Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A06783
|
A fruitful treatise of fasting wherin is declared what ye Christen fast is, how we ought to fast, [and] what ye true vse of fastyng is. Newlye made by Thomas Becon.
|
Becon, Thomas, 1512-1567.
|
1551
(1551)
|
STC 1722; ESTC S114404
|
40,728
|
146
|
t they fast toke nomeat til they se y e euening star vp And a certain couÌ„cel called Concilium Calcedonense ordained y e suche shuld not be counted to faste that dyd eate before euensonge was done whiche at the time was not celebrated as it is nowe at .ii. or iii. at the clocke after dinner but at nighte aboute the .viii. or .ix. houre when the day was al past The popish and supersticious fasters perswade them selues to fast wel and to do a meritorious dede if they onli abstain froÌ„ flesh though in y e morninge so sone as they rise out of their beds they enfarse stuffe their belies with as manyfine cakes tostes of whit bread as they be able to eat and w t asmuch good aleful of spices or els burnt Maulmesy as theyr pauÌ„ches can hold And when dinner come if thei abstain froÌ„ a smoky peace of Bacon or hard salted and poudred biefe or suche lyke though they eate the most delicious fishes that can be goten and enfarse their beastly bodies with al the swete meates that caÌ„ be inuented sought out yea that so vnmeasurably y t after they haue once dined they are prouoked either to the pleasure of the bodye or els like beasts of the bâ—lly fall straightwais vnto slepe so y t thei ar not hable to serue god nor theÌ„ selfs nor ani other yet thinck thei y t they fast wel and do god a great plesure This maner of fasting amoÌ„g many other vsed a certayne monke in my couÌ„try which not w t standing was couÌ„ted the greatest deuotest faster in al those quaters His maner was for the most part to make but one mele a dai as they vse to say yet such a mele as the meat of y t one mele might haue semed sufficient to any reasonable creature to haue serued vi godli fasters at a mele WheÌ„ he came vnto Dynner and was set down at the table his vse was euer to vnbuckle and let slacke his girdle a great quantitie whiche before was streight girded to his bodi He fel to his meat as the hongry wolf to his pray and neuer leafte of deuouringe the best meates that wer set before hym till he had so stuffed hys relygyous paunche that his girdle being afore lose was so hard to hys body that he could not put his little finger betwene the girdle his clothes He sate so swelling sweting at the table thorow y e tomuch deuouringe of pleasaunte meats whot wines y â— if Apelles had bene present with his pensil â–ª he might haue had a ioly paturn â—o paint a right Epicure And not withstaÌ„dyng both he such lyke wer counted good holy deuout religious catholikâ— fasters To consume at one diÌ„ner so much as wold serue thre was no breaking of a fast To deuoure vnmesurably al kinde of pleasaunt fishes or whatsoeuer deinties besydes could be deuised was fast good inough in y â— popes kingdoÌ„ but to eate a peace of flesh although neuer so grosse was twise a deadly sin punished w t fire The eater of y e flesh was called a Lollore adiudged to be breÌ„t w t fire for his I know not how great offeÌ„ce as though god abhorred more the eating of flesh then of fishe or as though fish wer cleane in y e sight of god flesh vile abhominable O belied hipocrites whiche strain out a gnat swalow doun O spirits of errour and teachers of Diuelishe doctrynes whiche speake false thorow hipocrisie haue their conscieÌ„ce marked with an hote yron forbiddinge to marie and commaunding to abstain from meates whiche God hathe created to be receiued with thankes geuinge of theÌ„ which beleue and know the truth For al y â— creatures of god are good and nothing to be refused if it be receyued with thanckes geuing For it is sanctified by the word of god praier Unto y e pure al thgiÌ„s ar pure but vnto theÌ„ y t are defiled vnbeleuing is nothing pure but euen the minde and conscience of theÌ„ is defiled Why do not those blind guides remember this saying of our sauiour Christ cease to condemne the innocent That which goeth into the mouth defâ—leth not y t man but y â— which commeth out of the mouth defileth y â— man For what so euer entreth in at the mouth goeth into the belli and is cast out into y e draught but those thinges which procede out of the mouthe come from the hart they defile y â— man For out of