preserue the brêed of cattle to maintaine the Princes nauie and the Calling of the Fisherman And the like is affirmed by our moderne Diuines that the Principall and right ends of fasting are thrée 1. To make the mind the more attentiue in the meditation of the dueties of godlinesse to bee performed 2. That the rebellion of the flesh may bee subdued For the flesh be-being pampered becomes an instrument of all and all licentiousnesse 3. To professe our guiltinesse and to testifie our humilation before GOD for our sinnes and offences committed against him This is proued by many places of Scripture as Numb 30. 14. Esay 5. 11. Rom. 14. 21. where the Apostle saith Non est bonum It is not good neither to eat flesh nor drinke wine whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended This is proued by many examples of the Scripture as of Dauid Daniel Tobias Cornelius Paul and others This is proued by the testimonie of the ancient fathers and especially these of that learned father Saint Austin lib. 3. Chap. 5. against Faustus where hee saith Non ideo carnes prohibentur quia malae sunt sed quia illarum epulae carnis luxuriam gignunt Flesh is not therefore Ser. 66. sup Cant. forbidden because it is ill but because the banquetting thereof breedeth riot Of S. Bernard who saith Abstineo à carnibus c. I doe abstaine from flesh lest whiles I doe too much nourish the flesh I doe also nourish the vices of the flesh And of Chrisostome in his seuenth Homilie vpon the first Chapter of Genesis towards the latter end of the Homilie where hee saith Abstinentia propter hoc recepta est Abstinence is for this cause receiued that it may bridle the wantonnesse and riot of the flesh The causes of fasting are many and specially 4. 1. The Holy Ghost 2. The Commandement of God 3. Faith 4. Repentance The Holy Ghost is the cause for three reasons 1. Because by Nature wee are giuen to gluttony and drunkennesse which naturall vices wee doe not leaue without the grace of the holy Ghost 2. Because it is not sufficent to abstaine from gluttony and drunkennesse vnlesse the heart doeth also cōsent thereunto 3 Because Fasting is a good worke and all good workes are the fruits of the holy Ghost Gal. 5. 22. The Commandement of God is the cause for 2. reasons 1. Because it is expressed in the Commandement of the Lord that wee should abstaine from gluttony and drunkennesse 2. Because the Lord by his commandement doth require of vs such Abstinence and forbids the contrary Faith is the cause because without faith it can not bee well done nor acceptable vnto the Lord. For whatsoeuer is without faith is sinne and without faith it is impossible to please God Repentance is the cause because fasting is a true signe thereof and an outward meanes whereby wee doe acknowledge our guiltinesse and vnworthinesse of the least benefits of Almightie God And therefore the fasting of the Niniuites was a signe of their repentance and their repentance a signe and fruite of their faith whereby they beleeued the preaching of Ionas Thus much what fasting is How many sorts of fastings there are Of the Effects of fasting and the Causes of fasting Now of the Antiquitie Dignitie Necessitie of fasting Fasting is no new inuention nor any late vpstart The Antiquitie of it doeth make it venerable and the Perpetuitie of it vntil this day doeth highly grace it Some haue deriued it from Paradise made it as auncient as the first man Adam For the forbidding of the tree of knowledge of good and euill they say was a law of Abstinence The Stories of Gentilitie and Poetry doe shewe the Antiquitie of fasting most plainely For Ceres had her fast Iupiter his fast and Priamus in Homer bewailes the death of his sonne Hector with fasting and in dust Besides the Patriarkes vsed it the Prophets forsooke it not and our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples departed not from it The Dignitie of fasting is great eminent and very excellent for it is the exercise of nature thepractise of Gentilitie the Law and the Gospel of Christ himselfe It is comfortable Diuine Medicinable Spirituall wholesome and an instrument to euerie good work It doeth administer wisedome it doeth extinguish the wicked desires of the flesh doeth lift vp the mind to heauen it doth vnit man with God and as Tertullian sayth It doeth cast out deuils Nay our Sauiour Christ himselfe so sayth as wee may read in Matth. 17. 