Englands Pattern and Duty in its Monthly Fasts, Sermon

Englands Pattern and Duty in its Monthly Fasts · Sermon

p. 1A SERMON PREACHED To both Houſes of PARLIAMENT On Friday, the 21. of July, 1643.

1. Sam. 7. 6.

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and powred it out before the Lord, and faſted that day, and ſaid there, we have ſinned againſt the Lord.

THe ſtrength and happineſſe of the State and Kingdome of Iſraell, was (if you looke into the preſent Story) ſorely ſhaken and waſted from a double Hand, the Sword of God, and the Sword of Man: the Sword of the Philiſtines in one Battell tooke away thirtie thouſand, and the Sword of God at one ſtroake ſwept away fifty thouſand. Cap. 4. 10. Cap. 6. 19.So that all Iſrael in this ſad plight wherein they ſtand, can ſcarce tell what elſe is left them for to doe, but to bewaile p. 2their condition: The Philiſtines they are ſtrong and cannot be reſiſted, God is angerie, and will not be intreated; they ſigh unto him through the weight of their oppreſſions, but are not eaſed, they lament after him, but doe not find him.

In this exigency, the Prophet Samuel counſels and excites Iſrael, to the practice of two moſt ſeaſonable duties, to a reall and perfect Reformation, v. 3. to a deep and ſerious Humiliation, ver. the fift, the joynt performance of both which, procure no leſſe then a miraculous helpe from Heaven, to the ruine of the Philiſtines, and ſalvation of all Iſraell ver. 10. 11.

This Text (which I have read) containes the Relation and Manner of Iſraels performance of that ſecond duty, to which the Prophet did excite them: And in it there are theſe two partes.

The parts of the Text.Firſt, a generall Convention and meeting of the whole State and Kingdome. They ga…hered together to Miſpeh.

Secondly, a particular account of what they did at this Meeting, and that is ſet downe in three Actions: 1. they drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, 2. And faſted on that day, 3. And ſaid there, we have ſinned before the Lord.

Theſe three Actions (inlightning the firſt only with ſome breife Commentarie) will exactly poynt out the duty and taſke of this Day, which is a Day of mourning, a Day of faſting, and a Day of ſelfe arraining before the Lord.

And drew water and poured it out before the Lord. Some Interpreters vnderſtand it of the water of Purification, whereby they teſtified their hope and faith in the remiſſion and waſhing away of their ſinnes. Others thinke that their drawing and pouring forth of water, was a lively ceremony to expreſſe the great meaſure p. 3of their Humiliation, that their Soules were poured forth as water upon the ground. Hieroin …. Quaeſt …. tradit Hebr.Hierome goes alone, at leaſt without any conſiderable Traine, and ſaith, that into this water Curſes were throwne; and that as in the Law, the water of Jelouſie was appoynted for the triall of Adulterie, ſo was this for the tryall of Idolatours whoſe lips did clamme and cleave together, when they had taſted of it.

The Chaldee, whom Junius and Oſiander follow, expound it of the plentie of teares, which ſtreamed from their eyes as ſo many fountaines. And this laſt ſenſe, ſhall I at preſent cloſe with: and ſo turne the three Actions in Iſraels Nationall Convention (in the middeſt of which faſting is ſo ranked, as to eye and reſpect both the other) into two poynts ſutable to this repreſentative Aſſembly of this whole Kingdome now met about the ſame worke and duty.

Firſt, that true faſters ſhould be weepers.

Secondly, that in faſting there ſhould be an acknowledgment and confeſſion of ſinne.

Doct. 1.That true faſters ſhould be weepers. Faſting and teares you ſhall find in Scripture to be like two twines that cannot be ſeperated, like a paire of mournfull Doves that alwayes accompany together, Nehemiah 1. 4. I ſat down and wept, and mourned certaine dayes, and faſted and prayed before the God of Heaven. Joel 2. 12. Turne yee to me with all your heart, and with faſting, and with weeping, and with mourning. Heſter 4. 3. And everie Province whether-ſoever the Kings Commandement and his Decree came, there was great mourning among the Jewes and faſting, and weeping, and wailing.

For the cleare explicating of this poynt; I will propound two thinges.

Firſt I will ſhew, why teares are requiſite to faſting.

p. 4Secondly, what qualifications thoſe teares ſhould have, which are ſhed in a day of Faſt and Humiliation.

Teares are requiſite to faſting for 3. reſpects.Firſt, why teares are requiſite to faſting, and that in theſe three reſpects.

Firſt, in regard of the prevalencie that teares have with the God of Mercy and bowells. Euſebius tels a Storie of a certaine Altar that was Clementiae conſecrata, dedicated and conſecrated to mercy, upon which no other Sacrifice was to be layed but teares; intimating therby, a peculiar aptnes in tears to ſtirre up bowels, and to beget Compaſſions, above all other Sacrifices whatſoever: And indeed with God we ſhall find them of that e…cacy, as that none have bedewed his Altar with their unfeined teares, but he hath made their Faces to ſhine with his oyle of gladneſſe.

Hannah in bitterneſſe of Soule, prayed vntounto the Lord, and wept ſore: 1. Sam. 1. 10. But ſhe went her way, and her countenance was no more ſad: ver. 18. Good Hezechia, by his prayer and teares, reverſed the Sentence of death; and had fifteen yeares added vntounto his dayes, 2. King. 20. 5. 6. Jacob had power with God: yea, he had power over the Angel, and prevailed: but how? he wept and made ſupplication vntounto him, Hoſea 12. 3. 4.

Prevalency of teares ſtrang…, in 2. reſpects.And this prevalency of teares, as it is great, ſo it is ſtrange and wonderfull, and that in a double regard

1. Deorſum fluunt, et Coelum petunt: They drop and fall from the eyes to the earth, but yet by their power they reach and pearce the higheſt Heavens.

2. Mutae ſunt, et loquntur: They hold their peace, and yet they crie, they are mute, and yet they ſpeak, Pſal. 6. 8. The Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping, Lam. 2. 18. In the Originall it runes thus, Non taceat p. 5pupilla oculi tui, let not thine eye hold its peace.

A ſecond reſpect, that makes teares requiſite, is, becauſe the eye hath been the cheifeſt Broker for ſin and vanitie: Sinne made its firſt enterance by the eye, Gen. 3. 6. and ſtill it is one of the wideſt Gates by which luſts and follies are let into the Soule.

