The Holy Exercise of a True Fast, Part 1
A GENERALL CONFESSION OF Sinnes, to be made at the exerciſe of faſting: the more particuler confeſſiō being taken according to the eſtate of the ſeuerall Churches, by the good diſcretion of the miniſter, vppon the knowledge thereof.
O Lord which art glorious in power & holines, we being but dust and aſhes, with the caſting of our ſelues downe, at the foote of thy high Maieſtie: confeſſe that me are moſt vile ſinners, conceiued and borne in ſinne, & that we are by nature nothing elſe, but a lumpe of all. wickedneſſe, whoſe naturall propertie is, to growe in ſinne, as we growe in yeares, and to waxe ſtronge in wickedneſſe, as the powers of our mindes and bodies receiue strength. There is in vsus, no holſome nor ſounde knowledge howe to obey: there is no manner of good will or affection to pleaſe thee: finally there dwelleth no good thing in our fleſh. And although our curſed estate, doeth herein greatly appeare, yet our ſinne is made out of meaſure ſinnefull, through the exceding grace which thou offrest by the Goſpell of thy deere ſonne; wherby wee are ſo farre from profiting, that of our ſelues we ſhoulde waxe worſe and worſe. For the more light of knowledge is ſhewed, the blinder would we remain: the greater obedience is taught, the frowarder and ſtubberner woulde we become, if thou by the mightie working of thy holy ſpirite, ſhouldeſt not cauſe it to be fruitfull. And although we hauehave this naturall corruption in common, with the whole rotten race of Adam: yet we confeſſe, that in vsus it hath budded, and ſhotte foorth ſo much more then in others, as wee hauehave had moe meanes to kill it, and to cauſe it to wither, thē others hauehave had. Where first of all, the gracious offer of the treaſure of thy holy goſpel vntounto vsus, maketh vsus guiltie many wayes. For where paſſing by many other nations, thou haſt truſted our …ation withall: yet with a number of vsus, hath it found as ſmall entertain…ent, and felt as great reſiſtaunce, as amongeſt them, at whoſe gates it neuer knocked. For a great portion of the land, partly neuer yelding thē ſelues to the obedience thereof, and partly falling from it, after they had once yeelded: ſtand proudly as it were at the ſtaues end with thee. The reſt which make profeſſion of their ſubmittaunce vntounto it, doe it not accordingly. For firſt, there be heapes of our people, which either through anyrckeſomneſſe of the yron yoke of the Popiſh religion, or through a wicked opinion which they nouriſh, of embracing any religion ſet foorth: ſo cast aſide the former poperie, as they ſtill abyde in an vtter ignoraunce of the trueth it ſelfe: in ſuch ſorte, (that through want of Preaching) they are as rawe in the knowledge of the true ſeruice of thee, as they were expert before in the ſeruice of the deuill. And where knowledge is, to any ſuch ſufficiencie as is requiſite, for the inheritours of the kingdome of heauen: there is it (for a great part) ioyned with ſuch hypocriſie, as maketh them more detestable before thee, (which ſearcheſt the very raines,) then if they had ſtill continued in their ignorance. Now, for the remnant of vsus, which through grace hauehave truly, and faithfully beleeued, it is with ſo great weakneſſe of faith, and ſo ſmall reformation of manners: That our glorious profeſſion of the Goſpell, ſupported and borne out with ſo ſmall ſhewe of the the fruites, which the excellencie thereof doeth require, maketh not onelyonly the enemies to condemne vsus, but our ſelues to ſuſpect one an other, whether we belong vntounto thee or no. Wherein O Lord, we acknowledge that to be our great and horrible ſinne, that being put in truſt with this vnspeakable treaſure of thy holy Gospell, and preferred to our neighbours, profeſſours about vsus; yet wee are in thankeful obediēce vntounto thee, behinde them all: firſt in knowledge, last in zeale; before them in the doctrine of thy holy