the waters of Jordan were diuided the walls of Jericho fell downe to the ground the Jdoll Dagon was dismembred But the Arke of the new Couenant doth much more it passeth all Gods children through the mighty floods of affliction breaketh downe the walls of temptation casteth Popish Jdolatry to Gebena from whence it came as not able to looke the truth in the face this doth present Christ the way the truth and the life and doth exhibite Christ vnto vs God and man to be our righteousnes sanctification and redemption Now the way to meet with all these blessings with Obed-Edom is to entertaine the Arke of the Gospell but yet these blessings are not obtained in respect of the presence of the Gospell but in respect of beleeuing obeying and reuerent estimation and entertainement of the same for as we must loue God imbrace his lawes aduance the Gospell so must we imitate the example of Obed-Edom who did not breake the tables of stone Aarons rod or misused Manna which would haue bred his ouerthrow but as he did carry a reuerent respect and estimation to the Arke so he did to the supporters thereof he brake not off the rings nor the barres in the rings by which it was carryed from one place to another Jt is a difficult matter for a man in our dayes to profit himselfe by the Gospell that doth for any earthly respect despise a powerfull Ministery who as the Barres in the Arke doe preach the truth and carry the Arke of the Gospell vnto the world neither was the Ring or Barre changed but keept as it was ordained by God and his seruant Moses and wheresoeuer this hastie disposition is we may assure our selues it leaues some bountifull remembrance to your Lordsh is recommended a care of the reuerent estimation of the Arke and affaires thereof You are as a towre vpon the top of an hil so much the more reason haue you to walk wisely that in respect of your great priuiledges that the lawes of God the kingdom may be conioynd with an vpright and godly course of life because Plus effecit apud populum which laudable course your L. doth follow which hath the more emboldened and encouraged mee to present this small token of my good wills vnto your Lordship albeit J haue not vsed the common Method of many in the like case which were rather to write of you then to you yet neither to be neglected for in publishing though sparingly my knowledge of your worth to the world some might taxe mee with flattery which J condemne in others but only on the other part some may censure me to haue written of you according to the pouerty of my ability rather then to the fulnes of your merite but howsoeuer peraduenture it will seeme strange when this commeth to your Lordships hands what assurance of your good acceptance should haue mooued me to dedicate the same vnto you J haue not done it mercinarie further then my paines may aduance the Gospell for then I would haue presented it to your hands nor vaine gloriously in crauing your approbation but freely and honestly out of that respect which J owe to that innate goodnesse which J hope is and shall expresse it selfe in you And herein I thinke my selfe happy that J liue to know one of so great qualitie as your selfe whose breast goodnesse makes her habitation which J may the more boldly say in that J heard from your mouth that your desire was to aduance and prefer those that were worthy to the worke of God for the which and for mine owne part also as J endeauour my selfe to runne after the high calling of God in Christ Iesus so I desire to imitate the fertill lands Qui multo plus reddunt quam acceperint quia si non dubita mus bona conferre his qnos speramus nobis profuturos quales debemus esse in eos qui iam profuerunt But yet J say Non redderevero bono viro it cannot absqua iniuria id facere possit Receiue then a signification of my loue a testification of duty Accipe ergo hanc obseruantiae meae humilem tesseram quidem sereno vultu ac animo clementi accipe Inde pium meum in te affectum elice meque clementia solita porro prosesequere Illud vbi impetravero magnum me quid impetrasse existimabo pro quo tamen nil praeter preces pias officia obsequia humilia reponere queo And thus humbly taking my leaue wishing to your Lordship all health and happines with the increase of all spirituall and temporall blessings And that this small gift may haue as good acceptance in your Lordships fauour as it is well intended by me to this effect I pray the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body bee preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ in him Farewell Your Lordships in all respectiue dutie to be commanded Alexander Vdny THE Voice of the Cryer Containing A FORCIBLE INVItation vnto Repentance IOEL 2.12 Therefore also now saith the Lord turne yee even to me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning IN the former part of this Chapter the Prophet threatneth vnto the Iewes heauy iudgements and a fearefull desolation