This complaint may justly be taken up, not only against the profaner sort of people, but also against many that look Zion-ward. There be of them that on our monthly days of fast, not only forbear to join with the assembly of Gods people in those solemn sacred duties: but also follow their secular affairs: yea their pleasures and pastimes, in a kind of dislike, if not a detestation of these duties. I will not lay to their charge their disavowing of these duties, as if so be they thought fasting and prayer unlawful: but their disesteem of our monthly days enjoined by public authority.1 The authority was first his Majesties Proclamation, straitly charging and commanding, That a General, Public and Solemn Fast be kept and held on the last Wednesday of every month, during the troubles in the Kingdom of Ireland. This Proclamation was given the eight day of January in the seventeenth of his Majesties reign. It hath been also ratified by sundry Orders and Ordinances of Parliament, for a due observing thereof; and it hath continued now almost seven whole years, and that upon just and weighty causes: for the very ground of that Proclamation still remaineth, namely, The lamentable and distressed estate of Ireland. Now why this monthly fast should not be duly observed, I see no good reason. It may be, that it is disesteemed by many, because it is enjoined by authority. But that seems to me a strange reason, that that which is a ground warranted by Gods Word (as out of this text we have formerly showed) should be a ⟨p. 30⟩reason to slight it. I know not how it comes to pass, but so it is, that mens minds are averse from such things as are enjoined by authority, though they be things lawful and agreeable to Gods Word. Never were Orders and Ordinances of Parliament more slighted then now, and that in things that concern their own good. O tempora! O mores! To what times are we reserved? What are the minds and manners of men?
This complaint may justly be taken up, not only against the prophaner sort of people, but also against many that look Sion-ward. There be of them that on our monethly daies of fast, not only forbear to joyn with the assembly of Gods people in those solemn sacred duties: but also follow their secular affairs: yea their pleasures and pastimes, in a kinde of dislike, if not a detestation of these duties. I will not lay to their charge their disavowing of these duties, as if so be they thought fasting and praier unlawfull: but their disesteem of our monethly daies enjoyned by publike authority.1 The authority was first his Majesties Proclamation, straitly charging and commanding, That a Generall, Publike and Solemn Fast be kept and held on the last Wednesday of every month, during the troubles in the Kingdome of Ireland. This Proclamation was given the eight day of January in the seventeenth of his Majesties reign. It hath been also ratified by sundry Orders and Ordinances of Parliament, for a due observing thereof; and it hath continued now almost seven whole years, and that upon just and weighty causes: for the very ground of that Proclamation still remaineth, namely, The lamentable and distressed estate of Ireland. Now why this monethly fast should not be duly observed, I see no good reason. It may be, that it is disesteemed by many, because it is enjoyned by authority. But that seems to me a strange reason, that that which is a ground warranted by Gods Word (as out of this text we have formerly shewed) should be a ⟨p. 30⟩reason to slight it. I know not how it comes to passe, but so it is, that mens mindes are averse from such things as are enjoyned by authority, though they be things lawfull and agreeable to Gods Word. Never were Orders and Ordinances of Parliament more slighted then now, and that in things that concern their own good. O tempora! O mores! To what times are we reserved? What are the mindes and manners of men?
- 1The ground of our monthly fasts.
