Glory here may be the Pledge and First-fruits of your Crown hereafter May it please your Grace I am The humblest and most unworthy of the Sons of the Church of England Rich. Lee. Cor Humiliatum Contritum PSAL. 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit A broken and contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise THIS Psalm is justly styled David's Recantation to which Head we must reduce all his and all other Confessions of God's Saints in Scripture as to the common Remedy of that lability error and sin which is congenious to their and our Natures This is one of those seven Penitential Psalms penn'd by David and appointed by the Church to be used in time of Penance and Contrition Psalms which S. Augustine was so great a lover and admirer of that he commanded them to be written in Capital Letters and hung upon the Wall over against his Bed or about the Curtains of his Death-bed within next to him that so he might die as he had lived in the Contemplation and Meditation of them with tears in his eyes in the practice of Repentance praying for the remission of his sins alwaies judging this as Possidonius speaks the safer and surer way to blessedness then that of Raptures and the fittest disposition for dying Christians especially for such of the Ministry who have by their omissions flatteries and silences the sins of others to answer for as well as their own This Psalm is Psalmus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Junius A Psalm of prayer for mercy is the scope of it which David praies for in the negative and positive effects of it And indeed this sweet Singer of Israel never prayed more pathetically then when his heart was broke most penitentially as Birds in Spring sing melodiously when it rains sadly or as some faces which are most oriently beautiful when most wash'd with tears The occasion of this Psalm was David's sin and Nathan's Ministry 2 Sam. 11 12 Ch. The effect whereof was not an itching ear but an aking heart for whilest he tells him a Parable David suspects not that it concerns him but when Nathan no longer brandishes the sword in the air but by a close application falls in with him Thou art the man David feels the wound and nè evanescat saeviat dolor lest the sense might vanish and his wound fester he cries out for help Have mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions as in the first verse The Parts of his Prayer are two Petition for himself Supplication for the Church 1. For himself who by his Murder and Adultery had so offended and dishonoured God from the 1 verse to the 18. 2. For the Church which by his fall was so scandalized and endangered that from Dan to Beersheba 70 thousand die of the Plague 2 Sam. 24.15 The Arguments by which he enforceth his Prayer are three 1. Taken from his Repentance which was sound and serious as having in it not only the necessity of a Duty he had sinn'd if he had not repented but the necessity of a Remedy for he had perish'd if he had not repented 2. From others whom by his experience of God's pardoning mercy he might with more skill humility and tenderness recover and cure v. 13. Docebo praevaricatores vias tuas Then shall I teach transgressors thy waies and sinners shall be converted to thee Spiritual Physicians must not only be knowing but men of practice and experience that can tell what it is to have a broken heart and contrite spirit 3. From the glory of God's pardoning mercy which would be made more illustrious 1. By his publishing of it and therein his righteousness in keeping promise and forgiving those sins for which our Surety hath satisfied v. 14 15. Deliver me from bloud-guiltiness O God or from blouds Uriah's and others with him and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness Praebe mihi materiam Cantici gratiarum actionis ignoscendo peccato so Muis upon the place Open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 2. By his thankful offering to God not the Sacrifices of the Law those he desires not delights not in but these of the Gospel A broken and contrite Heart For the Sacrifices of God are c. In the Text we have two Propositions Affirmative Negative Affirmative The Sacrifices of God are a broken Heart Negative A broken and contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise These Propositions are one for substance yet doubled as Pharaoh's dream to make the truth more certain Wherein you have 1. The Subject A broken and contrite Spirit 2. The Predicate The Sacrifices of God c. 3. The Copula Are not in the Original therefore put in a different character to perfect the sense For the better opening these Sacrifices I shall doe with them as the Priests under the Law Medium animal per cervicem spinam dividere Cut them through the middle from the neck downwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this bears saith my Author * Dr W. a huge proportion to the Text for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an iron sinew in the neck and a stone in the heart signifie in Scripture one and the same sin and must be alike sacrificed First then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These two Participles make two full Epithetes One signifies to break whole things all of a piece The other to beat hard things all to pieces and powder This breaking and beating in other Scriptures is exprest in terms of extremity As the smiting of the heart 2 Sam. 24.10 The wound of the spirit Prov. 18.14 Thus it is applied to Christ Esay 53.10 Jehova autem voluit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conterere eum It pleased the Lord to bruise him c. Thus to Saints Esay 57.15 I dwell in the high and holy place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum contrito humili so Vatab. to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the spirit of the contrite ones So as a broken and contrite Heart is a whole Heart broken to pieces and a hard Heart so beaten to powder that there remains not a sheard as Isaiah speaks to take up igniculam tentationis or modicum noxiae voluptatis the spark of a temptation or a drop of hurtful pleasure as Parisiensis elegantly interprets it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices in the plural number for the greater Emphasis and Amplification instar omnium instead of all All sacrifices nothing to these all nothing without these all summ'd up in these For these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrifices of the Almighties of God The adding God's Name to any thing in Scripture gives it an eminency a glory above other things As in the Old Testament the Waters Mountains Cedars of God in the New Testament the Peace of God and here the Sacrifices of God
