Chapter 4

Section 1.

The most wise God has seen it fit to set all his people in a state of trial in this world. First, he tries, and then he crowns them. (James 1:12): 'Blessed is the man that endures temptation,' that is, probation or trial, 'for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life,' etc.

No man can say what he is, whether his graces be true or false, till they be tried and examined by those things which are to them as fire is to gold. These self-deceivers in the text thought they had grace; indeed, they thought they had been rich in grace; but it proved no better than dross: and therefore Christ here counsels them to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that is, true grace indeed, which appears to be so upon the various proofs and examinations of its sincerity which are to be made in this world, as well as in the great solemn trial it must come to in the world to come.

The Scriptures speak of a twofold trial, namely, a trial of men's opinions and a trial of their graces.

First, the opinions and judgments of men are tried as by fire, in which sense we are to understand that place, 1 Corinthians 3:12-13: 'Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, 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 shall try every man's work of what sort it is.'

This text speaks of such persons as hold the foundation of Christianity, but yet build upon it such doctrines and practices, as were no more able to endure the trial, than hay, wood, or stubble can endure the fire. Such a person hereby brings himself into danger, and though the Apostle will not deny the possibility, yet he asserts the difficulty of his salvation: 'He shall be saved, yet so as by fire,' that is, as a man is saved by leaping out of his house at midnight when it is all on fire about his ears: for so that phrase imports (Amos 4:11; Jude 23); glad to escape naked, and with the loss of his goods, blessing God, he has his life as a trophy: as little regard shall such have to their erroneous notions, and unscriptural opinions at last.

Secondly, the graces of men are brought to the test as well as their opinions. Trial will be made of their hearts, as well as of their heads; and upon this trial the everlasting safety and happiness of the person depends: if a man's opinions be some of them found hay or stubble, yet so long as he holds the head, and is right in the foundation, he may be saved; but if a man's supposed graces be found to be so, all the world cannot save him: there is no way of escape if he finally deceives himself in this: and of this trial of graces my text speaks: sincere grace is gold tried by fire.

There is a twofold trial of grace, active, and passive.

First, an active trial of it, in which we try it ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5): 'Examine yourselves, prove yourselves,' that is, measure your hearts, duties and graces by the rule of the word; see how they answer to that rule; bring your hearts and the word together by solemn self-examination: confer with your inmost parts, and commune with your own hearts.

Secondly, a passive trial of it: whether we try it or not, God will try it; he will bring our gold to the touchstone, and to the fire. 'You, O Lord, know me, you have seen me and tried my heart toward you,' said the prophet (Jeremiah 12:3).

Sometimes he tries the strength and ability of his servants' graces, and thus he tried Abraham (Hebrews 11:17); and sometimes he tries the soundness and sincerity of our grace; so the Ephesian angel was tried, and found dross (Revelation 2:2). And so Job was tried and found true gold (Job 23:10). These trials are not made by God for his own information, for he knows what is in man, his eyes pierce his heart and inmost parts; but for our information, which is the true sense of Deuteronomy 8:2: 'You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart,' that is, to make you know it, by giving you such experiments and trials of it in those wilderness straits and difficulties.

And these are the trials of grace I am here to speak of, not excluding the active trials made by ourselves; no, all these trials made by God upon us are designed to put us upon the trial of ourselves: when God tries, we should try too.

Now the method into which I shall cast this discourse, shall be to show you,

First, what those things are which try the sincerity of our graces, as fire tries gold.

Secondly, for what ends does God put the graces of his people upon such trials in this world.

Thirdly, that such grace only is sincere as can endure these trials.

Fourthly and lastly, to apply the whole to the main uses of it.

Section 2.

First, what those things are which try the sincerity of grace, as fire tries gold.

Before I enter into particulars, it will be needful to acquaint you, that the subject before me is full of difficulties. There is need (as one speaks) of much cautious respect to the various sizes and degrees of growth among Christians, and the vicissitudes of their inward case: else we may darken and perplex the way instead of clearing it.

The portrait of a Christian is such as none can draw to one model, but with respect to the infancy of some, as well as the age and strength of others.

