The possiblity of Gods forsaking a people, that have been visibly near & dear to him together, with the misery of a people thus forsaken, set forth in a sermon, preached at Weathersfield, Nov. 21, 1678. Being a day of fast and humiliation. / By Mr. Joseph Rowlandson Pastor of the church of Christ there. ; Being also his last sermon. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]

The possiblity of Gods forsaking a people, that have been visibly near & dear to him together, with the misery of a people thus forsaken, set forth in a sermon, preached at Weathersfield, Nov. 21, 1678. Being a day of fast and humiliation. / By Mr. Joseph Rowlandson Pastor of the church of Christ there. ; Being also his last sermon. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]

Table of contents

Title page

To the Courteous READER, (especially the Inhabitants of the Town of Weathersfield, and Lancaster, in New-England.

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Ieremiah 23.33.

And when this People, or the Prophet, or a Priest, shall ask thee, sa [...]ing, what is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say unto them, what burden? I will even forsake you; saith the Lord.

IN the Words, there lies before us, (First) A Question, supposed, to be propounded, wherein there is two things: 1. The Questionists, this People, or a Prophet, or a Priest. 2. The Question it self, or the matter of it, What is the burden of the Lord? (Secondly,) There is an Answer, and a solemn Answer too, which is put into his mouth by the Lord, and which he is to return as the Lords Answer to the Question? thou shalt then say unto them, what burden? I will even forsake you, saith the Lord.

In which Answer there is three things.

1. An expression of Indignation, What burden?

[Page]2. An assertion by way of Answer to the question, I will forsake you.

3. A Seal of ratification, in the last words, Saith the Lord.

God having before de [...]lt with the Pastors that did destroy, and scatter the flock, as in the beginn [...]ng of the Chapter, Wo be to the Pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, & ver 2 I will vi [...]t upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord, and also with the false Prophets, that prop [...]ied lies in his Name, as ver. 9. My heart within [...] is broken [...]cause of the Prophets, & ver. 32. Behold I am against them, that prophesie false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my [...] to [...] by their lies, and by their lightness: which [...]re of Prophets w [...]nt without their Commission as ver. 21. I have not sent th [...]se Prophets yet they [...]an. He proceeds from the head Rulers, to the people that were seduced by them: for b [...] this m [...]ans their hands were strengthen [...]d [...], so as that they did not retu [...]n from their wickedne [...]s, as ver 14. It was a usual thing for the Prop [...]ets of the Lord, to begin their Sermons (the matter whereof was minatory, wherein the Lord threatned them with just judgements) with that Phrase, the burden of the Lord, [...] will easily appear [...] you consult, Isai. 13.1. & [...]5 1▪ & 22 1. & 30▪ 6 Now they do in the words of the Te [...]t o [...] [...]re supposed in moc [...]ery [...] demand, what burden he had from the Lord▪ for them.

[Page]For the opening of the words. And: or moreover because he here enters upon new matter: [...] People, or the proph [...]ne sort of th [...]m, whom the false Prophets had seduced to which he joyns the Prophet, and the Priest, in h [...] they were alike prophane, as ver. 11. for both Prophet and Priest are prophane, yea in my house ▪ saith the Lord: and when Prophets are prophane there is [...]ore to be a pack of them, as Jer 5.31. The Prophets prophesies falsly, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so: shall ask thee saying, viz. in a deriding way, not out of a holy end, or desire, What is the burden of the Lord? or from the Lord? so were the Prophesies stiled, that contained in them, Threatnings, Judgements, and Plagues, 2 King. 9 25. as if they had said, what hast thou further mischief in [...] head to declare? further Woes and Threatnings to pronounce? hast thou nothing else to prophesie, [...] Mischief and Calamity? What is the burden [...] Thou shalt then say unto them, the Lord [...] what they would say to him, and tells him what he should say, by way of reply, What burden? a retorting by way of holy indignation; ask ye indeed what burden? and that in a way [...] [...] sion? are you of that strain, and spirit? I will even forsake you saith the Lord a burden heavy enough, and you [...]e like to feel it so ere long▪ heavy enough to break your Backs, to break your Church, and your Common wealth, and to [Page] sink your haughty Spirits, when this Burden shall come upon you, in its force and weight.

