And therefore 1let us behold how our Lord Jesus Christ, condemned the fastings of the Scribes and hypocritical Pharisees: And by his Prophet Isaiah, those which abstained only from meats and punished their bodies, and covered themselves with sackcloth and ashes: But they abstained not from doing evil, from plaints and process, from violence and rapines: as the most part of our fasters are at this day, which do make it a conscience to eat a piece of pork, beale, mutton or of other beasts, and do 2make it no conscience to eat and devour mans flesh, and the bowels, tripes and entrails of their Christian brethren, through their insatiable avarice and covetousness. And yet nevertheless they play the Dipocrites, and kneel down before the Priest, for to receive those holy ashes, as in sign and witness of a great humility and abjection of themselves. But if they did truly believe that they are earth and ashes, wherefore do 3not they fear the judgement of GOD, and leave off from their violences and extortions? For they ought not to think, that with such masks, they can content and please God, which hath no need of babels, for to pass away the time. For the fasting hath been chiefly 4used, among the true servants of God, for to help them in their prayer, the which is almost always joined with fasting, in all the places of the Scripture which maketh mention of fasting. For that cause said Jesus Christ unto his Disciples speaking of that Devil which they ⟨p. 171⟩could not drive out of the lunatic That kind of devil 5cannot be driven out, but by fastings and prayers: Letting them thereby to understand, that they wanted 6great faith, and that their incredulity and unbelief was che cause that they could not drive him out.
Wherefore it was most necessary for them to pray, the which requireth abstinence and sobriety, for to be more 7spiritual and fervent. But otherwise, the fasting and the abstinence, which hath regard but to the meats, why should it be more praise worthy among the Christians, then the abstinence of the Philosophers which do abstain from flesh? or that of the Priests of Isis, and Cybele, who do abstain from eating of bread?
And therefore 1let vs beholde howe our Lorde Iesus Christ, condemned the fastings of the Scribes and hipocryticall Pharises: And by hys Prophet Esay, those which absteyned onely from meates and punished theire bodyes, and couered themselues with sackecloth and asshes: But they absteyned not from dooing euyll, from plaintes and processe, from violence and rapines: as the most parte of our fasters are at this day, which do make it a cōscience to eat a péece of porke, beale, mutton or of other beastes, and doe 2make it no conscience to eate and deuoure mans flesh, and the bowels, tripes and entrayles of their Christian bretheren, thorowe their insatiable auarice and couetousnesse. And yet neuerthelesse they play the Dipocrites, and knéele downe before the Priest, for to receyue those holy asshes, as in signe and wytnesse of a greate humplitie and abiection of themselues. But if they dyd truelye beléeue that they are earth and asshes, wherefore doe 3not they feare the iudgement of GOD, and leaue off from their violences and ertorcions? For they ought not to thincke, that wyth such maskes, they can content and please God, whiche hath no néede of babels, for to passe away the tyme. For the fastinge hath bene chiefely 4vsed, among the true seruaunts of God, for to helpe them in their peayer, the which is almost alwayes ioyned with fastinge, in all the places of the Scripture which maketh mention of fastinge. For that cause sayde Iesus Christe vnto his Disciples speakinge of that Diuell which they ⟨p. 171⟩coulde not driue out of the LunatickeL That kinde of diuell 5cannot bée driuen out, but by fastinges and prayers: Letting them thereby to vnderstande, that they wanted 6great fayth, and that their incredulitye and vnbeliefe was che cause that they could not driue hym out.
Wherfore it was most necessary for them to praye, the which requireth abstinence and sobrietie, for to bee more 7spirituall and seruent. But otherwyse, the fastinge and the abstinence, which hath regarde but to the meates, why shoulde it bée more praise worthy amonge the Christians, then the abstinence of the Philosophers whiche doe absteine from fleshe? or that of the Priestes of Isis, and Cyble, who doe absteine from eating of bread?
- 1Fastings condemned Mat. 6. a. 2.
- 2Abstinence frombrutish flesh. Devouring of mans flesh.Abstinence frōbrutish flesh. Deuouring of mans flesh.
- 3A layned humility.A layned humilitie.
- 4The principal use of fasting.The principall vse of fasting.
- 5Mat. 17. d. 27.
- 6To drive out ye devil by fasting and prayer.To driue out ye diuel by fasting and prayer.
- 7Incredulity. Prayers. Abstinence from meats. The fasting and abstinence of the Paynims Call Rhod. let. aut. li. 26. c. 20. Hierome Apul. sin. aur. li. 11.Incredulitie. Prayers. Abstinence frō meates. The fasting and abstinence of the Panims Cal Rhod. let. aut. li. 26. c. 20. Hierome Apul. sin. aur. li. 11.
