THE Bruised Reed, and Smoaking Flax. (3)

disposition betweene the holy nature of CHRIST, and the impure nature of Man. Man for a little smoake will quench the light: CHRIST ever wee see cherisheth even the least beginnings. How bare hee with the many imperfections of his poor Disciples? If he did sharply checke them, it was in love, and that they might shine the brighter. Can we have a better patterne to follow than this of him by whom we hope to bee saved? Rom. 15. 1. We that are strong ought to beare with the infirmities of them that are weak. I become all things

to all men, that I may winne some. O that this gaining and winning disposition were more in many! Many (so farre as in us lyeth) are lost for want of incouragement. See how that faithfull fisher of men S. Paul, labours to catch his Iudge, I know thou

beleevest the Prophets; and then wisheth all saving good, but not bonds; hee might have added them too, but he would not discourage one that made but an offer, hee would therefore wish Agrippa only that which was good in Religion. How carefull was our blessed Saviour

of little ones that they might not bee offended? How doth he defend his Disciples from malitious imputations of the Pharises? How carefull not to put new wine into old vessels, not to alienate new beginners with the austerities of Religion (as some indiscreetly.) O (saith hee) they shal have time to fast when I am gone, and strength to fast when the Holy Ghost is come upon them.

It is not the best way to fall foule presently with young beginners for some lesser vanities, but shew them a more excellent

way, and breed them up in positive grounds, and other things wil be quickly out of credit with them. It is not amisse to conceale their wants, to excuse some failings, to commend their performances, to cherish their towardnesse, to remove all rubs out of their way, to helpe them every way to beare the yoake of Religion with greater ease, to bring them in love with God and his service, lest they distaste it before they know it. For the most part we see CHRIST planteth in young beginners a love, which we call

the first love, to cary them through their profession with more delight, and doth not expose them to crosses, before they have gathered strength, as wee breed up young plants, and fence them from the weather, untill they bee well rooted. Mercy to others should move us to deny our selves in our lawfull liberties oftentimes, in case of offence of weake ones, it is the little ones that are offended. The weakest are aptest to think themselves despised, therfore wee should bee most carefull to give them content.

It were a good strife amongst Christians, one to labour to give no offence, and the other to labour to take none. The best men are severe to themselves, tender over others.

Yet people should not tyre and weare out the patience of others: Nor should the weaker so farre exact moderation from others, as to beare out themselves upon their indulgence, and so to rest in their owne infirmities, with danger to their own soules, and scandall to the Church. The Church suffereth much from weake

ones, therefore wee may challenge liberty to deale with them, as mildly, so oftentimes directly. The scope of true love, is to make the party better, which by concealment oftentimes is hindred: with some a spirit of meeknesse prevaileth most, but with some a rod. Some must be pulled out of the fire with violence, and they will blesse God for us in the day of their visitation. Wee see our Saviour multiplyes woe upon woe, when hee was to deale with hardhearted Hypocrites; For Hypocrites doe neede stronger conviction than

grosse sinners, because their will is naught, and thereupon usually their conversion is violent. An hard knot must have an answerable wedge, else in a cruell pity wee betray their soules. A sharpe reproofe sometimes is a precious pearle, and a sweet balme. The wounds of secure sinners will not bee healed with sweet words. The Holy Ghost came as well in fiery tongues, as in the likenesse of a Dove, and the same holy Spirit will vouchsafe a spirit of prudence and discretion, (which is the salt to season all our words and actions)

And such wisedome will teach us to speake a word in season both to the weary and likewise to the secure soule. And indeed he had need have the tongue of the learned that shall either raise up, or cast downe: But in this place I speake of mildness towards those that are weake, and are sensible of it: These wee must bring on gently, and drive softly, as Iacob did his Cattell, according to the pace, and as his children were able to endure.

Weake Christians are like glasses which are hurt with the least violent usage, otherwise if gently

handled will continue a long time. This honour of gentle use we are to give to the weaker vessells, by which we shall both preserve them, and likewise make them usefull to the Church and our selves.

In uncleane bodies if all ill humours be purged out, you shall purge life and all away. Therefore though GOD saith, Zach. 13. 9. that he will fine them as silver is fined. Yet Esay 48. 10. he saith, He hath fined them, but not as silver, that is, so exactly as that no drosse remaineth, for hee hath respect to our weaknesse. Perfect refining

is for another world, for the world of the soules of perfect men.

