Clavis mystica a key opening divers difficult and mysterious texts of Holy Scripture; handled in seventy sermons, preached at solemn and most celebrious assemblies, upon speciall occasions, in England and France. By Daniel Featley, D.D.

THE BRUISED REED. A Sermon preached before his Grace, and the rest of his Majesties Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall, Decemb. 4. An. Dom. 1617. at Lambeth. THE FIRST SERMON.

MATTH. 12. & 20. ex ESA. 42. & 3.

A bruised reed shall hee not breake, and smoaking flaxe shall hee not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory, or (as we reade in Esay) hee shall bring forth judgement unto truth.

Most REVEREND, &c.

I Would not presume to found a bruised Reed, or winde a crack't Pipe in this place, destinated and appointed for the silver Trumpets of Sion; nor blow my smoaking Flaxe here, where the cleerest Lights of the Sanctua∣ry usually shine, if the Text of Scripture, even now read in your eares, encouraged mee not thereunto, teaching the strongest and tallest Cedars of Lebanon, by the example of the Highest, not to fall upon, and breake the bruised Reed: and likewise the brightest burning Lampes of the Church not to do ut, and quench the smoaking, or (as the Hebrew beares it) the dimly burning Flaxe of their brethrens obscurer parts and labours. A bruised Reed, &c.

Whether by bruised Reed, with S. Gregory, we understand the broken Scepter of the Jewish Kingdome; and by smoaking Flaxe, the Aaronicall Priesthood, destitute of the light of Faith, and now ready to goe out and expire; or by Arundinem conquassatam, the shaken Reed (as S. Hierome reades the words) wee conceive the wavering faith of the Jewes to bee meant; and by the smoaking Flaxe, the momentary fervour of the Gen∣tiles,

which is Tertullians exposition, seconded by Rhemigius: or we take the bruised Reeds in Saint Hilaries construction for the maimed bodies of such as were brought to Christ; and smoaking Flaxe, for their troubled mindes and distressed consciences: or we be carried with the maine current of later Interpreters, who are all strongly for all penitent sinners oppressed with the heavie burden of their sinnes, and stricken with the horrour of Gods judgements, in whom there remaines any sparke of grace, to be sha∣dowed under the Metaphors of the bruised Reed and smoaking Flaxe.

Vox diversa sonat doctorum, est vox tamen una.

The descant is somewhat different, the ground is the same; all warbling the sweet note of our Redeemers most gracious and mercifull disposition, who was so meek in his speeches, that hee never strained his voice to ex∣claime bitterly, and inveigh vehemently against any; Ver. 19. He shall not cry, nor lift up his voice: and so milde and altogether innocent in his acti∣ons, that he never brake so much as a bruised Reed, nor trode out a smothe∣ring Week, or smoaking Flaxe.

To cleere then the meaning of this Scripture from all mists of obscuri∣ty, arising from variety of Interpretations, give mee leave, as it were, to melt many small waxe lights into a great Taper, by a generall Paraphrase upon the words. Hee, that is, Jesus, the second person in Trinity, our Me∣diatour and Saviour (as S. Matthew, by applying this Prophecy unto him, consequently expoundeth it) Shall or will not breake 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, destroy or cast away a bruised Reed or Cane, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, an afflicted and contrite sinner, be he Prince or Priest, in Saint Gregories sense; Jew or Gentile, according to Tertullians interpretation; afflicted in body or in minde, agreeable to S. Hilaries exposition.

And smoaking flaxe he shall or will not quench, that is, hee will not dis∣hearten or discourage any Puny or Novice in his Schoole; but on the con∣trary he will cherish the smallest seeds of grace, and weake beginnings in new converts: neither will he take away his Spirit from any relapsed and languishing Christian, exhaling bitter and darke fumes of sighes for his sinnes, if there remaine any light of faith in him, though never so obscure: any heat of true zeale and devotion, though very weake, and scarce sensi∣ble. Behold here then store and aboundance of the Balme of Gilead, drop∣ping from this sweet Cane in my Text. A Reed; what so weak? and that bruised; what so unprofitable? yet shall not be broken: And Flaxe, or the weeke of a lampe or candle; what so vile? and that smoaking; what so loathsome? yet shall not be quenched. By this cursory interpretation and illustration of the words you may easily distinguish in them,

• 1. Two members of this Propheticall sen∣tence.
  • A bruised, &c.
  • A smoaking, &c.
• 2. Two subjects answerable to the two members.
  • Reed,
  • Flaxe.
• 3. Two attributes proper to these sub∣jects.
  • Bruising,
  • Smoaking.
• 4. Two acts sutable to these attri∣butes.
  • Breake,
  • Quench.

both removed from, and denied of Christ, he shall not breake, he shall not quench. Of these, by the concurrence of Gods assistance, with your pati∣ence, now and hereafter, according to the order of the words in the origi∣nall: A reed bruised he shall not breake.