most rare and excellent For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such God will not despise The phrase is low yet hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in it as 1 Thes 5.20 Despise not Prophecie Heb. 12.5 Despise not the chastening of the Lord. And so imports God's choicest way of Acceptation the third step of Honour in the Text. * Dr W. Sacrifices Sacrifices of God and the Sacrifices of God which he will not despise but own delights in puts the highest price upon The result of all is That a broken and contrite Spirit is the Sacrifice of God which he will own accept and honour For as such a Heart is grateful to the Penitent himself so to Angels to the Mediator to his Ministers and so to the Almighties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God himself 1. To the Penitent for having this heavenly grace wrought in his heart by the holy Ghost and thereby coming to the sensible knowledge of his sins and the displeasure of God he doth earnestly grieve but by faith in Christ the Surety of his debt and duty his Sacrifice and Mediator he is raised again to comfort And then Sicut post vehementes imbres aeris tranquillitas sequitur As after vehement showers there follows a tranquillity of air so post lacrymarum pluvias mentis serenitas after flouds of tears the Penitent finds such a serenity all over his Soul that he weeps for joy that he hath wept de peccato dolet de dolore gaudet Est flendi voluntas so S. Ambrose he wills to weep For such tears leave behind them a sweet tast and relish upon the Soul the immediate reward of this brokenness and contrition yea God's secret testimony that the Penitent hath herein pleased God and then no wonder he is so pleased with himself that he praies Evermore give me this bread for fletus est cibus animae refectio mentis Godly sorrow is the Soul's food and the mind's refection Psal 80.5 Cibâsti eos pane lacrymarum propinâsti eis lacrymas in mensura Vatab. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears and givest them plenteousness of tears to drink In Penitential tears there is meat and drink Hence that late Penitent of Waterford in Ireland weeping abundantly cried Oh that there were in me a well of this Living water that streams might continually run down my cheeks that in these streams I might be wafted over into another world and till then that they might not be dried up 2. As this broken contrite Heart is grateful to the Penitent so to the good Angels Domestici Dei Cives Coeli Principes Paradisi those Domesticks of God Citizens of Heaven Princes of Paradise This is their banquet Luke 15.7 I say to you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents more then over ninety nine just persons that need no repentance Ver. 10. There is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth c. Angelorum deliciae Poenitentium lacrymae Bernard Those tears which drop from a broken contrite Spirit are the Angels delicacies Peter weeping gives Angels wine in heaven and they to requite him send him a Cup of Consolation upon earth Mark 16.7 Goe tell his Disciples and Peter that he goes before you into Galilee Tell it Petro gravissimè vulnerato acerbissimè dolenti to Peter deeply wounded and bitterly weeping En solicitudinem Angeli behold the solicitude of an Angel for a broken and contrite Spirit They that have their tongues and want their charity are Messengers of no value sounding brass and tinckling Cymbals inanis futilis garrulitas as Drusius interprets it 3. As this broken contrite Spirit is grateful to the Angels so to the Mediator who is Angelorum caput It is his office to swath broken bones sweeten imbittered spirits and wipe off tears Felices lacrymae quas benignae manus Mediatoris abstergunt saith Bernard Happy tears which his blessed hands wipe off Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to heal the broken-hearted c. Non infundit oleum misericordiae nisi in vas contritum Bern. He pours not the oil of mercy but into the broken vessel The tender Mother in S. Bernard Quem aegrotantem novit filium takes her weak weeping child sets it most on her lap laies it oftnest in her bosome magìs sovet saepius complectitur Thus Christ For Peter had incurr'd a great and infamous scandal given a notorious offence to the whole Church of God solas the Censorious person cries Call him no more Peter a Rock a chief Pillar of the Church but Reuben unstable as water one that hath lost his excellency But our Saviour knowing his Heart broken and his Spirit contrite for his sin sends him a personal message by an Angel and that Angel by Magdalene to intimate to him that he who had cast seven Devils out of her could pardon three denials to him And this message is directed to him under the name of Peter an Apostolical name Mark 16.7 Goe tell his Disciples and Peter Petro summè scandaloso whereby our Saviour doth at once comfort his conscience and cure his credit restore him to his Discipleship and his Apostleship So the late excellent Bishop of Excester D. Br. O magnitudinem misericordiae Christi O the greatness of the mercy of this good Samaritane who not onely dresseth the wound and pours in Wine and Oil to cleanse ease and heal but takes order for the Cure that not onely prevents with grace but continually supplies with the necessary increases of it that the broken heart may persevere and be saved 4. As this broken contrite Spirit is grateful to the Mediator so to his Ministers It is their office to declare and pronounce to the Penitent the Absolution and Remission of their sins to feed his Lambs for his sake hence the Syriast addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Text John 21.15 Feed my Lambs mihi feed them for me Propter te Domine propter te is the Ministers Motto and the Rabbins Proverb Non vult Christus ut parvi pendas quos ipse minimè parvi pendit Christ would not have those slighted whom he tenders No better sign of Grace then for a Minister in imitation of Christ to own and cherish the broken in heart This is S. Paul's trial of a spiritual man Gal. 6.1 If any man be overtaken in a fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Erratum Laesio errante manu admissa and that fault not proceeding from malice but mis-information and mis-understanding of things as our late Soveraign of eternal memory speaks you that are spiritual restore such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is a bone out of joynt set him in his place it may cost tears and pain yet the bone well knit will be the firmer Nihil adeò spiritualem virum demonstrat ac alieni peccati tractatio S. Augustine Nothing doth so demonstrate a spiritual
