LET fuch People have recourse to the Example of Timothy, who was an apoftolical Bishop. His History teaches us, that he was weakly, and subject to frequent Infirmities, who notwithstanding he may be fuppofed to have enjoyed the extraordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, yet in this State of Divine Greatnefs, and Bodily Weakness, he wanted the Authority and Advice of an Apostle to perfwade him to drink any thing befides Water. This we are fufficiently taught, by the Apoftle's giving this Advice in his Epiftle to him, Drink no longer Water, that is, nothing but Water, but use a little Wine for thy Stomach's Sake, and thine often Infirmities.

LASTLY, The World abounds with People who are weakly and tender merely by their Indulgences; they have bad Nerves, low Spirits, and frequent Indifpofitions, through Irregularity, Idleness, and Indulgence.

Now these People, it is true, are not fit for Fafting, and perhaps if they were to deal faithfully with themfelves, they would find that they are as unfit for noft other Exercises of Religion; and confequently if their Condition might be pleaded as an Objection against the Neceffity of Fafting, it might as well be pleaded against the Neceffity

Neceffity of half the Duties of Chriftianity.

UPON the whole Matter it appears, that Fafting is a conftant univerfal Duty, and that it is liable to no other Exceptions, than fuch as are common to several other great Duties of Religion.

IT is no fix'd Degree of Sorrow that is the common Repentance of all Men, it is no particular Sum of Money that is the common Charity of all Men, it is no fix'd Form, or Length, or Hour of Prayer, that is the common Devotion of all Men, yet all these are conftant and univerfal Duties.

IN like Manner, though Fafting may be fubject to all the fame Variations, yet is it a conftant and univerfal Duty.

JUSTUS is a grave fober Man, he is very angry at thofe People who neglect or ridicule Fafting; he thinks they know nothing of Religion.

THUS far Justus is very right, and knowing thus much, one would wonder that he is so inconsistent with himself, for presently after this, Juftus will tell you, that he never fafts but upon Good-Friday and the Thirtieth of January.

IF Juftus had lived before the Murder of King Charles, he had had but one Fast in the Year, yet in all Likelihood he would

have then stood up for the Doctrine of Fafting.

IF a Man was to be angry at those who neglect or defpife the Service of the Church, as People that know nothing of Religion, and then tell you that he himfelf never goes thither, but on Good-Friday and the Thirtieth of January, you would say that he knew nothing of the Nature of Church-Service.

Now Juftus fhews the fame Ignorance of the Nature of Fafting.

FOR if Prayer and Repentance, and the Service of the Church, were not common Acts of Devotion, and right and neceffary Ways of worshipping God, they would not be neceffary upon Good-Friday, or any other particular Day.

IN like Manner, unless Fafting was a common and neccffary Part of Religion, fomething that was always a proper Means of applying to God, it would neither be neceffary, nor acceptable, on thofe particular Days.

FOR it is not the Day that makes the Duty to be neceffary, but the Day happens to be a proper Occafion of exercifing a ne ceffary Duty.

SOME great Calamity happens to you, you do very well to make it an Occafion of exercising great Devotion; but if you

ftay

stay till some other Calamity happens, before you pray again, or think that Prayer is only proper in Times of Calamity, you know nothing of Devotion.

IT is the fame thing in Fafting; some great Occafion may juftly call you to it, but if you forbear Fafting, till fuch great Occafions happen again, or think that Fafting is only proper for fuch publick Occafions, you know nothing of the Nature of Fafting.

IF Juftus was to fay that he never repents but on thofe publick Days, he might as eafily defend himself, as when he says, he only fafts at those Times.

FOR is there any Benefit in Fafting on those particular Days? Does it add any thing to your Piety and Devotion? Does it make your Repentance and Sorrow for Sin more real and affecting? Does it calm and abate your Paffions, leffen the Power of your Body, and put you in a better State of Devotion, than when you take your ufual Meals? If it has not fomething of this Effect, where is the Use of it at fuch Times when you would have your Devotions the best performed? And if it has this Effect, how comes it that you will have but one or two fuch Days in the Year? Why will you not thus affect your Soul, thus affift your Devotions, thus difci

pline your Body, thus allay your Paffions, thus raise your Heart, thus humble your felf till the Day comes, on which King Charles was Murdered? Is not this like ftaying till then, before you repent?

OUR Bleffed Saviour faith, But thou, when thou_fafteft, anoint thine Head, and wash thy Face, that thou appear not unto Men to faft, but unto thy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which is in fecret Shall reward thee openly (a).

HERE our Saviour's Advice relates wholly to private Fafting, to which other People are to be Strangers, to fuch a Fafting as is a fecret Service to God, who will therefore highly reward it. Yet Fuftus tells you that he fafts only twice in the Year, and that on publick Days. Now what is this to be called, is it Weakness, or Perverseness?

IF you was to ask me whether frequent, pirvate Prayer, be a neceffary Duty, I fhould think it fufficient to read to you the following Paffage, But thou, when thou prayeft, enter into thy Clofet, and when thou hast shut thy Door, pray to thy Father which is in fecret, and thy Father which feeth in fecret shall reward the openly.

(a) Mat. vi. 17.

NOTHING