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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64466	A fast of Gods chusing plainly opened for the help of those poor in spirit, whose hearts are set to seek the Lord their God in New-England, in the solemn ordinance of a fast : wherein is shewed, 1, the nature of such a fast, 2, the testimony God will give thereunto of his gracious acceptance, 3, the special seasons wherein God will bear witness to such a fast, 4, some helps to faith that is shall be so, 5, why such a fast is so acceptable and succesfull, 6, how much this concerns Gods people in New-England : preached on a fast called by publick authority, on 26, 1[6]74 / by Thomas Thacher...	Thacher, Thomas, 1620-1678.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.	1678 (1678)	Wing T830; ESTC R9807	27,462	32

practice be suitable unto frequent Fastings It is marvellous to consider for his Spirit knoweth what shall come to pass in the world and inclineth the hearts of his Messengers accordingly how God many times causeth the words of his Servants in their publick Ministrations to fall in with his providential dispensations of which we have some Instance in the Sermon herewith emitted which was delivered some years agoe even a little before our late troubles The Lord knew that Boston yea that New-England would have cause for many dayes of Humiliation and therefore stirred up the heart of his Servant before hand to give instructions and Directions concerning the acceptable performance of so great a duty Some that were affected in hearing the Word preached and that did in short hand take what was delivered have Importuned the Reverend Author to give way unto its publication unto whose desires he hath at last conceded And I know not but that the publication of what is in this way presented may be as seasonable as the preaching of it at first was For if my Conjectures fail not the dayes are at hand when New-England will have as great cause as ever to attend Humiliations and supplications before the most High There is no general Reformation visible in New-England nor so much as an heart to comply with the Scripture expedient for that end We have seen 〈◊〉 Horse amongst us even bloody judgements and desolations but are not bettered thereby Now there is a pale Horse come and his Name that sits thereon is Death Stars are falling our Heaven and our Earth are shaking What will come next who can say The Decree hath not as yet brought forth wherefore such a Fast as the Lord hath chosen would be a blessed means to lengthen out our Tranquility And O that New-England knew in this her day th● things that belong to her peace Increase Mather Boston 2. mon. 1678. Isaiah 58. 5 6. Is it such a Fast that I have chosen a day for a man to afflict his Soul c. Is not this the Fast that I have chosen c IT is my beloved hard work yea one of the hardest parts of the work of the Ministry to awaken a people that are rocked a sleep in sin especially a professing people that are lifted up to eminent degrees in profession exalted with great priviledges and have their hearts raised with these things unto great pride this I say is a great and difficult work of the Ministry to awaken such But such a People this Prophet had to do withal and therefore you see what be must do ver 1. Cry aloud spare not stretch thy throat spare no pains lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and shew my peopl their transgressions the house of Jacob their sins They had Watchmen amongst them but they did not watch Dogs that did not bark Isai 56. 10. and therefore the Prophet must cry aloud and shew them their sins Why were they so vile a people they were eminent in profession exalted in priviledges and arrogant in both as appears in five or six things 1. They seek me daily ver 2. 2. They delight to know my wayes 3. They did Righteousness and they forsook not the Ordinances of God they were a practicing People as well as a knowing people and further they enquire and ask after the Ordinances of Justice and profess great delight in approaching to God and that not only in common and ordinary duties but extraordinary ver 3. We have fasted and we have afflicted our Souls in our Fast and yet saith God to the Prophet Cry aloud spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet and make them to know their transgressions c. They were yet a people that did need awakening notwithstanding all this But when was this people in this frame and when was there such matter of complaint against them I Answer in general it was when they did keep hypocritical Fasts which are here described ver 3. 4. they did Fast but yet they did not Fast It was a Fast as to the external observation when it was not a Fast as to the spiritual Efficacy and right performance of this holy Service They were lifted up with their Service performed and quarrelled with God and complained as if some notable injury were done them in that they used Gods remedy for their malady and yet their malady was not removed More porticularly This seems to me to have reference to the dayes of Hezekiah You knew what glorious dayes they were and how zealous he was in Reformation insomuch that he brake in pieces the brazen Serpen● which Moses had made which they had so long admired and burnt Incense to 2 King 18. 