Of Schism, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. The third ſpecies of this Schiſm, as an offence againſt that charity due from every Chriſtian to every Chriſtian, examined.
§. 1. Contrary to charity due from all to all.LAſtly, as Schiſm is an offence againſt that charity which is due from every Chriſtian to every Chriſtian, ſo it will be beſt diſtributed (according to what we ſee noted by by the Apoſtle, Rom. 14. in the Jewiſh, and Gentile Chriſtians) 1. Judging▪ 2. Deſpiſing.into the judging, and the deſpiſing of others, either of which was, if not formally Schiſm, yet ſoon improveable into it, when it would not be repreſſed by the Apoſtles admonitions, Separating the effect of both.The Jewiſh Chriſtians we know judged, and damned all that would not obſerve the Moſaical law, and would not aſſociate, or communicate with the Gentiles, and the like height Diotrephes, and ſome of the Gentile believers, who began with the other branch, that of vilifying the weak Jew, at laſt arrived to, not receiving, forbidding to receive, and caſting out the brethren, 3 Joh. 10. And whether the Romaniſts or we, are thus guilty, will ſoon be diſcernible.
§. 2. Of Judging & ſeparating the Romaniſts guilty ex ConfeſſoFor the former, that of judging, and ſo ſeparating from their brethren (if yet we may be allowed that title) it is evident by their own acknowledgment, how guilty they are, and how guiltleſſe we.
§. 3. It hath been a ſpecial motive, and argument to gain proſelytes to their party for ſome years, that by our Confeſſion there is ſalvation to be had among them, but in their judgment no poſſible hope of it for us. This weapon of their's uſed ſo ſtudiouſly againſt us, to anticipate and prejudge, in general, whatſoever can be particularly ſaid to aſſert our doctrines, and practiſes, will certainly be as uſefull in our hands, as Goliah's ſword in David's to give this wound (I wiſh it may not prove as fatal) to our vaunting enemies: For certainly, if there be any truth in that motive, then are they profeſſedly the men, that judge their brethren, and as confeſſedly we the men, that doe not judge them. And if S. Cyprian's rule be true (who had as well conſidered the nature of Schiſm, and as diligently armed the Chriſtians of his age againſt it, and given us as ſure rules to judge by, in this matter, as any) that they that maintain any difference in opinion againſt other Chriſtians, muſt, if they will avoid the evil of ſchiſm, manage it with this temper (neminem damnantes, neminem à communione noſtrâ arcentes) never condemn any, or forbid them our communion, then is the ſchiſm (becauſe the uncharitableneſs) on their parts, not on ours. And it is not the ſaying, we are Hereticks, and ſo certainly excluded ſalvation, Schiſmaticks, and ſo out of the Church, the way to ſalvation, that can give this ſanguinarie judgment any meeker a title; For that we are ſuch, being as much denied, as any thing, and that negative offered to be proved, and vindicated by all thoſe evidences, by which any matter of doctrine, (from whence this queſtion depends) can duly be cleared, this unproved affirmation, that we are ſuch, is certainly a petitio principii, a begging of the queſtion, a ſuppoſing that in the debate, which they know we are as farre from confeſſing, as they from having proved, and that is the moſt certain proof, that ſuch judging is uncharitable; I wiſh there were not many other as pregnant indications of it.
§. 4. And for that of deſpiſing or ſetting at nought the brother, which is the ApOf deſpiſing. We are guiltleſſe of it.oſtles argument alſo that they walk not charitably, and the effect whereof is evident, the caſting them out of the Church, if the cauſe may be concluded by the effect, the guilt lies on the Romaniſts ſide, not on ours (as hath formerly appeared) And truly we are ſo ſenſible of the many prepoſſeſſions, and ſtrong prejudices, which by the advantage of education, the preſcribed credulity to all that the Church ſhall propoſe, the doctrine of infallibility, the ſhutting up the ſcriptures in an unknown language, the impoſſibility that the multitude ſhould ſearch ▪ or examine tradition with their own eyes, the proſperous flouriſhing eſtate of the Roman Church (and the perſecutions, and calamities ▪ and expreſſions of God's diſpleaſure on the Church of England) the literal ſound of [Hoc eſt corpus meum] for their principal (eſpouſed) doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation, and ſom other the like means, are infuſed into the multitude of men and women, that are brought up without any knowledge of ours, in a firm belief of all their pretenſions, that we are as farre from ſetting them at nought, or deſpiſing them, as from that (which by their doing it firſt is made impoſſible for us to be guilty of) the caſting them out of the Church.
§. 5. I foreſee not any objection, which may give me temptation, or excuſe farther to enlarge on this matter, And profeſſe not to know any other branch of Schiſm, or colour of faſtening that guilt upon our Church, made uſe of by any, which hath not been either prevented in the grounds of this diſcourſe, or diſtinctly taken notice of, and competently vindicated, as farre as the deſign'd brevity would permit.