Minister as his handling another mans sin Esay 50.4 The Lord hath given me Linguam Eruditorum the tongue of the Learned What to doe To dispute Controversies tie and untie knots in Divinity No but that I should know how to speak a word in season sitibundo lasso to him that is weary Lastly It is grateful to the Almighties 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God himself though he will not own divisum dispersum Cor a heart and a heart yet he will accept and honour confractum contritum Cor a broken and contrite Spirit For 1. He preferres this alone to all typical ceremonial Sacrifices ver 16. Thou desirest not Sacrifice elsè would I give it thee thou delightest not in burnt-offerings Indeed we find not exprest any Sacrifice for Murther Adultery or any Capital crime therefore God desires them not 1. simply for themselves nor 2. comparativè in comparison of the inward Sacrifice of a contrite Spirit or of the all-sufficient Sacrifice of Christ upon the Cross Nihil ergò offeremus saith S. Augustine Sic veniemus ad Deum Unde illum placabimus Shall we then offer nothing to God shall we come empty to him how then shall we appease him Habes in te quod offeras saith the same Author thou hast in thy self the Beast that thou maiest sacrifice and the Incense that thou maiest offer In me sunt Deus vota tua That O God is in me thou callest for from me 2. God preferres this before all Moral and Pharisaical perfections Hence the Publican is preferr'd before the Pharisee Luke 18.10 15. The Pharisee is on his tip-toes stands alone seorsim proud and censorious as that famous and great Divine D. Hammond speaks full of self-righteousness worldly confidence and earthly adherence Lord I thank thee I am not as other men or as this Publican The Publican in the sight and sense of his sin and the unreasonableness of it is ashamed dares not lift up his head but smites upon his breast with God be merciful to me a sinner I tell you saith Christ this man went down to his house justified rather then the other so our Translation but not the other Impropria est comparatio so Master Calvin And the weeping Prodigal before his insulting hypocritical elder brother Luke 15. For though he justles him and thrusts him away will not so much as own him for his brother but speaking to his Father saith this thy son v. 30. who hath devoured thy living with Harlots c. yet the Father tells him for all this he is his brother v. 32. This thy brother was dead and is alive again c. If I be thy Father he is thy Brother It is meet we should make merry and be glad Yea he preferres him for he receives embraces and kisses him clothes and adorns him feeds and feasts him In allusion to this Parable the now Arch-angel of this Church of England His Grace of Canterbury in whom expertus loquor Indulgentia Christi solicitudo Angeli officium Episcopi The Indulgence of Christ the solicitude of an Angel the office of Primitive Evangelical Catholick Episcopacy do verily meet I say he in the Chappel-Royal in a publick Sermon since printed told his Majesty whose mind is alwaies watered with the mild dews of meekness and moderation That it became him as a publick Father to look upon all his Subjects as Sons but upon his Prodigals with more kindness and tenderness when they once come to themselves and acknowledge their Error yea when he sees them returning though afarre off to meet them caress them call for the Ring and the Robe to set some mark of favour upon them more then ordinary that may give assurance to them and to the World that his Promises made and performed were not the effects of Necessity but the fruits of a gracious Princely minde inviolably resolved to out-doe all his Promises and Engagements And I hope saith that grave and religious Prelate the now Lord Bishop of Winchester Dr Mor. in the Epistle to his Coronation-Sermon That your Majesty herein will find a happy success in doing not onely as your Grand-father Henry the fourth of France did but as God himself doeth As Henry the fourth of France did who pardoned those Rebellious Subjects that came in to him how much soever they had before offended and to secure them from their fears and oblige them to his service he honoured some of them with Titles of quality and Places of Trust and I finde not saith that excellent Bishop that any of them ever gave him cause to repent But in doing as God himself doeth who receives the Prodigal yea and makes as much of him as if he had never offended though the elder Brother repine at it methinks this should bespeak those who would be called the sons of these spiritual Fathers to walk in their steps to goe and doe likewise Lastly God owns and honours the broken contrite Spirit for this is the especial grace he promises to his Church by which all other blessings are qualified and sanctified and without which they are nothing worth Ezek. 36.21 God opens the treasures of his mercy at the 24. verse he promiseth to take his People from amongst the Heathen gather them out of all Countries bring them to their own Land c. And yet as if all this were nothing unless a broken and contrite Spirit were vouchsafed them God promiseth at the 26. verse I will take away the heart of stone and I will give a heart of flesh first as an Antidote against sin secondly as a spiritual Potion to kill the worms of temptation which might lead them into Evil and thirdly as a preservative from Lamentation Mourning and future Woe And to speak to our own condition Though God hath brought us out of the dangers of tumultuous clamours and schismatical terrors given us our Religion and Laws our Properties and Immunities and which is the summe of all our King and Church yea though we have had many fair mornings after a black day though our Candle gives a clear light and we sleep in the arms of Peace yet if God break us not for our Sins and from them if he give not a broken contrite Spirit a worm may yet breed out of our Corruption and consume our Gourd But why will not God despise but so accept and honour a broken contrite Spirit that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Because it is a spiritual Sacrifice First the Sacrifice is the Spirit secondly the Spirit as broken 1. The Sacrifice is the Spirit that is the best of man Prov. 23.26 My son give me thy heart 2. The Spirit as broken and that is the best of the Spirit When we beat hard things into powder we call that powder the flour of it Brokenness and Contrition is * Dr W. flos Cordis the finest of the heart The finer the flour the fitter offering for God A contrite Spirit is fit for
