Wherein the third doctrine, being the main fubject of this
Profperity a Furnace to try our Graces.
whilſt you converſed with him : But, alas ! alas ! inſtead of holy, profitable, foul-improving communion, fome are fullenly referved ; ſome are negligent and lazy; fome are litigious and wrangling ; more apt todraw forth the droſs, than the gold;
Imeanthe corruptions, thangraces of others. And how few there be thatdrivea profitable trade for increaſe of grace, is fad toconfider.
And as grace is not improved bycommunion with men, ſo I doubt moſt Chriſtians thrive but little intheir communion with God: We are too ſeldom in our cloſets, too little upon our knees; andwhen we are there, we gainbut little ; we come notoff ſuch gainers by duty as we might. O Chriſtians ! think whenyou are hearing and praying, Iam nowtrading withheaven for that which is infinitely better than gold. God is rich to all that call upon him : What a treaſure may I get this hour, ifthe faultbe not in mine own heart ?
And thus of the ſecondobſervation .
CHAP.
IV.
Wherein the third doctrine, being the main fubject of this treatiſe, isopened, andthe method of the whole difcourse stated.
DOCT .
That only is to beaccountedtruegrace, which is able to endure all those trials appointed or permitted for the discovery of it.
T SECT Ι .
HE moſt wifeGod hath ſeen it fit to ſet allhis people in a ſtate of trial in this world.
Firſt, he tries, and thenhe crowns them ; James i. 12.
Bleffed is the man that " endureth temptation, wειρασμον, i. e. [probation or trial] ; " for whenhe is tried, hethall receive the crown of life, " &c.
Nomancanſaywhat he is ; whether his graces be true or falſe, till theybe tried and examinedbythose things which are to them as fire is to gold.
Theſe ſelf-deceivers in the text thought they had grace; yea, they thought they had been rich in grace ; but it proved no better than droſs : And therefore
Chriſt here counſels them tobuy of him gold tried in the fire ; i. e. true grace indeed, which appears to be ſo upon the various proofs and examinations of its fincerity, which are to bemade
Prosperity a Furnace to try our Graces. inthisworld, as well as in the great folemn trial it mustcome tointhe world to come.
The ſcripture ſpeaks of atwofold trial, viz.
Opinions, Atrial of mens and Graces.
1. First, The opinions andjudgmentsof menaretried as by fire; inwhich ſenſewe aretounderstandthat place, 1 Cor. iii,
12,13. " Now if anyman build uponthis foundation, gold, 66 ſilver, precious ſtones, wood, hay, ſtubble, every man's
" work ſhall be made manifeſt; for the day ſhall declare it, becauſe it ſhall be revealed by fire, and the fire ſhalltry eve ry man's work, of what fort it is."
This text ſpeaks of ſuch perſons as holdthe foundation of Chriftianity, butyet ſuperſtructed ſuch doctrines and practices, aswere no more able to endure the trial, than hay, wood, or ſtubble, can endure the fire *.
Such a perſon hereby brings himself to danger ; and though the apostle will not deny the poffibility, yet he afferts the difficulty of his ſalvation ; "He
" ſhall be ſaved, yet ſo as by fire †; " i, e. as aman is favedby leaping out of his houſe at midnight, when it is all on fire a bout his ears ; for ſothat phrase imports, Amos iv. 11. and Jude23. Glad toeſcape naked, andwith the loss of his goods; bleſſingGod he hath his life fora prey : As little regard ſhall ſuch have to their erroneous notions and unſcriptural opinions at laſt.
2. Secondly, The graces of men arebrought to the teſt, as well as their opinions.
Trial will be made of their hearts, as well as their heads ; and upon this trial the everlaſting ſafety andhappineſs of the perſon depends.
If aman's opinionsbe fomeof them found hay or ſtubble, yet ſo longas he holds the head, and is right inthe foundation, he maybe ſaved; butif aman's ſuppoſed graces be found ſo, all the world cannot ſave him: There is noway of eſcape, if he finally deceive himself herein.
