heauen Esdras 8 21 the Lords minister prescribed a generall fast vnto the people Acts 13 2 So did the Primatiue Church when Paul and Barnakas went their visitation trauailed to those Citties where the Gospel was not preached Infinite other such like testimonies might be produced but that they are needlesse in a cause so manifest It is not inhibited vnto any to mortifie his flesh and subdue his affections and by a godly fast to make himself fitter for godly duties whensoeuer he shal be disposed thereunto If a man bee afflicted in himselfe or in his familie he is permitted to humble himselfe and his soule with fasting and to vse any meanes to turne away Gods anger or preuent a iudgement to come But for a priuate person to call a congregation to summon a fast as it may be the cause of much publike mischiefe as much hurt hath growne to the Realme by housed conuenticles and encamped factions so we cannot finde it tollerable by the worde of God This is an office appertaining to ciuill and ecclesiasticall gouernours what priuate man therefore shal put in his sickle into this haruest as he runneth into Dathan and Abiron his sedition so hee may condignely incur their punishment Wherfore let the most vnlearnedly learned Elders of the Anabaptisticall crew and the whole rable of that vngodly disloyall and scismatical sect know that they ought not as they do most malepertly prophanely vpon euerie idle motion of their braine assemble a people and celebrate a fast Let the Pope likewise keepe himselfe in his owne bounds and meddle with those that are vnder his gouernment and preseribe lawes and Christian duties to his owne people Wee are vnder the gouernment of gratious Queene Elizabeth whom God hath set as Queen ouer the holy hil of Sion it is shee that may command general fasts publike prayers and all other exercises of a Christian man This the Pope and popelings cannot abide but the truth of it is as cleare as the Sun and Scriptures and examples do aboundantly prooue it When the Arke of God was restored did not Dauid the King play the first part Dauid beeing king made Psalmes and ditties Dauid being King danced before the Arke being king numbred all the Priests Leuits and disposed them into foure and twentie courses appoynting them continually to serue in the ministry euery one in his turne Moses the magistrate rebuked Aaron the high Priest for crecting a Golden calfe King Salomon displaced Abiathar the high Priest 1 King 2 by his kingly power 1 King 8 and placed Sadoch in his steede Also dedicating the Temple of the Lord with all his people blessed the whole congregation of Israel Also good Ezechias did put forth his hand vnto the Lords plough 2 King 8. and restored true religion of whom it is written He did that was right in the fight of the Lord according to all things that his father Dauid had done before he tooke away the groaues and brake downe Images Iudas Machabeus did purge the Temple which the Idolatrous Gentiles had before prophaned 2. King 23 25 Iosias restored Religion and reformed the temple and it was written of him That there was no king like vnto him before nor after him arose there any like him When as Artaxerxes the King gaue his regall authoritie and high commission to Esra the Priest to censure punish Church abuses the priest allowed the Kings doing and commended him for it saying Ezra 6. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers who hath put into the Kings mind to beautifie the Lords house which is in Hierusalem By these and such like euidences it appeareth that Kings and princes in the old time had the dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters as in calling the people to Gods seruice in cutting downe groaues in destroying of Images in gathering tithes into the Lords house in dedicating the temple in blessing the people in casting down the brasen Serpent in correcting and deposing priests in commanding such things as pertaine to the seruice and worshippe of God and in due pnnishing the contrarie Christ willeth tribute to bee giuen vnto Caesar Mat. 2. and denieth not power to be giuen to Pilate from aboue Iohn 19 therfore they do not well that mangle Common-wealths and diuide them into two deuise two heads the one for the spiritualtie the other for the laitie For the Prince is the keeper of the law of God and that of both tables as well of the first that appertaineth vnto religion as of the second that tendeth to good order Hee is the head of all the cominalty and laitie and also of the ministers and clergie Rom. 13 1 Saint Paul ratifieth and confirmeth the same saying Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher power whether he be Pope Bishop or whatsoeuer he be all are vnder subiection to the Prince Of the superioritie and commanding power of the prince Tertullian speaketh thus Tertull ad feapulam Colimus imperatos rem vt hommem à deo secundum solo deo mis norem We worship the Emperour as a man next vnto God and inferiour to none but God A large and iust treatise might bee written of this matter but lette this suffice which is noted by the way and let none presume without designement and Commission of his Prince either by his publike office and authoritie or otherwise by expresse commaundement from her mouth to solemnize a general and vniuersall