attend the cry and hollow of those Men who hunt after Factious and private Designes to the ruine of Church and State Did My judgment tell Me that the Propositions sent to Me were the Results of the Major part of their Votes who exercise their freedome as well as they have a right to sit in Parliament I should then suspect My own judgment for not speedily and fully concurring with every one of them For I have charity enough to think there are wise men among them and humility to think that as in some things I may want so 't is fit I should use their advise which is the end for which I called them to a Parliament But yet I cannot allow their wisdome such a compleatnesse and inerrability as to exclude My self since none of them hath that part to Act that Trust to discharge nor that Estate and Honour to preserve as My selfe without whose Reason concurrent with theirs as the Suns influence is necessary in all natures productions they cannot beget or bring forth any one compleat and authoritative Act of publique wisdome which makes the Lawes But the nnreasonablenesse of some Propositions is not more evident to Me than this is That they are not the joynt and free desires of those in their Major number who are of right to Sit and Vote in Parliament For many of them savour very strong of that old leaven of Innovations masked under the name of Reformation which in My two last famous Predecessours daies heaved at and sometime threatned both Prince and Parliaments But I am sure was never wont so far to infect the whole masse of the Nobility and Gentry of this Kingdome however it dispersed among the Vulgar Nor was it likely so suddenly to taynt the Major part of both Houses as that they should unanimously desire and affect so enormous and dangerous innovations in Church and State contrary to their former education practise and judgement Not that I am ignorant how the choice of many Members was carried by much faction in the Countries some thirsting after nothing more than a passionate revenge of what ever displeasure they had conceived against me my Court or the Clergy But all Reason bids me impute these sudden and vast desires of change to those few who armed themselves with the many-headed and many-handed Tumults No lesse doth Reason Honour and Safety both of Church and State command me to chew such morsels before I let them downe If the straitnesse of my Conscience will not give me leave to swallow down such Camels as others doe of Sacriledge and injustice both to God and man they have no more cause to quarrell with me than for this that my throat is not so wide as theirs Yet by Gods help I am resolved That nothing of passion or peevishnesse or list to contradict or vanity to shew my negative power shall have any byas upon my judgment to make me gratifie my will by denying any thing which my Reason and Conscience commands me not Nor on the other side will I consent to more than Reason Justice Honour and Religion perswade me to be for Gods glory the Churches good my Peoples welfare and my owne peace I will study to satisfie my Parliament and my People but I will never for feare or flattery gratifie any Faction how potent soever for this were to nourish the disease oppresse the body Although many mens loyalty and prudence are terrified from giving me that free and faithfull counsell which they are able and willing to impart and I may want yet none can hinder me from craving of the counsell of that mighty Counsellour who can both suggest what is best and incline my heart stedfastly to follow it O thou first and eternall Reason whose wisdome is fortified with omnipotency furnish thy Servant first with cleare discoveries of Truth Reason and Iustice in My Understanding then so confirme My will and resolution to adhere to them that no terrours injuries or oppressions of my Enemies may ever inforce me against those rules which thou by them hast planted in My Conscience Thou never madest me a King that I should be lesse than a Man and not dare to say Yea or Nay as I see cause which freedome is not denied to the meanest creature that hath the use of Reason and liberty of speech Shall that be blameable in Me which is commendable veracity and constancy in othersâ— Thou seest O Lord with what partiality and injustice they deny that freedome to Me their KING which Thou hast given to all â—en and which Themselves pertinaciously challenge to themselves while they are so tender of the least breach of their priviledges To Thee I make my supplication who canst guide us by an unerring rule through thy perplexed Labyrinths of our owne thoughts and other mens proposalls which I have some cause to suspect are purposely cast as snares that by My granting or denying them I might be more entangled in those difficulties wherewith they lie in wait to afflict Me. O Lord make thy way plaine before Me. Let not My owne sinfull passions cloud or divert thy sacred suggestions Let thy glory be my end thy word my rule and then thy will be done I cannot please all I care not to please some men If I may be happy to please thee I need not feare whom I displease Thou that makest the wisdome of the world foolishnesse and takest in their owne devices such as are wise in their owne conceits make me wise by thy Truth for thy honour my Kingdoms generall good and my owne soules salvation and I shall not much regard the worlds opinion or diminution of me The lesse wisdome they are willing to impute to me the more they shall be convinced of thy wisdome directing me while I deny nothing fit to be granted out of crosnesse or humour nor grant any thing which is to be denied out of any feare or flattery of men Suffer me not to be guilty or unhappy by willing or inconsiderate advancing any mens designes which are injurious to the publique good while I confirme them by my consent Nor let me be any occasion to hinder or defraud the publique of what is best by any morose or perverse dâ—ssentings Make me so humbly charitable as to follow their advise when it appeares to be for the publâ—que good of whose affections to me I have yet but few evidences to assure Me. Thou canst as well blesse honest errours as blast fraudulent counsells Since we must give an account of every evill and idle word in private at thy Tribunall Lord make me carefull of those solemne Declarations of my mind which are like to have the greatest influence upon the Publique either for woe or weale The lesse others conâ—ider what they aske make me the more solicitous what I answer Though Mine owne and My Peoples pressures are grievous and peace would be very pleasing yet Lord never suffer Me to avoid the one or purchase the other
Other violent motions which are neither Manly Christian nor Loyall shall never either shake or settle my Religion nor any mans else who knowes what Religion means And how farre it is removed from all Faction whose proper engine is force the arbitrator of beasts not of reasonable men much lesse of humble Christians and loyall Subjects in matters of Religion But men are prone to have such high conceâ—ts of themselves that they care not what cost they lay out upon their opinions especially those that have some temptation of gain to recompence their losses and hazards Yet I was not more scandalized at the Scots Armies comming in against my will and their forfeiture of so many obligations of duty and gratitude to me then I wondered how those here could so much distrust Gods assistance who so much pretended Gods cause to the People as if they had the certainty of some divine Revelation considering they were more then competently furnished with my Subjects Armes and Ammunition My Navie by Sea my Forts Castles and Cities by Land But I find that men jealous of the Justifiablenesse of their doings and designes before God never think they have humane strength enough to carry their worke on seem it never so plausible to the People what cannot be justified in Law or Religion had need be fortified with Power And yet such is the inconstancy that attends all minds engaged in violent motion that whom some of them one while earnestly invite to come into their assistance others of them soone after are weary of and with nauseating cast them out what one