Schismatick And consequently all Societies of Christians who withdraw themselves from the Government of their Bishops who are the Apostles Successors and from communicating with those Presbyters lawfully set over them by Episcopal Ordination and Institution and frame themselves into any other kind of Government are guilty of Schism This 〈◊〉 the true formal Notion of Schism in the sense of the Fathers in the â—tive Church Of which more anon This Church so constituted and established to continue to the end of the â—orld from its Universallity was by the Primitive Fathers called the Catholick Church and from its Unity the Communion of Saints Which is now to be considered What this Union and Communion of Saints is appears by Holy Scripture St. John 13. v. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one for another Love is the Badge of a Disciple of Christ and Member of the Catholick Church but there must be more in the command to the Disciples to love one another than commonly the acceptation Love hath for the Christian Religion enjoyns Love and Charity to all men To Love our Enemies to pray for them that hate us and to do good to them that despitefully use us and persecute us is the command of our Blessed Saviour and Gal. 6. v. 10. As we have therefore opertunity let us do good unto all men So that this Love which one Disciple is to have for another must be such as distinguisheth Chrstians from all other men Now what can that be but to love one another as members of the same Body whereof Christ is the Head and what can that be but to live in Christian Communion and Fellowship one with another Iâ— cannot be the bare loving one another for there are some who are not Christians who are so bountiful and loving towards all men that if this were the only Charactâ—ristical mark of a Christian they would and must pass for Christians without believing in Christ And who seeth not that Pyrats and Robbers and the vilest of men love one another So that it is as before is said not the bare loving one another by which men are known to be Christians but the being admitted by Baptism into the Society of the Christian Church and loving one another in the Communion of that Church this is that which makes true Christian Charity Saint Paul commands 1 Cor. 12.25 26. that there be no Schism in the Body but the Members should have the same care one for another and whether one Member suffers all the Members suffer with it or one Member be honored all the Members rejoyce with it now ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Christians to love one another is to love like Members of the same Body to preserve the Body from all Rents and Schisms and to maintain Sympathy and Chriâ—â—â— Charity in the Communion of Christs Body whereof we are all Mâ—â—bers So that Christian Charity unites us to Christs Body and nothinâ—â— Christian Love and Charity that doth not unite us in one Body 〈◊〉 one Communion that is one external visible Communion of the Christian Church Thus you see that by the words Christian Love and Charity so much used in Scripture must be understood the Communion of Saints and that out of the Communion of Saints there can be no Christian Charity And so is the same thing meant expressed by other words namely Brotherly Love Rom. 10.12 and by the name Brethren Heb. 13. v. 1. Let brotherly Love continue This term Brother was given to none but those who liv'd in Communion with the Church not the Gnosticks who seperated from it under pretence of greater Knowledge nor any who separate upon any pretence whatsoever And aâ—ter the Apostles the Primitive Church did confine the Christian Brother-hood to the Communion of the Church all the Precepts relating to Brotherly Love either in the Evangelists or Apostles suppose Christians to be Members of the Mystical Body of Christ that is his Câ—urch and to be all United there in full Communion and this is what tâ—e â—postle means to have no Schism in the Body out of all which it appears Fiâ—thly to assent to and believe all the Articles of Faith contained in the Apoâ—â—les Nicene and Saint Athanasius's Creed allow'd and receiv'd in the Primitive Church to pertake all of the same Table where we aâ— pertake of the same Body which was broken for us and of the same Blood which was shed for us and to joyn all in the same holy Prayers and Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks made as the Aposâ—le expresâ—ly commands for all men to be Subject and Obedient to ouâ— Spiritual Rulers and Governors who have derived their Power and Authority â—rom the Apostles by a due succession to this present Age in all things pertaining to Godly Life Decency and Order as the Catholicks did in the Primitive times this is true Christian Charity in the Language of the Scriptures