Englands Preservation, Part 1 – Part 2
2. The formall Ingredients.
HEreupon followes the ſecond principall working Ingredients of heart breaking two Ier. 31, 19.which formally makes up Evangelicall Contrition, and it is (1. Pudor. 2. Dolor,) ſhame and griefe: Such kindneſſe from the mercy-ſeate makes him now as Ephraim, confounded and aſhamed, and his heart to breake into moſt melting flouds of teares, that ever he ſhould bee ſo monſtrouſly vile to offend ſuch tender and gracious bowels of mercy, which hee now apprehends yerning towards him in and through Chriſt. As before, the apprehenſions of divine wrath did diſtract and ſhiver him, ſo now the apprehenſions of divine love doe totally diſſolve and melt him; though there were not Heaven hereafter to Crowne him, yet he muſt grieve, and though there were not Hell hereafter to burne him, yet he muſt exceedingly mourn for ſinning againſt ſuch a God.
This is that right Evangelicall Contrition which I preſſe for at this time! called in Scripture, a ſoftneſſe of heart, and a contrite Heart, and a mourning, and a bitter mourning, and a great mourning, like that of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon: which Zac. 12. 10, 11.Saint Ambroſe calls (Cor liqueſcens) an heart melting, and diſſolving, and Saint Hierome (magnum planctum) an exceeding lamenting; and St. Auſtin (grave lamentum) a very heavie griefe.
The Caſuiſts and Schoolmen affirme it to bee the Sorrow for ſin the greateſt ſorrow in 4. reſpects. Adrianus. Scotus. Soto.greateſt of all ſorrows. 1. In conatu, the whole ſoule ſeemes to ſend ſprings into it out of every faculty. 2. In extenſione, It is a ſpring which in this life (more or leſſe) is continually dropping. 3. In appreciatione, the changed ſoule doth ever judge that a good God offended, ſhould be the prime cauſe of greateſt ſorrow, and Laſtly, In intenſione, For Intenſion of diſplicence in the will, there being no o…her things, with which, or for which the will is more diſpleaſed with it ſelfe then for ſinning againſt God. And therefore ſome of the Schoolemen propounding this queſtion Sot in 4. Sent. d. 17. q. 2. art. 4.whether there ſhould be more griefe for ſin, then for the p…ſſion of Chriſt? Reſolve it Affirmatively, that there is more cauſe of griefe for ſinning, then for the death of Chriſt: and their reaſon is this, becauſe in the death of Chriſt there was (Aliquid placens) Something that did pleaſe God, ſo farre as it was a Redemption, but ſin is (ſimpliciter diſplicens) there is nothing in it which is not altogether diſpleaſing unto God, conſider it formally as ſin.
3. The conſequent working.
WHich rather ſhewes and declares, then makes a broken heart, and it is hatred of ſin; the Hatred of ſin the conſequent of heart breaking for ſin. A double hatred of ſin.heart which is rightly broken, is not only broken for ſin, but alſo from ſin by an hatred. 1. Of abomination, loathing it as the greateſt evill: Get thee hence ſay they in, Eſa. 30. 22. And 2. Of enmi…y and irreconciliation, what have I to doe any more with Idols, ſaith Ephraim in Hoſea 14. 8.
Thus have you heard what the breaking up of the fallow ground, or ſinfull heart is, now I proceed (in few words) to demonſtrate, That it is the meanes to prevent the breaking downe of a ſinfull Nation; this Queſt. 2.may evidently appeare.
1. By the fingers of God in Scripture pointing a Sol. 4. Demonſtrations of the propoſition in its truth.people to this worke, that ſo they might not ſinke into ruine, but be preſerved: Read Ezekiel 18. 30, 31. Ioel 2. 13, 14.
2. By the pledges which God maketh in ſeverall promiſes, that if a ſinfull Nation will take this courſe, he will then ſpare them, and continue them: Read, Ier. 18. 7, 8. 2 Chron. 7. 14.
3. By the Records or Inſtances of Gods ſparing a people, and a revoking of his wrath and judgements when they have ſet upon this Heart-breaking courſe, Read Ionah 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. 2 Chronicles 34. 27.
