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CHAP. II.

Parity of reason allowed. Scripture. In things civil

The nature of schism to be determined from Scripture only. This principle by some opposed. Necessity of abiding in it. Of the name of schism. Its constant use in 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 Clemens's epistle. The state of the church of Corinth in those days: ̓Εκκλησία παροικοῦσα Κόρινθον. Πάροικος who : #apoikia what. Пápoxos, 'paracia.' To whom the epistle of Clemens was precisely written. Corinth not a metropolitical church. Allowance 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 that also 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 principle evinced. Peculiarly of them of the late reformation in England. False notions of schism the ground of sin and disorder.

THE thing whereof we treat being a disorder in the instituted worship of God, and that which is of pure revelation, I suppose it a modest request to desire, that we may abide solely to that discovery and description, which is made of it in Scripture; that, that alone shall be esteemed schism, which is there so called, or which hath the entire nature of that which is there so called; other things may be other crimes; schism they are not, if in the Scripture they have neither the name nor nature of it attributed to them.

He that shall consider the irreconcilable differences that are among Christians all the world over about this matter, as also what hath passed concerning it in former ages, and shall weigh what prejudices the several parties at variance are entangled with, in reference hereunto, will be ready to think, that this naked appeal to the only common principle amongst us all, is so just, necessary, and reasonable, that it will be readily on all hands condescended unto. But as this

is openly opposed by the Papiste, as a most destructive way of procedure, so I fear, that when the tendency of it is discovered, it will meet with reluctancy from others. But let the reader know, that as I have determined πρωτιμᾶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, so to take the measure of it from the Scripture only, Consuetudo sine veritate est vetustas erroris ;' Cyp. Ep. ad Pomp. and the sole measure of evangelical truth, is his word, of whom it was said, ὁ λόγος ὁ σὸς ἀλήθειά ἐστι. 'Id verius quod prius, id prius quod ab initio, id ab initio quod ab apostolis,' says Tertul. It is to me a sufficient answer to that fond question, Where was your religion before Luther? Where was your religion in the days of Christ and his apostles? My thoughts to this particular are the same with Chrysostom's on the general account of truth, ̓́Ερχεται Ελλην καὶ λέγει, ὅτι βούλομαι γενέσθαι Χριστιάνος ἀλλὰ οὐκ οἶδα τίνι προσθῶμαι, μάχη παρ' ὑμῖν πολλὴ καὶ στάσις, πολὺς Θόρυβος, ποῖον ἕλομαι δόγμα; τὶ αἱρήσομαι ; ἕκαστος λέγει ὅτι ἐγὼ ἀληθεύω, τίνι πειθῶ ; μηδὲν ὅλως εἰδὼς ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς κακεῖν τὸ αὐτὸ προβάλλονται πάνυ γε τοῦτο ὑπερ ἡμῶν εἰ μὲν γὰρ λογισμοῖς ἐλέγομεν πείθεσθαι εἰκότως θορύβου εἰ δὲ ταῖς γραφαῖς λέγομεν πιστεύειν αὐταὶ δὲ ἁπλαὶ καὶ ἀληθεῖς; εὔκολον σοι τὸ κρινόμενον, εἴτις ἐκείναις συμφωνεί οὗτος χριστιάνος· εἴτις μάχεται οὗτος πόῤῥω του κανόνος τούτου. Homil. 3. in Acta.

But yet lest this should seem too strait, as being at first view exclusive of the learned debates and disputes which we have had about this matter, I shall, after the consideration of the precise Scripture notion of the name and thing wherein the conscience of a believer is alone concerned, propose and argue also what by a parity of reason may thence be deduced, as to the ecclesiastical common use of them, and our concernment in the one and the other.

The word which is metaphorical, as to the business we have in hand, is used in the Scripture, both in its primitive native sense, in referrence to things natural, as also in the tralatitious use of it about things politic and spiritual, or moral. In its first sense we have the noun, Matt. ix. 16. Kai χεῖρον σχίσμα γίνεται, ' and the rent' (in the cloth) is made worse: and the verb, Matt. xxvii. 51. Καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη, “the vail of the temple was rent ;' καὶ αἱ πέτραι εσχίσθη σαν, ' and the rocks were rent: both denoting an interruption of continuity by an external power in things merely passive.

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And this is the first sense of the word; a scissure or division of parts before continued, by force, or violent dissolution. The use of the word in a political sense is also frequent: John vii. 43. Exíoμa ovv iv rý öxle, there was a division among the multitude;' some being of one mind, some of another. John ix. 16. Kaì oxíoμa v iv avroïs, 'there was a division amongst them and chap. x. 19. likewise. So Acts είν. 4. Εσχίσθη δε τὸ πλῆθος τῆς πόλεως, ' the multitude of the city was divided:' and chap. xxiii. 7. There arose a dissention between the Pharisees and Sadducees.' Kaì toxiodn rò Años, the multitude was divided,' some following one, some another of their leaders in that dissention: the same thing is expressed by a word answering unto it in Latin.

'Scinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus.' And in this sense relating to civil things it is often used."

