of a vífible Church of Chrß. ro 5 leavened. And a Perfon cannot hold Communion with fuch a Church, but he muft contra t relative Guilt ; he hati-i rio way to keep himfelf pure, but to withdraw from her ; he mutt not touch the unclean' thing, which he can- not avoid, if he continue his Communion with fuch 'as are morally unclean. (z.) If Hereiy be indulged in the Church, it is the fame thing; this all-0 is Leaven, though ofa differing Nature from the former. It is that which the Church ought to, purge out ; Titus i. to. He that is a Heretick, after the firfi andfrcond Admonition, rejeä. But if the Church will indulge them, and itill hold Communion with them, it is time for a Perlon to feparate from fuch a Church. The Apoille tells you, their Words will eat as a Canker (or as a Gangrene, Margin) z Pian. ii. 57. We know what danger. the Body is in if once it begins to gangrene in a Part. liyrneneus and Philetus were fome of there Hereticks, that held that the Refurreaion'was paft; and their Words did eat as a Canker, to the o. erthrowing of the Faith of fome. (3.) If the Form of a Church be defroyed, Meetings laid down when there is a Liberty to keep them up ; the Elder die, and no care taken to choofe another; Ordinances. not adminiftered ; the Laws ofChrift not put in Execution; no looking after the Members, nor calling them to an Ac- count in any Cafe; and all Means have been ufed by force to itir them up to their Duty, and they have waited till there be no Grounds of Hope remaining : If others will ftarve, muft they ftarve too ? Wherefore íhould a Perlon Rill abide with thofe that call themfelves a Church, when there is not the Face of a Church to be feen among them, and the End ofChurch - Communion can notpofiïbly be an- fostered for the prefent, nor is like to be for the future, that is, that God may be worfhiped according to his own Appointment, by an incorporated Body ? But mill remem- ber, whatever the Cafe is, all due Means muff be ufed for a Reformation, before there fhould be a Thought of Sepa- ration. See what you can do towards the faving of the Ship, before you think of leaping out to fave your felves. A Separation is the lati Remedy, and not to be ufed till all other Means do fail. Fourthly, A
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