IT 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 my self: 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 then 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 ⟨image 3⟩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 Authors 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. ⟨image 3⟩The open and manifest injury done, not only to my self, 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 my self, called for a speedy account of the true state of the things contended about.
IT is now about three weekes since, that there was sent unto me, a book intituled, independency a great schisme; as the frontispeece farther promiseth, undertaken to be mannaged against something written by me, in a treatise about the true nature of schisme, published about a yeare agoe; with an addition of a charge of inconstancy in opinion, upon my selfe: of the one, and the other, the ensueing discourse will give a farther and full account. Coming unto my hands at such a season, wherein, as it is knowne, I was pressed with more then ordinary occasions of sundry sorts, I thought to have deferred the examination of it, untill farther leasure might be obtained, supposing that some faire advantage would be administred by ⟨image 3⟩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 perusall of it, I found the Reverend Authors designe, 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 severalls of it His open presumption of his owne principles, as the sourse and spring of what pretends to be argumentative in his discourse, arbitrarily inferring from them, without the least attempt of proofe, whatever tenders its assistance to cast reproach on them with whom he hath to do, his neglect in providing a defence for himselfe by any principles not easily turned upon him, against the same charge which he is pleased to mannage against me: His avowed laying the foundation of his whole fabrick, in the sand of notoriously false suppositions, quickly delivered me from the thoughts of any necessity to delay the consideration of what he tendred to make good the Title of his discourse. ⟨image 3⟩The open and manifest injury done, not only to my selfe, in laying things to my charge which I know not, lading me with reproaches, tending to a rendring of me odious to all the ministers and Churches in the world, not agreeing with me in somefew things concerning Gospell administrations, but also to all other Churches and persons of the same judgment with my selfe, called for a speedy account of the true state of the things contended about.