Doct. That the Lord may even forsake a People that have been near to him, and he hath been near to, though for the Lord thus to do, is as fearful and [...]deous a judgement as can be inflicted on any People.

The Doctrine is double, it hath two parts:

First, That the Lord may do thus.

Secondly, When he doth, it is a very sad and heavy burden. It may be prosecuted as two distinct points.

1. God may forsake a People that hath been near to him, and that he hath been near to. This may be spoken to in this order.

1. What is meant by Gods forsaking a People.

2. How may it appear that God may forsake, [...]ven such a People as the point speaks of?

3. The Reasons.

4. The use.

I 1. What doth Gods forsaking mean? what is intended thereby?

[...] Gods withdrawing himself, as [...] Prophet Hosea phraises it, Hos. 5.6. They shall go with their Flocks and their Herds to seek the Lord, but shall not find him, he hath withdrawn himself from them. They shall seek him, and not find him, and there is a good reason, he hath [Page] withdrawn himself, he is gone, in respect of his gracious presence. We must here distinguish betwixt Gods general presence, and his precious presence. In respect of his general presence, he is not far from any one of us, for in him we live, and move, and have our being, Act. 17.27, 28. We have not only our beginning from, but our being in him. As the beam h [...]th its being in the Sun▪ Of this general presence of God, we read, Psal. 139.7. There is no flying from it. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flie from thy presence? In this sense God is every where, as it is ver. 8, & 9. If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there▪ if I make my bed in Hell, behold thou art there. He fills Heaven and Earth, and there is no hiding from him, Jer. 23.24. Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him,? saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth? saith the Lord. He hath Heaven for his Throne, and the Earth for his Foo [...]tool, as it is, Isai. 66.1. This general presence of God, if believingly apprehended, and strongly [...] lieved, might be of great use.

Bu [...] [...] [...]ot this general presence that is mea [...] but his especial presence, his favourable [...] gracious [...]sence, the removing whereof, is th [...] that [...] [...]nded, by the forsaking that the Text and [...] speaks of. God is said to forsake a Be [...] [...] wayes.

[...] Affection.

[...] Action.

[Page]1. As to Affection, when he discontinues his love to them, when he takes away his love from a people, then he takes his leave of a people. My mind is not toward this people, Jer. 15.1. a very heavy Judgement, and sad removal. Be instructed O Jerusalem, least my Soul depart from thee.

2. As to Action, when God takes away the signs of his presence.

1. When he takes away merciful and gracious providences, when he c [...]rries not towards them as he was wo [...] to do: but vexes the [...] with all manner of adversity, Deut. 31.17. I will forsake them, and many evils and troubles shall befal them: when he ceases to protect them from evils, and enemies, as in times past, and provides not for them, as he was wont to do. 2. When he [...]es away his Ordinances, and bereaves a people of the glorious things of his house; or take away his spirit from accompanying them, whereby the glory ceases, and the ordinances are rendered in effectual for the saving good of a people.

II 2. How may it appear that God may forsake [...]ch a People?

It may appear by what God hath threatned. [...] God hath threatned, to such as the point speaks of, may be inflicted on them: but God [...]ath threatned such judgements to such a people. My anger shall be kindled against them, [Page] and I will forsake them, as near as they are to me, and as dear as they have been to to me▪ Deut 31.17. Many such threatnings are found in the Scripture against Israel, who are stiled a people near unto him.

In h [...]t such as have been near to God, and he near to them, have complained of their being forsaken by God. Thou hast forsaken us, is one of the bitter m [...]ans, on record, that the Church of God did often make unto him

What God hath inflicted on such, may be inflicted on such again▪ what God hath done to some, he may do to oth [...]rs▪ in the same state, and relation: for he is unchangeable. Those that were once the only peculiar people of God, near to God, and had God near to them, yet what is is their condition at this day? A forsaken condition, is the condition, of the Off-spring of Abraham Gods Friend, a seed whom he had chosen, and h [...]th been so, for above sixteen [...]ndred years. God hath been angry with them, and forsaken them, as they were foretold long ago. How is it with the Churches of Asia, that were once famous golden Candlesticks? that had Epistles written to them. A [...]e they not in a forsaken condition? not the face of a Church to be found amongst them.

