seeing S. Paul willed the Corinthians to giue no offence neither to the Jewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God I can not chuse but beléeue and say that it is a sinne wilfully and without cause to breake and despise set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting cōmanded by Authorite and this shall bee proued vnto you by 6. speciall arguments 1. By the fift Commandement 2. By the testimony of S. Paul Rom. 13. 1. 3. By the definition of Sinne. 4. By Examples 5. By the Ancient Fathers 6. By generall Councels This is proued by the fift Commandement In the 5. Commandement which is the first Commandement of the second Table we are commanded to honour our Parents where by honour is meant loue feare and obedience and by our Parents not onely our naturall Parents but all Kings Princes Gouernours and Superiours which doe rule vs. Well then if we wilfully breake and despise set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting commaunded by Authoritie we doe not honour our Superiors If wee doe not honour our Superiors we breake this Commaundement If wee breake this Commandement I hope none will deny but we sinne This is proued by the testimony of S. Paul Rom. 13. 1. where the Apostle saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher power Why because there is no power but of God We must not saith he resist the power for if we resist the power we resist the ordinance of God They that resist what shall they receiue They shall receiue to themselues iudgement Heerehence I frame this argument Whosoeuer doeth resist the power doth resist the ordinance of God But they that wilfullie breake and despise set daies and times of abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie doe resist the power Therefore they doe resist the ordinance of God If therein they doe resist the ordinance of God who can deny but that they sinne This is proued by the definition of sinne To sinne as S. Austen saith is facere quod non licet to do that which is not lawfull to doe Héerehence I drawe this argument Whosoeuer doe that which is not lawfull doe sinne but they which wilfully breake and despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie doe that which is not lawfull therefore they doe sinne This is proued by Examples Adam in Paradise was commanded Gen. 2. 17. of the Lord not to eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill If hee did hee should die the death Aarons sonnes were commanded Leuit. 10. 9 of the Lord not to drinke wine nor strong drinke in their ministerie which commandement because they brake they were slaine The man of God that came out 1. Reg. 13. of Iuda was slaine by a Lion because being seduced by the false Prophet hee did eate bread and dranke water in his house contrary to the Lords Commandement Saul would haue put his sonne 1 Sam 14. Ionathan to death because ignorantly he tooke a little honny contrary to his commandement If Adam Aarons sonnes and the Prophet of God were punished of the Lord for their not abstinence and if Ionathan was in so great danger for breaking his fathers commandement in eating a little honny Is it not a sinne before God for vs wilfully to breake and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie seeing wee are commanded of the Lord to submit our selues to our Princes ordinances and bound in conscience truely and vnfeinedly to obey them Let vs yet goe further The noble kings Ezekias Iehosaphat and Iosias made lawes for the exercise and the recalling of Gods seruice That Christian and religious Emperor Constantine made lawes also in things pertaining to holinesse towards God and towards his Church Theodosius his successour tooke the same course King Alured or Alfred appointed and commanded set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting And so did king Edgar Anno Dom. 958. Had it beene a sinne for people in those daies to haue broken these their Princes lawes and ordinances wilfully wantonly and without cause and shall we thinke that it is not a sinne for vs in these daies to doe the like This is proued by the testimony of the ancient fathers Most certaine and assured it is that Austen Ambrose and other of the ancient fathers were of this mind and thought it a sinne wilfully to break and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie S. Austen de temp Ser. 62. calleth them new teachers that shut out the merite of fasting and asketh what saluation we can obtaine if we blot not out our sinnes by fasting séeing saith hee the Scripture saith that fasting and almesdeeds doeth deliuer from sinne Alijs diebus ieiunare saith he remedium est aut praemium c. To fast on other daies is a remedie or reward but not to fast in Lent is a sinne S. Ambr. in ser 25. de Quadrag saith thus among many other things Non leue est peccatum Jt is no small sinne to breake a fast that is commanded Although these two ancient fathers had their errors and in some sort thought corruptly of fasting yet I will say of them and of their opinion concerning fasting as reuerend master Hooker saith lib. 5. Eccle. pol. lib. 