from the Assyrians whom God at the length would send vnto them beholding them secure and carelesse obstinate and impenitent he rouseth them vp by a Proclamation of dolefull tydings The day of the Lord is come for it is at hand a day of darknesse and of blacknes Vers 1.2.11 a day of clouds and obscuritie c. The day of the Lord is great and very terrible and who can abide it In these words as a most louing Pastor vnto his flocke he declareth the remedy whereby this fearefull desolation might be preuented namely by true and vnfained Repentance concerning which two things are to be considered First the duetie enioyned Secondly the reasons where by it is enforced The Duetie enioyned is true and vnfained Repentance consisting of these two parts First internall in the affection required both of Priests and people turne ye euen to me with all your heart Secondly externall and in action consisting of three points 1. Fasting 2. Weeping 3. With mourning The Reasons whereby it is enforced are three 1. From the occasion therefore 2. From the time now also 3. From the author saith the Lord. Therefore now also saith the Lord. I shall first speake of the Reasons then of the Dutie it selfe at the pleasure of God The first Reason then whereby our Prophet doth exhort the Iewes vnto Repentance The occasion Therefore is from the occasion of the same laid downe in this encreasing particle therefore which hauing relation vnto the former verses pointeth out vnto vs the great danger wherein the Iewes stood at this time iudgements being denounced against them iudgements being prepared for them iudgements euen hanging ouer
Prayer that we may be heard of the Lord therefore this same Prophet conioyneth both together in this Chapter Verse 14.15 it giueth as Bernard saith deuotion and courage vnto Prayer Prayer begetteth fasting and fasting furthereth prayer fasting strengthneth prayer prayer sanctifieth fasting and represents it vnto the Lord. 6. As fire did not hurt the three children in the furnace but Gods power was the more manifested in their deliuerance so this dutie of fasting being rightly performed doth not hurt but rather the power of God is more manifested in deliuering from those troubles for which they fast 7. As the fire is encreased by Oyle euen so by abstinence the oyle of pietie aboundeth Therefore our Sauiour saith Mat. 6.17 When thou doest fast anoint thy face with Oyle which is by doing the almes of godlinesse So wood doth nourish the fire this wood or those trees are good works and therefore our Prophet saith Sanctifie a Fast that is offer vnto God an holy abstinence of the flesh accompanied with good workes yea daily experience doth teach vs that those which eat but little and are hardly brought vp liue longer and are lesse subiect vnto sicknesse then others So then the creatures are Schoolemasters vnto vs instructing vs in the performance of this dutie if we learne by them to abstaine from iniquities and the vnlawfull pleasures of this world Iciunium purgat mentem sublâ—unt sensum c. Aug ser de â—eiun this is a perfect Fast This purgeth the minde helpeth the iudgement maketh the flesh subiect to the spirit maketh a broken and humble heart disperseth the clouds of concupiscence extinguisheth the heat of lust and kindleth the light of chastity Now I come in particular to speake of this outie concerning which these things are to be handled 1. What it is 2. The kindes thereof 3. By whom it is ordained 4. The time wherein it must be obserued 5. Wherein it doth consist 6. How it is to be performed 7. The seuerall ends thereof 8. The benefits proceeding from thence For the first the Fast required in this place What fasting is Gen. 12.10 Act. 27.21 Act. 9.9 Mat. 4.2 Exod. 34.28 â— King 19.18 Mat. 3.4 is not such a fast as doth proceede from the shatting of the heauens â—or hardning of the earth which is properly called famine neither that which doth proceede from want of meat neither that extraordinary abstinence occasioned by visions neither such a miraculous fast as of Moses Elias and our Sauiour neither such as the daily sobriety and temperance that was in Iohn Baptist neither such as that supersticious fasting of the Papists in abstaining from flesh and eating more delicious meats the obseruation whereof is by them not onely accounted a thing religious but also meritorious such sorts of Fasts I say our Prophet doth not require but a true religious fast which is an abstinence from meat and drinke for a religious vse lawfully commanded that is seasonably to abstaine from refreshing of our bodies to make them fitter for religious duties although Adam was commanded to fast from the forbidden tree Moses was the first of whom we read that did performe Est 4.16 Ionah 3.7 Luk. 3.33 Mar. 2.18 Mat. 9.14 Dan. 10.3 Iudg. 20. and that willingly in crauing God pardon for the sins of the people This deiection together with the seuerall parts thereof are agreeable to the holy Scriptures which these marginall quotations confirme It may be demanded Quest whether we should abstaine from all sorts of meat as the Niniuites did or onely from pleasant meat as Dauid did To this I answer that Fasting may be considered Answ 1. Of one single act for one day as the Israelites did 1 Sam. 31. 