They are his Throne and Footstool but he doth not say They have taken or ravisht his heart No 't is those that are of a Contrite Spirit do this But there is yet more in the words To this man will I look that is For this man will I care about this man will I camp I will put this man under my Protection for so to look to one doth sometimes signifie and I take the meaning in this place to be such Prov 27. 23. Jer. 39. 12. Chap. 40. 4. The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all that are bowed down Psalm 145. 14. And the Broken Hearted are of this number wherefore he careth for campeth about and hath set his Eyes upon such an one for good This therefore is a second demonstration to prove That the man that hath his Spirit rightly broken his Heart truly Contrite is of great esteem with God. Thirdly Yet further God doth not only prefer such an one as has been said before heaven and earth but He loveth He desireth to have that man for an Intimate for a Companion He must dwell He must Co-habit with him that is of a Broken Heart with such as are of a Contrite Spirit For thus saith the high and lofty 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 c. Isa. 57. 15. Behold here both the Majesty and Condescention of the high and lofty One His Majesty in that he is high and the inhabiter of Eternity I am the high and lofty One saith he I inhabit Eternity Verily this consideration is enough to make the broken hearted man creep into a Mouse-hole to hide himself from such a Majesty But behold his Heart his condescending Mind I am for dwelling also with him that hath a broken heart with him that is of a contrite Spirit That 's the man that I would converse with that 's the man with whom I will Co-habit that is He saith God. I will choose for my Companion For to desire to dwell with one supposeth all these things and verily of all the men in the world none have acquaintance with God none understand what Communion with him and what his teachings mean but such as are of a Broken and Contrite Heart He is nigh to them that are of a broken Spirit Psalm 34. 18. These are they intended in the 14 Psalm where 't is said The Lord looked down from Heaven to see if any did understand and seek God that he might find some body in the world with whom he might converse for indeed there is none else that either understand or that can tend to hearken to him God as I may say is forced to break mens Hearts before he can make them willing to cry to him or be willing that he should have any concerns with them the rest shut their Eyes stop their Ears withdraw their Hearts or say unto God Be gon Job 21. But now the broken in heart can tend it he has leasure yea leasure and will and understanding and all and therefore he is a fit man to have to do with God There is room also in this mans House in this mans Heart in this mans Spirit for God to dwell for God to walk for God to set up a Kingdom Here therefore is suitableness Can two walk together saith God except they are agreed Amos 33. The Broken Hearted desireth Gods Company when wilt thou come unto me saith he The Broken Hearted loveth to hear God speak and talk to him Here is a suitableness Cause me saith he to hear Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal. 51. 8. But here lies the glory In that the high and lofty One the God that inhabiteth Eternity and that has a High and Holy Place for his Habitation should choose to dwell with and to be a companion of the Broken in Heart and of them that are of a Contrite Spirit yea and here also is great comfort for such Fourthly God doth not only prefer such a heart before all Sacrifices nor esteem such a man above heaven and earth nor yet only desire to be of his acquaintance but he reserveth for him his chief comforts his Heart Reviving and Soul-Cherishing Cordials I dwell saith he with such to revive them and to support and comfort them to revive the spirit of the Humble and to revive the heart of the Conirite Ones Isa. 57. 15. The broken hearted man is a fainting man he has his qualms his sinking fits he oftimes dies away with pain and fear he must be stayed with Flaggons and comforted with Apples or else he can't tell what to do He pines he pines away in his Iniquity nor can any thing keep him alive and make him well but the Comforts and Cordials of Almighty God Wherefore with such an one God will dwell to revive the Heart to revive the Spirit To revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Ezek. 33. 10 11. God has Cordials but they are to comfort them that are cast down 2 Cor. 7. 6. And such are the Broken Hearted As for them that are whole they need not the Physitian Mark 1. 17. They are the broken in Spirit that stand in need of Cordials Physitians are men of no esteem but with them that feel their Sickness and this is one Reason why God is so little accounted of in the World even because they have not been made sick by the wounding stroke of God. But now when a mau is wounded has his Bones broken or is made sick and laid at the Graves mouth Who is of that esteem with him as is an able Physitian VVhat is so much desired as is the Cordials Comfots and sutable Supplies of the skilful Physician in those matters And thus it is with the Broken Hearted he needs and God has prepared for him plenty of the Comforts and Cordials of Heaven to succour and releive his sinking Soul. Wherefore such a one lieth under all the Promises that have Succour in them and Consolation for men Sick and Disponding under the sense of Sin and the heavy wrath of God And they says God shall be refreshed and revived with them Yea They are designed for them he hath therefore Broken their Hearts he hath therefore wounded their Spirits that he might make them apt to relish his reviving Cordials that he might minister to them his reviving Comforts For indeed so soon as he hath Broken His Bowels yearn and his Compassions roul up and down within him and will not suffer him to abide Afflicting Ephraim was one of these but so so on as God had smitten him behold his heart how it works toward him Is Ephraim saith he my dear Son that is he is so Is he a pleasant Child that is he is so for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels
then if at all they will be sorry and dejected at the View of their own Defects This is the case Men by Sin are marr'd spoil'd corrupted depraved but they dwell by themselves in the dark they see neither God nor Angel nor Saint in their excellent Nature and Beauty and therefore they are apt to count even their own uncomly parts their Ornaments and their Glory But now let such as I said see God see Saints or the Ornaments of the Holy Ghost and themselves as they are without them and then they cannot but must be affected with and sorry for their own Deformity When the Lord CHRIST put forth but little of his Excellency before his Servant Peter's Face it raised up the Depravity of Peter's Nature before him to his great Confusion and Shame and made him cry out to him in the midst of all his Fellows Depart from me for I am a sinful Man O Lord Luke 5. 4 5 6 7 8. This therefore is the cause of a Broken Heart even a sight of Divine Excellencies and a Sence that I am a poor depraved spoiled defiled Wretch And this sight having broken the Heart begets sorrow in the Broken-hearted 2. The Broken-hearted is a sorrowful Man for that he finds his Depravity of Nature strong in him to the putting forth it self to oppose and overthrow what his changed Mind doth prompt him to When I would do Good said Paul Evil is present withe me Rom. 7. 21. Evil is present to oppose to resist and make Head against the desires of my Soul. The Man that has his Bones broken may have yet a Mind to be industriously Occupied in a lawful and honest Calling but he finds by Experience that an Infirmity attends his present Condition that strongly resists his good Endeavours And at this he shakes his Head makes Complaints and with sorrow of Heart he sighs and says I cannot do the thing that I would Rom. 7. 15. Gal. 5. 17. I am weak I am feeble I am not only Depraved but by that Depravity Deprived of Ability to put good Motions good Intentions and Desires into Execution to Compleatness O says he I am ready to halt my Sorrow is continually before me You must know the Broken-hearted loves God loves his Soul loves Good and hates Evil. Now for such an one to find in himself an Opposition and continual Contradiction to this holy Passion it must needs cause Sorrow Godly Sorrow as the Apostle Paul calls it For such are made sorry after a godly sort To be sorry for that thy Nature is with Sin depraved and that through this Depravity thou art deprived of Ability to do what the Word and thy holy Mind doth prompt thee to is to be sorry after a godly sort For this Sorrow worketh that in thee of which thou wilt never have cause to Repent no not to Eternity 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 3. The Broken-hearted Man is sorry for those Breaches that by Reason of the depravity of his Nature is made in his Life and Conversation And this was the Case of the Man in our Text. The vileness of his Nature had broken out to the defiling of his Life and to the making of him at this time base in Conversation This this was it that all to brake his Heart He saw in this he had dishonoured God and that cut him Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this Evil in thy Sight Psal. 51. 4. He saw in this he had caused the Enemies of God to open their Mouths and Blaspheme and this cut him to the Heart This made him cry I have sinned against thee Lord This made him say I will declare mine Iniquity I will be sorry for my Sin Psal. 38. 18. When a man is designed to do a matter when his Heart is set upon it and the Broken-hearted doth design to glorifie God an Obstruction to that Design the spoyling of this Work makes him Sorrowful Hannah coveted Children but could not have them and this made her a Woman of a sorrowful Spirit 1 Sam. 1. 15. A Broken-hearted Man would be well inwardly and do that which is well outwardly but he feels he finds he sees he is prevented prevented at least in part This makes him sorrowful in this he Groans groans earnestly being burdened with his Imperfections 2 Cor. 5. 1 2 3. You know one with broken Bones has Imperfections many and is more sensible of them too as was said afore than any other Man and this makes him sorrowful yea and makes him conclude That he shall go softly all his days in the Bitterness of his Soul Isa. 57. 15. Thirdly The Man with a broken Heart is a very Humble Man or true Humility is a sign of a Broken Heart Hence Brokenness of Heart Contrition of Spirit and Humbleness of Mind are put together To revive the Heart of the humble and to revive the Spirit of the Contrite Ones Isa. 57. 15. To follow our Similitude Suppose a Man while in bodily Health stout and strong and one that fears and cares for no Man yet let this Man have but a Leg or an Arm broken and his Courage is quell'd he is now so far off from hectoring of it with a Man that he is afraid of every little Child that doth but offer to touch him Now he will Court the most feeble that has ought to do with him to use him and handle him gently Now he is become a Child in Courage a Child in Fear and humbleth himself as a little Child Why thus it is with that Man that is of a Broken and Contrite Spirit Time was indeed he could hector even hector it with God himself saying What 's the Almighty that we should serve him Or what Profit shall I have if I keep his Commandments Job 21 15. Mal. 3. 13 14. Ay! But now his Heart is broken God has wrestled with him and given him a fall to the breaking of his Bones his Heart and now he Crouches now he Cringes now he begs of God that he will not only do him good but do it with tender Hands Have Mercy upon me O God said David yea according to the Multitude of thy TENDER Mercies blot out my Transgressions Psal. 51. 1. He stands as he sees not only in need of Mercy but of the tenderest Mercies God has several sorts of Mercies some more rough some more tender God can save a Man and yet have him a dreadful Way to Heaven This the Broken hearted sees and this the Broken-hearted dreads and therefore pleads for the tenderest sort of Mercies and here we read of his gentle dealing and that he is very pitiful and that he deals tenderly with his But the Reason of such Expressions no man knows but he that is Broken-hearted he has his Sores his running Sores his stinking Sores Wherefore he is pained and therefore covets to be handled tenderly Thus God has broken the Pride of his Spirit and humbled the Loftiness of Man. And his Humility
