To determine whether we are this smoking flax that Christ will not quench, we must remember these rules: We must have two eyes: One to see imperfections in ourselves and others; the other to see what is good.
The Presence of the Heavenly Fire
Applying these rules, we may say:
- First, if there is any holy fire in us, it is kindled from heaven by the Father of lights, who “commanded the light to shine out of darkness” (2 Cor. 4:6). As it is kindled by the use of means, so it is fed. The light in us and the light in the Word spring the one from the other, and both from the one Holy Spirit. Therefore, in the case of those who don’t regard the Word, it is “because there is no light in them” (Isa 8:20).Heavenly truths must have a heavenly light to discern them. Natural men see heavenly things, not in their own proper light, but buy an inferior light. In every converted man, God puts a light into the eye of his soul in proportion to the light of truths revealed to him. A carnal eye will never see spiritual things.
- Secondly, the least divine light has heat with it in some measure. Light in the understanding produces heat of love in the affections. In the measure that the sanctified understanding sees a thing to be true or good, in that same measure the will embraces it. Weak light produces weak inclinations, strong light – strong inclinations.A little spiritual light has strength enough to answer strong objections of flesh and blood, and to see beyond all earthly allurements and opposing hindrances, presenting them as far inferior to those heavenly objects it beholds. All light that is not spiritual, because it lacks the strength of sanctifying grace, yields to every little temptation, especially when it is fitted and suited to personal inclinations.
This is the reason why Christians that have light that is little for quantity, but heavenly for quality, persevere, when men of larger understanding sink. This prevailing of light in the soul is because, together with the spirit of illumination, there goes, in the godly, a spirit of power (2 Tim 1:7) to subdue the heart to revealed truth, and to put a taste and relish into the will, suitable to the sweetness of the truth. Otherwise a will that is merely natural will rise up against supernatural truths, having an antipathy and enmity against them. In the godly, holy truths are conveyed by way of a taste; gracious men have a spiritual palate, as well as a spiritual eye. Grace alters the spiritual taste.
- Thirdly, where this heavenly light is kindled, it directs the right way. For it is given for that use, to show us the best way, and to guide us in the particular passages of life. Otherwise it’s just common light, given only for the good of others. Some have light of knowledge, but don’t follow that light. Instead, they’re guided by carnal reason and policy, such as the prophet speaks of, “All ye that kindle a fire… walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow” (Isa. 50:11).
God delights to confound carnal wisdom, as enmity to him, and robbing him of his prerogative, who is God only wise. We must therefore walk by his light, not the blaze of our own fire. God must light our candle (Psa. 18:28) or else we will abide in darkness. Those sparks that are not kindled from heaven are not strong enough to keep us from lying in sorrow, though they make a greater blaze and show than the light from of above. As madmen do greater things than sober men, but by a false strength, so the excess of these men’s joy arises from a false light.”The light of the wicked shall be put out” (Job 18:5).
The light which some men have is like lighting which, after a sudden flash, leaves them more in darkness. They can love the light as it shines, but hate it as it discovers and directs. A little holy light will enable us to keep Christ’s Word and not betray religion or deny his name, as Christ speaks of the church of Philadelphia (Rev. 3:8).
- Fourthly, where this fire is, it will sever things of diverse natures, and show a difference between such things as gold and dross. It will sever between flesh and spirit, and show that this is of nature, this of grace. All is not ill in a bad action, or good in a good action. There is gold in ore, which God and his Spirit in us can distinguish. A carnal man’s heart is like a dungeon, where nothing can be seen but horror and confusion. The light makes us judicious and humble, up on clearer sight of God’s purity and our own uncleanness, and makes us able to discern the work of the Spirit in another.
- Fifthly, so far as a man is spiritual, so far is light delightful to him. He is willing to see anything amiss that he may reform, and any further service discovered that he may perform, because he truly hates the bad and loves good. If he goes against light discovered, he will soon be reclaimed, because light has a friendly party within him. Therefore, at a little sight of his error, he is soon open to counsel, as David was in his intention to kill Nabal; and he blessed God afterwards, when he was stopped in an ill way (1 Sam. 25:32).
In the case of a carnal man, the light breaks in on him, but he labors to block its entrance. He has no delight in coming to the light. It is impossible, before the Spirit of grace has subdued the heart, that it should not sin against the light, either by resisting it, or keeping it prisoner under base lusts and burying it, as it were, in the earth, or perverting it, and so making it an agent and factor for the flesh, in searching out arguments to plead for it, or abusing that little measure of light that all men have, so as to keep out a greater, higher, and more heavenly light. So, at length, they make the light they have a misleading guide to utter darkness.And the reason is because the light has no friend within. The soul is in a contrary frame, and light always hinders that sinful peace that men are willing to promise themselves. Hence we see that light often enrages men more, as the sun in springtime brings on feverish illnesses when it stirs up diseases rather than overcoming them.There is nothing in the world more uneasy than the heart of a wicked man forced to listen to spiritual instruction until, like a thief, he puts out the candle so that he may sin with less restraint. Spiritual light is distinct. It grabs hold of spiritual good and applies it to ourselves. But common light is confused, and lets sin lie quiet.