And of this trial of graces my text ſpeaks : Sincere grace is gold triedby fire.
There is a twofold trial of grace ; active and paſſive.
First, An active trial of it, in which we try it ourſelves, 2Cor. xiii . 5. " Examine yourſelves ; prove yourſelves ;" i. e. meaſureyour hearts, duties andgraces,bythe ruleof the word;
* Upon a thorough trial they raniſh into ſmoke.
† From which judgmenthe ſhall eſcape juſt as onedoes naked, orwithhis bare life, outof the midst of flames.
Chryfoftome.
Prosperity a Furnace to try our Graces.
leehowthey anſwer tothat rule : Bring your hearts and the word together by folemn ſelf-examination ; confer with your reins, and commune with your own hearts.
Secondly, A paffive trial of it: whether we try it or no, God will try it, he willbring our gold tothe touchſtone, and tothe fire.
" Thou, O Lord, knoweſt me; thou haſt ſeen " me, and triedmine heart towardsthee," faith the prophet,
Jer.xii. 3.
Sometimes he tries the ſtrength and ability of his fervants graces; andthus he tried Abraham, Heb. xi. 17. And fometimeshe tries the foundness and fincerity of our graces ; ſo the Ephesianangelwas tried, and founddroſs, Rev. ii. 2. Andfo
Job was tried, and found true gold, Job xxiii. 10.
Theſe trials are not made byGod for hisown information; for he knowswhat is inman; his eyes pierce his heart and reins; but for our information ; which is the true ſenſeof Deut. viii. 2.
" Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thyGod " led thee theſe forty years in the wilderness tohumble thee,
"and to provethee, toknow what was in thy heart;" i. e. to make theeknow it, by giving thee ſuch experiments and trials of it inthoſe wilderness ſtraits anddifficulties.
And theſe are the trials of grace I amhere to ſpeakof, not excluding the active trials made by ourſelves; no, no, alltheſe trials madebyGod upon us, are deſigned toputus upon the trial of ourselves: WhenGod tries, we should try too.
Now the method into which I ſhall caſt this diſcourſe, ſhall betoſhewyou, 1. First, What thoſe things are whichtrythe ſincerityof our graces, as fire triesgold.
2. Secondly, Forwhat ends dothGod put the graces of his peopleupon ſuch trials in this world.
3. Thirdly, That ſuch grace only is ſincere as can endure theſetrials.
4. Fourthly, and lastly, To apply the whole, in the mainuſes of it.
SECT.
II.
2. First, What those things are which try the fincerity of grace, as fire triesgold.
Before I enter into particulars, itwillbe needfulto acquaint you, that theſubject before me isfull of difficulties.
There is need, as one ſpeaks, of much cautious reſpect to the various fizesanddegrees of growth among Chriftians, and the viciffi-
Prosperity a Furnace to try our Graces. tudesof their inwardcate; elſewe may darken and perplexthe way, instead of clearing it.
The portraiture of a Chriſtian is ſuch as nonecan draw to onemodel, but with reſpect to the infancy of ſome, as well as the age and ſtrength of others.
Great heed ought alſo to be had in the application of marks and ſigns ; we ſhould firſt try them, before we try ourſelves or others by them.
Marks and ſigns are by ſome diftinguiſhed into excluſive, incluſive, and poſitive : Excluſive marks ſerve to ſhut out bold pretenders, by ſhewing them how far they come ſhort of a ſaving work ofgrace ; and they are commonly taken from ſome neceſſary common duty, as hearing, praying, &c.
He thatdoth not theſe things, cannot have any work of grace inhim ; and yet if he do them, he cannot from thence concludehis eſtateto be gracious : He that ſo concludes, deceives himſelf.
Incluſive marks rather diſcover thedegrees than the truth of grace, and are rather intendedfor comfortthan for conviction :
If we find them in ourſelves, we do not only find fincerity, but eminencyof grace : They beingtakenfromfome raiſeddegree and eminent acts of grace in confirmed andgrown Chriſtians.
