Joy and Gladness, and confequently as improper a Seafon for the Signification of Sorrow, as it would be to forbid Eating and Drinking at a Wedding. Can the Children of the Bride-chamber Luke v. feft, faith our Saviour, while the Bridegroom is with 3+ 35. them? But when the Bridegroom is taken from them, then shall they faft. Whereby our Saviour doth not go about to excufe his Difciples from thofe Obligations of Fafting, which St. John's Difciples, and the Pharafees practifed; but intimates, that though it was not fit for them at prefent, yet when he was gone from them, they also fhould faft in those Days.

Q. What Examples have we of Fafting in the Scriptures?

Dan. ix. 3.

A. It was a Duty all along observed by devout Men, and acceptable to God under the Old and New Teftament, both as it was helpful to their Devotion, and as it became a Part of it. Publicenjoined Fafts, upon extraordinary Occafions are fo frequent in Scripture, they need no particular Notice. And as to private Fafts, we read that David Pfal. Ixix. chaftened bis Soul with Fafting. And Daniel fought 10. the Lord, not only with Prayers and Supplications, Luke ii. but with Fafting. Anna ferved and worshipped God 37. in Pravers and Faftings Night and Day. Cornelius Acts xii. was Fafting, as well as praying, when the Vifion a. came, that brought Salvation to his House. When Paul and Barnabas were to be ordained Apoftles, there was Fafting joined to Prayer; and St. Paul approved himself a Minifter of God in Faftings, as well as Labours and Watchings; He kept his Body 2 Cor. vi. under, and brought it into Subjection; left, while be $11, 27. preached to others, he himself should be a Caft-away.

Q. Have we any Account that the Apostles, after our Saviour's Afcenfion, practifed Fafting and Abfti

nence?

A. Ephi

Acts.x.30.

Cor. ix. 27.

Ep. lviii.

C. 4. XXX.

C. 24.

Pædag. lib. ii. C. 1.

A. Epiphanius tells us, that St. James the Great and St. John were very eminent for a mortified Life; that they never ate either Flesh or Fish, and wore but one Coat and a Linen Garment. Clemens Alexandrinus relates of St. Matthew, that he was fo far from indulging his Appetite, that he refused to gratify it with lawful and ordinary Provifions, eating no Flesh; his ufual Diet being nothing but Herbs, Roots, Seeds, and Berries. And it is recorded of St. James the Lefs, Bishop of Ferusalem, a Man of that Divine Temper, that he was the Love and Wonder of the Age; that he wholly abstained from Flefh, and drank neither Wine nor ftrong Drink, nor ever ufed the Bath; and that his whole Body was covered with Paleness through Fafting.

Q Was Fafting practifed in the Primitive

Church?

A. The ancient Chriftians were very exact both in their weekly and annual Fafts. Their Weekly Tertul. de Fafts were kept on Wednesdays and Fridays; beJejun.c.2. caufe on the one our Lord was betrayed, and on the

other crucified. Thefe Fafts were called their Stations, from the military Word of keeping their Guard, as Tertullian obferves: Though others think more immediately from the Jewish Phrafe, and the Custom of those devout Men, who either out of their own Devotion, or as the Reprefentatives of the People, affifted at the Oblations of the Temple; not departing thence till the Service was over. For thefe Fafts usually lafted till after Three in the Afternoon, as did their public Affemblies. Their Annual Faft was that of Lent, by Way of Preparation for the Feast of our Saviour's Refurrection. But this was variously observed, according to different Times and Places.

Q. What was the Manner of Fafting among the Primitive Chriftians?

A. They

catech. 4.

A. They obferved their Fafts with great Strict- Cyr. Hier. nefs. All in general on such Days abftained from drinking Wine and eating Flesh; the greatest Part fed only on Herbs or Pulfe, with a little Bread. They confined themselves to cheap and ordinary Diet, without Sauces or relishing Delicacies. Some ufed the dry Diet, as Nuts, Almonds, and fuch like Fruits; others fed only upon Bread and Water.

