The fiery trial no strange thing delivered in a sermon preached at Charlestown February…The fiery tryal no strange thing delivered in a sermon preached at Charlestown February…

Afflictions in Scripture language often bear the name of trials, because by them proof is made of Professors, and men are tried so as to be discovered, oftentimes, whither they be indeed sincere or hypocritical; and indeed it is one of the best evidences we can have of mens integrity, when these drive them not from, but establish them in their profession.

Afflictions in Scripture language often bear the name of tryals, because by them proof is made of Professors, and men are tried so as to be discovered, oftentimes, whither they be indeed sincere or hypocritical; and indeed it is one of the best evidences we can have of mens integrity, when these drive them not from, but establish them in their profession.

When the Epithet Fiery, is added to trials, it serves to denote such afflictions as are the most sharp and severe, and do the most of all put a Christians constancy to the test: and among these, the Apostle (as by our Context is manifest) doth here intend, such as are occasioned by persecution; those things which the people of God are called to suffer in defence of the Gospel, against the cruelty of raging Enemies; of which sort are imprisonments, stripes, revilings, exile, confiscation of goods, and the like: these are called fiery, metaphorically, because such is the pain, grief, and trouble which they put the mind of man to, and sometimes his body also, as render them exceeding difficult to bear; and because as fire they serve to purge and cleanse them from many pollutions: yea, and sometimes they are so termed Properly, because the Persecutors of the Church, do often prosecute the true professors of Jesus Christ with Fire and Fagot: and they are called Trials, because (whatsoever the Instruments of them aim at in executing them upon the people of God) they are designed by God himself, who is the Sovereign and Supreme disposer of all things, to be probationary, and used as a Refiners fire to purge out the dross, and not to wast the good metal which is cast into it, Mal. 3. 3.

When the Epithete Fiery, is added to tryals, it serves to denote such afflictions as are the most sharp and severe, and do the most of all put a Christians constancy to the test: and among these, the Apostle (as by our Context is manifest) doth here intend, such as are occasioned by persecution; those things which the people of God are called to suffer in defense of the Gospel, against the cruelty of raging Enemies; of which sort are imprisonments, stripes, revilings, exile, confiscation of goods, and the like: these are called fiery, metaphorically, because such is the pain, grief, and trouble which they put the mind of man to, and sometimes his body also, as render them exceeding difficult to bear; and because as fire they serve to purge and cleanse them from many pollutions: yea, and sometimes they are so termed Properly, because the Persecutors of the Church, do often prosecute the true professors of Jesus Christ with Fire and Fagot: and they are called Tryals, because (whatsoever the Instruments of them aim at in executing them upon the people of God) they are designed by God himself, who is the Soveraign and Supream disposer of all things, to be probationary, and used as a Refiners fire to purge out the dross, and not to wast the good mettal which is cast into it,