Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 1 · Chapter 6 · Verse 16 – Verse 17
Verse 16. Moreover, when ye fast.]
Fast then they must, … even after the Lords ascension, when Gods grace and Spirit was poured upon them in all abundance, Luk. 5 35. This exercise hath still the warrant and weight of a duty, as well from precepts as examples of both Testaments, And he that blamed the Pharisees… 2. …. here for fasting amisse, will much more blame those that fast not…. 22. 12. … 9. 14, 15.at all, The Israelites (besides other occasionall) had their annuallActs …. 3. fast appointed them by God, Lev. 23. 27. It was called a day… 7 5. of Expiations or Attonements in the plurall; because of their many and sundry sinnes they were then to bewail and get pardon for. God had appointed them sundry sacrifices for severall sinnes: But for … as it might not be safe to confesse some sinnes to the Priest (as those that might bring them, by the Law, in danger of death) of his grace he vouchsafed them this yearly fast, for expiation of their secret sinnes, and making their peace with their Maker, by a generall humiliation. Now, albeit the circumstance of time be abolished, the equity of the duty abideth, and tieth us no … (if not more) then it did the Jews. Heathen … practised it: so did, in their superstitious way, the AEgyptian Priests, the Persian Magi, Indian Wizzards, Priamus in Homer, &c. The Turks at this day have their solemn fasts, (as before the fatall assault of Constantinople) wherein they will not so much as taste a cup of water, or wash their mouthes with water all the day long, before the starres appear in the skie: which maketh their fasts (especially in the summer, when the daies be long and hot,) to be unto them very tedious. In the year of grace 1030.Turk. Hist. fol. …, 777. there arose a … of Fasters, that affirmed, that to fast on Saturdaies with bread and water (as they called it) would suffice toEx illa Syno. dica conclusione, seriâ … jejunare constituerat, secta illa le junantium, originem suam habuisse videatur. Funcc. Chronol. the remission of all sinnes; so that men bound themselves to it by oath. And many French Bishops voted with them: But Gerardus Episcopus Cameracensis withstood and abandoned them. So great ignorance was there, even then, of the merits of Christ among the governours of the Church. The Papists slander us, that we count fasting no duty, but only a morall temperance, a fasting from sinne, a matter of meer policie: And out-brave us, as much as the Pharisees did the Disciples with their often fasting. But, as we cannot but finde fault with their fasts in that; First, They set and appoint certain fasting-daies howsoever, to be observed, upon pain of damnation, be the times clear or cloudy, &c. Secondly, They fast from certain meats only, not all; which is a meer mock-fast, and a doctrine of devils, 1 Tim. 4. 3. Thirdly, They make it a serviceCave, ne si … coeperis, te … esse sanctum! …, non …, &c. …, ad …. of God, yet consecrate it to the Saints. Fourthly, They make shamefull sale of it. Fifthly, They ascribe (as those older Hereticks) merit unto it, even to the meer outward abstinence, as these Pharisees did, and those hypocrites in Isaiah, chap. 58. 3. Now as we cannot but condemn their superstition, so neither is our forlorn oscitancy and dullnesse to this duty to be excused. God hath given us, alate especially (many gracious opportunities of publike Humiliations, more, I think, then ever before, since the Reformation: But …, how doe many fast, at such times, for fashion, fear of Law, or of meer form; so that they had need to send, as the Prophet speaketh, for mourning women, that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn, Ier. 19. 17? And for private fasting, whether domesticall with a mans family, Zech. 12. 12. 1 Cor. 7. 5. Acts 10. 30. or personall by himself, as here, Matth. 