AND SMOKING FLAX. 167 the beginning, as to the perfection, and so we shall be in some degree joyful in ourselves and thankful. unto Christ. Neither must we argue from a denial of a great measure of grace to a denial of any in us, for faith and grace stand not in an undivided point; so that he who j}as not such and such a measure, has none at all. But as there is a great breadth between a spark and a flame, so there is a great wideness between the least measure of grace and the greatest; and he who has the least measure is within compa~s of God's extreme favour; though he be not a shining light, yet he is a smoking wick, which the tend er care of Christ will not suffer him to quench. And all this which has been spoken, should allure those who are not yet in a state of grace to come under Christ's kind and victorious government. For though we shall have much opposition, yet if we strive, he will help l!_S; if.we fail, he will cherish us; if we are guided by him, we shall overcome; if we overcome, we are .sure to be crown~d. And for the present state of the church; we see how fqrlorn it is, ye~ let us comfort ourselves, that
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