IT was ordered by a Divine hand, that I should Preach before you in Windsor Castle, at your very first marching forth with this successful Army, at which time I treated (from Psal. 60.10) of Gods marching forth with Israels Army, the footsteps of whose presence hath been seen within your Camp: By the same hand it was likewise ordered, that I should preach in your presence, the very first Fast day after your return to London as a Conqueror; at which time I had a fair occasion to press, That such who had bin serviceable to the Church of God in its necessitous condition, ought from those they do assist to have a requital, in which I know none deserves a greater share then your Excellency. Great General, I have presumed to make my humble and particular address, in dedicating these few lines to your Excellency upon a double ground: 1. To take off a malicious mis-construction, which some made of what I delivered, laying my words on the rack of a tortured mis-interpretation, forcing them to speak what I never meant, as if in some passages of my Sermon, I had some reflections on your Excellent Self; whereas I can appeal to Heaven, I had rather my tongue should cleave to the roof of my mouth, then that a thought should be in my heart, or a word drop from between my lips, to darken that glory which God hath cast upon you. 'Tis true in ⟨image 3⟩handling this Doctrine, That such who are serviceable to the people of God in their necessitous condition, ought from those they do assist, to have a requital, and to be sharers with them in their mercies, Lest there should be an ill use made thereof, as if the requital of men for their service should be so far extended, as that they must be indulged in their evils, I was forced, to prevent this mistake, to lay down this caution, viz. That the requital of men for their good service, must not extend so far as to tolerate them in their evils. *In exemplifying which caution, I gave this supposition, Suppose a Commander, (who hath been valiant and faithful in your most successful and serviceable Army) should run into damnable Heresies, to deny the Divinity of Christ, the Immortality of the soul, the authority of the Scriptures, though his valour and fidelity pleads for a requital for his Service, yet not for a toleration in these opinions.
IT was ordered by a Divine hand, that I should Preach before you in Windsor Castle, at your very first marching forth with this successefull Army, at which time I treated (from Psal. 60.10) of Gods marching forth with Israels Army, the footsteps of whose presence hath been seen within your Campe: By the same hand it was likewise ordered, that I should preach in your presence, the very first Fast day after your returne to London as a Conqueror; at which time I had a faire occasion to presse, That such who had bin serviceable to the Church of God in its necessitous condition, ought from those they doe assist to have a requitall, in which I know none deserves a greater share then your Excellency. Great Generall, I have presumed to make my humble and particular addresse, in dedicating these few lines to your Excellency upon a double ground: 1. To take off a malicious mis-construction, which some made of what I delivered, laying my words on the rack of a tortured mis-interpretation, forcing them to speake what I never meant, as if in some passages of my Sermon, I had some reflections on your Excellent Selfe; whereas I can appeale to Heaven, I had rather my tongue should cleave to the roof of my mouth, then that a thought should be in my heart, or a word drop from between my lips, to darken that glory which God hath cast upon you. 'Tis true in ⟨image 3⟩handling this Doctrine, That such who are serviceable to the people of God in their necessitous condition, ought from those they do assist, to have a requitall, and to be sharers with them in their mercies, Lest there should bee an ill use made thereof, as if the requitall of men for their service should be so far extended, as that they must be indulged in their evils, I was forced, to prevent this mistake, to lay down this caution, viz. That the requitall of men for their good service, must not extend so far as to tolerate them in their evills. *In exemplifying which caution, I gave this supposition, Suppose a Commander, (who hath been valiant and faithfull in your most successefull and serviceable Army) should run into damnable Heresies, to deny the Divinity of Christ, the Immortality of the soul, the authority of the Scriptures, though his valour and fidelity pleads for a requitall for his Service, yet not for a toleration in these opinions.
- *Gainas being addicted to the Arian Heresy, petitioned Arcadius the Emperor, that he might have favour, within his Territories, to have a Church for the public exercise of Arianism, making this the ground of his request, That he had done him great service, and gotten great victories for the Romans; yet Arcadius the Emperor denied his request (upon the advice of Chrysostom,) and although Gain•s had done serv••e in the Wars, yet would he not give him a Toleration for the public Exercise of the Arian Heresy in the Church; see Theod. Hist. lib. 5. c. 32.Gainas being addicted to the Arian Heresie, petitioned Arcadius the Emperor, that he might have favor, within his Territories, to have a Church for the publike exercise of Arianisme, making this the ground of his request, That he had done him great service, and gotten great victories for the Romans; yet Arcadius the Emperour denyed his request (upon the advice of Chrysostome,) and although Gain•s had done serv••e in the Wars, yet would hee not give him a Toleration for the publike Exercise of the Arian Heresie in the Church; see Theod. Hist. lib. 5. c. 32.
