Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
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A96622
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Cor concussum & contritum: or, A present for Jehova; shewing the [brace] nature, excellency, acts, [brace] of a broken heart; [brace] and also the marks to know, and means to procure a broken and contrite heart. / by George Willington ...
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Willington, George.
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1670
(1670)
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Wing W2801; ESTC R186605
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15,028
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33
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might have said there 's a consuming fire there are everlasting burnings There 's a Hell an endless Damnation a place of the Damned and that must be your Eternal estate and condition the portion of your Cup if you present not your bodies a living Sacrifices to God But he doth adjure them and conjure them by the mercies of God to perform it What if Christ were here and said to thee Oh! Sinner come lay thy Heart in my lap and I will bind up the Wounds of thy Soul I will welcome thee and I will save thee Would not this ravish our hearts to hear a tender Saviour so lovingly inviting us so graciously promising us There 's nothing can break a Soul more in an Evangelical way than the sight * 2 Cor. 7.10 Zach. 12 10. and sense of God's mercy in Jesus Christ As Naturallists observe That the warm Blood of a Goat doth soften an Adamant-Stone so doth the serious consideration of the warm Blood of Jesus Christ our scape-goate soften an Adamant-heart But more of this amongst the means and directions * Direction the sixth for getting a broken Heart Reason 2 Secondly Of all Services and Sacrifices presented to God a broken and contrite Heart is most pleasing and acceptable because 't is a Believing Sacrifice Faith and Repentance like Hypocrates Twins are born and bred together in the sacred Womb of a sanctified Soul Zach. 12.10 It was promised concerning Evangelical Converts I will pour upon the House of David and up the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication and they shall look on me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one is in bitterness for his first-born Isa 42.1 Christ is called Him in whom the Father delights God proclaimed him from Heaven to be his only beloved Son in whom he is well pleased Mat. 3. ult Mat. 17.5 not only pleased with him but also pleased in him with all broken-hearted Sinners they must needs then be the delight of the Lord also Thus I have done with Confirmation and come in the last place to Application Use Let us labour to get and keep to attain and maintain such a heart all our dayes And here for Methods sake and your better Understanding I shall endeavour to shew you these three things 1. The particular Acts of a broken and contrite Heart 2. The most infallible marks and signs of a broken and contrite Heart 3. The most probable means both to attain and maintain such a heart all your dayes That your end may be blessed 1. The Acts of a broken and contrite Heart There are eight acts of a broken contrite Heart First A powerful conviction of the heart and conscience of our sinful estate and miserable condition caused by the preaching of the Word outwardly and by the working of the Spirit inwardly when God sets our sins in order before us and makes us know our Abominations Psal 50.21 How many are mine Iniquities and my sins make me to know mine Iniquity and my sins Job 13.23 Act. 2 Secondly an in ward sorrow of the heart in the sight and sense of sin when the eye doth affect the heart Lam. 3.51 when upon the Discoveries of sin the heart is prick'd with compunction and godly contrition Acts 2.37 There is not the least sin we have committed but will fetch a tear from our eyes and a sigh from our hearts if we weigh and consider it as we ought It grieves the Holy Spirit of God it procured the Death of Christ Let us therefore look upon him whom we have pierced by our sins and weep over him Zech. 12.10 Act. 3 Thirdly Humiliation of the inward man in the sight and sense of sin O Lord I am but dust and * Gen. 18 27 ashes said Father Abraham I am less (r) Gen. 32.10 than the least of all thy Mercies said the Patriarch Jacob. I am not worthy to be called thy Son said (s) Luke 15.19 the Prodigal I am not worthy (t) John 1.27 to stoope down and unloose his shooes Latchet said John the Baptist concerning our blessed Saviour Blessed are the Poor in spirit For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.3 Oh! How vile and base doth a broken-hearted sinner (v) Job 40.4 42.6 Prov. 30 2. Luke 1.48 seem in his own eyes To such will God be gracious He gives grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.5 Act. 4 Fourthly An Holy anger and Indignation both against our sins and against our selves for our sins A pregnant place to this purpose is that in Ezek. 6.9 They that escaped of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carried Captive because I am broken with their Whorish heart which hath departed from me and with their eyes which go a Whoring after their Idols and they shall (w) Be displeased with themselves loath themselves for the Evils which they have committed in all their Abominations And the Apostle speaks of godly sorrow and of the qualities of it amongst the rest he mentions Indignation against sin Indignations 2 Cor. 7.11 What Indignations Such as was in Ephraim bemoaning himself and lamenting his sin who smote upon his Thigh scil in token of Indignation and an Holy Anger against his sin and himself for his sin Jer. 31.18 19. Fifthly Act. 5 An Holy shame of the Soul when the Soul doth blush upon the inward sight and sense of sin A pregnant place to this purpose Ezra 9.6 where that Holy man in his Confession thus speaks O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God For our Iniquities are increased over our heads and our Trespasses are grown up to the very Heavens Note Another pregnant Scripture to this purpose is Jer. 31. vers 19. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus surely * Mark the Phrase after I was turned I repented and after I was instructed I smote upon my Thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the Reproach of my Youth Ezek. 16.61 Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed Act. 6 Sixthly An inward Loathing and Detestation of sin both in our selves and others We read of Amnon that after he had Ravished his Sister Tamar the hatred with which he hated her was more than the Love wherewith he loved her before 2 Sam. 13.15 So doth the broken hearted-sinner hate sin more than ever he loved it in times past He hates it with an exceeding bitter hatred I hate and abhor Lying Psal 119.163 I hate every false way vers 104. Yee that love the Lord see that ye hate the thing which is Evil Psal 97.10 Abhor that which is Evil c. Rom. 12.9 Act. 7 Seventhly A most strict and firm resolution against all manner of sin for time to come A pregnant Text Ezra 10. vers 2.3 when
Penance for his Sin in a * The Robe of Christ's Righteousness Vers 7. Phil. 3.8.9 Revel 19. Vers 8. and 14. white-Sheet he mourned daily for his own Sin scil For the Root of the matter within and for the Fruit of the matter without for his Original Corruption for his actual Transgression for the Sin of his Nature and the Sins of his Life He opens his Soul to the Lord and leaves this Psalm to the Church upon Record wherein he confesseth and mourns for his Sins Mat. 26. ult 2. For the Sins of others Rivers of Tears run down mine eyes said broken-hearted David because men keep not thy Law Psal 119.136 Many walk saith the Apostle of whom I told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3.18 And Ezek. 9.4 we read of them that sigh and mourn and cry for the Iniquities and Abominations that were committed in the Land 5. Signe 5 A broken Heart is a loving heart if thou hast a broken and contrite Heart thou lovest any thing of Christs any thing that bears his Image and Superscription When thou comest to that glorious Gospel-Ordinance of the Lord's Supper so as to discern * 1 Cor. 11.29 the Lord's Body thou meditatest Oh there 's the Body and Blood of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Oh here 's the Son of God that made up the Breach between God my Soul Oh Jesus Christ here 's the Son of God that was incarnate for me And paid a price for my Redemption The Penitant Woman Luk. 7.47 She loved much because her great and grievous sins were forgiven I will sum up the Acts and Signs of a broken Heart in these eighth following Particulars as a famous Divine hath contracted them 1. Eight Signs contracted He that is truly broken will be contented with nothing but Mercy from God in Jesus Christ He hath wounded and he must heal Hos 6.1 2. He judgeth sin the greatest evil and the favour of God the greatest good 3. He had rather hear of Mercy than of a Kingdome 4. He hath mean Conceits of himself And thinks he is not worth the Earth he treads on 5. Towards others he is not censorious as being taken up at home but is full of Simpathy and Compassion to those that are under God's hand 6. He counts them that walks in the Comforts of Gods Spirit the happiest men in the World 7. He trembles at the Word of God and honours the very Feet of these blessed Instruments that brings Peace unto him 8. He is more taken up with the inward Exercises of a broken