upon the earth and as the words of the Text may import pernoctavit in jejunio As the Syr. and Arab. did read the Hebrew in their Copy a Iejunevit jejunium in quo pernoctavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly there is a fast of two days continued such as it seems was in the Church by some used at their Paschal fast saith Irenaeus and Dionysius The two days of the Disciples sorrow when their Master was taken from them Of which as the Prophet Hosea seems to have given before some intimation chap. 6. 2. After two days he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Then shall we know c. His going forth is prepared as the morning So Tertullian also describeth the Churches more instant exercise of fasting on those two days of our Saviours remaining in death lib. de Iejun cap. 14. Cur jejuniis Parasceuen Quanquam vos etiam sabbatum si quando continuatis nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum secundum rationem alibi redditam But more expresly Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor do all keep the six days of the fasts viz. those of the great Week equally or alike but some indeed pass them all over continuing without food either wholly or on each day to the next Cock-crowing But others two viz. Good-Friday and Easter-Eve again others three the Wednesday Friday and Saturday and others four adding Thursday The two or three days fast we meet with in St. Hierom in his fifteenth Epistle ad Marcellum of Asella a very holy Virgin Cùm per omnem aetatem jugi jejunio pasceretur biduo triduó que sic permanens tum verò in quadrage simâ navigii sui vela tendebat As in all her life she almost continually fasted abiding so sometimes two sometimes three days fasting so especially in Lent c. Fifthly a three days fast in Old and New Testament is renowned Esther 4. 16 17. Go gather together all the Iews which are found in Shushan and fast ye for me and neither eat nor drink three days night nor day I also and my Maidens will fast likewise c. So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him Such as is supposed was also the Ninevites fast and such was St. Paul's fast at his Conversion Acts 9. 9. And he was three days without sight and did neither eat nor drink The same fast of three days we have in the History of godly Iudas Maccabaeus 2 Mac. 13. 10-12 That two days and this three days fast is by some religiously also emulated who not able to continue so long fasting joyn together so many several days of fasts though taking some food each Evening Sixthly we often meet with the mention of a five days fast and such each weeks fast in Lent as St. Chrysostom for Constantinople and St. Basil for Caesarea doth witness besides that which Socrates mentions of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three five days fasts with interval of many days betwixt St. Basil in his first Sermon of fasting days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fifth fast proclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lay not in before hand five days riot as if you would avenge before hand the days of the fast Seventhly the next honourable fast is that of seven days as that of the men of Iabesh Gilead for Saul and his sons they fasted seven days 1 Sam. ult ult Like Ioseph's mourning for his father seven days Gen. 5. 10. Like as Ezechiel also sat with them of the Captivity and remained astonished amongst them seven days And it came to pass at the end of the seven days that the Word of the Lord came unto him Chap. 3. 15 16. So as also Iob's three friends having rent every one his Mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads sate down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights and none spake a word unto him Iob 2. ult Yea the Lord said unto Moses of Miriam Num. 12. 14. If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days let her be shut out from the Camp seven days This seven days fast is answer'd by the Christians whole weeks fast in their great week except in that the festival day of Easter yea even every weekly Lords-day hath a greater priviledge of exemption from fasting then the jewish-Jewish-sabbath then had Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 six days of the Fasts mention'd by Dionysius of Alexandria above in Epistolâ ad Basilidem are to the Christians instead of a seven days Fast. So measur'd they their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eighthly Daniel's three weeks fast was as I said divers ways emulated by the Christians in Lent some after that example amongst the forty days of Abstinence more strictly fasting the three weeks next before Easter excepting the Lords days or also two of the Saturdays some selecting to themselves one and twenty days dispersedly throughout the Lent as Leo a Serm de jejun Quadrages mentions the second the fourth the sixth of each week some fifteen days interpreting the three weeks with their abatement of two in each Saturday and Sunday of this we have Sozomen's testimony lib. 7. cap. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some others fast three weeks of days here and there selected within the compass of the six or seven weeks fast of Lent but others joyn for their fast three weeks of days together next before the feast of Easter others fasting two weeks as the followers of Montanus besides some others For so much we may take Socrates's witness also because in this agreeing with others lib. 5. cap. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some in Rome fast three weeks before Easter conjoyn'd together excepting the Sabbath and Lords day in each week though Leo gives us in his time their three weeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. every other day or three days in each of almost seven weeks Others beginning their fast seven weeks before the Feast fast onely three several five-days spaces with a weeks interval betwixt each And this they meant also a three weeks fast St. Chrysostom also is a witness beyond exception in his sixteenth Homily ad populum Antiochen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the manner of all to ask touching Lent how many weeks any one kept the 〈◊〉 and you may hear some say two viz. beginning their fasts from Passion-Sunday but some three weeks and some answering that they have fasted all the weeks All the 15 or 18 or â—…1 days in emulation of holy Daniel's fast in some sort or other Ninthly the most renowned number was the forty days fast of which we have
the respective Countreys new convert Iews to be condescended to in the very Quartadecimâ Lunae seeing also that the Apostolical Tradition of the Feast it self of Easter and of the Fasts to be ended at Easter to be safe unshaken and agreed upon by both sides yea and contended for for else what needed all that ado about a circumstance of it Himself Irenaeus first writes that the Mystery of Christ's Resurrection ought to be celebrated viz. in the Feast of Easter not on the fourteenth day of the Moon whatsoever day of the week it fell upon but onely on the weekly memory of Christ's Resurrection viz. on the Lord's day And also earnestly exhorts Victor that he would not cut off whole Churches of God for following their Tradition in their Countreys of ancient time For that there had been in fore time difference not onely about the time or day of Easter and so of ending of the Fasts but even concerning the manner or form of the Fast it self the Apostles themselves having left both an allowance of condescension to the Iews in some Countreys touching the day of the Feast and also to some infirm or weaker then others in the form or manner of the Fast to be extended to more or fewer days and this condescension having been abused also by some to take up with very little time for the fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been the difference for some think they ought to fast one day some two some also more and some measure their day viz. such as would have one day suffice yet by 40 houres reckoning in the hours of night and day viz. as may be most reasonably thought from the beginning of Christs sufferings His Agony on Thursday night onward 40 hours which should inclose all the Parasceue or Good-Friday and keep some resemblance of our Saviours 40 days fast accounting to themselves because the other they could not reach an hour for a day and some resemblance also of the Churches wonted 40 days abstinence from which they made this discession and innovation of 40 hours in the stead of the ancients simple and plain custome of 40 days and lastly some memory of the 40 houres in which Christ did abide given up to death these their forty hours probably they begun I say with the beginning of his bloudy Sweat and Agony from about eight a clock of the night before he was crucified untill about noon on Saturday which is the just number of forty hours Now this I am the rather induced to believe to be the meaning of Irenaeus's words and of their practice of forty hours fast comprising within the account the hours of day and of night because I finde in ancient Authours a frequent custome of Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whole nights-watch on the night preceding Good Friday as on which Christ our Lord rested not at all but passed from his Agony to his Apprehension and thence to Annas first Iohn 18. 13. 24. and thence to Cajaphas the High Priest that year where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled Matth. 26. 57. where false Witnesses were sought for against the Lord and examined where he was accused spit upon blind-folded buffeted and smitten with the palms of their hands denied by his own Disciple Peter about the time of the Cock-crowing held on still by those who most impiously did blasphemously spake many things against him and by the first Light appearing which he had created led by the Elders of the people and the chief Priests and Scribes into their Council to a fresh Examination Luc. 22. 66. and thence early in the morning to Pilat's Judgement-Hall c. Iohn 18. 28. Upon the consideration of this whole nights most indign suffering of our Lord from his own People the Iews and their malicious Rulers many Religions had in use that which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole nights-watch of Christ's sufferings as the Greeks have it This Epiphanius in Exposit. Fidei in express words thus recordeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in some places at the end of the fifth day or Thursday they watch unto the day-light of Good Friday as also the night before Easter morning these two whole nights onely The same I take to be the meaning of Iohn of Hierusalem Catech. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason of the labour which you have lately born both from the extended fast of Good Friday and from the Vigil or watching thereof viz. of the night that leads unto it Wherefore St. Hierom also in his Book against Vigilantius by way of Sarcasme thus collects what Vigilantius would have Non vigilemus itaque diebus Pascha Let us leave off then to watch on the days of the Pasch viz. especially the two Eves of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 9. I acknowledge to be the latter But that there were more than one of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whole-night-watches near the day of our Lord's Passion Eusebius himself hath left recorded lib. 2. cap. 15 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rursùs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those Ascetical performances which are even still untill now with us accustomably exercised which more eminently we are wont to perform at the Solemnity of the Passion of our Saviour in Fastings and whole nightswatches and attentions unto the Word of God and again the whole night-watches of the great Solemnity and the Ascetical performancestherein Well therefore might the hours of that first whole-nights-watch begin the first part of their forty hours which they extended it seems to Saturday noon for that they which kept but one day in fasting as Irenaeus and Dionysius say some did though neither approve that pittance in persons of ordinary strength did not fast Saturday as Tertullian also saith Quanquam vos etiam sabbatum siquando continuatis c. Of those therefore whom here Irenaeus mentions and tolerates but approves not some kept one day imitating as to the time the one onely fast-day the day of Atonement at first by God in the Law appointed to the Iews a ground unsufficient to warrant in any now no more Others two days Good Friday and the great Sabbath because on those two days the Apostles were in special sadness and our Lord was given up to death for us Quanquam vos etiam sabbatum siquando continuatis nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum Others also more whether three adding the Wednesday wherein the Council was held and Money was given and taken for the taking away our Lord Or four the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his Epistle to Basilides records some fasted with superposition or continuance to the Cock-crowing two days some three some four and others all the six of that great week others fasting forty hours
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ fasted a little before his temptation we before the Paschal feast the matter of fastings is one in both This hath in us the force of mortisying us with Christ and is the purifying preparation to the Feast And he indeed fasted 40. daies for he was God but we proportionate this to our power though zeal perswade some to leap even beyond their strength a This S. Gregory Nazianzen his 74. Epistle written to Celeusius the Iudge who as it may seem by this Epistle in the time of the Churches publick fastings in stead of Fasting propounded obsâ—…ene shewes to delight the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the sense requires and so Billius who had the use of MSS. R interp ets it qui non jejunes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now I will speak the things which become our friendship and this season viz. of fasting you O Judge as not fasting transgress the Law And how shall you be a preserver of humane Laws who conâ—…emn the Lawes Divine â—…urge your own Tribunal lest of these two things one happen either that you be an evil man or appear such To set before the people filâ—…hy shewes is to publish your self upon the stage The sum is O Judge know that you are to be judged and you will offend less I had nothing better to give you then this counsell The fourth witness of this age is EPIPHANIUS In expositione fidei Catholicae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And also in Compend fidei c. