one go about to show it if they think it was oâ—… can be shewn yet observed 〈◊〉 by the whole Catholick Church came at 〈◊〉 from the 〈◊〉 â—…n St Austâ—… judgment 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pâ—…ssio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritûs Sancâ—… ANNIVERSARIA SOLENNâ—…TATE celebraâ—… Et siquid aliud 〈◊〉 â—…ccurrit quod servatur ab universa quacunque se 〈◊〉 Ecclesia As that THE PASSION OF THE LORD his Resuâ—…rection and Ascention and the coming of the Holy Ghost from Heaven are celebrated by an anniversary soâ—…mnity And if there occur any other â—…ch thing saith he which is observed â—…y the Universal Church 〈◊〉 ever it is dâ—…ffused Sâ—…quid 〈◊〉 â—…ta per orbem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nâ—…m â—…c quâ—…n â—…ta â—…ciendum sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… insantae est If any of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church the whole Church through the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of viz through the many ages of it to dâ—…spure against the doing of that is the part â—… 〈◊〉 insolent madness But perhaps we should not thus expostulate with the frowardness appearing in many I speak of the many late sects of this lately most unhappy Nation For Theophilus the renowned Patriark of Alexandria in his 1. Paschal Epistle hath foretold as much when speaking of this Paschal Fast as above Provocantur homines cum Ecclesiâ Primitivorum Dominicae Passionis Festa celebrare Men are invited to keep the celebrity of the Lords Passion with the Church of the Primitive Saints He addes Non est non est Haereticorum ulla solennitas It is not saith he it is not the guise of Hereticks to keep any of the Churches solemnities There is therefore one part of the context of my Text Luke 5. 30. which I do not pretend ever to be able to satisfie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Pharisees murmured against the Disciples of Christ. It were enough for the Jews this to oppose But though there was no such Paschal Fast before the Pasch of the Jewes yet for all that we know there was authority sufficient in and under the New Testament to add this observance Our Lord calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An additament of a new garment I have shewed you the substance and circumstance of the duty here prescribed I have given you an account of the Fasting of Iohn and his Disciples of Christ our Lord and his Disciples of the Scribes and Pharisees also with their Disciples which are all the persons that enâ—…red the Drame of this Text I have caution'd you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That we fast not in hypocrisie liker unto the Pharisees but I know none excused from the Duty it self but such only whom those words of Christ may in some sence reach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They cannot fast Of all other good Christians he hath said In those dayes they shall fast they will fast He said it I say who both could command them what should be their duty to do and could foresee what faithfully and certainly they would do Those dayes what they were they could know what they took themselves to be commanded to do and by whom and on what dayes and what they have done ye have heard That this precious new-wine even for the more precious old wines sake may not be poured out spilt or lost for that cause I have made this profusion of sand and labour that no vessels old or new may perish is my hearts desire and prayer FINIS Deo Gloria The Appendix CHAP. I. Of the Churches Fasts in General AS Almighty God in the beginning created Man to glorifie and serve him both in his body with the bodily appetites and senses thereof and in his spirit with its intellectual knowledge and will both which are Gods 1 Cor. 6. ult and c. 7. 34. and Iames 2. ult and Man soon departed from God in his first Fall by a Rebellion in both those brâ—…king his first express Command both to gratifie his own bodily appetite and sense and his inordinate desire of being made wise to know good and evil as it is written Gen. 3. 6. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise she took of the fruit thereof and did eat and gave also unto her husband with her and he did eat And as in mens personal acquired corruptions men farther depart from God by pleasing obeying and fulfilling both the lusts of their flesh lusting against the Spirit of God and the vanity of their own blinded fleshly and corrupt mindes there through boâ—…h bearing enmity with God by their carnality or law in their members leading them captive to the law of sin so as that they obey it in the lusts thereof and also alienated and enemies in their minde by wicked works Col. 1. 21. So in our Recurning unto our heavenly Father we cannot hope for reconciliation or peace with him but by being renewed both in the spirit of our mindes by a new and contrite heart and spirit and also by the mortification and subduing of our flesh crucifying it with the sensuality affections and lusts thereof Agreeable hereto the holy Church of Christ in her begetting and bearing Children unto God hath according to the wisdom taught her from God conjoyned together both the earnest Preachings of Repentance which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a change of the minde or renewing of the spirit or inward man and bodily fastings or mortifications And because the minde or spirit of man cannot always be in its exaltation nor continually in its troubled state of contrite sorrowfulness nor yet the flesh or body bear either continual feasts of fulness nor if we speak of the greater sort of Christian people perpetual fastings and severities Therefore the Church the common Mother of us all hath as she hath been taught by the Holy Ghost in all Ages prescribed to her Children set times of feasts and fastings Of her fasts we are now farther to entreat Fasting or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is commonly contra-distinguished to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hunger 2 Cor. 11. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In hunger and thirst in fastings often and chap â—… vers 4. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In necessities and distresses in labours in watchings in fastings In this acception of the word Fasting is a voluntary denying our selves our wonted lawful refections and pleasures of the body But yet neither are all Fasts religious Fasts nor all religious Fasts Ecclesiastical or the Churches Fasts Religious Fasting is a voluntary denying our selves as to some measure of time quantity or quality or rather all these together our wonted lawful bodily refections and pleasures and other worldly delights for better humiliation of the soul and mortification and subduing of the flesh to the spirit toward the obtaining mercy favour from God in some evil deprecated
know but evidently the Providence of God disposed him to that Vision by something a longer delayed and increased hunger In all this some time is spent beyond Noon and a hunger raised beyond ordinary However popularly speaking since it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it might be called St. Peter's Fast till Noon Here you mentioning your selves and your temperance and something of Princes and Students and some Tradesmen not all surely seem to forget that the Fast of Lent as St. Bernard may have taught us was intended ordinarily for the generality of all Christians in ordinary strength of years and body when not in the accident of extraordinary labour so that the ordinary labourers are herein included 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. 〈◊〉 Bâ—…shop Moâ—… 〈◊〉 Appeaâ—… p. 310 l. 2. c. 24 The Romanists free all â—…der twenty years of age c. and whosoever are imployed in bodily 〈◊〉 The Protestants charge all Christians to fast some time so far as the â—…ndifferent â—…bility of Nature permits who are known necessarily to require their mornings repast as our Saviour in his morning-Travel Mat. 21. 18 19. Now forasmuch as Fasting is properly a voluntary substraction of food in such a degree as may afflict the body let any judge whither if the ordinary labourers are to bear some part in the Churches common Fast though not in that degree that sedentary men and the like are and if they shall extend their Fast but to St. Peter's time of eating in that Text Acts 10. whither it shall not be to them a Fast A greater voluntary Affliction of their body then other mens abstaining till night And so St. Peters Fast in respect of some in the Church concerned in her Fast for ought you have said needed not to be an occasion of your magnifying your temperance or fear of bringing the Clergy under suspition of intemperance by calling your ordinary wholesome temperance by the name of Peter's Fast. * Bâ—…sh Andrewes Seâ—…m 5 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Fasting page 225. Petâ—…rs Fast they find and that is the lowest he was fasting till past the sixth hour till then Thus inâ—… â—…he â—…he Church is for thesâ—… are not without example in Scripture we see not unknown to 〈◊〉 When Daniels Fast is described Chap. 10. for ought we can perceive the abstinence in quality of his Dyet that neither flesh nor wine came into his mâ—…uth and that he ate no pleasant bread c. till three full weeks were fulfilled with diminution of his food no doubt without any mention of his food delaid till evening is there called the chastening of his body Lastly We come to the Act of Parliament concerning which you thus begin your Reply If when the expres words of a Statute c. are cited Who would not herein think that our Brethren had brought some part of a Statute wherein the religious Fast of Lent as contain'd in our Common-Prayer-Book were expressed But there is no such matter Whereas your Answerers had produced an express Act of 1. Eliz. made on purpose to confirm their Common-Prayer-Book and every part of it and so to be sure the twenty five leaves thereof that contain all things whatsoever the Common-Prayer-Book hath of the Religious Fast of Lent That Act adding severe Penalties against any person or persons whatsoever that shall by any open words declare or speak any thing in derogation of the same Book or any thing therein contained or any part thereof Such as the twenty five leaues concerning the Religious Fast of Lent undeniably is and your very proposal supposes On the other side the Act by you mentioned speaks not any word of any thing mentioned in any part of the Common-Prayer-Book Except you think that when the Church prayes that we may use such godâ—…y abstinence that the flesh may be â—…ubdued to the Spirit c. that such godly abstinence cannot be but bâ—… the difference of fish and flesh the only thing 〈◊〉 there which were a superstition grosser then the Papists are guâ—… of so that we have a whole Act standing in force on purpose madâ—… 〈◊〉 defend amongst other parts of our Liturgy the religious Fast of 〈◊〉 as it is in the Common Prayer-Book contained and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Eliz. relating only to the difference of fish and flesh of whâ—… there is no word in the common-Prayer you must now confeâ—…s to be wholly nothing to our question unless you medled beyond your commiâ—…ion touching Lent besides what it is set forth as a religious Fast in the Common-Prayer-Book But now because by this your discourse you have wronged the piety of our Laws and Acts of Parliament I proceed to make good against you that according to the Statutes of this Realm the commâ—…nd in Lent made not by the Common-Prayer-Book bâ—…t by the Statutes to foâ—…bear Flesh is declared by Acts of Parliament now in force to be partly for the subduing of the flesh to the Spirit and as a means to vertue and that in the Statute by you produced there is nothing to the contrary which that it may appear look over your Law again consult the Statute 5 Eliz. 5 and you shall find That there is nothing as to fasting in that Statute but these two things 1. The superaddition of Wednesday to the former Fish-dayes which part of the Statute stands repealed 3. Car. c. 4. 