Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	harden_v	pharaoh_n	plague_n	2,988	5	10.1557	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91855	A broken spirit, God's sacrifices. Or, The gratefulnesse of a broken spirit unto God. Represented in a sermon, before the right Honourable House of Peeres, in K. Henry the Seventh's chappell in the Abbey Westminster, upon Wednesday Decemb. 9. 1646. Being a day of publike humiliation for removing of the great judgment of rain and waters then upon the kingdome, &c. / By Fran. Roberts M. A. Minister of Christ, at Austins, London.	Roberts, Francis, 1609-1675.	1646 (1646)	Wing R1580; Thomason E365_14; ESTC R201252	39,320	48

do evill that they cannot lay it aside no more then the black Moore his skin or the Leopard his spots Jer. 13. 23. This habituall hardnesse creeps and steales upon mens spirits through sins subtilty which leaves behind it not only reatum guilt but also maculum a stain or spot lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. This hardnesse growes on by steps and degrees as Divines observe viz. 1. Ther 's Suggestion of sin 2. Acceptation of the Suggestion 3. Acting the sin accepted 4. Delighting in sin acted 5. Habit and Custome in sin delighted in 6. Necessity in sin accustomed 7. Finally death the result of all See Jam. 1. 14. 15. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Wherein observe these degrees 1. Lust within which is the nursery of sin and a Tinder to catch at all Temptations 2. Drawing-away by it viz. from God 3. Entising viz. unto evill 4. Lusts corruption viz. a delightfull accepting of the entisement and consent of the will and heart thereto c. 5. Bringing forth of sin viz. into act and execution 6. Finishing of sin acted i. e. Going on in a course and custome of sinning it being a further step t as Calvin notes 7. Death the due wages of all The degrees of hardening in sin are thus reckoned up by u Bernard if he was author of that Book de Conscientia viz. 1. He that hath been accustomed to welldoing falling to sin grievously Sin seems to him a burden so intolerable as if in sinning he were going down to hell alive 2. Of insupportable in short time it becomes but heavy 3. Of heavy light 4. Of lightsome delightsome 5. Of delightsome desireable 6. Of desireable customary 7. Of Customary excusable 8. Of excusable defensible 9. Of defensible matter of boasting To this height can nothing be added Nothing so much exasperateth the Majesty of that dreadfull Judge as to sin and securely to sin and to boast of vices as though they were virtues 4. Judicially mens hearts are hardened in sin when they are forsaken of God and given up to their own obduration and the dominion of the Devill that seeing they will be hard they shall be hard with a witnesse Thus we read often of Gods hardening of Pharaoh's heart Exod 4. 22. and 7. 3. c. and that God hardeneth whom he will Rom. 9. 18. Pharoah had many judgements upon him but his hard heart was the most dreadfull of all his judgements This was the Plague of his plagues This the Plague of his Soule This a Plague that would stick upon him to all eternity But when God is said in his just judgement to harden mens hearts we must understand it wisely cautiously w God hardens no mans heart by infusing any new wickednesse thereinto as the Manichees wickedly imagined See Jam. 1. 13. For then God should be the Author of sin which were blasphemous once to think But God hardens the heart 1. By x withdrawing or denying to the heart his softning grace which he is not bound to give whereby the heart might be restrained from sin which grace being denyed the sinner hardens his own heart by his own inward pravity as when an owner denies to prop up or repaire a ruinous reeling house the house falls by its own ponderousnesse Thus Divines make God Causam removentem prohibens a cause removing the impediment of such sins as men rush upon when their hold-back is removed 2. By Delivering men up to the swinge of their own lusts and the dominion of Sathan Compare these places Psal. 81. 11 12. Rom. 1. 26 27 28 c. 1 King 22. 22 23. Joh. 13. 26 27. in such case God saith he that is filthy let him be filthy still he that is hard-hearted let him be hard-hearted c. 3. By giving men means of restraint which falling upon hearts thus forsaken of God exasperate and enlarge them the more in all wickednesse with violence and greedinesse as the stopping or damming up of a violent torrent makes the streams thereof the more impetuous not that these restraints provoke to sin properly and formally in their own Nature but occasionally and accidentally only through hard-hearted mens abuse Thus the Law irritates sin works in them all manner of co●…piscence Rom. 7. 8. Thus the Prophets and Ministers of the word harden some men accidentally Isai. 6. 