Magd. Cent. 6. cap. 8. Evagr. l. 3. c. 30. Aulicâ Sapientiâ usus banished some of both Parties aequale praemium veritas mendacium tulêre Truth and Falsehood were alike rewarded Hence it appears that the Unity of the Church doth not stand in Humane Laws the true Unity is founded only in Scripture These things being so I come to lay down the true Unity The Church may be considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its internal Essence or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its external Communion In the first consideration it hath invisible Bands to make it one in the second it hath visible ones The soul of the Church is as St. Austin speaks internal Grace the Body of it is external Profession and Communion Take the Church in its internal Essence so its Unity stands in the Holy Spirit and the Graces of it There is one body and one spirit Eph. 4.4 There are many Members in the Mystical Body of Christ but they are all but one Body and why so They are distant in place and time yet they are but one Body distinct Bodies have distinct Spirits but they have but one Holy Spirit which unites them not only to Christ the Head but one to another so they must be but one Body because they have but one Spirit to actuate them Hence St. Austin saith Non potest vivere Corpus Christi nisi de Spiritu Christi In Joh. Tract 26. The Body of Christ cannot live but by the Spirit of Christ It is the Holy Spirit that makes them one living Body Under the Spirit there are three Uniting Graces which make the Mystical Church but one they are Faith Hope Enarr in Psal 37. and Charity Hence that of St. Austin Si Fides nostra sincera sit Spes certa Charitas accensa sumus in Corpore Christi If our Faith be sincere our Hope certain our Charity kindled then are we in the Body of Christ Hence St. Bernard observes a triple Vertue in the Primitive Church De ascensi Domini Serm. 5. Magnanimity Longanimity and Vnanimity the first was from Faith the second from Hope the third from Charity Faith unites all the Members in the Mystical Body to Christ the Head and so they are one in Capite Love unites them not only to the Head but one to another and so they are one in Corpore Hope unites them to one center in Heaven and so they are one in Termino In these things stands the Unity of the Church in its internal Essence Take the Church in its External Communion so its Unity stands in the Holy Ordinances They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Acts 2.42 These are the golden Bands that tie the Church together As the Church mystical is made one by Graces so the Church visible is made one by Ordinances As the same Graces are all over the one so the same Ordinances are all over the other The same pure word is preached Com. in Psal 133. The Church saith St. Jerome Non in parietibus sed in dogmatum veritate consistit It doth not stand in Walls but in True Doctrines The Hereticks as the same Father goes on may have the Walls but the Church is where the Truth is The Arians boasted of their Unity Contra Auxent but as St. Hilary tells them it was but Vnit as Impiet at is an Vnity of Impiety The Unity of Truth is in the Church only there all have one Law one Charter all are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concorporated and copartners of the promise Eph. 3.6 No body of men hath such a Law or Charter as the Church hath The same Sacraments are administred These are Seals of the Churches Charter and Symbols of that Communion which we have with Christ as Head and one with another as Fellow-members In Baptism we enter into the Holy Society in the Lord's Supper we are Fellow-commoners and eat together as Members of the same Family Contra Faust Manich l. 19. cap. 11. St. Austin saith That in every Religion men are joined together aliquo signaculorum consortio by a fellowship in some Seals No Society of men hath such Seals as the Church hath The same Prayers in substance are made tho in the Primitive times there was no Common Prayer or Liturgy in the Church Ignatius Epist ad Magn. yet there was ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Common that is a Publick Prayer which in the mouth of the Minister is as it were breathed out by all the people that the Divine Blessing may come down upon the Word and Sacraments I shall here add nothing touching Ecclesiastical Discipline because the particular mode of it is not so essential to a Church as the other are To conclude Where there are lawful Pastors dispensing Holy Ordinances and a People meeting and unanimously joining in the use of them there is a True