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convenient times be spent in reading the word of God, or some good book, or sermons, which may be fit to direct and quicken you for the present work; also in fervent prayer: the other time alone, Matt. vi. 18, let it be spent as I have showed before.

If some public or necessary occasion, such as you could not well foresee or prevent, when you made choice of your day of private fast, happen to interrupt you; I judge that you may attend those occasions, notwithstanding your fast. But do it thus: if they may be despatched with little ado, then despatch them, and after continue your fast; but if you cannot, I think that you had better be humbled that you were hindered, break off your fast, and set some other day apart instead thereof; even as when a man is necessarily hindered in his vow, Numb. vi. 9 - 12.

The benefits of religious fasting.

The benefit that will accrue to you by religious fasting, will be motive enough to a frequent use of it, as there shall be cause.

1st. It was never read or heard of, that a fast was kept in truth, according to the former directions from the word, but it either obtained the particular blessing for which it was kept, or at least a better, to him that fasted, Judges xx. 26 - 35, 1 Sam. vii. 6 - 10, Ezra viii. 23, 2 Chron. xx. 3 - 22, Jonah iii. 7 - 10.

2d. And besides those advantages, thus fasting will put the soul into such good frame, into such an habit of spiritual-mindedness, that (as when against some special entertainment, a day has been spent in searching every corner in a house, to wash and cleanse it) it will be kept clean with common sweeping a long time after.

I do acknowledge that some have fasted, and God has not regarded it, Isa. lviii. 3; yea, he tells some before-hand, that if they fast, he will not hear their cry, Jer. xiv. 12. But these were such who fasted not to God, Zech. vii. 5 - 12; they only sought themselves; they would not hearken to his word; there was no putting away of sin, or loosing the bands of wickedness, &c., Isa. lviii. 6; no mortification of sin, no re-