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, is the poynt of succession: wherein, in the first place, answer must be given to a demaund made by M. B. in his † 1.1 2. book: in which many o∣thers also think there is much weight: and that is, why we hold,

and reteyn the baptism received by succession, and not the Ministery?* 1.2

For answer vnto him I would know of him, whether the Church* 1.3 of England do still, (or did at the first) reteyn the ministery of* 1.4 the Church of Rome, or no? If he say it doth, then I would en∣treat him, and others not to take it ill, if we call and account them Preists; for such are the Romish Ministers. 2. How can the Church of England forsake the Church of Rome, and reteyn the Ministery which is in the Church, as in the subiect? especially if the Ministery make the Church, as Mr Bernard affirms: for then a true Ministery must needs make a true Church: and commu∣nion with the Ministery drawes on necessarily communion with the Church. But if on the contrary he affirm, that the Church of England doth renounce the Ministery or Preisthood of the Church of Rome; then I return his demaund vpon himself, and ask him, why it reteyns the Baptism of Rome? and so leave him to himself for answer.

2. The Baptism both in England, and Rome, is in the essen∣tiall causes of it, the matter, water, the form, baptizing into the name of the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, Christs baptism, and or∣dinance, though in the administration it be Antichrists de∣vise: but for the Ministery eyther in Rome, or England it is o∣therwise. The Ministery of Christ doth summarily, and in the substance of it, consist in the “ 1.5 feeding of the flock, that is, in pro∣viding food for the flock, and in guiding and ordering the same accordingly; in a word, in preaching, and government, 1 Tim. 5. 17. Put what is this to the Preisthood of England, (to let passe that of Rome) vnto which preaching is not necessarily an∣nexed, nor government so much as permitted? To swear Cano∣nicall obedience, subscribe, conform, read the service book, ce∣lebrate mariage, Church women, and bury the dead in form, & order, are essentiall & substantiall parts, or properties of the Mini∣stery there, in the present both practise, and constitution.

The vessels of gold, and silver, which were taken out of the temple in the captivity, and caried to Babylon, and there pro∣phaned, might notwithstanding (being sanctified from their prophanation there) be lawfully caried back to Ierusalem and set vp in the temple newly built, and imployed, as in former

times to Gods service: but had these vessels been broken in peices in Bab••lon, and there (being mingled with brasse, and iron, & such b••se mettall) been cast in another mould, they could not th••n have ob••••••ned th•••• former place in the temple, nor there have been 〈…〉〈…〉d for the holy ministration. Now such is the difference between the Baptism, and Ministery, both in the Romish, and English Church. To form••r, as a vessel of the Lords house, may with the Lords people be brought back from Babylon spirituall to the new Ierusalem and there may (being sanctified by repentance) serve, and be of 〈…〉〈…〉 to all the ends and purposes for which God hath ap∣pointed it. But for the Ministery, or Preisthood, ey∣ther in the one, or other, it is in it selfe no vessell of the Lordes house; it is neyther made of the mettall, which the Lord hath appointed, nor cast in his mould. It is essentially degenera∣ted from that office of Pastourship which Christ the Lord hath set in his house for the feeding of the flock by teaching, and govern∣ment, as hath been formerly shewed: and is in the true naturall, & canonicall institution of it a very devised patchery, & compound, like “ 1.6 the image, which the King of Babylon saw in his dream; save that little, or nothing of it is gold, or silver, but all brasse, iron, & clay, & the like base mettall, & stuffe: fitting right well both in the ad∣ministration of it vnto the people, and in the subordination vnto the people, and in the subordination vnto the Prelacy, for the exaltation of the man of sinne, which hath for that very purpose devised it, and placed it in the Church for his service: that by it, as by an vnderst••p he might climbe up, & ad∣vaunce himself into the throne of iniquity, where he sitts exalted* 1.7 above all, that is called God.

