporall benefits are not (as I hauehave elsewhere shewed) to be asked absolutly,In Psal. 50.51. but with this condition, If they may stand with Gods glorie, and our spirituall and euerlasting good.

The 2 properties of prayer.37. And these two were the parts of our prayer. Now in them both there are two things required: feruencie of desire that we may, and assurance of faith that we shall obtaine our request.1. Feruencie. As touching the former: Feruencie is required alwayes in our prayers, but especially when vponupon extraordinarie occasion we humble our selues before the Lord in prayer: for then we must not onelyonly pray,Ioel 1.14. but also cry vntounto the Lord; whereby vehement prayer is signified:Ion. 3.8. yea as the Niniuits speake, we are to cry mightily vntounto him. And forasmuch as this feruencie of desire proceedeth from the feeling of our want, and is commonly proportionable thereunto: therefore doth the Lord afflict vsus, that in the sence of our want we might the more earnestly poure foorth our soules before him: and to the same purpose do we afflict our selues by the outward fast, that we might the better giuegive our selues to prayer: for therefore doe we abstaine from food and delights, that the sence of our want might be increased, and so our feruencie inflamed; therefore do we abstaine from our bodily labors and worldly businesse, that we might the better attend and intend our prayer; and therefore also do we abridge our selues of vnnecessarie sleepe, that we might watch vntounto prayer. For this cause some hauehave called fasting, The wing of praier: because the earnestnes thereof being inflamed by fasting, it doth the more forcibly ascend before the Lord.De ieiunio Serm. 1. foreign (sayth Basill) foreign: Fasting sendeth vp prayer vntounto heauen, being as it were a wing vntounto it, Tom. 4. homil. ad pop. 71.to helpe it in the ascent. And to the like purpose, Chrysostome, He that prayeth with fasting hath two wings (saith he) namely to lift him vp from the earth. And forasmuch as this is one maine end whereunto fasting is referred, hence it is that so often we do read in the Scriptures of fasting ioyned with prayer. See Ios. 7.7. 1. Sam. 1.10. and 7.5.6. 2. Sam. 12.16. 2. Chron. 20.6. Ezr. 8.23. Neh. 1.4. & 9.1.6, &c. Psal. 35.13. Dan. 9.3. Ioel. 1.14. & 2.15.17. Ionas 3.5.8. Math. 17.21. Luk. 2.37. Act. 9.9.11. & 10.30. & 13.3. & 14.23. 1. Cor. 7.5.In quadrages. Serm. 4. For as Bernard saith, Ieiu…ium orationem roborat, oratio sanctificat ieiunium: Fasting fortifieth prayer: prayer sanctifieth fasting.

38.2 Faith, which must be groū ded first on the mediation of Christ, The second thing required in prayer, is Faith: for as we are in our prayers to call vponupon God in the name of Christ; so are we to beleeue, that for Christ his sake the Lord will heare vsus, and so farre forth graunt our requests as shall be most for his glorie, and our good: for howsoeuer when we fast, we are to bee humbled in our selues, mourning for our sinnes and bewailing our wants; yet we must not so cast downe our selues, that we cast away hope, but contrariwise we are to cast our selues vponupon the mercies of God in Christ: yea therefore doth God touch vsus with a sence of our want, that feeling our miserie, we might flie vntounto him for merciemercy. And therefore are we to humble our selues before God,Luke 18.14. that being cast downe in our selues, we may bee exalted in Christ. Wherefore in our fast we are so to deplore our miserie, that withall we implore the merciemercy of God; being well assured, though in our selues we are vnworthy to appeare in his presence, or to lift vp our eyes to heauen, yet comming vntounto him in the name of Christ, we and our prayers shall be accepted of him in his sonne.2. On the promises of God. This faith is to be grounded also on the gracious promises of God made vntounto vsus in Christ:Iohn 16.23. As namely, that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name,Psal. 50.15. he will giuegive it vntounto vsus, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me. And more specially the Lord promiseth by his Prophet Ioel to the people of the Iewes being afflicted with a grieuous famine,Ioel 2.18.19. That if they humbled their soules before him in fasting and prayer, he would graunt their desire.

And is to be cōfirmed, 1, by experience of those who hauehave vsed this exercise with happy successe: Ez…. 8.23.39. And the same may be confirmed by the experience of those, who hauing vsed this exercise, hauehave obtained their requests at the hands of God. Call to mind the examples in the places before alledged, of Annab 1. Sa. 1. of the Israelits 1. Sam. 7, of Iosaphat 2. Chr. 20. of Neb. cha. 1. of Daniel, chap. 9. of Ezra, who professeth his experience in this behalfe: We fasted, saith he, and besought our God for this, and he was intreated of vsus. Of Esther, Mordochay and the Iewes, who ordained the fast of Purim to be celebrated yearely on the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the monethmonth Adar,Esth. 9.22. as dayes of feasting and joy, and as perpetuall monuments of that great deliuerance which they had obtained by fasting and prayer: In which sence they are called, Verba seu document a ieiuniorum & clamoris sui, Esth. 9.31.Verse 31. And for the better confirmation of our faith, let vsus to this experience of Gods dealing with the faithfull, add the examples euen of Rehoboam, of Achab, and of the Niniuits: For if when the Lord had threatned destruction to Rehoboam, by Shemaiah; to Achab, by Elias; and to the Niniuits, by Ionas: notwithstanding by fasting and humbling themselues, Rehoboam, who with his people had forsaken the Lord;2. Chron. 12.5.7.12.14. Achab, who had sold himselfe to commit wickednesse; and the Niniuits who being not onelyonly aliants from God,1. King. 21.29. but also the posteritie of cursed Cham, had filled heauen and earth with their transgressions,Ion. 3.10▪ escaped that judgement which was threatned against them: how much more is this exercise to be vndertaken of all those that truly repent and beleeue in Christ, with assurance of good successe? Feare not my little flocke (saith our Sauiour Christ to all the faithfull) for it is your fathers pleasure to giuegive you the kingdome,Luke 12.32. and therefore he will not denie you small requests, if they may bee for your good. And if the Lord hath so loued vsus, as that he hath not spared his sonne, but hath giuen him for vsus all; how shall he not with him,Rom. 8.32. giuegive vsus all things also that may be expedient for vsus? He doth not thinke any thing too good or too deare for vsus, who hath giuen his sonne to vsus in pretium, for a ransome, and reserueth himselfe in pramium, for a reward.

