The First Maxime.

BY the Church visible is meant either a particular Church, or the collective general Church. That any particular Church may be deserted, and totally exterminated, either by means of persecution, or in progress of time by its own proper defection from the faith, and Orthodox truth of Christ, appears by these Arguments;

First, the Word of God asserts it, Hos. 2. 3. Jer. 7. 12, 14▪ 15. Rev. 2. 5. and 3. 16.

2. Experience confirms it in the Churches of Corinth, Ephesus, Laodicea, Jerusalem, and many other instances, God having long since removed his golden Candlestick from them.

3. There can no special Promise of Priviledge or exemption be shewed to secure any particular Church from this danger.

Again, By the Church visible may be meant the colle­ctive or general Church upon earth, which are all the par­ticular Churches consider'd together: And of this the Pro­position is also meant in some sort, that it may come to pass that all the external particular visible Churches may as to common apprehension, fall away from the true Worship of God by a general Cataclysme; so as that the whole visible [Page 6] Church of Christ here upon earth may seem to be cast off, and forsaken of God and abolished. Proofs of this:

First, Under the Old Testament the Prophets bewailed such defections and desertions. The Church being reduced to so obscure a State and Condition, as that no outward and visible face of the Church appeared in publike any where; neither were the Members of the true Church able to dis­cern one another, as in the dayes of Elias, 1 Kin. 19, 14.

Arg. 2. Under the Gospel we finde, That Christ and his Apostles have foretold, that many should fall from the Faith, yea, that there should be a general Apostasie and falling away, 2 Thes. 2. 3. And so strong should the defection be, as that, if it were possible, the Elect themselves should fall a­way, Matth. 24. 24. And when the Son of Man should come he should scarce finde faith on the earth, Luke 18. 8. A Caution. Yet notwithstanding it can never be that all the particular societies and Churches should be really extinguished, and utterly corrupted, and laid aside from the true Worship of God; but that alway God will keep some true worshippers▪ more or less, whose assemblies, though obscure, doth consti­tute a true Church for the promise of Christ shall preserve the Church from utter and reall extirpation, Matth. 16. 18.

The Second Maxime.

THe hiding of Gods face implies three things: First, The with-holding of his gracious Spirit in Counsel, that should direct us what is best to be done, and in what manner to do it, and a want of his fostering grace that should help [Page 7] us to do all things: in our straits God seems incogitant of us, asleep and taking no great notice of our distresses, fears, fasts prayers, changes, designs that are carried on. As when God refused to answer Saul when he asked counsel: Or to give the Church any tokens of his presence, any Prophets that couldPsal. 77. 9. tell them how long the affliction should endure.

2. The hiding of Gods face implies, the delivering up of a people to strong delusions, violent temptations; a giving them up to their own hearts lusts and counsels, that they might eat the fruit of their own doings, Prov 1. 30, 31. and Satans delu­sions: As in Ahabs case, God delivering him up and his Coun­cel to the suggestion of a lying spirit, that he might fall at Ra­moth Gilead in battel.

3. It implies, great displeasure in Gods heart against a people All three Persons in the blessed Trinity deelaring against them, as a people turned off and divorced, who are no longer in league with him, 2 Chr. 15. 2. Deut. 31. 16, 17. Hos. 1. 9, 8, 7, 6. The Father counting them a burthen upon his heart until he be eas­ed of them, Isa. 1. 24. He will hear no intercessor for them, Jer. 15. 1. He will cast them out of his sight, and not suffer them to stand any longer before him, Jer. 15. 1. Yea, he will appoint them to several fearful judgements, v. 2. He will at length scat­ter them abroad into other Kingdomes and places, v. 4. and will harden the hearts of men against them in their Captivity, that none shall pity them, v. 5. Christ the staff of beauty is bro­ken over their heads, they have no benefit from Jesus Christ and his Intercession and blood to keep the peace between God and them any longer; their names are in a manner crossed out of Christs Ephod, He puts off those sweet names and gracious titles of High Priest, King, Elder Brother, Husband, Saviour, Advocate; and puts on terrible names and marches out a­gainst them upon his Fathers Commission. He calls himself a furious teased Lion, Hos. 5. 14, 15. that will tear and none shall dare rescue them. A Leopard for subtilty, Hosea 13. 7. [Page 8] to catch them unawares; a Bear bereft of her whelps, vers. 8. that shall devour with fury; a piercing East­winde, vers. 15. that shall dry up root and branch; a con­suming fire, Psal. 18. 8. A cruel archer, Lament. 3. 12, 13. a resolute terrible enemie, Ezek. 21. 3, 4, 5, to 15. Lastly, the Spirit of God dis-owns them: 1. He ceases to strive with them by inward counsels upon their hearts. 2. He fights a­gainst them, testifying out of Gods Word and by his Mini­sters, and every Judgement perpetually against them. 3. By witnessing in heaven against them; for as it is the Spirits office to witness sometimes for us, so upon this occasion he bears witness against us; as he intercedes sometimes with us, so now he cryes and groans against us, Hebr. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. this makes God swear solemnly that he will destroy such a people for grieving so kinde a Messenger.

