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to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse, Matt. ix. 16. Χειρον σχισμα γίνεται: The same phrase occurs in the parallel passage in Mark, ch. ii. 21. From this sense it is transferred by metaphor to things incorporeal, Thus it is used once and again by the evangelist John, to signify a difference in opinion expressed in words. Of the contest among the Jews concerning Jesus, some maintaining that he was, others that he was not the Messiah, the sacred historian says, Exioμa ovv ev тQ οχλῳ εγενετο δι' αυτου: "So there was a division among the people because of him," John vii. 43. Here, it is plain, the word is used in a sense perfectly indifferent; for it was neither in the true opinion supported by one side, nor in the false opinion supported by the other, that the schism or division lay, but in the opposition of these two opinions. In this sense of the word there would have been no schism, if they had been all of one opinion, whether it had been the true opinion or the false. The word is used precisely in the same signification by this apostle in two other places of his Gospel; ch. ix. 16, x. 19.

3. But it is not barely to a declared difference in judgment, that even the metaphorical use of the word is confined. As breach or rupture is the literal import of it in our language, wherever these words may be figuratively applied, the term axioμa seems likewise capable of an application. It invariably presupposes, that among those things whereof it is affirmed, there subsisted an union formerly, and as invariably denotes that the union subsists no longer. In this manner the apostle Paul uses the word, applying it to a particular church or Christian congregation. Thus he adjures the Corinthians, (1 Cor. i. 10,) by the name of the Lord Jesus, that there be no divisions or schisms among them, ίνα μη η ύμιν σχισματα : and in another place of the same epistle (ch. xi. 18.) he tells them, "I hear that there are divisions," or schisms, "among you," akovw σxioμaтa ev vμuv. ακουω σχισματα εν ὑμιν ὑπαρχειν. In order to obtain a proper idea of what is meant by a breach or schism in this application, we must form a just notion of that which constituted the union whereof the schism was a violation. Now the great and powerful cement which united the souls of Christians was their mutual love. "Their hearts," in the emphatical language of holy writ, "were knit together in love," Col. ii. 2. This had been declared by their Master to be the distinguishing badge of their profession: "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another, John xiii. 35. Their partaking of the same baptism, their professing the same faith, their enjoying the same promises, and their joining in the same religious service, formed a connexion merely external and of little significance, unless, agreeably to the apostle's expression, Eph. iii. 17, it was rooted and grounded in love. As this, therefore, is the great criterion of the Christian character, and the foundation of the Christian unity, whatever alienates the

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affections of Christians from one another, is manifestly subversive of both, and may consequently, with the greatest truth and energy, be denominated schism. It is not so much what makes an outward distinction or separation, (though this also may in a lower degree be so denominated,) as what produces an alienation of the heart, which constitutes schism in the sense of the apostle ; for this strikes directly at the vitals of Christianity. Indeed both the evil and the danger of the former, that is, an external separation, is principally to be estimated from its influence upon the latter, that is, in producing an alienation of heart: for it is in the union of affection among Christians, that the spirit, the life, and the power of religion, are principally placed.

4. It may be said, Does it not rather appear, from the passage first quoted, to denote such a breach of that visible unity in the outward order settled in their assemblies, as results from some jarring in their religious opinions, and by consequence in the expressions they adopted? This, I own, is what the words in immediate connexion, considered by themselves, would naturally suggest: "I beseech you, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions (schisms) among you; and that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment, 1 Cor. i. 10. It cannot be denied that a certain unanimity, or a declared assent to the great articles of the Christian profession, was necessary in every one, in order to his being admitted to, and kept in the communion of the church. But then it must be allowed, on the other hand, that those were at that time few, simple, and perspicuous. It is one of the many unhappy consequences of the disputes that have arisen in the church, and of the manner in which these have been managed, that such terms of communion have since been multiplied in every part of the Christian world, and not a little perplexed with metaphysical subtilties and scholastic quibbles. Whether this evil consequence was in its nature avoidable, or, if it was, in what manner it might have been avoided, are questions, though important, foreign to the present purpose. Certain it is, however, that several phrases used by the apostles in relation to this subject, such as ομοφρονες, το αυτό φρονούντες, and some others, commonly understood to mean unanimous in opinion, denote, more properly, coinciding in affection, concurring in love, desire, hatred, and aversion, agreeably to the common import of the verb poovev, both in sacred authors and in profane, which is more strictly rendered to savour, to relish, than to be of opinion.

5. Further, let it be observed, that in matters whereby the essentials of the faith are not affected, much greater indulgence to diversity of opinion was given, in those pure and primitive times, than has been allowed since, when the externals, or the form of religion, came to be raised on the ruins of the essentials, or the power, and a supposed correctness of judgment made of

greater account than purity of heart. In the apostolic age, which may be styled the reign of charity, their mutual forbearance in regard to such differences, was at once an evidence and an exercise of this divine principle. "Him that is weak in the faith," says our apostle, "receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations: For one believeth that he may eat all things; another who is weak eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him who eateth not judge him that eateth," Rom. xiv. 1-3. "One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike." As to these disputable points, "let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind," (ch. xiv. 5,) and, as far as he himself is concerned, act according to his persuasion. But he does not permit even him who is in the right, to disturb his brother's peace by such unimportant inquiries. "Hast thou faith?" says he; the knowledge and conviction of the truth on the point in question? "Have it to thyself before God. Happy is he who condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth," ch. xiv. 22. And in another place, "Let us, therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing," Philip. iii. 15, 16. We are to remember, that " as the kingdom of God is not meat and drink," so neither is it logical acuteness in distinction, or grammatical accuracy of expression; but it is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men," Rom. xiv. 17, 18.

