A90287:15
A review of the true nature of schism, with a vindication of the Congregational…A review of the true nature of schisme, with a vindication of the Congregationall…
A review of the true nature of schism, with a vindication of the Congregational churches in England, from the imputation thereof unjustly charged on them by Mr D. Cawdrey, preacher of the Word at Billing in Northampton-shire. / By John Owen D.D.A review of the true nature of schisme, with a vindication of the Congregationall churches in England, from the imputation thereof unjustly charged on them by Mr D. Cawdrey, preacher of the Word at Billing in Northampton-shire. / By John Owen D.D.
Oxford: printed by Henry Hall printer to the University for Thomas Robinson, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
The winning over of men to the truth we seek to maintain, where they have been preingaged 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 its self. 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 ⟨p. 3⟩the efficacy of the truth I had managed, that I promised my self a vigorous opposition, until some urgent providence, or time, altering the frame of mens 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 my self 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 ⟨p. 4⟩I had asserted. Mens 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 the refutation of it;