the Lists of Piety Justice and Sobriety It is fit therefore that there should be one time at least in the Year and that of a reasonable continuance according to the Practice of all Men for even the Jews and Turks have their Lents to constrain Men how wicked and wretchless soever for that time at least to recall themselves to some more severe Cogitations and Courses lest Sin having no such Bridle to check it at any time should at length become head-strong and unconquerable in them as also to enure Men though but to a bare shew of Vertue they might afterwards perhaps more seriously persist in it By this we understand the manner of keeping Lent among the Romanists beyond Seas especially in Italy with the worthy Person the Author's judicious Comment thereupon Now surely I humbly conceive have we not here in England as great Reason to be strict Observers of this Holy Time of Lent as Foreigners For is it not too apparent that Irreligion Vice Debauchery and Wickedness encreaseth and grows upon us and that it has need of Restraints to be put upon it lest it swallow us up And therefore I humbly conceive it much concerns us instead of rejecting and laying aside and prophanely scoffing at the strict and religious Observance of this solemn Time of Lent among the Romanists rather to learn that which is good and commendable in our Adversaries For shall it be said that when the whole Christian World are sober and serious in keeping their Lent-Fast and humbling their Souls in consideration of their great Sins and Provocations of the Divine Majesty of Heaven and spend their Time in Self-denials and Mortifications and are upon their Knees humbling their Souls and with fervent and frequent Prayers interceding with to God for Mercy that we in England who would be accounted better and Reformed Christians are instead thereof taken up with our Feasting and Jollities if not our Debauches and Excesses and have so little sense of our great Transgressions and Provocations of God as to be so far displeased with our selves for the same as to deny our selves now and then a Meal's Meat or at least somewhat of our Excesses or from our more pleasant Food or from taking a revenge upon our selves by our Abstinence for our great Sins and Transgressions and from spending our Time in sober and serious Consideration of our Ways and Doings and the state of our Souls and further by Fasting adding Force to our Prayers to God for Mercy to our selves and others the whole Church and Nation wherein we live and Praying mightily to God that so our Sins may not out-cry our Prayers Let us further consider that this Outward Appearance and Face of Religion and Devotion although it be but for a time yet what effect it may have upon Men we know not but that it may make some Impression on Mens Minds as to fall in love and liking of sincere and true Piety so that it may in time prevail upon them to become honest and sincere and not only lay aside their Folly and Wickedness for a season but wholly abandon their Lusts For this Restraint they put upon themselves for a season must mightily convince them that they have power over themselves to restrain their disorder'd and vitious Appetites and Lusts for a time and why not then longer if they please It will somewhat inure and accustom them to Self-denial and Mortification of their Sensual Appetites And they who deny themselves if it be only but for a time will be accounted however less wicked than those who will abate nothing of their Wickedness and Excesses at any time nor apply themselves to the Religious Duties of the Lent-Fast especially if we consider how far even a formal and hypocritical Fast and Humiliation for a time of a wicked Ahab had acceptance before God as to his Deliverance from a temporal Judgment during his Life Let us consider the great Wisdom of the Church our Mother in appointing this Lent-Fast which if not imposed upon her Children they it 's to be feared would very carelessly and slightly pass over the serious Duties of this Time and possibly never find a season for this necessary Work of a Christian of considering their Ways and searching their Hearts and repenting and humbling themselves and pouring out their fervent Prayers for God's Pardon and for the Almighty Assistance of his Grace and Spirit to assist them in their honest Endeavours as also of consulting a good Spiritual Guide and Director of their Souls most seasonable at this serious Time to most People from whom they may receive ghostly Advice and Counsel how to avoid the Temptations and Occasions of Sin for the future and how to make Satisfaction for Injuries done by them to their Neighbours and how to frame such holy Resolutions of Amendment of their Lives as may prove effectual as also to have further the Determination of a faithful and able Guide to determine for them of their own Sincerity and as to the true state of their Souls who are God knows too ready to judge too favourably of themselves For this Time of Lent may be