Twenty-Nine Sermons, Sermon 12 – Title page 12
THE SOVERAIGNE VERTUE OF THE GOSPEL.
PSAL. 147. 3.
He healeth them that are broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
HEre are two things contained in this Text: the Patients, and the Phyſitian.
Firſt, the Patients; the broken in heart.
Secondly, the Phyſitian, Chriſt, it is he that healeth and bindeth up their wounds.
The Patients here are felt and diſcerned to have two wounds or maladies; Firſt, brokenneſs in heart; Secondly, woundedneſſe: He binds up ſuch.
Brokenneſſe of heart preſuppoſeth wholeneſſe of heart: Wholeneſſe of heart is twofold; either wholeneſs of heart in ſin, or wholeneſſe of heart from ſin.
Firſt, wholeneſſe of heart from ſin, is, when the heart it without ſin; and ſo the bleſſed Angels have whole hearts, and ſo Adam and Eve, and we in them before the fall, had whole hearts.
Secondly, wholeneſſe of heart in ſin; ſo the devils have whole hearts, and all men ſince the fall from their conception, til their converſion, have whole hearts; and theſe are they that our Saviour intends, The whole need not a phyſitian, but they that are ſick. The hearts that are whole, need not the phyſitian, but they that are broken and ſick. Sinne is in the godly, and they are ſick of it; even as when poyſon is in a man, it makes him ſick; why? becauſe the poyſon is contrary unto him. But ſinne is in the wicked, and they are not ſick of it; as poyſon is in a toad, and the toad is not ſick, becauſe a toad is of that nature which the poyſon is; and therefore he needs not a Phyſitian. Will a Phyſitian go to cure a Toad? ſurely no, he will rather kill it, he will not cure it. So as long as a man is not ſick at the heart of his ſin, Chriſt will rather kill him than cure him. When a man ſayes he is ſick, and yet can ſleep, eat, drink, and work, and look as well as ever he did, feels no pain, nor any thing to trouble him, what need hath this man of a Phyſitian? So when a man lives in ſin, yet never breaks his ſleep for it, but minds his pleaſures, his profits, hath never the more pain nor anguiſh in his ſoul▪ he is ſoule-whole, and heart-whole, what need hath he of a Phyſitian? This is a man whole in his ſins.
The wholeneſſe of the heart is called fallow ground, Jerem. 4. 4. for it is like an unbroken field, not tilled nor manured; there can be no harveſt, becauſe the ground doth lie fallow; ſo there can be no harveſt of grace in that man, whoſe heart is fallow and unbroken; and therefore to repent and to break the heart, in Scripture is called the putting of ones hand to the plough, Luke 9. 62. to plough up the fallow ground of the heart.
Brokenneſſe of heart may be conſidered two wayes; Firſt, in relation to wholeneſſe of heart in ſin: ſo brokenneſſe of heart is not a maladie, but an inchoative cure of a deſperate maladie.
Secondly, in relation to wholeneſse of heart from ſinne; and ſo it is a maladie or ſickneſſe, and yet peculiar to one blood alone, namely Gods elect; for though the heart be whole, yet it is broken for its ſinnes: as a man that hath a barbed arrow ſhot into his ſide, and the arrow is pluckt out of the fleſh, yet the wound is not preſently healed; ſo ſinne may be pluckt out of the heart, but the ſcar that was made with plucking it out, is not yet cured. The wounds that are yet under cure, are the plaugues and troubles of conſcience, the ſighs and groanes of a hungring ſoule after grace, the ſtinging poyſon that the blow hath left behind it; theſe, are the wounds.
Now the heart is broken three wayes.
Firſt, By the Law: as it breakes the heart of a Thief to heare the ſentence of the Law, that he muſt be hanged for his robbery; ſo it breakes the heart of the ſoule, ſenſible to underſtand the ſentence of the Law: Thou ſhalt not ſin; if thou do, thou ſhalt be damned. If ever the heart come to be ſenſible of this ſentence, Thou art a damned man, it is impoſſible to ſtand out under it, but it muſt break. Is not my word a hammer that breaks the rocks in pieces? Jer. 23. 29. that is, Is not my word, my Law a hammer? Can any rock heart hold out and not be broken with the blowes of it? Indeed thus far a man may be broken, and yet be a reprobate; for they ſhall be all thus broken in hell, and therefore this breaking is not enough.
Secondly, by the Goſpel; for if ever the heart come to be ſenſible of its blow, it will break all to ſhatters. Rent your hearts for the Lord is gracious, &c. Joel 2. 12. When all the ſhakes of Gods mercy come, they all cry, rent. Indeed the heart cannot ſtand out aginſt them, if it once feel them: Beat thy ſoul upon the Goſpel: if any way under heaven can break it, this is the way.
Ariſtotle obſerves, that a hammer may eaſily break a hard ſtone againſt a ſoft bed; but if it be laid on an anvil, which will not give way underneath, ſtrike it as hard as you will with the hammer on the top, the anvil underneath props it from breaking, or if it do break, it will not break into ſhatters; for the anvil below helps the ſtone to hang faſt together: but if you ſmite it againſt a ſoft bed, it breaks it all to ſhatters. So, ſmite thy ſoul upon the Goſpel; preach the law as much as as you will, preach hell and damnation as much as you will, let that be the hammer; but then be ſure lay thy ſoul on the Goſpel, drive it to the Goſpel, ſmite againſt this ſoft bed, and then (if ever) it will break. If you ſtrike a ſtone againſt a hard anvil, though the parts thereof would fall aſunder, yet how can they flie off, when as the hard anvil will not give way? the hard anvil on the one ſide, and the hard hammer on the other ſide, ſtop up its way from falling aſunder. So, ſtrike the ſoul with the blows of Gods wrath as much as you will, and let it be upon the Law; alas whither ſhould the Law open it ſelf that it might break? the Law doth but fear it on the one ſide, and the wrath of God doth terrifie it on the other, yet all this while it is not broken; the ſoule all this while knows not what it ſhall doe: but ſmite it on the Goſpel, and this, with the Law, rents it, and breaks it indeed. So Joel he preached hell and damnation to the people of the Jews, and laid their hearts upon merciemercy, and then the hammer crie, rent; for he is merciful, &c. he laid them on the ſoft bed of the Goſpel, and then he ſmites them.
