fasts were instituted: by Joshua, when some of his men had been slain by the men of Ai'': by the eleven tribes of Israel, when in two successive conflicts they had been defeated with great slaughter by the tribe of Benjamin''. Besides other public fasts ordered by those in authority, we find the most eminent of God's servants observing fasts in private. David, as well on account of the unhappy state of his enemies, as on account of his own personal afflictions, " wept aiid chastened his soul with fasting'^:" and Daniel, desirous of knowing the time which God had fixed for the deliverance of his people from Babylon, sought the Lord, not in prayer only, but " with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes®." These things, though observed under the law, shew that fasting was not a mere legal ordinance, which in due time was to be disannulled ; but a mode of worship suited to the necessities of our fallen nature, and acceptable to God at all times. Indeed, the heathens them- selves saw the propriety of approaching God in this manner; insomuch that the governors of Nineveh, when threatened with the divine judgments, proclaimed a fast, and caused it to be strictly observed, not by the people only, but even by the beasts themselves '^.]
2. That all his followers would be observant of it — [This he takes for gi'anted : for why should he give them directions respecting an ordinance which he did not intend them to observe, and which he knew they would not observe? It is manifest that he expected his people to fast, as well as to give alms and pray; and indeed, on anotlier occasion, he declared they should fast. During his presence with them, it would not have been expedient for him to require it, (because his disciples were not yet prepared for such austerities;) nor would it have been suited to their state and condition, (be- cause it was rather a season proper for holy joy:) but after his removal from them, there would be abundant occasion for such self-denying duties ; and his disciples would be strengthened for the performance of them^. Accordingly we find that they were " in fastings often," and that they rarely addressed themselves to any extraordinary duty, such as that of ordaining elders, or separating persons to the work of the ministry, with- out having first implored direction from God in fasting and prayer^.]
Having shewn that there is a duty implied in the text, we proceed to consider, II. What is expressed —
^ Josh. vii. 6. <^ Judg. xx, 26.
^ Ps. XXXV. 13. 2 Sam. xii. IG.' ^ Dan. ix. 3.
<■ Jonah ill. G — 8. s Matt. ix. 14— 17. " Acts xiii. 2, 3. and xiv. 23.