21. where it is said This kind of deuils is not cast out but by Fasting and Praier It is strange to see what the ancient fathers haue written of fasting how much they haue attributed thereunto Athanasius saith Lib. de Virg. That it is the meate of the Angels and that hee who doeth vse it is to bee thought of Angelicall order Great sayth hée is the force of Fasting Great things and excellent things are done by it Basil saith thereof thus Ieiunium Ser. 1. de Ieiu Prophetas ingenerat c. Fasting doeth breed Prophets and doeth adde strength to the mightie In warres it doeth adde fortitude in peace it doeth teach quietnesse And that I may speake in a word as many holy Fathers as haue béene thou shalt finde them all to bee directed and guided to leade a life worthy of God by abstinence and fasting Isydorus sayth of it thus Est res sancta opus coeleste c. It is an holy thing an heauenly worke a gate of the kingdome a forme of the kingdome to come and hee that doeth it well and holily is alienated from the world is made spirituall and is ioyned to God The Necessitie of fasting is such and so great that in this our common weale set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting are appointed for ciuill and politike respects and as I said before to maintaine the Princes Nauy to preserue the breed of Cattell and the calling of the Fisherman Of this I will say euen as a zealous and Religious Diuine of ours saith in the conclusion of the 12. point of Fasting It were saith he to bee wished that fasting were more vsed of all Christians in all places considering the Lord doeth daily giue Perkins Refor Cathol pag. 231. vs new and speciall occasions of publike and priuate fasting These words of our Diuine we find to be true for the All-great and Euer-gratious GOD of Heauen hath of late giuen vnto vs new and speciall occasions of both priuate and publike fasting You know how after the death and dissolution of our late Soueraigne of happy memory Queene Elizabeth wee all feared great trobles and tumults to arise amongst vs And yet we saw that our peace and prosperitie was not eclipsed by reason of our good and godly King whom the louing Lord of Heauen hath placed vpon the seat of this kingdome to rule his people with a wise and prudent heart You know how the Almightie
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 Daniel 9. 3. And I turned my face vnto the Lord GOD and sought by Praier and Supplications with fasting and sackecloth and ashes LONDON Printed by W. Hall for John Helme and are to bee sold at his shop in S. Dunstones Church-yard 1609. To the right Worshipfull WILLIAM WILKS Doctor in Diuinitie and one of his Maiesties Chaplaines in ordinarie And to the Worshipfull Maior and Recorder of the Borough of Shafiesbury and to the Masters and Burgesses of the same THere was neuer any age that bragged more of knowledge and yet neuer any that had lesse soundnes For as the harts of men were neuer more empty and their hands neuer more idle so their tongues were neuer more stirring and their braines neuer more stuffed not so much studying to doe what they know as to find what they may beleeue being like to those Pyrronian Philosophers or Scepticks of whom A. Gellius writeth Lib. 11. Cap. 5. who would alwaies seeke and consider but neuer decree appoint nor comprehend any thing but only according to their owne fantasie and the depth of their owne capacity Some thinke that Gods schoole is more of vnderstanding than affection and they endeuour to haue much knowledge though it bee without zeale and to get much skill though it bee without loyallobedience and good gouernment It is not sufficient for such to bee of Gods court but they will be of his counsell also They will needs prie into his Arke inquire into things not reueled and be puffed vp and be wise in themselues teaching preaching and perswading that which tendeth rather to liberty fancy and selfe-will than to praier fasting almes and mortification of the flesh Yea and not content with that they depraue and traduce others that follow not their owne humors and opinions therein and speake of them not humbly as Judah said of an offender Gen. 38. 10. She is more righteous than 1 but hatefully and without peace as Iosephs brethren did of him Gen. 37. 4. The reason and occasion why and wherefore I write this may soone bee vnderstood both of you who are a teacher in the Church and haue had great experience of this creeping and encroaching euill and of you also who beare publike office and authority in the common-wealth hauing seene the pangs and practises of these kind of people still murmuring and muttering against princely proceedings in eccleasticall gouernment and against things in themselues indifferent but by authority necessary as commanded by his Maiesty It is charities precept to speake well of all and Ciuilities rule not to backebite the absent And yet we see that some of them consider of other mens doings that tend to forme order and decencie As Satan considered of Iob and his actions when God said