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A43343 A brief enquiry into the true nature of schism: or a persuasive to Christian love and charity. Humbly submitted to better judgments; by M.H. Licensed Jan. 8. 1689/90 Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714. 1690 (1690) Wing H1474; ESTC R216726 13,006 36

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A Brief Enquiry Into the true Nature of SCHISM Or a Persuasive to Christian Love and Charity Humbly submitted to better Judgments By M. H. Psalm 120. l. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I Peace Licensed Jan. 8. 1689 90. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1690. Concerning SCHISM THere hath scarce been any one thing that hath been bandi'd to and fro in the Christian world with more Heat and Noise among the several Dividing Parties than the charge of Schism This hath involv'd the disputing part of the Church in the most violent Engagements above 1200 years Schism is so deform'd a Brat that no body hath been willing to own it a Crime so very black that each Party hath been studiously industrious to clear it self from the charge To this Indictment all have pleaded Not Guilty and we find none that have justified But here 's the Misery such notions of it have been entertain'd that it hath been almost impossible to deny without recriminating And perhaps the most guilty have been most hot in charging others Athaliah the greatest Traitor is most loud in crying Treason Treason We are all agreed that Schism is an Arch-Rebel in Christ's Kingdom but in sending out the Hue and Cry after it the Difficulty is how to describe it several Attempts have been made would it be in vain to try one more Waveing all Enquiries into the several Definitions and Descriptions which have been given of it let us have recourse to the Law and to the Testimony for whosoever speak in the things of God as they certainly do who speak of Sin and Duty if they speak not according to that Rule it is because there is no Light in them Therefore I only premise this one Postulatum That nothing is to be accounted sin but that which is made so by the Word of God Tekel is to be written upon nothing but that which hath been carefully weigh'd in the Balances of the Sanctuary In our Enquiry what is Sin let these Books be open'd which must be open'd at the great day If Sinners must be judg'd by those Books shortly let sin be judg'd by them now and let not any Man or Company of men in the world assume a power to declare that to be sin which the Sovereign Rector of the world hath not declared to be so lest in so doing they be found stepping into the Throne of God who is a Jealous God and will not give this Branch of his Glory to another Let us therefore see what the Scripture saith concerning Schism not concerning the Evil of it we are all convinced of that but concerning the Nature and formalis ratio of it The Old Testament will not help us so much in this enquiry as the New for as to the binding of the Jews to worship only in one place at Jerusalem and to offer only upon that Altar it was a Precept purely Ceremonial and to us Christians is vacated by that Gospel rule which wills us to pray every where and their Synagogues then not their Temple were the Patterns of Christian Assemblies Only one Scripture occurs in the Old Testament which perhaps will help-to rectify some mistake about Schism It is the instance of Eldad and Medad who prophesi'd in the Camp Numb 11. 26 c. The case in short is this Eldad and Medad were persons upon whom the Spirit rested i. e. Who were by the extraordinary working of the Spirit endued with gifts equal to the rest of the seventy Elders and were written i. e. Had a call to the work but they went not out unto the Tabernacle as the rest did though God himself had appointed that they should v. 16. And they prophesi'd in the Camp i. e. Exercis'd their gifts in private among their Neighbours in some common Tent. Upon what inducements they did this doth not appear but it is evident that it was their weakness and infirmity thus to separate from the rest of their Brethren If any think they prophesied by a necessitating and irresistible Impulse they may remember that the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 32. Now if some of the Schismaticating Doctors that the Church hath known had but had the censuring of Eldad and Medad we should soon have had a Judgment given against them much more severe than would have been awarded to him that gather'd Sticks on the Sabbath day And 't is confessed all the circumstances consider'd it looks like a very great Irregularity especially as an infringement of the Authority of Moses which they that prophesi'd in the Tabernacle under his Presidency manifestly own'd and submitted to Well an Information was presently brought in against them v. 27. Eldad and Medad Prophesie in the Camp that is to speak in the invidious language of the times there 's a Conventicle at such a place and Eldad and Medad are holding forth at it Joshua in his zeal for that which he fancy'd to be the Churches Unity and out of a concern for the authority of Moses brings in a Bill to silence them for as hot as he was he would not have them fin'd and laid in the Jail for this disorder neither only My Lord Moses forbid them not compel them to come to the Tabernacle if they be not satisfi'd to come only for the future prohibit their Schismatical Preaching in the Camp This seem'd a very good motion But hold Joshua thou knowest not what manner of Spirit thou art of Discerning Moses sees him acted by a Spirit of envy and doth not only deny but severely reprove the motion v. 29. Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets provided the Lord will but put his Spirit upon them He is so far from looking upon it as Schism that he doth not only tolerate but encourage it And O that all those who sit in Moses Chair were but cloth'd with this Spirit of Moses This Instance is full to shew that all is not Schism which even wise and good men are apt to think is so But our special enquiry must be in the New Testament and forasmuch as Words are the significations of things let us see what the Scripture means by this word Schism The Criticks observe that the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used 8 times in the New Testament 1. In a literal sense for a rent in a Garment Matth. 9. 16. Mark 2. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rent is made worse In the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is us'd Joh. 19. 24. Luk. 5. 36. As also of the rending of the Vail Mat. 27. 41. the cleaving of the Rocks Mat. 27. 51. the breaking of the Net Joh. 21. 11. the cleaving of the Heavens Mar. 1. 10. But this makes little to our purpose 2. It is us'd figuratively for a Division and that twofold 1. A Division in apprehension so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is us'd Joh. 7.