The Middle Things, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
SECT. 1. Of preparatives to Faſting.
HItherto of duties ordinary; now follow the extraordinary, Faſting and Feasting: but becauſe the Book is ſwollen bigger then I had purpoſed it, and that much of the extraordinary is contained in the ordinary duties, I ſhall therefore deliver in few words what I have to ſay of theſe duties.
The firſt of theſe is Faſting, in which there is required ſomething
Antecedent.
Concomitant.
Subſequent.
1. The Antecedent, or preparation thereto, conſiſts in theſe particulars:—
1. Take but a moderate ſupper the night before; for if a man glut himſelf over night, he will be more unfit for the duty of humiliation the next day.
2. Immediately after ſupper, all ſervile works of our calling laid aſide, begin the preparation, and continue ſo long as we can conveniently ſit up, even longer and later then on other days: From even to even ſhall ye celebrate your Sabbath, Lev. 23.32.ſaith God; and therefore then ſet the time allotted apart for that holy work, propounding to our ſelves the end of our intended Faſt, reſolving to keep it to God according to his will, adding ſerious petitions to God in our prayers in that behalf.
3. When we awake that night, let not our thoughts be upon worldly buſineſs, much leſs upon any wicked thing, but let them be holy, ſuch as may tend to the furtherance of the holy actions to be done the next day.
4. Ariſe early the day of our Faſt, this agrees well with a faſting day;2 Sam. 12.16. Ioel 1.13. it is probable, that for this cauſe ſome lay on the ground, others in ſackcloath, in the nights of their faſts, not onelyonly to expreſs, but to further their humiliation, by keeping them from ſleeping overmuch or over ſweetly.
5. In the morning (after ſome renewing of our preparation, and prayer for Gods ſpiritual grace to enable us to ſanctifie a Faſt that day) apply we our ſelves to the main work of the day, of which in the next Section.
SECT. 2. Of the duties required in Fasting.
IN the action of Faſting there are duties
inward.
outward.
1. The inward duties are
general.
more ſpecial.
1. The duties that more generally concern the nature of the day, are ſuch as theſe:—
1. In the true ſpiritual Faſt, there muſt be faſting from ſin, or the forſaking of all our ſins; for whiles we abſtain from lawful things, we are admoniſhed much more to abſtain from all things that are utterly unlawful at all times: It is the Lords complaint, Behold, ye faſt for ſtrife and debate, and ſmite with the fiſt of wickedneſs, ye ſhall not faſt as ye do this day. It is plain,Iſa. 58.4. the Lord will endure no Faſt of thoſe that go on ſtill in their wickedneſs.
2. The word and prayer muſt be added:N…h. 1.4. N…h. 9.3. I faſted and prayed before the God of Heaven, ſaid Nehemiah:—And they ſtood up in their place, and read in the Book of the Law of the Lord their God, one fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they confeſſed and worſhipped the Lord their God: But whereas prayer is a daily and ordinary exerciſe of the Saints, it is manifeſt, that by Prayer coupled with Faſting, is underſtood a ſpecial and peerleſs kinde of Prayer, wherein two things are required: 1. Fervency of deſire; now we muſt not onelyonly pray,Ioel 1.14. Ionah 3.8. but cry unto the Lord; yea, as the Ninevites ſpeak, We are to cry mightily unto him: For the uſe of our outward abſtinence, is but the wing of prayer, wherewith it might more eaſily fly up to heaven. 2. In ſuch a prayer there ſhould be an aſſurance of faith: The Lord hath made a gracious promiſe in many places to this Ordinance, 2 Chron. 7.14. Iſa. 58.8, 13. Joel 2.18, 19. and let all the Faſts of the Church of Chriſt, both in the Old and New Teſtament, be looked at, as Judges 20.23. Ezra 9.6. Eſth. 4.16. Acts 13.2, 3. and it will appear, that the end of their faſts (kept in any meaſure of truth and ſincerity) was a feaſt, and the iſſue of their mourning, great rejoycing; all which may ſerve wonderfully to ſtrengthen our faith in this holy performance.
