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FALSE UNITY & BIBLICAL SEPARATION

In this age of boasted charity, but really "detestable neutrality and indifferency," it is an irksome and painful task, but a duty, thus to bear testimony against churches, in which are to be found, no doubt, many precious sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty. But personal piety never was, nor possibly can be, the condition of fellowship in the visible church. To think so, and say so, is one of the most popular delusions of the present day. It puts the supposed pious man, speaking his experience, in the place of God, speaking his sovereign will in the Bible. This is the height of impiety. Fidelity to Christ and our solemn covenant engagements, as also charity to all parties, require that we both speak and act as witnesses.

The first cry against the presbytery and its members was,"schism, schismatics!" This charge was promptly and publicly met and refuted, by showing from the Scriptures, that schism is, "in the body," 1 Cor. 12:26; and from the approved writings of our reformed covenanting fathers, that "sometimes, to avoid schism, we must separate." Our worthy ancestors knew better than to adopt the vocabulary of papal Rome. Besides, "the majority making the defection are the real separatists." (Samuel Rutherford).

Cited in "The Act, Declaration, and Testimony for the Whole of our Covenanted Reformation..." by the Reformed Presbytery, 1876 edition (available from Still Waters Revival Books).

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