vnto him Hast thou considered my seruant Iob And he signified yea but it was to belie calumniate him And although we now see the staffe of our bread broken and the euill arrowes of death and famine sent amongst vs to make vs humble our selues before the almighty God of heauen with fasting praier and repentance yet they can not be brought to obserue and keepe any time and season of abstinence and fasting commanded by authority but they will rather hazard an opposition to the peace of the church and to the good of their cuntrey than suffer their appetites to be bridled and their zeale to be guided by the limits of any good lawes The consideratiō of this matter hath moued mee to publish this Sermon and to dedicate it both to you whom for many causes I respect reuerence whose fauour and kindnes I haue found in no small measure and to al you also who haue shewed your loue and countenance towards me not only in hearing patiently but in construing courteously that which is now come to the generall view of others Accept of it I pray and take it as comming from him who wisheth you all increase of happinesse and all grace mercy and peace in Christ IESVS Shaftesbury the 28. of Nouember 1609 Your Worships most assured to be commanded IO. MAYO Psal 69. 10. I wept and chastened my selfe with fasting and that was turned to my reproofe THE booke of the Psalmes is a booke Sapientall set foorth vnto vs by the holy Ghost and doth serue for manie and diuers purposes Someof the Psalms serue formusicke as we may know by their title Some for Praiers some for Thanksgiuing some for Consolation some for Doctrine some for Prophecie some for Storie All to this end and purpose to giue vnto vs present remedies against troubles and temptations of the mind and conscience and to make vs liue in the true faith feare and loue of the Lord. Dauid the sonne of Ishai a man according to Gods owne heart was called the sweet Psalmist of Israel who not onely made Psalmes himselfe but ordained wise and skilfull men to make Psalmes and to prophecie with all kind of instruments as Asaph and his sonnes Corah his sons Heman and his sonnes Ieduthan and his sonnes Which Psalmes or prayses according to the Hebrewes were chiefly ordained to praise God to giue him thanks for his blessings and benefits and are called the Psalmes or the songs of Dauid because the most part of them were made by him This Psalme in which my text is contained was made by Dauid and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a wishing song or Psalme and of Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a song of a conuerted heart it doeth containe specially two parts First a Petition from the 1. verse to the 30. Secondly a praise-full conclusion frō the 30. verse to the end of the Psalme For the Prophet Dauid being atype of Christ giuē of God doeth séeme to haue written this Psalme in the name of Christ and of his Church euen as the Euangelicall historie doeth shew it as the Apostles thēselues do apply it These words which I haue read vnto you being written in the 10. verse doe containe in them two parts 1. An Aaction of Dauid 2. A construction of that Action by others An action of Dauid consisting of his Passion Mortification Of his passiō in these words I wept Of his mortificatiō in these words And chastened my selfe with fasting The construction of the Actiō in these words And this was turned to my reproofe I wept saith Dauid He wept not heere as he did for Abner or as hee did for the death of his sonne Ammon He wept not here as hee did when he fled from his sonne Absolon or as hee did for the death of his sonne Absolon Hee wept not heere as Iacob did for his sonne Iosep or as Ezekiah did when hee heard he should die but hee wept here as Peter did when he had denied his master and as Josiah did when he heard
the words of the booke of the Law Hee wept with care with compunction and with contrition of heart for his sinnes and offences committed against the Lord euen as hee did in Psalm 6. 6. where he saith Euerie night wash I my bed and water my couch with my teares I wept saith Dauid being a Prophet a Prince and the seruant of the Lord. A thing not vnfitting nor vnseemely for a Prophet a Prince the seruant of the Lord in such a case Because such kind of waeping is a signe of true and heartie repentance It is the fruit of passion a token of a broken heart and as S. Basill saith the food of the soule And therefore the Lord himselfe saith by his Prophet Ioel 2. 12. Turne vnto me saith hee with all your heart and with Fasting and with weeping and with mourning And our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Luke 6. 21. Blessed are yee that now weepe for ye shall laugh And the Apostle S. Iames saith to the wicked rich men Chap. 5. 