subsume that if any conceiv'd observance of holy fasting was amongst the Institutions Apostolical none is by any pretended to be before the Paschal Fast. Therefore himself speaks to this same sense in his fifth Sermon of Lent Quando opportuniùs dilectissimi ad remedia Divina recurrimus quà m cum ipsa nobis sacramenta redemptionis nostrae temporum lege referantur quae ut digniùs celebremus saluâ—…errimè nos quadraginta dierum jejunio praeparemus When more opportunely my beloved have we recourse to divine remedies then when the Sacraments themselves of our redemption are by the revolution of times brought about again to us that we for the health of our souls may prepare our selves with the fast of forty days for the more worthy celebration of them And in his twelfth Sermon Appropinquante dilectissimi solennitate Paschali sic est praecurrenda consuetudo jejunii ut nos quadras ginta dierum numerus ad sanctisicationem corporis mentis exerceat unde in Coelestibus Ecclesiae disciplinis multum utilitatis asferunt Divinitùs instituta jejunia The solemnity of Easter now approaching my beloved the custom of the Fast is so to be praemitted that the number of forty days may exercise us for the sanctification of our body mind so as that in the heavenly disciplines of the Church the Fasts instituted by God bring to us much advantage The sixth witness of this age is CHRYSOLOGUS in his eleventh and twelfth Sermons Ecce tempus quo miles procedit ad campum recurrit ad Dei jejunia Christianus Quòd quadragesimam jejunamus Non est humana Inventio Autoritas est Divina Et est mysticum non praesumptum Behold the time in which the souldier goes forth into the field and the Christiam hath recourse unto the fasts of God That we fast a Lent Is not of humane Invention but of Authority Divine and it is mystical not presumptive And in his 166 th Sermon of the Fast of Lent he lets us know why he calls it mystical Ecce Quadragesimae jejunium quod devotione solenni die crastino suscipit Universalis Ecclesia Quadragenarius iste numerus sacratus à seculis Quadraginta diebus ac noctibus expiaturus terram coelestis imber effunditur Attendite fratres quantus sit quadragenarius numerus iste qui tunc coelum terris aperuit abluendis nunc fontem baptismatis orbi toti pandit gentibus innovandis Qui nos quadragenariis jejuniorum cursibus evocat perducit ad coelum Behold the fast of Lent which with solemn devotion to morrow the Universal Church begins That number of forty days consecrated of ancient ages In forty days and nights rain was poured forth from heaven to expiate the earth Consider brethren what is that number which both then opened heaven for ablution of the earth And now to all the world opens the Fountain of Baptism a Now in the solemn lastings before admisâ—…ion of the Catechumeni competentes unto Baptism S. Iustin Martyâ—… even in his tlme about fifty years after S. Iohn's death witnesseth that the Church was wâ—…nt to joyn with the persons to be baptized in the lasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are instructed to pray and ask of God with fasting the pardon of their former sins we the company of believers and before-baptized Christians PRAYING AND FASTING WITH THEM and after that they are brought by us where the water is and are regenerated after the same manneâ—… we our selves were before regenerated Iustin Martyr Apolog. 2. pro Christianis wont to be solemnly celebrated in the night before Easter-day for the renewing of the Nations which by the course of forty days fasts calls us forth and brings us onward to Heaven In the Fifth Century after the death of S. Iohn the Apostle we produce first CAESARIUS Bishop of Aâ—…les in his first and second Homilies of Lent where he thus speaks Hom. 2 d Rogo vos fratres charissimi in isto legitimo ac sacratissimo Quadragesimae tempore exceptis Dominicis diebus nullus prandere praesumat Nisi soâ—…è ille quem jejunare infirmitas non permittit quia aliis diebus jejunare aut Remedium aut praemium est In Quadragesimâ non jejunare peccatum est Alio tempore qui jejunat accipiet Iâ—…dulgentiam In his diebus qui potest non jejunat sentiâ—…t poenum Bonum est jejunare â—…atres sed meâ—…s est eleemosynam dare Si aliquis utrunque potest duo sunt â—…ona Ut per totam Quadragesimam usque ad siâ—…em Paschae Casâ—…itatem Deo auxâ—…liante 〈◊〉 in illâ sacrosancâ—… soleâ—…itate Paschae â—…titatis luce vâ—…stiti eleâ—…mosynis dealbati orationibus vigiliâ—…s jejuniis vâ—…lut quiâ—…usdam coelestibus spiritualibus Mâ—…rgaritis orâ—…ati non soâ—…ùm cum amicis sed etiam cum â—…imicis pacâ—…ici liberâ—… securâ conscientiâ ad Altaâ—…ta Domini accedentes corpus sanguinem ejus non ad judicium sed ad Remedium possitis accipere I intreat you most dear brethren that in this commanded and most sacred time of Lent none presume to dine or break the fast except on the Lords days therein Except if there be any whose infirmity permits him not to fast Viz. not to fast at all or not so many days because at other times to fast it is either a remedy when undertaken as a holy revenge on our selves for sin or else hath its reward when on other pious or charitable occasions But in Lent not to fast is a sin In other time he which fasts viz. as he ought shall receive indulgence In these days of Lent he which can and doth not fast will bear his punishment It is good my brethren to fast but it is yet better to give alms if any can do both they are a double good I admonish you that you keep your selves in chaste purity throughout the whole Lent and unto the end of the Feast of Easter through the help of God that so in that most holy solemnity of Easter you being arrayed with the light of purity and with the white garments of Alms-deeds and adorn'd as it were with certain heavenly and spiritual pearls of prayers watchings and fastings and being at peace not only with your friends but also your enemies with a free and quiet conscience ye may approach to the Altars of the Lord and partake of his Body and Blood not to condemnation but to your souls health Which same he declares in his first Homily of this Fast of Lent Mortificatione praesenti futura mortis senâ—…entia praevenitur dum culpae autor humiliatur culpa consumitur dumque exterior afflictio voluntariae districtionis infertur tremendi judicii offensa sedatur ingentia debita labor solvit exiguus quae vix consumpturus erat ardor aeâ—…ernus By this present Mortification if rightly performed the future sentence of death is prevented and while the sinner is humbled the sin is consum'd while he inflicts on
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
â—…d judicium sed ad Remedium possitis accipere I beseech you most dear Brethren that in this ordained and most sacred time of Lent c And of love I admonish you that which I trust you also do that through the whole Lent unto Easter keeping yourselves through Gods help in purity in that holy Solemnity of Easter you being cloth'd with the light of purity and made clean and white by Alms and adorned with Prayers Watchings and Fastings as with certain heavenly and Spiritual Pearls and being at peace not only with your friends but also with your enemies approaching with a free and quiet conscience to the Altars of the Lord may receive his Body and Blood not to judgement but for your Spiritual Remedy and healing Hath not our Lord Christ prepared and mingled as it were all these together in one part of his Sermon on the mount Prayer Alms and Fasting and charitable forgiving and putting far from us hypocrisie in those Repentance Maâ—… 6. 7. c. to v. 5. And these are indeed all link'd together in their own nature when our fasting helping forward and witnessing our Humiliation and Repentance enabling us also the better to watching and both giving us opportunity to Prayer and enabling us at least out of what by Fasting we spare from our own bodies to feed and relieve the poor and therefore much more doing justice to others in all things performing sincere obedience to God and his Church without hypocrisie in love of our brethren and neighbours and purity of our bodies and meet preparation of our souls we approach at the end of the fast to the Holy Table and heavenly feast of Christs most holy purifying and sanctifying Body and Blood S. Austin somewhere compares the Faith of Christians to the lamp Alms to the oyl in the lamp Fasting and Watching to the golden snuffers of the Sanctuary Prayer to the Incense Justice and Obedience to the Sacrifice But of those eight let us proceed distinctly to speak somewhat to each 1. That Fasting be joyned with Repentance Ut corpus anima simul jejunent corpus à cibis Anima ab omni re malâ saith S. Hierom ad Rusticum That the soul and body be joyn'd in the Fast the Body commanded to fast from food and the soul from every evil thing Quale est enim saith S. Austin propter peccaâ—…um jejunare in peccatis volutare For what do we mean to fast for sin and yet to wallow in sin Before them both Origen had so advised Hom. 10. in Levit. 