Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	law_n	sin_n	transgression_n	2,243	5	10.5323	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91855	A broken spirit, God's sacrifices. Or, The gratefulnesse of a broken spirit unto God. Represented in a sermon, before the right Honourable House of Peeres, in K. Henry the Seventh's chappell in the Abbey Westminster, upon Wednesday Decemb. 9. 1646. Being a day of publike humiliation for removing of the great judgment of rain and waters then upon the kingdome, &c. / By Fran. Roberts M. A. Minister of Christ, at Austins, London.	Roberts, Francis, 1609-1675.	1646 (1646)	Wing R1580; Thomason E365_14; ESTC R201252	39,320	48

's his sole prerogative both to take away the heart of stone and to give an heart of flesh Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26. 1. God can enlighten and convince the heart of its own hardnesse 2. God can subdue and remove the hearts stoninesse 3. God can infuse an habituall supernaturall tendernesse and 4. God can draw forth that habit into actuall relentings upon all good occasions this is his method God alone can do all in this matter rely only on him for it as the sole author of it 2. By a dutifull attendance upon Gods word in the powerfull Ministry of it This is most quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit Heb. 4. 12. Are our hearts iron the word is as fire to ●o●●en and melt the iron are our hearts stone the word is as an hammer to break the rock in pieces Jer. 23. 29. This instrumentally made King Josiah's heart tender 2 Chron. 34. 19. 27. This made the returned exiles to weep Neh. 8. 9. This pricked Peters hearers in their hearts Act. 2. ●6 oh waite upon this word of God with a lively heart-searching Ministry oh tremble at this mighty working word of God that can through God make an hard heart soft and keep a soft heart tender 3. By a frequent and serious consideration of our own and others sias Others sins may break our hearts as it is cleare in the case of Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 19 c. of David Psal. 119 53. 158. 136. of Ezra Ezr. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. and of those Mourners Ezek. 9. 4. But our own sins may even grinde our hearts to powder as appears here in David Psal. 51. 3 4. 8. my sin is ever before me against thee thee only have I sinned that the bones which thou hast broken as in the Prodigall Luk. 15. 18. 19. as in those Jewes Zech. 12. 10 11 12 c. mans sin makes the whole Creation groan as under a load ready to break its back Rom. 8. 22. and shall not mans own spirit groan and his own heart break under the pressure of his own iniquities In what words shall I a little represent the sins of England and the sins of your own soules unto you for the actuall mollifying of your hearts Think what sin is it is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. the death of the Soule Eph. 〈◊〉 1. the fruites of the flesh Gal. 5. 19. the workes of the Devill 1 Joh. 2. 8. and utter abomination to God Pro. 26. 25. Sin is so foule and filthy that the filth under the nailes and arm-holes f Jam. 1. 21. the vomit of a dog the myre of a swine 2 Pet. 2. 22. the poyson of serpents Rom. 3. 13. the spots of Leopards and the skin of black Moores Jer. 13. 23. the putrifaction and deadly stink of opened sepulchers Rom. 3. 13. and basest g excrements themselves Jam. 1 2● are the similitudes wherein the holy Ghost sets it out to us Sin is the inlet of death and all misery Rom. 5. 12. worse then the Devill for sin made him a Devil and the very Hel of Hell Think against whom sin is committed Against God blessed for ever infinitely pure and cannot look upon it Heb. 1. 13. just and will not clear the guilty Ex. 34. 7. Omniscient knows all sin fully omnipotent can crush all sinners eternally He fashioned thee curiously he hath provided for thee plentifully hath given Christ his own Son to redeem and save thee to the uttermost hath loved thee freely hath alwaies been doing thee good never did thee harme and against him thou hast oftended oh how this wounded David Psal. 51. Against Christ also thou sinnest who became man yea a man of sorrowes yea a worme rather then a man for thee who was tempted betrayed scorned abused bruised wounded for thee who prayed sighed sorrowed sweat drops of blood and powred out his soule to death for thee who loved thee and washed thee from thy sins in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. how should this make thee mourne Zech. 12. 10 11 12. yea against the Spirit that convinceth illuminateth adopteth Sanctifieth s●aleth cōforteth dwelleth in thee Is this thy kindnesse to thy God d●est thou thus requite the Lord oh foolish person and unwise Think by whom sin is acted by them that are to God but as wormes mothes grashoppers as the dust of the ballance as nothing as chaffe before the wind as stubble before the consuming fire your sins hurt not God but your selves If you be holy what do you to him if sinfull what doe you against him Job 35. 