he brought into the Greek Church and it hath continued therein all Ages sithence and had a peculiar day appointed for it which they call'd the solemnity of the Great Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 w ch they placed on the Thursday seven night before Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A composure he had made as the Triodium of the Greek Church to this day witnesseth out of the histories of the whole old and new Testaments which consisted of the grounds patterns and encouragements of this Paschal Fast of Lent partly to be read publickly and partly to be sung in their service when now the Fast of Lent had continued almost 5. weeks and drew toward the end and yet the chief part of it remaining to be perform'd viz. the Parasceue Sabbatum of the 5 th week which they called Lazari praeparatoria Sabbatum Lazari and the following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great and holy week called anciently by Epiphanius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more anciently by Dionysius the Patriarch of Alexandria who saâ—…e there Bishop in the year 248. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 6 principal daies of the Fasts To encourage them therefore after so much perform'd to what remain'd behind he compos'd and they have retain'd and do read and sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They read and sing this great Canon containing insinite contrition and excitation to â—…lee unto God by repentance by tears and confession c. 〈◊〉 they were appointed on this 5 th day of the 〈◊〉 week of Lent to sing and to read this for these ends For in as much as the holy Lent then draws towards end that men should not become weary or negligent in the finishing of these spiritual combats this very great Bishop of Crete Andrew as one that anoints or strengthens the Combatants stirs up their generosity by the histories of this great Canon that they may couragiously run forward to the race before them Agreeably therefore and fitly is this call'd the Great Canon as containing great compunction and appointed for the Great Fast of Lent This best and greatest Canon together with the exhortation of the holy Mary of Aegypt This our Father Andrew first soon after the year of the Lord 700. brought into Constantinople O my soul emulate thou zealously holy men in compunction propitiate Christ by Prayers sastings by purity holiness Christ conversing on earth in our flesh hath left thee O my soul his pattern and example The Lord it is who fasted 40 daies O my soul be not discouraged if the enemy assault thee repell him far from thee by prayers and fastings Give thou unto me O thou my only Saviour a heart contrite and poverty of spirit that I may have these to offer unto thee as an acceptable sacrifice Thus far the Triodium from that Andrew Bishop of Crete Thus have we passed through the seven first Centuries after the death of S. Iohn the last of those children of the Bride-chamber all the Ages not only of the truly called General Councels but of any that any Church in the world ever pretended to be such except the Church of Rome only which hath more then doubled the number to her self so that if this Paschal Fast had so generally pass'd in all ages as derived from the Apostles and had not truly been so derived some one of the General Councels at least in stead of their supposing and strengthening that hypothesis had noted the Imposture and false witness so openly concerning Apostolick Tradition of which the Church Universal is the Keeper and perpetual Pillar I shall not trouble my self and you to give you the testimonies of the succeeding ages because of their redundant number and because they are confessed on all parts and will not be required by any adversary and also are removed farther from the Fountain and prime antiquity a Such as are the Testimonies of Rabunus Mauruâ—… Archbishop of Meniz about the year 847. l. 2. de Institutione Clericorum c. 18. Observatio Quadragefima quae in Universo orbe INSTITUTIONE APOSTOLICA servatur circa confinia Dominica Passionis The observation of Lent which is kept in all the world from Iustitution Apostolical about the times near unto he Passion of our Lord the time of the Bridegrooms taking away And Theodorus Studites Anno 826. Sermon Chatâ—…chetic 72. in quariâ feria Hebdomada majoris Fratres Patrésque sacer est hodiernus dies atque venerandus etenim hinc auspicatur herus pro nobis supplicia sustinere crucis ut fert hoc Davidicum dictum Quare fremuerunt gentes c. convenerunt in unum adversus Dominum adversus Christum ejus Siquidem convenere simul sceleratum in Dominum confilium agitantes c. Veterator Iudas c. Idem Catechetic 71. appellat feriam sextam ante 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lazari praeparatoriam quia Parascue est ante Lazari resuscitati memoriam S. Bernard in his first Sermon of Lent Hodiè dilectissimi sacrum Quadragesimae tempus ingredimur c. Non nobis singularis est haec observatio una omnium est quicunque in eandem fidei conveniunt unitatem Quidni commune sit Christi jejunium omnibus Christianis An respuere tristia volumus communicare jucundis Si ita est indignos nos capâ—…is hujus participatione probamus Qualis est iste CHRISTIANUS qui minùs devotè suscipit jâ—…junium QUOD TRADIDIT IPSE CHRISTUS To day O most beloved we enter on the holy time of Lent which is not an observance peculiar unto us but one and the same to all Christians as many as agree in the unity of the same Faith And how should not this Fast of Christ be common to all Christians Will we reject the part that hath any sadness and communicate only in the pleasureable If it be so we prove our selves unworthy to partake with this Head What sort of Christian is he who hath no devotion to this Fast WHICH CHRIST HIMSELF DELIVERED And in his third Sermon of Lent Rogo vos Fratres dilectissimi totâ devotione suscipite Quadragesimale jejunium quod non sola abstinentia commendat sed multo magis Sacramentum Scilicet ut Fetrus Chrysologus Ravennatium episcopus hom 11 a appellat jejunium non praesumptum sed mysticum Clemens Alexand. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nam si devotè usque modò jejunavimus utique sancto hoc tempore jejunandum nobis est multo devotiùs Si quid enim additur ad solitum abstinentiae modum nunquid non valdè indignum est ut nobis onerosum sit quod Ecclesia portat Universa nobiscum Hactenus usque ad nonam jejunavimus soli nunc usque ad vesperam jejunabunt nobiscum Universi Reges principes Cleâ—…us populus nobiles ignobiles simul in unum dives pauper Sed quid de his loquor quos habemus in hâc jejuniâ—… observatione
c. 10. If neither the holy Fathers of that first Council from whom Constantine learnt and received what was to be given in order to all the Churches nor the Sects differing from the Church be to be believed before the Negative of some few in our age upon pretense too of Socrates what will they say to one of the seven Churches in Asia to whom our Saviour wrote Apoc. 2. and that with the greatest honour and commendation of them above all the rest the Church of Smyrna in an Epistle of hers in Eusebius l. 4. c. 15. written about 69 years after the Epistle of our Lord sent to her which Epistle thus begins The Church of God which inhabiteth in and about Smyrna to the Church in Philomilium and to all the Diocesses of the holy Catholique Church in every place Mercy peace and the love of God the Father and of our Lord Jesus Christ be multiply'd In this Epistle she tells the Churches of all the world first that the day of the carrying of Saint Polycarp who had been ordained Bishop of Smyrna by S. Iohn the Apostles own hands to the place of his Tryal and Martyrdom was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the day of the great Saturday or Saturday of the great week So that the Churches of every place of the world were by them here suppos'd to understand the name of one set day in the year call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which day it meant viz. the Saturday of the week before Easter called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Oriental Churches throughout all ages unto this day as a high â—…asting-â—…asting-day and vigil and the close of the Paschal Fast. And yet our Brethren