recompensed that great losse by sending so worthy a King into her roome yet we might then haue feared some other great punishment as we see how this plague hath followed and there was cause to feare it before though few did thinke of it and what may be next vnto this we know not wee are sure that much hath beene deserued and so by fasting and prayer in respect of these great sinnes wee had need to seeke to the Lord to turne it away And thus much for the second cause which might mooue vs to feare some great wrath and displeasure of God to bee shewed in some kinde of correction and rodde of his whereby wee might willingly humble our selues before him in publike fasting euen the great sinnes that in all sorts euery where abound and most shamefully lift vp their heads vncontroled Thirdly and last of all Gods nor â—â— to come apearing iâ— his iudgement denounced haue been causes of publike sâ— sâ—ing concerning this matter the seruants of God in former times haue wisely discerned beforehand of the stormie tempest of Gods wrath to come by the fearefull threatnings of Gods iudgement denounced against them by his faithfull seruaunts that haue spoken to them in his Name whom as they haue beene perswaded that they haue beene stirred vp by his holy spirit to speake vnto them from his mouth and to warne them thereby out of his word as from himselfe so they haue feared the things that haue beene spoken against them and as though they did see them comming haue sought vnto him by fasting and prayer to escape them And this is the thing that mooued the King of Niniue to doe as he did namelie that when hee heard the preaching of the Prophet Iona how hee did crie out against their sinne and threatned Gods vengeance to light speedily vpon the whole citie vnlesse they did speedilie repent â—ona 3.4 euen that within fortie dayes Niniue should be ouerthrowen when this word came vnto him hee arose from his throne laied his robe from him and couered himselfe with sackecloth and sate in ashes and proclaimed a fast thorow the whole citie by the counsell of the King his nobles saying Let neither man nor beast feed nor drinke water that so in all humilitie they seeking to God for mercy and turning euery man froÌ„ his euill waâ—es they might bee spared in this which they saw they had so great cause to feare for it is sayd The people of Niniue beleeued God and proclaimed a fast and put on sackecloth from the greatest of them euen to the least of them they beleeued in God and that moued them to do so that is they beleeued that Iona Iona. 3.5 who thus preached was a true Prophet and that God had sent him to doe this message vnto them and that their sinnes had deserued this vtter destruction threatned and that of his iustice God might bring it vpon them and therefore though they yet sawe not howe and which way it should come to passe yet beleeuing these things they fell to fasting and prayer to pacifie Gods wrath and to escapâ— it So that as the sound of the trumpet doth warne men to prepare themselues to battell and to go meet with their enemies so this preaching of Gods seruant who lifted vp his voice against them as a trumpet did awaken them out of the sleepe of security and to meet the Lord who was become their enemie by reason of their sinnes and in fasting and praier humblie submitting themselues vnto him to intreat at his hands conditions of peace And truelie in this respect if we should not in like maner seeke to the Lord with fasting praier that his wrath might be appeased towards vs we could not plead ignorance as not knowing anie cause why we should doe so â—Ve haue not wanted this â—ause of publike fasting â—mong vs. for we must needes confesse that the faithfull Ministers of Christ haue often and long ago in the pulpits proclaimed open warre against vs for our sinnes that is they haue threatned Gods heauie iudgements against vs out of his Word to rowse vs from the drowsie securitie of sinne Haue we not heard it preached vnto vs as it was to the Iewes that the kingdome of God should bee taken from vs for our great barrennesse Mat. 21.43 and green to a nation that should bring forth the fruits thereof And haue we not heard the words of the Prophet â—sa 5.1 that whereas the Lord had planted among vs a vineyard in a very fruitefull hill and had hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and had planted it with the best plants and had built a tower in the middes thereof and made a wine-presse therein and then looked that it should bring foorth grapes but it brought foorth wilde grapes that therefore hee would take awaie the hedge thereof that it might be eaten vp and would breake downe the wall thereof that it might be troden down and that he would lay it waste that it should not be digged but briers and thornes should growe vp in it and woulde commaund the cloudes that they should not raine vpon it And as this hath beene threatned so the Lord might according to our deserts after the death of our late Queene Elizabeth haue giuen vs vp either into the