Fit therefore it is, that in the duties of humiliation, the eye ſhould beare a part with the other members of the body; that as the heart doth ſigh, the face doth bluſh, the tongue doth crie, the hand knockes the breaſt, the lippes doe tremble, and the knees do bend, ſo the eye ſhould mourne and weep, it having exceeded in guilt any other part, and member of the body; otherwiſe it's rather the eye of an Idol, then of a Chriſtian.

Three things occaſion tearce.A third reſpect, is taken from the confluence of all thoſe thinges in a day of Humiliation, which vſually are the occaſions, and riſe of teares.

Now, there are three things, that doe diſpoſe and incline a perſon to weeping.

Firſt, The loſſe, or abſence of ſome Great Good: That was it which put Micha, Judges 18. 24. into ſuch a ſtrange mixture of paſſions, of anger, weeping, crying out, when being asked, what aileth him? he replies, ye have taken away my gods which I made and the preiſt, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that you ſay unto me what aileth thee? that was it which ſprang as a new leake in Maries eys Joh. 20. 13. They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have layd him▪ that was it which made David and his people when Ziklag was burnt with fire, and their wives, their ſonns, and their daughters were taken captives, to lift up their voyce and weepe, untill they had no p. 6more power to weep, 1. Sam. 30. 4. Now in a day of faſting what truly broken and humbled heart reflecting upon its owne condition, finds not ſuch a loſſe of peace with God, ſuch ſuſpenſions of light from God, ſuch an abſence of holyneſſe in it ſelfe, ſuch a want of mortification of luſtes, as may juſtly call for teares, ſighes, and what ever elſe doth vſually attend great ſorrow? But eſpecially we on this day have cauſe to mourne, having loſſe upon loſſes, that may provoake us thereunto: A loſſe of Worthies, that have lately fallen, and miſcaried in our Iſraell, a loſſe of hopes and affaires in State, a loſſe of expectation in maine bleſſinges, that concerne the beautie and the ſettlement of the Church whoſe Foundations are ſtill ſhaken by the violence and oppoſition of many ſonnes of Belial, that are riſen up againſt it. In a word, I am affraid, that moſt of us are this day at a loſſe in regard of all thoſe affections, of feare, of ſhame, of indignation, which ſhould be a ſtirring in this preſent duty; the very want of which may cauſe us to weepe, in that we can faſt and mourne no better before the Lord.

Secondly, the feare of ſome great approaching evill. In the Object which moves, and begets feare, futurition is required as a neceſſarie condition; but yet all evill the leſſe future it is, the more dreadfull it is: it being with the Objects of paſſion in neareneſſe of time, as it is with the Objects of ſence in neareneſſe of place; propinquitie in either making the objects more preſent, and the impreſſions therefrom upon the faculties more ſtrong. The feare of Ninivehes ſpeedy deſtruction (which was prophecied to be within foutie dayes) did ſtrike that Heathen King with ſuch apprehenſions of dread, as to make him change his Throne for the p. 7pavement, his roabes for ſackecloath, his mirth and fulneſſe into a bitter mourning and faſting. Jonah 3. 6. the going out of the Decree of Ahaſuerus, to deſtroy and extirpate forthwith all the Jewes, was that which filled everie Dwelling with ſadneſſe, and everie eye with teares. In everie province whetherſoever the Kings Commandement and his Decree came, there was great mourning among the Jewes, and faſting, and weeping, and wailing. Eſt. 4. 3.

Now, if the feare of imminent evills doe occaſion weeping, what wonder is it if a faſter be a weeper? who feares almoſt everie evill to be feared: He feares that God may call to rememberance his former iniquities, and make him to poſſeſſe the ſinnes of his youth, and therefore weeps: Pſal. 79. 8. Iob. 13. 26.Ps 79:8Job 13:26He feares that God, whoſe blowes he can better brooke then his abſence, will not be intreated to take vp in his boſome, but hold him as a ſtranger, and therefore weepes: He feares, that his ſinnes, his deafeneſſe to Gods call, his conterluſtings to Gods will, his impuritie in Gods ſervice, his ſecuritie vnderunder Gods Judgments may cauſe the hand of Heaven, which is lifted vp in threatnigs, to fall downe in ſeveare puniſhments, and therefore weepes. Speake you, whoſe hearts and eyes are exerciſed in this dayes duty, are not theſe and ſuch-like evills the cauſes of your feares, and the motives to your weeping?

Thirdly, the ſence and ſmart of ſome greivous paine and extremitie. That is it, which in Hell cauſes an eternall weeping and gnaſhing of teeth, the fire alwayes burnes, the worme continually gnawes, they have no moment free from paine, therefore no moment free from teares. Now this cauſe of mourning meets with both the former in a day of humiliation as lines in a Center, to make faſters to become weepers; p. 8for then it is, that the afflicted ſoule is made ſicke with ſinne, and burthened with the weight of its owne guilt, cries out, who will take this dagger out of my bowells, this poyſoned arrow out of my heart, this milſtone off my backe, this fire out of my bones, theſe ſtinges out of my conſcience? then it is, that ſeeming ſweetneſſe of ſin is turned into gall, and the heart of a ſinner is ſcalded with the eſtuations of thoſe luſts, with which formerly it pleaſed it ſelfe: not vnlike to the fiſh that is often times boyled in that water in which it ſwimes and ſportes it ſelfe.

I now come to the ſecond particular propounded, to ſhew what kind of teares ſhould be ſhed in Faſts. For there are lacrymae mentiri doctae (as Bernard ſpeakes) Ber. Ep. 247.teares that are taught to lye and feigne. There are praeficarum lachrymae, the teares of hired women, which gaine and monie drawes from them, Jer. 9. 17. there are lachrimae Hiericuntinae, teares that are like Jerichoes waters, though the duties are ſweet in which they be ſhed, yet they are bitter and vnpleaſing.

Six properties of prevailing teares.I ſhall therefore acquaint you with ſix properties, that teares that will preavaile ought to have.

Firſt: They muſt ſpring from a tender and broaken heart freely and voluntarily: They muſt be like water from a living fountaine that flowes naturally; not like water from a dead pitt that is drawne forth with engines: like water from a cloud, that is melted by the Sun; not like water from a Still that is forced with fire: the beames of Gods love are they which muſt di…olve our hearts, and not the fire of his judgments. An hard heart in times of ſore diſtreſſe may have plentie of teares, and yet retaine its hardneſſe; like marble that ſweates in foule weather, but is not the ſofter: An Ahab may humble himſelfe when God p. 9threatens, and a Felix may tremble when he heares of Judgment: 2. King. 23. 29. Act 24. 25.2 Kgs 23:29Acts 24:25But a Joſiah only whoſe teares ſpring from a broken and tender heart, ſo mournes … to pleaſe God, and prevaile with God: Chron. 2. 34. 27. Becauſe thine heart was tender and thou didſt humble thy ſelfe before God, and didſt rend thy clothes, and weepe before me, I have even heard thee alſo ſaith the Lord.

