publictly preached And therefore albeit we haue no corporall punishment to inflict vpone the contemners of that Godly exercise yet haue we the spiritual sword which ones will stricke sorer then any materiall sword can or may The Iudgementes and iustice of our God are immutable he abydeth the sâ—me and one God that drowned the world by water that consumed Sodome and Gomorha with syre from heaueÌ„ that plagued Pharo distroyed Ierusalem and hath executed his fearce iudgemeÌ„tes in all ages yea and euen before our eyes It is the same God we say that this day by his faithfull seruandes calleth vs to repeÌ„tance whose voces if we contompne we declare our selues P. ebellious to our God mockers of his threatninges and suche as sometymes in dispyte cryed we will walk according to the lust of our owen heartes and let the counsal of the holy one of Israell cum as it list c. And if so we do then wo yea wo and double damnation vnto vs for then euen as assuredly as God liueth so assuredly shall the plagues that oure eares haue of heard be poured surth vpone vs euen in the eyes of this same peruerst gâ—ne â—itioÌ„ with whome we contempne God and before whome we are â—ether feared nor eshamed stubâ—arnlye to procead from sinne to contempt Our hope is better of yow deare brethrene that haue professed the Lord Iesus with vs within this Realme 〈◊〉 that this we speake to let yow vnderstand what Rebellion hath bene in flesh before vs and how it hath benâ— punished that we may learne to stoupe before our God by vnfeaned repentance and then we shall be assured that according to the promes made by the mouth of Iecâ— Our God shall leaue vnto vs â— benediction albeit that the vehement fyre of his 〈◊〉 shall consume the inobedient But now least that we shoulde thinke that the obseruation of the ceremonie is yneugh to please god â—e must vnderstand what thinges mâ—â—t be ioyned with fruetfull Fasting and what thinges they are thâ—t may mâ—ke our Fasting odiâ—us to our God And first we haue to â—nderstaâ—d that Fasting by it selâ—â— considdered iâ— no suche thing â— the 〈…〉 gined to wit that it is a worke meâ—ritorious and a satisfaction for the sinnes before committed no all they that Faste with that intent renounceth the merites of Christs death and passion in so farre as they ascriue to Fasting whiche is but an exercise vsed by man that whiche is onely proper to lesâ—s Christ which is that he by offering vp him self ones for all hath mâ—de perfyte for euer those that shalbe sanctiâ—ied we mâ—st fâ—rther vnderstand that as the Kingdome of God is nether â—eat nâ—r drink so is nether Fasting by it self sâ—â—plie considdered The cause why that Kingdome is granted to the chosen nether yet eating moderat we meane any caâ—se why the reprobate are frustrâ—t thereof But vnto Fasting there must be somewhat ioyned if that God shall looke vpone it at any tyme in his fauour The Prophet â—oel is witnes hereof who in the persone of God said vnto suche as he had seueirly threatned Turne vnto me in your whole heart in Fasting murning in which wordes the holie Ghoste first requyreth the conuersion of the heart vnto God thereto ioâ—eth Fasting murning â—s witnesses of the sorow that we haue for our former offences and feare that we haue of his seueir iudgementes the releif whereof we publictly professe we can obteane by no vther meanes but by Gods fre mercie from whome we haue before declyned So that the ver ray exercise of Fasting the murning and prayer therewith annexed do solempnedly protest that by our Fasting we merite not for he that still confesseth his offence and in bitternes of heart cryeth for mercy doeth not brage of his merites if the Papistes â–ª â—ply yet god looketh to the Fasting and heareth the prayers of suche as ryghtly huÌ„ble them selues before him we deny not but thereto we adde that rightly did nouer man humble him self before God that trusted or glorified in the merites of his oweÌ„ works for without Faith it is vnpos sible to please God and faith dependeth vpone the promes of gods fre mercy through lesus Christ not vpone the merites of any workes The Pharise in braging wes reiected but the Publican in denying him self and calling for mercie wes iustified not by his workes which he had not but by grace and mercy for the which he sobbed Daniel Fasted confessed his sinnes and the sinnes of the people and thereto he added moste earnest and feruent prayers But doeth he allege any of them as a