1. Goe to now ye rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you And chastened my selfe with fasting Insome translations I wept my soule fasted as it is in Psal 35. 13. Leuit. 23. 27. And as Apollinarius vpon this Psalme saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue broken or subdued my soule with the labours or sweates of fasting The Propher Dauid not onely wept and shewed his passion but chastened himselfe with fasting shewed his Mortification So did the Apostle S. Paul as he himselfe writeth 1. Cor. 9. 27. But I doe chasten and beate downe this my bodie and bring it into subiection why Lest when I haue Preached to others I my selfe should be reproued So did the Prophet Daniel as wee may read Cha. 10. 3. where he saith I was in heauinesse for three weeks of daies I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth So did that blessed Hilarion as S. Hierom writeth in his life who would say vnto his bodie thus as S. Hierom there relateth Ego Asine faciam te vt non calcitres O thou Asse said Hilarion to his bodie I will make thee that thou kicke not I will feed thee not with barlie but with chaff J will tyre thee with hunger J will load thee with great thrist I will bring thee ouer heats coldes that thou shalt rather thinke vpon thy meate than wantonnesse Wherewith did the Prophet Dauid chasten himself with fasting I wept and chastened my selfe with fasting So he did in Psalme 109. 23. where he saith My knees are weake through fasting my flesh is dried vp for lacke of fatnesse So did the children of Israel in the house of the Lord. Judg. 20. 26. So did Anna the daughter of Phanuel in the Temple of the Lord. Luke 2. 37. So Dauid and his men wept and fasted till euen for Saul and for Ionathan his sonne for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel because they were slaine with the sword 2. Sam. 1. 12. And so Dauid himselfe fasted praied and lay all night vpon the earth for the childs life 2. Samuel 12. 16. Some thinke that abstinence and fasting are one and the same because they are both imployed about the same matter and manie times the one is taken for the other And some thinke that to fast is nothing else but to liue soberly and conueniently to nature Abstinence euen as temperance doth bind euery man to keepe and obserue it For as it is not sit for any man at any time to liue intemperately so it is not meet for any mā to admit that which is against true abstinence because we ought to eate and drinke no more than reason willeth or necessitie of nature requireth Fasting doeth not bind all nor alwayes but some onely in their time and place For most certaine it is that our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles with many others both before and after them liued soberlie and conueniently to nature and yet they not alwayes fasted For if they had alwayes fasted our Sauiour Christ would neuer haue said The bridegroome Luke 3. 25. shall bee taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes And that was turned to my reproofe Here is the Construction Dauid was reproued for his wéeping and for chastening himselfe with fasting By whom By his enemies who would destroy him guiltlesse and were mightie Psal 69. 4. By his enemies who spake against him tested vpon him and being drunke made songs vpon him It hath not alwayes bene a fault but a fashion for wicked men to reprooue and reprehend vertue veritie in good men And therefore Iudas grudged at Mary Magdalen for breaking of the bore of ointment and for powring it on Jesus head Mark 14. 4. The Pharisees reproued Christs Disciples to his face for plucking the eares of Corne vpon the Sabbaoth day Matth. 12 1. And our Sauiour Christ himselfe was mocked scoffed at scorned scandalized reproched reproued and reuiled by the Jewes by the Scribes and others and told that he was a friend to Publicanes and sinners and that hee had in him Belzebub the prince of the Deuils Marke 3. 22. In the time of the heathen the Cynicke Diogenes despised all things the Philosopher Democritus laughed at all things the Philosopher Heraclitus wept at all things the Philosopher Aristotle thought hee knew all things and the carping god Momus blamed and reprooued all things Enuie and reproofe doe alwaies waite at vertues elbow For Isboseth shall neuer want a man in his owne campe Elah a seruant in his owne house and Dauid a sonne from his owne loines besides Achitophels Doegs and Shimees not onely to reproue him reprehend him but to worke treason and treacherie against him And therfore the Orator saith well in his first Paradoxe Ista omnia talia videmus We see all such things that also wicked men haue wealth and do hurt the good And the Prophet Dauid saith truly Psalm 11. 