Thirdly, the heart is broken by the ſkill of the Miniſter in the handling of theſe two, the Law, and the Goſpel: God furniſheth him with ſkill to preſſe the Law home, and gives him underſtanding how to put to the Goſpel, and by this means doth God break up the heart: For alas, though the Law be never ſo good a hammer, and although the Goſpel be never ſo ſoft a bed, yet if the Miniſter lay not the ſoul upon it, the heart will not break; he muſt fetch a full ſtroke with the Law, and he muſt ſet the full power of the Goſpel at the back of the ſoul, or elſe the heart will not break.
It is a pretty obſervation of Ariſtotle, Lay (ſaith he) an axe upon a block, and a great and mighty weight upon it, yet it will not enter into the block to cleave it; but if you lift up the axe and fetch a full blow at the block, then it enters preſently. So if the Miniſter have not ſkil to fetch a dead blow at the heart, alas he may be long enough ere he break it; but let him fetch a full blow at the ſoule, then doth he break it, if ever. I took unto me two ſtaves, ſaith the Prophet, the one I called beauty, the other I called bands, and with theſe I …ed the flock, Zach. 11. 7. There is the courſe of a true feeder of the flock, he feeds them with the Law and the Goſpel; he takes his two ſtaves, and he layes about him, till the hearts of his hearers feel him: and this is the way to feed them, and to breake them off from their ſins. Thus you ſee the meanes that God uſeth to bre…k your hearts. He healeth the broken in heart. Hence obſerve
That Chriſt juſtifies and ſanctifies. For that is the meaning.
Firſt, becauſe God hath given Chriſt grace to practiſe for the ſakes of the broken in heart▪ and therefore if this be his grace, to heal the brokenhearted, certainly he will heal them. The ſpirit of the Lord is upon me, &c. He hath ſent me to heal the broken in heart &c. Luke 4. 18. If he be created maſter of this art even for this purpoſe, to heal the broken in heart, he will verily heal them, and none but them. He is not like Hoſander and Hippocrates, whoſe father appointed them both to be Phyſitians; he appointed his ſonne Hippocrates to be a phyſitian of Horſes, yet he proved a phyſitian for men, he appointed Hoſander to be a phyſitian for men, and he proved a phyſitian for horſes. He is not like theſe no, no, he will heal thoſe whom he was appointed to heal: now God appointed him to heal thee that art broken in heart, and therefore without doubt he will do it.
2. Becauſe Chriſt hath undertaken to do it. When a skilfull Phyſitian hath undertaken a cure, he will ſurely do it: indeed ſometimes a good phyſitian may fail, as Trajans phyſitian did, for he died under his hands; on whoſe tomb this was written, Here lies Trajan the Emperour, that may thank his Phyſitian that he died. But if Chriſt undertake it, thou maiſt be ſure of it, for he tels thee that art broken in heart, that he hath undertaken it, he hath felt thy pulſe already. Thus ſaith the high and holy one whoſe name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, and with him that is of an humble and broken ſpirit, &c. Iſa. 57. 15. He doth not onelyonly undertake it, but he ſaith he will go viſit his ſick patient; he will come to thy bed-ſide, yea he will come and dwell with thee all the time of thy ſickneſſe; thou ſhalt never want any thing▪ but he will be ready to help thee▪ thou needeſt not complain and ſay, Oh the Phyſitian is too far off, he will not come at me. I dwell in the high places indeed, ſaith God, but yet I will come and dwell with thee that art of an humble ſpirit. Thou needeſt not fear, ſaying, Will a man cure his enemies? I have been an enemy to Gods glory, and will he yet cure me? yea, ſaith Chriſt, if thou be broken in heart, he will bind thee up.
Thirdly, becauſe this is Chriſts charge, and he will look to his own calling; To this man will I look, even to him that is of a broken heart, Iſa. 66. 2. Mark, I will look to him, I will tend him and keep him. Neither needeſt thou fear thine own poverty, becauſe thou haſt not a Fee to give him; for thou maieſt come to him by way of begging, he will look to thee for nothing; For, to him will I look that is poor, &c.
Fourthly, none but the broken in heart will take Phyſick of Chriſt. Now this is a Phyſitians deſire, that his Patient would caſt himſelf upon him; if he will not, the Phyſitian hath no deſire to meddle with him. Now none but the broken in heart will take ſuch Phyſick as Chriſt gives, and therefore he ſaith, To him will I look that is of a broken heart, and trembles at my words, Eſai. 66. 2. When I bid him take ſuch a purge ſaith God, he trembles, and he takes it. I bid him take ſuch a bitter Potion, or ſuch an untoothſome vomit, to feare him from ſinne; he trembles at my word, and he dares not but off with it: But when a ſoul doth not tremble, then the Phyſitian may ſay, let him blood; but he cares not for being let bloud; he cares not for corroſives, he cares not for his advice and counſell, he trembles not at his word; Chriſt will never come at ſuch a one, Chriſt bids thee follow ſuch a diet as to watch, to pray, to faſt, to mourne, &c. to keep in and to take heed to catechizing, grow not cold by being lukewarm, &c. If thou tremble at his word, well, if not, but that thou wilt go on in thy ſinnes, and be damned for ever, then thank thine own wilfulneſſe. But if thou beeſt broken in heart. Chriſt will aſſuredly heal thee. Suppoſe thou ſhouldeſt come unto Chriſt, be his phyſick never ſoveraign, and thou ſhouldeſt take it: yet if thy heart be againſt it, the phyſick cannot work. Imagination or fancy is a great thing in the good or ill ſucceſſe of phyſick. If thou carpe at his precepts, as too ſtrict, and except againſt his word as if he had an ounce of wormwood too much in it; If thy imaginations thus run againſt the phyſick, Chriſts phyſick will never cure thee; why ſo? thou art not broken in heart, to tremble at his word; he will help thee without faile; but then thou muſt tremble at his word, and take his directions, though he preſcribe thee to eat thine own dung, and drink thine own piſſe; take it I ſay what ever it be, and I will warrant thee health.
