A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of self contradiction, charged on…A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of selfe contradiction, charged on…

When then I shall be convinced, that such discourses as those of this Treatise, made up of diversions into things wholly foreign to the inquiry by me insisted on, in the investigation of the true notion and nature of Schism, with long talks about Anabaptists, Brownists, Sectaries, Independents, Presbyterians, Ordination, with charges and reflections grounded on this presumption, that this Author and his party, (for we will no more contend about that expression) are in solidum possessed of all true and orderly Church state in England, so that whosoever are not of them, are Schismatics, and I know not what besides, he being —Gallinae filius albae nos viles pulley nati infelicibus ovis; I shall farther attend unto them. I must farther add that I was not so happy as to foresee that because I granted the Roman Party before the Reformation to have made outwardly a profession of the Religion of Christ, although I expressed them to be really a party combined ⟨p. 40⟩together, for all ends of wickedness, and in particular for the extirpation of the true Church of Christ in the world, having no state of union but what the Holy Ghost calls Babylon in opposition to Zion, our Reverend Author would conclude as he doth pag. 34. that I allowed them to be a true Church of Christ; but it is impossible for wiser men then I, to see far into the issue of such discourses; and therefore we must take in good part what doth fall out; and if the Reverend Author, instead of having his zeal warmed against me, would a little bestir his abilities, to make out to the understandings and consciences of uninterested men, that All ecclesiastical power being vested in the Pope and Councils, by the consent of that whole combination of men called the Church of Rome, and flowing from the Pope in its execution to all others; who in the derivation of it from him, owned him as the immediate fountain of it, which they sware to maintain in him, and this in opposition to all Church power in any ⟨p. 41⟩other persons whatsoever; it was possible that any power should be derived from that combination, but what came expressly from the fountain mentioned.

When then I shall be convinced, that such discourses as those of this Treatise, made up of diversions into things wholy forraigne to the inquiry by me insisted on, in the investigation of the true notion and nature of Schisme, with long talkes about Anabaptists, Brownists, Sectaries, Independents, Presbyterians, Ordination, with charges and reflections grounded on this presumption, that this Author and his party, (for we will no more contend about that expression) are in solidum possessed of all true and orderly Church state in England, so that whosoever are not of them, are Schismaticks, and I know not what besides, he being —Gallinae filius albae nos viles pulli nati infelicibus ovis; I shall farther attend unto them. I must farther adde that I was not so happy as to foresee that because I granted the Roman Party before the Reformation to have made outwardly a profession of the Religion of Christ, although I expressed them to be really a party combined