hands of some forraine enemies abroad or rebellious persons at home who might haue broken downe all and laid vs the Church of God waste Now though he hath spared vs this waie yet according to former iudgement denounced hee hath not let vs alone in our sinnes but hath taken vs into his owne hande by sending this pestilence among vs which Dauid accounted a great fauour when it was offered vnto him by the prophet Gad 2. Sam. 24.13 after that hee had offended the Lord in numbring of the people whether of these three punishments he would choose either seuen yeeres famine to come vpon the land or to flie three monthes before his enemies or that there should be three daies pestilence in the land saying I am in a woonderfull great strait let vs now fal into the hand of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of men and so hee chose the pestilence as a mercifull visitation of the Lord and so must we thinke that though the Lorde hath brought this upon vs for our sinnes according to that that hath beene threatned by his seruants yet heerein he hath delt verie mercifully with vs in that he hath deliuered vs from the cruel oppression of bloody men For Gods iudgements to come for our sinnes haue beene constantly threatned We must needs then acknowledge that the seruants of God haue not kept silence against our sins but haue out of his worde shewed that of his iustice and trueth hee must needes punish vs some waie for our sinnes vnlesse we speedily repent And this as it hath beene alwaies the vsuall dealing of
the Lord himselfe will repent of all that euill that he hath begun to do vnto vs and though hee hath taken away many thousands alreadie yet he will spare the rest and leaue some euery where to praise his Name So many therefore among vs as doe thus with true repentance turne from their sinnes to serue the Lord in holinesse and newnesse of life may praie with great hope and comfort for mercie from the Lord for the promise is made vnto them whosoeuer they be but all they that yeeld to this outward bodily exercise of fasting but are not thus broken in their harts nor affected in their soules neither haue any care so to be as they cannot call vpon the name of the Lord with anie earnestnesse of praier but all is done formally and ceremonially of them so they cannot haue anie great hope of being heard but shall speede thereafter And especially we may see plainely from the eighteenth verse of that chapter vnto the end of the same Which promises are most certaine and belonging to vs as well as to the Iewes how plainely and largely he doth promise not onely a remoouing of that great punishment which was verie much and for the certaintie of it and to assure her faith of it speaketh of it as though it were alreadie come saying then will the Lord be iealous ouer his lande and spare his people Ioel 2.18 and againe ver 22. be not afraid yee beastes of the field for the pastures of the wildernesse are greene for the tree beareth her fruite the figge tree and the vine doe giue their force be glad then yee children of Sion and reioice in the Lord your God for he hath giuen you the raine of righteousnesse that is as much as is meet for you in this great drought In al which words he speaking of this benefite to come as though it were already giuen them according to the maner of the prophets doth shew that he had alreadie receaued this promise from the Lorde that if they did thus throughly cast downe themselues in the guiltinesse of their sinnes and conscience of their deserts he would spare them and blesse them and besides hee would poure out his holy spirit most plentifully vpon them And this vndoubtedly is set downe for our consolation and instruction to shew vs what in the like case we may looke for And truely it must needes be so for there is no respect of persons with God and the promises of his worde though spoken vnto some particular people vpon some occasion yet are for all ages and times and doe generally belong to all alike vpon the same condition Therefore when as it saide to them Turne vnto the Lorde with all your heart and rent your hearts and when you are thus humbled the Lord will returne for your good and so foorth as it followeth in that place it is spoken not to them onely but to all such as in the like case shall thus do and so vnto vs now that we may be assured that if we thus do in that measure that we doe it in truth we shall finde mercie with the Lorde and so may praie for it most earnestlie in faith as they were willed to doe And the rather that we might thus doe Secondly consider the fulfilling of these promises to al those that haue vsed fasting and praier and be confirmed in the truth of this hope let vs vnto this gracious promise that we haue heard of ioine the consideration of all the fastes of the faithfull seruants of God set downe in the old and new Testament and see what hath beene the issue of them and whether they haue not obtained the things that they haue thus sued for and if the Lord hath not turned their sorrow into