4. By the executions of deſtruction becauſe they would not hearken to this courſe, See 2 Chro. 36. 15, 16, 17.
But why ſhould the breaking up of ſinfull hearts bee a meanes to prevent the breaking downe of a ſinfull Queſt. 3.Nation? The Reaſons are theſe, becauſe
Firſt, where hearts are rightly broken for ſinnes, there ſinnes are pardoned: and where ſinnes are pardoned, Sol. 4. Confirmations of the propoſition. 2 Chro. 7. 14. Eſay. 1. 16.all breaking down is unqueſtionably prevented. In Eſaiah, you reade of waſhing and cleanſing (they are the ſame with this heart-breaking and mourning) and preſently you reade of pardon, Though your ſinnes be as ſcarlet, they ſhall bee as white as ſnow, 18.&c. and preſently after that, you reade, of eating the 19.good of the Land: a comfortable fruition of themſelves, and of their Country, and of all meanes and bleſſings.
Beloved! when ſinnes are pardoned then,2. Effects of ſins pardoned.
1. All their guilty clamour is ſilenced: pardoned ſins are diſabled ſins, they can bring no action againſt us, debts forgiven ſhall never prejudice nor hurt us: Sins unpardoned can raiſe poſſe comitatus, all the Armies Remiſſa culpa remittitur paena.of God in Heaven and Earth againſt ſinners, but once pardoned, they are of no force or ſtrength at all.
And ſecondly, when ſins are pardoned, all good hath a free paſſage; God is reconciled, and mercies have their Commiſſion to attend us: Now ſaith the Lord, I will heare the Heavens, and they ſhall heare the earth, and the earth ſhall heare the Corne, and the Wine Hoſ. 2. 21, 22and the Oyle, and they ſhall heare Iezreel.
2. Againe, If ſinfull hearts be broken, God hath his end, and then all quarrels ceaſe twixt him and a 2.Nation: the Lord doth not threaten deſtruction to a people for deſtructions ſake, but for Humiliations ſake: Not that they may be deſtroyed, but that they ſhould repent, and not be deſtroyed.
3. Thirdly, Broken hearts are a wonderfull delight unto the Lord: There are ſomethings in which 3.God hath no delight, He hath no delight in ſinnings, Pſalm. 5. 4. Ezek. 18. 32.nor in puniſhments: and there are two hearts in which God takes much delight, namely, in an upright heart and in a Contrite heart, The broken heart hee will not deſpiſe, nay hee will looke upon that heart to revive it: If broken hearts be Gods delight, and the objects of Pſal. 51. 17. Eſa. 57. 15.his reviving, then without queſtion they are a means to prevent deſtruction.
4. Laſtly, when hearts are broken for ſins, then Gods heart (if I may ſo phraſe it) is broken with compaſſions unto ſinners: Though ſinners remaine obſtinate yet divine compaſſions work ſtrongly towards them, (How ſhall I give thee up, Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee, O Iſrael? &c. Hoſea 11. 8.) what bowels then (thinke you) are working in God when ſinners are broken and humbled and turning? If God can ſo hardly finde the way to puniſh impenitent Ephraim, will he not find the way to ſpare an humbling Ephraim, See Ier. 31. 18. I have ſurely heard Ephraim lamenting himſelfe, &c. 20. My bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him ſaith the Lord.
I have done with the explication of the point, I now addreſſe my ſelfe to the Application of it.
1. To all of us. 2. To you of publike employment.
Is the breaking up of ſinfull hearts, the means to prevent the breaking downe of a ſinning Nation? Ʋſe.Then let every one of us here, (ô that the whole Land alſo would) ſearch and try the temper and frame of our hearts, whither they be broken or unbroken? Beloved! I beſeech you ſadly to conſider of a few things.
1. That brokenneſſe of heart is the worke of this 6. Things conſiderable, about brokenneſſe of heart.day: This is a day of Humiliation; but what is an humbling day without an humbled heart? to preſent your ſelves before the great God, at ſuch a time, with all your ſinnes, and yet without hearts broken for thoſe ſins, is not only an irreligious incongruity, but alſo an high provocation of our God; like Zimries act when all the Congregation were weeping before the doore of the Tabernacle, Numb. 25. 6.
Come we not this day with all ſorts of guilt upon our ſoules, and with ropes about our neckes, expecting (if the Lord ſhould render unto us our deſerts) the ſentence of death, and confeſſe as much, and yet dare we to play the Hypocrites, having hearts under all this utterly unbroken?
