The Handmaid to Private Devotion, Fast 19
PART 1. SVPPART. 4. The Christian FAST'S Deuotion.
Of FAST'S in generall.
There is a 3-old fast
1 Fast from sinne.
2 Fast for sinne.
3 Fast against sin.
THe fast from sinne ought to bee perpetuall. The fast for sinne is extraordinarie, vponupon speciall occasions to auert some dreadfull iudgement, or auoide som imminent danger. The fasts against sinne ought to be more frequent, and according to the customes of the ancient Church; and the present practise of the Church of England,
They are—
Weekly on the Fridaies.
Monethly, on the Holyday Eeues.
Quarterly, in the Ember weekes.
Yeerely in the Lent.
THe Doctrine of fasting hath met with errors and superstitions on both hands: Some ascribing too much to it, and placing the immediate and principall worship of God in it: some ascribing too little, and making it no matter of Religion at all: Some superstitiously obseruing; and others out of a contrary superstition scrupulously declining the obseruation of all Fasts appointed by the Church. To steere the iudgement in a middle course betweene these rocks on both sides, conceiue thus of the nature of Religious acts, the seuerall kindes of Fasts, and the vse thereof.
A Religious act or work may be taken:
1 In a larger sence for any work commanded by Christian Religion, in vvhichwhich sence all the duties of the second Table may be called Religious acts, or workes, as well as the first.
2 In a more restrained acception, for such workes and acts in which Religion properly taken for the worship of God consists: And these are of two sorts:
1 Principall as
Believing in God,
Praying & the like
2 Accessarie seruing as helps or preparations to the princi—pall as,
Watching,
Fasting and the like.
FAsting is not to be esteemed such an act of religion, as wherein principally and immediatly we worship God; for the Kingdome of God (as the Apostle reacheth) consisteth not in meates and drinkes, neither in feasting or fasting: and Tertullian's censure is obseruable.Qui Deum per escas colit propè est vt Deum ventrem habeat. Hee that worshippeth God by meates, or placeth worship in them, is not farre off from making his belly his god; yet it may bee truly called not only a good work, but also a religious, i. e. a worke commanded by religion, and tending to religion, as a preparation and helpe thereunto.
… to two-
1 The Spirituall or metaphoricall fast of the soule, which is the abstinence from the forbidden fruit of sin; and this Fast although it may truly be so termed, in regard of the restraint of our carnall appetites, which as greedily desire sinfull objects, as our stomake doth meate, yet it is indeed a Feast, as Salomon calleth it, A good conscience is a continuall Feast.
2 Corporall, when wee abstaine from bodily sustenance: and this is also 2 fold
1 Constrained and inuoluntary, when
Either we want meate to our stomake, as in famine.
Or stomake to our meat; as in sicknesse.
2 Voluntary, vndertaken deliberately, when we abstaine from meate, though wee could and might eate: and this is 3 fold
1 Medicinall, when wee forbeare either certaine meates▪ or all meate for a while, for the preuenting of sicknesse, or recouering health.
2 Ciuill, when some kinde of meate is forborne for the profit of the Common-wealth.
3 Religious, when our abstinence is for the mortifying of our flesh, and fitting and preparing vsus to religious duties. This also is either
1 Priuate, in which eueryevery man's conscience guided by Scripture and discretion must bee his law.
2 Publike, for which there must be a command from lawfull authority. These publike fasts are either-
1 Extraordinary, as in time of warre, plague or the like.
2 Ordinary, as the holiday Eues, Embers, an… Lent Fasts.
Place this first and second Table of Fasting in M btween fol. 260 and 261.
Of the Lent Fast.