Thus Desertion appears to be a hiding of Gods face; three Circumstances yet remain in the definition to be opened.

Its a hiding of Gods face from a people generally: every cloud upon the Sun that shadows our place does not make night, but when the Sun is down, and all the Horizon in eve­ry point obscured, then 'tis night: So afflictions or Gods hiding his face from some particular soul does not make a deserti­on of the Church; but when it is general, a damp upon every family, upon all ranks and conditions, Cities, Coun­tries, then 'tis a plain desertion, as these places of Scripture testifie, Isai. 9. 19, 20, 21. and 10. v. 22, 23. Isai. 1. 5. 6. 4.T [...] D [...] si [...] 7, 8, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.

Again, it is not the close of Gods favour or hiding of his face in some degree that layeth a people in this forlorn estate, but Desertion is a loss of grace and favour in an eminent de­gree, high dis-favour, a leaving them to be exercised with great afflictions: the absence of a Nurse from the Child is not straightway a forsaking of it, or a letting it fall as Me­phibosheths Nurse did him, but a casting it out of her arms as [Page 9] Hagar did Ishmael, and going away that she might not see it die: At the beginning God was but lightly displeased with Saul, but at last he finds that God had forsaken him, and de­livered him up to an evil spirit; at first God lightly repro­ved the people of Israel by his Prophets, but they taking no notice, God leaves them wholly in their enemies hands, as the Prophet Zecharie notes, Zech. 1. 4, 5, 6. Or else we may count upon it that Desertion comes on by degrees, as God was noted to go out from before the Che­rubims and stand upon the threshold, and from the threshold of the Sanctuary to a mountain neer the Citie, and at last quite away; so God deserts his people not all of a sudden, but as a gracious father loath to depart, he forsakes by little and little, warning them to repent, but if our heart grows hard, his heart hardens too, till he have at last cast off his people.

The third and last Circumstance is, That it is for a long season. Desertion is a hiding of Gods face, not for a short space, as it was upon Achans sin in Joshuahs time, but for ma­ny years together, as it was upon Israels sin in Samuels time, 1 Sam. 7. 2. Hosea 2. 2. to 13. Thus was Israel left for seven­ty years together in their captivity.

The Third Maxime.

THe first Essential Note of a true visible Church (agreed upon by all men) is the pure, faithful preaching of the Word of God; for if you abide in my word, saith our Saviour, then are you my disciples indeed, John 10. 27. therefore the Church is said to be built upon the foundation of the Prophets [Page 10] and Apostles, that is upon the Doctrine and truth delivered by the Prophets and Apostles, Eph. 2. 20. and the Church is hereby defined; Coetus in quo verbum Dei purè praedicatur est vera Ecclesia, quemadmodum è converso; now in times of desertion the Scriptures and written Word of God are reject­ed2 Chron. 15. 2, 3, 5, 6. Rev. 2. 14, 15, 16, 20. for a rule, and self inventions and carnal policies take place; the pure cleer truths of the Word wrested and baffled or put off by Governors and their people, and a false word and rule accepted of; the kingdom of God resisted that it cannot take place, and false errors spread boldly and connived at, there being no publike profession and Church-agreement in the Articles of Faith and Religion.

The Second Essential Note of a true Church that enjoys communion with God is, That therein the holy Sacraments are purely and faithfully administred▪ For Christ hath not onely left a word to be taught his Disciples, but for their con­firmation in a greater measure in the truth, hath annext cer­tain visible rites which are used as certain [...] or Seals which are appendent to his Word. For the Writing and Seals put together give us the greater confidence in Christ in whom are the Promises. When therefore these Seals are dis­pensed religiously, according to Christs holy institution in the Churches, then it argues, they are the true Churches of Christ to all the world; but when these are laid aside or vitiated and corrupted wilfully, then will God desert his people; for thisRev. 2. 4, 5. and 3. v. 15, 16, 19, 20, 21. Reason it was that God accounted the shame of Egypt, to be upon his people, until at Gilgal they rouled it away by re­newing the Sacrament of Circumcision; there being no mark of God more upon them before, then was upon the Egyptians.

