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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96887	A conference of some Christians in church-fellow-ship, about the way of Christ with his people, and the result therefrom. This serveth only by way of introduction to take off the reproaches, that are cast upon pastour and people, whose earnest care and endeavour is to walke with a right foote in that holy way. Which is held forth here by the light of the sacred Scripture, as it appeares unto them, and how curious and circumspect their walke should be, who pretend to it, and to walke therein. The scandalls in and against the way are removed as they could be.	Woodward, Ezekias, 1590-1675.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3485; Thomason E868_4; ESTC R207653	29,701	36

A CONFERENCE OF Some Christians in Church-fellowship about the way of Christ with His people and the Result therefrom This serveth only by way of Introduction to take off the Reproaches that are cast upon Pastour and people whose earnest care and Endeavour is to walke with a right foote in that Holy way Which is held forth here by the light of the sacred Scripture as it appeares unto them and how Curious and Circumspect their walke should be who pretend to it and to walke therein The scandalls in and against the way are removed as they could be For our selves Brethren our Conscience sufficeth but for you our Name also had need to be pretious and honourable for we would have our words savour sweetly with you then so must our name also Augustine Stand in the wayes and see and aske for the old pathes which is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules But they said we will not walke therein Jer. 6. 16. He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his deedes may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Joh 3. 21. LONDON Printed according to Order for Henry Cripps in Popes-head-Alley 1656. A RESVLT Of a Serious Debate first with our selves alone and apart seeking God in these matters to Whom Interpretations doe belong Then altogether taking our Pastour with us to seeke-out the truth of the matters in order to a cleare resolution to those four Questions before specified in the Epistle to the Reverend Ministers proposed to us by a reverend and godly Minister requiring a Reason from us of our way and practise therein The Introduction Sheweth in the Entrance into it and close of it the occasion and scope of this Conference It serveth also to vindicate our Pastour from the Reproaches of wicked men and jealousies of the Godly against him And to justifie the Truth of the way and of our walke therein to be according to the mind of God expressed in His Word our desire also and endeavour to walke therein in all pleasing before Him SECT I. Honourable FOr so you are if you are pretious in our Lords eyes You were pleased to stoop very low and so an humble person can doe and yet lower if need be when you turned in to me lesse indeed then the least of all Saints which is as little as can be And yet I hope as I pray not lesse in any ones eye than I am in my own But whatever I am by the grace of God I am what I am Now to the businesse you were pleased to propose to mee and require resolution from mee thereunto These to my best remembrance you called Circumstantials onely matters of fact rather than of faith of an inferiour nature and degree which may be done or left undone and yet therein walking up to our light the Command of God is not broken nor the bond of love with men And yet to speake a word to this in passage onely I humbly conceive even in these matters decency and order must be observed and if we looke our worke should finde acceptance with the Lord it must be done in faith also for howsoever the worke be wee suppose it relateth to God and his service and but a Circumstance about the worke rather than of the nature essence or substance of the same yet all this falleth under a command and failing herein our worship is marred being not performed after the due order a We may say of Circumstances as of Relatives these have the least entitie but they have the greatest efficacie Circumstances carry much in our matters with men much more in warre they carry all with God these make all or marre all these overthrow our actions if they be not rightly and duly observed For the Lord stands as much upon Circumstances as he doth upon dutyes Hee will have them done and well done after the due manner and order by himselfe prescribed or else as well undone because the same Lord that commanded the matter commanded also the manner of our service indeed the manner is all But to let this passe for the present The things you charged upon mee to give you an account of as to my faith therein and practise about them were to my thinking Lord howsoever in common account and thoughts of others highly relating to the glory of God the beauty of his holinesse the peace and welfare of his people such like or the same with these mentioned in the title page and in the Epistle to the Rev Ministers SECT II. TO these things you desired me yea you charged mee to give you my opinion and if in the Negative then to give you the reason of my Contrary Judgement unto yours I tooke this at the first hearing and so doe still to be a matter too high for mee and indeed at that present was minded how ever you charged mee not to meddle in it least as was said of one you know by whom A good cause should have a weake Defendant Yet upon after-thoughts