A word in season to this present generation, or, A sober and serious discourse…

The redness of the Rose, the whiteness of the Lilly, and all the beauties of Sun, Moon and Stars, are but deformities, to that beauty and glory that the presence of God puts upon his people, in all their troubles and trials. There is nothing in the world that will render the Saints so amiably and lo•ely, so eminent and excellent in the eyes of their Enemies, as the signal presence of God with them in their greatest trials. Demetrius ¹was so passing fair of face and countenance, that no ⟨p. 116⟩Painter was able to draw him; the presence of God with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, puts so rare a beauty and glory upon them, that no Painter can ever be able to draw them. But

1. 1Piutarch in the life of Demetrius.

A second reason, Why God will be signally present ¹with his People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, is drawn from the Covenant of grace, and those precious promises that God has made to be with his People. Gods Covenant is, ²that he will be with his People for ever, and that he will never turn away from them to do them good. That's a branch of the Covenant: I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. And that's a branch of the Covenant: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. The shield ³is between the body and the thrust. So saith God, I will put in betwixt thee and harm; though those Kings whom thou hast even now vanquished, may rant high and threaten revenge, yet I will shield off all dangers, that thou mayest be incident to. Though Gods People be in the waters and in the fires, yet his promise is to