2. The vngodly bend their bowe and make readie their arrowes within their quiuer that they may priuily shoote at them which are true of heart Thus much of the Phrase The Matter as I said before is an Actiō of Dauid consisting of his Passiō and his Mortification a Cōstruction of that Action by others In the Actiō I haue thoght good to obserue these fiue particulars 1. What Fasting is 2. How manie sorts of Fasting there are 3. The effects of Fasting 4. The causes of fasting 5. The antiquitie dignitie and necessitie of Fasting In the Construction of the Action I haue thought good to obserue three Particulars and two Questions The 1. Particular what Lent is 2. By whom it was first ordained 3. To what end and purpose it was ordained The 1. Question Whether set daies and times of abstinence and fasting ought to bee commaunded by authoritie The other Question Whether it bee a sinne wilfully to breake and to despise
set dayes and times of abstinence and fasting commaunded by authoritie Fasting as some define it is a proper acte of Abstinence or a certaine peculiar manner of Austinence As other some define it It is a Parsimonie of liuing and an Abstinence of meates Tertullian saith That it is a worke of reuerence towards God Gregorie lib 5. Moral saith That it is Quando quis pro amore Dei c. When any one for the loue of God and his owne health doeth abstaine not onely from things vnlawfull but from things lawfull and graunted That reuerend Bishop Iewel of Salisbury of famous memory saith That it is a religious worke ordained to testifie our humilitie and to make the flesh the more obedient to the Spirit that wee may bee the quicker to Praier and to all good works A late excellent and exquisite Diuine of ours saith That it is an helpe and furtherance Perkins Reform Cathol pag. 222. to the worship of God a good worke if it be vsed in a good manner For saith he it is a worke allowed of God and highly to be esteemed of all his people and his seruants The Greckes will haue it to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of not eating or of eating nothing at all And the Latines will haue it to bee called Ieiunium ab intestino ieiuno because with hunger the bowels are voyd and empty In the holy Scripture wee find 4 sorts of fasts 1. A miraculous fast 2. A fast from euill works 3. A penitenciall fast 4. A fast from surfetting Moses Elias and our Sauiour Christ himselfe vsed the Miraculous fast for they fasted 40. dayes and forty nights Of the fast from Euil works the Prophet Esay writeth Chap. 58. 5. Nunquid est tale ieiunium quod elegi c. Js it such a fast that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and to bow downe his head c. Of the Penitentiall fast wee read in the third Chapter of Ionas the seuenth verse where the king of the Niniuites at the preaching of Ionas proclaimed a fast in these words Let neither man nor beast bullocke nor sheepe taste any thing neither feede nor drinke water Of the fast frō Surfetting our Sauiour Christ himselfe speaketh Luke 21. 34. Take heed saith hee to your seiues lest at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse Some there bee that make two sorts of fasts A Publike fast And a Priuate fast A Publike fast is that which is performed and vsed according to the Prescription of law the Commandement of the superiour and the Custome of the countrey A Priuate fast is that which is done voluntarily without any constraint or compulsion of the Law Some there bee that make 4. sorts of fasts 1. a Mosaicall fast 2. An Euangelicall or Ecclesiastical fast 3. A couetous fast 4. A Philosophers fast Some there be that make 4. other sorts of fasts 1. A Spirituall fast from sinne 2. A corporall fast from eating and drinking 3. A fast of necessitie 4. A Christian and Religious fast Of the Spirituali fast from sinne we doe read in the 7. Chap. of the Prophet Zacharie the 5. 6. 7. verses A Corporall fast from eating and drinking is of 3. sorts 1. Naturall 2. Super-naturall 3. Ciuill or Politike Naturall is that which is prescribed by Physicke for healths sake Super-naturall is as the prohibition of Saul which Ionathan was angry with because the people waxed faint Ciuill or politike is that which is for the generall good and benefit of the whole Common weale A fast of Necessite is that which we cannot auoid as in the time of dearth That great Schooleman Aquinas doth call this fast Ieiunium ieiunij a fast of a fast because the earth forbeareth her fruits we forbeare food and would eate if wee had it A Christian or Religious fast is either Common or ordinarie Speciall or extraordinary Some there be that make seuen sorts of fasts which be these 1. A Pharasaicall fast 2. A gluttonous fast 3. A deceitfull fast 4. An inordinate fast 5. A superstitious fast 6. An hereticall fast and 7. a diuelish or satanicall fast A Pharasaicall fast is to fast with hypocrisie and dissimulation to get an applause and opinion of holinesse among the people of which Christ himselfe speaketh in Matth. 