The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Some fasts are general and private, as the fast instituted of Esther and Mardoche, which was commanded generally to all the Jews, but yet privately practised in their several houses: some are public and particular, as the fast of Ezra in the behalf of the Jews, which married strange wives. This must needs be confessed first in him to be singular: Secondly, when they that feared the words of the Lord would adjoin themselves unto him, to be particular, yet done in the Temple before, and for others to be public. It may be granted that the fasts now of our time in the same sense, may be said to be generally used, that is in all and every place of this realm, for that they may be used according to Gods holy ordinance, and in this sense it is often taken, both in the Scriptures, and common speech; but as it is taken in our proper sense there cannot as yet be any general fast observed: when all those things can in no measure be performed, which in that kind is necessarily required. It may be indeed, that such days of general mourning may come (which God for his Christs sake turn away from us) as of general wars, plagues, and famines: for then men will be easily brought to general fasts with the Ninevites. But these kinds of fasts as they are now used, and as in the Scriptures they are commanded to be used, be to be taken up in the wisdom of the spirit to move us to mourn for many spiritual evils present, the very causes of general dangers to come, which by these means may be prevented, and can be understood of no kind of men, but of them which are truly taught out of the word of God, to see and feel their own sins, and the sins of others, and to fear those judgements of God to come. And here holdeth the direction of our Saviour Christ, concerning the rent cloth, and new wine; for because¹ it cannot be so general, rather then there should be none, it is better that the doctrine be truly delivered, and some example thereof showed, to provoke others by an holy emulation thereunto, that both the people may be delivered from their ignorance, and also being taught the truth of the doctrine, that they should not think the use of it unpossible. Besides the true fast both public and private truly taught, and faithfully practised doth deliver us from our errors:

SOme fasts are generall and priuate, as the fast instituted of Hester and Mardoche, which was commaunded generally to all the Iewes, but yet priuately practised in their seuerall houses: some are publike and particular, as the fast of Ezra in the behalfe of the Iewes, which married strange wiues. This must needes be confessed first in him to be singular: Secondly, when they that feared the words of the Lord would adioyne themselues vnto him, to be particular, yet done in the Temple before, and for others to be publike. It may be granted that the fasts now of our time in the same sense, may be said to be generally vsed, that is in all and euery place of this realine, for that they may be vsed according to Gods holy ordinance, and in this sense it is often taken, both in the Scriptures, and common speech; but as it is taken in our proper sense there cannot as yet be any generall fast obserued: when all those things can in no measure be performed, which in that kinde is necessarily required. It may be indeed, that such daies of generall mourning may come (which God for his Christs sake turne away from vs) as of generall warres, plagues, and famines: for then men will be easilie brought to generall fasts with the Niniuites. But these kinds of fasts as they are now vsed, and as in the Scriptures they are commaunded to be vsed, be to be taken vp in the wisedome of the spirite to mooue vs to mourne for many spirituall euils present, the very causes of generall dangers to come, which by these meanes may be preuented, and can be vnderstood of no kinde of men, but of them which are truely taught out of the word of God, to see and feele their owne sins, and the sins of others, and to feare those iudgements of God to come. And here holdeth the direction of our Sauiour Christ, concerning the rent cloth, and new wine; for because