now he had forsaken that Citie In the fift moneth were not onely the Kings house and all the houses of Ierusalem but also the house of God that famous Temple which Salomon built burnt downe to the ground whereby the Lord declared that now his presence and protection was cleane taken away from them In the seuenth month Gedaliah was slaine This Gedaliah was appointed a Gouernour ouer that remnant of people which were left in Iudea after the greater sort of them were caried away captiues now when he was slaine euen all that remnant also was scattered none remained which was a further declaration of the extent of Gods wrath against them Thus God many waies manifesting his indignation against the Iewes they had iust cause euen with fasting to humble themselues all those times and because they felt the smart of euery one of those strokes all the time of of the captiuity they continued as there was iust cause their times of humiliation by fasting till the captiuity was ended but after that Gods fauourable countenance was turned to them again they left off those daies of fast Now the Papists can shew no such cause of their forenamed set fasts so as the example of the Iewes can bee no warrant to them 2 Obiect The same daies are obserued in our Church for fasting dayes Answ They are retained by vs onely as politicke and ciuill fasts for the better preseruation of flesh but maintained by them as religious fasts §. 106. Of the continuance of a Fast TO know the right and due continuance of a fast it is needfull to put difference betwixt a fast in whole and in part A fast in whole is such a fast as wee haue described wherein there is an vtter abstinence except in case of necessity from refreshing the body with any food at all A fast in part is when a man taketh some nourishment in the daies of his fast and this is when there is occasion of fasting longer then a man is able to forbeare all manner of sustenance for example a man of great vse whose death is a very great losse is strucken with a dangerous sicknesse and lieth betwixt hope and feare some weeke or more their issue being vnknowne his friends earnestly desirous of his life continue to fast and pray euery day till they see what issue the Lord will giue now because of the long continuance of such a fast euery day they take one meale to preserue the strength of their body The like fast may bee vsed when a City is besieged and the inhabitants inclosed by their enemies on euery side Now because such a fast may be long indured and the occasion thereof may bee longer or shorter no set time can be set for the continuance of it but onely that it bee ordered according to the occasion that God giueth As for the other more true and proper Fast a Fast in whole which was described * before and whereof we doe now especially speake a whole naturall day is a fitte time for the continuance of it Our naturall day consisteth of foure and twenty houres Of lesse continuance a Religious Fast as I take it may not be In the Law the day of a fast is called a Sabbath the time of a Sabbath must therefore bee allotted vnto it now a Sabbath containeth the seuenth part of a weeke which is foure and twenty houres Where Esther inioyneth a Fast of three daies shee mentioneth the night as well as the daies shewing thereby that the night must bee reckoned as a part of that day wherein a Fast is obserued In the space of foure and twenty houres onely one ordinary meale is forborne the Fast beginning at the end of one meale and when the Fast is ended another meale being taken but lesse then one meale in a Fast cannot be forborne This therefore is the shortest time which yet will appeare to be long enough if a Fast be rightly and duly obserued For the last meale which is taken before a Fast ought to be a very moderate spare meale so moderate as so soone as it is taken wee may without heauinesse drowsinesse and dulnesse set ouselues to examination meditation conference reading prayer and such like religious exercises in priuate as a preparation vnto the more solemne exercises to bee performed in a Fast Most meet it is that this preparation be in the euening and the Fast then to beginne From euen to euen saith the Law shall ye celebrate your Sabbath meaning a Fast So as immediatly after a spare supper all seruile workes of our calling laide aside the forenamed preparation is to beginne and continue so long as conueniently wee can sit vp euen longer and later then on other daies we vse to goe to bed Then after some sleepe is taken in the next morning rising sooner then ordinarily we vse to doe after some renewing of our preparation the rest of the time euen till the foure twenty houres from the beginning of our euening preparation be ended is to be spent in the solemne exercises of Religion appertaining to a Fast If a Fast