Great heed also ought to be had in the application of marks and signs; we should first understand them, before we try ourselves, or others by them. Marks and signs are by some distinguished into exclusive, inclusive, and positive: exclusive marks serve to shut out bold pretenders, by showing them how far they come short of a saving work of grace, and they are commonly taken from some necessary common duty, as hearing, praying, etc. He that does not these things, cannot have any work of grace in him; and yet if he does them, he cannot from thence conclude his estate to be gracious: he that so concludes deceives himself.

Inclusive marks rather discover the degrees than the truth of grace, and are rather intended for comfort than for conviction: when we find them in ourselves, we do not only find sincerity, but eminence of grace: they being taken from some raised degree and eminent acts of grace in confirmed and mature Christians.

Between the two former there is a middle sort of marks, which are called positive marks; and they are such as are always and only found in regenerate souls. The hypocrite has them not; the mature Christian has them, and that in an eminent degree; the poorest Christian has them in a lower but saving degree. Great care must be taken in the application of them: and it is past doubt that many weak and injudicious Christians have been greatly prejudiced by finding the experiences of eminent Christians proposed as rules to measure their sincerity by. Alas! these no more fit their souls, than Saul's armor fit David's body.

These things being premised, and a due care carried along with us through this discourse; I shall next come to the particulars and show you what those things are which discover the state and tempers of our souls. And though it be true, that there is no condition we are in, no providence that befalls us, but it takes some proof, and makes some discovery of our hearts: yet to limit this discourse, and fall into particulars as soon as we can, I shall show what trials are made of our graces in this world, by our prosperity, and our adversity, by our corruptions, and our duties: and lastly by our sufferings upon the score and account of religion.

Section 3.

First, prosperity, success, and the increase of outward enjoyments, are to grace what fire is to gold. Riches and honors make trial of what we are, and by these things many a false heart has been detected, as well as the sincerity and eminence of others' graces discovered: we may fancy the fire of prosperity to be rather for comfort than trial; to refresh us rather than to prove us; but you will find prosperity to be a great discovery; and that scarcely anything proves the truth and strength of men's graces and corruptions more than it does. Bernard said, 'It is a rare virtue, humility in honor'; to find humility with honor is to find a phoenix. Let an obscure person be lifted up to honor, and however steady and well-composed he was before, it is a thousand to one that his eyes will dazzle and his head run round when he is upon the lofty pinnacle of praise and honor. (Proverbs 27:21): 'As the refining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise': put the best gold into the refining pot of praise, and it is a great wonder if a great deal of dross does not appear. Isaiah 39:2: the vain glory of good Hezekiah rose like a froth or scum upon the pot, when heated by prosperity. It was such a refining pot to Herod as discovered him to be dross itself (Acts 12:23). How did that poor worm swell under that trial into the conceit of a god? And was justly destroyed by worms, because he forgot himself to be one. We little think what a strange alteration an exalted estate will make upon our spirits. When the prophet would abate the vain confidence of Hazael who could not believe that ever he should be turned into such a savage beast as the prophet had foretold: he only tells him, 'The Lord has shown me that you shall be king over Syria' (2 Kings 8:13). The meaning is, 'Do not be too confident, Hazael, that your temper and disposition can never alter to that degree; you have never yet sat in a throne; when men see the crown upon your head, then they will better see the true temper of your heart.'

How humble was Israel in the wilderness, tame and tractable in a lean pasture; but bring them once into Canaan, and the world is strangely altered; then, 'we are lords, we will come no more to you,' said they (Jeremiah 2:7, 31). Prosperity is a crisis both to grace and corruption. Hence is that caution to Israel (Deuteronomy 8:11-12): 'When you have eaten, and are full, then beware lest you forget the Lord your God.' 'Then beware,' — that is the critical time; surely that man must be acknowledged rich, very rich in grace, whose grace suffers no diminution or eclipse by his riches; and that man deserves double honor, whose pride the honors of this world cannot provoke and inflame.

It was a sad truth from the lips of a pious divine in Germany upon his deathbed; being somewhat disconsolate by reflecting upon the barrenness of his life: some friends took from that an occasion to commend him, and remind him of his painful ministry, and fruitful life among them; but he cried out, 'Take away the fire, for I still have chaff in me'; meaning that he felt his ambition like chaff catching fire from the sparks of their praises. Like this was the saying of another, 'He that praises me, wounds me.'