cause why God shuld ather be mercyfull to him or to the people nay we finde no suche thing but the plaine contrarie for thus he concludeth Now therefore our god â—eare the supplication and prayer of thy seruand showe thy pleasing visage vnto thy Sanctuary that lyeth waiste for the Lordes saik O my God giue thy eare that thow maisâ—e heare and open thyen eyes that thow maiste see the waist places of the cietie which beareth thy name for we alledge not our ryghteousnes in our prayers that we poure furthe before thee but thy moste abounding mercy Lord heare Lord be mercyfull Lord take head helpe delay not for thy owen self my God We may plainely se whereupoÌ„ this excellent seruaÌ„d of God grouÌ„ded him self to purches Godes fauour to wit vpone the Lord that is vpone the Sauiour and Mediator promised vpone the moste abound 〈◊〉 mercie of God and vpone God him selfe for he vnderstoode what God had promised aswell by the mouth of Moyses as by the Prophet Isaias saying Beholde 〈◊〉 yea euen I am the Lord there is no God but I. I kill and I giue lyfe againe I giue the wound and I shall heale For my owen names saike will I do it sayeth the Eternall Apone these and the lyke promises we say did all the Sainctes of God in all there extremities depend and did looke to receoÌ„ue câ—ferte without all respect to their owen workes they dampned the best of their owen workes called them nothing but â—ilthynes before God And therefore yet as of before we boldely affirme that the papisticall Fasting wes not onlie vaine for what Fasting is it to â—bsteane from fleshe and to fill the â—ellie with â—ishe wyne spyce and ther delicates but also it wes odiâ—as vnto God and blasphemous 〈◊〉 the death of Iesus Christ for the causes forewritten And this â—uche shortely for those thinges â—â—at must be ioyned with frâ—tefull â—â—sting Now we haue to consider what thinges may make our Fasting odious besydes this proude opinion of merite whereof we haue spokeÌ„ It is no dout but that infidelitie maketh all the workes of the reprobâ—â— odious before God yea euen when that they do the verray workes that God hath commanded as we may read in Math. 5. 6.
shal coÌ„tempne And albeit thow promes mercy grace yet shall we dispaire and remaine iâ— inâ—idâ—litie Onles that thow creat in vs new heartes write thy Law into the same and â—eale into vs remission of our sinnes and the sense and â—ealing of thy â—atherlie mercy by the power of thy holie Spirite To the originall â—orld thoâ— spak by Noha To Pharo and his people by thy 〈◊〉 Moyses To all Israell by the fearfull Trumpet of thy Law To the Cietie of Ierusalem by thy owen wisdome our Lord Iesus Christ. And to y â— multitude aswel of Iewes as Gentiles by the preaching of thy holy Apostles But who gaue obedience Who trembled and constantly feared thy hote displeasure Who did rightly acknowledge the tyme of their visitatioÌ„ And who did embrase and kepe to the end thy fatherly promises Onely they ô Lord to whome thy Spirite wes the in warde teacher whose heartes thow opened â–ª from whome thow remoued Rebellion and inâ—idelitie the rest were externally called but obeyed not they heard aswel mercy offered as threatninges pronounsed but nether with the one nor with the vther were they affâ—ctuâ—lly moued We acknoâ—ledge ô Lord that the same corruption â—â—rcketh in vs that budded â—urth in them to their distruction and iust condemnation And therefore we moste humbly beâ—eak thâ—e ô Father of 〈◊〉 for Châ—ist Iesus thy sâ—nes 〈◊〉 that as thow hast caused the lyght of thy worde clearely to shyne amongs vs and as thow hast plainely instrâ—cted vs by the external ministerie in the ryght way of Saluation So it will please thee inwardly to moue our dulle â—eartes and by the power of thy holy Spirite that thow will write and 〈◊〉 into them that holy fear and 〈◊〉 which thow crauâ—st of thy chosen childâ—ene and that faithâ—ull of ediâ—nce to thy holie will together with the sealing and sâ—nse that our sinnes are fully purged frâ—ly râ—mitted by that only 〈◊〉 Sacriâ—ice â–ª whiche onely by it self is acceptable vâ—to thee to wit the 〈◊〉 death mediation of â—hy â—nâ—ly Sâ—ne our Souerane Lord â–ª 〈…〉 Mediator and 〈…〉 our Lord Iesus Christ. To whome with thee and with the holy Ghoste be all honour and glore worlde without end ¶ This Confession ended the Minister or Reâ—der 〈…〉 read the 27. anâ— 28 â–ª of 〈◊〉 which eâ—ded â–ª the Minister shall wishe 〈◊〉 mâ—n to discend sâ—cretly into