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 18.

Then the Lord will bee iealous ouer his land and spare his people.

THis is the last braunch of the second part of this text: wherein the Prophet sheweth what a happie end their fast should haue. If they truely humble themselues as is before prescribed, the Prophet assureth them that the Lord

was neuer so ready to raine his plagues and iudgements, as he will bee to power downe his blessings and mercies vpon them: For he will be iealous ouer his land, and spare his people.

The Lordes iealousie is often mentioned in the olde Testament: by this worde is not meant an ill humor of suspicion, but an ardent and feruent affection and loue to∣ward his Church. It is a metaphor and a speech borrowed from the true loue of the husband towards the wife, which is such as there is no affection on earth among men com∣parable vnto it. The last of the Canticl. verse 6. This loue of man and wife is compared to death for strength, it will ouercome all difficulties and lettes to doe good vnto the wife, yea death it selfe: and iealousie is said to be as hard or cruell as the graue, it will deuoure and destroye all ene∣mies, and can bee no more intreated, then the graue or death it selfe. The same is said of this affection, in the hus∣band for the offence or iniurie done to his wife, in defiling his bed Salomon telleth vs he can neuer be appeased, Iea∣lousie is the rage of a man, therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. This iealousie the Scripture ascribeth vnto God, not that any such affections or passions bee in him, but that it might expresse the greatnes of his loue to∣wards vs: which is such and so great, that looke what is done to his Church (whereof hee accounteth as of his be∣loued spouse) he euer deemeth and taketh as done to him∣selfe. This he testifieth by his Prophet; Hee that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. If any man aske a rea∣son of this the Lordes iealousie: surely there is no cause of it in any one of the creatures, nor in any thing which hath being, without himselfe. His owne goodnes is the cause of all his loue, iealousie and mercie towards his Church: for he found it blacke, spotted, and a polluted masse of sin, but hee hath made it by the blood of his sonne, Comely as the fruites of Kedar, and bewtifull as the curtaines of Salomon.

The Lorde is euer iealous ouer his people: first, during their obedience to preserue them, Zachary. 2.8. saith the Psalmist, Touch not my people, and doe my Prophets no harme: and to consume their enemies: Zach. 8.2. I was ie∣lous for Zion in a great wrath. 2. But when they back∣slide and transgresse his lawes, his ielousie burnes like fire against them: Exod. 20.5. he sayth he is a ielous God, visi∣ting the iniquities of the fathers vpon the children, vnto the third and fourth generation, &c. And yet when this heate of ielousie flameth as it were in him, he is ful of hea∣uines and griefe. This sayth the Prophet: He punisheth not his people willingly, but as a tender father he striketh with the hand but not with the heart: he repenteth him of all the euill hee brings vpon his people, full of bowels of mercie and compassion, as is before shewed, vers. 13.

Ob. But this fire of Gods ielousie in elder times burnt vp alwaies the refuse and baggage people, idolaters, adul∣terers, Numb. 25. blasphemers, murmurers, Numb. 11.1. Psal. 78.20.21. with famine, warres, and pestilence: how is it that this holy fire among vs in these dayes, deuoures such a number of sweete young plants, and good trees bearing fruite, most fauourie, and comely branches in the garden and vineyard of the Lord, and yet stand still those wicked plants and dead, rotten, and most vnsauorie stocks, which the Lords hād hath neuer planted? I meane in a word, wherefore are the righteous afflicted and taken away: and this fire of the Lord neuer toucheth so many monstrous blasphemers, wicked Atheists, prophane beasts, adulterers, theeues, drunkards, oppressors, vsu∣rers, &c?

Ans. First, I answer with Iob, chap. 24. 1. that the times appoynted for all iudgements, are hid by the almightie, he knowes best, when, and how to strike, and the wisest man cannot render a reason of his wayes.

Secondly I answer, we are not vnder the Gospel to look for the like temporall and particular iudgements, as vnder

the Law: now more fearfull is the state and condition of all such proude sinners, because greater grace is offered vnto all men by the bright shining light, and glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ. Therefore sayth the Apostle: How shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation?

3. Lastly, the Lord is ielous ouer his people when they bee humbled: then sayth Ioel, his ielousie will appeare in liberall blessings, and great bountifulnes.

In this verse first learne a singular consolation for a sin∣full people in their miseries. The Lord accounts this wic∣ked people of the Iewes his people, and assureth them of his loue, euen when they beare his corrections. Our flesh so frets, and our soules are so disquieted often in afflictiōs, that we can then hardly lift vp our hearts to think of Gods loue towards vs. Yet certain it is, that in his corrections he loueth vs deerly, and therfore humbleth vs by his fatherly chastisements, least wee should perish with the wicked world. 2. Note here the happie end of all true conuer∣sion vnto God. There was neuer yet any of Gods peo∣ple, in any age, which did prostrate themselues in a pub∣like fast, in manner as is before prescribed, keeping Gods holy ordinance, affected towards God, and cast downe at his feete, to aske mercie, but the Lord hath been infinitly more ielous towards them, and more affected to shewe mercie. Yea, wee bee well assured his loue euer went be∣fore their loue, and his ielousie before their ielousie, and he hath euer repented before they haue repented, as is before shewed.

