The Godly Man's Picture

—2 If Christ will not quench the smoking flax,¹ then we must not quench the smoking flax in our selves; if grace doth not increase into so great a flame as we see in others, therefore to conclude we have no fire of the spirit in us, this is to quench the smoking flax, and to bear false witness against our selves; as we must not credit a false evidence, so neither must we deny a true; fire may be hid in the embers, so may grace be hid under many distempers of soul; some Christians are so skilful at this, in accusing themselves for want of grace, as if they had received a fee from Satan, to plead for him, against themselves.

—2 If Christ will not quench the smoaking flax,¹ then we must not quench the smoaking flax in our selves; if grace doth not increase into so great a flame as we see in others, therefore to conclude we have no fire of the spirit in us, this is to quench the smoaking flax, and to bear false witness against our selves; as we must not credit a false evidence, so neither must we deny a true; fire may be hid in the embers, so may grace be hid under many distempers of soul; some Christians are so skilful at this, in accusing themselves for want of grace, as if they had received a fee from Satan, to plead for him, against themselves.

1. 12 Bran.

This is a great mistake, to argue from the weakness of grace, to the nullity; it is one thing to be wanting in faith, and another thing to want faith; he whose eye-sight is dim, is wanting in his sight, but he doth not want sight; a little grace is grace, though it be smothered under much corruption.