Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	great_a	heaven_n	know_v	2,359	5	3.7515	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68828	The holie exercise of a true fast, described out of Gods word Seene and allowed.; Very godly and learned treatise, of the exercise of fastyng.	Wilkinson, William, d. 1613.; Cartwright, Thomas, 1535-1603, attributed name.	1580 (1580)	STC 24251.5; ESTC S120024	22,313	96

THE HOLIE exercise of a true Fast described out of Gods word Â¶ IOEL 2. 12. 13. Turne you vnto me saith the Lord vvith all your heart and vvith fasting and vvith vveeping and vvith mourning And rent your heart and not your clothes and turne vnto the Lord your God for he is gratious and merciful slovve to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill Seene and allowed AT LONDON Printed for Iohn Harison and Thomas Man AN. 1580. THE HOLIE EXERCISE OF A true Fast described out of Gods word IT IS AN EVIdent declaration of a maruellous blindnesse which is in vs to order our steps towardes the kingdome of heauen that like children newe come into the worlde we know not when to eate and when to forbeare eating no further then we haue our direction out of Gods word But it is yet more maruell that in so small a matter scarse the hundred person of those which professe the name of Christ knowe either how to enter into this way or howe to turne them in it when they are entred to any glory of God or profite of them selues For to let the Papistes goe which through a shameful superstition in it rather pine away their soules then take downe their bodies it is a shame to speake how few there are of those which beare the name of Gospellers that haue so much as the knowledge of this exercise so far are they from any lawfull and right practise of it For a great number as a needlesse thing reiect it altogether For shaking off the Popish yoke from their owne neckes by vsing or rather abusing their libertie they suffer their seruants to remaine still vnder it Which custome vnlesse it be thorough infirmitie of body or some other weightie cause it can hardly escape the hot and vehement suspicion either of belly gods if thinking it religious in their seruants they them selues will not obserue it or of a couetous minde if hauing no such opinion of it they doe notwithstanding constraine their seruants therevnto An other sort there be which being afraide of the reproch of belly gods and thinking it sitting to the Christian profession to keepe the flesh in some bridle allowe in deede of the exercise of fasting but for want of knowledge of a better they sticke still in the mire of the Popish fast For remedie whereof there followeth a treatise whereby the true fast being vnderstanded as wel the prophane opinioÌ„ of those which reiect this exercise as the foolish superstition of those which coÌ„tent theÌ„ selues with a shadow therof is laid open Fasting therefore is an abstinence commaunded of the Lorde thereby to make solemne profession of our repentance Wherein that which is saide of the Lord commaunding it is to be considered against those whiche would thrust this exercise out of the doores of Christian Churches For the repressing of which errour let that be called to remembrance whiche the Lord commaunded by Moses * Leuit. 16. 29 30 31 23. 27. to 33 Num. 29. 7. that euery soule once a yeare should humble it selfe in fasting before the Lord in one of the great assemblies of his people For although the ceremonie of the day be taken away by the comming of our Sauiour Christe yet the thing it selfe is no more taken away then a rest for Gods seruice is banished bicause the Iewes Saboth is abolished For when as no doubt the consideration of the fast was that the wrath of God should not breake out against them or being brokeÌ„ out should be caused to returne home againe the same cause remaining there is good reason the same effect should continue And when it is an huÌ„bling of a man before his God was there any degree of casting downe necessarie for that people whiche is not necessarie for vs either ought thei to haue gone downe lower into the conceit of their vnworthinesse then we into the conscience of our guiltinesse whose benefites as they are greater then theirs so the abuse of them should driue vs to the lowest humiliation that can be so it be lawfull and warrantable by the word of God But if this holy exercise of Fasting doe not clearely enough appeare to be no fading or shadowing ceremonie by this set and ordinarie Fast bicause the like doth not agree with the time of the Gospell yet by other moueable and vncertain fastes which were holden vpon occasion the same may be more strongly strengthened For where we see the like occasion of fast that was then there we may be assured of the same commaundement to fast that was giuen them commaundement I say least any man thinking it to be a will worship taken vp at the pleasure of men might thinke he had as good or better right to lay it downe theÌ„ they had to take it vp For proofe whereof that one place of the Prophet Ioel Ioel. 2. 