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

Ninthly, will the Lord be signally present with his ¹People in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, then let me infer that unbelief, infidelity and despondency of spirit in an evil day, does very ill become the People of God. Is the Lord present with you in your greatest troubles, and will you flag in your faith, and be crest fallen in your courage, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall? ²what is this but to tell all the world, that there is more power in your troubles to sink and daunt you, than there is in the presence of the Lord, to support and encourage you, when a Christian is upon the very banks of the Red Sea, yet then the Divine presence should encourage him, To stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. It would ³be good for timorous Christians in an evil day to dwell much upon the Prophets commission, Isa. 35. 3. [Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not.] Ah, but how shall weak hands be strong, and a timorous heart cease to fear and saint? Why? Behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense, he will come and save you; he is on his way, he will be suddenly with you, yea he is already in the midst of you, and he will save you. If you cast but ⁴your eye upon precious promises, if you cast but your eye upon the new Covenant, which is Gods great storehouse, there you will find all supports, all supplies, all helps and all comforts laid up, and laid in for you, and therefore never despond, never faint, never be discouraged in an evil day, in a dark time. As Joseph had his store-houses to give a full supply to the Egyptians in time of famine, so dear Jesus (of whom Joseph was but a type) has his store-houses of mercy, of goodness, of power, of plenty, of bounty, out of which in the worst ⟨p. 159⟩of times he is able to give his People a full supply, according to all their needs; and therefore be not discouraged, don't despond in a day of trouble. O my Friends, how often has the Lord hid you in the secret of his presence