PART III. of gracious 4feclions, 3I5 laid to prove Ifrael by the Difficulties they met with in the Wilder- nefs, and by the Difficulties they met with from their Enemies ` in Canaan, to know what was in their Hearts, whether they would keep - his Commandments or no; it muff be underflood that it was to difco- ver them to themfelves, that they might know what was in their own Hearts. So when God tempted or tried Abraham with that difficult4" Command of offering up his Son, is was not for his Satisfac }ion, whe- ther he fear'd God or no, but for Abraham's own greater Satisfad-tion'. and Comfort, and the n;ore clear Manifeftationof theFavour of God to him. When Abraham had proved faithful under this Trial, God fays to him, Now I know that thou feare/l God, feeing thou hail not witheld thy Son, thine only Son fromme. Which plainly implies that in this praaical Exercife.of Abraham's Grace under this Trial, was a clearer Evidence of the Truth of his Grace, than ever was before ; and the greateft Evidence to Abraham's Confcience ; becaufe God himfelf gives it to Abraham as fuch, for his Comfort and Rejoycing ; and (peaks of it to him, as what might be the greateft Evidence to his Confcience, of his being upright in the Sight of hisjudge. Which proves what I fay, that holy Practice under Trials is the higheft Evi- dence of the Sincerity of Profeffers to their own Confciences. And we find that Chrift from Time to Time took the fame Method to convince the Confciences of thole that pretended Friendihip to him, and to fhew them what they were. This was the Method he took with the rich young Man, Matth. 19. 16, &c. He feem'd to Phew a great Refpedt to Chrift ; he came kneeling to him, and called him Good Mailer, and made a great Profeffion of Obedience to the Com- mandments ; but Chrift tried him by bidding him go and fell all that he had, and give to the Poor, and come and take up hisCrofs, andfollow him; telling him that then hefhould have Treafure in Heaven. So he tried a- nother that we read of Matth. 8. 20. He made a great Profeffion of Refpedt to Chrift : Says he, Lord, Iwill follow thee whitherfoever thou gof11. Chrift immediately puts his Friendfhip to the Proof, by telling him that the Foxes had Holes, and the Birds of the Air had N'fs, but that the Son of Man had not where to lay his Head. And thusChrift is wont ftill to try profeffed Difciples in general, in his Providence. So the Seed fown in every Kind of Ground, ftony Ground, thorny Ground, and good Ground, which in all appears alike, when it firft fprings up ; yet is tried, and the Difference made to appear, by the burning Heart of the Sun. " to themfelves, the better Rom. 5. 5. Tribulation " works Trial, and that Hope. Prov. 17. 3. If you will. " know whether it will hold Weight, the Trial will tell you." Shepard's 'Parable Part I. P. 191. Seeing
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