will yeeld a full crop See an excellent resolue in David Psal 119.81.82.83 My soule fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy Word Mine eyes fayle for thy Word saying When wilt thou comfort mee for I am become like a Bottle in the smoake yet doe I not forget thy Statutes He had longing expectations languished and almost dryed up with a delayed hope yet still he stayes the time of the promise 3. In regard of their Intention 1. Because that promise which hath a Generall Medium is Generall though it were made to some particular person therefore wee must see our selues reduced to the condition of such particulars for our application If a promise were made to David if to Paul that promise is ours if wee in the same condition And the promise being made not to their merit but to their want therefore if wee be in Davids or Pauls streite and necessitie though wee haue not so much grace yet having as much merit that is none and being in that case wee may apply it 2. Because the promises of Temporalls doe belong unto us the Elect not onely by common bountie as to the wicked but by speciall Covenant as being made ours by Christs purchase therefore wee may so apply them Thus outward things being accessions to us we may confidently looke for enough of them and make use of our Tenure for wee hold them by a good claime 2. I haue done with the former part of the Vse Direction how to use this argument of the promise This other is an Exhortation that wee would make use of it 1. Let us make this Vse to store up the promises against the time of our need let us treasure them as oyle in our Lampes that wee may not want light with the foolish Virgins Learne to possesse the Word and make it our owne that it may dwell with us for our constant assistance Men keepe their Conveyances and Assurances and Deeds with a great deale of care let us be so wise for our Soules for our comfort that the Word may dwell richly in us in all wisedome Col. 3.16 That was Davids care Thy Word haue I hid in mine heart Psal 119.11 Salomon adviseth us to that and giues us good reason Bind them continually upon thine heart and tye them about thy necke When thou goest it shall lead thee when thou sleepest it shall keepe thee when thou awakest it shall talke with thee Pro. 6.21.22 He spake it generally of the Word but it is principally considerable of the promise that will leade us on with a gracious safetie that will keepe us with happie securitie that will talke unto our memory with sweet and pleasing Communication Let us enrich our selues with such a treasure and hoord up all though wee see not the present use of some yet let us be wise in our choyce as well as provident in our heape to store up specially the most precious the most fundamentall 2. Let us make a constant use of what wee haue stored up and to that end learne clearely to discerne their truth and their goodnesse that the promises are not vaine nor in vaine It was the witnesse of Samuel concerning his Prophecies That Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and did let none of his words fall to the ground 1 Sam. 3.19 God will not let his word fall to be scattered or lost nor let us loose a promise Haue wee the full Breasts of Scripture and will wee be wanting to our owne comfort Rather let us deale as wee haue seene some Children hang at the Dug and being hungry and therefore full of appetite and strong and therefore not soone wearied haue rather tugged than suckt at the breast not giving over till they haue drawne that naturall vessell dry So according to the Prophets allusion Let us sucke and be satisfied with the breasts of Consolations that wee may milke out and be delighted Esa 66.11 Our comfort is wee cannot draw the Scripture dry there is milke enough promises of every kinde 1. Generall promises lay hold on them 2. Particular 1. Pertaining to this life 1. Concerning the spirituall estate 1. Promises for Iustification and forgiuenesse Sonne be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgiven thee Mat. 9.2 Apply it Lord I drooped upon my former apprehensions of sin and wrath I was left then without all comfort But this voice makes me looke up cheerily when I heare a word in my Conscience That my sinnes are forgiven mee Againe Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will haue mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Esa 55.7 Apply it Lord I haue many sinnes but thou hast more mercies my sinnes would carry mee with despaire from thee thy mercies invite mee to returne to thee I haue beene abundant in my sinnes and thou hast promised abundantly to pardon I haue multiplyed my sinnes but thou art rich in mercy I dare now oppose a treasure against a treasure the treasure of thy mercy against the treasure of my sinnes I am confounded to see my sinnes heaped up to heaven but thy Mercy is high as the Heavens and over-tops them 2. Promises for sanctification and our cleansing I will sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idols will I cleanse you a new heart also will I giue you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and will giue you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.25.26 Apply it Lord thou hast promised not onely to justifie my person but to sanctifie my nature I am unholy doe thou make me cleane by the sprinklings of thy grace I am old doe thou renew mee by thy spirit I am hard and perverse doe thou make mee soft and pliant to the motions of thy will Againe I will heale their back-sliding I will