thou mourn at last when thy flesh and
thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart
despised reproof, and have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor
inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! &c." If thou would be safe
from snares, remove from the way and house of the strange woman. Thou must
fall in Aholah and Aholibah's whoredoms (Ezek. xxiii.) except thou come
not near them. If thou keep not from that assembly and congregation, thou
shall be "almost in all evil." If thou join with them, thou cannot but
partake of their sins and plagues; and so thou shalt say after, when thou
cannot well mend it, "I was near gone, my steps almost gone," and all the
assembly of his people shall witness to it.

Chap. vi. 16, 17, 18, 24, 25. "These six things doth the Lord hate, yea
seven are an abomination unto him. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands
that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet
that be swift in running to mischief. To keep thee from the strange woman,
from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her
beauty in thine heart, neither let her take thee with her eye lids." This
describes both our enemies, the malignant party and the sectarian. Pride,
violence, cruelty, lying, is the very character of the one. Flattery,
beauty of pretended religion, false witnessing and charging of the Lord's
people, and seeking to sow discord among these that were one in heart and
work, is the character of the other. Now, keep thee from both these
abominations, and do not think it is in thy power not to be infected with
the contagion of their fellowship. "Can a man take fire in his bosom and
his clothes not be burnt? Can one go on hot coals and not burn his feet?"
So whoever associates and goes in friendly to either of them "shall not be
innocent," ver. 27, 28, 29.

Chap. vii. 14, &c. "I have peace offerings with me, this day have I paid
my vows." They pretend religion on both sides. And our church says, the
malignants have satisfied them, and repented, even like the peace
offerings and vows of the whore. She began with her devotion, that she
might with more liberty sin more, and have that pretence to cover it, and
by means of her offerings, she got a feast of the flesh, even as they by
profession of repentance are admitted to trust, and by offering for the
like sin, a new sin is covered, and vows undertaken never to be kept.
Therefore take heed of th