The Third Note of a true Church of Christ is, That Eu­taxia or Holy Discipline that Christ hath instituted for the cutting off of scandalous offenders and fostering of the true babes of Christ in all grace. Wherefore where Ecclesiasti­cal Discipline is rightly dispensed according to the Canons of [Page 11] Christ and his Apostles, there is an evident note of a true Church: but where this is laid aside, it notes out a Synagogue of Satan rather then a Church of Christ: in Christs flock his lambs are tractable and willing to be disciplined; but wild Wolvs and Asses are not easily held and tamed. In times there­fore of desertion this sweet and holy power of Christ is count­edPsal. 2. 3, 5, [...]9. bonds, and broke asunder, and flung off by the rude mul­titude: the government that was laid upon Christs shoulder, Isai. 9. 6. is took off him, and a reed put into his hands, and a crown of thorns on his head; and that holy rule, that should take place in the house of God, [...] 1 Cor. 14. 42. is counted an abridgement of liberty too in­tollerable, so that in stead of order confusion takes place ge­nerally.

The Fourth Maxime.

SAd accidents upon the Magistrates at such times: 1. Good Magistrates are soon taken away, and have but a short time, Judg. 2. 7. to 15. 2 Kings 23. 25, 26, 27, 29. 2. As God takes away good hopeful Governors so he sets worse in their room, wicked, ignorant, profane men, and oppressors, Isai. 3. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Idol shepherds that take no care of the flock, Zech. 11. 15, 16, 17. Ezek. 21. 25, 26, 27. 3^d. Sad Acci­dent: That the wisest designs and fabricks of Governors that are framed for the good of the Common-wealth are emi­nently opposed and frustrated; so that their labor is in the fire, Hab. 2. 13. and like the moulding of potters clay that is soon broke to pieces again, Isai. 29. 15, 16. 4. Sad Accident, That [Page 12] The wise designs of Governors are turned about by the hand of God to burthen, distress, and undo the people whose welfare was consulted by them, 2 Chron. 28. 20, 21. Jer. 46. 17. 16. 1 [...]. Job 18. 7, 8. Lam. 4. 17. 5. The Magi­strates power prestringed, shortned, disallowed, denied, slight­ed, at least-wise in matters of Religion, 2 Chron. 30. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Psal. 2. 2, 3. 6. The great and frequent changes from vessel to vessel, from one governor to another, from one sort of government to another; as in Israel, from Jeroboams family to Baasha, and from Baasha to captain Zimri, and from Zimri to captain Omri, and then to captain Jehu's family, then to Shallum, then to Menahem, then to Pekah, then to Hoshea, and at last to Salmanasar King of Assyria that carried Israel captive: In Judah also it came to pass in like manner, from Jehoahaz the government was transfer'd to Eliakim, from Eliakim to Zedekiah, from Zedekiah to Gedaliah, Ish­mael, Johanan, and at length to the Grecians and Romans.

Upon the other Ordinance of the Ministry these sad acci­dents also are visible in times of desertion: 1. The visions of Gods Word are suspended, the Spirit of God much with­drawn, and the Spirit of error and delusion sent abroad, Hos. 3. 4. Isai. 29. 10, 11, 12. 1 John 2. 18, 19. 2^d. Sad acci­dent, Faithful Pastors are removed into corners, and greatly persecuted and forsaken, Isai. 30. 20. Gal. 1. 6. 3. Their counsel not hearkned to Zech. 1. 4. 1 Sam. 10. 8. compared with Chap. 13. v. 7, 8, to 14. 4. Their Reproofs ill taken, and requited with wranglings, law-suits, ill-usage, Isaiah 29. 21. 5. Their persons and office wronged, contemned, de­nied, 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16, 17. 6. Their Power in Church­government slighted, rejected, 2 Peter 2. 10, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. Psal. 2. 2, 3. Jude 4, 8, 10, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19.

The Fifth Maxime.

