who speak of the Lent fast as needful;

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of antiquity, Theophilus Alexandrinus, 'Lent was ever in the Church;' nos unam Quadragesimam secundum traditionem Apostolorum, 'we have but one Lent' (the Montanists had three) 'but that one was delivered us by the Apostles,' saith St. Jerome. Why should I weary you with reckoning them up? what one more ancient writer than other is there, but you shall find it in him expressly, even up to Ignatius who lived 540 with the Apostles themselves? Apostolic then it is; and for such St. Hierome avows it; and when that is said, enough is said for it, I think. Yet it is good (you know it) the fast so delivered, and by the Church ever, and everywhere so kept; the Council of Gangra" hath laid an anathema on them that keep it not, avoid it how they can that keep it not. Every man (so we would have it) to be left to himself, for prayer, fasting, Sacrament; nay for religion too now, and all? for God's sake let it not be so;-let us have our days appointed, and our hours set for it. If all were left to us, God knows, I durst not promise what should become of prayer itself; the like I say for the Sacrament; and so for fasting. Fast privately in God's name; but hear you; let not the Church trust to that. Nor she hath not held it wisdom so to do: but, as in both them (prayer and the Sacrament) so in this, holds us to our order of days and times established. Them if we keep, so it is; otherwise, were it not for the Church's times, I doubt there would be taken scarce any time at all. Now yet somewhat is done; but leave it once at liberty, liberty hath lost us some already, and will lose us the rest, if it be not looked to in time." Page 225, "This fast is called Jejunium paschale ;-for Easter and Lent stand upon one base; both stand, and fall together." Last of all, page 224, “remember, it came from the Apostles: that is it that binds us; that is it that sets us fast."-Thus far Bishop Andrewes.

And the right reverend father in God the lord bishop of Durham, in his Collection of Private Devotions in the Practice of the Ancient Church, after many citations out of the holy Fathers of the Greek and Latin Church concerning Lent, thus saith, "All which being put together, will prove abundantly that the Lent which we now keep, is, and ever hath

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apostolic in origin; and of sacred import :

been an apostolical constitution, as St. Hierome said in his Epistle to Marcella, nos unam quadragesimam secundum traditionem apostolorum,-tempore nobis congruo, jejunamus; that is, "we observe a Lent fast of forty days, as we have been taught to do by the Apostles, in a fit and seasonable time of the year." To which he adds the testimony of St. Augustine, and Chrysologus.

The most reverend father in God Archbishop Whitgift, in his Defence of the Answer, &c. p. 104, "I know no reason why the Apostles may not be said to be the authors of celebrating the day of the Passion," &c., "neither yet do I understand any cause why the Church may not still observe the 541 same: sure I am, that they were not the authors of the superstitions and errors used in them by the papists, neither doth St. Augustine say so; for this is no good argument, to say, the Apostles appointed these days to be celebrated, ergo, they appointed the manner of celebrating used by the papists. The days may be with more godliness and profit to the Church observed, being cleansed from superstition and erroneous doctrine, than abrogated." The place of St. Austin is in his Epistle liv., ad Januarium2, illa quæ non scripta sed tradita custodimus, &c.

a

And for recommendation divine of the forty days' fast, the reverend father in God Richard Mountague bishop of Norwich, Numerum hunc mysticum [dierum quadraginta] et sacrum in Scripturis, multa sunt quæ docent testimonia.-Certe erat aliquid in causá, cur diebus continuis quadraginta apertis cæli catarractis, et abyssi fontibus resolutis, invalescerent aquæ super terram;—quod annos quadraginta ex Ægypto redux Israel eremi erroribus distinebantur.-Erat certe dispensatorius, et pluries quam und vice Christi Domini actionibus consecratus. Certe fortuito non fiebat, quod toties in Scripturis numerus ille per Deum consecrabatur.—Mihi recte opinatus videtur Augustinus, qui numerum quadragenarium totum præsentis vitæ cursum significare dicebat; tempus nimirum jejuniis, orationibus, pœnitentiæ, peccatorumque expiationi destinatum; et, si per novatores liceret, illud adderem, ut Ecclesiæ quadragesimam commendaret.

[Vid. p. 42. sup.] [Vol. ii. col. 124.]

Origin. Eccles., pars ii. n. [p. 409, sq.]

81.

