A Schism in the Church stands in the Differences and Dissentions of the Members in it. We have in the Church of Corinth three instances of it. They differed about the Excellencies of their Teachers. Every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, 1 Cor. 1.12. They differed about the manner and time of the Holy Eucharist. They did not wait one for another, the rich contemned the poor, 1 Cor. 11.21, 22. They differed about the variety of Gifts among them; the inferior in gifts envied the superior, and the superior in gifts despised the inferior; the feet envied the hand, and the head undervalued the feet; 1 Cor. 12.15, & 21. And every one of these differences is in these Texts called [Greek or Hebrew], a Schism in the Church; and the reason is, because every one of them did break the Unity of the Church in Ordinances. When ⟨p. 31⟩they looked more on the Teacher, than on the Truth, there could not be an entire communion in hearing the pure word, they heard it but partially in the gifts of one, rather than of another. When at the Lord's Supper they did not wait for, but contemn one another, there could not be an unanimous conjunction in that Ordinance. The Eucharist, the Seal and Bond of Union, was as it were rent and torn in pieces. When the inferior in gifts envied, and the superior despised, they could not worship and serve God like those, Acts 2.1. [Greek or Hebrew], with one accord. Those Differences did make a breach upon that Worship that should have been entire. Now here it is to be noted, that every difference among Christians doth not amount to Schism. There was a Paroxysm, a hot fit between Paul and Barnabas, yet no Schism, Acts 15.39. In the Church of Corinth, Brother went to law with Brother, 1 Cor. 6.6. The Apostle blames the difference, but calls it not Schism. Stephen, Bishop of Rome, was against Rebaptization; ⟨p. 32⟩Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, was for it;1 yet there was no Schism; Ambo in unitate Catholica constituti, saith St. Austin, both remained in Catholic unity. There were differences between Chrysostom and Epiphanius, between Jerome and Austin, yet it would be hard to charge them with Schism. The Lutherans differ from the other Reformed Churches in some lesser Truths; but because they agree in fundamental Articles, there is not properly a Schism;
A Schism in the Church stands in the Differences and Dissentions of the Members in it. We have in the Church of Corinth three instances of it. They differed about the Excellencies of their Teachers. Every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, 1 Cor. 1.12. They differed about the manner and time of the Holy Eucharist. They did not wait one for another, the rich contemned the poor, 1 Cor. 11.21, 22. They differed about the variety of Gifts among them; the inferior in gifts envied the superior, and the superior in gifts despised the inferior; the feet envied the hand, and the head undervalued the feet; 1 Cor. 12.15, & 21. And every one of these differences is in these Texts called 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Schism in the Church; and the reason is, because every one of them did break the Unity of the Church in Ordinances. When ⟨p. 31⟩they lookt more on the Teacher, than on the Truth, there could not be an intire communion in hearing the pure word, they heard it but partially in the gifts of one, rather than of another. When at the Lord's Supper they did not wait for, but contemn one another, there could not be an unanimous conjunction in that Ordidance. The Eucharist, the Seal and Bond of Union, was as it were rent and torn in pieces. When the inferior in gifts envied, and the superior despised, they could not worship and serve God like those, Acts 2.1. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, with one accord. Those Differences did make a breach upon that Worship that should have been intire. Now here it is to be noted, that every difference among Christians doth not amount to Schism. There was a Paroxism, a hot fit between Paul and Barnabas, yet no Schism, Acts 15.39. In the Church of Corinth, Brother went to law with Brother, 1 Cor. 6.6. The Apostle blames the difference, but calls it not Schism. Stephen, Bishop of Rome, was against Rebaptization; ⟨p. 32⟩Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, was for it;1
- 1De unico Bapt. c. 14.