Answer to Stillingfleets Mischief of Separation, Postscript
SInce my writing these Pages, I hear of Answers to the Dean's Sermon; which, in so remote a Corner, I have had no opportunity to see: What is here written may therefore (upon comparing) be communicated, or suppressed, as shall be thought fit.
And so I should take leave of you, but that it may be needful, whereas I have principally considered in these Papers, the case of such as think it unlawful to joyn in the publick Assemblies; to add somewhat (whomsoever it may serve) in reference to their case that think otherwise. For to say the truth, this is here the more common case: And though the Doctor believes they that frequent the separate Meetings, do generally judge it unlawful to joyn in the Publick; Howsoever it is with you, (and it is likely the Doctor speaks of what is more within the compass of his own knowledge, or theirs who inform him:) It is with us in this part of this Country quite contrary. And I may truly say, that in this place (and others where I have sometimes occasionally been) the generality of them who come to the other Meetings do also attend the Publick.
Now these may perhaps think themselves left under blame. and may apprehend the Doctors Consequence is strong against them, [that if occasional Communion be lawful, constant Communion must be a Duty:] Which he no doubt, understands exclusively of any distinct way of Communion.
And if indeed they judge that Consequence strong, I would fain know what hurt they can think it doth them? Why should any man be afraid of his duty? or of the truth which makes it known? And, if hereupon, they can, with the satisfaction of their own Consciences, wave▪ all other opportunities of worshipping God with others of his People, they have the less to do: And why should they complain who are satisfy'd?
But in short, either they apprehend such other additional means, a real necessary help and advantage to them, or they do not. If they do not, they have no cause to trouble themselves, nor to grudge that so much is said for others; Whose, for ought I know, may, as the Doctor thinks, (for I cannot make an estimate from this or that little spot) be the much more common case. If they do, they have little reason to be concern'd about the Doctors Consequence: Which I much wonder if he himself can think strong. It hath not, you see, been altogether overlook't in the foregoing Discourse: And if any feel themselves wounded by it; He is so great an Achilles, that they may have their Wound and Healing from the same Hand.
For, as hath been noted from him in his Preface to the Irenicum, he seems plainly to intimate, that men have no Charter, or Grant of Divine Power, to make other Conditions of Church-Communion than Christ hath made▪ If so, then the Conditions by which this way of Communion is distinguished from the other, (supposing they be lawful) are still, in themselves, matter of liberty, not of duty: And so 'tis left to the prudence of a Christian to determine him (as in all like cases) this way or that; as will make most for the common good, consistently with that of his own Soul. That is Sin or Duty, which in this or that case, will do more hurt or good. There being no particular rule to guide a mans practice, he must have recourse to that general one: By which it may be my duty, upon some great reason, to do that, at one time; which for as great reason, I ought not to do in a continued course. And it is highly commendable, when a Christian understands the latitude which the Law of Christ hath left him; Is, in his own Spirit, exempt from servile restraints, by other imagined bonds: And can with a generous liberty (pure from base self-respects) turn himself this way or that, as shall make most for the service of the ends he lives for. And when any accordingly use that liberty, 'tis a fancy of none but half-witted persons, to think they must therefore addict themselves to this or that Party.
If a mans case come to be so stated, that he hath reason to apprehend it will do more good than hurt to others, that he own a sort of Christians, who have particularly modified themselves, otherwise than they needed, by any divine injunction (or by any that God hath empowr'd men to put them under) by communicating with them under the common notion of Christians, only, not as so modified: He doth but express the genuine complexion of a truly Christian Spirit. But he is not to do so in a continued course, if he find it will be a real damage to his own soul, in comparison of another way that he finds more edifying. Perhaps if he will be religious only, after the mode of this or that party, his Fare may be either too fine or too course for his constant diet. I may, besides my own inclination, drink a single glass of Wine out of Civility to one person, or of Water, to another, when I am not, for any mans pleasure, to destroy my health by tying my self to drink nothing else. And whatever Christian condescendingness, and goodness of temper may prompt a man to, who makes not what others do, but what they ought to do his rule and measure: They have least reason to expect much compliance from others, who bind themselves up within their own party, are enwrapt as Leviathan in his Scales, call themselves the Church (as many say here is Christ, and there is Christ) and call all men Separatists that will not be of their Church. And perhaps they assume, and appropriate the name with no more pretence or colour, and with no better sense, than if an humorsom company of men, should distinguish themselves from others, by wearing a blue or a yellow girdle, and call themselves mankind! Do not too many in our daies distinguish their Church and Christian Communion, by things no more belonging to a Church, or to Christianity, than a girdle of this or that colour to humane Nature? And which no more qualify for Christian Society, than that doth for human? If however, an ingenuous, free spirited man, out of respect to his present company, or for any other valuable reason, should in such a case put on a blue girdle, I shall find no fault with him. But if any should go about to pinch him too close with it, so as would be inconvenient to his ease and health, or oblige him to protest against the true humanity of all that neglect it, I doubt not he would throw it away with scorn. Much less would he be a consederate with them that use it, if they professedly combine for the destruction of the rest of mankind that use it not, when many of them that refuse it apprehend it a real grievance. Especially, when they that would impose it, live, with many of the rest, under the Government of a just and sovereign Prince, from whom they have no Charter for their imposition, but who hath declared he will not have his subjects so impos'd upon.
In sum, we are all indispensably oblig'd by our Lord Jesus Christ, the sovereign Prince and Ruler of his Church, to the substance of all Christian Ordinances. As to uninstituted modes thereof, we are free. And they that understand their liberty, may use or not use them as is more for their own, and the common good. They that understand it not, and think themselves under an obligation from Christ not to admit questionable, devised additions into their worship; they are not therefore to deprive themselves of the substantial Ordinances of the Christian Religion, whereof there is no question.
I shut up all with the words of the great Apostle, Rom. 14. 3. 4. One beleiveth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not, for God hath received him. v. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way.
FINIS.
Errata.
PAge 2. l. 4. after may, r. by dependence on divine help, p. 3. l. 21. r. reverent, p. 6. l. 19. r. Assemblies, p. 7. l. 27. r. supposes, p. 9. l. 2. r. One, l. 5. r. design, p. 13. l. 9. r. were, p. 22. l. 13. r. become, p. 25. l. 1. after according, r. to, p. 26. l. 23. after government, r. these words, as we suppose he means, blot them out in l. 24. p. 29. l. 24 r. separate, p. 33. l. 3. r. inclination, p. 34. l. 18. r. obliged, p. 36. l. 23. r. impracticable.
LONDON: Printed for SAMUEL WALSALL, at the Golden Frying-Pan in Leaden-Hall-Street, 1680.
End of the text · John Howe, Answer to Stillingfleets Mischief of Separation (1680)