lence of their conftitution and government, and defpifing others. Whenever this is the cafe, they are acting in a manner most displeasing to God, and instead of promoting the obfervance of his ordinances, are rendering them contemptible. A tree is known by its fruit, and the ordinances of Christ, if properly attended to, will manifest their own excellence by their happy effects on our minds. The want of forbearance manifefted in churches, in other refpects fcriptural, arifes, I fear, from a measure of that intolerant spirit which is fo congenial to corrupt nature, and which has been so much foftered by the union of the church and the world, which cannot fail to produce perfecution. It is not eafy at once to get free of the bad effects of the connections in which we were educated.

While we would ftrongly enforce forbearance towards all who give evidence of loving Christ, let it be remembered that this never implies that we are not to act up to our views of duty, whatever offence it may give to others. We are to obey God rather than man. Chriftians are bound to obey all the laws of Chrift. To affociate with a church is not the leaft important of these, and it is not enough that we be connected with a fociety which bears that name, it must also have the fame constitution, and be governed by the fame laws with the churches of the New Teftament.

It is of great importance that all Chriftians

of which is effentially different from that of the apoftolic churches. Such are all in alliance with the world, and those formed on fimilar principles. There are Chriftians in these; but ftill they are not churches of Chrift, and these Chriftians are not observing all his commandments. They are walking diforderly, perhaps not unlike fome pious kings of Ifrael, whofe hearts were right with God, and who yet facrificed on the high places. But however much we difapprove of their conduct, yet, considering the prejudices of education, and other ftumbling-blocks in their way, thofe who are truly spiritual among them, and who are not acting in opposition to their own light in continuing in fuch connections, ought to be treated with great tenderness and patience. By a contrary conduct their prejudices will be more itrongly rivetted.

Although Christians will probably be always called to exercise forbearance to each other in confequence of difference of judgment on fome points, yet in proportion as they fimply follow the word of God according to the light they have received, thefe points of difference will be diminifhing. The idea, that the Scripture does not contain a complete and univerfal rule for worshipping God, the authority of great names, and the ftandards of eftablished churches, tend greatly to prevent union among Chriftians.

CHAPTER XII.

OF SCHISM AND HERESY.

SCHISM and heresy are branded in the Scriptures as very great evils. It is therefore proper to examine the precife meaning of the terms.

Σχισμα, which occurs eight times in the New Teftament, is in our verfion only once tranflated fchifm, 1 Cor. xii. 25. It fignifies divifion, and is fo tranflated, John vii. 43. ix. 16. x. 19. 1 Cor. i. 10. xi. 18. Schifm does not imply merely feparation from a church, but any difference exifting in it, i. e. among the members, which causes alienation of affection.

The differences of opinion between those who were weak and those who were strong in faith, did not constitute fchifm, unless these differences were productive of faction and strife, and prevented their loving as brethren. In this cafe, from the want of forbearance, fchifms would have taken place. There might be also fchifms on account of matters of greater importance. A member might deny fome important truth, or refufe obedience to an important precept. This would produce fchifm in a church, and it could only be put an end to by his liftening to the church calling him

Although differences of opinion may exist in a church of Chrift, without producing fchifm, yet there is always fome danger left differences in knowledge and spiritual understanding produce it, and hence the importance of Christians endeavouring to grow in knowledge. In proportion to their growth, will they be more firmly united to one another. They will be more in subjection to Christ, and lefs prone to be toffed to and fro with every wind of doctrine by the fleight of men. The divifions, or fchifms, which exifted among the Corinthians, 1 Cor. i. 10, 11, 12. arose from attachment to various teachers.

Schifm hath in procefs of time come to fignify the fame as feparation; all who separate from the moft impure communions are branded as fchif matics, and the word in this fenfe has been bandied about as a term of reproach amongst the different denominations of profeffing Chriftians.

Herefy, agris, is used in Scripture to denote a fect or a party, whether good or bad. Sects are commonly, though not always, produced by differences in opinion, but the term is expreffive of the effect, not of the caufe. Thus Paul says, “Af. ter the most straiteft fect of our religion I lived a Pharifee," Acts xxvi. 5. The Jews, Acts xxiv. 5. charged Paul as a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and the apostle in reply obferves, after the way which they called a fect, fo I worship the God of my fathers. Probably their intention was to excite the governor to punish him for his

religion, as he was not, according to them, entitled to the toleration with which the Jews were favoured. He avoids this, by declaring himself not to have forfaken the religion of his fathers. The Jews at Rome, Acts xxviii. 22. defired to hear of Paul what he thought concerning a fect which was every where spoken against. They neither express a favourable nor unfavourable opinion of Christians by the term.

That there is a great affinity in their fignifications,' viz. fchifm and herefy, fays Dr Campbell, is manifest, but they are not convertible terms. I do not find that the word is ever applied in holy writ to a formed party, to which the word αίρεσις is commonly applied. I understand them in the epiftles of this apostle (Paul) as expreffive of different degrees of the fame evil. An undue attachment to one part, and a confequent alienation of affection from another part of the Christian community, comes under the denomi nation of x. When this difpofition proceeded fo far as to produce an actual party or faction among them, this party is termed agris. Dr Campbell goes on to notice that this was the cafe even where there was not a feparation. Thus the fects of the Sadducees and Pharifees all worhipped together in the temple.

A Christian church is one united body, the members of which, while poffeffing different degrees of knowledge, are in a finful and inconfiftent