But thou wilt reply, I have but a little faith.
I anſwer, ſo had Peter; O thou of little faith wherefore didſt thou doubt? ſaith our Saviour, Matth. 14. 13. There is a little faith, and there is a great faith; O woman great is thy faith, Matth. 15. 28. whether it be a little faith or a great faith, ſo it be true ſaving juſtifying faith, it is good phyſick, and it will aſſuredly cure thee. It is not the quantity of faith that ſaves a man, but the quality of faith. True it is, a great quantity of faith, becauſe it hath more of the quality, more of the truth, it heals more ſtrongly and more ſteadily; But faith whether it be great or ſmall, ſo it be true, that doth the deed. Shall the Patient doubt of his recovery becauſe of the ſmall meaſure of phyſick that the Phyſitian gives him, the Phyſitian gives but a dram of ſuch a powder, but perhaps the Patient would have a pound, when as it may be the ſtate of his body will not bear it. The Phyſitian obſervs his meaſures in preſcribing ſo many ounces of this, ſo many ſcruples of that; therelies his skil in giving the true meaſure, ſo there is the true meaſure of faith, Rom 12. 3. one man hath ſo much, and another man hath not ſo much faith. Abraham had more faith than Lot; the reaſon is, becauſe the ſtate of Lots ſoul would not bear ſo much as Abrahams. It is one of Hippocrates Aphoriſmes, Not too much at once.
A Phyſitian finds it dangerous ſometime to empty the body at once, or to fill it all at once, or to heat it, or to coole it all at once; it is the ſafeſt way to give by little and little; ſo God by little and little deals with thee; now he gives thee ſome faith, and then a little more.
Object.O but my faith is ſmothered; how then can I expect to be healed?
Anſwer.I anſwer, a man is ſick, and Violets will cure him; now the Phyſitian makes a compound confection, ſo that the Violets doe not appeare, but onelyonly in oyle; Now, will the Patient thus argue, I cannot ſee one leaf of a Violet, no nor yet ſo much as colour, therefore I will none of it, it wil not heale me? So God gives many a ſoul unguentum fidei, an oyle of faith, now it may be the ſoul cannot ſee one jot of faith in himſelfe, yet he ſhal be cured, becauſe there is faith in a confection, a mixed faith though there be none in manifeſtation. Thou weepeſt, mourneſt, doubteſt, and complaineſt, and thou canſt not beleeve as thou ſayeſt; yet thou never giveſt over crying, my God my God; well, here is faith in a confection, but it may be it is ſo compounded with other ingredients that thou canſt not perceive it; for you muſt know that there is faith ſo great it breakes out into a flame, and there is faith which is ſo ſmal that it does but ſmoke out a little; now whether thy faith be an inflamed faith or a ſmoking faith, be of good comfort, thou ſhalt be healed. The bruiſed Reed ſhall not be broken, Mat. 12. 28.
Object.But I am broken all to ſhatters, and I have no faith at all, how then can I hope to be cured?
Anſwer.I anſwer, as thy heart may be broken, and yet be a right heart; ſo thy faith may be broken, and yet be a true faith: For it is ſometimes bound up in the whole, ſometimes it is broken, and all to pieces. A man that is broken in heart, although he have no faith bound up together in one act, yet he hath it broken in ſunder; never a part is miſſing, though no part cloſing one with another. The one whole act of faith is this, I beleive that God is my God in Chriſt. Indeed it may be thou haſt not this faith in the whole, but if thou beeſt broken in heart, thou haſt this whole broken in pieces.
Firſt, thou beleeveſt that God is a God, there is one piece.
Secondly, thou beleeveſt that whomſoever God is a God unto, it is only in Chriſt.
Thirdly, thou beleeveſt that he that truly repents, may ſay that God is his God in Chriſt.
Fourthly, thou believeſt that repentance is a true hatred of ſin as it is ſin.
Fifthly, thou beleeveſt, and thy conſcience tels thee it is ſo indeed that thou hateſt ſinne, not only as it is able to damne thee, but alſo as it is ſin, and diſhonourable to God; now theſe are the parts of faith in the whole. Thou haſt all the parts of the whole, though thou haſt not theſe parts in the whole. Well then, thou haſt all the parts of true faith; as thou c…nſt not deny if thou beeſt broken in heart. Totum non differt realiter a partibus ſimul ſumptis. All the parts and the whole doe not differ really, ſayes the Philoſopher; he that hath three groats, cannot complain he wants a ſhilling; he that hath ruffe and ſtock and ſtring, can he be farre to ſeek for a band? ſo then if thou have faith in the parts on this faſhion, it is certaine thou haſt faith in the whole, though it appeare not yet to be whole.
Ariſtotle asketh this queſtion, whether the parts be before the whole or no; as for example, whether a man or a finger be firſt. I will not ſtand here to determine this queſtion; but this is certain, that the whole is a relative thing, ſpoken in relation to its parts, and it is like the relation begins in the whole; for firſt, we ſay that a whole is that which conſiſts of parts, and then the parts are they that make up the whole, and therefore if thou verily beleeveſt in part, thou verily beleeveſt indeed. Thus David was a beleever in part, my very ſoul ſaith he is conſumed with grief, Pſal. 31. 9. my ſtrength faileth me becauſe of mine iniquity, &c. verſe 10. I am forgotten as a dead man, &c. verſe 12. he was a veſſel of election, but yet you may ſee he was a broken veſſell; he could not beleeve in the whole, for he was afraid that God had caſt him out of his mind, like a dead and an undone man; nevertheleſſe he was a beleever in part, he was Gods broken veſſel.
