Faith more precious than Gold.
1 Pet. 1.7. That the Trial of your Faith being much more precious than Gold that perisheth, tho it be tried with Fire, &c.
THere are divers Acceptations of the Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Faith.
1. Faith or Fidelity, or Faithfulness in keeping Promise, whether re∣specting God or Man: Shall the Faith of God be made of none effect?
2. It is taken for the Doctrine of the Gospel:* 1.1 Many were obedient to the Faith.
3. It is taken for the Dictates of Conscience, allowing of things indifferent in themselves: Hast thou Faith? have it to thy self.* 1.2
4. Credence, or the Belief of the History of the Scriptures. King Agrippa, Be∣lievest thou the Prophets? I know thou believest. This is called by some, Historical or Dogmatical Faith; by others, the Faith of Credence.
5. A certain and stedfast Belief of some strange and wonderful Effects.* 1.3 These Signs shall follow them that believe: In my Name they shall cast out Devils, &c. And tho I have all Faith, so that I could remove Mountains, and have not Charity, I am nothing. This is called the Faith of Miracles.
6. A naked Knowledg of God, joined with an outward and bare Profession of the Gospel. Even so Faith, if it hath not Works, is dead.* 1.4
7. It is taken for a strong Belief or Confidence in Prayer.* 1.5 The Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick.
8. It is taken for a holy, firm, and well-grounded Belief, and stedfast Reliance upon the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ, for Justification and eternal Life; or a going out of our selves, fetching all our Hope and Comfort from him, and his glorious Undertakings. This is that most noble and precious Grace, that is wrought in the Soul by the Spirit, which is compared to Gold, &c.
Faith is as precious as Gold, nay, more precious; tried Faith is better than tried Gold, than Gold tried or refined in the Fire.
Metaphor. | Parallel. |
GOld is precious in some Coun∣tries upon the consideration of the Scarcity of it; there is but little of it to be had, and that hard to come by. Things are esteemed precious upon this account: In those days the Word of the Lord was pre∣cious, there was no open Vision. | TRue Faith is precious upon the ac∣count of the Scarcity of it. Tho there is great talk of it every where, it is in all Peoples Mouths, yet the right kind is very precious; few have so much as one dram of it in their Hearts; 'tis very hard to obtain. |
II. Gold is very desirable. Men that know the worth of it, search |