A Potion for This Holy Time of Lent, Part 5
¶ Of Fastynge.
TO tarye longe in the enco my & prayse of fastyng, as it were but a vayne thīge so doth not the scarsenesse of tyme suffer it. Howe can it anye otherwyse thā be a thinge of hygh excellency & muche vertue, seynge that God hymselfe was the fyrste institutor & Author of it, prescrybynge Gen. ii.it vntounto oure prime parente Adā in Paradyse, whiche yf he had obserued, none of vsus all had fallen frō that ioyfull state into this cala mitouse misery…. Dyd not Moses fast forty dayes, that he myghte be …x. xxxiiii Iud. xx. i. …. vii. xiii. iii. …. xix.made worthy to receyue y• Tables of the lawe? Dyd not the people of Israell many tymes fast whē they had displeased God, to recouer and wynne agayne his fauoure, and at diuers other tymes? Dyd not Hell as also fast. xl. dayes? Dyd not Iosaphat ii. Pa…. xxcōmaūd a solō fast to his pe ople, Did not quene Hester wt certē Hester. i…iother Iewes fast thre dayes & thre nightes, whēthere was a cōmaūde ment gyuen to destroye all the Iewes? Dyd not the kynge of the Niniuites, whan Ionas threatened Io. ii. iii:them subuersion, cōmaunde bothe man & beast, & all that euer dwelte in the Cytie to fast? Did not Dani D…n. ix…ell many tymes faste, and neyther i. Esd. …. Mat. …iii. Mat. iii. xi▪ Ac. i. xiiii. xxvii.eate nor dryncke? Dyd not Esdras so lykewyse? As I maye passe ouer many of the old Testament, dydde not Christ the sonne of God in the newe lawe fast forty dayes & forty nyghts? Dyd not Iohn Baptiste gyue himselfe to much & continual fastynge? Dyd not the Apostles af ter Christes Affensiō fast? Is there not a certayne kynde of dyueltes, which is not cast oute but by prayer Mat. ix▪ ii. Cor. vi. xi.& fastynge? Dyd not Paule fast oftentymes? Do not al these Histo ries declare that fastynge is an excellent & very precious thynge? Is not fastynge one of the cheife and pryncypal workes, which are requi red of a christē mā in ye holy scriptu re? Fastīg, sayth Basilius magnus Maketh lawers wyttye. It is the Mat. vi. Ser. i. D… Ieiunio.best custody & kepynge of the soule. It is the sure habitacion and dwel lynge of the body. It is a defence & armour to valeaunt men. It is an Beholde what a precious thynge fastynge is.exercyse to lusty Champions, & pro uers of maystries. It expelleth tē tacion. It is the vnction of godlynesse. It is the familiarite of y• foū tayne, ye gouernour of pure lyuig. Fastyng is the ornamente of a Citie, the establyshmēt of ye iudgynge place, the peace of houses, ye helth & preseruaciō of houshold. As I may make shorte tale, thou shalte fynde that fastyng hath made al the sain tes frendes and neyghbours vntounto God. Hytherto hauehave I rehearsed y• wordes of the famous Doctor Ba silius. The blessed martyre S. Cypriane Set. De Ieiunio. …t tent. Christi.also sayth, wyth fasting the stynckynge poole of vyces is dryed vp, wantonnes wythereth awaye, concupiscences and lustes decaye, vayne pleasures go awaye. Wyth fastyng the flame of the burnynge Ethna is quenched, & the fornace of the flammiuomus vulcane quen ched wythin, dothe not burne the hylles nere vntounto it. Fastynge, yf it be gouerned wt discresion, tame the all the rebellion & fearcenes of the flesshe, & spoyleth & maketh weake the tyranny of glotonye. Fastynge speareth vp & encloseth as though it were in a narrowe prison the extraordinary & vnlawfull mocions, yea it holdeth streight and bindeth the wanderynge appetites. Fastig if it be garnysshed wt humilite maketh the seruauntes of God despisers of the worlde. Fastynge is fed with the deyntyes of the Scriptures, it is refresshed with contem placion, it is establysshed wt grace, it is norysshed with celestiall & heauenly bread. Th…s se you also by ye auncient Doctours, how precious a thynge fastynge is. Agayne ye se of howe great vertue & strength it is, & howe many cōmodities it brī gethe to them that vse & exercyse it aright. Let these few thinges ther fore suffice for thys present, for the commendacion & prayse of fasting.