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same Church viz. Catholick of which he speaks hath been wont to observe Lent continuing in fastings but the 6. daies of the week before Easter all the people continue in dry oâ—… stricter diet Again they celebrate publick meetings or synaxes of Communion all those 6. daies a As our Church also prescribes assemblies and Communion-service also every day in this great week And on the 4 th day of the week and on the day before the Sabbath viz. on Friday they are in fasting unto the ninth hour viz. our 3. a clock in the afternoon for as much as on the 4 th day the Lord was taken that is money taken for his taking and on the Friday He was crucifi'd And the Apostles have deliver'd that on these daies fasts should be celebrated to the fulfilling of that which was spoken that when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them then shall they fast in those daies And in Heresy 75 th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the daies of the Paschal-fast or the week at least of it before Easter when with us there are lyings on the ground purities afflictive sufferings prayers watchings and fastings They the Aërians from the morning feed themselves with flesh and wine filling their veins and deride us laughing and mocking at such as celebrate the holy service of this week So that he shewes hereby his mind and his unbelief The fifth witness of this age is the renowned S. AMBROSE Bishop of Millan in his 4 th Book upon S. Luke S. Ambrose's most undoubted work Siquis Evangelii gloriam fructumque Resurrectionis optat adipisci mystici jejunii praevaricator esse non debet quod in lege Moses in Evangelio suo Christus utriusque Testamenti autoritate praescripsit fidele virtutis esse certamen If any man desire to obtain the glory of the Gospel the fruit of the Resurrection he ought not to be a transgressor of the mystical fast which both Moses in the Law did Christ in his Gospel hath prescribed by the authority of both Testaments a space for the faithfull striving of vertue The same Author in his Book de Helia Iejunio Non autem omnis fames acceptabile jejunium facit sed fames quae Dei timore suscipitur Considera Quadrage sima totis praeter Sabbatum Dominicam jejunatur diebus Not every hunger makes an acceptable fast but that hunger which is undertaken from the fear of God Consider A Lent is fasted with us all daies except Saturday and the Lords day Now of this Fast of Lent he saith in his 23. Sermon Dominus Iesus Christus hunc eundem numerum jejunii consecravit And Sermon the 36. Hunc quadraginarium numerum non ab hominibus constitutum sed divinitùs consecratum haec autem non tam sacerdotum praecepta quam Dei sunt And in Sermon the 25. Dominus enim Diabolum posteaquam 40. dies jejunavit evicit non quod non ante jejunia eum vincere potuisset sed ut ostenderet nobis tunc nos Diaboli posse esse victores cum 40. dies victores jejunando desideriorum carnalium fuissemus Non enim fratres leve peccatum est sidelibus indictam Quadragesimam jejunia consecrata ventris voracitate dissolvere scriptum est Qui dicit se in Christo manere debet sicut ille ambulavit ipse ambulare Ille qui peccatum non habebat Quadragesimam jejunavit tu non vis Quadragesimam jejunare qui peccas ille inquam peccatum non habebat sed pro nostris jejunavit peccatis The Lord Jesus Christ hath consecrated this same number of lasting This Quadragesimal number not constituted of men 〈◊〉 consectated from God Now these are not so much the precepts of the Priests as of God And Sermon 25. For the Lord after he had fasted 40. daies overcame the Devil not but that he could have overcome him also before or without fastings but that he might shew unto us that then we can overcome the devil when by forty days we have been through fasting victors over our carnal desires For neither O brethren is it a little fault to break by greediness of the belly the Lent indicted to Believers the consecrated fasts It is written He that saith he abides in Christ ought himself also so to walk as he walked viz. as Nazianzen above attemperating his example to our strength He that had no sin fasted a Lent and wilt not thou who sinnest He I say had no sin but fasted for our sins Again in his 60. Serm. which is on the day of Pentecost a Sermon which all agree to be his or Maximus Episcopus Taurinensis's and the odds is little which it be for that either of their authorities is great enough Sic enim disposuit Dominus ut sicut ejus passione in Quadragesimae jejuniis contristaremur ita ejus resurrectione in Quinquagesimae feriis laetaremur Non igitur jejunamus in hâc Quinquagesimâ quia in his diebus nobiscum Dominus commoratur non inquam jejunamus praesente Domino quia ipse ait Nunquid possunt silii sponsi jejunare quandiu cum illis est sponsus For so hath the Lord appointed that as for his Passion we should mourn in the fasts of Lent so for his Resurrection we should rejoyce in the 50. daies
Books and FROM OUT OF THE GOSPEL In what part therefore of the year more aptly could the observation of Lent be constituted then in that which is conterminous and next unto the Passion of the Lord viz. the time of the year wherein the Bridegroom was taken away And having fetcht the ground and authority of the fast of Lent from the Gospel he then adds in the following part of the same Epistle Ut quadraginta illi dies ante Pascha observentur Ecclesiae consuetudo roboravit That those forty daies before Easter be observ'd the custome of the Church hath strengthened or corroborated Yea the same S. Augustine in the aforesaid 86. Epistle objected teaches us the ground of certain other set fasts to be the daies wherein the Bridegroom was taken away His words are these Cur autem quartâ sextâ feriâ maximè jejunat Ecclesia viz. Catholica illa ratio reddi videtur quòd CONSIDERATO EVANGELIO ipsâ quartâ—… Sabbati concilium reperiantur ad occidendum Dominum fecisse Iudaei Deinde traditus est eâ nocte quae jam ad sextam sabbati qui dies passionis ejus manifestus est pertinebat Now why the Church Catholick fasts especially on the 4 th and 6 th day of the week that reason or account seems to be rendred that the Gospel being considered on the 4 th day of the week the Jewes are found to have held a councel for the killing of the Lord. That afterwards he was delivered up in that night which belonged to the 6 th day of the week which manifestly is the day of his Passion saith he which reason from Epiphanius also ye heard before a And S. Augustine again in the 〈◊〉 86. Epistle Passuâ—… est Domiâ—… quod nullus ambigit sextâ—… sabbatâ—… quapropter ipsa sexta rectè jejunio deputatur jejunia quippe humiliâ—…atem significant Unde dictum est humiliabam jejunio aniâ—…am meam The Lord suffered which no man doubts on the 6 th day of the week wherefore the 6 th day of the week also is appointed for fasting for that fasting signifies our humility whence it is said I humbled my soul with fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ps. 69. 10. That for the weekly now for the anniversary solemnity of Christs passion which in no place had its solemnity without fasting We learn from St. Augustine in the 118. Epistle to Ianuarius that if it was not first constituted by some General Councel as for certain it was not but in the Church universally received long before the Councel of Nice before which there had been no General Councel save that of the Apostles themselves then it is retain'd as commanded and appointed from Tradition Apostolical His words are these Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum oâ—…le observantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenariis Conciliis quorum est in Ecclesiâ saluberrima autoritas commendata atque statuta retineri SICUTI QUOD DO MINI PASSIO resurrectio ascensio in coelum adventus de coelo Spiritus sancti anniversariâ solennitaâ—…e celebrantur But those things which we keep being not written but delivered down which are observed throughout the whole world are given us to understand that they are retain'd as commended and appointed EITHER FROM THE APOSTLES THEMSELVES or from plenary h. e. general Councels whose authority in the Church is most wholesome as for example that the Passion of the Lord and his Resurrection and Ascension are celebrated in anniversary solemnity Thus S. Augustine But the anniversary solemnity of Christs Passion was not first from any plenary or general councel therefore according to S. Augustine's Catholick rule it was delivered from the Apostles By which testimony also you may perfectly discern how S. Augustin's Non invenio in literis evidenter praeceptum I do not find it in the writing of the Gospels or the Apostles c. is nothing contrary in S. Augustin's judgement to the fast of Lents derivation from the Apostles nor to that authority although not evident precept which S. Augustine himself fetcht from out of the Gospel for it It is the same S. Augustine who in his roll of Heresies haeres 53. hath registred it as one part of the Aâ—…rians superaddition to the Arrian heresie that they taught nec statuta solenniter celebranda esse jejunia sed cùm quisque voluerit jejunandum ne videatur esse sub lege They denied that the set fasts ought solemnly to be celebrated but that every one is to fast then when himself shall please lest he should seem to be under the Law which Damascen expresseth yet more particularly in his Book of Heresies that this Aerius bad that the fast of the 4 th and 6 th day of the week and of the 40 daies and Easter should not be observed nor any set fasts Certis statisque diebus negat enim se lege teneri No set or stated fasts for that he saith he is not under the Law My second witness of this age shall be S. CYRIL the renowned Patriarch of Alexandria and most eminent member of the third General Councel to the Patriarchs of which See it was entrusted by the first General Councel that they should yearly signifie before hand to the rest of the Churches as well as their own the true time of Easter This S. Cyril therefore in his 7 th Homily de festis Paschalibus thus gives publick notification of the time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beginning the holy Lent from such a day and ending the Fasts on the 3 d day of the moneth Pharmuthi on the Saturday evening ACCORDING TO THE APOSTOLICAL TRADITIONS Again in his 15 th Homily de festis Paschalibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beginning this year the holy Lent from such a 〈◊〉 and ending the Fasts on the 7 th day of the moneth Pharmuthi late at night according to the Traditions Apostolical And Homily 20 th de 〈◊〉 Pasch. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So so let us keep a pure fast beginning the holy Lent from such a day ending also the fasts on the 7 th day of Pharmuthi h. e. just 40 daies after as also above in the two forecited testimonies late or far in the evening According to the Traditions Apostolical Thus thrice he clearly refers the Fasts of Lent to Tradition Apostolical as the same S. Cyril in nineteen other of his Homilies de Festis Paschalibus preached in so many several years refers the same Fasts of Lent to Tradition Appointment or Instruction Evangelical Homil. 4. de Fest. Paschal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ☜ Beginning the holy Lent from the 26. day of the moneth Mechir as it were our February and within this Lent beginning the week of the salutary Pasch or great week before Easter on the first day of the moneth Pharmuthi or April and ending the Fasts According to the Evangelical Constitutions
journey The same S. Hierom Epist. 15. Displicent mihi in teneris maximè aetatibus longa cimmoderata jejunia Fasts not only long continued but also immoderate displease me especially in young and tender ages Therefore S. Chrysostome also provided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in Lent relaxing their Fast on two daies together every week Saturday and the Lords-day they might take breath as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord hath indulged these two weekly daies Saturday and the Lords-day like certain stages inns or havens that the body being for a little while relax'd from its labours of the Fasting and the mind comforted they may again when these two daies are passed over afresh set upon the remaining part of the Fast to be travell'd through Basilius Magnus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this I think we ought to take care of that by no immoderate excess of abstinence we dissolve the strength of the body and render it unactive and languishing as to any honest employment and businesse For God when he made man would not that he should be idle and not stirring but active as to things agreable to his nature commanding Adam himself in Paradise to labour and to keep the garden It is meet therefore that nothing be innovated contrary to nature and the bounds set us by the gracious Author of our nature but abiding within them to maintain our bodies fit for action In no wise dissolving its strength by immoderate fulnesse or fasting For this I suppose to be the best oeconomy to follow the laws of nature set us and by no means to consume or enfeeble the body by immoderate spendings of it This also we must provide for that neither upon pretence of the bodies need we thrust our selves forth into the service of pleasure We ought to use both moderate fastings and yet supply the body with necessary sustentation Not following the prescriptions of pleasure but of reason accurately judging what is needful for us concerning our viands consulting right reason as a knowing Physician which may take care of the infirmity of our body by things meet for it disinteressed from our appetites and passions It is much better and more behooveful that our bodie should be preserved in its consistent strength and vigour for good actions then by our own counsel to render it as it were dissolv'd and unactive Thus far S. Basil one of the most strict Asceticks of the Ancients to whom agrees also Procopius Gazaeus upon Isa. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He would a Fast which without ostentation should bring into subjection our carnal mindedness But declares it our duty not to extend abstinence from meats so far as to weaken or dissolve the vigour of the body or draw the mind to an inadvertent incogitancy You see how unanimously and tenderly the ancient Doctors of the Church agree on this caution of Observanda but Moderata Quadr age simae jejunia The fasts of Lent to be observed but with just and equitable moderation How by the Ancients it was moderated we will now say in a few words First Then a Quadragesima all call'd it as in which though they could not hope to imitate the miraculons 40. dayes fast of Moses Elias and Christ our Lord yet in all those 40. dayes they could abstain and they abstained from pleasures and bread of delight from publick joyances and private unnecessary indulgences And as many as whose health could bear it without experience or just fear of sicknesse or weaknesse from flesh and wine also but as to the abstaining from all food till the evening the generality of the pious Christians both of the East and Western Church sought out within that 40 dayes space for their pattern some example of meer man as themselves were and that one unassisted with miraculous power as Moses and Elias were viz. Daniel his 3 weeks fast Dan. 10. 2 3. Whereupon I assure my self that both the Western Church even Rome it self singled out to themselves among their 40 dayes of abstinence as Leo fitly cals it 21 dayes or 3 weeks for full fasts until the evening the Eastern Church likewise 3 weeks in which they reckoned but 15 dayes as appears from Socrates as reckoning the weeks without the Sunday and Saturday on which the Eastern Church fasted not except only one Saturday in the year the Vigil of Easter day As to the Western Church where was the fast of Lent more strictly observed then in Ancient Rome Yet hear Leo the great and first Bishop of that name in that See thus instructing the Christian people of Rome in his 4 th Sermon of Lent Ut omni immunditi â à penetralibus cordis exclusâ sanctificetur jejunium nostrum Quadrage simale Secundâ igitur quartâ sexta Feriâ jejunemus Sabbato autem apud B. Petrum Apostolum vigilias celebremus That all uncleanesse being shut out from the inmost of our heart our Lent fast may be sanctified Let us therefore fast on the 2 d 4 th and 6 th day of the week and on saturday keep a watch apud B. Petrum Apostolum These 3 dayes of each week in their 6 weeks fast of Lent from Quadragesima-Sunday made up 18 dayes which with Ash-wednesday and the friday following Ash-wednesday and Easters-eve made up just their 21 daies Fast which Epiphanius and the Tripartite History l. 9. c. 38. relate that the Romans fasted i. e. with this full fasting unto the evening the space of 3 weeks before Easter The same saith Socrates twice of the Eastern Churches 15 daies fast which they also measured for 3 weeks exempting the Lords-day and the Sabbath-day as hath been said Thus great an agreement there was to observe both the Lords 40 daies Fast by their abstinence from pleasures flesh and wine and if able by stricter fasting Daniel's 3 weeks Which they had great reason thus to emulate 1. For that his only was done as meer man contenting himself with the measure of a man after he had seen Moses and Elias's more glorious but miraculous example 2 dly Because Daniel himself did undertake that 3 weeks Fast upon his foreseeing in Spirit the taking away of this our Bridegroom the cutting off of Messias the Prince but not for himself Compare the end of Daniel c. 9. v. 24 26. with the beginning of c. 10. 2 3. 3 dly This Fast was kept by him saith the Text v. 4. in the first moneth of the year answering to our March the time wherein the Messias was to be cut off wherein the Christian Church would afterward celebrate their Paschal Fast for his Passion 4 thly For the great acceptation with God that this three-weeks Fast of Daniel found Compare c. 10. v. 2 3. with v. 12. In those daies I Daniel was mourning three full weeks I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wiae in my mouth neither did I anoint my self at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled V.
