Loves Case, Animadversions

Loves Case · Animadversions

p. 31THE PREFACE Briefly declaring the occaſion of the ANIMADVERSIONS.

THe Roman Orator commendeth it as the property of a good Orator, not onelyonly to ſpeak things pertinent and proper to his Cauſe for the promoting it, but alſo to take heed of ſpeaking any thing that may prove prejudicial to it. The great cauſe which Mr. Love both in his life and at his death (at leaſt as himſelf inſinuates over and over in his Diſcourſe enſuing) deſired above all things to plead and promote, was the cauſe of Jeſus Chriſt, and the ſalvation of the Souls of men. Now though I can eaſily believe that he ſpake and taught many things in the time of his life, and ſome things at the time of his death, which were and are of very good conſequence towards the advancement of this Cauſe; yet I clearly finde him, partly by what I read in the words uttered by him upon the Scaffold immediately before his death, partly by what I have ſeen printed and publiſhed formerly, either in his Name, or with his approbation and conſent, partly alſo by what I have heard from ſome of his Sermons; that he was very defective in the property of a good Orator mentioned, and that he was apt to ſpeak, not onelyonly things very impertinent and eccentrical to his Cauſe, but even ſuch things alſo (ſometimes) which were of a manifeſt inconſiſtency with the Intereſt of it. I ſhall (at preſent) onelyonly give notice of ſuch Paſſages or Touches, which came from him in his Speech or Prayer on the Scaffold, which are of a very prejudicial import to that moſt honorable Cauſe of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Salvation of men, to the promotion and maintenance whereof he profeſſeth himſelf to have been ſo entirely devoted: that ſo what he acted or ſpake as a skilful Workman, and was truly and really advantagious to his Cauſe, may have a clear, entire and perfect operation in order hereunto, and not be incumbred, foiled or impeded in their working by things of a contrary tendency and ſpirit mixed with it. In this reſpect I truſt his Friends will finde no cauſe (I am ſure will finde no juſt cauſe) of offence in that ſeparation of the vile from the p. 32precious, which is intended in theſe Animadverſions; eſpecially conſidering, that if Mr. Love himſelf were alive, with that Chriſtian ingenuity whereunto he pretends once and again in this Diſcourſe, he could not but accept it as a Service of love and faithfulneſs, for any man to ſtrengthen thoſe things which are worthy and good in him, by diſabling and weakning that which is otherwiſe: However, it is not meet nor of any good conſiſtence with thoſe ſacred Reſpects which are due from every man unto mankinde, to tempt the living unto folly, by giving honor unto the dead. Better it is that Mr. Love's reputation ſhould be a little clouded, then that it ſhould glare in the weak eyes of men to make them blinde: As for men of clear intellectuals and compoſed judgements, Mr. Loves Speech might without the leaſt danger of tempting them, have been preſented naked; there being nothing in it but what is tranſparent enough to ſuch men: OnelyOnly perſons of effeminate and enſlaved apprehenſions may poſſibly conceit, that they ſee viſions of worth and excellence, where there is nothing but darkneſs and deceit, and ſo may receive dangerous impreſſions from what they think they ſee, if their eyes be not anointed with ſome eye-ſalve of ſuch an interpretation, which ſhall bring forth that which is within the veyl, into the outer and open Court of the Temple.

ANIMADVERSION upon Sect. I.

IN this firſt Section, we have a firſt-fruits of Mr. Love's Confidence in his death, together with a taſte of that pleaſant Fancy, on which (it ſeems) he fed with much contentment whileſt he yet lived; viz. how honorable that Death which he was now to ſuffer would be unto him, as wherein he ſhould parallel thoſe great Worthies of heaven, Iohn the Baptiſt, Paul, and the Saints beheaded in the Revelation. Far be it from me to envy either Mr. Love's or any other man's confidence in their death. The great Deſire and grand Deſign of my Soul is, to conſult (with the utmoſt of my endeavors) the Confidence of men, yea of all men without exception, in, and at their death. But though I envy no mans confidence in death, yet I confeſs I pity the confidence of many at ſuch a time; yea I pity many ſurviving, fearing leſt the confidence of ſome dying, ſhould prove a ſnare of death unto them. Mr. Love's confidence upon the Scaffold my ſoul pitieth, having ſo many and ſuch pregnant grounds of Reaſon in mine eyes to judge it, if not hollow and heartleſs, yet bottomleſs and groundleſs; Yet I confeſs I pity thoſe more, who through ignorance of their grounds, live under much danger of being enſnared and hardned in evil, by occaſion of the ſaid confidence: For when evil doers (eſpecially the firſt-born of this generation, Traitors) ſhall without repentance, and this ſome ways profeſſed, die full of confidence in God, whether real or pretended, it is a ſore temptation upon men, not to be ſo tender or fearful of ſuch p. 33practices, as the hatred and high diſpleaſure of God againſt them, admoniſheth them to be. Therefore, for the ſakes of ſuch perſons who are in danger of being made confident in evil by Mr. Love's confidence at his death, I ſhall brief…y account unto them the grounds of my great jealouſie and fear, that this confidence was (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) in the face onelyonly, and not in the heart; or if in the heart, yet without any ſubſtantial or ſufficient ground for the raiſing of it.

1. The holy Ghoſt himſelf muſtereth Traitors, Heady, High-minded, perſons without natural affection, amongſt ſuch men who have [i. e. ſometimes have, or may have] the Form of Godlineſs, and yet deny the power thereof. Now though Mr. Love and his Abettors in their equivocal Dialect, wherein like Canters, they uſe common and familiar words in uncouth and unknown ſignifications, will not (it's like) call men of his [Mr. Love's] practices and ways, either Traitors, Heady, High-minded, without natural affection, &c. yet in the ordinary and beſt known ſignification of theſe terms, and in the ſenſe wherein the holy Ghoſt uſeth them (unleſs they will quarrel our Engliſh Tranſlation) he was both Traitor, Heady, &c. and ſo look'd upon and adjudged, by perſons who are not wont to pervert or wreſt words into by-ſignifications to make the innocent guilty. I do not ſpeak now of the Parliament, Councel of State, or High Court of Juſtice onelyonly, but of all ſorts of perſons in the Land, who have not either their hand or their heart in Mr. Love's counſels and practices. I mention thoſe whom the Apoſtle terms foreign, without natural affection, in reference to Mr. Love, becauſe it was the obſervation of ſome who were preſent at his Execution from firſt to laſt, that though he prayed for his fellow-Traitor and the Scots, not onelyonly the profeſs'd, but highly expreſt Enemies of his Countrey and Nation, yet he made not the leaſt mention either of his wife or children, either in his Prayer or Diſcourſe. Now if Mr. Love at his death was no better then a perſon having the Form of Godlineſs, but denying the power thereof, there was no good ground for that his confident rejoycing therein.

2. The Lord Chriſt ſaith expreſly, That if we forgive not men their treſpaſſes, neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us our treſpaſſes. Now though Mr. Love pretends fairneſs and clearneſs of ſpirit in this kinde again and again, and that he brought no rancor or revengefulneſs of heart to the Scaffold; yet that he was inwardly full of this rottenneſs, his moſt venemous, virulent, falſe and bitter Inſinuations againſt the Parliament and State, uttered upon the Scaffold, teſtifie to the face of his greateſt Advocates: See eſpecially upon this account Sect. 12 where you will finde him ſo unchriſtianly, and with ſuch inſufferable rancor and malice inveighing againſt the State, that one of the preſent Magiſtrates, acknowledged by Mr. Love himſelf (and not without p. 34cauſe) a good Friend of his, openly profeſſed that he was not able to endure it. Now if Mr. Love died upon ſuch terms, that his Heavenly Father could not, according to his expreſly declared will, forgive him his treſpaſſes, certainly he could have no ſufficient ground for that confidence which he expreſſed at his death.

3. We read in Scripture of many confidences and rejoycings in men, and theſe Profeſſors, without ſufficiency of ground to juſtifie or bear them out. Paul ſpeaks of ſome who gloried foreign, in the face, or in appearance, not in the heart. And our Savior himſelf ſpeaketh of many, who (as he ſaith) will ſay unto him [i. e. think at preſent that they may with confidence ſay unto him] in that [great] day, Lord, Lord, have we not propheſied in thy Name? and in thy Name caſt out devils? and in thy Name done many wonderful works? To whom notwithſtanding he will reply and profeſs, that he never knew them: Depart from me ye that work iniquity, Mat. 7. 22, 23.

4. Mr. Love did not, could not at his death out-confidence the ordinary ſort of Papiſts, Prieſts and Jeſuits amongſt us, that have from time to time drunk of the ſame cup with him (as well as John Baptiſt or Paul) and upon the ſame account, in which particular John Baptiſt and Paul ſeparate from him (as we ſhall ſee preſently) and leave him in the company of thoſe other.

5. It is no very hard matter for a man ſtrongly acted and aſſiſted by a ſpirit of popularity (a ſpirit with which Mr. Love hath been obſerved by many to have been one ſpirit or fleſh rather, for many years paſt) to harden himſelf againſt the fear of Death; to ſuppreſs, ſmother and keep under thoſe workings of Nature and Conſcience, which ordinarily diſcover themſelves upon the approaches of Death, in ſuch perſons who have no deſign to drive by the ſmothering or ſuppreſſing of them; nor any collateral help or aid from any ſuch ſpirit, to enable them to the ſubduing and vanquiſhing of them.

6. Mr. Love (it is more then probable) was not onelyonly vehemently exhorted, encouraged, importuned, but even ſolemnly by all the ſacred Intereſts of high Presbytery, conjured by his Clergy-companions, to die like a valiant and reſolute Champion of the Cauſe, and not to bewray the leaſt grudging of any fear or repentance, for any thing he had acted upon the ſervice thereof; leſt it ſhould be ſaid of Presbytery, Her glory was ſtained and betrayed by the cowardice of her firſt-born.

Seventhly (and laſtly) when I conſider theſe paſſages in Mr. Love's Prayer, [Sect. 30.] O bleſſed Jeſus, apply thy blood, not onelyonly for my Juſtification unto life, but alſo for the comfort, for the quieting of my Soul, that ſo I might be in the joys of Heaven, before, &c. And farther, Hear the Prayers of all thy people that have been made for thy ſervant; and though thou haſt denied Prayer as to the particular Requeſt concerning my life, yet let herein the fruit of prayer be p. 35ſeen, that thou wilt bear up my heart againſt the fear of death; When (I ſay) I ſeriouſly conſider the expreſs import of theſe paſſages, they raiſe this apprehenſion in me, (and queſtionleſs upon the ſame terms they will raiſe the ſame in any other man) that Mr. Love's confidence was not at leaſt as yet (I mean in the entrance and beginning of his Speech) aſcended ſo high in his heart and ſoul, as his tongue reported it unto the people. When Saul was dead, David prayed no more for deliverance from him. And if Chriſt (as Mr. Love himſelf confeſſeth) denied Prayer concerning his life, why might he not deny it as concerning the quieting of his ſoul, and the bearing up of his heart againſt the fear of Death? And if this be granted, evident it is that M^r Love did but foreign, theatrically act the part of a Confident man upon the Scaffold.

Several other things there are, which much dis-ſatisfie me touching the legitimacy and well-groundedneſs of M^r Love's rejoycing and confidence at his death, which I ſhall not at preſent (for brevities ſake) mention: How matters ſtood between God and his Soul at his giving up of the Ghoſt, is a ſecret too hard for my ſoul to enter into. I had rather hope (as M^r Aſh ſaid unto him) that he made a Chriſtian end: nor do I deſire to leave any touch or tincture of a contrary impreſſion in any man; My whole intent in what hath been ſaid hitherto, is to put that confidence to rebuke which he brought with him to the Scaffold, not to prove that he died in unbelief.

