A90276:404
Of schism the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the…Of schisme the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the…
Of schism the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the present differences in religion. / By John Owen D.D.Of schisme the true nature of it discovered and considered, with reference to the present differences in religion. / By John Owen D.D.
Oxford: printed by L.L. for T. Robinson, 1657
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.
Blessed be God, that hath reserved the sole sovereignty of our Consciences in his hand, and not in the least parcelled it out to any of the sons of men, whose tender mercies being oftentimes cruelty it self, they would perhaps destroy the soul also, when they do so to ⟨p. 277⟩the body, seeing they stay there, as our Saviour witnesseth, because they can proceed no farther; Here then I profess to rest; in this doth my Conscience acquiesce: whilst I have any comfortable persuasion, on grounds infallible, that I hold the Head, and that I am by faith a member of the mystical body of Christ, whilst I make profession of all the necessary saving Truths of the Gospel, whilst I disturb not the peace of that particular Church, whereof by my own consent I am a member, nor do raise up, nor continue in any causeless differences with them, or any of them, with whom I walk in the fellowship and order of the Gospel, whilst I labour to exercise faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, and love towards all the Saints, I do keep the Unity, which is of the appointment of Christ; and let men say, from principles utterly foreign to the Gospel, what they please, or can, to the contrary, I am no Schismatic.
Blessed be God, that hath reserved the sole soveraingty of our Consciences in his hand, and not in the least parcelled it out to any of the sons of men, whose tender mercies being oftentimes cruelty it selfe, they would perhaps destroy the soule also, when they doe so to ⟨p. 277⟩the body, seeing they stay there, as our Saviour witnesseth, because they can proceed no farther; Here then I professe to rest; in this doth my Conscience acquiesce: whilst I have any comfortable perswasion, on grounds infallible, that I hold the Head, and that I am by faith a member of the mysticall body of Christ, whilst I make profession of all the necessary saving Truths of the Gospell, whilst I disturbe not the peace of that particular Church, whereof by my own consent I am a member, nor doe raise up, nor continue in any causeles differences with them, or any of them, with whom I walke in the fellowship and order of the Gospell, whilst I labour to exercise faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ, and love towards all the Saints, I doe keep the Unity, which is of the appointment of Christ; and let men say, from principles utterly forraigne to the Gospell, what they please, or can, to the contrary, I am no Schismatick.