CHRI.
We perceyue nowe right wel that fastinge is a thynge of weygh ty importaunce.
EVSE.
Uerelye me thynke that I cā not approue nor allowe the manners of those Gospellers, as they caull them selues, which contēnynge all kynde of god ly fastynge, gyue thēselues to glot tony & dronckennesse, perswadyng thē selues to be thā best christē mē, whan they ar furdest from chrestia nite.
THEO.
Such grosse gospellers hauehave much hyndered y• prosperous progresse of Goddes worde.
PHIL.
True the it is that ye saye. But I praye you be dili…ent a lytle while to heare me, and I wyll teach you both what the true & christen faste is, and also howe ye ought to faste.
THEO.
I pray you let it be so.
EVSE.
Speake on brother Phelemon, we heare you gladlye.
PHIL.
The true Ser. …. De Ieiunio.& christen faythe, as Basilius magnus doth defyne, is not only to abstayne from meates, but also to eschewe euell thinges. Of this diffinicion What Fastyng i….do ye learne two thynges, y• is to saye, that the true & christen fast consisteth not only in the abstinence of meates, but also in the eschewynge of euell. Therfore sayth Hom. xv. i… cap. vi.our golden mouthed Doctor, ther is a spirituall and a corporall fast. The corporall faste is to abstayne from meates. The spirituall fast is to abstayne from synnes. For as ye fleshe hath a pleasure in eatynge, so …:hath the spiryte of the flesh a pleasure in synnyng. In consideracion wherof the wise men call eueryevery sin pleasure or lust, bycause we cōmyt eueryevery synne with delectaciō & plea sure. Agayne he sayth: He that abstayneth from meat, & not frō euell workes, he appearethe to faste, but yet he fasteth not in dede. For loke Note.howe much he fasteth vntounto men, so muche dothe he eate before God, seing he goeth forth styll to synne. In another place also he saythe, I In Gen. i. Hom. ix.call fastyng abstinence from vices. For the abstinence from meates is receiued for this purpose, that it should refrayne ye rigoure & fearse Marke wherfore we abstai ne from meates.nes of the flesh, to make it obedient euen as an horse is to his keper.
He that fasteth, must aboue al thin ges refrayne anger, learne mekenez & lenite, hauehave a contryte herte, & that may repell & put abacke vn cleane concupiscences & lustes, set before his eyes alwaye the eye of y• euerlastynge iudge, & the inprauable iudgynge place, by his mony to be made better & to hauehave rule ouer it, to be liberall in gyuynge almes, to admyt & receyue into his herte no euell agaynst his neighbour, as Esay speakyng in y• person of God Esa. ….sayth, hauehave I chosē this fast, sayth the LORDE? Though thou wriest about thy necke lyke a circle, & strowest vnderunder the sackeclothe & ashes, neyther shall thy fast be so called ac ceptable, saythe the LORDE. What fast than, tell me? Loosen, sayth he, the bōdes of the wicked bargaynes breake thy breade to the hungrye, brynge the poore man that hath no house into thy house. If thou doste these thynges, saythe he, than shall thy lyght breake forth as the mornyng, and thy health shall sprynge right shortely. Hast thou now sene (my welbeloued) what the true fast is? Let vsus loke vponupon this fast, and lette vsus not thynke, as many do, y• fastynge stondethe in thys poynte, yf we continue without ony diner vntyll it be nyght. Hytherto hauehave I rehersed the wordes of S. Iohn Chrisostome, of whome we maye easly learne, that the true & christē faste is not onlye to abstayne from meat, but also from synne. But let In Leuit. Homel. x. cap. vi.vsus heare the myndes of some other doctors, Origene sayth wylt thou that I shewe vntounto the, what fast yu oughtest to fast? Fast from euell de des, abstayne from euel wordes, refrayne frō euell thoughte…, touche not the theuish breades of peruerse doctryne. Couyt not, nor luste not after the deceyuable meates of phi losophye, that maye seduce & turne the from the trueth. Suche a faste pleaseth God. S. Austen