A reed. Although the reed in my Text may seeme hollow, and conse∣quently empty of matter fit for our use; yet if you please to look narrow∣ly into it, you shall finde it like that precious staffe which Brutus offered to Apollo, in the hollow whereof much massie gold was inclosed.* 1.1 To open this horne or cane, that wee may finde the treasure hid in it, may it please you to take notice of a foure-fold Reed described in holy Scriptures:

• 1. Mysticall.
• 2. Artificiall.
• 3. Naturall.
• 4. Morall.

Of the Mysticall you have heard already out of the Fathers. The Arti∣ficiall reed is a golden instrument to mete withall, mentioned, Ezek. 40.5. Apoc. 21.15. I need not speake of the Naturall reed,* 1.2 it is so well knowne to be a watery plant, or tree, wherewith nature fenceth the bankes of ri∣vers and brookes, placing them thicke about the flagges, as it were so many pikes in an Army about the ensignes or streamers.* 1.3 The great Naturalist setteth forth this plant in the richest colours of Rhetoricke, out of a kinde of gratitude, as being indebted to it for his pen and pensill, which were an∣ciently made of canes, as now of quils. The people of the East use reeds in their wars, of these they make deadly darts, these they wing with feathers, and they let them flye in such aboundance, that they over-shadow the Sunne. To these reeds the Prophet* 1.4 Esay pointeth: The reeds and flagges shall wi∣ther. But our Saviour* 1.5 evidently alludeth to a Morall reed: What went you out into the wildernesse to see? a Reed shaken with the wind? that is, a timorous and inconstant man. No, John was no such reed, hee was not light nor unstable, nor must we be,* 1.6 if wee expect one day to bee made pillars in the Temple of God.

Of these foure kindes of reeds, which sorteth best with the meaning of this Scripture? the Artificiall cannot bee here meant; for that's a perfect straight cane: but this a bowed or bruised.* 1.7 Maldonat glaunceth at the Naturall, and thus (as he imagineth) hitteth the sense: He will tread so wa∣rily and lightly, that if a bruised reed were under his feet, he would not breake it, or crush it in pieces. But St.* 1.8 Hierome sweetly playeth upon the My∣sticall reed: By the shaken and bruised reed, saith hee, the Evangelist under∣standeth the people of the Jewes, which in former time were sound and entire, and sweetly sounded out the praises of God; but now falling upon the corner stone, were cracked: and therefore are fitly termed a bruised reed, running into their hands who leane upon it.

Anda 1.9 Gorrhan addeth, that the Jewish people might in this also be com∣pared to reeds, that they stucke to the letter of the Law, and were inwardly hollow, that is, empty of the spirituall sense and meaning. Yet the same Saintb 1.10 Jerome in his Commentaries upon St. Matthew, understandeth Reed in my Text morally, taking it for a fraile and weake man, whereof what fitter

embleme can be devised than a reed? 1. A reed hollow within, and man by nature empty and void of all inward grace. 2. A reed apt to make a pipe to sound, or cane to write; and man likewise fitted with a tongue to sound out, and a hand to write his Makers praises. 3. A reed dry or unfruitfull, though planted and growing by the river side; and man dry and unfruitfull in good workes, though continually watered with the dew of Gods bles∣sings. 4. A reed ever wagging of it selfe, or shaken, and man so unstable, that Plato defines him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a changeable creature. 5. A reed so weake, that it yeeldeth to the least puffe of winde, and is blowne downe to the ground with a violent blast; and man so feeble, that hee is moved with the least blast of temptation, and if it grow more violent, is not only shaken, but quite bowed and bruised by it, as this in my Text.