Secondly, brokenneſſe of heart, is the hope of this day: I profeſſe ſeriouſly unto you, that were you as much in faſting as Iohns Diſciples, and in praying as Chriſts Diſciples, could you by Faſting make your knees to faint, and your fleſh to faile, and reſolve your bodies into a very Sceleton, if yet your hearts were not broken for your ſins, Neither your ſelves, nor your endaevours, nor our owne Nation, nor the diſtreſſed Church of Ireland, nor any other would bee the better for it: As one of the Fathers ſaid of Learning, All learning is ſuſpected, nay diſreſpected by me, wherein is not the mention of Chriſt, that I affirme of all ſolemne faſtings whatſoever, the Lord regards them not, if the broken heart bee not found in them.
What Ioſeph ſaid to his brethren, unleſſe you bring your brother Benjamin with you, you ſhall not ſee my face, or as Iſaac ſaid to his Father, Behold the Fire and the Wood, but where is the Lambe for a burnt offering? That the Lord ſaith unto us, Faſt as often as you pleaſe, and pray too, unleſſe your hearts bee broken for your ſinnes, nothing that you doe ſhall finde favour with me; all the reſt is but as wood and fire, the Lambe, the Sacrifice of a Contrite heart (which is that I look at, and for,) is wanting.
Get thee behinde me ſaid Jehu to the ſeverall meſſengers, what have you to doe with peace? Confeſsions, and prayers are the meſſengers of our ſoules to God, but unleſſe the ſinful heart be broken, they will never be meſſengers of peace.
If any of you would angle in a River, would you throw in a naked line only? would this be to any purpoſe? Sirs! I know well, that if a Faſt bee rightly performed, it hath as many promiſes of bleſſings and mercies (See Eſay 58.) As any religious duty whatſoever: Nay, and I thinke that you never read in all the Bible, nor yet in experience, of its right performance without ſome ſudden and remarkeable Teſtimony of Gods gracious acceptance and anſwer: But then breaking of hearts ever accompanied thoſe prevailing and victorious Faſts, as you may Reade in Iudges, and Samuel, and the Kings, and Ezra, and Nehemiah, &c. And for my part, I ſhould not ſcruple the aſſecution of any convenient mercy, nor the diverſion of any impendent evill, if once with all our Faſtings, there were alſo a breaking up of our Fallow grounds: If GOD could in this command our hearts, we might then (in ſome ſenſe) command our God:
3. Thirdly, Have wee not all of us ſufficient cauſe to breake our ſinfull hearts? Should ſinnes, ſhould calamities abroad, ſhould dangers at home breake hearts? all theſe may then worke upon us: our ſins have broken the heart of CHRIST, and are ſuch as have broken off God from a people, and have broken many Churches downe: Can you bee ignorant of the profeſſed Idolatry in this Land? of the horrid blaſphemies? of the over-flowing drunkenneſſe? of the Sabbaths profanation? &c. And if wee looke at calamities abroad, why, as Iacob ſaid, Ioſeph is not, and Simeon is not, ſo may we ſay, Bohemia is broken up, and the Palatinate is broken up, and IRELAND is breaking up, and yet the hearts of ſinfull England will not bee broken up: Nay if wee looke at the dangers hovering like a Cloud over this Land, and dropping already in manifold and ſundry diviſions, in manifold plots, in manifold and ſeverall contradictions, and even readie to breake forth (O LORD let it not breake forth) in a bitter inteſtine Warre amongſt our ſelves, where every mans ſword ſhall bee againſt his brother, and the Child may kill the Parent, or the Parent kill his Child (bowels ſheathed in bowels,) No man ſcarce ſecure in his owne Family, our ſins are bringing this upon us, and yet our hearts will not breake for theſe ſinnes! The God of all Wiſdome and mercies breake our hearts, that ſo this judgement may not doe that which all our forreigne enemies hitherto could not doe, Breake downe our Church and Nation.
