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

First, See the hand of the Lord in this late dreadful fire, acknowledge §1the Lord to be the Author of all Judgements, and of this in particular. 'Tis a high point of Christian Prudence ¹and Piety, to acknowledge the Lord to be the Author of all personal or National sufferings that befall us, Jer. 9. 12. Who is the wise man that may understand this? for what the Land perisheth, and is burnt up like a Wilderness that none passeth through. It is very great wisdom to know from whom all our afflictions come; and for what all our afflictions come upon us. God looks that we should observe his hand in all our sufferings. Hear the rod, and who hath appointed it. God challenges all sorts of afflictions, as his own special Administration, ²Amos 3. 6. Is there any evil in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? I form the light, and create darkness; I make peace, and create evil, I the Lord do all th•se things, Isa. 45. 7. God takes it very heinously, and looks upon it as a very great indignity that is put upon his Power, Providence and Justice, when men will neither see nor acknowledge his hand in those sore afflictions and sad sufferings, that he brings upon them: Of such the Prophet Isaiah complains, Chap. 26. 11. Lord when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see. The hand, the power of the Lord was so remarkable and conspicuous in the Judgements that were inflicted upon them, as might very well wring an acknowledgement out of them, that it was the Lord that had stirred his wrath and indignation against them: and yet they wilfully and desperately shut their eyes against all the severities ⟨p. 132⟩of God, and would not behold that dreadful hand of his that was stretched out against them. O Sirs, God looks upon himself as reproached and slandered, by such who will not see his hand in the amazing Judgements that he inflicts upon them,