The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

What good English heart would not wish the old ancient glory should return to the realm, wherein it hath with great commendations excelled before our days, in the furniture of the Navy of the same? What will more daunt the hearts of the adversary, then to see us as well fenced and armed on the sea, as we be reported to be on the land? If the prince requested our obedience to forbear one day from flesh more then we do, and to be contented with one meal in the same day, should not our own commodity thereby persuade us to subjection. But now that two meals be permitted on that day to be used, which sometime our elders in very great numbers in the Realm did use with one only spare meal, and that in fish only: shall we think it so great a burden that is prescribed?

What good Englishe heart woulde not wishe the olde auncient glory should returne to ye realme, wherin it hath with great commendations excelled before our dayes, in the furniture of the Nauie of the same? What wyll more daunt the heartes of the aduersarie, then to see vs as well fenced and armed on the sea, as we be reported to be on the lande? If the prince requested our obedience to forbeare one day from fleshe more then we do, and to be contented with one meale in ye same day, shoulde not our owne commoditie thereby perswade vs to subiection. But now that two meales be permitted on that day to be vsed, whiche sometime our elders in very great numbers in the Realme dyd vse with one onlye spare meale, and that in fishe onlye: shall we thinke it so great a burthen that is prescribed?

Furthermore consider the decay of the towns nigh the seas, which should be most ready by the number of the people there to repulse the enemy, and we which dwell further of upon the land, having them as our buckler to defend us, should be the more in surety. If they be our neighbours, why should we not wish them to prosper? If they be our defence, as nighest at hand to repel the enemy, to keep out the rage of the seas which else would break upon our fair pastures, why should we not cherish them? Neither do we urge ⟨p. 188⟩that in the ecclesiastical policy, prescribing a form of fasting, to humble our selves in the sight of almighty God, that that order which was used among the Jews, and practised by Christs Apostles after his ascension, is of such force and necessity, that that only ought to be used among Christians, and none other, for that were to bind Gods people unto the yoke & burden of Moses policy, yea, it were the very way to bring us which are set at liberty by the freedom of Christs Gospel, into the bondage of the law again, which God forbid that any man should attempt or purpose. But to this end it serveth, to show how far the order of fasting now used in the Church at this day, differeth from that which then was used. Gods Church ought not, neither may i be so tied to that or any other order now made, or hereafter to be made and devised by the authority of man, but that it may lawfully for just causes, alter, change, or mitigate those ecclesiastical decrees & orders, yea recede wholly from them, & break them, when they tend either to superstition, or to impiety, when they draw the people from God, rather then work any edification in them. This authority Christ him self used, and left it unto his Church. He used it I say: For the order or decree made by the elders for washing oft times, which was diligently observed of the Jews: yet tending to superstition, our saviour Christ altered and changed the same in his Church, into a profitable sacrament, the sacrament of our regeneration or new birth. This authority to mitigate laws and decrees ecclesiastical, the apostles