be the practices of the various churches, their systems embrace and recommend the duty; hence the charge of inconsistency very generally lies at the door of professors in this kingdom; inasmuch as their rituals and practices are so irreconcileable. It is a fact, that the great bulk of the nation is ecclesiastically bound to observe days of fasting and abstinence ;* and thousands of persons holding offices under government, and in connexion with various chartered companies, are released from their ordinary employments on days appointed to be thus observed, that they may attend to this important duty without distraction: thus far custom has established what piety appointed. With this obligation to the practice, and these facilities for making it profitable to the soul, how is it actually observed? Why, instead of the appointed days being kept as days of humiliation, they are converted into seasons of festivity and mirth, dissipation and folly! In general the very appearance of fasting is banished, and the liberty from secular engagements designed for godly purposes, becomes the instrument of licentiousness! And where some attention is paid to the formal part of the duty, it is too commonly associated with hypocrisy and self-deception. The change of one dish for another, the removal of flesh, and the introduction of fish,-a change as grateful to the epicure as his luxurious desires can wish,-is denominated a fast, and the conscience is lulled to sleep with the sound of the word! Alas! the parallelism of circumstances reminds one of those indignant words of Jehovah, "The calling of assemblies, I cannot away with: it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting;" wherefore, "The destruction of the transgressors, and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed." (Isa. i. 13, 28.) • See Note XVIII.

The quiet which the neglecters of this duty are suffered to experience, is as remarkable as the neglect itself. If some desperate infidel adventurer dares to attack the doctrines of our faith, the pulpit rings, and the press labours with replies ; advertisements everywhere meet the eye, and conversations on the subject everywhere salute the ear. The same is the case when fashion gives a prevalency to any particular folly, or when any master vice becomes conspicuously dominant. In these instances the watchmen of our Israel faithfully sound an alarm, and rouse the host of Immanuel to battle with the insidious or open foe. How is it then, that while the plainly prescribed duty of fasting is so generally neglected, ministers of all denominations suffer their congregations to escape with impunity? Nay more, how is it that the subject should have become so unpopular, that a person who ventures to discourse or write upon it, feels that he is exposing himself to derision? These enquiries, proposed with deference, recommend themselves to the conscientious pastors of the flock of Christ, and whisper in their ears, "This ought ye to have done, and not have left the other undone."

If there were nothing else to recommend fasting to public attention, the success with which it has been attended ought to be sufficient. Instances of this success have already been glanced at, and may be now more particularly noticed. The places of scripture which have been before referred to, have thereby become more familiar to the reader's mind, and will on that account be preferred as illustrations of the good effect of fasting, though others might be selected from the word of God, and many from profane authors.

The case of Ahab, king of Israel, presents us with a remarkable proof of the success of fasting,

The wickedness of this depraved monarch was of the most abominable description. His character, written with the pen of inspiration, is this: "There was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord; he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." (1 Kings xxi.) Because of his extreme wickedness, the Lord denounced dreadful judgments against him. The heart of Ahab was, however, softened, and he humbled himself by fasting. Then the Lord had pity on him, and said to Elijah, "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house."

The Ninevites, already several times mentioned, afford us another instance of the good effect of fasting. The wickedness of Nineveh came up before the Lord, and he employed Jonah to denounce his judgments upon that city. The extreme depravity of the Ninevites was so notorious, that Jonah appears to have been afraid to venture himself amongst them; and it was not till he was miraculously convinced that the command was imperative, that he could prevail upon himself to go. When, at length, he went, he cried against the city, "Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" Then it was that "the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them." It was not in vain that they did so; for it is said, "God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not." (Jonah iii.)

The Scriptures not only furnish us with striking instances of the success of fasting, but inform us

that there are cases in which fasting only is available. When Jesus had expelled a devil, which the disciples had in vain tried to eject, they came to their Master apart, and said, 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 goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting." (Matt. xvii. 19-21.)

That the success of fasting has been equal to the extent of its observance, in more modern times, the history of the church, and biographical notices of eminent individuals, will convince the patient enquirer. As far as it has been practised, it has benefited nations, churches, families, and individuals.* Indeed it is but reasonable to ascribe that protection which this nation enjoyed, while so many countries were desolated, during the late war, to the efficacy of those annual and public fasts, at that time enjoined by authority. Had they been better observed, no doubt our blessings would have been greater still. Not only would our peace have flowed as a river, but our righteousness would have been as the waves of the sea.

That the exercise of fasting counteracts the influence of Satan, is to every pious mind a strong recommendation of it. Many have been the enquiries about the origin of evil; yet all we know of it is, that it is the work of the devil, and that to him and his emissaries are to be attributed all the miseries we endure. As to the mode of the enemy's operation upon human beings, we are in a great measure ignorant of it; but that the flesh is the great instrument by which the wicked one

• See Note XIX.

carries on his warfare with the spirit, we may learn from the manner in which the terms flesh and spirit are contrasted, and opposed to each other, in scripture. Hence we find, that in the Bible, the expressions, "fleshly wisdom," (2 Cor. i. 12.). "the fleshly mind," (Col. ii. 18.) and "fleshly lusts," (1 Pet. ii. 11.) are all described as directly in opposition to the work of grace. From these representations we infer, that he who crucifies the flesh, with its affections and lusts, so far snatches a powerful weapon out of the hands of the prince of darkness, and diminishes the effects of Satan's malignity. In proportion as the power of the enemy is controlled, the prosperity of true religion is promoted. Fasting accomplishes this, not only by subduing the flesh, but by augmenting the power of example, by employing more intense intercession, by rousing increased zeal, by inflaming more animated love; in all these ways it benefits mankind generally, and thus the person who observes this duty acts the part of a true philanthropist; for that is the best philanthropy which leads our fellow creatures from the snares of sin, and inclines them to lay hold of eternal life.

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Fasting must be considered as one of the ordinary means of grace. By means of grace," we mean those duties, in the performance of which we obtain spiritual blessings. And that fasting is employed by the Divine Being, as the medium of conveying blessing to the soul, the promises and declarations of scripture testify. As an encouragement to a right performance of this duty, the Lord has engaged, by the prophet Isaiah, to this effect: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness shall go before thee: the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry,