THE Bruised Reed, and Smoaking Flax. (12)

True it is, but not as an allower and maintainer, but as an opposer, subduer, and in the end as a Conquerour: Carnall men would faine bring Christ and the flesh together and could bee content with some reservation to submit to Christ, but Christ will be no underling to any base affection; and therfore where there is allowance of our selves in any sinsull lust, it is a signe the Keyes were never given up to Christ to rule us.

3, Because it is judgement, and men love not to be judged and censured. Now Christ in his truth

arraigneth them, giveth sentence against them, and bindeth them over to the latter judgement of the great day. And therefore they take upon them to judge that truth that must judge them, but truth will bee too good for them; Man hath a day now, which Saint Paul calls mans day, wherein hee getteth upon his bench, and usurpeth a judgement over Christ and his wayes; but GOD hath a day, wherein he will set all straight, and his judgement shall stand. And the Saints shall have their time, when they shall sit in judgment upon them

that judge them now. In the meane time CHRIST will rule in the middest of his enemies, in the midst of our hearts.

It is therefore no signe of a good condition, to [gap]nde all quiet and nothing at oddes. For can we think that corruption wch is the elder in us, and sathan the strong man, that keepeth many holds in us, will yeeld possession quietly: No, there is not so much as a thought of goodnesse discovered by him, but he joyneth with corruption to kill it in the birth. And as Pharaohs cruelty was especially against the male

children; so Sathans malice is especially against the most religious and manly resolutions.

This then wee are alwayes to expect, that wheresoever Christ commeth, there will be opposition: when Christ was borne all Ierusalem was troubled; so when Christ is borne in any man, the soule is in an uproare, and all because the heart is unwilling to yeeld up it selfe to Christ to rule it.

Wheresoever Christ commeth, he breedeth division, not only I, between man and himselfe, but 2, betweene man and man,

and 3, betweene Church and Church: Of which disturbance Christ is no more the cause, they Physicke is of trouble in a distempered body, of which noysome humors are the proper cause, for the end of Physicke is the peace of humors. But Christ thinketh it fit that the thoughts of mens hearts should bee discovered: and hee is as well for the falling, as the rising of many in Israel.

Thus the desperate madnesse of men is layd open, that they had rather bee under the guidance of their owne lusts, and by consequent of Satan himselfe

to their endlesse destruction, then put their feet into Christs setters, and their neckes under his yoake; whereas indeed Christs service is the only true libertie, his yoake an easie yoake, his burden but as the burden of wings to a bird, that maketh her flie the higher. Sathans government is rather a bondage then a government, unto which Christ giveth up those that shake off his owne, for then hee giveth Sathan and his factors power over them, since they will not receive the

truth in love, take him Iesuite, take him Sathan,

blind him, and binde him, & lead him to perdition. Those that take the most liberty to sinne, are the most perfect slaves, because most voluntarie slaves, the will in everie thing is either the best or the worst, the further men goe on in a wilfull course, the deeper they sincke in rebellion; and the more they crosse CHRIST, doing what they will, the more they shall one day suffer what they would not. In the meane time they are prisoners in their owne soules, bound over in their consciences to the judgement of him after

death, whose judgement they would none of in their lives. And is it not equall that they should feele him a severe Iudge to condemne them, whom they would not have a milde Iudge to rule them.

For Conclusion and generall application of all that hath beene spoken, unto our selves. We see the conflicting, but yet sure and hopefull state of Gods people. The victory lyeth not upon us, but upon CHRIST who hath taken upon him as to conquer for us, so to conquer in us. The victory lyeth neither in our own strēgth

to get, nor in our enemies to defeat it. If it lay upon us wee might justly feare. But CHRIST will maintaine his owne government in us, and take our part against our corruptions; they are his Enemies as well as ours. Let us

therefore bee strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might; Let us not looke so much who are our enemies, as who is our Iudge, and Captaine; not what they threaten, but what he promiseth; wee have more for us, then against us. What coward would not fight, when he is sure of victory; none are here overcome,

