The Whole Armor of God, Exegesis · Treatise 3 · Part 2 · Section 103 – Section 105
§. 103. Of forbearing other things beſide foode in a Faſt.
1 AS foode is moſt eſpecially to be forborne in a Religious Faſt,1. Foode. What things are to be forborne in a Faſt. being principally intended vnderunder this phraſe of refreſhing bodies; ſo are ſundry other things alſo …ending thereto implied, as theſe which follow:
2 Sleepe, 2. Sleepe.which is intimated in the direction that the Prophet giueth in theſe words, Lie all night in ſack-cloth, Ioel 1. 13. Non ſolum ab eius ſed à cunctis illecebris abſtinendum. Hieron.whereby is intended that either they ſhould all night forbeare ſleep, or elſe that by wearing ſackcloth, they ſhould be kept from ouermuch ſleepe (wherein they that lie in fine linnen and ſoft beds, are prone to exceede.) Thus Dauid to keepe himſelfe from ſleepe in the time of his faſt, would not come into a bed,2 Sam. 12. 16. but lay all night vponupon the earth. Though thoſe particular rites of wearing ſackcloth, lying on the earth, ſitting vp all night, with the like, be not ouerſtrictly to be vrged, or vſed, yet the equity of them is ſtill to be obſerued; which is, that in the day of a Faſt we ſleepe leſſe, and riſe ſooner then at other times, that ſo the body may be ſomewhat the more afflicted thereby, and that the more time may be gained for religious duties. If ſome ſleepe be not forborne, the want of foode will not be ſo much felt, nor the body ſo humbled and afflicted as it ſhould be.
3 Soft and braue apparell: 3 Braue apparell.The Lord expreſly commanded his people,Exod. 34. 4, 5. to put off their coſtly raiment; and ſo they did in the day of their humiliation. It is recorded and commended,Ion. 3. 6. that the King of Niniueh in the day of a faſt laide his robe from him. 2 Sam. 12. 20.When the time of Dauids Faſt was ended, then he changed his apparell: whereby is intimated, that in his Faſt he did not weare ſuch apparrell as at other times he did. If Kings thus laide aſide their royall apparrell, much more muſt others lay aſide braue and coſtly apparrell. The rite of putting on ſackcloth which the Iewes vſed, ſheweth that braue apparrell may not be worne; no not ſuch as at others times is lawfull. Our Gentry vponupon meere faſhion retaine ſome ſhadow hereof, in that for the time of Lent they lay aſide all light colours, and goe in blacke.
4 Matrimoniall beneuolence. 4 Matrimoniall beneuolence.The exception which the Apoſtle maketh of faſting and prayer,1 Cor. 7. 5. when he diſſwadeth man and wife from defrauding one another, ſheweth that this in the time of a Faſt muſt be forborne: which alſo Ioel implieth, by bidding the Bridegroome and Bride goe out of their Chamber.Ioel 2. 16.
5 Ordinary workes of our calling: 5 Workes of our calling.for they are expreſly forbidden in the Law; and in that it ſaith, that the day of a Faſt ſhall be a Sabbath of reſt; Leu. 16. 29. 31, & 23, 32.it implieth, that as a Sabbath it muſt be ſanctified, and no manner of worke done therein:
6 All pleaſant and delightſome things. 6 All pleaſant things.The Iewes who at other times were wont to vſe ſweete ſmelling oile, wherewith they annointed their head, and other parts o… their body, did in the time of their Faſt forbeare to vſe it… as is noted in the examples of Dauid and Daniel: euen ſ… ought▪ 2 Sam. 12. 20.ſuch delightfull things as are in vſe among vsus b… laide aſide.Dan. 10. 3.
7 All manner of ſports, paſtimes, and recreations: 7. Sports.for creation of the body by ſports, is contrary to humiliation. … food, ſleepe, coſtly apparell, matrimoniall beneuolence, workes of our calling, ſweet perfumes, with the like, muſt be forborne, much more recreations, which are not ſo neceſſary as the other, and yet more delightſome.
To conclude, ſuch forbearance of refreſhing the body is required in the time of a Faſt, as may be felt, and by the ſence thereof the body ſomething afflicted: ſo did the Iewes, as may be gathered out of this their expoſtulation, Wherefore hauehave we faſted, and afflicted our ſoule? Iſa. 58. 3.which though it were the expoſtulation of hypocrites, yet of ſuch as in outward religious exerciſes imitated the Saints. But more directly is this proued by a like phraſe which Ezra that good and learned Scribe vſed▪ ſaying;Ezr. 8. 21. I proclaimed a Faſt, that we might afflict our ſelues before God.
Obiect. Col. 2 25▪ Expounded.This is ſuch a ſuperſtitious practiſe, as the Apoſtle reproueth vnderunder this phraſe of not ſparing the body.
Anſw. Not ſo… for then ſhould hee condemne his owne practice in keeping vnderunder his body, and b…inging it into ſubiection. 1 Cor. 9 27. Expounded.There is a great difference betwixt not ſparing the body and keeping the body vnderunder. By not ſparing the body (to omit the ſuperſtitious conceit, which they whom the Apoſtle reproueth, had of pleaſing God thereby) he meaneth ſuch an exceſſe as weakeneth nature: but by keeping vnderunder his body, he meaneth ſuch a moderate forbearance of the things wherein the body delighted, as the corrupt fleſh, euen the old man might be ſubdued, and not pampered. In the former place a mans outward body is weakned, and the corrupt fleſh not ſubdued: in the latter place, the corrupt fleſh is tamed, and yet the ſtrength of a mans outward body not impaired. What contradiction then is there betwixt theſe two places?
