The Bruised Reed and the Smoking Flax

Mat. 12. 20.

THis Text is spoken Prophetically of Christ; (Isa. 42. 3) 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 of¹ 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 this² 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 Mi[…]o[…]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?

Reas. 1. 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 hi[…] bosome: Such as have been spiritually bruised, who like Lambs, are weakly and tender, Christ will carry them in the arms of free-grace.

Reas. 2. 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.

Reas. 3. 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.

Use 1. 1. Will not Christ break the bruised reed? this tacitly implies he will break unbruised reeds; (Inform) such as were never touched with trouble of spirit,³ 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 help 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?⁴ 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 broken⁵heart: 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!⁶ 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 (Rev. 21. 8) 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,⁷ then it reproves those who do (what in them lies) to break the bruised reed; (Reproof) 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 dishearten 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,⁸ dropping consolation into all bruised hearts; (Consol) 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, (Zac. 12. 10) look upon Christ? and did those tears drop from the eye of faith? (Mar. 9. 24) 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. ‘Tis 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 hard[…]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 thou 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, upon the soul, Hos. 14. 5, 6. I will be as the de[…] unto Israel, he shall grow as the Lilly, his branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the Olive-tree. That God, who made the dry rod blossome, will make the dry reed flourish.

So much for the first expression in the Text, I proceed to the second,

The smoaking Flax shall he not quench.

Quest. What is meant by smoak?

Answ. By smoak is meant corruption: Smoak is offensive to the eye, so sin offends the pure eye of God.

Quest. What is meant by smoaking flax?

Answ. It is meant Grace mingled with corruption; as with a little fire there may be much smoak, so with a little grace there may be much corruption·

Quest. What is Christs not quenching the Smoaking Flax?

Answ. The meaning is, though there be but a spark of grace with much sin, Christ will not put out this spark.— In the words there is a figure, He will not⁹ quench, that is, he will encrease: Nothing more easie than to quench Smoaking Flax, the least touch doth it, but Christ will not quench it; he will not blow the spark of Grace out, but will blow it¹⁰ up; he will encrease it into a flame; he will make this Smoaking Flax a burning Taper.

Doct. That a little grace mixed with much corruption, shall not be quenched. For the illustrating of this, I shall show you

1. That often a little grace is mixed with much corruption.

2. That this little grace interlined with corruption, shall not be quenched.

3. The Reasons of the Proposition.

4. Often in the godly a little grace is mingled with much corruption, Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe, there was some Faith; help my unbelief; there was corruption mixed with it: There are in the best Saints interweavings of sin and grace; a dark side with the light: much pride mixed with humility, much earthliness with heavenliness: Grace in the godly doth relish of an old Crabtree stock.

Nay, in many of the Regenerate there is more corruption than grace, so much smoak that you can scarce discern any fire, so much distrust, that you can hardly see any (1 Sam. 27. 1) Faith, so much passion, that you can hardly see any meekness. Ionah a peevish Prophet, he quarrels with God; nay, he justifies his passion, Ionah 4. 9. I do well to be angry to the death. Here was so much passion, that it was hard to see any grace. A Christian in this life, is like a glass that hath more froth than wine; or like a diseased body, that hath more humours than spirits: This may humble the best, to consider how much corruption is interlarded with their grace.

2. This little grace mixed with much corruption shall not be quenched: The smoaking flax he will not quench: The Disciples Faith was at first but small, they forsook Christ and (Mat. 26. 56) fled. Here was smoaking flax, but Chirst did not quench that little grace, but cherish and animate it; their Faith afterwards grew stronger, and they did openly confess (Acts 4. 29. 30) Christ. Here was the flax flaming.

3. The Reasons why Christ will not quench the smoaking flax.

4. Because this Scintilla, this little light which is in the smoaking flax is of divine production, it comes from the Father of Lights, and the Lord will not quench the work of […] own grace: Every thing by the instinct of Nature will preserve its¹¹ own: The Hen that hatcheth her young, will preserve and cherish them, she will not destroy them as soon as they are hatched: God who hath put this tenderness into the Creature to preserve its young, will much more cherish the work of his own spirit in the heart: Will he light up the Lamp of Grace in the soul, and then put it out? This would be neither for his interest nor honor.