Church Hic est fons Veritatis hoc Templum Dei hoc domicilium Fidei as Lactantius speaks There is the Fountain of Truth the Temple of God the Dwelling-place of Faith These things being premised touching the Church and its Unity I come now to enquire into the Nature of Schism CHAP. II. Schism defined Seminal or Actual In the Church or from it There may be a Schism without Separation and a Separation without Schism The Characters of Schismatical Separation Voluntariness want of Charity Pride Error breach of Sacred Vnity for little or no Cause from the Catholick Church SChism is the Scissure of the Church visible a breach of the sacred Vnity of it without cause 'T is a Scissure of the Church De Unitat. Eccles a renting vestem Christi inconsutilem the seamless Coat of Christ as St. Cyprian speaks It was as St. Austin speaks signified by the breaking of the net Luke 5.6 The net at Sea brake Ibi Ecclesia in hocseculo hic in fine seculi figurata est Austin in Joh. Tract 122. propter significanda Schismata to note out the Schisms of the Church on Earth but the Net drawn to the Shore brake not John 21.11 to note out that the Saints in Heaven are in summâ pace in the highest unity No Schisms are in that blessed Region 'T is a Scissure of the Church Visible In the Church Mystical there are no Schisms It 's true the Flesh which in the Saints warreth against the Spirit is a Schismatick and makes such rents in their Souls that they are in a sort divided from themselves It is not I but sin that dwelleth in me saith Saint Paul Rom. 7.20 He distinguisheth his corrupt Self from his renewed Self But yet that Flesh cannot shall not totally finally rent them off from the Mystical Body They may fall into sins yet those Principles which tie them to the Mystical Body are not extinct the Spirit of Grace will not leave them but raise them up out of their Falls Hence St.
Schism was for just little or nothing and so is every Schism that is properly so called The Separation is as the cause is When the cause is weighty and just the Separation is innocent When the Cause is light and inconsiderable the Separation is Schism Schismaticks are but tanquam paleae as chaff◠and as St. Austin speaks Expos in Epist Joh. Occasione venti volant foras A little Wind drives them out of doors 7thly Schismatical Separation is not only from a particular Church but from the Catholick one As by a just Excommunication a Man is cast out from the Church Catholick so by an unjust Separation a man casts out himself from the same The Reverend Primate Bramhall in his Vindication of the Church of England lays down two things the one is this If one Part of the Vniversal Church separate it self from another not absolutely or in essentials but respectively in Abuses and Innovations not as it is a part of the Vniversal Church but only so far as it is corrupted and degenerated it doth still retain a Communion not only with the Catholick Church but even with that corrupted Church from which it is separated except only in Corruptions The other is this Whosoever separates himself from any part of the Catholick Church as it is a part of the Catholick Church doth separate himself from every part of the Catholick Church and consequently from the Vniversal Church which hath no Existence but in its Parts Thus that Learned Man It is one thing to separate from a Particular Church as it is corrupted and degenerated another thing to separate from a Particular Church as it is a part of the Catholick Church The Learned Dr. Prideaux saith De Visib Eccles Non habendus est Schismaticus qui Romam aut aliam quamvis deserit particularem Ecclesiam ob additamenta non serenda sed qui aversatur Communionem unitatem Ecclesiae Vniversalis Catholicae He is not to be esteemed a Schismatick who forsakes Rome or any other Particular Church because of some Additions not to be born but he that turns away from the Vnion and Communion of the Church Catholick and Vniversal Epist ad Cornel. l. 2. Ep. 11. St. Cypriam charges it upon the Novatians that they did Catholicae Ecclesiae corpus unum scindere Cut in pieces that one Body of the Church Catholick De Unit. Eccl. c. 17. St. Austin charges it upon the Donatists A Christianâ unitate quae toto orbe diffunditur sacrilego schismate separatos esse That they were by a Sacrilegious Schism separated from that Christian Vnity which is diffused over the whole world Separation is then Schism when it is from a particular Church as it is a part of the Church Catholick for then it is from every part of the Catholick Church and by consequence from the whole