CHAPTER VIII.

DIRECTIONS FOR THE UNION AND COMMUNION OF SAINTS, AND THE AVOIDING UNPEACEABLENESS AND SCHISM.

The peace and concord of believers is a thing that almost all those plead for, who call themselves believers; and yet a thing that almost all men hinder and resist while they commend it.[136] The discord and divisions of believers, are as commonly spoken against, and by the same men, as commonly fomented. The few that are sincere (both rulers and private men) desire concord and hate divisions in love to holiness which is promoted by it, and in love to the church, and good of souls, and the honour of religion and the glory of God; and the few of those that are experienced, wise, judicious persons, do choose the means that is fittest to attain these ends, and do prudently and constantly prosecute them accordingly; but these being in the world as a spoonful of fresh water cast into the sea, or a spoonful of water cast into the flames of a house on fire, no wonder if the brinish sea be not sweetened by them, nor the consuming, raging fire quenched by them. The other rulers of the world and of the churches, are for concord and against division, because this tendeth to the quieting of the people under them, and the making of men submissive and obedient to their wills, and so to confirm their dignities, dominions, and interests.[137] And all men that are not holy, being predominantly selfish, they would all be themselves the centre of that union, and bond of that concord which they desire: and they would have it accomplished upon such terms and by such means as are most agreeable to their principles and ends; in which there are almost as many minds as men: so that among all the commenders of unity and concord, there are none that take the way to attain it, but those that would centre it all in God, and seek it upon his terms, and in his way. The rest are all tearing unity and peace in pieces, while they commend it, and they fight against it while they seek it; every man seeking it for himself, and upon his own terms, and in his own way; which are so various and inconsistent, that east and west may sooner meet than they.

Yet must the sons of God be still the sons of peace, and continue their prayers and endeavours for unity, how small soever be the hopes of their success: "If it be possible, as much as in us lieth, we must live peaceably with all men," Rom. xii. 18. So far must they be from being guilty of any schisms or unlawful divisions of the church, that they must make it a great part of their care and work to preserve the unity and peace of christians. In this therefore I shall next direct them.

_Direct._ I. Understand first wherein the unity of christians and churches doth consist: or else you will neither know how to preserve it, nor when you violate it.[138] Christians are said to be united to Christ, when they are entered into covenant with him, and are become his disciples, his subjects, and the members of his (political) body. They are united to one another when they are united to Christ their common Head, and when they have that spirit, that faith, that love, which is communicated to every living member of the body. This union is not the making of many to be one christian, but of many christians to be one church; which is considerable either as to its internal life, or its external order and profession. In the former respect the bonds of our union are, 1. The heart covenant (or faith). 2. And the Spirit: the consent of Christ and of ourselves concurring, doth make the match or marriage between us; and the Spirit communicated from him to us is as the nerves or ligaments of the body, or rather as the spirits which pass through all. The union of the church considered visibly in its outward policy, is either that of the whole church, or of the particular churches within themselves, or of divers particular churches accidentally united. 1. The union of the whole is essential, integral, or accidental. The essential union is that relation of a head and members, which is between Christ and all the visible members of his church: the foundation of it is the mutual covenant between Christ and them, considered on their part as made externally, whether sincerely or not: this is usually done in baptism, and is the chiefest act of their profession of the faith. Thus the baptismal covenant doth constitute us members of the visible church. The integral and accidental union I pass by now. 2. Besides this union of the universal church with Christ the universal Head, there is in all particular organized churches, a subordinate union, (1.) Between the pastor and the flock. (2.) Between the people one towards another;[139] which consisteth in these their special relations to each other. 3. And there is an accidental union of many particular churches: as when they are united under one civil government; or consociated by their pastors in one synod or council. These are the several sorts of church union.