FIrst, abominable corruptions appear in Courts of Justice, and great Councils of the Land: Gods Vine yeelded him but wild grapes, Isai. 5. 4. He looked for judgment but behold oppression, for righteousness but behold a cry, vers. 7. Then he decrees to take away the hedge of the Vineyard, and break down the wall thereof, and lay his vine waste, that it should not be pruned nor digged any more, but choaked with briars and thorns that grew about it and over-top'd it; then he commands the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Now Justice fails either in the Legislative power, or the executive power of a Kingdom these wayes: First, in the Legislative power of the Kingdom, when the power that should extend it self in making of necessary Laws for the relief of the oppressed, is restrained; therefore in all difficult cases Moses allowed the Judges to come to him, and he through the Counsel of God made additional Laws, as occasion required, Deut. 1. 17. and 17. v. 8. to 14. Numb. 27. 1, &c. otherwise justice had failed.

Secondly, When unjust Laws are continued or corrupt Ex­positions of good Laws go for Presidents uncontrolled, which ought timely to be reformed least Oppression it self be made a Law.

Thirdly, When fundamental constitutions in Courts of Justice are ill laid, Officers being either exorbitant or de­fective, Charges and Fees too great; Juries made in a mixt way of good and bad men, ignorant and unable to judge in difficult cases; Parties not suffered to speak for themselves [Page 14] whereby many righteous causes have been betraid and over­thrown, Places of Justice set to sale, and the like.

In the Executive power likewise: First, When Judges, Iu­stices and Magistrates put off the complaints of the oppressed for want of gifts, not willing to move for their relief with­out hire, whereas they are bound to help them readily upon complaint, Exod. 23. 8. Deut. 16. 19. Isai. 1. 23. Secondly, When Judges and Magistrates, Counsellors, Juries, and all conspire together to overthrow a righteous cause for filthie lucre sake, Micah 3. 11. Ezek. 22. 12. Deut. 27. 25. this hath a solemn Curse upon it, Isai. 5. 23. Thirdly, When Justice is delayed beyond what is meet, after that the cause hath been throughly heard, by shifts and tricks of Law, to toil and wea­ry the oppressed in seeking their right, Hab. 1. 2, 3, 4. Isai. 59. 14. Fourthly, When through favour, or affection, or by-re­spects a wrong doer is acquitted, and let go unpunished; Jer. 5. 28. 1 Kings 40. 42. 5. When a wicked person is not onely connived at and spared, but also assoiled as guilt­less, and justified in Court, Prov. 17. 15. and 24. 24.

Again, When False-Worships, Errors, Lukewarmness, over-spreads the Churches. 1. Either when Idolatry, Su­perstition, and False worships are allowed of, or connived at, Judg. 2. 10, 12, 13, 14, 15. 2. When there is a great de­fection from the true Worship of God, and drawing off from Gods Ordinances and holy Church-fellowship. Princes and Nobles giving no example of obedience and zeal for the wor­ship of God in their own persons and families, nor putting forth their authority for encouraging the service of God. And the people (a few scattered ones only excepted) generally re­volted from the Gospel-worship, and cold and indifferent about religion Rev. 3. 15, 16. both in publike and private. 3. When abominable destructive Errors and Heresies are spread abroad and take with men, Rev. 2. 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23.

The sixth Maxime.

GRace decays. First, in the Principle of life; the Holy Spirit with-holding his counsels, quicknings, sweet mo­tions and gracious strivings. 2. Grace decays in its vivaci­ty and working, so that men are not so vigorous for God, and ready to good works and cheerful in duties as they were. 3. Grace decays in the extent, when Love grows cold to­wards God and our brethren: Faith is scarce to be found, men are difficult in receiving Gospel-truths and Gospel-commands that are of great importance, the word not made a rule, nor savorie in its precious consolations. No delightful expectati­on of Christs appearing; zeal for God very rare, and low; and little delight in communion with God. 4. Grace decays in its effects. 1. When there is not much comfort in mens spi­rits but doubts, fears, wounds, scars, complaints. 2. When Satan takes courage against Christians, and comes on with great wrath and violence, as a Conqueror when he fees his enemies give ground, and cast away their shields comes on with power. 3. Christians are like foolish Virgins drowsie and unprepared for Christs coming.

