A short and plaine discourse Fully containing the vvhole doctrine of euangelicall fastes. By George Buddle, Bachelour of Diuinitie, and parson of Whikkenby in Lincolne-shire.

A SHORT AND Plaine Diſcourſe, concerning Euangelicall Faſts.

Vpon theſe words, But the dayes will come,

The Harmony Mat. 9, 14.15.16.17.

Mar. 2.18.19.20.21.22.

Luk. 5.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.

when the Bridegroome ſhall be taken from them, and then ſhall they faſt

Mat. 9.15.

CHAP. I. Containing the Coherence and the Analyſis.

THe ſeed of the woman,The Coherence, in which is ſhewed very briefly how hitherto the Serpent & the ſeed of the Serpent, had ſhewed his Antipathy againſt the ſeed of the woman and how the ſeed of the woman dealeth with him in this Text. the true Meſsias Chriſt Ieſus had hetherto, till towardes the end of this his firſt yeares publike preaching of the goſpel, ſought onely the deſtruction of the works of the Serpent, & of the Deuils miſchieuous power. No otherwiſe thē accidentally, had our bleſſed glorious Sauiour deſtroied the perſon either of wicked Angel or wicked man: But the Deuill the Serpent by himſelfe, and his ſeed had hetherto firſt wrought againſt our Sauiours perſon to deſtroy it, by Violence and Infamy; Violence, againſt his ſoule by ſuggeſtions in the forty dayes temptation in the wildernes; againſt his body by Herod in his infancy, by the Phariſees (Iob. 4 1.) when hee firſt baptized: by the barbarous Clownes of Nazaret (Luke. 4.29.) when hee firſt preached publikely. Infamy, by hauing obiected the baſenes of his trade. Is not this the Carpenter Maries ſonne? of his kindred and parentage, Are not Iames and Ioſes, Iuda and Simon his kinſmen? Mar. 6.3) Is not this goodman Ioſephs ſonne? (Luke 4.22.) And when nothing would fadge either by Violence or Infamy to the deſtroying of Chriſts perſon, then, euen before the end of this his firſt yeares publicke preaching, againſt his publike and priuate worke to deſtroy it. It is two fold, Sauing doctrine; Good life. Againſt Christs doctrine, That it is blaſphemous. Luk. 5. and this Cha. 3. ver. This man ſpeaketh blaſphemies, who can forgiue ſinnes, but God? Againſt Chriſts life, That Moſes neuer broke the two materiall tables more plainely with his two hands, then Chriſt hath broken the two morall tables of the law both by his ſinnes of Commiſsion againſt the Negatiue prohibitions thereof, and by ſinnes of Omiſsion againſt the Affirmatiue commaunds. By ſinnes of Commiſsion againſt the firſt table: For (Iohn the 5.) by vttering blaſphemie at the feaſt of Tabernacles, and by making himſelfe the ſonne of God, hee breakes the three firſt commaundements; by breaking the Sabboath at the ſame feaſt, and by healing a bedred man vpon the Sabboath day he breakes the fourth commandement, By ſinnes of Commiſsion and Omiſsion againſt the ſecond table: For (this Cha. 11. v.) in that he companieth with gluttons and drunkards, in Leui a common tol-gatherer a bad fellowes houſe, he breakes the negatiue part of the ſixt and ſeuenth commandements to the manifeſt murdering, and effeminating, or corrupting the pure ſoules of men, deſtroying that opinion of neceſſary auſterenes which Iohn the Baptiſt, and the Phariſes had by their auſtere liues inured the people vnto; and in that he omitteth all kinds of Diſciplinary Faſts, very neceſſary for the mortification of the ſinfull fleſh of his Diſciples, he breakes the affirmatiue part of the ſame commandements.

This laſt obiection is of my text. And (that which heretofore I haue ſhewed at large, to be the very depth of Sathaniſme, and of all deuiliſh policie) it is vttered againſt Chriſt not by the Phariſes Diſciples, who might be ſuſpected to obiect of malice, and whom in Leui his houſe, Chriſt had alreadie anſwered; but it is vttered in the open hearing of thouſands, by the deuouteſt Diſciples of his vndoubted and beſt friend that moſt famous liuing ſanctimonie Iohn Baptiſt. The Diſciples of Iohn ſay vnto him, not,Verſe. 14. The Diſciples of the Phariſes ſay vnto him: Why doe we and the Phariſes Faſt much ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) or moſt ſeuerely, nay not only faſt, but pray; Luke 5.33. not only faſt and pray much ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ); but (as Saint Luke hath it more fully 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is to ſay, very thickly and often: but thy Diſciples Faſt no diſciplinarie Faſts at all, but eate and drinke and take their ordinarie meales euery day.

The Analyſis.Vnto this ſo ſubtle, ſo weightie, ſo graue & true accuſation in regard of the Antecedent (though moſt falſe and friuolous, in regard of the Conſequent) our glorious Sauiour in theſe two parables giueth two Apologies worthy of himſelfe; the former in this former Parable, taken from his owne perſon, The former Apologie taken from Chriſts perſon. the other in the other Parable, taken from the Quality and perſon of his Diſciples and followers. He himſelfe, was now not onely the husband, but euen the Bridegrome of his Church in the honiemoone, and ſweeteſt feruencie of her firſt loue. As for the children of his Bride-chamber, his Diſciples and neere attendants, he was able to keepe them in his Fathers name, without any paedagogicall or diſciplinarie exerciſe, of ſorrow and humiliation for ſinne, Iohn 17.12. To faſt, to mourne, to eate the bread and water of affliction, was now the portion of his feſtiuall bride Cup. To be wed to all kindes of ſorrowes and penance, was his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , his owne proper worke alone, as he now came to be mans whole and alone Redeemer, a worke not (without manifeſt derogation thereof, nor without a neceſſarie infeebling and weakning of the Chriſtian faith) any waies communicable to the ſhoulders of his followers. They ſhould indeede heereafter (when that which he counted his Bridall feaſt of afflictions was once ended, and fully ſolemnized by him) all of them, aboue all other men, with the two ſonnes of Zebedee, be baptized with his bloodie baptiſme, Math. 20.2 • . wherewith he was now to be bathed and baptiſed; They ſhould indeede heereafter all drinke hartily and ſoundly of his Bride Cup of penance and of death, wherof he was now to drinke firſt himſelfe. But afore, his Bride or they could taſt any whit deeply or kindly of this his Bride Cup, it was firſt his honeſt and neceſſarie dutie, to be himſelfe, in himſelfe, as Moſes was to Zipporah, a bloodie husband vnto her, and as her true louing Bridegrome and Redeemer, to beginne therein vnto her himſelfe, drinking the hartieſt draught, euen to the bottome of the dregges, of all the iuſt punniſhments of ſinne. If they or his Bride her ſelfe did now, whileſt the Bridall laſted, bride it (as it were) and ſip a little thereof; that ſurely might be all, that could yet vpon ſo high a feaſt day, well become her. In a word, he was now to treade and to be troden in the wine preſſe of his Fathers wrath alone; He alone,

Iſa. 63.3. and 53.10. Iohn. 11.

Salomon was a type of Chriſt in this. For Iudah and Iſrael were many in his daies, euen as the • and of the ſea in number, eating, drinking, and making mery. 1. king. 4.20.

and no other with him was now to giue his ſoule an offering for our ſinnes, as the Prophet, Iſay, had fore prophecied. He now was that one man, of whom Caiaphas ſo extraordinarily prophecied, that it was expedient, that one man ſhould die for the people, that the whole nation periſh not. Seeing then, that all cauſe of mourning or humbling of the ſoule, which is the firſt and chiefe end of Faſting, is by his bodily preſence with them, ſo neceſſarily abſent from them; Can any reaſonable man make the children of the Bride-chamber faſt, while the Bridegroome is with them? Thus ſtandeth Chriſts former Apologie, taken from the maieſtie and greatnes of his owne perſon.

On the other ſide, in regard of the weaknes and vnfitnes of his Diſciples,The other Apologie taken from the perſon of Chriſts Diſciples. & euen of the Diſciples of Iohn, and of the Phariſes themſelues, to faſt Euangelicall Faſts, his other Apologie is this. His Euangelicall or Goſpel-faſts are as ſhreds of new cloth, ſtrong, durable, able and fit to mend a rent or a decay in the ſtrongeſt and moſt holy ſoules. But they, who had faſted none but legal or propheticall Faſts, were yet as old, worne, thredbare cloth, worne out with the obſeruation of the old cuſtomes of the ragged, beggarly, vndurable rudiments of the ceremoniall law, which law was not now to indure, or to be mēded & ſtitched vp any longer. His Goſpel-faſts againe are as new, vigorous, ſpiritous, vertuous ſtrong wine, full of Spirit and truth. But they yet were not Sanctified with his truth; They knew not yet, whether there were any holy Ghoſt, and newe renewing ſpirit or no; They were yet, as old leaking, vnſtancht bottels, not able ſo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ſo to containe and abſteine, as (after his Aſcenſion and bodily departure from them) The promiſe of his Father, and the Grace and truth of his Goſpel ſhould inſtruct and enable them. The rent in the faſters through this vnſuteablenes would now bee made worſe, if ſuch faſting ſhould be applied▪ The Faſt it ſelfe, being too ſtrong would take vent, and runne out into manifeſt loſſe. What reaſon then, that ſuch faſters ſhould be ſet in the paedagogie, or diſciplinarie exerciſe of ſuch a Faſt?

This double Apologie I take to be thus rightly meant in theſe two parables, and thereby the deuilliſh and ſlanderous conſequent, of the diffamation of our Sauiours offenſiue, or diſſolute breach of the affirmatiue part of the ſixt and ſeuenth commaundements, to bee moſt notably and clearely ouerthrowne. He did not with his diſciples, omit the keeping of the generall or eſſentiall duties of mortification, abſolutely commanded in the affirmatiue part of thoſe two commaundements: Only in regard of his owne quality and perſon, and in regard of the quality and perſon of his Diſciples, he did together with them intermit, rather then omit ſome duties, tending to the Bene eſſe of mortification, which were not vniuerſally and abſolutely commanded.

My text therefore thus: But the daies will come, when the Bridegrome ſhalbe taken frō them, or The daies will come, when new ſhreds ſhalbe applied to new cloth, new wine ſhall be put into new bottels, that both may be preſerued; & then ſhal they Faſt: is to be annexed in common too, & with both the parts of this double Apologie, as a neceſſary anticipation and preuercion of that obiection, which might yet further worthily haue proued our glorious Sauiour to be an obſtinate patrone of fleſhly libertie. For though in regard of the preſent ſtate of his perſon, and of the perſons of his Diſciples, their 〈◊〉 faſting could not proue him a reſolute or abſolute aduerſary 〈◊〉 mortification: yet ſeeing that faſting hath ſuch power in it to mortifie the fleſh, found out by the continuall practiſe of Moſes and the Prophets, and of him, that was greater then any Prophet, Iohn the Baptiſt; if he ſhould haue tooke no order, nor giuen any commaunde at all of religious faſting vnto his followers, his temporary intermiſsion of ſo neceſſarie and expedient an exerciſe, would haue bin ſoone defined by Sathan his accuſer, and the accuſer of the bretheren, to haue beene an abſolute omiſsion of mortification. That therefore at the length the bawling mouth of Cerberus, might be ſoundly muſſeld and ſtopt for euer, As Iohn (ſaith Chriſt) by authority more then propheticall, which he receiued in the wildernes by Oracle: as the Phariſes & Doctors of the law, by authority of the law of Moſes, and by the authority of the examples of ſo many Prophets, doe grauely, and ſoberly, truſſe vp the loynes and guts of their followers, and do ſet vnto their Diſciples a dyet and order of religious, much, and often faſting: ſo I will & command theſe my children of the Bride-chamber My diſciples and followers by my Legall, Propheticall, more then propheticall, Euangelicall authority (For it pleaſeth the Father, that in me all fulnes of authority ſhould dwell,Coloſſe. 4.12. Iam. 4.12 and that I ſhould be the onely lawgiuer able to ſaue & deſtroy) that preſently after my bodily departure, they alſo Faſt and Pray: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (for thoſe two words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 muſt be repeated) Much and often. I dare boldly ſay, that they who haue made, doe make, or ſhall make any other meaning either of theſe words, or of this whole anſwere of Chriſt: they haue, doe and ſhall 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , they haue doe & ſhall therin ſhew the infirmity Alienae mentis, at leaſt, they haue abalienated, doe abalienate, and they ſhall abalienate Chriſts right meaning from Chriſts ſure words. Thus much touching the moſt neceſſary Analyſis.

Out of the firſt view of this Legall, Propheticall, The Theſis or generall Doctrine, neceſſarily gathered out of this right meaning of the Text. more then Propheticall, Euangelicall authority of Chriſt: commaunding Diſciplinary Faſts, to be obſerued in his Church after his departure, who doth not preſently gather the great neceſsity of our obeying the Church conſtitutions, concerning Church Faſts, Croſſe, Surplice, night watchings, or concerning any expedient matter elſe, of the like indifferent nature making to piety, mortification or Chriſtian honeſtie? who doth not preſently gather alſo a plaine diſtinction betwixt matters commanded abſolutely, as eſſentiall duties of the affirmatiue parts of the moral law, & betwixt matters cōmanded conditionally, when, where, & as they ſhalbe iudged by gods ſpirit in his childrē to be expedient & neceſſary? Who doth not preſētly gather, how groſſe headed & ſlowharted humorous Schiſmaticks are, who either with T. of Aquin & his Schollers the Papiſts, haue counted ſome Church faſts, Praecepta naturae, as abſolute & vnvariable cōmands: or with Aerius & Iouinian thoſe fleſhly Libertine damned Hereticks, haue eſteemed Church faſts ſo indifferently indifferent, as though it were lawfull, though neither ſicknes, nor buſines, neither impotencie, nor importance vrge vs, to omit them notwithſtanding and breake them, whenſoeuer it may pleaſe our wanton humorous fleſh.

For the full therefore and more particular declaration of this Text:The two parts of the more particular declaration of the text. Firſt, Concerning the nature and authoritie of Chriſts Commaund: [Then ſhall they Faſt] What Faſts it doth commaund. Whom it doth authoriſe and commaund to commaund them: Who are to be commaunded the keeping of them: With what rigour the partie delinquent are to bee puniſhed. Secondly, Concerning the obeying of this Commaund, as it is further determined, [Then ſhall they Faſt much and • ften their religious Faſts,] with what Seueritie, in regard of the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Much, and in regard of the word [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Often: with what Holineſſe, in regard of the Sixe holy ends of religious Faſting, intimated in this Scripture, by the words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Mourne, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Pray, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Both are preſerued, it ought to be obeyed: by Gods ſpeciall aſsiſtance, and by the intreatie of the Chriſtian patience of the vnderſtanding eare, I will briefely deliuer, that ſound and neceſſary doctrine, which no one Writer, either new or old, hath ſo ſufficiently and plainely taught vs, as was requiſite.

CHAP. II. The firſt generall Part. Concerning the Nature and Authority of Chriſts Commaund.