THe Lent Fast is a mixed constitution; partly ciuill, appointed by the King or State, to preserue young cattell, spend fish, and encourage fishermen: partly Ecclesiasticall ordered by the Church for religious ends. As those that hauehave a care of their bodily health vsualy purge in the Spring: so the Church of God hath thought fit to prescribe this physick of fasting for the soule in the same season of the yeere, for these ends especially,
1. To beate downe the flesh at that season when (by reason of the heate of the blood) it vsually waxeth most wanton. The ancient Romans vsed to hallow a spring to God, Ver sacrum facere.and the Primitiue Church disdaining to bee outstripped by the heathen in any thing that sauored of Deuotion, likewise consecrated the spring to the more strickt Seruice of God by fasting and prayer then at other times.
2. To conforme the members to the Head. In this season of the yeere our Lord's Agony and bitter Passion were endured, and are remembred: and therefore most fit it is that by fasting, watching, and teares, wee expresse true remorse and sorrow for those our sinnes which were the causes of those his sufferings. Godfrey of Bulloigne after he had conquered the holy land, and regained it from the Saracens, yet would neuer bee crowned there, saying That it was not fit that the seruant should were a crowne of gold there where the Lord and Master ware a crowne of thornes. Neither would Christ's dearest Spowse at that time of the yeere crowne her selfe with rose-budds in which Christ ware that crowne of thornes: nor lye in beddes of downe when hee lay on the hard bed of his Crosse: nor fare deliciously, or drinke liberally when hee had nothing but gall giuen him to eate, and viniger to drinke.
3 To prepare vsus to the celebration of the Feast of Easter, and the participation of the Blessed Sacrament. VVhat time fitter to call our selues to an accompt for the whole yeere, then at, or before the time which the Church hath appointed, & is in it selfe most proper for the most generall and solemne communion of the Lords Bodie and Bloud.
4 To celebrate, and (as farre as wee are able (to imitate our Lord's fast of fortie dayes, at least by some kind of abstinence during that whole time to imprint that miraculous fast of our Sauiour for vsus deeper in our memories.
Question.
Doth the Church of England keepe the Lent fast as religious, or a meere ciuill constitution?
Answere.
Not as a meere ciuill, but also a religious sanction: for (as it appeareth in the booke of Common Prayer) speciall Collects, Epistles, and Gospells, with a Commination are appointed for diuers dayes in Lent.
Obiection.
Is it not Popery to keepe strictly the Lent fast as a religious institution.
An. It is not: for First, The religious obseruation of Lent is far more ancient then popery. There are such euident prints and footsteps of it in the Authenticall Records of the Primitiue Church, that he is altogether ignorant in the writings of the Fathers, or blinde that seeth them not.
Secondly, we keepe not Lent as the Papists doe, but as the antient Christians did before Popery was hatched. As in other things: so in this we purge away the drosse▪ wee retaine the gold; wee remoue the abuse; wee preserue the vse. 1. Wee place not Religion, or the substance of Gods worship in abstaining from any kinde of meate. 2. We renounce all merit by fasting. 3. Wee abstaine not from flesh as being any way conceiued by vsus to bee more vnholy then fish. 4. We doe not equalize humane constitutions Ecclesiastical or Ciuill to Diuine Lawes. The one we teach directly and immediately to binde the conscience, the other but indirectly & i…mediately. 5. We keepe it not by vertue of any papal constitution, but in conformity to the ancient Church, and obedience to his Maiesties Ecclesiasticall Lawes.
THE LENT'S DEVOTION beginning on Ashwednesday. (⁂)
The ground (or at least the occasion, of this Fast.
In the Old Testament; TYPES.
In the New, an example in our LORD'S Fast.
The Type.
Moses was with the LORD fortie dayes, and fortie nights; he did neither eate bread, nor drinke water. Exod. 34. 28.
Hee went in the strength of that meate fortie dayes and fortie nights, till hee came to Horeb the Mount of God, 1. Kings 19. 8.
Example.
Then Iesus, &c. Mat. 4. 1.
And when he had fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights, afterward he was an hungry, ver. 2.
Being 40 daies tempted of the diuell, and in those daies he did eat nothing, Luke 4. 2.