Concerning that vain-glorious and light Conceit, That his Death ſhould turn to ſuch an high Account of Honor unto him, becauſe John Baptiſt and Paul glorified God by the ſame death, and becauſe he read of Saints to be beheaded, &c. I ſhall ſpeak little to it, ſuppoſing that it weighs no more then the duſt of the Ballance in the Judgement of any conſidering man. M^r Love well knew, that it is not poena, but cauſa, quae facit Martyrem, not the puniſhment (much leſs the kinde of puniſhment) that makes a Martyr; Which makes me a little to marvel with what face he could ſay (as afterwards we ſhall hear him ſaying) That whatſoever men may judge, yet he died a Martyr. Iohn Baptiſt was beheaded, not ſimply for his Conſcience, or for the diſcharge of his Conſcience, but for the diſcharge of his Conſcience, being honeſt and good, and rightly informed: Whereas M^r Love ſuffered a beheading, if for the diſcharge of his Conſcience (which I think to conſidering men muſt needs be very queſtionable) yet was it for the diſcharge of an erroneous conſcience (as his Petitioners themſelves pleaded by way of extenuation of his Crime) yea, indeed of a conſcience ſo deſperate erroneous and corrupt, that the like conſcience hath ſcarce been heard of, no not among the Heathen themſelves (much leſs among Chriſtians) viz. That a man ſtands bound, in ſtead of being ſubject to the Powers that are (which is the expreſs Commandment of God) to deſtroy or practice the deſtruction of theſe Powers: So that M^r Love's conſcience for p. 36which (as he ſaith) he ſuffered, being truly interpreted, was ſuch a conſcience by which he judged himſelf bound to act in a Diametral oppoſition to the plain and expreſs revealed Will of God; And whether ſuch a conſcience as this be a Chriſtian foundation of Martyrdom, let M^r Love's greateſt Friends judge. Concerning Paul and the Saints ſpoken of in the Revelation, they were beheaded for the Word of God, and for the teſtimony of Ieſus; Whereas M^r Love (as himſelf acknowledged in his Narrative written with his own hand, and delivered unto the Parliament) was to ſuffer beheading (in caſe he ſhould not obtain pardon from them) for his ſundry and great Offences; confeſſing withal, that by what he had done, he was an object of their juſt displeaſure: and again, that by their juſtice they might in one day leave a Flock without a Shepherd a Wife without an Husband, Children without a Father, &c. Doubtleſs neither Paul nor the Saints mentioned by M. Love, were objects of the juſt diſpleaſure of thoſe who beheaded them; nor were they beheaded for their ſundry and great Offences, nor yet by the juſtice of thoſe who puniſhed them with death. Therefore M. Love being partaker with Iudas in his ſin, the cauſe of his death, can reap no honor for having Iohn or Paul, or the Saints his companions in the kinde of his death: And indeed, might he not as well (yea and much better, all this duly conſidered) have propheſied of ſhame and diſhonor likely to acrue unto him by ſuch a kinde of death, which had been frequently inflicted upon Papiſts, Prieſts and Ieſuits for treaſonable practices againſt the State and Supream Rulers thereof, as indulge himſelf with a conceit, That his death muſt needs become a Crown of Honor unto him, becauſe Iohn Baptiſt and the great Apoſtle Paul died the ſame kinde of death, though (as the world knoweth) upon far different occaſions?

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 2.

In this Section Mr. Love buſieth himſelf in waſhing a Blackamoor, hoping by that time he hath done, to make him as white as Snow: That he ſuffereth for the Word, and Conſcience, and not for medling in State-matters; he proves, 1. Becauſe it is an old guiſe of the Devil, to impute the cauſe of Gods Peoples Sufferings, to be Contrivements againſt the State. 2. Becauſe the Rulers of Iſrael would have put Jeremy to death upon a Civil account, whereas the true ground was the truth of his Propheſie, and that this made them angry with him. 3. Becauſe Paul, though he did but preach Chriſt, yet the people would have him dye, under a pretence that he a was mover of Sedition. 4. (And laſtly) becauſe himſelf ſaith, That his Life is pretended to be taken away upon a Civil account, whereas it is indeed, becauſe he purſueth his Covenant, will not proſtitute his Principles, &c. Light and darkneſs have (in a maner) as much communion between them, as the three firſt of theſe Arguments with his Cauſe; For, is any guiſe of the Devil whatſoever, a Demonſtration or proof p. 37of Mr. Loves Innocency, or that he muſt needs ſuffer for the Word and Conſcience, and not for Statizing out of his Sphaer? Who is able to finde out the Quadrature of this Circle? Or muſt Mr. Love needs be innocent of the Crimes charged upon him, and proved againſt him; becauſe Ieremy and Paul were innocent from thoſe Imputations, which without any proof at all were charged upon them? Or muſt thoſe Magiſtrates, who, being perſons of known godlineſs and worth (at leaſt a great part of them) yea, and Mr. Loves real and cordial Friends (moſt of them) upon Tryal found Mr. Love guilty, and paſſed Sentence upon him accordingly; muſt theſe (I ſay) of neceſſity be Corrupt, Malicious, Enemies to the Truth and Word of God, becauſe the Rulers of Iſrael, with whom Ieremy had to do, and the people with whom Paul had to do, were of no better Principles or Temper? Certainly, neither Satan, nor Ieremy, nor Paul, nor their Adverſaries, are any Legal or Rational Compurgators for Mr. Love in his Cauſe now in Agitation: Indeed if he, or any Advocate for him, could as ſubſtantially prove, as he confidently aſſerts, that which follows in the fourth place, viz. That his life was pretended (I ſuppoſe he would rather have ſaid, intended, though neither would be very proper) to be taken away becauſe he purſues his Covenant, and will not proſtitute his Conſcience to the ambition and luſts of men, this would amount ſomewhat near to a Proof of his Concluſion: But alas! for him to affirm ſuch things as theſe, not onelyonly without any ſufficient, yea, or tolerable proof, or colour of proof, but even againſt his own Conceſſions and Confeſſions (in his Narrative ſpecified under the former Section, wherein he pretends over and over to Ingenuity) proves nothing elſe, but that either he wanteth ingenuity, or the knowledge of his own heart, or both; when he ſpake (§. 4.) thus, God is my record, whom I ſerve in the Spirit, I speak the truth, I lye not, I do not bring a revengeful heart to the Scaffold this day, &c. I marvel what the man means by a revengeful Heart, Rancor, bitterneſs of Spirit, Animoſity, &c. Surely he is a Barbarian unto me, and ſpeaks a Language which I underſtand not: To charge Ingenuous and Conſcientious men with taking away his life becauſe he purſues his Covenant, will not proſtitute his Principles and Conſcience to the ambition and luſts of men (with much more of like ſtrain, of which afterwards) is in my underſtanding, as pregnant as expreſs a Symptome of a revengeful Heart, Rancor, &c. as a perſon in his condition is lightly capable of. Can (ſaith Bildad in Iob) the Ruſh grow without mire? Or is it poſſible that ſuch virulency and viperouſneſs of words as thoſe, ſhould proceed from any other Principle, but from an heightned ſpirit of Rancor, Bitterneſs and Revenge? But what Article in Mr. Loves Covenant was it, for his purſuit whereof his Life was taken from him? Is there, was there any ſuch Article in this Covenant, by which he ſtood in conſcience bound to trinket with the declared and profeſſed p. 38Enemies of the State and Nation, to attempt the undermining or diſturbing of the preſent Government here, by Correſpondencies and Communication of Councels with Forreign States? Or was it for any thing elſe, but ſuch accurſed Practices as theſe, and that proved againſt him by many witneſſes, yea, and confeſſed in his Narrative by himſelf, that his Life was taken from him? When I compare thoſe Paſſages in his Narrative (which he would it ſeems have looked upon as a Maſterpiece of Ingenuity) wherein he owns the Iuſtice of the Parliament, confeſſeth himſelf an Object of their juſt displeaſure, craves pardon for his ſundry and great Offences, &c. with the words lately mentioned, and many others of like ſtrain in the ſequel of this Speech, wherein he juſtifieth himſelf in the higheſt, makes himſelf a Saint in what he had done; a Martyr, in what he ſhould ſuffer, chargeth his Judges and the State with perſecuting him for the Word of God; his Conſcience, for not proſtituting his Principles and Conſcience to their Ambition and Luſts (with ſeveral other expreſſions of a like Helliſh import) I cannot but ſtand amazed at the ſearedneſs and debauchery of the Conſcience of the man, or how it ſhould ever enter into his heart to think of being honorable in his death, who thus notoriouſly and deſperately prevaricated with his own former ingenious Confeſſions at the time of his death: Either let one or other of his Friends or Advocates name what Principle it was, one or more; for the non-proſtitution whereof to the ambition and luſts of men, he was adjudged to death, and make it good, that it was for ſuch a non-proſtitution that he was thus adjudged; or elſe the world ſhall have ground in abundance to believe That Mr. Love acted the part of a moſt Unchriſtian Calumniator upon the Scaffold in the very approaches of death.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 3.

Here we have the ſecond part of the Theatrical flaſhy flouriſhes of Mr. Loves confidence: But ſtrange it is, that ſuch virulent and deſperate calumnies as he had breathed out from his ſoul in the words immediately preceding, ſhould be ſeconded with ſuch confidential raptures and gloryings as theſe. Is the exerciſing of revenge upon his enemies, the riſe and bottom of Mr. Loves confidence in God? Doubtleſs Mr. Love here ſacrificed to an unknown God: But the copyhold of his confidence hath been touched already; whereas he aſſumeth unto himſelf the honor of having been an Inſtrument in the Church-Pulpit of bringing others to Heaven, it is well if he ſtretcheth not himſelf beyond his line. Whether he hath brought any to Heaven, or no, I know not, poſſibly it may ſo be: But certain I am, that of later times he hath brought many to ſome Helliſh practiſes. The ſeveral happy changes which here he promiſeth unto himſelf, I could with more liberty of Faith have believed might be performed unto him, had he not ſo lately made that unhappy p. 39change of an humble Penitentiary and Confeſſor of his ſin, into an haughty and ſtubborn juſtifier of himſelf, and calumniator of other men. How his Speech upon the Scaffold ſhould bring glory to God in any other ſence, then that wherein (in the Apoſtles phraſe) The lie of men aboundeth to his glory, I underſtand not. I hear that one who was preſent at it, openly ſaid, That there was more Divinity in Canterburies death then his (or words to ſuch an effect;) and that another having heard the ſaid Speech, brake out in theſe or the like words: Lord have mercy upon us, what ſhall we ſay, or do, when men will (or dare) tell lies at their death.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 4.

In this Section we have a moſt worthy and Chriſtian Profeſſion, as far as the intereſt of words can lightly contribute towards it. O that there had been an heart in the Profeſſor to have given a real account of Truth in this his verbal Profeſſion. But alaſs! The ſame Fountain, though not out of the ſame hole, which ſends forth theſe ſweet Waters here, ſends forth moſt bitter Waters elſewhere, as we have taſted in part, and may taſte further afterwards. Doth Mr. Love think that either God or men, will judge ſuch a man to be free from all rancor, all bitterneſs of ſpirit, a revengeful heart, that he hath forgiven from his heart his worſt enemies, &c. Who loveth all words that may do them miſchief, who cuts them with his Tongue as with a ſharp Razor, who ſpits out of his mouth the poyſon of Aſpes in their very Faces, and at the time of his going out of the world, is more intent and bent in his ſpirit (as far as a reaſonable eſtimate can be made) to leave them an inheritance of Hatred, Ignominy, Trouble, and of all maner of miſchiefs, and evil intreaties from the world, then upon any other deſign whatſoever? whereas he ſeems deſirous to diſparage his Enemies (as he calls them) in compariſon of himſelf in this, That though they denied mercy unto him, yet he had begged mercy for them; and though they would not forgive him, yet he had forgiven them; the truth is, That even this alſo is no better then a ſlander: For upon what ground could he judg, That they had not as well begged mercy for him, as he for them? Or did they therefore deny him mercy, or not forgive him, becauſe they executed the Laws of God, with the execution whereof they were entruſted? I believe they forgave him in ſuch a ſence as he forgave them; and if ſo, they forgave him much more then he them. I preſume Mr. Love forgave them onelyonly ſuch debts as they had contracted by injuring him, not what they had contracted by ſinning againſt God: If ſo, then all that Mr. Love forgave them, amounts to nothing at all; and this by his own confeſſion (a little before) who acknowledged the Juſtice of their proceedings againſt him: Therefore if they forgave him (as I preſume in charity they did) the debt which he had contracted by injuring them, their forgiveneſs of him was much more Chriſtian p. 40and worthy then his of them. But the forgiveneſs of the debt which he had contracted by ſinning againſt the Laws of God, the juſt Laws of the Land (ſo acknowledged by himſelf) the peace of the Nation, the lives of other men, by the non-execution of Juſtice, he had no reaſon to expect at their hands, conſidering that they are the Miniſters of God to take vengeance on them that do evil, Rom. 13. 4.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 5.

If Mr. Love may be his own Judge, nothing capital was ſufficiently proved againſt him: Allow him his own ſence of the words, capital and ſufficiently, and poſſibly he may be innocent. But the High Court of Juſtice, though a great part (I think I might ſay, the greateſt) of the Members of it, were very real friends to him, and their hearts much ſet to have holpen him out of the bryars, as far as Juſtice and a good Conſcience would give way, were not of Mr. Loves minde touching his Innocency; yea Mr. Love in his Narrative was not of the ſame minde (in this point) with himſelf here; How he came by ſo much Innocency between the time of his exhibiting the ſaid Narrative to the Parliament, and the time of his coming to the Scaffold, his beſt Advocate (I ſuſpect) would be aſhamed to declare. Innocency is not contracted by obſtinacy, or by the greateſt confidence in denial of the Truth. Mr. Love when he ingenuouſly (as himſelf profeſſed) acknowledged the Juſtice of the Parliament in their proceedings againſt him, did plainly enough confeſs that the Proof againſt him, was not empty, but as high and full as the Charge it ſelf. Thoſe Expreſſions, That no witneſs proved that ever he writ a Letter or directed any man to write a Letter into Scotland, &c. plainly prove him to have been more cautelous then chaſte: and that he walked all along with his fellows in their unhallowed practices, under the protection of that Motto, Si non caſtè, tamen cautè. He that deſires to know more particularly how Mr. Love with the reſt of his fellow Trinketers, divided their thoughts and endeavors between doing of miſchief on the one hand, and the keeping themſelves out of danger, what miſchief ſoever they ſhould do on the other hand, may receive ſatisfaction onelyonly by a peruſal of the ſix and ſeven pages of a ſmall Diſcourſe lately publiſhed under the title of, A ſhort Plea for the Commonwealth; whereas he affirmeth, That all that was ſworn againſt him, was, That he was preſent when Letters were read, and that he made a motion to give Money to Maſſey, is a moſt ſhameleſs and horrid untruth, as appears by the Depoſitions of ſeveral Witneſſes againſt him. Captain Potter depoſed, That he carried the Letters ſent from Bampfield, from Argile, Loudon, Lothian, Belcarris, and another from a nameleſs perſon (ſuppoſed to be Mr. Baily) to Mr. Love to take advice upon them. This Letter had the letter L endorſed upon it, whereupon this Captain Potter conceived it to have been intended to Mr. Love, and therefore p. 41carried it to him. This witneſs further depoſed, That Mr. Love himſelf and Mr. Jaquel read thoſe Letters that were opened, and opened the others alſo and read them likewiſe, and diſcourſed of them, and upon advice reſolved to do nothing in it (the buſineſs negotiated in theſe Letters.) This is more then that All, which Mr. Love affirmeth was ſworn againſt him. The ſame witneſs yet further depoſed, That Mr. Love and Dr. Drake were appointed to draw up a Letter to be ſent into Scotland to Col. Bampfield, and that this Letter was left at his ſhop, and that he apprehended that it came from Mr. Love. This is yet more then Mr. Loves All. Major Robert Huntington (another witneſs) depoſed, That a Queſtion being moved about a Commiſſion to be ſent into Holland to the Lord Willoughby of Parham, Col. Graves, Maſſey, and others; what power they had to give or ſend ſuch a Commiſſion, Mr. Drake anſwered, We have the Kings Command for it, and the Authority of ſome ſecluded Parliament men, which I look upon as the Power beyond that now ſitting: Whereupon Mr. Love replied, Come, come, let it go. This is not ſimply more, but much more (in import and weightineſs of crime) then what Mr. Love affirmeth was ſworn againſt him. Inſtance might be given in ſundry particulars beſides theſe depoſed upon Oath againſt him by other the Witneſſes, whereby Mr. Love may be evicted not to have been ſo conſciencious or tender of ſpeaking nothing but Truth, as becomes a Miniſter of the Goſpel, eſpecially at ſuch a time, when he is called immediately to give up an account of his Stewardſhip to his great Lord and Maſter, with whom there is no place for any man that loveth and maketh a lye, Revel. 22. 15.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 6.

We heard (§. 1.) that M. Love pleaſed himſelf much with his Conformity to John Baptiſt in the kinde of his death (though he was conformable to Iudas in the occaſion and cauſe of his death) here to make his face to ſhine like the Sun in the eyes of weak and dim-ſighted men; he conforms himſelf to Chriſt himſelf in his Accuſers; although herein alſo he much forgets himſelf in calling thoſe Chriſts Accuſers, whom the Evangeliſts call Witneſſes. What he affirmeth that he may without vanity or falſhood ſay of his, whether witneſſes or accuſers, as far as my Informations, which I judge competent in the caſe, do extend, he cannot affirm without both. I never heard of any diſagreement between them in the leaſt about any thing relating to M. Love, much leſs of any of them contradicting himſelf; Nor do I know any ſufficient ground to believe that one of them ſhould in writing pray him to forgive him the wrong he had done him, or that he told him any ſuch ſtory as he relates; conſidering firſt that (§. 8.) he tells an untruth of the ſame kinde, as viz. that on the night before his Execution, there was an inſulting Letter written unto him to tell him, that after he was dead, there ſhould be ſomething publiſhed againſt p. 42him to his ſhame: The Letter he ſpeaks of, not having the leaſt touch or ſavor of any inſultation, nor threatning any thing to be publiſhed to his ſhame after his death, but was grave and ſober, full of love and reſpects to him, as an unpartial peruſal of it will inform any man, (it being ſince printed by the Author upon occaſion of ſuch an unchriſtian aſperſion caſt upon it by M. Love. Secondly, that none of his Accuſers (as he terms them) or Witneſſes, did teſtifie any thing againſt him, but what (as far as I underſtand) they ſtand by and own to this hour; no nor any thing (to my beſt remembrance) that makes more againſt him then his own Narrative and Confeſſions here. Thirdly, Becauſe what he immediately ſubjoyns (towards the cloſe of this Section) I have reaſon in abundance to believe is abſolutely falſe; as viz. That ſome of his Witneſſes were terrified, others hired, ſome fined before they would teſtifie againſt him: For though a Fine was pronounced to be impoſed on one of them, which after upon his conformity was omitted, yet it was not before he would, i.e. was willing to teſtifie againſt him: For this he freely offered in Court to do before his Fining: Nor was he fined for refuſing to teſtifie againſt M. Love, being ready enough (as was ſaid) to do this without fining, but for refuſing to take an Oath according to the Law juſtly provided in ſuch caſes. But for him to affirm that any of his Witneſſes were either terrified, or hired, in order to the drawing of any Teſtimony from them againſt him, was to wrong his Conſcience at ſuch a time, when it moſt nearly concerned him to have been moſt tender of it. He hath Friends and Favorers ſurviving in great numbers, many of them men of learning and parts, and that know how to inform themſelves, of any thing that is like to make for his Vindication; One or more of theſe ſhall do the office of a friend to his Name and Memory, by engaging themſelves to make due proof of what he here affirmeth, viz. That ſome of his Witneſſes were terrified, others, &c. that ſo the blot and ſhame of a miſcarrying tongue may not teſt upon him. Fourthly, Becauſe by reaſon of his ſwallowing even Camels of untruth ſo frequently and familiarly as he doth in this Diſcourſe, I have ground to be jealous (at leaſt) leſt as the conſcience of the Ieſuit is moulded into this principle, that it is lawful to ſay or do things otherwiſe unlawful, in ordine ad bonum ſpirituale; ſo Mr. Love's conſcience ſtood free and large in him, to ſpeak and do almoſt any thing in ordine ad bonum Presbyteriale. Fifthly (and laſtly) Becauſe M. Love was rooted to the center of the Earth, and built up to the midſt of Heaven in ſuch a Principle in Divinity, which gives fair quarter to the fouleſt practices that are, in the Saints eſpecially, when they certainly know they ſhall die preſently, viz. that no perpetration of ſin and wickedneſs whatſoever, can ſeparate thoſe from the love of God in Chriſt, who have at any time believed in him.

p. 43ANIMAD. upon Sect. 7.

I never met with ſo many ſenceleſs and unſavory Contradictions within ſo ſmall a compaſs, as in this Speech: How can Mr. Love ſay that he will not judge his Judges, nor yet juſtifie them, when as in the words immediately following, he muſt of neceſſity either do the one or the other: For, if he ſuppoſeth the Oath, for the ſake whereof his Judges (as he ſaith) cut off his head, to have been juſtifiable or lawful, and they by the tenor and band of this Oath ſtood bound to do what they did in cutting off his Head, then he clearly juſtifieth them; if he ſuppoſeth either the ſaid Oath to have been unlawful, or their Fact in cutting off his Head to have been beſides, or contrary to this Oath, and that they had no Ingagement upon them otherwiſe to do it, then he judgeth them. But the truth is, we can upon no better or more favorable account eaſe Mr. Love in the greateſt part of things uttered by him in this Speech, then by conceiving that the words ſpoken by him, bear a far differing ſence and ſignification in his underſtanding, from that which they bear in ours: For, what is it to judge in our ſence of the Word, then to charge with Injuſtice, Unrighteouſneſs, acting contrary to the Word or Laws of God? And whither Mr. Love doth not again and again, and ſeven times over (in this diſcourſe) thus charge his Judges, I refer to his Friends themſelves to judge and determine: Therefore in the ordinary acception of the word, Judge, when Mr. Love ſaith, he will not judge his Judges, he ſpeaks beſides the Truth: And though here he refuſeth to juſtifie them, yet when the Spirit of Ingenuity was upon him (as himſelf once and again profeſſeth it was, in the Compoſure of his Narrative) he did fairly and fully juſtifie them, as we have already heard, and is further manifeſt in the Narrative it ſelf Printed herewith. By the way; of how ſad and bleeding a conſideration is it, that a man whoſe heart ſerved him to be ingenuous in his life, ſhould quench ſo Chriſtian a Spirit, and ſuffer himſelf to be hardened at the time of his death. Beſides, did he not fully juſtifie his Judges in his laſt Petition to the Parliament, in theſe words: He humbly acknowledgeth that he hath ſo highly violated the Laws of the Commonwealth, as that thereby he hath rendred himſelf guilty of the Sentence of death juſtly paſſed on him by the High Court of Juſtice? The words immediately preceding theſe, are of a like import.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 8.

I ſhall ſay little upon this Section, having already given notice how untruly and unchriſtianly he calls the Letter here ſpecified, an inſulting Letter. Yet to ſay, that it was written to him for ſuch an end as here he chargeth it with, viz. To tell him that after he was dead ſomething ſhould be publiſhed againſt him, &c. as if this had been either the onelyonly or the principal drift of the Letter, is much more diſ-ingenuous. I preſume there is no man that ſhall pleaſe p. 44to read this Letter (being ſince printed) but will acknowledge the drift and ſcope of it to have been honorable and Chriſtian, and not unworthy the beſt and deareſt Friend M. Love had.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 9, 10, 11, 12.