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such testimony, after that of Antiquity,

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And even such learned Protestants who write its original not apostolical or from Christ, yet prove it themselves from antiquity to have been in the Church observed, both by clergy and laity, before his time, who was a bishop in the Church about thirty-eight years after St. John's death, and who himself (it is probable) was born much about St. John's death, or a little after: so Zanchius, Certe Telesphorus, qui fuit septimus Romanæ ecclesiæ episcopus et martyr, circa annum Domini CXXXIX hujus [temporis Quadragesimalis supranominati] mentionem facit, tanquam ante se in Ecclesia observati. Adjecit enim aliquot dies, quos volebat a clericis ac sacerdotibus, amplius quam a laicis observabantur, observari.— Statuimus, inquit, ut septem hebdomadas plenas ante sanctum Pascha omnes clerici, i. e. in sortem Domini vocati, a carne jejunent: quia sicut discreta debet esse vita clericorum a laicorum conversatione, ita et in jejunio debet esse discretio.

These learned authors, especially the four reverend bishops of our own Church above, I have produced, not that I think there may not perhaps more than double the number be alleged of modern authors differing in judgment from what I have asserted; but by whomsoever they shall be alleged-if they shall stand by themselves alone, and my replier shall not first produce, as I have done, according to Vincentius Lirinensis's golden rule, Antiquity, Universality of practice generally speaking, and the Consent of the generality of learned ecclesiastical writers, at least through the first six or seven hundred years (the time wherein lawful General Councils were, who with authority noted heretical writers), and then, if he please, and not but then, give us the judgment of any holy and learned men; otherwise, I here prescribe against any number of moderns of one smaller part of the Christian world, and of one or two ages farthest removed from antiquity (except where authority of our own Church, to which we have subscribed, doth interpose)-such testimonies, I say, standing alone by themselves, antiquity that approaches nearer the fountain not being first heard, both to interpret Scripture, and testify of tradition, where that is part of the controversy; all such weak and trifling process of arguments from testimony I take to be but tyranny over b Lib. i. in quartum Præceptum, vol. iv. p. 695.

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may with advantage be appealed to.

men's judgments, who are bound to none but to God's word, Who is truth; and the Church's witness, whom He hath set to be the pillar of truth, whose witness is best learned from Antiquity, and Universality of practice, and Consent of her pastors of the ages required; and to submission of acquiescence to their own Church in such matters.

But why then have I brought those five worthy witnesses? I answer, first, because I had first in legitimate order premised such Antiquity, Universality, and Consent; and so my adversaries' testimonies ever shall be welcome; secondly, to shew, that any the most faithful sons of the Church of England may be allowed to defend what I in this maintain; thirdly, to prevent such repliers who are wont to supply with railing what they want in weight of argument or testimony; forasmuch as the world sees that so reverend, zealous, and learned protestants, and such as have done as much service against the papists as all the presbyterians put together in their writings and sermons have done, have thus written: howbeit I deny not, that many reverend and learned men, and far from presbyterians, are herein of a different judgment, and have done very good service against the papists in their gross errors.

A TABLE

OF THE

NAMES OF THE SUNDAYS AND OTHER CHIEF DAYS OF LENT,

AND OF SOME FOLLOWING,

IN THE EASTERN AND WESTERN CHURCHES.

SEPTUAGESIMA,―The ninth Sunday before Easter Day.

Ἡ Κυριακὴ τοῦ ἀσώτου Dominica filii prodigi.-Memoria septuaginta annorum qui in significationem fuerunt exilii nostri a Domino".-Memory of the seventy weeks, in Dan. 9. 26. the end of which Messias the Prince was to be cut off, but not for Himself.

SEXAGESIMA,

The eighth Sunday before Easter Day.

Ἡ Κυριακὴ τῆς ἀποκρέου.

QUINQUAGESIMA,-The seventh Sunday before Easter Day.

Ἡ Κυριακὴ ἡ τυρινὴ, vel τυροφάγος.-Dominica ingressus seu introitûs jejunii.

QUADRAGESIMA,- The sixth Sunday before Easter Day. Ἡ πρώτη κυριακὴ τῶν ἁγίων νηστειῶν.—Η κυριακὴ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας.—Εξορία τοῦ ̓Αδάμ propter gulam.-Memoria

Augustin., lib. iii. de Doctr. Christ. [§ 51.- Possunt et septuaginta anni Jeremiæ pro universo tempore spiritualiter accipi, quo est apud alienos Ecclesia."]

Hac dominicâ cantant Græci, Tys

μετανοίας ἄνοιξόν μοι πύλας ζωοδότα.

Hinc Telesphorus voluit initium esse clericis suis sui jejunii.

d Hac dominicâ anathematizant Græci omnes hæreticos.