4. and what solemn Fasts did they keep and what delight had they in approaching unto God 2 Cron. 30. 21. the Children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the Feast of unleavened bread seven dayes with great gladness and the Priests and Levites praised the Lord day by day singing with loud Instruments unto the Lord. There was great joy But alas as soon as these things were well over and they had purged out Idolatry in Chap. 32. 1. After these things and the establishment thereof Senacherib comes up against them and their wound as to their Civil affairs is not healed And in the sixth year of Hezekiah the ten Tribes are led away by Shalma●●●ir 2 King 18. 10. that is in the ninth year of Hoshea King of Israel Samaria was taken c. because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his Covenant and all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded and would not hear them nor do them Now ver the 13. In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah Zenacherib took all the fenced Cities of Judah c. Here was Israel carried Captive before and did not Judah fast then in good Hezekiahs dayes here also is Judah set upon and the fenced Cities taken and was Hezekiah and the people asleep all this while did they not fast and pray yea but in the Issue Jerusalem is besieged and Rabshekah blasphemes c. was not here matter of fasting and prayer yet notwithstanding all this Jerusalem is in danger of destruction why then wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest it not wherefore have we afflicted our Soul and thou takest no knowledge here is their quarrel with God and God Answers this in ver 3. 4. He gives I say the Reason of it 1. By discovering their sins that still remain notwithstanding their Fasts so that their Fasts were indeed no Fasts 2. The benefits they should have obteined if their Fast had been a Fast indeed Is it such a Fast as I have chosen for a man to afflict his Soul for a day and to hang down his head as a bulrush and to spread sackcloths c. oh no! but this is the Fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickdness to

Fast with the Fast which God hath chosen God will manifest his gracious acceptation of you by making you and your posterity Instruments to hold forth the wayes of God clearly wherein poor Souls may walk with God and find peace unto their Souls 8. Again in the last verse then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord. c. There are three things in it the sum of all is that such a Fast as God hath chosen shall be powerful and effectual to bring you to the highest happiness for first you shall delight your selves in the Lord you shall have God for your chiefest good and he will be your portion to all Eternity 2. You shall ride upon the high places of the Earth you that are trodden down shall have a time of Exaltation in a Kingdome that cannot be shaken and thou shalt be fed with the heritage of Jacob thy Father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it that is after all your sorrows and troubles you shall find still that God is your feeder and that not with common food but Jacobs heritage which was threefold 1. The blessings necessary for this life 2. The blessings necessary for his precious Soul the feeding Ordinances of God and 3. The Eternal feeding which is promised at the glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ Rev. 7. 17. the Lamb shall feed them and shall lead them unto living Fountains of water and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes are not these glorious priviledges and admirable advantages these are the special favours of God whereby in due time he will manifest his gracious acceptation of his people in their fastings and prayers which have been such as himself hath chosen And thus we have seen the second general point proposed 3. The next thing is to show the season when God delights to begin to give in the manifestation of his gracious acceptation of his people It is true the Seasons God hath reserved in his own power and therefore we cannot tell you the day Moneth or year but yet there are certain signs that are wont to be Forerunners of Gods gracious manifestations Therefore I shall give you some general Characters for help of your faith and raising up your expectations as first when the evil of affliction hath done its work it may be God holds you long under some spiritual temptation or outward pressure you are as a Sheaf in threshing upon the Floor you have stroke after stroke hardly ever free from Tribulation yet be content when affliction hath done its work God will call it back this was the Centurions Faith Math. 8. 