22 THE BRUISED .REED PART II. CHRIST WILL NOT QUENCH THE SMOKING FLAX. FoR the second branch, God will not quench the smoking flax or wick, but will blow it up till it flameth. In smoking flax there is but a little light, and that weak, as being not able to flame, and this little mixed with smoke. The- observations hence are, first, that in God's children, especially in their first conversion, there is but a little measure of grace, and that little mixed with much corruption which, as smoke, is offensive ; secondly, that Christ will not quench this smoking flax. First. Grace is little at the first. There are several ages in Christians, some babes, some young men : grace is as that grain of mustard-seed, Mat. xiii. 31. Nothing so little as grace at first, and nothing more glorious afterwards : things of greatest perfection are longest attaining to their full growth. Man, the most perfect crea-
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