and this is the Communion of Saints To hold Communion in the Articles of Faith only or what you call Fundamentals without any visible Sign of being in Communion with some Church that is a true Member of the Catholick Church is not sufficient to make a Catholick or one in the Communion of Saints though without such a Communion of Faith it is imposible to be so Corah and his Company were of the same Creed with Moses and Aaron yet were Schismatical wretches and were punished with a Vengeance The Donâ—tiâ—â—s whom you acknowledge to be Scismaticks held the Fundamentals of Religion but their separate Communion from the Catholick Church upon pretence of greater purity excluding all other Churches as not Catâ—o ick this made 'em Schismaticks in the judgment of the Fathers in the Catholick Church at that time So that all particular Churches who agree with the Primitive Catholick Church in all the Articles of Faith and in the external visible Worship and Service of God are true Members of the Catholick Church and in the Communion of Saints and no other The Church of England then having from the first planting of the Gospel here retained the Apostolick power of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Ordaining Priests by an unterrupted Succession of Arch Bishops and Bishops in the right line from the Apostles to this present time and agreeing with and no way repugnant to the Primitive Catholick Church in Doctrin Discipline and Worship is truly a Member of the Universal Catholick Church out of which there is no Communion of Saints The necessary consequence whereof is that they who live within the Jurisdiction of the Church of England and refuse Communion with her in the external visible Worship and Service of God do exclude themselves from being Members of the Catholick Church or in the Communion of Saints and are consequently guilty of Schism The reason is plain because there is no other way for any to hold Communion with the Universal Catholick Church but
by holding Communion with the particular Church wherein they live that Church not being Schismatical all the particular Churches through all the World being the Members that make up the Mystical Body of Christ the one Catholick Church Sir having shewed you as clearly as I can the true Notion of the Catholick Church and Communion of Saints Schism is so clearly unmasked that a man may though not from the same impulse yet with as much certainty pronounce and declare you a Schismatick as the Prophet Nathan did King David's Sin when he said Thou art the Man For it is most manifest that all who pretend Christianity and wilfully refuse Communion with the Catholick Church do cut themselves off from and cease to be Members of the Body of Christ for he hath but one Body that is his Church and this in the Language of the Scriptures and the Judgment of the Fathers in the Primitive Times is Schism And this agrees too with the Nature and Signification of the Word Sir though it be above my Education yet since I undertook your Enquiry I have made search and do give you this following account of these Fathers whose Judgments are against you St. Irenaeus Bishop of Lugdunum Lib. 4. adver Her cap. 43. who was Cotemporary with Policarpus a Disciple of St. John who must in Reason be allowed to know the Primitive Apostolick notion of Schism better than you or any who are of your Faction exhorts all Christians to harken to those Presbyters who were in the Communion of the Catholick Church and that they might not be deceived describes them Qua propter is qui in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteris obaudire oportet iis qui Successionem haâ—ent ab Apostolis c. Wherefore they are oblig'd to obey those Presbyters who are within the Pale of the Church who as we have shown are the Successors of the Apostles who have received the sure gift of Truth together with an Apostolical right of Succession according to the Deâ—ree of the Fatherâ— Reliquos vero qui absâ—stunt a principali Successione quocunque loco colliguntar c. As for those who renounce the Apostolical Succâ—ssion and Assemble themselves in any place whatsoever suspect and esteem them as Heretical and Damnable Opinions who flatter themselves with hope of Lucre and Vain Glory but as for them who rend and tear in pieces the Unity of the Church they shall receive punishment of God as Jeroboam did St. Ignatius the Second Bishâ—p of Antioch from St. Peter in his Ep. ad Tralianâ—s ad Smyrnenâ—es and in those to the Philâ—ippians c. frequently charges 'em to keep in the Unity of the Christian Church by a regular obedience to the Bishops and by Communicating with those Presbyters who were set over them by Authority of Episcopal Order that to disobey those Bishops and their Presbyters and to separate from