6. Now, if we inquire, by an examination of the context, into the nature of those differences among the Corinthians to which Paul affixes the name oxioμara, nothing is more certain than that no cause of difference is suggested, which has any the least relation to the doctrines of religion, or to any opinions that might be formed concerning them. The fault which he stigmatized with that odious appellation, consisted then, solely, in an undue attachment to particular persons, under whom, as chiefs or leaders, the people severally ranked themselves; and thus, without making separate communions, formed distinctions among themselves, to the manifest prejudice of the common bond of charity, classing themselves under different heads. "Now this I say," adds the apostle, "that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ," 1 Cor. i. 12. It deserves to be remarked, that of the differences among the Roman converts, concerning the observance of days and the distinction of meats, which we should think more material, as they more nearly affect the justness of religious sentiments and the purity of religious practice, the apostle makes so little account, that he will not permit them to harass one another with such questions; but

enjoins them to allow every one to follow his own judgment-at the same time, that he is greatly alarmed at differences among the Corinthians, in which, as they result solely from particular attachments and personal esteem, neither the faith nor the practice of a Christian appears to have an immediate concern. But it was not without reason that he made this distinction. The hurt threatened by the latter was directly against that extensive love commanded by the Christian law, but not less truly, though more indirectly, against the Christian doctrine and manners. By attaching themselves strongly to human, and consequently fallible teachers and guides, they weakened the tie which bound them to the only divine guide and teacher, the Messiah, and therefore to that also which bound them all one to another.

7. What it was that gave rise to such distinctions in the church of Corinth we are not informed, nor is it material for us to know. From what follows in the epistle it is not improbable, that they might have thought it proper in this manner to range themselves under those who had been the instruments of their conversion to Christianity, or perhaps those by whom they had been baptized, or for whom they had contracted a special veneration. It is evident, however, that these petty differences, as we should account them, had already begun to produce consequences unfriendly to the spirit of the gospel; for it is in this point of view solely that the apostle considers them, and not as having an intermediate bad influence on its doctrine. Thus, resuming the subject, he says, "Ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?" 1 Cor. iii. 3, 4. Thus it is uncontrovertible, in the first place, that the accusation imports that the Corinthians by their conduct had given a wound to charity, and not that they had made any deviation from the faith and in the second place, that, in the apostolical acceptation of the word, men may be schismatics, or guilty of schism, by such an alienation of affection from their brethren as violates the internal union subsisting in the hearts of Christians, though there be neither error in doctrine nor separation from communion, and consequently no violation of external unity in ceremonies and worship. Faustus, a Manichean bishop in the fourth century, (however remote from truth the leading principles of his party were on more important articles,) entertained sentiments on this subject entirely scriptural; Schisma," says he, "nisi fallor, est eadem opinantem atque eodem ritu colentem quo cæteri, solo congregationis delectari dissidio." Faust. l. xx. c. iii. ap. August.

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8. After so clear a proof of the import of the term, if it should be thought of consequence to allege in confirmation what must be acknowledged to be more indirect, you may consider the only other passage in which the term is used in the New Testament,

and applied metaphorically to the human body. In the same epistle, the apostle, having shown that the different spiritual gifts bestowed on Christians rendered them mutually subservient, and made all, in their several ways, harmoniously contribute to the good of the Christian community, gives a beautiful illustration of this doctrine from the natural body, the different functions of whose members admirably conduce to the benefit and support of one another, and to the perfection and felicity of the whole. He concludes in these words: "God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked, that there should be no schism in the body," iva un n σχισμα εν τω σωματι, “but that the members should have the same care one for another; and whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it," 1 Cor. xii. 24-26. It is obvious that the word schism is here employed to signify, not a separation from the body, such as is made by amputation or fracture, but such a defect in utility and congruity, as would destroy what he considers as the mutual sympathy of the members, and their care one of another.

9. As to the distinctions on this subject which in after-times obtained among theologians, it is proper to remark, that error in doctrine was not supposed essential to the notion of schism; its distinguishing badge was made separation from communion in religious offices, insomuch that the words schismatic and separatist have been accounted synonymous. By this, divines commonly discriminate schism from heresy, the essence of which last is represented as consisting in an erroneous opinion, obstinately maintained, concerning some fundamental doctrine of Christianity; and that whether it be accompanied with separation in respect of the ordinances of religion or not. We have now seen that the former definition does not quadrate with the application of the word in the New Testament, and that schism in scriptural use is one thing, and schism in ecclesiastical use another.

PART IV.

OF HERESY.

LET us now inquire, with the same freedom and impartiality into the scriptural use of the other term. The Greek word aupeos, which properly imports no more than election or choice, was commonly employed by the Hellenist Jews in our Saviour's time, when the people were much divided in their religious sentiments, to denote, in general, any branch of the division, and was nearly equivalent to the English words class, party, sect.

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