The body is but dust and blood kneaded together Solomon saith Beauty is vain Prov. 31. 30. Yet so vain are some as to be proud of vanity 4 VVho glory in their gifts These trappings and ornaments do not set them off in Gods eyes an Angel is a knowing creature but take away humility from an Angel and he is a devil 2 Are not they proud who are highly opinionated of their own excellencies who beholding themselves in philautiae speculo in the multiplying glass of self-love appear in their own eyes better than they are Simon Magus gave out that himself was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one Act. 8. 9. Alexander would needs be son to Iupiter and of the Race of the gods Sapor King of Persia stiles himself Brother of the Sun and Moon Projicit ampullas sesqui pedalia verba I have read of a Pope who trod upon the neck of Frederick the Emperour and as a Cloak for his pride cited that Text Psa. 91. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou trample under feet No such Idol as Self the proud man bows down to this Idol 3. Are not they proud who despise others Luke 18. 9. The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others The people of the Chineses say that Europe hath one eye and they have two and all the world else is blind A proud man looks upon others with such an eye of scorn as Goliah did upon David 1 Sam. 17. 42. When the Philistim looked about and saw David he disdained him They who stand upon the Pinacle of Pride look upon other men no bigger than Crows 4. Are not they proud who are the Trumpets of their own praise Acts 5. 36. Before these days rose up Theudas boasting himself to be some body A proud man is the Herald of his own good deeds he blazeth his own fame and therein is his vice to paint his own virtue 5. Are not they proud who take the glory due to God to themselves Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon I have built So saith the proud man are not these the Prayers I have made Are not these the works of Charity I have done When Herod had made an Oration and the people cryed him up for a God Act. 12. 22. he was well content to have that honor done to him Pride is the greatest sacriledge it robs God of his glory 6. Are not they proud who are never pleased with their condition they speak hardly of God taxing his care and wisdom as if he had not dealt well with them A proud man God himself cannot please but like Momus he is ever finding fault and flying in the face of heaven Oh let us search if there be none of this leven of pride in us Man is Naturally a proud piece of flesh this sin runs in a bloud our first Parents fell by their Pride they did aspire after a Deity there are the seeds of this in the best but the godly do not allow themselves in it they labour to kill this weed by mortification But certainly where this sin is regnant and prevailing it cannot stand with grace you may as well call him a prudent man who wants discretion as a godly man who wants humility Use 2. Labour for this character be humble 'T is an Apostolical Exhortation 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be cloathed with humility Put it on as an embroydered robe better want any thing than humility better want parts than humility nay better want the comforts of the Spirit than want humility Micah 6. 8. What doth the Lord require of thee but to walk humbly with thy God 1. The more worth any man hath the more humble he is Feathers fly up but Gold descends The golden Saint descends in humility Some of the Ancients have compared Humility to the Celidonian stone which is little for substance but of rare virtue 2. God loves an humble soul. 'T is not our high birth but our low hearts God delights in An humble spirit is Gods prospect Isa. 66. 2. To this man will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit an humble heart is Gods Palace Isa. 57. 15. I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble spirit Great Personages besides their houses of state have lesser houses which upon occasion they retreat to Besides Gods house of state in Heaven he hath the humble soul for his retiring-house where he takes up his rest and doth solace himself Let Italy boast that it is for pleasure the Garden of the world an humble heart glories in this that it is the Presence-chamber of the Great King 3. The Times we live in are humbling The Lord seems to say to us now as he did to Israel Exod. 33. 5. Put off thy Ornaments from thee that I may know what to do to thee My displeasure is breaking forth I have eclipsed the light of the Sanctuary I have stained the waters with blood I have shot the arrow of Pestilence therefore lay down your Pride put off your Ornaments Woe to them that lift themselves up when God is casting them down When should a people be humble if not under the rod 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God When God afflicts his people and cuts them short in their priviledges 't is time then to sow sackcloath on their skin and defile their horn or honour in the dust Job 16. 15. 4. What an horrid sin Pride is St. Chrysostom calls it the mother of Hell Pride is a complicated evil as Aristotle saith Justice comprehends all virtue in it so Pride comprehends all vice 'T is a spiritual drunkenness it flies up as Wine into the brain and intoxicates it It is idolatry a proud maâ— is a self-worshipper 'T is revenge Hamaâ— plots Mordicaies death because he would not bow the knee How odious is this sin to God! Prov. 16. 5. Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. 5. The mischief of pride It is the break-neck of souls Zeph. 2. 9 10. Surely Moab shall be as Sodom c. this shall they have for their pride The Doves saith Pliny take a pride in their feathers and in their flying high at last they fly so high that they are a prey to the Hawk Men fly so high in pride that at last they are a prey to the Devil the Prince of the aire 6. Humility raiseth ones esteem in the eyes of others All give respect to the humble Prov. 15. 33. Before honour is humility Quest. What means may we use to be humble Answ. 1. Let us set before us the golden pattern of Christ. He commenced Doctor â—n humility Phil. 2. 7. But made himself of â—o reputation and was made in the likeness of flesh O what abasement was it for the Son of God to
shall not break my head David was glad of a reproof Suppose a man were in the mouth of a Lyon and another should shoot the Lyon and save the man would not he be thankful So when we are in the mouth of sin as of a Lyon and the Minister by a reproof shoots this sin to death shall not we be thankful A gracious soul rejoyceth when the sharp Lance of the word hath let out his Imposthume he wears a reproof as a Jewel on his ear Pro. 30. 12. As an ear-ring of gold so is a reprover on an obedient ear To conclude 't is convincing â—reachâ—ng must do the soul good a nipping reproof prepares for comfort as a nipping frost prepares for the sweet flowers of spring SECT X. 10. A godly man hath the Spirit of God residing in him 2 Tim. 1. 14. The Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us The Schoolmen move the question whether a man receive the Holy Ghost himself or no Montanus held that the godly have so Gods Spirit in them that they partake of his Essence and are become one person with himself but this amounts to no less than blasphemy then it would follow that every Saint were to be worshipped I conceive the spirit is in the godly per modum influxus they have the presence and receive the sacred influences of it When the Sun comes into a room not the body of the Sun is there but the beams that sparkle from it Indeed some Divines have thought that the godly have more than the influx of the spirit though to say how it is more is ineffable and is fitter for some Seraphique Pen to describe than mine The Spirit of God discovers its self in a gracious soul two wayes 1. By its motions These are some of that sweet perfume the spirit breaths upon the heart whereby it is raised into a kind of Angelical frame Quest. 1. But how may we know the motions of the Spirit from a delusion Answ. The motions of the Spirit are always consonant to the word the word is the Chariot wherein the Spirit of God rides which way the tyde of the word runs that way the wind of the spirit blows Quest. 2. How may the motions of the Spirit in the godly be distinguished from the impulses of a Natural Conscience Answ. 1. A Natural Conscience may provoke sometimes to the same thing that the spirit doth but not from the same principle Natural Conscience is a spuâ— to duty but it puts a man upon doing duties for fear of hell as the Gally tugs at the Oar for fear of being beaten whereas the spirit moves a Childe of God from a more Noble Principle it makes him serve God out of choice and esteem duty his priviledge 2. The impulses of a Natural Conscience put men only upon more facil duties of Religion wherein the heart is less exercised as perfunctory reading or praying but the motions of the spirit in the godly go further causing them to set upon the most irksome duties as self-reflection self-humbling yea perillous duties as confessing Christs Name in times of danger Divine motions are in the heart like new wine which will have vent When Gods Spirit possesseth a man it carries him full-sail through all difficulties 2. The Spirit discovers it self in the godly by its virtues These are various 1. Gods Spirit hath a teaching virtue the spirit teacheth convincingly Ioh. 16. 8. It doth so teach as it doth perswade 2. Gods Spirit hath a sanctifying virtue the heart naturally is polluted but when the spirit comes into it it works sin out and grace in The Spirit of God was represented by the Dove Embleme of Purity the spirit makes the heart a Temple for pureness and a Paradise for pleasantness The holy Oyl of Consecration was nothing else but a prefiguring of the spirit The spirit sanctifies a mans fancy causing it to mint holy meditations it sanctifies his will byassing it to good so that now it shall be as delightful to serve God as before it was to sin against him sweet powders perfume linnen so Gods Spirit in a man perfumes him with holiness and makes his heart a Map of Heaven 3. Gods Spirit hath a vivifying virtue 2 Cor. 3. 6. The Spirit giveth life As thâ— blowing in an Organ makes it sound so thâ— breathing of the spirit causeth life and moâ—on When the Prophet Elijah stretcheâ— himself upon the dead Childe it revived 1 Kin. 17. 22. so Gods Spirit stretching self upon the soul infuseth life into it As our life so our liveliness is from thâ— spirits operation Ezek. 3. 