Book 9

Isaiah 57:15. Thus says He that is the High, and the Lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and the holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.

The work of preparation having two parts:

First, The Lord's manner of dispensation as he is pleased to deal with the soul, for the setting up the praise of his rich and glorious grace: and therefore with a holy kind of violence he plucks the [reconstructed: sinner] from his sins to himself, and his Christ. This has been dispatched already in the former discourse.

The second now follows: And that is the frame and disposition which is wrought in the hearts of such as the Lord has purposed to save, and to whom he has dispensed himself in that gracious work of his.

- Contrition, - Humiliation.

This disposition consists especially in two things.

That so I may follow the phrase of Scripture, and retain the Lord's own words in the text, where the Lord says, that he dwells with him that is of an humble and contrite heart.

To omit all manner of coherence, and other circumstances, we will pass all the other specials in the verse, and point at that particular which will suit our proceeding, and may afford ground to the following discourse, that we may go no further than we see the pillar of fire, the Lord in his truth to go before us. We shall fasten then upon the last words only, as those that fit our intent.

To make way for ourselves in short, there is one word alone to be opened, that so the point may be better fitted for our application; we must know what it is to dwell, or how God is said [reconstructed: to] dwell in a contrite and humble heart?

I answer, To dwell implies three things.

First, That the Lord owns such as those in whom he has an especial interest, and claims a special propriety, as though he left all the rest of mankind to lie waste as a common, that the world, and the Devil, and sin may [reconstructed: range], and use at their pleasure, reserving the honor of his justice, which by a strong hand he will exact as a tribute due to himself out of all things in heaven and earth, and hell and all; but persons whom he thus fits, he reserves for his own special improvement. As princes and persons of place and quality, do lease out, and let some forests and commons to the inhabitants bordering thereabout, reserving some acknowledgment of fealty and royalty to themselves, but the choice and best palaces or granges of greatest worth, and profit, they reserve for their own peculiar to inhabit in. So here, the Lord leases out the world, and the wicked in it to the Devil and his angels, and instruments, reserving a royalty and prerogative to himself, as that he will have his homage and acknowledgment of dependence upon himself; but his broken-hearted ones are his own for his own improvement (Deuteronomy 32:8-9). When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance and separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of his people according to the number of the children of Israel, for the Lord's portion is his people Israel, the lot of his inheritance: You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16). Indeed, to them the Lord himself says, You are my people, and they shall say, you are my God (Zechariah 13, last verse). Therefore he professes, that though in the course of his providence he goes on progress over all the world, yet he takes up his dwelling and abode among his own people. For,

Secondly, Where a man dwells, as he owns the house, so he takes up his abode there, it is the place of his residence; we say any may know where to seek men, or where to find them, at home, at their own house. That's the difference between inning and dwelling; we inn at a place in our passing by, when we take repast only, and bait, but depart presently, intending not to stay; but where we dwell, we settle our abode, we take up our stand there, and stir no further. So the Lord is said then to dwell in the soul, when he vouchsafes the constant expression of his peculiar presence and assistance to the soul. True it is that the Lord fills heaven and earth with his presence, indeed, the heaven of heavens is not able to contain him (Jeremiah 23:24). His infinite being is every where, and one and the same every where in regard of himself; because his being is most simple, and not subject to any shadow of change, being all one with himself. Yet he is said to take up his abode in a special manner, when he does put forth the peculiar expression of his work; as in heaven he dwells, because he puts forth the constant expression of his glory, and that in the full brightness of it without any alteration and change. Here in this spiritual temple, the souls of his saints, he puts forth the peculiar expression of the constant assistance of his blessed Spirit. I will pray the Father, and he shall send you another Comforter, who shall abide with you for ever (John 14:16; 1 John 2:23). You have received an anointing which abides in you.

