Short and Plain Animadversions, Title page – Dedication
Short and Plaine ANIMADVERSIONS On some Passages in Mr. Dels Sermon First Preached before the Honourable House of Commons on Novemb. 25. 1646.
But since Printed without their Order. Setting forth the many dangerous and destructive Assertions therin both to Church and State, the Covenant, and the Reformation so much desired.
TOGETHER, With an Answer to an unlicensed Pamphlet annext to the Sermon, Entituled, A Reply to Master Love's Contradictions.
By Christopher Love Minister of Anne Aldersgate, London.
The second Edition.
Gal. 2.11.
I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Christianus Magistratus animadvertit quidem in haereticos, verum sic moderatè ut sinc qui resipiscere possint, non patitur ut de fide doceant, nec permittit ut Ecclesias colligant, Episcopos ordinent, alios privat honoribus, alios adimit civitatis Communionem▪ alios proscribit, alios mulcta pecuntaria punit, quod Augustini temporibus factum esse legimus. Ipsos impostores ac seductores, ne illi postquam incorrigibiles apparent, ultra quenquam seducant carceribus iuclusos, tandiu coercet ac detinet donec in se reuersi resipiscant; sic coercendi suit qui cogi se ad bonum non sustinent.
Wolf. Musculus in Locis Com.
Imprimatur Ja. Cranford. Decemb. 17. 1646.
London, Printed by R. Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie at the three Golden Lions in Cornhill, neer the Royall Exchange; 1647.
To His Excellency Sir Thomas Fairfax, Generall of the Army raised by the Parliament, in defence of the true Protestant Religion, &c.
May it please your Excellency:
IT was ordered by a Divine hand, that I should Preach before you in Windsor Castle, at your very first marching forth with this successefull Army, at which time I treated (from Psal. 60.10) of Gods marching forth with Israels Army, the footsteps of whose presence hath been seen within your Campe: By the same hand it was likewise ordered, that I should preach in your presence, the very first Fast day after your returne to London as a Conqueror; at which time I had a faire occasion to presse, That such who had bin serviceable to the Church of God in its necessitous condition, ought from those they doe assist to have a requitall, in which I know none deserves a greater share then your Excellency. Great Generall, I have presumed to make my humble and particular addresse, in dedicating these few lines to your Excellency upon a double ground: 1. To take off a malicious mis-construction, which some made of what I delivered, laying my words on the rack of a tortured mis-interpretation, forcing them to speake what I never meant, as if in some passages of my Sermon, I had some reflections on your Excellent Selfe; whereas I can appeale to Heaven, I had rather my tongue should cleave to the roof of my mouth, then that a thought should be in my heart, or a word drop from between my lips, to darken that glory which God hath cast upon you. 'Tis true in handling this Doctrine, That such who are serviceable to the people of God in their necessitous condition, ought from those they do assist, to have a requitall, and to be sharers with them in their mercies, Lest there should bee an ill use made thereof, as if the requitall of men for their service should be so far extended, as that they must be indulged in their evils, I was forced, to prevent this mistake, to lay down this caution, viz. That the requitall of men for their good service, must not extend so far as to tolerate them in their evills. *Gainas being addicted to the Arian Heresie, petitioned Arcadius the Emperor, that he might have favor, within his Territories, to have a Church for the publike exercise of Arianisme, making this the ground of his request, That he had done him great service, and gotten great victories for the Romans; yet Arcadius the Emperour denyed his request (upon the advice of Chrysostome,) and although Gain…s had done serv…e in the Wars, yet would hee not give him a Toleration for the publike Exercise of the Arian Heresie in the Church; see Theod. Hist. lib. 5. c. 32.In exemplifying which caution, I gave this supposition, Suppose a Commander, (who hath been valiant and faithfull in your most successefull and serviceable Army) should run into damnable Heresies, to deny the Divinity of Christ, the Immortality of the soul, the authority of the Scriptures, though his valour and fidelity pleads for a requitall for his Service, yet not for a toleration in these opinions. Now they who wrest these words as if they reflected on your Excellency, doe you infinitely more wrong, then they doe to so meane an one as