A34675:96
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.
nor is it ingenious, for any one, that hath looked into Antiquity, to charge me with departing from their sense in the notion of schism, declared about the 3d & 4th Ages, & at the same time to maintain an equality between Bishops and Presbyters; or to say that Bishops ordained as Presbyters, not as Bishops: nor do I understand the excellency of that order which we see in some Churches, where they have two sorts of Elders; the one made so, by ordination without Election, and the other by Election without ordination; those who are ordained, casting off all power and Authority of them that ordained them; and those who are elected, immediately ⟨p. 95⟩rejecting the greatest part of those that chose them.
nor is it ingenious, for any one, that hath looked into Antiquity, to charge me with departing from their sense in the notion of schisme, declared about the 3d & 4th Ages, & at the same time to maintaine an equality between Bishops and Presbyters; or to say that Bishops ordained as Presbyters, not as Bishops: nor doe I understand the excellency of that order which we see in some Churches, where they have two sorts of Elders; the one made so, by ordination without Election, and the other by Election without ordination; those who are ordained, casting off all power and Authority of them that ordained them; and those who are elected, immediately ⟨p. 95⟩rejecting the greatest part of those that chose them.
Nor did I, as is pretend, plead for their Presbyterian way in the year 46; all the ministers (almost) in the county of Essex, know the contrary; one especially, who being a man of great ability, and moderation of spirit, and for his knowledge in those things, not behind any man, I know, in England of his way, with whom in that year, and the next following, I had sundry conferences at public meetings of ministers, as to the several ways of Reformation, then under proposal. But the frivolousness of these imputations, hath been spoken of before, as also the falseness of the Calumny, which our Author is pleased to repeat again, about my turning from ways in Religion.