The Christian Exercise of Fasting, Sense – Question 1
The ſenſe.
Verſ. 16. Moreouer, when ye faſt. That is, I appoynt ye not to faſt *Ieiunabāt bis in ſabba tho. 2 & 5. die. Epip. contr. haereſes. lib. 1. tom. 1. foreign.twiſe in the weeke, as the phariſies and hypocrits doe, Luk. 18.12. but when ye faſt, either occaſioned for priuate reſpects priuatly, or hauing a charge from God and his Church publiquely, Leuit. 23. then, &c. but this inſtruction concernes ſpecially the priuat faſt. Sowre. The word ſignifieth one that carrieth an heauy countenance, or an angrie face, cleane cōtrary to this, is a cheerfull countenance, Geneſis 40.7. The Septuagint vſe this word, whereas the Hebrue is: wherefore looke ye with ſuch euill faces, or ſo ſadly this day? Tremel. ne ſitis Cemarim.The Syriac tranſlation hath another worde to bee noted: for that is: Bee not ye Cemarims, or as the blacke Cemarims. It may bee the Syriac tranſlator did vſe this word, for that theſe phariſees did not onelyonly looke ſowrely, but vſed alſo the Cemarims blacke attyre, the more to bee ſeene of men that they faſted. See 2. King. 23.5. Hoſ. 10.5. Zeph. 1. verſ. 4.
D…sfigure, or obſcure, or deforme their faces, that is, they make their faces appeare worſe than they bee naturally. They cauſe that their naturall countenance may not appeare.foreign.
Anoynt thine head, and waſh thy face. That is,Verſ. 17. bee cheerefull: for their oyntments were vntounto them for the ſame vſe, as our ſweete perfumes and compound waters be vntounto vsus. See 2. Sam. 12.20. &c.
Reward openly. That is,Verſ. 18. heauen and earth ſhall ſee thy reward, men and Angels ſhall know thee, and thy feare and faſting, if it bee in faith, and as hee hath preſcribed in his word, it is accepted of God, & ſhall be rewarded both in this life, and the life to come: for ſo is the promiſe for all true worſhippers, 1. Tim. 4.8.
Now concerning this Chriſtian exerciſe of faſting, and the practiſe thereof here commended by our Lord and Sauiour Chriſt I thinke it beſt we proceede to ſpeake in this manner following.
1. To conſider what a religious faſt is, and how it may be deſcribed according to the Scriptures.
2. How a religious faſt hath his two branches or ſpecials, the priuat and the publique: and here firſt what a priuat faſt is, and how it may best be defined.
3. What motiues and reaſons hauehave cauſed the faithfull to practiſe priuat faſting in all ages, and whether we ought not to faſt alſo in the like occaſions.
4. What a publike faſt is, and for what cauſes the ſame is to be publiſhed, and by whom in the Church.
5. The abuſe of fasting by 3. generations of hypocrits.
1. In the old Church in the daies of the Prophets, the firſt generation of hypocrits.
2. Jn the daies of Chriſt, a more deteſtable generation of hypocrits.
3. In the daies of Antichriſt, not only abuſing, but wholly corrupting this holy exerciſe of faſting.
The firſt Queſtion. VVhat a religious faſt is, and how deſcribed according to the Scriptures.
OF faſting, I finde there are many kinds very good and commendable all, and needfull to be knowne and practiſed of men. Firſt, wee hauehave a naturall faſt preſcribed by the learned Phiſition to preſerue and to reſtore health:Hipocr. Qui integra & conſtanti aetate ſunt, optime ferre poſſunt ieiunium. good to diſſolue and conſume raw humours, and to expell ſuperfluous excrements out of the bodie. Of this faſting ſpeakes one learned Phiſition: Looke what diſeaſes, fasting and emptines cannot helpe, cure them by medicine. Fernel. meth. lib 2. cap. 20. quos morbos inedia non ſuſtulit, medicatione curato. Ibid. Salubris eſt tē peſtiua abſtinentia, & apprime vtilis quae per inediū fit curatio.Againe, Fasting and emptines, obſeruing conuenient time and ſeaſon, is good for health, and that cure which is by it, is very wholeſome and profitable for the bodie. Of Aurelianus an Emperour of Rome it is ſayd, that being ſicke he neuer ſent for a Phiſition, but cured himſelf with abſtinence. This is a good and needfull faſt: but of this we may not paſſe our bounds to ſpeake much in this place.