Eve before Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in imitation whereof also the Churches of Spain first of all for where is it to be read of before the Council of Eliberis in Spain Can. 21. And afterward the Roman and others converted the every-weeks Vigil of the Lords day viz. Saturday as Leo often witnesseth in his Sermon that Saturday was observ'd in his time as a Vigil onely and not a Fast into a weekly Fasting-day in the place of the Wednesday or fourth day of the Week which from the beginning had been that But our main purpose is to enquire of such of the Churches Fasts as were in their Original Apostolical and from the beginning of universal practice They are of two sorts either such as were delivered to the Church by Tradition of Precept as from the Apostles or by Tradition of counsel and recommendation onely from the Apostles to the free devotion of Christians Those of Tradition of Precept first whether for some determined time of the year as the Paschal Fast of Lent the Spring-fast next before the Feast of Easter which Easter was celebrated annuo circulo in mense primo saith Tertullian lib. de Iejun cap. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as others witness annually in the first moneth close upon the Vernal Aequinox and so much onely the Spring-fast by Lent-fast is signify'd or other oft recurring Fasts for the substance from the Apostles to be observed constantly though without a time determined by them As the Fasts of the Church before her publick solemn Ordinations though for the times of the year wherein both those Fasts and Ordinations should be kept the Church was left to determine her self which she hath wisely distributed into four Seasons of the Year so sanctifying to her self both her hopes and partakings of the fruits of the earth and more principally her Spiritual labourers sent forth into Christs harvest Of such solemn calling on God preparatory to Ordination we have the example first of Christ our Lord himself in the Gospel Luk. 6. 12 13. where we read that in the Eve or Vigil before the day which he design'd for choosing out of his Disciples twelve which he would name Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it came to pass in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God And when it was day he called unto him his Disciples and of them he chose twelve whom also he named Apostles This grand example of the Lord the Apostles of the Lord also are recorded in holy Scripture to have followed Act. 14. 23. And when they the Apostles Barnabas and Paul v. 14. had ordained them â—…lders in every Church having prayed with fastings they commended them unto God viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with fastings plurally not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only having so prayed and Fasted before the Ordination as the words may well be understood The same was also practised by the Prophets and Teachers of the Church at Antioch before that Act. 13. 1 3. Then having Fasted and Prayed and having laid on their hands they sent them away If now the Church shall witness that she hath also received this order of Fasting before her Ordinations from the Apostles and their times the very examples but now alleadged above may render it not difficult for us to believe it Leo the first and Great Serm. 2. de Iujunio Pent. Dubitandum non est Dilectissimi omnem observantiam Christianam eruditionis esse Divinae quicquid ab Ecclesiâ in Consuetudinem est Devotionis receptum de Traditione Apostolicâ de Sancti Spiritûs prodire dictrinâ Manifestissimè patet inter caetera Dei munera Iejuniorum quoque gratiam quae hodiernam Festivitatem indivisa subsequitur tunc fuisse donatam Ideò dilectissimi secundùm eruditionem Spiritûs Sancti per quem Ecclesiae Dei omnium virtutum collata sunt dona suscipiamus alacri fide solenne jejunium It is not to be doubted most beloved but that all the Churches observance is of Gods teaching and whatever hath been received by the Church viz. Universal in the custom viz. constant perpetual of her Devotion cometh from Tradition Apostolical and from the teaching of the holy Ghost It most evidently appears that amongst the rest of the gifts of God the Grace also of fastings which immediately followeth this present Festivity viz. of Pentecost as doth the second Ember-week in the year was then viz. at the sending down of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles given to the Church Therefore my dearly Beloved according to the teaching of the holy Ghost by whom the gifts of all vertues are conferr'd upon the Church of God let us undertake with cheerful Faith the solemn Fast. And again Serm. 4. upon the fast of the same Ember-week Inter omnia dilectissimi Apostolicae instituta doctrinae quae ex divinae institutionis fonte manârunt dubium non est instâ—…uente in Ecclesiae principes Spiritu Sancto hanc primùm ab eis observantiam fuisse conceptam ut Sancti observatione Iejunii omnium virtutum regulas inchoarent Amongst all the Institutes of Apostolical teaching which have flowed forth from the fountain of Divine Institution there is no doubt ô most beloved but that this observance was first conceived by those Princes of the Church the holy Ghost influencing them that they should begin the regulations of all vertues which the observation of holy Fasting And in his seventh Serm. on the Fast of the tenth Moneth another of the Ember-weeks he thus speaketh Praesidia militiae Christianae sc. jejunia c. delectissimi sanctificandis mentibus nostris atque corporibus divinitùs instituta ideò cum dierum temporúmque curriculis sine cessatione reparantur ut infirmitatum nostrarum ipsa nos medicina commoneat These guards of our Christian warfare viz. Fastings c. as he spake of the Fast of the Ember-week were Instituted of God for the sanctifying our mindes and bodies therefore are they renewed incessantly with the course of dayes times that the medicine it self recurring may admonish us of our infirmities So in the eighth Serm. Hujus observantiae utilitas dilectissimi in Ecclesiasticis praecipuè est constituta jejuniis quae ex doctrinâ Spiritûs Sancti ita per totius anni circulum distributa sunt ut lex abstinentiae omnibus sit ascripta temporibus siquidem jejunium vernum in Quadrage simà aestivum in Pentecoste Autumnale in mense septimo hyemale autem in hoc qui est decimus celebramus The utility of this observance my Beloved is especially seated in Ecclesiastical Fasts which by the teaching of the holy Ghost are so distributed through the circle of the whole year that there is a law of abstinence affix d to all the four seasons Forsomuch as the Spring-fast we keep in Lent the Summer-fast in Whitsunweek the Autumn-fast in the moneth of September the Winter-fast in this moneth of December So
that punctually the same four Ember-weeks or fasts and also the following solemn Ordinations are in those four self-same seasons and appointed times in this Church of England which were in the Church more then 1200 years since In the same place he adds of those Faâ—…s before the Ordinations Intelligentes divinis nihil vacuum esse praeceptâ—…s understanding that nothing viz. of such things is left devoid of the Divine precepts But as I above yeilded though the Church be guided alwayes by the Spirit of God in some seâ—…se yet the aâ—…ing of those Fasts and Ordinations to those determinate times 〈◊〉 be thought was not of Apostolical Tradition as the Fasts to be â—…fore the Ordinations were â—…or after all this said by Leo we shâ—…â—…inde him also confess as much in his fifth Serm. de Iejun dâ—…mi â—…ensis Huic autem operi dilectissimi cùm jaâ—… oppâ—…rtuna sint tempora hâ—…c nunc praecipuè aptum est atque conveniens in quo S. Patres nâ—…tri divinitùs inspiraâ—…i dâ—…cimi â—…nsis sauxère â—…unium ut omniuâ—…â—…ructuum collectione conclusâ—… 〈◊〉 Deo abstinentiâ—… 〈◊〉 For this work my Beloved as all times are opportune 〈◊〉 is this most agreeable and fit in which our holy Fathers inspired from God have â—…ecreed the Fast of the tenth moneth to be that the gâ—…ing of all the fruits being concluded a reasonable abstinence by us should be dedicated to God Before Leo the Great 's time Athanasius the Great in his Apologie for his flight mentions how the people in the Week after the holy Pentecost having finished their Fasts went to pray c. We proceed now to such Fasts of Tradition Apostolical as are by Tradition of Counsel onely and recommendation not of Precept such as are first those which were ever in the Christian Church from the Apostles times the Stations of the fourth and sixth day of the Week Wednesdays and Fridayes wont to be Fasted unto the ninth hour our three a Clock in the Afternoon after the example of Cornelius's Fast called Stationum semi-plena jejunia And secondly such is some degree of the extent of the Fast of Lent as the Abstinence to be continued throughout forty dayes the proper Fast of somewhat like the measure of three weeks in Imitation of Daniel's Fast the stricter and more rigorous Fast of all the six dayes in the last Great Week all which seems to have been ever in the Church from the Apostles times as Tradition Apostolical but ex arbitrio non ex praecepto Apostolorum praestanda as shall be shewn in the seventh Chapter Here we will speak of the former the stations of the fourth and sixth days of the Week For which omitting that of Ignatius ad Philippenses I first alledge the Churches practice in Tertullian's time which he contending with her witnesseth and takes as a thing confessed by her to argue from lib. de Iejuniis c. 13. Ecce enim convenio vos praeter Pascha jejunantes citra illos dies quibus ablatus est sponsus Stationum semi-jejunia interponentes verò interduÌ„ pane aquâ victitantes ut cuique visum est Denique respondetis haec ex Arbitrio agenda non ex Imperio And c. 10. Aequè stationes nostras ut indictas h. e. praecepto omnibus praestitutas quasdam verò in serum constitutas novitatis nomine accusant Hoc quoque munus ex Arbitrio obeundum esse dicentes non ultra nonam detinendum viz. publicè in Ecclesiâ de suo sc. more Non quasi respuamus nonam cui quartâ sabbati sextâ plurimuÌ„ fungimur Venit enim horae nonae observatio de exitu Domini Itaque in eam usque horam celebranda pressura est in quâ à sextâ coÌ„tenebratus orbis deâ—…uncto Domino lugubre fecit officium ut tunc nos revertamur ad jucunditatem cum mundus recepit claritatem And c. 2. Quae ipsae stationes suos quidem dies habeant quartae feriae sextae passivè tamen currant neque sub lege praecepti From which witness we observe these confessed truths 1. That both the Church and the Montanists did then and had before observ'd these stations of the fourth and sixth day 2. That the Church answered so to his Accusation of her that those stations she did indeed and would still recommend to her Children but ex Arbitrio non ex Imperio agenda ut passivè currentia non ut sub legeâ—… praecepti as matter of Counsel not of Precept which they that do not observe sin not but they do better that observe And therefore she accus'd Tertullian and the Montanists of Novelty for enjoyning them by Precept as well as for producing them to the evening beyond the three a clock in the Afternoon as by Tradition they both had received 3ly That her days of publick Fasts were constituted and prescribed unto her already by God in the Gospel viz. these in which the Bridegroom was taken away hos esse jam solos legitimos jejuniorum Christianorum dies that Tertullian objected to the Church that she who stood upon it that she had received those and no other dayes or â—…asts from the Apostles but those onely 1. On which the Bridegroom was taken away for the Church had reply'd c. 2. Apostolos nullum aliud imponentes jugum certorum in commune omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum And that she yet observ'd those stations which Tertullian thought in no sense were the dayes on which the Bridegroom was taken away When yet both the dayes themselves did the hour of breaking up the Fast did in Tertullian's own acknowledgment derive it's observation from the Bridegrooms taking away â—…or so are his words c. 10. Not as if we refuse the ninth hour for the observation of that hour comes from the Lords departure out of the world or giving up of the Ghost Therefore they were in sadness till that hour and then did partake of the Refection as the world was in darkness from the sixth hour to the ninth and then light return'd Not many years after Tertullian Clemens of Alexandria in his seventh book of Strâ—…mata thus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He knows the mysteries also of the Fasts of these dayes of the fourth day of the week and of the day before the Sabbath which are called Wednesday and Friday Now the riddle or mysteries of those dayes which he mentions is but the reference to the Bridegroom 's taking away as S. Augustin and Epiphanius will anon tell us And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the same sense spoken as S. Ambrose above calls the dayes of Lent dies Mysticos dayes of mystical meaning soon after that Clement Origen hom 10 in Lev. 16. Nec hoc tamen dicimus ut abstinentiae Christianae fraena laxemus Habemus enim Quadragesimae dies jejuniis consecratos habemus quartam sextam septimanae dies quibus solenniter jejunamus We have saith he after
entreated at large which most did aim at either in strict fasting as those in Illyricum and all Greece and Alexandria as the last cited Authour in the same Chapter witnesseth or at least in continual abstinence though not so long fasting as Leo supposes in the Romans in his time and St. Ambrose in the Christian people at Millan Tenthly all days but few festival days onely excepted such was Iudith's fast who fasted all the days of her widowhood except the Sabbaths New-moons Feasts and solemn days with their Eves that then were observed by the House of Israel chap. 8. 6. and some such we may suppose was that other religious Widow Anna's fast in the Gospel Luc. 2. 37. Eleventhly a continual uninterrupted fast though not from all Meats but from all Bread of delight and to a very small proportion such was Iohn Baptist's Fast and many Christian Anachorites CHAP. IV. How the Paschal or Lent-fast is as hath been shewn Apostolical THere are that bear the world in hand that the Observation of any set and oft-recurring day beside the Lords day is superstitious and contrary to the Gospel's freedom and at best but of humane Tradition Who requiring of us an express written precept for any such day or days and having been lately by many of the Sectaries convicted as unable to produce any such express written precept of God's in the New Testament for changing the seventh day of the old into the first day of the week which we now observe they have given them occasion to cast off the observance of the first day of the week also The Churches interpretation of some Texts which are not evident and express Precepts and her witness of the Apostolical Tradition concerning the same and the Churches universal and perpetual practice all this together they have taught the Sectaries to be an unsufficient Warrant for the determination of any day or days But we are not afraid to say that upon those grounds above said we hold all obliged as to the determination of the weekly first day for the Churches more publick Assemblies so also for an annual beside the weekly memorial-day of Christ's Resurrection called Pascha or Easter day And so our Paschal or Lent-fast preceding is not the only observance that need 's the Churches interpretation and Tradition Apostolical And touching this â—…east of Easter we desire them to tell us their minds We shal content our selves at present till that feast particularly be deny'd to remind them of one only Record even out of their own Authour Socrates so often vouch'd by them against the set feasts and fasts of the Church whose witness here where he agrees in express terms with Eusebius l. 3. de vit Constantin cap. 7 18. and Theodoret lib. 1. cap. 10. two sufficient witnesses of themselves may better be believed than in what he reports contrary to them as it happens when the Opposers of our â—…ast do vouch him The Record is in Socrates lib. 1. c. 6. where he tells us and truly that in the Imperial publick Letters of Constantine which were sent by him to the Churches in all the Provinces throughout the whole Empire the Emperour to the Churches thus wrote upon the Result of all or at least the greater part of the Bishops invited from all parts and then assembled in that first and most sacred Oecumenical Council at Nice and that touching the most holy day of the Feast of Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have received saith he from our Saviour another way of observing Easter than that of the Iews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…or the course of observing Easter which is propounded to our most holy Religion is the legitimate and becoming course which he calls afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The truer order which we i. e. the Christian Church have kept from the first day wherein Christ our Lord who is our Pass-over suffered viz. ever since Christ's very suffering untill this present year the same observance also to be extended unto the Ages to come the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord being close together as it were one Season and Solemnity and coming under the one name of Pascha therefore also of the principal day of our Paschal-fast nearly preceding the feast of Easter He proceeds in the same Imperial Letter to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For our Saviour hath delivered one Solemnity viz. the day or time of his most holy passion the day of our freedom viz. together with the day of his Resurrection and would that his Catholick Church should be one And this there he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So great a matter and such a feast of our Religion And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most holy day of Easter the feast from which we have received the hope of immortality And that before this feast there did precede not onely the fast of Good Friday but more fasts more set and appointed fasting days which make up our Paschal or Lent fast you may see in the following part of that Imperial Epistle where twice he adds of something preceding that feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and within few lines 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vacant attendance upon fasts and determinate fasts Thus far Constantine Socrates himself recording it from the Bishops assembled in the first general Council as the Representative of the Pastours of the whole Christian world In this Question therefore now betwixt us and our Brethren Whether our Lord himself did or did not deliver to the Church the Annual Memorial of his Passion and Resurrection in the set fast and feast appointed therefore Whether this order and way the Church had or had not received from our Saviour that she should observe the Paschal Solemnity in a different manner from the Iews Whether that order they had or had not kept from the very year it self of our Saviours Passion and Resurrection uâ—…o the time of that Council to be transmitted to all posterity Whom shall we believe a few men of this or yesterdays Age laying hold â—…pon some saying of Socrates against the agreement of him with all other Historians or those three hundred and eighteen most renowned Fathers of the first and most sacred Oecumenical Council that ever was held If now their own Socrates though in conjunction with Eusebius and Theodoret displease them they should yet consider that the matter of fact and Tradition from the Apostles times above related concerning the annual set feast of Easter was not deny'd but freely consented to by the very Novatians the adversaries of the Church that then lived Acesius the great Novatian Bishop freely acknowledging to Constantine as the same Socrates also acknowledges that what the Council had defin'd concerning the time of the Feast of Easter was not any new thing but what himself had received from the elder time and even from the beginning from the times of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. l. 1.