Bruised. A reed, as I have shewed, is an embleme of fraile man; but a bruised reed seemeth to mee a proper embleme of a Christian: the Motto or word you have in John the 16.* 1.11 In mundo pressuram habebitis: In the world you shall have, word for word, bruising, that is, grievances, and brui∣ses, or pressures, some inward, some outward, some in the body, some in the soule, some from the yoke of Tyrants, some from the burthen of your sinnes,* 1.12 some from the weight of Gods judgements. Whereunto S. Austin sweetly alluding, saith, The fairest and ripest grapes are pressed, that they may yeeld their sweetest juice. The hint of which conceit he may seeme to have taken from Saint Cyprian:* 1.13 Yee are goodly branches of the true Vine, hang'd with clusters of ripe grapes; secular persecution is your treading upon and pressing, your wine-presse is the prison, and in stead of wine, your bloud is drawne from you. The hony-combes are pressed and bruised, to squeeze out of them the thickest hony; the ripe and full eares are smitten and brui∣sed with the flaile, to beat the corne out of them: the rich Ore is beat and bruised in the stamping mils, and afterwards tried by fire, before there come of it precious and pure metall: the corne is bruised and ground to make flowre. Whereunto the blessed Martyr* 1.14 Ignatius fitly resembling the death whereby he was then to glorifie God, when hee heard the hungry Lyons roaring for their prey, and gaping wide to devoure him, said, I am Christs corne, and straight-waies shall be ground with the teeth of beasts, that I may be served in as fine manchet at his table in heaven. When the hottest spices are bruised and brayed in the mortar, they yeeld a most fragrant smell; and a boxe of oyntment, after that it is broken, sweetly perfumeth the whole roome: Even so those prayers and meditations are most fervent and fragrant in the nostrils of Almighty God, which rise from a bruised spirit, and a broken and contrite heart, through inward and outward afflicti∣on. It is the proper evill and (if I may so speake) misery of earthly hap∣pinesse, that it maketh the heart fat, and dulleth and deadeth the spirits of zeale and devotion: and contrariwise, it is a kinde of happinesse which misery bringeth,* 1.15 that it quickens us, and maketh us seeke diligently after God.

In their affliction they will seeke me* 1.16 diligently. When by any grievous fit of sicknesse, or great losse, or sore wound in our reputation, wee are touched to the quicke, then we begin to be sensible of our own infirmities, and compassionate of other mens calamities; then we offer up prayers with

strong cryes; then, like bowed and bruised reeds, we fall flat downe to the ground, then our hearts swell with griefe, and our eyes are bigge with teares, and if Gods hand lye very heavie and long upon us, wee bid defi∣ance to all worldly pleasures and comforts, which faile us in our greatest extremity: we grow weary of this life, and in our desires run to meet death the halfe way, and sigh, and mourn, and pine away till we be quite dissolved, that we may be with Christ. In regard of these and such like wholsome fruits, which meeknesse and patience gather from the crosse, I dare undertake to make good that seeming Paradox of Demetrius concerning evils, Nihil eo infoelicius, cui nihil infoelix contigit; None is so miserable as hee who in this life never tasted any misery: For, besides that continuall pleasures glut his senses, and his very happinesse cloyeth him, hee wanteth many im∣provements of his wisedome, many trials of his faith,* 1.17 many exercises of his patience, many incentives of his zeale, many preservatives against sin; and, which weigheth all downe, many arguments of Gods love towards him, and care over him. If the Schoolmasters eye bee alwaies upon his Schollar to observe him, if hee still checke and correct him for his faults, it is a signe he beareth a singular affection to him, and hath a speciall care o∣ver him; but if he let him loyter and play the trewant, and abuse his fel∣lowes, and never call him to an account for it, it is evident thereby, that he intendeth to leave, or hath already left the tuition of him. In like manner, whiles the Physician prescribes to his patient unpleasing diet and bitter potions, and is ever trying some medicine or other upon him, the friends of the sicke are in good hope; but when the Physician leaves prescribing physicke, and forbids his patient nothing that he hath a mind unto, though hee grow still worse and worse, then all that are about him take on grie∣vously, and shed teares in secret, as knowing well that their friend is given over by the Doctor for desperate. Which Saint Bernard seriously con∣sidering, delivereth this strange, yet most true Aphorisme, Illi verè irascitur Deus, cui non irascitur: God is angry indeed with him,* 1.18 to whom hee showes it not by rebuking and chastening him for his sinne. For whom hee mends not by chastening in this world, hee certainly purpo∣seth to condemne in the other: This is a ruled case in Divinity, Dives is a president for it.

If things stand thus in this world, let no Christian flatter himselfe with a vaine hope of uninterrupted prosperity, and unmixed joyes in this life: Invicem cedunt dolor & voluptas, pleasures and sorrowes have their turns; as sorrowes end in joyes, so joyes in sorrowes. There is a cup of trem∣bling which cannot passe, but first or last we must taste of it: & sith we must; let us looke for it, and when it comes to us, chearfully off with it; the ra∣ther, because our Lord and Saviour hath begun in it deep unto us. O yee Favourites, and (if I may so speake) Minions of Fortune, who are driven with a prosperous gale, and beare a lofty saile, swelling with the pride of a high minde, strike saile in time, looke soone for a bit∣tera 1.19 storme: Though the smooth sea smile upon thee, and seeme to bee no other than a standing poole, though the top of the water by the wind bee not so much as cast into bubbles, like the curles of thy haire, trust not the deep; the plaine thou seest hath many mountaines in it,

the present calme will prove in the end a tempest: or else assure thy self thou sailest not in Christs ship; for that was tossed in the sea, and even covered with waves,* 1.20 yet not drowned:

Jactatur, nunquam mergitur ista ratis.