14. The Spirit lifted me up When the heart is bowed dowâ— and is listless to duty the Spirit of God lift it up it puts a sharp edge upon the affectionâ— it makes love ardent hope lively the spirâ—â— takes off the weights of the soul and gives wings Cant. 6. 12. Or ever I was aware 〈◊〉 Soul made me like the Chariots of Amminâ—â—i The wheels of the soul were before pulleâ— off and it did drive on heavily but wheâ— the spirit of the Almighty possesseth a maâ— now he runs swiftly in the ways of God anâ— his soul is as the Chariots of Amminadib 4. Gods Spirit hath a Jurisdictive virtue it rules and governs Gods Spirit sits paramount in the soul it gives check to thâ— violence of corruption it will not suffer man to be vain and loose as others The Spâ—rit of God will not be put out of office exerciseth its authority over the heart bringing every thought to the obedience of Chriâ—â— 2 Cor. 10. 5. 5. The spirit hath a mollifying virtue therefore it is compared to fire which softens the wax The spirit turns flint into flesh Ezek. 36. 26. I will give you an heart of flesh How shall this be effected Ver. 27. I will put my spirit within you While the heart is hard it lies like a log and is not wrought upon either with judgements or mercies but when Gods Spirit comes in it makes a mans heart as tender as his eye and now it is made yielding to Divine Impressions 6. The spirit of God hath a corroborating virtue it infuseth strength and assistance for work it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Power 2 Tim. 1. 7. Gods spirit carries a man above himself Eph. 3. 16. Strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man The spirit confirms faith animates courage it lifts at one end of the Cross and makes it lighter to be born The spirit gives not only a sufficiency of strength but a redundancy Quest. How shall we know whether we act in the strength of Gods Spirit or in the strength of our own abilities Answ. 1. When we do humbly cast our selves upon God for assistance as David going out against Goliah did cast himself upon God for help 1 Sam. 17. 45. I come to thee in the Name of the Lord. 2. When
our duties are divinely qualified we do them with pure aims 3. When we have found God going along with us we give him the glory of all 1 Cor. 15. 10. This doth clearly evince that the duty was carried on by the strength of Gods Spirit more than by any innate abilities of our own 7. Gods Spirit hath a comforting virtue disconsolacy may arise in a gracious heart as the Heaven though it be a bright lucid body yet hath interposition of Clouds this sadness is caused usually through the malice of Satan who if he cannot destroy us he will disturb us but Gods Spirit within us doth sweetly chear and revive he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter Ioh. 14. 16. These comforts are real and infallible Hence it is called the Seal of the Spirit Eph. 1. 13. When a Deed is sealed it is firm and unquestionable so when a Christian hath the seal of the spirit his comforts are confirmed every godly man hath these revivings of the spirit in some degree he hath the seminals and initials of joy though the flower be not fully ripe and blown Quest. How doth the Spirit give comfort Answ. 1. By showing us that we are in a state of Grace A Christian cannot always see his riches the work of Grace may be written in the heart like short-hand which a Christian cannot read the spirit gives him a Key to open these dark Characters and spell out his Adoption whereupon he hath joy and peace 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God 2. The spirit comforts by giving us some ravishing apprehensions of Gods love Rom. 5. 5. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Gods love is a box of precious oyntment and it is only the spirit can break open this box and fill us with the sweet perfume of it 3. The spirit comforts by carrying us to the Bloud of Christ as when a man is weary and ready to faint carry him to the water and he is refreshed so when we are fainting under the burden of sin the spirit carries us to the Fountain of Christs Bloud Zac. 12. 1. In that day there shall be a Fountain opened c. The spirit inables us to drink the waters of Justification which run out of Christs sides The spirit applyes whatever Christ hath purchased it shows us that our sins are done away in Christ and though we are spotted in our selves we are undefiled in our head 4. The spirit comforts by inabling Conscience to comfort the Childe must be taught before it can speak The spirit opens the mouth of Conscience and helps it to speak and witness to a man that his estate is good whereupon he begins to receive comfort Rom. 9. 2. My Conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost Conscience draws up a Certificate for a man then the Holy Ghost comes and sets his hand to the Certificate 5. The spirit conveys the Oyl of Joy through two Golden Pipes 1. The Ordinances 2. The Promises 1. The Ordinances As Christ in prayer had his countenance changed Luk 9. 29. There was a glorious lustre upon his face so often in the use of Holy Ordinances the godly have such raptures of joy and soul-transfigurations that they have been carried above the world and despised all things below 2. The Promises The Promises are comfortable 1. For their sureness Rom. 4. 