Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	pray_v	prayer_n	supplication_n	6,912	5	11.1562	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

will not an hard heart rush furiously upon See that passage 2. King 17. 14 c. This is as a wicked Devill that brings along many other devils with it to possesse the soule More especially it brings forth the cursed fruits of 1. Wofull impenitency an hard heart cannot will not repent 2 Chron. 36. 13. Rom. 2. 5. 2. Wilfull Rebellion pride and obstinacy against God Dan. 5. 20. Nehem. 9. 16 17. 29. Jerem. 7. 26. Ezek. 3. 7. 3. Wofull and damnable unbeliefe Act. 19. 9. Mark 6. 51 52. and 8. 16 17 c. and 16. 14. Heb. 3. 8. 11. compared with ver. 18. 19. 4. God threatens hardnesse of heart with sad and heavy Comminations as Pro. 28. 14. and notably Pro. 29. 10. Jer. 19. 15. but most remarkably Heb. 3. 8. to 12. Gods threats argue evidently Gods wrath against it 5. Finally over and beyond all this God plagues hardnesse of heart with dreadfull judgments who ever hardened himselfe against God and prospered Job 9. 4. 1. What Temporall vengeance inflicts hee for hardnesse of heart as upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians who after all their plagues for hardning their hearts against God were at once intombed in the Red-Sea Exod. 14. upon Israel for their hardnesse of heart not suffered to enter into Gods rest to enjoy the promised Canan Heb. 3. 8 9 10 11 c. and afterwards they that came into the promised Land for this wickednesse were removed out of Gods sight 2 King 17. 14. with 18. How terrible was that vengeance of God upon Nebuchadnezar hardned in his pride Dan. 5. 20 21 read it and tremble at it 2. What Spirituall wrath doth God poure out upon hard hearts giving them up to utter obduration as in Pharoah Exod. 4. 22. and 7. 3. and in others Joh. 12. 40. 3. Finally what eternall vengeance do hard hearts here treasure up unto themselves against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5 c. Doubtlesse if God thus forbid thus lay to heart thus brand thus threaten and thus plague an hard heart an hard heart be it never so pleasing to man or gratefull to Sathan yet it is most hatefull and abominable to the great heart-searching God How wofull their condition that lye under the plague of an hard heart How happy they that are delivered from it This may serve to put us all upon the Tryall and Examination of our hearts and spirits whether they be broken or no that so we may discover whether they be the gratefull Sacrifices of God or no which of us would not be glad that our hearts and spirits might be truly acceptable to God then let us diligently inquire whether they be truly broken and contrite The stresse of our Comfort will peculiarly lean upon this basis of penitentiall brokennesse if our hearts be actually broken this day what an Odour of a sweet smell shall they be to God in Christ if they be habitually broken how pleasing shall they be to God continually but all will depend upon this that they be kindly broken and softened as Davids was But how may we discover whether our hearts and spirits be truly broken and contrite Answ. Principally 2. waies 1. By the Concomitants or Companions of a broken spirit 2. By the Adjuncts or Properties thereof 1. By the Concomitants or Companions attending upon a broken spirit Noscitur ex comite qui non dignoscitur ex se oft-times a man is known by his Companions more then by his own Conditions All the graces of the spirit are spiritually concatenated and linked together but some graces being more peculiarly homogeneall and neer of kin to one another are more immediately coupled and associated and such do mutually descry and discover one another Now these are the usuall and famliiar Companions of true brokennesse of spirit and tendernesse of heart viz. 1. A Spirit of Prayer and Supplication A broken spirit is a praying spirit they usually go together they are promised together I will powre the spirit of grace and supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him c. Zech. 12. 10. to the end They are performed together when the heart of the Prodigall sonne was touched and broken for his lewd courses presently he resolves upon praying I will go to my Father and say to him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Luk. 15. 18. Saul who afterward was called Paul was no sooner dismounted struck to the earth and his heart humbled and broken at his first Conversion by Christs immediate voice from Heaven but Christ gives this character of him Behold he prayeth Act. 9. 11. this was worth beholding and considering indeed that a persecuting Saul should so soon become a praying Saint Yea Jesus Christ himself being so broken and abased in his spirit with surrounding sorrow in his agony {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he prayed more fervently Luk. 22. 