Party thought to rivet to a setledness by the strength and influence of the Scots that the other rejects and contemnes at once despising the Kirk Government and Discipline of the Scots and frustrating the successe of so chargable more then charitable assistance For sure the Church of England might have purchased at a farre cheaper rate the truth and happinesse of Reformed government and discipline if it had been wanting though it had entertained the best Divâ—nes of Chrâ—stendome for their advice in a full and free Synod which I was ever willing to and desirous of that matters being impartially setled might be more satisfactory to all and more durable But much of Gods justice and mans folly will at length be discovered through all the filmes and pretensions of Religion in which Politicians wrap up their designes In vaine do men hope to build their piety on the ruines of Loyalty Nor can those considerations or designs be durable when Subjects make bankrupt of their Allegiance under pretence of setting up a quicker trade for Religion But as My best Subjects of Scotland never deserted Me so I cannot think that the most are gone so far from Me in a prodigality of their love and respects toward Me as to make Me to despaire of their returne when besides the bonds of nature and Conscience which they have to Me all Reason and true Policy will teach them that their chiefest interest consists in their fidelity to the Crowne not in their serviceablenesse to any Party of the People to a neglect and betraying of My Safety and Honour for their owne advantages However the lesse cause I have to trust to men the more I shall apply My self to God The Troubles of My Soule are enlarged O Lord bring thou me out of My distresse Lord direct thy Servant in the waies of that pious simplicity which is the best policy Deliver Me from the combined strength of those who have so much of the Serpents subtilty that they forget the Doves Innocency Though hand joyne in hand yet let them not prevaile against My soule to the betraying of My Conscience and Honour Thou O Lord canst turne the hearts of those Parties in both Nations as thou didst the men of Judah and Israel to restore David with as much loyall Zeale as they did with inconstancy and eagernesse pursue Him Preserve the love of thy Truth and uprightnesse in Me and I shall not despaire of My Subjects affections returning towards Me. Thou canst soone cause the overflowing Seas to ebbe and retire back again to the bounds which thou hast appointed for them O My God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not My enemies triumph over Me. Let them be ashamed who transgresse without a cause let them be turned back that persecute My Soule Let integrity and uprightnesse preserve Me for I wait on thee O Lord. Redeeme thy Church O God out of all its Troubles 14. Vpon the Covenant THe Presbyterian Scots are not to be hired at the ordinary rate of Auxiliaries nothing will induce them to engage till those that call them in have pawned their Soules to them by a Solemne League and Covenant Where many engines of religious and faire pretensions are brought chiefly to batter or rase Episcopacy This they make the grand evill Spirit which with some other Imps purposely added to make it more odious and terrible to the Vulgar must by so solemne a charm exorcism be cast out of this Church after more than a thousand yeares possession here from the first plantation of Christianity in this Island and an universall prescription of time and practise in all other Churches since the Apostles times till this last Century But no Antiquity must plead for it Presbytery like a young Heyre thinks the Father hath lived long enough and impatient not to be in the Bishops Chaire Authority though Lay-men go away with the Revenues all art is used to sink Episcopacy and lanch Presbytery in England which was lately boyed up in Scotland by the like artifice of a Covenant Although I am unsatisfied with many passages in that Covenant some referring to My selfe with very dubious and dangerous limitations yet I chiefly wonder at the designe and drift touching the Discipline and Government of the Church and such a manner of carrying them on to new waies by Oaths Covenants where it is hard for men to be engaged by no lesse then swearing for or against those things which are of no cleare morall necessity but very disputable and controverted among learned and godly men whereto the application of Oaths can hardly be made and enjoyned with that judgment and certainty in ones selfe or that charity and candour to others of different opinion as I think Religion requires which never refuses faire and equable deliberations yea and dissentings too in matters onely probable The enjoyning of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtfull be dangerous as in things unlawfull damnableâ— and no lesse superfluous where former religious and legall Engagements bound men sufficiently to all necessary duties Nor can I see how they will reconcile such an Innovating Oath and Covenant with that former Protestation which was so lately taken to maintaine the Religion established in the Church of England since they count Discipline so great a part of Religion But ambitious minds never think they have laid snares and
of his Conscience then I hope many other men doe in the same Cause For he was never thought to be of that superstitious sowrenesse which some men pretend to in matters of Religion which so darkens their judgment that they cannot see any thing of Sinne and Rebellion in those meanes they use with intents to reforme to their Models of what they call Religion who think all is gold of piety which doth but glister with a shew of Zeale and fervency Sir Iohn Hotham was I think a man of another temper and so most liable to those downright temptations of ambition which have no cloake or cheat of Religion to impose upon themselves or others That which makes me more pity him is that after he began to have some inclinations towards a repentance for his sinne and reparation of his duty to Me He should be so unhappy as to fall into the hands of their Justice and not My Mercy who could as willingly have forgiven him as he could have asked that favour of Me. For I think clemency a debt which we ought to pay to those that crave it when we have cause to believe they would not after abuse it since God himself suffer us not to pay any thing for his mercy but onely prayers and praises Poor Gentleman he is now become a noteable monument of unprosperous disloyalty teaching the world by so sad and unfortunate a spectacle that the rude carriage of a Subject towards his Soveraigne carries alwaies its own vengeance as an unseperable shadow with it and those oft prove the most fatall and implacable Executioners of it who were the first Imployers in the service After-times will dispute it whether Hotham were more infamous at Hull or at Tower-hill though 't is certain that no punishment so stains a mans Honour as wilfull preparations of unworthy actions which besides the conscience of the sinne brands with most indelible characters of infamy the name and memory to posterity who not engaged in the Factions of the times have the most impartiall reflections on the actions But thou O Lord who hast in so remarkable a way avenged thy Servant suffer me not to take any secret pleasure in it for his death hath satisfied the injury he did to me so let me not by it gratifie any passion in me lest I make thy vengeance to be mine and consider the affront against me more than the sin against thee Thou indeed without any desire or endeavour of mine hast made his mischief to returne on his owne head and his violent dealing to come down on his owne pate Thou hast pleaded my cause even before the sonnes of men and taken the matter into thine own hands that men may know it was thy work and see that thou Lord hast done it I do not I dare not say so let mine enemies perish O Lord yea Lord rather give them repentance pardon and impunity if it be thy blessed will Let not thy justice prevent the objects and opportunities of my mercy yea let them live and amend who have most offended me in so high a nature that I may have those to forgive