defendeth the innocencie of his disciples agaynst the malice of the arrogant Pharisees and prooueth that his disciples are not gyltie of transgressyng any iot of Gods lawe although as then they tasted not and in his aunswere reproueth the Pharisees of superstition and ignoraunce Superstition because they put a religion in theyr doyngs and ascribed holynesse to the outward worke wrought not regardyng to what ende fastyng is ordayned Of ignoraunce for that they coulde not discerne betweene tyme and tyme They knewe not that there is a tyme of reioycyng and myrth and a tyme agayne of lamentation and mournyng whiche both he teacheth in his aunswere as shal be touched more largely hereafter when we shall shewe what tyme is moste fit to fast in But here beloued let vs note that our sauiour Christe in makyng his aunswere to theyr question denyed not but confessed that his disciples fasted not and therefore agreeth to the pharisees in this as vnto a manifest trueth that who so eateth and drynketh fasteth not Fastyng then euen by Christes assent is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall foode from the body for the determined tyme of fastyng And that it was vsed in the primatiue Churche appeareth most euidently by the Chalcedon counsell one of the foure first generall counselles The fathers assembled there to the number of 630. consydering with them selues howe acceptable a thing fasting is to God when it is vsed accordyng to his worde Agayne hauing before theyr eyes also the great abuses of the same crept into the Churche at those dayes through the negligence of them whiche shoulde haue taught the people the right vse thereof and by vaine gloses deuised of men To refourme the sayde abuses and to restore this so good and godly a worke to the true vse therof decreed in that counsell that euery person aswell in his priuate as publique fast shoulde continue all the day without meate and drinke till after the Euenyng prayer And whosoeuer did eate or drinke before the Euening prayer was ended shoulde be accompted and reputed not to consyder the puritie of his fast This cannon teacheth so euidently howe fastyng was vsed in the primatiue Churche as by wordes it can not be more plainely expressed Fasting then by the decree of those sixe hundreth and thirtie fathers groundyng their determination in this matter vppon the sacred scriptures and long continued vsage or practise both of the prophetes and other godly persons before the comming of Christe and also of the apostles and other deuoute men in the newe Testament is a with holdyng of meate drinke and all naturall fodde from the body for the determined time of fastyng Thus muche is spoken hytherto to make playne vnto you what fastyng is Nowe hereafter shal be shewed the true and ryght vse of fastyng Good workes are not all of one sorte For some are of them selues and of their owne proper nature alwayes good as to loue God aboue all thinges to loue my neighbour as my selfe to honour father and mother to honour the higher powers to geue to euery man that which is his due and suche like Other workes there be whiche consydered in themselues without further respect are of their owne nature mere indifferent that is neither good nor euill but take their denomination of the vse or ende whereunto they serue Whiche workes hauing a good ende are called good workes and are so in deede but yet that commeth not of them selues but of the good ende wherevnto they are referred On the other side if the ende that they serue vnto be euill it can not then otherwyse be but that they must needes be euill also Of this sort of workes is fasting which of it selfe is a thing meerely indifferent But is made better or worse by the ende that it serueth vnto For when it respecteth a good ende it is a good worke but the ende beyng euill the worke it selfe is also euill To fast then with this perswasion of minde that our fasting and our good workes can make vs perfect and iust men and finally bring vs to heauen this is a deuelish perswasion and that fast so farre of from pleasing god that it refuseth his mercie and is altogether derogatorie to the merites of Christes death and his pretious blood shedding This doth the parable of the Pharisee and the Publicane teache Two men sayth Christe went vp together into the Temple to pray the one a Pharisee the other a Publicane The Pharisee stoode prayed thus within hym selfe I thanke thee O God that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers as this Publicane is I fast twise in the weeke I geue tithes of all that I possesse The Publicane stoode a farre of and woulde not lift vp his eyes to heauen but smote his brest and sayde God be mercifull to me a sinner In the person of this Pharisee our Sauiour Christ setteth out to the eye and to the iudgement of the worlde a perfect iust and righteous man suche one as is not spotted with those vices that men commonlye are infected with extortion briberie polling and pilling their neighbour robbers and spoylers of common weales craftie and