THE CHARGE OF SCHISM CONTINUED BEING A Justification of the Author of Christian Blessedness for his Charging the Separatists with SCHISM notwithstanding the Toleration In a Letter to a City-Friend LICENS'D Decemb. 8. 1690. LONDON Printed for Samuel Manship at the Black Bull over-against the Royal Exchange in Cornhil 1691. SIR THE Information you give me concerning the great Clamour that is made by some in the City against our Friend the Author of Christian Blessedness for continuing the Charge of Schism at this time against the Separatists from the Church of England I am the more ready to believe because I find he meets with a great deal of the like Treatment in the Country as far as the Sphere of my Acquaintance or Intelligence reaches I can hardly put my Head into any Company but where I hear him either Passionately rail'd at by Popular uneducated Tongues or gravely Condemn'd by those of more sober and improved Understandings who though no Enemies to his Person have yet but little Charity for his Cause Nay several who know nothing at all of the Book and so cannot directly and expresly condemn it do yet shew how ready they would be upon occasion to do so by declaring their Judgments against the Proposition maintain'd in it For I find 't is a thing generally taken for granted that the Dissenters are now no longer under the guilt of Schism however they might be charged with it before For say they the Tables are now turn'd They have now an Authentick Patent for their Separation and may divide from you by Authority And therefore let your Indictment run never so high and be otherwise never so well proved their Liberty will be their immediate Discharge For Sir you must know that the Toleration is generally supposed to lay all in Common to put the Church and the Conventicle upon a square and to acquit those that Separate not only from the Penalty but from the Fault of Non-conformity This Notion I perceive has found entertainment not only in Vulgar Heads who seldom think distinctly about any thing but confound all things whose Difference is not to be felt and handled but also among those of good Natural sense and who have taken a Turn or two of Scholastick Education and understand something of the Measures of Reason and Consequence Particularly I find this Conceit passes very current among Ladies and Gentlemen who for want either of Leisure or Ability or Attention seldom examine things to the bottom but judge according to Outside and Appearance But this I do not so much wonder at when I observe that Men of profess'd Study and considerable Learning are carried away with the same Fancy which I find gets ground every day and let me tell you Sir among some others besides those whose Interest is concern'd to have it true I find some of these begin to talk very odly and untowardly in this matter and not according to their usual Clearness and accuracy of Judgment which they still retain in their other Discourses But as for the Interested Parties they catch at this Popular Plea of the Toleration with all the greediness imaginable and insist upon it mightily an Argument by the way that they distrust their other Defences and are become downright impatient of the Charge of Schism and think themselves not only highly Affronted but greatly Wrong'd and Injured whenever they are tax'd with it and as you know Sir are very angry with our Author for continuing the Charge What Charge us with Schism at this time of day Now we are in Favour Now the Government smiles upon us Now we have the Law on our Side c. How far they have the Law of their Side will be better understood from what is to follow In the mean time I with that some of those who are so incens'd against our Author and so free in their Censures upon that part of his Book would have took the Courage to appear against him in publick which would have been a much fairer and more manly way than either to rail at him in Corners which by the way are as little sought for by Charity as by Truth or to pester him with Scurrilous and abusive Letters without Names This argues their Fear to be as great as their Malice and that they diffide either to their Cause or to their Skill in managing it The truth is they ought for their own Credit as well as in Justice to the Author either to have Suppress'd their Resentments or to have Vented them in Publick Which if they had done I dare undertake they should not have been disappointed of an Adversary But it seems they have thought fit to make use of another Method which though not equally declarative of their Sense yet with the help of a little Spelling and Collating things together may serve to pick out enough of their Meaning For as far as I can gather from what I observe and from what I hear the Sum of all that they say against our Author bating impertinent Cavils and Foul-mouth'd Reflections may be reduced to these three Heads 1. The Falsness of his Charge 2. The Uncharitableness of it 3. The Unseasonableness of it Which Treble Censure is grounded upon one Common Argument because say they the Dissenters are Now by Vertue of their Toleration upon Equal Terms with the Church But Sir in the First place how can that be when One is Establish'd and the Other only Tolerated Is not Establishment more than Liberty If by Liberty here were understood Allowance or Warrant to act which is the highest Sense of the word that the Persons concern'd stand for it would yet fall much short of Establishment which does not only Allow or Permit but Enjoyn and Require Much more then if Liberty here be found as I believe it will to â—ignifie only a Capacity of acting without Punishment Liberty of Allowance is much short of Establishment much more Liberty of Impunity And how then are the Church and the Dissenters upon Equal Terms Some therefore who better understand what they say chuse to express themselves thus That the Dissenters have as much Authority for their Liberty as the Church has for her Establishment Which implies not Absolute Equality but only Equality of Proportion Now this I readily admit But what then Therefore they are not guilty of Schism in Causelesly dividing from her Communion I interpose the Term Causelefly not without reason For if they say they have sufficient Cause for dividing from us then they no longer stand to their Plea of Toleration but put their Cause upon another Issue which I think has been already sufficiently examin'd and exposed But that which they stand for now by the nature of their Appeal seems to be this That they are not guilty of Schism because of the Liberty they have by the Toleration which must therefore be supposed to excuse them from Schism though they Causelesly divide from us For if they had just Cause for their