The Acceptable Sacrifice OR THE EXCELLENCY OF A Broken Heart SHEWING THE Nature Signs and Proper Effects OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT BEING The LAST WORKS of that Eminent Preacher and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. JOHN BUNYAN of Bedford With a Preface preâ—â—xâ—â— thereunto by aâ— Eminent Minister of the â—â—â—pel in LONDON LONDON Printed for and are to be Sold by George Lâ—â—kiâ— at the Two Swans without Bishopsgates 1689. Price Bound One Shilling A PREFACE TO THE READER THE Author of the ensuing Discourse Now with God reaping the Fruit of all his Labour Diligence and Success in his Masters Service did experience in himself through the Grace of God the Nature Excellency and Comfort of a truly Broken and Contrite Spirit So that what is here written is but a Transcript out of his own Heart For God who had much work for him to do was still Hewing and Hammering him by his Word and sometimes also by more than ordinary Temptations and Desertions The Design and also the Issue thereof through Gods Goodness was the humbling and keeping of him Low in his own Eyes The truth is as himself sometimes acknowledged he always needed the Thorn in the Flesh and God in mercy sent it him least under his Extraordinary Circumstances he should be exalted above measure which perhaps was the evil that did more easily beset him than any other But the Lord was pleased to over-rule it to work for his Good and to keep him in that Broken Frame which is so acceptable unto him and concerning which it is said That he healeth the Broken in Heart and bindeth up their wounds Psal. 147. 3. And indeed it is a most necessary qualification that should always be found in the Disciples of Christ who are most eminent and as Stars of the first Magnitude in the Firmament of the Church Disciples in the highest form of Profession need to be thus qualified in the exercise of every Grace and the performance of every Duty It is that which God doth principally and more especially look after in all our Approaches and Accesses to him It is to him that God will look and with him God will dwell who is poor and of a Contrite Spirit Isa. 57. 15. and 66. 2. And the reason why God will manifest so much respect to one so qualified is because he carries it so becomingly towards him He comes and lies at Feet and discovers a quickness of sence and apprehensiveness of whatever may be dishonourable and distasteful to God Psal. 38. 4. And if the Lord doth at any time but shake his Rod over him he comes trembling and kisses the Rod and says It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him Good 1 Sam. 3. 18. He is sensible he hath sinned and gone astray like a lost Sheep and therefore will justifie God in his severest Proceedings against him This broken heart is also apliable and flexible Heart and prepared to receive whatsoever impressions God shall make upon it and is ready to be moulded into any frame that shall best please the Lord. He says with Samuel Speak Lord for thy Servant heareth 1 Sam. 3. 10. And with David When thou sayedst Seek ye my Face my heart said unto thee Thy Face Lord will I seek Psal. 27. 8. And so with Paul who tremblingly said Lord what wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Now therefore surely such a Heart as this is must needs be very delightful to God He says to us My Son give me thy Heart Prov. 23. 16. But doubtless he means there a Broken Heart An unbroken Heart we may keep to our selves it is the Broken Heart which God will have us to give to him For indeed it is all the amends that the best of us are capable of making for all the injury we have done to God in sinning against him We are not able to give better satisfaction for breaking God's Laws then by breaking our own Hearts this is all that we can do of that kind for the Blood of Christ only must give the due and full satisfaction to the Justice of God for what Provocations we are at any time guilty of But all that we can do is to accompany the acknowledgments we make of miscarriages with a broken and Contrite Spirit Therefore we find that when David had committed those two foul sins of Adultery and Murder against God he saw that all his Sacrifices signified nothing to the expiating of his Guilt therefore he brings to God a Broken Heart which carried in it the best expression of indignation against himself as of the highest respect he could shew to God 2 Cor. 7. 11. The day in which we live and the present circumstances which the People of God and these Nations are under do loudly proclaim a very great necessity of being in this broken and tender frame For who can foresee what will be the issue of these violent Fermentations that are amongst us Who knows what will become of the Ark of God Therefore it is a seasonable duty with old Eli to sit trembling for it Do we not also hear the sound of the Trumpet the Alarm of Wars and ought we not with the Prophet cry out My Bowels My Bowels I am pained at my very heart my heart maketh a noise in me I cannot hold my Peace c. Jer. 4. 19. Thus was that Holy Man affected with the consideration of what might befall Jerusalem the Temple and Ordinances of God c. as the consequence of the present dark Dispensations they were under Will not a humble posture best become us when we have humbling Providences in prospect Mercy and Judgment seem to be strugling in the same Womb of Providence and which will come first out we know not But neither of them 〈◊〉 we comfortably meet but with a broken and contrite Spirit If Judgment comes Josiah's posture of Tenderness will be the best we can be found in and also to say with David My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments Psal. 119. 120. It is very sad when God smites and we are not grieved which the Prophet complains of Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved c. They have made their Faces harder than Rock they have refused to return Jer 5. 3. But such as know the power of his Anger will have a deep awe of God upon their Hearts and observing him in all his Motions will have the greatest apprehensions of his Displeasure So that when he is coming forth in any terrible Dispensation they will according to their duty prepare to meet him with a humbled and broken heart But if he should appear to us in his Goodness and further lengthen out the day of our Peace and Liberty yet still the Contrite Frame will be most seasonable then will be a proper time with Job to abhor our selves in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. And to say with David Who are we that thou hast brought us 〈…〉
to 2 Sam. 7. 18. But we must still know that this broken tender Heart is not a Plant that grows in our own Soil but is the peculiar gift of God himself He that made the Heart must break the heart We may be under heart-breaking Providences and yet the heart remain altogether unbroken as it was with Pharach whose heart though it was under the Hammers of ten terrible Judgments immediately succeeding one another yet continued hardened against God. The Heart of Man is harder than Hardness it self till God softneth and breaks it Men move not they relent not let God thunder never so terribly let God in the greatest earnest cast abroad his Firebrands Arrows and Death in the most dreadful representations of Wrath and Judgment yet still man trembles not nor is any more astonished than if in all this God were but in jest till he comes and falls to work vvith him and forces him to cry out What have I done What shall I do Therefore let us have recourse to him vvho as he gives the new heart so also therevvith the broken heart And let mens hearts be never so hard if God comes once to deal effectually vvith them they shall become mollified and tender as it vvas vvith those hardned Jews vvho by vvicked and cruel hands murdered the Lord of Life though they stouted it out a great vvhile yet hovv suddenly vvhen God brought them under the Hammer of his Word and Spirit in Peter's powerful Ministry vvere they broken and being pricked in their hearts cryed out Men and Brethren what shall we do Acts 2. 37. And the like instance vve have in the Jailor vvho vvas a most barbarous hard hearted vvretch yet vvhen God came to deal vvith him he Was soon tamed and his heart became exceeding soft and tender Act. 16. 29 30. Men may speak long enough and the heart not at all be moved but The voice of the Lord is powerful the voice of the Lord is full of Majesty and breaketh the Rocks and Cedars He turns the Rock into a standing Water the Flint into a Fountain of Waters And this is a Glorious work indeed that Hearts of Stone should be disolved and melted into waters of Godly Sorrow working Repentance not to be Repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. When God speaks Effectually the stoutest Heart must melt and yield Wait upon God then for the Softning thy Heart and avoid whatsoever may be a means of Hardening it as the Apostle cautions the Hebrews Take heed least ye be Hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin. Heb. 3. 1â— Sin is Deceitful and will Harden all those that indulge it the more Tender any man is to his Lust the more will he be Hardened by it There is a native Hardness in every mans Heart and though it may be softned by Gospel means yet if those means be afterwards neglected the Heart will fall to its Native Hardness again as it is with the Wax and the Clay Therefore how much doth it behoove us to keep close to God in the use of all Gospel means whereby our Hearts being once softened may be alwayes kept so Which is best done by Repeating the use of those means which were at first blessed for the Softning of them The following Treatise may be of great use to the People of God through his Blessing accompanying it to keep their hearts Tender and Broken when so many after their hardness and impenitent heart are treasuring up Wrath against the day of Wrath. Rom. 2. 