The Christian exercise of fasting, priuate and publike plainly set forth by testimonies of holy Scriptures, and also of old and late writers: wherein is shewed how religious families priuatly, and the congregations publikely, haue humbled themselues before almightie God, making vse of iudgements past, auoyding euils present, and preuenting future calamities, &c. Together with sundrie abuses of fasting in three generations of hypocrites: the first in the dayes of the prophets: the second in the dayes of Christ: the third in the dayes of Antichrist. Hereunto also are added some meditations on the 1. and 2. chapters of Iob, to comfort and instruct all such as be afflicted with any crosse, either inwardly in minde, or outwardly in bodie. By H. Holland, minister and preacher of Gods word.

The proofe.

1. A priuat fast is a religious abstinence. This generall is before shewed what it is: the priuat fast, I say, is not the naturall fast, nor the ciuill fast, nor the fast of Christian so∣brietie, nor the constrained fast, nor the miraculous fast: it is that, which we haue called for distinction sake, and as it must be according to Gods truth, the religious abstinēce.

2. A free exercise. This is the first difference and pro∣per note of this fast: it is a free exercise, so is not the pub∣lique: for when the Lorde by his Church and Prophets

shall proclayme it, it shall not be free for any man of yeres of discretion to abstaine from it. Leuit. 22.29. Euery per∣son that humbleth not himselfe that same day, shall euen be cut off from his people: This shall hereafter in place con∣uenient better appeare: But this exercise is free for any to take or leaue, as God shall giue occasion. That speech of Augustine must be vnderstood of a priuate fast onely: Sci∣mus esse ieiunandum ex praecepto, sed quibus diebus, ieiu∣nandum sit, aut non, ignoramus, quia id in literis noui Te∣stamenti nunquam est definitum, ideo ieiunia relinquenda sunt libera: that is, We know, we be commanded to fast, but what day we must fast, and what not, we know not, because that poynt is no where concluded in the new Testament, therefore this exercise of fast must be left as free, to vse it when & where the Lord shal giue occasion: Yet is Epipha∣nius greatly offended with Aerius, for defending this liber∣tie and fasting on the Lordes day, lib. 3. To. 1. heres. 75. A∣gaine this saith M. Bullinger also, Ieiunium est disciplina sponte suscepta: It is an exercise which we must practise of our owne accord: the same also saith good Bucer, Nec pie praestari ieiunium potest, nisi vltroneo spiritu suscipiatur. There can bee no religious fast, but when that exercise is performed with a free spirit and a willing minde. There must be also a willingnes and a cherefulnes in the publike fast, but then is not the same libertie of leauing and liking, which is here graunted.

3. Performed by one. This is the second difference or note of a priuate fast, for the publike must be performed by the whole congregation: the practise of a priuate fast, by one onely in a familie, we haue in diuerse presidents of the scripture: for so Nehemias fasted alone, Nehe. 1. v. 4. Dauid fasted alone for his childe, 2. Sam. 12.16. Dauid besought God for the childe and fasted, and went in, to wit to his priuie chamber, and lay all night vpon the earth, Then the elders of his house arose, to come vnto him, and to cause him to rise from the ground, but be would not, nei∣ther

did he eate meate with them: So then he fasted alone, as often also his custome was to doe, Psalm. 35.13. 2. Sam. 3.35. Psalm. 69.10. So Daniel alone, Dan. 9. and 10. chap. so Cornelius alone, Act. 10. ver. 2. & 30. So Anna the Pro∣phetisse alone night and day full often, Luk. 2.36. There was a Prophetisse one Anna, the Daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser, which was of great age, and had liued with an husband seuen yeares from her virginitie, and shee was a widow about 84. yeres, and went not out of the tem∣ple, but serued God with fastings and prayers night and daye.

