and has promised never to " break the bruised reed," though it be so unfit for his use, nor to " quench the smoking flax," notwithstanding there is so much in it to disgust, and so little to please, him? Do the angels, who, instead of waiting till the penitent becomes established, shout for joy at the very first appearances of his conversion ? Does Satan ? Does he not act precisely like the kings of Canaan, who, the very instant they found the Gibeonites had made a league with Joshua, confederated to destroy them1? Yes; the moment we submit to Jesus, that roaring lion seeks, if possible, to devour us. If then they who best know the worth of true grace do not despise the very smallest portion of it, shall we? Shall we not rather value it, rejoice in it, adore our God for it, and take occasion from it to seek for more? Consider the author of it, God ; his design in it, to make us his habitation ; the benefits resulting from it, present peace and everlasting glory; and shall we despise it; especially when God himself has assured us, that, " wheresoever he has begun the good work, he will carry it on, and perfect it to the day of Christk?" Did he notice " some good thing" in the heart of young Abijah1, and will he forget you? Let not the thought be entertained one moment ; but let the weak be strong, and the faint-hearted dissipate their fears ; for behold, " the temple shall be built, though in troublous times™;" and "the head- stone thereof shall be brought forth with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it ! "]
To this encouraging subject we should subjoin a word or two of caution :
1. Do not mistake the day of small things —
[As the wheat and the tares may be mistaken for each other in the early stage of their growth, so may good pur- poses and good desires be easily mistaken for the operations of saving grace. Religion may be counterfeited so well, as, in some instances, to deceive an apostle"; and in ten thousand instances are men led from very false or equivocal appearances to fancy themselves possessed of the reality. To guard against so fatal an error, we should inquire whether the foundation be laid deep in humility and contrition; for, where this is not done, the superstructure, how beautiful soever it may appear, will inevitably fall, and bury us in its ruins.]
2. Do not think too highly of the day of small things —
1 Josh. x. 1 — 5. This seems to have heen a typical event. k Phil. i. G. '1 Kings xiv. 13. m Dan. ix. 25.
n Actsviii. 13, 21.