Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

But now I see a doubtful disputation arise among the most divines of ¹this our age, touching the time and manner of fastings, and also of the choice of meats. Some there are which affirm and uphold the fasts of Lent, the Embring days and such other to be the fasts which God hath appointed. There are, that say thou hast not fasted, if by any means thou taste any flesh. And there are, which prescribe and appoint some certain hours to fast in. But I for my part see not any such doctrines to be taught us, in yt Scriptures. For the Lord in the Gospel kept not any of their devised fasts, when he fasted forty days, but did altogether abstain from all kinds of meat, even as Moses and Elijah had also done: wherefore he by that deed of his, did not give us any law to fast so. Moreover the lord in the Gospel doeth evidently teach, that the thing, which entereth in by the mouth, doth not defile the man, but that which issueth out from his heart. To the pure are all things pure. And Paul saith: I know and am persuaded through the Lord Jesus Christ, that nothing is common of it self, but to him that thinketh that any thing is common, to him is it common. Again, Let not him which eateth, despise him which eateth not, nor let him which eateth not, judge him which eateth▪ for him that eateth, the Lord hath taken. Moreover the place is evident which the same Paul writeth in the fourth Chapter of his Epistle to Timothy, where he affirmeth that ⟨p. 245⟩the forbidding of meats, is a doctrine of devils. Neither needeth any man here to tell us any whit of the Tacians and Encratites: for they did slander the good creatures of God. Paul speaketh of them, who, although they do not utterly condemn meat and marriage, do yet notwithstanding forbid the use of meat.

But now I sée a doubtfull disputation arise amonge the most diuines of ¹this oure age, touching the time and maner of fastings, and also of ye choice of meates. Some there are which affirme and vpholde the fastes of Lent, the Embring dayes and such other to be the fastes which God hath appointed. There are, that say thou hast not fasted, if by any meanes thou tast any flesh. And there are, which prescribe and appointe some certaine houres to faste in. But I for my part sée not any such doctrines to be taught vs, in yt Scriptures. For the Lord in the Gospell kepte not anye of their deuised fastes, when hée fasted fourtie dayes, but did altogether absteine from all kindes of meate, euen as Moses and Helias had also done: wherefore hée by that déede of his, did not giue vs any lawe to faste so. Moreouer the lord in the Gospell doeth euidently teach, that the thing, which entreth in by the mouth, doth not defile ye man, but that which issueth out from his heart. To the pure are all thinges pure. And Paul saith: I know and am persuaded through the Lord Iesus Christe, that nothing is common of it selfe, but to him that thincketh that any thing is common, to him is it cōmon. Againe, Let not him which eateth, despise him which eateth not, nor let him which eateth not, iudge him which eateth for him that eateth, the Lord hath taken. Moreouer the place is euident which the same Paul writeth in the fourth Chapiter of his Epistle to Timothie, where he affirmeth that