A potacio[n] or dry[n]king for this holy time of le[n]t very co[m]fortable for all…A potacio[n] or dri[n]kynge for this holi time of le[n]t very co[m]fortable for all…
A potacio[n] or dry[n]king for this holy time of le[n]t very co[m]fortable for all penitent sinners, newly prepared by Theodore Basil.A potacio[n] or dri[n]kynge for this holi time of le[n]t very co[m]fortable for all penitent synners, newly prepared by Theodore Basille.
Thomas Becon 1512–1567printed for Joha, 1542printed for Ioha, 1542
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
AS touching this word Satisfaction, which hath so long been retained in the Church of Christ, we must grant & believe undoubtedly, y• christ alone is the omnisufficient satisfaction for all our since unto God the father, by the sprinkling and effusion of his most precious blood 1which abideth & lasteth for ever so perfect, that he is able at all times to save them, that are sanctified with 2that one & omnisufficient oblation & Sacrifice of his most blessed body on the Altar of the Cross, and that not only from the fault, but also from the pain due and belonging unto the fault. Behold that ⟨image 40⟩lamb of God, saith S, John 3Baptist, which taketh away the sin of the world. S. John the Evangeliographe 4saith also: The blood of Jesus Christ Gods own Son, maketh us clean from all sin. Again, if any man sin, we have 5an advocate with God the father, Jesus Christ that righteous one, And he is the satisfaction for our since, not for our sins only, but also for all the whole world. By y•6death of Christ are we reconciled to the father. Christ is our wisdom 7
sanctification, righteousness & redemption. Christ is our peace. By the blood of Christ have we remission of our since. By Christ are all things reconciled to God, and
by Christs blood are all things pacified & set at a stay both in heaven & in earth. Christ was broken for our since. Christ bare our since on his body upon the tree,
Our since are forgiven us for Christs name. All the Prophets bear witness, that through the name of Christ, every one that believeth on him, shall receive remission of his sins. Thus see we that there
is no satisfaction perfect & sufficient to God the father for our since, but only the death of Christ so that we may well say with the Apostle God forbid, that we should rejoice in
any thing, but in the death of our LORD Jesus Christ. Who so ever repenteth him of his since from the very heart, & is sorry for them, lamenteth his misery, hungereth for strength to do the will of God, know ledgeth his offences, laboureth with all main to walk in a new life, needeth not to doubt, but y• Christ by his death hath abundantly satisfied to God the father for his since.
AS towchīg this word Satisfaccion, whiche hath so longe bene retayned in the Chyrche of Christ, we must gra unt & beleue vndoubtedly, y• christ alone is the omnisufficiēt satysfaccion for all oure synnes vnto God the father, by the sprynkelyng and effusiō of his moost precious bloud 1which abydeth & lasteth for euer so perfect, that he is able at all times to saue them, that are sanctified wt 2that one & omnisufficient oblaciō & Sacrifice of his moost blessed body on the Altare of the Crosse, and that not onlye from the faute, but also from the payne due and belon gynge vnto the faute. Behold that ⟨image 40⟩lambe of God, sayth S, Iohn Bap 3tist, which taketh awaye the synne of the worlde. S. Iohn the Euangeliographe 4sayth also: The bloud of Iesus Christ Gods owne sonne, makethe vs cleane from all synne. Agayne, yf any mā synne, we haue 5an aduocate wyth God the father, Iesus Christ that ryghteous one, And he is the satisfaccion for oure synnes, not for our sīnes only, but also for all the whole worlde. By y•6death of Christe are we reconcyled to the father. Christ is our wisdom 7sanctificacion, ryghteousnes & redemcion. Christe is oure peace. By the bloud of Christ haue we remission of oure synnes. By Christ are all thynges recōcyled to God, and 8by Christes bloude are all thynges pacifyed & set at a stay both in heauen & in earth. Christe was broken for oure synnes. Christe bare oure synnes on his body vpon the tree, ⟨image 40⟩by whose stripes we are made hole. 9Oure synnes are forgyuen vs for Christes name. All the Prophetes beare wytnesse, that thorowe the name of Christ, euery one that bele ueth on him, shall receyue remissiō of his sines. Thus se we that there 10is no satisfacciō perfecte & sufficiēt to God the father for oure synnes, but only the death of Christ so that we maye well say with the Apostle God forbyd, yt we should reioyse in 11ony thyng, but in the death of our LORDE Iesus Christe. Who so euer repenteth him of his synnes from the very herte, & is sorye for thē, lamenteth his miserye, hongreth for strength to do ye wyl of God, know ledgeth his offenses, labourethe wt all mayne to walke in a newe lyfe, nedeth not to doubte, but y• Christ by his death hath abūdantly satisfyed to God the father for his synnes.
