There are divers ways of trial, three especially; God tries, first, by prosperity, that's a trial; a full estate discovers a man, as well as a low and empty estate doth. To know how to abound is as high a point of grace as how to want (Phil. 4.12.) to have power in our hands, discovers us as well as to be oppressed by power. Magistracy shows the man, and it shows many to be but men. 1Great power over men is a great temptation to man, and so likewise is the praise of men. (2 Cor. 6.4.) But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, &c. and by what else? by the Armour of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report. We approve our selves, and trial is taken of us as well by things on the right hand, as by those upon the left, as well by honour, as by dishonour. The good report or praise which a man meets with in the world is as great a trial as the ill report or dispraise which he meets with in the world; 'tis a great trial to be dispraised, to have dirt thrown in our faces, and it is a great trial to be praised, to be commended, and applauded, to be lifted up in the thoughts & upon the tongues of men. Solomon hath an excellent passage (Prov. 27.21.) As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so is a man to his praise; that is, a man is tried by his praise, as the silver is tried in the fining pot, and as the gold is tried in the furnace. Whenever you are praised, you are tried; Then your humility and self-denial are tried; Then you are tried whether when you are praised by men, you can give the whole glory to God. Herod's praise was the fining pot, and the furnace wherein he was tried, ⟨p. 380⟩it made him appear to be but dross indeed. His hearers Cried the voice of God and not of man; When you cry up such a Preacher, such a Magistrate, such a Soldier, such an Orator, you put him into the fining pot, & he that is but dross consumes. The worms eat up Herod, because he gave not Glory to God (Act. 12.23.) As it was a most dreadful, so it was a most righteous judgement, that he should be eaten up of worms, who forgot that he was one, and forgot it so far that he was pleased with their applauses, who cried him up for a God.
There are divers wayes of tryall, three especially; God tryes, first, by prosperity, that's a tryall; a full estate discovers a man, as well as a low and empty estate doth. To know how to abound is as high a poynt of grace as how to want (Phil. 4.12.) to have power in our hands, discovers us as well as to be opprest by power. Magistracy shewes the man, and it shewes many to be but men. 1Great power over men is a great temptation to man, and so likewise is the praise of men. (2 Cor. 6.4.) But in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, &c. and by what else? by the Armour of righteousness on the right hand, and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evill report and good report. We approve our selves, and tryall is taken of us as well by things on the right hand, as by those upon the left, as well by honour, as by dishonour. The good report or praise which a man meets with in the world is as great a tryal as the ill report or dispraise which he meets with in the world; 'tis a great tryal to be dispraised, to have dirt throwne in our faces, and it is a great tryal to be prais'd, to be commended, and applauded, to be lifted up in the thoughts & upon the tongues of men. Solomon hath an excellent passage (Prov. 27.21.) As the fineing pot for silver, and the furnace for gold, so is a man to his praise; that is, a man is tryed by his praise, as the silver is tryed in the fineing pot, and as the gold is tryed in the furnace. Whenever you are praised, you are tryed; Then your humility and selfe-denyall are tryed; Then you are tryed whether when you are praised by men, you can give the whole glory to God. Herods praise was the fineing pot, and the furnace wherein he was tryed, ⟨p. 380⟩it made him appeare to be but drosse indeed. His hearers Cryed the voyce of God and not of man; When you cry up such a Preacher, such a Magistrate, such a Souldier, such an Oratour, you put him into the fineing pot, & he that is but drosse consumes. The wormes eate up Herod, because he gave not Glory to God (Act. 12.23.) As it was a most dreadfull, so it was a most righteous judgement, that he should be eaten up of wormes, who forgot that he was one, and forgot it so farre that he was pleased with their applauses, who cryed him up for a God.
- 1Magistratus indicat virum.