16. Iejunans debes adire Pontiâ—…icem tuum Christum Et per ipsum offerre hostiam Deo Vis tibi ostendam quale te oportet jejunare jejunium Iejuna ab omni peccato nullum câ—…bum sumas malitiae nullas capias epulas voluptatis nullo vino luxuriae concalescas c. Nec hoc tamen ideò dicimus ut abstinentiae Christianae fraena laxemus Habemus enim Quadragesimae dies jejuniis consecratos c. Will you that I shew you what manner of Fast you ought to fast Fast from all sin feed not any way your malice feast not your self with any pleasures nor warm your self with any luxury c. Yet this we speak not to let loose the reins of Christian abstinence For we have the daies of Lent consecrated to Fastings c. S. Chrysostome speaking also of Lent makes the same judgement of Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man may undergoe the labour of fasting and not receive the reward thereof of which reward our Lord spake Mat. 6. How When we abstain from meats but not from sins when we eat no flesh but devour the houses of the poor when we drink not our fill of wine but are drunk with evil concupiscence when thou deniest thy body its ordinary repasts and feedest thy soul with unlawful food when thou fastest with thy body and hast eyes full of adultery The same Father in his 3. Homil. ad pop Aatioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * The fast I speak of is not that of the vulgar but the accurate fasting not the abstinence from meats only but from sins See we what it is that dissolv'd that indeclinable wrath gone out against the Ninevites was it fasting ONLY and sack-cloth That cannot be said But the change of their whole life And God saw their works What works that they fasted that they were cloth'd with sack-cloth neither of these doth he mention but saith that every one return'd from his evil wayes and God repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them Seest thou that not fasting deliver'd them from their danger but the change of their life rendred God propitious to those Barbarians This I have said not that we might dishonour fasting but that we might honour it For the honour of fasting is not the abstinence from meats but the separating ourselves from our sins so that he who defines fasting by abstinence from meats ONLY he it is who especially dishonours Fasting Dost thou fast shew it me by thy works What works wilt thou say If thou seest the poor shew him mercy If thou seest thine enemy be reconcil'd to him If thou seest thy friend in honour envy him not Let not thy mouth ONLY fast but also thine eye thine ear thy feet thy hands and all the members of thy body Let thy hands fast from rapin and injury let thy feet fast from running to unlawful spectacles let thine eyes fast from busy beholding beauties belonging to others for beholding with the eyes is as it were the food of the eyes which if it be forbidden food marres our fast Let the fast of the hearing be not willingly to take up accusations and slanders With this Patriarch of Constantinople agrees S. Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria in his first Hom. de Fest. Paschal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suprà nominatas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For in no wise may we find the truer grace of fasting in ONLY abstinence from food but let us send away and free ourselves from fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection and evil concupiscence for the remedy whereof this medicine of fasting was found out Feed not therefore your mind with the pleasures of intemperance mortify the fury of fornication free your mind from inordinate affection â—…ee the fellowship of unclean persons It is good therefore in season to abstain from needless meats and to withdraw from an exquisite table least filling ourselves with superfluous food we awaken the sin that dwels and sleeps in us for the flesh waxing fat and living in pleasure becomes difficult and hard to be master'd by the motions and desires of the Spirit Let therefore evil be evacuated in us and all delicacy of food pass beside us Let sober fasting enter in unto us which is the enemy of all sin But it is troublesome Resp. If refusing to
Dominus verus Ionas missus ad praedicationem mundi jejunavit 40. dies haereditatem nobis jejunii derelinquens ad esum corporis sui sub hoc numero nostras animas praeparat The Lord himself the true Ionas sent to preach unto the world fasted 40 daies and leaving us the inheritance of the fast under this number prepares our souls for the eating of his Body The same St. Hierom saith in his Comment on Isaiah the 58. Dominus 40. diebus in solitudine jejunavit ut nobis solennes jejuniorum dies relinqueret The Lord fasted 40. daies in the wilderness that he might leave unto us the solemn daies of the fasts My eighth witness of this age shall be S. CHRYSOSTOME who in his 3 d and 16 th Sermons ad populum Antiochenum which 16 th Sermon he preached in the 3. week of Lent wherein now we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he we have passed the second week of the fast in which time he preach'd to the people day by day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This spiritual summer of this fast now appearing let us as Souldiers wipe off the dust from our arms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the time of Lent it is the manner of all to ask how many weeks each one hath fasted and you may hear some answer two and some three and some answer that they have fasted all the weeks And in his 11 th Lent-Sermon upon Genesis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore in every thing due measure and moderation is best According whereunto therefore concerning this season also of the holy Lent we shall now find it to have been ruled out unto us For as in publick conveiance of travellers there are certain stages and innes that the passengers wearied may rest themselves and intermitting their labours they may again set upon their journey In like manner here also in holy Lent THE LORD HATH INDULGED these two weekly daies the Saturday and the Lords day to such as undertake this course of this fast like certain stages or innes shores or havens that both the body may be a little relaxed from its labours of the fasting and the mind comforted that when these two daies shall be past over they may again with cheerfulness set upon this their good and profitable travelling in this way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Set on this journey which leads unto Heaven this strait and narrow way Keeping under thy body and bringing it into subjection And the ground and teacher of all these things fasting will be unto us fasting I mean not that of most men but that which is the accurate fast viz. the abstinence not from meats only but from sins For the nature of fasting only is not sufficient to deliver such as betake themselves unto it except it be done agreeably to its law Let us learn the lawes of fasting how we ought to fast that we run not uncertainly nor beat the air nor fight with a shadow whilest we fast These things I have said not that we may dishonour fasting but that we may honour it GREGORY NYSSENE the Brother of S. Basil the Great is my 9 th witness in this age in his 2 d Oration of the Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matthew added the time when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week The night saith he was so far passed that it was now the time of cock-crowing which giveth warning that the light of the approaching day is at hand Speaking of the day of Christs Resurrection For this cause also at this time viz. far in the night before Easter-day and not in the very evening of the Saturday but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Cyril of Alexandria saith in his 8 th Paschal Homily far in the night we DISSOLVE OR END THE FASTINGS and begin the joy the custom that obtains withall men consenting hereto My last witness of this age is AURELIUS PRUDENTIUS hymno Septimo jejunantium Helias crevit tali observantiâ Vetus sacerdos ruris hospes aridi Ioannes hujus art is haud minùs potens Dei perenni praecurrit Filio Hanc obsequelam praeparabat nuntius Mox affuturo construens iter Deo Pridem caducis cum gravatus artubus Iesus dicato corde iejunaverit Inhospitali namque secretus loco Quinis diebus octies labentibus Nullam ciborum vindicavit gratiam Hoc nos sequamur quisque nunc proviribus Quod consecrati tu Magister dogmatis Tuis dedisti Christe sectatoribus After mention of Elias and Iohn Baptist's fastings as forerunners of Christ's he adds that Iesus also in the time of his flesh did with a devoted heart fast separating himself from men in the inhospitable desert and took no refreshment of food through eight times five daies That which thou O Christ the Master of our consecrated Religion didst deliver to thy followers that let each of us now according to our several measures of strength follow And because of the difference of mens strength agreeably to what Ireâ—…us had said that there was difference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about the sort or measure of fasting so this author Prudentius also in hymno octavo poss jejunium though he had said that Christ deliver'd the fast to his followers yet saith Laxus ac liber modus abstinendi Ponitur cunctis neque nos severus Terror impellit sua quemque cogit Velle potestas A free manner or measure of abstaining is propounded to all not any one by severe terrour enforced but every mans strength is a law to his nill In the fourth Century after the death of S. Iohn the Apostle I produce first S. AUGUSTINE who though in his 86. Epistle he say that he finds no where written in the Books of the New-testament any precept of the Lord or the Apostles defining on what daies we ought to fast albeit he saith he finds there fasting commanded yet he forthwith purposely explains himself in these words Non inâ—… at jam suprà commemoravi in Evangelicis Apoâ—… cis literis c. Evidenter praeceptum that is abstracting from all interpretation by traditions Apostolical of wâ—… sort in many places he acknowledges many to be obliging in the writings only of the New Testament he saith he finds not evidenter praeceptum quibus diebus No where expresly or evidently prescrib'd what daies viz. no such express precept nor evident text but what may need against contradictors the Catholick Churches interpretation which is the thing we contend for For the same S. Augustine in his 119. Epistle to Ianuarius tells us of this very fast of Lent enough to our purpose Quadragesima sanè jejuniorum HABET AUTHORITATEM in veteribus libris EX EVANGELIO c. In quâ—… ergo parte anni congruentiùs observatio Quadragesimae constitueretur nisi consini atque contiguâ Dominicae Passioni The Lent truly of fastings HATH AUTHORITY both in the old