2. Of distinct times following one vpon another as the men of Iabesh Gilead who fasted seuen dayes which is not so to be vnderstood that they fasted so long by one continued act of abstinence but that they fasted euery one of these seuen dayes eating nothing all the day long and at euening making a course meale This both Osiander a Protestant on 1 Chron. 10. and Tostatus a Papist on 1 King 31. doe confirme Wherefore I say that a single act of fasting if nature can so long endure is to be kept without meat or drinke but if the fast consist of many acts it is lawfull to eat by the example of Daniel who fasted euery day of the three weekes space Alsâ—ed Theol. Polem tart 4. de Ve cont p. 50.6 and at night broke his fast according to the custome of the Iewes Therefore Christ is said to haue fasted as well the night as the day to put a difference betwixt his fasting and the fasting of the Iewes It is then an imperfect fasting when either there is not abstinence from all food from morning to night or when there is an abstinence onely from one sort of meat and drinke as flesh and wine and not from others For the second The kinds and sorts of Fasting August super Psalmum 43. The kinds and sorts of Fasting are especially two the one worldly the other religious a wordly Fast is 1. For a worldly cause as S Paul made the people fast to be auenged of their enemies 2. For healths sake 3. To spare meanes 4. To keepe the stomacke for better fare an holy Fast is for an holy an religious end the abuse whereof the Lord reproued by his prophet Zech. 7.5.6 saying Ye fasted vnto your selues but not vnto me Here a question may be propounded Quest That if the end of fasting be that which maketh the difference betwixt a religious anp a prophane fasting what if both doe concurre together as if one fast both for the health of his body as also to tame the pride of his flesh to which kinde is such a Fast to be reserred I answer Answ that if onely one of those ends be intended then the other is but accidentall and the denomination followeth the preuailing side but if mans intention be mixt partly concerning the soule and partly the body this last respect taketh away from the worth of the former The Reason is because the intention of a mans minde cannot perfectly be set vpon two contrary obiects at one time therefore it is most fit to deferre the one till the other be accomplished and what we saue by fasting to bestow vpon the poore as they did in the primitiue Church Aug. super Psa whereunto S. Augustin doth exhort in these words Let that which is withdrawne from our daintie fare be giuen to the needy let hungry Christ receiue that which a fasting Christian doth abate A Religious Fast is either priuate or publike both which are either ordinary or extraordinary An example of publike we haue in the Niniuites and for priuate Fasting though many mocke it and speake against it yet it is also warranted from Gods word both in the Old and New Testament as we may read Leuit. 26.29 which
Statute was not Ceremoniall but Morall because we sinne daily against God and we cannot say that extraordinary actions did fall vpon that day vnto that people So also Mat. 9.14 Luk 2.37 Whence may be gathered that fasting was kept in the dayes of Christ for a religious vse Christ reproued the abuse but not the lawfull vse which dutie was performed by Anna Who serued God Luk. 2.37 with fasting and prayer night and day So that this sort of fasting is lawfull and helpefull to further our humiliation both it selfe and the seuerall kindes thereof are commanded in the word of God For the 3. The Author and ordainer of Fasting The Author of Fasting Exod. 19.3 Luk. 23. Mat 6.17 was God himselfe in Paradise as God did command it both before and vnder the Law so doth Christ also in the Gospell By eating the Serpent ouerthrew the first Adam by abstinence the second Adam ouercame the Serpent and restored vs to life againe It is not a late inuention of men but hath for its warrant both the precept and practise of Christ For the 4. The time wherein this dutie is required of vs The Time is either when our enemies conspire against vs as Iehosaphat did 2 Chron. 