obtained great deliuerances yea how men by humble supplication haue preuailed with men euen with their enemies I Am at this present to proceede in that argument To quickeâ— vs vp further vnto feruent praâ—er we musâ— consider that I entred into the last day and could not then well finish for want of time namely to continue further to declare how wee may attaine vnto that feruencie of praier that hath beene spoken of which is so necessary in the fasting we haue in hand Therefore besides all that hath beene said to this end we are lastly to consider that we might be mooued to praie so earnestly as we should to consider I say the gratious promises that God hath made to all those that haue or shall heereafter at any time hold this exercise of fasting vnto him in any measure of trueth and how the same from time to time haue beene performed vnto them insomuch that though the beginning of their fast hath beene full of heauinesse and with much sorrow for their sinnes and for the wrath of God against them appearing in some grieuous punishment yet the end thereof hath beene with much reioicing and comfort in assured hope both of the free pardon and forgiuenesse of them with perfect reconciliation vnto God and also with good hope of obtaining of all such things as they haue sued for by earnest and feruent praier First what prâ—mises God hath â—ade to those that seeke vnto him in fasting and praier And first of all concerning the promise that the Lord of his great mercy hath made to all those that seeke vnto him in all humilitie by fasting and praier we may see what the prophet Ioel Ioel 1.4 saith Who exhorting the people to fasting and praier because of that great calamitie that was vpon them by reason that the fruites of the earth were so wholly destroied for that which was left of the Palmer-worme the Grashopper had eaten and the residue of the Grashopper had the Canker-worme eaten and the residue of the Canker-worme had the Caterpiller eaten cap. 2.1 exhorting them I saie to turne vnto the Lord with all their hart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and to rent their hearts and not their clothes and to turne vnto the Lord their God that is not their clothes onely according to the maner of that time in great sorrow but their hearts especiallie that so their sorrow might bee in truth not in appearance onelie setteth before them the great mercy of god to al those that so come vnto him saying For the Lord is gracious and mercifull slowe to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill who knoweth if he will returne namely to his accustomed mercifull dealing and repent that is of that euill that he might further bring vpon them and leaue a blessing behinde him euen a meat offering and a drinke offering vnto the Lorde their God that is some thing to be serued with for the glorie of his name least his seruice should faile as hee had complained before that the meat offring and drinke offring was cut off from the house of the Lorde â—oel 1.7 for which the Priestes the Lordes ministers did mourne Then we see how the Prophet in the name of the Lord doth promise vnto them that if they would thorowly humble themselues for their sinnes the cause of this great affliction noted by the rending of their hearts though the Lord had begunne to punish them already and that most grieuously yet he would stay his heauy hand and bestow some blessing vpon them where in saying Who knoweth or who can tell his meaning is nothing lesse than to call it into question or any wayes to make them doubt of it but rather to consider the hardnesse of the thing and so to seeke for it the more earnestly that they might haue some hope of it as if he had sayd Seeing God is so mercifull as he had spoken of him before calling him Gratious slow to anger and of great kindnes and one that repenteth him of the euill there is no doubt of the thing but that if they could humble themselues as he required and pray earnestly though he had begun to punish them already yet hee would repent and spare them As also it is sayd in the Prophet Jona Iona 3.9 by the King of Nineue who proclaimed a fast and willed all men to put on sackecloth and to crie mightily vnto the Lord and euery man to turne from his euill way and from the wickednesse of his hands Who can tell if God will turne and repent and turne away from his fierce wrath that wee perish not which he vttereth after this maner saying Who can tell to shew the hardnesse and difficultie of it that they might crie vnto God the more earnestly or mightily as hee also willeth them there So that as from the forenamed place of Ioel wee haue a commandement to fast publikely when Gods hand is heauie vpon vs as it is now and hath been a long time when as hee thus speaketh Thus sayth the Lord Ioel 2.12 turne you vnto me with all your hearts and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning so forth so from thence also we haue a promise as we haue heard that if we can humble our selues thorowly iudging and condemning our selues as we ought which is meant by renting of our hearts as was sayd before and turne with all our hearts from our sinnes euen with sorrow and griefe for them vnto the Lord that he himselfe will in this punishment of ours also repent and leaue a blessing behinde as is sayd there that is some cause to praise and magnifie his holy Name and the reason why