A Fruitful Treatise

The .i. Chapter.

T He true and Christian fast is freely and willingly to abstain not only from all kind of meats and drynckes, but also from all those things, wherein the flesh hath pleasure and delectacion, which abstinence or forbearing of meats, dryncks and other pleasures, wherein the outward man delighteth, riseth either of an heart contryte and sorowefull for the sins committed against god, or elsse of a mind feruentlye given to godliness.

That this is a true diffinicion of the Christian fast, it may be easily proved out of the holy • scriptures. Fyrste to whom is it unknown, that when the holy men in times paste fasted, their manner was, so long as the fast continued, to abstain from all kind of meats and drinckes and from all pleasures wherein the flesh delighteth, and wholye to give them selves (all worldly affairs set apart) to godly exercyses, as to the heartye and vnfayened lamentynge of their sins, where with to much vnkindelye they had offended their Lord God, and provoked his fearse wrath and vengeance to fall on them to feruente prayer and diligente calling on the name of God for turning away his heavy dyspleasure from them, and for remission of their sins thorough faith in the holy sacrifice to come of that blessed seed of the woman, which by his one and alone oblation they believed, should reconcile mannekinde to God the father, pacifye his wrath, and make him a merciful Lord • to the hearing and reading of gods word, to the come • orting of one another, to the study of amendemente of life, to the prouisyon making for the poor, to the redress of abuses in y ^e common weal to the planting of true godliness, and abolishing of all wicked and strange religion. Of this manner of fasting speaketh the Prophet when he saithe, halowe ye a fast, meaning that they which fast, should in the time of their fasting occupy them selves in spiritual and not in worldly exercises, or elsse is it no fast before God.

The .ii. Chapter.

THis abstinence or forbearing of meats did always continue at the least one whole day without receiuinge of any corporal sustenance, many times ii. or .iii, days, as the histories of the holy scripture teach us. The Israelites, whē they saw so great a multitude of their people slain of the Benjamites in the battle, went up and came unto Bethel where the ark of the appoyntement of God was in those days, wepte, sat there praying before the lord, and fasted the same day unto even, and offered burntoffe ringes and peace offerings before the Lord. Again, when the Israelites gathered together a • Mizpha, lamentiug their sins and praying unto the Lord for help against the Philistines, they fasted the whole day. So likewise did David and thei that were with him, when they heard, that Saul and his sons were slain in battle. Nehemiah fasted two days together or moo. For he said, as it is written of him. I sat me down and wept, and mourned certain days and fasted and prayed before the god of heavē. We read that Queen Esther and her Maidens with all the Jews that were found at Susan, fasted three days and three nights together, and did neither eat nor drink. Moses, Elias and Christ fasted fortye days and as many nights without receiuinge of any corporal food, but such fasts are not to be practiced, for as much as they are marvelous and past the boūdes of men's nature, and are done only by the unsearchable power and mighty worcking of God in few of his creatures. But the common manner of fasting among the true godly was, when they did fast, to abstain from all meat the whole day til night, that they might the more freely give their mind to spiritual exercises, and at night to take some refeccion moderatli yea and that with thanks giving. And on this manner as some fasted but one or .ii. days together, so some fasted many, everyone as they were moved by the spirit of God, and as occasion required.

We read that the Prophet Daniel fasted thus three weeks together. Hys words are these: I Daniel mourned for the space of three weeks, so that I had no list to eat bread, as for flesh and wine there came none within my mouthe. No, I did not once annoynte myself, till the whole three wekes were out. The scripture testifieth, that the virtuous womā Judith fasted all the days of her life, except the sabbothes and new moans & the solempne days, that the people of Israel kept. Likewise read we of Anna the Daughter of Phanuell, which departed not from the temple, but served god with fastings and prayers night and day. On this manner did the Apo • tles after Christ's ascension & many other godly men in the primatyue church fast, So that their custom was on that day that they did fast, to eat nothing til night, but to occupy them selves about such godly exersyes, as here to fore are mentioned.

The .iii. Chapter

ANd as the godly men in the time of their fasting did abstain from meat and drink, so did they from all other things that might delight the flesh, and be haued them selves outwardlye according to the sorrow and trouble of their heart inwardlye. Oute of a mourning and soroweful heart did spring outward yea and those vnfayened tokens of sorrow and mournynge. For we heard before, that when Daniel fasted three weeks, and prayed unto the Lord his God, although he did eat bread every night for the comfort of his weak body, yet he neither eat flesh, nor dronck wyne, nor yet once anointed him self. And in a nother place he saith: I turned me unto God the Lord for to pray, and to make mine intercession with fasting, sakcloth and ashes. The people of Nineveh, when they heard the preaching of Jonah, which threatened them and their cytye destruction after fortye days, repented, believed God, and proclaimed fasting, and arrayed thenselves in sackeclothe, as well the great as the small of them. And when the tidyngs came unto the king of Nineveh: he also arose out of his seat, & did his apparel of and put on sackeclothe, and sat him down in ashes. Agayne, the children of Israel (as we read in Esdras) when they fasted, did put on sackeclothe, and sprinkled earth upon their heads, knowledged their sins, prayed unto God, and red in the book of the law of the Lord their God. Queen Esther also when she fasted, laid away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments that served for syghyng and mourning. In the stead of precious ointment, she scattered ashes and donge upon her head, and as for her body, she humbled it with fasting, & brought it very low. Lykewyse king Ahab, whē he was reproved of the Prophet Helyas for kyllynge Nabothe, fell to fasting, and as he fasted, so did he put sake cloth about his flesh, lay in sackclothe, went barefoot and hanging down his head.

The .iiii. Chapter.

VUhat so ever might make to the hūblyng and taming of the flesh, that did the godly men use for the moste parte in the time of their fasting. Neither did those corporal exercyses displease God, seeing they came from a cōtrite heart and troubled spirit, wholye dependynge with strong faith on the great mercies of God. For David saith: A troubled spirit is a sacrifice to God, nether doth he despise a contryte and humbled heart. But these outward signs of humiliaciō God utterly abhorreth, whē they come not from a penitent and faithful heart, and casteth them away as hypocrytysh and devilish, as we read in the Prophet Isaiah, wherefor fast we, say the hypocrites, and thou O God seest in not? We put our lives to straitness, and thou regardest it not. Behold, saith God, when ye fast, your lust remaineth s • ill, for ye do no less violence to your debtors. Lo, ye fast to strife and debate, and to smite with the fyst of wickedness. Now ye shall not fast thus, that your voice might be herd above. Thyncke ye this fast pleaseth me▪ that a man should chastē him self for a day, and to wrythe his head about like an hoope, & to lie upon the earth in an heary cloth? Shuld that be called fasting, or day that pleaseth the lord: Doth not this fasting rather please me, that thou loose him out of bondage that is in thy danger? that thou break the oath of wicked bargaynes? that thou let the oppressed go free, and take from them all manner of burdens? to deal thy bread to the hungrye and bring the poor wandering home into thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and hyde not thy face from thy neighbor, and that thou dispyse not thine own •• eshe? (If thou thus fastest) then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health flooryshe right shortly, thy righteousness shall go before the, and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee. Then if thou callest, the Lord shall answer the, if thou criest, he shall say, here I am, Yea if thou layest away from thee thy burdens, and holdest thy fingers, and ceacest from blasphemous talking, if thou hast compassion upon the houngrye, and refreshest the trubled soul, then shall thy light spring out in the darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the none day. The Lord shall ever be thy Guyde, and satysfye the desire of thine heart, in the time of drouth, and fil thy bones with mary. Thou shalt be like a fresh watered garden, & like the thē foūtayne of water that never leaveth running. Again, God saith by the prophet Io • l, turn you unto me w ^t all your hert, with fasting, weeping, and mourning, tear your harts & not youre clothes. Moreover albeit S. Paul councelleth that married folk should not withdraw them selves one from another any longe time, lest Satan tempt them to incontinency and uncleanness, yet y ^• they might be the more apt to fast and to pray, he would have them sometime to withdraw thē selves one from another. Herevnto pertaineth the saying of the Prophet Joel: Blowe out with the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a fasting, cal the congregation, and gather the people together warn the congregaciō, gather the elders, bring the children & suckelyngs together. Let the bridgrom go forth of his chamber, & the bryde out of her closet.

The .v. Chapter.

THus have we learned out of the holy Scriptures, that the true and Christian fast is to abstayn not only from all kind of meats and drinks (durynge the time of fasting) but also frō all those things wherein the flesh hath pleasure and delectacion, & to occupy our selves in all godly and spiritual exercyses unto the glory of God, the comfort of our neighbor, and the health of our own souls. But it is to be noted that this abstinence or fast must be freely and wyllynglye done, or else can it by no means please God. For what so ever cometh from an unwilling and constrained mind, God abhorreth, appere it never so godly and praise worthy before the world. God loveth a cheerful giver, saith Saynte Paul. And the Psal-inographe saith: An offering of a free heart will I give the, and praise thy name, O Lord because it is so comfortable. They therefore that fast for custom sake or at the commandment of man only, and not of a good will and free spirit, do nether please God, nor profit thenselves. Therefore shall that chance unto them that God threateneth by the Prophet, saying: When they fast I will not hear their prayers.

The .vi. Chapter.