20. or when we behold the face of the Lord against vs and his hand punishing vs as the Israelites Iudg. 20.26 or when Gods Iudgements are threatned against vs as the Niniuites or when wickednesse is not taken to heart as it was in the dayes of Ezra Iona. 3.5 Ezra 8.23 or out of a loue to Gods glory and preseruation of his people as Queene Hester and Mordicai Hest 4.15 when our outward state and condition doth decay when Gods Iudgements doe not prouoke vs vnto Repentance when we haue committed some grosse sins which we would haue pardoned when we would preuent future sinnes when we finde a want of spirituall blessings and the like For the 5. The parts of a Religious Fast are two externall The part of a religious fast and internall externall in abstaining from labor and all worldly businesses wherein the Iewes were so precise that they held it as vnlawfull to doe any worke vpon that day as vpon the Sabbath Maymon Treat rest of the 10. day cap. 1. ser 1.2 yea and ordained the breakers of both to be punished alike Internall consisting of two parts Repentance and Prayer Repentance consisting of two parts sorrowing for sinnes past leading of a new life In the sorrowing for sinnes past there must be first a sense and feeling of our misery secondly lamentation for it Thirdly an vnfolding of the same before God 1. I say there must be a sense and feeling of sinne to enforce which we are to remember the time place and manner of our sinnes we are to take notice that our sinnes offend God and that we deserue punishment both in this life and the life to come for which we must mourne and fast which is true humiliation 2. We must lament our misery which is the groaning of the heart and is sometime expressed by our voyce and teares and if God heare the groanes of other creatures how much more the groanes of his owne children 3. We must confesse this our miserable estate to God not in generall but in particular that hereby we may acknowledge Gods goodnesse and our owne wickednesse which vntill we haue some grace we are still ashamed to confesse although to such as doe acknowledge their sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them Prayer 1. That the Lord would remoue his iudgements from vs. 2. That he would bestow all sorts of blessings vpon vs. 3. That God would giue vs grace first to abstaine from euill of which Saint Ierom said It is a pleasant fact to the body when the minde fasteth from vice for if we would haue God to turne from the euill of punishment we must first turne from the euill of sinne for what profit is it to astaine from the eating of flesh if in the meane time both the mouth and our other members be giuen ouer vnto impieties to abstaine from meat and to doe euill is the Diuels fast who doth euill and yet eateth nothing 2. To doe that which is good first in performing our dutie towards God secondly in louing one another forgiuing wrongs done vnto vs and debts owen by the poore if they be not able to pay which three are by our Sauiour ioyned together Fasting Prayer and Almesdeeds Mat 6. which actions of Christianity ought to be performed by euery Christian we must be like Cornelius who saith Foure dayes agoe I was fasting vntill this houre and at the ninth houre Acts 10.32 I prayed in my house and behold a man stood before me in bright cleathing and said Cornelius thy prayer is heard and thine almes are had in remembrance in the sight of God For the 6. This dutie is thus to be performed First How wee ought to fast there must be an abstinence from meat and drinke that the body may be afflicted yet so that nature be not destroyed neither we made more vnfit for spirituall duties 2. We must abstaine from morning vntill night as by the Scriptures the custome of the Iewes and the custome of the Church thereafter is euident and plaine 3. We must abstaine from all pleasures which may prouoke vs to sin 4. All persons excepting such as want strength and discretion are bound to keepe this humiliation 5. We ought to put on our meanest apparell 6. We must make a more solemne confession of our sinnes both in generall and in particular with more strong cries and groanes to obtaine pardon for our sinnes with plenty of teares which were accompanied with putting on sack-cloath bowing of the body renting of the garments lying in the dust of which the Prophet Micah speaketh Therefore will I wait and houle Mic. 1.8 I will goe stript and naked I will make a wailing like a Dragon and mourning as the Owles 7. All the members must fast the eye Ber. ser 3. de quad the eare the tongue the hand much more the soule it selfe For the 7. The ends of Fasting are 1. To subdue the flesh The ends of Fasting and mortifie our bodily lusts that they may become subiect to the will of God 2. To stirre vp deuotion and attention vnto holy duties for by it the heart and affections become lighter purer more fit and in better order for the seruice of God 3. To testifie by our humiliation that we deserue to be cut off from God that we deny our selues the vse of Gods creatures and that we rather deserue death as being by reason of sin vnworthy to enioy the smallest of Gods creatures For the 8. The benefit of casting The benefits of Fasting besides those formerly mentioned are diuers 1. Hereby both blessings haue beene obtained and fearefull iudgements haue beene remoued yea turned into blessings 2. By it Gods children haue