5. pag. 208. Ecclesiast Poliicie Concerning euery mans duety herein saith he that which Austen and Ambrose are alleadged to haue done is such that all men fauouring equitie must needs allow and follow it also if they affect peace Well then if according to master Hookers iudgement al men must néeds allow this opiniō of these two Fathers if they fauour equitie and affect peace then I hope I may say that it is a sinne wilfully and without cause to breake and to despise set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie This is prooued by generall Councels and specially by that of Chalcedon held in the yeere of our Lord 454. to confound the errour of Eutiches who held that in Christ God and Man make but one Nature The Councell of Mentz vnder Canon 35. Charles the great made this decrêe Si quis indictum ieiunium super biendo contempserit c. If any one shall with pride contemne fasting commanded and will not obserue it with other Christians let him be accursed The like was established by the Councell of Carthage in their 63. Canon By the Councell of Laodicen in their 50. Canon and by the Councell of Toletan in their 7. Canon If those Councels thought them fit to bee accursed and excommunicate that would not obserue fasting commanded by Authoritie shall not wee thinke that they thought it a sinne in them that did wilfully breake and despise the same I might stand longer and much longer vpon this question but I will conclude it with the saying of the Apostle S. Peter say vnto you euen as the Apostle Peter said to the Jewes 1. Epist 2. 13
preserue the brêed of cattle to maintaine the Princes nauie and the Calling of the Fisherman And the like is affirmed by our moderne Diuines that the Principall and right ends of fasting are thrée 1. To make the mind the more attentiue in the meditation of the dueties of godlinesse to bee performed 2. That the rebellion of the flesh may bee subdued For the flesh be-being pampered becomes an instrument of all and all licentiousnesse 3. To professe our guiltinesse and to testifie our humilation before GOD for our sinnes and offences committed against him This is proued by many places of Scripture as Numb 30. 14. Esay 5. 11. Rom. 14. 21. where the Apostle saith Non est bonum It is not good neither to eat flesh nor drinke wine whereby thy brother stumbleth or is offended This is proued by many examples of the Scripture as of Dauid Daniel Tobias Cornelius Paul and others This is proued by the testimonie of the ancient fathers and especially these of that learned father Saint Austin lib. 3. Chap. 5. against Faustus where hee saith Non ideo carnes prohibentur quia malae sunt sed quia illarum epulae carnis luxuriam gignunt Flesh is not therefore Ser. 66. sup Cant. forbidden because it is ill but because the banquetting thereof breedeth riot Of S. Bernard who saith Abstineo à carnibus c. I doe abstaine from flesh lest whiles I doe too much nourish the flesh I doe also nourish the vices of the flesh And of Chrisostome in his seuenth Homilie vpon the first Chapter of Genesis towards the latter end of the Homilie where hee saith Abstinentia propter hoc recepta est Abstinence is for this cause receiued that it may bridle the wantonnesse and riot of the flesh The causes of fasting are many and specially 4. 1. The Holy Ghost 2. The Commandement of God 3. Faith 4. Repentance The Holy Ghost is the cause for three reasons 1. Because by Nature wee are giuen to gluttony and drunkennesse which naturall vices wee doe not leaue without the grace of the holy Ghost 2. Because it is not sufficent to abstaine from gluttony and drunkennesse vnlesse the heart doeth also cōsent thereunto 3 Because Fasting is a good worke and all good workes are the fruits of the holy Ghost Gal. 5. 22. The Commandement of God is the cause for 2. reasons 1. Because it is expressed in the Commandement of the Lord that wee should abstaine from gluttony and drunkennesse 2. Because the Lord by his commandement doth require of vs such Abstinence and forbids the contrary Faith is the cause because without faith it can not bee well done nor acceptable vnto the Lord. For whatsoeuer is without faith is sinne and without faith it is impossible to please God Repentance is the cause because fasting is a true signe thereof and an outward meanes whereby wee doe acknowledge our guiltinesse and vnworthinesse of the least benefits of Almightie God And therefore the fasting of the Niniuites was a signe of their repentance and their repentance a signe and fruite of their faith whereby they beleeued the preaching of Ionas Thus much what fasting is How many sorts of fastings there are Of the Effects of fasting and the Causes of fasting Now of the Antiquitie Dignitie Necessitie of fasting Fasting is no new inuention nor any late vpstart The Antiquitie of it doeth make it venerable and the Perpetuitie of it vntil this day doeth highly grace it Some haue deriued it from Paradise made it as auncient as the first man Adam For the forbidding of the tree of knowledge of good and euill they say was a law of Abstinence The