The institutions of Christian religion, written by the reverend father, M. John Calvin, compendiously…The institutions of Christian religion, written by the reuerend father, M. Iohn Caluin, compendiously…

18 But fasting consisteth in three things; in time, in quality of meat, & sparing.

18 But fasting consisteth in thrée thinges; in time, in qualitie of meate, & sparing.

As touching fasting, truly I have read none, neither of the old, nor of the new writers that can satisfy me, or that may seem sufficiently to consider the nature thereof. For as oft as they speak of fasting, presently they fall to the abstaining from meat, and therein only they rest very much: but I think it should be otherwise: for as soon as we can, let us come unto the fountain it self, and after let us with diligence pursue the rivers: but this is the only fountain of fasting, a sincere and earnest, & a singular desire either of ⟨p. 228⟩Righteousness or newness of life, in general, or some part thereof: which doth either sufficiently appear by this one thing, that when the Disciples could not cast out a certain Devil, because they as it were, to a sporting bickering, descended rashly and unadvisedly: and a little after they enquired how it came to pass that they were deceived of their opinion.¹ Christ calleth them to fasting: signifying undoubtedly thereby, that such victory is so hard and difficile, that except they strive with all their force, they could do nothing at all. But there are two things that are wont always to spring and flow out of this fountain: The first is, that we wisely and diligently avoid all occasions. Moreover that on the other side whatsoever occasion of godliness we seek, labour for, or violently snatch, we be always inclined to it, & stay thereon, being wearied thereby. Hereupon we may very well descend to the use of meats, as to one of the rivers: and there may we find fasting, ⟨image 238⟩as touching nourishment, to be no other then so to use them, either in taking or refusing, as shall seem most meet to root out vices, and to advance virtue. And so fasting doth not only respect the use of meats, but also all other things that fall under that kind: which truly if we use wisely, either vice may be diminished, or virtue increased.