Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	heart_n	holy_a	word_n	1,949	5	3.9082	3	true

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

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

of God a flattering of him with your lips a lying unto him with your Tongues if your Spirits be not thus disposed and inclined in such a solemn duty Therefore further to distinguish there is a Fast that God hath chosen and a Fast that he hath not chosen It this the Fast that God hath chosen to hang down the head like a Bulrush for a day c. and is this all that God requires to put on a sad face and sad Clothes and sad thoughts for a day or to fetch a sigh or two in your Closets and pray in your Familyes and go to the publick worship and when the day is over to be as you were before not making Conscience of answering the expectation justly raised upon your profession but the proud is proud still and the filthy is filthy still this is not the Fast which God hath chosen if you will shew me your Fasts where are the fruits thereof but sin is getting ground upon us notwithstanding our Fasts Schisme Heresy Envy Malice and strife notwithstanding your Fasts and all our dayes of Atonement they prevail not to consume wast and destroy these abominations out of the Land these are not the Fasts which God hath chosen Gods Fasts will break the heart for sin and from sin But your Fasts keep the heart whole and the life of sin whole within you never look for a tender he art if you can but fast away the sense of your sin and sorrow for sin your care diligent endeavours to walk with God My heart akesto think of the unfruitful Fasts that are amongst us as to the body of this people though I know there are precious Souls amongst us that mourn for these things But ah New-England New-England how wilt thou be able to bear the burthen of thy Fasts There is not a Soul that hears me but fasts either the Fast that God hath chosen or that he hath not chosen You doe fast and therefore this is your profession that you are sensible of the displeasure of God hanging over your heads and that you are sorry with all your hearts that you have provoked God this is the profession of your actions or else what do you here You profess that you doe with all your heart entertain motions of love and kindness where there hath been strife and doe profess you forgive them as God hath forgiven you and that your hearts are full of k●●passion to afflicted ones and that your hands shall be open to relieve them according to your ability Can any of your souls come to seek mercy from God and have your hearts shut up against the poor and needy without great hypocrisie How doe your hearts work toward these things Consider it in the fear of God Q. What is the Fast which God hath chosen Answ It is when the Heart is sincerely and intirely carried forth in a holy Conformity to that which the duty makes profession of my Son give me thy heart sayes God God cares not for external performances without the heart they are but as the cutting off a Dogs neck c. Isa 66 3. It is an high abomination when you come without a suitable heart to a day of Humiliation There are four things which show a suitable heart to a day of Humiliation First When the soul comes with brokenness contrition of heart when a holy trembling seizes upon such a man when he draws nigh lest he provoke God and procure his indignation a broken heart and contrite spirit begins the day and goes along through the day when the spirit is indeed suited to the duty 2. There is a penitent self abasement before God in and by the duty These Jews that is the false hearted amongst them though there were some among them that were upright they quarrel with God wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not but the sincere soul is humbled in the acknowledgment of this That it were a just and righteous thing with God to cast away his prayers and services for God owes him nothing c. and there is a strong and firm resolution that the Grace of God assisting he will no more return unto vanity 3 In a Fast that God hath chosen the soul de●ers not nor delayes nor puts off the doing of that work which concerns it to promote the end of its Fasting You draw nigh to God that your hearts and wayes may be reformed do you doe it forthwith The delaying soul that i● putting off his Reformation and Renovation doth not keep such a Fast as God hath chosen If it be not time for you to doe your duty it is time for you to suffer affliction If it be not time for you to carry on a thorow Reformation it 's time for God to carry on your sorrows and afflictions toward your desolation These delaying souls do not keep a Fast unto God when you resolve a Fast you must resolve to begin and prosecute this work of turning unto God that very day and carry it on to the end Lastly A Fast which God hath chosen alwayes leaves a warm impression of love one towards another and to all mankind as God gives opportunity Oh when you have tasted mercy from God how mercifull will it make you to be to others Therefore when men are hard-hearted cruel and harsh and their spirits not inclined to mercy they have been very little with God to what they ought to be Again Why is this called the Fast which God hath chosen I answer briefly Reas 1. Because that such a Fast doth exactly answer the counsel of Gods will about it which he had eternally in himself and which he gives forth to us in his holy Word therefore it is referred to its first pattern and exemplar unto the will and choyce of God Reas 2. It s a Fast that God hath chosen because God prefers this above any other kind of Fast There are Fasts many but this God prefers above all There are Fasts which obtain some answer from God yet are not like these You know what Ahab obtained from God by fasting 1 King 21 27 28 29. God had respect to his Fasting and humbling himself and Ahab obtained a Reprieve thereby so that the Judgment threatned was not executed in his dayes but yet Ahab did not fast with such a Fast as God hath chosen and delights in and accepts of Reas 3. Because God takes pleasure and hath a gracious respect to his people in it and after it the service is acceptable to him when it is a day he hath chosen and it ascends as the offering of a sweet smelling Sacrifice this is noted in that the other is not an accepted day to the Lord but this is a day wherein God takes pleasure in Heaven if there be joy in Heaven when one sinner is converted how much more when a whole Congregation is thus doing to this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a

