them, and directing how they are to be solemnized: we find the most exemplary in Goodness amongst them taking this Way of humbling themselves before God in Secret, not only on personal and domestic, but national Accounts, and gracioufly accepted in so do ing.

The fame Ufage continued to our Saviour's Days. For we read in St. Luke, of Anna the Prophetess, that she served God with Fastings and Prayers Night and Day. Indeed by this Time, over and above several yearly Fafts, appointed by Authority b, the stricter Sort observed two every Week voluntarily. And not only the Pharisees, but John's Disciples also, fasted oftend. Nor doth our blessed Lord condemn any Part of these Things: but, leaving the Frequency of Fasting to public and private Prudence, regulates only the Manner of it; and, by so doing, plainly treats it as a Practice, intended for perpetual Ufe. It is true, he doth not, in so many Words, command his Disciples to fast: he only faith, When ye fast. But so he had faid just before, when thou dost thine Alms, when thou prayeft f.

Zach. viii. 19.

Luke xviii. 12. † Verse 6.

Yet these are certainly Duties of Chriftianity. And had he not designed, that Fasting should be confidered in some Degree as a Duty also; he would never have promised a Reward to the right Performance of it, as he doth in the next Verse, but one, after the Text. And befides, he not only fasted himself, in a Manner quite beyond our Imitation, but declared, that though then his Disciples did not fast, yet after he was taken from them, they should : which they verified accordingly. Cornelius indeed was not yet a Christian, when he fasted to the ninth Hour: but that was amongst the Means of his becoming one. We read in the following Chapters of the Acts, that Congregations, under the Guidance of Prophets and Apostles, fafted on more Occafions than one 1. St. Paul enjoins private Persons to give themfelves at Times to Fafting and Prayer. The whole Christian Church, from the Beginning, hath both esteemed and practised it not a little: and to this Day both the Ecclefiaftical and Civil Powers continue to prescribe it.

If then we have any Regard to the Example and Experience of good Persons, to

k

Matth. ix. 15.

1 Cor. vii. 5.

* Acts x. 30. 1 Acts xiii. 2, 3. xiv. 23.

the

the Injunctions and Commands of our earthly Superiors, or to the Authority of Scripture itself; we cannot think Fafting an Obfervance to be either blamed or flighted. But for yet fuller Satisfaction, and indeed for our Direction also, let us inquire more particularly, what its Meaning and Uses are.

One very useful Meaning is, to express our Sorrow for having offended God, and our Sense of not deferving the least of his Favours. By fome it hath been thought, that our first Parents introduced it, as a penitential Me- ' morial of their eating the forbidden Fruit: which indeed it might very properly express. But without insisting on this, for which we have no Warrant, Abstaining for fome Time from our daily Food fignifies, most naturally, that we are unworthy of it; and can take no Comfort in it, whilst we are under the divine Displeasure. And as anciently, every Thing of Importance was denoted, especially in the Eastern Countries, by Actions as well as Words; this was probably the original Purpose, for which Men used Fafting. And it was then sometimes extended to Children, and Cattle; in Token, that the Parents and Owners

U3

Owners of them had forfeited the dearest Blessings, and most valuable Conveniences of Life*. It is true, a proper Confeffion in Words would have expressed the same Thing, that this Ceremony doth, and somewhat more clearly, unless it were explained by Words, But in all Likelihood it usually was: or if not, the Difficulty of understanding it cannot be accounted great. And where it is appointed by Authority, or prevails by Custom, as the established Method of fignifying Humiliation, we are as much bound to comply with it, as with any other Appointment or Custom; and should be as juftly thought disobedient or unsociable, if we refused: even though it had no peculiar Advantages to compenfate for its being of less obvious Meaning: whereas indeed it hath confiderable ones. For Words alone are far from carrying with them that Energy and Influence upon the Mind, which the fuperadded Solemnity of such an Abstinence must, even in private Cafes; and much more, when whole Afsemblies, and Cities, and Countries, join in it. But above all, when either Persons or Nations have been remarkably wicked, such moving and afflicting Acknowledgements of it are singularly adapted to produce more powerful and lasting Impressions on those, who make use of them; and by that Means to render them fitter Objects of divine Mercy. Indeed, were every Method, which the warmer Imaginations of the Eastern People suggested formerly, and found really conducive to this End, practifed now among fuch, as are less accustomed and disposed to fignificative Actions, confiderable Inconveniences might follow: and in Fact, multiplying ritual Observances hath contributed almost every where to darken Religion, and corrupt it. But so simple and intelligible an Ufage, as mere Fafting, may surely be employed, in any Age and Place, without Danger.

And, besides the good Effects it may have, as a strong outward Mark of Repentance, it may be a Cause, by its physical Effects, of our feeling greater Degrees of inward Conviction. The Faculties of many Persons are overloaded by continual Excess, and the corruptible Body presseth down the Soul': nor can it exert itself, till the Burthen upon it is lightened. And without what is commonly