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.

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Title
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.
Author
Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.
Publication
At London :: Printed by the widow Orwin for William Young, and are to be sold at his shop in Canon lane neere the great north-doore of Paules Church, at the signe of the white Horse,
1596.
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Subject terms
Bible. -- O.T. -- Job I-II -- Commentaries.
Fasting -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A03464.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 19, 2024.

Pages

Vers. 8.

And the Lord saide vnto Sathan, hast thou not considered in thine heart my seruant Iob, how none is like him in the earth? an vpright and righteous man, one that feareth God and escheweth euill.

TO consider with the heart, is deepely, and soundly, and aduisedly to ponder and consider of any thing: all the rest of the verse, is the same with the 1. verse.

In that the Lord here demaundeth Sathan whether hee did not well consider of Iob: wee learne where Sathans eyes are most occupied and most bent, namely to Gods people and their walking, for they are his sworne enemies: therefore the scripture speaketh so often of our spirituall

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warfare: warning vs in the Greeke verbe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to fight and wrastle, 2. Tim 4.7. 1. Cor. 9.25. Luk. 13.23. 1, Tim. 6.12. Heb. 12.1.2. he euer prieth where they are most rea∣die to slip and fall, and causeth them to stumble, if by any meanes possible he can. Wherefore let the righteous ser∣uants of God, againe and againe remember Saint Peters wordes, Be sober and watch, for the deuils eyes are euer vpon you. As for the wicked, like as drunken men are soone snared, and can neuer escape till they bee sober: so the vnbeleeuers they are euer fettered by Sathan, till the Lord giue them repentance to escape the snares of the de∣uill, for the Apostle sayth, He taketh them prisoners to doe his will.

2. Nothing so galles and grieues a wicked man as when he can not effect that euill which he most desireth: So Sa∣than he burneth and boyleth when he can not worke that mischiefe which he most intendeth. This the Lord know∣eth, and therefore hee thus speaketh: Hast thou not consi∣dered, &c. q. d. My seruant Iob liues in a most prophane countrey, where are innumerable occasions of euill, and yet loe a righteous man, one that feareth God & eschew∣eth euill. Thou hast a long time desired his hurt and de∣struction, but thou canst not preuaile against him.

3. Here againe we see how the Lord, as it were deligh∣teth, and greatly desireth to commend his righteous ser∣uants, that they may with better courage stand constantly against all the furies of wicked spirites. That man is praise-worthy, whome praise-worthie and wise men doe com∣mend vnto vs. The Lord himselfe commendeth Iob for a religious, righteous, and faithfull seruant: So his holy pro∣phet and king Dauid, I haue found Dauid the son of Iesse, a man after mine own heart, which will do all things that I will. And thus we see how the Lorde delighteth in them which feare him, and attend vpon his mercie: the Lorde loueth the righteous: his eyes are euer vpon them, and his

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eares open to their crie: and therefore hee thus cheereth them in another place: Bee glad ye righteous, and reioyce ye that be of an vpright heart.

Notes

  • The faithfull euer fight with him, & ther∣fore he euer eies them. 1. Pet 5.8. It is as naturall for the wicked to obeye the deull as to eate and drinke. 2. Tim 2.26. Euerie poore christian fighteth a∣gainst a huge number of wicked spirits and through Iesus Christ foyleth them.

  • It is a greate torment vnto Sathan that he cannot hurt the faithfull. The Lord commendeth him not for his riches, for they were not Iob best wea∣pons against Sathan. Acts. 13.22. Rich men haue no such strength against Sathā as righteous men, fearing God. Psal 147.11. Psal. 34.15.

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