Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	covenant_n	heart_n	new_a	6,959	5	6.8797	4	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

this subject that it is the sacrifices of God The copula knitting both together is not expressed in the Hebrew text but must necessarily be supplyed to make up the sense perfect is or are therefore here the word are is put in a different character Now for clearing the sense of this Proposition these things are a litle to be opened Viz. 1. What is here meant by the word Spirit 2. What is intended by a broken spirit 3. In what sense we are to understand that such a broken spirit is the sacrifices of God First By the word spirit {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Scripture is wont to poin● out to us many s●veral things If any word in the Old or New Testament be of multifarious signification certainly this word spirit is one But as to this place by Spirit here understand First Not the regenerate part in a child of GOD in whom spirit stands opposed to flesh Grace to sin The spirit lusteth against the flesh and the flesh lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. See also Ioh. 3. 6. For in this place brokennesse and contrition is rather a spark of that Regenerate part and part of the new man subj●ctively inherent and seated in the spirit here spoken of as the Receptacle of it Secondly Nor the intellective part as distinct from the sensitive and from the corporeal part of man as the Apostle makes the distribution that your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blamelesse 1 Thes. 5. 23. As Calvin b Beza and others observe Which spirit is elsewhere stiled the spirit of the mind For though the Intellective part as some of the c schoolmen think be the more special subject of this brokennesse yet cannot the sensitive appetite besecluded yea the body it self cannot but sympathize and become broken when the heart and spirit are broken Thirdly But here understand the heart or soul of man principally which is the most proper receptive subj●ct of this penitential brok●nnesse Secondly By {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A Broken spirit thus conceive in general d It is a metaphor from ●orporal things as from an Earthen vessel a tree the bones or body of a man or the like which are properly liable to be broken and that I may here allude to the Hebrew word here used shivered-topieces The spirit cannot be s●…d to be Broken properly but allusively metaphorically when for sin c. it is humbled as in Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 12. It is pricked and wounded as in Peters hearers Act. 2. 37. it is softned and melted as in Josiah 2 Chron. 34. 27. it is in bitternesse as in those intended in Zech. 12. 10 11. c. More particularly here understand by brokennesse of spirit 1. Not a meer natural brokennesse and tendernesse which ariseth from the tender temper and constitution of the heart and eyes by Nature which is in some more some lesse whence they are ready to receive impressions of griefe and to make Expressions in tears upon occasion of any pathetical objects This being but a fruit of Nature cannot be the spiritual sacrifices of God acceptable unto him 2. Not a meer worldly Brokennesse and grief of Heart arising from some worldly ground or occasion c. Such as Jacobs grief for Joseph supposed to be torn in peeces GEN. 37. 33 34 35. Of David for Absalom 〈◊〉 SAM. 18. 33. Of Rachel for her children MAT. 2. 18. As streams of water wil not ascend higher then the fountain head whence they first tooke their rise so these streams of worldly contrition arising meerly from a worldly Principle can never ascend higher then the world and in fine the sorrow of the world worketh death 2 Cor. 7. 10. 3. Not any formal fained e hypocritical brokenness for sin wch comes neerest to true Penitential brokenness and is the livelyest sh●dow or picture of it but no more whereby a man may be first Convinced mightily of his sin committed Secondly Wounded and afflicted in Conscience deeply upon such conviction Thirdly Even forced voluntarily to confess the sin publickly before others for which he is perplexed Fourthly Brought to make some outward Satisfaction by Restitution of dishonest gain Fifthly And at last through extremity of anguish and horror of conscience be so swallowed up of utter despair as to make away himself All these were found in Iudas who yet never found a true Brokennesse of spirit Mat. 27. 3 4 5. But the God of Truth delights only in Truth and sincerity abhorrs Hypocrisy 4. But here understand only a true gracious p●nitential brokennesse of heart for sin when the heart is kindly pricked melted humbled and in bitternesse for sin and finding no rest nor remedy in it self nor in any created comfort makes out only to Gods favor in Jesus Christ for support and ease This is a proper fruit of that sweet Spirit of grace promised Zech. 12. 10 11 12. This is that godly sorrow that worketh repentance not to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. This is for substance that Repentance unto life Act. 11. 