Betwixt the two former there is a middle fort of marks, which arecalled poſitive marks, and they are ſuch as are always, and only found, in regenerate ſouls : The hypocrite hath them not; the grown Chriſtianhath them, and that in an eminent degree:
The poorest Chriſtian hath them in a lower, but ſavingdegree :
Great caremust be taken inthe application of them. And it is paſt,doubt, that many weak and injudicious Chriſtians have
•been greatly prejudiced by finding the experiences of eminent Chriftians propoſed asrules tomeaſure their fincerity by. Alas ! theſe no more fit their fouls, than Saul's armour did David's body.
Theſethings beingpremiſed, and adue carecarriedalongwith us through this diſcourſe, I ſhall next cometo the particulars, and ſhewyou what thoſe things are which diſcover the ſtate and tempers of our fouls. And though it be true, that there is no condition we are in, no providence that befałs us, but it takes fomeproof, and makes ſome diſcovery of our hearts ; yet, to limit this diſcourſe, and fall into particulars as foon as we can,
I shall ſhew what trials are made of our graces in thisworld, by our profperity, and our adverſity ; by our corruptions, and our duties ; and, laſtly, by our fufferings upon the ſcore and account of religion.
Prosperity a Furnace to try our Graces.
SECT .
III .
First, Profperity, fucceſs, andthe increaſe of outwardenjoyments, are togracewhat fire is to gold. Riches and honours make trial what we are ; andby theſe things many a falfe heart hathbeen detected, as well as the fincerity and eminency of other graces difcovered. We may fancy the fire of profperity tobe rather for comfort than trial ; to refreſh us rather than to prove us; butyouwill find prosperity tobe a great difcovery, andthat ſcarce any thing proves thetruth andſtrength ofmens graces andcorruptions more than thatdoth : Rara virtus eft humilitas honorata, faith Bernard; to find humility with honour, is to find a phoenix.
Let an obfcure perſon be lifted up to honour, and how steadyand well compoſed ſoever he was before, it is a thousand to onebut his eyes willdazzle, and his headrunroundwhenhe is uponthe loftypinacle of praise and honour * ; Prov. xxvii. 21. "As the fining-pot for filver, and " the furnace for gold, ſo is a man to his praiſe :" Put the bestgoldintothe fining-pot of praiſe, and it isagreat wonder if a great deal of droſs do notappear, Ifa. xxxix. 2. the vainglory of good Hezekiah roſe like a froth or ſcum upon the pot, whenheatedby proſperity.
Itwas ſuch afining-pot toHerod, as diſcovered him to be droſs itſelf, Acts xii. 23. How did that poor worm ſwell under that trial into the conceit of agod, and was juftly deſtroyedbyworms, becauſe he forgat himself tobe one ? We little think what a ſtrange alteration an exalted ſtatewillmake uponour fpirits. When the prophetwould abatethe vain confidence of Hazael, who would not believe that everhe ſhouldbe turned intoſucha ſavage beaſt as the prophet had foretold; he only tells him, " The Lord hath ſhewed me,
" that thou shaltbe king over Syria," 2 Kings viii. 13. The meaning is, Do not be too confident Hazael, that thy temper anddiſpoſitioncannever alter to that degree ; thou never yet fat ona throne : When men ſee thecrownuponthyhead,then they will better ſee the true temper of thy heart.
How humble was Ifrael in the wilderness, tame and tractable in alean paſture; but bring them once into Canaan, and the world is ſtrangely altered; then, "we are lords, (ſay they) we
"willcome no moreunto thee," Jer. ii. 2, 7, 31.
Profperity is a criſis both to grace and corruption.
Thence isthatcaution to Ifrael, Deut. x. 11, 12. " When thou haft eaten, and art
" full, then beware left thou forget the LordthyGod." Then *Magiftratus indicat virum: i. e. Preferment proves a man.
