peice of Cloth to an old Garment he saith that thereby the rent is made worse The word in the Original is the same with that in the Text {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Schism Here is the proper signification of the word By a Metaphor it is translated from inanimate things unto men and applied to their divisions which we know are either Civil or Ecclesiastical Civil in the State Ecclesiastical in the Church The former of these is properly called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Sedition the latter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Schism A word as the Learned Chameron notes upon it not to be met with in any prophane Writer nor yet in the Old Testament True the root from whence it is derived is found in both and used in this sense Thus we read of the rending of the Kingdom of Israel which was done in that seditious falling off of the ten Tribes from the House of David And so men of different opinions are said to be rent a sunder But the word it self Schism it is peculiar to the New Testament from whence Ecclesiastical Writers have taken it and appropriated it to the Church and the affairs thereof So they have delt by some other words as Sacramentum Idolum Haeresis Sacrament Idol Heresie Ecclesiastical Writers have appropriated them to the Church affixing a peculiar sense and signification to every of them And so is it with this word Schism an Ecclesiastical or Techno-Logical term as they call it a term of Art This for the word For the thing A Schism take it in the latitude of it is any division in the Church When the unity of the Church is as it were rent and torn by any kinde of divisions The Church we must know is to be considered as one intire body having many members whereof Christ is the head Now where that unity is broknn that body as it were rent and torn by the divisions and disagreements of the Members there is said to be a Schism Even as it is in the natural body where the Members do not agree to perform mutual offices each to other there in Pauls Language is a Schism in the body so you have it 1 Cor. 12. So is it in this mystical body the Church The divisions of the Members make a Schism in the Body a Schism in the Church Now this division amongst Church-Members I beseech you follow me close a little least I loose you it may be either in Opinion or Practice And each in a large acceptation of the word may be called Schism Division in Opinion Of such a Division we read Joh. 7. There was a Division among the people a Schism saith the Original And what was it about Why about Christ himself viz. What he was and whence he was But more properly divisions in practice are notified by this name of Schism As for the former of these it is properly called Heresie the latter Schism Which two how ever they are sometimes indifferently used and put the one for the other So they are 1 Cor. 11. 18. l hear that there are Divisions Schisms among you For there must be alâ—o Heresies among you Schisms and Heresies used in the same sente Yet ordinarily and in proper acceptation they are distinguished About the distinguishing of them we finde some difference amongst the Ancients Augustine conceived the difference to lye onely in the continuance As if the one were a recent and new the other an old and inveterate division But Jerom more rightly Heresie saith he is properly a perverse opinion Schism is a perverse Separation The one a Doctrinal the other a Practical Error The one opposite to Faith the other to Charity These are the two bonds and ligaments by which the Church is united and knit together By the one viz. by Faith all the Members are united unto the head By the other viz. by Charity they are united one to another Now the breaking of the first of these bands is Heresie the latter Schism Thus they are distinct the one from the other So as a man may be the one and not the other A man may be an Heretick denying some Article of the Faith and yet not a Schismatick in as much as he may still keep communion with a Church which doth professe the true Faith And on the other hand a man may be a Schismatick forsaking communion with a true Church and yet not be an Heretick in as much as he may rightly beleeve all the Articles of the Faith Distinct they are Yet so as they are near a kin and the one making way to the other Heresie maketh way for Schism and Schism maketh way for Heresie the one for the most part falling into the other But not to detain you here The Schisms which we meet with in the Text import chiefly divisions in practise Such were these divisions amongst the Corinthians In Doctrinals they were for the most part agreed In Practicals they differed Now these Divisions to follow the point home to the head they may be either without Separation or with it Without Separation from the Church when men holding communion with the same Church yet divide themselves into parties siding and banding making head one against another either in maintenance of some opinion or way or in regard of their Teachers Such were the Sects of the Pharisees and Sâ—duces and Essens amongst the Jews who notwithstanding that they did all hold communion with the same Church yet they had several opinions and wayes and about them they were divided into Sects and Factions And such were these Divisions amongst these Corinthians which the Apostle here speaketh of Divided they were but not wholly Separated Divided about their Teachers some crying up one some another so siding and making of parties yet all holding communion with the same Church So much we may learn from the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 18. where he â—ells them that when they came together in the Church there were Divisions amongst them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Schisms Factions and part-takings tending to the breach of Charity and disturbance of the Church Other Divisions there are which are with Separation When men shall withdraw themselves from fellowship and communion with a true Church so breaking themselves off from the Body And this saiâ—h our judicious Ames by way of special appropriation deserves most rightly to be called by the name of Schism In as much as Heresie in this Division is perfected and brought to a head as also most clearly manifested and declared viz. in refusing of due Church-Communion Which refusal may be either partial or total Partial in some particular Acts and Exercises wherein a man cannot or at least conceives he cannot communicate without sin Total a rejecting and renouncing of all Religious Communion This latter all Divines look upon as a Schism and that most
it self as not able or not willing to bear so great an evil that cleaves asunder one Division punished by another and swallows up some of the Authors of it Fire from Heaven consuming the residue Never such a judgement do we read of in all the Scriptures executed up on any sin as this Now then saith he Quis dubitaverit Who can make any doubt but that this was the more hainous sin which was avenged with the more grievous punishment Whether so or more Sure I am a grievous sin it is and must needs be so 1. In as much as first it is opposite to so great a Grace as Charity is Charity the Queen of Graces So Paul maketh it preferring it both before Faith and Hope Now abideth Faith Hope and Charity these three three prime Theological vertues most necessary to salvation but the greatest of these is Charity So it is in some in divers respects greater then Faith I then justifying Faith for of that the Apostle there speaketh as appeareth by joyning it with Hope As first In regard of the Object which is larger then the object of Faith Faith respecteth God onely but Charity both God and Man Secondly In regard of the manner of working Faith worketh Intra mittendo by receiving and letting in Christ and his benefits but Charity Extra-mittendo by giving out the soul and what a man hath bestowing them upon God and man Now Paul tells us from the Lord Jesus that it is more blessed to give then to receive Thirdly In regard of duration and continuance Faith and Hope are Temporary of use onely in this life Charity is for Eternity not onely going to Heaven with the owner but there receiving its full perfection Thus if Graces be weighed in some respects Charity weigheth down all The great Grace And if so then that evil which is directly opposite to this great Grace must needs be a great Evil But so is Schism being a breach of that unity whereof Charity is the bond Keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of Peace saith the Apostle Now what is that bond of Peace Why Charity This is the bond whereby the Members of the Church are united one to another As they are united to Christ by Faith so one to another by Love Now Schism breaketh this bond and consequently must needs be a great evil 2. And as it is opposite to Charity so it is injurious to Christ who seemeth by this means to be as it were divided So Paul urgeth it in the third Verse after the Text Is Christ divided Using this as an Argument to induce his Corinthians to eschew all such Divisions and Schisms in as much as Christ himself seemeth hereby to be parted and torn in peices The unity of his mystical body being hereby dissolved and himself made the head of two disagreeing bodies which is dishonorable and monstrous to conceive of him 3. As it is injurious to the head so to the body As to Christ so to the Church And that many wayes 1. Shaming it The Churches unity is her glory My Dove my undefiled is one Cant. 6. Now to break this unity to divide the Spouse of Christ as the Levites Concubine was into many pâ—ices what a shame is this A shame in special to the Church from which this Separation is made Paul writing to his Corinthians of their excluding the poor from communicating with them he tells them that herein they shamed them {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} They shamed them which had not as themselves had 2. Despising and contemning it So Paul there again chargeth it Or despise ye the Church of God Why wherein did they despise it This they did â—s by other wayes so by their schimatical practices dividing themselves from their Brethren making their Love-feasts and the Sacrament it self both which were instituted and ordained for bands of Union to be an occasion of fomenting their Divisions viz. By celebrating them apart from their Brethren So the Apostle theâ—e taxeth them Verse 21. In enting every one taketh before other his own Supper {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} praeoccupat Each prevented other This they did in their Love-feasts And this most probably they did in the Lords Supper it self as Parcus conceives of it communicating apart each faction by it self Those that were of Paul by themselves and those which were of Peter by themselves and those which were of Apollo by themselves None of them staying for those which were of Christ the best and truest peice of the Church nor yet one for another But each seeking to prevent other that so they