Q. What was the End and Defign of the Faft of Lent?

A. That it should be fet apart as a proper Seafon for Mortification, and the Exercife of Self-denial. To humble and afflict ourselves for our Sins, by frequent Faftings; and to punish our too often Abufes of God's Creatures, by Abftinence, and by forbearing the lawful Enjoyment of them. To form and fettle firm Purposes of holy Obedience. To pray frequently to God, both in private and public for Pardon, and his holy Spirit. To put us in Mind of that fore Trial and Temptation, which Chrift then endured for our Sakes: particularly to perpetuate the Memory of our Saviour's Sufferings, and to make, as it were, a public Confefiion of our Belief, that he died for our Salvation. And confequently for fitting ourselves to receive the Tokens and Pledges of his Love with greater Joy and Gladness; because with fuller Affurance that God is reconciled to us through the Death and Paffion of Chrift Fefus.

Q. Is it the Defign of the Church to oblige ber Members to faft the whole forty Days?

Hift. Eccl

A. I think not, because in the ancient Church this Seafon was obferved with great Variety; which arofe from the various Cuftoms of different Churches, as well as from the Devotion of feveral Socrates People, who all united in the folemn and religious lib. v. c. Exercises of this Seafon, though they differed in a2, the Manner of their Fafting. And none but the licentious, who love no Reftraint, or thofe whom Prejudice hath made inconfiderate, can think fit to blame an Inftitution fo well framed to promote Piety and Devotion; especially when it is enjoined with fo much Moderation.

Q. After what Manner did the primitive Chriftians obferve their Fafts in Lent?

Cc 4

A. There

Sozom.

lib. vii. c.

16.

A. There was Variety in their Manner of Fasting, as well as in the Number of their Days. In the Holy Week, they that were ftrict would eat nothing but Bread and Water, and Salt, or Nuts and Almonds, or fuch like Fruits, which was called the dry Diet. In the rest of Lent fome abstained from Flesh and Wine; and others forbore all Fish likewife as well as Flesh, which was the Custom of the Greeks. Some contented themfelves with Eggs and Fruit, others forbore both, and lived upon Bread, Herbs, and Roots; and in this Variety they agreed in one Thing, which was, not to eat till the Evening, and then fuch Food as was least delicate.

Q. How did the Primitive Church treat notorious Offenders in this holy Seafon?

A. Such Perfons as ftood convicted of notorious Hift. Eccl. Sins were put to open Penance, and punifhed in this World, that their Souls might be faved in the Day of the Lord; and that others, admonished by their Example, might be the more afraid of offending; the whole Church fupplicated God in their Behalf; that he would be pleased to grant them Repentance and perfect Remiffion and Forgiveness of their Sins.

Q. But, fince the Life of a Chriftian ought always to be governed by the Rules of our holy Religion, is it not fuperftitious to fet apart any fuch particular Time as Lent for this Purpose ?

A. It is certain it ought to be the conftant Endeavour of a Chriftian, in all Times and in all Places, to have his Duty in his Eye, and to have always a great Regard to what God requires from him. But, confidering the great Corruption of the World, and the Frailty of our Natures, and how often we tranfgrefs the Bounds of our Duty, and how backward we are to cross our fleshly Appetites,

Appetites, it is very happy we have fuch a folemn Seafon ftated for Recollection and the Exercife of Repentance; when the Command of our Superiors, and the Provifion of fit Means to affift us, and the Practice of devout Chriftians in all Ages, call loudly upon us to reform our Lives. For that which is a Duty at all Times when our Follies make it neceffary, cannot be lefs fo when we are required to give outward Proofs and DemonAtrations of it.