not improperly considered as a time of entrance into a Course of Physick for our Souls Health and Safety And why may not it be as necessary in point of Prudence and Safety to procure and often to consult an able Divine for our Souls Health and Welfare as it is to consult an able Physician for the Health of the Body or an able Lawyer for the Safety and Security of our Estate I can see no difference except it be this that we think the Concerns of our Souls are least worth our Regard and Care that any bold Mountebank and unskilful Pretender may serve the turn But without all doubt to make our Repentance true and effectual to make our Peace with God to obtain a wise and well-instructed Mind and Conscience in the Affairs of Religion thereby to possess a spotless and innocent Soul a good Conscience an unprejudiced Mind and Understanding in Religion and the true Fear and Love of God are doubtless the greatest and richest Happinesses of Humane Life and will be most certainly introductive to Eternal Happiness which is insured to us by the Satisfaction and Redemption purchased for us by the precious Blood of our Great Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ to all sincere Christians who neglect not the Means to attain it Let us as is before mention'd consider that for our Spiritual Improvement and Welfare this holy Time of Lent was instituted by the Ancient Christian Church long before Popery appeared in the World I humbly therefore conceive it would be a great weakness and folly of us Protestants to discard it for Popish and Superstitious but rather heartily embrace it and to endeavour to make those great Advantages to our Souls by the Primitive Religious Observance of it For surely the more and better Reformed our Religion is that we profess to own it should
CONSIDERATIONS AND EXHORTATIONS TO THE Serious and Religious Observation OF THE Lent-Fast Enjoined by AUTHORITY Humbly Proposed in tendency to Promote a Reformation of Manners in the Debauched Age we live in By P. A. Gent. Paenitentia vera nunquam sera Prov. xxix 1. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by John Nutt near Stationers-Hall 1700. CONSIDERATIONS AND EXHORTATIONS TO THE Serious and Religious Observation OF THE LENT-FAST BY way of PREFACE you may please to take notice That the following Essay is chiefly transcribed out of a larger Discourse of the Author printed Anno 1685 at the Death of King Charles II. then Dedicated to my Lord Dartmouth Master of the Horse to King James II. at his coming to the Crown The Author humbly conceiving it may not be unseasonable now we are again entred upon the Lent-Fast For a word spoken in season how good is it Prov. xv 23. more-especially this following his Christian Considerations for Christmas past as a second step made for the Reformation of Manners For if People would be persuaded religiously to observe the Lent-Fast it might possibly prove a second step also towards the same good End Provided also that those who are eminently engaged in the said Noble Design would be careful to be of vertuous Conversation themselves that People may not have this to object truly what is in our English Porverb That Vice corrects Sin For this hath been found to be true in all Ages of the World Vivitur Exemplis magis quam Legibus Men are led more by Example than by Precept or by Laws And may I without offence here mention that Testimony of Dr. Burnet now Bishop of Salisbury in his printed Travels into Italy not long since That in that great and populous City of Rome when he was there there was such a wise Regularity in the Government of it that deserved great Commendation for that Publick Vices were not to be seen there I heartily wish that it might be so said of the City of London who have doubtless a better Reformed Christianity than they at Rome to be the Foundation of it And now I hope my ensuing Discourse may prove more acceptable my Design being for promoting so great a Good to us as the compleating of our true Repentance and the Safety of our Souls that I have presented what I have discoursed in miniature in little being all circumscribed within one Sheet of Paper THAT a Religious Abstinence and Fasting in tendency to appease God's Displeasure against a Nation and People and for the Reforming of Manners was a Duty always acknowledged both by Jews and Christians in all Ages of the World yea what even Heathens and Mahometans have since consented to As to the Antiquity of the Lent-Fast and the Observation of it as a learned Man tells us it is like the River Nilus we can scarce find out its Head it being mention'd by Ignatius and Irenaeus two of St. John's Scholars also by Origen who lived not long after them also in the famous Council of Nice where they mention the Forty Days of Lent as a thing known and long observed before that time How far our Blessed Saviour did approve of the Performance of this Christian Duty both by his Practice and Doctrine is too evident to be denied But certainly if we