6. Think how your sins Englands sins are aggravated being beyond sins of Sodom Samaria Jerusalem because against greater light mercies meanes ordinances then ever they enjoyed against promises and threats kindnesses and judgments the patience of God wonderfull deliverances and a glorious gospell How should such considerations as these even break the soule in pieces 4. By a prudent laying to heart of Gods judgements inflicted This may be a meanes of softening a stony heart when perhaps the word will not penetrate Manasses that would not hearken to Gods word yet melted in his chaines humbled himselfe greatly 2 Chron. 33. 12. How did the people tremble at the great raine Ezr. 10. 9. God implyes that his judgements will make the uncircumcised hearts be humbled and accept the punishment Levit. 26. 41. and bring people to know the plague in their own heart 1 King 8. 38. Consider now how God hath plagued England with his judgements and let your hearts be broken for England and your selves therein Think what variety of judgements are upon the Land The Pestilence hath slain thousands the sword ten thousands The immoderate rain for these divers moneths hindering seed-time with some or washing seed sowne out of the ground with others and so threatning a famine The murrain among horses and cattell in some places as is credibly reported and which is heavier then all the spirit of errour and heresie that spreads and frets among us as a Gangrene so many being given up to strong delusion to believe a lye 2 Thes. 2. 11. how are these judgements concatenated together and pursue one another as Jobs messengers and the billowes of the Sea and Gods hand is stretched out still Think of the impartiality of Gods judgments upon us No degree sex or age hath been spared King and subject Nobles and ignoble Magistrates Ministers high and low rich and poor all have tasted of Gods severity Think of Gods wrath and displeasure that discovers it self in all his frown more heavy then the frownes of all the world if he looke but upon the earth it trembleth if he touch the hills they smoak Psal. 104. 32. shall not we tremble when he is angry Think of Englands sins deserving all these and worse these shafts that fall upon our heads we first shot

we never after read that he relapsed into the same sin yea we read our Saviours Prophecy of him that he should glorifie God by being himself crucified for Christ and his Truth Joh. 21. 18. Publiquely A broken spirit is desirous also to reforme others It is very remarkable in Scriptures that when Magistrates and Rulers became men of contrite and broken spirits indeed they could not rest and terminate in Personall but did proceed to publique Reformation in the Kingdome and Church wherein they lived Thus Ezra hearing of the sins of the people of the land and of the Princes by unlawfull marriages with the Heathens rent his garment and mantle and pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard and sate downe astonyed Ezr. 9. 1 2 3. here are notable symptomes how his spirit was broken for their sins consequently both Ezra and the people weeping very sore set upon Reformation to put away all the strange wives and their children and Ezra made them Covenant and sweare to God to do it and after tooke course to have it done Ezra 10. 1 2 3 4 5 c. Thus good King Josiah his heart being tender and his spirit melted at consideration of the peoples sinnes he sets presently and vigorously upon publique Reformation makes the Law of God be publiquely read enters into Covenant with God to keep his Commandements and his Testimonies and his Statutes with all his heart with all his soul caused all that were present in Hierusalem and Benjamin to stand to it took away all the abominations out of all the Countreys that pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were present in Israel to serve to serve the Lord their God and all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord the God of their Fathers here was Reformation to purpose 2 Chron. 34. 19. 27. 29. to the end of the Chap. Yea Mannasses himself that prodigious monster of wickednesse 2 Chron. 33. 2. to 11. when in his affliction his heart was broken so that he besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers Even then this Mannasses set upon publike Reformation for he tooke away the strange Gods and Idols out of the house of the Lord and all the Altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the City And he repaired the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel 2 Chron. 32. 12. 15. 