any service any Sacrifice yea it is all Sacrifice God will not despise but own and honour a contrite Spirit because it is very gracious and amiable Tricameratum it is Avicenna's word wherein you have not the three Persons personally but the Love of the Father the Grace of the Son and the Renovation of the holy Ghost mystically Hence Cor Pauli Cor Christi Chrysost the Heart of Paul is the Heart of Christ This broken contrite Spirit in the purpose and preparation of it is Amor Dei the Love of God in the inspiration and infusion of it it is Donum Dei the Gift of God in the comforts of it it is Osculum Dei the Kiss of God It is no chance-Gift inter missilia Fortunae as that Excellent Prelate speaks D. B. B. E. but God's choice Gift In other blessings God kisseth us sleeping we know not how we come by them but this is given non dormientibus sed vigilantibus not to them that sleep but to those that watch and weep cry and wait for it But more particularly The broken contrite Spirit is gracious and very amiable For You have in it all the lineaments of the new Creature the new Birth the Divine Nature 1. Conviction 2. Compunction 3. Conversion See all drawn to the life in Primitiis Evangelii in the first famous Conversion wrought by the Apostles in the Christian Church the Pattern and great Exemplar of all Conversions to the World's end There was Conviction 2. Acts 36. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Compunction 37. v. And when they heard this they were prickt at their heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the points of so many poisoned daggers or scorpions stings had been struck into every part of their hearts at once in the cruellest manner imaginable so the word imports Conversion 38. For they Repented and were Baptized c. The Hebrew calls Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we Conversion the main joynt of Repentance which implyes not only an aversion from sin a dying to it in the passions of the mind Fear Grief and Hatred but a turn in the Will to God Not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grief for what is past but a change of mind for the time to come not grief of mind only so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes taken but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which implyes a grief for sin mixt with Faith which is repentance to Salvation never to be repented of 2 Cor 7.10 Whose rise is godly sorrow whose nature is a purpose to sin no more whose fruit is amendment of life A Contrite spirit is gratious Lastly because there is in it the Evidence of God's immediate Omnis potent and Efficacious working upon the Soul not in a way of Providence or Justice but in a way of Grace Vis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 regenerationis as the Renown'd Mead hath it 36. Eze. 26. I will take away the heart of stone and I will give a heart of flesh 1. A very stone made flesh A Monster of Vice a Miracle of Virtue Monstrum vitii Miraculum virtutis This is modus rei 2. I will do it this is modus dicti I will take away the heart of stone stupid senseless rebellious and I will give a heart of flesh tender pliable flexiible to every good word and work Hitherto you have had these Sacrifices naked and open 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the skin pul'd of and the Intrails expos'd to open view I now come to the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.15 His rightly dividing the word and giving every one their due General discourses are like the beams of the Sun dispers't in the air which may warm us a little and that 's all but close application is like the Burning glass which gathers all the Beams into one point or Centre fastens them on the Soul and so Verba not inflantia but inflammantia kindle and enflame Then learn here from this Doctrine of a Broken and contrite Spirit What the issue of sin in the end will be It may be sweet in thy Mouth but it will be bitter in thy Bowels The little pleasure sin brings thee in if it be not thy bane thou must vomit it up again and that may tear and torture thy very Soul 2. Jer. 19. It is an evil thing and bitter to provoke the Lord. Extrema gaudii luctus occupat the end of that mirth is mourning If ever God save any of your Souls it will be by brokenness and Contrition If ever God by his Grace come to dwell in any of your hearts he will make a forcible entrance Consider how dreadful the condition of despair is if these whom God intends Mercy Grace and Peace to be so broken and beaten so bruis'd and ground to powder what are their racks and tortures their Tribulation and Anguish Whom God strikes and wounds with the sight and sence of his wrath as most deserved and due to them as most unavoidable and unsupportable by them These racks and tortures are Primitiae infernalis flammae the first fruits of the infernal flame the greatest part of the torment of the damn'd in Hell where the worm never dies and the fire never goes out Quid patientur quos reprobet si sic cruciantur quos amat saith Gregor If David's bones were so broken for his adultery what furious reflexions What a Hell was in Achitophels conscience for his Perjury Treachery and Treason How did his sorrow rise into horror and that horror into despair God grant that both you and I may know what this despair is rather by relation then experience See the blessed estate of those whose hearts and Spirits are broken and Contrite They will be preserved from sin and the sad effects of it and inabled to perform all duties acceptably 31. Jer. 18. I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself c. I have surely heard i. e. hearing I have heard heard attentively so as to regard c. This will make the soul patient under the greatest affliction and thankful for the least mercy glad with the woman of Canaan for a Crum taste with the Church a little honey in an Ocean of Gall Lamen 3.22 It it the Lords mercies we are not consumed Their Obedience will be highest when their Condition is lowest and their hearts lowest when their condition in the world is highest This brokenness and Contrition will make the heart the only fit soyl for the word of God to take root in and bring forth thirty sixty and a hundred fold The hearts of the Corinthians were first tables of flesh then written upon by the spirit of God and so declared to be the Epistle commendatory of Christ seen and read of all men 2 Cor. 3.3 I might here demonstrate the Vast odds betwixt
that Account God and the World make of a broken and contrite Heart But I will conclude all in a use of Examination whether our hearts and spirits were ever truly broken and contrite or no He that will fish for Souls must bait his hook with the worm of Conscience which as St. Chrysostom speaks is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unpopular Tributial Now the office of Conscience is fourfold To know the rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To take notice of the Entity and existence of our Actions whether done or not done with such and such circumstances or without To apply the Action to the Rule and compare these two together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To judge of the quality of the Action according to the Rule and of its agreeing or disagreeing to it This Act is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is the last and perfectest act of reason or of Conscience If this work of Conscience were throughly done men would know and own their misery It would take off their Edge and mettle if they did but seriously think how directly their ways point towards eternal damnation There is no man but will stoop under self conviction and self judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 't is the Baptists word prepare the way of the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is St. Pauls word Examine your