sayth, the Ex ser… …e. c…xxii.fastes of christen men are rather to be obserued spirituallye than carnally. In consideraciō wherof, let vsus fast principally srō our synnes, vnlesse oure faste be refused of the LORDE, as the fastes of the Iewes were. What a fast is this, that an Esa. lviii.impostore or deceyuable person, I cā not tel who, should abstayne frō meates, whiche the LORDE hathe created, & yet ware fatte with the fatnes of synnes? HaueHave I chosen such a fast, sayth the LORDE? Rede the eyght and fifty Chapter of the Prophet Esaye. And a lytle after Math wi…:he sayth, the faste which the moost hyghest dothe approue & allowe, is not only to leaue of to refresshe the body, but also to departe frō euell actes or dedes. Also i another place Extra…. xv… … Ioan.he fayth, the great & generall faste is to abstaine frō …iquites & vnlaw ful pleasures of the worlde, which is a perfecte fast, that we sorsakige Titus. ii.vngodlines & the lustes of y• world, should lyue in this worlde soberly, righteously & godly. To this faste what reward doth the Apostle giuegive It followeth & he saythe, Lokynge for that blessed hope and the apperaunce of the glory of y• great god, & of our Sauiour Iesu Christ. In this worlde as a Lent of abstinēce Note.do we celebrate, whan we lyue wel, whā we abstayne from wickednes, and vnlawfull pleasures. But bycause this abstinence shal not be wt out rewarde, we loke for that blessed hope of the reuelacion of ye glory of the great God, & of oure sauiour Iesus Christ. I coulde reherse vntounto you īnumerable places bothe of these Doctors & of many other, yf I had leasure, which declare eui dently, that the true & christē faste doth not only consiste in the abstinence of meates, but also in the for sakyng of synne. But these at this tyme maye seme abūdantly to satisfye.
THEOPHILE.
O good LORD, …genst the wycked … vngodly Fasters.howe greatelye are manye deceyued, whiche thyncke that they fasts wel, yf they do onelye but abstayne from a smokye pece of Baconne, or harde salted and powdered befe, though they eate the mooste delicious fyshes that can be gotten, and infarse theyr bodies like belyed Hy crites with all the swete meates … eyther Potecaries or ony other cā inuēt or imagyne, yea & that so vn measurablye, that after they hauehave once dyned, they are prouoked eyther to the pleasure of the body, or elles lyke beastes of the bellye faull streyghtwayes vntounto sleape, so that they are not able to serue God, nor themselues, nor yet onye other, O detestable abhominacion.
EVSE.
Howe much also are they deceiued of the true māner of fasting, which do not only fast after such sorte, as ye hauehave nowe spokē, but also do no rysh in theyr hertes all kynd of ma lyce agaynst theyr christē brothers sekyng howe they may destroy thē & shed theyr bloude, yea neyther do they cease to pollute and defyle the moost blessed name of God, so much as lyeth in them, wyth moost abho minable oothes, and are also in all theyr conuersacion wicked lyuers, as I maye adde nothynge therto.
PHIL.
Undoutedly these men are farre from the true & christen man ner of fastynge, whiche is, not only Ser. i. De Ieiunio.to abstayne from meates, but also from synnes. Agaynst those thōdereth the holy Doctor Basilius ma gnus on this manner: Wo be vntounto you ye drōckardes, not with wyne only. For wrathe & indignaciō is al so a certayne drōckēnesse of ye soule makīg it euē as wyne doth hertles & folysh. For although yu eateste no Note.flesh, sayth he yet neuertheles dost thou eate thy brother. Thou tariest from thy meate tyll it be night, yet all the whole daye doste thou cō sume in sute & goynge to the lawe. But thynke not that the goodnes of fastynge is only in the abstinēce of meates. For the true faste is the eschewynge of euelles. Whan thou fasteste, loosen all wycked bondes, disquiet not thy neighboure, paye thy mony that thou owest, exercise not lawyng & suing by the fast. &c.
