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…

This is the thing must be to his purpose inferred; yea and he would have it be from somewhat a lower premise. For he tells us, p. 37. That he dare say, if most of the Preachers at this day in the separate Meetings were soberly asked their judgments, whether it were lawful (only) ⟨p. 34⟩for the people to join with us in the public Assemblies, they would not deny it. He surely dare not say that their meaning was, that it was lawful constantly to join with them in all their Parochial Assemblies, unless he dare say, what he hath not, from any of them, the least ground to think. Now hereupon he collects, p. 38. that our Ministers cannot declare so much in a separate Congregation, but this truth must fly in their faces: Because he supposeth it repugnant to it, to preach at all in a separate Congregation (and yet afterwards on the same page, he so well agrees with himself, as to bid them, if they would acquit themselves like honest and conscientious men, tell the people plainly that they look on our Churches as true Churches, and that they may lawfully communicate with us in Prayers and Sacraments: And where are they to tell them so, but in the separate Congregations? singly and severally he knows it were impossible. Nor do I think he would reckon Honesty and Conscience obliging them to come and tell the people so in their Congregations.)

This is the thing must be to his purpose infer'd; yea and he would have it be from somewhat a lower premise. For he tells us, p. 37. That he dare say, if most of the Preachers at this day in the separate Meetings were soberly askt their judgments, whether it were lawful (only) ⟨p. 34⟩for the people to joyn with us in the publick Assemblies, they would not deny it. He surely dare not say that their meaning was, that it was lawful constantly to joyn with them in all their Parochial Assemblies, unless he dare say, what he hath not, from any of them, the least ground to think. Now hereupon he collects, p. 38. that our Ministers cannot declare so much in a separate Congregation, but this truth must fly in their faces: Because he supposeth it repugnant to it, to preach at all in a separate Congregation (and yet afterwards on the same page, he so well agrees with himself, as to bid them, if they would acquit themselves like honest and conscientious men, tell the people plainly that they look on our Churches as true Churches, and that they may lawfully communicate with us in Prayers and Sacraments: And where are they to tell them so, but in the separate Congregations? singly and severally he knows it were impossible. Nor do I think he would reckon Honesty and Conscience obliging them to come and tell the people so in their Congregations.)