The Fiery Trial No Strange Thing, Sermon

The Fiery Trial No Strange Thing · Sermon

p. 11 Pet. IV. XII.

Beloved, think it not ſtrange concerning the Fiery Tryal▪ which is to try you, as though ſome ſtrange thing hapned to you.

THis Epiſtle (as is to be ſeen by the Title or Inſcription of it) was directed to Chriſtians diſperſed and ſcattered up and down the World. Whether they were the remainder of the Babyloniſh Captivity, who returned not with their Brethren into Indea; or the diſperſion occaſioned by the cruelty of Antiochus, in the dayes of the Machabees, of which the Apoſtle Paul, Heb. 11. 11. 35 &c. or thoſe that fled in the Perſecution raiſed ſoon after the death of Stephen: recorded Act. 8. beginning (to each of which Interpreters do differently incline) I determine not. But they were ſuch as laboured under the exerciſe of manifold afflictions, as appears from Chap. 1. v. 6. now, &c. you are in heavineſs through many Temptations. For their relie… and encouragement our Apoſtle doth in every Chapter commix ſome conſolatory and wholſome adviſe to ſtrengthen and animate them to patience, and help their perfeiting: and in the latter part of this Chapter, beginning at this 12th▪ verſe, he more particularly counſels, and quickens them about this matter.

Theſe words are introductory to the diſcourſe, and taken by p. 2themſelves (and we need not at preſent look further) do contain an Exhortation or Direction, how to entertain the great Tryals that were like to come upon them; or rather a caution and negative injunction, or a prohibition, reſpecting the obſervation they ſhould make of, and inference they might draw from thoſe troubles. In the words obſerve.

1. The Compellation, Beloved: The afflictions of the Saints ſhould not alienate our affections from them, or render them any whit leſs amiable in our eyes: there is no reaſon why our love ſhould abate, or hearts grow ſtrange to the people of God, becauſe they are perſecuted and hated by the World. Jeſus Chriſt loves them, and declares them bleſſed, Mat. 5. 10. and if they are beloved by Chriſt, they deſerve it of us, if we would be like him: nay their ſufferings are for Chriſt, and on that ſcore ought they to be dear to us, as they ſtand up for his honour: nay and they are for the Church of Chriſt too, Col. 1. 24. we have our ſhare in the benefit, which challengeth for them a ſhare in our love.

2. The ſubject matter about which the Exhortation is given, viz. the Fiery Tryal: the word (foreign) ſignifies burning, and ſo it is Tranſlated, Rev. 18. 9. Thus alſo ſome render it here. It deſigns the more ſharp and ſevere exerciſes of affliction, ſuch as are occaſioned by the violent oppreſſion and perſecution of Enemies, which are frequently in Scripture Phraſe expreſſed by the Metaphor of Fire, from the manifold reſemblance which is between them: it is here tranſlated Fiery Tryal, reſpecting the end which God looks at in ordering it to befal his people, and that is further expreſſed and amplified in the deſcription; which is to try you; the Greek is, which befals you for a temptation or tryal, intimating to us the great deſign of God in all, even the ſevereſt Afflictions which his Children ſuffer; nor is it a vain Tautologie, but a needful amplification; fleſh and blood being very ready to count of it as rather to deſtroy, then to prove their Faith.

3. The Exhortation it ſelf; Think it not ſtrange, the word p. 3is, be ye not like to Gheſts or Strangers▪ and it is uſed for thoſe which are troubled with admiration at ſome new and ſtrange thing. The Apoſtle therefore expounds himſelf at the latter end of the verſe: As if ſome ſtrange thing had hapned unto you..

2. Or, as if a stranger came to you: ſo ſome read it: and his meaning is, that they ſhould not entertain it as a thing which they had no expectation of, and were thereupon moved with wonder and ſurprize at the coming of it.

I ſhall not here endeavour to expreſs all that might uſefully be obſerved from the words, but among many Truths that might hence be treated of, make choice of that comprehenſive one, for our preſent meditation. viz.

Doct. It becomes not the people of God to look upon the fiery tryal which befals the Church of Chriſt in the world, as a ſtrange thing. We may take up the Explication in three things: 1. What is meant by fiery tryals? 2. What it is to count them ſtrange? 3. The ground of the Doctrine.