How should the ship be drowned or cast away upon the rockes, wherein Christ is the Pilot, the Scripture the Card, his Crosse the maine Mast, his promises,* 1.21 (I will be with you to the end of the world, and, Hell gates shall not prevaile against it) the Anchors, his holy Spirit the Wind? This maketh the Church bold, not onely to checke and represse the insolency of her ene∣mies,* 1.22 saying, Rejoyce not against me, O mine enemy, though I fall I shall rise; when I sit in darknesse, the Lord shall be a light unto me: but also glory in the Lord,* 1.23 and insult over them, saying, Many a time have they afflicted mee from my youth up,* 1.24 but they have not prevailed against me: Nay, In all things we are more than Conquerours, through him that loved us. David often har∣peth upon this sweet string,* 1.25 The Lord hath chastened mee sore, but hee hath not given me over unto death:* 1.26 the righteous falleth, yet shall not be utterly cast downe. What an excellent harmony doth St. Paul make of seeming dis∣cords!* 1.27 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Wee are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not altogether without meanes; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast downe, but not destroyed: that is (to set the Prophets ditty to the Apostles tune) Wee are continually bruised, yet not broken. Hee shall not breake.

I fore-see what you may object, That many of Gods servants, and Christs souldiers have had their flesh torn with whips, their joynts hewen asunder, their bones broken on the racke, and sometimes ground to pow∣der with the teeth of wilde beasts; nay, their whole body burnt to ashes, and these ashes cast into the river:* 1.28 how say we then, the bruised reed is ne∣ver broken, nor the smoaking flaxe quenched?

For this blow we have a foure-fold ward:

1. We are to understand, that Gods promises of delivering his Saints are principally and simply to be taken of their eternall deliverance; but of tem∣porall secondarily, and conditionally, as it standeth with his glory, and their greater good.

2. We are to note, that many of the promises above mentioned concern the entire body of the Church, not every particular member. The bruised reed may be broken in some part, yet not through the whole: Tyrants may waste and destroy the Church partially, but not totally, for the reasons in∣timated by Tertullian and S. Leo,* 1.29 because the bloud of Martyrs spilt upon the ground is like spirituall seed, from whence spring up new Martyrs: and the graines of corne which fall one by one, and die in the earth, rise up again in great numbers. Persecution serveth the Church in such stead, as pruning doth the Vine, whereby her branches shoot forth farther, and beare more fruit. Therefore S. Hierome excellently compareth the militant Church, burning still in some part in the heat of persecution, and yet flourishing, to the bush in Exodus,* 1.30 out of which Gods glory shined to Moses, which bur∣ned, yet consumed not.

3. Wee are to distinguish between corporall and spirituall destruction: Though the cane be crushed to peeces, yet the aire in the hollow of it is

not hurt; though the tree be hewen, the beame of the Sun shining upon it is not cut or parted in sunder. Feare not them, saith our Saviour,* 1.31 which can kill the body, but are not able to kill the soule. Could the Philosopher say, tun∣dis vasculum: Anaxarchi, non Anaxarchum, Thou beatest the vessel, or strikest the coffin of Anaxarchus, not Anaxarchus himselfe, O Tyrant? Shall not a Christian with better reason say to his tormentors, Yee breake the boxe, ye spill not any of the oyntment; ye violate the casket, ye touch not the jewell? neither have yee so much power as utterly and perpetually to de∣stroy the casket (viz.) my body; for though it be beat to dust, and ground to powder, yet shall it be set together againe, and raised up at the last day,* 1.32 and made conformable to Christs glorious body by the power of God, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himselfe.

4. And lastly, it is not here said simply the bruised reed shall not be bro∣ken, but shall not be broken by him, He shall not breake the bruised reed.