TO the firſt Queſtion (What Euangelicall Faſts are directly commaunded by it:The Nature and Authoritie of the Commaund. [Then ſhal they Faſt.] ) I anſwere, as partly I haue anſwered already, that this Commaund is not Abſolute, but Con • ultatorie: neither are theſe Faſts here commaunded vnvariable and vnomiſsible; but they are ſuch as may be changed, and omitted alſo for a time. In a word, the Euangelicall Faſts here directly commanded by Chriſts authenticall commaund,The firſt Queſtion: what Faſts are commanded heere. Not Faſts of Abſolute cō mand. are our ſolemne or publike diſciplinary Faſts, which we cal our Church-faſts, being in nature and eſſence altogether correſpondent and anſwerable to theſe approueable Faſts, wherein Iohn the Baptiſt, and the worthieſt Phariſees had publikely trained and exerciſed their diſciples. To make this Part of the diſtinction of Faſts and of their commaund more ſenſibly plaine: we muſt know, that a Faſt of abſolute commaund, whether priuate or publike, is of the eſſence of mortification, and is altogether vnvariable and vnomiſsible. Such a Faſt, till Chriſt was aſcended, was the Faſt of Reconciliation, vpon the Vpō this day Eue and Adam f • ll by inordinate deſire of the forbidden fruite, as many Deuines doe very probably coniecture. And no doubt euen in king Salomons time, Iudah & Iſrael faſt • d vpon this day. tenth of the ſeuenth Moneth, Leuit. 23, 29. Whoſoeuer humbleth not himſelfe, (that is, as S. Cyrill doeth truely interpret it) Whoſoeuer doeth not faſt from Euentide to Euentide, vpon the feast of Reconciliation, that perſon ſhall be cut off from his people. Our Sauiour Chriſt with his Diſciples, kept this Faſt euery yeere duely and truely; neither could theſe Diſciples of Iohn and of the Phariſees, haue taxed them iuſtly, for any remiſſenes in the breach of the ſame. Nay, no doubt, if Pilate the chiefe Deputie, Gouernour of Iurie, ſhould, as ſometimes wicked Ahaz did, haue ſhutte vp the doores of the Temple, that they could not haue kept it before the Lord in the Temple: yet Chriſt would certainely haue cauſed them (as he did afterwards cauſe them, contrary to the will and guiſe of the Iewiſh Elders, to keepe his laſt Paſſeouer) to haue kept it with him vpon that very day, which his Father had abſolutely commanded, and that euen in their priuate houſes or in the open fieldes. Such a Faſt of Abſolute precept, is ſtill our Euangelicall Faſt of extraordinary Repentance, appointed by God abſolutely, for the neceſſary remouing of his extraordinary iudgements and wrath, from our extraordinary ſinnes. The Apoſtles indeede and neere attendants of Chriſt (as I haue declared already) had no cauſe to keepe this Faſt, ſo long as Chriſt was with them, and kept them continually in his Fathers name, leaſt any part of the merit of his paſsiue obedience for our Redemption, ſhould haue beene imparted and attributed vnto them, as well as to him. Yet he himſelfe, for the remouing of Gods Ordinary and Extraordinary wrath, both from vs & from them, held it 40. daies and 40. nights together in the wilderneſſe, and did oftentimes keepe it, though not in ſackcloth and aſhes, yet by lying whole nightes vpon the ground in the duſt, and ſometimes by ſweating and weeping droppes and teares of his heart blood. It is not ſurely in the power and conſultation of the Church, either particular or vniuerſall, to omit or repeale this kind of Faſt. For example, The primitiue Churches, immediatly ſucceeding the Apoſtles, made a Catholicke Canon, that Feſtis diebus nemo ieinnet: No man ſhould faſt vpon holy dayes, vnleſſe the holy day fell vpon Aſhwedneſday or vpon good Friday.Jgnat. ad Ph 〈…〉 lip. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Ad • agnenſes in eandem ſenten • am ſeribit. But for the Lordes day, our Chriſtian Sabboth, which Ignatius in his Epiſtle ad Magnenſes, worthily termeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Empreſſe of all other dayes; bee ſaith in another Epiſtle written ad Philippenſes, that Whoſoeuer faſteth vpon it, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he is a Chriſt murderer. what? ſhall we thinke with S. Auſtin, who in his Epiſtle to Caſulan, admitteth no excuſe of the breach of this catholike Canon, that he is a Murtherer of Chriſt, who faſteth the extraordinary Poenitentiall Faſt vpon the Lords day? God forbid. S. Cyrill hath better taught vs to reſtraine the faſting forbidden by the Canon, vpon our Chriſtian Sabboth, vnto the Church-Faſt, or vnto the priuate ordinary Penitentiall Faſt onely. For as touching the Extraordinary Penitentiall Faſt, both ſolemne and priuate, which, whoſoeuer omitteth, he is certainely, both 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , both a murderer of Chriſt, & a murderer of his owne ſoule: S. Cyrils wordes are moſt orthodoxall and ſound,Extraordinary penitentiall Faſts whether priuate or publike, are of abſolute commaund. 2. Sam. 12. when he ſaith; that Libertas eſt homini Chriſtiano, omni tempore ieiunandi: A Chriſtian hath libertie to Faſt vpon any day. If Dauid had not preſently cried Peccaui, when Nathan told him of his extraordinary ſinne, if hee had not preſently caſt himſelfe out of his throne into duſt and aſhes, and refrained his ordinary meales, and all thinking of the ordinary obſeruation of Church feaſts. If the King of Niniue, his Nobles, his people, euen to the beaſt that periſheth, had not alſo at Ionas firſt opening his mouth, againſt their ſinnes,For the Thiefe vpō the Croſſe had not time to exerciſe this kinde of humiliation. kept that their publicke Faſt of extraordinary Repentance; Alas, alas, where had Dauid, where had the Niniuites beene at this day? So neceſſary (Neceſsitate praecepti, though not Neceſsitate medii,) is this kind of extraordinary Repentance, vnto the ſaluation of all them, who haue either ſinned extraordinarily, or are extraordinarily afflicted.

But Faſts of conditionall or conſultatorie command, not of the Being, but onely of the wel being of Mortification.But on the other ſide we muſt know alſo, that a Faſt of Conſultatorie commaund, whether it bee a Church faſt or a Priuate Faſt, is not of the Eſſence, but of the well being of Mortification, and that it is both Variable and alſo Omiſsible, vnleſſe it bee Votiue. And ſurely, if it be ſolemnely or properly Votiue, it muſt bee vowed both ſolemnely by the Church, and properly by priuate men; alwayes with this cautelous reſtraint, that we doe not tie our ſelues by vow vnto it, if God ſhall extraordinarily viſite vs his people, with ſuch a mercie, vpon out Votiue-Faſt-day, as that our Nehemiah and Ezra, our Prince and Biſhop, haue iuſt cauſe to forbid vs to Faſt, and to ſay vnto vs, Nehem. 8.9.10.12. This day is holy vnto the Lord your God: Mourne not, neither weepe; but goe ye and eate the fat, and drinke of the ſweete, and ſend part thererf vnto them, for whom none is prepared. The ioy of the Lord is this day your ſtrength. Such a Faſt was this Variable and Omiſsible Faſt, commanded by Iohn and the Phariſees vnto their followers, in this Text of Scripture. For the ſame Iohn, the ſame Phariſees, who had commaunded ſuch faſting, might alſo, vpon weightie cauſes, haue changed, intermitted or omitted them for a time, as Chriſt himſelfe by his example teacheth them, and as the continuall practiſe of the Church of God, both vniuerſal and particular, haue both before Chriſt and after Chriſt taught vs. Such a Faſt is our ancient Catholick and moſt approueable and neceſſary Faſt before the Communion of the Lords Supper. Aquin in his diſpute De ieinnio, 147. Quaeſt. calleth it Praeceptum Naturae, that is, as I here interpret it, A Faſt of abſolute precept, included in the affirmatiue part of the ſixt and ſeuenth commandements of the morall Law. S. Auſtin in his Epiſtle to Ianuarius ſaith,Epiſt. 11 • . that it is Ieiunium Moris Chriſti, qui v 〈…〉 iari non debet; that it is a Faſt of Chriſts owne faſhion and ſpeciall appointment, becauſe S. Paul ſaith in the 1. Cor. 11.34 Tha • , if 〈◊〉 man be hungrie, he ſhould eate at home, leaſt the Church come together to their condemnation. But this their reaſon is too weake, to ground any thing demonſtratiuely vpon it. For the Apoſtle doth onely by euident demonſtration of words, forbid their vnreuerent eating in the publike aſſemblie. Verſ. 22. And ſo all thoſe Primitiue Apoſtolicke Churches did vnderſtand him,Hom. in 1. Cor. cap. 11. who (as S. Chryſoſtome writing vpon the ſame words, doth clearely witneſſe) had euen till S. Chryſoſtomes age, which was the fourth from Chriſt, alwaies receiued the Communion after their Chariſtia, or common Chriſtian Charityfeaſts, called by S. Iude ver. 12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . To conclude therefore my anſwere, to this firſt neceſſary demaund, What Euangelical Faſts are directly commaunded by Chriſt, in this Conſultatorie Precept, [Then ſhall they Faſt:] I anſwere briefely, That ſuch Publike Church-faſts are here authoriſed and commaunded, as may be, and ought to be changed and intermitted, when they chance to hinder or to croſſe any chriſtian Duties, commanded by the abſolute precept of Chriſt, either in his Law or in his Goſpell.

Sect. 2.

The ſecond Queſtion, Who, and how ſtraitly they are commanded to command them.COncerning the Nature and Authoritie of this commaund [Then ſhall they faſt,] To the Second queſtion, Whom it doth authoriſe and command to commaund or inioyne theſe publik Ordinarie paenitential Church-faſts, as alſo How ſtraitly ſuch authoriſed Commanders are bound (in foro conſcientiae) to command and inioyne them: I anſwere, firſt, that not onely the Church gouernors, (ſuch as are here Iohn Baptiſt, 1. Church-Gouernors. and the Phariſees; ſuch as is Ezra in the 8 Chapter of Ezra, the 21. verſe:At the Riuer by Ahana, • Ezra proclaimed a Faſt. ſuch as are the children of the Bride-chamber themſelues, in the 13. and 15. chap. of the Acts: ſuch as were the Fathers of the Church, when the chriſtian Emperours, like Gallio, Act. 18.17 cared not for Church-law matters.

2. High Magiſtrates.

3. Whole Councels.

) But alſo the High magiſtrates, and the whole Councell of the Church, either Catholicke or Nationall, conſiſting both of the Clergy and of the Laiety of Chriſt may and ought to commaund them. The King of Nineuie and his Nobles in the third of Ionas, Eſther and Mordecay in the fourth of Eſther, the godly Wife and godly Husband counſelled by S. Paul, 1. Cor. 7. • . to defraud themſelues for a time, that they may the better giue themſelues & employ their houſhold in faſting and p •• i • r, are Demoſtratiue precedents to the Supreme Magiſtrate; the whole comminaltie of the 〈◊〉 Tribes of Iſrael, together with their Elders, and Phinees the High-Prieſt in the 20. chapter of the Iudges, Ver. 23. & 2 • : and the euiled Iewes, ioyned in one as one man, in the tenth of Ezra, are authenticall proofes,Verſ. 7.8. to authoriſe whole Councels and Synods. But yet there is one kinde of Church-Faſts, which now a dayes we call I ••• nia quatuer temporum, called in times paſt,The Quart 〈…〉 Fa 〈…〉 . 〈◊〉 ſacrorum Ordinum, the Faſts of holy Orders; the commaund whereof, doth moſt properly and principally lie vpon the charge of our Biſhops and Clergie, whenſoeuer they either ordaine or inſtitute Miniſters. For it is plaine out of the ſtorie of the Apoſtles Actes, Act. 13. & 14. that theſe children of the Bridechamber, did neuer lay their hands vpon any Miniſter of the word and Sacraments, either at his ordination or Inſtitution, afore they had firſt appointed ſolemne faſting an prayer, And ſurely, although ſuch faſting bee not of the Eſſe; yet it is of the Bene eſſe and melius fieri of holy Inſtitutions and Orders. 1. Tim. 3. It pertaineth alſo moſt principally to Saint Pauls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , abſtemious temperate Biſhop, that hee call vpon the ſupreme Magiſtrate, and vpon the whole people of Chriſt, and bee a liuely precedent vnto them, for the execution of this conſultatorie commaund, [Then ſhall they Faſt.] From whom did S. Auſtin and his mother Monica, priuate perſons, take their right paterne of faſting, when they liued in Millaine, but from Saint Ambroſe the Biſhop of Millaine?Church gouernors muſt play the moſt carefull part in ſeeing to the execut on and obedience of this commaund. whom doth S Auſtin counſell his friend Caſulan to follow in the order of Church faſts, but chiefely his Prouinciall or Dioceſan Biſhop? Epiſcopo tuo in hacre, noli reſiſtere: Quod ipſe facit, ſine vllo ſcrupulo aut diſceptatione ſectare. Croſſe not thy Biſhop in this matter of a Saterday Faſt, but in this and the like, what thou ſeeſt thy Biſhop doe, that do thou without any ſcruple or controuerſie.

Secondly, if it be demaunded, whether as it is in the conſultation of the Church to repeale, intermit, or change theſe publike Fasts of ordinarie Repentance; ſo it is in their conſultatorie power altogether to omit and diſannull them:The ſecond Article of this ſecond Queſtion, whether Omiſsible faſts may be altogether omitted. and whether Catholicke Faſts may be intermitted or repealed by Particular gouernours, of Particular Churches or by Nationall counſels, I anſwere firſt to the former part of the demaunde; that there are in the Scripture, two kinds of indifferent things not commaunded by abſolute precept, left vnto Chriſtian mens free conſultation, as the Spirit of God in his children, ſhall iudge them to be expedient or vnexpedient to be done.Indifferent actions warranted only, and not commanded. Of the firſt kind are ſuch indifferent matters and duties, as are made lawfull vnto vs only by Warrant, and not alſo by any ſo much as conſultatorie commaund or counſell. And theſe againe are of two ſorts: For either they are both warranted and commended, as are the Voluntarie vowes of perpetuall Virginity and widowhead, of Pouertie, of paying all, or part of our goods to poore Chriſt, whether they be proper voluntarie vowes, or ſolemne & publicke voluntary vowes; or they are permitted onely,Indifferent actions warranted and commended, but not commanded. and tolerated in the booke of God, as lawfull, but no where commended alſo as laudable, as is that beſt kind of Vſurie, where a man doth no otherwiſe deale with his brother, thē he himſelf in the like caſe,Things warranted, and onely permitted, or tolerated, are in the Church gouernors power would be very willing to be dealt withal. It is in the conſultatorie power of the publicke gouernours of Chriſts Church, either altogether to diſannull and abrogate, or at their diſcretion to reſtraine and correct the abuſe of this latter, either by ciuill puniſhment in their ciuill gouernement, or by Excommunication or ſuſpenſion in their Cleargie gouernement. But as touching the former, which are both warranted and commended in the Scripture, it is not in the conſultatorie power of Chriſts Church gouernours, either publikely to commande them, or publikely to diſannull and altogether forbid them, whether they be priuate and proper voluntarie vowes or ſolemne and publicke voluntarie vowes of perpetuall continencie, pouertie, or ſuch like. When thou abſteineſt from ſuch proper or ſolemne vowes (ſaith the only lawgiuer, able to ſaue and deſtroy Deuter. 23.22.) it ſhall be no ſinne vnto thee: who then can binde me (in foro conſcientiae) either to vow ſingle life, though a thing warranted and commended, or forbid me to vow it publickly, I ſay, either to commaunde theſe commended holy Voluntarie vowes, or to diſannull, and altogether forbid them, is not in the power of any publicke gouernours whatſoeuer. Onely it is in their power to reſtraine and correct the abuſes of them, if either the Votarie doe vow that raſhly, which is not likely to be in his power and abilitie to performe, or doe vowe that wickedly, or to a wicked, vngodly, ſuperſtitious end, which he ought not to performe. Certaine young Widdowes, made a ſolemne vow of perpetuall widow head in Saint Paules time. But Saint Paule ſeeing, by experience of them, their great vnableneſſe to performe ſuch vowes: diſcommends them greatly in the fift chapter of his former Epiſtle to Timothy, To reſtraine the abuſe of indifferent actions, warranted and commanded is in the power of the Church gouernours. To command them, is not at all in the Church gouernours power. and chargeth Biſhop Timothy to reſtraine the ſolemne vowes of ſuch Votaries, vntill they came to the age of threeſcore yeares. Certaine alſo of the lewd Hypocrits, amongſt the Iſraelites in the time of Moſes law, as it is plaine in the 18. ver of the 23. of Deuteronomie, had wantonly brought the hire of their Whores, and the prices of their Dogges, for holy ſolemne Voluntarie vowes into the houſe of God, as many ſuperſtitious, wanton Votaries haue done, and doe ſtill vnder the reigne of Popiſh ſuperſtition, and as idolatrous people, doe and haue done, who haue ſolemnely dedicated, and bequeathed their money, lands, goods, vnto Maſſe Prieſts, to ſing Dirdges for their ſoules, or to ſay Prayers, for the deliuerance of their ſoules out of Purgatorie, or to the maintenance of the Supremacie, and Hierarchie of the Iudaicall and Donatiſticall, Pſeudocatholicke Church of Rome. God would haue theſe ſolemne Voluntarie vowes both reſtrained and corrected. For ſo ſaith the Law: Deut. 23.18. Thou ſhall neither bring the hire of an whore; nor the price of a Dogge into the houſe of the Lord thy God for any vow. For euen both theſe are an abomination vnto the Lord thy God.

