Thirdly, that which God aims at, is the trial of the graces of his people: an afflicting condition is a 1trying condition: Hence, Dan. 11. 35. Some shall fall and be tried: This is a prophecy of the times of the Maccabees under Antiochus Epiphanes: in the 211. Heb. we have the History of this, where verse 36. we have the like expression: others had trials of cruel mockings and scourgings: We read of Queen Elizabeth in her sister Queen Mary's days, when she was locked up close in the prison, at first she was much daunted, but after she brake forth into this speech, The skill of a Pilot is unknown, but in a tempest; the valour of a Captain is unseen, but in battle; and the worth of a Christian does not appear, but in ⟨p. 43⟩time of trial and temptation. Fire tries metals what dross is in them; strong winds, storms, and tempests, try what our foundation is, whether we be built upon the rock, or upon the sands: they discover what sap the leaves have from the root; withered leaves when the wind rises, fall off, the green leaves that have sap holds on: they try what soundness is in us: if you hang heavy weights upon the boughs of trees that are rotten, they presently break, but if upon sound, they bear them: hard weather tries what soundness and health there is in the body; so afflictions and troubles, what soundness the Spirit hath. Wooden or earthen vessels, if they be set to the fire empty, they are soon riven, and break, but not when they are filled with liquor: so empty hearts, when they feel the heat of afflictions, they soon break, but if filled with grace, and the comforts of the holy Ghost, they hold sound. When a mans clothes are on, the deformities of his body cannot be seen: but when he is stripped naked, then all appears. In Summer time, when the trees are covered with leaves, 3you cannot see the knots, and rifts, and mossiness of the tree; but in winter when the leaves are gone, then you may see all. Hence the Hebrew word that is used for Winter, comes from a word, that signifies disgrace and shame, because winter takes away the glory and beauty of the earth, and puts a kind of shame and disgrace upon it. The deformities and distempers of mens hearts, are much discovered in the winters of their affliction: although there was much glory and beauty on their profession before, yet now they appear most vile and base. We read Luke 2. 35.
Thirdly, that which God ayms at, is the tryal of the graces of his people: an afflicting condition is a 1trying condition: Hence, Dan. 11. 35. Some shall fall and be tryed: This is a prophesie of the times of the Maccabees under Antiochus Epiphanes: in the 211. Heb. we have the History of this, where verse 36. we have the like expression: others had tryals of cruel mockings and scourgings: We read of Queen Elizabeth in her sister Queen Maries days, when she was locked up close in the prison, at first she was much daunted, but after she brake forth into this speech, The skill of a Pilot is unknown, but in a tempest; the valor of a Captain is unseen, but in battel; and the worth of a Christian does not appear, but in ⟨p. 43⟩time of tryal and temptation. Fire tryes mettals what dross is in them; strong winds, storms, and tempests, try what our foundation is, whether we be built upon the rock, or upon the sands: they discover what sap the leaves have from the root; withered leaves when the wind rises, fall off, the green leaves that have sap holds on: they try what soundness is in us: if you hang heavy weights upon the boughs of trees that are rotten, they presently break, but if upon sound, they bear them: hard weather tryes what soundness and health there is in the body; so afflictions and troubles, what soundness the Spirit hath. Wooden or earthen vessels, if they be set to the fire empty, they are soon riven, and break, but not when they are filled with liquor: so empty hearts, when they feel the heat of afflictions, they soon break, but if filled with grace, and the comforts of the holy Ghost, they hold sound. When a mans cloaths are on, the deformities of his body cannot be seen: but when he is stripped naked, then all appears. In Summer time, when the trees are covered with leaves, 3you cannot see the knots, and rifts, and mossiness of the tree; but in winter when the leaves are gone, then you may see all. Hence the Hebrew word that is used for Winter, comes from a word, that signifies disgrace and shame, because winter takes away the glory and beauty of the earth, and puts a kinde of shame and disgrace upon it. The deformities and distempers of mens hearts, are much discovered in the winters of their affliction: although there was much glory and beauty on their profession before, yet now they appear most vile and base. We read Luke 2. 35
- 13.
- 2Apparet virtus arguiturque malis, Ovid.
- 3[Greek or Hebrew] Nemo vi•es suas in pace cogno•cit, si enim bella desunt, virtu•um expe•imenta non prodeunt Improvidus est miles qui fortem se in pace gloriatur. Greg. Mor l. 23. c. 18.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 Nemo vi•es suas in pace cogno•cit, si enim bella desunt, virtu•um expe•imenta non prodeunt Improvidus est miles qui fortem se in pace gloriatur. Greg. Mor l. 23. c. 18.
