Holy revenge
Perhaps we need not altogether omit (although I know not if we should do well to lay any great stress upon it) another reason for fasting, which some good men have largely insisted on: namely, the punishing themselves for having abused the good gifts of God by sometimes wholly refraining from them, thus exercising a kind of holy revenge upon themselves for their past folly and ingratitude in turning the things which should have been for their health into an occasion of falling. They suppose David to have had an eye to this when he said, I wept and chastened, or punished, my soul with fasting (Psalm 69:10). And Saint Paul, when he mentions what revenge godly sorrow occasioned in the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 7:11).
1771 text
5. Perhaps we need not altogether omit, (altho’ I know not if we should do well, to lay any great stress upon it) another reason for fasting, which some good men have largely insisted on: namely, the punishing themselves for having abused the good gifts of God, by sometimes wholly refraining from them: thus exercising a kind of holy revenge upon themselves, for their past folly and ingratitude, in turning the things which should have been for their health, into an occasion of falling. They suppose David to have had an eye to this when he said, I wept and chastened, or punished my soul with fasting: and St. Paul, when he mentions what revenge godly sorrow occasioned in the Corinthians.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 27 in the 1771 Works. Matthew 6:16-18.
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