Wherefore if according to the Doctors gloss, the gesture of standing was left or dissolved, that gesture which had come in place of it, to be used in the partaking of the Sacrament, can hardly be imagined to have been any other nor sitting. ⟨p. 78⟩well, the D. hath unhappily raised this spirit, to disquiet himself: let him bethink how to lay him again. If he can not, J will assay to make some help, and to lay him in this fashion. The station days were not the Lords days, together with those 50 betwixt Easter and Pentecost, (on which both fasting and kneeling were forbidden,) as the D. thinketh, but they were certain set days of fasting. For they appointed the fourth and sixth day of the week, (that is wednesday and friday) for their Stations, as fTertullian saith: whose words we may understand, by another place of gEpiphanius, who writeth that the Fast of the fourth, and the sixth day, was kept throughout all the Churches, and held to be an Apostolical constitution. Howbeit herein they did err: for to appoint a certain time of fasting to be kept by the whole Church, agreeth not with Christian liberty, and wanteth the example of Christ and his Apostles, as hOsiander noteth. Always we see, what was meant by Station days, to wit, their set days of 150 fasting, which were called Station days, by a speech borrowed from a military custom, as Tertullian teacheth. For as Soldiers kept those times and places, which were appointed for their watches, and fasted all the while they continued in these watches: so did Christians upon their station days, resort and meet in the place appointed, and there remained fasting till their station dissolved. The Dr. taketh upon him to confute those, who understand by the Station days set days of fasting. But all which he allegeth to the contrary, is that he findeth some where in Tertullian, Statio and Jejunia put for different things. Now this helpeth him not, except he could find that Statio, and Stata Jejunia are put for different things. For no man taketh the Stations to have been occasional, but only set fasts. Touching the meaning then of the words alleged by the D. (to give him his own reading of them, howbeit some read otherwise,) thus we take it. There were many who came not to the Sacrament upon the Station days, because (in their opinion) the receiving thereof should break the Station i. e.
Wherefore if according to the Doctours glosse, the gesture of standing was left or dissolved, that gesture which had come in place of it, to be used in the partaking of the Sacrament, can hardly be imagined to have been any other nor sitting. ⟨p. 78⟩well, the D. hath unhappily raised this spirit, to disquiet himself: let him bethinke how to lay him againe. If he can not, J wil assay to make some help, and to lay him in this fashion. The station dayes were not the Lords dayes, together with those 50 betwixt Easter and Pentecost, (on which both fasting and kneeling were forbidden,) as the D. thinketh, but they were certaine set dayes of fasting. For they appointed the fourth and fixt day of the weeke, (that is wednesday and fryday) for their Stations, as fTertulian saith: whose words we may understand, by another place of gEpiphanius, who writeth that the Fast of the fourth, and the sixt day, was kept throughout all the Churches, and held to be an Apostolicall constitution. Howbeit herein they did erre: for to appoint a certaine time of fasting to be kept by the wholle Church, agreeth not with Christian liberty, and wanteth the example of Christ and his Apostles, as hOsiander noteth. Alwayes we see, what was meant by Station dayes, to wit, their set dayes of 150 fasting, which were called Station dayes, by a speech borrowed from a military custome, as Tertullian teacheth. For as Souldiers kept those times and places, which were appointed for their watches, and fasted all the while they continued in these watches: so did Christians upon their station dayes, resort and meet in the place appointed, and there remained falting till their station dissolved. The Dr. taketh upon him to confute those, who understand by the Station dayes set dayes of fasting. But all which he alledgeth to the contrary, is that he findeth some where in Tertullian, Statio and Iejunia put for different things. Now this helpeth him not, except he could find that Statio, and Stata Iejunia are put for different things. For no man taketh the Stations to have beene occasionall, but only set fasts. Touching the meaning then of the words alledged by the D. (to give him his owne reading of them, howbeit some read otherwise,) thus we take it. There were many who came not to the Sacrament upon the Station dayes, because (in their opin•ō) the receiving thereof should break the Station i. e.
- fde Jejun. cap. 2. & 14.de Iejun. cap. 2. & 14.
- gHaeres. 75.
- hhist. eccl. cent. 4. lib. 2 cap. 22. p. 150.
