not good till 't is bought and he that buys it according to the Intention of that Proverb usually smarts for it The Fool is Wise in his own Conceit wherefore there is a double difficulty attends him before he can be wise indeed Not only his Folly but his Wisdom must be removed from him and how shall that be but by a ripping up of his Heart by some sore Conviction that may shew him plainly that his Wisdom is his Folly and that which will undo him A Fool loves his Folly that is as Treasure so much is he in love with it Now then it must be a great thing that must make a Fool forsake his folly The foolish will not weigh not consider not compare Wisdom with their Folly. Folly is joy to him that is destitute of Wisdom As Dog returneth to his Vomit so a Fool returneth to his Folly. So loth are they when driven from it to let it go to let it depart from them Prov. 15. 21. Chap. 26. 11. Wherefore there must go a great deal to the making of a Man a Christian for as to that every Man 's a Fool yea the greatest Fool the most unconcerned Fool the most self-willed Fool of all Fools Yea one that will not be turned from his folly but by the breaking of his Heart David was one of these Fools Manassah was on of these Fools Saul otherwise called Paul was one of these Fools and so was I and that the biggest of all Thirdly Man Take him as he comes into the World and he is not only a Dead Man and a Fool but a Proud Man also Pride is one of those Sins that first sheweth it self to Children yea and it grows up with them and mixeth it self with all they do But it lies most hid most deep in Man as to his Soul Concerns For the Nature of Sin as Sin is not only to be Vile but to hide its Vileness from the Soul. Hence many think they do well when they sin Jonah thought he did well to be angry with God. The Pharisees thought they did well when they said Christ had a Devil and Paul thought verily that he ought to do many things against or contrary to the Name of Jesus which he also did with great Madness John 4. 9. John 8. 48. Acts 26. 9 10. And thus Sin puffs up Men with Pride and a Conceit of themselves that they are a a Thousand times better than they are Hence they think they are the Children of God when they are the Children of the Devil and that they are something as to Christianity when they neither are such nor know what it is that they must have to make them such John 8. 41 42 43 44. Gal. 6. 3. Now whence flows this but from Pride and a Self-conceit of themselves and that their State is good for another World when they are yet in their Sins and under the Curse of God Yea and this Pride is so strong and high and yet so hid in them that all the Ministers in the World cannot perswade them that this is Pride nor Grace in which they are so confident Hence they slight all Reproofs Rebukes Threatnings or Admonitions that are prest upon them to prevail with them to take heed that they be not herein deceived Hear ye saith the Prophet and give Ear be not Proud for the Lord hath spoken Jer. 13. 15. And if ye will not hear it my Soul shall weep in Secret for your Pride verse 17. And what was the Conclusion Why All the Proud Men stood out still and maintained their Resistance of God and his Holy Prophet Chap. 43. 2. Nor is there any thing that will prevail with these to the saving of their Souls until their Hearts are broken David after he had defiled Bath-sheba and slay'd her Husband yet boasted himself in his Justice and Holiness and would by all means have the man put to Death that had but taken the poor man's Lamb 2 Sam. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6. When alas Poor Soul Himself was the great Transgressour But would he believe it No no he stood upon the vindicating of himself to be a just Doer nor would he be made to fall until Nathan by Authority from God did tell him that he was the Man whom himself had Condemned Thou art the Man said he At which Word his Conscience was awakened his Heart wounded and so his Soul made to fall under the Burthen of his Guilt at the Feet of the God of Heaven for Mercy Verse 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Ah! Pride Pride Thou art that which holds many a man in the Chains of his Sins Thou art it thou cursed Self-conceit that keepest them from believing that their State is Damnable The Wicked thorough the Pride of his Countenance will not seek after God Psal. 10. 4. And if there is so much in the Pride of his Countenance what is there think you in the Pride of his Heart Therefore Job says It is to hide Pride from man and so to save his Soul from Hell That God Chasteneth him with Pain upon his Bâ—d until the Multitude of his Bones stick out and until his Life draws nigh to the Destroyer Job 33. 