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…

1. It is a conclusion very unreasonable; there is no just reason to be rendered for such a thought: if we will ponder every circumstance, we shall see it evident that it is not a strange ⟨p. 7⟩thing in it self, and must therefore be irrationally so judged by us; For,

1. It is a conclusion very unreasonable; there is no just reason to be rèndred for such a thought: if we will ponder every circumstance, we shall see it evident that it is not a strange ⟨p. 7⟩thing in it self, and must therefore be irrationally so judged by us; For,

1. It is no unusual thing, but very frequent: we have the Saints of all ages for examples; there is a whole cloud of witnesses testifying to this truth: ever since righteous Abel lost his life for Christ, to this day, there hath been in all ages almost more or less of the fiery trial upon Gods Children: it was thus with Israel in Egypt, who were made to serve in hard labour, and in cruel bondage, and are therefore represented as a bush on fire and not consumed: yea their whole passage through the Wilderness, what was it, but a going through fire and water. So the Psalmist expresseth it, Psal. 66. 12. We went through fire, and through water. And besides the fires kindled upon the Church, particular Saints have their fires also to try them: sore and sharp afflictions, this is Davids complaint in respect of himself, Psal. 57. 4. My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire. Nay God speaks of his Church as a place where he constantly keeps a furnace for their trial; hence he makes it a paraphrase upon his name, or one attribute whereby he may be known by us, Isai▪ 31. 9. the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.