The Unreasonableness of Separation, Part 2 · Section 2 – Section 3
Sect. 2. We now come to the several Hypotheses and Principles of Separation, which are at this day among the Dissenters from our Church.
Some do seem to allow Separate Congregations only in such places where the Churches are not capable to receive the Inhabitants. For this I find insisted on, by almost all my Answerers;Letter out of the Country, p. 34. Some Parishes, saith one, cannot receive a tenth part, some not half the People, belonging to them, few can receive all. The Parochial Teacher, saith another, is overlaid with a numerous throng of People. Mischief of Imposition. Preface. Rector of Sutton, &c. p. 35.The Parish Ministers are not near sufficient for so populous a City, saith a third. And yet not one of these, but assignes such reasons, for the necessity of Separate Congregations, as would equally hold, if there were never a Church in London, but what would hold all the Inhabitants together. This is therefore but a color, and pretence, and no real Cause. Any one would think, by Mr. Baxter's insisting so very much, on the greatness and largeness of our Parishes, as the Reason of his Preaching in separate Congregations, this were his opinion, that such Congregations are only allowable in such vast Parishes, where they are helps to the Parochial Churches: And no Man denies, that more places for Worship are desireable, and would be very useful, where they may be had, and the same way of Worship and Order observed in them, as in our Parochial Churches; where they may be under the same Inspection, and Ecclesiastical Government; where, upon pretence of greater Purity of Worship, and better means of Edification, the People are not drawn into Separation. But, is it possible that Mr. Baxter should think the case alike, where the Orders of our Church are constantly neglected, the Authority of the Bishops is slighted and contemned; and such Meetings are kept up in affront to them, and the Laws? Would Mr. B. have thought this a sufficient Reason for Mr. Tombs to have set up a Meeting of Anabaptists in Kidderminster, because it is a very large Parish? Or for R. Williams in New-England to have set up a Separate Congregation at Boston, because there were but three Churches there, to receive all the numerous Inhabitants? If such a number of Churches could be built, as were suitable to the greatness, and extent of Parishes, we should be so far from opposing it, that we should be very thankful to those who would accomplish so excellent a Work: but, in the mean time, Is this just and reasonable, to draw away the People, who come to our Churches, under the pretence of Preaching to those who cannot come? For, upon consideration, we shall find,
(1.) That this is Mr. Baxter's own case. For, if we observe him,Answ. to Let. p. 24. although he sometimes pretends only to Preach to some of many thousands, that cannot come into the Temples, many of which never heard a Sermon of many years; and to this purpose he put so many Quaere's to me, concerning the largeness of Parishes, and the necessity of more Assistants, thereby to insinuate, That what he did, was only to Preach to such, as could not come to our Churches; yet, when he is pinch'd with the point of Separation, then he declares, That his hearers are the same with ours; at least 10 or 20 for one; Ans. to Letter, p 17. Answer to Sermon, p. 57.and that he knows not many (if any) who use to hear him, that Separate from us. If this be true, as no doubt Mr. B. believes it, then what such mighty help, or assistance is this to our great Parishes? What color, or pretence is there from the largeness of them, that he should Preach to the very same persons, who come to our Churches? And if such Meetings as theirs be only lawful in great Parishes, where they Preach to some of many thousands who cannot come into the Churches, Then how come they to be lawful, where few or none of those many thousands ever come at all, but they are filled with the very same Persons, who come to our Parish Churches? These two pretences then are inconsistent with each other; and one of them cannot hold. For if he doth Preach to those who come to our Churches, and scarce to any else (i… any, as Mr. B. supposes) then all the pretence from the large…ess of our Parishes, and the many thousands who cannot come to our Churches, is vain and impertinent; and, to Speak Softly, not becoming Mr. Baxter's sincerity.
(2.) That if this were Mr. Baxter's own case, viz. That he Preached only to such, as could not come to our Churches, it would be no defence of the general practice of Dissenters, who express no regard at all to the greatness or smallness of Parishes. As, if it were necessary, might be proved, by an Induction of the particular Congregations within the City; and in the adjacent Parishes. Either those separarate Meetings are lawful or not; if not, Why doth not Mr. Baxter disown them? if they be, Why doth he p…etend the greatness of Parishes to justifie Separate M…etings; when, if they were never so small, they would be lawful however? This therefore must be set aside, as a mee… color and pretence, which he thought plausible for himself, and invidious to us, though the bounds of our Parishes were ne…ther of our own making, nor is it in our power to alter them. And we shall find, that Mr. B. doth justifie them upon other grounds, which have no relation at all to the extent of Parishes, or capacity of Churches. I come therefore to the real grounds which they proceed upon.
Sect. 3. Some do allow Communion with some Parochial Churches, in some duties, at some Seasons; but not with all Churches, in all Duties, or at all times. These things must be more particulary explained, for a right understanding the Mystery of the present Separation. Which proceeds not so openly and plainly, as the old Separation did; but hath such artificial windings and turnings in it, that a Man thinks they are very near our Church, when they are at a great distance from it. If we charge them with following the steps of the old Separatists, we utterly deny it, for, say they; For they separated from your Churches as no true Churches; they disowned your Ministery and Hierarchy as Antichristian, and looked on your Worship as Idolatrous; but we do none of these things; and therefore you charge us unjustly with Separation. To which I Answer,
(1.) There are many still, especially of the People, who pursue the Principles of the old Separatists; of whom Mr B. hath spoken very well in his Cure of Divisions, and the Defence of it; and elsewhere. Where he complains, Cure of Divis. p. 393.of their Violence, and Censoriousness: their contempt of the Gravest and Wisest Pastors; and forcing others to forsake their own judgments to comply with their humors. And, he saith, A sinful humoring of rash Professors, is as great a Temptation to them, as a sinful compliance with the Great Ones of the World. In another place he saith, Sacrileg. desertion, p. 102. &c.The People will not endure any Forms of Prayers among them, but they declare they would be gone from them, if they do use them. And he doth not dissemble, that they do comply with them, in these remarkable words, Should the Ministers in London, that have suffer'd so long, but use any part of the Liturgy and Scripture Forms, though without any Motive but the pleasing God and the Churches good, What Muttering and Censuring would then be among them? And Woe to those few Teachers that make up their Designs by cherishing these Distempers. One would think, that their warning had been fair; but, Si nati sint ad bis perdendam Angliam; The Lord have Mercy upon us.
(2.) When the matter is throughly examined, the difference between the Teachers, and the old Separatists, will be found not near so great as is pretended. For what matter is it, as to the nature of Separation, whether the terms of our Communion be called Idolatrous, or Vnlawful; whether the Ministery of our Church be called a False Ministery, or Insufficient, Scandalous, Vsurpers, and Persecutors; whether our Hierarchy be called Antichristian, or Repugnant to the Institution of Christ. Now these are the very same Arguments, which the old Separatists used, only they are disguised under another appearance, and put into a more fashionable dress. As will be manifest by Particulars.
(1.) As to the People.
(2.) As to the Ministry of our Church.