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

More particularly; as you want the office of Deaconship, which Christ hath left by his Apostles for the collection, and distribution of the Churches almes, and haue enterteyned under the true name, a false, and forged office of half preisthood, perverting and misap∣plying* 1.1 to the iustification of it, such holy scriptures, as are left for the calling, and ministration of true, and lawfull Deacons in the Church of Christ: so is there not that care for the bodily welfare one of another amongst you in any measure, whereof you boast. The needlesse, and endlesse suits, and quarrels amongst you filling all your courts, and judgement seats; your dayly thefts, and mur∣thers amongst the members of your Church; the continuall cou∣senings, and circumventions one of another; the vsuryes, oppres∣sions, extortions, which overflow both country and city, as did the waters in the time of Noah, both the valleys, & hilles, do too manifestly shew how farre you are from this care of the welfare ech of other bodily, whereof you thus vainly boast. But though this care of ech for other, both bodily and spiritually, be almost wholly* 1.2 wanting, yet (say you) the Church is not to be iudged a false Church, no more then the houshould is to be iudged a false houshould, bycause there is not that care that ought to be amongst them of the family: or a man a false man if through folly, madnes, or wilfulnes, he neglects the welfare of his body.

Surely it had not need, considering how not onely this is wan∣ting,* 1.3 but how the contrary aboundeth in all places. And to let passe all other matters, no man is ignorant what care the two great factions in the Church, that of the Prelates, and the other of the Reformists do take, each for other, namely how ech may subvert, and root out the other. And for your similitudes bor∣rowed from an houshold, and a body, as wee deny your Church to be † 1.4 that houshold of God, or body of Christ, wherein every member hath his effectuall working, in his measure, as the Apostle speaketh, so is there no way the like reason of them, and of the Church, in the respect, wherein you compare them. A man doth not, nor cannot cease to be a true man naturally by any meanes, if his person sur∣vive: neyther can a family cease to be a true family civily, if it be not dissipated and dissolved: but a Church though the same per∣sons survive still, and combyne together, as they did, may cease to

be the true Church of Christ: and may eyther become no Church by forsaking all profession of Christianity, or a false Church by holding, and professing themselves stil Christians, & in fellowship with God through Christ, when being considered by the revealed will of God, and testament of Christ, they are in truth & in deed, neyther the one, nor the other. And considering what * 1.5 Iohn sayth, that he which loveth not his brother, and so consequently cares not for his welfare which issueth from the former, as the stream from the spring, is not of God, nor of his children, but of the children of the Divel; and withall, that you your self right now did place the form, & co∣venant of the Church in a great measure, in the manifestation, and testimony of love in the members each to other, and so con∣sequently of care ech for the welfare of other, I see not how that Church can be accounted the houshould of God consisting of his children by the word of God, or the body of Christ vnited & cou∣pled together of his members, by your owne doctrine, where this love of, and care for each other is visibly, and outwardly wanting.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Book of or∣dination, Art. 6.
• * 1.2

  Mr B.
• * 1.3

  Answ.
• † 1.4

  Ephe. 2. 19. & 4. 16
• * 1.5

  Epist. 3. 10.