The necessity of fasting in our Church may easily be seen, for that we abound with so many sins: fasting is necessarily to be used with prayer, for the preservation of Religion, & of the Estate, & that the word of God may be divided aright, that the consciences of men being terrified with their sin, they may see how they have deserved the change of Religion, and alteration of this prosperous government, though God in his mercy hath hitherto continued both, & will do still, if we still bewailing our sins, & amending our lives believe both his threatenings and his promises to be true. But above all, Fasting in these days is necessary, because our sins do more abound than before, greater tokens of Gods wrath do appear than before, more fear of danger both in the Church and Common-wealth than ⟨p. 212⟩before, which being manifest, it is requisite not only that there should be ordinary preaching1 and praying for his Majesty, his Council, the Church & Common-wealth, which w• always used: but also extraordinary use of those means with fasting, to prevent the wrath of God that may ensue. And concerning the ordinary defence against evils to come, it must be confessed, that as they are subordinated and joined with spiritual means, they may be good; & without them they will not prevail, because they want the help of prayer and fasting. It were too great security to rest in the ordinary means of defence, as of wisdom, policy, multitude of arms, furniture of weapons, &c. and to boast in these, because God resisteth the proud, & giveth grace to the humble. So then the neglect of this exercise of humbling our selves will declare our security, & security showeth our pride, & doth bewray our infidelity. Neither is the end of prayer or fasting, the neglect of the ordinary means, but the pulling away of our confidence in them; that we might rest in the only power and goodness of God. Which how necessary a thing it is, plainly appeareth in the two great overthrows which the Israelites had of the Beniamites, whereas they being more in number, better appointed in the defence of a good cause, were notwithstanding constrained twice to retire with great slaughter, until at the last by casting off all confidence in themselves, by prayer and fasting acknowledging themselves to be nothing, they obtained victory.
The necessity of fasting in our Church may easily be seene, for that we aboūd with so many sins: fasting is necessarily to be vsed with prayer, for the preseruation of Religion, & of the Estate, & that the word of God may be diuided aright, that the cōsciences of mē being terrified with their sin, they may see how they haue deserued the change of Religion, and alteration of this prosperous gouernment, though God in his mercie hath hitherto continued both, & will do still, if we still bewailing our sins, & amending our liues beleeue both his threatnings and his promises to be true. But aboue all, Fasting in these daies is necessarie, because our sinnes do more abound than before, greater tokens of Gods wrath doe appeare than before, more feare of danger both in the Church and Common-wealth than ⟨p. 212⟩before, which being manifest, it is requisite not onely that there should be ordinarie preaching1 and praying for his Maiestie, his Councell, the Church & Common-wealth, which w• alwaies vsed: but also extraordinarie vse of those meanes with fasting, to preuent the wrath of God that may ensue. And cōcerning the ordinary defence against euils to come, it must be confessed, that as they are subordinated and ioyned with spirituall meanes, they may be good; & without them they will not preuaile, because they want the help of prayer and fasting. It were too great security to rest in the ordinary meanes of defēce, as of wisdome, policie, multitude of armes, furniture of weapons, &c. and to boast in these, because God resisteth the proud, & giueth grace to the humble. So thē the neglect of this exercise of humbling our selues will declare our securitie, & securitie sheweth our pride, & doth bewray our infidelity. Neither is ye end of praier or fasting, the neglect of ye ordinary meanes, but the pulling away of our confidence in them; that we might rest in the only power and goodnes of God. Which how necessarie a thing it is, plainely appeareth in the two great ouerthrowes which the Israelites had of the Beniamites, wheras they being more in number, better appointed in the defence of a good cause, were notwithstanding constrained twice to retire with great slaughter, vntill at the last by casting off all confidence in themselues, by prayer and fasting acknowledging themselues to be nothing, they obtained victorie.
- 1Munition for war, & all means for peace, that they may be blessed unto us, ought not to want preaching, prayer and fasting.Munition for warre, & all meanes for peace, that they may be blessed vnto vs, ought not to want preaching, prayer and fasting.