Mr. Hales a very Free and for the most part Judicious Writer and one very remarkable for his Moderation especially as to all Church-matters and who writes of Schism with all the tenderness imaginable handling it as if he were feeling the Edge of a Razor And yet after all his Endeavours to reduce it into as narrow a compass as he could by making as few guilty of it as might be he could find nothing to justifie Separation but only Sinfulness of Communion As may appear from several Passages that occur in his Tract of Schism For says he Page 195. For the further opening the Nature of Schism something must be added by way of difference to distinguish it from necessary Separation and that is that the Causes upon which Division is attempted proceed not from Passion or Distemper or Ambition or Avarice or such other Ends as Human Folly is apt to pursue but from well-weigh'd and necessary Reasons and that when all other Means having been tried nothing will serve to save us from guilt of Conscience but open Separation So that Schism if we would define it is nothing else but an unnecessary Separation of Christians from that part of the visible Church of which they were once Members Again says he Page 198. Unadvisedly and upon Fancy to break the Knot of Union between Man and Man especially among Christians upon whom above all other kind of men the tye of Love and Communion does most especially rest is a Crime hardly pardonable and that nothing Absolves a man from the guilt of it but true and unpretended Conscience Again says he Page 209. What if those to whose care the execution of the Publick Service is committed do something unlawful c. yet for all this we may not separate except we be constrain'd personally to bear a part our selves The Priests under Eli had so ill demean'd themselves about the daily Sacrifice that the Scriptures tell us they made it stink yet the People refused not to come to the Tabernacle nor to bring their Sacrifice to the Priest For in these Schisms which concern Fact nothing can be a just Cause of refusal of Communion but only to require the execution of some unlawful or suspected Act. Again says he Page 215. Why may I not go if occasion require to an Arian Church so there be no Arianism exprest in their Liturgy And again Lastly Page 227. speaking of Conventicles says he It evidently appears that all Meetings upon unnecessary occasions of Separation are to be so stiled so that in this sense a Conventicle is nothing else but a Congregation of Schismaticks From these and other like Passages any one may be satisfy'd that Mr. Hales with all his Moderation could not but see that where Separation is not necessary there Communion is and that to depart from the Communion of a visible Establisht Church with whom you may lawfully Communicate is to be guilty of Schism And so much seems to be granted even by the Author of the Letter of Toleration who defines Schism to be an ill grounded Separation in Ecclesiastical Communion made about things not necessary 'T is true indeed by things not necessary this Author means as he afterwards explains himself things not expresly contain'd in the Rule making him a Schismatick that separates from a Church because that Church does not require what the Scripture does not But this will come to one and the same thing For why is he a Schismatick that makes a Separation from a Church for not requiring more than is expresly contain'd in Scripture but only because he might Communicate with that Church notwithstanding this her frugality and reservedness and consequently his Separation was unnecessary This is the thing into which the Schism of such a Separatist must be at last resolv'd And then for the same reason why is not he as much a Schismatick that separates from a Church that does require more than the Scripture expresly contains provided it be not contrary to the Rule of Scripture since with this Church he may also lawfully Communicate and therefore has no Necessity for his Separation 'T is the unnecessity of the Separation that in both Cases makes the Schism So that this Notion of our Author though at first sight it seems to offer somewhat New resolves it self at long run into the Old Common Notion of Schism which has all along obtain'd in the Christian World Where-ever therefore there is no necessity of separating there the Church has a Right to Communion which to with-hold from her is Schism or else there is no such thing as Schism in the World This Right the Church of Rome had before her falling into her gross Corruptions and this Right the Church of England and all other Churches have that are Reform'd from them And this Right every Lawfully Constituted Church has by vertue of the Divine Law which is her Original Charta and which of it self lays upon all Christians a sufficient Obligation to Church-Unity though there should be no Civil Authority to back and inforce it For indeed unless it were so how could there be such a thing as the Sign of Schism in the Apostles Times and in the more Primitive Ages of the Church There was then no Civil Law to Oblige Christians to Church-Communion so far from this that the Edge and Point of the Civil Sword was turn'd directly against it The State and the Church then not only moved in two Different but in two Opposite Spheres And yet we find that in those early times the Sin of Schism was as much condemn'd and Schismatical