poore should so want if wee had not too much It is verie meete therefore that wee should take the lesse that they might haue the more Moreouer this sanction hath politique respects conuenient and behouefull to the Common-wealth For the increase of cattell therby is maintained The brood of the land thereby being preserued for the which the LeÌ„ten-time most seasonably is appointed And nauigatioÌ„ therby is better continued for the bringing in and spending Gods blessings by the Sea For which all the Annuall appointed fasts doo most conueniently serue It hath also this both godly and politique regarde That is our obedience vnto her sacred Maiestie and the preseruation of the vnitie of the church of God Euseb lib 5 cap 24 And this vse did Eusebius make of it And so did Irenaeus who when as Victor the Bishop of Rome would haue excommucated the East Church because in the orderly obseruation of Lent it did not agree with the Church of Rome he reasoneth with him thus What sayth he cannot we liue in loue and vnitie togither albeit they liue according to their rites and wee conforme our selues vnto out owne customes Saint Augustine setteth downe an excellent course in this case to bee taken which hee had learned of his maister Ambrose the godly and reuerend Bishop of Mediclanum and it is worthie of due regard Aug casulano presbyteto epi 86. in fine and it is this Indicabo libi quid mihi de ieiunio quaerenti responderit venerandus Ambrnsius Episcopus Mediolanensis nam cuÌ„ in eadem Ciuitate mater mea mecum esset illa sollicitudinem gereret vtrum secundum morem nostrae Ciuitatis sibi esset sabbato ieius nandum an ecclesiae Mediolanensis more prans dendum vt hac eam cunctatione liberarem interrogaui hoc supradictum hominem dei At ille quid possum inquit hinc docere amplius quam ipse sacio quando hic sum non ieiuno sabbato quando Romae sum ieiuno sabbato ad quamcunque EcclaesiaÌ„ veneritis inquit eius morem sernate si pati scandalum non vultis aut faeere That is I will tell thee what aunswere the reuerend father Ambrose Bishop of Mediolanum made vnto a question which I propounded vnto him of fasting when my mother was with mee in the same Cittie and shâ—e tooke care whether shee should fast according to the order of our Citie vpon the Sabboth day or take her dinner after the custome of the Church of Millan that I might resolue her herein I asked the fore say de man of God this question who replied saying herein what can I prescribe thee else but that which I doo my selfe when I am here I fast not vppon the Sabboth but when I am at Rome I fast vpon the Sabboth and to what Church soeuer you do repaire keepe the order and practise of that Church if you will take no offence nor giue no offence Wherefore since our Church hath receiued Lent and other dayes of fast let vs for godlie order sake that wee bee not offensiue according to the godly counsaile of this father diligently keepe them CHAP. V. of the definition of a true fast and of that fast which is spirituall HAuing thus distinguished of fasting ripped vp these former kinds which are not propper to that fast I would entreate of which is the true and speciall fast It is now necessarie that wee describe and define the nature and properties of this true fast and discourse of the speciall adiuncts and duties thervnto belonging This fast is an abstinencie The definition of a true fast from all meate and drink from all other things which might refresh and recreate the bodie with a godly sorrow and humilitie of minde crauing the mercy and fauour of God to be extended vpon vs. The seuerall parts of this definition shal bee orderly illustrated in their due course Wee must first examine the Genus of it which is here said to be an abstinencie and here againe wee haue occasion of distinguishing because this abstinency stretcheth verie farre and is of two sorts There is abstinentia vitiorum and abstinentia ciborum There is an abstinence from sinne A double fast and an abstmence from meate this double abstinence maketh a double fast Spirituall The one spirituall which is a fast from sinne the other corporall corporall which is a fast from meate The last is for the first for without the first the last is nothing worth Of this double fast the Prophet Esay in the person of God verie expresly and plainely maketh mention and sheweth that the one without the Other is superfluous Esay 58 5 6 7 8 9. Is it sayth he such a fast that I haue chosen that a man should afflict his soule for a day and to bow down his head as a Bulrush and to lie downe in sackcloath and ashes Wilt thou call this a fasting or an acceptable day to the Lorde Is not this the fasting that I haue chosen to loose the bands of wickednesse to take off the heauie burthen and to let the oppressed go free and that ye breake euery yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that wander vnto thine house When thou feest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh Then shal thy light breake forth as the morning thy righteousnes shall go before thee and the glorie of the Lord shall embrace thee Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt crie and he shall say here I am This is the perfect Christian fast which is restrained to no time place nor choise of dyet but is to be obserued in the midst of any feast Cicero Omnibus in rebus siue forensibus siue domesticis siue tecum agas quid fiue cum altero contrahas peregrinatur nobisâ— cum rusticatur nollo loco excluditur nunquam intempestiuum nunquam molestum est In all affaires either domestical or forreine whether thou doost any thing priuatlie or bargainest with another whether thou sittest still or trauailest it is no where excluded it is neuer vntimely or troublesome vnto vs. Non quaero a quo cibo abstineas Aug Tom 9 de vtilit Iciunii sed quem cibum diligas dilig is Iustitiam appareat ergo Iustitia tua I do not aske from what meate thou doost abstaine but what meat thou doost loue doost thou loue righteousnesse Therefore let thy righteousnesse appeare Fast from all things whereby thou may est doo wrong whereby thy Christian brother may bee oppressed or iniured for the bondes of wickednesse before named by the Prophet are cunning bargaines and deceytfull shiftes whereby wee get our neighbours into bondes either for corne which is the trade of diuerse catchpolles whereby manie a poore man is so bound as hee neuer can get loose againe or else by wares sold at a huge rate for a little time that
