* ' Surgeons,' in A and B.
46 THE BRUISED EEED
Vse 1. What should we learn from hence, but 'to come boldly to the throne of gi'ace,' Heb. iv. 16, in all our grievances ? Shall our sins dis- courage us, when he appears there only for sinners ? Art thou bruised ? Be of good comfort, he calleth thee ; conceal not thy wounds, open all be- fore him, keep not Satan's counsel. Go to Christ though trembling ; as the poor woman, if we can but ' touch the hem of his garment,' Matt. ix. 20, we shall be healed and have a gracious answer. Go boldly to God in our flesh ; for this end that we might go boldly to him, he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone. Never fear to go to God, since we have such a Mediator with him, that is not only our friend, but our brother and husband. Well might the angels proclaim from heaven, ' Behold, we bring you tidings of joy,' Luke ii. 10. Well might the apostle stir us up to ' rejoice in the Lord again and again,' Phil. iv. 4 : he was well advised upon what grounds he did it. Peace and joy are two main fruits of his kingdom. Let the world be as it will, if we cannot rejoice in the world, yet we may rejoice in the Lord. His presence maketh any condition comfortable. ' Be not afraid,' saith he to his disciples, when they were afraid as if they had seen a ghost, ' it is I,' Matt, xiv, 27, as if there were no cause of fear where he is present.
Use 2. Let this stay us when we feel ourselves bruised. Chiist his course is first to wound, then to heal. No sound, whole soul shall ever enter into heaven. Think in temptation, Christ was tempted for me ; according to my trials will be my graces and comforts. If Christ be so merciful as not to break me, I will not break myself by despau-, nor yield myself over to the roaring lion Satan, to break me in pieces.
Use 3. Thirdly, See the contrary disposition of Christ, and Satan and his instruments. Satan setteth upon us when we are weakest, as Simeon and Levi upon the ' Shechemites, when they were sore,' Gen. xxxiv. 25 ; but Christ will make up in us all the breaches sin and Satan have made ; he ' binds up the broken-hearted,' Isa. Ixi. 1. And as a mother tendereth most the most diseased and weakest child, so doth Christ most mercifully incline to the weakest, and hkewise putteth an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support. The vine stayeth itself upon the elm, and the weakest creatures have oft the strongest shelters. The consciousness of the church's weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved, and to hide herself under his wing.
[Chapter IV. — Signs of one truly bruised. — Means and measure of hndsing, and comfort to such.]
Objection. But how shall we know whether we are such as those that may expect mercy ?
Answer 1. By bruising here is not meant those that are brought low only by crosses, but such as by them are brought to see their sin, which bruiseth most of all. When conscience is under the guilt of sin, then eveiy judgment brings a report of God's anger to the soul, and all less * troubles run into this great trouble of conscience for sin. As all corrupt humours run to the diseased and bruised part of the body, and as every creditor falls upon the debtor when ho is once arrested, so when conscience is once awaked, all former sins and present crosses join together to make the bruise the more painful. Now, ho that is thus bruised will be content with nothing * ' Lesser,' in A and B.
AND SMOKING FLAX. 47
but v/ith mercy from him that hath bruised him. ' He hath wounded, and he must heal,' Isa. Ixi. 1. Lord, thou hast braised me deservedly for my sins, bind up my heart again,* &c. 2. Again, a man truly bruised judgeth sin the greatest evil, and the favour of God the gi-eatest good. 3. He had rather hear of mercy than of a kingdom. 4. He hath mean conceits of himself, and thinketh he is not worth the earth he treads on. 5. Towards others he is not censorious, as being taken up at home, but is full of sym- pathy and compassion to those that are under God's hand. G. He thinketh those that walk in the comforts of God's Spirit the happiest men of the world. 7. ' He trembleth at the word of God,' Isa. Ix^d. 2, and honoui-eth the very feet of those blessed instruments that bring peace unto him, Kom. X. 15. 8. He is more taken up with the inward exercises of a broken heart than with formality, and yet careful to use all sanctified means to convey comfort.
Question. But how shall we come to have this temper ?
Ayiswer. First, we must conceive of bruising either as a state into which God bringeth us, or as a duty to be performed by us. Both are here meant. We must join with God in bruising of ourselves. When he humbles us, let us humble ourselves, and not stand out against him, for then he will redouble his strokes ; and let us justify Christ m all his chas- tisements, knowing that all his dealing towards us is to cause us to return into our own hearts. His work in bruising tendeth to our work in bruising ourselves. Let us lament our own untowardness, and saj^ Lord, what an heart have I that needs all this, that none of this could be spared ! We must lay siege to the hardness of our own hearts, and aggravate sin all we can. We must look on Christ, who was bruised for us, look on him whom we have pierced with om' sins. But all directions will not prevail, unless God by his Spirit convinceth us deeply, setting our sins before us, and driving us to a stand. Then we will make out for mercy. Conviction will breed contrition, and this humiliation. Therefore desire God that he would bring a clear and a strong light into all the corners of our souls, and accom- pany it with a spirit of power to lay our hearts low.