The Christian Exercise of Fasting, To the reader
To the Christian Reader, merciemercy and peace in Ieſus Chriſt.
I HaueHave endeuoured in this treatiſe (Christian Reader) to lay open this argument of fasting plainly and truely according to the Scriptures. Firſt, the religious abstinence is deſcribed: next the branches of the ſame, the priuat and the publike with their ſpeciall notes and differences. Thirdly, I hauehave ſhewed what cauſes, and reaſons hauehave moued the faithfull, to exerciſe themſelues in the one and in the other. The priuat faſt is onelyonly commended in the practiſe of the faithfull of all ages. The publike is both commanded by precept, and commended by practiſe, and was both ordinary and extraordinary. And firſt for the ordinarie we hauehave Gods great charge and law written. 1. The 10. Leuit 23.27.16.29.day of the 7. monethmonth ye ſhall humble your ſoules. 2. Ye ſhall doe no worke at all, verſ. 29. and it ſhall be a feaſt of Kippurim, a day of reconciliation.Generall ordinary faſt. 4. throughout their dwellings, verſ. 31. 5 an ordinance *Leuit. 16.31.for euer. The practiſe and obedience of this lawe wee hauehave noted. Heb. 9.7. But into the ſecond (Tabernacle) went the high prieſt alone, once eueryevery yeare, &c. that is, this ſolemne day appoynted. This law of a general ordinary faſt for the Iewes, may ſeeme to binde vsus, and might no doubt bee profitable for the Chriſtiās vnderunder the Goſpel, if it were obſerued. The cauſe of this faſt (ſayth one) was that the wrath of God might not break out, or being broken out, that it might bee a meanes to returne it home againe: the ſame cauſe remaining, wiſe men will conclude the effect ſhall continue. Againe (ſayth he) this exerciſe being a meanes to humble a man before his God, was there any degree of humiliation, neceſſary for that people, which is not as needfull for vsus? Nay, we hauing receiued vnderunder the Goſ…ell more benefits then they, the abuſe of Gods good gifts and graces in vsus, ſhould driue vsus to the loweſt humiliation that can bee, ſo it bee lawfull and warrantable by the word of God.Generall extraordinarie faſt. Ioel. 1. chap. ver. 14. 2. cap. ver. 16. The extraordinary was either ſignified by prophet, and ſo commanded of God immediatly as wee ſee by Ioel: or publiſhed by Gods Vicegerents, princes and prieſts, the preſidents and gouernours of Gods people, as ſhall appeare by ſundrie examples of the Scripture in this treatiſe following.
Superſtition hath euer preuailed in the world, where Gods grace and light was wanting, to corrupt all the pure worſhip of God, but neuer ſo much abuſed any one exerciſe of religion as this of faſting. The very Heathens abuſe faſting in the worſhip of their falſe gods. The prieſts of Egypt euer abſtained from fleſh and wine, and thought this a matter of great deuotion. The wiſe men of Perſia, their diet was but farina & olus, courſe bread and hearbes. The wizards of India, when they came to the prieſthood of the Sunne, did euer after abſtaine from fleſh. The prieſts of Egypt faſted 3. dayes before they ſacrificed. So the diuell commandeth coniurers to faſt three dayes before any magicall practiſe of coniuration. And to be ſhort, Mahomet extolleth fasting: for the Turkes faſted in the ſiege of Conſtantinople, & hauing wonne the citie, aſcribe this great victorie to their faſting. But to paſſe by theſe Pagans, and to come vntounto the Church, for this corruption crept alſo into it, euen from the beginning.Eſay. 58. Zach. 7. & ca. 8. Philo. Ioſeph. In the dayes of the Prophets it was thought a ſeruice which might highly commend a man with God. In the dayes of Chriſt, the Eſſees and Phariſees did farre exceede the former ages in the abuſe of fasting. And to come vntounto the Goſpel, Superſtition in time did ſo gather ſtrength, where light was quenched, that all the pure worſhip of God was at laſt quite thruſt out of Church doores. The yeare of Chriſt 220. Anno. 220.the Montaniſts began to be very ſuperſtitious in the abuſe of faſting, and to ſet vp wil-worſhip, as appeares with Tertullian in a whole treatiſe of faſting for herein he doth Montanize daungerouſly,Tertul. de … iunio. for following their very words and phraſes, he