Divines had need to take heed therefore how they deale with these in divers particulars: as first, let them be carefull they straine not things too hie, making those generall and necessary evidences of grace which agree not to the experience of many a good Christian, and lay salvation and damnation upon those things that are not fit to beare so great a waight, whereupon men are groundlesly cast down lower by them, than they can hastily be raised up againe

by themselves or others. The Ambassadors of so gentle a Saviour should not bee over masterly, setting up themselves in the hearts of people, where CHRIST alone should sit as in his owne Temple. How carefull was Saint Paul in cases of conscience not to lay a snare upon any weak conscience!

They should take heed likewise that they hide not their meaning in darke speeches, speaking in the clouds. Truth feareth nothing so much as concealement, and desireth nothing so much as cleerely

to bee laid open to the view of all: When it is most naked, it is most lovely and powerfull.

Our blessed Saviour as he tooke our nature upon him, so he took upon him our familiar manner of speech, which was part of his voluntary abasement. Saint Paul was a profound man, yet became as a nurse to the weaker sort.

That spirit of mercy that was in CHRIST should move his servants to bee content to abase themselves for the good of the meanest. What made the Kingdome of heaven suffer violence after

Iohn the Baptists time, but that comfortable truths were with that plainnesse and evidence layd open, that the people were so affected with them, as they offered a holy violence to them?

CHRIST chose those to preach mercy, which had felt most meroy, as S. Peter, and S. Paul: that they might bee examples of what they taught. Saint Paul became all things to all men, stooping unto them for their good: CHRIST came downe from heaven and emptied himselfe of majesty in tender love to soules: shall not we come

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downe from our high conceits, to doe any poore soule good? shall man be proud, after GOD hath beene humble? Wee see the ministers of Satan turn themselves into all shapes to make proselytes. A Iesuite will be every man. We see ambitious men study accommodation of themselves to the humours of those by whom they hope to raise themselves: and shall not wee study application of our selves to CHRIST, by whom wee hope to be advanced; nay, are already sitting with him in heavenly places? After wee are gained to

CHRIST our selves, wee should labour to gaine others to CHRIST. Holy ambition and covetousnesse will move us to put upon our selves the disposition of CHRIST; but we must put off our selves first.

Wee should not thirdly racke their wits with curious or doubtfull disputes, for so wee shall distract and tire them, and give occasion to make them cast off the care of all. That age of the church which was most fertile in nice questions, was most barren in Religion. For it makes people thinke Religion

to be onely a matter of wit, in tying and untying of knots, the braines of men given that wayes are hotter usually than their hearts. Yet not withstanding, when we are cast into times and places wherein doubts are raised about maine points, here people ought to labour to be established. God suffer questions oftentimes to arise for tryall of our love, and exercise of our parts. Nothing is so certaine as that which is certaine after doubts. Shaking settles and roots. In a contentious age, it is a witty thing to be a Christian

and to know what to pitch their soules upon: It is an office of love here to take away the stones, and to smooth the way to heaven. Therefore wee must take heed that under pretence of avoydance of disputes, wee doe not suffer an adverse party to get ground upon the truth: For thus may we easily betray both the truth of God, and soules of men.

And likewise those are failing that by over much austerity drive backe troubled soules from having comfort by them, for by this cariage many smother their temptations, and

burne inwardly because they have none, into whose bosome they may vent their griefe, and ease their soules.

We must neither binde where GOD loseth, nor lose where GOD bindeth, nor open where GOD shutteth, nor shut where God openeth; the right use of the Keyes is alwayes successfull. In personall application there must be great heed taken: for a man may bee a false Prophet, and yet speake the truth, if it bee not a truth to the person to whom he speaketh: if hee grieve those whom God hath

not grieved, by unseasonable truths, or by comforts in an ill way, the hearts of the wicked may bee strengthned. One mans meat, may bee anothers bane.

If we looke to the generall temper of these times, rouzing and waking Scriptures are fittest: yet there be many broken spirits, need soft and oily words. Even in the worst time the Prophets mingled sweet comfort for the hidden remnant of faithfull people. GOD hath comfort comfort ye my people, as well as lift up thy voyce as a Trumpet.