9 afflictions came not forth without a 〈◊〉 from God and as it hath its Go from God so it hath its Commission it hath a wise work to do its Do this also now when it hath done its work it shall have its Come it shall be called off again As he afflicts you for your profit so when the end is attained the affliction shall be removed it is to make you partaker of his holiness see then how the work of God prospers in your Souls under tryals afflictions and Temptations c. 2. When your hearts are quickned to urgent importunity for the blessing on the affliction you may cry mightily for deliverance from evills felt or feared these and those distresses that are upon you but are your souls wrestling with God importunately for the blessing as Jacob I will not let thee goe except thou bless me It s not the removing of the rod but the giving in of the blessing that may refresh thee is it the blessing that thy soul is crying for certainly God will answer such prayers as Jacob after his earnest wrestling with God sees the face of God in the face of his brother Esau 3. When your souls are ready to fail for thirst In all the exercises and trials of Gods people God still hath a tender care to prevent this sad inconvenience Isa 57. 16. I will not contend for ever neither will I be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made Hence David useth this as an argument Hear me speedily my spirit doth fail 4. When the enemy is most insolent and violent If the storm be high and terrible ordinarily it is not durable the gust will soon blow over When the enemy comes in like a flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him Isa 59. 19. God himself will interpose and ingage for your souls his spirit against your spiritual adversaryes and the wonders of his providence against your outward enemies When he saw that there was none to help then his own 〈◊〉 brought salvation when they seem to be under the power of the enemy then it's time for God to work for their deliverance God will appear I say 5. When you are come to a desperate Stand you must have help or perish you have already suffered Ship-wrack and are in the midst of the Flood in the midst of the fiery furnace in the lions den having received the sentence of death in your selves now is the time to trust in the living God who quickneth the dead In the mount of the Lord is shall be seen Lastly That which is most comfortable when your soul is brought to a quiet and patient submission to the hand and dispensation of God committing your selves to his soveraign pleasure and waiting patiently for his salvation certainly your deliverance is near This is a great mystery whilst a soul is strugling against providence and is displeased with Gods dispen●ation towards it there is cause to fear that deliverance is far off but when it comes to submit deliverance is near and pledges of Gods favour are at hand 2. Sam. 15. 26. If I shall find favour in the sight of the Lord saith David he will bring me back again but if he say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him doe to me what seemeth good unto him Now David is not far from deliverance when he is content that God should fulfill his own pleasure upon him whatsoever it be and that this is the method that God is wont to observe in the way of his providence towards his people the Apostle tells you Rom. 5. 3 4. Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 hope which maketh not ashamed It 's a mistake in the mystery of providence to look for experience of mercy in deliverance before the work of patience in self-resignation to the will of God Thus of the 3d. thing 4. The next general Head is to demonstrate to your Faith that such a Fast as is of Gods chusing shall have such an issue This is hard to believe in times of temptation therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bottome our Faith well upon such a foundation that cannot fail I shall mention these 1. That If God should fail to manifest his acceptance of his people upon this account then these

Souls never reach after spiritual Baptisme if there be the washing with water without the Laver of Regeneration and the renewing of the holy Ghost can you rest in that or will God take pleasure in it What is it for you to eat the Lords Supper and not to eat the Lord who is that Supper that is to receive Christ therein by Faith mind the Spirit with which and the end for which you wait upon God in holy Ordinances What is your prayer if it be not the prayer which God hath chosen it's but the expression or voyce of a lust that will not be accepted of God Jam. 4. 3. you ask and have not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts there are many mock services whereby mock-Christians mock God in their profession This is a sad mistery but necessary to be known there is a form of godliness without power this is to make an Image to your selves and to feed upon husks and to deceive your own Souls with shadows which will profit nothing If you think to put off God with outside services such have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof 2 Tim. 3. 