A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

2. Is the distress of the Church of God an occasion for it? Look abroad, and look at home, and you may behold such a sad face upon it, that may reflect sadness upon all your hearts, where hath God a people, especially in these European parts of the world, but there is a distress upon them? whether ye look into France, Germany, upper or lower Hungaria, Silesia, Polonia, &c. And doth not all this make fasting a duty in season; when Nehemiah heard from certain that came from Judah, that the Remnant left of the Captivity were in great affliction and that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, &c. he sate down, mourned, fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, Nehem. 1.4. and this he did, though he himself was in a good Office in the Persian Court. Was our Condition ever so good at home, yet we should lay to heart the afflictions of our brethren abroad. For as we are to rejoice with them that rejoice, so to weep with them that weep, and what further calamities may yet break forth we know not, but the sky looks still red and louring, and portends bad weather, and it is our wisdom so to discern the face of the sky, as to betake our selves to the proper duty of the times.

2. Is the distress of the Church of God an occasion for it? Look abroad, and look at home, and you may behold such a sad face upon it, that may reflect sadness upon all your hearts, where hath God a people, especially in these European parts of the world, but there is a distress upon them? whether ye look into France, Germany, upper or lower Hungaria, Silesia, Polonia, &c. And doth not all this make fasting a duty in season; when Nehemiah heard from certain that came from Judah, that the Remnant left of the Captivity were in great affliction and that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, &c. he sate down, mourned, fasted and prayed before the God of heaven, Nehem. 1.4. and this he did, though he himself was in a good Office in the Persian Court. Was our Condition ever so good at home, yet we should lay to heart the afflictions of our brethren abroad. For as we are to rejoice with them that rejoice, so to weep with them that weep, and what further calamities may yet break forth we know not, but the sky looks still red and lowring, and pourtends bad weather, and it is our wisdom so to discern the face of the sky, as to betake our selves to the proper duty of the times.