THE COGNIZANCE OF A TRVE CHRISTIAN or the outward markes whereby he may be the better knowne Consisting especially in these two duties Fasting and giuing of Almes verie needfull for these difficult times Diuided into two seuerall Treatises Published by Samuel Gardiner Batcheler of Diuinitie Iames 1.27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Aug. in Psal 43. VVilt thou haue thy prayers flie vp vnto God giue it two wings Fasting and Almes LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede and are to be sold by Nicholas Ling. 1597. To the most Reuerend Fathers and right worthie Prelates Iohn by Gods prouidence Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metrapolitan William Lord Bishop of Norwich his very good Lord and Maister Samuel Gardiner wisheth long life continuall honor and euerlasting happinesse WHereas there were late orders giuen vs in charge by publique authoritie seriously commaunding the strict obseruation of these two religious and Christian duties Fasting and giuing of Almes very fit for all times but most necessarie for these difficult seasons and late yeares of scarcitie I iudge it not amisse in some large discourse to dilate vppon them and that they might more zealously be performed to vrge by al the plausible arguments that I coulde the necessitie of theÌ„ For there be too many defectiue in these poynts who walking after their owne vngodly lusts do nothing else but sweate ouer their treÌ„chers in al Epicurisme without consideration of the affliction of Ioseph wallowing theÌ„selues like the sensuall and carnal Iouinianistes whoÌ„ Augustine reproueth Aug. de haeresibus â—nd Quod vult deum Ambr. Tom. 3 Serm. 37 1 Cor. 15 who vtterly did reiect and condemne all Fasting and not vnlike Sarmotian and Barbatian gluttonous lubbers whom Ambrose remembreth finally like the beasts whom Paul fought withall in the maner of men at Ephesus who said amoÌ„g themselues Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die The schoole of these is great the mischiefe which they do is vnsufferable This kind of people most pestilently troubled the Church in the Apostles time Paul could not refraine weeping when he mentioned these vnto the Church of Philippos whose God was their bellie philip 2 Iud. 8. who wer carnally minded Holy Iude was also much infested with this crew VVho despised gouernment did speake euill of those who were in authoritie fleshly and not hauing the spirit This our happie Common-wealth is not a little troubled with refractory rabblements of prophane gospellers who liue loosely lewdly turning fasting into feasting charitie into crueltie They are so far froÌ„ fasting feeding of the poor as they do nothing els but surfet theÌ„selues and fleece the poore They rauish them as Dauid saith when they get theÌ„ in their nets Basil The reuerend father Basil speaketh of such vngodly fellowes who abounded in his time who for al their supercilious lookes graue gestures and counterfeit constrained holinesse were so wretchedly minded as they wold not contribute the least peece of money towards the reliefe of the poore or any godly vse they would first torment a begger with a hundretd questions before they would sustain him with the smallest deuotion But these times I am perswaded do exceed all the times that haue gone before vs and doo seeme to haue come now to their extremitie There cannot be a more effectuall signe of a consuming and dying bodie then the coldnesse of the bodie and therefore it was said of Dauid 1. Reg. 1. that when he was readie to die that they couered him with cloathes but no heate came vnto him it is a token of a dead soule when as it is cold in duties of deuotion and cannot be warmed by the pittifull and patheticall out cries of the poore When the sicke man with greedinesse laieth hold vpoÌ„ his bed and violently wold draw the couerlets sheets and whatsoeuer hee can claspe vnto himselfe we say that man will die The world now with all the Art they can seeke to draw into their possessions the reuenues of the Bishoprikes and the zelous coÌ„tributions of our godly ancestors vnto the Church it is to be concluded therfore Mar. 12 Matt. 25 Matt. 7â— the the world shall shortly die We were neuer greater professors and lesse practisers The figge tree had leaues but no fruit the foolish Virgins had oyle but no lampes we go in sheepes clothing but inwardly are rauenous wolues When as Iehu King of Israell went to kill the sonnes of Achab and destroie Baals priests he met a souldier by the way and said to him Is thy hart right towards mee Who answered yea 2. Reg. 10 Iehu replied then giue me thy hand So Christ the true King of Israel who came into this worlde to destroy Idolatry asketh of vs that make our selues professors of his name the same question whether our hearts be right towards him if wee say yea hee asketh our handes that are the instruments of good works In the old law God comaunded that the skinne of euery beast which should be for a sacrifice should bee drawne off The skin is the outward couering so our outward couering and dissimulation must be pulled off we must expres our religion in our deeds But it is far otherwise for how little fasting and how great feasting and that vppon dayes and nights inhibited by godly authority is now to be seene Wheras there should bee no beggers in Israel by our vnsatiable and extreame couetousnesse beggers doo increase and swarme in euery place It appeareth that wee beare but little loue vnto her Maiestie by whom we liue who thus vnconscionably doo preferre our owne vngodly lusts before her godly lawes thinking that lawful which is lustfull vnto vs shifting off these her godly laÌ„wes to glut our affections like the grosse beastlie Atheists and Epicures whoÌ„ Ambrose thus describeth Multi sunt quibus cum ieiunium indicitur de intemperie se tempor is semper excusant Dicunt enim aestiuis mensibus Dies long a est fortior sol est torrentior sitim ferre non possumus poculis nos refrigerare debemus hyemis tempore algorem tolerare nequimus escis calefieri nos oportet It a hominis quorum animus semper est in prandio prandendi sibi causas inquirunt dum se a ieiuntis excusant tempora Creatoris accusant There are many saieth Ambrose who when as they are commaunded to fast doo excuse themselues by the wickednes of the time For they say in SoÌ„mer season the day is too long the Sun is hotter we are nor able to endure thirst let vs coole our selues with cuppes In Winter they replie we cannot abide the chilnesse of the weather we must warme our selues with meate Thus these men whose mindes are wholie set vppon their meate doo alwayes make occasion to dine and whiles they