Stories of Gentilitie and Poetry doe shewe the Antiquitie of fasting most plainely For Ceres had her fast Iupiter his fast and Priamus in Homer bewailes the death of his sonne Hector with fasting and in dust Besides the Patriarkes vsed it the Prophets forsooke it not and our Sauiour Christ and his Disciples departed not from it The Dignitie of fasting is great eminent and very excellent for it is the exercise of nature thepractise of Gentilitie the Law and the Gospel of Christ himselfe It is comfortable Diuine Medicinable Spirituall wholesome and an instrument to euerie good work It doeth administer wisedome it doeth extinguish the wicked desires of the flesh doeth lift vp the mind to heauen it doth vnit man with God and as Tertullian sayth It doeth cast out deuils Nay our Sauiour Christ himselfe so sayth as wee may read in Matth. 17. 21. where it is said This kind of deuils is not cast out but by Fasting and Praier It is strange to see what the ancient fathers haue written of fasting how much they haue attributed thereunto Athanasius saith Lib. de Virg. That it is the meate of the Angels and that hee who doeth vse it is to bee thought of Angelicall order Great sayth hée is the force of Fasting Great things and excellent things are done by it Basil saith thereof thus Ieiunium Ser. 1. de Ieiu Prophetas ingenerat c. Fasting doeth breed Prophets and doeth adde strength to the mightie In warres it doeth adde fortitude in peace it doeth teach quietnesse And that I may speake in a word as many holy Fathers as haue béene thou shalt finde them all to bee directed and guided to leade a life worthy of God by abstinence and fasting Isydorus sayth of it thus Est res sancta opus coeleste c. It is an holy thing an heauenly worke a gate of the kingdome a forme of the kingdome to come and hee that doeth it well and holily is alienated from the world is made spirituall and is ioyned to God The Necessitie of fasting is such and so great that in this our common weale set dayes and times of Abstinence and fasting are appointed for ciuill and politike respects and as I said before to maintaine the Princes Nauy to preserue the breed of Cattell and the calling of the Fisherman Of this I will say euen as a zealous and Religious Diuine of ours saith in the conclusion of the 12. point of Fasting It were saith he to bee wished that fasting were more vsed of all Christians in all places considering the Lord doeth daily giue Perkins Refor Cathol pag. 231. vs new and speciall occasions of publike and priuate fasting These words of our Diuine we find to be true for the All-great and Euer-gratious GOD of Heauen hath of late giuen vnto vs new and speciall occasions of both priuate and publike fasting You know how after the death and dissolution of our late Soueraigne of happy memory Queene Elizabeth wee all feared great trobles and tumults to arise amongst vs And yet we saw that our peace and prosperitie was not eclipsed by reason of our good and godly King whom the louing Lord of Heauen hath placed vpon the seat of this kingdome to rule his people with a wise and prudent heart You know how the Almightie
Lord hath shaken the sword of the deuouring Angell manie yeeres together vpō the Citie of London and vpon most cities townes and villages of this Land to rowse vs vp if it might be from the sleepe of sinne and securitie and to make vs humble our selues vnto him with fasting prayer and repentance You know how mightily and miraculously the same Lord hath deliuered vs out of the very iawes of death and destruction and from a treason What treason A treason of such horror and monstrous nature that the tongue of man neuer deliuered the like the eare of man neuer heard the like the heart of man neuer conceited the like and the malice of any earthly and infernall deuill neuer practised the like And you know also how this great Lord hath made the seas the waters but this last yeere to rage and to rore vpon this Land with vnheard vnséen flowings inundations and risings to the drowning of Corne and Cattle Men women and childrē yea and of whole Parishes If now wee doe not conuert from our wicked waies and giue our selues to fasting praier and amendement of our liues surely surely some heauie yet iust iudgements yea some great and grieuous plagues and punishments are like to come vpon vs which God for his mercies sake Christ for his merits sake and the Holy Ghost for his Names sake withdrawe withhold and keepe from vs. Thus much of the fiue Particulars obserued in the Action Now of the three Particulars and the 2. Questiōs obserued in the Construction What Lent is The name of Lent was not at first idely giuen nor without great reason graue consideration For it doeth signifie a time of forty daies according to the Greeke and Latine denomination Men in ancient times haue reuerenced this number of 40. with so great obseruation that they celebrated a feast thereof which they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a feast of forty daies This number of fortie hath not lightly bêen neglected nor lewdly nor loosely beene reiected because it was thought a mysticall and wholesome number and verie significant in the religiō of expiation penitencie great mysteries For forty daies and forty nights the Gen. 7. 