be continued as hath been before set downe two whole dayes it is as much as our weake nature can wel endure without impairing the health and strength of our body Obiect Paul and they which were in the ship with him fasted foureteene dayes and tooke nothing Answ They are said to fast because being all that time in danger of their liues much perplexed and busied in sauing the ship they had no leasure to take one ordinary meale so as that was not a propper Fast but yet an extraordinary abstinence no more taken then was necessary to preserue life and therefore Paul fearing lest some of them might faint exhorted them to take some meate adding this reason This is for your health as for this phrase They tooke nothing it is but an hyperbolicall speech 2 Obiect Esther and the Iewes in her time fasted three dayes and three nights together Answ The Iewes liued vnder an hotter climate then we doe and in that respect could endure to fast longer then wee which liue in the Northerne and colder part of the world §. 107. Of Supplication the most principall end of a Religious Fast THe last point noted in the description of a Religious Fast concerneth those duties of Religion which are the end of a Fast and for our better fitting whereunto a Fast is vndertaken The most principall duty of all is supplication whereunto as subordinate to prayer may be added Examination humiliation mortification c. Because extraordinary prayer is the most especiall end of fasting I haue annexed fasting as an helpe thereunto for which I haue good warrant by the vsuall tenour of the Scripture which ioineth Fasting and Prayer together When the Prophets saw cause to vse extraordinary Prayer they were wont to call vpon the people to fast Sanctifie a Fast saith Ioel when
¶ The Minde of the FRONT THis CONSTANT compleat Souldier doth oppose The Failing World the Infecting Flesh the Diuell In Iesuited Angel-shape Three foes Deadly 〈◊〉 tempting men to Euill Christ comforts with his own name-ensign'd Ensigne And crowneth his owne victory in fine Back-sliding IVLIAN is at peace with Hell Conflicts with heauen the knowne truth doth despight Whom Christs victorious Banner doth compell To yeeld the glorious Conqueror his right Snares Swords Fire Brimstone are his fearefull lot He now feeles him whom earst he feared not Selfe-strangling Iudas and selfe-stabbing Saul Stand euerlasting Pillars of Despaire To warne Succession of their dreadfull fall Neuer to be repair'd by faithfull Prayer Yet Heau'ns three yeeres and six month congeal'd fâ—st Elias feruent prayer thaw'd at last THE Whole Armour of GOD. OR A Christians Spirituall Furniture to keep him safe froÌ„ all the assaults of Satan The second Edition corrected inlarged whereunto is added a Treatise of the Sin against the Holy Ghost By William Gouge Resist the Diuell and hee will flee froÌ„ thee Iam. 4. 7. Imprinted at London by Iohn Beale 1619. The reward of the righteous A CHRISTIAN ARMED In this victory The reward of the wicked AN APOSTAT CONFOVNDED By This confusion ☧ Of Salvation Of the Spirit Of Righteousneâ— Truth Of the Preparatioâ— Of the Gospel Of Faith CONSTANTINE Thou hast overcome a Galilean New Testament IVLIAN The power of prayer Deceiveth Faileth Infecteth Desparation To the right Honourable Sr SEBASTIAN HARVY Knight Lord Maior of the Honourable Citie of London and to the right Worshipfull Aldermen and Sheriffes his Brethren and to the right Worshipfull Mr Recorder together with the whole estate of the said City all true happinesse Right Honourable Right Worshipfull YOur Honour and Worships being by the good guiding prouidence of GOD the Generall Captaines and Liefetenants of this Metropolis this chiefe City Castle of the Kingdome wherein by the same Prouidence I am thogh one of the meanest yet one of the Watchmen To whom ought I rather to present these fruits of my Watchmans function then vnto your Honour and Worships As duty in regard of your places so gratefulnesse also in regard of your kindnesses requires as much My Father Grandfather and other Predecessors haue of old from time to time beene beholding to this Honourable City the kindnesse which they formerly receiued is still continued to mee Which as I doe with all humble thankfulnesse acknowledge so from my heart I desire the Almighty to remember your Honor and Worships together with the whole estate of this Honourable City in goodnesse and not to wipe out the kindnesse which is shewed to the Ministers of his Word and to poore distressed people Long hath the Gospell beene purely powerfully plentifully preached in this honourable City and great countenance and maintenance hath by many therein beene giuen thereunto Good orders haue within these later yeeres beene taken for the better sanctifying of the Lords Sabbath Much reliefe is from time to time giuen