that punctually the same four Ember-weeks or fasts and also the following solemn Ordinations are in those four self-same seasons and appointed times in this Church of England which were in the Church more then 1200 years since In the same place he adds of those Faâ—…s before the Ordinations Intelligentes divinis nihil vacuum esse praeceptâ—…s understanding that nothing viz. of such things is left devoid of the Divine precepts But as I above yeilded though the Church be guided alwayes by the Spirit of God in some seâ—…se yet the aâ—…ing of those Fasts and Ordinations to those determinate times 〈◊〉 be thought was not of Apostolical Tradition as the Fasts to be â—…fore the Ordinations were â—…or after all this said by Leo we shâ—…â—…inde him also confess as much in his fifth Serm. de Iejun dâ—…mi â—…ensis Huic autem operi dilectissimi cùm jaâ—… oppâ—…rtuna sint tempora hâ—…c nunc praecipuè aptum est atque conveniens in quo S. Patres nâ—…tri divinitùs inspiraâ—…i dâ—…cimi â—…nsis sauxère â—…unium ut omniuâ—…â—…ructuum collectione conclusâ—… 〈◊〉 Deo abstinentiâ—… 〈◊〉 For this work my Beloved as all times are opportune 〈◊〉 is this most agreeable and fit in which our holy Fathers inspired from God have â—…ecreed the Fast of the tenth moneth to be that the gâ—…ing of all the fruits being concluded a reasonable abstinence by us should be dedicated to God Before Leo the Great 's time Athanasius the Great in his Apologie for his flight mentions how the people in the Week after the holy Pentecost having finished their Fasts went to pray c. We proceed now to such Fasts of Tradition Apostolical as are by Tradition of Counsel onely and recommendation not of Precept such as are first those which were ever in the Christian Church from the Apostles times the Stations of the fourth and sixth day of the Week Wednesdays and Fridayes wont to be Fasted unto the ninth hour our three a Clock in the Afternoon after the example of Cornelius's Fast called Stationum semi-plena jejunia And secondly such is some degree of the extent of the Fast of Lent as the Abstinence to be continued throughout forty dayes the proper Fast of somewhat like the measure of three weeks in Imitation of Daniel's Fast the stricter and more rigorous Fast of all the six dayes in the last Great Week all which seems to have been ever in the Church from the Apostles times as Tradition Apostolical but ex arbitrio non ex praecepto Apostolorum praestanda as shall be shewn in the seventh Chapter Here we will speak of the former the stations of the fourth and sixth days of the Week For which omitting that of Ignatius ad Philippenses I first alledge the Churches practice in Tertullian's time which he contending with her witnesseth and takes as a thing confessed by her to argue from lib. de Iejuniis c. 13. Ecce enim convenio vos praeter Pascha jejunantes citra illos dies quibus ablatus est sponsus Stationum semi-jejunia interponentes verò interduÌ„ pane aquâ victitantes ut cuique visum est Denique respondetis haec ex Arbitrio agenda non ex Imperio And c. 10. Aequè stationes nostras ut indictas h. e. praecepto omnibus praestitutas quasdam verò in serum constitutas novitatis nomine accusant Hoc quoque munus ex Arbitrio obeundum esse dicentes non ultra nonam detinendum viz. publicè in Ecclesiâ de suo sc. more Non quasi respuamus nonam cui quartâ sabbati sextâ plurimuÌ„ fungimur Venit enim horae nonae observatio de exitu Domini Itaque in eam usque horam celebranda pressura est in quâ à sextâ coÌ„tenebratus orbis deâ—…uncto Domino lugubre fecit officium ut tunc nos revertamur ad jucunditatem cum mundus recepit claritatem And c. 2. Quae ipsae stationes suos quidem dies habeant quartae feriae sextae passivè tamen currant neque sub lege praecepti From which witness we observe these confessed truths 1. That both the Church and the Montanists did then and had before observ'd these stations of the fourth and sixth day 2. That the Church answered so to his Accusation of her that those stations she did indeed and would still recommend to her Children but ex Arbitrio non ex Imperio agenda ut passivè currentia non ut sub legeâ—… praecepti as matter of Counsel not of Precept which they that do not observe sin not but they do better that observe And therefore she accus'd Tertullian and the Montanists of Novelty for enjoyning them by Precept as well as for producing them to the evening beyond the three a clock in the Afternoon as by Tradition they both had received 3ly That her days of publick Fasts were constituted and prescribed unto her already by God in the Gospel viz. these in which the Bridegroom was taken away hos esse jam solos legitimos jejuniorum Christianorum dies that Tertullian objected to the Church that she who stood upon it that she had received those and no other dayes or â—…asts from the Apostles but those onely 1. On which the Bridegroom was taken away for the Church had reply'd c. 2. Apostolos nullum aliud imponentes jugum certorum in commune omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum And that she yet observ'd those stations which