Rules to try whether we be such as Christ will not quench

FOR trial, to let us see whether we be this smoking flax, which Christ will not quench. In this trial remember these :—1. Rules. 2. Signs.

1. We must have two eyes, one to see imperfections in ourselves and others; the other to see what is good. I am black, saith the church, but yet comely. Those ever want comfort that are much in quarrelling With themselves, and through their infirmities are prone to feed upon such bitter things, as will most nourish those distempers they are sick of. These delight ‘to be looking on the dark side of the cloud only.

2. We must not judge of ourselves always according to present feeling ; for in temptations we shall see nothing but smoke of distrustful thoughts. Fire may be raked up in the ashes, though net seen; life in the winter is hid in the root.

3. Take heed of false reasoning; as because our fire doth not blaze out, as others, therefore we have no fire at all; and by false conclusions come to sin against the commandment in bearing false witness against ourselves. The prodigal would not say he was no son, but that he was not worthy to be called a, son, Luke xv. 19. We must neither trust to false evidence, nor deny true ; for so we should dishonour the work of God’s spirit in us, and lose the help of that evidence which would cherish our love to Christ, and arm us against Satan’s discouragements. Some are so faulty this way, as if they had been hired by Satan, the accuser of the brethren, Rev. xii. 10, to plead for him, in accusing themselves.

4, Know, for a ground of this, that in the covenant of grace, God requires the truth of grace, not any certain measure ; and a spark of fire is fire as well as the whole element. Therefore we must look to grace in the spark as well as in the flame. All have not the like strong, yet the like precious faith, 2 Pet. i. 1, whereby they lay hold, and put on, the perfect righteousness of Christ. A weak hand may receive a rich jewel ; a few grapes will show that the plant is a vine, and not a thorn. It is one thing to be wanting in grace, and another thing to want grace altogether, God knoweth we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requireth no more than he giveth, and giveth what he requireth, and accepteth what he giveth;. He that hath not a lamb may bring a pair of turtle doves, Lev. xii. 6. What is the Gospel itself but a merciful moderation, in which Christ’s obedience is esteemed ours, and our sins laid E upon him, and wherein God of a judge becometh a father, pardoning our sins and accepting our obedience though feeble and blemished? We are now brought to heaven under the covenant of grace by a way of love and mercy.

It will prove a special help to know distinctly the difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, between Moses and Christ ; Moses without all mercy breaketh all bruised reeds, and quencheth all smoking flax. For the law requireth, 1, personal, 2. perpetual, 3. perfect obedience, 4. and from a perfect heart; and that under a most terrible curse, and giveth no strength, a severe task-master, like Pharaoh’s, requiring the whole tale, and yet giving no straw. Christ cometh with blessing after blessing even upon those whom Moses had cursed, and with healing balm for those wounds which Moses had made.

The same duties are required in both covenants ; as, to love the Lord with all our hearts, with all our souls, &c. Deut. vi. 5. In the covenant of works, this must be taken in the rigour; but under the covenant of grace, as it is a sincere endeavour proportionable to grace received, and so it must be understood of Josias, and others, when it is said, they loved God with all their hearts, &c. It must have an evangelical mitigation.

The law is sweetened by the Gospel, and becometh delightful to the inner man, Rom, vii. 22, Under this gracious covenant sincerity is perfection. This is the death in the pot in the Roman religion, that they confound two covenants ; and it deads the comfort of drooping ones, that they cannot distinguish them. And thus they suffer themselves to be held under bondage, Isai. lxi. 1, 2, when Christ hath set them free ; and stay themselves in the prison, when Christ hath set open the doors before them.

5. Grace sometimes is so little as is undiscernible to us; the Spirit sometimes hath secret operations in us, which we know not for the present; but Christ knoweth. Sometimes in bitterness of temptation, when the Spirit struggles with sense of God’s anger, we are apt to think God an enemy; and a troubled soul is like troubled water, we can see nothing in it; and so far as it is not cleansed, it will cast up mire and dirt. It is full of objections against itself, yet for the most part we may discern something of this hidden life, and of these smothered sparks.

In a gloomy day there is so much light whereby we may know it to be day, and not night; so there is something in a Christian under a cloud, whereby he may be discerned to be a true believer, and not a hypocrite. There is no mere darkness in the state of grace, but some beam of light, whereby the kingdom of darkness wholly prevaileth not.