those both annual and weekly. Of the former sort was that before Easter;
observed by some for eight and forty hours: by others, for an entire
week; by many for two weeks, taking no sustenance till the evening of
each day. Of the latter, those of the fourth and sixth days of the week,
observed (as _Epiphanius_ writes, remarking it as an undeniable fact)
ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· _in the whole habitable earth_, at least, in every
place where any Christians made their abode. The annual fasts in our
church are, “the forty days of Lent, the ember days at the four seasons,
the rogation days, and the vigils or eves of several solemn festivals:
The weekly, all fridays in the year, except Christmas-day”.
But beside those which were fixt, in every nation fearing God,
there have always been occasional fasts, appointed from time to time,
as the particular circumstances and occasions of each required. So
[103]when _the children of Moab and the children of Ammon, came against
Jehoshaphat to battle; Jehoshaphat, set himself to seek the_ Lord, _and
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah_. And so [104]_in the fifth year
of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, in the ninth month_, when they were
afraid of the king of _Babylon_, the princes of Judah _proclaimed a
fast before the_ Lord, _to all the people of Jerusalem_.
And in like manner, particular persons, who take heed unto their ways,
and desire to walk humbly and closely with God, will find frequent
occasion for private seasons of thus afflicting their souls, before
their Father which is in secret. And it is to this kind of fasting,
that the directions here given, do chiefly and primarily refer.
II. 1. I proceed, to shew, in the second place, what are the grounds,
the reasons and ends of fasting.
And, first, men who are under strong emotions of mind, who are affected
with any vehement passion, such as sorrow or fear, are often swallowed
up therein, and even _forget to eat their bread_. At such seasons they
have little regard for food, not even what is needful to sustain nature;
much less for any delicacy or variety, being taken up with quite
different thoughts. Thus when _Saul_ said, [105]_I am sore distrest;
for the Philistines make war against me, and_ God _is departed from me_;
it is recorded, _he had eaten no bread, all the day nor all the night_.
Thus those who were in the ship with St. _Paul, when no small tempest
lay upon them_, and all _hope that they should be saved was taken away,
[106]continued fasting, having taken nothing_, no regular meal, for
fourteen days together. And thus _David and all the men that were with
him_, when they heard that _the people were fled from the battle, and
that many of the people were fallen and dead, and_ Saul _and_ Jonathan
_his son were dead also_; [107]_mourned and wept and fasted until even
for_ Saul _and_ Jonathan and _for the house of_ Israel.
Nay, many times they whose minds are deeply engaged, are impatient of
any interruption, and even loath their needful food, as diverting their
thoughts, from what they desire should engross their whole attention.
Even as _Saul_, when on the occasion mentioned before, he had _fallen
all along upon the earth and there was no strength in him_, yet _said,
I will not eat_, till _his servants, together with the woman compelled
him_.
2. Here then is the natural ground of fasting. One who is under deep
affliction, overwhelmed with sorrow for sin, and a strong apprehension
of the wrath of God, would without any rule, without knowing or
considering, whether it were a command of God or not, _forget to eat
his bread_, abstain not only from pleasant, but even from needful food.
Like St. _Paul_, who after he was _led into_ Damascus, _was three days
without sight, and neither did eat nor drink_, Acts ix. 9.
Yea, when the storm rose high, when _an horrible dread overwhelmed_
one who had been without God in the world; his soul would _loath all
manner of meat_; it would be unpleasing and irksom to him. He would ♦be
impatient of any thing that should interrupt his ceaseless cry, Lord
_save! or I perish_.
How strongly is this exprest by our church, in the first part of the
homily on fasting?
“When men feel in themselves the heavy burthen of sin, see damnation
to be the reward of it, and behold with the eye of their mind the
horror of hell; they tremble, they quake, and are inwardly touched with
sorrowfulness of heart, and cannot but accuse themselves and open their
grief unto almighty God, and call unto him for mercy. This being done
seriously, their mind is so occupied (taken up) partly with sorrow
and heaviness, partly with an earnest desire to be delivered from this
danger of hell and damnation, that all desire of meat and drink is
laid apart, and loathsomeness (or loathing) of all worldly things and
pleasure cometh in place. So that nothing then liketh them more than to
weep, to lament, to mourn, and both with words and behaviour of body to
shew themselves weary of life.”
