Jerem. 14. as tolerable servants, O Lord most mighty. Wherefore now we feel thy heavy wrath, O most righteous Judge, justly punishing us with grievous and deadly sickness and plagues'; we do now confess and acknowledge, and to our most just punishment do find in deed, that to be most true, which we have so often heard threatened to us out of thy holy scriptures, the word of thy eternal verity: that thou art the same unchangeable God, of the same justice that thou wilt, and of the same power that thou canst, punish the like wickedness and obstinacy of us impenitent sinners in these days, as thou hast done in all ages heretofore. But the same thy holy Scriptures, the word of thy truth, do also testify, that thy strength is not shortened but that thou canst, neither thy goodness abated but that thou wilt, help those that in their distress do flee unto thy mercies, and that thou art the same God of all, rich in mercy towards all that call upon thy name, and that thou dost not intend to destroy us utterly, but fatherly to correct us; who hast pity upon us, even when thou dost scourge us, as by thy said holy word, thy gracious promises, and the examples of thy saints in thy holy Scriptures expressed for our comfort, thou hast assured us. Grant us, O most merciful Father, that we fall not into the uttermost of all mischiefs, to become worse under thy scourge; but that this thy rod may by thy heavenly grace speedily work in us the fruit and effect of true repentance, unfeigned turning and converting unto thee, and perfect amendment of our whole lives; that, as we through our impenitency do now most worthily feel thy justice punishing us, so by this thy correction we may also feel the sweet comfort of thy mercies, graciously pardoning our sins, and pitifully releasing these grievous punishments and dreadful plagues. This we crave at thy hand, O most merciful Father, for thy dear Son our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. A short meditation to be said of such as be touched in affliction. O FATHER, doubtless our own wickedness do reward us: but do thou, O Lord, according to thy name. Our oft transgressions and sins be many. Against thee have we sin [The composition of the prayer in Knox's Book of Common Order, entitled 'A Prayer in time of Public Affliction,' is evidently to be referred to this same 'noisome and destroying plague.'"] ned, yet art thou the comforter and helper of thy humble ¶ Psalms which may be sung or said before the beginning, or after the ¶ It is most evident to them that read the Scriptures, that both in the old Church under the law, and in the Primitive Church under the Gospel, the people of God hath always used general Fasting, both in times of common calamities, as War, Famine, Pestilence. &c. and also when any weighty matter, touching the estate of the Church or the common wealth, was begun or intended. And it can not be denied, but that in this our time, wherein many things have been reformed according to the doctrine and examples of God's word, and the Primitive Church, this part for fasting and abstinence, being always in the Scripture, as a necessary companion, joined to fervent prayer, hath been too much neglected. Wherefore, for some beginning of redress herein, it hath been thought meet to the Queen's Majesty, that in this contagious time of sickness, and other troubles, and unquietness, according to the examples of the Godly king Josaphat, and the king of Ninive, with others, a general Fast should 2 Par. 20. be joined with general Prayer, throughout her whole Realm, and to be Jonas.3. observed of all her godly Subjects, in manner and form following. First, it is ordained, that the Wednesday of every week shall be the 1. day appointed for this general Fast. Secondly, all persons between the age of .xvi. years and .lx. (sick 2. folks, and labourers in harvest or other great labours, only excepted) shall eat but one only competent and moderate meal upon every Wednesday. In which said meal shall be used very sober and spare diet, without variety of kinds of meat, dishes, spices, confections, or wines, but only such as may serve for necessity, comeliness, and health. [2 Grindal, in a letter to Cecil dated August the 21st, assigns the reason for his insertion of these words: "Surely my opinion hath been long, that in no one thing the adversary hath more advantage against us, than in the matter of fast, which we utterly neglect: they have a shadow." See his Remains, p. 265.] 3. 4. 5. Item, in that meal it shall be indifferent to eat flesh or fish, so that the quantity be small, and no variety or delicacy be sought. Wherein every man hath to answer to God, if he in such Godly exercises either contemn Public order, or dissemble with God, pretending abstinence, and doing nothing less. Item, those that be of wealth and ability, ought that day to abate and diminish the costliness and variety of their fare, and increase therewith their liberality and alms towards the poor, that the same poor, which either in deed lack food, or else that which they have is unseasonable and cause of sickness, may thereby be relieved and charitably succoured, to be maintained in health. Last of all, this day, being in this manner appointed for a day of general Prayer and Fasting, ought to be bestowed by them, which may forbear from bodily labour, in prayer, study, reading or hearing of the Scriptures, or good exhortations. &c. And when any dulness or weariness shall arise, then to be occupied in other godly exercises: But no part thereof to be spent in plays, pastimes, or idleness, much less in lewd, wicked, or wanton behaviour. When there is a Sermon, or other just occasion, one of the Lessons may be omitted, and the shortest of the three prayers appointed in the Litany by this order may be said, and the longest left off. Forasmuch as divers Homilies, appointed before to be read in this form of Common prayer, are contained in the second Tome of Homilies now lately set forth by the Queen's Majesty's authority: Therefore it is ordered, that the Churchwardens of every parish shall provide the same second Tome or book of Homilies with all speed, at the charges of the parish. [In the Form for 1593 we have the following direction:-6. Admonition is heere lastly to be giuen, that on the fasting day they haue but one Sermon at Morning Prayer, and the same not aboue an houre long, to auoyde the inconuenience that may growe by abuse of fasting: as some make it a faction more then religion, and other, with ouermuch wearines and tediousnesse, keepe the people a whole day together, which in this time of contagion is more dangerous in so thicke and close assemblies of the multitudes. To the above passage Dr Williams's