HEare peradventure some man will say, Is it ungodly to fast at the commandment of man? What if the Magistrates cause a fast to be proclaimed? Ought it not to be observed of their subjects? I answer. If the hye powers at any time commandeth fasting, so that it be done unto a godly ende, and riseth not of superstition, it ought to be observed of the subjects. For we have examples hereof in the holy scriptures, which do both set forth the authority of Magistrates in commaundynge fasting, and also the obedience of subjects in observing the same.

When the Israelytes were in great fear and danger of the Philistines, Samuel, which at that time judged the people, called all the house of Israel together, proclaimed a fast, exhorted them unto prayer, willed them to put away the strange God's from among them, and with theyre whole heart to tourne again unto the Lord their God, and he of his mercy would surely rydde them out of the hands of the Philistines.

The people gladly obeyed Samuel's commandment, put away their idols, confessed their sins, served the Lord only, and fasted the same day unto even. And God saved them from y ^• hand of the Philistines all the days of Samuel,

Kynge Jehoshaphat hearing that y ^• Moabits and Ammonites came with an exceadinge great multitude against him to battle, was in great fear, sought for help at the Lord's hand, proclaimed fasting thorough out all Judah, and called the people together to pray unto the Lord. The people willingli obeyed the kings commandment. All Judah came and stood before the Lord with their young ones, their wives and their children, to a • ke counsel of the Lord.

They both fasted and prayed unto the Lord their God for healp against their enemies. And the Lord gave them a wonderful and glorious victory.

Esdras returninge unto Jerusalem with the childrene of Israel proclaimed a fast and exhorted them to call on the name of God that he might give them a prosperous iourenye. The people obeyed, fasted and prayed unto the Lord their God, and they had good success in all their doings.

The king of the Ninevites hearing of the most terrible & grievous plage that was threatened unto them and their cytye by Jonah the Prophet of god, humbled him self, and sent forth a proclamacion unto all his people commanding that neither man nor beast, Ox or sheep should taste any thing at all and that they should nether eat nor drink water, but put on sackclothe both man and beast, He commanded them also in his proclamacion to reap̄t, to believe God & his word, to turn frō their wicked ways, and mightly to cry unto God for mercy. The people did according to the kings proclamaciō, so that both y ^• king and his subjects together repenting, fasting, believing, turning from their wicked ways and mightily calling on the Lord for mercy, & forgiveness of their sins, wer saved both they & their city withal that thei had.

Esther hearing of the proclamacyon that king Ahasuerus at the suttle suggestion of wicked Haman had sentforthe for the destruccyon of the Jews, commanded Mardocheus to gather together all the Jews that were found at Susan, and to fast for her, so that they should neither eat nor drink by the space of three days and three nyghtes, but spend all that time in fasting and praying. Her commandment was fulfilled It came to pass, that God preserved the Jews alive, and brought their enemies to a shameful ende.

Thus have we learened out of the holy scriptures, that the rulers have authority given thē of God to comaūd their subjects to fast, whenso ever any vrgen • cause is offered, as in the time of battle, hunger, droute, plage, pestilence. &c. and that the people are bound by gods commandment to obey the magistrates and their ordinances in all such things, as they tender the glory of God, the conseruacyon of the common weal, and the health of their own souls. This meaneth the Prophet Joel speaking unto the heads of the people on this manner: Proclaime fasting, cal y ^• congregation▪ gather the elders and all the inhabytoures of the lande together into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord. &c. Again, blow out with the trumpet in Zion, proclaim fasting, cal the congregaciō & gather the people together.

The .vii. Chapter

FUrthermore the true and christen fast riseth either of an heart contryte and sorrowful for the sins committed against God, or elsse of a mind feruentlye given to godliness. As touching that fast, which cometh from a contryte and sorowefull heart for the sins committed against God, it is a worthy and noble fast in the sight of God, and cannot but hyghelye please him. For the Psalmograph saith, A troubled spirit is a sacrifice unto God, neither doth he desyyse a contryte and humbled heart. And God him self saith by the Prophet. Whome shall I regard and favor? Even him that is poor, and of a lowelye and troubled spirit, and such one as standeth in awe of my words. Who so ever doth so fear God and stand in awe of his indygnacyon and heavy displeasure, that he is loath to offend him, and therefore seeketh all means possible to please him: and if at any time thorough fraylenesse of nature he chanceth to offend, he is strayghtewayes angry with him self, reap̄teth of his former misdedes, and conceiveth such an inward sorrow in his heart, that he delyteth in no worldly thing, neither in meat, drink, apparel, rychesse, pastimes, pleasures. &c. but contynuallye soroweth for his dysobedyente vnkyndenesse and unkind dysobedyence against God our heavenly father, so that the very trouble of his heart will not suffer him to eat or drink, till thorough continual calling on the name of the Lord he feeleth in his mind some token of God's goodness, grace and favor toward him, and is thorough faith in Christ's blood fully persuaded that all his sins are forgiven him, and he again received into favor, the fast of such one is an acceptable sacrifice unto God.

Of this inward sorrow of the heart did the fasts of many good men heretofore rise, as the holy Scryptures do declare, and therefore did they hyghlye please God, in so much that God granted them their requests, and was their merciful and most loving lord. Examples hereof are the Israelytes, that were gathered together a • Mispha, the Ninevites, Either & her company, Judith with the citisenses of Bethulia, Ahab, & diverse other, whose fasts God allowed because they proceeded frō the hearts of such as humbled them selves in his sight, repenpented them of their sins, asked forgiveness, and promised amendmente of life.

The .viii. Chapter.

NOwe as touching that fast which springeth of a mind, given to godliness, it can not be disallowed of God. For he that seeketh to please God, and to auaunce his glory by any godly means, and that h • may have the grace soto do, fasteth, prayeth, studieth, laboreth, his fasting his praying, his studyinge, his labouringe can not but please God, and have good and fortunate success. On this manner fasted Daniel, that he might be the more apt to receive the knowledge of gods mysteries, which were afterward declared unto him of the aungel. So likewise did Esdras. Of this godly manner of fasting spake Christ, whē the Disciples of John came unto him. and demanded, why his Disciples fasted not, as they and the Pharisees did. To whom Christ answered and said. Canne the brydegromes children mourn so longe as the brydegrome is with them? But the days will come, when the brydegrome shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Accordynge to this Prophecye, when Christ, which is the bridegroom was taken from them, I speak concerning his corporal presence (for by his spirit he is with the faithful unto the end of the world) they mourned, fasted and prayed for the gift of the holy Ghost, which was promised to be sent unto thē for to be their Comfortour and teacher, and to lede thē into all truth, & the holy ghost was givē unto thē according to y ^• promise of Christ & their expectaciō. They fasted also and prayed after they had received the holy Ghost, that they might worthelye fulfyl that office which was committed unto them, that by their preaching many thousands might be conuetted and saved, and it so came to pas. The holy and devout wyddow Anna fasted and prayed continaallye in the temple for the coming of the promised Messias, & she saw him before her death. Cor • elius that godly mā being troubled in his mind, as it may be thought with the multitude of religions, which at that time reygned in the world, as the religion of the Gentyles, of the Jews, of the Pharisee is, of the Sadducees, of the Essees, and the late sprong up religion of the Christians humbled him self in the sight of God, mourned, fasted, gave almesse and prayed, that it would please God to declare unto him, which among them all was the true religion that he might observe the same, frame his life according unto that, and so please God. And to obtain this thing of God, he continued long fasting and praying. God therefore accepted his fast, heard his prayer, and granted him his request. The Prophets and Preachers at Antioch, fasted & prayed, that both they them selves might preach with frut, and that other also might be sent of God, and appointed unto that office, that the glory of God might be set forth, that his word might be received, and that all nations of the earth might believe in him, and in his Son Jesus Christ. Theyr fasting and praying wer allowed before god, and their desires were fatisfied. For the holy ghost said unto them, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work, whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them thei let them go. Paul and Barnabas also fasted when they prayed for the congregacions of Listra, Iconium, Antioch and Pisydya, and when they ordained them elders in every congregation to teache and instruct them in their absence, and to confirm them in the faith and doctrine, which they had all ready received. And God gave good succes to their doctrine and ministracion. Al these fasted of a mind feruentlye given unto godliness.

Hitherto have we learned out of the holy scriptures, what the true and Christian fast is. Now let us se in few words, whether the Popyshe manner of fasting, which we have so many years vnfruitefullye observed, be like unto that trade of fasting which we have so many years unfruitfully observed, be like unto that trade of fasting, which the word of God hath painted and setforthe unto us.

The .ix. Chapter

THe true and Christian fast is done freely and willingli, and cometh frō the fervent mocion of the spirit. The popish and superstitious fast serveth the custom onli, and is done at the commandment of man with a grudgynge and unwilling mind, which being loath to fast if the custom & man's ordinance wer not, wisheth both the fast and the commander of the fast at the devil. And if any in so great a multitude do willingly fast, yet is it done partly to satisfy the custom partly because they will be counted good devout & catholic mē, partly to honor some saint, partli to deserve remiscion of their sins, & to win everlasting life. Can this kind of fasting plese god? They worship me in vain, saith Christ, teaching doctrines that are the commandments of men. Saint Paul also saith, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

The true & christen fast, during y ^• time of fasting is to abstain frō all kind of meats & drinks (except very necessiti requireth y ^• contrary) & frō all those things, where in the flesh delighteth. For y ^t was y ^• manner of fasting among y ^e fathers of the old law, as we herd afore • , Jerome confirminge the same: The Jews, saithe he, on those days y ^t they fast, toke nomeat, til they se y ^e evening star up. And a certain council called Concilium Calcedonense, ordained, y ^e such should not be counted to fast, that did eat before euensonge was done, which at the time was not celebrated, as it is now at .ii. or iii. at the clock after dinner, but at night about the .viii. or .ix. hour, when the day was all past.