2 Cor. 3. 6.2 Cor 3:6Secondly, Prevailing teares, muſt be reforming, and clenſing teares, not ſuch as wet only the face, but ſuch as waſh the heart. Humiliation without reformation, is like the Word of God in the Letter, which kils, and not quickens, which accents ſinne, & not leſſens it, which haſtens judgement, and not defers it. Paleneſſe in the face, and blood in the heart, whiteneſſe in the eye, and blackneſſe in the ſoule, a knee-bowing to him, and thoughts riſing up againſt him, an head hanging downe like a bull-ruſh, and an heart like an Adamant hard and unreformed, are of all ſinnes in Gods ſight the worſt: like the Leaproſie in the Law, which was ever uncleaneſt when whiteſt: And ſhall by God be doomed with the heavieſt of judgements. Hyprocriſie is the firſt borne of Hell, and muſt there looke for its double portion: Oh therefore take heed to your ſelves what you doe this day! be ſure you that are faſters be reformers, bring your lives to the Rule, and your actions to the Law of God, and let all run paralell with the Word, as an exact, and well-made Diall with the Sunne.

Thirdly, Prevailing teares and ſorrow muſt eye that more, which diſhonoureth God, then that which afflictes our ſelves: they muſt be more for that which fighteth againſt his Image, then for what is contrary to our nature: more for that which defileth the ſpirit, then for that which paineth the fleſh: we muſt grieve more p. 10that ſinne hath made us unholy, then that it hath made us unhappy, that wee have run out of the way of the Law, then that we have run in danger of the Law: wee muſt not cry onelyonly with Pharoah, take away this plague: but with Iſrael in the Prophet, take away all Iniquity, and receive us graciouſly, Hoſ. 14. 2.

Briſſon de Reg. Perſi. lib. 2.Fourthly, Prevailing teares muſt be conſtant. The Perſians had one day in a yeare a feſtivall, which they called vitiorum interitum, wherein they ſlew all Serpents, and venemous creatures, and after that till the returne of the ſame day, ſuffered them to ſwarme as faſt as ever: not in an unlike manner doe many mourne for their ſins; at ſome ſet day in the monethmonth, or the yeare appointed by the State, they hang down their head, they cry out of their ſinnes, and make profeſsions of better living, and then till the revolution of the ſame time, ſuffer them to ſpread in their lives, and to grow up in their converſations as faſt as ever.

But thoſe ſuddain motions and …aſhes, thoſe fits, and ſtarts in humiliation, are ſo far wide from the mourning of a true Chriſtian, who in a conſtant and regular courſe crucifies his luſts, weakens the ſtrength of ſin, ſighs over his corruptions when he cannot weepe and has a bleeding heart oft times, when not a wet eye; as that they will be never able to denominate that man a Chriſtian in whome they are only found. In Categ. cap. de qualit.Ariſtotle excellently diſtinguiſheth between colours that ariſe from paſſion, and from complection. The one he ſaith giveth the denomination to the ſubject wherein it is, which the other doth not. If the Queſtion be asked, what a like man is Socrates? If he be of a pale or high-coloured complection, it may be fitly Anſwered, that he is a pale man, or a ſanguine man; but when a man of another complection p. 11is pale for feare, or red with bluſhing; we doe not vſe to ſay, neither can we properly, that he is a pale man, or an high-coloured. Accordingly in matters of grace, and duties of holyneſſe: we cannot ſay he is a penitent, a zelous, a religious man, whoſe conſtant motions are in a way of ſinne, and his humiliations only in ſome ſhort fits, that are ſcarce ſo long as the paroxciſme of a burning Ague, which in a few howers goes off againe.

Fiftly, prevailing teares muſt drop from the eye of hope.

To mourne and not to hope, hath a double evill in it, both in that it defiles, and in that it ruines a man: defiles, in that it conceives low and baſe thoughts of God himſelf: in rendering our guilt more omnipotent then his power, and ſin more hurtful then he is good: ruines, in that the mind is thereby driven to a dreadfull flight, and wretched contempt of all the true meanes of recoverie. But hope which is as the corke to the net, that keeps it floating amid'ſt the rougheſt Seas, teacheth a relapſed yet repenting ſinner, when he deſpaires in himſelfe to fly to God, when he ſees nothing below him, nothing about him, to beleive there is ſomething above him that can, and will ſupport: It quickens him alſo in the vſe of everie meanes, and makes him to doe as Marie did, who being above other ſorrowfull for the loſſe of Chriſt, was above all other moſt dilligent to ſeeke him.

Sixtly, prevailing teares muſt be timely and ſeaſonable.

Hiſtorians make mention of a fountaine that never ſent out any ſtreams, but the evening before a famine: this fountaine (I am afraid) our teares have too much reſembled, which have been ſo p. 12late as to ſerve only to bemoane our miſerie, and not to prevent it: had we wept more timely (I am perſwaded) wee ſhould not have ſo many occa…ons of weeping, as we now have: we now weep, becauſe the meanes of our hope are much blaſted, and ſucceſſe denyed to our enterpriſes, but we ſhould have wept vntounto God that they might have bin bleſſed, and proſpered by his favour. We mourne now becauſe the Heavens are darkened with Gods diſpleaſure, which is ready to fall in ſtormes vponupon us, but we ſhould have mourned when the cloud was but an hands breadth, and ſo prevented the gathering of it: and yet let me not diſcourage any, that are newly entered vponupon this duty of mourning, as if it were altogether too late: the Jewes had a ſaying amongſt them, that the dore of prayer hath ſometimes bin ſhut, but never the dore of teares, and therefore, you that have not yet mourned, now beginne, and you that have begun, ſtill continue, for who knoweth, if God will returne, and repent, and leave a bleſſing behind him, Ioel 2. 14.