Dwelling, if it be attributed to the chiefest inhabitant and owner of the house, it implies also the ruling and ordering of the occasions that come under hand there, the exercising of the government of the house and family where the owner is, and dwells. He that lodges at a house as a stranger, comes to an inn as a passenger, he takes what he finds, has what he can receive of kindness and courtesy; but the owner is the commander of the house where he dwells, and the orderer of all the affairs that appertain thereunto. So does the Lord with a broken heart. Thus we are said to live in the Spirit, and to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). And it's that which follows by inference upon this ground (John 15:4-5). If I abide in you, and you abide in me, you shall bring forth much fruit; and therefore it's added also in this place, that the Lord dwells in the contrite and humble heart to receive the Spirit of the contrite ones, they yield themselves to be acted by him, and they shall be acted and quickened by him to eternal life.

So that the full meaning is, The contrite and humble heart is such to whom the Lord vouchsafes acceptance, special presence and abode, and peculiar guidance; he owns him, abides with him, and rules in him for ever.

True, it is said Christ dwells in our hearts by faith (Ephesians 3:17), and as many as believe in him, they receive him (John 1:12). That is done as by the next and immediate hand, by which we lay hold on Christ, and give entertainment to him; but unless the heart be broken and humbled, we cannot receive faith, that we may receive Christ. And while the soul is thus breaking and humbling, faith also is coming in a right sense, rightly understood; of which we shall speak somewhat largely, if the Lord give us leave to come to that place.

The words thus opened, the point is the very letter of the text, which looks full upon every hearer or reader that will look upon the text.

The heart must be broken and humbled, before the Lord will own it as His, take up his abode with it, and rule in it.

There must be contrition and humiliation before the Lord comes to take possession; the house must be aired and fitted before it comes to be inhabited, swept by brokenness and emptiness of spirit, before the Lord will come to set up his abode in it. This was typified in the passage of the children of Israel towards the promised land; they must come into, and go through a vast and a roaring wilderness, where they must be bruised with many pressures, humbled under many overbearing difficulties, they were to meet with before they could possess that good land which abounded with all prosperity, flowed with milk and honey. The truth of this type, the prophet Hosea explains, and expresses at large in the Lord's dealing with his people in regard of their spiritual condition (Hosea 2:14-15): I will lead [illegible] into the wilderness, and break her heart with many bruising miseries, and then I will speak kindly to her heart, and will give her the Valley of Achor for a door of hope; the story you may recall out of Joshua 7:28, when Achan had offended in the execrable thing, and the hearts of the Israelites were discomfited and failed, like water spilt upon the ground, because they had caused the Lord to depart away from them, the text says, they having found out the offender by lot, they stoned him, and they said you have troubled Israel, we will trouble you, and they called it the Valley of Achor, and after that God supported their hearts with hope, and encouraged them with success, both in prevailing over their enemies, and in possessing the land. So it shall be spiritually, the valley of consternation, perplexity of spirit, and brokenness of heart, is the very gale and entrance of any sound hope, and assured expectation of good. This I take to be the true meaning and intent of the place, and part of the description of a good hearer (Luke 8:15): who with an honest and good heart receives the word, and keeps it, by strong hand, and brings forth fruit with patience; the fruit is obedience, patience is part of sanctification, and the holy disposition of heart, that must be in the heart, that brings and bears such fruit, that which makes the heart good is faith in vocation, which enables the soul to lay hold upon Christ in the word, and from him to receive that lively virtue of patience, and readiness to every holy word and work. And an honest heart is a contrite and humble heart, so rightly prepared that faith is infused, and the soul thereby carried to Christ, and quickened with patience to persevere in good duties. As we say of grounds before we cast in seed; there are two things to be attended to there: it must be a fit ground, and a fat ground; the ground is fit when the weeds and green sward are plowed up, and the soil is there, and made mould — and this is done in [illegible] and humiliation; then it must be a fat ground, the soil must have heart, we say the ground is plowed well, and lies well, but it is worn out, it is out of heart — now faith fattens the soil, furnishes the soul with ability to fasten upon Christ, and so to receive the seed of the word, and the graces of sanctification, and from there it produces good [illegible] in obedience. Upon this condition God's favor is promised (Psalm 34:18): The Lord is near to them that be of a contrite spirit, and saves them that be of a broken heart. Isaiah 61:3: He gives the garment of praise to those that have had the spirit of heaviness; it will suit none, fit none, it is prepared for none but such, it is their livery only. Upon this condition it is obtained (Matthew 18:3): Unless you be converted, and become as little children, you can in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven. 2 Chronicles 33:12: It is said of Manasseh, he humbled himself greatly, and made supplication, and the Lord was entreated of him; such persons and services are highly accepted (Psalm 51:17): A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise — indeed, he will undoubtedly accept of it.