The popish and superstitious fasters persuade them selves to fast well, and to do a meritorious deed, if they onli abstain frō flesh though in y ^e morning so sone as they rise out of their beds, they enfarse & stuff their belies with as manyfine cakes & tostes of whit bread as they be able to eat, and w ^t as much good aleful of spices or else burnt Maulmesy, as their paūches can hold. And when dinner come, if thei abstain frō a smoky peace of Bacon or hard salted and poudred biefe or such like, though they eat the most delicious fishes that can be goten, and enfarse their beastly bodies with all the sweet meats that cā be invented & sought out, yea & that so unmeasurably, y ^t after they have once dined, they are provoked either to the pleasure of the body, or else like beasts of the b • lly fall straightwais unto sleep, so y ^t thei ar not hable to serve god, nor thē selfs, nor ani other, yet think thei y ^t they fast well and do god a great pleasure. This manner of fasting among many other used a certain monk in my country, which not w ^t standing was counted the greatest & deuotest faster in all those quaters. His manner was for the most part to make but one mele a day, as they use to say, yet such a mele as the meat of y ^t one mele might have seemed sufficient to any reasonable creature to have served vi. godli fasters at a mele. Whē he came unto Dynner and was set down at the table, his use was ever to vnbuckle and let slack his girdle a great quantity, which before was straight girded to his body. He fell to his meat, as the hongry wolf to his pray, and never leafte of deuouringe the best meats that wer set before him, till he had so stuffed his relygyous paunche, that his girdle being afore lose, was so hard to his body, that he could not put his little finger between the girdle, & his clothes. He sat so swelling & sweting at the table thorough y ^e tomuch deuouringe of pleasant meats & hot wines, y ^• if Apelles had been present with his pensil▪ he might have had a ioly paturn • o paint a right Epicure. And not withstādyng both he & such like wer counted good, holy, devout, religious & catholic • fasters. To consume at one dīner so much as would serve three, was no breaking of a fast. To devour vnmesurably all kind of pleasant fishes, or whatsoever deinties besides could be devised, was fast good enough in y ^• popes kingdō, but to eat a peace of flesh although never so gross, was twice a deadly sin, & punished w ^t fire. The eater of y ^e flesh was called a Lollore, & adjudged to be brēt w ^t fire for his I know not how great offense, as though god abhorred more the eating of flesh then of fish, or as though fish wer clean in y ^e sight of god, & flesh vile & abhominable. O belied hypocrites which strain out a gnat & swallow down O spirits of error and teachers of Diuelishe doctrynes, which speak false thorough hypocrisy, & have their conscience marked with an hot iron, forbiddinge to marie and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanks giving of thē, which believe and know the truth. For all y ^• creatures of god are good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanks giving. For it is sanctified by the word of god & prayer. Unto y ^e pure all thgīs ar pure but unto thē y ^t are defiled & unbelieving is nothing pure, but even the mind and conscience of thē is defiled. Why do not those blind guides remember this saying of our savior Christ, & cease to condemn the innocent? That which goeth into the mouth, def • leth not y ^t man, but y ^• which cometh out of the mouth, defileth y ^• man. For what so ever entereth in at the mouth, goeth into the belli and is cast out into y ^e draught, but those things which proceed out of the mouthe, come from the heart, & they defile y ^• man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders, breaking of wedlock, whoredoms, thef • es falls witness, blasphemies, These are the things which defile a man.

The .x. Chapter.

AGaine at night albeit the popish fasters eat no meat, yet make thei such a drinkīg, as might iustli seme a costious kind of bāketting. Besides their white bread & fine cakes, thei have their figs, reasons, almonds, aples, peares, nuts, carowis, biskits, su • cat, marmilado, cherise condite, quinches condite, & I know not what. And besides their nappi ale and heady beer, they have sundry wines, some spiced, & some brewed w ^t a cup of Ipocras at y ^• latter end to make up their mouthe withal and to finish their holy and religious fast. Is it not to be thought, y ^t these men take great pains in their fasting? do not such fasts please god greatly think you? O abhominable mockers of christen abstinence. These are those Epicurcs, which as y ^e Poet saith, Curios simulant et bacchanalia uiuunt. These are those hypocrites, which bind heaui burdens & grievous to be born, & lay thē on mens shoulders, but they thē selfs will not heave at thē with one of their figers. And as y ^• welthi worldlīgs & rich Epicures think thē selves to fast well, if they make but one mele on y ^• day, though otherwise they enfarse their bellies with never so mani deinties, even so judge the baser kind of people, y ^t they fast well, if thei eat no meat, though they stuff their paūches with never so much bread & drink. Notable is this sentence of .s. Hierō against all such belli gods. What availeth it, saith he, to eat no oil, & to seek about for such meats as are most deinty & hardest to come bi, as dry figs, pepper, nuts, dates sine cakes, honey, & pistacies? All the deinties that gardens can bring forth are sought, that we should not eat y ^e usual bread. And while we seek deliciously to live, we ar plucked back from the kingdom of heavē. Moreover I hear say, that there be some which contrary to the rule and nature of men, drink no water, nor eat bread, but soupe not out of a cup but out of a shel deynty brothes, and herbs brayde, and the iuce of Beetes. Fye for shame, are we not ashamed of such fōdnes, nor wearye of the superstition? Yea we living in all deliciousnes, seek to be praised for our abstinence. The myghtiest fastis water and bread, but because it hath no glory nor notable fame, & because we all live with bread & water, it is not counted as the publyque & common fast. Wold God y ^t all they that fast, yea & so many as profess Christ would remember & continually set before their eyes this saying of s. Austē. It nothing profyteth, saith he, to have passed an whole day in long fasting, if afterward the soul be oppressed with dylyciousnes or superfluitye of meats, for so is the mind much filled, soon dulled, and the erth of our body so watered, will bring forth thorns of wicked lusts. Let therefore our meat be temperate & no more then is sufficient, & let our belly never be to full. And let us always have more mind of the meat for the heart, then of meat for the body, because with in the inward man we be made after the image of God, but in the flesh we are fashioned of the slime of the earth.

The .xi. Chapter.

FUrthermore the Christian fast riseth of an heart contrite and sorrowful for the sins committed against God, as we have heard heretofore. The popish fast riseth either of custom or else of supersticyon. For the Papystes in their chief & solempne fasting days are led with no true fear toward God, neither do they lament their sins, nor study by hearty repentance, true faith & amendment of life to apease the wrath of God kindled against them for their abominable living on those days that they fast, more them any other time. What Papist among them forsaketh his papistry, hipocrisy, superstition, and idolatry, and gladly receiveth the truth of God's word? What coueuetous worldling leaveth his covetousness & exerciseth mercy toward the pore menbers of Christ? What proud mā giveth over his pride, and embraceth humility? What adulterer forsaketh his adultri, and leadeth an honest cōuersacion? what gloton or dronkard giveth over his glotony or drunkenness, and leadeth a sober life? what vsurar leaveth his usury? what briberer his brybery? what catchepole his extorcion? what tirante his tirannye? what whore her whoredom? what rybalde his rybaldrye? what blasphemer his blasphemy? what envious man his envy? &c. As they begin their fast w ^t an vnrepentāt & wicked hert, even so do they continue & end the same, so far is it of, that they have any sorrow in their heart for their sins committed against God, which should earnestly move them to forsake their meat, and to give them selves wholly to be reconciled unto god by repentynge and calling on the name of God for mercy in Christ Jesus our lord. Their fast therefore is abomination before God, forasmuch as in the time of their fasting they give not over their wickedness, and earnestly seek to please God.

Moreover the Christ̄ fast riseth also of an hert feruētly givē to godliness. In this behalf also y ^• popish fast agreeth nothing with Christ̄ abstinence. For the Papystes minds are set on no true godliness in the time of their fasting, but altogether on superstition & hypocrisy. Theyr godliness, yea rather ungodliness, when they fast, consisteth in observing the popes ceremonies and man's inuencions. If they fulfyl those, they think thenselves godly enough, when notwithstanding they • e furdest from all true god lines. Nether do they direct their fasts unto any godly end, but as eueri one • antasieth so do thei fast, yea and that for sundry purposes. S • me fast bread and water, some eat nothing but fruit, some taste no kind of meat or drink that is dressed with fire, some in their fast go wolwarde, barefoted, and barelegged some are so scrupulous & superstitious in their fasting, that in the time of their fast they will neither eat nor drink, nor sleep, nor yet swalowe dow • e their own spittle, If they do they think them selves damned. Provided always that they also must be first and last at church. If they observe these fasts, they promise them selves, I know not howe great rewards, ane how hie seats in heaven aboud other, and howe many gay garlandes of red roses an • sweet violetes, that God and our Lady and the blessed saints shall give them after this life for their devout fasting and pr • aty pains. O fond folishnes & folysh fondness, worthy rather to be lamented then to be laughed at. If it be done of a good intent, say they, all is weil whatsoever we do. If we fast the blessed Saints euens, and worship them with a Pater noster, Ave and Creed, they will do for us whatsoever we axe. S. George will defend us in battle against our enemies. S. Barbara will keep us from thondring and litenyng. S. Agasse will save our house from burning. S. Antony will keep our swine. S. Luke will sa • e our. Ox. S. Job will defend us from the poxe. S. Gertrude will keep our house from mise & rats. S. Nicholas will preserve us from drowning. S. Lo • will cure our horsse. S. Dorothe will save our herbs & flowers. S Since will bring again whatsoever we lose. S. Apoline will heal th • pain of our tethe. S. Sweteladde and. Sayute Agnes will send us Maides good husbands. Sainte Peter will let us in at heaven gates, with a thousand such like. Thys superstition and idolatry is the godliness of the Papists. If they fast and serve the saints unto this end, & on their feastful days fare deintely & drink largelye in the honor of the good saint, they think thei have done much for the saint and have shown them selves good, godly and devout persons. O double ungodliness.

