The Practice of Piety, Treatise · Part 20 – Part 21
Now followeth the extraordinary practice of Piety, whereby God is glorified in our lives.
THe extraordinary Practice of Piety consists either in fasting or feasting.
1. Of the Practice of Piety in Fasting.
There are divers kinds of fasting. First,Jejunium 1. Co…ctum. a constrained Fast, as when men either have not food to ear, as in thea2 Kin. 6 25. Famine of Samaria: or having food cannot eat it for heaviness or sickness, as it befel them who where in thebAct. …. …3. Ship with St. Paul. This is rather Famine than Fasting.
Secondly,c2. Physi…n Nihil p…riculosius habitudire corporis extr…mè bona: det…ahenda sunt ergo per jej…nium … fracta … A natural Fast, which we under…ake Physically for the health of our body.
Thirdly,d3. …liticum. A civil Fast, which the Magistrate enjoyneth for the better main… nance of the Common-wealth, that by … Fish as well as Fl…sh, there may be greater plenty of both.
Fourthly,e4 …iracul…m. A miraculous Fast, as the forty days fast of Moses and Elias, the Types; and of Christ, the substance. This is rather to be admired than imitated.
Fifthly,f5 … A daily Fast, when a man is careful to use the Creatures of God wit… such moderation, that he is n…t m…de heavier, but moreg… 33. … 2. 3. chearful, to serve God and to do the duties of his calling, This is especially to be observed of ministers andh…rov. 31. 4, 5. Judges.
Sixthly,i6. Religio…. A religious Fast, … Cor. 6. 4, 5.which a man voluntarily undertakes, to make his body and soul the fitter to pray more fervently unto God, upon some extraordinary occasion. And of this Fast only we are to treat. The Religious Fast is of Two sorts, either private or publick.
1. Of a Private Fast.
THat we may rightly perform a private Fast, Four things are to be observed: First the Author: Secondly, the Time and Occasion: Thirdly the Manner: Fourthly, the Ends of private Fasting.
1. Of the Author.
The first that ordained Fasting, was God himself inaJejunium in Paradiso praescriptum est reverere igitur jejunii canitiem. Basil. hom. c. de jejun. Paradise: and it was the first Law that God made, in commanding Adam to abstain from eating the forbidden fruit. God would not pronounce nor write hisbLev. 23. Law without fasting, and in his Law commands all his people to fast. So doth ourcMat. 6. 17. and 9. 15. Saviour Christ teach all his Disciples under the New Testament likewise. By religious fasting a man comes nearest the life of dQui jej…nat, Angelorum ritu vivit, & dam paucissi… is contentus est; similitudinem cum illis assequicur. Bas. hom. de jejuniis.Angels, and to do God's will on Earth, as it is done in Heaven.
Yea, Nature seemeth to teach man this duty, in giving him aeNatura os parvum, & gutter …ar…tum homini dedit. li…tle mouth, and a n…rrower throat; for Nature is content with a little, Grace with less. Neither doth Nature and Grace agree in any one act better than in this Excercise of Religious Fasting; for it strengtheneth the memory, and cleareth the mind; illuminateth the understanding, and bridleth the Affections; mortifieth the flesh, and preserveth Chastity; preventeth sickness, and continueth health; it delivereth from evils, and procureth all kind of blessings.
By breaking this Fast, the Serpent overthrew the first aQuamdiu jej…navit Adam, in Paradiso f…it; com…dit, & ejectus est. Hieron.Adam, so that he lost Paradise. But by keeping a Fast, the second Adam vanquished the Serpent, and restored us into Heaven. Fasting was she who covered Noah safe in the Ark, whom Intemperance uncovered, and left stark naked in the Vineyard. By fasting, Lot quenched the flame of Sodom, whom Drunkenness scorched with the fire of Incest. Religious Fasting and talking with God, made Moses's Face to shine before Men; when Idolatrous eating and drinking ca…sed the Israelites to appear abominable in the sight of God. It rapt Elias in an Angelical Coach to Heaven; when voluptuous Ahab was sent in a Bloody Chariot to Hell. It made Herod believe that John Baptist should live after death by a blessed Res…rrection, when after an intemperate life, he could promise nothing to himself, but eternal death and destruction. O divine Ordinance of a divine Author!