In that they may do that, which may deserve a forsaking, therefore they may do that which may actually procu [...]e it. They may do that [Page] which may deserve a forsaking, they may through the corruption and unbelief of their hearts forsake God, and God may injust judgement retaliate, and thereupon forsake them. This is spoken to in the forequoted place, Deut. 31.16, 17. They will forsake me, and break my Covenant which I have made with them: then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and hide my face from them. So again, 2 Chron. 15.2. But if you forsake him he will forsake you; the first is supposed, if you forsake him, the latter is imposed, he will forsake you ▪

III But why doth the Lord forsake such a People? The Reasons:

1. To shew that he hath no need of any, he hath forsaken many, and may forsake many more, to shew that he hath no need of any. God would have all the world to take notice, (that though all men have need of him, yet) he hath no need of any man.

2. To testifie his Sanctity, and severity against sin. He will not spare them, that have been near him, if they will not spare their sin for him. He is a holy God, and if they will have their sins, and their lusts, and their wayes and their o [...]ers, he will vindicate his holiness, by infl [...]cting this judgement on them.

3. To be a war [...]ing to all that enjoy his gracious presence. That they see that they make much of it, and that they take heed that they [Page] do not sin against him, and forsake him, and provoke him to forsake them also.

Cant. The point is to be understood of a people that are visibly and externally near and dear to him, and these may be totally and finally forsaken of God: and yet here it must be noted, that God may exercise a deal of patience, and forbearance toward such as he is about to forsake, he did so with the old world, he did so with the Israelites of old, he did so with the seven Churches of Asia: he is not wont suddenly, and at once to forsake a people, that have been near and dear to him; but he is wont to give them warning, and in patience to bear a while with their frowardness, and wait to see if there be any returning to him, before he doth inflict this heavy and sharp judgement.

Vse It serves to admonish us, not to bear our selves too high, upon the account of priviledges. It is a great priviledge to have the Lord near us, and to be near unto him: and some lean upon this though they abide in their sin, Micah 3.10, 11. They build up Sion with blood, and Jerusalem with ini [...]uity, yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, is not the Lord amongst us? But if our deportment be not according to our priviledges, if we do not carry it thereafter, by becoming an humble, fruitful, and holy people; the Lord will bring forth this heavy burden against us, we shall be rejected, and forsaken of the Lord, whatever [Page] our external priviledges be.

But the second part of the Doctrine; or the second Doctrine may be now spoken to, viz.

That it is the heaviest burden, or the sorest of Judgements for the Lord to forsake a people.

There may be two things spoken t [...] in the management of this [...]ruth. 1. Arguments to evidence it. 2. The Uses of it.

1. If God hath threatned it as a very sore judgement, then sure it is so. Now when God hath been angry with a people, he hath manifested the same by menac [...]ng them with his forsaking them: wh [...]n he hath been designed to do them a deep displeasure, upon the account of some high provocation he is won to threaten them not by taking away this, or that outward comfort from them, but by taking away himself from them.

And that is a woe indeed, a woe with a witness, Hos. 9.12. Yea, woe also to them, when I depart from them: this is the wofullest day that such a people are wont to meet with.

2. Gods forsaking a People is a sore judgement, in that i [...] exposes them to all judgements. Sin is a great evil in that it exposes to all evil this is a great evil of punishment, in that it expose [...] to all pu [...]ishments. If God be gone, our guard is gone, and we are as a C [...]t [...] ▪ in the midst of Enemies, wh [...]e w [...]lls are b [...]o [...]en down. Our strength [...] that's Gone, for God [Page] is our strength, as a carcase without life, is a prey, to beasts or prey; so are a people forsaken of their God, to all their devouring enemi [...]s, and to infernal, and cursed spirits: they are exposed to mischief, and the malice of all their malignant enemies. When the Lord had forsaken Jerusalem, the Romans quickly made a prey of it▪ when they were destitute of God, their h [...]bitation became desolate. There is no Protection to a People, whom the Lord forsake [...]; but they are perplexed on every side.

