A Fast of Gods Choosing, Title page – To the reader
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 acceptation 3. The ſpecial Seaſons wherein God will bear witneſs to ſuch A FAST. 4. Some helps to Faith that it ſhall be ſo. 5. Why ſuch a FAST is ſo acceptable and ſucceſsfull. 6. How much this concerns Gods people in New-England.
Preached on a Faſt called by publitk Authority, On 26. 1. 74.
By THOMAS THACHER, Paſtor of a Church in Boſton.
BOSTON, Printed by John Foſter, 1678.
To the Reader.
BOth Scripture and experience hath made it manifeſt to the world, that a Religious Faſt, when duly attended, is a Duty of no ſmall importance and advantage to the people of God. But thoſe ſpiritual performances, which if rightly managed, are the moſt beneficial, have a ſpecial difficulty and contrariety to fleſh and blood accompanying them. So is it an hard work to keep a Faſt in ſuch a manner, as that it ſhall become an acceptable Day unto the Lord: whence alſo it cometh to paſs, that very few even amongſt thoſe that outwardly obſerve Faſting Dayes, are acquainted with the inward, ſpiritual, & acceptable part of the duty. There have been that as to what is external in ſuch ſervices regard not the divine precept; Some think the Prophet Iſaiah (in that Chapter (which is partly and judiciouſly opened in the enſuing Sermon) reproveth Enormities in that kind. And although mercy is better then Sacrifice, nor may we urge any ſeverities beyond what the word of God doth impoſe, yet it is to be feared that many amongſt us do not make due conſcience of that outward abſtinence which the rule, and which the nature of the duty doth require. Theſ. Salmur part ult. Camero in Mat. 17. 21. Ames Anſw to Burgeſs. p…. 1. pag. 145.It is moſt true, that the Kingdome of God doth not conſiſt in meat and drink; nor is Faſting in it ſelf any part of Religion; when it is called worſhip, it is by a Trope, as being a ſpecial adjunct of ſome extraordinary worſhip yet for men to exact labours, or to find their own pleaſures upon ſuch daies is an high tranſgreſſion. Others there are, that as to externals will be very exact, nay, over-righteous. Whenas all that they do is before the Lord no better then loathſome formality & hypocriſie. The Evangeliſt informs us that it was cuſtomary amongſt the Jews to faſt twice a week. And the Jewiſh maſters tell us particularly, that it was upon the 2d. and 5th. day of the week, decreverun… magiſtry noſtri utjejunaretur diebus ſecundo et quinto, Volumen Jejunii, Fol. 54propter tres res, viz. propter deſtructum Templum, propter legem Conflagratam, & propter probrum divini nomini…. In imitation of whom ſome Chriſtians call two dayes of the week Faſt dayes, albeit that they might not be thought to Judaize, they have not fixed upon Thorndike of Serv… Re… Aſſemb. c. 8the ſame dayes the Jews did. But to what end is a multitude of theſe ons, if con…ded in? Do men think that their voice will be heard on high, …. e. that they ſhall have acceptance in Heaven meerly becauſe they faſt; Certainly, if there be not ſerious preparation for ſuch dayes, unſeigned Humiliation, and Contrition in them, Reformation after them, dayes of Humiliation will become dayes of provocation, before that God, who will never ſuffer himſelf to be mocked by any of the Sons of men. When the moſt ſolemn and extraordinary duties of Religion degenerate into Formality, it cauſeth the God of judgement to come near. Hiſtorians have obſerved, that Pompey ſeized upon the Temple on the Jews ſolemn Faſting day; Alſo that upon one of their publick Faſts Sofius took Ioſ…phus de A…tiq. Indeor. l. 14. c. 8Ieruſalem; the Lord thereby teſtifying againſt the Formality of that degenerate generation. And indeed dayes of Humiliation without Reformation, are no other, nor no better then a Form of godlineſs without the power of it. So the formal Jews in Iſaiahs time. Notwithſtanding their frequent facts they perſiſted in doing their own wills, (and are therefore ſaid to find their own pleaſure) though contrary to the commanding will of God. They continued to oppreſs, and exact Labours of thoſe that by the Law of Mr. Gatak… Annot…n Iſai. 58.God ſhould have been ſet at liberty, Ier. 34. 17. Vexatious Law ſuits, (ſmiting with the fiſt of …ickedneſs) and other Contentions were ri…e amongſt them, after dayes of Humiliation; If a poor man were by any injurious Contract fallen into their hands they would not looſe thoſe Bonds of wickedneſs. The Lord therefore by his Prophet tells them, that as ever they deſired God ſhould regard their Faſts, thoſe prevailing iniquities ſhould be reformed, and the contrary duties practiſed. To the ſame purpoſe Ieremiah upon a ſolemn Faſting day, Ier. 36. 6, 7.
Now that the Lords people amongſt us may be awakened and warned againſt reſting in any lifeleſs Formalities, or in Humiliation… without Reformation, is the deſign of the Reverend and worthy Author in this practical and uſeful Sermon of his Diſcourſ…s of his nature are never unſeaſonable ſince no Age paſſeth wherein there is not afforded matter & ground ſad enough to warrant the performance of the duty urged.
Although the New Teſtament ſpeaketh nothing for ſtated Faſts or Tertullian de …ejun. Epiph. Hariſ. 75. Auguſt de Hereſ. c. 53.Feſtivals, Tertullian before his Montaniſme wrote truly, that religious Faſts are to be obſerved pro temporibus & cauſis, as the Lord ſhall providentially call thereunto …ndeed A…rius was ſometimes charged with Hereſy, becauſe he withſtood the Impoſition of thoſe and the like Formalities, but that was in an Age when the darkneſs of Superſtition began to over ſpread the Chriſtian World. Nevertheleſs the word is clear, that at ſometimes frequency in the obſervation of this ſervice ought to be attended, Iohns Diſciples kept many dayes of Faſting and Prayer, probably (as a learned Interpreter conceiveth) upon occaſion of their Maſters being Impriſoned, which providence was a ſufficient call unto them, to be much Grotius in Math. 9. 14in extraordinary ſeekings unto God, and Humiliation before him that (if poſſible) they might not be deprived of ſuch a faithful and eminent Teacher. And although the tenderneſs of Chriſt toward his own Diſciples was ſuch as that he would not at firſt enjoyn frequent Faſtings upon them who had not been accuſtomed to ſuch ſeverities, le… as new wine is ungrateful, and will be rejected by thoſe who have taſted that which is more Pleaſant) being ſuddenly put upon precepts too ſtrong for weak Diſciples, they ſhould be Cradock Harmon. c. 3 Sect. 20.diſcouraged; yet the Lord doth intimate that dayes of perſecution and general affliction would at laſt befall them, when they ſhould be providentially called (and their 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.