London's lamentation, or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our…

The eighth support to bear up the hearts of the people §8of God under the late fiery dispensation is this: viz. That ¹all shall end well, all shall work for good. God by this fiery dispensation, will do his people a great deal of good. God cast Judah into an Iron furnace, into a fiery furnace, but it was for their good, Jer. 24. 5. Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place, into the Land of the Chaldeans for their good. Psalm 119. 71. It is good for me, that I have been ⟨p. 84⟩afflicted. Though afflictions are naturally evil, yet they are morally good; for by the wise, sanctifying, over ruling Providence of God, they shall either cure the Saints of their spiritual evils, or preserve them from spiritual evils. Though the Elements are of contrary qualities, yet Divine Power and Wisdom hath so tempered them, that they all work in an harmonious manner, for the good of the Universe. So though sore afflictions, though fiery trials seem to work quite cross and contrary to the Saints Prayers and desires, yet they shall be so ordered and tempered by a skilful and omnipotent hand, as that they shall all issue in the Saints good. At the long-run by all sorts of fiery trials, the Saints shall have their sins more weakened, their Graces more improved, and their experiences more multiplied, their evidences for Heaven more cleared, their communion with God more raised, and their hearts and lives more amended. God by fiery trials will keep off from his people more trials: God loves by the Cross to secure his people from the curse: and certainly 'tis no bad exchange, to have a cross instead of a curse. God lead the Israelites about and about in the Wilderness forty years together, but it was to ²humble them, and prove them, and do them good in their latter end. God lead them through fire and water, that is, ³