Goſpell, behind thē in the diſcipline of the ſame. The yoke of the ſlauery of our bodies, whiche the Popiſh religion layed vppon vsus, wee willingly ſhake off: but the holy bandes of thy lawe, whereby our …iotous life and affections, ſhoulde be brought into bondage, we doe hardly, and heauily admitte. The Goſpell which brought a freer vſe of our lawfull honors, pleaſures and com…odities, was welcome vntounto vsus: but the ſame Gospell, which reſtraineth the vnlawfull licentiouſneſſe of our ambition, intemperancie and couetouſneſſe, is not ſo. Finally ſo much of the Goſpell, as doeth more neerely respect our ſaluation, wee ſeeme to hauehave ſome care to retaine: but ſo much of it as doth more directly reſpect thy glorie, and the profite one of an other, (thoſe eſpecially which are not of the ſame lande with vsus) we make ſmall accompt off. And ſeeing the naked treaſure of the holy Gospell, had beene a rich rewarde of a moſt ſeruiceable ſubiection: it comming vntounto vsus not alone, but accompanied with ſo long a peace, with ſo great a welth, ſo plentifull aboundance of all things, as this land hath neuer or ſeldome vſed, other landes about vsus hauehave long looked after: maketh our guilt a greate deale more, bicauſe that in thy ſo great a largis towardes vsus, we hauehave bene ſo vngratious towardes thee againe. Here therefore is another ſtayer, whereby our ſinne climeth higher. For that we, in the commodities of this life, ſurmounting our auncestours of the ſame profeſſion of the Gospell, in king Henrie and king Edwardes time: are, for the fruites that ſuch a liberalitie asketh at our handes, a greate deale worſe then they: and going beyond other landes in theſe outward bleſſinges, are outrunne of them, euen in the very outward testimonies and tokens of our obedience towardes thee. And beſides this huge heape, and (as it were) reeke, of our generall and common ſinnes, we hauehave to confeſſe (at the barre of thy iudgement ſeate) the particular ſinnes that we hauehave kocked vppe in our ſeuerall estates. For our gouernours, O LORDE, for the most parte, beeing more mindefull of the fulfilling of their affections, then either of thy glorie, or of their good estate, which are committed vntounto them, hauehave not helde ſo ſteady a hande as they ought to hauehave done, either for the ſtabliſhing of the lawes, by which (vnderunder thee,) they ſhoulde hauehave ruled vsus, and we by them ſhould hauehave beene gouerned of thee, or for the thorough execution of ſo many, and ſo farre foorth as they hauehave beene well establiſhed. Our Iudges & other miniſters of iuſtice likewiſe, hauehave either ignorantly, or corruptly declyned from righteous iudgement: or giuing ſentence for the trueth, they hauehave done it (diuerſe of them) with no conſcience of thy true feare, or louelove of trueth, but for respect, either of vaine glory, or of perſons. The Miniſters, which ſhoulde hauehave beene lightes vntounto all eſtates, hauehave for the moſt part, no light in themſelues: & their eſtate, in whoſe good constitution and ſound health, the reſt ſhould hauehave recouered their health, is of all other the most ſicke vntounto death. For if the whole number be ſurueyed, ſcarce the hundred will be founde, to be in the lotte of a faithfull miniſterie. For ah alas, howe many are there, which occupying the place of Ambaſſadours, either for want of abilitie, or for that they louelove eaſe and ſleepe, carrie no tollerable ambaſſage at all: how many which carrying the light of the Goſpell in their mouthes, carrie alſo in their handes, the filthie water of ambition and couetouſneſſe to quench it with. And thoſe which by thy grace, are for their mighte and will in ſome good meaſure iuſtifiable: notwithſtanding, for the moſte parte, beare it with ſuche infirmitie, through ſlippes, aſwell in a ſound and ſubſtanctall maner of teaching, as alſo in an euen life anſwering therevnto, that if thy bleſſinge were