Bruised Reed
Christ’s Dealings With The Bruised Reed Physicians, though they put their patients to much pain, will not destroy their nature, but raise it up by degrees. Surgeons will lance and cut, but not dismember. A mother who has a sick and self-willed child will not therefore push it away. Will there be more mercy in the stream than there is in the spring from which it flows? Shall we think there is more mercy in ourselves than in God, who plants the affection of mercy in us? But for further declaration of Christ’s mercy to all bruised reeds, consider the comfortable relationships he has taken upon himself of husband, shepherd, and brother, which he will discharge to the utmost. Shall others fulfill what he calls them to by his grace, and shall he not also fulfill what he has been called to, the one who, out of his love, has taken upon himself these relationships, so thoroughly founded upon his Father’s assignment, and his own voluntary undertaking? Consider the names he has borrowed from the mildest creatures, such as lamb and hen, to show his tender care. Consider his very name Jesus, a Savior, which was given to him by God himself. Consider that his office corresponds to his name, which is that he should “bind up the broken hearted” (Isa. 61:1). At his baptism the Holy Ghost rested on him in the shape of a dove, to show that he should be dove-like, a gentle Mediator. See the gracious way he executes his offices. As a prophet, he came with blessing in his mouth, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matt. 5:3), and invited those to come to him whose hearts most suggested exceptions against themselves, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden” (Matt. 11:28). How his heart yearned when he saw the people “as sheep having no shepherd” (Matt. 9:36)! He never turned away anyone who came to him, though some went away by their own choice. He came to die as a priest for his enemies. In the days of his flesh he dictated a form of prayer to his disciples, and put petitions unto God into their mouths, and put his Spirit in their hearts to intercede. He shed tears for those who shed his blood; and now he makes intercession in heaven for weak Christians, standing between them and God’s anger. He is a meek king; he will admit mourners into his presence, a king of poor and afflicted persons. Just as he has beams of majesty, so he has a heart of mercy and compassion. He is the prince of peace
(Isa. 9:6). Why was he tempted, except that he might “comfort those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18)? What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediator (1Tim. 2:5) who took our nature upon himself so that he might be gracious? He is a physician who is good at healing all diseases, especially at binding up a broken heart. He died so that he might heal our souls with a plaster of his own blood, and save us by that death which we caused ourselves, by our own sins. And does he not have the same heart in heaven? “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” cried the Head in heaven, when the foot on earth was trodden on (Acts 9:4). His advancement has not made him forget his own flesh. Though it has freed him from passion, yet it has not freed him from compassion towards us. The lion of the tribe of Judah will only tear in pieces those who “will not have him rule over them” (Luke 19:14). He will not show his strength against those who prostrate themselves before him. For Ourselves 1. What should we learn from this, but to “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16) in all our grievances? Shall our sins discourage us when he appears there only for sinners? Are you bruised? Be of good comfort, he calls you. Do not conceal your wounds, open everything before him and do not take Satan’s counsel. Go to Christ, although trembling, as the poor woman who said, “If I may only touch his garment” (Matt. 9:21). We shall be healed and have a gracious answer. Go boldly to God in our flesh; he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone for this reason: so that we might go boldly to him. Never fear to go to God, since we have such a Mediator with him; he is not only our friend but our brother and husband. Well might the angel proclaim from heaven, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Well might the apostle stir us up to “rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). Paul was well-advised upon what grounds he did it. Peace and joy are two main fruits of Christ’s kingdom. Let the world be as it will, if we cannot rejoice in the world, yet we may rejoice in the Lord. His presence makes any condition comfortable. “Do not be afraid,” he says to his disciples when they were afraid, as if they had seen a ghost, “It is I” (Matt. 14:27), as if there were no cause of fear wherever he was present. 2. Let this support us when we feel ourselves bruised. Christ’s way is first to wound, and then to heal. No sound, whole soul will ever enter into heaven. When in temptation, think “Christ was tempted for me; my graces and comforts will be according to my trials. If Christ is so merciful as not to break me, then I will not break myself by despair, nor will I yield myself to the roaring lion, Satan, to break me in pieces.” 3. See the contrary disposition of Christ on the one hand and Satan and his instruments on the other. Satan sets upon us when we are weakest, as Simeon and Levi set upon the Shechemites, “when they were sore” (Gen. 34:25); but Christ will repair in us all the breaches which sin and Satan have made. He “binds up the broken hearted” (Isa. 61:1). As a mother is tenderest to the most diseased and weakest child, so does Christ most mercifully incline to the weakest. Likewise he puts an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support. The vine rests itself upon the elm, and the weakest creatures often have the strongest shelters. The consciousness of the church’s weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved, and to hide herself under his wing.
(Isa. 9:6). Why was he tempted, except that he might “comfort those who are tempted” (Heb. 2:18)? What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a Mediator (1Tim. 2:5) who took our nature upon himself so that he might be gracious? He is a physician who is good at healing all diseases, especially at binding up a broken heart. He died so that he might heal our souls with a plaster of his own blood, and save us by that death which we caused ourselves, by our own sins. And does he not have the same heart in heaven? “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” cried the Head in heaven, when the foot on earth was trodden on (Acts 9:4). His advancement has not made him forget his own flesh. Though it has freed him from passion, yet it has not freed him from compassion towards us. The lion of the tribe of Judah will only tear in pieces those who “will not have him rule over them” (Luke 19:14). He will not show his strength against those who prostrate themselves before him. For Ourselves 1. What should we learn from this, but to “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16) in all our grievances? Shall our sins discourage us when he appears there only for sinners? Are you bruised? Be of good comfort, he calls you. Do not conceal your wounds, open everything before him and do not take Satan’s counsel. Go to Christ, although trembling, as the poor woman who said, “If I may only touch his garment” (Matt. 9:21). We shall be healed and have a gracious answer. Go boldly to God in our flesh; he is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone for this reason: so that we might go boldly to him. Never fear to go to God, since we have such a Mediator with him; he is not only our friend but our brother and husband. Well might the angel proclaim from heaven, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Well might the apostle stir us up to “rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). Paul was well-advised upon what grounds he did it. Peace and joy are two main fruits of Christ’s kingdom. Let the world be as it will, if we cannot rejoice in the world, yet we may rejoice in the Lord. His presence makes any condition comfortable. “Do not be afraid,” he says to his disciples when they were afraid, as if they had seen a ghost, “It is I” (Matt. 14:27), as if there were no cause of fear wherever he was present. 2. Let this support us when we feel ourselves bruised. Christ’s way is first to wound, and then to heal. No sound, whole soul will ever enter into heaven. When in temptation, think “Christ was tempted for me; my graces and comforts will be according to my trials. If Christ is so merciful as not to break me, then I will not break myself by despair, nor will I yield myself to the roaring lion, Satan, to break me in pieces.” 3. See the contrary disposition of Christ on the one hand and Satan and his instruments on the other. Satan sets upon us when we are weakest, as Simeon and Levi set upon the Shechemites, “when they were sore” (Gen. 34:25); but Christ will repair in us all the breaches which sin and Satan have made. He “binds up the broken hearted” (Isa. 61:1). As a mother is tenderest to the most diseased and weakest child, so does Christ most mercifully incline to the weakest. Likewise he puts an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support. The vine rests itself upon the elm, and the weakest creatures often have the strongest shelters. The consciousness of the church’s weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved, and to hide herself under his wing.
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