Body of Divinity, Book 8 · Chapter 11 – Chapter 12
CHAP. XI. Of Extraordinary Religious Duties, Fasting, Feasting and Vows. I. Of Fasting.
SInce God in the Old Testament by Moses commanded the Jews a solemn and anniversary Fast in the tenth day of the seventh monethmonth, Numb. 24. 7. Lev. 16. 31. & 22. 27, 29. since there are examples of many pious persons fasting in the Scripture, and since in the New Testament there is a frequent commendation of fasting, Matth. 9. 14. & 6. 16. & 17. 21. 1 Cor. 7. 5. & 2 Cor. 6. 5.See Act 13. 3. Act. 9. 9. & 13. 2. & 14. 23. it is plain that the Doctrine of Fasting doth belong to Religion and Piety, and the worship of God.
In it self it is not any worship of God, but only as it tends to some holy end,Ieju…ium propriè dictum Graecis …. Testamenti scriptoribus foreign vocatur, & foreign jejuna…e, foreign à non comedendo dicitur, est enim quedam à cibo abstinentia. Hebraeis afflictio dicitur, Esdr. 9. 5. quia ex Scripturae phrasi affli…ere animam est jejunare, Num. 29▪ 7. & Levit. 16. 3. & 22. 27. Eò nempèipertinet & spectat jejunium ut corporis afflictione anima …ilictur ac dejic iatur. Thes. Salm. pars ultima Religiosum jejunium à naturali & civili, in …o differt, quòd à religione imperatur: id est, directè & immediatè, ad …ulium & bonorem Dei refertur. 2. Non tamen ita refertur ad Dei honorem ut p…rs …u… tus, sed tantum ut medium, quo verus cultus promovetur. 3. In Testamento Novo, non est propriè medium cul…us, vel qua e…cit aliquid, vel ex institutione significat, vel coram Deo, vel coram hominibus, sed quatenus disponit ad extraordinarium ex…r…ium cul…us. 4. Disponit aui…m praecipuè impedimenta illa removendo, quae extraordinariae Dei invocationi repugnant. Ames. Cas. consc. lib. 4. c▪ 21. to pray the better, to humble our souls the better, for though it pleaseth God, yet every thing that pleaseth him is not presently worship.
The phrase which St Luke useth, chap. 2. 37. doth no more urge us to make Fasting worship, then St Pauls phrase Act. 20. 19. doth make temptations a special kinde of worship. Fasting may be called worship by a trope, as being a special adjunct of some extraordinary worship. Doctor Ames against D. Burgesse. part 1. pag. 145.
Bellarmine lib. 2. cap. 1. defines fasting to be Cibi abstinentiam secundum Ecclesiae regulam assumptam, making no mention of the end of Fasting, though it be especially to be judged of by the end, and it is meer hypocrisie if it be only undertaken to satisfie the commandment of the Church, as it is usual among the Papists, who think they have fasted well when they have abstained from meat or flesh on such dayes as it is forbidden without any consideration of a just end.
There are several sorts of Fasts, Natural, Civil and Metaphorical. But a holy or religious Fast is a voluntary abstinence from all our lawful refreshments to some religious end.
M. Fenner and M. Ball thus define it.
A holy Fast is a religious abstinence from all the labours of our calling, and comfortsIejunium est abstinentia ad tempus, ab omnibus vitae adiumentis, quoad naturae imbecillitas & vitae decus sive honestas fert, ad preces efficaciores reddendas & humilitatem testandam. Dudlei Fenneri Theol. Sac. l. 5. c. 10. Iejunium religiosum est voluntaria abstinentia à cibo & potu religionis causa, Hommius Disput. …9. Fasting is an abstinence commanded of the Lord thereby to make solemn profession of our repentance. Cartw. descript. of true Fast. Bellarmine saith, Iejunium pars est cultus divini, non id…o quod referatur ad cultum divinum ut finem, sed quod in se fit ipse cultus divinus. Potest quidem jejunium nos aptiores reddere ad Deum colendum, sed non potest esse pars cultus illius, non magis quam lachrymae & fletus. Cameron Myroth. ad Matth. 17. 21. of this life, so farre as comlinesse and necessity will permit, that we may be more seriously humbled before God, and more fervent in prayer, 1 Cor. 7. 5. Ioel 2. 14, 15, 16. Dan. 9. 1, 2, 3. & 10. 1, 2, 3. Ezra 8. 21.
It hath the name of Fasting from one most sensible part, viz. the abstinence from food denominating the whole exercise.