simple Version be a Version made by the Apostles own Disciples some going higher in the daies of that King Abgarus who lived in the daies of Christs flesh upon earth and the edition thereof in our Bible be from Copies so most Ancient and Authentical what I find there especially agreeing with so many other most ancient Records as have been produced I shall not doubt to be of the first primitive Authority and in fair probability in use of the times nearest the Apostles Now in the Edition of that simple Ancient Syriack Version you have the apportioning such and such portions of the New Testament to several times and daies of the year and that I trouble you not to travel through the whole book cast but your eye upon S. Matthew's Gospel and in the Syriack thus you read at Mat. 4. v. 1. Dominica Introitûs jejunii ad oblationem Quadragesimae For the Sunday that enters before the Fast and at the oblation in Lent At the 6 c. v. 1. Matutinis quartae feriiae septimanae primae Quadragesimae for morning service on the Wednesday of the first week in Lent and at v. 25. Feria tertia septimanae primae Quadragesimae for Tuesday of the first week in Lent At c. 7. v 13. Matutinis dici veneris hebdomadae primae Quadragesimae for morning service on the Friday of the first week in Lent At c. 8. 14. Lectio ad oblationem sabbati primi Quadragesimae the Gospel for the first Sabbath or Saturday in Lent At cap 20. 29. The Gospel for the fifth Saturday of the fast or Lent At cap. 21. 28. Nocturno secundo secundae noctis passionis for the second Nocturn of the second night of passion-Passion-week At cap. 22. 15. Ad vesperam feriae tertiae septimanae passionis for evening service on the third day of passion-Passion-week At cap. 23. 29. Officio secundo noctis tertiae passionis for the second office of the third night in passion-week At cap. 26. 31. Ad noctem Parasceues Crucifixionis for the night of Good-friday or the parasceue on which Christ was crucified At cap. 28. 1. Ad Vesperam Dominicae Resurrectionis for the evening service of the Sunday of Christs Resurrection All this in one Gospel see the other Gospels every where so distinguished as it were And at Ast. 7. 30. Matutinis Dominicae Osanarum for morning service on the Sunday of Hosanna's or Palm sunday as 't is called also at 1 Ioh. 2. 7. At Act. 24. 1. Mediâ parasceue Crucifixionis for Good-friday noon At Hebr. 4. 14. Secundâ statione noctis parasceues crucifixionis in the second station of Good-friday night At Heb. 9. 11. Statione tertiâ noctis parasceues crucifixionis for the third station of Good-friday night At Hebr. 13. 9. Horâ nonâ parasceues crucifixionis at the ninth hour or three a clock after noon of Good-friday or the day of Christs crucifixion Beside the practise of the Christian Religion in Egypt in Philo's daies who had seen S. Peter above made most probable and Eusebius and S. Hierome's judgement thereon above shewn I shall here not omit which above was omitted Eusebius Caesareensis his own judgement upon the whole matter of the Paschal 〈◊〉 of Lent in his Ecclesiastical History l. 2. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where among that recapitulation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as sometimes he names others there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Customes delivered in the beginning from the Apostles or as others he there names Apostolical men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Customes and rules of the Church kept even until now unto and in our times he recounts these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Those Ascetical performances observed even until now among us which more eminently we are wont to perform about the solemnity of our Saviours Passion in fastings and whole-night-watches in attentions to the Word of God which accurately c. and especially the whole-night-watches of the great Solemnity and the Ascetical usages therein they taste no wine at all nor ought that hath blood or sensitive life as Bede upon Fxod 1. 41. a testimony not yet recited Ut aviditatem nostram tanquà m jejunio temperantiae refraenemus Quadragenario enim numero Moses Elias ipse Dominus jejunaverunt Praecipitur enim nobis ex lege ex prophetis ipso Evangelio c. CHAP. V. Of that much agitated T. of Irenaeus's Epistle to Victor its true Import and an Answer to the Presbyterians pretence of advantage from this place NOw from that antient Writer Irenaeus seeing we have already out of him helped our selves to understand the Church in Tertullian whom Eusebius declares lib. 5. cap. 19 20. to have testified of himself in his Book de Ogdoade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he lived in the first succession from the Apostles and that he had seen Polycarp whom St. Iohn had ordained let it be judged whither it appear not that there was some Paschal fast in the Christian Church from the beginning When there was saith Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no small question arisen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the Salutary-feast of Easter and whither or no they ought on the very fourteenth day of the Moon on whatsoever day of the week it should happen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Put an end to the Fastings which next preceded Easter they on the one side alleaging 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even from S. Iohn according to the Gospel chap. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A custome that had held from Apostolick Tradition untill that time But still the controversie equally proceeding of the time of ending the Fasts thrice mentioned in that one short Chapter as of the Feast of Easter it self not whither such a Feast of Easter or whither such Fasts before Easter were always observed by both parts and ought to be observed according to Tradition from the Apostles for that was not once doubted by any one of either contenders but the controversie of the time of the Feast and so say they of the ending of the Fasts exercising much then the Church and several Councils then held about it and Victor Bishop of Rome proceeding to that extremity so as to go about to excommunicate the Asian Bishops and their Churches who differed not with him at all about an Easter to be kept and the Fasts to be ended at Easter but onely about the time of the Feast and of the ending of those Fasts This Irenaeus peaceable in his nature according to his name who began to live soon after St. Iohn's death and wrote about the fourscore and seventeenth year after his death seeing both sides carefull to retain what they had received from the Apostles themselves by a near Tradition in succession that could not be doubted of on either side the Apostles directing several distant Countreys to different times and circumstances of the same Feast and Fast as there were or were not in
since GENERALLY commanded as may appear by the 50 51 52. Canons of the Councel of Laodicaea and those Canons ratified in the fourth and sixth general Councels Which Canons of Laodicaea provide not only for the keeping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also that men should beware 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dishonour the fast of forty days Yet though such abstinence of forty days were not commanded by the Apostles but by the Church we have shewn notwithstanding that it was of Apostolical recommendation And who is there not almost since the writings of Christian Bishops came to be more frequent and to be better preserved unto our hands viz. since the days of Constantine which doth not witness so much at least We have but even now recited St. Austin and St. Hierom. Briefly there is not one of the twenty four indubitable Paschal Epistles or Homilies of Theophilus and St. Cyril of Alexandria which doth not witness the abstinence of forty dayes before Easter to have descended from the Apostles or from instruction Evangelical from the Lord which also was not taught the world but by the Apostles For the several testimonies of St. Ambrose in Millan Leo in Rome of Basil and Gregory Nazianzen in the East of Chrysologus Caesarius and others I rather refer you to the preceding discourse from p. 46. and forward then here repeat them It remains now to shew in what sense the observance of the forty days was of constitution only Ecclesiastical And such it was first if we respect the precept of fasting forty days secondly if we respect the several sanctions of Ecclesiastical penalties which the Governours of the Church did and might justly as they saw cause decree thirdly in respect of some particular kinds of meats prohibited with the allowance of others because such distinction generally may be profitable to the ends of fasting within the compass yet of which law and of the letter of it men may for so may any humane law be abused chuse to themselves such of the meats allowed as may be but an exchange of pleasures and in no wise less contrary to the ends of fasting then the meats forbidden Which argues as the shifting wickedness of sensuality so also the imperfection of any law that can by men be set about matters in themselves so various and infinite unless it meet with such as obey the laws of their superiours for conscience sake and in their conscience bearing honest and faithful regard to the end of the law this will be found true whether we consider the rules of the Ancients concerning their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the more modern prohibitions of all flesh but the flesh of Fish or in other places also of lacticinia milk-meats or elsewhere also of some fruits a St. Aust. l. 30. con Faust. Manich cap. 3. 5. And yet may there be chosen such dry meats or such fish or such unforbidden fruits or even such panis deliciarum bread of delight as no man can pretend that any Apostle ever thought better of for the mortifying the flesh or humbling the soul then of some sort of food by the Church forbidden And yet the law may to the generality be profitable and when it is a law undispensed with must be obeyed and when it is abused by the devices of fleshly mindes the fault is theirs Fourthly The observation of forty days is a constitution Ecclesiastical also as to some purposes of the Church such as are those above mentioned which will best appear by the words of such ancient authors as sometimes have call'd the observance of forty dayes a constitution of the Church We will begin with that most remarkable one in St. Chrysostomes hom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have prescrib'd delineated set a stamp up on figured ouâ—… or copied unto us 40 daies of Fast c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Many of old have been wont to come to the mysteries or Sacrament indifferently and at adventure as if simply to come only and eat were sufficient especially at this season of Easter or the great week on which Christ deliver'd it The Fathers therefore knowing well and aware of the harm which proceeds from such careless coming to the Sacrament meeting together have prescribed forty daies of Fasting of prayers of hearing of the word of Synods for correction of evil manners and abuses that all of us together being in these daies purified with all diligent care both by prayers and by alms and by fasting and by whole-nights-watches and by tears and by confession or the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of penances and satisfaction to the Church and by all other means might so come to the Sacrament with a pure conscience so far as is possible to us And that they have wrought great reformation and good working us to a habit and custome of fasting is manifest Where first we are to observe that even laws also Apostolical in some sort may by the Churches Governours be reinforc'd pressed and envigorated in new Canons Sanctions and Decrees where they shall see it needful Secondly Much more things which descend from Recommendation Apostolical may upon some appearing emergent need be by them made laws Ecclesiastical for some times and places Thirdly That the Appropriation of such season of forty daies to some such purposes as by this our Author here are named viz. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of offenders any way made known their Confessions and satisfactions to the Church for publick hearing of Sermons for publick night-watches and constant fastings for Synods of Bishops designed to the correction of evil manners and abuses may be properly by an order rule and application Ecclesiastical a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Fathers of the Church and yet the Recommendation of those forty daies to especial abstinence and Devotion especially unto the generality of Christians who do not This exception Cassianus makes above as some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Religious exercise themselves in fastings as it were all the year long be Apostolical For even S. Chrysostom who wrote this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet in Hom. 11. on Genesis speaking of the forty daies observed by that Church in about eight weeks with exemption of each Saturday and Sunday tells his Auditors that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the holy time of Lent to such as undertake this course of fasting THE LORD HATH INDULGED these two weekly daies like certain stages or inns shores or havens that both the body may be a little relaxed from its labours of the fasting c. Where by saying the Lord hath indulged those daies he at least implies that the Lord hath directed and recommended the other And he uses the same word in that place of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A second Authority is that of S. Hierom upon Galat. 4. where having recorded together the observation quartae