we haue it no sooner is that men haue not all this while cast down themselues before the high throne of Gods iudgement as they should and vnfainedly leaue all their sins which if men could come vnto in that maner measure that they ought then heere is a most gratious sure promise made vnto vs from the Lord by the mouth of his holy Prophet that hee will be mercifull vnto vs and spare vs which he will also vndoubtedly performe for he is Trueth it selfe Therefore that we might doe this that we doe in faith Which promises wee must at this present set before our eyes I meane continue still to fast and pray and not giue it ouer or wax wearie of it as of our selues wee are too prone vnto it yea that in thus abstaining wee might pray earnestly vnto God to stay his heauie hand and to put an happie end at the last vnto this long and great mortality Let vs consider that euen this promise is made to vs and written for this very time and for this purpose that if in this fasting euery man will turne from all his sinnes with his whole heart and be sorie for them euen from the very bottome of his heart that
against them and he deliuered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them and hee solde them into the hands of their enemies round about them so that they could no longer stand before their enemies And in the time of the Kings for the same cause they were caried away captiues into Babylon 2. Chro. 36.15 because the Lord sending his messengers to reclaime them from their sinne rising earelie because hee had compassion on them they mocked the messengers of God and misused his prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against them and till there was no remedie for he brought vpon them the Kings of the Chaldeans who slew their yong men with the sword in the house of their Sanctuarie and spared neither yoong man nor virgine ancient nor aged God gaue all into his hand And at the last for refusing Christ and his holie Gospell they were vtterly destroied by the Romanes so that alwaies when sinne hath abounded the wrath of God hath beene neere Rom. 1.18 and readie to be reuealed from heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men and they that haue beene wise-hearted haue obserued it and so this hath beene sufficient cause to mooue them by fasting and praier to seeke betimes to haue it turned awaie And this they haue done euen then Euen then when outwardly there hath beene no shew of danger when there was no likelihood of anie euill to come vpon them in respect of any outward meanes that did portend it but onely their sinnes the cause of it in respect of Gods iustice did giue them cause to feare it Thus did Ezra Ezr. 9.1 the priest and the rest of the Iewes that feared God euen a verie great congregation when he vnderstoode that the Priests Leuites and the rest of the people had married strange wiues contrarie to the law of God euen of the Canaanites Hittites Iebusites Egyptians and such like he feared some plague to come vpon them for it and so confessed their sinne vnto God and craued pardon with all humilitie and earnestnesse in fasting and praier for he rent his clothes and his garments and pluckt off the haire off his head and of his beard and sate downe astonied and there assembled vnto him all that feared the wordes of the God of Israel because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie and so he sate downe astonied with them vntill the euening sacrifice and then he tell vpon his knees and spread out his hands vnto the Lord God made that humble supplication for them that followeth there Ezr. 9.6 And after that he arose vp from before the house of God and went into a chamber but he did neither eate bread nor drinke water for he mourned because of the transgressions of them of the captiuitie Ezr. 10.6 Thus though in respect of all outward things they had great cause of reioicing for he and many of the people were but newly returned out of their long captiuitie and were come vp to Ierusalem from Babel Artahshaste the King of Persia had theÌ„ giuen him all his request Ezr. 7.6 according to the hand of the Lord his God which was vpon him yet in respect of the common sinnes of their time they sound Gods wrath and mourned for it and by fasting and prayer sought to preuent it If we then had but eyes to see and hearts to consider of the innumerable great sinnes of our time which as a great floud haue ouerflowen the whole land so that there is no place nor calling free from the same but as it is sayd of the Israelites The Priests and the people trespassed woonderfully so it may be said of our time 2. Chro. 36.14 The commoâ— sinnes of ouâ— time might more vs to publike fasting if there were nothing els High and low haue woonderfully offended God we might easily perceiue that though there were no plague at all among vs or punishment vpon vs nor any by all likelihood to be feared yet for our sinnes the crie wheâ—â—of is exceeding grieuous in the cares of the Lord of hosts and is ascended vp into the heauens long agoe and calleth for vengeance against vs as theirs of Sodom and Gomorrah did Gen. 18 2â— wee had iust cause to feare his wrath and so by fasting and prayer to seeke speedilie to preuent it For to let passe the strange mariages between the Protestants and Papists which without any scruple of conscience are too frequently vsed which seemed to be the