ioy Isa 61.3 their fasting into feasting and so hath giuen as the prophet speaketh to them that haue mourned beatitie for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning and the gâ—rment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse And heere wee may first of all consider what was the fruite of that fast which the Israelites helde in the time of the Iudges when for the wickednesse done to the Leuites concubine they fought against the Beniamites and were ouerthrowne in the first battle Iudg. 20. so that there was slaine that daie two and twentie thousand they fasted and praied set vpon them the second time yet were ouerthrowne in that battle also for the men of Beniamin slew downe to the ground of the children of Israel againe eighteene thousand all which could handle the sword then they fasted and praied the second time and got the victory when they were throughly humbled So that by fasting praier they preuailed against them at the last though not at the first and might haue done sooner if they had beene sufficiently humbled before As the Israelites thereby at the last preuailed against the Beniamites Wee haue hitherto with the rest of our brethren fasted and praied often that this grieuous plague raging in manie places might haue an ende and yet haue not thus farre preuailed with the Lord but the people stil die euerie where in great number yea it hath increased greatly since wee began so that ours and their estate is woorse then it was before we began euen as the Israelites did fall by thousands before their enimies after that they had by fasting and praier asked counsell of the Lord but if wee can hold out in this exercise vnto the end and not be discouraged though wee see little successe at the first and the more that wee see the hand of God increased against vs in iustice the more wee labour to grow in humilitie and feruency of praier then we doubt not but at the last by the euent as the Israelites did we shall see that we haue not all this while lost our labour and called vpon the name of God in vaine Therefore that we might with assured confidence and good hope perseuer in this holy exercise of fasting and praier besides the promise of God made vnto it which we haue heard let vs set this worthy example before our eies to comfort vs that though the beginning hath beene full of soâ—â—owe as it was with them yet the end will be full of ioy and consolation to our selues and others and to the praise and glorie of almightie God To this we may adioine that notable and famous example that we haue in the booke of Hester Hest 3.6 where it is said that Haman for the malice that hee bare against Mordecay sought the vtter destruction of all the Iewes for he thought it too little to laie handes on Mordecay himselfe alone and because they had shewed him the people of Mordecay he sought to destroy all the Iewes that were through out the whole kingdome of Ahashuerosh and to this end he had obtained a Decree from the king Hest 3.13 to roote out and to destroie and to
God towards his Church to which specially he hath giuen his worde and the Ministers thereof to warne them of his deserued punishments beforehand as it is saide of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 3.17 Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman to the house of Israel therefore heare the worde at my mouth and giue them warning from me so we have not wanted this great mercie of God For by the Ministers of our time from the trueth of Gods worde wee haue beene warned of his iudgements to come from time to time Who though by the spirit of prophecie they could not foretel wheÌ„ in what daie or moneth or yeere or after what maner either with the sworde famine or pestilence as the prophets did in their time to whom it was speciallie reuealed yet out of the most certaine trueth of Gods worde and the constant course of his dealing in former times they haue constantlie auouched and saide that God must needes before it bee long some waies punish vs for our sinnes as it is nowe come to passe and as it hath beene preached vnto the people before And hath not this bene seuerelie denounced against vs often Math. 3.10 which Iohn Baptist did against the Iewes Now is the axe put to the roote of the tree therefore euerie tree which bringeth not foorth good fruite shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire hath it not beene preached that God would vtterly destroy all those that liue vnprofitable vnder his Gospell destroie them I say euen by the rootes yet vndoubtedly this hath beene often sounded in the eares of all hearers chap. 21.19 and that the figge-tree that hath nothing on it but leaues shall be accursed and wither that is all hypocrites that content themselues with a bare outwarde profession of the Gospell and labour not for the inward vertue and power of it in their life to the glory of God and the benefite of others shall be discouered in time and come to nought according to the praier of the prophet Doe well O Lord vnto those Psal 