The reasons of the point are taken, partly in regard of the heart, which without these will neither be fitted nor enabled to act upon God in Christ for any good; partly in regard of God, all his ordinances and dispensations will be unprofitable, and unable to do that good which he intends, and we need.

To the first in regard of our hearts; those hindrances and impediments which put a kind of incapability, indeed, and impossibility upon the soul, whereby the coming of faith into the heart, and so the entrance and residence of the Spirit are hindered, are by this disposition wrought, and removed. These impediments are two:

The [illegible] which stops the way and work of Faith is, a settled kind of contentedness in our corrupt condition, and the blind, yet bold and presumptuous confidence that a natural man has, and would maintain of his good condition. Each man sits down willingly, well satisfied with his own estate and portion, sees no need of any change, and therefore not willing to hear of it. Each man is so full of self-love that he is loath to pass a sentence against his own soul, to become a judge and self-condemner, and consequently an executioner of all his hopes and comforts at once, and so put his happiness and help out of his own hand. Besides, we are naturally afraid (out of the private, yet dreadful guilt of our own consciences) to profess the wretchedness of our own miserable and damnable condition, as to put it upon a definitive conclusion, and that beyond question, I am undone, I am a damned man, in the gall of bitterness, in the bonds of iniquity, lest they should stir such horrors, which they are neither able to quiet, nor yet able to bear. And therefore out of the presumption of their own hearts, they would easily persuade and delude themselves, they have no cause to alter their condition, and therefore they should not endeavor it. Hence the carnal heart is said to bear up himself against all the assaults of the Word (Deuteronomy 29:19). When all the curses of the law were denounced with never so much evidence, yet the presumptuous sinner blesses himself, promises all good to himself, and secretly feeds himself with vain hopes that he shall attain it, therefore he will not stir to seek for a better estate, nor yet receive it if offered (Job 22:17). They say to the Almighty, depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of his ways: do ministers press them, do others persuade them to a more serious and narrow search, to get more grounded assurance of their estate in grace, they profess they bid them to their loss, they think they need not be better, nor do they desire to be other. It is impossible upon these terms that ever the soul should be carried by Faith to God.

For to be contented and quieted with our condition, as that which best pleases, and yet to seek out for another, are things contradictory. And yet this Faith does, for he that is in Christ, is a new creature, behold all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). He must have new comforts, new desires, new hopes, [illegible] heart must be broken to pieces under the weight of the evil of sin, and the curses due to the old condition, before this will part; for that the word here used with great elegance and pregnancy implies, namely, by an oppressing weight to be crushed to powder and dust. [illegible] the Psalmist uses it (Psalm 90:3): you turn man to powder, to the dust of death: when a [illegible] composition is dissolved, and the body returned again into its first principle; so the word here by way of resemblance, implies that the soul should find his corruption his greatest oppression, so that the composition between sin and his soul should be dissolved and taken down, and the nature of man return to his first principles, and primitive disposition, that he sees an absolute necessity to change, and then he will seek and be willing to receive a change. The [illegible] need no physician, and therefore will not seek; but the sick that need, will be content to receive. The issue is, if the soul be contented with its sinful condition, and would not have a change, then it cannot be under the power of Faith, or receive that which will bring a change; but before the soul be broken under the pressure of sin, it would not have a change, therefore so long it cannot be under the power of Faith.