fast Forasmuch as a fast is a Religious dutie and the Prince is to set downe orders for Religion CHAP. XI An exhortation vnto fasting HAuing thus prescribed both the spirituall and externall fast I woulde exhort thee deare Christian carefullie and diligently when it is commaunded to performe the same If it seeme harde and greeuous to performe shewe wherein and it will soone bee aunswered For indeede if wee bee willing vnto it the yoake is easie and the burthen is light Obiectis 1 Doost thou suppose it to bee greeuous Answere Then aunswere mee vnto another question which Ambrose dooth propounde to such conceited people Amb lib Elia iciunio Qui graue die eunt terunium esse respondeat quis ietunie defecerit Multi in prundto plerig dum epulum vomunt fudere animam Quod animal leiunium sibi causam fuisse mortis ingemuit per escam laque us non cauetur in esca hamu later crbus duâ—â—t in retia cibus visco etiaÌ„ aues illigat They who suppose fusting to be burdensome greeuous let theÌ„ name vs any who haue fainted through fasting a many at their dinuers and diuers in their vomis thins haue lest their liues What liuing creature harb eyer complained that hee hath dyed by abstinence by reason of the barte the snare is not auoided The hooke is couered with the baite the baite tolleth and draweth into the nette and by it the birde with lime is soone intangled 2 obiection But
perfectè nutrire Prayer is the refreshing of fasting A Similitude for as there is no sufficient repast without drink so fasting without prayer cannot perfectly nourish the souâ—e Fasting doth take away all dulnesse from the mind and prepareth it to God and prayer doth eleuate and carrie vppe the mind and ioyne it vnto God If thou laist an Egge into the fire An apt Sâ—militude without cracking it in the ende the force of the fire working against it bursteth it a sunder but if before it receiueth the heate thou dost breake it a little it will remaine sound and will breake no further So in like sort when thou shalt come to Christ if thou shalt come whole fatte full and shalt not cracke and bruise thy selfe a little by fasting and prayer thou wilt languish and grow faint in prayer and meditation But if thou shalt humble thy selfe by these meâ—nes thou shalt not giue ouer but readily with pleasure continue in prayer An experience of this wee haue in the young men of Babilon Daniels companions Dan. 1. who fasting and abstaining from the Kings meate and dieting themselues with water and pulse not onely thriued well therewith and looked in theyr Faces more beautifull then those who glutted themselues with iunckets of the Court but beeing cast into the fire and hot furnace of of the King like an egge or a chesnut did not breake a sunder with the violence of the heate and surie of the flame but it put a new song into their mouthes cueÌ„ a thanksgiuing vnto their God praying vnto God and saying 〈◊〉 3. O all ye works of the Lord praise ye the Lord and magnifie him for euer It is vsuall with the saints holy men of God as we may see in the Scriptures either in their priuate or publike fasts to giue themselues to prayer Chr. 20 So did Iehosophat when as he was to fight against the Moabites the Ammonites he gathered all Iudah togither before the Lord and fasted and prayed When as the Prophet Ioel called vpon the people to sanctifie a fast l 2 hee willed all the people to be gathered together and conuented the Priests and Ministers of the Lord causing them to stand betweene the Poreh the Alter prescribing vnto them a solemne forme of prayer When the king and Nobles and people of Nineue were conuerted by the preaching of Ionas they not onely fasted but also prayed and cryed mightily vnto God Anna the daughter of Phanuel went not out of the temple but serued God with fastings and praiersal the day and night Cornelius being not yet conuerted was in his fastings and prayers at the ninth houre of the day Acts 10. Fasting and prayer like Hipocrates two twinnes must go hande in hand together and so shal you commonly finde them consorted and combined in the scriptures Christ putteth them togither teaching his disciples with what weapons they must resist the diuel saying Mat. 17 This kind no otherwise goeth out but by fasting and prayer So doth Paul 1 Cot 7 willing those that are married to seperate themselues with consent for a time that they may giue themselues to fasting and prayer Else-where he conioyneth them discribing vnto vs the adiuncts and properties of a widow indeed 1 Tim 3 which are to trust in God and to continue in supplications and fastings night day Wherefore those things that god hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Mar. 10 Let our temporall fasting therefore bee for a spirituall ende that our bodies being humbled our minds may bee humbled vnto the Lord. To this effect Saint Austine speaketh sweetely Aug. de tempore Serm. 5â— Sicut caro per famem inopiam tenuis sicca velut quoddam simulachrum efficitur ita anima si verbi del cibo non pascitur arida inutilis ad nullum opus bonuÌ„ congrua inuenitur Si horrea cellaria singulis annis replemus vnde vno anno cibum habeat caro nostra quantum putas debemus recondere vnde in aeternum sustentetur animae nostra ergo carnis gaudium minuatur vt animae lucra spiritualia praeparentur Set