Persons as deeply branded as in any of the after Ages Nay more indeed because of the singularity and strangeness of the Crime Punish'd indeed they could not so well be for want of the Concurrence of the Civil Sword which was not then in a Christian hand but they were censured and condemn'd and according to the Apostle's Admonition those were mark'd and avoided that caused Divisions And therefore though we should allow the Present Toleration to Silence the Civil Law whereby Conformity is injoyn'd which yet from the Premises appears to be far otherwise yet since the Divine Law requiring all possible Unity stands uncancell'd for sure the Toleration won't be pretended to reach that those that make Caufeless and unnecessary Divisions will still be guilty of Schism notwithstanding the favour of the Toleration which I am afraid will prove but an indifferent Plea for Separation at the Last day to those that have no better What then you 'll say is the Effect of a Toleration Or what can be supposed to be the just and reasonable intent of it I answer As to the Effect it cannot release at all from any preceding Obligation It does not release so much as from the Obligation of the Civil Law whose Penalty it only suspends much less does it release from Obligation to the Divine Law with which it has nothing to do and upon which it has
Natural Temper and Complexion or from Education or from long Custom to a contrary way or from blind Regard to the Authority of some Men for whom perhaps you have had a more early than just Veneration or from Humour or from Passion or from Interest or from whatever else may bride and corrupt the genuine native Sense of our Minds For unless the Scale hang even 't is to no purpose to weigh any thing in it Secondly When you have thus truly devested your selves of all Prejudice and reduced your Judgments to an even poise then apply your selves seriously and deliberately impartially and sincerely soberly and in the fear of God to consider and examin the State and Constitution of our Church and the Terms of her Communion whether they are lawful or no. But be sure you do not this by advising only with Books of your own way or by consulting only with Guides of your own Party and Persuasion for this would be to fall back into your old Prejudice again but by a free and indifferent recourse to the Writers and Leaders of both Sides by considering and weighing what is offered by the learned and excellent Defenders of the Church as well as what is said by the Advocates for the Separation and by trying and judging all according to the infallible Rule of Scripture and the Eternal Truth of God shining forth in your own Souls And if Thirdly After your most impartial and sincere Endeavours rightly to inform your selves according to the best use of your Faculties and Opportunities it be still your unhappiness verily to be persuaded in your Consciences that the Communion of the Church of England is unlawful which though I cannot deny to be absolutely possible seems yet as hard to me for a considerate Man really to believe as to believe Transubstantiation yet I say if you should be invincibly determin'd to such a Persuasion in the Name of God abide where you are and make use of the Toleration and enjoy the Benefit of it with Peace and Satisfaction of Mind I would not for a World persuade you to Communicate with the Church of England as excellent as she is against the real Sense and Persuasion of your Consciences For the following of which you can never be accountable provided it be not your fault that you are of that Persuasion But if Fourthly and Lastly You are Convinced of the Lawfulness of holding Communion with the Church and to be free with you I cannot but think that most of you are if you would confess the truth then I pray consider seriously with your selves what tolerable Account you will be able to render either to God or Man for continuing a Separation in that Church where even according to your own Judgment and Confession you might lawfully Communicate Or how you can be said to preserve the Unity of the Catholick Church or that Communion of Saints which you profess to believe if you separate from the Communion of a Visible Establisht National Church of whose Lawfulness you are satisfy'd and from whom therefore you need not separate Consider whether this be not a Causeless dividing dis-uniting and dismembring of the Body of Christ a high Violation of that Publick Order and Decency which he has required in his Church and as great a Breach of the Christian Peace as you can possibly be guilty of in the Peace of the State In one word consider whether this be not all that which both Scripture and the best Antiquity represent and so severely condemn under that one Emphatical word Schism And do not think to salve all at last by taking Sanctuary in the Toleration This you see stands Neuter leaves the State of the Question as it found it and does not at all interpose for your relief but leaves you to stand or fall by the Absolute Merits of your Cause These therefore alone you ought to consider and enquire into viz. Whether you can honestly and safely Communicate with us or no And if you find you can then 't is most certain that you ought The Law of God and the Law of Man for the Toleration you see evacuates neither do still oblige you to it and if you do not though the Government excuses you from the Penalty yet neither that nor any thing else will excuse you from the Sin of Schism The short is that which will justifie such a Separation as this will justifie any and then there will be no such thing as an Obligation to Church-Unity and consequently no such thing as Schism in the World And I desire never to reduce an Adversary to a greater Extremity than when he is forced to deny the very Being and Possibility of the Sin of Schism that he may prove himself to be no Schismatick This Sir is all I think necessary to say upon this Occasion and I think I have said nothing but what I have well thought and consider'd and what is my real Judgment and what will stand