The sacrifice a short sermon upon Psal. 51, 17, at St. Maries in Oxford, Sept. 3, 1637 / by Clement Barksdale ...

III. The Sacrifices of God.

Sacrifices in the Plural, to signify, pro omnibus unum suffi∣cere, as Calvin notes: that this one Sacrifice of a broken Heart is worth all Sacrifices of God: not because he is the giver of what we offer: although thats very true; for what have we worth a giving, which we have not first received? but thats not the meaning here; the ad∣dition of God to Sacrifices is a mark of speciall excellency. Thy righteousness is like the

Mountains of God, Psal. 36. So the Margin hath expressed the Hebrew, which the Text In∣terprets, like the great Moun∣tains; so here, the Sacrifices of God are the greatest and most excellent Sacrifices. The latter words, Thou shalt not de∣spise, are spoken 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a figure very frequent: Bethle∣hem not the least, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which indeed for our Saviours Birth in it, was the greatest of all Ci∣ties. And Saint Paul would have us most highly to esteem prophecying, when he bids us not despise it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the ve∣ry same word here used by the Seventy; by which wee must understand, that God is so far from despising or setting at nought the Sacrifice of a

contrite Heart, that nothing can be more acceptable or pre∣cious in his sight.

God Almighty glorieth not in any Title so much as that of mercifull and gractous: a Father of mercies, and God of comfort: and the Church could not possibly stile him better, then, a God whose nature and property is ever to have mercy and to forgive. This is his pro∣per work, but vengeance is cal∣led opus non suum, Esay 28. a strange work and not his own. Behold here the true ground and reason of that Acceptance I speak of. 'Tis Gods goodness, not the dignity of our Contri∣tion that so commends it. To talk of merit and satisfaction with the presumptuous Papist is

no less unreverent, then unsafe. Let them beware (said judicious Hooker) who challenge to them∣selves a strength which they have not, least they loose the cōfortable support of that weak∣ness which indeed they have. By the power of Grace, say we our hard Hearts are broken, and by the gentleness of grace they are so favourably accep∣ted.

Yea, such is Gods good∣ness, that hee would bring us whole and sound to Heaven, if it might be: for he delighteth not, in the death; no, nor in any pain or trouble of his crea∣ture: not, as it is absolutely considered, but in regard of the end thereof, so he is much plea∣sed with it. As the Physician

is glad to see the working of his Physick, not that he desires the pain of his Patient, but his recovery: or as a loving Hus∣band desires his Wifes travel, not for the pain she must en∣dure, but for the Births sake: So is God affected, as I may say, in the travel of his Spouse, the Christian Soul, the pangs whereof hee willeth not for their own sake, but for the new Births sake that cannot be pro∣duc'd nor reviv'd without them.

Well, to return, that the contrite Soul is an acceptable Sacrifice to God, we cannot doubt. My Dove that mour∣nest in the Clifts of the Rock, let me see thy Face, Cant. 2. Our Face is never so fair in

Gods Eye, as when 'tis washt with the tears of a Penitent Heart; these Penitent tears Satan cannot endure: nay, 'tis the conceit of one, tolerabilius sustinet flammam suam quàm lacrymam nostram. Satan can as little abide this Water of Repentance, as the fire of Hell: but God so much values and loves our tears, that he hath a Bottle on purpose to preserve them in. When we are least in our own eyes, then are we most precious in his. To this Man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite Heart, Esay, 66. 2. Nor doth he onely cast a favourable look upon that Man, but vouchsafeth to make him his dwelling place: For thus saith the high and holy

one, that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit, to revive the Spirit of the humble, and to re∣vive the Heart of the contrite. Es: 57: 15:

What comfort, what glory is this to an humble Soul, that she is chosen out for an habi∣tation of the most high! sure, where God dwelleth by his gracious presence, that place must needs be Heavenly; so indeed is the penitent Soul, what ere she seems: God that dwells there doth not so hide his countenance, but that the beams of comfort either mingle with the most bitter complaints of a broken Heart, or at least

in due time succeed them. No better instance then David. See him in the first of his Pe∣nitentials, Psal. 6. My Soul is sore vexed, ver. 3. I am weary with my groaning, ver. 6. Mine eye is consumed for very grief, ver. 7. There is sorrow, plen∣ty; But hath the Lord no pit∣ty? in the next verses, The Lord, saith he, hath heard the voice of my weeping. The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Here is comfort. Thus as I grounded Gods acceptation of our Repentance, upon his Mercy: so have I now setled our Comfort upon his Accep∣tation Because he is mercifull, therefore he accepts us; and because hee doth accept us,

therefore shall we find certain comfort.

These are, for whose sakes this point is to be carefully handled; weake Christians: whose minds the extremity of grief hath so overclouded, that they find not themselves in themselves: they complain most bitterly of the hardness of their Hearts, when their very complaints are a comfortable Argument that they are alrea∣dy broken: they grieve for the totall want of grace, when the presence of it in some measure is proved by their unfeigned desire and longing after it. Such poor souls must be made to understand, that Grace may work in the Heart, which for the present perceives it not.