9 10. with Act. 28. 26 27. which soften others as the same Sunne which softens wax hardens elay the same heavenly heat which makes a garden of flowers smell more fragrantly makes sinks or dunghills sent more loathsomely 4. By denying unto hard-hearted men even those means of restraint after those means have been thus miserably abused but wholly leaving them to the Calamity of their own waies See Hos. 4. 14. Thus much in briefe of the nature of Hardnesse of Heart Now in the next place consider how odious an hard heart is to God and consequently how odious and burdensome it should be to all Gods people The hatefulnesse and odiousnesse of an hard Heart to God appears plainly in divers respects viz. In that he 1. Forbids it 2. Grieves at it 3. Brands it 4. Threatens it and 5. Plagues it Take a taste of all these out of the word 1. God forbids it in his word cryes harden not your hearts See Psal. 95. 8. Heb. 3. 8. 15. and 4. 7. What God forbids is displeasing and hatefull to him 2. God much layes to heart the hardnesse of mens hearts Jesus Christ looked round about upon the Pharisies with Anger being grieved for the hardnesse of their hearts Mark 3. 5. And after his Resurrection he upbraided his own Disciples for the hardnesse of their hearts in that they believed not them that had seen Christ after he was risen Mar. 16. 14. yea God professeth he was grieved with hard-hearted Israel for 40. yeares together Heb. 3. 8 9 10. 3. God brands hardnesse of heart with such notes of infamy and disgrace as discover his great detestation thereof Among many other passages hardnesse of heart is accounted of God a fruit and proper effect of sin Lest your hearts be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. such as is the cause such is the proper effect both abominable to God Hardnesse of heart is accounted a great sin it self whereby God is much tempted and provoked Heb. 3. 8 9 10. The depth of a mans naturall misery under sin is laid down under the Notion of having a stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. 20. and 36. 26 27. The height of Pharoahs sin is comprized under his hardnesse of heart Exod. 14. 4. Yea hardnesse of heart is a cause of sin y of any the foulest abominations what Temptation of the Devill will not an hard heart swallow down what horrid impieties

will not an hard heart rush furiously upon See that passage 2. King 17. 14 c. This is as a wicked Devill that brings along many other devils with it to possesse the soule More especially it brings forth the cursed fruits of 1. Wofull impenitency an hard heart cannot will not repent 2 Chron. 36. 13. Rom. 2. 5. 2. Wilfull Rebellion pride and obstinacy against God Dan. 5. 20. Nehem. 9. 16 17. 29. Jerem. 7. 26. Ezek. 3. 7. 3. Wofull and damnable unbeliefe Act. 19. 9. Mark 6. 51 52. and 8. 16 17 c. and 16. 14. Heb. 3. 8. 11. compared with ver. 18. 19. 4. God threatens hardnesse of heart with sad and heavy Comminations as Pro. 28. 14. and notably Pro. 29. 10. Jer. 19. 15. but most remarkably Heb. 3. 8. to 12. Gods threats argue evidently Gods wrath against it 5. Finally over and beyond all this God plagues hardnesse of heart with dreadfull judgments who ever hardened himselfe against God and prospered Job 9. 4. 1. What Temporall vengeance inflicts hee for hardnesse of heart as upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians who after all their plagues for hardning their hearts against God were at once intombed in the Red-Sea Exod. 14. upon Israel for their hardnesse of heart not suffered to enter into Gods rest to enjoy the promised Canan Heb. 3. 8 9 10 11 c. and afterwards they that came into the promised Land for this wickednesse were removed out of Gods sight 2 King 17. 14. with 18. How terrible was that vengeance of God upon Nebuchadnezar hardned in his pride Dan. 5. 20 21 read it and tremble at it 2. What Spirituall wrath doth God poure out upon hard hearts giving them up to utter obduration as in Pharoah Exod. 4. 22. and 7. 3. and in others Joh. 12. 40. 3. Finally what eternall vengeance do hard hearts here treasure up unto themselves against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5 c. Doubtlesse if God thus forbid thus lay to heart thus brand thus threaten and thus plague an hard heart an hard heart be it never so pleasing to man or gratefull to Sathan yet it is most hatefull and abominable to the great heart-searching God How wofull their condition that lye under the plague of an hard heart How happy they that are delivered from it This may serve to put us all upon the Tryall and Examination of our hearts and spirits whether they be broken or no that so we may discover whether they be the gratefull Sacrifices of God or no which of us would not be glad that our hearts and spirits might be truly