them is in those Epistles charged with Schism St. Athanasius brands Ischyras for a Schismatick and gives this Reason for it that Ischyras did Usurp a Ministerial Authority without regular Ordination from the Bishops of the Catholick Church and gather'd to himself a Congregation separate from the Bishop of Alexandria in whose Province he liv'd St. Cyprian Ep. 4. ad populum Carthaginensem de quinque Presbyteris exhorts them to have no Communion with those who had divided themselves from their Bishops assuring them that to be sine Episcopis was to be extra Ecclesiam And in his Book De Vnitate he gives this Notion of Schism Contemptis Episcopis Derilictis Dei sacerdâ—tibus constituâ—re aliud Altare aut Conventicula diversa constituere That it was Schism to dispise and forsake the Bishops and Priests of God and to set up another Alter or to set up distinct Conventicles Sir though I pretend not to the Originals yet having found these Instances produced by men of unquestionable Sincerity and great Learning I presume to present you with them I have more of this kind before me but these Testimonies are sufficient to shew how different from and far short your discription of Schism is from the Notion of Schism the Fathers had in the Primitive times and that in their Judgment you are Guilty of Schism Sir you cannot by this time but see your Guilt and though you as Criminals usually before our Tribunals plead not Guilty 't is your own phrase yet I beseech you consider your Trial must be before that Tribunal which cannot be deceived or bassled you had better try and judge your self now that you be not judged To live in Schism you ingeniously acknowledge is a black and hanious Crime to promote and patronize it as you do must then be a great agravation of it it is to be out of the Catholick Church and Communion of Saints out of which there is no ordinary means nor any firm ground to fix any hope of Salvation its plain Acts 2.47 The Lord dayly added to the Church such as should be saved no being added to the Church no being saved there is no other way revealed by which you may be saved And it concerns you highly to consider how you can answer for all those many poor Souls that you seduce into Schism and so industriously keep out of Christs Fold I caution you in all Meekness and Christian Charity and out of a sincere desire of your eternal welfare and if you have that preparedness of mind that Meekness and Selâ—-denial which the Holy Jesus requires in the Gospel you will no longer contend with Flesh and Blood but immediately surrender your self into the Communion of that Church where if you will not be wanting to your self you will find all the satisfaction that a Christian can desire there being all things exhibited to you that appertain to Life and Salvation Having thus finished what I designed as sufficient to shew you the true Notion of Schism and your mistake in the Nature of it I proceed to make some Remarks upon your Brief Enquiry c. THe Scope of all you say till your Instance of Eldad and Medad amounts to no more but that Schism is an Arch-Rebel c. a deformed Brat c. a Crime so black no body will plead Guilty to the Indictment And then comes another Law term Hue and Cry c. 't is an hanious Crime but 't is very difficult and scarce possible to find it it cannot be described All I need say to this is the difficulty is removed I have plainly shew'd you how to describe it and so to make a true Judgment who are Guilty whether they plead Guilty or not Guilty The Instance of Eldad and Medad is nothing to the purpose of Schism for they were not if I mistake not to administer in Holy things not any thing of the Priest-hood but that Spirit of Prophecy which they received was to qualifie them for the ease of Moses in the Civil Government and a Crime in the State is Sedition not Schism Yet they did
hinc illae lacrymae It must rather be the setting up of your Seperate Communions that hath been so much the bane of this Christian Church I am sure it was the Puritanical Faction who in their Conventicles blew up the Trumpet of Sedition and Rebellion and overturned the Government of both Church and State and through pretended Sanctity and Gospel Zeal perpetrated the most hellish Actions that ever were since Adam Then was Violence under the colour of Zeal the Note and Badge of Sanctity Loyalty to a Prince of incomparable piety and faithfulness to the most pure Christian Church was damn'd for malignancy I am sure you are of the same Tribe these were the men by whom the Church was not only rent in Pieces but for a time which was as long as they were in Power rooted out here we may truly say hinc illae lacrymae Mr. H. I lived in the time when through Blood and Rebellion your Party gave Laws and Rules to all then all that were