18. or an eminent branch thereof And this was that Brokennesse of spirit which was upon David in p●…ning this Psalm which he declares to be the acceptable sacrifices of God Verse 17. This brokennesse of spirit in a child of God may be considered either as it is 1. Habitual viz. That habit of brokenness tenderness c. which is infused into the heart of the Regenerate at first conversion which is called in the New Covenant an heart of flesh Ezek. 11. 19. 36. 26. The heart of stone noting that habitual hardness that is in carnal men The heart of flesh that habitual softness and brokenness that is in spiritual men 2. As it is Actual viz. That exercise of brokenness and tenderness of heart for sin upon just occasions as David reduced his brokenness into act upon his fall c. That is a brokenness impressed on us this a brokennesse expressed by us 3. In what sense is such a broken spirit here stiled The S●crifices of God Ans. This phrase {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The sacrifices of God may bear a double interpretation viz. either first As denoting the singular excellency of this sacrifice of a broken heart For its usual in the Hebrew tongue to add the name of God to a thing to set out the excellency thereof as the Mountains of God i. e. exceeding high Mountains Psa. 36. 6. Cedars of God i. e. most tall Cedars Psa. 80. 11. Rivers of God Psa. 65. 10. Wrastlings of God i. e. Great Wrastlings Gen. 30. 8. Harps of God Rev. 15. 2. c. so here Sacrifices of God i. e. most choyce excellent Sacrifices Or secondly As signifying the peculiar gratefulnesse and singular acceptablenesse of this sacrifice to God above all the typical sacrifices of the Law none of them all please God so wel as the broken and contrite spirit this to God is the Sacrifice

manner and end of all our penitentiall mournings for sinne doe we not come short of duty alas for us ipsae Lachrymae sunt Lachrymabiles c. we had need to weeep over our teares sigh over our sobs mourne over our griefes be broken for our brokennnsse and to repent over our very repentance not that these duties are performed by us but that they are performed no better when we doe our best so much flesh adheres to all We read of Davids broken bones but we read not of his merit m we read of Peters bitter teares for his sin but we read not a word of their satisfaction that must be left for ever to the blood of Christ Affirmatively a broken spirit is a most gratefull sacrifice to God because 1. A broken spirit is a spirituall sacrifice Herein not the bodies or blood of dead bruit-beasts but the spirit i● selfe of ●…g and reasonable man even his very heart and soule is sacrificed to God and the spirit of one man is better then all the beasts and earthly creatures in the whole world And the spirit of man offered is not his spirit as stony and carna●… but as broken and spiritualized with godly sorrow and repentance The spirit is the best of man a broken spirit is the best of spirits Now God insists much upon the spiritualnesse of his sacrifices and services he specially calls for the heart My son give me thine heart Pro. 23. 26. all the Gospell-sacrifices which are acceptable to God in Christ they are spirituall Sacrifices 1 Pet. 2. 5. living sacrifices I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable service or your service according-to-the-Word Rom. 12. 1. God himselfe is a spirit and will be worshipped in spirit Joh. 4. 24. and the more the spirit of man is spiritualized the more it becomes both like God and liked of God 2. A broken spirit is a true and sincere spirit It doth not hypocritically cover its sin like Adam Job 31 33. or spare any iniquity as Saul did Agag c. But like a broken vessell le ts all runne out ingenuously spreads open all its own vilenesses before the Lord takes the shame of all upon its own face le ts all lye loose As water myre stones heterogeneals which were inseperably congealed in a hard bound frost yet they all lye loose when there comes a kindly thaw so the heart that was once congealed in the mire and dregs of sin when with penitentiall brokennesse it is kindly thawed and dissolved sins that stuck fastest in the soule lie loose the spirit longs to be rid of them all as here broken-spirited David lamented both originalls and actualls he spares not even his foulest and shamefullest miscarriages would be thoroughly purged from all Psal. 51. 2. 7. Thus Paul after he became a man of a broken spirit freely rips up his foulest enormities confesseth he was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious 1. Tim. 1. 13. elsewhere he saith I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth Which thing I also did in Jerusalem and many of the Saints did I shut up in prison having received Authority from the chiefe Priests and when they were put to death I gave my voice against them and I punished them oft in every Synagogue and compelled them to blaspheame and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange Cities Act. 26. 