J[a. 58. 4 Jod 1 14 Jona~ 3· 8 Jfa.l8. 6, 7 Chap. • 7 Secb. Beh Id, _ye fejl for J!rifc and debate, andfmite with the {iftofwickcdnef,, ye jlu;// not fajl ns ye do thu day. It 1s plaw, the Lord will endure no Fait of thofe that go on frill in their wickednefs. 2. The word a~d prayer muft be added : I faj/ed and prayed brfore the God of Hea– ven, faid Nthemiah: ·---.And they food up tn thm place, and>·ead m the Boolz.ofthe Lmv of the Lord thrtr God, orte fourth part of the day, and a~other fourth part they confc!Jcd and worfhipped the Lord thetr God•: cBut whereas prayer IS a da1ly and ordinary exercife cf the Saints, it is mamfe!t, that'liy Prayer coupled with Faj/ing, is unaerftood a fpecial and peerlcfs kindc of Prayer, wherein two things are required: I. Fervency of deGre· now we mull: not oncly pray, but cry unto the Lord; yea,as the Nincvitcs fpeak, w. ar~ to cty mightily unto him: For the ufe of our outwara abffinence, is but the wing of pra. yer, wherewith it might more eafily fly up to heaven. 2 In fuch a prayer there lhould be an a!Jurance offatth : The Lord hath made a gracious promife in many places to this Ordinance, 2 Chron. 7· I 4· !fa. 58. 8, 3. 'foel. 2. I 8, I 9· and let all the Fafts of the Church of Chrifr, both in the Old and New Teftament, be looked at, as Judges 20• :Z3. Ez:.ra 9· 6. Ejth. 4· )6• .Afls 13 2>J. and it will appear, that the end of their Jt~fts (kept in any meafure of truth and fincerity) was a f eaft, and the iffue of their mourning, great rejoycing; all which may ferve wonderfully to flrengthcnour faith in this holy performance, 3. \Vorks of mercy mulf be added, Is not this the fajl th"t I have chofen , to Iooft the bands ofwick!dnefs,to deal thy head unto the hungry, to brmg the poor that ar, cajl n:r, mto thine houji, and when thouJeeft the nak!d, to coverrhem .? In all our falls this muft beoli– f~rvei:l, that the poor may have the ga_in ofour falling; If their loyns and bowds b'ef '"' the L ord t~'Jo will blef us abundantly. 4- We muff ever in thefe days ofhumiliation, renew our Covenant with the Lord· and not onely unfeignedly purpofe , but faithfully promife amendment of life· ·-rhi; ma~ing, renewing and keeping our Cove~ant, is the life and fum, .md the one mojl ~eceffary thmgs in this excellent and extraordmary cxerc1fe of faft1vg and prayer. 2. The particnlar dmies, wherein we mutt ferioully exercife our fouls on fuch aday, are thcfe : --·- I. In a right furvey and full comprehcnfion of all our vilenefs, iniquities, tranfgreffion~,· and fms. - 2. In a right apprehenfion of Gods dreac\ful wrath' and llame(ng venegance againlt fin. 3. In afeeling fence of our own unfpeakble,and inconceivable mifery by reafon there~ of. . 4-. In a vile and bafe conceit and efleem of our fclves, abhorring our fclves in dull: and allies. 5. lfi aninward farrow, renting of the heart, bleeding of the foul, accompaoic:d with ·,:m outward bewayling, with a plentiful and heart-pierdng confcffion t;>f all our fins before Gods gracious throne. . , 6. In a refolute hatr~,dillike and averfion in the will; in an impregnable.refolution and ftrong reafoning of the mind; in a conil:ant endeavour and watchful .oppofition againft fin. 7· In an hearty grieving , that we cannot perform all thcfe )ll9re heartily, fincerely and foundly. · ' ' 2. The outward d1<ties confill: efpecially in orttward abjlinence: As--\- I. From full lleep, whence that exhortation in fome fenfe, Watch~mto pr11ycr, coj, ·4· 2. I Pet. 4· 7· 2. From coll:ly apparel , from ornaments, and better attire, Ed:od. 33· 4, 5, 6. Jonah. 3· 6. 3. From matrimonial Benevolence, from that fociety which God hath fanCl:ifi'd by hisWordto marriedperfons, .rCor.7. ·5. 'joe/.2. r6. 4· From bodily labors and worldly bufinefs, Lev. r6. 29, 31. ---- 2.3. z•. Joel 1• .14. ··-·2. '5· . , J.. From food wholly; and yet this total ·abftinence ~rom m~at and <lri:n\1: is not fo ll:netly required, but th:llthey whofe h~alth cannot bear 1t,maym c_afe oftruenecdliry, take fome little refefhing, left otherwtfe they hazard or hurt thw health, andvnfit themfelves for the fpiritual exercife and duty ; indeed we h~ve no example oftbl$ cafe ptopounded in Script\Jre,-yct we have afufficient g~oun(( for i!, Hofe" 6.6. Jlfat. 1 z-7- . 6. _Fronl
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