§. 104. Of the occaſions of a faſt.
THis word,II. Point. What is ment by ſeaſonable abſtinence. Seaſonable, in the deſcription of a religious Faſt, hath reſpect to the time of a Faſt: vnderunder which circumſtance both the occaſion, and alſo the continuance of a Faſt is compriſed. For that is ſeaſonably and in due time done, which on iuſt occaſion is one, and which is ſo far done as may ſtand with a mans abilitie to endure, without deſtroying or impairing nature. Heere therefore we will conſider:
1 The occaſions of a Faſt.
2 The continuance thereof.
The occaſions of faſting muſt be (as we heard*§. 99. before of extraordinary prayer) extraordinary, as when any extraordinary bleſſing is with-held, or taken away from vsus: or any iudgement is threatned, or inflicted: or elſe when any grieuous ſinne is committed, for which there is cauſe to feare Gods heauie vengeance, with the like: and that either in our owne behalfe, or in the behalfe of others.
The bleſſing for which Annah faſted as wel as prayed,1 Sam. 1. 7. (for the text ſaith, ſhee did not eate) though it were but a priuate and temporary bleſſing, was extraordinary. So alſo that deliuerance for obtaining whereof,2 Cro. 20. 3. Iehoſaphat with the Iewes in his time,Eſt. 4. 16. 17. and Eſther and Mordecai with the Iewes in their time faſted, was extraordinary.
The ſpirituall bleſſing for which the Church faſted when they ſent forth Apoſtles and ordained Elders,Act. 13. 3, and 14. 23. was, extraordinary.
The iudgement which was denounced againſt Niniueh (for preuenting whereof they faſted)Ion. 3. 7. Ioel. 1. 13. 14. and which was inflicted on Iſrael in Ioels time (for remouing whereof they alſo faſted) were extraordinary.
The ſinne, for committing whereof, the Iſraelites faſted in Samuels time,1 Sam. 7. 4, 6. was extraordinary.
The occaſions which moued Ezra, Ezr. 9. 2, &c.Nehemiah and Eſther to faſt in the behalfe of others,Nehe. 1. 4. were extraordinary.Eſt. 4. 16,
Read all the faſts recorded and approued in the Scripture, and yee ſhall finde the occaſions of them to bee extraordinary.
§. 105. Of ſet times of Faſt.
THis is to bee noted againſt the ſuperſtitious weekly, monethly, quarterly, and yearely ſet faſts of Papiſts, who hauing no reſpect at al to the occaſion, inioyne people for conſcience ſake to faſt eueryevery fryday, the eues before moſt of their holydayes, eueryevery ember weeke and the time of Lent: at which times may fall out occaſions of reioycing. So common a practiſe of faſting without due reſpect had to the occaſion, maketh it loſe the due reſpect thereof.
Obiect. Zac. 8. 19. Expounded.The Iewes in the time of the captiuity had many ſet faſts in the yeare, as in the fourth, fift, ſeuenth, and tenth monethes.
Anſw. They had ſpeciall and extraordinary occaſions both to faſt in thoſe moneths, and alſo to continue eueryevery yeare to faſt in them ſo long as they did faſt. The occaſions were theſe: In theaIer. 52. 4. tenth month Ieruſalem began to bee besieged, which was the firſt ſigne of that horrible vengance, that God by his Prophets had oft threatned to take of the rebellious Iewes. In thebIer. 52. 6, 7. fourth monethmonth, the City was broken vp, whereby God openly ſhewed that now he had forſaken that Citie. In thecIer. 52. 12, 13. fift monethmonth were not onelyonly the Kings houſe and all the houſes of Ieruſalem, but alſo the houſe of God, that famous Temple which Salomon built, burnt downe to the ground, whereby the Lord declared that now his preſence, and protection was cleane taken away from them. In thed2 King. 25. 25. ſeuenth month Gedaliah was ſlaine.Ier. 41. 1. This Gedaliah was appointed a Gouernour ouer that remnant of people which were left in Iudea, after the greater ſort of them were caried away captiues: now when he was ſlaine, euen all that remnant alſo was ſcattered, none remained; which was a further declaration of the extent of Gods wrath againſt them. Thus God many waies manifeſting his indignation againſt the Iewes, they had iuſt cauſe euen with faſting to humble themſelues all thoſe times: and becauſe they felt the ſmart of eueryevery one of thoſe ſtrokes all the time of of the captiuity, they continued (as there was iuſt cauſe) their times of humiliation by faſting, till the captiuity was ended: but after that Gods fauourable countenance was turned to them again,Zac. 8, 19. they left off thoſe daies of faſt. Now the Papiſts can ſhew no ſuch cauſe of their forenamed ſet faſts: ſo as the example of the Iewes can bee no warrant to them.
2 Obiect. The ſame daies are obſerued in our Church for faſting dayes.
Anſw. They are retained by vsus onelyonly as politicke and ciuill faſts, for the better preſeruation of fleſh, but maintained by them as religious faſts.