40.2, By the religious performance of this exercise, wherby we may be the better qualified according to the condition implied in the promise. But you will say: If our faith must bee grounded vponupon the promises of God, what helpe then doth fasting affoord vntounto it? I answer, first, That fasting being commaunded and ordained of God, it is to be vndertaken with expectation of a blessing vponupon his owne ordinance. And secondly, although our faith may not relie vponupon the merit of our fasting (which indeed is none) but only on the promise of God in Christ; yet being rightly performed, it affoordeth a good testimonie to our conscience, that the promise belongeth to vsus: for although we beleeue in generall, the promises of God to be true; yet we shall hauehave small comfort by them, vnlesse we can be persuaded that they belong vntounto vsus. And how can we persuade our selues that they belong vntounto vsus, if we hauehave not the condition implied in the promise? As for example: The Lord hath promised to hauehave respect to the humble, to be neare vntounto them when they call vponupon him,Esay 66.2. Psal. 34.18. 1. Pet. 5.5. Luk. 18.14. Mat. 5.6. Iohn 7.73. to giuegive grace vntounto them, and to exalt them: Likewise to them that hunger after righteousnesse, and thirst for his grace, he hath promised, that they shall be satisfied. If therefore thou wouldest apply these promises to thy selfe, thou must humble thy selfe before God, and not be lifted vp with pride: thou must hunger and thirst after the grace of God and righteousnesse of Christ, and not be full with a conceit of thine owne righteousnesse. But by fasting, our humiliation, as I hauehave shewed, may be furthered, and our spirituall hunger increased, and so our selues better qualified, according to the condition included in the promise: which condition if we find in our selues, then may we from the promise as it were the proposition, applied to our selues by the testimonie of our conscience, as it were the assumption, gather to our selues a comfortable conclusion. Of which comfort they bereaue themselues, who performe this exercise in an opinion of meriting thereby: for when fasting is joyned with a conceit of merit, it doth not so much humble the bodie, as puffe vp the soule, and so make it vncapable of the grace of God: for the Lord giueth grace to the humble, and he resisteth the proud.1. Pet. 5.5. And as the blessed virgin saith, He filleth the hungrie with good things,Luke 1.53. but the rich he sendeth emptie away.

3. By the practise of repentance, concurring also with our prayer in this exercise.41. Another notable meanes to confirme our faith in the assurance of obtaining our sute, is to forsake our sins (which make a separation betweene God and vsus) and to promise amendment for the time to come, which also is testified by our fast: For it is not sufficient to confesse our sinnes,Esay 59.2. if we would find merciemercy with God; but also we must forsake them.Prou. 28.13. And if we desire to be deliuered from the euill which doth afflict vsus, and to obtaine the contrarie blessing which doth affect vsus: then it behooueth vsus to forsake our sinne, which is the cause of the affliction, and also an obstacle, and as it were a partition wall betwixt God and vsus,Ezek. 43.8. to keepe his blessings from vsus. Wouldest thou then hauehave thine affliction remooued? remooue the cause, which is thy sinne. And if thou wouldest hauehave God to repent him of the euill of affliction,Ion. 3.10. which he hath either threatned or inflicted, then must thou also repent of the euill of sinne, which hath merited the affliction. Now if we shall truly repent of our sinnes, and vnsainedly purpose amendment of life for the time to come, then may we persuade our selues that our preseruation and deliuerance shall be joyned with Gods glorie; & consequently may be emboldned with better assurāce of faith, to desire the Lord to preserue & deliuer vsus euen for his own glory, & for his names sake. But here, as we desire any sound cō fort, so must we deale soundly with the Lord: and not as the common practise of the most, in the time of affliction, to promise greatmatters vntounto the Lord, which they hauehave no true purpose to performe: for this is to flie vntounto God, and to go about to deceiue him with our lippes.Psal. 78.36.

42. And hereby appeareth the great necessitie of joyning the practise of repentance with the exercise of prayer in our fast.This repentance or amendment standeth in two things: And therefore fasting as it was ordained to be an helpe vntounto our prayer, so also to bee both a testimonie & furtherance of our repentance, as I hauehave shewed. Now our repentance standeth in two things, in the eschewing of euill,The former, is eschewing euill: and doing of good. As touching the former: abstinence from euill and ceassing from sin, is signified in our fast, by abstinence form food and delights, and by cessing from our labors: For therefore the Lord doth the rather require in our fasts the abstaining and ceassing from things in themselues lawfull, that thereby we might be admonished much more to abstaine from that which is vnlawful.Serm. 1. de ieiunio. In which respect, Basil calleth fasting, foreign, a medicine to take away sinne. And Augustine, De tempore serm. 64.this is (sayth he) the profit of fasting, that whiles we fast from lawfull things, wee are admonished more and more to forbeare vnlawfull things. If therefore wee auoid things which sometimes are lawfull, let vsus chiefely auoid sinnes which are neuer lawfull: if we fast from meats, much more let vsus fast from sinnes: Quid prodest vacuare corpus ab escis, & animam replere peccatis? What auaileth it to keepe the body emptie from meats, and to fill the soule with sinne? For abstinence from things lawfull, if it be not joyned with abstinence from things vnlawfull, that is to say, if our fasting from food and other delights be not joyned with fasting from sinne, it is odious and abhominable in the sight of God.Esay 1.13. Non possum ferre iniquitatē & diem interdicti. A day of rest, and not resting from sinne, the Lord cannot endure together. It is not the emptinesse of the bellie or cleannesse of the teeth, but the puritie of the foule and cleanenesse of the heart; nor the outward rest from labour, but the spirituall rest from sinne that is acceptable vntounto God: without which, the outward fast as it causeth vsus to smell worse to men,Arist. problem. sect. 13. quest. 7. according to the prouerbiall phrase, foreign so maketh it vsus to stinke before God.