selves yea 't is Gods word 17. Prov. 3. The fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold but God trieth the hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Septuagint renders it the allusion is to Goldsmiths who try their mettals by the Touchstone and by fire If you will not try your selves by the Touchstone of the word God will try you by fire by the fire of inward conviction and outward affliction Now Examination is not for Examination sake but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is that we may find 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is a broken and contrite Heart To direct herein I shall lay down two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or characters by which we may make a certain judgement whether our hearts and spirits are truly broken or contrite or no. First the qualities in them Secondly the effects or consequents of them The qualities in a Broken Contrite spirit are these five It is Evangelical and Active There is a brokenness and contrition which is Natural and Legal Natural such was Josephs weeping over his brethren and St. Aug. weeping in reading the history of Dido before his conversion which were not Acts of grace but of nature Legal such was the incestuous Corinthians who was almost swallowed up of sorrow 2 Cor. 2.7 the sinfulness of which sorrow appears in two things It keeps from duty it unfits for duty that like Paper too wet which receives no writing But the contrite heart is Evangelical another Isaac a child of promise that grows not out of the bodies constitution and temperament but out of the promise 36. Ezek. 26. I will take away the heart of stone and I will give a heart of flesh And as it is Evangelical so it is Active There is a passive contrition dolor morbi a soreness sorrows and pangs that seize on us whether we will or no but the brokenness here is deliberate elective Active for It is a grace seated in the heart and making it willing to mourn and repent It is a duty and to be performed Rent your hearts Plough up the fallow ground c. It is a condition of the Covenant and to be fulfill'd If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray c. 2 Chr. 7.14 A Broken and Contrite heart is tender and melting yields to threatnings melts under promises Secondly 2 Chr. 34.27 Propterea quod emollitum est cor tuum humiliasti te à facie Jehovah saith God to Josiah Because thy heart was tender and thou didst humble thy self before God c. There is a tenderness which ariseth from the Natural sympathy betwixt the heart and the eye Lamen 3.51 My eye affects my heart c. but this tenderness comes from Faith which doth not only purifie but mollifie the heart by applying first the word of God that hammer arrow fire Secondly The blood of Christ Thirdly The love of God With this hammer it breaks with this arrow it pierceth with this fire it melts the heart in this blood it dissolves the Adamant on this pillow it breaks the flint A broken and contrite Heart Thirdly is of a quick sense and lively apprehension It discerns in the Soul intima minima the least thing and most secret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first workings of our Understandings and apprehensions of our passions and affections rendred in the 5. Heb. 14. The bones marrow the thoughts and intents of the heart the secrets of the belly Prov. 20. latentes sensus as Drusius speaks It discerns in sin 1. Offence 2. Dishonour 3. Unkindness 4. Ingratitude Offence and dishonour of God unkindness and ingratitude against God Hence Davids Contrition in the 3. v. Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tibi tibi soli Not only because David a King and his Crown imperial and so exempt from all Coercive and Vindicative power and force of his Subjects and only left to Gods own judgment But because this was his greatest grief that he had sin'd against God such a God as had been so good to him 2 Sam. 7.18 19. And that this God should so suffer in his sin 2 Sam. 12.14 Who only could pardon his sin A broken and contrite Heart Fourthly is Docible and flexible docible in the Understanding and flexible in the Will That men are able to understand and will Aright this is of Pure nature status institutus in which anima est integra That the Understanding is indocible and the Will inflexible this is of corrupt nature status destitutus in which anima est laesa illusa illisa Laesa in naturals illusa in morals illisa bruised beaten broken in meerly spirituals and supernaturals But that the Understanding is tractable and docible and the Wil flexible this is of Sanctified nature status restitutus and here anima is rectificata here the Grace of God is flexanima and Vorticordis 'T is S. Aug. word it bores the ear and bows the Soul See this in the Converts in the 2. Acts 37. Men and Brethren what shall we do In S. Paul Act. 9.6 Lord what wouldst thou have me to do In the Jayler Act. 16.30 Sirs what must I do to be saved These are not only Verba ignorantiae words of men at a loss how to get ease but verba docilitatis promptitudinis words of men whose spirits are broken and contrite whose Understandings are docible and whose Wills are flexible ready to hear any Instruction and to undertake any direction for Life and Salvation A broken contrite
Heart Lastly Obedientially resigns up its self into Gods hands For it is a heart after his heart that is ready to do or suffer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all his Wills The will of his Word and the will of his works of Precept and Providence This was the character God gives of David 13. Act. 22. I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my own Heart which shall fulfil all my wills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like melted Oar Secondly it will run into his mould and receive every lineament of it Rom 6.17 You have have received that form of Doctrine that was delivered to you or rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into which you are deliver'd With Abraham it will come to Gods foot Thirdly 4. Es 2. come at his call Vocavit eum ad pedem suum calls him to his foâ—t ut sequeretur eum quocunque vellet eum ire ut prompti morigeri famuli solent qui Domini vestigia sequuntur tametsi incerti sint quo ipsos ducant so the Cald. Paraph. that he might follow him whither soever he would have him goe follow him as a good servant his Master though he knows not whither all his Saints come to his hand and receive the law from his mouth Deut. 33.3 But Secondly Try your selves as by the Qualities in it so by the effects and Consequents of it which are these Four It will repress censoriousness A truly broken and Contrite heart is most sensible of its own sin knows most evil by it self judgeth its own sin greatest and its own state saddest hath neither list nor leisure to censure others as knowing that Censoriousness is a complicated evil that there is in it first a Usurpation of one of those immediate Prerogatives of God Glory Vengeance Judgement Secondly Rashness thirdly Uncharitableness fourthly Scandal 14. Rom. 13. Let us not judge one another but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block in his brothers way and therefore a sin justly damnable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merito paenas luens Rom. 3.8 St. Paul calls himself the least of Saints and greatest of sinners The least of Saints 3. Eph. 8. To me the least of all Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Comparative made of a Superlative Minimissimo so Estius The greatest of sinners 1 Tim. 