ſayth: Faſting is a meanes to purge vsus from ſinne and death, an expiation and ſatisfaction for ſinne and a meanes to reconcile vsus vntounto God. Anno. 280. Auguſt. contrae Fauſtum. lib. 6. cap. 5. & lib. 30. cap. 5. Anno. 360.After theſe the Manichees followed, commanding and teaching men to abstaine from all fleſh, egges, wine, &c. Then were ſpread abroade into many parts of the world the monaſticall lawes and rites of fasting, which firſt began in Egypt, and from thence came into Syria, and by meanes of Euſtathius crept into Armenia, afterwards by Baſill into Greece,Baſil & Nazianzen did weaken them ſelues to much with faſting. and of Ambroſe into Italy. About this time Baſill began to exhort mightily vntounto faſting, and yet were no lawes made to binde conſciences. But Epiphanius anon after made Biſhop of Cyprus, began not onelyonly to exhort, but alſo to commande lawes, and the times of faſting, &c. as conſtitutions and traditions apoſtolicall, cleane contrary to the doctrine, cuſtome and libertie of the old Church,Sociates ſtory is to be noted. as appeareth with Socrates, lib. 5. cap. 21. For there was no Scripture or lawe written by the Apoſtles (ſayth Socrates) concerning faſting. And Chryſoſtome counts faſting a thing indifferent:Chryſoſtom homil, 4. ad populum Antioch. his very words are theſe: Sunt quidam ciborum inter ſe, &c. Many ſtriue about meates: ſo let vsus ſtriue and endeuour to take away this cuſtome of ſwearing (ſayth he) and theſe wicked othes which men rap out ſo thicke amongſt vsus. This is better then all faſting. The care and time wee ſpend about abſtinence from meates, let vsus ſpend in learning and labouring to abſtaine from ſwearing. For it is madnes (ſayth he) lightly to regard things forbidden, and to ſtriue about things *Ieiunium eſt ad…aphoron. Nos conceſſis abſtinentes, prohibita audemus?indifferēt. We be not forbidden to eate, but we be to ſweare, &c. If the holy writers had well conſidered thoſe words of the Apoſtle,Chryſoſt. homil. in Math. 47. ie…untum in choro virtutū extremū certe ſortitur locum. bodily labour profits little, but pietie is profitable vntounto all things: they would not ſo lightly hauehave fallen into thoſe high and hyperbolicall commendations of faſting, which afterwards gaue ſuch occaſion to Antichriſt, to abuſe this exerciſe in the Church of God. For when the man of ſinne came to ſit as generall and vniuerſall Biſhop in the ſeate of pestilence, then were ſtrong lawes made to binde conſciences. The Popes ſchoolemen did preach and write, that faſting was a worke to purchaſe and merite grace, Auguſt complaineth much againſt the like in his time: Epiſt. 119. what would he hauehave done, if he had ſeene the the ages folowing.pardon of ſinnes, reconciliation with God, and a ſpeciall worke to purchaſe heauen, marueilous effectuall and profitable for the quicke and dead. I ſpeake their owne words, as after ſhall appeare. Thus then thou ſeeſt (Chriſtian reader) what an argument this is which I vndertake to commend vntounto the Church of God. I know it requires more ſtrength and time then I hauehave or can hauehave any. Notwithstanding, I was thus moued and imboldened to publiſh this ſmall treatiſe. Firſt, for that I finde but few to hauehave done any thing in this manner in engliſh of this argument. I hauehave written therefore that the ignorant might better know and more practiſe fasting: truſting that the Lord will in time ſupply what here is wanting. Next, my deſire is to ſtirre vp the faithfull people of God, becauſe of ſome dangers threatned theſe times againſt vsus, by prayer and fasting to begge a generall pardon of ſins, and christian courage for prince and people, and our whole armie to fight the Lords battels. And to ſtop the mouthes of Machiueliſts,Com. lib. 2. cap. 2. Ier. 38 4. 2. Theſ. 2.11. which are not aſhamed to ſay, that preaching prayer and faſting be meanes to caſt downe, diſcourage, and to make a people faint hearted. And this doe fooles beleeue becauſe they neither beleeue nor louelove the trueth. But the ſpirit of God ſpeaketh the contrary, testifying vntounto vsus of the courage and good ſucceſſe of Ioſhua, Dauid, Iehoſhaphat, Ezra, Nehemias, after prayer and fasting.
