Tricoenivm Christi in nocte proditionis suæ The threefold svpper of Christ in the night that he vvas betrayed / explained by Edvvard Kellett.

PAR. 5.

SOme well-devoted of old in three whole dayes ate but once, and they termed that space of time, Penitentiam Nineveh, the repentance of Nineveh. And this leadeth mee to speake of that uncouth fast, Ionas 3.7. Let neither man, nor beast, herd, nor flocke taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drinke water. An extasie of sorrow godly, and holy, beareth out seeming infirmities. The devout raptures of grace, made Mary Magdalen speake, with seeming-little sense: Iohn 20.13. They have taken away my Lord. Which they? Iewes? or Disciples? She can name none, but strongly imagine some. And I know not where they have laid him. If Christ had beene taken away, is it likely they would tell her? shee remembred not his promised resurrection, but dreamed of his bodies asportation, and resting otherwhere. Likewise in the 15. verse, shee supposeth Christ to be a gardiner, saying, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him? An unlikely matter that hee would tell her if hee removed him. Tell mee and I will take him away, Did shee not complaine that hee was taken away before? I thinke shee

should rather have thought of bringing him backe againe to his first grave, than of a second carrying him away; nor shee, nor I can tell whither. I say the super∣abundance of her griefe powring forth those imperfect words, I doubt not made her as much accepted with Christ as ever any of her words or deeds had done be∣fore, though most rationally; Hearty devotion is as the salt of the Sacrifice and keepes all in good savour.

Semblably, though Jonah 3.7. the Nineviticall clothing of beasts with suck∣cloth may seeme ridiculous, if not barbarous: though the keeping of them from necessary food, may in the eye of the clowne appeare unreasonable, unseasona∣ble, and most unconscionable: because God never looked for repentance from bruite beasts, because they could not be taught God was angry: or why: or that this was a meanes to pacifie him: because some offended, and others were punished, which seemes to tast of injustice: because a reasonable service of God is required, Rom. 12.1. not beastiall.

Yet since this extraordinary humiliation was performed, as it was appointed out of the depth of sorrow, out of the inmost bowels of repentance, out of a sanctified distraction, out of a measurelesse feare and love; God would not con∣temne humble spirits, nor reject contrite soules. The sacrifice of all other things must be in their sorts perfect, intire, or whole; but a bruised reede shall not be made worse: a wounded-broken heart shall be accepted: and God will esteem the blemishes as ornaments, where the intentions are profound, and surchar∣ged with sacred fervencie: whilst they would, if they could force their cattell to know Gods wrath against Nineveh, by painfull fasting, because they knew it not by Ionah his preaching, Who can tell if God will turne, and repent, & turne away from his fierce anger, that wee perish not? vers. 9. And God repented of the evill he had said, & he did it not. vers. 10. Daniel, 9.3. I set my face unto the Lord God, to seeke by prayer, & supplications, with fasting, sackcloths & ashes. and whilest hee was speaking in prayer he was divinely illuminated.