I now haſten to application: wherein,

1. Vſe.Firſt, I ſhall endeavour to provoke all to an holy, and exceptable weeping, before the Lord.

It is the errand we all come about, let vsus not therefore goe away, and leave it vndone. Oh that this day you Nobles and Rulers of the people would begin to them in this weighty ſervice, the mourning of a Great Perſon is moſt powerfull Rhetoricke to perſwade others to weepe: p. 13as running metall, will ſooner melt other of it's owne kind then fire alone: ſo will examples ſooner frame mens minds to the ſame temper, then bare and naked devotions can ever doe: neither is it any minoration of your Greatneſſe, to weepe, and to be humbled before your God, to licke the duſt of whoſe feet is greater Honour, then to poſſeſſe Crownes and Septers, without his Favour: Oh that I could prevaile with you of the People, to make this place a Bochim with your tears! and to this end I could wiſh, that I had ſome Moſes his Rod in my hand, to ſmite all the Rockes that are before me, that they might flow forth with water: A Rod (I meane) of perſwaſion, that might diſſolve, and melt your hearts into teares: I had thought to framed many, and to have told you, that they are Theriaca potentiſſima, the beſt Triacle to expell the venome of ſinne, lixivium forte, the ſtrongeſt ly to waſh out the deepeſt ſtaines; imbres vere aurei, the true golden ſhowers, in which God comes downe into the heart of a Chriſtian. But that we may looſe no time in the dutie, give me leave to, propound Five melting Conſiderations, that may incline you to a ſerious mourning.

Five melting Conſiderations.Firſt, take into your thoughs your condition by nature. And ſuch a one it is, which teares and ſighes may better expreſſe then words: a condition of nakedneſſe, blood, impotencie, wrath, (in one word) of ſinne. Hell it ſelfe, which is the draine and ſole receptacle of ſin, and ſinners, is not more full of ſinne in regard of the kinds of it, then your Natures: For, the Seedes p. 14of all thoſe ſinnes, for which the damned are now tormented in hell, lye hid in our hearts, all being alike corrupted in the roote; and therefore it behoves you, if you would eſcape the fulneſſe of wrath, which is due to the fulneſſe of ſinne that is in you, to crie mightily unto God that he would pitty you, yea though your natures be changed, yet you have cauſe ſtill to weepe and mourne. For as Baſil ſaid of the roſe, that it was a faire flower, but it wanted not his prickles, that might put him in mind of the curſe the earth was ſubject vntounto; ſo in the beſt, there are thoſe remainders and reliques of ſinne, which may cauſe them to mourne and weepe ſtill before the Lord.

Secondly, let me propound the preſent occaſion as an inducement vntounto weeping. Did you not take this day to afflict your ſoules before God, as not knowing whether you might ſee any more the returne of your monthly Faſts, ſo exceedingly did the wrath of God haſten it's progreſſe againſt you? And now, when you come vntounto the dutie, will you doe nothing, that may witneſſe how bitter your ſinnes are unto you, that have procured all thoſe evils? Let me tell you, and that without prophecying, if that which God hath already done, prevaile not to humiliation, that there are judgments not far off, that will prevaile to ruine and deſtruction.

Thirdly, conſider, what a ſhame it is for a chriſtian, that croſſes and feares ſhould ſit heavie, and that ſinne ſhould ſit light on his ſpirits.

Sometimes the ſmart of a ſingle croſſe enters ſo deep into vsus, as that all expreſſions of ſorrow ſeem to be far below what we feel: Sometimes, the verie newes of an approaching danger, fils the eye p. 15with tears, and the mouth with ſhreeks: And yet when we come to ſtand at Gods Bar (as we all doe this day) the confeſſions of the rebellion of our whole lives, the ſad Hiſtorie our finnes, and the acknowledgment of Gods wrath due to all, make ſuch weake impreſſions vponupon our ſpirits, as they ſcarce produce a ſigh or troubled thought about our condition: Now what a ſhame is it, to heare more outcries from a Chriſtian for one croſſe then for thouſand ſinnes, one of which, hath in it more power and venome to afflict the conſcience, and to make life miſerable, then many legions of divels.

Fourthly, Conſider, the Lord Chriſt himſelfe how deeply he was affected when he ſtood vnderunder the weight of our ſinnes, and his Fathers wrath.

St Luke ſpeakes much in one word, when he tels vsus, that Chriſt was in an agonie, Luke 22. 44, but if you pleaſe to admit a breife Commentarie vponupon it, out of the Evangeliſts themſelves, you may then learne, how ſharpe and bitter the agonie was. Mar. 14. 33: Mat. 26. 37. 38.Mark 14:33Matt 26:37Matt 26:38Will you ſee how it affected his Head? vponupon the fore-taſte he began foreign, to be amazed; how it affected his heart? he began foreign, to droope, to faint; how it affected his ſoule? foreign, it was all overcaſt with a heavineſſe to death; how it affected his body? it made it to ſweate great drops of blood. Luke 22. 44. Shall now our ſinnes thus affect Chriſt and not afflict vsus? ſhall they be as monntaines upon his backe, and as Attomes on ours? like to the ſtone of the Sybils, (Dio. Chry. orat. 13.) which to ſome weighed like leade, and others like a feather: If ſo, know for a certaine, that you whoſe hearts the love of a bleeding p. 16and crucified Saviour doe not melt, his glorious and terrible power ſhall one day break and afflict for ever.

Fiſtly, Conſider, we have all contributed to that multiplicitie of evils vnderunder which the Kingdome labours and ſtrugles for life.

Had Great ones bin more reſolute for God, and not like the top of a Fiſhers Angling rod, have bowed and bended to all purpoſes, and indangger Religion to ſave their Honours, had our Magiſtrates bin more wakefull to prevent both the ſowing and growth of divers tares, had our Miniſters bin more conſcientious, then to daub with vntempered morter, and to expoſe glaſſe for pearles, Tertul.had all of vsus leſſe complyed with vanities, with faſhions, and ſinnes of the time, God had not been ſo angerie, nor we ſo miſerable, as now we are. Requiſite therefore it is, that as we have brought feuell to the fire to nouriſh it, ſo we now bring water, to quench it, and not ſtand, as many doe, when an houſe is on fire, like idle ſpectatours, that hinder rather then further the quenching.

I have done this vſe, and only by way of caution ſhall adde a few words to releive ſome troubled ſouls, with whom tears perhaps are ſcarce, though grenes are plentifull: be not diſcouraged, as if you had done nothing in the dutie of the day, you have had a rationall ſorrow, though not a paſſionate ſorrow, you have had ſighes which are the inward tears, (as Auſtin cals them) though not the outward; and that is the mourning which is moſt effectuall with God.