12. shall suffice which vpon occasion of a great dearth in the lande commaundeth in the Lords behalfe to sanctifie a fast By which one coÌ„mandement it is euident that other fastes which were kept either by the Churches publiquely or by some of the faithfull priuatly were done in obedience and not at the randon of mans inuention If this be not sufficient to subdue our sturdie affections to this so holy an exercise yet at the least let them stoupe vnder so manifest both doctrine and examples hereof by the Churches of GOD vnderneath the Gospell For when as our Sauiour Christ being charged by the Pharisees Luk. 5. 33. and Iohns Disciples that his Disciples fasted not so aunswered that he did not only not condemne it but highly also commend it so it were done seasonably It is plaine that the libertie which the Gospell bringeth hath not remoued the ancient bound of a Christian fast And if we looke into the practise whereby the way chalked out by his doctrine is troden and beaten plaine vnto vs by examples it will soone be seene how greatly they deceiue them selues which vnder the colour of greater perfectioÌ„ attained vnder the Gospel cast away the assistance that the Lord offreth by this exercise For if we enquire of the Churches and Apostles fasting then was it most often when they were fullest of the graces of God that is after the solemne sending of the holy Ghost If we thinke then that this exercise of fast be too ceremonius bicause it was tied to a certaine day the commaundement to holde it without any such restraint vnto a certaine time ought to correct that thought of ours If we stande in feare that it should be too Iewish the doctrine of the Gospell is ready to pull vs out of that feare If presumption of greater graces then those which should need such a supplie doe bring this fast out of conceit with vs the practise of it by the holy Apostles at the highest toppe of their perfection in this world will easily set vp the credite thereof againe But if fastes neither standing nor

time extending this exercise at the least to som part of the night Where notwithstanding it is to be noted that as well in the former abstinence from meate as in this withdrawing of some part of sleepe that neither is so streightly required of the Lord but that those whose either disease or other infirmitie will not beare this abstinence without hazard of their health may vse so much libertie as shall serue for the preseruation of their health so they take heed they vse not this gentle dealing of the Lord as a cloake to hide the lustes of their flesh withall A third kinde of abstinence is in the apparell that albeit they put not on sackcloth and ashes as the holy fathers did in times past yet that they content them selues with a common kinde of attire auoyding all such costlinesse and curiositie wherby in tricking and trimming vp them selues the flesh may take occasion of being proud Thus the lord when he would haue the children of Israel to humble Exod. 33. â— them selues before him spake to Moses saying speake vnto the children of Israel that for the present time they lay aside their iewels and ornaments that I may knowe what I shall do with them And thus farre hath it bene spoken of the outward exercises which are generall and to be don of al which make this solemne profession of repentance There is one yet which is more speciall belonging vnto married persons alone which is that they for the time should with consent abstaine from the mutuall felowship 1. Cor. 7. 5. one of an other which is so straitly required that euen the bridgrome Ioel. 2. 16. and the bride which of all other ought to haue the greatest priuiledge in that point are bidden at such times to come out of their chaÌ„bers But for as much as the kingdome Rom. 14. 17 of heauen standeth not in these thinges and the Lorde being a spirit will be worshipped in spirite and trueth either these exercises must lead vs to some farther thing or else the same accusation will lye against vs wherewith the Prophet charged the Israelites who contenting themselues with the outwarde ceremony of Esay 58. 30 abstinence were sent home as emptie as they came And in deede vnlesse we bring more with vs theÌ„ this our abstinency our fastes may bee matched with the beastes fast of Niniuie for they also both eate nothing Ionas 3. 7. and were couered with sackcloth yea the beastes fast may be so much better then ours as there be some kinds of beastes that can longer endure without meate and sleepe then wee Where the Papistes fast which was shewed before to be childishe may here be proued to be beastly and brutish For if they did onely abstaine from meate they iudged themselues to haue bolden a good fast vnto the Lorde There followe the inwarde vertues helped forward by the bodily exercise which in the number * two â—sdra 6. 21. The one is the humbling and casting downe of our selues before the high maiestie of God with sorrow for our sinnes the other is the assurance that we haue that with forgiuenesse of them we shall obtaine the thinge that we stande in need of and make sute for Here therefore first commeth to be considered our humbling and casting downe which is a vile esteeming of our selues aunswering to the outward exercise For therefore doe we abstaine for a time that we might therby haue a quicker feeling of our owne vnworthinesse Therefore we bring downe the bodie that the minde may be likewise brought downe Therefore we crucifie the flesh that the deserued death of the spirite may be the better knowen Therfore we abstaine from our pleasures Mark 2. 