Sin grows ripe, Gen. 6. 5. 7. 11▪ 12, 13. 1. Sin grows ripe, when the root is come to its full magnitude; now the root of sin is the love of sin; when men allow themselves in their sin, and hate him and persecute him that reproves him in the gate, having a fixed purpose to go on their way, whatsoever God and his Spirit and Ministers say against it. 2. Sin grows ripe when the branches are many and large; great enormous crimes are the branches of sin, great pride, and vain glorious pomp and state, greedy coveting of worldly things; oppressi­on [Page 16] of the poor, and afflicted, rioting, and high jollitie joyned with an insensibleness of the sad judgments of God abroad, and the afflictions of Gods distressed Joseph; profanation of the Sabbath, contempt of Gods Word, and counsel of his faithful Ministers; persecution of the godly, Isai 5. 8, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. Levit. 26. 14, 15, 34, 35, 43. 2 Chron. 26. 15, 16, 17, &c. Luke 21. 12, 16, 17. Amos 6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. 3. Sin grows ripe, when its pestilential shadow spreads large over all sorts and conditions of men, Court and Country, Prince and Prophets, Cities, Universities, Courts of justice, and Councels of the Nation, killing by its dead­ly quality every plant that is set under it. 4. Sin grows ripe, when its fruit grows mellow, men being imboldned in sin and facilitated to it to commit sin with ease, and without check of conscience, steeled against the reproofs of God, taking up a resolution of Sceler a sceleribus tuenda. Old monstrous ex­ploded sins and errors being revived amongst men.

Judgments are augmented: God begins his reproof of Na­tions with easier judgements at first, and then raises them higher and higher, making one take what the other left, God sometimes rises by seven fold, Levit. 26. 16. to 39. Joel 1, 2,Mat. 24 8. 7. 6. Isai. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8. Judges 8. 32. 3. Hos. 3. 4. 3, 4, 6, 7. Luke 21. 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. fa­mines, droughts, deluges, want of free-trading with forreign Nations, sickness, pestilences, upon men and beasts, earth­quakes, fire, windes, in the civil state great mutations in the government for the worse not for the better, civil wars, tu­mults, Anarchy, forreign invasions. At length Desolation is decreed: when a people will not bow to God, they must needs break at length, Zeph 2. 2. &c. Luke 21. 20, 24. Isai. 1. 7, 8, 28, 29, 30, 31.

The Church is dissolved; the Church is the citie wherein God is said to dwell, and when that is dissolved God is de­parted, Hebr. 12. 22. Zech. 2. 5, &c. Or else through con­tinual wastings it is reduced to a small number, Micah 7. 1. 2.

The seventh Maxime.

NOw what more sad and dreadful condition can people fall into then to be forsaken of God, and yet it is hard for us to be convinced that we are under such a condition, or going apace into it: First, because it comes on gradually; Gods departure is not altogether of a suddain, but by little and little, and therefore the more insensible; the Lord notes it in his people when he tels them, that gray hairs are here and there upon them, and yet they could not be perswaded that they grew old because old age had crept upon them by little and little; yea, God had set fire round about them, and burnt them up, yet they did not feel themselves hurt.

A second Reason is, Men take up with the outward enjoy­ment of some Ordinances in a formality, and are contented with a little Religion, so that as long as they have something left of Religion they are well enough contented; the Calves in Dan and Bethel served Israels turn, as well as the true wor­ship of God at Jerusalem, and in Judah; they cryed, the Tem­ple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, at the very last, think­ing they were well enough, because they had a little form and outside of Religion left.

3. The more God draws off from us, the greater our insen­sibleness [Page 18] grows; and therefore we cannot discern Gods depar­ture for want of a sensible heart.

4. Some mens portion is still fat, and they want not for mirth and all fulness, and therefore they think all is well; this temptation is apt to hold those that are in great power and places, as it did Zedekiah and his Princes, and the Lords of the Philistines when they delayed and sent the Ark about from citie to citie, thinking all that mortality was but a chance, and all that while it reach'd not unto them it was well enough.

5. Reas. Some men are intangled in their own particular troubles and interests, as they cannot be at leasure to think how it is with the publike and Church of God: Thus a strange stupiditie grows upon the hearts of men, and the farther they go off from God, the more miserable and more insensible of their misery.

