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. 9.

Then Sathan aunswered the Lorde, doth Job feare God for nothing, or for nought?

Vers. 10.

Hast thou not set a hedge round about him,* 1.1 and about his house, and about all that hee hath on euerie side? thou hast blessed the worke of his handes, and his * 1.2 cattel is greatly increased in the land.

Vers. 11.

But stretch out now thine hand, and * 1.3 touch all that he hath, if he will not blaspheme thee to thy face.

These three verses contain Sathans an∣swer vnto the Lords last question con∣cerning Iob: wherin we may consider

• 1. Sathans proposition and scope: it is to proue Iob an hypocrite.
• 2. His con∣firmation by bold asserti∣ons, which are these:
  • 1. Iob feareth God to the end, to preserue his state and prospe∣ritie in this life, vers. 9.
  • 2. Hee cannot bee tried by temptations, because of the hedge of Gods prouidence rounde aboute him,* 1.4 vers. 10.
  • 3. Sathans strong asseueration: if the crosse be layde vpon him, he will assuredly blaspheme, vers. 11.

Verse 9. Doth Iob feare God for nothing? That is, is not Iob well rewarded for his seruice, for his feare, for his faith, for his loue and obedience? q. d. hee loues not thee, but his hire, hee is a right mercenary, hee loues not thee,

but for his bellie sake, for his ease, for his gaine and profite he reapes dayly, and receiues from thee: thou hast giuen him riches at will, ease, children, honour, and great pros∣peritie, therefore what cause hath hee to offende thee, or what occasion to fall from thee?

[Doctrine.] 1. Here may we learne many thinges concerning our most bloodie enemie Sathan: first, howe hee rageth and stormeth against vs, and enuieth our * 1.5 ease, and welfare in this present worlde: no maruell then if he so fight against our euerlasting saluation. Hee and hs instruments haue e∣uer grudged and spurned, when Gods people had any poore portion or blessing in this life.* 1.6 And as for the wic∣ked, the Lorde filleth them with the treasures of this life, Psalm. 17.18. and yet can neuer be satisfied.

2. Note what a bitter and a bloodie accuser hee is a∣gainst the holy saintes of God. Our great Lord and cap∣taine hath * 1.7 spoyled him of all his might and power, and broken all his strength, yet still he accuseth Gods children, fighting against them, albeit euer foyled by them. Like as in the beginning hee did accuse God of enuie vnto man: so did he euer since accuse man vnto God, Reue. 12. verse 10.11.* 1.8 The accuser of our brethren is cast downe, which accused them before our God day and night: but they o∣uercame him by the blood of the Lambe, and by the word of their testimonie, and they loued not their liues vnto the death. This is also taught vs by Zacharie, that Sathan stands impudently before the Lord striuing against Christ and his Church, and Christ prayeth for his people against him. The Lord (sayth Christ) reproue thee O Sathan: euen the Lorde that hath chosen Ierusalem reproue thee. This was euer his practise against the faithfull to accuse them falsely,* 1.9 Reuel. 2.10. and Christ himselfe, Luk. 23.10. No coherence in their testimonies: and against Stephen, Act. 6.13.14. This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law. This spirit raged in the Iewes against Paul, before Gal. 10. This followe perswa∣deth

men to worship God contrary to the law. And in Ter∣tullus, and the high priest before Felix: Certainly we haue found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mouer of sedition, among all the Iewes, throughout the world, and chiefe maintainer of the sect of the Nazarites. So they did call the Christians scornefully, as if Christ came from Naza∣reth, and were a Galilean, as Iulian and many wretches called him: for the Galileans were thought to be a brutish and prophane people: reade Io. 1.46. and chap. 7. 52.