ergo temperatus cibus nunquam nimium venter impletus plus semper de cibo cordis quam de cibo corporis cogitemus qui enim de sola carne cogitant bestiis pecudibus similes sunt Caro ergo velut ancilla gubernetur anima tanquam domina legitima reficiatur nam si sola caro reficitur anima dei verbo non pascitur ancilla satiatur Domina fame torquetur As the body through hunger and famine waxeth thinne and drie Similitude and is like vnto an Image so the soule if it be not fedde with Gods word is drie and vnprofitable not found sit vnto any good worke Similitude If euerie yeare we fill our barnes and garners wherby we may re leeue our flesh but for a yere how much thinkest thou ought wee to prouide and lay vp in store to be sufficient to replenish our soules and satisfie them for euer Wherefore let our bodily meate bee diminished that spirituall foode for the soule may be prepared Let our diet therefore be moderate and our bellies neuer too much crammed and let vs alwaies be more carefull for the meate of the soule then for the meâ—te of the bodie for they who are onely carefull for the flesh are like vnto beasts and brutish creatures Wherefore let thy flesh be kept in awe like a sernant A Similitude and let thy soule be serued as a mistresse For if the flesh be pampered and the soule with the word of God not refreshed the handmaide shall bee glutted and the mistresse shal be starued This must be the end of our fasting if that wee will fast vnto any good ende All our actions and godly endeuors are measured by the ende for which wee do them We must not therefore so much stand vpon the thing that wee doo as examine our selues to what intent and principall ende we endeuour to do it CHAP. IX That no set time is to be appointed for to fast but that it is to be vsed in al times of trouble and in matters of great moment THe right vse and ende which were are to make of fasting being examined it is needefull that the times and iust occasions of it bee in the next place considered As concerning the times they are not certaine for as the wise man sayth As there is a time for all things vnder heauen Eccl. 3 a time to mourne and a time to reioyce So fasting iustly appertaining vnto mourning it must not bee vsed at all times alike but onely where there is cause of lamentation and mourning There haue bin bitter contentions and miserable garboyles stirred in the Church whilst one haue varied and discented from another about the times that are meete for fasting and whilst euerie one thought his
own conceite best there hath beene no end of their difference and quarrelles Calixtus 1 Calixtus the first instituted and ordained a quarterly fast restraining and limitting it to foure seasons of the yeare Pope Innocent the first Innocent gaue commaundement that the Sabboth should be fasted Gregotius The fast of Lent was founded by Gregorie the first of that name as Gratian beareth witnesse Some appointed certaine weekes especially to be fasted One would haue the time called Septuagesima another Sexagesima another Quinquagesima another Quadragesima another the Rogation dayes another the Vigtls of the Apostles to be consecrated vnto fasting There are some deuoted to a peculiar day as to Fryday some to VVednesday some to Sunday Augustine in a Letter which hee wrote to Cassulanus giueth this reason of the Wednesdayes fast Aug. de Cassulants because Christ was betrayed and solde as that day and that Fryday should bee fasted because Christ was crucified that day But whether the Sabboth shoulde bee fasted it remaineth doubtfull The Mediolanenses and the East Churches peremptorilie concluded that they were not to fast then because Christ was then free of his trouble and rested quietly the Sabboth day in his Sepulchre But the Roman Church and the church of Affrica and other Churches affirmed it to be meete that the time wherein Christ was humbled and not without ignominie shutte vppe in the graue shoulde be assigned vnto fasting Epiphanius Epiphanius is ledde by another reason then that which hath beene premised why the VVednesday shoulde bee giuen to fasting namely because Christ vppon a VVednesday ascended vp into heauen Which reason of his if wee shoulde gaine say and stande vppon it that hee ascended vppon the Thursday which is more probable wee coulde not bee conuicted This his reason grounded vppon Christs ascention is verie much applauded because that Christ himselfe did then appoynt vs for to fast when the Bridegroome shoulde bee taken from vs. Mat. 9. But the sequell of this Chapter will verie well shewe the weakenesse and absurditie of this allegation Last of all Pope Innocent inferreth this reason to perswade vs to fast vppon VVednesday and the Sabboth which is our Saturday because both those dayes the Apostles did mourne and were in trouble for Christ There might more of their friuolous contentions De lana caprina of needlesse matters and of this Circumstaunce of the speciall time that is due to fasting be ripped vp in this place but partly because there is no vse of it and partly for so muche as such traditions which haue crept in from sixe hundreth yeares after Christ do rather of right appertaine to the latter and declining age of the world then to the custome and practise of the auncient Church I do willingly passe