Thus hauehave I declared vntounto you after the myndes of the holy & aun cient Doctors, what the true and christen fast is, wherby ye may also easely learne to knowe the popysh & false fast. And bycause ye shal not doubte of this doctryne cōcerning fastynge, know you, that ye kynges moost royall maiesty also ī his Pro clamacion concernynge eatynge of whyte meates this tyme of Lent, hath there no lesse prudently than godly, set forth ye very same thing, that hytherto I hauehave taught you. The wordes of the Proclamacion are these: Lette all men endeuoure thē selues to theyr possible powers The kynges Proclamaci on cōcernīge whyte meates.with thys liberte of eatīg of white meates to obserue also that faste, whiche God moost specially requirethe of them, that is to saye, that they renounce the worlde, & the diuell, with all theyr pompes & workes, & also to subdu & represse their carnall affeccions, & theyr corrupt workes of the flesshe, accordynge to the vowe & profession, made at the fonte stone. Howe saye ye to theyse wordes.
CHRI
Uerely they are wor des of suche a Prince, as is worthy of immortalite and eternall glory.
EVSE.
I besech almyghty God long to preserue ī prosperous helth his moost excellente maiestye.
THEO.
Amen, good LORDE I beseche the,
PHIL.
Seynge that I hauehave taught you, what the true & christē fast is, I wyll nowe accordynge to my pro myse teach you also howe ye ought to faste
E…SE.
I praye you let it so be.
PHIL.
In declaryng to you this thynge, whome should I rather fol lowe than oure Sauioure Iesus Christe, the teachet of all truethe? Howe we ought to fast he teacheth vsus in the Gospell of Math. on this manner, sayenge, whan ye faste, be Math. vi.not sad as the Hypocrites are. For they disfigure theyr faces, yt they myght be sene of men to fast. Uerely I say vntounto you, they hauehave theyr rewarde. But thou, whan thou tastest, annoynt thy head, & wash thy face, that it appeare not vntounto mē, that thou fastest, but to thy father whych is in secrete, and thy father which seeth in secret, shall rewarde the opēly. Christ in this place, doth not only rebuke ye hipocritical and supersticious māner of the vngodly fasters, but he also teachethe vsus the true & germayne manner of fastyng.
THEO.
What is that I praye Thre thyn ges are to be … in fa…tingyou?
PHIL.
Uerely, who so euer entendeth tofast arighte, he must obserue thre thynges. The fyrste is, yt he annoynte his head. The second, that he washe his face. The thyrd, that he faste in secrete.
EVSE.
This is so straunge a manner of fastyng, as euer I heard.
PHIL.
It is peraduenture straūge vntounto you, bycause ye are not yet perfectely exercysed in the Phrases of the holy scriptures, but if ye be once taught, what is signifyed by this māner of speakyng, it shall not only not seme vn to you straung, but also very plea saunt & praty.
CHRI.
I pray you de The Author tea…heth no thyng of hys owne brayne.clare it to vsus, that we maye learne to fast aryght & accordynge to the wyll of Christe.
PHIL.
