n anything which will
expose you to temptation; whenever you perceive any signs of declension
in your own soul; when the state of religion around you is low; when
your heart is affected with the condition of individuals who are living
in impenitence; or when any subject lies heavily upon your mind;--make
the matter, whatever it is, a subject of special prayer. Independent of
Scripture authority, there is a peculiar fitness in the course here
recommended, which must commend itself to every pious heart.

In seasons of peculiar difficulty, or when earnestly seeking any great
blessing, you may find benefit from setting apart days of fasting,
humiliation and prayer. This is especially suitable, whenever you
discover any sensible decay of spiritual affections in your own heart.
Fasting and prayer have been resorted to on special occasions, by
eminent saints, in all ages of the world. The examples recorded in
Scripture are too numerous to mention here. If you look over the lives
of the old Testament saints, you will find this practice very common.
Nor is the New Testament without warrant for the same. Our Lord himself
set the example, by a long season of fasting, when about to endure a
severe conflict with the tempter. And he has farther sanctioned the
practice, by giving directions respecting its performance. We have also
examples in the Acts of the Apostles. The prophets and teachers, in the
church at Antioch, fasted before separating Barnabas and Paul as
missionaries to the heathen. And when they obtained elders in the
churches, they prayed, _with fasting_. Paul, in his epistle to the
Corinthians, speaks of their giving themselves to _fasting and prayer_,
as though it were a frequent custom. You will find, also, in examining
the lives of persons of eminent spiritual attainments, that most of them
were in the habit of observing frequent seasons of fasting and prayer.
There is a peculiar fitness in this act of humiliation. It is calculated
to bring the body under, and to assist us in denying self. The length of
time it gives us in our closets also enables us to get clearer views of
divine things. But there is great danger of trusting in the outward act
of humiliation, and expecting that God will answer our prayers for the
sake of our fasting. This will inevitably bring upon us disappointment
and leanness of soul. This is the kind of fasting so common among Roman
Catholics, and other nominal Christians. But it is no better than