Thus haue I ſhewed how things of indifferent nature warranted onely, but not at all commaunded in Gods word are to be held, or not to be held to be vnder the conſultatorie power of the publicke gouernours of Chriſts Church. Another kind of duties,Indifferent things warranted commended, and alſo by couſultatorie precept commanded, if they be publickly commanded, are wholly in the Church gouernours power: and if the Church gouernours doe altogether omit them, they diſobey God and his Chriſt, becauſe they are neuer altogether vnexpedient. and things indifferent, not commaunded by abſolute precept, but left to Chriſtian mens free conſultation, is of thoſe which are not onely warranted in Gods word, but are alſo commaunded by that kind of commande and precept, which I haue tearmed Conſultatorie. Theſe againe are of two ſorts. For either they are by ſuch Conſultatorie commaundement, commaunded onely vnto priuate men; or they are alſo commaunded both to priuate men and to publicke officers. Of the former ſort is Continencie, commaunded vnto them who haue the gift thereof, in that conſultatorie priuate precept Math. 19.12. He that can receiue it, let him receiue it. Of the ſame ſort is the renouncing of all wordly buſines to follow the ſtudie of Chriſts heauenly Doctrine, commaunded vnto them, vnto whom it is expedient, by that Conſultatorie precept, Math. 19.21. If thou wilt be perfect, Goe ſell thy goods, and giue them to the poore, and come follow mee. But of the latter ſort is Decencie of apparell, and a diſcreete conſtitution of Church-orders, commanded in generall by that Conſultatorie precept, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : Let all things be done comely and in order. Of the ſame ſort is this Ordinarie penitentiall faſting, or this Faſting of ordinarie repentance, wherof we now ſpeake, cō manded here in ſpeciall, Then ſhall they faſt. Now, as it is not in the free power of a priuate mans conſultation, who hath the gift of Continencie, or to whom it is moſt expedient to leaue the world and to follow Chriſt, altogether to diſobey Chriſts priuate conſultatorie commaunds; as it is euident by Saint Paul, who ſaith in the 15. ver. of the 9. Chap. of his 1. Epi. to the Corinthians, that it was better for him to die, then that he ſhould take a lawfull ſtipend of the Corinthians, which was not then expedient: ſo much leſſe is it in the power of a publicke Officer, or of the ſupreme Magiſtrate, to ſuffer the Church of God to be ruled without all outward Decencie, or to diſobey Chriſt in not obſeruing that, which hee hath ſpecially commanded by this ſpeciall Conſultatorie publicke commaunde: Then ſhall they faſt. And thus haue I ſhewed alſo, how things of indifferent nature, left to mans free conſultation, not only by warrant of the word, but alſo by Conſultatorie priuate, or by conſultatorie publicke commandement, are to be held or not to beheld, to be vnder the Conſultatorie power of the publicke gouernours of the Church. For although thoſe indifferent duties, which are commaunded to priuate men, onely by Conſultatorie priuate commaund, be to be performed by priuate men, ſo onely as the ſpirit of God in them ſhall exact, (as it did of Saint Paul,) their Conſultatorie obedience in the exact performance of them: yet thoſe indifferent duties, which are commaunded alſo to publicke Officers, by the ſpeciall Conſultatorie publicke commaunde of Chriſt, the moſt louing Bridegroome of his Church: theſe in different duties, I ſay, of this ſo ſpeciall Conſultatorie publicke commaunde, cannot without neglect of dutie vnto Chriſt their Lord and maiſter, the only lawgiuer, able to ſaue and deſtroy, be either intermitted vpon an humour, or omitted and diſannulled altogether by the publicke gouernours of Chriſts Church. The neglect of theſe Church faſts then, in any Church whatſoeuer is a token of ſome want of that feeling, which the Church as a true louing wife ſhould haue of the bodily abſence of her louing husband: according to the ſpeach of our Sauiour in this my Text: But the daies will come when the Bridegroome ſhall be taken from them, and then ſhall they Faſt. Surely as Salomon ſaith, Eccle. 7.6. The heart of Fooles, (who laugh in the face as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, 2. Cor. 5.12.) is in the houſe of mirth, but the heart of wiſemen, who laugh in the heart, & are ſoberly and truely wiſe vnto ſaluation, is alwaies in the houſe of mourning, that is (as our Sauiour heere in my Text doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , doth confound and turne the tearmes of Faſting, 15. Ver. Then ſhall they fast, or, Then ſhall they mourne. and mourning making them all one) in the houſe of faſting, becauſe it is better to goe to the houſe of mourning, then to the houſe of feaſting, & becauſe by a ſad looke the heart is made better. And thus I haue aſſoiled the former doubt, which might worthely ariſe, touching the gouernours of the Church, their abſolute omiſsion and repealing of all Church faſts▪ To the other doubt thus much I ſpeake briefely, that though the Faſt be Catholicke,No faſting, no mourning. as is the Faſt before the Communion, and all our other Church-faſts except two onely, that is to ſay, though the Faſt be Vniuerſally conſtituted,3. Articles whether Catholicke Faſts, may be repealed or changed by particular Churches. and decreed to be kept in all the particular Churches of the world, by the Vniuerſall decree and ſentence of an Oecumenicall counſell; yet the Oecumenicall counſell doth alwaies with this Prouiſo decree it, that no particular Church ſhall be further bound vnto it, then as it is an helpe and no wayes an hindrance vnto true mortification. If it be found either through the ſuperſtition of this doting old world, or through any other enormitie, wherewith Sathan and mans corruption doth often ſtaine and defile the beſt exerciſes of godlines, to be any whit preiudiciall to thoſe holy duties of abſolute neceſſitie, which are commanded by abſolute precept; then the practiſe of the beſt particular Churches, and euen of ſome Dioceſan Biſhops, haue taught vs, that our righter way to obey the Oecumenicall counſell is to obey rather the meaning then the bare and dead letter of their decree. I confeſſe that Saint Auſtin ſaith wiſely and well, ſpeaking of theſe Vniuerſall cuſtomes of faſting, decreed by the Plenary counſel of the whole church; Si quid horū tota perorbem frequentat Eccleſia, hoc quin ita faciendū ſit deſputare, inſolentiſsimae inſaniae eſt. If any of theſe things be vſed by the cuſtome of the whole Church, for a man to hold that ſuch a thing ought not, or may indifferently not be done, it is a part and a tricke of moſt ſiely fondneſſe and madneſſe. But he giueth this reaſon intimated both in his words following, and in his words before going, where he had ſet downe his formall difference betweene particular Church cuſtomes, and betwixt Vniuerſall Church cuſtomes to be the cauſe of this his ſpeeach, for that the Vniuerſall Church neuer decreeth any thing, that is Contra fidem & bonos mores, againſt the Faith and good maners, but the particular Churches may be ſuppoſed to decree ſome new cuſtomes both Contra fidem & bonos mores. Out of which reaſon we may plainely ſee, how Saint Auſtin did vnderſtand the decrees of Vniuerſall counſels, and the minde of all Churches, when they chanced to haue the ſame cuſtome in the vſe of an indifferent duty amongſt them all, Namely, that the intention, and minde, and meaning of the Vniuerſall Church is this to keepe or to decree no cuſtome, that is, Contra fidem & bonos mores: yet that his meaning is not; neither was it the Catholicke meaning of the whole Church, that the cuſtomarie vſe of any indifferent thing, not commaunded by abſolute precept, ſhould therefore neuer be altered, becauſe it was once decreed by ſo Vniuerſall a decree and conſent of all Churches.The Catholick Conſtitutions are to be obeyed, ſo long as they are commanded. But none of them were euen commanded as perpetuall and altogether vnvariable.

Though indeed, whileſt ſuch indifferent matters are in vigour and force, and are commanded by the Church, he is worthily to be eſteemed Schiſmaticus ſchiſmate charitatis in the higheſt degree, who doth not obediently yeeld vnto them; & alſo Schiſmaticus ſchiſmate fidei, if he diſpute againſt the authority of the Church, in giuing out ſuch conſtitutions: yet no ſuch indifferent matters of Catholick conſtitution and command, are to be held to be perpetual, conſtant, & invariable or vnalterable for euer. For that Prerogatiue Saint Auſtin in the ſixt chapter of the ſame Epiſtle to Ianuarius, attributeth onely to thoſe cuſtomes, which either Chriſt himſelfe by ſpeciall commaund, or his Apoſtles from Chriſt, haue immediatly in ſome part of the new Teſtament ordained and conſtituted: Quod nulla mor • m diuerſitate variari poterunt: That they are not, nor may not bee varied or altered by any diuerſitie of times or maners. Which Prerogatiue, I ſay, that the Church of God vniuerſall hath not aſcribed nor aſſumed vnto her ſelfe or to her vniuerſall cuſtomes, it is plaine, by comparing that which Epiphanius writeth of the Catholicke cuſtomes of his time, with the particular practiſe of the Church of Rome, and of our VVeſterne Churches in later times. Hee teſtifieth conſtantly and plainely in the concluſion of the eighty hereſie, that Communiones ſiue ſynaxes fieri ordinatae ſunt ab Apoſtolis, Quarta feria & Proſabbato & Dominica. Quarta vero & Proſabbato ieiunium inſtitutum eſt vſ que ad horam nonam. Et per totum annum quidem ieiunium hoc ſeruatur in eadem ſancta Catholica Eccleſia, Quarta inquam feria & Proſabbato vſ que ad horam nonam, excepta ſola Pentecoſte per totos quinquaginta dies, in quibus ne que genua flectuntur, (ne que ieiunium imperatum eſt, & exceptis diebus Epiphaniorum, quando Chriſtus natus eſt. Communions were ordained by the Apoſtles to bee receiued vpon the Wedneſday, Friday, and the Lords day. And vpon the Wedneſday and Friday, no meate was ordained to be taken, vntill three a clocke in the afternoone. Which Faſt vntill three a cloke in the afternoone, vpon Wedneſdayes and Fridayes, is kept in the ſame holy Catholicke Vniuerſall Church, throughout the whole yeere, excepting Alſo the coū cell of Elibert in Spain Can, 23. (which Councell was more ancient then Epiphanius) forbiddeth and reſtraineth all Church-faſts in the Moneths of July and Auguſt. onely the Pentecoſt with her fiftie dayes after Eaſter, (in which dayes, no knees are bowed in the Church, neither is there any Faſt commaunded,) and excepting the twelve dayes of Chriſtmas. In theſe words of Epiphanius, we haue theſe Catholicke Cuſtomes ſet downe: Firſt, Communions receiued throughout the yeere, thriſe euery weeke. 2. Communions receiued faſting at three a clock in the afternoone. 3. Faſtings not obſerued within the fiftie dayes after Eaſter, nor within the twelue Chriſtmas dayes. 4. Knees not bowed publikely in any Church, within fiftie dayes after Eaſter. Theſe cuſtomes were ſome of them (ſaith he) ſet downe by the Apoſtles themſelues. Apoſtolicke cuſtomes ſpecially commanded from Chriſt, are vnvariable. Apoſtolicke cuſtomes not ſpecially but onely generally commanded from Chriſt are variable. But for all this, that the Church of God hath not accounted ſo of theſe cuſtomes as of Apoſtolicke cuſtomes ordained from Chriſt, by abſolute vnvariable commaund; as S. Auſtin doth well admoniſh vs to diſtinguiſh, it is plaine, by the practiſe of theſe future Ages, wherein wee neither • oure Catholicke cuſtomes altered and omitted in particular Churches▪ • ro morum & • emporum diuerſitate. firſt keepe our Communions thrice, or only thrice in the weeke, nor ſecondly obſerue the determining and ending of our Faſts vpon Wedneſdayes and Fridayes, at three a clock in the afternoone, nor thirdly abſtaine frō al faſting, and fourthly kneeling in the Church within the fiftie dayes after Eaſter.

Thus much to the two firſt and principall Queſtions, and to the inferiour demaunds or doubts, which doe neceſſarily ariſe from vnder them.

Sect. III.

COncerning the Nature, and Authoritie of this Commaund, [Then ſhall they Faſt] To the third Queſtion,The thirde Queſtion, Who are to be commanded theſe Faſtings out of this next parable. Who are to be commaunded the keeping of theſe publicke Faſts of ordinary Repentance, I anſwere eaſily and readily out of this next Parable, that our Sauiour Chriſt would haue both the ſhred and the garment both the wine and the bottle, that is, both the Faſt and the Faſters to be [Adaequatae] to be both meaſurably proportioned together, to the end, they may both be preſerued together. The Gouernors therefore of the Church, as it is plaine out of Ierome and Auſtin their Epiſtles, haue neuer impoſed harder tasks of ordinary Faſting, vpon the veſſels of their inferiour brethen then they themſelues were either able in their ſickeneſſe or other impotencies,C 〈…〉 l El • bertinum Can. 23. ſetunta per ſingulos m • nſ • s plaru • t celebrari, exceptis diebus • uorum menſium Iul • i & Auguſta ob eorundem • xfirmitatem ab aeſt • orituram. or willing in their beſt health to vndergo. Sint moderata • eiunia, ne debilitent ſtomachum, ſaith Ierome to Ruſticus: Let thy ordinary Faſts bee with moderation, and not to the weakening of thy ſtomacke. And in his Epiſtle to Laeta, hee ſetteth downe another cautionarie Rule: Ante annos robuſtae aetatis, periculoſa est teneris, & grauis abſtinentia: Faſting is very dangerous and hurtfull to them, that are not come to their full growth. (This growth, Thomas of Aquin in the 4. Article De ieiunto, according to the order of the Church in his time, defineth to be Finis tertij ſeptennij: The full age of 21. yeeres.) The ſame Aquin putteth vs in minde of a third Rule, of Exemption, to be added according to the Analogie of the word, to the two former Rules of Saint Ierom: Non eſt intentio Eccleſiae ſtatuentis ieiunia, impedire alias pias & magis neceſſarias cauſas: It is not the mind or intention of the Church, by appointing Faſts, to diſallow or hinder any other more godly and weightie matters, or neceſſarie cauſes. For the confirmation of which Rule, wee may remember that which Saint Auſtin ſummarily ſetteth downe, as the common ſentence and reſolution of Gods Spirit in the Church of God, and euen in thoſe moſt deuout and moſt ſeuere Faſters of his time. Ita pietatem ſedulo exercent, Corporis vero exercitationem, vt ait Apoſtolus, De morib. Eccleſiae Catholicae cap. 33. 1. Tim. 4.8. ad exiguum tempus pertinere nouerunt: The ſumme of their diſcreete managing of their Faſts, is this, ſaith Auſtin; They doe exerciſe godlineſſe, [which is of abſolute Precept, hauing the promiſe of this life and of that which is to come, without which godlineſſe alſo, all Faſting is but irreligious, as hereafter I ſhall fully declare, when I come to ſpeake of the right holy ends of true Faſting,] They doe exerciſe godlineſſe attentiuely, ſtudiouſly, carefully, diligently. But bodily exerciſe, as the Apoſtle ſaith, (Saint Auſtin hath ſpeciall reference to ordinary Faſting then practiſed) they know, how it of it ſelfe, or in compariſon of more worthy parts and exerciſes of the minde in godlineſſe, is profitable but for a ſmall time. Theſe then are the termes of iuſt Exemption from Church faſts, and theſe two kind of perſons are to be exempted from them, vpon the appearance and cleare manifeſtation of the iuſtneſſe of their cauſe to the Gouernors of the Church. 1. Laborers, and men employed in high, weightie and neceſſarie buſineſſe, 2. All impotent perſons, whether impotent in goods, faſting ieiunium ieiunij, as our Diuinitie ſchoole ſpeaketh, faſting for want of meat, as common Beggars, and they, who are knowne to want foode, wherewith to breake their faſt, when the Church-Faſt is ended; or Impotent in body, as young folkes wanting growth, olde folkes decaying in growth, ſicke folkes wanting health, and hauing 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,1. Tim. 5.23. often infirmities, and many bad fits, as Biſhop Timothy himſelfe had.

Sect. IIII.

COncerning the Nature and Authoritie of this Commaund:The fourth Queſtion, with what rigour theſe Faſts are to be exacted vpon them, who are liable vnto them, either in regard of their obſeruance, or of their penalties. [Then ſhall they Faſt] To the fourth and laſt neceſſary Queſtion, With what rigour it is to be exacted of them, who are lyable vnto it, and With what rigour the parties delinquent are to bee puniſhed: I anſwere, that as the Faſt of Extraordinarie Repentance hath beene taught, to bee oppoſitely diſtinguiſhed from this kind of Faſt of Ordinary Repentance, whereof this Commaund is directly giuen, in all thoſe determinations already mentioned and ſpecified in the three former Queſtions: ſo in this anſwere, an oppoſite diſtinction is to bee made betwixt the ſame two kinds of Faſt. Extraordinary ſinnes, whether priuate or publicke, cannot eaſily be forgiuen vnto men, vnleſſe they doe Repent extraordinarily, and Faſt extraordinarily, either in priuate, for their priuate extraordinary ſinnes, or in publicke, and in priuate alſo, for their publicke extraordinary ſinnes. Therefore, I haue eyther expreſly, or by implication, of neceſſary conſequence determined Extraordinarie publicke Faſts thus. Firſt that they are of A ſolute commaunde for the mortification of Extraordinarie publicke ſinnes, and are abſolutely commanded in the affirmatiue part of the ſixt and ſeuenth commaundements. Secondly, that the publicke gouernours of the Church, The differences of Extraordinarie Faſts from theſe in al the anſweres to theſe foure queſtions. are publicke murderers of themſelves and their brethren, and common bauds of open ſinne, and fleſhly filthineſſe, if they themſelues both by their owne example, and alſo by ſeuere iniunction of extrarodinarie Faſts, doe not preſently take order, that the guilt of extraordinarie ſinnes be mortified and taken away from themſelues and their people, but most principally from Achan, that is from the notorious ſinner or ſinners themſelues, who with Achan, Zimti, Cosbi, and ſuch like, doe prouoke and incenſe the iealouſie of Chriſts wrath againſt the whole common-wealth, where they ſinne notoriouſly. Nay farther, that if Sathan hath ſhut the eyes or incloſed vp the hearts of fleſhly Magiſtrates, ſo in their owne fat, and in the well liking of ſinne, as that they either ſee not, or dare not, or will not ſolemnely ſound Ioels Trumpet to call the aſſemblies to a publicke Faſt: ſuch is the neceſsitie of this humiliation by extraordinarie faſting for publicke ſinnes, and for the remouing of all publicke calamities, and extraordinarie iudgements whatſoeuer, as that all priuate Chriſtians that know the way of Righteouſneſſe, 1. 〈◊〉 . 12.23. Iere. 13.17. are with Ieremie the Prophet bound [in foro conſcienciae] by abſolute commaunde to weepe, Faſt, pray, and drop downe teares extraordinarily euen in ſecret, and not onely in ſecret, but with thoſe godly Iſraelites in the fiue and twentie of Numbers, when they ſee Gods vengeance begunne, and yet Moſes and Phinees, that is, the high Magiſtrate, and high Prieſt remaining ſtill acedious or ſlouthful, and not begunne to doe their dutie in proclaiming a publicke Faſt: Then alſo in more open view, as in their tent doores, and at the doore of the Tabernacle, as it were, to ſhewe and ſignifie vnto the high Prieſt, or high Magiſtrate, their earneſt deſire of a lawfull Faſt in publicke. And although, it be a furious, Corah like, and an Anabaptiſticall attempt, odious both to God and goodmen, if any priuate perſons, or people being vnder the gouernement of others, doe proclaime or ſet vp a publicke Faſt: yet it is the neceſſarie duty of all Gods people in this caſe, which now I haue propoūded, to ſtir vp & ſay in the publick audience of many vnto Gods Maieſtrate or Gods biſhops, as thoſe zealous Iews did to Ezra, the high prieſt in the 10. ch. of Ezra the 4. ver. Ariſe Ezra. For the matter, belongeth vnto thee. We will alſo be with thee: Be thou of comfort & do it. Thirdly I haue determined, by implying a Contra diuiſiue oppoſition, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the aſſoiling of the third queſtion, betwixt Extraordinary Faſts, and Ordinarie Faſts in publicke, that no importance of buſineſſe, no impotencie of perſon, but onely Impotentia facti (as the Canon law ſpeaketh) that is to ſay, the Impotencie of fact, when there chanceth to want ſeaſonable weather, or a conuenient place for a publicke aſſemblie to meete in, (as it chanced Ezr. 10.12.13.) can exempt, or excuſe the childe, that ſucketh on the breaſt, Ioel. 1 and 2. Ionas 3. or the olde man, that leaneth on his ſtaffe, or the Pilgrime, that is trauailing on the way, or the Beggar, that liueth vpon the daily almes of good people, from bearing ſome part of extraordinarie humiliation and faſting, for the remouing of the guilt of extraordinarie ſinne, or for the remouing of Gods publicke extraordinarie vengeance. As theſe determinations therefore haue bin either expreſſed, or neceſſarily implied alreadie in the reſolution of the three former queſtions, and by theſe determinations, much ſound knowledge gained of the true and right diſtinction of publicke ordinarie, from publicke extraordinarie Faſts: ſo in the reſoluing and aſſoiling of both the Articles or doubts ariſing, as it were, vnder the knees of this fourth and laſt queſtion, touching the Nature and authority of this command [Then ſhal they Faſt] we are laſtly to know, that neither the obſeruation of theſe Church Faſts, or publicke Ordinarie Faſts is with like rigour to be exacted, nor the breach of theſe Church Faſts or publicke Ordinarie Faſts (vnleſſe contumacious and obſtinate contempt be adioyned vnto it) is with the like rigour to be punniſhed by the Church gouernours, the right Heires, & worthy ſucceſſors of theſe children of the Bride-chamber, as the obſeruation and breach, or neglect of Extraordinarie publicke Faſts are.