3. Because the evils that are on such, whom God hath forsaken▪ they are only evils. The Prophet Ezekiel sometime hath the expression, Ezek. 7.5. Thus saith the Lord God, an evil, an only evil behold is come. This is such an evil, an only evil to a people. An evil whilst God is present, may have much good in it, the Lord may sanctifie it for abundance of blessing: there is hopes of this whilst the Lord continues amongst them; but if he be gone, it is an only evil, and the evils that come upon them are such, they have nothing but evil in them.

4. Because no creature can then afford any help; for what can creatures do when God is departed, he makes the creatures useful and helpful, but without him they can do us no good, stand us in no stead▪ they may say to thee as the King of Israel, said to the Woman, that cried Help O King, He answered, If the Lord dont [Page]help, whence shall I help thee? all creatures may say if God be departed, we cannot help: Nay the very Devil cannot help if God be gone: when God departed from Saul, he sought help from the Devil, 1 Sam. 28.15. Wherefore (saith the Devil) askest thou of me? seeing the Lord is departed from thee.

5. It appears to be a sore judgement, by the anguish and distress, that such have been in, that have been sensible that God hath forsaken them. Sin hath flown in the face of such, and terified them: Oh the blessed God is gone, and if he is gone, mercy is gone; and Oh for such and such sins, that lie upon me! what shall I do? what a moan have Saints themselves made in such a case? as David, Psal. 22.1.2. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me? and from the words of my roaring? Oh my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent. Oh how Saul roared out his distress! and that on this account especially, that God was departed from him, not so much that the Philistines were upon him, had not God been gone, he could have dealt well enough with them; but here was the misery, and the sting of the misery, God was departed from him.

6 It is a sore punishment, in that it is a great part of the punishment of Hell. The essential parts of that punishment, is pain of loss, and sense, [Page] and the former some reckon the greater.

Vs [...] 1. How foolish are sinners that do even bid God dep [...]r [...] from them? as we [...], [...]ob 21.14. Therefore they say unto God dep [...]rt from us, for we d [...]sire not the knowledge of thy wayes. But do they know what they say? Of sinners is this yo [...]r wish? if it be gran [...]ed it will pro [...]e your woe for ever. Happily Gods pres [...]nce is now your trouble; but I tell you his absence w [...]uld be your torme [...]t.

2. Se he [...]e what [...] it is to forsake God, is it a judgement of ju [...]gements to be forsaken of G [...]d? su [...]ely then it is t [...]e sin of sins to forsake him: the e [...]il of punishment is in being left by God, and the evil of sin is in leaving God. What, forsake God▪ who is our only good? God who made us▪ and p [...]ssest us from our beginni [...]g. God th [...]t hath b [...]en the guid of our Youth▪ that hath been good to us, a [...]d fed us all our dayes? Jer 2.19. Knew therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast fors [...]ken the Lord thy God. And there is an aggravation of it▪ ver. 17. Thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way. As a guid to dir [...]ct thee, as a staffe to support thee, as a convoy to guard thee, as a Fathe [...] to provide for thee, that t [...]ou hast wanted nothing: well may it be said, how evil and bitter a thing [...]s it, that thou hast f [...]r [...]aken the Lord? He adds in the 31. verse. Oh Generation! Generation of what? of what you will; God [Page] leaves a space that you may write, what y [...]u please, generation of Vipers, or Monsters, or any thing rather then Generation of Gods people. See ye th [...] word of the Lord b [...]hold your face in that Glass. So your causless apostasies, have I been a wilde [...]ne [...]s unto [...]srael? Have you wanted any thing, Oh ye degenerating crooked, and wilful generation? God may say to such sinners, as Pharaoh to Hadad, when he would be go [...]e, 1 King. 11.22. But what hast thou lacked with me, that thou seek [...]st to be gone? what hast thou lacked sinner, that thou seekest to be gone from the Lord? The sinner must answer with him, no [...]hing howbeit let me go in any wise. He came to h [...]m in his di [...]tress, and when hi [...] turn was answered, away he packs. They forsake because they will forsake.

