The Christian exercise of fasting, priuate and publike plainly set forth by testimonies of holy Scriptures, and also of old and late writers: wherein is shewed how religious families priuatly, and the congregations publikely, haue humbled themselues before almightie God, making vse of iudgements past, auoyding euils present, and preuenting future calamities, &c. Together with sundrie abuses of fasting in three generations of hypocrites: the first in the dayes of the prophets: the second in the dayes of Christ: the third in the dayes of Antichrist. Hereunto also are added some meditations on the 1. and 2. chapters of Iob, to comfort and instruct all such as be afflicted with any crosse, either inwardly in minde, or outwardly in bodie. By H. Holland, minister and preacher of Gods word.

Verse 6.

Then the Lord sayde vnto Sathan, * beholde he is in thine hand, but saue his life.

In this verse wee bee taught how the commission was re∣nued vnto Sathan: where consider:

• 1. The commission it selfe: l••e he is in thine hand.
• 2. The speciall exception or pro∣uiso for the safegarde of Iobs life but saue his life.

But saue his life. That is, seeke not to kill him, for thou shalt not preuaile. The hebrewe Nephesh, signifieth the

soule, and it signifieth also vsually the life of man in diuers places of scripture, like as the Greeke and Latin names doe.

1. The Lord is readie otherwhiles to grant the wicked their desire. But like as Sathan here, so all his children are very forward, to wish and desire that which shall turne in the end to their owne confusion. * The Lord giues them leaue often to counsell and consult, and to proceede with successe: but in the ende they are the very instruments of their owne bane and destruction. Examples. How ear∣nest was that hypocrite Achitophel in that hot and dan∣gerous conspiracie of Absalom against Dauid: but when he saw what issue all would come to, he went and hanged himselfe. How desperate was Iudas against his good ma∣ster: God decreed it, and gaue him leaue to effect his de∣sire: but his desperate rage turned to his owne bane and perdition: for being not able to beare the torments and fierie flashings of his conscience, he went anon after and hanged himselfe.

Contrarily, we see the Lord otherwhiles to deferre and to deny the requests of his Saints and faithfull people: first, either because they know not what they aske, Matth. 20.22. 2. or els because they aske agaynst Gods decree, as Samuel praying for Saul, and Dauid for his child. 3. or because they know not what is best for them, as to Paule he sayth: My grace is sufficient for thee. This is the assu∣rance we haue in him, that if we aske any thing according to his will, he heareth vs.

2. We haue before noted how fearefully the wicked are plagued by Sathan, when he is let loose against them. Farre greater are Achabs plagues being farsed with errors in soule, then Iobs plagues being filled with boyles in his bodie. The Lord lets Sathan proceede so farre as pleaseth him (as here we see) in both. He cannot hurt the hogges of the Gaderits without his commission, much lesse the bodies and soules of men. * And here howsoeuer the Lord

is good and gracious to his holy seruant, to preserue his soule from Sathans snares, and his life from death: yet we know that Sathan preuailes otherwhiles in both euen a∣gainst Gods elect. For the bodies of the Saints we know also that he hath murdered many of them, both by means of his wicked instruments in all the murders which haue been in the world. And also immediatly by himselfe poy∣soning their bodies with the pestilence, and other incu∣rable diseases, whereby hee hath destroyed many, as here he would haue done Iob, but that God restrained him. Now then wee see here how Iob findes great fauour at Gods hand in his crosse: for the Lord keepes his soule and heart from errors, and his life from death.

Let vs learne it here againe, that Sathan cannot hurt vs without a commission: if this bee true, let vs neuer seeke for help against him, but by pleasing the same Lord which gaue him commission. It is madnes to seeke helpe of witches, the diuels speciall instruments, when hee is let loose against vs, to adore him as a God. Let vs onely in∣treate by prayer and fasting the same great Lord which hath sent him against vs.

Notes

• Naphsho she∣mor.
• Seruare dici∣tur Sathan, ir∣rumpere non audere. Gregor. The purposes desires and wishes of Sa∣than and al his instruments are granted often to their owne cōfusiō. Psal. 55.12.13.14. 2. Sam. 17.23. Math. 26.5.
• 1. Sam. 15.10.11. 2. Sam. 12. 2. Cor. 12.17. 1. Ioh. 5.14.
• Math. 8.31.32.
• Reue. 2.10. Luke 13.11.12. Palsy Math. 9.2.3.