Gospel-love, heart-purity, and the flourishing of the righteous being the last sermon of the…

And not only so, but to purge, and to make them white. To purge out their corruptions, and to make their Graces very conspicuous. You see the improvement they made of their ⟨p. 97⟩afflictions and sufferings for the truths of God: and that in Zach. 13. 9. teaches the same thing. I will bring the third part through the fire: through the fire of persecution. And what, shall they be burnt there? No, saith he, I will refine them as Silver is refined, and will try them as Gold is tried: and they shall call on my Name, and I will hear them, I will say, it is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God. Thus they shall grow up in the actings of their faith to an assurance. Faith shall come to an appropriating act; they shall say, The Lord is my God. And when? Even when I bring them through the fire. I will refine them so, that their faith shall be exceeding transparent: and they shall say, The Lord is my God. And we know what the Apostle Paul found by the sufferings which befell him; and in him the Church of God, Phil. 1. 12. saith he, I would you should understand, Brethren, that the thing ⟨p. 98⟩which happened unto me—Why, what things were these that happened to Paul? What was it some great preferment, (as we say) some great Benefice, some great honour? No, the things that befell him, were troubles and afflictions; Bonds, as he doth express it in ver. 13. Now saith he, These have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel. How, to the furtherance of the Gospel? Why, because persons by this affliction upon me, which threatened them also; and 'tis like took hold of some of them: why, saith he, They waxed confident by my bonds, and are much more bold to speak the Word without fear, ver. 14. They grew up like the Palm tree; they grew to a confidence. They were not only honest and faithful, but they were confident and bold. They had not only integrity for Christ, but a great increase of strength for Christ; and all upon his sufferings: They flourish like the Palm-tree. ⟨p. 99⟩And that in Rom. 5