The Christian Exercise of Fasting, Question 2
The ſecond Queſtion. VVhat a priuat faſt is, how it may be beſt deſcribed according to the Scriptures.
The religious faſt before deſcribed, is either
1. Priuat. or
2. Publique.
Firſt for the priuate, it may be thus deſcribed: A priuate faſt is a free exerciſe of a religious abstinence, performed by one, or moe, in a familie, priuatly, that our prayers may be more effectuall for priuat and publique respects.
The proofe.
1. A priuat faſt is a religious abstinence. This generall is before ſhewed what it is: the priuat faſt, I ſay, is not the naturall faſt, nor the ciuill faſt, nor the faſt of Chriſtian ſobrietie, nor the conſtrained faſt, nor the miraculous faſt: it is that, which we hauehave called for diſtinction ſake, and as it muſt be according to Gods truth, the religious abstinēce.
2. A free exerciſe. This is the firſt difference and proper note of this faſt: it is a free exerciſe, ſo is not the publique: for when the Lorde by his Church and Prophets ſhall proclayme it, it ſhall not be free for any man of yeres of diſcretion to abſtaine from it. Leuit. 22.29. EueryEvery perſon that humbleth not himſelfe that ſame day, ſhall euen be cut off from his people: This ſhall hereafter in place conuenient better appeare: But this exerciſe is free for any to take or leaue,See his epiſt. 86 Ad Caſſulanū. as God ſhall giuegive occaſion. That ſpeech of Auguſtine muſt be vnderſtood of a priuate faſt onelyonly: Scimus eſſe ieiunandum *I know no ſuch precept but one in all the ſcripture.ex praecepto, ſed quibus diebus, ieiunandum ſit, aut non, ignoramus, quia id in literis noui Teſtamenti nunquam eſt definitum, ideo ieiunia relinquenda ſunt libera: that is, We know, we be commanded to fast, but what day we muſt faſt, and what not, we know not, becauſe that poynt is no where concluded in the new Teſtament, therefore this exerciſe of faſt muſt be left as free, to vſe it when & where the Lord ſhal giuegive occaſion: Yet is Epiphanius greatly offended with Aerius, for defending this libertie and faſting on the Lordes day, lib. 3. To. 1. hereſ. 75. Againe this ſaith M. Bullinger alſo, Ieiunium eſt diſciplina ſponte ſuſcepta: Bulling. Math. 6.It is an exerciſe which we muſt practiſe of our owne accord: the ſame alſo ſaith good Bucer, Nec pie praeſtari ieiunium poteſt, Bucer de reg. christ. lib. 1. cap. 12.niſi vltroneo ſpiritu ſuſcipiatur. There can bee no religious faſt, but when that exerciſe is performed with a free ſpirit and a willing minde. There muſt be alſo a willingnes and a cherefulnes in the publike faſt, but then is not the ſame libertie of leauing and liking, which is here graunted.
3. Performed by one. This is the ſecond difference or note of a priuate faſt, for the publike muſt be performed by the whole congregation: the practiſe of a priuate faſt, by one onelyonly in a familie, we hauehave in diuerſe preſidents of the ſcripture: for ſo Nehemias faſted alone, Nehe. 1. v. 4. Dauid faſted alone for his childe, 2. Sam. 12.16. Dauid beſought God for the childe and faſted, and went in, to wit to his priuie chamber, and lay all night vponupon the earth, Then the elders of his houſe aroſe, to come vntounto him, and to cauſe him to riſe from the ground, but be would not, neither did he eate meate with them: So then he faſted alone, as often alſo his cuſtome was to doe, Pſalm. 35.13. 2. Sam. 3.35. Pſalm. 69.10. So Daniel alone, Dan. 9. and 10. chap. ſo Cornelius alone, Act. 10. ver. 2. & 30. So Anna the Prophetiſſe alone night and day full often, Luk. 2.36. There was a Prophetiſſe one Anna, the Daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aſer, which was of great age, and had liued with an huſband ſeuen yeares from her virginitie, and ſhee was a widow about 84. yeres, and went not out of the temple, but ſerued God with fastings and prayers night and daye.
