Law-Power, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
WE would give you two or three Scriptures to muſe upon; draw two, or three things from them, and then draw to a cloſe of all. The firſt Scripture, Iſa. 52. 1. From henceforth there ſhall no more come into them the uncircumciſed, and the uncleane; The like promiſe ye have, Joel 3. 17. So ſhall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling in Zion, my holy Mountaine; Then ſhall Jeruſalem be holy, and there ſhall no Stranger paſſe through her to defile her. No ſtranger? to open that notion, as we readMr. Ca…yl Job 15. p. 89. it opened unto us; No ſtranger, that is, no child of Bolial, no wicked perſon, ſhall paſſe through her, to defile, and pollute her: But ſtrangers may paſſe through her to be viſited, and relieved by her. The other Scriptures, Mal. 3. 16. Then they that feared the▪ Lord ſpake often one to another: Acts 2. 42, 43. "They continued ſtedfaſtly in the Apoſtles Doctrine, and Fellowſhip: And all that beleeved. 1 John 1. 3. Truely our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with His Sonne Jeſus Chriſt, Rev: 21. 27. & 22. 15. There ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, nor whatſoever worketh an Abhomination; for without are Dogs, and ſorcerers, and whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters, And who ſo loveth, and maketh a lye. From the premiſed Scriptures we would Conclude. Firſt;
SECT. I.
Firſt, THat it is one of the higheſt priviledges promiſed to the Church, that a time ſhall come, when the wicked ſhall not come unto her; Awake, awake, Put on thy ſtrength O Sion, put on thy beautifull garments, O Jeruſalem, the Holy City. Wherefore muſt Jeruſalem the Holy City awake thus, and be ready in her dreſſe, in her beautifull garments? why? there is good newes for her, from henceforth, there ſhall no more come into thee, the uncircumciſed, and uncleane. As if He had ſaid, In times of Sions defection, or oppoſition, when there was no due Reformation of worſhip, nor order among worſhippers, than the uncircumciſed, and uncleane came, and ſtood, yea even dwelt with thee, as thy owne Children; but oh Jeruſalem! A Time ſhall come, when the uncircumciſed and the uncleane ſhall not ſo much, as come into thee, they ſhall be rejected, and caſt out for ever; Prophane ones ſhall find no place at laſt in Sion here below; and Hypocrites ſhall never come into the Sion, which is above. Some Hypocrites will come into the Church, when ſhe is moſt refined, there is no keeping of them out, till they diſcover themſelves, and ſo are caſt out, or Apoſtatize, and ſo goe out of themſelves: poſſibly the Church Militant may be ſo purged, and reformed at laſt, that as there ſhall be no prophane in her, ſo but a few Hypocrites. But into the Church Triumphant, we are ſure, the cloſeſt Hypocrite ſhall not Enter: God will waſh off all the varniſh, and paint, which they have put upon the face of their profeſſion, with Rivers of Brimſtone, and will give them then, the cup of His fierce wrath to drinke unto Eternitie. We have been the larger upon this Scripture, becauſe we find it ſo fully enlarged to our hands, and it was ſo good, and ſo full to our purpoſe, that we could part with none of it.