Sabbati parasceues dici Dominicae jejunii Quadragesimae Festivitatis Paschae ac Pentecostes Of the fourth day of the week and of Friday of the Lords-day and of the Fast of the Quadragesima or forty daies of Lent and of the Festivities of Easter and Pentecost which some might object against as the observation of daies and moneths and times He answers Ad quod qui simpliciter respondebit dicet non eosdem iudaicae observationis dies esse quos nostros Et ne inordinata congregatio populi fidem minueret in Christo proptereà dies aliqui constituti sunt ut in unum omnes pariter veniremus Non quò celebrior sit dies illa quâ convenimus sed quò quâcunque die conveniendum sit ex conspectu mutuo laetitia major oriatur Qui verò oppositae quaestioni acutiùs respondere conatur illud affirmat Omnes dies aequales esse nâ—…c per Parasceuen tantùm Christum Cruciâ—…igi die Dominicâ resurgere sed semper sanctum Resurrectionis esse diem A like answer Origen makes to Celsus l. 8. Quòd 〈◊〉 quâ—… nobis ex adversâ—… regerat nostras Dominâ—…ces parasceuásque aut Pascha aut Pentecosten recurrentes solenniter Respondendum est ad hoc quòd qui persectus est Ratione operihus cogitationibus perpetuò haerens Dâ—… verbo naturali nostro Domino semper â—…git Dies Domini seu Dominicoâ—… nunquam non habet Diem Dominicum semper eum carne vesci Dominicâ â—…junia autem congregationes inter dies propter â—…os A VIRIS PRUDENTIBUS CONSTITUTOS qui magis seculo vacant quà m Deo nâ—…c possunt imò nolunt toto in Ecclesiâ vitae suae tempore congregari ante humanos actus Deo orationum suarum offerre sacrificium Itaque sicut nobis licet vel jejunare semper vel semper orarâ—… diem Dominicam accepto Domini corpore indesinentèr celebrare gaudentibus Non ita Iudaeis â—…as est omni tempore immolare agnum c. To which he which will answer simply shall say that the daies of Judaical observance are not the same which are ours And leâ—…t the inordinate congregation of the people should lessen their faith in Christ therefore certain daies are appointed that we might all meet together in one Not that such day wherein we meet is more excellent but that on whatsoever day we meet a greater joy may arise unto us from seeing each other Howbeit he who endeavours more acutely to satisfie the Objection opposed affirms that all daies are equal that neither Christ is only crucify'd on Good-friday nor riseth again only on the Lords-day but that the Holy Day of his Resurrection is alwaies and that he alwaies feeds on the flesh of the Lord. But that Fasts and Congregations on certain daies were appointed by wise men for their sakes who are more employed in the world then towards God who neither can yea nor will assemble themselves in the Church the whole time of their life and offer up the sacrifice of their prayers unto God before humane actions Therefore not as it is lawful unto us either to fast alwaies or to pray alwaies and receiving the Lords body with joy incessantly to celebrate a Lords day not so I say was it lawful to the Jewes on every day to offer up the Paschal Lamb c. Here first we are to observe that both the Objection and the Answer of S. Hierom in express terms proceed equally of the Lords-day as of the Fast of Lent or of the Stations or of the Feast of Easter So as that the Opposers of this Paschal Fast if they will with us own the Lords-day to have been delivered to us from the Lord and from the Apostles are with us concerned to give a fair and just interpretation unto S. Hierom's words Secondly that all daies are in themselves equal Thirdly that the Difference betwixt the Jewes observation of daies and times and moneths from the Christians is that many of their chief services of God as their offering the Paschal Lamb or the Sacrifice of Atonement and the like might not by them be perform'd but on such daies only to which by God they were restrained But there is no such high service of Christianity as the Holy Eucharist Publick Confessions of sins and Praises the service of publick Prayers and of Preaching and Hearing Gods Word which may not upon just occasion be performed unto Almighty God acceptably on any day Fourthly That the great benefits and mercies given us by God such as are His Son's Birth and Dying for us and Resurrection His Ascension and sending down the Holy Ghost are of us alwaies to be remembred Fifthly that notwithstanding it is needful to the Ghostly health of the Generality of Christian people and profitable to all that a weekly Lords-day should be as there is prescribed unto all from God and Christ and taught us by his Apostles on the day of his Resurrection the first day of the week and not any other weekly day to be the Lords-day and also annual daies for the memory of Christs Passion Resurrection c. which we have been taught also from the same Apostles as the same Catholick Church practises and witnesses in all ages Sixthly That to look on the perfection of some few who are daily and as it were continual in Fastings in Prayers in receiving the Holy Eucharist in Hearing God's Word c. and not to look on or regard the imperfection and weakness of the generality of Christian people which neither can as S. Hierom sayes and much more will not such is the imperfect disposition of their minds assemble themselves daily is a great want of the perfection of charity and wisdom which shines in the Church of God Seventhly That therefore certain daies for Fasts and for Congregations for the sake of Gods people have been appointed by wisdome given from God Eighthly That whereas S. Hierom saies such daies have been appointed by wise men we trust that since it was a wisdom needful in all ages and as well in the Apostles times especially in some distance of time after the great measures of the Spirit had been given in the Descent of the Holy Ghost at Ierusalem in some degree as in after-times which appears by the Apostles complaint of his Corinthians and Galatians and of the Hebrews forsaking the assembling of themselves together cap. 10 We trust I say they will allow the Apostles to have been filled with the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Wisdome for that purpose that they should be for the Churches present and perpetual good men wise in their constitutions principally that as S. Paul said of himself in some of his written Constitutions 1 Cor. 7. 12. To the rest speak I not the Lord viz. not by express word when he was upon earth as he had that of vers 10. 11. and vers 40. She is happier after my judgement and yet in both those he
frequent in assembling for the space of 7. weeks as we now begin our Paschal fast the 7 th week before Easter that we may exempt the Sundaies and yet leave a full number 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a As Gregory Nazianzen orat 40. in Sanctum Baptisma cals the fast of Lenâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…aith Philo using the very words of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This saith Eusebius they held a pure and holy virginal observance for it is preparatory to the greatest feast which beginneth a solemnity of 50 daies Mightily they resist at this season the bewitchings of pleasures in those daies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no wine brought into their tables and their meal is clean free from all meat that had the life of bloud And of some of that time he writes that after supper they celebrated an holy whole-nights vigill w ch we know was much the custome of the East and West Churches on Easter-eve This annuall solemnity of numberless religious persons through 7. weeks before the high solemnity of Easter the time of the Bridegrooms taking away return is an observance w ch no Essenâ—…s or other Jewes ever observed noâ—… indeed any other people at that time of the year before the Christians therefore Eusebius did well judge that it could be understood of Christians only and that as he saith from evident demonstrations b Euseb. ibidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now may ye hear Philo's own words in that his Book interpreted by himself For what Philo saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their celebration of 7. weeks their preparation to their greatest feast this what it is in Philo's language himself lets us know in his book of the ten words That which the Hebrews saith he in their own language call Easter or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The one day that is chiefly eminent in all the year But how spent they their seven weeks preparation to the feast of Easter In purity fastings and abstinences and when the feast came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they sang Eucharistical Hymns unto God their Saviour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Philo there declâ—…res but at all times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have God in perpeâ—…ual remembrance and twice every day viz. in common in the publick they are wont to pray in the morning and the evening Thus hath Philo contemporary to the Apostles recommended to us not in my judgement only but of Eusebius as you have seen and of St. Hierome b Co. 〈◊〉 â—… â—… c 3â—… the piery of those first Christians in Aegypt and recorded their Paschal Fast in as evident manner as could be expected a learned writer himself not a Christian should commend Christians for the very force of truth and the love that he had to set forth what was excellent in his Countrey-men My third proof and authority shall be from witnesses living partly in the Apostles times those children of the Bride-chamber partly soon after their times while their practice and instructions were fresh in memory from holy Bishops and Martyrs some of them ordained by the hands of Apostles themselves From their agreement even in their differences otherwayes from their concord even in some sorâ—… of controversie among them during some years In that difference I mean found first twixt Polycarp the auditor and Disciple of St. Iohn and by his own hands ordained Bishop of Smyrna which Episcopal charge he concluded with a glorious Martyrdome and together with Thraseas Bishop of EumeÌ„nia these on the one side and Anicetus a Primitive Bishop of Rome and Martyr living at the same time with other Western Bishops deriving from St. Peter as Polycarp from St. Iohn on the other side about whose difference Polycarp came unto Rome to Anicetus as Irenaeus witnesses Anicetus professing to follow the rule received from St. Peter and St. Paul by the instructions of his predecessours Xystus Telesphorus Hyginus and Pius and Polycarp professing to follow what St. Iohn and other of the Apostles had practised 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are the very words of Irenaeus himself concerning Polycarp whom he had seen and heard That Anicetus could not perswade him to vary from what he had observed ever with Iohn the disciple of our Lord and the rest of the Apostles with whom he had conversed or spent his time Iâ—…en apud Euseb. l. 5. c. 24. But their difference was managed with perfect peace love inviolable communion The same difference again some years after revived about the ninety seventh year after St. Iohns death but not with equal calmness and amity 'twixt Polycrates Bishop oâ—… Ephesus with other Asian Bishops and Victor Bishop of Rome next successour to Elutherius unto whom Lucius our first Christian King of Britanny sent letters with others of the West Polycrates pleading the authority of St. Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he who had rested on the Lords bosome and of St. Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one of the Twelve Apostles who fell asleep at Hierapolis also he alledgeth the example of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of two daughters of St. Philip Virgins in their old age and another daughter of his not that but a holy woman likewise a These different from the four Virgin daughters of St. Philip the Evangelist And Victor with his on the other side pleading the authority of the tradition of S. Peter S. Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozom. l. 7. c. 19. These were the contenders The agreement which I mention'd was constantly this It was agreed on all hands 1. That they both had received from the Apostles a Tradition for the celebrating of the Anniversary feast of Easter which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. That on the Eve of that Easter-day certain preceding fastings were to end which were the same that in Tertullian were afterwards called jejunium Paschale Polycrates and they of Asia are contending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That from tradition ancient in those early dayes they deemed that they ought to observe the feast of the Salutary Pasch or Easter on the fourteenth day of the moneth as being of duty altogether on that day upon whatsoever day of the week it â—…ell to put an end to or dissolve their fastings On the other side which was Victors it was alledg'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No such custome to observe on that manner in the rest of the Churches throughout the whole world they viz. the rest of the Churches throughout the whole world observing from Apostolical Tradition which came down to that time viz. about the 97 th after S. Iohn that only on that day which should be also the weekly day of the Resurrection of the Lord they ought to dissolve or end their fastings If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then were they by Apostolical tradition to have fasts preceding that day a
the Lord would have shewn forth unto all men ought on that day to be preached and all the people ought earnestly to ask of God the pardon of their sins that being cleansed through the compunction of repentance they may attain to receive the venerable day of the Lords Resurrection having their sins remitted and being clean from sin may receive the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud Some on the same day of the Passion of the Lord break off their fasts at 3. a clock in the Afternoon and betake themselves to entertainments or banquets and while the sun it self on that day being hid withdrew its light and the Elements being troubled shewed forth the sadness of the whole world they prophane the fasts of so great a day and serve themselves with feasting For asmuch then as the universal Church keeps that whole day in sadness and abstinence for the Passion of the Lord whosoever on that day except little children old men and the sick shall break the fast before the supplications for pardon are finished let him be debarr'd from the Paschal joy and not receive therein the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord who did not honour the day of his Passion with fasting On all the foresaid daies of Lent it is behooveful that we should give our selves unto weeping and fasting and cover our body with sack cloth and ashes and cast down our soul with sorrow until the time of Christs Resurrection be come when first we must sing Hallelujah with joy and change our sadness into rejoycing for that the consent of the Universal Church hath strengthened this observance He saith only strengthened by the consent of the universal Church which doth not denote the first beginning The fourth Record of this Age is the 8 th COUNCEL of TOLEDO held 20. years after that former chap. the 9 th Detecta est Ingluvies horrenda voracium quorundam quae dum â—…raeno parsimoniae non astringitur RELIGIONI CONTRAIRE MONSTRETUR Dicente enim Scripturâ Qui spernit minima paulatim decidit Illi tantâ edacitatis improbitate grassantur ut COELESTIA ET PAENE SUMMA contemnere videantur etenim cum Quadragesimae dies anni totius decimae depuâ—…entur c. Illi verò quos aut aetas incurvat aut languor extenuat aut necessitas arctat c. A horrid gluttony of certain greedy persons is detected which while it suffers it self not to be held in by the bridle of parsimony is CONVINC'D TO BE OPPOSITE TO RELIGION For the Scripture saying He that despiseth little things shall fall by little and little these men by their so great improbity of gluttony make such outrage that they seem to contemn things Heavenly and almost of chief concernment For whereas the daies of Lent are recounted the tenth part of the whole year c. But as for such other whom either age doth bow or sickness consumes or necessity streightens such the Councel excuses A fifth and last Witness of this Century is IOANNES MOSCHUS IN PRATO SPIRITUALI c. 79. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He had a servant named Pisticus which did communicate with the holy Catholick and Apostolick Church this Pisticus received the Communion as the custome of the countrey was to receive on that 5 th day of the week which is called the holy Fifth viz the Thursday of the holy week for so it seems in the language of the Catholick and Apostolick Church it was then call'd and held holy Now it came to pass after the holy Easter that Pisticus c. In the seventh Century which is the last I shall now travel through VENERABLE BEDE our Countrey-man offers himself the first Witness in his Homilia Aestivalis on Dominica Exaudi Sicut enim imminentibus solenniis Paschalibus Quadragesimam jejuniorum observantiâ celebravimuus sic eisdem peractis quinquagesimam non sine certâ causà mysterii fesâ—…â devotione agimus Utramque sanè hanc solennitatem scilicet Quadragesimae Quinquagesimae NON QUORUMLIBET HOMINUM SED IPSIUS DOMINI AC SALVATORIS NOSTRI patriam nobis sanxit autoritas As in the approaching of the Paschal solemnities we celebrated a Lent with the observance of Fastings so those being finished we observe a 50. daies solemnity with Festival devotion not without a ground of a certain mystery therein Indeed both these solemnities viz. the Quadragesima and Quinquagesima the 40. daies of Lent and the 50. daies following NOT THE AUTHORITY OF ANY MAN BUT OF THE LORD HIMSELF OUR SAVIOUR hath established for us to observe in this our countrey or city of God the Catholick Church The same Venerable Bede in his Comment on Matt. the 4 th and again in his first Homily of Lent layes down the same position here ensuing and the same also with S. Augustine and Isidore foregoing viz. the words of Bede also are these Quadragesima jejuniorum habet autoritatem ex Evangelio In quâ autem parte anni congruentiùs observatio Quadragesimae constitueretur nisi confini atque contiguâ Dominicae passionis The Fasts of Lent have their authority also from the Gospel In what part therefore of the year more agreeably might the observation of Lent be ordain'd then on that which is bordering upon and contiguous unto the Passion of the Lord And on Dominica Exaudi Dominus praedixit quia discipuli ipso secum conversante jejunare non possent ablato autem eo jejunarent ait illis Veniet autem dies cum auferetur ab eis sponsus tunc jejunabunt Constat profectò quia post ablationem ejus spontaneis sese subdidêre jejuniis The Lord foretold that his Disciples whilest he was conversant with them could not fast but should when he should be taken from them The daies will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they fast It is evident indeed that after his taking from them they submitted themselves to willing fastings This I here alledge because Bede makes this practise of the Apostles the exemplification of some of the Churches following set annual-fasts In his Homily upon the Tuesday after Palm-sunday he thus speaks of the Parasceue which we call Good-Friday Cum accepisset acetum Dominus dixit Consummatum est hoc est sextae diei quod pro mundi refectione suscepi jam totum est opus expletum sabbato autem in sepulchro requiescens resurrectionis quae octavâ ventura erat expectabat adventum When the Lord had received on this 6 th day of the week before Easter the vinegar he said It is finished that is the whole work of the 6 th day which I have undertaken for the new creation of the world is now consummated Even as it appears in Genes the 1. that on the same 6 th day of the week wherein God made man at the first he finished all his works And on the Sabbath he rested in the grave waiting for the coming of his Resurrection which was to be the 8
to allow authors to use those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mandatum praescriptum and jussio or the like not in their whole rigour It is St. Austin who is wont to be objected against not only the forty days but any time of Paschal fast for those his words Praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non invenio definitum in his Epistle 86. ad Casulanum Yet the same St. Austin elsewhere on Psal. 110. seems to press on the other hand as far Quadragenario numero quo Moyses Elias ipse Dominus jejunaverunt Praecipitur enim nobis ex lege ex Prophetis ex ipso Evangelio c. Candor must reconcile these his sayings to one another But if men will not be candid he himself interposes Non invenimus in Evangelicis Apostolieis literis evidenter praeceptum This temper is needful to his words as to the Paschal fast it self and as to the extent and degree of it betwixt his praecipitur nobis above numero quadragenario and that other sentence of his l. 3. contr Faustum c. 5. vel certis diebus atque temporibus sicut per Quadragesimam ferè omnes quanto magis quisque vel minùs seu voluerit seu potuerit It is evident that something he thought of precept and something of counsel left unto free devotion therein CHAP. VII An Answer to the Objections of the Presbyterians from pretence of some ancient Ecclesiastical Writers in the 65 66 and 67. pages of their Grand Debate in 4 0. HEre first is published by our brethren the summ of their desires It is desired that nothing should be in the Liturgy which so much as seems to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious fast i. e. It is desired that what hath been part of the Religious observance of this renowned Church of Christ the Church of Brittany as is most probable ever since it was a Christian Church from the dayes of the Apostles unto this present time except if at any time Christianity it self hath for some years here been over-run with Paganism both before the corruption of Poperie and under it and ever since the Reformation should now at their instance as men that have brought unto us new light be wholly expung'd That whereas there stands now in this Churches publick service of God no less then twenty five leaves relating to the Religious observance of Lent care now be taken that nothing should be left which may continue yea or countenance they adde also or so much as seem to countenance that part of our Churches service of God As for the testimonies cited by us they pronounce them to be to little purpose for that they deny not that the custome of observing Lent either fewer days or more to have been as ancient as those Authors viz. St. Chrysostome St. Cyril St. Austin and St. Hierome Nor do they deny it so anciently by St. Hierome there cited to that purpose to have been witnessed a tradition Apostolical and by how many more they may if they please see in this Treatise What exceptions now against Lent are made in their own conceptions and words we esteeming such of less weight therefore shall speak to but in the second place We begin first to examine what they lay pretence to in Antiquity where first they begin with Tertullian de Iejun c. 14. Si omnem in totum devotionem temporum dierum mensium annorum erasit Apostolus cur Pascha celebramus annuo circulo in mense primo Cur quadraginta inde diebus in omni exultatione decurrimus Cur stationibus quartam sextam Sabbati dicamus Et jejuniis Parasceuen Quanquam vosetiam Sabbatum siquando continuatis nunquam nisi in Paschâ jejunandum c. And c. 15. Excusing that rigour of their fasts Quantula est apud nos interdictio ciborum duas in anno hebdomadas Xerophagiarum nec totas exceptis soil Sabbatis dominicis offerimus Deo Which words of your Author for so much as you english not to your Reader as neither any that follow we shall not trouble our selves to do it by syllables Out of the same Author c. 2. you subjoyn Neque de caetero differenter jejunandum ex arbitrio non ex imperio novae disciplinae pro temporibus causis uniuscujusque sic Apostolos observasse nullum aliud imponentes jugum certorum in commune omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum This is your strength from Tertullian Now beside much which you omit in those Chapters which is for the Paschal fast against you what one word is there in what you cite for you against the Paschal fast of Lent By Lent we understand that which is mentioned in the Common-Prayer-Book for that only your request mentions and desires to be removed Now Lent as there you may discern by our prayer to God and services is indeed a Religious fast properly so called an Anniversary fast fore-running in our Common-Prayer-Book and in our observance the feast of Easter Now what word can any man discern in all this of Tertullian that can make ought against such anniversary religious fast before Easter If any thing could have been made either you or your Printer we cannot tell which would have done it by changing as we see a very material word itaque jejunandum into neque jejunandum But let that be the Printers mistake yours are greater to think any of that which you do produce from Tertullian helps your cause For you here granting us what cannot be denied that the Psychici here with Tertullian are the Catholicks then Tertullian here mentions first as a practice common to the Catholicks and the Montanists that they did both celebrate annually Easter and that forty days after Tertullian says fifty the Church spent in a holy joy or exultation viz from Easter to Whitsuntide Secondly That the Church did observe two weekly stations Wednesday and Friday on which the Church of England hath her publick Litanies injoyned in all Churches Thirdly that the Catholicks did especially exercise on Good Friday fasting and sometimes at least continued on Saturday Fourthly that other fasts were not to be prescribed by new Schismatical teachers whereof Montanus was then head And fifthly as for the nullum aliud c. ye have wholly left out that to which it refers certos dies â Deo constitutos Which you would not let your Reader know that the Catholicks as you confess they were that spake did plead that they had certain days of fastings appointed by God that no other yoke viz. by teachers only such as Montanus was was to be imposed of fasts in common to be observed for as to their Governours Tertullian doth acknowledge in the Chapt. before what you cite that it was received in custome with the Catholiks that they which had the rule over them did beside those fasts constituted by God indict occasional fasts Sixthly that the Montanists Tertull. society as to their fasting took to
a singular way themselves different from the Church and Catholicks for which they were here contested with and that new way was of two weeks chosen at their own pleasure and kept in their Montanist congregations observed in dry or hard dyet Seventhly that this new way being taught by Montanus as a doctrine from God different from the certain days appointed the Church by God as the Catholicks there contend was justly chargeable with that which St. Paul blames in the Galatians Observing daies and times viz. besides what was appointed by God as the Lords-day and those they mention'd Certos dies à Deo constitutos These are all the Propositions which are contained in all you cite from Tertullian Now what one word is here against the Religious Fast of Lent before Easter as observed in our Common prayer-book One would think the whole allegation had been gathered by some one of your Adversaries for the Church of England against you For tell us we pray you that we may run through all the seven First Is it your society or the Church of England that observes annually the Feast of Easter and 50 daies after from that Feast unto Whitsunday in exultation and joy viz. spiritual for Christs Resurrection and Ascension Secondly Are the weekly Wednesdaâ—…es and Fridaies by you or by the Church of England rather regarded Let her Litanies on both daies and her customary Fasts on Fridaies witness Thirdly Fasting specially exercised on Good-fridaies is this the thing which you alledge for your selves against the Common-Prayer-Book of the Church of England and against the Religious Fast of Lent before Easter Fourthly Is the Church of England's publique observance of the Fast of Lent the prescription of fasts by private Schismatical Teachers such as Montanus was whose authority in requiring fasts is more like Montanus's the Church of Englands or any private mens within her Fifthly As to the Nullum aliud viz. praeter certos dies à Deo constitutos in Evangelio determinatos illos in quibus ablatus est sponsus whose prescribed fasting-daies the Church of England's religious Fast of Lent or other mens indicted fasts are more likely to be meant by the Catholicks in Tertullian saying that they had certain daies constituted by God and determined in the Gospel those viz. in which the Bridegroom was taken away Sixthly Whether doth the Church of England in her observing the Religious Fast of Lent or others in separating from the observance of that Fast more resemble the Montanists different singular waies Seventhly the certain daies appointed by God in which the Bridegroom was taken away beside which for teachers to press a fixed annual Fast any other without the authority of lawful Governours was charged by the Church as observing of daies and times and moneths and years are I say those daies more likely to be the publick religious fasts before Easter which the Church of England observes or some other you can shew us This is all you have but much more you might have brought from Tertullian to the same sense as that the Catholicks objected to those new teachers Novitatem de cujus illicito praescribunt c. 1. They object to them Novelty against the unlawfulness whereof they prescribe They the Catholicks prescribe also against the Montanists Constituta esse solennia huic fidei Scripturis vel Traditione majorum nihilque observationis amplius adjiciendum ob illicitum innovationis The next Author you alledge is a fragment of Irenaeus's Epistle in Euseb. l. 5. c. 6. which how much it makes against you and for the religious Paschal-Fast of Lent I have shewn you through the whole 5. chapter of this Appendix where I have considered that passage of Irenaeus both in it self and in relation to you whither I refer you and the reader To Socrates with Sozomen and Nicephorus we shall speak in the last place because there is much laid on him And now consider the rest of your helps to expound S. Hierom who calls the Fast of Lent a Tradition Apostolical To this you say citing Regaltius a modern Critick that S. Hierom and others calling it an Apostolical Tradition did it with respect to Christs forty daies and what then we pray you Is that against the religious observation of the Fast of Lent in our Common-Prayer-Book where our Church thus prays O Lord which for our sakes didst fast forty daies and forty nights give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued unto the spirit c. So that what S. Hierom and the other Fathers you say did respect the same doth our Church and our Common-Prayer-Book respect viz. Christs forty daies fast And how is your objection against the Common-Prayer-Book helpt by that To what you say that they did not intend themselves any such thing as any fast of forty daies how apparently false that is found to be you may read for S. Hierom in the 54 and 55. pages of this Discourse and for the rest in the rest of the discourse Next you teach us how to expound S. Hierom by that in his Epistle ad Lucin. Unaquaeque provincia abundet in suo sensu praecepta majorum leges Apostolicas arbitretur If this were as you mean whether do the observers of the Religious Fast of Lent or you who dissent defer more to Praecepta majorum the Precepts of our Ancestors Secondly S. Hierom doth not here say that such precepts in several provinces were to be held pro Traditionibus Apostolicis To the obedience of wholesome customes Ecclesiastical whiles they are not retracted by those who rule over us and of such only S. Hierom speaks we are by Laws Apostolical obliged and yet such customes or Lawes are not nor yet are called by S. Hierom Traditions Apostolical It is a Catholick rule given by Ferrandus Diaconus in Paraenetico ad Reginam regulâ quintâ Et omnis qui se ad Ecclesiam pertinere gloriatur legibus vivat Ecclesiae maximè his quas Antiquitas roboravit Next to what you object out of S. Austin Epistle 86. if you had not withheld from us his own Explication which he adds in the same place professed by him as an Explication saying Ut suprà commemoravi it had been in the whole thus In Evangelicis Apostolicis literis totóque Instrumento quòd appellatur Testamentum Novum animo id revolvens video praeceptum esse jejunium Quibus autem diebus non oportet jejunare quibus oporteat praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non invenio definitum Hoc est non invenimus evidenter praeceptum Now though there be no express evident written precept in the New Testament yet for all that it may be Traditio Apostolica as lest we should so mistake him so as here you have done himself hath told you of some l. 2. de Baptism contr Donatist c. 7. Quam consuetudinem credo ab Apostolica Traditione venientem Sicut multa quae non inveniuntur in literis eorum