PHIL. Eyes verily. After the have repented you of your wickedness, ye must than amend your life, & bring forth fruits worthy of Penance, as the 1scripture commandeth. Ye must practise in your living all godliness & innocency. Fasting, prayer and alms must diligently be exercised of you in your daily conversation. 2Ye must go from virtue to virtue, & from faith to faith. As ye have walked before in darkness, so must ye walk now in light. Your whole life must now be nothing else, than a perfect meditation of purity and innocency. Except ye labour to do this, surely ye have no part of Christ, neither is the death of Christ a satisfaction for your sins, but y•3wrath of God abideth still upon you. God hath blessed you in christ Jesus, that every one of you should turn away from his wickednesses ⟨image 41⟩as the scripture saith. God hath 4not called us, saith S. Paul, unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification and holiness.
These things once done, than remaineth 5there a true & perfect satisfaction to our neighbour, whom we have offended or hurt either in word or deed. For a satisfaction or amends must needs be made to our neighbour, or else we walk not after the order of Charity, nor according 6to the law of nature, which commandeth every man to do to another, as he would other should do to him. Therefore God in the old law commanded that if any m• did steal from his neighbour an ox or a sheep, he should restore and give him again five oxen for an 7ox, & four sheep for one sheep. We read also in the Gospel of Luke, y• Zacheus said unto Christ: behold 8LORD I give half my goods to ⟨image 42⟩the poor people, & if I have deceived any man of any thing, I give him four times as much again for it. These things declare manifest lye, that we are bound to make satisfaction to our neighbour, in what soever things we have hurt them.
PHIL. Yies verelye. After ye haue repented you of your wickednes, ye must thā amend your lyfe, & bryng forth fruytes worthy of Penaūce, as the 1scripture commaundeth. Ye muste practyse in your lyuyng all godlynesse & innocency. Factynge, prayer and almes must dilygently be exer cysed of you in your dayly conuersaciō. 2Ye must go frō vertue to ver tue, & frō faith to faith. As ye haue walked before in darknes, so must ye walke now in light. Your whole lyfe must nowe be nothing els, thā a perfecte meditaciō of purite and innocencye. Excepte ye laboure to do this, surelye ye haue no parte of Christ, neyther is ye death of Christ a satisfacciō for your sinnes, but y•3wrath of God abydethe styll vpon you. God hath blessed you in christ Iesus, that euery one of you shuld turne away from his wickednesses ⟨image 41⟩as the scripture sayth. God hathe 4not called vs, sayth S. Paule, vnto vncleannes, but vnto sanctificacion and holines.
These thinges once done, than remayneth 5there a true & pepfecte satisfacciō to our neighbour, whome we haue offended or hurte either in worde or dede. For a satisfaccion or amēdes must nedes be made to our neyghbour, or els we walke not after the order of Charite, nor accordynge 6to the lawe of nature, which commaundeth euery man to do to another, as he would other should do to him. Therfore God in the old lawe commaunded that yf any m• dyd steale from his neyghboure an oxe or a shepe, he should restore and gyue hym agayne fyue oXes for an 7oxe, & foure shepe for one shepe. We read also in the Gospell of Luke, y• Zacheus sayd vnto Christ: behold 8LORDE I gyue halfe my goodes to ⟨image 42⟩
PHIL. God forbid 1For than should all they that dye for theft, & many other be damned.
But this I say unto you, if we be able by any means to make satisfaction to them, whom we have offended, hindered or hurt, we ought without doubt to do it. But if it so be, that by no wise we are able, than ought we to come to them, whom we have offended, & desire them for Christs sake to forgive us. And they again ought, if they will be forgiven of God, to remit & for give their offenders.
PHIL. God forbyd 1For than shoulde all they that dye for thefte, & many other be dāned.
But this I say vnto you, yf we be able by ony meanes to make satisfacciō to them, whome we haue offended, hidered or hurte, we ought wtoute doubte to do it. But yf it so be, that by no wyse we are able, thā ought we to come to them, whome we haue offended, & desyre them for Christes sake to forgyue vs. And they agayne ought, yf they wyll be forgyuen of God, to remitte & for gyue theyr offenders.
