F A I T H MORE PRECIOUS THAN G· 0 L D. Book IV• METAPHOR. VII. Tried Gold is much better than that which is not tried, nor refined in the Fire. PARALL EL. VII. fa.ith that is tried is of wonderful Valu,e< much more to be prized than that which was never brought umler Exercife. How excellently did Abrabam's and 'Job's F:\ith fhine, when tried~'!'.he 'trial ofyour Faith is much more precious thaiZ Gold, though it be tried in the Fire, &c. 1 P et. i. 7· VIII. Gold tried in the Fire is of an enriching Nature, if a Man has much of it, it enrich·es him greatly. We efteem him a very rich Man, that hath great Srore of tried Gold i~ his own Poffeffion. METAPHOR. I. GOLD is naturally an earthy Sort ofMetal, it is from be– neath, and therefore corruptible : Not with corruptible 'Things, as Sil– ver and Gold, which perifo. 11. Tried Gold may make aMan' renowned and great on Earth, and adorn the Body or Habitation where he dwells; bur it avails not the Soul any thing; it will not en– rich, or make honorable, or beau– tify that, &c. Ill. Tried Gold may be utterly' l~ft; a Man may have much of it to-day, and none to-morrow; Thieves may rob him of it, &c. VIII. So Faith that is tried in the Furn~ce, is of a Soul-enriching Nature; he that hath much· of this Faith is a very rich Man, a rich Saint. God bath chofen the Poor of this World, rich iiZ Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdont, ']ames i. 5· See more of the N ature of Gold, in the Meta– phor Gold, where the Wore! of God is compared to it. D I S P A R. I T Y. l. FAITH is a divine and precious Grace, or a· fupernaturalThing; it is from above, wrol!ght· i-n the Soul by the Operation of the Spirit of Gqd, and therefore incorruptible; an heavenly Prin– tiple or Seed, that fball never fail, 'J'i/1 we receive lhe End of or1r Faith, the Salvation of our Souls,– ' Pet. i. 9· II. Faith, true Faith, Faith tried in the Fire, makes Believing Men and Women renowned illl Grace and Godlinefs, and adorns the Soul, Church, and People where it is. None fbine forth in that Beauty and Splendor, as thofe do, who have much Faith. HI. True Faith cannot be mterly loft. A Man may lofe fomewhat of the Strength of it; he may decay in this Grace, as well as in others; but he can never lofe the Habit, the Seed or Trurh of Faith itfelf. } have prayed for tbee. that thy Faith Jail not, Luke xxii. 31, 32. l N F E R E N C E & FIRST, Information. How greatly are fome miftaken about this precious and moll; noble Grace? For we may infer from hence, 1. That true Faith is not a limple or bare believing there is a God'; tlfe Devils have this Kind of Faith;. they alfo believe, and tremble. 2. That it is not a mere or bare believing the Truth of the holy Scriptures. The· Jews believed the Scriptures, and thought by them ro have eternal Life, and yet were Enemies to Jefus Chri!t. . 3· That it is not a bare believing Chrift died.for Sinners; moft ungodl~ People ill' England believe that. 4· That cannot be a true Faith, which Swearers,. Drunkards, Whoremongers, and all other ungodly and profane Perfons have. 5· That a Man may leave all grofs Sins, and all'ent to many Truths of the Gqfpel~ and yet have no true Faith. 6. Nay, that a Man may be baptized, take upon him the Profeffioo of the Gofpel. and fuffer many Things, and yet not have one Dram of faving Faith; as appears by the foolifh Vir<>ins, 'Judas, and Simolt the Sorcerer, and many others. · 7 . Nay, a Man may feem to hear the 'vVqrd with Joy, and yet have no true Faith:.. A temporary Faith is nQt the F aith·of God's Erect, or that Faith tpat is more preciqu~ dtan Gold, &c. Q.!,teft. How may a lvfmt know true Faith from that which· is common,. and mmr counterfeit? Anf.;;. 1. There is in that Perfon, who favingly believes in Ci;lrift,. a true Know. led<>e of God, and of Jefus Chrift,. the ttu~ Savior; it t~ke> hold on th.e right Object.• , • - D~ _
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