Obj.But I am ſure I have no faith, I go whining and crying up and down, I look upon my ſins with horrour, I look upon Chriſt with horror, not a minime of faith that I have, how then can I be healed?
Anſwer.Haſt thou a grounded reſolution to ſeek after God come what can come of it? Doſt thou deſire and long to be united with Chriſt? Then let me tell thee, ſuppoſe thou haſt no faith yet in being, yet thou haſt ſomething to ſecure thee from wrath; there is difference between Fides creditura and Fides credens, between faith about to beleeve, and faith that doth already beleeve. It is beliefe beleeving, that ſaves a man: But belief about to believe, cures a man from being a reprobate. Though the fruit in the womb be not yet quickened with a reaſonable ſoule, yet it growes in the womb, feeds in the womb, and yet it hath no other life in it than may be in a beaſt; yet becauſe it is in fieri a man, the Mother complains not, ſaying, Oh I am afraid I have a beaſt in my womb; no, ſhe will wait Gods leiſure to quicken it; it is ſecure enough from being a beaſt; for it hath ſuch diſpoſitions as will not long be without the ſoul of a man in the ſame, though as yet there be nothing in it, but what may be in a beaſt; But yet the Mother is ſecured becauſe ſhe is perſwaded ſhe bears a babe in her womb. So many poor ſouls are too haſty to cenſure themſelves; for grant thou haſt no faith as yet, yet if thou beeſt broken in heart, thou art about to have faith; only let the word have his full work on thee, unto which thou muſt diligently attend, and then fides in fieri will be quickly fides in facto eſſe. Thus the blind man in the Goſpell was about to beleeve before he believed; he had a time of a fieri of faith; he was no beleever at this time; for he had as yet no faith; neither was he an unbeleever; for he was about to beleeve. Doſt thou believe on the Son of God? ſaith Chriſt, John 9. 35. he anſwered, who is he Lord that I might beleeve on him? verſe 39. Beleeve? yea that I would with all my heart, who is he, and where is he that I might beleeve? I have been hated for his names ſake, I have been caſt out of the Synagogue for his ſake; Lord thou knoweſt I would beleeve on him; but who is he and where is he … and he is vaniſhed away from me, I have ſought him, but I cannot finde him. Then Chriſt told him, I am he that now talketh with thee; and then he beleeved; and Saint Chryſoſtome obſerves that this blind man was about to beleeve, before he did deſire it in his ſoul; and ſo it may be it is now with thee; doſt thou beleeve in Chriſt? Who is he? ſayeſt thou, where ſhall I find that Chriſt is in me that I may beleeve in him? I weep and hunger, and I thirſt after Chriſt; but who and where is he? I have ſought him in the word; but I find him not; I have ſought him in prayer and in all other his ordinances; but I find him not; I would beleeve with all my heart if I could find him. Thus the ſoul may be about to beleeve, though it doe not already beleeve; haſt thou gotten this ſame about to beleeve? be not thou diſmayed, the plaiſter is come; and it will heal thee.
Conceive theſe words aright I beſeech you; a ſpeech is not as it is taken, I mean only the broken in heart; for otherwiſe a man may be about to beleeve, yet never beleeve; about to be healed of his ſins, yet never be healed. Even like the wretch that Zophar ſpeakes of, who ſhall be about to fill his belly, and not be able to fill it Job 20. 23.
There is a twofold about to be; Firſt, either ſuch a thing as is about to be, and that is the nature of it, and it will never be otherwiſe; but ſtill only about to be. Secondly, or elſe ſuch a thing as is about to be, and that is the progreſſe of it, and not to reſt there, but at the laſt to be indeed.
Feare you then, all you that are vain, and as yet in your ſins; you are about to beleeve, and that is the nature of your faith; it is only about to beleeve; like the officers of the next year, who are about to be officers and yet are not. Beloved, never look to be healed, if you be not broken in heart; It may be thou art broken from some of thy ſins; but if thou be not broken from them all, it is nothing; and thou canſt not be healed. Alas thou maiſt be broken in ſome ſence, and yet never be healed. There is a double breaking, ſaith Ariſtotle, either breaking into great parts, as wood is broken into logs; or breaking into ſmall parts, as a ſtone is broken into powder; it may be thy ſtony heart is broken, but it is only into leſſer ſtones, thou art fallen from greater ſins to leſſer, from bouſing and company keeping, to drinking and ſipping; from playing and gaming on the Sabbath, to talking of worldly affairs on the Sabbath, from praying not at all, to pray coldly. Alas, alas thou haſt a hard heart ſtill; when a great ſtone is broken into leſſer ſtones, the leſſer ſtone is as hard as a great ſtone; thy heart muſt be broken to powder, if ever God heale thee.
Firſt, becauſe Phyſick will never cure a man, unleſſe it may enter and run into the veines; and when it is entred into the body, and diffuſed up and down through all the diſeaſed parts thereof, then it cures; now if thy heart be not broken, the Phyſick cannot enter; give a purgation to a ſtone, it may moyſten the outſide, but it cannot ſoak in, to ſoften the ſtone; why? becauſe the ſtone is cloſe, but if the ſtone were broken into powder, then it would ſoak even into the heart of the ſtone.
God opened the heart of Lydia, and then the word entred▪ Acts 16. 14. Brethren, you have been under the hands of Chriſts Phyſitians ever ſince you were born; but where is the heart that is broken? all the Phyſick is loſt the word hath no entrance, it hath ſkinned the wound; ſeared the outſide indeed; but the hardneſſe of the heart is not cured. How long have you been under Phyſick for the curing of your earthlineſſe and vanity? how long have you lion by it for your anger and malice, &c under the means, yet never the neerer? whoſe hearts are broken? I fear the phyſick doth not ſoake, it comes no neerer than the outſide. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, Pſal. 34. 18. why? becauſe their hearts are open and broken; and Chriſt and his word comes neer, yea ſo neere that it toucheth them to the quick. But if ye be not broken in heart, no Balme, no Phyſick can come neare enough to cure you.