Secondly, Seeing this is the promiſe of God, and what He hath ſpoken with His mouth, He will fulfill with His hands, He will find faithfull men, who ſhall be His hands in all the peoples ſight, for this ſeparating, this reformeing worke, this making a difference; They ſhall lay-out themſelves to the utmoſt of thoſe abilities, their great Lord ſhall give unto them, That the Saints may enjoy unmixt Communions here below, and live together as if there were not another among them; we ſay, they ſhall endeavour this matter full-up to the promiſe, That the wicked, or Belial (in the originall) he or ſhe, that will not beare the yoke of God, ſhall no more paſſe through thee; much leſſe ſtay and lodge inNahum 1. 15. thee; that is the promiſe; no man ſhall be yoaked with you, butSee the expoſition Job 19. 386. he that beares the yoke of Chriſt. This will be the day of Sions glorious liberty, when all (within her liberties) beare the yoake of Chriſt, and none ſhall be unequally yoked; This is the glory of the Saints below, and this ſhall be perfect in the ſtate above, but all the faithfull in the land breath, and endeavour after this; and the more earneſtly, becauſe this is promiſed, and they thinke the ſet time is haſtening, when it ſhall be performed; for they cannot doubt, but that there ſhall be as great a portion of the Spirit of holineſſe, and of unity, and as eminently powred out upon the Saints in theſe latter ages of the world, as there was upon the firſt Goſpell Church, Act. 2. 1. They were altogether in one place with one accord, as if they had all but one ſoule; and they continued in the Apoſtles Doctrine, ſo in fellowſhip one with another. And
Thirdly, That all the Godly, truely and indeed ſuch all over the land, Miniſters and people muſt make a difference, a ſeparation according to the Command of God, and the practiſe of the primitive times all along upward to this day, as to the point of Church Communion and fellowſhip one with another; for as ſure as they are ſanctified ones, they are ſeparated ones, dedicated to God for the promoteing His glory, and carrying on the intereſt of Chriſt in their owne, and in the hearts of others; Man is a ſociable Creature *Man would rather endure the greateſt miſery together with his friends, than enjoy the greateſt happineſſe by himſelfe alon…. Dion. third Orat., he loves not to be alone, unleſſe he be in meditation; and he is not leſſe ſociable, becauſe he is more holy; but he is more choice of his Company, As every good man is, and ought to be, a mans Companion being (as was ſaid) a Counterpaine of himſelfe, he cannot now converſe among the wicked, upon choice and with delight, (unleſſe he could convey good unto them) more than he could delight to be with thoſe poſſeſſed men among the Tombs, Mark. 5. 3. It is with the Saints now, as it was with the primitive Church, they aſſociated themſelves in thoſe dayes, ſo they muſt now; They continued in fellowſhip one with another, as well as in the Apoſtles Doctrine; ſo they muſt doe now: They were all of one mind, and therefore fit to make one body; ſo are they now, as to the maine, and principall things required of them, walking together in Church Communions, and Goſpell fellowſhip; The Communion, and fellowſhip of the Saints is the lower heaven of the Saints, as ſaith that worthy man; Therefore they can no more converſeUpon Job 16. 54. among the wicked upon choice, than David could chooſe to live in Meſech, and dwell in the Tents of Kedar; A ſavage and wild people, without the verge of the viſible Church; ſuch company is like the torment once invented, of chaineing a▪ live-man, and a dead-man together; The Godly in Chriſt Jeſus count it a great evill to be joyned with unſavoury dead wretches at any time, or place (much more will they avoide it where they can at the Lords Table, (the onelyonly place the wicked will joyne with them in) David prayes, Gather not my ſoule with ſinners, Pſal. 26. 9. If we would not have our ſoules gathered with ſinners hereafter, for the preſent we muſt take heed of joyning with them. A good Gentlewoman, (as we have heard) being much troubled in Conſcience, and ready to goe out of the world, prayed thus; O Lord, let me not goe to the place, where the wicked are, for Lord, thou knoweſt I never loved their Company here. And this ye may have read alſo; Looke with what Company we delight our ſelves-in here below, with them, we ſhall be, and converſe for ever, either in the higheſt heavens, or in the lowermoſt hell.
