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 ... by a eminent minister of the Gospel in London. Bunyan, John, 1628-1688. 1689 Approx. 206 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 135 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A30118 Wing B5480 ESTC R4996 12085612 ocm 12085612 53735 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A30118) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 53735) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 57:2) 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 ... by a eminent minister of the Gospel in London. Bunyan, John, 1628-1688. [24], 228 p. Printed for and are to be sold by George Larkin ..., London : 1689. Preface signed: George Cokayn. Reproduction of original in British Library. Imperfect: Parts of t.p. illegible. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Repentance. 2005-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-03 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-04 Melanie Sanders Sampled and proofread 2005-04 Melanie Sanders Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion 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 pre●●x●● thereunto , by a● Eminent Minister of the ●●●pel in LONDON . LONDON , Printed for , and are to be Sold by George L●●ki● 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. 1● . 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. ●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 ●y which is manifest , the Un●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 , the● 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 h●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 P●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 , 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 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 mar●nt has it , that be Contrite of spirit , Psal. 34. 18. And this is the conclusion of ●l ; For to Save a man , is the and of all special Meroy . 〈…〉 ●veth such as be of 〈◊〉 Contrite ●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 tha● 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 Sign● 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 . ●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 ● Hammer , that breaketh the Ro●● in pieces ? Jer. 23. 29. The Rock in his Text , is th● Heart , which in another place ▪ is compared to an Adamant ▪ which Adamant , is harder than Flint , Zach. ● ▪ 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 Bala●m ▪ go without an Heart rightly broken , and truly con●●●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 sti●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. H●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 F●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 ha● 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 ●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 i● 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 hi● 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 , ●e cannot be one of these , no ●ore than he that has his Bones 〈…〉 oken can rejoyce that he is de 〈…〉 red to play a Match at Football . ●ence to hear others talk foo 〈…〉 shly , is to the grief of those whom God has wounded : Or , 〈…〉 it is in another place , Their ●ords are like the piercings of a Sword , Psal. 69. 26. Prov. 12. 〈…〉 This therefore , I take to 〈…〉 the meaning of these two Word● A Broken and a Contrite Spirit ▪ Fourthly and lastly , As to 〈…〉 I now come more particularly to give you some Signs of a Brok●● Heart , of a broken and a contri 〈…〉 Spirit . First , A Broken-hearted-ma● 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 fee● ▪ ing of what the Broken-hearte● ▪ 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 n●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. ● . 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 acquainted with , that has his Heart Broken. 3. As he Sees and Feels , so ●e HEARS that which augments his Woe and Sorrow . You know , if a man has his Bones broken , he does not only See and Feel , but oft-times also , Hears what encreases his Grief ; as that his Wound 's uncurable , that his Bone is not rightly sett , that there is danger of a G●●green , that he may be lost for want of looking to . These are the Voices , the Sayings , that haunt the House of one that has his Bones broken . And a Broken-hearted Man knows what I mean by this ; he hears that which makes his Lips quiver , and at the noise of which , he seems to feel Rottenness enter into his Bones : He trembleth in himself , and wishes that he may hear Joy and Gladness ▪ that the Bones , the Heart and Spirit which God has Broken. may rejoyce , Hab. 3. 16. Psal. 51. 8. He thinks he hears God say , the Devil say , his Conscience say , and all good Men to whisper among themselves , saying , There is no help for him in God , Job heard this , David heard this , Heman heard this ; and this is a common sound in the Ears of the Broken-hearted . 4. The Broken-hearted SMELL what others cannot scent : Alas ! Sin never smell'd so to any man alive , as it smells to the Broken-hearted . You know , Wounds will stink ; but no stink like that of Sin , to the Broken-hearted Man : His own Sins stink , and so doth the Sins of all the World , to him . Sin is like Carrion , 't is of a stinking Nature ; yea , it has the worst of smells , however some Men like it , Psal. 38. 5. But none are offended with the scent thereof , but God , and the Broken hearted Sinner ; My Wounds stink and are corrupt , saith he , both in God's Nostrils , and mine own . But , alas ! Who smells the ●tink of Sin ? None of the Carnal World ; they , like Carrion-Grows , seek it , love it , and eat ●t as the Child eats Bread. They ●at up the Sin of my People , saith God , and set their Heart on their ●niquity , Hos. 4. 8. This I say , they do , because they do not smell the Nautious Scent of Sin : You know , that what is Nautious to the smell , cannot be Pallatable to the Taste . The Broken-hearted Man doth find , that Sin is nautious , and therefore cries out , it stinketh . They also think at times , the smell of Fire , of Fire and Brimstone , is upon them , they are so sensible of the Wages due to Sin. 5. The Broken-hearted , is also a Tasting Man. Wounds , i● sore , and full of Pains , of great Pains , do sometimes alter the Taste of a Man. They make him think , his Meat , his Drink yea , that Cordials have a bitter Taste in them . How many times doth the poor People of God , that are the only men that know what a Broken-heart doth mean , cry out , that Gravel , Wormwood , Gall and Vinegar , was made their Meat , Lam. 3● 15 , 16 , 19. This Gravel , Gall and Wormwood , is the true temporal Taste of Sin ; and God to make them loath it for ever , doth feed them with it , till their Hearts both ake , and break therewith Wickedness is pleasant of Tast● to the World Hence 't is said , They feed on Ashes , they feed on Wind , sa . 44. 20. Hos. 12. 1. Lusts , or any thing that is Vile and refuse , the Carnal World think ●elishes well ; as is set out most notably in the Parable of the Prodigal Son , He would fain have filled his Belly , saith our Lord , with the Husks that the Swine did Eat . But the Broken-hearted Man has a relish that 's true as to these things ; though by reason of the anguish of his Soul , it also abhors all manner of dainty Meat , Job 33. 19 , 20. Psal. 107. 17 , 18 , 19. Thus I have shewed you one sign of a Broken-hearted Man ; he is a sensible Man , he has all the Sences of his Soul awakened , he can See , Hear , Feel , Taste , Smell , and that as none but himself can do . I come now to another sign of a Broken and Contrite Man. Secondly , And that is , He is a very sorrowful Man. Thus , as the other is natural , 't is natural to one that is in Pain , and that has his Bones broken , to be a grieved and sorrowful Man. He is none of the jolly ones of the times , nor can he , for his Bones , his Heart , his Heart is broken . 1. He is sorry for that he feels and finds in himself , a Pravity of Nature : I told you before , he is sensible of it , he sees it , he feels it ; and here I say , he is sorry for it . 'T is this that makes him call himself wretched Man ; 't is this that makes him loath and abhor himself ; 't is this that makes him Blush ; blush before God and be Ashamed , Rom. 7. 24. Job 42. 5 , 6. Ezek. 36. 31. He finds by Nature , no Form nor Comllness in himself ; but the more he looks in the Glass of the Word , the more Unhandsom , the more Deformed he perceiveth Sin has made him : Every Body sees not this , therefore every Body is not sorry for it : But the broken in Heart , sees that he is by Sin corrupted , marr'd , full of Lewdness and Naughtiness ; he sees that in him , that is , in his Flesh dwells no good thing ; and this makes him sorry , yea , it makes him sorry at Heart . A Man that has his Bones broken , finds he is spoil'd , marr'd , disabled from doing as he would and should , at which he is grieved and made sorry . Many are sorry for actual Transgressions , because they do oft bring them to shame before Men ; but , but few are sorry for the Defects that Sin has made in Nature , because they see ▪ not those . Defects themselves . A Man cannot be sorry for the sinful Defects of Nature , till he sees they have rendred him contemptible to God ; nor is it any thing but a sight of God , that can make him truly see what he is , and so be heartily sorry for being so . Now mine Eyes see thee , said Job , now I abhor my self . Woe is me , I am undone , said the Prophet , for mine Eyes have seen the Lord , the King. And 't was This that made Daniel say , his Comliness in him was turned into Corruption ; For he had now the Vision of the Holy One , Job 42. 