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
- 1Gen. ii.
- 2•x. xxxiiii Jud. xx. i. […]. vii. xiii. iii. […]. xix.•x. xxxiiii Iud. xx. i. 〈…〉. vii. xiii. iii. 〈…〉. xix.
- 3ii. Pa•. xx
- 4Esther. i•iHester. i•i
- 5Jo. ii. iii:Io. ii. iii:
- 6D•n. ix•
- 7i. Esd. […]. Mat. •iii. Mat. iii. xi▪ Ac. i. xiiii. xxvii.i. Esd. 〈…〉. Mat. •iii. Mat. iii. xi▪ Ac. i. xiiii. xxvii.
- 8Mat. ix▪ ii. Cor. vi. xi.
- 9Mat. vi. Ser. i. D• Jeiunio.