moment For what discrepancie and contrarietie is betweene them The disagreemens betweene Christs fast and the fast of Lent may appeare by these circumstances First Christ wheÌ„ he fasted did eate nothing at all And thus much Luke witnesseth But the papistical Lent fast is but a restraint from certain kinds of meate as Egges Luke 4.2 flesh and alwhit emeates made of milke cramming themselues with all delightfull fishe drinking all strong Wines out of capable bowles and tempering and seasoning theyr platters and their cuppes with the intising spices and confections of the Appothecarie verie maine inforcements vnto all lasciuious lust And this is their fast like vnto the fast of the gluttonous priests in Saint Iheroms time which hee remembreth in a letter vnto Nepotian Hiero n. ad Nepo tian Quid prodest olco non vesci molestias quasdam difficultatesque ciborum quarere caricas piper nuces palmarumque fructus similam mel pistacia tota hortorum cultura vexatur vt cibario non vescamur pane dum delitias sectamur à regno caelorum retrahimur To what vse is it not to eate oyle and to hunt after meate which is not to bee gotten without labour and difficultie as figs pepper nuts dates cimnalles honey and pistack nuts which are to be sold by the Appothecarie euerie orchyard and garden is raked and searched that they might not eate housholde and ordinarie bread and thus while wee please our daintie tooth and follow our appetites wee are withdrawne from the kingdome of heauen Is not this the wonted guise of the popish fast of the lecherous Locusts vnsatiable bellie panches of the Romane sinagog who disquiet al ponds riuers seas to glut their gorges who vnder an hypocriticall and deceitfull profession which they doo make of fasting Curios simulant bacchanalia viuunt While they therefore liue thus howe come they neere in any right imitation this example of Christs fast Secondly they do palpably and grossely erre in repeating yeerely their solemne fast of Lent contrarie to the president and example of Christ who fasted but one yeare Thirdly in abridging vs of our Christian libertie putting a difference betweene meates for holinesse sake and forbidding some meates as vncleane or vnlawfull which is the doctrine of diuelles 1 Tim 4. 4 For euery Creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused so it be receiued with thankesgiuing For that which entreth in at the mouth defileth not the maÌ„ Mat. 15 18 And it is not meate that maketh vs acceptable vnto god for neither if we eate haue wee the mere neither if we eate not 1 Cor 1 8 Col 2 16. haue wee the lesse Let no man therefore condemne vs in meate or drinke Spiridion Bishop of Cyprus It is a famous and memorable example that wee reade of Spiridion Bishop of Cyprus when as he did sette flesh in the time of Lent before a stranger that came into his house and he refused to taste of it because it was lent giuing this reason because hee was a Christian grauely and wisely replied in this sort therefore thou shouldest eate of it because thou art a Christian for all things are cleane to those that are cleane Last of all this is no lesse an errour then the former that they limit and tie this theyr solemne fast vnto a certaine time contrarie to the vse and custome of the Church there beeing as we reade a great difference betweene diuers Churches about the constitution of the time Hist tripartit lib. 9. cap 38 whilst the Romanes would haue but three weekes before Easter the Church of Alexandria sixe others seauen for their fast of Lent The scriptures moreouer not commanding an appointed time but enjoyning our publike fast to bee vsed for publike causes which they haue expressed Of which more shall bee spoken GOD willing afterwarde By these and many other the like circumstances which might easily be gathered out of the confused Chaos and rable of their ceremonies appertaining to theyr fastings it is manifest inough that howsoeuer the obseruation of the time of Lent crept first into the Church It hath no fitte allusion and relation vnto Christs fast but it came in meerly by a preposterous and peruerse imitation of Christ wee make not therefore any reckoning of this time as if our exact and austere keeping of this Tho. Aqin Ambros. were any way meritorious as the Papists would haue it or as if it were of necessitie to bee imposed as Ambros affirmeth But wee iudge it simplie considered in his nature to be free for all christians and that it bindeth not the conscience to commit it or omit it CHAP. IIII. Of the lawfull and necessary vse of Lent and of other set and appointed dayes of fast ordained and kept by the Church of England BVt least either the superstitious Papists or newe fangled Annabaptists should from hence be animated and take occasion licenciously and presumptuously to censure our Church for retaining stil this time while not vnderstanding the ende for which we keepe it they might either thinke that wee might better break it or els with the Oratour iudge it a strange course Vt aequum fit in Naeuio quod iniquum est in Quinctio Cic. orat pro Qâ—nicâ— That it should bee commended in the Protestants which is condemned in the Papists It is most coÌ„uenient that we shuld not be mistaken misconstrued in the premisses immediatly to insert the causes vse of this time of Lent as of all other times which her highnesse lawes hath decreed to be obserued Wee would be therefore thus vnderstood that we doo not simply gainesay this time But this is that we onely sland vpon that it is no imitation of Christ his fast that no merit is to be reposed in the same But we hold it that it is needful that there shuld be times prefixed for religious duties and among others for the exercise of fasting We suppose the Lent and other set seasons straightly to be kept for two especiall endes The first godly The second pollitike Two ends for which we keepe the Lent and other daies of fast The godly ende is this that our bodies beeing not aggrauated or surcharged as at other times our minds may be apter to contemplation and holy meditation For as the ship that is ouerburthened will soone sinke Godly and the Gunne that is ouer charged will quickly flie a peeces Pollitike Simâ—rudes and the Hawke that is full gorged will not come to the hande so when we are ouerdieted we do easily sink our mindes are crazed and wee list not to come to our maisters hande who all the day long stretcheth out his hand to vs a wicked and gainsaying people There is further this religious and godlie ende and effect of these fastings The charitable and necessarie reliefe of the poore whom God hath so peremptorilie commended to our care It were impossible that the