125.4 that be good true in their hearts but these that turne aside by the crooked waies them shal the Lord lead with the workers of iniquitie but peace shall bee vpon Israel Luk. 13.6 And though he be a most patient God towards al euen towards the wicked yet he wil seuerely punish those at the last that abuse his great patience as appeareth in the parable of a certaine housbandman who had a figge-tree planted in his vineyard he came and sought fruit therein and found none then said he to the dresser of his vinyard Behold this three yeres haue I come and sought fruite of this figge-tree and find none cut it down why keepeth it also the ground barren And he answered and saide vnto him Lord let it alone this yeere also till I digge round about it and dunge it and if it beare fruit well if not then after thou shalt cut it downe Rom. 2.4 So the God of patience who thereby leadeth all men to repentance or leaueth them without excuse hath waited for our repentance and amendment of life as the fruit of all the paines that he hath taken with vs in his Gospell but vndoubtedly if after this preaching from yeere to yeere we remaine vnfruitfull at the last he will root them vp which make the Church barren which is in it owne nature the most fruitfull place in the world And therefore wee ought long agoe to haue sought vnto God in fasting and â—raier to escape this wrath These such like things haue not onely beene preached euerie where but with greate earnestnesse and zeale so vttered that we might easilie discerne that they spake not of themselues but were thereunto stirred vp by the spirit of God so that God warned vs of his iudgements by them and therefore wee should haue beleeued them and so haue sought heeretofore by fasting and praier to haue these â—â—ings turned away For as Dauid wheÌ„â—he prophet Nathan terrified his conâ—ience with the fearefull denuntiation Gods iudgement for his sinne sayâ—g 2. Sam. 12.9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandement of the Lorde to doe euill in his sight therefore the sword shall neuer depart from thine house then he besought the Lord fasted and lay all night vpon the earth before all came vpon him And as Ahab King of Israel when Eliah the prophet reproouing him sharpely for his sinne saide vnto him in the name of God behold I will bring euill vpon thee and take awaie thy posteritie 1. King 21.21 c. when hee heard these words hee rent his clothes and put sackecloth vpon him and fasted and so both these when they did heare from messenger of God what was due to them for their sinnes they sought by priuate fasting to haue it turned away So when the Lord euerie where stirred vp his seruants with all zeale and feruencie of spirit more then ordinarily thus to speake vnto vs and did sing vnto vs the dolefull song of his heauie iudgements and so with Iohn Baptist did mourne vnto vs Luk. 7.32 that we might haue wept we should haue done as the Niniuites did Iona 3.5 that is wee should haue beleeued God and his seruants and haue put on sackecloth from the greatest to the least and so by fasting and praier haue sought vnto the Lord to turne it away not carelesly to haue taried till the hand of God was vpon vs as now we haue done Wee should haue beene wise as others haue beene before vs to haue taken knowledge of Gods wrath to come by the threatnings of his word preached vnto vs by his seruants and so sought to preuent them as they did Thus we see A conclusioâ— shewing what cause there is of publike fasting in respect of Gods wrath appearing against our selues that whether we looke to the time present or to come and therein to the course of Gods prouidence whereby if wee consider all things well wee haue more cause to feare our selues then to be secure or wee looke to sinne that aboundeth euerie where which being vnrepented of calleth for vengeance at Gods hand against vs or wee consider this that our sinnes haue beene sharpely reprooued and Gods curse for them threatned against vs by those that haue spoken vnto vs in his name we haue great cause to doe as we doe I meane to resort thus to the Church to seeke vnto God by fasting and praier yea wee should haue done it long before and seeing that there are so manie causes of publike fasting among vs wee must therefore thinke that the Lorde requireth the thing it selfe at our hands Which we shall the rather also be perswaded of if besides all this that hath beene spoken to that end we further consider that the people of God alwaies making this a sufficient cause of their fastings eueÌ„ the wrath of God appearing against his Church as we
