eee Chap. 23 . An Expafitian upon the Book of J OB. Vert. i o preffing power, comes all to one as to the poynt inhand ; while it thews that God in the tryall ofmen will examine their perfons, and their adions,as by fire. Of every fuch tryall it may be laid (as Maid. 3. z, 3.) Wéao may abide the day ofhis coming ? and whofhali( land when he appeareth ? ( The Prophet fpeakes ofthe comingofChrift in the flefh,at which time he was allo mighty in Spirit)for he is likea refiners fire, and likefullers foape,and he ¡hall fit as refiner and purifier of"ilver.When Chrift came in the fle(h to redeeme us, he came with fire alto to purge and fanëifie us, & he comes with fire whenfoever he comes in the Spirit to com- fort and enlighten us, and at late when he comes inglory, he will come with fire to try, examine, and judge us. When he comes to try us thus, All the faithfull "hall come forth asGold, but the wicked and their works will burn and be confumed. When Saints come to tryal at last theywill Rand, & when they are tryed here, they will mend ; firfi, their Corruptions will be the more outed, and fecondly, their graces will be the more a&ed. We may read his iffue of their tryal (Zech. i 3. 9.) And it Jhall c. me to pate that in allthe Land,faith the Lard,two parts thereinß,allbe cut offs anddye, but the third"ball be left therein. Whether we take the Land in particular for lintel and the people of the 3ewes,or typi- cally for all profeffors throughout the world, two parts ¡halt be cat ofanddye,but the third"hall be left therein. And what wil God doe with them ? or howwill he deale with them ? We may fee what at the 9th verfe. And 1 will bring the third part thorow the fire (of affliction and examination)and I will refine them as"sly r is refined, and try them augold is tryed (and what will be the ifTue of this ?) Andthey "hall call on my name, and Iwill heart them. Here faith and prayer (in which all graces are exercifed )are put is cien'i for all graces,When they are in this fie they Thal call on my name, a,ma.o. Ar iever and Iwill Beare them, andI willfay ( when they are in the fire) earl /j eard:do it is my people,.and theyfloall fay, the Lord is my God. They who úm a pray in the fire of tryall, or in the fiery tryall, declare evidently, ltua'io. ,, , yn that they areGold in the fire but they to whomGod faith in the fire of their tryalls, ye are my people, and they who (being {till in the fame fire) can fay, the Lord is eur Gad, are declared both by God and themfelves eminently, that they are gold in the fire. They are as the choyceft gold,as the Gold ofOphir,of whom the Lord faith, (byan adof diftinguifhing love) ye are my people, D d d arid. 385
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