Of Repentance and Fasting, Title page – Illustration
A Treatiſe OF REPENTANCE AND OF FASTING, Eſpecially of the LENT-FAST.
In III. Parts.
Poenitentia eſt malè perpetrata plangere, & plangenda minimè perpetrare.
LONDON, Printed for R. Royſton, Bookſeller to His moſt Sacred Majeſty. M DC LXXXVI.
IMPRIMATUR.
Jo. Battely, Rmo P. Dno Wilhelm. Archiep. Cantuar. à Sacris Domeſticis. Ex Aedib. Lamb. Oct. 31. 1685.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
THE Author of this little Treatiſe, deſigned it as a Manual, not of Controverſie, but regular Piety, and for common Uſe. He did not, therefore, think fit to add any thing by way of Diſputation concerning thoſe Doctrines and Practices in the Roman Church, which reſpect Faſting and other Bodily Auſterities.
It had been very eaſie for him to have written a more Learned Book; but, all things conſider'd, he could not (it may be) have publiſhed, at this time, any thing more ſeaſonable, and generally uſeful.
We abound with Books upon other practical Subjects; though, by reaſon of the ſeveral tempers and capacities of Readers, which in the ſame matter, require variety of Form, we cannot complain of a ſuperfluity.
But, upon This Argument, we meet not with great plenty of diſtinct Treatiſes, unleſs we put ſuch into the number as the Writers have tranſcribed, ſome from Fancy, others from ſeverity of Nature. For Epicures are not more humourous in their Rules of Luxury, than Monaſticks are in their Rules of Abſtinence.
It is happy, therefore, for the People that they have gain'd this Tract concerning Faſting, in which the Directions and Perſwaſives to a Mortified Life are not embaſed, either with Capricious Affectation, or Superſtitious Rigour. We have need of ſuch Directions, and of a ſtrict and temperate Practice ſuitable to them.
I intend not, by ſaying this, to accuſe all the Chriſtians of the Church of England as Libertines; but to quicken thoſe who live in a remiſneſs, which is not anſwerable to her Conſtitution. I know many in our Communion who lead lives exceeding Regular, and who Exerciſe themſelves in that which is truly Faſting. One day at leaſt in every Week they either Abſtain till Night, or uſe a ſmall quantity of ſome ordinary thing, which, in this Northern Air, may keep the Body from being unſerviceable to the Mind. Whereas often amongſt others, their Faſts, if they continue all day, are concluded with a Luxurious Supper, or (which is the common uſe) are but the uſing of another kind of Diet, and then they may Eat a plentiful Dinner: Though this change of Diet (eſpecially among the Rich) is no more Faſting, than change of Apparel is going naked. An Evening Collation alſo, is even then allow'd; and to Drink at all times of the day (according to their Caſuiſts) doth not diſſolve a Faſt. Filliutius, in particular, ſaith, that drinking Water, or Wine, or Beer, whether before or after Dinner, whether for nouriſhment or not, does not break a mans Faſt *Tract. xxvii. Pars 11. c. 2. Q. 10..
There is the like miſtake in a Thing near a kin to this, which it may not be amiſs, in this place, to Correct, becauſe ſome good People (I ſee) are apt to fall into it. There is a complaint amongſt us of want of Cells and Cloiſters, in which the Exerciſes of Mortification might be (as they think) more advantageouſly perform'd. But as we do not enviouſly leſſen the true Priviledges of other Places, or ſcornfully forbear to wiſh among our ſelves any good which is in others; ſo we really believe it is much better to be without ſuch Religious Houſes, than to have them ſo Conſtituted and Govern'd as they generally are in other Countries, and as they ſometime were amongſt our ſelves, where they have too much ſerved either to ſeed Sloth, or to heat Melancholy by myſtical Arts of muſing into Diſtraction; in which things, Humane Nature, as it is in imperfect Man, needs no Aſſiſtances.
Bleſſed be God, we have at this day, in this Judicious and Pious Church, very great conveniencies for the promoting of a Holy and Mortifi'd, and, if need be, a very retired Life. The Members of it may be Recluſes in both Sences of the word, which ſignifies, truly, Perſons at Liberty, and, abuſively, Perſons ſhut up. For there is not (that I know of) any City, or ſcarce a great Town, where there are not Religious Guides of good ability, publick Prayers Morning and Evening, frequent Sacraments, pious furniture for the Cloſet, together with good numbers of Perſons devoutly diſpoſed: And eſpecially in and by London theſe happy conveniencies are abundantly afforded, and (I thank God) by very many, heartily embraced. Now if any are inclin'd to live more privately, and (the ſtate of the World, and the affairs of their Families, well allowing it) to Dedicate a great part of their time to Heavenly Contemplation, and to the more immediate worſhip of God; they may ſerve the Holy purpoſes of Devotion, by retired Lodgings in ſuch Cities, and nigh ſuch Churches, generally much better (in my opinion) than by taking a Habit, and making a Vow, and committing themſelves, as it were, to a Religious Priſon.
