THAT a Religious Abſtinence and Faſting, in tendency to appeaſe God's Diſpleaſure againſt a Nation and People, and for the Reforming of Manners, was a Duty always acknowledged both by Jews and Chriſtians, in all Ages of the World; yea, what even Heathens and Mahometans have ſince conſented to.

As to the Antiquity of the Lent-Fast, and the Obſervation of it (as a learned Man tells us) it is (like the River Nilus) we can ſcarce find out its Head, it being mention'd by Ignatius and Irenaeus, two of St. John's Scholars; alſo by Origen, who lived not long after them; alſo in the famous Council of Nice, where they mention the Forty Days of Lent as a thing known and long obſerved before that time. How far our Bleſſed Saviour did approve of the Performance of this Chriſtian Duty, both by his Practice and Doctrine, is too evident to be denied. But certainly, if we had not the aforeſaid Evidence of the Sacred Scriptures and Antiquity, no Man of Reaſon and Conſcience, who believes he hath an Immortal Soul, capable of Eternal Happineſs or Miſery, Reward or Puniſhment, can doubt but that the Religious Obſervation of this Time of Lent, by Faſting, Abſtinence, and Self-denial, calling our ſelves to an Account of our Lives, ſerious Conſideration, and Repentance, hath a wiſe and great tendency to the promoting of Piety and Vertue in us; (for, as one tells us, that, in truth, to a good Man, Vita est Reflectio.) And therefore to be moſt wiſely recommended to our Obſervation, this Holy Time of Lent) in Commemoration of our Great Lord and Maſter, the Bleſſed Jeſus, his Faſting Forty Days and Forty Nights: Which Intention of the Church is fully expreſſed in her Collect for the Firſt Sunday in Lent, (viz.)

O Lord, who for our ſakes didst fast Forty Days, and Forty Nights, give us Grace to uſe ſuch Abſtinence, that our Fleſh being ſubdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy Godly Motions, in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs to thy Honour and Glory, &c.

And it is a thing acknowledged by all Men, That the grand Reaſon and Ground of the Prevalency of Vice and Wickedneſs in the World, is chiefly and principally from the want of ſober, ſerious and wiſe Conſideration, (this being moſt true, That inconſiderate Men are wicked Men.) For Men are led by their ſenſual Appetites and Paſſions, which ſtick cloſe to them, and indeed are ſo great a part of themſelves, that it lays Reaſon, many times, aſleep. It much concerns us to exerciſe Reaſon, and ſerious Conſideration, as well as Faith: And it hath been found by Experience (that wiſe and great Inſtructor of Mankind) that the ſtrict and religious Obſervation of this Time of Lent, hath proved to be a mighty Reſtraint to Irreligion, and Prophaneneſs, and Debauchery; yea, even in thoſe Places where Men are moſt exquiſite in Wickedneſs: That it hath been matter of Admiration and Wonder to Travellers, to ſee ſuch a change of Manners, and what an Outward Appearance there is among them of Demureneſs and Sobriety, Seriouſneſs and Devotion. I ſhall give it you in the words of that learned and excellent Perſon of our own Country, Sir Edwin Sandys, in his Europae Speculum, where, ſpeaking of Italy, he ſaith, That notwithſtanding the abounding of Vice among them, yet during the Time of Lent, the People of all ſorts are then much reformed; no ſuch Blaſphemy nor dirty Speaking as before; their Vanity of all ſorts laid reaſonably aſide, their Pleaſures abandon'd, their Apparel, their Diet, and all things elſe, compoſed to Auſterity, and a ſtate of Penitence; they have daily then their Preaching, with Collections of Alms, whereto all Men reſort; and to judge of them by their outward ſhew, they ſeem generally to have very great Remorſe for their Wickedneſs; inſomuch (ſaith he) as I muſt confeſs, I ſeemed unto my ſelf in Italy to have beſt learn'd the right Uſe of Lent, and there firſt to have diſcerned the great fruit of it, and the Reaſon for which thoſe Sages in the Church at firſt did inſtitute it. Neither can I (ſaith he) eaſily accord to the Fancies of ſuch, as becauſe we ought at all times to lead a life worthy of our Profeſſion, that therefore it is Superſtitious to have any Time wherein to exert or expect it more than other; but do thus rather conceive, that the Corruption of Times, and the Wickedneſs of Man's Nature, is ſo exorbitant, that it was a hard matter to hold the ordinary ſort of Men, at all times, within the Liſts of Piety, Juſtice and Sobriety: It is fit therefore that there ſhould be one time, at leaſt, in the Year, and that of a reaſonable continuance, according to the Practice of all Men, (for even the Jews and Turks have their Lents) to conſtrain Men, how wicked and wretchleſs ſoever, for that time at leaſt, to recall themſelves to ſome more ſevere Cogitations and Courſes, leſt Sin having no ſuch Bridle to check it at any time, ſhould at length become head-ſtrong and unconquerable in them; as alſo to enure Men (though but to a bare ſhew of Vertue) they might afterwards, perhaps, more ſeriouſly perſiſt in it.— By this we underſtand the manner of keeping Lent among the Romaniſts beyond Seas, eſpecially in Italy, with the worthy Perſon the Author's judicious Comment thereupon.

