Besides! What are we Concerned in them; is every Separation from a Church a Schism? Our Author shows the contrary immediately; Is refraining Communion in a Church state not of Divine Institution, and in things not prescribed by the Lord Christ in the Worship of God, holding Communion in Faith and Love with all the true Churches of Christ in the World, a damnable Schism, or any Schism at all? hath the Reverend Author in his whole Book once attempted to prove it to be so, though this be the whole of the matter in difference between us? is our Forbearance of Communion in Parochial Assemblies upon the Reasons before pleaded, especially that of humane impositions, of the same Nature with the Schism from the whole Catholic Church, without pretence of any such Impositions? Doth he judge us to be such as have no Love unto God? such as prefer our own profit before the Unity of the Church? I heartily wish and pray, that he may never have a share in that profit and advantage which we have made unto our selves by our principles and practise. Poverty, Distress. Ruin to our Families, Dangers, Imprisonments, Revilings with Contemptuous reproaches, Comprise the profit we have made unto our selves. Is our refraining Communion in some outward Order, Modes and Rites of Mens institution, our want of conscientious submission unto the Courts of Chancellors, Commissaries, Officials, &c. a rending and destroying of the glorious Body of Christ? is it Cemented, United, and Compacted or fitly framed together by these things? They formerly pretended to be his Coat, and must they now be esteemed to be his glorious Body, when they no way belong unto the one ⟨p. 331⟩or the other. Is the Application of these things unto us, an effect of that Love, Charity and Forbearance which are the only preventive means of Schism, and whereof if men are void, it is all one upon the matter whether they are Schismatics or no, for they will be so when it is for their Advantage. Wherefore we are not concerned in these things. Let whosoever will declare and vehemently assert us to be guilty of Schism, which they cannot prove, we can cheerfully subscribe unto these Words of Irenaeus.
Besides! What are we Concern'd in them; is every Separation from a Church a Schisme? Our Author shews the contrary immediately; Is refraining Communion in a Church state not of Divine Institution, and in things not prescribed by the Lord Christ in the Worship of God, holding Communion in Faith and Love with all the true Churches of Christ in the World, a damnable Schisme, or any Schisme at all? hath the Reverend Author in his whole Book once attempted to prove it to be so, though this be the whole of the matter in difference between us? is our Forbearance of Communion in Parochial Assemblies upon the Reasons before pleaded, especially that of humane impositions, of the same Nature with the Schisme from the whole Catholick Church, without pretence of any such Impositions? Doth he judge us to be such as have no Love unto God? such as prefer our own profit before the Unity of the Church? I heartily wish and pray, that he may never have a share in that profit and advantage which we have made unto our selves by our principles and practise. Poverty, Distress. Ruine to our Families, Dangers, Imprisonments, Revilings with Contemptuous reproaches, Comprize the profit we have made unto our selves. Is our refraining Communion in some outward Order, Modes and Rites of Mens institution, our want of conscientious submission unto the Courts of Chancellours, Commissaries, Officials, &c. a rending and destroying of the glorious Body of Christ? is it Cemented, United, and Compacted or fitly framed together by these things? They formerly pretended to be his Coat, and must they now be esteemed to be his glorious Body, when they no way belong unto the one ⟨p. 331⟩or the other. Is the Application of these things unto us, an effect of that Love, Charity and Forbearance which are the only preventive means of Schisme, and whereof if men are void, it is all one upon the matter whether they are Schismaticks or no, for they will be so when it is for their Advantage. Wherefore we are not concerned in these things. Let whosoever will declare and vehemently assert us to be guilty of Schisme, which they cannot prove, we can cheerfully subscribe unto these Words of Irenaeus.