Tertullian thought in no sense were the dayes on which the Bridegroom was taken away When yet both the dayes themselves did the hour of breaking up the Fast did in Tertullian's own acknowledgment derive it's observation from the Bridegrooms taking away â—…or so are his words c. 10. Not as if we refuse the ninth hour for the observation of that hour comes from the Lords departure out of the world or giving up of the Ghost Therefore they were in sadness till that hour and then did partake of the Refection as the world was in darkness from the sixth hour to the ninth and then light return'd Not many years after Tertullian Clemens of Alexandria in his seventh book of Strâ—…mata thus speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He knows the mysteries also of the Fasts of these dayes of the fourth day of the week and of the day before the Sabbath which are called Wednesday and Friday Now the riddle or mysteries of those dayes which he mentions is but the reference to the Bridegroom 's taking away as S. Augustin and Epiphanius will anon tell us And so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the same sense spoken as S. Ambrose above calls the dayes of Lent dies Mysticos dayes of mystical meaning soon after that Clement Origen hom 10 in Lev. 16. Nec hoc tamen dicimus ut abstinentiae Christianae fraena laxemus Habemus enim Quadragesimae dies jejuniis consecratos habemus quartam sextam septimanae dies quibus solenniter jejunamus We have saith he after
Now impossible it is that any such should be publick and to continue and relate to any such fixed and universal cause but this of our Lords Passion through perpetual ages to be remembred by publick memorial fasts which cannot be continual nor accidental therefore by set solemn and recurring fasts so as we have seen that cause the memory of our Lords Passion to have given foundation universally to all ages and parts of the Catholick Church both for her weekly stations Stationum semijejunia on the 4 th and 6 th day of the week till 3. a clock and of her annual Paschal or Lenten Fast about the time of her Lords Crucifixion And whereas our Lord hath said of his Disciples which are or shall be such indeed that in those daies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall and will fast what the Church doth and hath done ever since that foretold by the Lord when he said they would then fast must needs be the best interpretation of what the Lord said they would do He said it in those daies they will fast hath the Church done what he said they would or will any say nay Learn we the Churches daies on which she ever since hath and doth and professeth that she will fast and we must needs have the true meaning of this prediction in these words of her Lord who could not be deceived In those daies they will fast 5 ly Be therefore my fifth reason this following Christians will not fast none can expect they will on any publick set solemn daies of fasting which was the thing here call'd for by the Scribes from their own alledged example and that of Iohn's Disciples also except they do agree upon such daies But if every man was to be left to understand what he please by these words The daies when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them as Aerius had his sense of them and Iovinian his and Vigilantius his and none bound to the Churches sense of them we should have no means left us possibly to agree and so to meet on any daies at all by force of these words or any other one universal cause and so should we never meet in any publick solemn fast at all no not for so publick fix'd a cause as the taking away of the Bridegroom once for the sins of the whole world The Churches teaching then her sense of her Lords words by her rules comments and practise must silence these men as her Lords prediction of her practise did silence the Scribes and Pharisees yea and some other better meaning Disciples St. Iohn's also cunningly drawn in as is usual by the enemies of the Lord and his Church to joyn in expostulations cavils and quarrels against them Reason and experience and the direction of all wise men in the Church of God ancient and modern the house of Wisdome Councels Reverend Fathers and Writers and our a Since the Reformation Lib. Canonum Eccles. Anglican Anno 1571. Videbunt ne quid unquam doceant pro concione quod à populo religiose teneri credi velint nisi quod consentanâ—…um â—…it doctrina veteris auâ—… Novi Testament quodque ex illâ—… ipsâ doctrinâ Catholici Patres veteres Episcopi collegerint Church in particular have directed and commanded us not to interpret Scripture in things of publick concernment to the Churches rule of believing and doing but as we finde it interpreted by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church as they had received it from those before them For that the leaving of every man to make any thing of any Text upon any device out of his own head to the founding any new and strange doctrine or practise as necessary there-from or to the opposing of any constantly received doctrine or practise of the