loue them freely Hos 14.4 Apply it Lord thou hast promised to forgiue mine iniquitie and to cure my diseases thou canst as easily change my heart and make mee holy as bid mee that I should be holy Take away my crookednesse and reluctancie giue mee a connaturalnesse to thy Commands a strength to obey thy will that I be no back-slider 2. There are promises concerning the Temporall estate 1. For supply of what is good Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6.33 Apply it Lord thou hast promised supply of Temporalls to the subjects of thy Kingdome Outward things are but Accessions wilt thou giue us the maine and deny us what is lesse worthy While wee haue the Inheritance wee are confident of these things together with the Inheritance Thou wilt not see us perish with povertie with want because wee are Subjects because wee are sonnes Againe Yee shall dwell in the Land that I gaue to
If it bee our duty it then very justly condemneth 1. The barren who bring forth no fruits at all I may say to many as our Saviour to those in the Market place Cur statis otiosi why stand ye all the day idle men live onely as if they were sent but to live without a farther end I may wonder as our Saviour Why stand yee all your youth idle all your strength idle all your old age idle what a shame is it that men should spend so many yeares 20 30 40 50 an 100 yeares some and doe nothing make no entrance or if an entrance no progresse in grace Hath no man hired you Have yee not been hired by meanes by mercies by offers of grace Why doe wee spend our strength and labour to instruct you wherefore have yee the Gospel why have ye enjoyed preaching the benefit of so many sermons and do nothing but continue barren 2. It condemns such as are indeed fruitfull but bring not forth fruits worthy of repentance Men are but too fruitfull in the works of darknesse The fruits of ignorance the fruits of profanenesse the fruits of Popery the fruits of Atheisme doe every where abound You bring forth fruits worthy of your selves being ranke ground for weeds that are noysom unprofitable Ye bring not fruits meet for this businesse and this day A fasting day is but a bud or flower but the fruit must follow afterward When yee assemble to a worke of this nature there is a good shew made faire blossoms but if there be a day of humiliation and no reformation follow it is but a blossomed tree which at length commeth to nothing Vse 2. If it bee our duty let us be carefull of our duty this application I shall more profitably branch into 1. A direction 2. An exhortation 1. A direction how wee may be wrought unto the duty 1. How to repent 2. How to bring forth worthy fruits 1. A direction how to repent I will method you in the way which you must take and carry your meditations through the severall degrees by which yee must ascend 1. Learne to consider sinne to conceive of it rightly to see it in its owne nature Let us not deceive our selves in our condition to think our selves rich and increased in goods and to have need of nothing when in deed wee are wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3.7 that ye may the better discern and do this consider 1. The infinite majesty of God which by your sins is offended 2. The infinite bonds and relations that by your sins are violated 3. The heavie wrath which upon such violations from such a Majesty by your sinnes you have justly incurred 4. What good things which otherwise yee might have possessed by your sinnes yee are deprived of and have forfeited 5 What evils as the effects of divine wrath by your sins are brought upon you 6. The infinitenesse and preciousnesse of Christs sufferings which for your sinnes hee freely under-went Yee may spread your thoughts upon these and by them helpe your selves to the serious consideration of the haynous nature of sinne which is the first worke to bee done 2. Consider obedience unto God to bee a duty absolutely necessary that one thing neeedfull Luke 10.42 So necessary that when some related Pilates fact that hee mingled the blood of divers Galileans with their Sacrifices CHRIST told them Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Luke 13.3 Consider repentance to bee so necessary that without it there is no salvation but ye are sure to perish 3. Upon the apprehension of sinne and the necessity of repentance goe and cast your selves downe before the presence of God in the humblest maner when you are in private alone by your selves lay your selves open unto him poure forth confessions for if wee confesse our sins hee is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse 1 Joh. 1.9 See what encouragement David gives I acknowledged my sinne unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid J said I will confesse my Transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Psal 32.5 And goe and say unto God as David did Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Psal 51.4 4. When ye are at the lowest then cast up an eye to Christ by faith embrace the promise of life by faith in him expect not onely the justification of your persons but the renovation of your natures that the covenant of promise may be performed challenge of Gods truth That he would give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you that he would take away the stony heart of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh that he would make you remember your owne evill wayes and your doings that were not good that yee might loath your selves in your sight for your