2. The increase of the penalty only upon any transgressors of the former Acts concerning Fish-dayes Both these that Statute declares to be only for political ends as other Politique Laws are and be viz. both the superaddition of Wednesday wherein they gave leave to have flesh also at Table so that the wonted fish were there served up also and also the augmented penalty to be only in favour to the political concernment and who think you believes that any forbearing of flesh or eating of fish mentioned in that Statute is of any necessity for the saving of the soul of man and yet that mentioned in the preamble of the 2. and 3. Edwardi 6. c. 19. may be and is a mean to vertue and to subdue the flesh unto the Spirit which is not at all mentioned in this of 5. Eliz. 5. as to the constituting and enacting part but only as to another penalty upon the other the politick end Ask the learned in the Law whither that of the 2. and 3. Edward 6. c. 19. were repealed by this but of that you were wise to take no notice at all 3. No Act did not repeal in any word any part of that 2. and 3. Edvardi 6. c. 19. But in all Acts touching dayes of Abstinence as 5 and 6. Edward 6. c. 3. great regard is had by a special clause that none should mistake as if the present Act did extend to abrogate or take away the Abstinence in Lâ—…nt commanded in the Act of 2. and 3. Edward 6. c. 19. Now therefore hear you the words of the Statute 2. and 3. Edwar. 6. c. 19. Albeit the Kings
Subjects now having a more perfect and clear light of the Gospel and true word of God through the infinite mercy and clemency of Almighty God by the hands of the Kings Majesty and his most noble Father of famous memory promulgate sheweâ—… declared and opened and thereby perceiving that one day or one meat of it self is not more holy more pure or more clean then another for that all dayes and all meats be of their nature of one equal purity cleanness and holiness and that all men should by them live to the glory of God and at all times and for all meats give thanks unto him of which meats none can defile 〈◊〉 men or make them unclean at any time to whom all meaâ—…s be lâ—…wfull and pure so that they be not used in disobedience or vice yet for â—…smuch a diveâ—… of the Kings Subjects turning their knowledge therein to satisfie their sensuality when they should thereby ere case in vertue have of late time more then in times past broken and contemned such Abstinence which hath been used in thâ—… Reâ—…lm upon the Friday and Saturday the Embring dayes and other days commonly câ—…lled Vâ—…gils and in the time commonly callâ—… 〈◊〉 and â—…her accustomed times the Kings Majesty considering Thâ—… due and godly 〈◊〉 is a mean to vertue and to subdue mens bodies to their soul and spirit and considering also that Fishers and men using the Traâ—… of living by Fishing in the Sea may thereby the rather be set on work and that by eating of Fish much flesh shall be saved and encreâ—…ed and also for divers other considerations and commodities of this Realm doth Ordain and Enact with the assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Common 〈◊〉 this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That no person or persons of what 〈◊〉 degree 〈◊〉 condition he or they be shall at any time after the fist day of May in the year of our Lord God 1549. willingly and wittingly eat any manner of flesh after what manner of kind or sort soever it shall be ordered dressed or used upon any Fridy or Saturday or the Embring dayes or in any day in the time commonly called Lent c. The scope and reason and motive of which Law if it be considered according to the principal end of it subduing the flesh to the Soul and Spirit for there is added another end also which was political may well admonish us though it was hard to contain the particulars in a Law to abstain also at such times of Mortification from whatsoever food else is more delicate costly of hotter nature and of higher nourishment The formers of that Law which is now the Law of out Land had no doubt before their eyes the approbation of God and his gracious answer to Daniel so chastening himself as in the holy Scripture is described I ate no pleasant bread neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth Dan 10. 2 3 12. which that Ministers of Gods Word should not as well have before their eyes as our civil Magistrate is a great shame But if you look back to the Common-Prayer-Book which was the matter of your Commission and of your grand debate as you call it and of your Proposal there if you think the Act of Parliament ratifying and establishing the Common-Prayer-Book and therein the religious Fast of Lent designed the end to be the service of God no otherwise then as other Political Laws are and be you should evidently contradict that Act of Parliament which professes there and then an establishment of the order of the publick and divine service and should imagin the prayer for the first Sunday of Lent to have the suspition of such a sense as this O Lord who for our sakes didst fast forty dayes and forty nights give us grace to use such abstinence that our seafaring men and Mariners and young Cattle and the like may be maintained how worthy a conceit were this To conclude this Chapter for the substance of the Paschal or Lent-Fast we have heard To name no more now then S. Austine Habet Authoritatem in veteribus libris ex Evangelio Epist 119. praecipitur enim nobis ex lege ex Prophetis ex ipso Evangelio idem ad Psal. 110. and the same also l. 30. con Faustum c. 3 5. avowing Abstinence from some sort of meats of Delicacy and higher nourishment Flesh c. Edomandi corporis â—…usa propter corporis castigationem sicut saith he per Quadragesimam fere omnes to be commanded from the Apostles and the Prophets you have tried it now as to the kind of flesh or fish by our Law and let the Reader judge of the Issue CHAP. 9. The judgment which the Ancient Fathers made of such as opposed the Churches set Fasts or Feasts and particularly this Paschal or Lent-Fast SAint Augustine in his Book of Heresies n. 53. writing of the Aërians thus saith Aëriani ab Aerio quodam sunt nominati qui in Arrianorum haeresim lapsus propria quoque dogmata addiâ—…isse nonnulla fertur dicens nec statuta solenniter celebranda esse jejunia sed cùm quisque voluerit jejunandum ne videatur esse sub lege dicebat etiam Presbyterum ab Episcopo nullâ differentiâ debere discerni That is the Aërians are named from one Aërius who having fallen into the Heresie of the Arrians did add thereto some opinions of his own affirming that the solemn set Fasts were not to be observed but that every man was to fast when he pleased least he should seem to be under the law He also said that there was no difference to be put between a Priest and a Bishop And n. 82. of the same Book he thus saith of the Iovinianists A Ioviniano quodam monachâ—… illa haeresis orta est aetate nostrâ cum adhuc juvenes essemus dicebat non aliquid prodesse jejunia vel a cibis aliquibus abstinentiam cito tamen illa haeresis oppressa extincta est nec usque ad dâ—…eptionem aliquorum sacerdotum potuit pervenire That is the Heresie of the Jovinianists in my time when I was young sprang from one Iovinian A MONK who said that fasting and abstinence from certain meats was not at all profitable But this herefie was soon extinct and proceeded not so far as to deceive any Priests Iohannes Damascenus in his 6. Book of Heresies writeth thus of the Aërians or Eustachians Aëriani ab Aërio Pontico fuit autem sacerdos Eustachii Episcopi Arriani filius ejus Eustachij qui jejunium feriâ quartâ sexta quadraginta diebus servari pascha celebrari prohibet Stata haec damnat omnia quod si quis jejunium servare velit id ab eo certis statisque diebus servari negat oportere sed quando volet negat enim se lege teneri negat etiam quicquam inter Presbyterum Episcopum interesse That is the Aërians were named of Aerius of