_Direct._ II. Understand also wherein the communion of christians and churches doth consist; that you may know what it is that you must hold to. In the universal church your internal communion with Christ consisteth in his communication of his Spirit and grace, his word and mercies unto you; and in your returns of love, and thanks, and obedience unto him; and in your seeking to him, depending on him, and receivings from him: your internal communion with the church or saints, consisteth in mutual love, and other consequent affections, and in praying for and doing good to one another as yourselves, according to your abilities and opportunities. Your external communion with Christ and with most of the church in heaven and earth, is not mutually visible and local; for it is but a small number comparatively that we ever see; but it consisteth in Christ's visible communication of his word, his officers, and his ordinances and mercies unto you, and in your visible learning and reception of them, and obedience to him, and expressions of your love and gratitude towards him. Your external communion with the universal church, consisteth in the prayers of the church for you, and your prayers for the church; in your holding the same faith, and professing to love and worship the same God, and Saviour, and Sanctifier, in the same holy ordinances, in order to the same eternal end.

Your external communion in the same particular congregations, consisteth in your assembling together to hear the preaching of God's word, and to receive the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, and pray and praise God, and to help each other in knowledge and holiness, and walk together in the fear of the Lord.

Your communion with other neighbour churches, lieth in praying for and counselling each other, and keeping such correspondencies as shall be found necessary to maintain that love, and peace, and holiness which all are bound to seek, according to your abilities and opportunities.

Note here, that communion is one thing, and subjection is another. It is not your subjection to other churches that is required to your communion with them. The churches that Paul wrote to at Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, &c. had communion together according to their capacities in that distance; but they were not subject one to another, any otherwise than as all are commanded to be subject to each other in humility, 1 Pet. v. 5. The church of Rome now accuseth all the christians in the world of separating from their communion, unless they will take them for their rulers, and obey them as the mistress church: but Paul speaketh not one syllable to any of the churches of any such thing, as their obedience to the church of Rome. To your own pastors you owe subjection statedly as well as communion; and to other pastors of the churches of Christ (fixed or unfixed) you owe a temporary subjection so far as you are called to make use of them (as sick persons do to another physician, when the physician of the hospital is out of the way): but one church is not the ruler of another, or any one of all the rest, by any appointment of the King of the church.

_Direct._ III. By the help of what is already said, you are next distinctly to understand how far you are bound to union or communion with any other church or person, and what distance, separation, or division is a sin, and what is not: that so you may neither causelessly trouble yourselves with scruples, nor trouble the church by sinful schism.

[Sidenote: What unity is among all christians.]

I. There must be a union among all churches and christians in these particulars. 1. They have all but one God. 2. And one Head and Saviour, Jesus Christ. 3. And one Sanctifier, the Holy Ghost. 4. And one ultimate end and hope, even the fruition of God in heaven. 5. And one gospel to teach them the knowledge of Christ, and contain the promise of their salvation. 6. And one kind of faith that is wrought hereby. 7. And one and the same covenant (of which baptism is the seal) in which they are engaged to God. 8. And the same instrumental founders of our faith, under Jesus Christ, even the prophets and apostles. 9. And all members of the same universal body. 10. And all have the same new nature and holy disposition, and the same holy affections, in loving God and holiness, and hating sin. 11. They all own, as to the essential parts, the same law of God, as the rule of their faith and life, even the sacred canonical Scriptures. 12. Every member hath a love to the whole, and to each other, especially to the more excellent and useful members; and an inclination to holy communion with each other. 13. They have all a propensity to the same holy means and employment, as prayer, learning the word of God, and doing good to others.[140] All these things the true living members of the church have in sincerity, and the rest have in profession.

[Sidenote: What diversity will be in the church.]