iniquities and for your abomination Ezek. 36.26.31 5. When ye have challenged mercy and grace then resolve in the strength of God to returne There is nothing in your owne power and therefore a bare simple resolution will not availe you Wee often observe such resolutions come to nothing and no wonder because they are not taken in the power of God A grosse sinner in a good sudden mood begins to bethink himselfe and then hee resolves to leave his sinne I have heard a drunkard when hee hath been reproved say I will leave this drinking and company-keeping or a swearer say I will refraine these oathes And so of others Haply some may commend these resolves I cannot dare not I think it no commendable thing but a remedy as dangerous as the sinne because the remedy is a signe You will thinke it strange divinity but observe whether these men doe not as frequently fall into the sinne as resolve against it they resolve not to doe it and then doe it they againe resolve not to doe it and againe they doe it That is their course the circle which they run round in to sinne and resolve to resolve and sinne And observe whether you ever knew one of these bare resolutions to have good successe But this must be your way Lord I see what I must doe but together with it I see what I am not able to doe thou hast made me willing make mee also able my desires are towards grace and so farre as I am able to resolve I doe resolve but it is in the power of thy might Oh add unto thine owne worke perfect thine owne beginnings This is to resolve to repent in Gods power and it succeeds for wee are not sufficient of our selves to thinke any thing as of our selves but our sufficiencie is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 6. Lastly let us strengthen our resolutions with this care to avoid all impediments that might hinder our returning unto God Many things do impedite or intangle the soule sometimes worldlinesse hangs like a clog sometimes
pray with understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 The Papists doe but count their beades they doe not pray and the ignorant are like the Papists they doe but say the words 2. With faith this honors God and makes us bold for in Christ we haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence by the faith of him Ephe. 3.12 And how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeved Rom. 10.14 The rule is in Iames If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God and it shall be given him but let him aske in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a waue of the sea driven with the wind and tossed let not that man thinke he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Iam. 1.5.6.7 Faith ballasts the soule without it the soule floats sometimes it thinkes it hath a promise and then it riseth to a vaine height the height of presumption sometimes it is driven off and then it sinkes Moses his hands were sometimes up and sometimes they fell downe till a stone was put under them then continued praying and prevaild against Amalek Exod. 17.12 The heart must be established upon something we must haue faith in the providence and faith in the promises and then the heart growes quiet as t is said of Hannah Shee spake in her heart it was not a formall lip-prayer and her countenance was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.13.18 When shee had poured forth her soule before the Lord shee was quiet shee then rested Desire and hope and feare are usually extremes and are full of paine but faith attends with ease and knowes assuredly that enough that is so much of the promise as is fit shall be performed 3. We must attend unto our selues that wee bee not distracted in prayer To that question whether the defect of this attention doe frustrate prayer The Schoole-men haue answered That not an actuall but a virtuall attention is ever necessary I cannot altogether reject that answere for though an actuall attention in every prayer and in every part of prayer is very commendable and that which wee must indeavour for yet the virtuall attention which is to persist in the disposition to attend is that which is necessary I shall cleare this by distinguishing of our wandrings The soule is apt to gad and those wandrings from the duetie which are by our owne neglect these make our prayer to be sinne If otherwise they are not ours but Sathans injections they frustrate not our prayer though they may somewhat hinder our comfort It is the Archers fault if he hit not the marke if himselfe were carelesse of his posture of his ayme but if he ayme rightly and intend his shaft to the marke and another purposely jogge his arme in the delivery of the Arrow t is the fault of the other not his Here is our tryall doe wee intend the marke to send the shaft of prayer to heaven rightly then the malice of the stander-by shall not hinder our entrance and audience But however because of our weakenesse and the Devils maliciousnesse wee must be the more upon our watch and like the wise-man of whom Salomon speakes wee must haue our hearts in our hands that is alwayes in a readinesse for every holy dutie that wee set about The heart must accompany prayer and therefore wee must attend that it be within our reach for it is apt to stray and then wee are dull and without life in prayer Wee must keepe our hearts in tune that when wee strike upon the strings of that instrument there may be melodie to God who may delight to heare This is the attention of the minde 2. There must be the