Church Universal for in other matters they may happily with leave quietly abound in their own sense leaves all bold innovators which can but draw away disciples after them to be as much law-givers to the Church by their uncontrolable law-interpreting as any Pope or Enthusiast can or need pretend to be and hath been and ever will be to the end of the world the ground of most Heresies and Schisms brought into the Church by men who departing from the teaching and stable interpretation of the Church in their own instability and science falsely so called pervert the Scriptures to their own and others their obstinate followers destruction Here therefore I first joyn issue that the Church hath observed these daies of the Paschal fast as 't was called in the Ancient Church a Called also by some Antepaschale jejunium meaning the same thing or Lent-fast that is from the Saxon Dialect Spring-fast b lencâ—…en Sax. The Spring 〈◊〉 Lent ever since the times of these children of the Bride-chamber the Apostles of the Lord and ever since the taking away of the Lord the Bridegroom 2. That the Church hath done this hath observ'd this Paschal-fast as from the Apostles grounding their practise upon instruction Evangelical particularly also upon this Text now before us The time shall come when c. And then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those dayes they shall fast 1. For the Churches visible practise from the Apostles times if our Brethren shall say Shew us express example written in the following Scriptures which may interpret this text so or we are at liberty for the sense and practise they must be told what they cannot but freshly remember that so said the Brethren the Anabaptists one express example of baptizing Infants after that Sanction Iohn 3. 5. and Commission Matth. 28. v. 19. whereby to interpret such Sanction and Commission An express command as the Church thinks to baptize all Nations would not hold them So said the Socinians for their no necessity of baptizing at all in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Shew us one example in all the following Scriptures Acts and Letters of the Apostles of that form observed A direct command as we would think it could not bind up their liberty of interpreting it otherwise The history of all the following ages of the Church after the Apostles is little to them compared with the word of God in their own sense All those following were but men and these in their giving out the sense of the Scripture are more For our parts we finding the Bridegroom the Lord himself thus referring us to the practise of his known Disciples the children of the Bride-chamber In those daies they will fast not only they will teach on what daies men should fast and the Bride her self whose cause is most concern'd in it declaring to us her practise and assuring us she had received that her Practise from those friends of her Bridegroom and children of his marriage-chamber the Apostles that Bride also being as we know the Queen standing at his right hand the Mother of us all whose authority is above all mothers
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
the Manuscript copies This was to be said not for the diminishing the honour of those two holy Bishops of Rome Telesphorus and Pius of the former whereof Irenaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil l. de Sp. sancto c. 29. thus writeth l. 3. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Telesphorus succeeded Xystus and gloriously fulfilled Martyrdome The same might be shewn of Pius the next Bishop save one to Telesphorus who was martyred two years after S. Iustin Martyr Yet this honour of such Institutions belongs not to them as their own successors also acknowledge viz. that the Institution of the Paschal Fast was from the Apostles delivery and that of Easter on the Lords day from the Apostles also particularly from S. Peter and S. Paul as Victor himself also Bishop of Rome and Martyr in the Primitive Ages doth plead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They did not think it meet to dishonour the Tradition of Peter and Paul Soz. l. 7. c. 19. Another conceit by some is taken up as if the Fast of Lent were not the Paschal Fast because Tertullian doth not any where call the Paschal Fast Quadragesima so endeavouring from a negative argument of one Authors not using that one word which they call for to divide those fasts that they might weaken their forces But first it is the Paschal Fast that is prefixed in our proposition see pag. 24. where secondly I have shewn also that the Paschal Fast being confessedly by the Lawes of the Church the Spring-fast to attend the vernal Equinox as all ancient Books and Rules do witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lent fast is but the Saxon for that Spring-fast And of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quadragesima beside the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned in Irenaeus's Epistle to Victor elder then Tertullian of which more hereafter and Origen not many years after Tertullian