2. To this, other circumstances were usually joined by them of old, which had no necessary connexion with it. Such were the neglect of their apparel, the laying aside those ornaments which they were accustomed to wear: the putting on mourning, the strewing ashes upon their head, or wearing sackcloth next their skin. But we find little mention made in the New Testament, of any of these indifferent circumstances. Nor does it appear that any stress was laid upon them, by the Christians of the purer ages; however some penitents might voluntarily use them, as outward signs of inward humiliation. Much less did the apostles or the Christians cotemporary with them, beat or tear their own flesh. Such _discipline_ as this was not unbecoming the priests or worshippers of _Baal_. The gods of the Heathens were but devils; and it was doubtless acceptable to their devil-god, when his priests [99]_cried aloud, and cut themselves after this manner, till the blood gushed out upon them_: but it cannot be pleasing to him, nor become his followers, who _came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them_. 3. As to the degrees or measures of fasting, we have instances of some who have fasted several days together. So _Moses_, _Elijah_ and our blessed Lord, being indued with supernatural strength for that purpose, are recorded to have fasted without intermission, _forty days and forty nights_. But the time of fasting more frequently mentioned in scripture, is, one day, from morning till evening. And this was the fast commonly observed among the ancient Christians. But beside these, they had also their half-fasts (_Semi-jejunia_, as _Tertullian_ stiles them) on the fourth and six days of the week (Wednesday and Friday) throughout the year: on which they took no sustenance till three in the afternoon, the time when they returned from the public service. 4. Nearly related to this, is what our church seems peculiarly to mean by the term _abstinence_: which may be used when we cannot fast entirely by reason of sickness or bodily weakness. This is, the eating little; the abstaining in part; the taking a smaller quantity of food than usual. I do not remember any scriptural instance of this. But neither can I condemn it. For the scripture does not: it may have its use, and receive a blessing from God.