when thou fastest." Yes, these words, with the example of Christ and the apostles, is evidence enough to convince the believer that he ought to fast; and it is plain from the words of Christ, that Fasting, is to be observed in such a manner as not to have it known to men: "That thou appear not unto men to fast." It is not said how often nor how long we are to fast-so that it ought to be observed occasionally, but always in secret This, by being careful, may be managed in such a manner that the family to which we are attached will not be apprised of it. We can read in Acts, 13th chapter, that when Barnabus and Saul were set apart for the work whereunto they were called, that it was done by Fasting, Praying, and laying on of hands. I do believe that it becometh the whole church of Christ to fast occasionally, especially when we undertake to separate brethren for the work of the ministry. This is an important undertaking, a very solemn, yea, weighty matter; and that this work may be of the Lord's doings, or that the church may be controlled by the Lord, in selecting a brother, or brethren, for the ministry, it becometh the whole church, when they are apprised of such an undertaking, to fast, that their bodies may be in a temperate state, and pray to God that they might be qualified to say who it is, that he would have to take a part in the ministry. And furthermore, the members, previous to the time of determination or interrogation, ought to be careful not to make it an every day's talk, they ought to consult no one but God, and thus give no encouragement to an electioneering spirit. Fasting was quite common among the Jews. Moses fasted for the space of forty days, Deut. ix. 9, 18, and x-10, Exod. xxxiv. 28-Elijah fasted forty days, i. Kings, xix. 8: and our Saviour also fasted forty days, Mat iv. 2. If there was no benefit derived from Fast ing at certain times, I am convinced that the Saviour, the apostles and the saints, would not have done so. Yes, occasional Fasting if observed with a single eye to the glory of God and the salvation and purification of the soul, will be of great advantage to the believer. It gives the believer a clear conception of his dependence upon Almighty God, and of the doctrine of self-denial. Yes, it tends to humiliation, and teaches the believer, that in order to his sanctification, he must not only abstain from sin, but from the very appearance of sin. (See i. Thes. v. 22, 23.) It is useless for persons to fast when it is not their intention to do what is right. Hear the word of the Lord to such as do not fast in order to be enabled to do what is right-yea, to perform the acceptable will of God: "Wherefore, have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast, ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors! Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high! Is it such a fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast and an acceptable day to the Lord; is not this the fast that I have chosen-to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not 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." Isa. lviii. 3, 7. I shall new conclude my remarks on Singing, Praying, and Fasting-and it is my wish that you would compare them with the Gospel, and see whether they are agreeable to the will of God; and if you find that they agree with the Gospel, I entreat you to receive the same, and they will make for your future felicity. As an exhortation to prayer, hear the words of a certain poet: 1 What various hindrances we meet In coming to a mercy-seat! Yet who that knows the worth of prayer, 2 Prayer makes the dark'ned cloud withdraw, Brings ev'ry blessing from above. 3 Restraining prayer, we cease to fight, The weakest saint upon his knees. 4 While Moses stood with arms spread wide, 5 Have you no words? ah! think again- 6 Were half the breath thus vainly spent, Your cheerful song would oftner be, "Hear what the Lord hath done for me." CHAPTER XIX. AN ADDRESS TO THE READER. READER, I have endeavored, in this work, to impress upon your mind, the great necessity of obeying God, our Heavenly Father, in all his precepts. Yes, this, and to throw some light upon the order to be observed in the House of God, is what has induced me to write this book. What reception it may meet with, is unknown to me. Had it not been for so much deviation from the true observance of Christ's precepts, I do not suppose that I should have thought it necessary to do so;-but how can I well forbear, believing as I do, that we cannot be too particular in observing every command of the New Testament? and at the same time seeing and hearing so much in opposition to many of the precepts of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our dear Redeemer declared and said, in his sermon delivered upon the mountain, as you can read in Mat. vii. 21, 23, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kindgdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Now, from the above we may truly infer that notwithstanding our calling upon the name of the Lord, which is our reasonable service, if we do not observe the will of the Lord, we shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven; and that many persons, yea, preachers, may and will live and die in a state of deception, being under the impression that they are the chosen ones of the Lord. But in the final day of reckoning, it will be revealed to men and angels, that they were in a state of delusion. Oh! the danger, the great danger of being deceived! The apostle tells us, "For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light;" therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. ii. Cor. xi. 14, 15-and Christ declared, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, in so much, that if it were possible, they shall decive the very elect." God's elect are such as have, by a comformity to the will of God, entered into the church of Christ, and are living up to their christian priviliges. Now all such receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which abideth in them— and this anointing teacheth them not only a part, but the whole will of God, and the observance of it. (See i. John, ii. 27.) And where it not for this annointing, the devil could deceive the children of God; for it is certain that all those that have received, and do observe, this annointing, cannot be seduced to believe in a false or wrong observance of any one of the precepts of Jesus. Nevertheless, it is possible for them to fall from grace and be lost. But as long as they preserve that love and affection for God and his word which they received at the first they cannot sin-that is, wilfully; for his seed remaineth in him; therefore, in order to his fall, he must lose that love for the truth. And this love or affection for God and his word is the very best assurance that we can have of our acceptance with God; and to prove this, I will call the attention of the reader to what Christ hath said npon this subject: John, viii. 47, "He that is of God, heareth God's words; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. He that |