Church These Characters may suffice to shew what Separation amounts to Schism CHAP. III. The Separation of the N. C. is not Schism Not voluntary Not from want of Charity Not from Pride and Contempt Not attended with Error No breach of Sacred Vnity Not for little or no Cause The Rites and Ceremonies for which they separate no little things as considered in themselves Of the Sign of the Cross in Baptism The Ceremonies as terms of Communion intrench on Christ's Kingly Office Invert the Gospel are against Christian Charity Liberty and Vnity The Pleas for Ceremonies not satisfactory Of Order and Decency Whether the Ceremonies are parts of Worship N. C. do not separate from the Catholick Church I Now go on to consider the Separation of the Nonconformists Ministers and People whether that be Schism or not in the doing of which I shall review the former Characters with respect to them 1st Schismatical Separation is intentional and perfectly voluntary but quo animo do the Dissenters separate In our Law an entry shall not be called a disseisin partibus invitis against the will of the Agents Neither should a Separation in such a Case be in Theology called a Schism Is it imaginable that the intention or option of the Nonconformists should be to be out of the Church rather than in it It is easy to judge who they be that most intend and love Church-unity those who would have the terms of it easy plain and unquestionable or those who would have them clogg'd with Scruples The Nonconformists separate but their parting from the Church like the Merchant's parting with his Goods in a Storm is not purely voluntary but a mixt Action done with an unwilling will not out of love to Separation but to salve Conscience When the Papists charge Schism upon our Church what saith Bishop Bramhall Reply to the Bishop of Chalced. fol. 55. Schism is a voluntary Separation To be separated might be our Consequent will because we could not help it but it was far enough from our Antecedent will or that we did desire it And a little after If they did impose upon us a necessity of doing sinful things and offending God and wounding our Consciences then we did not leave them but they did drive us from them And what saith Dr. Prideaux Fugati potius quam fugientes non tam à Roma ut est secessimus quà m ad Roman ut erat regressi sumus We were rather driven away than voluntarily flying we are not so much departed from Rome as it is as we are returned to Rome as it was In like manner the Nonconformists being charged with Schism may say To separate is not their Antecedent will but Consequent they depart from the Church but it is by a kind of constraint they had much rather be in the Church they wish for it pray for it and salvâ conscientiâ would do any thing for it but there are some things which they cannot join in Such a departure should not be called Schism 2dly Schismatical Separation proceeds from hatred Schismatici discessionibus iniquis à fraternâ Charitate dissiliunt Aug. de Fide Symbol cap. 10. or at least from a want of Charity but do the Nonconformists thus separate What is done out of Conscience to God cannot be fairly interpreted hatred to our Brother It is love to God that causes men to walk according to Conscience but it is want of love to him that makes them hate their Brother These two cannot stand together If we call that hatred which indeed is Conscience we forfeit our own Charity by misconstruing the Charity of others It is the desire of the Nonconformists to live in charity with the Conforming Brethren In the Council of Carthage St. Cyprian and his Fellow-Bishops in the point of rebaptizing those that were baptized by Hereticks plainly erred and dissented from the rest of the Church yet they were never charged with Schism for it and why Because they did it neminem judicantes neo à jure communionis aliquem si diversum senserit amoventes Judging none removing none that
