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

Thus have I been constreyned by the bold boasting, and fa∣cing, which this man vseth, of, and with the iudgement of all reformed

Church••••, to set downe the judgements of some few amongst ma∣ny both at home▪ and abroad for his conviction; though I desire the touchstone of the holy scriptures alone may try all differences betwixt him and me. I now return to Mr Bernard where I left him: & so come to two reasons he annexeth pag. 98. 99. to prove the officers to be called the Church: the former is, because it is, an* 1.1 vsuall speach to put the name of the whole vpon the part, and this to be taken for the whole. The 2. bycause a company is no where called a Church in the new testament, but where they have officers.

The latter of these I have formerly confuted as the reader may* 1.2 see pag. 126. 127. &c. Onely I adde one thing vpon occasion of these words a Church in the new testament, that as there is but † 1.3 one body, or Church, and we vnder the new testament that “ 1.4 one, or the same body or Church with the Iewes in the old, so (if the Ministery made the Church, how much more if it were the Church) could it not be, that the Iewes and we should be one Church, for I shall never be brought to beleeve, nor, I think will any man affirm it, that the Ministery of an Apostle, or Elder now, is the same in na∣ture with the Ministery of a sacrificing Levite vnder the law. Wee are by faith * 1.5 sonnes and daughters of Abraham, and partaker of the covenant, and promises, and † 1.6 by fayth grafted in their holy root, and in this stands our onenes with them, but neyther in the Ministery, nor in the government, nor in any other ordinance which are but manners of dispensing that covenant, and those divers & change∣able, where the covenant is nothing lesse.

And for the former of your reasons, (howsoever the place you bring Act. 15. 3. proves no such matter) yet is the thing true you say, namely that a part of the Church is sometimes called by the name of the whole; but what part? not the officers, but the brethren, the saynts, as being the matter (an essentiall cause) of the Church: the Elders not so, as being but for the assistance, and well being of it. And so the Church gives both being, and denomination to the El∣ders, but not the Elders to the Church: which is never called the Church of the Elders, as they are called “ 1.7 the Elders of the Church, and so are of it, and not it of them.

That which you adde of inconveniences, and discommodities fol∣lowing

vpon your doctrine not to be regarded is frivolous, except by them you mean, absurdities, and inconsequences, ••a al••g•• in theologia, as they call them, and then they are to be regarded, as never necessarily following vpon any truth: for the truth brings forth no errour by true consequence.

The sixth Reason, of the superiour order, followeth, (for Mr B. hath his reasons, and his vnder reasons) which is,

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr B.
• * 1.2

  Answ.
• † 1.3

  Eph. 4. 4.
• “ 1.4

  Chap. 3. 6.
• * 1.5

  Luk. 19. 9.
• † 1.6

  Rom. 11. 16. 20.
• “ 1.7

  Act. 20. 17.