5. from such turn away 2. It concerns us to know how hard it is to awaken a secure sinner that is covered under a form of godliness take a profane person and the whole power of common Light and common principles of humanity will fall in with the conviction of his miserable lost condition tell a Drunkard that he shall drink in Hell for this his conscience tells him so when he is sober So an Adulterer his Conscience being awakened tells him he shall suffer Eternal Torment for his moments pleasure So a griging person his Conscience falls in with the Conviction but a man under a form of godliness without the power thereof hath a ready salve for every sore he stops his Ears with his Tongue and becomes as the deaf Adder hence saith God unto this people Is this the Fast that I have chosen and inculcates it again and again It is not the Fast that I have chosen c. and calls upon the Prophet ver 1. Cry aloud cry out in thy throat spare not lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet that thou mayst awaken them to the consideration of their sin 3. It concerns us to know that all our spiritual duties services must come to the trial God will not only call us to account for all our open wickedness gross acts of Transgression but will try every service we perform Is this the Fast that I have chosen sayes God was it such a prayer such a participation in this or that Ordinance Is this your Conference are these the holy meetings are these the Sabbaths thus God will ask you and God will accept none of your Services but they must pass through Gods tryal Therefore we have need to examine our own Services and our hearts in them you are in your Closets meditating but is this the meditation God hath chosen for Spirit for matter for manner you are crying and praying but is this the prayer that God hath chosen you are reproving counselling admonishing your Children or others but is it in the way that God hath chosen you are dealing with your Neighbour or brother for some Transgression but is it such an admonition as God hath chosen remember that all your actions must come under this question whether or no they are such as God hath chosen I chuse out their way for them sayes Job of the time when he was as King among them so if Christ be your King he shall chuse your way for you and you will chuse the things that please the Lord and will not take any contentment in that which doth not answer the Lords expectation 2. As it is of great concernment for our knowledge so it concerns us for our examination trial to try our wayes before the Lord our God if God will try our fastings prayers other services we had need to try examine our selves To judge our selves is the way to prevent Gods Judgements Briefly examine we our selves concerning this our present Fast is it a Fast which God hath chosen as to our preparation for it have you had solemn and serious thoughts concerning the way of Gods providence concerning your persons your Families your Relations c. have you considered your own Transgressions before God the great cause you have had of deep humiliation before God in respect of them The defect of this is a failing of Gods expectation in the beginning however you may obtain in the procedure have you been careful to abstain from natural necessary comforts refreshings further then necessity in respect of infirmity calls for and hath your abstinence proceeded from inward self-abhorrency because of your sins Extream grief takes away the appetite to eating and drinking All the self denying acts that are required in a Fast are to proceed from a deep affliction of heart otherwise it is but a shallow performance of no worth with God It is therefore called the afflicting of the soul and if it doe not come from Soul-affliction it will be very unprofitable unacceptable Again are we real are our hearts through with God in that solemn profession we make in such a day as this Are you indeed sensible of your sins whereby you have provoked the Lord Our particular sins the sins of our Familyes towns Churches and the sins of the Country Doe we sincerely look out to God in Jesus Christ for the Spirit of Repentance Is it his grace indeed that we look unto for help and succour and that in the very mediation of Christ Jesus through his death and blood-shed Where is that spiritual self-abhorrency that should act and carry an end these holy services Is there indeed a forgiving spirit When you come before God are not your hearts many of you full of wrath anger are you meekened like lambs before the Lamb of God in your holy offerings Doe you present your selves upon that Altar which is the Lamb Or do you fast for strife and debate longing to be at it again that you may manifest your displeasure when the time is over And is there in you a spirit of compassion and working of bowels toward the poor and needy whilst you are seeking mercy from God Do you oblige and ingage your hearts to return to God and to reform what is amiss in your persons Families Churches c. according to the object of your work where you may have influence to the utmost of your power The Lord help us solemnly to examine our selves for if it be not thus with us it 's not the Fast which God hath chosen and mind what your sin is 1. It 's like the worshipping of an Idol you have turned an holy Ordidinance into loathsome Idolatry as I may speak with holy reverence you have carried it towards God as if