(4) Some think, when they become more troubled with the smoke of corruption than they were before, therefore they are worse than they were. It is true that corruptions appear now more than before, bu...  Read More

(1) Some think they have no faith at all because they have no full assurance. The best actions will smell of the smoke; so, all our actions will savour something of the old man. (2) In weakness of bo...  Read More

(6) Fire, where it is present, is in some degree active. The least measure of grace works, as springing from the Spirit of God, who is compared to fire. Even in sins, when there seems nothing active ...  Read More

(4) Where this fire is, it will 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 ba...  Read More

The presence of the heavenly fire: (1) If there be any holy fire in us, it is kindled from heaven by the Father of lights, who 'commanded the light to shine out of darkness' (2Cor. 4:6). The light in...  Read More

We must acknowledge 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 ...  Read More

The Holy Spirit is content to dwell in smoky, offensive souls (Isa. 42:1-3). Oh, that that Spirit would breathe into our spirits the same merciful disposition! We endure the bitterness of wormwood, a...  Read More

In our common relationships with other believers: we are debtors to the weak in many things. (1) Let us be watchful in the use of our liberty, and labour to be inoffensive in our behaviour. There is ...  Read More

We need to take heed therefore how we deal with young believers. Let us be careful not to pitch matters too high, making things necessary evidences of grace which do not equal the experience of many ...  Read More

On the other hand, people should not tire and wear out the patience of others; nor should the weaker so far demand moderation from others as to rely upon their indulgence and so to rest in their own ...  Read More

See the opposite dispositions in the holy nature of Christ and the impure nature of man. Man, for a little smoke will quench the light. Christ ever cherishes even the least beginnings. How he bore wi...  Read More

Christ would not have us despise little things. The glorious angels disdain not attendance on little ones. It is Christ that raises the worth of little and wretched places and persons. Bethlehem was ...  Read More

There are several ages in Christians, some babes, some young men. Faith may be as ‘a grain of mustard seed' (Matt. 17:20). Nothing so little as grace at first, and nothing more glorious afterward. Th...  Read More

The Lord knows our frame; he remembers that we are but dust (Psa. 103:14), that our strength is not the strength of steel. This is a branch of his faithfulness to us as his creatures, thus he is call...  Read More

He will not show his strength against those who prostrate themselves before him. (1) What should we learn from this, but to 'come boldly to the throne of grace' (Heb. 4:16)? Will our sins discourage ...  Read More

In pursuing his calling, Christ will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, in which more is meant than spoken, for he will not only not break nor quench, but he will cherish those ...  Read More

Such bruising may help weaker Christians not to be too much discouraged, when they see stronger ones shaken and bruised. Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly (Matt. 26:75). This reed, until he met...  Read More

The bruised reed is a man who for the most part is in some misery, as those were who came to Christ for help, and by misery he is brought to see sin as the cause of it. He is sensible of sin and mise...  Read More

God calls Christ here his servant. Christ was God's servant in the greatest piece of service that ever was, a choice servant who did and suffered all by commission from the Father. In this we may see...  Read More

(8) Where the Spirit is, there is often prayer, as Christ often prayed. There is also a perpetual endeavour of doing good, as his Spirit in him stirred him to go from place to place to do good. Where...  Read More

(6) Where he enters, he possesses the whole inward and outward man. He rules the eyes, the ears, the hands; he renews all, so that our delights are made clean unlike they were before. There is such a...  Read More

(5) If Christ is in us, he transforms us to his own likeness; where he rules by the Spirit, he changes his people (2 Cor. 3:18). Christ renews and changes his spouse, the church. He is such a head as...  Read More

(3) Where Christ is, he rules; for he takes the keys of the house and governs all. Where he is in the heart and affections-there he rules; and where he takes not his lodging in the affections and in ...  Read More

How can we know that Christ is in us? (1) If Christ is in us by his Spirit, he will work great matters in us and there will be tumults in the soul. For when Christ comes to us, he finds all in rebell...  Read More