We would adde this more, to confirme us in this Truth, That the righteous can no more, upon choice, be with the wicked, than ſheepe and lambs can be with grievous Wolves, and Tigers; looke, as of what nature the Appetite is, of the like nature muſt be the food. Carryon, or ſuch like filth will ſerve the Raven, not the Dove; earthly food will ſatisfie a naturall appetite, and heavenly food will ſatisfie the heavenly appetite, that, and no other; ſo looke of what nature the man is, the like ſhall his Companion be, if he may be at his owne choice, with whom he will have communion, ſpecially at the Lords Table. The meaning is, Saints deſire to feed with Saints, and they will feed with them at the Lords Table, elſe they will not come at it; They are as choice of their company, as they are of their meate, in all places, but ſpecially at that place; They deſire to have Communion onelyonly with Saints, and that the pretious may be ſeparated from the vile, that their feeding may not be with grievous wolves, but with the harmeleſſe innocent and peaceable lambs of Chriſt; for if Chriſt is the Center, and reſting place of all the affections of the Saints, as moſt certainly He is, then muſt the Saints abound in love one towards another, in, and for Chriſt, which they cannot evidence any other way, but by often meeting one with another, and ſpeaking one to another, and working one for another, what poſſibly they can. We will put a cloſe to this in Bleſſed Sibs his words. Next to the meditation of Chriſt, and the Excellencies that are in Him, I know no way more effectuall, than is holy Communion with thoſe, that are led with the Spirit of Chriſt, when we ſee the ſweet fruite of it in others It hath been a meanes ſanctified to doe a great deale of good to many, and thoſe that delight not in it, never knew what the likeneſſe of Chriſt meant; for thoſe that deſire to be like Chriſt, they love the ſhineing of Chriſt in any. They are a careleſſe people to whom all companies are alike: But they that walke circumſpectly, looking round about, making it their onelyonly care how to pleaſe God, theſe will make choice of thoſe, that find ſome worke of grace on their hearts by the Spirit of God; if not, they may well doubt of their Condition, and that there is no worke of grace wrought at all, for grace will make us love the like; As you ſee creatures of the ſame kind love to company with one another, Doves with Doves, and lambs with lambs, ſo it muſt be with the children of God, or elſe we do not know what the communion of Saints meanes. In the laſt place, and in proſecution of that was laſt ſaid,
Fourthly, We Conclude, That the Saints loving, and delighting in their Communion together are fruitfull, and uſefull to one another, while they are together; and therefore doe ſpeake often one to the other; Thereby to ſtirre-up one anothers pure minds. And this is a Duty ſo cleared in the booke of God, to be according to the mind and word of God, to keepe off from the wicked, who will keepe far off from God; And oppoſe the meanes whereby they may be brought nearer unto Him; It is ſo agreeable to the Divine Nature, and as we heard, the new creature, to converſe with their like, and ſo to walke together in Goſpell Order, that truly we cannot conceive what can be reaſonably ſaid againſt …t by any reaſonable man, ſpecially by Miniſters of Chriſt. Nay we are aſſured nothing can be reaſonably ſaid againſt it; True it is Miniſters in name ſuch, and godly by profeſſion, doe oppoſe this Aſſembling together of Saints, but they are aſhamed, no doubt, to ſhew ſo little reaſon, as to reaſon againſt it; For to gaine Inſtruction from lower matters; Can we thinke, That the matters, or concernments of a pariſh are ſo conſiderable, That the chiefe men, or Maſters there with the reſt, muſt meete ſometime▪ to conferre about them for the better diſpoſing of them, according to decencie, and right order? Can we thinke then, and thinke like men, that the matters of Chriſt, the concernments of His glory in our ſalvation, will not require the like care and ſo Command the people of God, Saints by calling, to meete often, and conferre about thoſe high, and ſacred matters, ſo nearely relateing to the welfare of that Body, whereof the Lord Chriſt is the Saviour, that theſe may be adminiſtred according to the mind of Chriſt, and rule of His word, praeſcibed by Himſelfe, to be obſerved in His houſe by His Stewards there? If they will make full proofe, that ſuch they be by fidelity as well as in Name, and by Office. Well, we are confident our Lord and Maſter makes us ſo, (whoſe manner was to ſpeake alone, and apart with His Diſciples) ſo doe all thoſe, that have gone forth by the footſteps of the flocke, following His ſteps; That all thoſe Miniſters who oppoſe this Aſſembling of the Saints together, there to ſpeake often one to another for the ends aforeſaid, are ſelf-willed men, ſelf-will is their reaſon; ſo there is no argueing with them, who have nothing to oppoſe againſt this Goſpell fellowſhip, but their will, or carnall Reaſon; onelyonly we would commend them to the Prayers of the Saints; And for thy ſelfe, Reader, if thou canſt skill onelyonly in thy Mother tongue, we would Commend to thy meditation, that plaine Engliſh thou readeſt, Eph. 4. 16. From whom the whole body, &c. and if thou canſt skill in the Latine, Then we heartily commend to thee, Learned Calvins three doctrines therefrom, and Beza's obſervations thereupon, in his notes common with us, and in his larger Annotations too large to be inſerted in this place.
SECT. II.
ANd ſo we make bold to give in our Jealouſie, which may paſſe for better Reaſon, than any ſelf-will can give; why Miniſters, reputed Godly, plead for a looſe way of receiving all ſorts of perſons to Communion at the Lords-Table, and by promiſcuous admiſſions, proſtitute the Ordinances of Chriſt to every Commer, oppoſeing in the meane while what they can (as they muſt needs doe, allowing ſuch doings) the Communion of Saints here below, and fellowſhip one with another.