3. Wonder not that Gods Saints have been so solicitous with him, not to forsake them Thus David, Psal. 119 8 Oh forsake me not utterly. He might well be soli [...]itous in this matter, for he understood what it was to be forsaken of the Lord. They press hard with the Lord whatever he doth he would not leave them▪ nor forsake them, Jer. 14.9. Leave us not. And no wonder, there are such m [...]ans, when the Lord may have seemed, to have forsaken them.

4. If Gods for [...]aking be so sore a judgement, it should make us more cautelous, and wary least we pull down this judgement on our heads Men [Page] should be afraid of this heaviest of judgements▪ more [...]hen the Child of whipping.

5. Let Gods dear ones take heed of concluding against themselves, that they are under this judgem [...]nt. They are readiest to conclude against themselves▪ and yet really in the least danger. Thus we read, Isa 49.14. But Zion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. But why said Zion [...]? i [...] was fr [...]m diffidence▪ as [...]aints do not fo [...]sake God as othe [...]s do, Psal 18.21. I have not wickedly departed from my God: so God will not forsake them as he forsakes others not utterly forsake them: His forsaki [...]g of his is but tempo [...]ary, [...]nd partial.

But h [...]re a que [...]ion may be moved what is the diffe [...]ence betwixt a sinner for [...]ak [...]n and a Saint forsaken? so the Lord doth not fo [...]sake both alike. 1. When God forsake his own, yet they cr [...] after h [...]m he wit [...]dra [...]s himself from th [...]m s [...]met [...]mes, yet so as that he draws their hearts a [...]t [...]r him as a mo [...]h [...]r m [...]y hide away from her Child, hat it ma [...] seek and cry the more earnestly af [...]er [...]er. 2 They reta [...]n good thoughts of him in [...]is withdrawment▪ or absence. As t [...]e Spouse in the Cantic [...]es, she calls h [...]m her beloved still. As the faithful wife: she retains good though [...]s [...]f her h [...]sband, and keep [...] up her resp [...]ct though he be gone from h [...]n [...]e but the wicked w [...]en the Lord fo [...]sakes [...]h [...]m, harbour hard thou [...]hts of him. Is this to ser [...]e t [...]e Lord▪ and [...] in his wayes? what good have I got [...]? see how he hath served me.

[Page]3. They will seek him, till he return again, when t [...]e Lord forsakes o [...]hers, the will sees [...] v [...]nities to ma [...]e up t [...]e wa [...]t of G [...]d pr [...]sence. [...] Adu [...]tress in [...]er Hu [...]ban [...]s abse [...]ce w [...]ll seek after other l [...]vers. The [...]ru [...] Saint w [...]ll be satisfied in no [...]h [...]ng el [...]e but the Lord [...] re [...]urn. Moreover [...]here i [...] a diffe [...]ence in Go [...]s fors [...]king the si [...]ner and t [...]e Sa [...]nt, when he forsakes the wicke [...] [...] in da [...]kness: but when he wi [...]hd [...]aw [...] from his own he leaves som [...] lig [...]t, whereby the [...] see which way he is gone, he [...] some gl [...]mm [...]ing l [...]ght, by wh [...]ch they may foll [...]w a [...]ter h [...]m, and find h [...]m.

And again, when he leaves his own, yet his bowels are [...]owa [...]ds them, Jer. 31. [...]0 My bowels are troubled for him, I w [...]ll surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. He hath an eve towards them for much good, in his forsaking them.

Vse. 2 Of Ex [...]ortation: 1. To th [...]nkfulness to God, of that he hath not yet forsaken us. Whatever he hath stript us off, he hath [...]ot yet stript us off hims [...]lf, [...] forsa [...]en us. He m [...]ght h [...]ve done it, and have done us no wrong [...] not yet done it.

2 [...] that he may not forsake us. An [...] here the [...]e may be added Motives and Mean [...].