the hart procede euil thoughts murders breaking of wedlocke whordomes thefâ—es fals witnes blasphemies These are the thinges whiche defile a man ¶ The .x. Chapter AGaine at night albeit the popish fasters eat no meat yet make thei such a drinkiÌ„g as might iustli seme a costious kind of baÌ„ketting Besides their white bread fine cakes thei haue their figges reasons almonds aples peares nuts carowis biskits suâ—cat marmilado cherise condite quinches condite I know not what And besides their nappi ale and heady beere they haue sundry wines some spiced som brewed w t a cup of Ipocras at y â— latter end to make vp their mouthe withal and to finishe theyr holye and religious fast Is it not to be thought y t these men take great paines in their fastiÌ„g do not such fastes please god greatly thinke you O abhominable mockers of christen abstinence Theese are those Epicurcs whych as y e Poet saith Curios simulant et bacchanalia uiuunt These are those hipocrites which bind heaui burdens greuous to be born lay theÌ„ on meÌ„s shoulders but they theÌ„ selfs wyl not heaue at theÌ„ with one of their figers And as y â— welthi worldliÌ„gs rich Epicures thinck theÌ„ selues to faste wel if they make but one mele on y â— day though otherwise they enfarse their bellies with neuer so mani deinties euen so iudg the baser kinde of people y t they fast wel if thei eat no meat though they stuffe their pauÌ„ches with neuer so much bread drinke Notable is this sentence of s HieroÌ„ against al such belli gods What auaileth it saith he to eat no oil to seke about for such meates as are most deinty hardest to come bi as dry figs pepper nuts dates sine cakes hony pistacies All the deinties that gardens canne bring forthe are soughte that we shuld not eat y e vsual bread And while we seke deliciously to lyue we ar plucked back from the kingdom of heaueÌ„ Moreouer I hear say that ther be some which contrarye to the rule and nature of men drynke no water nor eate bread but soupe not out of a cup but out of a shel deynty brothes and herbes brayde and the iuce of Beetes Fye for shame are we not ashamed of such foÌ„dnes nor wearye of the supersticion Yea we liuing in al deliciousnes seke to
be praysed for our abstinence The myghtiest fastis water and bread but because it hath no glorye nor notable fame because we al liue with bread water it is not couÌ„ted as the publyque coÌ„mon fast Wold God y t al they that fast yea so many as profes Christ wold remeÌ„ber coÌ„tinually set before their eyes thys saying of s. AusteÌ„ It nothing profyteth sayeth he to haue passed an whole day in loÌ„g fasting if afterward the soul be oppressed wyth dylyciousnes or superfluitye of meates for so is the minde much filled soone dulled and the erth of our body so watered wil bring forth thornes of wicked lusts Let therfore our meate be temperate no more then is sufficient let our belly neuer be to ful And let vs alwayes haue more mynd of the meate for the hearte then of meate for the body because with in the inward man we be made after the image of God but in the flesh we are fashioned of the slime of the earth The .xi. Chapter FUrthermore the Christen fast ryseth of an hart contrite and sorowful for the sins coÌ„mitted against God as we haue heard heretofore The popish faste ryseth either of custome or els of supersticyon For the Papystes in theyr chiefe solempne fastinge dayes are led wyth no true feare toward God neyther do they lament theyr syns nor study by hartie repentaÌ„ce true faith amendment of life to apease the wrathe of God kindled against them for their abominable liuing on those dayes that they fast more them any other tyme. What Papiste among them forsaketh hys papistry hipocrisy supersticion and idolatry and gladly receiueth the truth of Gods word What coueuetous worldling leaueth his couetousnes exerciseth mercy toward the pore meÌ„bers of Christ What proud maÌ„ giueth ouer his pride and embraceth humilitie What adulterer forsaketh hys adultri and leadeth an honest coÌ„uersacion what gloton or dronkard giueth ouer hys glotony or dronkennes and leadeth a sober lyfe what vsurar leaueth his vsury what briberer his brybery what catchepole hys extorcion what tirante hys tirannye what whore her whoredome what rybalde hys rybaldrye what blasphemer hys blasphemy what enuious man his enuy c. As they begin their fast w t an vnrepentaÌ„t wicked hert euen so do they continue end the