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Show V[e z. x. Br. follow poor creatures when the Lord departeth from them. See ·only that one Text, Hof. 9· I 1, 12 . .At for Epbr.oim, their glory jhJU fly away li~ a Bird, from the birt!J and from the Womb; aud from the conception. Though they bri11g up their Cbrldren.yet I will b,rravr them. that thrrefhaU not be a man lfji; wo •lfo unto them when l(haU drpartfrom them I Now that God ufeth ro depart from a people, when th< y ~ir him uf aHd azt>afze him by their fins, is plain !rom the whole courfe of Scripture, 2 Chro11. 15. 2. The Lord;, with you wbilq·ou be witb him,aHd ifyou f<'elzhim, he will be found of you;. but if you f orjJke him he wiU fo•J..ke yort. Ltt this be (i,fficient for the Explication, and contirmation of the point. The Application of it now fclloweth. It !hall only be in a word of Exhortation. To diffwade all men from diAurbing the rc{i ofChri{i witb hi< Spott{e. I {hall tirfl prefs it as to the forrrign dijlurbert of tbr Church. 2. At to tho{e that di/lurb the Church from witbin, fircb are Hrretick.J. 3 . .At ta tbr membrrt of the Church, that they by their Sins will not dillurb Chrills ref! amongfl them. In thefirfl placc; Let me be[eech you Iota~ berdoff/irring up, and awJk.jllg nf]t[IM Cbrift in hi< reft n>itb bi< Church, by any molr ·f/atimt from witlmu, purfuing of others for rightcoufnefs fake,and for their confciencc·fake, is that which our corrupt nature is very prone to; ever fince .A belt time, he chat was born after the firfh hath per{ecuted him that bath hem born after the Spirit, I cannot ex. peel that the world lhould grow kinder, the root 1>f the matter is llill in it, .I mean that enmity which God hath put betwixt the feed of the woman, and the feed of the Serpent: The world in irs old age it is likely will yet grow more te"<hy. My bulinefs is {lnly to perf wade you, that if I[eael will tranfgrefs, yet you would not Sin. Let this drudgery-work of the Devils be done by whofe hand it will ; God will ufe fame a~ .rods co do it, but be you none of the twigs that !hall make it up. Confider, J.This is a jlirri11g up,& an awa~ing of the Lord ]r[IM Chrijl. When a Church of God walks in order,enjoying a fdlowlhip in che Ordinancu, al! the Ordinances of his Go fpc: I; Chrill is as ic were in bed, and a·lleep.In fuch a Church, there is never an alfcmbly of mount Zi01t, but hath its Glory; never a Church of Chrifl walking in or· der,but Chrifl is in the midfl of it yea and he is at rcll thert.lfaiab, in 'the name of God propounds a quell ion, c"b. 66. v. 1. where i< the pli~Ce of my reft ? che Prophet b~d told us before where it is, lf. ll• A!/111en ~tdj~tnd not to (Jir ttp nor o~wttl{_c chrifl. t t. ro. The rant ofJelfe lhould be lifted up foran enfignof the people; to ir JhaU tbe Gwtiles f,k._. and hi< rril fhaU be glorzoiH; Chrilt rdleth in his Gofpel-Churches. Now thofe that dilturb thefe ~{femblies of Zion; do not only do an injury to the Souls of the poor people that arc the members of thefe Affemblies; but they do an injury to Chrill, they dillurb his rrft which he hath fJid is Glorious. Chrifl hath had a wearifome laborious work upon the Earth in the purchaling of his redeemed ones, in the g•· thering them in unto himfclt; and this is the fruit of his labour, the travel of his Soul: now rllll he is afcended up on hir,h, he reJOiceth, he rt{letb ilt t/,. affimbliet of hi< peoplr n>orjh1ppi11g him i11 Spirit a~d ill truth, The perfecuror of thofe that fear God cane' not break off the (Inion ber wee?. Chrill and his people, but thty' may fcatter the Churches of Chnfl, they may break their order; ~nd .thus dillurb IJuifls ret\ :_ Oh ! what a_n ingrateful thing· ts tillS, Roar man, thou art decetved! thou thtnkelt ( like P•11l )" that thou only dillurbef! a company of Pt~ritant, a company of' perfons whom thou calld\ faWow Seuariu, F&~#ick.J ( what men pleafe ) : Ah! but if this people live in the obfervance· of Chrifls Laws, Chrills Ordinances, thou dilturbell Chrill; and thy rage reacheth up to Heaven. · . 2ly, Confider with thy felf wb.rt a wr{'tlrfs tranfgrtffion thi<;,; Smning upon fame grtat provocation is not to be cxcufed· none ought .to receive ~ny plovocat'ion to lin ~gainll God, but ~y hoiV mu<!•a.ny a6i of hn hat~ lefs prov~cation, by fo much greater the lin ts. Even Rcafon ufelt tcachcrh us this; now what kind of provocation is this for me to diflurb fuch a Church of God fuch· C~niflians in their Gofpel-fellowfl!ip, becaufe they arc noc ~f my· mmd ;_ pol!ibly they are more nghteous than I, more afuid to lin agamfl God than I am, more jealous of Gods glory than I' am, .&c. what wropg is it to me, chat anrrher is afraid of Gods wrath in a p3rticular where I am not afraid· of it> what caufe is· c~is to me to be an_ inflrument of the llline of his life, his Liberty, h1s Ellate, &c, ts tt not pof!Jblc that I lhould be millaken and· mifcooceivc of tbe will of God> have I an infallible Spirit> or· are thofe men infallible, whom !think to fervc > Thirdly, Confider, 'fhat there;, no onr fin, which 11ponrecord of S crzpture and pf aU (lory, appeart to h•ve been fi drea<ifully re vntged; ?"aU per[ons, i~ aU agu, ~ttbit fin hatb been. I gave you plentiful' mllancesofthts belore: Ifit were lawful form< 1ocurfeminee• nemy |