The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax

But how shall we come to have this temper?¹

1. 1Quest.

First, we must conceive of bruising either as a state ¹into 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 our selves; when he humbles us let us humble our selves, and not stand out against him, for then he will redouble his strokes; and let us justify CHRIST in all his chastisements, knowing that ⟨p. 34⟩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 our selves. Let us lament our own untowardness, and say, 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 our sins. But all directions will not prevail, unless GOD by his ⟨p. 35⟩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 accompany it with a spirit of power to lay our hearts low.

First, we must conceive of bruising either as a state ¹into which God bringeth us, or as a duty to be performed by us: both are here meant, we must joyn with GOD in bruising of our selves; when hee humbles us let us humble our selves, and not stand out against him, for then hee will redouble his strokes; and let us justifie CHRIST in all his chastisements, knowing that