of our Church were not Censured for little things but Branded for Reprobates Excluded from Mercy all the Clergy not only Silenced but Sequestred and many Imprisoned and starved it was not much worse with Christians under Nero and Dioclesian and all this for not Conforming to your Novel Discipline yet the gentle Penalties of the Royal Laws which were made for Peace and Unity are cry'd up by you and your Party for such a Persecution as never was Alas Sir for all your pretended Meekness and Charity now you that retain the same principles would certainly repeat the same miseries had you the same power which God of his Infinite mercy for ever prevent Amen Now I return and try whether from your Instance in the Corinthians you could not have found a far more genuin conclusion and more agreeing with the Apostles meaning If but the having one Minister of Christ though rightly ordained in admiration above another to the begetting Contention incur the Guilt of Schism and is no way to be Tollerated in the Church of God How much more am I a Schismatick who am not only not rightly ordained but keep up a Communion seperate from the Church of God in the Kingdom where I live the Argument will hold a Minori ad Majus If contentions about admiring one Minister above another be Schism then sure to maintain a Separate Communion which makes Contention much hotter fiercer and more numerous must much more be Schism In Page 15. you say That 's Schism which breaks or slackens the bonâ— by which the Membeâ—s are knit together In this you are Orthodox but you keep not to it for you say Now that bond is not an Act of Vniformity in point of Communion in the same Modes and Ceremonies but true Love and Charity in point of Affection The breach of Communion be it for want of Uniformity in the same Modes and Ceremonies or what you will that is not sinful does certainly to use your own words Break and Slacken the Bond by which the Members are knit together for to divide in point of Communion is to dis-unite and unknit the Members and consequently the Bond be it as you say Love and Charity or the Unity of the Spirit or what you please is broken and this you most truly say is Schism and yet you say that the Bond is not an Act of Vniformity c. in point of Communion which is a manifest contradiction Now all these erroneous and miserably mistaken Expositions of Scripture and inferences equally false are the Foundation upon which you erect your Description of Schism and which at present you apprehend is the true Scriptural Notion of Schism which that all who read these papers may judge of I here Insert Schism is an Uncharitable Distance Division or Alienation of Affection among those who are called Christians and agree in the Fundamentals of Religion occasioned by their different apprehensions about little things You agree with our Church in all that you call Fundamentals and your Distance and Division you acknowledge is for little things that it is an Uncharitable Distance and Division is undeniable for the breach of Christian Communion is certainly the breach of Christian Charity here you are Condemned out of your own mouth But how far different your Description is from the Primitive Catholick Notion of Schism sufficiently appears to you by what I have shewed before You mention not Seperating or withdrawing from the Communion of the Church which is most Infamous and Notorious Schism and confine it only to breach of Charity which though always a great fault yet in many cases amounts not to Schism I now take notice of your Fourth Inference page 23. If this be Schism then there may be Separation of Communion where there is no Schism say you for thus we all agree that there may be difference of apprehension and yet no Schism provided it do not eat out Christian Love but be managed amicably as betwixt the Arminians and the Calvinists in the Church of England What strange kind of Reasoning is this If breach of Charity be Schism then separate Communion may be without Schism and to prove this you instance in the difference between the Arminians and Calvinists in the Church of England who differed in Opinions the former Asserting the Freedom or Liberty of the Will the other Election and Reprobation here was no separation of the Communion or denial of any Article of the Church for both sign'd the Articles nor from Communion one with another both parties submitting to the Uniformity required so you bring an instance to justifie seperate Communion from Schism where there was no seperate Communion at all see how illogical your reasoning is If breach of Charity be Schism then there may be separate Communion without Schism Would any man of Sence but you have made such a Conclusion from such premisses would not the Argument have run truer thus If breach