labours and therefore they can not make choise of a day of priuate fasting for of that we speake and not of publike wherein both master and seruant must be at the appointment of their gouernour but so farre onely as their superiours shall giue them leaue So that if they can not or wil not spare their labours for a time they are of necessitie to keepe all their priuate fasts vpon the Sabbath dayes wherein they are bound to rest from their labours and to serue God as well as any other and so their masters and gouernours should not onely giue them leaue to doe but also are charged by God so to doe and haue authoritie giuen ouer them to that end according to the expresse words of the commandement Sixe dayes shalt thou labour Exod. 20.9 and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day it is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruant nor thy maide where they are willed not only not to hinder them from sanctifying of the day but to looke diligentlie vnto them that they doe religiously obserue and keepe it and so vpon that day they may at any time the times of necessitie being alwaies excepted without any offence to their gouernors by defrauding theÌ„ of their seruices keepe their fasts And so may they doe any day of the weeke els if they haue their leaue otherwise not For though this be a speciall part of Gods seruice and that which he requireth of all at one time or other yet because it is not ordinarie and the sixe dayes are appointed for all the works of our seuerall callings ordinarilie and they are not their owne men as we say but at the disposition of others euen of their gouernours therefore he hath giuen theÌ„ leaue to breake all such purposes of theirs as shall vpon any of these dayes hinder them from any of those workes or seruices If they doe their gouernours haue power to breake them wherein they are to imploy them and vse them And so as they may not vpon these dayes leaue their worke and go to a Sermon heere there which some not ill minded might be willing to doe and so leaue their masters businesse vndone and thus vnder the colour of deuotion and well meaning not only idlenesse might be nourished in them but many disorders brought into a familie so much lesse are they at their own pleasure to take vp whole dayes to themselues for fasting without the priuitie and good liking of those vnder whom they are and if they should enterprise any such thing they are by them to be reprooued and amended according to the power that God hath giuen them And heerein as in some other things doth the law of God take place that is set downe by Moses Num. 30.4 If a woman vow a vow vnto the Lord binde herselfe by a bond being in her fathers house in the time of her youth and her father heare her vow and bond wherewith she hath bound her selfe and her father holde his peace concerning her then all her vowes shall stand euery bond wherewith shee hath bound her selfe shall stand but if her father disallow her the same day that he hereth al her vowes and bonds wherewith she hath bound her self they shal not be of value the Lord will forgiue her because her father disalowed her Where first he saith That if any make a vow or binde themselues with any bond to God or man they must keepe it but if a maid in her youth Because this kinde of serâ—ice is but voluntary and in her fathers house that is whiles shee is vnder his gouernment make a vowe and when hee heareth it by his silence or otherwise approoueth it then it is in force and must be performed but if he disallow of it then it shall be of no value and God will pardon her because her father hath broken it So that they haue not power while they be vnder gouernment to vowe what they will no not to God as to fast which is a voluntary seruice and may be vowed but if they haue done the father may breake it The equitie of this law giueth the same authoritie to the father ouer his sonnes and to the master and mistresse ouer their maid seruants and men seruants bindeth all them to be obedient vnto theÌ„ in such cases especially wheÌ„ as the Lord himselfe setteth downe the same law for the wife making a vowe without the knowledge and approbation of her husband vers 7 saying If she haue an husband when she voweth or pronounceth ought with her lippes wherewith she bindeth herselfe if her husband heareth and holdeth his peace concerning her the same day he heareth it then the vowe shall stand and her bonds wherewith she bindeth herselfe shall stande in effect but if her husband disalow her the same day that he heareth it then shall hee make her vowe which she hath made and that she hath pronounced with her lippes wherewith she bound herselfe of none effect and the Lord will forgiue her where wee see that the spirit of God vseth manie wordes to giue vs to vnderstand that though they haue determined neuer so certainly to do it yet they by their absolute authoritie may hinder them And truely if it were not thus manie might and would vnder this colour pretence somtimes of fained holinesse defraud their parents and masters of their seruice when they should most need them but God is the God of order and therefore hauing subiected children vnto their parents and seruants vnto their masters their persons and their willes and hauing commanded them to be obedient vnto them in the Lord in all things woulde haue them in all such matters Col. 3.20.22 as are but voluntarie to depend vpon their willes I confesse that it is to