I am that spake those words; such who apply those words to your Excellency, what doe they bat lay you under cond…mnation, as if you denyed the Divinitie of Christ, the Immortality of the Soule, or Authority of the Scriptures, which thoughts are farre from your Noble breast; your moderation is knowne to all men, and the soundnesse of your judgement touching this matter; yea, which is your glory, that notwithstanding the cl…shing controversies of the times, you have still pursued your duty, and not cleaved unto Parties. There was another passage in the Sermon which some wrested, as if I aimed at your Excellency. In the close of the caution I made use of a Story out of Plutarchs Moralls, of one Manlius, who being to wage War with the Samnites, hee being to withdraw from the Army for a while, left his Sonne to command in chiefe, with this charge, that he should not give the Samnites battail, without speciall Order from him; his Sonne seeing a faire opportunity against the Enemie, gave them battaile, fought valiantly, and got the victory: returning to his Father a Conquerour, told him what he had done; his Father did commend him for his valour, yet told him hee should lose his head for his disobedience. I onelyonly intended the Story to this end, To shew that Heathens observed this rule, to gratifie men for their services, yet were so just they would punish them for their evils: Now they that apply this Story to your Excellency, what doe they lesse then charge you of disobedience to the State you serve? which malice it selfe cannot fasten upon you. There is one thing more I would cleere my selfe in your thoughts, viz. from an unjust aspersion that Master Dell casts upon me in his Epistle Dedicatory, as if I preacht against the Articles at Oxford; I had thought I did so cleerly expresse my self in that matter, that none would have been so shamelesse as to lay such a thing to my charge, when I desired the Honourable Worthies of Parliament to cast their eyes on the University of Oxford to reform it your Excellency very well knows, I did premise this clause, that in what I should say, I would no waies reflect on the Articles at Oxford, which being made, stands with the Honour and Iustice of the Parliament to have them kept; how unjustly then doth Master Dell censure me? This is the first ground of my humble addresse to your Excellency, that I might be rectus in curia, cleare in your noble thoughts. The second ground is this, To leave it to your Excellencies thoughts, whether so dangerously an opinionated a man as Master Dell is, is fit to be a Chaplain in your Army, who saith, That if the Assembly should condemne the Doctrines he preacht, they were the enemies of the truth of Christ, and the last prop of Antichrist in the Kingdom: Yea, he saith further that the worke of Reformation so much desired by the Orthodox and godly Presbyterian Ministers and people, Is the last and subtillest worke of Antichrist that is now in hand; Mr. Dells Epistle… fifth leafe. Mr. Dells Epistle to the Reader.and he that prevailes in this encounter, hath Antichrist under his feet for ever. Although what is desired is no more then is practised in all Reformed Churches, as most agreeable to the Word, and is in part confirmed by the Authority of Parliament; surely such Doctrines as these would not onelyonly blemish, but disturbe your Army; and though God hath cloathed them with strength to conquer Men, yet if such Doctrines should spread among them, Errours will conquer them in the end. Most Noble Generall, however some men (whose Tongues are their owne) are so lavish of their expressions, not caring what they lay to their charge who are for Presbyterian Government, as if against Parliament, the Gospel, the Army, and your Excellent Selfe, and what not? though all these things be most precious in their eyes: As for your Self, the people blesse God that you were borne, and brought forth for such a time as this; as God raised up a Moses first to begin our deliverances: Hee hath made you a Joshua to accomplish our hopes, and to bring us into the promised Land. I dare say, what Metellus thought the Romans should doe (viz. thanke the gods that so brave a Warriour as Scipio was borne in Rome,) that the people of England have done, blesse their God that hee hath taught your hands to fight, and your fingers to war, and layed the necks of your enemies under your feet; the Lord remember you according to the greatnesse of his mercy; and the memorable deeds that you have done for this Nation, which is the earnest prayer of
Your Excellencies most humbly devoted in all Service and Duty CHRISTOPHER LOVE.