of Charity be Schism then separate Communion is much more Schism But breach of Charity is Schism Therefore c. I am forced here to say what I have said before that it is most manifest that a separate Communion unless from a Schismatical Church is in it self the agravation and extremity of Schism and is naturally and infallibly the cause of the highest breaches of Charity and of the hottest and fiercest contentions which you own to be Schism But suppose there were some thing in our Constitutions that needed amendment or alteration yet every defect and supposed Corruption in a Church is not a sufficient ground for Separation or warrant enough to tear it in pieces Hear Mr. Calvins Opinion he saith where ever the Word of God is duely Preached and Reverently attended to and the true use of the Sacraments kept up there is an appearance of a true Church whose Authority no man may dispise or reject its admonitions or resist its Councils or set at nought its Discipline much less separate from it and
Violate its Unity so long as it continues in the true use of the Word and Sacraments though otherwise it be over-run with many blemishes and corruptions Inst l. 4. Sect. 10 11 12. You see how Mr. Calvin is against you from whom the Original of your way had its date I here make it my hearty request to you that you will read the Letters of the Reformed Divines of Foreign Countries to the Bishop of London viz. That of Monsieur le Moyne Professor of Divinity at Leyden concerning the Nature of our Differences and the unlawfulness of Separation from the Church of England That of Monsieur de Langle a Preacher of the Reformed Church-meeting at Charenton near Paris And also That of Monsieur Claude all of the same Subject you have them all at the end of Dr. Stillingfleet's Vnreasonableness of Separation They all conclude you under Schism In Page the 20th towards the end you have these words I need not mention the occasion having dispatched that before Whether they be Episcopal Presbyterian Independent or by what Name or Title soever they be self-dignified or distinguished you cannot forbear not only Uncharitableness but Hatred and Malice against the Clergy and consequently the whole Church you Condemn Bitterness and Uncharitableness as Schism in all other and where can it be found more apparently than in you in these words By what Name or Title soever they be self-dignified or distinguished these are not Applicable to your Party less to the Anabaptists then they must be spoken of the Archâ—Bishops and Bishops of our Church whom the King always nominates and they are accordingly truly Consecrated to be so Orders instituted by the Apostles in the Church of Christ and from them continued to this present age without interruption 1 Cor. 12 28. And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers c. helps in Government c. God hath set them up and you revile them as men setting up and dignifieing themselves is this your Charity what more Diabolical Spirit can there be in any Sect â—mong men than thus to dispise and set at nought those who are dignified by Divine Right and Authority to Rule and Govern in the Church of God you make it a Schismaticating Principle to censure you of Uncharitableness and Bitterness who have even in this rank'd your self among those whom the Apostle St. Jude in his Epistle verse 28. calls filthy Dreamers who speak evil of Dignities Yet say you But to come a little closer the Meetings of the Dissenters though now blessed be God permitted and allowed by the Law of the Land yet are commonly Charged with being Schismatical the great Out-cry is that we leave the Church and the Vnthinking Mobile who are so well taught as to know no other Churches but the Publick places of Worship are easily induced to believe it as if it were Schism to Worship God any where else let the Worship there be what it will you go on those who will allow themselves the Liberty of an Vnprejudiced thought cannot but see the difference so small that as long as we believe the same Christian Faith and agree in the same Protestant abhorrence of Papal Delusions we may easily be looked upon as one and the same Church as well as two several Parish Churches may especially being Vnited under the Care and Protection of one Protestant King and Members of the same Protestant Common-Wealth Sir Indulgence which carries the Title of the Act always imploys a defect if not a Crime you say you are permitted and allowed though the Act is no more than Indulgence which never signifies approbation or likeing all you have by it is but for the hardness of your Hearts as our Blessed Saviour says of the Indulgence of the Jews for putting away their Wives by a Bill of Divorse to which our Saviour saith Mat. 19 8. But in the beginning it was not so Their