1. Consider [...] to forsak [...] us. This is a [...] of he doth not wil [...]ingly [...] of Affliction or grievous [...] grievous stroak. God hath [Page] shewed himself loth to depart from those that have departed from him; but have warned them of his displeasure, that they might stay him. It goes near Gods heart to forsake a People that have been near to him. Methinks I hear him saying thus, How shall I give thee up, Oh New-England! thence speaking to warn us, of our forsakings of him, and to be instructed, why? least his Spirit depart from us, Jer. 6.8. Be thou instructed Oh Ierusalem, least my Soul depart from thee, least I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. You may easily stay him, the matter is not so far gone, but you might yet stay him were we but as loth he should forsake us, as he is to forsake us, he would never leave us. His g [...]adual motions from a people argue his lothness, and unwillingness to leave them.

2. Consider what the Lord is to us, or wh [...]t relation he stands in to us, while he is with us. He is our friend, we have found him to be so, and a special friend too: men in the World are not willing to forego a Friend, a good Friend: he is as faithful, skilful, power [...]ul, and tender-hearted a Friend as ever a people had, he stuck by us when also we had been in a woe case, Psal. 124.1. If it had not been the Lord, who was on our side may Israel now say. And had not the Lord been on our side, may New-England now say. He is a Father▪ and a tender-hearted Father, Isai. 63.16, Doubtl [...]ss thou art our Father. Can child [...]en [Page] be willing their Father should leave them? he is a Husband, Isai. 54 5. For thy Maker is thy Husband, a loving, careful, tender husband too; can the Wi [...]e be willing to part with her Husband? if the Lord forsake us we are bereft of our friend, left friendless, he is all fr [...]ends in one none can be our friend, if he be not. If he leave us, we shall be as Orphans, for he is related as a Father, and how sad is the state of poor Orphans: and we shall be in a state of Widow-hood, a very solitary, and sorrowful state. He is our guide▪ and our pilot; what will become of the blind if their guid leave them? and what will become of the Sh [...]p if the Pilot desert it? thus the Lord is to his, and well may he say, as Mic. 6.3. Oh my People what have I done? or wherein have I wearied thee, or given thee any cause to be weary of me.

3. Consider there are shrewd signs of Gods intent to leave us, unless somewhat be done. If you enquire what? I Answer:

1. The sins for which God hath forsaken others are rise amongst us. The sins for which God fors [...]ok the Jews are our sins.

1. Horrid Pride ▪ Hos 5.5. The Pride of Israel doth testifie to his f [...]ee. Pri [...]e in Parts▪ and pride of Hearts, pri [...]e [...]n Apparel, and Vistures, and in Gestures, and in books, how lofty are their eyes! New-En [...]l [...]nd is taken no [...]ice of abroad, for as proud a Pe [...]ple, of a professing people, as the Worl [...] afford [...].

[Page]When a People are humble the Lord [...] with them. If our immunities, which are [...] mercies, puffe us up, God will emp [...]y us: he will blast that to us that we are proud of.

2. Deep and high Ingratitude. Do you that requite the Lord? Deut. 32.6. So the Prophet Hosea taxes them, Hos. 2, 8. God gave her Corn, and Wine, and Oyl, silver and Gold, but she consumed them on Baal. We have been blest but [...] God had the glory of our blessings.

3. Oppression. Amos 8 4. Ye that swallow [...] the needy. These Jews were like the Fishes, the grea [...]er did devour the less. Some are like wild Beasts, like Wolves that tear off the fleece, and eat the flesh of the Flocks. There is more justice to be found in hell, then amongst some men on earth: for there is no innocent person oppressed there.

4. Weariness of Gods Ordinances. Amos 8.5. When will the Sabbath be done? They that are weary of the service of God, and the Ordinances of God, they are weary of God. God indeed hath fed us to the full, as to Ordinances: and we are glutted, and surfeited, and have lost our esteem.

[Page] [...] mens Commodities bare but a little price [...], they will remove the market! if Gospel Ordinances are but a cheap commodity, have lost their price, and men are weary of them: God will let out his Vineyard to another People. If our mercies become our burdens, God will ease us of them.

