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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	speak_v	time_n	write_v	3,365	5	5.2822	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07371	A sermon of fasting, and of Lent, and of the antiquitie, dignitie, and great necessitie thereof preached vpon the 14. of Februarie, anno 1607 at Shaftesbury / by Io. Mayo.	Mayo, John K.	1609 (1609)	STC 17755; ESTC S451	20,912	68

breede of Cattell to maintaine the Princes Nauie and the Calling of the Fisherman but especially for the worthy receiuing of the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lords Supper For in the beginning of the primatiue Church many came to the holy mysteries promiscuously without any preparation Which when the ancient fathers vnderstood and saw the great harme and hurt that did arise of that negligent comming to that holy Table they established a Preparatiō or Correctiō decreed forty dayes of fasting praying hearing of the Word of God and comming to the Church that in those dayes the people being diligently purged by praier by fasting by reares by compassion and by other such meanes they might come to these holy mysteries with purer consciences and better deuotion The time of Lent was ordained at this time of the yeere in the Spring time for three reasons 1. By reason of heate encreasing and abundance of humors or moisture growing or comming on 2. To preserue brêed and encrease because at this time there is a generall bréed and encrease of all things 3. Because of the feast of the Lords Resurrection which requireth a peculiar Preparation For the general receiuing of the Eucharist or Lords Supper did alwaies fall out in the spring time I might speake more and much of these Particulars but I will conclude them with the saying of a worthy praise worthie Knight in a booke which he writeth of the relation of the religion of the west parts of the world where he saith thus I am so far off saith he from thinking the instutition of Lēt to be superfluous or the restraint in it vnprofitable that I rather encline to the custome of the Greeke Church who besides their great Lent haue three other Lents also in the yeere though the other neither so long nor in them so strict an obseruation Thus much of the 3. Particulars Now of the two Questions The first Question Whether set daies and times of abstinence and fasting ought to be commanded by authoritie Fastings are either of mens own frée voluntary accord as their particular deuotion doeth mooue them thereunto or els they are publikely enioyned in the Church and required at the hands of all men Montanus as Eusebius writeth was the first author of these appointed times of fasting of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this set lawe-making of fasting For which cause manie there bee that reiect and renounce the same But most certaine and assured it is that set daies and times of fasting appointed in spirituall considerations to bee kept of Christian people tooke not their beginning either from Montanus or frō any other whose heresies may preiudice the credit due estimation thereof but haue their ground in the law of nature are allowable in Gods sight were in all ages heeretofore vsed and may till the worlds end be obserued not without singular vse and benefit They haue their ground in the law of nature because they teach vs to kéepe order and moderation sobrietie and temperance in our meates and drinkes For nature doeth content her selfe with a litle Nature is our best guide which if we follow we shal neuer go astray And therefore Cyneas the Philosopher was of this opiniō that when the gods framed Nature they went beyond their owne skil why because the maker quoth hee is subiect to the thing made They are allowable in Gods sight because they are daies partly of pēsiue humiliation and sorrow and partly a signe of duety deuotion and reuerence towards God They were in all ages héeretofore vsed for preuention of disorders and riot for the preseruation of Cattell and the maintenance of Sea-faring men because the decay of the one and the waste of the other could not well bee preuented without such politike order and consideration They may till the worlds end be obseruéd not without singular vse benefit because they draw men to penitency to temperance to sobriety to all Christian duety and deuotion and to the generall good and publike profit of the whole Common-weale Some there bre that would proue set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting out of the Scripture and specially out of these places Leuit. 16. 29. The tenth day of the seuenth moneth ye shal humble your soules Leuit. 23. 27. The tenth day of this seuenth moneth shal be a day of reconciliation And Zach. 7. 5. When yee fasted and mourned in the 5. and 7. moneth Trueth it is that these set and prescribed fasts in Leuiticus were commanded of God as a part of a legall worship which had their end in the death of Christ And trueth it is also that the fasts spoken of by the Prophet Zacharie were appointed vpon occasion of the present afflictions of the Church in Babilon which ceased vpon their deliuerance But our set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting are appointed and commanded to be obserued not for conscience or religions sake but for Ciuill and Politike regards and not for the priuate good but for the generall good of the whole Common-weale Which if they were left to the peoples owne choise libertie and will it may soone bee coniectured what would follow thereof because the corruption of the time is such and the wickednes of mans nature is so exorbitant that it is a hard matter to hold the ordinarie sort of people within the lists of duetie obedience and good order without the cōmandement of the superiour and the seueritie of good lawes For which cause very necessary it is yea a good and godly thing it is that set daies times of abstinence and fasting should be appointed and commanded by authoritie Which no one will dislike or disdaine vnlesse hee bee like vnto Aerius who opposed himselfe against fasting and said These set fasts away with them they are Ephipha haer 75. Iewish and bring men vnder the yoke of seruitude If I will fast let me chuse my time to fast that Christian libertie be not abridged I might prosecute this Question more at large but I hope euerie charitable Christian and equally-minded man and woman is heerein satisfied And therefore I will conclude it with this argument or this syllogisme Whatsoeuer is for the general good and publike profit of the whole Cōmonweale that ought to bee appointed and commanded by authoritie But set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting are for the generall good and publike profit of the whole Common-weale Therefore they ought to bee appointed and commanded by authoritie The other Question Whether it be a sinne wilfully to breake and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie To hold this question affirmatiuely may peraduenture seeme vnto some a Paradox or rather a grosse errour and grieuous absurdity But seeing Kings and Princes are Christs deputies here on earth to gouerne the world and in the Scripture are called gods Seeing Christ willed his disciples to beware of offences and