9. 10. 11. And it is observeable how Gods promise of an heart of flesh is coupledwith the promise of sprinkling clean water upon his people of cleansing them from all their filthinesse and from all their uncleannesses Ezek. 36. 25. 26. 29. An heart of flesh and uncleannesses cannot peaceably lodge together it would sincerely abandon all n is in bitternesse for all and taketh pleasure in that bitternesse Counterfeits not trouble for sin like the Pharisies with their sower disfigured faces Math. 6. Squeezes not out a few crocodiles tears c. but his very soule bleeds and his eye trickles down with teares in secret powring out complaints into the bosome of God when no eye but his sees Ille dolet verè qui sine teste dolet Now God calls for uprightnesse walk before me and be thou upright Gen. 17. 1. he loves sincerity and Truth in the inward parts Psal. 51. 6. and Nathaniel is prized and commended of Christ for a True Israelite indeed because in him there was no guile Joh. 1. 27. 3. A broken spirit is a gracious spirit It s part of the Grace promised in the Current of the New Covenant Ezek. 11. 19. c. and 36. 26 27. c. its one fruit and that a Principall one of the spirit of grace promised Zech. 12. 10. c. Consequently its part of that precious image of God consisting in true holinesse Eph. 4. 24. and a rich linke of that admirable chain of o grace about the Churches neck Cant. 4. 9. And therefore God is much taken with a truly broken heart he cannot chuse but accept and prize his own Graces in us love his own image and the reflexive rayes of his own beauty upon us Christ pathetically professeth to his Church as much Thou hast ravisht my heart my sister my spouse thou hast ravisht my heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck The smell of thine oyntments is better then all spices the smell of thy Garments is like the smell of Lebanon Cant. 4. 9. 10. 11. 4. A truly broken spirit is also a believing spirit Faith and repentance are inseparable twins bred together in one and the same sanctified womb of the converted Soule Faith first is in us in order of nature at least but actuall Repentance is apt first to appear as sap and life are first in the root yet buds leaves and fruit first discover themselves in the branches They shall look upon me whom they have pierced ther'e 's faith for with what other eye can they behold Christ crucifyed And they shall monrn for him c. ther 's brokennesse of spirit resulting from it Zech. 12. 10. There is an hard Question in Divinity whether Faith be not part of Repentance p Thus some Resolve If Repentance be considered largely for the whole worke of Conversion so faith is comprized in it if strictly so it is the cause thereof however they are neerly allyed Sister-graces Now faith wonderfully pleaseth God Heb. 11. 5 6. hence that we read of such a Catalogue of Faiths Triumphs and glorious atchievments in that Chap. Faith most highly honours God and God highly honours faith Faith clasps fast hold of Jesus Christ as its peculiar object and comes into the presence of God with Christ crucified in its Armes urges his person and passion as sinnes propitiation Counts all self-righteousnesse losse and dung in comparison

we never after read that he relapsed into the same sin yea we read our Saviours Prophecy of him that he should glorifie God by being himself crucified for Christ and his Truth Joh. 21. 18. Publiquely A broken spirit is desirous also to reforme others It is very remarkable in Scriptures that when Magistrates and Rulers became men of contrite and broken spirits indeed they could not rest and terminate in Personall but did proceed to publique Reformation in the Kingdome and Church wherein they lived Thus Ezra hearing of the sins of the people of the land and of the Princes by unlawfull marriages with the Heathens rent his garment and mantle and pluckt off the haire of his head and of his beard and sate downe astonyed Ezr. 9. 1 2 3. here are notable symptomes how his spirit was broken for their sins consequently both Ezra and the people weeping very sore set upon Reformation to put away all the strange wives and their children and Ezra made them Covenant and sweare to God to do it and after tooke course to have it done Ezra 10. 1 2 3 4 5 c. Thus good King Josiah his heart being tender and his spirit melted at consideration of the peoples sinnes he sets presently and vigorously upon publique Reformation makes the Law of God be publiquely read enters into Covenant with God to keep his Commandements and his Testimonies and his Statutes with all his heart with all his soul caused all that were present in Hierusalem and Benjamin to stand to it took away all the abominations out of all the Countreys that pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were present in Israel to serve to serve the Lord their God and all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord the God of their Fathers here was Reformation to purpose 2 Chron. 