In what a fool's paradise will men be with the thoughts of worthless things, and such things too as they will never obtain, nor ever 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 pleasing good they hope for! And yet we who say, we have hopes of the glory to come, can pass many days without one hour spent in the rejoicing thoughts of the happiness we look for! If any person of a mean condition were made sure to become very rich and be advanced to great honor with. in a week, and after that to live to a great age in that high estate, enjoying health and all imaginable pleasures, judge ye whether in the few days betwixt the knowledge of this news and the enjoying of these things, 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 speak of; and yet how seldom are our thoughts upon those things, and how faint and slender is our rejoicing in them! Can we deny that it is unbelief of these things, that causeth 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 who 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 perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

THE way of the just, saith Solomon, is as the shining light, that shineth more and more to the perfect day; still making forward, and ascending towards perfection, moving as fast when they are clouded with affliction as at any time else; yea, all that seems to work against them furthers them. Those graces that would possibly grow heavy by too much ease, are held in breath, and

increase their activity and strength by conflict. Divine grace, even in the heart of weak and sinful man, is an invincible thing. Drown it in the waters of adversity, 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 loses nothing but the dross which our corrupt nature mixes with it. Thus the apostle here expounds the if need be of the former verse, and so justifies the joy in afflictions which there he speaks of, by their utility and the advantage faith derives from them, It is so tried that it shall appear in its full brightness at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

The peculiar treasure of a Christian being the grace which he receives from heaven, and particularly that Sovereign grace of faith, whatsoever he can be assured will better him any way in this, he will not only bear patiently, but gladly embrace it. See Rom. v, 3. Therefore the

apostle sets this before his brethren in those words of this verse which express, 1. the worth and excellency of faith; 2, the usefulness of temptations in relation to it.

1. 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 apostle chooses this comparison, as fitting his purpose for the illustration of both, the worth of faith and likewise 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 real, the purest and most precious of all metals, having many excellent properties beyond them. It is also far greater in the esteem and opinion of men. See how men hurry up and down, over sea and land, unwearied in their pursuit, with hazard of life, and often with the loss of uprightness and a good conscience. And they not only thus esteem it in itself, but make it the rule of their esteem one of another, valuing men less or more, as they are more or less furnished with it.

I will not insist in the parallel of faith with gold, in the other qualities of it, as that it is pure and solid 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 soul; and as gold

answers all things, so faith gives the soul propriety in all the rich consolations of the gospel, in all the promises of life and salvation, in all needful blessings. It draws virtue from Christ to strengthen 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-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-in its nature, answerable to its original; it is immaterial, spiritual, and pure. In its endurance; it perisheth not.

2. The usefulness of temptations in relation to faith. This trial (as that of gold) may be for a twofold end for experiment of the truth and pureness of a Christian's faith to refine it yet more and to raise it to a higher pitch or degree of pureness.

The furnace of afflictions shows upright real faith to be such indeed, remaining still the same even in the fire; the same that it was, undiminished, as good gold loses none of its quantity in the fire. Doubtless many are deceived, in time of ease and prosperity, with imaginary faith and fortitude; so that there may be still some doubt, while a man is underset with outward helps, whether he leans upon those or upon God, who is an invisible support, though stronger than all that are visible, and is the peculiar and alone stay of faith in all conditions. But when all these outward props are plucked away from a man, then it will be manifest, whether something else upholds him or not; for if there be nothing else, then he falls, but if his mind stands firm and unremoved as before, then it is evident he laid not his weight upon these things which he had then about him, but was built upon a foundation, though not seen, which is able alone to support him, although he be not only frustrated of all other supports, but beaten upon with storms and tempests; as our Saviour says, The house fell not, because it was founded on a rock.

In spiritual trials, which are the sharpest and most fiery of all, when the furnace is within a man, when God doth not only shut up his loving-kindness from his feeling, but seems to shut it up in hot displeasure, when he writes

bitter things against him, yet then to depend upon him, and wait for his salvation, and the more he smites, the more to cleave to him-this is not only a a true, but a strong and very refined faith indeed. Well might he say, When I am tried I shall come forth as gold, who could say, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him; though I saw, as it were, his hand lifted up to destroy me, yet from that same hand would I expect salvation.

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As the furnace shows faith to be what it is, so also it betters it, and makes it more precious and purer than it was. The graces of the Spirit, as they come from the hand of God who infuses them, are nothing but pureness; but being put into a heart where sin dwells, there they are mixed with corruption and dross. And faith particularly is mixed with unbelief, and love of earthly things, and dependance upon the creature, if not more than upon God, yet together with him; and for this is the furnace needful, that the soul may be purified from this dross, and made more sublime and spiritual in believing. It is a hard task, and many times comes but slowly forward, to teach the heart by discourse and speculation to sit loose from the world on all sides, not to cleave to the best things in it, though we be compassed about with them, though riches do increase, yet not to set our hearts on them. Therefore God is pleased to choose the more effectual way to teach his own the right and pure exercise of faith, either by withholding or withdrawing these things from them. He makes them relish the sweetness of spiritual comfort, by depriving them of those outward comforts whereon they were in most danger to have doated to excess, and so to have forgotten themselves and him. When they are reduced to necessity and experimentally trained up easily to let go their hold of every thing earthly, and to stay themselves only upon their rock, this is the very refining of their faith, by those losses and afflictions wherewith they are exercised. The way to profit in the art of believing, or of coming to this spiritual activity of faith, is, to be often put to that work in the most difficult way, to make up all wants and losses in God, and to sweeten the bitterest griefs with his loving-kindness. No. V.

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Might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory. This is the end that is intended, and shall be certainly obtained by all these hot trials. Faith shall come through them all, and shall be found unto praise, and honor, and glory. An unskilful beholder may think it strange to see gold thrown into the fire, and left there for a time, but he that puts it there would be loth to lose it; his purpose is to make some costly piece of work of it. Every believer gives himself to Christ, and he undertakes to present them all blameless to the Father; not one of them shall be lost, nor one drachm of their faith; they shall be found, and their faith shall be found, when he appears. That faith which is here in the furnace, shall be then made up into a crown of pure gold. It shall be found unto praise, and honor, and glory.

This praise, and honor, and glory may be referred, either to believers themselves, according to the apostle St. Paul's expression, Rom. ii, 7, or to Christ who appears; but the two will agree well together, that it be both to their praise and to the praise of Christ; for cer tainly all their praise and glory shall terminate in the glory of their head, Christ, who is God blessed for ever. They have each their crown, but their honor is, to cast them all down before his throne. He shall be glorified in his saints and admired in them that believe. They shall be glorious in him, and therefore in all their glory he shall be glorified; for as they have derived their glory from him, it shall all return back to him again.

At the appearing of Jesus Christ. This denotes the time when this shall come to pass; for Christ is faithful and true; he hath promised to come again, and to judge the world in righteousness, and he will come, and will not tarry. Then the glory and praise which all the saints shall be honored with, shall recompense fully all the scorns, and ignominies, and distresses they have met with here; and they shall shine the brighter for them. O if we considered often that solemn day, how light should we set by the opinions of men, and all outward hardships that can befal us! How easily should we digest dispraise and dishonor here, and pass through all cheerfully, provided we may then be found in him, and so partakers