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.

Vers. 13.

Rent therefore your hearts, and not your clothes, and turne vnto the Lord your God: for he is gra∣cious, and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnes, that he may repent him of this euill.

THE first part of this verse dooth yet more plainly ex∣presse what vnfained humiliation & conuersion God requireth at their hands: the latter part containeth notable arguments from the Lords free goodnes and mercie, to moue them to attend carefully vnto the former exhorta∣tion. Secondly, the Lord promiseth to change his minde from their affliction, if they be changed.

Rent your harts, &c. That is, do not as the people of the East coūtries, rend their clothes in signe of sorow, &c. Iob 1.20. Matth. 26.65. but rent your hearts: Let your hearts bee broken and contrite, sorrow ye and lament, and this doe, so as your hearts may testifie with you that you bee sicke for sinne, and agrieued in your hearts, for that you haue grieued the almightie God and his holy spirite, E∣phes. 4.30.

For he is gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnes. That is, the Lord is indeede such a God, as he hath long since described and declared himselfe to bee vnto his holy seruant Moses: when hee desired to see his glorie, and to know his maiestie: he proclaimed & made knowne himselfe first in these words: I will shew mercie to whom I will shew mercie, and I will haue compassion, on whom I will haue compassion. And againe in these words: The Lord, the Lord, strong, mercifull, and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in goodnesse and trueth, reseruing mercie vnto thousands, for giuing iniquitie, and transgres∣sion, and sinne, &c. God is first Chanun, gracious: that is, one that giueth great gifts freely. Secondly, Rachun, one that like a father, hath bowels of mercie. Thirdly, Erek a∣pajim, one that is long winded, very patient, not soone of∣fended.

Fourthly, Rah chesed, very bountifull or benefi∣ciall.

That he may repent of this euill. That is, the Lord him∣selfe will not afflict you with warres & other iudgements, as he hath threatned, if you repent vnfainedly, but he will embrace you as a father in his armes of mercie: For as a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him. Psal. 103. vers. 13.

This verse teacheth vs: First, that true repentance is no light change of minde, opinion, or iudgement onely: no, sayth the holy Prophet, it must haue a deeper impression in the heart. The heart must feele it, and finde it, as well as the minde and reason see it, and knowe it: for the heart must be rent and sicke, that herein also wee may be con∣formed vnto the image of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ. For his heart also was rent, Ioh. 19.34. Neuer trust to any outward action, if thou feelest no inward griefe nor change of minde.

2. The way to conuert soules vnto God in miserie, is by preaching the glad tidinges of Gods mercies in Iesus Christ. Speake to men afflicted of iustice and iudgemēts, the more they despaire and runne from God. Psal. 130.4. Mercie is with thee that thou maiest bee feared. Rom. 12.1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God, that ye giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice vnto God. Christ and Iohn began their Sermons of repentance with this argument: Repent, for the kingdome of God is at hand.

3. The inspeakeable loue and mercie of our heauenly father is here taught vs, where he is sayd to repent when we repent. There can bee no greater argument either to testifie his loue, or to moue our affection. Is not he a most gracious and blessed God, that when wee poore forlome sinners repent and are grieued for displeasing him, he re∣pents also & is agrieued that he hath beaten vs? And is not that God full of bowels of mercie, that when werepent &

leaue off to sinne, he repents also, and will cease to afflict vs? We can no sooner mourne, but he mournes; no soo∣ner bee affected towards him, but hee also is affected to∣wards vs. Nay, he affects vs before wee affect him, and his affection is cause of our affection, and his repentance cause of our repentance, and our repentance but a signe of Gods repentance. This the Prophet Ieremie also assu∣reth vs, that God is full of heauines euen when he dooth chasten his people, chap. 3.32. Though he send affiction, yet will he haue compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies: for he doth not punish willingly. So then wee see here a most comfortable doctrine: that if we be truly humbled, the Lord thē assuredly is minded to shew mer∣cie: for he first softeneth, prepareth, and inlargeth our harts before we can be humbled: so then where great loue, hu∣militie and repentance is in vs, the Lords great loue and grace went before in the pardoning of many sinnes: So speaketh Christ: Many sinnes are forgiuen her, for she loued much.

Notes

• Sense.
• Exo. 34.6, 7, 8.
• Al this is spo∣ken to our ca∣pacitie & com∣fort: God is sayd in Scrip∣ture neuer to change, alter, or to repent of any decree, his decrees are im∣mutable, Rom. 11.6.
• Rom 8.29. but when he is said to repent, the meaning is that he chan∣geth his mena∣cings into bles∣sings, when his people are changed. 1. Sam. 15.35. compare verse 11.29. &c.
• Matth. 3.2.
• Gods repen∣tance and ours compared.
• A tender har∣ted father can mourne and weepe euen when he bea∣teth his chil∣dren. Ier. Lam. 3.32.33. ex animo.
• Luk 7.47.
• An argumēt from the con∣sequent, & not frō the cause: as the example following te∣stifieth.