“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 suggested most exceptions against themselves, ‘Come unto
me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden’ (Matt. 11:28). How did His heart
yearn when he saw the people ‘as sheep having no shepherd’ (Matt. 9:36)! He
never turned any back again that came to Him, though some went away of themselves.
He came to die as a priest for His enemies. In the days of His flesh He dictated
a form of prayer unto His disciples, and put petitions unto God into their
mouths, and His Spirit to intercede in their hearts. He shed tears for those
that 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. 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, but that He might ‘succor them that
are tempted’ (Heb. 2:18)? What mercy may we not expect from so gracious a
Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) who took our nature upon Him that He might be gracious?
He is a physician good at all diseases, especially at the binding up of a
broken heart. He died that He might heal our souls with a plaster of His own
blood, and by that death save us, which we were the procurers of ourselves, by
our own sins. And has He not the same heart in heaven? ‘Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou 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 not from compassion towards us. The Lion
of the tribe of Judah will only tear in pieces those that ‘will not have Him
rule over them’ (Luke 19:14). He will not show His strength against those who
prostrate themselves before Him.”
-Richard Sibbes
1577-1625 From his book The Bruised Reed
