Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	promise_n	5,839	5	6.9246	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

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