1. What is meant by fiery Tryals?

A. Tryals in propriety of ſpeech, are ſuch experiments as are made, for the finding out of the nature, qualities, and operation of things, when they are applied, in our ſpeech, to rational agents, they then intend, either an Eſſay or Endeavour to draw, and by Arguments to perſwade men to any thing which we have a deſign to make uſe of them in, and ſo they are called temptations, and in which ſence mainly, the Devil is called the Tempter, becauſe he uſeth all endeavours to inſinuate into, and gain men to follow his ſuggeſtions: or elſe a proof which we are minded to make of the fidelity, ſincerity, and conſtancy which is in a perſon, that we may know him the better, and ſo they are more peculiarly called Tryals: in this ſence it is ſaid, A wiſe man will try before he will truſt; thus God put Abrahams faith and obedience to the tryal, Gen. 22. beginning.

p. 4Afflictions in Scripture language often bear the name of tryals, becauſe by them proof is made of Profeſſors, and men are tried ſo as to be diſcovered, oftentimes, whither they be indeed ſincere or hypocritical; and indeed it is one of the beſt evidences we can have of mens integrity, when theſe drive them not from, but eſtabliſh them in their profeſſion.

When the Epithete Fiery, is added to tryals, it ſerves to denote ſuch afflictions as are the moſt ſharp and ſevere, and do the moſt of all put a Chriſtians conſtancy to the teſt: and among theſe, the Apoſtle (as by our Context is manifeſt) doth here intend, ſuch as are occaſioned by perſecution; thoſe things which the people of God are called to ſuffer in defenſe of the Goſpel, againſt the cruelty of raging Enemies; of which ſort are impriſonments, ſtripes, revilings, exile, confiſcation of goods, and the like: theſe are called fiery, metaphorically, becauſe ſuch is the pain, grief, and trouble which they put the mind of man to, and ſometimes his body alſo, as render them exceeding difficult to bear; and becauſe as fire they ſerve to purge and cleanſe them from many pollutions: yea, and ſometimes they are ſo termed Properly, becauſe the Perſecutors of the Church, do often proſecute the true profeſſors of Jeſus Chriſt with Fire and Fagot: and they are called Tryals, becauſe (whatſoever the Inſtruments of them aim at in executing them upon the people of God) they are deſigned by God himſelf, who is the Soveraign and Supream diſpoſer of all things, to be probationary, and uſed as a Refiners fire to purge out the droſs, and not to waſt the good mettal which is caſt into it, Mal. 3. 3.

2. What it is to count them ſtrange?

A. We look upon ſuch things to be ſtrange, which are,

1. Things unuſual, and with which we have no acquaintance: ſuch things as rarely happen, as ſcarce come once in an age, are eſteemed to be ſtrange things: a man whom we never or ſeldome ſaw before, and with whom we have not taken up any familiarity or friendſhip, is uſually counted and p. 5called a ſtranger: familiarity and ſtrangeneſs are oppoſed each to other: ſo that then we count the fiery tryal a ſtrange thing, when we look upon it as a thing unuſual, a thing not wont to befal the people of God, a rare thing; ſo the phraſe is uſed, Luk. 5. 26. We have ſeen ſtrange things to day: ſuch as ages have not produced the like.

2. Things unexpected; ſuch as come upon us at unawares, which we did not ſo much as dream of; it never entred into our thoughts to look for, and apprehend any the leaſt probability or likelihood of ſuch events. Thoſe things which we do expect, they are not ſtrange to us when they come, and that becauſe we were in our expectance familiarized with them; but when they come ſuddenly, they ſurprize us: when we expected and promiſed our ſelves to live at eaſe, and not to be moleſted, and now trouble comes, we are amuſed: and thus ſtrangeneſs is oppoſed to expectance, ſo it is uſed Ioh. 33. 3. a ſtrange puniſhment to the workers of iniquity, i. e ſuch as they were ſecure in their thoughts againſt, and ſiezed on them unlooked for.

