in the time of it, or before it, or after it. Isa. lviii. 6, "Is not this the fast that I have chosen?" Ver. 7, " To deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out, to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh." Let the poor be gainers by your fast; for it is the promise of God that "he that watereth, shall be watered also himself." Prov. xi. 25. And one's finding mercy with God, natively issues a merciful disposition towards one's fellow creatures, Matth. xviii. 33; Eph. iv. 32.

DIRECTION XI. Before you give over your work, you will do well to consider seriously, that you are now the Lord's, and no more your own; and forasmuch as your covenanting God supposeth that you are resolved to reform, and to walk more closely with God, lay down resolutions, in the strength of your covenanted God, to watch. And by all means forget not to consider what are those things whereby in a special manner your spiritual condition had formerly been worsted; and by what means it may be kept right; and sincerely resolve to eschew the one and pursue the other, that so what gaps have been in your conversation may be filled up, whereby it will appear that by your fast you have been set forward in your Christian course. And withal, review your failures in all the parts of the exercise you have now been employed in.

DIRECTION XII. You may conclude the work with prayer, wherein you may humbly confess your failures in the management of this duty, and apply anew to the blood of sprinkling for purging them away; avouch your covenant-interest in God, and his in you; and lay the causes of your fast again before him, and solemnly leave them on him. The laying over a matter on the Lord believingly, in prayer, gives great ease to a burdened heart; it turns a fast sometimes into a spiritual feast. When Hannah had done so with her case, she went away and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad," 1 Sam. i. 18. Aud lay over yourself upon him, for the grace of the covenant, to subdue your corruptions, bear you up against temptations, and carry on your resolutions, that you may go out into the world again, in the faith of his grace sufficient for you in all exigencies.

rit.

DIRECTION XIII. When the work is over, take heed to your spiAnd,

1. Beware of spiritual pride. Do not value yourself upon the account of the work done, as they did who said, "Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest not?" Isa. lviii. 3. The opinion of the merit of good works, is what the heart of man easily goes off into, by its natural bias; and there is so much of the old man in the best, that

they are apt to think high of their religious performances and services. Wherefore be on your guard, particularly on that side; and consider the perfection required by the holy law, and keep in view your own mismanagements, so as when you shall have done all those things, you may be obliged to say, "We are unprofitable servants," Luke xvii. 10.

2. Beware of carnal security. Saints sometimes fall asleep quickly after a full meal of spiritual enjoyment; as it fared with the spouse, Cant. v. 1, 2. And Satan, watching the advantage, rallies his scattered forces, and with his wounded men burns the city. So it comes to pass, that, according to Solomon's observe, Prov. xii. 27, "The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting." What was gathered with much pains, is lost through unwatchfulness ere he gets the use of it.

3. Lastly, Beware of forgetting the causes of your fast; but in your ordinary addresses to God, remember them, and wait on for an answer; Psalm v. 3, "I will direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." Prayers may be accepted, and yet not presently answered. In which case, it is necessary that with patience we wait for a return from heaven, meanwhile using the appointed means for obtaining the end. The neglecting hereof may provoke the Lord to continue the symptoms of his anger, or stroke of his hand, which otherwise might sooner be removed; and to leave one perplexed and embarrassed in matters wherein light is needed.

But in your waiting for light, whatever the Sovereign Lord may do, do not you look for impressions, far less for voices, nor extraordinary revelations in any manner of way, to discover your duty in particular cases, 2 Pet. i. 18, 19. But having laid yourself fairly open to the divine determination, and made humble and earnest supplication unto God for light in your particular case, believe that you shall be guided, taught, and directed by him, according to his promise, Psalm xxv. 9; Prov. iii. 6. And then, in dependence on the Lord, weigh the matter and circumstantiate case in the balance of sanctified reason, according to the general directions of the Word, such as Philip. iv. 8, " Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." And carefully observe the conduct and motions of providence, with reference to it, still comparing them with the Word. And you will find that he will guide you with his eye, according to the promise, Psalm xxxii. 8. And with respect thereto, you may put up that petition unto him in faith, Psalm lxxxvi. 17, "Shew me a token for good." Thus far of personal fasting and humiliation.

CHAPTER III.

OF FAMILY FASTING AND HUMILIATION IN PARTICULAR.

WHEREIN the substance of this duty, which is the same in all religious fasts whatsoever, doth consist, is already declared. And there being many things common to family fasts, with personal ones of which we have treated at large; it remains only to add here some few things peculiar to family fastings. And,

First, As to the divine warrant for it, one may be satisfied upon these grounds.

1. Forasmuch as every Christian family ought to be a church, Rom. xvi. 5, to receive all ordinances appointed of God, and competent to them in their family capacity; and that religious fasting is an ordinance of divine appointment, in the nature whereof there is nothing to hinder its being performed by a family in their family capacity, it is evident that family fasting and humiliation is a part of family worship; namely, an extraordinary part thereof, to be occasionally performed. Accordingly, it is promised, as an effect of the pouring out of the Spirit; Zech. xii. 12, "The land shall mourn, every family apart." We have also a plain instance of it, in Esther's family, on the occasion of the mischievous decree against the Jews, procured by Haman; Esther iv. 16, “I also and my maidens will fast likewise." And the fasting of the Jews, on the same occasion, in every province whithersoever that decree came, mentioned ver. 3, seems to have been mostly, if not altogether, of the same kind, to wit, family fasting; not only in respect of their circumstances in these provinces, where they were dispersed, chap. iii. 8, but also, that the thanksgiving for their deliverance was appointed to be "kept throughout every family," chap. ix. 28.