Which is the true fast.43. It is well said of the heathen man, that we ought to fast from sinne. For as †Serm. 1. de ieiun.Basill truly sayth, foreign:foreign; Plutarch de cohibend. ira. true fasting is abandoning of euill. And to the like purpose others of the fathers: Chrysostome, True fasting (sayth *Tom. 4. homil. 72. ad populum.he) is abstinence from euill: and againe, †Homil. de iejun. ad Pop. Antioch. De tempore Serm. 173. In Leuit. lib. 10the commendation of a fast is not abstaining from meat, but auoiding of sinne. Augustine, The fasts of Christians are rather spiritually to be obserued, than carnally. Wherfore let vsus principally fast from sinne. For what a thing is this, that any deceiuer should abstaine from meats which God hath created, and should grow fat with sinne? principally therefore let our mind fast from euill: for seeing fasting is the humbling of the soule, what a thing is that, to be humbled and abated in food, and increased in sinne? And likewise Cyrill, Wilt thou hauehave mee shew thee what manner of fast thou must obserue? fast from all sinne, take no food of mallice, receiue no dainties of pleasure, inflame not thy selfe with the wine of lust, fast from bad practises, abstaine from euill speeches, containe thy selfe from wicked thoughts: such a fast pleaseth God. But these testimonies of men were of little weight, if the Lord himselfe did not auouch the same truth. See therefore Esay 58. and Zach. 7. where the Lord rejecteth the fasts of the Iewes,Esai. 58.2.3.4. &c. because whiles they fasted and forbare their food,Zach. 7.5.7. they did not forbeare their sinnes. We must therefore remember when we obserue a fast, and consecrate a Sabbath of humiliation vntounto the Lord,Esay. 58.3.15. that we turne away our foot, that is, our affections from doing our owne will therein: neither must we follow our owne waies, nor seeke our owne delights, nor speake a vaine word.

44. And as we are to abstaine from all sinne in generall:Especially wee are to abstain from those sinnes wherein we hauehave cheefly offended, & wherby the anger of the Lord is or hath beene especially prouoked against vsus. so especially from those wherein we hauehave chiefly offended, and hauehave thereby prouoked the Lord either to shake his rod at vsus, or else to correct vsus therewith. For they being the cause of the judgement, must be remoued away, if we would hauehave the judgement it selfe remoued. And therefore the Niniuits, when they proclaimed a fast, gaue in charge, that eueryevery one should turne from his euill way and from that violence (for that was the crying sinne of the Niniuits) which was in their hand. And when God saw their workes, that they turned from their euill waies, he also repented of the euill that he had said that he would doe vntounto them, Ion. 3.8, 10.that is to say, he did it not. And we must so abstaine from our sinnes, as that we may not seeme to hauehave laid them aside for a day or two, but to hauehave cast them off for euer.Esay. 58.5. For that is not the fast which the Lord hath chosen, that a man should afflict his soule for a day, and hang downe his head like a bullrush. For as the sonne of Syrach sayth, He that washeth himselfe because of a dead bodie, and toucheth it againe,Eccles. 34.27. what auaileth his washing? so it is with a man that fasteth for his sins, and committeth them again: who will heare his prayer, or what doth his fasting helpe him?

Serm. de temp. 173. The latter part is ensuing or following after that which is good. By practising good duties for the present towards God & our neighbor, Zach. 7.9, 10.45. But for as much as Augustine saith, It is but a slender fast to abstaine onelyonly from sinne, vnlesse we also adde good workes: therefore wee must know it is our dutie, especially on the day of the fast, not only to eschew euill, but also for the present to be exercised in well doing: and for the time to come to purpose and to promise amendement. The duties wherin we are to be exercised, are both the duties of pietie and religion towards God, which in the time of the fast are to be performed in a speciall manner: and also the duties of louelove and merciemercy towards our brethren; as to execute true judgement, to shew merciemercy and compassion eueryevery man to his brother. For is not this the fasting that I hauehave chosen (sayth the Lord) to loose the bands of wickednes,Esay 58.6. to take off the heauie burthens, and to let the oppressed goe free, and that ye breake eueryevery yoke?Especially the duties of merciemercy and almes-giuing. Among the rest, the dutie of almes-giuing and relieuing the poore is commended vntounto vsus, as it followeth in the Prophet: Is it not to deale the bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poore that wander, Vers. 7.vntounto thine house? When thou seest the naked, that thou couer him, and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh, for so he calleth thy poore brother. Then shall thy light breake forth, Vers. 8.&c. then shalt thou call, and the Lord will answere, Vers. 9.thou shalt crie, and be will say, here am I. If thou takest away from the middest of thee the yoke, the putting foorth of the finger (whereby is meant euen the least injuries) and wicked speaking: Vers. 10.if thou poure out thy soule to the hungry (that is, if with the bowels of compassion thou doest relieue his need freely and chearefully) and refresh the troubled soule, then shall thy light spring out in the darkenesse, and thy darkenesse shall be as the noone day: that is, thine aduersitie and affliction shall be turned into peace and prosperitie.

46. Wherefore it hath beene and is the custome of the godly in the time of their fasts,Which must concurre with our fast. by doing workes of merciemercy and giuing almes, to relieue the poore. For as our Sauiour hath joyned the doctrine of these three together, almes, prayer, and fasting; so must we after the example of Cornelius joyne them in practise.Mat. 6. Act. 10.30.31. Mat. 5.7. Esay 58.9. Prou. 21.13. For as the Lord hath promised to shew merciemercy to the mercifull, and to answere their crie: so on the other side, he that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore, himselfe shall crie and not be heard. And surely, vnlesse we will fast for sparing, after the manner of niggards, who will be glad of so good a pretence to spare from their bellies, & to depriue their families of their ordinarie allowance, for the increase of their worldly estate;In alimentis pauperū abrupti apparatus …tipēdia largiatur. August. de temp. Serm. 173. In Esay 58. Ser. de temp. 64. wee ought to giuegive so much to the poore, as by our abstinence is saued: Vt ieiunium tuum (saith Ierome) non sit lucrum marsupij, sed saturitas animae; that thy fast be not the gain of thy purse, but the saturitie of thy soule. For as Augustine sayth, Then are our fasts acceptable to God, when as they, whom need doth force to fast, are refreshed by vsus. And againe, Ieiunium tuum te castiget, sed laetificet alterum: Let thy fasting chastise thee, but let it comfort another. So fast, that thou mayest be glad that thou hast dined in another that eateth by that meanes,De temp. serm. 65. for the Lord loueth a chearefull giuer: for when a poore man eateth of thine allowance, in him Christ, who affirmeth himselfe to be hungry in his poore members, doth dine. And elsewhere,De tempore, serm. …57. Accipiat esuriens Christus, quod ieiunans minus accepit Christianus. Let Christ, being hungrie in his poore members, receiue that which the fasting Christian hath spared. Castigatio volentis, fiat sustentatio non habentis: Let the chastisement of him that hath and is willing to forbeare, be the sustenance of him that hath not and faine would eat.In Leuit. lib. 10 in fine. And to conclude, Cyrill, In a certaine booke (sayth he) we find it said of the Apostles, Blessed is hee who fasteth to that end, that he may feed the poore.