17 18 19 20 21 22. 'T is an hard thing to take a man off of his Pride and make him instead of trusting in and boasting of his Goodness Wisdom Honesty and the like to see himself a Sinner a Fool yea a man that is cruel as to his own Immortal Soul. Pride of Heart has a Power in it and is therefore compared to an Iron Sinew and an Iron Chain by which they are made stout and with which they are held in that stoutness to oppose the Lord and drive his Word from their Hearts Levit. â—6 19. Psal. 73. 6. This was the Sin of Devils and it is the Sin of Man and the Sin I say from which no man can be delivered until his Heart is broken and then his Pride is spoiled then he 'll be glad to yield If a man be Proud of his Strength or Manhood a broken Leg will maul him And if a man be proud of his Goodness a broken Heart will maul him because as has been said a broken Heart comes by the Discovery and charge of Sin by the Power of God upon the Conscience Fourthly Man take him as he comes into the World and he is not only a dead man a Fool and Proud but also Self-willed and Head-strong 2 Pet. 2. 10. A stubborn ungain Creature is man afore his Heart is broken Hence they are so often called Rebels Rebellious and Disobedient They will only do what they list All day long says God have I stretched out my Hand to a disobedient and gainsaying People And hence again they are compared to a Self-willed or Head-strong Horse that will in spight of his Rider rush into the Battle Every one says God turneth to his Course as the Horse rusheth into the Battle Jer. 8. 16. They say With
are troubled for him I will surely have Mercy upon him saith the Lord God Jer. 31. 18 19 20. This therefore is another demonstration Fifthly As God prefers such a Heart and esteems the man that has it above Heaven and Earth as he covets Intimacy with such an one and prepares for him his Cordials So when he sent his Son JESUS into the world to be a Saviour He gave him in special a charge to take care of such yea that was one of the main reasons he sent him down from Heaven Anointed for his work on Earth The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me saith he because he hath Anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to bind up the Broken Hearted c. Isa. 61. 1. Now that this is meant of Christ is confirmed by his own Lips for in the days of his Flesh he takes this Book in his hand when he was in the Sinagogue at Nazareth and read this very place unto the People and then tells them That that very day that Scripture was fulfilled in their Ears Luke 4. 16. 17. 18. But see These are the Souls whose welfare is contrived in the Heavens God consulted their Salvation their Deliverance their Health before his Son came down from thence Doth not therefore this demonstrate That a Broken Hearted Man that a Man of a Contrite Spirit is of great esteem with God. I have often wondred at David that he should give Joab and the men of War a charge that they take heed that they carry it tenderly to that young Rebel Absalom his Son 2. Sam. 18. 5. But that God the High God the God against whom we have Sinned should so soon as he has smitten give his Son a Command a Charge a Commission to take care of to bind up and heal the broken in heart this is that which can never be sufficienty admired or wondred at by Men or Angels And as this was his Commission so he acted as is evidently set forth by the parable of the Man who fell among Thieves He went to him poured into his wounds Wine and Oyle He bound him up took him set him upon his own Beast had him to an Inn gave the Host a charge to look well to him with money in hand and a promise at his return to recompence him in what further he should be expensive while he was under his care Luke 10. 30. 31 32 33 34 35. Behold therefore the care of God which he has for the Broken in Heart He has given a charge to Christ his Son to look well to them and to bind up and heal their wounds Behold also the faithfulness of Christ who doth not hide but read this Commission as soon as he entreth upon his Ministery and also falls into the practical part thereof He healeth the Broken in Heart and bindeth up his wounds Psalm 147. 3. And behold again into whose care a broken heart and a contrite Spirit hath put this poor creature He is under the care of God the care and cure of Christ If a man was sure that his disease had put him under the special care of the King and the Queen yet could he not be sure of Life he might Dye under their Soveraign hands Ay but here is a man in the favour of God and under the hand of Christ to be healed under whose hand none yet ever died for want of skill and power in him to save their Life wherefore this man must live Christ has in Commission not only to bind up his Wounds but to heal him He has of himself so expounded it in reading his Commission Wherefore he that has his heart broken and that is of a contrite Spirit must not only be taken in hand but healed Healed of his Pain Grief Sorrow Sin and Fears of Death and Hell-Fire Wherefore he adds That he must give unto such Beauty for Ashes the Oyle of Joy for Mourning the Garment of Praise for the spirit of Heaviness and must Comfort all that Mourn Isa. 61. 