PHIL. I pray God give us all grace to do our duty. Now have ye heard, what it is to anoint your head. I will also speak somewhat of washing your face, although I may seem abundantly to have spoken of the very effect of it in y• definition of fasting.
If we will fast aright, we are not only commanded to anoint our head, that is to say, to show mercy to the poor people, but also to wash our face, that is, to make our hearts clean from all sin, y• we may have a pure conscience. For it is not enough to be benefici all to other, except we also be beneficial to our selves. This shall come to pass, if we labour with all main to have a mind pure & clean from ⟨image 55⟩all carnal affects, & a body void of wicked deeds. What was the cause that God did cast away the fasts & solemn feasts which the Jews celebrated & kept holy in his name, but only that they washed not their face, that is, they went not about to put of their old conversation, & to become new men? I hate & abhor, 1saith God, your sacrifices, your solemn feasts, your fasts, why so? For your hands, saith he are full of blood. Your hearts are full of vengeance, your consciences are spotted and defiled withal kind of sins, ye have no fear of God before your eyes. What is than to be done? Be ye washed, saith he be ye clean, take away the evil of your thoughts from mine eyes Cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgement, help the poor oppressed, be favourable to the comfortless, defend the widow. &c. GOD ⟨image 55⟩hateth those prayers, those fasts, those good deeds, as they call them, which come from a defiled body, a corrupt heart, a filthy mind, a blou dy conscience, a spotted and pocky soul, as a certain man saith. It 2profit a man nothing at all to fast & pray & to do other good things of devotion, except the mind be refrained from ungodliness, and the tongue from backbitings. For God hath ever a principal respect to the heart of the doer of y• work. If the heart be pure, clean & faith full, than doth God apron that work. But if it be spotted with sin, God casteth it away, appear it never so glistering & excellent in the sight of y• world. Offer not, saith 3the wise man, wicked gifts, for God will not receive them.
PHIL. I pray God giue vs all grace to do oure dutye. Nowe haue ye herde, what it is to annoynte youre heade. I wyll also speake somwhat of wasshyng your face, although I maye seme abundantly to haue spoken of the very effect of it in y• diffiniciō of fasting.
If we wyll fast aryghte, we are not only commaūded to annoynte oure head, that is to saye, to shewe mexcy to the poore people, but also to wasshe our face, that is, to make our hertes cleane from all synne, y• we maye haue a pure conscience. For it is not ynough to be benefici al to other, except we also be benefi cial to our selues. This shall come to passe, yf we labour wt all mayne to haue a mynde pure & cleane frō ⟨image 55⟩all carnall affectes, & a body voyde of wicked dedes. What was ye cause that God dyd cast away the fastes & solemne feastes which the Iewes celebrated & kepte holy ī his name, but onlye yt they wasshed not theyr face, that is, they went not aboute to put of theyr olde conuersacion, & to become newe men? I hate & abhorre, 1sayth God, your sacrifiices, youre solemne feastes, your fastes, why so? For your handes, sayth he are full of bloud. Youre hertes are full of vengeaunce, your consciences are spotted and defyled withal kynde of sinnes, ye haue no feare of God before your eies. What is thā to be done? Be ye wasshed, sayth he be ye cleane, take awaye the euell of your thoughtes from myne eies Cease to do euell, learne to do well, seke iudgement, helpe the poore oppressed, be fauourable to the cōfortles, defende the widowe. &c. GOD ⟨image 55⟩hateth those prayers, those fastes, those good dedes, as they cal them, which come from a defyled body, a corrupt hert, a fylthy mynd, a blou dy conscience, a spotted and pocky soule, as a certayne man sayth. It 2profyt a mā nothynge at all to fast & pray & to do other good thīges of deuocion, excepte the mynde be refrayned from vngodlynes, and the tonge from backebytinges. For God hath euer a principall respect to the herte of the doer of y• worke. If the herte be pure, cleane & fayth full, than dothe God approne that worke. But if it be spotted wt syn, God casteth it away, appeare it ne uer so glisteryng & excellent in the sight of y• worlde. Offer not, sayth 3
- 1Esa. i.
- 2•ius, •ont. Rom.
- 3Eccl. xxxv:Ec•l. xxxv:
