THE Bruised Reed, and Smoaking Flax. (6)

present it hath of comber. Feeling and freenesse of spirit is oft reserued untill duty be discharged: reward followeth worke. In and after dutie, wee finde that experience of Gods presence, which without obedience wee may long wait for, and yet go without. This hindreth not the Spirits freedome in blowing upon our soules when it listeth. For wee speake onely of such a state of soule, as is becalmed, and must row (as it were) against the streame. As in sailing, the hand must bee to the sterne, and the eye to the starre: so here, put

forth that little strength we have to dutie, & looke up for assistance.

Yet in these duties that require as well the body as the soule, there may bee a cessation till strēgth be repaired: whetting doth not lett but fit. [gap]. In sudden passions there should be a time to compose and calme the soule, and to put the strings in tune. The Prophet would haue a Minstrell to bring his soule into frame.

So likewise we are subject to discouragements in sufferings, by reason of impatiency in us: Alas, I shal never get through such a

crosse. But if God bring us into the crosse, hee will be with us in the crosse, and at length bring us out more refined. Wee shall lose nothing, but drosse, as in Zach. 13. 9. Of our own strength wee cannot beare the least trouble, and by the Spirits assistance wee can beare the greatest, the Spirit wil joyne his shoulders to help us to beare our infirmities. The Lord will put his hand to heave us

up. You have heard of the patience of Iob; (saith [gap]ames) wee have heard likewise of his impatiency too. But it pleased God mercifully to over-looke that. It

yeelds us comfort also in desolate conditions, as contagious sicknesses, and the like, wherein wee are more immediately under Gods hand. Then Christ hath a throne of Mercy at our beds side, and numbers our teares and our groanes. And to come to the matter we are now about. The Sacrament it was ordained not for Angels, but for Men, and not for perfect men, but for weake men, and not for Christ, who is truth it self, to binde him, but because we are ready by reason of our guilty & unbeleeving hearts to call truth it selfe

into questions. Therefore it was not enough for his goodnesse to leave us many pretious promises, but he giveth us seales to strengthen us: and what though we are not so prepared as we should, yet let us pray as Hezekias did, The Lord

pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke the Lord God of his fathers, if hee be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary. Then wee come comfortably, to this holy Sacrament, & with much fruit. This should cary us through all duties, with much chearefulnesse, That if we hate our corruptions

and strive against them, they shall not be counted ours. It is not I (saith Saint Paul) but sinne that dwelleth in me, for what displeaseth us, shall never hurt us, and we shall bee esteemed of GOD to be that we love, and desire, and labour to be. What wee desire to be, we shall be, and what wee desire truely to conquer, wee shall conquer; for God will fulfill the desire of them that feare him. The desire is an earnest of the thing. How little incouragement will cary us to the affaires of this life? and yet all the helps GOD offers will hardly prevaile

with our backward natures. Whence are then discouragements? not from the Father, for hee hath bound himselfe in Covenant to pitty us as a father pittieth his children, and to accept as a father, our weake indeavors, and what is wanting in the strength of duty, he giveth us leave to take up in his gratious indulgēce, wherby wee shall honour that grace wherein hee delighteth as much as in more perfect performances.

2. Not from Christ, for he by office will not quēch the smoaking flaxe. 3. Not from the Spirit, he helpes

our infirmities, and by office is a Comforter. Discouragements then must come from our selues and Satan, who labours to fasten on us a loathing of duty, and among other causes of discouragement, some are much vexed with scruples, (even against the best duties) partly by distemper of body, helped by Satans malice, casting dust in their eyes, in their way to heaven: and partly from some remainder of ignorance, which like darkness breedeth feares: and as ignorance of other things, so especially of this mercifull

disposition in Christ. The perswasion of which would easily banish false fears; they cōceive of him as one sitting at a catch for all advantages against thē, wherein they may see how they wrong not onely thē selves but his goodness This scrupulosity for the most part is a signe of a godly soule, as some weedes are of a good soile: therefore are they the more to be pitied, for it is a heavy affliction, and the ground of it in most is not so much from trouble of cōscience as frō sicknes of fātasy: the end of Christs comming was to free us

from all such groundlesse seares. 2. There is still in some such ignorance of that comfortable condition wee are in under the Covenant of Grace, as by it they are much discouraged. Therefore we must know, that weaknesses do not breake covenant with GOD: they doe not betweene husband and wife; and shall wee make our selves more pitifull then Christ? who maketh himselfe a patterne of love to all other husbands.