Q. How does it become a devout Chriftian to spend bis Time during the whole Seafon of Lent?

A. Some Part ought to be fpent in Fafting: more in Abftinence, according to the Circumftances of his Health, and outward Condition in the World; and this with a Defign to deny and punifh himself, and to exprefs his Humiliation before God for his paft Tranfgreffions. The Ornament of Attire may be laid afide, as improper to express the Sense of Mourners, and the Frequency of receiving and paying Vifits may be interrupted, as unfeasonable when our Minds are oppreffed with Sorrow. Public Affemblies for Pleafure and Diverfion fhould be avoided, as Enemies to that Seriousness we now profefs. Our Retirements fhould be filled with reading pious Difcourfes, and with frequent Prayer, and with examining the State of our Minds. The Public Devotion fhould be conftantly attended, and thofe inftru&ting Exhortations from the Pulpit, which are fo generally eftablished in many Churches in this Seafon. We fhould be liberal in our Alms, and very ready to employ ourselves in all Opportunities of relieving either the temporal or fpiritual Wants of our Neighbours. And we fhould frequently exercife ourfelves in the Meditation of divine Subjects, the best Means to make all Difcourfes from the Prefs, and the Pulpit, effectual to our Salvation.

Q. What

Q. What do you mean by Meditation in a religious Senfe?

A. Such a serious Application of the Mind to the Confideration of any divine Subject, whether any Mystery of the Gofpel Inftitution, or any Truth and Virtue of the Chriftian Religion, as may difpofe it firmly to believe and embrace it, and ftir up all the Faculties of the Soul to a vigorous Profecution of it. And it is this Exercise of the Will and Affections, that distinguishes Meditation from what we call Study.

Q. How ought we to prepare ourselves for the Exercife of this Duty?

A. By remembering that we are in the Prefence of God, who knoweth all our Thoughts, and searcheth out all our Ways; that we are unworthy, by reafon of our Sins, to present ourselves before him; and that we are incapable, without his Affiftance, to think any Thing that is good; and therefore adoring his infinite Majefty with profound Reverence, we fhould humbly beg his Aid and Help, fo to enlighten our Understandings, and to influ¬ ence our Wills, that the prefent Action may tend to his Glory, and the Good of our own Souls.

Q. How is the Understanding exercised in Medi÷ tation?

A. In fetting the Subject of our Meditation in fuch a Light, as may excite the Will and Affections to purfue and embrace it. If it concerns our Saviour's Life or Death, it confiders the Dignity of his Perfon, upon whofe Account the Action was performed; the End for which it was done; the Place and Circumstances; the Fruits and Effects of it. If the Subject relates to any Virtue of a Christian Life, it confiders the Nature of the Duty, and wherein it confifts; who are properly the Objects of it; the Obligations there are from Reafon and Revelation to practife it; the Temptations that chiefly

chiefly feduce from it, and those particular Inftances whereby the Virtues may be exercifed; and the great Advantages that accrue to us, both in this Life and the next, by the diligent Performance of it.

Q. How are the Will and Affections exercifed in this Duty?

A. In chufing and pursuing what by the Understanding is reprefented as good and advantageous to us; and in hunning and avoiding what is reprefented as evil and deftructive to our Happiness. In order hereunto, firm Purposes are formed of governing our Lives, with fuch a Prospect for the Time to come; the Ufe of the best Means is refolved upon, and we determine when, and upon what Occasions, we will put fuch a Virtue in Practice, or imitate fuch an Action; in what Places, and in what Company, we will ftand upon our Guard, left we be surprised by such a Vice. From hence we proceed to exercife ourselves in holy Affections; as in Love and Defire of what is good; in Hatred and Deteftation of what is evil; in Sorrow, Shame, and Self-abhorrence for having tranfgreffed in any Particular; in Praife and Thanksgiving, for having been enabled, in any tolerable Measure, to have done our Duty; in Adoration and Imitation, in Faith, in Hope, and Charity, and in Refignation of

ourfelves to God.

Q. What are the bleffed Fruits of boly Meditation?

A. It has an univerfal Influence upon the whole Life of a Chriftian, and is an admirable Inftrument to quicken our Progress in all the Graces of God's Holy Spirit. It illuminates our Understandings with the Knowledge of our Duty; and ftores our Memories with all fuch Arguments as are proper to excite us to the Performance of it. The Voice of Confcience is, by this Means, attended to, and

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