must be believ'd that the first pure and primitive ages knew nothing of annual set dayes for Fast or Feast excepting onely the Lords-day Secondly That Epistle of the Church of Smyrna tells the Churches of all the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That they hoped that the Lord would grant unto them that they should be able to observe or keep the Birth-day of his Martyrdom assembling there together with exultation and joy and that both for the memory of them that had contended unto death and for the excitation and preparation of those that should come after And yet our Brethren must be believed that the first pure and primitive ages knew nothing of our holy-dayes for particular Saints and Martyrs Thus much for annual set recurring dayes there lying no exception against the Paschal Fast or Feast but what is made still out of the same Socrates or the like against all annual set Fasts or Feasts For no Author ever pretended any annual Fast or Feast in the Christian Church was to be preferred before this Feast of Easter and the Fast preceding But to return to the Fast particularly It was an age of the Church well neer as ancient as that age of the Church of Smyrna and Polycarp which told Tertullian and the Montanists Quod ad jejunia pertineat certos dies à Deo constitutos as I have above cited from Tertullian l. 2. de Iejun l. 1 2 13 14. certè in Evangelio illos dies jejuniis determinatos in quibus ablatus est sponsus sic Apostolos observâsse nullum aliud imponentes jugum certorum in commune omnibus obeundorum jejuniorum And c. 10. Stationum munus ex arbitrio obeundum esse non ultra nonam detinendum That there are certain days constituted of God that those dayes for Fastings were determined in the Gospel the dayes in which the Bridegroom was taken away that so the Apostles had observ'd or kept those dayes imposing no other yoke of set Fasts to be perform'd by all in Common that the office of Stations viz. of the fourth and sixth day of the week was to be at choice performed and not to be extended beyond the ninth hour viz. three a clock afternoon That here are set Fasts and this set Fast about the time of our Saviours Passion before Easter and for this reason The taking away of the Bridegroom and that to concern the whole number of Christian people and that observed first by the Apostles themselves and by them imposed on the Church and constituted by God and in some sort determined in the Gospel and that in those words In those days when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them and all this observ'd or kept by the Bride her self and by her witnessed is here so evident that I cannot foresee what exception can be made unless some should pretend that those Psychici as Tertullian by contempt calls the Church there who there speak should not indeed be the Church or true Catholiques But he must be ignorant of all Tertullian's writings who should make this desperate attempt of escape To put it therefore past all doubt that not onely Tertullian but the rest of the pretended pure and Spiritual hereticks of that age were wont so by contempt to miscal the true Catholiques by the name of Psychici or sensual persons S. Irenaeus the holy Father and Martyr gives us certainly to know in l. 1. against Heresies c. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These spiritual men Suppose such like men to be instructed in mysteries For as for the Psychici or sensual men they are instructed in sensual things who by works and meer faith have their establishment and have not the perfect knowledge Now these Psychici they say we of the Church are and therefore that it is indeed necessary for us to do good works for that otherwise it is impossible we should be saved But themselves they hold shall be saved wholly and altogether not by deeds but for that they are by nature Spiritual ones They will have it that it is not possible for that which is spiritual viz. themselves to receive corruption whatsoever deeds they are conversant in Tor as Gold laid up in mire doth not lose its beauty but keeps its own nature the mire being in nothing able to hurt the gold so say they of themselves that in whatsoever gross works of the body they shall be conversant that they are in nothing hurt thereby nor lose their spiritual being or subsistence And doing many other filthy and Atheistical things they shew themselves fierce against us who keep our selves through fear of God from sinning even in word or thought as idiots and such as know nothing But they highly exalt themselves calling themselves the perfect ones and the seeds or children of Election They say that we have grace only lent us for use and therefore that it shall be taken from us but that themselves hold it as their proper possession from above by an unspeakable and not to be named conjunction Therefore they call us the good sensual people or Psychici and say that we are of the world and that continence and wel-doing is necessary for us that thereby we may come unto the place of
the same thing wickedly August epistolâ ad Casulan Sic bis in sabbato jejunare in homine qualis fuerat Pharisaeus infructuosum est in homine autem humiliâ—…èr fideli vel fidelitèr humili religiosum est Fasting twice in the week in a man like the Pharisee is unprofitable but in a man humbly faithful and faithfully humble it is Religious Conclude we this neither fast thou so as the Hypocrites nor fast not as the Hypocrites who pretend such set and Antient fasts of the Church to be superstitious and themselves too holy to joyn with their Brethren in them All these eight requisites of right performing of this Fast we find together in the Churches practise and by her care prescribed at this time of Lent to her children In S. Chrysostom's time according to his irrefragable witness Homil. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supra nominatis ibidem recenset etiam 40 dierum illorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For what cause therefore some may say do we keep the fast of these 40 daies that in these daies all of us being 8 perfectly purified together by 6 prayers and by 5 alms and by 2 fasting and by 3 whole nights watchings and 1 by tears and by confession and by all other things we may so according to our power with a 4 pure conscience 7 come unto the holy Mysteries the Sacrament and in the same place he recounts also as part of the exercise of those 40 daies 6 hearing Gods word attending on Sermons and Synods Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria in his 1. Paschal Epistle sets all these guests at one table likewise Si Adhaerentes studio virtutum animarum vitia purgare volumus quicquid in nobis sordium est jugi scripturarum meditatione diluere quasi sub sudo apertam doctrinarum scientiam contemplantes festinemus supernae laetitiae festa celebrare jungere nos Angelorum choris Eóque â—…mnis impraesentiarum adsumatur labor ut eos qui paululum negligentes sunt nosmetipsos aeternae gloriae praepâ—…remus homines provocantur terrarum humilia dese entes cum Ecclesiâ primitivorum Dominicae Passionis festa celebrare Priusquam slemus ante tribunal Christi praeterita peccata poenitentiâ corrigamus praesenti fletu redimamus futura gaudia Curemus diversa vitiorum vulnera rapinas divitum quibus vel maximè hoc hominum capitur genus crebris commonitionibus reprimamus Et sic poterimus imminentium jejuniorum iter carpere incipientes Quadragesimam à tricesimâ die mensis Mechir ut juxta Evangelicas traditiones siniamus jejunia intempeslâ nocte die 18. supradicti mensis Pharmuthi praebentes nos dignos communione corporis sanguinis Christi If adhering to the study of vertues we desire to purge away the vices of our souls and wash away whatever of filth is in us by 6 continual meditation of the Scriptures contemplating as it were in the open and serene heaven the knowledge of doctrine let us make hast to celebrate the solemnities of the Heavenly joy and joyn our selves to the Quires of Angels Let us take upon us 3 labour at present that we may prepare both 5 those which are somewhat negligent and our selves unto eternal glory Hereby men are provoked forsaking the low things of the earth 8 to celebrate with the Church of the first-born the holy daies of the Lords Passion ere we come to stand