A Fruitful Treatise, Chapter 24
The .xxiiii. Chapter.
TThus le we that all godlye men both of the old and new Testament vsed abstinence for the most part,We muste com to the woorde of …ed reuerentlye. whē they shuld eyther preach, heare or read the worde of God, that they myghte come the more reuerentlye vntounto it, and be made the more mete to handle so holye and worthye misteries. It is conueniēt therfore y• we also, if we wyll vse fastinge aright, do folowe the examples of these holi men, whensoeuer we entende eyther to preache, reade or heare the worde or God, and not vnreuerentlye to come vntounto the holy scripture, as vntounto prophane wrightings,Abu…ers of the word… of God. after the example of many vngodly parsons which wt out al humilitie & reuerēce read the woorde of god as thoughe it wer an Ethnike chronicle, a boke of mannes statutes, of Beuise of Hampton, of Gye of Warwicke, of Robinhoode, and suche other lyke fonde and foolyshe fansyes yea ther wāt not (the greater shal be our plage) which scorn y• word of god and moste shamefullye abuse it, some vntounto …koffynge and iesting, some vntounto the tauntinge of other, some vntounto y• vpholdīg of their fleshly liberty & corrupt mā ners, some vntounto the maint eining of wicked opinions. &c. whose destruccion slepeth not, whose damnacion is at hand.Math. vii. For if it be not lawful to cast pearles before hogs nor to gyue that is holy to dogs, nether is it lawful for hogges to touch pearles, nor dogs to taste y• is holi. If thei wer punished that did eate vnleuended bread at the feast of the passeouer,Exodi. xii. if Uza wer striken vntounto y• death for touching the arcke,ii. Reg. vi. if that geast yt came vntounto the maryage not hauinge the wedding garmente,Math. xxiii was bounde hand and feete, and …ast into vtter darcknes, wher weping and gnashinge of teethe is, if the Corinthes wer plaged for abusinge the lords supper,i. Corin. xi let not those swinish Epicures, doggish papistes Licencious Libertines, vngodly Anabaptistes, grosse gospellers and wicked worldlinges thincke that they shal escape vnpunished if they go forth to abuse the word of god or to come vnreuerentlye vntounto it. For the holye scripture is the message of god, brought vntounto vsus from heauen by his holy Embassadoures the Prophetes & Apostles yea by his own dearly be loued sonne that kinge of glory, which sealed & confirmed it with the sheding of his most precious blud: it may not therfore be lightly regarded, nor vnreuerētli hādled. For if the yt despyseth Moses law,…ebru. x. saith .S. Paul, dieth wtoute mercy vnderunder .ii. or .iii. wytnesses, how much sorer, suppose ye, shal he be punished, which tredeth vnderunder fote the son of god & counteth the blud of the Testament, whe… with he was sanctifed, as an vnholy thyng, and doth dishonoure to the spirit of Grace.
That we therfore maye humbly, reuerētly deuo…tely & honorably come vntounto the preachyng, hearing or reading of the blessed word of God, let vsus not neglecte thys noble vertue of fasting, but after the exāple of the aforesayd godly men pr…pare our selues by the diligent exercise therof, to be mete to handle so holye and heauenly misteries. By this meanes shal it come to passe, y• god which is the author of the holi scripture shal alwaye be present wyth vsus by hys holy spirit, and teache vsus the true knowledge of hys godly wyl, vntounto the glory of his blessed name, the profit of hys holye congregacion, and the syngular comfort of our conscience.
Howe hauehave wee hearde fyrste what the true and Christen faste is.The conclusion of the booke. Secondly, how we oughte to fast. Thyrdlye, what the true vse of fasting is.Luke. xii. It remay…e…h that we be not lyke that negligēt seruaunt whych knoweth hys masters wyl, and doth it not, & therfore is beatē wyth many stripes, but rather that we be likened vntounto that good seede whyche bryngeth forth her encrease, some an hūdred fold,Math. iii… some threscore fold, som thirty fold. If we now know the true doctrine of the holy scripture concerning fasting, lette vsus practise it in oure conuersacion, when so euer any suche occasyon is offered, as heretofo…e is declared,Titus. ii. and at all tymes let vsus lyue soberlye, ryghteouslye and godlye in thys presente worlde.
Lette vsus not with the abuse caste waye the vse, but let vsus so muche the more gladly exercise the godly manner of fasting, because the vngodlye papistes rayle on vsus, & cōtinnally beat into the symple peoples heades, y• we which professe the gospel, abhorre and condempne all fastynge and prayeinge, all cōmendable customes & godlye ordinaunces, that by well doing we may stop the mouthes of folish and ignoraūt men, and that they, which backebite vsus as euil doers,i. Peter. ii. maye se our good workes▪ and praise. God in the day of visitacion, to whome be all honour and glory for euer and euer
¶GiueGive the glory to God alone.
¶Imprynted at London by Ihon Day▪ dwellyng ouer Aldersgate▪ These bookes are to bee solde at the shop at the lyttle Cundyte in Chepesyde.
End of the text · Thomas Becon, A Fruitful Treatise (1551)