2. Of the Time.
ThebPraeceptum esse … video, quibus autem non di…bus opo… t…a… jej…nare, & quibus, opo…teat pr… cepto Domini vel Apostolor … inve…iod… sinitum. Aug ad Cassal. Epist. …6. holy Scripture appoints no Time under the New Testament to fast; but but leaves it unto Christians own free choice, Rom. 14. 3. 1 Cor. 7. 5. to fast as occasion shall be offered unto them, Mat. 9. 15. As when a man becomes an humble and earnest suiter unto God for the pardon of some gross sin committed; or for the *Indifferenter jejunandum, ex arbitrio, non ex impe…io … discipl… pro temporibus, & … uniuscujus…. Tert. adver. … cus primus erat qui … leges … Hist. lib. 5. cap. 1…. ex Appolton.prevention of some sin, whereunto a man feels himself by Satan sollicited: or to obtain some special blessing which he wants: or to avert some Judgment which a man fears, or is already faln upon himself or others: Or, lastly to subdue his flesh unto his spirit, that he may more chearfully pour forth his soul unto God by prayer. Upon these occasions a man may fastaLev. 23. 32. Josh. 7. 6. a day orbH…st. 4. 1…. longer, as his occasion requiees, and the constitution of his body, and other needful affairs will permit.
3. Of the manner of a private Fast.
The true manner of performing a private fast, consists partly in outward, partly in inward actions.
The outward actions are, to abstain, for the time that we fast: First, from allcLev. 23. 28, 36. Joel. 1. 14. and 2. 15. worldly business and labour, making our fasting day, as it were a Sabbath day, Lev. 23. 28. for worldly business will distract our minds from holy devotion. Secondly, from all manner of food, yea, fromd2 Sam. 3. 35. Ezra. 10. 6. Dan. 10. 3. Esther 4. 16. Acts 9. 9. bread and water, so far as health will permit: 1. That so we may acknowledge our own indignity, as being unworthy both of life, and all the means for the maintenance thereof. 2. That by afflicting the Body, the Soul, which fol…loweth the constitution there…f, may be the more humbled. 3. That so we may take a godly e2 Cor. 7. 11revenge upon our selves, for abusing our liberty in the use of God's Creatures. 4. That by the hunger of our Bodies, through want of these earthly things, our Souls may learn to hunger more eagerly after spiritual and heavenly food. 5. To put us in mind, that as we abstain from food which is lawful, so we should much more abstain from*Q…id prodest vacuare corpus ab escis, & animum …epl…re peccatis? Aug. de tem. Ser. 46. Sin, which is altogether unlawful.
Thirdly, From good and costly fExod. 33. 5, 6.apparel; that as the abuse of these puffs us up with pride; so the laying aside their lawful use may witness our humility. And to this end in ancient times they used (especially in publick Fasts) to putgF…th. 4. 1, 2. J…h. 3. 5, 6. Joel 1. 13. M…t. 11. 21. on Sackcloth, or other course Apparel. The Equity hereof still remaineth; especially in publick Fasts, at what time to come into the Assembly with starched Bands, crisped Hair, brave Apparel, and decked with Flowers or Perfumes, argueth a Soul that is neither humble before God, nor ever knew the true use of so holy an exercise.
