AND SMOKING .FLAX. 49 faulty this way, as if they had been hired by Satan, 'the accuser of the brethren, to pl~ad for 4im, 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. 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 true Christians have not the like strong, yet all have the like precious faith, whereby they lay hold of and put on the perfect righteousness ofChrist. A weak hand may receive a rich jewel. A few grapes will shew 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. l-Ie that bath not a lamb may bring a pair of turtle doves. What is the gospel itself but a merciful moderation, in which Christ's obedience is esteemed ours, and our sins laid upon him; and wherein God, of a Judge, becometh a Father, pardoning ou rE
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