Plea for that Indulgence is distroyed by an Argument drawn from Antiquity I have the like Argument for you in the Primitive Church it was not so no Indulgence for seperate Communion upon any pretence whatsoever you have one and I give my reason why I wish no ill effects follow it In the year 1560. Mr. J. Calvin by his Letter to Arch Bishop Grindal solicites him to obtain the favour of the Queen to Assign and at his request she did Assign the Church of Saint Anthony in London for some French exiles then there and were of Mr. Calvins Principle to meet in and with License to set up the Genevian Discipline and a Form of Prayer which had no Conformity with the English Liturgy which proved in the event a design expedient of Calvins for advancing Presbitery in the room of Episcopacy Upon this Toleration their numbers so increased that in the year 1568. they broke out into open Schism choosing to meet in Barns and Fields rather than in Churches with their Brethren as formerly teaching 't was impious to hold any Correspondence with the Conforming Churches Upon this very occasion viz. the Queens Toleration and particularly her Indulging the Genevian Discipline within 8 years time their Members so increased and their Insolence also that the Queen plainly saw as her own words were that such were the restless Spirits of that Factious people that here was no quietness to be expected from them till they were utterly supprest In order to which she called a Parliament in 1592. wherein strict Laws were made against them and executed accordingly Barrow Penry and Burchet were hanged for such Nonconformity-principles as were Treasonable and by those sharp Laws made against them the Ring leaders were humbled and the whole Body of 'em brought to a good degree of Quietness at that time and held dureing her Reign I heartily wish that your Great Champion Mr. Baxter prove not a true Prophet who in his Epistle Dedicatory before his Treatise of Self-denial to Coll. James Berrey then one of the Council of State calls Toleration Englands misery a Liberty for drawing men to Hell a wicked damning Liberty a Strengthening the Party Tolerated a giving way for their Power a giving a way our own Power a preparing Faggots for our own Martirdom And he represents Tolerating Magistrates as a sort of men that Rule as though they were uncertain whether there were a Heaven or a Hell Thus he By the story in the Queen you see what use your Predecessors those great pretenders of Sanctity made of their Indulgence and if you tread their Paths you may fall into the like mischiefs and I will tell you why you can never stand right with the Government because your Principles carry you to the rooting out of Episcopacy which is the Pillar of Ecclesiastical Government And we see by Mr. Baxter with what Vigor and Zeal Uniformity will then be held forth in all your Pulpits I now return to the remainder of your Paragraph You say the meetâ—ng of the
Dissenters and after a Paranthesis are commonly charged with beâ—ng Schâ—smatical the great out-cry is that we leave the Church and the unâ—hanking Mobile who are so well taught as to know no other Churches but the â—ublick places of Worship are easily enduced to believe it as if it were â—chism to Worship God any where else let the Worship there be what it â—ill You cannot be without the Leaven of Reflection for all your pretendâ—d Candor and Charity is not this highly reproachful to say that the Unthinking Mobile c. are easily induced to believe it that is that â—our Meeting is Schism What can you mean but the Pastors and Miniâ—ters of our Church seduce the Mobile to believe that which is false and â—he unthinking Mobile are easily enduced This is a pritty falacy by â—his you would perswade all if you could that none but the Mobile believe â—ou are Schismaticks all the Privy Council the Judges Universities â—nd Magestrates and all above the Mobile have no such thoughts this â—s a random Shot Pray how many besides the unthinking Mobile can you boast of in your Communion God knows you have too much to â—oast of if you have any however your boasting in this is much more vain than God be thanked you have real cause for and all those Poor Souls you have Captivated and lead astray out of Christs Fould are â—gnorant or Giddy-minded and it is done under pretence of more Spiritual Edification and Holiness which is but the Counterfeit of them which glitters with greater Lustre it being the Nature of all Counterfeit things so to do to the Undescerning and Ignorant than the real just as Quack Mountebanks with cunning devised Words and Fables perswade the Moible that their Medicines have much more the Virtue of Healing and that their skill and judgement far surmounts the truly Learned and Judicious Phisitians But God I hope