He shall not breake: for hee came not to destroy, but to save;* 1.33 not to bur∣then, but to ease; not to lay load upon us, but to carry all our sorrowes; not to breake the bruised reed, but rather to have reeds broken upon him, where∣with he was smote.a 1.34 Pliny observeth, that those that are strucken by Scor∣pions, are ever after priviledged from the stings of Waspes or Bees. The beasts that were torne or hurt by any accident, might not bee sacrificed or eaten. It is more than enough to bee once or singly miserable: whereupon he in the Greeke Poet passionately pleades against further molestation,

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

For Gods sake disease not a diseased man, presse not a dying man with more weight. Which because the enemies of David had the hard hearts to doe, he most bitterly cursed them: Poure out thine indignation upon them,* 1.35 and let thy wrathfull anger take hold of them; let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents: for they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and talke to the griefe of those whom thou hast wounded. O how grievously doth S. Cyprian complaine against the inhumane cruelty of the persecutors of Christians in his time, who laid stripes upon stripes,* 1.36 and inflicted wounds upon sores, and tortured not so much the members of Gods servants, as their bleeding wounds! Verily for this cause alone God commanded, that the name of* 1.37 Amaleck should be blotted out from under heaven, because they met Israel by the way when they were faint, and smote the feeble among them. For not to comfort the afflicted, not to help a man that is hurt, not to seeke to hold life in one that is swouning, is inhumanity; but contrarily, to afflict the afflicted, to hurt the wounded, to trouble the grieved in spirit,* 1.38 sua sponte ca∣dentem maturiùs extinguere vulnere, to strike the breath out of a mans bo∣dy who is giving up the ghost, to breake a reed already bruised, to insult upon a condemned man, to vexe him that is broken in heart, and adde sor∣row to sorrow, Oh this is cruelty upon cruelty; farre be it from any Chri∣stian to practise it, and yet further from his thoughts, to cast any such a∣spersion upon the Father of mercy. How should the God of all consolation drive any poore soule to desperation? hee that will not breake a bruised reed, will he despise a broken heart? He that will not quench the smoaking flaxe, will he quench his Spirit, and tread out the sparkes of his grace in our soules? No, no, his Father sealed to him another commission,* 1.39 to preach

good tidings to the meeke,* 1.40 to binde up the broken hearted, to set at liber∣ty them that are bruised, to give unto them that mourne in Sion beauty for ashes, the oyle of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heavinesse. And accordingly hee sent by his Prophet a comfortable mes∣sage to the daughter of Sion,* 1.41 Tell her, behold the King commeth unto thee meeke, and riding upon an Asse: a bruised reed he shall not breake, hee did not breake; and smoaking flaxe hee shall not quench, hee did not quench. Was not Peter a bruised reed when hee fell upon the rocke of offence, and thrice denied his Master, and went out and wept bitterly? Was not Paul like smoaking flaxe in the worst sense, when he breathed out threats against the Church, and sought by all violent meanes to smother the new light of the Gospel? yet we all see what a burning and shining lampe Christ hath made of this smoaking flaxe: what a noble cane to write the everlasting mercies of God to all posterity he hath made of the other, a bruised reed: But what speake I of bruised reeds not broken? the Jewes that crucified the Lord of life, the Roman souldier that pierced his side, were liker sharp pointed darts than bruised reeds; yet some of these were saved from brea∣king. Such is the vertue of the bloud of our Redeemer, that it cleansed their hands that were imbrued in the effusion thereof, if they afterward touch it by faith: so infinite is the value of his death, that it was a satis∣faction even for them who were authors of it, and saved some of the mur∣therers of their Saviour, as St.a 1.42 Cyprian most comfortably deduceth out of the second of the Acts: They are quickned by Christs bloud who spilt it. Well therefore might St.b 1.43 Bernard demand, What is so deadly which Christs death cannot heale? Comfort then, O comfort the fainting spirits, and strengthen the feeble knees, revive the spirit of the humble, raise up the prostrate and dejected soule. Be of good cheere ye that have received the sentence of death in your selves. There is no malady of the soule so deadly, against which the death of Christ is not a soveraigne remedy; there is no sore so great nor so festering, which a plaster of Christs bloud will not cleanse and heale, if it be thereto applyed by a lively faith.

Thus, as you see, I have made of the bruised reed a staffe of comfort for a drouping conscience to stay it selfe upon; extend but your patience to the length of the houre, and I will make of it a strait rule for your actions and affections. Though all the actions of our Saviour are beyond example, yet ought they to be examples to us for our imitation; and though we can ne∣ver overtake him, yet we ought to follow after him. His life is a perfect samplar of all vertues, out of which if we ought to take any flower, espe∣cially this of meeknesse, which himselfe hath pricked out for us, saying, Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart,* 1.44 and you shall finde rest to your soules, which also hee richly setteth forth with a title of blessednesse over it,* 1.45 and a large promise of great possessions by it; Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth:* 1.46 Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall ob∣taine mercy. Neither is this vertue more acceptable in the sight of God, than agreeable to the nature of man. Witnesse our sleek and soft skin with∣out scales or roughnesse; witnesse our harmlesse members without hornes, clawes, or stings, the offensive weapons of other creatures; witnesse our tender and relenting heart, apt to receive the least impression of griefe;

witnesse our moist eyes, ready to shed teares upon any sad accident:

—mollissima corda Humano generi dare se natura fatetur, Quae lachrymas dedit, haec nostri pars optima sensus.