47. And as we are thus for the present to be exercised,By purposing and promising amendement for the time to come. so for the time to come we must vnfainedly purpose and faithfully promise amendement, in performing duties heretofore omitted, and in eschewing sinnes heretofore committed. And to this purpose it shall bee needfull for the better setling of our resolution, to bind our selues by a solemne vow, and with the Iewes in the booke of Nehemiah to put our seales vntounto it,Nehem. 9.38. that so we may impose a necessitie vponupon our selues of well doing: and we are to know, that it is a happie necessitie which forceth vsus to better things. The necessitie of this vnfained purpose to be had in this exercise, is euident: because without it wee remaine in our impenitencie. And being impenitent sinners, the Lord will not heare vsus: as the Lord threatened the impenitent Iewes, When they fast (sayth he) I will not heare their crie,Ierem. 14.12. Ierem. 14. And therefore vnlesse wee repent of our sinnes, and resolue to amend; this exercise, which wee (being suters) vndertake for the obtaining of our sute, is performed of vsus in vaine. For this wee are to know & to be assured of,Iohn 9.31. That the Lord heareth not impenitent sinners. Wherefore true is that saying, though of an Apocryphall booke:Teb. 12.8. Prayer is good, with fasting, almes, and righteousnesse.

The sorts of the religious fast, vz. priuat, or publicke. The priuat fast48. And thus we hauehave heard what the religious fast is, and the parts also wherein it doth consist. Now we are to consider the sorts of it: for the religious fast is either priuat, or publicke. The priuat fast, is that which is obserued priuatly: as the fast of some one man, or of a priuat familie. And this is to be vndertaken either for priuat, or publicke causes: for priuat, concerning either our selues and those that belong to vsus; so fasted Annah, 1. Sam. 1. Cornelius, Psal. 35.13.Act. 10. Dauid, 2. Sam. 12: or others, as Dauid for those that prooued his enemies: and Darius (though an heathen) for Daniell, Dan. 6.19.when he was cast into the Lyons den. But we are to fast priuatly, not onelyonly vponupon priuat occasions, but much more vponupon publicke causes. For as it is the dutie of the faithfull,Ezech. 9.4. priuatly to mourne for publicke calamities and common corruptions, which ordinarily are the fore runners of common calamities: so also they may fast therefore.Neh. 1.4. And such was the fast of Nehemiah, chap. 1. and of Daniel, Dan. 9. Mat. 6.16, 17, 18chap. 9. In priuat fasts our Sauiour Christ requireth that they be so secretly performed, as that vntounto men we may not seeme to fast, but onelyonly to our heauenly father, who seeing in secret, will reward vsus openly. And for as much as the day of the fast hath the nature of a Sabbath, wherein we are to cease from bodily labors and worldly businesse: therefore those which bee vnderunder the gouernment of others,Num. 30.14. as wiues, children, and seruants, may not take vponupon them to obserue a fast on a working day, without the leaue and liking of their gouernours.

49. The publicke fast is that,The publicke fast Ier. 36.9. which being vponupon publicke cause, by publicke authoritie proclaimed before the Lord, is both publickly and priuatly to be sanctified of all as a Sabbath of humiliation vntounto the Lord. In which definition there are foure things to bee obserued: first, who are to appoint the publicke fast; secondly, vponupon what cause; thirdly, who are to obserue it; fourthly, how. As touching the first:1VVho are to appoint it. The appointment of publicke fasts appertaineth to those who hauehave publicke authoritie to call the people together to the publicke worship of God, and to cause them to cease from their bodily labors and worldly affairs: as appeareth in the examples of publicke fasts recorded in the word of God: as 2. Chron. 20.3. Ion. 3.7. 1. Sam. 7.5. Ezr. 8.21. Ioel 1.14. And this they are to doe by proclaiming of the fast, that is, both by giuing publicke notice of it, and also by charging all men to assemble themselues at the time appointed, to obserue it; according to the direction of the holy ghost by the Prophet Ioel: Ioel. 2.15, 16.Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctifie a fast, that is, by your proclamation (which is meant by sounding the trumpet) appoint a fast to be sanctified, proclaime a day of rest, or Sabbath of humiliation, assemble the people, &c. And here we are to obserue that which is further added out of Ierem. 36.Ier. 36.9. that this fast is to be proclaimed before the Lord, that both they which hauehave authoritie, doe proclaime it not in any wicked or worldly respect,1. King. 21.9, 12. but in vprightnesse of heart, as before the Lord: and also that those who are to obserue it, assemble themselues as before the Lord, to sanctifie a fast vntounto him.

2VponUpon what occasion.50. The next thing to be considered, is the cause whereupon the fast is to be proclaimed: that when there is just cause, those which are in authority may take knowledge of their dutie in this behalfe. And that is (as I hauehave generally noted before) when we hauehave some important and vrgent occasion to become humble and earnest suters vntounto the Lord,As first, for the obtaining of some publick blessing. either for the obtaining of some speciall and publicke blessing, or for the remoouing of some publicke euill: and this either for our selues, or for other churches of Christ.Act. 13.2. As for example, when some publike matter of great importance is to be attempted, then, as we hauehave extraordinarie occasion to craue the blessing of God vponupon vsus, so also we hauehave just cause to fast. Consider to this purpose the examples of Ezra, chap. 8. and of the faithfull in the primitiue Church, Act. 13. and 14. both which being to craue the blessing of God; the former vponupon their voyage towards Ierusalem after their captiuitie; the latter vponupon the ministerie of his seruants whom they either ordained or sent forth to the worke of their ministerie, commended their sute vntounto the Lord by publicke fasting and prayer. Which examples may be a sufficient direction for appointing publicke fasts, vponupon occasions of no lesse importance.1. King. 21.9.12. In the hystorie of the Kings it appeareth to hauehave beene the custome of the Israelits (though that practise was monstrously abused by Iezabell) that publicke matters of importance should bee enterprised with a fast.