3. *Another reason or ground of fasting is this. Many of those who
now fear God, are deeply sensible how often they have sinned against
him, by the abuse of these lawful things. They know, how much they have
sinned by excess of food; how long they have transgrest the holy law
of God, with regard to temperance, if not sobriety too: how they have
indulged their sensual appetites, perhaps to the impairing even their
bodily health; certainly to the no small hurt of their soul. For hereby
they continually fed and increased that sprightly folly, that airiness
of mind, that levity of temper, that gay inattention to things of the
deepest concern, that giddiness and carelessness of spirit, which were
no other than drunkenness of soul, which stupified all their noblest
faculties, no less than excess of wine or strong drink. To remove
therefore the effect, they remove the cause: they keep at a distance
from all excess. They abstain, as far as is possible, from what had
well nigh plunged them in everlasting perdition. They often wholly
refrain; always take care to be sparing and temperate in all things.
4. *They likewise well remember, how fulness of bread, increased not
only carelessness and levity of spirit, but also foolish and unholy
desires, yea, unclean and vile affections. And this experience puts
beyond all doubt. Even a genteel, regular sensuality, is continually
sensualizing the soul, and sinking it into a level with the beasts
that perish. It cannot be exprest what an effect variety and delicacy
of food have on the mind as well as the body: making it just ripe for
every pleasure of sense, as soon as opportunity shall invite. Therefore
on this ground also every wise man will refrain his soul, and keep
it low; will wean it more and more from all those indulgences of the
inferior appetites, which naturally tend to chain it down to earth,
and to pollute as well as debase it. Here is another perpetual reason
for fasting: to remove the food of lust and sensuality, to withdraw the
incentives of foolish and hurtful desires, of vile and vain affections.
5. Perhaps we need not altogether omit, (altho’ I know not if we should
do well, to lay any great stress upon it) another reason for fasting,
which some good men have largely insisted on: namely, the punishing
themselves for having abused the good gifts of God, by sometimes
wholly refraining from them: thus exercising a kind of holy revenge
upon themselves, for their past folly and ingratitude, in turning the
things which should have been for their health, into an occasion of
falling. They suppose _David_ to have had an eye to this when he said,
_I wept and chastened_, or punished _my soul with fasting_: and St.
_Paul_, when he mentions _what revenge_ godly sorrow occasioned in the
_Corinthians_.
6. A fifth, and more weighty reason for fasting, is, that it is an help
to prayer: particularly, when we set apart larger portions of time for
private prayer. Then especially it is, that God is often pleased to
lift up the souls of his servants, above all the things of earth, and
sometimes to wrap them up, as it were, into the third heavens. *And
it is chiefly, as it is an help to prayer, that it has so frequently
been found a means in the hand of God, of confirming and increasing
not one virtue, not chastity only, (as some have idly imagined, without
any ground, either from scripture, reason or experience) but also
seriousness of spirit, earnestness, sensibility and tenderness of
conscience; deadness to the world, and consequently the love of God
and every holy and heavenly affection.
7. Not that there is any natural or necessary connexion, between
fasting, and the blessings God conveys thereby. But he will have mercy
_as_ he will have mercy: he will convey whatsoever seemeth him good,
by whatsoever means he is pleased to appoint. And he hath in all ages
appointed this, to be a means of averting his wrath, and obtaining
whatever blessings we from time to time stand in need of.
