The Acceptable Sacrifice, Book · Application
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. 'Twas so with David, yea, his new league with it, could not be broken, until his heart was Broken.
'Tis amazing to Consider, what hold Sin has on some mens Souls, Spirits, Will and Affections. 'Tis 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.
'Tis 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 duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page 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 'tis 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. 'Tis 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 Fallowground 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
End of the text · John Bunyan, The Acceptable Sacrifice (1689)