2For remouing some publick euill: whether some publicke sinne, Esay 64.5. 1. Cor. 11.31.91. As touching publicke euils, they be either publicke sinnes, or publicke judgements of God for sinne. For if the people of God hauehave committed some common or publicke sinne, and thereby hauehave prouoked the Lord to wrath and indignation (as indeed when we sinne, he is angry) then it behoueth them to judge themselues, if they would not bee judged of the Lord, and by humbling themselues before the Lord in fasting and prayer, to appease his anger, and to preuent his judgements. The people of Israel, when many of them had sinned by idolatrie, and by reason of their sinne stood in feare of the Philistims: the Prophet Samuell assembleth them together to Mizpeh,1. Sam. 7.6. where they solemnized a fast, and pouring forth water before the Lord, acknowledged and bewayled their sinne. Likewise, when many of the Iewes, who were returned from captiuitie, had mingled themselues in mariage with the heathen people of the land, contrary to the commaundement of God,Nehem. 9.1. they humbled themselues before the Lord in a publicke and solemne fast. If wee therefore would auoid the judgements of God as they did, wee must follow the example of their repentance, when we hauehave not beene behind them in sinne.Or publicke iudgement: & that either threatened. But if it please the Lord to manifest his wrath, either by threatening his judgements, or by inflicting them, then doth the Lord as it were call vsus to this exercise. Now the Lord threateneth his judgements, first, by his Prophets and ministers,Ion. 3. as by Ionas against the Niniuits, whereupon they fasted; secondly, by some manifest tokens of his wrath, as by earthquakes and other prodigious signes, whereby the auncient Romans being also Gentiles, hauehave beene mooued to proclaime publicke fasts: thirdly, by giuing vsus notice of some imminent danger; as when we heare of an open inuasion intended by forraine enemies,Ier. 36.9. 2. Chron. 20.3. which consideration mooued Iosaphat to proclaime a fast: or vnderstand of some more secret plot or conspiracie, against the Church, the prince, or state, such as was the conspiracie of Haman against the people of the Iewes,Esth. 4.1.3. for the disappointing whereof the Iewes did fast. If therfore the Lord do in like sort threaten vsus, & as it were shake his rod ouer vsus: we must prepare our selues to meet our God and to turne vntounto him by repentance,Am. 4.12. with fasting and prayer.

or inflicted:52. And if judgements threatened should mooue vsus to fast, how much more are wee bound to humble our selues vnderunder the mightie hand of God, when it is vponupon vsus, scourging and afflicting vsus for our sinnes? As for example, when the Lord sendeth any of the publicke messengers of his wrath, as the sword, famine, pestilence, captiuitie. The ten tribes after two discomfitures receiued at the hands of the Benjamits,As the sword, Iudg. 20. wherein fortie thousand of them were slaine, humbled themselues before the Lord by fasting and prayer. The Prophet Ioel, when the Lord sent a grieuous famine vponupon the land,Famine, Ioel 1.14. & 2.12.15. earnestly exhorted the Iewes in the name of the Lord, to turne vntounto him with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping and mourning, &c. Likewise for the time of pestilence as well as of famine,Pestilence, 1. Kin. 8.37, 38. 2. Sam. 24. Salomon giueth direction, that men should humble themselues before the Lord. Which course his father Dauid had taken, when the Lord sent the pestilence amōg the people of Israel: which judgement was occasioned by his numbering of them, but caused by their owne sins. Moses also, when the plague was begun among the people of Israel for their murmuring, he commaundeth Aaron to take his Censer,Num. 16.46. and putting therein incense, to go among the people, and to make an attonement for them: which Aaron hauing done, and standing betwixt the dead and them that were aliue, the plague ceased. Which doth teach vsus, that the meanes to pacifie the wrath of God, and to remooue the plague, is to offer vp our heartie prayers vntounto the Lord,Apoc. 5.8. Psal. 14….2. Apoc. 8.3. signified by incense, in the name and mediation of Christ our high priest, who standing before the altar with his golden Censer, perfumeth the prayers of the faithfull with the odours of his owne sacrifice, and maketh them acceptable vntounto God. And for the better humbling of our selues in prayer, and testifying of our repentance, it is very needfull, that as in all other publick calamities, so in this of the pestilence, we vndertake this exercise of fasting. OnelyOnly this we are to be admonished of, That in places of infection, the vtter abstinence from food is not so precisely to be vrged, but that the people may, yea ought to take something before they come abroad, as a preseruatiue against infection.

53. Lastly, for the time of captiuitie,Captiuitie. Zac. 7.5, & 8.19 Ier. 52.4. we hauehave the example of the Iewes, who during their captiuitie in Babylon, obserued foure fasts in the yeare: the first in the tenth monethmonth, because on the tenth day of that monethmonth Nabuchadnezar with his armies began to besiege Ierusalem: the second, in the fourth monethmonth, because on the ninth day of that monethmonth, king Zedekiah and the men of warre flying out of the citie of Ierusalem,Ier. 52.7, 8. were taken by the Chaldeans: the third, in the fift monethmonth, because on the tenth day of that monethmonth the temple was ouerthrown,Ier. 52.12. and the citie sacked: the fourth in the seuenth monethmonth, because therein Gedaliah, 2. Kin. 25.28▪ 29together with the Iewes and Chaldeans, who were at Mispeh were slaine; whereupon, the rest of the Iewes who were left, flying into Aegypt for feare of the Chaldees, there was an vtter desolation in the land. These fasts they took vponupon them to obserue during their captiuitie, that therein they calling to mind the former judgements of God, as it were in foure degrees for their sinnes, they might the better be humbled to implore the merciemercy of God for the time to come. But when as these fasts by long custome grew ordinarie, and many of the Iewes obserued them for custome rather than conscience (insomuch that they thought this custome was to be obserued after their deliuerance frō captiuitie, the cause of their mourning and consequently of their fasting being taken away, and accordingly mooued that question, Zach. 7:) the Lord, as he reprooueth their former hypocrisie, in resting in the outward fast without repentance; so he promiseth them for the time to come, that if they would truly repent, and walke in the obedience of his wayes,Zach. 8.19. their daies of fasting and mourning should be turned into daies of feasting and joy.