perfectè nutrire Prayer is the refreshing of fasting A Similitude for as there is no sufficient repast without drink so fasting without prayer cannot perfectly nourish the souâ—e Fasting doth take away all dulnesse from the mind and prepareth it to God and prayer doth eleuate and carrie vppe the mind and ioyne it vnto God If thou laist an Egge into the fire An apt Sâ—militude without cracking it in the ende the force of the fire working against it bursteth it a sunder but if before it receiueth the heate thou dost breake it a little it will remaine sound and will breake no further So in like sort when thou shalt come to Christ if thou shalt come whole fatte full and shalt not cracke and bruise thy selfe a little by fasting and prayer thou wilt languish and grow faint in prayer and meditation But if thou shalt humble thy selfe by these meâ—nes thou shalt not giue ouer but readily with pleasure continue in prayer An experience of this wee haue in the young men of Babilon Daniels companions Dan. 1. who fasting and abstaining from the Kings meate and dieting themselues with water and pulse not onely thriued well therewith and looked in theyr Faces more beautifull then those who glutted themselues with iunckets of the Court but beeing cast into the fire and hot furnace of of the King like an egge or a chesnut did not breake a sunder with the violence of the heate and surie of the flame but it put a new song into their mouthes cueÌ„ a thanksgiuing vnto their God praying vnto God and saying 〈◊〉 3. O all ye works of the Lord praise ye the Lord and magnifie him for euer It is vsuall with the saints holy men of God as we may see in the Scriptures either in their priuate or publike fasts to giue themselues to prayer Chr. 20 So did Iehosophat when as he was to fight against the Moabites the Ammonites he gathered all Iudah togither before the Lord and fasted and prayed When as the Prophet Ioel called vpon the people to sanctifie a fast l 2 hee willed all the people to be gathered together and conuented the Priests and Ministers of the Lord causing them to stand betweene the Poreh the Alter prescribing vnto them a solemne forme of prayer When the king and Nobles and people of Nineue were conuerted by the preaching of Ionas they not onely fasted but also prayed and cryed mightily vnto God Anna the daughter of Phanuel went not out of the temple but serued God with fastings and praiersal the day and night Cornelius being not yet conuerted was in his fastings and prayers at the ninth houre of the day Acts 10. Fasting and prayer like Hipocrates two twinnes must go hande in hand together and so shal you commonly finde them consorted and combined in the scriptures Christ putteth them togither teaching his disciples with what weapons they must resist the diuel saying Mat. 17 This kind no otherwise goeth out but by fasting and prayer So doth Paul 1 Cot 7 willing those that are married to seperate themselues with consent for a time that they may giue themselues to fasting and prayer Else-where he conioyneth them discribing vnto vs the adiuncts and properties of a widow indeed 1 Tim 3 which are to trust in God and to continue in supplications and fastings night day Wherefore those things that god hath ioyned together let no man put asunder Mar. 10 Let our temporall fasting therefore bee for a spirituall ende that our bodies being humbled our minds may bee humbled vnto the Lord. To this effect Saint Austine speaketh sweetely Aug. de tempore Serm. 5â— Sicut caro per famem inopiam tenuis sicca velut quoddam simulachrum efficitur ita anima si verbi del cibo non pascitur arida inutilis ad nullum opus bonuÌ„ congrua inuenitur Si horrea cellaria singulis annis replemus vnde vno anno cibum habeat caro nostra quantum putas debemus recondere vnde in aeternum sustentetur animae nostra ergo carnis gaudium minuatur vt animae lucra spiritualia praeparentur Set ergo temperatus cibus nunquam nimium venter impletus plus semper de cibo cordis quam de cibo corporis cogitemus qui enim de sola carne cogitant bestiis pecudibus similes sunt Caro ergo velut ancilla gubernetur anima tanquam domina legitima reficiatur nam si sola caro reficitur anima dei verbo non pascitur ancilla satiatur Domina fame torquetur As the body through hunger and famine waxeth thinne and drie Similitude and is like vnto an Image so the soule if it be not fedde with Gods word is drie and vnprofitable not found sit vnto any good worke Similitude If euerie yeare we fill our barnes and garners wherby we may re leeue our flesh but for a yere how much thinkest thou ought wee to prouide and lay vp in store to be sufficient to replenish our soules and satisfie them for euer Wherefore let our bodily meate bee diminished that spirituall foode for the soule may be prepared Let our diet therefore be moderate and our bellies neuer too much crammed and let vs alwaies be more carefull for the meate of the soule then for the meâ—te of the bodie for they who are onely carefull for the flesh are like vnto beasts and brutish creatures Wherefore let thy flesh be kept in awe like a sernant A Similitude and let thy soule be serued as a mistresse For if the flesh be pampered and the soule with the word of God not refreshed the handmaide shall bee glutted and the mistresse shal be starued This must be the end of our fasting if that wee will fast vnto any good ende All our actions and godly endeuors are measured by the ende for which wee do them We must not therefore so much stand vpon the thing that wee doo as examine our selues to what intent and principall ende we endeuour to do it CHAP. IX That no set time is to be appointed for to fast but that it is to be vsed in al times of trouble and in matters of great moment THe right vse and ende which were are to make of fasting being examined it is needefull that the times and iust occasions of it bee in the next place considered As concerning the times they are not certaine for as the wise man sayth As there is a time for all things vnder heauen Eccl. 3 a time to mourne and a time to reioyce So fasting iustly appertaining vnto mourning it must not bee vsed at all times alike but onely where there is cause of lamentation and mourning There haue bin bitter contentions and miserable garboyles stirred in the Church whilst one haue varied and discented from another about the times that are meete for fasting and whilst euerie one thought his