Bycause I wyll not teache you ony thynge of myn own braine, but y• only, which I hauehave read in the holy scriptures or els in the aunciente Doctors, I wyll rehearse vntounto you the wordes of s. Iohn Chrisostome, which shall Hom. xlv. Ex cap. vi Math Fe …ia. i…ii. ….abundantly satisfy youre desyre in this behalfe. In the annoyntynge of the head, sayth he, we know that mercy is signifyed. Therfore to an noynt the head, is to shewe mercye to our neighbour. For that mercy that is done vntounto a poore man, is referred
vntounto God, which is the head of What it is to annoynte the heade.the man, as the Apostle sayth. And the LORDE hym selfe sayth, what so euer ye hauehave done to one of my lessest brothers, ye hauehave done it vntounto me. In the stede of ye which mercye, with the diuine retribucion, as wt i. Cor. xi. Math. xxv: Math. v. Psal. cxxxiia certaine heauēly oyle, we are pou red and shedde ouer by hym, which sayth: Blessed are the mercyful, for God shall hauehave mercy on them. Ho ly Dauid also dyd knowe the vnccion & annoyntynge of the celestial oyle in the head, when he sayd, as ye annoyntment, which came downe into the beard. But in wasshyng ye face, the purite of a clene bodye & of What it is to wasshe the face.a syncer conscience is knowē to be signifyed. So that to wash ye face, is to make clene ye face of our hart, from all fylthinesse of synnes & frō the vncomelynes of trespasse, & to hauehave a verye pure conscience, that we may truly hauehave in vsus, the gladnes of celestiall ioye, & the familiari te & cherefulnes of the holy Ghost. Hytherto hauehave I rehearsed ye wordes of Chrisostom, wherby ye may learne, that to annoynt our head, mark wel.is none other thynge than to shew oure selues beneficiall to the poore mēbers of Christ. Agayne, to wash our face, is to make cleane both bo dy & soule from sinne & wickednes.
THEO.
If this be to fast, I feare me that so many faste not before God, as pretende outwardly to faste before men.
PHIL.
This manner of fa stynge teacheth the holy scripture, howe so euer men vse it. Therfore yf ye wyll faste aryghte after the mynde of S. Iohn Chrisostome, ye must fyrste annoynte youre heade, that is to saye, conforte the poore people with suche goodes as God, hath cōmytted to you. For the rytches Marke here o ye rytch me….ye ye hauehave, be not youres only but they be Gods also, as he sayth by
y• Prophet, gold is myne, siluer is Agge. …i.myne. God hath put thē in yourhā des, ye ye should distribute parte of thē to ye poore people. Ye are ye Ste The author entendeth not here c… munion of thynges, which god forbyd that ony man shuld gather her of but only m… nysweth the rytch men of there dutye. Math. xxv.wardes of God, & the dispensators of his treasures that you lyuynge of them, shuld also conforte ye poore mēbers of Christe. If ye spend thē otherwyse than God hath appoyn ted you in his worde, ye shall rēder an accoūtes for it. Ye hauehave nothig at all, but that ye shall be called to an accountes for it euen to the vttermoost farthig. If ye be not fos…d to hauehave vsed your talent well, & vn to the profyt of other, ye shall with that vnprofitable seruaunt of the Gospel be cast into outward darke nes, where wepynge & gnasshynge of teth shall be. If ye be proued vnmercyfull & negligent in the distribucion of the worldly goodes, sure ly, surely ye shall be caryed awaye with the rytch man, of whome S. Luke speaketh in the Gospell, vntounto Luke. xvi.hell; & there burne in such cruell & bytter flames, as the fyre wherof shall neuer be quenched, neyther shall the worme of them, that shall be there, dye at ony tyme, as ye Pro phette sayth. Thus se you that ye Esa. lxvi.hauehave no great cause to boste & glory of worldly goodes, nor yet to auaūce your selues aboue other mē for youre possessions sake, no more than a greate mans seruaunt hath to whome his LORDE and mayster hath cōmytted his goodes for a cer tayne space to kepe, the seruaunte lookynge at eueryevery houre whan his mayster wyl require them agayne. He is a very thefe & robber, say the Basilius Magnus, which maketh Ser. i. In diuites Auatos.that thyng his owne, that he hath receyued to distribute and gyue abrode. For the bread, sayth he, that thou retaynest & kepeste, is ye bread of the hungry, the garment, which thou kepest in thy chest, is the garment of the naked, the shoo, that is moulde with the, is the shoo of him that is vnwod, & the mony, whiche thou hydest in the grounde, is the mony of the nedy. Moreouer thou doste iniury & playne wronge to so many as thou forsakeste, whē thou arte able to helpe them. Hytherto Eccl. xxxiiii.pertayneth the sayenge of the wyse man, the bread of the nedy is ye lyfe of ye poore, he that d…fraudeth hym of it, is a manstear. Thus se you in howe great iopardy, the ritch men are, that be vnmercyefull vntounto the poore people, & how lytle theyr fast pleaseth God in theyr vnmercifulnes, seynge they do not annoynte theyr head, that is, showe no mercy to the poore mēbers of Christ, God teachynge the true manner of fastynge Esa. lviii.by his Prophet amonge all other thiges sayth, breke thy bread to the hungry. Marke ye he say the, breke thy bread to the hungry. Cer Mathe thys expo sicion.tayne Doctors wryte on this tert & says, yt thou breakeste thy breade thā to y• hūgrye, whan y• so fastest yt thou sparest from thyne owne bellye to gyue it to the poore hungrye man. For a Christen manne ought to be no lesse carefull for the poore than for hymselfe, so that prouisiō once made for his familye, he muste also shewe mercye to the nedye.