Laſtly, I was moued hereunto by the ſpitefull ſpeeches and writings of our common aduerſaries, who falſely accuſing our profeſſion, cry in the eares of the ſimple, and publiſh in their bookes, that wee count aRhems. T. Acts. 13. cap. annot. Num. 3.faſting but a morall and Chriſtian temperance, That faſting is a matter of policie we neuer held, but that abſtinēce from fleſhe may be commanded for policies ſake we confeſſe.a faſting from ſinne, &c. And yet a more manifeſt calumniation: bLuke. cap. 2. Rhe. T. annot. Num. 17.The heretikes count faſting (ſay they) but a matter of policie.
To anſwer theſe accuſers. Firſt I ſay vponupon mature and deliberat conſideration, and for good policie, doe the lawes of this kingdome commende an abstinence from fleſh for ſome dayes in the weeke, &c. For maintenance of nauigation: for breeding and increaſe of cattell:5. Eliz. cap. 5, title. certaine politique conſtitutions, made for maintenance of the nauie. and that the trade of fiſhing and fiſh markets might be continued in our land: as by the very words of the ſtatute may appeare. Be it further enacted by the authoritie aforeſayd, for the benefit and commodities of this Realme, to grow aſwel in maintenance of the Nauie, as in ſparing and increaſe of fleſh, victuall, in this realme, &c. that it ſhall not bee lawfull for any perſon or perſons within this realme, to eate any fleſh vponupon any dayes now vſually obſerued as fiſh dayes, vponupon paine that eueryevery perſon offending herein, ſhall forfeite 3. pounds for eueryevery time he or they ſhall offend, or els ſuffer 3. moneths cloſe impriſonment, without baile or mainpriſe. To this order is yet further added a good caution, as followeth. And becauſe no manner of perſon ſhall miſiudge of the intent of this ſtatute, limiting orders to eate fiſh, and to forbeare eating of fleſh, but that the ſame is purpoſely intended and meant politikely for the increaſe of Fiſhermen, and Mariners, & repayring of Port-townes, and nauigation, and not for any ſuperſtition to bee maintained in the choyce of meates: be it enacted, that whoſoeuer ſhall, by preaching, teaching, writing, or open ſpeech notifie, that any eating of fiſh, or forbearing of fleſh, mentioned in this ſtatute, is of any neceſſitie, for the ſauing of the ſoules of men, or that it is the ſeruice of God, otherwiſe then as other politike lawes are to be, that then ſuch perſons ſhall be puniſhed as ſpreaders of falſe newes are and ought to bee. And this is the Chriſtian policie which our friends, of Rhemes hauehave ſtumbled vponupon. This abstinence commaunded by our lawes, is an abstinence for order ſake, as the learned Ierome ſpeaketh; which whoſoeuer diſliketh is no friend to the common wealth,Ordinis cauſa, com. in Gal. cap 5. A good rule for things indifferent. Epiſt. 118. Note the word contrary. and may well be accounted a man of weake iudgement: for as Augustine ſpeaketh wiſely, Quod neque contra fidem, ne que contra bonos mores iniungitur, indifferenter eſt habendum, & pro eorum inter quos viuitur ſocietate ſeruandum. Looke whatſoeuer is inioyned by order, that is not contrarie to ſaith, nor contrarie to good maners, that we muſt repute as a thing indifferent, and obſerue the ſame for that ſocietie ſake wherein we liue.
