accomplishes that striking promise of his word, "I will take away the heart of stone, and give an heart of flesh." Yet here he works not arbitrarily, or with compulsory force, but through the medium of moral influences, and moral suasion, gently securing the acquiescence and co-operation of man himself. Among the means of influence, his own word, seconded by his good Spirit, is the most common and the most effective. In reference to it, well was it asked by the prophet, "Is not thy word as a fire, and as a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" The analogy correctly and forcibly describes the power of the agent, but the inference must not be drawn that there is equal passiveness, and necessary subjection to change in the object; for as that object is spirit, and not matter, and in itself endued with the power of moral agency, mechanical and irresistible influence upon it, is out of the question. Acknowledging God as the giver of the grace of repentance, and his word as sufficient to break the stubborn, or melt the icy heart, it is still not ascribing too much to man, to assert that the probability of being moved to genuine contrition, may be either increased or diminished, and the day of repentance either accelerated or retarded, by the state of mind and feeling which is deliberately cherished, and the course of thought, effort, and action that are rendered habitual. If the reader has borne in mind the remarks made in reference

to the attainment of "The honest and good heart," he will readily apply them here; and he will justly conclude, that while the agency of God does not excuse man from action, the call to human effort, on the other hand, intends no unworthy reliance on human strength, and neither denies nor disparages the converting grace of God. Waiving all controversy on the subject, the author would fain present the wholesome and scriptural truth, that "the broken and contrite heart," must be sought and expected from God, in immediate connexion with the practical question, to be addressed by every one to his own heart: Am I pursuing snch trains of habitual reflection, and such courses of moral discipline, as would naturally tend to humble me before God, and to make me a mourner for sin? or am I not striving against conviction, and encouraging myself in impenitence? And may each one so judge himself" in this important point, "that he be not judged of the Lord.”

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In the sense here affixed to "the broken and contrite heart," it will be evident, that it is a state which will be but once experienced. It is a part then of that great change, by which "the power of sin and Satan" is destroyed, and the kingdom of God established in the soul, and like it, admits not of repetition. It is connected with the one great" repentance which is unto life, and therefore never to be repented of." Yet in a lower sense, the terms admit of frequent application to

the state of the same individual. Even the renewed believer, whose heart has been once thoroughly broken and bound up, may, (in the language of one of our Articles,)" depart from grace given, and fall into sin; and by the grace of God (he may) arise again and amend his life." There is no man that liveth and sinneth not: and even "the good man falleth sometimes seven times a day." These occasional lapses call for regrets and humiliation. Acts of sin require acts of contrition, and penitence must of necessity be a grace in frequent exercise, until death shall terminate the warfare of sin; and this modified and partial repentance, demanded by partial returns to sin, is as essential to the safety and the comfort of the renewed, as is conversion to the unrenewed; and he perhaps comes nearest to the mark of Christian requirement, who best preserves the tenderness and sensitiveness of conscience, and who is deeply pained and deeply humbled even by the daily little infirmities which mar the beauty of his Christian holiness. These infirmities will give even to him some share in the exercises of the broken and contrite heart, and as he "goes mourning by reason of his sin," and "walking humbly with his God," there will be comfort in the promise that this broken and contrite heart God will not despise.

The evidences of repentance scarcely require to be stated. They are furnished by "bringing

forth the fruits meet for repentance." Being wholly practical in their nature, they can never be given in the case of what is usually termed a death-bed repentance; and it is the necessary want of them which attaches to such repentance so much of uncertainty and painfulness, such partially blended yet ever conflicting emotions of hope and fear. The new heart and the new life must attest that the heart has been broken to repentance. Hatred and abandonment of sin are not to be misconstrued, and to all, therefore, whose penitence has been genuine, we can say in the expressive and eloquent language of the apostle, (language which in every case will furnish an admirable test of genuineness:) "For behold this self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!"

The terms which form the title of this chapter are highly figurative, and beautifully expressive. Like others which have been noted, they are drawn from the consideration of the natural or fleshly heart. Let us analyze them, that we may perceive their significancy, and correctly understand the state which they were meant to designate.

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The expression, a broken and a contrite heart," immediately suggests to us the idea of force applied. That force, as we shall presently show, is a moral force-the force of moral, motive, and appeal-the stroke of God's word and spirit upon the heart and conscience of man.

The terms further imply, a state of pain and suffering; and such is that state of spiritual feeling which they were intended to describe. The word broken, when applied to the body, is always associated with the idea of much physical suffering; but in its connexion with the spirit, the heart, this signification is deepened. The "broken heart" points out that extremity of anguish, beyond which nature, unable to endure, dies. The word contrite is so generally understood in its secondary and figurative sense, as synonymous with penitent, that we have almost lost sight of its original meaning, which is, bruised and rubbed together. In this sense it is here used; the heart is broken or crushed; and its wounded parts are painfully brought into collision, and rubbed as it