Fourthly, From the full measure of h2 Sam. 12. 16▪ Joel 1. 13. Esth. 4. 3.ordinary sleep. That thou maist that way also humble thy Body: and that thy Soul may watch and pray, to be prepared for the coming of Christ. And if thou wilt break thy sleep early and late for worldly gain: how much more should'st thou do it for the service of God? And ifa1 King. 21. 27. Ahab (in imitation of the godly) did in his fast lie in such-cloth, to break his sleep by night; what shall we think of those who on a fasting-day will yield themselves to sleep in the open Church?
Fifthly and lastly, From all outward pleasures of our senses. So that as it was not the*Si sola gula peccavit sola jejanet; & su…icit: Si veverò peccaverunt & membra caetera, cur non jejunent & ipsa▪ Bern. Serm. Quadrag. 3. throat only that sinned, so must not the throat only be punished: and therefore we must endeavour to make our eyes (as at all times, so) especially on that day, to fast from beholding vanities; our ears from hearing Mirth or Musick, but such as may move to mour…; our n…strils from pleasant smell: our tongues from lying, dissembling, and slandering; yea, the use of the Marriage b…d must be omitted in a religious reverence of the Divine Majesty, that so nothing may hinder our true Humiliation, but that all may be signs that we are unfeignedly humble. Thus much of the outward manner.
The inward manner of fasting consists in Two things: 1. Repentance. 2. Prayer.
Repentance hath Two Parts:
1.aforeign Penite…cy for sins past.
2.bforeign Amendment of life in time to come.
This Penitency consists in Three things: First, an inward insight of sin, and sense of misery. Secondly, a bewailing of thy vile estate. Thirdly, an humble and particular confession of all thy known sins.
1. Of the inward insight of sin, and s…se of misery.
This sense and insight will be effected in thee: First, by considering thy sins, especially thy gross sins, according to the circumstances of the time when, place where, manner how, and persons with whom it was committed. Secondly, the Majesty of God against whom it was done: and the rather, because thou didst such things against him since he became a Father unto thee, and bestowed so many sweet blessings, in bountiful manner upon thee, Thirdly, in considering the curses which God hath threatned for thy sin: how grievously God hath plagued others for the same fault, and how that no means in Heaven or Earth could deliver thee from being eternally damned for them, had not the son of God so lovingly died for thee Lastly, That if God loves thee, he must chasten thee ere it be long, with some grievous affliction; Mat. 9. 15. Can the children mourn? then shall they fast: And M…rk and Luke for mourn, have fast. Examples, Psal. 6. and 22 and 38, and 79. and J…remy's Lament.unless thou dost prevent him by speedy and unfeigned repentance. Let these and the like considerations, so prick thy heart with sorrow, that melting for remorse within thee, it may be dissolved into a fountain of tears, trickling down thy mournful Cheeks. This mourning is the beginning of true fasting, and therefore oft-times*Joel 2. 12, 17. put for fasting, the first and principal part for the whole action.
2. Of the bewailing of thine own estate.
bJer. 31. 18, 19, 20.Bewailing or lamentation, is the pouring out of the inward mourning of the heart, by the outward means of the voice, and tears of the eyes. With such filial earnestness and importunity in prayer, is our heavenly Father well pleased. Nay, when it is the fruit of his Spirit, and the effect of our faith, he cannot be displeased with it. For if he heard the moans which extremity wrong fromcGen. 21. 17. Ismael and Hagar; and heareth the cry of the dPsal. 147. 9.young ravens, and roaring ofePsa. 104. 21. Lyons, how much rather will he hear the mournful lamentations which his own Children make unto him in their misery?
3. Of the humble confession of sins.
In this action thou must deal plainly with God, 1 Sam 7. 6. Ez…k. 9. 4. D…n. 9. Neh. 1.and acknowledge all the sins thou knowest, not only in general, but also in particular. This hath been the manner of all God's Children in their Fasts: first,Prov. 28. 13. Psal. 32. 5. because that without Confession thou hast no promise of mercy or forgiveness of sins. Secondly, That so thou maist acknowledge God to be just, Psal. 51. 4.and thy self unrighteous. Thirdly, That by the numbring of thy sins, thy heart may be the more humbled and pulled down. Fourthly, That it may appear, that thou art truly penitent: for till God hath given thee grace to repent, thou wilt be more ashamed to confess thy fault, than to commit thy sin. The plainer thou deale… in this respect with God, the more graciously will God deal with thee: for if thou dost acknowledge thy sins, 1 Joh 1, 7, 9.God is faithful and just to forgive thee thy sins: and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son shall clearse thee from all thy sins.