M. Love here inſtanceth five Aſperſions laid upon him in point of practice. As for thoſe of Extortion and Adultery, I never ſo much as heard M. Love, and either of them, named together. I will not ſay that M. Love prudentially ſubjecteth himſelf to ſuch aſperſions, from which he knows he can ſufficiently purge himſelf. But he that lyeth under a ſuſpition of ſeveral Crimes, and is able fully to aſſert his innocency in reſpect of any one or more of them, gains an advantage hereby to make the purgation of himſelf from the reſt the more creditable. Concerning Murther; neither did I ever hear this formally, or in the letter of it, laid to his charge; But that in his Communications with the King of Scots, and other perſons of his adherency, declared Enemies to the State and Government of this Commonwealth, he was eminently and tranſcendently a murtherer, hath been ſufficiently proved againſt him upon oath, by many witneſſes; yea his own Confeſſions in his Narrative and Petitions do not fall much ſhort of ſuch a proof. Therefore whereas (§. 11.) he traduceth thoſe who charge him with the guilt of that blood, which hath been ſpilt in the preſent Wars between the two Nations; that they do by him as Nero did by the Chriſtians, &c. (a notion ſuggeſted by the ſame ſpirit of Revenge unto his fellow Gibbons alſo) he deals by them as Potiphar's wife did by her ſervant Joſeph, who being incontinent her ſelf, accuſed him of incontinency to his Lord, becauſe he refuſed to gratifie her luſt. M. Love, Mr. Gibbon, and the reſt of their Aſſociation being deſirous that this State, and thoſe in preſent power amongſt us, ſhould condeſcend to their impolitique Principles and Humors, in admitting the Scotiſh King to a monarchical Throne over this Nation, and herein to own a Scotiſb Superintendency over them and the Nation; and they refuſing to comport with them in ſuch their luſts and deſires, and attempting by the beſt, and (indeed) the onelyonly means they had to withſtand the ſaid King in his claim to the Engliſh Throne, together with the Scotiſh Nation (his imperious and proud Abettors in this his Claim) upon this Account, and this onelyonly, Mr. Love and M. Gibbon charge the Blood that hath been ſpilt in the preſent Wars between the Nations, upon the State and preſent Powers amongſt us. Let the world, if there be a part of it yet unbewitched and capable of judging, give Sentence, in caſe there be blood ſpilt between a company of Thieves, and a like party of harmleſs Travellers by the way, upon occaſion of an Aſſault made by the former upon the latter, whether the ſpilling of this blood be to be charged upon the latter or the former. Nor let any Advocate either for M. Love or M. Gibbon, think to juſtifie them in their imputation of the ſaid blood ſpilt, p. 45upon the State or men in preſent power, by pretending that they ſent an Army into Scotland, and made war upon the ſaid King and Scotiſh Nation, before they attempted any thing againſt this: For evident it was, and is, circumſtances purporting hoſtility in that Nation againſt this, ſtanding as then they did, that the warlike Preparations and Levies at this time on foot and haſtened in that Nation, ſorely threatned and endangered this; So that the war ſince breaking out between the two Nations, was not occaſioned (or properly begun) by the Engliſh Army ſent into Scotland, but by thoſe Levies and formidable Preparations for War, which the Scotiſh King and Nation were advancing with an high hand, before the ſaid Engliſh Army came amongſt them: Nor is there the leaſt colour or pretext of Reaſon to think, that in caſe the ſaid Army had not entred the Scotiſh Territories, the War hereby might have been prevented; becauſe the Scotiſh Nation was now big with this bloody birth, ready to cry out and to be delivered, when the ſaid Army entred. All that can reaſonably be imputed to the entrance of the Engliſh Army into Scottiſh quarters before their entrance into Engliſh, is & was, That Scotland by this means became the Seat of the War, which otherwiſe England muſt have been. It is the opinion and judgement of Civilians (generally) That men may lawfully make War when they fear, leſt themſelves ſhould be warred upon. We ought not (ſaith Albericus Gentilis a learned Civilian in Oxford in Queen Elizabeth's days, we ought not) to expect preſent Force: it is more ſafe if we meet with that which is future; with much more to this purpoſe tranſcribed by M. Prynne in his third Part of the Soveraign Power of Parliaments and Kingdoms, cap. 14. where a judicious Reader may receive plenary ſatisfaction, not ſimply concerning the Lawfulneſs, but alſo the Neceſſity of the Parliaments ſending an Army into Scotland, under ſuch circumſtances as then ruled. So that it was unworthineſs of ſpleen and revenge both in M. Love and M. Gibbons (though they be both great pretenders to meekneſs and clearneſs of ſpirit towards their Adverſaries) not goodneſs of Conſcience that prompted them upon the Scaffold with this imputation againſt thoſe whom they call their Adverſaries, viz. That they are the men upon whoſe heads the blood ſpilt between the two Nations reſteth. And as the high Prieſt with the chief Prieſts took it very hainouſly at the hand of the Apoſtles, that they ſhould charge them with the crucifying of Chriſt; (Ye have filled Jeruſalem, ſay they, with your Doctrine, and intend to bring this mans blood upon us:) So do M. Love and his fellows ſwell with indignation againſt thoſe, who entitle them to the late blood-ſhed between the Nations, though their title in this kinde be as unqueſtionable, as that of the Prieſts to the crucifying of Chriſt. It cannot upon any tolerable account of Reaſon be ſaid, That had not the Engliſh Army entred Scotland, no blood between the Nations had been ſpilt: but it may upon a very lively and pregnant account p. 46be ſaid, That had not M. Love, M. Gibbons, with the reſt of the Conſpiracy tampered the King of Scots into an Agreement with that Nation by ſolemn promiſſory engagement of themſelves and their Party in England, to ſtand by him upon that condition, and by ſignifying unto him and his Party their diſaffections to the preſent Government, this blood had not been ſhed. And this I have credibly heard to be the acknowledged ſoul-perſwaſion of one of the greateſt and ableſt parts amongſt the Conſpirators. The Concluſion here is, That both M. Love and M. Gibbon waſh their hands from blood with very foul water, and which defiles them yet more, when they burthen their Adverſaries (ſo called by them) with that guilt which ſticks ſo faſt and cloſe unto themſelves, and is the fruit, not of the Ambition and Luſts of their Adverſaries, but of their own.

Whereas in purging himſelf from the Aſperſion of Lying, he ſaith thus, I hope you will believe a dying man, who dare not look God in the face with a lie in his mouth, intimating, as if his being ready to die, was a bridle in his lips to reſtrain him from lying; the truth is, according to that principle of his (formerly mentioned) that he, who ever once truly believed, can never by any ſin or wickedneſs whatſoever loſe the love and favor of God; his being ready to die in conjunction with a perſwaſion of his Saintſhip, ſhould rather be a temptation upon him to lie or commit any other wickedneſs, then an engagement upon him to refrain lying: For in caſe he were in hope of living ſtill in the world, and ſhould practice lying or any other ſin, he had cauſe to fear, that though God would not caſt him out of his ſaving Love for ſuch practices, yet he might, and would ſeverely puniſh him otherwiſe. But when a perſon of ſuch a principle certainly knows that he ſhall preſently die, he hath no ground to fear any puniſhment at all from God, for whatſoever he ſhall now either ſay or do, becauſe death (according to the ſaid principle) delivers him for ever out of his hand. Nor am I free from all Jealouſie, but that the Principle I ſpeak of had ſome malignant inf…uence upon M. Love's ſpirit, in many of thoſe unworthy ſtrains and miſdemeanors which proceeded from him at his death. Whereas he pleads to that particular indictment of lying, inſiſted upon by himſelf, That what he denied before the High Court of Juſtice, he neither afterwards confeſſed himſelf, nor was it proved by others againſt him; very poſſibly, in his equivocal ſence of the words, denying, proving and confeſſing, that which he pleads may be true: But M. Love, had he been ingenuous when he was before a Court of Judicature, where the common and known Dialect of the Law uſeth to be ſpoken, and where critical and captious Formalities of ſpeech are not expected, he ſhould have denied onelyonly ſuch things, which according to a Law-ſenſe of the words uſed by him, he could truly have denied. Upon theſe terms he could neither have denied that he ever wrote Letter to the King, Queen, Church p. 47or State of Scotland; nor yet that he never received any Letter, &c. Becauſe in the Law-ſignification of the words, writing Letters, they are as well ſaid to write Letters, who are either adviſing or conſenting to, or directing in the writing of them, as they who write them with a Pen: And I preſume, That if any man aſperſed Mr. Love with the Crime of Lying, in this particular, by lying, they meant equivocating, and ſo uſed the milder term of the two in their Charge. But whereas he preſently ſaith, That he came [meaning to die upon the Scaffold] onelyonly for moving for money for Maſſey, and for being preſent when Letters were read, &c. How notorious an untruth this is, hath been already ſhewed; where we found Matters of a far higher Nature proved againſt him then theſe: But I cannot but tremble to meet with thoſe words from his mouth, That for the things I am condemned, neither doth God, nor my own Conſcience condemn me; When I compare them with words coming from himſelf, both in his Narrative and Petition a few days before; In his Narrative (as was formerly obſerved) he acknowledged once and again the Juſtice of the Parliament, in their Proceedings againſt him: In his Third Petition, he profeſſeth himſelf unfeignedly ſorrowful for his violating the Laws of this Commonwealth: In his Fourth and laſt, he hath theſe words, The conſideration whereof [ſpeaking of the Grace of the Parliament in his Reprieval] melteth the heart of your Petitioner, and maketh him, after a more narrow ſearch into his heart and ways, more deeply ſenſible then ever of his ſin againſt God, and more ſorrowful for his High Crimes and Offences againſt the Parliament in his late and great miſcarriages, &c. Doth not God condemn ſin committed againſt him, as well in Mr. Love, as in other men? Or was Mr. Love Antinomianized at his death, holding that God ſeeth no ſin in believers? Or however, was Mr. Loves Conſcience ſo deſperately now hardned, as not to condemn him for high Crimes, and great Miſcarriages? If his meaning were, That God had pardoned the ſins for which he was brought to the Scaffold, and in this reſpect did not condemn him for them; or that his Conſcience, notwithſtanding theſe ſins, did not condemn him for an Hypocrite, nulli fidian, or the like, the words were nothing but a meer deluſion of the people.

When he comes to waſh off the aſperſion of his being a man of a turbulent ſpirit, (§ 12.) How notoriouſly (and indeed ſenſleſly) doth he prevaricate with his Cauſe in hand, doing like a man that ſhould with an importune confidence aſſert his Chaſtity; and yet immediately commit the crime of Adultery in the very face of thoſe, before whom he had endeavored ſuch a Vindication of himſelf? For who is a man of a turbulent ſpirit, but he that ſeeks and ſets himſelf to divide between Rulers, and thoſe that ought to live in ſubjection unto them, by alienating the mindes and affections of the one from the other: Upon which, there muſt needs follow an interruption and diſturbance p. 48of the Political Harmony and Accord in the State and Commonwealth? Or what courſe can be taken by any man of a moſt deſperate Conſequence, for the firing of the ſpirits of People, with Hatred and Revenge againſt their Governors, then to accuſe them of Uſurpation of their Power on the one hand, and with the Adminiſtration of it with Injuſtice and Cruelty on the other; and withal to labor to poſſeſs the people with a conceit, That God hath determined to caſt them out of the poſſeſſion of their Power with Ignominy and Shame? Or are not theſe words of Mr. Loves, Thoſe who have gotten power into their hands by policy, &c. Words of this import, and conquently of as turbulent an inſpiration, as a tongue ſet on fire of Hell (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) could lightly utter? Is this Mr. Loves ingenuity, his meekneſs, his ſweetneſs of ſpirit, his forgiving from his heart the worſt of his enemies? If this be his forgiveneſs, what would his revenge have been? How true is that intelligence which we have from Solomon, The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel? Whereas the Cruelties (ſo called by Mr. Love) of juſt men, are tender mercies. Neither can the perſons whom he ſo unchriſtianly traduceth, by any act whatſoever, expreſs more Mercy, greater Compaſſion towards the many Millions of perſons in the Land, then by cutting off evil doers from it by the Sword of Juſtice, ſuch eſpecially who defile it with Blood. But with what face could Mr. Love charge thoſe in Power, to have gotten this power into their hand by policy; if by policy he means any thing diſhoneſt or diſhonorable unto them? Were not thoſe, who now ſit in Parliament, lawfully called to theſe places of truſt by the people? Or was it any ways diſhoneſt, or diſhonorable in them, to keep their Covenant in bringing the Grand Delinquent and Incendiary of the Land to condign puniſhment? Or to diſſolve that Government under the intolerable Oppreſſions and Vexations whereof the people of the Nation had now groaned theſe 500 years and upwards; wanting either the heart or opportunity until now, to break the yoke of ſo cruel a bondage? Or was it any policy in them, but what was moſt worthy men in thoſe high places of truſt, committed unto them by the people; when they clearly, and by ſufficient experience found, That the Houſe of Peers who had no Parliamentary Intereſt granted unto them by the people, together with ſome of their own Members, daily prevaricating with the common cauſe, and real Intereſt of the people, palpably bent in their Counſels and Actings, to have kept the Nation under the abomination of that Tyrannical Inſolency and Power, from which it was now in an hopeful way of deliverance: Was it (I ſay) any unworthy policy in thoſe now in power, to provide for the Liberties, Peace and Safety of the people, by diſcharging the one and the other from thoſe places of Intereſt and Power, which gave them the opportunity of practiſing with ſo high an hand againſt them.

p. 49Whereas they are charged to uſe their Power with cruelty, this is ſo broadfac'd a calumny, that nothing need be ſaid for their vindication from it: Magiſtrates are not therefore cruel, becauſe they carry not the ſword in vain, or becauſe, being Miniſters of God to take vengeance on evil doers, they fulfil their Miniſtery in this kinde: Cruelty would be much more truly and juſtly chargeable upon them, in caſe they ſhould carry the ſword in vain, and ſuffer evil doers, Traytors, Incendiaries, Diſturbers of States and Commonwealths, &c. to paſs unpuniſhed: And therefore, unleſs Mr. Love could either have produced ſome better ground for his charge of Cruelty againſt the State then his own ſufferings, or elſe have evicted, not onelyonly the many evidences brought againſt him as an evil doer, but his own confeſſions alſo in this behalf, he had provided much better for his honor and conſcience too, by leaving this charge to be levied by ſome ſon of Belial, who hath neither honor nor conſcience to pollute.

