Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

But the fasts whereof we now entreat,¹ are sometimes public and sometimes private. Private fasts we take in hand, when we are afflicted with proper and domesticall miseries: for there is none which is not vexed sometimes either in himself, or in his family. Or if it happen that peradventure he be not grieved with any calamity of his own or any of his:² yet sometimes he must mourn for other. For if we be the members of one & the self same body, we must think that the discommodities of our brethren pertain unto us our selves. So David prayed for them which afterward became his enemies, & which rejoiced in his evils. So Jobs friends, when they saw him vexed with most grievous plagues, lay seven days full, in dust and ashes, before they spake any thing unto him: so much were those men moved with his misery. Wherefore before they commoned with him, they would by fasting and prayers desire God to assuage his so great misery. So David when Abner was slain, did not only mourn at his burial, but also sware that he would that day taste of no meat before the sun were set. The same thing did he when he was reproved of Nathan the Prophet, and when he had received tidings of the death of the child. Undoubtedly all the whole time that he was sick, he never toke meat. Nehemiah in the .1. chap. when he heard of the afflictions of the Hebrews which remained in Jerusalem, afflicted himself with fasting, and prayed unto the Lord. Daniel also when he had red those things which Jeremiah wrote of the captivity of .70. years, confessed both his own sins, and the sins of the people, wept also and fasted. Wherefore private fasting ought to be taken in hand, not only for our selves, but also for others.

But the fastes wherof we now intreate,¹ are sometymes publique and sometymes priuate. Priuate fastes we take in hand, when we are afflicted with proper and domesticall miseries: for there is none whiche is not vexed sometymes either in himselfe, or in his famely. Or if it happē that peraduenture he be not greued with any calamity of his owne or any of hys:² yet sometymes he must mourne for other. For if we be the members of one & the self same body, we must thinke yt the discōmodityes of our brethrē pertayn vnto vs our selues. So Dauid prayed for them which afterward became his enemies, & which reioysed in his euils. So Iobs frindes, whē they saw hym vexed wt most grieuous plagues, lay seuē dayes full, in dust and ashes, before they spake any thyng vnto him: so much wer those men moued with his misery. Wherfore before they commoned with hym, they would by fasting and prayers desire God to asswage his so great misery. So Dauid when Abner was slayne, did not onely mourne at his buriall, but also sware that he would yt day taste of no meate before the sunne were set. The same thing did he when he was reproued of Nathan the Prophete, and when he had receaued tydinges of the death of the childe. Vndoubtedlye all the whole tyme that he was sicke, he neuer toke meate. Nehemias in the .1. chap. whē he heard of the afflictions of the Hebrewes whiche remayned in Ierusalem, afflicted himselfe with fasting, and prayed vnto the Lord. Daniel also when he had red those things which Ieremy wrote of ye captiuity of .70. yeares, cōfessed both his owne sinnes, and the sinnes of the people, wept also and fasted. Wherfore priuate fasting ought to be taken in hand, not onely for our selues, but also for others.