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

10. Refuse not to obey authority in any thing wherein there is not t••* 1.1 thee manifestly known a sinn to be cōmitted agaynst God: let fantasyes passe: be more loath to offend a lawfull Magistrate, then many private persons. Where thou canst not yeeld, there humbly crave pardon; where thou canst not be tolerated, be content with correction for safety of conscience.

Authority indeed is to be obeyed in all things; if they be good,* 1.2 actively, and by doing them, if evill and vnlawfull, passively and by suffering with meeknes for righteousnes sake: if pardon cannot be obteyned, as is well advised. But where counsell is given to ob••y in any thing whrein a manifest known sinne is not cōmitted agaynst God, this morsell must not be swallowed downe till it be well chewed.

For a man may commit a sinne agaynst God, in doing a thing wherein there is no sinne. The sinne may be in the person doing, & not in the thing done: as when a man doth a good thing against his conscience or doubtingly, and without fayth. 1 Iohn. 3. 20. Rom. 14. 23.

And where Mr. Bern. further adviseth rather to offend many private persons then one lawful Magistrate, I doubt not he gives no worse counsayle then he himself followes, who (except I be much deceaved in him) had rather offend half the private persons in the diocesse, then one Arch-bishop though he be an vnlawfull Magistrate.

But of the case of offence hereafter. In the meane whyle, let vs remember our care be not to offend the Lord, and if with the offence of a private person (though never so base) be joyned the offence of the Lord, better offend all the both lawfull and vnlaw∣full Magistrates in the world, then such a little one. Mat. 18. 6.

Lastly where Mr. Ber. concludes this decade of counsayl with that which is written Rom. 14. 17. 18. he misinterprets the Apostles words if he put them down (as it seems he doth) for a reason of that which goes before. For the Apostles in that place hath no reference at all to the authority of the Magistrate, whose kingdome indeed doth stand in meate and drinke and the like bodily things, wherin he may command civilly, & is to be obey∣ed in the Lord: but the Apostles purpose is to admonish the strong in fayth to take heed of abusing theyr Christiā liberty in the vnsea∣sōable vse of meats & drinks & the like (to the offence of the weak brethren)

as though the kingdom of God stood in the perēptory vse of those things, & that they were therein to shew the libertie of the gospel.

Furthermore howsoever the kingdome of God be not meat & drink, yet is the kingdom of God much advanced or hindred both in a mans self and in others, in the seasonable or vnseasonable vse of them. A man in vsing them (or rather abusing them) with offence to a weak brother, may destroy both him, and himself al∣so in breaking the law of charity. Rom. 14. 15. 20.

It remaynes now we come to the second rank of counsayls, as they are devided by the authour, for what cause I know not, ney∣ther wil I curiously enquire. but wil take them as I find them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr B.
• * 1.2

  Ans.