To help thee the better to perform these three parts of Penitency, thou must diligently read such Chapters and Portions of the holy Scriptures, as do chiefly concern thy particular sins: that thou maist see God's curse and judgments on others for the like sins, and be the more humbled thy self.
Thus far of the first part of Repentance, which is penitency.
The other part which is Amendment of life, consists; First, in devout Prayer: Secondly, in devout Actions
This devout Prayer, which we make in time of Fasting, foreignin either deprecation of evil, or craving needful good things.
Deprecation of evil, is, when thou beseech…st GOD for Christ the Mediator's sake, to pardon unto thee those sins which thou hast confessed, and to turn from thee those judgments which are due unto there for thy sins. And as Benhadad, because the heard,1 Kin. 20 31. That the King of Israel was merciful, prostrated himself unto him with a r…pe about his neck; so because thou knowest that the King of Heaven is merciful, cast down thy self in his presence, in all true signs of humiliation (especially,Psal 50. 15. seeing h… calleth upon thee to come unto him in thy troubles) and doubtless thou shalt find him most merciful.
The craving of needful good things, is▪ First, a fervent and faithful begging of God, to seal by his Spirit in thy heart, the assurance of the forgiveness of all thy sins.Phil. 1. 6. Secondly, to renew thy heart by the Holy Ghost, so that sin may daily decay, and righteousness more and more increase in thee. 1 Tim. 1. 5.Lastly, in desiring a supply of faith, patience, chastity, and all other graces which thou wantest: and an increase of those which God of his mercy hath bestowed upon thee already.
Thus far of Prayer in Fasting.
The devout actions in Fasting, are two. First, Avoiding evil. Secondly, Doing good.
1. Of avoiding Evil.
This Abstinence from evil, is that which is chiefly signified by thy Abstinence from food, &c. and is the chief end of fasting, as the†Joh 38. 10. Ninevites very well knew. A day of fast, and not fasting from sin, the Lord abhorreth. It is not the vacuity of the stomach, but the*P…lch…am est corporis jej…ni…m, cùm sit animas à vi…iis jejunus Hierad Celant. …. 14. purity of the heart that God respecteth. If therefore thou wouldest have God to turn from thee the†Jejuna à malis actibus, abstineà malis sermo…ibus, conti…e à cogita…ionibus p…mis. …yril. in Lev. Cap. 10. evil of Affliction; thou must first turn away from thy self the evil of transgression. And without this fasting from evil, thy Fast favours more noisom to God, than thy breath doth to Man. This made God so often to reject the Fast of theaIsa. 58. 2, &c. Zach. 7. 5. Non pos… … iniquitatem & interdictionem. Isa. 1. 13. Jews. And as thou must endeavour to avoid all sin; so especially that sin wherewith thou hast provoked God, either to shake his rod at thee, or already to lay his chastening hand upon thee. And do this with a resolution, by the assistance of God's grace, never to commit those sins again. For*Q…id prodest tenuari corpus abstinentiâ, si animus intumescit superbiâ? Vinum non bibere, & irâ inebriari? Carnibus non vesci, & de ore omni escâ sordidius egredi maledictum aut mendatium? Maximus Epist what shall it profit a man by abstinence to humble his body, if his mind swell with pride? Or to forbear Wine and strong drink, and to be drunk with wrath and malice? Or to let no flesh go into the Belly, when lyes, slanders, and ribauldry (which are worse than any meat) come out of the mouth? To abstain from * meat, and to do mischief, is the Devil's fast, who doth evil, and is ever hungry.
