heirs of this glory; and if each man were particularly asked, he would fay, he hoped to attain it: But if there were nothing else, this may abundantly convince us, that the greatest part of us delude ourselves, and are deceived in this; for how few are there that do really find this height of joy, gladnefs and exultation, in their thoughts and hopes of it, that do daily more refresh and glad themselves with the confideration of that which is laid up for them above, than with all their enjoyments here below?

Confider how the news of fome small outward advantage that is to come to us, raifes our light vain hearts, and makes them leap within us; and yet this news of a kingdom prepared for us, if we be indeed believers, ftirs us not, our hearts are as little affected with it as if it concerned us not at all: And this is too clear an evidence against us, that indeed it concerns us not, our portion as yet is not in it.

In what a fool's paradife will men be with the thoughts of worthlefs things, and fuch things too as they shall never obtain, nor ever fhall have any further being than what they have in their fancy? And how will men frequently roll over in their minds the thoughts of any pleafing good they hope for? And yet we that fay, we have hopes of the glory to come, can pafs many days without one hour spent in the rejoicing thoughts of the happiness we look for. If any of a mean condition for the prefent were made fure to become very rich, and be advanced to great honour within a week, and after that to live to a great age in that high eftate, enjoying health and all imaginable pleasures; judge ye, whether in the few days betwixt the knowledge of thofe news and the enjoying them, the thoughts of what he were to attain to, would not be frequent with him, and be always welcome? There is no comparison betwixt all we can imagine this way, and the hopes we fpeak of, and yet how feldom are our thoughts upon thofe, and how faint and flender is our rejoicing in them? Can we

deny

deny that it is unbelief of those things that caufeth this neglect and forgetting of them? The discourse, the tongue of men and Angels cannot beget divine belief of the happiness to come; only He that gives it, gives faith likewise to apprehend it, and lay hold upon it, and upon our believing to be filled with joy in the hopes of it.

Ver. 7. That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perifbetb, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory at the appearing of Jefus Chrift.

THE way of the juft, faith Solomon, is as the shining

light, that fbineth more and more to the perfect day. Still making forward, and afcending towards perfection, moving as faft when they are clouded with affliction as at any time elfe; yea, all that feems to work against them, furthers them. Thofe graces that would poffibly grow heavy and unwieldy by too much eafe, are held in breath, and increase their activity and strength by conflict. Divine grace, even in the heart of weak and tinful man, is an invincible thing. Drown it in the waters of adverfity, it rises more beautiful, as not being drowned indeed, but only washed; throw it into the furnace of fiery trials, it comes out purer, and lofes nothing but the drofs, which our corrupt nature mixes with it. Thus here the Apostle expounds the if need be of the former verfe, and fo juftifies the joy in afflictions, which there he fpeaks of, by their utility and faith's advantage by them; it is fo tried that it fhall appear in its full brightness at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The peculiar treasure of a Chriftian being the grace that he receives from heaven, and particularly that fovereign grace of faith, whatfoever he can be affured will better him any way in this, he will not only bear it patiently, but gladly embrace it, Rom. v.

3.

Therefore the Apoftle fets this before his bre

thren

thren in those words of this verfe, where is, 1. The worth and excellency of faith; 2. The usefulness of temptations in relation to it.

ift, The worth and excellency of faith. The trial of faith is called more precious, a work of more worth than the trial of gold, because faith itself is of more value than gold: The Apoftle chufes this comparison, as fitting his purpose for both, for the illuftration of the worth of faith, and likewife the use of temptations, representing the one by gold, and the other by the trying of gold in the fire.

The worth of gold is, 1. Real, the pureft and moft precious of all metals, having many excellent properties beyond them, as they that write of the nature of gold obferve. 2. Far greater in the esteem and opinion of men. See how men hurry up and down, over fea and land, unwearied in their purfuit, with hazard of life, and often with the lofs of uprightness and a good confcience; and not only thus efteem it in itself, but make it the rule of their efteem one of another, valuing men lets or more, as they are more or lefs furnished with it. And we fee at what a height that is; for things we would commend much, we borrow its name to them, viz. golden mediocrity; and that age which they would call the beft of all, they name it the golden age: And as Seneca obferves, defcribing heavenly things, as Ovid the fun's palace and chariot, ftill gold is the word for all.

