A Broken And Contrite Heart
“Rend Your Heart, And Not Your Garments.”
It would be well if the poor Hindoo, who regards penance and self-torture as essential to the attainment of a character of holiness, could be brought to understand that it is a “broken and contrite heart” that is acceptable to God, and not the laceration of the poor body. It would be well if the poor Mahometan, who possesses extreme reverence for the colour green, and will only wear garments of a certain hue in his worshippings and bendings, could rend the heart in deep contrition before God, and count the garment and its colour as nothing to the Most High One. It would be well if the poor fire-worshipper of Asia, who worships the sun as the spirit of good and light, could be brought to bow down in heart-felt sincerity to the Sun of Righteousness who alone is good. It would be well if the poor Pagan, in his adoration of household gods and bedecked idols, could be brought to worship Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego’s God, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion from generation to generation. It would be well if the Brahmin, who lives without restrain to virtue, and plunges himself into the water of the Ganges to wash away all crimes, could be brought to understand that water cannot wash the heart, but that the blood of Jesus, sprinkled on the conscience, can alone cleanse from all sin.
But we want not to go to foreign shores for examples of external worshippers. We have in our own land the Puseyite who cannot pray without his prayer-book; the Pharisees who make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, while within is a hollow heart, and destitute experience; the daring Romanist, who cannot preach without his robes, and a swarm of go-between professors who have done much to encourage the subtle emissaries of the Pope of Rome, in representing to him the easy matter it would be to re-establish the Roman Catholic Episcopacy in England.
We have said that the Puseyite cannot pray without his prayer-book. A poor cottager meeting with the parish clergy man, a well-known Puseyite, implored him to visit his dying wife, and this the reverend friend would not do, because he had not his prayer-book with him. And we have said that a Romanist cannot preach without his robes. “At the opening of the new Romish Church at Sheffield, a venerable bishop lost his vestments, and was therefore unable to join his episcopal brethren in the service of dedication for want of them.”
We have no description of Peter’s outward appearance and garments, when he preached his remarkable sermon on the day of Pentecost, but we do read “that he was filled with the Holy Ghost.” And at another time, when he preached to Cornelius, he opened his mouth and said, “Of a truth I perceive God is no respecter of persons.” Surely there could not be a greater contrast than the original Peter and his pretended apostolical successors. Some painters are remarkable for dividing their canvass into compartments for the exhibition of contrasts. If they are at a loss for a subject, we will present one for their notice. On the one side, “a gifted and eminent convert at Thurles, who caused no small sensation, as he walked through the town to the Monastery wearing the flowing serge with symbolic emblems, richly embroidered over, broad-laced hat, turned up at the sides, and laced sandals without stockings.” In the other compartment, “Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers, and Jesus walking by the sea of Galilee, saw these two humble fishermen, and he saith unto them, ‘follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,’ and they straightway left their nets and followed Him:” to complete the portraiture, underneath might be written our motto “Rend your heart, and not your garments.”
Ah, yes, there must be a changing of garments, and a leaving of nets to follow Jesus rightly. Blind Bartimeus knew this secret, when Jesus bade him come unto him, “He cast away his garments, rose, and came to Jesus.” Joshua also was led into this secret; Joshua was clothed in filthy garments, and stood before the angel, and the angel said, “Take away the filthy garments from him, behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” External worship will not do for the Lord of Hosts, who trieth the reins of the heart, and who searcheth the inward parts.
The Church of Rome may be imposing in its ceremonies and grand in its outward show, but it is written,”These delectable things shall not profit;” look within, and if only its ceremonies be considered, it will be found in all these, the creature is before Christ, the face to the Virgin Mary, and the back to Jesus. Think you that God will be worshipped out of Christ? Oh, no, in the sight of the Most High there are but two classes of worshippers—the spiritual and the satanic. The man possessed with a legion of devils worshipped Christ, crying out at the same time—“What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High?” and there are thousands in the present day possessed of a legion of devils, who worship Christ by lip-service, whose backs are to him, and their hearts far from him. Pilate’s soldiers worshipped him, and at the same time mocked him, and we err not when we say that Romanists, Arians, and Socinians, Pharisees, and lukewarm professors, are the counter stamp of Pilate’s soldiers; they salute him outwardly, and smite and insult him inwardly. But God is a discerner of the intents of the heart, and a rejector of will-worship and garment religion. “Of these, who seemed to be somewhat, whatsoever they are it maketh no matter”—”God accepteth no man’s person.” A man may retire into the solitary monastery, and wear a ghostly habit to distinguish his order, no matter, “God accepteth no man’s person.” A female may devote herself in a cloister to celibacy, and perform a round of duties in sombre hoods and garments, no matter, “God accepteth no man’s person.” A person may hold the episcopal mitre, wear a flowing serge, and have his head surmounted by a Pope’s tiara, no matter, “God accepteth no man’s person.” A formalist may glory in appearance, but true worship must proceed from the hidden man of the heart, for it is that alone which is not corruptible, and unless there is a living principle within, acted upon by the Holy Spirit, the heart is not right in the sight of God, and nothing good can come therefrom.
We live in solemn times, and times which cry shame upon a Christian who betrays lukewarmness and instability. The Apocalyptic beast has been gleaming at us with inward satisfaction, while Dissenters have been energetically crying out, “Away with the Church;” and Churchmen have been passing anathemas on Dissenters. An absence of union and brotherly love among the true followers of the Lamb, has been rejoiced at by the man of sin, who has calculated that if there be dissension in the camp, there will be disorder and weakness in the battle, and so undoubtedly there would be if the covenant God of Israel was not their God and their guide. Cheering facts from all sides, prove that the Holy Spirit is at work; we are told that not a few of the ministers of the Church of England, who have been hugging the “mother of harlots” in their embrace for sometimes past, have been caused by her late infamous audacity to renounce her as a sorceress, and having been led to examine themselves and their ordination vows, have pleaded guilty to the bar of conscience, and with deep heartfelt contrition before God, have sought his forgiveness for their folly, and entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of Israel with all their heart and all their soul. “Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to me, saith the Lord.”
“Our hope is in God.” It is undoubtedly right to petition our beloved Queen, that she would command her ministers to exercise all their authority and power to defeat the operations of the man of sin; but let the heart-fervent prayers of the children of God be offered up to the King of kings, through the intercession of Jesus, that he would stretch out the arm of his almighty power in our defence. And only let Satan and his confederates behold Protestants besieging the throne of the Most High, and moving him to act for us, and they will assuredly be driven back again into their dark dens of iniquity, for as a firebrand thrust in the face of the wild beast of the forest would cause him to flee again into the jungle, so prayer-heart-fervent prayer—would cause the Apocalyptic beast to go growling back again into the confines of the Vatican.
Beloved, let us then stand fast in the Lord, and forgetting minor differences, unite in one company under the banner of dear Jesus’ love, stimulated by vital godliness within; holding the sword and shield of faith in clean hands; with the eye of faith fixed upon the movements of the Captain of our salvation. In his strength we must overcome those that are striving to do wickedly against the covenant, for it is written, “The people that DO know their God shall be strong and do exploits.”
George Cowell (1822-1884) was an Independent sovereign grace preacher and author. He also served a short time as editor of the Gospel Magazine.