not merueilous vppon their labours, we ſhoulde not neede to feare, the quenching of this fire of the holy Goſpell, kindled among vsus, by the enemies: as that which hauing ſo ſmall attendaunce of blowing, would die of it ſelfe. Finally, the people beare ſo ſmall louelove vntounto their gouernours of all ſortes, in louelove ſo ſmall reuerence, and in them both ſo little willing obedience: that it may bee (not vneaſely) ſeene, that all the partes of the Church and common wealth, hauehave conſpired to prouoke thee Lord against them. Theſe our great and ouergrowen ſinnes, albeit they are gotten aboue our heades, yet reſt they not here. For where thou haſt by thy holy ſeruauntes, the Ministers of thy bleſſed worde, ſharpely chidden with vsus, and in a ſeuere denouncing of thy iudgementes due vntounto them, fearefully threatened vsus for them: yet hauehave wee not trembled at thy voyce, at which the Mountaynes doe melte, and the rockes doe rent a ſunder. A ſtraunge thinge, that the Lyon ſhoulde roare, & the weake Lambes ſhould not be affraide: that the Lorde of Hoastes ſhoulde proclaime warre againſt vsus, and wee ſhoulde not goe forth and meete him, for intreatie of peace. Nay, his wrath (as hath beene ſhewed) hath bene & yet is kindled amongeſt vsus: and yet is ſenceleſſe men, and as dead fleſhe, we are not moued. We are pricked, & we feele it not. We are wounded, & we doe not ſo much as aske, who hath ſtricken vsus. The tempest that is comming toward vsus, threateneth our vtter drowning: and yet as a drunken man, wee lie ſleeping in the verie toppe of the mast. Whereby it is euident againſt our ſelues, that vntounto the multitude of our ſinnes, wee hauehave added an other degree of wickedneſſe, which is, the continuance in them: vntounto our diſobedience, we hauehave ioyned ſtubbornes, and the biles and botches of our rebellion being ougly in thy ſight, doe through the putrefaction and feſtredneſſe of them cast out ſuch stincke, as the earth which we tread vponupon, the waters whiche we drink, and the aire which we breath, are tainted and poiſoned with the infection of them. Yea Lorde, taught by the wonderfull iuſtice of thy righteous lawe, we charge vponupon our heads all the ſinnes of our fathers and graundfathers, to the vttermoſt of our generations which are past: as thoſe wherevnto we are iuſter inheritours, then vntounto any landes or goods that they hauehave left vsus. Whereby it falleth out againſt vsus, that our ſinnes touch the cloudes, yea, breake into the heauens of thy maieſties own reſidence: whoſe meaſure being alreadie (as it ſemeth) filled, there remaineth nothing, but that it ſhold be turned vppon our heads. Wherevpon we make againſt our ſelues an other confeſſion, that we are vnworthy of all the benefites of this life, or of the life to come: both thoſe which wee either hauehave, or yet hope to enioy, from the greatest to the ſmalleſt, from the kingdome of heauen, to one onelyonly drop of Water. That we are worthie of all the plagues, which either hauehave heretofore ceaſed, or beene yet poſſeſſed of vsus. Yea if thou ſhouldest ranſacke all the hid, & ſecrete treaſures of thy fearefull iudgementes, which in thy lawe thou threatenest againſt the breakers thereof, not onlie to the raſing and ſweeping vsus, from the face of the earth, but alſo to the throwing of vsus headlong into the bottomleſſe pitte of hell: yet woulde we therein alſo acknowledge thy righteous iudgementes: for vntounto vsus belongeth ſhame and confuſion of faces, but vntounto thee glory & righteouſnes. All which both guilt of ſinne, and deſert of puniſhment, notwithſtanding, (O father of mercies, & God of all cōfort) wee truſting vntounto the promiſes which thou haſt made vsus in Ieſus Chriſt, are bold through him, humbly to call for the performance of them. And firſt we humbly deſire thee, to forgiue vsus all our ſinnes. Thou hast ſaide, that if we confeſſe our ſinnes thou art