MS. gives us this note: The Puritans: many of them began the fast about ten in the forenoon, and continued it without intermission till 3 or 4 in the afternoone, which they thought the most edifying course, and most agreeable to the nature of the Ordinance; but this course, it seemes, was offensive, and in this sort prohibited.] An2 Homily concerning the Justice of God, in punishing of impenitent sinners, and of his mercies towards all such as in their afflictions unfeignedly turn unto him. Appointed to be read in the time of sickness. The most righteous God, and the same our most merciful Father, abhorring all wickedness and impiety, and delighting in all righteousness and innocency, and willing that we his people and children should herein be conformed, and become like to our God and heavenly Father, that we might be also partakers of his inheritance and everlasting kingdom; in his holy Scriptures, containing the perfect rule of righteousness, and written for our learning and direction towards his said kingdom, both by great threatenings doth continually fear3 us from all impiety and wickedness so displeasant to him, and also by most large and gentle promises, like a loving father, doth provoke and entice us to righteousness and holiness so acceptable unto him; and so leaveth nothing unassayed, no way unproved, whereby he might save us from perpetual destruction, and bring us to life everlasting. To this end, all those threatenings of Gen. 12. d. temporal punishments and plagues, whereof the Scriptures be so full, are to be referred, that we, for fear of temporal punishments refraining from all unrighteousness, might also escape eternal pain and dampnation, whereunto it would finally bring us, if we should not by repentance turn from the same, and return unto our God and most merciful Father, who would not the destruction and death of sinners, but rather that they Tob. 3. d. should convert and be saved. Job 36. a. 119. Esay 26. c. Job 5. c. 2 Pet. 3. b. But when he perceiveth that neither gentleness can win us, as his loving children, neither fear and threatenings can amend us, as being most stubborn and rebellious servants; at the last he performeth in deed that, which he hath so oft threatened, and of fatherly sufferance and mercy so long, upon hope of amendment, deferred, his longanimity and patience being now overcome with our stony hardness and obstinate impenitency. After this sort, we shall find by the holy Scriptures and histories Ecclesiastical, that he hath dealt with his people of all ages, namely, the Israelites, whom in sundry other places, but especially in the .26. of Leviticus, and .28. of Deuteronomium, as well by fair promises, as Levit. 26. by menaces, he laboureth to bring to due obedience of his law, which is Deut. 28. perfect righteousness. If (saith he) thou hear the voice of the Lord thy [This Homily, composed for the occasion by Alexander Nowell, dean of St Paul's (Grindal's Remains, p. 258), was printed as part of the preceding Form. In the Form for the province of York it is divided into two parts, and somewhat varies in other respects: the differences of reading are noted in their proper places.] [Fear: affright, terrify.] [The chapters were anciently subdivided by letters.] Levit. 26. God, and keep his commandments, all these blessings shall come upon thee: Thou shalt be blessed in the city, and in the field. The seed of thy body, the fruit of thy earth, the increase of thy cattle, shall be Levit. 26. a. blessed. &c. Thou shalt have seasonable weather, fruitful ground, victory of thy enemies, and after, quiet peace in thy coasts, and I will be thy loving Lord and God, thy aid and defender, and thou shalt be my beloved people. But if thou wilt not hear the voice of the Lord thy God, nor keep his commandments, but despise his laws. &c. all these curses shall come upon thee: Thou shalt be cursed in the city and in the field, thy barn, all thy storehouses shall be cursed, the fruit of thy body, of thy cattle, and of thy ground, shall be cursed, thou shalt be cursed going out and coming in. The Lord shall send thee famine and necessity, he shall strike thee with agues, heats, and colds, with pestilences, and all other evil diseases, yea, and with all the botches and plagues of Egypt. He shall make heaven over thee, as it were, of brass, and the earth which thou treadest on, as it were iron. He shall send thee unseasonable weather. &c. wars, and overthrow thee at thine enemies' hands, and thy carrion shall be a prey to the birds of the air, and the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no man to drive them away: and so forth, many mo most horrible evils and mischiefs, written at large in those two Chapters, where ye may see how lovingly on the one part he promiseth to the obedient, and how terribly on the other part he threateneth the disobedient, and how largely and at length he prosecuteth the matter, specially in the threatenings and menaces, most meet for the Jews, a people ever stiff-necked and rebellious. And in deed the whole writings of the prophets, and universally of all the Scriptures, be nothing else but like callings to true obedience, and to repentance from our transgressions, by like promises and threatenings, yea, and greater also, as by promise of life everlasting to the faithful obedient, and penitent, and contrarily, of everlasting dampnation and death to the stubborn, rebellious, and impenitent sinners. And to prosecute this matter, when the Jews were monished, remonished, prayed, threatened, so oft by so many prophets, and all in vain : did not the Lord at the last bring upon them all those evils which he had threatened, namely, famine, war, and pestilence, as ye may read at large in the books of Judges, Kings, and Chronicles, in the Lamentations of Jeremie, namely, the .2. .4. and .5. Chapters, and in other places of the Prophets and the old Testament, containing the descriptions of extreme famines, horrible wars and captivities, and dreadful plagues, whereby God punished and afflicted his people for their sins and rebellion against him most sharply? Yea, and Jer. 20 [2]. f. when all this could not amend them, but that they waxed worse under the rod and correction: did he not at the last, which is most horrible, utterly destroy them with famine, war, and pestilence, and carried the rest into captivity, and destroyed utterly their cities and countries, according to the prophecy of Esay, and as our Saviour Christ likewise in the Gospel foresheweth of the miserable destruction and ruin of their cities and temple, so horrible, that one stone should not be left upon another? In like manner, the same immutable God proceeded aforetime and 5. a. Esay 5. c. 13. |