Be it granted that the soul finds sin as a plague, and therefore would be preserved from the evil of it: the second impediment which wholly keeps out Faith is this, when the sinner expects supply and [illegible] from its own sufficiency, either outward excellencies, abilities of nature, or common graces, or the beauty of some performances which issue from any of these. For this is natural to all men ever since the fall of innocency, that since the staff was put into his own hand, and then needed not, indeed should not deny their own strength, [illegible] to this day this practice of old Adam remains still in all his posterity, they will scramble for their own comforts and try the utmost of their own strength, to help themselves rather than be [illegible] to another to help them. Hence in cases of conscience and trouble, men are so ready to resolve, so apt and free to promise and profess amendment, what they will do, and others shall see it as well as [illegible], and so alas it comes to nothing in [illegible], either they fall back to their base courses, when horror and fear is over, or else wasting [illegible] into a [illegible] formality, and so perish in their hypocrisy. This is an apparent bar to faith, which is the going out of the soul to fetch all life and power from [illegible]. Now wholly to be in ourselves, and to stay upon our own ability, and yet to go out of himself [illegible], and receive all from his sufficiency, are things which [illegible] stand together. I came not to call the [illegible] (Matthew 9:13). While they sought to establish their own [illegible], they did not submit to the righteousness of God.

Hence [illegible] the second work of humiliation is required, [illegible] God plucks away all his props, and [illegible] him wholly of what he has or seems to have. For pride (to which humiliation is opposite) is but the rankness of praise, and praise is a fruit of a cause by counsel, that has power to do or not to do this or that, as he sees [illegible]. Humiliation is the utter nothingness of the soul, that we have no power, it is not in our choice to dispose of ourselves, nor yet to dispose of that which another gives, nor yet safe to repine at his dispose. In a word, as in a scion before it be grafted into another stock, it must be cut off from the old, and pared, and then implanted. In contrition we are cut off; in humiliation pared, and so fit to be implanted into Christ by Faith.

In regard of God, without this disposition his Word will not, indeed cannot take any place in us, or prevail with us for our good: counsels, and commands, and comforts, or whatever dispensations, they fall as water upon a rock, when administered to a hard heart, they enter not, prevail not, profit not at all. As Christ told the Jews (John 8:37), 'My Word takes no place in you,' and (Zechariah 7:11-12) they hardened their hearts as an adamant, etc.

A word of terror to dash the hopes, and sink the hearts of all haughty and hard-hearted sinners: God owns not such, will never vouchsafe his gracious presence with them, or his blessing upon them for good; be where they will, dwell where they will, the Lord is not with them, nor will dwell in them, by his comforting, quickening, saving presence. Hear and fear then, all you stout-hearted, stubborn, and rebellious creatures, whose consciences can evidence that the day is yet to dawn, the hour yet to come, that ever you found your sins a pressure to you — they have been your pastime and delight in which you have pleased yourselves, so far from being troubled for your evils that it is your only trouble you may not commit them with content, and without control; you are troubled with admonitions, and counsels, and commands, and threatenings that cross you in your sins. You were never broken-hearted here for your abominations — know assuredly that you will burn for them one day; your proud hearts were never abased, and laid in the dust, the Lord will ruin both you and them. Never expect a good look from God, set your heart at rest for that — you may draw the eyes of others after you, make many of your deluded followers and favorites to look upon you, but the Lord will not come near, nor once cast a loving look towards you (Psalm 138:6): 'Though the Lord be high, he has respect to the lowly, but he knows the proud afar off.' Indeed, the great God of Heaven and Earth is up in arms against you, he is upon the march to work your destruction (James 4:6): 'The Lord resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble;' all grace is in his gift, and he doles it only to the bruised and abased; but there is no thought nor expectation that you shall receive any grace — indeed, that grace that your rebellious and proud heart has opposed and resisted, will work your own ruin. You are the mark of God's direful indignation and vengeance, he plants all his forces against you; if all the wisdom in Heaven can contrive your confusion, all the power in Heaven work it, all the justice there determine it, it shall be done. God is near to them that are of a contrite heart, he saves such as be of a broken spirit (Psalm 34:18) — true, and mark it, of such; but such you [illegible] not, such you deride, scorn, whose hearts fail them under the weight of their abominations, you look at them as dull, silly, despicable men. Well, such you shall see saved forever, when such untamed, [illegible], proud wretches as you are shall be turned into Hell.