5. O let none who peruse this Book herd with that generation of Hardened Ones but be a companion of all those that mourn in Zion and whose hearts are Broken for their own the Churches and the Nations Provocations who indeed are the only likely ones that will stand in the gap to divert Judgments When Shishack King of Egypt with a great Host came up against Judah and having taken their Frontier fenced Cities they sat down before Jerusalem which put them all under a great Consternation but the King and Princes upon this humble themselves the Lord sends a Gracious Message to them by Shemajah the Prophet the import whereof was That because they humbled themselves the Lord would not destroy them nor pour out his Wrath upon them by the hand of Shishak 2 Chr. 12. 5 6 7. The greater the Party is of Mourning Christians the more hope we have that the Storm impending may be blown over and the Blessings enjoyed may yet be continued As long as there is a Sighing Party we may hope to be yet Preserved at least such will have the Mark set upon them selves which shall distinguish them from those whom the Slaughtermen shall receive Commission to destroy Ezek. 9. 4. But I shall not further enlarge the Porch as designing to make way for the Readers Entrance into the House where I doubt not but he will be pleased with the Furniture and Provision he finds in it And I shall only further assure him that this whole Book was not only prepared for but also put unto the Press by the Author himself whom the Lord was pleased to Remove to the great Loss and unexpressible Grief of many precious Souls before the sheets could be all wrought off And now as I hinted in the beginning that what was Transcribed out of the Author's heart into the Book may be Transcribed out of the Book into the hearts of all who shall Peruse it is the Desire and Prayer of Sept. 21. 1699. A Lover and Honourer of all Saints as such George Cokayn THE Acceptable Sacrifice OR THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART Psal. 51. 17. â—he Sacrifices of God are a Broken Spirit A Broken and a Contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise THis Psalm is David's Penitential Psalm It may be be fitly so called because it is a Psalm â—y which is manifest the Unâ—eigned Sorrow which he had for his horrible Sin in 〈◊〉 of Bethsheba and slaying Uriah her Husband A Relation at large of which you have in the 11th and 12th of the Second of Samuel Many workings of Heart as this Psalm sheweth this poor man had so soon as Conviction did fall upon his Spirit one while he cries for Mercy then he confesses his heinous Offences then he bewails the depravity of his Nature sometimes he cries out to be Washed and Sanctified and then again he is affraid that God will cast him away from his Presence and take his Holy Spirit utterly from him And thus he goes on till he comes to the Text and there he stayeth his mind finding in himself that Heart and Spirit which God did not dislike The Sacrifices of God says he are a broken Spirit as if he should say I thank God I have that A Broken and a Contrite Heart saith he O God thou wilt not despise as if he should say I thank God I have that The Words consist of Two Parts 1. An Assertion 2. A Demonstration of that Assertion The Assertion is this The
Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit The Demonstration is this Because a Broken and a Contrite Heart God will not despise In the Assertion we have Two Things present themselves to our Consideration 1. That a Broken Spirit is to God a Sacrifice 2. That it is to God as that which answereth to or goeth beyond ALL Sacrifices The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit The demonstration of this is plain for that Heart God will not despise it A Broken and a Contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Whence I draw this Conclusion That a Spirit rightly broken an Heart truly Contrite is to God an Excellent thing That is a thing that goeth beyond all External Duties whatever for that is intended by this saying The Sacrifices because it answereth to all Sacrifices which we can offer to God yea it serveth in the room of all All our Sacrifices without this are nothing this alone is all There are four things that are very acceptable to God. The First is The Sacrifice of the Body of Christ for our Sins of this you read Heb. 10. For there you have it preferred to all burnt Offerings and Sacrifices 't is this that pleaseth God 't is this that Sanctifieth and so setteth the People acceptable in the sight of God. Secondly Unseigned love O God is counted better then all Sacrifices or external parts of Worship And to love the Lord thy God with all the heart with all the understanding and with all the Soul and with all the strength and to love his Neighbour as himself is better then all whole burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices Mar 12. 33. Thirdly To walk Holily and Humbly and Obediently towards and before God is another Mich. 6. 6 7 8. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord Behold to Obey is better then Sacrifice and to Hearken theâ— the fat of Rams 1 Sam. 15. 22. Fourthly And this in our Text is the Fourth The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise But note by the way that this Broken this Broken and Contrite Heart is thus excellent only to God O God saith he THOU wilt not despise it by which is implyed the World have not this esteem or respect for such a heart or for one that is of a broken and a contrite Spirit No no a Man a VVoman that is blessed with a Broken Heart is so far off from getting by that esteem with the VVorld that they are but burdens and trouble Houses where-ever they are or go Such People carry with them Molestation and Disquietment they are in Carnal Families as David was to the King of Gath Troublers of the House 1 Sam. 21. Their Sighs their Tears their day and night Groans their Cries and Prayers and Solitary Carriages puts all the Carnal Family out of Order Hence you have them brow-beaten by some contemned by others ye and their company fled from and diserted by others But mark the Text A broken and a contrite heart O GOD thou wilt not despise but rather accept for not to despise is with God to esteem and set a high price upon But we will demonstrate by several particulars that a Broken Spirit a Spirit RIGHTLY Broken an Heart TRULY Contrite is to God an Excellent thing First This is evident from the Comparison Thou desirest not Sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-Offerings The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit c. Mark He rejecteth Sacrifices Offerings and Sacrifices that is all Levitical Ceremonies under the Law and all External Performances under the Gospel but accepteth a Broken Heart It is therefore manifest by this were there nothing else to be said that proves that a heart rightly Broken a heart truly Contrite is to God an Excellent thing for as you see such a heart is set before all Sacrifice and yet they were the Ordinances of God and things that he commanded but lo a Broken Spirit is above them all a Contrite Heart goes beyond them yea beyond them when put all together Thou wilt not have the one thou wilt not despise the other O Brethren A Broken and a Contrite Heart is an Excellent thing Have I said a Broken Heart a Broken and a Contrite Heart is esteemed above all Sacrifices I will add Secondly It is of greater esteem with God then is either Heaven or Earth and that 's more then to be set before External Duties Thus saith the Lord Heaven is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstool where is the house that ye build me or where is the place of my rest for all these things hath mine hands made and all these things have been saith the Lord But to this man will I look even to him that is poor and and of a contrite Spirit and trembleth at my word Isa. 66. 1 2. Mark God saith He hath made all these things but he doth not say that he will look to them that is take complacency and delight in them No there is that wanting in all that he hath made that should take-up and delight hâ—r heart But now let a Broken-hearted Sinner come before him yea he ranges the world through out to find out such an one and and having found him To this man saith he will I look I say again that such a man to him is of more value then is either Heaven or Earth They saith he shall wax old they shall perish and vanish away but this man he continues he as is presented to us in another place under another character he shall abide for ever Heb. 1. 10 11 12. 1 John 2. 17. To this man will I look with this man will I be delighted for so to look doth sometimes signifie Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse saith Christ to his humble hearted thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine Eyes while it is as a Conduit to let the rivers out of thy broken heart I am taken saith he with one chain of thy Neck Song 4. 9. Here you see he looks and is ravisht he looks and is taken as it saith in another place The King is held in the Galleries Song 7. 5. That is is taken with his Beloved with the Doves Eyes of his Beloved Chap 1. 15. with the contrite spirit of his People But it is not thus reported of him with respect to heaven or earth them he sets more lightly by Them he reserves unto Fire against the day of Judgment and Pâ—rdation of Ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3. 7. But the Broken in Heart are his Beloved his Jewels Wherefore what I have said as to this must go for the Truth of God to wit That a broken hearted Sinner a Sinner with a Contrite Spirit is of more esteem with God then is either heaven or earth He saith He hath made them but he doth not say He will look to them He saith
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
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
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