and taking Counsell with God upon whom the Creature depends every moment for his being and for all his good he hath and quickly after communing with my brethren in Fellowship with me about it as I beleeve your intent and I am assured my duty was to doe and taking our Minister with us and seeking to God againe altogether we resolved by the helpe of his grace to endeavour to give you an account of our matters according to your demands and as our God should be pleased to give in to us to give forth to you keeping all along as close to Him and His Word as possibly through the supply of His grace wee can So you see now what is done and wee are full of hope sith it was our full desire and endeavour you will finde our words so ordered all along how weakly soever and our matters so disposed in the strength of his grace which wee have sought for as that you will conclude of us That wee are as unwilling to give any offence to your worthy selfe or any other of your brethren in office with you as much honoured by us as well you can thinke as wee would be to offend the Apple of our Eye and rather breake our owne bones then be a meanes or just occasion to breake the peace of the Church or of any good man there so you will not account the whole Nation with every Parish a Church and the rich man the good man and best amongst them there If these or any one of these are pleased God is infinitely displeased We seek not to please men but God And pleasing Him we cannot thinke we can displease any good-man The words we reade Caent 2. 7. together with the Note on the side we observed thereupon was very pressing upon us I charge you by the roes and by the hindes of the field that yee stirre-not-up nor awaken my Love untill shee please The Note upon

know not when and wherein any was given Thus it is suggested That we are regardlesse of others who walke not in fellowship with us Much more is said but we shall heare more of it in another place This we will say here first 1. That no good man can be regardlesse of another how bad soever nay the worse he is the more regard a good man hath unto him so as he could take such an one into his bosome so be thereby he could make him better 2. Wee professe from our hearts now that wisdome hath entred-in thither and knowledge is pleasant to our soule That we cannot but love all we have the least hope doe love the Lord Jesus in sincerity observing their orderly walke according to the rule of the Word and Commands of the Gospell under what formes or Notions soever they be that is little or nothing to us they love the Lord in sincerity and that is motive enough and bond strong enough upon us to love them That Christ hath received us prevailes much to receive one another Though yet we confesse we cannot but invite others to come-in and joyne with us we know He is the Lord that perswades to come-in and adds to the Church but we say we cannot but invite others to come-in to us and walke along with us Assuring them that they shall finde the same that we doe That all the wayes of wisdome are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes are peace 3. And yet That they may not be too hasty and so rather stumble into the way than take into it upon choice we doe advise them to sit downe first and count their cost Assuring them from as sure a word as the Heaven and Earth have for their continuing that they must come off from their owne way a way of sinne and death and cast a spewing upon it that they may no more returne unto it than they would to their vomit to take it up againe before they can enter this way to walke in it as becommeth with a right foote in all pleasing as before Him Who hath called us out of darknesse into His marvailous light Wee tell them moreover least they finding themselves mistaken should returne backe to their Egypt of sinne and Darknesse That though it be as pleasant a way as pleasantnesse it selfe yet so saith the Spirit renewed not so saith the flesh for not one stepp scarce is taken therein but it goes to the heart of flesh and blood And truly to take it in passage hereby wee conclude the truth of our way That it is the way of holinesse which is a torment to flesh not mortified as flesh is a torment to it And so we say farther to him or her that beares any liking to this way and makes some offers towards it wee give all encouragement that can be for who dares despise the day of small things the least motions or breathings heaven-ward how welcome yet wee say further and it is good to tell them the worst with the best That they never found what a rebell flesh was till now nor a busie Devill till now nor what persecution is till now which if they meet not with from without and that were a wonder * Odium genius evangehj hatred is the companion and very genius of the Gospel 2 Tim. 3. 12. Hell-gates standing wide open against them night and day yet certainly they shall meet with from within for so saith the Spirit by the Ministery thereof All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and wee have our Masters word for it In the world yee shall have tribulation which word though hath not the least power or efficacy in it selfe but onely as it is managed in the hand of Satan to turne Men from God And yet the Lord Christ hath not let that goe free without its deadly wound but bids his followers be of good comfort for He hath overcome the world that is for them and in their stead so that it should never be used nor heightned in its enmity to a totall and finall conquest over them these are the words of that Godly and learned Man Dr O wen But this is the Saints persev p. 170. point which wee would drive-on like a naile to the head and presse upon our selves and others Circumspect walking selfe-deniall every day yea every houre in the day looking off from all that is flesh and up to Him who is the Alpha and will be the Omega the Author and finisher of our faith 4. And now that God hath thus perswaded with us by his Spirit and Word wee doe after the manner of his people in all ages which was hinted before who feared their God spake often one Mal. 3. 