But we do see our [illegible], and have had many pangs and pains of conscience for them.

True, it may be there has [illegible] some blows upon your heart, conscience has [illegible] you, the [illegible] of the Word has laid [illegible] [illegible], but it has not broken your heart to this day; [illegible] that is thus [illegible] — to go no further now than the very expression of the Text.

If your soul be beaten to [illegible] with this oppression of your distempers (for so this brokenness of heart was opened before) then as it is with the hardest flints, when they are broken to dust, they are easily [illegible], and give way to take the impression of the hand, or whatever is laid upon them: the stone which out of its hardness before, opposed and started aside from the strongest [illegible] [illegible] was laid — now it is turned into dust, the least and easiest touch leaves a print and impression upon it. So it is expounded, as appears in this opposition (2 Chronicles 30:8): 'Be not stiff-necked, but yield yourselves.' Observe then, is it so? — when the power of the Word comes, the Scriptures are pregnant, arguments [illegible], [illegible] sweet, [illegible] sharp and [illegible], yet [illegible] heart shifts and starts aside, and hits back the authority of the truth, which you cannot gainsay. The heart may be battered, but it was never broken; it may be overpowered and awed, but it was never humbled to this day. It is that of Proverbs 3:32: 'The froward in heart is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright' — he that lies level, and bows to the truth — 'are his delight.' A froward man, that is, he that turns off from the authority of the truth: is this your temper? Your heart was never broken to dust to this day, but fractious and froward — know you are an abomination to the Lord. If you should go to Heaven to dwell there, truly God would go out of Heaven, he would not dwell with you.

Pharaoh is the pattern of all proud hearts, he hardened himself in his wickedness against the Word of the Lord. But a broken and humble heart either lies right, or will come right, it will come to that bent of the [illegible] that is revealed: hard things make that which is [illegible] soft to assimilate to them; easy and yielding things assimilate to whatever they close. So water in a round vessel [illegible] that form, in a three-square vessel, takes that. [illegible] [illegible].

To teach us to delight in such, to desire the [illegible] of such as are [illegible] and humble men, to dwell there where God dwells; seem their persons never so mean, their conditions never so base, their estates never so low, themselves never so despicable, yet if they be men of broken spirits, God is with them. Go into their societies as men that resolve to go to the court; for where the King is, the court is; and where God is, Heaven is: the Lord has two thrones; the one of glory in Heaven, where he is all in all to his; another here on earth, a humble heart, where he does all only of himself, and for himself. Therefore as they in Zechariah 8, last, Ten men shall lay hold on the skirt of a Jew, and they shall say, we will go with you, for we have [illegible] God is with you. Much more here, for the Lord is not only with humble hearts, but he dwells in them; we should therefore entertain such servants into our families, such inhabitants into plantations, and such members into congregations, for so you entertain God himself; Resolve as Ruth to Naomi, Entreat me not to forsake you, for where you [illegible], I will live, your people shall be my people, your God my God, where you die I will die, and there will I be buried, and nothing but death shall part you and me. In fact go further, you blessed spirits — say — death shall not part us, I will be broken-hearted with you, and humble with you, and God shall dwell in us, and we shall dwell with him in Heaven forever. Oh now you are right, keep here, and be happy here forever.

Exhortation, To persuade us all, and to prevail with us to take the right way to enjoy God's presence, not only to seek for mercy, but seek it in God's order, not only to covet God's presence, but in God's [illegible]; labor to be humble and broken-hearted Christians: then expect we may that the Lord will manifest the presence of his grace and Spirit with us, and in us, but not else. Every man catches at Christ, and mercy, and comfort, but not in a right method, and therefore they lose him, and their labor also. This is God's order: First be humble and broken, and then he will revive your spirits with his presence (2 Corinthians 6:19). Come out from among them, and touch no unclean thing; then I will receive you, and be a Father to you. In a word, strive to enter in at the straight gate of contrition and humiliation, and then you will hit the right way to Christ and eternal life.