himself the outward affliction of voluntary severity the wrath of the dreadful judgement is appeased So a little pains dissolves great sins which eternal burnings otherwise would scarce consume Whilest this our Author cals the Fast of Lent legitimum sacratissimum Quadragesimae â—…empus in which for men that are able not to fast he saith is a sin you may perceive by his following discourse that he so cals here Lent legitimum jejunii tempus as the catholick Church in Tertullian call'd the same daies of the Bridegrooms taking away DIES LEGITIMOS IEIUNIORUM CHRISTIANORUM l. de jejuniis c. 2. declaring her self there to mean the daies commanded by a Law from the Apostles and as Tertullian himself cals the Lords Prayer legitimam orationem praemissâ legitimâ oratione For had Caesarius here intended to have call'd this fast sacratissimum legi imum in quo non jejunare peccatum est only as commanded by a Law Ecclesiastical he could not have contradistinguish'd thereto as he doth in that consideration all other daies besides there being in his time other fasting daies besides Lent commanded by the Church therefore this time of Lent was in some higher sense Legitimum jejuniorum tempus in quo non jejunare peccatum est The Historians who 〈◊〉 also in this Age are two especially 1. Aurelius Cassiodorus the compiler of the Tripartite history from the translation of Epiphanius Scholasticus of three former Greek Historians whom he had set on work to translate them and himself had woven them into one continued Discourse And the second Evagrius This latter l. 2. c. 8. noteth certain Hereticks of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which shewed not reverence to the time of the solemnity of our Saviours Passeover the Christian Pascha which included the memorial of his Passion and Resurrection And l. 6. c. 12. he tels us of Gregory the Bishop that he did communicate unto the Souldiers the holy Body of Christ on a certain day of the great week For it was saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very venerable day approaching near unto the day of Christs holy Passion So that he accounted more daies then one for the memory of the Bridegrooms being taken away about that season to be venerable and daies of communicating the people for the holiness of the day of Christ's Passion to which others approaching are held it seems also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding venerable a And this appears to be and have been the language of the Eastern Church as you may see in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the ancient Liturgy called S. Chrysostome's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Lord Almighty who c. who of thine unspeakable providence and great goodness hast brought us to thesâ—… very venerable daies for the purifying of our souls and bodies for the continence of our sensitive passions for the expectation of the resurrection who through forty daies c. Grant unto us also of thy goodness to fight this good fight to finish this course of this fast c. to break the heads of the invisible dragons and to stand up victors over sin and to arrive to adore the Holy Resurrection irreprovably And again O Lord our God who hast brought us to these very venerable daies c. The other Historian Aurelius Cassiodorus l. 9. c. 38. Histor. Tripartit writeth thus Ad Hebraeos idem Apostolus dicit mutato enim sacerdotio necessariò legis mutatio fuit non igitur Apostoli nec Evangelia accedentibus ad praedicationem jugum servitutis imposuerunt sed festivitatem Paschae alias celebritates cum primis Christi Passionis ut mox sequitur honorandas esse dixerunt Quapropter quum diligunt homines hujusmodi celebritates ab Apostolis dictas Honorandas quòd in eis à laboribus requiescant singuli per provincias sicuti voluerunt viz pro modo memoriam salutaris Passionis antiquitùs ex quadam consuetudine celebrabanâ—… The same Apostle saith unto the Hebrews the Priesthood being chang'd there was necessarily also a change of the Law Neither the Apostles therefore nor the Gospels impos'd any yoke of servitude upon those that came to their preaching But they to wit the Apostles said that the Feast of Easter and other solemnities amongst which other the Passion of Christ is with the first as followes here also are to be honoured Wherefore whereas men love such solemnities viz. bid by the Apostles to be honour'd of men because in those they have rest from their daily labours Those of each countrey through their several Provinces celebrated as they would viz. for the manner from a certain custome viz. of each countrey the memory of the salutary Passion from the Ancient times Now this same Cassiodore doth declare l. 1. c. 10 that this celebrity of the Passion of Christ celebrated ever with fasting with its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its conterminous preceding daies was in ancient times called Quadragesima and observed by the most holy Bishops even such as wrought miracles for he tels us there of holy Spiridion who was one of the most eminent of those Bishops who made a representation as it were of the Apostolical company in the first General Councel of Nice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among those Bishops there chiefly did excel Paphnutius and Spiridion This Spiridion Bishop of Trimiâ—…hous a City of Cyprus a holy man worker of miracles all which Socrates witnesseth l. 1. c. 5. 8. But of them Cassiodorus thus recordeth Qualis autem Spiridion circa peregrinorum susceptionem fuerit hinc apparet Instante â—…am Quadragesima quidam ex itinere venit ad eum quibus diebus consueverat cum suis continuare jejunia die certo comedere medios dies sine cibo consistens videns it aque peregrinum valde defectum perge inquit suae filiae Lava peregrini pedes cibos appoâ—…e Cumque virgo dixâ—…sset nec panem esse nec alphita quarum rerum solebant nonnihil habere reconditum propter jejunium orans primùm veniam quam petens filâ—…ae suae jussit ut porcinas carnes quas domi salitas habebat coqueret c. What manner of man this Spiridion was as to the entertaining of strangers appears herehence when now Lent was instant there came to him a certain stranger weary from his journey on those daies upon which he with his had been wont to continue their fasts and to eat after certain daies only passing the daies betwixt without food he then seeing the stranger much spent with his travel he saith to his daughter Go and wash the strangers feet and set victuals upon the board and when the virgin replied that there was neither bread nor barley flower in the house of which yet they were wont to have some in store as provision for the fast he first praying pardon bad his daughter boyle some Hogs-flesh
Death and Passion Burial and Resurrection And for these holy memories and holy partakings of Absolution Baptism Confirmation and the holy Eucharist what 40 daies what repentances and fastings can be thought more then needful S. Paul hath taught us that purging out from our selves the old leaven that we may be a new lump as we are unleavened is necessary to our keeping the Feast of Christ our Pass-over sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5. 7 8. that judging of our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discerning of our selves aright upon our examining our selves is necessary to our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to our discerning the Lords body to our worthy receiving that we be not condemn'd or if not that upon our after-Repentance yet chastened of the Lord. Thus that Primitive Patriarch Dionysius of Alexandria in his Epistle to the Bishop Basilides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Humbling our souls with Faftings until the season of the Resurrection of our Lord But unto the Holy and unto the Holy of Holies so I suppose he calls the Baptism and the Holy Eucharist of that season he which is not altogether clean in soul and body should be forbid to approach Both Lent and other Preparatories next before Lent were both design'd to fit us for those holy things of â—…r so the sacred first oecumenical Councel of Nice cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let there be held Synods one before Lent that all peevishness being taken away a pure gift or oblation may be offer'd unto God and a 2 d about the time of gathering the fruits S. Hierom in his comment upon Ionas is most expresse Ipse quoque Dominus verus Jonas missus ad praedicationem mundi jejunavit 40 dies haereditatem nobis jejunii derelinquens ad esum corporis sui sub hoc numero nostras animas praeparat The Lord himself being sent as the true Ionas to preach unto the world fasted 40 daies and leaving to us the inheritance of the fast under this same number prepares our souls to the eating of his body So Leo also the great in his 5 th sermon of Lent Ut digniùs celebremus sacramenta Redemptionis nostrae saluberrimè nos 40 dierum jejunio praeparemus The words I english'd above p. 70. And the same Leo in his 10 th sermon of Lent Cognoscimus ad celebrandum Paschae diem meritò nos 40 dierum jejunio praeparari ut dignè possimus divinis interesse mysteriis We know that with great reason by the fast of 40 daies we are prepared to celebrate the day of Easter that we may worthily participate of the Divine mysteries or sacrament And so Caesarius of Arles above p. 72 and Dorotheus p. 79. Where he saith that the Holy Apostles sanctifyed or set apart for our repentance the 7 weeks fast of Lent that we may partake of the Holy mysteries not to condemnation but to life The import and advantage you see answers your labour as S. Cyril also of Hierusalem tells us Cateches 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra Nominatâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do you not give yourself to prayer purify your vessel by exercise of fasting also that you may receive the more grace if thou labour little thou receivest little I add thou understandest little When first in the Law and the Prophets Moses and Elias took up this 40 daies Fast it was the better to prepare them for their appearance then before the presence of God To this effect S. Chrysostom instructs us tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both Moses and Elias themselves the towers among the Prophets of the old Testament although otherwise so illustrious and great and having great boldness towards God yet when they would approach and draw neer to speak unto God as far as unto man it was possible to do they betook themselves unto this work of fasting and by her hands offered themselves unto God At the end of this 40 dayes fast of Lent at the feast of Easter as alwayes one of the 3 times he who approached not to Gods Holy table to receive the Holy Eucharist was not deem'd worthy of the name of a Catholique saith the Councel of Eliberis elder then that of Nice thrice in the year at least say they whereof this time alwayes one and punctually so saith our Church Once in the year only saith the Church of Rome which would be the only Catholiques Not once necessarily in the year say some among us At the end of Lent besides Easter morn it self the more religious did generally receive also on that day which is called Coena Domini on which that mystery was instituted and very many of the Clergy especially communicated every day of that great week And what preparation is sufficient for these Holy things The eighth and last rule of fasting is When ye fast be not ye as the Hypocrites are Mat. 6. 