The Extraordinary Publicke Faſt, Zach. 7.3.5 6. This was called in ancient times, Incluſio. a ſhutting vp▪ as appeareth by many Canons of the ancient Councels. muſt be a ſeparation of all perſons whatſoeuer, from all worldly buſineſſe; which Separation, is to be imployed as it were in ſackcloth, & aſhes, and duſt caſt vpon their heads, necks, loines, in the loweſt both inward and outward humiliation, by lying vpon the ground, before the Lord, in ſome publicke place of the aſſemblie, without all meat and ſuſtenance, for the ſpace of 24. houres at the leaſt, after the example and demeanor of thoſe true Penitents, Ioſhua and his people, Ioſh. 7.6. Of Phinees and his people, Iudges 20. 23.26. Of Samuel and his people, 1. Sam. 7.6. Of Dauid and his people, 2. Sam. 3.31.35. 2. Sam. 12.16.17.20.22.23. 2. Sam. 15.30.32. & 19. 2. 2 Chr. 21.16. Of Hezekiah & his people, 2 King. 19. 1 2.3. Of Iehoſaphat and his people, 2 Chron. 20.3.4.5.1 • .14.18.20. Of Mannaſſes and his people, 2. Chro. 33.12.13.19. Of Ioſias and his people, 2. Chron. 34.19.29.30 Of Ezra and his 17. hundred exiles,Surely, had not the Superſtitious Church of Rome abuſed ſackcloth, aſhes, duſt, &c, all theſe circumſtances had ſtill beene fitteſt humiliations, euen at this day. Ezra 9. & 10. Of the Church at Ieruſalem, praying ſolemnely for Peter, in the 12. Chap. of the Acts; laſtly of Tertullian, Cyprian, Ambroſe, Auſtin, Chryſoſtome, Leo, Gregory, Bernard and their Chriſtian people, whoſe humblieſt Penitentiall faſting, together with all the circumſtances and whole order thereof, is faithfully and fully teſtified vnto vs in Tertullians diſcourſe de Paenitentia, in S. Cyprians godly Epiſtles, in Ambroſes 2. bookes de Pententia, in the Homilies and popular Sermons of Chryſ. Auſtin, Leo &c. and in the Epiſtles of Auſtin, Leo, Ierom, Bernard. The breach of the Extraordinary publicke Faſt, may alſo be puniſhed with ſome grieuous or capitall puniſhment, as with Confiſcation of all the goods a man hath, and with Excommunication, Ezr. 10. cha. 8. ver &c. For as the tranſgreſsion of one ignorant or mutinous Souldier, is the deſtruction of the whole Armie, ſo one impenitent Achan, All muſt faſt the extraordinary publicke Faſt. one ſinning Dauid; as a little leauen ſowreth the whole lump of dough, if his ſinne or impenitencie bee notorious and publicke. Dauids Hath not one man ſinned? Is it not I that commanded to number the people? but theſe ſheepe, what haue they done? would not preuaile with God to the remouing of the deſtroyer. 1. Chron 21 15.16. No, no: The Text ſaith, that the Elders of Iſrael were alſo clothed in ſackcloth, & fell vpon their faces before the Lord, as well as Dauid. Ahabsrenting his cloathes, putting on ſackcloth, going barefoote, extraordinarie faſting, 1 King 21.27. beeing but a priuate extraordinary Faſt, preuailed with God, but for a priuate, and a partiall, not a plenary remoueall of thoſe fearefull deſtructions which God had threatned againſt him by Elias. Priuate extraordinary Penance doth little good, when the calamitie and ſin is publicke. It did Ieſabel his wife, and his idolatrous filthie Iſſue, little or no good at all, becauſe Ieſabel & they did not humble themſelues and Faſt with him. The people of Samaria, their ſeeing of Iehoram their King his renting his cloathes, and his priuie wearing of his priuie coate of ſackcloth, when that cruell Famine was publicke, condemned them and him of deepe hypocriſie, in the ſight of Elizeus, accidentally extolled Gods mercie, towards an ill deſeruing people, magnified the office of his Prophet, but did them no more good, towards the obtaining of the forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, then the ſight of that miraculous plentie of victuals did Iehorams vnbeleeuing Courtier good,2. King 6.7. who was ſuddenly preſt and crowded to death in the Gate, and ſaw onely the abundance of victuals, which Elizeus had promiſed, but eat not thereof at all. In a word, all the godly kings of Iuda and Iſrael, knew and practiſed this abſolute neceſsitie of Extraordinarie Faſting, except Salomon, who was a fore type of our Bridegroome: but the vngodly Hypocrits, who faſting either partially with Ahab, or priuily with Iehoram, 1. King • 4.20. did all ſhewe themſelues cold and vntoward in the practiſe and appointing of it, are together with their wanton and vngodly ſubiects, left vnto vs in the Scriptures as examples of Gods dreadfull vengeance vpon our Chriſtian common-wealths, if in the time of any extraordinarie notorious ſinnes, or in the time of any extraordinarie Iudgement vpon vs, as of the Sword, Famine, Peſtilence, our publicke gouernours, either Faſt not with that rigorous humiliation, in regard of all thoſe circumſtances, which I haue named, or after their proclamation of ſuch a Faſt, doe not ſometimes [ad terrorem] capitally and moſt ſeuerely puniſh all thoſe enemies of the croſſe of Chriſt, who will not ſubiect themſelues to the preciſe obſeruance thereof. My briefe anſwere therefore vnto this fourth and laſt queſtion, touching the Rigorouſneſſe, to bee vſed by Church gouernours in the obſeruation, and in the puniſhing of the contempt and neglect of the obſeruation of our Ordinarie penitentiall Faſt, which we make, Membrum contradiuiſum & an oppoſite part in the diuiſion of Faſts vnto an Extraordinarie Faſt; is this, that neither a whole dayes ſeparation from all worldly buſines, The ancient law of the counſells, cenſuring by Depoſition, & Excommunication, is to be vnderſtood, to haue proceeded againſt contumacie. and the conſuming of an whole day in publicke prayer, before the Lord, and as it were in Sackcloth, dust, aſhes, in lying vpon the ground, or in hearing the word preached, is to be exacted in the obſeruation thereof, nor any capitall puniſhment is to be inioyned vpon them, that being liable vnto it, doe through infirmitie, and not malitiouſly, nor ſchiſmatically breake it. As Epiphanius telleth vs, ſome godly ones in his time did indeede in their priuate houſes vpon their Church faſting dayes lie vpon the ground,In the concluſion, of his laſt booke Dehaereſibus. and beſtow the whole night in prayer, other (as I ſpake of Iehoram) did ſew Sackcloth to their loynes, next to their skinne, as a priuate coate knowne only vnto God, & not vnto man, other did ſeparate themſelues for the ſpace of 24. houres from all worldly buſines: but none of them did any of theſe things in the publicke congregation, nay (he ſaith) that the publicke gouernours of his time, would not ſuffer Sackcloth to be worne openly and outwardly vpon the, Ordinarie Faſt dayes. And touching the too ſeuere puniſhing of the delinquents, either by Confiſcation of all the goods a man hath, or by death, or by that which is more grieuous then death, by Excommunication as Ionathan ſaide of his Father King Saul, his raſh and tyrannicall folly,1. Sam. 14. both in tying the people by an oath to his Ordinarie Faſt in the purſuite of the Philiſtines, and eſpecially in threatning death vnto Ionathan, for reaching a little honie in his faintneſſe with the end of his ſpeare, My Father hath troubled Iſrael this day: Soter, Austin, Aquin, and only, either priuate men, or particular Churches haue beene the authors of this abſolute neceſsitie of Faſting before the Communion. ſo ſurely the ſuperſtitious fathers and gouernours of the Romiſh Church, haue troubled gods Iſrael, and rather weakened their faith, then any whit ſtrengthened thē by Ordinarie Faſting, in their Chriſtian purſuite of their ſpirituall Philiſtines, the ſinnes of their fleſh, who for their peoples taſting ſo much as a little water before the Communion, doe for that day excommunicate them, as it were, and denie the Communion vnto them, ſaying that they are damned, if they Receiue it not Faſting, or doe ſo perſecute them by cenſures, and other puniſhments for eating an egge, milke, cheeſe, butter, or any Lactici • ia, that is, any kind of white meates, comming of the Cow in their Lent-faſts, or in any other ordinarie Church-faſt whatſoeuer, as that they make poore people through trouble of conſcience, and diſtreſſe of minde to be wearie of their liues, and to ſerue God with an vncheerefull heart. And thus you haue the Nature, and authoritie of this command [Then ſhall they Faſt] together with the differences of the kind of Faſt thereby commaunded from all other kinds of Faſt clearely and fully determined.

Now followeth the ſecond neceſſarie part of my declaration of this Text, Namely, as this command, [Then ſhall they Faſt,] is further determined by Chriſt, both in the words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which do further command the Seueritie of theſe Diſciplinary publicke Faſts, It is Synonymall, with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; to Faſt. or Church-faſts, and alſo in the Synonymall word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Then ſhall they mourne, which doth further commande the Euangelicall holineſſe of Goſpel Church-Faſts, or of Church-faſts vnder the Goſpel, which ought now to be farre more holy, as it is plaine by that which Chriſt immediately addeth in the next parable, then the paedagogicall, Diſciplinarie, Ordinarie penitentiall Church faſts, either of the Prophets, or of Iohns Diſciples, or of the Phariſees vnder the Law had euer beene.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chap. III. Of the other General Part. Touching Obedience vnto this Commaund, [Then ſhall they Faſt] as the Qualitie thereof is further determined, in the words [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .]

Touching the Seueritie cōmanded in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , much. FIrſt, The Seueritie of Church-Faſts, or of Ordinary Penitentiall Faſtes, vnder the Goſpel, commaunded heere by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , [Then ſhall they faſt much] doth require my orthodoxall and ſound anſwere vnto theſe three neceſſary Queſtions: How long the ſhorteſt Faſt is to bee continued; How the howres of ſuch Faſts are to bee beſtowed; with what moderation, and with what kind of meates they are to be broken, when they are ended.

To the firſt Queſtion I anſwere, that the Shorteſt and weakeſt Church-Faſt, is to continue 24 houres.

1. How long the ſhorteſt and weakeſt Faſt of Ordinary Repentance is to be continued.

See our Church Homilie, touching the time how long to faſt.

Looke ouer all the examples of Religious Faſting, either in the booke of God, or in the ſtories of the Church, and you ſhall finde this plaine, that if any man, from Supper time to Supper time, or from Dinner time to Dinner time, tooke any thing Ad Nutritionem, For the nouriſhment of his body, vnleſſe it were a little Anniſeed, or a moderate draught of ordinary drinke, Ad Digeſtionem & depellendam Vertiginem. onely for the remoouing of raw humours, from his cold, weake and queazie ſtomcke, or for the expelling of winde, cauſing giddineſſe in the head,The Papiſts Fiſh-feaſt, with wine and the fineſt manchet, is neither Chriſtian Faſt nor Chriſtian Abſtinence, as our Church Homily worthily cenſureth them and all other hypocrites like vnto them in fraudulent Faſts. he was cenſured to looſe the Religion of his Faſt for that day. Our mourning for ſinne, which alwayes accompanies religious Faſting, is very weake, if it breake vs not both of our meales and alſo of our ſleepe for one day. The godly Monaſteries in Saint Auſtins time, when the Church of God was indeed the right Houſe of mourning, and kept as it were, her continuall funerals of ſinne, ſowing in teares, that they might reape with ioy, had in each of them ſeuerally, three thouſand godly perſons at the leaſt, and thoſe euen Lay men alſo, who after the example of Saint Auſtin himſelfe, and of all the deuout Cleargie men of thoſe times, kept this ſhorteſt Faſt of twenty foure houres, and eate but one Meale a day throughout the whole yeere, keeping beſides (if occaſion were giuen) their Extraordinary Faſts after the example of Eſther and Saint Paul, Eſther 4.16. Act. 9.9. three daies and three nights together, that is, ſeuentie two houres, without either meat or drinke, or any kind of bodily ſuſtenance.

Sect. II.

2. How the houres of Ordinary penitentiall Faſts are to be beſtowed.TO the ſecond Queſtion I anſwere, that firſt Prayers, and eſpecially thoſe mournefull Prayers, which we call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Supplications, are alwayes to be ioyned ſolemnely with Church-Faſts of Ordinary Repentance, and priuately with our priuate Faſts of Ordinary Repentance; otherwiſe it is no Religious Faſt, but onely a prophane Faſt. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : ſaith Chriſt in this Anticipation [Then ſhall they Faſt and make Supplications, Luk. 5.33.35.] Secondly, vnto our Prayers & Supplications, wee are alwayes to ioyne Almes; Beatus eſt, qui ieiunat, vt alat pauperem. Bleſſed is he from Chriſt, who faſteth not, nor putteth leſſe into his owne bellie, that he may put leſſe alſo into the pot, and more into his cheſt, but doth Faſt, with a mind to • eaſt the poore, and to bee able to put more into the poore mans bellie and purſe: Is the ſpeech of one of the Apoſtles, deliuered by Tradition, • ib. • 0. in Louiti • um. and reported vnto vs by Saint Cyrill. Thirdly, vpon that day, whereon we Faſt, we ought, after the example of the Iewes, in thoſe their foure Church-Faſts, held all the time of their ſeuentie yeeres captiuitie in Babylon,Zach. 7, 3. to ſeparate our ſelues preciſely from al bodily pleaſures, and fleſhly delights of Gaming, Dicing, Carding, Horſe-racing; from all light exerciſes of Bowling, Hawking, Hunting, A Separation from worldly and fleſhly pleaſures. Foot. ball-play and ſuch like, and (as Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.5. hath counſelled vs) from our wiues, and (as the better Churches of Chriſt did, for the ſpace of the firſt thouſand yeers, in their chiefeſt ſolemne Faſts) euen from our naturall ſleepe. For they watched often in Prayer, either at the beginning or ending of their Faſts; or at the crowing of the ſecond Cocke, which they vſually called S. Peters Cocke;Ambroſ. • exā. Lib. 1, Cap. 24.25. did riſe out of their Beds, to weepe with Saint Peter, for their ſinnes, alwaies keeping their ſoules waken out of the dead deepe of ſinning to death, through fleſhly preſumption, alwayes liſtening to heare the ſoft ſtealing and comming of the feet of the Thiefe of the night, the Day of Iudgement vpon them,; alwayes hathening,1. Theſ. 4.16. and zealouſly deſiring to heare the firſt ſound of the laſt Trumpet of God; the firſt deſcending of our Lord from heauen with a ſhowt; the firſt word of the voice of the Archangell, crying, Surgite Mortui, & venite ad Iudicium: Ariſe yee Dead, and come vnto Iudgement. As for our worldly buſineſſe and ordinary labours in our Chriſtian callings, we are not, when we faſt theſe ordinary Faſts,No intermiſsion of worldly buſines (which is neceſſary) in thee ordinary Faſts. ſo abſolutely and totally to abſtaine and ſeparate our ſelues from them, as wee are from all worldly pleaſures and fleſhly delightes. Thoſe religious Monaſteries, conſiſting of three thouſand Lay-men in S. Austins time, haue taught vs by their example, how farre to relinquiſh our worldly buſineſſe in theſe Faſts. For they faſting and eating but one Meale a day through the yeere, rather Gayned then loſt time from their neceſſarie labours. They had indeed euery day throughout the yeere, a learned and godly Sermon, made vnto them about three a clocke in the afternoone, before they broke their Faſt (which was their Supper) by the learned and godly Father of their Monaſtery. But all the other howres from Sun-riſe, they had firſt beſtowed in thoſe their ſeuerall labours, which their Decani, Epiph. in haer. 80. their Deanes appointed as Taske-maſters ouer euery tenne of them, had inioyned them, and whereof the Deanes gaue vp their iuſt account euery night after Breake-faſt vnto the Father of the Monaſtery.August de morib. Eccleſia Cathol. cap. 33. And ſurely, it is reported by Saint Auſtin, that God ſo bleſſed their induſtriouſneſſe in their daily labours, that they did not onely not liue vpon the ſweat of other mens browes, as our Popiſh ſecular Moncks, and irregular Regulars, haue done theſe many ages; but they alſo yeerely maintained the poore Saints of Chriſt in other places, and (as he ſaith) ſent ouer whole ſhips euery yeere, laden and fraught with linnen, money, cloth and other commodities, which they freely gaue away to the reliefe of thoſe, whom they heard of to be impoueriſhed, baniſhed or impriſoned for the Goſpel.

