Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 36:5,6
Jer. 36. 5, 6.
Jeremy commanded Baruch, ſaying, I am ſhut up, I cannot go into the houſe of the Lord; Therefore go thou and read in the roll which thou haſt written fr…m my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lords houſe on the faſting-day. It may be they will preſent their ſupplication before the Lord, and return every man from his evil way, &c.
Q. What are the Duties belonging to a faſting-day, eſpecially a publick Faſt?
A. 1. The Word of God is to be read, Neh. 9. 3. but (more eſpecially) thoſe parts of the Word are to be read; thoſe Sermons to be preached and repeated, that are moſt ſuitable to the ſtate of the people at that time, as the Sermons of Jeremy were to the preſent ſtate of the Jews. The neceſſity whereof appears, becauſe when Jeremy could not preach publickly himſelf, he cauſed Baruch to write out and read before the People the Sermons he had preached before, even from the days of Joſiah. And (indeed) the Word of God is the principal means of effecting that which is intended in a Faſt, to wit, Humiliation and Reformation, 2 King. 22. 11. Act. 2. 37.
2. Every man ſhould then ſet himſelf to ſeek the Lord, 2 Chron. 20. 3. Faſt-days are Prayer-days, ſo here v. 37. the Faſting being conſiderable only, as it is an aſſiſtance and evidence of Humiliation, and an appendix and improver of the duty of Prayer. Theſe Prayers (to make them acceptable and effectual) muſt have in them a double Grace:
1. Humility; for (as it is here in the Original and in the Margent) Supplications muſt fall, that is, fall low before the Lord, in the humble confeſſion of Sin, Neh. 9. 2. Luk. 18. 13. this is plain in Daniels prayer, Dan, 9. 20.
2. Faith, Jam. 1. 6. 2 Chron. 20. 10. For Prayers in Scripture are ſaid not only to fall, but to aſcend, Pſal. 141. 3. Act. 10. 4. and by falling lower from an humbled Soul, they aſcend higher, and rebound as it were, the more heaven-ward, 2 Chron. 30. 27. This Faith is neceſſary; for though humility and repentance fit us for mercy, yet it is Faith that helps us to it; our comfort is not bottomed on our Repentance, or Faith either (as it is a Grace in us) but on the Mercy of God, which by the hand of Faith we lay hold upon, Iſa. 1. 16, 17, 18. Repentance is the forerunner and a neceſſary duty, but our waſhing needs waſhing, and our repentance pardon, and pardon ariſeth from mercy, and mercy is had and enjoyed by our coming to God, and making out unto him for it by Faith, Joh. 6. 35.
3. Prayer, and any profeſſion of Repentance we make therein will not ſerve the turn, without amendment of life: every one muſt return from his evil way. What had the Prodigals deliberation and reſolution of returning to his Father been, if he had not actually returned to his Fathers houſe, yea to the Laws of his Fathers houſe; for we muſt ſuppoſe (which will well agree with ſuch a Parable) he came not thither only to receive a Robe, and a Ring, and ſhoos for his feet to walk with like a Gentleman (nay, the uſage of an hired ſervant would have ſerv'd his turn) but reverently and obediently to receive Commands alſo to walk by. Indeed in the day of humiliation there is a ſincere Reſolution only, and a ſerious engagement (as Ezra 10. 12.) but afterward there is (or ſhould be) a zealous Execution and real accompliſhment, as Ezra 10. 14, 15, 16.
4. Faſting and Fear do well together, for it is the Fear of God (when his anger appears in his threatnings) which much avails and prevails for the doing of that which God requires of us, as namely for prayer, 2 Chron. 20. 3. and forſaking our evil way, Prov. 16. 6. But now there is a threefold Fear:
1. A Fear ariſing from the conviction of Gods power and juſtice, and our own guilt, and accompanied with conſternation; this is the Fear of ordinary men living in the Church, and ſomewhat acquainted with Gods terrors, and that are not yet faln into an utter obſtinacy, and this ſeems to be ſpoken of here, v. 16. the Princes feared (looking to God and his greatneſs) yet reſolved to tell the King, Looking to his greatneſs alſo, and provident (it ſeems) to keep a correſpondence with him; yet the godly among them had a gracious fear; others were affrighted with puniſhment, but the ungodly came not thus far, v. 24.
2. A Fear ariſing out of conviction that men have to do with God, and accompanied with indignation becauſe they cannot abide that God ſhould croſs, controul, menace and ſtraiten them. Somewhat of this ſeems to be in this King Jehoiakim, who could not but know he had to do with God as well as with Jeremiah, (conſidering how much of God appeared in and with Jeremy) but his inward horrour and hatred made him do as the Philiſtins did, that feared and fought againſt God, 1 Sam. 4. 7, 8. ſo did Jehoiachim with his Pen-knife and fire, and fury againſt Jeremy and Baruch. This Fear is in the worſt men.
3. There is a Fear in the beſt men, ariſing from conviction of Gods terrible Majeſty, Pſal. 76. 7. accompained with an apprehenſion of his goodneſs, Hoſ. 3. 5. and working their hearts to an holy ſubmiſſion and obedience. Something of this or like this we find in the Ninevites in a natural and moral way, Joh. 3. 10. and in the Church we find it in a better way, Ezra 10. 9, 10, 11, 12. This is an encouraging Fear, Ninive ſays. Who can tell? Jon. 3. 9. the Church, Who knoweth? Joel 2. 14. And ſure, if Gods, It may be, v. 7. come to ſomething, then will our (May-bees) alſo. If we give him his expectation, he will give us ours, Jon. 3. 10.