Thou therfore doste breake thy bread vntounto the hungrye, whā thou gyueste hym that, whiche thou thy selfe necessarelye shouldest hauehave eaten. And this is to annoynte thy head aryght, verely euen to breake thy bread to the hungry.
THEO.
Would God that all rytche mē dyd O preposteroas al mes gyuers.knowe this much & would followe it. For many thyncke that they do God an hyghe Sacrifyce, yea & ye they be good almes men, yf whan they hauehave once pāpred theyr owne bellyes with all kynde of deynties, they than at the laste gyue or sende to the hūgry a few scrappes, which they wyl scasely vouchsafe to giuegive to theyr dogges.
PHIL.
I pray God giuegive vsus all grace to do oure dutye. Nowe hauehave ye herde, what it is to annoynte youre heade. I wyll also speake somwhat of wasshyng your face, although I maye seme abundantly to hauehave spoken of the very effect of it in y• diffiniciō of fasting.
If we wyll fast aryghte, we are not only commaūded to annoynte oure head, that is to saye, to shewe mexcy to the poore people, but also to wasshe our face, that is, to make our hertes cleane from all synne, y• we maye hauehave a pure conscience. For it is not ynough to be benefici al to other, except we also be benefi cial to our selues. This shall come to passe, yf we labour wt all mayne to hauehave a mynde pure & cleane frō all carnall affectes, & a body voyde of wicked dedes. What was ye cause that God dyd cast away the fastes & solemne feastes which the Iewes celebrated & kepte holy ī his name, but onlye yt they wasshed not theyr face, that is, they went not aboute to put of theyr olde conuersacion, & to become newe men? I hate & abhorre, Esa. i.sayth God, your sacrifiices, youre solemne feastes, your fastes, why so? For your handes, sayth he are full of bloud. Youre hertes are full of vengeaunce, your consciences are spotted and defyled withal kynde of sinnes, ye hauehave no feare of God before your eies. What is thā to be done? Be ye wasshed, sayth he be ye cleane, take awaye the euell of your thoughtes from myne eies Cease to do euell, learne to do well, seke iudgement, helpe the poore oppressed, be fauourable to the cōfortles, defende the widowe. &c. GOD hateth those prayers, those fastes, those good dedes, as they cal them, which come from a defyled body, a corrupt hert, a fylthy mynd, a blou dy conscience, a spotted and pocky soule, as a certayne man sayth. It …ius, …ont. Rom.profyt a mā nothynge at all to fast & pray & to do other good thīges of deuocion, excepte the mynde be refrayned from vngodlynes, and the tonge from backebytinges. For God hath euer a principall respect to the herte of the doer of y• worke. If the herte be pure, cleane & fayth full, than dothe God approne that worke. But if it be spotted wt syn, God casteth it away, appeare it ne uer so glisteryng & excellent in the sight of y• worlde. Offer not, sayth Ec…l. xxxv:the wyse manne, wycked giftes, for God wyll not receyue them.
CHRI.
It is euident thā, that so many as chaung not theyr wicked lyfe, cast away theyr Hypocrisy, make clene theyr hartes, put out of theyr myn des al rācoure, malyce, enuy, grudge. &c. and to study aboue all thyn ges to lead a pure & innocent lyfe, can by no menes please GodGodly ad moniciō … concernig y• true mā ner of fastyng.
PHIL.