Firſt, Is it not becauſe they would not diſpleaſe the people? leaſt thereby they ſhould open the peoples mouths againſt them, and ſhut their purſes? As certainly it would be ſo, for two footed ſwine, and dogs, who returne to their folly as thoſe foure footed ones to their vomit and myre, cannot endure to be called ſuch, and dealt with as ſuch in point of Church Communion. Indeed, as worthy Mr Manton ſaith; this pleading for a looſe way of receivingEpiſt: before Mr. Sanders Booke. all ſorts of perſons to holy things, Looketh as exactly calculated for a wordly intereſt. We charge you not ſo as he doth not; but we would charge you in the name of the Lord, ye would examine your ſelves, whether it be not ſo? And this we dare ſay to helpe you-on in your tryall, That as long as a mans heart is overloving, and over-delighting in any thing but God, he ſhall doe little for God, perhaps much againſt Him: For be he a man of greatPart. 2. 359 illumination, raiſed gifts (as worthy Mr Burgeſſe ſaith) and parts, whereby he is admired in the world, yet hath not a crucifyed, and mortifyed heart; he cannot but pray, preach, and diſcourſe of thoſe things, which though not above his underſtanding, yet above his heart, and affections; And then little can he, or will he doe for God in his owne private houſe, or in the houſeI have had much to doe with my proud ſwelling mi…d, my ſtiffe neck, and ſtubborne heart. Hier. of His God. Therefore we would adviſe others, as we doe our ſelves in Luthers words, If they would overcome a world of enemies without, they muſt begin with▪ their maſter-luſt within, and when that Goliah is ſubdued, the Army is routed, and they will flye; This I know ſaith Luther by certaine experiences, That I have more cauſe to feare what is within me, than what is without; and I have hit the naile on the head, when I ſay venter in omni Ʋbi non viden… quaeſ…um rident Chriſtum; ubi datur u… edant add…ci poſſunt ut credant. To…no. upon Hoſ: 10. 11. Avari…â eſt plerum que haereſinem comes ſomes, &c. Ameſ. in pe:religione potentiſſimum Idolum, the belly ſwayes moſt in every religion; though where that is ſerved, Chriſt is deſtroyed, and they who make their belly their God, makes the Lord Chriſt but an Idol. And this be ſpoken to bid you beware of the world, if with full purpoſe of heart ye would worke for the Lord, or have a thought of joyneing with Gods people, or of their joyning with you, ye will breake the ſtaffe of beauty, and bands quickly, and away ye will goe as Demas did, having embraced the preſent world.
Secondly, Is it not becauſe ye doe not ſtand in Gods Counſell, ye doe not aske at His mouth? Therefore your Judgement is ſo miſtaken in the matters, which doe concerne the glory of His houſe, and manner of His people in all times, ſpecially thoſe, which were, as ours have been, yea are fierce, and perillous, reforming times. A godly man lookes fixedly up to His God, and then downe to His Word; he will goe as far towards peace with all men, as his light will guide him, and take Holines with him; he dare not ſtep one ſtep in the darke, for then he certainly falls into ſin; more cannot be deſired, and leſſe ye cannot doe, if you doe your Duty in great matters, and in ſmall: looke to have a word for what you doe, ſo ſhall you doe things decently and in order; elſe all will be out of order, as now they are.
SECT. III.
BUt this making a difference, and ſeparating between the pretious, and the vile, is the ſtone of ſtumbling, and gives great offence. It doth ſo, and ſo it ever did, and ſo it will, and it muſt ſo doe; To take away this offence we ſay, firſt.