compared to the breaking of the Bones but because as when the bones are broken the outward man is disabled as to what it was wont to do so when the spirit is broken the inward man is disabled as to what Vanity and Folly it before delighted in hence Feebleness is joyned with this brokenness of heart I am feeble saith he and sore broken I have lost my strength and former vigor as to vain and sinful courses Psalm 38. 8. This then it is to have the heart Broken namely to have it â—amed Disabled and taken off by sence of Gods wrath due to Sin from that course of life it formerly was conversant in and to shew that this work is no fancy nor done but with great trouble to the Soul it is compared to the putting the Bones out of joynt the breaking of the Bones the burning of the Bones with Fire or as the taking the natural Moisture from the Bones The vexing of the Bones c. Psal. 22. 14. Jer. 20. 9. Lam. 1. 13. Psal. 6. 2. Prov. 17. 22. All which are Expressions adorned with such Similitudes as do undeniably declore that to Sence and Feeling a broken Heart is a grievous thing Secondly What is meant by the Word CONTRITE A Contrite Spirit is a Renitent 〈…〉 one sorely grieved and deeply sorrowful for the Sins it has committed against God and to the Damage of the Soul and so iâ— is to be taken in all those places where a contrite Spirit is made mention of As in Psal. 34. 18. Isa. 57. 15. Chap. 66. 2. As a Man that has by his Folly procured a broken Legg or Arm is heartily sorry that ever he was so foolish as to be engaged in such foolish Ways of Idleness and Vanity So he whose Heart is broken with a sence of God's Wrath due to his Sin hath deep sorrow in his Soul and is greatly Repentant that ever he should be such a Fool as by Rebellious doings to bring himself and his Soul to so much sharp Affliction Hence while others are sporting themselves in Vanity such a one doth call his Sin his greatest Folly My wounds stink and are corrupt said David because of my Foolishness And again O God thou knowest my Foolishness and my Sins are not hiâ— from thee Psal. 38. 5. Psal. 69. Men what e'er they say with 〈…〉 eir Lips cannot Conclude 〈…〉 yet their Hearts want breaking 〈…〉 at Sin is a foolish thing Hence 〈…〉 says The foolishness of Fools is 〈…〉 eir folly Prov. 14. 24. That is the foolishness of 〈…〉 me Men is that they take pleasure in their Sins for their 〈…〉 ns are their Foolishness and 〈…〉 e folly of their Soul lies in their Countenancing of this Foolishness But the Man whose Heart 〈…〉 broken he is none of these â—e cannot be one of these no â—ore than he that has his Bones 〈…〉 oken can rejoyce that he is de 〈…〉 red to play a Match at Football â—ence to hear others talk foo 〈…〉 shly is to the grief of those whom God has wounded Or 〈…〉 it is in another place Their â—ords are like the piercings of a Sword Psal. 69. 26. Prov. 12. 〈…〉 This therefore I take to 〈…〉 the meaning of these two Wordâ— A Broken and a Contrite Spirit Fourthly and lastly As to 〈…〉 I now come more particularly to give you some Signs of a Brokâ—â— Heart of a broken and a contri 〈…〉 Spirit First A Broken-hearted-maâ— such as is intended in the Tex 〈…〉 is a sensible Man He is broug 〈…〉 to the Exercise of all the Se 〈…〉 of his Soul. All others are dea 〈…〉 sensless and without true feeâ— ing of what the Broken-hearteâ— man is sensible of 1. He SEES himself to 〈…〉 what others are ignorant o 〈…〉 that is he sees himself to be n 〈…〉 only a sinful man but a 〈…〉 by Nature in the Gall and Bo 〈…〉 of Sin. In the Gall of Sin is Peter's Expression to Sim 〈…〉 and it is a saying common to 〈…〉 men For every man in a State of Nature is in the Gall of Sin. He was shapen in it conceived in it it has also Possession of and by that Possession infected the whole of his Soul and Body Psal. 51. 5. Act. 8. 23. This he sees this he understands every Professor sees not this because the Blessing of a broken Heart is not bestowed on every one David says There is no soundness in my Flesh. And Solomon suggests that a Plague or running Sore is in the very Heart but every one perceive not this Psal. 38. 3. 1 King. 8. 38. He saith again That his Wounds stank and were Corrupted that his Sore ran and ceased nâ—t Psal. 38. 5. Psal. 77. 2. But these things the 〈◊〉 Man the Man whose Heart was never broken has no Understanding of But the Broken-hearted the Man that has a broken Spirit he sees as the Prophet has it he sees his Sickness he sees his Wound when Ephraim saw his Sickness and Judah saw his Wound Hos. 5. 13. he sees it to his grief he see it to his sorrow 2. He FEELS what others have no sence of He feels the Arrows of the Almighty and that they stick fast in him He feels how sore and sick by the smiting of God's Hammer upon his Heart to break it his poor Soul is made He feels a burden intollerable lying upon his Spirit Mine Iniquities saith he are gone over my Head as an heavy Burden they are too heavy for me He feels also the heavy hand of God upon his Soul a thing unknown to Carnal Men. Psal. 38. 2. Hos. 6. 13. Psal. 38. 4. He feels Pain being wounded even such Pain as others cannot understand because they are not broken My Heart says David is sore pained within me Why so Why The Terrors of Death are fallen upon me The Terrors of Death causes Pain yea Pain of the highest Nature Hence that which is here called Pains is in another place called Pangs Psal. 55. 4. Isa. 21. â— You know broken Bones occasion Pain strong Pain yea Pain that will make a Man or Woman Groan with the Groaning of a deadly wounded Man Ezek. 30. 24. Soul-Pain is the sorest Pain in comparison to which the Pain of the Body is a very tolerable thing Prov. 18. 14. Now here is Soul-Pain here is Heart-Pain here we are discoursing of a Wounded of a Broken Spirit Wherefore this is Pain to be felt to the sinking of the whole Man neither can any support this but God. Here is Death in this Pain Death for ever without God's special Mercy This Pain will bring the Soul to and this the Broken-hearted man doth feel The Sorrows of Death said David Compassed me about and the Pains of Hell got hold upon me and I found Trouble and Sorrow Psal. 116. Aye I 'll warrant thee poor Man thou foundest Trouble and Sorrow indeed For the Pains of Hell and Sorrows of Death are Pains and Sorrow the most intollerable But this the Man is
yet appears 1. In his Thankfulness for Natural Life He reckoneâ—â— at Night when he goes to Bed that like as a Lion so God will tear him to pieces before the Morning Light Isa. 38. 13. There is no Judgment that has fallen upon others but he counts of right he should be swallowed up by it My Flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy Judgments Psal. 119. 120. But perceiving a day added to his Life and that he in the Morning is still on this side Hell he cannot choose but take notice of it and acknowledge it as a special Favour saying God be thanked for holding my Soul in Life till now and for keeping my Life back from the the Destroyer Compare Job 33. 22. and Psal. 56. 13. Psal. 86. 13. Man before his Heart is broken counts Time his own and therefore he spends it lavishingly upon every idle thing His Soul is far from fear because the Rod of God is not upon him but when he sees himself under the wounding hand of God or when God like a Lyon is breaking all his Bones then he humbleth himself before him and falleth at his Foot. Now he has learn'd to count every Moment a Mercy and every small Morsel a Mercy 2. Now also the least hopes of Mercy for his Soul O how Precious is it He that was wont to make Orts of the Gospel and that valued Promises but aâ— Stubble and the Words of God but as Rotten Wood Now with what an Eye doth he looâ— on the Promise Yea he counteth a Peradventure of Mercy more rich more worth than all the World. Now as we say He is glad to leap at a Crust now to be a Dog in God's House 〈◊〉 counted better by him than to dwell in the Tents of the Wicked Matt. 15. 26 27. Luke 15. 17 18 19. 3. Now he that was wont ' to look scornfully upon the People of God yea that used to scorn to shew them a gentle cast of his Countenance Now he admires and bows before them and is ready to lick the Dust of their Feet and would count it his greatest the highest Honour to be as one of the least of them Make me as one of thy Hired Servants says he Luke 15. 19. 4. Now he is in his own Eyes the greatest Fool in Nature for that he sees he has been so mistaken in his ways and has not yet but little if any true Knowledge of God. Every one now says he has more Knowledge of God than I every one serves him better than I Psal. 73. 21 22 Prov. 30. 2 3. 5. Now may he be but one though the least in the Kingdom of Heaven Now may he be but one though the least in the Church on Earth Now may he â—e but loved though the least beloved of Saints How high an Account doth he set thereon 6. Now when he talketh with God or Men how doth he debase himself before them If with God how does he accuse himself and load himself with the Acknowledgements of his own Villanies which he committed in the days wherein he was the Enemy of God Lord said Paul that Contrite One I Imprisoned and did beat in every Synagogue them that believe on thee And when the Blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed I also was standing by and consenting unto his Death and kept the Raiment of them that slew him Act. 22. 19 20. Yea I punished thy Saints oft in every Synagogue and Compelled them to Blaspheme And being exceeding mad against them I Persecuted them â—â—en unto strange Cities Acts 〈…〉 9 10 11. Also when he comes to speak to Saints how doth he make himself vile before them I am saith he the least of the Apostles I am not meet to be called an Apostle I am less then the least of all Saints I was a Blasphemer I was a Persecuter and Injurious c. 1 Cor 15 9. Ephes. 3. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 13. What Humility what Self-abasing Thoughts doth a Broken Heart produce When David danced before the Ark of God also how did he discover his Nakedness to the disliking of his Wife And when she taunted him for his doings says he It was before the Lord c. And I will be yet more vile than thus and will be base in mine own Sight 2 Sam. 6. 20 21 22. Oh 〈…〉 Man that is or that has been kindly broken in his Spirit 〈…〉 that is of a Contrite Heart is a lowly a humble Man. Fourthly The Broken-hearted Man is a Man that sees himself in Spirituals to be poor Therefore as Humble and Contrite so Poor and Contrite are put together in the Word But to this Man will I look even to him that is Poor and of a Contrite Spirit Isa. 66. 1 2. And here we still pursue our Metaphor A wounded Man a Man with broken Bones concludes his Condition to be but Poor very Poor Ask him how he does and he Answers Truly Neighbour in a very Poor Condition Also you have the Spiritual Poverty of such as have or have had their Hearts broken and that have been of Contrite Spirits much made mention of in the Word And they go by two Names to distinguish them from others They are called THY Poor that is God's Poor they are also called the Poor in Spirit Psal. 72. 2. Psal. 74. 9. Mat. 5. 3. Now the Man that is poor in his own Eyes for of him we now discourse and the Broken hearted is such an one is sensible of his wants He knows he cannot help himself and therefore is forced to be content to live by the Charity of others Thus it is in Nature thus it is in Grace First The Broken-hearted now knows his wants and he knew it not till now As he that has a broken Bone knew no want of a Bone-setter till he knew his Bone was broken His broken Bone makes him know it his Pain and Anguish makes him know it And thus it is in Spirituals Now he sees to be Poor indeed is to want the sence of the Favour God for his great Pain is sence of Wrath as has been shewn before And the Voice of Joy would heal his broken Bones Psal. 51. 8. Two things he thinks would make him Rich. 1. A Right and Title to Jesus Christ and all his Benefits 2. And Saving Faith therein They that are spiritually Rich are rich in Him and in the Faith of Him 2 Cor. 8. 9. James 2. 5. The first of these giveth us a Right to the Kingdom of Heaven and the second yields the Soul the Comfort of it and the Broken hearted Man wants the Sence and Knowledge of his â—nterest in these That he knows he wants them is plain but that he knows he has them is what as yet he wants the Attainment of Hence he says The Poor and Needy seek Water and there is none and their Tongue fails for Thirst There is none in their View none in their View for them Isa. 41.