him self to exâ—mine his owen coâ—â—cieâ—ce whereinto he findeth him selfe giltie before God The Minister him self with the people shâ—ll prostrate them selues remâ—iâ—e in priuate mediâ—ation a reasonâ—ble space as the quarter of an houre or more Thereafter shal the Minister eâ—horte the people to confesse with him their sinnes and offences as â—olloweth IVST and râ—ghteous 〈◊〉 thow ô Lord God â–ª Father eâ—erlasting holy is thy Law and moste iuâ—t are thy iudgementes yea euen when thow doest punishe in greatest seueritie we do confesse as the treuth is that we haue transgressed thy whole Law and haue offended thy godly Maiestie in breaking and violating euerie precept of the same And so moste iustly mâ—y thow poure â—urth vpone vs all plagues that are threatned and that we â—inde powred furth vpone the disobedient at any tyme from the beginning And so muche the rather ô Lord because that so loÌ„g we haue bene called by thy holie worde to vnâ—eâ—ned repentance neâ—nes of lyfe and yet haue we still remaned in our former Rebelliâ—n â–ª and therefore if thow wilt enter in iudgement with vs we caÌ„â—â—ther esâ—â—ape confusion in this lâ—fe nor iust condempnatioÌ„ in the lyâ—e to cum But Lord thy mercy is â—ithout measâ—re and the treâ—th of thy promises abydeth for euer 〈◊〉 are we that thow shuld 〈…〉 looke vpone vs but Lord thow hast promised that thow wilt show mercy to the moste grieuous offeÌ„dâ—rs whensoeuer that they repeÌ„t And further thow by the mouth of thy deare Sone our Lord Iesus Christ hast promised that thow wilt giue thy holy Spirite to suche as humblie 〈◊〉 vnto thee In boldnes of the whiche promes we moste humbly beseak thee ô Father of mercies â–ª that it wold please thy godly Maiestie to worke into our stubburne heaâ—tes an vnâ—eane◠〈◊〉 for our former offâ—nces with some seâ—se â—nd â—ealing of thy grace and mercy together with an earnest desyre of Iustice and righteousnes in the which we are bounâ— continually to walk But because that nether we nor our prayers can stand before thee be reason of that imperfectione which still remâ—neth in this oure corrupted nature We 〈◊〉 to the oâ—edience and perâ—ite Iustice of Iesus Christ oâ—r onely Meâ—iator in whome and by whome we call not onely for remission of our sinnes and for assistance of thy holy Spirite but also for all thinges that thy godly wisdome knoweth to be expedient for vs and for thy Church vniuersall Praying as he hath taught vs saying Our Father that art c. ¶ This ended the Minister shall read the Text whereupone he will ground his sermon FIRST he shal expone the dignitie and equitie of Gods law Secondly the plagues and punishmentes that ensew the contempt thereof together with the blessinges promised to the obedient obseruers of it Thridly he â—all teache Christ Iesus to be the end and perfection of the Law who hath perâ—itely accomplished that whiche wâ—s impossible to the Law to do And so shall he exhorte euerie maÌ„ to vnâ—eaned repentance to steadfast faith in Christ Iesus and to showe frutes of the same The Sermone ended the commone prayer shalbe vsed that is conteaned in the Psalme booke the 46. page thereof beginning thus God almyghtie and heaueÌ„ly Father c. Which ended the 51. Psalme shalbe soung whole so with the benediction the Assemble is to be demitted for that exercise At after noune EFTER inuocation of Godes Name publictly by the Minister and secretly by euery man for a reasonable space The Minister may take the argument of his Sermone from the beginning of 119. Psalme where the deligent Reader shall obserue the properties conditions of suche as in whose heartes God writeth his Law Or if that be thought ouer hard then may ye take the Text of Iohne God is lyght and into him there is no daâ—cknes if we say we haue fellowshipe with him c. The prayer is referred vnto the Minister the 6. Psalme shalbe soung The benediction and exhortation to call to mynde whereâ—ore that exercise is vsed being ended The publict eâ—ercise shalbe put to end for that day Aâ—Bâ—IT that to 〈◊〉 wart the peâ—ple can not well conâ—ene euerie day betuix the two Sonday 〈◊〉 â–ª yet in Bâ—ougâ—es â—ownes we think they ought to conuene an hour before none and an houre more at after none The houre before none to be the houre accustomed to the commone prayers The houre at after none to be at 3. houres or after ¶ The exercise of the whole weke THE beginning euer to be with