intention of the Will and this is the Exhibition or representation of the Will before God which I shall best shew you what it is by two phrases of Scripture which describe prayer A powring out and a lifting up of the Spirit 1. A powring out of the soule The phrase is used by Hannah 1 Sam 1.15 and Psal 62.8 Powre out your heart before him It usually signifies to deale freely with any one yet without straining there are two things in the phrase Reverence and Humilitie 1. Wee must pray with reverence which is so necessary that Religion it selfe is described to be Actus Reverentiae When wee pray wee come before God and when wee come before God wee stand upon holy ground and in that case the command was unto Moses that he should plucke off his shooes We must be of a speaking gesture our posture and carriage before God must witnesse our reverence that wee tremble at the glory of his presence 2. Wee must pray with humilitie wee haue a patterne in Abraham his very formes are imitable I haue taken upon mee to speake unto the Lord which am but dust and ashes Oh let not my Lord be angry and I will speake Oh let not the Lord be angry and I will speake but this once Gen. 18.27.30.32 He attends every petition with apologie So our Iacob whose story wee are now upon I am not worthy the least of all thy mercies And that poore dejected Publican giues us an example of admirable humilitie he comes unto the Temple for his devotion brought him thither and he dares not neglect a dutie though he be not worthy to performe it but when he is come there how doth he behaue himselfe how humbly how sadly He stands afarre off as not daring to presse nearer to a glorious presence he weuld not lift up so much as his eyes towards heaven as ashamed to behold that against which he had sinned he smites upon his breast with remorce and feare and indignation and all that he can bring out at last is no more but this God be mercifull to mee a sinner Luk. 18.13 And this is the acceptable prayer though he durst scarce speake God readily heard him he went away justified so that wee may say with David Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble There are two Originall words that doe liuely expresse this unto us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Greeke signifies to pray is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knee and the Hebrew word Berecha prayer is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berech Ingeniculando fudit preces both importing the bowing of the knee in prayer Humilitie is so necessary that the promise is to it 2 Chro. 7.14 If my people shall humble themselues and pray then I will heare from heaven And Esa 66.2 To this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit This is the Sacrifice that God accepts when sacrifices and burnt-offrings will not please him This is the powring forth of the soule the oother phrase is 2. A lifting up of the spirit the phrase is used Psal 25.1 Vnto thee O Lord doe I lift up my soule And it signifies also two things fervency and continuance 1. Fervency Wee must haue zeale and heate in our prayers Iam. 5.16 The effectuall
fervent prayer availeth much Zeale puts the heart into a good temper and apts it for motion which cannot be without an heate besides it helpes on prayer and makes it speedie Prayer is the weapon with which wee fight zeale giues that an edge for wee are easily dulled and need that whetting And to use another expression prayer ascends as the fire the fire moues unto its owne place to the element of fire in the hollow of the Moone and that it may passe the better without hindrance it goes up like a pyramis spirewise sharpe-poynted the more easily to penetrate zeale is the pyramidall or poynted flame of prayer and wings it up freely till it come before God and peirces with a kinde of violence till it gaine an entrance T is a fit Story which St. Augustin hath I le repeate it to you When he came as a visitant to the house of a sicke man he saw the roome full of friends and kindred who were all silent yet all weeping the wife sobbing the children crying out the kinsfolks lamenting The good Father suddenly utters a prayer Domine quas preces exaudis si has non exaudis Lord what prayers dost thou heare if thou hearest not these A prayer not so much artfull as vehement hath a kinde of violence in it And the Scripture sets it forth by such like words To cry To wrestle To striue all arguing an holy importunitie 2. Continuance True zeale continues t is a fire not a flame onely and according to the Apostles Rule Wee must pray alwayes 1. In the constant disposition of heart 2. In act at all seasonable opportunities all fit times as is interpreted by St. Paul in the very choice of the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So wee reade that Mephibosheth eate continually at the Kings table 2 Sam. 9.13 And that Anna departed not from the Temple but served God day and night Luk. 2.37 that is when ever the time was seasonable and opportune We must continue to pray though wee finde our selues indisposed to prayer and therefore wee must continue because indisposed The Devill sometimes teaches our sloath to object That wee are dull and dead and unapt and were therefore better not pray at all then pray without life But it is with our soules as sometimes with some part of our bodyes If a man leane long upon his Arme without motion of it it becomes so benummed that t is made unfit for motion but wee continue rubbing of that part till wee bring the bloud