TO THE READER. CHRISTIAN READER, Ir is now about three weeks since, that there was sent unto me, a book entitled, Independency a Great Schism as the frontispiece farther promiseth, undertaken to be managed against something written by me, in a treatise about the true nature of schism, published about a year ago; with an addition of a charge of inconstancy in opinion, upon myself: of the one, and the other, the ensuing discourse will give a farther and full account. Coming unto my hands at such a season, wherein, as it is known, I was pressed with more than ordinary occasions of sundry sorts, I thought to have deferred the examination of it, until farther leisure might be obtained, supposing that some fair advantage would be administered by it, to a farther Christian debate of that discovery of truth, and tender of peace, which in my treatise I had made. Engaging into a cursory perusal of it, I found the reverend author's design and discourse, to be of that tendency and nature, as did not require, nor would admit of any such delay. His manifold mistakes in apprehending the intention of my treatise and of the severals of it; his open presumption of his own principles, as the source and spring of what pretends to be argumentative in his discourse, arbitrarily inferring from them, without the least attempt of proof, whatever tenders its assistance to cast reproach on them with whom he hath to do; his neglect in providing a defence for himself by any principles not easily turned upon him, against the same charge which he is pleased to manage against me; his avowed laying the foundation of his whole fabric, in the sand of notoriously false suppositions, quickly delivered me from the thoughts of any necessity to delay the consideration of what he tendered to make good the title of his discourse. The open and manifest injury done, not only to myself, in laying things to my charge which I know not, lading me with reproaches, tending to a rendering of me odious to all the ministers and churches in the world, not agreeing with me in some few things concerning gospel administrations, but also to all other churches and persons of the same judgment with myself, called for a speedy account of the true state of the things contended about. Thou hast therefore here, Christian reader, the product (through the grace of him who supplieth seed to the sower) of the spare hours of four or five days, in which space of time this ensuing discourse was begun and finished. Expect not therefore any thing from it, but what is necessary for the refutation of the book, whereunto it is opposed; and as to that end and purpose, I leave it to thy strictest judgment. Only I shall desire thee to take notice, that having kept myself to a bare defence, I have resolvedly forborne all recharge on the presbyterian way, either as to the whole of it, whence by way of distinction it is so called, or as to the differences in judgment and practice of them who profess that way, among themselves, which at this day, both in this and the neighbour nation, are more and greater, than any that our author hath as yet been able to find amongst them whom he doth principally oppose. As the ensuing sheets were almost wrought off at the press, there came to my hand a vindication of that eminent servant of God, Mr. John Cotton, from the unjust imputations and charge of the reverend person with whom I have now to do, written by himself not long before his death. The opportunity of publishing that discourse, with the ensuing, being then lost, I thought meet to let the reader know, that a short season will furnish him with it. Farewell, and love, truth, and peace. Christ Church College, Oxon. July 9, 1657. A VINDICATION OF THE TREATISE ABOUT THE TRUE NATURE OF SCHISM, &c. CHAP. I. THE present state of things in the Christian world, will on a slight consideration yield this account of controversies in religion; that when they are driven to such an issue, as by foreign coincidences to be rendered the interest of parties at variance, there is not any great success to be obtained by a management of them, though with never so much evidence and conviction of truth. An answering of the profession that is on us, by a good and lawful means, the paying of that homage and tribute we owe to the truth, the tendering of assistance to the safe-guarding of some weaker professors thereof, from the sophisms and violence of adversaries, is the most that in such a posture of things, the most sober writers of controversies can well aim at. The winning over of men to the truth we seek to maintain, where they have been pre-engaged in an opposition unto it, without the alteration of the outward state of things, whence their engagements have insensibly sprung and risen, is not ordinarily to be expected. How far I was from any such thoughts in the composing and publishing my treatise of the nature of schism, I declared in sundry passages in the treatise itself. Though the thing contended about, whatsoever is pretended to the contrary, will not be found amongst the most important heads of our religion, yet knowing how far, on sundry accounts, the stated fixed interest of several sorts of men engageth them to abide by the principles they own in reference thereunto, I was so far from hoping to see speedily any visible fruits of the efficacy of the truth I had managed, that I promised myself a vigorous opposition, until some urgent providence or time, altering the frame of men's spirits, should make way for its acceptance. Freely I left it in the hand of him, whose truth I have good security I had in weakness maintained, to dispose of it with its issues and events at his pleasure. I confess, knowing several parties to be concerned in an opposition to it, I was not well able to conjecture from what hand the first assault of it would arise. Probability cast it on them who looked on themselves in the nearest proximity of advantage by the common notion of schism opposed. The truth is, I did apprehend myself not justly chargeable with want of charity, if I thought that opposition would arise from some other principles, than mere zeal for a supposed truth, and therefore took my aim in conjecturing at the prejudices that men might fear themselves and interests obnoxious unto by a reception and establishment of that notion of schism, which I had asserted. Men's contentedness to make use of their quietness in reference to popery, Socinianism, Arminianism, daily vented amongst us, unless it were in some declamatory expressions against their toleration, which cost no more than they are worth, if shaken off by a speedy engagement against my treatise, confirmed such thoughts in me. After, therefore, it had passed in the world for some season, and had found acceptance with many learned and godly persons, reports began to be raised about a design for a refutation of it: that so it should be dealt withal I heard was judged necessary at sundry conventions; what particular hand it was likely the task would fall upon, judging myself not concerned to know, I did not inquire. When I was informed how the disposal of the business did succeed, as I was not at all surprised in reference to the party in general from which it did issue, so I did relieve myself under my fears, and loathing to be engaged in these contests, by these ensuing considerations. 1. That I was fully persuaded that what I had written was for the substance of it the truth of God, and being concerned in it only on truth's account, if it could be demonstrated that the sentence I had asserted, was an unlawful pretender thereunto, I should be delivered from paying any farther respect or service to that, whereunto none at all was due. 2. That in the treatise itself so threatened, I |