44. then he did as it were bend all his nerves intend the utmost activity of his spirit to wrastle with his heavenly father the Apostle saith he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and teares Heb. 5. 7. Some writings cannot be read but in water and those Petitions of believers which are indited by the spirit with sobs and groanes and swimming along towards God in streams of teares how legible and available are they with God The spirit it selfe helpeth our infirmities See Rom. 8. 26. No spirit can sigh and groane can weep and mourn can tug and wrastle with God like a broken spirit Such a spirit not so much prayes to God as powers out it selfe and all its desires into the bosome of God See Psal. 102. Title of the Psal. Such a spirit prayes importunately pathetically powerfuly of all frames of Soule this melting broken frame of spirit is z most ingenuous eloquent and potent in prayer fetches arguments from the best to picks Gods nature Christs merit Covenant promises c. fils it self full of them as a vessell with new wine urges darts them up vigorously pursues the Lord will let him have no rest will have no nay resolves like Jacob not to let him go till he reach out a blessing Reflect now upon thy self ô Christian where is thy Spirit of Supplication Where those mighty unutterable groanes and desires where those wrastlings c. doest thou not know what a spirit of prayer meanes neither doest thou know what a broken spirit meanes 2. Humility A broken spirit is an humble spirit low in its own eyes thinks worse of it self then of any others or then any others can think of it can preferre the meanest Saint before it selfe counting it selfe the least of Saints if a Saint at all c. But to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit Isai. 66. 2 Poverty of spirit and brokennesse of spirit are familiar companions Again God saith I dwell in the high and holy

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

when men will not be reformed no not by the severest judgements of God Lev. 26. 24 25 26. Thus have I briefly indigitated out of the word of God some of those sins and abominations in these several Catalogues for which the Lord hath heretofore threatned and plagued his people with SVVORD PESTILENCE and FAMINE two of which this Kingdome of late hath ●adly f●lt and the third is greatly feared That your Honours may cleerly see the equity of Gods severest proceedings with us in all this that is come upon us and the necessity of our breaking our hearts and humbling our soules greatly in this Land for all those Sins and Rebellions wherewith we have already pulled so much and are like to pull down more and more vengeance upon our selves and our Posteritie For which of all those Abominations fore-mentioned is not England deeply guilty of And shall England think to commit the same sins and yet escape the judgements of God Wherefore I most humbly and earnestly beseech your Honours that as you tender the glory of God the true happinesse of this Church and State the removing of present and preventing of future judgements the treasuring up of blessings for the present generation and for posterity and the re-imbarquing of England again in the bosome of Gods favour you would be pleased in your great zeal and wisdome to think of some way how with the advice of the Assembly of Divines a more full and impartiall Catalogue then hitherto hath been made of the Publick sins and provocations of England may be drawn up and published by Authority of Parliament and that a most solemn Day of Humiliation for the whole Kingdome may be peculiarly set apart for afflicting of our souls deeply for those sins from Dan to Beersheba And let the Lord accept us Now the Father of mercies and God of all consolation lift up your hearts in the wayes of God and make you strong for all the work of God that remains upon your hand So prayeth Your Honours faithfull servant in the Lord FRAN. ROBERTS A Broken Spirit Gods Sacrifices OR The gratefulness of a broken SPIRIT unto GOD PSAL. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit THis day we are come together to afflict our souls and mourn before the Lord because the heavens have now for divers moneths together so sadly mourned upon the Land in extraordinary dearth-threatning shours These excessive shou●s and judgement of rain were first gendred and occasioned by the poysonfull vapours of our sins and the sins of the Land that have ascended and been multiplyed before the Lo●d One successfull and approved remedy against both sin and judgement● is To lay our selves low before the Lord with penitentiall brokennesse of spirit and this brokennesse is the peculiar subject of this Text Oh that our God would break our hearts like Davids heart in the consideration of it The Psalm may be justly stiled Davids Recantation How doth he bleed and melt for his bloody sins This sweet singer of Israel as he is stiled never prayed and sung more melodiously and pathetically then when his heart was broken most