But to descend into the particular discoveries that prosperity and honor make of the want of grace in some, and of the weakness of grace in others: I will show you what symptoms of hypocrisy appear upon some men under the trials of prosperity, and what signs of grace appear in others under the same trial.

Section 4.

Prosperity discovers many sad symptoms of a naughty heart, and among others these are ordinarily most conspicuous.

First, it casts the hearts of some men into a deep oblivion of God, and makes them lay aside all care of duty: rare are the altars that smoke in the houses of the rich. Riches and honors make men forget God (Deuteronomy 32:13-15): Jeshurun sucked honey out of the rock, ate the fat of lambs, and kidneys of wheat; but what was the effect of this? He kicked, and forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the rock of his salvation; instead of lifting up their hearts in a humble thankful acknowledgment of God's bounty, they lifted up the heel in a wanton abuse of his mercy: in the fattest earth we find the most slippery footing.

He that is truly gracious may in prosperity remit some degrees, but a carnal heart there loses all that which in a low condition he seemed to have. Agur's prayer against riches for himself, no doubt was built upon his frequent observation of how it was with others (Proverbs 30:8-9): 'Lest I be full, and deny God.' It is said in Ecclesiastes 5:12 that the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep, and I wish that were the worst injury it did him; but alas, it will not allow him to pray, to meditate, to allow time and thoughts about his eternal concerns; he falls asleep in the lap of prosperity, and forgets that there is a God to be served, or a soul to be saved. O this is a dangerous symptom of a very graceless heart.

Secondly, prosperity meeting with a graceless heart, makes it wholly sensual, and entirely swallows up its thoughts and affections: earthly things transform and mold their hearts into their own similitude and nature: the whole strength of their souls goes out to those enjoyments. So those graceless, yet prosperous persons are described (Job 21:11-13): 'They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ, and spend their days in wealth'; they take the timbrel, not the Bible. They rejoice at the sound of the organ — not a word of their rejoicing in God. They send forth their little ones in the dance — that is all the catechism they are taught. They spend their days in wealth — their whole time, that precious stock and talent, is wholly laid out upon these sensuous things: either the pleasure of it powerfully charms them, or the cares of it wholly engross their minds; so that there is no time to spare for God. 'They live in pleasure on the earth,' as James 5:5 says, just as the fish lives in the water, its proper element; take them off from these things, and put them upon spiritual, serious, heavenly employments, and they are like a fish upon dry land.

Now though prosperity may too much influence, and ensnare the minds of good men, and estrange them too much from heavenly things; yet thus to engross their hearts, and convert them into their own similitude and nature, so that these things should be the center of their hearts, the very proper element in which they live, is utterly impossible.

A hypocrite indeed may be brought to this, because though Janus-like, he has two faces, yet he really has but one principle, and that is wholly carnal and earthly: so that it is easy to make all the water flow in one channel, to gather all into one entire stream, in which his heart shall pour out all its strength to the creature.

But a Christian indeed has a double principle that acts him: though he has a law of sin, that moves him one way, there is in him also the law of grace, which thwarts and crosses that principle of corruption; so that as grace cannot do what it would, because of sin; so neither can sin do what it would, because of grace (Galatians 5:17).

The heart of a Christian in the midst of ensnaring sensitive enjoyments finds indeed a corrupt principle in it, which would incline him to fall asleep upon such a soft pillow; and forget God and duty: but it cannot; oh no, it cannot do so; there is a principle of grace within him that never leaves jogging, disturbing, and calling upon him, till he rises and returns to his God, the true rest of his soul.

Thirdly, a false pretender to religion, a hypocritical professor meeting with prosperity and success, 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 hypocrisy (Amos 6:1-6): they were at ease in Zion, and trusted in the mountain of Samaria: and so having a shadow of religion, and a fullness of all earthly things, they fell to feasting and sporting; they drank wine in bowls, and anointed themselves with the chief ointment, but were not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. They did not mourn over the breaking and tearing to pieces of Joseph; they were out of danger once, so let the church shift for itself; they were secure in a warm nest, let the birds of prey catch and devour that flock with which they sometimes associated — they were not touched by it. Moses could not do so, though in the greatest security, and abundance of the honors and pleasures of Egypt (Acts 7:23). Nehemiah could not do so, though the servant and favorite of a mighty monarch, and wanting nothing to make him outwardly happy: yet the pleasures of a king's court could not cheer his heart, or scatter the clouds of sorrow from his face, while his brothers were in affliction, and the city of his God lay waste (Nehemiah 2:1-3). Nor indeed can any gracious heart be unconcerned and senseless; for that union that all the saints have with Christ their head, and with one another as fellow members in Christ, will beget sympathy among them in their sufferings (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Section 5.

