Of Schism, Discourse · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Objections againſt the former diſcourſe propoſed to conſideration: Separation from any Church in the Scripture not called Schiſme. Grounds of ſuch ſeparation. Apoſtacy, 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 common notion of Schiſme, and the uſe made of it. Schiſme a breach of Ʋnion. That Ʋnion inſtituted by Chriſt.
THat which lyes obvious to every man againſt what hath been delivered, §. 1.and which is comprehenſive of all the particular objections, to which it ſeemes lyable and obnoxious, is, that according to this deſcription of Schiſme; ſeparation of any man or men from a true Church, or of one Church from others, is not Schiſme; Seeing that is an evill only amongſt the members of one Church, whileſt they continue ſo to be: which is ſo contrary to the judgement of the generality of Chriſtians in this buſineſſe, that it ought to be rejected as fond, and abſurd.
Of what hath been the judgement of moſt men in former Ages, §. 2.what it is in this, what ſtrength there is in an Argument deduced from the conſent pretended; I am not as yet arrived to the conſideration of Nor have I yet manifeſted, what I grant of the Generall notion of Schiſme, as it may be drawn by way of Analogie or proportion of Reaſon, from what is delivered in the Scripture concerning it.
I am upon the preciſe ſignification of the word and deſcription of the thing,§. 3. as uſed and given by the Holy Ghoſt: In this ſence I deny that there is any relinquiſhment, departure, or ſeparation from any Church, or Churches mentioned, or intimated in the Scripture, which is, or is called Schiſme, or agreeth with the deſcription by them given us of that terme. Let them that are contrary minded attempt the proof of what they affirme. As farre as a negative Propoſition is capable of evidence from any thing, but the weakeneſſe of the oppoſition made unto it, that layed down will receive it by the enſuing conſiderations.§. 4.
All blameable departure from any Church or Churches, or relinquiſhment of them mentioned in the Goſpell, may be reduced to one of theſe three Heads or Cauſes: 1. Apoſtacy, 2. Irregularity of walking. 3. Profeſſed ſenſuality.
1. Apoſtacy or falling away from the faith of the Goſpell; and thereupon forſaking the Congregations or Aſſemblyes for the worſhip of God in Jeſus Chriſt is mentioned Heb. 10. 25. foreign, not wholy deſerting the aſſembling our ſelves, as is the manner of ſome▪ A ſeparation from, and relinquiſhment of the Communion of that Church, or thoſe Churches, with whom men have aſſembled for the worſhip of God, is the guilt here charged on ſome by the Apoſtle. Upon what account they ſo ſeparated themſelves is declared v. 26. they ſinned willfully, after they had received the knowledge of the truth; thereby ſhipping out their necks from the yoke of Chriſt, v. 28. and drawing back to perdition v. 29. that is, they departed off to Judaiſme. I much queſtion, whether any one would think fit to call theſe men Schiſmaticks? or whether we ſhould ſo judge, or ſo ſpeake of any, that in theſe dayes ſhould forſake our Churches, and turne Mahumetans; Such a departure makes men Apoſtates not Schiſmaticks. Of this ſort many are mentioned in the Scriptures. Nor are they accounted Schiſmaticks, becauſe the leſſer crime is ſwallowed up and drowned in the greater, but becauſe their ſin is wholly of another nature.
Of ſome,§. 5. who withdraw themſelves from Church communion, at leaſt for a ſeaſon, by their diſorderly and irregular walking we have alſo mention. The Apoſtle calls them foreign 1 Theſ. 5. 14. unruly, or diſorderly perſons, not abiding in obedience to the order preſcribed by Chriſt in, and unto his Churches: and ſayes, they walked foreign 2 Theſſ. 3 6. out of all Church order: whom he would have warned and avoided: ſo alſo foreign 2 Th. 3 2. perſons that abide quietly in no place or ſtation, but wandred up & down; whom whatever their profeſſion be, he denies to have faith. That there were many of this ſort in the Primitive times, who through a vaine and ſlight ſpirit neglected, and fell off from Church Aſſemblyes, when yet they would not openly renounce the faith of Chriſt, is known. Of ſuch diſorderly perſons we have many in our dayes wherein we live, whom we charge not with Schiſme, but vanity, folly, diſobedience to the Precepts of Chriſt in generall.
Men alſo ſeparated themſelves from the Churches of Chriſt upon the account of ſenſuality, §. 6.that they might freely indulge to their luſts and live in all manner of pleaſure all their dayes Jude 19. theſe are they that ſeparate themſelves, ſenſuall, having not the ſpirit; Who are theſe? they that turne the grace of God into laſciviouſneſſe and that deny the Lord God, and our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, v. 4. that defile the fleſh after the manner of Sodom and Gomorrah, v. 7, 8. that ſpoke evill of things they knew not, and in things they knew naturally as bruit beaſts they corrupted themſelves v. 10. Sinning openly like beaſts againſt the light of nature, ſo v. 12, 13, 16. theſe ſaith the Apoſtle are they that ſeparate themſelves, men given over to worke all uncleanneſſe with delight and greedineſſe in the face of the Son, abuſing themſelves and juſtifying their Abominations with a pretence of the grace of God.
That there is any blameable ſeparation from,§. 7. or relinquiſhment of any Church or Churches of Chriſt, mentioned in the Scripture; but what may be referred to one of thoſe heads, I am yet to learne. Now whether the men of theſe Abominations are to be accounted Schiſmaticks, or their crime in ſeparating themſelves to be eſteemed Schiſme, it is not hard to judge: If on any of theſe accounts, any perſons have withdrawn themſelves from the Communion of any Church of Chriſt, if they have on any motives of feare, or love apoſtatized from the faith of the Goſpell, if they doe it, by walking diſorderly and looſely in their converſations, if they give themſelves up to ſenſuality and uncleanneſſe, and ſo be no more able to beare the ſociety of them, whom God hath called to holineſſe and purity of life, and worſhip, they ſhall aſſuredly beare their own burthen.