Prosperity agreat Trial. beware, that isthe critical time; furely, thatman muſtbe acknowledged rich, very rich in grace, whoſegrace ſuffers nodiminution, or eclipse by his riches; andthat man deferves doublehonour, whoſe pride the honours of this world cannot provoke and inflame.
Itwas afad truth fromthe lips of a piousdivine inGermany uponhisdeathbed; being ſomewhat diſconſolate, by reflecting uponthe barrenneſs of bis life, ſome friends took thence anoccafiontocommend him, and mind him of his painful miniſtry, and fruitful lifeamong them; buthe cried out, Auferte ignem, adhuc enim paleas habeo ; Withdrawthe fire, for Ihave chaffin me; meaning, that he felthisambition like chaff catching fire from the ſparkles of their praiſes.
Like unto which was the faying of another, Hethat praiseth me, wounds me.
Buttodefcend into the particular discoveries that profperity andhonour make of the want of grace in ſome, and of the weakness of grace in others ; I will ſhew you what ſymptoms ofhypocrify appear upon ſomemenunderthe trialof profperity, and what ſigus of grace appear inothers under the fame trial.
SECT.
IV.
Prosperity diſcoversmany fad ſymptoms of anaughty heart; and, amongothers, theſe are ordinarily moſt confpicuous.
1. First, It cafts thehearts of ſome men into adeep oblivion ofGod, and makes them lay aſide all care of duty ; Raro fumant foelicibus arae; the altars of rich men ſeldom ſmoke,
Deut. xxxii. 13, 14, 15.
Jeſurun fucked honey out of the rock, eat the fat of lambs, and kidneys of wheat : But what was the effect of this; he kicked, and forfook God who made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his falvation.
Inſtead of lifting up their hearts in an humble thankful acknowledgment of God's bounty, they lifted up the heel inawanton abuſeof his mercy: In the fatteſt earthwe findthe moſt flippery footing.
He that is truly gracions may, in profperity, remit ſome degrees; but acarnal heart there loſeth all thatwhich in a low condition he ſeemed tofave. Augur's deprecation, as tohimfelf, nodoubt, was builtupon his frequent obſervationhow it waswith others; Prov. xxx. 8, 9. " Leſt I be full, anddeny
" God."
It is faid in Eccleſ. v. 12. " That the abundance of the rich " willnot fufferhim to ſleep;" and I wish that were the worſt injury it did him; but, alas! itwillnot fufferhim topray, to
Prosperity agreat Trial.
meditate, toallowtime and thoughts about his eternalconcernments ; he falls aſleep inthe lap of proſperity, and forgets that there is aGod to be ferved, or a foul to be saved. O this is a dangerous ſymptom of a very graceleſs heart !
2. Secondly, Proſperitymeeting with a graceleſs heart, makes itwholly ſenſual, and entirely ſwallows up its thoughts and affections : Earthly things transform andmould their hearts into their own ſimilitude and nature : The whole ſtrength of their fouls goes out to thoſe enjoyments. Sothoſe graceleſs, yet profperous perſons are described, Jobxxi. 11, 12, 13. " They
" take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the found of the 66 organ: they ſpend their days in wealth."
They take the timbrel, not the Bible. " They rejoice at the found of the "
" organ;" not a word of their rejoicing inGod.
They " fend forth their little ones in thedance :" That is all the catechifm they are taught : " They ſpend theirdays in wealth ;" their whole time, thatprecious ſtock and talent, iswholly laid
-out upon theſe ſenſitive things : Either the pleaſure of itpowerfully charms them, or the cares of it wholly engross their minds, that there isnotime to ſpare forGod. They live inpleafureupon earth, as it is, Jam. v. 5. juſt as the fiſh lives in the water, its proper element : Take him off from theſe things, and put him upon ſpiritual, ſerious, heavenly employments, and he is Piscis inarido; Likea fish uponthe dryland.
Now, though proſperity may too much influence andenſnare the minds of good men, and eſtrange them too much from heavenly things ; yet thus to engroſs theirhearts, and convert themintotheir own ſimilitude and nature, ſothat theſe things ſhouldbe the centre of their hearts, the very properelement in which they live, is utterly impoffible.
