Those that Christ hath to do withal are bruised

THIS bruising is required before conversion, that so the Spirit may make way for itself into the heart, by levelling all proud high thoughts, and that we may understand ourselves to be what indeed we are by nature. We love to wander from ourselves, and to be strangers at home, till God bruiseth us by one cross or other, and then we bethink ourselves, and come home to ourselves with the prodigal, Luke Xv. 17. A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy. Our hearts, like malefactors, until they be beaten from all shifts, never cry for the mercy of the Judge. Again, this bruising maketh us set a high price upon Christ ; the gospel is the gospel indeed then, then the fig-leaves of morality will do us no good ; and it maketh us more thankful, and from thankfulness more fruitful in our lives ; for what maketh many so cold and barren, but that bruising for sin never endeared God's grace unto them? Likewise this dealing of God doth establish us the more in his ways, having had knocks and bruisings in our own ways. This is the cause oft of relapses and apostasies, because men never smarted for sin at the first, they were not long enough under the lash of the law. Hence this inferior work of the Spirit, in bringing down high thoughts, is necessary before conversion. And for the most part, the Holy Spirit, to further the work of conviction, joineth some affliction, which sanctified, hath a healing and purging power.

Nay, after conversion we need bruising. That reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks; even reeds need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy. And that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged, when they see stronger shaken and bruised. Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly. ‘This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than pith. Though all forsake thee, I will not, &c. Matt. xxvi. 35. The people of God cannot be without these examples. The heroical deeds of those great worthies do not comfort the church so much, as their falls and bruises do, Psalm xxxii. 3, 4, 5. Thus David was bruised, until he came to a free confession without guile of spirit: nay, his sorrows did rise in his own feeling, unto the exquisite pain of breaking of bones, Psalm li. 8. Thus Hezekiah complains, that God had broken his bones as a lion, Isai. xxxviii. 13. Thus the chosen vessel St. Paul, 2 Cor. xii.7, needed the messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be lifted up above measure.

Hence we learn, that we must not pass too harsh judgment upon ourselves, or others, when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising ; there must be a conformity to our head Christ, who was bruised for us, Isai. liii. 5, that we may know how much we are bound unto him. Profane spirits, ignorant of God’s ways in bringing his children to heaven, censure broken-hearted Christians for desperate persons, when as God is about a gracious good work with them. It is no easy matter to bring a man from nature to grace, and from grace to glory ; so unyielding and untractable are our hearts.