16. Thus he 1. removed the abominations which himselfe had erected 2. restored the pure worship of God which himself destroyed and 3. commanded Iudah to serve the Lord God of Israel who could have expected such a Reformation from Manasses his humbled spirit could not chuse but reforme Then what Church and State need despaire of Reformation if the Lord would but thoroughly humble and breake the hearts of Princes and Rulers as he did Manasses Right Honorable this in speciall concernes you be pleased to consider these three ●amous Magistrates how when their spirits were broken they speedily and se●iously testified the same in publike Reformations get you broken hearts like them you will r●●orme 〈◊〉 them It 's true you and the people have sworne and covenanted with God a publike Reformation according to the Word of God c. And God hath honoured you to lay some foundations of Reformation for which we blesse God hoping that these beginnings will still be carried forward to perfection and that God will not despise the day of small things Zech. 4. 10. But yet both Church and State still cry out for further Reformation how doth the Common-wealth groane under wofull oppression injustice and all manner of violence and wrong as much if not more then ever O hasten to save the poore Kingdome from these destructive evills But how doth the Church of God not onely groane but even languish faint and dye continually under those cursed diseases of error heresie blasphemy licentiousness divisions disorder and confusion horrid Atheisme and all manner of prophanness Are there not amongst us that say we have no Church no Ministry no Ordinances that oppose and deny the Scriptures the immortality of the soule the divinity of Christ the deity of the Holy-Ghost and almost all the fundamentals of Religion yea and all visible outward Reformation Whither are wee falling should these things still pass on without controule what Religion shall we leave to our posterity Can we redresse these distempers Ministers may preach people may petition and both may pray but if you sit still who are Heires of Restraint Judg. 18. 7. who bear the sword and should not beare the sword in vain Rom. 13. where shall we have healing you have power to hinder you have sworne to extirpate these evills if they be not extirpated we may justly fear they will extirpate both you and us at last Let it not be said of these lewd persons as once of Elies sons They have made themselves vile but you restrained them not you know it 's an old maxime in Divinity Qui cùm possit non prohibet jubet He that can but doth not hinder evill commandeth it God forbid you should contract such guilt upon your selves Besides these evills to be removed are there not many necessary parts of Reformation wanting as the publike Confession of Faith and Catechism besides many things in Church-Government c. Oh that the perfecting of these might be accelerated oh gird on zeal be valiant for the truth accomplish the Reformation imitate those broken-hearted Reformers never let it be said that you should come short of King Manasses Be strong and the Lord shall be with you This Doctrine may serve to Exhort all persons that desire either this day or at any time hereafter to present the Lord with Sacrifices acceptable indeed that they get and keep broken spirits These are the Sacri●ices of God these he will not despise but without these all your Prof●ssions Prayers Duties c. will be utterly rejected But how shall we get and keep broken Spirits hic labor hoc opus est Her'e 's the difficulty Answ. A broken spirit may be obtained and maintained 1. By a due dependance upon God alone in Jesus Christ for a broken spirit without God and Christ thou canst not breake thine own heart nor can all the world do it for thee thou maist aswell think to hold the winds in thy fist from blowing and the waves of the Sea from rolling up and down and roaring to span the vast Ocean with thy fingers to hold the huge globe of the Earth in the hollow of thy hand and to stop the course of the Sun and Moon in the firmament as to instill into thine own heart true penitential brokennesse Only God gives repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. only God that made the heart can melt and mend the heart It