might communicate apart This Paul calleth here their own Supper in as much as they so made it by appropriating it each to themselves and their party contrary to the Instiâ—ution of Christ Christ had instituted iâ— â—hat it should be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} totius Ecclesiae a Communion a Common Supper wherein the whole Church should communicate together But they by their celebrating it in such a separated way had made it their own Supper A â—oul perverting of the Ordinance Not onely an abusing and corrupting of it but plainly a destroying of it So Paul there tells them in down right words in the Verse foregoing When ye come together into one place this is not to eat the Lords Supper What then Their own Supper Of suâ—h dangerous consequence is it to celebrate this Ordinance of God the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in a separated way If Pauls judgement may be taken in the case it is not onely a corrupting but a perverting of the Ordinance A celebrating not of the Lords Supper but of our own Supper Which who so do what do they therein but despise and contemn the Church of God viz. That Church from which they so separate Now this if it be a true Church can be no small evil To contemn and despiâ—â— a private Christian by shutting him out from desired communion there being no just cause for it is a great evil But to despise and contemn a Church a true Church of Christ by shutting it â—ut from communion and by separating from it this is a far greater 3. As the Church is hereby despised so it is disquieted Even as it is in the natural body if there be a solutio continui as the Physitians call it so as it be divided and parted it breedeth smart and pain which sometimes puts the body into Feaverish distempers And surely such are the symptomes of Schism The mystical body cannot be rent and torn by Divisions but it goeth to the heart of all the sensible Members of it The Divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart Judges 5. Reuben dwelling on the other side Jordan they kept themselves separate not joyning with their Brethren against their
surely hence it is that the building of our Sion riseth no faster Our Tongues the tongues of the builders are divided O how happy were it for us and for the Church of God did we all speak but one Language Whilest we thus differ saith one truly we can build nothing but Babel Difference of Tongues caused their Babel to cease but it builds ours A truth whereof we have lamentable experience at this day O what a Babel is this our Sion at this day turned to all thorow this confusion of Languages because all do not speak the same thing not Ministers Much lesse people Among them how many several Languages to he heard at this day More then ever there were at Babel At Babel some conceive that one Tongue was divided into seventy two Languages But our divisions far exceed that number At Babel others conjecture that there were as many tongues as several kinreds and families With us there are more Kinreds and Families being subdivided The husband speaking one thing the wife another the parent one thing and the childe another the master one thing and the servant another Thus it should not be Christians who have one Head should have but one Tongue all speaking the same thing for substance 2. And as much as may be for expression also However not affecting a difference A vain and dangerous affectation so it is to decline common and received expressions whether laid down in the Word or else being consonant to it upon good ground taken up by the Church The later of these many ancient Hereticks took great exceptions at and sought to make advantage of Some words they met with in common use in the Church but because they did not finde them syllabically and expresly in the Scriptures therefore they rejected them and with them the things signified by them Thus the Arrians because they found not the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Consubstantiality in the Text therefore they rejected it and with it the Orthodox doctrine of the Church touching the sons being of the same substance with the father And so the Sabellians because they found not the word Trinity in Scriptures therefore they denyed the Trinity of persons in the God-head Upon like ground the Photinians denyed the two natures in Christ and the Nestorians the Hypostatical the personal union of those two natures Thus it was of old And thus it is in many places of this Kingdom at this day where all these old rotten Errors are again revived and raised out of their graves and that upon the very same pretences A dangerous affectation which Christians should beware of Do we beleeve with the Church let us not without just ground refuse to speak with the Church in the Churches Language and Dialect Specially in the phrase of Scripture This is that which the Ministers of Christ should affect as much as may be to speak in that sacred Dialect Not setting the Minâ— of their Brains on work to coyn new and high and far-fetcht expressions purposely to amuse the hearer a practise much in use with Familists and Antinomians and some other Sects of the times Of such Pareus observes truely that giving themselves first to finde out new phrases and terms afterwards oft-times they come to broach new Doctrines new Opinions and so to make Sects and Schisms in the Church And therefore to prevent this the Apostle here desires his Corinthians that they would speak the same thing Therein saith the foresaid Author tacitely