Fasting-Days.

1. WHat the Church debars us one Day, she gives us leave to take out in another. First we fast, and then we feast; first there is a Carnival, and then a Lent.

2. Whether do Humane Laws bind the Conscience? If they do, ’tis a way to en∣snare: If we say they do not, we open the Door to Disobedience. Answ. In this Case we must look to the Justice of the Law, and intention of the Law-giver: if there be no Justice in the Law, ’tis not to be obey’d: if the intention of the Law-giver be absolute, our Obedience must be so too. If the intention of the Law-giver enjoyn a Penalty as a Compensation for the Breach of the Law, I sin not if I submit to the Penalty: if it enjoyn a Pe∣nalty, as a future enforcement of Obedi∣ence to the Law, then ought I to observe it, which may be known by the often re∣petition of the Law. The way of fast∣ing is enjoyn’d unto them, who yet do not observe it: The Law enjoyns a Pe∣nalty as an enforcement to Obedience; which intention appears by the often call∣ing upon us, to keep that Law by the King and the Dispensation of the Church to such as are not able to keep it, as young Children, old Folks, diseas’d Men, &c.