who beare most proportion in their offences to those trespasses against thy majesty which I hope thy mercy hath forgiven me Lord lay not their sins who yet live to their charge for condemnation but to their consciences for amendment Let the lighting of this thunderbolt which hath been so severe a punishment to one be a terrour to all Discover to them their sinne who know not they have done amisse and scare theâ— from their sinne that sinne of malicious wickednesse That preventing thy judgments by their true repentance they may escape the strokes of â—â—â—ne eternall vengeance And doe thou O Lord establish the Throâ—e of thy servant in mercy and truth meeting â—â—â—â—â—gether let my Crowne ever flourish in rigâ—â—â—â—ousnesse and peace kissing each other Heare my prayer O Lord who hast taught us to pray for to doe good to and to love our enemies for thy sake who hast prevented us with offertures of thy love even when we were thine enemies and hast sent thy Sonne Iesus Christ to die for us when we were disposed to crucifie him 9. Vpon the listing and raising Armies against the KING I Find that I am at the same point and posture I was when they forced Me to leave White-hall what Tumults could not doe an Army must which is but Tumults lifted and enrolled to a better order but as bad an end My recesse hath given them confidence that I may be conquered And so I easily may as to any outward strength which God knowes is little or none at all But I have a Soule invincible through Gods grace enabling Me here I am sure to be Conquerour if God will give Me such a measure of Constancy as to feare him more than man and to love the inward peace of My Conscience before any outward tranquillity And must I be opposed with force because they have not reason wherewith to convince me O my Soule be of good courage they confesse their knowne weaknesse as to truth and Justice who chose rather to contend by Armies than by Arguments Is this the reward and thanks that I am to receive for those many Acts of Grace I have lately passed and for those many Indignities I have endured Is there no way left to make Me a glorious KING but by My sufferings It is a hard and disputable choice for a King that loves his People and desires their love either to kill his owne Subjects or to be killed by them Are the hazards and miseries of Civil War in the bowels of My most flourishing Kingdome the fruits I must now reap after 17 years living and reigning among them with such a measuâ—e of Justice Peace Plenty and Religion as all Nations about either admired or envied notwithstanding some miscarriages in Government which might escape rather through ill counsell of some men driving on their private ends or the peevishnesse of others envying the publique should be managed without them or the hidden and insuperable necessities of State then any propensity I hope of my self either to injuriousness or oppression Whose innocent bloud during My Reigne have I shed to satisfie My lust anger or covetousnesse what Widowes or Orphans tears can witnesse against me the just cry of which must now be avenged with My owne bloud For the hazards of Warre are equall nor doth the Cannon know any respect of Persons In vaine is My Person excepted by a Parenthesis of words when so many hands are armed against Me with Swords God knowes how much I have studied to see what Ground of Justice is alledged for this Warre against Me that so I might by giving just satisfaction either prevent or soone end so unnaturall a motion which to many men seemes rather the productions of a surfeit of peace and wantonnesse of mindes or of private discontents Ambition and Faction which easily find or make causes of
enough to forbeare Reproaches and even Cursings of Me in their owne formes instead of praying for Me. I wish their Repentance may be their onely punishment that seeing the mischiefs which the disuse of publique Liturgies hath already produced they may restore that credit use and reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Formes of sound and wholsome words And thou O Lord which art the same God blessed for ever whose mercies are full of variety and yet of constancy Thou deniest us not a new and fresh sense of our old and daily wants nor despisest renewed affections joyned to constant expressions Let us not want the benefit of thy Churches united and wel-advised Devotions Let the matters of our prayers be agreeable to thy will which is alwaies the same and the fervency of our spirits to the motions of thy holy Spirit in us And then we doubt not but thy spirituall perfections are such as thou art neither to be pleased with affected Novelties for matter or manner nor offended with the pious constancy of our petitions in them both Whose variety or constancy thou hast no where either forbidden or commanded but left them to the piety and prudence of thy Church that both may be used neither despised Keep men in that pious moderation of their judgments in matters of Religion that their ignorance may not offend others nor their opinion of their owne abilities tempt them to deprive others of what they may lawfully and devoutly use to help their infirmities And since the advantage of Errour consists in novelty and variety as Truths in unity and constancy Suffer not thy Church to be pestered with errours and deformed with undecencies in thy service under the pretence of variety and novelty Nor to be deprived of truth unity and order under this fallacy That constancy is the cause of formality Lord keep us from formall Hypocrisie in our owne hearts and then we know that praying to thee or praising of thee with David and other holy men in the same formes cannot hurt us Give us wisdome to amend what is amisse within us and there will be lesse to mend without us Evermore defend and deliver thy Church from the effects of blind Zeale and over-bold devotion 17. Of the differences between the KING and the two Houses in point of Church-Government TOuching the GOVERNMENT of the Church by Bishops the common Jealousie hath been that I am earnest and resolute to maintaine it not so much out of piety as policy and reason of State Wherein so far indeed reason of State doth induce Me to approve that Government above any other as I find it impossible for a Prince to preserve the State in quiet unlesse he hath such an influence upon Church-men and they such a dependance on Him as may best restraine the seditious exorbitancies of Ministers tongues who with the Keyes of Heaven have so farre the Keys of the Peoples hearts as they prevaile much by their Oratory to let in or shut out both Peace and Loyalty So that I being as KING intrusted by God and the Lawes with the good both of Church and State I see no Reason I should give up or weaken by any change that power and influence which in right and reason I ought to have over both The moving Bishops out of the House of Peers of which I have elswhere given an account was sufficient to take off any suspicion that I encline to them for any use to be made of their Votes in State affaires Though indeed I never thought any Bishop worthy to sit in that House who would not Vote according to his Conscience I must now in Charity be thought desirous to preserve that Government in its right constitution as a matter of Religion wherein both My judgment is fully satisfied that it hath of all other the fullest Scripture grounds and also the constant practise of all Christian Churches till of late yeares the tumultuarinesse of People or the factiousnesse and pride of Presbyters or the covetousnesse of some States and Princes gave occasion to some mens wits to invent new models and propose them under specious titles of Christs Government Scepter and Kingdome the better to serve their turns to whom the change was beneficiall They must give Me leave having none of their temptations to invite Me to alter the Government of Bishops that I may have a title to their Estates not to believe their pretended grounds to any new waies contrary to the full and constant testimony of all Histories sufficiently convincing unbiased men that as the Primitive Churches were undoubtedly governed by the Apostles and their immediate Successours the first