acceptable to God then let us diligently inquire whether they be truly broken and contrite The stresse of our Comfort will peculiarly lean upon this basis of penitentiall brokennesse if our hearts be actually broken this day what an Odour of a sweet smell shall they be to God in Christ if they be habitually broken how pleasing shall they be to God continually but all will depend upon this that they be kindly broken and softened as Davids was But how may we discover whether our hearts and spirits be truly broken and contrite Answ. Principally 2. waies 1. By the Concomitants or Companions of a broken spirit 2. By the Adjuncts or Properties thereof 1. By the Concomitants or Companions attending upon a broken spirit Noscitur ex comite qui non dignoscitur ex se oft-times a man is known by his Companions more then by his own Conditions All the graces of the spirit are spiritually concatenated and linked together but some graces being more peculiarly homogeneall and neer of kin to one another are more immediately coupled and associated and such do mutually descry and discover one another Now these are the usuall and famliiar Companions of true brokennesse of spirit and tendernesse of heart viz. 1. A Spirit of Prayer and Supplication A broken spirit is a praying spirit they usually go together they are promised together I will powre the spirit of grace and supplications and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him c. Zech. 12. 10. to the end They are performed together when the heart of the Prodigall sonne was touched and broken for his lewd courses presently he resolves upon praying I will go to my Father and say to him Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Luk. 15. 18. Saul who afterward was called Paul was no sooner dismounted struck to the earth and his heart humbled and broken at his first Conversion by Christs immediate voice from Heaven but Christ gives this character of him Behold he prayeth Act. 9. 11. this was worth beholding and considering indeed that a persecuting Saul should so soon become a praying Saint Yea Jesus Christ himself being so broken and abased in his spirit with surrounding sorrow in his agony {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he prayed more fervently Luk. 22. 44. then he did as it were bend all his nerves intend the utmost activity of his spirit to wrastle with his heavenly father the Apostle saith he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and teares Heb. 5. 7. Some writings cannot be read but in water and those Petitions of believers which are indited by the spirit with sobs and groanes and swimming along towards God in streams of teares how legible and available are they with God The spirit it selfe helpeth our infirmities See Rom. 8. 26. No spirit can sigh and groane can weep and mourn can tug and wrastle with God like a broken spirit Such a spirit not so much prayes to God as powers out it selfe and all its desires into the bosome of God See Psal. 102. Title of the Psal. Such a spirit prayes importunately pathetically powerfuly of all frames of Soule this melting broken frame of spirit is z most ingenuous eloquent and potent in prayer fetches arguments from the best to picks Gods nature Christs merit Covenant promises c. fils it self full of them as a vessell with new wine urges darts them up vigorously pursues the Lord will let him have no rest will have no nay resolves like Jacob not to let him go till he reach out a blessing Reflect now upon thy self ô Christian where is thy Spirit of Supplication Where those mighty unutterable groanes and desires where those wrastlings c. doest thou not know what a spirit of prayer meanes neither doest thou know what a broken spirit meanes 2. Humility A broken spirit is an humble spirit low in its own eyes thinks worse of it self then of any others or then any others can think of it can preferre the meanest Saint before it selfe counting it selfe the least of Saints if a Saint at all c. But to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit Isai. 66. 2 Poverty of spirit and brokennesse of spirit are familiar companions Again God saith I dwell in the high and holy