2. Weaknesses do not debarre us from mercie, nay they incline GOD the more. Psal. 78. 39. Mercy

is a part of the Churches joynture, CHRIST marrics her in mercie. The husbands be bound to beare with the wife, as being the weaker vessell, and shall wee thinke hee will exempt himselfe from his owne rule, and not beare with his weake Spouse.

3. If CHRIST should not bee mercifull to our infirmities, hee should not haue a people to serve him.

Put case therefore wee bee very weake, yet so long as wee are not found amongst malicious opposers, and underminers of

GODS truth, let us not give way to despairing thoughts, wee have a mercifull Saviour. But lest we flatter our selves without groūd, we must know that weaknesses are accounted either 1. imperfections cleaving to our best actions, or 2. such actions, as proceed from want of age in CHRIST, whilest we are Babes; or 3. from wāt of strength, where there hath beene little meanes, or 4. they are sudden indeliberate breakings out, contrary to our generall bent and purpose, whilest our judgement is overcast with the cloud of a sudden

temptation. After which, 1 we are sensible of our infirmity, 2 we grieve or it, 3, and from griefe complaine, and with complaining strive, and labour to reforme, and in labouring get some ground of our corruption. There be some (almost) invincible infirmities, as forgetfulnesse, heavinesse of spirit, sudden passiōs, feares, &c. which though naturall, yet are for the most part tainted with sinne, of these we are weary, and would faine shake them off, as a Sickman his Ague; otherwise it is not to bee esteemed weaknesse, so much

as wilfulnesse, and the more will, the more sinne: and little sins when God shall awake the conscience, and set them in order before us, will prove great burthens, and not onely bruise a Reed, but shake a Cedar. Yet GODS children never sinne with full will, because there is a contrary Law of the minde, whereby the Dominion of sinne is broken, which alwaies hath some secret working against the Law of sinne. Yet there may bee so much will in a sinfull action, as may wonderfully waste our comfort afterward, and keepe

us long upon the racke of a disquieted Conscience, GOD in his fatherly dispensation suspending the sense of his love. So much as we give way to our wils in sinning, in such a measure of distance we set our selves from comfort. Sin against conscience is as a theefe in the Candle, which wasteth our joy, and thereby weakneth our strength. We must know therefore, that wilfull breaches in Sanctificatiō, wil much hinder the sense of our Iustification.

What course shall such take to recover their peace?

Such must give a sharp sentence against them selves, and yet cast themselves upon GODS mercy in CHRIST, as at their first conversion. And now they had need to claspe about CHRIST the faster, as they see more need in themselves, and let them remember the mildnesse of CHRIST here, that will not quench the smoaking flaxe. Ofttimes wee see that after a deepe humiliation, Christ speakes more peace, then before, to witnesse the truth of this reconciliation, because he knowes Satans enterprizes in casting

downe such lower; and because such are most abased in themselves, and are ashamed to looke Christ in the face, by reason of their unkindnesse. We see GOD did not onely pardon David, but after much bruising, gave him wise Salomon to succeed him in the Kingdome. We see in the Canticles, that the Church after she had beene humbled, (for her slighting of Christ) Christ sweetly entertaines her againe, and falleth into commendation of her Beauty, Cant. 6. We must know for our comfort, that CHRIST was not

annointed to this great worke of the Mediatour for lesser sinnes onely, but for the greatest, if there be but a sparke of true faith to lay hold on him. Therefore if there bee any bruised Reed, let him not except himselfe, when Christ doth not except him; Come unto me all ye, that are weary, and heavy laden, &c. Why should we not make use of so gracious a disposition; we are onely therefore poore, because wee know not our riches in CHRIST. In time of temptation rather beleeve CHRIST, then the Devill, beleeve truth from

Truth it selfe, hearken not to a lyar, an enemy, and a murtherer.

Since CHRIST is thus comfortably set out unto us, let us not beleeve Sarans representations of him. When we are troubled in conscience for our sinnes, his manner is then to present him to the afflicted soule as a most severe Iudge armed with Iustice against us. But then let us present him to our soules, as thus offered to our view by GOD himselfe, as holding out a Scepter of mercy, and spreading his armes to receive us. When we thinke

of Ioseph, Daniel, Iohn the Evangelist, &c. we frame conceipts of thē with delight as of milde & sweet persons, much more when we thinke of CHRIST, wee should conceive of him as a mirrour of all meekness. If the sweetnesse of all flowers were in one, how sweet must that flower needs be? In CHRIST all perfections of mercy and love meete, how great then must that mercy be that lodgeth in so gracious a heart? Whatsoever tendernesse is scattered in, husband, father, brother, head, all is but a beame from him, it is in