Iſa 58.6, 7.3. Works of mercy muſt be added, Is not this the faſt that I have choſen, to looſe the bands of wickedneſs, to deal the bread unto the hungry, to bring the poor that are caſt out, into thine houſe, and when thou ſeeſt the naked, to cover them? In all our faſts this muſt be obſerved, that the poor may have the gain of our faſting; If their loyns and bowels bleſs us, the Lord alſo will bleſs us abundantly.
4. We muſt ever in theſe days of humiliation, renew our Covenant with the Lord; and not onelyonly unfeinedly purpoſe, but faithfully promiſe amendment of life; this making, renewing and keeping our Covenant, is the life and ſum, and the one moſt neceſſary thing in this excellent and extraordinary exerciſe of faſting and prayer.
2. The particular duties, wherein we muſt ſeriouſly exerciſe our ſouls on ſuch a day, are theſe:—
1. In a right ſurvey and full comprehenſion of all our vileneſs, iniquities, tranſgreſſions and ſins.
2. In a right apprehenſion of Gods dreadful wrath and flaming vengeance againſt ſin.
3. In a feeling ſence of our own unſpeakable, unconceiveable miſery by reaſon thereof.
4. In a vile and baſe conceit and eſteem of our ſelves, abhorring our ſelves in duſt and aſhes.
5. In an inward ſorrow, renting of the heart, bleeding of the ſoul, accompanied with an outward bewailing, with a plentiful and heart-piercing confeſſion of all our ſins before Gods gracious throne.
6. In a reſolute hatred, diſlike and averſion in the will; in an impregnable reſolution and ſtrong reaſoning of the minde; in a conſtant endeavor and watchful oppoſition againſt ſin.
7. In an hearty grieving, that we cannot perform all theſe more heartily, ſincerely and ſoundly.
2. The outward duties conſiſt eſpecially in outward abſtinence: As—
1. From full ſleep, whence that exhortation in ſome ſence, Watch unto prayer, Col. 4.2. 1 Pet. 4.7.
2. From coſtly apparel, from ornaments, and better attire, Exod. 33.4, 5, 6. Jonah 3.6.
3. From matrimonial Benevolence, from that ſociety which God hath ſanctified by his word to married perſons, 1 Cor. 7.5. Joel 2.16.
4. From bodily labors and worldly buſineſs, Lev. 16.29, 31.— 23.32. Joel 1.14.—2.15.
5. From food wholly; and yet this total abſtinence from meat and drink is not ſo ſtrictly required, but that they whoſe health cannot bear it, may in caſe of true neceſſity, take ſome little refreſhing, leſt otherwiſe they hazard or hurt their health, and unfit themſelves for the ſpiritual exerciſe and duty; indeed we have no example of this caſe propounded in Scripture, yet we have a ſufficient ground for it, Hoſea 6.6. Mat. 12.7.
6. From all carnal delights and pleaſures of this life, Joel 2.16. David and Daniel would. not anoint themſelves at ſuch a time, 1 Sam. 12.20. Dan. 10.3. And all theſe outward duties are to be obſerved, 1. Partly as helps to our humiliation, in renouncing the hindrances thereof. 2. Partly as ſigns of our humiliation, whereby we acknowledge our ſelves unworthy of theſe delights. 3. Partly as evidences of our repentance, in that by way of godly revenge, we deprive our ſenſes (which have all ſinned) of their ſeveral delights.
SECT. 3. Of the Duties after Faſting.
VVHen all is done and performed, obſerve theſe particulars:—
1. Take heed of inward pride, and reſting in the performance: ſpiritual pride is that worm that wil breed in the beſt fruits of the Spirit, that poiſon which the Divel (that helliſh ſpider) will ſuck out of the beſt flowers in Gods Garden; and if he can but prevail over us to be ſelf conceited with our inlargements, or to truſt to that ſervice we have done, he hath what he looks for, and deprives us of all the comfort of our humiliation: Labor therefore as much as we can, to humble our ſelves with a through view of our failings in the beſt of our performances; and for our inlargements, conſider we the fountain of them, which is not any page missing power, goodneſs, fatherly providence and bounty towards us, Pſal. 16.5, 6. Mark 7.37. Rom. 8.28. and this acknowledgement, if it be effectual, will work affection in the heart, a ſenſe of Gods goodneſs and bounty towards us, cauſing us to love God, and to be obſequious towards God in all the duties of Thankfulneſs.
