The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 34 – Part 36
Of Fasting.
FAstings are of divers kindes: and diversly used.
There is a Constrained Fast, For want of food.2 King 6. Act. 27. 33.
There is a Sickly Fast, Having food, and cannot eat.
There is a phisicall Fast, For recovering of Health.
There is a Civill Fast, Commanded by Magistrates.Ionab 2.
There is a Miraculous Fast, Such was Moses, Elias, and Christs.
There is a Daily Fast, By abstinence.
There is a Religious Fast, Used by the Godly.2 Car. 6.6.
The Benefits that Fasting brings to man are very great:
Fasting Strengtheneth the Memorie. Preserveth Chasticie.
Fasting Cleareth the Minde. Preventeth sicknesses.
Fasting Illuminateth the Understanding. Continueth Health.
Fasting B…idleth the Affections. Delivereth from evils.
Fasting Mortifieth the flesh. Procureth all blessings.
And they shew
Our sorrowes for sinne past: So did the Israelites fast.Iudg. 20. 26. Ionah 3. 1 Cor. 9. Psal. 35. 14.
Our fear of punishment to come: So did the Ninevites fast.
The castigation of the bodie: So did the Apostles fast.
The humiliation of the Soul: So did the Prophets fast.
True FastingMatth. 9. 15. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Ioel 2. 12. Dan. 9. 3. Isai. 1. 16. Chap. 58. 6.Is when a man perceiving the want of some blessing, or suspecting and seeing some emment calamitie upon himselfe or other, abst…ineth not only from flesh for a season, but also from all delights and sustenances, that he may thereby make a more diligent search into his sins, and thereby make his prayers more humbly unto God, to withhold his plagues threatned, to take them away being fallen on him, and to bestow such things as are wanting to him. So did the Ninevites: Queen Estker for the Jewes, and Israelites for themselves.
Of Teares.
TEares are noted to proceed of an ardent Affection, as in Ieremiah: The voiceIer. 31. 15. of heavinesse, weeping and Lamentation was heard, Rachel mourning for her Children.
Wept and mourned
David
making his Teares his meat night and day▪P…al. 42. …. … 2 Ki…. 20 3. 1 Sam. 7. 6. E…r 4. 3. Hos… …. 4. Iob 16. …. Matt. …6. …5. Act. 20. 19. Es…b. 4. 3. Luke 19. 41. Ioh. 11. 35, 43. Heb. 5. 7.
Hezekiah
Chattering like a Crane, praying earnestly.
Israelites
Powring out before the Lord their manifold teares.
Jewes
Fasting, girded with sackcloth, and lying in Ashes.
Iacob
Prevailing with the Angel, praying to the Lord.
Iob
His eyes gushing out with teares before God.
Peter
Bitterly after his deniall of Christ to the Maiden.
Paul
Serving the Lord with many Teares and Temptation.
Mordecai
Crying with a great Cry, and bitter Lamentation.
Christ
Shedding Teares of Pitie over Jerusalem.
Shedding Teares of Love at Lazarus raising.
Shedding Teares of Anguish at his Passion.
The man that soweth in teares, shall reape in joy.Psal. 126. 5. Exod. 14. 15. Psal. 119. 1…5.
Crying may be both in Spirit and Voyce, as appeareth by Moses, who is said toNota. cry unto the Lord, when as he prayed in Spirit. So David.
Repentance of Godly Persons
Repented
Aaron and Miriam
of their murmuring against Moses, saying Alas, my lord: I beseech Numb. 1…. 11.thee, lay not this sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
David
Being reproved by Nathan, saying, I have sinned exceedingly in2 Sam. 12. Psal. 51. that I have done: Wash me, O Lord, and make me clean.
Ezra
Confessing his sins, and the sins of the people, weeping and fallingEzra 10. 1. down before the Lord, together with a great Congregation of men, women, and children.
Daniel
Confessing his own sinne, the sin of the people, and of their Fathers,Dan. 9. for all which he craved pardon.
The Israelites
Weeping before the Lord, and fasting, saying, We have sinned, Judg. 20. 1 Sam. 7. Judg. 10. Num. 21.and sorrowing for murmuring against Moses and Aaron.
Iosiah
So as his heart melted at the words of the Law of God: Renting2 King. 22. 19. his clothes, and weeping before the Lord.
Iob
In dust and ashes, saying, I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, Iob 7. 20.O thou preserver of men? I am a burden unto my selfe.
Hezekiah
Renting his Clothes, and putting on Sack-cloth.Isai. 38. Pray. of Manas. Act. 19.
Ma…asseh
Saying, I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea.
Many men
Seeing Pauls works, shewed works of repentance.
Ninevites
Proclaiming a fast, putting on Sackcloth from the greatest toIonah 3. the least, sitting in Ashes, crying mightily unto God, not suffering any beast to tast any thing.