We must abstain,
1. From bodily labours and worldly businesse. For the time of the Fast hath the nature of a Sabbath. It is called by the Prophet Ioel, a solemnity or day of prohibition Ioel 1. 4. & 2. 15. wherein men are forbidden to do any work, as the Lord expoundeth that word, Lev. 23. 36. Deut. 16. 8.
2. Food, there must be a total abstinence from meat and drink, so farre as our health will permit, 2 Sam. 3. 35. Ezra 9. 6. Esth. 4. 16. Ion. 3. 7. Act. 9. 9.
3. From sleep in part. David lay upon the ground all night, 2 Sam. 12. 26. See Esth. 4. 3. Ioel 1. 13.
4. From costly attire, Exod. 33. 5, 6. heretofore they wore sackcloth and lay in ashes, and used all those actions which might humble them in Gods presence.
5. Carnal delights, Ioel 2. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 5.
6. The end must be religious, to be better fitted for prayer and seeking of God.Causae finales jejuniorum, 1. Ut per substractionem cibi & potus caro spiritui sujiciatur. 2. Ut animus ad serium poenitentiae exercitium excitetur. 3. Ut in lucta ac calamitatibus admoneamur de peccato, quod est causa omnium malorum. 4. Ut preces solennes eo ardentius à nobis peragantur. 5. Ut publici conventus Ecclesiastui majori cum animi devotione peragantur. Chemnit. in Harm. Evang. Sanctum ac legitimum jejunium tres habet fines. E… enim utimur ad macerandam ac subigendam carnem, ne lasciviat, vel ut ad pr…ces ac sanctas meditationes melius simus comparati, vel ut testimonium sit nostrae coram Deo humiliationis, dum volumus reatum nostrum coram ipso confiteri. Calvin. Instit. l. 4. De extern. med ad salutem. c. 12. De hominis jejuni saliva ita scribit. Plin. l. 28. c. 4. Hominum verò in primis jejunam salivam contra serpentes praesidio esse docuimus. Etiam Satanico serpenti jejunium displicet, & …ontra ejus artes, a… vires praesidio est. Novar. Schedias. sac. proph. l. 11. c. 15.
The ends of a Fast are two, humiliation and reconciliation, as appeareth, Levit. 23. 26. to 33. The things in which the Fast must be spent are exercises fitting these ends.
The means, 1. of Humiliation, are Natural or Spiritual.Daniel & others when they fasted some days together, took but little refreshment, the Disciples of Christ are accused that they did eat and drink.
The Natural are forbearance of food both meat and drink, so farre as it may stand with our ability, and not hinder ut from praying and good meditations, as also of work and labour, wherefore it is called sanctifying a Fast, Levit. 23. 28. Ioel 1. 14. and all natural delights otherwise lawful, Ioel 2. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 5. and lastly of costly attire, Ionah 3. 8. To appear in a mean habit is a natural help of abasing our selves, but in private Fasting we are bid to anoint our selves, Matth. 6. that we may not appear to fast.
The Spiritual helps are chiefly four:
1. Examining our hearts and lives that we may finde out our manifold sins,Such an usual companion of Fasting is the humiliation of the soul, that not only the faithfull in Scripture are said to humble their soul by Fasting, but sometimes also the outward Fasting is called the humbling of the soul, Psal. 35. 13. Isa. 58. 5. Levit. 23. 27, 32. 1 King. 21. 29. Lam. 3. 40.
2. The aggravation of our sins by considering their hainousnesse in regard of the ill effects, and the like.
3. Confessing them, and judging our selves for them.
4. Praying for the Spirit to humble us, bemoaning our own hardnesse.
These are Means for humiliation.
The Means secondly of Reconciliation are two,
First, To plant in our selves a firm purpose of leaving sinne, Isa. 1. 16, 18. by considering the necessity, profit and difficulty of leaving sinne; and Gods promises to help us, and by fervent prayers to him to encline our hearts to his testimonies, and to strengthen us that sin may not overcome us.
Secondly, To settle our hearts in a stedfast confidence of his mercy in Christ, pardoning and accepting us. This may be wrought by considering the multitude of Gods mercies, the infinitenesse of Christs merits, the largenesse of Gods promises, and the examples of those whom he hath pardoned, and then by crying earnestly to him to strengthen our faith, and seal up our adoption to us by his Spirit.