subtile in chopping chaunging vsing false waightes and detestable periurie in their buying and selling fornicatours adulterers vicious liuers The Pharisee was no such man neyther faultie in any suche like notorious crime But where other transgressed by leauing thinges vndone whiche yet the lawe required this man dyd more then was requisite by lawe For he fasted twyse in the weeke and gaue tythes of all that he had What could the worlde then iustly blame in this man yea what outwarde thing more could be desired to be in him to make him a more perfect and a more iust man Truelye nothyng by mans iudgement And yet our Sauiour Christe preferreth the poore Puplicane without fasting before him with his fast The cause why he doth so is manifest For that Publicane hauing no good works at al to trust vnto yelded vp him selfe vnto God confessing his sinnes and hoped certainely to be saued by Gods free mercie only The Pharisee gloried trusted so much to his workes that he thought him selfe sure enough without mercie and that he should come to heauen by his fasting and other deedes To this ende serueth that parable For it is spoken to them that trusted in them selues that they were ryghteous and despised other Nowe because the Pharisee directed his worke to an euill ende seeking by them iustification whiche in deede is the proper worke of God without our merites his fasting twise in the weeke and all his other workes though they were neuer so many and seemed to the worlde neuer so good and holy yet in very deede before god they are altogether euil and abominable The marke also that the Hypocrites shoote at with their fast is to appeare holy in the eye of the worlde and so to winne commendation and prayse of men But our
that most odious and abominable vice Of the whiche ordinaunces and lawes so geuen by the Lorde to his people concerning that matter I wyll rehearse and alleage some that be moste speciall for this purpose that you by them may iudge of the rest In the fourth Chapter of the booke named Deuteronomie is a notable place and most worthy with all diligence to be marked whiche begynneth thus And nowe Israel heare the commaundementes and iudgements which I teach thee sayth the Lorde that thou doyng them mayest liue and enter possesse the lande which the Lorde God of your fathers wyll geue you Ye shall put nothyng to the worde whiche I speake to you neyther shall ye take anye thyng from it Kepe ye the commaundementes of the Lorde your God which I commaund you And by and by after he repeateth the same sentence three or foure tymes before he come to the matter that he woulde specially warne them of as it were for a preface to make them to take the better heede vnto it Take heede to thy selfe sayth he and to thy soule with all carefulnes lest thou forgettest the thynges whiche thyne eyes haue seene and that they go not out of thy heart all the dayes of thy life thou shalt teach them to thy children and nephues or posteritie And shortly after The Lorde spake vnto you out of the middle of fire but you hearde the voyce or sounde of his wordes but you did see no fourme or shape at al. And by and by foloweth Take heede therefore diligently vnto your soules you sawe no maner of image in the day in the which the lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the myddest of the fyre least peraduenture you beyng deceaued shoulde make to your selues any grauen image or lykenesse of man or woman or the lykenesse of any beaste whiche is vppon the earth or of the birdes that flee vnder heauen or of any creeping thing that is moued on the earth or of the fishes that do continue in the waters leste paraduenture thou lyftyng vp thyne eyes to heauen do see the sunne and the moone and the starres of heauen and so thou being deceaued by errour shouldest honour and worshyp them whiche the Lord thy God hath created to serue all nations that be vnder heauen And agayne Beware that thou forget not the couenaunt of the Lorde thy God whiche he made with thee and so make to thy selfe any carued image of them whiche the Lorde hath forbidden to be made for the Lorde thy God is a consumyng fyre and a ielous god If thou haue chyldren and nephues and do tary in the lande and beyng deceaued do make to your selues any similitude doyng euyll before the Lord your GOD and prouoke hym to anger I do this day call vppon heauen and earth to wytnesse that ye shall quicklye peryshe out of the lande whiche you shall possesse you shall not dwell in it anye long tyme but the Lorde wyll destroye you and wyll scatter you amongst all nations and ye shall remayne but a verye fewe amongst the nations whyther the Lorde wyll leade you away and then shall you serue gods whiche are made with mans handes of wood and stone whiche see not and heare not neyther eate nor smell and so foorth This is a notable Chapter and entreateth almoste altogether of this matter But because it is to lōg to write out the whole I haue noted you certayne principall poyntes out of it First howe earnestly and ofte he calleth vpon them to