The Patriarchs
Saying, We are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the Gen. 42. 21.anguish of his soul, when he …e sought us.
The Prodigal
Confessing that he was no more worthy to be called a son.Luk. 15. Luk. 22. 62. Matth. 3. Act. 2.
Peter
Weeping bitterly after that Christ was denyed by him.
The People
Hearing Iohn, confessing their sins; and hearing Peter preaching, cryed out, being pricked in heart, saying, What shall we do to be saved?
One thief
Saying, We receive the due reward of our deeds.
Rizpah
By hanging up of Sackclothes on a rock from harvest-beginning2 Sam. 21. 10. till water dropped on them from heaven, not suffering any beast by night, or bird by day to come nigh them.
Zacheus
Saying, Behold, I give to the poore, &c. I make restitution.Luk. 19.
Repentance of wicked persons.
Repented
Achan
Saying, I have sinned against the Lord God Almightie.Iosh. 7. 20.
Ahab
Renting his clothes, putting on sackcloth, going softly.2 Chron. 22.
Balaam
Saying I have sinned, I will return back again.Numb. 22. 34.
Esau
Lifting up his voice weeping, having lost the blessing.Gen. 27.
Iudas
Saying, I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud.Matth. 27.
Phara…h
Saying, I have sinned, when he was by God plagued.Exod. 9.
Rehoboam
Humbling himselfe at Shemaiahs admonishing of him.2 Chron. 12.
Saul
Saying, I have sinned, when he spared Agag, being forbidden.1 Sam. 15.
Simō Magu…
Saying, Pray ye the Lord that it come not, as ye have spoken.Act. 8. 24.
Iob 11. 14
If We confesse our sins, and forsake them, we shall finde mercy;1 Ioh. 1. 9.
If We acknowledge our sins, we shall finde God faithfull and just in forgiving them, and clensing us of every of them.
Use.
Let us confesse our sins with the Godly, praying for pardon, and with Moses, Isaiah, Ieremiah, and Daniel, pray for the pardon of the sins committed by other men, Exod. …. Isai. 64. Ier. 3. Dan. 9. Psal. 106.
Reade 2 Chron. 7. 13. Isai. 58. 6. Psal. 35. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 10.
Repentance how said to be in God.
WHen the Scriptures attribute Repentance unto God, it is not that he doth contrarie to that he hath ordained in his secret Counsell: But when he threatneth, it is a calling to Repentance, and when he giveth man Grace to repent, the Threatning (which ever containeth a Condition in it) taketh no place. And this the Scripture calleth Repentance in God, because it so appeareth to the judgement of man.
The Lord repented
1.
That he had made man: and that he had made Saul King.Gen 3. 1 Sam. 15. Exod. 18. 8. Ier. 26. 19. 2 Sam. 24. 16. Ier. 42. 10. Exod. 32. 14. Iudg. 10. 16. Amos 7. 3. Ioel 2. …3. Ionah 3. 10.
2. Of
The plagues that he thought to bring upon the people, because they turned from their iniquities: as also of the plagues pronounced against Jerusalem, and of the evils that he had done to his people upon their return unto him.
3. Of
The evil that he purposed to do unto his people Israel, and his Soul was grieved for the miseries of them.
4. That
He had sent the Grashoppers into the land of Israel, as also of the evil threatned to them that turned to him.
5. Of
The evil that he said he would bring upon the Ninevites, as also for his servants, when he saw their power was gone, so that there was none shut up, or left among them.Deut. 32. 3…. Ps …5. 45. Ps. 135. 14. Ps. 135. 24. Ier. 26. 3. … 18. 8.
6. Saith
David, in remembring his Covenant made to the Israelites, and that according to the multitude of his mercies.
The Lord is said not to repent:
1. …ecause they have forsaken him, and gone backward, because they haveIer 15 6. Chap. 18. 10. Ezek. 24. 14. Hos. 13. 14. done evil, and would not hear his voice, therefore according to their own works he rewarded them.
2. But saith, That repentance is hid from his eyes, and that because of the wickednesse they had committed against him.
3. The earth shall mourn, and the heavens shall be darkened, and that becauseIer. 4. 28. Chap. 15. 6. the people have forsaken him.
The Lord cannot repent.1 Sam. 15. 29. Mal. 3. 6. Rom. 11. …9. Iam. 1. 17. Ps. 1… 27 Num. 23. 19 P…a … …4 Is…i 4…. 1…. …. 11. …8. Heb. 1. 12. Io…, 13. 1. Jer. 18. 8.
The strength of Israel will not lye: He is not a man that he should repent. I am the Lord, (saith God) I change not. All the gifts and Callings of God are without repentance. With him there is no variablenesse, nor shadow of turning. He hath said, and it shall be done, he hath spoken it, and shall accomplish it. His counsell shall stand.