The Lord convince us, the Lord who onely can deal with a heart of stone, and pull it out of our bosomes, when it passes all the art of Men and Angels; the Lord, I say, convince us before it be too late, and state this case aright: How is it with us! How it is between us and him? Doubt­less it would be the greatest point of our wisdom to inquire into the truth of this our present case, which though sadly hinted at now and then by the gracious and faithful Ministers of this age, yet has not hitherto been stated ex professo by any; We want not, Oh blessed be God, that yet we want not faithful able Prophets and Seers that would give counsel from the Lord, and shew us how great our danger is, and what is to be applied as a Remedie, unless we mean to let all go for lost, and past recovery. Thus they said in Jeremies time, There is no hope, there is no remedy, past cure; and in Samuels Jer. 2. 25. time, though they had wise and godly Ministers of the Sanctu­ary, and a Prophet, so singular a Prophet, as that Samuel was, by whom God spake so evidently, yet asked they not after the Lord in his time for 20 yeers together. O ye vigilant Shepherds of Gods people, ye Princes and Ministers of the Church of God, see you to this betimes, for it chiefly concerns [Page 19] you, for verily in times of Desertion, the heaviest blowes of Gods displeasure in general judgments are most sure to fall up­on you, if you sit careless and mindless of the flock in this condition: Woe to the idle Shepherd that regardeeh not the state of the flock, the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his righe eye, his arm shall be clean dryed up; and his right eye shall be utterly darkned, saith the Lord. Alas! how ma­nyZech. 11. 17. men had not died if they had not been over confident of their life; and how many goodly Kingdomes and Churches had not been over-thrown, if they had not been secure when the mighty hand of God was lifted up against them, this is our temper we know not our time. Man knoweth not his time (saith Solomon) but like as the fish is caught in an evil net because he knoweth not his time: so is man; he takes not his time to avoid the danger that is gathering about him.

What is our case? is it nothing to us? all this that hath been spoken, is it nothing to us? Ah, I wish heartily it did not at all concern mine own Country; may that ever be the blessed aboad of Gods presence and never be forsaken; but is it in truth nothing to us? like Nathans parable to David doleful story, but nothing to him until the Prophet said, Thou art the man. Then give me leave, O beloved England, and dear Christian brethren, give me leave in very faithfulness and love, and deerest love, and dolour of my very heart to say, that that is the case of this afflicted Land and Nation. We have surely been under a great measure of Desertion al­ready, and what the end will be, I dread to think; its true, we are not yet wholly given up, but yet I grieve to say, we are far gone, and promise our selves better times then I see ground for. Look back upon the years that are past; for these thirty years together and more, how little of God hath beene in our Civil and Ecclesiastical Councels? Yea, what a conspi­racy was there in that Kings Reign, by prostituting the Word, Sacraments and Sabbaths of God, and abusing and banishing the Godly Ministers of the Land? What a conspiracy was [Page 20] there to drive God out of the Land, and the purity and power of true Religion, and set up Superstition and profancness? and certainly there hath been a great miss of Gods presence, even in the great Councels of the Nation in these latter times. Some­times God hath stirred up the spirit of his faithful Ministers, who delivered the mind of God to them, as appears by several Sermons upon record against this generation; but their com­plaints have not been hearkened to, they turned away the shoulder even to this day, and have not accepted of the King­dom of God offered to them: Go search through the Tribes of our Israel, and see how small the number is of those that bear up a profession of Christs name, but generally how opposite are the people of the Land to the work of Reformation? which in­deed is the very great work that Christ calls for in these dayes if we mean to prevent our ruine that cometh on fast upon us. This I have noted, as a fatal mark upon a people and genera­tion a little before their destruction, that God said of them, They would none of my Counsel, they despised all my reproof, they put out the eyes of their very Seers, and said to their Seers, see not, and to the Prophets prophecy not; now how are a people like to have the counsel of God, when they say (as that wretched Ahab) of their Prophets, They hate us and will prophecy no good bus evil to us; they cry down the advice of holy Ministers and Church councels, as needless, by whom if by any upon earth, God uses to send his counsel to the nations, then to be sure the destruction of that people is nigh, God is not amongst them; They dig deep; saith the Lord, to hide their counsels from me, and when they cry I will not hear.