onely sinne of that time in the daies of Ezra â—zr 9.2 that the people of God were so vnequallie yoked and as it is said there they had mixed the holy seed with the people of the landes To let this passe wee may with the Prophet beholde a thousand abominations more â—zek 8.9 â—8 15 for what periâ—rie blasphemie is there besides common swearing what intolerable pride in all sorts euen like vnto Lucifer himselfe what swelling one against another what enuie heart-burning hatred malice crueltie oppression what drunkennesse and gluttonie and surfetting what abominable adulterie fornications and all kinde of vncleannesse with chambering and wantonnesse as though men had cleane forgotten the Lord 1. King 21.20 and solde themselues to doe euill But to passe by all these things with silence though they bee verie great let vs looke but to this one thing the generall contempt of Gods holie Word that inestimable treasure of his Gospell which he hath bestowed vpon vs euen that precious pâ—â—rle Math. 12.43 which when a man hath sound hee should sell all that he hath and buy it Especially the generall contempt of the Gospell in all placeâ— whether wee consider of those places where it is not how it is neglected not sought for of them or where it is how it is not there regarded how many haue no care to preach it sincerelie and more haue no care to follow it in their liues so that the profession that is made of it is more for estimation and credit than of conscience and loue that then beare to it and it is more in the head than in the heart more in the tongue than in deed more in shewe than in trueth And a great number though they haue had it thus long yet are not only not bettered thereby but are a great deale worse than they were many yeeres ago This open and manifest contempt of the Gospell I say which is a greater sinne than all the sinnes of Sodom â—ath 10. â— For it shall be easier for them of the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of iudgement then for them we must needs confesse that for it we had cause long agoe to feare the death of our most gracious soueraigne Queene and now since it hath happened we may well say with Job The thing that we feared â—â—b 3.25 is come vpon vs and though the Lord hath maruellously and beyond all our hope
to an other end euen to the true humbling of vs before God for our sins which if we do not attaine vnto by these meanes it is not onely not accepted but further prouoketh the wrath of God For God is a spirit and will be so worshiped and though men iudge of vs after the outward appearance yet God looketh to the heart and when this outward abstinence hath beene vsed without these inward graces of humilitie and such like the Prophets haue iustly found fault with them and namely the Prophet Esaie Esai 58.3 Wherefore haue we fasted saie they thou seest it not we haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not Behold in the day of your fast you will seeke your owne will and require all your debtes Behold yee fast to strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse yee shal not fast as yee doe to daie is it such a fast that I haue chosen Without thâ— which it is nothing woorth that a man should afflict his soule for a day and to bow downe his head as a bul-rush and to lie downe in sackcloth and ashes wilt thou cal this a fasting or acceptable day vnto the Lord and so foorth as it followeth at large in that place Where the hypocrites complaine that they had fasted and had that way punished their bodies greatly and God regarded it not but he answereth that if they were neuer so weake with fasting euen like a bul-rush that can not hold vp the head against the winde yet because they were as cruell and hard-hearted to their brethren as full of contention as before and had not profited to the inward vertues of humilitie and contrition of heart which was the principall end of it therefore he did not accept of it And indeed if we content our selues with this outward abstinence the very brute beasts and cattell euen the bullocks and sheepe at Nineue did keepe as good a fast as we â—ona 3.7 for they were couered with sackcloth and did neither feed nor drinke water Therefore we see what must make all our fasting acceptable vnto God euen that we be furthered by them in al such graces of his spirit in our soules and consciences as the Lord in such cases requireth For as in the Sabbath bodily rest is first commanded yet the sanctifying of the day of rest in the holy worship of God is chiefe As the rest of the Sabbath is to be referred vnto the sanctification of the day and that whereunto the other is referred and without the which the other is nothing worth els they that sleepe all day or the cattell that are not wrought might keepe as good a Sabbath as we So in the day of fast though abstinence from meat be first required yet in it selfe such bodily exercise profiteth little as the Apostle saith but is vsed to another end Therfore as if we wil keepe that fourth commandement we must so rest that hauing our minds bodies drawn froÌ„ all worldly things we might in both be wholly occupied in gods seruice so if we will celebrate a fast vnto the Lord we must so vse the outward ceremony as thereby we might be furthered in the inward vertues of the mind We are then to consider what they be for in them resteth the second part of fasting The second