And here likewise there needs a caveat. Mercy doth not rob us of our right judgement, as that we should take smoaking firebrands for smoaking flax: none will claime mercy more of others, than those whose portion is due severity. This example doth not countenance lukewarmnesse, nor too much indulgence to those that need quickning. Cold diseases must have hot remedies. It made for the just commendatiōs of the Church of Ephesus, that it could not beare them which are evill. We should so beare with

others, as wee discover withall a dislike of evill. Our Saviour CHRIST would not forbeare sharp reproofe, where hee saw dangerous infirmities, in his most beloved Disciples. It bringeth under a curse to doe the worke of the Lord negligently: Even where it is a worke of just severity: As when it is sheathing the sword in the bowels of the enemy. And those whom we suffer to be betraid by their worst enemies their sinnes wil have just cause to curse us another day.

It is hard to preserve just bounds of mercy and

severity, without a spirit above our owne: which we ought to desire to bee led withall, in all things. That wisedome which dwelleth with prudence will guide us in these particulars, without which virtue is not virtue, truth not truth: the rule and the case must bee laid together: for if there be not a narrow insight, seeming likenesse in conditions wil be the breeder of errours in our opinions of them. Those fiery, tempestuous, and dist[gap]ctive spirits in Popery, that seeke to promote their Religion by cruelty, shew that they

are strangers to that wisedome which is from above, which maketh men gentle, peaceable, and ready to shew that mercy they have felt before, thē selves. It is a way of prevailing, as agreeable to CHRIST, so likewise to mans nature, to prevaile by some forbearance and moderation.

And yet oft wee see a false spirit in those that call for moderation, it is but to carry their owne projects with the greater strength; and if they prove of the prevailing hand, they will hardly shew that moderation to others,

they now call for from others. And there is a proud kind of moderation likewise, when men will take upon thē to censure either party, as if they were wiser than both, though if the spirit be right, a looker on may see more than those that are in conflict.

So in the censures of the Church, it is more sutable to the Spirit of CHRIST to incline to the milder part; and not to kill a flye on the forehead with a beetle; nor shut men out of heaven for a trifle. The very snuffers of the Tabernacle were made of pure gold, to shew the

purity of those censures, whereby the light of the Church is kept bright. That power that is given to the Church, is given for edification, not destruction. How carefull was Saint Paul that the incestuous Corinthian repenting, should not bee swallowed up with too much griefe?

As for civill Magistrates, they for civill exigences and reasons of State, must let the Law have its course: yet thus farre they should imitate this milde King, as not to mingle bitternesse and passion with authority derived

from GOD. Authority is a beam of Gods Majesty, and prevaileth most where there is least mixture of that which is mans. It requireth more than ordinary wisedome to manage it aright. This string must not bee too much strained up, nor too much let loose. Iustice is an harmonicall thing. Herbs hot or cold beyond a certaine degree kill. We see even contrary Elements preserved in one body by a wise contemperation. Iustice in rigour is oft extreame injustice, where some considerable circumstances should incline

to moderation, and the reckoning wil be easier for bending rather to moderation than rigor.

Insolent cariage toward miserable persons, if humbled, is unseemly in any who look for mercy themselves. Misery should bee a Loadstone of mercy, not a footstoole for Pride to trample on.

Sometimes it falleth out that those that are under the government of others are most injurious by way wardnesse and harsh censures, herein disparaging and discouraging the endeavours of Superiours for publike good. In so

great weaknesse of mans nature, and especially in this crazie age of the world, wee ought to take in good part, any moderate happinesse wee injoy by government; and not be altogether as a nayle in the wound, exasperating things by misconstruction. Here, Love should have a mantle to cast upon lesser errors of those above us. Oft-times the poore man is the oppressor by unjust clamours: we should labour to give the best interpretations to the actions of Governours, that the nature of the actions will possibly beare.

In the last place, there is some thing for private Christians, even for all of us in our common relations, to take notice of: we are debtors to the weake in many things. 1. Let us be watchfull in the use of our libertie, and labour to be in offensive in our cariage, that our example compell them not. There is a commanding force in an example, as Peter, Gal. 2. A loosnesse of life is crueltie to our selves, and to the soules of others, though wee cannot keepe them frō perishing, which will perish, in regard of the event; yet if wee doe

that which is apt of it selfe to destroy the soules of others, their ruine is imputable to us.