34. 19. 27. 29. to the end of the Chap. Yea Mannasses himself that prodigious monster of wickednesse 2 Chron. 33. 2. to 11. when in his affliction his heart was broken so that he besought the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers Even then this Mannasses set upon publike Reformation for he tooke away the strange Gods and Idols out of the house of the Lord and all the Altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord and in Ierusalem and cast them out of the City And he repaired the Altar of the Lord and sacrificed thereon peace-offerings and thank-offerings and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel 2 Chron. 32. 12. 15. 16. Thus he 1. removed the abominations which himselfe had erected 2. restored the pure worship of God which himself destroyed and 3. commanded Iudah to serve the Lord God of Israel who could have expected such a Reformation from Manasses his humbled spirit could not chuse but reforme Then what Church and State need despaire of Reformation if the Lord would but thoroughly humble and breake the hearts of Princes and Rulers as he did Manasses Right Honorable this in speciall concernes you be pleased to consider these three ●amous Magistrates how when their spirits were broken they speedily and se●iously testified the same in publike Reformations get you broken hearts like them you will r●●orme 〈◊〉 them It 's true you and the people have sworne and covenanted with God a publike Reformation according to the Word of God c. And God hath honoured you to lay some foundations of Reformation for which we blesse God hoping that these beginnings will still be carried forward to perfection and that God will not despise the day of small things Zech. 4. 10. But yet both Church and State still cry out for further Reformation how doth the Common-wealth groane under wofull oppression injustice and all manner of violence and wrong as much if not more then ever O hasten to save the poore Kingdome from these destructive evills But how doth the Church of God not onely groane but even languish faint and dye continually under those cursed diseases of error heresie blasphemy licentiousness divisions disorder and confusion horrid Atheisme and all manner of prophanness Are there not amongst us that say we have no Church no Ministry no Ordinances that oppose and deny the Scriptures the immortality of the soule the divinity of Christ the deity of the Holy-Ghost and almost all the fundamentals of Religion yea and all visible outward Reformation Whither are wee falling should these things still pass on without controule what Religion shall we leave to our posterity Can we redresse these distempers Ministers may preach people may petition and both may pray but if you sit still who are Heires of Restraint Judg. 18. 7. who bear the sword and should not beare the sword in vain Rom. 13. where shall we have healing you have power to hinder you have sworne to extirpate these evills if they be not extirpated we may justly fear they will extirpate both you and us at last Let it not be said of these lewd persons as once of Elies sons They have made themselves vile but you restrained them not you know it 's an old maxime in Divinity Qui cùm possit non prohibet jubet He that can but doth not hinder evill commandeth it God forbid you should contract such guilt upon your selves Besides these evills to be removed are there not many necessary parts of Reformation wanting as the publike Confession of Faith and Catechism besides many things in Church-Government c. Oh that the perfecting of these might be accelerated oh gird on zeal be valiant for the truth accomplish the Reformation imitate those broken-hearted Reformers never let it be said that you should come short of King Manasses Be strong and the Lord shall be with you This Doctrine may serve to Exhort all persons that desire either this day or at any time hereafter to present the Lord with Sacrifices acceptable indeed that they get and keep broken spirits These are the Sacri●ices of God these he will not despise but without these all your Prof●ssions Prayers Duties c. will be utterly rejected But how shall we get and keep broken Spirits hic labor hoc opus est Her'e 's the difficulty Answ. A broken spirit may be obtained and maintained 1. By a due dependance upon God alone in Jesus Christ for a broken spirit without God and Christ thou canst not breake thine own heart nor can all the world do it for thee thou maist aswell think to hold the winds in thy fist from blowing and the waves of the Sea from rolling up and down and roaring to span the vast Ocean with thy fingers to hold the huge globe of the Earth in the hollow of thy hand and to stop the course of the Sun and Moon in the firmament as to instill into thine own heart true penitential brokennesse Only God gives repentance 2 Tim. 2. 25. only God that made the heart can melt and mend the heart It

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

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