2. Of doing good works.
The†Qui cibis abstinent, & mala agunt daemones i…it…tur quibus culpa adest, & cibus deest. Isid. good works which as a Christian thou must do every day, but especially on thy Fasting-day, are either the works of Piety to God, or the works of Charity towards thy brethren.
1. The works of Piety to God, are the practice of all the former duties, in the sincerity of a good Conscience, and in the sight of God.
2.Vis orati… nem tuam volare ad coelum? Fac illi duas alas, Jejunium & E…eemosynum. Aug. The works of Charity towards our Brethren are,aIsa. 58. 6. &c. Zach. 7. 9, 10. forgiving wrongs, remitting debts to the poor that are not well able to pay: but especially in giving alms to the poor, that want relief and sustenance. Else we shall*Qui…jej nat ut parcat, n…n ad D…igl…m jejunat, sed substantiae suae parcit. Chrysost. i… Mat. 5. Act. 10. 30. under pretence of godliness, Act. 10 30.practice miserableness: like those, who will pinch their own bellies, to defraud their labouring servants of their due allowance. As therefore Christ joyned Fasting, Prayer, and Alms together, in Precept, …o must thou joyn them together, like Cornelius, in practice. And therefore be sure to give at the least so much to the*Non D…o sed …bi jejunat, qui q… ad t…mpus subtrahit, nonin op…us subtrahit, sed ventri postmodum offecenda custodit. Greg. M Past. c. 44. poor, on thy Fasting-day, as thou wouldest have spent in thine own dyet, if thou hadst not fasted that day. And remember that he thatb2 Cor. 9. 6. soweth plenteously, shall reap plenteously; and that this is a special sowing day. Let thy Fasting so†Jejuniam tuam te castig…t, sed alterum laetisicat. Aug. Ser. de temp. 64. afflict thee, that it may refresh a poor Christian; and rejoyce that thou hast dined and supped in another; or rather, that thou hastcAccipiat esuriens Christus quod jejunans minùs accipit Cristianus. Aug. d…t…m. Ser. 157. feasted hungry Christ, in his poor Members.
In giving Alms, observe Two things: First, the Rules, Secondly, the Rewards.
1. Rules in giving of Alms, and doing good works.
1. They must be done in obedience to God's Commandments: Be…tus qui jejunat ut alat paup… rem: imitatur enim Christum, qui ani…m sua… posuit pro statribus suis …yril. in … lib. 10.not because we think it to be good, but because God requireth us to do such and such a good deed: for sucha1 Sa. 15. 22 obedience of the worker God preferreth before all sacrifices, and the greatest works.
2. They must proceed frombHeb. 11. 6. Rom. 14. 2. faith, else they cannot please God: nay without faith the most specious works are but Splendi la peccata. Aug.shining sins, and Ph…rifees Alms.
3. Thou must not think by thy good Works and Alms, to merit heaven: for in vain had the Son of God shed his Blood, if Heaven could have been purchased either for Money or Meat. Thou must therefore seek Heaven's Possession by the purchase of Christ's Blood, not by the merits of thine own works. For*Rom. 6. ult▪ eternal Life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ. Yet every true Christian that believes to be saved, and hopes to come to Heaven, must do good works (as the Apostle saith) for necessary uses, which are four.
First, That d1 Cor. 10. 31. 2 Cor. 8. 19. Phil 1. 11.God may be glorified, Secondly, That thou mayest shew thy self eLuk. 1. 74, 75.thankful for thy Redemption. Thirdly, That thou maist f2 Pet. 1. 10.make sure thine Election unto thy self. Fourthly, That thou mayest gMat. 5. 16. Isa 61. 9.win others, by thy holy devotion, to think the better of thy Christian profession. And for these uses we are said to be hEph. 2. 10.God's Workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, and that God hath ordained us to walk in them.
