[1.] He will sometimes utterly remove the gospel from them ; — turn the stream of the waters of the sanctuary, that they shall come to them no more. So he threatened the church at Ephesus of old, Rev. ii. 5, " Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen," etc., " or else I Avill come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place." They shall have the light of the word no more; it shall be removed and taken from them. Ah ! how many places lie under this woful judgment of God at this day, — this sentence of being given up to salt for ever! Places there are in the world that have enjoyed the word at God's appointed season, or, at least, the tender of it, and oppor- tunity to enjoy it; but continuing unprofitable under it, what is now their state and condition? God hath left them to that sore judgment, that they themselves should be made instrumental to cast out the word from amongst them ; like the foolish woman, pulling down the house with their own hands: and so [they] have got darkness for a vision, and they that would not rejoice in the truth, and in the light,
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do now, through the tremendous judgment of God, triumph in dark- ness, and in a thing of nought.
It is true, the gospel may be sometimes taken for a season from a people for their trial and exercise, and not penally ; — it may be driven from them, and not absolutely sinned away. Now, as the Lord hath many glorious ends in such a dispensation, so it may easily be known whether people have lost the gospel only for a season, in a way of trial ; or penally, as a beginning of their being given up to salt and barrenness. As, —
1st. They that are deprived for a season of gospel enjoyments for their trial and exercise, are sensible of the displeasure of God in that dispensation, and greatly humble themselves under his hand on that account. They say, as the church in Micah vii. 9, " I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me." They look on this as the greatest calamity and trial that can befall them; whereas they that lose it penally, are either very little concerned about it, or do greatly rejoice at it. The word tormented them, and they are glad they are freed from it. Rev. xi. 10, " And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth." Some never rejoice more than when they are got quit of the gospel ; and others are like Gallio. Now, when such as these have the word taken from them, and are no way sensible of the displeasure of the Lord in it, nor do humble themselves before him on that account, it is a certain evidence that God is giving them up unto a state of salt ; that is, barrenness and eternal ruin.
Idly. They that are deprived of it for a season in a way of trial have no rest, but are earnest with the Lord for the return of it. 1 Sam. vii. 2, The ark was gone; and though they had peace and plenty, and all things else in abundance, yet all will not satisfy them ; the ark is absent, that pledge of God's presence, and they lamented after him. So is it with these ; — let them have peace, or liberty, or prosperity, all is one ; if they have not the ark,- — if they have not the gospel and ordinances of God, — they can take no rest, but are still la- menting after the Lord, still longing after the enjoyment of his word. David doth excellently express this frame of heart, Ps. lxiii. 1, 2, " 0 God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary." He was driven from the ordinances of God; the waters of the sanctuary came not to him. But now they from whom the word is taken penally are no way troubled about it, nor do long after it; they rejoice in what they have in the room of it, — are ex-
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ceedingly well pleased without it. Let them have an increase of corn, and wine, and oil, — let them have their lusts and their sports, their formalities and follies, — they care not whether ever they hear of the word of the gospel any more. Such men are certainly entering into a condition of salt, of barrenness and ruin.
Sdly. They who are deprived of the word for a season for their trial, have a high estimation and value of their mercy and privilege who enjoy it. They do not think the proud happy, nor envy at prosperous wickedness, nor bow in their hearts before the Hamans of the earth. But those they think blessed who enjoy the word, and the presence of God therein. This our Saviour teaches them to esteem, Luke xi. 28, " But he said, Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it/' David doth excellently set out this frame of heart, Ps. lxxxiv. 4, " Blessed are they that dwell in thy house ; they will be still praising thee. Selah." lLI am/' saith he, "a poor out- cast, deprived of thy word and ordinances. 0 the blessed condition of those who enjoy them ! Let them be what they will as to their outward state, they are in a blessed condition if they may dwell in thy house, — enjoy the privileges of the spiritual house of God and his worship, in the gospel." This is the frame of such persons, — those only they esteem blessed who are refreshed with the waters of the sanc- tuary; but none are more despised by those from whom the gospel is judicially removed. It is the great, the mighty, the rich, the sen- sual, that they esteem blessed ; for those others they esteem as the dirt or the mire.