own conceite best there hath beene no end of their difference and quarrelles Calixtus 1 Calixtus the first instituted and ordained a quarterly fast restraining and limitting it to foure seasons of the yeare Pope Innocent the first Innocent gaue commaundement that the Sabboth should be fasted Gregotius The fast of Lent was founded by Gregorie the first of that name as Gratian beareth witnesse Some appointed certaine weekes especially to be fasted One would haue the time called Septuagesima another Sexagesima another Quinquagesima another Quadragesima another the Rogation dayes another the Vigtls of the Apostles to be consecrated vnto fasting There are some deuoted to a peculiar day as to Fryday some to VVednesday some to Sunday Augustine in a Letter which hee wrote to Cassulanus giueth this reason of the Wednesdayes fast Aug. de Cassulants because Christ was betrayed and solde as that day and that Fryday should bee fasted because Christ was crucified that day But whether the Sabboth shoulde bee fasted it remaineth doubtfull The Mediolanenses and the East Churches peremptorilie concluded that they were not to fast then because Christ was then free of his trouble and rested quietly the Sabboth day in his Sepulchre But the Roman Church and the church of Affrica and other Churches affirmed it to be meete that the time wherein Christ was humbled and not without ignominie shutte vppe in the graue shoulde be assigned vnto fasting Epiphanius Epiphanius is ledde by another reason then that which hath beene premised why the VVednesday shoulde bee giuen to fasting namely because Christ vppon a VVednesday ascended vp into heauen Which reason of his if wee shoulde gaine say and stande vppon it that hee ascended vppon the Thursday which is more probable wee coulde not bee conuicted This his reason grounded vppon Christs ascention is verie much applauded because that Christ himselfe did then appoynt vs for to fast when the Bridegroome shoulde bee taken from vs. Mat. 9. But the sequell of this Chapter will verie well shewe the weakenesse and absurditie of this allegation Last of all Pope Innocent inferreth this reason to perswade vs to fast vppon VVednesday and the Sabboth which is our Saturday because both those dayes the Apostles did mourne and were in trouble for Christ There might more of their friuolous contentions De lana caprina of needlesse matters and of this Circumstaunce of the speciall time that is due to fasting be ripped vp in this place but partly because there is no vse of it and partly for so muche as such traditions which haue crept in from sixe hundreth yeares after Christ do rather of right appertaine to the latter and declining age of the world then to the custome and practise of the auncient Church I do willingly passe ouer them This is verie apparant and manifest both by manifold and pregnant proofes and allegations of holie scriptures and also by the authorities and the suffrages of the auncient Fathers that only such times and seasons as are most meere for mourning when any crosse or iudgement or greeuous calamitie is brought vpon vs are fit for fasting that only when we accomplish matters of much weight and would obtaine them at Gods hand by our zealous prayer that our prayers might bee more full of spirite and life and gracious in his eyes we are to helpe them and quicken them and further them by fasting If we take a short suruey either of the priuate fastings of the godly or of the publique fastings of the holy Saintes of GOD we shall finde them alwayes vsed in great and weightie matters and in their great troubles Iob. 2 12 when the heauie hand of god was greeuous vpon Iob. The friends and kindred of Iob seeing him thus vexed and tormented with plagues they layde groueling with him vppon the grounde fasting and mourning and praying to GOD for him seuen dayes togither that thereby the furie of his miserie might bee mittigated VVhen Ioab had murthered the innocent Abner and Dauid had followed him 2. Sam 3 32 to his buriall in Hebron hee vowed with an oath not to taste breade nor anie thing else vntill the Sunne was downe VVhen Dauid was reprooued of Nathan for his sinne and woulde intreate GOD for the life of his childe 2. SaÌ„ 12 16 which was conceyued in Adulterie hee fasted and went in and layde all night vpon the earth VVhen Nebemias had heard of the afflictions of the Hebrewes which remained in Hierusalem hee afflicted himselfe with fasting and called vppon the Lorde Nehem. 1 4 VVhen as Daniel had perused Ieremias Booke Dan. 9 2 of the seuentie yeares captiuitie which the people should endure hee confessed his and the peoples sinnes and hee mourned and fasted VVhen Christ began his office of preaching Mat. 4 2 he went into the Wildernesse and fasted fortie dayes This was a matter and woorke of importance For this cause Cornelius Acts 10 3 because hee had not as yet learned Christ trusted in the Lorde and perplexed in minde gaue himselfe at the ninth houre of the day to fasting and prayer The Primatiue Chuch beeing admonished by an Oracle that Paule and Barnabas shoulde bee chosen and deputed to visit the Citties and seuerall Townes where the Gospel had beene preached because it was a verie great charge there was first of all a fast agreed vpon and solemnized Acts 13 2 And when as this businesse was ouerpast and they returned homewarde by Iconium Lystra and Antiochia they made a solemne publication of a fast they ordeined and constituted Ministers Deacons Acts 14 23 thorow out the seuerall Citties and places of their circuit When as Peter was to buckle with that peruerse and prophane wretch Simon Magus at Rome vpon the Lordes day the Church of Rome decreed that the Sabboth day shoulde be fasted which practise and course afterwardes continued Aug. Epist ad Caâ—â—ul Hierome sayeth that Iohn beeing intreated of the Churches to write and publish his Gospell against the heritikes Ebion and Cerinthus who denied the diuine nature of Christ answered that he wold so do if first of all the whole Church would e publiquely fast Because the casting out of a Diuill is a verie great worke and a notable my racle when we will effect such a worke it becommeth vs to fast for Christ telleth vs in the person of his Disciples Mat 17 That this kinde no otherwise goe throut but by prayer and fasting When as a wido we is bereaued of her husband shee is desolate and in miserie and in much daunger therefore it becoÌ„meth her chiefsie then to be deuout in fasting Luke 2 36 wherefore Anns the daughter of Phanuell when shee was a Widdowe was verie zealous and religious in fasting and spent her life continuallie in the temple And Paule sayeth that shee that is a Widowe indeede will trust in God and exercise her selfe both day and night in fasting 1. Tim. 5.5 and
