It is now about three weeks since, that there was sent to me, a book intituled, independency a great schisme; as the frontispiece farther promises, undertaken to be mannaged against something written by me, in a treatise about the true nature of schisme, published about a year ago; with an addition of a charge of inconstancy in opinion, upon myself: of the one, and the other, the ensuing discourse will give a farther and full account. Coming to my hands at such a season, wherein, as it is known, I was pressed with more than 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 administred by 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 Author's 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 severalls 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 has 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 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. The open and manifest injury done, not only to myself, 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 some few things concerning Gospel administrations, but also to all other churches and persons of the same judgment with myself, called for a speedy account of the true state of the things contended about.
You have therefore here, Christian Reader, the product (through the grace of him who supplies seed to the sower) of the spare hours of four or five days, in which space of time this ensuing discourse was begun and finished: expect not therefore any thing from it, but what is necessary for the refutation of the book, whereunto it is opposed; and as to that end and purpose, I leave it to your strictest judgment. Only I shall desire you to take notice, that having kept myself to a bare defence, I have resolvedly forborne all recharge on the Presbyterian way, either as to the whole of it, from where by way of distinction it is so called, or as to the differences in judgment and practise of them who professe that way, among themselves, which at this day, both in this and the neighbor nation, are more and greater, than any that our Author has as yet been able to find among them whom he does principally oppose. As the ensuing sheets were almost wrought off at the press, there came to my hand a Vindication of that eminent servant of God, Mr. John Cotton, from the unjust imputations and charge of the Reverend person with whom I have now to do, written by himself not long before his death; the opportunity of publishing that discourse, with the ensuing, being then lost, I thought meet to let the Reader know, that a short season will furnish him with it. Farewell, and love, truth, and peace.
Ch: Ch: Coll: OXON: July: 9. 1657.
