First, Prosperity, Success, and the increase of outward enjoyments, are to grace what fire is to gold. Riches and Honours make trial what we are, and by these things many a false heart hath been detected, as well as the sincerity & eminency 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 scarce any thing proves the truth and strength of mens graces and corruptions more than it d•th: Rara virtus est humilit as honorata, saith Bernard, to find humility with honour is to find a Phoenix; let an obscure person be lifted up to honour, and how steady and well-composed soever he was before, it's a thousand to one but his eyes will dazzle ⟨p. 56⟩and his head run round whe• he is upon the lofty pinnacle of praise and honour:1 Prov• 27. 21. As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise: pu• the best gold into the fining pot of praise, and it's a great wonder if a great deal of dros• do not appear. Isa. 39. 2. the vain glory o• good Hezekiah rose like a froth or scum upon the pot, when heated by prosperity. It wa• such a sinning pot to Herod as discovered him to be dross its self, 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 salvage beast as the Prophet had foretold: he only tells him, The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be King over Syria, 2 King. 8. 13. The meaning is, don't be too confident Hazael, that thy temper and disposition can never alter to that degree, Th•u never yet satest in a Throne; when men see the Crown upon thy head, then they will better see the true temper of thy heart.
FIrst, Prosperity, Success, and the increase of outward enjoyments, are to grace what fire is to gold. Riches and Honours make tryal what we are, and by these things many a false heart hath been detected, as well as the sincerity & eminency of others graces discovered: we may fancy the fire of prosperity to be rather for comfort than tryal; to refresh us rather than to prove us; but you will find prosperity to be a great discovery; and that scarce any thing proves the truth and strength of mens graces and corruptions more than it d•th: Rara virtus est humilit as honorata, saith Bernard, to find humility with honour is to find a Phoenix; let an obscure person be lifted up to honour, and how steady and well-composed soever he was before, it's a thousand to one but his eyes will dazle ⟨p. 56⟩and his head run round whe• he is upon the lofty pinacl• of praise and honour:1 Prov• 27. 21. As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise: pu• the best gold into the fining pot of praise, and it's a great wonder if a great deal of dros• do not appear. Isa. 39. 2. the vain glory o• good Hezekia• rose like a froth or scum upon the pot, when heated by prosperity. It wa• such a sining pot to Herod as discovered him to be dross its self, Acts 12. 23. How did that poor worm swell under that tryal into the conceit of a God? and was justly destroyed by worms, because he forgat 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 salvage beast as the Prophet had foretold: he only tells him, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King over Syria, 2 King. 8. 13. The meaning is, don't be too confident Hazael, that thy temper and disposition can never alter to that degree, Th•u never yet satest in a Throne; when men see the Crown upon thy head, then they will better see the true temper of thy heart.
- 1Magistratus indicat virum.