and best Bishops so it cannot in reason or charity be supposed that all Churches in the world should either be ignorant of the rule by them prescribed or so soon deviate from their divine and holy patterne That since the first Age for 1500 years not one Example can be produced of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers and Congregations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were Whose constant and universall practise agreeing with so large and evident Scripture-directions and examples are set down in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus for the setling of that Government not in the persons onely of Timothy and Titus but in the succession the want of Government being that which the Church can no more dispense with in point of wel-being than the want of the word and Sacraments in point of being I wonder how men came to looke with so envious an eye upon Bishops power and authority as to oversee both the Ecclesiasticall use of them and Apostolicall constitution which to Me seems no lesse evidently set forth as to the maine scope and designe of those Epistles for the setling of a peculiar Office Power and Authority in them as President-Bishops above others in point of Ordination Censures and other acts of Ecclesiasticall discipline then those shorter characters of the qualities and duties of Presbyter-Bishops and Deacons are described in some parts of the same Epistles who in the latitude and community of the name were then and may now not improperly be call'd Bishops as to the oversight and care of single Congregations committed to them by the Apostles or those Apostolicall Bishops who as Timothy and Titus succeeded them in that ordinary power there assigned over larger divisions in which were many Presbyters The humility of those first Bishops avoiding the eminent title of Apostles as a name in the Churches stile appropriated from its common notion of a Messenger or one sent to that speciall dignity which had extraordinary call mission gifts and power immediately from Christ they contented themselves with the ordinary titles of Bishops and Presbyters untill use the great arbitrator of words and master of language finding reason to distinguish by a peculiar name those persons whose power and office were indeed distinct from and above all
on our purpose to amend When thou hast vindicated thy glory by thy Iudgments and hast shewed us how unsafe it is to offend thee upon presumptions afterwards to please thee Then I trust thy mercies will restore those blessings to us which we have so much abused as to force thee to deprive us of them For want of timely repentance of our sinnes Thou givest us cause to Repent of those Remedies we too late apply Yet I doe not Repent of My calling this last Parliament because ô Lord I did it with an upright intention to Thy glory and My Peoples good The miseries which have ensued upon Me and My Kingdomes are the Iust effects of thy displeasure upon us and may be yet through thy mercy preparatives of us to future blessings and better hearts to enjoy them O Lord though thou hast deprived us of many former comforts yet grant Me and My people the benefit of our afflictions and thy chastisements that thy rod as well as thy staffe may comfort us Then shall we dare to account them the strokes not of an Enemy but a Father when thou givest us those humble affections that measure of patience in repentance which becomes thy Children I shall have no cause to repent the miseries this Parliament hath occasioned when by them thou hast brought Me and My People unfeignedly to repent of the sinnes we have committed Thy Grace is infinitely better with our sufferings then our Peace could be with Our sinnes O thou soveraigne goodnesse and wisdome who Over-rulest all our Counsels over-rule also all our hearts That the worse things we suffer by thy Iustice the better we may be by thy Mercy As our sinnes have turned our Antidotes into Poyson so let thy Grace turne our Poysons into Antidotes As the sins of our Peace disposed us to this unhappy Warre so let this Warre prepare us for thy blessed Peace That although I have but troublesome Kingdoms here yet I may attaine to that Kingdome of Peace in My Heart and in thy Heaven which Christ hath purchased and thou wilt give to thy Servant though a Sinner for my Saviours sake Amen 2. Vpon the Earle of Straffords death I Looked upon my Lord of Strafford as a Gentleman whose great abilities might make a Prince rather afraid then ashamed to employ him in the greatest affaires of State For those were prone to create in him great confidence of undertakings and this was like enough to betray him to great errours and many enemies Whereof he could not but contract good store while moving in so high a spheare and with so vigorous a lustre he must needs as the Sun raise many envious exhalations which condensed by a popular odium were capable to cast a cloud upon the brightest merit and integrity Though I cannot in My Judgment approve all he did driven it may be by the necessities of times and the Temper of that People more then led by his owne disposition to any height and rigour of actions yet I could never be convinced of any such criminousnesse in him as willingly to expose his life to the stroke of Justice and malice of his enemies I never met with a more unhappy conjuncture of affaires then in the businesse of that unfortunate Earle when between My owne unsatisfiednesse in Conscience and a necessity as some told me of satisfying the importunities of some people I was perswaded by those that I think wished me well to chuse rather what was safe then what seemed just preferring the outward peace of My Kingdoms with men before that inward exactnesse of Conscience before God And indeed I am so farre from excusing or denying that complyance on My part for plenary consent it was not to his destruction whom in My Judgment I thought not by any cleare Law guilty of death That I never bare any touch of Conscience with greater regret which as a signe of My repentance I have often with sorrow confessed both to God and men as an act of so sinfull frailty that it discovered more a feare of Man than of God whose name and place on Earth no man is worthy to beare who will avoid inconveniences of State by acts of so high injustice as no publique convenience can expiate or compensate I see it a bad exchange to wound a mans owne Conscience thereby to salve State sores to calme the stormes of popular discontents by stirring up a tempest in a mans owne bosome Nor hath Gods Justice failed in the event and sad consequences to shew the world the fallacy of that Maxime Better one man perish though unjustly then the people be displeased or destroyed For In all likelyhood I could never have suffred with My People greater calamities yet with greater comfort had I vindicated Strafford's innocency at least by denying to Signe that destructive BILL according to that Justice which My Conscience suggested to Me then I have done since I gratified some mens unthankfull importunities with so cruell a favour And I have observed that those who counselled Me to signe that Bill have been so farre from receiving the rewards of such ingratiatings with the People that no men have been harassed and crushed more than they He onely hath been least vexed by them who counselled Me not to consent against the vote of My owne Conscience I hope God hath forgiven Me and them the sinfull rashnesse of that businesse To which being in My soule so fully conscious those Judgements God hath pleased to send upon Me are so much the more welcome as a meanes I hope which his mercy hath sanctified so to Me as to make Me repent of that unjuâ—t Act for so it was to Me and for the future to teach Me That the best rule of policy is to preferre the doing of Justice before all enjoyments and the peace of My Conscience before the preservation of My Kingdomes Nor hath any thing more fortified My resolutions against all those violent importunities which since have sought to gaine alike consent from Me to Acts wherein my Conscience is unsatisfied then the sharp touches I have had for what passed Me in My Lord of Strafford's Businesse Not that I resolved to have employed him in My affaires against the advise of My Parliament but I would not have had any hand in his Death of whose Guiltlesnesse I was better assured then any man living could be Nor were the Crimes objected against him so cleare as after a long and faire hearing to give convincing satisfaction to the Major part of both Houses especially that of the Lords of whom scarce a third part were present when the Bill passed that House And for the House of Commons many Gentlemen disposed enough to diminish My Lord of Straffords greatnesse and power yet unsatisfied of his guilt in Law durst not Condemne him to die who for their Integrity in their Votes were by Posting their Names exposed to the popular calumny hatred and fury which grew then so exorbitant in their clamours