Whereas he undertakes to Propheſie, That thoſe in Power will loſe it with Ignominy; it is well for them, that as the wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſs of God, ſo neither doth the righteouſneſs of God accompliſh the wrath of man: But upon what account doth Mr. Love propheſie this hard prediction againſt the State? If God revealed it unto him, certainly it is a new light, and himſelf in the ſequel of this Speech chargeth us to take heed of believing new Lights; it may be becauſe himſelf had no more, whither wiſdom orgrace, then to loſe his Miniſtery with Ignominy, therefore meaſuring thoſe in Power by himſelf, he conceived that neither would they have any more, then to loſe their Miniſtery alſo upon the ſame terms: But I truſt, the perſons whom he ignominiouſly deſtroys with his propheſie, will by wiſdom and faithfulneſs deſtroy the credit of his propheſie, and preſerve themſelves in Power with Honor whileſt they live, and leave it with honor to their Succeſſors at their death: It is moſt like that Mr. Love adventured his Reputation on this propheſie, upon a confidence, That his Reputation amongſt unworthy perſons was ſuch, that rather then they would ſuffer him, though dead, to lie under the diſgrace of a falſe Prophet, themſelves would make him a true, by tracing his ſteps in ſeeking to d…ſt them with Ignominy of their Power. The ſeed which he had ſown, both f…merly in his life, and now at his death, he conceived was too ſpirituous and pregnant to rot under the clod, and that therefore he might be bold to propheſie the ſpringing up of it after his death.

He doth much more prudently, in referring himſelf to his Congregational and Domeſtical Relations, to have it decided by theſe, whether he was a man of a turbulent ſpirit or no: It is very probable that where he might rule the roſt, and umpire in chief, he might be compoſed and calm enough: Doth the wilde aſs bray (ſaith Job) when he hath graſs? or loweth the ox over his fodder? I believe, that had the State judg'd it meet to be as condeſcentious to his humors and deſires, p. 50as it is likely the Relations he ſpeaks of were, they ſhould not have taſted much turbulency of ſpirit in him, at leaſt againſt themſelves: If he were alive, I would calmly put this Queſtion to him, Whither the grief of his heart, which he expreſſeth for the diviſion amongst Gods people, was occaſioned ſimply by the Diviſion he ſpeaks of, and not rather from hence, That all the Godly in the land would not ſo far reverence his judgement, as to conform & ſubmit to it; I know no man, the deſire of whoſe ſoul is not for Ʋnion amongst the Godly, upon ſuch terms. I do in part believe him, That his judgement put him upon endeavors after all honorable and juſt ways for peace and love among the Godly; but I believe withal, That his Ambition and height of ſpirit put him upon many ways alſo in this kinde unjuſt and diſhonorable. His Principle (as he calls it) which teacheth him to declare againſt ingaging to the preſent Power, and to term this A Combination, rather then a Gospel-Ʋnion, was affronted by a contrary Principle in him a few days before; as, viz. when (in his ſecond Petition to the Parliament) he ingageth himſelf to preſerve the civil peace and welfare of the Commonwealth, and neither to plot, contrive or deſign any thing to the hurt of this preſent Government: A like ingagement (and almoſt in the very ſame words) he maketh the ſecond time in his third Petition. In his laſt Petition, he declareth it as his full reſolution, That he will neither Plot, Contrive, or Deſign any thing prejudicial to the preſent Government, but will in his place and calling oppoſe any deſigns whatſoever, whether in this or the Neighbor Nation, that may tend to the ruine of this Commonwealth. Doubtleſs, in theſe promiſes and ingagements (eſpecially in the laſt) there is every whit as much comprehended, as can with reaſon be imagined to be contained or intended in that Engagement to the State, at which his Principle is ſo much offended; ſo that it is a plain caſe, that Mr. Love was as unſtable as water in his Principles, and could at pleaſure proſtitute them, though not to the ambition or luſts of other men, yet to his own: His fear of Atheiſm and Popery coming into England, would be much more reaſonable then yet it is, in caſe his Deſign of bringing in the Scotiſh King to the Engliſh Throne ſhould proſper, it being much more likely that he would give his power to the Beaſt, as his Father, and many of his Predeceſſors had d…e before him, then that thoſe in preſent Power ſhould do it: I ſhall not ch…ge Mr. Love himſelf with Atheiſm; but thoſe words ſpoken by him to the Sheriff, the occaſion conſidered, Sir, I ſhall look God in the Face with what I ſay, have no enmity at all in them againſt that horrid impiety.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 13.

In this Section M. Love begins the account of his Principles: Where firſt he pretends to bleſs God for that, which is notoriouſly untrue (unleſs he ſpeaks Parables in plain words, and hath a meaning which I know not of) viz. That neither an High Court, nor a Bloody Scaffold, hath made him in the leaſt to alter p. 51his Principles. His Principles now upon the Scaffold differ toto coelo, from what they were a few days before, unleſs he then owned Principles that were not his own (as we lately ſhewed from his own words in his Petitionary Applications to the Parliament.) And what ſhould alter them, but the Scaffold he ſpeaks of, is above my Reach or Reaſon to conceive. If his meaning be, That his Principles are now, and formerly, the ſame Geometrically, i. e. Alike proportioned to his reſpective Conditions, now, and then; ſo that as then they were prudentially fitted to the exigence of his Condition, as then it ſtood, and are now fitted with alike Prudence (as he conceived) to his Condition as now it ſtandeth (in a far different poſture) I can believe him; But I do not believe that he had any deſire to be underſtood in this ſence by his Auditory, when he ſaith, That he ſtill retains as vehement a deteſtation of a Malignant Intereſt as ever: Doubtleſs he doth not retain the ſame notion of Malignancy. The word is now of a more contracted ſignification with him, then formerly. Heretofore they were all Malignants, who aſſiſted the King againſt the Parliament; Now, not all they, nor ſcarce the one half of thoſe who aſſiſt him, are ſuch; but onelyonly they that come to his aſſiſtance, not having on a Presbyterian Garment. If he had lived until now, he need not have put in a proviſo to ſave in his Covenanting Brethren in Scotland harmleſs, from the ſuſpition of Maglinancy for aſſiſting their King: For, whether it be the coming of their wiſdom unto them, or the return of their Conſcience, they have quitted his Aſſiſtance.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 14.

Here he talks of a regulated Monarchy, and a mixt Monarchy. There is little leſs then contradictio in adjuncto, in both expreſſions. Law-makers (I confeſs) in Monarchical States, have ſometimes done their good wills to regulate Monarchy by Laws: Sed vetuere patres, quod non potuere vetare. Monarchies of the beſt Regulation by Laws, were yet as exorbitant in the Practique, and in the exerciſe of Monarchical power, as if they had been Ruleleſs and Lawleſs. A mixt Monarchy (in ſtrictneſs of Speech) is as unproper as a compounded ſimple. But Mr. Loves judgement concerning the preheminency of a mixt Monarchy amongſt Governments, is not of ſo much weight, as to counterpoiſe the lighteſt Argument in oppoſitum. His affection of hatred equally bent againſt Court Paraſites, who would ſcrew up Monarchy into Tyranny, and againſt thoſe who pull it down to bring in Anarchy, is praiſe-worthy; OnelyOnly I ſuſpect (in the latter Clauſe) an evil eye of inſinuation againſt the Parliament, as if he deſired to infuſe this fooliſh Faith into the people, That they pulled down Monarchy, not with any intent to ſet up a better Government in the ſtead of it, but to bring in Anarchy or Confuſion. Whether he was at any time formerly for putting the King to death, or no, I cannot poſitively ſay; p. 52if he was not, he was an unhappy man to expreſs himſelf, both in words and deeds, ſo like unto a man of ſuch intentions as he did. He confeſſeth his judgement formerly was, and ſtill is, for the bringing of Malignants, who did ſeduce him, and drew him from the Parliament, to condign puniſhment. But what if Malignants did not ſo much ſeduce him in this kinde, as he them? who now deſerve, and this according to the expreſs letter of the Covenant, to be brought to condign puniſhment? They that beſt knew him, have often ſaid, That himſelf was the head, and not the tayl, of thoſe Councels, by which he acted againſt the Parliament. I know no alteration in the Cauſe, between what is now, and what it was at the time Mr. Love ſpeaks of, unleſs it be in this; That the Parliament now, both with more Chriſtianity and better Policy, cauſeth the Presbyterian Intereſt to contain it ſelf in its own proper Channel, which before was like the River Jordan in the time of Harveſt, when he overflows his banks.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 15.

Here M. Love profeſſeth that he dies with his judgement not ſatisfied to take the Engagement, and yet prays God to forgive thoſe who ſubſcribe it: What is this, being interpreted, but to pray to God to forgive thoſe concerning whom he is not ſatisfied in his judgement, whether they ſin or no? But as Paul, having firſt given this teſtimony to the Galatians, ye did run well, then expoſtulatingly demands of them, who hindred you that you ſhould not obey (i. e. continue to obey) the truth? So let me firſt give this Teſtimony to M. Love, (as I have given it already, being furniſhed with it from his own Petitions) He did ſome few days before, run well, not ſimply in owning the preſent Government, but alſo in engaging himſelf home to it, and for it: and then expoſtulate with his friends (himſelf not being in a capacity to anſwer) who hindred him that he ſhould not hold out in ſo good and commendable a race unto the end? He labors in the very fire to purge himſelf from the Crime (as now the Scaffold it ſeems had made it) of his late owning the preſent Government; but the fire he uſeth is purely elementary, and will not purge or burn: For if David and Huſhai gave the Title of King to Abſolom, there is little queſtion but in a ſenſe, and that intended by them, it did of right belong to him; Neither the one nor the other of them gave the title of King to him, until he was proclaimed King by the men of Iſrael, yea and was poſſeſſed of the royal city Jeruſalem & the Throne; So that he was truly and properly King when the Title of King was given by theſe men unto him; though it is true, he came to be a King, and ſo to have right to ſuch a Title, in a moſt wicked and treaſonable way. So that both David and Huſhai look'd upon Abſolom as a true King, though with uſurpation, when they gave the Title unto him; and conſequently did nothing contrary to their judgements and conſciences herein. But M. Love it ſeems was not perſwaded in p. 53his judgement or conſcience, that the Parliament was the Parliament or Supream Authority of the Commonwealth of England, when he gave theſe Titles unto them, therefore he ſinned againſt his conſcience in ſo doing: So that ſaying, That herein he did not wrong or croſs his Principles, doth he not plainly imply that his Principles and Conſcience thwart and croſs the one the other? If he had any ſuch Principle, which either led him or gave him leave to act or ſpeak againſt his Conſcience, it was a Principle of darkneſs and of death. If Calvin judged that the Title Chriſtianiſſimus did in no ſenſe belong to the French King, I know not who can excuſe him in giving it unto him. And if the Subjects of this Nation did generally give the Title, Defender of the Faith unto Henry the eighth, knowing no ſufficient ground why it ſhould, or could with truth be given unto him, neither can they be defended or juſtified in giving it. But why doth M. Love inſert or inſiſt upon theſe words, In caſe of Life? Doth he ſuppoſe that the caſe he ſpeaks of will alter the caſe of owning the preſent Government, from ſin to righteouſneſs? Or is it his Principle, That to ſave his Life he may do any thing whatſoever, and yet be blameleſs? But how doth he here toyl and turmoyl himſelf to ſalve the honor of his Conſcience, onelyonly that he might reproach and calumniate the Parliament with the more authority & reputation, yet he that ſpent ſo much of his breath (which at ſuch a time when he had ſo very little of it left, ſhould have bin precious to him) about vindicating his innocency in owning the preſent Government, though it was (it ſeems) as much againſt his Principles to own it then when he did own it, as it is now when he diſowns it (no change, as himſelf profeſſeth, being made in his Principles by the Scaffold) hath not a word, either here or elſewhere, to ſpeak for himſelf, hath not a drop of water to waſh off that foul ſtain and blot from his Conſcience, which it contracted by caſting dirt and mire in the faces of thoſe, not onelyonly whom he had a few days before owned in the capacity of their Government and Authority, but to whom likewiſe he had publiquely given a large teſtimony of Juſtice, Mercy, Wiſdom, Gravity, of being the Elect of God, &c. yea and to whom he had publiquely and ſolemnly promiſed and engaged himſelf, neither to plot, contrive or deſign any thing prejudicial to them, but to oppoſe any Deſign whatſoever againſt them. Doubtleſs neither David, nor Huſhai, nor Calvin, nor any man either of Conſcience or Honor, would have broken or falſified, eſpecially ſo publiquely and in the face of the Sun, ſuch ſolemn Promiſes and Engagements made to perſons in dignity, and to whom they had ſo immediately before given ſuch large teſtimony of many worthy Endowments; and all this without giving the leaſt accompt of ſuch deſultory and fedifragous practices.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 16.