3. Things whereof we cannot give a reaſon: the cauſe of them is hidden from our cognizance, and we underſtand not either whence they come, or what they come for; ſtrange and admirable are ſometimes uſed ſynonimically, ſo the word is uſed, 1 Pet. 4. 4. They think it ſtrange that you run not, &c. i. e. they wonder at it, and think there is no reaſon for it: now admiration is a ſuſpenſion of the underſtanding, when we ſee an effect, and are not able to dive into the cauſe of it: when we ſee that a thing is, and then ſit down and conſider either whence, or why it is, and cannot ſatisfie our ſelves about it, we then wonder, and place it among the number of ſtrange things: and ſuch an Opinion had the Pſalmiſt conceived of the fiery tryal, Pſal. 73. 16. When I thought this. i. e. the reaſon of theſe diſpenſations forementioned, it was too painful for me; his underſtanding was not able to bear the diſquiſition.

p. 64. We ſhew that we look at things as ſtrange, when we carry it to them as unto ſtrangers; and that is in two things principally;

1. When we ſuſpect them to come for no good to us, but rather for miſchief: Jealouſie is a frame or diſpoſition, wherewith we do frequently entertain ſtrangers: it is very natural, and therefore uſual for us to think of ſuch, that they have ſome evil deſign upon us; which jealouſie occaſions us to keep a critical eye upon them, and warily to watch all their words and actions, yea their very looks and geſtures; and let them pretend to never ſo much friendſhip, yet we are hard of belief, thus Hanun ſuſpected Davids Servants: thus Iacob looked upon his Afflictions, when he concluded Theſe things are againſt me, Gen. 42. 36. and Iob when he uttered that complaint, Iob 19. 11. He hath alſo kindled his wrath againſt me, and he counteth me to him as one of his enemies.

2. When they are a burden and weariſomeneſs to us, and we had rather have their room than their company: and this is a fruit of the former; for when we expect no good by them, but ſuſpect ſome deſign of evil upon us from them, it makes their preſence a burden and grief to us; and this puts us upon it to deſire, and eagerly long for their departure, and if they tarry long we are quite tired out with them, and would uſe any courſe to be rid of them, they are ſuch unwelcome gueſts to us: thus did Hezechiah Iſai. 33. 13. I reckoned till morning, that as a Lion he will break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

3. For the ground of the Doctrine: or why it becomes not the people of God thus to eſteem of the fiery tryal; this is evident upon a double account: For ſo to think is both in it ſelf unreaſonable, and alſo prejudicial to the people of God.

1. It is a concluſion very unreaſonable; there is no juſt reaſon to be rèndred for ſuch a thought: if we will ponder every circumſtance, we ſhall ſee it evident that it is not a ſtrange p. 7thing in it ſelf, and muſt therefore be irrationally ſo judged by us; For,

1. It is no unuſual thing, but very frequent: we have the Saints of all ages for examples; there is a whole cloud of witneſſes teſtifying to this truth: ever ſince righteous Abel loſt his life for Chriſt, to this day, there hath been in all ages almoſt more or leſs of the fiery tryal upon Gods Children: it was thus with Iſrael in Egypt, who were made to ſerve in hard labour, and in cruel bondage, and are therefore repreſented as a buſh on fire and not conſumed: yea their whole paſſage through the Wilderneſs, what was it, but a going through fire and water. So the Pſalmiſt expreſſeth it, Pſal. 66. 12. We went through fire, and through water. And beſides the fires kindled upon the Church, particular Saints have their fires alſo to try them: ſore and ſharp afflictions, this is Davids complaint in reſpect of himſelf, Pſal. 57. 4. My ſoul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are ſet on fire. Nay God ſpeaks of his Church as a place where he conſtantly keeps a furnace for their tryal; hence he makes it a paraphraſe upon his name, or one attribute whereby he may be known by us, Iſai▪ 31. 9. the Lord, whoſe fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jeruſalem.