II. There will be still a diversity among the churches and particular christians in these following points, without any dissolution of the fore-described unity. 1. They will not be of the same age or standing in Christ; but some babes, some young men, and some fathers. 2. They will not have the same degrees of strength, of knowledge, and of holiness: some will have need to be fed with milk, and be unskilful in the word of righteousness. 3. They will differ in the kind and measure of their gifts: some will excel in one kind, and some in another, and some in none at all. 4. They will differ in their natural temper, which will make some to be more hot and some more mild, some more quick and some more dull, some of more regulated wits and some more scattered and confused. 5. They will differ in spiritual health and soundness: one will be more orthodox and another more erroneous; one will have a better appetite to the wholesome word than others that are inclining to novelties and vain janglings; one will walk more blamelessly than another; some are full of joy and peace, and others full of grief and trouble. 6. They differ much in usefulness and service to the body: some are pillars to support the rest, and some are burdensome and troublers of the church. 7. It is the will of Christ that they differ in office and employment: some being pastors and teachers to the rest. 8. There may be much difference in the manner of their worshipping God; some observing days and difference of meats and drinks, and forms and other ceremonies, which others observe not: and several churches may have several modes. 9. These differences may possibly, by the temptation of Satan, arise to vehement contentions; and not only to the censuring and despising of each other, but to the rejecting of each other from the communion of the several churches, and forbidding one another to preach the gospel, and the banishing or imprisoning one another, as Constantine himself did banish Athanasius, and as Chrysostom and many another have felt. 10. Hence it followeth that as in the visible church some are the members of Christ, and some are indeed the children of the devil, some shall be saved and some be damned, even with the sorest damnation, (the greatest difference in the world to come being betwixt the visible members of the church,) so among the godly and sincere themselves they are not all alike amiable or happy, but they shall differ in glory as they do in grace.[141] All these differences there have been, are, and will be in the church, notwithstanding its unity in other things.

[Sidenote: Schism what, and of how many sorts.]

III. The word schism cometh from σχίζω, _disseco_, _lacero_, and signifieth any sinful division among christians. Some papists (as Johnson) will have nothing called schism, but a dividing oneself from the catholic church: others maintain that there is nothing in Scripture called schism, but making divisions in particular churches.[142] The truth is, (obvious in the thing itself,) that there are several sorts of schism or division. 1. There is a causing divisions in a particular church, when yet no party divideth from that church, much less from the universal. Thus Paul blameth the divisions that were among the Corinthians, while one said, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, &c. 1 Cor. iii. 3. And 1 Cor. xi. 18, "I hear that there be divisions among you:" not that they separated from each other's communion, but held a disorderly communion. Such divisions he vehemently dissuadeth them from, 1 Cor. i. 10. And thus he persuadeth the Romans, (xvi. 17,) to "mark them which cause divisions and offences among them, contrary to the doctrine which they had learned, and avoid them;" which it seems therefore were not such as had avoided the church first. He that causeth differences of judgment and practice, and contendings in the church, doth cause divisions, though none separate from the church.

2. And if this be a fault, it must be a greater fault to cause divisions from, as well as in, a particular church, which a man may do that separateth not from it himself: as if he persuade others to separate, or if he sow those tares of error which cause it, or if he causelessly excommunicate or cast them out.

3. And then it must be as great a sin to make a causeless separation from the church that you are in yourself, which is another sort of schism. If you may not divide in the church, nor divide others from the church, then you may not causelessly divide the common from it yourselves.

4. And it is yet a greater schism, when you divide not only from that one church, but from many, because they concur in opinion with that one (which is the common way of dividers).

5. And it is yet a greater schism, when whole churches separate from each other, and renounce due communion with each other without just cause: as the Greeks, Latins, and protestants in their present distance, must some of them (whoever it is) be found guilty.

6. And yet it is a greater schism than this, when churches do not only separate from each other causelessly, but also unchurch each other, and endeavour to cut off each other from the church universal, by denying each other to be true churches of Christ. It is a more grievous schism to withdraw from a true church as no church, than as a corrupt church; that is, to cut off a church from Christ, and the church catholic, than to abstain from communion with it as a scandalous or offending church.