Where fire is, in any degree, it will fight everything contrary to it. God put irreconcilable hatred between light and darkness from the first; so also between good and ill, flesh and Spirit (Gal. 5:7). Grace will never join with sin, any more than fire with water. Fire will mingle with nothing contrary to it, but preserves its own purity. It is never corrupted as other elements are. Therefore, those that plead and plot for liberties for the flesh show themselves strangers from the life of God.
Feeling this strife, gracious men often complain that they have no grace. But they contradict themselves in their complaints, as if a man that sees should complain that he cannot see, or complain that he is asleep. The very complaint, springing up from a displeasure against sin, shows that there is something in him opposite to sin. Can a dead man complain?
Some things, though bad in themselves, yet reveal good, as smoke reveals the presence of fire. A violent reaction in the body shows bodily vigor. Some infirmities show more good than some seemingly beautiful actions. Excess of passion in opposing evil, though not to be justified, yet shows a better spirit than a calm temper where there is just cause for being moved. It is better that the water should run somewhat muddily than not run at all. Job had more grace in his ill temper than his friends had in their seemingly wise demeanor. Actions stained with some defects are more acceptable than empty accomplishments.
- Sixthly, fire, where it is present, is in some degree active. So the least measure of grace works, as springing from the Spirit of God, who from his operations is compared to fire. Even in sins, when there seems nothing active but corruption, there is a contrary principle which breaks the force of sin, so that it is not boundlessly sinful, as in those that are carnal (Rom. 7:13).
- Seventhly, fire makes metals pliable and malleable. So grace, where it is given, makes the heart pliable and ready to receive all good impressions. Obstinate spirits show that they are not so much as smoking flax.
- Eighthly, fire, as much as it can, sets everything on fire. So grace labors to produce a gracious impression in others, and make as many good as it can. Grace also makes a gracious use even of natural and civil things, and spiritualizes them. What another man does only in a civil way, a gracious man will do holily. Whether he eats or drinks or whatever he does, he does all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31), making everything serviceable to that ultimate end.
- Ninthly, sparks by nature fly upwards. So the Spirit of grace carries the soul heavenward and sets before us holy and heavenly aims. As it was kindled from heaven, so it carries us back to heaven. The part follows the whole: fire mounts upward, so every spark according to its own element. Where the aim and bent of the soul is towards God, there is grace, though opposed. The least measure of it is seen in holy desires, springing forth from faith and love. For we cannot desire anything which we do not first believe to be, and the desire for it issues from love. Hence desires are counted a part of the thing desired, in some measure. But these desires must be
- constant, for constancy shows that they are supernaturally natural, and not enforced;
- directed to spritual things, such as to believe, to love God, not because of a particular emergency, in that one thinks one might escape some danger if one had grace, but as a loving heart is carried to the thing loved for the sake of some excellency in it;
- accompanied by grief when the desire is hindered, so as to stir us up to pray: “Oh that my ways were directed that I might keep thy statutes!” (Psa. 119:5); “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?” (Rom. 7:24);
- such desires that drive us onward still: “Oh that I might serve God with more liberty. Oh that I were more free from these offensive, unsavory, hateful lusts!”
- Tenthly, fire, if it has any matter to feed on, enlarges itself and mounts higher and higher, and the higher it rises, the purer is the flame. So where true grace is, it grows in measure and purity. Smoking flax will grow to a flame; and as it increases, so it discards what is contrary to itself and refines itself more and more. Ignis, quo magis lucet, eo minus fumat (Fire, as it gives more light, also give less smoke)
Therefore, it argues a false heart to set ourselves a low standard in grace and to rest in beginnings, alleging that Christ will not quench the smoking flax. This merciful disposition in Christ is joined with perfect holiness, shown in perfect hatred to sin. For rather than that sin should not have its deserved punishment, he became a sacrifice for sin. In this his Father’s holiness and his own shone most of all.And besides this, in the work of sanctification, though he favors his work in us, yet he does not favor sin in us. For he will never take his hand from his work, until he has taken away sin, even in its very being, from our natures. The same Spirit, that purified his holy human nature, cleanses us by degrees to be suitable to so holy a Head, and frames the judgment and affections of all to whom he shows mercy to concur with his own, in laboring to further his end of abolishing sin out of our natures.
neumatikos 