water some by fyre vther tormentes The verray ennimies them felues are compelled to acknogeledge And albeit that God of his mercie in a part disapoynted there cruell interpryses yet let vs not thinke that their will is changed or their malice asswaged No let vs be assured that they abyde but oportunitie to sinishe the worke that crâ—ellie against God against his treuth and the trew prosessoures of the same they haue begune The whisperinges whereof are not secrete nether yet the tokenes obscure For the trafique of that dragone now with the princes of the earth his promyses and flattering entysementes tend to none vther end but to inflambe them against Iesus Christ and against the trew professoures of his Euangle For who can think that the Pope Cardinalles and horned Bishopes will offer the greatest portion of their Rentes for susteaning of a warre whereof no commoditie shuld redound as they suppose to them selues If any think that we accuse them without cause let them heare their owen wordes for this they wrate neare the end of the same decre And to the end that the holy fathers on their parte appeare not â—o be negligent or vnwilling to giue their ayde and supporte vnto so holy a warre or to spaire their owen rentes and money haue added that the Cardinalles shall content them selues of the yearely Rent of 5. or 6. thousand Ducates and the rychest Bishope of 2. or 3. thousand at the moste And to giue fraÌ„ckly y â— rest of their Reueneues to the intertenement of the warre which is made for the extirpation of the Lutheriens and Caluinistes sect And for reestablishing of the Romaine Churche till suche tyme as the mater be conducted to a good happy end If these be not open declarationes in what danger all faithfull stand if they can bring their crueltie to passe let verray Idiotes iudge but let vs heare their conclusion France and Germanie say they being by these meanes so chastised abased conducted to the obedience of the holy Romaine Churche the Fathers dout not but tyme shall prouide bothe counsal and commoditie that the rest of the Realmes about may be reduced to one flok and one Apostolick gouernour Pastour c. By this conclusion we thinke that the verray blinde may see what is purposed against the Saintes of God in all Realmes and Nationes to wit distruction with crueltie or els to make them to worship that blasphemous beast who being an Idole vsurpeth to him selfe the Name of vniuersall Pastoure and being knowen to be the man of sinne and perdition will be holden for an Apostolick Gouernour But some shall say they are yet fare from the end of their purpose and therefore we neid not to be so fearefull nor so sollist We answer the danger may be nerar then we beleaue yea perchance a parte of it hath bene neirar to our neckes then we haue considdered But how so euer it be seing that God of his mercie hath brought furth to lyght their cruell and bloody counsall in the which we nead not to dout but still they continew It becoÌ„meth vs not to be negligent nor sleuthfull but we ought to follow the exemple of Ezechias the King of Iuda who receauing not onely the dispytefull answer but also the blasphemus and threatning letter of Sennaherib first send vnto the Prophet Isayas and pietifully com pleaned of the instant troubles willing him to make intercession vnto God for the remanent that were left Vnto whome albeiâ— that the Prophet answered confortablie assâ—ring the King that the enniâ—ie shuld not cume so neir as to shoote Dâ—rte or Arrow within Ierusalem Yet ceâ—sed not the godlie King to present him self in the Temple of the Lord. And as a maÌ„ dispared of all worldely conforte sored abrod the letters that proud Sennahâ—rib had sent vnto him and made vnto God his moste feâ—â—ent prayer as in the 〈◊〉 Chapter of the Prophet I say as we may read The ennimie had turned back and God had put a Brâ—die in his nosethirles and so men mâ—ght haue thought that the King neded not to haue bene so sollicte But the Spirite of God instructed the heart of his seruâ—nd to seak helpe where it wes onely to be found and from the handes of God who only wes able to put 〈◊〉 end to that tyraÌ„nie The exemple we say of this approued seruand of God we ought to follow now wheÌ„ the like dâ—â—truction is intended against vs yea not against one Realme only but against all that professe the Lord Iesus as before we haue heard Albeiâ— that God of his mercy hath stayed the furie of the Papistes for a tyme we ought not to think that their malice is