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

The 5. and last property for which you commend your selues, is,* 1.1 your going before the flockes, that is, in godly conversation.

As I acknowledge the vnblameable conversation of many a∣mongst* 1.2 you, so do many Papists, Anabaptists, and other vile hae∣retiques, and schismatiques walk as vnblameably this vvay, as you; and yet are they not true sheepheards of Christs sheep. But by the sheepheards going before the sheep in this place is meant, as I take it, partly the care of the minister in governing the peo∣ple; partly, his constancy in danger, to which he exposeth himself

in the forefront; and in these respects, he is sayd to goe before the flock. Now f••ll ••ll do these properties agree vvith the Ministers, for whome Mr Bernard pleadeth. Who as they govern not the people at all, but are themselves & the people with them vnder the government of their Diocesan and Provinciall Pastours: so do they in the tyme of danger most perfidiously forsake their flockes: wherein their sin is the greater, considering the faythfull promise, which you your self testify they make in the open congregation, diligently to watch over their flockes.

Now howsoever, that which hath been spoken vvill appear, I doubt not, sufficient to force Mr B. from this 10 of Iohn, yet by∣cause he d••••ms it so strong an hold for him, as we cannot overthrow it,* 1.3 we will adventure a litle further vpon it, and see whither there be not to be found in it sufficient of the Lords munition, not on••ly to batter the wall, but even to rase the foundation of the ministery of England for which he pleadeth.* 1.4

First then, all true sheepheards are set over flocks of * 1.5 sheep to feed them. But the ministers in England were not set over flocks of sheep, but indeed over heards of swine, goates, and dogges with some few sheep scattered amongst them. Which the wild, & filthy beastes push worry, and defile. Therfore the ministers of England are not true sheepheards.

2. True sheepheards enter in by the dore Christ, v. 2. 7. that is by* 1.6 the meanes, which his Apostles at his appoyntment, haue com∣mended vnto the Churches, act. 6. 2. 3. 4. 5. &. 14. 23. But the mi∣nisters in England enter into their charges by the presentatiō of a Patron, the institutiō of a Praelate, & the inductiō of an Archdeacō, which is not the dore opened by Christ, for the sheepheard to enter by, but a lather set vp by Antichrist wherby to clime over the fold.

3. The shepheard is by his office to feed and govern the flock, as Mr* 1.7 B: himselfe testifieth from this scripture. But as seeding, that is,* 1.8 reaching, or preaching vnto the people (as is his meaning) is no part of the parish Preists duety, but a casual, and super-erogarory work: so are they altogether stript of government; and therefore no true sheepheards of Christs flocks.

Lastly, the good sheepheard seing danger towards the sheep▪ will* 1.9 rather give his life then ••lee; where on the contrary, the hireling

s••ing the wolf comming, sleeth, because he is an hyreling. ver. 11. 12. 13. wherevpon it followeth, that the ministers Mr B. cheifly meanes, leaving their flocks vpon the Bishops vngodly suspensions, and deprivations, as vpon the ba••king of a wolfe, do evidently pro∣claym to all the world, that they are no good sheepheards, but hyrelings. And so far am I perswaded of hundreds amongst them, that, I doubt not, but if they thought in their harts, they were by Christs appointment set in their charges, and by him cō∣maunded there to minister, they would never so fowly, as they do, forsake their flocks vpon the suspension, or deprivation of a prophane Praelate, or Chauncelour, for refusing conformity or subscription, to their popish devises.

When DAVID was in his greatest trials, and that his enemies laboured most, eyther to frustrate, or deprive him of his king∣dom, and so to turn his glory into shame, his comfort was, that God had * 1.10 set him as his King vpon Syon, the mountayn of his holynes: and that the Lord had chosen, or separated him vnto himself. Like∣wise vvhen Iakob was in that great both danger, and fear of his brother Esau, the thing that susteyned him, was, that †‘ 1.11 God had sayd vnto him, return unto thy country, and to thy fathers kindred, & I will do the good.

And as it was with these two, so is it with all the servants of God both in their generall, & speciall callings. When they haue as∣surance by the word, and spirit of God, that he is the authour of their calling, then do they with patience, and comfort of the H. Ghost suffer such trials, and afflictions, as are incident there∣vnto: where on the contrary, wanting thi•• assurance, they are soon discouraged even in the good things they do, if persequutions do arise; and being without the Lords calling, no marvayl though they want his comfort.

The Apostle Paul advertiseth the “ 1.12 Elders of Ephesus, that they are made overseers or Bishops, of the flock, by the H. Ghost, and there∣upon takes occasion to exhort them to all vigilancy, & faythfulnes against the invasion of such wolves, a•• should enter in to devour the flock. Now if those men of whom I speak, be perswaded that they at placed in their charges by the H. Ghost, how do they forsake thē not being by him displaced, or do they think the H. Ghost lis∣placeth

them for their weldoing, or for their refusing to do evil, as to sub••ctibe, conform, and the like? They speak of the seal of their Ministery, and of their inward calling, and of the peoples acceptation, and of many things more, very plausible to the multitude; but in the day of their triall, it appeares, what small comfort they have in all these: and as is their coming in, so is their going out: since they entered not in by the dore, no mervayl though they suffer themselves to be thrust out by the window, or to be tumbled o∣ver the wall, or otherwise to be discharged vpon some small, and sleighty occasion.* 1.13

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr B.
• * 1.2

  Answ.
• * 1.3

  pag. 302.
• * 1.4

  I.
• * 1.5

  Ioh. 21. 15. 16. 17. Act 2••. 1••. 25. 29.
• * 1.6

  II
• * 1.7

  III.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••92.
• * 1.9

  IIII.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 2. ••. & 4. 2. 3.
• †‘ 1.11

  Gen. 32. 9.
• “ 1.12

  Act. 20. 27. 28. 29.
• * 1.13

  Mr B.