16. Si vult quare tristis si non vult jejunus quare saith Chrysologus upon that place And upon the same words S. Chrysostom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If willing to fast why sad if not willing why fasting Rejoyce in fasting and be not of a sad countenance as the Hypocrites are a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as that Father speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 6. Non voluptuosos Dominus indulget aspectus sed vultus qui simulantur excludit The Lord doth not indulge us in wanton aspects but excludes the simulation of affected looks Disfigure not the fast nor disfigure thy face Fast not to appear unto men appear unto God to fast and appear not to God or men to break the fast except where God and man have indulged to humanity b Dionys. Alexandr Epistolâ ad Basilidem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestilentia hypocriseos saith Chrysologus in his 7 th Sermon on Mat. 6. Fugienda quae de remediis creat morbos conficit de medicina languorem sanctitatem vertit in crimen placationem facit reâ—…um generat de propitiatione discâ—…men Hypocrisis crudeli arte virtutes truncat mucrone virtutum jejunium jejunio perimit oratione orationem evacuat misericordiam miseratione prosternit Hypocrisis dum cupit captivare oculos oculis fit ipsa captiva Fly the pestilence of hypocrisy which of remedies themselves creates diseases of medicine sicknesse which turns holiness into a crime propitiation into guilt Hypocrisy by a cruel art cuts asunder vertues by the edge of vertues slaies fasting by fasting evacuates prayer by prayer beateth down alms-giving by alms-deeds Hypocrisy while it seeks to captivate the eyes of men is itselfled captive by the eyes That oddes there doth arise from being like or unlike Hypocrites when we fast That to the great honour of the Church S. Austin shews thence how the Church Christian fasting twice a week doth it Religiously albeit the Pharisees did
can be shewn so early as in Irenaeus's daies should consider whether what S. Austin wrote in his 2d Book de Doctrinâ Christianâ c. 16. Quadraginta diebus jejunare monemur Hoc lex cujus persona est in Mose hoc prophetia cujus personam gerit Elias Hoc ipse Dominus monet qui tanquà m testimonium habens ex lege prophetis medius inter illos in monte 3 Discipulis videntibus atque stupentibus claruit We are admonish'd to fast forty days this the Law whose person Moses bare this the Prophets whose person Elias sustained this the Lord himself admonisheth us who as receiving witness from the Law and the Prophets shone forth in the midst 'twixt those two in the mount the three Disciples beholding with astonishment And what St. Hierome writes in l. 2 advers Iovinian Est Dominus qui Quadraginta diebus Christianorum jejunium sanctificavit And on Iona 3. Ipse quoque Dominus jejunavit 40 dies haereditatem nobis jejunii derelinquens ad esum corporis sui sub hoc numero animas nostras praeparat And on Isa. 58 Dominus quadraginta diebus in solitudine jejunavit ut nobis solennes jejuniorum dies relinqueret The Lord fasted forty days in the wilderness and hath thereby sanctified the Christians fast and left to us the solemn days of fastings leaving to us that inheritance of the fast and preparing our souls to the eating of his body under this number of forty They should consider whether I say Irenaeus himself can no where be found beside if in that Epistle to have given some such fair intimation I shall produce a passage from him at large because I have not seen it by any observ'd to this purpose it is in his fifth book against heresies c. 18. Primò quidem diebus 40 jejunus Dominus similiter ut Moyses Helias posteà esuriit ut hominem eum verum firmum intelligamus proprium enim est hominis jejunantis esurire Deinde autem ut baberet Adversarius ubi congrederetur Quoniam enim in principio per escam non esurientem hominem seduxit transgredi praeceptum Dei in fine esurientem non potuit dissuadere eam quae à Deo esset sustinere escam Quae ergo suit in Paradiso repletio hominis per duplicem gustationem dissoluta est per eam quae fuit in hoc mundo indigentiam seu inediam Quoniam enim initio homini suasit transgredi praeceptum factoris ideò eum habuit in suâ potestate potestas autem est transgressio Apostasia his colligavit hominem lapsum Per hominem ipsum Christum iterùm oportebat victum eum contrariò colligari iisdem vinculis quibus alligavit hominem ut homo qui lapsus fuerat colligatus solutus revertatur ad suum Dominuns illa vincula relinquens gulae inter caetera per quae ipse fuerat alligatus i. e. transgressionis NOS AUTEM SOLUTOS PER IPSUM PRAECEPTUM DOCUIT ESURIENTES QUIDEM SUSTINERE EAM QUAE A DEO DATUR ESCAM First of all the Lord fasting forty days like as Moses and Elias had done was afterwards an hungred that we might know him to be true and undoubted man for that it properly belongs to man when he fasts to be an hungred Next also that Satan might have a field to fight in and encounter him for because in the beginning the Devil seduced man by food to transgress the precepts of God while he consented not to abstain therefore in the end the Devil was not able to disswade the man Christ Jesus from waiting for that food which is given of God The repletion therefore of man which was in Paradise by the double tasting viz. of Adam and Eve was dissolv'd through that abstinence which Christ exercis'd in the world for in as much as in the beginnning Satan perswaded man to transgress the precept of his Maker and therefore had man deliver'd into his own power which his power over man lay in mans transgression and apostacy wherewith he held man fast bound therefore it was needful that he should by man himself the Man Christ Jesus be himself again overcome and be in contrary manner himself bound fast in the same bonds wherewith he had bound man viz. in the trial of eating and abstinence that man who had been bound being now loosed by Christ might return to his own Lord leaving those bonds viz. of being led by the belly to obey Satan wherewith he had been held fast bound the bonds of his transgression FOR HE HATH TAUGHT US NOW LOOSED BY HIS COMMAND IT SELF THAT HUNGRING OR FASTING WE SHOULD SO WAIT FOR THAT FOOD WHICH IS GIVEN OF GOD. viz. I understand the holy food of his body and blood then wont most solemnly to be received by all Christian people at Easter after their fastings as appears by the Allegations in Irenaeus his time of such fasts ending in the feast of Easter according to traditions and customes much elder then Irenaeus and delivered from the Apostles And he must be much ignorant of Christianity who can doubt whether the most solemn Christian festival in the year were or not a solemn time of receiving the Holy Sacrament If forty-days abstinence were not in publick use in Irenaeus's time it must be more then strange how Origen living so near his time should in the name of Christians say Habemus enim Quadragesimae dies jejuniis consecratos And those there by him remembred as his first instance of abstinentia Christiana Not that we may saith he let loose the reins of Christian abstinence hom 10 in Levit. These Homilies are Origens's own saith Gerard and these fasts of the Quadragesima are the Christians own saith Origen Who it cannot be wondred should mention the Quadragesima in his Homilies who in his eighth book against Celsus acknowledges and defends egainst Celsus the common manner of all Christians in observance of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of which Tertullian before had said speaking of a custome common to the Catholicks with his Montanists Cur Pascha celebramus annuo circulo Cur dicamus jejuniis Parasceuen For we have the days of Quadragesima or the forty days consecrated to fastings viz. a consecrated chief part of the Christian abstinence About this time might that Canon be made the 68th among the Apostolical Canons confirmed in the second Canon of the sixth general Council in Trullo under severe penalty censuring either Bishop or Priest or other Clergy or Lay. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any should not fast the holy Quadragesima or space of forty which preceeds the Pasch or Easter Which as to the sanction of penalty and strictness of precept we yield not to be from the Apostles but from the successours of the Apostles in their respective times to the Churches governed by them A precept Ecclesiastical only as to the commanded number of forty which yet was if not then in the ages of the Church