namely by the light of thy Countenance for that is the Plaister for a broken Heart Thou hast put Gladness in our Heart more than in the Time that their Corn and their Wine encreaseth Psal. 4. 1 6 7. O! A broken Heart can savour Pardon can savour the Consolations of the Holy Ghost Yea as a hungry or thirsty man prizes Bread and VVater in the want thereof so do the broken in Heart prize and set an high esteem on the things of the Lord Jesus His Flesh his Blood his Promise and the light of his Countenance are the only sweet things both to Scent and Taste to those that are of a wounded Spirit The full Soul loatheth the Honey-Comb the whole despise the Gospel they savour not the things that are of God. If twenty Men were to hear a Pardon Read and but one of those Twenty were condemned to die and the Pardon was for none but such which of these Men think you would taste the Sweetness of that Pardon they who were not or he that was Condemned The Condemned Man doubtless This is the Case in Hand The broken in Heart is a Condemned Man yea 't is sence of Condemnation with other things that has indeed broken his Heart nor is there any thing but sence of Forgiveness that can bind it up or heal it But could that heal it could he not taste truly taste or rightly relish this Forgiveness No. Forgiveness would be to him as it is to him that has not sence of want of it But I say what 's the Reason some so prize what others so despise since they both stand in need of the same Grace and Mercy of God in Christ Why the one sees and the other sees nothing of this woful miserable State. And thus have I shewed you the necessity of a Broken Heart 1. Man is Dead and must be Quickned 2. Man is a Fool and must be made Wise. 3. Man is Proud and must be Humbled 4. Man is Self-willed and must be Broken. 5. Man is Fearless and must be made to Consider 6. Man is a False Believer and must be Rectified 7. Man is a Lover of Sin and must be Weaned from it 8. Man is Wild and must be Tamed 9. Man Disrelishes the things of God and can take no savour in them until his Heart is Broken. And thus I have done with this and shall next come to the Reasons of the Point namely to shew you Why or how it comes to pass that a Broken Heart a Heart truly Contrite is to God such an Excellent thing That to him it is so we have proved by six Demonstrations What it is we have shewed by the six Signs thereof That it must be is manifest by those Nine Reasons but now urged And WHY it is with God or in his Esteem an Excellent Thing that is shewn by that which follows First A Broken Heart is the Handy-work of God an Heart of his OWN Preparing for his own Service It is a Sacrifice of his own providing of his providing for Himself As Abraham said in another Case God will provide himself a Lamb Gen. 22. 8. Hence it is said The Preparation of the Heart in Man c. is from the Lord. And again God maketh my Heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me Job 23. 16. The Heart as it is by Nature Hard Stupid and Impenitrable so it remains and so will remain until God as was said Bruiseth it with his Hammer and Melts it with his Fire The stony Nature of it is therefore said to be taken away of God. I will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh and will give you saith he an Heart of Flesh Ezelâ— 36. 26. I will take away the stony Heart or the Stoniness or the the Hardness of your Heart and I will give you an Heart of Flesh that is I will make your Heart sensible soft wieldable governable and penitent Sometimes he bids Men rent their Hearts not because they can but to convince them rather that though it must be so they cannot do it So he bids them make themselves a New Heart and a New Spirit for the same purpose also for if God doth not Rent it it remains Unrent if God makes it not new it abides an old one still This is that that is meant by his Bending of Men for Himself and of his working in them that which is pleasing in his Sight Zach. 9. 13. The Heart Soul or Spirit as in it self as it came from God's Fingers a Precious Thing a thing in God's Account worth more than all the World this Heart Soul or Spirit Sin has hardened the Devil has bewitched the World has deceived This Heart thus beguiled God Coveteth and Desireth My Son faith he give me thy Heart and let thine Eyes observe my Ways Prov. 33. 26. This Man cannot do this thing for that his Heart has the Mastery of him will not but carry him after all manner of Vanity What now must be done Why God must take the Heart by Storm by Power and bring it to a Complyance with the Word But the Heart of it self will not it is deluded carried away to another than God. Wherefore God now betakes him to his Sword and brings down the Heart with Labour opens it and drives out the strong Man Armed that did keep it wounds it and makes it smart for its Rebellion that it may cry so he rectifies it for himself He maketh sore and bindeth up he Woundeth and his Hands make whole Job 5. 18. Thus having wrought it for himself it becomes his Habitation his Dwelling-place That Christ might dwell in your Heart by Faith. But I would not swerve from the thing in Hand I have told you a broken Heart is the handy-work of God a Sacrifice of his own Preparing a Material fitted for himself 1. By breaking of the Heart he openeth it and makes it a Receptacle for the Graces of his Spirit that 's the Cabinet when unlocked where God lays up the Jewels of the Gospel There he puts his Fear I will put my Fear in their Heart There he writes his Law I will write my Law in their Heart There he puts his Spirit I will put my Spirit within you Jer. 31. 31 32 33. Chap. 32. 39 40 41. Ezek. 36. 26 27. The Heart I say God chuses for his Cabinet There he hides his Treasure there is the Seat of Justice Mercy and of every Grace of God I mean when 't is Broken made Contrite and so Regulated by the Holy Word 2. The Heart when Broken is like sweet Gums and Spices when beaten For as such cast their fragrant Scent into the Nostrils of Men so the Heart when Broken casts its sweet Smells in the Nostrils of God. The Incense which was a Type of Prayer of Old was to be beaten or bruised and so to be burned in the Censer The Heart must be beaten or bruised and then the sweet Scent will come out even Groans and Cries
and Sighs for the Mercy of God which Cries c. to him area very Excellent thing and pleasing in his Nostrils Secondly A Broken Heart is in the sight of God an Excellent Thing Because a Broken Heart is submissive it falleth before God and giveth to him his Glory All this is true from a Multitude of Scriptures which I need not here mention Hence such an Heart is called an honest Heart a good Heart a perfect Heart a Heart fearing God and such as is sound in God's Statutes Now this cannot but be an Excellent Thing if we consider that by such a Heart unseigned Obedience is yielded unto him that calleth for it You have obeyed from the Heart says Paul to them at Rome that Form of Doctrine which was delivered unto you Rom. 6. Alas The Heart before 't is Broken and made Contrite is quite of another Temper 'T is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be The great stir before the Heart is broken is about who shall be Lord God or the Sinner True the right of dominion is the Lords but the Sinner will not suffer it but will be ALL himself saying Who is Lord over us and again say they to God We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Psal. 12. 4. Jer. 2. 31. This also is evident by their Practice God may say what he will but they will do what they list Keep my Sabbath says God I will not says the Sinner Leave your Whoring says God. I will not says the Sinner Do not tell Lies nor Swear nor Curse nor Blaspheme my holy Name says God O but I will says the Sinner Turn to me says God I will not says the Sinner The right of dominion is mine says God but like that young Rebel 1 King 1. 5. I will be King says the Sinner Now this is intolerable this is unsufferable and yet every sinner by practice says thus For they have not submitted themselves unto the Righteousness of God. Here can be no Concord no Communion no Agreement no Felloship Here here is Enmity on the one side and flaming Justice on the other 2 Cor. 6. 14 15 16. Zech. 11. 8. And what delight what content what pleasure can God take in such men None at all No tho they should be mingled with the best of the Saints of God yea tho the best of Saints should Supplicate for them Thus says Jeremiah said the Lord unto me Though Moses and Samuel stood before me that is to Pray for them yet my mind could not be towards this People cast them out of my sight and let them go forth Jer. 14. 1. Here is nought but open War acts of Hostility and shameful Rebellion on the Sinners side and what delight can God take in that Wherefore if God will bend and buckle the spirit of such an one he must shoot an Arrow at him a bearded Arrow such as may not be pluckt out of the wound an arrow that will stick fast Psal. 38. 1 2. and cause that the Sinner falls down as dead at Gods foot then will the Sinner deliver up his arms and surrender up himself as one conquered into the hand of and beg for the Lords Pardon and not till then I mean not sincerely And now God has overcome and his Right Hand and his Holy Arm has gotten him the Victory Now he rides in Tryumph with his Captive at his Charroit Wheel Now he glories now the Bells in Heaven do ring now the Angels shout for Joy yea are bid to do so Rejoyce with me for I have found my sheep which was lost Luke 1â— 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. Now also the Sinner as a token of being overcome lies grovling at his foot saying Thine Arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings Enemies whereby the People fall under thee Psal. 45 3 4 5 Now the Sinner submits now he follows his Conquerer in Chains now he seeks Peace and would give all the World were it his own to be in the favour of God and to have hopes by Christ of being Saved Now this must be pleasing this cannot but be a thing acceptable in Gods sight A Broken and a Contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise For it is the desire of his own heart the work of his own hands Thirdly Another Reason why a Broken Heart is to God such an Excellent Thing is this A Broken Heart prizes Christ and has an high Esteem for him The whole have no need of the Physician but the Sick this Sick man is the Broken Hearted in the Text. For God makes men Sick by smiting of them by Breaking of their Hearts Hence Sickness and Wounds are put together for that the one is a true effect of the other Mark 2. 17. Micah 6. 13. Hos. 5. 13. Can any think that God should be pleased when men despise his Son saying He hath no Form nor Comeliness and when we shall see him there is no Beauty that we should desire him And yet so say they of him whose hearts God has not molified yea the Elect themselves confess that before their Hearts were Broken they set light by him also He is say they Despised and Rejected of men and WE hid as it were our Faces from him he was despised and WE esteemed him not Isa. 53. 2 3. He is indeed the Great Deliverer But what 's a Deliverer to them that never saw themselves in Bondage as was said before Hence 't is said of him that Delivered the City No man remembred that same poor man Eccles 9. 14 15. He has sorely Suffered and been Bruised for the Transgression of man that they might not receive the smart and Hell which by their Sins they have procured to themselves But what is that to them that never saw ought but Beauty and that never tasted any thing but sweetness in Sin 'T is he that holdeth by his Intercession the hands of God and that causes him to forbear to cut off the Drunkard the Lyer and unclean Person even when they are in the very act and work of their Abomination But their hard Heart their stupified Heart has no sence of such kindness as this and therefore they take no notice of it How many times has God said to this Dresser of his Vinyard Cut down the barren Figstree while he yet by his Intercession has prevailed for a Reprieve for another year But no notice is taken of this no thanks is from them returned to him for such kindness of Christ. Wherefore such Ungrateful Unthankful Inconsiderate Wretches as these must needs be a continual Eye sore as I may say and great provocation to God. And yet thus men will do before their Hearts are Broken Luke 13. 6 7 8 9. Christ as I said is called a Physician yea he is the only Soul Physician He heals how desperate soever the Disease be yea and heals who he undertakes for ever I give unto them Eternal Life John 10. 27