Anhypocrite indeed maybebroughtto this, becauſe, though Janus like, he have two faces, yet he really hath but one principle, andthat is wholly carnal and earthly: So that it is eaſy to make all the water torun into one channel, to gather all into one entire ſtream, inwhich his heart ſhall pour out all its
-ſtrength tothe creature.
But a Chriſtian indeedhath adouble principlethatacts him ; though hehave a lawof ſin that moves him oneway, yet there is in him alto the lawof grace, which thwarts and croſſes that principle of corruption : So that as grace cannot do what it would, becauſe of fin; ſo neithercan fin do what it would, becauſe of grace, Gal. v. 17.
Theheart of a Chriſtian, in the midst of enſaaring ſenſitive
VOL. VII.
Prosperity a great Trial.
-enjoyments, finds indeedacorrupt principle init,which would •incline him to fall aſleep upon ſuch a foft pillow, and forget
God and duty; but it cannot, O no ! itcannotdo fo; there is a principle of gracewithin him, that never leaves jogging, difturbing, andcallinguponhim,tillhe rife and return tohisGod, the true rest of his soul.
3. Thirdly, A falſe pretender toreligion, anhypocriticalprofeffor, meeting with profperityand fucceſs, grows altogether unconcerned about the intereſt of religion, and ſenſeleſs of the *calamities of God's people.
Thus the prophet convinces the Jews of their hypocrify, Amos vi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. "They
" were at eaſe in Zion, and truſted in the mountain of Sama- " ria:" And fo, having a ſhadowofreligion, andafulness of all earthly things, they fell to feaſtingand ſporting : " Theydrank
" wine in bowls, andanointedthemselves withthe chief oint- " ments, but were not grieved for the affliction of Jofeph."
Theycondolednot, Gnaltheber, over the breakings or tearing to pieces of Jofeph : Ifthey are out ofdanger once,letthechurch ſhift for itſelf, they are ſecure in a warm neſt: Let the birds of preycatch anddevour that flock with which they ſometimes affociated, they are not touched with it.
Moſescould notdo fo, though in the greateſt ſecurity and confluence of the honours and pleaſures of Egypt, Acts vii. 23. Nehemiah could not do ſo, though the ſervantand favourite of a mighty monarch, and wanted nothing to make him outwardly happy ; yet the pleafures of aking's courtcould not cheer his heart, or ſcatter the clouds of forrow from his countenance, whilst his brethren were in affliction, andthe city of hisGod lay waſte, Nehemiah ii. 1, 2, 3.
Nor indeedcan any gracious heart be unconcerned and ſenſeleſs ; for that union that all the faints have with Chrift theirhead, and with one another, as fellow members in Chrift, willbeget fympathy amongthem in their ſufferings, 1 Cor. xii.
26.
SECT .
BUUT as the fire of profperitydiſcovers this andmuch more droſs in a graceleſs heart, ſo it discovers the fincerity and grace of God's people : I ſaynot that itdiſcovers nothing but grace in them : O that itdid not ! alas! many of them have had agreatdeal of droſs and corruption diſcoveredby it, as was notedbefore : But yet in this trial, the graciouſneſs and uprightness of their hearts will appear in theſe, and fuch like workingsof it.
1. First, Under profperity, ſucceſs, andhonour, the upright
Prosperity a great Trial.
heart will labour to ſuppreſs pride, and keep itſelf lowly and humble; and ſtill the more grace there is, the more humility there will be IfGod lift him up, he will lay himself low, and exalt hisGod high.
So did Jacob when God had raiſed. and enlargedhim ; Gen. xxxii. 10. " I am not worthy of the " leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast
" ſnewedunto thy ſervant, for with my ſtaff I paſſed over this " Jordan, and now I am become two bands."