had not the aforesaid Evidence of the Sacred Scriptures and Antiquity no Man of Reason and Conscience who believes he hath an Immortal Soul capable of Eternal Happiness or Misery Reward or Punishment can doubt but that the Religious Observation of this Time of Lent by Fasting Abstinence and Self-denial calling our selves to an Account of our Lives serious Consideration and Repentance hath a wise and great tendency to the promoting of Piety and Vertue in us for as one tells us that in truth to a good Man Vita est Reflectio And therefore to be most wisely recommended to our Observation this Holy Time of Lent in Commemoration of our Great Lord and Master the Blessed Jesus his Fasting Forty Days and Forty Nights Which Intention of the Church is fully expressed in her Collect for the First Sunday in Lent viz. O Lord who for our sakes didst fast Forty Days and Forty Nights give us Grace to use such Abstinence that our Flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy Godly Motions in Righteousness and true Holiness to thy Honour and Glory c. And it is a thing acknowledged by all Men That the grand Reason and Ground of the Prevalency of Vice and Wickedness in the World is chiefly and principally from the want of sober serious and wise Consideration this being most true That inconsiderate Men are wicked Men. For Men are led by their sensual Appetites and Passions which stick close to them and indeed are so great a part of themselves that it lays Reason many times asleep It much concerns us to exercise Reason and serious Consideration as well as Faith And it hath been found by Experience that wise and great Instructor of Mankind that the strict and religious Observation of this Time of Lent hath proved to be a mighty Restraint to Irreligion and Prophaneness and Debauchery yea even in those Places where Men are most exquisite in Wickedness That it hath been matter of Admiration and Wonder to Travellers to see such a change of Manners and what an Outward Appearance there is among them of Demureness and Sobriety Seriousness and Devotion I shall give it you in the words of that learned and excellent Person of our own Country Sir Edwin Sandys in his Europae Speculum where speaking of Italy he saith That notwithstanding the abounding of Vice among them yet during the Time of Lent the People of all sorts are then much reformed no such Blasphemy nor dirty Speaking as before their Vanity of all sorts laid reasonably aside their Pleasures abandon'd their Apparel their Diet and all things else composed to Austerity and a state of Penitence they have daily then their Preaching with Collections of Alms whereto all Men resort and to judge of them by their outward shew they seem generally to have very great Remorse for their Wickedness insomuch saith he as I must confess I seemed unto my self in Italy to have best learn'd the right Use of Lent and there first to have discerned the great fruit of it and the Reason for which those Sages in the Church at first did institute it Neither can I saith he easily accord to the Fancies of such as because we ought at all times to lead a life worthy of our Profession that therefore it is Superstitious to have any Time wherein to exert or expect it more than other but do thus rather conceive that the Corruption of Times and the Wickedness of Man's Nature is so exorbitant that it was a hard matter to hold the ordinary sort of Men at all times within
make us the more to love God and our Neighbour and to have a greater Fervency and Zeal for all Christian Duties especially those of this Time of Lent and herein to exceed our Adversaries the Romanists for else they with their more corrupted Christianity will condemn us for our Abuse of our better Christianity we enjoy Now let us say to our selves every one of us O what a blessed and hapyy Advantage have I by this Opportunity now offer'd unto me by the Care of my Indulgent Mother the Church of England in appointing and constituting this Holy Fast of Lent for the Consideration and Examination of my Heart and all my Ways repenting of and confessing my Sins and obtaining Pardon for them and making of my Peace with God of renewing my Vows and Resolutions of Amendment of pouring forth my fervent and frequent Prayers and therein may endeavour after the mortifying my Passions Appetites and Lusts of quickening my Graces of consulting a Spiritual Guide of my Soul and that I may be conformed to the Image of the Blessed Jesus in Holiness and thereby to be insured of my Eternal Happiness by participating of the Holy Sacrament of his Body and Blood at the end of this Holy Fast How unworthy shall I be if I neglect to perform those Christian Duties required of me I will not slight or neglect them I will religiously spend my Time in diligent Examination of all my Sins repenting of them confessing and bewailing them and so make my firm Resolutions of Amendment I will certainly cast them off with abhorrence and detestation I will be serious and wise I