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…

That is, that they should abstain from things offered unto idols, from blood, from that which is strangled, and from fornication, notwithstanding that Moses law required many other observances. This authority to change the orders, decrees, and constitutions of the Church, was after the Apostles time used of the fathers about the manner of fasting, as it appeareth in the Tripartite history, where it is thus ¹written: Touching fasting, we find that it was diversly used in divers places by divers men. For they at Rome fast three weeks together before Easter, saving upon the Saturdays and Sundays, which fast they call Lent. And after a few lines in the same place, it followeth: They have not all one uniform order in fasting. For some do fast and abstain both from fish and flesh. Some when they fast, eat nothing but fish. Others there are, which when they fast, eat of all water fowls, as well as of fish, grounding themselves upon Moses, that such fowls have their substance of the water, as the fishes have. Some others when they fast, will neither eat herbs nor eggs. Some fasters there are, that eat nothing but dry bread. Others when they fast, eat nothing at all, no not so much as dry bread. Some fast from all manner of food till night, and then eat, without making any choice or difference of meats. And a thousand ⟨p. 190⟩such like divers kinds of fasting may be found in divers places of the world, of divers men diversly used. And for all this great diversity in fasting, yet charity the very true bond of Christian ²peace was not broken, neither did the diversity of fasting break at any time their agreement and concord in faith. To abstain sometime from certain meats, not because the meats are evil, but because they are not necessary: ³This abstinence (saith Saint Augustine) is not evil. And to restrain the use of meats when necessity and time shall require: this (sayeth he) doth properly pertain to Christian men.

That is, that they shoulde abstayne from thinges offered vnto idols, from blood, from that whiche is strangled, and from fornication, notwithstandyng that Moyses law required many other obseruances. This aucthoritie to chaunge the orders, decrees, and constitutions of the Churche, was after the Apostles time vsed of the fathers about the maner of fasting, as it appeareth in the Tripartite historie, where it is thus