Now ſurely (I humbly conceive) have we not here, in England, as great Reaſon to be ſtrict Obſervers of this Holy Time of Lent, as Foreigners? For is it not too apparent, that Irreligion, Vice, Debauchery and Wickedneſs encreaſeth and grows upon us, and that it has need of Reſtraints to be put upon it, leſt it ſwallow us up? And therefore (I humbly conceive) it much concerns us, inſtead of rejecting, and laying aſide, and prophanely ſcoffing at the ſtrict and religious Obſervance of this ſolemn Time of Lent among the Romaniſts, rather to learn that which is good and commendable in our Adverſaries. For ſhall it be ſaid, that when the whole Chriſtian World are ſober and ſerious, in keeping their Lent-Fast, and humbling their Souls, in conſideration of their great Sins and Provocations of the Divine Majeſty of Heaven, and ſpend their Time in Self-denials, and Mortifications, and are upon their Knees humbling their Souls, and with fervent and frequent Prayers interceding with to God for Mercy, that we in England (who would be accounted better, and Reformed Chriſtians) are, inſtead thereof, taken up with our Feaſting and Jollities, if not our Debauches and Exceſſes, and have ſo little ſenſe of our great Tranſgreſſions and Provocations of God, as to be ſo far diſpleaſed with our ſelves for the ſame, as to deny our ſelves now and then a Meal's Meat, or at leaſt ſomewhat of our Exceſſes, or from our more pleaſant Food, or from taking a revenge upon our ſelves, by our Abſtinence, for our great Sins and Tranſgreſſions, and from ſpending our Time in ſober and ſerious Conſideration of our Ways and Doings, and the ſtate of our Souls; and further, by Faſting, adding Force to our Prayers to God for Mercy to our ſelves and others, the whole Church and Nation wherein we live; and Praying mightily to God, that ſo our Sins may not out-cry our Prayers?

Let us further conſider, that this Outward Appearance and Face of Religion and Devotion, (although it be but for a time) yet what effect it may have upon Men, we know not; but that it may make ſome Impreſſion on Mens Minds, as to fall in love and liking of ſincere and true Piety, ſo that it may in time prevail upon them to become honeſt and ſincere; and not only lay aſide their Folly and Wickedneſs for a ſeaſon, but wholly abandon their Luſts: For this Reſtraint they put upon themſelves for a ſeaſon, muſt mightily convince them that they have power over themſelves to reſtrain their diſorder'd and vitious Appetites and Luſts for a time; and why not then longer, if they pleaſe? It will ſomewhat inure and accuſtom them to Selfdenial, and Mortification of their Senſual Appetites. And they who deny themſelves, if it be only but for a time, will be accounted, however, leſs wicked than thoſe who will abate nothing of their Wickedneſs and Exceſſes at any time, nor apply themſelves to the Religious Duties of the Lent-Fast; eſpecially if we conſider how far even a formal and hypocritical Faſt and Humiliation for a time of a wicked Ahab had acceptance before God, as to his Deliverance from a temporal Judgment, during his Life.