marke to take heede that vpon the perill of their soules to the charge which he geueth them Then howe he forbyddeth by a solemne long rehearsal of all thinges in heauen in earth and in the water any image or lykenes of any thyng at all to be made Thirdly what penaltie and horrible destruction he solemly with inuocation of heauen earth for recorde denounceth and threatneth to them their children and posteritie if they contrary to this commaundement do make or worshyppe anye images or similitude which he so straightly hath forbidden And whē they this notwithstanding partlye by inclination of mans corrupte nature moste prone to idolatrie and partly occasioned by the Gentiles and Heathen people dwellyng about them who were idolaters dyd fall to the makyng and worshyppyng of Images GOD accordyng to his worde brought vppon them all those plagues whiche he threatned them with as appeareth in the bookes of the kinges and the Chronacles in sundrye places at large And agreeable hereunto are many other notable places in the olde Testament Deuteronomie xxvii Cursed be he that maketh a carued image or a cast or moulten image whiche is abomination before the Lorde the worke of the artificers hand and setteth it vp in a secret corner and all the people shall say Amen Reade the xiii and. xiiii Chapters of the booke of wysedome concernyng idols or images howe they be made set vp called vppon and offered vnto and how he prayseth the tree whereof the gybbet is made as happye in comparison to the tree that an image or idoll is made of euen by these very wordes Happie is the tree wherethrough ryghteousnesse commeth meaning the gybbet but cursed is the idoll that is made with handes yea both it and he that made it and so foorth And by and by he sheweth how that the thynges whiche were the good creatures of God before as trees or stones when they be once altered and fashioned into images to be worshypped become abhomination a temptation vnto the soules of men and a snare for the feete of the vnwyse And why the seekyng out of images is the begynnyng of whoredome sayth he and the bryngyng vp of them is the destruction of lyfe for they were not from the begynnyng neyther shall they contynue for euer The welthy idlenesse of men hath founde them out vppon earth therefore shall they come shortlye to an ende and so foorth to the ende of the Chapter conteynyng these poyntes Howe idols or images were fyrste inuented and offered vnto how by an vngratious custome they were establyshed how tyrauntes compell men to worshyppe them how the ignoraunt and the common people are deceaued by the cunnyng of the workeman and the beawty of the image to do honour vnto it and so to erre from the knowledge of God and of other great and many mischefes that come by images And for a conclusion he sayth that the honouring of abhominable images is the cause the begynnyng and ende of all euyll and that the worshippers of them be either mad or most wycked See and view the whole Chapter with diligence for it is worthy to be well consydered speciallie that is wrytten of the deceauing of the simple and vnwyse common people by idols and images and repeated twyse or thrise least it shoulde be forgotten And in the Chapter folowyng be these wordes The paynting of the picture and carued image with dyuers colours enticeth the ignoraunt so that he
is within vs For it is the holy ghost and no other thyng that doth quicken the mindes of men stirring vp good and godly motions in their heartes which are agreeable to the wil commaundement of God suche as otherwyse of their owne crooked and peruerse nature they shoulde neuer haue That whiche is borne of the fleshe sayth Christe is fleshe and that which is borne of the spirite is spirite As who shoulde saye Man of his owne nature is fleshly and carnal corrupt and nought synnefull and disobedient to God without any sparke of goodnes in hym without any vertuous or godly motion onely geuen to euyl thoughtes and wicked deedes As for the workes of the spirite the fruites of fayth charitable and godly motions if he haue anye at all in hym they proceede only of the holy ghost who is the onlye worker of our sanctification maketh vs newe men in Christ Jesu Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in the childe Dauid when of a poore shephearde he became a princelike prophet Dyd not Gods holy spirite miraculously worke in Matthewe sitting at the receipte of custome when of a proude Publicane he became an humble and lowly Euangelist And who can choose but maruayle to consyder that Peter shoulde become of a simple fisher a cheefe and mightie Apostle Paul of a cruell and bloody persecutour a faythful disciple of Christe to teache the Gentiles Suche is the power of the holy ghost to regenerate men and as it were to bryng them foorth a newe so that they shal be nothyng lyke the men that they were before Neyther doth he thynke it sufficient inwardlye to worke the spirituall and newe byrth of man vnlesse he do also dwell and abide in hym Knowe ye not sayth saint Paule that ye are the