chaÌ„ged nether that suche as trewly professe the Lord Iesus can be in securitie so long as that Babiloniane hoore hath power to enchant the Princes of the earth Let vs therefore vnderstaÌ„ding that she being dronken with the blood of the Saintes can neuer repent of crueltie murther vse against her the spiritual weapones to wit earnest inuocation of Gods Name by the which we finde the proude tyrannes of the earth in tymes past to haue bene ouerthrowen Abuse all these causes foresaid we haue yet one that ought not to be omitted to wit the body of this Realme hath long enioyed quietnes whill that vther nations about vs haue bene seueirly plagued What thousaÌ„des dyed in the east cuntreyes and in England of the pestâ—anno 1563. 1564. Their owen confessions beare record What crueltie hath bene executed in France what townes spoyled and murther committed somewhat before we haue declared more we myght if that we had not respect to brSuitie and tyme. And what trouble is presently and long hath bene betuix Denmarke and Swaden the posteritie of that euntrie will after vnderstand And in all this tyme now sex yeares and more hath God spared vs so that the publict estate hath alwayes remaned quyet except within these few monethes Ought not the deap consideration of this moue vs now to stoupe before our God For haue we bene spared because that our Rebellion to God is les then is the Rebellion of those nations that we haue sene punished If so we think we are far deceaued For in so great lyght of the Euangle we think that greater inobedience wes neuer showen vnto God nor greater ingratitude vnto his Messingers sence the dayes of the Apostles then of laite yeares hath bene and yet is within this Realme Idolatrie is obstinatly menteaned Huredome and adulterie are but pastyme of the flesh slaugther and murther is esteamed small sinne if any man haue freind in court craftie dealing with the semple disceat and oppression is coÌ„pted gude conques yea allace almoste vniuersally Parcialitie in iudgement is but interpretation of Lawes â–ª yea delâ—ying of Iustice what mater is that what reuerence is had to Goâ—es Messingers and what râ—speâ—t 〈◊〉 the poore that now so multiplies within
threatninges of God pronounced by the Prophet Elias against him against his wyfâ— and hous he rent his royall garmentes put on Sackcloth sleipt therein fasted and yead baire footed what ensewed the one and the vther of these we shall after heare The fourt cause of publict Fasting and murning for they two muste euer be ioyned is iniquitio deprehended that before wes not ryghtly considdered The testimony whereof we haue in Esdras after the reduction of the captiuitie that the temple the work of the Lordes hous wes stayed It wes shawen vnto Esdras that the people of Israell the Preistes and the Leuites were not seperat from the people of the Nationâ— but that they did according to their abhominations for they maryed vnto them selues and vnto their Sonnes the doughters of the Cananites the Pherisites Hithetes Iebusites Ammorites Moabites and Egiptiens so that the holy sead wes mixt with Prophane Idolateris which thing being vnderstand more deaply considdered then it wes before for then Esdras sawe iust cause why the worke of the Lord prospered not in their haÌ„des This considdered we say Esdras taking vpone him the sinne and offence of the whole people rent his clothes and pulled furth the heares of his head and beard sat as a man desolate of all conforte till the euening Sacrifice and then rysing he bowed his kneis and streached furth his hande before the Lord and made a moste semple humble confession of all the enormities that were committed be the people as well before the captiuitie as after their returning and ceased not his lamentable coÌ„plaint vnto suche tyme as a great multitude oâ— men wemen and childrene moued by his exemple weapt vehementlie and promised redres of that present disordour and impietie Of the last cause of publict Fasting â–ª to wit the zeale that certane persones beare for preseruation of Godes people for aduâ—â—cing of his glorie and performing of his worke according to his promes We haue exemples in Mardochous Daniell and in the faithfull assembled at Antioche for when that Mardocheus hard of that cruell sentence which by the procurement of Human wes pronounced against his Nation To wit that vpone a day statute and affixed shuld the Iewes in all the prouinces of the King Artaxarses be