16. God in the Promises hath laid his truth to pawn 2. For their suitableness being calculated for every Christians condition The Promises are like a Physick-garden there is no disease but some herb may be found there to cure it but the Promises of themselves cannot comfort only the spirit inables us to suck these Honey-combs The Promises are like a Limbeck full of herbs but this Limbeck will not drop unless the fire be put under So when the spirit of God which is compared to fire is put to the Limbeck of the Promises then they distil Consolation into the soul. Thus we see how the spirit is in the godly by its virtues Object But is this the sign of a godly man to be filled with the Spirit Are not the wicked said to partake of the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. 4. Answ. Wicked men may partake of the spirits working but not of its in-dwelling they may have Gods spirit move upon them the godly have it enter into them Ezek. 3. 24. Object But the unregenerate taste of the Heavenly Gift Heb. 6. Answ. It is with them as Cooks who may have a smack and taste of the meat they dress but they are not nourished by it Tasting there is opposed to eating The godly have not only a drop or taste of the spirit but it is in them as river of living water Iohn 7. 38. Use 1. It brands them for ungodly who have none of Gods spirit Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And if he be none of Christs then whose is he to what Regiment doth he belong 'T is the misery of a sinner he hath none of Gods spirit Me thinks 't is very offensive to hear men say Take not thy holy spirit from us who never had Gods spirit will they say they have Gods spirit in them who are drunkards and swearers Have they Gods spirit who are malicious and unclean It were blasphemy to say these have the spirit Will the blessed spirit leave his Caelestial Palace to come and live in a prison A sinners heart is a Gaol both for darkness and noysomness and will Gods free spirit be confined to a prison A sinners heart is the Embleme of Hell what should Gods spirit do there Wicked hearts are not a Temple but an Hogâ—sty where the unclean spirit makes his abode Ephes. 2. 2. The Prince of the power of the Ayr the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience We would be loath to live in an house haunted with eviâ— spirits a sinners heart is haunted Ioh. 13 27. After the sop Satan entred Satan venter upon the godly but enters into the wicked when the Devils went into the herd of swine they ran violently down a steep place into thâ— Sea Mat. 8. 32. Whence is it men run so greedily to the Commission of sin but because the Devil hath entred into these Swine 2. This cuts them off from being godly who not only want the spirit but deride it Like those Iews Acts 2. 13. These men are full of new wine And indeed so the Apostles were they were full of the wine of the spirit How is Gods spirit scoffed at by the sons of Belial These say they are men of the Spirit O wretches to make those tongues which should be Organs of Gods praise instruments to blaspheme Have you none to throw your squibs at but the spirit Deriding of
a steeping in Christs blood and breathe holiness into your heart O what cause have you to write your selves eternal debtors to free grace Hee denies God to be the Authour of his Grace who doth not give him the praise of it O acknowledge the love of God admire distinguishing mercy set the Crown of your praise upon the head of free grace If wee are to bee thankful for the fruits of the earth much more for â—he fruits of the Spirit it is well there is an eternity coming when the Saints shall triumph in God and make his praise glorious 3 Let me speak to the godly by way of Comfort you that have but the least dram of godliness in sincerity let me give you two rich Consolations 1 That Jesus Christ will not discourage the weakest Grace but will cherish and preserve it to Eternity Grace which is but newly budded shall by the beams of the Sun of Righteousness bee concocted and ripened into Glory This I shall speak more fully to in the next CHAP. XI Showing that the least degree of Godliness shall bee preserved Mat. 12. 20. A bruised Reed shall hee not break and smoking flax shall hee not quench till hee send forth Iudgement unto Victory THis Text is spoken Prophetically of Christ hee will not insult over the infirmities of his people hee will not crush Grace in the infancy A bruised Reed shall he not break and smoking flax shall be not quench I begin with the first the bruised Reed Quest. What is to bee understood here by a Reed Answ. It is not to bee taken litterally but mystically It is a Rational Reed the Spiritual part of man the Soul which may well bee compared to a Reed because it is subject to imbecility and shaking in this life till it grow up unto a firm Cedar in Heaven Quest. What is meant by a bruised Reed Answ. It is a soul humbled and bruised in the sense of sin it weeps but doth not despair it is tossed upon the waves of fear yet not without the Anchor of Hope Quest. What is meant by Christs not breaking this reed Answ. The sense is Christ will not discourage any mournful spirit who is in the pangs of the New-birth If the bruise of sin be felt it shall not be mortal A bruised reed shall he not break In the words there is a Miâ—oâ—â—s he will not break that is he will bind up the bruised reed he will comfort it The result of the whole is to show Christs compassion to a poor dejected sinner that smites upon his breast and dares hardly lift up his eye for mercy the bowels of the Lord Jesus yern towards him this bruised reed he will not break In the Text there are two parts 1. A Supposition a soul penitentially bruised 2. A Proposition it shall not be broken Doct. The bruised soul shall not be broken Psal. 147. 