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very chief signiferum peccatorem me confiteor I profess my self so He was not so saith St. Aug. but seem'd so to himself and the reason is good For he set his own sins in debita proximitate and so they appeared in justa magnitudine in a due distance and they appeared in the just magnitude but he look't at the sins of others remotely and so they lost their proportion St. Peter before his fall thought best of himself and worst of others Though all men should forsake thee yet will not I. He fell by this censorious comparison and was so broken and bruised with his fall that he durst never after compare with others much less prefer himself before others or censure and reproach them In the 2. Acts you have some of the Apostles Auditors scoffing in their faces and censuring them at the 7. ver for simple and illiterate Galileans at the 13. ver for drunkards but no sooner by the dint of the word are their hearts broke but they leave their censuring and fall to beseeching 37. ver Men and brethren what shall we do Words of great humility and reverence St. Jerome complained of a sort of men in his time that plac't religion in sifting censuring and speaking evil of others Omnibus maledicere bonae conscientiae officium putant This was an Epidemical disease in St. Aug. time Temerariis judiciis plena sunt omnia In brief a censorious spirit is not a contrite spirit A censorious man is another Doeg Dophi which the Hebrew Doctors thus interpret do duo pi os one that hath two tongues To him God speaks 50. Psalm 20. Thou sits and speaks against thy brother thou slanderest thy own mothers son Ponis probrum struis calumniam so Vatab. thou strowest thy seat with censures blowest them into thy neighbours ear but 21. ver Arguam te ordinabâ— in oculis tuis quicquid fecisti I will reprove thee and I will set all thy own faults in thy eyes resistam tibi in faciem so the Hebrew Text and I will resist thee to thy face hold thy eye upon them till I have fill'd thee with conviction and fear Consider this you that herein forget God lest he tear you in pieces when there is none to deliver the Metaphor is taken from Lyons that catch their prey and tear it out of whose jaw none can rescue A Broken Contrite heart meekly and patiently submits to Gods afflicting hand for sin Thus David 2 Sam. 15.25 Absolom had stoln the hearts of all Israel into a rebellion against his Father the conspiracy and insurrection was sudden and strong In this storm you find no estuations of spirit no invectives no cursing his Stars the dirt of a foul heart but he lies down at Gods feet in a gracious poyze and evenness of soul not knowing what God will do with him whether he will take him up or tread upon him weighs the events but casts anchor here If I shall find favour he will bring me back shew me both the Ark and the Tabernacle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sepâ—uagint the beauty and holiness of it But if he thus say I have no delight in thee here am I let him do to me what seems good to him If the worst come that can I am determined to submit to Gods hand to resolve all events Pro and Con and my self too into his blessed will though the issue seem not good to me it is enough it seems good to him A stone in the fire will sooner flie in your face then melt and an unbroken heart sooner fret rage and blaspheme God then submit to God But a contrite spirit will say with the Church I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him and with David here 4. ver Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified acquitted glorified by my Confession Justified when thou speakest in the reproof of Nathan and clear when thou judgest me by sentencing my sin and punishment for it or when thou art judged by others who may think I am dealt too sharply with A Broken Contrite heart under Gods afflicting hand is like a box of Spicknard broken or like sweet flowers pounced many fragrant graces spread and give their spiced smells The fire discovers mettals whether good or bad tempests Trees whether well rooted or no and afflictions our hearts whether broken and contrite or not A broken and contrite spirit Thirdly will freely and fully recant and retract all its errors and sins Confession is the genuine effect of
contrition There is that holy Candor and Ingenuity in a broken heart that it will not keep in it sin to save its credit and so come under the curse 28. Prov. 13. He that hides his sin shall not prosper Nimis perversè se amat qui alios vult errare ut error suus lateat He loves himself too perversly that had rather that others should still wander then his own strayings should be observed The Saints of God have ever been of another mind Hence Moses Unbelief Davids Blood-guiltiness Jeremies Impatience Jonahs Pettishness Pauls Persecutions are impartially recorded by their own Pens Take holy Job for an instance who about to make a solemn Protestation of his integrity 31. Job which is inseparable from contrition He doth it by recanting retracting his error and sins 33. v. If I have covered my transgression as Adam by hiding my iniquity in my Bosom c. First he would not hide his sins ut Adam ut homines so the Arab. version ut homo so Arias Montanus He would not hide them as Adam who sought a covering for his transgression Non quia nudus sed quia lapsas not because he was naked but because he was faln Nor as man or as men who use Palliations Expositions Evasions Non quia nudi sed quia lapsi not because they are innocent but because they are guilty He sits on the Dunghil opens his Ulcers and Sores freely and fully makes his confession strongly imagine you heard him Job 40.4 5. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand upon my mouth Once I have spoken but I will not answer yea twice but I will proceed no further chap. 42. at the 3. v. I uttered what I understood not at the 6. v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ideirco reprobabo quod male dixi so Vatab. translates the Text. Wherefore I abhor my self Or I will reprobate what I have sinfully spoken Et rescipiscam I will repent or I will return to my self into the way whence I wandred In this sense resipiscere is frequently used by Tertul. and Lactantius for Repentance Yea I will repent saith Job in dust and ashes For prisco more in pulvere cinere sedebat paenitens so Drusius of old the penitent so Sate now Dicat unusquique quod velit let every man speak his pleasure I shall rather choose with Adam Moses and Job David Solomon who hath by his Book of Ecclesiastes testified his retractations to all the World and Manasses with Jer. and Jonas with Matthew Magdalene Peter Paul August Jerom. Anselm and Bernard I say I shall rather choose with all these blessed Saints and broken vessels of Election Confundi coram peccatoribus super terram Quam confundi coram Sanctis Angelis in coelo vel ubicunque Dominus voluerit judicium suum demonstrare by Confession to be shamed before Sinners on Earth then to be confounded before all the holy Angels in Heaven or before all the world at the day of Judgement For be we well assured that our iniquity will find us out yea and the punishment too 32. Numbers 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inveniet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint apprehendet Our iniquity will discover us and judgement will take hold on us Dabitis paenas pro eo But you will object Such as thus retract Object and recant their Errors and sin build again what they have destroyed and so make themselves Transgressors as S. Paul speaks 2 Gal. 18. I answer with S. Aug. In ipsum Paulum primitus hoc diceretur Answ This should first have been objected against S. Paul himself for Gal. 1. ult it is said He which persecuted us in time past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed And they glorified God in him Indeed Cum erubescit quisquam de proprie iniquitate poenitendo in melius commutatur When any shall take shame to themselves for their own sin repent and reform Ista confusio adducet gratiam gloriam This honest shame shall bring them both grace and glory For as he that hides his sin shall not prosper so he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy I was an obstinate Papist as any in England said B. Latimer in so much as when I commenced Batchelor in Divinity my whole position ran against Melancthon's Opinions To conclude then Irrideant nos fortes potentes saith St. Aug. Let the 99 just persons that need no repentance laugh and scorn us Nos inopes infirmi consitebimur tibi c. We the poor of the flock of contrite spirits will confess our sins to thee O Lord. Once more Irridiant nos arrogantes nondum salubriter prostrati ego tamen confitebor tibi dedecora mea Let the arrogant and such as never had the grace of a broken and contrite heart let such deride me saith Aug. I will with Lazarus full of sores lie at the beautifull gate of that God who is rich in mercy and confess my foulest iniquities to thee O my God Lastly A broken contrite spirit will be deeply affected as with the act of sin the guilt and the stain so with the scandal of it A scandal is a stone in the way at which a man stumbles fals and receives hurt in his body Scandalous sins are such as others stumble at fall and receive hurt by in their souls Sins are scandalous in respect of their Manner and Matter In respect of the Manner when committed deliberately and presumptuously In respect of the Matter when they are committed in materia gravi For all deliberate presumptuous sins are in their Matter and Nature hainous In sin there are four things considerable 1. The Act. 2. The Guilt 3. The Stain 4. The Scandal The Act is quickly over but the rest have long lives The Guilt that remains for ever if not taken away by Repentance and Faith in Christs bloud The Stain that continues when the guilt is pardoned Sanato vulnere manet cicatrix Though the wound be healed yet the scar abides as the infamy upon Jeroboam's name That he made Israel to sin Lastly Though the Persons of scandalous Sinners be gone long since yet not the hurt daily done by their example It is a Question in the Schools Whether the damned have their greatest punishment at first Some have determined it negatively and their Reason is Because they have not at their death finish'd all the mischief they will do For when their bodies are in their graves and their souls in Hell their sins are above ground and live in the memory of men and do daily mischief and will to the worlds end Therefore as the hurt of their bad example encreaseth so doth their punishment Whether the pain of the damned be thus encreased I know not but sure I am mens sins and ill examples may be above ground and do hurt when they themselves are under ground and turn'd to ashes Wo then to the World because of
offences saith our Saviour Matth. 18.7 not passive offences saith the late Reverend Hoard i. e. Actions which men stumble at when they have no just cause through their own ignorance ill-affectedness rashness pride or any like cause for then wo would be to the very best men the earth bears none being able to walk so accurately blamelesly and wisely as to avoid and prevent all captious exceptions cavils and prejudices no not our Saviour himself for his Disciples told him Mat. 15. that the Pharisees were offended at him Our Lord then means Active scandals truly and properly given such as carry that in their foreheads which the Christian World nay the Pagan world cannot choose but be offended at Such are 1. The late National Oath and Covenant which is either leterally to be kept which I hope none dare say or to be repented of which I hope all will say One of the Horns of this Dilemma will Gore 2. The killing of our late Soveraign Lord the King not to be mentioned without abhorrency nor forgotten without stupidity nihil funestius luctuosius nihil 3. The very scandalous offences in Life and Doctrine accompanying our late Rebellions and Schismatical courses and our continued compliance with the late Usurpations and Traytorous forces These are those evil deeds by which we have given occasion to the enemies of God to Blaspheam Vide Christianos quid agunt evidenter fieri potest de ipso Christo sciri quid doceat thus the Pagans in Salvian See what the Christians do and by that you may easily know what their Christ teacheth These are those horrid scandals which live in the memories of men and do daily mischief for 1. Do they not serve mens turns for the justification of their sins 2. Do they not fill their heads with hopes that they shall do well enough notwithstanding their seditions conspiracies and Rebellions though they should put the Kingdom again into blood seeing such men who were reputed good and are now believed to be in Heaven were guilty of the same and worse But that I may come to that which is Verbum Diei It was Prophesied by our Soveraign of glorious memory Christus Jehovae to his Son our now most Gracious King Miraculum Clementiae Just up to the highest example but Merciful beyond example in the 27. Meditation of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the most of all sides who have done amiss have done so not out of malice but mis-information and misunderstanding of things And which is the Prophesie