rial, spiritual, and pure. We refine gold and make it purer, but when we receive faith pure in itself, we mix dross with it, and make it impure by the alloy of unbelief. 3. In its endurance, flowing from the former; it perisheth not. Gold is a thing in itself corruptible and perishing, and to particular owners it perisheth in their loss of it, they being deprived of it in any way.

Other graces are likewise tried in the same furnace; but Faith is named as the root of all the rest. Sharp afflictions give a Christian a trial of his love to God, whether it be single, and for himself or not; for then it will be the same when he strikes as when he embraces, and in the fire of affliction will rather grow the hotter, and be more taken off from the world, and set upon him. Again, the grace of patience is put particularly upon trial in distresses. But both these spring from Faith; for love rises from a right and strong belief of the goodness of God, and patience from a persuasion of the wisdom and love of God, and the truth of his promises. He hath said, I will not fail thee, and that we shall not be tempted above our strength, and he will give the issue. Now the belier of these things causes patience: The trial of faith worketh patience. (James i. 3.) For therefore doth the Christian resign up himself, and all that concerns him, his trials, the measure and length of them all, unto God's disposal, because he knows that he is in the hands of a wise and loving father. Thus the trial of these and other particular graces doth still resolve into this, and is comprised under the trial of faith. This brings us,

2dly. To the usefulness of temptations in relation to it.

This trial (as that of gold) may be for a two-fold end. 1. For experiment of the truth and pureness of a Christian's faith. 2. To refine it yet more, and to raise it to a higher pitch or degree of pureness.

1. The furnace of affliction 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, as riches, friends, esteem, &c., 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 stay bim, 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, (Matt. vii. 25).

This testified the truth of David's faith, who found it stay his mind upon God, when there was nothing else near that could do it; I had fainted, unless I had believed. (Psal. xxvii. 13.) So in his strait, (1 Sam. xxx. 6,) where it is said, that David was greatly distressed; but he encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Thus, Psal. lxxxiii. 26, My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. The heart's natural strength of spirit and resolution may bear up under outward weakness, or the failing of the flesh; but when the heart itself fails, which is the strength of the flesh, what shall strengthen it? nothing but God, who is the strength of the heart, and its portion for ever. Thus faith worketh alone, when the case suits that of the Prophet's, (Hab. iii, 17,) Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vine, &c., yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

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 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 that word, 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.

2. 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, (which till the body be dissolved and taken to pieces, cannot be fully purged out,) there they are mixed with corruption and dross: and particularly faith is mixed with unbelief, and love of earthly things, and dependance upon the creature, if not more than God, yet toge ther 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 at 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, Psal. Ixii. 10, not to trust in such uncertain things as they are, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Tim. vi. 17. 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 those 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 any 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

VOL. I.

F

are exercised. They who learn bodily exercises, as fencing, &c., are not taught by sitting still, and hearing rules, or seeing others practise, but they learn by exercising themselves. 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.

Might be found unto praise, and honour, 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, &c. 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 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 honour, and glory.

This praise, and honour, 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, certainly, 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 honour 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 appearance 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. He

shall judge righteously in that day, who was himself unrighteously judged here on earth. It is called the Revelation; all other things shall be revealed in that day, the most hidden things, good and evil, shall be unvailed; but it is eminently the day of His Revelation: it shall be by his light, by the brightness of his coming, that all other things shall be revealed; but he himself shall be the worthiest sight of all. All eyes shall behold him. He shall then gloriously appear before all men and angels, and shall by all be acknowledged to be the Son of God, and judge of the world: some shall with joy know him, and acknowledge him to be so, others to their horror and amazement. How beautiful shall he be to those who love him, when he as the glorious head shall appear with his whole body mystical together with him!

Then, the glory and praise which all the saints shall be honoured with, shall recompense fully all the scorns, and ignominies, and distresses, they have met with here. And they shall shine the brighter for them. Oh! 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 dishonour here, and pass through all cheerfully, provided we may be then found in him, and so partakers of praise, and glory, and honour, in that day of his appearing!

Ver. 8. Whom having not seen, ye love: in whom, though now ye see him not, yet, believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Ver. 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

It is a parodox to the world which the Apostle hath asserted, that there is a joy which can subsist in the midst of sorrow; therefore he insists in confirmation of it, and in all these words proves it to the full, yea, with advantage, that the saints have not only some measure of joy in the griefs that abound upon them here, but excellent and eminent joy, such as makes good all that can be said of it, such as cannot be spoken too much of, for it is unspeakable, nor too much magnified, for it is glorious.