2. Chearfulneſs and alacrity of Spirit; as the Lord loves a chearful given, ſo a chearful Thanksgiver, foreign thanks, comes of foreign to rejoyce foreign muſt be foreign with joy, Phil. 1.4. James 5.13. The Holy Ghoſt in many places hath joyned them together:Pſal. 9.2. Pſal. 33.1. I will be glad and rejoyce in thee, I will ſing praiſe unto thy name, O thou most high:—Rejoyce in the Lord, O ye Righteous, for praiſe is comely for the upright:—It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, Pſal. 92.1, 4.and to ſing praiſes unto thy name, O moſt high;—For thou Lord haſt made me glad through thy work, I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
2. The outwatd duty, is to expreſs our inward Thankfulneſs and Chearfulneſs: Our Thankfulneſs, by celebrating and praiſing the name of God, by extolling his goodneſs, by recounting his mercies, and by exciting others to praiſe the Lord: Our Chearfulneſs, by making a joyful noiſe and ſinging unto God: Sing aloud unto God our ſtrength, Pſal. 82.1. Pſal. 100.1, 2.make a joyful noiſe unto the God of Jacob:—Make a joyful noiſe unto the Lord, all ye Lands, ſerve the Lord with gladneſs, come before his preſence with ſinging: To this purpoſe we may ſing the Pſalms in the end of this Book, or ſome ſuch other.
SECT. 3. Of the Duties after Thankſgiving.
THe Duty after, conſiſts in theſe particulars:—
1. In referring the benefits and gifts received, to the glory of God the giver, in the good of his Church.
Iohn 15.8.2. In ſeeking to glorifie God, who hath been ſo gracious unto us, by bringing forth the fruits of a godly life: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit.
3. In honoring the Lord with our ſubſtance, and acknowledging him to be the chief Lord of all we poſſeſs:Prov. 3.9. Honor the Lord with thy ſubſtance, and with the firſt fruit of all thy increaſe.
SECT. 4. Of Pſalms ſuitable to this duty, tranſlated by Mr. W. B.
Pſalm 100.
to the tune, Have mercy, &c.
ALl men of mortal birth,
that dwell in all the earth,
2. O make a noiſe to God with joys,
and ſerve the Lord with mirth.
O come before his throne
with ſinging, every one;
3. For certainly the Lord moſt high,
even he is God alone.
He made us, and not we;
not we our ſelves, but he.
His folk, and flock, and paſture ſtock
he made us for to be:
4. With praiſe come to his gate,
and to his Courts relate
His land and fame, and bleſs his name:
his honor celebrate.
5. For God is good for ever,
his mercy faileth never.
His truth doth laſt all ages paſt,
and conſtant doth perſever.
Pſalm 108. 1 part.
O God I fix my heart,
my glory bears a part,
And as my tongue, ſo ſhall my ſong
praiſe thee with muſicks art.
2. Wake Harp and Pſaltery,
right early wake will I:
3. Thy praiſes, Lord, will I record,
the people ſtanding by.
Ile praiſe thee with my ſong,
the nations all among:
4. To heavens high, to clouds of sky,
his truth and mercies throng.
5. Exalted be thy name
above the heavens frame,
Let earth below the trumpet blow
of thy renowned fame.
Pſalm 150.
PRaiſe, praiſe the Lord moſt high,
within his ſanctuary,
In topmoſt tower of his great power,
with praiſe him magnifie.
2. Praiſe him for acts renown'd,
with excellency crown'd;
According to his greatneſs, do
praiſe him with trumpet ſound.
3. O praiſe him chearfully,
with Harp and Pſaltery:
4. And let the dance his praiſe advance,
and Timbrels melody.
Praiſe him with joynt conſents
of stringed inſtruments.
5. The Organs bring, loud Cymbals ring,
each one his praiſe preſents.
6. High ſounding Cymbals ring,
let every breathing thing
The praiſe record of this great Lord,
and Halleluiah ſing.
Alleluiah, and again Alleluiah; Amen, Alleluiah.