An answer to Dr. Stillingfleet's Mischief of separation being a letter written out of…An ansvver to Dr. Stillingfleet's Mischief of separation being a letter written out of…

2ly, The Infirmity of what is alleged by him in this Attempt of his to defend it.

2ly, The Infirmity of what is alledged by him in this Attempt of his to defend it.

1. For the former, it being obvious to common observation, that a natural self-indulgence and aptness to decline and wave what is of more terrible import to themselves, doth usually insinuate and influence mens minds in their judging of such Cases: We are the more concerned (because a favourable false judgment will do us no good) with an impartial strictness to hold our selves to the thing it self. And when we most strictly do so, methinks the Doctor should have somewhat an hard Province of it. For his Determination amounts to thus much, [That we ought to be kept in a state of Damnation for scrupling the Ceremonies] (i. e. to be deprived of the necessary means of our salvation.) And that, while he accounts our scruple (after the use of due means for our information) not imputable to us as a sin: And not that only, but that we ought to consent to our own damnation ⟨p. 14⟩for this no sin of ours. Inasmuch as it would be sinful and mischievous to procure to our selves the necessary means of our salvation in another way, while we apprehend that, without our sin, we cannot have them in the way which he allows us.

1. For the former, it being obvious to common observation, that a natural self-indulgence and aptness to decline and wave what is of more terrible import to themselves, doth usually insinuate and influence mens minds in their judging of such Cases: We are the more concern'd (because a favourable false judgment will do us no good) with an impartial strictness to hold our selves to the thing it self. And when we most strictly do so, methinks the Doctor should have somewhat an hard Province of it. For his Determination amounts to thus much, [That we ought to be kept in a state of Damnation for scrupling the Ceremonies] (i. e. to be deprived of the necessary means of our salvation.) And that, while he accounts our scruple (after the use of due means for our information) not imputable to us as a sin: And not that only, but that we ought to consent to our own damnation