2. 3. This I say he has in the Commission the Broken Hearted are put into his hand and he has said himself he will heal him Hence he says of that same man. I have seen his ways and will heal him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners and I will heal him Isa. 57. the 15 16 17 18 19 verses And this is a fifth demonstration Sixthly As God prefers such a Heart and so esteems the man that has it as he desires his Company has provided for him his Cordials and given a charge 〈◊〉 Christ to heal him so he has promised in conclusion to Save him He Saveth such as be of a contrite Spirit or as the marâ—nt has it that be Contrite of spirit Psal. 34. 18. And this is the conclusion of â—l For to Save a man is the and of all special Meroy 〈…〉 â—veth such as be of 〈◊〉 Contrite â—irit To Save is to Forgive for without forgiveness of Sins we cannot be Saved To Save is to Preserve one in this miserable World and to deliver one from all those Devils Temptations Snares and Destructions that would were we not kept were we not preserved of God Destroy us Body and Soul for ever To Save is to bring a man Body and Soul to Glory and to give him an Eternal Mansion House in Heaven that he may dwell in the presence of this good God and the Lord Jesus and to sing to them the Songs of his Redemption for ever and ever This it is to be Saved nor can any thing less than this compleat the Salvation of the Sinner Now this is to be the Lot of him thaâ— is of a Broken Heart and the End that God will make with him that is of a Contrite Spirit He saveth such as be Contrite of Spirit He saveth such this is Excellent But Do the Broken in Heart believe this Can they imagine that this is to be the End that God has designed them to and that he intended to make with them in the day in which he began to break their Hearts No no they alas think the quite contrary They are afraid that this is but the beginning of Death and a token that they shall never see the face of God with Comfort either in this World or that which is to come Hence they cry Cast me not away from thy Presence or Now I am free among the Dead whom God remembers no more Psal. 51. 11. Psal. 88. 4 5. For indeed there goes to the breaking of the Heart a visible Appearance of the Wrath of God and a Home-charge from Heaven of the guilt of Sin to the Conscience This to reason is very dreadful for it cuts the Soul down to the ground For a wounded Spirit none can bear Prov. 18. 14. It seems also now to this Man that this is but the beginning of Hell but as it were the first step down to the Pit
â—7 Hence David when he had his Broken Heart felt he wanted Washing he wanted Purging he wanted to be made White He knew that Spiritual Riches lay there but he did not so well perceive that God had wash'd and purged him Yea he rather was afraid that all was going that he was in danger of being cast out of God's Presence and that the Spirit of Grace would be utterly taken from him See Psalm 51. That 's the first thing The Broken-hearted is Poor because he knows his Wants Secondly The Broken-hearted is Poor because he knows he cannot help himself to what he knows he wants The Man that has a broken Arm as he knows it so he knows of himself he cannot Set it This therefore is a second thing that declares a Man is Poor otherwise he is not so For suppose a Man wants never so much yet if he can but help himself if he can Furnish himself if he can supply his own wants out of what he has he cannot be a poor Man Yea the more he wants the greater is his Riches if he can supply his own wants out of his own Purse He then is the poor Man that knows his spiritual want and also knows he cannot supply or help himself But this the Broken-hearted knows therefore he in his own Eyes is the only Poor Man. True he may have something of his own but that will not supply his want and therefore he is a poor man still I have Sacrifices says David but thou dost not desire them therefore my Poverty remains Psalm 51. 16. Led is not Gold Led is not currant Money with the Merchant There is none has spiritual Gold to Sell but Christ Rev. 3. 