Aug. 7: 1670. A most useful SERMON Preached in London, By a most worthy and faithful Minister and Servant of Jesus Christ's, most learnedly pressed from Amos 8.11.  Behold the day cometh, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the Land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the word of the Lord, and they shall wander from Sea to Sea 
From which Text of Scripture, he learnedly shows the dreadful and deplorable condition of that Kingdom which a famine of the word of the Lord seizes upon; and further shows, That they are the greatest Felons who would rob us of the word of God, and that there is more justice in Hell then is here upon Earth, for in Hell they do not punish the Innocent.  
Printed in the Year, 1671.   
Amos 8.11. 
Behold the day cometh, saith the Lord God, that I will send a Famine in the land, not a famine of Bread, nor a thirst for Water, but of hearing the Word of the Lord; And they shall wander from Sea to Sea.  
A Sad Text, and Sad Times too well agree; In the beginning of this Chapter there is a Vision, in the first verse, The Lord hath showed me, and behold a Basket of summer fruits, it was a Type or Emblem to signify the suddainness of Israel's misery; you know summer fruit doth soon perish, winter fruit may be preserved long, but summer fruit doth soon fade; so the glory of Israel (like to summer fruit) it shall soon fade away; there is the Vision.  
2. In this Chapter there is a Prophecy in the 32 d verse; The Songs of the Temple, shall be turned into howling, a sad Prophecy, God grant it may not be our Portion; songs of the Temple to become howling, where God formerly was served in a pure manner, where there was sweet singing and melody unto the Lord, now there would be mournful Songs, that joy of the Temple it shall be quite ceased; A sad Prophecy!  
3. In this Chapter is set down the cause why the Lord did write such bitter things against Israel his own People, the cause was very apparent; it was their sin, sin drew Plagues at the heels of it, Israel grew now weary of God in the 5 th' verse of the Chapter, When will the New Moon be gone, that we may sell corn, they had rather a great deal be trading in their shops, then worshipping in God's house; when will the New Moon be gone, when people grow weary of Ordinances, than God grows weary of a People. And  
4. There are set down the punishments for those sins of Israel in the 9 th' verse of this Chapter, I will cause the Sun to go down at Noon day. Beloved this is not meant the natural Ecline of the Sun, but the meaning is, God would now darken Israel's outward glory and splendour; The Sun in Scripture is a Metaphor for joy; now the going down of the Sun at noon, it is to express great afflictions coming upon this People: when they thought all things should be well, every thing should be well, flourishing peace and prosperity, kissing each other, why now there should be a sudden change, God would Eclipse their outward Comforts; saith he, the Sun shall go down at Noon day, and this was not all, there is a greater punishment yet behind, and that is, in the Text I have read. God threatens for their sins, that there should be a Famine in the Land, not a Famine of Bread, nor a Thirst for Water, but of hearing the Word of the Lord, (as if God should say) it was a mercy if only a Famine upon your Bodies, that may pine your Bodies, Oh, but it is a worse, a Spiritual Famine; a Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord. In which Text, you have these four parts.  
1. Here is a note of admiration in these words, Behold it seems to be a wonder, that Israel, God's People in Covenant, to whom the Oracles of God were committed, that these should want the word of the Lord: Oh what a wonder that such a full breast should be drawn dry! that they that had such plenty of Ordinances, should now be cut short, and forced to cry out, We see not our signs, there is no more any Prophet among us, that's the first. Behold there is admiration.  
2. Here is the judgement threatened in the Text, a soul Famine.  
3. The extension and universality of this Famine, why saith God, it shall be a Famine in the Land, not in a House or Parish, but there shall be this soul Famine, it shall be universal in the Land.  
4. Who it is that gives the Famine a Commission, and that is God; I will send a Famine, not of Bread, or Water, but of hearing of the Word of the Lord.  
The words thus opened into these several parts, they yield us these four Propositions or Doctrines.  
1. It doth show, That the word of God is to the soul as food to the body, for strengthening and refreshing of it, and that's employed in Job 23.12. I esteemed the words of thy mouth, as my necessary food, they are my food that my soul feeds upon.  
2. The second Doctrine is this, When the word of God is despised or opposed, it is just with the Lord to take it away from a People.  
3. The third Doctrine is this, The taking away of the word, is the beginning of a Spiritual famine, and  
4. That a famine of the word, is far worse than a famine of Bread. A famine I will send, saith God, not of Bread, nor of Thirst for Water, but which is worse, the hearing of the word of the Lord. The famine of the word is worse than a famine of bread; next to damning of a soul, what can be worse than starving of it; bodily famine is very sad, much more spiritual famine. I shall speak a little of bodily famine, that will set off the other the more.  