PHIL. Hither to have I talked with you of the holy Sacrament of Penance, of Contrition, Confession, & Satisfaction ac cording to the vain of the holy scriptures & the mind of the ancient Doctors.
PHIL. Hyther to haue I talked with you of ye holy Sacrament of Penaunce, of Cō triciō, Confession, & Satisfacciō ac cordynge to the vayne of the holye scriptures & the mynde of the auncient Doctours.
TO tarry long in the enco my & praise of fasting, as it were but a vain thing so doth not the scarceness of time suffer it. Howe can it any otherwise than be a thing of high excellency & much virtue, seeing that God himself was the first ⟨image 43⟩institutor & Author of it, prescribing 1it unto our prime parent Adam in Paradise, which if he had observed, none of us all had fallen from that joyful state into this cala mitouse misery. Did not Moses fast forty days, that he might be 2made worthy to receive y• Tables of the law? Did not the people of Israel many times fast when they had displeased God, to recover and win again his favour, and at divers other times? Did not Hell as also fast. xl. days? Did not Jehoshaphat 3command a solō fast to his people, Did not queen Esther with certain 4other Jews fast three days & three nights, when there was a command meant given to destroy all the Jews? Did not the king of the Ninevites, when Jonah threatened 5them subversion, command both man & beast, & all that ever dwelt in the City to fast? Did not Dani ⟨image 43⟩6ell many times fast, and neither 7eat nor drink? Did not Esdras so likewise? As I may pass over many of the old Testament, did not Christ the Son of God in the new law fast forty days & forty nights? Did not John Baptiste give himself to much & continual fasting? Did not the Apostles after Christs Affensiō fast? Is there not a certain kind of devils, which is not cast out but by prayer 8& fasting? Did not Paul fast oftentimes? Do not all these Histories declare that fasting is an excellent & very precious thing? Is not fasting one of the chief and principal works, which are requi red of a christen man in the holy scripture? Fasting, saith Basilius magnus Maketh lawyers witty. It is the 9best custody & keeping of the soul. It is the sure habitation and dwell lynge of the body. It is a defence & ⟨image 44⟩armour to valiant men. It is an 10exercise to lusty Champions, & pro uers of maystries. It expelleth ten tacion. It is the unction of godliness. It is the familiarity of y• fountain, the governor of pure lyuig. Fasting is the ornament of a City, the establishment of the judging place, the peace of houses, the health & preservation of household. As I may make short tale, thou shalt find that fasting hath made all the saints friends and neighbours unto God.
TO tarye longe in the enco my & prayse of fastyng, as it were but a vayne thīge so doth not the scarsenesse of tyme suffer it. Howe can it anye otherwyse thā be a thinge of hygh excellency & muche vertue, seynge that God hymselfe was the fyrste ⟨image 43⟩institutor & Author of it, prescrybynge 1it vnto oure prime parente Adā in Paradyse, whiche yf he had obserued, none of vs all had fallen frō that ioyfull state into this cala mitouse misery•. Dyd not Moses fast forty dayes, that he myghte be 2made worthy to receyue y• Tables of the lawe? Dyd not the people of Israell many tymes fast whē they had displeased God, to recouer and wynne agayne his fauoure, and at diuers other tymes? Dyd not Hell as also fast. xl. dayes? Dyd not Iosaphat 3cōmaūd a solō fast to his pe ople, Did not quene Hester wt certē 4other Iewes fast thre dayes & thre nightes, whēthere was a cōmaūde ment gyuen to destroye all the Iewes? Dyd not the kynge of the Niniuites, whan Ionas threatened 5them subuersion, cōmaunde bothe man & beast, & all that euer dwelte in the Cytie to fast? Did not Dani ⟨image 43⟩6ell many tymes faste, and neyther 7eate nor dryncke? Dyd not Esdras so lykewyse? As I maye passe ouer many of the old Testament, dydde not Christ the sonne of God in the newe lawe fast forty dayes & forty nyghts? Dyd not Iohn Baptiste gyue himselfe to much & continual fastynge? Dyd not the Apostles af ter Christes Affensiō fast? Is there not a certayne kynde of dyueltes, which is not cast oute but by prayer 8& fastynge? Dyd not Paule fast oftentymes? Do not al these Histo ries declare that fastynge is an excellent & very precious thynge? Is not fastynge one of the cheife and pryncypal workes, which are requi red of a christē mā in ye holy scriptu re? Fastīg, sayth Basilius magnus Maketh lawers wyttye. It is the