4. And if judgements ſhould breake in upon ſinners, before hearts are broken for ſins, good Lord! what, where are they? Dudilius relates a ſad ſtory of Bochna a woman who had but two ſonnes, and whiles ſhe was walking with the one towards the River, ſhe heard the other crying out, and haſtning back, ſhee found a knife ſticking in him, which kild him quickly, then ſhe returnes to her other child thinking to ſolace her ſelfe in an onelyonly child, but he in her abſence was fallen into the river and drowned, both loſt at once: Ah Sirs! we have but two children, a Soule and a body! what an heavie loſſe will it bee to loſe both theſe at once? To bee cut off by an angry enemie and to be caſt off by a mighty God! To loſe a life, and at the ſame time to lofe an eternall life! To loſe ſafety and ſalvation at once? Tis true that if a ſinners heart be broken by grace, there is no queſtion of mercy, but when an impenitent ſinners life is broken by judgment, his hopes are gone, and his breaking of it for ever.
5. Fifthly, Wee ſhall aſſuredly be broken off, if we be not broken up; Beloved! There are two vile malignities in an unbroken heart.
Firſt, It is one of the greateſt of ſpirituall judgements, ô ſaid a Reverend man once, if I muſt be put to my option, I had rather be in Hell with a ſenſible heart, then live on earth with a reprobate minde; ſo I ſay, an hardned and unbroken heart (is in ſome reſpect) a judgement worſe than Hell, for as much as one of the greateſt ſins, is farre greater in evill, then any of the greateſt puniſhments.
Secondly, It is the immediate and unavoydable forerunner of the greateſt of temporall judgements, He that hardens his heart ſhall be deſtroyed ſuddenly and that without remedy, Prov. 29. 1. Obſerve that place: There is no leſſe then deſtruction, which is not a particular and imperfect dammage, but it is a compleate ruine, and this deſtruction is certaine (ſhall, not may perhaps, bee deſtroyed) but when? Suddenly! I! but the ſinner wil ſhift it off, & withſtand it! No, but hee ſhall bee deſtroyed without remedy: His deſtruction ſhall not be prevented; you may reade all this in the old World, and in Pharaoh, and in the Iewes before the Babylonian Captivitie, and afterwards in the Roman divaſtation which hath laſted theſe 1600 yeares.
6. But now where are our broken hearts? I know not what to ſay, my heartakes within mee, ô that it could bee broken becauſe hearts are generally unbroken: Sinners are ſecure, Conſciences are ſeared, wickedneſſe is bold, ſinnes are a delight and paſtime, God is not ſeene nor feared in his judgements, in His warnings, in His dealings; Reformation is abhorred, Humiliation (moſt know not what it meanes, and if they doe) it is diſtaſted: Serious thoughts of our ſinfull wayes who takes them up? ſufficient time for ſelfe-examination who makes it for himſelfe? every man runnes on in his courſe, loves as hee did, lives as he did; And never knew a trouble in his ſoule, nor a teare in his eye either for his owne, or for the ſins of others, all his dayes: And what will the end of all this be?
O that God would pittie us this day, and breake our hearts for us! though it bee ſo irkſome and contrary to our fleſh and bloud: It is better (ſaid a Father) to dye one death, then to live and feare all deaths: better it is to ſuffer the heart to bee broken, then to expoſe our ſelves to all ſorts of Judiciall & eternall breakings: ô Lord ſaid dying Fulgen. (Dapaenitentiam & poſtea indulgentiam) make mee a penitent ſinner, and then let me find thee an indulgent Father: Never looke for great mercies, for long mercies, for any mercies with unbroken hearts; we are not good, we can doe no good, we can expect no good, till our ſinfull hearts be broken: O Chriſtians be perſwaded this day to get broken hearts! God can do it for you, and will doe it for you, if you will but uſe the means and ſeeke unto him: ſpare time, and take it to ſtudy the Law, to ſtudy Conſcience, to ſtudy the Goſpell, to ſtudy mercies, to ſtudy judgements, to ſtudy Chriſt, to ſtudy all, that after all, our hearts may bee broken for our ſinnes, that ſo God may not breake away from us, but continue to be our God, and that judgements (which looke ſo blacke upon us may be broken off, and plots (contriv'd againſt us) may breake aſunder, and all ſpirituall and earthly mercies may breake downe in mercy upon us.
And thus much bee ſpoken with a reſpect unto every one that heareth mee this day, I have beſides all this a particular errand from God to you, who are publike perſons, and have ſummond me this day unto Vſe 2.this publike worke, me thinkes that the Lord ſpeakes to you in ſome reſpect what once he ſpake to the Prophet Ieremiah, Chap. 1. Verſe 10. See, I have this day ſet you over the Nations, and over the Kingdomes to roote out, and to pull downe, and to destroy, and to throw downe.