before Christs Tribunal let us correct our sins past by 1 repentance let us by present mournings redeem to our selves future joyes Let us cure the sundry wounds of our vices and the 4 rapines wherewith rich men are delighted let us repress 6 with frequent admonitions so may we enter the 2 journey of the Impendent Fasts beginning our Lent from the 30 th day of the moneth Mechir But so Epistle 2 d that we end the Fast according to Evangelical Traditions late at night on the 18 th day of the moneth Pharmuth presenting our selves worthy Communicants of the Body and Bloud of Christ. Having thus guarded and secured the duty of Fasting by its necessary qualifications and conditions it cannot be unsafe or unseasonable to admit now unto audience some strictures of the Elogies which the Ancient Fathers give of this duty of Fasting As that God prescribed some sort of Fasting to man so soon almost as he was created a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Bafil Ser. 1. de Iejunio ut suprà as a guard to innocence it self and the first trial of mans obedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostom Of these thou mayest eat of this thou shalt not eat was a sort of Fast prescribed Which being not observed because thou hast hearkned saith God unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying thou shalt not eat of it cursed is the ground for thy sake In sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the daies of thy life Thorns also and thistles shall it bring sorth to thee In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return to the ground Gen. 3. 17 19. The earth of his flesh also bringing forth troublesome thorns and thistles not to be keept down but by laborious sorrowful fasting nor consum'd but by the spirit of judgment and burning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Chrysostom tom 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If Fasting was necessary in Paradise much more out of Paradise If this Physick was useful before our wound much more after it If whilest yet there was no war of lusts rais'd within us this armour was yet of use much more after so great a fight from lusts within from Devils without this auxiliary force of Fasting is necessary Come we to the Law S. Basil tels us in his 1 Sermon of Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fasting above in the Mount prepared Moses to receive the Law but fulness amongst the people below caused them to run mad after idolatry for the people sate down to eat and to drink and rose up to play The tables then which fasting had received written by the finger of God the drunkenness of the people caused to be broken The Prophet judging it not meet that a people drinking drunk with wine with the wine of spiritual fornication which is Idolatry also Ier. 51. 7. should receive the Law from God Also Moses for his 2 d receiving of the Law needed a 2 d Fast. After him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the same fatherthere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He thinks that as S. Paul is usually said to be the fruit of S. Stephen's Martyrdom and prayer so the holy Prophet Samuel was more the fruit of his mother Hannah's fasting and prayer then of her womb He then proceeds to Samson of whom he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Eve before Easter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in imitation whereof also the Churches of Spain first of all for where is it to be read of before the Council of Eliberis in Spain Can. 21. And afterward the Roman and others converted the every-weeks Vigil of the Lords day viz. Saturday as Leo often witnesseth in his Sermon that Saturday was observ'd in his time as a Vigil onely and not a Fast into a weekly Fasting-day in the place of the Wednesday or fourth day of the Week which from the beginning had been that But our main purpose is to enquire of such of the Churches Fasts as were in their Original Apostolical and from the beginning of universal practice They are of two sorts either such as were delivered to the Church by Tradition of Precept as from the Apostles or by Tradition of counsel and recommendation onely from the Apostles to the free devotion of Christians Those of Tradition of Precept first whether for some determined time of the year as the Paschal Fast of Lent the Spring-fast next before the Feast of Easter which Easter was celebrated annuo circulo in mense primo saith Tertullian lib. de Iejun cap. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as others witness annually in the first moneth close upon the Vernal Aequinox and so much onely the Spring-fast by Lent-fast is signify'd or other oft recurring Fasts for the substance from the Apostles to be observed constantly though without a time determined by them As the Fasts of the Church before her publick solemn Ordinations though for the times of the year wherein both those Fasts and Ordinations should be kept the Church was left to determine her self which she hath wisely distributed into four Seasons of the Year so sanctifying to her self both her hopes and partakings of the fruits of the earth and more principally her Spiritual labourers sent forth into Christs harvest Of such solemn calling on God preparatory to Ordination we have the example first of Christ our Lord himself in the Gospel Luk. 6. 12 13. where we read that in the Eve or Vigil before the day which he design'd for choosing out of his Disciples twelve which he would name Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it came to pass in those dayes that he went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God And when it was day he called unto him his Disciples and of them he chose twelve whom also he named Apostles This grand example of the Lord the Apostles of the Lord also are recorded in holy Scripture to have followed Act. 14. 23. And when they the Apostles Barnabas and Paul v. 14. had ordained them â—…lders in every Church having prayed with fastings they commended them unto God viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with fastings plurally not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only having so prayed and Fasted before the Ordination as the words may well be understood The same was also practised by the Prophets and Teachers of the Church at Antioch before that Act. 13. 1 3. Then having Fasted and Prayed and having laid on their hands they sent them away If now the Church shall witness that she hath also received this order of Fasting before her Ordinations from the Apostles and their times the very examples but now alleadged above may render it not difficult for us to believe it Leo the first and Great Serm. 2. de Iujunio Pent. Dubitandum non est Dilectissimi omnem observantiam Christianam eruditionis esse Divinae quicquid ab Ecclesiâ in Consuetudinem est Devotionis receptum de Traditione Apostolicâ de Sancti Spiritûs prodire dictrinâ Manifestissimè patet inter caetera Dei munera Iejuniorum quoque gratiam quae hodiernam Festivitatem indivisa subsequitur tunc fuisse donatam Ideò dilectissimi secundùm eruditionem Spiritûs Sancti per quem Ecclesiae Dei omnium virtutum collata sunt dona suscipiamus alacri fide solenne jejunium It is not to be doubted most beloved but that all the Churches observance is of Gods teaching and whatever hath been received by the Church viz. Universal in the custom viz. constant perpetual of her Devotion cometh from Tradition Apostolical and from the teaching of the holy Ghost It most evidently appears that amongst the rest of the gifts of God the Grace also of fastings which immediately followeth this present Festivity viz. of Pentecost as doth the second Ember-week in the year was then viz. at the sending down of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles given to the Church Therefore my dearly Beloved according to the teaching of the holy Ghost by whom the gifts of all vertues are conferr'd upon the Church of God let us undertake with cheerful Faith the solemn Fast. And again Serm. 4. upon the fast of the same Ember-week Inter omnia dilectissimi Apostolicae instituta doctrinae quae ex divinae institutionis fonte manârunt dubium non est instâ—…uente in Ecclesiae principes Spiritu Sancto hanc primùm ab eis observantiam