4. raine was vpon the earth After forty daies the waters ceased and Gen. 8. 6. Noe opened the windowes of the Ark which he had made Moses was in the mount how long 40. daies Exod. 24. 18. and 40. nights The destruction of the Niniuites was deferred how long till after forty daies The children of Israel had 40. mansions in the wildernesse The children of Israel were 40. yeeres in the wildernesse and before the time of that mysticall number was out they could not enter into the land of promise Moses Elias and Christ Of this number see Gen. 6. 3. and 18. 29. himselfe fasted 40. dayes and forty nights Our Sauiour Christ was forty weekes in the wombe of the blessed Virgin Forty dayes from Numb 18. 34. 33. 38 13. 26. his Natiuity he remained in Bethleem because he was offred in the Temple Forty moneths hee Leuit. 12 4 preached publikely Forty houres he lay in his Sepulchre and the fortieth day after his Resurrectiō he ascended into Heauen Al which some Diuines in times past haue written not to bee done without the secret mysterie and proprietie of this number Also this number of forty is a number of affliction and repentance and therefore the Prophet Ezekiel slept fortie dayes vpon his right side for the tribe of Juda. S. Austen doeth call the time of Lent tempus venerabile a venerable Ezek. 4. 6. Ser. in Sab. ante Quadrag time S. Bernard doeth call it tempus Christianae militiae A time of a Christian warfare Gratian and others of the Ser. 1. de Quadrag Part 3. distinct 5. fol. 579. ancient fathers doe call it Decima dierum the tenth of the dayes Or the imitation of Gods conuersation because in it wee doe pay vnto God the tenths of the yeare Some of the ancient fathers haue gone so farre that they haue thought Lent not to be an humane institution but a diuine and Apostolicall tradition and first broght into the Church by the Apostle Peter Where as likely somewhat probable it is that the first Institutiō of Lent was by Telesphorus the 6. Pope in Rome as some doe reckon him a thousand foure hundred and three score yeares since and more For this Telesphorus first Platyna in vit Telesphori ordained that full seuen weekes before Easter all Clarkes should fast frō flesh because as they then thought there ought to be a difference in fasting euen as the life of the Clergie ought to bee differing from the life of the Laitie which time was called Quinquagesima as Gratian writeth 1. part distinct 5. This time of Lent in ancient times hath beene diuersly begun diuersly obserued and about it there haue beene diuers tontentions and controuersies The Easterne Church beganne their Lent on Quinquagesima Other some beganne it on Sexagesima as in the time of Bede Some other on Quadragesima as Mediolanum all Greece Some vpō Ashe-wensday and some vpon an other time This time in times past also hath bin diuersly obserued Some in this time haue abstained from all things which had life in them as Pythagoras did Some haue eaten onely birds Some haue eaten onely fishes Some haue abstained from egges and all kinde of flesh meate And some haue eaten nothing but dry meate as Socrates doeth write lib. 9. Chap. 38. There haue beene also diuers contentions and controuersies about the continuance of this time how long it should be fasted when some would fast but one day some two daies some a weeke some 2. weeks some more some 40. daies as Ierenaeus writeth lib. 5. Chap. 24. By reason of these differences and diuersities about this time of Lent and because this time was first ordained and cōfirmed in the Church of Rome and yet is specially obserued therein some there be that count this time a time of superstition would haue no Lent at all scorning in very lawfull pollicies to be imitators of the Papacie and like self-witted Captaines disdaining to vse any stratageme vsed before of the enemy althogh the putting of it in exploit might giue them assured victory To such kind of people that may well and truely be said which our Kings most excellent Maiestie spake at the conference at Hampton Court No Church said his Maiesty ought farther to separate it self from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or in ceremony then she hath departed frō her self when she was in her flourishing Or that which reuerend Hooker doeth write in his 5. lib. of Ecclesi Poll. It is not our best pollicie saith he for the establishment of sound Religion in all things to haue no agreement with the Church of Rome although vnsound The end and purpose why and wherefore Lent was first ordained was not onely to preserue the