know I was like to bring the same judgement and constancy which I carryed with Me which would never fit their designes and so while they invited Me to come and grievously complained of My absence yet they could not but be pleased with it especially when they had found out that plausible and popular pretext of raising an Army to fetch in Delinquents when all that while they never punished the greatest and most intolerable Delinquencie of the Tumults and their Exciters which drave My selfe and so many of both Houses from their places by most barbarous indignities which yet in all Reason and Honour they were as loath to have deserted as those others were willing they should that so they might have occasion to persecute them with the Injuries of an Army for not suffering more tamely the Injuries of the Tumults That this is the true state and first drift and designe in raising an Army against Me is by the sequell so evident that all other pretences vanish For when they declared by Propositions or Treaties what they would have to appease them there was nothing of consequence offered to Me or demanded of Me as any originall difference in any point of Law or order of Justice But among other lesser Innovations this chiefly was urged The Abolition of Episcopall and the Establishment of Presbyterian Government All other things at any time propounded were either impertinent as to any ground of a War or easily granted by Me and onely to make up a number or else they were meerly consequentiall and accessary after the War was by them unjustly began I cannot hinder other mens thoughts whom the noise and shew of piety and heat for Reformation and Religion might easily so fill with prejudice that all equality and clearnesse of judgement might be obstructed But thi◠was and is as to my best observation the true state of affaires betweene us when they first raised an Army with this designe either to stop My mouth or to force My consent and in this truth as to My conscience who was God knowes as far from meditating a War as I was in the eye of the world from having any preparation for one I find that comfort that in the midst of all the unfortunate successes of this War on My side I doe not think My Innocencie any whit prejudiced or darkned Nor am I without that Integrity and Peace before God as with humble confidence to addresse My Prayer to Him For Thou O Lord seest clearly through all the cloudings of humane affaires Thou judgest without prejudice Thy Omniscience eternally guides thy unerrable Iudgement O my God the proud are risen against me and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soule and have not set Thee before their eyes Consider My enemies O Lord for they are many and they hate me with a deadly hatred without a cause For Thou knowest I had no passion designe or preparation to embroyle My Kingdomes in a Civill Warre whereto I had least temptation as knowing I must adventure more then any and could gaine least of any by it Thou O Lord art my witnesse how oft I have deplored and studied to divert the necessity thereof wherein I cannot well be thought so prodigally thirsty of my Subjects blood as to venture my own Life which I have been oft compelled to doe in this unhappy Warre and which were better spent to save then to destroy my People O Lord I need much of thy grace with patience to bear the many afflictions thou hast suffered some men to bring upon me but much more to bear the unjust reproaches of those who not content that I suffer most by the Warre will needs perswade the world that I have raised first or given just cause to raise it The confidence of some mens false tongues is such that they would make me almost suspect my own innocency Yea I could be content at least by my silence to take upon me so great a guilt before men If by that I might allay the malice of my Enemies and redeeme my People from this miserable Warre since thou O Lord knowest my Innocency in this thing Thou wilt finde out bloudy and deceitfull men many of whom have not lived out half their daies in which they promised themselves the enjoyment of the fruits of their violent and wicked Counsells Save O Lord thy servant as hitherto thou hast and in thy due time scatter the people that delight in Warre Arise O Lord lift up thy self because of the rage of mine Enemies which encreaseth more and more Behold them that have conceived mischief travelled with iniquity and brought forth falshood Thou knowest the chief designe of this Warre is either to destroy My Person or force My Iudgment and to make me renege my Conscience and thy Truth I am driven to crosse Davids choise and desire rather to fall into the hands of men by denying them though their mercies be cruell then into thy hands by sinning against My Conscience and in that against thee who art a consuming fire Better they destroy Me then thou shouldst damne Me. Be thou ever the defence of My soul who wilt save the upright in heart If nothing but My bloud will satisfie My Enemies or quench the flames of My Kingdomes or thy temporall Iustice I am content if it be thy will that it be shed by Mine owne Subjects hands But ô let the bloud of Me though their King yet a sinner be washed with the Bloud of My Innocent and peace-making Redeemer for in that thy Iustice will find not only a temporary expiation but an eternall plenary satisfaction both for my sins and the sins of my People whom I beseech thee still own for thine and when thy wrath is appeased by my Death O Remember thy great mercies toward them and forgive them O my Father for they know not what they doe 10. Vpon their seizing the Kings Magazines Forts Navy and Militia HOw untruly I am Charged with the first raising of an Army and beginning this Civill Warre the eyes that only pitty Me and the Loyall hearts that durst only pray for Me at first might witnesse which yet appear not so many on My side as there were men in Arms listed against Me My unpreparednesse for a War may well dis-hearten those that would help Me while it argues truly My unwillingnes to fight yet it testifies for Me that I am set on the defensive part having so little hopes or power to offend others that I have none to defend My self or to preserve what is Mine own from their proreption No man can doubt but they prevented Me in their purposes as well as their injuries who are so much before-hand in their preparations against Me and surprisalls of My strength Such as are not for Them yet dare not be for Me so over-aw'd is their Loyalty by the others numbers and terrours I believe My Innocency and unpreparednesse to assert My Rights and Honour makes Me the more
