A Broken Heart (1)

First, what a heart is that is not broken, that is not a contrite heart.

1. The heart before it is broken is hard and stubborn, and obstinate against God and the salvation of the soul. “Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law” (Zechariah 7:12); see also Deuteronomy 2:30 and 9:27.

2. It is a heart full of evil imaginations and darkness. “For the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21); “Became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21).

3. It is a heart deceitful and subject to be deceived, especially about the things of an eternal concernment. “A deceived heart hath turned him aside” (Isaiah 44:20); “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them” (Deuteronomy 11:16).

4. It is a heart that rather gathereth iniquity and vanity to itself, than any thing that is good for the soul. “His heart gathereth iniquity to itself” (Psalm 41:6); “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity” (Psalm 94:11).

5. It is an unbelieving heart, and one that will turn away from God to sin. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12); “Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away” (Deuteronomy 17:17).

6. It is a heart not prepared for God, being uncircumcised, nor for the reception of His holy Word. “And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD” (2 Chronicles 12:14); “A stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God” (Psalm 78:8); “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost” (Acts 7:51).

That the heart before it is broken is such, and worse than I have described it to be, is sufficiently seen by the whole course of the world.

7. It is a heart not single, but double: it will pretend to serve God, but will withal lean to the devil and sin. “With flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak” (Psalm 12:2); “With their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness” (Ezekiel 33:31).

8. It is a heart proud and stout; it loves not to be controlled, though the controller be God Himself. “Him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer” (Psalm 101:5); “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 16:5); see also Malachi 3.

9. It is a heart that will give place to Satan, but will resist the Holy Ghost. “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” (Acts 5:3); “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost” (Acts 7:51).

10. In a word, it is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; so wicked, that none can know it. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

That the heart before it is broken is such, and worse than I have described it to be, is sufficiently seen by the whole course of the world. Where is the man (whose heart has not been broken, and whose spirit is not contrite) that, according to the Word of God, deals honestly with his own soul?

It is one character of a right heart, that it is sound in God's statutes, and honest. “Let my heart be sound in Thy statutes; that I be not ashamed” (Psalm 119:80); “But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience” (Luke 8:15).

Now, an honest heart will not put off itself, nor be put off with that which will not go for current money with the merchants; I mean, with that which will not go for saving grace at the day of judgment. But, alas! alas! but few men, how honest soever they are to others, have honesty towards themselves; though he is the worst of deceivers who deceiveth his own soul. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain” (James 1:22, 26).

— to be continued —

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