fuisse conceptam ut Sancti observatione Iejunii omnium virtutum regulas inchoarent Amongst all the Institutes of Apostolical teaching which have flowed forth from the fountain of Divine Institution there is no doubt ô most beloved but that this observance was first conceived by those Princes of the Church the holy Ghost influencing them that they should begin the regulations of all vertues which the observation of holy Fasting And in his seventh Serm. on the Fast of the tenth Moneth another of the Ember-weeks he thus speaketh Praesidia militiae Christianae sc. jejunia c. delectissimi sanctificandis mentibus nostris atque corporibus divinitùs instituta ideò cum dierum temporúmque curriculis sine cessatione reparantur ut infirmitatum nostrarum ipsa nos medicina commoneat These guards of our Christian warfare viz. Fastings c. as he spake of the Fast of the Ember-week were Instituted of God for the sanctifying our mindes and bodies therefore are they renewed incessantly with the course of dayes times that the medicine it self recurring may admonish us of our infirmities So in the eighth Serm. Hujus observantiae utilitas dilectissimi in Ecclesiasticis praecipuè est constituta jejuniis quae ex doctrinâ Spiritûs Sancti ita per totius anni circulum distributa sunt ut lex abstinentiae omnibus sit ascripta temporibus siquidem jejunium vernum in Quadrage simà aestivum in Pentecoste Autumnale in mense septimo hyemale autem in hoc qui est decimus celebramus The utility of this observance my Beloved is especially seated in Ecclesiastical Fasts which by the teaching of the holy Ghost are so distributed through the circle of the whole year that there is a law of abstinence affix d to all the four seasons Forsomuch as the Spring-fast we keep in Lent the Summer-fast in Whitsunweek the Autumn-fast in the moneth of September the Winter-fast in this moneth of December So
of his Espousals and of his Bride-chamber these the principal guests and friends of the Bridegroom sons of the secretest admission a But without a parable spake he not unto them the multitude and when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples Mar. 4. 34. v. 10 11. and when they were alone they that were about him with the Twelve asked of him the parable and he said unto them Unto you it is given to know c. but unto them that are without all these things are done in parables his Apostles no wonder if he do not and ye cannot make them fast Their present joy is above it and their habitual strength as yet beneath it and their present assistence from the presence of the Bridegroom himself enables and supports them without it Nevertheless to this marriages celebration garments every way agreeable perfectly new are to be provided and wine both new and old to be filled and to be preserved and vessels of grace and future glory to contain that liquor But as yet they are in part old garments not throughly renewed by the Spirit they are old bottles b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some regenerate persons are here v. 37. so called for their but begun and imperfect renovation as some babes in Christ are called carnal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3. 1. Bottles and garments here men are compared to as Jerem. 13. 12 13. Psa. 31. 12. Jer. 43. 12. Epicharmus Comicus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the duty of fasting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as yet an unwrought unthickned piece at least not by the Fullers Art purged and washt from the abuses wherewith the Pharisees had disteined it c for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith S. Basil in his first Sermon of Fasting Fasting is an ancient Gift elder then the Law it is a jewel of the ancient Fathers reverence its gray hairs it is coaetaneous with mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fullones etiam veteres vestes ac sordidatas renovant ac repurgant saith Erasmus in Mat. 9. yea Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Add hereto that the fastings of believers in Christ in so far as they were to answer to their frequent recurring set fasts were yet an unwrought and unpolisht discipline as which were to be celebrated chiefly on the times of the Passion of Christ as S. Chrysostome saith They are also a new strong working and spiritful wine apt to break weak vessels Not therefore because in themselves they need not but because they cannot yet bear it not that the Lord less then you approves of that new wine but because he provides that such good wine should not be spilled which will drink pleasant when it is old Ecclus. 9. 10. and shall be preserved throughout all ages of the Church on earth lest also the bottles should break and the rent and breach of these garments instead of being made up should be made wider by the unseasonableness of this prescription therefore their Lord and Master who breaks not the bruised reed presseth not as yet this discipline a S. Chrysostom on these words Mat. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Disciples are not yet become strong but as yet need much condescention and it is not meet to impose a load of injunctions on persons so aflected But the time will come when the Bridegroom shall for a time be taken from them and the Spirit sent down unto them and when they are renewed with strength from above then shall they fast in those daies And both that holy discipline of religious Fasts and these vessels of honour shall be preserved by each other And that the Spirit may so come unto them it is expedient saith he that I go away from them and the time will shortly come In the Answer of our Lord so meek and divinely wise you may observe these three parts 1. A Declaration or promulgation of somewhat present which they were not aware of 2. A Prediction of some things to come which they as little understood 3. A mixed prescription in part and prediction in pâ—… a constitution counsel and encouragentent of a holy religious exercise of fasting I. A Declaration of the present Espousals of Christ Behold a greater then Solomon is here a crown weightier then that wherewith his Mother crowned him in the day of his espousals also a greater then Pharaoh's daughter is here the holy Church of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith St. Chrysostome and Theophylact upon the words And the least of these despised Apostles great above him then whom there had not risen a greater among them that were born of women He was sent before to cast up and prepare his way these the nearest friends and followers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those 30 companions brought to be with Samson the Bridegroom Iudges 14. v. 11. and as the Spouse the Queen of Heaven Ps. 45. 15. hath her virgins that bear her company in the bride-chamber These are they that ride as it were in the same chariot with the Bridegroom saith Phavorinus that walk in company with and nearest to him in the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The sons of the bride-çhamber are the Apostles as vouchsafed partakers of their Masters joy and of every heavenly good gift and of all pleasure Theophylact on Mat. 9. and this the acceptable year of the Lord the very time of love Ezek. 16. 8. so upon the words of the Lord Mat. 9. Christianus Druthmarus Quando ista loquebatur tunc ipsa fiebat conjunctio quoniam per suam praedicationem colligebat eandem sponsam suam When Christ spake these words then was this conjunction made for by his preaching he gathered together that his Spouse the Church II. The Prediction or presignification of some things to come a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome on the words Mat. 9. as 1. That the time should come when the Bridegroom should be taken from them Ablatus oblatus quia voluit Him the Scribes and Pharisees shall kill and crucifie and he shall lay down his life for his sheep give himself for his Church and grave her on the palms of his hands and set her as a seal on his heart and on his arm and hide her in the clefts of the rock and vanquish death and hell and him that hath the power of hell in her behalf 2. That soon after that the time of the true Pentecost shall come when these Disciples as they shall need these arms so shall be made new and strong garments new and strong bottles and shall be filled with new wine like the bowls of the Altar Zech. 9. 15. 3. That therefore he must go away that the Holy Spirit may come and then shall they be indued with power from above III. A mixt constitution or Precept in part and Prediction in part of what these Scribes and Pharisees came to expostulate with him The holy duty of Fasting 1. In its Substance 〈◊〉