No forsoth. Therfore yf ye entende to fast aryght, & to make your faste acceptable to God, prouide earnest ly that youre faste procede from a pure & cleane herte, voyde of al car nall affectes, stuffed full of fayth & charite, and altogither studious of true innocency & vnfayned godlynes. So shall it come to passe, that not only your fast, but al that euer ye do besydes accordynge to Gods word, shall very greatly please god.
THEO.
I besech God gyue vsus grace to do all thynges accordyng to his moost godly wyll & pleasure.
PHIL.
Labour & God wyll helpe. I hauehave declared two thynges that are necessary to the true vse of fastynge. There remayneth nowe the thyrde to be brought forth, which is so expedient and necessary for that pur pose also, ye y• other two wtout this profiteth nothynge.
EVSE
I praye you let vsus heare it.
PHIL.
We are not only cōma…ded in oure fastyng to annoynt our head & to wash our face, but also to fast, in secret.
THEO
What is it I praye you to faste in secret.
PHIL.
Uerely to fast in secret What … is to fast in secret.is not to kepe you close frō ye sight of men, & so to abstayne from your meates in preuye corners, but not to hunt & hawke after vayneglory nor prayse of men for your fasting, nor to seke to be sene of men whyle ye fast, that they maye commend & prayse you. We are counted before God than to faste in secrete, whan Note.we fast with such a mynd, that we woulde fast in dede, though no mā lyuynge dyd se vsus, and whan we re garde more the accomplishment of Goddes wyll, & the subieccion & ta mynge of our body, than all the hu mayne glorye that can be attributed vntounto vsus.
EVSE.
It is lawefull than to fast euen before men.
PHIL.
Yea verely or to do any other good worke, so that the desyre of worlde ly prayse he not in youre myndes. For Christ saythe, let your lyght so shyne before men, that they maye Math. v.se your good workes & glorify your father which is in heauen. But yf …we seke ony prayse of men & desyre to be magnifyed for oure good dedes, verelye than hauehave we oure rewarde, not of God, but of y• world. For ther is no more pestiferous in fecciō to poysō any good worke, ye it should lose the reward before God, than the desyre of vayne glory, and worldly prayse. What dyd deiecte & Esay. xiiii …. Pet. it.caste downe Lucifer from heauen into hell pytte, but vayneglorye? Agayne what dyd exalte & lyfte vp frō the earth vntounto heauen y• moost blyssed and glorious virgin Mary the mother of our Sauiour Iesus Christ but humilite, as she her selfe testifieth. My soule, sayth she, mag nifyeth the LORDE. And my spirite Luke. i.reioyseth in God my sauyour. For he hath loked vponupon the humilite of his handmayd, beholde, bycause of this, shal all kyndredes call me bles sed. God resystethe the proude, but …. Pet. v.to the humble he gyueth grace and sheweth fauour. Unto whome shal I loke, sayth God by his Prophet, Esa. lxvi.but vntounto hym that is poore & contryte in spiryte & feareth my wordes? Blyssed are ye poore in spiryte, forto thē belongeth the kyngdome of heauen. Therfore all youre wor Math. v.kes that ye do, do them with a simple mynde, & with such an harte as beyng nothyng desyrous of vayne glory, seaketh only the honoure of God, & the accomplyshment of his moost deuyne wyll. Thus hauehave I taught
you neyghbours both what y• true and Christen fast is, & also howe ye ought to fast.
CHRI.
Brother Philemon we confesse before you, that we hauehave lerned here this day more of you concernyng certayne thynges thā euer we knew before. God gyue vsus all grace to followe youre moost godly instruccions.
EVSE.
Amen, I beseche God.
PHIL.
Well, nowe is the greatest parte of oure Potacion past. What is more to be done?
THEO.
Ye promised that ye woulde declare vntounto vsus the signifi cacions of certayne Ceremonies, ye be vsed in the chyrche this tyme of Lent.
CHRI.
Ye sayde also that ye woulde teach us, howe we shoulde prepare our selues worthely to receyue the moost blyssed Sacramēt of the Altare at y• tyme of Easter.
PHIL.
I remēber my promyse well, accordyng ther vntounto, therfore wyll I do.