of an Apostolical Tradition p. 132 Instance of some Apostolical Traditions p. 530 Objections answered p. 146 to 160 Those of the Presbyterians especially in the whole fifth seventh and eighth Chapters of the Appendix An Answer to that which the Presbyterians object out of Irenaeus p. 461 to 479 An Answer to 3 Texts of Antiquity not objected or mentioned by the Presbyterians viz. One of S. Chrysostom's one of S. Hierom's one of Victor Antiochenus p. 487 to 495 An Answer to the Presbyterians Objections out of Antiquity at large Chap. 7 How Socrates in pursuance of the Novatian Canon of Indifferency spake loosly and differently from the Church of the Churches Set-Fasts and Feasts c. 7 An Answer to the rest of the Presbyterian Objections and to their pretence of an Act of Parliament Chap. 8 Of the pretence of tender Consciences p. 239 Fasting Defined p. 434 183 189 Why Saturday in many ages and places no fasting-day p. 237 Fasting often most healthful for the body p. 158 9 In what sense this Fast commanded and in what sense not commanded but recommended p. 136 p 496 In what sense the observance of 40 daies was of constitution only Ecclesiastical p. 487 to 495 In what regard the 40 daies of the Quadragesima were of Apostolical recommendation c. 6 The number of 40 daies p. 161 2 3. How the 40 daies may be said to be an Imitation of the Lords Fast Chap. 8. of the Appendix The ancient observation of Good-friday p. 467. The Ancients in the number of their daies of stricter fasting imitated p. 448 Daniel's fast p. 168 to 170 The stricter fast of the great week before Easter p. 48. p. 96 Lent the Fast of the Spring fitly p. 160 Some strictures of the Fathers elogies or praises of fasting p. 215 to 226 Nine reasons alledged for the so great Encomium's of the Fathers given of fasting p. 227 to 234. The eight Requisites or rules how fasting is to be performed p. 171 to 215 The conjunction of it with Repentance p. 174 to 187 The conjunction of it With watchings humi-cubations c. 195 to 198 The conjunction of it With Iustice. p. 198 The conjunction of it With Alms p. 199 to 202 The conjunction of it With prayers hearing of Gods Word c. p. 202 The ancient rule of fasts that excluded flesh excluded wine also p. 193 Fasting not the principal duty p. 236 -7 Moderation in fasting to be observed p. 155 -6 -7. p. 164 to 170 Four reasons which excuse from fasting p. 157 Concerning the Fast of 40 hours p. 462 to 469 Of the Churches Fasts in general Chap. 1. of the Appendix The distribution of the Fasts of the Church into their several kinds in respect of their Institution Chap. 2 Of the several Fasts of the Church or also other religious fasts as to their measure of time Chap. 3. How the Paschal or Lent-fast is as hath been shewn Apostolical Chap. 4 The ancient Fasts of the Stations vix of the fourth and sixth daies of the week p. 441 to 444 The Fasts of Ember-weeks before the Ordinations p. 438 to 440 The Fasts of the Vigils p. 437 The Fasts appointed by Christian Princes and whiles yet there were no Christian Princes by Bishops p. 436 Fasts or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or superpositions till the dawn of the next day or Cock-crowing p. 446. Fast of 1 day 2 daies 3 daies 5 daies 7 daies 15 daies 3 weeks 6 weeks 40 daies p. 446 to 449 Admonition to Him that will think fit to reply p 514 p. ult They which condemn Anniversary set-feasts evidently condem the practise of the purest primitive Church and are found condemners of the Apostles themselves by an undeniable Record p. 477 -8 The judgement of the Ancients concerning such as opposed the Ch Set-fasts Ch. 9 The judgement of 4 Reverend Prelates of our Church Chap. 10 The table of the names of the chief daies of Lent and of some following in the Eaâ—… and Western Churches S. LUKE 5. 35 -38. But the daies will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those daies And he spake also a parable unto them No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old if otherwise then both the new maketh a rent and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old And no man putteth new wine into old bottles else the new wine will burst the bottles and be spilled and the bottles shall perish But new wine must be put into new bottles and both are preserved THe Scribes and Pharisees saith St. Luke St. Iohn's Disciples saith St. Matthew St. Iohn's Disciples and the Pharisees together saith St. Mark came to our Saviour and by way of exception said Why do the Disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but thine fast not They did not because they could not say but thou fastest not Not the Devil himself might deny what he had felt that the Lord had as Iohn himself had not at any time and Moses and Elias but by his strength fasted 40. daies and 40. nights His frequent exercise of fasting is witnessed in two mystical Psalms understood of Christ Psal. 69. v. 9 10. The zeal of thy house hath even eaten me c. I wept and chastened my self with fasting and that was turned to my reproach And Psal. 109. v. 23 24. My knees are weak through fasting my flesh is dryed up for want of fatness I became also a reproach unto them The context of which verses and the ancient Fathers Commentaries on those Psalms are our warrant that David in spirit spake them of Christ. On Psal. 69. St. Hilary thus writeth This Psalm contains the prophesie of the sufferings of our Lord where besides the gall they gave him to eat and the vinegar to drink v. 21. the abstinence of his fasting was turned to his reproach when tempted by the Devil he is bid turn stones into bread and carried up into a mountain he is contumeliously tempted to worship the Devil Arnobius also saith those words are spoken of our Lord Iesus Christ whom the zeal of Gods house did eat and his abstinence from eating receiving nothing 40. daies and as many nights was turned to his reproach St. Hierom and Theodoret in the like manner understand the Text of Christs fasting The other Psal. 109. v. 23. Theodoret thus understands of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his abstinence and severities to himself witness also saith he the bar ley loaves and the ears of corn in his Disciples hands St. Hierom also upon that Text bids such as were conversant in fasting to be comforted Siquidem Dominus hoc fecit Non habebat delitias corporis sed Dei Spiritús Tales diligit milâ—… Christus qui jejuniis vacent quia in jejunio victoria est for that the Lord himself saith this Psalm did fast and
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
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
endure a little we shall fall into greater and sorer sufferings I would gladly ask those that are so affected whether they will say it is troublesome to fast or to be punished for ever a Viz. Which might be prevented by fasting after a right manner 1 Cor. 9. ult I Keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away Let us love therefore the fast as being the mother of all good and of all cheerfulness Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God For so â—…o I say shall we perform a pure fast unto the Lord beginning the H. Lent from the 15 day of the month of February so it fell that year And that you may understand S. Chrysostomes negative above 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be spoken as not excluding Fasting from repentance in the deliverance of the Ninevites but as pronouncing Fasting ineffectual with exclusion of repentance and where they were both Repentance to have been the principal and the other for its sake but for its sake to be assum'd both his own words there following teach us and more clearly S. Cyril here in this Homily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What was it that sav'd the Ninevites from that great commination For the Prophet proclaim'd Yet three others read 40 daies and Nineveh shall be overthrown They betaking themselves to Fasting as to an impregnable hold by importunity pacify'd the divine anger and were deliverd from the impendent evils Where Cyrils Fasting must be understood likewise according to his words above as including also the more principal work Repentance You have heard how these two renowned Patriarchs have defin'd the true Fasting the rest are long Hear we now therefore our own Churches definition of it in her Homily of Fasting that as Fasting in the outward part of it is a withholding of meat and drink and all natural food from the body for the determined time of fasting so also saith the 2 d part of the Homily The inward Fast of the mind is a sorrowfulness of heart detesting and bewailing our sinful doings A larger description if you require you may take it thus Fasting is a denying our selves lawful refreshments for having not deny'd our selves in unlawful desires a real judging our selves worthy to be punished that we be not judged and afflicting or punishing our selves Ezra 8. 21. judging our selves also worthy and executing on ourselves for sometime that judgment of the wonted blessings created of God for man to enjoy for our former inordinate enjoyments of them and our other offences against God Illicitorum veniam postulantem oportet etiam illicitis abstinere saith Halidgarius lib. d. Ordin Poenitent c. 5. sed multo magis ab illiciis Tertullian Antiently in his book of Repentance c. 9. Plerunque vero jejuniis preces alere ingemiscere c. oportet In quantum non peperceris tibi in tantum tibi Deus crede parcet We ought frequently to feed our prayers with fastings and with groans to utter them c. By how much thou sparest not thy self God will spare thee Which Caesarius of Arles in Hom. 1. de Quadrages thus dilates upon Iejunia ac vigiliae sanctae afflictiones humilitate corpora macerant maculata corda purificant ac sic mortificatione praesenti futura mortis sententia 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 aeternus Fastings and watchings and holy afflictions macerate the body in humiliation and purify the heart from its stains And so by present mortification the future sentence of death is prevented And while the author of the sin is humbled the sin is consumed and while the outward affliction of voluntary severity is inflicted the offence of the dreadful judgment is appeased and a little labour dissolveth great debts which eternal burning scarce would eat out Thus Fasting avails much joyn'd with repentance repentance also is best perform'd in conjunction with Fasting S. Basil the great in his 1. Sermon of Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repentance without Fasting is scarce set on work Fasting is the initiatory discipline of repentance the restraint of anger the separating from concupiscences So see we in the example of whole communities that Gentile city of the Ninevites Ionah 3. and the Iews the people of God Ioel 2. How it serves to the perfecting of the imperfect Proselytes in the instance of Cornelius Act. 10. 9. How in conversion of single sinners in the instance of Saul anon S. Paul Act. 9. 9. The reason is rendred by Chrysologus in his 7 th Sermon on Mat. 6. Agricola si non impresserit cultrum si sulcum non defoderit si non exciderit sentes si gramina non evuiserit si in tuto semina non locârit sibi mentitur non terrae nec terrae facit damnum sed sibi non facit frudum ita se vacuat ita decipit impugnat ita qui terrae manu fallaci mentitur Expounding himself further within a few lines thus Premens jejunii aratrum abscindens gulae gramina atque eradicans luxuriae sentes The husbandman if he break not up the ground with the plow of fasting if he cut not dig not the surrow if he cut not up the thorns of luxury if he pluck not up the rank grass of superfluous plenty if he place not the feed in safety he is false to himself not to the earth brings no damage to the ground but reaps no fruit to himself and so deceives himself who deals so with a deceitful hand about his ground According to that of the Prophet Ier. 4. 3. Break up your fallow-ground and sow not among thorns And Ier. 10. 12 13. Sow to your selves in righteousness reap in mercy break up your fallow-ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain righteousness upon you Now for as much as Fasting is so useful an instrument of contrition a S. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Stelechium de Compunctione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even as it is hard yea rather impossible to mingle fire with water so I deem that fulness of delicacy and compunction cannot be found together for this is the mother of tears and watching the other of laughter and extravagancy and Repentance most wisely in the Church is there appointed a yearly publick season of joynt Fasting and penance wherein not only publick offenders but secret also even the whole Congregation joyn in humiliation for their sins according to that of Leo the Great Serm. 4 de Quadrages Dum per varias actiones vitae hujus sollicitudo distenditur necesse est de mundano
