their fouls with him as their Paftor, (at leaft when they may have a better.) And he that fo withdraweth himfelf from the communion of notorious wicked Paftors whom he hath no power to cart out, not feparating cauflefly from others or the Church-Bate, feemeth to us to have all the following reafons to excufe him from the guilt ofSchifm. i. God hath commanded his fervants to be ware of falle or pretended Prophets, and told us how to know them, by the hurtful fruits of thorns and thiftles : And Paul advifeth the Gala- tians, Colofans, &c. earneftly to hewa.re ofun- found Teachers; and the Churches that had thole that taught people to eat things offered to Idols, &c. are threatned : And God com- mendeth thole that tryed false Apoftles, and found them Lyars : Therefore the people in fuch cafes as thole have a trying judgment, in order to their pra&ice. And Patti warneth the .Romans to mark thofe that caffe divifions and o eases (or fcandals) and avoid them as not fer- ving Jefus Chrift but their bellies; and the fore- named crimes are fcandals. 2. God hath commanded men to know, love, and imitate godly Paftors, Mb. 13.7, 17. 24. i 7hf. 5. 12, 13. z rim 5. 17, &c. And he hath given no man power to let fuch criminals over them as . their Paftors, and fo far to de- prive them of the means of salvation as to con- fine them to them. 3. Though the Apoflles charge [ with fach no not to eat ] enable not private men to exercife Governiag dileipline on bad Paftors, it feemeth to LIS to b,i l them, when the cafe is notorious, to d.iforra them. 4. CyJri4ns
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