Great was the difference in Jacob's outward condition at his return, from what itwas at his firſt paſſage over Jordan ; then poor, now rich ; then ſingle and comfortless, now the head of agreat family : Yea, but though his outward eſtate was altered, the frame of his heart was not altered.
Jacob was an holy and humble man whenhe wentout, and ſo hewas when he returned : He saw a multitude of mercies about him, and among them all not one but was greater than himself.
I dare not ſay every Chriſtian under proſperity can at all times manifeſt like humility; but I am ſure what pride and vanity foever may riſe in a gracious heart tried by profperity, thereisthatwithinhim will give check to it : Hedarenot ſuffer ſuch proud thoughts to lodge quietly in his heart ; for, alas ! hefees that in himself, and that in his God, that will abaſe him: Grace will make him look back to his original condition, and ſay, with David, " What am I, O Lord God ? and what
" is my father's houſe, that thou hast brought me hitherto ?"
2 Sam. vii. 18.
Itwill make him look in, and ſee the baſeneſs of his own heart, and the corruptions that are there, and admire atthe dealings of Godwith ſovile a creature. O, thinks he, ifothers
did but know what I know of myself, they would abhorme more than now they esteem and value me.
2. Secondly, Proſperityusually draws forth thefaints lovetothe.
God of their mercies : that which heats a wicked man's lufts, warms a gracious man's heart with love and delight inGod.
Theſe were the words of that lovely ſong which David ſang intheday that the Lord delivered him out of the hands of all hisenemies, and from the hand of Saul; and he said, " Iwill
" love thee, O Lord, my strength," Pfalm xviii.title andver.
1. compared.
Theſe outward things are notthe main grounds andmotivesoftheir lovetoGod; no, no,they love him whenhe takes away, aswell aswhenhegives : but theyare ſanctified inAruments to inflame their love toGod: they boil up awicked man's lufts, but they melt agracious man's ſoul. O inwhata
Prosperity agreet Trial.
Pang of lovedidDavid go into the prefenceofGodunder the ſenſe of his mercies ! his melting mercies ! whenhe thus pouredout his whole foul in a ſtream of love to hisGod, 2 Sam. vii. 19, 20, " Is this the manner of men, O Lord God ? And " what can David ſay more unto thee?"
An expreffion that turns up the very bottom of his heart.
3.Thirdly, Profperity and comfortable providencesdouſually become cautions againſt ſin, when they meet with a fanctified foul.
This is the natural inference of a gracious foul from them: hath God pleaſedme, thenhath he obliged me to take more care to pleaſe him : O let me not grieve him, that hath comforted me ! So Ezra ix. 13. " After ſuch a deliverance as " this, ſhould we again break thy commandments !"
What ! break his commandments who hath broken our bonds ! God forbid!
It was an excellent reſolution of a Chriſtian once, who receiving aneminent mercy at the ſame time he felthimselfunder the powerof a ſpecial corruption ; " Well, (faithhe) now will
" Igoforth in the ſtrength of this mercy, to mortifyandfub- " due that corruption. "
I will not meaſure every Chriſtian by the eminent workings of grace in ſome one; but furely fo far I may fafely go, that ſincerity knows not how to fin, becauſe grace hathabounded, any more than it dare fin, thatgracemay abound.
4. Fourthly, A truly gracious foul will not be ſatisfiedwith allthe profperity and comforts in the world for his portion :
Not thine, Lord, but thee, is thevoice of grace. When providencehed beenmore than ordinarily bountiful in outward things to Luther, he began to be afraid of its meaning, and earnestly proteſted, God ſhouldnot put himoff ſo, " The Lord is my
" portion, faith mysoul," Lam. iii. 24. and the foul canbeſt tell what it hath made its choice, and whereon ithathbeſtowed its chief delights and expectations.
An unfound heart will accept theſe for its portion : if the world be ſure to him, and his deſigns fail not there, he canbe content to leaveGod, and foul, and heaven, and hell at hazard; but focannot the upright.
Theſe things in fubordination ; but peither theſe, nor any thing under the fun, in comparisonwith, or oppofition toGod.