3. Note here the malice and poyson of this Dragon, he could not deny, but that Iob was a good man, yet hee dissembleth as if hee saw no such vprightnes in him,* 1.10 but such as would prooue meere counterfeit, if hee were well tried: he hath some shew of holines, graunt it, but it is for his bellies sake: he loues his ease, his glorie, his prosperitie, his 500. yoke of oxen, his 7000. sheep, his 3000. camels, and his great substance more than thee.* 1.11 Such are the practises and speeches of all dissembling and carnall hy∣pocrites, Sathans instruments, when they cannot deny the open and manifest trueth, yet they will oppugne it and thwart it on the one side or the other. Such be al false pro∣fessors, which compare and consider of all mens hearts, feare and faith, by themselues, and say: let them be holy as they please, yet wee knowe what they bee, they haue no more integritie, nor puritie then ourselues, &c.

4. Againe, here note the impudencie of Sathan: if he dare bee so bolde in Gods presence, and as it were to his face, so to resist his great maiestie,* 1.12 what is his rage and his impudencie before the creatures? for hauing so heard the Lord himselfe to commend Iob, as we heard: when hee doth on this manner so bitterly accuse Iob, what doth he els but accuse God of ignorance, and reprooue him as a lyer. The Lord sayth, Iob is sound: Sathan denyes it to his face, and sayth he is a broken vessell. This was his impu∣dencie in paradise, that he would so blasphemously speak

euill and disgrace the Lord himselfe.

5. Sathan here telleth vs, that aduersitie and pouertie is one speciall meanes whereby he causeth Gods people to stumble and to offend against their God. An high and rich estate is as dangerous for sinners, as a poore and base estate: for Sathan can as easily strangle and infatuate them with riches, as he can amaze and pinch these with pouer∣tie. And yet for this cause the Prophet prayeth wisely: Two things haue I required of thee,* 1.13 deny me them not be∣fore I dye: remoue farre from me vanitie and lyes: feede me with foode conuenient for me: least I bee full and deny thee, and say, who is the Lord? or least I bee poore and steale, and take the name of my God in vaine. If wee haue not faith and patience in afflictions, let vs here learne of Sathan, all our seruice in prosperitie was but counterfeit. Prouer. 24.10. If thou be faint in the day of aduersitie, thy strength is small.

Vse. Search thine heart continually, and sound thy loue, faith and feare.

1. If our heart condemne vs: that wee loue religion, the Gospell and the holy worship of God,* 1.14 but as tempo∣rizers, for our bellies sake: God is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things.

2. If our heart condemne vs, that wee loue the things of this life more then the true God and his word: then behold here how Sathan is most readie to accuse vs, and to witnes against vs. If he durst thus in Gods presence ac∣cuse Iob vniustly, he shall not spare hypocrites, and his te∣stimonie shall be receiued against them for their confu∣sion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Or a walle.
• * 1.2

  Or substāce.
• * 1.3

  Or smite.
• * 1.4

  Gregor in Iob cap. 1.5.5. Versuta asser∣tione menti∣ens, quod non ad vsum domi∣ni substantiam possideret, sed ad vsum sub∣stantia, domi∣nā coleret. This argu∣ment might serue against Sathan.
• * 1.5

  Sathā watch∣eth vs in all places, open & secreet. Iames. 2.19.
• * 1.6

  Malicious & enuious Sathan grudg∣eth that Gods people haue a∣ny blessings here on earth.
• * 1.7

  Col 2.15. Ephe. 4.14. Gen. 3.2.
• * 1.8

  Zac. 3.1.2.3.
• * 1.9

  Act. 18.13. All false accu∣sers learne here what spirit raigneth in you.
• * 1.10

  Sathan dis∣sembleth what he seeth & knoweth to be in Iob.
• * 1.11

  Be carefull to rule thine affec¦tions & take heede of the corruptions of thine hearte: neuer flatter thyselfe by o∣ther mens sins.
• * 1.12

  The impudē∣cy of Sathan to disgrace that man whom the almightie God com∣mendeth to his face.
• * 1.13

  Pro. 31.7.8.9.10.
• * 1.14

  1. Ioh. 3.20.21.