7. It is yet, _cæteris paribus_, a higher degree of schism to divide yourselves (a person or a church) from the universal church without just cause, though you separate from it but _secundum quid_, in some accidental respect where unity is needful (for where unity is not required, there disunion is no sin): yet such a person that is separate but _secundum quid_, from something accidental, or integral, but not essential to the catholic church, is still a catholic christian, though he sin.

[Sidenote: A heretic and apostate what.]

8. But as for the highest degree of all, viz. to separate from the universal church _simpliciter_, or in some essential respect, this is done by nothing but by heresy or apostasy. However the papists make men believe that schismatics that are neither heretics nor apostates, do separate themselves wholly or simply from the catholic church, this is a mere figment of their brains. For he that separateth not from the church in any thing essential to it, doth not truly and simply separate from the church, but _secundum quid_, from something separable from the church. But whatever is essential to the church is necessary to salvation; and he that separateth from it upon the account of his denying any thing necessary to salvation, is a heretic or apostate: that is, if he do it, as denying some one (or more) essential point of faith or religion, while he pretendeth to hold all the rest, he is a heretic: if he deny the whole christian faith, he is a flat apostate: and these are more than to be schismatics.

The word heresy also is variously taken by ecclesiastic writers. Austin will have heresy to be an inveterate schism: Jerom maketh it to be some perverse opinion: some call every schism which gathereth a separated party from the rest, by the name of heresy; some call it a heresy if there be a perilous error though without any schism; some call it a heresy only when schism is made, and a party separated upon the account of some perilous error. Some say this error must be damnable, that is, in the essentials of religion; and some say, it is enough if it be but dangerous. Among all these, the commonest sense of a heretic is, one that obstinately erreth in some essential point, and divideth from the communion of other christians upon that account. And so Paræus and many protestants take heresy for the species, and schism for the genus. All schism is not heresy; but all heresy, say they, is schism. Remember that all this is but a controversy _de nomine_, and therefore of small moment.

[Sidenote: Who are true schismatics.]

By this that I have said you may perceive who they be that are guilty of church divisions: As, 1. The sparks of it are kindled, when proud and self-conceited persons are brain-sick in the fond estimation of their own opinions, and heart-sick by a feverish zeal for the propagating of them. Ignorant souls think that every change of their opinions is made by such an accession of heavenly light, that if they should not bestir them to make all of the same mind, they should be betrayers of the truth, and do the world unspeakable wrong. When they measure and censure men as they receive or reject their peculiar discoveries or conceits, schism is in the egg.

2. The fire is blown up, when men are desirous to have a party follow them and cry them up, and thereupon are busy in persuading others to be of their mind, and do speak "perverse things to draw away disciples after them," Acts xx. 30; and when they would be counted the masters of a party.

3. The flames break forth, when by this means the same church, or divers churches, do fall into several parties burning in zeal against each other, abating charity, censuring and condemning one another, backbiting and reviling each other, through envy and strife;[143] when they look strangely at one another, as being on several sides, as if they were not children of the same Father, nor members of the same body; or as if Christ were divided, one being of Paul, and another of Apollos, and another of Cephas, and every one of a faction, letting out their thoughts in jealousies and evil surmises of each other; perverting the words and actions of each to an ugly sense, and snatching occasions to represent one another as fools or odious to the hearers, as if you should plainly say, I pray you hate or despise these people whom I hate and despise. This is the core of the plague-sore; it is schism in the bud.

4. When people in the same church do gather into private meetings, not under the guidance of their pastors, to edify one another in holy exercises in love and peace, but in opposition to their lawful pastors, or to one another, to propagate their singular opinions, and increase their parties, and speak against those that are not on their side; schism is then ready to bring forth and multiply, and the swarm is ready to come forth and be gone.

5. When these people actually depart, and renounce or forsake the communion of the church, and cast off their faithful pastors, and draw into a separated body by themselves, and choose them pastors and call themselves a church, and all without any just, sufficient cause: when thus churches are gathered out of churches, before the old ones are dissolved, or they have any warrant to depart; when thus pastor is set up against pastor, church against church, and altar against altar; this is schism ripe and fruitful; the swarm is gone, and hived in another place.