4. Or moe in one familie: This is the third difference or note of a priuate fast: this euer is kept in the compasse of one familie, but in the publike fast moe then one, many families, as the congregation will yeeld, are assembled: for this poynt also we be taught by other diuine examples of holy scripture: For Hester and her maydes with her, hum∣bled themselues in a fast priuatly, Hester 4.16. Fast ye for mee, and eate not nor drinke not, in three dayes, daye nor night, I also and my maydes will fast likewise: And thus the Master and the familie may exercise themselues re∣ligiously in a priuat fast, as hereafter shall yet better ap∣peare.

5. Priuatly: This is the fourth difference and note of a priuate fast: for such as fast in a familie, must fast priuatly in their priuat chambers, but the place of the publike is in the temple and publike congregation; such as fast priuat∣ly must separate themselues, Zach. 7.3. because according to the time and occasion, they giue themselues to wee∣ping, meditation, and mourning. So Christ willeth, Matth. 6.18. That wee desire not to bee seene of men to fast, but that our priuate fast bee seene and knowne to God in se∣cret, who notwithstanding will reward vs openly. So Da∣uid in his priuate fast entered into his priuie chamber, 2. Sam. 12.16. to sequester himselfe from all companies, that he might more freely giue himselfe to mourning, me∣ditation,

fasting, and prayer. This is contrarie to the pride of the Pharisie, who must be seene of men, and knowne by his sowre face, and Cemarims attire, by standing and praying in the sinagogues, and in the corners of the open streetes, Matth. 6.5. Luk 18.11.

6. For priuat and publike respect. This is the fift and last difference and proper note of the priuat fast, for the priuat fast is, and may bee for the priuat respect of one or many, or for the publike state also of Gods Church and people farre and neere: but the publike and generall fast, is for the publike and generall good of the Church onely.

First for priuat respects. So Dauid fasted, to see if by prayer and fasting he might obtaine of God, the life of his childe: 2. Sam. 12. and for his owne humiliation often, Psalm. 35.13. as did also the Apostle Paul, as he testifieth of himselfe, 1. Cor. 9.27. I beat downe my bodie, and bring it to subiection, least by any meanes, after that I haue prea∣ched to other, I my selfe should be as a refuse, or naught worth. And to this end he fasted often for himselfe, and for the Church, 2. Cor. 11.27. in fasting often, 2. Cor. 6.6. by watchings, by fastings.

Secondly for publike respects, wee ought also priuatly, for our brethren, for the whole Church of God, specially that Church and land wherein we liue, and haue receiued so many of Gods sweete blessings, spirituall and tempo∣rall: and for neighbour Churches also, as neede and occa∣sion shall so require. Dauid fasted priuatly for the com∣mon good of his enemies, that God would giue them re∣pentance, that they might know the trueth, and come to a∣mendment of life, out of the snare of the diuell: For this cause he saith, Psalm. 35.13. (speaking of his enemies) Yet I when they were sicke, I was clothed with a sacke, I hum∣bled my soule with fasting, and my prayer was turned vp∣on my bosome. Nehemias fasted alone for the good estate of the whole Church certaine dayes, and Daniel also one and twentie dayes, chap. 10.2.3.12. and he was heard and

comforted. And Peter in his often fastings, had no doubt the whole Church in remembrance, for hee saith, That he careth for all the Churches: 2. Cor. 11.27. and therefore he prayed and fasted for all Churches. So good Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in Africa, when that citie was besieged by the Vandals, he gaue himselfe to fasting, mourning and prayer, and dyed in that siege, as writeth Possidonius.

And thus farre shall suffice for the confirmation of the description of a priuat fast.

Notes

• See his epist. 86 Ad Cassulanū.
• I know no such precept but one in all the scripture.
• Bulling. Math. 6.
• Bucer de reg. christ. lib. 1. cap. 12.
• Ieiunia Go∣lunt aria inter∣pretor. I. Cal. c 8. ibidem. They were vo∣luntarie, not constrained fastes.
• A voluntarie exercise. I. C. 8. ibidem. 2. Tim. 2.25.26.