place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit Isai 57. 15. Here Humility and Contrition of Spirit are Associates A proud self-rich self-full spirit is very inconsistent with a broken spirit the Angel of the Church that proudly bragged that he was rich and encreased with goods and had need of no thing was as farre from brokennesse of heart as he was from apprehensivenesse of his own misery not knowing that hee was wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. Where now is thine humility and spirituall poverty if thou beest hardened in spirituall pride self-conceit c. how should a broken spirit lodge in thy brest 3. Love to Jesus Christ A broken spirit is a tender affectionate loving spirit and the love of such a spirit flames out most ardently towards Christ Oh it entirely loves Christ that loved it prayed for it bled for it dyed for it and washed it from its sin in his own blood Gal. 2. 20. Rev. 1. 5. how it esteemes affects embraces the Lord saith thou art my portion in the land of the living whom have I in heaven but thee and in earth ther 's none that I can desire besides thee All things are but losse and dung to the wining of Christ Phil. 3. one Christ is worth ten thousand worlds c. See how strong the love of that penitent broken-hearted woman was to Christ Her bathing his feet in her tears wiping them with her hairs kissing them with her mouth and annoynting them with costly oynment palpably proclaime her love to Christ and Christ himself testifies that she loved much Luk. 7. 37. 38. 44. to 49. she could not chuse for Christ had loved her much he forgave her her sins which were many and she gave him her affections and teares which were many No wonder that a broken heart is a Christ-loving-heart for its Christ that gives the broken heart Zech. 12. 10 11. its Christ that loves comforts and binds up the broken heart Isai 61. 1 2 c. with Luk. 4. 18 19. ther 's much of Christ in the broken heart how then can a broken heart chuse but be endeared to Christ As the soaking April showers make the fields send forth a sweet smell or as the bruising of Camomil makes it the more fragrantly odoriferous so Christ softening and bruising the heart makes the heart expresse a sweet fragrancy of love to him See now what tender affection thou bearest to Jesus Christ to his Person presence office Honour Ordinances image in his members c. if thou wouldst read brokennesse in thine heart 4. Obedience A broken spirit is a dutifull tractable obedientiall spirit Thus these two are coupled together And I will give them an heart of flesh ther 's brokennesse of spirit That they may walke in my Statutes and keep mine Ordinances and do them ther 's obedience associated to brokennesse of heart Ezek. 11. 19 20. and the like Ezek. 36. 26 27. softned waxe will receive any impression melted mettle will runne into any mould thus a melted softned heart will bend and bow as God will have it Then a Persecuting Saul can say Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. 6. as if hee should say Lord do but thou command I am ready to obey Then the betrayers and murderers of Christ can say men and brethren what shall we do Act. 2. 37. as if they had said we see we are undone in our selves by our sins but now we are ready to take any course for remedy which the Lord by you shall prescribe Such an heart is fixed and resolved upon all dutifull compliance with Gods commands can say as a Augustine Lord give me ability to do what thou commandest and then command me whatsoever thou pleasest Hast thou such a flexible dutifull spirit a broken spirit is an obedient spirit But an hard heart like a stone will not bow or bend may sooner be ground to powder Hardned Pharoah professed he would not let Israel goe Exod. 5. 2. Hard-hearted Manasses and the people would not hearken to Gods messages 2 Chron. 33. 10. The stubborn and stony spirited Jewes tell Jeremiah plainly As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not harken unto thee but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our owne mouth Jer. 44. 16 17. 2. By the Adjuncts or Properties of a truly penitentiall broken spirit we may further discover whether our spirits be broken and thereupon the gratefull sacrifices of God Among the many Properties that might be insisted upon take a taste of these few that follow 1. A broken spirit grieves and mourns for the sins of others especially for the publique abounding sins of the times wherein it lives A soft heart is like the moist elements water and ayre which are very hardly kept in and contained within their own bounds it satisfies not it selfe onely within the bounds of its owne sins to lament them but runnes abroad also in lamentations for others This as b Augustine expresseth it is pia tristitia beata miseria i. e. A pious sorrow and blessed misery to be afflicted for not to be intangled with others vices c. Thus that Phoenix-King Josiahs heart was tender and he mourned and wept and rent his clothes for the sinnes of the land 2 Chron. 34. King David was a man after Gods owne heart and his heart was habitually tender and broken and how was he affected and afflicted at the sins of others I beheld saith he the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word Psal. 119. 158. And againe Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy Law Psal. 119. 