And the diuell tooke him vp into an high mountaine, ver. 5.
IVdicious Caluin, Obiect.Videlius, & other excellent learned Doctors of the reformed church teach, that this Fast of Christ was miraculous, & so no patterne for our imitation: and they put Saint Chrisostome vponupon it also, whose words are:Hom. 49. in Mat. Christ said, Learne of mee, not that I fast, although hee could hauehave sayd so, for he fasted forty dayes; yet he saith not that, but Learne of mee that I am meeke and lowly in heart.
The solution is not difficult,Answ. for Christ's Fast may be considered two waies,
First,1 as a miraculous demonstration of his Diuinity, or an euidence that hee was the true Messias, because hee accomplished the Types foregoing in Moses and Eliah; and in this regard it is to bee admired of vsus, but no way to be imitated: And in this sence,Videl exercitat, in Ignat. Caluin & Videlius's words may…passe, and Saint Chrisostome must bee taken, vnlesse thy will hauehave him contradict himselfe.
Secondly, as a morall remedy against tentation, or rather a spirituall Armour which Christ tooke vponupon him when he was to buckle with the Diuell: and thus wee may and ought to imitate Christ's Fast in the kinde,Pro modulo nostro. though not in the degree. As we cannot fast as Christ fasted, so neither can we pray as Christ prayed, whole nights and with strong cries, and a bloody sweat: yet no Christians euer doubted but that we may and must follow Christ in all religious exercises, though not with euen paces, yet as wee are able. And because they appeale to S. Chrysostome, let him be the Vmpire. Hom. 1. in gen. foreign.Our Lord Iesus Christ whē he entred into the lists with Sathan, fasted forty days, giuing vsus an example how wee ought to arme our selues against the Diuel. Certainely if the Learned Bishops, (afterwards Martyrs) that penned our Booke of Common Prayers had thought Christ's Fast of forty dayes no way to belong to our Fast, they would neuer hauehave appointed the Story of Christ's Fast for the Gospell, the first Sunday in Lent, nor touched vponupon it in the Collects.
For thine instruction meditate on Christ's Fast.
For thy comfort apply the benefit of it to thy soule.
For thy correction condemne thy luxury, and consider what great cause thou hast to humble thy soule with fasting.
Quicken
Thy repentance by the Psalme.
Thy fasting by the exhortation.
Thy Deuotion by the prayer ensuing.
The Psalme for Ash-wednesday.
PVt mee not to rebuke ô Lord in thine anger, neither chasten mee in thy heauy displeasure. Psal 38. 1.
For thine arrowes stick fast in mee: and thy hand presseth me sore. verse 2.
There is no life in my flesh because of thy displeasure; neither any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne. verse 3.
For my wickednesses are gone ouer my head: they are like a sore burden too heauy for me to beare. verse 4.
Lord thou knowest all my desires: and my groaning is not hid from thee. verse 9.
Heare my Prayer, ô Lord, & consider my desire: ô hearken vntounto mee for thy Truth and righteousnesse sake. Psal. 43. 1.
And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified. verse 2.
My spirit is vexed within me; and my heart within me is desolate. verse. 4.
I stretch forth my hands vntounto thee: my soule gaspeth vntounto thee as a thirsty land. verse 6.
Lord be mercifull vntounto me: heale my soule for I hauehave sinned against thee. Psal. 41. 9.
O remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth; but according to thy mercy thinke vponupon me, ô Lord, for thy goodnesse. Psal. 21. 6.
I hauehave eaten ashes as it were bread, and mingled my drinke with weeping. Psal. 102. 9.
And that because of thine indignation and wrath, for thou hast taken me vp and cast me downe. verse 10.
My dayes are gone like a shadow, and I am withered like grasse. verse 11.
When thou with rebuke doest chasten man for sinne, thou makest his beauty to consume away like as it were a moth fretting a garment: eueryevery man therefore is but vanity. Psal. 39 12.