Famine is that withdrawing of an necessary recruit of Nature, Famine is the withholding of that Oil which should be poured into the Lamp of Man's Life; Famine and Death is such as you see a picture, they both bring the Body into an Anatomy: See a description of a famine in Jer. 14.3. Their Nobles have sent their little ones to the water, they came to the pit and found no water, they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads. It is a very unusual sight to see Noble men's Children Tanckard-bearers; the Nobles sent their Children, but found no water, Famine of the Body is worse than the Sword is, and that in these three respects.  
1. The Sword cuts off suddenly, it makes a quick dispatch, now Famine makes you die a lingering death, Lam. 4.9. Those pine away, strucken through for want of the fruit of the field; they pine away. Famine will neither let a man live, nor yet suffer him to die. He that is in famine, may say as St. Paul, In death oft, how many deaths doth he die, before he dies.  
2. Famine is universal, it reaches more than the Sword, the Sword skips over many; they may be hid from the edge of the Sword, as we read of Obadiah, he hide a Thousand Prophets in a Cave, and so escaped the edge of the Sword, now a Famine reaches all.  
3. Famine makes a man cruel to himself, and it is like a Wolf in his breast, it makes a man feed upon himself; he eats the flesh of his own arms; it makes a Person unnatural, Lam. 4.10. Thus the famine of the Body is worse than the Sword, and now Beloved, a Famine of the Word is worse than a Famine of Bread, in these two respects.  
1. A Famine of Bread is only a pineing and starving of the body, Oh, but the other is starving of the soul; by how much more precious the soul is then the body, so much the sadder the famine of the soul must needs be; the soul is the most spiritual and reserved part of man; it's like spirits of wine; the soul is a divine spark that flees upwards towards God. Now if the soul be more noble than the body, than the famine of the soul must needs be more deadly and pernicious than that of the Body, etc.  
2. The Famine of the body is but temporal, but for a time, and it will quickly have an end, sorrow and sighing shall flee away, Ezek. 35. Oh, but the Famine of the soul is eternal. The worm will be ever gnawing the man; the man will be ever dying, but never dead; he will never taste of one drop of the water of life, it is an eternal famine, he shall not have one drop of water to cool his tongue, and thus you see the Famine of the word is far more grievous than the Famine of bread: Now the sadness of the souls famine, will further appear in these three or four particulars; And I beseech you observe.  
1. To have the Famine of the Word of God, it is a dreadful Judgement, because now the very means of Salvation is taken away: The very Bridge is plucked up, that should lead us over to Heaven. Prov. 29.18. Where there is no Vision the people perish. The Hebrew word for perish, hath two significations, either it signifies to be made naked, they. strip off their Ornaments and glory, or else the word perish, signifies to reject, God rejects such a people, when he takes awy the Vision from them, Where there is no Vision the people perish. But now here is a Question may be asked,  
Quest. You will say unto me, but may we not be saved without the Word Preached?  
Ans. I will not dispute what God can do, in an extraordinary way, when people are debarred from Ordinances by sickness, or the like, or captivity, the Lord hath promised to be a little Sanctuary unto them. Ezek. 11.16. As the people of Israel in the Wilderness, when they could not have the ordinary means of tilling, ploughing, and sowing; in this case God gave them bread from Heaven, John 6.31 Let me assure you, ordinarily God doth not distil the Golden Oil of Salvation, but through the pipes of Ordinances, and therefore you shall observe in Scripture, that Ministers of the Gospel, are called Ministers of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3.8. because the spirit of God ordinarily makes use of the Word, to work grace, and therefore 'tis called the Ministry of the spirit, why this makes the Famine of the Word so dismal, because now, the very means of salvation is taken away from a people, they lie in their blood.  
2. I beseech you observe, A Famine of the Word it is very sad wherever it comes, because now the Lord turns away his face from a people or a nation. Ordinances are the face of God, they are his smiles, face, in the Gospel, it's called the face of Christ, 2 Cor 4.6. Now beloved, when a spiritual Famine comes, God turns away his face from us. The Child had rather have his Father's frowns upon him, than that he should turn away his face, to be so incensed against him that he will not look upon his Child; and this is sad, to have God turn away his face from a people; better have a frowning face from God, than no face. The Lord may have love under a wrinkled brow, as the sun may be under a Cloud; but for God to turn away his face from us, is a sign he intends to disinherit us, as David prayed, Lord hid not thy face from me in Anger, Psal. 120.2. It is sad when God hides his face for a time, but worse when he quite turns away his face, that he will not look upon a people, Oh this makes a soul-famine very sad and dreadful.  