Secondly, thou canſt never be cured, unleſſe Chriſt cure thee; now Chriſt will never take thee in hand till thou be broken in heart. A Phyſitian wil not meddle with a deſperate cure, ſuch a one who is not capable of Phyſick. Let not any Phyſitian ſaith Hippocrates ſet upon a fruitleſſe cure. Now it is fruitleſſe to give thee any Phyſick, it is fruitleſs to poure grace into thee, or to vouchſafe pardon to thee; this Phyſick will never heal thee ſo long as thou art not broken in heart; and therefore Chriſt ſcorns to take thee in hand. True it is if thou wert broken in heart, God would not deſpiſe thee▪ for the ſacrifice of God is a broken ſpirit; ſo ſaith the Pſalmiſt, A broken and a contrite heart O God ſhalt thou not deſpiſe, Pſal. 51. 17. ſo then if thy heart be not yet broken, it is yet incurable. Indeed if we conſider Chriſts abſolute power, no heart is incurable; for he can heal it what ever it bee, for all is at his command. But God doth not go according to his abſolute power, but according to his expreſſion and meaning of, and in his word; now the method that God ſets down in his word; is thus; firſt the heart muſt be broken, and then it muſt, or may be healed; ſo then ſo long as thou art not broken in heart, thou art incurable.
Thirdly, ſuppoſe Chriſt ſhould begin to heal thee, thou being not broken in heart, wilt alwayes be taking off the plaiſter before thou be cured; ſometimes God terrifies thee with the …aw, and then thou pulleſt off that plaiſter; Even like unto a dainty Dame, who having taken phyſick, and feeling it begin to wamble in her ſtomack, puts a feather in her throat to cauſe her to vomit it up, before it have its full working. And thus many take hopes and comforts and promiſes before the ſet time.
In ſome phyſick, a quarter of an houres difference may coſt one his life; when a man is to be cut of the ſtone, and he be bound hand and foot, yet if he doe but ſtir or ſtruggle before the Chirurgion hath quite done with him, it is a thouſand to one but he dies for it; ſo they in the ſecond Pſalme had a ſtone in the heart; Chriſt would have cut them for the ſtone, but they would not be bound, they would not endure their cutting, no let us break his bonds aſunder, & caſt away his cords from us, Pſ. 2. 3. men cannot be ſmitten at a Sermon, but oh they muſt preſently have comfort; as ſoon as once the phyſick begins to make the head to ake, and the ſtomack to be ſick, and the man to be exceeding ill, it is a ſigne that the phyſick doth now begin to work; but if this man ſhould deviſe how to vomit it up, or to clyſter it out, he looſeth all the benefit of the phyſick; keep this plaiſter on as long as thou canſt, if ever thou mean to be healed. If the wound be throughly whole, the plaiſter will fall away of it ſelf. Should a man have never ſo good a plaiſter and ſhould every foot be taking it off, it would never do him any good. If God have ſhot an arrow into thy heart, bind the plaiſter to the ſore, and let it there reſt till the malignity of the ſore and venom of the wound be put out. But if thou be not broken in heart, it is in vain to miniſter or to ſay any thing unto thee, becauſe thou wilt not abide the phyſick within thee, nor ſuffer the gripes that thou muſt ſuffer if ever thou be healed. And therefore all you that are broken in heart, in any meaſure or manner, be of good cheer, the Lord will heal you; he healeth the broken in heart.
See here theſe particulars.
Firſt, for the ſeaſonableneſſe of it, when it is a ſeaſonable time to be healed, and that is when the heart is in need, and it is in need when it is broken; as a man is in need of meat, when he is hungry; ſo a man is in need of healing, when he is broken in heart: God will give thee that which thou needeſt, and that in due ſeaſon ſayes Auguſtine▪ In an acceptable time have I heard thee, I ſaiah 49. 8. God looks when it will be moſt ſeaſonable to give grace, and then he gives it; therefore wait, never complain of Gods delaying hand; if he do, it is but for a better ſeaſon; I have need of healing already ſayeſt thou; but if God do not yet heal thee, then thou muſt know it is not yet ſeaſonable, and the more need thou art in, the better welcome is help when it cometh.
Secondly, when it is moſt profitable for thee; when he is broken in heart, it will do him good to be healed▪ but if God ſhould heale thee before, it would hurt thee; when the Corroſive hath wrought out his work, then it is good to have a Cordial; now the Cordial will help the man; but if the Phyſitian ſhould give him a Cordial firſt, it would helpe the diſeaſe, and endamage the man. Comfortable Cordials, before the time, have been the damnation of many ſoules. Oh thou wouldeſt faine have comfort for thy ſoul; what? before the Corroſive hath eaten out the ſin? thou wiſheſt thine own poyſon; If God let thee wait for thy healing, underſtand that he doth it for thy good; only let his Corroſives work their full courſe, and then he will heal thee. Wait on the Lord ſaith David, Pſal. 27. 14. give not over waiting, how long ſo ever it be, and he will heal thee aſſuredly when it ſhall be beſt for thee.