of Christs righteousnesse Phil. 3. 7 8. this this is that which so singularly pleaseth God in as much as the person of Christ is most deare to God his beloved son Math. 3. 17. the son of his love Col. 1. 13. his only bogotten son Joh. 3. 16. in whom he is well pleased Math. 3. 17. yea in whom his soule delighteth Isai. 42. 1. and the passion of Christ is an odour of a sweet smell to God Eph. 5. 2. 3. no pillar of most fragrant incense or perfume is any way comparable thereunto Thus brokennesse of spirit intwisted with faith and faith fast linking it selfe to Christ become most gratefull unto God 5. Finally a broken spirit is a self-debasing spirit Can lay it self low before God is vile in its own eyes See this in severall persons The Pharisy and the Publican both of them went up into the Temple to pray but they went about the same work with farre different hearts The Pharisies was stony and unbroken therefore he only exalts himself cracks and brags of himselfe justifies himself before all others But the Publicans heart was fleshy and broken and therefore vilifies himself dejects debases and abhorres himself Luk. 18. 10. to 15. See this in the selfe-same persons comparing them with themselves being found in severall states and conditions Paul before he was broken in heart he was alive Rom. 7. 9. stood much upon his native or acquired Priviledges Phil. 3. 2 3. c. but when once he was kindly broken confesses all these things to be losse yea losse and dung and counts himselfe unworthy to be called an Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 9. lesse then the least of all Saints Eph. 3. 8. chiefe of Sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. now he vailes all his topsayles sits down in the dust Thus the Prodigall when his spirit became broken debases himself exceedingly Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thine hired servants as if he had said any even the meanest of all relations to thee is farr too good for me Luk. 15. 18. 19. Thus the sinfull woman when her heart was penitentially broken for sin how she debases her self she addresses her selfe not to Christs head but to his very feet and there she fals a weeping and with her tears she washes with the hair of her head she wipes with her mouth she kisses and with her costly oyntment she annoynts his very feet thought it honour enough for her and her self exceeding happy that she might have liberty to performe the very meanest and lowest services unto Christ Luk. 7. 38. Oh an heart thoroughly broken for sin is greatly out of conceit with its selfe can lye downe in the dust at the foot of God can be as any thing can be as nothing that God in Christ may be all Now the Lord greatly prizeth a q self-despising spirit hath respect to such Isai. 66. 1 2. will dwell with such to revive them Isa. 57. 15. And how was the selfe-debasing Publican justified before the Pharisy Luk. 18. how was the selfe-debasing Prodigall entertained of his father Luk. 15. 14. yea how was the self-debasing penitentiary commended and comforted by Christ Luk. 7. 44 45 46. who from this principle of broken-heartednesse were so mean and vile in their own apprehensions Hitherto of the Doctrinall handling of this Observation Now to the Practicall Application Is a truly broken spirit such gratefull Sacrifices of God Then how usefull is this Doctrine both to Teach To Try To Exhort and to Comfort us about this mystery of a broken heart This may Teach and inform us chiefly about these two things 1. That there is a vast odds and disparity betwixt that account which God and that which the world hath of a broken spirit With God a broken and a contrite spirit as hath been shewed is most acceptable beyond all Typicall Sacrifices before all meer morall performances and Pharisaicall perfections peculiarly respected of God ranked among the choice and flower of promised blessings the speciall cure of God and the very Home and habitation of the Lord himself most high and holy But on the contrary this brokennesse of heart is with the world and the men of the world most unacceptable is looked upon as a sad mopish melancholy disconsolate distemper alwaies contrary to their genius who resolve to crown themselves with rose-buds before they be withered and to let no flower of the spring over-passe them who say with the rich foole Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many years eate drink and be merry Luc. 12. 19. c. However the Saints know the world is grossely mistaken in this matter of brokennesse of spirit for sin and while God himself counts it his Sacrifices they can say r it is an wholesome brokennesse a sweet bitternesse a joyfull sorrow and happy tears 2. That an unbroken spirit an hard flinty adamantine heart is on the contrary most hatefull and abominable to God A broken and contrite heart he cannot despise an unbroken heart consequently he cannot but despise Take a short view of 1. the nature of an hard heart and 2. of the odiousnesse of such an heart to God The nature of an heard heart which Scripture sometimes calls An heart waxing grosse or fat and so senselesse Act. 28. 27. and often elsewhere a stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26. Hardnesse of heart Mark 3. 5. Hardnesse Rom. 2. 