Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A43343
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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. Licensed Jan. 8. 1689/90
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Henry, Matthew, 1662-1714.
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1690
(1690)
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Wing H1474; ESTC R216726
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13,006
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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.
in three cases 1. If my own Conscience be not satisfy'd in the lawfulness of any terms of Communion impos'd as far as I fall under that imposition I may justify a separation from them and a joyning with other Churches where I may be freed from that Imposition provided that this be not done Schismatically i. e. With heat and bitterness and an alienation of Christian affection and I hope none that have the law of Christ written in their hearts will say that it is impossible truly to love those with whom I am not satisfy'd to joyn in all the Ordinances for the sake of some Ceremonies with which after all my Study Prayer and Converse I cannot be satisfy'd So if I be a Minister and as such oblig'd to Preach the Gospel yet kept out from the publick exercise of my Ministry by such Terms and Conditions Oaths and Subscriptions as I judge sinful in such a case surely it is lawful for me with Eldad and Medad to prophesy in the Camp since in my Judgment the door of the Tabernacle is made straiter than my Master hath appointed it to be made What should hinder but that as a Minister of Christ I may administer all the Ordinances according to Christs Institution to those who are willing to joyn with me and put themselves under my Conduct such as it is in those administrations If God have given though but one talent it must be traded with or else there will be an uncomfortable reckoning shortly especially when we look abroad and consider how the apparent necessities of precious Souls call for our utmost diligence in our Masters work and indeed there 's work enough for us all if God would give us hearts to be serious and unanimous in it In this also 't is always provided that my agency in a Ministerial Station be not made Schismatical by my Heat Passion and Bitterness but that I live in true Love and Charity with those whom by reason of the Impositions I cannot salvâ conscientiâ joyn with in Communion 2. Though I be satisfy'd in the lawfulness of the Terms of Communion requir'd and so when purer administrations are not to be had may rather than live in the total want of the Ordinances comply with them yet when I have an opportunity of enjoying those Ordinances in a way which I judge more pure and Scriptural or which I think more lively and edifying and more likely to attain the great end of all Ordinances and that contribute more to my Comfort and Holiness and Communion with God in such a case I cannot see but that I may lawfully have recourse to such administrations though thereby I may seem to separate from another Church wherein before I had joyn'd and for which I still retain a very charitable opinion and affection If the Magistrate should be so unreasonable as to impose upon me an unskilful Physician to be alone made use of in case of sickness I might take him rather than none But if there be another who I am sure hath more Skill and Will to help me I think I should be accessary to the ruin of my health and life if I should not make use of him notwithstanding such an Inhibition And is not the life and health and salvation of my immortal Sonl dearer to me than any other concern Is not Communion with God the sweetest and most precious of all my delights Is it not the Life of my Soul and the Crown of all my joys and are not those administrations most desirable in which I find my self most edifyed Must I then be such an enemy to my own comfort and happiness as to throw away all the opportunities which I might have of that kind only in a complement Amicus Socrates Amicus Plato sed magis amica veritas The Bishops are my Friends and the Ministers my Friends and I have a true Love for them but Charity begins at home especially when my precious Soul more worth than all the world lyes at stake This case is somewhat the clearer in those Parishes where the publick Ministers are either Ignorant Profane or Malignant 3. Nay suppose I am so well satistisfy'd in Communion with the Parish Churches in all administrations as not to desire better or not to expect better in the Dissenters meetings yet I cannot see what Schism i. e. what breach of Christian Love and Charity there is in it for me to be present sometimes in the Congregations of the sober Dissenters and to joyn with them who worship the same God in the name of the same Mediator read and preach the same Word and live in hopes of the same Inheritance and differ from me only in some little things which I think not worth contending for scarce worth the mentioning hereby to evidence my universal Love and Catholick Charity and that I am not of narrow Schismatical dividing Principles nor one that will Sacrifice Christian love to the petty trifling Fancies and Interests of a party The sober Dissenters are such as I have reason to hope have Communion with God in what they do and therefore why should not I now and then have Communion with them In every Nation be that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of him and why should he not be accepted of me why may not I have fellowship with them that have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. To fancy Schism i. e. Uncharitable contention and a breach of Christian Love in this is very absurd Obj. But hereby I encourage a Schism and countenance them in their Separation from that which in my eye is lawful and good and doth not give just cause for such a Separation Answ. There must be grains of allowance for difference of apprehension Different Capacities Constitutions and Inclinations Custom and especially Education must be put into the scale and while I walk according to the light which God hath given me I must charitably believe that others do so too Whether the Dissenters Meetings be as to the constitution and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse of them looking upon them only as diversities of Communion Schismatical hath been consider'd already and found otherwise by Scripture-Light The common outcry is that it is the setting up of Altar against Altar which is not so for at the most it is but Altar by Altar and though I have often read of one Body and one Spirit and one Hope and one Lord and one Faith and one Baptism and one God and Father Eph. 4. 4 5 6. Yet I could never find a word in all the New Testament of one Altar except Jesus Christ Heb. 13. 10. The Altar that sanctifies every Gift in whom we all centre And if there be any of the Dissenters who are Schismatical i. e. Contentious Bitter and Uncharitable in their Separation let them bear their own burthen but by my presence with them I encourage that in them no more than I do too much of a like Spirit in too many of those who are call'd the Church of England men by my adherence to them To conclude By all this it is evident that Unity of Affection is the thing to be labour'd after more than Uniformity in Modes and Ceremonies We have been long enough trying to root Schism out of the Church vi armi◠by Impositions Fines and Penalties choking our brethren because their Throats have not been so wide as ours And it hath been found ineffectual even in the judgment of our Great Sanhedrim who have declar'd that giving ease to scrupulous consciences is the likeliest way to unite their Majesties Protestant Subjects in Interest and Affection what if we should now try another Method and turn the Stream of our endeavours into another Channel Hitherto we have been as it were striving which should hate one another most what if we should now strive which should love one another best and be most ready to do all Offices of true Charity and Kindness and bury all our little Feuds and Animosities in that blessed grave of Christian Love and Charity What if we should every one of us of each party as we have been too often call'd set our selves by our Preaching to promote and propagate the Gospel of Peace and by our prayers to prevail with God for a more plentiful pouring out of the Spirit of Peace that the dividing names of Baalim may be taken out of our mouths and that however it goes with Uniformity of Ceremony we may keep the Vnity of the Spirit and then I doubt not but we should soon see our English Jerusalem Establish't a praise in the midst of the Earth And yet I am afraid even Saints will be men there will be remainders even of those corruptions which are the seed of Schism in the best till we all come to the perfect man And that 's the comfort of my Soul that if we can but once get to Heaven we shall be for ever out of the noise and hurry of this quarrelsom contentious dividing world and the Church Triumphant shall be no more Militant but that happy World of Everlasting Light will be a World of Everlasting Love FINIS