penitentially as the birds in the spring tune most sweetly when it rains most sadly or as some faces appear most oriently beautiful when they are most instampt with sorrow In this Psalm are Principally considerable the Title and the substance of the Psalm 1. The Title prefixed which is here as the Contents of a book as the Key of the Psalm contains 1. The inscription of it To the chief Musician or to the master of the musick 2. The Primary or instrumental Cause of it Viz. DAVID He ingenuously takes the shame of his sin upon his own face 3. The Occasion of the Psalm which is twofold viz. 1. DAVIDS Iniquity and 2. NATHANS Ministry waking his secure conscience out of it When Nathan the Prophet came unto him after he had gone in to Bath●heba The story is fully laid down in 2 Sam. 11. 12. Chapters 2. The Substance of the Psalm it self wherein consider 1. The nature or kind of it so it is a Psalmus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Praying Psalm 2. The scope or end of it principally to implore Gods free grace and favor in the pardoning and purging of his sin and the more plenary sanctifying and comforting of his sin-afflicted heart as is evident in the Current of the Psalm Whence its very clear 1. That the best of Saints may foully fa●l 2. That the Saints foully falling shall yet penitentially rise again 3. That when they rise after their relapses they are embittered against their own sins most impartially they deal with God in their Repentance most ingenuously and sincerely 3. The branches or parts of this Prayer which are chiefly two viz. Petition for himself who by Murder and Adultery had off●…ed Verse 1. to 18. And Supplication for the Church of God which by his fal might be scandalized and endangered V●●se 18 19. For himself he beggs Restauration by Arguments drawn 1. From himself most seriously and sincerely repenting Ver. 3. to 13. 2. From others who might be involved in like offences whom upon such his experience of divine favor he should be enabled feelingly to instruct in the ways of God and mysteries of Conversion Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shall be converted unto the Verse 13. Then I that have been a Pati●nt shal become a Phisitian to other sin-bruised souls Then I that have had my bones thus broken by my fall shal help to bind up the broken bones of others 3. From Gods own glory which upon such beams and discoveries of grace would be rendred most illustrious 1 Partly in his thankeful publishing of Gods praises for mercies received Verse 14 15. 2 Partly in his dutiful sacrificing and rendering unto God not so much the carnal typical sacrifices of the Law which were not the things wherein God did rest Verse 15 16. But the spiritual and true sacrifices of a broken and contrite spirit which were the sacrifices of Gods delight in the words of the Text ver. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit c. Having thus led you to the Words lets-view the treasure comprized in them they set forth The singular gratefulnesse of true broken-heartednesse Here are two Propositions Emphatically discovering this 1. Affirmatively shewing in what high account a broken spirit is with God The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit 2. Negatively discovering what dis-respect or unkindnesse a broken heart shall never finde with God A broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Both Propositions are for substance one and the same but doubled like Pharaohs Dreams more infallibly to assure us of the certainty thereof and therefore in the handling of the first proposition we shal in effect have the sense of both In the Affirmative proposition you have first the subj●ct A broken Spirit Secondly the Predicate affirmed of

Jerusalem into his Kingdome 2 Chron. 33. 12. 13. In a word what respect had Christ to the penitent womans brokennesse of spirit when he so commends her entertainment of himself with Tears washing of his feet with them wiping them with the haires of her head c. before the Pharisies entertaining of him with all his dainties and Complements Luk. 7. 36. to the end Now all this respect which God so peculiarly manifests to brokennesse of spirit makes it cleare that a broken spirit is Gods most gratefull Sacrifice and delight 4. A broken Spirit is so pleasing to God That he rankes a broken spirit a tender fleshy heart a spirit of mourning c. among the rarest expressions of his speciall grace and favour promised to his Church Therefore where God promiseth To be to his people a little Sanctuary in the Countries where they shall come Their gathering again The Reformation of the Land Onenesse of heart Newnesse of spirit c. he addeth And I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh Ezek. 11. 