and 14. Submit your selues to all manner of ordinance of man c. But some peraduenture may say you haue spoken nothing of Imber Fasts and Fasts on Saints Eues What can you say of them are not they altogether idle superstitious and to bee abolished I pray you giue mee leaue and I wil speake somewhat of them also And 1. I will shew you why they were so called 2. By whom they were first ordained And 3. the occasion why they were ordained They were called Imber-daies vpon no other reason and occasiō but of eating bread baked vnder Imbers or ashes Whosoeuer doth say otherwise saies it either of malice or ignorance For the people vpon those dayes vsed to fast and to eate nothing but bread baked vnder Imbers Which they did for two causes First to pay vnto God at such times the tithes of their soules bodies in thanksgiuing for the fruites of the earth and the fruites of his grace Secondly that the holy Ghost might the more plenteously bee powred downe vpon them which receiue holy orders For the Sunday after these Imber-fasts and at no time els alwaies hath beene and yet still is the ordering of ministers by the Bishops Some refer the first institution of these Imber-fasts to Pope Vrbanus Some to Calixtus the 2. And some say that they were first confirmed in the Coūcel of Mentz held vnder Charles the great of which I spake but now for this intent that people vpon those daies should come to the Church should fast to the 9. houre and abstaine from flesh and all things els But most certaine it is that these Imber-fasts are most ancient haue béene most common and in all the Christian world most religiously obserued foure times of the yeere and therefore they are called Ieiunia quatuor temporū the fasts of the foure times because of the foure speciall turnings of the sun the first about the Spring Equinoctiall the second about the Summer Solstice the third about the Equinoctiall in Autumne and the 4. about the winter Solstice And vpon these three daies of the wêeke the Wensdaies the Fridaies and the Saterdaies because our Sauiour Christ was solde vpon a Wensday crucified vpon a Friday died vpon a Saterday and rested in his sepulcher These reasons haue beene alleadged heeretofore for the institution and obseruation of these Jmber-fasts The eues of Saints-daies are called in Latine Vigiliae which is watchings because in the time of the Apostles and alōg time after watchings prayers and almes-déeds were accustomed to be ioyned to fastings These fasts on saints eues were not at first idely inuented and haue not in times past beene fondly nor foolishly obserued And they haue beene set as master Hooker writeth as vshers Eccle. Pollib 5. pag. 214. of festiuall daies for preuention of disorders as much as might be which may bee kept not without great good to the kéepers and singular vse and benefite to the whole Common-weale Concerning which as the Apostle S. Paul said to the Corinthes so say I vnto you Let all things bee done honestly and according to order Great is the dignitie of order and therefore the Apostle saith Let all things Great is the necessity of order and therefore the Apostle saith Let all things be done Great is the eminency and the excellency of order and therefore the Apostle concludeth his Chapter with the same Will you haue common dutie kept which Nature requireth then let all things be done honestly and according to order Will you haue common law regarded which Pollicie willeth then let all things bee done honestly and according to order Will you kéepe your goods your houses and all things that you haue in peace quietnesse and prosperitie then let all things bee done honestly and according to order Will you be faithfull and firme louing and loyall subiects to our gracious Soueraigne then let all things bee done honestly and according to order And will you haue all things to go well with you and to prosper well with you in this world then let all things be done honestly and according to order Without this order there is no duety no deuotion no charitie no concord no law no loue no peace plentie nor prosperitie no grace goodnesse nor any godlinesse although we heare neuer so much know neuer so much talke debate and dispute of diuinitie neuer so much Thus much of the 2. Tim. 3. 16 matter Now of the application and the vses Because all Scripture is giuen by inspiration is profitable as the Apostle Paul telleth vs to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse we ought heere to follow the example of Dauid and to chasten our selues with fasting as he did although by some it bee turned to our reproofe Of which his fasting Humiliation was the cause euen as diuine speculation was the cause of Moses so long fasting in the Mount For in the holy Scriptures wee reade how not only Kings fasted as Dauid and Iehosaphat but Prophets fasted as Moses Elias Daniel women fasted as Anna Hester Iudith and Sara Raguels daughter the children of Israel fasted the inhabitants of Gabish Gilead fasted the Apostles fasted Saints Fathers and Confessors fasted yea the very heathen as wee reade fasted as Iupiters priests in Create with the greatest Philosophers Antisthenes Pythagoras and Socrates But in these our daies it is strange to see the scorne and the scandall the contempt and the disdaine which many make of fasting in so much that if a man or a woman doeth but for ciuill and politike respects obserue and kéepe set daies and times of Abstinence and