that none will be more loyal and faithful to You or to Me than those subjects who sensible of their own errors and our injuries will feel in their souls most vehement motives to repentance and earnest desires to make some reparations for their former defects Behold this day this Prophesie fulfilled for feeling in my soul most vehement motives to repentance and earnest desires to make some reparations for my former defects I have voluntarily taken hold of this solemn opportunity having here neither Text nor terms put upon me as one of the greatest mercies of my life the advantage of grace the fruit of the Spirit Nutus Dei Gods beckning me into this place wherein to offer to him the Sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit What was St. Paul's comfort after the confession of his sin 1 Cor. 15. is mine though not worthy to be called an Apostle a subject of the Kings a son of the Church founded in Praelacy from which Government this Nation received the everlasting Gospel planted and watered with their blood The blood of our learnedst and most religious Martyrs Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Ridley Bishop of London Latimer Bishop of Worster Hooper Bishop of Glocester Ferrer Bishop of St. Davids these all dyed Protestant Bishops in opposition to popery That is 1. To all those Doctrines held by the modern Church of Rome which are either contrary to the written word of God or be superadded as necessary points of Faith to be of all Christians believed upon pain of damnation 2. To all those superstitions used in the worship of God which are either unlawful as being contrary to Gods word or being not contrary and therefore arbitrary and indifferent are made essentials and imposed as necessary parts of worship So Dr. Sanderson the late learned loving and vigilant Bishop of Lincoln of reverend memory And Oh that my head were a fountain of tears to bewail our ingratitude injustice perjury and Antichristianism in covenanting against them I say that though unworthy to be called a subject of the Kings a Son of the Church Yet by the grace of God I am that I am a Penitent a Convert And as a token of it with St. Paul to make some compensation where I have done the wrong I have herein laboured more abundantly than they all who have alike offended And not as pleasing men but God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the searcher of hearts I do here with that seriousness as if I were immediately to appear before the Tribunal of Christ make this threefold profession of my judgment 1. That the Solemn League and Covenant which I have taken was and could not be other than sinfully taken by me or any other and continues so to all that have taken it to be sin to them until they have renounced it And therefore cannot but condemn my own or any other of my brethrens repentance whilest we would seem to repent of other our offences against God our Sovereign and this Church but hold fast defend stil that Covenant which was and as it is to be feared is still secretly meant as a common band of confederacy and iniquity And therefore do by these admonish all that are involved in this guilt with my self no longer to add impenitency unto their sin upon pretence of conscience for that which ought to be renounced as we tender our own and others souls safety for conscience sake 2. That I believe the killing our late Sovereign Lord the King was a most horrid murder and parricide and the great shame of all them and their religion that acted in it or towards it or after approved it by assisting thereto by any force or Councel or preaching or praying or giving thanks And therefore also cannot but condemn from my heart all such who though not consenting to killing yet teach it lawful for some subjects to resist by force fight against imprison and forbid addresses unto their Liege-Lord and Sovereign And particularly I cannot but condemn that robbing of the King of the universal subjection and defence due to his sacred Majesty by such equivocal swearing that they will defend his Person in the defence of the true Religion as it is mentioned in the late Covenant And all these practices and Doctrines I do freely acknowledge to be more evidently and truly Popish than any thing which hath in the late Quarrels been objected to the Fathers and Sons of the Church of England 3. That whereas I do acknowledge that very often other scandalous offences in Life and Doctrine are wont to accompany such Rebellious and Schismatical courses and continued compliance with all present Usurpations through all the time of Rebellions force so as that it needs God's infinite mercy to pardon and great charity from men to believe any following profession of repentance yet for as much as a sinner hath no other way or hope left of his Salvation but such sincere and late repentance I humbly crave pardon of God and man for any offences which I have given and beseech all men to believe this my unfeigned Profession of Repentance For as much as Charity 1. Suffers long and is Kind 1 Cor. 13.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a gentleness sweetness of manners hence Christians in the purest times of the Church were cal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the loveliness of their conversation one towards another 2. It doth not behave it self unseemly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not bitterly disgrace another is not transported by cruel passions 3. Is not easily provoked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fals not quickly into a sharp fit 4. Rejoiceth not in iniquity is not glad another hath done ill that thereby he may be disgraced but rejoiceth in and with the Truth 5. Bears all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Beam bears the Building or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies covers faults with her large Mantle Non facile de quoquam desperat quin ad meliorem fungem venire possit as the learned Grotius on the place doth not easily despair of any but that he may repent and be saved Lastly Believes all things not all things simply but credenda credibilia as Paraeus speaks in other mens sayings and doings believes the best As an Evidence of this Charity In all humility I beseech you Men Brethren and Right Reverend Father to join with me in Prayer That the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepheard of the Sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant would make us all perfect in every good work to do his will working in us all that which is well pleasing in his sight And that in the multitude of his mercy he would forgive us all that is past and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please him in newness of life to the honour and glory of his Name through Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the blessed Spirit be all glory Majesty Dominion Power and Adoration both now and for evermore Hallelujah FINIS