Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	holy_a	sin_n	6,442	5	4.4152	3	false

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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

and those that are under the powerfull command of seeking his face should seek his face in vain but saith God I have not said to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain Isa 45. 1● 2. The gracious promises that are before us are a sufficient security that a Fast that God hath chosen shall bring such gracious acceptation as those eight promises mentioned and also Psal 50. 15. Call upon me on the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me And so 1 Kin. 8. 38. with many other verses before and after and Christ himself also promiseth that whatsoever ye shall ask in his name he will do it for you c. John 14 14. 3. The manner of Gods dealing with his servants establisheth this truth unto us Psal 119. 132. 133. c. Be mercifull unto me as thou usost to doe to those that love thy name 4. That God doth not suffer the Fastings and the Prayers of others when they are hearty though not spiritual to goe without their reward The young Ravens shall not cry unto him but he will take care of them he respects a very Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord 1 Kin. 21. 25. and yet v. 29. Because he humbleth himself before me I will not bring the evil in his dayes And so when Nineveh humbled themselves he saved them from destruction though it was against the very grain of the soul of Jonah Jon. 3. 10 Lastly It must needs be so because there is nothing stands in the way to hinder it A Fast that God hath chosen removes all impediments that stand in the way of mercy the great obstruction is some sin committed or some habitual impenitency remaining for when the heart is truly humbled and broken the soul is prepared for some degree of mercy wherein the acceptation of the Suppliant may be made manifest Thus of the fourth general Head V. The next thing is the Reason why God will do thus for his people upon their fasting the Fast which God hath chosen I answer 1. Negatively not for any inherent excellency in their fastings and prayers or services for what benefit hath God by our humbling our selves laying aside our Ornaments so humbling our bodies or by our diligent attention to external actions but positively I shall give you three reasons of it Reas 1. Because it is a Fast that he hath chosen and therefore it is so succesfull were it of mans chusing it might be disappointed and yet God not dishonoured but he chuseth it and appoints it and now Gods honour lyes at stake for a gracious answer It was the glory of God in Israel to be manifestly near to that people in all they called upon him for c. Reas 2. Because the persons are accepted if such persons and therefore their offerings are accepted also The Petition of a favourite is not easily rejected by the Prince especially being such a Petition as his Prince hath chosen and appointed for him They are in a state of favour with God and therefore their Petitions must needs be successful The spiritual Sacrifices of this royal holy Priesthood are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2. 5. Reas 3. Because there is an admirable misterious Communion between God the Father Son and holy Ghost and the right Suppliant or the person that fasts in the fast which God hath chosen for 1. there is not an holy prayer put up unto God but its Original is God the Father that prayer of Faith which proceeds from the heart of a Christian was 1. In the heart of God the Father and he through the Intercession and Mediation of his Son sends it down by his holy Spirit into the heart of a poor sinner and so stamps the Image of it upon the heart of the poor sinner that he believes and then the Holy Ghost that stamped it there takes it from thence and presents this through Christ unto the Father then the Fathers heart is to give forth the answer through the Intercession of the Son and to give notice of it to the Soul of a Christian by his holy Spirit And when thou hast received the answer the same Spirit works in thy heart to return praise and Thanksgiving by the Son unto the Father so that here is a marvellous spiritual mysterious Communion in this between God the Father Son and holy Ghost the poor believer therefore such fasting cannot be in vain Thus of the fifth general head 6. Of what concernment this may be unto our selves and truly it is of very great concernment We are the people that do succeed Israel We are Jacob. Gods people that are under the same profession as the Lord speaks of them here ver 2. that seek God dayly and delight to know his wayes this is our profession we are a Nation that seek Justice that is our plea that we must do right and not forsake the Ordinances of our God this I say is our profession that we are bound to hearken after Gods will and enquire after the Ordinances of Justice we are they that by our dayly practice in appearing before God in solemn Assemblies profess that we delight to approach to him therefore we are they that have need to take notice of this great and solemn Truth that the Fast that is not of Gods chusing will be ineffectual but that which is of Gods chusing will prevail and that to five or six ends 1. To build us up in knowledge there are great misteries contained in this Truth I shall touch those that are of present consideration 1. It teacheth you that there is a vast difference between duty and duty between religious performances and religious performances that which is spoken of fasting reaches through the whole body of Religion there is a prayer that God hath chosen and a prayer that God hath not chosen and so this or that Ordinance or observation there is that which God will own and accept there is that which he will not countenance nor bless our God is a God that will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth the manner and the end of our worship discovers what the nature of that service is or of that particular religious act which we put forth towards him look then to your own Spirits in your worship of God as it is said of the person worshipping so it is true of the worship he is not a Jew that is one outwardly but he that is one inwardly Rom. 2. last verse whose praise is not of men but of God you may be outwardly a Christian and inwardly an heathen in the sight of God all these are uncircumcised in heart sayes the Prophet when he reckons up the Nations together with Judah you may be a Heathen in heart whilest you are in the outward man a Christian your Circumcision may become uncircumcision before God alas what 's an outward Baptisme if your

