A fruitful treatise of fasting

Thus le we that all godly men both of the old and new Testament used abstinence for the most part,¹ when they should either preach, hear or read the word of God, that they might come the more reverently unto ⟨image 70⟩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 intend either to preach, read or hear the word or God, and not unreverentlye to come unto the holy scripture, as unto profane writings,² after the example of many ungodly parsons which with out all humility & reverence read the word of god as though it were an Ethnic chronicle, a book of mans statutes, of Bevise of Hampton, of Gye of Warwick, of Robin Hood, and such other like fond and foolish fancies yea there want not (the greater shall be our plague) which scorn y• word of god and most shamefully abuse it, some unto scoffing and ⟨image 71⟩jesting, some unto the taunting of other, some unto y• upholding of their fleshly liberty & corrupt man ners, some unto the maintaining of wicked opinions. &c. whose destruction sleepeth not, whose damnation is at hand.³