Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 2.djvu/189

Rh but the objection made against the necessity of fasting is drawn from the absence of any explicit direction to fast habitually; let men observe then, that on the same ground they should doubt whether they should habitually receive the Lord's Supper. Nay, the direct evidence is perhaps the stronger in behalf of fasting: for in answer to the objection "The disciples of John fast oft, but thine eat and drink:" our Saviour replies, "when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, then shall they fast in those days." (Luke v. 34, 35.) Does not this then imply that the only difference between John's disciples and our Saviour's in this respect, was, that the Apostles had their Saviour still in the body, present with them; but that afterwards they should fast as John's disciples did? and when we find that they did so fast, what farther commentary on our Saviour's words do we want? and if we fast not, are we acting, as He said His disciples would? or if we make a spiritual fast, why do we not adopt spiritual sacraments, i.e. none at all? If, again, we have indications of frequent communions in the New Testament, so have we of "fastings often:" if we trace up the practice of the early Church in the sacraments to the inspired writings, and so obtain the sanction of God's word for the early practice, why not in the use of fasting which is equally clear? why not, except that the one is an obvious privilege and costs us nothing, while fasting, though a privilege, is at first painful, and so we shut our eyes and refuse to see?

"Fasting," we are told "is a legal observance, which may be useful at a certain stage of religious progress, for an infantine state in individuals or in the church; but is unfit for an advanced state, such (it is implied) as we are in." It is remarkable that the same persons, who at one time objected to fasting, as not resting on a positive law, should next complain of it as legal. It might suffice to answer. Why then did our Saviour fast? or rather, (for we dare not speculate on things too high for us,) since it was part of His Father's will that He should fast, must it not be needful for us? and may not one object of His fasting have been to leave an example to us, (as nothing, which He did, can be without its meaning to us,) and just to shew us that fasting is a spiritual action, and belongs also to a high spiritual