18. What can a Man do to procure Christ to procure Faith or Love Yea had he never so much of his own carnal Excellencies not one Penny of it will go for Pay in that Market where Grace is to be had If a Man would give all the Substance of his House for Love it would be utterly Contemned Song 8. 7. This the Broken-hearted Man perceives and therefore he sees himself to be spiritually poor True he has a broken Heart and that 's of great Esteem with God but that is not of Natures Goodness that 's a Gift a Work of God that 's the Sacrifices of God Besides a Man cannot remain content and at rest with that for that in the nature of it does but shew him he is poor and that his wants are such as himself cannot supply Besides there 's but little ease in a broken Heart Thirdly The Broken-hearted Man is poor and sees it Because he finds he is now disabled to live any way else but by BEGGING This David betook himself to though he was a King for he knew as to his Souls health he could live no way else This poor Man cryed saith he and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his Troubles Psal. 34. 6. And this leads me to the fifth Sign Fifthly Another sign of a broken Heart is a Crying a Crying OUT Pain you know will make one cry Go to them that have upon them the anguish of broken Bones and see if they don't cry Anguish makes them cry This this is that which quickly follows if once thy Heart be Broken and thy Spirit indeed made Contriâ—e First I say Anguish will make thee cry Trouble and Anguish said David have taken hold upon me Psal. 119. 143. Anguish you know doth naturally provoke to crying now as a broken Bone has anguish a broken Heart has anguish Hence the Pains of one that has a Broken Heart are compared to the Pangs of a Woman in Travel John 16 20 21 22. 1. Anguish will make one cry alone cry to ones self and this is called a bemoaning of of ones self I have surely hear'd Ephraim bemoaning himself said God Jer. 31. 18. That is being at present under the breaking chastizing Hand of God Thou hast Chastised me saith he and I was Chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak This is his meaning also who said I mourn in my Complaint and make a noise and why Why My Heart is Pained within me Psal. 53. 2 3 4. This is a Self bemoaning a bemourning themselves in Secret and Retired Places You know it is common with them who are distrest with Anguish though all alone to cry out to themselves of their present Pains saying O my Leg O my Arm O my Bowels Or as the Son of the Shunâ—miâ—â—â— Son My Head my Head 2 King. 4. 19. O the Groans the Sighs the Cries that the Broken-hearted have when by themselves or alone O say they my Sins my Sins my Soul my Soul How am I loaden with Guilt How am I surrounded with Fear O this hard this desperate this unbelieving Heart O how Sin defileth my Will my Mind my Conscience I am Afflicted and ready to die Psal. 88. 15. Could some of you carnal People but get behind the the Chamber Door to hear Ephraim when he is at the work of Self-bemoaning 't would make you stand amazed to hear him bewail that Sin in himself in which you take delight and to hear him bemoan his mispending of time while you spend all in pursuing your filthy Lusts and to hear him offended with his Heart because 't will not better comply with God's Holy Will while you are afraid of his Word and ways and never think your selves better than when farthest off of God. The Unruliness of the Passions and Lusts of the Broken hearted make them often get into a Corner and thus bemoan themselves Secondly As they thus cry out in a bemoaning manner of and to themselves so they have their Out-cries of and against themselves to others As she said in another Case Behold and see if there be any Sorrow like my Sorrow Lam. 1. 12. O the the bitter Cries and Complaints that the Broken-hearted have and make to one another Still every one imagining that his own Wounds are deepest and his own Sores fullest of anguish and hardest to be Cured Say they If our Iniquities be upon us and we pine away in them how can we then live Ezek. 33. 10. Once being at an honest Womans House I after some Pause asked her how she did she said Very badly I asked her if she was sick she answered No VVhat then said I Are any of your Children ill She told the No VVhat said I is your Husband amiss or do you go back in the VVorld No no said she But I am afraid I shall not be saved And brake out with heaâ—â— Heart saying Ah Goodman Bunyan Christ and a PITCHER if I had Christ though I went and begged my Bread wtth a Pitcher 't would be better with me than I think it is now This VVoman had her Heart broken this VVoman wanted Christ this VVoman was concerned for her Soul There are but few VVomen rich VVomen that count Christ and a Pitcher better than the VVorld their Pride