Sect. III.

TO the third queſtion I anſwere, according to old Saint Martin, that godly famous Biſhop,3. Of the quantitie and qualitie of meate, to be vſed at the end of our Faſts, when we breake and end them. who liued in godly Iuſtinian that famous Emperors time, his Diſciplinarie rule of Deuotion; That as our ordinary religious faſts, ſo alſo their Breake faſts ought indeede to bee [Seuera, but yet not Saua]: They ought to be Seuere, but they may not be Sauage, neither Sauage by too haſtie and gluttonous rauening vpon the crea • ures of God, which are firſt offered to the pray of our hungrie appetites, as the greedie people did at the end of Sau • s Faſts, who being ſharpe ſete at the fleſh with the blood contrarie to Moſes law, and and faſting two meales made their third meale a glutton; nor yet Sauage by Aquins ſuperſtitious abſtinence [ab onis & lactio •• ijs] from egges, and all white meates, which abſtinencie was but a temporarie conſtitution of one particular Church, the Church of Rome, and ought not therefore by a groſſe kind of Iudaiſme, and Donatiſine to hold all other particular Churches obnoxious vnto it. The ſtrongeſt bodies and deuouteſt mindes, haue broke their Faſts, alwayes with the two Auſtere diſhes of Continence, and Abſtinence, & haue contented themſelues (as thoſe forenamed Monaſteries did) with [Parca, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Contine & Abſtine. and Viliſsima] with a very ſpare diet, which was their Continence, and with a very homely and courſe diet, which was their Abſtinence. Saint Auſten hath this Apoſtrophe to Chriſt in his tenth Booke of Confeſsions, the 31. Chapter. Hoc me docuiſti, Domine Ieſu, vt quemadmodum medicamenta; ſic alimenta ſumpturus accedam, O Lord Ieſus, thou haſt taught mee farre otherwiſe from that which I had learned in the ſchoole of Manichaus, namely, that I ſhould come to the taking of my meate, as to the taking rather of a neceſſary medicine to keepe me from ſickneſſe and from death, then as to the taking either of cates to feed me, or of delicates to delight me. And out of this 13. Chapter De Morib. Manichaeorum, it is euident, that this ordinary fare was one meale a day throughout the yeare, conſiſting of Lardum & oluſculae cum duabus veltribus meraciſsimi vini potionibus: A little breweſſe of fatte bacon, and a few roots drunken downe with two or three moderate draughts of the thinneſt & ſmalleſt Wine, which in thoſe South-countries (as Plutarch informeth vs in Catone Maiore) was the common labourers Wine. Saint Hierom ſaith in his Epiſtle to Nepotian, that Fortiſsimum ieiunium eſt Panis & aquae; The ſtrongeſt and deuouteſt Faſt is that, which is broken with bread and water only. Daniels, Ananiahs, Miſaels, Azariahs ordinarie in Babylon was Beane bread and water. If any man ſay, that this their ordinarie was miraculous and Extraordinarie: let vs heare what Daniell ſaith of his vſuall faſting, when now he was a great Prince, and had changed his beane bread, and water, into wheat bread and wine, Dan. 10.2.3. I Daniel was in heauineſſe three weekes of dayes, I eate no pleaſant bread, Dan. 1.12. neither came fleſh nor wine in my mouth. Laſtly, our Sauiour Chriſt the Bridegroome, in the time of this firſt day of the mariage of the Lambe,Apoc. 19. howſoeuer at other mens mariage or feaſting dayes, he turned their water into wine, and (as it is likely) being bidden to their feaſts, did partake ſomtimes with them in eating of the fatte (as Nehemiah ſpeaketh 8.10.) & in drinking of the ſweet, yet had he for his common ordinary fare (as it is probable out of the fourth and ſixt of Iohn) nothing elſe but water for his drinke, and a little barley bread and with it ſometimes a few fiſhes for his meate: Yet notwithſtanding, this ſeuerity by continent & abſtinent breakefaſt vſed by Chriſt, and his holy ones theſe children of his bride-chamber and their ſucceſſors; they kept themſelues I ſay, from all ſauageneſſe: for they firſt had alwayes Dîligentiam ſalutis to vſe Saint Auſtins tearmes: they had alwayes a ſpeciall care of their bodily health;This I ſpeake, as a probable coniecture. and their greateſt faſters, (as Anna the Propheteſſe, who liued 112. yeares at the leaſt, S. Hierom, who liued 92. yeares, Saint Chryſoſtome, and S. Ambroſe, who liued aboue foureſcore yeares, Saint Auſtin who liued threeſcore and ſixteene yeares &c.) were their longeſt liuers.

Secondly, they breake their Faſts alwaies with the vnleauened bread of Sinceritie and Trueth: The old Phariſaiecal and Herodian leauen either of malice and wickedneſſe▪ or of couetouſneſſe and niggardlineſſe, or of hypocriſie and fraudulencie, or of Superſtition and fond deuotion, was not to be ſeene in any of their dwellings, where they kept their religious Faſts.1. Charitie. Of their Charitie, when they Faſted, Saint Auſtin giueth this worthy teſtimonie, Charitatem violare, tanquam Deum, nefas au • itur: To breake the rule of Charitie, is accounted with them, as if one ſhould offer violence to God himſelfe. And therefore the deuouteſt Faſters, ſuch as were their Clergie men, who neither De morib. Eccleſiae Cath.] cap. 33. & contra Fauſtum Manichaeum, lib. 30. eate fleſh, nor q dranke wine, when they faſted, miſcenſured not, nor thought any whit worſe of them, who were not either able or willing to hold out in the ſeueritie of Faſting with them: Nemo vrgebatur in aſpera, quae ferre non potuit; nulli, quod recuſauit, imponebatur; nec ideo condemnabatur acaeteris, quod in ijs ſe imitandis fateretur inualidum: No man amongſt them, was vrged to endure more, then he was well able to endure; nay, no man had any hardnes impoſed vpon him, which he refuſed or was any thing vnwilling vnto: neither was hee any whit worſe thought on by the reſt, becauſe he plainely bewraied and confeſſed, that he was not able to goe with them or follow them, in the ſeueritie of their diſciplinary exerciſe of true Mortification, their godly and ſeuere Faſting, He addeth yet further a memorable note, of the kindelineſſe of their Chriſtian Charitie, where he ſaith; that Quibuſdam languidioribus humaniſsime ac modeſtiſsimé praeberi vinum faciunt, & ſtulté nonnullos recuſantes fraterné admonent, ne vana ſuperſtatione debiliores citius quàm ſanctiores fiant: They did cauſe wine to bee giuen moſt kindely and courteouſly vnto ſome of the weaker minded and feebler bodied brethren: and when ſome weake ones nicely and fooliſhly refuſed it, they did brotherly warne them to take heed, leſt through fond and deceitfull ſuperſtition, they made themſelues by their religious and nice abſtinence, ſooner to become weaker in their bodies, then any whit holier in their minds. Of their auoyding of the very ſuſpition of Couetouſneſſe and Niggardlineſſe,2. Liberallity. when they Faſted, Leo his godly Sermons made concerning [Legitima Ieiunia] theſe Law-faſts or Church-faſts as he termeth them▪ are an immortall and euerlaſting witneſſe. In diſtributione Eleemoſynarum & pauperum curâ nostra pingueſcunt Ieiunia. Deliciae noſtrae ſunt opera pietatis. Our Faſts are fatted with beſtowing of almes and prouiding for the poore. Our delicates are the works of pitie and mercifulneſſe. Of their common deteſtation of hypocriſie and fraudulencie, vſed in Faſting,3. Infraudulenci • . Saint Ierome in his Epiſtle to Nepotian, where he ſaith, that Melius eſt haec ommia in mente portare quàm in corpore, vt oſtentui habeantur: A man doth much better, to Faſt inwardly in his mind onely, then to Faſt out wardly in body, to the end, he may get glory by it. Quid prodeſt oleo non veſci & moleſtias quaſdam difficultateſ que ciborum qu • rere, caricas, piper, nuces, palmarum fructus, ſimilam, mel, piſtacia? Tota hortorum cultura vexatur, vt cibario non veſcamur pane. What doth it better a man to make a falſe ſhew of Faſting, by abſtaining from a groſſer and feebler kind of mea • , and at the ſame time notwithſtanding to eate fine and luſtier meates? what doth it better a man not to eate oyle, and yet to ſearch out the moſt curious dainties, which are both troubleſome to the Cooke to dreſſe, becauſe he hath not beene acquainted with ſo ſtrange eates, and alſo very hard to come by in the whole ſide of a Countrie, as the Caricke Figs, ſo much commonded by Iulian the Apoſtata,Epiſt ad Serapionem. the coſtlieſt Pepper, Almonds, Dates, the fineſt Flowre, bread called Simnels, Hony, and the moſt daintie Bladder nuts, vſed by wantons to prouoke luſt? what a Madneſſe is this? we doe not onely trouble and vexe our ſelues, our Caterers, Cooks and other ſeruants, but we do trouble and vexe Nature, by forcing her in our Orchards and Gardens, to bring forth ſome kinde of feed or fruit, which we may eat in ſtead of our ordinary bread, from the which, in our faſts, wee are commanded by the Church to abſtaine: and from which,4. Faith. Daniel and the holy ones of God haue abſtained in their ordinary Faſts.De mori • . Manichaearum & contra Fatuſtum Manichaeum. Laſtly, of their hating ſuperſtitious and fooliſh abſtinence, with a perfect hatred, Saint Auſtins learned and large diſcourſes againſt the Manichaeans, [Delicata Abſtinentia, as Eraſmus doth fitly terme it] are a plentifull witneſſe. For the mad, Mannichaeans did, as our fond ſuperſtitious Papiſts doe at this day, abſteine altogether from fleſh (yea and from wine too, which the Papiſts doe not:) but yet euen in their deuouteſt Faſts, they glutted them ſelues with the coſtlieſt banketting diſhes, and with other the ſtrongeſt drinkes, that their Paraſiticall Caterers, Apothecaries, Brewers could poſsibly deuiſe to prouide for them in the whole Country, where they liued. So that, as Cato in Plutarch complaineth of the Bellie-gods of Rome in his time; the ſame might truely haue beene ſpoken of the Epicuriſme of the Mannichaeans, and may be truely verified at this day of the Romiſh Cleargie, making their bellie their god, and their glory their ſhame; More is giuen for ſome daintie ſtrang Fiſh, then for a ſed Oxe.

To ſhut vp therfore my anſwer to this third queſtion, Touching the ſeuerity of Church-faſts, namely with what moderation they are to be broken and what abſtinence is fitteſt to be vſed, when we break them: the practiſe of the Saints of God, wherewith I haue now confirmed my Anſwere, that the breaking of them ought to bee Seuere but not Sauadge, is ſufficient to reſolue and ſettle him, who hath any wit in his head, and is not fondly contentious. And ſurely heerein I cannot but by the way greatly commend the good wiſedome, and happineſſe of the Gouernours of our Engliſh Church, euer ſince the puritie of Gods truth, and the ancient maners of the beſt ancient Churches, and Counſells haue beene reſtored and reformed in it. For who ſeeth not,De morib. Eccleſia Cath. cap. 34. how wiſely and happily they haue with thoſe ancient Fathers ſeene and ſhewed vnto the world: Quid interſit (to vſe ſtill Saint Auſtin • words) inter portum religionis & ſirenas ſuperſtitionis: What neceſſary difference there is betwixt the hauen of true religion, and betwixt the Syrens or the Syrenian Rockes of Popiſh ſuperſtition. The Papiſts had ſo nuzled vs vp in the admiration of their church authoritie, as that the people of this land, thought their decrees to bee the very vnuariable Oracles, decrees and cuſtomes of the Sonne of God, and that to diſobey them was as mortall a ſinne, as to breake the abſolute commandements of the morall law. Whereas therefore at this day we are commanded to faſt vpon the Wedneſdayes, and Fridayes, &c: our Church gouernours doe teach vs, that this commaund is to bee obeyed as an exerciſe of Religion, commanded conditionally by Chriſt,Looke the Church homilies of Faſting. as pertaining to the well being of that Mortification, which is abſolutely commaunded by him. But in that we are commaunded, when wee breake our Faſts at night (for our gouernours would haue vs to follow the example of better times and not to eate any thing [adnutritionē ] for the ſpace of twentie foure houres,) in that I ſay, we are commanded when wee breake our faſts at night to abſteine from fleſh, and to eate fiſh; our Church gouernours doe ſet downe this diſtinct kinde of abſtinence, and this poſitiue commaunde, what in ſpeciall we ſhall eate, not as an exerciſe of Religion, but as an exerciſe of our Ciuill obebience to the Ciuill Magiſtrate, whom for conſcience ſake alſo, & that euen to the ſhedding of our deareſt heart blood, much more in the reſtraint of ſhedding the blood of Sheepe, Calues, Bullockes, and in the killing ſeething and broyling of a few ſeelie fiſhes, we are to obey as the vndoubted Deputie of Chriſt. So that Turbae imperitorum, Proletaria plebe A. Gelli • . quae vel in ipſa vera religione ſuperſtioſae ſunt (as Saint Auſtin ſaith of them) The vnlearned Frie of multitudes, who are ſtill prone to ſuperſtition (eſpecially in this old doting age of the decrepit dimſighted world) euen in thoſe Churches of Chriſt, where the truth of Religion is taught moſt reformedly and ſincerely, cannot nowe in England Faſt ſuperſtitiouſly, though they would, nor any longer in a ſtubburne minde, to ſhewe their good will towards the Church of Rome▪ and their traiterous hearts againſt the Church of England, vpon out Faſting dayes abſteine from Egges, & white meates, as it is an abſtinence inioyned ſuperſtitiouſly in the Church of Rome, a particular Church and not the Catholicke Church of our Creed, no wayes at all binding their conſciences, who are not viſible members of the ſame particular Church.

Sect. IIII.

Touching the Seueritie commanded in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 often.TO the fourth Queſtion, Touching the ſeuere obeying of this commaunde of Diſciplinarie Ordinarie Faſts, as it is further determined by Saint Lukes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [Then ſhall they mourne, pray, Faſt often:] I anſwere, that although many religious men euen to the number of three thouſand together in each Monaſterie,Reuenge. 2. Cor. 7.11. haue faſted all the yeare through, and although in regard of the great neceſsitie of our common and ordinarie 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to bee taken by vs of our inordinate appetite, whereby Adam and Eue did firſt tranſgreſſe, & brought this miſerable eſtate of ſin & the wrath of God vpon vs, their poſterity, it were to be wiſhed, as not onely Diogenes an heathen man, but alſo Saint Hierom one of Chriſts Saints ſometimes wiſhed, that we could alwaies Faſt and liue without meate: yet the Church of God conſidering the frailtie and weakneſſe of man, haue thought their obedience to bee acceptable vnto Chriſt, and anſwerable inough vnto this his conſultatorie commaunde, if they appointed Faſts at ſome times onely, and not at all times of the yeare. Theſe Faſts (briefely) are either Conceptiua ieiunia (to borrowe tearmes [Docendi cauſa] from Macrobius) or they are Statiua & Stata ieiunia. Conceptiua ieiunia are Faſts appointed at an vncertaine. Such were thoſe Primitiue Faſts, 1. Conceptiue Faſts. Sacrorum ordinum, appointed and kept firſt at an vncertaine, by theſe children of the Bride-chamber, theſe neere Attendants of Chriſt, theſe bleſſed Apoſtles. For it is plaine, out of the 13. and 14. of the Acts that becauſe the Church of God was then as Noahs Arke, floating vpon the waters of affliction, and was as the Doue of Noahs Arke, carrying the Oliue branch of ſpirituall Peace and reſt in her mouth,Pacalis Oliua. but finding no bodily peace or reſt, for the reſt and abode of the ſole of her foot; therefore they could ſet no certaine time for the Faſt of holy Orders, when they either ordained or inſtituted Miniſters. 2. Set Faſts. Statiua Ieiunia are Faſts appointed at a certaine: Such were thoſe foure Faſts kept euery yeere, all the time of the ſeuentie yeeres Captiuitie in Babylon, mentioned Zachar. 7.5. & 8.19. Such are at this day all Church-faſts, whether they be Catholicke and Vniuerſall,Either Catholicke and Vniuerſall. commanded and frequented by all Churches, (as is the Faſt before the Communion: This fortie dayes Faſt of Lent, howſoeuer in diuers circumſtances very variable:

Euſeb. 5.23. Epiph. haer. 8 3. Socr. Sch. 5.21. Apud Leo • em ſerm. 8. de Ie. iunio. Dec • uni menſis.