Thirdly, in puncto, even juſt in the very nick of thy brokenneſse in heart will his healing come. It is well obſerved that the word in the originall is put in the participle, indifferent to any time, whether paſt, preſent, or to come, he doth not ſet down any time, becauſe he will doe it punctually, juſt at the pinch, when thou art broken in heart; Oh then if thou be not yet healed, know then that thou art not yet come to this punctum; but when thou art come to it, then thou ſhalt be healed. What if thou doſt lie under the heavy and frowning hand of God? doe not ſhake it off, but kiſſe that rod, and humble thy ſelf the more: Sometims God lets a broken heart ſhake off his hand a little to ſoon, ſometimes again he will not let them. David would faine have ſhaken it off; but he could not; God would not let him. Lord rebuke me not in thine anger, ſaith he, &c, Pſal. 38. 1, 2. How did he know that Gods arrows ſtuck in him faſt? It ſeemes that he had been pulling at them; he would faine have had them out, he would have been comforted all on the ſuddaine, but he could not; God would not let him. Lord rebuke me not (ſayes he) in thine indignation, &c. Rebuke me as much as thou wilt, but let it not be in thine indignation; chaſten me as much as thou wilt, but let it not be in thy heavy diſpleaſure. Oh pluck ou… thine arrowes, take off thy hand; I pluck at them, but they ſtick faſt; I ſhake and rub to get off thy hand, but it preſſeth me ſo …re that I cannot get it off▪ Beloved, it is neceſſary that ſome while Gods own people ſhould bleed under Gods wrath; for by this meanes the corruption of ſin is purged out. Thus you ſee in ſome God will not let them ſhake off his hand; others, if they will needs have it off, they ſhall, that they may afterwards ſee their own folly. Thus many a poor child of God, in conflict of conſcience and ſenſe of Gods wrathful diſpleaſure, ſcrapes comfort too ſoon, and God lets them take it before he gives it: he would have had them firſt throughly cured, but they were loth to be humbling their ſouls ſo long: but ſee the event of it, the ſore is only skinned over, and at the laſt the wound it breaks forth a freſh, and then it may be they lie ſeven years rogether and get no comfort, yea ſometimes twenty yeares, yea, I have known ſome that have lived ſo thirty years. Now they may thank their own folly; for if they would have been ruled by Chriſt, and been humbled altogether at the firſt, they might have eſcaped this ſcouring; but now they repent it every veine in their hearts, and can hardly claw it off untill death. I call theſe the children of God, becauſe they have layen a long while under Gods hand, and yet ſtill cry after God, it is a ſigne they are his children; for Gods children are many times in affliction a long while; ſee it in Job, &c. Neither can I beleeve but that all thoſe that lie ſundry years on this faſhion ſtill crying after God; are the children of God; or at the leaſt, it is ſo to be hoped: for if they were reprobates, and had ſhaken off Gods hand, pluckt out his arrows, and ſcraped after comfort, he would either let them fall into a perpetuall fools▪ paradiſe of preſumption or ſecurity, or elſe let them moulder away in deſpaire, not caring to ſeek after God in the meanes at all. And therefore, beloved, pluck not out Gods arrowes too ſoon: I ſpeak not to all, for ſome will not pluck them out when they ſhould; but I ſpeak to all ſuch as are over haſtie for to get Cordials before the Corroſive have had his full working▪ If men be never ſo little humbled, reformed, or wrought upon, preſently they think they be in very good caſe: the very Heathen could ſay, we are commonly deceived with ſeeming vertue and grace; and hence it is that wicked men are humbled by halves, They think they are throughly humbled, when their hearts are broken by halves; they think they are broken in heart. And as a ſtick that is half in the water, and half above the water, ſeems to be broken or bent in the midſt; ſo theſe men when they are half in their ſinnes, and half out, ſeem to themſelves to be broken hearted: But if the ſtick were either all in the water, or all out, it would appear as it is: it ſeems to be broken, when as it is not: ſo, many being half in their ſinnes, and half out, ſeem to be broken-hearted, when indeed they are not.
But (beloved) before I can give you the healing here in this text, it is good reaſon that I examine you whether you be broken in heart, or no. Prognoſtica praecedunt Therapeuticen, ſayes Argaſtus; Prognoſtiques, and telling the ſignes and ſymptomes of the diſeaſe, are before the healing of the diſeaſe. When we believe a thing to be ſo, we have a proverb to ſay, 'tis a ſigne' tis ſo. Doeſt thou ſay thou art broken in heart? 'Tis a ſigne 'ris ſo, they carriage is ſo mortified; A ſigne 'tis ſo, thy communication is ſo heavenly; A ſign 'tis ſo, thy companions ſo holy, &c. If a man cannot caſt thy water on this faſhion, thou art not broken in heart. And therefore Signa tibi dicam, &c. I will help the ſigns and ſymptomes of a broken heart, that ſo thou mayeſt examine thy ſelf.
The ſignes I reduce to theſe two heads.
Firſt, A breaking from ſin, as a rotten member is broken from the body; ſo that the heart is then ſaid to be broken indeed, when it is broken off from ſin.
Secondly, a breaking in it ſelf, ſo that the heart is ſaid to be broken when it is broken with ſorrow and ſelf-deniall, ſo that nothing can peice it up again, but the favour of God. Theſe two make up a broken heart, and therefore they ſhall be the heads of examination.
Firſt then, doe thy ſins go thick away from thee? when the cold is once broken we uſe to ſay, now it is going away, not in the rheume as before, but in thick fleam. If thou be broken in heart, then thy pride, thy earthlineſſe, thy ſelfe-love, thy deadneſſe to good duties, and all thy ſins go thick from thee. It may be thou haſt ſome poares in thy heart, and thy ſins fall away from thee in the rheume, but if they go not away from thee in thick fleame, the cold of thy frozen heart is not yet broken. The ſins of Zaccheus were injuſtice and oppreſſion, &c. but as ſoon as ever he was broken in heart, theſe ſins went away thick from him, not dropping as if he were loth they ſhould part, but in great flakes, Zaccheus ſtood (ſays the text) and ſaid unto the Lord, behold half of my goods I give to the poor, &c. Luke 19. 8. ſee how his ſins went away; every word voids thick fleam.
Firſt, he ſtood; before he clymed and gazed after Chriſt, but being broken in heart, he ſtood ready preſt to doe whatſoever Chriſt would command him.
Secondly, he ſaid unto Chriſt; before Chriſt might have ſaid unto him what he would; what cared he? but now that he is broken in heart, here is hardly a word that Chriſt ſaid unto him of any ſuch matter, yet he ſaid to Chriſt.
Thirdly, Behold, before his behold was carnall, he did what he did to be ſeen of men, if ever he gave ought, he loved that men ſhould behold, but now all his care was that Chriſt would behold it.