6. Isa. 6. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. Dan. 10. 8. Visions of God , break the Heart , because by the sight the Soul then has of his Perfections , it sees its own infinite , and unspeakeakable Disproportion , because of the Vileness of its Nature . Suppose a Company of ugly , uncomly , deformed Persons , dwelt together in one house ; and suppose , that they never yet saw any Man or Woman more than themselves , that were Arrayed with the Splendors and Perfections of Nature : These would not be capable of comparing themselves with any but themselves , and consequently , would not be affected , and made sorry , for their uncomly , natural Defections . But now , bring them out of their Cells and Holes of Darkness , where they have been shut up by themselves , and let them take a view of the Splendor and Perfections of Beauty that are in others ; and 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 yet appears , 1. In his Thankfulness for Natural Life : He reckone●● 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 a● Stubble , and the Words of God but as Rotten Wood : Now , with what an Eye doth he loo● 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 ●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 ●●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 ●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. ●7 . Hence David when he had his Broken Heart , felt he wanted Washing , he wanted Purging , he wanted to be made White : He knew that Spiritual Riches lay there , but he did not so well perceive , that God had wash'd and purged him ▪ Yea , he rather was afraid that all was going , that he was in danger of being cast out of God's Presence , and that the Spirit of Grace would be utterly taken from him . See Psalm 51. That 's the first thing : The Broken-hearted is Poor , because he knows his Wants . Secondly , The Broken-hearted is Poor , because he knows , he cannot help himself to what he knows he wants . The Man that has a broken Arm , as he knows it , so he knows of himself he cannot Set it . This therefore is a second thing , that declares a Man is Poor , otherwise he is not so : For , suppose a Man wants never so much , yet if he can but help himself , if he can Furnish himself , if he can supply his own wants out of what he has , he cannot be a poor Man : Yea , the more he wants ▪ the greater is his Riches , if he can supply his own wants out of his own Purse . He then is the poor Man , that knows his spiritual want , and also knows he cannot supply , or help himself . But this the Broken-hearted knows , therefore he in his own Eyes , is the only Poor Man. True , he may have something of his own , but that will not supply his want , and therefore he is a poor man still . I have Sacrifices , says David , but thou dost not desire them , therefore my Poverty remains , Psalm 51. 16. Led is not Gold , Led is not currant Money with the Merchant : There is none has spiritual Gold to Sell but Christ , Rev. 3. 18. What can a Man do to procure Christ , to procure Faith or Love ? Yea , had he never so much of his own carnal Excellencies , not one Penny of it will go for Pay , in that Market where Grace is to be had . If a Man would give all the Substance of his House for Love , it would be utterly Contemned , Song 8. 7. This the Broken-hearted Man perceives , and therefore he sees himself to be spiritually poor : True , he has a broken Heart , and that 's of great Esteem with God , but that is not of Natures Goodness ; that 's a Gift , a Work of God , that 's the Sacrifices of God : Besides , a Man cannot remain content , and at rest with that ; for that in the nature of it , does but shew him he is poor , and that his wants are such as himself cannot supply . Besides , there 's but little ease in a broken Heart . Thirdly , The Broken-hearted Man is poor and sees it , Because he finds he is now disabled to live any way else , but by BEGGING . This David betook himself to , though he was a King ; for he knew as to his Souls health , he could live no way else : This poor Man cryed , saith he , and the Lord heard him , and saved him out of all his Troubles . ( Psal. 34. 6. ) And this leads me to the fifth Sign . Fifthly , Another sign of a broken Heart , is a Crying , a Crying OUT . Pain you know will make one cry : Go to them that have upon them the anguish of broken Bones , and see if they don't cry ; Anguish makes them cry . This , this is that which quickly follows , if once thy Heart be Broken , and thy Spirit indeed made Contri●e . First , I say , Anguish will make thee cry . Trouble and Anguish , said David , have taken hold upon me , Psal. 119. 143. Anguish you know , doth naturally provoke to crying ; now as a broken Bone has anguish , a broken Heart has anguish : Hence the Pains of one that has a Broken Heart , are compared to the Pangs of a Woman in Travel , John 16 20 , 21 , 22. 1. Anguish will make one cry alone , cry to ones self ; and this is called a bemoaning of of ones self . I have surely hear'd Ephraim bemoaning himself , said God , Jer. 31. 18. That is , being at present under the breaking chastizing Hand of God : Thou hast Chastised me , saith he , and I was Chastised , as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoak : This is his meaning also , who said , I mourn in my Complaint , and make a noise ; and why ? Why , My Heart is Pained within me , Psal. 53. 2 , 3 , 4. This is a Self bemoaning , a bemourning themselves in Secret and Retired Places . You know , it is common with them who are distrest with Anguish , though all alone , to cry out to themselves of their present Pains , saying , O my Leg ! O my Arm ! O my Bowels ! Or as the Son of the Shun●mi●●● Son , My Head , my Head , 2 King. 4. 19. O the Groans , the Sighs , the Cries , that the Broken-hearted have , when by themselves or alone ! O say they , my Sins , my Sins , my Soul , my Soul : How am I loaden with Guilt ? How am I surrounded with Fear ? O this hard , this desperate , this unbelieving Heart ! O how Sin defileth my Will , my Mind , my Conscience ! I am Afflicted and ready to die , Psal. 88. 15. Could some of you carnal People , but get behind the the Chamber Door , to hear Ephraim when he is at the work of Self-bemoaning , 't would make you stand amazed to hear him bewail that Sin in himself , in which you take delight ; and to hear him bemoan his mispending of time , while you spend all in pursuing your filthy Lusts ; and to hear him offended with his Heart , because 't will not better comply with God's Holy Will , while you are afraid of his Word and ways , and never think your selves better , than when farthest off of God. The Unruliness of the Passions , and Lusts of the Broken hearted , make them often get into a Corner , and thus bemoan themselves . Secondly , As they thus cry out in a bemoaning manner of , and to themselves ; so they have their Out-cries of , and against themselves , to others , As she said in another Case , Behold and see , if there be any Sorrow like my Sorrow , Lam. 1. 12. O the the bitter Cries and Complaints that the Broken-hearted have , and make to one another ! Still every one imagining , that his own Wounds are deepest , and his own Sores fullest of anguish , and hardest to be Cured . Say they , If our Iniquities be upon us , and we pine away in them , how can we then live ? Ezek. 33. 10. Once being at an honest Womans House , I after some Pause , asked her how she did , she said , Very badly ; I asked her if she was sick , she answered No ; VVhat then said I ? Are any of your Children ill ? She told the No : VVhat , said I , is your Husband amiss , or do you go back in the VVorld ? No , no , said she , But I am afraid I shall not be saved . And brake out with hea●● Heart , saying , Ah Goodman Bunyan ! Christ and a PITCHER ; if I had Christ , though I went and begged my Bread wtth a Pitcher , 't would be better with me , than I think it is now . This VVoman had her Heart broken , this VVoman wanted Christ , this VVoman was concerned for her Soul : There are but few VVomen , rich VVomen , that count Christ and a Pitcher , better than the VVorld , their Pride and Pleasures . This VVomans Cries are worthy to be Recorded : 'T was a Cry that carried in it , not only a sence of the want , but also of the worth of Christ. This Cry , Christ and a Pitcher , made a melodious Noise in the Ears of the very Angels . But I say , few VVomen cry out thus ; few VVomen are so in love with their own Eternal Salvation , as to be willing to part with all their Lusts and Vanities , for Jesus Christ and a Pitcher . Good Jacob alio was thus ; If the Lord , said he , will give me Bread to eat , and R●●ment to put on , then he shall be my God : Yea , he Vowed it should be so . And Jacob ●owed a Vow , saying , If God will be with me , and keep me in this way that I go , and will give me Bread to eat , and Rayment to put on ; so that I come again to my Father's House in Peace : Then shall the Lord be my God , Gen. 28. 