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Rules to be observed by those who walk in fellowship, and considered to stir
up their remembrance in things of mutual duty one towards another

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OF SCHISM; THE TRUE NATURE OF IT, DISCOVERED AND CONsidered.

СНАР. І.

Aggravations of the evil of schism, from the authority of the ancients. Their
incompetency to determine in this case, instanced in the sayings of Austin
and Jerome. The sayings of Aristides. Judgment of the ancients sub-
jected to disquisition. Some men's advantage in charging others with
schism. The actors' part privileged. The Romanists' interest therein.
The charge of schisin not to be despised. The iniquity of accusers justifies
not the accused. Several persons charged with schism on several accounts.
The design of this discourse in reference to them. Justification of dif-
ferences unpleasant. Attempts for peace and reconciliation considered.
Several persuasions hereabouts, and endeavours of men to that end. Their

issues...

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111

CHAP. II.

The nature of schism to be determined from Scripture only. This principle
by some opposed. Necessity of abiding in it. Parity of reason allowed.
Of the name of schism. Its constant use in Scripture. In things civil and
religious. The whole doctrine of sehism in the epistles to the Corinthians.
The case of that church proposed to consideration. Schism entirely in
one church. Not in the separation of any from a church; nor in subtrac-
tion of obedience from governors. Of the second schism in the church of
Corinth. Of Clemens's epistle. The state of the church of Corinth in
those days: Εκκλησία παροικοῦσα Κόρινθον. Πάροικος who: παροικία what.
Пápoxos, paracia.' To whom the epistle of Clemens was precisely written.
Corinth not a metropolitical church. Allowance of what by parity of rea
son may be deduced from what is of schism affirmed. Things required to
make a man guilty of schism. Arbitrary definitions of schism rejected.
That of Austin considered: as that also of Basil. The common use and
acceptation of it in these days. Separation from any church in its own
nature not schism. Aggravations of the evil of schism ungrounded. The
evil of it from its proper nature and consequences evinced. Inferences
from the whole of this discourse. The church of Rome, if a church, the
most schismatical church in the world.
Christ; a complete image of the empire. Final acquitment of Protestants
from schism on the principle evinced. Peculiarly of them of the late re-
formation in England. False notions of schism the ground of sin and
disorder

The church of Rome no church of

...

121

CHAP. III.

Objections against the former discourse proposed to consideration. Separa-
tion from any church in the Scripture not called schism. Grounds of such
separation. Apostacy, irregular walking, sensuality. Of separation on the
account of reformation. Of commands for separation. No example of
churches departing from the communion of another. Of the common
notion of schism, and the use made of it. Schism a breach of union. The
union instituted by Christ
.... 147

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CHAP. IV.

Several acceptations in the Scripture of the name church. Of the church
catholic properly so called. Of the church visible. Perpetuity of parti-
cular churches. A mistake rectified. The nature of the church catholic
evinced: Bellarmine's description of the church catholic. Union of the
church catholic, wherein it consists. Union by way of consequence.
Unity of faith. Of love. The communion of the catholic church in and
with itself. The breach of the union of the church catholic, wherein it
consisteth. Not morally possible. Protestants not guilty of it. The papal
world out of interest in the church catholic. As partly profane. Miracles
no evidence of holiness. Partly ignorant. Self-justitiaries. Idolatrous.
Worshippers of the beast

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152

CHAP. V.

Of the catholic church visible. Of the nature thereof. In what sense the
universality of professors is called a church. Amiraldus's judgment in
this business. The union of the church in this sense, wherein it consists.
Not the same with the union of the church catholic; nor that of a particular
instituted church. Not in relation to any one officer, or more, in subordi-
nation to one another. Such a subordination not proveable. Tà ágxaïa
of the Nicene synod. Of general councils. Union of the church visible
not in a general council. The true unity of the universality of professors
asserted. Things necessary to this union. Story of a martyr at Bagdat.
The apostacy of churches from the unity of the faith. Testimony of
Hegesippus vindicated. Papal apostacy. Protestants not guilty of the
breach of this unity. The catholic church in the sense insisted on, granted
by the ancients. Not a political body

...

CHAP. VI.

Romanists' charge of schism on the account of separation from the church
catholic proposed to consideration. The importance of this plea on both
sides. The sum of their charge. The church of Rome not the church
catholic: not a church in any sense. Of antichrist in the temple. The
catholic church how intrusted with interpretation of Scripture. Of inter-
pretation of Scripture by tradition. The interest of the Roman church
herein discharged. All necessary truths believed by Protestants. No con-
trary principle by them manifested. Profane persons no members of the
church catholic. Of the late Roman proselytes. Of the Donatists. Their
business reported, and case stated. The present state of things unsuited
to those of old. Apostacy from the unity of the church catholic charged
on the Romanists. Their claim to be that church sanguinary, false. Their
plea to this purpose considered. The blasphemous management of their
plea by some of late. The whole dissolved. Their inferences on their
plea practically prodigious. Their apostacy proved by instances. Their
grand argument in this cause proposed: answered. Consequences of
denying the Roman church to be a church of Christ, weighed

CHAP. VII.

