Matthew 6:16-18

That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

We have our LORD'S direction in these verses concerning the proper observance of Fasts. In which Jesus doth not condemn seasons of humbling the soul, but he reproves the Pharisaical method of pretending to mortify the body. Perhaps nothing in the Church of CHRIST hath opened to greater evil under the cloak of religion, than Fasts and pretended Fasts. It was the reproach those Pharisees of our LORD'S days presumed to throw upon the SON of GOD himself and his disciples, that they observed them not. Why (say they) do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees, but thine eat and drink? Luke 5:33. How little do they know the true spirit of the Gospel of Christ, who consider an abstinence from food as a real fast of the soul towards God! Fasts and Festivals, the former to mortify, and the latter to gratify the body, what are these things in the view of the LORD? The kingdom of GOD is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17. And we may say upon all those things as the Apostle doth upon another occasion; for meat commendeth us not to God, for neither if we eat are we the better, neither if we eat not are we the worse. 1 Corinthians 8:8. It is astonishing to behold, what the pride and corruption of our poor fallen nature prompts us to do, in substituting anything in the place of real vital godliness. Oh! what would we give or suffer, in respect to the body, to atone for the sin of the soul? And the reason is obvious, could men but see it. For it tends to gratify the pride of our unhumbled nature. Anything but Christ. To rely wholly upon the person, and finished salvation of the LORD JESUS, who but those taught by the Spirit of Jesus can fully do it? But those things which the Apostle saith, have indeed a shew of wisdom in will, worship, and humility, and neglecting the body. Oh! how much they tend to lead the heart from Christ, instead of directing to Christ. Colossians 2:16.