The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax

The comfort in this Text intended is for those that would fain do better, ⟨image 131⟩but find their corruptions clog them, that are in such a mist, that oft times they cannot tell what to think of themselves; that fain would believe, and yet oft fear they do not believe, and think that it cannot be that GOD should be so good to such sinful wretches as they are, and yet they allow not themselves in these fears and doubts.

The comfort in this Text intended is for those that would faine doe better, ⟨image 131⟩but sinde their corruptiōs clog them, that are in such a mist, that oft times they cannot tell what to thinke of themselves; that faine would beleeve, and yet oft feare they doe not beleeve, and thinke that it cannot bee that GOD should be so good to such sinfull wretches as they are, and yet they allow not themselves in these feares and doubts.

And among others. ¹How do they wrong themselves and him, that will have other Mediators to GOD for them than he: are any more pitiful than he, who became ⟨image 132⟩man to that end, that he might be pitiful to his own flesh? let all at all times repair to this meek Saviour, and put up all our suits in his prevailing name. What need we knock at any other door? can any be more tender over us than CHRIST? What encouragement have we to commend the state of the Church in general, or of any broken hearted Christian, unto him by our prayers? Of whom we may speak unto CHRIST as they of Lazarus, Lord, the Church which thou lovest, and gavest thy self for, is in distress: ⟨p. 195⟩Lord, this poor Christian for whom thou