The usual time of a Fast is a natural day from Even to Even, or from Supper toAn artificial day is the least space of time to be so bestowed, from morning till night, till six of the clock in the afternoon, or Sun-setting. See Mason of Fasting. Supper, Iudg. 20. 26. 2 Sam. 1. 12. & 3. 35. Iosh 7. 6.
We reade of a three dayes Fast in Nineveh, …onah 3. 7. and in Esther and her Maids, and in Paul, Acts 9. 9. and of seven dayes Fast, 1 Sam. 12. 16, 17, 18. and of Daniels Fast (abstaining from all pleasant bread and drink, and giving himself to prayer and humiliation) for three whole weeks, Daniel 10. 1, 2. And we reade of Fasting alone till Even, Iudges 20. 23, 26. & 21. 2. 2 Samuel 1. 12. & 3. 36.
Such a Fast may either be kept of many together, a whole Congregation publickly, or by a few, that is a Family or two privately, or else by one alone secretly, as we may perceive in the former examples. In private and solitary Fasting we should carry the matter so, that it may be private, and we may not appear to Fast. Some think it not therefore convenient for so many to meet in a private Fast, as may make the face of a Congregation, and that go beyond the number of a usual family or two, for this (say they) is to turn a private duty into a publick.
The times for Fasting are
First, When Gods judgements are ready to fall upon us, either personal or publick judgements, then there is reason for a private or publick Fast, so Ezra's Fast was because of the great desolations upon the Church, and Esthers because of the bloudy Proclamation to kill all the Jews.
Secondly, When we desire to obtain any publick or particular good, so Act. 13. when they desired publick good on the Ministery, they fasted and prayed. So Hannah for her particular, she fasted and prayed for a childe. When we undertake any great and dangerous businesse for which we need Gods help. See Matth. 4. 2. & 17. 21. Act. 13. 24. & 14. 23.
Thirdly, When we are pressed with some speciall sinne, 1 Corinth. 9. 27. 2 Cor. 12. 8.
A man is not bound to an acknowledgement of all his particular sinnes, when he comes solemnly to humble himself before God. He hath not such clear light to discern sinne, not so faithful a memory to retain it, nor is not so watchfull to consider his wayes, Psal. 19. 12. & 40. 12. Eccles. 1. 15. A general repentance sufficeth, because he that truly repents of all known sins repents of all sins. After some scandalous fals we must be more particular, Psal. 51. David chiefly spends his sorrow on that great sin. In deep distresse we must search diligently to finde out the sin that provokes God, Psal. 32.
We should rise early on a Fast, 2 Sam. 12. 16. Ioel 1. 13. It is probable that for this cause some lay on the ground, others in sackcloth in the night of their Fasts, not only to expresse, but further their humiliation by keeping them from sleeping overmuch or oversweetly.
Preaching was used by Gods people at their solemn Fasts, to quicken them toM. Hilders. on Psal. 51. 7. prayer, Nehem. 9. 3. compared with 8. 8. Ier, 36. 5, 6.
It is not unlawful to fast privately on the Lords-day, the service of the ordinary Sabbath is not contrary but helpfull to the exercise of mourning and godly sorrow; and when we conceive greatest sorrow for sinne, it is not unlawfull to rejoyce in our redemption by Jesus Christ: Christ forbad it not on that day, itM. Ball. not convenient for a publick Fast since it should be consecrated unto God onelyonly for that purpose.
We should remember the poor on that day, Isa. 58. 17. Quod ventri subtrahitur illud pauperi detur.
The Popish Fast is a mock Fast, worse then the Pharisaical, which yet is condemned by Christ.
First, Fasting is made in the Church of Rome a worship of God, and a work of righteousnesse. Iunius had much a do to keep a poor woman from despair, because she did eat flesh on some Fast-day, it lay upon her as if she had committed some grievous and unpardonable sin.
Secondly, It is religiously tied to fixed and certain times and dayes, whereas true Fasting is pro temporibus & causis. Tertul. de jejun.
Thirdly, They think to perform it by forbearing only flesh, when wine and other delicates are not forbidden, which Ierom justly calleth a superstitious Fast.B. Down. Christian exercise of Fasting. The three who fasted 40 dayes apiece, were Moses the giver of the Law, Elias the restorer of the Law, and Christ the fulfiller of i…. Broughton.
The fourty dayes Fast, which Moses, Elias and our Saviour Christ did fast, were miraculous, and therefore not to be imitated. Neither did they fast fourty dayes every year, but once only in all their life.