2. There is alſo a ciuill faſt, which may be vſed to good purpoſe, and whereof wee hauehave ſome examples in the Scriptures. This faſt is when men would accompliſh or performe any thing with expedition, they abſtaine from all meates and drinkes, becauſe their minds are ſo ſet on, and intend their preſent affayres. Such was Sauls faſt in the purſute of the Philiſtines, 1. Sam. 14.24. where in pride of heart, and but raſhly, he gaue this charge: Curſed be the man that eateth foode till night. And ſuch was the proude faſt of the Iewes, curſing, banning, & binding themſelues to the diuel, if they would not faſt til they had killed Paul, Act. 23.12. Certaine of the Iewes made an aſſemblie, and bound themſelues with an foreign.oth, ſaying, that they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed Paul. That curſed bond was fearefull, yet howſoeuer Sathan dealt with them that bond was broken. This faſt may be vſed rightly and to good purpoſe, as for diſpatch of matters iudiciall by inqueſts, for the ending of controuerſies in the common lawes of this land. But this is not the faſt wee bee to ſpeake of.
3. A third kind may rightly be called the faſt of Chriſtian ſobrietie: This the Scripture commendeth and commandeth Gods people to practiſe all dayes of their life, Rom. 13.13. 1. Cor. 9.25. Tit. 1.7.8. 1. Theſ. 5.6. Tit. 2.10.11. Of this ſpeaketh S. Pet. 1. ep. 5.7. Be ſober & watch: reaſon is added, knowing that your aduerſarie the diuell, as a roring lyon, goeth about ſeeking whō he may deuoure. Luxurious, and vncleane men, which know not this vertue,Chriſtian ſobrietie. are not able to ſtrike one ſtroke againſt Sathan in the ſpirituall battell. Be ſober therefore and watch, ſayth Peter. Such as glut and farce themſelues with meates and drinkes, cannot watch long, but you muſt watch in bodie and mind:Iob. 1.7. for Sathan is a notable watchman, and a very vigilant. B. as maſter Latymer calles him. Bernard ſpeaking therfore of this faſt, willeth vsus to looke circumſpectly to all parts eueryevery day:Bernard. de quadrag. ſerm. Let the eye faſt, let the eare faſt, let the tongue fast, let the hands fast, let the ſoule it ſelfe alſo faſt: let the eye faſt from curious ſights, and all wantonnes: let the itching euill eare faſt from fables and euill report: let the tongue faſt from ſlaunder, and murmuring, from vnprofitable and vaine words, and rayling ſpeeches: let the hands faſt from idle ſignes, and all workes which are not commanded: let the ſoule faſt from ſinne, and doing our owne will. So farre Bernard. Another yet further commending this,Cyrillus in Leuit. Hom. 8.9.10. Ieiuna ab omni peccato, nullum ſumas cibum malitiae, nullas capias voluptatis epulas, &c. ſayth: Wilt thou that I teach thee how to faſt? faſt from all ſinne: eate not the bread of maliciouſneſſe; feede not on the meates of voluptuouſnes; be not heat with the wine of luxuriouſnes; fast from euill workes, abstaine from euill wordes: ſuppreſſe euill thoughts, touch not the ſtolne bread of falſe doctrine; deſire not the meates of euill and corrupt philoſophie to deceiue thee: ſuch a faſt pleaſeth God. *Qui ieiunare non poteſt, ſtudeat temperantiae, abſtineat à delitijs. Chryſost.This is marueilous need full in theſe daies to be commended, for that we hauehave ſo many reuellers, gluttons, drunkards, which in few dayes deuoure and conſume all their ſubſtance and patrimonies, ſeldome or neuer able to recouer to ſerue God or man in Church or Commonwealth. The Lord Chriſt warneth vsus carefully to auoyde the contrarie ſinnes, Luk. 21.34. Take heede leaſt at any time your hearts be ouercome with ſurfetting and drunkennes, and with the cares of this life. And againſt the contrarie ſinnes cryeth Ezechiel, in his time, aſſuring vsus that fulnes of meates, gluttony & drunkennes were the deſtruction and bane of Sodom, chap. 16.49. Behold this was the iniquitie of Sodom, pride, fulnes of bread, and abundance of idlenes was in her, and in her daughters, neither did ſhe ſtrengthen the hand of the poore and needie: but they were haughtie, and committed abomination before me: therefore I tooke them away as pleaſed me. Ierome ſpeaking of theſe ſinnes, ſayth: Venter vino aestuans ſpumat in libidinem: The belly inflamed with wine fometh foorth vncleane lusts. Thus farre of the faſt of Chriſtian ſobrietie, commended ſo much of diuine and humane writers, and not without cauſe, for that it is ſo good for health, for bodie, for ſoule, for the Common-wealth, and for the poore of the lande, ſpecially in the yeares of ſcarſitie: for then Chriſtians are bound to bee more moderate, more ſober, and ſparing in all their diet. But this is not the faſt which Chriſt commendeth in our text, nor that we deſire principally to commend in this treatiſe.
4. A fourth kind,A conſtrained faſt. we may call a forced or conſtrained faſt: which is when poore or rich or both in famine are conſtrained to faſt, becauſe they cannot finde any meate to feede vponupon.This faſt alſo is needfull, for Epicures will neuer faſt till they be conſtrained. This was often in Iſrael for the chaſtiſemēt of Gods people, Ioel. 1. and 2. chap. A number hauehave periſhed in this abſtinence in elder ages, and ſome no doubt among vsus, becauſe the rich are vnmercifull to the poore: and yet for all the penurie of theſe two yeares paſt in our land, more hauehave dyed of ſurfetting and fulnes, then of want and emptines. Of this reade Ezech. 4.9.7. verſ. and Ioſeph. Antiq. 3. lib. cap. 12.De bello. Iud. lib. 6. cap. 11.14 Boum veterem fimum ad alimētū haberent. De bello. Iud. lib. 7. c. 7. & 8. This faſt pinched the epicures of Samaria, when an Aſſes head was valued at 80. peeces of ſiluer, 2. King. 6.25. And the miſerable Iewes which in the ſiege of Ieruſalem fed vpō ſome old oxe dung, De bello, Iud. lib. 6. cap. 16. girdles, ſhooes, skinnes, old f…ſtie hay, and ſuch like, and a woman vponupon her owne child. This is the reward of the long contempt of Chriſt and his Goſpell, Atheiſme, Epicuriſme, and the like abominations.
This faſt is good for the correctiō of ſinners:Iob. 33.16. for the Lord openeth the eares of men by their corrections. But this is not the faſt we be to ſpeake of.