Again, how have we been delivered up to our own counsels, and toiled in our own devices, and carried about with the fierce tempest of strong temptations through manifold mutations back and forth, which wise states-men use to observe as a fore­running cause of the overthrow of Republikes, as Physicians do also of their sick men, when they cry, carry me from bed to bed for I find no ease, then is death nigh: Thus are we toiled [Page 21] till our hearts be almost broken, and no one knows what to do, or what to advise poor Sion crying out, is there none of my sons that I have brought up that is able to help me? Divisions, ca­vellings, self-seeking have toffed men about like light chaffe in a whirle-wind. How has the whole blessed Trinity groaned over us and stirred with great indignation against us. The Father ca­sting off his people, as if they were a burthen upon his heart; reaching as if he would spue them out of his mouth into other lands, yea out of the land of the living, throwing thousands and hundreds of thousands into the grave. How has the Lord Christ watched like a Lion, and like a Leopard, and catched the very choice ones of the flock and rent them in pieces? How has the Spirit striven and reproved this people till he be now almost wea­ry? for methinks I see that blessed and most active Spirit sitting down and saying, I will strive no more, if they will be a lost peo­ple let them be lost, I have done, I have done with them, the work of conversion shall cease, let the world now make converts of them and their posterity.

Again, Note how generally hath the wrath of the Lord gone through the land even almost to make a full end: what County, what City or Country, what family in these three Nations hath not tasted of the bitter cup of Gods displeasure; and that too in a very terrible manner, yea and for a long season too? Wrath hath been climbing higher and higher, even for these 30 years, and if the ancient ones might speak, perhaps they would set the account higher.

Look upon the three great marks of the Church of Christ upon earth, and see how they are clouded and darkned: How is the word slighted, dis-savour'd, quenched? The holy Sacra­ments thrown by and fled from, as if the flesh of Christ were not our meat, but our bane, and we could be better without it. The peace and order and Government of the Church broken to shivers and cast off, so that unless I look into some by-corners of the Nation, here and there, I can scarce find the splinters and relickes of the true notes of the holy Church of Christ amongst [Page 22] us. O sad word; what are we declining to after all our profes­sions, vowes declarations? what will we fall off from the Church of Christ like withered leaves in winter, will we banish our selves, exclude our selves, flie from the sweet and precious spouse of Christ, and mother that bare us, and paps that gave us suck? Look farther yet upon the Ordinances of Magistracy and Ministry and look with wakeing eyes, and with sighing hearts: are these become as dead corps, a liveless Effigies, little vigour, and ho­nour and power in them? do they lye in thy streets. O Sodom, like the slain witnesses, fitter for the grave then for the Throne, whiles the profane ones make merry with the liberty they have, and in­sult over them as those, that whiles they had the power of God were bonds and cords to them and tormented them. What sad breakings have our eyes seen upon Parliaments, and Princes, and Councels, as if the Lord did say, in vain do you trust in broken cisterns when you have forsook the cistern of liv­ing water. We have had a little hope sometimes, and said, but now we hope God hath provided faithful zealous magistrates for his people, and painful ministers, but how soon hath God turned his hand and took them away again? yea how soon have they turned their hearts and said, we have no power in the things of God, if the Lord be God he will plead for himself? See and acknowledg what checks have been set against many good pur­poses of repairing the breaches of the Nation, and setling the Government thereof in righteousness, when we are carried back again into Egypt almost. Look upon our Courts of Justice and wisest Councels of the Nation, and do not they answer the distres­sed as that King of Israel, Alas! if God do not help we cannot help; is there not a great cry of the oppressed in the land, surely God hears it. What luke-warmness and indifferency upon the Churches? the best complain of decay of vigour for God, of the growth of sin, of the continuance of judgments; as that poor people so are we, we roare like bears and mourn like doves. Yea lastly, consider, hath not God wrote dreadful characters in the heavens and earth, enough to make the stoutest spirited Belshazer [Page 23] tremble if he had any sense left, and do not we yet conclude of our danger? What is it that bears up our hopes? What Obj. 1 would we object; would we say, we hope no such danger? for God has set up amongst us godly magistrates and ministers now adayes? Blessed be God for them; but yet this argues not but that there has been a great desertion upon the land aforetime, and even yet also it may continue: God set up godly Magistrates in the raign of Josiah over Judah, and yet their desolation and captivity was not prevented.

But there is some little work of reformation begun, and there­fore Obj. 2 we hope God means not to cast off the Nation.

