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SOLOMON tells you, Prov. 18.14. The Spirit of a Man will sustain his Infirmi∣ties, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? The word signifies a smitten, contrite, or broken Spirit. It is a kind of Speech borrowed from corporal Affliction, by Stripes, Contusions, Bruises, or Wounds, wherein by Incision and Launcing the Sinews and Veins, the Body is debilitated and endangered to Death, and
Disabled so, that it is void of Supportation; it is liable to Inflamations and Distempers, that every slight touch prejudices it: It depri∣veth a Man of Rest, so that he is impatient of this present Posture, and more perplexed at a Mutation. To express it further, it is the intense sorrow of the Soul, a weak Confidence, and an infeebled life of the Spirit; so that God may well nominate it, A wounded Spirit.
2. THIS Affliction is of that Magnitude, that it exceeds all other Temporal Sorrows: And none can truly give their Verdict of it, but they who can join and say with David, The sorrows of Death compassed me, and the pains of Hell gat hold upon me, Psal. 116.3. Other Sorrows may be Mitigated, by administring to the Afflicted something equivalent to the loss sustained; as where one Treasure is lost, another may be found; or by some compen∣sation or repair, may be Retaliated; as Job had a second Posterity and encrease of Wealth: And Elkanah declared such a Me∣dium of Consolation to Afflicted Hannah, when he said to her, Am I not better to thee than ten Sons, Sam. 1 1.8.
3. BUT these Comforts are no ways con∣ducive to an afflicted Spirit; for furnish him with Riches, the company of the dearest Friends, or that which might afford Relief, Refreshment and Delight to others, yet to him it procures no Ease, no more than if you put on a rich Purple Robe upon broken Bones: No, no, the Grief is internal, and no exter∣nal
means can Cure it. In other Crosses, time will asswage, by Prudence and persua∣sive Arguments, excellent lenitives of Sor∣row: In some cases to divert, Wine, merry Society, Musick, or the like means, may bear some part, which the Wise Man accords to, Give strong Drink to him that is ready to per∣ish, and Wine to those that be of heavy Heart▪ Let him drink and forget his Poverty, and re∣member his Misery no more, Prov. 31.6, 7.
4. DAVID'S Harp did for the time re∣fresh Saul, and Charm the Evil Spirit: But this grief admits of no Efficacy in such Com∣forts. In other Pressures we may receive Ease, or be conducted from the Evil, as St. Paul was from the Jews Conspiracy, Acts 23.31. and David from Saul, 1 Sam. 19.12. But there is no flying from a wounded Spirit: Where ever we go our Affliction attends us, even our secret Tormentor in our own Bo∣soms In short, as it is in one sense a Separation from God, so no Creature in Heaven or Earth can Cure it: There is no Sanctuary for a troubled Soul, but only Gods favourable Pre∣sence: No other Expedient can be used, till he return and Comfort it.
5. SO Horrid in the mean time is this Affliction, that the desperate Traytor Judas took Death for his Sanctuary, as an Antidote against his guilty Conscience •• but with what ponderosity it sits upon the Hearts of God's Servants, may appear by the Complaints of Job and others; Wherefore is light given to
him that is in Misery, and Life unto the bitter in Soul, which long for Death, but it com∣eth not, and, dig for it more than for hid Treasures; which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the Grave, Job 3.2O, 21, 22. This was Job's Complaint. And the Prophet complained of his Birth, Jer. 20.14, 15, 16, 17, 18. And the Prophet Elijah being threatned by Jezebel at Beer-she∣ba, poured out himself, It is enough now, O Lord, take away my Life, for I am not better than my Fathers, 1 Kings, 19.4. And Jonah at the loss of his Gourd, expressed himself, say∣ing, It is better for me to die than live, Jonah 4.8.