the Test whether of Charity or of Truth I have view'd and review'd what I have written and I must needs declare that I cannot discern the least flaw in the Argument of this Discourse nor do I fear the Severity of the most Critical Eye or Hand However if any one of the Learned among the Diffenting Party thinks the Argument of this Discourse may be Answer'd and withall thinks himself sufficiently qualify'd for the Undertaking for I declare before-hand that I shall not think my self concern'd to take notice of every impertinent Scribler I fairly and freely invite him to it and withall do promise him for his better encouragement that he shall find me either Able to Defend what I have written or Willing to Submit Farewell POSTSCRIPT Concerning MODERATION I Think it very proper and seasonable in a word or two to rectifie another very Popular Mistake wherewith I find most Common Persons and some others are imposed upon It is concerning Moderation whose Notion I perceive to be generally as much abused as that of Toleration and to as ill a purpose Moderation without question if rightly understood is a most excellent thing as signifying I. In general such a temper of Soul and such a government of all a Man's Thoughts and Desires Words and Actions as may steer the course of Life in the middle way between the Extremes of Defect and Excess so as to be always affected in Proportion to the Greatness or Goodness of the End and to the Necessity or Usefulness of the Means Or as signifying more particularly with relation to the Body such a due and well-proportion'd conduct of it and regard to it as becomes a Creature that is neither a meer Animal nor a pure Spirit but partakes of both Natures and therefore ought not so to be addicted to the interest of the Body as to neglect the Spiritual Life nor yet so devoted to the Life of the Spirit as to forget he is in the Body This way being as much too High as
the other is too Low and the way of Man lying in the Middle Thus understood without all doubt Moderation is a most excellent thing and will have an universal and uncontested Approbation And thus it is generally understood in all other Cases but only when it relates to Church-Conformity And then by Moderation is usually meant either an Indifferency of doing what the Church prescribes or a doing it by Halves or a total Omission of it And accordingly he is accounted a Moderate Man who either is indifferently affected to the Constitutions of the Church and is little concern'd whether he Conforms to them or no and accordingly stands ready and disposed with or without reasonable Occasion to admit of Alterations or who Conforms by halves or who does not Conform at all All these in their several orders and degrees go commonly for Men of Moderation and I believe many for the procurement of that specious Title are tempted to appear so disposed designing nothing at all worse by it than only the Reputation of Moderate Men. But let such as run away with this Notion take this Consideration along with them if they are not in too much haste That 't is not all manner of Moderation that is justly to be commended nor this of theirs in particular For the right Estimation of which matter I desire the following measures may be consider'd If the Object of our Moderation be not already either by Nature or Constitution fix'd and stated in a due measure but is to receive its measure from our Moderation then Moderation as it signifies an indifferency of Mind may have both Place and Commendation As suppose in the instance of Pleasure which because an indeterminate Object and of indefinite Latitude capable either of Excess or Defect leaves room for the Exercise of Moderation in us which is then a good and laudable thing But if the Object be already either by Nature or by positive Constitution fix'd and stated in a due measure and is not to receive that measure from our Moderation then our Moderation has neither Place nor Commendation As in the Instance suppose of Vertue which being already supposed to be in the Mean leaves no room for Moderation in us nor would Moderation then be a good or laudable thing Nor was it ever thought a Commendation of the love of Vertue to say it was Moderate or Indifferent Now to apply this to the present Case If the Order of the Church of England were not already constituted in a state and temper of Moderation then indeed Moderation in Conformity might pretend to some Excellency and Commendation but if it be already in such a state and temper then there is neither Room for it nor Excellency in it But rather on the contrary to be moderately affected to Conformity will then be as great a Commendation as to be a moderate Lover of Order and Reason and all that 's good And they that like this Commendation 't is fit they should have it Before therefore Moderation in Conformity be made a commendable Character and before Men of this Character be so much cry'd up and sought after as the fittest Persons to be employed both in State and in Church-concerns it ought to be made appear that the Constitution of the Church is in it self Immoderate This indeed is slily and indirectly insinuated by all those that raise such Clamours about Moderation But they ought if they would deal fairly directly to prove it and indeed wholly to insist upon it and not impose upon the Prejudice and the Ignorance of the People by the specious and plausible Name of Moderation For unless it be first proved that the Church in her Constitution is Immoderate 't is plain that Moderation on our parts has no room and that all the Noise and Stir that is made about it is but meer Sophistry with ill Design But now whether the Constitution of the Church be really Immoderate I refer those that desire to be satisfied to what has been from time to time written in her Defence and Justification particularly to an excellent Book very Honestly and as I think very Learnedly written by Doctor Puller call'd The Moderation of the Church of England FINIS BOOKS Printed for S. 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