pointing at one of these heads from whence their Schisms and Factions were sprung viz. From their different Language in and about matters of Religion And let this his advice to them be as acceptable to us as it is seasonable That we may avoyd the like evils in speaking of the matters of God take heed of affecting an unwarrantable and wanton singularity Ministers hold we fast that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} that form of sound and wholesome words which we have received from Christ and his Apostles and from the Orthodox Churches of God speaking the same things in the same manner that they have done before us Not crossing not interfering with them nor yet willingly with our Brethren Pulpit against Pulpit is next to Altar against Altar As much as may be let such clashing be declined by the Ministers of Christ whose endeavor should be that they might all speak the same thing This do we And this do you Quest I but how shall both we and you attain to it How shall we come to this unity of Language Answ. Why labor we for unity of Hearts and Mindes Anatomists tell us of an Artery which goeth from the Heart to the Tongue If Hearts be agreed Tongues will soon be accorded And thus I am got upon the second step of the Apostles gradation which leadeth me to the third That ye be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement I shall not stand long upon either Onely the first word will stay me a little being a word full of Emphasis and significancy {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That ye be perfectly joyned together So our Translation renders it by divers words not knowing how fully to expresse it in one The word properly signifieth Compagination when the parts of a thing are aptly joyned together so as they do fitly agree with the whole and amongst themselves Even as it is in the body of man wherein the Members are all fitly joyned and knit together in a due symmetry and proportion so as they are each serviceable to other and all to the whole This is properly {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} And this it is which Paul here begs for his Corinthians that they might be thus united and compacted together A blessing very desirable for every Church Thus in the Church invisible united The whole body is knit together by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred to it from the Head as the Apostle speaketh All true Believers they are incorporated into one Mystical body knit together by the bands of Faith and Love By the one united to their Head Christ by the other one to another And such a union such a coagmentation is a thing very desirable for every visible Church This it is which maketh it a compleat and perfect Church So the vulgar Latin here renders the word in the Text Sitis autem perfecti Be ye perfect Then is a thing said to be perfect and compleat when it hath all the parts thus aptly and fitly put together And thence it is that the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is sometimes used in that sense So our Translation renders it 2 Cor. 13. Finally Brethren Fare ye well be perfect {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} That is perfectly united unto Christ and one to another as the Jesuit there fitly expounds
properly so called Which again may be either from the Church or from a Church From the Church Catholike the whole Church That was properly Donatism the direct Error of the Seekers at this day Or from a particular Church and that is properly Separatism My eye is cheifly upon the latter of these Of which to advance yet one step further following the conduct of the learned Chameron there are two kindes or rather two degrees There is to use his terms a Negative and a Positive Separation The former is simplex secessio when one or more do quietly and peaceably withdraw themselves from communion with a Church onely enjoying themselves and their consciences in a private way not making a head against that Church from which they are departed The other when persons so withdrawing do consociate and draw themselves into a distinct and opposite body setting up a Church against a Church Exercising the Worship and Service of God Administring the Ordinances Word Sacraments Censures apart in a separated body and in a separated way This is that which Augustine and other Divines after him alluding to that act of King Ahaz's 2 Kings 16. in setting up an Altar of his own making after the fashion of that which he saw at Damascus besides the Lords Altar call the setting up of an Altar against an Altar And this it is saith that judicious Author which in a peculiar manner and by way of eminency is and deserves to be called by the name of Schism And thus you see both the name and thing in measure opened unto you What Schisms are viz. Church Divisions Which if they be in Doctrine are properly Heresies in Practise Schisms Which may be either without Separation or with it The former are Sects and Factions the latter more properly Schism Which consisteth in an unwarrantable separating and withdrawing from Church-communion Whether it be from the whole Church which is Donatism or from a particular Church which is Separatism Which may be carried either in a private way by a simple secession and withdrawing or in a publike and open-way by setting up a Church against a Church the former a Negative the latter a Positive Schism Now these are the things which the Apostle here with so much earnestnesse and importunacy diswades his Corinthians from And surely