Heart than with Formality and yet careful to use all Sanctified means for it's attainment And this brings me to the third things premised scil to shew the most propable means to get and keep to attain and maintain such a heart all our dayes 1. Means to get a broken Heart To give diligent attendance to the Word of God read and preached 2 Reg. 22. vers 11. c. Is not my Word a Hammer that breaks the Rock to pieces Jer. 23.29 While Lydia was hearing Paul preach Almighty God opened her heart Acts 16.14 So that if we would have broken Hearts we must wait upon the Preaching of the Gospel where the Holy Ghost usually falls upon the hearts of men 2. Make a Catalogue of thy Sins which thou mayst do either by Memory or by Book By Memory thus Go aside set thy Soul before the Lord as if thou wert presently to be judged of him call to mind particularly whatsoever thou canst remember by thy self consider thy Omissions of good and thy Commissions of evil in Youth or riper Age in Heart or Life in things that concern God or Man or thine own Soul and Disposition Thoughts and Affections Words and Actions By Book thus Procure the Labour of some Reverend Divine that has briefly gathered the sins against each Commandment and from thence gather out so many sins as thou knowst by thy self that thou hast been guilty of lay those sins daily before thy Conscience and consider how many ways thou hast made thy self guilty 3. Consider then the justice of God how he hates all Sin which thou mayest be assured of if thou remember how he plagued our first Parents the Old World Sodom and Gomorrah How fearfully he neglected the Gentiles Cast off the Jews yea how he spared not his own Son Jesus Christ when he became a surety for other mens Sins 4. Force upon thy self the remembrance of thy * Memento novissima Memento quid erit in novissimo Eccius 7.26 latter end and thy appearance before the Tribunal Seat of Christ to receive according to all thou hast done in the flesh Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 5.10 5. Beg an humble heart a broken and contrite Spirit at the Throne of Grace and sue out God's promise made to those who by Prayer issue out it's persormance Ezek. 36.26 compared with Vers 31. and 37. 6. Remember the Passion of thy Saviour the the Poverty Banishment Ignominy Temptation the Apprehending Forsaking Arraigning Condemning and cruel Death which he suffered for thy sins Look upon him whom thou hast pierced c. Zach. 10.10 7. Lastly Set sometimes a day apart for Fasting and Prayer A day of Fasting was heretofore called a day of Afflicting or Humbling the Soul Levit. 16.29 both because it was the main duty of the day and because the Lord usually did bless his one Ordinance so as he gave an humble Heart to those that sought it of him To break the Stone in thy Heart besides the aforementioned Directions observe this Spiritual Receipt which will under God cure all thy Souls Maladies A Sovereign Cordial against Infection taken out of the Sacred Herbal of the Holy Scripture DRink a good draught of Josiah's Humility next thy Heart then take a Dose of Nehemiah's Repentance soak'd or steep'd in the Vessel of a Broken and Contrite Heart well seasoned with Truth and Sincerity at the bottom then let all these Boyl together in a good quantity of David's Tears and when thou hast done this then spread a Plaister of God's Grace and bind it fast to thy Soul with the Swadling bands of Love and pious Consideration and cast away all thy old infections garments of Sin and Iniquity and put on the Garments of Praise and Thanksgiving Then take a a good quantity of Joshuah's Resolution as thou canst well bear and so walk up and down in these Wholsome and pleasant Fields called Newness of Life and so follow thy Calling in the Fear of God All which being carefully done and truly observed will undoubtedly preserve thee from the stink and danger of all places whatsoever And so I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst them that are Sanctified in Jesus Christ Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laus Deo AN APPENDIX FOR THE CHRISTIANS CONVERSATION Whosoever will live Well and Blessedly let him follow this Rule by which he shall obtain to that which he desireth Let your Thoughts be Divine Aweful Godly Let your Words be Few Honest True Let your Works be Holy Profitable Charitable Let your Sleep be Moderate Quiet Seasonable Let your Diet be Temperate Convenient Frugal Let your Apparel be Sober Neate Comely Let your Recreations be Lawful Brief Seldom Let your Prayers be Short Devout Often Let your Will be Constant Obedient Ready Let your Manners be Grave Courteous Chearful Let your Memory be Of Death Punishment Glory Ecclus. 7.26 Whatsoever thou takest in hand Remember the End and thou shalt never do amiss FINIS