to the poore These and such like workes of Piety and Charity are the beauty honour strength and wealth of this City I denie not but that in the outward politicke gouernment of this great Corporation and the many seuerall Companies therein London may be accounted the glorie of the earth But the things which make it exceed in glory are the faire houses of Prayer and preaching the Word the great Assemblies of Gods people frequenting the same to worship God the spacious Hospitals and places of Charity together with the liberall prouision therein made for reliefe of poore children and orphants of aged and impotent men and women of lame and maimed souldiers and of many other like succourlesse persons the thrones of Iustice and Iudgement with the like wherein London may be compared to Sion the City of God whereof great and excellent things are spoken Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull goe on this way which is the onely right way to procure the peace and prosperity of your City Let the Ministry of Gods Word be more and more promoted Let the Lords Sabbaths haue their due obseruations let the poore be releeued and the oppressed be succoured let profane persons and all euill doers the enemies of Christian Policies be punished In a word let Gods Ordinances be aduanced and right iudgement executed and so shall London be accounted the City of the great King where he will delight to dwell and bestow his blessing For in these things is God highly honoured Now God who can and will performe it hath said it Them that honour me will I honour It lieth much in the power of Magistrates to procure or hinder the blessing of God in those Cities places ouer which they are set For they being publike persons their good deeds are by the wise God publikely rewarded and their euill deedes publikely reuenged Right Honourable and Right Worshipfull accept I pray you the duty and pardon the boldnes of your Watchman And O Lord of Lords doe good to this City of thine continue the peace and prosperity thereof so prayeth Your Honours and Worships in all duty for euer bounden WILLIAM GOVGE TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE RJGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND OTHER my beloued Parishioners Inhabitants of the precinct of Blacke-fryers London Grace in Christ Right Honourable Right Worshipfull Beloued AMong the many great blessings which the Lord hath beene pleased to bestow on me his poore seruant vnworthy of the least I account this to be an high Fauour that he hath put me in his Seruice and appointed me to be one of the Ministers of his Word Basely is this calling accounted of by the greater and vulgar sort of people but my conscience beareth me witnesse that I receiue such contentment therein and hold my selfe so honoured thereby as I preferre it to all other callings and am prouoked thereby to giue some euidence of my thankefull acceptance thereof which better I know not how to doe then by imploying and improuing to my poore power the Talent which my Master hath committed to my charge I am not ignorant how insufficient I am thereunto and that not onely in regard of the greatnesse of the worke whereunto who is sufficient but also in comparison of other Ministers whom God in great number hath raised vp in these our dayes Yet withall I know that the great Master accepted the imployment of two talents as well as of fine yea if he that receiued but one talent had imployed it euen he also should haue beene accepted for God the righteous Iudge neither exacteth nor expecteth more then he giueth If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that which a man hath and not according to that which he hath not This is it which moueth me as by Preaching so also by publishing some part of my labours in Print to seeke the edification of Gods Church I account Preaching the most principall part of my function for this
of the Diuel and his wiles fearing left he should find vs somewhere vnarmed and sometime vnprepared for otherwise we are safe Gods word is able to afford vnto vs wisdome enough to auoid his wiles For Dauid thereby was made wiser then his enemies Let vs therein exercise our selues and withall pray with Dauid that God would turne the wiles and counsels of the Diuell into foolishnesse For God catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse THE THIRD PART The reason why we must be well armed Ephes 6. 12. For wee wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against worldly Gouernours Princes of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things §. 