2. It cannot rationally be looked upon as an unexpected thing. This will appear, (if laying aſide all other grounds of it) we only conſider that God hath forewarned his people of it, and told them that it ſhall be: for either we muſt think that he ſpeaks not as he intends, and ſo would deceive us with vain fears, or elſe that he is ignorant of it, and ſo we muſt deny his ſupream providence in all theſe events, or elſe we muſt take his predictions for evidence of the futurity of it: the Scripture frequently puts us in mind of, and counſels us to prepare for ſuch times: it declares it not only as a thing poſſible, which yet ſhould prevent our ſecurity; or probable, which yet will put a wiſe man upon expectation; but future, or a thing which muſt be, it was one of the laſt warnings p. 8which our Saviour Chriſt gave to his Diſciples, and with which he cloſeth up his laſt Sermon to them, juſt before he was taken from them, Joh. 16. ult. In this world ye ſhall have tribulation. The Apoſtles of Chriſt looked upon it as a neceſſary Doctrine to be taught all the people of God, and were therefore careful to inſtruct them in it in all places where they came, Acts 14. 21, 22. That we muſt through much tribulation enter into the kingdome of God. Paul aſcerteins Timothy, that it is a Catholick verity, a thing to be expected by all, as being equally extenſive to a godly life, 2 Tim. 3. 12 Yea and all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus muſt ſuffer perſecution. So that not to expect it, is an implicite denyal, at leaſt calling in queſtion of the truth of the Goſpel.

3. Neither is the reaſon of it abſtruſe or difficult, but if we look into all the cauſes of it, we may diſcern ſufficient ground for it: For,

1. If we conſider the principal agent in it, who is God, (for it is his ſovereign providence, which determineth and diſpoſeth of all the changes which come over his people) it follows from his infinite wiſdome, goodneſs, and love to his Children, ſo far is it from contradicting any of theſe, (whatever prejudices the carnal reaſonings of our dark under ſtandings may take up) as will appear, if we conſider the uſe and improvement which he makes of it: our Text informs us, that it is to try them, in which tryal (like a refiner) he makes his own people more fit for the uſe and ſervice of their Lord and Maſter. For,

1. By it he burns off the dirt that clave to them: Mettal when it is firſt taken out in▪ Ore from the Mineral, hath much of heterogeneous matter (dirt and filth) cleaving to it, and that the fire burns off: ſo do theſe fiery tryals that come upon the Church, they make it too hot for nominal profeſſors to abide by it; as cloſe as they ſeemed to cleave to the people of God in a ſeeming Profeſſion before, now they muſt fall off; the ſtony ground is offended when tribulation and perſecution ariſeth, Mat. 13. 21. Hypocrites cannot long abide the fiery trial, p. 9but when it grows hot upon them, they relinquiſh their Religion, and comply with the World, to avoid trouble.

2. By this alſo he ſeparates the droſs from the good mettal: when the dirt is removed away the mettal indeed looks brighter, and makes a fairer ſhew, but yet there is a great deal of droſs and dregs in it, which render it leſs precious, and more unſerviceable, but the fire melts that out, ſeparares it, and leaves the reſt by far more pure: there may poſſibly be abundantly leſs of it, but that which is, is of a great deal more value; the people of God themſelves have much of droſs and corruption cleaving to them; and that eſpecially in times of outward peace and proſperity, but when God brings a fiery tryal upon them, it refines and purgeth them: this is the very deſign of God in theſe diſpenſations, Iſai. 27. 9. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and all the fruit is to take away ſin. And chap. 1. 25. I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy droſs, and take away thy tin.

3. Yea, and by this too, he melts down the good mettal: the fire prepares and fits the mettal by melting to take any form, to be caſt into any mold which the Founder deſigns: by ſore afflictions the people of God are made more humble, and made pliable to any Command of God: they are ſometimes ſtiffe and inflexible in dayes of proſperity, but now they ſubject themſelues to the framing hand of God, and are ready to receiue his ſtamp and impreſſion, Zech. 13. 9. I will refine them as ſilver, &c. and what then? why now they ſhall call on my name, and ſhall ſay the Lord is my God.

2. If we conſider the procuring cauſe of it, and that is the ſin and provocation of his people. Sometimes indeed God ſends it meerly as probationary, ſo he did to Job, but uſually there is ſomething on our part, putting ſome ſort of neceſſity upon God to proceed in this way with us: the Church of God here hath its converſe in an evil World, where, by reaſon of the remainders of indwelling corruption, apt to take the infection of many temptations, they are contracting a great deal of filth and pollution, ſo that their neceſſity p. 10ſeemeth to call for a fiery tryal, to burn off their cords of vanity, to purge and purifie them from theſe corruptions. They that are acquainted with their own hearts, and know how much they have diſhonoured God in dayes of peace, quiet, and liberty, will eaſily judge and acknowledge that it is not without very juſt ground, and good reaſon that he often brings trouble and perſecution upon them. The Prophet therefore pleads it with the people of God, Jer. 2. 17. Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelf? & 4. 18. Thy way and thy doings have procured theſe things unto thee.