54. From whence we are to obserue, that if we according to the examples of the faithfull in the scriptures, shall in the time of our distresse turne vntounto the Lord with all our hearts, and with fasting and prayer humble our selues before him, the Lord will take away the cause of our mourning, and turne our fasts into feasts. The which I speake not as though this exercise had been altogether neglected among vsus: For to Gods glorie, and to the stopping of our aduersaries mouths, the Papists (who know not what the true exercise of fasting meaneth) it is to be acknowledged, that howsoeuer we hauehave not beene so frequent in this exercise as were to be wished, yet notwithstanding vponupon diuerse publick occasions, there hauehave beene publick fasts obserued and solemnized among vsus, with good and happie successe. As for example, in the time of the great plague, Anno 1563: after the great earthquake, Anno 1579: after intelligence had of the Spanish inuasion, Anno 1588: in the time of the famine, Anno 1596, and 1597: and now of late in this time of the pestilence, Anno 1603. Besides the priuat and secret fasting of the faithfull, as it hath pleased God to mooue them either by priuat or publicke occasions.

3VVho are to obserue the publicke fast.55. The third thing to be obserued, are the persons: who, when a publicke fast is proclaimed, are to obserue it. The Prophet Ioel, Ioel 2.16.besides those of yeares appointeth, that the children, euen those that sucke the breasts, should be assembled to the fast. And the Niniuits proclamation for obseruing the fast,Ion. 3.5.7. was extended not onelyonly to all men, women and children, but also to their cattell. The reason whereof was twofold: first, that the pitifull sight and lamentable crie of the children and cattell might encrease their sorrow: and secondly, that they might be brought to a deeper sight, and more serious acknowledgement of the heinousnesse of their sinne, which had pulled vponupon them such an vniuersall judgement of God, as should not onelyonly afflict themselues, but also extend to the very infants, yea and to the bruit beasts. But this practise is to bee reckoned among the ceremonies which in those times were vsed to augment their sorrow and increase the sence of their sinne, and is no more to be imitated of vsus than their sitting in the ashes, the renting of their cloths, their girding of themselues with sackcloth, their putting of earth vponupon their heads, and such like: among vsus, the Lord requireth no more to obserue the outward fast, than such as by reason of their vnderstanding and discretion, may the better be fitted thereby to humble themselues before him in this solemne exercise of prayer and repentance: For the outward fast obserued (as it is ordinarily among the Papists) without any exercise of religion concurring therewith, is nothing worth. But to all those that are come to yeares of discretion, and are exempted by some present necessitie, is the equitie of that law to be extended, Leui. 23.Leuit. 23.29. Euerie person that humbleth not himselfe on the Sabbath of humiliation, shall euen be cut off from his people.

56. There remaineth the fourth and last thing,4How the publicke fast is to be obserued. viz. how the publicke fast is to be obserued. And this also I signified in the definition, when I sayd, it is to be sanctified both publickly and priuatly, as a Sabbath of humiliation. Where three things are to bee noted: for first, when as I say it is to be obserued as a Sabbath (which before hath bene proued) we are to vnderstand that therein a double rest is required:Viz. 1. as a Sabbath or day of rest. the one outward, from bodily labours and worldly businesse; the other inward, from sinne. And contrariwise, that the profanation of this Sabbath is condemned, whether it be by neglecting the outward rest, and imploying the time in bodily labours and worldly affaires; or else by abusing our rest, either to idlenesse, or to vanitie, or to sinne: To idlenesse, when men resting in the outward rest, imagining that nothing else is required at their hands, do nothing, and by doing nothing they do euill; as appeareth by the disjunction included in that question of our Sauiour Christ, Luke 6,Luk. 6.9. Is it lawfull on the Sabbath dayes to do good, or to do euill? Whereby our Sauiour plainly signifieth, that if we do not good on the Sabbath day, we do euill. To vanitie, when as men giuegive themselues to sports and pastimes: for if that be vnlawfull on the ordinarie Sabbath, much more is it vnseasonable on the Sabbath of humiliation. Lastly, to sinne, for if the workes of our lawfull callings be forbidden on the Sabbath, much more the workes of darknes: whereunto whosoeuer addicteth himselfe on the day of the fast, he celebrateth a Sabbath to Sathan, and not vntounto the Lord.2As a Sabbath of humiliation Againe, whereas I said it is to be obserued as a Sabbath of humiliation, we learne, that we are therein to abstaine not onelyonly from labours, as on the ordinarie Sabbath; but also from food, from exercise of sleepe, from brauerie in apparell, and from all worldly delights, &c.

3To be sanctified both publickly57. Thirdly, whereas I add that it is to bee sanctified both publickly and priuatly as a Sabbath of humiliation: I signifie, that not onelyonly rest is required, but also an holy rest; and not onelyonly the outward fast, but much more the spiritual exercise of prayer and repentance. And that this sanctificatiō of the day of the fast (which standeth in vsing the meanes of sanctification) is partly publicke, and partly priuat. The publick, is in the assembly: for this, as euerie other Sabbath,Leuit. 23.27. Ioel. 2.15.16. By the ministers is a day of an holy assembly, Leuit. 23.27, Ioel. 2.15.16. Here therefore we are to consider the office of the ministers, who are the chiefe actors in the publicke sanctification of this, and euerie Sabbath; and the dutie of the people. The office of the minister is noted in generall termes, Acts 13.2,Acts 13.2. foreign, as they performed the publicke function of their ministerie vntounto the Lord and fasted: more specially Neb. 9,Nehem. 9.4. Nehem. 8.8. where they are noted to hauehave read and preached the word of God (as before chap. 8.) and that foure times, and so oft also to hauehave called vponupon the name of the Lord-Likewise Ierem. 36, when Ieremie being shut vp, could not go into the house of the Lord,Ier. 36.6, 7, 9.10. he sendeth Barach with a booke written from his mouth: wherein were specified the judgements of God threatned against the Iewes, that he reading it in the audience of the people vponupon the day of the fast, they might be brought to a serious humbling of themselues in prayer, and to vnfained repentance. The dutie therefore of the ministers is, to stirre vp themselues in a more than ordinarie measure of zeale to discharge their ministerie, both in preaching the word of God, and also in prayer. In preaching, that it may bee through the blessing of God a powerfull meanes to worke in the people those things which in this spirituall exercise are required, viz. humiliation, prayer with feruencie and faith, and repentance. In praying, that it may be an effectuall meanes in and through the mediation of Christ our Sauiour, and auaileable with the Lord, for the remouing of those euils, and for the bestowing of those good things for which this exercise is vndertaken.