3. The Ministers of the Church now do succeed the * 1.8 Preists, and Levites vnder the law, as † 1.9 baptism also comes in the place of circumcision. Now wee read in the scr••p••ures, that such of the ten tribes, as were in Ieroboams idolatrous schism, and apostasie, (thereby as a branch from the root, cutting off themselves actu∣ally from the onely true Church of God, which was radically at* 1.10 Ierusalem, where the Lord had founded his temple, appoynted his sacrifices, and promised his praesence) that such of them, I sa••, as returned to the Lord by repentance, and ioyned themselves un∣to the true Church, were, by vertue of the circumcision received in that their apostasie, wherein they had no ••i••le to * 1.11 the seale of

the forgivenes of sinnes (which circumcision was) admitted into the tē∣ple,* 1.12 into which, no m••n vncircumcised might enter, and to the par∣ticipation of the Passeover, † 1.13 whereof none vncircumsed person might eat. But that any person, should by vertue of his office of Preist∣hood received in that, or the like apostasie, have entered into the Lord, sanctuary, there to have done the Preists office vpon any re∣pentance whatsoever, had been an intollerable vsurpation, & sa∣crilegious* 1.14 invasion of the holy things of God: yea the sonnes of Aaron themselves, vnto whom the Preisthood did of right ap∣perteyn, if they thus went astray from the Lord after idols, were for e∣ver debarred from doing the Preists office, notwithstanding any repentance they could make: and were to beare, all their lives long, their iniquity, and shame. Now by that which hath been spoken of circumcision, and the preisthood vnder the law, the reader may easily observe the difference betwixt Baptism, and the Ministery now. The particular application for brevities sake I forbear.

4. and lastly, the difference betwixt Baptism, and the Mini∣stery* 1.15 is exceeding great, in respect of that speciall, and most necessary relation, which the MINISTERY aboue Ba∣p••ism hath vnto the CHVRCH: whether we respect the enterance into it, or continuance in it. Wee do read in the scriptures, that holy men, called thereunto of GOD might lawfully administer BAPTISM vnto fit persons without the consent, or cognition of the Church; as † 1.16 PHILIP did the SAMARITANS, and the EUNUCH, A∣NANIAS SAUL, PETER CORNELIUS, PAUL LIDIA, and the IAYLOUR: but now for the ap∣pointing of Ministers without the Churches consent, and choise, that did they not, as the scriptures testify, & M. B. himself cōfesseth. And as the enterance of ordinary officers (of which we speak) doth necessarily praesuppose a Church, by whose election, they are to en∣ter, so doth their cōtinuance require a Church, in which, as in a sub∣ject, they must subsist, & to which they must minister. For since the † 1.17 o••••i•••• of a Bishop is a work, a man is no lōger a Bb. thē he worketh. It is not with the office of ministery, as it is with the order of knight∣hood, that once a Minister ever a Minister. The Popish Character is a mere fiction, brought in for the confirmation of the sacrament of

orders as they call it.

Whensoever the scriptures do mention “ 1.18 Elders, or Bishops ey∣ther in respect of theyr calling, or ministration, they still speak of them, as in or of such, and such particular Churches, and none other∣wise. And to imagine an Elder or Bishop without a Church, is to imagine a Constable without a parrish or hundred; a Maior or Al∣derman without a Corporation, or a publique officer without some publique person, or society, whose officer he is. Herevpon also* 1.19 it followeth, that if the Church be dissolved by death, apostacy or otherwise, the Minister ceaseth to be a Minister, bycause the Church ceaseth; in relation vnto which (vnder Christ) his Ministery consi∣steth: but on the contrary, a baptized person remayns still baptized though the whole Church, yea all the Churches of the world be dissolved, so long as God, & his Christ remayn the same, into whose name he hath been baptized.