3. As they bemoan themselves , and make their Complaints to one and another , so they cry to God. O God , said Heman , I have cryed Day and Night to thee : But when ? VVhy , when his Soul was full of trouble , and his Life grew near to the Grave ; Psal. 88. 1 , 2 , 3. Or as it says in another place , Out of the Deep , out of the Belly of Hell Cryed I : By such VVords , Expressing what painful Condition they were in when they cried , Psal. 130. 1. Jonah 2. 2. See how God himself VVords it , My Pleasant Portion , says he , is become a Desolate Wilderness , and being desolate , it Mourneth unto me , Jer. 12. 11. And this also is natural to those whose Heart is Broken. Whether goes the Child , when it catcheth harm , but to its Father , to its Mother ? Where doth it lay its Head , but in their Laps ? Into whose Bosom doth it pour out its Complaint , more especially , but into the Bosom of a Father , of a Mother ; because there is Bowels , there is Pity , there is Relief and Succour ? And thus it is with them , whose Bones , whose Heart is broken : 'T is natural to them , they must cry , they cann't but cry to him . Lord heal me , said David , for my Bones are vexed ; Lord heal me , for my Soul is vexed , Psal. 6. 1 , 2 , 3. He that cannot cry , feels no Pain , sees no Want , fears no Danger , or else is Dead . Sixthly , Another Sign of a Broken Heart , and of a Contrite Spirit , is , It Trembleth at God's Word . To him that is Poor , and of a Contrite Spirit , and Trembleth at my Word , Isa. 66. 2. The Word of God , is an awful Word to a Broken-hearted Man. Solomon says , The Word of a King is as the Roaring of a Lyon ; and if so , what is the Word of God ? ( For by the Wrath and Fear , is meant the Authoritative Word of a King. ) We have a Proverb , The Burnt Child dreads the Fire ; The whipp'd Child fears the Rod ; even so the Broken-hearted fears the Word of God. Hence you have a Remark set upon them that Tremble at God's Word : To wit , They are they that keep among the Godly ; they are they that keep within Compass ; they are they that are aptest to Mourn , and to stand in the Gapp , when God is angry ; And to turn away his Wrath from a People . 'T is a Sign the Word of God has had Place , and wrought Powerfully , when the Heart trembleth at it , is afraid , and stands in awe of it . When Joseph's Mistress tempted him to lie with her , he was afraid of the Word of God ; How shall I do this great Wickedness , said he , and sin against God ? He stood in awe of God's Word , durst not do it , because he kept in Remembrance , what a dreadful thing 't was to Rebel against God's Word . When old Eli heard that the Ark was taken , his very Heart trembled within him ; for he read by that sad loss , that God was angry with Israel , and he knew the Anger of God , was a great and terrible thing . When Samuel went to Bethlehem , the Elders of the Town Trembled , for they feared that he came to them with some sad Message from God , and they had had Experience of the dread of such things before , Gen. 39. 7 , 8 , 9. 1 Sam. 4. 13. 16. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4. When Ezra would have a Mourning in Israel for the Sins of the Land , he sent , And there came to him every one that trembled at the Words of the God , of Israel , because of the Transgressions of those , that had been carried away , Ezek. 9. 4. There are , I say , a sort of People , that tremble at the Words of God , and that are afraid of doing ought that is contrary to them ; but they are only such , with whose Souls and Spirits the Word has had to do . For the rest , they are resolved to go on their course , let God say what he will. As for the Word of the Lord , said Rebellious Israel to Jeremiah , which thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord , we will not hearken unto it : But we will do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own Mouth , Jer. 44. 16 , 17. But , do you think , that these People did ever feel the Power and Majesty of the Word of God , to break their Hearts ? No verily ; had that been so , they would a trembled at the Words of God , they would a been afraid of the Words of God. God may command some People what he will , they 'll do what they list . What care they for God ? What care they for his Word ? Neither Threats nor Promises , neither Punishments or Favours , will make them obedient to the Word of God ; & all because they have not felt the Power of it , their Hearts have not been broken with it . When King Josias did but read in God's Book , what Punishment God had threatned against rebellious Israel ; though he himself was a holy and good Man. He Humbled himself , he rent his Clothes , and wept before the Lord , and was afraid of the Judgment threatned , 2 King. 22. ● Chron : 34. For he knew what a dreadful thing the Word of God is . Some Men , as I said before , dare do any thing , let the Word of God be never so much against it ; but they that tremble at the Word , dare not do so . No , they must make the Word their rule for all they do ; they must go to the Holy Bible , and there enquire what may , or may not be done ; for they tremble at the Word . This then ▪ is another Sign , a true Sign that the Heart has been broken , namely , When the Heart is made afraid of , and trembleth at the Word ; Acts 9. 4 , 5 , 6. Chap. 16. 29 , 30 , 31. Trembling at the Word , is caused by a belief of what is deserved , threatned , and of what will come , if not prevented by Repentance ; and therefore the Heart melts , and breaks before the Lord. I come in the next place , to speak to this Question . But what necessity is there , that the Heart must be broken ? Cannot a Man be Saved unless his Heart be broken ? I answer , avoiding Secret Things , which only belongs to God , there is a Necessity of breaking the Heart , in Order to Salvation ; because a Man will not sincerely comply with the means conducing thereunto , until his Heart is broken . For , First , Man , take him as he comes into the World , as to Spirituals , as to Evangelical Things , in which mainly lies Man's Eternal Felicity , and there he is as one Dead , and so Stupified , and wholly in himself , as unconcerned with it : Nor can my Call nor Admonition , that has not a Heart-breaking-Power attending of it , bring him to a due Consideration of his present State , and so unto an effectual Desire to be Saved . Many ways God has Manifested this . 1. He has threatned Men with Temporal Judgments ; yea , sent such Judgments upon them , once and again , over and over , but they will not do . What says he , I have given you cleanness of Teeth in all your Cities ; I have with holden the Rain from you ; I have smitten you with Blasting and Mildew ; I have sent among you the Pestilence ; I have overthrew some of you , as God Overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah : Yet have ye not not returned unto me saith the Lord , Amos 4. 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. See here ! Here is Judgment upon Judgment , Stroke after Stroke , Punishment after Punishment , but all will not do unless the Heart is broken ! Yea , another Prophet seems to say ; that such things , instead of converting the Soul , sets it further off : If Heart-breaking Work attend such strokes , Why should ye be striken any more , says he ? Ye will Revolt more and more , Isa. 1. 5. Man's Heart is Fenced , it is grown Gross , there is a Skin , that like a Coat of Male has wrapp'd it up , and enclosed it on every side . This Skin , this Coat of Male , unless it be cut off and taken away , the Heart remains untouched , whole ; and so as unconcerned , whatever Judgments or Afflictions light upon the Body , Mat. 13. 15. Acts 28. 27. This which I call the Coat of Male , the Sence of the Heart , has two great Names in Scripture . It is called , the Fore-skin of the Heart , and the Armour in which the Devil trusteth , Deut. 10. 16. Luke 11. 22. Because these Shield and Fence the Heart from all Gospel Doctrine , and from all legal Punishments ; nothing can come at it till these are removed . Therefore in Order unto Conversion , the Heart is said to be Circumcised ; that is , this Fore-skin is taken away , and this Coat of Male is spoiled . I will Circumcise thy Heart , saith he , to love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart , ( and then the Devils Goods are spoiled ) that thou mayest live , Deut. 30. 6. Luke 11. 