1. The coherence IN this verse is laid downe the motiue which the Apostle vseth to vrge the fore-named direction It may haue a double reference First generall to the former exhortation Be strong c. yea and put on the whole armour c. because we haue such enemies as are heere described Secondly particular to the last clause of the former verse where he shewed that we were to stand against the Diuell so it serues as an amplification of them for if the question be asked what is the Diuell that we should be so prepared against him these words set him forth not flesh and blood but principalities c. The first particle for being a causall particle which intimateth a reason implieth the first reference the immediat connexion of this verse vpon the last clause of the former verse implieth the second Both may well stand together for both import one and the same thing namely that because wee haue so dreadfull and deadly enemies wee ought to bee well prepared against them §. 2. Danger maketh watchfull FRom the inference then of this verse and from the force of the Apostles argument I collect that The greater danger we are subiect vnto the more watchfull and carefull we must be for our safety When Christ obserued what a sore agony he was to enter into he did not only watch and pray himselfe but called vpon his Disciples to watch and pray and because they did not he rebuked them for their sluggishnesse Saint Peter vrgeth this dutie of watchfulnesse vpon a like reason namely because we haue so feareful an enemy Outward temporal dangers make naturall men watchfull and carefull for their temporal estates and liues as the histories of all times and ages shew Seeing then that spirituall dangers are much more fearfull ought we not to be much more carefull If we be we doe not only shew that we haue regard of our soules and seeke the good of them but also we shall procure much good vnto them and preuent and keepe away much mischiefe from them Vse What false consequences doe most make of that spirituall danger whereunto they vnderstand that they are subiect by reason of their spirituall enemies Euen cleane contrary to this inference of the Apostle and the wisdome thereby taught vs and that in two extreames one of presumption the other of despaire for some when they heare of such enemies as are heere described they doe too vainely carelesly and proudly contemne them like Gaal other too meanely basely and slauishly dread them like Ahaz §. 3. Against presumption THe former extreame which is presumption ariseth partly from too great a conceit of our selues and of our owne strength and partly from too light credence and beleefe of that which is recorded of the Diuell That selfe-conceit maketh vs fondly imagine that wee are well able to resist all temptations of the Diuell or any of his instruments whereupon many are ready to lay when they are exhorted to take heed of the Diuell and of his strong temptations I defie the Diuell and all his wicked crue he can doe no hurt to me I can I thanke God easily auoid his temptations the gates of hell cannot preuaile against mee and yet proud silly fooles they are ouertaken and ouercome with euery slight temptation Peter though otherwise a man of good gifts was somewhat too conceited of himselfe and too much inclined to this extreame and yet when he was to stand to it a silly wench daunted him Light credence maketh vs thinke the Diuell cannot be so terrible as he is set forth to be but that the things which are written and said of him and his wiles are but as scar-crowes and bugbeares to make men afraid like to olde tales of the walking of spirits of fairies hobgoblins c. This incredulitie much hindereth the power of such exhortations directions admonitions and rebukes which are giuen vs for our good Both Peter and the other Disciples were somewhat tainted here with for when Christ told them all that all of them should be offended by him and that Peter in particular should deny him none of them would beleeue it Peter saith Though all should yet he would neuer and againe though he should die yet would he not deny Christ and so said all the Disciples §. 4. Against Despaire THe latter extreame which is Despaire ariseth partly from too deepe an apprehension of the power of the Diuell as if his power were infinite and he were able to do whatsoeuer his malice led him vnto and so could doe what hee would or vnlimited God letting the raines loose vnto him and holding him in no further then he list himselfe and so he might doe what he could like an vntamed horse that is not curbed and bridled in and partly from too light an esteeme of that power which is to be had in God and of the great helpe and benefite which the whole armour of God affordeth as if God were not able to make vs strong enough nor that whole armour sufficient to make vs safe These two causes of despaire made the Israelites often times vtter most desperat speeches against God for when they heard that in Canaan the Land which was giuen them for inheritance the people were strong that there