2. The ground upon which the duty of fasting and humiliation is bound upon public worshipping societies and upon particular persons, takes place also in the case of families. If national, congregational, and personal sins to be monrned over, judgments to be deprecated, and mercies to be sought, do found a call to a nation, congregation, or person, respectively, to humble themselves with fasting; can there be any reason assigned, why the same should not hold in like manner, in the case of families? Surely, as there are times wherein it goes ill with a land, or with a particular congregation, or person, so there are times wherein it goes evil with one's house, 1 Chron. vii. 23, in respect of special family sins or strokes, and in which there are special family mercies needed. And families

are obliged to the using of the same appointed means for getting rid of the one, and obtaining the other, as other worshipping societies and particular persons are, in their respective cases. And where the concern of members of a family is common, although it be not equal, all of them ought, in reason, to take part of the burden.

3. Lastly, The promise made to joint prayers hath weight here, Matth. xviii. 19, "If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven." Ver. 20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." It is certain there is such a thing as extraordinary prayer, which hath a share in the benefit of this promise; and if the Lord is pleased to lay such a weight on some of his people, their agreeing together to ask a thing of him, or their sounding together, as the word properly signifies; it is not to be doubted, but extraordinary prayer in families upon some special occasions, is both required by him, and acceptable unto him through Jesus Christ his Son.

Secondly, As for a providential call to family fasting and humiliation by what is said before, for clearing of one's call to personal fasting, it may be judged of and discerned; the circumstances of the family being duly considered, and what the conduct of providence towards it appears to point unto. The case of others, in whom the family hath a particular concern, especially the case of the church, may found a call to family fasting, as is clear from the practice of Esther with her maids, Esther iv. 16. And so may the private case of the family itself; whether in respect of family sins, family strokes, threatened or inflicted, or some special family mercies to be desired. And since the exemplification of these general heads, in one's private case, made in the second section of the foregoing chapter, may, without difficulty, be accommodated to the case of one's family, by persons of the meanest capacity disposed to consider them, it is not necessary here to descend to particulars again.

Lastly, For directions towards family fasting, there are but few that need to be added unto those given before, in the case of personal fasting. It is plain, from the nature of the thing, that the external ordering and management of this matter belongs to the head of the family; and he or she is discreetly to choose and appoint the time and place wherein the family may perform the duty with least disturbance; and to see that all be done decently and in order. And,

1. Let the head of the family, some competent time, at least the night before, give notice to them, that such a time is set apart for, and to be spent in, that exercise; and withal show them the causes of it, and exhort them to stir up themselves to the duties of such a

solemn approach unto God. Common prudence will direct, as well as Christian duty doth oblige, the husband to consult his wife aforehand, as to the fixing of the time to be set apart in the family for that extraordinary piece of devotion.

2. In the morning, let each member of the family go apart by himself into some secret place, and there spend some time in reviewing, confessing, covenanting, praying, and supplicating, as directed in the case of personal fasting, so far as he can overtake them. The more conscientiously this secret work is managed, it will readily fare the better with the family, when met together.

3. Let the head of the family, having taken to himself, and allowed to them a competent time for their extraordinary secret devotions, thereafter call them together. And the family being convened, he may again, if need be, lay before them the causes of their fast, with suitable exhortations and encouragements for exciting them unto the duty. And, after calling on God for the aid of his Holy Spirit, let him sing with them some psalm or part of a psalm, suitable to such an occasion, such as Psalm 1xxx. 1, and downwards; Psalm xxxix. 6, to the end; Psalm li. 1, and downwards; read before them some pertinent passage of Scripture, such as those mentioned in the sixth Direction of the preceding chapter, and then pray with them. After prayer made by the head of the family, let the mistress of the family, and such others as he judgeth fit, pray one after another. It is very desirable, that each member of the family, being through grace fit to be employed, do take a part in that work. In the intervals of prayer, there may be singing, reading, or conference, as may be found most expedient.

4. It is fit that, in these prayers, there be extraordinary confession of sin, as particular as may be expedient; together with profession of repentance, and hearty sorrow for sin, and of unfeigned desire to return unto God, and unto the duties of a Christian life; and then, fervent and earnest supplications, upon the matters that are the peculiar causes of the fast.

5. It is proper that the concluding prayer be made by the head of the family; and that therein he resume the confessions, professions, and supplications on the matters of the fast; humbly acknowledge their failures in the management of the work; and profess their looking for pardon and acceptance through the blood of Jesus Christ alone, and also for grace to walk in the ways of new obedience, through the same atoning blood. Then the joint exercise may be closed with singing some part of a psalm, such as Psal. xc. 13, to the end, Psal. lxxxv. 6, to the end, or Psal. lxix. 30, and downward. 6. Lastly, The joint exercise of the family being over, let each of