22. And now the Heart lies open , now the Word will prick , cut and pierce it ; and it being cut , prick'd and pierced , it bleeds , it faints , it falls and dies at the Foot of God , unless it is supported by the Grace and love of God in Jesus Christ. Conversion you know , begins at the Heart ; but if the Heart be so secured by Sin and Satan , as I have said , all Judgments are , while that is so , in vain . Hence , Moses after he had made a long Relation of Mercy and Judgment unto the Children of Israel , suggests , that yet the great thing was wanting to them ; and that thing was , An Heart to perceive , and Eyes to see , and Ears to hear unto that Day , Deut. 29. 2. 3. Their Hearts were as yet not touched to the quick , were not awakened , and wounded by the the Holy Word of God , and made tremble at its Truth and Terrour . But I say , before the Heart be touched , prick'd , made smart , &c. How can 〈◊〉 be thought , be the Danger never so great ; that it should Repent , Cry , Bow and Break at the Foot of God , and Supplicate , there for Mercy ? And yet thus it must do ; for thus God has Ordained , and thus God has appointed it ; nor can Men be saved without it . But I say , Can a Man Spiritually Dead , a stupid Man , whose Heart is past feeling , do this , before he has his dead and stupid Heart awakened , to see and feel its State and Misery without it ? But , Secondly , Man , take him as he comes into the World ( and how wise soever he is , in Worldly and Temporal Things ) He is yet a Fool , as to that which is Spiritual and Heavenly . Hence , he says , The Natural Man receiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God ; for they are foolishness to him , ( because he is indeed a Fool to them , ) neither , says the Text , can he know them , for they are spiritually descerned , 1 Cor. 2. 14. But , how now ? Must this Fool be made Wise ? VVhy VVisdom must be put into his Heart , Job 38. 36. Now none can put it there but God ; and how doth he put it there , but by making room there for it , by taking away the thing which hinders , which is that Folly and Madness which naturally dwelleth there ? But how doth he take that away , but by a severe Chastising of his Soul for it , until he has made him weary of it ? The Whip and Stripes are provided for the Natural Fool , and so it is for him that is Spiritually so , Prov. 19. 20. Solomon intimates , that 't is a hard thing to make a Fool become wise . Though thou shouldest bray a Fool in a Mortar among Wheat with a Pestil , yet will not his Foolishness depart from him , Prov. 27. 22. By this it appears , that it is a hard thing to make a Fool a Wise Man. To bray one in a Morter is a dreadful thing , to bray one there with a Pestil ; and yet it seems a Whip , a Morter and a Pestil is the way . And if this is the way to make one Wise in this World ; and if all this will hardly do , how must the Foo● that is so in Spirituals , be whip'd and beaten , and striped before he is made wise therein ? Yea , his Heart must be put into God's Morter , and must be beaten ▪ yea , Brayed there with the Pestil of the Law , before it loves to hearken unto Heavenly Things . It is a great Word in Jeremiah , Thorough Deceit , th 〈…〉 is , Folly , they refuse to know 〈…〉 saith the Lord. And what follows ? Why , Therefore th 〈…〉 saith the Lord , behold I will 〈…〉 them and try them , ( that is , wit● Fire ) for how shall I do for the Daughter of my People ? Jer. 9. 6 , 7. I will melt them ; I will put them into my Furnace , and there I will try them ; and there I will make them know me saith the Lord. When David was under spiritual Chastisement for his Sin , and had his Heart under the breaking Hand of God : Then he said , God should make him know Wisdom , Psal. 51. 6. Now he was in the Morter , now he was in the Furnace , now he was bruised and melted ; yea , now his Bones , his Heart was breaking ; and now his Folly was departing . Now says he , Thou shalt make me to know Wisdom . If I know any thing of the way of God with US Fools , there is nothing else will make us wise Men ; yea , a Thousand Breakin gs will not make ùs so wise as we should be . We say , Wisdom is not good till 't is bought ; and he that buys it , according to the Intention of that Proverb , usually smarts for it . The Fool is Wise in his own Conceit ; wherefore there is a double difficulty attends him , before he can be wise indeed : Not only his Folly , but his Wisdom must be removed from him ; and how shall that be , but by a ripping up of his Heart , by some sore Conviction , that may shew him plainly , that his Wisdom is his Folly , and that which will undo him . A Fool loves his Folly ; that is , as Treasure ; so much is he in love with it . Now then , it must be a great thing that must make a Fool forsake his folly . The foolish will not weigh , not consider , not compare Wisdom with their Folly. Folly is joy to him that is destitute of Wisdom ; As ▪ Dog returneth to his Vomit , so a Fool returneth to his Folly. So loth are they when driven from it , to let it go , to let it depart from them , Prov. 15. 21. Chap. 26. 11. Wherefore , there must go a great deal to the making of a Man a Christian , for as to that , every Man 's a Fool ; yea , the greatest Fool , the most unconcerned Fool , the most self-willed Fool of all Fools : Yea , one that will not be turned from his folly , but by the breaking of his Heart . David was one of these Fools ; Manassah was on of these Fools ; Saul , otherwise called Paul , was one of these Fools ; and so was I , and that the biggest of all . Thirdly , Man , Take him as he comes into the World , and he is not only a Dead Man , and a Fool , but a Proud Man also . Pride is one of those Sins that first sheweth it self to Children ; yea , and it grows up with them , and mixeth it self with all they do : But it lies most hid , most deep in Man as to his Soul Concerns . For the Nature of Sin as Sin , is not only to be Vile , but to hide its Vileness from the Soul. Hence , many think they do well when they sin . Jonah thought he did well to be angry with God. The Pharisees thought they did well , when they said , Christ had a Devil ; and Paul thought verily that he ought to do many things against , or contrary to the Name of Jesus , which he also did with great Madness , John 4. 9. John 8. 48. Acts 26. 9 , 10. And thus Sin puffs up Men with Pride , and a Conceit of themselves , that they are a a Thousand times better than they are . Hence they think , they are the Children of God , when they are the Children of the Devil ; and that they are something as to Christianity ; when they neither are such , nor know what it is that they must have to make them such . John 8. 41 , 42 , 43 , 44. Gal. 6. 3. Now , whence flows this , but from Pride , and a Self-conceit of themselves ; and that their State is good for another World , when they are yet in their Sins , and under the Curse of God : Yea , and this Pride is so strong and high , and yet so hid in them ; that all the Ministers in the World cannot perswade them that this is Pride , nor Grace , in which they are so confident . Hence they slight all Reproofs , Rebukes , Threatnings or Admonitions that are prest upon them , to prevail with them to take heed , that they be not herein deceived . Hear ye , saith the Prophet , and give Ear ; be not Proud , for the Lord hath spoken , Jer. 13. 15. And if ye will not hear it , my Soul shall weep in Secret for your Pride , ( verse 17. ) And what was the Conclusion ? Why , All the Proud Men stood out still , and maintained their Resistance of God and his Holy Prophet , Chap. 43. 2. Nor is there any thing that will prevail with these , to the saving of their Souls , until their Hearts are broken . David after he had defiled Bath-sheba and slay'd her Husband , yet boasted himself in his Justice and Holiness , and would by all means have the man put to Death , that had but taken the poor man's Lamb , 2 Sam. 12. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. When , alas Poor Soul ! Himself was the great Transgressour . But , would he believe it ? No , no , he stood upon the vindicating of himself to be a just Doer ; nor would he be made to fall until Nathan by Authority from God , did tell him , that he was the Man whom himself had Condemned . Thou art the Man , said he : At which Word his Conscience was awakened , his Heart wounded , and so his Soul made to fall under the Burthen of his Guilt , at the Feet of the God of Heaven for Mercy , Verse 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13. Ah! Pride , Pride ! Thou art that which holds many a man in the Chains of his Sins : Thou art it , thou cursed Self-conceit , that keepest them from believing that their State is Damnable . The Wicked thorough the Pride of his Countenance , will not seek after God , Psal. 10. 4. And if there is so much in the Pride of his Countenance , what is there think you , in the Pride of his Heart ? Therefore Job says , It is to hide Pride from man , and so to save his Soul from Hell , That God Chasteneth him with Pain upon his B●d , until the Multitude of his Bones stick out , and until his Life draws nigh to the Destroyer , Job 33. 