time of Refection comes they rush to their tables as beasts to their full mangers and distending their bellies through diversities of artificial and strange sawces take in so much by devouring as they are not able again to digest by fasting as if Lent were not the observation of a pious humiliation but an occasion of seeking out new pleasures A like complaint makes Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria of some in the Churches under his care Epistolâ Paschali 3. Qui autem legum praecepta custodiunt ignorant vinum in jejuniis carnium â—…sum repudiant insatiabilem avaritiam Dei timore compescunt Non possunt suscipere Correctionem qui luxuriae oblectatione capiuntur neque ventris ingluviem ratione consiliis refraenare amore jejunii qui desideria periturâ cito voluptate studium virtutis infamant non erubescentes vinum clam bibere avidis faucibus arbitros declinantes in cubiculis mulsa potare ut inediam jejunia quae ultrò adpetere debebant jejuniorum tempore luxuriâ ebrietate commutent nescientes quòd etiamsi hominum conscientiam fugiant clausis parietibus vescantur carnibus atque aves altiles diebus Quadragesimae propinquante Pascha immundis manibus lacerent tristi vultu forìs jejunia promittentes corripiat hujusmodi Dominus c. Such as observe the rules of Laws know no wine in their Fasts refuse eating of flesh and correct insatiable greediness with the fear of God They refuse to receive correction who are taken with the delights of luxury nor know they to bridle with the love of fasting the greediness of the belly by reason and counsel who defame the profession and study of vertue through perishing pleasures being not asham'd secretly to drink wine and in their chambers declining witnesses who may observe them greedily fill themselves with sweet wine that they may commute their fasts and abstinence in the time of Fastings with luxury and drunkenness not considering although they fly the conscience of men and their doors shut about them in the daies of Lent feed themselves with flesh and even Easter drawing near with hands not clean tear their fatted fowls and yet outwardly with a sad countenance professing fastings that such God reproves c. This yet they would have thought Religious Fasting Some make such satisfaction afterwards to their belly their God for some few hours preceding emptiness of which Tertullian said Spernitur jejunium quod vespere deliciis compensatur Not God only but the man himself despises his own fast of the day which in the evening he recompenses with delicacies as others by laying in store before provide against the siege of the Fast both which sorts of fasting S. Chrysostom warn'd his hearers of tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not drunken riot usher in so grave a Matron as Fasting nor let us kick down the meal which we have given by more then recompensing the meal which we have forgone The very same Admonition is S. Basil's in his 1. Homily of Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let not Drunkenness initiate thee into the Fast He who is to combate exercises himself before He that enters upon the Fast must practise temperance before not avenging the fasting daies not dealing deceitfully with the Law-giver Why invitest thou the enemy to possess beforehand thy strong holds In the day of Fasting the Ancients simplicity required a deferring of the hour a diminution of the quantity a lessening of the number if more then one and an abatement of the quality of our usual daily refections upon the fore-alledged example of Daniel c. 10. v. 2 3. In those daies I Daniel was mourning three full weaks I ate no pleasant bread or bread of desires as 't is in the Text from which abstaining he is himself by the Angel call'd a man of desires c. 9. 23. neither came flesh nor nine in my mouth nor did I anoint my self at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled S. Hierom thus Comments Hoc docemur exemplo tempore jejunii à cibis delicatioribus abstinere quod ego puto nunc dici panem desiderabilem nec carnem comedere nec vinum bibere We are taught by this example in the time of our Fast to abstain from more delicate food which here I suppose to be meant by pleasant bread nor to eat flesh he means where the consideration of health can agree thereto nor drink wine He might have added Nor use other delicacies as Daniel abstained from anointing himself at all a delicacy of those Countreys From each of which Eusebius relates in his Ecclesiastical History that S. Iames the Brother of our Lord did all his time perfectly abstain a Eusebius l. 2. c. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But Daniel in the three weeks of his Fast and the generality of the Christian Church in her seven weeks Fast They judged it not agreeable to the time of their humbling and afflicting their souls and chastning themselves as offenders and bringing into subjection their bodies as servants by Fasting to indulge them such meats and drinks as either were delicate and pleasurable in themselves or were full of high nourishment to the flesh or provoked to any carnal appetites or desires or enkindled the blood and spirits And because I see few either of the Roman or the opposite Perswasion that in practise or rule admit this of abstinence from wine as any part of the Fast I shall only say besides that it was and was noted by the Spirit of God in Daniel c. 10. 3. and in Iohn Baptist Luk. 1. 15. beside the many Canons of the Church prescribing it it may more move some to hear from S. Chrysostome the general practice of the Christian people in his age Hom. 6. ad Pop. Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When the Fast of Lent is come although any one would entreat a man ten thousand times although he would by vexation enforce one to take his part of drinking wine or any other thing forbid to be tasted on the Fasts he would choose to suffer all rather then to meddle with such forbidden nourishment And although we liked well enough of the pleasure of such Refection yet for the accustoming of our conscience we bear all generously and persist in mourning And as to Daniel's not anointing himself which is by Synecdoche put for other external delicacies also our Churches Homily hath told us That Fasting is an abstinence from all meat and drink and all natural food yea and from all delicious pleasures and delectations worldly I comprise in this 2 d Rule the instructions both of Epiphanius and of Dorotheus the Archimandrite of Epiphanius in Heresie 75. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the daies before Easter when with us are practised lyings on the ground purities self-affiictings dry-diets prayers watchings
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that prays with fasting hath two wings and those lighter then the winds themselves for such a one doth not stretch himself or yawn or is drowsie in his prayer He that fasteth is light and winged and prayes with vigilancy and extinguishes his own evil lusts and renders God propitious to himself and humbles his own soul that was lift up For this cause also the Apostles were almost alwaies in fasting Fasting with faith brings into the soul a great force and much Philosophy and makes of a man an Angel and helps him to fight with incorporeal powers Howbeit Fasting by it self alone doth not thus avail but it hath need of prayer also and first of prayer As in nature the soul is before the body and in the Gospel our Saviour said By Prayer and Fasting where he placeth prayer first but shewes them their prayers then prov'd ineffectual because they had not annexed joyntly Fasting For as the same Father S. Chrysostom elsewhere sayes viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex M. S. R 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fasting is the source of Sobriety the guardian of piety or Devotion nurs'd up with Sâ—…ts and having its habitation among Angels By reason of it both pleasures and Devils fly from us concupiscence is mortified and passions are quieted The force of prayer and fasting together we read experienced against one of the first enemies of God's Church and people In Exodo adversùs Amelech oratione Moysis totius populi usque ad vesperam jejunio depugnatum est In Exodus the fight was manag'd against Amelech by the prayer of Moses and the Fast of all the people unto the evening These three holy sisters Prayer Alms and Fasting are happiest when all three meet together as Mat. 6. Act. 10. But of these three the 1. Prayer the eldest daughter of Faith Rom. 10. must alwaies be present And therefore never is out of our power oral or virtual or mental Prayer at least They which cannot give alms may fast the more they which cannot fast should give the more alms and if any can neither fast nor give alms yet all can pray Fasting disarms the flesh Alms win friends and auxiliaries Prayer fights as Moses's hands lift up against Amalek through the might of the Spirit Alms lades the ship with precious substance sent before into another countrey Fasting in any swelling of the seas or storm lightens the vessel and casts out the unprofitable burden of the ship Faithful Prayer tugs hard in rowing to bring to the shore Fasting takes from ones own flesh that he may in alms give to the poor to supply his wants and prayer from the riches of God derives grace and strength upon our selves to supply our own wants Fasting treads under foot and leaves the earth Charity and Alms take our Brother by the hand and raises him up Prayer pierces the clouds and enters into heaven S. Ambrose Serm. 23. de Quadragesimâ Ego testificor vobis hoc esse tempus coelestis quodammodo medicinae nunc languidus aegritudinis suae invenit medicinam si cum solicitudine medici mandata servaverit Istud autem praeceptum ejus est primum ut his 40 diebus jejuniis orationibus vigiliis operam commodemus Iejuniis enim lascivia corporis castigatur orationibus devota saginatur anima Vigiliis diaboli insidiae depelluntur I testifie unto you that this is the time as it were of the heavenly course of Physick when the sick person findeth medicine for his malady if he with all carefulness shall observe the prescriptions of his Physician Now this is a chief prescription of his that in these 40 daies we give diligence to fastings prayers and watchings For by fastings the lasciviousness of the flesh is chastis'd by prayers the devout soul is replenish'd by watchings the ambushes of Satan are discovered and beaten off In Lent with the Devotion of prayers and fastings the Church hath ever annexed other works of Devotion also as more frequent hearing and preaching Gods word attending on Sermons repairing to Church and the like S. Chrysostom Hom. 11. in Gen. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 't is not this only that is required of us that we be present here every day of the Lent and continually hear concerning the same things of ghostly concernment and be in fastings all the Lent For except we shall gain something by our continual coming hither and by the daily exhortation here except we bring home something profitable to our own soul from this season of this Fast these things shall not only profit us nothing but shall be an occasion of our greater condemnation when so great care having been taken of us we continue still the same Thus S. Chrysostom who in his 1. Serm. also of Anna mentioning how the fast of Lent had then abidden 40 daies among them mentions as argument of great pleasure to himself and his Auditors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the daies of the fast and their assemblies and common meetings and their good things which they had enjoyed by the fast Now although saith he we have passed over its labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not lay aside the pleasant memory and desire of it And indeed very many of his golden Homilies as likewise of others of the Fathers were Sermons preached day by day in Lent to the people Of Philip the Roman Emperour about 136 years after S. Iohn's death Georgius Syncellus Contemporary to the 2 d Councel of Nice thus writeth ad An. 237. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip so far was joyned to the Faith of Christ that he gladly consessed his sins and joyned with the people in the Churches prayers in the night or vigil of the feast of Easter when and where the word of God was with greater and opener freedome preached forth 7thly And yet more particularly this Fast of Lent was in the Institution purposely designed as a preparation to partaking either of holy Baptism by the Catechumens on the Vigil of Easter-day or of Absolution by the penitents on Maundy-Thursday or of the Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ by the Believers on Easter-day or lastly of two of these by the same persons as of Baptism and the Eucharist with the intervention of Confirmation on the night and morning of Easter-day or of Absolution and the Holy Eucharist on the Thursday before and on Easter-day No fitter season to be baptiz'd into the death of Christ and buried with him in Baptism and therein also quicken'd together with him and raised up no fitter season to be absolved and quitted from our sins by his Death and Resurrection no meeter time to be made partakers of his Holy Body which was broken and Blood which was shed for us for the Remission of our sins then at this holy time of sacred memory of Christs
the same thing wickedly August epistolâ ad Casulan Sic bis in sabbato jejunare in homine qualis fuerat Pharisaeus infructuosum est in homine autem humiliâ—…èr fideli vel fidelitèr humili religiosum est Fasting twice in the week in a man like the Pharisee is unprofitable but in a man humbly faithful and faithfully humble it is Religious Conclude we this neither fast thou so as the Hypocrites nor fast not as the Hypocrites who pretend such set and Antient fasts of the Church to be superstitious and themselves too holy to joyn with their Brethren in them All these eight requisites of right performing of this Fast we find together in the Churches practise and by her care prescribed at this time of Lent to her children In S. Chrysostom's time according to his irrefragable witness Homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra nominatis ibidem recenset etiam 40 dierum illorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For what cause therefore some may say do we keep the fast of these 40 daies that in these daies all of us being 8 perfectly purified together by 6 prayers and by 5 alms and by 2 fasting and by 3 whole nights watchings and 1 by tears and by confession and by all other things we may so according to our power with a 4 pure conscience 7 come unto the holy Mysteries the Sacrament and in the same place he recounts also as part of the exercise of those 40 daies 6 hearing Gods word attending on Sermons and Synods Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria in his 1. Paschal Epistle sets all these guests at one table likewise Si Adhaerentes studio virtutum animarum vitia purgare volumus quicquid in nobis sordium est jugi scripturarum meditatione diluere quasi sub sudo apertam doctrinarum scientiam contemplantes festinemus supernae laetitiae festa celebrare jungere nos Angelorum choris Eóque â—…mnis impraesentiarum adsumatur labor ut eos qui paululum negligentes sunt nosmetipsos aeternae gloriae praepâ—…remus homines provocantur terrarum humilia dese entes cum Ecclesiâ primitivorum Dominicae Passionis festa celebrare Priusquam slemus ante tribunal Christi praeterita peccata poenitentiâ corrigamus praesenti fletu redimamus futura gaudia Curemus diversa vitiorum vulnera rapinas divitum quibus vel maximè hoc hominum capitur genus crebris commonitionibus reprimamus Et sic poterimus imminentium jejuniorum iter carpere incipientes Quadragesimam à tricesimâ die mensis Mechir ut juxta Evangelicas traditiones siniamus jejunia intempeslâ nocte die 18. supradicti mensis Pharmuthi praebentes nos dignos communione corporis sanguinis Christi If adhering to the study of vertues we desire to purge away the vices of our souls and wash away whatever of filth is in us by 6 continual meditation of the Scriptures contemplating as it were in the open and serene heaven the knowledge of doctrine let us make hast to celebrate the solemnities of the Heavenly joy and joyn our selves to the Quires of Angels Let us take upon us 3 labour at present that we may prepare both 5 those which are somewhat negligent and our selves unto eternal glory Hereby men are provoked forsaking the low things of the earth 8 to celebrate with the Church of the first-born the holy daies of the Lords Passion ere we come to stand before Christs Tribunal let us correct our sins past by 1 repentance let us by present mournings redeem to our selves future joyes Let us cure the sundry wounds of our vices and the 4 rapines wherewith rich men are delighted let us repress 6 with frequent admonitions so may we enter the 2 journey of the Impendent Fasts beginning our Lent from the 30 th day of the moneth Mechir But so Epistle 2 d that we end the Fast according to Evangelical Traditions late at night on the 18 th day of the moneth Pharmuth presenting our selves worthy Communicants of the Body and Bloud of Christ. Having thus guarded and secured the duty of Fasting by its necessary qualifications and conditions it cannot be unsafe or unseasonable to admit now unto audience some strictures of the Elogies which the Ancient Fathers give of this duty of Fasting As that God prescribed some sort of Fasting to man so soon almost as he was created a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Bafil Ser. 1. de Iejunio ut suprà as a guard to innocence it self and the first trial of mans obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostom Of these thou mayest eat of this thou shalt not eat was a sort of Fast prescribed Which being not observed because thou hast hearkned saith God unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying thou shalt not eat of it cursed is the ground for thy sake In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the daies of thy life Thorns also and thistles shall it bring sorth to thee In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground Gen. 3. 17 19. The earth of his flesh also bringing forth troublesome thorns and thistles not to be keept down but by laborious sorrowful fasting nor consum'd but by the spirit of judgment and burning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostom tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Fasting was necessary in Paradise much more out of Paradise If this Physick was useful before our wound much more after it If whilest yet there was no war of lusts rais'd within us this armour was yet of use much more after so great a fight from lusts within from Devils without this auxiliary force of Fasting is necessary Come we to the Law S. Basil tels us in his 1 Sermon of Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fasting above in the Mount prepared Moses to receive the Law but fulness amongst the people below caused them to run mad after idolatry for the people sate down to eat and to drink and rose up to play The tables then which fasting had received written by the finger of God the drunkenness of the people caused to be broken The Prophet judging it not meet that a people drinking drunk with wine with the wine of spiritual fornication which is Idolatry also Ier. 51. 7. should receive the Law from God Also Moses for his 2 d receiving of the Law needed a 2 d Fast. After him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the same fatherthere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He thinks that as S. Paul is usually said to be the fruit of S. Stephen's Martyrdom and prayer so the holy Prophet Samuel was more the fruit of his mother Hannah's fasting and prayer then of her womb He then proceeds to Samson of whom he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