5. c. may be considered as it is hardened 1. Naturally 2. Actually and accidentally 3. Habitually and 4. Judicially 1. Naturally every mans heart is an hard heart a very stone for intractablenesse and obduration This is evident by the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace wherein God first undertakes to remove the stony heart before he give a fleshy heart Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26 27. therefore till God by supernaturall dispensation bestow a tender heart every one by nature lyes under the curse of an heard heart And this naturall hardnesse of heart is compared not to the hardnesse of waxe or brasse or Iron or steele for though these be very hard yet they become soft and malleable by the fire but to the hardnesse of a very stone which will be sooner broken to powder then softned as s Zanchy observes so extreame is our naturall hardnesse 2. Actually and accidentally not only the hearts of naturall men but also even of regenerate persons may contract some hardnesse spirituall security and stupidity by not improving grace received and other means for maintaining and encreasing of tendernesse of heart Thus the Disciples believed not that it was Christ that walked on the Sea because they had forgot the miracles of the loaves and their hearts were hardened Mark 6. 52. This seemes to be an accidentall hardnesse discovered in that act 3. Habitually mens hearts are hardened in sin when by many acts men are so accustomed to

sins of others are bitter but its owne sins are very c wormwood and the gall of bitterness The eyes of such like the Cherubims faces 2 Chron. 3. 13. are inward and most intent upon themselves They know that in themselves that is in their flesh dwells no good Rom. 7. 18. but by nature a meere Randezvouz sink Sodome and Hell of all sinne Originall sin being seminally potentially and dispositively all sins consequently all imaginations thoughts words works in that state only evill continually Gen. 6. 5. and if brought into a state of grace still seeing another law in their members warring c. Rom. 7. 23 a body of death Rom. 7. 24. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that casily-encompassing sin Heb. 12. 1. whence not onely innumerable swarms of errours infirmities c. and that in the best and most spirituall duties do surround them but too often grosse lapses overturne them These things sadly pondered deeply wound and perplex broken spirits so that they are pricked in their hearts Act. 2. 36. they mourne and are in bitterness Zech. 12. 10 11. Their very bones are as it were broken Psal. 51. and they dolefully groane out with the Apostle oh wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. For these things what sighs sobs tears and sorrowes do they powre out before the Lord c Softness of heart making them most sensible of their own corruptions which while their hearts were hardened they little regarded as blots run abroad and seem biggest in wet paper when the cockatrice egge is crushed it breaketh out into a viper Isai. 59. 5. the viper formerly hid and undiscovered then appeares Thus when the carnall heart is crushed and bruised then the toads snakes vipers and vermin of sin are evidenced which till then were not imagined to bee there Philosophers have a maxime grave non gravitat proprio loco An heavy thing is not felt heavy in its owne place as water in the sea but a little of that water out of its proper place is more heavy then can be borne whilst the heart is in its hard sinfull state it s in its element in its owne naturall place sin is no burden but when the heart becomes spiritually broken for sin and is taken out of its naturall condition then the insupportable load of sin is felt with a witnesse Consider is all sin bitter thine owne sin most bitter dost thou cast first stone at thy selfe c. 3. A broken spirit is most perplexed at sin as it is against God as it is against Jesus Christ To sin against so good a God so sweet a Saviour oh how this kills a broken spirit this stab'd David to the heart above all other consideratious that hee had sinned against his God Against thee thee only have I sinned Psal. 51. 4. Against thee that hast made me maintained me loved me delivered me crowned me redeemed me c. oh against thee thee only what had not David sinned against Vriiah's life by murdering him against Bathsheba's chastity by uncleannesse against his owne body the Temple of the holy Ghost by defiling it 1 Cor. 6. 18. 19. and against the honour of Religion scandalizing Gods people and giving great occasion to the enemies of God to blaspeame 2 Sam. 12. 14. All this is true nor intended David to deny it but to shew where the pinch of his griefe principally lay it went most of all to his heart that he had fin'd against such a God And when the Jewes shall be re-implanted into their own stock This shall most deeply pierce them that they did so cruelly and causelesly pierce Christ This shall bring them to mourn as for an only son to be in bitternesse as for a first born to a great mourning as in Hadadrimmon c. for Josiah that best of Kings to a particular private and serious mourning every family apart and their wives apart Zech. 12. 