And of the same consideration is it, that a Minister may (for some scandalous sin) be degraded, and deposed from his Ministery, as I have formerly shewed, & as all Churches practise: and so that, which vvas formerly given him, is taken from him, and he no more a Minister, then he was before his caling: yea if he remayn obstinate in his sin, he is to be excommunicated, & so ceasing to be a mem∣ber, he must needs cease to be a Minister of the Church. But ney∣ther do the scriptures mention, neyther did any Church ever at∣tempt the vn-baptizing of a baptized person. And as a man may justly be deposed from his Ministery, so may he in cases lawfully depose himself, and lay it down: as if by the hand of God, he be vtterly disabled from ministring, as it may come to passe, & oft tymes doth: but for a man to lay down his baptism for any such infirmity, were impious, as it were sacrilegious for the Church to deprive him thereof. To these considerations I might also adde, that if a man forfeyt his Ministery, and so be deprived of it, ey∣ther by deposition, or excommunication, and be afterwards vp∣on his repentance judged capable of it, he must have a new cal∣ling, or a confirmation at the least, answerable vnto a calling: so must it also be with him, that is translated from an inferiour of∣fice to a superiour; but in baptism there may be no such chan∣ging, or repetition. The practise were haereticall.

Adde vnto these things, that as a man once baptized is alwayes baptized, so is he in all places, and Churches where he comes (as a baptized person) to enjoy the cōmon benefits of his baptism, & to discharge the cōmon duties, which depend vpon it. But a Pa∣stour is not a Pastour in every Church, where he comes vpon oc∣casion, neither can he require in any other Church, saving that one, over which the H: Ghost hath set him, that obedience, mainte∣nance, and other respect, which is due to the officers from the people; neyther stands he charged with that Ministery, and ser∣vice, which is due to the people from the Officers: & if you Mr B. say otherwise, you make every Pastour a Pope, or vniversall Bishop. “ 1.20 Epaphras, though he were at Rome, was one of them (that is a Mi∣nister) of Collossus: so were * 1.21 the Elders of Ephesus, though they were at Miletum, the Elders of Ephesus onely, but of none other Church; and charged to feed the flock over which the holy Ghost had set them, but none other; for over none other had the holy Ghost set them. And as a Maior out of his Corporation, a Shiriffe out of his County, a Constable out of his Parish, or Hundred, is no Maior, Shiriffe, or Cō∣stable, (but in relation to that particular body of which he is) nei∣ther can he perform any proper act of his office without vsurpati∣on; so neyther is a Bishop, or Elder, a Church Officer, save in his owne particular Church, and charge, and in relation vnto it, ney∣ther can he without ambitious vsurpation perform any proper work of his Office, or Ministèry, save in that Church by, and to which, in his ministration, he is designed.

And thus much to shew the difference betwixt that relative or∣dinance of the Ministery, and that personall ordinance of Baptism in the Church; as also to prove, that we do lawfully, and with good warrant disclaym, and renounce the Ministery received in Rome, & England, notwithstanding we reteyn the Baptism received both in the one, and the other. To which also, I could adde (if there were need, or vse) both the judgement of the learned at home, & abroad, and the practise of the reformed Churches, where we live, for the continuing of the Baptism in Rome received, but no more of the Masse preists for Ministers, then of the Masse it self, for which they were ordeyned. But it is more then tyme I come to the mayn controversie about succession; which might be layd down summa∣rily

in these words: whether the reformed Churches were bound to submit (notwithstanding their separation from Rome) vnto such ministers onely, as were ordeyned by the Pope, and his Bishops: but for the better clearing of things I will enlarge my speach to these three distinct considerations.

First, whether the Ministery be before the Church, or no.

2. Whether the delegated power of Christ for the vse of the holy things of God be given primarily, and immediately to the Church, or to the Ministers?

3. Whether the Lord haue so linked the Ministery in the chayn of succession, that no Minister can be truely called, and ordeyned, or appointed without a praecedent Minister.

