Queflions,andCafes ofConfcience Chap. 3o Thirdly, all fuch partak: in this pollution, which do not what in them lies to remove Iuchfcandals, t c or. q.r3. Fourthly, that mixture which arifeth from fuch a tolleration doth leffen the comfort and edificationof the godly. Fifthly, yet it is not lawful prefently to feparare from fuch Churches , where the w icked are toile rated,and the godly difcouraged , 3 John 9, 10,11. and that for thefe reafons. z. Becaufe that errour may be but the infirmity of the Church. 2. Becaufe patience and forbearance mull be exercifed towards a particular offending brother , Gal.6. t, much more towards a fociety of brethren , or a Church. 3. By the rafh departure of thegodly, a reformation of thofe evils is not pro- moted, but hindred. 4. Eecaufe wecannot remove from fuch a Church to a purer , without grie- vous inconveniences, which ought alwayes to beavoided as much asmay be with- out finne. Amef. Caf. of (onfc. Quel+. Is it lawful to gather Churches out oftrue Churches ? Afre. Its a moll unwarrantable practice ofthem that do fo : Its an unchari- ble,and unfcriptural pra:aice:there is neither precept,nor precedent for it in al the book ofGod:Indeedwe read in Scriptureof;atheringChurches from amongfl the Heathen. NA ere England a land of Heathens, and no Church planted among(+ us , it might be properenough to gather Churches here ; but to put a planted, cónf+ituted, and fettled Church into the condition ofHeathens , favours ßrongly of pride, and cenforioufneffe : Betides, gathering ofChurches among(+ us,breeds world divifions in families , the husband going one way, the wife another , the child a third, the fervant a fourth, &c. and is a great impediment to their mu- tual edification. Again, they which gather Churches amongf+us have their members oft-times living many miles afunder : How thencan filch Paflors watch over their foules as thofe that muftgivean account thereof? or how can fuch members partake of all Ordinances, or perform fuch mutual duties each to other as they. ought? Mo.eover,its a kinde of Sacriledge thus to rob godly Miniflers of thecrearne of their flocks, and the crown of their Minil+ry of whom they have travelled in pain till Chrift wasformed in them : and its hard meafure in thofe who thus reap where they have notfawn, and enter into another mans labours. Mr. Hall on Tim. Q.:left. Is it lawful tofeptrate from a true Church, becaufe of forme erreurs er defelle in it ? Anfv. Byno means, and that for thefe Reafons. r . ',Becaufe the root of fuch feparation is bad, and therefore the fruit cannot be good. It fprin;s from pride, and cenfoiioufneffe ; as in the Pharifees, who were the ;rear Seperatifts, and had their name from thence. a. Such are Schifmaticks, and (probably) will in a fhort time be Hereticks: Schilme being the way to Herefie : they make a rent in the Church whore peace fhould be very dear to us : For thoughpeace be not the being ofa Church; yet it tends much to the well being of it : for as a Kingdom, fo a Church,being divided, cannot Hand. 3. The pretences of feparation (as the Crofhe, Surpliffe, &c. being removed) though feparation even then for thole things was unlawful, its now farce more vile, and therefore God punifheth the Separatifts of our time more feverely , by giving, them up to viler opinions then formerly. 4. Its a fcandal and great wrong to aChurch ; Its ill to forfake the fociety of one good man without a juil caufe , how much more to unchurch a whole Church caufelefly? S. Such
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