5. Cousenage in mens dealings, making the [...] small, and the Shekel great, selling the [...] of Wheat, Amos 8.5, 6. They pick out the best Grain for themselves, and the refuse is to sell.

6. Idolatry, which is Spiritual Adultery, and is there nothing of this? chusing of new Gods.

7. Incorrigibleness, or opposition of a spirit of reformation. When God calls to a People to return, by repentance, but they will go on still in their sin: God calls to them by his judgments, and by his Rod; but they will not hear, as 'tis Ier. 5.3. Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive Correction: they have made their faces harder than a Rock, they have refused to return. When it is thus with a People, God will pluck up and be gone; so Ier. 7.13, 14 Because they would not hear, and would not answer the call of God, I will do to this house, as I did to Shiloh, why? what did the Lord do to Shiloh? ver. 12. Go to Shiloh, and see what I did to it, for the wickedness of my People Israel. Go, and view it, and you will see what he did, he left tokens of [Page] his wrath upon them, and forsook them.

2. A [...]other sign of his intent to forsake us, [...], in that he is dealin [...] with us as he is wont to deal with them [...]hat he is about to forsake. He takes away those that [...] mostly with him. He will take away his Mo [...]'s those that stand in the Gap, and bi [...]ds his ha [...]ds with their Prayers, when he is design [...]d to pour out wrath upon a People: he will remove [...]he lights, when he is ab [...]ut to da [...]ken a [...]and. W [...]e men send away their Plate and Jewels and [...] things; it intim [...]tes [...]heir [...] of r [...]moval

3. Another sign is our Luke warmness, and Indifferency in Relig [...]on: a usual forerunner of its rem [...]val When a People care not for God, and the things of God, he hath left them in some measure, already▪ and if that Spirit abide he w [...]ll not tarry long with them.

Vs [...] 1 Of Dir [...]cti [...]n. 1. Examine and humble your selves, for all your departures from Go [...], your forsak [...]ngs of him; humble your selves for them, confessing with bitterness your evil therein bemoaning your selves before the Lord upon the [...]ccount thereof. May the Lord hear his People from Dan to Beersheba bemoaning themselves, Ephraim like, then the Lord will hear, and have mercy, and not leave us, for his Names sake.

2. Judge your selves worthy to be forsaken, because of your forsaking of him. If you judge [Page] yourselves wo [...]thy to be forsaken, God will not ju [...]ge you worthy to be forsaken, 1 Cor. 11.31.

3. Pr [...]y t [...]e Lord not to fo [...]sake you, the Lord is sometimes staid w [...]th Prayers: Prayers have prevailed with his Majesty often, and may do again.

4. Forsake your sins, whereby you have forsaken him Nothing less then this will prevent this mischief, coming upon us. If there be my, ether Son or Daughter that will not leave their [...] for God, God will leave such.

FINIS.

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THE Possibility of Gods Forsaking a people, That have been visibly near & dear to him TOGETHER, With the Misery of a People thus forsaken, Set forth in a SERMON, Preached at Weathersfield, Nov. 21. 1678.

Being a Day of FAST and HUMILIATION.

By Mr. Joseph Rowlandson Pastor of the Church of Christ there. Being also his last SERMON,

2 Chron. 15.2.

The Lord is with you, while ye [...] with him, and if ye seek him, he will be found [...] you: but if y [...] forsake him he will forsake you.

Hos. 9.12.

Wo also to them, when I depart from them.

BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND Printed for John Ratcliffe, & John Griffin. 1682.

To the Courteous READER, (especially the Inhabitants of the Town of Weathersfield, and Lancaster, in New-England.