What shall I speak of the spiritual exercises, which the true and Christian fast requireth to be done in the time o • • asting? If we mark well the manners of the papists, and notetheyr behavior on their fasting days, we shall ca •• y perceive that in the middes of their fasting they are no less wicked & ungodly, no les proud and envious, no less lecherous, and covetous, no les backbitinge and slanderous no les polling and pillinge, no les churlish and unmerciful, no les given to glotoni & drunkenness, then thei wer afore. They lament not their sins, they fall not to faithefull prayer, they call not on the name of God as they ought, but flee unto creatures, they give not them selves to the hearing or reading of gods word, which many of them extremelye abhor, they go not about to leave their idolatry and wish to be better instructed in the knowledge of gods law .&c. but continuing still in their old superstition & idolatry thei think them selves godly enough and good enough. If thei eat no flesh, if thei for bear white meats all is well whatsoever they do, though there be no repentance, no calling on the name of god, no correccion of manners, no amēdmēt of life, God have mercy on us, god open their eyes & give thē grace to amende,

Hitherto have we learned out of the word of god, what the true and Christian fast is. We have heard also, howe greatly the popish manner of fasting differeth from the true use of fasting which the holy scriptures teach. Now the order requireth, that we also declare, howe we ought to fast, that we may please god and not fast in vain as the hypocrites do.

Howe we ought to Faste.The .xii. Chapter

IN declaring howe we ought to fast, whom should I rather follow then our savior Jesus Christ the teacher of all truth, which saithe: When ye fast be not sad as the hypocrites are. For they disfigure their faces, that they might be seen of men to fast. Uerelye I say unto you, they have their reward But thou when thou fastest annointe thy head, and wash thy face, that it appear not unto men, that thou fastest, but to thy father, which is in secrete, and thy father which seeth in secrete shall reward the openly, Christ our savior in this place doth not only rebuke the hipocriticall and superstitious manner of the ungodly fasters, but he also teacheth the true manner of fasting. Of these his words we learn, that who so ever intendeth to fast a right, he must observe three things. The first is, that he annoynte his head. The seconde that he wash his face. The third that he fast in secrete. These Phrases annointynge of the head, and washing of the face with many other seme very strange manners of speaking to such as are not perfectly exercised in the •• ading of y ^• holy sc • iptu • es and of the ancient wrighters, it is convenient therefore, that we learn to know what is meant by them. And no man in this behalf can satisfy our desire better then our golden mouthed Doctoure. S. John Chrysostom, whose words are these.

In the annointing o • the head, saith he, we know that mercy is signified. Therefore to annoynte the head, is to show mercy to our neighbor. For that mercy that is done unto a pore man, is referred unto God, which is the head of the man, as the Apostle and the lord himself saith. What soever ye have done to one of my lessest brothers, ye have done it unto me. In the stead of y ^• which mercy with the divine retribucion as with a certain he auenlye oil, we ar poured and shed over by him▪ which saith. Blessed are the merciful for God shall have mercy on them. Holy David also did know the vnccion and anointinge of the celestial oil in the head, when he said, as in y ^• ointmente, which came down in to the bearde.

But in washinge the face, the purity of a clean body and of a sincere conscience is known to be signified so that to wash the face, is to make clean the face of our heart from all filthiness of sin, & from the vncomelines of trespass, and to have a very pure conscience, that we may truly have in us the gladness of celestial joy. and the familiarity and chearefulnes of the holy ghost.

Hitherto have I rehearsed the words of .S. John Chrysostom whereby we may learn, that to annoynte our head is none other thing, then to show our selves beneficial to the pore members of Christ. Again, to wash our face is to make clean both body and soul from sin and wickedness. If we therefore will fast a right after the mind of .S. John Chrysostom, we must first anoint our head, y ^• is to say, comfort the pore people w ^t such good as god hath committed unto us. For the riches that we have be not ours, but they be gods, as he saith by y ^e Prophet, gold is mine, silver is mine. The psalmograph also saith, the earth is the lords 〈◊〉 all that is contained in it.

The .xiii. Chapter.

GOd hath put y ^• goods of this world into the ritche men's hands, that they should distribute part of them to the pore people. They ar the stewards of god and the dispensatours of his treasures, that they conveniently living of them, should also with the distribucion of part of them comfort the needy members of Christ If they spend them otherwise thē God hath appointed in his word they shall render a streyghte accounts for it to the high judge Christ. They have nothing at all, but that they shall be called too accounts for it even too the vttermooste farthynge.

If they be not found to have used their talente well, and unto the profit of other they shall with that unprofitable servant of the Gospel be caste into utter darkness, where wepynge and gnashinge of teethe shall be. If they be proved unmerciful and negligent in the destribucion of the worldly goods, surely they shall be carried with the rich glotō of whom blessed Luke speaketh in the gosple unto hell, and there burn in such cruel and bitter flames, as the fire whereof shall never be quenched, neither shall the worm which shall gnaw the consciences of them that are there, die at any time, as the prophet saith.

What cause then have the rich men to boast themselves and to glory of their worldly goods or to auaunce them selves above other for their possessions sake? C ••• es none at all, more then a great man's servant hath, to whom his Lord and Master hath committed his goods for a certain space to keep, the servant looking at every hour▪ when his master will cal him to accoūts and require them of him again.

Basilius Magnus hath a notable sentence, and it is this: He is a very the • e and a robber, saith he, which maketh that thing his own that he hath received to destribute and give abroad. For the bread that thou retainest & kepest is the bread of the hongri, y ^e garment, which y ^• kepest in thy chest, is the garmente of the naked, the sho that is mould with the, is the shoo of him that is unshod, & the moni, which y ^• hidest in the ground is the money of the nedye. Moreouerthou doest injury and plain wrong to so many as thou forsakest, when thou art able to help them. Here to pertaineth the saying of the wyseman. The bread of the needy, is the life of y ^• poor, he that defraudeth him of it, is a manslear. God also by the Prophet teacheth, that that fast pleaseth him best which is accompanied with the works of mercy saying: Break thy bread to the hungry, and lead the nedye and wayefaring into thy house. Whē th • u seest a naked man cover him, and despise not thy flesh. Mark that he saith: Break thy bread to the hongrye. Certain that expound this text, say that thou then breakest thy bread to the hungry, when thou so fastest, that thou sparest from thine own belly to give to the pore hongry man, For a Christian man ought to be no les careful for the poor, then for him self. We therefore do break our bread to the hongrye, when we give him that, which we our selves necessarily should have eaten. So that to annoynte our head, is to break our bread to the hongri, to lodge the poor in our house, to give clothes to the naked, and to comfort according to our habilytye so many as have need of our help. Unto these works of mercy doth our Savior Christ exhort us in the Gospel, saying: when thou makest a dynner or a supper, cal not thy fryendes, nor thy brethren, neither thy kynsfolke, nor thy rytch neighbors, lease they also bid the again, & a recompense be made the But when thou makeste a tea •• e, call the pore, the feeble, the lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be happy, for they cannot recompense the. But thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the • ighteous. Again he saith, give alms of those things ye have and behold all things are clean unto you. But of this we shall entreat more largelye when we come to the true use of fasting.

The .xiiii. Chapter.