3. The Famine of the Word must needs be very sad and dismal, because if the Word be gone, God has now done speaking to us, he hath no more to say. Pray observe, It is called in the Text a famine of hearing, of hearing of the Word, we shall hear no more from God; God hath something to say to a people as long as his Ordinances are amongst them; he speaks to them by his Ministers, they are his mouth, they deliver his Council. Now as it is a sad judgement for God to have done smiting a people, Ezek. 1.5. why should you be smitten any more, and so for God to leave speaking to a people, this is a rebellious people, it is to no purpose to use any more words, I will speak no more to them, it is better for God to speak as if he were angry, than not to speak at all: the prisoner cries to his Judge for mercy, mercy, and the Judge will not speak a word no way, but he must die; if God hath done speaking to us in Word, we shall hear him speaking in another Language, in his Wrath, In Psal. 2.5. then shall he speak to them in his Wrath, and fiery Language. If a man will not speak to another, it is a sign either that he slights him, or he doth not think him worth speaking to, or it is sign he intends some evil against him. It was sad with Saul when the Lord had done speaking to him, 1 Sam. 28.6. the Lord answered him neither by rain, nor his Prophets, God had done speaking to him, a sign some evil was intended to him, the next be heard speak, it was the Devil, and the news which he brought was sad, to morrow thou shalt be with me, 1 Sam. 28.19. beloved if God hath once done speaking to a people, why then he hath done hea●ing to when he shuts his mouth he always stops his ears, though you pray unto him he will not hear; they cried to me and I would not hear; when the Lord will not speak no more to a people, when he shuts his mouth, he presently stops his ears: Now is not a spiritual famine sad? God hath now done speaking to a people.  
4. The people and the dispensers of the Gospel, they are promised by the Lord as great blessings to a place, why then to be deprived of such blessings, and have a famine of the Word it must needs be a heavy and a dismal Judgement. Now to speak more distinctly to these,  
1. Consider what a great blessing the Gospel is, and  
2. The dispensers of it, and then you will easily conclude what a Judgement it is to be deprived of them.  
As for the Gospel, it is a blessing which Crowns a people, the very Engine which God uses to convert a Soul. It is called in Scripture the word of life, because it enfuses life into the people, it is a two edged sword, Heb. 4.12. with one edge it strikes sin dead, with the other edge it strikes the soul alive. besides consider the great blessing of this people in these three particulars, and you will see what it is to be deprived, of it.  
1. The Gospel of Christ, it is the beauty, the riches, it is the strength of a Kingdom, the most sparkling Jewel in their Crown, the beauty of God shines in the Gospel, Brethren, the Gospel is the glass in which we see, the unsearchable riches of God's love to a sinner. The Gospel preached gives us the presence of Christ, and Christ's presence is the spiritual beauty of a Nation; now if there be a famine of the Word, than the glory is departed. England without the Gospel will be like unto a house, when the rich furniture and hang are pulled down, the house is naked and deformed; so if the preaching of the Word be Eclipsed, than the glory of a Kingdom is Entombed, and all places of honour lie in the dust.  
2. The preaching of the Gospel is the riches of a Kingdom, it increases a Kingdom's treasure and revenue; there are many temporal blessings that come along with the word, it hath been observed that those places have been most fruitful and have been most enriched where the Gospel hath been planted, trading in those parts hath been most quick; it is observable that same place of King Jehosaphat, that when he had taken care for a preaching Ministry, and sent his Princes and his Nobles to encourage his Ministers; Oh how rich did his kingdom grow, they brought him presents of silver, and he waxed exceeding rich, 2 Chron 17.11. The Gospel it is like the Ark which carries a blessing with it where ever it went, Hag. 2.18. saith God, Consider from this day, even from the day that the Lords Temple was laid, from this day will I bless you: Israel's mercies did bear date from the Temple building; so that the Gospel is the riches of a Kingdom.  
Mark what I say to you this day, the ready way to beggar a Kingdom is to take away the Gospel: I beseech you remember a Famine of God's word will soon bring a Famine of Bread upon a Land.  
3. The Gospel preached is the defence of a Kingdom, it is a Kingdoms safely and defence, it is the Fort-Royal of a Land, it is the very lock where on England's strength lies; what was the strength of Israel, God was there, there was his word, and there was his ordinances, that was the Rock where Israel's strength did lie, not brazen Walls but silver Trumpet are the best defence of our Land. It is said of the Levites or Ministers, that when they came & preached at Jerusalem, 2 Chron. 11.17. The Text saith, thry strengthened the Kingdom. It is remarkable in Scripture, they as take away the preaching of the Gospel, are like those that pull down the Banks to let in the main Sea, they open a sluice to let in the wrath of God upon a Kingdom; thus you see the Gospel is a singular blessing, and therefore to have a famine of the word, to have the Gospel go, it must needs be a great curse to a Land.  
Again, as the Gospel is a great blessing so the Dispenser's, the Ministers of the word, they are promised as great blessings to a Land; and therefore to have them removed, and a Soul famine, it is a heavy judgement: God promises his Ministers as blessings to a Nation; Jer. 3.15. I will give you Pastors after mine own heart, that shall feed you with knowledge, and that they are great blessings, appears by the title the Scripture gives to them.  