3. If we look upon thoſe that are the inſtrumental cauſes of it, which are Satan and wicked men, neither herein will it appear wonderful; either,

1. That they are ready and forward to afflict and perſecute the people of God: he muſt needs be ſtrangely unacquainted with their native malice, that thinks it is a ſtrange thing: it hath been a truth from the beginning, that the World ever hated the Church: they hated Chriſt firſt, and thence it is no wonder if they hate his people too: our Saviour Chriſt to ſhew what entertainment his Diſciples are to expect in the World, compares his people to Sheep among Wolves, Mat. 10. 16 Behold I ſend you forth as ſheep in the midſt of Wolves. And the Wolf ſeeks no other quarrel againſt the ſheep, but that he is a ſheep, and if he can, will devour him, right or wrong: to be a ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, a ſincere Profeſſor of the Goſpel, is enough to ſtir up the hate and malice of the World: Caius Sejus bonus homo, ſed …hriſtianus, if they can in no other point charge them, yet this very name renders them odious: its charge enough if they can charge them in the matters of their God: and we may as well wonder, why Serpents hate men, as why the old Serpents ſeed hate the ſeed of the Woman. nor,

2. That God uſeth them as inſtruments, neither is this any wonder, ſince they are the fitteſt materials to make his rods of: theſe are rods which will ſmart moſt: their hatred makes p. 11them moſt ready to afflict and chaſtiſe the Church withal: it is true, if they were principal agents, and left to act their own pleaſure they were very unfit, for they think only of the ruine and deſolation, but not of the tryal and reformation of the People of God; but as inſtruments in the hand of God, they will make it ſmart, but cannot do any hurt: agen, they are therein the fitteſt to make rods of, that when God hath done with them, and chaſtened his People by them, they may be thrown into the fire: yea in this reſpect God makes eminent diſcovery of his infinite wiſdome in the choice of Inſtruments, becauſe in this way he takes an advantage to prove the reality of his love to his people, then when he is moſt angry with them. It is therefore worthy our diligent obſervation, that though God be never ſo angry with his people, and cauſe his wrath to burn never ſo high againſt them, yet then he ſo loves them, that he will be avenged on the very Inſtruments of his diſpleaſure upon them, and therefore makes choice of his, and his Churches Enemies to puniſh them withal: why doth God call Babylon to come down and ſit in the duſt? Iſai. 57. 1. we have the reaſon rendred in ver. 6. I was wrath with my people, and gave them into thy hand, and thou haſt ſhewn them no mercy. Though Babylon did no more then what God both intended and threatned: there cannot be a more manifeſt token of men hated by God, and appointed to deſtruction, then to be raiſed up to be perſecutors and oppreſſors of the Church and People of God, whatever their iniquities and provocations may have been.

4. If we conſider the end of theſe fiery tryals, and that ariſeth from the improvement which God, who is the prime agent in them, makes thereof, and it is to be diſcovered and obſerved by us in the operation; the ſubſtance of it is, it is to make his people more humble, more holy, more ſerviceable to the glory of his own great Name, more profitable in their generation, and better fitted and prepared for the Kingdome of glory, Moſes ſumms up all briefly, Deut. 8. 16. Where p. 12having given an account of the difficulties, and fiery tryals which Iſrael met with in the Wilderneſs, he certifies them that the deſign of all theſe was only this, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good in thy latter end.

2. It is prejudicial to the People of God: for them to place ſuch an account upon the fiery tryal is much to their diſadvantage: for that,

1. It tempts us to rob God of that glory which is his due, and we ought to give him in the fires: God expects to be glorified by his people, but whiles we look with amazement, and theſe things aſtoniſh us,, we are more ready to diſhonour him, by calling his wiſdome, love, goodneſs, truth, &c. into queſtion, if we count the fiery tryal ſtrange, we ſhall anſwerably have ſtrange thoughts of God, and hard thoughts of Religion, ſo he, Pſal. 73. 13. & 77. 8, 9.

