2. But doth he not fay, Not that which enters into the mouth defileth the man. (Matth. xv. II.) A. 'Tis not the meat, which is eaten on a fastday, defiles the foul; but the disobedience in eating forbidden meat. 2. What are the conditions that make a perfect faft? A. Carefully to avoid fin, and accompany your faft with true repentance, devout prayers and almsdeeds to the poor This is the faft which God has chofen. INSTRUCTION. Tho' the fafts of the Church are held by many as vain and fuperftitious, or at leaft fuperflous, and no ways neceffary to salvation; they were always on the contrary held by antiquity as moft acceptable to God, and moft beneficial to the foul, and have, for time immemorial, been enjoined by the precept of the Church. This pious practice is fo frequently recommended both in the Old and New Teftament, and is fo very neceffary for doing penance for past fins, as also for overcoming vice, and leading us to virtue, by chaftifing the body, and bringing it into fubjection, that it cannot but be accounted by a well-inftructed Christian as a good and neceffary religious work. Faftings were in practice in the earliest times of Christianity: Nay, in those days more strict and frequent than in after-ages. St. Paul makes much. mention of his faftings and watchings: (2 Cor. xi. 27.) The faft of Lent was inftituted by the Apoftles, as many of the holy Fathers do atteft; and that it might be the more univerfally obferved, it was enjoined as a precept to the whole Church by a decree of Pope Hyginus about the middle of the fecond century, as Eufebius in his Chronicle teftifies. Chrift himself taught, that his difciples would faft when the bridegroom should be taken from them, them, (Matth. ix. 15.) as indeed his difciples and Church have conftantly done unto this prefent day. He also gave them leffons how to fast, (Matth. vi. 16. & 17.) And fet the first example by a forty days faft in the defart: Can it be fuperfluous or fuperftitious to follow Christ's example, and to fulfil what he foretold of his followers? The end of fafting is to do penance for our fins, that, as the Ninivites and other holy penitents did, we may find mercy at the hands of God. The intent of it also is, that we may, by bridling our appetites more easily overcome fin, and be better difpofed to virtue and obedience to the Church, and learn to deny our own will. Can fafting then be deemed fuperftitious, when even God by his Prophet Joel calls upon his people, to turn to him with all their hearts in fafting, weeping, and mourning. (Joel ii. 12.) If you fay, the faft from fin is the faft which God has chofen; we also hold, that the most rigorous fast is of no account with God, unless we refrain from fin; thefe must go together to make a perfect faft: The Jews rendered their fafts difpleafing to God, whilst on those days they were found doing their own will, and oppreffing their neighbour, as God by his Prophet reproaches them: So the first condition required to a good faft, is to renounce all fin, and to be converted to God with our whole heart, performing the faft in a spirit of contrition and pe nance. But is it not written, That which goeth into the mouth doth not defile a man? (Matth. xv. 11.) We answer; 'Tis not the meat defiles the foul of a Christian, no more than fwine's flesh defiled the foul of a Jew: For every creature of God is good. (1 Tim. iv. 4.) But the thing that defiles the foul of a Chriftian, when he tranfgreffes the faft, is the disobedience of the heart in breaking the precept of the Church, which God has commanded all to hear and obey. Thus, our firft parents were defiled in eating the forbidden fruit; not by the uncleanness of the food, but by their disobedience in eating that which God had forbid them to eat. EXHORTATION. Can you then refufe to comply with this great duty of fafting, fo acceptable to God, and beneficial to fouls? Confider the faft of Mofes. (Deut. ix. 18) The faft of the Ifraelites. (Judges xx. 26.) The faft of Judith. (c. iv. 8.) The faft of Efther. (Efther iv. 16.) The fast of the Ninivites. (Jonas iii. 5.) The fast of St. Paul, and the other Apoftles and primitive Chriftians. (Acts xiii. 3.) Let all these be confidered with the happy effects that followed them, in removing the judgements of God which hung threatening over the heads of finners, and in drawing down his mercy on them; and then you will be convinced how great a good is fafting. Nothing has been more ftrongly recommended by all antiquity than fafting. The bleffings that attend it, and the end propofed by it, are well expreffed by a holy Father and great Doctor of the Church, St. Chryfoftom: "Faft, fays he, because you have fin"ned: Faft, that you may not fin: Faft, that you "may bring all bleffings on yourfelf: Faft, that you may preferve the grace of God in your foul." 66 The moft perfect have need of fasting, to maintain their virtue: The moft wicked, to fue for mercy, and prevent God's judgments. Beware then of neglecting this effential duty. Praife be to God. INDE X. Page. ON N the Authority of the Holy Catholick Church, 5 On the Church of God, the Pillar and Ground of Truik, On Scripture not the fole Rule of Faith, On Private Judgment and Private Spirit, Out of the true Church there is no Salvation, On the Supremacy of St. Peter and his Succeffors, On the Seven Sacraments, On the Holy Eucharift, Objections against the Eucharift answered, On Communion in One Kind, On the Eucharift as a Sacrifice, 14 17 22 26 33 36 42 46 51 58 63 On the Latin Liturgy, On Penance and Confeffion, On Indulgences, On Purgatory, On Praying for the Dead, On Honour due to Saints and Angels, On Invocation of Saints, On Devotion to the Bleed Virgin Mary, 69 73 79 85 91 98 ICI 109 On fome particular Devotions to the Bleed Virgin Mary, 114 On Holy Pictures and Images, 119 On the Veneration of Sacred Relicks, 124 On the Monuments of the Saints, 129 On pious Pilgrimages, 131 On the Fafts of the Church. 132 F IN I S. |