to be fasted untill Even but especially on the six days of the great week as Dionysius Alexandr in the place by you alledged expresly witnesseth and more especially yet on the day of our Lord's crucifixion as your selves also alledged from Tertullian Dicatam jejuniis Parasceuen cap. 14. of his Book of Prayer Sic die Paschae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo communis quasi publica jejunii Religio est Come we therefore in the last place to Socrates out of whom you have brought two Testimonies and might have I freely acknowledge brought more and he is by us the more to be considered because all that of late have written against the obligation of the Religious Fast of Lent at home or abroad have fetcht their chief armour from Socrates yet sometimes wronging him by most unjust and purposely false translation of their Authour as in an English Pamphlet of last year who may seem himself enough to have wronged or loosened the Churches Fasts and Festivals for causes which shall presently be shewn But here we shall first shew that none of our Exceptions against Socrates are needfull to our Refutation of our Brethren the Presbyterians their Exceptions out of Socrates against the Religious â—…ast of Lent as it is appointed to be observed in our Common-Prayer-Book For first as to the variety in several Countreys about the number of the days viz. of their stricter fasting as Dionysius Alexand. whom you here joyn with Socrates hath shewn you I have answered above shewing that it hurts us nothing but no Countrey had a custome of keeping none or pretended conscience against the substance of the Paschal or Lent fast that they might therein be allowed to differ from all the body of the Catholick Church that then lived or had lived throughout the world as our brethren now would obtrude upon their own Countrey and the Church that bare them If Socrates admire that so many Countreys differing about the number of the days yet that all agreed to call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quadragesima or the Fast of forty days and so your selves alledge Sozomen and Nicephorus also witnessing this is an evident testimony that all the Countreys every where had received a Tradition of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quadragesima or Fast of forty days elder than their differences about the number of days as hath been shewed above at large in my fifth Chapter that whatever variety of Indulgences several Countreys upon whatsoever pretence of their fainter Regions or hotter stomachs or less plentifull provisions throughout all the year or the perpetual toil of their manner of living or the like had allowed themselves therein yet so universal and consenting was their acknowledgment of something in common received by them all which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Quadragesima that it makes manifest evidence that they all had received ab antiquissimis temporibus traditum commeâ—…datum A Tradition and Recommendation universal of fortie daies abstinence with an allowance of variation in their number of their stricter fasting daies and in their rigour of their abstinence and that varietie which Socrates notes Socrates himself acknowledgeth there had various causes as it were reasonable grounds of some such varieties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And there are beside in other divers Countries ten thousand causes or reasons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. three weeks of stricter fastings after the example of Daniel for otherwise that Rome had from the first of all the custome of fortie daies abstinence or fasting more largely taken St. Hierome himself a Priest of Rome who could know better than Socrates though Socrates also doth not here denie it witnesseth who tells us what he means by his Nos unam Quadragesimam secundùm Traditionem Apostolorum jejunamus We fast one Lent accordâ—…ing to Tradition Apostolical Epist. ad Marcellam by what he writes on Ionah 3. Ipse Dominus jejunavit quadraginta dies haereditatem nobis jejunii derelinquens ad esum corporis sui sub hoc numero nostras animas praeparat The Lord himself fasted fortie daies and leaving to us the Inheritance of the Fast prepares our souls under this number of fortie daies â—…o the eating of his Bodie and on Isai 58. Dominus quadraginta diebus in solitudine jejunavit ut nobis solennes jejuniorum dies relinqueret The Lord fasted fortie daies that he might leave us the solemn daies of the fastings And farther for Rome also Leo the great himself Bishop of Rome Serm. 12. Appropinquante dilectissimi solennitate Paschali sic est praecurrenda consuetudo jejunii ut nos quadraginta dierum numerus ad sanctificationem corporis mentis exerceat unde in coelestibus Ecclesiae disciplinis multùm utilitatis afferunt Divinitùs instituta jejunia The solemnitie of Easter now approaching my beloved the custome of the Fast is so to be premitted that the number of fortie daies may exercise us for the sanctification of our bodie and minde so as that in the heavenly disciplines of the Church the Fasts instituted by God bring unto us much advantage The same in his fourth Sermon Magnâ Divinae Institutionis salubritate provisum est ut ad reparandam mentium puritatem quadraginta nobis dierum exercitatio mederetur And yet the same Leo in the same his fourth Sermon of the Fast of Quadragesima chooseth out for the people of Rome the number of daies amounting to and a little exceeding the number of the daies of Socrates's three weeks which he assigns to Rome to wit three daies in each of six weeks secundam quartam sextam which are one and twentie daies So that fortie daies and yet the number of one and twentie daies for stricter sasting may well consist together and still the Lent be called of all Quadragesima as Socrates and Sozomen note therefore Leo when he mentions fortie daies as from God he doth more often call the Quadragesima quadraginta dierum continentiam as Sermon third THE ABSTINENCE of fortie daies and quadraginta dierum EXERCITATIONEM Sâ—…rm 4th the exercise of fortie daies than quadraginta dierum jejunia If Leo could for the practise of Rome in one and the same Sermon of Lent direct his Auditors to fortie daies exercise and one and twentie daies Fast as are six times three then Socrates sinding at Rome as he saith three weeks fast though all together yet needed not to wonder how they call'd it there and in all Countries Quadragesima That some observation of fortie daies was kept at Rome Gregory the Great another godly Bishop of Rome doth witness Homil. 16. In Evangelia Quadragesimae tempus inchoamus c. Cur ergò in Abstinentiâ Quadragenarius numerus custoditur nisi quia c. Now begin we the time of Lent c. why then is the Number of Fortie observed in our Abstinence but because c. à praesenti etenim die usque ad Paschalis solennitatis gaudia sex hebdomadae veniunt ut
was not filled with the delights of the body but of the Spirit of God and Christ delights in such souldiers of his which give themselves unto fasting because such overcome when they fight St. Augustine and Bede confirm this interpretation So true it is saith St. Basil a S. Basil Ser 1. of Fasting that our Lord Iesus fortified the flesh which he took on him for us by fasting and taught us by fastings to overcome Ut in sponso nostro investigemus c. saith St. Hierom b S. Hierom Epistold ad Eustochium that in the Bridegroom himself we may see what vertue holy fasting hath Howbeit in both those Psalms no sooner is mention made of our Lords fasting but 't is added that it was turned to his reproach And here in my Text his Disciples not fasting is turned to his reproach Why do the Disciples of Iohn fast often and likewise the Disciples of the Pharisees but thine eat and drink Reprehendenda jejunii jactantia saith St. Hierom The answer to them might have been a just reproof for not fasting from vain glory But our meek and gracious Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostome upon the words He gives them no such rebuke as O ye vain-glorious and impertinent persons But he who had in much gentleness forborn to command his Disciples such severities as himself practised with the same lenity returns only this gracious answer Can you make c. v. 34 35. together mildly defending himself and his Disciples though as yet they fasted not and yet the holy duty of fasting also But doing all this by remitting the Pharisees 〈◊〉 Iohn's Disciples whom they had brought with them and advanced their example in the first place and remitting Iohn's Disciples as it were tacitly to their Master Iohn to something which they might remember Iohn had said unto them Joh. 3. 28 29. ye your selves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ c. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom The case was much different 'twixt the Disciples of the Law only the Scribes and Pharisees yea those of Iohn also and the Disciples of Christ. The Law was a Schoolmaster of severities but to bring them unto Christ Iohn was an Harbinger sent by preaching of penance to prepare the way for the Bridegroom neither 's Disciples were the children of the bride-chamber or the honourable followers of the Bridegroom but Christs only Iohn came neither eating nor drinking and sometime the Pharisees therefore say he hath a Devil and now ye upbraid his Lord with Iohn's Disciples and discipline as more divine howbeit he that is least among the children of that bride-chamber is greater then Iohn himself His office his honour his priviledge and assistances greater What many Kings and Prophets and righteous men desired to see and rejoyced in spirit to foresee but had not with their eyes beheld the King in his beauty nor heard his wisdome and what Iohn your master saw and told you that he rejoyced to see and to hear the Bridegrooms voice Blessed are their eyes for they see and their ears for they hear And you have not considered this mysterious marriage of the Church to the Messias her Maker and Husband her Redeemer and Spouse the Prophets of old negotiated invited and as it were wooed and search'd what and what manner of time this blessed season and fulness of time should be and what the joy of these espousals The Bridegroom himself is now come down from heaven in his wonderful Incarnation in his Nativity he came forth fairer then the children of men as a Bridegroom forth of his chamber rejoycing for the love of his Spouse as a Gyant to run his course His coming forth was à summo coelo from the highest heaven in the hour of the WORD 's being made flesh and his running about is ad summum coelum to the height of it again to the right hand of his Father in his Ascension Mean while the solemn contract and espousals a Theophy lact upon the words Mat. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam dixerat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betwixt him and his Church is in his present preaching proclaimed And he spake this parable A certain King made a marriage for his son Matth. 22. 2 c. and he sent forth his servants Wisdome sent forth her maidens not fasting now indeed as that 's not seasonable for nuptial invitations saying I have mingled my wine c. All things are now ready And when those servants for such their employment have scarce time to eat quarrel you them that they find no season to fast Sent I am to Publicans and sinners a Physician and therefore I eat with them To my Disciples and as many as receive me believing on me the Bridegroom of their souls the expectation desire and joy of all nations and therefore at present they fast not with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostom upon the words By these things our Lord sheweth that their not fasting then was not an Indulgence to their belly but a matter of wonderful oeconomy But the time will come when this solemnity of joy of these espousals shall be turned into a funeral mourning when the Bridegroom shall be even for the debts of his Spouse and redemption of her life taken from them And they shall weep and lament and fast and the world shall rejoyce But he being returned and having taken to himself a kingdome these present espousals which God foretold by the prophets Hosea and Isaiah which had been treated by all the Prophets that had been since the world began and now proclaimed in the acceptable year of the Lords preaching and sealed to by the Father at his resuscitation from the dead expect their consummation in the marriage of the Lamb at the last day when he shall gloriously bear his Spouse with myriads of holy Angels into his Fathers house there to reign with him in his Kingdome everlasting mean time as upon the Espousals he became chargeable with his Spouses debts and hath discharged them on his Cross and after that discharge was taken from Prison and from Judgment and hath washed her in his own Blood and hath given her the pledge of his Holy Spirit and cloathed her with the double garments of his Righteousness so also is she called by a new Name which the mouth of the Lord did name from his name Christ she is called Christian first at Antioch and farther our Lord Jesus knowing that after his taking from her religious fasting also is a necessary guard for her safety and a salutary means for the further purifying and adorning of his Spouse therefore as upon the allegation of Iohn's Disciples Christ taught his Disciples also how to Pray so here as Iohn's Disciples had been taught to fast he teacheth his the time and season when they should fast yea and they will fast only in this solemnity
trahat ne robore suo â—…rahat illa vestem infirmam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quaedam Divisio in mente discipuli recentis infirmi aut schisma separatio à reliquis fratribus 5. In what is there-from detrimental to the duty it self it bursts the bottles and the wine is spilt An evil report is brought upon the duty of Fasting e Non effunditur in bibiâ—…ionem sed in perditionem Lastly The sad conclusion and catastrophe The bottles perish which else might have held still the best liquor though not yet capable of the newest and strongest f The bottles perish that by the very wine it self put into them a restoring wine in it self and the wine perisheth and that â—…y the vessels which were meant to contain and preserve it The parts you see being very many forsomuch as our Saviours answer here rests principally on the right timing of this duty I shall insist presently on the second part the time or season which is first in every duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then in those very daies For the understanding whereof we must first enquire what those other words mean to which they refer viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them Which were set to contain these 4. following senses agreeing well with and insinuating each other 1. In the daies of his death and burial they shall mourn and fast according to Ioh. 16. v. 20. a little while and ye shall not see me ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoyce a Innocentius 1. Epistolâ—… ad Eugubinum Episcopum Nam utique constat Apostolos biduo isto in marore fuisse propter metum Iudâ—…orum se occuluisse quod utique non dubium est in tantum â—…os jejunaste biduâ—… memoratâ—… ut c. 2. In the recurring annual memorials of the Bridegrooms taking away the Churches Paschal Fast of Lent beside the weekly stations Stationum semijejunia which the Church ever observed except 'twixt Easter and Pentecost or in the Feast of the Bridegrooms Nativity These stations were the 4 th and the 6 th day of the week fasted till 3. a clock in the afternoon according to Cornelius's fast Act. 10. But these Sub arbitrio non ex imperio of free devotion not of strict injunction as the Church professed by the acknowledgement of Tertullian 3. In what time soever our sins or also Gods Judgments call us to mourning or fasting or repentance publick or private And this is also in too full a sense the Bridegrooms departing from us So it was said to Saul for his disobedience The Lord is departed from thee 1 Sam. 28. v. 16. Iâ—…r 6. v. 8. Be thou instructed O Ierusalem lest my soul depart from thee This same Bridegroom our Lord who saith Hosea 2. I will betroth thee unto me warneth them also c. 9. v. 12. Wo unto them when I depart from them This sense also Theophylact teacheth us to be included in this Text in Mark 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Christ the Bridegroom shall be taken from him being lapsed to wit into sin then he fasts and repents that he may heal his sin S. Hierom cals this the Tropological sense of these words Iuxta tropologiam autem sciendum quòd quamdiu sponsus nobiscum est in laetitiâ sumus nec jejunare possumus nec lugere cum autem ille propter peccata à nobis recesserit tunc indicendum jejunium esse tunc luctus recipiendus when the Bridegroom shall depart from us by reason of sin then must a fast be indicted then must we take up a mourning when our Bridegroom hath withdrawn himself in just displeasure for our sins as Wisdome will not abide in a body subject to sin Wisd. 1. 3. We must seek his return and favour by fasting weeping and supplications Psal. 143. 3 8. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the Bridegroom shall be taken up away from them in his Ascension after his departure into heaven so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tolli may signifie to be taken away up and so is the rendring of the Syriack in this Text and so the Greek Father Theophylact understands it of the time after his Ascension a Theophylact in Luc. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem in Matthaei cap. 9. v. 15. viz. on the same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christianus Druthmarus on the same words Mat. 9. Cum auferetur ab eis sponsus Illud tempus ostendit quo ipsus in coelum ascendit quia quamvis semper cum illis esset spiritualiter tamen corporali praesentiâ ab eis recessit Venerable Bede upon my Text shewes that all the time from the promise of the Seed of the woman unto the Incarnation of the Bridegroom and all the time after his Ascension and departure into Heaven was and is the time of the absence of the Bridegroom and the season of the Churches mourning and longing for his first or second coming The time only of his conversing upon earth among men the priviledged time of the Churches joy on earth His words are these Notandum verò c. We must note that this mourning for the Bridegrooms absence began not now first after the death and resurrection of the Bridegroom but was observed throughout the whole time of the world before his Incarnation for those first times of the Church before the Virgins bringing forth a Son had holy men which earnestly longed after the coming of Christs Incarnation and these times since Christ escended up into heaven have the Saints which mourn for and desire his second Appearance to judge the quick and the dead Neque hic defiderabilis defiderii Ecclesiae luctus requievit aliquantum nisi quandiu hic cum Discipulis in carne versatus est Nor was there any rest to the Church from thiâ—… her mourning of her desires save only that while Christ conversed upon earth with his Disciples So after the history of his Ascension Acts 1. the Apostles frequent fastings are recorded Acts 13 14. 2 Cor. 6 11. chapters After his Passion Resurrection and Ascension the annual and weekly memorial Fasts of his holy Passion should thenceforth begin and continue to be celebrated and other frequent religious seasons of fasting Of these 4. senses the 2 d only because it brings with it a recurring duty upon men as constant as the years return labor actus in orbem one Aerius a Iovinian or Vigilantius in all ages till of late hath been found to make exception to I shall therefore first insist to shew that our Lords words ought so to be understood as to include also those recurring memorial fasts of the Bridegrooms being taken from us stata revoluta jejunia And secondly what they are As to the first that these words are so to be understood as including some set and returning fasting daies is evident 1. For that otherwise our Lords words would not be as
