Antient Christianity revived being a description of the doctrine, discipline, and practice of the little city of Bethania : collected out of her great charter, the Holy Scriptures, and confirmed by the same for the satisfaction and benefit of the house of the poor / by one of her inhabitants who desireth to worship God after the way which some men call heresie.

ONE and TWENTIETHLY.

Fasting in Bethania is of great An∣tiquity, and was first commanded in Eden; especially from some things, of the Tree of Knowledge, of Good and Evil; and it hath run through all Dispensations from the Beginning until this time, in which serious Exercise, many Holy Men of God have been very famous: yea, those that have been filled most with God, have of∣ten enjoyed the least of Creatures. Moses fasted twice forty days, yet in that time he was close with him, and came from him with a shining Face. Elijah fasted forty days, and at last God sent for him from Earth to Hea∣ven. Daniel he fasted three full Weeks, though not from all kind of Food, yet from that which was ac∣counted pleasing; and he was a man

greatly beloved. David chastened his Soul with fasting, and he saith, That his Knees were grown weak thereby, yet he was a man dear unto God, and sometimes enjoyed much of his presence. Esther was a very Glorious Queen, yet in a weighty case, yielded her self unto three days fasting. Jesus our Saviour, fasted forty Days and forty Nights, in the beginning of his most Sacred Mini∣stry. So likewise his Apostles and approved Ministers were, and are of∣ten in Fastings. Hannah served God with Fastings and Prayer, Night and Day. Christ gave Directions to his Disciples about fasting, and the Di∣sciples of John were Exercised there∣in. It was not only found among Jews and Christians, but Heathens al∣so were famous in it. For King Da∣rius passed the Night in Fasting, and the Prayers of Cornelius were per∣formed with it. Therefore it is an approved, and a dilligent observed Custom in the City Bethania, who al∣so for divers Ends, and in divers Man∣ners observeth the same. Sometimes it is used for the chastening of the Soul, and beating down of the Body, that the Flesh may become weak, and the Spirit strengthned in Vertue. At other times, when they go about any weighty Undertaking, or desire to obtain any special Mercy, or to re∣move

any sore Affliction, all or any of these are attempted and managed by Prayer and Fasting. If there be a publick Design on foot, then Fasting is publick also; yet not made common to any but only those who are concerned in it. These retire themselves into the greatest Retirement as possible may be, and there with earnest Pray∣ers and silent Groans, with frequent Sighs of Soul to God, spend their time in most serious manner, little minding their own Ease, or moving from place to place, except in great Necessity, suspending all other Acti∣ons but those only that appertain to the present Exercise, else it is not Fa∣sting; for Fasting is an Abstenance. Neither do they mind any business, nor take any Food or Natural Refresh∣ment, but with great Watchfulness keep their Minds retired to the Lord, waiting to see how he appeareth unto their Souls. And all their time is not spent in speaking Words, but mostly in the Exercise of their Soul, and working of the Mind with the Lord. But private Fasts, if it be to beat down the Body, and bring it into Subjection, that it may not be too strong for the Soul; then that kind of Fasting is accompanied with Labour, or any Exercise whatsoever. But if it be for obtaining any special Mercy, or for the removing of any sore Afflicti∣on,

or for Assistance against any dan∣gerous Temptation, or for the sub∣duing of any prevailing Corruption; ••hen it is performed in great Retire∣ment. And so Wives and Husbands withdraw themselves from one another, during that time of Fasting; the which, if it be for many days, then they take a little Food and a little Wa∣ter, and after enjoy each others Com∣pany again, with such moderate Re∣freshments of Nature, that will stand with Christian Sobriety. But much Wine and strong Beer, and dainty Meats, and gorgeous Apparel, with soft and pleasant Resting places, being inconsistent with the state of Pilgrims, are therefore meer Strangers in Be∣thania.

Notes

• Gen. 2.17.
• Deut. 9.9. Verse 18. Exod. 34.30. 1 Kings 19.8. 2 Kings 2.11. Dan. 10.3,
• Psal. 109 24.
• Esth. 4.16.
• Mat. 4.2.
• 1 Cor. 11.27. Luke 2.36, 37
• Mat. 6.16.
• Mat. 14. Mark 2. Dan. 6. Act. 10.30.
• Psal. 69.10. 1 Cor. 9.27.
• Dan. 9.4. Esth. 4.16.
• Joel 2.12.
• Rom. 8.26. Ezra 9.4.
• Isa. 58.4.
• Verse 9.27.
• 1 Cor. 7.5.
• Dan. 10.3. Phil. 4.5. Amos 4.6.
• Heb. 13.14.