20. Luk. 5. 35. Math. 9. 15. and commodities that through conscience of sinne and feeling of the wrath of God either present or to come for the same we might drawe our selues to a greater sorrowe In which respect the exercise which the other Euangelistes call fasting Saint Mathew calleth mourning Here-vppon Ioel. 2. 17. 1. Sam. 7. 6. it cometh that weeping which is a witnesse of our sorrowe is annexed vnto the fast which the children of God haue don so plentifully in this exercise that they haue bene sayde 1. Sam. 7. 6. to haue drawne whole bucketes of water which the depth of the sorowe for their sinnes the anger of God against them hath ministred And as these outwarde exercises are commaunded to drawe vs to a feeling of our vnworthinesse so in the feeling thereof by them we make a solempne confession of the same For the Children of God in time past by their abstinence from meate and drinke confessed themselues vnworthy so much as of a crumme of bread or droppe of water by putting on sackcloth vnworthie of the worst ragge to couer their shame with So that if common honestie and health would haue suffered they woulde haue stripped them selues starke naked The same is to be vnderstanded of the benefite of sleepe and company of mariage as also of all other the commodities of this life whereof they did not onely confesse themselues vnworthie but in that they put dust ashes vpon their heads they gaue to vnderstand that they were vnworthy of the life it self and that they deserued to be as farre vnderneath the ground as they were aboue it yea if there had beene any thing apter to haue set foorth their euerlasting condemnation in hell of that also woulde they haue borne the marke thereby to declare their guilt and desert of the same So that hereby they doe iustifie the Lorde in that vengeaunce against them whereof by this humbling of themselues they seeke redresse If then we keepe a holy fast vnto the Lord we must thereby be humbled in our selues before the Lorde but if vppon confidence of our fasting wee waxe bolder to sinne in a persuation that through Luk. 5. 33. Luk. 18. 11. obedience giuen vnto him in this one point wee may be bolder to be disobedient in others or if the vse hereof doe make vs swell against our brethren and after the example of the Pharisees despise them which do not fast as we doe then is the fast appointed of the Lord for our medicine become our bane and poyson And therefore here nowe wee giue a newe charge vppon the Popish fast a great deale more hot then the former For seeing that they with the proude Pharisee boast of the merite of their fastes setting these fastes as other workes in the place of the bloode of Christ It is manifest that their fastes are so farre froÌ„ humbling them that through the opinion of them they rise vp againste the Lorde and doe their best to set themselues euen in the throne of God so that vnto the childishnesse brutishnes of their fast aboue mentioned here they haue added an horrible blasphemous sacriledge To the coÌ„passing of this true humbling of our sinnes is annexed necessarily an information

couetousnesse is not so Finally so much of the Gospell as doeth more neerely respect our saluation wee seeme to haue some care to retaine but so much of it as doth more directly respect thy glorie and the profite one of an other those especially which are not of the same lande with vs we make small accompt off And seeing the naked treasure of the holy Gospell had beene a rich rewarde of a most seruiceable subiection it comming vnto vs not alone but accompanied with so long a peace with so great a welth so plentifull aboundance of all things as this land hath neuer or seldome vsed other landes about vs haue long looked after maketh our guilt a greate deale more bicause that in thy so great a largis towardes vs we haue bene so vngratious towardes thee againe Here therefore is another stayer whereby our sinne climeth higher For that we in the commodities of this life surmounting our auncestours of the same profession of the Gospell in king Henrie and king Edwardes time are for the fruites that such a liberalitie asketh at our handes a greate deale worse then they and going beyond other landes in these outward blessinges are out-runne of them euen in the very outward testimonies and tokens of our obedience towardes thee And besides this huge heape and as it were reeke of our generall and common sinnes we haue to confesse at the barre of thy iudgement seate the particular sinnes that we haue kocked vppe in our seuerall estates For our gouernours O LORDE for the most parte beeing more mindefull of the fulfilling of their affections then either of thy glorie or of their good estate which are committed vnto them haue not helde so steady a hande as they ought to haue