They may be as Devout, and as Abſtemious as they pleaſe: They may chuſe their Converſation, which is not ſuch if it be not agreeable. They may go into the World as often as they ſee they can be uſeful to it; And they may ſhut it out when they judge its company to be inconvenient: And as ſoon as their love of Solitude is known, and the Looſe and Impertinent find their Diſcourſe not reliſh'd, and their Viſits not return'd, they will not uncivilly obtrude upon them. All this the Pious amongſt us may do upon choice; which is the true Salt of every Sacrifice we offer to God. They may do it without confinement to one Air, and one Place; to a Society, in which generally there is a Faction which makes it uneaſie to perſons of quiet Tempers; to the temptation of coveting forbidden Liberty; to Offices which, in their Nature, are Superſtitious, and, by their length and perpetual repetition, tedious and burthenſom.
They may retire without being looſed from the Bonds of their Duty to their Natural Parents, which, that great pretender to Mortification, the Abbé de l'Atrappe *Des devoirs de la vie Monaſtique, Tom. 2. Chap. 16. Queſt. 12, 13, &c. p. 55, &c. Ed. 2. p 57.—Si les enfans en ſe retirant—out perdu les parens qu'ils y avoient ſelon la chair; la Religion leur en a rendu d'autres ſelon l'Esprit, &c.will have to be cancell'd by the new Monaſtick alliance, and, as they call it, the moral Death and Burial of the Religious in a Cloiſter. They may be orderly without confinement to ſuch Rules as are either abſurd, unprofitable, or unfit for their temper, ſtrength, or preſent circumſtance. For example ſake, They need not be ſtinted, in the three hot months, to juſt ſo many draughts without the eſpecial Licence of the Superior; They need not be obliged to have all their Sallets dreſſed with Cheeſe and Oil; They need not be forbidden to ſleep in any Afternoon which comes not betwixt the Ides of May and September; or be enjoyn'd, as ſoon as they are riſen from their Tables, to betake themſelves to their Prayers: Which Rules, with many others, where diſcretion has had a leſs ſhare in the forming of them than Imagination, we find in a Body of them collected by Menardus *Menard. Conc. Reg. p. 713, 715, 815. &c.. And yet you are not to eſteem of ſuch Rules ¶Des devoirs, &c. Tom. 1. Chap. 2. Q. 3. p. 6.—Comme les loix écrites du doigt de Dieu.as Humane Inventions, but as Laws written by the very finger of God, and receiv'd (as they ſay the Rule of S. Pachomius was) by the miniſtery of an Angel. And you are to believe the Superior is the Vicar of Chriſt *Ib. p. 147..
Doubtleſs a mixt Life is the moſt profitable for the ſtate of the World; and S. Auſtin himſelf eſteemed it to be ſo; and Monſieur Godeau *La vie de S. A▪ p. 560, 561., though a Biſhop of the Roman Church, agrees with him in that opinion. So that the words of David, [Thou haſt broken my Bonds in ſunder] which (they ſay) determined the thoughts of the Count de Bouchage *L'Hiſt. du Card. de Joyeuſe, p. 19.to a Monaſtick retreat, ſhould (one would think) both by the ſound, and by the Moral ſence of them, have rather releaſed him from the narrow limits of his penſive inclination.
But I forget that I am not to make this Entrance too large; and I ought not any longer to detain the Reader from the Book it ſelf. I will therefore ſay no more, but that I wiſh this Pious Treatiſe may come into many hands before that Solemn time of Mortification, which is approaching; and that it may be a means, by promoting true Chriſtian Sobriety, to counterbalance that Senſuality amongſt us, which needs ſuch a real and exemplary reprehenſion.
THE CONTENTS.
PART I.
CHAP. I. OF Repentance in General. Page 1.
CHAP. II. Of Sorrow for Sin, in Particular. pag. 6.
CHAP. III. Concerning outward Acts of Sorrow. pag. 8.
CHAP. IV. Of the Chriſtian Practice in this matter. pag. 19.
CHAP. V. The uſe of Bodily Exerciſes. pag. 28.
CHAP. VI. The Abuſe of theſe Exerciſes ought not to hinder the Ʋſe: wherein a further account is given of them. pag. 35.
CHAP. VII. Some Cautions to prevent miſunderſtanding in this matter. pag. 49.
CHAP. VIII. The Ʋſe which Wicked men ought to make of this Doctrine. pag. 57.
CHAP. IX. What Ʋſe the Better ſort ought to make of it. pag. 67.
PART II. Concerning FASTING.
CHAP. X. WHat is meant by Faſting. pag. 85.
CHAP. XI. Of the Obligation we have to Faſt. pag. 93.
CHAP. XII. The Ends and Ʋſes of Religious Faſting. pag. 100.
CHAP. XIII. Of Faſting-days; particularly Wedneſdays and Fridays. pag. 112.
CHAP. XIV. Satisfaction to ſome Exceptions. pag. 128.
PART III. OF THE LENT FAST.
CHAP. XV. OF the Antiquity of the Lent, or Spring Faſt. pag. 137.
CHAP. XVI. Of the Variety in its Obſervation. pag. 142.
CHAP. XVII. Of the Manner of its Obſervation. pag. 154.
CHAP. XVIII. The great Ʋſefulneſs thereof. pag. 161
CHAP. XIX. A further Satisfaction to ſone Objections. pag. 179
CHAP. XX. The Concluſion of the Whole. pag. 196
Marie waſhing CHRISTS feet.
IOH. 12. 7Then ſaid Ieſus let her alone: Againſt the day of my burying hath ſhe kept this. 8 For the poore alwayes ye hauehave with you, but me ye hauehave not alwayes.