In the mean while we have those blessed words for our comfort: "The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." Let us therefore "humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt us in due time.” "Let us judge ourselves that we be not judged." Let us descend in our own sight, that we may rise in the sight of God and of His angels. Let us abase ourselves here, that we may be lifted up with Christ hereafter.

1 Ps li. 17.

2 1 Peter v. 6.

3 1 Cor. xi. 31.

SERMON XIX.

CONTRITION: HOW TO BE ATTAINED.

LENT.

66

PSALMS li. 17.

The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise."

In these words of the Psalmist a most blessed truth, and full of all consolation, is declared to the children of men; namely, that, undeserving as we all are of God's favour, yet is there one thing which, if He find in us, He will not despise, and that is a broken and contrite heart: if this be found truly in us, God will not despise us; if this be found not in us, then will God despise whatever else there is in us.

Now this truth is worthy of our serious consideration. It is evident from these words of the Psalmist, as well as from many other parts of holy Scripture, that our eternal bliss or eternal torment depends upon the state of our hearts. If the heart be not right, it is impossible for a person to be

saved. Remembering, then, how much depends upon the condition of our hearts, how careful ought we to be in seeking every means to bring them into a right state! For suppose we should any of us die not having our hearts in that right state; then, so surely as now we live and breathe, so surely should we perish for all eternity. Bear in mind those words in the book of the Proverbs: "Keep thine heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Again, in the first book of Samuel: "The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." And again, those words of our Saviour Himself, directing our chief attention to the heart: "Out of the heart," He says, "proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false - witnesses, blasphemies : these are the things which defile a man.”3

I repeat, then, that, whatever be our outward life, our eternal condition depends upon the state of our inward hearts. To what purpose is it that a person should outwardly live a respectable life, if inwardly his heart is gone astray from God? Of what use are outward observances to him who within has a heart hardened against his Maker, and unholy? If in our hearts we love the world beyond any thing else, if in our hearts we cherish impure feelings, if in our hearts we have no true charity, nor faith, nor repentance-then every good 1 Prov. iv. 23. 3 Matt. xv. 19.

2 1 Sam. xvi. 7.

action we do is vain; rather, then it is impossible for us to do any good action at all; for whatever mankind, who see not our hearts, may think of us, God, who sees them, will condemn us, notwithstanding all our fine words or deeds.

Now for such as feel the need of repentance there is a particular state, into which if, by the help of God, they can bring their hearts, all will be well; and that state is described in the words of our text: "A broken and contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise." If our hearts can be brought into this condition, then all will turn out well with us. So long as the heart is hard, it is impossible for it to be properly worked upon. Even the ground when it is hard can be made nothing of; but once let it be broken up, and there is hope of a plentiful harvest. Such also is the heart of man: it must become broken before any thing can be hoped for it. But when broken and contrite, then God will not despise it; then God will bless that broken and contrite heart, and, through His own ordinances, will restore it and revive it, and in time will make it as the garden of Eden, refreshing it with His abundant grace, and filling it with all that is needful for it.

This, then, we may be assured, should be our continual aim, namely, to bring our hearts into a broken and contrite state. And we should not deceive ourselves in this matter, thinking that at any time we shall be able to do this; thinking

Q

that, no doubt, some time or other before we die, or at least on our death-bed, we shall be able to obtain such a heart; or thinking that a broken and contrite heart is a common and easy state to attain to. For, indeed, to arrive at the possession of such a heart requires time, and earnestness, and knowledge also,-knowledge of ourselves, knowledge of our sins, knowledge of Christ. And it is not every one that has such a heart; and those who have it, feel most how imperfectly they have it, and desire to have it more perfectly.

Let us now consider some of those means which God has provided for us, by which we may attain to such a temper as has been described.

And, first, what is it to have a broken and contrite heart? To have such a heart is to have a sense of our own sinfulness and unworthiness in God's sight; not only to say so with the lips, but really to feel so: to grieve deeply and sharply for the sins which, from time to time, we have most grievously committed; to have forsaken all such sins; instead of being proud of ourselves, to condemn ourselves; instead of counting ourselves better than others, to acknowledge ourselves worse than all others; to value nothing in comparison with God, whom we have offended; to look to His mercy alone, through Jesus Christ; to be willing to give up the world; not to look to the world for our consolations; to have revenge against ourselves; to deny ourselves; to be very earnest for our souls above all things;