Again, trial is either for the discovery of grace or corruption, to discover the corruption of their hearts or the weakness of their graces. So God trieth his people, as he tried Hezekiah : 2 Chron. xxxii. 31, ' Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, •God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart.' So Christ tried his apostles : John vi. 6, ' And this he said to prove them, for he himself knew what he would do.'
Reasons.
1. It is for good that men should be discovered, the graces of his people to their comfort, and their weakness that it may be repaired ; as when a man tries a leaky vessel with an intent to make it more stanch, and a man that is diseased, by walking and stirring the disease appears ; it is better it should be discovered that it might be remedied, than to lie hid in the body till it kill us. The hypocrite is tried that he may be discovered : Prov. xxvi. 26, ' His wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation.' It is a great part of God's providence to uncase hypocrites. It is for the church's good, lest men get a name to do religion a mischief; and —
2. It is for the glory of God, that men may appear what they are, and for the reclaiming of offenders. Many were likely to have grace, if they were discovered to themselves and knew they had no grace.
VOL. xvn. B
'1
18 SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. IX.
Trials are ordered by God for this end and purpose. God is wise, and knows in what vein to strike. God tries not to inform himself, but to discover us to ourselves : Ps. cxxxix. 2, ' Thou understandest my thoughts afar off'.' God knows not only conclusions and events, but the first contrivances, though afar off. As a man in the .air may see a river in the rise, fountain, and course all at once, so God doth see things altogether, but he tries us, that we may be discovered to ourselves, and suits the means accordingly.
Use. Well, then, expect trials, and see to it how you behave your- selves under them.
1, Expect trials. Mat. vii., we read of two builders, the one built upon the sand, the other on the rock ; when they had built, the tight- ness of the building was to be tried ; the winds blew, the rain fell, the waves did swell and arise ; that that was built on the rock stood, that that was built on the sand fell. Whosoever buildeth a confidence for lieaveu must look to have his building tried. Count it not strange we are loath to forecaste and to think of trials. You shall see even the people of God many times are subject to security when trials are nearest. When the shejoherd was to be smitten and the sheep scat- tered, then the disciples were asleep, Mat. xxvi. 40 ; and they were dreaming of ease and of dividing kingdoms when the cross was at their heels : Acts i. 6, ' Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the king- dom to Israel ? * We promise ourselves perpetual exemption, if we have but a little breathing time : Ps. xxx. 6, ' In my prosperity I said I shall never be moved,' We take a carnal pillow, and lie down upon it, and count it strange when it comes.
2. Be careful how you acquit yourselves in trials. When the hour of temptation is come upon the earth, then we should be cautious : Eev. iii, 10, ' Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.'' Whatever a man doth, he will behave himself well when he is upon his trial.
Doct. 3. That a man wedded to the world will renounce Christ and his commands rather than the world when it comes to a proof.
When two persons walk together, you cannot tell to whom the servant that follows them belongs, but when they part company then it is seen ; so when Christ and the world part, then the servant of the world and the servant of Christ is seen ; for he that is addicted to the world will break all the commands of Christ for the world's sake. It must needs be so, for the world diverts the heart from Christ, and sets the heart against Christ.
1. The love of the world diverts the heart from Christ, that there is no room for holy things. The heart will be where the treasure is. Mat. vi. 21, and so the delight that we should have in heavenly things will be intercepted, the stream will be carried another way, the heart will be withdrawn from God, whom we should love with all our soul and might. Look, as in a pair of balances, what you take out of one scale, you make the other so much the more weighty ; just so our souls hang like a pair of balances between God and the world ; what you give to the world you take from God, and what you give to heavenly things you take from the world : Col. iii. 7, * Set your aflfections on