and striving against sin with ceasing from sins the works of the Devil for otherwise it renders us but more like the Devil For he watches perpetually hath his stations and whole night-vigils he riots not he eats not he drinks not but he ceaseth not to sin from the beginning and that is his meat and drink for him and his After S. Ambrose I subjoyn Leo another Holy Bishop in his sermons of fasting Praesidia militiae Christianae sc. jejunia c. dilectissimi sanctificandis mentibus nostris atque corporibus divini tùs instituta ideò cum dierum temporúmque curriculis sine cessatione reparantur ut infirmitatum nostrarum ipsa nos medicina commoneat His autem conversionibus omnes bonae voluntatis affectus ad maturitatem totius virtutis enutriunt The garrisons of Christian warfare fastings c my Beloved were instituted of God for the sanctifying of our minds and bodies which therefore are to be repaired with the course and returns of dayes and seasons that our remedy itself may put us in mind of our infirmities To these conversions wherethrough they which had been defil'd by unchastity have shin'd in purity through the providence of Gods grace holy fasts have been added which on certain dayes should require of the universal Church the devotion of general observance for although it be lovely and laudable that the single several members of Christs body adorn themselves by their own private offices yet it is a matter of more excellent performance and of more sacred force when the hearts of the community of the Godly people concur in one proposed duty that the Devil to whom our sanctification is a torment be overcome not only by a part but also by the entire body together For it behooveth not only the chief Prelates or the Priests of the 2 d order nor only the ministers of the sacraments or Deacons but also the whole body of the Church be purged and cleansed It appears most manifestly that among other the gifts of God the grace also of fastings was given to the Church among all the institutions of Apostolical teaching which have flowed forth from the fountain of divine institution there is no doubt but that through the Holy Ghost influencing the Princes of the Church this observance was by them at first conceived that the rules of all virtues should be begun from the observance of Holy fasting Whilst through temperance the pleasure of the outward man is diminished the wisdom of the inward man is strengthned for neither is there the same vigour of heart under a load of meat which is under the lightness of fasting nor can fulnesse generate the same sense which abstinence doth For when the flesh lusting against the spirit is overcome by the spirits lusting against the flesh the freedom of ghostly health and the soundness of freedom is obtained that both the flesh may be govern'd by the judgment of the mind and the mind by the help and grace of God For fasting hath ever been the dyet of virtue from abstinence do proceed chast thoughts reasonable wills salutary counsels and by voluntary afflictions the flesh dyes unto lusts and the spirit is renew'd unto virtue Fastings give victory against concupiscence repel temptations take down pride mitigate anger and nourish the affections of every good will unto the maturity of entire virtue Thus much from a few of the Latines Nor are the Greek Fathers short of the other We will begin with S. Basil the Great in his 1 st and 2 d Sermon of Fasting who thus writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fasting is the symmetry of reason the purity of the heart the mother of health the Schoolmaster of youth the ornament of the elder An excellent preservative of the soul the bodies armour-bearer the weapon of gallant men the exercise of spiritual wrestlers the decency of the city the quiet of the courts the peace of the house There are Angels which in every Church write all those that fast neither dares the Insolence of Devils ought against such as fast and the Angels the guardians of our life do with more studious labour abide with such which have purifi'd their souls with fasting Fasting makes the young man sober-minded the old man grave and reverend the most fit dress of women a bridle for those who are in the flower of their age the custody of marriage the nurse of virginity Fasting is our assimulation unto Angels It transforms on a sudden all the city and all the people into a well ordered appearance It quiets the noise it pacifieth the brawl it coërceth the trouble and tumult of the city In the time of the Fast what lascivious company can have allowance Filthy songs and outragious dances suddenly depart the city being chas'd thence by fasting as by an austere judge a Idem S. Basilius ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In like manner S. Cyril of Alexandria in his 20. Hom. de Fest Paschal saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in his 1. Serm. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Chrysostom hath call'd it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us receive that truly chaste and holy Fasting the nurse of all good order the mother of sanctity and the harbinger of a good will from above Doth not fasting bring forth to us the Idea of all vertue Fasting the Imitation of Angelical conversation the fountain of temperance the beginning of continence the paring off of lasciviousness the calm and serenity of our souls which was S. Chrysostom's word To conclude this Fasting seems the flower of Temperance the chastisement of intemperance the exercise of corrective justice on our selves the cutting off of occasion of injustice towards others the understandings clearness the wills emendation it is the body of piety which serves the soul and spirit of inward godliness Beati qui lugent Mat. 5. Blessed are they that mourn After all this it shall happily be demanded what reasons can be assigned of these so great Encomiastick praises of the work of Fasting even rightly perform'd I answer 1 st negatively such afflicting of ourselves by fastings watchings lying on the ground or in sackcloth or the like are not to be thought to be given to God for satisfaction to his Justice in lieu of eternal punishment That Christ only could and did satisfy for that is a debt which the Bridegroom alone could and did discharge for his spouse and for the children of his Bride-chamber and all who are call'd to the marriage-supper of the Lamb he hath done it alone and of the people there was none with him When there was none to help none besides to save his own arm brought salvation and He hath troden the wine-presse alone Isai. 63. 2 dly Not for satisfaction to the divine Justice as if such self-afflictions were adequate to the temporal punishments either which God might or happily would otherwise have laid on us if impenitent or laid on us even in some true
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
thought and we think also that he had the Spirit of God so some things are said to be constituted by men and not the Lord which yet is more then S. Hierom said in this case when not expresly commanded by the Lords own mouth on earth though they be constituted by such men as were constituted by God to guide his Church infallibly By those we mean the Apostles of the Lord. And so constituted was the Lords-day and the Paschal-Fast of Lent and the Feast of Easter c. certainly according to S. Hierom's meaning as appears by his own express words Nos unam Quadragesimam toto anno tempore nobis congruo secundùm Traditionem Apostolorum jejunamus We fast one Lent within the compass of the whole year not three as the Montainsts in a fit season according to the Tradition of the Apostles And yet thrice he saies that the Fast of the forty daies was sanctified by the Lord was left as an inheritance from the Lord l. 2. Con. Iovin and on Ion. 3. Isa. 58. But it may well be from the Lord and from the Apostles as above declared and proved and yet from the Church from wise men and Governours in the Church as to the inviting occasioning thereby and compelling such as S. Hierom there describes qui nolunt which otherwise would not assemble themselves in the Church as to the Congregationes inter dies which he mentions A third Authour which is produced is Victor Antiochenus living in the same Age with St. Hierom on Mark 2. where he thus writes Enimverò inter eos qui in Moyse eos rursum qui in lege gratiae Iejuniis dant operam hoc praeter caetera interest quod illi quidem jejunia à Deo praefinita habebant quae proinde modis omnibus explere obligabantur etiamsi alià s noluissent Hi verò virtutis amore liberaque voluntatis electione jejunant veriùs quam ullâ omninò legis coactione Quòd si verò Quadragesimale vel aliud quodc unque jejunium definitum habemus propter ignavos negligentes quò nimirùm ii quoque officium faciant praefinitum habemus Studioâ—…i namque pietatâ—…que dediti certo animi consilio propensâque voluntate jejunium illud persolvunt magis quà m ullâ omninò legis aut praecepti vi compulsi Betwixt those truly which fast under the Law of Moses and those again which fall under the Law of Christ there is this difference beside others that they indeed had their Fasts predefined by God viz. by his express written Law for the number manner and rigour thereof which they were by all means obliged to fulfill although otherwise they would not But these fast more truly from the love of virtue and free choice of will than by any coaction at all of Law And if we have a Quadragesimal Fast or any other defined it is for the slothfull and negligent that they to wit may do their duty that we have it so predefined For they which are studious and virtuous and devoted to piety do pay that Fast by a certain purpose of of their minde and ready will rather than compelled by any force at all of Law or Precept Here you are first to remember that I have above laid down this concession that the Precept or Law of Fasting forty days is of Constitution Ecclesiastical onely Albeit even forty days abstinence we have shewed to be of Apostolical recommendation To this Victor's words here agree concerning the Fast Quadragesimal or of forty days which if we abstract from Law Ecclesiastical Christians perform veriùs virtutis amore quam ullâ omninò legis coactione Or as also he said a little before Non quòd aliquâ legis necessitate ad hoc adigentur sed quòd hoc medium veluti salutare opportunum ad virtutis perfectionâ—…sque studium suo posteà tempore adhibituri sint Which agrees with what we have observed from our Lord's words Luke 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are partly a Prediction In those days they will fast by a certain Law of gratitude which the Apostles would practise and teach the Church more truly than by any coaction of Law as Victor here says Such coaction of Law Victor declares himself here to mean as was the coaction of fear compelling them to fulfil those Fasts Quae modis omnibus explore obligabantur etiamsi alià s noluissent Though otherwise they would not Not as the Christians from the force of love and by the Law of gratitude and of a ready minde Quòd hoc medium veluti salutare opportunum suo posted tempore adhibituri sint Secondly we are to observe that Victor here doth not deny but rather grant some sort of Law and constitution for some time and season of fasting given to Christians while he saith Quòd si verò Quadragesimale vel aliud quodc unque jejunium definitum habemus and forthwith adds habemus praefinitum We have such Fast prescribed And a little after Iejunium illud persolvunt they pay that Fast therefore that Fast was their duty though that duty they performed magis propensâ voluntate quà m ullâ legis vi compulsi veriùs amore virtutis liberâque voluntatis electione choosing the things that please God quà m ullâ omninò coactione legis This being from the law of the spirit of bondage the other from no less a true law of the Spirit of Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will and shall fast Where though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not expressed yet it is as well included in the word as when he saith Iohn 19. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they shall they will hear my voice And Matth. 21. 41. They shall they will render unto him the fruits of the vineyard Thirdly when Victor saith Propter ignavos negligentes jejunium praefinitum habemus that we have a law if any saith he of the Quadragesimal Fast prefined or prescribed by reason of the slothfull and negligent Of which sort there are and ever will be many in the Church amongst the generality of Christians whose consideration must not be contemned but ever was ground sufficient for the prefinition of some law of fasting to be given in general which being given all must obey as well those which yet equally would do it without a law as others who need such a law The strong this way also bearing the infirmities of the weak Of this see more in our Interpretation last given to St. Hierom's words Fourthly the entire occasion and ground of Victor's words was his scope to shew that the Iudaical Fasts did not now oblige the Apostles or Christian people as appears by his preceding words Cùm enim Apostoli novi T. praecones doctores sint instituti non debent nunc veterem caeremoniarum observationum legibus obstringi Vos itaque O Pharisaei qui priscis illis ritibus consuetudinibus etiamnum addicti obstrictique haereticis Mosaica jejunia meritò observatis Isti verò
a singular way themselves different from the Church and Catholicks for which they were here contested with and that new way was of two weeks chosen at their own pleasure and kept in their Montanist congregations observed in dry or hard dyet Seventhly that this new way being taught by Montanus as a doctrine from God different from the certain days appointed the Church by God as the Catholicks there contend was justly chargeable with that which St. Paul blames in the Galatians Observing daies and times viz. besides what was appointed by God as the Lords-day and those they mention'd Certos dies à Deo constitutos These are all the Propositions which are contained in all you cite from Tertullian Now what one word is here against the Religious Fast of Lent before Easter as observed in our Common prayer-book One would think the whole allegation had been gathered by some one of your Adversaries for the Church of England against you For tell us we pray you that we may run through all the seven First Is it your society or the Church of England that observes annually the Feast of Easter and 50 daies after from that Feast unto Whitsunday in exultation and joy viz. spiritual for Christs Resurrection and Ascension Secondly Are the weekly Wednesdaâ—…es and Fridaies by you or by the Church of England rather regarded Let her Litanies on both daies and her customary Fasts on Fridaies witness Thirdly Fasting specially exercised on Good-fridaies is this the thing which you alledge for your selves against the Common-Prayer-Book of the Church of England and against the Religious Fast of Lent before Easter Fourthly Is the Church of England's publique observance of the Fast of Lent the prescription of fasts by private Schismatical Teachers such as Montanus was whose authority in requiring fasts is more like Montanus's the Church of Englands or any private mens within her Fifthly As to the Nullum aliud viz. praeter certos dies à Deo constitutos in Evangelio determinatos illos in quibus ablatus est sponsus whose prescribed fasting-daies the Church of England's religious Fast of Lent or other mens indicted fasts are more likely to be meant by the Catholicks in Tertullian saying that they had certain daies constituted by God and determined in the Gospel those viz. in which the Bridegroom was taken away Sixthly Whether doth the Church of England in her observing the Religious Fast of Lent or others in separating from the observance of that Fast more resemble the Montanists different singular waies Seventhly the certain daies appointed by God in which the Bridegroom was taken away beside which for teachers to press a fixed annual Fast any other without the authority of lawful Governours was charged by the Church as observing of daies and times and moneths and years are I say those daies more likely to be the publick religious fasts before Easter which the Church of England observes or some other you can shew us This is all you have but much more you might have brought from Tertullian to the same sense as that the Catholicks objected to those new teachers Novitatem de cujus illicito praescribunt c. 1. They object to them Novelty against the unlawfulness whereof they prescribe They the Catholicks prescribe also against the Montanists Constituta esse solennia huic fidei Scripturis vel Traditione majorum nihilque observationis amplius adjiciendum ob illicitum innovationis The next Author you alledge is a fragment of Irenaeus's Epistle in Euseb. l. 5. c. 6. which how much it makes against you and for the religious Paschal-Fast of Lent I have shewn you through the whole 5. chapter of this Appendix where I have considered that passage of Irenaeus both in it self and in relation to you whither I refer you and the reader To Socrates with Sozomen and Nicephorus we shall speak in the last place because there is much laid on him And now consider the rest of your helps to expound S. Hierom who calls the Fast of Lent a Tradition Apostolical To this you say citing Regaltius a modern Critick that S. Hierom and others calling it an Apostolical Tradition did it with respect to Christs forty daies and what then we pray you Is that against the religious observation of the Fast of Lent in our Common-Prayer-Book where our Church thus prays O Lord which for our sakes didst fast forty daies and forty nights give us grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued unto the spirit c. So that what S. Hierom and the other Fathers you say did respect the same doth our Church and our Common-Prayer-Book respect viz. Christs forty daies fast And how is your objection against the Common-Prayer-Book helpt by that To what you say that they did not intend themselves any such thing as any fast of forty daies how apparently false that is found to be you may read for S. Hierom in the 54 and 55. pages of this Discourse and for the rest in the rest of the discourse Next you teach us how to expound S. Hierom by that in his Epistle ad Lucin. Unaquaeque provincia abundet in suo sensu praecepta majorum leges Apostolicas arbitretur If this were as you mean whether do the observers of the Religious Fast of Lent or you who dissent defer more to Praecepta majorum the Precepts of our Ancestors Secondly S. Hierom doth not here say that such precepts in several provinces were to be held pro Traditionibus Apostolicis To the obedience of wholesome customes Ecclesiastical whiles they are not retracted by those who rule over us and of such only S. Hierom speaks we are by Laws Apostolical obliged and yet such customes or Lawes are not nor yet are called by S. Hierom Traditions Apostolical It is a Catholick rule given by Ferrandus Diaconus in Paraenetico ad Reginam regulâ quintâ Et omnis qui se ad Ecclesiam pertinere gloriatur legibus vivat Ecclesiae maximè his quas Antiquitas roboravit Next to what you object out of S. Austin Epistle 86. if you had not withheld from us his own Explication which he adds in the same place professed by him as an Explication saying Ut suprà commemoravi it had been in the whole thus In Evangelicis Apostolicis literis totóque Instrumento quòd appellatur Testamentum Novum animo id revolvens video praeceptum esse jejunium Quibus autem diebus non oportet jejunare quibus oporteat praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non invenio definitum Hoc est non invenimus evidenter praeceptum Now though there be no express evident written precept in the New Testament yet for all that it may be Traditio Apostolica as lest we should so mistake him so as here you have done himself hath told you of some l. 2. de Baptism contr Donatist c. 7. Quam consuetudinem credo ab Apostolica Traditione venientem Sicut multa quae non inveniuntur in literis eorum
Consider we next as touching the main error it self of the Novatians wherein as he doth pronounce of Novatus himself that he died a Martyr l. 4. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Novatus is Socrates's Martyr and the miracles wrought by his followers as he saith he is diligent in But S. Chrysostome even after his death he thus proceeds to censure because he defended that Repentance was not to be denied to those that fell after Baptism more then once alledging against him an ancient more severe discipline of a Synod of Bishops As if the following Bishops had not power in their times seeing cause to relax such severity of discipline His words of Chrysostome are l. 6. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is matter of admiration to me how he Iohn as above he cals him shewing so great a zeal of temperance should in his discourses teach men to despise temperance â—…or repentance being granted by a Synod of Bishops to such as had fallen once after Baptism he was bold to say If thou hast repented a thousand times enter hither Surely not far off from his Lords merciful sense Luk. 17 3 4 5. Take heed to your selves If thy Brother trespass against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turn again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him And the Apostles said unto the Lord Increase our faith they say not our charity only but our faith Compare this also with Mat. 18. 