What man is he that liueth & shall not see death, and shal deliuer his soule from the hand of the graue? Psal. 89. 47.
When the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne againe to his earth, and then all his thoughts perish. Psal. 146. 3.
What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit? Psal. 30. 9.
Shall the dust giuegive thanks to thee? Or shall it declare thy Truth? verse 10.
Heare Lord and hauehave mercy vponupon me: Lord be thou my help. verse 11.
Here my Prayer, ô Lord, and let thine eares consider my colling; hold not thy peace at, my teares. Psal. 39. 13.
For I am a stranger vponupon earth and a soiourner as all my Fathers were. verse 14.
O spare me a little that I may recouer my strength before I go hence, and bee no more seene. verse 15.
AN ADMONITION FOR ASH-WEDNESDAY OR, Exhortation to Fasting.
THE ANALSYS.
A deuout Christian ought to Fast because
1 God commandeth it.
2 Christ commendeth it by
Precept.
Example.
3 The Saints practised it
VnderUnder the Law.
VnderUnder the Gospell.
4 It expelleth the Diuell.
5 It quickens Prayer.
6 It humbleth the Spirit.
7 It tameth the flesh.
8 It auerteth God's Iudgements.
9 It obtaineth blessings
Temporall.
Spirituall.
THE TEXTS.
BLow the Trumpet in Zion,1 Precepts for Fasting. sanctifie a Fast, call a solemne Assemblie. Ioh. 2. 16.
Is this the Fast which the Lord requireth. &c. Isa. 58. 5.
The Bridegroome shall be taken away, and then they shall Fast. Mat. 9. 15.
When yee Fast, bee not as the hypocrites, &c. Mat. 6. 16.
GiueGive your selues to Fasting. 1 Cor. 7. 5.
And when he had fasted forty dayes and forty nights afterward he was an hungry.2 Examples of it. Mat. 5. 2.
Moses fasted. Exod. 34 28.
Fliah Fasted. 1 King. 19. 8.
I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth. Dan. 10. 3.
Hanna serued God with Fasting and Prayer. Luk. 2. 37.
About this howre I Fasted. Acts 10. 30.
As they Ministred to the Lord and Fasted. Acts 13. 2.
Then Fasted they and Prayed. verse 3.
In Fasting often. 2 Cor. 11. 27.
And Prayed and Fasted. Acts 14. 23.
This kinde (of Diuell) goeth not out but by Fasting and Prayer.It expelleth Diuels. Mat. 17. 21.
I humbled my soule with Fasting.Benefits. Psal. 35. 13.
I beate downe my body.It tameth the flesh. 1 Cor. 9. 27.
And hee proclaimed through Nineueh, Let neither man nor beast, taste any thing, neither feede, nor drinke water. Ionah 3. 7.
And God saw their workes,It auerteth Iudgements and God repented him of the euill which hee said he would doe vntounto them, and hee did it not. verse 10.
Go and assemble all the Iewes that are found in Shushan, It obtaineth temporall blessingsand Fast ye for me, and eate not, nor drinke in three dayes: I also and my Maides will Fast likewise, Ester 4. 16.
And the Posts went forth with speede to exe cute the Kings decrees. Ester 8. 14.
Mordecay went out in a crowne of gold, and to the Iewes was come Ioy and gladnesse. verse 15.
I Fasted.and spirituall. Acts 10. 30.
Peter sayd, Of a trueth I see, &c. ver. 34.
The holy Ghost fell on them. verse 4. 4.
A Prayer for Ash-wednesday.