58. The dutie of the people is,By the people first, to bee present at publick assembly: for if we will sanctifie a Sabbath vntounto the Lord,Leuit. 19.30. & 26.2. we must reuerence his sanctuarie: where, as the Lord hath promised his presence, so he requireth ours. And for this cause,Mat. 18.20. as I sayd before, this and euerie other Sabbath is appointed of the Lord to be an holy conuocation:Leu. 23.2.27. We must therefore take heed that we absent not our selues without very just and necessarie occasion, lest we may seeme either secretly to neglect, or prophanely to contemne the presence of Christ, the gathering together of the Saints,Heb. 10.25. the publicke worship and seruice of God, the call of the holy Ghost, the meanes of our saluation, the publicke occasion of the fast; as though neither the publicke judgement nor the common good did concerne vsus. But it is to little purpose to be present in the publicke assembly, vnlesse we joyne together with the assembly in the sincere worship of God. That being assembled together in the name of Christ,Math. 18 19. Act. 1.14. & 4.24. & 8.6. we may as it were with one consent call vponupon God, and heare his word: praying with humilitie, in respect of our own vnworthinesse, with reuerence of Gods majestie, in sence of our wants, with sorrow for our sins, with earnest desire to hauehave our wants supplied, our sins remitted, and the judgemēts of God remoued, with faith & assurance to find help to obtaine merciemercy in cōuenient time, with promise & purpose to amend our liues: that in sinceritie and truth we may subscribe to the prayer of the Church,Nehem. 8.6. and say Amen. Hearing also the word, with reuerence, with attention, with faith, with desire to profit, with purpose to practise, with submission to eueryevery part thereof: In a word, so hearing the word of God, as in this our present sute, we desire to be heard. VntoUnto these duties of religion and meanes of sanctification, we are to joyne a publicke dutie of charitie, as a worke of sanctification: for it is and hath bene a laudable custome of the Church of God, that in publicke fasts there should be publicke collection made for the releefe of the poore.

And also priuatly59. But we are not onelyonly publickly to sanctifie the day of the fast, but also priuatly: both by vsing meanes of sanctification, and also by doing workes of sanctification. The meanes are especially meditation & prayer: which are to be vsed both with reference to the publicke sanctification; and that not onelyonly before, to prepare and fit our selues for the profitable and sauing vse of the meanes (which Daniel calleth the setting of his face, and the setling of his mind to seeke the Lord,Dan. 9.3. & 10.12.) but also after, to fit and apply the meanes to our vse: and besides, as priuat meanes by themselues, without reference to the publicke. The workes of sanctification are the duties of repentance, whereof I spake before; but especially the workes of merciemercy and charitie, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.Neh. 13.16.

60. Wherefore the day of the fast is to bee obser…ed and sanctified as a Sabbath of humiliation, not onelyonly by outward abstinence & rest, but also by vsing the meanes, and doing the workes of sanctification both publickly & priuatly, spending the whole day besides the publicke sanctification, and the time which is to bee spent in our preparation before, and in our meditation afterwards, in the priuat means of sanctification, as reading, meditation, prayer; & in the priuat works of sanctification, as the duties of repentance towards God, and the workes of mercy and charitie towards our brethren. Which course whosoeuer shal take in sanctifying a fast vntounto the Lord, he shal be sure to obtaine at the hāds of God, either that particular request for which he is an humble sutor vntounto the Lord, or that which is better: the Lord alwayes hearing his children thus suing vntounto him, and granting their requests, as shall be most for his glory and their singuler good.

61. HAuing thus set downe the doctrine of fasts according to the rule of Gods word and practise of ours and other reformed churches,A suruey of the popish fast…. we are now to take a briefe view of the Popish fast: that it may euidently appeare how little cause they hauehave with the Pharisey to despise others,Luke 18.11. & 5.33. who doe not fast as they do. And first as touching their morall and chast fast, wherby they would seeme to chastise their bodies, and to keepe them vnderunder, that they some not out lust: they shew themselues vnskilfull Phisitians, who prescribe this medicine to all indifferently, as well to those who need it not, as to those who do: For as medicines are not good but when they are necessarie; so this Phisicke where it is not needfull, is hurtfull; and where it doth no good for the obseruation of the seuenth commaundement, it is many times a transgression of the sixt. For those who liuing single and hauehave the gist of continencie, as also those who may lawfully vse in mariage the remedie which God hath ordained against lust, to them daily sobrietie and temperance in diet is needfull, but often fasting euerie weeke is hurtfull and pernicious: to such, an ordinarie fast imposed for keeping their bodies chast, is like a new peece of cloth set vponupon an old garment, which impaireth the garment, and maketh the rent much worse.Math. 9.16. And it is against reason, that because their Abbie-lubbers and pampered clergie (who hauing vowed to liue single, though they be neuer so incontinent, and liuing in such idlenesse and and belly-cheere ordinarily, as that no true fasting at times would suffice to keepe them chast,) had need to fast oftener than the Pharisey, who fasted twice a weeke: that therefore others, which liue painefully in their callings, and chastly either in single life or mariage, should be bound to the like obseruation of fasts; many of them needing rather kitchen-phisicke and cordials to comfort them, than fastings and vacuations to keepe them downe.