Hitherto have I rehearsed y• words of the famous Doctor Ba silius. The blessed martyr S. Cyprian 1also saith, with fasting the stinking pool of vices is dried up, wantonness withereth away, concupiscences and lusts decay, vain pleasures go away. With fasting the flame of the burning Etna is quenched, & the furnace of the flammivomus vulcane ⟨image 44⟩quenched within, doth not burn the hills near unto it. Fasting, if it be governed with discretion, tame the all the rebellion & fierceness of the flesh, & spoileth & maketh weak the tyranny of gluttony. Fasting speareth up & encloseth as though it were in a narrow prison the extraordinary & unlawful motions, yea it holdeth straight and bindeth the wandering appetites. Fasting if it be garnished with humility maketh the servants of God despisers of the world. Fasting is fed with the dainties of the Scriptures, it is refreshed with contemplation, it is established with grace, it is nourished with celestial & heavenly bread. Th•s see you also by the ancient Doctors, how precious a thing fasting is. Again ye see of how great virtue & strength it is, & how many commodities it brim gethe to them that use & exercise it ⟨image 45⟩aright. Let these few things there fore suffice for this present, for the commendation & praise of fasting.
Hytherto haue I rehearsed y• wordes of the famous Doctor Ba silius. The blessed martyre S. Cypriane 1also sayth, wyth fasting the stynckynge poole of vyces is dryed vp, wantonnes wythereth awaye, concupiscences and lustes decaye, vayne pleasures go awaye. Wyth fastyng the flame of the burnynge Ethna is quenched, & the fornace of the flammiuomus vulcane quen ⟨image 44⟩ched wythin, dothe not burne the hylles nere vnto it. Fastynge, yf it be gouerned wt discresion, tame the all the rebellion & fearcenes of the flesshe, & spoyleth & maketh weake the tyranny of glotonye. Fastynge speareth vp & encloseth as though it were in a narrowe prison the extraordinary & vnlawfull mocions, yea it holdeth streight and bindeth the wanderynge appetites. Fastig if it be garnysshed wt humilite maketh the seruauntes of God despisers of the worlde. Fastynge is fed with the deyntyes of the Scriptures, it is refresshed with contem placion, it is establysshed wt grace, it is norysshed with celestiall & heauenly bread. Th•s se you also by ye auncient Doctours, how precious a thynge fastynge is. Agayne ye se of howe great vertue & strength it is, & howe many cōmodities it brī gethe to them that vse & exercyse it ⟨image 45⟩aright. Let these few thinges ther fore suffice for thys present, for the commendacion & prayse of fasting.
1Set. De Jeiunio. •t tent. Christi.Set. De Ieiunio. •t tent. Christi.
EVSE. Verily me think that I can not approve nor allow the manners of those Gospellers, as they call them selves, which contemning all kind of godly fasting, give themselves to glot tony & drunkenness, persuading them selves to be than best christen men, when they are furthest from chrestia nite.
EVSE. Uerelye me thynke that I cā not approue nor allowe the manners of those Gospellers, as they caull them selues, which contēnynge all kynde of god ly fastynge, gyue thēselues to glot tony & dronckennesse, perswadyng thē selues to be thā best christē mē, whan they ar furdest from chrestia nite.
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the poore people, & yf I haue decey ued any man of any thyng, I gyue him four times asmuch agayne for it. These thynges declare manifest lye, that we are bounde to make satisfacciō to our neyghbour, ī what soeuer thynges we haue hurte thē.
exercyse to lusty Champions, & pro uers of maystries. It expelleth tē tacion. It is the vnction of godlynesse. It is the familiarite of y• foū tayne, ye gouernour of pure lyuig. Fastyng is the ornamente of a Citie, the establyshmēt of ye iudgynge place, the peace of houses, ye helth & preseruaciō of houshold. As I may make shorte tale, thou shalte fynde that fastyng hath made al the sain tes frendes and neyghbours vnto God.
Mat. vi
. Ser. i. D• Ieiunio.
10Behold what a precious thing fasting is.Beholde what a precious thynge fastynge is.