Q. What Occafions of Fafting are particularly taken Notice of in the Primitive Church?

A. There was the Faft of a Penitent, who after Baptifm having committed fome grievous Sin, was for it excluded the Affemblies of Chriftians, either by his own Confcience, or by public Sentence, till he was reconciled to God, and the Church. Rigorous was the Penance of thefe lapfed Chriftians, and their Fasting truly an Affliction of their Soul; for they lay in Sackcloth and Afbes, watched and fafted, groaned and wept to the Lord their God; and not only fupplicated God's Mercy, but begged the Pardon and Prayers of their Christian Brethren. Another folemn Occafion of Fafting was the Profeffion of Repentance those made who were converted to Faith, and were preparing to be baptifed. And it was the Practice not only of the Candidates to faft but of the whole Congregation with them; there being stated Times in the Primitive Church for the administering that Sacrament, as Eafter and Whitfuntide, the Fafting on both these Accounts did often fall in with the Faft before Easter.

1, 3.

Q. But does not St. Paul place the abftaining Tim, iv from Meats among the Doctrines of feducing Spirits?

A. It cannot be fuppofed, that by abstaining from Meats, St. Paul fhould mean the Duty of Fafting; becaufe that was obferved by devout Mat. vi. Men, and acceptable to God both under the Old 16, 17,18.

and

27.

2 Cor. xi. 27.

and New Teftament; and our Saviour himself hath given Directions concerning the Performance of it; in his admirable Sermon upon the Mount. And 1 Cor. ix. our Apoftles practifed it alfo upon feveral Occafions. Therefore it is moft probable he doth therein condemn the Opinions of fome ancient Heretics ch. vi. 5. that departed from the Faith, who, as they exclud1 Tim. iv. ed thofe from Salvation that engaged in Matrimony, fo they held the eating the Flefh of any living Creatures unlawful; a Doctrine very likely De Abft. borrowed from Pythagoras and his Followers, being defended with fuch Variety of Learning by PorAnim. phyry. Whereas they who are inftructed in their Gen.ix.3. Chriftian Liberty, and know the Truth, are fully 26,27,33. fecured that God hath permitted the Ufe of fuch his Creatures for our Nourifhment and Suftenance, provided we receive them always with Temperance and Thanksgiving; and that the Gospel hath Rom. xiv. taken away the Difference between Things clean Aets x.15. and unclean.

zb ufu

A&ts ii,

14.

Q. When may a Faft be counted religious?

A. When it is undertaken upon religious Ends and Purposes, to reftrain the loofer Appetites of the Flesh, and to keep the Body under. To give the Mind Liberty and Ability to confider and reflect while it is actually engaged in divine Service, or preparing for fome folemn Part of it. To humble ouriclves before God under a Senfe of our Sins, and the Mifery to which they expofe us. To deprecate his Anger, and to fupplicate for his Mercy and Favour. To exprefs Revenge against ourfelves for the Abufe of thofe good Things God alloweth us to enjoy; and of which we have made ourfelves unworthy by finful Exceffes. When it is used as a Piece of Self-denial, in order the bet-. ter to command our flefhly Appetites; and as a Means to raife in our Minds a due Valuation of the Happiness of the other World when we de

fpife the Enjoyment of this. Above all, to make it acceptable to God, it fhould be accompanied with fervent Prayer, and a charitable Relief of the Poor; whose Miseries we may the better guefs at, when we are bearing fome of the Inconveniencies of Hunger.

Q. What must we do if Fafting is prejudicial to our Health, and indifpofes us for the Service of God?

A In this Cafe it concerns us to deal impartially with ourselves, and not to make ufe of it as a Pretence to excufe ourselves from the Obligation of this Duty; efpecially when the Commands of our lawful Superiors require the Obfervation of it. But if it have this Effect, we ought to eat more fparingly, and with lefs Delicacy than at other Times; and to be more exact in performing thofe Devotions that ought to accompany our Fafis. The Church aims at our Advantage in the Rules fhe prescribes, and is always fuppofed to make Allowances for particular Cafes, which cannot be included in general Rules.

Q. Is this Humiliation, and afflicting our Bodies by Fafting, and giving outward Marks of our inward Grief for Sin, agreeable to the Chriftian Religion?

A. Though it is certain, that in the Exercife of Repentance the main Thing required is, to return fincerely from our evil Ways, yet it is plain in the Prophets, that this inward Grief was expreffed by outward Signs of Fafting, Weeping, and Mourning. And that this was not peculiar to the Genius of the Old Teftament, appears by the Directions given by St. James concerning Repentance: Be affilled, James iv. and mourn, and weep: Let your Laughter be turned 9, 10. into Mourning, and your Joy into Heavinefs. Humble yourfelves in the Sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Which Words, if examined by the Phrafes of the Old Teftament, our beft Guide in interpreting the New, import outward Expreffions of Grief

C c

and