1. They are called the Dispenser's and Steward's of God's word, they are called Ambassadors, 2 Cor. 5.20. We as Ambassadors of God, beseech you in Christ's stead to be reconciled, we come to woe you in Christ's name, and clear up your souls to Christ, we come to make up the happy match between Christ and you, we bring the King's picture along with us, we set before your eyes the Lord Jesus in his most Orient Colours, we show him to you in the beauty of his Person, the glory of his Offices, the sweetness of his love; why now, if on a sudden God calls home his Ambassadors, it is a sign he intends the match shall be broken off.  
2. They are called Dispenser's and Steward's of the word of God, they are called stars in God's hand, Rev. 1.20. They are stars.  
First, For their light, how glorious is the Gospel when it is bespangled and set thick with those stars.  
Secondly, they are stars not only for light but for use, they are like the star that guided the wise man to Jesus Christ, if those spiritual stars be removed, how shall the soul know how to steer its course, they will be like Mariners that are benighted upon Shelves and Rocks, Oh, how many where these stars are wanting, shall to hell in the Dark.  
3. They are called Dispenser's and Steward's of God's holy Oracles. They are called Physicians, Jer. 8.22. Is there no Balm in Gilead, is there no Physician there! the soul of man is subject to more Diseases than the Body, as one Christian is troubled with the Stone of the heart, another with a dead Palsy; and benumedness of Conscience, now it is the work of God's Ministers to find out these Diseases, and to apply proper remedy. Beloved how sad is it, to have your Physician taken away that should heal you, to have a poor soul lie all in Agony, in a burning  of Conscience, and now to speak words in due season, or drop in Christ, is there no Balm in Gilead?  
4. God calls his Ministers his Waterers, 1 Cor. 3.6. Apollo's was a Waterer, now you know if you have a plant set in a good soil, if it be not watered, it yields no fruit. This City of London hath had many Apollo's in it, it hath had much watering, you have been watered with the Labourers of your Ministers, and perhaps watered with their Tears too; Oh, but for your sins, God may command, that there shall be no more showers, no more watering; If the Lord should transplant his Apollo's, and see there is more need of watering and planting in foreign parts, how would this work of Grace go backward in us, how would your good affections whither, and be as the ground that is parched and dried for want of showers; Thus Beloved, you see what a great blessing it is to have the Gospel Dispenser's among you, and therefore you may imagine what a spiritual famine is, and to have these blessings removed; well may England weep her eyes out, when these are gone that should bring the Vision to her.  
Now my Beloved, if a famine of God's word be so deplorable and dreadful as it is to have the Bread of life taken away from us, as you may read Amos 8.11. It is called there, A famine of the word of the Lord, and in Sam. 1.4. it is called there, The glory departed, and in Matth. 26.47. The Kingdom of Heaven taken away, The Salvation of God sent away, Acts 28. and can there be any thing worse befall a people, than a soul famine, and an Eclipse of their spiritual glory, the shuting up of the Kingdom of heaven, the carrying away of the Salvation of God, what worse thing can come upon a people? It is a great wonder there should be no deeper a sense of this most dreadful of evils, than is mostly found among Men. Men little understand what they do, who either in a way of Merit, or Instrumentally procure and bring on these Plagues, and few understand or are sensible what they herein suffer; to be an instrument in this hellish work, it's an Office for a Devil; and the suffering of such a Plague to them as understand it, is an hell above ground; this Darkness is the very same for kind, with the darkness of Hell, as the light of the Gospel is the same in kind with the everlasting light, as glory under age; so is this thick darkness, in specei & in simile, the darkness of the pit, Oh what a hell of wickedness doth this world then become, the Devil is then in his Region, is let lose and rules the world at pleasure, deceives, devours, destroys souls without Contradiction, takes them Captive at his will, carries them down by wholesale to destruction. These dark, and dismal seasons are the Devils Marker, where he may vent his hellish Wares, his Snares and Temptations, his Deceits and Delusions, and every abominable thing by wholesale; there is nothing so false, so vile and abominable, but he can put it off at pleasure, Adultery, Drunkenness, Witchcraft, Sodomy, Buggery, Blasphemy, Idolatry, Atheism, any thing that Satan hath to offer he will find Customers enough to receive, and the truth is, the Devil may spare his pains; Men than need not a Devil to damn them, they shall do it fast enough of their own Accords.  
Oh, it were happy if the Saints were so busy in improving their light, to haste them Heaven-ward, as sinners do their larknesse, to hurry them to Hell.  
Oh, the sad truths that the world affords of this dreadful truth; look into all the dark Corners of the Earth, especially there where there hath been light, and see if you find not all this proved to your hand. Can he then be accounted a Christian whose heart doth not tremble at the thoughts and the fears of such a sore judgement, he is both dark and dead indeed, to whom such a Mist is not as the first born of death, or the King of Terrors.  