2. Vſe.To diſcover (for happily we may wonder) why our humiliations and faſtings which have bin ſo p. 17frequent, have not bin returned with ſucceſſe into our boſomes, ſutable to our deſires: but that ſtill there are as many dangerous ſymptomes of a languiſhing and dying Kingdome as ever. We have Faſted, but have we wept? we have wept, but have we wept aright? Give me leave to run over three of thoſe foremention'd qualifications, and you ſhall ſee eminent defects in our weepings.

Three defects in our weeping.Firſt, the teares which have been ſhed, have bin rather forced then voluntarie, more from the ſmart of Stroakes, then the ſence of ſin, more from a want of outward contentments, then for the loſſe of Gods favour: And therefore it is no wonder, if we ſay with Iſrael we have covered the Altar of the Lord with teares, with weeping, and with crying out, and yet he regardeth it not, Mal. 2. 13.

Secondly, our teares have not been reforming teares. And here give me leave (Right Honourable) to ſpeake to you whom Reformation moſt concerns, you have paſſed worthy Votes for a ſtrict Obſervation of the Sabbath and of faſting dayes, but you have been too apt to ſit downe without a purſuance of the ſame. Alas! it is not a naked Vote that paſſeth within your walls, that can vote our Churches full and the Taverns emptie: there muſt ſomething elſe be done, before a Reformation in either will be obtained; offenders muſt be puniſhed, Miniſters of Juſtice muſt he quickened, and called vponupon by your ſelves: for elſe you will find that true which Alphius the vſurer ſometime ſaid of his clients, Optima nomina non appellando fiere mala: (Colum. de re ruſt. lib. 1. cap. 7.) good Debters will grow bad paymaſters; if they be let alone.

p. 18Thirdly, our mourning have not been conſtant. The hearing of ſome ill tydings, the miſcarying of ſome hopes have cauſed vsus to hang downe our heads for a day, and to power forth ſome teares in the preſence of God: but when theſe things have bin a little digeſted and ſlept vponupon, we have bin as ſecure about our conditions, dead and flat in our duties as ever before. Our tears have bin like water in the conduits, that runnes at times; but not like water in the ſpring that rnnes conſtantly: by fits and ſtarts we have bin earneſt with God, like the graſſe-hoppers (as Gregorie ſpeakes) Greg. mor. lib. 13. cap. 12.that make faint aſſaies to fly vp to Heaven, and then preſently fall to the earth againe. But if ever wee would appeaſe God, while his anger burnes, let our eye weep; while he denies, let us beg; while he withdrawes and abſents himſelfe, let vsus vnceſſantly crie out, as the Church did, Jer. 14. 9. Oh thou hope of Jſrael, the Saviour therof in the time of trouble, why ſhouldeſt thou be as a ſtranger in the Land, and as a wayfaring man that turneth a ſide to tarry for a night.

I come now to the ſecond poynt, which is,

That with faſting and weeping Confeſſion and acknowledgment of ſinne is to be joyned.

The vſing of certaine words in healing the diſeaſes of the body, with which many ignorant people are better acquainted then with prayer, is no other then a ſinfull Charme, but in curing the diſeaſes of the ſoule, and diverting the Judgments of Heaven words are Gods Recipe: Hoſea 14. 2. Take with you words, and turne to the Lord, ſay unto him, take away iniquity, and receive vsus gratiouſly: They are the Saints practice, Ezra 9. 9. O Lord my God I am aſhamed, and bluſh to lift vp my face to to thee my God: for our iniquities are p. 19increaſed over our heads, and our treſpaſſe is growne vp vntounto the Heavens: Dan. 9. 4, 5. I ſet my face vntounto the Lord God, and to ſeeke by prayer and ſupplication, with faſting, and ſackcloth, and aſhes, and I prayed vntounto the Lord my God and made my confeſſion.

For the explicating of this poynt, I will ſhew, firſt, wherein a true confeſſion of ſinne ſtands: Secondly, in what manner it muſt be performed.

True confeſſion is made vp of two particulars, ſui ipſius accuſatio, ſui ipſius condemnatio: of a mans accuſing of himſelfe, and of a mans judging of himſelfe.

Firſt, in accuſing himſelfe, he is to be coelestis et fidelis Dei orator contra ſeipſum, (as Pariſienſis ſpeakes) a heavenly and faithful pleader for God againſt himſelfe: he is to ſet out his ſinnes with thoſe particular aggravations, that have run into them, and doe truly greaten them in Gods ſight: for as in Greek, we doe not vſually pronounce according to to the long or ſhort Syllable, but accorditg to the Accent; ſo in ſinne, God doth not alwayes judg the greatnes from the Fact, but from the circumſtances with which it is committed: or as in matter of Grace, God doth not weigh it by the Scale, but tries it by the touch-ſtone; ſo in ſinne God doth not weigh it by the bulke, but by the ingreadients. A ſinne of a leſſer magnitude committed with light, with love, ſtirres vp and provokes God more, then a greater ſinne with reluctancy, paſſion, or ſurprizall: for gravius est peccatum diligere, quam committere, it is far worſe to be in love with ſinne, then to commit it, as Gregorie well ſaith.

Secondly, In condemning a mans ſelfe, he is to paſſe a ſevere Sentence againſt himſelf, by acknowledging p. 20that God may juſtly let him ſinke in the middeſt of his rebellions, without caſting forth a new cord of merciemercy to help or ſave; thus did the humble Prodigall, Luke 15. 18. 19. I have ſinned againſt Heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonne.

Now in the doing of theſe there is a double good that the ſinner gets in the accuſing of himſelfe, he puts Sathan that is the great accuſer of the Brethren quite out of office, he can lay no more to his charge, then he hath already layed to his owne in condemning himſelfe; he puts God out of office (as I may ſo ſpeake) who will not judge them, that have judged and ſentenced themſelves, 1. Cor. 11. 31.

But to ſpeake more diſtinctly of this firſt part of confeſſion, viz, ſelfe accuſation; give me leave to propound three particulars about it.

Three partic. in ſelfe accuſat.Firſt the Inditement and charge, that a man prefers againſt himſelfe, it muſt be ſpeciall, and not generall.