him in the most eminent manner. We are weake, but we are his; we are deformed, but yet carry his Image vpon us. A father lookes not so much at the blemishes of his child, as at his owne nature in him; so Christ findes matter of love from that which is his owne in us. Hee sees his owne nature in us, wee are diseased, but yet his members; who ever neglected his owne members because they were sicke or weake: none ever hated his owne flesh. Can the head forget the members? Can CHRIST forget himselfe? we are his fulnesse as he is ours. He

was Love it selfe clothed with mans nature, which hee united so neere to himselfe, that hee might communicate his goodnes the more freely unto us. And tooke not our nature when it was at the best, but when it was abased, with all naturall and common infirmities it was subiect unto. Let us therefore abhorre all suspicious thoughts, as either cast in, or cherished by that damned spirit, who as he laboured to divide betweene the Father and the Sonne by jealousies, If thou beest the Sonne of

God, &c. So his daily s[gap]udy

is to divide betwixt the Sonne and us, by breeding misperswasions in us of CHRIST, as if there were not such tender love in him to such as we are. It was his art from the beginning, to discredit God with man, by calling Gods love into question, with our first Father Adam: his successe then makes him ready at that weapon still.

But for all this, I feele not CHRIST so to me (saith the smoaking flaxe) but rather the cleane contrary, he seemeth to be an enemy unto me, I see and feele evidences▪ of his

just displeasure?

CHRIST may act the part of an enemy a little while as Ioseph did, but it is to make way for acting his own part of mercy in a more seasonable time; hee cannot hold in his bowells long, he seemeth to wrastle with us, as with Iacob, but hee supplyes us with hidden strength, at length to get the better. Faith pulls off the vizard from his face, and sees a loving heart under contrary appearances. At first he answers the woman of Canaan crying after him, not a word; 2. then gives her a deniall; 3. gives an

answer tending to her reproach, calling her dogge, as being without the Covenant; yet she would not be so beaten off; for shee considered the end of his comming. As his Father was never neerer him in strength to support him, then when he was furthest off in sense of favour to comfort him; So CHRIST is never neerer us in power to uphold us, then when he seemeth most to hide his presence from us. The influence of the Sun of righteousnesse pierceth deeper then his light. In such cases, whatsoever CHRISTS present cariage

is towards us, let us oppose his nature and office against it, hee cannot deny himselfe, he cannot but discharge the office his Father hath laid upon him. Wee see here the Father hath undertaken that hee shall not quench the smoaking flaxe; and CHRIST againe undertaken for us to the Father, appearing before him for us; untill he presents us blamelesse before him. The Father hath given us to Christ, and Christ giveth us back againe to the Father.

This were good comfort, if I were but as

smoaking flaxe.

It is well that thy objection pincheth upon thy selfe, and not upon Christ, it is well thou givest him the honour of his mercy towards others, though not to thy selfe: but yet doe not wrong the worke of his Spirit in thy heart. Sathan as he slaundereth CHRIST to us, so hee slandereth us to our selves. If thou beest not so much as smoaking flax, thē why doest thou not renounce thy interest in Christ, and disclame the Covenant, of grace? this thou darest not do; why dost thou not give up thy selfe wholly

to other contents? this thy spirit will not suffer thee. Whece comes these restlesse groanings and complaints? Lay this thy present estate, together with this office of CHRIST to such, and doe not despise the consolation of the Almighty, nor refuse thy owne mercy. Cast thy selfe into the Armes of CHRIST, and if thou perishest, perish there; if thou dost not, thou art sure to perish.

If mercy be to be [gap] any where▪ it is there, herein appeares Christs care to thee, that hee hath given thee a heart, in some

degree sensible: he might have given thee up to hardnes, security, and prophanenesse of heart, of all spirituall judgements the greatest. Hee that dyed for his enemies, will hee refuse those the desire of whose soule is towards him? hee that by his messengers desires us to bee reconciled, will hee put us off when wee earnestly seeke it at his hand? No, doutblesse, when hee prevents us by kindling holy desires in us, hee is ready to meete us in his owne wayes. When the Prodigall set himselfe to returne to his father, his

father stayes not for him, but meets him in the way. When hee prepares the heart

to seeke, he will cause his eare to heare. He cannot finde in his heart to hide himselfe long from us. If God should bring us into such a darke condition, as that wee should see no light from himselfe, or the creature, then let us remember what he saith by the Prophet Esay, Hee that is in

darknesse, and seeth no light, no light of comfort, no light of Gods countenance, yet let him trust in the name of the Lord. Wee can never bee in such a condition, wherin there will be just cause