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A24695
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Considerations and exhortations to the serious and religious observation of the Lent-fast, enjoined by authority humbly proposed in tendency to promote a reformation of manners in the debauched age we live in / by P. A., Gent.
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P. A., Gent.
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1700
(1700)
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Wing A23; ESTC R19145
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9,433
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18
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CONSIDERATIONS AND EXHORTATIONS TO THE Serious and Religious Observation OF THE Lent-Fast Enjoined by AUTHORITY Humbly Proposed in tendency to Promote a Reformation of Manners in the Debauched Age we live in By P. A. Gent. Paenitentia vera nunquam sera Prov. xxix 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by John Nutt near Stationers-Hall 1700. CONSIDERATIONS AND EXHORTATIONS TO THE Serious and Religious Observation OF THE LENT-FAST BY way of PREFACE you may please to take notice That the following Essay is chiefly transcribed out of a larger Discourse of the Author printed Anno 1685 at the Death of King Charles II. then Dedicated to my Lord Dartmouth Master of the Horse to King James II. at his coming to the Crown The Author humbly conceiving it may not be unseasonable now we are again entred upon the Lent-Fast For a word spoken in season how good is it Prov. xv 23. more-especially this following his Christian Considerations for Christmas past as a second step made for the Reformation of Manners For if People would be persuaded religiously to observe the Lent-Fast it might possibly prove a second step also towards the same good End Provided also that those who are eminently engaged in the said Noble Design would be careful to be of vertuous Conversation themselves that People may not have this to object truly what is in our English Porverb That Vice corrects Sin For this hath been found to be true in all Ages of the World Vivitur Exemplis magis quam Legibus Men are led more by Example than by Precept or by Laws And may I without offence here mention that Testimony of Dr. Burnet now Bishop of Salisbury in his printed Travels into Italy not long since That in that great and populous City of Rome when he was there there was such a wise Regularity in the Government of it that deserved great Commendation for that Publick Vices were not to be seen there I heartily wish that it might be so said of the City of London who have doubtless a better Reformed Christianity than they at Rome to be the Foundation of it And now I hope my ensuing Discourse may prove more acceptable my Design being for promoting so great a Good to us as the compleating of our true Repentance and the Safety of our Souls that I have presented what I have discoursed in miniature in little being all circumscribed within one Sheet of Paper THAT a Religious Abstinence and Fasting in tendency to appease God's Displeasure against a Nation and People and for the Reforming of Manners was a Duty always acknowledged both by Jews and Christians in all Ages of the World yea what even Heathens and Mahometans have since consented to As to the Antiquity of the Lent-Fast and the Observation of it as a learned Man tells us it is like the River Nilus we can scarce find out its Head it being mention'd by Ignatius and Irenaeus two of St. John's Scholars also by Origen who lived not long after them also in the famous Council of Nice where they mention the Forty Days of Lent as a thing known and long observed before that time How far our Blessed Saviour did approve of the Performance of this Christian Duty both by his Practice and Doctrine is too evident to be denied But certainly if we had not the aforesaid Evidence of the Sacred Scriptures and Antiquity no Man of Reason and Conscience who believes he hath an Immortal Soul capable of Eternal Happiness or Misery Reward or Punishment can doubt but that the Religious Observation of this Time of Lent by Fasting Abstinence and Self-denial calling our selves to an Account of our Lives serious Consideration and Repentance hath a wise and great tendency to the promoting of Piety and Vertue in us for as one tells us that in truth to a good Man Vita est Reflectio And therefore to be most wisely recommended to our Observation this Holy Time of Lent in Commemoration of our Great Lord and Master the Blessed Jesus his Fasting Forty Days and Forty Nights Which Intention of the Church is fully expressed in her Collect for the First Sunday in Lent viz. O Lord who for our sakes didst fast Forty Days and Forty Nights give us Grace to use such Abstinence that our Flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy Godly Motions in Righteousness and true Holiness to thy Honour and Glory c. And it is a thing acknowledged by all Men That the grand Reason and Ground of the Prevalency of Vice and Wickedness in the World is chiefly and principally from the want of sober serious and wise Consideration this being most true That inconsiderate Men are wicked Men. For Men are led by their sensual Appetites and Passions which stick close to them and indeed are so great a part of themselves that it lays Reason many times asleep It much concerns us to exercise Reason and serious Consideration as well as Faith And it hath been found by Experience that wise and great Instructor of Mankind that the strict and religious Observation of this Time of Lent hath proved to be a mighty Restraint to Irreligion and Prophaneness and Debauchery yea even in those Places where Men are most exquisite in Wickedness That it hath been matter of Admiration and Wonder to Travellers to see such a change of Manners and what an Outward Appearance there is among them of Demureness and Sobriety Seriousness and Devotion I shall give it you in the words of that learned and excellent Person of our own Country Sir Edwin Sandys in his Europae Speculum where speaking of Italy he saith That notwithstanding the abounding of Vice among them yet during the Time of Lent the People of all sorts are then much reformed no such Blasphemy nor dirty Speaking as before their Vanity of all sorts laid reasonably aside their Pleasures abandon'd their Apparel their Diet and all things else composed to Austerity and a state of Penitence they have daily then their Preaching with Collections of Alms whereto all Men resort and to judge of them by their outward shew they seem generally to have very great Remorse for their Wickedness insomuch saith he as I must confess I seemed unto my self in Italy to have best learn'd the right Use of Lent and there first to have discerned the great fruit of it and the Reason for which those Sages in the Church at first did institute it Neither can I saith he easily accord to the Fancies of such as because we ought at all times to lead a life worthy of our Profession that therefore it is Superstitious to have any Time wherein to exert or expect it more than other but do thus rather conceive that the Corruption of Times and the Wickedness of Man's Nature is so exorbitant that it was a hard matter to hold the ordinary sort of Men at all times within