the Pleasures of it at the will of the Devil 2 Tim. 2. 26. And you know 't is not an easie thing to break Love or to take the Affections off of that Object on which they are so deeply set in which they are so deeply rooted as Man's Heart is in his Sins Alas How many are there that Contemn all the Allurements of Heaven and that Trample upon all the Threatnings of God and that say Tush at all the Flames of Hell when ever they are propounded as Motives to work them off their sinful Delights So Fixed are they so Mad are they upon these beastly Idols Yea he that shall take in hand to stop their course in this their Way is as he that shall attempt to prevent the raging Waves of the Sea from their course when driven by the mighty Winds When Men are somewhat put to it when Reason and Conscience shall begin a little to hearken to a Preacher or a Judgment that shall begin to hunt for Iniquity how many Tricks Evasions Excuses Demurs Delays hiding Holes will they make invent and find to hide and preserve their sweet Sins with themselves and their Souls in the delights of them to their own Eternal Perdition Hence they endeavour to stifle Conscience to choak Convictions to forget God to make themselves Atheists to contradict Preachers that are plain and honest and to heap to themselves such of them only as are like themselves That speak unto them smooth things and Prophesie Deceits Yea they say themselves to such Preachers Get ye out of the way turn aside out of the Path cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us Isa. 30. 8 9 10 11. If they be followed still and Conscience and Guilt shall like Blood-Hounds find them out in their Secret Places and Roar against them for their wicked Lives then they will flatter cogg dissemble and lie against their Souls promising to mend to turn to repent and grow better shortly and all to daff-off Convictions and Molestations in their wicked ways that they may yet pursue their Lusts their Pleasures and sinful Delights in quiet and without Controul Yea further I have known some that have been made to Roar like Bears to Yell like Dragons and to Howl like Dogs by reason of the weight of Guilt and the lashes of Hell upon their Conscience for their evil deeds who have so soon as their present Torments and Fears were gone returned again with the Dog to his Vomit or as the Sow that was washed to her Wallowing in the Mire Hos 7. 14. 2 Pet. â— 20 21 22. Once again Some have been made taste of the good Word of God of the Joy of Heaven and of the Powers of the World to come and yet could not by any one nay by all of these be made to break their League for ever with their Lusts and Sins Heb. 6. 1 2 3 4 5. Luke 8. 13. John 5. 33 34 35. O Lord What 's Man that thou art mindful of him Wherein is he to be accounted of He has sinned against thee he loves his Sins more than thee He is a lover of Pleasures more than he is a Lover of God. But now how shall this man be Reclaimed from this Sin How shall he be brought wrought and made to be out of Love with it Doubtless it can be by no other means by what we can see in the Word but by the wounding breaking and disabling of the Heart that loves it and by that means making it a Plague and Gall unto it Sin may be made an Affliction and as Gall and Wormwood to them that love it but the making of it so bitter a thing to such a Man will not be done but by great and â—ore means I remember we had in our Town some time since a little Girl that loved to eat the heads of foul Tobacco-Pipes and neither Rod nor good words could reclaim her and make her leave them So her Father takes advice of a Doctor to wean her from them and 't was this Take saith he a great many of the foulest Tobacco Pipe Heads you can get and boyl them in Milk and make a Posset of that Milk and make your Daughter drink the Posset-Drink up He did so and gave his Girl it and made her drink it up the which became SO irksome and nautious to her Stomach and made her SO sick that she could never abide to meddle with Tobacco-Pipe Heads any more and so was cured of that Disease Thou lovest thy Sin and neither Rod nor good Words will as yet reclaim thee well take heed if thou wilt not be Reclaimed God will make thee a Posset of them which shall be so bitter to thy Soul so irksome to thy Taste so loathsome to thy Mind and so afflicting to thy Heart that it shall break it with Sickness and Grief till it be loathsom to thee I say thus he will do if he loves thee If not he will suffer thee to take thy course and will let thee go on with thy Tobacco-Pipe-Heads The Children of Israel will have Flesh must have Flesh they Weep Cry and Murmur because they have not Flesh. The Bread of Heaven that 's but light and sorry stuff in their Esteem Num. 11. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Moses goes and tells God how the People despised his Heavenly Bread and how they longed lusted and desired to be fed with Flesh. Well says God They shall have Flesh they shall have their fill of Flesh I will feed them with it they shall have to the full and that Not for a day or two days or five days neither ten days nor twenty days But even a whole Month until it come out at their Nostrils and it be loathsome unto them because they have despised the Lord Num. 11. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20. He can tell how to make that loathsome to thee on which thou most doest set thine evil Heart And he will do so if he loves thee else as I said he will not make thee sick by smiting of thee nor punish thee for or when thou committest Whoredom but will let thee alone till the Judgment day and call thee to a reckoning for all thy Sins then But to pass this Eighthly Man as he comes into the World is not only a Dead Man a Fool Proud Self-willed Fearless a false Believer and a Lover of Sin but a Wild Man. He is of the wild Olive Tree of that which is wild by Nature Rom. 11. 17 24. So in another place Man by Nature is compared to the Ass to a wild Ass For vain or empty Man would be Wise though Man be born as a wild Asses Colt Job 11. 12. Isaac was a Figure of Christ and of all Converted Men Gal. 4. 28. But Ishmael was a Figure of Man by Nature And the Holy Ghost as to that saith this of him And he will be a wild Man Gen. 16. 12. This man I say was a Figure
is as was said afore as a Fire and as a Hammer to break this Rock in Pieces 2 Cor. 10. 4. Hâ—b 4. 14. Psal. 110. 3. And hence the Word is made mention of under a double Consideration 1. As it stands by it self 2. As attended with Power from Heaven As it stands by it self and is not seconded with saving Operation from Heaven it is called the Word ONLY the Word Barely or as if it was only the Word of Men 1 Thess. 1 5 6 7. 1 Cor. 4. 19 20 1 Thess. 2. 13. Because then it is only as managed by men who are not able to make it accomplish that Work. The Word of Gods when in a Man's hand ONLY is like the Father's Sword in the hand of the sucking Child which Sword though never so well Pointed and though never so sharp on the Edges is not now able to conquer a Fâ—e and to make an Enemy fall and cry out for Mercy because 't is but in the hand of the Child But now let the same Sword be put into the hand of a skilful Father and God is both skilful and able to manage his Word and then the Sinner and then the proud helpers too are both made to stoop and submit themselves Wherefore I say tho the Word be the Instrument yet of it self doth do no saving good to the Soul the heart is not Broken nor the Spirit made Contrite thereby it only worketh Death and leaveth men in the chains of of their Sins still faster bound over to Eternal Condemnation 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. 2. But when seconded by mighty Power then the same word is as the roaring of a Lyon as the piercing of a Sword as a burning fire in the Bones as thunder and as a hammer that dashes all to pieces Jer. 25. 30. Amo. 1. 2. Chap. 3. 8. Act. 2 37. Jer. 20. 9. Psal. 29. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Wherefore from hence it is to be concluded that whoever haâ— heard the Word preached and has not heard the Voice of the living God therein has not as yet had their Hearts broken nor their Spirits made contrite for their Sins And this leads me to the second thing to wit To shew how the heart is broken and the spirit made contrite by the Word And verily it is when the word comes home with Power But yet this is but general Wherefore more particularly First Then the VVord works effectually to this purpose when it findeth out the Sinner and his Sin and shall convince him that it has found him out Thus it was with our first Father when he had Sinned he sought to hide himself from God he gets among the Trees of the Garden and there he shrouds himself but yet not thinking himself secure he covers himself with Fig. Leaves and now he lyeth quiet now God shall not find me thinks he nor know what I have done but lo by and by he hears the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden and now Adam what do you mean to do Why as yet he seulketh and hides his head and seeks yet to lye undiscovered but behold the Voice cries out ADAM And now he begins to Tremble Adam where art thou Says God and now Adam is made to Answer But the Voice of the Lord God doth not leave him here No it now begins to search and to enquire after his doings and to unravel what he had wrapt together and covered until it made him bare and Naked in his own sight before the face of God. Gen. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. Thus therefore doth the Word when managed by the Arm of God. It findeth out it singleth out the Sinner the Sinner finds it so it finds out the sins of the Sinner it unravels his whole Life it strips him and layes him Naked in his own sight before the face of God neither can the Sinner nor his Wickedness be longer hid and covered and now begins the Sinner to see what he never saw before 2. Another instance for this is David the man of our Text he sins he sins grosly he sins and hides it yea and seeks to hide it from the sight of God and man. Well Nathan is sent to Preach a Preaching to him and that in common and that in special in common by a Parable in special by a Particular Application of it to him While Nathan only Preached in common or in general David was fish-whole and stood as right in his own eyes as if he had been as innocent and as harmless as any man alive But God had a love for David and therefore Commands his Servant Nathan to go home not only to Davids Ears but to Davids Conscience Well David now must fall Says Nathan Thou art the man says David I have Sinned 1 Sam. 12. 1 5 7 13. and then his heart was broken and his spirit made contrite as this Psalm and our Text doth shew 3. A third instance is that of Saul he had heard many a Sermon and was become a great Professor yea he was more zealous then was many of his Equals but his heart was never Broken nor his Spirit never made Contrite till he heard one Preach from Heaven till he heard God in the word of God making enquiry after his Sins Saul Saul Why Persecutest thou me says Jesus and then he can stand no longer for then his heart brake then he Falls to the Ground then he Trembles then he crys out Who art thou Lord And Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 8. Wherefore as I said Then the VVord works effectually to this purpose when it findeth out the Sinner and his Sin and also when it shall convince him that it has found him out Only I must joyn here a caution for every operation of the word upon the Conscience is not Saving nor doth all Conviction end in the saving Conversion of the Sinner It is then only such an operation of the word that is intended namely That shews the Sinner not only the Evil of his ways but brings the heart unfeignedly over to God by Christ. And this brings me to the third thing Thirdly I am therefore come to shew you how and what the Heart is when Broken and made Contrite And this I must do by opening unto you the two chief Expressions in the Text. 1. What is meant by this word Broken. 2. What is meant by this word Contrite First For this word Broken Tindal renders it a Troubled heart but I think there is more in it I take it therefore to be a heart disabled as to former actions even as a man whole bones are broken is disabled as to his way of running leaping wrestling or ought else which vainly he was wont to do wherefore that which was called a broken-heart in the Text he calls his broken Bones in verse the eighth Cause me saith he to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce And why is the breaking of the heart
when alas All these are but the beginnings of Love and but that which makes way for Life The Lord kills before he makes alive he wounds before his Hands make whole Yea he does the one in Order to or because he would do the other he wounds because his Purpose is to heal He maketh sore and bindeth up He woundeth and his Hands make whole Deut. 32. 39. 1 Sam. 2. 6. Job 5. 18. His design I say is the Salvation of the Soul. He scourgeth he breaketh the Heart of every Son whom he receiveth and Wo be to him whose Heart God breaketh not And thus have I proved what at first I asserted namely That a Spirit rightly Broken an Heart truly Contrite is to God an Excellent Thing A Broken and a Contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise For thus say I 1. This is Evident for that it is better than Sacrifices than all Sacrifice 2. The Man that has it is of more esteem with God than Heaven and Earth 3. God coveteth such a Man for his Intimate and House-Companion 4. He Reserveth for them his Cordials and spiritual Comforts 5. He has given his Son à charge a Commandment to take Care that the Broken hearted be healed and he is resolved to heal them 6. And concluded that the Broken hearted and they that are of a Contrite Spirit shall be saved that is Possest of the Heavens I come now in Order to shew you what a Broken Heart and what a Contrite Spirit is This must be done because in the Discovery of this lies both the Comfort of them that have it and the Conviction of them that have it not Now that I may do this the better I must propound and speak to these four Things 1. I must shew you what an one that Heart is that is not Broken that is not Contrite 2. I must shew you how or with what the Heart is Broken and made Contrite 3. Shew you how and what it is when Broken and made Contrite And 4. I shall last of all give you some Signâ— of a Broken and Contrite Heart For the first of these to wit What an one that Heart is that is not a Broken that is not a Contrite Heart 1. The Heart before â—is broken is Hard and Stubborn and Obstinate against God and the Salvation of the Soul Zach. 7. 