A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors, Book 2 · Part 2 · Subpart 44
Christ a Refiner.
Mal. 3.2, 3.
For he is like a Refiners Fire, &c. He shall sit as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver, &c.
THIS Similitude is taken from Refiners, who in Crucibles melt their Metal, and separate the drossy parts from that which is pure: So Christ by a Divine Heat and Warmth refines and purifies the Graces he bestows on Believers, consuming the wicked and vicious parts, which are elsewhere called Dross. This Refining is called the fiery Trial, 1 Cor. 3.13, &c. upon which place Chemnitius says this fiery Trial is exercised either by outward Troubles, or by Temptations of Conscience, or by a more clear Manifestation of Truth by the Word, which leads Men from the darkness of Error and Ignorance to the Light, which purges out those Dregs that agree not with the pure Graces of the Spirit.
Simile.
I. A Refiner is one that tries and refines Metals, whether Silver or Gold, &c.
II. The Gold, or Silver, before a Refiner's Fire refines, it as 'tis taken out of the Earth, is full of drossy matter.
III. A Refiner to purge and purify Gold, that so he may make it very pure, hath his Furnace, and uses Fire.
IV. A Refiner knows before Gold is tried and refined in the Fire it is not for his use, 'tis not pliable.
V. A Refiner, melts the Gold, and makes it very soft, and thereby makes it fit for his purpase.
VI. A Refiner to hasten, and the better to accomplish his Work, makes the Fire more hot, or adds to the heat thereof.
VII. A Refiner separates the dross from the Gold, and makes it much more fine and pure than it was before, and thereby makes it very valuable. A little refined Gold is much set by, and prized above that which is course and drossy.
VIII. A Refiner refines Gold once and again several times, if he designs to make it very pure. We read of Silver, Seven times refined in a Furnace of Earth. Psal. 12.6.
IX. A Refiner finds it necessary to add or put something of another nature into Gold, an allowed proportion of Allay,Pliny li. 33. p. 465. The Lord Bacon's Natural Hist. p. 224. whereby he opens and refines it the sooner; and indeed if something of that nature be not done, Refiners would tell you Gold would be long before (if ever so well) refined, and fitted for the Hammer.
X. A Refiner doth not put his Gold into the Furnace to waste or spoil it, but contrariwise that there it might be purified, not to receive loss thereby, he would not lose a grain of it.
XI. A Refiner lets his Gold remain no longer in the Fire than till the dross be consumed, and 'tis made pure and fit for his purpose.
XII. A Refiner in refining his Gold, wasteth his Fewel.
XIII. A Refiner resolves by putting his Gold into the Fire to destroy all the Dross; and indeed there is nothing besides the pure Gold that can endure and abide the Fire; all Filth and drossy Matter, flies away like Smoke.
XIV. A Refiner finds by Experience, that pure Gold receives no detriment by the Fire;Plin. lib. 33. c. 465. though it grow less in quantity, and so that way may seem to waste, yet 'tis much better in Nature or Quality.
XV. When a Refiner hath purged and refined Gold, 'tis formed into choice and rare Vessels, and other things fit for Use and Ornament.
Parallel.
I. JESUS CHRIST tries and refines his People,Lam. 4.2▪ who are compared to Gold; and he not only tries them, but also their Graces.
II. The Hearts of God's People before Christ the Spiritual Refiner, refines and purges them, are full of Corruption, Sin,Job 25.4. Mat. 15.19 and Filthiness. Naturally Men and Women are very foul and drossy.
III. Jesus Christ, that he may purge and purifie his People, puts them into a Furnace of Affliction. As the Fining-Pot for Silver, and the Furnace for Gold, Prov. 17.3. Isa. 48.10.so the Lord tries the Heart. I will refine thee, &c. I have chosen thee in the Furnace of Affliction.
IV. Jesus Christ finds that untill the Hearts of his People be purified and refined by Him (which he doth several ways) they are not yeelding and pliable in his Hand, they will not subject to his Will, nor be fit for his use.
V. Jesus Christ melts and softens his People by Affliction, and by the Spirit. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, Behold, Jer. 9.7.I will melt them, and try them; for what should I do else for the Daughter of my People? As much as if he should say, What way else can I use to bring them to be pliable, that I may fit them for my purpose?Job 23.16. God (saith Job) maketh my Heart soft.
VI. Jesus Christ, if he sees that a small Fire, and easy Afflictions will not refine and purifie the Soul of a Believer, adds greater Afflictions, puts them into a very hot Fire, great Trials, according to his own Wisdom, and good pleasure of his Will. If need be, you are in heaviness, through manifold Temptations: That the trial of your Faith, being much more precious than Gold, 1 Pet. 1.7.&c. Think it not strange concerning the fiery Trial, which is to try you, 1 Pet. 4.1…as if some strange thing happened unto you.
VII. Jesus Christ by refining his People, separates their Dross from them, separates Pride, Passion, Luke-warmness, Worldly-mindedness, &c. and thereby makes Them and their Graces exceeding valuable. Tried Faith, tried Patience, tried Love is highly esteemed; 'tis far beyond tried Gold. This is the fruit of all, the taking away of your Sin. I will make a Man more precious than Gold, even a Man above the Golden Wedg of Ophir. And Christ by refining, and putting the whole Church into the Furnace, separates the Gold, the sincere Christians from drossy Hypocrites.
VIII. Christ to refine and throughly purge and purifie his Church, and the Hearts of Believers, puts them into one Fire, one Affliction, and then into another; hence God speaks of purifying his People seven times: for if you will not for these things obey me, I will punish you seven times more according to your Sins. God hath many Fires.