which was the elder by birth at the right hand of Iacob and Manasses the yonger at the left but Iacob altered and transposed his hands and laid his right hand vpon Manasses and his left hand vpon Ephraim so in this world the leder brethren haue the vpper hand the poore are born against the wall but in the world that is to come God will make an other reckoning and account and displace those who think themselues best and giue his blessings vnto his little ones and place them at his right hand in his kingdome A Similitude It is with the wealthie whilest they are in their roomthes as with the teeth whilest they are in the head for so long as they are sound we chearish and preserue them and keepe them carefully but when they waxe wormeaten putrified and corrupted wee pull them out and cast them away from vs but conâ—rariwise wee do with our legges which be the inferiour and nether parts bearing vp the waight and burthen of our bodies which solon gas they are whole and sound wee exercise with conâ—nuall labour and going making no respect or difference of places accustoming them to all base and seruiceable duties If they shall waxe lame and be disabled by any misfortune to execute their businesse we do not curte them off or intreate them roughly but wee tende them daintily and take great heede to them refreshing and helping them as if so be they had not beene made for sorrow but giuen vs as a Iewed that is to be nicely and tenderly laid vp The rich men in this world doo resemble the teeth for they occupie the head which is the cheefest roume if they shall corrupt and loose their fauor by any accident be vnseated and deposed from their high places of digmtie they run into a generall contempt of al men are basely reputed of but if they die vnlesse that God doth giue the greater grace they die without compunction and remorse of conscience and so without repentance whose damnation sleepeth not But it is not so with the poore and contrite heart which heere as feete and inferiour ioynts do vndergo al sorrow and beare the heate and burthen of the day If they be distressed the Lord is their comfort hee doth strengthen their weake ioynts and if they fall he raiseth them vp They are distressed but they are not forsaken they faint but they perish not they beare about them the death of our Lord Iesus that the life of the Lord Iesus might be manifest in them And wheÌ„ they die their heauines is turned into ioy their trauaile into rest their misery into all felieitie their soules by the Angels being carried into Abrahams bosome We conclude therefore this chapter as the Apostle Paul who after a long discourse of Gods prouidence and of his hidden misteries breaketh out into this patheticall exclamation O the deepenesse of the riches Rom. 11.33 both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who was his Counsellor CHAP. III. That Gods commaundement to giue almes is generall appertainig vnto all and that none is exempted from this dutie THey do grosly erre who thinke themselues free imposing and laying this burthen vpon other but not meaning to lift vp the same themselues with one of their fingers Almes is a worke and dutie of charitie but the rule of charitie is prescribed vnto all and there is none that hath a priuiledge that he should not be charitable Yet this must be considered that as al almes are not of the same nature but are distinct and of two kinds publike and priuate so al men confusedly are not to giue them but according to their callings which are likewise either publike or priuate Publike Almes Act. 2.4.5.6 The publike almes is that which coÌ„meth from the stocke and goods of the Church and from a common purse the dispensation and distribution whereof was in the beginning committed vnto the Apostles who afterwards feeling it too burthen some vnto them in regard of the charge of many churches which did lie vpon their shoulders and thinking it not meete to leaue the word of God to serue tables they did put it away from theÌ„ and surrogated Deacons in their rouines to performe this office But nowe in this Realme the charge in some sort is translated from them and committed to others as Churchwardens and Collectors for the poore beeing lay persons And this order is good and conuenient inough if so be they be faithfull and defraud not the poore by appropriating to themselues that which was giuen vnto a publike vse For the prouident regarde of prouision for the poore principally doth belong vnto the charge of the Ministers and Deacons who by exhortations and admonitions are diligently to further it and to the ciuill Magistrate more especially to effect and order it who are ouer their people as the head and minde is ouer the bodie to guide and direct them And therfore as the head and the mind is very prouident for the good of the body and neglecteth not any inferiour member but dooth aydeit and support it seeing hearing and vnderstanding what is good for it quickning and heartening the whole body So is it the part of a good Magistrate circumspectly to prouide and foresee the welfare of all of what degree and calling so euer they bee and not to grow remisse and slacke in their office when the needie state and calamitie of the poore doth crie for their furtherance as nowe it doth most pittifully in the heart and bowels and elbowes of the Realme Our most gratious Queene hath often inough charged the Magistrates vnder her to haue a care of this matter and to see the poore to be prouided for in this time of scarcitie But her commandements is nothing industriou fly carefully executed Maultwormes and badgers mercilesse maultwormes and badgers doo more and more abound who engrosse the markets and buy vppe all the prouision of corne that should serue the poore and enhaunce and raise vp the price of it mightily And what care these though the poore eate the flesh oâ— their owne armes though their bodies be like the drought of summer though they languish come to a miserable end while they cry for bread no man will giue the mit while they crie till their hearts ake and there is none that wil heare them What a rabble of beggers and hunger-starued people runne vp and down the Cities Countreyes and Villages round about gasping for comfort as a thirsty land The more they are the more shame it is to the inhabitants where they dwell that doo not maintaine them according to the godly laws of the Real â—e in that case prouided But for the magistrates to see them and not to take order for them as if this businesse belonged not vnto them it is most intollerable And so