Shall not grace imprint that vertue in our soules, which nature hath ex∣pressed in the chiefe members of our bodies, and exemplified in the best creatures almost in every kind? Even among beasts, the tamest and gen∣tlest are the best; the master Bee either hath no sting at all, or (as Aristotle testifieth) never useth it. The upper region of the ayre is alwaies calme and quiet, inferiora fulminant, saith Seneca, men of baser and inferiour na∣tures are boysterous and tempestuous: The superiour spheres move regularly, and uniformly, and the first mover of them all is slow in his proceedings against rebellious sinners; hee was longer in destroying Jericho, than in creating the whole world. And when Adam and Eve had sinned with a high hand, reaching the forbidden fruit, and eating it, it was the coole of the evening before the voice of the Lord was heard in the garden, and the voice that was heard, was of God walking, not running: to verifie those many attributes of God, Mercifull, gracious, long-suffering,* 1.47 and aboundant in goodnesse and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sinne.

Is God mercifull, and shall man be cruell? is the master meek and milde, and shall the servant be fierce and furious? shall hee give the Lambe in his Scutchion, and they the Lion? If hee who ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron, and breaketh them in pieces like a potters vessell, will not breake the bruised reed, shall reeds breake reeds?* 1.48 The Heathen Poet giving charge to his woodden god to looke to his garden, useth this commination, See thou looke well to my trees, Alioqui & ipse lignum es, Otherwaies know that thou art wood thy selfe, that is, fit fuell for the fire. Suffer, I beseech you, the word of exhortation; Looke to it that you breake not Christs bruised reeds, Alioqui & ipsi estis arundines, Otherwaies know that you your selves are but reeds, and what measure you mete unto others, shall be mea∣sured unto you againe. Stand not too much upon your ownea 1.49 innocency and integrity: For,b 1.50 Wo be to the commendable life of men, if it bee searcht into without mercy, and scann'd exactly. The Cherubins themselves conti∣nually looke towards the Mercy-seat: and if we expect mercy at the hands of God or man, we must show mercy; for there shall be judgement without mercy, to him that will shew no mercy: which menacing to the unmercifull, though it point to the last judgement, and then take it's full effect, yet to deterre men from this unnaturall sinne against their owne bowels, it plea∣seth God sometimes in this life to make even reckonings with hard hearted men, and void of all compassion. As he did with Appius,* 1.51 of whom Livie re∣porteth, that he was a great oppressor of the liberties of the commons, and particularly that hee tooke away all appeales to the people in case of life and death. But see how Justice revenged Mercies quarrell upon this unmercifull man; soone after this his decree, hee being called in question for forcing the wife of Virginius, he found all the Bench of Judges against him, and was constrained for saving his life to preferre an appeale to the people, which was denied him with great shouts and out-cries of all, say∣ing,

Ecce provocat, qui provocationem sustulit; who sees not the hand of di∣vine Justice herein? He is forced to appeale, who by barring all appeales in case of life and death, was the death of many a man. Let his owne measure be returned upon him. And as Appius was denied the benefit of appeales, whereof he deprived others, and immediatly felt the stroke of justice; so Eutropius, who gave the Emperour counsell to shut up all Sanctuaries a∣gainst capitall offenders, afterwards being pursued himselfe for his life, and flying to a Sanctuary for refuge, was from thence drawne out by the com∣mand of S. Chrysostome, and delivered to the ministers of justice, who made him feele the smart of his owne pernicious counsell. I need the lesse speake for mercy, by how much the more wee all need it: and therefore I passe from the act to the proper subject of mercy, The bruised reed. If* 1.52 mercy should be shewed unto all men, no place would be left for justice; therefore St. Jude restraineth mercy to some, Of some have compassion, ma∣king a difference. The difference we are to make is of

• 1. Sinne.
• 2. Sinners.

For there are sinnes of ignorance, and sinnes against conscience; sinnes of infirmity, and sinnes of presumption; sudden passions, and deliberate evill actions; light staines, and fowle spots: some sinnes are secret and private, others publike and scandalous; some silent, others crying; some prejudi∣ciall only to the delinquent, others pernicious to the Church and Com∣mon-wealth. For the former, mercy often intercedeth, seldome or never for the latter.