How powerful a means this is, to avert the wrath of God, we may learn
from the remarkable instance of _Ahab_. _There was none like_ him, _who
did sell himself_; wholly give himself up, like a slave bought with
money, _to work wickedness_. Yet when he _rent his cloaths and put
sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and went softly: the word of the_
Lord _came to_ Elijah, _saying, Seest thou how_ Ahab _humbleth himself
before me? Because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the
evil in his days._
It was for this end, to avert the wrath of God, that _Daniel_ sought
God, _with fasting and sackcloth and ashes_. This appears from the
whole tenor of his prayer, particularly from the solemn conclusion of
it. _O_ Lord, _according to all thy righteousnesses_ (or mercies) _let
thy anger be turned away from thy holy mountain――Hear the prayer of
thy servant, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is
desolate.――O_ Lord, _hear! O_ Lord, _forgive: O_ Lord, _hearken and do,
for thine own sake_, Dan. ix. 3, 16, &c.
8. But it is not only from the people of God that we learn, when his
anger is moved, to seek him by fasting and prayer; but even from the
Heathens. When _Jonah_ had declared, _Yet forty days and_ Nineveh
_shall be destroyed, the people of_ Nineveh _proclaimed a fast, and put
on sackcloth from the greatest of them unto the least. For the king of_
Nineveh _arose from his throne, and laid his robe from him, and covered
him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed
and published through_ Nineveh, _Let neither man nor beast, herd nor
flock, taste any thing. Let them not feed, nor drink water._ (Not that
the beast had sinned, or could repent: but that by their example man
might be admonished, considering that for his sin, the anger of God
was hanging over all creatures.) _Who can tell, if_ God _will turn and
repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?_――And
their labour was not in vain. The fierce anger of God was turned
away from them. God _saw their works_, (the fruits of that repentance
and faith, which he had wrought in them by his prophet;) _and_ God
_repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them: and he
did it not_, Jon. 3, 4, &c.
9. And it is a means not only of turning away the wrath of God, but
also of obtaining whatever blessings we stand in need of. So when
the other tribes were smitten before the _Benjamites, [108]all the
children of Israel went up unto the house of the_ Lord, _and wept
and fasted that day until even_; and then the Lord said, _Go up
again; for to-morrow I will deliver them into thine hand_. So _Samuel
[109]gathered all Israel together, when they were in bondage to
the Philistines, and they fasted on that day before the_ Lord: and
when _the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel, the_ Lord
_thundered upon them with a great thunder, and discomfited them, and
they were smitten before Israel_. So _Ezra; [110]I proclaimed a fast
at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our_ God,
_to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones――and he was
entreated of us_. So _Nehemiah; [111]I fasted and prayed before the_
God _of heaven, and said, Prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day,
and grant him mercy in the sight of this man_. And God granted him
mercy in the sight of the king.
10. In like manner, the apostles always joined fasting with prayer,
when they desired the blessing of God, on any important undertaking.
Thus we read, _Acts_ xiii. _There were in the church that was at_
Antioch _certain prophets and teachers――As they ministered to the_ Lord
_and fasted_, (doubtless for direction in this very affair) _the Holy
Ghost said, Separate me_ Barnabas _and_ Saul, _for the work whereunto I
have called them. And when they had_ (a second time) _fasted and prayed,
and laid their hands on them, they sent them away_, ver. 1, 2, 3.
Thus also _Paul_ and _Barnabas_ themselves, as we read in the following
chapter, when they _returned again to_ Lystra, Iconium _and_ Antioch,
_confirmed the souls of the disciples_; and _when they had ordained
them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, commended
them to the_ Lord, ver. 23.
Yea, that blessings are to be obtained in the use of this means, which
are no otherwise attainable, our Lord expresly declares in his answer
to his disciples asking, [112]_Why could not we cast him out? Jesus
said unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you,
if ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say unto this
mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove, and
nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit, this kind_ (of devils)
_goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting_: these being the appointed
means of attaining that faith, whereby the very devils are subject unto
you.