following therefore we fast not in this 50. daies because in these the Lord is with us we fast not I say the Lord being present because he hath said Can the children of the Bridegroom fast so long as the Bridegroom is with them Lastly this same S. Ambrose in his Serm. de Iejunio Helia thus preacheth toward the end of Lent Propitiâ Divinitate ecce jam penè transegimus Quadragesimae indicta jejunia praecepta Domini abstinentiae devotione complevimus Behold through the mercy of God we have past through the indicted fasts of Lent and have fulfill'd by the devotion of abstinence the commands of the Lord. A sixth testimony of this age is that of THEOPHILUS Patriarch of Alexandria who in his first Paschal Epistle thus writeth Eóque omnis impraesentiarum adsumatur labor ut eos qui paululum negligentes sunt nosmet ipsos aeternae gloriae praeparemus homines provocantur terrarum humilia deserentes cum Ecclesiâ primitivorum Dominicae passionis festa celebrare Non est ergo non est haereticorum ulla solennitas Igitur Dominicum Pascha celebrantes sanctis scripturarum purificemur Eloquiis Curemus diversa vitiorum vulnera Sic poterimus imminentium jejuniorum iter carpere incipientes Quadragesimam à tricesimâ die mensis Mechir hebdomadam salutaris Paschae quintâ die mensis Pharmuthi finientésque jejunia secundum Evangelicas traditiones vespere Sabbati decimâ die Pharmuthi illucescente statim Dominicâ festa celebremus undecimâ die ejusdem mensis jungentes septem reliquas hebdomadas sanctae Pentecostes ut cum iis qui Trinitatis unam confitentur Divinitatem in coelis praemia recipiamus in Christo Iesu Domino nostro To that end let all our labour be taken at present to prepare both those which are something negligent and our selves unto eternal glory And thereby men are provoked forsaking the low things of the earth to celebrate the solemnities of the Lords Passion with the Church of the primitives or first-born Therefore Hereticks acknowledge not any solemnity let us celebrating the Pasche of our Lord be purified by the holy words of the Scriptures Let us cure the divers wounds of vices c. And so may we enter the fasts at hand beginning Lent from the 30 th day of the moneth Mechir and therein the week of the Salutary Pasche on the 5 th day of the moneth Pharmuth and ending the fasts according to the Evangelical Traditions on the evening of the Saturday being the 10 th day of Pharmuth and on the next Lords-day the 11 th of the same moneth let us celebrate the feasts adjoyning also the 7. following weeks of the holy 50. daies that with them who confess the one Godhead of the Holy Trinity we may partake of the rewards in heaven through Christ Jesus our Lord. So also in his 2 d Paschal Epistle Pascha celebrare habentes Quadragesimae exordium ab octava die mensis qui secundum Aegyptios vocatur Pharmenoth ipso praebente vires attentiùs jejunemus hebdomadae majoris i. e. Paschae venerabilis die 13. mensis Pharmuthi fundamenta jacientes ita duntaxat ut juxta Evangelicas traditiones siniamus jejunia intempestâ nocte die 18. supra dicti mensis Pharmuthi praehentes nos dignos communionis corporis sanguinis Christi Having to celebrate Easter let us begin our Lent from the 8 th day of the moneth which with the Aegyptians is called Pharmenoth God giving us strength let us fast more carefully on the Great week howbeit so that according to the Evangelical Traditions we end the fasts late at night on the 18 th day of Pharmuth Rendring our selves worthy receivers of the communion of the body and bloud of Christ. And in his 3. Paschal Epistle he writeth thus Quotquot sanctum Pascha celebramus continentiâ atque jejuniis latorem legis amicum nobis esse faciamus Ornantes nos scientiâ Scripturarum quasi solennibus vestimentis fugantes omnem negligentiam rumpentes moram ut alacri cum discipulis ad Salvatorem pergamus incessu dicamusque ei Ubi vis paremus tibi Pascha ad solennitatem properemus atque dicamus mihi autem absit gloriari nisi in cruce Christi Dabit inquam dabit laborantibus gaudium jejunantibus benedicens loquetur Erunt domui Iudae in gaudium laetitiam in solennitates bonas laetabimini As many of us as celebrate the holy Pasche let us as celebrate the holy Pasche let us make the Author of the Law a friend unto us by continency and fastings adorning our selves with the knowledge of the Scriptures as with solemn garments chasing away all negligence and breaking off delay that we may cheerfully go with the Disciples to our Saviour and say vnto him Where wilt thou that we prepare unto thee the Passeover Let us make haste to the solemnity and say God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of Christ then he will give he will give I say joy to them that labour and blessing them that fast will say the fasts shall be to the house of Iuda for joy and gladness and joyous solemnity and ye shall rejoyce A seventh witness is S. HIEROME in his Epistle to Marcella Nos unam Quadragesimam secundum traditionem Apostolorum toto anno tempore nobis congruo jejunamus Montanistae tres in anno faciunt Quadragesimas quasi tres passi sint salvatores non quòd per totum annum exceptâ Pentecoste jejunare non liceat sed quòd aliud sit necessitate aliud voluntate munus afferre We fast one Lent within the compass of the whole year according to the Tradition of the Apostles in a season fit for our mysteries The Montanists keep three Lents in the year as if three Saviours had suffered Not but that it is lawful to fast throughout the whole year except in the 50. daies but it is one thing to fast by necessity another thing to bring a gift of ones own will Again in his 2. Book against Iovinian In foribus Evangelii Anna silia Phanuelis univira inducitur semperque jejunans Et Dominum virginem longa castitas longáque jejunia suscepêre Acriora daemonia docuit Dominus non nisi oratione jejunio posse superari est Dominus qui 40 diebus Christianorum jejunium sanctisicavit qui beatos appellat esurientes sitientes Luke 6. 21. In the very doors of the Gospel we meet with Anna the daughter of Phanuel that had been the wise of one Husband and her long purity and long continued use of fastings received in her arms the Lord the Virgin The Lord hath taught us that the fiercer sort of Devils cannot be overcome but by prayer and fasting It is the Lord who hath sanctifi'd the fast of the Christians in 40. daies who calleth them happy which hunger and thirst The same S. Ierome in his Comment upon Ionah c. 3. Ipse quoque
the fourty dayes Fast of Lent the fourth and sixth dayes of the week on which we solemnly Fast and those he recounts not as prescribed by this or that Church or of this or that Age but as part of the Christian Abstinence Then Peter also the Archbishop of Alexandria in his 15 Can. ratifi'd by the sixth General Councel thus declareth the Churches Fast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor can any accuse us for observing the fourth and sixth day of the week in which we had been with great reason commanded to Fast according to Tradition on the fourth day by reason of the Councel held by the Iews for the betraying of the Lord c. What Tradition what command he means you shall now hear The Tradition Epiphanius will tell us was from the Apostles and the Command from the Successours of the Apostles the 69. Can. Apostolick made by Primitive Bishops the early Successours of the Apostles doth witness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any Bishop Priest or Deacon any Reader or Singer Fast not the Holy Lent or Fast not the fourth or sixth day of the week let him be deprived except he were hinder'd by weakness of body And if a laick let him be separated a Canon which might concern their times onely Now whence the Tradition of those days came we shall hear from Epiphanius in his book de Expositione Fidei c. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On the Wednesday and Eve of Saturday we are in fasting unto the ninth hour And the Apostles have delivered that on these dayes Fasts be perform'd and that which is written be fulfill'd that when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them then shall they Fast in those dayes And in his Haeres 75. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sequitur ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in expos fidei the same Epiphanius saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is there that doth not confess and agree in all the climates of the world that the fourth day and the Eve of Saturday is a defined Fast in the Church Onely saith he elsewhere in the end of his third book of Haeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the day of the manifestation of Christ in the flesh when the Lord was born it is not lawful to Fast though it fall out on the fourth or sixth day of the week S. Hierom shall be our next witness in his preface upon the rule of S. Pachomius Bis in hebdomadâ quartâ sextâ sabbati ab omnibus jejunatur exceptâ Pentecoste The Fast is observ'd by all twice in the week on the fourth and sixth day thereof except within the solemn fifty days Their Exceptions both are to be put together The same ground of the Fast with Epiphanius S. Austin gives us Epist. 86. ad Casulanum Cur autem quartâ sextâ feriâ maximè jejunet Ecclesia illa ratio reddi videtur quòd considerato Evangelio ipsa quarta Sabbati quam vulgò quartam feriam vocant concilium reperiuntur ad occidendum Dominum fecisse Iudaei Deinde traditus est â—…â nocte quae jam ad sextam Sabbati qui dies Passionis ejus manifestus est pâ—…rtinebat Now why the Church especially Fasts on the fourth and sixth dayes of the week that reason seems to be render'd that the Gospel being consider'd on the fourth day of the week the Iews are found to have held a councel for the slaying of the Lord Who was afterwards deliver'd up on that night which belongs to the sixth day of the week which manifestly was the day of his Passion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Epiphanius Ratio reddi videtur considerato Evangelio saith S Austin a Apolloniuâ—… apâ—…d Graâ—…ianum Distinct. 4. cap. 32. Iejunia vero legitima i. e. quartâ sextâ feriâ non sunt selvenda nisi gâ—…andis alâ—… que necessiâ—…s fuerâ—… quâ—…d quartâ feriâ Iadas de Traditione Domini cogitaveâ—…it feriâ sextâ 〈◊〉 est Salvator The two weekly dayes of the Iews were the second and fifth of the Maniches were the first and second of the Christians were the fourth and sixth days of the week These are the several Fasts of the Church according to their several Originals and Institutions CHAP. III. Of the several Fasts of the Church or also other Religious Fasts as to their measure of Time THe extension of the Fast as to the persons performing it was either a Fast of the whole Catholick Church as it were at one time perform'd by all Christian people or particular Fasts of particular Churches or individual Fasts of single persons But the extension of Fasts as to the time forsomuch as the flesh which needeth that medicine is not able to bear it continued perpetually or for a very long time if we speak of the ordinary strength of Christians hath been in divers proportions bounded out There is first the semi-jejunium stationum as Tertullian calls it Cornelius's Fast till three a clock in the afternoon such is call'd in Typico S. Sabae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venit enim horae nonae observatio de exitu Domini as we heard Tertullian grant to the Church but now There is secondly a proper entire Fast of one day unto the Evening 2 Sam. 1. 12. 1 Sam. 7. 6. and Iudges 20. 26. And all the Children of Israel and all the People went up and came into the house of God and wept and abode there before the Lord and fasted that day until the Evening and offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings before the Lord. According to which Pattern the Christian Church in the Fasts of Lent in those days when they fasted until the Evening celebrated their commemorative Sacrifice viz. of the holy Eucharist in the Evening next before their Officium vespertinum ' betwixt three a clock and six at night as on the other Fasts of their stations which they brake up at three a clock they offered up their commemorative Sacrifice next also before their Evening Service but betwixt the hours of twelve and three Such was also Daniel's Fast conjoyn'd with supplications sack-cloth and ashes and continued until the time of the Evening Oblation Dan. 9. 3. 21. The Angel of God putting this period of the Evening to his Fast as an Angel of God did at the ninth hour unto Cornelius's Fast Acts 10. Amongst the set Fasts of the Church certain especially in Lent and those also before the Ordinations which as appears by the Sermons of Leo were wont then to be kept but two days the fourth and sixth of the week were then extended unto the Evening A third sort of fasts as to the extent of time is that which the Greeks call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Superpositio when they added to the day the night following also or at least the time unto the Cock-crowing So holy David 2 Sam. 12. 16. He fasted a Fast and went in and lay all night
thought and we think also that he had the Spirit of God so some things are said to be constituted by men and not the Lord which yet is more then S. Hierom said in this case when not expresly commanded by the Lords own mouth on earth though they be constituted by such men as were constituted by God to guide his Church infallibly By those we mean the Apostles of the Lord. And so constituted was the Lords-day and the Paschal-Fast of Lent and the Feast of Easter c. certainly according to S. Hierom's meaning as appears by his own express words Nos unam Quadragesimam toto anno tempore nobis congruo secundùm Traditionem Apostolorum jejunamus We fast one Lent within the compass of the whole year not three as the Montainsts in a fit season according to the Tradition of the Apostles And yet thrice he saies that the Fast of the forty daies was sanctified by the Lord was left as an inheritance from the Lord l. 2. Con. Iovin and on Ion. 3. Isa. 58. But it may well be from the Lord and from the Apostles as above declared and proved and yet from the Church from wise men and Governours in the Church as to the inviting occasioning thereby and compelling such as S. Hierom there describes qui nolunt which otherwise would not assemble themselves in the Church as to the Congregationes inter dies which he mentions A third Authour which is produced is Victor Antiochenus living in the same Age with St. Hierom on Mark 2. where he thus writes Enimverò inter eos qui in Moyse eos rursum qui in lege gratiae Iejuniis dant operam hoc praeter caetera interest quod illi quidem jejunia à Deo praefinita habebant quae proinde modis omnibus explere obligabantur etiamsi alià s noluissent Hi verò virtutis amore liberaque voluntatis electione jejunant veriùs quam ullâ omninò legis coactione Quòd si verò Quadragesimale vel aliud quodc unque jejunium definitum habemus propter ignavos negligentes quò nimirùm ii quoque officium faciant praefinitum habemus Studioâ—…i namque pietatâ—…que dediti certo animi consilio propensâque voluntate jejunium illud persolvunt magis quà m ullâ omninò legis aut praecepti vi compulsi Betwixt those truly which fast under the Law of Moses and those again which fall under the Law of Christ there is this difference beside others that they indeed had their Fasts predefined by God viz. by his express written Law for the number manner and rigour thereof which they were by all means obliged to fulfill although otherwise they would not But these fast more truly from the love of virtue and free choice of will than by any coaction at all of Law And if we have a Quadragesimal Fast or any other defined it is for the slothfull and negligent that they to wit may do their duty that we have it so predefined For they which are studious and virtuous and devoted to piety do pay that Fast by a certain purpose of of their minde and ready will rather than compelled by any force at all of Law or Precept Here you are first to remember that I have above laid down this concession that the Precept or Law of Fasting forty days