cursing against impenitent sinners the people being required to give after the several sentences an acknowledgment with their own mouths that the curse of God is so due to impenitent sinners and 8. a following godly earnest exhortation to repentance and Davids 51 Psalm of Repentance with some hâ—…ly penitential Prayers following Beside these eight things let them shew us if they can any thing that is of Lent in our Common-prayer Book In all and every of these 8. things it is manifest that the Church of England doth exercise some part of her Religion in the Fast of Lent wherein she prayes also unto God that she may exercise religious abstinence Not were their propounded desires they well know to meddle with ought else than what is in the Common-prayer Book as themselves give all the world to understand by their own now printing his Majesties Commission given to them with others in the beginning of their Book Not they nor others then by that Commission were to propound advise answer or reply any thing touching Lent but what was in the said Common-prayer book and your proposal being framed accordingly that nothing be in the Liturgy which so much as seems to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious Fast I having summed up all that is in the said Liturgy touching the Religious Fast of Lent It now abides upon your part because you have brought it in to publick view to say now before all the world if you can 1. Whether there be ought in the Liturgy that so much as seems to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious Fast beside either all these 8. rehearsals which I have summed up or something of or in some one or more of these branches And if there be nothing else as 't is sure there is not then it now remains your part which you are challenged to do to give one instance if you can in any thing of all those eight contents of the matters concerning Lent in our Liturgy with which any Christian can find just fault i. e. to name any one thing blameable or not godly among all those things whereof you propound and desire that no one thing may be left in the Liturgy Nothing say you that may countenance or so much as seem to countenance the observation of Lent in the Liturgy as a religious Fast. Surely where things of Religion are desired to be left out there your Religion will oblige you if you can to shew us something of those things which is evil at least which is not Religious In the account you have given of your own Proposal first and last pag. 4 70 71 72 73 74 75. wherein is every word you speak of this matter you have not touched so much as any one thing contained in all the Common-Prayer-Book except perhaps one and that mistaken as shall be shewn But in stead of doing of that which was most reasonable for you to have done you give us where you make your Proposal onely two Reasons of your own in three names where you pass from Christ to Moses and from Moses forthwith to the Act of Parliament 5 Elizabethae and that 's all First you say That nothing be in the Liturgy which may seem to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious Fast the Example of Christs Fasting forty days and nights being no more imitable nor intended for the imitations of Christians than any other of his miraculous works were or then Moses forty days fast was for the Jews Here you would seem to remove the ground which we have for this Religious Fast But Sirs tell us we pray you may there not be some other sufficient Grounds if this were none If you know not then we shall tell you another and a more principal Reason viz. The Holy Memory of our Blessed Saviours Death and Passion about that time of the year as all acknowledge and the memory of and compunction for our own sins which cost the Son of God his own precious Blood The looking upon Him whom we have pierced Nor shall it suffice you to say That we ought always to remember that for so we ought always to remember his Resurrection for our Justification Yet God hath taught us That what ought always to be remembred yet may with great spiritual profit be by certain stationary and recurring days more especially and certainly be brought to the remembrance of all of us generally and joyntly And if Christs Resurrection have a weekly Feast of remembrance how is the Catholick Church of all Ages to be taxed as superstitious for one recurring Religious Fast in the year the memorial of his Passion This hath been done in all Ages even the purest and this Fast for this reason and for this reason principally the memory of our Lords Death and Passion the taking away of the Bridegroom In those days they have fasted And this reason they have given and this the Church her self hath given in her contest with Hereticks and that in that very Chap of Tertullian which afterwards you cite where the Psychici i. e. the Catholicks as you acknowledge give this account of their Fast before Easter Quod ad jejunia pertineat certos dies à Deo constitutos opponunt Certè in Evangelio illos dies jeâ—…uniis determinatos in quibus ablatus est sponsus Et hos esse jam solos legitimos jejuniorum Christianorum abolitis le alibus propheticis vetustatibus Sic Apostolos observâsse uullum aliud imponentes â—…ugum And when the Bishops of the Christian world met together in the First and most sacred General Council and did therein unite the differences that had been about the proper time of that Feast of Easter and the Fast preceding Constantine having had perfect knowledge from those Bishops in his Imperial Letters to the Christian Churches acquaints them with what the Bishops had decreed and writeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here Sirs you see another reason alledged by the Catholicks and taught by the Bishops of the Catholick Church as that which had been the reason of observing it ever from the day of our Saviours Passion unto that present year And that the Lord had delivered to them the Pasche to be remembred of which also Constantine again in the same Epistle adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus hath the Church fulfilled the Prophesie of God by his Prophet Zachary wherein he promised to pour upon her the Spirit of Grace and Supplications And they shall look upon me saith he whom they have pierced and they shall mourn c. Zech. 12. 10. Thus you see you have done nothing to overthrow the Religious Fast of Lent though you had removed that which you mentioned and any other ground whilest you forgat the principal But now return we to examine whether ye have as ye endeavour overthrown all imitation of Christ in this Fast and so something in the Common-Prayer-Book Where there is no more then once but
th day An evidenter praeceptum in the new Testament we do not find for the 6 th or for the 8 th daies observation But the Church hath so interpreted for the one these words of my Text When the Bridegroom shall be taken from them then shall they fast a The Church in Tertullian l. d. jejuniis see above p. 28. Epiphanius haeres 75. see above p. 48. And for the other the 8 th or Lords day that of 118. Psalm This is the day which the Lord hath made b S. Athanafius l. d. sabbat circumcisione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that of Apoc. 1. 10. I may conclude the witness of Bede with what he concluded this Fast Hom. in Dominica Palmarum Ecce jejunium Quadrage simale Domino auxiliante jam plurimâ ex parte complevimus Testis est unicuique conscientia sua quia quanto districtiùs se sanctis his diebus Domino mancipásse meminit tanto ampliùs gaudens sanctum Dominicae R'surrectionis tempus expedat Quicunque ergò fratres dilectissimi continentiae armis accincti ab initio jam Quadragesimae cum tentatore superbo certare coeperunt videant cautè ne coepta deserant priusquam hoste prostrato ministeriis donentur Angelicis Behold we have now through the help of God finished for the most part this Fast of Lent every mans conscience bears him witness that by how much more strictly he remembers that he hath humbled himself before the Lord on these Holy Daies with so much the more joy he expects the holy time of the Lords Resurrection Whosoever therefore of you my most beloved Brethren have now from the beginning of Lent being fortify'd with the armour of abstinence encountred the proud tempter let them now take good heed that they forsake not what they have enterpris'd till having vanquisht the enemy Angels come and minister unto them alluding to that ministery unto Christ Mat. 4. 11. Our second Author in this Age is THEODULPHUS Bishop of Orleans part afterwards of the Councel of Franckford in his Epistle to the Priests n. 37. Ipsa autem Quadragesima cum summa observatione custodiri debet ut jejunium in eâ praeter dies Dominicos qui Abstinentiae substracti sunt nullatenùs resolvatur Nulla in his occasio sit resolvendi jejunii quia alio tempore solet jejunium charitatis causâ dissolvi isto verò nullatenùs debet Quia in alio jejunare in voluntate arbitrio cujuslibet positum est in HOC VERO NON IEIUNARE PRAECEPTUM DEI TRANSCENDERE EST in alio tempore jejunare praemium abstineâ—…i acquirere est in hoc verò praeter insirmos ac parvulos quisquis non jejunaverit poenam sibi acquirit QUIA EOSDEM DIES DOMINUS per Mosen pâ—…r Eliam ET PER SEMETIPSUM sacro jejunio consecravit The Lent-fast it self ought to be kept with all observance that therein except the Lords daies which are substracted from fastings the Fast be in no wise broken Let no occasion be taken of violating this Fast for that at other times our fast is wont to be dissolv'd upon occasion of charity a Or kindness of reception but in Lent it ought not so to be wont Because at other times to fast is committed to every ones will and choice but in this time not to fast IS TO TRANSGRESS THE PRECEPT OF GOD. At other times to fast acquires a reward to him who so abstains but at this time whoso fasts not except little ones or those which are infirm doth procure unto himself punishment because THE LORD both by Moses and by Elias AND BY HIMSELF hath consecrated those same daies to fasting Ibid. Qui nullatenùs jejunare credendi sunt si antè manducaverint antequam vespertinum celebretur ossicium Abstinens vero in his diebus omnium deliciarum esse debet Whoso eateth before the evening-office be celebrated is not to be deemed to have fasted In these daies we ought to abstain from all delights The third Witness of this Century shall be IOANNES DAMASCENUS lib. de Haeresibus concerning the Aërians or Eustachians Aëriani ab Aërio Pontico fuit autem sacerdos Eustachii Episcopi Ariani silius jejunium feriâ quartâ sextâ ET 40 DIEBUS SERVARI pascha celebrari prohibet Stata haec damnat omnia Quod siquis jejunium servare velit id ab eo certis statisque diebus servari negat oporâ—…ere sed quando volet Negat enim se legi teneri negat etiam quicquam inter Presbyterum Episcopuâ—… interesse The Aerians are so called from Aërius Ponticus he was a Priest the son of Eustachius an Arrian Bishop who forbids the observation of the fasts of the 4 th and 6 th daies of the week and that OF THE 40. DAIES and the celebration of Easter All these set fasts or feasts he condemns If so be any one will keep a fast he denies that that ought to be done by him on any certain or set daies but when he will For he denies that he is bound by a Law in that matter he denieth also that there is any difference betwixt a Presbyter and a Bishop Here he is enrolled in the black Catalogue of Hereticks and Heresie is alwaies against somewhat Apostolical who pertinaciously deny'd set Fasts and particularly this Fast of Lent If any shall think this severity peculiar to this Age and author of the Greek School beginning let him consider beside what I have produc'd above from Epiphanius and S. Augustine the catalogue of Hereticks made also by Philastrius Bishop of Brixia about the year of Christ 380 De Paschalis Festi haeâ—…esi Asserentes 14 â lunâ celebrandum esse Pascha non sicut Ecclesia Catholica celebrat Et cum hoc faciunt diem non dominicum semper custodiunt Paschae non computantes horas dies dies viz. praecedentes Et ex hoc errore non cognoscunt diem Paschae Domini nostri VERAM ET SALUTAREM UNAM ORBI TERRARUM STATUTAM ET CONFIRMATAM A DOMINO He reckons certain Hereticks who affirmed that Easter was to be celebrated not as the Catholick Church celebrates it Not alwaies observing the Easter on the Lords day not computing the hours and daies viz. preceding Easter which are the daies we speak of And from this errour they are ignorant of the true and salutary only day of Easter APPOINTED FOR THE WHOLE WORLD AND CONFIRMED OF THE LORD The fourth Record of this Age is the MAGNUS CANON ANDREAE ARCHIEPISCOPI CRETENSIS for which as the Triodium of the Greek Church doth witness there was appointed a peculiar solemnity on the 5 th day of the 5 th week in Lent the history whereof is this Andreas Hierosolymiâ—…anus who in the end of the foregoing Century was sent by Theodore Patriarch of Ierusalem to assist in the 6 th General Councel became afterwards in this Century the renowned Metropolitan of Crete and compos'd a holy office which in this Century