Fourthly, I give. Before he thought, I will give was enough, I will give when I dy, I will build hoſpitals when I am dead; but now that he is broken in heart, he gives it forthwith.
Fifthly, the halfe of my goods; before he counted a penny o… a farthing to a poor body, a great matter, a great dole, if given now and then; but now that he is broken in heart, the halfe and not only of the ſuperfluity, but alſo of his very ſubstance and goods, as it is in the originall, I give to the poor, not as men commonly doe, light come, light go; it may be they feaſt their rich neighbours, but he gives halfe his ſubſtance to the poor Saints of God.
Sixthly, And if I have taken any thing wrongfully, though it were not much; If I have taken any thing, though not from the rich and great ones, but from any, rich or poor, young or old, ſtranger or not ſtranger, no matter who; if I have taken any thing from any man by falſe accuſation, not only againſt Law, where the Law binds me to reſtitution, but if I have taken any thing by forged cavillation, though the Law will boulſter me out, yet I reſtore him; he did not ſay, I give him, as many wil do, calling that which ſhould properly be called reſtitution for wrong, a gift, I give, ſay they; he ſayes not ſo; but he caſteth off the thought of a gift, and doth what he doth by way of reſtitution.
Seventhly, If I have taken anything; before he could ſwallow down the known wrongs that he did; but now that he is broken in heart, he makes amends for the wrongs which peradventure he did not, to be ſure, If I have taken, I reſtore, his reſtitution goes abſolute; although his wrongs go upon ifs, I reſtore him ſaies he; and that not nigardly or ſcantly, or no more than needs muſt, but four-fold. Thus he reaſons; now he is broken in heart; his ſins go thick away from him.
The text but even now called him little Zaccheus, before he had ſeen Chriſt; merito adhuc puſillus quia nondum viderat Chriſtum; Juſtly might he be ſaid to be little Zacheus, becauſe then he had not ſeen Chriſt; but as ſoon as ever he had ſeen Chriſt whom he had wronged by theſe wrongs; as ſoon as ever he was broken in heart, he became a great repenter, his ſins ran thick away from him. As ſoon as the boyle is broken, out comes the matter; As ſoon as the vein is broken, out comes the bloud, true it is a drop of blood may come though the vein be not broken; if the finger be but rac'd a few drops may come, but if the vein be once broken, out comes the blood thick and threefold; If thou doſt but crop off thy ſins now and then, thy heart was never broken; for if thou waſt once broken in heart, thy reformation would come apace, thy repentance and thy amendment would come thick and threefold; but if we preach and exhort, and yet ſee but thin reformation in thee, as a ſigh or ſo, thou waſt never yet broken in heart: if thy heart be yet full of thy ſelfe-love, full of thy pride, luſts, &c. if thy affections be yet full of earthly deſires, worldly delights, vain hopes, carnall fears; if thy back be yet full of thy gariſh and humerous apparell, thy heart is not yet broken; why? becauſe the filthy matter runs not out.
Zaccheus when he was broken in heart, his corruptions ran out apace; both his unreadineſſe to good duties, and his deadneſſe and dulneſſe to holy duties: Chriſt need not ſay much unto him, for he ſaid unto Chriſt, his deſire of the credit of the world ranne out, for he gave the halfe of his goods to the poore, his backwardneſſe and delaying ranne out, for he made preſent diſpatch, I give, his very ſecret unknowne iniquities ran out, if I have taken, &c. All his ſins ran thick away from him. Why? becauſe a broken heart can hold no ſin, this is the firſt ſigne of a broken heart from ſin, if it be broken from its ſinful courſe.
The ſecond is, if it be broken from its wildneſſe: the Hauk is then broken when it is made fit for the I…e, and the colt is broken when made fit for the ſaddle, if he be not broken, he will not be willing the rider ſhall come on his back man is borne like a wild Aſſe colt, Job 11. 12. ſo thou waſt borne, and ſo thou haſt been, and art thou not as yet broken from it? if thou be broken in heart, then thy heart is …ame to every commandment, to every truth, and thy affections are tame to every precept. It is Calvins ſimilitude, thou art not yet (ſaith he) fit for Gods ſaddle, if thou let the Devill, the world, or any luſt ride thee, thou muſt be broken from thy wildneſſe, or elſe thou art not broken in heart; it may be thou art a little bridled from thy luſts, alas ſo thou maiſt be, yet be wild for all that. Be not like thoſe beaſts Pſal. 32. 9. For though they be bridled and held in, yet they are wild ſtill, Be not like horſe and mule, ſaith Ambroſe, for though they ſuffer bit and bridle, yet had they rather be at rack and manger, or at graſſe in the field, they delight not to be ſadled.
Doſt thou not deſpiſe to be curbed by the word, to be bitten by reproof, wouldſt thou not rather be free? God caſteth in good motions into thy heart, and thou caſteth them out, and they vaniſh; God puts in good purpoſes into thy heart, but thou flingeſt them off, and doſt not fulfill them, like a wild horſe that flings off his rider. Thou canſt not be croſt a little but preſently thou art wild with choller and anger; thy fleſh and blood cannot endure it, and doſt thou yet ſay that thou art broken in heart? no, no, thou waſt born a wild Aſſe Colt, and ſo thou art ſtill. Thou wert born a wild olive, and ſo thou art ſtill. Thou waſt never yet broken in heart, never yet broken from ſin; if thou wert broken from thy wildneſſe, then every exhortation would tame thee; then thou wouldſt be glad to be reproved, and controuled by the word; Thou wouldeſt leap at every commandement, were it never ſo ſtrict; But if thou count it preciſeneſſe and too much ſtrictneſſe to be holy and zealous, I ſay thou art yet but a wild colt. Oh my brethren we have many amongſt us who are like Iſhmael, who was a wild man, Gen. 16. many wild men, who pray wildly, and think wildly, and hear wildly; their hearts are wild gadding hearts, while the word is preachiug, they follow their own imaginations.