same so far is it of that they haue any sorow in their heart for their syns committed against God whych shoulde earnestlye moue them to forsake theyr meate and to giue them selues wholy to be reconciled vnto god by repentynge and callyng on the name of God for mercy in Christ Iesu our lord Their fast therfore is abhominacion before God forasmuch as in the time of theyr fastyng they gyue not ouer theyr wyckednes and earnestlye seeke to please God Moreouer the ChristeÌ„ fast riseth also of an hert ferueÌ„tly geueÌ„ to godlynes In thys behalfe also y â— popish fast agreeth nothing with ChristeÌ„ abstinence For the Papystes myndes are set on no true godlines in the time of their fastyng but altogether on supersticion hipocrisie Theyr godlynes yea rather vngodlynes when they fast consisteth in obseruyng the popes ceremonies and mans inuencions If they fulfyl those they thynke theÌ„selues godly ynough when notwithstaÌ„ding they â—e furdest from all true god lines Nether do they direct their fastes vnto anye godly end but as eueri one â—antasieth so do thei faste yea and that for sondry purposes Sâ—me fast breade and water some eate nothinge but fruit some taste no kynde of meate or dryncke that is dressed with fyre some in theyr faste go wolwarde barefoted and barelegged some are so scrupulous supersticious in their fasting that in the time of theyr faste they wyll neither eate nor dryncke nor sleepe nor yet swalowe dowâ—e theyr owne spittle If they do they thincke them selues damned Prouided alway that they also muste be fyrste and laste at churche If they obserue these fastes they promyse theym selues I knowe not howe great rewardes ane how hie seates in heauen aboud other and howe many gay garlandes of red roses anâ— swete violetes that God and oure Ladye and the blessed saints shal giue them after thys lyfe for theyr deuout fastyng and prâ—aty paines O fond folishnes folysh fondnes worthy rather to be lamented then to be laughed at If it be done of a good entent say they al is weil whatsoeuer we do If we fast the blessed Saintes euens and worshyppe them wyth a Pater noster Aue and Creede they wyll do for vs whatsoeuer we axe S. George wyl defend vs in battell agaynst our ennemies S. Barbara wyll kepe vs from thondring and litenyng S. Agasse wyl saue our house from burning S. Antony will keepe oure swyne S. Luke wil saâ—e oure Oxe S. Iob wyll defend vs from the poxe S. Gertrude wil keepe oure house from mise rats S. Nicholas wyl preserue vs from drowning S. Loâ— wyl cure our horsse S. Dorothe wil saue our hearbs flowers S Sith wyl bring again whatsoeuer we lose S. Apoline wyl heal thâ— pain of our tethe S. Sweteladde and. Sayute Agnes wyll sende vs Maides good husbandes Sainte Peter wyll lette vs in at heauen gates wyth a thousande suche lyke Thys supersticion and idolatry is the godlines of the Papistes If they fast and serue the saints vnto this end on their feastful daies fare deintely drynke largelye in the honour of the good saint they think thei haue done much for the saint and haue shewed theym selues good godly and deuout persons O double vngodlines What shall I speake of the spiritual exercises whiche the true and Christen faste requireth to be done in the time oâ—â—asting If we marke wel the maners of the papists and notetheyr behauour on theyr fastinge daies we shall caâ—â—y perceiue that in the middes of their fastinge they are no lesse wicked vngodlye no les proud and enuious no lesse lecherous and couetous no les backbitinge and slaunderous no les polling and pillinge no les churlish and vnmerciful no les geuen to glotoni dronkennes then thei wer afore They lameÌ„t not their syns they fall not to faithefull prayer they call not on the name of God as they oughte but fle vnto creatures they gyue not them selues to the hearinge or readynge of gods worde which many of them extremelye abhorre they go not about to leaue theyr idolatri and wish to be better instructed in the knowledge of gods lawe c but continuing stil in their old supersticion idolatri thei thinke them selues godly inough and good inough If thei eat no flesh if thei for beare white meates al is wel whatsoeuer they do though ther be no repentaunce no calling on the name of god no correccion of maÌ„ners no ameÌ„dmeÌ„t of life God haue mercy on vs god open their eies giue theÌ„ grace to amende Hitherto haue we learned out of the word of god what the true and Christen