The Lord hath neuer failed to giue his people, thus truely humbled, euen their hearts desire. Ioshua and his people being greatly discouraged by the losse of some part of their armie, after they fasted, they were strengthened, and comfortably incouraged againe to proceede, as the Lord commaunded them. Samuel and his people were greatly afflicted by the Philistins, after their fast, they put their enemies to an exceeding shame. The Israelites in

the dayes of the Iudges, after their fasting, weeping and mourning, they beat downe the pride of the Beniamites as they desired. Iehosaphat after his fast, fought against the Amorites and Moabites, and lost not one of his men: for that godlesse multitude of prophane pagans was vt∣terly destroyed one of another. Hester and the Iewes af∣ter their fast, had great prosperitie, peace, and comfort: for Haman their enemie was destroyed, and so Gods people were deliuered from their enemies, and enioyed great li∣bertie in that land. Nehemias and Ezra, after their fast, were incouraged and comforted in the obedience of the people, the citie and temple were reedified, & the Church of God prospered. Daniel after his fasting, receiued no∣table reuelations concerning the deliuerance of the Church, and the comming of the Messias. The Christians at Antioch after their fast, were greatly confirmed. The Gospell had a more free passage, for God prouided and prepared Paul, and Barnabas, two notable organs and in∣struments, to communicate and preach the same vnto the Gentiles.

Finally, to come vnto our selues, wee haue had 3. or 4. generall fasts published by the gouernours, but perfor∣med in great weakenes in the best assemblies of our land. The first was in a very speciall manner commaunded by the Queenes Maiestie, in the beginning of her most happy raigne ouer vs. The cause was the pestilence: The Lorde heard his people, & they were mercifully deliuered. When the bloudie Spanyards would haue deuoured vs, some charge there was for publike humiliation: In some fewe assemblies Gods people were humbled, and cried migh∣tily vnto the Lord. There followed a most memorable & miraculous deliuerance neuer to be forgotten in our land. Againe, the Lord smote vs with the pestilence, and ma∣ny thousands were consumed. Some fewe were humbled and mourned, the rage of the pestilence ceased in those moneths and time of the yeare, when (by long obseruation

it is knowne) that this contagious and venemous sicknesse doth most destroy and gather strength, in all parts of the world.

Let vs conclude, that because wee haue with the olde Church the same God, immutable, full of ielousie, loue, and bowels of mercie, and seeing that he hath vouchsa∣fed to communicate vnto vs his owne sonne and holie Gospell, that couenant of grace and mercie: we may bee well assured that what calamities and miseries so euer light vpon vs for our sinnes, famine, warres, pestilence, or any other the Lords gentle corrections: if we follow and obey this the Lords holy ordinance in our vnfained hu∣miliation, we shall receiue a happie end, a release and free∣dome from our crosses, so farre as shall be expedient for vs in this life: and in the next the blessed end of our faith, the euerlasting saluation of our soules, by and with Iesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, to whom with the father and most holie spirit, be al praise, honor, glorie, power, and principalitie for euer and euer, Amen.

Notes

• The last branch of the second parte concerning the happie end of a gene∣ral fast.
• Exod. 20.5.34.14.
• Deut. 5.9. Nahum. 1.2 Zach. 8 2. What Iealosie is.
• Pro. 6 34.
• Ephe. 5.
• Zach. 2.8.
• Cant. 1. ver. ••.
• This ielousie hath deuoured in all ages of the world, as with a strange fire, the ene∣mies of his church.
• Obiection. Wherefore the Lord doth not so strike the grosse sinners of our times as in former ages.
• 1. Remember Lots wife, Luke 17.32.
• 2. If they heare not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be per∣swaded, &c. Titus 2.10.11. 1. Cor. 11.32. Heb. 2.3.
• God loueth his people and ser∣uants deerly when he cor∣recteth them.
• 1. Cor. 11.28. Heb. 12.
• Ver. 13.
• Conclusion.
• Iosh. 7.
• 1. Sam. 7.
• Iudg. 20.
• 2. Chro. 20.
• Hester. 4.5.6.
• Nehe. 9.10.11.12.
• Ezra. 8. & 9. cap. & 10. Dan. cap. 9. & 10.
• Anno. 1563.
• Anno. 1588.
• Anno. 1593.
• August and September.
• Rom. 3.32.