But none of theſe inſtances are comprehenſive of the caſe inquired after;§. 8. ſo that for a cloſe of them, I ſay, for a man to withdraw or withhold himſelfe from the communion externall and viſible of any Church or Churches, on the pretenſion and plea, be it true or otherwiſe, that the worſhip, Doctrine, diſcipline inſtituted by Chriſt is corrupted among them, with which corruption he dares not defile himſelfe, it is no where in the Scripture called Schiſme, no… is that caſe particularly exemplified, or expreſſely ſuppoſed, whereby a judgement may be made of the fact at large; but we are left upon the whole matter, to the guidance of ſuch generall principles and Rules, as are given us for that end and purpoſe.
What may regularly, on the other hand,§. 9. be deduced from the commands given to turne away from them, who have only a forme of Godlineſſe, 2 Tim. 3. 5. to withdraw from them that walk diſorderly, 2 Theſ. 3. 6. not to beare, nor endure in communion, men of corrupt principles, and wicked lives, Rev. 2. 14. but poſitively to ſeparate from an Apoſtate Church, Rev. 18. 4: that in all things we may worſhip Chriſt according to his mind and appointment, what is the force of theſe commands foreign, and the like, is without the compaſſe of what I am now treating about.
Of one particular Church▪ departing from that communion with another,§. 10. or others, be it what it will, which it ought to hold, unleſſe in the departing of ſome of them, in ſome things, from the common Faith, which is ſuppoſed not to relate to Schiſme, in the Scripture, we have no example. Diotrephes aſſuming an Authority over that Church, wherein he was placed, 3 Joh. 9, 10. and for a ſeaſon hindering the brethren from the performance of the duty incumbent upon them, toward the great Apostle and others, makes the neareſt approach to ſuch a diviſion: but yet in ſuch a diſtance, that it is not at all to our purpoſe in hand. When I come to conſider that communion, that Churches have, or ought to have among themſelves, this will be more fully diſcuſſed. Neither is this my ſence alone, that there is no inſtance of any ſuch ſeparation as that, which is the matter of our debate, to be found in the Scripture. It is confeſſed by others differing from me, in and about Church affaires. To leave all ordinary communion in any Church with diſlike, where oppoſition, or offence offers it ſelfe, is to ſeparate from ſuch a Church in the Scripture ſence; ſuch ſeparation was not in being in the Apoſtles time, ſay they, Pap…accom. p. 55. But how they came to know exactly the ſence of the Scripture in & about things not mentioned in them, I know not. As I ſaid before, were I unwilling, I doe not as yet underſtand how I may be compelled to carry on the notion of Schiſme any farther: Nor is there need of adding any thing to demonſtrate how little the conſcience of a godly man, walking peaceably in any particular Church ſociety, is concerned in all the clamarous diſputes of this Age about it; being built on falſe Hypotheſes, preſumptions, and notions, no other way conſiderable, but as received by tradition from our Fathers.
But I ſhall for the ſake of ſome carry on this Diſcourſe to a fuller iſſue;§. 11. There is another common notion of Schiſme, which pleads to an originall from that ſpoken expreſsly of it, by a parity of reaſon, which tolerable in it ſelfe, hath been and is injuriouſly applyed, and uſed, according as it hath fallen into the hands of men, who needed it as an engine to fixe or improve them in the ſtation wherein they are, or were; & wherewith they are pleaſed. Indeed being invented for ſeverall purpoſes, there is nothing more frequent then for men, who are ſcarce able to keep off the force of it from their own heads, whileſt mannaged againſt them by them above; at the ſame time vigorouſly to apply it for the oppreſsion of all under them. What is on all hands conſented unto, as its generall nature, I ſhall freely grant, that I might have liberty and advantage thence to debate the reſtriction and application of it to the ſeverall purpoſes of men, prevailing themſelves thereon.
Let then the generall demand be granted,§. 12. that Schiſme is foreign, the breach of Ʋnion; which I ſhall attend with one reaſonable poſtulatum, namely, that this union be an union of the appointment of Jeſus Chriſt; The conſideration then of what, or what ſort of union in reference to the worſhip of God according to the Goſpell, is inſtituted & appointed by Jeſus Chriſt, is the proper foundation of what I have farther to offer in this buſineſſe. Let the breach of this if you pleaſe be accounted Schiſme, for being an evill, I ſhall not contend by what name or title it be diſtinguiſhed. It is not pleaded, that any kind of relinquiſhment or deſertion of any Church or Churches, is preſently Schiſme, but only ſuch a ſeparation, as breakes the bond of Ʋnion inſtituted by Chriſt.
Now this union being inſtituted in the Church, according to the various acceptions of that word, ſo is it diſtinguiſhed. Therefore for a diſcovery of the nature of that which is particularly to be ſpoken to, and alſo its contrary, I muſt ſhew
1. The ſeverall conſiderations of the Church, wherein, and with which, union is to be preſerved.
2. What that union is, and wherein it doth conſiſt, which according to the minde of Chriſt we are to keep and obſerve with the Church, under the ſeverall notions of it reſpectively.
3 And how that union is broken, and what is that ſinne whereby it is done.
In handling this triple propoſall, I deſire that it may not be expected that I ſhould much inſiſt on any thing that falls in my way, though never ſo uſefull to my end and purpoſe, which hath been already proved and confirmed by others beyond all poſſibility of controule; and ſuch will many, if not most of the principles, that I proceed upon, appeare to be.