6. 17. We may … to have dealt with it, as the Romanes with the Tarquines: they banished all of that name for Superbus his sake. And as the Nicopolites are said to have hated the braying of an …, that, for that cause, they would not endure the sound of …: So many are departed so farre from Popish fasts, … fast not at all; and so open the mouthes of the adversaries. But acquaint thy self with this duty, thou that wouldest be … with God. It is a fore-tast of eternall life, … in holy practises we tast the sweetnesse of that heavenly Manna, this Angels food, those soul-fatting viands, that makes us, for a time, to forbear our appointed food. It is a help to the understanding of heavenly mysteries, as Daniel found it, It fits us for conversion,… 9 …. Ioel 2. 12. and furthers it, Acts 9. 9. Hence it is called a … of Humiliation, or of humbling the soul, Lev. 16. because God usually by that Ordinance gives an humble heart, to the which he hath promised both grace, 1 Pet. 5. 5, and glory, Prov. 15. 33. It … out corruption, and is to the soul as washing to a room, which is more then sweeping; or as scouring to the vessel, which is more then ordinary washing. It subdues rebell-flesh, which with fullnesse1 …. 9. 27. …. 16.of bread will wax wanton, as Sodom, …, …. …. 32. 15.It testifies true repentance, by this holy revenge, 2 Cor. 7. 11.…. …. …. whiles we thus amerce and punish our selves, by a voluntary forgoing…. of the … and commodities of life, as altogether unworthy, Psal. 35. 13. What shall I say more? Hereby we are daily drawn to more obedience, and love to God, faith in him, and communion with him; a more holy frame of soul, and habit of heavenly-mindednesse: Whence our Saviour, after this direction for fasting, immediatly subjoins that of laying up for our selves, treasure in heaven, ver. 19, 20. And lastly our prayers shall be hereby edged, winged, and made to soar aloft, which before flagged, sainted, and as it were groveled on the ground. Therefore…. our Saviour, here, next after matter of prayer, adds this of fasting, which is a necessary adjunct of prayer (that which is extraordinary especially) as that which very much fits the heart for prayer,Bern. …. …. 4. and the severe practise of repentance. Hence it is, that else where, these two fasting and prayer go coupled, for most part, as Luk. …. 37. Matth. 17. 21. 1 Cor. 7. 5, &c. A full belly, neither studies, nor prayes willingly. Fasting enflames prayer, and prayer … fasting; especially, when we fast and weep, Joel 2. 13. fast and watch, watch and pray, and take heed to both, Mark. 13. 33.
Be not as the hypocrites]
For they fast not to God, Zech. 7. 5, 11, 12. but to themselves, they pine the body, but pamper the flesh,Quid … absti. …, … super. bia? ….they hang down their heads, Isa. 58. 5. but their hearts stand bolt … within them. Their fasting is either superstitious or secure; whiles they rest in the work done, or with opinion of merit; whereas the Kingdom of heaven is not in meat and drink. And whether we eat or eat not, we are neither the more nor the lesse…. 14. 17. accepted of God, They fast for strife and debate, and to make…. …. …. their voices to be heard on high: Whereas secrecy in this duty, is…, 58. 4. the … argument of sincerity. They loose not the bands of wickednesse, nor break off their sinnes by repentance: therefore God regards not (which they repine at) but rejects their considence, and answers them according to the idols of their hearts. When they fast, saith he, I will not hear their cry, Jer. 14. 1, 2. they are not… san. … as duplex iniquit as, a button the better for all they can doe. Displeasing service proves a double dishonour; their outsidenesse is an utter abomination: they present the Great King with an empty cask, with a heartlesse sacrifice, with a bare carcasse of Religion, as the Poets feign of ….