And yet I further anſwer the Rhemiſh aduerſaries that our godly wiſe gouernours, Church, and people, doe alſo truly and in heart imbrace the religious abstinence deſcribed and commended of God in his word, & hauehave & doe practiſe the ſame when occaſions are offered and as need requireth. And this ſhall well appeare alſo by a publique faſt commanded by our gouernours, and kept in our Church in Anno 1563. For then, firſt our moſt gracious Queene meued with a motherly affection for the mortalitie of her ſubiects and people, ſignifieth her good liking of a Christian faſt, by her princely and expreſſe charge,Archbiſhop Canterburie, Math. Parker. to the Archbiſhop then being, all which as a worthie preſident for all posterities I hauehave inſerted, as followeth: Moſt reuerend father in God, right truſtie, and right welbeloued, we greete you well: Like as Almightie God hath of his meere grace, committed to vsus next vnderunder him, the chiefe gouernment of this realme and the people therein: ſo hath he of his like goodnes, ordained vnderunder vsus ſundry principall miniſters, to ſerue and aſſiſt vsus in this burden. And therefore conſidering the ſtate of this preſent time, wherein it hath pleaſed the moſt higheſt, for the amendment of vsus and our people, to viſite certaine places of our realme with more contagious ſicknes, then lately hath beene: for remedie and mitigation thereof, wee thinke it both neceſſarie and our bounden dutie, that vniuerſall prayer and faſting be more effectually vſed in this our realme. And vnderſtanding that you hauehave thought and conſidered vponupon ſome good order to be preſcribed therein, for the which yee require the application of our authoritie, for the better obſeruation thereof, amongſt our people, we doe not onelyonly commend and allow your good zeale therein, but wee alſo commaund all maner of our miniſters eccleſiaſticall, ciuill, and all other our ſubiects to execute, follow, and obey ſuch godly and wholeſome orders, as you being primate of all England, and Metropolitane of this prouince of Canterburie, vponupon godly aduiſe and conſideration, ſhall vniformely deuiſe, preſcribe, and publiſh for the vniuerſall vſage of prayer, faſting, and other good deeds, The order of the faſt commaunded by the Queene, and publiſhed in print by the Archbiſhop of Canterburie. Anno. 1563.during the time of the viſitation by ſicknes and other troubles: Giuen vnderunder our Signet at our Mannour of Richmond the 1. day of Auguſt, the 5. yeare of our raigne. The order then preſcribed by this Archbiſhop, and practiſed by the people was commended as followeth. It is moſt euident to them that read the ſcriptures, that both in the old Church vnderunder the lawe, and in the primitiue Church vnderunder the Goſpel, the people of God hath alwaies vſed generall generall faſting, both in times of common calamities, as warres, famine, peſtilence, &c. and alſo when any waightie matter, touching the eſtate of the Church, or the common wealth was begunne or intended. And it cannot bee denied, but that in this our time, wherein many things hauehave been reformed, according to the doctrine and examples of Gods worde, and the primitiue Church, this part for faſting and abſtinence, being alwaies in the ſcripture as a neceſſarie companion ioyned to feruent praier, hath been too much neglected. Wherefore for ſome beginning of redreſſe herein, it hath beene thought meete to the Queenes maieſtie, that in this contagious time of ſicknes, and other troubles and vnquietnes, according to the examples of the godly king Iehoſaphat, and the king of Niniuie, with others, a general faſt ſhould be ioyned with generall prayer throughout her realme, 1. Chro. 20. Ionas. 3.and to bee obſerued of all her godly ſubiects in manner and forme following. 1. Firſt, it is ordained that the wedneſday of eueryevery weeke ſhall be the day appointed for this generall faſt. 2. All perſons betweene the age of 16. yeares and 60. (ſicke folkes and labourers in harueſt, or other great labours only excepted) ſhall eate but one only cō petent and moderate meale vponupon eueryevery wedneſday. In which ſaid meale ſhalbe vſed very ſober and ſpare diet, without varietie of kinds of meate, diſhes, ſpices, cōfectiōs, or wines, but only ſuch as may ſerue for neceſſitie, comelines and health. 3. Item, in that meale, it ſhalbe indifferēt to eate fleſh or fiſh, ſo that their quantitie be ſmall, and no varietie or delicacie be ſought. Wherein eueryevery man hath to anſwer to God, if he in ſuch godly exerciſes either contemne publike order, or diſſemble with God, pretending abſtinence, & doing nothing leſſe. 4. Item, thoſe that bee of wealth and abilitie, ought that day to abate and diminiſh the coſtlines, and varietie of their fare, and increaſe therewith their liberalitie & almes towards the poore, that the ſame poore which either indeede lacke foode, or els that which they hauehave is vnſeaſonable and cauſe of ſicknes, may therby be relieued, and charitably ſuccoured, to be maintained in health. 5. Pag. 5.Item, that a Sermon bee had, preached by ſuch as bee authorized, and the preacher to intreate of ſuch matters eſpecially as bee meete for this cauſe of publike prayer, &c. 6. Laſt of all, this day being in this manner appointed for a day of generall prayer and fasting, ought to be beſtowed by them, which may forbeare from bodily labour, in prayer, ſtudie, reading, or hearing of the Scriptures, or good exhortations, &c. And when any dulnes or wearines ſhall ariſe, then to bee occupied in other godly exerciſes: but no part therof to be ſpent in plaies, paſtimes, or idlenes, much leſſe in lewd, wicked, or wanton behauiour.