2. It will wonderfully weaken our Faith in God, our truſt and reliance on his promiſes, it confounds faith when a ſoul knows not what to make of things: while Jonah is amazed, he begins to draw up a concluſion of deſperation, then I ſaid I am caſt out of thy ſight, Jon. 2. 4. Faith muſt have its evidence, Heb. 11. 1. which is loſt in theſe tranſports.

3. It will fill the ſoul full of jealouſies and ſtrange ſuſpitions, ready to ſay of every croſs and trouble, this is certainly againſt me: he will take all for Enemies, and think God ſo too, and ſay as he, thou ſetteſt me for thine enemie.

4. It will make the tryal by theſe means far more grievous and hard to bear, it will fret and vex the Soul, raiſe diſquietments and diſcontents; we ſhall behave our ſelves like Ephraim, as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke, Jer. 31. 28. here is the very reaſon of all the unruly carriages of the people of God at any time under their afflictions, becauſe they have not a right apprehenſion and opinion of them.

5. And from all theſe, we render our ſelves exceeding uncapable of receiving Counſel, or Comfort: if God ſend p. 13us adviſe, we cannot hear it, if conſolation, we cannot receive it: thus we read, Exod. 6. 9. Moſes ſpake unto the Children of Iſrael, but they hearkened not unto Moſes, for anguiſh of ſpirit, and for cruel bondage. Now all theſe things damnifie us, & ſo prevent that good which otherwiſe we might derive to our ſelves from theſe exerciſes, how ſharp ſoever.

Uſe. To wave other things, let me apply this truth for the helping of our faith unto a ſuitable improvement of the fiery tryal which any of the people of God are at this day labouring under; and which we our ſelves alſo have weighty reaſons to live in the continual expectation of; that ſo we may not ſo think of it, or entertain it as a ſtrange thing: and to that end that we may have a right judgement, and ſoul ſatisfying apprehenſion of it, let us diligently and prudently compare the works of Gods providence, with thoſe intimations which are given us in his word, and it will afford us a true and a full diſcovery of the true meaning of theſe things, and that in both reſpects.

1. It may ſatisfie us in regard of that ſore perſecution which is at this day upon divers of the Proteſtant Churches abroad: we hear of many ſad and ſorrowful calamities which by the malice of Satan, and rage of men, are brought upon that cauſe, and are ready to ſit down as men amuſed, wondering why this is, and wherefore God ſuffers it, how Jeſus Chriſt can bear it: let me aſſure you, it is not becauſe God doth not own and approve of that cauſe; it is his own, he hath born, and will bear witneſs to it; it is the cauſe which ſhall ſtand when all other ſhall come tumbling down into ruine: nor is it becauſe God hath caſt off his people whom he hath choſen; for his love to his Saints is unchangeable, inviolable: nor is it becauſe he approves of, or takes delight in the contrary prevailing intereſt, though they indeed make their boaſt of their ſucceſſes, and pretend the offering up the liberties and lives of Gods people, to be a ſacrifice of thanksgiving p. 14therefore; no; Gods curſe is on them and their cauſe, and in due time their foot ſhall ſlide, It is then none of theſe; But,

1. The Scripture tells us of a time wherein Satan is to be let looſe, in which he will rage extreamly againſt the Church, Rev. 1…. 12. and theſe are ſome of thoſe dayes wherein theſe things are to have their accompliſhment, as relating to the perſecutions which Antichriſt was to raiſe and continue againſt the Saints of the moſt High. It is true that the rage and malice of Satan and his Inſtruments are alwayes eagerly bent to ruine the Church; yet are they tyed up by the Sovereign Almighty Power of God, who ſtilleth the noiſe of the ſeas, and the tumults of the people; yet if he pleaſe to give them leave, and lengthen their chain of reſtraint, as he did in Jobs caſe, they will vent it to the utmoſt of their advantage and opportunity: it is a certain truth, that Satan and his Agents have no other ſtint or bounds of their malice then the limits of divine permiſſion, they ever do as much as they can, & that they do no more is becauſe God hath an hook in their noſthrils; now God doth ſometimes, for ends infinitely wiſe, give them leave to do a great deal, and vent abundance of their ſpleen againſt his People.