some mens ambitious Covetousnesse and sacrilegious Cruelty torturing with Me both Church and State in Civill distentions till I shall be forced to consent and declare that I doe approve what God knowes I utterly dislike and in My Soul abhor as many wayes highly against Reason Justice and Religion and whereto if I should shamefully and diâ—honourably give My consent yet should I not by so doing satisfie the dâ—vided Interests and Opinions of those Parties which contend with each other as well as both against Me and Epiâ—copacy Nor can My late condescending to the Scots in point of Church-government be rightly objected against Me as an inducement for Me to consent to the like in My other Kingdoms For it should be considered that Episcopacy was not so rooted and setled there as 't is here nor I in that respect so strictly bound to continue it in that Kingdom as in this for what I think in My judgment best I may not think so absolutely necessary for all places at all times If any shall impute My yeilding to them as My failing and sin I can easily acknowledge it but that is no argument to do so again or much worse I being now more convinced in that point nor indeed hath My yeilding to them been so happy and successefull as to incourage Me to grant the like to others Did I see any thing more of Christ as to Meeknesse Justice Orâ—er Charity and Loyalty in those that pretend to other modes of Government I might suspect My judgment to be biassed or foreâ—stalled with some prejudice and wontednesse of opinion but I have hitherto so much cause to suspect the contrary in the manners of many of those men that I cannot from them gain the least reputation for their new wayes of Government Nor can I find that in any Reformed Churches whose paternes are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under My Dominion that eâ—ther Learning or Religion workes of Pâ—ety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in My Kingdomes by Gods blessing which might make Me believe either Presbytery or Independency have a more benigne influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution The abuses of which deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained for I think it farre better to hold to primitive and uniforme Antiquity than to comply with divided novelty A right Episcopacy would at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober People so as Church affaires should be managed neither with tyrannie parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor People oppressed And in this integrity both of My Judgment and Conscience I hope God will preserve Me. For Thou O Lord knowest my uprightnesse and tendernesse as thou hast set me to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protectour of thy Church so suffer me not by any violence to be overborne against my Conscience Arise O Lord maintaine thine owne Cause let not thy Church be deformed as to that Government which derived from thy Apostles hath been retained in purest and primitive times till the Revenues of the Church became the object of secular envy which seeks to rob it of all the incouragements of Learning and Religion Make me as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to thy afflicted Church which some men have wounded and robbed others passe by without regard either to pity or relieve As my power is from thee so give me grace to use it for thee And though I am not suffered to be Master of my other Rights as a KING yet preserve me in that liberty of Reason love of Religion and thy Churches welfare which are fixed in my Conscience as a Christian. Preserve from Sacrilegious invasions those temporall blessings which thy providence hath bestowed on thy Church for thy glory Forgive their sinnes and errours who have deserved thy just permission thus to let in the wild Boare and subtill Foxes to wast and deform thy Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted and the dew of Heaven so long watered to a happy and flourishing estate O let me not beare the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the first Christian KING in this Kingdome who should consent to the oppression of thy Church and the Fathers of it whose errours I would rather with Constantine cover with silence and reforme with meeknesse than expose their persons and sacred Functions to vulgar contempt Thou O Lord seest how much I have suffered with and for thy Church make no long tarrying O my God to deliver both me and it from unreasonable men whose counsels have brought forth and continue such violent confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of thy Churches peace thereby letting in all manner of errours schismes and disorders O thou God of order and of truth in thy good â—ime abate the malice aswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of thine mine and thy Churches enemies That I and all that love thy Church may sing praises to thee and ever magnifie thâ— salvation even beâ—ore the sons of men 18. Vpon Vxbridge-Treaty and other Offers made by the KING I Look upon the way of Treaties as a retiring from fighting like Beasts to arguing like Men whose strength should be more in their understandings than in their limbs And though I could seldome get opportunities to Treat yet I never wanted either desire or disposition to it having greater confidence of My Reason than My Sword I was so wholly resolved to yeild to the first that I thought neither My selfe nor others should need to use the second if once we rightly understood each other Nor did I ever think it a diminution of Me to prevent them with Expresses of My desires and even importunities to Treat It being an office not onely of humanity rather to use Reason than Force but also of Christianity to seek peace and ensue it As I am very unwillingly compelled to defend My self with Armes so I very willingly embraced any thing tending to Peace The events of all Warre by the Sword being very dubious and of a Civill Warre uncomfortable the end hardly recompencing and late repairing the mischief of the means Nor did any successe I had ever enhaunce with Me the price of Peace as earnestly desired by Me as any man though I was like to pay dearer for it than any man All that I sought to reserve was Mine Honour and My Conscience the one I could not part with as a KING the other as a Christian. The Treaty at Uxbridge gave the fairest hopes of an happy composure had others applied themselves to it with the same moderation as I did I am confident the War had then ended I was willing to condescend as farre as Reason Honour and Conscience would gâ—ve Me leave nor were the remaining differences so essentiall to My Peoples happinesse or of such consequence as in the
requiring obedience to My just Commands but to none other under Heaven without Me or against Me in the point of raising Armes Those on the other side are forced to flie to the shifts of some pretended Feares and wild fundamentals of State as they call them which actually overthrow the present fabrick both of Church and State being such imaginary Reasons for self-defence as are most impertinent for those men to alledge who being My Subjects were manifestly the first assaulters of Me and the Lawes first by unsuppressing the Tumults after by listed Forces The same Allegations they use will fit any Faction that hath but power and confidence enough to second with the Sword all their demands against the present Lawes Governours which can never be such as some side or other will not find fault with so as to urge what they call a Reformation of them to a Rebellion against them some parasitick Preachers have dared to call those Martyrs who died fighting against Me the Lawes their Oathes and the Religion Established But sober Christians know That glorious Title can with Truth be applied only to those who sincerely preferred Gods Truth and theâ—r duty in all these particulars before their lives and all that was dear to them in this world who having no advantageous designes by any Innovation were religiously sensible of those ties to God the Church and My self which lay upon their Souls both for obedience and just assistance God could and I doubt not but he did through his mercy crown many of them with eternall life whose lives were lost in so just a Cause The destruction of their bodies being sanctified as a means to save their Soules Their wounds and temporall ruine serving as a gracious opportunity for their eternall health and happinesse while the evident approach of death did through Gods grace effectually dispose their hearts to such Humility Faith and Repentance which together with the Rectitude of their present engagement would fully prepare them for a better life then that which their enemies brutish and disloyall fiercenesse could deprive them of or without Repentance hope to enjoy They have often indeed had the better against My side in the Field but never I believe at the barre of Gods Tribunall or their own Consciences where they are more