Firſt, Holy Paul ſpeakes fully to this, we thinke, doe I now perſwade men, or God? that is, doe I endeavour to perſwade with you in the things of men, or in the things of God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? doe I plead His cauſe, or mine owne? or doe I ſeeke to pleaſe men? would I endeare my ſelfe to you, or Him to you, and His matters, of ſo neare concernment to your pretious ſoules? This I know, and would have you to know, If I yet pleaſed men, I ſhould not be the ſervant of Chriſt, Gal. 1. 10. It is not poſſible in theſe matters, but ye muſt offend God and His little ones, or ye muſt offend men, who cannot poſſibly be pleaſed; But where, and when God is highly offended, which of theſe will ye offend? when ye can no more pleaſe both, than yecan ſerve two Maſters; you can remember who ſaid it, The Lord God is a glorious Friend, and as dreadfull an enemie; Therefore He had rather offend the whole world, than Him; for what can the world doe to pleaſe, or quiet the Creature, when God is diſpleaſed? or to diſquiet, diſpleaſe, or diſcompoſe him, when God is pleaſed with him? when He giveth quietnes, who then can cauſe Job 34. 29.trouble? and when He hideth His face (ſo we may underſtand it) who then can behold him? Who can endure the hideing of Gods face? we may ſafely underſtand it too; If God hide the face of a man, that is, condemne him, paſſe ſentence of death upon him; (of which hideing, or covering the face was a ſymbol)Eſth: 7. 8. who can behold Him? who can ſee His face, have communionMark. 14. 65. with Him, whom God hath put from Him, having ſeparated him to deſtruction? It is not then to be regarded, what offends men, but what offends God. Feare we God, and deſire we of Him, That He would ſtrengthen us with All might, according to His glorious power, to walke worthy of Him unto all well-pleaſing, being fruitfull in every good worke, and encreaſing in the knowledge of God: Ye will need all Might to enable to all pleaſing, and to fence you againſt the feare of men, when ye are upon this ſeparating worke. So true is that of the wiſe man, The feare of Prov. 29. 25.a man bringeth a ſnare; but who ſo putteth his truſt in the Lord ſhall be ſafe, or ſet on high.
Secondly, Obſerve what God Commands, and buckle-up to the obedience of it, and know, ye have warrant ſufficient for this, Have not I commanded you? Come out from among them, and be 2 Cor. 6. 17.ye ſeparate, and touch not the uncleane thing, and I will receive you.
Ye ſay this is not meant of ſeparating from a Church; we ſay ſo too; And that no ſuch profeſſion of ſeparation is required from this, or that, or any Church, but onelyonly a ſeparation from the world, eſpecially at the Lords Table The Church is that; from which the rent is; Haereſie divides from the head; S…hiſme from the body; Apoſtacie from both. Schiſme is a renting from Churches, and from Saints. Separation commanded by God, and practiſed by good men is onelyonly from the world, and that which is of the world, that they may Cement, and ſodder together, being united to Chriſt their Head, and by charity one to another: ſo this ſeparation is not for want of Charity, but in all love, and humility together, which makes them goe ſtooping one towards another, that they may advance one th' other Heaven-ward. The Godly cannot joyne with the world in their worſhip, for then they muſt joyne with them in their ſin; ſo they are not ſo much drawne from the world, as driven from the world, ſu…ati non fugitivi. The blame of Schiſme, ſaith Voetius, muſt not be upon thoſe, who forſake thoſe, that have forſaken Chriſt, and His Truth; Therefore as not the puniſhment, but the Cauſe makes the Martyr: ſo non deceſſio, ſed cauſa facit ſchiſmaticum, not the departing, but the c…uſe makes the ſchiſmaticke; he or ſhe, one, or more, that is a true ſeparatiſt can ſay, calling God to record upon their ſoules, That love to God, To their owne, and others ſoules is the cauſe of their ſeparation, not want of love to their Neighbour, which may remind you of what that Excellent Italian Divine Zanchi ſaid, ſeparating from the Church of Rome; I now, ſeventy yeares old, teſtifie together with my whole family, to the Church of Chriſt to all Eternity, That I ſeparated from Rome with no other intent, but to turne againe to Communion with her, ſo ſoone as ſhe is turned to the Lord, and is become as that Church was, whoſe praiſe is in the Goſpell, Beloved of God, called to be His Saints, Rom. 1. 7. So they that are followers of God, as Deare Children, can ſay, from whom ſoever they ſeparate now, to them they will gladly returne anone, when they ſhall be turned to the Lord, which they pray-for without ceaſing.
Thirdly, In the laſt place, This fellowſhip of the Saints one with another at their private meetings▪ hath a very ill reſentment with Godly Miniſters, and Gods people alſo; ſo we have heard, and ſo indeed we find it to be; And it ſhould be, ſurely is of a ſad reſentment to all the Godly in Chriſt Jeſus all over the Nation; That the practice of Chriſt with His Diſciples converſing with them alone, and apart; And the practice of all true Diſciples in all ages to this very day, ſhould be ſpoken againſt now, diſcountenanced, and quite out of uſe; For Saints not to converſe Saints, not to hold Communion together; it is to doe moſt unbecomeing Saints it is indeed to unſaint themſelves, it is to make them looke not like themſelves, ſo as any one can ſay, There is a Saint.