11. These were the _appointed_ means. For it was not merely by the
light of reason, or of natural conscience, (as it is called) that
the people of God have been in all ages directed, to use fasting as
a means to these ends. But they have been from time to time taught
it of God himself, by clear and open revelations of his will. Such is
that remarkable one by the prophet _Joel_, [113]_Therefore thus saith
the_ Lord, _turn you unto me, with all your heart, and with fasting,
and with weeping, and with mourning――Who knoweth if the_ Lord _will
return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him? Blow the trumpet
in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly. Then will the_ Lord
_be jealous over his land, and will spare his people. Yea, I will send
you corn and wine and oil――I will no more make you a reproach among the
Heathen._
Nor are they only temporal blessings which God directs his people to
expect in the use of these means. For at the same time that he promised
to those who should seek him with fasting, and weeping, and mourning,
_I will render you the ears which the grashopper hath eaten, the
canker-worm, and the caterpiller and the palmer-worm, my great army_,
he subjoins, _So shall ye eat and be satisfied, and praise the name
of the_ Lord _your_ GOD――_Ye shall also know that I am in the midst
of Israel, and that I am the_ Lord _your_ God. And then immediately
follows the great gospel-promise, _I will pour out my Spirit upon all
flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men
shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. And also upon
the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my
Spirit._
12. Now whatsoever reasons there were to quicken those of old in the
zealous and constant discharge of this duty, they are of equal force
still to quicken us. But above all these we have a peculiar reason for
being _in fastings often_, namely, the command of him by whose name we
are called. He does not indeed in this place _expresly_ enjoin, either
fasting, giving of alms, or prayer. But his directions how to fast, to
give alms, and to pray, are of the same force with such injunctions.
For the commanding us, to do any thing _thus_, is an unquestionable
command, to do that thing; seeing it is impossible to perform it _thus_,
if it be not performed _at all_. Consequently, the saying, give alms,
pray, fast in _such a manner_, is a clear command to perform all those
duties, as well as to perform them in that _manner_, which shall in no
wise lose its reward.
And this is a still farther motive and encouragement, to the
performance of this duty; even the promise which our Lord has
graciously annexed to the due discharge of it: _Thy Father, which
seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly_. Such are the plain grounds,
reasons and ends of fasting; such our encouragement to persevere
therein, notwithstanding abundance of objections which men, wiser than
their Lord, have been continually raising against it.
III. 1. The most plausible of these I come now to consider. And, first,
it has been frequently said, “Let a Christian fast from sin, and not
from food: this is what God requires at his hands.” So he does: but he
requires the other also. Therefore this ought to be done, and that not
left undone.
View your argument in its full dimensions; and you will easily judge of
the strength of it.
“If a Christian ought to abstain from sin, then he ought not to abstain
from food:
But a Christian ought to abstain from sin:
Therefore he ought not to abstain from food.”
That a Christian ought to abstain from sin, is most true. But how does
it follow from hence, that he ought not to abstain from food? Yea, let
him do both the one and the other. Let him, by the grace of God, always
abstain from sin; and let him often abstain from food: for such reasons
and ends as experience and scripture plainly shew to be answered
thereby.
2. “But is it not better (as it has, secondly, been objected) to
abstain from pride and vanity, from foolish and hurtful desires,
from peevishness, and anger, and discontent, than from food?” Without
question it is. But here again we have need to remind you of our Lord’s
words, _These things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other
undone_. And indeed the latter is only in order to the former; it is a
means to that great end. We abstain from food with this view, that by
the grace of God, conveyed into our souls, through this outward means,
in conjunction with all the other channels of his grace which he hath
appointed, we may be enabled to abstain from every passion and temper,
which is not pleasing in his sight. We refrain from the one, that
being endued with power from on high, we may be able to refrain from
the other, so that your argument proves just the contrary to what you
designed. It proves, that we ought to fast. For if we ought to abstain
from evil tempers and desires, then we ought thus to abstain from food:
since these little instances of self-denial are the ways God hath chose,
wherein to bestow that great salvation.
3. “But we do not find it so in fact: (this is a third objection.)
We have fasted much and often. But what did it avail? We were not
a whit better: we found no blessing therein. Nay, we have found it
an hindrance rather than an help. Instead of preventing anger, for
instance, or fretfulness, it has been a means of increasing them to
such a height, that we could neither bear others nor ourselves.” This
may very possibly be the case. ’Tis possible, either to fast or pray,
in such a manner, as to make you much worse than before; more unhappy,
and more unholy. Yet the fault does not lie in the means itself; but
in the _manner_ of using it. Use it still, but use it in a different
manner. Do what God commands _as_ he commands it, and then doubtless
his promise shall not fail; his blessing shall be with-held no longer:
but _when thou fastest in secret, he that seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly_.