16. unto another and wee feele the comfort of it And blame our selves most for not doing it sooner but blessed be God wee doe it now and that he hath given us such a Pastour who desires to know the state of his flocke that they may be made meet in Gods time to give him the meeting at his Table Truly we blessed God for this day and night and some of us for this great mercy that we never were at the Lords Table for had wee taken the invitation being sixteene yeares of age as multitudes did doe we had done wee know not what as others did and our Minister at that time had given it to He knew not whom For how could the Minister possibly know our state who never to our remembrance met with us but at a merry-meeting or the day before wee were to meet at the Lords Table and then he that gave us the Question made us the Answer We passe over this and through the strength of grace passe on in this way assembling of our selves together as our Callings will give leave for the mutuall edification each of other and wee doubt not but ere long all the Ministers of the Lord that are truly godly what ever they doe at present walking according to their light will draw-on their people this vvay and be as often with them in private as in the publique place minding with all their hearts the danger of the neglect thereof either in Minister or in people vvhere the Apostle layes that rise of that soul-damning-sinne of wilfull Apostacy in the neglect of this Heb. 10 25. Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another c. For if we sinne wilfully verse 26. 5. Wee have now given you at your request some account of our vvay vvee shall point you now in passage vvhat lets and rubs we finde in the way it vvere not else the way of Holinesse for the broad way meets with none And the way vvee take thorough grace to passe over them with much cheare and comfort in our spirits being resolved upon the vvay and assured what vvee must meet with walking therein 1. It is a way much reproached wee like it

so much the better for that That old liar and Murtherer with his servants are still casting a flood upon it vvhich they will never doe upon their owne way of sinne and death yet that is one let and a great rub to flesh and blood And 2. This is another because many of that vvay vvalke not so orderly in it as were to be wished and vvee have flesh as well as others and carry the same Dung-hill and Hell about us as the vvorst of men doe yet with this difference for wee must not vvrong our selves much lesse the worke of his grace in us this Dun-hill savoureth like a dung-hill in our nostrils the filthiest sinke that is in the world but with a wicked man like a garden of spices so our heart is an Hell too and an Hell to us whereas to a vvicked man it is an heaven because it issueth forth to him the way and meanes first wrought and moulded within whereby to reach at and if possible to attaine all the sweets of profits and pleasures here below but as vvee were saying because we have this Dung-hill and Hell within us which is still putting forth from us and wee have many eyes upon us to observe our walking wee are carefull with all our care that wee may cut off all occasions that the way of Holinesse may not be blasphemed through us for though wee doe meet once a weeke yet so as it doth not hinder but further our private affaires as wee have found by good experiences and indeed so much profit every way specially to our inward man though Piety is prosperity enough where ever it is and Impiety misery enough where ever that is the hid man of the heart is the all of man so be that prospers all prospers for seldome or never without abundance of grace doth the outward and inward prosper together we were saying That wee are through the grace of God such gainers by attending the meanes of grace that wee would not for a world neglect the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but hold-on exhorting one the other and so much the more as wee see the day approaching for this was spoken once and we heard it twice That they who will have nothing of the Sabbath on the weeke day will take-in much of the weeke on the Sabbath day if not all The meaning is plaine to them that will understand 6. But now to cut off occasion wee walke in desire and endeavour orderly and as becometh the Gospell wee meddle not with things too high for us wee are not Intruders into the sacred Office and utterly dislike those that are wee take counsell at Gods mouth and of his Ministers wee pray and exhort one another much in those words Onely let your conversation be as becometh Phil. 1. 27. the Gospell of Christ And then wee depart home and finde no want of our absence there according to the good word of our Lord wee finde it hath been with us other things have been added to us As our Lord knew our needs were Wee take it for granted our Master in Heaven is the best Master and gives the best reward to his servants for He Himselfe and not another for Him will be their reward So will He be their Defence also nothing shall hurt them or be dammage to them while they are attending His service Wee will insist upon this a little that we may give if not some satisfaction yet some answer to those that say Is is enough and as 2 Tim. 4. 