MOreouer if we will fast a righte, we are not only commanded to annointe our head, that is to say, to show mercy to the pore people, but also to wash out face, that is, to make our hearts clean from all sin thorough faithful reap̄taunce, that we may have a pure conscience. For it is not enough to be beneficial to other, except we also be beneficial to our selves. Thys shall come to pass, if we labor withal main to have a mind pure and clean from all carnal affects, a body void of wicked deeds, and a life garnished with good works. For what was the cause that God did caste away the fasts and solemn feasts of the Jews, but only that they washed not their face, that is, they went not about to put of their old conversation and to become new men: I hate and abhor, saith God, youre sacrifices, youre solempne feasts and your fasts. Offer me no mo oblacions, for it is but lost labor. Your incense is abhominaciō unto me, I have no pleasure in your sacrifices. I may not away with your new moans, your sabbathes. &c. Why soe For your hands, saith he, ar full of blood. Your hearts are full of vengaunce, youre consciences are spotted and defiled with all kind of sins, your life is abhominable in my sight, ye walk having no fear of God before your eyes. &c. What is then to be done▪ Be ye wash • d, saith he, be ye clean take a wai your evil thoughts frō mine eyes. Cease to do evil, learn to do well. Seke judgment, help y ^e pore oppressed, be favorable to the comfortless, defend the widow. &c. Again God saith, wash thine heart frō wickedness, y ^• thou mayest be healped. How long shall thy noisome thoughts remain w ^t the? god hateth those fasts, those prayers those good deds, as they cal them, that come frō a bloody conscience, a spotted & pocki soul, a defiled body & wicked life, as a certain▪ man saith, It profiteth a mā nothing at all to fast & pray & to do other good things of deuocion, except the mind be refrained from ungodliness, & the tung frō back bitings. For god hath ever a principal respect to the heart of the doer of the work, as we se in y ^• history of the sacrifices of Abel and Cain. If the heart be pure, clean & faithful, thē doth god approve y ^e work, but if it be spotted with sin, god casteth it awai • appear it never so glistering and commondable in the sight • of the world. Offer not, saith the wise man, wicked gifts, for God will not receive them. Solomon also sa • eth, the sacrifices of the ungodly are abhominable. That fast therefore that cometh not from a pure heart, from an uncorrupt conscience and from a godly life, pleaseth not God, but is abomination unto the Lord our God, yea it is by no means worthy the name of a fast. For Basilius Magnus saith, the true & christen fast is not only to abstain from meats but also to eschew evil things. And our golden mouthed Doctoure saith: he that abstaineth frō meat & not frō evil works, appeareth to fast, but yet he fasteth not in deed. For loke how much he fasteth unto mē so much doth he eat before god, seeing • he goeth forth still to sin. The ancient Doctor Origen saith also wilt thou that I show unto the, what fast y ^• oughtest to fast? Fast from evil deeds, abstain from evil words, refrain from evil thoughts. &c. Suche a fast pleaseth God Agayne. S, Jerome saith, then is the abstynence of the body commendable before God, when the mind fasteth from vices, For what doth it profit to make weak the body with abstinence, when the mind swelleth with pride? Hereunto pertaineth the saying of. S. Agustine. The fasts of christen men, saith he, are rather to be observed spiritually then carnally. In considera • ion whereof, let us fast principal • y from our sins, least our fast be refused of the lord, as the fast of • he Jews were. What a fast is • his, that an impostore or deceitful fellow I cannot tell who, should abstain from meats, which the Lord hath created, and yet waxeth fat with the fatness of sins? Have I chosen such a fast saith the Lord? Read the eighte and fifty. Chapter of the Prophet Isaiah. And a little after he saith. The fast, which the most highest do approve and allow, is not only to leave of to refresh the body, but also to depart from evil deeds. In a nother place he also saithe. The great and general fast is to abstain from iniquities and unlawful pleasures of the world▪ which is a perfect fast, that we forsakinge ungodliness and the lusts of the world, should live in this world soberlye, righteouslye and god • y Of these authorities of the holy Doctors also do we learn, that the true Christian fast doth not only consist in the abstinence of meats, but also in the forsaking of sin. Therefore if we entende to fast a right, and to make our fast acceptable to God, let us provide earnestly, that our fast proceed from a pure and clean heart, void of all carnal affects, stuffed full of faith and charity, and altogether studious of true innocencye and unfeigned godliness. So shall it come to pas, that both our fasts and all that ever we do according to gods word, shall highly please God. Hitherto have we heard what it is to anoint the head and to wash the face. Now remaineth to declare what it is to fast in secrete.

The .xv. Chapter.

TO fast in secrete, is not to keep our selves close from the sight of men, and so hydinge our selves in privy corners to abstain frō meat, but not to hunt and hawk after vain glory nor the praise of men, for our fasting, nor to seek to be seen of men while we fast to the ende, that they may commend & praise us, as the hypocrites did, whom Christ reproveth for their vain glory and ambition, & saith, they have their reward, not of god but of mē. We ar counted before god then to fast in secrete, whē we fast with such a mind, y ^t we would fast in deed, though no man living did se us, and when we regard more the accomplishment of gods will and the subieccion and taming of our body, then all the glory and praise that man can give unto us. It is lawful for a Christian man to fast, to pray to give alms, or to do any other good work before the world, so that the desire of worldly praise and vain glory be not in his mind. For our savior Christ saith let your light so shine before mē that they may se your good works & glorify your father which is in heaven S. Paul also saith, be such as no man can complain on, and the unfeigned sons of God without rebuke in the myds of a crooked and perverse nation, among whō se that ye shine as lyghtes in the world, holding fast the word of life. Again. S. Peter counceleth us, that where as some backebite us as evil doers, we should lead an honest and godly life among them, that they seeing our good works may praise God in the day of visitacion. But if we seek any praise of men, and desire to be magnified for our good deeds doing, verily then have we our reward not of God but of the world. For there is not a more pestiferous infeccion to poisonne any good woorcke, that it should lose the reward before God, then the desire of vain glory & worldly praise. For that it is, which Christ condemneth in the alms deeds, prayers and fasts of the hipocrits. S. John Chrysostom saith, they that so fast, y ^e thei plese men rather then God, they have a labor concerning the afliccion of the body, b • t thorough vain glory thei cā have no reward of their labor with god, which whē they ought to do it onl • for religion or faithes sake, had rather to seek y ^• vain glory of the world. And therefore saith the Lord, verily I say unto you, thei have receuied th • ir reward. S. Austē also saith, some good things may be done, & yet they not doing them well, of whom they ar don. For it is a good thing to healp a man y ^• is in jeopardy & in danger, namely if he be an in innocent. But he that doth this good deed▪ if he doth it because he loveth the praise of men rather thē y ^e glory of god, it is not good y ^• he doth, for as much as he y ^• doth it, is not good. For God forbid, y ^• that should be or be counted a good will, which glorieth in other, or in itself, & not in y ^e lord. Hereto pertaineth y ^e saying of. S. Ambrose when thou fastest, boast not thy self, nor brag not of it, for in so doing thy fast profyteth the nothing. Those things that are done unto ostentacion & bosting continue not to be recompensed in the world to come, but they are consumed & brought to nought with the reward of present things. Of exchewinge vain glory our savior Christ gave us no table examples in all his doings. When he had healed the Leper, he said unto him, se y ^u tell no man. After that he had restored the two blind men to their sight, he charged them, that no man should know of it. And when he had made whole the dūme and deaf man, he commanded them that wer present that they should tell it no man. In all these his doings and such like he gave us example to • le vain glory & worldly praise and onli to seek the glory & honor of god, and that we should rejoice and glory in nothing but in god alone, as it is written, he that reioiseth, let him reioise in the lord Therefore all the works that we do, whether thei be prayer, fasting alms deed, watching, visiting of the sick, comforting of the prisoners, or ani other that be agreeable to the word of God, we must do them with a single mind, and with such an heart, as being altogether estraūged from vain glory and worldly praise, seeketh onli the honor of god & the accomplishment of his most blessed will. So shall we do our works in secrete, and our father, which seeth in secrete shall recompense us openli

Thus have we heard booth what the true & christen fast is, & also how we ought to fast. Let us now fall in hand with the third and last parte of this treatise, and so make an ende,

Of the true use of fasting. The .xvi. Chapter.

THe use yea rather the abuse of fasting in the Popes kingdom was very wicked and worthy to be abhorred of y ^• faithfnll. For besides the fondness of the simple people in abusing the noble ve • tue of fasting for want of knowledge unto many and sundry superstic • ous and ungodly purpose • s as partelye heretofore we have heard: there have not wanted among them that profess divinity which both in their sermons and writings corrupted the true and godly use of fasting. For they have taught, that fasting of it self is so worthy a virtue, and of so great power, that it is hable to satysfye for sins, to appease the wrath of God, to reconcile us to god, to deserve righteousness and to wynne everlasting life. Thys doctrine is an enemy to the free grace of god, injurious to the fruits and merits of Christ's passion and by no means to be received of the faithful Christians. For all be it fasting be without doubt a worthy fruit of repentance, and pleaseth God, when he that fasteth, humbleth him self in the sight of God, confesseth his sin, repenteth him of his mysdedes, calleth for mercy, believeth to be forgiven for Christ's sake, and studyeth earnestly frō hence forth to lead a life conformable to the rule of gods word, yet is it not of such virtue in it self, that it is hable to bring unto us those good things which we look for at the hand of God thorough Christ our Lord, I mean the favor of God, the forgiveness of sins, the gift of the holy ghost, a new heart stuffed with spiritual affects, righteousness, peace, quietness of conscience, and everlasting life.

These be the singular and free gifts of God, given only of him to so many as be borne a new by the holy ghost, and believe in him. If the fasts of the holy men of whom we heard here to fore had been directed unto that end, that is, if by their fasts they had sought to be justified, and turned their eyes from that blessed seed, in whom all nations of the earth were promised to be blessed, so had their fasts been no • commended but discommended of God, not favored but abhorred, not received but rejected.

But their fasts came from a penitent and faithful heart toward God, and were exercised of them unto godly purposes, as we have heard, they seekinge salvation only at the merciful hand of God for the promised seed sake therefore were booth they and their fasts allowed of God. Let us therefore learn the true use of fasting, that we may know to what ende our fasts ought to be directed, least while we seek for medicine, we find poison, and receive for salvation, damnaciō.

The .xvii. Chapter.