It ſeems by the Contents of this Section, that Mr. Love's Principles ſtood p. 54fair for the Invaſion of the Engliſh Nation by the Scotiſh Army, but fell foul upon the Invaſion of the Scotiſh Nation by the Engliſh Army. This he declares againſt: unto the other he is ſilent, as conſenting to it. All the world may hereby ſee, that his Principles were calculated according to the exigency of his Intereſt and Faction, and not for the ſervice of Righteouſneſs and Truth. For was not the Scotiſh Nation joyned in the ſame Covenant with the Engliſh, wherein the Engliſh was joyned with the Scotiſh? If not, the Engliſh made a very ſorry Bargain in covenanting with the Scotiſh. If ſo, then ſuppoſe the Grounds and Reaſons for the one Invaſion and the other, had been but equal or the ſame, and that the Engliſh could give no better an Accompt otherwiſe of their invading (as Mr. Love is pleaſed to clothe a ſmooth Action with a rough garment) the Scotiſh Nation, then the Scotiſh are able to give of their invading England; yet the Engliſh Invaſion of Scotland is much more juſtifiable or excuſable, then the Scotiſh of England, in as much as the Scotiſh were firſt in the Provocation. But (as hath been lately proved) the ſending of an Army by the Engliſh into Scotland, is every ways juſtifiable, warranted by the judgements and deciſions of the beſt learned in the Civil Laws, who are very competent Judges in the Cauſe, being altogether unrelated unto the perſons or Nations; Whereas there hath not yet been (nor indeed can there be) any tolerable Accompt given of the Scotiſh Invaſion of this Nation: Beſides what hath been formerly ſaid, to take off whatſoever may ſeem unjuſt or hard, in the ſending of an Army into Scotland by the Parliament of England, two things further may here be added: Firſt, that preſently after the Execution of the late King, they (the Scotiſh Nation) proclaimed their own King, King of England. Secondly, not content with this Uſurpation over this Nation, they engaged themſelves further to aſſiſt him in his Acquirement of the Engliſh Throne. So that when the Engliſh Army went into Scotland, there was no ſuch thing in being as that Covenant between the two Nations, which Mr. Love ſpeaks of; the Scotiſh having before this broken it in pieces, and troden it under their feet, and ſo had abſolutely diſobliged the Engliſh from the bands or terms of it. But when he ſaith, …hat becauſe Scotland will not be a Commonwealth, they ſhall not be a People, doubtleſs in ſtead of ſpeaking his Conſcience, he ſpits out his Gall; For he could not but know that the Engliſh had no quarrel at all, took no offence againſt the Scotiſh, for chuſing themſelves to be a Kingdom rather then a Commonwealth; but becauſe they would not ſuffer the Engliſh to be a Commonwealth, but would compel them by force of arms to be a Kingdom like to them, yea and to take a King of their chuſing.

For the Friendly Aſſiſtance Mr. Love ſpeaks of, as given by the Scotiſh to the Engliſh, it was rather Aſsiſtance then friendly; For with that Aſsiſtance p. 55they gave they mingled much Hoſtility, behaving themſelves like perſons light-fingered, who when a well furniſhed houſe is on fire, are eaſily invited to aſsiſt in the quenching of it, and very poſſibly may do ſome ſervice this way: but their eye is more upon booty, then ſervice or aſſiſtance. However, if the Scotiſh have given aſsiſtance to the Engliſh worthy Mr. Love's Epithite, the Engliſh are not behinde-hand with them in that kinde of courteſie. A friendly Aſsiſtance was very lately given to the Covenanting Party in Scotland, when they ſtood in mickle need of it by the Engliſh; and this not onelyonly without any covenanted hire, but alſo without any uncovenanted ſpoyl or plunder. The Scotiſh were double paid for their Aſsiſtance, by the Engliſh: the Engliſh were royal, and gave theirs freely. I ſhall not diſturb Mr. Love in his cleaving to his Oaths, Vows, Covenants, and Proteſtations; Nor do I marvel at all, that he ſhould rather deſire to dye a Covenant-keeper, then live a Covenant-breaker: but this I confeſs I do more then marvel at; That this being his deſire, he ſhould be no more loyal and true to it, then both to live and die, not a Covenant-keeper but a Covenant-breaker, and this in the main and moſt important Articles of the Covenant, ſuch I mean, which reſpect the Safety, Peace and Liberties of the Nation.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 17.

His good wiſhes to the City of London, God perform; his fears may they vaniſh, as the grounds of them here expreſſed are (for the moſt part) empty and light. As to contempt of the Miniſtery; the number (I confeſs) of the children of this guilt, is too great, the Lord in mercy leſſen it. Yet (bleſſed be God) it is not ſo great as the Arithmetique of Mr. Love's known principles computeth it. They are not all guilty of contempt of the Miniſtery, who do not honor every man that calleth himſelf a Miniſter, or that preacheth with the inviſible Character of Impoſition of hands upon him; The contempt of ſome, who look to be honored as Miniſters, may rather be matter of wiſdom and duty then of ſin. There are ſundry kindes of Miniſters, from whom men are commanded by God to turn away. Such as are Clouds without water, and full of fire in ſtead thereof, ſuch as are raging waves of the ſea, foaming out their own ſhame, ſuch as ordinarily build hey, and ſtubble, and wood, in ſtead of ſilver, gold, and precious ſtones: the Judgements and Conſciences of underſtanding men will not ſuffer them to honor; But Mr. Love here, according to the Politique Dialect of his Tribe, would fain have the neglect, which many Miniſters very deſervedly ſuffer, to be thought, not the neglect of their perſons, but of their Function and Miniſtery, that ſo themſelves may not be ſuſpected as acceſſary to it; Whereas the certain truth is, that far the greateſt part of that which he here calls the Contempt of the Miniſtery, is nothing p. 56elſe but a Ruſh growing out of the mire of the Miniſters themſelves. However, if Mr. Love made an eſtimate of the Contempt of the Miniſtery in the City of London, either by his own Pariſh and People, or by the view and bulk of his more uſual Auditory, he had (I preſume) no great reaſon to propheſie evil or danger againſt the City for that ſin.

What he means by Oppoſition againſt Reformation, is (I ſuppoſe) too well known, to be looked upon by men acquainted with the ways, methods and grounds of Gods Judgements, as any thing much endangering the City in this kinde. Oppoſition (I confeſs) againſt that Reformation of the hearts, lives and ways of men, which the Scriptures every where with all importunity preſs upon the Conſciences of men, is a ſad ſymptom of imminent danger to a City or People where it is general; But Oppoſition to that which in the Dialect of High Presbytery (which Mr. Love much uſeth) is termed Reformation, is little ſymptomatical in that kinde.

There is the ſame Conſideration of his Covenant-breaking. There is a Covenant-breaking, which (doubtleſs) hath brought London much lower, then otherwiſe it ſhould or needed to have been, and which, if not more repented of, will lay it yet much lower. But the Execution of Juſtice upon the late King, the Non-admiſſion of the preſent King of Scotland to the Engliſh Throne, the Non-elevation of the Standard of High Presbytery, the Non-oppoſing of all that Mr. Love oppoſed, under the name and notion of Error and Hereſie, the Non-forbearance of ſending an Army into Scotland, which are ſufficiently known to be meant by Mr. Love's Covenant-breaking; theſe are ſo far from being any ways prognoſtique of evil towards the City, that to men of free and ſound judgements, they are auſpicious, of a good and gracious preſage.

What he means by his General Apoſtacy, his Principles conſidered, I confeſs I underſtand not. He denies a poſſibility of Apoſtacy from any thing that is truly good or pleaſing unto God: and how Apoſtatizing from that which is otherwiſe, as from Hypocriſie, Formality, Lukewarmneſs or the like, ſhould be of any ill abode or preſage unto men, oppoſeth my apprehenſions. True it is, that the City (as he ſaith) is a great Receptacle of Error, though, of All, I cannot ſay with him; But firſt, all that Mr. Love calleth Error, is not therefore Error, or proved to be Error becauſe he ſo calleth it. Doubtleſs Mr. Love was not greater then Paul, and therefore knew but in part: Now he that knows but in part, is not competent to determine in whole. Secondly, A great part of thoſe Errors with which the City is really polluted, call Mr. Love and Miniſters of his Sect, if not Patres, yet Patronos; If he and others of his fellows did not broach them, yet have they drawn them forth, and given the City to drink. Thirdly, Another conſiderable part of them, are the legitimate Iſſue of his and their ſpurious Doctrines, and nothing elſe but the p. 57natural and expreſs conſequents of thoſe unſound principles, wherewith he ſeaſoned many. But I truſt that the light of the Truth as it is in Jeſus breaking forth dayly with greater brightneſs, will ſcatter (a great part at leaſt of) that miſt of errours, which yet much darkeneth the City (though it be a Goſhen, compared with any other City that I know, or have heard of, throughout the world) ſo that the errours yet reſident in it, ſhall not be the ruine of it.

ANIMAD upon Section 18, 19, 20.

In theſe three Sections he commends himſelf in five particulars of ſpiritual advice unto the inhabitants of the City.

Firſt, He beggs of them to love their painful and godly Miniſters; but leſt there ſhould be error in perſonâ he preſently informs them▪ that he means Presbyterian. If theſe were ſometimes counted the Chariots and horſemen of Iſrael, and are now the great eye-ſore; I fear it is becauſe they are turn'd to be the Chariots and horſe-men of Aram. But to whom are they the great eye-ſore he ſpeaks of? I ſuppoſe he means, to the State, and men in power. I confeſs there is ground enough for Maſter Love to ſuſpect (I am willing to think that he uſeth the word know in the loweſt ſignification) that the perſons he ſpeaks of are a great eye-ſore unto theſe men, and many others there being ſo much viſible in many of them, which cannot lightly but offend and grieve the eyes of all beholders, whoſe eyes are not of the ſame conſtitution and temper with theirs. But the ſpirit of High-Presbytery is exceeding querulous and effeminate. If the State will not fulfill all their pleaſure and gratifie them in toto & in ſolido of all they demand, or expect, it preſently caſts them into fits of paſſion and diſcontent; they are men neglected and deſpiſed. Setting aſide what hath been done to a few of the ſons of this late Conſpiracy againſt the State they have no ground at all from any meaſure they have received from the State, to judge themſelves any great eye-ſore to it. I know not what they would have more from the State, then what they have; unleſs it be, All things under their feet. When he tells them, that ten of their godly Miniſters are taken from them at one blow, I know not how he will make up his account, unleſs he reckons himſelf for more then the one half of them. As for thoſe who fled from them, when none purſued them, but their own guilt, he cannot upon any competent account of truth number theſe amongſt thoſe, that were taken from them by others. But what blow was it, by which ſo many were taken away from them, as were taken? Or who gave this blow? When God caſt off the ten tribes he imputes it to their Idolatry. Thy calf, O Samaria hath caſt thee off▪ Hoſ. 8. So when He and the Jews were parted, or ſeparated the one from the other, He imputeth p. 58this ſeparation to their ſins, Your iniquities have ſeparated between you and your God, Eſa. 59. That which in puniſhments juſtly inflicted, is afflicting, or deſtroying, is not to be charged upon the Judge, but upon the offence and crime committed. Upon this account the blow, by which Mr. Love tells the Citizens of London, that ſo many of their godly Miniſters (verbo ſit venia) were taken from them, was not given either by the Parliament, Councell of State, or High Court of Juſtice, but by their own ungodlineſſe, and treaſonable practiſes againſt the State and Common-wealth: theſe are they which have taken away ſo many of their Miniſters at once. Theſe Miniſters were no waies neceſſitated to practiſe that evill, which they did; but their Judges were neceſſitated in point of Conſcience, and by the command of God, to inflict that puniſhment upon them which they now ſuffer for their evill; therefore this puniſhment is not to be imputed to their Judges, but to themſelves, and their own miſcarriages.