28. and doth all of free Cost of meer Mercy and Compassion But what 's all this to one that neither sees his Sickness that sees nothing of a Wound What is the best Physician alive or all the Physicans in the World put all together to him that knows no Sickness that is sensible of no Disease Physicians as was said may go a begging for all the healthful Physicians are of no esteem save only to the Sick or upon a supposition of being so now or at any other time Why this is the cause Christ is so little set by in the World God has not made them sick by smiting of them his Sword has not given them the wound his Dart has not been struck through their Liver they have not been broken with his Hammer nor melted with his Fire So they have no regard to his Physician so they slight all the provision which God has made for the Salvation of the Soul. But now let such a Soul be wounded let such a mans heart be broken let such a man be made sick through the sting of guilt and be made to wallow himself in ashes under the burden of his Transgressions and then who but Christ as has been shew'd afore Then the Physician then Wash me Lord then Supple my Wounds then Pour thy Wine and Oyle into my Sore Then Lord Jesus cause me to hear the Voice of Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may Rejoyce Nothing now so welcome as healing and so nothing no man so desirable now as Christ His name to such is the best of names His Love to such is the best of Love himself being now not only in himself but also to such a Soul the chiefest of Ten Thousands Song 5. As Bread to the Hungry as Water to the Thirsty as Light to the Blind and Liberty to the Imprisoned So and a thousand times more is Jesus Christ to the Wounded and to them that are Broken Hearted Now as was said this must needs be Excellent in Gods Eyes since Christ Jesus is so glorious in his Eyes To contemn what a man counts Excellent is an offence to him but to vallue esteem or think highly of that which is of esteem with me this is pleasing to me such an opinion is excellent in my sight What says Christ My Father loveth you because ye loved me Who hath an high esteem for Christ the Father hath an high esteem for them Hence 't is said He that hath the Son hath the Father the Father will be his and will do for him as a Father who receiveth and sets an honourable esteem on his Son John 16. 27. But none will none can do this but the Broken-Hearted because they and they only are sensible of the want and worth of an intrest in him I dare appeal to all the World as to the truth of this and do say again That these and none but these have hearts of esteem in the sight of God. Alas the heart of the wicked is little worth Pov. 10. 20. for it is destitute of a precious esteem of Christ and cannot but be destitute because it is not wounded broken and made sensible of the want of mercy by him Fourthly A Broken Heart is of great esteem with God because it is A thankful heart for that sence of sin and of grace it has received The Broken Heart is a sensible heart This we touched upon before It is sensible of the dangers which Sin leadeth to yea and has cause to be sensible thereof because it has seen and felt what Sin is both in the guilt and punishment that by Law is due thereto As a Broken heart is sensible of Sin in the evil nature and consequences of it so it is also sensible of the way of Gods delivering the Soul from the day of Judgment consequently it must be a thankful heart Now he that Praises me glorifies me saith God and God loves to be glorified Gods glory is dear unto him he will not part with that Psal. 50. 23. Isa. 42. 8. The Broken-Hearted say I forasmuch as he is the sensible Soul it follows that he is the Thankful Soul. Bless the Lord O my Soul said David and all that is within me Bless his holy Name Behold what Blessing of God is here And yet not content here with he goes on with it again saying Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all his Benefits Psal. 103. 1 2. But what 's the matter Oh he has forgiven all thine Iniquities and healed all thy Diseases He has redeemed thy Life from Destruction and Crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender Mercies Verse 3. 4. But how came he to be affected with this Why he knew what it was to hang over the mouth of Hell for Sin Yea he knew what it was for Death and Hell to beset and compass him about Yea they took hold of him as we have said and were pulling of him down into the deep this â—e saw to the breaking of his heart He saw also the way of Life and had his Soul relieved with faith and sence of that and that made him a thankful man. If a man who has had a broken Leg is but made to understand that by the breaking of that he kept from breaking of his Neck he will be thankful to God for a broken Leg. 'T is good for me said David that I have been Afflicted I was by that preserved from a great danger for before that I went astray Psal. 119. 67. 71. And who can be thankful for a mercy that is not sensible that they want it have it and have it of Mercy Now this the Broken-Hearted this the man that is of a Contrite Spirit is sensible of and that with reference to Mercies of the best sort and therefore must needs be a thankful man and so have an heart of esteem with God because it is a thankful heart Fifthly A Broken Heart is 〈◊〉 great esteem with or an excellent thing in the sight of God Because 't is an heart that desires now to become a receptacle or habitation for the Spirit and Graces of the Spirit of God. It was the Devils hold before and was contented so to be But now it is for entertaining of for being possessed with the holy Spirit of God. Create in me a clean heart said David and renew a a right spirit within me Take not thy holy Spirit from me uphold me with thy free Spirit Psal. 51. 10 11 12. Now he was for a clean heart and a right Spirit now he was for the sanctifyings of the blessed Spirit of Grace A thing which the uncircumcised in heart resists and do despite unto Acts 7. 51. Heb. 10. 29. A Broken Heart therefore suiteth with the heart of God a Contrite Spirit is one Spirit with him God as I told you before covets to dwell with the Broken in Heart and the Broken in Heart desireth communion with him Now here 's an agreement an
ever yet be brought unto it 'T is said of Ahab He sold himself to work wickedness And in another place Yea for your Iniquities have ye sold your selves 1 King 21. 25. Isa. 50. 1. But what is this Iniquity Why a thing of nought nay worse then nought a thousand times but because nought is as we say nought therefore it goes under that term where God saith again to the People Ye have sold your selves for nought Isa. 52. 3. But I say What an amazing thing is this That a Rational Creature should make no better a Bargain That one that is so wise in all terene things should be such afool in the thing that is most weighty And yet such a fool he is and he tells every one that goes by the way that he is such an one because he will not break his league with Sin until his heart is broken for it Men love Darkness rather then Light Ay they make it manifest they love it since so great a profer will not prevail with them to leave it Secondly Is this a truth That the man that truly comes to God in order thereto has had his Heart broken Then this shews us a reason why some mens hearts are Broken even a reason why God breaks some mens hearts for Sin namely because he would not have them dye in it but rather come to God that they might be Saved Behold therefore in this how God resolved as to the saving of some mens Souls He will have them he will save them he will break their Hearts but he will Save them He will kill them that they may Live He will wound them that he may heal them And it seems by our discourse that now there is no way left but this fair means as we say will not do good words a Glorious Gospel Entreatings Bseeching with Blood and Tears will not do Men are resolved to put God to the utmost of it if he will have them he must fetch them follow them catch them Lame them yea break their Bones or else he shall not save them Some men think an invitation an outward call a rational discourse will do but they are much deceived There must a Power an exceeding great and mighty Power attend the Word or it worketh not effectually to the Salvation of the Soul. I know these things are enough to leave men without excuse but yet they are not enough to bring men home to God. Sin has hold of them they have sold themselves to it the Power of the Devil has hold of of them they are his Captives at his will yea and more then all this their will is one with Sin and with the Devil to be held Captive thereby And if God gives not Contrition Repentance or a Broken Heart for Sin there will not be no not so much as a mind in man to forsake this so horrible a Confederacy and Plot against his Soul. 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. Hence men are said to be drawn from these breasts that come or that are brought to him Isa. 26 9. Joh. 6. 44. Wherefore John might well say Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us Here is Cost bestowed Paines bestowed Labour bestowed Repentance bestowed yea and an Heart made sore wounded broken and fill'd with pain and sorrow in order to the Salvation of the Soul. Thirdly This then may teach us what estemation to set upon a Broken Heart A Broken Heart is such as God esteems yea as God counts better then all external Service A Broken Heart is that which is in order to Salvation in order to thy coming to Christ for Life The World know not what to make of it not what to say to one that has a Broken Heart and therefore do despise it and count that man that carries it in his bosom a moping fool a miserable wretch an undone Soul. But a Broken and a Contrite Spirit O God thou wilt not despise A Broken Heart takes thine Eye thy Heart thou choosest it for thy Companion yea hast given thy Son a charge to look well to such a man and hast promised him thy Salvation as has afore been proved Sinner Hast thou obtained a broken Heart has God bestowed a Contrite Spirit upon thee He has given thee what himself is pleased with He has given thee a Cabinet to hold his Grace in He has given thee an heart that can heartily desire his Salvation an heart after his own Heart that is such as suits his minde True it is Painful now Sorrowful now Penitent now grieved now now 't is Broken now it Bleeds now now it Sobs now it Sighs now it mourns and cryeth unto God. Well very well All this is because he has a mind to make thee laugh he has made thee Sorry on Earth that thou mightest Rejoyce in Heaven Blessed are ye that Mourn for ye shall be Comforted Blessed are ye that Weep now for ye shall Laugh Mat. 5. 4. Luke 6 21. But Soul be sure thou hast this Broken Heart all Hearts are not Broken Hearts nor is every heart that seems to have a wound an Heart that 's truly Broken A man may be cut to yet not into the Heart a man may have another yet not a broken Heart Acts 7. 54. 1 Sam. 10 9. We know there 's a difference betwixt a wound in the Flesh and a wound in the Spirit yea a mans Sin may be wounded and yet his Heart not Broken so was Pharoahs so was Sauls so was Ahabs but they had none of them the mercy of a Broken Heart Therefore I say Take heed every scratch with a Pin every prick with a Thorn nay every blow that God giveth with his Word upon the heart of Sinners doth not therefore break them God gave Ahab such a blow that he made him stoop fast humble himself gird himself with and lay in Sackcloth which was a great matter for a King and go softly and yet he never had a Broken Heart 1 King 21. 27 29. What shall I say Pharoah and Saul Confessed their Sin Judas Repented himself of his doings Esau sought the Blessing and that carefully with Tears yet none of these had an Heart rightly Broken or a Spirit truly Contrite Pharoah Saul and Judas were Pharoah Saul and Judas still Esau was Esau still there was no gracious change no thorough turn to God no unfeigned parting with their Sins no hearty flight for Refuge to lay hold on the hope of Glory tho they indeed had thus been touched Exod. 10. 16. 1 Sam. 26. 21. Mat. 27. 3. Heb. 12. 14 15 16 17. The consideration of these things call a loud to us to take heed that we take not that for a Broken and a Contrite Spirit that will not go for one at the day of Death and Judgment Wherefore seeking Soul let me advise thee that thou mayst not be decieved as to this thing of so great weight 1. To go back towards the beginning of this book and compare thy self