faithfull to forgiue vsus them. We acknowledge the debte, cancell therefore the obligation: let not the multitude of them preuaile againſt vsus, but where our ſinne, hath aboū ded, let thy grace more abounde, and as we hauehave multiplyed our ſinnes, ſo we pray thee to multiply thy mercies: and although wee hauehave by continuaunce in them, ſo ſoked our ſelues, that thereby we are not onelyonly lightly ſtained, but alſo hauehave gottē as it were the ſcarlet & purple die of them: yet let them all (we pray thee,) being waſhed in the blod of thy deare ſonne, be made as whyte, as the ſnowe in Salmon, and as the wolle of the ſheep which come from waſhing. And …o conclude, as our ſinnes hauehave magnified themſelues in an infinit length, …readth, depth and height: ſo let thy …ercies (which paſſe all vnderſtan…ing) of all ſides, and all aſſayes out …eache them. Therefore alſo we moſt …umbly deſire thee O Lord, that the …inne being pardoned, thy wrath whiche is alreadie declared, may be appeaſed towardes all the Churches of our profeſſion, and eſpecially towards vsus, that the manifolde breaches of the Churches and common wealthes may be made vp, that thoſe being receyued into the boſome of the Church, which belong to thy election: the rest of the Papiſtes and heretikes may be vtterly rooted out, & that the enemies in religion, being ſlaine, we may to the vttermoſt think all one thing in the honeſte and peaceable gouernment of the common wealth. VponUpon which vniting of vsus in all trueth and honestie, the curſes of the plague, and barrenneſſe being remoued, a way may be made to thy bleſſinges, which (as the hills do the valleis) may make our land holeſomely fruitfull. And that not onelyonly the wrath which is alreadie kindled may be quenched, but that which hath beene lately threatned, may be cauſed to retyre. For the graunt whereof vntounto vsus, we beſeech thee to remember, that howe vnworthy ſoeuer, yet are wee thy people, and the Sheepe of thy paſture, whome thou haſt redemed with thy most pretious …lood, watched ouer with a carefull …ye, defended with a mightie hand: …eſpiſe not therfore O Lord, the wor…es of thy hands. And ſeing thou haſt …ued vsus, when we hated thee, viſited vsus, when we deſired thee not, then acknowledged vsus, when we knewe not thee: now that there be a nūber of vsus, which louelove thee, deſire thine aboade, & acknowledge thee: hold on thy louelove ſtill, depart not from vsus, deny vsus not, O thou God of trueth, which art the God that chaungest not. And if thou wouldeſt or couldeſt forget vsus, calling vponupon thee: yet what ſhould become of thy great name, which is called vponupon by vsus? And therefore for thy glories ſake, and for thy bleſſed names ſake, which in our destruction ſhoulde b… rent and runne through, ſpare v… ſpare vsus good Lord, according to the vſuall dealing, which thou haſt euer kept with thoſe, which in prayer hauehave had recourſe vntounto thee, and according to the olde and vnchangeable nature, of a merciful, kind, ſparing, & long ſuffering God. Which merciemercy we do not, (O Lord) deſire, to the end that we ſhoulde tumble and wallowe our ſelues in our accuſtomed neglect, and contempt of thy holy worde: but together with merciemercy for our ſinnes, and the rewarde of them, we moste humbly craue vppon the knees of our heartes: that for the time to come, (howe long, or howe ſhort ſoeuer) we with deniall and deteſtation of our ſelues, and of our wicked luſtes, may …er vp vntounto thee in Ieſus Chriſte, …r ſelues, our bodies and ſoules to …e ſeruauntes at thy holy commaun…ement in that reaſonable ſeruice, …hich the high reaſon of thy holy …orde doth preſcribe: and to be wea…ons, or instruments of righteouſnes, …nd holineſſe, as they hauehave bene here…ofore of the contrarie. All which …hinges, as whatſoeuer thou knowest …o be further needefull for vsus, or for any of the Churches, we pray thee, as our ſauiour hath taught. &c.