A34675:5
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…
A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of self contradiction, charged on him by Mr. Dan. Cawdrey written by himself not long before his death ; whereunto is prefixed, an answer to a late treatise of the said Mr. Cawdrey about the nature of schism, by John Owen ...A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of selfe contradiction, charged on him by Mr. Dan. Cavvdrey written by himselfe not long before his death ; whereunto is prefixed, an answer to a late treatise of the said Mr. Cavvdrey about the nature of schisme, by John Owen ...
Oxford: printed by H. Hall for T. Robinson, 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CHRISTIAN READER,
I have not much to say unto thee, concerning the ensuing Treatise; it will speak for it self with all impartial men; much less shall I insist on the commendation of it's Author, who also being dead [Greek or Hebrew]; and will be so I am persuaded, whilst Christ hath a Church upon the Earth; The Treatise it self was written sundry years ago, immediately upon the publishing of Mr Cawdryes Accusation against him; I shall not need to give an account whence it hath been, that it saw the light no sooner; it may suffice, that in mine own behalf and of others, I do acknowledge that in the doing of sundry things seeming of more importance, this ⟨p. 4⟩ought not to have been omitted; The judgment of the Author approving of this vindication of himself as necessary, considering the place he held in the Church of God, should have been a rule unto us, for the performance of that duty, which is owing to his worth and piety, in doing and suffering for the Truth of God. It is now about 7 months ago, since it came into my hands; and since I engaged my self into the publication of it, my not immediate proceeding therein, being sharply rebuked by a fresh charge upon my self from that hand, under which this worthy Person so far suffered, as to be necessitated to the ensuing defensative, I have here discharged that engagement. The Author of the charge against him, in his Epistle to that against me, tell's his Reader, that it is thought that it was intended by another (and now promised by my self) to be published to cast a Slur upon him; so are our intentions judged, so our ways, by thoughts and reports; Why a Vindication of Mr Cotton should ⟨p. 5⟩