off from it but he that goes out and recedes of his own accord He condemns himself being out of the Church not by Censure but suo arbitrio by his own free Choice The Donatists were in their minds and wills so set upon their own way Aust Epist 162. that after a long series of Debates and Hearings they were still the same as before A right Schismatick makes it his business to divide Cypr. de Unit. Eccl. A Matre Filios segregat Oves à Pastores solicitat He severs the Sons from the Mother he entices the Sheep from the Pastor This is the first Character 2dly Schismatical Separation proceeds from Hatred or at least from a want of charity In Asc B. Mar. Serm. 5. Quisque saith St. Bernard sibi unus debet esse per integritatem virtutis unum cum proximis per vinculum dilectionis Every one ought to be one with himself by the integrity of Vertue and one with his Neighbour by the bond of Charity De Bapt. con Don. l. 1. c. 11. Love unites but hatred divides and breaks out into Schism Nulli saith St. Austin Schisma facerent si fraterno odio non excaecarentur None would make Schisms unless they were blinded with the hatred of their Brethren This Character was evident in the Donatists Contra Cresc l. 2. c. 10. hence the same Father tells them Sacramenta habetis charitatem non habet is Sacraments you have but Charity you have not And withal he tells them that though they had multa magna De Bapt. cont Don. l 1. c. 8 9. many and great things yet all was nothing si unum defuerit if that one thing Charity were wanting and what Charity they could have who allowed no Church but their own I know not When there are no just Scruples no reasonable Causes of Separation surely the departure must be for want of Charity 3dly Schismatical Separation issues out of Pride and Contempt When they went out from the Apostolical Church 1 Joh. 2.19 there was somewhat of Antichristian Pride and Contempt in it for in the verse precedent Antichrists are said to be then in being Those that separated themselves Jud. 19. did it as a Learned man saith cum contemptu aliorum as if they had some peculiar Doctrine or Sanctity This Character may be seen in the Novatians and Donatists Novatus is said to be Superbiâ inflatus puft up with pride when he set up his Separate Church that he might be head of those who called themselves pure Euseb l 6. cap 42. The Roman Synod takes notice of this and decreed That he cum simul elatis with his proud companions should be esteemed as Aliens to that Church St. Austin saith of the Donatists that Superbi ruperunt rete fecere altare contra altare Proud men broke the net and set up Altar against Altar It was indeed horrible pride in them to say that the Church was only in parte Donati and it is no less in the Papists to say that it is only in parte Papae For any one Party to boast as if the Church were with them only and not elsewhere is Schismatical Pride or proud Schism Then is Separation a Schism when it is done in pride and contempt 4thly Schismatical Separation is ordinarily if not always attended with some error or other It is a very are thing to see a mere simple Schism sine ullâ depravatâ Doctrinâ without some mixture of depraved Doctrine Every Zimri hath its Cosby every Divider hath some lie or other to which he is joined Neque Schisma feri potest nisi diversum aliquid sequantur qui faciunt saith St. Austin Cont. Cres l 2. c. 7. Neither can there be a Schism made unless they that make it follow some different Doctrine Nullum Schisma non â—bi aliquam fingit Haeresin ut recte â—b Ecclesia recessisse videatur Com. in Tit. c. 3. saith â—t Jerome There is no Schism but it frames to it self some Heresy that it may seem to have rightly departed from the Church Novatus did not only separate from the Church but set up his own Error That the lapsed were not to be received in the Church no not upon their repentance no more than dead men Donatus did not merely separate but advanced his uncharitable Error That the Church was only in parte Donati De Unit. Eccl. c. 11. upon which account St. Austin tells him that he did aliud Evangelizare preach another Gospel Theod. Hist l. 3 5. Neither did the Luciferiani only separate but they had their propria Dogmata their proper Errors Thus the Learned Whitaker De Notis Eccl. Q. 5. Non est Schisma nisi cum Errore aliquo conjunctum fuerit There is no Schism but it is in conjunction with some Error The Schismatick ever hath some peculiar Opinion to promote in the world and upon that account he separates from the Church and sets up for himself 5thly Schismatical Separation is a breach of some Sacred Vnity The Schismatick doth indeed adhere to the Church in part but with all he breaks in part There is some breach of Unity He adheres to the Church in part but not in all St. Austin saith of the Donatists In multis erant mecum Enarr in Psal 54. in Schismate non mecum In many things they are with me but in their Schism they are not with me And in another place he saith That they were with the Church in Sacraments but not in vinculo pacis in the bond of peace Thus the Schismatick adheres in part but then he breaks in part There is some breach of sacred Vnity I mean of that Unity that is founded in Scripture Hence St. De Unit. Eccl. Cyprian expostulates with