PHIL. Undoubtedly these men are far from the true & christen man ner of fasting, which is, not only 1to abstain from meats, but also from since. Against those thundereth the holy Doctor Basilius ma gnus on this manner: Woe be unto you ye drunkards, not with wine only. For wrath & indignation is all so a certain drunkenness of the soul making it even as wine doth heartless & foolish. For although thou eatest no 2flesh, saith he yet nevertheless dost thou eat thy brother. Thou tarriest from thy meat till it be night, yet all the whole day dost thou consume in suit & going to the law. But think not that the goodness of fasting is only in the abstinence of meats. For the true fast is the eschewing of evils. When thou fastest, loosen all wicked bonds, disquiet not thy neighbour, pay ⟨image 49⟩thy money that thou owest, exercise not lawing & suing by the fast. &c.
Thus have I declared unto you after the minds of the holy & an cient Doctors, what the true and christen fast is, whereby ye may also easily learn to know the popish & false fast. And because ye shall not doubt of this doctrine concerning fasting, know you, that the kings most royal majesty also in his Pro clamacion concerning eating of white meats this time of Lent, hath there no less prudently than godly, set forth the very same thing, that hitherto I have taught you. The words of the Proclamation are these: Let all men endeavour them selves to their possible powers 3with this liberty of eating of white meats to observe also that fast, which God most specially requireth of them, that is to say, that they renounce the world, & the devil, ⟨image 50⟩with all their pomps & works, & also to subdu & repress their carnal affections, & their corrupt works of the flesh, according to the vow & profession, made at the font stone. Howe say ye to these words.
PHIL. Undoutedly these men are farre from the true & christen man ner of fastynge, whiche is, not only 1to abstayne from meates, but also from synnes. Agaynst those thōdereth the holy Doctor Basilius ma gnus on this manner: Wo be vnto you ye drōckardes, not with wyne only. For wrathe & indignaciō is al so a certayne drōckēnesse of ye soule makīg it euē as wyne doth hertles & folysh. For although yu eateste no 2flesh, sayth he yet neuertheles dost thou eate thy brother. Thou tariest from thy meate tyll it be night, yet all the whole daye doste thou cō sume in sute & goynge to the lawe. But thynke not that the goodnes of fastynge is only in the abstinēce of meates. For the true faste is the eschewynge of euelles. Whan thou fasteste, loosen all wycked bondes, disquiet not thy neighboure, paye ⟨image 49⟩thy mony that thou owest, exercise not lawyng & suing by the fast. &c.
Thus haue I declared vnto you after the myndes of the holy & aun cient Doctors, what the true and christen fast is, wherby ye may also easely learne to knowe the popysh & false fast. And bycause ye shal not doubte of this doctryne cōcerning fastynge, know you, that ye kynges moost royall maiesty also ī his Pro clamacion concernynge eatynge of whyte meates this tyme of Lent, hath there no lesse prudently than godly, set forth ye very same thing, that hytherto I haue taught you. The wordes of the Proclamacion are these: Lette all men endeuoure thē selues to theyr possible powers 3with thys liberte of eatīg of white meates to obserue also that faste, whiche God moost specially requirethe of them, that is to saye, that they renounce the worlde, & the diuell, ⟨image 50⟩with all theyr pompes & workes, & also to subdu & represse their carnall affeccions, & theyr corrupt workes of the flesshe, accordynge to the vowe & profession, made at the fonte stone. Howe saye ye to theyse wordes.
- 1Ser. i. De Jeiunio.Ser. i. De Ieiunio.
- 2Note.
- 3The kings Proclamaci on concerning white meats.The kynges Proclamaci on cōcernīge whyte meates.
