Cnap.6, according to S C Ni A r r iá a v v. 2!3 praftifed it : fo did, in their fuperftitious way, the vEsfyptiats Priefts, the Perflan Magi, Indian Wizzards, Priamus in Homer, &c. TheTurks at this day have their folemn farts, (as before the fatall aftault of Conftantinople ) wherein they will not fomuch as tafte a cup of water, or wafb their mouthes with water all the day long, before the (tarres appear in the skie : which maketh their faits ( efpecially in the fummer, when thedaies be long and hot,) to be unto them very tedious. In the year ofgrace io;o. there arofe a left of Falters, that affirmed, that to fait on Sarur- daies with bread and water (as they called it) would fuffice to the retnillionofall [lunes; fo that men bound themfelves to it by oath. And manyFrench Bishops votedwith them : But Gerar- do" Epilèopus Cameracenfis withftood and abandoned them. So great ignorance was there even then,of the merits of Chrift among the governours of the Church. The Papifts flander us, that we countfafting noduty,but only a morali temperance,a fatting from finne, amatter ofmeet policie : Andout-brave us, as much as the Pharifees did the Disciples with their often fatting. But, as we cannot butfinde fault with their faits in that ; First, They let and appoint certain fatting-daies howfoever, tobeobferved,'"upon pain ofdamnation, be the times clear or cloudy, &c. Secondly,They fait from certain meats only, not all ; which is a meer mock-WI, and "'dot-trine ofdevils, i Tim.4.3. Thirdly, They make it a fer- vice of God, yet confecrate it to the Saints. Fourthly, They make fhamefull Pale of it. Fifthly,They afcribe(as tholeolder Hereticks) merit unto it, even to the meet outward abltinence, as thefePha- rifees did, and thole hypocrites in Ifaiah, chap. S 8.;. Now as we cannot but condemn their fuperftition, fo neither is our forlorn ofcitancy and dullneffe to this duty tobeexcufed. God hath gi- ven us, alate efpecially ( many gracious opportunities of publike Humiliations, more, I think, then everbefore, fence the Reforma- tion : But alaffe,howdoe many faft,at fuch times, for faihion, fear of Law,or of meet form ; fo that they hadneed to fend,as the Pro- phet fpeaketh, for mourningWomen, that by their cunning they may be taught to mourn, Icr.19 17 ? And for private fatting, whether dòmefticall with amans family, Zech.1 i.1a, r Cor.7.s. fills 10.30. or perfonall by himfelf,as here, c.Matth.6.17. We may teem to have dealt with it, as the Romanes with the Tar- quires : they banished all of that name for Superbzu his fake. And as the Nscopolites are fail to have hated the braying; ofan P 3 Me) 'Turk. 1 1/l. ful. 3 05,777. Ex iliaSync. dica corclu'o ne , fetid fexsâ jejunare son/hi. tueras, /eau il. lalejuaateiuin, oriAirein Maw habuipvidea- fur. Funcc. Chtoeol. Cave, nefije. juva)e caperis, te pute" e7 (anciuot t- h.ecr é)dm virtus ad. ju,nenatm e/ì, non perleilic [anttitat¡4,& c. Hieron, ad Ce- lano,
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