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and usually they are very light, compared with the Calamities, which the wicked bring on their own Heads. The natural Tendency of Christian Virtues is to Happiness; of Sin, to Mifery: God hath appointed this Tendency, and he will make it effectual. If Nations, in the Midst of their Wealth and Tranquillity, will not fhew they are fenfible, that he beftows them, he will justly prove it by taking them away. And if those Perfons, whom he

hath raised to superior Honours, and favoured with Marks of diftinguished Goodness, will ungratefully forget, by whofe Power and for whofe Service they were thus exalted and blessed, he can eafily make them know by unexpected Judgements, that the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men", and doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven, and amongst the Inhabitants of the Earth. But Princes and their People, joining together in thankful Obedience to the Laws of their great Benefactor, will be happy in themselves and each other, will shine as Lights in the Worldx; and, to speak in the Language of the Prophet, upon all their Glory there shall be a Defence.

Dan. iv. 25.

× Phil. ii. 15.

y If. iv. 5.

For

For God will fave Sion, and build the Cities of Judah.-The Pofterity alfo of his Servants fhall inherit it; and they, that love his Name, shall dwell therein. Their Children shall continue, and their Seed be established before bima.

Pf. lxix. 36, 37

a Pf. cii. 28.

SERMON

SERMON XIV.

MATTH. vi. 16.

Moreover, when ye fast, be not as the Hy

pocrites.

HE Practice of Fafting from a Principle

TH

of Religion has been thought of by different Persons in fo very different a Manner; fome placing it amongst the highest Duties, whilst others account it mere Superstition and a great Part of those, who observe it the most rigidly, are so little improved by it in true Goodness: that, I hope, difcourfing on this Subject may be useful in general, as well as particularly seasonable at prefent, to direct your Judgement and Behaviour in Relation to it. And therefore, I have chofen to treat of it from Words of the greatest Authority; thofe of our bleffed Saviour: which contain,

VOL. V.

U

I. A

I. A Suppofition, that religious Fasting
would be used amongst his Fol-
lowers: When ye faft.

II. A Caution against ufing it amiss:
Be not as the Hypocrites.

I. A Suppofition, that religious Fafting would be used amongst his Followers: which indeed he must suppose of Course, unless he forbad it; because the Cuftom had very long been, and was then, univerfal in the World. Not only the People of the great City and Empire of Nineveh, as we read in Scripture, but the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, almost all Nations, of whofe Religion we have any particular Accounts, appear to have been led, either by Nature or antient Tradition, to abftain from their Food, on certain Occafions, as an Exercise of Piety. The Jewish Law could not be the Original of an Obfervance, that had spread fo wide: especially, as that Law appoints but one fingle Day in the whole Year to be kept as a public Faft, and gives no Orders for private Fasting at all. Yet we find, from the early Times of their Commonwealth downwards, many other public Fafts obferved by them, as Exigencies required: we find the Prophets approving and enjoining

them,

them, and directing how they are to be folemnized we find the most exemplary in Goodness amongst them taking this Way of humbling themselves before God in Secret, not only on personal and domeftic, but ñätiöhal Accounts, and graciously accepted in fo do-ing.

The fame Ufage continued to our Saviour's Days. For we read in St. Luke', of Anna the Prophetess, that she ferved God with Faftings and Prayers Night and Day. Indeed by this Time, over and above feveral yearly Fafts, appointed by Authority b, the stricter Sort obferved two every Week voluntarily. And not only the Pharifees, but John's Difciples alfo, fafted often. Nor doth our bleffed Lord condemn any Part of these Things: but, leaving the Frequency of Fafting to public and private Prudence, regulates only the Manner of it; and, by fo doing, plainly treats it as a Practice, intended for perpetual Ufe. It is true, he doth not, in fo many Words, command his Difciples to faft: he only faith, When ye faft. But fo he had faid just before, when thou doft thine Alms, when thou prayeft.

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