Of a particular church; its nature. Frequently mentioned in Scripture.
Particular congregations acknowledged the only churches of the first insti-

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tution. What ensued on the multiplication of churches. Some things pre-
mised to clear the unity of the churches in this sense. Every believer
ordinarily obliged to join himself to some particular church. Many things
in instituted worship answering a natural principle. Perpetuity of the
church in this sense. True churches at first planted in England. How
they ceased so to be. How churches may be again re-erected. Of the
union of a particular church in itself. Foundaion of that union twofold.
The union itself. Of the communion of particular churches one with
another. Our concernment in this union

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CHAP. VIII.

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213

Of the church of England. The charge of schism in the name thereof pro-
posed and considered. Several considerations of the church of England.
In what sense we were members of it. Of anabaptism. The subjection
due to bishops. Their power examined. Its original in this nation. Of
the ministerial power of bishops. Its present continuance. Of the church
of England, what it is. Its description. Form peculiar and constitutive.
Answer to the charge of schism, on separation from it, in its episcopal
constitution. How and by what means it was taken away. Things neces-
sary to the constitution of such a church proposed, and offered to proof.
The second way of constituting a national church, considered. Principles
agreed on and consented unto between the parties at variance on this ac-
count. Judgment of Amiraldus in this case. Inferences from the com-
mon principles before consented unto. The case of schism in reference to
a national church in the last sense, debated. Of particular churches, and
separation from them. On what accounts justifiable. No necessity of
joining to this or that. Separation from some so called, required. Of the
church of Corinth. The duty of its members. Austin's judgment of the
practice of Elijah. The last objection waved. Inferences upon the whole. 223

A VINDICATION OF THE TREATISE ABOUT THE TRUE NATURE OF SCHISM.

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Independency no schism

CHAP. X.

AN ANSWER TO A LATE TREATISE OF MR. CAWDREY, ABOUT THE
NATURE OF SCHISM......

QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE POWER OF THE SUPREME MAGISTRATE
ABOUT RELIGION, PROPOSED AND RESOLVed .

A DISCOURSE CONCERNING LITURGIES.

CHAP. I.

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The state of the Judaical church. The liberty given by Christ, 1. From
the arbitrary impositions of men; 2. From the observances and rites insti-
tuted by Moses. The continuance of their observation in the patience and
forbearance of God. Difference about them stated. Legal righteousness
and legal ceremonies contended for together, the reason of it ......... 397

CHAP. II.

The disciples of Christ taken into his own disposal. General things to be ob-
served about gospel institutions. Their number small. Excess of men's
inventions. Things instituted brought into a religious relation by the au-
thority of Christ. That authority is none other. Suitableness to the matter
of institutions to be designed to their proper significancy. That discover
able only by infinite wisdom. Abilities given by Christ for the adminis-
tration of all his institutions. The way whereby it was done, Eph. iv.
7,8. 11-16. Several postulata laid down. The sum of the whole state of
our question in general ...

403

CHAP. III.

Of the Lord's Prayer, and what may be concluded from thence, as to the in-
vention and imposition of liturgies in the public worship of God. The
liberty whereunto Christ vindicated, and wherein he left his disciples

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409.

CHAP. IV.

Of the worship of God by the apostles. No liturgies used by them, nor in
the churches of their plantation. Argument from their practice. Reasons
pleaded for the use of liturgies. Disabilities of church officers for gospel
administration to the edification of the church. Uniformity in the worship
of God. The practice of the apostles as to those pretences considered.
Of other impositions. The rule given by the apostles. Of the liturgies
falsely ascribed unto some of them

413

CHAP. V.

The practice of the churches in the first three centuries as to forms of public
worship. No set forms of liturgies used by them. The silence of the first
writers concerning them. Some testimonies against them

419

CHAP. VI.

The pretended antiquity of liturgies disproved. The most ancient. Their
variety. Canons of councils about forms of church administrations. The
reason pleaded in the justification of the first invention of liturgies an-
swered. Their progress and end

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424

CHAP. VII.

The question stated. First argument against the composing and imposing
of liturgies. Arbitrary additions to the worship of God rejected. Li-
turgies not appointed by God. Made necessary in their imposition: and
a part of the worship of God. Of circumstances of worship. Instituted
adjuncts of worship not circumstances. Circumstances of actions, as such,
not circumstances of worship. Circumstances commanded made parts of
worship. Prohibitions of additions produced, considered, applied

CHAP. VIII.

Of the authority needful for the constituting and ordering of any thing that is
to have relation to God and his worship. Of the power and authority of
civil magistrates. The power imposing the Liturgy. The formal reason
of religious obedience. Use of the Liturgy an act of civil and religious
obedience; Matt. xxviii. 20. No rule to judge of what is meet in the
worship of God, but his word

...

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CHAP. IX.

Argument second. Necessary use of the Liturgy exclusive of the use of the
means appointed by Christ for the edification of his church

СНАР. Х.

Other considerations about the imposition of liturgies

....

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A SHORT CATECHISM: WITH AN EXPLICATION UPON THE SAME

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A BRIEF VINDICATION OF THE NONCONFORMISTS FROM THE CHARGE
OF SCHISM

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