28 THE .BRUISED . REED children, he preserveth light in the midst of darkness, a spark in the midst of the swelling waters of corruption. There is an essential blessing in that little spark, " When wine is found in a · cluster, one saith, destroy it not, for there is a blessing in it." We see how our Saviour Christ bore with Thomas in his doubting; and with the two disciples that went to Emmaus, who doubted whether he came to redeem Israel or not, Luke xxiv. He quenched not that little light, in Peter, which was smothered: Peter denied him, Matt. xxvi. but he denied not Peter. ' ' If thou wilt thou canst," said one poor man in the gospel : " Lord if thou canst, ~' said another; both were thus smoking flax, neither were quenched. If Christ had stood upon his own greatness, he would have rejected him tha.t came with big If, but Christ answers, his If with a ~;racious and absolute grant, " I will, be thou clean." The woman that was diseased with an issue, did but touch, and with a trembling hand, and but the hem of his garment, and yet went away both healed and comforted. In the Seven Churches, we see, he acknowledg'"·
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=