4. Thou must not give thine Alms to impudent Vagabonds, who live in wilful idleness and filthiness, but to the religious and honest Poor, who are either sick, or so old that they cannot work; or such who work, but their work cannot competently maintain them: Seek out those in the back L…nes, and relieve them. But if thou m…etest one that asketh an Alms for Jesus sake, and knowest him not to be unworthy, deny him not; for it is better to give unto ten Counterfeits, than to suffer Christ to go, in one poor Saint unrelieved. Look not on the Person, but give thy Alms as unto Christ in the Party.
2. Of the Rewards of Alms-deeds and Good works.
1. Alms are a special means to move God in mercy to turn away hisiDan. 4. 27. temporal judgments from us: when we by a true Faith (that sheweth it self by such fruits) do return unto him.
2. Merciful-Alms givers kLuke 6. 35, 36.shall be the Children of the Highest, and be like God their Father, who is thel2 Cor. 1. 3. Father of mercies. They shall be hismLuk. 16. 1. Stewards to dispose his Goods; his Hands, to distribute his Alms: and if it be so great an honour to be the King's Almoner, how much greater is it to be the God of Heavens Almsgiver?
3. When all this World shall forsake us, then only good Works and good Angels shall accompany us, the one tonRev. 14. 13. receive their reward the other to deliver their oLuk. 16. 22. Psal. 91. 11. Heb. 1. 14.charge.
4. Liberty in Alms-deeds is ourp1 Tim. 6. 19. surest foundation, that we shall obtain in eternal life, a liberal reward, through the Mercy and Merits of Christ.
Lastly, By Alms-deeds we feed and relieve Christ in his Members; andqMat. 25. Christ at the last day will acknowledge our love, and reward us in his mercy: and then it shall appear, that what we gave to the poor, was not lost, butrProv. 19. 17. lent unto the Lord What greater motives can a Christian wish, to excite him to be a liberal Almsgiver? Thus far of the Manner of Fasting. Now follow the Ends.
3. Of the Ends of Fasting.
The true Ends of Fasting are not to merit God's favour, or eternal life (for that we have only of the gift of God through Christ) nor to place Religion in bodily abstinence (for Fasting in it self is not the worship of God, but an help to further us the better to worship God;) But the true Ends of Fasting are Three:
First, To subdue ourfEsd. 8. 2. Flesh to the Spirit: but not so tot1 Tim. 5. 23. Jejunium orationem roborat, oratio fanctificat Jejunium. Bern. Ser. de Jejun. weaken our Bodies, as that we are made unfit to do the necessary Duties of our Calling. A good man (saith Solomon) is merciful to his beast, Prov. 12. verse 10. much more to his own body.
Secondly, That we may more devoutly contemplate God's holy Will, and fervently uJoel 2. 17. Luke 2. 37. 1 Cor. 7. 5.pour forth our Souls unto him by prayer: for as there are some kind of Devils, so there are also some kind of Sins, which cannot be subdued but by Fasting, joyned unto Prayer, Matth. 17. 22.
Thirdly, That by ourxJoel 2. 18, 19. 1 Cor. 12. serious humiliation, and judging of our selves, we may escape the judgment of the Lord; not for the merit of our Fasting (which is none) but for the mercy of God, who hath promised to remove his judgments from us, when we by Fasting do unseignedly humble our selves before him. And indeed no Child of God ever conscionably used this holy exercise, but in the end he obtained his request at the hand of God: both in receiving graces which he wanted, as appears in the examples ofy1 Sam. 1. 7. Hannah, z2 Chr. 20.Jehosaphat, aNeh. 1.Nehemiah, bDan. 9.Daniel, cEsd. 8. 23.Esdras, dEsth. 9.Esther; as also in turning away judgments threatned, or faln upon him, as may be seen in the examples of thee1 Sam. 7. 6. Israelites, thefJonah 3. Ninevites, g2 Chr. 12. 5, 7, &c.Rehoboam, h1 King. 21.Ahab, i2 Chr. 32.Hezekiah, k2 Chron. 33. 18, 19.Manasses. He who gave his dear Son from Heaven to the Death, to ransom us when we were his enemies, thinks nothing too dear on Earth to bestow upon us, when we humble our selves, being made his reconciled Friends and Children.
