44 LIFE AA'D CORRESPONDENCE OF THE [l/Sl 



(though they call to Him in distress) without Repentance and Amend- 

 ment of life. 



" Behold, says the prophet, in the day of your Fast, you find pleas- 

 ure and exact all your labours" — Amidst all your pretended Humilia- 

 tions before me, you still find a way of gratifying your own Passions 

 and Covetousness, grieving and oppressing the Poor, and exacting 

 every labour of those over whom you rule — Nay, instead of fasting from 

 the Love and Fear of God — " Behold ye fast for strife and debate, and 

 to smite with the fist of wickedness." Your Fasts have only an out- 

 ward appearance of devotion, while their true design is to promote some 

 selfish or party view, or to sanctify in the sight of men some enormous 

 wickedness; for such was the conduct of Jezebel, who, having deter- 

 mined to destroy Naboth, and rob him of his vineyard, ordered a fast 

 to be proclaimed, and to have him falsely arraigned and condemned of 

 blasphemy, as a part of that day's solemnity. 



But, saith the Prophet, all this is abomination; and if you would 

 truly Fast, it shall not be as you Fast this day, to make your " Voice to 

 be heard on high," as if noise and outward vehemency could supply the 

 place of true humiliation of soul and inward piety — Instead of having 

 the fear and love of God reigning in your hearts; instead of bending in 

 humble adoration before his throne ; purging away the dross of your 

 iniquity, and setting your whole affections, your hopes of relief and 

 deliverance, on the most High, "You Fast to appear righteous before 

 men, and to promote your own unjust views." But, continues the 

 prophet — "Is it such a Fast as this that the Lord has chosen — For a 

 man 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 

 unto the Lord? " These are all vain pageantries and insignificant cere- 

 monies of themselves, and no way tending to renew and purify the heart. 



But, continues our sublime Prophet, would you know the true Fast 

 which the Lord hath chosen, is it not this? — 



" To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens ; to 

 let the oppressed go free, and to break evei-y yoke? Is it not to deal 

 thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poor that are out cast 

 to thy house? When thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and 

 that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh." 



Here is a glorious catalogue of Virtues, a divine frame of Soul to 

 bring with us in our humble a])proaches to God. For, without this 

 divine frame of Soul, what are all the Mortifications of the flesh ; what 

 are all the penances inflicted on the Body, what is bowing down the 

 head to the earth, the prostrating ourselves on sackcloth, the wallowing 

 in ashes, or any outward rite or performance compared to this holy, 

 humble and benevolent frame of mind, and those deeds of Virtue, 

 B^Mieficence, Mercy and Justice which Isaiah prescribes as the true 

 Requisites of a fast? 