Confeſſion with many is reckoned to be well enough done, when that ſome few ſuch overlie expreſſions drop from their lips, as, that they are ſinners God help them, and who is not? and they are heartily ſorry for what they have done; but if you deſcend to particulars, run over the whole Law, and they plead not guilty; Images they defie, ſweare they do not, and for Church they come with the firſt, and goe with the laſt, as for repentance, if you aske them wherin it lyes, they anſwer not much vnlike him in Quintilian, Quintil. inſt. l. 2. c. 11.who being demanded, what foreign, what foreign was; replyed, truly he could not tell, but if it were any thing to the purpoſe, he was ſure it was in his Declamation: what repentance and ſorrow for ſinne is, they cannot tell, but p. 21ſure they are, they have long agoe repented for their ſinnes. But how wide ſuch acknowledgments are from that exact confeſſion which the Scriptures call for, the practice of repenting ſinners doth abundantly evince. How often is David vponupon his knees in confeſſing his murther, his adulterie? what an Hiſtorie doth Nehemiah make of Iſraels ſinnes in his prayer to God? Neh. cap. 9.Neh 9how particularly doth Paul deſcribe his madneſſe againſt the Church, his blaſphemies againſt Chriſt? and all to this end, that themſelves may be more aſhamed, and God the more glorified. In ſinnes indeed of ignorance God is pleaſed to accept of confeſſion in the generall, and in the lumpe, but for ſinnes of knowledge he lookes that they be brought in as diſtinct debts, and vrged in our confeſſions as ſo many new Inditements againſt our ſelves.

Seconly, as we are to charge particulars vponupon our ſelves, ſo alſo among them to ſingle and cull out our principall and cheife ſinnes, ſtreading them before God with all their aggravations: As Phiſitions in their Anatomie Lectures, though the whole body lye before them, yet they read cheifely upon ſome more noble and Architectonical parts, the braine, the heart, the ſtomach, or the like, ſo in our humiliations, though we bring the whole body of ſinne and death into Gods preſence, yet are we to dwell andinſiſt cheiſly vponupon thoſe corruptiōs, which have a greater tranſcendency of evill in them above others: As for inſtance, vponupon our vnbeleife, which is a mother ſinne, and carries a thouſand others in the wombe of of it: vponupon your wordly mindedneſſe, which takes of the ſtrength of all our affections from God, and pitcheth it vponupon the p. 22creature, like to an ill ſpleene that robs the body of it's beſt noriſhment to feed it ſelfe. VponUpon the breaking of our ſolemne Covenants made and renewed with God, a ſinne which above many others, hath helped to vnſheath the Sword of God againſt vsus, and to let forth that diſpeaſure and indignation of the Lord, which burnes like a fire, that will not be quenched.

Thirdly, In Confeſſion we are to charge vponupon our ſelves thoſe powerfull ſtirrings of luſt, which ſpring from the ſinfull frame and conſtitution of our nature and derive a venome to everie action that comes from us; ſin being in the facultie, as poyſon in the Fountaine, that ſheds infection into everie thing, that proceedes from it. And this is it, which begets an indiſpoſition of heart to holy ſervices, that in our prayers damps our zeale, fervencie, humiliation, ſelfe abhorrency; that in our meditations makes vsus roving and vnſetled, driving to no poynt or iſſue, like a ſhip in a tempeſt, that toſſes much, and ſayles little; that in our converſe mingles much levitie, frowardneſſe, vnfaithfullneſſe: in a word, that is it, which though it doe not make our holy duties ſinnes, and ſo hatefull to God, (as our Adverſaries ſlander vsus) Bellarm. de juſtif. lib. 4. cap. 10.yet doth contribute ſuch a vitiouſneſſe, as a foule channel doth to cleane water, to everie thing that proceeds from vsus, as that God may juſtly charge vsus for mixing our ſin with his grace, and throw all our beſt workes as dung in our faces. Great reaſon is there therefore, that we ſhould both accuſe our ſelves for this pravity and deordination of nature, and before God condemne and ſentence our ſelves for the curſed fruites that flow from it, which is the ſecond branch p. 23of true confeſſion, that is breifly to be vnfolded.

This ſelfe condemnation lyeth in two things. Firſt in acknowledgment, that the vmoſt wrath and ſeveritie of God is juſtly due to ſuch ſinnes as we have fallen into: for though a juſtified perſon by his tranſgreſſions doe not de facto become ſubject to the wrath and vengence of God, being a perſon priviledged and exempted from the maledictions of the law, yet they doe de merito make ſuch a perſon lyable to death; for the covenant of grace doth not nullifie the merit of ſinne, but cauſeth that ſinne ſhall not actually condemne and exclude ſuch a perſon from ſalvation; So that a regenerate man when he hath ſinned againſt God, may truly ſay, as the Prodigal did, Luke 15. 18. I have ſinned againſt heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Sonue. Yea, it is his duty in ſuch a manner to ſentence the merit of his ſinnes, that he may the more abundantly admire the riches and fulneſſe of that grace, that hath delivered him from ſo heavie a curſe.

Secondly, In ſelfe condemning: we muſt confeſſe that the ſmart and chaſtiſements from God, which for ſinne at any time we lye vnderunder, are exceeding juſt and righteous. Hath God withdrawen from any of vsus the light of his countenance becauſe of our ſinnes, and turned his ſmiles into frownes? hath he ſealed vp our lips, ſtraitned our ſpirit? hath he kindled a fire in our bones, hath he blaſtour eſtate, hath he put gall into our contentments, and made life it ſelfe a ſore and heavie burthen vntounto vsus? yet muſt we give glory vntounto god, and ſay, as the Church did in the height of all it's afflictions, p. 24the Lord our God is righteous in all his workes; for we have not obeyed his veyce, Dan. 9. 14,

I come now to the manner, how the duty of confeſſion is to be performed, and that conſiſts of of divers ingredients and qulifications.

Five Qualific. in a true Confeſſion.Firſt, a genuine confeſſion of ſinne muſt be performed, with a great meaſure of ſelfe abaſing, and ſelfe humbling. The Leaper in the Law Lev. 13. 45. was preſcribed to have ſuch a carriage and behaviour, as might moſt clearely expreſſe his ſhame and ſorrow for ſuch ſins as had drawn ſo heavy hand of God vponupon him, he was to goe with his garments rent, that all might ſee and behold his leaproſie: with his head bare, to typiſie what a ſervant of ſervants he had been what a drudge to his luſts, and the will of the fleſh: with his lip covered, to expreſſe (as ſome of the Hebrewes ſay,) that he was fit for no companie or friendly ſalutes, but to ſit and mo…e alone: to crie, vncleane, vncleane; thereby to proclaime his owne miſerie, and forwarne others that they approach him not, leaſt they be defiled by touching him: this deportment of the Leaper, ſome of the Antients have thought, to be a lively embleme of a penitent and broken ſinner, who when he come before God, to acknowledge his vileneſſe, is to vſe all meanes, and to take all advantages of abaſing and ſhaming himſelf in his preſence: Vide Mendoc. in lib. 1. Reg. cap. 7. Num. 6. Annot. 25.1 Kgs 7Num 6he is in ſome meaſure to afflict his body in the laying aſide all ornaments; he is to confeſſe his vaſſalage to his … in whoſe ſervice his hands and his heart have bin ſo much hardned: he is to mourne, as one that deſerves to have none to be a comforter: he is with doubled and loud confeſſions to crie p. 25out before God and man, that he is as an vncleane thing, and all his righteouſneſſes are as filthy ragges, Iſaiah 64. 6.