5. Christ will not quench the beginnings of grace, because a little grace is precious as well as more: A small Pearl is of value: Though the Pearl of Faith be little, yet if it be a true Pearl it shines gloriously in Gods eyes: A Goldsmith makes reckoning of the least filings of gold, and will not throw them away: The pupilla oculi, the apple of the eye, is but little, yet of great use, it can at once view an huge part of the heavens: A little Faith can justifie; a weak hand can tye the Nuptial Knot; a weak Faith can unite to Christ as well as a strong; a little grace makes us like God; a silver penny bears the Kings Image upon it as well as a larger piece of Coyn: The least dram of grace bears Gods Image on it, and will God destroy his own Image? When the Temples in Greece were demolished, Xerxes caused the Temple of Diana to be preserved for the beauty of its structure: When God shall destroy all the glory of the world, and set it on fire, yet he will not destroy the least grace because it bears a print of his own likeness upon it: That little spark in the smoaking flax is a ray and beam of Gods own glory.

6. Christ will not quench the smoaking flax, because this little light in the flax may grow bigger: Grace is resembled to a grain of Mustard-seed, of all seeds it is the least, but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a Tree, Mat. 13. 32. The greatest grace was once little; the Oak was once an Acorn; the most Renowned Faith in the world was once in its Spiritual Infancy; the greatest flame of zeal was once but smoaking flax: Grace, like the waters of the Sanctuary, riseth higher: If then the least Embryo and seed of holiness be of a ripening and growing nature, the Lord will not suffer it to be abortive.

7. Christ will not quench the smoaking flax, because when he preserves a little light in a great deal of smoak, here the glory of his power shines forth: The trembling soul thinks it shall be swallowed up of sin, but God by preserving a little quantity of grace in the heart, nay, by making that spark prevail over corruption, as the fire from heaven licked up the water in the trench, 1 King. 18. 38. Now, God gets himself a glorious Name, and carries away the Trophies of Honor, 2 Cor. 12. 9. My strength is made perfect in weakness.

8. See the different dealings of God and men,¹² men for a little smoak will quench a great deal of light; (Inform) God for a great deal of smoak will not quench a little light:¹³ ‘Tis the manner of the world, if they see a little failing in another, for that failing they will pass by and quench a great deal of worth: This is our nature, to aggravate a little fault, and diminish a great deal of virtue; to see the infirmities, and darken the excellencies of others; as we take more notice of the twinkling of a Star, than the shining of a Star: We censure others for their passion, but do not admire them for their piety. Thus for a little smoak that we see in others, we quench much light.

God doth not thus, for a great deal of smoak he will not quench a little light; he sees the sincerity, and over-looks many infirmities, the least sparks of grace he cherisheth, and blows them gently with the breath of his spirit, till they break forth into a flame.

—2 If Christ will not quench the smoaking flax,¹⁴ then we must not quench the smoaking flax in our selves; if grace doth not increase into so great a flame as we see in others, therefore to conclude we have no fire of the spirit in us, this is to quench the smoaking flax, and to bear false witness against our selves; as we must not credit a false evidence, so neither must we deny a true; fire may be hid in the embers, so may grace be hid under many distempers of soul; some Christians are so skilful at this, in accusing themselves for want of grace, as if they had received a fee from Satan, to plead for him, against themselves.

This is a great mistake, to argue from the weakness of grace, to the nullity; it is one thing to be wanting in faith, and another thing to want faith; he whose eye-sight is dim, is wanting in his sight, but he doth not want sight; a little grace is grace, though it be smothered under much corruption.

3 If the least spark of grace shall not bee quenched, then this follows as a great truth, that there is no falling from¹⁵ grace; if the least dram of grace should perish, then the smoaking flax should be quenched; grace may be shaken by fears and doubtings, but not blown up by the¹⁶ roots: I grant, seeming grace may be lost, this wilde-fire may be blown out, but not the fire of the Spirits kindling; Grace may be dormant in the soul, but not dead, as a man in an Appoplexy, doth not put forth vital operations: Grace may be eclipsed, not extinct, a Christian may lose his comfort, like a tree in Autumn, that hath shed its fruit, but still there is sap in the vine, and the seed of God remains, 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Grace is a flower of eternity.