5. We hauehave a fift kind of faſt, mentioned in the Scriptures,The miraculous faſt. which we may call for diſtinction ſake the miraculous faſt; and of this wee hauehave three ſpeciall examples ſet downe, not for imitation, but for inſtruction and confirmation of our faith. The firſt is of Moſes, hee faſted 40. dayes and 40. nights,M. I. Calu. vt legem tanquā è coelo afferret. Com. in Exod. 34.28. to teach that rebellious people that his heauenly prophecies and diuine ſermons came from God immediatly, Exod. 34.28. The ſecond is of Elias, 1. King. 19.8. he faſted alſo 40. dayes and nights as a ſecond Moſes, to ſeale vntounto the Church of God his prophecies, and to conuert that idolatrous people vntounto the true faith of Chriſt againe. The third example is of Chriſt, who for the ſame end and purpoſe, as they did, faſted ſo many dayes and nights, to teſtifie to all the world that his holy Goſpell was of like authoritie and came from the ſame ſpirite, Matth. 4.2. And here it is to bee noted, that theſe three, Moſes, Elias, and Ieſus Chriſt faſted but once this miraculous faſt in all their dayes on earth. Mad therefore are they which for imitation of thē, preſcribe, command and binde conſciences to doe the like yearely. But of this abuſe hereafter.
6. The ſixt kinde of faſting, is that which is moſt commended by Gods ſpirite in the practiſe of the faithfull throughout the whole Scriptures, & this for diſtinctiō ſake againe,The religious faſt. we may call a religious faſt: and this is the onelyonly faſt our Lord and Sauiour commendeth in our text, and therefore we hauehave endeuoured to deſcribe it in this manner following, according to the holie Scriptures.
The true deſcription of a religious faſt.A religious fast is an abstinence, more then ordinarie, not only from all meates and drinkes, but alſo from all other things which may cheriſh the bodie, ſo farre as nature will giuegive leaue, and ciuill honestie, for one whole day at the leaſt: proceeding from a true faith, and a cheerfull willing minde, principally to testifie our repentance, and to worke in vsus a greater humiliation, that our prayers may be more effectuall and better preuaile with God, to obtaine ſuch bleſſings as concerne our owne wants priuatly, For ſo the poet warneth, breuis eſſe labor… obſcurus fi….and the publique ſtate of the Church and people of God. I would not be ſhortleſt I ſhould be obſcure, for that I only deſire to inſtruct and teach the ignorant the trueth of this doctrine according to the Scriptures.
The confirmation of this deſcription followeth.
1. An abſtinence from all meates. So much doth the word ſignifie in Hebrue, Greeke and Latine, as all good writers teſtifie. For the Hebrue word Tſome, ſignifieth to afflict and appaire the bodie with abſtinence from all meates and drinkes, &c. as appeareth, Ionas 3.7. Let neither man nor beaſt taste any thing, neither feed nor drink water. The ſame ſayth Dauid in his faſt for Abner: So doe God to me and more alſo, if I taste bread or ought els till the ſunne be downe. 2. Sam. 3.35. The Greeke foreign, doth not ſignifie to liue ſparingly and ſober onelyonly, but to taſte nothing at all. And as for the Latin ieiunium, Marc. Cic. lib. 7 epiſt. 27.the beſt Orator ſaith the very ſame of it, that himſelfe being ſicke of a bloudie fluxe, he was ieiunus, fasting ſo as (ſayth hee) J tasted not ſo much as water.
2. From all other things which may cheriſh the bodie. So generally bee Dauids words,We muſt abſtaine, ſayth one, Quantum natura ferre & ſuſtinere poteſt, quantumque ad excitā dos facit non extinguendos animi ſenſus. Eccle. 22.6. if I taste bread or ought els, 2. Sam. 3.35. They were commaunded alſo to put away their beſt rayment, Exod. 33.5.6. Againe, they were to abſtaine from the marriage bed, Ioel. 2.16. 1. Cor. 7.5. and from all mirth and muſicke, Dan. 6.18. recreations, delights and pleaſures, and from all ioy of temporall delights, ſayth Auguſtine, quaeſt. Euang. lib. 2. cap. 18. and to giuegive themſelues to mourning, weeping, and heauines for their ſinnes, &c. Nehem. 1. verſ. 4. J ſate downe, J wept, I mourned certaine daies, I fasted, I prayed. And for this cauſe alſo they had their ſackcloth and aſhes, to ſignifie that they were not worthie of any attyre, and that they were but aſhes. This alſo was ment by rending their coates. But now Chriſt in our text ſayth, that we may faſt, wanting both ſackcloth and aſhes, yea euen when wee hauehave waſhed and perfumed our ſelues ſweetly: for the Lord regards not the outward ceremonies, but will hauehave vsus cheerefully to worſhip him, and to reioyce euen in mourning, to rend our hearts, that wee may ſee our corruptions, and abhorre them and ourſelues, for the huge maſſe of ſinne which lieth hid within vsus, Iob. 42. verſ. 6.