2. God wills that at ſometimes the truth be ſealed to by the ſufferings of his own people, as well as owned by their Profeſſion, that he may make the fulfilling of that truth gloriouſly reſplendent, Mat. 16. 18. The gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it. The truth of the Goſpel is never more honoured in the World, then by faith and patience of ſuffering Saints; they then glorifie God, and his name is magnified, when his honour, and the profeſſion of his name, and vindication of his truth is more dear and precious to them then their own lives, and they can readily ſacrifice them, in the defenſe of it: hereby their faith appears in its vigour, and it is ſeen how powerful the ſpirit of God in them is▪ the tryal of their faith is a moſt precious thing, better then that of gold, p. 151 Pet. 1. 6. 7. and herein the excellency of divine love makes it ſelf eminent, in that many waters cannot quench it.

3. It is certain that the Proteſtant Churches abroad in the World have given God a great deal of provocation, by manifold enormities and ſcandals that have diſcovered themſelves ſhamefully amongſt them. If the judgement of thoſe be right, who conjecture the ſeven Churches in Aſia, to whom John wrote, Rev. 2, & 3. do ſtand for an emblem of the uarious eſtate of the Church to the Worlds end, they ſeem now in theſe dayes to be fallen under the laſt and worſt paettrn, lukewarm Laodicea: it is too true and manifeſt, that there is but a little true zeal ſtirring for the glory of God; though there be abundance of formality: there is but a very little of the power of godlineſs to be ſeen, but a great many wickedneſſes growing and abounding: ſuch prophanation of Gods holy Sabbaths, that in many places they are diſowned, and the morality of the fourth Commandment not only called into diſpute, but wholly renounced; abundance of covetouſneſs, uncleanneſs, prophaneſs, and many other provoking ſins, ſuch as an holy God, will not, cannot bear in a people that are called by his name: they therefore ſtood in need of a fiery tryal to purge and refine them: they have gathered abundance of dirt and droſs, and it is not a ſmall fire that will burn it off, and melt it out: and therefore at ſuch times God is wont to ſet up his furnace, and provide hot coals for it, cruel and bloody inſtruments, to execute his juſt diſpleaſure upon his own people by: thus he threatens Iſrael in caſe of Apoſtaſie, Deut. 28. 49, 50. The Lord ſhall bring upon thee a nation, &c. a nation of fierce countenance, which ſhall not regard the perſon of the old, and ſhew favour to the young.

4. There is a time of reformation expected, and waited for by the people of God, and it is hoped not to be far off; and this is the very way in which God hath purpoſed to bring it about: when the Lord ſpeaks of the happy reformation of the people of the Jews, he propounds ſuch a method as this p. 16to do it in, Zech. 13. 8, 9. two parts therein ſhall cut off, and die, and the third part ſhall be left therein, and I will bring the third part through the fire, &c. Gods work of reformation, as it is a glorious, ſo alſo it is a terrible work, a work which but a few will be able to endure: it is very probable that two thirds when they come near the fire, and begin to feel it ſcorch, will not bear it, but ſeek to avoid it: and thus we hear of many thouſands in France that are daily renouncing the Proteſtant cauſe, and coming over to Popery, through fear and cowardize: and the other third part they muſt paſs through the fire that they may be reformed, that when they are tryed, they may come forth as Gold: and is there any ſtrange thing in all this? hence therefore, that we may be ſettled and not ſhaken, let us carefully build upon theſe concluſions.

1. That the fiery tryal is intended only to try the Saints. it is not brought to deſtroy them, but only to refine and purifie them: were believers thoroughly perſwaded of what God meaneth, by theſe things, they would not be ſo liable to thoſe frights and amazements which diſtract and diſturb them: our Text fortifies this concluſion, reſtraining them to this proper end and purpoſe.

2. That God overrules all inſtruments: yea, though, as they are rational agents, and cauſes by counſel of their own actions, they deſign nothing but miſchief, yet he will uſe them as meer inſtruments in his hand, not to gain their own projected ends, but his, which they neither know nor deſign: they ſhall but do his pleaſure, and not their own, Iſai. 10 7. Ah Aſſyrian! the rod of my anger: what can a rod do without an hand to manage it? no more can they but as God improves them: we look too much on men, and think their power is great, and rage implacable, and now what are we not to expect to ſuffer? but remember, their wrath ſhall but ſerve to praiſe God, and the remainder he will reſtrain.