FYrste forasmuch as the life of man upon earth is nothing else then a warfare and continual aflycte with her ghostly enemies, seeing also that the flesh without ceasing thorough the subtle suggestion of Satan lusteth contrary to the spirit, so that man in this vale of misery is never at quiet, nor hath so much leisure as once to breathe, so greatly on every side is he besieged and compassed about with cruel enemies, which assaulteth him, and tēpteth him vehementelye that except he strongly fight against him with the weapons of the Lord, and also if he giveth not dylygente watch, he straightways falleth into his adversaries hands and is utterly undone. It is conneniente, that whosoever intendeth to get a glorious and triumphant victory over his enemies, and not like a cowarde either to be put to flyghte, or else to be overcome, and forever and ever pearish but rather valeauntlye to fight and never to cease till he hath subdued his enemies, that he striuinge couragiouslye may obtain that reward, which is promised to so many as fight lawefullye, even the crown of glory and the enherytaunce of everlasting joy, it is conuenyente, I say, that he seeketh all means possyble to avoid the danger of his enemies, and so to behave himself in all his doings that his adversaries may have no interest in him, nor spy any void place about him where they may give the first adventure, and by this means be encouraged not only to assail him, but also to vāquish him. And for as much as the devil our head e • nemie goeth about not only him self like a roringe Lion seeking whom he may devour, but besides innumerable thousands of wicked spirits, which pertain to his army, and are ready at every moment to seek the destruction of man, hath also two special servants, which daily procure our utter subversion, I mean the world and the flesh, the one being his waitinge man, the other his hand maid, ready at every hour to assayle and to subdue man, if diligente watch be not given on our behalf: and forasmuch as among these our deadly adversaries the flesh is the most present and mortal foo, and an household ennemye ever at home and never without, even with in our own breast, carried about with us wheresoerver we goo, and accompanyinge us what so ever we do and continually prouokinge us unto those wicked acts, which strive against the heavenly mocions of gods holy spirit, that by this means she may do her master the devil great pleasure by bringing us to destruction: if we entende to subdue and get the victory of this our household ennemye the flesh, let us know for a certainty, that there is not a more spedye way nor a more present remedy against her assaults, then godly fasting is, which enemy, that is the flesh, being once subdued, the forayne enemies shall the easilier be kept out, and we live in the more quietness by the help of gods spirit and feruente prayer.

The .xviii. Chapter.

ANd hear begin we to learn the true use of fasting, and to know unto what end our fasts ought to be directed. The first true and godly use of fasting is to subdue the flesh, to mortify her beastelye affects, and to repress the wild & rank mocions thereof, that it may be subject and obediente to the spirit as an handmaid to her mastres, or a servant to his Lord. For all be it God hath made us of two partes, that is, of body and spirit, yet hath he ordained the spirit to be ruler, and the flesh to be in subieccion to the spirit. But not with standing the flesh (such is her wild disobedience and disobedient wyldenesse) can by no means abide to submyt her self to the rule of the spirit, but continually stryueth to have the upper hand, and contrary to gods appoinmente to make the spirit subject unto her The spirit provoketh unto humility, Charity, Pacience, quyetnesse, continencye, pureness of life, moderate eating and drinkinge. &c. The flesh contrariwise calleth unto pride, hautynesse of mind, envy, malice vengaunce discord, whordō, auoutry, glotoni dronkenship. &c. So that there is a continual con • icte between the spirit & the flesh▪ who shall have the victory as. S. Paul saith If the flesh subdueth the spirit, then pearyshe we, but if the spirit according to gods ordinance beareth rule, and hath the flesh in subieccion, then well are we. Now that this may be brought to pass, godly & Christian abstinence shall healp greatly. For there is nothing that so tameth and bringeth under the wild and vnrulye lusts of the flesh, as fasting and abstinence, even as there is nothing that maketh a wild and fierce horsse so tame and obedyent to his master as the withdrawing of his haye, otes, bread, and such other prouender. They therefore that will use their fast a right and unto a godly ende, must first direct it unto this purpose, that by the exercise thereof they may brydle the wantonness of the flesh, and refrain their bodies frō sin that the spirit, which is a precious thing before God, may be quiet, or else all other exercises & trauails although never so painful, are vain. To this use served the fasts of many godly both men and women in times paste, that the body being mortified, the spirit might the more freely attend on God. The prince like Prophet saith, I put on sack cloth and humbled my soul with fasting. This holy Prophet and king used fasting to this ende, that he might bring his body low and in subieccion to the spirit, that the vngodli lusts thereof might no more rage & rule in him as they did, what time he took Bothsaba the wife of Urias & lay with her, & that he might freelye enjoy her, caused her husband to be slain in battle. In another place he also saith, my knees are weak thorough fasting, my flesh dried up for want of fatness. We read likewise, that that most virtuous Queen Esther brought her body very low with fasting Agayne. S. Paul saith of him self, I chastise and tame my body, and bring it into subieccion, least bi any means it come to pas that when I have preached to other, I myself should be cast awai These with many other chastysed and tamed their bodies with fasting, that the spirit might have free course unto God and be occupied about heavenly things. After this manner ought all true Christians to do, that the body being kept in subieccion, the spirit may rule and have the ouerhande, and by no means to follow the wicked manner of the papists, which in their fasts abstain frō gross flesh, & devour all kind of deinty and fine fish, which make their bodies much more prone to lewdness, then the eating of flesh, and also bringeth the spirit into miserable seruitute & bondage. O ungodly manner of fasting.

The .xix. Chapter.

VNto this taming, chastining subduing & mortifying of y ^• flesh by y ^• true use of fasting doth. S. Agustine exhort us, saying: Let oureflesh be continually subject to our soul, and serve it as an handmaid doth her Masters. Lette us not suffer our body to be ouerlustye, least 〈◊〉 war against the spirit, but always let the flesh be subject that it obei the commandment of the holy ghost. Neither let us suffer the handmaid to wax to rank, lease she set light by her maistres, but rather let her obey all her commandments and do her seruise. For as horses must be bridled, so must our bodies be restrained with fasting, watch & prayer For as if the guides of chariots do give their horsse the reanes thei draw them into head long down falls so if our body be not bridled, the soul and it both together slip into the depe pit of hell. Let us therefore be good and experte Carters or Chariot dryuers to our body, that we may go the rig • twai. &c. Again he saith fasting swageth the intemperancye and vnrulines of the body, and represseth or keepeth under the troubio • s mocions & raging lusts thereof. It causeth the soul to • e at liberty and not to be oppressed of the flesh, as the Lord saith, take hede that your hearts be not overcome with surfetyng & drōkēnes. For whē the soul is delivered frō to much eating & drinking, then doth it consider it self the b • tt • r, & waieth in what case it standeth. For as a mā in a filthy glas seeth not him self such one as he is in deed, so likewise if he be overladen with to much eating and drinckynge, he thinketh him self to be another manner of man then he is. Yea then is he provoked unto sensualilitie and filthy lust, moved unto anger, puffed up with pride, & stirred unto letchery. In respect whereof the Apostle saith, be not drunk with wyne, wherein is dishonest behauioure. But if the body be kept in order, and accustomed with fasting, then doth the soul know the better, with what deuociō she ought to serve her redeemer. Fastyng therefore is very necessari. Hereunto pertaineth y ^• saying of. S. John gold̄ mouth The abstinence fro meats is received for this purpose, y ^• it should restrain the rigor & fearsnes of y ^• flesh to make it obedient to the spirit, evē as an horse is to his keeper. For he that fasteth, must above all things refrain anger, learn mekenes and gentleness, have an heart contrite, and such one as may repel and put back unclean concupiscences & lusts He must also set before his eyes always the eye of the everlasting judge and y ^• judging place that can not be corrupted. Again he must by his money be made the better by distributing it to the pore, & have rule over it. He must be liberal in giving alms & receive into his heart no evil against his neighboure, as Isaiah speaking in y ^• persō of god saith: have I chosen this fast, saith the lord? Thoughe thou wrye about thy neck like an hoope, and strowest under the sackeclothe and ashes, yet will not I regard thy fast saith the lord. What fast thē, tell me? Losen, saith he, the bonds of the wicked bargains, break thy bread to the hongry bring the pore man that hath no house into thi house. If thou doest these these things, saith he, thē shall thy light break forth as y ^• morning light and thy health shall spring right shortly. Hast thou now seen (my well-beloved) what y ^• true fast is? Let us loke vpō this fast, and let us not think, as many do, y ^• fasting standeth in this pointe, if we continue without any dinner til it be night. S. Jerome also saith: Satietie or fullness is to be exchewed even of y ^• most vile meats. For there is nothing y ^• so ouerwhelmeth y ^• mind, as a full belly. Thus have we herd that the first & principal use of fasting is to tame, chastise, subdue & mortifi the flesh, y ^• it resist not, but rather obei the rule of y ^• spirit as an hand maid, her maistres, or an horsse his keeper. But this is to be considered in our fasting, y ^• we do not with our immeasurable fasts so make weak & feable the body, that it be hable to serve neither God, nor our neighbor, nor yet our selves, & by this means utterly quench the use & working of the spirit, as we rede that many in times past have done, such fasts please not God. This commandment therefore of S Paul is to be observed in all our fasts, Make not prouisiō, saith he, for the flesh to fulfyl the lusts of it. An horsse that is to much delicate lyfed, casteth his master, again if he be kept to hongry, he faynteth in the mids of the journey, & doth not his office. A mean therefore is to be had as in fedinge of the horsse, so likewise in ordering of the body. We live not to eat, but we eat to live.

The .xx. Chapter.