Thus far of the private Fast.
2. Of the publick Fast.
A Publick Fast is, when by the*Jon. 3. 7. 2 Chr. 20 3. Ezra 8. 21. Authority of the Magistrate, either the whole Church within his Dominion, or some special Congregation (whom it concerneth) do assemble themselves together, to perform the forementioned duties of Humiliation: either for the removing of some publick.b1 Sam. 7. 5, 6. calamity threatned, or already inflicted upon them,Joel 2. 15. as the sword, invasion, famine, pestilence, or other fearful sickness: or else for the obtaining of some publick blessing, 2 Chron. 20. Jonah 3. 5. Esth. 4. 16.for the good of thecExod. 19. Esdras 8. Act. 1. 13, 14. Church, as to crave the assistance of his holy Spirit, in the election and ordination of fit and able Pastors, &c. or, for the tryal of Truth, and execution of Justice, in matters of difficulty and great importance, &c.
When any evil is to be removed, the dJoel 1. 14. Nehem. 8.Pastors are to lay open unto the People, by the evidence of God's Word, the sins which were the special causes of that Calamity: call upon them to repent, and publish unto them the mercies of God in Christ upon their Repentance. The People must hear the Voice of God's Messengers with hearty sorrow for their sins; earnestly beg pardon in Christ, and promise unfeigned amendment of their life. When any blessing is to be obtained, the Pastors must lay open to the People the necessity of that blessing, and the goodness of God who giveth such graces for the good of Men. The people must devoutly pray unto God for bestowing of that grace, and that he would bless his own means to his own glory, and the good of his Church. And when the holy Exercise is done, let every Christian have a special care, according to his ability, toeIsa. 58. 7, 10 remember the poor. And whosoever (when just occasion is offered,)2 Cor. 9. 7. useth not this holy Exercise of Fasting, Gal. 2. 10.he may justly suspect, that his heart never yet felt the power of true Christianity.
So much of Fasting. Now followeth the exercise of holy Feasting.
Of the Practice of Piety in Holy Feasting.
HOLY Feasting is a solemn Thanksgiving, (appointed by Authority) to be rendred unto God on some special day, for some extraordinary blessings or deliverances received.Exod. 12. 15. Such among the Jews was the Feast of the Passover, to remember to praise God for their deliverance out of Egypt's bondage: or the Feast of Purim, to give thanks for their deliverance from Haman's conspiracy. Esth. 9. 19, 21.Such amongst us are the fifth of August, to praise God for delivering our Gracious King from the bloody conspiracy of the traiterous Gowries. And the fifth of November, to praise God for the deliverance of the King and the whole State, from the Popish Gun-powder Treason. Such Feasts are to be celebrated by a publick rehearsal of those special benefits, by spiritual Psalms and Dances, by mutual feasting, and sending presents every man to his Neighbour, and by giving gifts to the poor.
But forasmuch as the benefit of our Redemption was the greatest that Man needed from God, or that God ever bestowed upon Man; and that the Lord's-Supper is left by our Redeemer, as the chiefest memorial of our Redemption: every Christian should account this holy Supper, his chiefest and joyfullest Feast in this World. And seeing that as it ministreth to worthy partakers, the greatest assurance which they have of their salvation; so it pulleth temporal judgments on the Bodies, and (without repentance) eternal damnation on the Souls of them who receive it unworthily: Let us see how a Christian may best sit himself to be a due partaker of so holy a feast; and to be a worthy Guest at so sacred a Supper.