Epiph. • 0. haer. Auguſt. ad Caeſul.

The Faſts of holy Orders, termed alſo Ieiunia Quae • or Temporum, of the Spring, Summer, Autumne, Winter quarters: The Faſts in Vigilijs praecipuarum Feſtiuitaturo, that is to ſay, vpon the chiefe Saints dayes Euens, and the weekely Faſts of Wedneſdaies and Fridayes, appointed firſt, as Epiphanius and Auſtin tell vs, to put vs in continuall remembrance of my Text, and of the cauſes of our Bridegroomes firſt taking away from vs.) Or whether they be Locall and particular Faſts;Or Locall and particular Faſts. Such as is the Faſt of Saturday, which in Saint Ambroſe time was kept euery weeke, at Rome, and in all Africa beyond the Sea, but was not kept at Millaine, where Saint Ambroſe himſelfe was Biſhop, nor in any of the Eaſterne Churches. Such as is alſo our new Ember-weeke Faſt in Rogation weeke, which is kept within the fiftie dayes after Eaſter; within which dayes, as Cyrill, Auſtin, Auguſt. ad Caſul. & ad Ianuar. Epiphanius, doe all ioyntly witneſſe, no Church in their time did Faſt at all. Thus haue we the diuiſion of the frequent or often Faſting, commanded and commended vnto vs by Chriſt himſelfe, in this Conſultatorie Precept, [Then ſhall they Faſt often] and thus haue the Gouernours of the Church of Chriſt, from age to age, continued their obedience vnto the Commaund of their Bridegroome, by commanding ſtraightly, and practiſing ſeuerely, all theſe Legitima Ieiunia, as Leo an ancient Father termeth them, beſides their Voluntaria Ieiunia, (as he alſo ſpeaketh) their Voluntarie priuate Faſts, which after the example of Cornelius in the 10. of the Acts, and of Saint Paul, 1. Cor. 7.5. and 1. Cor. 9.27. they daylie impoſed vpon themſelues in their priuate houſes. Amongſt theſe Church-law-Faſts, (as Leo calleth them) the Catholicke Faſts, not onely by reaſon of their Vniuerſallitie and Antiquitie vltramemoriall; (for euen in regard of their antiquitie, many of the Fathers haue dared to call them Apoſtolicall) but alſo by reaſon of the weighty cauſes and ſpeciall holy ends, for the which they were firſt ordained, haue beene held in higheſt account, and kept with greateſt Seueritie, But amongſt theſe Catholicke and Vniuerſall Faſts, the Faſt before the Communion hath beene of greateſt Religiouſneſſe; next vnto it, the Faſts of Holy Orders, and of theſe, the moſt religious hath been, the Faſt of the ſeuenth Moneth, in which Moneth onely, amongſt all the Moneths of the yeere, God commanded his people of Iſrael, by ſpeciall abſolute Precept, to keepe their feaſt of Reconciliation with Faſting, from Euentide to Euentide, becauſe (as Leo and ſome other Fathers not improbably haue imagined) vpon that very ſame tenth day of September,The Faſt of the ſeuenth Moneth, a Faſt of high account with all the people of God in all Ages. Adam and Eue did firſt tranſgreſſe in Paradiſe, by eating the forbidden fruit. Next vnto theſe in account, haue beene the Faſts of Lent, eſpecially of Caput Quadrageſima, which wee call Aſhwedneſday, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which we cal Goodfriday Faſt. For vpon theſe dayes, not onely the Competentes or Catechameni, and the publicke or priuate extraordinary Penitents, but euen euery deuout Chriſtian in the time of the Fathers, if not openly, as the Extraordinary Penitents and Competentes had, yet priuily (as before I noted concerning Iehoram) had ſacke-cloth or haire cloth ſewed about their loynes: Laſtly, the next vnto theſe, of principall account, were the Faſts [in Vigilijs praecipuarum feſtiuitatum] the Faſts held vpon the chiefe Saints daies Eeuens, as it is plaine out of Leo his Sermons, De Ieiunio Decimi Menſis, and out of the Homilies and Sermons of Ambroſe, Auſtin, Bernard and others. For to the end they might humbly and reuerently prepare themſelues vnto the bleſſed and ioyfull keeping of Chriſtmas, and other high Feſtiuall Daies, they did ſolemnely and publickely beſtow the whole nights in Prayer,Thereupon it came, that the Saturday Faſts and Vigils were ſo th • ckly and often frequented by the Church of Rome, when ſhe was in a good name, and by the Churches of Africa in Saint Auſtin and Leo his time, that people might be the more holily prepared vnto the obſeruation of the Chriſtian Sabboth. and in ſinging of Pſalmes, and in hearing the word of God preached or read vnto them. Surely, (to the iuſt condemnation of our fleſhly and more diſſolute times I ſpeake it) Thoſe ancient Fathers and their people, in whom there was that Primitiue vigour of the ſpiritous new wine of the Goſpel, did keepe theſe and other their Ordinary and Voluntary Faſts, with farre greater humiliation of their ſoules and bodies before God, then wee at this Day, or rather dead night of all Chriſtian godlineſſe, doe keepe our moſt piacular Extraordinary Faſts, when the Sword, Famine, Peſtilence, or other more grieuous cauſes and curſes haue ſmitten vs downe to the place of Dragons. And yet they neuer fainted, or were any thing at all wearie, with the weekely (if not daily) obſeruance of them, neither did they intermit or looſe any time, but rather gayned time for the following of the neceſſary workes of their outward callings. So truely, ſo wiſely, ſo zealouſly obedient were they, in the moſt ſeuere practiſe of this Commandement [Then ſhall they mourne, faſt, pray and make Supplications Often.] The hypocriticall, fooliſh, filthy & wanton breach or ignorance of which Commaundement amongſt vs Chriſtians at this day, in all the Churches of the world, is, as the Poet ſpeaketh, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the vnhappy mother of all diſobedience, Atheiſme, Barbariſme, which now doe grow ſo faſt vpon this delicious laſt Age of this ſecond vngodly world, the gluttonous and fleſhly humorouſneſſe whereof, muſt very ſhortly bee dried & licked vp with the fire of Gods laſt vengeance.

Sect. V.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

Math. 9.15.

THere now remaineth but one thing more to be added, for the full and faithfull Explanation of this Text, and of this whole Doctrine,The formall holineſſe of theſe Euangelicall Faſts. concerning Euangelicall Faſts; that is, Their Holineſſe intimated in the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Mourne, & defined in the next parable to bee farre aboue the Holineſſe of Legall, Propheticall, or More then Propheticall Faſts. For our Sauiour Chriſts Goſpell Faſts commaunded heere,Seuen Profane ends. and commended in the next parable muſt be, as newe cloth fit to mend a decay in the beſt and ſtrongeſt deuotioned mindes, and as newe wine to bee contained onely in the beſt ſeaſoned and holieſt, and pureſt Veſſels, or bottels of his Spirit. In a word, They muſt not therefore bee defined and eſteemed to be truely Religious and holy, becauſe both faſting and abſtinence, are phiſicionall, and very wholſome for mans body, (for then Aurelian the heathen Emperour, who hauing a ſtrong body is chronicled to haue cured all the ordinarie diſeaſes of his body by much Faſting, might haue beene canonized for a Saint;) nor becauſe they are very praiſeable amongſt men, and very commodious to common-wealths. (For then the Philoſophers, and the niggards faſtings might be accompted Religious;) nor becauſe God hates the fleſh or fatte of our bodies (for then Baals fanaticall Prieſts, and the mad Mannichaeans might haue beene in the number of holy Faſters;) nor yet, ex opere operato, becauſe they are Faſts, or becauſe they are Seuere Faſts (for then Catilin that famous traytor, as Saluſt witneſſeth of him, and Aſſes, and Mules, as Saint Auſtin ſheweth, might carrie away the prize, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . and praiſe of holy Faſting from vs;) nor becauſe they are commaunded by God without all ſpecifying of their holy end, without the which they being things indifferent, and not ſimply or actually good of themſelues, cannot bee ſaide to haue any conſtitutiue forme of holineſſe (for then the abſtinence from ſwines fleſh, &c. and the old vnprofitable ſhreds, or the old fugient low running ſowre wine of Phanſaicall Faſting might now haue beene worth the applying to new garments, and the putting into new bottels, and might ſtill haue beene in good requeſt with Chriſt for the children of his Bride-chamber;) nor becauſe wee abſteine from egges, and all white meates, & therein Canonically obey the falſe Catholicke Church of Rome, (for that were with the Donatiſts to bring in Iudaiſme againe, and to make the Church of Rome, which is but one particular Church, and at the beſt but one part only, of the whole body of the Catholicke Church in our Creed,Surely this were to reedifie the partition wall, which Chriſt brake downe, and to ſet vp a new Ieruſalem at Rome. to be the only Catholicke Church:) nor becauſe our Goſpell Faſts are perfit vertues, or bona opera primi meriti, properly meritorious either Ex congruo or ex condigno, as the blind Owles of the vncleane eage of Poperie haue not beene aſhamed to teach in their Supererogatorie Schoole Diuinitie (for then theſe very children of the Bride-chamber might worthilie haue faſted, whilſt the Bridgroome ſtayed in perſon with them;) For none of theſe ſeauen profane ends (I ſay) muſt or ought the Goſpell Faſts of Chriſt to be eſteemed Religious. But then, then and onely then they become indeede the Faſts, which Chriſt hath choſen as his new ſhreds, and new wine fit for the new veſſels of his ſpirit, when they haue all theſe ſixe holy ends, or ſome of the chiefeſt of them propounded vnto them.

The Firſt formall end ſanctifying our Goſpell Faſt, is hartie mourning,Sixe holy ends. and humbling of the ſoule before God, both in the Senſitiue ſoule, and alſo more eſpecially in the two parts of the will 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The deſire and Motion, which are the proper ſeates of Concupiſcence, the Foſter mother of all ſinne. In this regard, Faſting hath beene counted by the Fathers one of our chriſtian nailes of mortification, whereby our fleſh is nailed to Chriſts croſſe, and Saint Ambroſe cals Faſting, Venenum vitiorum, In Hexane • . the poiſon of vices. For as he ſaith, that the naturall Serpent is found by experience, to bee kild oftentimes by licking vp the ſpittle of one, that is Faſting: ſo we that are of yeares, doe find by experience, that the ſpirituall Serpent, the Deuils ſuggeſtions, and theſe common vices of Drunkenneſſe, Gluttonie, Baſeneſſe, Timerouſneſſe, Venereouſneſſe, Wantonneſſe againſt Chriſt, Lightneſſe, Inconſtancie, Pride, Talkatiueneſſe, Blaſphemies, Forgetfulneſſe of God & his wrath againſt ſinne, Ignorance of our ſelues and our betters (For as it is Pro. 30.21. A ſeruant, when he reigneth: and a foole, when his bellie is full, who is able to beare?) we, I ſay, that are of yeares, doe find by Experience, that all theſe vices are ſoone ouercommed, and killed in vs by the through decoction of the ſuperfluous abounding humours of Melancholie, Choler, Rheume, Sanguineouſnes, in our diſcreet and Religious Faſtings.

The Second end, is the fatting of the ſoule with the chiefeſt Chriſtian vertues. Etſi ieiumium perfecta Virtus non ſit: eſt tamen fundamentum Virtutum omnium: Although Faſting be no perfit Vertue, ſaith Saint Hierom, yet it is a foundation vnto all Vertues. Semper Virtuti cibus eſt, Ad Ruſticum. ſaith Leo in his ſecond Sermon, De ieiunio decimi menſis: It is alwayes as foiſon and nouriſhment to Vertue. And in his firſt Sermon De Quadrageſima: Parum eſt ſi carnis ſubſtantia tenuatur & animae fortitudo non alitur: It is to ſmall purpoſe, if the fleſh be abated by Faſting, and yet the Vertue and conſtancie of the minde be nothing better fed. Temperance, Patience, Humilitie, Tolerance, Hardineſſe to indure Famin in time of perſeſecution, when with Maſter Bradford, wee ſhall bee brought to an Egge a day, and to eate Mice, as our baniſhed Saints did at Strasborough, in the dayes of Queene Marie, eſpecially our right Chriſtian fellow-feeling both what Chriſt himſelfe ſuffered for our ſinnes, when he hungred in the wilderneſſe, and dieted himſelfe with barly bread and water, in Villages and Townes with his Diſciples, and alſo what our poore brethren, our fellow-members in Chriſt doe indure, when in a moſt vncharitable Age, they are driuen to runne to the water kit for their drinke, and to the beane-ſtacke for their bread. Theſe and many other vertues and graces of Gods Spirit, are bred and fed in vs by Faſting. For this outward Faſting in the body, is the cauſe of that, which our Church-Homily calleth the Inward or Spirituall Faſting, and the Saints of God in thoſe ancient Prime-dayes of godlineſſe,Maſter Caluin doth in this regard call Faſting (Adminiculum precum) the vnder prop of our heauie hearts to make them more fit for prayer, which being vnhumbled, and fed with ſenſualitie, doe ſildom pray deuoutly or zealouſly▪ did more eſpecially vſe Faſting, as an helpe of their deuotions theſe three wayes. Firſt, (as Saint Cyrill teſtifieth) they vſed it to make them the better able to keepe their vowes of Chaſtitie. Secondly (which was their moſt common vſe of Faſting) they vſed it, as Saint Chryſoſtome did, to the Eleuation of their vnderſtanſtandings, and to raiſe vp their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . their earthly drooping thoughts vnto the meditation of the higheſt heauenly miſteries and happineſſe. Thirdly they vſed it commonly for the more holy and happie preparing of their ſoules and bodies, not onely, to the worthy receiuing of the holy Communion, but alſo vnto all other great and weightie employments, wherein Gods glory, and the good of many,Ezra. 8. was principally procured. Ezra, when he led ſeuenteene hundred of the Iewes his brethren, out of Babylon to Ieruſalem, he firſt proclaimed a Faſt, & cauſed them all to Faſt with him, to the ende, that God might defend and proſper them in their iourney towards Ieruſalem.Nehem. 1.4. Nehemias, when hee attempted that great hazard, in deſiring Arlaxerxes fauour, to repaire the walles and the houſes of Ieruſalem, he firſt Faſted and Prayed. Saint Iohn the Euangeliſt, when hee began to write his Goſpell, he firſt Faſted and Prayed, and cauſed (as ſome report) the whole Church of Epheſus to Faſt and pray with him. Saint Paul, that choſen veſſell, when hee was now to preach that Goſpell, which afore hee had perſecured to the death, firſt Faſted and Prayed three dayes and three nights together. The Apoſtles, theſe children of the Bride-chamber, when they firſt ordained or inſtituted Miniſters, they firſt Faſted and Prayed. Laſtly, our glorious Sauiour, the holy one of God, when hee firſt began his publicke Miniſterie and Worke of our Redemption, Faſted his fortie dayes and fortie nights Faſt in the wilderneſſe, and as it is probable (out of the ſixt of Luke 12. verſe) afore hee called his twelue Apoſtles, and ſent them forth to the publicke Function of their Apoſtleſhip, hee firſt had ſpent a whole day and a whole night in Faſting and Prayer vpon that Mountaine, where hee gaue that long charge, and made that long Sermon, recorded in ſo many places, by the three Euangeliſts, Matthew, Marke, Luke, vnto them

The third end of Religious Faſting, is the more cōmodious maintenance of the ſtate of Chriſtendom, eſpecially of our poore hunger ſtarued neighbours, who bring vp themſelues and their children moſt barbarouſly, baſely and vnchriſtianly in theſe laſt dayes of ſinne, by reaſon that their gluttonous Land-lords, without feare feeding themſelues, doe ſo in their gurmaundizings liue to eate, and not eate to liue, as that they eate and ſpend more at one meale, then would find their poore Tenant,Among theſe, wee may number Tobaccho, which is more ſauadgely abuſed, then any other creature. his wife, children, ſeruants, their common finding, an whole twelue moneth together. Nature, and the God of Nature, The Father of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who giueth vs al things abundantly to poſſeſſe, hath not giuen vs (as Maſter Caluin ſaith) his greene herbe, his bladder-nut; his fiſh, ſowle, pullen; his oile, corne, wine; his calues, beeues, ſheepe, ſwine, and other more noble Creatures then theſe: as thoſe Quailes and that Manna to the Iſraelites, in this wilderneſſe of ſinne, to rauen wildely and vnſatiably like mercileſſe Vermin, Vultures, Woolues, Kites, vpon them, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , contumeliouſly and riotouſly to abuſe them at our pleaſure: but (as Nemeſius an ancient Greeke Father telleth vs) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . cap. 1. for the filling of the Gomer and reaſonable meaſure of our neceſſary and temperate appetite. We cannot then haue aboundance, no, nor ſufficiencie of maintenance, in this ſwilling-tankerd-tinkerly drunken time, where all goes vp for the filling of the bladder and the guts [not in Requiſita naturae, Theſe are the honeſt Semnologies, of theſe two honeſt Authors, commonly known to the learned. as Tacitus ſpeaketh; but according to Seneca's termes, in Effuſa & reliquias ventris] we cannot poſſibly, I ſay, haue any meane ſufficiencie of common maintenance, for our ſelues and Chriſts poore, vnleſſe ſome men and women in the world haue very frugall bellies, and doe Faſt euery other day. For nature beeing meaſured and proportioned by Gods nomber, line and meaſure 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 onely, onely for the honeſt reliefe and ſuſtenance of the moderate appetite of his reaſonable creatures, and yet not one man being found amongſt a thouſand, who contenteth himſelfe with this his Gomer or Dimenſum, that is, with this his neceſſary allowance and ſtint allotted him by God, Luc. 16.19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . but euery man ſeeking with Diues in the Goſpell, to fare deliciouſly and courtly euery day, without intermiſsion, giuing (as Prudentius our Chriſtian famous Lyricke ſpeaketh) no reſt at all to his iawes,

Venter Saturionis nullas reſidet eſuriales ferias.