will Fast and learn now to deny my sensual Appetites and Lusts and then pray earnestly to God for his Grace and Spirit which he hath promised to them that earnestly beg it of him to enable me in my Christian Combat against all my Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil I will dispense my Alms liberally according to my Ability I will use my utmost endeavour to lay a Foundation in my Soul of the Fear and Love of God of solid Peace to my Soul and Mind and Conscience of sincere Piety and Vertue And by this means making this Holy Time of Lent a time of Traffick for my Souls Concerns and Necessities and thus answering the End of this Holy Fast for which it was design'd by the Church and then ply my Devotions and make use among others of that Prayer of a worthy Divine most excellent and comprehensive viz. GRant me most merciful God a fervent Zeal to desire such things as are most acceptable to thee and a faithful diligence to search after them give me wisdom to find them and thy grace to accomplish them to the praise and glory of thy holy Name Direct thou my Life that I may have both knowledge will and power always to do that which is most pleasing to thee and most expedient for my own soul Let my way to thee O Lord be sure streight and perfect that neither adversity nor prosperity make me fall away from thee that I be not puft up with pride with the one nor driven down into despair with the other but for the one give thanks and be with the other armed with patience that I may rejoyce in nothing but that which approacheth near to thee my blessed Jesus nor sorry for any thing but that which withdraweth me from thee that I desire to please or displease none but thee and for thee that all transitory things may for thy sake be of no reputation with me and whatsoever is agreeable to thy will may be delightful to mine and thou my God above all things that I may have no joy besides thee nor desireof any thing but thee Let all labour delight me that is taken for thee and all ease be unpleasant that is without thee make me lift up my heart often to thee and when I forget thee give me grace to call to mind my sins with sorrow and full purpose of amendment Grant that I may be obedient without contradiction patient without murmuring pure without corruption humble without counterfeiting chearful without levity sad without dejection true without doubleness fearing thee without despair To do good works but not to presume telling my neighbour his fault without flattery instructing him both by word and example without scorning or taunting Grant me most loving Lord a watchful mind which no worldly thought may divert from thee a constant spirit which no evil affection or wicked suggestion may withdraw from thee a heart so stable that no trouble may overcome me and so free from vice that sin may challenge no place in me Grant me O Lord understanding to know thee wisdom to find thee conversation to please thee that I may faithfully persevere in loving thee to the end and finally ever enjoy thee And in respect of thy most grievous Pains suffered upon the Cross for me that I may willingly suffer penance and all tribulation for thee Give me O Lord thy grace in this transitory life and in the world to come make me partaker of the reward and heavenly joy through the precious Blood of that Immaculate Lamb our only Saviour and Redeemer Jesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and One God be all Honour and glory World without end Amen And considering we live in an Age that the World is become so much Knave as one speaks that it is a Crime to be Honest although the wise Heathens accounted Honesty the greatest Good and the only Good and that Truth and Honesty seems to be fled to Heaven and that Interest and Profit governs all let us not forget in our Prayers earnestly to beg of God that they may return among us and that Old England's Honesty may come once again in repute among us which caused Men to think that Sola honesta utilia i. e. That only honest things are profitable So that one Ounce of Honesty was of more worth than a Pound of Cunning And let us cry out with that wise Heathen Seneca O quantum mali est nimium subtilitatis O what a great mischief is too much Cunning And may I make this further Addition to the former Discourse being very pertinent to it and what a worthy Author discourses to us viz. That the great Erâ—and of our coming into the World is but to prepare our selves for a better and that all the Business of a Parish Priest or Minister is not confined to the Pulpit but that there is other Business if the People would think of it wherein to employ Men of that Profession To tell you what I mean saith he not in mine own but his expressions who knew better what belong'd to the Court of Conscience meaning the worthy Prelate Bishop Andrews who in his Eighth Sermon of Repentance and Fasting saith I take it to be a great Error to think the Fruits of Repentance and the worth of them to be a matter any