did the Athenians in ancient time thinke as Isocrates the Philosopher in Ariopagita A similitude doth witnesse It is turned to the father and maisters great reproach to suffer their sons or hired seruants to range about rattered torn half naked hunger-starued and to be troublesome to euerie house and neighbour to whom they come It is no lesse discredite to a publike gouernour to permit his people cōmitted to his charge to rogue about the Countrey not without great scare and detriment that they doo wheresoeuer they become if they be not well looked vnto Moreouer the peruerse and impatient mindes of a number of sturdie beggers which very extremitie of need inforceth are oftentimes dangerous vnto a publike state whilst beholding others that haue bread inough and themselues readie to die for hunger they fret and fume and gnash with their teeth and hurle out mutinous and seditious words as mad men doo stones wanting but oportunitie of time place to worke further mischiefe Besides from hence many other very hurtfull incōueniences do cōmonly ensue Many steale and filch and carrie away Many maides publikely prostitute themselues vnto sale and all kind of whordome and old women play the bawds making all sin and wickednesse to bee the porters to bring in their liuings not otherwise being able to supplie their wantes and prouide for their necessities The best of them while they make a trade and occupation of begging by little and little grow verie disorder lie shaking off the yoke of discipline from their shoulders and growe senselesse in Religion and without feeling of God and godlinesse It was not therefore without vrgent cause that God prouided by a speciall Lawe that that there should not bee a begger in Israel Which caueat and prouiso amongst the grauest and wisest of the Gentiles was holden most necessarie by a common experience perceiuing right wel that this vnseemly begging was not only hurtfull vnto good conditions but the very seminarie of all loosenesse of life the mother of all euil and the spawne of all sinne Among the auncient Romaines it was enacted and ordeined that none shoulde goe about begging and by the lawe of the twelue Tables this lewde course of life was vtterly inhibited The Athenians likewise tooke order for the same Now because in such cases there is great need of publique authoritie the Magistrate whom God as a noursing father Isai 49. hath set ouer his Church must see this thing performed and kill this Serpent while it is an egge and the fruite of this euill whilest it is in the budde and not to suffer it to blossome Wherfore let them set rulers and officers to ouersee this businesse that pilfering varlettes may be punished and poore impotent people in necessitie relieued And those that are appointed Collectors and Stewards for the poore people must remember the charge which the Apostle giueth them 1. Cor. 4. that it is flat sacriledge to conuert any thing bequeathed to the poore and to the Church banke for the poore to their priuie filthie lucre or vnto any other ende whatsoeuer then for which it was giuen In the olde lawe vnder paine of a cursse Deut. 7. God peremptorily did forbid that no man should bring any siluer or golde which had before bene consecrated vnto Idolles vnto his house What shall therefore become of them Who dare feloniously carry away that Church robbers which harh beene offered vnto God and giuen for the reliefe and succour of the poore Achan for stealing a wedge of golde Iosu 7◠and Babilonish garment from the spoyle of Hiericho which God had decreed should be burnt with fire brought first a slaughter vpon the hoast of Israel and afterward a fearefull destruction vpon himselfe What fauour then can they looke for A warning for beggers of conecaled Church landes and such as look for the downfall of Bishops to praie vpon their possessions who doo swallow vp whole Churches and make a strippe and waste of such goods as haue bene by the zealous liberallitie of their ancestors consecrated vnto the godly vse of the Church and securely doo winke at this vilainous and most barbarous sacriledge I may say of many idle and prophane professors which beare a shew of godlines but indeed haue denied the power of it are vnto euery good work abominable as the kingly Prophet did say of the Heathenish people of his time O God the Heathen are entred into thine inheritāce thy holy temple haue they defiled and haue made Hierusalem a heape of stones they haue broken downe the carued workes with axes and hammers A strange and fearfull iudgement of God was sent vppon Anantas Acts 5. and Saphira his wife for keeping from the Church that which was their owne they died suddenly Let the Clerophagi of our tymes and beggers of concealements and goodes of the Church looke vnto themselues and in time be warned by this dreadfull example they are Iudas whelpes and like a litter of ranke hell-hounds appointed vnlesse they doo speedilie repent and make restitution vnto certain damnation and so much of publike almes and of the Magistrates dutie herein Almes is priuate Priuate almes and euery priuate man standeth charged with this dutie euerie man must put to his helping hand to the reliefe of the poore as abilitie dooth suffer him God hath so disposed and distributed his goods as there is none so needy and miserable but he may be a helper at sometime or other and be able to do good in his kind vnto an other That which the fabulous writers do record of the Lion that was catched and taken in the snare and deliuered by the Mouse is oftentimes verified by open experience when as Kings and great men in extreame times by the seruice and ministerie of the basest vassels are rescued from imminent and verie great daunger King Xerxes though he were a renowrned and puissant Prince and of that power that he had couered the whole face and bredth of the sea with ships as with a bridge yet was he glad to betake himselfe to a poore fisher-mans boat whereby by striking ouer into Asia his life was preserued The widow of Sarepta albeit the remainder of her prouision was but small almost quite done yet did it stande Eliah in great stead when the famine was so great There is none so poore but he is worth a cup of cold water when as any shall need it God respecteth the giuer rather then the gift and his willing minde is farre more acceptable then all the presents themselues that we can giue him Shew therfore thy good will and thou hast giuen thine Almes But of this more is to be set down afterwards vnder another title and therefore here I will the rather passe it ouer CHAP. IIII. To whom we must giue our almes THe nature of the worde Almes Almes to be giuen to the poore onely dooth point out the persons to whome they must be