Such a glutton, his beli • e hath no Holy-dates nor Sabboths of reſt. Plaut.

ſtomacke, bellie, which are tyred with their continuall gorges: it commeth to paſſe, that Nature becomes often defectiue vnto vs, and Diogenes is proued too true a man of his word, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mans belly is the notable priuy thiefe and deuouring guife of all mans neceſſary prouiſion, ſo that many vnneceſſary dearths are ſtil broght vpō vs Chriſtians our ſelues, who are Chriſts inheritance, and Chriſts houſhold, and who ſhould otherwiſe (no doubt) haue meat enough in due ſeaſon giuen vnto vs. Therefore Beatus eſt, qui ieiunat, vt alat pauperem, the ſtate of things being thus, Bleſſed is that man, who thinketh to ſanctifie his Faſt, with this holy end, and conſidereth the poore and needie, when he faſteth to feaſt them. Is not this the Faſt, that I haue choſen (ſaith God Iſa. 58.6.7.) to looſe the bands of wickedneſſe, to take of the heauie burdens of rent raiſing, and rent racking, to let the oppreſſed goe free, and that yee breake euery yoke? Is not this my Faſt to deale thy bread to the hungrie, to bring the poore, that wander, vnto thy houſe? When thou ſeeſt the naked, that thou couer him, and bide not thy ſelfe from thine owne fleſh? God would haue his Faſt to be a Iubilee Faſt.

The fourth worthy end of our ordinarie Faſting,4. 2. Cor. 7.11. is by it and in it to ſhew our 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 our ordinarie & hartie indignation, & reuenge againſt that our firſt parents Adam and Eue, their ſinning by their inordinate and immoderate appetite of that forbidden taſt,The Faſt of the ſeuenth month. of the fruite of the Tree of knowledge, of good and euill. As I haue alreadie declared, God himſelfe ſeemeth to haue propounded this end to that his ſpeciall anniuerſary Faſt, which he ſo ſtraitely charged the Iſraelites to keepe vpon the tenth day of September. Hoc tempu • habemus aptiſsimum ſanationi illius vulneris quod nobi • inflictum eſt in prima vetiti deguſtatione, quod tempus ieiunandi & Apoſtolicis & legalibus inſtitutis videmus electum. This time of Faſting in the ſeauenth moneth (ſaith Leo Serm. 8. De ieiunio ſeptimi menſis) we haue as the fitteſt time wherein to cure that wound, which was giuen vs all in that firſt taſt of the forbidden fruite; which time alſo we ſee, was choſen both by the conſtitutions of the Apoſtles, and by the inſtitution of the law of Moſes. Cum enim per illecebram cibi irrepſerit prima cauſa peccati, Quo ſalubriore dei munere vtatur redempta libertas, quam vt nouerit abſtinere a conceſſis, quae fraenare ſe neſciuit a vetitis? And ſeeing (as the ſame Leo excellently reaſoneth in his Sermon de ieiunio Pentecoſtes) that the firſt cauſe of ſinne crept in through the alluring baite of neceſſary food, what more wholeſome gift of Gods gracious ſpirit can our Redeemed libertie, of eating all the herbes in our gardens, vſe in remedie of the abuſe of that partiall and halfe demili-bertie of eating but ſome things in that garden of Eden, then that it knowe and remember alwayes to bee able, and willing to abſtaine from things lawfull and granted, which remembred not to refraine it ſelfe at the firſt from things vnlawfull and forbidden?Calu. inſt. lib. 3 cap. 3 ſect. 15. Quo enim Seueriores in nos ſunius & aeriore cenſura quaeſtionem habemus de peccatis noſtris, eo debemus ſperare magis propitium ac miſericordem Deum. For it is Maiſter Caluins good and ſound Diuinitie, diſcourſing in generall of the neceſsitie of the ſeuenth part of Contrition, which the Apoſtle cals 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ,2. Cor. 7. Reuenge; That the more ſeuere we are againſt our ſelues, and the more hardly and ſharpely we correct, examine, and torture our ſinfull fleſh and our ſinnes, we ought to hope certainly to haue God the more propitious and mercifull towards vs. But eſpecially this reuenge by Faſting, is moſt neceſſarie of all other,For he that waſheth himſelfe, becauſe of a dead body and toucheth it againe, what auaileth his waſhing 〈◊〉 So is it with a man, that faſteth for his ſinnes and committeth them againe, who will heare his prayer: or what doth his faſting helpe him: Eccl 34. becauſe man being corrupted, eſpecially with the diſtemperature of this inordinate appetite, whereby Adam and Eue did ſinne, hath now a greater proneneſſe to ſinne by the ſame, both in eating and in drinking, then by any other fleſhly appetite, or deſire whatſoeuer. And for the ſame cauſe Faſting ought to be continuall, ſeuere, rigorous againſt all fleſhly appetites, as Ben Syrach warneth vs. Ec. 34.27.

The fift worthy end of our Faſting is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the adorning of the Doctrine of the Goſpell by it, when wee remember, what the Apoſtle ſaith 1. Cor. 10.31. Whether yee eate or drinke or Whatſoeuer yee doe elſe, Tit. 2.10. doe all to the glorie of God, and what Zacharie complaineth againſt the hypocriſie of the Iewes in Babylon for omitting this end of Faſting in their Faſts: Theſe 70. yeares in your foure deuout Faſts, yee haue not Faſted vnto me, ſaith the Lord Zachar. 7.5.

We bring honour to the truth of the Goſpell, which we profeſſe either priuatiuely by ſtopping the ſlanderous mouths of the aduerſaries thereof, as Chriſt doth heere in my Text, by adding this Anticipation [Then ſhall they Faſt,] or Poſitiuely by confirming to the conſciences of all men, Sancta hypocriſis, in the Fathers of the Church dialect is, when a man doth practiſe more then he teacheth. that our Hypocriſie in words, is that which the Fathers tearme, Sanctam Hypocriſin, the odde kind of holy Hypocriſie, when we ſpeake indeed much of mortification of the fleſh by Faſting, but practiſe more in Faſting then we ſpeake. Firſt wee ſtop the blaſphemous mouths of Gentill Philoſophers, who brag ſo much of their Pythagoras his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : his eating but about a pinte of meale in a day, and of Iulian that famous Apoſtata, who in one of his extant Greeke Epiſtles ſaith, that the Chriſtian life in his daies was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was but a ſwiniſh life, in compariſon of his owne auſtere life, and of the auſtere liues of Iamblichus, Plotine, Maximus and other his fellow Sophiſters. Theſe Cerberean mouths of hell are preſently ſtopped, when they heare vs tell them of Moſes, Elias, Chriſt, their fortie dayes, and fortie nights Faſting: or of the abſtinence and auſtereneſſe of Dauid, Ionadab, Daniel, Iohn Baptiſt, Anna the Propheteſſe, Saint Paul: or but of the Ordinarie and Extraordinarie Faſting of common Chriſtians: S. Chryſoſtom, Ambroſe, Hierom, Auſtin; or but euen of their followers, either in monaſteries or in ſecular ſtates, who beſides their contenting themſelues with the ſtint of their one Gomera day, that is, with one ſpare homely meale a day throughout the yeare, did oftentimes Faſt extraordinarilie for the remouing of Gods iudgements from themſelues and their neighbours three dayes, and three nights together. Saint Ambroſe witneſſeth of his people Lib. 1. De paenitent. Chap. 16. That they did Sulcare continuis fletibus genas, ieiuno ore ſemper & pallido mortis ſpeciem ſpiranti in corpore praeferentes; That they did make deepe furrowes in their Lenten-cheekes through the continuall dropping and falling of teares from their eyes, and hearts for their ſinnes, and the miſeries of this life, carrying alwayes about with them a very gaſtly picture of death in their weake breathing bodies, and in their pale Lenton faces. The remembrance and true euidence of theſe Faſters, putteth to ſilence the outward Aduerſary, the Gentile, the Apoſtata, the Atheiſt. The like remembrance and true euidence of Chriſtian Faſting in the Orthodoxall Proteſtant at this day, charmeth the lawleſſe tongue of the Inward Aduerſary, the ſchiſmaticall Browniſt, or haereticall Papiſt. Caluin, Latimer, Bradford, Iewell, Whitgift, Whitakers, Fox, who haue in their Extraordinary and Ordinary Faſts, and in the perpetuall moderation of a temperate appetite, farre excelled the ſuperſtitious, fraudulent, hypocriticall Mannichaean Faſt of the Church of Rome, are worthy and true Euidences hereof. What ſhould I ſpeake of theſe principall worthies of our Dauid, Chriſt Ieſus, or of any of their Compieres, the kindlieſt childrē of the ancient Fathers, and the righteſt ſucceſſors of theſe children of the Bride-chamber. Surely, I am perſwaded, that euen wee, who keepe but our Ordinarie Church-faſts throughout the yeere, and doe eſpecially, all theſe fortie dayes of Lent, (I meane the weeke dayes) take vnto vs only a morſel of browne bread, and a draught of ordinary drinke after our daily Morning prayer, and at night againe take our meales meat (as we call it) moderately and ſparingly, making it to conſiſt of the homelieſt diſhes and ſmalleſt drinke, are able to beat the deuouteſt Papiſt at this his beſt ſpirituall weapon, religious Faſting. For mine owne part, giue me leaue to ſpeake ſomewhat fondly of that, which my ſelfe haue often experienced truely. I could neuer yet, for the ſpace of theſe ten yeeres, meet with any Popiſh fauorite, or proſelyte, 1608. Annus eſt hic aetatir noſtrae 38. Ordinibus ſacris initiatus eram. Anno aetatis 28. Dem. 1598. ſince I firſt began to know, what Faſting meant, either in the Vniuerſitie or in the Countrie, who hath beene either willing or able to hold out with me in this, which I take to be our right Canonicall Engliſh Church-Faſt. Namely in this vnfraudulent eating but one courſe meale a day, whilſt Lent laſteth. How much more then, will ſtricter Abſtinence and Faſting, of ſtronger deuotioned Proteſtants amongſt vs, confound them, and al their great Brags, of I know not what, their Great Faſting.

But not onely Priuatiuely doe wee honour Chriſts Trueth, by keeping that calumnious Retortion of Iobs ſpeech, Iob, 40.11. ſpoken of Behemoth, vnderſtood of the Diuel and of all fleſhly Epicures, Vires eorum in Lumbis eorum, & virtus eorum in vmbilico ventris ſui; Their ſtrength is in their laſciuious, venereous Loines, and their vertue conſiſts [in a bene curata cute] in their bellie timber and in their ſoft pubble skins: Not onely (I ſay) when we faſt Chriſts Faſts, doe we keepe this diuelliſh calumny and reproach, from beeing retorted vpon Chriſts Church and Chriſts Trueth amongſt vs: but Poſitiuely alſo we confirme vnto Gods Saints and vnto our ſelues, all theſe principall Concluſions of our Chriſtian Religion; namely, That we are here, as in the houſe of mourning, abſented from the bodily preſence of our ſoules Bridegroome: That we here, as Pilgrimes, truſſe vp our loines, and ſpend no more vpon our bellies and backs, then ſtrangers doe, who are farre from their natiue home, making onely a hard ſhift for a time, vntill wee come into our heauenly I • ha • a, the Paradiſe of Chriſt: That we liue not by bread onely, but by euery word of power and promiſe, that proceedeth out of the mouth of God: That Chriſt is our Manna and heauenly Bread: That (for the demonſtration whereof, Moſes, Elias, Chriſt did principally Faſt) the Law, the Prophecies, the Goſpel, are altogether ſpirituall and not carnall: And laſtly, That (as Saint Ieromes ſpeech is in an Epiſtle to Ruſticus) by liuing [in carne ſine carne] in the fleſh (as it were) without the fleſh, we may begin already to haue our conuerſation in heauen, beeing already tranſlated from death vnto life, conforming our vile bodies (what we can) to Chriſts glorified body, making our earthly fleſhly bodies, a certaine type in themſelues vnto themſelues, of their vndoubted and certaine future being hereafter heauenly ſpirituall bodies, according to Gods promiſe, in which dwelleth righteouſneſſe.

The ſixt and laſt ſafe intention and lawfull end, of our Religious Faſting, in the time of the Goſpel, is the aſſured Purchaſe of that great vndefiled Reward, which by a kinde of Metalepſis, is out of Gods promiſes, Imputatiuely due vnto our Faſting, but properly is due onely vnto the onely true and proper Merit and Condignitie of Chriſts Faſting. One part of this Reward, is intimated in this next Parable. The new ſhred ſuteably and rightly applied in the mending of Chriſts new cloth; the new wine being put orderly into Chriſts new bottels ſhall both be preſerued together, that is to ſay, Both Goſpel Faſt and Goſpel Faſter ſhall be ioyntly preſerued from loſſe and helliſh deſtruction An other part is ſet downe by Moſes vnto Gods Iſrael, in the 8. Deuter. 16. God fed thee in the Wilderneſſe, with that drie Manna, which thy fathers knew not, to humble thee and to prooue thee to the end, that he might doe thee good at thy latter end. A third part is prophecied by Iſay 58.8. Then ſhall thy light breake forth as the morning, and thine health ſhall grow ſpeedily; thy righteouſneſſe ſhall goe before thee, and the glory of the Lord ſhall embrace thee; Then ſhalt thou call, and the Lord ſhall anſwere; thou ſhalt crie, and hee ſhalt ſay, Here I am. A fourth Promiſe is made againe by Chriſt, in the ſixt of Matthew 17.18. verſ. and that euen to priuate and domeſticall Faſters. When thou doeſt Faſt (ſaith Chriſt) thy ſecret priuate Faſt truely and vnfraudulently, as vnto God, and not vnto men, Thy Father, and the Father of thy Faſt, who ſeeth thee and it in ſecret, will reward thee openly, as he did Cornelius in the tenth of the Acts.

Fiftly and laſtly, not onely are excellent Promiſes made vnto our Publicke and Priuate Faſting, in regard of the Bleſsings, which ſhall thence redound vnto our owne ſoules and bodies, or vnto our wiues, children, ſeruants, neighbours, kindred, friends, but alſo in regard of a plentifull Harueſt of ſpiritual & temporal bleſsings, which ſhal thence redound to the whole Dioceſſe, Prouince, Country, Nation, Church, where we Faſt. Eccleſ. 10.16.17. Woe, we to thee (O Land) when thy King is a child, and thy Princes (like vnto thoſe worſe kind of Perſian kings) eate in the morning (as though they were borne of Sardanapalus, that is, for nothing but bed and board:) But Bleſſed, bleſſed art thou. (O Land) when thy King is the ſonne of Nobles, and thy Princes eat in time (like chaſt Hippolyti, with Hunters ſtomacks in the afternoone) Ad Robur, non ad compotationem; for the neceſſarie ſtrengthening of their exerciſed and toiled bodies. If the Magiſtrates, their temperate eating, which oftentimes is euen naturall vnto many men, bring ſuch a bleſsing with it, to the Land and Country where they rule in what Vintages of all kinds of Bleſsings, will not their right Religious Euangelicall Faſting commanded and commended here by the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Sonne of God, procure and purchaſe to Gods Church, at Gods moſt mercifull and boundtifull hand?

CHAP. IIII. The Peroration or Hortatorie concluſion of this Diſcourſe.

ANd thus at length haue I haſted, what I could, to finiſh my Lenten penance, this leane and tedious diſcourſe of Faſting, which is (to vſe Quintilians terme) exoſsata oratio, nothing but hard and harſh skin and bone: thus at length haue I haſted to pay my long vowes to this ſhort Text, which few doe vnderſtand, manie haue miſvnderſtood, none of vs with that Seueritie and Holineſſe, doe Chriſtianly practiſe, wherwith Chriſt himſelfe, the onely Law giuer able to ſaue and deſtroy, in theſe two parables would haue it to be practiſed, and wherewith not onely theſe children of the Bridechamber, but alſo the Bride herſelfe in the firſt thouſand yeares after her Bridegroomes departure did moſt deuoutly, & diſcreetly and obediently practiſe it.