Againe, some offenders are likea 1.53 heart of oake; which many strong blowes of an axe will scarce enter; others like the Balsamum of Judea, which you kill if youb 1.54 touch but the rine of it with an iron instrument: and therfore they which keep them, provide instruments of glasse, or knives of bone to prune them. The former resemble the Adamant, which can bee cut or pointed by nothing but an Adamant; the latter thec 1.55 Pyrrhite, a pre∣cious stone, which may be gently ground or cut with a sharpe toole, but if you presse it hard, or handle it rudely, it burneth the fingers. For the lat∣ter mercy sometimes intercedeth, not so for the former. Lastly, after the offence committed, some are like bruised reeds, falling downe upon the earth, and imploring mercy: Others like a stiffe or strait cane, never so much as bowing; some stand in defence of that they have done, others ingenu∣ously confesse their fault; some glory in their sinne, others are confounded with it: in a word, some are obstinate, some are penitent; those mercy dis∣claimeth, these shee often taketh to her protection. They who in former times like pipes of reeds have sweetly sounded out the praises of God, but now are cracked with some pardonable errour in judgement, or slip in man∣ners, if they be truely bruised with the weight of their sinne, and through∣ly contrite, may plead the priviledge of the bruised reed in my Text, not to bee broken by any over hard and severe censure or sentence, not the Atheisticall scoffer, not the impudent Adulterer, not the obstinate Recu∣sant, not Jesuited Papists, which like the Egyptian reeds mentioned by the Prophet, rund 1.56 into the hands and sides even ofe 1.57 Kings and Princes. They who have formerly shined before their brethren, both in their pure doctrine

and good example, though now by the violent blast of some fearfull temp∣tation, are blowne out as it were, and send up bitter fumes of sorrowfull lamentations for their sinfull iniquity or impurity, in some cases are not to be quenched; what therefore are not hereticall apostataes, and schismaticall boutefieus and fire-brands of Church and State, not to bee quenched and trode out, which if they be not quenched in time, will set all in a combusti∣on in the end?

To conclude, as I began, with the words of my Text; it is the bruised reed that is not to be broken, not the poysoned dart; it is the smoaking flaxe that is not to be quenched, not the burning match. A bruised reed he shall not breake. Behold in the reed your frailty, in the bruised reed your condi∣tion; in the not breaking the bruised reed, a singular rule for your directi∣on, of which I spake but now, and a strong staffe of comfort, of which before.

God grant that wee may all acknowledge our frailty, as being no other than reeds, and to arme our selves with patience against manifold pressures and tribulations, as being reeds that are or shall bee bruised; and when wee are afflicted or oppressed, not to despaire of helpe and ease, but to trust in Gods mercy, and hope for a joyfull deliverance, as bruised reeds that yet are not to be broken: and lastly, expecting mercy for our selves, shew mercy with discretion unto others, as being reeds, therefore not broken, that we may learne by the example of our Lord and Master not to break the bruised reed. To whom, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cujus intus so∣lidum autum corneo velaba∣tur cortice. Liv. Dec. Pri. l. 2.
• * 1.2

  And he that tal∣ked with me, had a golden reed to measure the City.
• * 1.3

  Plin. hist. nat. l. 16. c. 36. Calamis orien∣tis populi bella conficiunt, ca∣lamis spicula addunt irrevo∣cabili hamo noxia, his ar∣mis Solem ip∣sum obscurant.
• * 1.4

  Esay 19.6.
• * 1.5

  Matth. 11.7.
• * 1.6

  Apoc. 3.12.
• * 1.7

  Maldon. In hunc locum adeò quierè & attentè ambu∣labit, ut etiamsi super arundi∣nem jam quas∣satam, qua ni∣hil fragilius esse potest, pe∣dem poneret, eam non con∣fringeret.
• * 1.8

  Hieron. Per calamum quas∣satum & con∣tusum intelli∣git populum Jud••icum, qui anteà vocalis & sonorus laudes Deo concinebat, posteà impingens in angularem lapidem, meritò appellatur calamus fractus, pertundens manum ejus qui illi voluerit inniti.
• a 1.9

  Gorrh. in Matth. 12. U••ebantur exterius literali Legis observantia, sed vacui erant interius spirituali intelligentia.
• b 1.10

  Hieron. Qui peccatori non porrigit manum, nec portatonus fratris sui, iste ca∣lamum quassatum confringit.
• * 1.11