be granted In duties absolutely commanded the gouernours cannot restraine their inferiors that in things absolutely necessarie either for the glorie of God a mans saluation the preseruation of life the good of others and such like as to worship God purely and to be of a sound religion and to bee no heretike papist sectarie or atheist and to be of an holie life and conuersation and not to be prophane like Esau or like the silthie sowe 2. Pet. 2.22 that wallowerh in the mire generally to keepe all Gods commandements and to beleeue all the articles of our faith these things I saie they are to do yea although they cannot haue their consent For heere the wordes of the Apostles are in force who when they were brought before the counsell of the high Priests and Elders and there by them straightlie charged that in no wise they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus Act. 4.18 answered them and saide whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge yee So that
desert of your sinnes so much as you should doe and no more 1. Cor. 11.31 Math. 11.28 Luk. 15.59 To this end desire God to giue you a broken and a contrite spirite that your hart being soft and tender his word both the Law and the curses thereof and the Gospell with the promises of the same together with all his workes of iustice and mercy vpon your selfe and vpon others might worke on your conscience as they ought to do Luk. 18.13 Psa 51.17 Esa 66.2 Thus groaning vnder the heauie burden of them desire God earnestly for Christs sake to ease you of them and to bestow vpon you the free pardon and forgiuenesse of them receiuing the sacrifice of Christs death as your full ransome and intreat him most earnestly for those sinnes that most trouble you Psal 25.7.18 51.1.2.7 c. Dan. 9.17 c. Beseech him to release you of all those fearefull iudgements of his which you haue most righteouslie deserued both in this world and in the world to come and especially those which you most feare that he wold ease you of al those publike priuate calamities that any wais for your sinnes you are presently in Psal 79.8.9 Iona. 3.8 1. King 8.33.36 c. Pray for the increase of your faith that you may more and more beleeue the forgiuenesse of your sins by the ministerie of the Gospell the vse of his Sacraments and that you may haue speciall faith both in those promises and for the forgiuenesse of those sinnes that you desire most of all to be confirmed in Psal 51.1.7.11.15 25.7 Mar. 9.24 And then pray for these fruites of faith namely that you may haue peace of conscience and quietnesse of minde knowing that you are discharged before gods iudgement seat and that you may in the feeling of his loue reioice with an vnspeakable ioy both aboue all worldlie ioies and in the midst of all worldly sorrowes and thirdly that you may haue good hope for the time to come euen in this world most of all of your saluation and that that may suffice you Rom. 5.1 Psa 51.8.12 Rom. 15.13 Heb. 6.9 Aske the daily increase of vnfained repentance for al your sins past and present corruptions generally and more specially for all those whereof there is most cause and not onely that you may be heartily sorie for thē but that you may also hate and loath them striue most earnestly against them Rom. 7.24 Psal 51.10 2. Cor. 12.8 That you might heereafter preuaile against sin and walke in the commandements of God aske the increase of the graces of his holie spirit and these not only generally but some more specially by name whereof you stand in most neede Psal 119.33.34 c. Psal 51.12 And that you might obtaine these pray that you may make conscience to vse daily all the meanes of your saluation publikely and priuately as all the exercises of the worde and prayer together with the keeping of a good conscience and that God would daily blesse them to you for these endes 1. Thes 5.19.20 1. Tim. 1.19 Obtaining these graces pray God to blesse you in your particular calling and namely that therein you may be painefull and also profitable and for all things that might further you this way Psal 127.1 Prouer. 31.13 c. 2. Tbes 3.10 c. Gen. 24.12 Aske life and health and all outward things as they may most further you in the aboue-named namely as they may make you more fit to serue God and to doe good vnto others name some things as not onely health wealth friends c. but others that you at that time stande in most neede of Pro. 30.8.9 Gen. 28.20.21 Iam. 5.17.18 Therefore pray God to giue you them with his fauour and with his blessing and with the right vse of them and with a contented mind with faith in Gods prouidence that you may depend vpon him Gen. 28 20. Deut. 28.2.3 c. Phil. 4.11.12 Math. 6.25 c. Pray God that you may alwaies be prepared for the crosse whatsoeuer it shall please him to laie vpon you namely that you may haue strength to beare it patience and cōfort in the midst of it grace to profit by it especially that you may bee readie euerie houre for death Math. 16.24 Rom. 8.26.28 Phil. 1. 23. 