6. If now the neighbour churches, by their pastors in their synods, shall in compassion seek to reclaim these stragglers, and they justify their unjust separation, and contemn the counsel of the churches and ministers of Christ; this is a confirmed, obstinate schism.

7. If they shall also judge that church to be no church from which they separated, and so cut off a part of the body of Christ by an unrighteous censure, and condemn the innocent, and usurp authority over their guides; this is disobedience and uncharitableness with schism.

8. If they shall also condemn and unchurch all the other churches that are not of their mind and way, and renounce communion with them all, and so condemn unjustly a great part of the body of Christ on earth, this is to add fury and rebellion to an uncharitable schism. And if to cover their sin, they shall unjustly charge these churches which they reject, with heresy or wickedness, they do but multiply their crimes by such extenuations.

9. If the opinion that all this ado is made for, be a damning error, against some essential point of the true religion, then it is heresy as well as schism.

10. If this separation from the church be made in defence of an ungodly life, against the discipline of the church; if a wicked sort of men shall withdraw from the church to avoid the disgrace of confession or excommunication; and shall first cast off the church, lest the church should proceed to cast out them; and so they separate that they may have none to govern and trouble them but themselves; this is a profane, rebellious schism. This is the common course of schism when it groweth towards the height.

11. Besides all these, there is yet a more pernicious way of schism, which the church or court of Rome is guilty of: they make new articles of faith, and new points of religion, and a new worship--of God, shall I say, or of bread as if it were a god? And all these they put into a law, and impose them on all the other churches; yea, they put them into an oath, and require men to swear that without any doubting they believe them to be true: they pretend to have authority for all this, as Rome is the mistress of all other churches. They set up a new universal head, as an essential part of the catholic church, and so found or feign a new kind of catholic church: and he that will not obey them in all this, they renounce communion with him; and to hide this horrid, notorious schism, they call all schismatics that are not thus subjected to them.

12. And to advance their schism to the height, as far as arrogance can aspire, they not only refuse communion with those from whom they separate, but condemn them as no pastors, no churches, no christians, that are not subject to them in this their usurpation; and they, that are but about the third or fourth part (at most) of the christian world, do condemn the body of Christ to hell (even all the rest) because they are not subjects of the pope.

Besides all this criminal, odious schism, of imposers or separaters, there is a degree of schism or unjust division, which may be the infirmity of a good and peaceable person. As if a humble, tender christian should mistakingly think it unlawful to do some action, that is imposed upon all that will hold communion with that particular church (such as Paul speaketh of Rom. xiv. if they had been imposed); and if he, suspecting his own understanding, do use all means to know the truth, and yet still continueth in his mistake; if this christian do forbear all reviling of his superiors, and censuring those that differ from him, and drawing others to his opinion, but yet dare not join with the church in that which he taketh to be a sin, this is a sinful sort of withdrawing, because it is upon mistake; but yet it is but a pardonable infirmity, consistent with integrity and the favour of God.

[Sidenote: What separation is a duty.]

IV. In these cases following separation is our duty and not a sin. 1. The church's separation from the unbelieving world is a necessary duty: for what is a church, but a society dedicated or sanctified to God, by separation from the rest of the world? 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." The church is a holy people, and therefore a separated people.[144]

2. If a church apostatize and forsake the faith, or if they turn notoriously heretical, denying openly any one essential article of the faith, and this not only by an undiscerned consequence, but directly in express terms or sense, it is our duty to deny to hold communion with such apostates or heretics; for it is their separating from Christ that is the sinful separation, and maketh it necessary to us to separate from them. But this is no excuse to any church or person, that shall falsely accuse any other church or person of heresy, (because of some forced or disowned consequences of his doctrine,) and then separate from them when they have thus injured them by their calumnies or censures.