15 18. Surely this was no argument of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bitterness of Chrysostome whereof Socrates hath accused him But is Socrates more favourable to the more ancient Bishops who opposed Novatus that you may read in his 4 th Book c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where having related Novatus's his Letters he then speaks of Cornelius his contrary Letters who was a holy Bishop and Martyr of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both saith he confirming their opininion from the holy Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as many as were lovers of â—…in laid hold of that concession which was granted viz. by Cornelius the holy and true Bishop of Rome and so for time to come used that Concession for all manner of sin But the manners of the Phrygians appear to be more sober then other nations for they indeed seldome swear With them there is no running after Horse-races nor Theatres WHEREFORE it is as it seems to me that these and those which were so affected inclined rather to the things then written by Novatus FOR fornication is counted with them as a detestable abomination For why you may find the Phrygians and Paphlagonians living more soberly then any other Sect whatsoever AND THERE IS THE SAME REASON I suppose of them also who live about the Western parts and hearken unto or obey Novatus Whoever hath read in Story the sound and Catholick Faith and holy life and Martyrdome of Cornelius S. Cyprians dear friend and hath read in S. Cyprian the lewd and wicked life of Novatus and his factious Schism and Heretical teaching let him judge of these words of Socrates which he would leave behind him in his History to the World Lastly when S. Chrysostome was driven in Banishment he saith thus Others have said that Iohn suffered in his deposition justly because he had taken away many Churches from the Novatians the Quartadecimani and certain others But whether that Abdication of Iohn was just according to the saying of those that had been grieved by him God who knoweth the secrets and the truth it self in that matter is a just Judge These things have I let you hear Socrates speak from himself not to withdraw any due regard to his labours and history except only where in things regarding some part or other of the Novatians singularity and his thence detracting from the holy Catholick Bishops such as Cornelius the Martyr and S. Chrysostome and from the honour of the Churches holy Fasts and Feasts wherein I deem that he ought not to be heard against the consent of the Catholick Doctors and Fathers of all Ages without great Injustice to the Church I conclude this Chapter with this double Item 1. That allowing all that which our brethren the Presbyterians brought out of Socrates for themselves it hath been shewen above that it profits not their cause at all nor hurts ours 2. That all other loose sayings of Socrates removing from the Apostles all care of any such thing as the Feast of Easter or the Fast preceding or other holy daies are but the effects of his Novatian Infection a pursuance of that Canon of Indifferency Socrat. l 5. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which his Friends the Novatians assembled in Councel had decreed at Angar in Bithynia CHAP. 8. An Answer to the other Objections of the Presbyterians and to their pretence from an Act of Parliament THe 5th Proposal of our Brethren the Presbyterians as they have published it now themselves in their Grand Debate page 44. was this That nothing should be in the Liturgy which so much as seems to countenance the observation of Lent as a Religious Fast. This by them propunded and desired of the King and Bishops and the Church of England is that nothing may be left even of that which is extant in our publick Liturgy wherein is no one word of the choyce of meats but onely 1. of Prayers and Services to Almighty God at that time before Easter and 2. of such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey the Godly motions of the Lord in righteousness and true holiness to his honour and glory and 3. a gratefull remembrance and mention that the Lord for our sakes did fast 40. dayes and 40. nights with a Prayer 4. particularly on the first day of Lent that God would make in us new and contrite hearts that we worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness may obtain of him the God of all mercy perfect remission and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. And 5. on Passion week and on Good-Friday a holy and humble memory of our Lords being betrayed and given up into the hands of wicked men and to suffer death upon the Cross for his Family the Church with a prayer for the whole body of that Church and for all the enemies thereof all Jewes Turks Infidells and Hereticks on that day on which Christ prayed for his enemies on the Cross. And 6. a narrative that in the Primtive Church there was a godly discipline the restoring whereof the Church desires that at the beginning of Lent such persons as were notorious sinners were put to open penance and punished in this world that their souls might be saved in the day of the Lord and that others admonished by their example might be the more affraid to offend with the reading 7. of the general sentences of Gods
that a just and pious mention of it viz. in the Collect of the first Sunday O Lord which for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights give us Grace to use such abstinence that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit c. Where we doubt not but all Churches in the world will both consent to this Prayer and praise the modest humility of Christs handmaid this Church of England except onely some of her own Children For 1. She doth not so much as pray that the Lord would give her grace to use such Fasts as he had done but thankfully acknowledging what he had done for her viz. fasted forty days and forty nights she prays That she may use such abstinence calling her own rather abstinence than Fasts that our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey his godly motions Not that she may be glorious in a miracle of fasting but humbled in an exercise of mortifying That she may obey his godly motions not emulate the Divine power of his Miracle Tell us out we pray you whether our Church praying thus and thus far onely for Imitation of Christ in some abstinence according to our poor measures doth offend you And if not this where in the Common-prayer-Book is there ought of that which you accuse But again why we pray you because it is not possible for us to imitate Christs miraculous eating nothing at all through all the time of forty days therefore Christians may not what you cannot deny to be possible use some special abstinence through forty days for the mortifying of those sins for which Christ suffered hunger and thirst and afterward Crucfixion and death lest that by any means when we have known all this done for us our selves should become Cast-aways May not some pious charitable Physitian go about according to his skill which God hath given him and without taking any thing use the means of healing the poor sick and lame in imitation of Christs great pity who went about healing all manner of diseases because he cannot cure miraculously infallibly and universally as Christ did May not some man that hath but ability after the example of our Saviours compassion pity a multitude that abide three days having nothing to eat and feed them because he cannot miraculously multiply loaves May we not be bid to be holy and perfect as our Lord is holy and perfect though no miracle can lift us up to equal or come near his holiness or perfection What a lame Exception therefore have you given against the Churches excellent Prayer But if the Church moreover in this Prayer and in this Fast and in some lowly degree of petitioned imitation of her Saviour hath but imitated the piety and followed the Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers of the Church and been a follower of them as they were followers of Christ then bless we God who hath given us such a Mother and God send her more dutifull Children And if ye ask us who those Ancient Fathers were First S. Austin l. 2. 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 tanquam testimonium habens ex lege prophetis medius inter illos in monte 3. discipulis videntibus atque stupentibus claruit We are admonished 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 c. The same S. Austin l. â—… c. 169. Quâ—…st super Genes Non enim frustrà quadriginta dies jejuniorum sunt constituti quibus Moses Elias ipse Dominus jejunavit Ecclesia precipuâ observatione jejumorum Quadrage simam vocat S. Aâ—…stin again in Psal. 110. Dies iâ—…i Paschales praeteritis diebus Quadragesimae c. Quadragenario numero quo Moses Elias ipse Dominus jejunaverunt Precipitur enim nobis ex lege ex prophetis ex ipso Evangelio c. S. Hierome on Jon. 3. Ipse quoque Dominus verus Ionas missus ad praedicationem mundi jejunavit quadragint a dies haereditatem nobis jejunii derelinquens ad esum corporis sui sub hoc numero nostras animas preparat S. Ambrose Serm. 25. Dominus enim Diabolum posteaquam 40 dies jejunavit evicit non quod non aâ—…te jejunia cum vincere potuisset sed ut ostenderet â—…obis tunc nos Diaboli posse esse victores cum quadraginta dies victores jejunando desideriorum carnalium fuissemus Ille qui peccatum non habebat Quadragesimam jejunavit â—…u nonvis Quadragesimam jejunare qui peccas ille inquam peccatum non habebat sed pro nostris jejunavit peccatis 'T were easie to adde of the Latines many more Theodulphus Aurelianensis Bede and others Now hear we the holy Oriental Bishops S. Basil the Great Hom. 1. de Jejunio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Gregory Nazianz. in Orat. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where the Father answers your Objection punctually that though we cannot fast forty days as he for he was God yet we can proportionate our abstinence to our power Magnus Canon Andreae Cretensis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this time we think the Churches Reasons and her Authority and Authorities which she follows to come 〈◊〉 to the Reason of your Papers and the Authority of your Persons Your Act of Parliament shall be considered in the end of your reply where you are larger in it In which Reply to begin first with matters of our own Function because you declare your selves ready in a modest challenge to prove the truth in an equal Conference that you may noâ—… wanâ—…ome Propositions to prove we will set down some manifest untruths of your own in the two leaves of that reply besides the Fathers of which every one how ye have mistaken I have shewed you above Chap. 5. 7. Your 〈◊〉 untruth or false Proposition is this which contains three in it viz. That adoring God not kneeling on the Lords days and using the white garment and milk and honey after Baptism had more pretence of Apostolical Tradition and were generally used more anciently then Lent This you being never able to prove in your insinuation that the Church may as well be called contentious for her not using those things as you for not using Lent we do indeed according to your own words think ye have wronged the Church and that greatly 2. That the Church hath shewn you any such example of changing so the Fast of Lent as that you may be allowed by that example not to continue it a Religious Fast is another untruth Upon which let Tertullian ask you the Question l. de Coronâ—… Militis c. 2. Quale est autem ut tunc