3. For one whole day. This ſayth Dauid in the place before cited, 2. Sam. 3.35. So doe God to me and more alſo, if I taste bread or ought els till the ſunne be downe. So Saul, 1. Sam. 14.24. So the children of Iſrael when they went to battell againſt the Beniamites, they went twiſe foorth againſt them to their great loſſe, the firſt time they loſt 22000. men, Iudg. 20.21. the ſecond time 18000. men, ver. 25. but the third time it is ſayd all the children of Iſrael went vp, and al the people came alſo vntounto the houſe of God, and wept, and ſate there before the Lord, and faſted that day vntounto the euening, verſ. 26. and the next day preuailed againſt their enemies, verſ, 35.48. So for Saul & Ionathan, &c. they wept and faſted vntill the euening. So Cornelius deſirous to receiue that foode which was better to him (as Iob ſayth, chap. 23.12.) then his ordinarie foode: he faſted alſo vntill the 9. houre of the day, Act. 10. 30. The 9. houre of the day, that is about the euening, ſaith Epiphanius.Chemit, exam. Trid. Con. tom. 4. de ieiunio. And when at euen (ſayth Chemnitius) they came to eate, they neither made choyce of delicate fiſh or fruites, neither did they fill themſelues with wines or ſtrong drinkes, or fare daintily, as Daniel ſayth, no pleaſant bread, fleſh or wine, but they fed vponupon ſuch poore things as came next to hand, they fed euer (as the Pſalmiſt ſayth) vponupon the bread of teares, Pſalm. 80.5. and mingled their drinke with weeping, Pſalm. 102. bread of aduerſitie and water of affliction, Eſ. 30.20. 1. King 22.27. that is, a poore portion of bread and water. So Iudith all her widowhood excepting the Sabboths: for to dine and faſt are ſet as oppoſite with Auguſt. epiſt. 86. And ſo Anna, Luk. 2. they had no dinner at all, but a light ſupper when they faſted: for the diet of faſting muſt bee contrary to feaſting, which is permitted ſometimes the faithfull. Nehem. 8.10. Go and eate of the fat, and drink of the ſweet, In your ſeaſting remember the poore.& ſend part for them for whom none is prepared.
4. At the leaſt. This is added for that they continued their faſt other whiles (as occaſion was offered) for more daies then one. Heſter three daies and nights, chap. 4. verſ. 16. Goe and aſſemble the Iewes in Shuſhan, and faſt ye for me, and eate not nor drinke in three daies & three nights, I alſo and my maides will faſt likewiſe, and ſo will I go vntounto the King, which is not according to the law, and if I periſh I periſh. So the holy Apoſtle Paul in his conuerſion was ſo rauiſhed with the viſion, and ſo humbled being alſo blinde, that hee continued three daies without meate or drinke, Acts. 9. verſ. 9. So Nehemias ſome number of daies, chap. 1.1. and Dauid ſeauen daies for his ſonne, 2. Sam. 12. but Daniel 21. daies, chap. 10.2.3. Nature can hardly beare three daies abſtinence, as may appeare by the ſtorie of the Egyptian, who was neere dead, becauſe he had taſted of nothing in three daies and three nights, 1. Sam. 30.12. he was ſicke before, but this abſtinence brought him to deaths doore. Theſe continued faſts therefore for many daies, wanted but either dinner or ſupper, they had but one meale, and therein, no doubt, they were very ſparing, paring away part of their ordinarie, the matter alſo more courſe and common then their ordinarie, as appeares by the words of Daniel, chap. 10. verſ. 2.3.
