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

One thing more you adde, which is, that Ministers may be the* 1.1 Church, as they are Christians, and that they are Ministers in respect of an office bestowed upon them in their state of Christianity: wherein you* 1.2 speak (and that truely) sufficient to overthrow not onely your particular errour in this place, but well nigh your whole writing. For therevpon it followeth, First that the Church is before the Mi∣nistery, bycause men are a Church as they are Christians, & Chri∣stians, before they be Ministers. 2. That Ministers make not the Church but become such by an office bestowed vpon them in their state of Christianity, that is, in their Church state. Thirdly, that the Christian brethren though not in office are part of the Church, Math. 18. since even the officers themselves are acknowledged the Church, or of the Church, as they are Christians.

I come now vnto the 2. consideration, and do affirm against Mr Ber. that the delegated, and communicated power of Christ is given primarily, and immediately to the Church, and not to the officers.

This point I haue formerly handled at large, vnder two gene∣rall heads opened in the former part of my † 1.3 book, vnto which I do entreat the reader to look back, yet will I for further satis∣faction* 1.4 breifly annex a few things.

First, bycause * 1.5 vnto the Iewes were of credit committed the Oracles of God, vnto whom also did the covenants apperteyn, and all the priviledges

of them, as to the common wealth of Israel.* 1.6

2. Bycause the Ministers themselves are given to the Church, & the Churches immediately, as the Church is Christs, & Christ Gods.* 1.7 And if this holy thing the Ministery be the Churches immediately, then other things also as well as it, in respect of right, and posses∣sion, though she vse the service of the Ministers ordinarily for the dispensation, & exequution of them. It is not denyed, but that the officers in such works, as they perform vnto the Ch••in the name of the Lord, as ofdoctrine, exhortatiō, admonitiō, & the like, stand in a more imediate relatiō vnto the Lord, then the Church doth: but it must also be remembred, that this no more advanceth the order of their Office above the order of the body, then it doth one private bother, performing the same work orderly in the exercise of pro∣phesying, or otherwise.

3. The Officers are to dispense, and exequute the holy things* 1.8 of God, as the * 1.9 servants, & Ministers of Christ, & his Church: and whatsoever they do in their office, they do it, as the servants, and ministers both of Christ and of the Church. Now common sense teacheth men, that, what power, or authority soever the servants, or Ministers of others haue, or vse in their places, that authority and power, they haue first, whose servants and ministers they are: and that therefore the holy things of God are primarily, and immediately the Churches vnder Christ, and in the last place the Officers, as the servants of Christ, and his Church, for execu∣tion, in the order, which Christ hath left.

The last, & greatest quaestion now comes into handling▪ name∣ly whether Ministers may be made by such as are no Ministers. For this phrase of making Ministers Mr B. affects much, belike with referēce speciall to the Ministers of England, and Rome, who are fitly sayd to be made by the Bishops, & to be the workmanship of their hāds.

Mr Ber. vehemently v••geth the negative part, namely, that no Minister may be made but by a minister: & tying, as he doth the Ch: to the Ministery, & the Ministery to successiō, ther is cause he should. For if the chayr of succession should break, both the Ch: & Mini∣stery of England must fall to the ground.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr B.
• * 1.2

  Answ.
• † 1.3

  pag. 125. 126. &c.
• * 1.4

  I.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 3. 2. & 9. 4. E. phe. 2. 12.
• * 1.6

  1 Cor. 3. 22 23.
• * 1.7

  II.
• * 1.8

  III.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 15. 31. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2 Cor. 4. 5. Col. 1. 24. 25.