O Let not my Lord be angry that I who am but dust and ashes dare speake vntounto him: for my sinnes cry for vengeance, and shall I be silent for pardon? Gracious God either silence them, or heare mee. If thou wilt not heare the voice of my words, heare the voice of my teares: if thou wilt not heare them, heare the voice of thy sons blood which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel. I confesse I hauehave sorely displeased thee, but it troubleth me that I hauehave so incensed thee. I hauehave grieued thy spirit, but it grieueth mee that I should bee so gracelesse as to grieue that Spirit of grace, which sealeth thy chosen to saluation. I deserue that thou shouldest euen abhorre me for my sinnes; but I ab…orre my selfe for them in dust and ashes. I hauehave offended thee in gluttony, but I now fast for it: in pride, but I humble my selfe; in laughter and sports, but I weepe for it: in sinfull ioyes, but I mourne for it: I hauehave wallowed in filthy pleasures, but I…wallow for it in dust and ashes: hauehave broken all thy commandements, but I hauehave broken my heart in true contrition for it. Thou didst not breake a bruised reede, wilt thou grind to powder a broken heart? What profit is in my blood O Lord, when I go down into the pit? Nay, what profit is in thy blood O blessed Redeemer if they for whom it was shed god downe into the pit of destruction? Shall the dust giuegive thankes vntounto thee O Lord, or the ashes and cinders of hell praise the God of heauen? H…are O Lord, and hauehave merciemercy vponupon me, thou that healest those that are broken in heart, and giuest medicine to cure their sicknesse; raise vp my prostrate and deiected soule. Why didst thou hunger O Lord, but to satisfie for my gluttony? Why didst thou thirst, but to satisfie for my drunkennesse? Why didst thou weepe, but to satisfie for my sinfull ioyes? Why didst thou endure vnspeakeable torments, but to satisfie for my Iewd pleasures? Why didst thou dye an ignominious death, but to satisfie for my shamefull life? Why didst thou shed thy blood, but to satisfie for my crimson sinnes? Adam our first Parent did eat the forbidden fruit, and all our teeth are set on edge, but thy fasting forty dayes hath fully satisfied for his eating. But I renue my sinnes dayly, and thou renewest thy mercies, The guilt of my sinne is great, but the price of thy blood is greater. I hauehave offended an infinite Maiestie, but satisfaction hath beene made by an infinite Maiestie. My wickednes cannot exceede thy goodnesse: for my power of sinning is finite, but thy facultie of pardoning is infinite. Wherefore sith my sins (bee they neuer so many, neuer so weighty) fall within the measure of thy mercy, and compasse of thy goodnesse. And sith it is all one with thee to giuegive what I aske, and to ineite mee to aske, to heale my wounds, and to make mee feele the smart of them: Lord who hast giuen mee the one, deny mee not the other: Rebuke the surges of temptations, and quiet my soule. Thou who in the dayes of thy flesh offeredst vp prayers with strong cryes, heare the strong lowd cryes of a penitent sinner. Thou who tookest vponupon thee our infirmities, take pitie vponupon them: thou wert in thine agony stricken with horror, and vnutterable griefe, allay the troubles of my affrighted conscience. Thou who fastedst forty dayes, accept of my humiliation these forty dayes; and graunt that my stomacke may not onelyonly fast from accustomed meates but all my sences from their vsual delights, and most of all, my heart from worldly comforts and contentments. Let no fight delight mee, till I see my sinnes remoued like a mist and thy countenance shine vponupon mee. Let no sound or voice delight mee, till I heare thee by thy Spirit to speake peace to my conscience, and say to my soule, I am thy saluation. Let no pleasant fields and gardens delight me, til I hauehave gathered red flowers out of that garden which was watered with thy blood. Let no fruit delight me till I hauehave fully tasted the fruit of the tree of thy Crosse. Let no meate delight me, till with the sower herbes of sorrow and anguish of heart for my sinne. I hauehave eaten the Christian Passeouer, the flesh of thee, that immaculate Lambe, slaine from the beginning of the world. Heare me blessed Redeemer, and as thou wroughtest in dust when thou tookest the woman in adultery: So I beseech thee write my sins in dust, and bury them all in the ashes of obliuion. So be it.
Amen.