2. Nempe quod ad carnis prudentiam attinet Bez. 1. much as is required to attend Gods service on the stated-Day in season and an houre out of season as the wisdom of the flesh calls it would be no small losse or hinderance to them 1. To this we would humbly reply 1. That this being so solemnely charged upon the Minister to preach the Word to be instant in season out of season it reacheth the hearers also If there must be preaching there must be hearing and there must be some time of conferring together about what was heard and comparing the Ministers sayings as those wise hearers did Acts 17 11. with the sayings of God and what profit came of it all which cannot be as we conceive but by speaking often one to another And for that supposed dammage That an houre or two in a weeke would cause unto the outward man it is but cast-in by the carnall reason of those that minde earthly thengs It is an unquestionable Truth The flesh never complaineth of the waste or losse of time while it is pleased but every houre is two while that is vexed and put to cost yet wee may be resolved at this point While the Soule is a gainer the man is no looser and while the soule is a looser the man is no gainer Spirituall accommodations will make a good heart forget temporall incommodities It is worthy our best observation as that worthy Man hath it what a full Upon Job 6. 6. p. 441. Ch 22. 21. compensation the Lord makes to His people for the want of corporall bread and water Though ye are cut short in outward things yet ye shall not be shortned in Spiritualls The raine of the holy Doctrine shall not be removed from you which we translate Thy Teachers shall not be removed Isai 30. 20. Joel 2. 23. Surely they that looke Sion-ward finde much in this to engage them to heare much and to conferre about that they heare and to take time for it what possibly can be spared from their worldly employments which must be served in their season yet so as greater matters of infinite concernment be not neglected 2. In the second place we could take the boldnesse here To entreate the people of God to speake their experiences whether they have not found as gratious an hand with them and as singular a providence over them attending Gods service at convenient times as once the Israel of God did while they are so well employed according to their Lords command The enemy shall not exact upon them nor the Son of wickednesse afflict them What a sweet and heart-chearing providence was it That when all the Males of Israel appeared thrice in the yeare before the Lord at Ierusalem none of their Neighbour Nations though professed enemies to Israell on the East the Ammonites and Moabites on the West the Philistines on the South the Egyptians and Idumaeans and on the North the Assyrians should so much as desire their Land Exod 34. 24. Such a fatherlike care their God had over them while they tooke care of Duty That He not onely stopped hands from spoiling but hearts from desiring Againe it was as sweet a providence as it was wonderfull That after the slaughter of Gedaliah so pleasant a Country left utterly destitute of Inhabitants and compassed about with such warlike Nations as were the Ammonites Moabites Edomites Philistines was not invaded nor

matters were so handled and with that clearenesse of Evidence Who were to be admitted to the Table of the Lord and who not that some were taken off from their eager pursuite that way And others the most having nothing else left them went on after their manner Contradicting and blaspheming Now vvhich must be added though wee need not tell you vvhat was done in this place before for indeed vvee spare you because wee revereuce you yet it is knowne all the Country over vvhat is done in those matters within a Mile and lesse from this place vvhere the Sacraments are given to him and them vvho are as ignorant as Ignorance it selfe as rebellious as Rebellion it selfe Et illud quod dicere nolo Now then that Ministers practise is so contrary to the light shining forth from the Scriptures forementioned after which through Grace our Minister orders every step of his way as that his way is as contrary to that man's vvay for we delight not to call him a Minister as light is to darknesse Christ to Beliall the Temple of God to Idolls Then what agreement betwixt these two vvho stand as opposite as to their judgement at least to their practise for possible video meliora as doe the two Poles North and South Therefore it is strange to us to heare it said by you from him and wee beleive you That our Minister returnes from him very well satisfied It was answered before be pleased to take this more That our Minister can no more come downe to his practise then a Mountaine can come downe and throw it selfe into the Sea or the two Poles meet Wee proceed to another thing which as is said doth but cause strife and serveth not to edifie Now of this judge you by that vvhich followes He observed as vvho doth not the Lords day presumptuously sleighted and prophaned and Christmas-day highly honoured now to shew the iniquity of this he preached up the one and almost vvith the same breath he cast downe the other Be pleased to take his Scriptures here also Gen 2. 