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22. 'T is an hard thing to take a man off of his Pride , and make him , instead of trusting in , and boasting of his Goodness , Wisdom , Honesty , and the like ; to see himself a Sinner , a Fool ; yea , a man that is cruel as to his own Immortal Soul. Pride of Heart has a Power in it , and is therefore compared to an Iron Sinew , and an Iron Chain , by which they are made stout ; and with which , they are held in that stoutness , to oppose the Lord , and drive his Word from their Hearts , Levit. ●6 . 19. Psal. 73. 6. This was the Sin of Devils , and it is the Sin of Man ; and the Sin , I say , from which no man can be delivered until his Heart is broken ; and then his Pride is spoiled , then he 'll be glad to yield . If a man be Proud of his Strength or Manhood , a broken Leg will maul him : And if a man be proud of his Goodness , a broken Heart will maul him ; because , as has been said , a broken Heart comes by the Discovery and charge of Sin , by the Power of God upon the Conscience . Fourthly , Man , take him as he comes into the World , and he is not only a dead man , a Fool , and Proud ; but also Self-willed and Head-strong , 2 Pet. 2. 10. A stubborn ungain Creature is man , afore his Heart is broken . Hence they are so often called Rebels , Rebellious and Disobedient : They will only do what they list . All day long , says God , have I stretched out my Hand , to a disobedient and gainsaying People . And hence again , they are compared to a Self-willed or Head-strong Horse , that will in spight of his Rider , rush into the Battle . Every one , says God , turneth to his Course , as the Horse rusheth into the Battle , Jer. 8. 16. They say , With our Tongues we will prevail , our Lips are our own ; Who is Lord over us , Psal. 12. 4. Hence , they are said to stop their Ear , to pull away their Shoulder , to shut their Eyes , and harden their Hearts against the Words of God , and to Contemn the Counsel of the most High , Zech. 7. 10 , 11 , 12. Psal. 107. 11. They are fitly compared to the Rebellious Son , who would not be ruled by his Parents ; or to the Prodigal , who would have all in his own Hand , and remove himself far away from Father , and Father's House , Deut. 21. 20. Luk. 15. 13. Now for such Creatures , nothing will do but Violence . The stubborn Son , must be stoned till he dies ; and the Prodigal , must be Famished out of all : Nothing else , I say , will do . Their Self-willed , stubborn Heart , will not comply with the Will of God , before 't is broken , Deut. 21. 21. Luke 15. 14 , 15 , 16 , 17. These are they that are called the Stout-hearted ; these are said to be far from Righteousness , and so will remain until their Hearts are broken ; for so they must be made to know themselves , Isa. 9. 9 , 10 , 11. Fifthly , Man , as he comes into the World , is not only a Dead Man , a Fool , Proud and Self-willed ; but also a Fearless Creature . There is , saith the Text , no Fear of God before their Eyes , Rom. 3. 18. No fear of God. There is fear of Man , fear of losing his Favour , his Love , his good Will , his Help , his Friendship : This is seen every where ; how does the Poor fear the Rich , the Weak , fear the Strong ; and those that are Threatned , them that Threaten ? But come now to God , why , none Fears him , that is , by Nature , none Reverence him ; they neither fear his Frowns , nor seek his Favour , nor enquire , how they may escape his revenging Hand , that is lifted up against their Sins , and their Souls , because of Sin. Little things , they fear the losing of them ; but the Soul , they are not afraid to lose . They fear not me saith the Lord , Mal. 3. 5. How many times are some men put in mind of DEATH , by Sickness upon themselves , by Graves , by the Death of others ? How many times are they put in mind of HELL , by reading the Word , by lashes of Conscience ; and by some , that go roaring in Despair out of this World ? How many times are they put in mind of the Day of Judgment ? As , 1. By God's binding the Fallen Angels over to Judgment . 2. By the Drowning of the Old World , 2 Pet. 2. 4 , 5. Jude 6. 7. 3. By the Burning of Sodom and Gomorrah with Fire from Heaven , 2 Pet. 2. 6. Jude 7. 4. By Appointing a Day , Acts 17. 29 , 30 , 31. 5. By Appointing a Judge , Acts 10. 40 , 41 , 42. 6. By Reserving their Crimes in Records , Isa. 30. 8. Revel . 20. 12. 7. By Appointing and Preparing of Witnesses , Rom. 2. 15. 8. And by Promising , yea , Threatning , yea , Resolving to call the whole World to his Bar , there to be judged , for all which they have done and said ; and for every Secret Thing , Mat. 25. 31 , 32 , 33. Chap. 12. 36. Eccles. 11. 9. Chap. 12. 14. And yet they fear not God : Alas ! They believe not these things : These things , to carnal Men , are like Lot's Preaching to his Sons and Daughters , that were in Sodom . When he told them , that God would destroy that Place , He seemed unto them as one that mocked ; and his Words , to them , were as idle ●ales , Gen. 19. 14. Fearless Men are not won by Words : Blows , Wounds and Killings , are the things that must bring them under fear . How many strugling fits , had Israel with God in the Wilderness ? How many times did they declare , that there they feared him not ? And observe , they were seldom , if ever , brought to fear and dread his Glorious Name , unless he beset them round with Death and the Grave : Nothing , nothing but a severe Hand , will make the fearless fear . Hence , to speak after the manner of Men , God is put upon it , to go this way with Sinners , when he would save their Souls ; even bring them , and lay them at the Mouth , and within sight of Hell and Everlasting Damnation ; and there also charge them with Sin and Guilt , to the breaking of their Hearts , before they will fear his Name . Sixthly , Man , as he comes into the World , is not only a Dead Man , a Fool , Proud , Self-willed and Fearless ; But he is a false Believer concerning God. Let God report of himself never so plainly , Man , by Nature , will not believe this Report of him : No , They are become vain in their Imaginations , and their foolish Heart is darkned : Wherefore they turn the Glory of God , which is his Truth , into a Lie , Rom. 1. 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25. 1. God says , He sees ; They say , He seeth not : God saith , He knows ; They say , He doth not know : God saith , None is like Himself ; Yet they say , He is altogether like to them : God saith , None shall keep his Door for nought , They say , 'T is in Vain , and to no Profit to serve Him : He saith , He will do Good ; They say , He will neither do Good nor Evil , Job 22. 13 , 14. Psal. 50. 21. Job 21. 14 , 15. Mal. 3. 14. Zeph. 1. 12. Thus they falsly believe concerning God ; Yea , as to the Word of his Grace , and the Revelation of his Mercy in Christ. They stick not to say by their Practice , ( for a wicked Man , speaketh with his Feet , Prov. 6. 13. ) that that is a stark Lie , and not to be trusted to , 1 John 5. 10. Now , what shall God do to save these Men ? If he hides himself , and conceals his Glory , They Perish : If he sends to them by his Messengers , and forbears to come to them himself , They Perish : If he comes to them , and forbears to work upon them by his Word , They Perish : If he worketh on them , but not effectually , They Perish : If he works effectually , he must break their Hearts , and make them , as men wounded to Death , fall at his Feet for Mercy , or there can be no good done on them ; they will not rightly Believe , until he fires them out of their Mis-belief ; and makes them to know , by the breaking of their Bones for their false Faith , that he is , and will be what he has said of himself , in his Holy Word . The Heart therefore must be broken , before the man can come to good . Seventhly , Man as he comes into the World , is not only a Dead Man , a Fool , Proud , Self-willed , Fearless and false Believer , but a great Lover of Sin. He is Captivated , Ravished , Drowned in the Delights of it . Hence it says , They love Sin , delight in Lies , do take Pleasure in Iniquity , and in them that do it ; that they Sport themselves in their own Deceivings , and Glory in their Shame , John 3. 19. Psal. 62. 4. Rom. 1. 32. 2 Pet. 2. 13. Phil. 3. 19. This is the temper of Man by Nature , for Sin is mixed with , and has the Mastery of all the Powers of his Soul. Hence , they are said to be Captives to it , and to be led Captive into the Pleasures of it , at the will of the Devil , 2 Tim. 2. 