were implacable Enemies to St. Paul, and the Chriftian Religion: And even fuch of the converted Jews, as continued zealous of the Law, always hotly oppofed them. And amongst this medley of People pernicious Doctrines were fet on foot, even to the denial of the Refurrection of the Dead than which nothing could be more deftructive of Chriftianity. In this cafe it was no eafie matter to preferve the Faith uncorrupt, and to keep Peace and Love among the Profeffors of it. Now becaufe the want of thefe did not only hinder the Propagation of the Chriftian Religion, but endanger the very Being of it, St. Paul fets himfelf with ftrong and manifold Arguments to perfuade to Peace, Love and Unity, and to convince them of the neceflity of it. But I fhall wave them all, to confider only That in the preceding Chapter, upon which this Text follows as a farther and ftill more prelling Argument. There he informs us, that all Chriftians are Members of one Body, whereof Chrift is the Head; and that their Safety confifts not only in their continuing Members, but by difcharging their refpective Duties, which are requifite for the Relief, Maintenance, and Support of the Body; and this he illuftrates by a Similitude taken from the Natural Body, wherein all the feveral Members have their diftinét Ufes and Employments; and as no Member ought to invade the Office of another, fo neither can it neglect its own Duty without detriment or danger both to it felf and the whole; and though fome of their Offices may feem mean, yet the meaneft of them are so neceffary, that not any one can fay it ftands not in need of the other; The Eye cannot fay unto the Hand, I have no need of thee: nor again, the Head to the Feet, I have no need of you, (ver. 21.) But if the Hand fhould thruft the Eye out of its Office, and take upon it felf the difcharge of it, there would be blind do

ings; and if the Feet fhould ufurp the Office of the Head, and fet us to walk on our Heads with our Heels uppermoft, the whole Body muft needs be monftroufly uneafie; nor could it at this rate be of long continuance. The comfort and fafety of each part, and of the whole, confifts in the mutual discharge of thofe Offices for which Nature defigned them; but if any part acts crofgrain'dly, it diforders and grieves the whole; and if it feparate from the Body, it maims the Body, and cuts it felf off from any communication with, or fupply from the Body, without which it cannot live. And thus in the Church, which is the Body of Chrift, (of which we must all be Members, if we will receive any faving Influence from him) there are diverfities of Gifts, Administrations, and Operations: But then thefe are given to profit withal; and therefore they ought not to be so used, as to crofs and to interfere with one another; nor ought any, leaving his own Function, invade another's: But every Chriftian in his proper ftation ought to act in Love and mutual Agreement, for the comfort and benefit of the whole: That there fhould be no Schifm in the Body, but that the Members Should have the fame care one for another. And if there ought to be no Schifm or Divifion in the Body, certainly there ought to be no Separation from it; for that is ftill much worse, at least for the Party feparating. And thus the Apoftle having fhewed the neceffity of Union with refpect to the good and fafety of the whole Body, he comes in the next place to fhew the neceflity of it with refpect to every particular Member, that thofe, who perhaps might be lefs careful of it in refpect of the whole, might become more careful of it upon the account of their own fafety: And this he doth in the words of this very Text, wherewith our Author ftrives to pick a quarrel. Though I fpeak with the Tongues of

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Men and Angels, and have not Charity, I am become as founding Brafs, or a tinkling Cymbal, &c. which though spoken in his own Perfon, yet is defigned to let them know, that if they were refractory, diforderly, and made divifions in, or rents from the Church, let their Gifts or Qualifications be never fo great or extraordinary, they were deftitute of that Charity, which was neceffary for every Chriftian, which could be entituled to the Mercies of God in Chrift Jefus; and that for want of that, all their other Accomplishments fhould profit them nothing. And thus I think it is here plainly the meaning of the Apoftle; that Schifm, whether in or out of the Church, is inconfiftent with true Chriftian Charity; and therefore fince Scripture is always agreeing with it felf, this Text alone, if we had no other, were fufficient to overthrow his Affertion.

