3 14 The twelfth Sign PART III, refine them as Silver is refined ; and I will try them as Gold is tried. That which has the Colour and Appearance of Gold is put into the Furnace to try whether it be what it feems to be, real Gold or no. So the Difficulties of Religion are called Trials, becaufe they try thofe that have the Profefiion and Appearance of Saints, whether they are what they appear to be, real Saints. If we put true Gold into the Furnace, we Ihall find it's great Value and Precioufnefs : So the Truth and inehimableValue of the Vertues of a true Chrif}ian appear, when under thefe Trials ; i Pet. t. 7. That the Trial of your F`5iith, being much moreprecious than of Gold that perileth, might befound unto Praife, and Honour, and Glory. True and pure Gold will come out of the Furnace in full Weight : So true Saints when tried come forth as Gold, .7ob 23. Zo. .Chrifl diffinguifhes true Grace from counterfeit by this, that it is Gold tried in the Fire, Rev. 3. i 7, i 8. So that it is evident that thefe Things are called Trials in Scripture, principally as they try or prove the Sincerity of Profeffors. And from what has been now obferved, 'tis evident that they are the moff proper Trial or Proof of their Sincerity ; Inafmuch as the very Meaning of the Word Trial, as it is ordinarily ufed in Scripture, is the Difficulty occurring in the Way of a Profeffor's Duty, as the Trial or Experiment of his Sincerity. If Trial of Sincerity be the proper Name of thefe Difficulties of Religion, then doubtlefs thefe Difficulties of Religion are properly and eminently theTrial of Sincerity : For they are doubtlefs eminently what they are called by the holy Ghoh : God gives Things their Name from that which is eminently their Nature. And if it be fo, that thefe Things are the proper and eminent Trial, Proof or Experiment of the Sincerity of Profeffors ; then certainly the Refult of the Trial or Experiment ( that is Perfons Behaviour or Practice under fuch Trials ) is the proper and eminent Evidence of their Sincerity. For they are called Trials or Proofs, only with Regard to the Refult, and becaufe the Effect is eminently the Proof, or Evidence. And this is the moh proper Proof and Evi- dence to the Confcience of thofe that are the Subjects of thefe Trials. For when God is faid by thefe Things to try Men, and prove them, to jee what is in their Hearts, and whether they will keep his Commandments or no ; we are not to underhand, that it is for his own Information, or that he may obtain Evidence himfelf of their Sincerity ; ( for he needs noTrials for his Information ) but chiefly for their Conviction, and to exhibit Evidence to their Confciences. :t Thus when God is faid t " I am perfwaded, as Calvin is, That all the feveral Trials of « Men, are to thew them to themfelves, and to the World, '4 that ;hey but Counterfeits ; and to make Saints known " to
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