26. And you know , 't is not an easie thing to break Love , or to take the Affections off of that Object , on which they are so deeply set , in which they are so deeply rooted , as Man's Heart is in his Sins . Alas ! How many are there , that Contemn all the Allurements of Heaven , and that Trample upon all the Threatnings of God , and that say Tush , at all the Flames of Hell , when ever they are propounded , as Motives to work them off their sinful Delights ? So Fixed are they , so Mad are they , upon these beastly Idols : Yea , he that shall take in hand , to stop their course , in this their Way , is , as he that shall attempt to prevent the raging Waves of the Sea , from their course , when driven by the mighty Winds . When Men are somewhat put to it , when Reason and Conscience shall begin a little to hearken to a Preacher , or a Judgment , that shall begin to hunt for Iniquity ; how many Tricks , Evasions , Excuses , Demurs , Delays & hiding Holes , will they make , invent , and find , to hide and preserve their sweet Sins , with themselves , and their Souls , in the delights of them , to their own Eternal Perdition . Hence they endeavour to stifle Conscience , to choak Convictions , to forget God , to make themselves Atheists , to contradict Preachers that are plain and honest , and to heap to themselves such of them only , as are like themselves , That speak unto them smooth things , and Prophesie Deceits ; Yea , they say themselves to such Preachers , Get ye out of the way ; turn aside out of the Path ; cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us , Isa. 30. 8 , 9 , 10 , 11. If they be followed still , and Conscience and Guilt shall , like Blood-Hounds , find them out in their Secret Places , and Roar against them for their wicked Lives ; then they will flatter , cogg , dissemble and lie against their Souls , promising to mend , to turn , to repent , and grow better shortly ; and all to daff-off Convictions and Molestations , in their wicked ways ; that they may yet pursue their Lusts , their Pleasures and sinful Delights in quiet , and without Controul . Yea further , I have known some that have been made to Roar like Bears , to Yell like Dragons , and to Howl like Dogs , by reason of the weight of Guilt , and the lashes of Hell upon their Conscience , for their evil deeds ; who have , so soon as their present , Torments and Fears were gone , returned again with the Dog to his Vomit ; or as the Sow that was washed , to her Wallowing in the Mire , Hos 7. 14. 2 Pet. ● . 20 , 21 , 22. Once again , Some have been made taste of the good Word of God , of the Joy of Heaven , and of the Powers of the World to come ; and yet could not by any one , nay , by all of these , be made to break their League for ever with their Lusts and Sins , Heb. 6. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. Luke 8. 13. John 5. 33 , 34 , 35. O Lord ! What 's Man , that thou art mindful of him ? Wherein is he to be accounted of ? He has sinned against thee , he loves his Sins more than thee . He is a lover of Pleasures , more than he is a Lover of God. But now , how shall this man be Reclaimed from this Sin ? How shall he be brought , wrought , and made to be out of Love with it ? Doubtless , it can be by no other means , by what we can see in the Word , but by the wounding , breaking , and disabling of the Heart that loves it ; and by that means , making it a Plague and Gall unto it . Sin may be made an Affliction , and as Gall and Wormwood to them that love it ; but the making of it so bitter a thing to such a Man , will not be done , but by great and ●ore means . I remember we had in our Town , some time since , a little Girl , that loved to eat the heads of foul Tobacco-Pipes , and neither Rod , nor good words could reclaim her , and make her leave them : So her Father takes advice of a Doctor , to wean her from them ; and 't was this : Take , saith he , a great many of the foulest Tobacco Pipe Heads you can get , and boyl them in Milk , and make a Posset of that Milk , and make your Daughter drink the Posset-Drink up . He did so , and gave his Girl it , and made her drink it up ; the which , became SO irksome and nautious to her Stomach , and made her SO sick , that she could never abide to meddle with Tobacco-Pipe Heads any more , and so was cured of that Disease . Thou lovest thy Sin , and neither Rod , nor good Words will as yet reclaim thee ; well , take heed ; if thou wilt not be Reclaimed , God will make thee a Posset of them , which shall be so bitter to thy Soul , so irksome to thy Taste , so loathsome to thy Mind , and so afflicting to thy Heart , that it shall break it with Sickness and Grief , till it be loathsom to thee : I say , thus he will do , if he loves thee : If not , he will suffer thee to take thy course , and will let thee go on with thy Tobacco-Pipe-Heads . The Children of Israel will have Flesh , must have Flesh ; they Weep , Cry and Murmur , because they have not Flesh. The Bread of Heaven , that 's but light and sorry stuff in their Esteem , Num. 11. 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6. Moses goes and tells God , how the People despised his Heavenly Bread , and how they longed , lusted , and desired to be fed with Flesh. Well , says God , They shall have Flesh , they shall have their fill of Flesh : I will feed them with it ; they shall have to the full ; and that , Not for a day , or two days , or five days , neither ten days , nor twenty days : But even a whole Month , until it come out at their Nostrils , and it be loathsome unto them ; because they have despised the Lord , Num. 11. 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20. He can tell how to make that loathsome to thee , on which thou most doest set thine evil Heart : And he will do so , if he loves thee ; else , as I said , he will not make thee sick by smiting of thee ; nor punish thee for , or when thou committest Whoredom ; but will let thee alone till the Judgment day , and call thee to a reckoning for all thy Sins then . But to pass this . Eighthly , Man as he comes into the World , is not only a Dead Man , a Fool , Proud , Self-willed , Fearless , a false Believer and a Lover of Sin ; but a Wild Man. He is of the wild Olive Tree , of that which is wild by Nature , Rom. 11. 17 , 24. So in another place , Man by Nature is compared to the Ass , to a wild Ass : For vain or empty Man would be Wise , though Man be born as a wild Asses Colt , Job 11. 12. Isaac was a Figure of Christ , and of all Converted Men , Gal. 4. 28. But Ishmael was a Figure of Man by Nature : And the Holy Ghost as to that , saith this of him ; And he will be a wild Man , Gen. 16. 12. This man , I say , was a Figure of all carnal Men in their Wildness , or Estranged-ness from God. Hence 't is said of the Prodigal at his Conversion , That he came to himself then ; implying , that he was Mad , Wild , or out of his WITS afore , Luke 15. 17. I know there is a Difference sometimes , betwixt ones being wild and mad : Yet , sometimes wildness arriveth to that Degree , as to give one rightly the Denomination of being mad : And 't is always true in Spirituals ; namely , that he that is wild , as to God , is mad , or besides himself ; and so not capable , before he is tamed , of minding his own Eternal good as he should . There are these several things , that are tokens of one Wild or Mad ; and they all meet in a Carnal Man. 1. A wild or mad Man , gives no heed to good Counsel : The Frenzy of his Head shuts all out , and by its Force , leads him away from men that are Wise and Sober ; and thus it is with Carnal Men. Good Counsel is to them , as Pearls are , that are cast afore Swine . It is trampled under Foot of them , and the man is despised that brings it . The poor Man's Wisdom is despised , and his Words are not heard , Mat. 7. 6. Eccl. 9. 16. 2. A wild or mad Man , let him alone , and he will greatly busy himself all his Life , to accomplish that , which when it is compleated , amounts to nothing . The Work , the Toyl , the Travel of such an one , comes to nothing , save to declare , that he was out of his Wits that did it . David imitating of such an one , Scrabled upon the Gate of the King , as Fools do with Chalk ; and like to this , is all the Work , of all Carnal Men in the World , 1 Sam. 21. 12 , 13. Hence , such an one is said to labour for the Wind , or for what will amount to no more , than if he filled his Belly with the East-Wind , Eccles. 5. 16. Job 15. 2. 3. A wild or mad Man , if you set him to do any thing , and he does it ; he will yet do it , not by , or according to your bidding , but after the folly of his own wild fancy ; even as Jehu Executed the Commandment of the Lord ; he did it in his own madness , taking no heed to the Commandment of the Lord , 2 Kings 9. 20. Chap. 10. 31. And thus do carnal Men do , when they meddle with any of God's matters ; as Hearing , Praying , Reading , Professing ; they do all according to their own wild Fancy : They take no heed to do these , after the Commandment of the Lord. 4. Wild or Mad Men , if they deck or array themselves with ought , as many times they do , why , the Spirit of their Wildness or Frenzy , appears even in the mode and way , in which they do it . Either the things themselves , which they make use of for that purpose , are very Toyes and Trifles ; or if they seem to be better , they are put on after an Antick manner ; rather to the rendring of them ridiculous , than to bespeak them sober , judicious or wise : And so do natural Men array themselves , with what they would be accepted in with God. Would one in his Wits , think to make himself fine or acceptable to men , by arraying himself in Menstruous Clothes , or by painting his Face ▪ with Dross and Dung ? And yet , this is the Finery of carnal men , when they approach for Acceptance into the presence of God , Isa. 64. 