Dareſt thou venture upon any ſin againſt the Goſpel of Chriſt, and dareſt thou live in it till thou art a wicked Bedlam? The Pſalmiſt brings all ſuch in as if they were mad Bedlams, ſaying; why do the heathen ſo furiouſly rage, &c. Chriſt would have bound them, but they forſooth were too wild; they would not be bound, but ſay they let us break his bonds, and fling off his cords: they will not be bound to ſuch ſtrictneſſe: dareſt thou ſwear and lie and covet, and be drunk? &c. alas man thou art in a mad vaine. Dareſt thou break the ſabbath, live in thy luſts, &c. a fury hath taken thee, thou art a mad-man, God muſt break that wilde heart of thine, elſe thou canſt not be tamed, it may be thou art bridled from ſin, but doſt thou bridle thy ſelfe, if not, thou art wild for all the bridling thou haſt: you never ſaw a horſe bridle himſelf, no, no, it is wild, peradventure thou doſt bridle thy ſelfe when thou art not much tempted; but if thou beeſt broken in heart, thou wilt refrain all provocations whatſoever. I will keep my mouth, &c. Pſal. 39. 1. while the Devill was before him, as Hierom expounds it, or while Shimei was before him to tempt him with wicked reproches and diſgracefull ſpeeches, as Baz… and Theodoret expound it, then would David keep his tongue as with a bridle, when he was greatly tempted to ſin. Here then is all the …ri…ll; canſt thou bridle thy ſelf from ſin when thou art tempted to ſin? if thou be broken in heart, thou canſt; but if thou canſt not, thou art wild unto this day. The wild beaſts are tame enough till a prey comes before them, and ſo thou maiſt be tame when temptations are down; but art thou tame when a temptation is before thee. This is a ſecond ſign of brokenneſſe of heart, if thou be broken from thy wildneſſe.
Thirdly, if thou be broken in heart, then thou art broken from thy pride, and thou wilt ſtoop to Gods word in all things. A broken heart is an humble heart, I dwell with him, ſaith God, Iſaiah 37. 15. p…idei, the root of all ſin; what is the reaſon that any da…e ſin, but becauſe they think better of themſelves in their ſins then they do deſerve? for did a man but think he were accurſed and a damned wretch in ſinning againſt God he durſt never ſin, or did a man feele that every ſin, maks a man filthy? yea more filthy then a toad; did a man feele his own damned condition, he durſt not live in ſin? a man thinks better of himſelf th…n he deſerves whenſoever he ſins againſt God Heare and give eare and be not proud, for the Lord hath ſpoken it, Jer. 13. 15. If the Lord ſpeak, and thou do not hear and obey, thou a…t proud. Oh but I am not proud, then thinkeſt thou, for I will hear the pooreſt body in the ſtreet, when they ſpea… to me yea and I will, and do give the wall to my betters wilt thou ſo? wilt thou give man the wall, and take the W…ll of God? is not this pride? ſwear not ſayes God; yet thou wi…t take the wall of that commandement, and ſwe…eſt. Let not the Sun go down upon thy wrath ſayes God; thou takeſt the wall of that commandement too; and canſt remember an ill turn, a monethmonth after, ſo, &c. This is execrable and abominable pride. Thou ſeekeſt after thy profits and pleaſures more than after the glory of God. I cannot live elſe, ſayes one; I cannot be merry elſe, ſayes another; and I muſt tell a lie now and then, and muſt ſuffer bouſing and ſwearing in my houſe, or elſe I cannot live. Thou proud wretch, what muſt …hy mirth and thy credit pe…ke above the commandement of Chriſt? The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not ſeek after God, Pſal. 10. 4. It is wicked pride indeed, when thou ſeekeſt thy ſelfe more than God. I tell thee, the word hath not broken the heart, untill it hath broken the neck of this pride of thine; never tell me that thou art not proud in thy apparell; if a ſervant goe never ſo meanly in apparell, yet he is proud if he obey not all his Maſters lawfull and good commandements; never tell me thou boweſt to God or thou kneeleſt in prayer to God; cluck and crouch, bow and bend thou never ſo much, yet thou art proud, if every corruption of thine will not yield to every commandement of God; thou art not broken in heart; for if thou wert broken in heart, thou wouldeſt ſtoop to all Gods commandements. Doſt thou mock at preaching, &c. Tuſh, thou wilt not be ſo preciſe, If ever thou be one of his, thou wilt not only obey him, but alſo be circumſpect in all thy obedience; nay if thou be broken in heart, thou wilt not only ſtoop to every commandment of God, but alſo count it thine honour and glory, though it be the meaneſt office in his ſervice. Thou art my glory ſayes David, David that was broken from his pride, counted it his glory to obey God, his glory to ſerve God, yea his glory to be reproched for his ſake. Thou art not broken in heart till thou count it thine excellency to ſerve God. We uſe to ſay ſuch a ones excellency is in his learning or wit, &c. but he is too preciſe and too holy, as if it were not a mans excellency to be pure and zealous, and to ſerve God: But I tell thee if thou count it not thine honour to be forward for God and to be nicknamed for Chriſt, thine excellency to lie in this, that thou art godly and heavenly, thou art a proud fool; when John Huſſe was to write upon the Epiſtle of Saint James, he counted it ſuch an high office of dignity that he was confounded at his own indignity, ſaying unto God, Hei mihi laudare te contremiſco; he counted it ſuch an honour to doe any thing for God, that he was aſhamed at his own vileneſſe. O my brethren God is called the excellency of Jacob; it was not their valour nor wiſedome, but this was their excellency, that God was their God; thy riches are proud riches if thy excellency lie in them more than in God; if thou doſt not go about every commandment as thine excellency, thy obedience is proud. This is a third ſigne of a heart broken from ſin, if it be broken from its pride.
A Funerall SERMON Preached By that laborious and faithful Meſſenger of CHRIST, WILLIAM FENNER, Sometimes Fellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge, and late Miniſter of Rochford in Eſsex.
London, Printed by E. T. for John Stafford.