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

Fifthly, The Lord does manifest his favourable, signal ⟨p. 29⟩and eminent presence with his People, in their greatest troubles, deepest distresses, and most deadly dangers, by guiding and leading them into those paths and ways, which make most for their own peace and quiet, safety ¹and security, contentation and satisfaction, happiness here and blessedness hereafter. Deut. 32. 10. He found him in a desert land and in the wast bowling wilderness: he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. A Wilderness condition is, you know, a condition of straits, wants, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers; now when his People were in this condition, he instructs them by his words and works, and he takes them by the hand (as I may say) and leads them with all care, tenderness, gentleness, and sweetness, as a man would do a poor helpless Infant which he should find in a desert, in a wast howling wilderness. God never left leading of his People, till he had brought them at last through the wilderness, to the land of Canaan. Ah this leading presence of God turns a wilderness into a Paradise, a desert into a Canaan: let a Christians troubles, distresses and dangers be never so many or never so great, yet as long as he has the guiding presence of God with him, he is safe from dangers in the midst of dangers; the fire shall not burn him, nor the waters overflow him, Isa. 43. 2. Psalm 107. 4. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way, they found no City to dwell in. Verse 5. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them: Verse 6. Then they cried unto the Lord, in their troubles, and he delivered them out of their distresses. Here you see their great troubles, deep distresses, and most deadly dangers; and now God gives them his hand, Verse 7. And he led them forth by the right way; that they might go to a City of habitation; that is to a state of settlement say some, to Jerusalem say others, or to that City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is ²