And bleſſed bee the Lord, and bleſſed bee your ſoules, and bleſſed be your endeavours, that notwithſtanding the infinite difficulty of the worke, and the Malignant contrariety you meet with, yet your hearts are undaunted and reſolved to finiſh the work, as Honourable, as ever Parliament undertooke, and as profitable to Church and State, as ever Chriſtians enterpriſed, your armes ſhall bee made ſtrong by the bleſſing of the everlaſting God of Iacob, let popiſh and malevolent and ignorant perſons ſay or doe what they can: Give me leave. 1. To repreſent unto you The work of the Parliament.ſome publike plots of fallow-ground, which you (bleſſed be God) have begun to breake, nevertheleſſe they need yet a more full breaking up.
Secondly, to preſent in all humble fidelity unto you ſome few intimations and directions.
1. The publike plots of Fallow ground which need a further breaking up, are (eſpecially) foure.4. Grounds to be broken up.
1. The firſt lies directly in the valley of Hinnom: and it is Idolatry; a piece of ground which lies too much in every Shire of this Land, what County is there where much Popery is not? Sirs! you muſt breake this ground up, or it will breake our Land up: There is not ſuch a God-povoking ſinne, a God-removing ſin, a Church-diſſolving ſinne, a kingdomebreaking ſin as Idolatry, the ſoule of God abhorres it: down with it, down with it even to the ground.
2. The ſecond lies neare to Beth-Aven, and it is ſuperſtition: which is but a bawd to groſſe Idolatry: As rife in practiſe (even now) notwithſtanding all that you have ſaid and done, as if a Parliament had never opened a mouth againſt it: If a due and carefull inquiry bee made, I queſtion not but you ſhall find in too many Churches and publike places, as many Altars, and as many Crucifixes hanging over them, and as many Tapers on the Altars, and as much bowing towards the Eaſt, and Altar, almoſt as many, and as much, as when you began this Parliament.
3. The third lies juſt upon the coaſts of Egypt, that Land of darkneſſe; And it is ignorance, a very large circuit of ground this is; many, many places of this land there are which lie Fallow to this day, never any husbandman, nor Plow have entred in to breake up thoſe grounds: A moſt lamentable thing, that ſince Ieſus Chriſt came into the world and ſince the Goſpell is come into this Land, after ſeverall ſcores of yeares, yet how many Pariſhes in Wales, and in the North, and in other Counties which ſcarſely have enjoyed this much mercy as to heare one ſolid ſoule working Sermon concerning Chriſt and ſalvation by him; O Sirs! let your hearts bleed in pitty to theſe poore ſoules; liberties (I confeſſe) are precious and ſo are our eſtates, and ſo are bodies and lives, ô then what are ſoules? what are precious ſoules which did coſt the moſt precious bloud of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt?
The fourth ill plot of ground lies on Mizpah, or if you pleaſe on Mount Taber, for there the Prieſts 4.were a Net, and a Snare, Hoſea 5. 1. And this is an idle and an evill miniſtry: Sirs! miſtake me not, I ſpeake not of our Miniſters indefinitely, I know that wee have as godly, as learned, as painefull, as profitable Miniſters as any in all the Chriſtian world, but I ſpeake onelyonly of ſuch whoſe ſpeciall gifts conſiſt in one of theſe two things, either quietly to read out of a booke and diſcreetly to gather up their Tythes; or malevolently to diſcountenance all godlineſſe, and raile againſt the Parliament.
Ah worthy Sirs! It would amaze any ingenuous man to travaile ſuch a Country as England and paſſing through many Pariſhes, this (after all) is his Diurnall, the Patron is Popiſh, the Miniſter is an Idle Dunce, or elſe a drunkard, or elſe a ſwearer, or elſe a ſcoffer, preaching all holineſſe out of his pulpit out of his Church, out of his family, out of his Pariſh, and his people are like unto him, and love to have it ſo: And thus what betweene the Idle Miniſter and the evill Miniſter, the poore people never come to knowledge, or (without which knowledge never comes to any thing) they never come to the love and practiſe of any ſaving good: Theſe are the principall fallow grounds in this Land, which need your care and paines.