Christians, If ever this should be your Case, make not light of it, and take heed, how sad soever it may seem in its first approach, that no tract of time do wear off the sense of it; I have now done, and come to improve this Proposition, and proceed to the Application.  
Use 1. Now my friends, If a famine of the word be so dreadful (as you have heard) next to damning of souls, I know not what worse than starving of a soul, if it be so dismal, then what are we to think of those that endeavour by their Counsel and by their Interest, what in them lies, to be instrumental to bring a famine of the word upon God's People. For my part I account those, and always shall do, the greatest Felons in the Land, who would rob us of the word of God; these are the Devils Agents, they are his Factors; let me assure you they will be found fighters against God; They are like the Philistians that stops the Wells (those that would stop the Wells of the Water of Life) Oh, how would this enhance their sin! What to be instrumental to starve souls? I will say but this, the Ministers of Jesus Christ they are to warn people of their Sins, they are to tell them if there be any danger, any wrath of God hanging over a Land, they are Watchmen, Ezek. 33.6.2. If Watchmen see the Sword come and blow not the Trumpet, and the People be not warned; their blood I will require at the Watchman's hands. Now Brothers I appeal to you; We Watchmen must warn the people. Oh how will they be able to answer to God at the great day, that shall take Ministers off from his Spiritual Watch, that shall hinder him from warning the People; Surely the blood of souls must needs lie at those men's doors; that is the First.  
Use 2. It is of Exhortation, if a Gospel Famine be so dreadful as you have heard, as good almost be in hell; why then let me exhort you this day to some duty.  
1. Let us labour with all laboriousness to prevent the removal of the Gospel from us, as we would endeavour to remove the Sword, the Fire, the Plague, so let us labour to prevent the removal of the Gospel from us: Oh a Gospel famine is the most dismal! and the more let my words prevail with you, because there is so much fear (if God prevent not) of the Gospel departing from us. I might show you that there is a soul famine in many parts of this Land already, and there are many sad signs, the Lord is about to bring this spiritual famine upon this Land. I shall show you the sad simptoms of the Gospel going from England, there are (4. grey hairs) 4. sad signs of the Gospel departing, which the Lord prevent.  
1. First of all that great contempt which is thrown upon the Gospel and professors of it; do we think that God is tied to England more than to another Nation? do we think the Lord will continue his mercy to a people that despise his mercy? is he bound to do that? is nor the Gospel of our Lord Jesus this day slighted and persecuted? the Gergesens, they were more mannerly, they beseeched Christ to departed out of their Coasts Matt. 8.3. But we have many among us, they do not beseech Christ, they would drive him out by force, though nothing but honey drops from the Lips of the Gospel, it brings salvation to a people, yet how is it opposed at this day? pray observe, I confess the Gospel of Christ, it is not suited to men's carnal interest or appetite, the Gospel doth not tell them of Fields and Vineyeards it hath to bestow upon them, the Gospel of Christ doth not prophesy of Wine and strong Drink, than the Drunkard would gladly receive the Gospel; but it is a holy Gospel, it bears down men's lusts, it proclaims peace to them upon no other terms, but their proclaiming War against Sin, and therefore the Gospel is hated and contemned, and surely this contempt of Christ and his Gospel, it is a sad forerunner of the removal of the Gospel: Mark what I say, a despised Gospel will soon be a departing Gospel; will any man stay long in a place where he is not welcome? If God sees that he and his Gospel are not welcome, he will soon take his leave and be gone from them Hos. 2.12. Woe, Woe to them when I depart from them. Well, that is the first sad simptom of the Gospel departing.  
Secondly, Another sign of the gospel going, it is the general barrenness of people under the preaching of the gospel; indeed it is to be hoped that some are fruitful, but the barren branches are more than the fruitful; Lea did comfort herself for her fruitfulness that now her husband would love her, Gen. 29.34. She was fruitful, therefore her Husband would love her. May not we on the contrary fear God will not love us because we are unfruitful? it is a sad sign, when in the Weekly bill we see more every Week die than are born; Oh is it not so in a spiritual sense? we hear of many people that die Apostates, but how few are born to God. We hear of many barren Figtrees that Christ cursed, but where are the fruitful Vines? if once that gospel; and people which was as the garden of God, shall become barren, it is a sign the Lord will bestow no more cost, but will pull up the hedge, and lay his Vineyard waste; that is the second Symptom.  