3. We are not bound to own that as a church which maketh not a visible profession of faith and holiness; that is, if the pastors and a sufficient number of the flock make not this profession. For as the pastor and flock are the constituent parts of the church, politically considered, so profession of faith and holiness is the essential qualification of the members. If either pastors or people want this profession, it is no political church; but if the people profess true religion, and have no pastors, it is a community of believers, or a church unorganized, and as such to be acknowledged.

4. If any shall unlawfully constitute a new political church form, by making new constitutive officers to be its visible head, which Christ never appointed, we are not to hold communion with the church in its devised form or polity; though we may hold communion with the members of it considered as christians and members of the universal church. Mark well, that I do not say that every new devised officer disobligeth us from such communion, but such as I describe; which I shall fullier open.

[Sidenote: Whether any form of church government be of divine appointment; and whether man may appoint any other?]

_Quest._ May not men place new officers in the church; and new forms of government which God never instituted? Or is there any form and officers of divine institution?

_Answ._ Though I answered this before, I shall here briefly answer it again. 1. There are some sorts of officers that are essential to the polity, or church form, and some that are only needful to the well-being of it, and some that are only accidental. 2. There is a church form of God's own institution, and there is a superadded human polity, or form. There are two sorts of churches, or church forms, of God's own institution. The first is the universal church considered politically as headed by Jesus Christ: this is so of divine appointment, as that it is an article of our creed. Here if any man devise and superinduce another head of the universal church, which God never appointed, though he pretend to hold his sovereignty from Christ and under him, it is treason against the sovereignty of Christ, as setting up a universal government or sovereign in his church without his authority and consent. Thus the pope is the usurping head of a rebellion against Christ, and in that sense by protestants called antichrist; and he is guilty of the rebellion that subscribeth to or owneth his usurpation, or sweareth to him as his governor, though he promise to obey him but _in licitis et honestis_; because it is not lawful or honest to consent to a usurper's government. If a usurper should traitorously, without the king's consent, proclaim himself vice-king of Ireland or Scotland, and falsely say that he hath the king's authority, when the king disclaimeth him, he that should voluntarily swear obedience to him in things lawful and honest, doth voluntarily own his usurpation and treason. And it is not the lawfulness and honesty of the matter which will warrant us to own the usurpation of the commander.[145] And secondly, there is another subordinate church form of Christ's institution; that is, particular churches consisting of pastors and people conjoined for personal communion in God's worship. These are to the universal church, as particular corporations are to a kingdom, even such parts of it as have a distinct subordinate polity of their own: it is no city or corporation, if they have not their mayors, bailiffs, or other chief officers, subject to the king, as governors of the people under him: and it is no particular church, in a political sense, but only a community, if they have not their pastors to be under Christ, their spiritual conductors in the matters of salvation; as there is no school which is not constituted of teacher and scholars. That particular organized political churches are of Christ's institution, (by his Spirit in the apostles,) is undeniable. Acts xiv. 23, "They ordained them elders in every church." Tit. i. 5, "Ordain elders in every city, as I commanded thee." Acts xx. 17, "He sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church." Ver. 28, "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God." So 1 Thess. v. 12, 13; Heb. xiii. 7, 17, 24, &c. 1 Cor. vii. 23, "If the whole church be come together into one place," &c. Thus far it is no question but church forms and government is of divine appointment; and man can no more alter this, or set up such other, without God's consent, than a subject can alter or make corporations without the king's consent. 3. But besides these two sorts of divine institution, there are other allowable associations which some call churches. God hath required these particular churches to hold such communion as they are capable of, for promoting the common ends of christianity; and prudence is left to determine of the times, and places, and manner of their pastors' assemblies, councils, and correspondencies according to God's general rules. If any will call these councils, or the associations engaged for special correspondencies, by the name of churches, I will not trouble any with a strife about the name. In this case, so far as men have power to make that association or combination which they call a church, so also if they make officers suited to its ends, not encroaching upon the churches or officers of Christ's own institution, I am none of those that will contend against them; nor will this allow us to deny communion with them. And in those churches which Christ himself hath instituted, there are officers that make but for the integrity, and not for the political essence of the church: as deacons, and all pastors or presbyters more than one. For it is not essential to it to have any deacons, or many pastors. As to this sort of officers, Christ hath appointed them, and it is not in man's power to alter his institution, nor to set up any such like in co-ordination with these: but yet if they should do so, as long as the true essentials of the church remain, I am not to deny communion with that church, so I own not this corruption. 4. But there are also as circumstantial employments about God's worship, so officers to do those employments, which men may lawfully institute: as clerks, churchwardens, door-keepers, ringers, &c. It is not the adding of these that is any sin. By this time you may see plainly both how far churches, officers, and church government is _jure divino_, and how far man may or may not add or alter, and what I meant in my proposition, viz. That if men introduce a new universal head to the church catholic, or a new head to particular churches, instead of that of Christ's institution, this is, _in sensu politico_, to make new species of churches, and destroy those that Christ hath instituted (for the _pars gubernans_ and _pars gubernata_ are the essential constituents of a church). And with such a church, as such, in specie, I must have no communion (which is our case with the papal church); though with the material parts of that church, as members of Christ, I may hold communion still.

