Exposition on the Seven Psalms of Repentance, Exposition 51 · Verse 17
Verſe 17. The ſacrifices of the Lord are a contrite ſpirit: a contrite and broken heart, O God, thou wilt not deſpiſe.
WHen he hath remoued that which God miſliked and refuſed; now he placeth that which God liketh and receiueth, that is, the ſacrifice of a contrite ſpirit. In the plurall number called ſacrifices, that is this one for all.
A broken heart, is ſuch a heart which is humbled through a ſight and ſenſe of ſin.What a broken heart is. For it is needfull, that as we hauehave worne our heart by ſinne, ſo our heart ſhould be worne againe by repentance and ſorrow for ſinne, and that we ſhould take paines to ſubdue our hearts and all the thoughts thereof, and bring them captiue to Gods obedience.
That is that poore ſpirit of which Matthew ſpeaketh,Mat. 5.3. Eſa. 66.2. & Iſaias ſpeaketh of the ſpirit that trembleth at Gods word.Why ſacrifices in the plurall number. This cauſed Dauid to put the word ſacrifices in the plurall number, that he might expreſſe the better, that one contrite heart which is the ſacrifice of repentance alone ſuffiſeth for all legall ſacrifices. If he had ſaid that a contrite heart, is a ſweet ſmelling ſacrifice, they might hauehave excepted ye ſo are many others, as the papiſts do mixe their works with the grace of God. But Dauid excludeth purpoſſie all ſacrifices, and ſheweth, that what euer ſacrifices God reſpecteth are comprehended vnderunder a penitent heart, beleeuing in Chriſts bloud, and ſeeking merciemercy for the ſame.
This ſort of people are called mourners in Sion, who mourne to God for their owne ſinnes, and the ſinnes of the people, who powre out their heart with their teares to God, who doe lament for the affliction of Ioſeph. Oh, what cauſe hauehave we to lament this day for our ſinnes, and to breake our hearts for the perſecution of the Church in eueryevery place. Let our feaſting be turned into faſting, our laughter in teares. Mourne with Ieremiah for the deſolation of Sion.Nota.
A contrite and broken heart thou wilt not deſpiſe. Here he encourageth the penitent ſinner; who may be affraied to appeare before the Tribunall of God, in regard of the conſcience of his ſinne, and be feared that God will not accept him, howſoeuer he be humbled. Him here he encourageth, God will not deſpiſe a troubled heart, yea rather he will like it and manifeſt his skill in healing and comforting it.God liketh a troubled heart. To which agree all thoſe places in Iſaias which comfort the Church, thoſe ſweet inuitations of Chriſt to the laden and wearie, to come vntounto him, and to thoſe that were athirſt, and he that calleth vponupon vsus, will not reiect and caſt vsus away.
The Lord is nigh to them that be of a contrite ſpirit. Pſal. 144.8. Who ſpeake to him in the bitterneſſe of their ſoule. Iob. 10.1. Crying like the Dragon or Oſtrich. Mich. 1.8. Who cry wonderfull being ouercomed by the Elephants. As Saint Ierome ſaieth, who ſlay their affections, and offer them as a ſacrifice to God, as the Magdalen, Peter, other Saints, who forſake their former luſts, and ſay with a certaine young man, who being temped by an harlot, and ſeeming to be ignorant who ſhe was, ſhe ſaid ego ſum, it is I, he anſwered, ego non ſum, it is not I, for he was conuerted by repentance.
If thou would preuaile with God,Pro. 23.26. giuegive him thine whole heart, if thou doe any thing for God doe it with thine heart,2. Chro. 31 21 ſeeke him with thine whole heart, louelove him, feare him, pray to him, turne to him,Deut. 4.29 obey him with thine whole heart. Deut. 10.12. Rom. 6.17. Ier. 32.40. Ioel. 2.12. Pſal. 119.145. Their heart is deuided ſaith the Lord of hoſte, now ſhall they periſh. Hoſ. 10.2.God is one and vndeuided, and craueth an heart, one, and whole in affection, and rent onelyonly by deiection, nothing can breake God but a b…oken heart. The ſtring can bow the bowe, the fire can temper and molifie the ſteele, the goates bloud the adamant, and the heart contrite can moue God ſaith Mantuan in theſe verſes.
Virga recens Zephyris, neruo curuabitur arcu…
Igne chalybs: adamas ſangnine, corde Deus.
Finallie, obſerue that albeit repentance doth make a contrite heart, and as I ſaid before we ſhould take ſuch paine on our contrition, that we ſhould not let any thought of our heart eſcape vnrepented & mourned for, yet, the onelyonly hammer which muſt burſt our ſoules is the word of God,The word of God bruſeth the heart. Simil. which bruſeth the rockes of a ſtonie heart, and maketh an heart of fleſh. And as out of rags being bruſed is brought forth fine paper, ſo is a troubled heart bruſed with ſorrow for ſin turned into a gratious ſubiect, whereinto God may worke and write his law. And as the poole of Bethſaida being troubled,Ioh. 5.4. brought health to mens bodies: ſo doth the conſcience afflicted by God, bring certaine health and ſaluation to ſoule and body. Saint Ambroſe ſayeth that repentance is ſo difficult and hard a matter, that he hath oftner found mo who liued innocently, then who did truely repent. It is written of Auguſtine, that he cauſed the pſalmes of repentance to be put on the wall ouer againſt him, before he died, and reaped aboundantly reading them ten daies; at which time none came to him but either the phiſitians or his refreſhment. Seeing therefore God liketh this ſacrifice of a contrite heart, without which none other thing will pleaſe him, let vsus take the beſts of our affections, ſeperate them from their olde pleaſures to God, bind them by the coards of the word, lay them downe at his feete, and ſlay them, and that ſacrifice ſhall pleaſe him, offer thy ſelfe a liuing ſacrifice and be aſſured God will accept of thee; and neuer reiect thee not thine offering, other ſacrifices die being offered,Nota. but we by offering our ſelues to God yet liue.