This smoaking flax cannot be quenched by affliction, but like those trees, Pliny writes of, growing in the red Sea, which being beaten upon by the waves, stand immoovable, and though they are sometimes covered with water, flourish the more; grace is like a true orient Diamond, that sparkles, and cannot be broken.

I confesse it is matter of wonder, that grace should not be wholly annihilated, especially if we consider two things.

1 The malice of Satan, he is a malignant spirit, and laies bars in our way to heaven; the Devil with the wind of temptation, labours to blow out the spark of grace in our hearts; if this will not do, he stirs up wicked men, and raiseth the Militia of Hell against us: what a wonder is it, that this bright Star of grace, should not be swept down with the tail of the Dragon?

2 It is an amazing thing, that grace should subsist, if we consider the world of corruption in our hearts; sin makes the major part in a Christian; there is in the best heart more dregs than spirits. The heart swarms with sin; what a deal of pride and Atheism is in the soul? now is it not admirable, that this Lilly of grace, should be able to grow among so many thorns? it is as great a wonder, that a little grace, should be preserved in the midst of so much corruption, as to see a Taper burning in the Sea, and not extinguished.

But though grace lives with so much difficulty, as the infant that struggles for breath, yet being born of God it is immortal, grace conflicting with corruption, is like a Ship tossed and beaten with the waves, yet it weathers out the storm, and at last gets to the desired Haven. If grace should expire, how could this Text be verified, The smoaking flax he will not quench.

Quest. But whence is it, that grace, even the least degree of it, should not be quenched?

Answ. It is from the mighty operation of the Holy Ghost; the Spirit of God, who is origo originans, doth continually excite and quicken grace in the heart: He is every day at work in a believer; he powres in oyl, and keeps the Lamp of Grace burning: Grace is compared to a river of life, Ioh. 7. 38. The river of grace can never be dried up, for the Spirit of God is the Spring which feeds it.

Now that the smoaking flax cannot be quenched, is evident from the Covenant of Grace, Isa. 54. 10. The Mountains shall depart, and the Hills be removed, but the Covenant of my peace shall not be removed, saith the Lord. If there be falling from grace, how is it an immoveable Covenant? If grace die, and the smoaking flax be quenched, wherein is our state in Christ better than it was in Adam? The Covenant of Grace is called, A better Covenant, Heb. 7. 22. How is it a better Covenant than that which was made with Adam? Not only because it hath a better Surety, and contains better priviledges, but because it hath better conditions annexed to it, It is ordered in all things, and sure, 2 Sam. 23. 5.¹⁷ Such as are taken into the Covenant, shall be as stars fixed in their Orb, and shall never fall away: If grace might die, and be quenched, then it were not a better Covenant.

Object. But we are bid not to quench the spirit, 1 Thes. 5. 19. which implies, that the grace of the Spirit may be lost, and the smoaking flax quenched.

Answ. We must distinguish between the common work of the spirit, and the sanctifying work, the one may be quenched, but not the other: The common work of the spirit, is like a picture drawn upon the yce, which is soon defaced: The sanctifying work is like a Statute carved in gold, which endures: The gifts of the spirit may be quenched, but not the grace; there is the enlightning of the spirit, and the anointing; the enlightning of the spirit may fail, but the anointing of the spirit abides, 1 Ioh. 2. 27. The anointing which ye have received of him, abideth in you. The hypocrites blaze goes out, the true believers spark lives and flourisheth, th[…] one is the light of a Comet which wastes and¹⁸ evaporates, the other is the light of a star which retains its lustre.

From all that hath been said, let a Saint of the Lord be perswaded to these two things, 1. To believe his priviledge. 2. To pursue his duty.

1. To believe his priviledge: This is the incomparable and unparallel’d happiness of a Saint, that his coal shall not be¹⁹ quenched: That grace in his soul, which is minute ate languid, shall not give up the Ghost, but recover its strength, and encrease with the encrease of God: The Lord will make the smoaking flax a burning lamp: It were very sad, that a Christian should be continually upon the Tropicks, one day a member of Christ, and the next day a limb of Satan; one day to have grace shine in his soul, and the next day his light put out in obscurity: This would spill a Christians comfort, and break asunder the golden Chain of Salvation; but be assured, O Christian, he who hath begun a good work, will ripen it into perfection: Christ will send forth judgement unto victory; he will make grace victorious over all opposite corruption: If grace should finally perish, what would become of the smoaking flax? And how would that title properly be given to Christ, Finisher of the (Heb. 12. 2) Faith?