forgiuen thee Is it possible to deuise a more amiable speech thē that which he vseth to the thiefe vpon the Crosse when he said vnto him Luc. 33. This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Let our lippes be thus full of grace to those that request and implore our grace and let vs with ciuill and charitable words answere their requests It is expedient also that thy gesture behauior should shewe thy affections loue towards them and in them also to follow the foot-steppes of our heauenly father Luc. 15. who imbraced his prodigall and ryotous sonne with the armes of his mercie fell vpon his neck kissed him and shewed all mercie towards him O that this loue and nature were in vs towarde the poore when as they come begging howling for reliefe gasping for our comfort as a thirstie land We haue lost our right eare with Malchus and our right hand with the man in the Gospell is dryed vp and withered Our hearts are flintie and will not bee pearced and the whole man is blockish and stockish without remorse and feeling any light occasion may mooue vs to reuile them but it is a hard matter that may perswade vs to relieue them Obiect 4 Some are more sparing then otherwise they would The feare of want and carrie a straighter hand against the poore because they are in feare of wanting themselues and to become poore by releeuing and succouring of the poore This reason proceedeth from the want of faith argueth our grosse and carnall affections if wee had any trust and confidence in God wee woulde not so easily vppon euerie fond thought and vain crotchet of our idle head shift off this dutie Answer For why should we be perplexed with this conceit hauing God and his word of truth our suretie and our securitie for our discharge and indemnitie Runne ouer the Histories and examples of all times of the beginning increasing and continuance of the Church vnto this time and giue an instance of any whom God for doing of their dutie haue left destitute and forsaken God hath a thousand wayes to prouide for thee If thou followest his will though thou knowest not how Conform◠thou thy selfe to his holy commaundements and bee not faithlesse bur faithfull and in thy pouertie thou shalt no◠want but in the time of dearth thou shal◠haue inough In dispairing of his prouidence thou offerest great wrong and iniurie vnto him For hee openeth his hand Psal 104 and filleth all liuing things with his blessing Exod. 16 Exod. 17 He fedd the Israelites fortie yeeres togither in the waste wildernesse where no foode was He smote the stonie rocke also and the waters gushed our exceedingly gaue them plentiousnesse of water to drinke as out of a ruier At his desire also hee sent Quailes Num. 11 and feathered foules as thicke as the sand of the sea Gen. 12 Abraham gaue ouer his natiue soile and his whole inheritance to do as God appoynted him he lost nothing by it but the Lord mightilie emiched his estate and made his name like vnto the name of the great men that are vpon earth Iacob when hee iourneyed ouer Iordan Gen. 18 had nothing but a beggers staffe in his hand but because he relyed vpon God his staffe his shilde and his buckeler he returned backe with two troupes with great store and abundaunce of wealth Exod 2 Gen. 32 Gen. 40 Moses was fed in Egypt by straungers and Ioseph beeing solde into a straunge land succoured his father and fathers house in their great miserie The Rauens in the aire 1. Kin. 17 and Angels in heauen did feed Elias the seruant of God in the caues and bowels of the earth Dan. 14. Daniel among the Lions Marc. 30 the Disciples in the Desart were not permitted or suffred to want And as the Lord generallie prouideth for such who depend vpon him and walke in their vocation so these who shall for his sake be mercifull vnto the poore shall bee sure to be satisfied alwaies haue inough Hee that giueth to the poore saith Salomon shall not want Prouer. 27. but he that despiseth them shall endure penurie There was neuer any that by giuing of almes might more haue feared want 1. King 17. then the Sidonian widow of Sarepta For shee had but a slender pittance in a cruise which could but serue for the next repast and yet she stood not vpō this conceit but distributed it and gaue vnto the Prophet and this her deuotion receiued a blessing her oile increased soone The good seruaunt in the Gospell was of a mercifull disposition Marke 25 he did deale out that which was commited vnto him and was faithful ouer a little The Lord incouraged him for so dooing calling him good seruant withall making him ruler ouer more Wherefore lette not the feare of any want bee any rubbe in our way to hinder vs from a mercifull compassion of the poore For it is farre otherwise and the contrarie is most true we cannot make a greater gaine then by diuiding our substance to the poore as more largely shall bee shewed in the next Chapter Obiect 5 But the pensiue care had of our posterity The care of our posteritie Aug. de decem chordis Tom. 9. choketh many of vs causing vs either negligently to remit or altogether carelessy to omitte this dutie This doubt Saint Augustine propoundeth and dissolueth in this manner Filiis meis seruo magna excusatio seruat tibi pater tuus seruas tu filiis tuis filii tui filiis suis sic per omnes nullus factarus est preceptum domini Quare non illi potius impendis omnia qui te fecit ex nihilo qui te fecit◠ipse to pascet Palliare se volunt defendere homines nomine pietatis vt quasi propter filios videantur seruare homines quod propter auaritiam seruant Conting it vt amittat vnum si propter filium seruabat mittat post allum partem suam quare illam tenet in sacculo illum relinquit in animo redde illi quod suum est quod illi seruabas mortuus est inquit sed praecessit ad deum pars ipsius debetur pauperibus Illi debetur ad quem perexit Dicis seruo fratribus eius si viueret ille non erat cum suis fratribus diuisurus O fides mortua mortuus est filius si Christus pro illo mortuus non est mortuus est ipse si autem in te est fides viuit filius tuus viuit non decessit sed praecessit Qua fronte venturus es ad filium tum qui prcaeessit cui praecedenis non mittis partem suam in coelum This common speech A sweete saying of Augustine I keepe that which I haue for my children is a great excuse thy father kept for thee thou keepest for thy children thy children for their children and so