Thirdly. Another sad sign of the gospel going from us, which the Lord prevent, it is the animossities and bitter divisions of Gods own people; the Devil danceth at discords, it is a sad sight not only to see Christ's Coat rend, but to see his Body rend, his mystical Body. I have often seen, & it is usual, the Wolf to worry the Lamb, but it is unnatural to see one Lamb worrying another: Christians, they should be ready to die one for another, and they can hardly live one by another: Those that writ concerning the Bee, observes, when the Bees strive and mutiny together, it is a sign that the master Bee is about to leave the Hive; and when God's people strive by discords & contentions, Oh it is a sign God is goi●… from the Nation, he is about; to leave ●…ive. If that servants cannot agree, they will fall out, why the Master will take away the light from them, I wish it be not so here. My beloved, do not we all hope for one heaven? Oh why should there not be one heart among us? how unsationable are contentions among God's people, now when the Popish adversary is so near to us, he is at the door. It is a very bad time for Mariners to divide and fall out when the Enemy is boreing a hole a● the bottom of the ship; is it not so now? surely it is a sad sign of the gospel going from us, the Lord will not let his gospel dwell in such a house as is all on fire.  
Fourthly, Another sad sign of the Gospel going from us and a Spiritual Famine, i● is this; When the People of God lose their first love, and decline in their affections towards Jesus Christ, Rev. 2.4. I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love; when Christians have a Chillness and a Deadness grow upon them, they have not the love to the word of God as they had, they have not that brokenness of heart for sin, they have not that zeal for truth, they have not that sympathize for the misery of Zion, they are now in a declining state, they have left their first love, and this is a fatal sign of Gods departing from the Nation; Lost thy first love, it will not be amiss to inquire whence this loss of our first love ariseeth; this Spiritual Consumption (as I may so call it,) whence does this loss of our love arise, I conceive it ariseth from these four Causes.  
First, Perhaps there is some sin secretly indulged, some sin that your heart sets brooding upon, now sin is pernicious to grace; it is like the blow at the Root of the Tree, that causeth the Tree to whither; as if a man takes but a small quantity of poison, why this will hurt his virals, it will waste his spirit, look upon David, he had been taking of poison, he was tampering with sin and he found a decay in his holiness, he was like one in an Apoplexsie, he had not that lively acting of Grace as formerly he had, he lost his first love.  
Secondly, The loss of our first love, it may arise from the neglecting of the Ordinances, the means of Grace; you know abstinasie from food will quickly make the body Consumptive, it will soon bring a Consumption; so when People either through Pride or through Melancholy leave off Praying, leave off Sacraments; they have abstinasie from their Spiritual food, no wonder if they find a declining in their affections; Gods Ordinances they are the fuel for our Graces, if you take away the fuel, no wonder you begin to abate and you lose your first love.  
Thirdly, The loss of our first love ariseth, and I pray observe it, it riseth from a formal use of holy things; though perhaps we do keep up duty, yet God knows we do not keep up fervency in duty, Rom. 12.11. Fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Oh, when once Christians grow into dull formality, pray as if they prayed not, their hearts is not in the duty, they do not put sire to the incense, they grow Drowsy in Prayer, you know the wise Virgins they slumbered, Matth. 25. Thus by degrees you lose your first love, though you be not quite dead in sin, yet you are dead in duty.  
Fourthly, The loss of your first love, ariseth from a spiritual sloth, Christians do not exercise themselves to godliness, and then there follows a decay in godliness; why, you know your experience tells you there is nothing in the world sooner brings a man's body into a Consumption than want of exercise, because the ill humours are not purged away, and natural heat exercised, want of exercise kills. My brethren, he that will not use grace, he will be sure to lose grace; Christians they do not exercise their faith, they do not busy themselves about heaven, they do not trade their Talent for God's glory as they should; they live in houses together, but they do no good together, they do not exercise their grace, and hence they fall into decay of grace before they are ware and lose their first love, and what follows, this loss of your first love sadly prefages the loss of the gospel of Christ, for this very sin in the second of the Revelations and the 4 th' v. for sin they had their golden Candiestick removed from them, in the second of the Revelations and the first verse. Therefore you see brethren what need there is to labour to prevent the spiritual Famine, and a loss of the gospel, because there is such a fear of the gospel departing from your; you have seen it evidently proved before your eyes.  
But here is a question; now you will say unto me, we cannot deny but there is a fear of the removal of the gospel, and of a famine of the Word; but how shall we do to prevent this soul Famine? now to this I answer, do these three or four things to prevent the gospel going away.  
First, Take heed of those sins which will surely bring a Famine of God's Word, there are some sins which we must endeavour to prevent, that will bring a famine of the word, there are several of these sins set down in this Chapter, Amos 8. Pray observe them. I will mention some of them.  
The first sin the Prophet does set down, is Oppression, Amos 8.11. Hear this, Oh you that swallow up the needy. Those Jews they were like the Fishes of the Sea, the greater devour the lesser; For this sin of Oppression God threatens a Famine of the Word, and is not this sin to be found among us. Oppression, I appeal to any one that hath his Reason left. Does not one Man now become a Wolf to another, does not he tear from him the Golden Fleece; I dare be bold to say there is more Justice to be found in Hell then among men upon Earth; for in Hell no Innocent Person is oppressed, that is one sin.  
