To enter into the first part, the assembling of the people; though the occasion and purpose here were religious, yet the assembling of them was a civil act, an act of jurisdiction and authority. Almost all states have multiplied laws against assemblies of people, by private authority, though upon pretences of religious occasions. All conventicles, all assemblies, must have this character, this impression upon them, that they be legitima, lawful: and, legitima sola sunt, quæ habent authoritatem principis, only those are lawful which are made by the authority of the state. Aspergebatur infamia Alcibiades, quod in domo suo facere mysteria dicebatur. There went an ill report of him, because he had sacrifices, and other worships of the gods, at home in his own house: and this was not imputed to him, as a schismatical thing, or an act of a different religion from the state, but an act of disaffection to the state, and of sedition. In times of persecution, when no exercise of true religion is admitted, these private meetings may not be denied to be lawful as for bodily sustenance, if a man could no otherwise avoid starving, the schoolmen, and the casuists, resolve truly, that it were no sin to steal so much meat as would preserve life; so, those souls, which without that, must necessarily starve, may steal their spiritual food in corners, and private meetings: but if we will steal either of these foods, temporal or spiritual, because that meat which we may have, is not so dressed, so dished, so sauced, so served in, as we would have it; but accompanied with some other ceremonies than are agreeable to our taste; this is an inexcusable theft, and these are pernicious conventicles.

When that law was made by Darius, that no man for thirty days should ask any thing of God or man, but only of the king; though it were a law that had all circumstances to make it no law, yet Daniel took no occasion by this, to induce any new manner of worshipping of God; he took no more company with him to affront the law, or exasperate the magistrate; only he did as he had used to do before; and he did not disguise, nor conceal that which he did, but he set open his windows, and prayed in his chamber. But in these private conventicles, where they will not live voto aperto, that is, pray so, as that they would be content to

2 Dan. vi.

be heard what they pray for; as the Jews in those Christian countries, where they are allowed their synagogues, pray against Edom, and Edomites by name, but they mean (as appears in their private catechisms) by Edom, and Edomites, the Christian church, and Christian magistracy; so when these men pray in their conventicles, for the confusion, and rooting out of idolatry and antichrist, they intend by their idolatry, a cross in baptism; and by their antichrist, a man in a surplice; and not only the persons, but the authority that admits this idolatry, and this antichristianism. As vapours and winds shut up in vaults, engender earthquakes; so these particular spirits in their vaultprayers, and cellar-service, shake the pillars of state and church./ Domus mea, domus orationis; and Domus orationis, domus mea: My house is the house of prayer, says God; and so the house of prayer must be his house. The centurion, of whom Christ testified, That he had not found so great faith even in Israel; thought not himself worthy, that Christ should come under his roof; and these men think no roof, but theirs, fit for Christ; no, not the roof of his own house, the church: for I speak not of those meetings, where the blessed children of God join in the house, to worship God in the same manner, as is ordained in the church, or in a manner agreeable to that: such religious meetings as these, God will give a blessing to; but when such meetings are in opposition, and detestation of church-service, though their purpose, which come thither, do not always intend sedition, yet they may easily think, that none of those disciples is so ill a natural logician, but that he comes quickly to this conclusion, that if those exercises be necessary to their salvation, that state that denies them those exercises deals unjustly with them: and when people are brought to that disaffection, it is not always in their power that brought them together so far, to settle them or hold them from going farther. In this case which we have in hand, of Esther and Mordecai's assembling all the Jews in Shusan, which was the principal city of Persia, where the residence of the princes was, (Persepolis was a metropolitan city too; but only for the treasure, and for the sepulchres of their kings; but the court was at Shusan.) If when they had been

3 Matt. viii. 10.

assembled, and their desperate case presented to them, that an edict of a general massacre was going out against them, was it not more likely (judging humanly, and by comparison of like cases) that they would have turned to take arms, rather than to fast and pray for their deliverance: how good soever their pretence (and perchance purpose) be, that assemble people, and discontent them, the bridle, the stern, is no longer in their hands; but there arise unexpected storms, of which, if they were not authors in their purpose, yet they are the occasioners? In Esther's case, the proceeding was safe enough; for they were called to see, that the queen herself had undertaken their deliverance, their deliverance was very likely to be effected; and therefore it became them to assist her purpose with their devotion, expressed first in fasting.