make us the more to love God and our Neighbour and to have a greater Fervency and Zeal for all Christian Duties especially those of this Time of Lent and herein to exceed our Adversaries the Romanists for else they with their more corrupted Christianity will condemn us for our Abuse of our better Christianity we enjoy Now let us say to our selves every one of us O what a blessed and hapyy Advantage have I by this Opportunity now offer'd unto me by the Care of my Indulgent Mother the Church of England in appointing and constituting this Holy Fast of Lent for the Consideration and Examination of my Heart and all my Ways repenting of and confessing my Sins and obtaining Pardon for them and making of my Peace with God of renewing my Vows and Resolutions of Amendment of pouring forth my fervent and frequent Prayers and therein may endeavour after the mortifying my Passions Appetites and Lusts of quickening my Graces of consulting a Spiritual Guide of my Soul and that I may be conformed to the Image of the Blessed Jesus in Holiness and thereby to be insured of my Eternal Happiness by participating of the Holy Sacrament of his Body and Blood at the end of this Holy Fast How unworthy shall I be if I neglect to perform those Christian Duties required of me I will not slight or neglect them I will religiously spend my Time in diligent Examination of all my Sins repenting of them confessing and bewailing them and so make my firm Resolutions of Amendment I will certainly cast them off with abhorrence and detestation I will be serious and wise I will Fast and learn now to deny my sensual Appetites and Lusts and then pray earnestly to God for his Grace and Spirit which he hath promised to them that earnestly beg it of him to enable me in my Christian Combat against all my Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil I will dispense my Alms liberally according to my Ability I will use my utmost endeavour to lay a Foundation in my Soul of the Fear and Love of God of solid Peace to my Soul and Mind and Conscience of sincere Piety and Vertue And by this means making this Holy Time of Lent a time of Traffick for my Souls Concerns and Necessities and thus answering the End of this Holy Fast for which it was design'd by the Church and then ply my Devotions and make use among others of that Prayer of a worthy Divine most excellent and comprehensive viz. GRant me most merciful God a fervent Zeal to desire such things as are most acceptable to thee and a faithful diligence to search after them give me wisdom to find them and thy grace to accomplish them to the praise and glory of thy holy Name Direct thou my Life that I may have both knowledge will and power always to do that which is most pleasing to thee and most expedient for my own soul Let my way to thee O Lord be sure streight and perfect that neither adversity nor prosperity make me fall away from thee that I be not puft up with pride with the one nor driven down into despair with the other but for the one give thanks and be with the other armed with patience that I may rejoyce in nothing but that which approacheth near to thee my blessed Jesus nor sorry for any thing but that which withdraweth me from thee that I desire to please or displease none but thee and for thee that all transitory things may for thy sake be of no reputation with me and whatsoever is agreeable to thy will may be delightful to mine and thou my God above all things that I may have no joy besides thee nor desireof any thing but thee Let all labour delight me that is taken for thee and all ease be unpleasant that is without thee make me lift up my heart often to thee and when I forget thee give me grace to call to mind my sins with sorrow and full purpose of amendment Grant that I may be obedient without contradiction patient without murmuring pure without corruption humble without counterfeiting chearful without levity sad without dejection true without doubleness fearing thee without despair To do good works but not to presume telling my neighbour his fault without flattery instructing him both by word and example without scorning or taunting Grant me most loving Lord a watchful mind which no worldly thought may divert from thee a constant spirit which no evil affection or wicked suggestion may withdraw from thee a heart so stable that no trouble may overcome me and so free from vice that sin may challenge no place in me Grant me O Lord understanding to know thee wisdom to find thee conversation to please thee that I may faithfully persevere in loving thee to the end and finally ever enjoy thee And in respect of thy most grievous Pains suffered upon the Cross for me that I may willingly suffer penance and all tribulation for thee Give me O Lord thy grace in this transitory life and in the world to come make me partaker of the reward and heavenly joy through the precious Blood of that Immaculate Lamb our only Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and One God be all Honour and glory World without end Amen And considering we live in an Age that the World is become so much Knave as one speaks that it is a Crime to be Honest although the wise Heathens accounted Honesty the greatest Good and the only Good and that Truth and Honesty seems to be fled to Heaven and that Interest and Profit governs all let us not forget in our Prayers earnestly to beg of God that they may return among us and that Old England's Honesty may come once again in repute among us which caused Men to think that Sola honesta utilia i. e. That only honest things are profitable So that one Ounce of Honesty was of more worth than a Pound of Cunning And let us cry out with that wise Heathen Seneca O quantum mali est nimium subtilitatis O what a great mischief is too much Cunning And may I make this further Addition to the former Discourse being very pertinent to it and what a worthy Author discourses to us viz. That the great Erâ—and of our coming into the World is but to prepare our selves for a better and that all the Business of a Parish Priest or Minister is not confined to the Pulpit but that there is other Business if the People would think of it wherein to employ Men of that Profession To tell you what I mean saith he not in mine own but his expressions who knew better what belong'd to the Court of Conscience meaning the worthy Prelate Bishop Andrews who in his Eighth Sermon of Repentance and Fasting saith I take it to be a great Error to think the Fruits of Repentance and the worth of them to be a matter any