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
he brought into the Greek Church and it hath continued therein all Ages sithence and had a peculiar day appointed for it which they call'd the solemnity of the Great Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 w ch they placed on the Thursday seven night before Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A composure he had made as the Triodium of the Greek Church to this day witnesseth out of the histories of the whole old and new Testaments which consisted of the grounds patterns and encouragements of this Paschal Fast of Lent partly to be read publickly and partly to be sung in their service when now the Fast of Lent had continued almost 5. weeks and drew toward the end and yet the chief part of it remaining to be perform'd viz. the Parasceue Sabbatum of the 5 th week which they called Lazari praeparatoria Sabbatum Lazari and the following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great and holy week called anciently by Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more anciently by Dionysius the Patriarch of Alexandria who saâ—…e there Bishop in the year 248. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 6 principal daies of the Fasts To encourage them therefore after so much perform'd to what remain'd behind he compos'd and they have retain'd and do read and sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They read and sing this great Canon containing insinite contrition and excitation to â—…lee unto God by repentance by tears and confession c. 〈◊〉 they were appointed on this 5 th day of the 〈◊〉 week of Lent to sing and to read this for these ends For in as much as the holy Lent then draws towards end that men should not become weary or negligent in the finishing of these spiritual combats this very great Bishop of Crete Andrew as one that anoints or strengthens the Combatants stirs up their generosity by the histories of this great Canon that they may couragiously run forward to the race before them Agreeably therefore and fitly is this call'd the Great Canon as containing great compunction and appointed for the Great Fast of Lent This best and greatest Canon together with the exhortation of the holy Mary of Aegypt This our Father Andrew first soon after the year of the Lord 700. brought into Constantinople O my soul emulate thou zealously holy men in compunction propitiate Christ by Prayers sastings by purity holiness Christ conversing on earth in our flesh hath left thee O my soul his pattern and example The Lord it is who fasted 40 daies O my soul be not discouraged if the enemy assault thee repell him far from thee by prayers and fastings Give thou unto me O thou my only Saviour a heart contrite and poverty of spirit that I may have these to offer unto thee as an acceptable sacrifice Thus far the Triodium from that Andrew Bishop of Crete Thus have we passed through the seven first Centuries after the death of S. Iohn the last of those children of the Bride-chamber all the Ages not only of the truly called General Councels but of any that any Church in the world ever pretended to be such except the Church of Rome only which hath more then doubled the number to her self so that if this Paschal Fast had so generally pass'd in all ages as derived from the Apostles and had not truly been so derived some one of the General Councels at least in stead of their supposing and strengthening that hypothesis had noted the Imposture and false witness so openly concerning Apostolick Tradition of which the Church Universal is the Keeper and perpetual Pillar I shall not trouble my self and you to give you the testimonies of the succeeding ages because of their redundant number and because they are confessed on all parts and will not be required by any adversary and also are removed farther from the Fountain and prime antiquity a Such as are the Testimonies of Rabunus Mauruâ—… Archbishop of Meniz about the year 847. l. 2. de Institutione Clericorum c. 18. Observatio Quadragefima quae in Universo orbe INSTITUTIONE APOSTOLICA servatur circa confinia Dominica Passionis The observation of Lent which is kept in all the world from Iustitution Apostolical about the times near unto he Passion of our Lord the time of the Bridegrooms taking away And Theodorus Studites Anno 826. Sermon Chatâ—…chetic 72. in quariâ feria Hebdomada majoris Fratres Patrésque sacer est hodiernus dies atque venerandus etenim hinc auspicatur herus pro nobis supplicia sustinere crucis ut fert hoc Davidicum dictum Quare fremuerunt gentes c. convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum adversus Christum ejus Siquidem convenere simul sceleratum in Dominum confilium agitantes c. Veterator Iudas c. Idem Catechetic 71. appellat feriam sextam ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lazari praeparatoriam quia Parascue est ante Lazari resuscitati memoriam S. Bernard in his first Sermon of Lent Hodiè dilectissimi sacrum Quadragesimae tempus ingredimur c. Non nobis singularis est haec observatio una omnium est quicunque in eandem fidei conveniunt unitatem Quidni commune sit Christi jejunium omnibus Christianis An respuere tristia volumus communicare jucundis Si ita est indignos nos capâ—…is hujus participatione probamus Qualis est iste CHRISTIANUS qui minùs devotè suscipit jâ—…junium QUOD TRADIDIT IPSE CHRISTUS To day O most beloved we enter on the holy time of Lent which is not an observance peculiar unto us but one and the same to all Christians as many as agree in the unity of the same Faith And how should not this Fast of Christ be common to all Christians Will we reject the part that hath any sadness and communicate only in the pleasureable If it be so we prove our selves unworthy to partake with this Head What sort of Christian is he who hath no devotion to this Fast WHICH CHRIST HIMSELF DELIVERED And in his third Sermon of Lent Rogo vos Fratres dilectissimi totâ devotione suscipite Quadragesimale jejunium quod non sola abstinentia commendat sed multo magis Sacramentum Scilicet ut Fetrus Chrysologus Ravennatium episcopus hom 11 a appellat jejunium non praesumptum sed mysticum Clemens Alexand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nam si devotè usque modò jejunavimus utique sancto hoc tempore jejunandum nobis est multo devotiùs Si quid enim additur ad solitum abstinentiae modum nunquid non valdè indignum est ut nobis onerosum sit quod Ecclesia portat Universa nobiscum Hactenus usque ad nonam jejunavimus soli nunc usque ad vesperam jejunabunt nobiscum Universi Reges principes Cleâ—…us populus nobiles ignobiles simul in unum dives pauper Sed quid de his loquor quos habemus in hâc jejuniâ—… observatione
daies prepare themselves for the Paschal Feast Which same Author yet in his very next Sermon of Lent contents himself for his Auditors with three daies fast only in the week through the weeks of Lent Our Church also prays to him who for our sakes did fast 40 daies and 40 nights that he would give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey his godly motions c. not such miraculous Fasting as His. In those daies shall they Fast. Our holy and tender Mother the Church considers her childrens strength as Christ the children of his Bride-chamber she hath her exceptions relaxations for the sick or weak for children and aged prisoners and labourers women with childe and travellers and in her compassion seems even to bear about another passion with that of her own fastings of Lent There are wont to be reckoned four reasons which excuse from fasting 1. Impotentia corporis 2. Ex paupertate indigentia ordinaria ciborum 3. Necessitas laboris majoris 4. Pietas boni melioris to which some add Intempestas caloris in some regions for some hotter moneths of the year Three of them the 8 th Councel of Toledo Can. 9. recounts Illi verò quos aut aetas incurvat aut languor extenuat aut necessitas arctat non ante prohibita violare praesumant quà m à sacerdote permissum percipiant The 4 Excusations are either bodily infirmity or ordinary penury of diet from their poverty or necessity of greater toyl and bodily labour or zeal of some greater good offering it self upon the dispensing with their Fast. And yet even in such cases take S. Chrysostome's advertisement with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For although thou canst not fast yet canst thou forbear pampering thy body with delicacies and fulness Nor is this of little moment but oft avails to the weakning of the Devils temptations to whom nothing is so pleasing as Epicurean diet and drunkenness If thou hast a weak body so that thou canst not continue such fastings yet happily it is not weak to prayer nor unable certainly to despise the pleasures of the full belly Yea perhaps thy bodies health requires rather this Fasting or Abstinence as well as the Churches Law and thy souls consideration Theodoret on Dan. 1. hath well advertised us from the example of the three children who eating pulse and drinking water instead of their appointed meat and wine their countenances appeared fairer and faster in flesh then all the children which did eat the portion of the Kings meal c. 1. 12. x4 Theodoret thereupon observes I say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are lesson'd that bodily strength and comeliness may gain by the use of fasting And so Chrysolog de Iejunio Serm. 8. saith Est jejunium pax corporis membrorum decus robur mentium vigor animarum castitatis murus pudicitiae propugnaculum civitas sanctitatis magisterii magisterium disciplinarum disciplina Ecclesiasticae viae viaticum saelutare Fasting is peace to the body the comeliness of limbs the strength of minds the vigour of souls a wall of chastity a sconce of purity a city of sanctity the instruction of instructions the discipline of disciplines the salutary provision for the Churches way Likewise S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will one say But it doth inflict upon us weakness of body Resp. Yea rather if thou would'st exactly search the matter thou wilt find it the mother of health or a good habit of body And if thou believest not my words ask the sons of the Physicians about it and they will tell thee these things more clearly Lastly to Fast is wont to be call'd in Scripture to afflict the Soul Lev. 23. 