done either for the stablishing of the lawes by which vnder thee they shoulde haue ruled vs and we by them should haue beene gouerned of thee or for the thorough execution of so many and so farre foorth as they haue beene well established Our Iudges other ministers of iustice likewise haue either ignorantly or corruptly declyned from righteous iudgement or giuing sentence for the trueth they haue done it diuerse of them with no conscience of thy true feare or loue of trueth but for respect either of vaine glory or of persons The Ministers which shoulde haue beene lightes vnto all estates haue for the most part no light in themselues their estate in whose good constitution and sound health the rest should haue recouered their health is of all other the most sicke vnto death For if the whole number be surueyed scarce the hundred will be founde to be in the lotte of a faithfull ministerie For ah alas howe many are there which occupying the place of Ambassadours either for want of abilitie or for that they loue ease and sleepe carrie no tollerable ambassage at all how many which carrying the light of the Gospell in their mouthes carrie also in their handes the filthie water of ambition and couetousnesse to quench it with And those which by thy grace are for their mighte and will in some good measure iustifiable notwithstanding for the moste parte beare it with suche infirmitie through slippes aswell in a sound and substanctall maner of teaching as also in an euen life answering therevnto that if thy blessinge were not merueilous vppon their labours we shoulde not neede to feare the quenching of this fire of the holy Gospell kindled among vs by the enemies as that which hauing so small attendaunce of blowing would die of it selfe Finally the people beare so small loue vnto their gouernours of all sortes in loue so small reuerence and in them both so little willing obedience that it may bee not vneasely seene that all the partes of the Church and common wealth haue conspired to prouoke thee Lord against them These our great and ouergrowen sinnes albeit they are gotten aboue our heades yet rest they not here For where thou hast by thy holy seruauntes the Ministers of thy blessed worde sharpely chidden with vs and in a seuere denouncing of thy iudgementes due vnto them fearefully threatened vs for them yet haue wee not trembled at thy voyce at which the Mountaynes doe melte and the rockes doe rent a sunder A straunge thinge that the Lyon shoulde roare the weake Lambes should not be affraide that the Lorde of Hoastes shoulde proclaime warre against vs and wee shoulde not goe forth and meete him for intreatie of peace Nay his wrath as hath beene shewed hath bene yet is kindled amongest vs and yet is sencelesse men and as dead fleshe we are not moued We are pricked we feele it not We are wounded we doe not so much as aske who hath stricken vs. The tempest that is comming toward vs threateneth our vtter drowning and yet as a drunken man wee lie sleeping in the verie toppe of the mast Whereby it is euident against our selues that vnto the multitude of our sinnes wee haue added an other degree of wickednesse which is the continuance in them vnto our disobedience we haue ioyned stubbornes and the biles and botches of our rebellion being ougly in thy sight doe through the putrefaction and festrednesse of them cast out such stincke as the earth which we tread vpon the waters whiche we drink and the aire which we breath are tainted and poisoned with the infection of them Yea Lorde taught by the wonderfull iustice of thy righteous lawe we charge vpon our heads all the sinnes of our fathers and graundfathers to the vttermost of our generations which are past as those wherevnto we are iuster inheritours then vnto any landes or goods that they haue left vs. Whereby it falleth out against vs that our sinnes touch the cloudes yea breake into the heauens of thy maiesties own residence whose measure being alreadie as it semeth filled there remaineth nothing but that it shold be turned vppon our heads Wherevpon we make against our selues an other confession that we are vnworthy of all the benefites of this life or of the life to come both those which wee either haue or yet hope to enioy from the greatest to the smallest from the kingdome of heauen to one onely drop of Water That we are worthie of all the plagues which either haue heretofore ceased or beene yet possessed of vs. Yea if thou shouldest ransacke all the hid secrete treasures of thy fearefull iudgementes which in thy lawe thou threatenest against the breakers thereof not onlie to the rasing and sweeping vs from the face of the earth but also to the throwing of vs headlong into the bottomlesse pitte of hell yet woulde we therein also acknowledge thy righteous iudgementes for vnto vs belongeth shame and confusion of faces but vnto thee glory righteousnes All which both guilt of sinne and desert of punishment notwithstanding O father of mercies God of all coÌ„fort wee trusting vnto the promises which thou hast made vs in Iesus Christ are bold through him humbly

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