The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…

If this fast be truly preached, then is fasting good, and not afore, for making ¹of hypocrites: as Christ would not let his Disciples fast before they were learned, lest they should thereby have been no better then the Pharisees. And then the outward fasting ordained by the temporal rulers helpeth much, for the weak's sake. Yea and though the land were so plenteous that it needed not to command such fast for to avoid dearth, yet they ought to set such up. Because of them that cannot rule them selves, ²for whose sakes they ought to forbid excesses of taverns and alehouses and rioting out of season. For if the people could rule them selves, what need rulers. Moreover if any man privately show the Priest his infirmities, and the Priest see any manner of abstinence or chastising apt for the person, that let him counsel him to do for the subduing of the flesh, and not command as a tyrant under pain of damnation and to make satisfaction. Thus wise let him say: brother or sister: ye be bound under pain of deadly sin to tame your flesh by some manner of way that ye sin not against God: & I know no better then this: my counsel & my desire therefore is, that ye use this till either ye have no more need, or till god show you some better &c. And let the elders consider diligently the course of their youth, and with wisdom, counsel and discrete governance, help the younger to avoid the perils and jeopardies which they have learned by their own experience to be in that daū gerous journey.

If this fast be truly preached, then is fasting good, and not afore, for making ¹of hypocrites: as Christ would not let his Disciples fast before they were learned, lest they should therby haue bene no better then the Phariseis. And then the outward fastyng ordayned by the temporall rulers helpeth much, for the weakes sake. Yea and though the land were so plenteous that it neded not to cōmaūde such fast for to auoide dearth, yet they ought to set such vp. Because of them that cannot rule them selues, ²for whose sakes they ought to forbyd excesses of tauernes and alehouses and riotyng out of season. For if the people could rule them selues, what ned rulers. Moreouer if any man priuately shew the Priest his infirmities, and the Priest see any maner of abstinence or chastising apte for the person, that let him councell him to do for the subdueyng of the flesh, and not commaund as a tyraunt vnder payne of damnation and to make satisfaction. Thus wise let him say: brother or sister: ye be boūd vnder payne of deadly sinne to tame your flesh by some maner of way that ye sinne not agaynst God: & I know no better then this: my councell & my desire therfore is, that ye vse this till either ye haue no more nede, or till god shew you some better &c. And let the elders consider diligently the course of their youth, and with wisedome, counsell and discrete gouernaunce, helpe the younger to auoyde the perils and ieopardies whiche they haue learned by their owne experiēce to be in that daū gerous iourney.