574 THE ADVANTAGES OF SINCERITY.
3. Thirdly^ What advantages sincere grace liath to endure that severe and sharp trial.
1. 1^ OW the fire of persecution, or sufferings for rehgion, may be judged intense, and high enough to separate gold and dross ;
Firsts When religion exposes us to imminent hazard of our deep- est and dearest interests in this world : Such are our liberties, estates, and lives : Then it is a fierce and fiery trial indeed. Some- times it exposes the liberties of its professors. Rev. ii. 10. " The " devil shall cast some of you into prison. Sometimes their estates, Heb. X. 34. ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods :" and some- times their lives, Heb. xi. 37. " 1 hey were stoned, they were sawn "asunder, they were slain with the sword." Whilst it goes no higher than some small inconveniencies of life, reputation and sense of honour will hold a false heart ; but when it comes to this, ievf will be found able to endure it, but those that expect to save no more by religion but their souls, and account themselves in good case, if they can but save them with the loss of all that is dear to them in this world.
Here the false heart boggles ; here it usually jades and faulters.
Secondly^ The fiery trial is then high, when there remains no visible hopes of deliverance, or outward encouragements to sense, that the scene will alter. When " we see not our signs, there is no " more any prophet, nor any that can tell us how long," as the case with the church was, Psal. Ixxiv. 9. Then their hands hang down, and their hearts faint : Nor is it to be wondered at, when the length of troubles prove so sore a temptation even to the upright, to put forth their hands to iniquity ; as it is Psal. cxxv. 3. If such a temp- tation shake such men as build on the rock, it must quite overturn those whose foundation is but sand.
Thirdly, When a false professor is engaged alone in sufferings, and is singled out from the herd, as a deer to be run down, now it is a thousand to one but he quits religion to save himself: Good company will encourage a faint-hearted traveller to jog on a great way ; but if he be forsaken by all, as Paul was, no man to stand by him ; if left alone, as Elijah was, what can encourage him to hold out.?
Indeed, if they had the same visible supports those good men had, that the Lord was with them, that would keep them steady ; but wanting that encouragement from within, and all shrinking away from without, they quickly tire downright.
Fourthly, When near relations and intimates oppose and tempt us. The prophet speaks of a time " when a man's enemies shall be the " men of his own house ; it may be the wife of his bosom, Micah vii. 5, 6. O what a trial is that which Christ mentions in Luke xiv. 26.
THE ADVANTA&ES OF SINCEllITY. 575
%vhen we must hate father and mother, wife and children, or quit claim to Christ and heaven ! This is hard work indeed. ■ How hard did that truly noble and renowned Galeacius Carraccio- ius find this ! O what a conflict found he in his bowels ! Now Christ and our dearest interest come to meet like two men upon a narrow bridge ; if one go forward, the other must go back, and now the predominate interest can no longer be concealed.
Fifthly^ When powerful temptations are mixed with cruel suffer- ings ; when we are strongly tempted, as well as cruelly persecuted : This blows up the fire to a vehement height. This was the trial of those precious primitive believers, Heb. xi. 35, 37. " They were *' stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted.'"* Here was life, liberty, and preferment set upon one hand, and death in the most formidable shape upon the other. This cannot but be a great trial to any, but especially when a cruel death and tender temper meet, then the trial goes high indeed.
% x^ND that such sufferings as these will discover the falseness and rottenness of men's hearts cannot be doubted : If you consider that this is the fire designed by God, for this very use and purpose, to separate the gold from the dross : so you will find it, 1 Pet. iv. \% " Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to *' try you,"" i. e. the very design and aim of providence in permitting and ordering them, is to try you. The design of Satan is to destroy you ; but God's design is to try you. Upon this account you find the hour of persecution (in a suitable notion) called " the hour of " temptation or probation," Rev. iii. 10. for then professors are sifted to the very bran ; searched to the very bottom principles. " This " is the day that burns as an oven, in which all the proud, and all " that do wickedly, shall be as stubble," Mai. iv. 1. For,
1. Firsts In that day the predominant interest must appear, and be discovered : It can be concealed no longer ; " No man can serve two *' masters," saith Christ, Luke xvi. 13. A man may serve many masters, if they all command the same things, or things subordinate to each other ; but he cannot serve two masters, if their commands clash and interfere with each other : And such are the commands of Christ and the flesh in a suffering hour. Christ saith, " Be thou " faithful to the death ;" the flesh saith. Spare thyself, and secure the comforts of life. Christ saith, "He that ioveth father or mother, " wife, or children, lands or inheritance more than me, is not worthy " of me." Flesh saith. He that will grieve and break the heart of such dear relations, and forsake, when lie might keep such earthly accommodations, is not worthy of them.
Thus the two interests come in full opposition : and now have but patience to wait a little, and you shall discern what is predomi- nant, A dog follows two men, while they both walk one way, and
576 THE Ajn^ANTAGES OF SINCERITY.
you know not which of the two is liis master ; stay but a little till their path parts, and then you shall quickly see who is his master: So is it in this case.
2. Secondly^ In that day sensible supports fail, and all a man's relief comes in by the pure and immediate actings of faith ; and were it not for those reliefs, his heart would soon faint and die away under discouragements, 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. "We faint not whilst we look " not at the things which are seen, for they are temporal, but at the " things which are not seen, for they are eternal," q. d. If we keep not our eye intently fixed upon the invisible and eternal things in the coming world, we shall feel ourselves fainting and dying away under the many troubles and afflictions of this world. " I had fainteli " (saith holy David) if I had not believed." How then suppose ye shall the hypocrite live at such a time, who hath no faith to support him ? No relief but what comes in through the senses ?