Fasting is not a mere human imposition, as some have calumniated it to be the commandments of it are frequent from God to his people, and the practice of it even amongst the Ninevites, upon Jonah's preaching, is expressed to be rigid and severe, Let neither man nor beast taste any thing, nor feed, nor drink water, but let man and beast put on sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God, It is true, that they found often that their fasts did no good; but when they expostulate it with God, Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest it not, we have punished ourselves, and thou regardest it not; they received a direct answer from God, Behold, in the days of your fast you seek your own will, and require all your debts; when ye fasted and mourned, did ye fast unto me? To place therefore any part of our righteousness, or to dignify the act of fasting, with the name of merit or satisfaction, did then, and will always corrupt and alter the nature of a true and acceptable fast and therefore we detest the definition of a fast in the Roman church, Abstinentia secundum formam ecclesiæ, intuitu | satis faciendi, pro peccatis, et acquirendi vitum æternum; That fasting is a satisfaction for sins, and an acquisition of life everlasting. But since the reason of fasting remains, the practice must remain still for when Christ excused his apostles for not fasting, as the disciples of John Baptist, and as the pharisees did,

4 Jonah iii. 7.

5 Isaiah Lviii. 2.

6 Ezek. vii. 5.

he did not say that fasting is taken away; but he said, The bridegroom was not taken away; but he should be taken away and they should fast. When occasions press us, fasting is required at our hands: Caro mea jumentum, My flesh is my beast; via Christus, and Christ is the way I am to go; Nonne cibaria ferocienti detraham? If it be too wanton, shall not I withdraw some of the provender? Et fame domem, quem ferre non possum, If I cannot govern him, shall I not endeavour to tame him? And therefore, though by reason of former abuses, it be a slippery doctrine, the practice of fasting, (for scarce any man puts himself to much fasting, but he is ready to tell God of it, with the pharisee, I fast twice a week: and from Hierome's praise of it, Jejunium non est virtus, sed gradus ad virtutem, That though fasting be not a virtue, yet it is the way to virtue; we come a step farther with Chrysostom, In choro virtutum, extremum sortitur jejunium, That though fasting be the last of virtues (except Chrysostom mean by extremum, the first) yet it is one; yet Sanctificate vobis jejunium', Fast with a holy purpose; and it is a holy action. As you are bid to cast your bread upon the waters, for many days after you shall find it again1o; so also cast your fasting upon the waters, look for no particular reward of it, and God shall give you a benefit by it in the whole course of your lives.

But the jejunate, fasting itself, hath not so much opposition as the tribus diebus, that it must be three days; the certain days and the limiting of the time, that is it that offends. All men, will say that fasting is necessary to all men; but not this proportion, and this measure to all men alike. They are content with that of Augustine, Ego in evangelicis et apostolicis literis totoque; instrumento novo revolvens, video præceptum esse jejunium, As often as I consider the Gospel, every where I find commandments for fasting; but they will have the rest too: Quibus diebus oportet, aut non oportet jejunare, præceptum Domini et apostolorum non video definitum, Upon what days we should fast, says he, I see no commandment of Christ or the apostles: and it is true, there is no express commandment for it; but there is an express commandment to hear the church. In the Old Testament God

gave express commandment, de jejuniis stativis; certain fixed and anniversary fasts: The tenth of the same month shall be a holy conrocation unto you, et affligetis animas restras, ye shall humble your souls; and every person that doth not that, that same day, shall even be cut off from his people". The disease which they had is hereditary to us; concupiscences in the flesh, and coldness in the service of God: and though it may be true, that the church cannot know my particular infirmities, nor the time when they press me; yet as no physician for the body can prescribe me a receipt against a fever, and bid me take it such a day, because perchance at that day I shall have no fever; yet he can prescribe me certain rules and receipts, which if I take at his times, I shall be the safer all the year: so our spiritual physician, the church, though she cannot know when my body needs this particular physic of fasting, yet she knows that by observing the time which she prescribes, I shall always be in the better spiritual health. As soon as the church was settled, fasts were settled too when in the Primitive church they fixed certain times for giving orders, and making ministers, they appointed fasts at those times; when they fixed certain times for solemn baptism, (as they did Easter and Whitsuntide) they appointed fasts then too; and so they did in their solemn and public penances. So also when Christians increased in number, and that therefore, besides the Sabbath-day, they used to call them to church, and to give the sacrament upon other days too; as soon as Wednesday and Friday were appointed for that purpose, for the sacrament, they were appointed to be fasted too. And therefore when St. Cyril says, Vis tibi ostendam, quale jejunare debes jejunium? Jejuna ab omni peccato. Shall I tell you what fast God looks for at your hands, fast from sin; yet this is not all the fasting that he exacts, (though it be indeed the effect and accomplishment of all) but he adds, Non ideo hoc dicimus, We say not this, says he, because we would give liberty, Habemus enim quadragesimum, et quartum, et sextum hebdomada diem quibus solemniter jejunamus, We have a fixed Lent to fast in, and we have Wednesdays and Fridays fixed to fast in. In all times, God's people had fixed and limited fasts, besides these fasts which were enjoined upon emergent

"Levit. xxiii. 27.