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

But pray, Sir, what are those •igh and holy ends, in respect Quest. of the people of God, th•• •od aims at by his inflicting of great and sore Judgments upon Persons, Cities, and Countries? I suppose they are such as follow.

First, To bring about those special favours and mercies Answ. that God intends them. By the dreadful Judgments that God inflicted upon Pharaoh, and upon his people, and upon his Country, God brought about the freedom and liberty of his people to worship him according to his own prescriptions. The great difference and contest between God and Pharaoh was, who should have their wills; God would have his people ⟨p. 32⟩to worship him according to his own mind; but Pharaoh ¹was resolved to venture his all before they should have their freedom and liberty to serve their God. Upon this God follows him with plague upon plague, and never leaves spending of his plagues upon him, till he had overthrown him, and through his ruin brought about the freedom and liberty of his poor people. The Babylonians were cruel enemies to Gods poor Israel, and kept them in bondage, yea, in a fiery furnace seventy years: At last God stirs up the spirit of Cyrus for his Churches sake, and he by fi•e and sword lays Babylon waste, and takes them Captive, who had held his people in a long Captivity. Now he by breaking the Babylonians in pieces like a potters vessel, brought about (as as instrument in the hand of God) the freedom and liberty of Gods poor people, as you may see by comparing that 45. of Isa. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. with that 1. Chapter of Ezra. God stirs up the spirit of Cyrus to put forth a Proclamation ••r Liberty for the Jews to go to their own Land, and to […] the House of the Lord God of Israel; and then he graly stirs up the spirits of the people wisely and soberly to iove