but he that will not sight. Therefore, when any base fainting seizeth upon us, let us lay the blame where it is to bee layd. Wee see here what wee may looke for from heaven. O beloved it is a comfortable thing to conceive of CHRIST aright, to know what love, mercy, strength we have layed up for us in the brest of CHRIST. A good conceit of the Physitian (we say) is halfe the cure; Let us not suffer Sathan to transforme Christ unto us, to bee otherwise then he is to those that are his. Let us make use of this

his mercy and power everie day, in our daily combats: CHRIST will not leave us, till he hath made us like himselfe, all glorious within and without, and presented us blamelesse before his Father. What a comfort is this in our conflicts with our unruly hearts, that it shall not alwaies be thus; let us strive a little while, and we shall bee happy for ever. Let us thinke when wee are troubled with our sinnes, that CHRIST hath this in charge of his Father, That he shall not quench the smoaking slaxe, untill hee hath subdued all. This putteth

a sheild into our hands to beat backe all the fiery darts of Sathan: he will object, thou art a great sinner; we may answer, CHRIST is a strong Saviour: but he will object, thou hast no faith, no love? Yes a sparke of faith and love: but CHRIST will not regard that? Yes, he will not quench the smoaking flaxe. But this is so little and weake, that it will vanish, and come to nought? Nay, but CHRIST will cherish it untill hee hath brought judgment to victory. And thus much for our comfort we have already, that even when we first beleeved we

overcame God himself (as it were) by beleeving the pardon of all our sinnes; notwithstanding the guilt of our owne consciences, and his absolute justice. Now having beene prevailers with GOD, what shall stand against us if we can learne to make use of our faith?

O what a confusion is this to Sathan, that hee should labour to blow out a poore sparke, and yet should not bee able to quench it; that a graine of Mustard seed should bee stronger then the gates of Hell; that it should be able to remove mountaines of oppositions

and temptations cast up by Sathan and our rebellious hearts between GOD and us. Abimelech could not indure that it should bee said a Woman

had slaine him, and it must needs be a Torment to Sathan, that a weake childe, a woman, and decrepit old man should by a spirit of faith put him to flight.

Since there is such comfort, where there is a little truth of grace, that it will be so victorious, Let us oft try what: GOD hath wrought in us, search our good, as well as our ill, and be thankfull to GOD for the least measure of

grace, more then for any outward thing, it wil be of more use and comfort then al this world which passeth away & comes to nothing. Yea let us be thankfull sor that promised and assured victory, which we may relie on without presumption, as Saint Paul doth; Thankes bee to GOD,

that hath given us victorie in Iesu Christ. See a slame in a spark, a tree in a seed; see great things in little beginnings; Looke not so much to the beginning, as to the perfection, and so we shall bee in some degree joyfull in our selves, and thankfull unto Christ.

And let all this that hath beene spoken, allure those that are not yet in state of grace, to come under CHRISTS sweet and victorious government, for though wee shall have much opposition, yet if we strive, hee will helpe us, if we faile, he wil cherish us, if wee bee guided by him, we shall overcome, If we overcome, wee are sure to be crowned. And for the presēt state of the Church we see now how forlorne it is, yet let us comfort our selves, that CHRISTS cause shall prevaile, Christ will rule, till he hath made

his enemies his footstoole,

not onely to trample up on: but to helpe him up to mount higher in glory. Babylon shall fall, for strong is the Lord who hath condemned her, Rev. 18. 8. Christs judgement not onely in his children, but also against his enemies shall be victorious, for hee is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. GOD will not suffer Antichrist and his supports to revell and ruffle in the Church as they doe.