Secondly, Another sin the Prophet sets down, that is the cause of this Spiritual Famine; it was weariness of God's Ordinances, Amos the 5 th' and 8 th' Verse. When will your New Moons be gone that we may sell Corn, and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat, Verse 6. For this sin I will bring a Famine of the Word; are you weary of me, They were more for Trading than they were for worshipping; The Lord hath fed us of this City with the finest of the Wheat, the Bread of life, he hath given us the very Cream of his Ordinances, but when we have been fed to the full, have not we begun to surfeit, have we not said, when will the Sabbath be gone, what a weariness is it? Truly when we have lost our Stomach, it is most just with God to take away our Food; If a Man's Commodities bears a better price in one place then in another, he will remove his Marker; the Gospel is grown a cheap Commodity, it bears but a lo price; now Men are weary of it: and may not we fear God will remove his Market, he will transplant his Word into Foreign parts: Surely if we begin to say what a weariness is it if our mercies be our burdens, God can soon ease us of this burden; this is a sin brings a Famine of the Word, when we are weary of the Ordinances; and hath not this sin caused a Famine of the Word already in many parts of this Land. There is none knows how to speak to their Spiritual Case, that can feed them with the Bread of life, that can divide the Word aright, in many parts of the Land it is so, they have Husks given to them instead of Food, and Music instead of Manna.  
Thirdly, Another sin that brings a soul Famine, is this cozening in men's Deal, Verse 5. Making the Ephar small, the Ephar it was the King's Measure, Verse 7. In selling they made the Ephar small, the meaning is, they gave but scanty Measure; they made the Ephar small; and saith God, you sell the refuge of the Wheat, that is mear Cheating, they pick out of the best Grain for themselves, and the Husks and Refuge they sell to the poor; here is mear Cheating, saith God, I will bring a Famine of the Word upon you for this; let none hold in their hands false Balances: I would there did not.  
Fourthly, Another sin that brings a Famine in this Chapter, is Idolatry, Verse 4. They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy God Oh Dan liveth, here was plain Idolatry; but let us understand this sin of Samaria, what was that? that was the Calf that was set up at Bethel near to Samaria, and to swear to this Calf, here was plain Idolatry; for this God threatened a Famine of the Word, and are we free from this sin, I would we were: is there no Idol worship among us, are there not some so impotent, as to say in Print, It will never be well with us till we are reconciled to the Mother Church of Rome: Idolatry it inrageth God, it breaks the Marriage Knot, it makes God give a Bill of Disvorce to a People; Idolatry it does so provoke the Lord, that he takes away the visible Tokens of his presence from a Nation, 2 King. 17.12.18. they served Idols, What follows, Verse 18. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel, removed them quite out of his sight, he unpeopled them, he unchurched them, he removed them out of his sight. I say this to you, when once you see dark shadows of Popery stretched out, then fear the Sun of the Gospel is going down.  
Fifthly, Another sin that brings a Gospel Famine, it is opposition to Reformation, when God calls to a Land to return to him by Repentance, Turn ye, turn ye, why will you die? but they will go on in sin when God cries to them by his Judgements to break of sin, but they will not hear the voice of God's Rodd, Jer. 5. verse 3. they refuse to receive Correction; when once it is thus with a people, God will pack up and be gone from them, 7. Jer. 13.14. ver. Therefore will I do to this House which is called b my Name, as I did to Shilo; why what did God do to Shilo? when he left the tokens of his wrath there at Shilo, the Priest was slain, the Ark taken Prisoner, all the signs of God's presence were removed, and we never read that the Ark retuned to Shilo any more. Oh dreadful! hath not the Lord blown the Trumpet in our ears? hath not be called to us to repent, but we hate to be reform, we turn a deaf ear to God; let England, let London, take heed it be not with it, as once with Shilo that God does not make the Vision cease, and bring a Famine of the word in these our days, Levit. 26. verse 23. pray observe, 24.30. saith God, verse 23. I will punish you yet seven times more, for your sins I will make you lie waste, and I will bring your Sanctuary into desolation, that is the first thing: if you would prevent a Gospel Famine, I beseech you beloved take heed of those sins which you have seen have brought a Famine of God's Word upon a Land.  