not without cause is it that he should be so zealous in this cause as will appear if we do but rightly consider the nature of such Divisions such Schisms which are Evils and great Evils Evils Take it as you will for the evil of punishment or sin We shall finde it true in both 1. Schism is an evil of Punishment a Judgement and that a great one It is one of the judgements which the Prophet Amos threatens against Israel Amos 6. Behold the Lord commandeth saith he and he will smite the great house with Breaches and the little house with Clests That place Joramo applieth and that not unfitly to Hereâ—â—â—s and Schisms which are as Brâ—aâ—hes and Clests in the Church A sad Judgement Such are Divisions in the State Heal the Breaches thereof for it shaketh saith David speaking of the Civil Commotions in his Kingdom A judgement which we all feel of and groan under at this day And such are Divisions in the Church a judgement a sad and sore judgement Such are the Ecclesiastical Breaches in this Kingdom at this day The Schisms and Divisions which are broken in and that amongst God own people for my own part I cannot but look upon them as one of the blackest Clouds one of the saddest judgements which hang over the head of this Kingdom at this day Of sad influence for the present and unlesse they be healed of dangerous consequence for the future A great Judgement 2. And in the second place a great sin Such are heart divisions amongst a people They are both a judgement and a sin Their heart is divided saith the Prophet Hosea now they shall be found faulty Their heart is divided or He hath divided their heart as the Margin reads it This had God done In as much as they had divided their hearts from God God in his just judgement divided them amongst themselves taking away his spirit of peace and communion from them giving them over to Seditions and Fractions which afterward proved the ruine of their Kingdom And being thus divided now they were found faulty guilty of many and great evils Such is Sedition in the State and such is Schism in the Church each aâ— evil a Mother evil an inlet to an Ocean of Evils We have to deal with the latter Schism which is a sinful evil and that no small one Peccatum gravissimum So our judicious Casuist determines it concerning Schism properly so called It is a most grievous sin Musculus informs me of some who in point of sinfulnesse have compared it with Hâ—resie and others who have aggravated it beyond it as the greater evil of the two Himself concludes it a sin of a high nature And therein all Divines agree with him Augustine that famous Doctor of the Church disputing against the Donatists about their Schism which was a Separation from the whole Church he calleth it by the name of Sacriledge Sacrilegiâ—m Schismatis The Sacriledge of Schism Withall not sparing to tell them that that Schism of theirs was a greater sin then that which they took such high offence at and which was the ground of their Separation because it was not so severely proceeded against as they judged fitting but some that were guilty of it were still admitted to intermeddle in the affairs of the Church viz. The sin of the Traditores as they called them such as in time of persecution had through fear delivered up their Bibles to the Persecutors to be burnt This sin that judicious Father compares with their Schism And to try which was heaviest he brings both to the ballance of the Sanctuary Where he findes this out weighing that So much he collects from the grievousnesse of the punishment inflicted by God upon this sin above that I or any other Three sins he taketh notice of each of which was grievously punished The first was the Israelites Idolatry in worshipping the Golden Calf Exod. 22. The second was a sin not much unlike to that of the Traditores though for circumstance far more hainous viz. That foul act of King Jehoiakim in cutting and burning the prophetical Rowl Jere. 36. The third was that Schismatical and Seditious attempt of Corah and his company rising up against Moses and assaying to make a rent a breach amongst the people by dividing and separating themselves from the rest All three hainous sins and each grievously punished But none of them like the last The first the Israelites Idolatry was punished with the Sword The second Jehoiakims contempt was punished with Captivity But the third Corahs Schism with an unheard of judgement The earth
enemies but stood as neutral regarding more their own private then the publike interest And possibly they were divided amongst themselves distracted with several opinions what they should do Some would joyn others would not Now these Divisions they were great thoughts of heart working many strange impressions in the mindes both of themselves and others of very sad consequence to all the Tribes of Israel And truely such are Divisions in the Church of God specially when they are boy led up to compleat and perfect Schisms as it is in the case of Separation specially when it comes to the setting up of Churches against Churches O these are sad thoughts of heart to the Israel of God causing greif to the particular Members of the Church and great disquiet and disturbance to the whole Body Oft-times breeding those Feaverish distempers those un-Christian heats of hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions envyings I and murthers too as the Apostle puts them together Gal. 5. These all these are the fruits of Schism by reason whereof there cannot but follow a dreadful combustion in the Body of the