29. Isa. 58. 5. This being the end of fasting that such chastening by affliction of the body may afflict the lower sensitive powers of the Soul that the inferiour powers of the Soul being afflicted a troubled spirit and a humbled heart thence arising in us may be a sacrifice and burnt-offering unto God Afflict certainly thy Soul thou mayst which is the end if thou art not able to afflict thy body which is the means since therefore only thou mayst not perhaps safely afflict thy body for that it is already afflicted Nay this it self that we are not happily able in body to be susceptible of so salutary a medicine as fasting ought and is apt to be one consideration wherethrough to afflict our selves Therefore said God of the day of Expiation to that people among whom yet no doubt there were many sick and infirm in body as thou art Levit. 23. 29. Whatsoever Soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day he shall be cut off from among his people Certè qui jejunare non potest non praesumat inducere novitatem sed â—…ateatur esse fragilitatis propriae quòd relaxat redimat eleemosynis quod non potest supplere jejuniis saith Chrysologus Serm. 166. de Quadrages At least he which cannot fast let him not presume to introduce novelty but confesse it to be from his own weaknesse that he doth relaxe his fasting and let him redeem by almes-deeds that which he cannot supply by fastings If any yet look on this duty of fasting in Lent as disagreeing to their pleasures of Spring and therefore with sowre aversion do receive this meek and gentle law of this Fast I shall anon evidence the Lawes of it to be an easie yoke and mean while say that God seems to complain of such refractory stupidity by his Prophet Ieremy c. 8. v. 7. Yea the Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom tom 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The season of Fasting Lent is the spiritual Spring of our souls And the same in his 2 d Homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the daies of the Fast pleasures do dye and vertues bud forth and are in their flower and the most pure beauty of sobriety puts forth it self Behold the Fast of Lent is at hand pointing out to thee the spiritual Pool which cures not one sick soul only in each years returning but a whole people When God bad his Prophet Ezechiel to bear on his right side the iniquity of the house of Iudah 40 daies I have appointed thee saith God each day for a year Ezek. 4. 6. or as the Hebrew and your Margin hath it A day for a year a day for a year And behold I will lay bonds upon thee and thou shalt not turn from that side It may be to us for our own sins possibly each day for a million of years and we may well be patient of the bonds then Add to this that these 40
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If men had continued in innocency and original Righteousness the work of painful fasting had been nothing useful at all but we are waxen old in our sins and not forthwith capable perhaps even of our remedies least our rent be made worse Yea our Lord comparing it to new wine gives sentence that the old is better that commandment which is both new and old which you had from the beginning and which is new in him That ye love one another But both are to be preserved our pieced garments also are to be worn in our bride-grooms absence although not in his presence 3 dly Observe that as all the Churches set solemn unchangeable fasts her weekly Stations and her yearly Paschal fast of Lent and if any will adde the Rogation-fasts also before his departure from her at the Ascension are from the taking away the Bride-groom from her so from the presence of the Bride-groom with her or to her are all the Churches Feasts as those of Christs Incarnation Nativity Resurrection or his entring into Heaven to appear in the presence of God for her and to prepare a place for her living in his presence at his Ascension or from the friends of the Bride-groom their being brought into his presence in the dayes of their several martyrdoms Yea and 4 thly all the times prohibited by her as to any set or publick fasts are only therefore prohibited as times of something of her Bridegrooms presence as the Lords-day no fasting-day for the return of his presence at his Resurrection yea and wheresoever in the Christian world saturday was a time also exempted from being a fasting day except one only in the year as it was exempted generally in all the Oriental Churches and in many places and the first ages of the Western likewise it was not as some have thought from condescension to the Ieus but from the joy of that day after our Lords descent into and return from hell at the long expected presence of Christ the Bride-groom theirs and ours to the souls of all those that had departed out of this world through so many ages in true repentance and faith with whom the Church on earth hath and holds a communion of Saints and a part in their joy from that joyful time And S. Austin thinks for another reason also by him assigned for the joyous signification of our eternal rest by that day of rest and of the rest of our flesh in hope after death as Christ's did that day rest 5 thly I have my self above noted to you that Fasting is not the principle but an Annex yet annexed by the advice of God's Spirit in the words of my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an additament a piece of a new garment to make up and help the defect of our infirmity in due place time and measure Quod Deo non pro justitiâ sed cum justitiâ offerimus I. Power 6 thly I have in this Discourse shewn the necessary conjunction of Prayers with our Fastings as in the context of my Text they are by the objectors themselves connected Why do Iohn's Disciples fast often and make Supplications I have shew'd you this new wine of Fasting now by long continuance in the Christian Church to be waxen old so that now the bottles that are broken and fly rather then they will contain this good wine do but pretend either more weaknesse or tenderness of Conscience then they have or for the time ought to have or more perfection and strength then they have in them or thus are likely to have as if they needed it not their impotent refusal is not now from the newness of the wine nor alwayes from the oldness of the bottles but from the cunning simulation of some Impostors who take with them for pretence according to the crasty wile of the Gibeonites wine-bottles old and rent and bound up old garments upon them and clouted shooes upon their feet crying out weak and tender consciences and so desire to make a cunning League with the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This comes not from the nature of the wine saith Theophylact upon my Text. And I may say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor from the oldness of the bottles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as then in our Saviours instance at that time and now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Schism which is resolv'd by any arts to make it self worse 't is not from the weakness or tenderness but the stiffness and hardness of the neck that shakes the yoke to cast it off They cannot submit to the two words of our Lords command of this duty in my Text. 1 st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this new wine must be put up where it must be preserved 2 dly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those daies they shall Fast. They are angry at the Stewards or governours of the house of God who are by their office especially to take care and do take care of our Saviours good will and pleasure in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that both be preserved the duty of Fasting and the Vessels of Honour that should contain this precious liquor of which our Lord takes this care These are not the men it seems of whom our Lord in my Text foretells 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will Fast. I have declared at large even of the 7 first ages of the Church when the wine was newer then now it is and of the following ages the opposers of this Fast of Lent not only confess their observance of it but complain of their diligence therein I have declar'd I say that the custome of the Bride her self i. e. the Catholique Church of Christ in this time of her preparation of her self to be brought to the Consummate Nuptials of the Lamb hath ever observ'd this Paschal Fast of Lent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In those daies which what they are I have not given you mine own sense but have as we are bid enquired of the former daies and prepared my self and you to the search of our Fathers as we are directed Iob 8. 8. For that both we and our opponents are but of yesterday The daies will come said Christ Are they already come or are they not come which Christ said should come And if not yet come who can shew us with any colour that ever they shall come But if they are come they are to be found in the Churches practise surely through 15 Ages The taking away of the Bridegroom once for the sins of the whole world is certainly not now to come And do not almost all the Testimonies by me produced found and settle the Paschal Fast on that Basis of the annual solemn memory of Christs Death and Passion the Bridegrooms taking away so precious to his Bride the Church a S. Austin l. 4. de Baptismo Co. Denatist c. 23. Cum. Whatsoever observance was not first instituted by any plenary Council as this was not let any