THe seconde cause why we ought to use fasting is, that we abstaining from meats, may have to give unto the pore and hongry the more liberallye. For this kind of fasting pleaseth God greatly, when he seeth that we have so put on the bowels of tender mercy & are led with such and so hearty compassion toward our pore neighbor, that we can not find in our heart he should want, yea rather then he should lack, we will spare it out of our own belli & give it him, god right well accepteth this fast, and blesseth the faster with plenty and abundance, as the wisemā saith He that hath pity on the poor, maketh the Lord his debtor, and loke what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again. Unto this manner of fasting doth God exhort us by the Prophet, where he saith, break thi bread to the hongrye, and lede the neadye and wayefaringe men into thine house. Whē thou seest a naked man, cover him, and despise not thi flesh. What it is to break thy bread to the hongri, we heard afore in the .xiii. chapter. The angel of God told Thobye▪ that when fasting prayer and alms deeds go together, that is good and accepted in the Lord's sight It is written in a certain • oke called Pastor (the author whereof they say Hermas. S. Paul's disciple was) on this manner: On that day that thou shalt fast, thou shalt taste nothing at all but bread and water, & whē thou hast counted the quantitye of the meat that thon wast wont to eat on the other days, the cost y ^• thou shuldest make on that day that thou fastest lay it up, & give it to the widow, to the fatherless child̄, or to the poremā, and so shalt thou fast a good fast, that he which hath received it of the, may fil his soul, and that his prayer may go unto the lord for the. If thou fulfillest thy fast on this manner, as I command the, thy sacrifice shall be acceptable to the Lord, and thy fast shall be written in the boke of life. Origen saithe, we find in a certain boke, that the Apostles said, blessed is he that fasteth to this ende, that he may nourish the poor man. The fast of such one is wonderfully accepted before God. Hereto pertaineth the saying of. S. Agustine, mercy did commend and greatly setforthe the prayer and fasting of Cornelius. For he being rich and a wealthy man fasted. He did not only fast, but he also fed them that wanted, that their fullness might make his fast acceptable. Agayne in a nother place he saith, before all things, that which we were wont to eat at our dynner, on the fasting days let us bestow it on the poor. Oure golden mouthed Doctoure in a certain homily councelleth us, that when so ever we fast, we should be lyberall to the poor, and give them largelye of our goods. In a nother place he also saith, he that eateth his meat and is not hable to fast, let him give the larger alms, let him be the more diligent in praiing, let him have the more fervent desire to hear the word of God. Here Chrysostom estemeth almesse among other virtues of so hie price, that if there be ani which cannot abide to fast for y ^• weakness of their body, yet if they be plenteous in doing the works of mercy and in praying and hearing the word of God, they are not refused of god, but accepted as good Christians. Mercye therefore and alms is a precious thing in the sight of God▪ and ought to be exercised of the faithful, when so ever occasion is given whether they fast or not.

Mercye, saith the angel, is bet • er then to hoorde up • e treasures of gold. For mercy delyuereth frō death cleanse the sin, & causeth to find everlasting life.

Thus have we heard that Christian men ought to use their fast unto this ende, that they abstaynynge from meat and drink might have whereof to give the more abundantlye to the poor, to feed the hungrye, to clothe the naked, to relieve the sick, to help the indebted, and to comfort the neadye. O blessed are they that so fast. But where are they, and we shall commend them, and call them blessed? For great and commendable things do such woorcke among their neyghboures and Christian brethren.

The .xxi. Chapter.

THirdly if we will use fasting aryghte, we must use it unto this ende also, that by the dilygent doing and often exercise thereof we may be made the more apt to pray and to lift up our hearts unto the Lord our God with fervent prayers, humble supplications, and heartye thanks giving. For unto this ende served fasting in times past, as divers histories of the holy scripture do declare. If any mysfortune or grievous plage chanced at any time to the people of god, then streightwaies they fasted, as we read in the boke of judges. Again, if any plage wer threatened thē by the Prophets of god for their wickedness, as we read of the Ninevites, or if they perceived any great evil to be at hand as we read in the histories of the Israelites, of Jehoshaphat, Judith, Esther. &c. then fell they straightwaies to fasting.

And their fasts wer taken unto this end, that they might humble them selves in the sight of God, and be made the more mete for to pray, & to swage the wrath of God. Nether do we read, that any solempne fast was proclaimed at any time, but it was done to this end, that the fasters might the more quietlye and freely serve god, and cal on his holy name, by fervent and continual prayer. And as we read this in the old testament, so lack we not the like examples in the new. Is it to be doubted, but that our sauyoure Christ in that time of his longe and solempne fast joined to his fast prayer? He without doubt prayed unto God his father all that time, that by his preaching which was at hand, many might be tourened from their ungodliness unto the true worshiping of God, from wickedness of life unto innocencye of manners, We read also that the godly Matrone Anne served God in the temple with fasting and prayer both day and night. The Apostles likewise after Christ's ascenciō did always ioin to their fasting, prayer. In like manner read we of the virtuous man Cornelius, which joined to his fasting both prayer and alms deed, And the aungel said unto Thobye, prayer is good with fasting. Esdras said likewise to the Jews. We fasted & prayed unto the lord, & we had good luck. Queen Esther also sent word to Mardocheus, saying, gather together all the Jews, and pray for me, but se that ye neither eat nor drink .iii. days and three nyghtes, and I with my maids will fast & pray likewise. Again Eliachim the priest said to y ^e children of Israel, whē they were in great sorrow and danger of their enemies. Be ye sure, that the Lord will hear your petycyons if ye contynewe stedfaste in fastynges and prayers in the sight of the Lord. Thus se we, that the godly people both of the old and of the new testament, joined always for y ^e most part fasting and prayer together, thinking them selves thē to fast well, whē their fast was accōpained with prayer, as it is written, prayer is good with fasting. S. Peter also saith, be ye sober and watch unto prayer.

The .xxii. Chapter.

MOreouer our savior christ also joineth prayer & fasting together wherhe saith, this kind of dyuels is not caste out but by fasting & prayer. To this kind of fasting doth S. Paul exhort us whē he saith: let us give no occasion of evil, that in our office be found no faute, but in all things let us behave our selves as the ministers of God in much patience, in labors, in watchings & fastings: Also S. Peter Be ye sober, saith he, and watch unto prayer. And from the contrari doth our savior Christ cal us away, saying: Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your herts be overcome with surfeiting and drunkenness, & cares of this life, and so the day (of judgment) come on you unawares. The prophet Isaiah thoundereth against them, which despising this godly manner of abstinence, set all their minds on bankettyng and belly there. Woe be unto thē saith he: that rise up early to follow drunkenness, and to them that continue so until night, and till they be set on fire wich wine. In those companies are harps and lutes, Tabrets and pipes & wyne. But they regard not y ^• work of y ^e lord. Agayne he saith: Woe be unto thē y ^t are strong to sup out wyne, & expert mē to set up drunk̄nes. These give sentence with the ungodly for rewards, but condemn the just cause of the ryghteouse. Therefore like as fire licketh up the straw, and as the flame consumeth the stuble, even so their root shall be as corrupcion, and their blossom shall vanysh away like dust, for they have cast awai the law of the Lord of hosts, and blasphemed the word of the holy, maker of Israel. From beastly bāketting unto faithful fasting & contynual calling on the name of the Lord doth the prophet Joel cal these belly gods, saying, Wake vpye drōckards & weep mourn all ye wine bibbers, & not without a cause. For he y ^t hath his body loden with meat & drink is no more mete to pray unto god then a dead mā is to tell a tale, nether can the mind of such one any more fly unto god with heavenly desires, then a ship to much cūbred with burdens & at the point to sink, can any lenger flote vpō of y ^e waters, We have a proverb no les true then common among us. When the belly is full, the body would be at reast, meaning that he, which hath enfar • ed his belly with delicious meats and costious drīcks, is more mete to stepe like a swine, thē to take any earnest, & weighti matter in hand. We have not red saith .S. Eiprian, y ^e the godly men did ever take any great thing in hand, except they first fasted. So oft as they went about to obtain anything of God, they fasted, & wept, and watched whole nights in prayer, & wear garments of hear next to their flesh, & so withal humbleness, desired god to be benificial to thē. Nether wanted they of their purpose whē they most humbly fell down at the fete of god & offered unto him the sacrifice of a contrite heart, but god was near unto them, y ^t called on him, & reached forth his hand to them y ^t wer in danger, & helped thē that wer in trouble. Again he saith, prayer is of great virtue, whē fasting goeth afore. Basilius magnus saith also, y ^t fasting is necessari, when we desire obtain any thing of the Lord The ancient fathers of Christ's church godly considering how necessary a thing prayer is in the Church of Christ, ordained certain feastful days in the year, on the which the people should resort and come together unto the temple for to pray unto the Lord God. And that they might come the more deuoutely & pray with the greater fruit, they appointed also that the day before the solemn feast, they should fast that they might be the more apt to pray, whē they come together into the temple. For where the body is burdened with meat, there the mind can have no free passage unto God. Let thē therefore that fast, appointe their fasting also to this use, that by their abstinence they may be the more re pray, & not only to prepare them selves to pray, but also earnestly to give their minds unto prayer, or else what doth their fast profit them? To fast from meat and to goo about worldly matters, what other thing is it, then a mockinge of God, & a derision of christen abstinence as .S. Ambrose saith, doest y ^u think y ^t he fasteth aright, which waking betymes in the morning goeth not unto y ^• church (to pray & to hear the word of god) but as sone as he is up, gathereth together his servants layeth abroad his nets, bringeth forth his dogs, & goeth running about the forestes? Therefore if we fast, let us fast a right, and after the examples of the aūcyente holy fathers let us alway couple prayer with our fasting. So shall booth we, our fasts & our prayers please God.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