will consider their simplicity and have mercy on them though I wish they would consider what our Saviour saith That if the Blind lead the Blind both fall into the Ditch Then you say as â—f it were Schism to Worship God any where else let the Worship there be what it will It would occasion too long a discourse to pursue I will therefore only mention it The Samaritans in the time of our Saviour were as fully perswaded that their Altar and Worship was as true and acceptable to God as that at Jerusalem as you are that yours is more pure than that of our Church yet our Blessed Saviour tells the Woman St. John 4. v. 22. Ye Worship ye know not what we saith he know what we Worship c. The true reason why the Samaritans Worshiped they knew not what was because it was a separate Altar and a separate Worship from that at Jerusalem this was Schism and had the same effects as your separate Communion hath in this Kingdom viz. Contentions breach of Charity alienation of Affection c. And I do not see but as it was Schism in the Jewish which was the Type of the Christian Church to set up a separate Altar and Worship so it must be Schism to set up a separate Table and separate way of Worship in the Christian Church which is the Anti-type I mention this because you in the 32 page say The common Out-cry is that it is the setting up Altar against Altar supposeing your thoughts here might be upon Mr Dodwells one Altar and one Priesthood as that which makes the Out-cry against you though the Term of Setting up Altar against Altar was used by many of the Fathers in the Primitive Times against Schismaticks in their days whom he follows But Sir If you without prejudice will seriously peruse that Book you will find such weighty reasoning that you will never more despise it and if you cannot but despise it you will perpetuate your Name amongst the most Learned and Judicious above all your Tribe that have been or are and proselite the Diocese besides if you will Answer that Book However it will be a sufficient Answer for me to say it is not the place that makes the Schism but the separate Communion for if you use your way of Worship in one of our Churches it would not abate or excuse the Schism and so if you were rightly ordained and should use the same way of Worship which we use in our Churches and is required by the Church in your Stable and through some Providence necessitated to such a place no one of our Church would nor any other justly could charge you with Schism In your 25 page Those who will allow themselves the Liberty of an Vnpreâ—udiced thought cannot but see the difference so small that as long as we beâ—ieve the same Christian Faith and agree in the same Protestant abhorence of Papal delusions we may easily be looked upon as one and the same as well as two several Parish Churches may especially being Vnited under the care and protection of one Protestant King and Members of the same Common-â—ealth Difference in small and little things comes oft in my way I cannot but wonder that we who agree in the Belief of those High and Sacred Mysteries of Faith so contrary to Flesh and Blood and so transcendant above Natural reason which cannot be wrought in us but by the Grace of God and the operation of his Spirit and yet that even among these there should be men of high and preverse minds sensual and such who cause Division As the Donatists who did separate and â—rend the Church and yet believed the same Fundamental Faith and were Zealous to use your own Words for the great Gospel Truths but their separation was as yours is for little things How would you have your Separate Communion to be looked upon as one and the same Church as well as two several Parish Churches When it is apparent that you do Rob our Parish Churches All you can and would Monopolize all our Parishes into your Communion and yet forsooth would be looked upon as one of our Parish Churches This is a Paradox which passâ—th all understanding And it is as wonderful that the having the same Protestant abhorence of Popish delusions should be a bar to Schism a man may be an Arian Socinian ay or an Atheist if he can but abhor Popery and yet be free from Schism is this one of your great Gospel Truths Is this any thing like Primitive Doctrine that Heresy Atheism Quakerism and all other divided and currupt Opinions so they but abhor Popery may be looked upon as one and the same Church is new and strange Divinity Sir all that follows in your Book being of the same spinning I will spare my self from any more trouble and expose you no farâ—her The Reader will be able to Judge whether I have or not given you a truer Notion of Schism than that in your Enquiry and sufficiently convicted your unskilfulness in expounding Scripture and fully Answered you I will only add