An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches.…

But the true state of the Controversy between him and us, is this and no other; namely, Whether a Dissent in and Forbearance from the Communion of Churches, in their state and kind not of Divine Institution, or so far as they are not of Divine Institution, and from Things in other Churches that have no such Divine Institution, nor any Scriptural Authority to oblige us unto their Observance, be to be esteemed Schism in them who maintain and professedly avow Communion in Faith and Love with all the true Churches of Christ in the World. This is the whole of what we are concerned in, which where it is spoken unto, it shall be considered. But because there were in the Primitive Churches, certain Persons who on Arbitrary Principles of their own, consisting for the most part in gross and palpable Errors, which they would have imposed on all others, did separate from the Catholic Church, that is all other Christians in the World, and all the Churches of Christ, condemning them as no Churches, allowing not the Administration of Sacraments unto them, nor Salvation unto their Members, whom the Ancient Church condemned with great severity and that justly as guilty of Schism, their Judgment, their Words ⟨p. 47⟩and Expressions are applied unto us, who are no way concerned in what they speak of or unto. We are not therefore in the least terrified with what is alleged out of the Ancients about Schism, no more then he is, when the same Instances, the same Authorities, the same Quotations, are made use of by the Papists against the Church of England, as they are continually. For, as was said, we know that we are no way concerned in them. And suppose that all that the Dr. allegeth against us be true, and that we are in the wrong in all that is Charged on us, yet I dare refer it to the Dr. himself to determine, whether it be of the same nature with what was Charged on them who made Schisms in the Church of old. I suppose I guess well enough what he will say, to secure his Charge, and it shall be considered where it is spoken.

But the true state of the Controversie between him and us, is this and no other; namely, Whether a Dissent in and Forbearance from the Communion of Churches, in their state and kind not of Divine Institution, or so far as they are not of Divine Institution, and from Things in other Churches that have no such Divine Institution, nor any Scriptural Authority to oblige us unto their Observance, be to be esteemed Schisme in them who maintain and professedly avow Communion in Faith and Love with all the true Churches of Christ in the World. This is the whole of what we are concerned in, which where it is spoken unto, it shall be considered. But because there were in the Primitive Churches, certain Persons who on Arbitrary Principles of their own, consisting for the most part in gross and palpable Errors, which they would have imposed on all others, did separate from the Catholick Church, that is all other Christians in the World, and all the Churches of Christ, condemning them as no Churches, allowing not the Administration of Sacraments unto them, nor Salvation unto their Members, whom the Antient Church condemned with great severity and that justly as guilty of Schisme, their Judgment, their Words