PHIL. This manner of fa sting teacheth the holy scripture, how so ever men use it. Therefore if ye will fast aright after the mind of S. John Chrysostom, ye must first anoint your head, that is to say, comfort the poor people with such goods as God, hath committed to you. For the riches 1the ye have, be not yours only but they be Gods also, as he saith by
⟨image 52⟩y• Prophet, gold is mine, silver is 2mine. God hath put them in your han des, ye ye should distribute part of them to the poor people. Ye are the Ste 3wards of God, & the dispensators of his treasures that you living of them, should also comfort the poor members of Christ. If ye spend them otherwise than God hath appointed you in his word, ye shall render an accounts for it. Ye have nothing at all, but that ye shall be called to an accounts for it even to the uttermost farthing. If ye be not fos•d to have used your talent well, & unto the profit of other, ye shall with that unprofitable servant of the Gospel be cast into outward darkness, where weeping & gnashing of teeth shall be. If ye be proved unmerciful & negligent in the distribution of the worldly goods, surely, surely ye shall be carried away with the rich man, of whom S. ⟨image 53⟩Luke speaketh in the Gospel, unto 4hell; & there burn in such cruel & bitter flames, as the fire whereof shall never be quenched, neither shall the worm of them, that shall be there, dye at any time, as the Pro phette saith. Thus see you that ye 5have no great cause to boast & glory of worldly goods, nor yet to advance your selves above other men for your possessions sake, no more than a great mans servant hath to whom his LORD and master hath committed his goods for a certain space to keep, the servant looking at every hour when his master will require them again. He is a very these & robber, say the Basilius Magnus, which maketh 6that thing his own, that he hath received to distribute and give abroad. For the bread, saith he, that thou retainest & keepest, is the bread of the hungry, the garment, which ⟨image 53⟩thou keepest in thy chest, is the garment of the naked, the shoo, that is mould with thee, is the shoo of him that is unshod, & the money, which thou hidest in the ground, is the money of the needy. Moreover thou dost injury & plain wrong to so many as thou forsakest, when thou art able to help them.
PHIL. This manner of fa stynge teacheth the holy scripture, howe so euer men vse it. Therfore yf ye wyll faste aryghte after the mynde of S. Iohn Chrisostome, ye must fyrste annoynte youre heade, that is to saye, conforte the poore people with suche goodes as God, hath cōmytted to you. For the rytches 1ye ye haue, be not youres only but they be Gods also, as he sayth by
⟨image 52⟩y• Prophet, gold is myne, siluer is 2myne. God hath put thē in yourhā des, ye ye should distribute parte of thē to ye poore people. Ye are ye Ste 3wardes of God, & the dispensators of his treasures that you lyuynge of them, shuld also conforte ye poore mēbers of Christe. If ye spend thē otherwyse than God hath appoyn ted you in his worde, ye shall rēder an accoūtes for it. Ye haue nothig at all, but that ye shall be called to an accountes for it euen to the vttermoost farthig. If ye be not fos•d to haue vsed your talent well, & vn to the profyt of other, ye shall with that vnprofitable seruaunt of the Gospel be cast into outward darke nes, where wepynge & gnasshynge of teth shall be. If ye be proued vnmercyfull & negligent in the distribucion of the worldly goodes, sure ly, surely ye shall be caryed awaye with the rytch man, of whome S. ⟨image 53⟩Luke speaketh in the Gospell, vnto 4hell; & there burne in such cruell & bytter flames, as the fyre wherof shall neuer be quenched, neyther shall the worme of them, that shall be there, dye at ony tyme, as ye Pro phette sayth. Thus se you that ye 5haue no great cause to boste & glory of worldly goodes, nor yet to auaūce your selues aboue other mē for youre possessions sake, no more than a greate mans seruaunt hath to whome his LORDE and mayster hath cōmytted his goodes for a cer tayne space to kepe, the seruaunte lookynge at euery houre whan his mayster wyl require them agayne. He is a very thefe & robber, say the Basilius Magnus, which maketh 6that thyng his owne, that he hath receyued to distribute and gyue abrode. For the bread, sayth he, that thou retaynest & kepeste, is ye bread of the hungry, the garment, which
- 1Mark here o ye rich me•.Marke here o ye rytch me•.
- 2Ag. •i.Agge. •i.
- 3The author intendeth not here c• munion of things, which god forbid that any man should gather her of but only m• nysweth the rich men of there duty. Math. xxv.The author entendeth not here c• munion of thynges, which god forbyd that ony man shuld gather her of but only m• nysweth the rytch men of there dutye. Math. xxv.
- 4Luke. xvi.
- 5Esa. lxvi.
- 6Ser. i. In divites Avatos.Ser. i. In diuites Auatos.
