Infer. 2. Secoiidlr/.^ Are there such trials appointed and permitted by the Lord for the discovery of his people's sincerity in this world ? Then let none of God's people expect a quiet station in this icorld ; Certainly you shall meet with no rest here, you must out of one fire into another: and it is a merciful condescension of the Lord to poor creatures, thus to concern himself for their safety and benefit : " What is man that thou shouldst magnify him ? and that thou " shouldst set thine heart upon him ? that thou shouldst visit him " every morning, and try him every moment?" Job vii. 17, 18.
O it is a great deal of honour put upon a poor worm, when God will every moment try him and visit him ; it argues the great esteem the goldsmith hath of his gold, when he will sit by the furnace him- self, and order the fire with his own hand ; when he pries so often
590 PARTICULAR INFERENCES FROM THE TRIAL OF GRACE.
and so curiously into the fining-pot, to see that none of his precious metal, upon which he sets his heart, be lost.
Think it not then debasing to you to be so often exposed to trials. If God did not value you highly, he would not try you so frequent- ly : What would become of you if your condition here should be more settled and quiet than now it is? I believe you find dross enough in your hearts after all the fires into which God hath cast you : Surely there is filth enough in the best of God's people to take all this, it may be a great deal more trouble then they have j^et met with. We fancy it a brave life to live at ease ; and if we meet with longer respites and intervals of trial than usual, we are apt to say, W^e shall never be moved, as David did, Psalm xxx. 6. or we shall die in our nest, as it is Job xxix. 18. Our hard and difficult days are over ; but woe to us if God should give us the desire of our hearts in this. See what the temper of those men's spirits is, that meet with no changes, Psal. Iv. 19. *' Because they have no changes, " therefore they fear not God." O it is better to be preserved sweet in brine, than to rot in honey !
Infer. 3. Thirdly, Let none boast in a caimal confidence qftlieir own strength and stability. You are in a state of trial. Hitherto God hath kept you upright in all your trials ; bless God, but boast not ; you are but feathers in the wind of temptation. If God leave you to yourselves. Peter told Christ, (and doubtless he spoke no more than he honestly meant) " Though ail men forsake thee, yet will not 1 :" And vou know what he did when the hour of his trial came, Matth. xxvi. ^5. Angels left to themselves have fallen : It is better to be an humble woiun than a proud angel.
Ah ! how many Pendletons will this professing nge shew, if once God bring us to the fiery trial .^ " Let him that thinks he stands, " take heed lest he fall." You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. None stand upon firmer ground than those that see nothing in themselves to stand upon ; he that leans upon his own arm usually benumbs it, and makes it useless.
Infer. 4. Fourthly^ Doth God kindle so many fires in Sion, and set his furnaces in Jerusalem, to discover and separate the dross from the gold .? How contrary are those men to God that allow, yea, and prize the dross of hypocrisy which God hates, and stick not to make the hol}^ God a patronizer and countenancer of it in the hearts and lives of men .?
It is amazing to read what popish pens have impudently written about this matter : * Sylvester puts the question, Whether it be a sin to make a false shew of sanctity .^ And answers it thus : If it be for the honour of God and profit of others, it is no sin. Nay, they have a reverence for hypocrisy, as an holy art. Vicentius spends a whole chapter in commendation of the hypocrisy of St. Dominio, and
♦ A sum adv. simuleiiioy n. 4.
A SERIOUS EXHORTATION TO SELF-EXAM I NATION. 591
entitles it, De sancta ejus hypocrisi : i. e. Of the holy hypocrisy of that saint; reckoning it among his commendations, that he had the art of dissembling. And yet, one peg higher, a religious person (saith * another) that feigns himself to have more holiness than he hath, that others may be edified, sins not, but rather merits.
Blush, O heavens ! that ever such factors for hell should open and vend such ware as this in the public market, and invite the world to hypocrisy, as that which makes for the glory of God, the edifi- cation of men, and a work meritorious in the hypocrite himself: This is the doctrine of devils indeed !
Infer. 5. Fifthly^ If it be so that all grace must come to the test, and be tried as gold in the fire, even in this world ; how are all men concerned to lay a solid foundation at first, and thoroughly deliberate the terms upon which they close with Christ, and engage in the pro- fession of his name ? '*• Which of you, (saith Christ) intending to " build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost.?'' Luke xiv. 28. If some men had sat down at first, and pondered the conditions and terms of Christ, they had not sat down now discou- raged, and tired in the way. The apostle Paul went to work at another rate ; he accounted all but dung and dross for Christ, Phil. iiL 8. and was of the same mind when the actual trial came ; for then he tells us, " He counted not his life dear unto him," Acts xx. 24. And the apostle Peter admonishes believers " not to think it strange " concerning the fiery trial which was to try them," 1 Pet. iv. 12. q. d. Let none of these things be surprisals to you; you are told be- fore-hand what ye must trust to ; every Christian must be a mar- tyr, at least in the disposition and resolution of his heart.
O that men would balance the advantages and disadvantages of religion, and thoroughly ponder the matter in their deepest thoughts ! To the test you must come; the rain will fall, and the storm beat upon your buildings ; look carefully therefore to the foundations.
Infer. 6. Sioctlily^ and lastly^ Learn from this point the unavoidable- ness of scandals and oiFeifces in the way of religion ; for if there be a necessity of trial, there is also a necessity of scandal. " It must needs " be that offences come," Luke xvii. L Why must it needs be.? The reason is evident ; all must come to the trial, and all are not able to bear it. Our Lord tells us, Matth. xxiv. 8, 9, 10. of a day of great straits and perplexity coming : " And then (saith he) shall " many be offended." The day of trial is the day of scandal: By these offences some are put a searching themselves, and some fall a censuring all others ; but the holy God brings about his end both ways, in them that are saved, and in them that perish.
V T ELL then, if it be so that all must go into the furnace, let every man try his own work; examine yourselves, professors,
• Itosella in v, ht/pocrisis, n. i.
59^ A sEraous exhortation to self-examinations