to the same free course againe Such dulnesse and distemper by our owne neglect oft grows upon our better part but wee must be constant in the warming and rubbing of the soule when wee are dull to pray against dulnesse and not to leaue the worke till wee finde our former life running freely and spirit in our veines 5. The last particular that I propounded for explication of the Essentialls to prayer is That wee must pray for things lawfull The promise is that Good things shall be given to them that aske them Mat. 7.11 The highest good is Gods glory then our good and the Churches Our good is spirituall and temporall Spiritualls are so farre to be asked as they are promised so farre as necessary to salvation That wee should haue grace is absolutely necessary and therefore wee pray absolutely for it Degrees and measures are not limitedly necessary therefore for limited and set measures wee may not absolutely pray yet for necessary measures absolutely because absolutely necessary Temporalls may be prayed for and with determination of what wee petition for Licet orare quod licet desiderare Some haue thought wee may not pray for Temporalls but onely in the generall and conditionally I thinke they too much streighten us for a conditionall petition doth petition nothing nor doth a generall If a sicke man pray in such a forme Lord send me what thou knowest fit for me I discommend not the forme yet the sicke-man prayes not more for his health then the cōtinuance of his disease I thinke it lawfull and not onely lawfull but fit that he determine and particularise his prayer Lord send health yet still in this sense it is conditionall though we determine the petition yet ever to use an expresse or tacite subjection to Gods will and wisedome These are the essentialls to prayer in my Catecheticall Method the other day to my owne I followed likewise the Accidentalls to prayer and more largely but here meant onely to make use of what is necessary to our present purpose and haue sufficiently shewed what prayer is in the second part to be explicated I shall be briefer which is 2. How it yeelds remedy When wee pray and determine upon this or that particular thing wee doe as it were apply Gods will unto it and when that application is made wee are said to prevaile Now wee cannot apply Gods will by commanding of it that were blasphemy to imagine nor by a familiar postulation that were not lesse then blasphemy but by a submisse representation of our will unto him Therefore some haue expressed themselues thus When wee pray unto men wee mooue and affect them with what wee say but when unto God our selues are rather mooved and affected the change is in us wee are fitted for a grant But I thinke wee may admit of more That God honors this ordinance as declaring himselfe affected by it because it is that medium onely by which being intervenient or interceding God imparts much unto us Not that God is any way ignorant and needs this representation of our wills for he understands our thoughts a-farre off Psal 139.2 Nor that God of nilling is bowed and made willing by these representations for with him is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning Iam. 1.17 But onely that it is his way that ordinance which himselfe hath appointed and wee onely impetrate what wee beleeue him to will So that our prayers doe argue no change in God neither doth the firmenesse of eternall providence hinder our prayers but wee onely use Gods way and entreat what wee beleeue him to will as it is cleare in that of the Apostle 1 Ioh. 5.14 This is the confidence that wee haue in him that if wee aske any thing according to his will he heareth us And more cleare in an example that of Davids prayer for the establishing of his house Let the house of David thy servant be established before thee for thou hast told thy servant thou wilt build him an house therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee and now O Lord thou art God and hast promised this goodnesse now therefore let it please thee to blesse the house of thy servant 1 Chro. 17.25.26.27 I haue done with the explication It follows 2. The Confirmation of the truth The very explication is proofe enough prayer is our remedy in distresses for our remedy lyes in God and prayer mooues to him
residence shewes its government being seated in the middle of the body if at least that conceit of a great Etymologist bee warrantable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the contract of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be derived of the hebrew word keneb Medium 2. The Spirit notes the actiue power of the soule that which executes the resolutions of the former and therefore in our usuall way of speaking we call an actiue man a man of spirit But here I thinke both words doe signifie one and the same thing the soule of man whether we consider it organically and so call it the heart or in-organically and so call it the spirit but howsoever we expresse it it is the soule of man which must bee fitted for Gods service to be such a sacrifice 2. The soule must bee broken and contrite which though in a curious notion they may be distinguished yet I here conceiue them to expresse the same thing the thorough humiliation of the inward man You will all discerne that the words must not be taken properly for none will imagine that that fleshy part the heart must be divided or broken in peices or bruised for that were to make a dead man in stead of a living Sacrifice wee must necessarily