3. Let us earneftly feek and hope for the prefence of God with us in this, wildernefs; and that will be every thing to us.

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It was the honour and happiness of Ifrael, that" to them pertained the glory; the fhining cloud, that was a fymbol or emblem of the divine prefence with them: this went before them in their journeys, and refted, as the text tells us, in the wilderness of Paran. This cloud attended them by day, to direct their motions, fkreening them from the heat of the fun in thofe fandy lands; and it appeared as a pillar of fire by night, to caft a light and warmth about them; and it might alfo terrify and keep off wild beafts. We are not to expect any fuch fenfible manifeftations of the divine prefence with us but we have many gracious promifes, that God will guide and defend his people; that, "if in all our ways we acknowledge him, he will direct our paths; that he will order. the steps of good men; that they shall be led by his Spirit; that he will be a fun and Shield to them." And it is obfervable, that thefe promifes are often made in figurative expreffions, taken from the cloud of glory

in the wilderness; particularly Ifaiah faith, "The Lord will create upon every dwellingplace of mount Sion, and upon her affemblies, a cloud and a fmoke by day, and the fhining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory fhall be a defence." Let us therefore daily afk his prefence, guidance and defence, commit ourselves to his care, and follow the leadings of his providence': for nothing can be more comfortable than to fee God, as it were, going before us in our affairs and fettlements, and especially our important changes in life! Let us look to him to guard us from every enemý; efpecially from the that would or Serpent poison and destroy our fouls. His help is to be obtained by living near to him, in the exercifes of faith and devotion.

And, if we have the light of his countenance with us, it will make the wilderness like Eden, and the defert like the garden of the Lord."

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4. Let us rejoice in the views of the heavenly Canaan, and diligently prepare for

it.

We," faith the Apostle, "who have believed, do enter into reft; for to us the

good

good tidings of rest are preached, as well as to them, even a reft that remaineth to the people of God." We are now in the wildernefs; but there is a better country, even a heavenly one, before us, to which we are travelling. This is uncomfortable; but there is no want, no inconvenience, no fin, no forrow, there. This is dangerous; but no enemy fhall come near that facred abode : Satan and wicked men are forever banished from it; no more to tempt or terrify the people of God. This is unfettled; but

there his Ifrael find a fettled rest, and shall be made "pillars in the houfe of God, to go out no more." That state is fubject to no changes, but from better to better; from one degree of happiness to another. Let us be thankful, my brethren, that fuch a reft, and such a state, is revealed and promised to us that we are not to live always; not to wander endlessly in this wilderness. We may, by reading the word, and mixing faith with it, view the good land which God intends for our everlasting portion, and fee fomething of the length and breadth, the bufinefs and felicity of it. But let us, as the Apoftle exhorts, "fear, left, a promise

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being left us of entering into his reft, any of us fhould come fhort of it." "Let us labour to enter into that reft, left any man fall, after the fame example of unbelief, as the Ifraelites." "With many of them. God was difpleafed, and they were overthrown in the wilderness," and never en-: tered Canaan. Wherefore, "let him that thinks he ftands, take heed left he fall." Let us not luft after evil things, as they lufted; nor be covetous and eager in our defires of earthly enjoyments; for God may, as in their cafe, "grant our requeft, and fend leannefs into our fouls." Let us not idolize this world, nor indulge any criminal paffions, nor tempt Chrift, left we be destroyed, as they were. Let our converfation be in heaven; and let the believing views of it reconcile us to this wearifome pilgrimage, and comfort us under all our forrows. A few ftages more, and we Ahall make a final remove to the heavenly land, of which it may be faid, more truly than of Canaan, that it is the glory of all lands:"-Indeed, Jordan is in the way; death's cold flood divideth this good land from the wilderness. But that God who hath

hath led us hitherto, and is our God forever, will be our guide unto death, and through it, and make our paffage fafe and comfortable. And, when we are once got through it, all forrows, dangers and fears are forever over. All our wants will be fupplied, and all our defires and hopes infinitely exceeded. There we fhall fee reason to acknowledge, as a holy man did juft before he expired, that he believed he could not have gone to heaven without every affliction which he had endured. Come on, then, my fellow-pilgrims, and let not our fouls, like Ifrael's, be difcouraged becaufe of the way;" but "give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever: to him who leadeth his people through the wilderness; for his mercy endureth forever." Amen.

DISCOURSE