the Schismaticks Quis audeat scindere unitatem Dei vestem Domini Ecclesiam Christi Who dares break the Vnity of God the seamless Coat of the Lord the Church of Christ Contra. Parm. l. 2. c. 1 11. Hence St. Austin tells them Non est quicquam gravius Sacrilegio Schismatis There is nothing more grievous than the Sacriledge of Schism Were there no breach of Unity it would not be Schism were not the Unity sacred it would not be Sacriledge Then is Separation Schism when there is a breach of some sacred Vnity 6thly Schismatical Separation is a breach of Sacred Unity for little or no cause at all The memorable Mr. Tract of Schism Hale's speaking about the Schism touching the keeping of Easter saith This matter tho most unnecessary most vain yet caused as great a Combustion as ever was in the Church the West separating and refusing Communion with the East for many years together In this fantastical Hurry I cannot see but all the World were Schismaticks neither can any thing excuse them from that imputation excepting only this that we charitably suppose all Partie out of Conscience did what they did Thus he This great
that which it hath in peculiar They differ from it in Episcopacy so do the Foreign Churches they differ from its Liturgy so do the Foreign Churches at least in part Their Congregations are distinct and distant from the Parochial Churches so is one Parochial Church from another If the Foreign Churches notwithstanding such differences are in unity with our Church so are the Nonconformists If the Nonconformists by reason of such differences are Schismaticks what are the Foreign Churches which have the same You will say the case is diferent Those of Foreign Churches never did as our Nonconformists do go out from our Parochial Churches Very true but every local separation doth not amount to Schism neither have others the same occasion of separation from our Churches as the Nonconformists have When a Law or Canon made by those who have particular jurisdiction in a Nation or Church will justify Separation and make it no Schism then the Separation is not from the Church-Catholick But such is the case of the Nonconformists Should there be such a Law or Canon made among us it would justify their Separation and make it no Schism therefore their Separation is not from the Church Catholick When men separate from a Church in pride and contempt as if they only were the Church then the Separation is from the Church Catholick Thus the Novatians thought that the pure Church was with them only Thus the Donatists said that the Church was only in parte Donati Thus the Papists say that the Church is only in parte Papae but the Nonconformists do not do so They acknowledge our Church to be a true Church they are joined to it in all that which is true unity They would further bear a part in it if some Stumbling blocks were out of the way By these things it may appear that they still remain in conjunction with the Church-Catholick Thus I have gone over the Characters of Schismatical Separation and in so doing have briefly examined the Case of the Nonconformists FINIS Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultrey near Stocks-Market HIstorical Collections the 3d Part in 2 Volumes Never before Printed Containing the Principal Matters which happened from the meeting of the Parliament November the 3d. 1640. to the end of the Year 1644. wherein is a particular Account of the Rise and Progress of the Civil War to that Period Impartially related Setting forth only Matter of Fact in Order of Time without Observation or Reflection By John Rushworth Fol. A Demonstration of the first Applications of the Apocalypse together with the Consent of the Ancients concerning the Fourth Beast in the 7th of Daniel and the Beast in the Revelations By Drue Crescener D. D. 4to. A Seasonable Discourse wherein is examined what is lawful during the Confusions and Revolutions of Government Stitched 4to. The Evidence of Things not seen or divers Spiritual and Philosophical Discourses concerning the state of Holy Men after Death By that eminently Learned Divine Moses Amyraldus Translated out of the French Tongue by a Minister of the Church of England 8vo. A Succinct and Seasonable Discourse of the Occasions Causes Nature Rise Growth and Remedies of mental Errors To which is added 1. An Answer to Mr. Gary against Infant-Baptism 2 An Answer to some Antinomian Errors 3 A Sermon about Union By John Flavel 8vo. A Discourse concerning Liturgies by the late learned Divine Mr. David Clerkson 8vo. 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