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THE

WORKS

OF

JOHN OWEN, D.D.

EDITED BY

THE REV. WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D.,

EDINBURGH.

VOL. XIII.

EDINBURGH:

T. & T. CLARK, 38, GEORGE STREET.

LONDON: HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. DUBLIN: JOHN ROBERTSON.

MDCCCLXII.

MURRAY AND GIBE, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.

OF SCHISM

PREFATORY NOTE BY THE EDITOR,

I.-Aggravations of the evil of schism, from the authority of the ancients-

Their incompetency to determine in this case, instanced in the sayings

of Austin and Jerome-The saying of Aristides-Judgment of the an-

cients subjected to disquisition-Some men's advantage in charging

others with schism-The actors' part privileged-The Romanists' inte-

rest herein-The charge of schism not to be despised-The iniquity of

accusers justifies not the accused-Several persons charged with schism

on several accounts-The design of this discourse in reference to them-

Justification of differences unpleasant-Attempts for peace and recon-

ciliation considered-Several persuasions hereabout, and endeavours of

men to that end-Their issues,

II-The nature of schism to be determined from Scripture only-This prin-

ciple by some opposed-Necessity of abiding in it-Parity of reason

allowed--Of the name of "schism"-Its constant use in Scripture-In

things civil and religious-The whole doctrine of schism in the epistles

to the Corinthians-The case of that church proposed to consideration-

Schism entirely in one church; not in the separation of any from a

church; nor in subtraction of obedience from governors-Of the second

schism in the church of Corinth Of Clement's epistle-The state of

the church of Corinth in those days: Ἐκκλησία παροικοῦσα Κόρινθον – Πάροικος,

who; παροικία, what-Πάροχος, "parecia"-To whom the epistle of Cle-

ment was precisely written-Corinth not a metropolitical church-Al-

lowance of what by parity of reason may be deduced from what is of

schism affirmed-Things required to make a man guilty of schism-

Arbitrary definitions of schism rejected-That of Austin considered; as

also that of Basil-The common use and acceptation of it in these days-

Separation from any church in its own nature not schism-Aggravations

of the evil of schism ungrounded-The evil of it from its proper nature

and consequences evinced-Inferences from the whole of this discourse-

The church of Rome, if a church, the most schismatical church in the

world-The church of Rome no church of Christ; a complete image of

the empire-Final acquitment of Protestants from schism on the prin-

ciple evinced, peculiarly of them of the late reformation in England-

False notions of schism the ground of sin and disorder,

III.-Objections against the former discourse proposed to consideration-Sepa-

ration from any church in the Scripture not called schism-Grounds of

such separation; apostasy, irregular walking, sensuality-Of separation

on the account of reformation-Of commands for separation-No example

of churches departing from the communion of one another-Of the com-

mon notion of schism, and the use made of it-Schism a breach of union

-The union instituted by Christ,

IV. Several acceptations in the Scripture of the name "church"-Of the church

catholic, properly so called-Of the church visible-Perpetuity of parti-

cular churches-A mistake rectified-The nature of the church catholic

evinced-Bellarmine's description of the church catholic-Union of the

church catholic, wherein it consists-Union by way of consequence-

Unity of faith, of love-The communion of the catholic church in and

with itself-The breach of the union of the church catholic, wherein it

consisteth-Not morally possible-Protestants not guilty of it-The

papal world out of interest in the church catholic-As partly profane-

Miracles no evidence of holiness-Partly ignorant-Self-justiciaries-

Idolatrous-Worshippers of the beast,

V. Of the catholic church visible-Of the nature thereof-In what sense the

universality of professors is called a church-Amyraldus' judgment in

this business-The union of the church in this sense, wherein it consists

-Not the same with the union of the church catholic, nor that of a par-

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VI.-Romanists' charge of schism on the account of separation from the church

catholic proposed to consideration-The importance of this plea on both

sides-The sum of their charge--The church of Rome not the church

catholic; not a church in any sense-Of Antichrist in the temple-The

catholic church, how intrusted with interpretation of Scripture-Of in-

terpretation of Scripture by tradition-The interest of the Roman

church herein discharged-All necessary truths believed by Protestants

-No contrary principle by them manifested-Profane persons no mem-

bers of the church catholic-Of the late Roman proselytes-Of the Dona-

tists-Their business reported and case stated-The present state of

things unsuited to that of old-Apostasy from the unity of the church

catholic charged on the Romanists-Their claim to be that church san-

guinary, false-Their plea to this purpose considered-The blasphemous

management of their plea by some of late-The whole dissolved-Their

inferences on their plea practically prodigious-Their apostasy proved

by instances-Their grand argument in this case proposed; answered-

Consequences of denying the Roman church to be a church of Christ

weighed,

VII. Of a particular church; its nature-Frequently mentioned in Scripture-

Particular congregations acknowledged the only churches of the first in-

stitution--What ensued on the multiplication of churches-Some things

premised to clear the unity of the church in this sense-Every believer

ordinarily obliged to join himself to some particular church-Many

things in instituted worship answering a natural principle-Perpetuity

of the church in this sense-True churches at first planted in England-

How they ceased so to be-How churches may be again re-erected-Of

the union of a particular church in itself-Foundation of that union

twofold-The union itself-Of the communion of particular churches

one with another-Our concernment in this union,

VIII. Of the church of England-The charge of schism in the name thereof pro-

posed and considered-Several considerations of the church of England

-In what sense we were members of it-Of Anabaptism-The subjection

due to bishops-Their power examined-Its original in this nation-Of

the ministerial power of bishops-Its present continuance-Of the church

of England, what it is-Its description-Form peculiar and constitutive

-Answer to the charge of schism, on separation from it in its episcopal

constitution-How and by what means it was taken away-Things ne-

cessary to the constitution of such a church proposed and offered to

proof-The second way of constituting a national church considered-

Principles agreed on and consented unto between the parties at variance

on this account-Judgment of Amyraldus in this case-Inferences from

the common principles before consented unto-The case of schism, in

reference to a national church in the last sense, debated-Of particular

churches, and separation from them-On what accounts justifiable-No

necessity of joining to this or that Separation from some so called, re-

quired-Of the church of Corinth-The duty of its members-Austin's

judgment of the practice of Elijah-The last objection waived-Infer-

ences upon the whole,

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