6 Phil. 3. 7 , 8. O the Wildness , the Frenzy , the Madness that possesses the Heart and Mind of Carnal Men ! They walk according to the course of this World , according to , or after that Spirit , which is in Truth , the Spirit of the Devil , which worketh in the Children of Disobedience , Eph. 2. 1 , 2 , 3. But , do they believe , that thus it is with them ? No , they are in their own Account , as other mad men are , the only ones in the World. Hence they are so taken , and tickled with their own frantick Motions , and deride all else that dwell in the World. But which is the way to make one that is Wild , or a Mad man , Sober ? To let him alone , will not do it ; to give him good Words only , will not do it . No , he must be tamed , means must be used to tame him . He brought down their Heart with Labour , or by continual Molestation ; as you have it , Psal. 107. 10 , 11 , 12. He speaketh there of Mad-men , That are kept up in Darkness , and bound in Afflictions and Irons , because they Rebelled against the Words of God , and Contemned the Counsel of the most High. This therefore is the way to deal with such , and none but God can so deal with them . They must be taken , they must be separated from men ; they must be laid in Chains , in Darkness , Afflictions and Irons : They must be blooded , half starved , whipped , purged , and be dealt with , as mad People are dealt with . And thus they must be dealt with , till they come to themselves , and cry out in their Distresses ; And then they cry to the Lord in their Troubles , and he saveth them out of their Distresses ; Then he brings them out of Darkness , and the Shadow of Death ; and breaks their Bands in sunder , Psal. 107. 13 , 14 , 15. Thus , I say , God Tames the Wild , and brings Mad Prodigals to themselves , and so to him for Mercy . Ninthly , Man as he comes into the World , is not only a Dead Man , a Fool , Proud , Self-willed , Fearless , a false Believer , a Lover of Sin , and a Wild Man ; but a Man , that Dis-relishes the things of the Kingdom of God. I told you before , that Unconverted man , is such as did not taste things : But now I add , that he disrelishes things , he calls bitter things , sweet ; and sweet , bitter ; he judges quite amiss These are they God threatneth with a Wo. Wo to them that call Evil Good , and Good , Evil ; that put Darkness for Light , and Light for Darkness : That put bitter for sweet , and sweet for bitter , Isa. 5. 20. This latter part of this Text , shews us evidently , that the things of God are Disrelished by some . They call his sweet things , bitter ; and the Devils bitter things , sweet ; and all this is for want of a broken Heart . A broken Heart , relishes otherwise than an whole , or unbroken one doth . A man that has no Pain , or Bodily Distress , cannot find , or feel Vertue or good , in the most Sovereign Plaister , were it applied to Arm or Leg ; no , he rather says , Away with these stinking , daubing things . O! But lay the same Plaisters where there is need , and the Patient will Relish , and Taste , and Savour the goodness of them ; yea , will prize and commend them to others . Thus it is in Spirituals . The VVorld , they know not what the Anguish or Pain of a broken Heart means ; They say , Who will shew us any good that is better than we find in our Sports , Pleasures , Estates and Preferments ? There be many , says the Psalmist , speak after this sort : But what says the distressed man ? VVhy , Lord , lift thou up the Light of thy Countenance upon us . And then adds , Thou hact put Gladness in our Heart ; 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 , Ezel● . 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 1● 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 ●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 oneness of mind ; now the same mind is in thee which was also in Christ Jesus . This must needs be an excellent Spirit ; this must needs be better with God , and in his Sight , Then thousands of Rams , or Ten thousand Rivers of Oyl . But does the Carnal World covet this , this Spirit , and the blessed Graces of it ? No , they despise it , as I said before , they mock at it , they prefer and countenance any sorry dirty Lust rather ; and the reason is , because they want a Broken Heart , that Heart so highly in esteem with God ; and remain for want thereof , in their enmity to God. The Broken-Hearted knows that the sanctifyings of the Spirit , is a good means to keep from that relaps , out of which a man cannot come , unless his heart be wounded a second time . Doubtless David had a Broken Heart at first Conversion , and if that Brokenness had remained , that is , had he not given way to hardness of heart again , he had never fallen into that Sin out of which he could not be recovered , but by the breaking of his Bones a second time . Therefore I say , a Broken Heart is of great esteem with God ; for it ( and I will add , so long as it retains its tenderness ) covets none but God , and the things of his holy Spirit , Sin is an abomination to it . And here , as in a fit place , before I go any further , I will shew you some of the advantages that a Christian gets by keeping of his Heart tender . For , As to have a Broken Heart , is to have an excellent thing , so to keep this broken heart tender , is also very advantagio us . First , This is the way to maintain in thy Soul always a fear of Sinning against God. Christians do not wink at , or give way to Sin , until their hearts begin to lose their Tenderness . A Tender Heart will be afflicted at the Sin of another , much more it will be afraid of committing of Sin it self . 2 King 22. 19. Secondly , A Tender Heart quickly yieldeth to Prayer ; yea , prompteth to it , puts an edge and fire into it ; we never are backward to Prayer , until our heart has lost its Tenderness , ●ho then it grows cold , flat and formal , and so carnal to and in that holy duty . Thirdly , A Tender Heart , has always Repentance at hand for the least fault or slip or sinful thought that the Soul is guilty of ; in many things the best offend : But if a Christian loseth his Tenderness , if he says he has his Repentance to seek , his heart is grown hard ; has lost that Spirit , that kind Spirit of Repentance it was wont to have . Thus it was with the Corinthians , they were decayed , and lost their Tenderness ; wherefore their Sin , yea , great Sins , remained unrepented of , 2 Cor. 12 , 20 , 21. Fourthly , A Tender Heart , is for receiving often its Communion with God ; when he that is hardened , tho the seed of Grace is in him , will be content to Eat , Drink , Sleep , wake , and go days without number without him Isa. 17. 10. 18. Jer. 2. 32. Fifthly , A Tender Heart , is a wakeful watchful heart . It watches against Sin in the Soul , Sin in the Family , Sin in the Calling , Sin in Spiritual duties and performances , &c. It watches against Satan , against the World , against the Flesh , &c. But now when the Heart is not Tender ; there is Sleepiness , Unwatchfulness , Idleness , a Suffering the heart , the Family , and Calling to be much defiled , spotted and blemished with Sin ; for a heart departs from God , and turns aside in all these things . Sixthly , A Tender Heart will deny it self , and that in lawful things , and will forhear even that which may be done , for some Jew , or Gentile , or the Church of God , or any member of it should be offended , or made weak thereby : whereas the Christian that is not tender , that has lost his tenderness , is so far off of denying himself in lawful things , that he will even adventure to meddle in things utterly forbidden , whoever is offended , grieved , or made weak thereby : For an instance for this , we need go no further then to the man in the Text , who while he was Tender , trembled at little things , but when his heart was hardened , he could take Bethsheba , to satisfie his Lust , and kill her husband to cover his Wickedness . Seventhly , A Tender Heart , I mean the heart kept tender , preserves from many a blow , lash , and fatherly chastisement ; because it shuns the causes , which is sin , of the scourging hand of God. With the upright thou wilt shew thy self upright , but with the froward thou wilt shew thy self unsavoury , 2 Sam. 22. 27. Psal. 18. 25 , 26 , 27. Many a needless rebuke and wound , doth happen to the Saints of God thorow their unwise behaviour ; when I say needless , I mean , they are not necessary , but to reclaim us from our vanities , for we should not feel the smart of them , were it not for our follies . Hence the afflicted is called a fool , because his folly brings his affliction upon him . Fools , says David , Because of their transgressions , and because of their Iniquities , are afflicted . Psal. 107. 