Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_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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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
the people had repented for taking strange Wives they resolved saying Let us make a Covenant with our God to put away all the Wives and such as are born of them So Hos 14.8 Ephraim shall say What have I to do any more with Idols What was the saying of Elihu in Job Is the Language of every man and woman who has a broken and contrite Heart Job 34.32 That which I see not teach thou me If I have done Iniquity I will do no more Ephes John 8.11 4.28 Let him that stole steal no more Act. 8 Finally This broken and contrite Heart consists in an unfeigned weeping of the tears of the eyes caused by the sorrow of the heart for sin All the Night wash I my Bed and water my Couch with my teares Psal 6.6 Ezek. 7.16 It 's said of the Remnant whom God will save They shall mourn like the Doves of the Vallies every one for his Iniquity And Peter when he remembred the words of Christ and his own denial went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. ult Question Quest But how shall I know that I have this broken and contrite Heart Answer Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tentate probate Examine prove the Apostles Counsel 2 Cor. 13.5 For if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing he deceives himself As the Church of Loadicea (x) Revel 3.17 who said she was Rich and increased with Goods and had need of nothing When she was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked But let every one prove his own works c. Gal. 6. vers 3.4 I therefore come in the next place to lay down the most infallible Marks and Signs of a broken and contrite Heart by the sight of which you may know whether you have such hearts or no. Oh that there were in us such Hearts A broken and contrite Heart doth repress censoriousness Marks of a broken Heart A truly broken and contrite Heart is most sensible of it's own sin knows most evil by it self judgeth it's own sin greatest and it 's own state saddest Hath neither list nor leisure to censure others The Apostle's Caution and Counsel Rom. 14.13 runs thus Let us not judge one another but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling Block or AN OCC ASION to fall in his Brothers way What an excellent instance have we in Joseph who is called a Just man for his Labour He had look'd upon Mary formerly as a Godly gracious Woman and she being now with Child he knew not what to think of it but having a purpose to leave her being formerly contracted to her that he might not bring Reproach upon himself and to put her away privately that the World might not take notice of any such thing that so he might not bring Reproach upon her Mat. 1.19 Joseph her Husband being a just man and not willing to make her a publique Example was minded to put her away privily That was his Care his Honesty his Righteousness But where shall we find the like Righteousness or Tenderness now a dayes to conceal the Failings and to save the Credit of our Brethren We are glad if we have any thing to paradigmatize them for and say as they did of Jeremy the Lord's Prophet (y) Jer. 20.10 Psal 50. vers 20.21 Report and we will report it That Godly Emperour Constantine was quite of another mind as I find him (z) z Omnis nestra sides pendet ab Historia Owens Epigrams lib. 12. ch 2. upon Record who was wont to say If he should find a Christian-Bishop or Pastor overtaken in any Infamous act He would pull off his Purple Robe to throw upon him to cover him rather then that any should come by his means to hear of it to the scandal of Religion I am sure this is most like to the Example of Christ who casts his Purple Robe upon us that our sins should not be taken notice of 2. A broken is a Praying heart We read Luk. 15. concerning the (a) Vers 17. Prodigal Son that when once he had an humbled Heart and acontrite Spirit he fell to Prayer presently Vers 21. The Son said unto him Father I have sinned against Heaven and (b) Psal 71.4 in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy Son And Christ Heb. 5.7 In the dayes of his Flesh offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong cries and tears And Rom. 8.26 We read of sighs and groans that cannot be uttered or expressed Now Where are those Prayers Where are those Cryes Where are those Tears Where are those Sighs Where are those Groans Where are those (c) Jer. 31.18 Moans Thou hast liv'd a great while in the World but oh When hast thou wept with (d) Jer. 9.1 Lam. 1.16 Jeremy for the sins of the times and thine own Transgressions When hast thou poured out thy Soul to the Lord I fear thou art so far from this that thy heart is hardened and if so the Lord will one day break thy heart with the fury of his wrath and hot displeasure that burns to the lowest Hell 3. Mark 3 A broken Heart is an humble low heart Oh very low it can cast it self in the Dust at the feet of Christ and think any thing on this side Hell to be rich Mercy He is (e) Mat 5.3 poor and (f) Mat. 5 7 meek in Spirit You know how Abraham (g) Gen. 18.27 treated with God and pleased him when he addressed himself to him with an Acknowledgment of his Vileness Behold Now I have taken upon me to speak to the great God who am but Dust and Ashes You know Christ lay (h) Mat. 26.39 Mark 14.35 grovelling on the ground all Night I abhor (i) Job 42.6 my self and repent in Dust and Ashes said Job If then thou hast a broken Heart thou hast a low heart thou art little and low in thine own eyes vile and base in thine own sight Psal 34.6 This poor man crieth and the Lord heareth him Give this poor man something before he go away he is such a low Spirit that he is one ready to sink to Hell were it not for the Mercies of God the Merits of Jesus Christ and the sweet Promises of the Gospel Yea remember the Woman of Canaan (k) Mat. 15. vers 23. c. she was called Dog and yet would take no repulse but cried saying Lord I do begg one drop of Mercy one crumb of Comfort One crumb of the bread of Life one drop of the water of Life to satisfie a poor languishing Soul sweet Jesu for thy Mercies sake some drops of the blood of Christ to soften my hard heart and to break it throughly Signe 4 4. If thou hast this broken and contrite Heart that is so acceptable to God thou dost mourn 1. For thine own Sin 2. For the Sins of others 1. For thine own Sins David did so in this Psalm he did