[Page]

GOds forsaking of such as he hath been near to [...] a thing of such weight, and solemnity, and hath such bitter effects, that it is a [...]eat Subject, (especially in a dark and mourning day) for Ministers [...] speak to, and for People to hear of: that the one [...]ay [...] of the danger, and the other avoid the judgement. As Gods presence is the greatest [...] to a People on this side Heaven, so his absence [...] greatest misery on this side hell; this therefore [...] needs be a concerning point, to such a [...] wi [...] [...] themselves in their concernments. The [...] Sermon will appear a solemn word, if duely consid [...] red: the subject matter is very solemn and weight [...] (Treating of Gods being with, or forsaking a [...]) the time when it was delivered was a solemn time, (a d [...] of FAST throughout the Colonies) the Re [...]er [...]nd Author that Composed, and Preached it▪ was one solemn and serious above many others, and [...]at which add [...] one great circumstance to its solem [...]ity, is, in that it was the last word be sp [...]ke to the [Page] World, being but about two dayes before he left it. As it is solemn, so 'tis seasonable, and pertinent. It is a time wherein we have giv [...]n God just cause to forsake us, a time wherein God is threatning to forsake us. A time wherein God hath in some measure forsaken us already, and what can be more seasonable, then to shew the evils that befall a forsaken People, that we may yet be awakened, and return, that the Lord do not forsake us utterly.

As for the Reverend Author, there needs nothing to be said in his commendation, he was known amongst the Churches in the Wilderness, and known to be a workman that needed not to be ashamed. That his Name (which was sometimes precious amongst those that knew him) may not be forgot, and that being dead, he may yet speak to a land that have in some measure forsook their God, and are in danger of being forsak [...]n, is the ground work of the [...] this small part of his labours. It is [...] especially to the perusal of the Inhabitants of Lancaster and Weathersfield: He was a Man well known to you, the one had his Life, and the other his death; and both his loss, you cannot easily forget his name, and 'tis desired that you may not forget the labour and travel, he hath had amongst you▪ the word which he Preached to you was acceptable whilst he was living, and it is presumed it will be accepted with the like candor now he is dead. Indeed had it been intended, and fitted by himself for the Press, you might have expected, and found it more [Page] large, and polished; but as it is, it is thought f [...] ▪ n [...]t to be lost, and may be of great use, and benefit, to open to us the danger of forsaking God, to humble us for all our coolings, and declinings from God, to quicken us in our return to, and close walking with God, and that it may attain this end, is the hearts desire, and prayer of him, who abundantly wishes thy welfare, and prosperity in Christ Jesus.

B. VV.

§

§

ERRATA. In the P [...]eface to Mrs. Rowlandsons Narrative Page 1. Line 3. for Thursday read Tuesday.

Information about this book

Title statement

The possiblity of Gods forsaking a people, that have been visibly near & dear to him together, with the misery of a people thus forsaken, set forth in a sermon, preached at Weathersfield, Nov. 21, 1678. Being a day of fast and humiliation. / By Mr. Joseph Rowlandson Pastor of the church of Christ there. ; Being also his last sermon. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts]

Rowlandson, Joseph, 1631?-1678.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2005-10.

ID [DLPS]

N00260

ID [TCP]

N00260

ID [STC]

Evans 330

ID [STC]

Wing R2091

ID [NOTIS]

APV9001

ID [IMAGE-SET]

330

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99004600

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 330.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N00260)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 330)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 330)

Source

— The possiblity of Gods forsaking a people, that have been visibly near & dear to him together, with the misery of a people thus forsaken, set forth in a sermon, preached at Weathersfield, Nov. 21, 1678. Being a day of fast and humiliation. / By Mr. Joseph Rowlandson Pastor of the church of Christ there. ; Being also his last sermon. ; [Four lines of Scripture texts], Rowlandson, Joseph, 1631?-1678..

Extent

[6], 22 p. ; 15 cm. (8vo)

Printed [by Samuel Green] for John Ratcliffe, & John Griffin,,. Boston in New-England :: 1682.. ("To the courteous reader, (especially the inhabitants of the town of Weathersfield, and Lancaster, in New-England." signed on p. [5]: B.VV.) ("Errata. In the preface to Mrs. Rowlandson's narrative page 1, line 3, for Thursday read Tuesday."--p. 22. From this it is evident that the present work was issued with Mary Rowlandson's The soveraignty & goodness of God (Boston, 1682; Evans 331). No complete copy of that work is known, though fragmentary leaves are reported at the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Society. As well as having been issued together, each work was evidently issued separately. See Vail, R.W.G.) (The voice of the old frontier, p. 167-168.) (Ascribed to the press of Samuel Green by Vail.)

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