he had been one of the Idols of the Gentiles 2. You have taken the Name of God in vain this day in an extraordinary manner and so put an extraordinary dishonour upon God which is a most horrible profanation of the day which should be kept as a Sabbath to keep it only with outward observance without an heart spiritually disposed and graciously inclined will you call this an acceptable day to the Lord Lastly Consider what will be the wofull issue and evill consequence of it upon your selves except God give you repentance of your formality in your services instead of softening it will harden you Instead of mortifying sin it will quicken it instead of obtaining grace it will bring displeasure it will drive the Spirit of God from you and bring Satan near unto you and instead of the good you desire it will bring about the contrary evill you will be the worse for it not the better where was there greater wickedness effected then hath been done by Fasting Prayer See the horrible wickedness in the matter of Naboth 1 Kin. 21 was ever woman more hardned then Jezebel who like Ahab that sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord whom Jezebel stirred up 'T is the way to be sealed up under the Tomb-stone of an hard heart to celebrate a Fast with another Spirit manner and end then God hath chosen Woeful ill consequents come upon persons and Families upon this account commonly after a Fast or solemn Ordinance if not performed according to God men women and children are the worse in their practice Mal. 2. 13. and this have you done again covering the Altar with tears c. Insomuch that he regards not the offering any more or receiveth it with good will at your hand when men will fast and pray and cover Gods Altar with tears and yet hold fast their carnal corrupt and impenitent frame of heart they will be worse and worse in their places and Relations as there he speaks of the wife of youth against whom they had dealt treacherously c. And alas what outward miseries will it bring upon a Family 1 Cor. 1. 29 30. because in eating the Supper of the Lord they did not eat it therefore one was sick another weak and another fallen asleep so if in fasting you do not fast if in humbling your Souls you do not humble your Souls if in praying you pray not if you perform not such Services as God hath chosen it will bring sickness upon those that are well and weakness and death upon the sick It 's mercy when we are thus judged of the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11. latter end Again it concerns us to consider what evil Consequents will come upon a people in this case whence comes wars whence comes Famine whence plagues these and those Judgements upon a professing people because their worship is not worship their godliness their fasting and prayer is not such as God hath chosen there is not the life and power of godliness in what they offer up to God and this provokes God to deal dreadfully with them when lighter afflictions will not prevail This brought desolation to Jerusalem because they fasted to themselves and not to the Lord Zach. 7. 13 14. Therefore it is come to pass that as he cried and they would not hear so they cried and I would not hear saith the Lord of Hosts but I scattered them with a Whirlewind c. For they laid the pleasan Land desolate Again it concerns those of us that are true observers of such a Fast as God hath chosen it concerns them for their consolation as here in the dayes of the Prophet Isaiah when God was pleased to set so many precious hopes before them for themselves and their posterity what a comfort was it c. This is like to be your portion if God hath inclined your hearts to seek his Name 1. Object But you will say these promises are indeed very glorious but how can I take comfort in them since I find my self falling so exceeding short in the qualifications required thereto I Answer you must distinguish between ●alling short in degree and in the whole if there be in you no degree of these spiritual qualifications you must even wait upon God in pressing upon your hearts the dreadful consequents thereof but if there be any though the least degree I would not discourage you for when we speak of Evangelical duties we must understand the qualifications in a Gospel sense God looks at sincerity and accepts the uprightness of the heart though accompanied with much infirmity 2. Object Another may say I have laboured many a year and cannot find my prayers thus answered Answ We ought not to judge our selves by the Issues of Divine providence but by the operations of Gods Spirit in us if the work have been gracious in thy heart the Issue shall be glorious to thy Soul in the end and he that shall come will come and will not ●arry 3. Object But if these things be necessary to an acceptable Fast what benefit is there in a publick Fast wherein the most do fall short of what is required thereto Answ Whosoever falls short thou that dost keep this Fast that God hath chosen shalt have the blessing thereof Therefore look to thine own heart and thou shalt receive the Testimony of his gracious acceptation God knows how to save the good Figs when he destroys a whole Nation of bad he can find an Ark for a Noah and cull out eight persons from a whole world to shew them his Salvation Besides publick Fasts procure at least Reprieves God will wait to see the fruit of it and not put a full end to his patience till there is no hope of answering Humiliation by Reformation And lastly it concerns every one of us to look diligently to our own Souls when we have any such service to perform to the Lord our God that it be so done by us as God hath appointed and that we repent of what hath not been according to Gods mind and that we take care that what remains may make it a Fast after Gods own choice Q w●y is that possible Yes if now at last thy Soul truly repents of thy sin and be humbled and melts before God for thy carnality thy unpreparedness for the day and thy unspiritualness in the day And looking unto Christs Mediation for pardon and acceptation trusting in his gracious help you take up resolutions to return to God and to exercise mercy and loving kindness amongst men and to do Justice and Judgement and to walk righteously holily and humbly with thy God it may turn this very Fast into a time of joy and in Gods gracious acceptation may be esteemed such a Fast as God hath chosen I would propound a few things here to your consideration as the Issue of this your Fast and but propound them briefly 1 Look into your own hearts get alone and consider what it is that hath been amiss in hearts and lives for time past and set a narrow watch over your Souls for time to come that you may not provoke God and because you are weak and infirm intreat God to set a watch over you by his holy Spirit 2. Now take up a resolution to walk with God in your house in a perfect way that neither your selves nor your Relations may be the worse for your Fastings and that Judgment may not come upon you in your house because you have not glorified God in his house 3. Use your utmost interest for publick good for the free passage of Justice and Judgment Righteousness and Peace in the Common-wealth and Churches and though you have no power of your selves wrestle with God for it that it may be so 4. Take care that you hold fast the word of Gods patience in the time of your triall hold it fast in Faith and practice remember that word He that continues to the end shall be saved And again Let no man take away thy crown It is a day of tryal but look to it that you may be found upright in the day of tryal Lastly Be open hearted and open-handed to those that are in misery and affliction Blessed are the mercifull for they shall find Mercy Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church of Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen FINIS