temple of God and that his spirite dwelleth in you Knowe ye not that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost which is within you Agayne he sayth You are not in the fleshe but in the spirite For why The spirite of God dwelleth in you To this agreeth the doctrine of saint John wrytyng on this wyse The annoyntyng whiche ye haue receaued he meaneth the holy ghost dwelleth in you And the doctrine of Peter sayth the same who hath these wordes The spirite of glory and of God resteth vppon you O what comfort is this to the hearte of a true Christian to thynke that the holy ghost dwelleth within hym If God be with vs as the Apostle sayth who can be agaynst vs O but howe shall I knowe that the holy ghost is within me some man perchaunce wyll say Forsoth as the tree is knowne by his fruite so is also the holy ghost The fruites of the holy ghost accordyng to the mynde of saint Paule are these Loue ioy peace long sufferyng gentlenes goodnesse faythfulnesse meekenes temperaunce c. Contrarywyse the deedes of the fleshe are these Adultrie fornication vncleannesse wantonnes idolatrie witchcrafte hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther drunkennesse gluttonie and such lyke Here is nowe that glasse wherein thou muste behold thy selfe and discerne whether thou haue the holy ghost within thee or the spirite of the fleshe If thou see that thy workes be vertuous and good consonant to the prescript rule of gods worde sauouring and tastyng not of the fleshe but of the spirite then assure thy selfe that thou art endued with the holy ghoste Otherwyse in thynkyng wel of thy selfe thou doest nothyng els but deceaue thy selfe The holy ghost doth alwayes declare hym selfe by his fruitefull and gratious gyftes namely by the worde of wysedome by the worde of knowledge whiche is the vnderstandyng of the scriptures by fayth in doyng of miracles by healyng them that are diseased by prophesie whiche is the declaration of Gods mysteries by discerning of spirites diuersities of tonges interpretation of tonges and so foorth All whiche gyftes as they proceede from one spirite and are seuerally geuen to man accordyng to the measurable distribution of the holy ghost Euen so do they bryng men and not without good cause into a wonderfull admiration of Gods diuine power Who wyll not marueyle at that whiche is wrytten in the Actes of the Apostles to heare their bolde confession before the counsell at Jerusalem And to consyder that they went away with ioy and gladnesse reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebukes and checkes for the name and fayth of Christe Jesus This was the myghtie worke of the holy ghost who because he geueth patience and ioyfulnesse of heart in temptation and affliction hath therefore worthyly obtayned this name in holye scripture to be called a comforter Who wyl not also marueyle to reade the learned and heauenly sermons of Peter and the disciples consyderyng that they were neuer brought vp in schole of learnyng but called euen from their nettes to supply roomes of Apostles This was lykewyse the mightie worke of the holy ghost who because he doth instruct the hearts of the simple in the true knowledge of God and his holy worde is moste iustly tearmed by this name and title to be the spirite of trueth Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall historie telleth a straunge storie of a certayne learned and subtill Philosopher who beyng an extreame aduersarie to Christ and his doctrine could by no kynd of learnyng be conuerted to the fayth but was able to withstande all the argumentes that coulde be brought agaynst hym with litle or no labour At length there started vp a poore simple man of small wit and lesse knowledge one that was reputed among the learned as an ideote And he on Gods name woulde needes take in hande to dispute with this proude Philosopher The Byshoppes and other learned men standyng by were marueylously abashed at the matter thinking that by his doynges they shoulde be all confounded and put to open shame He notwithstandyng goeth on and begynnyng in the name of the Lorde Jesus brought the Philosopher to suche poynte in the ende contrary to all mens expectation that he coulde not choose but acknowledge the power of God in his wordes and to geue place to the trueth Was not this a miraculous worke that one seely soule of no learnyng shoulde do that whiche many byshops of great knowledge and vnderstanding were neuer able to bryng to passe So true is the saying of Bede Where the holy ghost doth instruct and teache there is no delay at al in learnyng Much more myght here be spoken of the manyfolde gyftes and graces of the holy ghost moste excellent and wonderfull in our eyes But to make a long discourse through all the shortnes of tyme wil not serue And seing ye haue heard the cheefest ye may easily conceaue and iudge of the rest Nowe were it expedient to discusse this question Whether all they whiche boaste and bragge that they haue the holy ghost do truely chalenge this vnto them selues or no Which doubt