3. He bindeth up their wounds For this end Christ received both his Mission and Unction that he might bind up the bruised soul Isa. 61. 1. The Lord hath anointed me to bind up the broken-hearted But why will not Christ break a bruised reed 1. Out of the sweetness of his Nature Iam. 5. 11. the Lord is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very pitiful he begets bowels in other creatures therefore is called the Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1. 3. and surely he himself is not without bowels when a poor soul is afflicted in spirit God will not exercise harshness towards it lest he should be thought to put off his own tender disposition Hence it is the Lord hath been ever most solicitous for his bruised ones as the Mother is most careful of her Children that are weak and sickly Isa. 40. 11. He shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in hiâ— bosome Such as have been spiritually bruised who like Lambs are weakly and tender Christ will carry them in the arms of free-grace 2 Jesus Christ will not break the bruised reed because a contrite heart is his sacrifice Psa. 51. 17. A bruised spirit sends forth tears which are as precious wine Psa. 56. 8. A bruised soul is big with holy desires yea is sick of love therefore if a bruised reed hath such virtue in it Christ will not break it no Spices when they are bruised are so fragant to us as a contrite spirit is to God 3 The bruised reed shall not be broken because it doth so nearly resemble Christ Jesus Christ was once bruised on the cross Isa. 53. 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him his hands and feet were bruised with the nails his side was bruised with the Spear A bruised reed resembles a bruised Saviour nay a bruised reed is a member of Christ which though it be weak Christ will not cut off but cherish so much the more 1. Will not Christ break the bruised reed this tacitly implies he will break unbruised reeds such as were never touched with trouble of spirit but live and die in impenitency these are hard reeds or rather rocks Christ will not break a bruised reed but he will break an hard reed Many know not what it is to be bruised reeds they are bruised outwardly by affliction but they are not bruised for sin they never knew what the pangs of the New birth meant You shall hear some thank God they were always quiet they never had any anxiety of spirit these bless God for the greatest Curse Such as are not bruised penitentially shall be broken judicially they whose hearts would not break for sin shall break with despair in hell there is nothing to be seen but an heâ—p of stones and an hammer an heap of stones that is hard hearts and an hammer that is Gods Power and Justice breaking them in pieces 2. Will not Christ break a bruised reed See then the gracious disposition of Jesus Christ he is full of clemency and sympathy though he may bruise the soul for sin he will not break it The Chyrurgion may lance the body and make it bleed but he will bind up the wound as Christ hath beams of Majesty so bowels of mercy Christ gives the Lyon in his Scutchion and the Lamb the Lyon in respect of his fierceness to the wicked Psal. 50. 22. And the Lamb in respect of his mildness to his people his name is Iesus a Saviour and his office is an healer Mal. 4. 2. Christ made a plaister of his own bloud to heal a broken heart Christ is the quintessence of love One saith if the sweetness of all flowers were in one flower how sweet would that flower be How full of Mercy is Christ in whom all mercy meets Christ hath a skilful hand and a tender heart He will not break a bruised reed Some are so full of Ostracisme and cruelty as to add affliction to affliction which is to lay more weight upon a dying man but our Lord Jesus is a compassionate
High Priest Heb. 2. 17. He is touched with the feeling of our infirmity every bruise of the soul goes to his heart none refuse Christ but such as do not know him He is nothing but love incarnated He himself was bruised to heal them that are bruised 3. See then what encouragement here is for Faith Had Christ said he would break the bruised reed then indeed there were ground for despair but when Christ saith he will not break a bruised reed this opens a door of hope for humble bruised souls Can we say we have been bruised for sin why do we not believe Why do we go drooping under our fears and discouragements as if there were no mercy for us Christ saith He will heal the broken in heart Psal. 147. 