62. But indeed their fasting is but one of their hypocriticall pretences of their not intended chastitie: for as if flesh and whit-meats were the onelyonly prouokers of lust, they forbid all vse thereof in the time of their fast, but permit a fulnesse of all other food: whereas not onelyonly some other kinds of food in respect of the qualitie, but also any other kind almost in a greater quantity, is a greater enemie to chastitie than the moderat vse of flesh or whit-meats. Nay that which were strange (if they meant seriously) they permit in their fasts the free vse of wine & the strongest drinks, than which, nothing is more forcible to inflame men with lust, and that not onelyonly at their mea… in the middle of the day, but also in the mornings & euenings. And besides this, the richer sort among them may truly be said to forbeare the grosser diet, that they may feed vponupon more costly and delicat dainties, and as August…ne saith in the like case,De tempor… Serm. 56. Corpori suo magis commutasse, quam subtraxisse ciborum abundantiam videntur: For besides their drinking in the morning, and their supper at noone, wherein commonly they pamper themselues with diuers kinds of broths, and great varietie of fishes, with wanton sauces to prouoke their appetit, and strongest wines to helpe their digestion, and choisest dainties to make vp their meele withall; they hauehave also a banquet in the euening, which may not be called a supper, but a collation, wherein with wine and spiced breads, they hauehave raysins, almonds and figges, marmalade and suckets, with many other confections and junketting dishes. So that of the Popish fast it may most truly bee sayd, that it is not foreign, but foreign, not fasting, but feasting. As for the vulgar sort of Papists, their vsuall manner is, either on the day before their fast so to pamper themselues, as that the day of the fast (though they fasted indeed) would be scarce sufficient to digest their former repletion: or else at their meele which they take at noone on the day of their fast, so to gorge themselues, that their drinking or collation in the euening may seeme altogether superfluous. Wherfore to them may be applied that censure of Augustine, De tempor… Serm. 157.Tantum capiunt manducando, quantum digerere non susficiunt ieiunando: They take so much in eating, as they cannot digest by fasting. But looke how they chastise their bodies in their fasting, such commonly is their chastitie: Let the stewes permitted among them as necessarie euils, and the huge number of bastards begotten where the Romish religion is professed, and these Popish fasts obserued, be witnesse.

63. But come we to their irreligious fast, which they doubt not to call a worship of God. Howbeit first, it is meerely externall, neither is it joyned with any extraordinarie exercise of prayer or repentance among them: and therefore is of no value in the sight of God. And secondly, although it be nothing but an outward exercise, yet there is not all in it which is required in the outward fast: For in their fast is not required abstinence either from other delights, or yet from labours and worldly businesse, but onelyonly from food. And thirdly, not from all food but only from flesh, egs and whit-meat. as though it were a more holy thing to eat fish than flesh, oyle than butter, broths, jellies, leaches, marmalade, sucket, and such like, than egs, milke, butter and cheese, And if in their fasting, mourning were required, according to the doctrine and examples of the holy Scripture, the vse of wine and strong drinks which is permitted among thē,Psal. 104.15. Prou. 31.6.7. wold be vnseasonable: For wine maketh glad the hart of man, & is giuen to the sorowfull to expel grief. Neither is their fast from euen to euen, according to the rules & examples mentioned in the holy Scripture. They confesse indeed, that fasting is an abstinence from all food vntill the euening: yea Bellarmine teacheth, that it is not sufficient to a fast, that a man eat but one meele in the day, vnlesse his meele be so late, as that it may be called a supper,De bonès operib, in particular. lib. 2. ca. 2. and not a dinner: and withall professeth, that it is a thing neuer heard of, that any fast should bee dissolued before the ninth houre, which is three a clocke after noone: For they say, in Lent they may not eat before euening, and at other times not before three a clock. But the receiued custome of the Church of Rome, which Bellarmine with flat contradiction to those former assertions doth defend, is to take their meele either at noone or before: besides some bread and drinke in the morning, and their drinking or collation in the euening. And because by their canons they may not in Lent go to supper before their euening seruice be ended: they do therfore dispatch their euening prayer in the morning, that they may be at supper by noone. But indeed both in Lent and other times, their suppers which should be in the euening at the end of the fast, are turned into dinners. And therefore whatsoeuer they pretend to the contrarie, their fast standeth wholly in choise of meats, and abstinence from flesh and whit-meats. Durandus saith, because the Pope & Cardinals, and Prelats, and other religious men when they fast, do eat at the sixt houre, that is, at noone; therfore custome doth wholly excuse all others.

64. Againe, their fasts are statarie, and obserued at set times. Wherefore as they are seldome or neuer vnderdertaken vponupon any speciall occasion, so are they for the most part vnseasonable, and consequently hurtfull, euen as new wine in old vessels:Luke 5.37. and yet imposed vponupon all, vnderunder the penaltie and guilt of mortall sinne. If any man object that the same times are obserued among vsus: I answer, that it is not a fast which is obserued among vsus at those set times, but an abstinence only from flesh in a ciuile respect, viz. that fish and other meats might bee vsed and spent as well as flesh: and that flesh being spared and forborne at such times, might be the more plentifull, and consequently the more cheape. And further, they are also superstitious,Col. 2.16.21.23. 1. Tim. 4.1.3.4. standing in the prohibition of meat for religion sake, which is a doctrine of diuels. And so far are they gone in this superstition, as that in their times of fasting, they seeme to place the top of holinesse in abstinence from meats forbidden, and the height of iniquitie in eating flesh: for, to eat one mor…ell of flesh in Lent is a greater sinne and more sharply punished among them, than not onelyonly drunkennesse or gluttonie in other meats, but also than whordome or idolatrie, to say no more. Lastly, whereas their fast being a more externall fast, and yet but a mock-fast in respect of a true outward fast; is notwithstanding by them obtruded vponupon the Lord, not onelyonly as his solemne worship, but also as a worke satisfactorie for their sinnes, and meritorious of eternall life: it it is sacrilegious, blasphemous, abhominable, and in a word, Antichristian. And so I leaue them.

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The Christians Sanctuary, Treatise 1

p. 1THE FIRST TREATISE. OF THE CHRITIAN exercise of Fasting.

THE FIRST TREATISE. OF THE CHRITIAN exercise of Fasting.