the more or less neceffary Employments of this World, hinder the effectual Care of our Souls, and will not fuffer us to think what is reasonable to be done for Salvation. And therefore they who are moft fenfible of the Engagements of Bufinefs, and of Worldly Affairs, and are moft fenfible how closely the Diverfions of common Life pursue one another, are of all others moft eafily convinced how neceffary it is to fet apart fome Time for Falting and Prayer, and Reflections upon their own Actions, and refolving, upon good and serious Deliberation, what to do for the future, and for thinking of another Life, that they may get fuch a Sense of these Things upon their Minds, as fhall laft and govern afterwards. I know indeed that Men Serve God in the Pursuance of an honeft Calling and Profeffion, and they may Keep a good Confcience in the Way of Converfation and Recreation; but then this is true, fuppofing only that we do not give way to the Temptations to Sin, which befet us in our lawful Bufinefs, and in our lawful Plea fure. But this I fay is the Difficulty, to be always guarded against the Temptations to Covetoufnels, to Injuftice, Intemperance, Senfuality, and the like, when we allow our felves no Solemn Time to imprint the Reafons of Watchfulness upon our Minds.

And therefore the Lent Seafon of Abstinence was a good Inftitution, it being defign'd to divert and call Men off from their ufual Engagements in the World, who perhaps would never think of any ferious retreating from the Purfuance of Worldly Affairs, if it were not a Matter of publick and general Cuftom. I care not to difpute about the Authority upon which fome have pretended to fhew that the Obfervation of Lent doth ftand, it is enough to me, and thould be to all of us, that it is a Wholsome Appointment confidering the State of Men in this World, and needful enough almost for all Perfons, who would otherwise let the Year, go from one End of it to the other, without any ferious Recollection of themfelves, or, which is the fame thing, without fetting any Time for their Souls, but make the whole Year a Term for this World, and not find out any Time for the Bufinefs and Concern of another.

A third Use of Fafting and outward Humiliation, which I fhall mention (and I fhall mention no more) is to avert thofe fudgments of God from us which our Sins bave deferved, I mean Temporal Judgments. I find that this Way has proved effectual for that Purpose, and amongst many Inftances of it, I'fhall put you in mind but of these two; The one of Abab, who being threatned

for

"

for the Murder of Naboth, and for taking Poffeffion of his Vineyard, rent his Cloaths, and put Sackcloth upon his Flesh, and fafted, and lay in Sackcloth, and went foftly, he abited of his high and fupercilious Carriage, and humbled himself before God; and God faid to Elijah, Seeft thou how Ahab humbleth bimfelf before me? Because he bumbleth himfelf before me, I will not bring the Evil in his Days, 1 Kings 21. 27, 28, 29. The other of the Ninevites, who being threatned with Destruction after Forty Days, fafted and prayed, and repented, and turned from their evil Way, and faid, Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce Anger? Jonah 3. And that Humiliation of theirs faved them from the threatned Deftruction. Now they who do not need any extraordinary Humiliation upon their own Account, in this Particular may upon very good reafon come in for a Share upon this Account; for if we would not be punifhed for other Mens Sins, as that often happens in this World, we fhould lament and bewail other Mens Sins, the Sins of our Forefathers, the Sins of our Neighbours and Countrymen, and there is the more reason why good Men and Women fhould do thus, and confefs the Sins of others, as if they were their own, becaufe it is hard to bring thofe who have moft need to confess, and

to be afflicted, to a due Senfe of what they ought to do. But if all would be perfuaded to humble themselves before God, and with one Confent to confefs their Sins, and to implore his Mercy, if the Young Man would for fome Time take Leave of his Pleasures, and the Tradesman come out of his Shop, if the Women would forget their Ornaments, and the Bridegroom go forth of his Chamber, and the Bride out of her Clofet, and with the Priefts, the Minifters of the Lord, all as one Perfon present themfelves every where before God with fafting, and pray, Spare thy People, O Lord, fpare us, to fave a finful Nation, that owes fo much to the Juftice of God as we do, for defpifing both his Judgments and Mercies, fuch an Appearance of Repentance and Humiliation has this in it, that it doth fome Honour to the Divine Juftice, and keeps off the abfolute need of its interpofing againft us for its own Reputation in the World.

And now we fee that the before-mention'd Abufes of Religious Fafting fhould by no Means deprive us of the Ufe of so advan. tageous a Thing.

The Sum then is this: Let us do that in Sincerity which others do in Hypocrify: Let us do that in this Duty of Fafting with true. Understanding and Judgment, which others do in Ignorance and Superftition, and do

that

that with Freedom which others do with Scruple and Vexation.

It cannot be expected that fuch Rules and Directions fhould be given about these Things, which will equally ferve the Turn. of all manner of Perfons; for the Needs of Men are different, and the Tempers of Mens Bodies and Minds are different; and therefore thefe Inftructions are of little Ufe to those that do not understand how to accom-. modate them to themfelves by Experience of themselves.

The Scripture fpeaks of Fafting and Abftinence in the general, fo doth our Church, without prefcribing Particulars, and fo ought all wife Men to do when they speak to a great many, or with general Directions

about it.

This is a Piece of Difcipline that is generally needful, but not without Exception; all do not need it equally; generally it may and ought to be practifed, not without Exception of fome that cannot do it; and they that find themselves made more unfit by Abftinence for Prayer and Devotion, should not use Abftinence. They who need Relaxation (not to gratify a voluptuous Appetite, but to bring themselves into a better Frame for God's Service) may also use it without Scruple, only let us be honeft Judges for our felves, and not turn a reafoU 3 nable