3. That Gods people, though in the furnace, are yet very precious to him; yea that he chuſeth them in the furnace: p. 17Iſrael in affliction is often tempted to ſay, My God hath forgotten me; but God aſſures us that it is far otherwiſe: they are then as tender to him as the ſucking child is to the pitiful Mother: you ſee how God thus expoſtulates the caſe with Zion in this regard, Iſai. 49, 14, 15, 16.

4. That the fiery tryal ſhall not be alwayes, but only for the appointed time, until it hath wrought out Gods gracious ends, and then deliverance ſhall come: God will not ſuffer the rod of the wicked to be alwayes in the lot of the righteous, he knows that if he ſhould, the ſpirit which he hath given us, would fail and faint; he hath therefore promiſed that he will not contend for ever, nor be alwayes wroth, Iſai. 57 17.

5. That during all that ſeaſon wherein his people are in the furnace, he ſits by and tends it. He ſits as a Refiner, Mal. 3. 3. ſitting notes a fixed poſture; intimating that God doth not only come now and then, and occaſionally take notice how the fire burns, and mettal melts, having mean while other things to divert and divide his care; but that he makes it his work and buſineſs to tend it, and therefore tarries conſtantly by it; he throws in every coal with his own hand, and not one coal more then is meet and uſeful for the work. He uſeth his skill to make it melt down, and become fit for his Mold; he humbleth his people, and reforms them by their tryals, puts a virtue into them, or gives a bleſſing with them, whereby effectually and powerfully their corrections become inſtructions to them, and they are made the better by them: yea they are fitted and prepared to be taken out of the furnace again, and be veſſels of honour, imployed in the ſervice of their Lord and Maſter.

From hence therefore we may be directed both how and what to pray at this day in the behalf of the Perſecuted Church of Chriſt abroad in the World.

p. 181. How to pray for them, i. e. in Faith; when a thing ſeems ſtrange to us, it ſtirs up unbelief: when men cannot tell what to make of theſe providences which are in their view, they know not how to believe; they know not where to fix their faith: but when a child of God ſees the evidence of things, he hath now the reaſon of his confidence before him.

2. What to pray: it will teach us not to over haſten God in his work, but to leave him to his leiſure, who in infinite wiſdome knows what he hath to do: when the fiery tryal looks ſtrange, all we can think of, is the removal and taking of it away, and we cannot tell how to pray to God for any thing elſe, becauſe we can ſee no good in the affliction: but when we are acquainted with the author, nature, and end of all theſe tryals, it will direct us firſt of all to pray that God would ſanctifie it for the cleanſing of his Churches; that he would purifie ſons of Levi and reform the Proteſtant Profeſſion in the World: the Church moſt of all needs our Prayers at this day, on this account; and then we may wait upon God for their deliverance.

2. It may adviſe us not to think it a ſtrange or unlikely thing, that we our ſelves may be brought under the fi…ry tryal, I am ſure there are many awful ſymptomes of it, and more from time to time: yea we are likely enough to pull it down upon our own heads by our fooliſh diviſions, and ſtrange indiſcretions: and ready enough we are to cenſure and charge one another in this kind; but there is an higher hand moving all theſe leſſer wheels: and if we would look aright, the thing which ſhould moſtly aw and affect us is this, that we are become degenerate, we have backſlidden and gone aſide from God, we have loſt our firſt love, we are grown dirty and droſſie, obſtinate and hard-hearted, and unwilling to be reclaimed: if therefore God ſhould withdraw from us, and leave our publick affairs to miſcarry in our hands, I would ſay it is of the Lord, that he might fulfil the words of his Miniſters, that told and warned us of dayes of great calamity approaching; p. 19becauſe we would not hear them, and return to our God: and let all ſuch as fear God ponder of theſe things; look for, and ſee abundant reaſon to expect a winnowing time, a time of burning, a day of great tryal, that when it comes, you may not be taken at unawares, or (judging it a ſtrange thing) be ſurprized with undue terrors and frights; but may with quietneſs and patience ſubmit to the work of God in it: ſo ſhall you endure the tryal, and not be burnt up, as chaffe and droſſe, by it, but be brought out of it again with joy and glorying, inaſmuch as it ſhall be accounted to you for a fi…ing up of the ſufferings of Chriſt, and ſhall contribute very very much to the compleating and enlargement of your eternal joyes.

FINIS.