For he that fasteth, must above all things refrain anger, learn meekness 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 alway 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 hart no evil against his neighbour,1 as Isaiah speaking in y• person of god saith: have I chosen this fast, saith the lord? Though thou wry about thy neck like an hoop, and strewest under the sackcloth and ashes, yet will not I regard thy fast saith the lord. What fast then, ⟨image 57⟩tell me? Loosen, saith he, the bonds of the wicked bargains, break thy bread to the hungry bring the pore man that hath no house into thy house. If thou doest these these things, saith he, then 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 look upon this fast, and let us not think, as many do, y• fasting standeth in this point, if we continue without any dinner till it be night. S. Hierome also sayeth: Satiety or fullness is to be eschewed even of y• most vile meats. For there is nothing y• so overwhelmeth y• mind, as a full belly. Thus have we herd that the first & principal use of fasting is to tame, chastise, subdue & mortify ⟨image 57⟩the flesh,2 y• it resist not, but rather obey the rule of y• spirit as an hand maid, her mistress, or an horse his keeper. But this is to be considered in our fasting, y• we do not with our unmeasurable fasts so make weak & feeble the body, that it be able to serve neither God, nor our neighbour, nor yet our selves, & by this means utterly quench the use & working of the spirit, as we read 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 provision,3 saith he, for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it. An horse that is to much delicate lyfed, casteth his master, again if he be kept to hungry, he fainteth in the mids of the journey, & doth not his office. A mean therefore ⟨image 58⟩is to be had as in feeding of the horse, so likewise in ordering of the body. We live not to eat, but we eat to live.
For he that fasteth, muste aboue all thinges refraine anger, learne mekenes and gentlenes, haue an hearte contrite, and such one as may repel and put backe vncleane concupiscences & lusts He muste also set before his eies alway the eye of the euerlastinge iudge and y• iudgeing place that canne not be corrupted. Againe he muste by his monye be made the better by distributing it to the pore, & haue rule ouer it. He must be liberal in geuing almes & receiue into his hart no euil against his neighboure,1 as Esaye speaking in y• persō of god sath: haue I chosen this fast, sayth the lord? Thoughe thou wrye aboute thy necke lyke an hoope, and strowest vnder the sackeclothe and ashes, yet wyll not I regard thy fast saith the lord. What fast thē, ⟨image 57⟩tel me? Losen, saith he, the bonds of the wicked bargaines, breake thy breade to the hongry bringe the pore man that hath no house into thi house. If thou doest these these things, saith he, thē shal thy light breake forth as y• morning light and thy health shal spryng right shortly. Hast thou now sene (my welbeloued) what y• true fast is? Let vs loke vpō this fast, and let vs not thincke, as many do, y• fastinge standeth in this pointe, if we continewe without any dinner til it be night. S. Hierome also saieth: Satietie or fulnes is to be exchewed euen of y• most vyle meats. For ther is nothing y• so ouerwhelmeth y• mind, as a ful bellye. Thus haue we herd that the first & principal vse of fastinge is to tame, chastise, subdue & mortifi ⟨image 57⟩the flesh,2 y• it resist not, but rather obei the rule of y• spirit as an hād maide, her maistres, or an horsse hys keper. But this is to be cōsidered in our fasting, y• we do not with our vnmeasurable fasts so make weake & feable the bodye, that it be hable to serue neyther God, nor our neighbour, nor yet our selues, & by this meanes vtterly quench the vse & workyng of the spirit, as we rede that many in times past haue done, such fasts please not God. This commaūdement therfore of S Paul is to be obserued in al our fasts, Make not prouisiō,
- 1Isaiah. […]Esay. 〈…〉
- 2A Rule to be observed in fasting.A Rule to bee obserued in fastyng.
- 3Rom. xiii.