afraid to encounter those many pregnant Reasons both from Law Allegiance and all true Christian grounds which conflict with and accuse them in their own thoughts then they oft were in a desperate bravery to fight against those Forces which sometimes God gave Me. Whose condition conquered and dying I make no question but is infinitely more to be chosen by a sober man that duly values his duty his soul and eternity beyond the enjoyments of this present life then the most triumphant glory wherein their and Mine Enemies supervive who can hardly avoid to be daily tormented by that horrid guilt wherewith their suspicious or now convicted Consciences do pursue them especially since they and all the world have seen how false and un-intended those pretensions were which they first set forth as the only plausible though not justifiable grounds of raising a War and continuing it thus long against Me and the Lawes established in whose safety and preservation all honest men think the welfare of their Country doth consist For and with all which it is farre more honourable and comfortable to suffer then to prosper in their ruine and subversion I have often prayed that all on My side might joyn true piety with the sense of their Loyalty and be as faithfull to God and their own soules as they were to Me. That the defects of the one might not blast the endeavours of the other Yet I cannot think that any shewes or truth of piety on the other side were sufficient to dispence with or expiate the defects of their Duty and Loyalty to Me which have so pregnant convictions on mens Consciences that even profaner men are moved by the sense of them to venture their lives for Me. I never had any victory which was without My sorrow because it was on Mine owne Subjects who like Absolom died many of them in their sinne And yet I never suffered any Defeat which made Me despaire of Gods mercy and defence I never desired such Victories as might serve to conquer but onely restore the Lawes and Liberties of My people which I saw were extreamly oppressed together with My Rights by those men who were impatient of any just restraint When Providence gave Me or denied Me Victory My desire was neither to boast of My power nor to charge God foolishly who I believed at last would make all things to work together for My good I wished no greater advantages by the War then to bring My Enemies to moderation and My Friends to peace I was afraid of the temptation of an absolute conquest and never prayed more for victory over others than over My self When the first was denied the second was granted Me which God saw best for Me. The different events were but the methods of divine justice by contrary winds to winow us That by punishing our sinnes he might purge them from us and by deferring peace he might prepare us more to prize and better to use so great a blessing My often Messages for Peace shewed that I delighted not in Warre as My former Concessions sufficiently testified how willingly I would have prevented it and My totall unpreparednesse for it how little I intended it The conscience of My Innocency forbade Me to feare a Warre but the love of My Kingdomes commanded Me if possible to avoid it I am guilty in this Warre of nothing but this That I gave such advantages to some men by confirming their power which they knew not to use with that modesty and gratitude which became their Loyalty and My confidence Had I yeilded lesse I had been opposed lesse had I denied more I had been more obeyed 'T is now too late to review the occasions of the Warre I wish onely a happy conclusion of so unhappy beginnings The unevitable fate of our sinnes was no doubt such as would no longer suffer the divine justice to be quiet we having conquered his patience are condemned by mutuall conquerings to destroy one another for the most prosperous successes on either side impaire the welfare of the whole Those Victories are still miserable that leave our sinnes un-subdued flushing our pride and animating to continue injuries Peace it self is not desireable till repentance have prepared us for it When we fight more against our selves and lesse against God we shall cease fighting against one another I pray God these may all meet in our hearts and so dispose us to an happy conclusion of these Civil Warres that I may know better to obey God and govern My People and they may learn better to obey both God and Me. Nor doe I desire any man should be further subject to Me then all of us may be subject
after acting over again that former part of tumultuary motions never questioned punished or repented must now suffer for both and see their former sinne in the glasse of the present terrours and distractions No man is â—o blind as not to see hereâ—n the hand of divine justice they that by Tumults first occaâ—ioned the raising of Armies must now be chastened by their owne Army for new Tumults â—o haâ—dly can men be content with one â—in but adde sin to sin till the latter punish the former such as were content to see Me and many Members of both Houses driven away by the first unsuppressed Tumults are now forced to flie to an Army or defend themselves against them But who can unfold the riddle of some mens justice the Members of both Houses who at first withdrew as My self was forced to doe from the rudenesse of the Tumults were counted Desertors and outed of their Places in Parliament Such as stayed then and enjoyed the benefit of the Tumults were asserted for the onely Parliament-men now the Fliers from and Forsakers of their Places carry the Parliamentary power along with them complaine highly against the Tumults and vindicate themselves by an Army such as remained and kept their stations are looked upon as Abettors of tumultuary insolencies and Betrayers of the freedome and honour of Parliament Thus is Power above all Rule Order and Law where men look more to present Advantages than their Consciences and the unchangeable rules of Justice while they are Judges of others they are forced to condemn themselves Now the plea against Tumults holds good the Authours and Abbettors of them are guilty of prodigious insolencies when as before they were counted as Friends and necessary Aâ—sistants I see Vengeance pursues and overtakes as the Mice and Rats are said to have done a Bishop in Germany them that thought to have escaped and fortified themselves most impregnably against it both by their multitude and compliance Whom the Laws cannot God will punish by their owne crimes and hands I cannot but observe this divine Justice yet with sorrow and pity for I alwaies wished so well to Parliament and City that I was sorry to see them doe or suffer any thing unworthy such great considerable bodies in this Kingdome I was glad to see them onely scared and humbled not broken by that shaking I never had so ill a thought of those Cities as to despaire of their Loyalty to Me which mistakes might eclipse but I never believed malice had quite put out I pray God the storme be yet wholly passed over them upon whom I look as Christ did sometime over Ierusalem as objects of my prayers and teares with compassionate griefe foreseeing those severer â—catterings which will certainly befall such as wantonly refuse to be gathered to their duty fatall blindnesse frequently attending and punishing wilfulnesse so that men shall not be able at last to prevent their sorrows who would not timely repent of their sins nor shall they be suffered to enjoy the comforts who securely neglect the counsels belonging to their peace They will find that Brethren in iniquity are not farre from becomming insolent enemies there being nothing harder then to keep ill men long in one mind Nor is it possible to gaine a faire period for those notions which go rather in a round and circle of fansie than in a right line of reason tending to the Law the onely center of publique consistency whither I pray God at last bring all sides Which will easily be done when we shall fully see how much more happy we are to be subject to the knowne Laws than to the various wils of any men seem they never so plausible at first Vulgar compliance with any illegall and extravagant waies like violent motions in nature soon