part of fasting consisteth in the inward grace of the mâ—nde for as it was sayd before the whole action consisteth in two things the one outward concerning the body whereof we haue hitherto spoken the other inward apperteining to the soule which now remaineth to be intreated of And that is all those inward vertues of the minde and graces of the spirit which this way the Lord would haue vs furthered in all which are so much the more excellent and therefore the more diligently to be laboured after than the other by how much the soule is better than the body and how much it is better to approoue our selues and our doings vnto the Lord as we shall do in the one then vnto men as we may doe in the other These are of two sorts Heere then we are to consider what these inward vertues be whereto by this outward abstinence we should labour to be furthered which though they be many yet for breuitie and memories sake we will principally consider of two The first is the true humbling and casting downe of ourselues before the high Maiestie of God with sorrow and griefe of heart for all our sinnes in the conscience and feeling of them and of the miserie due vnto vs for the same The second is the assurance and good hope that we should haue through the free mercy of God in his gratious promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of euery one of them for Christ Iesus his sake vpon our true repentance and vnfained turning from them and so that we being thus reconciled vnto God shall obtaine the things that we stand in need of and by earnest prayer alwayes ioyned vnto fasting wee make sute vnto him for whether it be the turning away or remouing from vs some grieuous iudgement and punishment of his or the bestowing or continuing of some great blessing of his vpon vs or vpon others And these two Esra 8.21 as they be chiefe and principall so they are both of them mentioned in that fast that Ezra kept with the rest of his companie As appeareth in the fast of Ezra and his companie And there at the riuer by Athana I proclaimed a fast that we might humble our selues before our God and seeke of him a right way for vs and for our children for all our substance for I was ashamed to require of the king an armie and horse-men to helpe vs against the enemie in the way because we had spoken to the king saying the hand of our God is vpon al them that seeke him in goodnesse but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him So we fasted besought our God for this and he was intreated of vs. Where we see how he in his returne from Babylon to Ierusalem after the captiuity with many other at such a place proclaimed a fast to these ends both that they might humble themselues before God for their sinnes which were the cause of their captiuitie and might now hinder them from such blessings as they stood in need of and that they might by praier seeke earnestly vnto God with hope that he would direct and blesse them in the waie and defend them from their enimies So in their obedience they did aime at these two inward vertues first â—o bee thoroughly humbled for their sinnes and then by earnest praier to seeke to God with hope that hee would giue them the thing that then they stood in need of euen defence from their enimies in the way and a prosperous iourney to Ierusalem And so in this practise of theirs as in a glasse we most cleerely
they praied thus importunately it appeareth that in this great humilitie of theirs And by importunitie of praier the Lord will be ouercome declared by their fasting and maner of it they had great hope of obtaining their requests of God vnto whom they did sue And thus must we doe in the day of our fasting I saie we must labour for that measure of faith in gods goodnesse through the blessed merits of Christ our Sauiour that might mooue vs to pray earnestly and as it were to crie mightily vnto God for the remouing nowe at the last of this grieuous plague that though wee haue iustlie deserued it and a great deale more yet for the Lords sake it would please him vpon our true repentance and earnest seeking vnto him for mercie to turne it away Which if wee doe then he vndoubtedly will heare vs in his good time as hee hath witnessed vnto vs in the Gospell by the Parables both of the wicked Iudge Luk. 18.2 who by the importunity of the widow was ouercome at the last to doe her right and this was propounded as Christ himselfe faith to this end to teach men to pray often and not to waxe faint whereupon he inferreth this generall doctrine vers 6.7 Heare what the vnrighteous Iudge saith and shall not God auenge his elect which crie daie and night vnto him though hee suffered long for them So God will heare those that crie daie and night that is that praie earnestly and continuallie And againe in the other parable of the man that came to his friend at midnight to borrow three loues Luk. 11.5 who though he was vnwilling at the first yet because of his importunitie did arise gaue him as many as he would whereupon hee maketh this generall promise to al those that shal thus seeke vnto God that is earnestly and without ceasing that he will heare them saying Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you for euerie one that asketh receaueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened that is if yee seeke and aske after this maner So by these examples wee may be assured that