were men of great stature euen Grants therein that the Cities were walled and exceeding great they desperately expostulated with the Lord why he brought them into that Land to fall by the sword and in despaire of euer possessing Canaan whouâ—d nâ—eds returne againe into Egypt and another time they plainly made doubt of Gods power saying Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse Can he giue bread As these Israelites murmured against God and made question of his power and truth in performing his promises in regard of their temporall enemies whom they iudged to bee too strong for them so doe many in regard of their spirituall enemies Thus wee see how prone wee are to peruert those things to our destruction which the Lord hath set forth for our instruction Heere the Apostle layeth downe both the meanes for our defence and also the danger to which wee are subiect that we
is better that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vow and not pay it §. 114. Of publike and priuate Fasts and vowes AS the occasions of fasting and vowing are publike or priuate so must they bee done publikly or priuately Because there was a publike iudgement on the land Ioel the Prophet called the people to a publike fast So likewise Ezra caused a publike vow to to made of all the people Annahs occasion was priuate and particular accordingly was her f fast and g vow A publike fast or vow must bee appointed by publike authority as were all the publike fasts and vowes recorded and commended in the Scripture and performed by all that are vnder their authority in their dominion who command it When Iehosaphat proclaimed a publike fast it is noted that they came out of all the Cities of Iudah and when Iosiah made a publike vow and Couenant with the Lord He caused all that were found in Iudah and Beaiamine to stand to it The Ministers of the word ought to put the Magistrates in minde of these extraordinary exercises when there is occasion as Ioel did The Magistrate ought to appoint them and Magistrates Ministers People and all obserue them and for the better obseruing thereof assemble together in publike places and vse the publike Ministery of the word for which wee haue a notable patterne of the Iewes in the time of Nehemiah for when the people were all assembled together with fasting to make a solemne vowe the Leuites read in the book of the Law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day and another fourth part of the day they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God These two fourth parts were all the time that passed betwixt the morning and euening Sacrifice namely from nine to three As for priuate fasts vowes if they be performed in a family the Master thereof who is a King Priest and Prophet in his owne house hath the ordering therof But euery particular Christian hath liberty in secret by himselfe to vse these extraordinary exercises as he seeth iust cause if at least he be not vnder the power cōmand of another to whom his time and seruice is due When Magistrates are negligent in appointing those publike exercises in their seasons priuate Christians may for their parts make some supply thereof in their families or at least in secret by themselues §. 115. Of Motiues to extraordinary Prayer VVEighty motiues there be to stirre vs vp to extraordinary Prayer 1 It sheweth that we goe along with Gods good guiding prouidence that we obserue Gods iudgements and are moued with them and take notice of his blessings and are accordingly affected that as the iudgements of God are greater so our supplication and humiliation more extraordinary as his blessings more needefull and scanty so our petitions more earnest and feruent and as they are more excellent and plentifull so our thankesgiuing more solemne They who content themselues with their ordinary manner of praying like mil-horses going round in their vsuall tracke and neuer take any occasion of extraordinary prayer but thinke all is well because they are not Atheists which neuer call vpon God plainely discouer how little they regard Gods dealing with them If they did as God dealt extraordinarily with them so would they extraordinarily carry themselues towards God 2 Extraordinary prayer is extraordinarily powerfull and effectuall either for preuenting and remouing great iudgements or for obtaining and recouering singular blessings as we haue before shewed 3 It is an extraordinary honour done vnto God the more we stoop vnder his iudgements and the more highly we account his blessings and fauours the more we glorifie God §. 