Self Deceived Professors.
By Flavel
THOUSANDS of hypocrites embark themselves in the profession of religion in a calm; but if the wind rises and the sea rages and they see that religion will not transport them safely to the haven of their earthly hopes and expectations, they desire to be landed again; for they never intended to ride out a storm for Christ. "He endureth for a while; but when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended." But yet it is not every trial by sufferings that separates gold from dross; and therefore my business will be to show when the fire of sufferings and persecutions is hot and vehement enough to separate them; why it must needs discover hypocrisy when it is at that height; and what advantages sincere grace has to endure that severe and sharp trial. The fire of persecution, or sufferings for religion, may be judged intense and high enough to separate gold and dross. When religion exposes to imminent hazard our deepest and dearest interests in this world: such are our liberties, estates, and lives; then it is a fierce and fiery trial indeed. Sometimes it exposes the liberties of its professors: "The devil shall cast some of you into prison." Sometimes their estates: "Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods." And sometimes their lives: "They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were slain with the sword." While it goes no higher than some small inconveniences of life, reputation and sense of honor will hold a false heart; but when it comes to this, few will be found able to endure it but those who expect to save no more by religion than their souls, and account themselves in good case if they can save them with the loss of all that is dear to them in this world. Here the false heart hesitates; here it usually wearies falters. The fiery trial is high when there remain no visible hopes of deliverance, or outward encouragements to sense that the scene will alter. When "we see not our signs, there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long," as the case was with the church, Psalm 74:9, then our hands hang down and our hearts faint. Nor is it to be wondered at, when the length of troubles proves so sore a temptation even to the upright, to put forth their hands even to iniquity. If such a temptation shake such men as build on the rock, it must quite overturn those whose foundation is but sand. When a false professor is engaged alone in sufferings, and is singled out from the herd, as a deer to be run down, it is a thousand to one but he quits religion to save himself. Good company will encourage a faint-hearted traveler to go on a great way; but if he is forsaken by all, as Paul was, with no man to stand by him—if left alone, as Elijah was; what can encourage him to hold out? Indeed, if false professors had the same visible supports these good men had, that the Lord was with them, that would keep them steady; but wanting that encouragement from within, and all shrinking away from without, they quickly tire.—Flavel.