then understand the speech to be figuratiue and that David useth a metaphor that the soule in respect of its humiliation before God must bee as a thing bruised and broken into peices Or it may farther signifie the degrees of humiliation there must not onely be a breaking but a contriting a pounding unto dust The heart is naturally stony proud stiffe and rebellious but it must be beaten from its owne height and layd levell and flat before Gods foot-stoole it must be wounded and lie bleeding before God it must shake and tremble at his presence and therefore the Italians haue a word that is apt to expresse this Scheggiare of Scheggia a loose lease or a paper by it selfe when the booke is unbound The soule must be as it were unbundeled it must be shaken and loose a scattered and shivering thing before God 3. The soule when it is thus separated into peice-meales then it is Gods Sacrifice Sacrifices were Gods service in the Iewish manner of worship they were divided and broken when they were offered But these were Ceremoniall Services the Morall service that God now requires is rather a broken heart then a slaughtered Beast yet there is a resemblance in this unto that and it is called Gods sacrifice because it is such a Service as is suiteable unto him Offrings in the Law were either Expiatory or Dedicatory our true humiliation in some sence is both while wee weepe over Christ who is our Expiation and dedicate our selues to God in a full entire and sincere service The inward man must be truely humble and this is Gods service the Sacrifice that wee offer 2. Having thus explained it wee are to confirme it by Argument 1. Such humiliation is and is called Gods sacrifice because God himselfe is the Author of it he onely breaks us and fits us for his owne Altar T is true that Crosses may make us lye downe they may humble us but God must make us humble Vnlesse God sanctifie the affliction wee may be stubborne under the burthen and fret against that hand which wee should at once see and acknowledge with submission Yee know the Story that a rocke gushed forth waters it was strange that waters should flow out of an hard stony Rocke but the rocke was smitten and then it flowed But could a stroake breake a Rocke or could the Rod cause the dry stone to yeeld forth moysture Nay the cause was Gods Command God bid Moses strike and then the waters flow When the power of God accompanies the affliction and sanctifies the suffering then the heart of man breakes kindly and that may well be called Gods when he prepares his owne sacrifice 2. This humiliation is suiteable to God and therefore both is Gods sacrifice and is so called 1. Such service is suiteable because it is sincere because spirituall The giving of the heart notes truth in the Offring and that is it which God requires which he taught the Iewes when he commanded them to giue him the fat and the intrals of Beasts that were slaine The heart notes unfainednesse for the body may be personated in taking on a different shape the heart cannot a man may appeare to be another man by the varietie of his garments but he is the same man inwardly in his heart and in truth what ever his habite speake him He that giues his heart offers a fit Sacrifice suiteable because both spirituall and unfained 2. As the heart is suiteable in regard of sinceritie so brokennesse is suiteable in regard of the manifestation of humilitie And it is convenient that wee should fit our selues unto those relations wherein wee consider God to come into the presence of our Lord and Soveraigne bending into the presence of our Iudge trembling into the presence of our justly-offended yet gratiously-accepting God bleeding wounded broken 3. For a third reason it may also be called Gods sacrifice because it doth him speciall honour in a double respect 1. What wee giue him Our hearts our spirits Whom wee honour wee present with gifts and by the greater gift wee expresse the greater honor and what greater present can wee giue him than our selues The Christian offers more to God than the Iew was wont It was no such great matter to offer a Lamb or a Ramme or a Bullocke they that were rich might spare them the poore in many cases were not enjoyned to it but however they did but offer somewhat out of their fold wee offer what is of greater price and brings God more honor The better part of our selues our very selues our hearts and spirits 2. How wee giue them Broken It is not so much the gift as loue and esteeme in the gift that honours now wee doe witnesse our loue by our sorrow and according to that distinction which the Schoole hath afforded us wee expresse a twofold sorrow appretiatiue and intensiue 1. Our Appretiatiue sorrow discovers it selfe to the honour of God when wee shew at what a rate wee set Gods favour that to revenge our selues for losing of it or losing at least our actuall apprehension of it by our sinne wee roughly and severely handle our best part and wrecke our displeasure upon that which wee hold deare and precious 2. The Intensiuenesse of our sorrow honours him and is witnessed that wee not onely afflict our hearts for the dishonoring of our God but doe afflict them with deep wounds even to brokennesse and contrition I 'le not longer stay upon Confirming of this truth but descend easily to the Application 1. Vse If the divided wounded spirit the broken heart be Gods sacrifice wee learne a mystery That there is a Man-slaughter lawfull not onely lawfull but profitable but convenient Esteeme it no Paradoxe