2. He exhorts the ſaid perſons of his preſent addreſſe, (the Inhabitants of the City) That they would ſubmit themſelves to Church-Government, which would lay a curb and reſtraint upon their luſts, telling them, that it is a golden and eaſie yoke, &c.

The exhortation (in generall) is weighty and worthy by all men to be received: Church-Government, as the kind, and conſtitution, together with the adminiſtration of it, may, and ought to be, is of a moſt Soveraign vertue and import for that great end he ſpeaks of: But that Church Government which Mr. Love intends, at leaſt as far as the Chriſtian world hath had the triall of it hitherto, in ſuch adminiſtrations of it, as it hath found amongſt men, hath given but a very ſlender teſtimony of any ſuch heavenly vertue or vigor in it. Hâc non ſucc…ſſit: aliâ aggrediundum eſt viâ.

3. He admoniſheth them to take heed of Doctrines that come under the n…tion of new lights: If by new lights, he means Doctrines brought into the world ſince the compleating of the Scriptures, and which cannot by a legitimate and clear deſcent derive their pedigree from theſe, the admonition is wholeſome and grave; but if by his new lights, he means all ſuch Doctrines or Tenets, which have not received countenance or approbation from the generality of Miniſters of a later Edition, and ſince the times of Luthers and Calvins Reformations, his advice is indeed artificially calculated for the Meridian of high Presbytery, but very diſſerviceable to the advancement and growth of Chriſtianity.

4. He exhorteth them to bewaile their great loſſe in the taking away of ſo many Miniſters out of their City; and then recounting the number of them, finds them, if he mistakes not, ten; under the covert of ſuch an exception or reſerve, he might as truly have ſaid, they had p. 59been twenty. He ſpeaks of ſome, as being in baniſhment. Thoſe of them in this condition, were adjudged thither by no other Judges then their own Conſciences. When the City of refuge is ſought unto, it is a ſign that there is bloud ſhed, and that there is ſome avenger of bloud that follows the chaſe. The Miniſters he ſpeaks of, he doth the rather lift up unto heaven, with thoſe glorious Elogiums he beſtows on them, that ſo he may caſt thoſe ſo much the deeper into hell in the peoples thoughts, whom he would have lookt upon as the Authors of their taking away. But the Malefactour, as hath been ſaid, not the Judge, is the Author of his ſufferings: If they were lights, they were far more burning then ſhining, but with an un-hallowed fire: if Starres, ſtarres they were of a very Malignant influence upon the State where they liv'd, and in their Conjunction, made a very dangerous and fiery conſtellation: Thoſe of whom (as the Scripture teſtifieth) the world was not worthy, were a generation of men of another ſpirit, holy, humble, and harmleſſe, were content to ſuffer from the world, to do the world ſervice. Mr. Love's men are a generation that muſt have the world bow down unto them, and lick the duſt at their feet, to ſtrengthen their hand to do them ſervice: neglect from men, is as the ſhadow of death unto them.

5. (And laſtly) He gives them a brief Item, to take heed of being forward to ingage in a war againſt their godly Brethren in Scotland. If theſe godly Brethren in Scotland had not been forward to ingage in a war againſt them, the Counſell had been Chriſtian and prudent. But inaſmuch as theſe godly Brethren firſt ingaged in a war againſt their godly Brethren here, (as hath been formerly ſhewed) it is no point of Chriſtianity or prudence to demurre upon a courſe of defence, or of prevention of the miſchiefe.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 21.

There is a red threed of revenge againſt the Parliament and State, ſtruck quite thorough this fare-well piece of Mr. Loves to the world, from the very beginning to the end of it, viſible enough (and indeed, too much) in every Section, which creates a ſad jealouſie with me, left his fi…s Architectonicus, his predominant end in his laſt addreſſe on earth, was to have the men in preſent Power under the hardeſt and moſt hatefull …ment with the people, that he could imagine or deviſe. In many paſſages he hales in by head and ſhoulders ſuch things, which a man cannot tell how or why they ſhould come there, but only to aſp…rſe the State, and to envenom the ſpirits of the people againſt them. In theſe his Applications to the godly Miniſtery (as he terms it) of the City, he doth his beſt to p. 60make them believe (for he affirms that he knoweth it) that they are maligned and threatned; and this the people muſt conceive to be by the State: yea, and the cauſe and ground hereof muſt be ſuppoſed to be for ſetting themſelves againſt the ſins and Apoſtacies of the times, for his faithfulneſs wherein he himſelf had procured ill will from men. Poor man! Doth he call his ſin againſt God his high crimes and offences againſt the Parliament in his late and great miſcarriages, for which himſelf confeſſeth (in his laſt Petition to the Parliament, as was formerly ſhewed) that the Sentence of death was juſtly paſſed on him by the High-Court of Juſtice; doth he (I ſay) call ſin againſt God, high crimes great miſcarriages his faithfulneſs in ſetting himſelf againſt the ſins and Apoſtacies of this preſent age? I confeſs if theſe were his faithfulneſs in that kind he ſpeaks of, it was his faithfulneſs that procured him the ill-will of men. If ſuch notions and conceits as theſe were the foundation of that abundant peace of his Conſcience, and which he ſaith he hath with God, and with which he dieth, I fear he may be too truly compared to the fooliſh builder, who neglected the rock, and built his houſe upon the ſand; which ſoon after fell, and great was the fall thereof. But to perſwade the godly Miniſters of his preſent addreſs, (together with the people) the more effectually that they were certainly maligned and threatned, he will needs (upon this account) lift up a prayer for them, in the words of thoſe Chriſtians, Act. 4. 29. And now Lord behold their threatnings, and grant that thy ſervants may preach the word with all boldneſs. But is not this an horrid prophanation of the ſacred Ordinance of Prayer, and of him that hath appointed it; to repreſent perſons unto God as guilty of ſuch crimes whereof he knows them to be innocent; eſpecially when he alſo that prayeth, hath no tolerable ground to judge them ſuch▪ as they are repreſented by him unto God in his Prayer? What ground or colour of ground, had Maſter Love to accuſe the Parliament or State before God of threatning the godly Miniſters of the City for preaching the Word of God? What Miniſter did they ever threaten upon any ſuch account as this? Poſſibly ſuch Miniſters▪s who in their preachings have turn'd the good Word of God, and Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, into fire-brands of Sedition, into ſcurrilous and bitter invectives againſt thoſe, whom God hath ſet in Authority over them, who in ſtead of lifting up their voices like Trumpets, to make the people to know their abominations, have lift them like Trumpets to provoke and animate them to commit abominations; poſſibly, (I ſay) ſuch Miniſters as theſe they have diſcountenanced in ſuch ways of impiety and prophanation of the Word of God as theſe.

His perſwaſion that the Presbyterial Government makes moſt for purity and for unity throughout the Churches of the Saints, the experience which the world hath had of this Government in thoſe places, or Churches, where it p. 61hath had its throne, doth not much countenance or confirm: but I ſhall not here counter-argue it. Whereas he beggs of the Miniſters that they would keep up Church-Government, and had onelyonly added, and not intermeddle with the Civil-Government of the State, his advice had been both Chriſtian and ſeaſonable.

ANIMAD. upon Section 22.

I will not ſay that Maſter Love here freeth all the Miniſters in the City, thoſe onelyonly excepted who are already diſcovered from having a hand in his buſineſs (he diſlikes, it ſeems, the word Plot) in ſuch a ſenſe, wherein not long ſince he freed himſelf, from whatſoever was not, or could not (as he thought) be proved againſt him. I judge it not improbable, but that the Miniſters of his exemption may be free from all interpoſure of particularities of advice for the driving on M. Loves deſigne (this word he owns in one of his Petitions though the word Plot, grates upon his ſpirit) yea (poſſibly) they may be free in reſpect of the knowledge of the particularities of the method, and tranſactions, by which the Deſigne was carryed on and ripened from time to time, by the Arch-Contrivers: ſuch works of darkneſs are in danger of coming abroad into the light, before their time, and ſo to miſchieve or deſtroy the workmen, in caſe the number of thoſe, who either ſhall meet frequently for the managing and forming of them, or to whom the particulars of them ſhall be imparted, be too great. It is ſeldom ſeen, but that that which is known to many▪ ſoon after comes to be known unto all. Yet I beleeve there is hardly any Miniſter of the Presbyterian perſwaſion about the City, but knew well enough that there was Scotch-Ale in brewing, and that Maſter Love and his Complices were not aſleep as to their Intereſt and cauſe. Yea, and that from time to time, though they could not call Maſter Loves Deſigne by its proper name, yet they prayed heartily in general and covert terms for the proſperity of it. But Maſter Loves Conſcience now upon the Scaffold, tells him (it ſeems) a quite contrary t…le, to what it told him a few days before. When he was a Petitioner to the Parliament for his life, his Conſcience told him that he had Sinned againſt God, that his late miſcarriages were great, his crimes and offences againſt the Parliament, high, &c. But in the interim (it ſeems) the Rabbies of his Conſcience, foreign had been with him, and ſhin'd a new light into him. About the entertainment whereof, had he followed his own Counſel directed unto others in the like caſe, (formerly mentioned) and had taken heed of receiving it, it had been much better and ſafer for him.

p. 62ANIMAD. upon Sect. 23.

What M. Love gives in honor to his Congregation, I ſhall not take from them: OnelyOnly what he gives unto himſelf in this kind, as, 1. That he ſhould never have parted from them had not death parted them: 2. That he ſubmitteth unto death with all Christian meekneſſe, &c. I make ſome queſtion whether he had right to give it, or no. For, he that had parted from one Congregation upon a far different occaſion from that of death he ſpeaks of; why might he not, his judgment remaining the ſame touching a lawfulneſſe of parting, have parted from another, and another after that, upon a like occaſion? Men may be confident of their preſent intentions and purpoſes: but to propheſie of their future, is to run an adventure. But whereas he profeſſeth his ſubmiſſion unto death with all Chriſtian meekneſſe, I leave him to be judged out of his own mouth, in this very diſcourſe, wherewith he hath avenged himſelf on his Judges, whom he calls his adverſaries, to the uttermoſt.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 24.

In the beginning of this Section he profeſſeth his deſire to juſtifie God, and to condemne himſelf. A Christian and worthy profeſſion! But that which he profeſſeth a deſire to do, he doth very faintly, and by halfs: But that which is contrary to what he deſires, as he ſaith, to do, he doth vigorouſly, and with his might. In his juſtifying of God, he is very generall, and faint: and yet more generall and ſuperficiall, in condemning himſelf. But in the juſtifying of himſelf, and condemning others, he is inlarg'd beyond his line. For the juſtifying of God, he ſaith only, that he is righteous: in the condemning of himſelf, he ſaith no more, but onelyonly, I have ſinned, (which the moſt innocent and righteous perſon under heaven may ſay truly.) But for the juſtifying, and commending of himſelf, with a mixture of inſinuations againſt others, how copious and eloquent is he? Firſt he ſaith, his bloud ſhall not be ſpilt for nought; wherein he make's himſelf equall with the Saints he mentioneth from the Pſalm. 2. That he may do more good by his death, then by his life: which, though it may be true enough in a ſence little to his honor, yet in his notion muſt imply, either that his Oration, which he was now uttering, was ſo effectuall and full of power, that many of thoſe that heard it, would either be converted, or els much edified by it; or els that his dying with ſo much courage in ſuch a worthy cauſe, as he was now to ſuffer for, would make others confident in the further maintenance and proſecution of it, whereby God ſhould be much glorified. 3. He ſings over his former note of confidence, I bleſſe my God, I have not the leaſt trouble, &c. I die with as much quietneſſe of mind, &c. By which he doth not only commend himſelf as one of the firſt-born ſons of Faith, but farther p. 63inſinuates the goodneſſe and juſtifiableneſſe of his cauſe, whereby the people may be the more incens'd againſt his Judges. 4. He ſaith, that he ſees that men hunger after his fleſh, and thirſt after his blood, which hastens his happineſſe, and their ruine, &c. wherein at once he juſtifieth himſelf in the higheſt, and condemneth others proportionably. 5. He ſaith, his blood is innocent blood; (is this to condemne himſelf, and not plainly to condemne others by his ſelf-juſtification?) 6. He ſaith, that his dead body will be a morſell, which he believes will hardly be digeſted, and that his blood will be bad food, &c. What are theſe but Rhetoricall flouriſhes of his own righteouſneſſe and innocency, full of reflexion upon his Judges, as men that had ſinned with an high hand againſt the peace and ſafety of the Common-wealth, by ſentencing him to die.