Secondly, true confeſſion as it debaſeth a ſinner, ſo muſt it exalt and ſet vp God. In this worke God and a ſinner are like unto quantitas diſcreta, and quantitas continua, the one of which may be infinitely diminiſhed, and the other infinitely increaſed: Gods mercy in bearing, pardoning, healing that may be highned, and exalted without bounds, and man, wretchedneſſe and baſeneſſe that may be ſo aggravated, as to make him worſe then nothing: Both theſe things doth Nehemiah excellently performe, in that confeſſion which he makes in the behalfe of the Church, which is all interchangeably woven and interſtreaked with an holy exalting of Gods goodneſſe, and a ſerious acknowledgment of their vileneſſe. He begins cap. 9. ver. 7. to ver. 16. with a pithie and ſweet abridgment of Gods goodnes to Iſrael, made knowne in eminent deliverances, pretious mercies, and ſtrange miracles: then he ſubjoynes their ill requitall of this his love, from ver. 16. to ver. 19. then from ver. 19. to ver. 26. he declares a new, how good God was to them, when they had been thus evill to him: and then againe addes, their inflexableneſſe and diſobedience vnderunder all his continued goodneſſe. And thus like checker worke in white and blacke, in a narration of Gods mercies, and Iſraels vnthankefulneſſe, he continues his prayer vntounto the end.

Thirdly, a true Confeſſion muſt be voluntarie. Pij non trahuntur ad tribunal dei, ſed ſponte accedunt: holy men prevent ſummons in Gods Court, and reſolve p. 26vp on a voluntarie appearance, they are active in this worke, and not paſſive. Wicked men when God awakens their conſciences in their boſome, and makes the ſmell of the brimſtone and the fire of Hell, to come up into their noſtrils, when their ſoule is ſitting upon their lips, and ready to take it's flight into an other world, will then happily crie out of their ſinnes, and ſeeke pardon, which in their lives they have diſpiſed; but all this is like the howling devotion of ſome, deſperate mariner in a ſtorme, which is not at all out of aflection, but out of feare, which will in the end be as farre from peace, as it is at the preſent from trueth, it is the voluntarie penitent that finds merciemercy, and not he qui ad delinquendum exporrigit frontem, ad confitendum contrahit, Tertul.as

Fourthly, a true confeſſion it muſt be reall and ſinceare.

It muſt be a worke of the heart, and not of the lips, elſe though we be much in the dutie, we ſhall reape litle of the fruite of it. Sinceritie is that, which in everie ſervice obtaines the bleſſing, but eſpeciall… in this, when an humbled ſoule lies in the middeſt of darkeneſſe as in a dungeon, ſinceritie in it's prayers in it's confeſſions, is as a chinke to let in ſome beames of light, and hope, when as all ſhewes and pretenſes without it in any kind whatſoever, are but like windowes faſtned vponupon a thicke wall, that though they contribute beautie to the building, and ſeeme ſpecious to the beholder without, doe yet tranſmit no light to the dweller within.

p. 27Fiftly, a true confeſſion muſt exclude a willing returne to ſinne againe. Among many names which Pariſienſes gives to confeſion, this is one, he cals it ſpiritualis vomitus, ſpirituall vomit, whereby the burthened ſoul doth eaſe it ſelfe, like an overcharged ſtomake by getting vp that, which lies hard and indigeſted upon it. Now it is the part of a dogge to take up his vomit, and not of a man, much leſſe of a chriſtian.

Oh therefore take heed what you doe, that are exerciſed in the weighty duties of this Day! doe not turne your faſtings and confeſſions into a lye by to morrowes looſe living, contradict not the words that have gon forth out of your mouthes, by a freſh practice of ſuch ſinnes, which you have now engaged your ſelves to relinquiſh, let no luſt that you have profeſſed this day to be a thorne in your ſides, be as a crowne or garland on your head to morrow, take nothing againe as a freind into your boſome, that you have this day looked upon as an enemie, But if any man ſhall dare to mocke God, and by freſh apoſtacies to breake the ſolemne covennat that he hath now entered into, let him know this for a certaine, that if there be juſtice in Heaven, or fire in Hell, he ſhall one day be filled with the bitter fruits of his owne wayes, and ſhall find the wages of ſinne to be death. For the application of this poynt, I ſhall confine my ſelfe unto two Vſes, the firſt whereof ſhall conſiſt only of ſome directions, that may help us in confeſſion, which to performe aright, is not the leaſt part of a chriſtians worke or care.

1. Vſe.Firſt, ſtudie well your hearts. the heart is a vaſt maze p. 28and labyrinth, in which not he that runnes faſteſt, ſooneſt comes to an end, but he that walkes moſt circumſpectly: as a darke vault, that ſtands in need of al the candles of the Lord, for to enlighten it: as a vaſt Sea, which needs the longeſt line for to fathome it: and the more you are acquainted with it, the more you ſhall ſee cauſe to abhorre your-ſelves, and matter to plead againſt your-ſelves. There are in the eye a thouſand vanities, adulteries, pride, curioſitie, thefts, and the like, but ſi trabs in oculo, ſylva in corde, if there be a beame in the eye, there is a wood in the heart: there are in the hands violence, rapines, bloudſhed, but they are there only as water in a ſtream, the heart is the fountaine, that feeds and nouriſheth it: in all the members there is a fulneſſe of ſin, but the heart is the roote that derives life and ſtrength vntounto all: as the Sea, that filles the Rivers, but yet it ſelfe is never the leſſe emptie: After all communications and diffuſions of luſt into everie facultie there are in the heart as the proper ſeate, Atheiſme, blaſphemies, treaſons againſt the very life and being of God, ſins at which the very fleſh itſelfe will quake and tremble, when they doe begin to peep and put out in the verie ſhaddow of a thought.