his Habemus Quadraginta dies jejuniis consecratos of which before that this was by the Ancients delivered as the same with the Paschal Fast. I speak not here of a precept unto all of strict fasting 40 daies untill each evening I first alledge the 69 th Canon Apostolical the Authors of w ch Canon call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cum labore quadragesimam ante Pascha quinquagesimam post pascha celebramuâ—… S. August tract 17. in Iâ—…h the holy Quadragesimal Fast of Pasche The great Athanasius in his Epistle ad Orthodoxos writeth on this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These things were done in the holy Quadragesimal Fast it self about the Pasche or near Easter when the Brethren i. e. the Christians were in fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor did they reverence the Lords day it self of the holy Feast And he here supposing a great violence offer'd to the Churches order thus stirs up the Christians in the same Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ye therefore mov'd also I beseech you lest after a while both the Canons and the faith of the Church be destroy'd for both are in danger except speedily God by you reform the transgressions and the Church be vindicated For not now first were the Canons and Rules of the Church delivered but they have been fairly delivered down and firmly of our Fathers nor did the Faith now first begin c. That therefore those things which have been preserv'd in the Churches even until our times from them of old may not now be lost in our daies c. Be ye stirred up Brethren c. This I have the rather set down at large because in that great abundance of 10. witnesses in that one age of the Councel of Nice I have not hitherto alledg'd ought from Athanasius and here my chief use of him is to shew that from the very first beginnings of Christianity he had received no other Paschal Fast then that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Fast Quadragesimal whereof the Great week was indeed a distinctly eminent and principal part but a part as appears alsâ—… by all the Paschal Homilies of Cyril of Alexandria in number 22. by me above alledg'd Yea Socrates himself who is thought the least friend to this Fast of Lent as he is miserably abus'd in English by false translation and himself in part mistaken as we shall shew hereafter in the Appendix yet l. 5. c. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where he grants that both those in Rome and those in Illyrium and in all Greece and in Alexandria kept a Fast of many weeks not one only whether six or three and that Fast they call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Quadragesimal and he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Paschal Fast. And a little before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Paschal Fastings If happily it be the sense of some words of Epiphanius that the Quadragesimal Fast or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did determine before the beginning of the Great week of Fastings which is oft called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although Petavius deny that to be the sense of Epiphanius I shall not contend but say that if such was his sense he was almost singular therein And that from his professed value of the Pseudo-Apostolical Constitutions which have borrowed the name of Clement as Collector who never saw them nor some ages after him I have reason to suppose that Epiphanius took up this opinion from the 5. l. 12. cap. of those Pseudo Apostolical constitutions which first broach'd this conceit Whereas the sacred 6 th Councel Oecumenical can 2. though giving high honour to the Canons Apostolical rejected in express terms the Authority of those Constitutions a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Having thus clear'd the consent of the Generality of the Fathers and the great number of undeniable witnesses by me produc'd in the first 7. Ages after the decease of the last of the Apostles so uniformly witnessing that the Paschal Fast of Lent was ever observed in the Church as from the Apostles and from Evangelical Instruction I desire to know what is sufficient if this be not to prove a Tradition Apostolical if any shall hope to render the use of the Fathers useless as to make any evidence herein because forsooth they can alledge that some one Father or other hath sometime call'd somewhat Tradition Apostolical which indeed was not I answer It was the Generality of the consent of other Fathers to the contrary at least the silence of all other Fathers therein and many of those primitive Ages of the Church knowing nothing thereof that let 's us then know such not to have been Tradition Apostolical which in our cause is all otherwise Where beside the uniform custome and solemn practise of the Church of all Ages and places for some Paschal Fast close upon the Vernal Equinox which we therefore call the Fast of Lent or Spring the positive Testimony of those Fathers hath been shew'd so general and consenting that perhaps themselves who