10. 11 12. Hard hearts are chiefly troubled at feare shame or punishment for sin but nothing more melts a broken spirit then that it hath sinned against such matchless● love spurned against melting bowels and offended against such precious blood of such a Saviour oh how it s pricked with Christs crown of thornes how it bleeds over Christs bleeding wounds and for its tearing open Christs side and heart how it could teare its self in pieces 4. A broken spirit trembleth at Gods word and at Gods Rod when God speakes and when God strikes At Gods Word the broken spirit trembleth But to this man will I look even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Isai 66. 2. He trembleth at the promises lest he should distrust them at the d Threats least he should despise them and involve himself in them at the Commands lest he should disobey and violate them c. oh ther 's enough in the word of divine Majesty power and authority to make a Gyants heart to quake Felix the Governour trembled before Paul preaching of judgment c. and Paul at that time but a poore Prisoner in chaines Act. 24 25. Did Felix tremble slavishly how much more do the contrire spirits tremble f●lially They that despise scorne oppose blaspheme the word of God how farre are they from true penitentiall Contrition At Gods Rod also the contrite spirit quakes How did the repenting people of God in Ezra's daies Tremble because of the great Raine Ezr. 10. 9. and this is the judgment of God that hath of late been most extraordinarily inflicted upon this Land for which we are here trembling before the Lord this day sure we have great cause to tremble not onely at the plague of waters it self and the sad consequences of scarcity and dearth which may follow but much more at the wrath of God that appears therein and the sins of England the procuring cause thereof Yea a tender heart trembles at the very shaking of Gods Rod how did good Josiah's heart melt when Gods displeasure against his people did but hang in the threats 2 Chron. 34. 27. 5. Finally A broken spirit humbled and wounded truly for sin sets speedily and seriously upon a reall Reformation Upon reformation both private and publike as his place requires and as opportunity is afforded Privately A broken spirit is studious to reforme it selfe to embrace a new course of life which as e Luther observes is the best Repentance The Prodigall humbled reformes goes to his father bewailes and forsakes his former lewdenesse Luk. 15. Saul humbled by the mighty hand of Christ at his Conversion presently reformes gives over persecuting of the Saints and straightway preached Christ in the Synagogues that he is the sonne of God Act. 9. 20. After Peters heart was broken and he had wept bitterly for his shamefull deniall of his Master Mat. 26. 75. Luk. 22. 62. he so reformed himselfe in this particular that

's his sole prerogative both to take away the heart of stone and to give an heart of flesh Ezek. 11. 19. and 36. 26. 1. God can enlighten and convince the heart of its own hardnesse 2. God can subdue and remove the hearts stoninesse 3. God can infuse an habituall supernaturall tendernesse and 4. God can draw forth that habit into actuall relentings upon all good occasions this is his method God alone can do all in this matter rely only on him for it as the sole author of it 2. By a dutifull attendance upon Gods word in the powerfull Ministry of it This is most quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit Heb. 4. 12. Are our hearts iron the word is as fire to ●o●●en and melt the iron are our hearts stone the word is as an hammer to break the rock in pieces Jer. 23. 29. This instrumentally made King Josiah's heart tender 2 Chron. 34. 19. 27. This made the returned exiles to weep Neh. 8. 9. This pricked Peters hearers in their hearts Act. 2. ●6 oh waite upon this word of God with a lively heart-searching Ministry oh tremble at this mighty working word of God that can through God make an hard heart soft and keep a soft heart tender 3. By a frequent and serious consideration of our own and others sias Others sins may break our hearts as it is cleare in the case of Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 19 c. of David Psal. 119 53. 158. 136. of Ezra Ezr. 9. 1 2 3 4 5. and of those Mourners Ezek. 9. 4. But our own sins may even grinde our hearts to powder as appears here in David Psal. 51. 3 4. 8. my sin is ever before me against thee thee only have I sinned that the bones which thou hast broken as in the Prodigall Luk. 15. 18. 19. as in those Jewes Zech. 12. 