Two treatises. 1. The holy exercise of a true fast, described out of God's…

There followeth the other part, which is a profession of our Faith, that we shall be lifted up as high, through the grace of the Lord our God in Jesus Christ, as the conscience of our sins doth cast us down: and that we shall obtain the removing of the evils tending to our destruction, (through the worthiness of our Saviour Christ,) which either ⟨p. 34⟩presently press us, or hang over our heads, through our own unworthiness. For as true repentance, casting us down with one hand, both in sorrow for our sins, & confession of the same, leaveth us not in our downfall, but through faith, reacheth us the other hand, to lift us up again: so this solemn profession of our repentance, carrying us first to the valley of trouble, afterward bringeth us back again, to the gate of hope. In which respect, we always find in the holy Scriptures,^* that Fasting is joined with prayer;^* which can never be truly made, without hope of obtaining the grace, that is prayed for. But for as much as prayer is ⟨p. 35⟩a daily and ordinary exercise of Gods children; it is manifest,^* that by the prayer which is coupled with Fasting, there is understanded a special or peerless kind of Prayer, both in zeal and strength of Prayer, as also in continuance of the same. Whereby appeareth, that here is an other use of the outward abstinence, that it might be as it were a wing, wherewith the Prayer, that otherwise through earthly affections, creepeth upon the ground, might the easier flee up into heaven: and that it might be a Grindstone, to make a point of it, that it may pierce; and to set an edge, that it may cut, both the visible and invisible enemies, ⟨p. 36⟩which we pray against. And therefore the outward abstinence that pulleth down the body, helpeth to lift up the mind; and crucifying the flesh, it quickeneth the spirit, and maketh it more lively to this exercise. Where yet again the Popish Fast is found insufficient, which upon the days of their Fasts, had no extraordinary exercises of prayer; more then other days which were not fasted. To the better performance also of this part, is annexed an information and meditation of the gracious promises of God, especially such as may serve for relief of the present occasions.