Chriſt the Bridegroome, hath ſeene and knowne, how I haue behaued my ſelfe in the handling of this Text. Before him I doe in all humilitie of ſpirite proteſt, that I haue not prophecied anything out of mine owne braine, nor vſurped violently vpon the Text, as if it were Naſus cereus, a noſe of waxe to wreſt or deſcant vpon at my pleaſure; neither haue I vttered any thing vnneceſſarie or impertinent; nor could I more briefely handle it, vnleſſe I ſhould haue plaide the part of a deceitfull workeman and beene vnfaithfull vnto it.

What now remaineth, but that as our vnderſtandings haue ſuffered their Lent-penance, in taking the tedious information of ſo vnpleaſant a diſcourſe: ſo now our wils and affections, doe take their Lenten penance, alſo by ſuffering the words of exhortation, That, if the Deuill, the world, or the fleſh haue catcht any hold, and made any dangerous rent in thē, as in Chriſts new garments; we wold be wiſe & carefull preſently to make it vp againe with the ſhred of this new piece, out of Chriſts wardrop, this Euangelicall Faſting: If the Deuill, the world or the fleſh, haue vented, abated or any whit diminiſhed the vigour, ſtrength, quantitie or ſubſtance of Chriſts new vvine, the graces of his ſpirit of Regeneration in them, being as Chriſts new bottels▪ we would preſently reſtore, and repaire the loſſe againe by the readie ſupplie of this new wine, this Euangelicall Faſting, which the Church of God publickely, we our ſelues priuately are to drawe out of this Cellar, ſo called in the ſecond of the Canticles, this Goſpell commaunde and word of Chriſt [Then ſhall they Faſt.] If we be not able to follow or imitate the miraculous, and extraordinarie Faſts of Chriſt himſelfe, of Moſes, of Elias: yet ſtriue we to keepe thoſe Faſts, which the children of the Bride-chamber, kept and appointed to be kept, when the Bridegroome was taken away from them. If their new piece alſo be vnſuteable; if their nowe wine be of too ſtrong a grape, becauſe they were men of an extraordinarie ſpirit: yet let vs not ſhrinke or refuſe to hold out our Faſts with Tertullian, Cyprian, Auſtin, Leo, Gregorie, Bernard; or but with their people & lay men, men altogether of our own ſize, ſtrength, mettall and faſhion. Theſe are but one meale a day throughout the yeare. If we be not able to humble our ſelues ſo lowe, & to mourne with them ſo long as the whole yeare through; yet let it not grieue vs in this former ſpring of the yeare, to conſecrate with them this tenth part of the yeare I meane, This fortie dayes Faſt of Lent, as an holy tenth vnto Chriſt the auncient of dayes,The great neceſsitie of faiſting all the weeke-dayes of Lent. that the firſt fruits of our blood being purged, and holy in the firſt beginning of the yeare, the whole yeare following may bee ſanctified and bleſſed vnto vs. We are euery yeare very carefull in the latter ſpring of the yeare, to ſweat and toyle to the great hazard of our healths fortie dayes together at the leaſt, that we may inne a plentifull harueſt, for the ſuſtenance of our bodies the whole yeare following. Surely we haue farre greater reaſon to plie this Lent time (which the Fathers vſually cal the Chriſtian harueſt of our ſoules) and euen to hazard our healths by ſwearing drops of our heart-blood, at the ſight of Gods wrath againſt our ordinarie, and extraordinarie ſinnes, by weeping, Faſting, and praying, and by continuall hearing, and reading the word of God, to the end, we may inne a rich and plenteous crop for the whole yeares ſuſtenance of our ſoules. The heathen people (as Athen • ns one of their Greeke writers telleth vs) had euery yeare a Spring-ſong, which they did vſe to ſing in their ſtreetes at the firſt ſight of the ſwallow; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The ſwallow, the ſwallow is come bringing the good houres and the good yeare with her. The like Spring-ſong doth Chriſt himſelfe ſing vnto his ſpouſe the Church, in the ſecond of the Canticles the tenth verſe: Ariſe my Loue, my faire one, and come thy way. For behold (ſaith he) the Winter is paſt. The raine is changed, and is gone away, The floures appeare in the earth, The time of ſinging of birds is come, and the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our land. What is this Window ſong, this May-ſong, this Spring-ſong [Ariſe my Loue, my faire one, and come away &c:] but our Sauiour Chriſt his rouzing of vs out of our dead Winter ſleepe of ſinne, by the preaching of the Goſpel of Repentance at the windowes of our eares, which he openeth with his owne hands, and the power of his ſpirit? what is this firſt appearing, and opening of the Spring-floures out of the winter priſon of the earth, which was faſt-bard, and lock with cold froſts, afore the ſunne returning beganne to reſolue the frozen cold, and with his heate to make a g • ole-deliuerie of the fruit of the vegetatiue life of earth: but the firſt appearing and opening of the floures of Faith and Repentance, by the comfortable and liuely heate of the Sunne of righteouſneſſe Chriſt Ieſus, who with the heat of his zealous Spirit, reſolueth the frozen vnfallowed ground of mens ſinfull hearts dead in ſinnes and treſpaſſes, and with the cold blaſts of Gods deſertions, mollifieth & quickneth them, through their Lent-faſt, deliuereth them out of the winter-priſon of ignorance, infidelitie, preſumption, ſecuritie, forgetfulneſſe of God, acediouſneſſe, vnzealouſneſſe, into which, naturall concupiſcence, Sathans ſuggeſtions, the euill examples and continuall cuſtome of ſinne in the world, had either ſubtilly or by ſtrong hand caſt them? What's laſtly this, which Chriſt cals Our Land, but the Place of his feet, his Vineyard, his Natiue Soile, his Church, whereof hee himſelfe is the chiefe Member, the chiefe Vine, the beſt Plant, and of whoſe Sion it is ſaid, that He was borne there? What's this voyce of the Turtle, Catechumeni, are they, who being baptized amongſt vs, when they were children, doe now in Lent firſt prepare themſelues to the receiuing of the Communion at Eaſter. Competentes ▪ I call thoſe who in former time haue deſired baptiſme at Eaſter. heard in this his and our Land, but the mournefull voice of the Catechumeni, Competentes; Ordinary and Extraordinary Penitents, mourning (all the time of this forty dayes Faſt of Lent) as a Turtle, or chattering all together, as Swallowes, in the duſt of Ordinary and Extraordinary Repentance? Like a Crane or a Swallow, ſo did I chatter; ſaid Penitent Hezekias, Iſa. 38.14.) I did mourne, as a Doue.

But beſides this great Conueniencie of hauing this fortie dayes Harueſt for our ſoules Humilation and Sanctification at this time of the yeere; we are further for this cauſe to be very deſirous to follow the Saints of God in the ſeuere keeping thereof, becauſe (as Saint Auſtin ſaith) it may be, and ought to bee kept, as a Reſculptiue and Memoratiue Faſt. The foure Faſts in Zacharie, Zach. 7. & 8. kept by the Iewes in Babylon, were all Memoratiue. For the Faſt of the tenth Moneth, was kept in remembrance of Nabuchodonoſor his firſt laying of ſiege againſt Ieruſalem: The Faſt of the fourth Moneth, in remembrance of the grieuous famine and taking of their Citie, and killing of their Nobles: The Faſt of the fift Moneth, in remembrance of Nabuzaradan the King of Babylons Steward, his burning of the Temple and the Citie: The Faſt of the ſeuenth Moneth, in remembrance of the cutting off of the laſt hope of their comfort, namely, of good Gedaliah his trecherous ſlaying, by that ambitious and curſed Iſhmael, Ieremie 40.14.16. & 41.1 2.3. After the ſame maner, this our fortie daies Faſt of Lent, is Memoratiue, and is kept by the Churches of God, to put vs into a liuely and ſenſible remembrance of the fortie daies Faſt of Moſes, Elias, Chriſt; of the fortie dayes and fortie nights Raine, which brought in Noahs Flood, vpon that former vngodly world; and of that Extraordinary and moſt humble Fortie-dayes Faſt of the Penitent Niniuites, wherby they did preuent the Vniuerſall Deluge of deſtruction threatned by Ionas, at the fortie dayes end.

To vſe no more reaſons, to ſet out vnto our conſciences, The great neceſsitie of this our Lent-faſt in all Churches: Let not this ſtill, ſtill bee the Aegyptian ſhame of our Church of England, that, when Moſes is fortie dayes and fortie nights twiſe told, Faſting in Mount Horeb, Deut. 9 9. & 18, 25. the Mount of God, partly at the ſight of the glorious paterne of Gods true Worſhip, partly at the ſight of the Iſraelites idolatrous and falſe worſhip: wee, with thoſe beaſtly, prophane, idolatrous, wilde headed, irreligious, fleſhly, wanton, caluiſh minded. Iſraelites, worſhip Our golden Calues, and the vanities and luſts of our fleſhly appetites, Eating and drinking, and riſing vp to play; That, when Elias is in his grieuous Faſt of forty dayes and fortie nights, walking to the ſame Mount of God Horeb, we, with Ahab and Ieſabel runne a whoring from God, to the mountaine of Samaria, the hautineſſe and ſtubburneſſe of our irreligious and impenitent hearts: That, whileſt Chriſt himſelfe, is for our ſakes in the wilderneſſe, fighting vpon all diſaduantages, with the greateſt puniſhment of our ſinnes Famine, and with the greateſt enemie of our Saluation, the Diuell; we, after the example of the Diuels inſtruments, the fleſhly Iewes, altogether mindeleſſe of our Saluation, fight for the Diuell and the fleſh, againſt Chriſt, by our impenitencie, in practiſing our cuſtomary maner of ſinning all maner of ſinnes, of drunkenneſſe, gluttony, licentiouſneſſe, wantonneſſe, ſtrife, enuie, oppreſsion of our poore people and tenants, following the world and our ſuits in Law, more fiercely and griedily at this time of the yeere, then at any other time beſides. That laſtly, whileſt godly Noah, Shem and Iaphet are lamenting and exerciſing Continencie and Faſting, at the fearefull fight of the deſtruction of an vngodly world, whoſe dead carkaſes were continually beaten by the waters & knockt againſt the ſide of the Arke▪ to put them in mind of Gods iuſt wrath againſt ſinne; whileſt the King of Niniue, deſcending from his Chaire of State, into the duſt and aſhes of Extraordinary Repentance, Faſteth in Sackcloth with his Nobles and penitent People, euen to the beaſt that periſheth, becauſe it is the inſtrument of mans ſinne: whileſt Tertullian, Cyprian, Auſtin, Leo, Gregory, Bernard, and all the godly Fathers, for the ſpace of a thouſand yeeres and more after Chriſt, are euery yeere marſhalling themſelues, their Extraordinary Penitents, Al theſe things are truely gathered out of the Fathers writings. their Catechumeni, their Competentes after the example of ſo worthy Precedents in duſt, ſack cloth and aſhes, for their Ordinary and Extraordinary ſinnes, preaching once at the leaſt euery day, ſo long as Lent laſteth; frequenting publicke Prayer thrice euery day, laying aſide a great part of their worldly neceſſary buſineſſe, watching ſome nights, and lying vpon the ground, to liſten if they might chance to heare the ſoft and ſodaine comming of the feet of the thiefe of the night, the ſtealing of the day of iudgement vpon them, or to heare the firſt blaſt and ſound of the laſt Trumpet of God, or the firſt ſhowt of our Lord, at his laſt deſcending in the Cloudes, or the firſt word of the voice of the Archangel, or at leaſt the crowing of S. Peters Cocke, to call them out of their dead ſleeps or light ſlumbers of fleſhly ſecurity, that they might go out & weepe bitterly for their ſinnes; taking but one ſpare homely meale on the weeke day all this time of Lent, reconciling themſelues to their aduerſaries, in any ſuite of law, or in any offenſiueneſſe whatſoeuer, and giuing largely to the poore, eſpecially abating their poore debtors their debts, & tenants their rents, as an Eaſter Iubilee, and as a true fruit of that Chriſtian faſt which God hath choſen: Let not this, this, I ſay, be ſtill, ſtill the burning Egyptian ſhame of our Church of England, that ſo many make no difference at all betwixt Lent, & Chriſtmas, hauking, hunting, carding, dicing, Horſracing, playing at Football, letting looſe the reines of our fleſh to all things lawfull or vnlawfull, caſting nets ouer our ſimple brethren, following and hoately purſuing all vantages, quarrels, demaunds, actions about worldly matters, neuer thinking of the neareſt neareneſſe of the great day of the great iudgement, continually forgetting the continually gaſping mouth of hell, whiche euery other yeare by Popiſh treacheries, either at home, or abroad is gaſping, and opening vpon vs, neuer thanking the Lord, for ſo miraculous, and often ſhutting it, accounting our ſelues to be with Iohn the Apoſtle, whom Chriſt loued, impaled within the armes, and breaſt of Chriſt, the Bridegroome; ſhut in there (as it were) out of the perill of all gunſhot, and out of all danger of Plagues, inundations, vnſeaſonable weather, terrible Tueſdayes (terrible by the Gouraean conſpiracie, terrible by that Gun powder treaſon, terrible by our late ſtrang winds, winds of that breath of Gods wrath, wherewith the fire of hell is kindled.)

If wee cannot Faſt with one ſpare and homely meale a day all the weeke dayes of Lent,The great neceſsitie of Faſting the laſt weeke of Lent, which is Chriſt and his members, their Paſſion weeke, called by the Fathers, Hebdomada pa • oſa. ſo long as Lent laſteth (as our Church would haue vs) yet at the leaſt let vs heare the word of God read or preached vnto vs, & let vs in truth, and no longer in profane & childiſh Hypocriſie (according to the words of our common Leiturgie) Turne vnto the Lord by weeping, faſting, and praying, This whole laſt weeke of Lent, which we call Hebilomadam paenoſam, the Paſſion weeke, in which we ought (if euer) to redeeme our ill-kept Lent, and to prepare our ſelues by nailing our ſinfull fleſh vnto Chriſts croſſe of mortification, to the end, wee may riſe againe with him at Eaſter vnto iuſtification, with whom we haue died by mortification, that alſo after our ſuffering with him, we may one day aſcend and enter into glorie with him. As Leo ſaith truly of the whole Lent faſt: Quanto ſanctius quiſque hos dies inuenietur egiſſe, tanto probabitur paſcha Domini honoraſſe religioſius: The more holily a man ſhall be found to haue kept all the Faſting dayes of Lent, the more deuoutly will he be found, and find himſelfe by Experience to haue honoured the feaſt of Eaſter, or of the reſurrection, which followeth and endeth Lent: ſo the ſame alſo may be ſaide, euen of the holy and deuout keeping of this laſt weeke of Lent. For ſurely now the Deuill is moſt buiſie to drawe vs from our worthy celebration of this weeke vnto all profaneneſſe, worldlineſſe,The Deuils paſsion-weeke. ſecuritie and wantonneſſe, and at no time of the yeare, doth hee ſo earneſtly ſeeke our deſtruction by forgetfulneſſe of God, and of our duties of loue one toward another, as he doth this weeke of Chriſts paſsion, to the end that hee may ſtill in the ſame weeke crucifie Chriſt in his members, and make vs altogether vnworthy, through our profanations, and fleſhly contentions, both of the merits of Chriſts death, & of the vertue of Chriſts reſurrection: as the ſame Leo therefore ſaith of the whole time of Lent, That Parum religioſus alio tempore demonſtratur, qui in his diebus religioſior non inuenitur: He hath little or no religion in him at other times, who is not more religious on the Lent daies, then hee was other common dayes: ſo I may truly ſay, that he hath little or rather no religion at all, who is not now contented with thoſe Capernaits in the ſixt of Iohn, in ſo ſhort a time before the Feaſt of the Paſſeouer, to Faſt three dayes and three nights, together, or at leaſt to Faſt euery 20. foure houres for the ſpace of ſixe dayes in hearing Chriſt preach vnto him,That is, euery day in paſsionweeke, taking but one ſpare and homely meale within 24. houres. that after ſuch humiliation Chriſt, may by his ſpirit reſtifie, and comfortably ſay vnto him, as he teſtified and ſaide vnto them: Cauſe this man to ſit downe, who is faint with hunger after righteouſneſſe, and hath followed me Faſting now ſixe dayes together, that I may refreſh him with food at my table becauſe I haue compaſsion on him. To conclude; a chiefe cauſe (I ſay it againe) of pride in Magiſtrates, of wantonneſſe in rich folke, of ſelfe wilfulneſſe, and worſe then heatheniſh diſobedience and ſtubburneſſe in rude people amongſt vs at this day, is this our common, vnregarded, vndiſciplined, wanton, humorous, irreligious, rude diſobeying of Chriſt and his Church their conſultatorie commaunds of this Faſt of Lent, and other Faſts whatſoeuer. The Lord Ieſus, who hath the keyes of Dauid vpon his ſhoulders, open our eyes and hearts to the ſeeing and embracing of the truth of the great neceſsitie of our obedience to this Commaunde [Then ſhall they Fall.] Amen. Amen.

Ignatius.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

FINIS.