is of Constitution Ecclesiastical onely Albeit even forty days abstinence we have shewed to be of Apostolical recommendation To this Victor's words here agree concerning the Fast Quadragesimal or of forty days which if we abstract from Law Ecclesiastical Christians perform veriùs virtutis amore quam ullâ omninò legis coactione Or as also he said a little before Non quòd aliquâ legis necessitate ad hoc adigentur sed quòd hoc medium veluti salutare opportunum ad virtutis perfectionâ—…sque studium suo posteà tempore adhibituri sint Which agrees with what we have observed from our Lord's words Luke 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are partly a Prediction In those days they will fast by a certain Law of gratitude which the Apostles would practise and teach the Church more truly than by any coaction of Law as Victor here says Such coaction of Law Victor declares himself here to mean as was the coaction of fear compelling them to fulfil those Fasts Quae modis omnibus explore obligabantur etiamsi alià s noluissent Though otherwise they would not Not as the Christians from the force of love and by the Law of gratitude and of a ready minde Quòd hoc medium veluti salutare opportunum suo posted tempore adhibituri sint Secondly we are to observe that Victor here doth not deny but rather grant some sort of Law and constitution for some time and season of fasting given to Christians while he saith Quòd si verò Quadragesimale vel aliud quodc unque jejunium definitum habemus and forthwith adds habemus praefinitum We have such Fast prescribed And a little after Iejunium illud persolvunt they pay that Fast therefore that Fast was their duty though that duty they performed magis propensâ voluntate quà m ullâ legis vi compulsi veriùs amore virtutis liberâque voluntatis electione choosing the things that please God quà m ullâ omninò coactione legis This being from the law of the spirit of bondage the other from no less a true law of the Spirit of Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they will and shall fast Where though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not expressed yet it is as well included in the word as when he saith Iohn 19. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they shall they will hear my voice And Matth. 21. 41. They shall they will render unto him the fruits of the vineyard Thirdly when Victor saith Propter ignavos negligentes jejunium praefinitum habemus that we have a law if any saith he of the Quadragesimal Fast prefined or prescribed by reason of the slothfull and negligent Of which sort there are and ever will be many in the Church amongst the generality of Christians whose consideration must not be contemned but ever was ground sufficient for the prefinition of some law of fasting to be given in general which being given all must obey as well those which yet equally would do it without a law as others who need such a law The strong this way also bearing the infirmities of the weak Of this see more in our Interpretation last given to St. Hierom's words Fourthly the entire occasion and ground of Victor's words was his scope to shew that the Iudaical Fasts did not now oblige the Apostles or Christian people as appears by his preceding words Cùm enim Apostoli novi T. praecones doctores sint instituti non debent nunc veterem caeremoniarum observationum legibus obstringi Vos itaque O Pharisaei qui priscis illis ritibus consuetudinibus etiamnum addicti obstrictique haereticis Mosaica jejunia meritò observatis Isti verò
Pontus who was a Priest to Eustachius an Arrian Bishop and son of that same Eustachius who did fordid fasting on Wednesdayes and Fridayes and in LENT and the observation of the Pasch. He condemns these set solemnities saying that if any one would keep a Fast he ought not to observe â—…t upon certain set dayes but when he pleaseth for he denies that he is bound to it by a Law He also denies that there is any difference between a Priest and a Bishop Epiphanius in his 75. Heresie which is the Aerians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Afterwards â—…e saith what is the Pasch which is performed with you Do you adhere again to Jewish fables For saith he ye ought not to perform the Pasch for Christ our Passeover is slain for there is to be no set Fast For these things are Judaical and under the yoak of bondage But it I fast at all I fast what day I please for my own liberty whence they commonly affect to fast upon the Lords-day but on Wednesday and Friday c. And Theophilus of Alexandria in his first Paschal Epistle saith Homines provocantur terturum humilia deserentes cum Ecclesiâ primitivorum Dominicae Paessionis sesta celebrare Non est ergo non est haereticorum ulla solennitas nec qui in errore decepti sunt illius possunt communione laetari Men are provoked forsaking the low things of the earth to celebrate the solemnities of the Lord's Passion with the Church of the Primitive ones There is not therefore there is not any solemnity that Hereticks will keep nor can those which are deceived with error be delighted with the communion thereof Synodus Gangrensis can 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any of the Religious without any bodily necessity shall proudly contemn and break the Fasts delivered in common and observed of the Church a perfect deliberation in him rejecting them let him be an Anathema Epistola Synodica Patrum Synodi Gangrensis a Haereticis quibusdam Eustathianis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concillium Moguntinum sub Carolo â—…agn Can. 35. Siquis indictum jejunium Superbiendo contempserit observare cum caeteris Christianis noluerit c. Anathema sit nisi se emendare statuerit Evagrius l. 2. c. 8. noteth certain Heretick of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not reverencing the time of the Celebration of the salutary Pasch. CHAP. 10. The judgment of the Right R. Fathers in God Lancelot Andrews Bishop of Winchester and John Cosin the present Lord Bishop of Durham also in some measure of the most Reverend Father in God Arch-Bishop Whitgift and Bishop Montague BIshop Andrews in his fifth Sermon of Repentance p. 216. saith He Christ that in this place St. Mat. 6. 16. saith Cum jejunatis when ye fast saith in another Tum jejunabunt then they shall fast and that amounts to a Precept I trow And p. 217. They that were under Grace went far beyond them under the Law in their Cùm and in their jejunatis both And in the 223. and 224. p. of the same Sermon speaking of the yearly recurrent fast of Lent he saith It is a custome of the Church while it was à Christo recens yet fresh and warm from Christ the Church which was the mother of the Apostles themselves at all times kept everywhere observed then and ever since Some to resist it frame to themselves a fear of I wot not what Superstition where no fear is Before any Superstition was stirring any Popery hatched it was this Fast was Lex abstinendi in quadragesim semper fuit in Ecclesia saith the Oracle of Antiquity Theophilus Alexandrinus Lent was ever in the Church Nos unam quadragesimam secundum traditionem Apostolorum We have but one Lent the Montanists had three but that one was delivered us by the Apostles saith St. Ierome why should I weary you with reckoning them up what one more ancient Writer then other is there but you shall find it in him expresly even up to Ignatius who lived with the Apostles themselves Apostolike then it is and for such St. Hierome avowss it and when that is said enough is said for it I think yet it is good you know it the Fast so delivered and by the Church ever and every-where so kept the Council of Gangra hath laid an Anathema on them that keep it not avoid it how they can that keep it not every man so we would have it to be left to himself for Prayer Fasting Sacrament nay for Religion too now and all for Gods sake let it not be so let us have our dayes appointed and our hâ—…ures set for it If all were left to us God knows I durst not promise what should become of Prayer it self the like I say for the Sacrament and so for Fasting Fast privately in Gods Name but hear you let not the Church trust to that nor she hath not held it wisdom so to do but as in both them Prayer and the Sacrament so in this hold us to our order of dayes and times established Them if we keep so it is otherwise were it not for the Churches times I doubt there would be taken scarce any time at all Now yet somewhat is done but leave it once at liberty liberty hath lost us some already and will loose us the rest if it be not looked to in time Pag. 2 5. this Fast is called Iejunium paschalo for Easter and â—…ent stand up on one base both stand and fall together Last of all pag. 224. REMEMBER IT CAME FROM THE APOSTLES that is it that binds us that is it that sets us fast Thus far Bishop Andrewes And the R. Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Durham in his Collection of Private Devotions in the Practise of the Ancient Church after many Citations out of the Holy Fathers of the Greek and Latine Church concerning Lent thus saith All which being put together will abundantly prove That the Lent which we now keep IS AND EVER HATH BEEN AN APOSTOLICAL CONSTITUTION as S. Hierome said in his Epistle to Marcella Nos unam Quadragesimam secundùm Traditionem Apostolorum tempore nobis congruo â—…ejunamus That is We observe a Lent Fast of forty dayes as we have been taught to do by the Apoin a fit and seasonable time of the year To which he adds the Testimony of S. Augustine and Chrysologus The most Reverend Father in God Archbishop Whitgift in his Defence of the Answer c. p. 104. I know no reason why the Apostles many not be said to be the Authors of celebrating the day of the Passion c neither yet do I understand any cause why the Church may not still observe the same sure I am that they were not the Authours of the Superstitions and Errours used in them by the Papist neither doth S. Austin say so For thiâ—… is no good Argument to say The Apostles appointed these days to be celebrated Ergo They appointed the
upon the earth and as the words of the Text may import pernoctavit in jejunio As the Syr. and Arab. did read the Hebrew in their Copy a Iejunevit jejunium in quo pernoctavit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly there is a fast of two days continued such as it seems was in the Church by some used at their Paschal fast saith Irenaeus and Dionysius The two days of the Disciples sorrow when their Master was taken from them Of which as the Prophet Hosea seems to have given before some intimation chap. 6. 2. After two days he will revive us and the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Then shall we know c. His going forth is prepared as the morning So Tertullian also describeth the Churches more instant exercise of fasting on those two days of our Saviours remaining in death lib. de Iejun cap. 14. Cur jejuniis Parasceuen Quanquam vos etiam sabbatum si quando continuatis nunquam nisi in Pascha jejunandum secundum rationem alibi redditam But more expresly Dionysius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor do all keep the six days of the fasts viz. those of the great Week equally or alike but some indeed pass them all over continuing without food either wholly or on each day to the next Cock-crowing But others two viz. Good-Friday and Easter-Eve again others three the Wednesday Friday and Saturday and others four adding Thursday The two or three days fast we meet with in St. Hierom in his fifteenth Epistle ad Marcellum of Asella a very holy Virgin Cùm per omnem aetatem jugi jejunio pasceretur biduo triduó que sic permanens tum verò in quadrage simâ navigii sui vela tendebat As in all her life she almost continually fasted abiding so sometimes two sometimes three days fasting so especially in Lent c. Fifthly a three days fast in Old and New Testament is renowned Esther 4. 16 17. Go gather together all the Iews which are found in Shushan and fast ye for me and neither eat nor drink three days night nor day I also and my Maidens will fast likewise c. So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him Such as is supposed was also the Ninevites fast and such was St. Paul's fast at his Conversion Acts 9. 9. And he was three days without sight and did neither eat nor drink The same fast of three days we have in the History of godly Iudas Maccabaeus 2 Mac. 13. 10-12 That two days and this three days fast is by some religiously also emulated who not able to continue so long fasting joyn together so many several days of fasts though taking some food each Evening Sixthly we often meet with the mention of a five days fast and such each weeks fast in Lent as St. Chrysostom for Constantinople and St. Basil for Caesarea doth witness besides that which Socrates mentions of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 three five days fasts with interval of many days betwixt St. Basil in his first Sermon of fasting days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fifth fast proclaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lay not in before hand five days riot as if you would avenge before hand the days of the fast Seventhly the next honourable fast is that of seven days as that of the men of Iabesh Gilead for Saul and his sons they fasted seven days 1 Sam. ult ult Like Ioseph's mourning for his father seven days Gen. 5. 10. Like as Ezechiel also sat with them of the Captivity and remained astonished amongst them seven days And it came to pass at the end of the seven days that the Word of the Lord came unto him Chap. 3. 15 16. So as also Iob's three friends having rent every one his Mantle and sprinkled dust upon their heads sate down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights and none spake a word unto him Iob 2. ult Yea the Lord said unto Moses of Miriam Num. 12. 14. If her father had but spit in her face should she not be ashamed seven days let her be shut out from the Camp seven days This seven days fast is answer'd by the Christians whole weeks fast in their great week except in that the festival day of Easter yea even every weekly Lords-day hath a greater priviledge of exemption from fasting then the Jewish-sabbath then had Our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 six days of the Fasts mention'd by Dionysius of Alexandria above in Epistolâ ad Basilidem are to the Christians instead of a seven days Fast. So measur'd they their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eighthly Daniel's three weeks fast was as I said divers ways emulated by the Christians in Lent some after that example amongst the forty days of Abstinence more strictly fasting the three weeks next before Easter excepting the Lords days or also two of the Saturdays some selecting to themselves one and twenty days dispersedly throughout the Lent as Leo a Serm de jejun Quadrages mentions the second the fourth the sixth of each week some fifteen days interpreting the three weeks with their abatement of two in each Saturday and Sunday of this we have Sozomen's testimony lib. 7. cap. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some others fast three weeks of days here and there selected within the compass of the six or seven weeks fast of Lent but others joyn for their fast three weeks of days together next before the feast of Easter others fasting two weeks as the followers of Montanus besides some others For so much we may take Socrates's witness also because in this agreeing with others lib. 5. cap. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some in Rome fast three weeks before Easter conjoyn'd together excepting the Sabbath and Lords day in each week though Leo gives us in his time their three weeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. every other day or three days in each of almost seven weeks Others beginning their fast seven weeks before the Feast fast onely three several five-days spaces with a weeks interval betwixt each And this they meant also a three weeks fast St. Chrysostom also is a witness beyond exception in his sixteenth Homily ad populum Antiochen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the manner of all to ask touching Lent how many weeks any one kept the 〈◊〉 and you may hear some say two viz. beginning their fasts from Passion-Sunday but some three weeks and some answering that they have fasted all the weeks All the 15 or 18 or â—…1 days in emulation of holy Daniel's fast in some sort or other Ninthly the most renowned number was the forty days fast of which we have