5. Proceeding from a true faith. For, whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſin, Rom. 14.23. ſeeme it neuer ſo holy. For without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe him, and to hauehave acceſſe vntounto him. Heb. 11.6. and impoſſible to worſhip him, Rom. 10.14. Seeme our ſeruice neuer ſo humble and dutifull, if our prayer cannot pleaſe him without faith, much leſſe our faſting: for this worke is but to attend vponupon that: Non virtus ſed gradus ad virtutem: Not a vertue, but a ſteppe to vertue: and that we may the better ſerue God, adminiculum orationis, a ſtaffe to ſupport vsus in prayer, and to keepe vsus vp watchfull: for fulnes maketh vsus drowſie and to forget God. Here therefore all opinion of merit and of the worke done, muſt neuer take place with vsus, and wee muſt deſire this whole exerciſe may bee bleſſed, ſanctified, and accepted of God in and through Ieſus Chriſt.
6. A cheerefull willing minde. Oportet exerceri, animo volente, hilari & prompte: We muſt exerciſe our ſelues in this ſeruice of God cheerefully, ſayth maſter Bullinger. And this is Chriſts meaning in our text, Matth. 6. verſ. 17. when hee willeth vsus to annoynt, perfume and waſh our ſelues in ſweete waters, to be ſweet and cheerefull rather then to be ſowre, like the hypocrites, or as the blacke Cemarims. The Lord threatneth to them which want this cheerefulnes in his ſeruice many plagues, Deuter. 28.47. Becauſe thou ſeruedſt not the Lord thy God with ioyfulnes, and with a good heart, for the abundance of all things, &c. Godly ſorrow will cauſe godly cheerefulnes of heart and mind, 2. Cor. 7.10. and delight in the Lord, Pſal. 37.4.
7. To teſtifie our repentance, and to worke in vsus a greater humiliation. It is (ſayth Chemnitius) very truely,Exam. Con. Tr. p. 4. both testimonium poenitentiae, a teſtimonie of repentance, & irrit amentū ad poenitentiam, and a meanes to worke in vsus a deeper humiliation. For the firſt poynt, faſting is called in Scripture the humbling of the ſoule, 1. King. 21.27.28.29. 2. Chro. 12.6.7 Zeph. 2.3.Leuit. 23.27.16.29. Pſalm. 35.13. Deut. 10.12. For the ſecond, Ezra teſtifieth, ſaying, chap. 8. verſ. 21. I proclaimed a faſt, that we might humble our ſelues before our God, and ſeeke of him a right way, for vsus and for our children, and for all our ſubstance principally. Fasting is acceptable to God, if it bee done without hypocriſie, that is, if wee vſe it to this ende, that thereby this mortall bodie,Maſter Marſhs letter to his friends in Lankeſhire. Acts and Monum. and diſobedient carcaſse, may be tamed and brought vnderunder, the ſubiection of the ſpirit, and againe if we fast to the end, that we may ſpare to help and ſuccour our needie brethren. It hath many good vſes, as after ſhall better appeare, for our owne good, for the Church, and for the poore: For what the rich ſpare this day, the poore muſt ſpend, Nehem. 8.10.
8. That our prayers may be more effectuall. Confeſſion of ſinnes and prayers euer follow faſting: this exerciſe is neuer without prayer, for it ſerueth in ſpeciall manner to make vsus fit for prayer, Nehem. 1.4.5. Pſal. 35.13. 2. Sam. 12. Dan. 9. and 10. 1. Cor. 7.5. &c.
9. Concerne our wants priuatly and the publique. This ſhall appeare in the deſcriptions following, both of priuate and publique faſt.