with those six or seven signs of a Broken and a Contrite Heart which there I have according to the word of God given to thee for that end and deal with thy Soul impartially about them 2. Or which may and will be great help to thee if thou shalt be sincere therein namely to betake thy self to the search of the Word especially where thou readest of the Conversion of men and try if thy Conversation be like or has a good resemblance or oneness with theirs But in this have a care that thou dost not compare thy self with those good Folk of whose Conversion thou readest not or of the breaking of whose Heart there is no mention made in Scripture for all that are recorded in the Scripture for Saints have not their Conversion as to the manner or nature of it recorded in the Scripture 3. Or else Do thou consider truly of the true signs of Repentance which are laid down in Scripture for that is the true effect of a Broken Heart and of a wounded Spirit And for this see Mat. 3. 5 6. Luke 18. 13. Chap. 19. 8. Act 2. 37 38 39 40 c. Chap. 16. 29 30. Chap. 19. 18 19. 2 Cor. 7 8 9 10 11. 4. Or else Take into Consideration how God has said they shall be in their Spirits that he intends to Save And for this read these Scriptures 1. That in the One and Thirtieth of Jeremiah They shall come with Weeping and with Supplication will I lâ—â—d them c. V. 9. 2. Read Jer. 50. 4 5. In those days and at that time the Children of Israel shall come they and the Children of Judah together going and weeping They shall go and seek the Lord their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our-selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall not be forgotten 3. Read Ezek. 6. 9. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the Nations whither they shall be carried Captives because I am broken with their whoâ— rish Heart which have departed from me and with their eyes which go a whoring after their Idols And they shall loath themselves for the Evils which they have committed in all their Abominations 4. Read Ezek. 7. 16. But they that escape of them shall escape and shall be on the Mountains like Doves of the Valleys all of them Mourning every one for his Iniquity 5. Read Ezek. 20. 43. And there shall ye remember your ways and all your doings wherein ye have been defiled and ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have commited 6. Read Ezek. 36. 31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways and your doings that were not good and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your Iniquities and for your Abominations 7. Read Zech. 12. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and of Suplications And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born Now all these are the fruits of the Spirit of God and of the Heart when it is Broken Wherefore Soul Take notice of them and because these are Texts by which God promiseth that those whom he saveth shall have this Heart this Spirit and these holy effects in them Therefore consider again and examine thy self whether this is the state and condition of thy Soul. And that thou mayst do it fully consider again and do thou 1. Remember that here is such a sence of Sin and of the irksomness thereof as maketh the man not only to abhor that but himself because of that This is worth the noting by thee 2 Remember again That here is not only a Self-abhorrence but a sorrowful kind mourning unto God at the consideration that the Soul by Sin has affrontâ—d contemned disregarded and set at nought both God and his holy Word 3. Remember also That here are Prayers and Tears for Mercy with desires to be now out of love with Sin for ever and to be in Heart and Soul firmly joyned and knit unto God. 4. Remember also That this People here spoken of have all the way from Satan to God from Sin to Grace from Death to Life scattered with Tears and Prayers with Weeping and Supplication They shall go weeping and seeking the Lord their God. 5. Remember that these People as Strangers and Pilgrims do are not ashamed to ask the way of those they meet with to Zion or the Heavenly Countrey whereby they confess their ignorance as became them their desire to know the way to Life yea thereby they declare that there is nothing in this world under the Sun or this side Heaven that can satisfie the longings the desires and cravings of a Broken and Contrite Spirit Reader be advised and consider of these things seriously and compare thy Soul with them and with what else thou shalt find here written for thy Conviction and Instruction Fourthly If a broken Heart and a contrite Spirit be of such esteem with God Then this should encourage them that have it to come to God with it I know the GREAT encouragement for men to come to God is for that there is a Mediator between God and men the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. â— 5. This I say is the GREAT Encouragement in its place there is none but that but there are other Encouragements subordinate to that and a Broken and a Contrite Spirit is one of them this is evident from several places of Scripture Wherefore thou that canst carry a Broken Heart and a Sorrowful Spirit with thee when thou goest to God tell him thy Heart is wounded within thee that thou hast Sorrow in thy Heart and art Sorry for thy Sins but take heed of Lying Confess also thy Sins unto him and tell him they are continually before thee David made an argument of these things when he went to God by Prayer O Lord saith he Rebuke me not in thine Anger neither chasten me in thy sore displeasure But why so O says he thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy hand â—resseth me sore There is no soundness in my Flesh because of thine Anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my Sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go mourning all the day long For my loins are filled with a lothsom disease and there is no soundness in my Flesh. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee My heart panteth my
strength faileth me As for the light of mine Eyes it also is gone from me My lovers and friends stand aloof from my sore And so he goes on Psal. 38. 1 2 3 4 c. These are the Words Sighs Complaints Prayers and Arguments of a Broken Heart to God for Mercy And so are they Have Mercy upon me O God according to thy loving kindness According to the multitude of thy tender Mercies blot out my Transgressions Wash me throughly from mine Iniquity and cleanse me from my Sin. For I acknowledge my Transgressions and my Sins are ever before me Psal. 51. 1 2 3. God alloweth poor Creatures that can without lying thus to plead and argue with him I am poor and sorrowful said the good man to him let thy Salvation set me on high Psal. 69. 29. Wherefore Thou that hast a Broken Heart take courage God bids thee take courage say therefore to thy Soul Why art thou cast down O my Soul As usually the Broken-Hearted are And why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God. I had fainted if I had not been of good courage therefore be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Psal. 42. 11. Psal. 43. 5. Psal. 27. 12 13 14. But Alas The Broken-Hearted are far off from this they faint they reckon themselves among the dead they think God will remember them no more the thoughts of the greatness of God and his holiness and their own Sins and Vilenesses will certainly consume them they feel guilt and anguish of Soul they go Mourning all the day long their Mouth is full of gravil and gaul and they are made to drink draughts of Wormwood and Gaul So that he must be an artist indeed at believing who can come to God under his guilt and horror and plead in faith that the Sacrifices of God are a Broken Heart such as he had and that a Broken and a Contrite Spirit God will not despise Fifthly If a Broken Heart if a Broken and a Contrite Spirit is of such esteem with God Then why should some be as they are so afraid of a Broken Heart and so shy of a Contrite Spirit I have observed that some men are as fraid of a Broken Heart or that they for their sins should have their hearts Broken as the Dog is of the Whip O! They cann't away with such Books with such Sermons with such Preachers or with such talk as tends to make a man sensible of and to Break his Heart and to make him Contrite for his Sins Hence they heap to themselves such Teachers get such Books Love such Company and delight in such Discourse as rather tends to harden then soften to make desperate in then sorrowful for their Sins They say to such Sermons Books and Preachers as Amaziah said to Amos. O thou seer go flee thou away into the land of Judah and there eat Bread and Prophesie there but Prophesie not again any more at Bethel c. Amos 7. 12 13. But do these People know what they do Yes think they for such Preachers such Books such Discourses tend to make one Melancholy or Mad they make us that we cannot take pleasure in our Selves in our Concerns in our Lives But Oh Fool in grain Let me speak unto thee Is it a time to take Pleasure and to Recreate thy self in any thing before thou hast Mourned and been Sorry for thy Sins That Mirth that is before Repentance for Sin will certainly end in heaviness Wherefore the Wise Man puting both together saith that Mourning must be first There is a time to Weep and a time to Laugh a time to Mourn and a time to Dance Eccles. 3. 4. What! An Unconverted Man and Laugh Shouldest thou see one Singing merry Songs that is riding up Holbourn to Tyburn to be hanged for Felony wouldest thou not count him besides himself if not worse and yet thus it is with him that is for Mirth while he standeth Condemned by the Book of God for his Trespasses Man Man Thou hast cause to Mourn yea thou must Mourn if ever thou art Saved Wherefore my advice is that instead of shuning thou covet both such Books such Preachers and such Discourses as has a tendency to make a man sensible of and to break his Heart for Sin and the reason is because thou wilt never be as thou shoud'st concerned about nor seek the Salvation of thine own Soul before thou hast a Broken Heart a Broken and a Contrite Spirit Wherefore be not afraid of a Broken Heart be not shy of a Contrite Spirit It is one of the greatest Mercies that God bestows upon a Man or a Woman The Heart Rightly Broken at the sence of and made Truly Contrite for Trransgression is a certain fore-runner of Salvation This is evident from these six demonstrations which was laid down to prove the point in hand at first And for thy awaking in this matter Let me tell thee and thou wilt find it so Thou must have thy heart Broken whether thou wilt or no. God is resolved to break ALL hearts for Sin some time or other Can it be imagined Sin being what it is and God what he is to wit a Revenger of Disobedience but that one time or other man must smart for Sin Smart I say either to Repentance or to Condemnation He that Mourns not now while the Door of Mercy 's open must Mourn for Sin when the door of Mercy 's shut Shall men despise God Break his Law Contemn his Threats Abuse his Grace yea Shut their Eyes when he says See and Stop their Ears when he says Hear and shall they SO escape No no Because he called and they refused he stretched out his hand and they regarded it not Therefore shall Calamity come upon them as upon one in Travel and they shall cry in their Destruction and then God will laugh at their Destruction and mock when their Fear cometh Then saith he They shall cry Prov. 1. 24. 25 26 c. I have often observed that this threatning is repeated at least seven times in the new Testament saying There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth There shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth as Mat. 8. 12. Chap. 13. 42. and 50. Chap. 22. 13. Chap. 24 51. Chap. 25. 30. Luke 13. 28. There where in Hell and at the barr of Christs Tribunal when he comes to judge the World and shall have shut too the door to keep them out of Glory that have here despised the offer of his Grace and overlooked the day of his Patience There shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth They shall weep and wail for this There are but two Scriptures that I shall use more and then I shall draw towards a Conclusion One is that in Proverbs where Solomon is counseling of Young Men to beware of Strange that is of wanton light and ensnaring women Take heed of such said he Lest thou mourn at last that is in Hell when thou art dead when
