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 Charlstown, February…

3. For the ground of the Doctrine: or why it becomes not the people of God thus to esteem of the fiery trial; this is evident upon a double account: For so to think is both in it self unreasonable, and also prejudicial to the people of God.

3. For the ground of the Doctrine: or why it becomes not the people of God thus to esteem of the fiery tryal; this is evident upon a double account: For so to think is both in it self unreasonable, and also prejudicial to the people of God.

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 rendred 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, Isai. 6 1. We went through fire, and through water. And besides the fires kindled upon the Church, particular Saints have their fires also to try them: fore and sharp afflictions, this is Davids complaint in respect of himself,