6. 16. Moreouer when you fast looke not sowre as the hypocrites for they disfigure their faces that they might seeme vnto men to fast A Gluttonous fast is not to keepe the lawes of due temperance in fasting Of which S. Hierome writeth in his 2. lib. against Iouinian where some saith hee which were to fast the Dinner or Supper before they began their fast would eate so much that they were not well able to digest it in two dayes after A Deceitfull fast is to vse wine or any other meate or drinke before or after meales vt fallamus ieiunium that wee may deceaue or cosen our fast An Inordinate fast is to keepe no order of Christian charitie and wisedome but to passe ouer the meane of reason as well in kéeping it as in leauing it A Superstitious fast is to apply ones selfe rather to the manners of the Jewes the Saracens the Mahumetans then of the Christians or to thinke one selfe not well to haue fasted if one breake his fast before the starres appeare in the night Or to fast in dayes exempt from fasting by the lawes and custome of this Land not with any good or godly cause but with contempt and disdaine of them An Hereticall fast is to fast with the custome and minde of the Manichêes Nouatians other Heretikes or doubtfully to obserue times which they out of a certaine error haue consecrated to fasting A diuelish a satanicall fast is to obey the law of fasting and yet to make no end of sinning but to continue and perseuere in the wicked custome and delight thereof A rare and renowmed Diuine of ours whose iudgement is best to be followed in this matter doth make thrée sorts of fastings 1. A Morall 2. A Ciuill 3. A Religious fast Morall fasting is the practise of sobrietie and temperance when as in the vse of meates drinkes the appetite is so restrained that it doeth not exceed moderation Ciuill fasting is when vpon some particular and politike considerations men abstaine from certaine meates As in this our common weale the lawe doth enioyne vs to abstaine from flesh meate in this time of Lent vpon Fridayes and Saterdayes and other times of the yéere A Religious fast is when the dueties of Religion are practised in fasting as the exercise of Praier and humiliation The effects of Fasting are either speciall for our selues or generall for the whole Common-weale Speciall for our selues to bridle the wantonnesse of the flesh and to make it the quicker to Praier and to all good workes General for the whole Common-weale to
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
seeing S. Paul willed the Corinthians to giue no offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God I can not chuse but beléeue and say that it is a sinne wilfully and without cause to breake and despise set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting cōmanded by Authorite and this shall bee proued vnto you by 6. speciall arguments 1. By the fift Commandement 2. By the testimony of S. Paul Rom. 13. 1. 3. By the definition of Sinne. 4. By Examples 5. By the Ancient Fathers 6. By generall Councels This is proued by the fift Commandement In the 5. Commandement which is the first Commandement of the second Table we are commanded to honour our Parents where by honour is meant loue feare and obedience and by our Parents not onely our naturall Parents but all Kings Princes Gouernours and Superiours which doe rule vs. Well then if we wilfully breake and despise set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting commaunded by Authoritie we doe not honour our Superiors If wee doe not honour our Superiors we breake this Commaundement If wee breake this Commandement I hope none will deny but we sinne This is proued by the testimony of S. Paul Rom. 13. 1. where the Apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power Why because there is no power but of God We must not saith he resist the power for if we resist the power we resist the ordinance of God They that resist what shall they receiue They shall receiue to themselues iudgement Heerehence I frame this argument Whosoeuer doeth resist the power doth resist the ordinance of God But they that wilfullie breake and despise set daies and times of abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie doe resist the power Therefore they doe resist the ordinance of God If therein they doe resist the ordinance of God who can deny but that they sinne This is proued by the definition of sinne To sinne as S. Austen saith is facere quod non licet to do that which is not lawfull to doe Héerehence I drawe this argument Whosoeuer doe that which is not lawfull doe sinne but they which wilfully breake and despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie doe that which is not lawfull therefore they doe sinne This is proued by Examples Adam in Paradise was commanded Gen. 2. 