Peter encourages believers under their trials, with this—“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials which are to try you;”—remember they were all ordered in the Covenant, in number, weight, and measure; and while they break you off from an arm of flesh, from the world and self, they try your graces, and make them appear clear to yourself—thus God promises, “And thine age (or spiritual birth) shall be clearer than the noon day; thou shalt shine forth and be as the morning.” Afflictions are not to destroy but to try us, just as silver and gold are tried in the fire, lose their dross, and become purer and brighter. Faith is tried, and becomes more precious than gold which perisheth. Hope of eternal life is tried, and grows more strong and lively, sure and stedfast, amidst the greatest storms. Love to Jesus, his word, ministers, and people, is often tried—by the trial it appears that nothing can separate the saint and his beloved. Patience is tried in afflictions—humility, meekness, and every other grace. But in all times of tribulation, though the outward man, or pitcher decays, yet the inward man is renewed, day by day.—How needful the cross, to keep us humble—dependent—wean us from the world—furnish us with many petitions to God, and make us long for glory. How sweet are those lines of the excellent Watts— Had but the prison wall been strong And firm, without a flaw, My soul had long in darkness dwelt, And less of glory saw. Reproach from the world, or church, though it breaks the heart, makes us prize a name and a place in the covenant of redemption. Persecution, for imputed righteousness’ sake, tries our profession and principles, and gives an occasion to rejoice in the honor of suffering for Christ’s sake.—A body of sin and death, called the plague of the heart, tries our hope, and helps us to prize the blood of Jesus more and more.—Pain of body—delays of answer to prayer, try our patience.—False doctrines in the world, try our love; while the devil’s fiery darts of blasphemous thoughts, often try our faith—thus as our earthen vessels break, the light appears; and we often shout victory, through the atonement and righteousness of Jesus, and by the faithfulness of God.—This light appears in the whole of their conduct, as external evidences of an internal work—in their love to, and zeal for the truth as it is in Jesus—in their unfeigned love to the brethren, as they stand manifest in each other’s consciences that they are called by grace—in their just dealings with each other, and the world at large—“the Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, O mountain of holiness.”—In their integrity, uprightness, affection, and sincerity, at home and abroad, they are to shine as lights, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation.—In allegiance and obedience to the higher powers—knowing the powers that be, are ordained of God. A christian may and ought to be a good subject,