5o5 Of . The hyperbolicallOrate; ofprayingandfailing, andof the contiiïuall abode day and night in theTempleofthe auncientAene4, a widow offourefcore and foute yeares, in contemplation,will not ferue toproue,that a dayly exercifeof fatting fhouldbevféd of maried folkesand othersthat leada lifeaaliue,eytber ciuill'or eccicfiafficall,who for their yeares mayendure the craueilesoftheir minde and bodie, and bytheir callingare bounde ffxedayesin theweeke,witüoutfome fpeciall occafion to follow the workes of the faine, and on the feauenthdayto celebrate a feaft vetothe Lord, and not a fait with the Mani- cheer. Thusthe moil excellentièruantsof God, Daáid, Daniel, andPaule arc nota- blie commended unto vsfor their holie exercifesof Prayer,and farting:whereofone(aswe read) theyvied daily and according to their ordinariewants: the other vpon fpecialland extraordinarieneedes,whichGod'did preflethem with. Theft examples are we bound to follow,fo farreforth asthey followedChrilt,whoalthoughhe faftcd(no doubt) verymany times,yetnotwithilanding his lifewas fo farrefrom a dayly falt,that it was thought a con- tinuallfeaft. IndeedthePopifh fall maywell enough, and without danger to the bodie be continually and daily vfed,and yet manywaits dangerousandhurtfull to thefoule;but o- therfattingbeeingdayly vfed, would beeboth hurtful! to thebodie, inpuffing itvp with windes,and fillingit vpwithcorrupt humours and allo to the foulein that pridewould be ingendred, andnoifome opinionsalfonourifhed in it.' A true fait requirethnot an emp- tinesof the bodieonlie,becaufe the kingdome of 'heaven is neyther in =ate nor drinke, and that ifweBate wearenot the worlè1and if wecate not weare not the better, _and feeing the bodily exercife profiteth little, yea oftentimes hurrahmuch more in pufñngvpthe minde,then it can'doe,good in pulling it downe: we muff as much and as carefullie vfethe word, andprayer,and otherhoheexercifes ,publike and private for the increafe offpiri- tuall things as we vfeabftinencefromnatural!, adding lomany meansto the inward man as we Mitefrom the outward:that wemaynot only humble our felues inbody,but inboth together, thatweewaiteonGods good timeto receiue from himcomfort to our fpirits, as we looke andmake account Ihortly to take fuflcnancefor our bodies.Befides,the truefaft requireth vstoreftfrom our ordinarieprofits and pleafures, and if it bepublike to beam alfo two three,orfoureSerinons in one daywith long and feruent and feriousme. ditation before,inthémiditand aftertheft exercifes, reuerent reading of the Scriptures, of tinging ofPfalmesioyned with fafling,asitisperfdPtlytaughtin theperfc l vfe andtrue endofthis exercife. TheProphets IfaiáhandPe/thought it notenough toexhort thepro- piece) true repentance,butcalled alit)for the pOblike exercife 'of thefame whichdoârine oftheProphets islealedbyNehen iáhandEzrah.antii the reft ofthepeople, who notwith- lhanding had their notable profiting in the kmwledgeof the law, -yetfeeingthe fecret threatnings ofthe Lordagainfttheir fpirituall esu s,added thismeant of afaftbeyond the ordinarievii of theword,leauing an example to the Church for herinflruetion inal ages. 'Were weas (harpefighted,astender confcicnred as they,wemight difcernegreaterjudge- ments threatned ofthe Lord againrl vs, and fide morefptrituall culls inour felues then e- uer they did: forto let paffe that great plagueof the Lordvpon. ourtimes,as theMinifterie fo ignorant and díllolute,fitch facriledge by impropriations,and irreligious Patronswhich are not all this whileamended; the carnal( lifeof Proteftants,theftifnes of Papiftswhich cannot thus longbeconutrted,the dangerousdiffemblingof AtheiftsandMachmelilts in the Church and commonwealth : thelong bitter contentionsof the'true profelfours, be- fides many moeeuils nottobefpokcn ; and many knowne and profefled culls in thefe dayes,againft whichhitherto neytherlawbath beeneeftablifhed , northe preachingpre- nailed: Andweforgetour brethren; calaniitie in theperfecuted Churches, withwhomwe haue thus long,and Rill doeforget to mourne.Hath not theLord hünfe(fe blownea Trum- pet toour faits ? let then thofe which are theMiniftersof the Lord be continually exher- ung hereunto. God graunt diem torebuke finne,to threaten thelaw, moue Repentance, and tovrge falling. WhoPit)fail often. FI
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