Let us conſider the great Wiſdom of the Church, our Mother, in appointing this Lent-Fast; which, if not impoſed upon her Children, they (it's to be feared) would very careleſsly and ſlightly paſs over the ſerious Duties of this Time, and poſſibly never find a ſeaſon for this neceſſary Work of a Chriſtian, of conſidering their Ways, and ſearching their Hearts, and repenting and humbling themſelves, and pouring out their fervent Prayers for God's Pardon, and for the Almighty Aſſiſtance of his Grace and Spirit to aſſiſt them in their honeſt Endeavours, as alſo of conſulting a good Spiritual Guide and Director of their Souls (moſt ſeaſonable at this ſerious Time to moſt People) from whom they may receive ghoſtly Advice and Counſel how to avoid the Temptations and Occaſions of Sin for the future, and how to make Satisfaction for Injuries done by them to their Neighbours, and how to frame ſuch holy Reſolutions of Amendment of their Lives as may prove effectual; as alſo to have further the Determination of a faithful and able Guide to determine for them of their own Sincerity, and as to the true ſtate of their Souls, (who are, God knows, too ready to judge too favourably of themſelves.) For this Time of Lent may be not improperly conſidered as a time of entrance into a Courſe of Phyſick for our Souls Health and Safety. And why may not it be as neceſſary, in point of Prudence and Safety, to procure, and often to conſult an able Divine, for our Souls Health and Welfare, as it is to conſult an able Phyſician for the Health of the Body, or an able Lawyer for the Safety and Security of our Eſtate? I can ſee no difference, except it be this, that we think the Concerns of our Souls are leaſt worth our Regard and Care; that any bold Mountebank and unskilful Pretender, may ſerve the turn. But without all doubt, to make our Repentance true and effectual, to make our Peace with God, to obtain a wiſe and wellinſtructed Mind and Conſcience in the Affairs of Religion, thereby to poſſeſs a ſpotleſs and innocent Soul, a good Conſcience, an unprejudiced Mind and Underſtanding in Religion, and the true Fear and Love of God, are doubtleſs the greateſt and richeſt Happineſſes of Humane Life, and will be moſt certainly introductive to Eternal Happineſs, which is inſured to us by the Satisfaction and Redemption purchaſed for us by the precious Blood of our Great Saviour and Redeemer, Jeſus Chriſt, to all ſincere Chriſtians who neglect not the Means to attain it.

Let us (as is before mention'd) conſider, that for our Spiritual Improvement and Welfare, this holy Time of Lent was inſtituted by the Ancient Chriſtian Church (long before Popery appeared in the World:) I humbly therefore conceive it would be a great weakneſs and folly of us Proteſtants to diſcard it for Popiſh and Superſtitious; but rather heartily embrace it, and to endeavour to make thoſe great Advantages to our Souls, by the Primitive Religious Obſervance of it. For ſurely the more and better Reformed our Religion is that we profeſs to own, it ſhould make us the more to love God, and our Neighbour, and to have a greater Fervency and Zeal for all Chriſtian Duties, eſpecially thoſe of this Time of Lent; and herein to exceed our Adverſaries, the Romaniſts; for elſe they, with their more corrupted Chriſtianity, will condemn us for our Abuſe of our better Chriſtianity we enjoy.