2. Exod. 20. 8. Isa 58. 13. and to lay his Batteryes against the other Idol-day he chose these Scriptures Ioh 4. 22. Gal 4. 9 10 11 12. This will fall to be one cheife part of our vvorke anon and so wee leave it Onely the reproaches cast upon him for this his Faithfullnesse tohis Lord puts us in mind of what wee have heard That there was a good man accused for preaching a seditious Sermon as was suggested but proofe failing and not a word thorough the vvhole Sermon giving the least evidence thereto The accuser spake openly and as impudently If the Sermon was not then the Text was seditious And the same is urged against him opening the Lords Prayer vvhich though necessarily to be done yet was he tantum non compelled thereunto so unwilling sometimes a man may be to doe his duty yet being pressed to give his reasons for his not using of it as others doe he set upon it and not rushing on it but after he had delivered the doctrine of Faith in a Catechisticall way from severall Scriptures taking them much afterthe order as they are in that we commonly call the Creed And truly he gave such reasons why he saith not that prayer at the end of his and why aGodly Minister should not so doe nor a godly man take it into his Closet where he is seeking the face of his God as that we are fully satisfied thereby that so it ought not to be said as commonly and cursorily it useth to be And withall he gave us such reasons why a wicked man ought not to say that prayer at all that we have concluded ever since we heard them That a wicked man hath no more to doe with the Lords Prayer then he hath with the blessed Cup and body at the Lords Table The one is as uncomely for his uncleane lips as is the other for his filthy hands But this will be the worke of the fourth Section Now if it be asked by the way vvhat is all this to the preaching of Christ Crucified the preachers Text and so he openeth the whole Counsell of God To this wee shall humbly reply much every way It is true nothing but Christ is to be preached unto Men as an object of their Faith or as our learned Rainolds and holy Sibbes saith a necessary Element of Salvation Nothing but Christ Jesus the Lord is the summe and Centre of all divine revealed Truth But there are other matters which are to be preached being reductive to Christ and which meet in him And whether those things forementioned 1. Relating to Admission to the Sacraments 2. To His onely holy day and 3. To His prayer are not reductive to Christ and meet in him is left to the Judgement of the Godly-wise Thus farre as duty binde us more there is but it is left to the Closet He as every good Man in matters of this Nature appeales to Gods judgement and to that wee must stand and wee shall doe well to minde those Scriptures well we reade Rom 14. 4. 10. Who art thou c. and why dost thou c. And so much for our Minister to vindicate him And give us leave we pray you to Apologize a little for this much wee protest before the living God the searcher of all hearts we have done it very unwillingly and have mooved as heavily here as is well Imaginable But Sir you have compelled us from without and our love to Christ and the prosperity of his Gospell hath compelled us from within knowing and fully assured That nothing hath so obstructed the running thereof amongst us as have the Differences betwixt you two The nearer the conjunction should be the more dangerous the discord is wee may allude to it for the Divisions betwixt you there are great thoughts of heart amongst those that seeme godly we hope they more then seeme Now whence the rise of these or what hath caused them The Lord be Judge and help you to judge your selfe about it He doth not doe as to sacred administrations as you did why should this Cause a Difference You walked according to your light so doth he according to his light He cannot doe as you did the word of his God to his seeming standing like the Angel with a sword in his way and speaking aloud unto him if thou goest that broad way I le slay thee Why should this make a difference Would you have him rush upon the drawne sword God forbid But you have said he makes shrewde reflections upon you and your way who can helpe that But if so which yet he knowes not of further then thus The truth is Judex sui obliqui he hath done it most unwillingly And you have it but by heare-say neither and that is commonly a loude liar and you must consider your insormers whether enemies or friends to the Gospell Wee never heard you charge him but with

Lord God hath laid His hand upon us and by His Finger His Holy Spirit written the Law of our Relation upon our hearts as He Upon Gal. 2. 20. pag. 36. standeth to us and we to Him in Jesus Christ we borrow this expression from that Man of God M Bridge who to us spake much in that little and surely it containeth much and we have made through Grace much of it as may appeare throughout our seventh and last Section Not doubting but whosoever shall enquire at that Law of Relation what is to be done as to Church Administrations shall have full resolution therefrom and so end the matter Therefore here we shall be very briefe making mention of it onely in Reference to our selves our way and walke and this we were saying If the Lord hath don thus with us as having beleived we have spoken then we humbly conceive these things must follow 1. We must follow the Lord fully as deare children by the guidance of the Holy Spirit of Faith and Adoption which the Sons of God have another from that of the world which rules in the darknesse thereof We must walke by rule even as He walked 1 Joh. 2. 