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 ...

Abstract

Cawdrey first attacked Cotton in 1645, in a work entitled, "Vindiciae clavium." Cotton answered in "The way of the Congregationall churches cleared," 1648. Cawdrey then published "The inconsistencie of the independent way," 1651. Cotton's "Defence" is a reply to the charges against him in the last named work. The controversy between Cawdrey and Owen is as follows: Owen's work "Of schism" appeared in 1657, and was answered by Cawdrey in "Independencie, a great schism." Owen rejoined in "A review of the true nature of schism," whereupon Cawdrey published "Independency further proved to be a schism," 1658. This was the "late treatise" to which the preface "Of schisme" of the present work is a reply. Reproduction of original in Bodleian Library.