5. If particular members are guilty of obstinate impenitency in true heresy, or ungodliness, or any scandalous crime, the church may and must remove such from her communion; for it is the communion of saints. And the offender is the cause of this separation.

6. If a whole church be guilty of some notorious, scandalous sin, and refuse with obstinacy to repent and reform, when admonished by neighbour churches, or if that church do thus defend such a sin in any of her members, so as openly to own it; other churches may refuse communion with her, till she repent and be reformed. Or if they see cause to hold communion with her in other respects, yet in this they must have none.[146]

7. If any church will admit none to her personal communion, but those that will take some false oath, or subscribe any untruth, or tell a lie, though that church do think it to be true, (as the Trent oath which their priests all swear,) it is not lawful to do any such unlawful thing to obtain communion with that church: and he that refuseth in this case to commit this sin, is no way guilty of the separation, but is commendable for being true to God.[147] And though the case may be sad to be deprived of the liberty of public worship, and the benefits of public communion with that church, yet sin is worse, and obedience is better than sacrifice.[148] God will not be served with sin, nor accept the sacrifice of a disobedient fool, Eccles. v. 1, 2. Nor must we lie to glorify him, nor do evil that good may come by it: just is the damnation of such servers of God, Rom. i. 7, 8. All public worship is rather to be omitted, than any one sin committed to enjoy it (though neither should be done where it is possible to do better). It is not so unwise to think to feed a man with poisons, as to think to serve God acceptably by sin.

8. If any one church would ambitiously usurp a governing power over others, (as Rome doth over the world,) it is no unwarrantable separation to refuse the government of that usurping church. We may hold communion with them as christians, and yet refuse to be their subjects. And therefore it is a proud and ignorant complaint of the church of Rome, that the protestants separate from them as to communion, because they will not take them for their governors.

9. If any by violence will banish or cast out the true bishops or pastors of the church, and set up usurpers in their stead, (as in the Arians' persecution it was commonly done,) it is no culpable separation, but laudable, and a duty, for the people to own their relation to their true pastors, and deny communion with the usurpers: as the people of the eastern churches did commonly refuse communion with the intruding bishops, even to the death, telling the civil rulers, that they had bishops of their own, to whom they would adhere.

10. If a true church will obstinately deny her members the use of any one ordinance of God, as preaching or reading Scripture, or prayer, or praise, or discipline, while it retaineth all the rest, though we may not separate from this church as no church, (which yet in the case of total rejection of prayer or praise, is very questionable at least,) yet if we have opportunity, we must remove our local communion to a more edifying church, that useth all the public ordinances of God: unless the public good forbid, or some great impediment or contrary duty be our excuse.