(4.) The other Text which he produceth, is that Saying of our Saviour, Luke 11. 23. He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, fcattereth abroad. And as if this were all the Texts that are produced against Schifm, he fets down no more; as if his Adverfaries had no farther pretenfion to Scripture in the cafe, though he could not but know in his Confcience that many more are urged by them, and perhaps more home and pertinently. However, he confeffeth this to be true; and indeed I did not expect that he should be fo hardy as to deny Scripture: But then he endeavours to fhew, that it is not pleadable against Schifin by committing it together by the Ears with another Text; Luke 9. 49, 50. John answered and faid, Mafter, we faw one cafting out Devils in thy Name, and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. Fefus faid unto him, Forbid him not; for he that is not against us, is for us. There is no Contradiction in thefe Texts; for he that is not against

against you, may be for you; and yet he that is not with you, may be against you, according as the Matter and Caufe requires, as will appear in these two cafes. For though the Man, that was cafting out Devils, did not at prefent actually follow with them, yet in that very Action he fhewed his great Opinion of the Power of Chrift, and his inclination towards him, and his defire to do good; which is nothing like being against him : And our Saviour himself in the other Evangelift gives a Reafon why this Man could not be against him. (Mark 9. 39.) For (faith he) there is no Man which fhall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly Speak evil of me. Here was no oppofition or gathering from Chrift, but rather gathering towards him: But in the other Text, where he faith, He that is not with me, is against me, &c. His Speech is directed to the Pharifees and their Partifans, who whilft they pretended to a fort of Neutrality were really againft Chrift. Now these Men were bound to know the Law, and they were Interpreters of it to others; and therefore when our Saviour came, and fhewed all the Evidences of his being the promifed Meffias, they of all others ought firft to have joined themfelves to him, and acknowledged and preach'd him to others; and when he apparently fet himself to destroy the Kingdom of Satan, it was their duty to do alfo their part with him; there could be no room for being Neuters between God and the Devil. But instead of this, they oppofed him, fpake blafphemously againft him, and faid, He caft out Devils by Belzebub the Prince of the Devils. Now this was taking the Devil's part, and gathering for him, and fcattering abroad from Chrift; and therefore notwithftanding their pretended Neutrality in not being with him, they were against him. Now though this Text feems on this occafion to be moftly di

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rected against Unbelief, Obftinacy and Hypocrifie ; yet thefe words [He that gathereth not with me, feattereth] being general, they muft farther condemn any Sin, which doth not gather with him but fcatter. And therefore if Schifm does not gather into Chrift's Fold, but featter his Sheep from him, then Schifm must be condemned by this very Text: And if dividing People in their Judgments and Affections; if withdrawing Perfons from their Obedience to the Authority Chrift hath left, and fetting up Authorities of their own against it; if ufing all Arts to make them irreconcileable with each other, be not scattering, and not gathering, I muft confefs I know not what thofe words mean. But of Schifm I intend a fuller Account hereafter.

(5.) He hath quickly done with the Scriptures produced by others; for he names only two: I thought after thefe I might have found no finall numbers of Texts of Scripture brought on his own part to have made good his Affertion; but inftead of that he falls to examine other Men's Reafons, which is juft nothing to the purpose. For his bufinefs here was to prove this Opinion to be full against Scripture, let other Men's Reafons be what they will. But though he is befide the Cushion, I will try how well he manages it. And firft Dr. Sherlock is brought on the Stage, who (if he cites him true) did fay, That all that separate from any true particular Church, without a just cause, separate from the whole Catholick Church. And again, That all who feparate from any found part of the Catholick Church, are broke off from the whole Catholick Church, and have forfeited their Intereft in the Covenant of Grace, and have no right to the Bleffings of it. It is no marvel, that Men fhould be offended at this Doctrine, who take it for granted, that they commenc'd Saints from the