fasting commanded by Authoritie he shall be of some reproched and reproued for it he shall be of some thought to bee popish and superstitious We are all now growen to excesse and to extreamities to lust libertie and licentiousnesse We are all for the most part giuen to gluttonie and gourmandice to securitie sensualitie and surfetting We are all now growen to bee Epicures to be Sibarites and to loue the two daughters of the horse-leach although they sucke out all the blood of our bodies The best feastmaker is thought with some to be the best Christian and the least faster is thought with some not to bee the least professour Wee care not for the preseruation of the breed of Cattell the maintenance of the Kings Maiesties Nauie or the Calling of the Fisherman Wee care not for any good Lawes or Statutes whatsoeuer that enioine vs to Abstmence and fasting but like Heliogabalus we will be our own heires and make an end of all things our selues like the children of Israel when they were without Kings we will doe that which is good in our owne eies and like the two sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abihu we will offer strange fire although we be burned in the flames thereof Worshipfull and beloued in the Lord Men brethren and fathers I pray you giue me leaue to say thus much vnto you The wisest and
the worthiest men of this Land are perswaded that the not Abstinence fasting and meane diet is the occasion of so many great grieuous and outragious sinnes which are committed amongst vs. There was neuer more teaching more preaching more lawes and more Statutes and yet neuer more excesse more intemperance more riot more surferting more hypocrisie and dissimulation neuer worse and worser liuing The world is bold to surfet and hath taken an habite to fry in words but to fréese in deeds to bee rather a disputant than an agent in Religion and to count sinnes no sins but to turne them from sinnes to trades and occupations The world doeth blush and doeth scorne to fast because it thinkes it to be an abridgement of Christian libertie to bee Jewish a Montanizing and rather the bewraying of a disease then the exercising of a vertue And therefore some say as they did in the 2. Chap. of Wisdome Come let vs enioy the pleasures which are present and let vs cheerefully vse the creatures as in youth c. Some say as they did of whom the Poet writeth Wee are a number Horat. ad Lollium epistol lib. 1. and we are borne to consume and eat fruites and fill our bellies Some againe will fast but when when they list themselues and not otherwise For when we fast they will feast and when we feast then they will fast And out of Lent they will eat flesh meate though not vpon other daies yet vpon Fridaies and Saterdaies and in the time of Lent they will eate flesh-meate seuen daies in the weeke behauing themselues therin much like vnto them to whom it was sayd by our Sauiour Christ himselfe We haue piped to you and yee Mat. 11. 19 haue not danced we haue mourned to you and yee haue not wept Some againe will kéepe extraordinary fasts but how without the knowledge and authoritie of the Maiestrate to preuent his decree and controle his gouernment To such kind of persons that may wel and truely bee said which a reuerend and learned Doctor hath written A wilfull law-breaker would Of obedience or Ecclesiasticall vnion sect 19. fol. 62. willingly breake the law-giuer that is he that is not a friend and welwiller to the Princes lawes can not be a friend and welwiller to the Prince himselfe Many good and wholesome lawes and Statutes haue beene made and enacted to bridle the lust and libertie of people in this point as in the 5. and 13. yeere of our late Queene ELIZABETH and in the first yeere of our now gratious dread Soueraign King IAMES which Acte because it specially concerned this matter and is fit and necessary to be heard knowen and vnderstood of all heere present I wil read vnto you as it is set down in the booke You which are now in place and authoritie looke to this good Act and to the due execution thereof as you ought to doe First you your selues giue good examples thereof in your houses to your children to your seruants and in other places also where you come Look to those Butchers and that without all fauour or partialitie that shall offend heerein and to those Tauerners Inne-keepers Ale-house-keepers which make a common course and custome of offending heerein and that without any feare or intermission You which are Parents giue good examples thereof to your children and all you which are masters mistresses and dames of houses and families giue good examples thereof to your seruants to your apprentises and to others that are with you Let the superior sort giue good examples thereof to the inferiour the richer to the poorer and the elder to the yonger without the honny of hypocrisie or the leauen of maliciousnesse contempt or wilfulnesse that wee may all liue in the feare die in the fauour rest in the peace rise in the power and remaine at last in euerlasting glorie with Jesus Christ our Sauiour to whom c. FINIS