PAR. 7.
BY an Allegory (saith hee) fasting may signifie, innocencie of life: So Saint Chrysostome, and Saint Augustine use it. Who when they saw that there is much mention in Scripture of fasting: yet understood not, how fasting conferred so much unto piety, transferred fasting unto abstinence from sinnes: building on a place of Esay, which they did not sufficiently understand (saith Illyricus)
Behold novelty speaking in its owne language, imputing needlesly and falsly, ignorance to those famous lights of Gods Church, Saint Chrysostome, and Saint Augustine, when as the place of Esay is punctuall to this purpose. That the fast acceptable to God lyeth much in the way of piety, Esay 58.5. &c.
The answer to the interrogations can be no other than these: I have not cho∣sen such a fast, wherein a man for a day, afflicts his soule, bowes downe his head, spreadeth sackcloth and ashes under him. But this is the fast that I have chosen: viz. to loose the bonds of wickednesse: to undoe the heavie burthen: to let the oppressed goe free: to breake every yoake: yea not onely to abstaine from evill: but to do good; as followeth. It is to deale thy bread to the hungry; to bring the poore that are cast out, to thine house: to cover the naked: then shall thy light breake forth as the morning; and thy health shall spring forth speedily: Thy rightcousnesse shall goe before thee (or be thy vaward) and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward, Now (Illyricus) doth fasting make much for piety, or not?
Is there any acceptable fast, that is not pious? or is impious? or how are those Fathers without understanding in this point? August. Tract. 17. in Ioannem, jejunium magnum, & generale est, abstinere ab iniquitatibus: & illicitis voluptati∣bus seculi. This is the great and generall fast; namely to abstaine from the ini∣quities, and unlawfull pleasures of the world. The same Augustine, Quaestio∣num Evangelicarum. 2.28. Scriptura docet generale jejunium, non à concupiscentia ciborum tantum, sed ab omni laetitia temporalium delectationum. The Scripture doth teach us, that the generall fast is not onely to abstaine not onēly from the lust of meates: but also from all joy of temporall delights, Who can speake more in∣telligently? yet this hindred not, but fastings may conferre much unto piety: and bodily fasting is much accepted by God, and many wayes profitable; of which point hereafter.