A iustification of separation from the Church of England Against Mr Richard Bernard his invective, intituled; The separatists schisme. By Iohn Robinson.

That which comes next into consideration, in M•• B: order, is the visible form of the Church; as he calls it, which he makes (& truely) the vniting of vs vnto God, & one to another visibly, & in his † 1.1 2. book, the co∣venant, by which Godsets vp a people to be his people, and they him mutual∣ly to be their God. This description he illustrateth by a similitude bor∣rowed from a materiall building, whose form ariseth from the cou∣pling together of the stones vpon the foundatiō: which he also fur∣ther manifesteth, by comparing it with the form of the invisible Church, by which the faithfull are vnited to God, through Christ invisibly, and one vnto another. Of the termes of which compa∣rison, and their proportion, wee shall speak by, and by. I do one∣ly in the mean while intreat the reader to observ with me these two things. The former, that, Mr B: having in the beginning of his book censured vs very severely, and that with D. Allisons concur∣ring testimony, for misapplying 1 Pet. 2. 5. to the visible Church, which sayd they, was meant of the invisible Church, here notwith∣standing he interprets it of the visible Church, even as we do. The latter, that speaking of the invisible Church, and the form of it, he brings in sundry scriptures, as so to be expounded, which are ap∣parantly intended of the visible Church: & amongst the rest these three. Ephe. 2. 22. and 4. 4. 1 Cor. 12. 13. the last of which he himself also within a few pages following expounds as meant of* 1.2 the visible Church, and the properties thereof. Now for the com∣parison betwixt the form of the invisible, and visible Church▪ wherein if Mr B. observed due proportion, and made the form of the visible Church the same visibly, externally, & in respect of men, which he doth the form of the invisible Church invisibly, internal∣ly, and in respect of God, and so layd down things in simple, and playn terms, the truth in the point would easily appeare, & much needles labour be spared on both sides. The form of the invisible Church he noteth, first, and on Gods part to be raysed, by the spi∣rit,

by which invisible hand, God taketh men immediately by the hart, and* 1.3 sayth he wilbe th•••••• God: 2. and on mans part, by ••aith, by which invi∣sible hand the beleevers do take hold of the promise of the spirit, beleeving that they are his people, and he their God: and that thru God and man are invi∣sibly vnited▪ and 3. by love, by which men take hold one of another and so are vnited together invisibly. And all this he confirms sufficiently by the scriptures. Answerable vnto which 3. invisible hands for this invisible vnion, he makes 3. visible handes for the visible vnion: 1. vnto the spirit, the word: 2. vnto faith, the profission of faith: 3. vnto love, the sacrament of the Lords supper: for ••o he proportio∣neth them. The colour of truth, which these things may seem to haue in their mutuall reference, will ••ub off in the very tou∣ching of the particulars. But if Mr B. would ha••e observed just proportion, and haue set things down playnly, he should haue said thus, or to this effect. As the invisible, internall, and effectuall v∣nion of God with man, of man with God, and of one man with another is raysed from the invisible, internall, and effectuall work of the spirit, invisible, internall, and effectuall faith, and love, which are onely seen, and known of God, and of the parties themselves, in whom they are; so must the visible, externall, and apparant vni∣on of God with man, of man with God, and of one man with an other, arise from the visible, externall, and apparent work of the spirit; visible, externall, and apparant faith, and love, which are seen of men, and made sensible to the ey of charity, which judgeth pro∣bably of thinges which are not seen, by the things which are seen. For albeit, it be true, which Mr B. hath in his 2. book, that wee* 1.4 are not therefore a Church of God, bycause men so judge vs, but bycause God hath received vs into covenant with himself; yet it must also be considered, that the Church is not called visible in re∣spect of God, but of men, to whom it doth, or may appear, & by whom it is so discerned, and judged probably.

The scriptures do speak of a † 1.5 iustification before God, which is by ••aith alone; and of “ 1.6 a iustification before men, which is by work••: the former of which we may truely call invisible justificati∣on, as known to none but God, and the conscience of the party

justifyed: the other visible justification, as being manifest, and made visible vnto men, by works, as ver: 18. of the Chapter before named, where the Apostle speaketh of shewing, manifesting, or ma∣king visible faith▪ and so consequently justification; by works. And look what is here sayd of visible, and invisible faith, and justifica∣tion, the same from other scriptures compared together may be affirmed of visible, and invisible election, redemption, sanctificati∣on; as also of visible, and invisible saynts for the matter; and of the visible and invisible vnion for the form of the visible, and in∣visible Church: the invisible being certayn, infallible, and so known to be, of God: the visible, morall, probable, and so appea∣ring vnto men. There is in deed, and in the right disposition of things by the revealed will of God, but * 1.7 one Church of Christ, which is his body, whereof he is the head, and which he hath purchased with his blood: for Christ hath not purchased two Churches with his blood, but one, neyther is the head of two bodyes, but of one: and according to this purchase of Christ, and ordinance of God, all that are of the visible Church are also of the invisible, and all of the invisible of the visible Church, which are indeed not two, but one Church, in two sundry respects, as I have formerly shew∣ed. I deny not, but that, as it hath been sayd of old, there are many sheep without, and many wolves within: many of the visible Church, which are not of the invisible Church, and so answerably, many of the invisible Church, which never come into the visible Church. But this say I, is not according to the revealed will of God, in his word; but by mans default, and sin. It is their sin of ignorance or infirmity, which (being of the invisible Church) do not, (if possibly they can) joyn themselues vnto the visible Church, there to partake in the visible ordinances: it is their sinne of hy∣pocrisie, and presumption, which not being of the invisible Church; do adjoyn themselves to the visible Church, there to prophane the Lords covenant, & ordinances, to which they have no right. For how can they being wicked, and vnholy, chalendge the LORD to be their GOD, that is, all hap∣pines, & goodnes, vnto them, which is one part of the covenant.

or professe themselves to be his people, which is another part? when the Divel is their God, and their lusts; and they his, & their people, and servants, to whom they obey? or what have they to do to meddle with Gods covenant, whom he expresly forbids to take it in their mouthes? It is therefore a vile & profane defence, which you are driven to, Mr B: by pleading, that wicked persons are true matter of the Church, and so admitted into covenant with God, in the 2. book; that obedience onely followes the covenant* 1.8 as the fruit of it: and that God requires not actuall obedience, or that wee should be actually good, or holy, before, or when we co∣venant with him: but that he should make vs good; and that wee should be good, and perform actuall obedience afterward; which as it is notable Anabaptistry, and in deed the ground of that hae∣resy being applyed to the covenant of the Iewish Church: so being applyed to the covenant of the Church now, it is worse then Ana∣baptistry. And consider this man, he makes the sacrament of the Lords supper a ground, and part of the covenant, and yet affirms, that God for mens entering into this covenant, requires not that they should be holy, and good: and so by this deep divinity, it must needs follow, that the Lord requires not that men should be good, or holy for their partaking in the sacrament of the Lords supper.

Notes

• † 1.1

  pag. 277.
• * 1.2

  pag. 125.
• * 1.3

  •••••• B.
• * 1.4

  pag. 136.
• † 1.5

  Ro••. 3. a•••• ••.
• “ 1.6

  Iam. 2.
• * 1.7

  Cant. 6. 8. Ephe. 4. 4. & 1. 22. 23 Act. 20. 28.
• * 1.8

  pag. 279.