116. Of the neglect of extraordinary Prayer Vse IF we well obserue Gods dealing with vs and the seuerall occasions of extraordinary prayer from time to time affoorded vnto vs wee cannot but condemne our selues for neglect of this duty and extraordinarily humble our selues euen because wee haue not extraordinarily prayed as iust occasion hath oftentimes beene giuen vnto vs. How many iudgements hath God laid vpon vs yeere after yeere strange sicknesses extraordinary fiers frosts inundations of waters droughts when raine was needefull tempestuous and rainy weather when calme and faire weather would haue beene very acceptable with the like Among other publike iudgements I cannot let passe that sore heauy grieuous stroke whereby the life of that worthy admirable Prince was taken away vpon the sixt of Nouember 1612. Had extraordinary prayer in time been vsed no doubt but many of these iudgements might haue beene preuented Would there be so many insufficient idle carelesse corrupt Ministers as are in many places or would the diligence and paines of many learned and faithfull Ministers be so fruitlesse as they are if extraordinary prayer were more vsed What may be the reason that many marriages offices callings and the like matters of moment are so vnprosperous that many Christians long lie vnder sore and grieuous temptations and crosses that other iudgements are inflicted vpon their families their children yea and their owne persons and many needfull blessings denied Surely this duty is not vsed as it ought to be Let it therefore more frequently and conscionably be vsed Hitherto of the seuerall kinds of Prayer THE THIRD PART The time of Prayer §. 117. Of praying alwayes THe next branch is concerning the Time which by the Apostle is limited with no distinct time but indefinitely set downe vnder this generall particle Alwayes If this circumstance be simply taken without any limitation it implieth not only a great inconuenience but also a plaine impossibility For is it not inconuenient that we should attend wholly and onely on prayer and so neglect the Word Sacraments and other duties of piety yea also all duties of iustice and charity to our neighbours Is it possible that alwayes we should pray and not eate drinke sleepe and doe such other things as nature necessarily requireth Answ If the true meaning of the Apostles phrase be obserued no such incongruity or impossibility will follow vpon it In the originall it is thus set downe word for word In euery season The Greekes make a difference betwixt Time and season and in the Scripture they are also distinguished Time is more generall Season implieth that part of time which is fit for doing a thing This phrase then being translated in euery season implieth that as any iust occasion is offered we must pray Obiect The Euangelist vseth the word which properly signifieth Alwayes and so doth the Apostle in laying downe the point of thanksgiuing and another phrase of the like extent saying Pray without ceasing Answ 1. Generall phrases must bee expounded by particular and distinct phrases 2 Those Generals doe sometime signifie no more then very often so are Salomons seruants said to stand euer or continually before him So wee say of a Student that is much in
day of a Fast we sleepe lesse and rise sooner then at other times that so the body may be somewhat the more afflicted thereby and that the more time may be gained for religious duties If some sleepe be not forborne the want of foode will not be so much felt nor the body so humbled and afflicted as it should be 3 Soft and braue apparell The Lord expresly commanded his people to put off their costly raiment and so they did in the day of their humiliation It is recorded and commended that the King of Niniueh in the day of a fast laide his robe from him When the time of Dauids Fast was ended then he changed his apparell whereby is intimated that in his Fast he did not weare such apparrell as at other times he did If Kings thus laide aside their royall apparrell much more must others lay aside braue and costly apparrell The rite of putting on sackcloth which the Iewes vsed sheweth that braue apparrell may not be worne no not such as at others times is lawfull Our Gentry vpon meere fashion retaine some shadow hereof in that for the time of Lent they lay aside all light colours and goe in blacke 4 Matrimoniall beneuolence The exception which the Apostle maketh of fasting and prayer when he disswadeth man and wife from defrauding one another sheweth that this in the time of a Fast must be forborne which also Ioel implieth by bidding the Bridegroome and Bride goe out of their Chamber 5 Ordinary workes of our calling for they are expresly forbidden in the Law and in that it saith that the day of a Fast shall be a Sabbath of rest it implieth that as a Sabbath it must be sanctified and no manner of worke done therein 6 All pleasant and delightsome things The Iewes who at other times were wont to vse sweete smelling oile wherewith they annointed their head and other parts oâ— their body did in