A85312:104
Of schism. Parochial congregations in England, and ordination
Of schism. Parochial congregations in England, and ordination by imposition of hands. Wherein Dr. Owen's discovery of the true nature of schism is briefly and friendly examined, together with Mr. Noyes of New England his arguments against imposition of hands in ordination. / By Giles Firmin, sometime of new England, now pastor of the Church at Shalford in Essex.
London: printed by T.C. for Nathanael Webb, 1658
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thus I conceive Congregational, Classical, or Episcopal Churches may be guilty of Schism, and cause Schism in the Catholic-Church-Visible.
Thus I conceive Congregational, Classical, or Episcopal Churches may be guilty of Schism, and cause Schism in the Catholick-Church-Visible.
As for that Doctrine, That an Officer of a particular Church must administer an Ordinance to none but his own members. This is confuted in the practice of all Churches that I know of, and I suppose will not be defended.
To this I add: Suppose there be divers members of several particular Churches, who are very zealous for Prophesying, and they must have their liberty to prophesy, whether they have abilities or not; the Churches conceive that the gift of Prophesying, being extraordinary, is ceased, therefore will allow no such liberty. These are so set for their Prophesying, that they make Divisions in the Churches, and at last separate from them all, and make up one Church by themselves; they are qualified as the Doctor requires Catholic members; they have all the ordinances and officers of Christ among them; whence I cannot deny but here is a Church, but yet they refuse communion with all other Churches in the world, unless of their opinion, neither give nor take, though desired; and there are no other Churches in the world ⟨p. 28⟩of their opinion or practice. Now this Church I cannot charge with Apostasy from the Head, but with separation from the Catholic Church, and so is guilty of Schism. If it be said this Church is a part of the Catholic Church, how then separate from it? It's true, else it were not Schism, but Apostasy; but as it separates from all other Churches causelessly, in that sense I speak.