thy flesh and thy body are consumed and say how have I hated Instruction and despised Reproof and have not obeyed the voice of my Teachers nor enclined mine ears to them that Instructed me Prov. 5. 1 2 3 c. The other Scripture is that in Isaiah where he says Because when I Called ye did not Answer when I Spake ye did not Hear but did evil before mine Eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold my Servant shall eat but ye shall be hungrey behold my Servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty behold my Servants shall rejoyce but ye shall be ashamed behold my Servants shall sing for joy of Heart but ye shall cry for Sorrow of Heart and howl for Vexation of Spirit Isa. 65. 12 13 14. How many beholds are here And every behold is not only a call to careless ones to Consider but as a declaration from Heaven that thus at last it shall be with all Impenitent Sinners That is when others sing for Joy in the Kingdom of Heaven they they shall Sorrow in Hell and howl for vexation of Spirit there Wherefore let me advise that you be not afraid of but that ye rather covet a Broken Heart and prize a Contrite Spirit I say covet it now now the White Flag is hung out now the Golden Scepter of Grace is held forth to you Better mourn now God enclines to Mercy and Pardon then mourn when the door is quite shut up And take notice that this is not the first time that I have given you this Advice Lastly If a Broken Heart be a thing of so great esteem with God as has been said and if duties cannot be rightly performed by a heart that has not been Broken. Then this shews the vanity of those Peoples minds and also the invalidity of their pretended divine Services who worship God with an heart that was never Broken and without a Contrite Spirit There has indeed at all times been great flocks of such Professors in the World in every Age but to little purpose unless to deceive themselves to mock God and lay stumbling blocks in the way of others for a man whose heart was never truly Broken and whose Spirit was never Contrite cannot profess Christ in earnest cannot love his own Soul in earnest I mean he cannot do these things in truth and seek his own good the right way for he wants a bottom for it to wit a Broken Heart for sin and a Contrite Spirit That which makes a man an hearty an unfeigned a sincere seeker after the good of his own Soul is sense of sin and a Godly fear of being overtaken with the danger which it brings a man into This makes him Contrite or Repentant and puts him up on seeking of Christ the Saviour with heart aking and heart breaking Considerations But this cannot be where this sense this godly fear and this holy contrition is wanting profess men may and make a noise as the empty Barrel maketh the bigest sound but prove them and they are full of air full of emptiness and that 's all Nor are such Professors tender of God's Name nor of the Credit of that Gospel which they profess nor can they for they want that which should Oblidge them thereunto which is a sence of Pardon and Forgiveness by the which their broken Hearts have been replenished succored and made hope in God. Paul said The Love of Christ constrained him But what was Paul but a broken Hearted and a contrite Sinner See Acts 9. 3 4 5 6. 2 Cor. 5. 14. When God shews a man the Sin he has committed the Hell he has deserved the Heaven he has lost and yet that Christ and Grace and Pardon may be had this will make him serious this will make him melt this will break his heart this will shew him that there is more than Air than a Noise than an Empty Sound in Religion and this is the man whose Heart whose Life whose Conversation and All will be ingaged in the matters of the Eternal Salvation of his Precious and Immortal Soul. Object But some may object That in this saying I seem to ridged and censorious and will if I moderate not these Lines with something milder afterward discourage many an honest Soul. I Answer Not a jot not an honest Soul in all the World will be offended at my words for not one can be an honest Soul I mean with reference to its concerns in another World that has not had a broken Heart that never had a Contrite Spirit This I will say because I would be understood aright That all attain-not to the same degree of trouble nor lie so long there under as some of their Brethren do But to go to Heaven without a Broken Heart or to be forgiven sin without a Contrite Spirit is no Article of my Belief We speak not now of what is secret revealed things belong to us and our Children nor must we venture to go further in our Faith. Doth not Christ say The whole have no need of the Phsiti an that is they see NO need but Christ will make them see their need before he ministers his Sovereign Grace unto them and good reason otherwise he will have but little thanks for his kindness Object But there are that are godly educated from their Childhood and so drink in the Principles of Christianity they know net how Answer I count it one thing to receive the Faith of Christ from men only and another to receive it from God by the means If thou art taught by an Angel yet if not taught of God thou wilt never come to Christ I do not say thou wilt never profess him But if God speaks and thou shalt hear and understand him that voice will make such work within thee as was never made before The Voice of God is a Voice by it self and is so distinguished by them that are taught thereby Joh. 6. 44 45. Psal. 29. Hab. 3. 15 16. Ephes. 4. 20 21. 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. Object But some men are not so debauched and profane as some and so need not to be so hammered and fired as others so broken and wounded as others Answ. God knows best what we need Paul was as righteous before conversion as any that can pretend to Civility now I suppose and yet that notwithstanding he was made shake and was astonished at himself at his Conversion And truly I think the more righteous any is in his own eyes before conversion the more need he has of heart breaking work in order to his salvation because a man is not by nature so easily convinced that his righteousness is to God abominable as he is that his debauchery and prosaneness is A mans goodness is that which blinds him most is dearest to him and hardly parted with and therefore when such an one is converted that thinks he has goodness of his own enough to commend him in whole or
in part to God. but but few such are converted there is required a great deal of breaking work upon his heart to make him come to Paul's conclusion What! are we better than they No in no wise Rom. 3. 9. I say before he can be brought to see his glorious Robes are filthy Rags and his gainful things but loss and dung Isa. 64. Phil. 3. This is also gathered from these words Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of God before the Pharisees Mat. 21. 31. Why before them but because they lie fairer for the word are easier convinced of their need of Christ and so are brought home to him without as I may all that adoe that the Holy Ghost doth make to bring home one of these to him True nothing is hard or difficult to God. But I speak after the manner of men And let who will take to task a man debauch'd in this Life and one that is not so and he shall see if he laboureth to convince them both that they are in a state of Condemnation by nature that the Pharisee will make his appeals to God with a great many God I thank thee 's while the Publican hangs his Head shakes at Heart and smites upon his Breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner Luk. 18. 11 12 13. Wherefore a self-righteous man is but a painted Satan or a Devil in fine Cloathes but thinks he so of himself No! no! He saith to others Stand back come not near me I am holier than thou 'T is almost impossible that a self-righteous man should be saved But he that can drive a Camel through the eye of a Needle can cause that even such a one shall see his lost condition and that he needeth the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ. He can make him see I say that his own goodness did stand more in his way to the Kingdom of Heaven than he was aware of and can make him feel too that his leaning to that is as great iniquity as any immorality that men commit The sum then is That men that are converted to God by Christ through the Word and Spirit for all this must go to Effectual Conversion must have their Hearts broken and Spirits made contrite I say it MUST be so for the reasons shewed before Yea and all decaied apostatised and backsliden Christians must in order to their recovery again to God have their Hearts broken their Souls wounded their Spirits made contrite and sorry for their sins Come come Conversion to God is not SO easie and SO smooth a thing as some would have men believe it is Why is mans Heart compared to fallow ground Gods Word to a Plow and his Ministers to Plow-men if the Heart indeed has no need of breaking in order to the receiving of the Seed of God unto Eternal Life Jer. 4 3. Luk. 9. 62. 1 Cor. 9. 10. Who knows not that Fallow-ground must be Plowed and Plowed too before the Husbandman will venture his Seed yea and after that oft soundly harrowed or else he will have but a slender Harvest Why is the Conversion of the Soul compared to the grafting of a Tree if that may be done without cutting The Word is the Graft the Soul is the Tree and the word as the Sien must be let in by a wound for to stick on the outside or to be tied on with a string will do no good here heart must be set to heart and back to back or your pretended ingrafting will come to nothing Rom. 11. 17 24. Jam. 1. 20. I say heart must be set to heart and back to back or the sap will not be conveyed from the root to the branch And I say This must be done by a wound The Lord opened the heart of Lidia as a man openeth the stock to graft in the siens and so the word was let into her soul and so the word and her heart comented and became one Acts 16. 14. Why is Christ bid to gird his Sword upon his Thigh And why must he make his Arrows sharp and all that the Heart may with this Sword and these Arrows he shot wounded and made to bleed Yea why is he commanded to let it be so if the People would bow and fall kindly under him and heartily implore his Grace without it Psa. 45. 3 4 5. Alas men are too lofty too proud too wild too devilishly resolved in the ways of their own Destruction in their occasions they are like the wild Asses upon the wild Mountains nothing can break them of their purposes or hinder them from ruining of their own precious and immortal Souls but the breaking of their hearts Why is a broken heart put in the room of all Sacrifices which we can offer to God and a contrite Spirit put in the room of all offerings as they are and you may see it so if you compare the Text with that Verse which goes before it I say why is it counted better than all were they all put together if any one part or if all external parts of Worship were they put together could be able to render the man a found and a rightly made New Creature without it A broken heart a contrite Spirit God will not despise but both thou and all thy Service he will certainly slight and reject if when thou comest to him a broken heart be wanting Wherefore here is the point Come Broken come Contrite come Sensible of and Sorry for thy Sins or thy coming will be counted no coming to God aright and if so consequently thou wilt get no benefit thereby FINIS