Touching the first of these Mr Ber: affirmeth as in his † 1.22 for∣mer book: that the Officers make the Church, and give denomi∣nation vnto it: so expresly in his * 1.23 2. book, that the Ministery is be∣fore the Church. And noting in the same place a two fold raysing vp of the Ministery: the first to beget a Church: the second, when the Church is gathered; he puts the Ministers in both before the Ch: in the for∣mer, absolutely, in the latter, in respect of their Office, and ordination by succession from the first: In which discourse he intermingleth sundry things, frivolous, vnsound, and contradictory.

Now for the first entery, I desire the reader to observe with me that the quaestion betwixt Mr Bernard and me is about ordi∣nary Ministers, or officers of the Church, such as were the first Ministers of the reformed Churches, and as Mr B: and I pretend our selves to be: and not about extraordinary Ministers, extra∣ordinarily, miraculously, or immediately, raysed vp as were A∣dam, and the Apostles by God, and Christ: whom he produ∣ceth for examples. Admit the one sort (being called immediate∣ly, and miraculously) may be before the Church: yet cannot the other, which must be called by men, and those eyther the Church, or members of the Church at the least.

Besides, the word Minister extends it self not onely vnto Offi∣cers ordinary, and extraordinary, but even to any outward means, whether person or thing, by which the revealed will of God is manifested, and made known vnto men for their instruction, and conversion. Yea it reacheth even to God himself: & so far Mr

B. stretcheth it, where he makes * 1.24 God the first preacher Gen. 2. 3. As though there were a controversy between him, and me, whither God, or the Church were first. I see not but by the same reason he might avouch, that the Ministers of the Church could not all dy, or be deceived, bycause God is free from these infirmityes. It is true which Mr B. sayth, that the word is before the Church, as the seed, which begetteth it, and so is that which brings it, yea whither it be person, or thing, which may also be called a Minister, and be sayd to be sent of God, as it is an instrument to convey, and means to minister the knowledg of the same word, & will of God vnto any. So if any pri∣vate man, or woman should be a means to publish, or make known the word of God to a company of Turkes, Iewes, or other Idola∣ters, he or she might truely be sayd to be their Minister, and the Lords Ambassadour vnto thē, as you speak. Yea if they came to this knowledg by reading the Bible, or other godly book, that book or bible, as it served to minister the knowledg of Gods wil in his word might truely in a generall sense be accoūted as a Minister vnto thē. But what were all this to a Church-officer, about whō our quaestiō is? These things Mr B. shuffles together, but the wise reader must distinguish them, & so doing, he shall easily discover his trisling.

Notes

• † 1.1

  pag. 311.
• * 1.2

  Mr B.
• * 1.3

  I.
• * 1.4

  Answ.
• “ 1.5

  Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 1. 2.
• “ 1.6

  Dan. 2. 30. 32. 33.
• * 1.7

  III.
• * 1.8

  Esa. 66. 21. Ier. 33. 18, 21.
• † 1.9

  Col 2. 11. 12.
• * 1.10

  2 Chro. 30. 11. 18. 2••.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 4. 11.
• * 1.12

  Ezech. 44. 7. Act. 21. 18.
• † 1.13

  Exod. 12. 48.
• * 1.14

  2 King. 23. 9. Ezech. 44. 10. 11. 12. 13.
• * 1.15

  IIII.
• † 1.16

  Act. 8. 12. 38. ch. 9 18. & 10. 47 48. & 16. 15. 33.
• † 1.17

  1 Tim. 3. 1
• “ 1.18

  Act. 14. 23. & 15. 2. 4. 22. & 20 17. 28. 1. Cor. 12. 28.
• * 1.19

  Phil. 1. 1. T••••. 1 5. 1. Pet. 5. 1. 2
• “ 1.20

  Col. 4. 12.
• * 1.21

  Act. 20. 17. 28.
• † 1.22

  pag. ••••.
• * 1.23

  pag. 18••.
• * 1.24

  First book pag. 144.