Of a sad countenance]
Make not a sowre face, look not grimforeign, … oculis, & subductus supercilijs … Chemnit. foreign, Christus-alladit ad …, quibus Mimi velati in … prodibant, ut cum alias essent … sellivè, ridiculi, repraesenta … vultum …. …. Chemnit. and gastly, as the word signifieth; so that one would be afraid to look on them, they doe so disfigure their faces, so wanze and wither their countenences, so deform, and (as S. Ierom rendreth it) demolish their naturall complexions; pining themselves, to make their faces pale and meager, that they may be noted and noticed for great fasters. Such a one was that Non-such Ahab, and those … bullrushes, Isa. 58. 5. those hollow hypocrites, Ier. 14. 12. that proud Patriarch of Constantinople, that first affected the stile of Universall Bishop; and is therefore pointed at by Gregory the great, as the forerunner of Antichrist: yet by his frequent fasting, this proud man merited to be sirnamed Iohannes Nestentes, Iohn the Faster. Such pains men will put themselves to for a Name, so far they will trouble themselves to go to hell with credit. The Jesuits had set forth a Psalter, a little afore theArch. Vsher, Gravis. quest. powder plot should have been acted, for the good successe of a wicked counter-Parliament. And to increase the iniquity, with wicked Iezabel, they would colour it with a fast: yea with blasphemous Rabshakeh, they would by their hypocriticall practises, bearSpec. bel sac. the world in hand, that they came not up against us without the Lord.
That they may appear unto men to fast.]
There is a great deal of seemingnesse, and much counterfeit grace abroad. The sorcerers seemed to doe as much as Moses, the Pharisees to doe more, this way, then the Disciples. But bodily exercise profiteth little. Somewhat it may get at Gods hands, as Ahab, for a temporary repentance, had a temporall deliverance; such is Gods munificence, he is rich in mercy, to all that doe him any duty. But if the leaves of this … be so medicinable, what is the fruit? If the shadow thereof be so …, what the substance? If the shell so profitable,…. what the kernell? Oh let us rather seek to be good, then … to be so: lest the Lord say of our outward shews, as Iacob said of Iosephs coat, Gen. 37. 33. the coat is the coat of my sonne, some evil beast hath devoured him. So, the outward form of their fasting, praying, practising, is the form of my sonnes and daughters, but some evil spirit hath devoured them, that use it in hypocrisie. Lest men also say unto such, as John Caepocius did to Pope Innocent the third, preaching peace, and sowing discord; You speak like a God, but doe like a devil. You are fair professours,…. but foul sinners. And when the filthy sinner goes damned to hell, what shall become of the seeming Saint? As the clown said to the Bishop of Cullen praying in the Church like a Bishop, but as he was Duke, going guarded like a tyrant, Whither thinkest thou the… of …. Bishop shall go, when the Duke shall be damned?
They have their reward]
All they lookt after, and all they are to look for. The Eagle though she fly high, yet hath an eye to the prey below all the while. So hath the hypocrite to profit, credit, or … other base respects, and let him take it, saith our Saviour. Non equidem invideo, miror magis.— Breath they have for breath; much good doe them with it.
Verse 17. But thou when thou fastest, anoint thine head, &c.]
Not but that a man is bound at such a time, to abridge … of … …comforts and delights of life, whence it is called a day of restraint, Joel 2. 15. and of afflicting the soul. The Ninevites sate in …, as unworthy … any covering. Others put ashes on their heads, in token that they deserved to be as far …, as now … were above ground. David lay on the …, 2 …. 12. 16. Daniel laid aside all delights of sense, as musick, mirth, …, …, &c. Our Saviour fasted to the humbling of his soul, Psal. 35 13. weakning of his knees, Psal. 69. 10. … and … of … body, Psal. 109 24. And when … the … ….… him wine mingled with myrthe, to …, and make him … sensible of his pain, he received it not, …. 15 23. To … us (… a …) in our extraordinary humilations for our sinnes, to forbear all such refreshments as might hinder the course of our just griefs. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heavinesse, Jam. 4 9. such…. a … as may be seen in the countenance, as the word ….… & foreign, … comedere. foreign, … vultus demis. sione. Budaeus. But when our Saviour biddeth, anoint the head, at such a time, and wash the face, it is, as he expounds himself, that we may not appear to men to fast: In a private fast, eschewing wholly the …; in a publike, not performing to the shew, or to this end, that we may be ….