God will heare vs for this thing if we pray vnto him eatnestly without ceasing though we haue hitherto seene little successe of our praiers for the plague is not only not taken away but is greatly increased euery where He often deferreth to giue that we might bee quickened vp to feruencie of prayer And truely the Lord doeth manie times deferre of purpose to grant that which we aske and which also he hath promised and is purposed to giue that we might be mooued in the feeling of our want to pray earnestly for it and that the want of it for a time might quicken vp our dead hearts and dull spirits vnto greater feruencie of prayer that also when we shall see that we haue such things giuen vnto vs and that wee haue obtained them by our prayer yea by long and earnest prayer wee might make the more account of them and esteeme them as we ought and also be so much the more thankefull vnto God for the same For the Lord indeed hath of his great mercie promised that if we call vpon him he will heare vs as we haue learned euen now out of the Gospell of S. Luke and may further learne out of many other places of Scripture besides as Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the time of thy trouble and I will heare thee and deliuer thee and many other but he hath set downe no time when we shall see and perceiue that hee hath heard vs sauing that it is sayd I will heare thee in due time Psal 10.1 euen in affliction Nowe which is the most conuenient time for God to help vs in Act. 1.7 that we must not prescribe vnto him neither is it alwayes meet for vs to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power therefore as they be best knowen to his heauenly Maiestie so wee must leaue the declaration of them to him alone not doubting but that he will heare vs in due time euen in affliction Hee doth deferre many times of purpose for good causes both that wee might be stirred vp thereby to pray to him earnestly and continually not doubting one whit of the trueth of his promises and that when we haue our requests granted we might esteeme of so great a benefit and be thankefull to him for the same For assuredly if wee did alwayes finde that the Lord did giue vs euery thing at the first asking though wee graunt that hee giueth vs continually more than we aske such is our vnthankefulnesse that both wee would come vnto him very coldly and pray drowsilie for wee would make it but an ordinarie matter Therefore if we continue in feruent prayer the Lord will heare vs at the last Aske haue and also wee would not so highlie esteeme of the things giuen vnto vs nor labor to be so thankfull to him for the same as our bounde duty did require Therfore concerning all other things and namely this present visitation of the Plague the more that the Lord deferreth to take it away the more earnest let vs be in prayer and let not the delay of it quench the heat of our desire one whit but kindle it more and more and I do assure you in the word of the Lord that if we faint not in praier but lift vp our hearts and hands still vnto the Throne of his Mercy that he will in time heare vs and shew mercie vnto vs and that he will not onely do so but he will make it manifest and apparant vnto the very soules and consciences of vs all This therefore is another most excellent vse and end of fasting The outward abstinence must quicken vs vp vnto feruencie of praâ— euen to quicken vs vp vnto greater feruency in prayer for as we finde by experience when our bellies are full and we are in the abundance of all pleasures and outward blessings wee are not so fit for prayer and therefore a sober diet and a moderate vse of all other of Gods creatures and benefits will alwayes make vs the more fit for prayer but when the bodie is pinched with hunger and the want of other necessarie helpes meet for it the feeling of our want shall be a meanes to set a sharper edge vpon our prayers to make them more piercing and as it were to giue a wing vnto them to flie aloft aboue the clouds euen to make them enter into heauen and to come before the throne of God We ought then in these daies of abstinence thus to profit by the feeling of the want of our bodies so to iudge our selues vnwoorthy not onely of all that which wee abstaine from but of all other things besides yea of life it selfe that we thereby be mooued
almost all the land ouer especially in these southerne parts and scarcely anie shiere or countrey is free from it Such a thing as almost hath not beene heard of among vs So that wee say of it as the prophet Ioel speaketh of that great affliction that was in his time who to mooue them to a most serious and deepe consideration of that hande of God that was then verie heauily vpon them saith on this wise Ioel. 1.2 Heare O yee Elders and harken all yee inhabitants of the lande whether such a thing hath beene in your daies or in the daies of your fathers tell your children of it and let your children shew it to their children and their children to another generation and then he doth at large describe the calamitie that was vpon them but before hand hee telleth them as wee haue heard that it was such a strange thing as neither themselues nor their fathers had seene nor their posteritie should after them but he memorie of it was to be kepâ— from age to age euen to all posteritie So we may say of this mortall pestilence and pestilent mortalitie