17. And therefore it is , as was said afore , that he calls his Sin his foolishness . And again , God will speak peace to his people and his saints , but let not them return again to folly . Psal. 38. 5. Psal. 85. 8. If his Children transgress my Laws , I will visit their Transgressions with a R●d , and their Iniquities with Stripes . Quest. But what should a Christian do , when God has broke his heart , to keep it tender ? Answ. To this I will speak briefly . And First , Give you several Cautions . Secondly , Several Directions . For Cautions : 1. Take heed , that you choke not those Convictions that at present do break your hearts , by labouring to put those things out of your minds which were the cause of such Convictions , but rather nourish and cherish those things in a deep and sober remembrance of them . Think therefore with thy self thus , What was it that at first did wound my heart ? And let that still be there , until by the Grace of God , and the Redeemed blood of Christ , it is removed . 2. Shun Vain Company ; the keeping of Vain Company has stifled many a Conviction , kill'd many a desire , and made many a Soul fall into Hell , that once was hot in looking after Heaven . A Companion that is not profitable to the Soul , is hurtful . He that walketh with wise men shall be wise , but a Companion of Fools shall be destroyed , Prov. 13. 20. 3. Take heed of Idle Talk , that thou neither hear nor joyn with it . Go from the presence of a foolish man , when thou perceivest not in him the lips of Knowledge , Prov. 14. 7. Evil Communication corrup●s good manners . And a fools ▪ Lips are a snare to his Soul. Wherefore take heed of these things , Prov. 18. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 33. 4. Beware of the least motion to Sin , that it be not countenanced , lest the countenancing of that , makes way for a bigger : David's eye took his heart , and so his heart nourishing the thought , made way for the Womans company , the act of Adultry , and bloody Murder . Take heed therefore Brethren , lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin. Heb. 3. 12 , 13. And remember , that he that will rend the block , puts the thin end of the wedge first thereto , and so by driving does his work . 5. Take heed of Evil Examples among the Godly , learn of no man to do that which the word of God forbids . Sometimes Satan makes use of a good mans bad ways , to spoile and harden the heart of them that come after : Peter's false doing had like to have spoiled Barnabas , yea , and several others more . Wherefore take heed of men , of good mens ways , and measure both theirs and thine own , by no other rule but the holy Word of God. Gal. 2. 11 , 12 , 13. 6. Take heed of Unbelief , or Atheistical thoughts ; make no question of the truth and reality of Heavenly things : For know , Unbelief is the worst of Evils ; nor can the heart be Tender , that nourisheth or gives place unto it . Take heed therefore least there be in any of you an evil heart of Unbelief , in departing from the Living God , Heb. 3. 12. These Cautions are necessary to be observed with all diligence , of all them that would , when their Heart is made Tender , keep it so . And now to come to the Directions . 1. Labour after a deep knowledge of God to keep it warm upon thy heart . Knowledge of his Presence , that is every where . Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord ? Jer. 23. 24. 2. Knowledge of his piercing Eye . That it runneth too and srow thorough the Earth , beholding in every place , the Evil and the Good. That his Eyes behold , and his Eye lids try the Children of Men. Prov. 15. 3. 3. The knowledge of his Power , that he is able to turn and dissolve Heaven and Earth into dust and ashes ; and that they are in his hand but as a Scrole or Vesture , Heb. 1 , 11 , 12. 4 The knowledge of his Justice , that the rebukes of it are as devouring Fire . Heb. 12 , 29. 5. The knowledge of his Faithfulness , in fulfilling Promises to them to whom they are made , and of his threatnings on the Impenitent , Mat. 5. 18. Chap. 24. 35. Mark 13. 31. Secondly , Labour to get , and keep a deep sence of Sin in its Evil Nature , and in its Soul-destroying Effects upon thy heart ; be perswaded , that it is the only Enemy of God , and that none hate , or are hated of God , but through that . 1. Remember , it turned Angels into Devils , thrust them down from Heaven to Hell. 2. That it is the chain in which they are held and bound over to Judgment . 2 Pet. 2 4. Jud. 6. 3. That 't was for that that Adam was turned out of Paradice : That for which the Old World was Drowned : That for which Sodom and Gomorrah was burned with Fire from Heaven : And that which cost Christ his Blood to Redeem thee from the curse it has brought upon thee : And that , if any thing , will keep thee out of Heaven for Ever and Ever . 4. Consider the pains of Hell , Christ makes use of that as an argument to keep the heart tender , yea , to that end repeats and repeats , and repeats both the Nature and durableness of the burning Flame thereof , and of the gnawing of the never-dying-worm that dwells there , Mar. 9. 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48. Thirdly , Consider of Death , both as to the certainty of thy dying , and uncertainty of the time when . We must dye , we must needs dye , our days are determined , the number of our months are with God , tho not with us ; nor can we pass them , would we , had we them , give a thousand worlds to do it , 2 Sam. 14. 14. Job 7. 1. Chap. 1● . 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5. Consider thou must dye but once , I mean but once as to this world , for if thou , when thou goest hence , do'st not dye well , thou canst not come back again and dye better . ' I is appointed unto all men once to dye and after this the Judgment , Heb. 9. 27. Fourthly , Consider also of the certainty and terribleness of the day of Judgment , when Christ shall sit upon his Great White Throne ; when the dead shall , by the sound of the Trump of God , be raised up ; when the Elements , with - Heaven and Earth , shall be on a burning Flame ; when Christ shall separate men one from another , as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep from the Goats , when the the Books shall be opened , the Witness produced , and every man be Judged according to his works ; when Heaven Gate shall stand open to them that shall be Saved , and the Jaws of Hell stand gaping for them that shall be Damned . Acts 7 30 , 31. Chap. 10. 42. Matt. 25. 30 , 31. Revel . 2. 11. 1 Cor. 15. 51 , 52. Revel . 20. 12. 2 Pet. 3. 7 , 10 , 12. Mat. 25. 32. Rom. 2. 15 , 16. Revel . 22. 12. Matt. 25. 34 , 41. Revel . 20. 15. Fifthly , Consider , Christ Jesus did use no means to harden his heart against doing and suffering those sorrows which were necessary for the Redemption of thy Soul : No , though he could have hardened his heart against thee , in the way of Justice and Righteousness , because thou hadst Sinned against him ; he rather awakened himself , and put on all Pity , Bowels , and Compassion , yea , Tender Mercies , and did it . In his Love and in his Pity he saved us . His Tender Mercies from on high hath visited us . He loved us , and gave himself for us . Learn then of Christ , to be Tender of thy self , and to endeavour to keep thy Heart Tender to Godward , and to the Salvation of thy Soul. But to draw to a Conclusion . The USE LEt us now then make some use of this Doctrine : As , First , From the truth of the matter , namely , That the man who is truly come to God , has had his Heart Broken , his Heart Broken in order to his coming to him ; and this shews us what to judge of the league that is between Sin and the Soul ; to wit , that it is so firm , so strong , so inviolable , as that nothing can break , disannul , or make it void , unless the heart be broken for it . 'T was so with David , yea , his new league with it , could not be broken , until his heart was Broken. 'T is amazing to Consider , what hold Sin has on some mens Souls , Spirits , Will and Affections . 'T is to them better then Heaven , better then God , then the Soul , ay , then Salvation ; as is evident , because , tho all these are offered them upon this condition , if they will but leave their Sins ; yet they will choose rather to abide in them , to stand and fall by them . How sayst thou Sinner ? Is not this a Truth ? How many times hast thou had Heaven and Salvation offer'd to thee freely , wouldst thou but break thy league with this great enemy of God ? Of God , do I say ? If thou wouldst but break this league with this great Enemy of thy Soul ; but couldest never yet be brought unto it : No , neither by Threatning , nor by Promise couldst thou 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 l●●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 who● 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 affront●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. ● . 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 ●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