publick Danger as in the dayes of Jehoshapha● 2 Chron. 20. 3. So when some notable duty is to be performed which is very difficult and hazardous then is a season for a Fast as it was with Esther Chap. 4. 14 15 16. Again when there is some great sickness lying upon those that are near and dear unto us Psal 35. 13 14. But as for me when they were sick my clothing was sackcloth I humbled my Soul with Fasting and I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother I bowed down heavily as one that mourneth for his mother A friend and brother or Mother or near Relations when they are sick and weak and in dangerous condition it calls for Fasting there is then opportunity and occasion for this duty Again when there is some notable blessing wanting or we are in danger to loose it And so when a person or people are fallen under some great transgression whereby God may be provoked to indignation against them it s a time of Fasting and mourning thus Ezra 9. 4 5 6 in the case of their marrying strange wives and polluting the holy seed So when God goes forth against a people in some notable calamity or threatning judgment as when Israel fled before the enemy Joshua and the elders fasted Josh 7. So in any notable change or turn of a mans life as the undertaking of a Calling or some great Voyage then is a time to begin with Fasting and prayer to Implore the aid of Gods gracious presence his guidance conduct salvation Thus did Ezra when he was going up from Babilon Ezra 8. 21 22 23. So that a Fast is not a standing duty but occasional as it is now to be observed in the dayes of the Gospel 2. Concerning the spiritual performance of it and here first in order to the preparation thereto there is examination of our own wayes and consideration of the works of God these are preparatory and for want of these it is that mens hearts are utterly indisposed to such spiritual services Josh 7. v. 6. to 12. Lam. 3 38. to 44. in which you find them considering and bewailing both their own sins and Gods Judgments upon them for sin The next thing to be shown is the very work of a Fast in the very nature of it and so I call it a real Profession to distinguish between an acceptable and an unacceptable Fast I say it is a solemn real profession This people professed great delight in Gods Ordinances and sought the Lord daily and that they did and would cleave to God in his appointments They enquire after his mind they make great profession and so exact were they in their Fasts that they afflicted their soul and bowe● down their heads like a bulrush and walked mournfully and spread sackcloth and ashes under them and what could be more as to an outward profession but their hearts were not ingaged in it it was but a Lye a flattering of God as Psal 78. 34 35 36 37. therfore God upbraids them saying Is this the Fast that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But particularly 1. There is a profession of our justifying God for the evil of affliction that he brings upon us and a condemnation of our selves for the evill or our transgressions against the Lord our God Thus Dan. 9. 7. O Lord Righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face 〈◊〉 this day● so v 5 8 16. they ascribe righteousness to God though he had ●aid waste Jerusalem burnt the city destroyed the temple scattered the people and made them captives yet saith Daniel Thou are righteous and we have sinned So Ezra makes a solemn and heart-breaking prayer Ezra 9. 6. My God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquityes are increased over our head and our trespasses are grown up unto the heavens 2. A solemn profession of godly sorrow and repentance of the evil of transgression which we have committed against the Lord. Joel 2. 12 13. Neh. 9. They confess their sins from the beginning of their being a people and ●ay such a load upon themselves as might make their hearts heavy with godly sorrow 3. There is a solemn profession that we fly for refuge to the hope of grace and mercy that is set before us in the Atonement made by J●sus Christ Thus David 2 Sam. 1 2. 15 16. he upon that occasion laments the plague of his heart and the wickedness of his fact and laments after the blood of Christ for cleansing and cries out for a new Creation of his heart Psal 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart and renew a right Spirit within me this is the profession of every one that Fasts that he flies for refuge to the precious blood of Christ for mercy to save him from his sin and Gods judgements that he may have peace and grace no more to return unto folly 4. Again there is a solemn profession in Fasting and Prayer that we forgive others as we desire to be forgiven of God Mark 11. 25. when ye stand praying forgive if you have ought against any that your Father also which is in Heaven may forgive your Trespasses Therefore in this Text he convinceth them by want of this not to fast aright Ye fast for strife and debate c. Isai 58. 4. They did not heal but strengthen their divisions by fasting and their Fasts were hypocritical and not according to their profession Lastly There is in it a solemn profession that we bind our selves to reform what is amiss and to walk with God in new obedience especially when you come to God in a solemn way and manner it s a true observation concerning prayer that you can put no Petition to God for mercy but it implies a promise unto God of new obedience especially when you come to God in such a solemn way and manner you either come that you may obtain help for or against your sin help to obey or to continue in obedience in every Fast there is an implicite making and renewing Covenant with God which the Saints of God upon these more then ordinary occasions were wont to express Neh 9th the last verse and the whole tenth Chapter so that in a Fast you solemnly profess that you are grieved for your Transgressions and seek his grace in Christ to pardon and heal you and that all your hope is in the Atonement of Jesus Christ and that you freely forgive all that have trespassed against you laying aside all anger wrath malice envy evil speaking and whatsoever may be the fruits of such displicency of Spirit against others you profess that you put the thoughts of these from you as you desire your sins should be put away from Gods sight and you engage not to walk in the former course of iniquity but that you will set upon it to do the will of God in all duties according to the Rules of new obedience it s but a mocking