Secondly, If you would prevent a Famine of the Gospel, let us besiege the Throne of Grace by earnest prayer; Oh pray to God, you that can pray, pray, that the Lord would not departed from you, that he would not make the Vision cease, that he would not turn the Songs of our Temple into Howleing, Oh lay hold upon Christ by importunity you read of those in the Gospel, when Christ made as if he was going away, the Text saith, they did constrain his to stay with them, Luke 24. Verse 29. Is not the Lord upon the Thrashal of his Temple, as if he was ready to take his wings and fly from us? Oh let us by humble prayer lie at his Feet, and if it be possible, constrain him yet to stay with England; stay Lord, rather any Judgement than this! rather lay a stroke upon my body or Estate, but do not bring a Famine of the Word of God; and if we would prevail with the Lord, use Arguments in prayer when we come to God for the poor Gospel of England: Lord hast thou never a Remnant left among us, a People that love thee, and fears thee, that hangs about thee, that will not let thee go? Oh destroy not the cluster, is not there a blessing in it? Oh wilt thou be gone from us, art not thou our Father, will the Father take away Bread from his Children? Lord, will not the Enemy insult to see thee leaving thy Temple, where thou hast put thy Name? wilt thou make the hearts of thy people sad, and wilt thou rejoice thine Enemies? Oh Lord, hast thou not given Bond, and is there better. Security? hast thou not promised under thy Hand and Seal thou wilt give us Pastors after thine own heart to feed us with Knowledge? Lord, thou wilt never Forfeit thy Bond. It is true, we are an unworthy Nation, not worthy to be Beloved; Oh but canst not thou make us fit for Mercy? canst not thou give us Repentance as well as Deliverance? Nay Lord, let us farther press thee, is not thy Honour concerned in all this? we are called by thy Name, leave us not; thus should we use Arguments and follow God by prayer, and surely the Lord will not departed from us. Prayer, it makes a sweet sound in God's Ear, and he will not go away, where he hears this Music, Again,  
Thirdly, Would we prevent a Gospel Famine (which we have cause to fear) let us this day turn to God and break off our sins by righteousness, Jer. 7. Verse 3. Amend your ways and your do, it is a vain thing to pray unless you reform, amend your ways and your do: What should God continue his Gospel for to an impenitent sinful Land, that are resolved they will sinne; who will lay out cost upon ground that brings forth nothing but Briars? who will power Rose-water upon a Dunghill? Would we prevent a Gospel Famine, let us break up the Fellow ground of our hearts by Repentance. I will say but this, if we Reform not, we can expect to see no good days more, God will un-People us, he will un-Church us ere he hath done; Oh better lose the Sun in the Firmament, than that the Gospel Sun should be Eclipsed in our Horizon: who would desire to live when the Ark of God is gone? what good Christian can forbear weeping at the Funeral of the Gospel? that is the first exhortation; let us labour to prevent the coming of God's Famine upon us, as we would prevent Fire, and Plague, so labour to prevent this Soul Famine.  
Seccond Use, of Exhortation is this, if a Famine of the Word be so sad as you have heard, let us do what we can to keep God still amongst us and his Gospel. You will say how shall we keep the Gospel, it is a blessed design to keep the Gospel? I will name three or four things, and I have done.  
First, Entertain the Gospel into your houses, that is one way to keep it; Obadiah he entertained the Ark, and his house was blessed for the Ark sake; if you cannot have the Gospel in poblick, as you use to have with purity and freedom, get it into your houses; I am sure of this, you can never put your houses to better use, then to entertain Christ and his Gospel; I beseech you let it not be said, that the Gospel is put to seek its lodging; does not this Gospel bring Salvation? Oh how glad should you be to have Salvation come to your House.  
Secondly, Would you keep the Gospel among you? Improve it the best way, I know still to enjoy the Gospel, is to improve it, lay up a stock of knowledge, let the word of Christ dwell richly in you, coll. 3. Verse 16. Receive the Word not only into your heads, but into your hearts, get good by the word Preached, while the Manna falls gather Manna, the best way to enjoy the Gospel is to improve it, God will not take away the Breast, so long as Faith draws the breast. And then,  
Thirdly, Prise the Gospel and that is the way to keep it, the Ordinances of God are the most signal blessings, they are better than Gold & Silver, they are the food of your souls, they strengthen faith, they increase joy; these are the Conduits that holds the Water of Life, that soul that before was dry like Aaron's Rod being planted near these waters of the Ordinances, have flourished, have brought forth Buds and Almonds, and therefore prize the Ordinances. Beloved here we converse with the Lord Jesus Christ, if ever we enjoy Christ upon earth, it is here; if ever we see his face, it is through this Lattice, God's Ordinances are like the place of the Mercy Seat, where the Lord did speak from heaven to his People; oh than prize these Gospel blessings, and that is the way yet to keep them among you.  
And lastly, If you would keep the Gospel with you, adorn the Gospel, you that are here present, you do all profess the Gospel, that is not enough, unless you adorn the Gospel, Phil. 1.27. Let your Conversation be as becomes the Gospel; but when do we adorn the Gospel? I answer, when we live according to the rule of the Gospel in sobriety and sanctity, Oh that is to adorn it: when we walk according to the rule of it in sobriety and sanctity, we adorn the Gospel; when we walk as the Members of Christ, and as those that are acted by his Spirit, we adorn the Gospel; when we shine forth in a kind of Angelical brightness, and live so holy as if we had seen the Lord, this is to adorn the Gospel, and this is the best way I know to have the Gospel entailed upon us, and upon our posterity after us.