But as the fire of prosperity discovers this, and much more dross in a graceless heart; so it discovers the sincerity and grace of God's people. I do not say that it discovers nothing but grace in them. O that it did not! Alas! many of them have had a great deal of dross and corruption discovered by it, as was noted before: but yet in this trial, the graciousness and uprightness of their hearts will appear in these and such like workings of it.

First, under prosperity, success and honor, the upright heart will labor to suppress pride, and keep itself lowly and humble; and still the more grace there is, the more humility there will be. If God lifts him up, he will lay himself low, and exalt his God high. So did Jacob when God had raised and enlarged him (Genesis 32:10): 'I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth which you have shown to your 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 it was at his first passage over Jordan: then poor, now rich; then single and comfortless, now the head of a great family. Yet, though his outward estate was altered, the frame of his heart was not altered. Jacob was a holy and humble man when he went out, and so he was 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 whatever pride and vanity may rise in a gracious heart tried by prosperity, there is that within him which will check it: he dares not allow such proud thoughts to lodge quietly in his heart: for alas, he sees 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 you have brought me this far?' (2 Samuel 7:18).

It will make him look within, and see the baseness of his own heart, and the corruptions that are there, and wonder at the dealings of God with so vile a creature. O, thinks he, if others did but know what I know of myself, they would abhor me more than now they esteem and value me.

Secondly, prosperity usually draws forth the saints' love to the God of their mercies; that which heats a wicked man's lusts, warms a gracious man's heart with love and delight in God.

These were the words of that lovely song which David sang in the day that the Lord delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, and he said, 'I will love you, O Lord my strength' (Psalm 18 title and verse 1, compared): these outward things are not the main grounds and motives of their love to God; no, they love him when he takes away, as well as when he gives: but they are sanctified instruments to inflame their love to God: they boil up a wicked man's lusts, but they melt a gracious man's soul. O in what a pang of love did David go into the presence of God under the sense of his mercies, his melting mercies; when he thus poured out his whole soul in a stream of love to his God (2 Samuel 7:19-20): 'Is this the manner of men, O Lord God! and what can David say more to you!' — an expression that turns up the very bottom of his heart.

Thirdly, prosperity and comfortable providences do usually become cautions against sin when they meet with a sanctified soul. This is the natural inference of a gracious soul from them: 'Has God pleased me? then has he obliged me to take more care to please him. O let me not grieve him, that has comforted me.' So Ezra 9:13: 'After such a deliverance as this, should we again break your commandments!', 'What! break his commandments who has broken our bonds! God forbid.'

It was an excellent resolution of a Christian once, who receiving an eminent mercy, at the same time felt himself under the power of a special corruption; 'Well,' said he, 'now will I go forth in the strength of this mercy to mortify and subdue that corruption.' I will not measure every Christian by the eminent workings of grace in some one; but surely so far I may safely go, that sincerity knows not how to sin, because grace has abounded, any more than it dares to sin, that grace may abound.

Fourthly, a truly gracious soul will not be satisfied with all the prosperity and comforts in the world for his portion. 'Not your gifts, Lord, but yourself,' is the voice of grace: when providence had been more than ordinarily bountiful in outward things to Luther, he began to be afraid of its meaning, and earnestly protested, God should not put him off with so little. 'The Lord is my portion, said my soul' (Lamentations 3:24); and the soul can best tell what it has made its choice, and on which it has bestowed its chief delights and expectations.

An unsound heart will accept these for its portion: if the world is secure to him, and his designs fail not there; he can be content to leave God, and soul, and heaven, and hell at hazard: but so cannot the upright. These things in subordination; but neither these, nor anything under the sun in comparison with, or opposition to God.