FOurthelye and finally forasmuch as the word of God is the singular and unspeakable gift of God, given of him to be a lantarne to our feet and a light to our pathwaies, to tourne souls from idolatry unto true god lines, to give wisdom to the humble, to make the faithful penitent hearts glad, to lighten the eyes of the ignorant, to teach the true religion, to i • prove errourres and heresies, to amend sinners, & to instruct all degrees in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect and prepared unto all good works: it is conueniente, whither we hear • t of other or read it our selves, that we both hear and read it with great reverence and all humility, seeing that not man, but the holy ghost is the author of it, which breathed into the hearts of holy m • nnethe knowledge of it, and put in their minds what they ought to wryghte as .S. Paul saith, the whole scripture was given of God by inspiracion. And .S. Peter recordeth the same, saying. The scripture came never by the will of man, but holy men of God spake, as they wer moved by y ^• holy ghost. If the holy scripture then cometh frō god, & god be the author of it, who dare presume either to hear or to read it, but with an humble reverence and reverent humility? As .S. Agustine saith, by the books of the holy scripture God him self and our lord speaketh unto us, and showeth unto the effect of a godly will▪ Let us then consider and mark well, with what honor the message of that god and Lord ought to be received of us. What if a message came unto us very earlye in the morning from a king, would we not straight ways (all other cares laid aside) receive the letters with a ready will & withal deuociō, and after we had red them, labor to fulfill the kings request to y ^• uttermost? And behold from the heaven of heavens the Kynge of kings and Lord of Lord's, yea and our redeemer hath vouched safe to dyrecte his letters unto us by the Prophets and Apostles, not that he should commytte unto us any service necessary for him, but sygnifye, what things may do us good unto salvation and glory. O with what, reverence and great honor ought we then to receive, read or hear the letters of this everlasting king and immortal god sent for our glory and for our salvation, seeing that by them not man, b • t God speaketh unto us as our savior Christ testifieth, he that heareth you (he speaketh of the preachers of gods word) heareth me, & he that despyseth you, despiseth me, & he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. Now y ^• we may come reverently & humbly to the hearing of gods word, it shall not be vnsitting to use our fast unto this end also, that we may come unto it with fasting & empty stomachs, that our mind and inward mā may have the purersenses to understand, the clear sight to behold, the more open ears to hear, and the gredier stomachs to digest the holy mysteries of god For likewise as he is no mete mā to pray unto God, that cometh out of the Tavern sweating and set on fire with drincking of hot wine & eatīg of delicious meats, so in like manner is he no fit man either to read or to hear y ^• word of god, that hath a full gorge and stuffed belly. The more the body is filled, the more is the mind dulled, & made unapt to receive any message from god. But albe it y ^• outward man decay & be made feeble for a time, yet the inward man is renewed day by day, and made strong. And this meant the holy fathers & godly bishops of Christ's church in times paste, when they appointed fasting on the evens of solempne feasts, that the people by their fasting might be made the more apt the day following, when they came to the temple, to hear the blessed word of their salvation.

The holy letters do testify, that when Moses received the law, he was in the mount with God, and fasted .xl. days and .xl. nights before the ta • les of the law wer delivered unto him, where of we may learn howe reverently we ought to take the word of god, au • not to come unto it with unwashed fete, as they use to say, And this is to be noted by y ^• way, that as Moses fasting was found worthy to receive the law of god, so likewise when he came down from the mount & saw the people droncke and mad, singinge & piping, daūcīg & lea • ing, he threw down the tables of y ^e law, & brake them on pieces, by this declaring that Epicures and belly gods be no worthy and mete vessels to receive the new wine of gods word

When the children of Israel at a certain time came together to read the boke of the law of the Lord, they fasted the whole day, that they might read the holy scriptures with the more reverence and be made the more mete to have the holy ghost present with them to teache them by his godly inspiracion.

Esdras also being greatly desirous to have certain secretes opened unto him, was commanded of Uriel the angel to fast. vii days first of all. Whych thing he did, and had his desire satisfied.

In like manner after the Prophet Daniel had fasted and prayed unto the Lord for knowledge of certain mysteries, Gabriel the angel of God came and revealed unto him the secretes of Christ's incarnatiō, passion, death. &c

When Baruche red his boke before the king and the kings council and before all the people, they all wepte fasted & prayed before the Lord.

Before that our sauyoure Christ took upon him the office of preaching to declare unto the people the joyful tidings that he brought from heaven, he fasted .xl. days and .xl. nights and did eat nothing at all, giving us example by his fasting not to fast the like fast, which is impossible and above y ^e natural strengths of ani mā, but to come unto the word of god thorough fasting with all reverence & humility, whither we read or hear it.

The Apostles of Christ likewise before they universally preached the kingdom of Christ, fasted and prayed, and as they wer fasting and praying, the hollye Ghoste came down upon them and endued them with the knowledge of all languages, & taught them the true understanding of God's holy mysteries.

To ende, Cornelius being very desierous to know y ^• true and approved religiō before God, fasted & prayed unto the Lord, and god gracious •• satisfied his desire

The .xxiiii. Chapter.

TThus le we that all godly men both of the old and new Testament used abstinence for the most part, whē they should either preach, hear or read the word of God, that they might come the more reuerentlye unto it, and be made the more mete to handle so holy and worthy mysteries. It is convenient therefore y ^• we also, if we will use fasting aright, do follow the examples of these holy men, whensoever we entende either to preach, read or hear the word or God, and not vnreuerentlye to come unto the holy scripture, as unto profane wrightings, after the example of many ungodly parsons which w ^t out all humility & reverence read the word of god as though it wer an Ethnike chronicle, a boke of man's statutes, of Beuise of Hampton, of Gye of Warwick, of Robinhoode, and such other like fond and foolishly fansyes yea there want not (the greater shall be our plage) which scorn y ^• word of god and moste shamefullye abuse it, some unto • koffynge and jesting, some unto the tauntinge of other, some unto y ^• vpholdīg of their fleshly liberty & corrupt manners, some unto the maint eining of wicked opinions. &c. whose destruction sleepeth not, whose damnation is at hand. For if it be not lawful to cast pearls before hogs nor to give that is holy to dogs, nether is it lawful for hogs to touch pearls, nor dogs to taste y ^• is holy. If thei wer punished that did eat vnleuended bread at the feast of the passover, if Uza wer stricken unto y ^• death for touching the arcke, if that geast y ^t came unto the marriage not having the wedding garmente, was bound hand and feet, and • ast into utter darkness, where weeping and gnashinge of teethe is, if the Corinthes wer plagued for abusing the lords supper, let not those swinish Epicures, doggish papists Licencious Libertines, ungodly Anabaptists, gross gospellers and wicked worldlings think that they shall escape unpunished if they go forth to abuse the word of god or to come vnreuerentlye unto it. For the holy scripture is the message of god, brought unto us from heaven by his holy Embassadoures the Prophets & Apostles yea by his own dearly be loved son that king of glory, which sealed & confirmed it with the shedding of his most precious blood: it may not therefore be lightly regarded, nor vnreuerētli handled. For if the y ^t despyseth Moses law, saith .S. Paul, dieth w ^t out mercy under .ii. or .iii. witnesses, how much sorer, suppose ye, shall he be punished, which tredeth under foot the son of god & counteth the blood of the Testament, whe • with he was sanctifed, as an unholy thing, and doth dishonoure to the spirit of Grace.

That we therefore may humbly, reverently deuo • tely & honorably come unto the preaching, hearing or reading of the blessed word of God, let us not neglect this noble virtue of fasting, but after the example of the aforesaid godly men pr • pare our selves by the diligent exercise thereof, to be mete to handle so holy and heavenly mysteries. By this means shall it come to pass, y ^• god which is the author of the holy scripture shall alway be present with us by his holy spirit, and teache us the true knowledge of his godly will, unto the glory of his blessed name, the profit of his holy congregation, and the singular comfort of our conscience.

Howe have we heard first what the true and Christian fast is. Secondly, how we ought to fast. Thyrdlye, what the true use of fasting is. It remay • e • h that we be not like that negligent servant which knoweth his masters will, and doth it not, & therefore is beat̄ with many stripes, but rather that we be likened unto that good seed which bringeth forth her increase, some an hundred fold, some threscore fold, some thirty fold. If we now know the true doctrine of the holy scripture concerning fasting, let us practice it in our conversation, when so ever any such occasion is offered, as heretofo • e is declared, and at all times let us live soberlye, ryghteouslye and godly in this present world.

Lette us not with the abuse caste way the use, but let us so much the more gladly exercise the godly manner of fasting, because the ungodly papists rail on us, & cōtinnally beat into the simple people's heads, y ^• we which profess the gospel, abhor and condemn all fasting and prayeinge, all commendable customs & godly ordinances, that by well doing we may stop the mouths of foolish and ignorant men, and that they, which backebite us as evil doers, may se our good works▪ and praise. God in the day of visitacion, to whom be all honor and glory forever and ever