3. No saith Unbelief he will not heal me Christ saith he will cure the bruised soul No saith Unbelief he will kill it Unbelief as it makes our comforts void so it goes about to make the Word void as if all Gods Promises were but forgeries or like Blanks in a Lottery Hath the Lord said he will not break a bruised reed can Truth lie O what a sin is unbelief Some think it dreadful to be among the number of drunkards swearers whoremongers let me tell you it is no less dreadful to be among the number of Unbelievers Unbelief is worse than any other sin because it brings God into suspition with the Creature it robs him of the richest Jewel of his Crown and that is his truth 1 Ioh. 5. 10. He that believeth not hath made God a lyar Oh then let all humbled sinners go to Jesus Christ Christ was bruised with desertion to heal them who are bruised with sin If you can show Christ your sores and touch him by faith you shall be healed of all your soul-bruises Will not Christ break thee then do not undo thy self by despair Use 2. Will not Jesus Christ break a bruised reed then it reproves those who do what in them lies to break the bruised reed and they are such as go about to hinder the work of Conversion in others when they see them wounded and troubled for sin they dishearâ—en them telling them that Religion is a sowre melancholly thing they had better return to their former pleasures when an Arrow of Conviction is shot into their Conscience these pull it out again and will not suffer the work of Conviction to go forward Thus when the soul is almost bruised they hinder it from a thorow bruise This is for men to be Devils to others If to shed the bloud of another makes a man guilty what is it to damn anothers soul Use 3. This Text is a spiritual hony-comb dropping consolation into all bruised hearts as in the body when there is a Lipothimy or fainting of the vital spirits we apply cordials so when sinners are bruised for their sins I shall give them some cordial-water to revive them This text is comfortable to a poor soul who sits with Iob among the Ashes and is dejected in the sense of its unworthiness Ah! saith the soul I am unworthy of mercy what am I that ever God should look upon me those who have greater parts and Graces perhaps may obtain a look from God but alas I am unworthy doth thy unworthiness trouble thee what more unworthy than a bruised reed yet there is a promise made to that a bruised reed he will not break the promise is not made to the Fig-tree or Olive which are fertile plants but to the Bruised reed Though thou art despicable in thy own eyes a poor shattered reed yet thou mayest be glorious in the eyes of the Lord let not thy unworthiness discourage thee if thou seest thy self vile and Christ pretious this promise is thine Christ will not break thee but will binde up thy wounds Quest. But how shall I know that I am savingly bruised Answ. Did God ever bring thee upon thy knees hath thy proud heart been humbled didst thou ever see thy self a sinner and nothing but a sinner didst thou ever with a weeping eye look upon Christ and did those tears drop from the eye of faith This is a Gospel-bruising canst thou say Lord though I do not see thee yet I love thee though I am in the dark yet I cast Anchor this is to be a bruised reed Object 1 But I fear I am not bruised enough Answ. 'T is hard to prescribe a just measure of humiliation it is in the new birth as in the natural some bring forth with more pangs some with fewer but would you know when you are bruised enough when your spirit is so troubled that you are willing to let go those lusts which did bring in the greatest income of pleasure and delight when sin is not only discarded but disgusted then you have been bruised enough then the Physick is strong enough when it hath purged out the disease then the soul is bruised enough when the love of sin is purged out Object 2 But I fear I am not bruised as I should be I finde my heart so hard Answ. 1 Wee must distinguish between hardness of heart and an hardâ—heart the best heart may have some hardness but though there be some hardnesse in it it is not an hard heart denominations are from the better part if we come into a field that hath Tares and Wheat in it we do not call it a field of Tares but a Wheat-field so though there be hardnesse in the heart as well as softnesse yet God who judgeth by that part which is more excellent looks upon it as a soft heart 2 There is a great difference between the hardnesse in the godly and the wicked the one is natural the other is only accidental the hardnesse in a wicked man is like the hardnesse of a stone which is an innate continued hardnesse the hardnesse in a childe of God is like the hardnesse of Ice which is soon melted with the Sun-beams perhaps God hath at present withdrawn his spirit whereupon the heart is congeal'd as Ice but let Gods spirit as the Sun return and shine upon the heart now it hath a gracious thaw upon it and it melts in love 3 Dost not thou grieve under thy hardnesse thou sighest for want of groans thou weepest for want of tears the hard reed cannot weep if â—hou wert not a bruised reed all this moisture could not come from thee Object 3 But I am a barren reed I bring forth no fruit therefore I fear I shall bee broken Answ. Gracious hearts are apt to overlook the good that is in them they can spye the worm in the leaf but not the fruit Why dost thou say thou art barren if thou art a bruised reed thou art not barren The spiritual reed ingrafted into the true Vine is fruitful there is so much sap in Christ as makes all who are inoculated into him bear fruit Christ distils grace as drops of dew