A broken heart is the handy-work of God, a sacrifice of his own
preparing, a material fitted for himself. By breaking the heart he
opens it, and makes it a receptacle for the graces of his Spirit;
that is the cabinet, when unlocked, where God lays up the jewels of
the gospel: there he puts his fear: "I will put my fear in their
heart;" there he writes his law: "I will write my law in their
heart;" there he puts his Spirit: "I will put my Spirit within you."
The heart God chooses for his cabinet: there he hides his treasure;
there is the seat of justice, mercy, and of every grace of God.
Here is naught but open war, acts of hostility, and shameful
rebellion on the sinner's side; and what delight can God take in
that? Wherefore, if God will bend and buckle the spirit of such a
one, he must shoot an arrow at him, a bearded arrow, such as may not
be plucked out of the wound--an arrow that will stick fast, and
cause that the sinner fall down as dead at God's foot. Then will the
sinner deliver up his arms, and surrender up himself as one
conquered into the hand of God, and beg for the Lord's pardon, and
not till then sincerely.
And now God has overcome, and his right hand and his holy arm have
gotten him the victory. Now he rides in triumph, with his captive at
his chariot-wheel; now he glories, now the bells in heaven do ring,
now the angels shout for joy, yea, are bid to do so: "Rejoice with
me, for I have found my sheep which was lost."