53. And yet further Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law Psal. 119. 136. Mark Josiah's heart was tender he humbled himselfe before God he rent his clothes and wept before the Lord David expresseth his grief horror and rivers of tears and both for others sinnes Here Right Honourable you may see in these two gracious Kings that it 's a beame of true honor and nobility becoming Peers or Princes to have broken spirits that can relent for others offences And this is the Periphrasis of those tender-hearted Saints in Jerusalem Men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that are done in the midst thereof Ezek. 9. 4. Whereas an hard heart troubles not it selfe at others sins but rather doth the same and takes pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 32. How is thine heart affected at others sins especially at the horrid impieties of these times where 's thy griefe thy horror thy sighs thy cries thy rivers of tears in secret c. 2. A broken spirit hath clearest and saddest apprehensions of its own sinfulness if others sins be motes it s owne are beams if others be molehills its owne are apprehended as mountaines The

this subject that it is the sacrifices of God The copula knitting both together is not expressed in the Hebrew text but must necessarily be supplyed to make up the sense perfect is or are therefore here the word are is put in a different character Now for clearing the sense of this Proposition these things are a litle to be opened Viz. 1. What is here meant by the word Spirit 2. What is intended by a broken spirit 3. In what sense we are to understand that such a broken spirit is the sacrifices of God First By the word spirit {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Scripture is wont to poin● out to us many s●veral things If any word in the Old or New Testament be of multifarious signification certainly this word spirit is one But as to this place by Spirit here understand First Not the regenerate part in a child of GOD in whom spirit stands opposed to flesh Grace to sin The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. See also Ioh. 3. 6. For in this place brokennesse and contrition is rather a spark of that Regenerate part and part of the new man subj●ctively inherent and seated in the spirit here spoken of as the Receptacle of it Secondly Nor the intellective part as distinct from the sensitive and from the corporeal part of man as the Apostle makes the distribution that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse 1 Thes. 5. 23. As Calvin b Beza and others observe Which spirit is elsewhere stiled the spirit of the mind For though the Intellective part as some of the c schoolmen think be the more special subject of this brokennesse yet cannot the sensitive appetite besecluded yea the body it self cannot but sympathize and become broken when the heart and spirit are broken Thirdly But here understand the heart or soul of man principally which is the most proper receptive subj●ct of this penitential brok●nnesse Secondly By {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A Broken spirit thus conceive in general d It is a metaphor from ●orporal things as from an Earthen vessel a tree the bones or body of a man or the like which are properly liable to be broken and that I may here allude to the Hebrew word here used shivered-topieces The spirit cannot be s●…d to be Broken properly but allusively metaphorically when for sin c. it is humbled as in Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 12. It is pricked and wounded as in Peters hearers Act. 2. 37. it is softned and melted as in Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 27. it is in bitternesse as in those intended in Zech. 12. 10 11. c. More particularly here understand by brokennesse of spirit 1. Not a meer natural brokennesse and tendernesse which ariseth from the tender temper and constitution of the heart and eyes by Nature which is in some more some lesse whence they are ready to receive impressions of griefe and to make Expressions in tears upon occasion of any pathetical objects This being but a fruit of Nature cannot be the spiritual sacrifices of God acceptable unto him 2. Not a meer worldly Brokennesse and grief of Heart arising from some worldly ground or occasion c. Such as Jacobs grief for Joseph supposed to be torn in peeces GEN. 37. 33 34 35. Of David for Absalom 〈◊〉 SAM. 18. 33. Of Rachel for her children MAT. 2. 18. As streams of water wil not ascend higher then the fountain head whence they first tooke their rise so these streams of worldly contrition arising meerly from a worldly Principle can never ascend higher then the world and in fine the sorrow of the world worketh death 2 Cor. 7. 10. 