2. Cor 5.9 c. Then pray for the whole Church of God and therein for some parts especially as those which are vnder the crosse and wherein you doe liue and herein for some by name as the time will permit and as you haue cause as for your Gouernors high and low ecclesiasticall and ciuill for your parents children friends and such as haue desired your praiers Psa 122.6.7 Ier. 29 7. Eph. 6.18.19 1. Sam. 1.17 Last of all giue thankes vnto God in this maner first for all his benefits vpon soule and body for this life and the life to come Psal 103.2 145.1.2 Secondly for all sins which are forgiuen you which you haue beene kept from and which you haue beene recouered out of Psalm 103.3 51.15 16.7 Thirdly for al euill punishments which you haue escaped aboue others or which you haue beene deliuered out of or which haue come vpon you as fatherly chastisemēts and in them you haue beene comforted Exod. 15.1.2 Psal 107.8.15.25 119.67.71 And in all these giue thanks for your selfe and for all yours and for the whole Church of God 1. Timoth 2.1 The continuall vse of prayer is all in all for custome as in all other things so in praier maketh perfect therefore the more you vse prayer the more will God giue you the spirit of prayer Pray alwaies with all maner prayer and supplication in the spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints and for me Eph. 6.18 An order priuatelie to reade ouer with great facilitie the olde Testament once euery yere and the new twise CHAPTERS of the Old Testam 777  CHAPTERS of the New Test 260. Morning Dayes of the weeke Euening 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 4 2 2 5 1 2 6 1 3 7 0 The Olde Testament thus read ouer once in a yeere and there will be two dayes to spare  The New Testament thus is read ouer twise in a yeere and there will be one day to spare The PSALMES 150. These may be read ouer by themselues either once in a moneth or once in a quarter at the least which is foure times in the yeere 1. TIM 4.13 Giue attendance vnto reading Hee that is desirous to learne and remember the Word of God that he might liue according to it let him consider of that which is written Psalme 119. Part 2. THE TEXT  THE PARAPHRASIS Wherewith shall a yoong man clense his waies in taking heed thereto according to thy Word 1 FIrst of all be perswaded that the Word of God is onely that rule whereby the whole life of euery man that in euery thing must be ordered euen the the life of a yong man who thinketh that he hath most reason for himselfe why he should be exused as commonly he is most disordered With my whole heart I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commandement 2 Then vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading hearing of Gods Word as to the meanes whereby he hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the diligent vse of those meanes for his holie spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his Word I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee 3 That which you haue thus learned let it not swimme aloft in your braine but be deepelie setled and hid in your heart as a treasure framing all your affections vnto it that so you may haue it in a readinesse whensoeuer you should vse it otherwise though you know neuer so much it will not keepe you from sinning against God Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes 4 You thus profiting giue thankes to God for that which you learne because be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not your selfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightened because it is lesse   than many others doe and you your selfe should know With my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth 5 But aboue all be carefull to talke of that vnto others which you do dayly learne your selfe and out of the abundance of your heart let your mouth speake For by teaching others you shall learne your selfe I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches 6 That you might do all these things labour to haue ioy in the Word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and be occupied about those things with greatest delight for in whatsoeuer we take greatest delight that will sticke fastest by vs. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes 7 Last of all meditate consider of that with your selfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting your selfe with the generall rules but labouring in your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to your selfe in the particular practise thereof I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy Word 8 Thus doing all these things carefully you shall be sure neuer to forget that which you learne for though you doe not always remember euery thing yet God by his spirit will call so much into your remembrance as is needfull for you to know and then especially when you haue most need of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in iny one of these so may you feare to faile in the trueth of this promise A good helpe for an ill memorie