11. If a true church will not cast out any impenitent, notorious, scandalous sinner, though I am not to separate from the church, yet I am bound to avoid private familiarity with such a person, that he may be ashamed, and that I partake not of his sin.[149]

12. As the church hath diversity of members, some more holy, and some less, and some of whose sincerity we have small hope, some that are more honourable, and some less, some that walk blamelessly, and some that work iniquity; so ministers and private members are bound to difference between them accordingly, and to honour and love some far above others, whom yet we may not excommunicate; and this is no sinful separation.[150]

13. If the church that I live and communicate with, do hold any tolerable error, I may differ therein from the church, without a culpable separation. Union with the church may be continued with all the diversities before mentioned, direct. iii.

14. In case of persecution in one church or city, when the servants of Christ do fly to another, (having no special reason to forbid it,) this is no sinful separation, Matt. x. 23.

15. If the public service of the church require a minister or private christian to remove to another church, if it be done deliberately and upon good advice, it is no sinful separation.

16. If a lawful prince or magistrate command us to remove our habitation, or command a minister from one church to another, when it is not notoriously to the detriment of the common interest of religion, it is no sinful separation to obey the magistrate.

17. If a poor christian that hath a due and tender care of his salvation, do find that under one minister his soul declineth and groweth dead, and under another that is more sound, and clear, and lively, he is much edified to a holy and heavenly frame and life, and if hereupon, preferring his salvation before all things, he remove to that church and minister where he is most edified, without unchurching the other by his censures, this is no sinful separation, but a preferring the one thing needful before all.

18. If one part of the church have leisure, opportunity, cause, and earnest desires to meet oftener for the edifying of their souls, and redeeming their time, than the poorer, labouring, or careless and less zealous part will meet, in any fit place, under the oversight and conduct of their pastors, and not in opposition to the more public, full assemblies, as they did, Acts xii. 12, to pray for Peter at the house of Mary, "where many were gathered together praying;" and Acts x. 1, &c. this is no sinful separation.

19. If a man's own outward affairs require him to remove his habitation from one city or country to another, and there be no greater matter to prohibit it, he may lawfully remove his local communion from the church that he before lived with, to that which resideth in the place he goeth to. For with distant churches and christians I can have none but mental communion, or by distant means (as writing, messengers, &c.); it is only with present christians that I can have local, personal communion.

20. It is possible in some cases that a man may live long without local, personal communion with any christians or church at all, and yet not be guilty of sinful separation. As the king's ambassador or agent in a land of infidels, or some traveller, merchants, factors, or such as go to convert the infidels, or those that are banished or imprisoned. In all these twenty cases, some kind of separation may be lawful.

21. One more I may add, which is, when the temples are so small, and the congregations so great, that there is no room to hear and join in the public worship; or when the church is so excessively great, as to be uncapable of the proper ends of the society; in this case to divide or withdraw, is no sinful separation. When one hive will not hold the bees, the swarm must seek themselves another, without the injury of the rest.

By all this you may perceive, that sinful separation is first in a censorious, uncharitable mind, condemning churches, ministers, and worship causelessly, as unfit for them to have communion with. And secondly, it is in the personal separation which is made in pursuance of this censure: but not in any local removal that is made on other lawful grounds.

_Direct._ IV. Understand and consider well the reasons why Christ so frequently and earnestly presseth concord on his church, and why he so vehemently forbiddeth divisions. Observe how much the Scripture speaketh to this purpose, and upon what weighty reasons. Here are four things distinctly to be represented to your serious consideration. 1. How many, plain, and urgent are the texts that speak for unity, and condemn division. 2. The great benefits of concord. 3. And the mischiefs of discord and divisions in the church. 4. And the aggravations of the sin.

I. A true christian, that hateth fornication, drunkenness, lying, perjury, because they are forbidden in the word of God, will hate divisions also when he well observeth how frequently and vehemently they are forbidden, and concord highly commended and commanded. John