the time of their Fast forbeare to vse itâ— as is noted in the examples of Dauid and Daniel euen sâ— ought such delightfull things as are in vse among vs bâ— laide aside 7 All manner of sports pastimes and recreations for creation of the body by sports is contrary to humiliation 〈◊〉 food sleepe costly apparell matrimoniall beneuolence workes of our calling sweet perfumes with the like must be forborne much more recreations which are not so necessary as the other and yet more delightsome To conclude such forbearance of refreshing the body is required in the time of a Fast as may be felt and by the sence thereof the body something afflicted so did the Iewes as may be gathered out of this their expostulation Wherefore haue we fasted and afflicted our soule which though it were the expostulation of hypocrites yet of such as in outward religious exercises imitated the Saints But more directly is this proued by a like phrase which Ezra that good and learned Scribe vsed saying I proclaimed a Fast that we might afflict our selues before God Obiect This is such a superstitious practise as the Apostle reproueth vnder this phrase of not sparing the body Answ Not soâ— for then should hee condemne his owne practice in keeping vnder his body and bâ—inging it into subiection There is a great difference betwixt not sparing the body and keeping the body vnder By not sparing the body to omit the superstitious conceit which they whom the Apostle reproueth had of pleasing God thereby he meaneth such an excesse as weakeneth nature but by keeping vnder his body he meaneth such a moderate forbearance of the things wherein the body delighted as the corrupt flesh euen the old man might be subdued and not pampered In the former place a mans outward body is weakned and the corrupt flesh not subdued in the latter place the corrupt flesh is tamed and yet the strength of a mans outward body not impaired What contradiction then is there betwixt these two places §. 104. Of the occasions of a fast THis word Seasonable in the description of a religious Fast hath respect to the time of a Fast vnder which circumstance both the occasion and also the continuance of a Fast is comprised For that is seasonably and in due time done which on iust occasion is one and which is so far done as may stand with a mans abilitie to endure without destroying or impairing nature Heere therefore we will consider 1 The occasions of a Fast 2 The continuance thereof The occasions of fasting must be as we heard before of extraordinary prayer extraordinary as when any extraordinary blessing is with-held or taken away from vs or any iudgement is threatned or inflicted or else when any grieuous sinne is committed for which there is cause to feare Gods heauie vengeance with the like and that either in our owne behalfe or in the behalfe of others The blessing for which Annah fasted as wel as prayed for the text saith shee did not eate though it were but a priuate and temporary blessing was extraordinary So also that deliuerance for obtaining whereof Iehosaphat with the Iewes in his time and Esther and Mordecai with the Iewes in their time fasted was extraordinary The spirituall blessing for which the Church fasted when they sent forth Apostles and ordained Elders was extraordinary The iudgement which was denounced against Niniueh for preuenting whereof they fasted and which was inflicted on Israel in Ioels time for remouing whereof they also fasted were extraordinary The sinne for committing whereof the Israelites fasted in Samuels time was extraordinary The occasions which moued Ezra Nehemiah and Esther to fast in the behalfe of others were extraordinary Read all the fasts recorded and approued in the Scripture and yee shall finde the occasions of them to bee extraordinary §. 105. Of set times of Fast THis is to bee noted against the superstitious weekly monethly quarterly and yearely set fasts of Papists who hauing no respect at al to the occasion inioyne people for conscience sake to fast euery fryday the eues before most of their holydayes euery ember weeke and the time of Lent at which times may fall out occasions of reioycing So common a practise of fasting without due respect had to the occasion maketh it lose the due respect thereof Obiect The Iewes in the time of the captiuity had many set fasts in the yeare as in the fourth fift seuenth and tenth monethes Answ They had speciall and extraordinary occasions both to fast in those moneths and also to continue euery yeare to fast in them so long as they did fast The occasions were these In the tenth month Ierusalem began to bee besieged which was the first signe of that horrible vengance that God by his Prophets had oft threatned to take of the rebellious Iewes In the fourth moneth the City was broken vp whereby God openly shewed that