This being the next posture of that word, from whence it immediately slips into its ecclesiastical use, expressing a thing moral or spiritual; there may some light be given into its importance, when so appropriated, from its constant use in this state and condition, to denote differences of mind and judgment with troubles ensuing thereon, amongst men met in some one assembly about the compassing of a common end and design.

In the sense contended about it is used only by Paul in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, and therein frequently: chap. i. 10. I exhort you, μǹ ↓ év vμïv oxíoμara, 'that there be no schisms amongst you:' chap. xi. 18. when you meet in the church, ἀκούω σχίσματα ἐν ὑμῖν ὑπάρχειν, ‘I hear there be schisms amongst you:' chap. xii. 25. the word is used in reference to the natural body, but with an application to the ecclesiastical. Other words there are of the same importance, which shall also be considered, as Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Of schism in any other place, or in reference to any other persons, but only to this church of Corinth, we hear nothing.

Here then being the principal foundation, if it hath any, of that great fabric about schism, which in latter ages hath been set up, it must be duly considered; that if it be possible, we may discover by what secret engines or artifices the discourses about it, which fill the world, have been hence

2 Οἳ τὴν ῥώμην οἰκουντες διεμερίσθησαν εἰς τὰ μέρη, καὶ οὐκέτι ὡμονόησαν πρὸς ἀλλήλους. nai iyivere μéya axioma. Chronic. Antioch. Joh. Male, p. 98. A. MS. Bib. Bod.

deduced, being for the most part, universally unlike the thing here mentioned: or find out, that they are built on certain prejudices and presumptions, nothing relating thereto. The church of Corinth was founded by Paul, Acts xviii. 8—10. with him there were Aquila and Priscilla; ver. 2. 18. After his departure, Apollos came thither, and effectually watered what he had planted, 1 Cor. iii. 6. It is probable that either Peter had been there also, or at least that sundry persons converted by him were come thither, for he still mentions Cephas and Apollos with himself; chap. i. 12. iii. 22. This church, thus watered and planted, came together for the worship of God, iπì rò avrò, chap. xi. 20. and for the administration of discipline in particular, chap. v. 4. After awhile, through the craft of Satan, various evils in doctrine, conversation, and church-order crept in amongst them: for doctrine, besides their mistake about eating things 'offered to idols,' chap. viii. 4. some of them denied the resurrection of the dead ;' chap. xv. 12. In conversation they had not only the eruption of a scandalous particular sin amongst them, chap. v. 1. but grievous sinful miscarriages, when they came together' about holy administrations; chap. xi. 21. These the apostle distinctly reproves in them: their church-order, as to that love, peace, and union of heart and mind, wherein they ought to have walked, was wofully disturbed with divisions and sidings about their teachers; chap. i. 12. And not content to make this difference the matter of their debates and disputes from house to house, even when they met for public worship, or that which they all met in, and for, they were divided on that account; chap. xi. 18. This was their schism the apostle dehorts them from, charges them with, and shews them the evil thereof. They had differences amongst themselves about unnecessary things; on these they engaged in disputes and sidings, even in their solemn assemblies; when they came all together for the same worship about which they differed not. Probably much vain jangling, alienation of affections, exasperation of spirits, with a neglect of due offices of love ensued hereupon. All this appears from the entrance the apostle gives to his discourse on this subject, 1 Cor. i. 10. Пaρακαλῶ ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες, I beseech you that ye all speak the same thing.' They were of various minds

and opinions about their church affairs, which was attended with the confusion of disputings: let it not be so, saith the apostle ; καὶ μὴ ἢ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ' and let there be no schisms among you;' which consist in such differences and janglings: he adds, ἦτε δέ κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοὶ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμη; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind, and the same judgment.' They were joined together in the same church-order and fellowship, but he would have them so also in oneness of mind and judgment, which if they were not, though they continued together in their church-order, yet schisms would be amongst them. This was the state of that church, this the frame and carriage of the members of it, this the fault and evil whereon the apostle charges them with schism, and the guilt thereof. The grounds, whereon he manageth his reproof, are their common interest in Christ, chap. i. 13. the nothingness of the instruments of preaching the gospel, about whom they contended, chap. i. 14. iii. 4, 5. their church-order instituted by God, chap. xii. 13. of which afterward.

This being, as I said, the principal seat of all that is taught in the Scripture about schism, we are here, or hardly at all to learn what it is, and wherein it doth consist. The arbitrary definitions of men, with their superstructions and inferences upon them, we are not concerned in. At least I hope I shall have leave from hence to state the true nature of the thing, before it be judged necessary to take into consideration what by parity of reason may be deduced from it. In things purely moral, and of natural equity, the most general notion of them is to be the rule, whereby all particulars claiming an interest in their nature are to be measured and regulated; in things of institution, the particular instituted is first and principally to be regarded: how far the general reason of it may be extended is of after consideration; and as is the case in respect of duty, so it is in respect of the evils that are contrary thereto. True and false are indicated and tried by the same rule. Here then our foot is to be fixed; what compass may be taken to fetch in things of a like kin, will in its proper place follow. Observe then,

1. That the thing mentioned is entirely in one church, amongst the members of one particular society. No men

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