10 11 12 c. mans sin makes the whole Creation groan as under a load ready to break its back Rom. 8. 22. and shall not mans own spirit groan and his own heart break under the pressure of his own iniquities In what words shall I a little represent the sins of England and the sins of your own soules unto you for the actuall mollifying of your hearts Think what sin is it is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. the death of the Soule Eph. 〈◊〉 1. the fruites of the flesh Gal. 5. 19. the workes of the Devill 1 Joh. 2. 8. and utter abomination to God Pro. 26. 25. Sin is so foule and filthy that the filth under the nailes and arm-holes f Jam. 1. 21. the vomit of a dog the myre of a swine 2 Pet. 2. 22. the poyson of serpents Rom. 3. 13. the spots of Leopards and the skin of black Moores Jer. 13. 23. the putrifaction and deadly stink of opened sepulchers Rom. 3. 13. and basest g excrements themselves Jam. 1 2● are the similitudes wherein the holy Ghost sets it out to us Sin is the inlet of death and all misery Rom. 5. 12. worse then the Devill for sin made him a Devil and the very Hel of Hell Think against whom sin is committed Against God blessed for ever infinitely pure and cannot look upon it Heb. 1. 13. just and will not clear the guilty Ex. 34. 7. Omniscient knows all sin fully omnipotent can crush all sinners eternally He fashioned thee curiously he hath provided for thee plentifully hath given Christ his own Son to redeem and save thee to the uttermost hath loved thee freely hath alwaies been doing thee good never did thee harme and against him thou hast oftended oh how this wounded David Psal. 51. Against Christ also thou sinnest who became man yea a man of sorrowes yea a worme rather then a man for thee who was tempted betrayed scorned abused bruised wounded for thee who prayed sighed sorrowed sweat drops of blood and powred out his soule to death for thee who loved thee and washed thee from thy sins in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. how should this make thee mourne Zech. 12. 10 11 12. yea against the Spirit that convinceth illuminateth adopteth Sanctifieth s●aleth cōforteth dwelleth in thee Is this thy kindnesse to thy God d●est thou thus requite the Lord oh foolish person and unwise Think by whom sin is acted by them that are to God but as wormes mothes grashoppers as the dust of the ballance as nothing as chaffe before the wind as stubble before the consuming fire your sins hurt not God but your selves If you be holy what do you to him if sinfull what doe you against him Job 35. 6. Think how your sins Englands sins are aggravated being beyond sins of Sodom Samaria Jerusalem because against greater light mercies meanes ordinances then ever they enjoyed against promises and threats kindnesses and judgments the patience of God wonderfull deliverances and a glorious gospell How should such considerations as these even break the soule in pieces 4. By a prudent laying to heart of Gods judgements inflicted This may be a meanes of softening a stony heart when perhaps the word will not penetrate Manasses that would not hearken to Gods word yet melted in his chaines humbled himselfe greatly 2 Chron. 33. 12. How did the people tremble at the great raine Ezr. 10. 9. God implyes that his judgements will make the uncircumcised hearts be humbled and accept the punishment Levit. 26. 41. and bring people to know the plague in their own heart 1 King 8. 38. Consider now how God hath plagued England with his judgements and let your hearts be broken for England and your selves therein Think what variety of judgements are upon the Land The Pestilence hath slain thousands the sword ten thousands The immoderate rain for these divers moneths hindering seed-time with some or washing seed sowne out of the ground with others and so threatning a famine The murrain among horses and cattell in some places as is credibly reported and which is heavier then all the spirit of errour and heresie that spreads and frets among us as a Gangrene so many being given up to strong delusion to believe a lye 2 Thes. 2. 11. how are these judgements concatenated together and pursue one another as Jobs messengers and the billowes of the Sea and Gods hand is stretched out still Think of the impartiality of Gods judgments upon us No degree sex or age hath been spared King and subject Nobles and ignoble Magistrates Ministers high and low rich and poor all have tasted of Gods severity Think of Gods wrath and displeasure that discovers it self in all his frown more heavy then the frownes of all the world if he looke but upon the earth it trembleth if he touch the hills they smoak Psal. 104. 32. shall not we tremble when he is angry Think of Englands sins deserving all these and worse these shafts that fall upon our heads we first shot