Augustine doth sometimes write of the fourty dayes Fast, that it hath a Divine Authority, but meaneth not an authority of precept, but of example, as Elias, Moses and Christ.
We observe Fasting-dayes, as we call them, by abstinence from flesh (indeed not Fasting-dayes but Fish-dayes, as the Law doth rather call them) not with any opinion either for the day, or for the abstinence of any holinesse therein, or Religion toward God, but only by way of obedience to politick Laws and duty to our Prince, the Law it self professing it self to be politickly intended. Abbot against Bishop.
In stead of Mundayes and Thursdayes used in the Synagogue, the Church appointed Wednesdaies and Fridaies for that purpose, holding in them a convenient distance from the Lords-day as these other did from the Sabbath. M. Thornd. Service of God at Religious Assem. c. 8.
The Papists allow a Break-fast, and they are allowed to eat all variety of roots, fruits, fishes, and whatsoever-junkets which have not any affinity with flesh. They are licensed to drink wine without exception, so that they eat and drink without intemperate excesse. Yet Bellarmine (l. 2. de bonis operibus c. 5.) saith, Vinum cal… faciendo corpus incitat in libidinem, Prov. 20. 1. Wine is luxurious, and in that respect it was called by the very Heathen foreign, the milk of Venus.
A childe partaking once of their delicate fast, not many daies after longing for the former kinde of dainties, cried to his mother, saying, Good Mother when shall we fast again? B. Mort. Appeal l. 2. c. 24. See D. Fulk on Rhem. Test. Col. 2. 23.
Bellarmine reports a story which makes much against him, of Spiridion a godly man, who had a guest come to him on a Fasting-day, and he set flesh before him having nothing else, I will not eat, saith the guest, because I am a Christian; Nay therefore (said he) eat, and make no difference, because thou art a Christian.
CHAP. XII. II. Holy Feasting or Religious Thanksgiving.
AN holy Feast is an extraordinary Thanksgiving for some notable deliveranceHilaris sol…nnitas, est sol…nnitas, qua Dei benesicia cum ga…dio & laetitia coram Deo, & nobis sumentes, & al…is tribuentes, Dei laudes praedicamus. Zech. 8 19. Psal. 116, 23. Fenneri Sacra Theol. l. 5. c. 2. out of some desperate danger, testified with feasting before God, with joy and gladnesse, sending Presents to our friends, and Portions to the needy.
Or thus:
It is the bestowing of an artificial day in the exercise of rejoycing, for the testifying and increasing of thankfulnesse for some special benefit.
There were three Feasts every year, and at least two of them to continue seven dayes apiece; but onelyonly one time of Fasting, and that but for one day. God would have us to abound more in joy then sorrow, therefore he saith, Rejoyce alwayes, Phil. 4, 4. but not so of mourning. This our Saviour may seem to mean in Luke, when he saith, No man when he hath drunk old wine presently drinks new, for the old is better. Fasting is new wine, not so good, nor comfortable, nor wholsome, as old. Godly joy is good of it self, and the end whereat godly sorrow aimeth; godly sorrow is good alone by accident, as it prepares the way and fits the soul for godly joy. Godly sorrow is the medicine of a Christian soul, godly joy the food, and food is better then physick.
A day of Fasting and Prayer is a sweet day: A Thanksgiving day sweeter: For in a day of Fasting and Prayer we deal with the anger, wrath and displeasure of God. In a day of Thanksgiving with the love and merciemercy of God. In a day of Fasting and Prayer we exercise grief: but in a day of Thanksgiving we exercise love and joy. In a day of Fasting and Prayer our eye is upon our sins, in a day of Thanksgiving upon our graces, to be thankfull for them. M. Bridge on 1 Thess. 5. 18.
Not only publick Feasts of the Church, but private feasts of some Family were in use in the Church of Israel, and are very lawful, 1 Sam. 20. 29.
The Exercises which must help our Thanksgiving on such dayes, are partly Natural, partly Spiritual.
The Natural are,
1. To eat the fat and drink the sweet, that is, to fare of the best, and that liberally, as Nehem. 8. 10. at which time the rest should be sent to the poor.
2. To have helps to mirth and cheerfulnesse.
The Spiritual, are singing of Psalms, meditating and talking of Gods benefits, and prayers to God, consisting most of praises, and the like.
As no abuse of Idolaters can make it unlawfull to fast, even in those times when they did fast superstitiously: So neither can any abuse of Idolaters make it unlawfull to use such Feasts; onelyonly provided that we take heed of surfetting, drunkennesse and superstition.