Church tending to the great trouble and disquietment of it 4. As the Church is hereby disquieted so hindered As disquieted in the peace so hindered in the edification of it We know what it was which hindered the building of Babel even a Schism in their Tongues Division of Languages What do we think a Schism in their hands would have done if one should have saln to pulling down what the other built up And surely there is no one thing that can more hinder the building of Jerusalem the edification of the Church then this when Christians shall be divided in their heads hearts tongues hands in their judgements affections language practise How should the work of the Lord now go on Even as it is in Civil Wars whilest the parties are contending the Common-Wealth suffers So is it in Church-divisons whilest the parties are contending the Church suffers As it is with a Ship brought to the back-staies one Sayâ— bears the one way and another an other in the mean time the Ship stands still The Wall and Temple of Jerusalem went slowly on in troublous times So will Church Work do where ever Schisms and Factions break it 5. Again in the fifth place as the Church is disquieted and hindered so indangered by it As disquieted in the peace of it and hindered in the edification of it so endangered in the state of it The cutting off of one member from the body is dangerous to the whole What is the dismembring of a Church The withdrawing of communion with it the breaking off of all fellowship and communion with it by an actual and posiâ—ive Separation Certainly this cannot but endanger the state of that Church from which this separation is made Which if it live and continue no thanks to them who have thus withdrawn themselves who by their separation have done what in them lieth to destroy it Thus is Schism injurious to the Church of God To these I might adde It is also of dangerous consequence to the persons who are involved in it who by dividing themselves from the body are in a dangerous way to divide themselves from the head So our judicious Casuist layeth it down Schism maketh way to Heresie and so to Separation from Christ So Jerome observed it in his time Nullum Schisma c. There is no Schism saith he but ordinarily in processe of time it inventeth and broacheth some Heresie that so the Separation may seem to be the more justifiable And Aquinas seconds him Sicut amissio charitatis c. Even as the losing of Charity saith he maketh way for the losing of Faith pardon the error in that supposition so doth Schism make way for Heresie A truth sufficiently experimented in those ancient Schismaticks the Novatians and Donatists who from Schism fell to be the Authors or Defenders of Heretical Opinions and those some of them most dangerous But we shall not need to look so far back We have a late and dreadful instance for it in those pernicious Schismaticks in New England who falling foul with the Churches and despising the Ministery there fell afterwards into most desperate and damnable Heresies and those so many and so foul as I think no place or age could ever paralel them Neither shall we need to travel so far for instances Would to God we had not some even amongst our selves who from Schism are already advanced very far that way even as far as may be on this side Hell nay if it were possible a step beyond it even to the jearing at God himself But I forbear to proceed any further You now see some of the streams which fall into this Ocean some of the Evils which contribute their malignity to the making up of the sinfulnesse of this great Evil Concerning which yet I may say that Lo the one half is not told you But let this suffice for Explication Confirmation Illustâ—ation That which remains is the Application Which I shall direct in Saint Pauls way and words Beseeching nay adjuring you in the Name of the Lord Jesus that there be no divisions no Schisms among you in this place Quest Why but are there any such Such there were in the Church of Corinth But are there any such among us that should give ground to such an Adjuration Answ. Yes That there are say our Adversaries of Rome You are all involved in a Schism and that far more dangerous then any were to be sound in the Church of Corinth In as much as you have departed from the unity of the Church Catholike the Donatists Schism You have broken off and separated your selves both from the head and body in withdrawing due subjection to the visible Ministerial head of the Church the Vicar of Christ and renouncing communion with the body the Roman Catholike Church Reply In reply to this I shâ—ll not waste much time it having been already done by many more able Tongues and Pens A departure we acknowledge and a separation but not a Schism However not such a Schism as they charge us with a sinful Schism a Schism properly so called Which that it may appear give me leave yet a little more clearly and distinctly to show you what such a Schism a compleat and formal Schism is Will you have a Definition at least a Description of it Take it thus It is A voluntary and unwarrantable separation from a true Church Wherein you may take notice of four ingredients to make up this compound There must be first a Separation secondly a separation from a true Church thirdly a voluntary and fourthly an unwarrantable Separation 1. A Separation So much the word as I told you imports Schism from the Greek {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or the Latin scindere both signifying one and the same thing to cut to rend to tear