The wicked will aſſemble together, and by their will, will not have a good man amongſt them which tells us what the truely godly Miniſters, and people have done, and ſtill doe, and muſt ſo doe, if they w…ll approve themſelves godly, meete often together, that they may ſpeake one to another; for each others good for their Edification; And truely, we cannot Imagine, how any Godly Miniſter can doe leſſe, but encourage it, that they ſhould ſtandout againſt it, is a wonder; How elſe ſhall they know the ſtate of their people? how ſhall they underſtand, how they have profitted? how fitt Gueſts they are for the Lords Table? but of that before.
Surely they muſt be dealt with alone, and apart in theſe matters; A Miniſter ſhall, as we are perſwaded, find no more ready a way to diſcerne between the vile, and pretious, than by appointing a private meeting place, where they may conferre one with another; The Godly ſhall find the wicked will not come at them, They hate ſuch meetings as they doe the light, but what the wicked hate, the Godly love. The wicked will not endure to be tryed, being all droſſe, and continuing ſuch, muſt be thruſt away; And neere, and cloſe tryalls of ſincerity, as that Excellent man ſaith,D…. Owen. p. 195. drive Hypocrites into Apoſtacie; But ſurely this courſe muſt be taken, Miniſters muſt call their people together, they muſt meete with them often in private, elſe how ſhall they know who are fit gheſts for the Lords Table? There, there will be, as hitherto hath been, prophane mixtures, and hatefull doings there.
We conceive nothing can be reaſonably objected againſt this, onelyonly this is ſaid, and much ſtrucke at, much the ſame the Princes had to ſay againſt Daniel, 6. 5. Theſe private meetings are in order to an higher matter, drawing towards a more cloſe walking with God, and entring into Covenant in the ſtrength of God ſo to doe.
Very true, and he that opens againſt this, ſets his mouth againſt heaven; how can a people maintaine their fellowſhip with the Father, and the Son, and not hold fellowſhip one with another? and how can they walke together as Friends, and not in Goſpell order, and by Church rule? And then why not engage in the ſtrength of God, and enter into Covenant, as to this thing, to walke humbly with their God, as under His eye, and before Him, as becometh the Goſpell, and all true Goſpellers? Worthy Mr Palmer hath ſpoke much in a little to this in the beginning of his booke, which we would commend unto the Chriſtian Reader: And here we will tell our perſwaſion before we conclude▪ That ſith the Holy Scripture calls the Church of God, and Church Communion, Heaven; It is not onelyonly a Company we ſhall liveIſa. 65 17. …6. 22. withall in heaven hereafter, But it is heaven now; And they who doe not bend towards, and breath after this Communion of Saints;Revel: paſſ…. are but baſe, and unworthy perſons; The Lord God brands them, and ſo may His people, as He doth thoſe we reade off Theſe 1 Chron. 4 23.were potters, and thoſe that dwelt among Plants, and hedges: there they dwelt with the King for his worke; theſe were ſome baſer ſort of the Jewes, who, when liberty was proclaimed for their returne to Jeruſalem, where they might enjoy God in His true worſhip, choſe rather for filthy Lucre ſake, and other fleſhly advantages to ſtay in Babylon, and to ſerve among the potts. The application is eaſie; We will onelyonly offer to their thoughts, who are ſo baſely diſpoſed, that fearefull threatning, ▪ And it ſhall be, Zach. 1▪ …7.that whoſoever will not come-up of all the families of the earth unto Jeruſalem, to worſhip the King the Lord of Hoſts, even upon them ſhall be no raine; no Bleſſing. This muſt be meant, as might be cleared fully, from the 20th verſe; The glorious ſtate, and condition of the Church in the time of the Goſpell, walking together in Church Communion. And therefore the Lord God takes it very ill, at the hands of thoſe, to whom He hath proclaimed a Bleſſed liberty; Yet they preferring their eaſe, and profits before it, will not come-up (for it is up the Hill) to joyne with His people therein; Therefore He threatens them, as we heard, They ſhall have no Bleſſing.