If we looke to the present state of the Church of CHRIST, it is as Daniel in the midst of Lyons, as a Lilly amongst thornes. As a ship not onely tossed,

but almost covered, with waves. It is so low, that the enemies thinke they have buried CHRIST in regard of his Gospel, in the grave, and there they thinke to keepe him from rising: but CHRIST as he rose in his person, so hee will roule away all stones, & rise again in his church: how little support hath the Church and cause of CHRIST at this day▪ how strong a conspiracie is against it. The spirit of Antichrist is now lifted up, and marcheth furiously; things seeme to hang on a small and invisible thread. But our comfort

is that CHRIST liveth and raigneth, and standeth on Mount Sion in defence of them that stand for him; and when States and Kingdomes shall dash one against another; CHRIST will have care of his owne Children and cause, seeing there is nothing else in the world that he much esteemeth. At this very time the delivery of his Church, and the ruine of his enemies is in working: we see not things in motion till CHRIST hath done his worke, and then wee shall see that the Lord raigneth. CHRIST and his Church when they are at the lowest,

are neerest rising: his enemies at the highest are neerest a downefall.

The Iewes are not yet come in under CHRISTS banner, but GOD that hath perswaded Iaphet to come into the Tents of Shem, will perswade Shem to come into the Tents of Iaphet. The fulnesse of the Gentiles is not yet come in, but CHRIST that hath the utmost parts of the earth given him for his possession, will gather all the sheepe his Father hath given him into one fold, that there may bee one sheepfold, and one shepheard.

The faithfull Iewes rejoyced to thinke of the calling of the Gentiles: and why should not we joy to thinke of the calling of the Iewes?

The Gospels course hath hitherto been as that of the Sun from East to West, and so in GODS time may proceed yet further West. No creature can hinder the course of the Sun, nor stop the influence of heaven, nor hinder the blowing of the winde, much lesse hinder the prevailing power of divine truth, untill CHRIST hath brought all under one head, and then he will present

all to his Father; these are they thou hast given unto me; these are they that have taken mee for their Lord and King, that have suffered with mee. My will is that they bee where I am, and raigne with mee. And then hee will deliver up the Kingdome even to his Father, and put downe all other rule, and authority, and power.

Let us then bring our hearts to holy resolutions, and set our selves upon that which is good, and against that which is ill, in our selves or others, according to our callings:

upon this incouragement, that CHRISTS grace and power shall goe along with us. What had become of that great worke of Reformation of Religion in the latter Spring of the Gospel, if men had not beene armed with invincible courage to outstride all lets, upon this faith that the cause was CHRISTS, and that he would not be wanting to his owne cause. Luther ingenuosly confessed, that he caried matters often inconsiderately, and with mixture of passion, but upon acknowledgement, GOD tooke not advantage

of his errors, but the cause being GODS, and his aymes being holy, to promote the truth, and being a mighty man in prayer, and strong in faith, GOD by him kindled that fire, which all the world shall never bee able to quench. According to our faith so is our incouragement to all duties, therefore let us strengthen faith that it may strengthen all other graces. This very beliefe, that faith shall bee victorious, is a meanes to make it so indeed. Beleeve it therefore, that though it bee often as smoaking flax, yet it shall

preuaile. If it prevaile with GOD himselfe in tryalls, shall it not prevaile over all other opposition? Let us waite a while, and we shall see the salvation of the Lord.

The Lord reveale himselfe more and more unto us in the face of his Sonne Iesus CHRIST, and magnifie the power of his grace in cherishing those beginnings of grace in the middest of our corruptions; and sanctifie the consideration of our owne infirmities to humble us, and of his tender mercy to incourage us: And perswade us that since he hath

taken us into the covenant of grace, hee will not cast us off for those corruptions; which as they grieve his Spirit; so they make us vile in our owne eyes. And because Sathan labours to obscure the glory[gap] of his mercy, and hinder our comfort by discouragements. The Lord adde this to the rest of his mercies, that since he is so gracious to those that yeeld to his goverment, we may make the right use of this grace, and not lose any portion of comfort that is layd up for us in CHRIST. And hee vouchsafe to let the prevailing power of

his Spirit in us, bee an evidence of the truth of grace begun, and a pledge of finall victory, at that time when he will be all in all, in all his for all eternity.

Amen.

FINIS.