6. If children of the light we walke in the light even as He is in the light 1 John 1. 7. Else 1 we should cleane crosse the end of our Election chosen in Him that we should be Holy and without Blame before Him in Love Eph 1. 4. And 2 wee should else crosse the end of our Calling As He who hath called you is holy so be ye Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet 1 15. 2. 9. And 3 we should else crosse the end of Gods Discovering to us His Gospell and way of Holinesse It was that we should walke thereafter having a Conversation as becometh Phil 1. 27. least our unholy practise should give our holy profession the lye but we hasten 2. If we can say Truly our fellowship is with ths Father and with His Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh 1. 3. Assuredly then we can not but seeke after and bend towards a Communion and fellow ship one with another that we may watch over each other help to beare each others burthen supply each others wants pertake of each others Graces doe all things as becommeth a Communion of Saints on earch which is saith that Learned Man Upon Job 16. pag. 25 4. the Lower heaven of the Saints serving each other in Love For thus wee have concluded That as it is with lines in a Circumserence the nearer to their Center the nearer one to another So nearnesse to Christ cannot possibly consist with a strangeresse or distance one from another for wee are members one of another 3. If as He is so are we in this world 1 Joh 4. 17. That is as we have heard it expounded If we have His image in us and stamped upon us if His Love be shed abroad in our hearts If He be in us by His Blessed Spirit we in Him by our faith If he dwell in us and walke in us 2 Cor 6. 16. Then ought we to walke even as He walked which was said before But from hence we humbly conceive these two things will follow 1. Wee must come out from among them and be seperate from the world so farre as is possible and not goe out of the world 1 Cor 5. 10. in all times and places specially at the Lords Table for so saith the Lord Be ye seperate and touch not the uncleane thing if ye expect that I should receive you and be a Father unto you and ye Sons and Daughters unto Mee 2 Cor 6. 17. Surely they that walke with God as friends cannot walke with the world be companions with the men thereof upon choice their affaires not requiring and when they plainly see they can give no good unto them But if they could have the least hope they could by conversing with them communicate good unto them they would most willingly doe it yet then not as companions with them but Physitians to them for what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse what Communion hath light with darknesse and what concord hath Christ with Beliall And 2. Wee must meet often in some place besides the common meeting place else how can we speake often one to another so making full proofe that we feare the Lord Mal 3. 16. Surely it is cleare from that place That that was the manner and practise of the Saints of old And M. Rogers in his fift Treatise pag 109. gives us a famous Instance of some brethren with their Pastour that met together in the yeare 1588. privately in one house there to complaine to each other of their sinnes and wants and to finde out the remedies against the same That holy man in the same place gives us to know the good of that Conference which he brancheth forth into many perticulars if we well remember but we finde them contracted into three 1. This meeting was a great whetting-on to them to frequent the publique Ministery more carefully and fruitfully aftervvards 2. These two kinds of meetings publickly in the Church and privately in their houses thus carried did knit them together in that bond of brotherly love which during life could never be broken 3. It was a meanes to make them have Christian conference and godly communion in greater account Wee vvill take leave to adde hereunto that holy Man's words Mr. Tilling Serman p 200. now with Him whose he was and whom he served The reason why there is so little of the Spirit given forth though it be the great New Testament promise is this Because Saints are no more in assembling together Saints are not found as they should be in their worke of Assembling together When the Lord Christ gave His Spirit to His Apostles immediately at His Resurrection it was when they were assembled together Joh 20. 19. 22. When the Disciples were assembled together He breathed on them and said unto them receive the Holy Ghost And so we reade in the 2 Acts where wee have the more full giving-forth of the Spirit It was when the Saints were assembled togetehr when they were all with one accord in one place He might have given it to them one by one when they were alone But our Deare Lord chooseth to give-forth the Spirit when they were Assembled together To assure us how much He loveth the Assemblies of the Saints He will not give to every one in a corner alone but when assembled together So that if Saints neglect their meeting together there may be little enjoyment of the Spirit though it be the great promise of the New Testament Administration There is much more to be said for this meeting together of the Saints and there is much said against it vvee shall referre both this and that to another place the last Section 2. Wee proceed to remove an offence taken against us we say taken for God knowes we