th the salvation which is not temporal but
eternal.

V. 7, 8. _That the trial of your faith (or that your tried faith) be
found much more precious than the perishable gold, (that is tried in
the fire), to praise, honor, and glory, when Jesus Christ shall be
revealed, whom ye have not seen, yet love, in whom ye also believe
though ye see him not._ This should be the end of the cross and all
kinds of reverses,--to enable us to distinguish between false and
real faith. God lays his hand upon us, therefore, to try our faith
and reveal it to the world, so that others may be induced to believe,
and we also be praised and honored. For just as we exalt God, so will
He in return exalt, esteem and honor us, insomuch that the false
hypocrites, who do not walk in the right way, shall be put to shame.

Scripture throughout likens temptation to fire. Thus St. Peter here
compares the gold that is tried by fire to the trial of faith by
temptation and suffering. The fire does not take away from the gold,
but it makes it pure and bright, so that all dross is removed. So God
has imposed the cross upon all Christians, that they might thereby be
purified. And it has been well said, let faith remain pure as the
word is pure, so that we shall depend on the word alone, and trust to
nothing else: for we need such fire and cross as this daily, because
of the old corrupt Adam.

Thus, it is characteristic of a christian life that it should
continually grow and become more holy; for if we are led to faith
through the preaching of the Gospel, then shall we be justified and
grow in holiness; but while we remain in the flesh we can never be
fully purified. Therefore God throws us into the midst of the
fire,--that is, into suffering, shame and calamity,--so that we may
become more and more purified, until we die--a point we can attain by
no works of our own. For how can an outward work make the heart
inwardly clean? Moreover, if faith is to be tried (purified), all
that is additional and false must be separated and removed. Thence
will result a noble reward,--praise and glory when Christ shall be
revealed. On this it follows:

V. 8, 9. _But because of your faith, rejoice with joy unspeakable and
glorious, and attain also the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls._ An unspeakably glorious joy shall that be, says St.
Peter, whereof we have honor and praise. The world has such a joy
that we receive nothing from it but shame, and of