Now let us ſay to our ſelves, every one of us, O what a bleſſed and hapyy Advantage have I, by this Opportunity now offer'd unto me by the Care of my Indulgent Mother, the Church of England, in appointing and conſtituting this Holy Faſt of Lent, for the Conſideration and Examination of my Heart, and all my Ways, repenting of, and confeſſing my Sins, and obtaining Pardon for them, and making of my Peace with God, of renewing my Vows and Reſolutions of Amendment, of pouring forth my fervent and frequent Prayers, and therein may endeavour after the mortifying my Paſſions Appetites and Luſts, of quickening my Graces, of conſulting a Spiritual Guide of my Soul, and that I may be conformed to the Image of the Bleſſed Jeſus in Holineſs, and thereby to be inſured of my Eternal Happineſs, by participating of the Holy Sacrament of his Body and Blood, at the end of this Holy Faſt. How unworthy ſhall I be, if I neglect to perform thoſe Chriſtian Duties required of me? I will not ſlight or neglect them: I will religiouſly ſpend my Time in diligent Examination of all my Sins, repenting of them, confeſſing and bewailing them, and ſo make my firm Reſolutions of Amendment; I will certainly caſt them off with abhorrence and deteſtation; I will be ſerious and wiſe; I will Faſt, and learn now to deny my ſenſual Appetites and Luſts, and then pray earneſtly to God for his Grace and Spirit, which he hath promiſed to them that earneſtly beg it of him, to enable me in my Chriſtian Combat againſt all my Enemies, the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil; I will diſpenſe my Alms liberally, according to my Ability; I will uſe my utmoſt endeavour to lay a Foundation in my Soul of the Fear and Love of God, of ſolid Peace to my Soul, and Mind, and Conſcience, of ſincere Piety and Vertue: And by this means making this Holy Time of Lent, a time of Traffick for my Souls Concerns and Neceſſities; and thus anſwering the End of this Holy Fast, for which it was deſign'd by the Church, and then ply my Devotions, and make uſe, among others, of that Prayer of a worthy Divine, moſt excellent and comprehenſive, (viz.)

GRant me, most merciful God, a fervent Zeal, to deſire ſuch things as are moſt acceptable to thee, and a faithful diligence to ſearch after them; give me wiſdom to find them, and thy grace to accompliſh them, to the praiſe and glory of thy holy Name. Direct thou my Life, that I may have both knowledge, will and power always to do that which is most pleaſing to thee, and most expedient for my own ſoul. Let my way to thee, O Lord, be ſure, ſtreight and perfect, that neither adverſity nor proſperity make me fall away from thee; that I be not puft up with pride with the one, nor driven down into deſpair with the other, but for the one give thanks, and be with the other armed with patience; that I may rejoyce in nothing but that which approacheth near to thee, my bleſſed Jeſus, nor ſorry for any thing but that which withdraweth me from thee; that I deſire to pleaſe or diſpleaſe none but thee, and for thee; that all tranſitory things may, for thy ſake, be of no reputation with me, and whatſoever is agreeable to thy will, may be delightful to mine, and thou my God above all things; that I may have no joy beſides thee, nor deſireof any thing but thee. Let all labour delight me that is taken for thee, and all eaſe be unpleaſant that is without thee; make me lift up my heart often to thee; and when I forget thee, give me grace to call to mind my ſins with ſorrow, and full purpoſe of amendment. Grant that I may be obedient without contradiction, patient without murmuring, pure without corruption, humble without counterfeiting, chearful without levity, ſad without dejection, true without doubleneſs, fearing thee without deſpair: To do good works, but not to preſume, telling my neighbour his fault without flattery, inſtructing him both by word and example without ſcorning or taunting. Grant me, moſt loving Lord, a watchful mind which no worldly thought may divert from thee, a conſtant ſpirit which no evil affection or wicked ſuggeſtion may withdraw from thee, a heart ſo ſtable that no trouble may overcome me, and ſo free from vice that ſin may challenge no place in me. Grant me, O Lord, underſtanding to know thee, wiſdom to find thee, converſation to pleaſe thee, that I may faithfully perſevere in loving thee to the end, and finally ever enjoy thee. And in reſpect of thy moſt grievous Pains ſuffered upon the Croſs for me, that I may willingly ſuffer penance, and all tribulation for thee. Give me, O Lord, thy grace in this tranſitory life, and in the world to come make me partaker of the reward, and heavenly joy, through the precious Blood of that Immaculate Lamb our only Saviour and Redeemer, Jeſus Chriſt; To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, Three Perſons and One God, be all Honour and glory, World without end. Amen.