4. Or moe in one familie: This is the third difference or note of a priuate faſt: this euer is kept in the compaſſe of one familie, but in the publike faſt moe then one, many families, as the congregation will yeeld, are aſſembled: for this poynt alſo we be taught by other diuine examples of holy ſcripture: For Heſter and her maydes with her, humbled themſelues in a faſt priuatly, Heſter 4.16. Fast ye for mee, and eate not nor drinke not, in three dayes, daye nor night, I alſo and my maydes will fast likewiſe: And thus the Maſter and the familie may exerciſe themſelues religiouſly in a priuat faſt, as hereafter ſhall yet better appeare.
5. Priuatly: This is the fourth difference and note of a priuate faſt: for ſuch as faſt in a familie, muſt faſt priuatly in their priuat chambers, but the place of the publike is in the temple and publike congregation; ſuch as faſt priuatly muſt ſeparate themſelues, Zach. 7.3. becauſe according to the time and occaſion, they giuegive themſelues to weeping, meditation, and mourning. So Chriſt willeth, Matth. 6.18. That wee deſire not to bee ſeene of men to faſt, but that our priuate faſt bee ſeene and knowne to God in ſecret, who notwithſtanding will reward vsus openly. So Dauid in his priuate faſt entered into his priuie chamber, 2. Sam. 12.16. to ſequeſter himſelfe from all companies, that he might more freely giuegive himſelfe to mourning, meditation, faſting, and prayer. This is contrarie to the pride of the Phariſie, who muſt be ſeene of men, and knowne by his ſowre face, and Cemarims attire, by ſtanding and praying in the ſinagogues, and in the corners of the open ſtreetes, Matth. 6.5. Luk 18.11.
6. For priuat and publike respect. This is the fift and laſt difference and proper note of the priuat faſt, for the priuat faſt is, and may bee for the priuat reſpect of one or many, or for the publike ſtate alſo of Gods Church and people farre and neere: but the publike and generall faſt, is for the publike and generall good of the Church onelyonly.
Firſt for priuat respects. So Dauid faſted, to ſee if by prayer and faſting he might obtaine of God, the life of his childe: 2. Sam. 12. and for his owne humiliation often, Pſalm. 35.13. as did alſo the Apoſtle Paul, as he teſtifieth of himſelfe, 1. Cor. 9.27. I beat downe my bodie, and bring it to ſubiection, leaſt by any meanes, after that I hauehave preached to other, I my ſelfe ſhould be as a refuſe, or naught worth. And to this end he faſted often for himſelfe, and for the Church, 2. Cor. 11.27. in *Ieiunia Golunt aria interpretor. I. Cal. c 8. ibidem. They were voluntarie, not conſtrained faſtes.faſting often, 2. Cor. 6.6. by watchings, by *A voluntarie exerciſe. I. C. 8. ibidem. 2. Tim. 2.25.26.faſtings.
Secondly for publike reſpects, wee ought alſo priuatly, for our brethren, for the whole Church of God, ſpecially that Church and land wherein we liue, and hauehave receiued ſo many of Gods ſweete bleſſings, ſpirituall and temporall: and for neighbour Churches alſo, as neede and occaſion ſhall ſo require. Dauid faſted priuatly for the common good of his enemies, that God would giuegive them repentance, that they might know the trueth, and come to amendment of life, out of the ſnare of the diuell: For this cauſe he ſaith, Pſalm. 35.13. (ſpeaking of his enemies) Yet I when they were ſicke, I was clothed with a ſacke, I humbled my ſoule with fasting, and my prayer was turned vponupon my boſome. Nehemias faſted alone for the good eſtate of the whole Church certaine dayes, and Daniel alſo one and twentie dayes, chap. 10.2.3.12. and he was heard and comforted. And Peter in his often faſtings, had no doubt the whole Church in remembrance, for hee ſaith, That he careth for all the Churches: 2. Cor. 11.27. and therefore he prayed and faſted for all Churches. So good Auguſtine, Biſhop of Hippo in Africa, when that citie was beſieged by the Vandals, he gaue himſelfe to faſting, mourning and prayer, and dyed in that ſiege, as writeth Poſſidonius.
And thus farre ſhall ſuffice for the confirmation of the deſcription of a priuat faſt.