IX. Christ adds something of another nature, other Metal (as I may say) into his Gold, (viz. his Church and People that are in the Furnace) there is the additament of his Word and Spirit: Did not he add these to his People,1 Cor. 6.11. to refine and purifie them, they would be long in the Fire before their Dross would be washed and consumed away; nay, without the Word and Spirit, Afflictions could never accomplish nor perfect the Work, and make them fit for his use.
X. Jesus Christ doth not put his Church (or any one believing Soul) into the Furnace, to destroy, or any ways to hurt them, but purely out of a gracious Design to make them more pure and serviceable unto him.Heb. 12.8, 9, 10. Fathers for a few days chasten us after their pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his Holiness. After he hath tried me, I shall come forth as Gold. Job 23.10He takes much care that nothing be lost, none of them receive detriment thereby.
XI. Christ will not suffer his People to remain in the Furnace, or under Afflictions, any longer than he sees need of it, no longer than till all their dross and filth be purged away. 'Tis but in measure,Isa. 27.7, 8 he knows when it is enough, and then he soon abates the Fire.
XII. Christ oft-times in refining of his Church, wasteth the Wicked, who are his Fuel, by which he many times purges them. In a secret way they hereby come many times to be bruised and smitten,Psal. 60.8. the Fire of God's Wrath seizes upon them (as in the case of Pharoah) whilst they are persecuting his People.
XIII. Christ Jesus by putting his Children into the Furnace of Affliction, resolves to burn up, waste, and destroy all Hypocrites and drossy Professors: in a day of fiery Triall, they pass away like Smoke,Psal. 37.20. But the Wicked shall perish even like Smoke, they shall consume as the Smoke vanisheth, Psal. 68 2.so shalt thou drive them away.
XIV. The Lord Jesus knows that sincere Souls, or faithful Christians, will abide the day of his coming, when he sits as a Refiner,Mal. 3.2, 3. viz. in a day of Distress and Tribulation; and though the Church thereby is made less in bulk or quantity, the formal and drossy part being many times more than the other; yet in quality, the Church thereby will shine forth more gloriously, and consequently more acceptable unto God.
XV. Jesus Christ when he hath thorowly refined and purged his Saints, they are made choice and golden Vessels, the delight of Christ, and for the use and ornament of the Church. In a great House there are not only Vessels of Gold and Silver, &c. 2 Tim. 2.20. The precious Sons of Zion comparable to fine Gold, how are they esteemed as Earthen Pitchers! &c. Lam. 4.2. See Vessels.
METAPHOR.
I. A Refiner refines but a little Gold at a time; comparatively his Furnace is of small Dimension.
II. When a Refiner hath put Gold into a Crucible, to be melted in order to make it pliable, and fit to be wrought, adds a quantity or allowable proportion of Allay, which is of less value, as Silver, or Copper.
Disparity.
I. CHrist many times in one Furnace of Affliction, refines almost all the Gold, or godly Ones in a whole Kingdom, as he dealt with the whole House of Israel.
II. Christ when he puts his Saints into his Furnace, to make them maleable, and fit to be wrought by the Hammer of the Word, into the Image of God; he puts in a measure of the Holy Spirit, which is of more worth and value than the Gold it self, (viz. the Saints) for indeed so hard is the Heart, notwithstanding the Fire of that Affliction, that there is no work can be made of it without the Spirit.
Inferences.
I. THis may inform us concerning the purpose and design of Christ, respecting fiery Trials, which the Godly meet with in this World; that Afflictions are not for the hurt or injury of the Church.
II. It also shews us what Filth and Corruption is in our Hearts; what reason have we to bewail our inward Pollution, that nothing will purge and cleanse us,1 Joh. 1.7. Isa. 27.9. but Christ's Blood, his Word, Spirit, and Affliction.
III. Moreover, let us learn from hence, to cry to God, when we are in the Furnace, when in the Fire, that Christ would apply his Blood, Word, and Holy Spirit to our Souls; for if otherwise, all Sufferings and Afflictions will be unprofitable unto us.
IV. And O that Christians would take heed! in days of Liberty and Prosperity, to walk humbly and holily before the Lord, and beware lest they contract Filth and Pollution upon their own Souls, and so provoke Christ to put them into his Furnace. If the shaking of the Rod would bring us upon our Knees, and reform our Hearts and Lives, Christ would not bring slaying and fiery Dispensations upon us.
V. It may put us all upon the search, to see if we are sincere, Gold, and not Dross: for if we are corrupt Matter, the Furnace will make a clear Discrimination of it;Mal. 3.18. for indeed, Every Mans Work shall be tryed so as by (or out of the) Fire. 1 Cor. 3.13.
VI. Let all Professors from hence be wakened; Christ the Refiner is near, and the day of Trial comes on apace; but how wilt thou stand when he appears? There is an Amazing Dispensation at hand, the Church of God shall be throughly purged and made white, the drossy Christian e're long shall be consumed, and pass away like the Smoak of a Refiners Furnace.
VII. How good is God to take so great Pains with us? that he might make us fit for fit for his own Use and Eternal Life. This way he makes us meet to be Partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Col. 1.12. As Heaven is prepared for us, so Christ is preparing us for Heaven.
VIII. This may support and comfort us under Affliction: for tho no Chastening seems joyous at present, but grievous; yet nevertheless afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness, unto them that are exercised thereby.Heb. 12.