of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ," &c. (1 Cor. i. 10-12.) Nothing can prove more plainly the religious communion of the Christian brethren, and the holy zeal of the apostle to preserve it perfect and unimpaired by the least division.

4. We observe the effects of such exhortations and instructions in the state of the church then. In every place the brethren assembled together to partake of the "one bread" which united them by such sacred ties, and to hear the exhortations of the same "rulers" who were established in the church by God, to “ give account for their souls." And farther, the Christians of the church in each particular locality, communicated with their brethren in all other places, as they had opportunity. The churches of Macedonia, of Corinth, and Galatia, made contributions for those of Judea. The church of Antioch sent relief to the brethren in Judea, and transmitted it to the elders of that Church by the hands of Barnabas and Saul; and they again evinced their communion by sending messengers to consult the apostles who presided there. The church of Ephesus wrote to the disciples in Achaia, exhorting them to receive Apollos (Acts xviii. 27.). Paul was accompanied to Troas by members of the churches of Berea, Thessalonica, Derbe, and Asia; and all were present when the church at Troas met to "break bread" (Acts xx. 4. 7.). St. Paul commanded the Romans to receive Phœbe, a deaconess of Cenchreæ, "in the Lord" (Rom. xvi. 1.). "The churches of Christ" saluted the faithful of Rome (xvi. 16.). The churches of Asia "saluted" that of Corinth (1 Cor. xvi. 19.). Letters of commendation were given to the faithful who went from one church to another in travelling, or for

some lawful cause (2 Cor. iii. 1.). The Colossians were enjoined to salute the brethren of Laodicea, and to cause their epistles to be read in the church of the Laodiceans, and likewise to read the epistle from Laodicea (Col. iv. 15, 16.).

It is clear then, that the churches of Christ all held communion in various ways; aiding each other, exchanging salutations, admitting those who brought letters of commendation, to the assemblies and rites of the church, seeking for mutual advice. This was all instituted by the Apostles in accordance with the will of God.

The same external communion and intercourse continued in the church. Thus the Roman church had a custom, accounted ancient in the second century, of sending pecuniary aid to that of Corinth, and many others. The same church, under its bishop, St. Clement, wrote to the Corinthians, exhorting them to unity. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, wrote to many churches; Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, followed his example; the venerable Polycarp came to Rome to consult on the time of keeping Easter; and Anicetus, the bishop, to testify his communion, permitted him to consecrate the eucharist in his presence. Finally, the use of commendatory letters was universal; and the bishops and presbyters assembled in numerous councils, and sent their judgments and circular epistles to all churches throughout the world.

5. The doctrine of all Christians, from the earliest ages, was in perfect accordance with this apostolical

a Dionysius, bishop of Corinth, states this in an epistle to Soter of Rome.-Euseb. Hist. iv. 23. Dionysius of Alexandria, also.Euseb. vii. 4.

b

Euseb. Hist. iv. 23.
Irenæus, cited by Eusebius,

v. 24.

a Bingham, Origines Eccles. v. 1. s. 3.

practice. They esteemed it a most grievous and inexcusable sin, to separate from the communion of the church; and regarded all who did so, as cut off from Christ. The very same doctrine has been confessed by professing Christians of all "denominations" in later ages, but I reserve for the succeeding section the proof of this general consent.

SECTION II.

ON SCHISM AND SEPARATION FROM THE CHURCH.

Particular churches were instituted by the apostles in obedience to the divine will, not to divide, but to organize the church universal. Their establishment was necessary, to provide for the ordinary exercise of divine worship in common, and for the preservation of religion; because, from the universality of the Christian society, it was impossible that the same teachers should ordinarily instruct all nations; but this arrangement, which was rendered essential by the constitution of human nature, could never impair the sacred relations of fraternity and fellow-membership, which resulted from their mutual communion with God, nor the duty of external communion with all Christians, which followed from those relations. Hence the communion of the church is two-fold, and there may be offences against it in two ways: either in dividing the communion of a particular church, or in dividing that of the universal church. The one arises, when professing Christians divide, or refuse to communicate with the

"Though the Church in the world be one, yet every city has its own Church, and it is one in all, for

though there are many, it is one in many."-Hilarius Pictav. Commentar. in Ps. xiv. p. 62. ed. Ben.

particular church of which they are members: the other, where particular churches refuse to communicate with the universal church; that is, with the great body of Christians. The offence against communion is called schism; and schism, in its extremest degree, is separation, dissent, or (as it is sometimes called) heresy. Division or schism is partial, when no rival worship is established, or when the communion of the great body of the church is not rejected, nor withdrawn by a legitimate judgment: but when one or more professing Christians separate themselves from the communion of a particular church, and from that of the great body of Christians, or are cut off from it by a regular and legitimate judgment, they are totally separated from the church of God.

I shall first speak of voluntary separation from the church, and afterwards of separation by excommunication.

1. Schism, even in the smallest degree possible, was forbidden by the apostles: "I beseech you, brethren, by the name of Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together," &c. (1 Cor. i. 10.); and the offence of raising such divisions was so serious, that they who were guilty of it were not to be treated as Christians, they were to be separated from communion: "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them, for they that are such, serve not our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. xvi. 17, 18.). They are thus classed with "fornicators, covetous, idolators, railers, drunkards, extortioners," with whom, also, Christians are "not to keep company" (1 Cor. v. 11.). If it be supposed, as it has

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been by some, that by "them which caused divisions," was here meant only such as excited disturbance in some particular church; how much more grievous was the offence of actually separating totally from the communion of Christians, establishing a rival worship, and a rival church, and endeavouring to seduce and tempt the brethren to forsake the society of the faithful, and of those pastors whom God had commanded them to obey” (Heb. xiii. 17.). The Apostle, whose spirit was all charity and affection, in speaking of such men, reveals the awful truth that they had never been known to Christ: "They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us;" their separation was by an act of divine judgment, manifesting their estrangement from Christ: "They went out, that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us." "But ye," he proceeds, addressing those that remained, "have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (1 John ii. 19, 20.).

The character of separation is again drawn by Jude, the apostle: "These be they who separate themselves, sensual, not having the Spirit" (Jude 19.); and hence it was, that the Fathers taught that no good men can possibly be among those, who voluntarily forsake the church "Let no one imagine," says Cyprian, "that good men can depart from the church: the wind scattereth not the wheat, nor doth the storm overthrow the tree supported by a solid root. Empty straws are tossed by the tempest; weak trees are prostrated by the violence of the whirlwind. Such as these are execrated and smote by John the apostle, saying: They went out from us, but they were not of us,'