12. Deut. 2 30. Chap. 9. 27. 2. 'T is an Heart full of Evil Imaginations and Darkness Gen. 8. 12. Rom. 1. 21. 3. 'T is a Heart Deceitful and subject to be deceived especially about the things of an Eternal Concernment Isa. 44 20. Deut. 11. 16. 4. 'T is an Heart that rather gathereth Iniquity and Vanity to it self than any thing that is good for the Soul Psal. 41. 6. Psal. 94. 11. 5. 'T is an Unbelieving Heart and one that will turn away from God to Sin Heb. 3. 12. Deut. 17. 17. 6. 'T is an Heart not prepared for God being Uncircumcised not for the Reception of his holy Word 2 Chron. 12. 14. Psal. 78. 8. Acts 7. 51. 7. 'T is an Heart not Single but Double 'T will pretend to serve God but will withall lean to the Devil and Sin Psal. 12. 2. Ezek. 33. 31. 8. 'T is an Heart Proud and Stout it loves not to be Controuled though the Controuler be God himself Psal. 101. 5. Prov. 16. 5. Mal. 3. 9. 'T is an Heart that wil give Place to Satan but will Resist the Holy Ghost Act. 5. 3. Chap. 7. 51. 10. In a Word 'T is deceitful above all things and desperately Wicked So wicked that none can know it Jer. 17. 9. That the Heart before it is broken is such and worse than I have described it to be is sufficiently seen by the whole course of the World. Where is the man whose Heart has not been Broken and whose Spirit is not Contrite that according to the Word of God deals honestly with his own Soul It is one Character of a right Heart that it is sound in God's Statutes and honest Psal. 119. 80. Luke 8. 15. Now an honest Heart will not put off it self nor be put off with that which will not go for current Money with the Merchant I mean with that which will not go for saving Grace at the day of Judgment But alas alas But few Men how honest soever they are to others have honesty towards themselves though he is the worst of Deceivers who deceiveth his own Soul as James has it about the things of his own Soul Jam. 1. 22 26. But Secondly I now come to shew you with WHAT and HOW the Heart is Broken and the Spirit made Contrite The Instrument with which the Heart is Broken and with which the Spirit is made Contrite is the Word Is not my Word says God like a Fire and like â— Hammer that breaketh the Roâ—â— in pieces Jer. 23. 29. The Rock in his Text is thâ— Heart which in another place is compared to an Adamant which Adamant is harder than Flint Zach. â— 11 12. Ezek. 3. 9. This Rock this Adamant this Stony Heart is Broken and made Contrite by the Word But it only is so when the Word is as a Fire and as a Hammer to break and melt it And then and then only it is as a Fire and a Hammer to the Heart to break it when 't is managed by the Arm of God. No man can break the Heart with the Word no Angel can break the Heart with the Word that is if God forbears to second it by mighty Power from Heaven This made Balaâ—m go without an Heart rightly broken and truly conâ—â—â—te though he was rebuked by an Angel and the Pharisees die in their Sins though rebuked for them and admonished to turn from them by the Saviour of the World. VVherefore though the Word is the Instrument with which the Heart is broken yet it is not broken with the Word till that Word is managed by the Might and Power of God. This made the Prophet Isaiah after long Preaching cry out That he had laboured for Nought and in Vain And this made him cry to God to Rent the Heavens and come down that the Mountains or Rocky Hills or Hearts might be broken and melt at his Presence Isa. 49. 4. Chap. 64. 1 2. For he found by Experience that as to this no effectual Work could be done unless the Lord put to his Hand This also is often intimated in the Scriptures where it faith When the Preachers preached effectually to the breaking of Men's Hearts the Lord wrought with them the Hand of the Lord was with them and the like Mar. 16. 20. Acts 11 21. Now when the Hand of the Lord is with the Word then 't is mighty 't is mighty thorough God to the pulling down of strong Holds 'T is sharp then as a Sword in the Soul and Spirit It stiâ—ks like an Arrow in the Hearts of Sinners to the causing of the People to fall at his Foot for Mercy Then 't