God like the Sun scattereth his influence further then his light: and the Penitent Soul, like the Moon in Conjunction, hath the fairest side toward Heaven.

In Spiritual conflicts nothing is of power sufficient to up∣hold the fainting Soul, but the Hand of Divine mercy. Mer∣cy can find no way unto us, but through the wounds of Christ, and the streams of our Saviours Bloud. O wretched Man that I am, cryes out the Apostle: Who shall deliver me! and in the next verse; I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Our Lord is of a graci∣ous and sweet disposition: he underwent most grievous con∣flicts in his own person, in the dayes of his Humiliation; he

knows the better how to suc∣cour us; and he chose such to preach mercy to others, as had themselves found most mer∣cy: namely, Paul and Peter: to the end that their examples as well as their Doctrin might speak comfort to distressed consciences. When we consi∣der the first fruits of those that came unto Christ, the Publi∣can, the Harlot, the Thief and the Blasphemer: when we con∣sider the comfortable Titles he hath assumed; of a Head, that suffereth in the lowest mem∣ber; of a Shepherd, that hath care of his weakest Lambs; of a Husband, indulgent to his Spouse; of a Physitian, good at all diseases, but especially the binding up of a broken Heart:

these things when we consi∣der, we cannot want Argu∣ments to raise up the dejected Heart, and assure the distrust∣full, that in the lowest de∣gree of Humiliation he shall never be forgotten, never be despised.

To draw to an end, with a word or two of Exhortation.

1. To all. St. Peter hath ho∣nourd us with the title of Priest∣hood, 1 Pet. 2. Priests you know should not be without their Sacrifices: we cannot offer a more acceptable Sacrifice then this of a broken Heart. Whe∣ther it be a morning Sacrifice offer'd in our Youth, or an Evening Sacrifice offer'd in our Age, God, we are sure, will not despise it. Let us per∣form

this Office of our Priest∣hood, or never look to be par∣takers of the Kingdom. It is in∣deed a hard piece of service and unpleasing; such is the un∣towardness of our Hearts, and such power have sensual plea∣sures over us: but difficulty is not a curb but a spur to ge∣nerous minds: and remember, Qui instat praecepto, praecurrit auxilio, He that urgeth us with his command, leads us by his grace. What should deter us, when the Almighty is our aid? Many oppositions and discou∣ragements must the tender∣hearted Man expect from this wicked world, but let the De∣vil and the world conspire, this is a faithful saying, The Heart that is in Gods hand

cannot miscarry. Memorable is that speech of Adherbal in Sa∣lust to the Senators of Rome, Ego sic existimabum P. C. uti Patrem saepe meum, &c. We may justly apply it to our case: Our Fathers and Prophets, our Lord and Master hath fore∣told, by long experience wee have found it true; as many as have, with humble and Pe∣nitent hearts, enter'd into a Covenant with God, eos maxi∣mum laborem suscipere, they have undertaken a laboursome and painfull profession; sed omnium maxime tutus esse, but they have safety for their pains, no Mans security like to theirs.

2. To the Clergy. St. Paul, Rom. 15. calls the Gentiles his oblation. Ministers are Priests

in an especial manner: neither can we do better service, then to offer unto God the bro∣ken hearts of our people. God hath put fire into our Mouths to kindle those Sacri∣fices. He hath put a Sword into our hands to pierce and cut the hardest heart. Verily, such is the temper of these times, that piercing and cutting Scriptures seem most seasonable; in the handling whereof we must en∣deavour to stir up in our hea∣rers, as St. Hierom speaks, non clamorem, sed genitum, the sighs and tears of the Auditors best commend the Preachers elo∣quence; nevertheless we must remember, that the Holy Spi∣rit descended as well in the shape of a Dove, as in the like∣ness

of fire, and Spiritual Men must be no less meek then ve∣hement. Nil tam Spiritualem virum indicat, quàm alieni pec∣cati tractatio: the discreet handling of a sinner is the Mi∣nisters Master-piece; Men are prone to Sin, the conscience must be awakened by the Law: Men are prone to despair for Sin, the conscience must be comforted by the Gospel. We must so prudently mix and ad∣minister both Law and Gos∣pel, that hard hearts may be broken, and broken hearts may be bound up.

To close up all: The custom of the Ancients was to begin their Feasts with Sacrifice: Our Spiritual Sacrifice of a broken heart, what is it else but the in∣troduction

to a Feast? the Feast of a good Conscience, our one∣ly comfort in this vale of tears, and that other Feast at Gods Heavenly Table, the consum∣mation of our bliss, in the life to come.

God of his mercy grant, that we may all offer up this Sacri∣fice, that we may be partakers of that Feast. Amen.

Soli Deo Gloria.