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

Lastly, as that saying of the Ministers must have a very favoura∣ble* 1.1 interpretatiō, vi••, that the Church hath power to iudge of a man in∣fallibly,* 1.2 that he is in the estate of salvation, so is their other affirmation, that the discerning of the spirits, and doctrine of such teachers, as arise in the Church, is such a gift, as the true Ch: never wanted, as popish an errour,* 1.3 as ever was broched in Rome. For how then can the Church erre? or how can it be deceived by false teachers? or how could Rome come to that estate of apostasie wherein she now standeth? Or may

not a Papist plead thus with these men? Rome was a true Church of God. Now the true Church never wants the gift of discerning spirits & doctrines, therefore Rome neyther hath wanted, nor doth, nor ever shall want this gift: and so by consequence cannot be faln from the truth, as is praetended against her.

To conclude, it is not truely sayd of these men, that this judg∣ing of one Church by another is a matter of salvation. The Ch:* 1.4 of Ierusalem was ignorant of the calling of the Churches of the Gentiles, as the scriptures testify. And I would know what the Church of England judgeth of the Lutheran Churches, as they are called. It accounteth of them, as of true Churches. So do not they of their Churches, whom they call Calvinists, but on the cō∣trary repute them as haereticall. Wherevpon it followeth, that eyther a true Church may erre in judging of an other Church, or els that eyther the Church of England, or the Lutheran Churches, or both, are not true Churches. Howsoever therefore we do not make light account of the testimony, and iudgement of other Churches, as these Ministers accuse vs, yet dare wee not make idols of them as they seem to do: who wanting both the word of God, and pra∣ctise of other Churches for their warrant, seek commendation by the testimony which some haue given of thē in respect of certeyn generall heads of doctrine, in which wee our selves also do for the most part concur with them.

Thus much of the Ministers Arguments. Now follow their an∣swers to two mayn obiections made by vs against the whole body of their Church, and their Parish assemblies.

The first is, that it was not gathered by such means, as God in his word hath ordeyned, and sanctifyed for the gathering of his Church. The 2. that they communicate together in a false and idolatrous outward worship of God, which is polluted with the writings of men, vidz, with read stinted prayers, homilyes, catechismes, and such like.

These objections have been els where prosequuted, and the exceptions taken by the Ministers agaynst them, particularly an∣swered by Mr Ainsworth, and therein their both corrupt, & weak dealing manifested. I will briefly adde a few things.

Against the former objection they take five exceptions.

Notes

• * 1.1

  VIII.
• * 1.2

  Minist.
• * 1.3

  Answ.
• * 1.4

  Act. 10. 14 15. 34. 35. with 11. 2. 3. 4. 5.