"To determine whether we are this smoking flax which 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. 'I am black,' says the church, 'but comely,' (Song of Sol. 1:5). Those who are given to quarrelling with themselves always lack comfort, and through their infirmities they are prone to feed on such bitter things as will most nourish that disease which troubles them. These delight to be looking on the dark side of the cloud only.
"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 not seen. Life in the winter is hid in the root.
"We must beware of false reasoning, such as: because our fire does not blaze out as others, therefore we have no fire at all. By false con-
clusions we may 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 15:19). We must neither trust to false evidence, nor deny true; for so we should dishonor the work of God's Spirit in us, and lose the help of that evi-
dence which would cherish our love to Christ, and arm us against Satan's discouragements. Some are as faulty in this way as if they had been hired by Satan, the 'accuser of the brethren,' (Rev. 12:10), to plead for him in accusing themselves."
