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

The cause of the Fast, is the wrath of God against the Church: where is to be considered, that the people of God have not only regarded this wrath against them selves particularly, but against others also, of the same society & fellowship in religion that they were of, through a mutual feeling and compassion which they have one with an other: as in the example of the Church of Antioch, ¹whose Fast appeareth to have been taken in hand, rather for the misery of the Church of Jerusalem, then ⟨p. 52⟩for them selves. Now the Churches round about us, being fallen into great decay, partly by the spiritual miseries, as well of the heresies of Papists, Arians, Anabaptists, the Family of love, &c. as also of the Schism of Lutheranism, daily prevailing, partly by bodily plagues of the Pestilence, almost in all places: of the Sword in our neighbour countries, and of the Famine which waiteth commonly upon the same: It is evident that thereby groweth one cause of humbling our selves before our God. And when this wrath is considered, either in that which is already come, or in that which may be feared shortly to come: to ⟨p. 53⟩whether so ever of the causes we look, we shall find, that we have cause to Fast. For what spiritual evil is in any of all their Churches, which are not altogether in ours? not one of those detestable Heresies, but are lodged amongst us. And although the Schism of Lutheranism be not among us, yet there is almost a great distraction of minds for the Church government, beside the diversities of judgements in many other matters. And among bodily punishments, the Plague hath indifferently fed, and yet doth feed upon us. The Sword hath been shaken at us both in the North by Traitors, and in the South by disordered ⟨p. 54⟩wicked persons. And should it not strike us, that her Majesty was of late in danger of her life by a Shot? Which that it was not meant towards her, ought not to abate our care for her majesty, but rather increase it: as that which was more nearly directed against her of the Lord, to make both her and us, to cry for his gracious cover and protection over her. And if we consider the wrath that hangeth over our heads, the notes thereof are taken by the example of the people of God,