Object. No question this is an undoubted priviledge to such as are smoaking flax, and have the least beginnings of grace, but I fear I am not smoaking flax, I cannot see the light of grace in my self?

Answ. That I may comfort the smoaking flax, why dost thou thus dispute against thy self? What makes thee think thou hast no grace? I believe thou hast more than thou wouldst be willing to part with; thou valuest grace above the gold of Ophir: How couldst thou see the worth and lustre of this Jewel, if Gods Spirit had not opened thy eyes? Thou wouldst fain believe, and mournest that thou canst not believe, are not these tears the Initials of Faith? Thou desirest Christ, and canst not be satisfied without him; this beating of the pulse evidenceth life: The iron could not move upward, if the Loadstone did not draw it; the heart could not ascend in holy breathings after God, if some heavenly Loadstone had not been drawing it. Christian, canst thou say sin is thy burden, Christ is thy delight? and as Peter once said, Lord, thou knowest I love thee: This is smoaking flax, and the Lord will not quench it; thy grace shall flourish into glory; God will sooner extinguish the light of the Sun, than extinguish the dawning light of his spirit in thy heart.

2. Let a Christian pursue his duty: There are two duties required of believers, 1. Love. 2. Labour.

3. Love. Will not the Lord quench the smoaking flax, but make it at last victorious over all opposition? how should the smoaking flax flame in love to God? Psal. 31. 23. love the Lord all ye his Saints: The Saints owe much to God, and when they have nothing to pay, it is hard if they cannot love him: O ye Saints, it is God who carries on grace progressively in your souls: He is like a Father who gives his son a small stock of money to begin with, and when he hath traded a little, he adds more to the stock: So God adds continually to your stock, he is every day dropping oyl into the lamp of your grace, and so keeps the lamp burning: This may inflame your love to God, who will not let the work of grace miscarry, but will bring it to perfection: The smoaking flax he will not quench: How should Gods people long for heaven, when it will be their constant work, to breathe forth love, and found forth praise?

4. The second duty required of Christians is labour: Some may think if Christ will not quench the smoaking flax, but make it burn brighter to the Meridian of glory, then we need take no pains, but leave God to bring his own work about. Take heed of drawing so bad a Conclusion from such good premises: What I have spoken, is to encourage Faith, not to indulge sloath: Do not think God will do our work for us, and we sit still: As God will blow up the spark of grace by his spirit, so we must be blowing it up by holy endeavours: God will not bring us to heaven sleeping, but praying: The Lord told Paul, all in the Ship should come safe to shore, but it must be in the use of means, Act. 27. 21. Except ye abide in the Ship, ye cannot be saved. So the Saints shall certainly arrive at Salvation, they shall come to shore at last, but they must abide in the Ship, in the use of Ordinances, else they cannot be saved: Christ assures his Disciples, None shall pluck them out of his hand, Ioh. 10. 28. But yet he gives that counsel, Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation, Mat, 26. 41. The seed of God shall not die, but we must water it with our tears; the smoaking flax shall not be quenched, but we must blow it up with the breath of our endeavour.

The second comfort to the godly,²⁰ is that godliness advanceth them into a near and glorious union with Jesus Christ: But of this in the next.

Footnotes

1. […] animan contritio, interpretatur. Erasm. ↩

2. […]. ↩

3. 1 Bran. ↩

4. 2 Bran. ↩

5. Cum debilitati nostrae ita se attemperat Christus, ejus […] deo[…]culari discamus. Musc. ↩

6. 3 Bran. ↩

7. Vse 2. ↩

8. Vse 3. ↩

9. […] ↩

10. Ellychnium prope extinctum, sufflavit, magis ut clarè arderet. Musculus. ↩

11. Omne agens est ful conservativum. ↩

12. Vse 1. ↩

13. 1 Bran. ↩

14. 2 Bran. ↩

15. Fides justificans semel habita, non potest in totum amitti. ↩

16. Gratia concutitur non excutitur. Aug. ↩

17. Status ante lapsum purior, in Christo certior. ↩

18. Mat, 25. 8. ↩

19. 2 Sam. 14· 7. ↩

20. 2 Conclusion. ↩