destroyed oulde and yong men and wemen and that their substance shuld be expâ—ned in pray This bloody senteÌ„ce we say being hard Mardocheâ—s rent his clothes put on Sackcloth and Ashes past â—urth in the middest of the cietie and cryed with a great and bitter crye coming to the Kinges gate gaue knoweledge to Ester what crueltie wes decreed against the Nation of the Iâ—wes willing her to make intercession to the King in the coÌ„trare who efter certane excuses said Go and gather all the Iewes that are in Susan and faste for me â—at not nor drinke not thre dayes and thre nyghtes and I also and my haÌ„dmades shall likewyse faste then shall I enter vnto the King although that I shuld perishe In this we may clearely se that the zeale that Mardocheus had to preserue the people of God moued not onely him self to publict Fasting but also Ester the Quene her maides and the whole Iewes that hard of the murther inteÌ„ded and moued Ester also to hasart her lyfe in going vnto the King without his commandement Of the uther to wit that the earnest desyre that Godes seruandes haue that God will performe his promes manteane the worke that he hath begune Exemple we haue in Daniell and in the Actes of the Apostles For Daniell vnderstanding the nomber of the yeares forespoken by the Prophet Ieremie that Ierusalem shuld ly waist to haue bene completit in the first yeare of the Reigne of Dâ—rius turned him self vnto God fasted huÌ„bled him self in Sackcloth and Ashes and with vnfâ—aned confession of his owen sinnes and of the sinnes of the people he vehementlie prayed That according to the promises sometymes made be Moyses and after rehearsed by the Prophet I say Ieremie he wolde suddingly send them deliuerance and that he wolde not delay it for his owen Names sake When the Gentiles began to be illuminated and that Anteochia had so boldely receaued the Euangle of Iesus Christ that the Disciples in it first of all tooke vpone them the name of Christianes The principall men of the same Church thrusting no dout that the Kingdome of Iesus Christ shulde further be enlarged and that the multitude of the gentiles shuld be instructed in the ryght way of Saluation Fasted and prayed whill that they wer so exercised charge wes giuen that Paule and Barnabas shuld be seperated frome the rest to the worke whereunto God had called them c. Of these former Histories and Scriptures we may clearly se for what causes publict Fasting and generall supplicationes haue bene made in the Church of God and ought to be made when that euer the lyke necessities appeare or occasions are offered Now let vs shortly heare what conforte and frute ensewed the same For the ennimie yea the murtherer of all godly exercise is disperation for with what corage can any man with continuaÌ„ce call vpone God If he shall disperatly dout whether God shall accept his prayer or not How shall he humble him self before his Throne Or to what end shall he confesse his offence If he be not perswaded that there is mercy and good will in God to pardone his sinnes to accept him in fauour to grant vnto him more then his owen heart in the middest of his dolour can requyre or ymagine Trew it is that this vennome of disperation is neuer throughlie purged from our heartes so long as we cary this mortall Carcasse But yet the constant promises of our God and the many folde docu mentes of his mercy help show en vnto men in their greatest extremitie ought to animat vs to sollow their exemple and to hope for the same successe that they haue gotten abufe mannes expectation Iosaphat after his humiliation and prayer obtened the victorie with out the lose of any of his Soldioures for the Lord reased Ammon Moab against the inhabitantes of Mont Seir who being vtterly destroyed euerie one of the ennimies of Godes people lift his sworde against another till that of that godles mulâ—itude there wes not one left aliue Iosua and the Israelites after their deiection wer coâ—forted againe Niniue wes preserued albeit that Ionas had cryed destruction yea Achab not withstanding all his vngodlynes loste not the frute of his humiliation but wes râ—compensed with delay of the vttermoste of the plagues during his lyfetyme The murniÌ„g of Esdras wes turned in ioy when that he saw the people willing to obey God and the worke of the hous of the Lord to go fordwart The bitter crying of Mardocheus and the painefull Fasting of Ester were aboundantly rewarded wheÌ„ not onely wes the people