Now can a man that is any way apprehenſive, that he hath ſuch a treaſure, ſuch an Hell, ſuch a magaſin of ſins within him, want what to confeſſe? and what to condemne himſelfe for in the ſight of God? no certanly, words he may want, and teares and ſighes, but never matter of confeſſion, and aſtoniſhment, were his life drawne out to an eternitie. it is the ignorance only that men have of their hearts, that filles them with pride, boaſtings, preſumptions p. 29of their eſtates, opinions of their goodneſſe that make them like the Phariſie that can find little to confeſſe, but much to commend himſelfe for; whereas if God did but diſcover the true condition of their hearts vntounto them, they would like the Publican knock and ſmite their breſts? and cry out, Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner.

Secondly, Get a ſpirituall knowledge of the Law of God. That is it which as a light diſcovers thoſe corruptions and ſins which lie hid and vnſeen in the darke night of ignorance, and makes them to appeare in their due ſhape and proportion: Paul while this light of the Law ſhone into his heart, was alive (as himſelfe confeſſeth) Rom. 7. 9. full of conceits of his own righteouſneſſe, and abilities to performe what ever the Law had required to ſalvation: but when the Commandement came, ſinne revived, and Paul dyed: all his preſumptions and miſperſwations they withered and fell away as leaves doe from the trees in Autumne, and his ſins they like the Crowes neſts appeared, which before are unſeen and undiſcerned: then he ſaw that to be a mountaine, which before he judged to be a moate, and that to be ſin, which before he looked vponupon as righteouſneſſe, then he ſaw much to bemoan, much to confeſſe, and to be aſhamed of, but nothing to boaſt, and glorie of: ſome ſins indeed the weake glimmerings of nature may diſcover vntounto men to be vile; lying, luxurie, idleneſſe; the Cretian Poet could tax in his owne countrie men: but to read over the whole Hiſtorie of a mans life without any other candle, is as impoſſible, as to turne over great volumes by the light of a glowworme.Tit. 1. 12.Titus 1:12

p. 30Thirdly, Keepe alive in your hearts, the apprehenſion, of ſome particular ſinnes, for which God hath deeply humbled you. Chriſtians in their way to Heaven as thay are not without aſſaults, temptations, importunities of the fleſh; So are they not ſometimes without fals and bruſes, luſts tempt and they yeild, the fleſh flatters and muſt be gratified, and by this meanes oftentimes their peace is impaired, and their conſciences deeply wounded: Now if any of us have ſuch blacke dayes in our Calenders, ſuch foule ſins in our private Regiſters, that may mind us what we have ſometimes bin, let vsus as much as we can, keep vp the apprehenſiof that deformitie, uglineſſe, contrariety to the Law, which they ſeemed to have, when firſt God ſet them vponupon our conſciences, the freſh remembrance of ſin in this kind; it is like a peaſe in an iſſue, that keeps it open and makes it run: it makes the heart to be in a broaken and melting frame, to be free in confeſſion and earneſt in prayer, that God would ſhew him mercy, and let him live before him.

Fourthly, Reflect ſeriouſly vponupon your wayes. Running waters caſt no ſhaddow, no more doe fleeting thougts make any repreſentation of a mans condition: he that rides poſt, can never make a true mappe of a Countrie, nor that man any diſcoverie of himſelfe whoſe thoughts doe not now and then make a ſtand and looke backward, it is conſideration, that tels vsus what need we ſtand in of merciemercy to pardon us, and what need we have to confeſſe our ſinnes, that we may be pardoned: it's conſideration, that makes the iſſues of ſinne dreadfull, and cauſeth us with trembling to ſeeke him whom we have offended, and to …urne our feete unto his Teſtimonies.

p. 312. Vſe.A ſecond Vſe is in breife to diſcover. how injurious they are, not only vntounto themſelves, but unto the the happineſſe of the whole Kingdome, that would in theſe ſad times crie downe all acknowledgment and confeſſion of ſinne, as that which is vſeleſſe, and unbecomming the dayes and times of the Goſpel, and would by certaine artes and wyles put a beautie vponupon moſt miſhapen and deformed opinions. Pauſanias tels a ſtorie, of a mirrour in the Temple of Smyrna, that if any that had a beautifull face, looked in it, he would appeare exceedingly deformed; and if any that were ilfavoured did looke in it, they did appeare beautifull and amiable. not much unlike to this glaſſe are their fancies, which render the bleſſed truthes of God, ſorrow for ſinne, confeſſion of ſinne, and prayer for pardon, as things that the Law of the Goſpel doth not injoyne, or Chriſt accept, and crie up a libertie and freedom from the Law, as a rule to guide and order our converſations, by which Opinion if they ſhould once come to prevaile in mens minds, they will quickely bid farwell to all holineſſe. But I ſpare to ſpeake any more, becauſe that you with whom the weightie affaires of the Church are betruſted, will doe that right to the Goſpel and trueth, which ſhall beſeeme Perſons of your worth and pietie.

FINIS.

ERRATA.

Page 13. l. 4. for devotious r. directions. pag. 14. l. 8. r. preſcribed, pag. 17. l. 10. r. ſtroak.

Die Jovis 27. Julij, 1643.

IT is this day Ordered by the Lords in Parliament, that Maſter Spurſtowe hath hereby thankes given him from their Lordſhips, for the great paines taken by him in his Sermon he made in Saint Margarets Church Weſtminſter before the Lords and Commons on Friday the 21. of this inſtant July, at the publike Humiliation; And is hereby deſired to cauſe his ſaid Sermon to be forthwith Printed and Publiſhed.

John Browne Cler. Parl.

Die Veneris 21. Julij, 1643.

IT is this day Ordered by the Houſe of Commons, that Maſter Salloway doe give thankes to Maſter Spurſtowe, who at the deſire of the Houſe this day Preached before the Commons at St. Margarets, Weſtminſter, it being an extraordinary day of publicke Humiliation, and that he be deſired to print his Sermon. And it is Ordered that no man ſhall print his Sermon, but whom the ſaid Mr. Spurſtowe ſhall Authorize under his hand-writing.

H. Elſygne Cler. Parl. D. Com.

I appoint Peter Cole to print my Sermon.

William Spurſtowe

End of the text · William Spurstowe, Englands Pattern and Duty in its Monthly Fasts (1643)