So it was in Josiahs time likewise, and Zedekiahs time there was a very glorious work begun by Josiah, and the worship of God set up with more solemnity ten times then now a dayes; Prince and people joyning like one man in that blessed work, and yet it prevented not their ruine; whereas the reformation a­mongst us is so little, and the opposition so eminent; that I must say, that even for this, for the very discouraging and opposing of the kingdome of God amongst us, we deserve to be all ruined to­gether. Oh! tell it not in Gath and publ [...]sh it not in Ashkelon, least the uncircumci ed of the Nations mock at our shame, for what Nation has had God so nigh them, offer'd to them in his Gospel, and invited by so many great salvations, and answer of prayers in our calamity, as this Nation of England, and yet we do not own God as he expects, which makes him go on in a course of judgments amongst us still.

But God has done well for his people in these sad times; casting Obj. 3 out their enemies that sought their subversion and the subver­sion of the true Worship of God, and giving his people liberty in their profession, and exalting them in the room of those that held them in bondage, and therefore we hope these are not times of desertion.

I answer two ways to this Objection: First, that it is usual with God thus to do in times of general desertion, to minde in a special manner his poor peoples good; when he leaves other things to the [Page 24] plunder, yet at that time he makes up his jewels, and hides them in a safe place: when he strikes at all, yet he knows where his blowsMal. 3. 5. fall, and he lays the heavier end of his staff upon his foes, whiles his children crowd under his arm, and least there should be any mi­stake, he sets a mark in their foreheads too, that he may be sure to make a difference. But yet because they are spared, it does not argue that others were not beaten, and because he passes by their door posts, it cannot be said there was no general plague in Egypt. This is the very thing that God aims at in general desertions, to refine his people thereby, and so to settle their peace; see Isai. 5. 13. compared with 17. When God had said, Therefore my people are gone into captivity because they have no knowledge, and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst; but what, is it so with Gods own choice people, doth the Lord make no difference? Note what follows, Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste places of the fat ones shall strangers eat: it does not follow therefore, that it is no time of desertion upon the Land, because God provides well for his people at such time.

Again, take another answer, The desertion may not be yet o­ver, it may fall heavy, though you have been spared hitherto, your turn may come next, and the sooner because of your ingratitude, unfruitfulness and security under judgments; nay if you come in the room of those that God cast out before you, and sin even as they, it shall be worse with you then with them, as God threat­ned his people when he dis-possessed the Amorites to make room for Israel. Now ah! doth not your apostasie and lukewarmness, yea coldness in love and zeal, and drawing back from holy fellow­ship and Gospel precious Ordinances? yea, doth not oppression, pride, worldliness, hardness of heart, and loosness, and other abo­minable filthiness of Sodom, witness against you that profess bet­ter things? therefore I fear there will come a time wherein those also shall have their share. Hear ye that are afar off, what I have done saith the Lord, and ye that are near acknowledge my might. The sinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprized the [Page 25] hypocrites: Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly, he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of Isai. 33. bribes, that stoppeth his ear from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evill: He shall dwell on high, his place of de­fence shall be the munitions of rocks, bread shall be given him, his waters shall be sure.

But this is your opinion onely; who is there of those famous Object. 4 Lights and godly Ministers yet among us, that is of this judg­ment, for in the mouth of two or three witnesses every truth is established? But what Witnesses joyn with you in this: That the State of the Church hath been for many yeers, and yet is a State of Desertion?

Indeed I must confess I have not met with any that have ex Answ. professo stated this case, and therefore I had many waverings in my self in undertaking of it, and to say truth, I had never ad­ventured upon it, had not the Lord put the little book into my mouth and made me eat it before I published it; mybelly was made bitter with the disgust thereof, for so it pleased the Lord, first to lead me by the irresistible terrible hand of his soveraignty against much reluctancy of my spirit through this sad and doleful con­dition that I might have experience of Gods dealing herein, and be more sensible of the Churches case. Now the light that the Lord had communicated to my heart, I durst not set under a bushel, for God seems to require it of me, and if I should with-hold it, in the consciousness of mine own infirmity, it would be to my pe­ril. I know it is a sceptical age wherein we live, and the plainest truths of God are cavell'd at, and hard to be received, yet whe­ther men will hear, or whether they will forbear, God uses to give warning by his faithful Ministers, with whom his secret is, and I beseech the Lord to give his own people understanding, that they may know the thoughts and counsel of his heart there­in. And yet I think the Lord has not put me forth singly upon this work neither; but whiles I was thus fluctuating amongst [Page 26] many discouragements, it pleased God to bring to my hand pro­videntially the testimonies of several godly precious Ministers of this age (which has indeed abounded with many) collaterally abetting this truth, and strengthning my hands, as Ezekiel did Jerem [...]ah, preaching the like word.