  Ver. 33.
• * 1.12

  Aust. Serm. de temp.
• * 1.13

  Cypr. ep. ad Mart. Vos de vinea domini pingues racemi, & jam maturi fructi∣bus botri pres∣sure secularis infestatione calcatae, torcu∣lar vestium carcere tot quente sentitis, vini vice san∣guinem fundi∣tis.
• * 1.14

  Hier in catal. Christi fru∣mentum sum, dentibus bellu∣arum molar, ut panis mundus inveniar.
• * 1.15

  Hos. 5.15. In their affliction they will seeke mee early.
• * 1.16

  Or early, Hos. 5.15.
• * 1.17

  Apoc. 3.19. Prov. 3.12. Heb. 12.5.
• * 1.18

  Quem enim in presenti non emendat, in fu∣turo condem∣nat.
• a 1.19

  Hieron. ad He∣lod. Licet in modum stagni fusum aequor arrideat, licet vix summa ja∣centis ele∣menti spiritu terga crispen∣tur, magnos hic campus mon∣tes haber, tranquillitas ista tempestas est.
• * 1.20

  Matth. 8.24.
• * 1.21

  Matth. 28.20 Matth. 16.18.
• * 1.22

  Micah 7.8.
• * 1.23

  Psal. 129.1.
• * 1.24

  Rom. 8.37.
• * 1.25

  Psal. 118.18.
• * 1.26

  Psal. 37.24.
• * 1.27

  2 Cor. 4 8 9.
• * 1.28

  Fox in Martyrol. Crispine H••••tor. Wald Aeneas S•••••• de gilt. Concil. Basil.
• * 1.29

  Tertulan apolog. Sanguis Mar∣tyrum semen Evangelii. Leo serm. Grana quae singula cadunt multi∣plicata nascun∣tut.
• * 1.30

  Exod 3.2.
• * 1.31

  Matth. 10.28.
• * 1.32

  Philip. 3.21.
• * 1.33

  Luk 9.56. Esay 53.4. Mat. 27.30. And they took a reed and smote him on the head.
• a 1.34

  Plin. nat. hist. l. 11. Icti à scor∣bionibus nun∣quam postea à crabronibus, vespis, apibusve feriuntur.
• * 1.35

  Psal. 69.24, 25, 26.
• * 1.36

  Cypr. epist. ad Mart. In servis Dei non tor∣quebantur membra, sed vulnera.
• * 1.37

  Exod. 17.14.
• * 1.38

  Cic. pro Celio.
• * 1.39

  Esay 61.1.
• * 1.40

  Luk. 4.18.
• * 1.41

  Matth. ex Zach.
• a 1.42

  Cypr. epist. Vi∣vificatur Chri∣sti sanguine eti∣am qui effudit sanguinem Christi.
• b 1.43

  Bern. Quid tam ad mor∣tem, quod non Christi morte sanetur.
• * 1.44

  Matth. 11.29.
• * 1.45

  Matth. 5.5.
• * 1.46

  Matth. 5.7.
• * 1.47

  Exod. 34.6, 7.
• * 1.48

  Martial. Epigr.
• a 1.49

  Sen. de clem. l. 1. Nec est quisquam cui tam valde inno∣centia sua pla∣ceat, ut non stare in con∣spectu clemen∣tiam paratam humanis erro∣ribus gaudeat.
• b 1.50

  August. confes. l. 13. Vae lauda∣bili vitae homi∣num, si remot â misericordiâ di∣scutias cam.
• * 1.51

  Livius dec. 1.
• * 1.52

  Sen. de cle. l. 1. Tam omnibus ignoscere cru∣delitas est quam nulli. Jude ver. 22.
• a 1.53

  Eras. Adag. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.54

  Plin. nat. hist. l. 12. c. 25. Inci∣ditur vitro, la∣pide, osleisve cultellis, fertum odit, laesis vita∣libus emoritur, protenus inci∣dentis manus libratur artifici temperamen∣to, ne quid ul∣tra corticem violet.
• c 1.55

  Solinus c 40. tit Euphrates. Pyrrhites tene∣ri se vehemen∣tiu, non per∣mittit ac si quando arctio∣re manu pre∣mitur, digitos adurit.
• d 1.56

  Esa. 36.6. Thou trustest in the staffe of this bro∣ken reed, on E∣gypt, whereon if a man leane, it will goe into his hand, and pierce it.
• e 1.57

  Jaques Cle∣ment, and Ra••i∣liac, who murde∣red two late Fren••h Kings, Henr. 3. & 4. See Pierre Matthew, and other French Historians.