7. (And laſtly) that he may proclaim his innocency, as well in the Negative, as Affirmative, he ſaith, Mine is not Malignant bloud, though, &c. was Mr. Loves deſire to condemn himſelf, in ſpeaking theſe things; or are they the words of a man taking ſhame unto himſelf, and juſtifying God thereby: The truth is, he hath condemn…d himſelf by ſpeaking them, all along calling evill good, and good evill, putting darkneſſe for light, and light for darkneſſe, bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter, ſtumblings and miſtakes of a very ſad import, ſo neer the threſhold of death.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 25.

In the beginning of this Section, he ſeems (in part) to repent of the former, but his words are of no good conſiſtence. He proves God to be very just, by this, that his priſon was not his Hell, &c. inaſmuch as he had deſerved it. This is an argument to prove him gracious, or mercifull; but that men have not in puniſhment, what they have deſerved in ſin, hath no face of a proof that God is very juſt. If Mr. Love had here alſo ſtood upon his Juſtification, and ſaid, I have not deſerved it, his Argument had been more congruous, though the Sentence more culpable: yet in the ſequel of this Section alſo, he reſumes his ſweet morſells of ſelf-juſtification, and ſelf-commendation, and puts them again under his tongue. Here he aſſumeth the honour of Ma…tyrdome unto himſelf, Whatſoever men judge of me, I am a Martyr too. I have read that Petilian, againſt whom S. Auguſtin wrote, canonized Iudas for a Martyr **Donne. Pſeudoma…. ca. 2.: and that the Circumcelliones, whom the ſame Author likewiſe mentioneth, were very earneſt with thoſe they met, to kil them, that ſo they might be accounted Martyrs ††…teol. Hae…ſ. l. 3. c. 19.. And therefore to that demand of Mr. Love, What ſhould a dying man be proud of? anſwer may be, that a dying man, eſpecially touch'd with a ſpirit of vain-glory, may very poſſibly be proud that he ſhall die a Martyr, and enjoy the honour of ſuch a p. 64death afterwards. Neither is there any great weight in theſe glorious expreſſions▪ Welcome Scaffold, welcome Axe, welcome Death, welcome Block, welcome all, becauſe it will ſend me to my Fathers houſe, conſidering that one of the worſt of the Heathen Emperours died with theſe words in his mouth, Ʋt puto, Deus fio, i.e. Me thinks I am even now ready to be made a God. We gave (upon the firſt Section, as I remember) a more particular account by what winde Maſter Love might very probably ſayl into that Port of Confidence, wherein we here finde him; and yet make Shipwrack too in the Harbour, in caſe he were not the more circumſpect. But Maſter Love muſt the rather be a Martyr, that ſo his Judges may be perſecutors. Their defamation to the people, is an Oar that he plyes hard upon all occaſions. Witneſs the words a little preceding thoſe laſt recited: Would I have renounced my Covenant, and debauched my Conſcience, and ventured my ſoul, there might have been more hopes of ſaving my life, &c. Unworthy man! who required of him, either the renouncing of his Covenant, or the debauching of his Conſcience, &c. in order to the ſaving of his life? Or if he calls either the diſowning of his late treaſonable negotiations with the Scotiſh King, Kirk, and Nation or the owning of the preſent Government, either a renouncing of his Covenant, or a debauching of his Conſcience, or the venturing of his Soul, he voluntarily and freely of himſelf did all theſe (as hath been ſhewed over and over from his own Narrative and Petitions) for the ſaving of his life. And what he ſhould further mean by the renouncing of his Covenant, debauching &c. I confeſs I underſtand not, unleſs it ſhould be the taking of the Engagement impoſed by the State. But that he voluntarily and of his own accord engaged himſelf (in his laſt Petition to the Houſe) to do all things required, that are lightly imaginable to be required, in that Engagement, was likewiſe formerly proved from his own cleer and expreſs words. Nor is the taking of the Engagement in that formality of words wherein it is recommended by the State unto the Nation▪ any ways inconſiſtent with the Covenant, no not in any literal or Grammatical ſenſe that can be put upon it: nor needs any man either debauch his Conſcience, or venture his ſoul in the taking of it. I fear there are more Conſciences debauched, and ſouls ventured, by the refuſal, then by the taking of it. By the way, if Maſter Love had ventured his ſoul, whether by taking the Engagement, owning the preſent Government, or the like, it is a demonſtrative Argument▪ according to his principles▪ that he neither was a Saint nor one of the Elect of God, becauſe the ſouls of all ſuch are out of all poſſibility of miſcarrying.

p. 65ANIMAD. upon Sect. 26.

In this Section we have little obſervable, but onelyonly further inculcations of his courage and confidence in the face and preſence of Death (as if he were jealous the people would not believe him at this point, without much importunity of Aſſertion) together with ſome more gentle inſinuations then formerly of his Innocency; onelyonly the laſt clauſe here is very remarkable, God will judge all men, I will judge none: When he ſaith that He will judge none, doth he not retract and cancel all the hard ſayings formerly uttered by him, wherein he had judged and condemned his Judges and the State? But welcome Repentance, though at the Eleventh hour of the day.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 27, 28.

The heart and ſtrength of theſe Sections alſo, is of the ſame Argument with the former; he diſplays the Banner of his Confidence yet again and again before the people: Thoſe Expreſſions, Though men kill me, they cannot damn me; though they thruſt me out of the world, &c. are of a Suſpitious interpretation, That Mr. Love was not yet perfectly recovered out of his fit of Paſſion: The denial of Power, in ſuch caſes, as that wherein he now ſpeaks, uſually ſuppoſeth a will or diſpoſition to do that, for the doing whereof, power is wanting. Nor doth he ſay much either for his own comfort, or for the edification of the people, in ſaying, That the men who kill him (I ſuppoſe he means, who by the Sword of Juſtice take his life from him, which is very unproperly termed killing) cannot damn him. For firſt, queſtionleſs all the people very well knew, That men could not damn him: Therefore the ſaying turned to no account of Edification unto them: Nor ſecondly, was it much for his own comfort, that the men he ſpeaks of could not damn him; becauſe had they had ſuch a power, he had been in never a whit the more danger from ſuffering from them in that kinde, there being not the leaſt inclination or will in them to make uſe of ſuch a power, in caſe they had had it. As they that die in the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt, are in never the more danger of being damned by God, becauſe he hath power to damn them; That juſtice, of which the men Mr. Love ſpeaks of, were Miniſters appointed by God, required onelyonly his natural life from him: And far was it from the hearts or thoughts of the Miniſters hereof, to require more: Nay, had not Juſtice very importunely, and with a loud voice called and cryed unto them for that life of his, which is now taken from him, far had they been from taking or deſiring it. So that it was but a very Unchriſtian ſtrain of Mr. Loves exulcerated Spirit againſt them, to ſay or inſinuate, That they hungred after his fleſh, and were thirſty for his blood: And much more to intimate, as if they had a minde or will to damn him, in caſe they had power. Was it either Chriſtian or proper, for Mr. Love to ſanctifie himſelf unto prayer, eſpecially being now to pray his laſt, by taking ſuch words unto him as theſe? How importunely, p. 66and with what over-weeningneſs of conceit of his own worth and excellency, he transfers thoſe words of that Great Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 4. 6, 7. upon himſelf, I ſhall not ſtand to argue. And with what truth he could ſay in the Apoſtles ſence (wherein doubtleſs he would be underſtood to ſpeak) I have kept the Faith, I leave to his Great Lord and Maſter, both his and mine to determine.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 29, 30.

In theſe two Sections Mr. Love commends by Prayer, both himſelf and his own Soul, as all others whom he judged it meet to pray for, unto God. In a great part of this Prayer, and of the particular Requeſts made therein, I apprehend nothing but what is ſavory and Chriſtian. I truſt that theſe words towards the latter end of this prayer, Lord hear, pardon all his infirmities, wipe away his iniquities by the blood of Chriſt, &c. carried in them an implicite Repentance, both of that ſin againſt God, of thoſe high Crimes, and late great miſcarriages againſt the Parliament; for which (as himſelf a few days before this Prayer, confeſſed) he was juſtly condemned, as likewiſe of all thoſe moſt untrue, bitter and Unchriſtian invectives uttered againſt the Parliament and State in this Speech upon the Scaffold, together with all the reſt of the ſins of his life. And when in his laſt Petition, he prayeth to be received by God, pure, and ſpotleſs, and blameleſs before him in love: I truſt he prayed not to be received by God as any other perſon, then what he really and in truth was; and conſequently, That he was blameleſs in love. If ſo, then was that ſpirit of ſpleen and Unchriſtian bitterneſs, by which he ſpake ſo many unſeemly things againſt thoſe, who little deſerved it at his hand, in the foregoing Speech, by this time vaniſhed and gone out of him; And indeed it was now high time to caſt him out, becauſe there had been no entrance for Mr. Love into his Fathers houſe (he ſpeaks of) in his company: When he ſaith, That he had made God his Hope and his Confidence from his youth up, I wiſh that his heart did not deceive him; It is not lightly poſſible that men ſhould labor ſo in the fire, as Mr. Love did, to promote or uphold a carnal and worldly Intereſt, who truly make God their Hope and Confidence. As in his zeal for God, and for the bringing of the ſouls of men to heaven, he was equalized, if not exceeded by the Jews in Pauls days, and by the Scribes and Phariſees in our Saviours, (who compaſſed Sea and Land to make one Proſelyte) ſo was he alſo in his glorying or boaſting in God. Foundations, not Buildings or Superſtructions, are the great Oracles in Religion to be conſulted about the Spiritual Eſtates of men. After he had gloried this great glorying in God, Lord, thou haſt ſetled this perſwaſion in my heart, That as ſoon as ever the blow is given to divide my head from my body, I ſhall be united to my Head in Heaven, he prayeth thus, O bleſſed Jeſus, apply thy blood, not onelyonly for my juſtification unto life, but alſo for my p. 67comfort, for the quieting of my ſoul, &c. And again, Hear the Prayers of all thy people that have been made for thy ſervant; and though thou haſt denied Prayer, as to the particular Requeſt concerning my Life; yet let herein the fruit of Prayer be ſeen, That thou wilt bear up my heart againſt the fear of death. If the former glorying had ſucceeded theſe Petitions, and not gone before them, the conſiſtence between the one and the other, had been of a better and more eaſie Interpretation. When he prayeth for his Covenant-keeping-Brethren in the Kingdom of Scotland, he prayeth for a Generation of men that is not, Covenant-keepers being ſeveral yeers ſince periſhed from amongſt the Inhabiters of that Nation: Covenant-takers are here generally metempſychoſed into Covenant-breakers. His Petition, To make England and Scotland one ſtaff in the Lords hand; The Lord, I truſt, will ſhortly perform. That he ſhould pray ſo particularly for men of a Forraign Nation, and for a Brother of remote Blood (though of near relation in guilt) and not once mention in his Prayer, his neareſt relations in Nature, Wife or Children, eſpecially having brought them into an afflicted and ſad condition by his Miſcarriages, was the obſervation of ſome ſober men preſent, not without offence.

ANIMAD. upon Sect. 31.

I have nothing to Animadvert upon this Section, but onelyonly that which helps me to hope the better of his preſent Condition; as viz. That I perceive no breathing at all herein of that evil ſpirit of Wrath and Diſcontent, which had wrought ſo effectually in him until his Prayer (in the two laſt Sections) and the more immediate approaches of Death. The departure of this ſpirit from him, before his own, is a ground of good hope, That this latter ſhall not be ſent thither, from whence the former came.

FINIS.

End of the text · Christopher Love, Loves Case (1651)