The sixth Chapter. Of Schisme, and whether the Gospellers bee Schismatikes because they haue alienated themselues from the Papists. Looke after in the 20. Place.
1 I Will diuide this defence into thrée principall pointes. 2 First I will shew y t there happened most iust causes of our separation. Secondly, I will prooue that this separation was necessarie for vs. Thirdlie, I will make it plaine, that we haue not departed from the Church, but haue rather returned to y e same. But before I enter to the explaining of these things, I minde to speake somewhat of Schisme. 3 The word is a Gréeke word deriued in Gréeke ⟨…⟩, which is, to diuide, to cut & hewe in sunder. But betwéene Schismes and Heresies, 4 Augustine against Cresconius Grammaticus so distinguisheth, as a Schisme is called a late separatio~ of the congregation, by reason of some diuersitie of opinions, the which when it hath waxed old, is called an heresie. Howbeit it séemes not verie likelie to be true, that these should differ one from another by the difference of newnesse and oldnesse. This doth rather agrée, that me~ maie be infected with schisme, who neuerthelesse retaine the selfe same faith as it hath oftentimes happened in the papacie. And the propertie of heresie is, that it taketh some opinion to be defended seuerallie from others, the which is repugnant aswell to the word of God, as to the common faith. Yet doth Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians séeme to confounde these two. 5 For he accuseth them both of Heresie and Schisme.
6 2 It must not be passed ouer that Augustine affirmeth hatred against the neighbour to be y e cause of Schisme. And of this hatred there maie bée shewed foure chiefe partes: namelie, that men among themselues, as touching the principall points doe not consent: 7 and therefore Paul wished that the Corinthians were agréed and ioyned together in one minde. Secondlie, they oftentimes iarre in those things, which are deriued and concluded of principles: and therefore the Apostle added: That they maie bee knit together in one and the same opinion. It also happeneth sometime, that although they agrée in minde and opinion, yet are some so in loue with their owne phrases and forme of spéech, and so obstinatelie maintaine the same, as rather than they will forsake them they will be separated fro~ their brethren: therfore Paul wished that they might speake al one thing. Lastlie they therefore hate their brethren, because some made one their guide and some another, as it happened among the Corinthians: of whom some saide: I hold of Caephas, 8 I of Paule, and I of Apollo, and euerie one hated another which helde not with that guide with whom he held: and as it appeared in the Church of Rome whe~ two or thrée Popes liued at one time. These things being marked, it maie easilie be gathered, what is Schisme, that is to wit, 9 it is a separatio~ of a cogregation through the hatred of brethre, because of the diuersitie eyther of minde, or opinion, or spéeches, or electio~ of gouernours, which things doe both bréede and increase that hatred.
3 Howbeit we must vnderstand, that all Schisme is not good or euill. For there is, 10 which thou maiest not condemne, 11 and which thou maiest iustly allowe. It is no separation except it be of the partes from the whole, which whole when it shall become euill, if certaine parts diuine themselues from it, because they will not be corrupted and infected, the departing shall be commendable. 12 So is Abraham commended, because he departed from the Chaldeans & from his owne countrie. A good separation also there was of the Proselits, who su~dring themselues from idolatrie, went vnto the people of God. Also the departing of Christ and of the Apostles from the Iewes is altogether commendable, especiallie séeing Christ himselfe saide, 13 that hee came not to send peace but a sword, and to seuer men from their owne houshold. It also happeneth sometimes that all the partes of some whole be euill. And it profiteth the godlie that those be drawne one from another, to the intent they maie languish and be enféebled. And to that purpose, Paule when he was come into great daunger, 14 set the Pharisees and Sadduces at debate one against another. It was profitable also, for preaching of the Gospell, when y e Iewes disagréed among themselues as concerning Christ. A part said of him: He is good, 15 seeing he doeth so manie signes: but others affirmed that he was euill, and that he coulde not be of God, séeing he brake the Sabaoth daie. But if the whole it selfe be good, and some partes being putrified & defiled are departed awaie, 16 such a schisme must be detested, and we affirme it to be euill. Wherefore it is a pernitious thing, because the nature neither of the parts, nor yet of the whole is preserued. Which that wée maie vnderstand, a certaine distinction of the whole must be considered as it is taught of the naturall Philosophers. One is called ⟨…⟩ and it consisteth of like parts: as is water, blood, earth and such like. If a diuision be made, doubtlesse the powers of the whole doe after a sort perish, for by that plucking in sunder it is weakened, but in the partes the nature of the whole is preserued. For euery part of water is water, and euerie part of blood is blood. Another whole there is founde which they call ⟨…⟩, which consisteth of the diuersitie of partes: Such be liuing creatures made of diuers members: yea and plants consist of diuers parts. These things if a man diuide, neither the whole nor the partes will stand. A man being drawen asunder into partes ceaseth to be a man, and his parts be no more the members of a man. And the Church séeing it is a bodie of diuers parts when it is diuided, both it selfe after a sort is ruined, and the partes thereof being distracted doe perish, séeing they fall from eternall life. So as they that separate themselues in an euill Schisme, both destroy themselues, and asmuch as in them lyeth destroy the Church, vnlesse that Christ be present to restore and preserue the same. Wherefore the vice must be shunned as a pernitious thing.