4. “But is it not mere superstition (so it has been, fourthly, objected)
to imagine that God regards such little things as these?” If you say
it is, you condemn all the generation of God’s children. But will you
say, these were all weak, superstitious men? Can you be so hardy as
to affirm this, both of _Moses_ and _Joshua_, of _Samuel_ and _David_,
of _♦Jehoshaphat_, _Ezra_, _Nehemiah_, and all the prophets? Yea, of
a greater than all, the Son of God himself? It is certain, both our
Master, and all these his servants, did imagine, that fasting is not
a little thing, and that he who is higher than the highest doth regard
it. Of the same judgment, it is plain, were all his apostles, after
they were _filled with the Holy Ghost and with wisdom_. When they had
_the unction of the Holy One, teaching_ them _of all things_, they
still _approved themselves the ministers of_ God, _by fastings_, as
well as _by the armour of righteousness on the right hand, and on the
left_. After _the Bridegroom was taken from them, then did they fast in
those days_. Nor would they attempt any thing, (as we have seen above)
wherein the glory of God was nearly concerned, such as the sending
forth labourers into the harvest, without solemn fasting as well as
prayer.
5. “But if fasting be indeed of so great importance, and attended with
such a blessing, is it not best, say some, fifthly, to fast always?
Not to do it now and then, but to keep a continual fast? To use as much
abstinence at all times, as our bodily strength will bear?” Let none
be discouraged from doing this. By all means use as little and plain
food, exercise as much self-denial herein at all times, as your bodily
strength will bear. And this may conduce, by the blessing of God, to
several of the great ends above-mentioned. It may be a considerable
help not only to chastity, but also to heavenly mindedness; to the
weaning your affections from things below, and setting them on things
above. But this is not fasting, scriptural fasting: it is never termed
so in all the bible. It in some measure answers some of the ends
thereof; but still it is another thing. Practice it by all means; but
not so as thereby to set aside a command of God, and an instituted
means of averting his judgments, and obtaining the blessings of his
children.
6. Use continually then as much abstinence as you please; which taken
thus, is no other than Christian temperance. But this need not at all
interfere with your observing solemn times of fasting and prayer. For
instance; your habitual abstinence or temperance, would not prevent
your fasting in secret, if you was suddenly overwhelmed with huge
sorrow and remorse, and with horrible fear and dismay. Such a situation
of mind would almost constrain you to fast: you would loath your daily
food: You would scarce endure even to take such supplies, as were
needful for the body, ’till God lifted you up _out of the horrible pit,
and set your feet upon a rock, and ordered your goings_. The same would
be the case if you was in agony of desire, vehemently wrestling with
God for his blessing. You would need none to instruct you, not to eat
bread, ’till you had obtained the request of your lips.
7. Again, had you been at _Nineveh_, when it was proclaimed throughout
the city, _Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock taste any thing:
let them not feed or drink water, but let them cry mightily unto_ God:
would your continual fast have been any reason for not bearing part in
that general humiliation? Doubtless it would not. You would have been
as much concerned as any other, not to taste food on that day.
No more would abstinence, or the observing a continual fast, have
excused any of the children of _Israel_, from fasting the tenth day
of the seventh month, the great annual day of atonement. There was no
exception for these in that solemn decree, _Whatsoever soul it shall be,
that shall not be afflicted_ (shall not fast) _in that day, he shall be
cut off from among his people_.
Lastly, had you been with the brethren in _Antioch_ at the time when
they fasted and prayed, before the sending forth of _Barnabas_ and
_Saul_, can you possibly imagine that your temperance or abstinence
would have been a sufficient cause for not joining therein? Without
doubt, if you had not, you would soon have been cut off from the
Christian community. You would have deservedly been cast out from among
them, “as bringing confusion into the church of God.”