And the holy Scriptures defcending to our reach, do fet forth the riches of the new Jerufalem by it, Rev. xxi. and the excellency of Chrift, Cant. v. II. 14. And here the precioufnefs of faith, whereof Chrift is the object, is faid to be more precious than gold.

I will not infift in the parallel of faith with gold, in the other qualities of it, as that it is pure and folid as gold, and that it is most ductile and malleable as gold; beyond all other metals, it plies any way with the will of God. But then faith truly enriches the foul And as gold answers all things, fo faith gives VOL. I. L

the

the foul propriety to all the rich confolations of the Gofpel, to all the promises of life and falvation, to all needful bleffings; it draws virtue from Chrift to ftrengthen itself, and all other graces.

And thus it is not only precious as gold, but goes far above the comparison; it is more precious, yea much more precious, 1. In its original; the other is digged out of the bowels of the earth, but the mine of this gold is above, it comes from heaven. 2. In its nature, anfwerable to its original, it is immaterial, fpiritual and pure. We refine gold and make it purer, but when we receive faith pure of itself, we mix drofs with it, and make it impure by the alloy of unbelief. 3. In its endurance, flowing from the former, it perifheth not. Gold is a thing in itself corruptible and perifhing, and to particular owners, it perifheth in their lofs of it, being deprived of it any way.

Other graces are likewife tried in the fame furnace; but faith is named as the root of all the reft. Sharp afflictions give a Chriftian a trial of his love to God, whether it be fingle, and for himself or not; for then it will be the fame when he ftrikes, as when he embraces, and in the fire of affliction will rather grow the hotter, and be more taken off from the world, and fet upon him. Again, the grace of patience is put particularly upon trial in diftreffes: But both thefe fpring from faith. For love rifes from a right and ftrong belief of the goodness of God; and patience from a perfuafion of the wifdom and love of God, and the truth of his promises. He hath faid, I will not fail thee, and that we fhall not be tempted above our ftrength, and he will give the iffue. Now the belief of these things caufes patience. The trial of faith worketh patience, Jam. i. 3. For therefore doth the Chriftian refign up himself, and all that concerns him, his trials, the measure and length of them all, unto God's difpofal, because he knows that he is in the hands of a wife and loving Father. Thus the trial of these, and other particular graces, doth ftill

refolve

refolve into this, and is comprised under the trial of faith. This brings us,

it.

2dly, To the usefulness of temptations in relation to

This trial, as that of gold, may be for a twofold end, 1. For experiment of the truth and pureness of a Chriftian's faith. 2. For refining it yet more, and to raise it to a higher pitch or degree of purenels.

1. The furnace of affliction fhows upright real faith to be fuch indeed, remaining ftill the fame even in the fire, the fame that it was, undiminished, as good gold lofes none of its quantity in the fire. Doubtlefs many are deceived in time of eafe and profperity with imaginary faith and fortitude: So that there may be still some doubt while a man is underfet with outward helps, as riches, friends, efteem, &c. whether he leans upon thofe, or upon God, who is an invifible fupport, though ftronger than all that are vifible, and is the peculiar and alone ftay of faith in all conditions. But when all these outward props are plucked away from a man, then it will be manifeft, whether fomething else upholds him or not; for if there be nothing else, then he falls; but if his mind ftands firm, and unremoved as before, then it is evident he laid not his weight upon these things he had then about him; but was built upon a foundation, though not feen, which is able alone to ftay him, although he be not only fruftrated of all other supports, but beaten upon with ftorms and tempefts, as our Saviour fays, the boufe fell not, because it was founded on a rock, Mat. vii. 25.

This teftified the truth of David's faith, who found it ftaying him upon God, when there was nothing elfe near that could do it, I had fainted, unless I had believed, Pfal. xxvii. 13. fo in his ftrait, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. where it is faid, that David was greatly diftreffed; but be encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Thus Pfal. lxxiii. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the firength of my heart and portion for ever. The heart's natural ftrength of fpirit and refolution

may