3. Not any formal fained e hypocritical brokenness for sin wch comes neerest to true Penitential brokenness and is the livelyest sh●dow or picture of it but no more whereby a man may be first Convinced mightily of his sin committed Secondly Wounded and afflicted in Conscience deeply upon such conviction Thirdly Even forced voluntarily to confess the sin publickly before others for which he is perplexed Fourthly Brought to make some outward Satisfaction by Restitution of dishonest gain Fifthly And at last through extremity of anguish and horror of conscience be so swallowed up of utter despair as to make away himself All these were found in Iudas who yet never found a true Brokennesse of spirit Mat. 27. 3 4 5. But the God of Truth delights only in Truth and sincerity abhorrs Hypocrisy 4. But here understand only a true gracious p●nitential brokennesse of heart for sin when the heart is kindly pricked melted humbled and in bitternesse for sin and finding no rest nor remedy in it self nor in any created comfort makes out only to Gods favor in Jesus Christ for support and ease This is a proper fruit of that sweet Spirit of grace promised Zech. 12. 10 11 12. This is that godly sorrow that worketh repentance not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. This is for substance that Repentance unto life Act. 11. 18. or an eminent branch thereof And this was that Brokennesse of spirit which was upon David in p●…ning this Psalm which he declares to be the acceptable sacrifices of God Verse 17. This brokennesse of spirit in a child of God may be considered either as it is 1. Habitual viz. That habit of brokenness tenderness c. which is infused into the heart of the Regenerate at first conversion which is called in the New Covenant an heart of flesh Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 26. The heart of stone noting that habitual hardness that is in carnal men The heart of flesh that habitual softness and brokenness that is in spiritual men 2. As it is Actual viz. That exercise of brokenness and tenderness of heart for sin upon just occasions as David reduced his brokenness into act upon his fall c. That is a brokenness impressed on us this a brokennesse expressed by us 3. In what sense is such a broken spirit here stiled The S●crifices of God Ans. This phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The sacrifices of God may bear a double interpretation viz. either first As denoting the singular excellency of this sacrifice of a broken heart For its usual in the Hebrew tongue to add the name of God to a thing to set out the excellency thereof as the Mountains of God i. e. exceeding high Mountains Psa. 36. 6. Cedars of God i. e. most tall Cedars Psa. 80. 11. Rivers of God Psa. 65. 10. Wrastlings of God i. e. Great Wrastlings Gen. 30. 8. Harps of God Rev. 15. 2. c. so here Sacrifices of God i. e. most choyce excellent Sacrifices Or secondly As signifying the peculiar gratefulnesse and singular acceptablenesse of this sacrifice to God above all the typical sacrifices of the Law none of them all please God so wel as the broken and contrite spirit this to God is the Sacrifice

of sacrifices Now this latter seems to be most clearly here intended 1. Partly because a broken heart is here opposed to all Ceremonial sacrifices Verse 16 17. These God neither desires nor delights in in comparison of a broken heart and Spirit 2. Partly because this broken heart is here c●lled emphatically not only the sacrifice of God in the singular number but the sacrifices of God in the plural to note that this f one Sacrifice of a truly broken heart hath in it the gratefulnesse of all sacrifices with this one God is better pleased then with all others forementioned 3. Partly because it is said by way of exegetical amplification in the latter part of this 17. Verse A broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise which seemes to bee a {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} less being spoken then was intended thou wilt not despise i. e. thou wilt highly esteem and account of it it wil be most acceptable with thee The words thus explaned this Doctrinal Proposition is evident in them Viz. A truly broken spirit is a most pleasing and acceptable sacrifice unto God A broken spirit is not only grateful to the Saints themselves refreshing both their souls and the souls of others as a seasonable April shower doth the grass nor only delightful unto the very Angels of heaven There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth more then over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance Luke 15. 7. 10. Upon which saith BERNARD Delicia Angelorum sunt lachrymae poenitentium The tears of Penitents are the delights of Angels But which is most of all a broken spirit is the delight of God himself his most grateful sacrifices This may be evidenced chiefly two ways 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That it is so 2. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Why it is so 1. For the first the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That this is so viz. That a truly broken spirit is a most pleasing sacrifice unto God may be cleared upon many Considerations 1. A broken spirit is so pleasing to God that he prefers this one alone to all Ceremonial sacrifices and external Rites under the Old Testament whatsoever g For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit Psa. 51. 6 17. There were many sacrifices under the Old Testament The Burnt-offering the Sin-offering the Meat-offering the Drink-offering the Dayly Sacrifice c. And these sacrifices were not only prescribed of God but also in their kind and season accepted also of him as 2 Sam. 24. 25. 1 Kings 18. 36 37 38. Notwithstanding God looked more at a penitential broken heart then at all those Therefore he saith elswhere Rent your hearts and not your garments Joel 2. 13. And no wonder For 1. These were but outward Sacrifices This of a broken spirit is inward 2. Those were of dead creatures dead beasts c. this of living men 3. Those Typicall this Reall 4. Those would be of acceptance with God but for a Season till the incarnation of Christ Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. this will be gratefull to God for ever both under Old and New Testament 2. A broken spirit is so pleasing to God that God highly preferres it before all meer morall performances or Pharisaicall perfections whatsoever This is conspicuous in that eminent Parable of the Pharisee and Publican Luk. 18. 10. to 15. where are remarkable 1. The Devotion they performed they both went into the Temple to pray 2. The manner of their performance The Pharisy was upon tiptoes with God Negatively disclayming a manifold guiltinesse God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners c. he borrowes Gods name pretending to thank him intending to praise and appla●d himself Affirmatively assuming to himself a manifold vertuousnesse I fast twice in the weeke c. But the poor Publican performeth his Devotion in a farre other manner he stood a farre off as afraid to draw neere into the presence of God he would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven as unworthy to look towards Gods glorious habitation he smote upon his brest as sore broken and displeased at himself for his own o●●ences and said God be mercifull to me a sinner as apprehending no sufficient remedy against his deep sinfull misery but only divine Mercy Thus the Pharisy wholly exalted himself the Publican wholly debased himself The Pharisy only praised himself the Publican only dispraised himself The Pharisy only justified himself the Publican only condemned himself 4. But in the close see the testimony of Christ touching their acceptance I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather then the other h i. e. justified and not the other Oh how happy are they that partake of Gods justification Psal. 32. 1. 2. To be justified of God is a fruit of his highest acceptation This acceptation was the Priviledge of the broken-hearted Publican when the cracking Pharisee with all his morall and legall perfections without true Contrition was rejected 3. A broken spirit is so pleasing to God that God hath a peculiar and especiall respect therunto Thus saith the Lord The heaven is my Throne and the earth is my foot-stoole where is the house that ye build unto mee and where is the place of my rest For all those things hath mine hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite Spirit Isai. 66. 1 2. God lookes upon him that is of a poore and contrire spirit not only with a look of bare intuition for so he lookes upon both the evill and the good but with a look of smiling favour and acceptation called the lifting up of the light of his countenance Psal. 4. 6. now where God thus lookes he likes he notably loves So it s said God had respect to Abel and to his offring Gen. 4. 4. i. e. God approoved it accepted it was well-pleased with it Thus God respects and accepts a broken-heart How great respect had God to Josiah and his brokennesse of heart saying Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God when thou heardest his words against this place and against the inhabitants thereof and humbledst thy selfe before me and didst rend thy clothes and weep before me I have even heard thee also saith the Lord 2 Chron. 34. 27 28. How great respect had God to King Manasses that Monster of wickednesse to the brokennesse of his spirit for when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God t and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers And prayed unto him and he was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him again to