ouer them This is verie apparant and manifest both by manifold and pregnant proofes and allegations of holie scriptures and also by the authorities and the suffrages of the auncient Fathers that only such times and seasons as are most meere for mourning when any crosse or iudgement or greeuous calamitie is brought vpon vs are fit for fasting that only when we accomplish matters of much weight and would obtaine them at Gods hand by our zealous prayer that our prayers might bee more full of spirite and life and gracious in his eyes we are to helpe them and quicken them and further them by fasting If we take a short suruey either of the priuate fastings of the godly or of the publique fastings of the holy Saintes of GOD we shall finde them alwayes vsed in great and weightie matters and in their great troubles Iob. 2 12 when the heauie hand of god was greeuous vpon Iob. The friends and kindred of Iob seeing him thus vexed and tormented with plagues they layde groueling with him vppon the grounde fasting and mourning and praying to GOD for him seuen dayes togither that thereby the furie of his miserie might bee mittigated VVhen Ioab had murthered the innocent Abner and Dauid had followed him 2. Sam 3 32 to his buriall in Hebron hee vowed with an oath not to taste breade nor anie thing else vntill the Sunne was downe VVhen Dauid was reprooued of Nathan for his sinne and woulde intreate GOD for the life of his childe 2. SaÌ„ 12 16 which was conceyued in Adulterie hee fasted and went in and layde all night vpon the earth VVhen Nebemias had heard of the afflictions of the Hebrewes which remained in Hierusalem hee afflicted himselfe with fasting and called vppon the Lorde Nehem. 1 4 VVhen as Daniel had perused Ieremias Booke Dan. 9 2 of the seuentie yeares captiuitie which the people should endure hee confessed his and the peoples sinnes and hee mourned and fasted VVhen Christ began his office of preaching Mat. 4 2 he went into the Wildernesse and fasted fortie dayes This was a matter and woorke of importance For this cause Cornelius Acts 10 3 because hee had not as yet learned Christ trusted in the Lorde and perplexed in minde gaue himselfe at the ninth houre of the day to fasting and prayer The Primatiue Chuch beeing admonished by an Oracle that Paule and Barnabas shoulde bee chosen and deputed to visit the Citties and seuerall Townes where the Gospel had beene preached because it was a verie great charge there was first of all a fast agreed vpon and solemnized Acts 13 2 And when as this businesse was ouerpast and they returned homewarde by Iconium Lystra and Antiochia they made a solemne publication of a fast they ordeined and constituted Ministers Deacons Acts 14 23 thorow out the seuerall Citties and places of their circuit When as Peter was to buckle with that peruerse and prophane wretch Simon Magus at Rome vpon the Lordes day the Church of Rome decreed that the Sabboth day shoulde be fasted which practise and course afterwardes continued Aug. Epist ad Caâ—â—ul Hierome sayeth that Iohn beeing intreated of the Churches to write and publish his Gospell against the heritikes Ebion and Cerinthus who denied the diuine nature of Christ answered that he wold so do if first of all the whole Church would e publiquely fast Because the casting out of a Diuill is a verie great worke and a notable my racle when we will effect such a worke it becommeth vs to fast for Christ telleth vs in the person of his Disciples Mat 17 That this kinde no otherwise goe throut but by prayer and fasting When as a wido we is bereaued of her husband shee is desolate and in miserie and in much daunger therefore it becoÌ„meth her chiefsie then to be deuout in fasting Luke 2 36 wherefore Anns the daughter of Phanuell when shee was a Widdowe was verie zealous and religious in fasting and spent her life continuallie in the temple And Paule sayeth that shee that is a Widowe indeede will trust in God and exercise her selfe both day and night in fasting 1. Tim. 5.5 and
is onely to be regarded that wee our selues be good If their eye be euill because our is good the iudgement shall be theirs but iudgement mercilesse shall be shewed vpon vs if we shew no mercie and mercie reioyceth against condemnation Further because that almes is a meere mercy whatsoeuer we giue discontentedly and giudgingly it is no good almes For it is giuen as a crust of bread is giuen to a dogge because he so barketh Mulâ—â— dant saith Aus gustene vt careantteadio interpellantis non vt reficerent viscera indigentis Aug. in Psal 4â— There are many that giue to be free from their tedious and iâ—ksome begging and not to refresh the bowels of the needie This is not to be accounted the good almes Last of all â—f almes be preposterously bestowed to a peruerse ende either for vaine glorie applause of men or for hope sake of a better worâ—dly profit or for to merite or expecta reward in beâ—â—â—n for â—â— for which cause the â—apists are so libera â—â—n theyr almes or to stay amutmous and rebelious people that are read to make garboyles to auoyde the extremitie they indure by famine or for any other publike and political or pâ—iuate beneficial cause All which things hereafter shal be more largely handled If it be giuen to any of these ends or to any other end then to this end