I. 1. I shall endeavour to shew, first, what is the nature of fasting, and what the several sorts and degrees thereof. As to the nature of it, all the inspired writers, both in the Old Testament and the New, take the word, to fast, in one single sense, for not to eat, to abstain from food. This is so clear, that it would be labour lost to quote the words of David, Nehemiah, Isaiah, and the prophets which followed, or of our Lord and his apostles; all agreeing in this, that, to fast, is not to eat for a time prescribed.
2. To this, other circumstances were usually joined by them of old, which had no necessary connexion with it. Such were the neglect of their apparel, the laying aside those ornaments which they were accustomed to wear: the putting on mourning, the strewing ashes upon their head, or wearing sackcloth next their skin. But we find little mention made in the New Testament, of any of these indifferent circumstances. Nor does it appear that any stress was laid upon them, by the Christians of the purer ages; however some penitents might voluntarily use them, as outward signs of inward humiliation. Much less did the apostles or the Christians cotemporary with them, beat or teartheir own flesh. Such discipline as this was not unbecoming the priests or worshippers of Baal. The gods of the Heathens were but devils; and it was doubtless acceptable to their devil-god, when his priests [99]cried aloud, and cut themselves after this manner, till the blood gushed out upon them: but it cannot be pleasing to him, nor become his followers, who came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them.
3. As to the degrees or measures of fasting, we have instances of some who have fasted several days together. So Moses, Elijah and our blessed Lord, being indued with supernatural strength for that purpose, are recorded to have fasted without intermission, forty days and forty nights. But the time of fasting more frequently mentioned in scripture, is, one day, from morning till evening. And this was the fast commonly observed among the ancient Christians. But beside these, they had also their half-fasts (Semi-jejunia, as Tertullian stiles them) on the fourth and six days of the week (Wednesday and Friday) throughout the year: on which they took no sustenance till three in the afternoon, the time when they returned from the public service.
4. Nearly related to this, is what our church seems peculiarly to mean by the term abstinence: which may be used when we cannot fast entirely by reason of sickness or bodily weakness. This is,the eating little; the abstaining in part; the taking a smaller quantity of food than usual. I do not remember any scriptural instance of this. But neither can I condemn it. For the scripture does not: it may have its use, and receive a blessing from God.
5. The lowest kind of fasting, if it can be called by that name, is the abstaining from pleasant food. Of this we have several instances in scripture, besides that of Daniel and his brethren: who from a peculiar consideration, namely, that they might [100]not defile themselves with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank, (a daily provision of which the king had appointed for them) requested and obtained of the prince of the Eunuchs, pulse to eat and water to drink. Perhaps from a mistaken imitation of this, might spring the very ancient custom, of abstaining from flesh and wine during such times as were set a-part for fasting and abstinence. If it did not rather arise from a supposition that these were the most pleasant food, and a belief, that it was proper to use what was least pleasing, at those times of solemn approach to God.
6. In the Jewish church, there were some stated fasts. Such was the fast of the seventh month, appointed by God himself, to be observed by all Israel, under the severest penalty. [101] The Lord spake unto Moses saying, on the tenthday of the seventh month, there shall be a day of atonement; and ye shall afflict your souls—to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. In after ages several other stated fasts were added to these. So mention is made by the prophet Zechariah, of the fast, not only [102]of the seventh, but also of the fourth, of the fifth, and of the tenth month.
In the ancient Christian church there were likewise stated fasts, and 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, asthe 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.