OfFatting. Vpon íhwednefday. Eafter,they may be thoughtmore profperous and more aboundant, &c. Lent is likewife calledthe Auguft and Harueft ofa Chriftian. Hee that m Auguft prouides himfelfeof Corne , comes not to fuller hunger : but hee that ouerpaffeth the Harueft; itis no meruaile ifhe flame for want of bread ; Tranfät meths (faith_Ieremie)finita eft altos, b nos f luati nonfemus, i. The Hartsell paftb, the Sommer is at an end,androearenotfaced. Neceflirie likewife driueth vs thereunto, Hee that is fallen ftriues to rife againe; the ficke to be whole ; theblind to fee ; he that bath loft hisway to re- turneinto it againe,though it be throughbulgesandbriars; hee that fuffereth fhipwracke : o efcape,ifhe can,vpon aplanke : &Taft ofall,hethat lofetha thing ofvalue will endeavour to findit out againe, thoughir colt him a great deale of paine and trouble : yet all thefe loffes are farce leffe than thofeofa (inner. Hee is falleninto the mire offinne,and findes no helpe in the earthto lift himvp ; he is ficke, butno phyfickeofHypocrites nor Galencan recouer him; he is blind, but yet cannotget his fight; he bath fufferedfhipwrack,and can takeholdofno- thing in this feaofthe world to faue him; he hath loft a jewell of that ineftinla blevalue,whofe loflè is aloffeof lofïes,&the fum ofall miferie. Now ifto day at thistime we may repaire thefe our grieuous loffes, it ourfault ifweegrow careleffe and drowfie therein;&c. Cum jeiunatís, nolitefieri,d&c. When yeefaft,bee not, &c. Here theCommentators make aftand. TheGofpellindeering thepoornefl'e offpirit,and other vertuesofFafting, fpeakes noword thereof, though it pre- fuppofe it,andprefcribcth rules how it ought tobedone. And the anfwere is; ThegreacneileofthepriuiledgeofFafting, whofe nobleneffeis fo antient, rhat Chriftfuppofeth the fame,though bee fpeaketh not thereof. Thereare force Gentlemen inourState,ofthat antiquitie, that without !hewingtheir Titles or theirPriuiledges,no manwill offer to queflionthem.°thers there are,howbeit noble,either through emulation, or that theyarenot fo antient are driuen to prooue theirGentilitie. Againn force vertues,forneEmulators haue not ftucke to fpeake 3 but againft Fafting no maneuer opened hismouth. (Mahomet him- felfenetierdenied thenobleneffeofFafting,hut rather fo much recommended it, that our fallings fhould beafhamed to fcand incompetition with theirs.' And thereforeit is aid, Cumjeiunatis,Whenyeefaji,erc.And anonafter, Toau= tern cumfellow, , But thou when thoufaflefl. Thereare fuch forcibleand precife ar- guments.vpon thispoint,that itwere afuperfluous labor to aduifewhitherit be tobedoneor no,when as it isduifedhowirought to bedone. HeareS.Paul, Siuecomedatis,ftuebibatis.ftuequidaliudfacitis,omnia ingloriazn Deifacite; i. Wlü. theyyee eat ordrinke,or rohatfoeueryeedae,let all be doneto theglorie ofGod HeBoth. not aduife youvnto it, for that were akindofforceandconftraint;but tells you how it ought robedone. As that itwere a fuperfluous thing to aduife a man that is fore ficke, toobferueadyer ; orone whofe houfe is on fire,to cart water thereon;or him thatpayeth money, to takeanAcquittance ; or him that enters. theChurch,to kneele when he comesin: foit were aneedeleffe thingto com- manda manto raft, who fromthebeginningof the world tookea furfet of ea- ting. Niniuiewasfauedby fafting. foci propofeth the likemeanes, whenhecri- eth unto thepeople, Cen tertimini admein ieianio,Turnevotemeinfalling. Whenthe LawofGrace was firft publifhedthrough theworld, Farling was proclaimed, rent Cabananon manducnns neehibens, i. John came neither eating nor drinking. He is faidnot toconeeating,for that he did eat but little : aswee fay of I.Cor.to.; T. The autiquit ofFaking.
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