And conſidering we live in an Age, that the World is become ſo much Knave (as one ſpeaks) that it is a Crime to be Honest, (although the wiſe Heathens accounted Honeſty the greateſt Good, and the only Good) and that Truth and Honeſty ſeems to be fled to Heaven, and that Intereſt and Profit governs all; let us not forget, in our Prayers, earneſtly to beg of God that they may return among us, and that Old England's Honeſty may come once again in repute among us, which cauſed Men to think that Sola honeſta utilia, i. e. That only honeſt things are profitable. So that one Ounce of Honeſty was of more worth than a Pound of Cunning: And let us cry out with that wiſe Heathen, Seneca, O quantum mali est nimium ſubtilitatis! O what a great miſchief is too much Cunning!

And may I make this further Addition to the former Diſcourſe, being very pertinent to it, and what a worthy Author diſcourſes to us, (viz.) That the great Er • and of our coming into the World, is but to prepare our ſelves for a better; and that all the Buſineſs of a Pariſh Prieſt or Miniſter is not confined to the Pulpit, but that there is other Buſineſs (if the People would think of it) wherein to employ Men of that Profeſſion. To tell you what I mean (ſaith he) not in mine own, but his expreſſions who knew better what belong'd to the Court of Conſcience, (meaning the worthy Prelate, Biſhop Andrews) who, in his Eighth Sermon of Repentance and Faſting, ſaith, I take it to be a great Error to think the Fruits of Repentance, and the worth of them, to be a matter any common Man can skill of well enough, needs never ask St. John or St. Paul what he ſhould do, but knows what he ſhould do as well as St. Paul or St. John either; and that it is not rather a matter wherein we need the Counſel and Direction of ſuch as are profeſſed that way: Truly, it is neither the leaſt nor the laſt part of our Learning to be able to give an Anſwer and Direction in this Point; but therefore laid aſide and neglected by us, becauſe not ſought after by you, and therefore not ſtudied but by very few; becauſe, Nemo nos Interrogat, (i. e.) No body asks us the Queſtion; becauſe it grows quite out of requeſt.

We have learned, I know not where, a new and ſhorter courſe, which Fleſh and Blood better like of, viz. in the whole courſe of our Life, not to be able to ſet down where, or when, or what we did; when we did that which we call Repenting, and what Fruits there came of it; what thoſe Fruits might be worth; but even a little before death (and that as little as may be) not till the World hath given us over: Lo then, to come to our Quid faciemus, (i. e.) to ask what ſhall we do, when we are able to do nothing; and then one muſt come, and (as we call it) ſpeak comfortably to us, that is to ſay, miniſter unto us a little Divinity Laudanum, rather ſtupefactive for the preſent, than doing any ſound good, and ſo take our leaves, to go meet with Ira ventura, (i. e.) the Wrath to come This way, this faſhion of Repenting, St. John knew it not, it is far from his Fructus dignus, (i. e.) worthy Fruit. St. Paul knew it not, it is far from his Opera digna, (i. e.) worthy Works: And I can ſay little to it, but I pray God it do not deceive us; for it is not good trying Concluſions about our Souls.

Now, ſaith the Author, This excellent Diſcourſe is ſo fair an Item to a tender, pious Chriſtian, from diverting him, and thereby deferring the making of his Accounts even with Heaven, till the Croſs or Bed of Sickneſs call upon him; ſure, that's no Time or Place to conteſt with two ſuch Enemies as Infirmity of Bodies, and of Sins. Unto which another worthy Author adds his Advice, which is, To renounce the Errors and Neglects of the Age we live in, and imitate the Piety of thoſe Chriſtians who lived in the firſt Ages of the Chriſtian Church, if we will fight well in our Chriſtian Combat.

And indeed, the Truth of our Repentance is our All; for, as it hath been ſaid, we muſt have Innocency, or true Repentance, to make us acceptable to God. As for the firſt, no Man hath it, and therefore we muſt truſt wholly upon the latter.

I need ſay no more of this Subject of Repentance, but to adviſe us all to hearken diligently to what our Mother the Church ſpeaketh to us, and adviſeth in her Excellent Liturgy for this Time of Lent.