that the like was neuer in our dayes nor in the dayes of our fâ—thers the olâ—est man or woman that liueth can not of their owne knowledge make relation of the like so that we haue great cause neuer to forget it but to keepe the memorie of it with profit to our selues and also to tell it to our children to our childrens children that they may thinke of it also wisely to applie it to themselues and so to profit by our harmes that we all the sonnes and daughters of faithfull Abraham may do Gen. 18.19 as it is sayd of him namely Command our sonnes and our households after vs that they keepe the way of the Lord and doe righteousnesse that God may not only keepe from them all his plagues but bring vpon them all that good which hee hath promised to those that feare him Seeing then that the hand of the Lord is more heauie vpon vs and vpon our brethren this way then euer we or our fathers haue felt or knowen it we must needs confesse that vnlesse we be senselesse and hard-hearted And so hoâ— iust cause thâ—re is of publike fasting and prayer we haue great cause to sorrow and to mourne and so to know the day of our visitation so to acknowledge this to be the very time that God requireth of vs fasting and prayer and all kinde of humiliation that possibly can be So that if euer we should do it now we ought and if there be any time fit for it this time of so great and so long affliction and so consequently of so great sorow weeping and mourning is most fit for it Therefore if now we should neglect it and spend away the time in feasting in all kinde of mirth and iollitie as it is to be feared Esa 22.12 that too many do euen as the wicked in former times haue done there would be more than too great likelihood that not onely this plague should continue and increase but some more grieuous punishment should come vpon vs heereafter and all of vs must needs haue iust cause to feare it In the time of the law they were not onely commanded to celebrate the Passeouer yeerely but to keepe it at the time that God had appointed and this he required so straitly that if any had no let and impediment as if he should be cleare â—euit 9.13 and not in a iourney and yet should be negligeÌ„t to keepe the Passeouer the same parson should be cut off from his people because he brought not the offering of Lord in his due season that man should beare his sinne if we then do not at this time when God requireth it of vs bring to him the obedience of fasting and praier and offer vnto him in all humilitie as the time requireth the sacrifices of broken hearts and contrite spirits we can not onely not looke for any mercy according to our great need but we may assure our selues of some further great punishment if wee be not wholly destroyed and cut off from his people Therefore let vs not be like vnto those foolish Iewes who knew not nor regarded the time of their visitation and so did not consider either what mercie God offered vnto them or what dueties he required of them in that time of whoÌ„ our Sauiour Christ iustly complaineth in the Gospell and vttereth his complaint out of the abundance of his loue with many teares saying Luk. 19.42 O if thou hadst euen knowen at the least in this thy day those things that belong to thy peace but now are they hidden from thine eyes So wee should now be ignorant what God requireth of vs at this time and not do it Let vs then be perswaded vpon the former reasons commandements and examples that howsoeuer God at other times giueth vs libertie to feast and to reioyce and to vse his benefits not onely for necessity but for delight according to the sundrie causes of mirth which by his blessings is bestowed vpon vs he shall offer vnto vs yet at this time it being a time of so great affliction and so of sorrow euerie where as hath not bene knowne or heard of whiche they doe best know that haue beene vnder the hande of God and we our selues cannot altogither be ignorant of it let vs bee perswaded I say that the Lord requireth of vs fasting and mourning and great humiliation that so we may doe that that we doe in faith and in obedience to his holy commandement and that most willingly also that he might accept it at our handes and reward vs for it And heere againe by the waie we may easily iudge of the fastes held in the time of poperie and ignorance In poperie this difference of time for fasting was wholly neglected namely that they were according to the blindnesse of that time both ignorantly imposed vpon mens consciences and also verie superstitiously obeied when as they made no difference or choise of times but without all discretion appointed the time of Lent and all Ember weekes as they call them and euery Saints eeuen yeerelie to be fasted let the times be then as they will be not considering whether the time be or shall be a time of ioy or sorrow of weeping or of reioicing as a time of peace or of warre a time of sicknesse or of health a time of dearth or of plentie or generally a time of prosperitie or of aduersitie this they doe not for ciuill pollicie as we keepe them but of meere consciene inioyning all men vnder the paine of sinne and fearefull curse of the Pope vpon such and such daies yeerely to fast euen vnto their dying daie when as it may fal out for ought that they know that such times may be full of causes of reioicing publikely or priuately so feasting were more fit for them