for to shew mercie it is to no ende before almightie God nor it is no true almes I haue adioined this treatise to the former That fastine and giuing of alms are to go togither Esay 58. because that they are conioyned in the Scriptures and go both togither For God saith by the mouth of his Prophet Is it such a fast that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and to bowe downe his his head as a Bulrish and to lie downe in sacks cloth and ashes VVilt thou call this a fasting or an acceptable day to the Lord Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen to loose the bonds of wickednesse to take off the beauy burthens to let the oppressed go free and that ye break euery yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that wander into thine house when thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy self from thine owne flesh Wherfore that which God hath ioined togither let no man put asunder Augustine giueth a reason why fasting and Almes should be combined and linked togither Noliâ—eiunium putare sufficere Ieâ—umuÌ„ te castis gat noÌ„ alterum reficit Aug. in Psal 42. Do not thou thinke that fasting is sufficieÌ„t Fasting doth afflct thee it helpeth not another Ambrose accouÌ„teth fasting without alms a meer marchaÌ„dize trade of gaine Amb tom 3 S. â—m 33. Qui sic abstinet vt nihil pauperibus de suis epulis largiatur videtur quaestuÌ„ sibi suum fecisse ieiunium negotiationem parcando atque ideo bona elecmosyna cum ieiunio They who do so abstain from meate as they giue nothing of that which they spare vnto the poore he seemeth to make his fast gainefull vnto him and to make an occupation of sparing and therefore he concludeth that almes with fasting is good and commendable Aug. in Psal 43. To this purpose saith Augustine Vis orationem tuam volare ad deum fac illi duas alas ieiunium elecmosynam Wilt thou haue thy prayer flie vppe vnto God giue it two wings fasting and almes Let these two therefore as Hipocrates two twinnes Isai 58. go hand in hand togither Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thine health shall grow speedily thy righteousnesse shall go before thee and thee glorie of the Lord shall imbrace thee then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answere thou shalt crie and he shall say heere I am Ioyne thou therefore thine almes with thy fasting it is no fase and inferiour dutie but it is an honourable and right noble action and condignely to bee matched with it There hath beene no man no not of the highest dignitie but haue stouped vnto this and haue bin desirous to seeme bountifull liberall and gratious and to do good to others Titus Vespasian at night time succouring and helping the afflicted people Tit. Vespatianus wept that he had not beene beneficiall vnto any all the day time complaining and saying Amici diem perdidimus My friends we haue lost this day Christ himselfe saith that the Lordly Gentiles stood much vpon this poynt and loued to be credited with this report The Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them and they that beare rule ouer them are called gratious bountiful and liberall Lordes Luke 22.25 The Ethnick people acknowledged such to be acceptable vnto God and therefore they worshipped Iouem bospitalem of whom Virgil thus recordeth Iuppiter hospitibus nam te dare iura loquuntur Naturall affection stirreth euerie man that is not of a stonie and flintie heart to a pittiful regard and commiseration of the poore CHAP. II. That God is the author and commaunder of Almes and what principall reasons moued him vnto it IT is manifest that to giue almes is both a necessarie and excellent dutie because the authour of it is most excellent who is God hunselfe who commandeth no triuiall or needlesse matters but onely such things as serue to greatest vse and are most behoouefull for vs. Wee are by nature louers of our selues but God who is rich in grace and full of all mercie yea is mercie it selfe doth touch our hearts with the finger of mercie and hath ingrafted and ingenerated in vs bowels of compassion to be extended towards others And therefore that we should put to our helping hand to raise the poore out of the myre and pit off destruction into which there be many that fall by reason of their want he is not onely diligent to exhort vs thereunto but verie oâ—ten in the scriptures very pereÌ„torily doth commaunde vs. He commandeth the Israelites not to vex any stranger Exod. 22.21 or be greeuous vnto them but to intreat them ciuily and to entertatâ—e â—hem curteously insomuch as heere to fore they themselues had bene straingers in the land of Egipt By calling into them â—â—mdes their condition that went before he gine vs a verie needfull lesson by recounting with our selues the times that are past to thinke of times to come Tempâ—â— pateraum est metus futuri The time past put vs in feare of time that may come for there is nothing betiding vs before but may befall vs againe and there is no calamitie incident vnto others but may light vppon our selues We sing now the Lordes song in our owne lande and the Lorde hath gratiously turned our former captiuitie in the dayes of Queene Mary as the ryuers of the South He hath put off our sackcloath and giâ—ded vs wich gladnessE We are now well but wee haue no assuraunce