I hauehave thus purpoſely ſet before thine eyes, Chriſtian reader, the religious care of our good Prince and gouernours, partly to ſtop the mouthes of aduerſaries, which perſwade men that wee deſpiſe faſting: partly to ſtirre vp Gods faithfull people of all degrees,Anno 1588. to renue their zeale in the true profeſſion of the Gospell. And to conclude, we hauehave ſeene ſome yeares paſt,1593. a comfortable experience of Gods bleſſing vponupon the priuate and publike faſtings and prayers of Gods people in the land. Wherefore let vsus in aſſurance of faith draw neere vntounto God, & humbly caſt downe our ſolues againe, in prayer & faſting, to cōfute aduerſaries ſlāders, to euert enemies practiſes, to the glorie of God, protection and deliuerance of his Church, confirmation of our owne faith, ſoules and conſciences, by and through Ieſus Chriſt: to whom with the Father, and moſt holy ſpirit, three diſtinct perſons, one inuiſible, euerliuing and euerlaſting God, be all praiſe for euer, Amen.
Thine in the Lord Chriſt Ieſu, Henry Holland.
❧ The Chriſtian exerciſe of faſting, according to the Scriptures.
Matth. 6. verſ. 16.17.18.
16 Moreouer, when ye faſt, looke not ſowre as the hypocrits: for they disfigure their faces, that they might ſeeme vntounto men to faſt. Verely I ſay vntounto you, that they hauehave their reward.
17 But when thou faſteſt, anoynt thine head, and waſh thy face.
18 That thou ſeeme not vntounto men to faſt, but vntounto thy Father which is in ſecret: and thy Father which ſeeth in ſecret, will reward thee openly.
OVr bleſſed Lord and Maſter Ieſus Chriſt, hath knit together in the firſt part of this chapter 3. ſpeciall poynts, which cannot well be ſeuered, Almes, Prayer, and Faſting. For by faſting we giuegive wings to our own prayers, & by almes we cauſe the loynes of the poore, Iob. 31.19.20.if their hearts can not, to bleſſe vsus, to pray with vsus, and to ſpeake to God for vsus. The Phariſies abuſed all theſe three good exerciſes in a ſpirituall pride and oſtentation. Therefore our Sauiour Chriſt teacheth vsus firſt for almes, how to auoyd the phariſaicall vainglorie, and how to pleaſe our heauenly father, verſ. 1. 2. 3. 4. Secondly for prayer, how to auoyd the ambition of the Phariſies, and how to pleaſe our heauenly father, verſ. 5. and 15. Thirdly for faſting, how to renounce their hypocriſie, and how to pleaſe the heauenly father, verſ. 16. 17. 18.
In theſe 3. ver. I note two things.
1. A dehortatiō frō the abuſe of faſting: this hath 2. branches, verſ. 16.
1. The deſcription of an hypocrites faſt, by 3. markes.
1. They looke ſowrely.
2. They disfigure their faces.
3. They deſire to bee ſeene of men.
2. The confirmation of the dehortatiō, or a teſtificatiō of Chriſts diſlike.
1. By Chriſts vſuall oth or aſſeueration: Verely, I ſay vntounto you.
2. No reward of GOD, but ſhame.
2. An exhortation to the right vſe of faſting, verſ. 17. 18. containing two poynts.
1. A demōſtratiō of the ſimplicitie of a true faſt, by 2. argumēts.
1. Of adiuncts, verſ. 17.
1. Anointing the head.
2. Waſhing the face.
2. End, verſ. 18. that thou maiſt appeare to God to faſt, & not to men.
2. A confirmation.
1. From the good reward following, verſ. 18.
2. By anſwering an obiection.
Ob. It is done in ſecret, therfore the reward is loſt.
Anſ. God ſeeth in ſecret, and will rewarde thee openly.