17. of the Lord not to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill If hee did hee should die the death Aarons sonnes were commanded Leuit. 10. 9 of the Lord not to drinke wine nor strong drinke in their ministerie which commandement because they brake they were slaine The man of God that came out 1. Reg. 13. of Iuda was slaine by a Lion because being seduced by the false Prophet hee did eate bread and dranke water in his house contrary to the Lords Commandement Saul would haue put his sonne 1 Sam 14. Ionathan to death because ignorantly he tooke a little honny contrary to his commandement If Adam Aarons sonnes and the Prophet of God were punished of the Lord for their not abstinence and if Ionathan was in so great danger for breaking his fathers commandement in eating a little honny Is it not a sinne before God for vs wilfully to breake and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie seeing wee are commanded of the Lord to submit our selues to our Princes ordinances and bound in conscience truely and vnfeinedly to obey them Let vs yet goe further The noble kings Ezekias Iehosaphat and Iosias made lawes for the exercise and the recalling of Gods seruice That Christian and religious Emperor Constantine made lawes also in things pertaining to holinesse towards God and towards his Church Theodosius his successour tooke the same course King Alured or Alfred appointed and commanded set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting And so did king Edgar Anno Dom. 958. Had it beene a sinne for people in those daies to haue broken these their Princes lawes and ordinances wilfully wantonly and without cause and shall we thinke that it is not a sinne for vs in these daies to doe the like This is proued by the testimony of the ancient fathers Most certaine and assured it is that Austen Ambrose and other of the ancient fathers were of this mind and thought it a sinne wilfully to break and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie S. Austen de temp Ser. 62. calleth them new teachers that shut out the merite of fasting and asketh what saluation we can obtaine if we blot not out our sinnes by fasting séeing saith hee the Scripture saith that fasting and almesdeeds doeth deliuer from sinne Alijs diebus ieiunare saith he remedium est aut praemium c. To fast on other daies is a remedie or reward but not to fast in Lent is a sinne S. Ambr. in ser 25. de Quadrag saith thus among many other things Non leue est peccatum Jt is no small sinne to breake a fast that is commanded Although these two ancient fathers had their errors and in some sort thought corruptly of fasting yet I will say of them and of their opinion concerning fasting as reuerend master Hooker saith lib. 5. Eccle. pol. lib. 5. pag. 208. Ecclesiast Poliicie Concerning euery mans duety herein saith he that which Austen and Ambrose are alleadged to haue done is such that all men fauouring equitie must needs allow and follow it also if they affect peace Well then if according to master Hookers iudgement al men must néeds allow this opiniō of these two Fathers if they fauour equitie and affect peace then I hope I may say that it is a sinne wilfully and without cause to breake and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie This is prooued by generall Councels and specially by that of Chalcedon held in the yeere of our Lord 454. to confound the errour of Eutiches who held that in Christ God and Man make but one Nature The Councell of Mentz vnder Canon 35. Charles the great made this decrêe Si quis indictum ieiunium super biendo contempserit c. If any one shall with pride contemne fasting commanded and will not obserue it with other Christians let him be accursed The like was established by the Councell of Carthage in their 63. Canon By the Councell of Laodicen in their 50. Canon and by the Councell of Toletan in their 7. Canon If those Councels thought them fit to bee accursed and excommunicate that would not obserue fasting commanded by Authoritie shall not wee thinke that they thought it a sinne in them that did wilfully breake and despise the same I might stand longer and much longer vpon this question but I will conclude it with the saying of the Apostle S. Peter say vnto you euen as the Apostle Peter said to the Jewes 1. Epist 2. 13