16. to 21. And elsewhere after other promises God saith Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 24 25 26. c. yea when those Evangelicall blessings are promised to the House of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem The spirit of Grace and of Supplication it is added And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only son and shal be in bitternesse for him as one that is in bitternesse for his first borne c. Zech. 12. 10. c. Where brokennesse of Spirit for the sins that broke and pierced Christ is expressed under the notions of Mourning as for an only son of being in bitternesse as for a first borne of great mourning as of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo where good Josiah was slain Now why should this brokennesse of spirit be thus ranked among Gods choice promised blessings if the Lord had not choyce thoughts and account thereof 5. A Broken spirit is so gratefull to God That himselfe undertakes it to be the peculiar Physitian to heale bind up revive and comfort poore broken hearts and bleeding soules He healeth the broken in heart and bindeth up their wounds Psal. 147. 3. He bottles up their teares and their sighing is not hid from him He dwels in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit but to what end To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isai. 57. 15. Griefe and sorrow kills joy and comfort revives It s true God sometimes sets off the beauty of his own sweet Comforts by the darksome shadow of trouble of spirit and broken bones inflicted upon us he casts down that he may lift us up he crusheth that he may consolate us yea he kills us that he may more gratefully revive us as one said Dejicit ut relevet premit ut solatia praestet Enecat ut possit vivificare Deus Still the scope and intendment of God is the swathing up of broken bones the sweetning of the embittered spirits of his people This the very office of Jesus Christ himselfe The Lord hath annointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted to comfort all that mourn To appoint unto them that mourn in Sion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oyle of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse Isai. 〈◊〉 1 2 3. Compared with Luk. 4. 18. k Happy teares which Christs hand shall wipe oft happy wounds which Christs blood shall close again happy brokennesse of heart which Christ shall bind up c. behold how God how Christ loves a broken heart 6. Finally a truly broken spirit is so acceptable to God That he is pleased to select and single out the broken heart the poore and contrite spirit for his peculiar habitation and for the place of his rest Where is the place of my rest saith God Himself answereth To this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit as if he should say here is my rest here will I place mine eye and heart here will I repose my self and dwell Isa. 66. 1. 2. But more clearly elsewhere Thus saith the high and lofty-one that inhabiteth eternity whose nam● is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit Isai. 57. 15. God will not dwell with the proud hard impenitent unbelieving heart yet will dwell with the contrite and humble spirit What God dwell there how deare is such a heart to God It is not said Saints or Angels shall dwell with such though they are sweet companions Not Peace Joy Comfort Life Grace Holinesse Happinesse c. shall dwell there though these are deare delights able to change the blackest midnight into a smiling morning a very Prison into a Pallace and the vale of the shadow of death into a mountain of life and joy But i●s said that the High and Lofty One that inhabits eternity will dwell with him that 's of an humble and contrite spirit Oh how doth the highest God descend how doth the lowest heart ascend in such an inhabitation The broken heart saith with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy thou shouldst come under my roofe much lesse that thou shouldst dwell there 11. Thus much of the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That a broken spirit is a most pleasing Sacrifice to God Now passe we to the second particular the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Why a truly broken spirit should be so gratefull Sacrifices to God This may be opened both Negatively and Affirmatively Negatively this gratefulnesse of a broken spirit ariseth not from any merit or any degree or shadow of merit that may be imagined to be l in a broken spirit as the Popish merit-mongers do commonly suggest when they treat of this Theame of brokennesse of heart For though ou●heads were waters and our eyes fountains of tears Jer. 9. 1. Though wee should eat ashes as bread and mingle our drinke with weeping Psal. 102. 9. though all the night long we should make our bed to swim and water our couch with tears Psal. 6. that our eyes were dim with griefe our cheeks furrowed with sorrow and our very moysture turned into the droughts of Summer Psal. 32. 4. yet when all 's done we are but unprofitable Servants what have we done more then duty nay for ground

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