contrite Spirit Isai 66. 2. how much more when it is thus with a people Reas 4. He will take his own time to manifest his own gracious acceptation of his people in such a Fast You are not presently answered you 'l say as you expected Be it so Remember your time is alwayes but Christs hour is not yet come but he that shall co●● will come and will not tarry beyond his own time to Answer Quest II. We are come in the second place to consider what those spiritual or outward benefits are whereby the Lord is wont to manifest his gracious acceptation of such a Fast And in general you may take it as a certain Truth that when God is pleased to Answer the prayers of his people he testifies his acceptation thereof but more particularly there are three things whereby God discovers his acceptance of such a day as this is 1. When he gives them a praying and fasting frame of Spirit such a frame as he requires for this is not in mans power but it is the gift of Gods grace when God prepares the heart of the humble he also hears their Cry Psal 10. 17. when God causes your hearts and your Tongues to pray he will certainly cause his ear to hear for he is the Hearer of Prayer Prayer is a gift of God Rom. 8. 26. We know not how to pray but the spirit helps our infirmities and God knowes the meaning of the spirit in us When a man prayes by his own spirit his own spirit is under his own command and therefore he is uniform in his Prayer he is not sometimes straightned and sometimes enlarged except it be through the distempers of his Body or the like but when a man prayes by Gods Spirit there are some strange out-goings of the heart in prayer which no mortal is able to command such enlargedness of heart such desires after Christ and his grace such affliction for sin earnest longing for deliverance as no man can possibly command in his own heart and when God gives such a Spirit it 's an argument of his gracious acceptation It 's a day of Humiliation when God gives you an humble spirit it 's a day of Abstinence when God puts into thy heart an earnest desire of divorcement from all sin how pleasant and profitable soever this is a pledge of Gods gracious acceptation according to that promise Isai 65. 24. before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear 2. When God gives an heart after fasting and Prayer to put in execution that which concerns our selves in order to the obtaining our spiritual requests supplications presented unto God that is when there is a reforming spirit a purifying spirit a watchful spirit against sin when the soul sets himself with more watchfulness industry to the work of the Lord and so a people as in Nehe. 10. the whole Chapter and the last Chap. of Ezra after their humiliation how active were they for a thorow Reformation when Church and Court and all in their places endeavour the removal of sin and making up the breach between God and them it is a certain demonstration that God is near at hand to Answer them 3. It is a marvellous gracious Argument of our acceptation with God when he gives in any of those spiritual or outward blessings which are here mentioned in the Text there are eight glorious priviledges here engaged to such a person or people 1. Light after darkness v. 8. and 10. then shall thy Light break forth as the morning and thy Light shall arise in obscurity and thy darkness shall be as the noon day c. when God gives a poor 〈◊〉 Light after darkness and Light in obscurity breaking forth as 〈◊〉 morning this is a great benefit Light signifies not only the inlightning of the understanding or quickning you with spiritual Light but all kind of help and consolation and prosperity and so darkness signifies all kind of affliction whether it be sense of sin or other sorrows or the like There are four things in this First it is Light in darkness when you see darkness hath covered your Souls that you have not known what your state condition hath been and thereupon hath been great affliction and Agony of Soul and there hath been also great afflictions outwardly as commonly one affliction goes not alone or when there hath been distress upon a people and now God causes Light to spring after darkness some glimpses of hope some raisings up of your Spirits and expectation of good dayes some comfortable changes of providence as Paul was comforted by the coming of Titus which he ascribed to Gods comforting of him this is Light after darkness 2. When this Light that is promised is gradual like the Light of the morning that shines more and more unto the perfect day you must not say there is no Light because it is not noon at first if it be but the dawning of the day or the Light of the morning star you have cause to acknowledge it as an Answer of Prayers if it do but foreshow the beginning of your return from spiritual Captivity or outward calamity you are to acknowledge it as a spring●ng Light which shall go on to the perfect day in full perfection of glory 3. It is a prevailing and overcoming Light it may be weak at first and obscured through clouds of darkness and temptation but it shall be victorious and overco●ing at the last Lastly this Light is from the rising of the Sun of Righteousness God will manifest his gracious acceptation to your Souls when the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2 that is be it Light in Ordinances or Light in providences it is still a Light from the face of Jesus Christ there is something of Christ in it there are common refreshings that shine upon men which do not exalt Christ in the Soul but that saving Light that comes from Christ leads unto Christ and makes Christ most precious and most glorious unto the Soul now this is the Light God promises whereby he will testifie his gracious acceptation of those that keep the Fast which he hath chosen 2. Thy health shall spring forth speedily that is when God is pleased to make Fastings healings now this is his promise here healing of your Souls of your Families of your Churches of your common-wealths healing to your affairs inward and ou●●●●d spiritual and worldly there is some kind of healing still that God is wont to give f●rth in the Answer of the Prayers of his poor people 3. When your Righteousness shall go before you and the Lord shall guide you continually ver 8. and 11. if it be a Fast that God hath chosen this will be the fruit of it and what is this Righteousness the last expression openeth the first Jehovah your Righteousness shall go before you and the glory of the Lord shall be your Rereward