grows weary of it self and ends in a refractory â—ullennesse Peoples rebounds are oft in their faces who first put them upon those violent strokes For the Army which is so far excusable as they act according to Souldiers principles and interests demanding Pay and Indempnity I think it necessary in order to the publike peace that they should be satisfied as far as is just no man being more prone to consider them than My self though they have fought against Me yet I cannot but so farre esteem that valour gallantry they have sometime shewed as to wish I may never want such men to maintain My selfe My Lawes and My Kingdoms in such a peace as wherein they may enjoy theâ—r share and proportion as much as any men But thou O Lord who art perfect Unity in a sacred Trinity in mercy behold those whom thy Iustice hath divided Deliver Me from the strivings of My People and make Me to see how much they need My prayers and pity who agreed to fight against Me and yet are now ready to fight against one anotherâ— to the continuance of My Kingdomes distractions Discover to all sides the waies of peace from which they have swarved which consists not in the divided wills of Parties but in the poinâ— and due observation of the Lawes Make Me willing to go whither thou wilt lead Me by thy providence and be thou ever with Me that I may see thy constancy in the worlds varâ—ety and changes Make me even such as thou wouldst have Me that I may at last enjoy that safety and tranquillity which thou alone canst give Me. Divert I pray thee O Lord thy heavy wrath justly hanging over those populous Cities whose plenty is prone to adde fewell to their luxury their wealth to make them wanton their multitudes tempting them to security their security exposing them to unexpected miseries Give them eyes to see hearts to consider wils to embrace and courage to act those things which belong to thy glory and the publique peace lest their calamity come upon them as an armed man Teach them That they cannot want enemies who abound in sinne nor shall they be long undisarmed and unâ—destroyed who with a high hand persisting to fight against thee and the cleare convictions of their owne consciences fight more against themselves than ever they did against Me. Their sinnes exposing them to thy Iustice their riches to others injuries their number to Tumults and their Tumults to confusion Though they have with much forwardnesse helped to destroy Me yet let not my fall be their ruineâ— Let Me not so much consider either what they have done or I have suffered chiefly at first by them as to forget to imitate My crucified Redeemer to plead their ignorance for their pardon and in My dying extremities to pray to thee O Father to forgive them for they knew not what they did The teares they have denied Me in My saddest condition give them grace to bestow upon themselves who the lesse they were for Me the more cause they have to weep for themselves O let not My bloud be upon them and their Children whom the fraud and faction of some not the malice
call Justice while they flatter themselves with the fancy of their owne safety by My danger and the security of their lives designes by My Death forgetting that as the greatest temptations to sinne are wrapped up in seeming prosperities so the severest vengeances of God are then most accomplished when men are suffered to compleat their wicked purposes I blesse God I pray not so much that this bitter cup of a violent death may passe from Me as that of his wrath may passe from all those whose hands by deserting Me are sprinkled or by acting and consenting to My death are embrued with My bloud The will of God hath confined and concluded Mine I shall have the pleasure of dying without any pleasure of desired vengeance This I think becomes a Christian toward his Enemies and a King toward his Subjects They cannot deprive Me of more than I am content to lose when God sees fit by their hands to take it from me whose mercy I believe will more then infinitely recompence what ever by mans injustice he is pleased to deprive me of The glory attending my death will farre surpasse all I could enjoy or conceive in life I shall not want the heavy and envied Crownes of this world when my God hath mercifully crowned and consummated his graces with glory and exchanged the shadows of my earthly Kingdomes among men for the substance of that heavenly kingdome with himself For the censures of the world I know the sharp and necessary tyranny of my Destroyers will sufficiently confute the calumnies of tyranny against me I am perswaded I am happy in the judicious love of the ablest and best of my Subjects who doe not onely pity and pray for me but would be content even to die with me or for me These know how to excuse my failings as a man and yet to retaine and pay their duty to me as their King there being no religious necessity binding any Subjects by pretending to punish infinitely to exceed the faults and errours of their Princes especially there where more then sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the publike the enjoyment of which private ambitions have hitherto frustrated Others I believe of sofâ—er tempers and lesse advantaged by my ruine doe already feel sharp convictions and some remoâ—se in their consciences where they cannot but see the proportions of their evill dealings against me in the measure of Gods retaliations upon them who cannot hope long to enjoy their owne thumbs and toes having under pretence of paring others nailes been so cruell as to cut off their chiefest strength The punishment of the more insolent and obstinate may be lâ—ke that of Korah his Complices at once mutining against both Prince Priest in such a method of divine justice as is not ordinary the earth of the lowest and meanest people opening upon them and swallowing them up in a just disdaine of their ill-gotten and worse-used Authority upon whose support and strength they chiefly depended for their building and establishing their designes against Me the Church and State My chiefest comfort in death consists in my peace which I trust is made with God before whose exact Tribunal I shall not feare to appeare as to the Cause so long disputed by the Sword between me and my causlesse Enemies where I doubt not but his righteous judgment will confute their fallacy who from worldly successe rather like Sophisters than sound Christians draw those popular conclusions for Gods approbation of their actions whose wise providence we know oft permits many events which his revealed Word the onely cleare safe and fixed rule of good actions and good consciences in no sort approves I am confident the Justice of my Cause and clearness of My Conscience before God toward my people will carry me as much above them in Gods decision as their successes have lifted them above me in the Vulgar opinion who consider not that many times those undertakings of men are lifted up to Heaven in the prosperity and applause of the world whose rise is from Hell as to the injuriousnesse and oppression of the designe The prosperous winds which oft fill the sayles of Pirats doth not justifie their piracy and rapine I look upon it with infinite more content and quiet of Soule to have been worsted in my enforced contestation for and vindication of the Laws of the Land the freedome and honour of Parliaments the rights of my Crown the just liberty of my Subjects and the true Christian Religion in its Doctrine Government and due encouragements then if I had with the greatest advantages of successe overborne them all as some men have now evidently done whatever designes they at first pretended The prayers and patience of my Friends and loving Subjects will contribute much to the sweetning of this bitter cup which I doubt not but I shall more cheerfully take and drink as from Gods hand if it must be so than they can give it to me whose hands are unjustly and barbarously lifted up agaâ—nst me And as to the last event I may seem to owe more to my Enemies than my Friends while those will put a period to the sinnes and sorrows attending this miserable life wherewith these desire I might still contend I shall be more than Conquerour through Christ enabling me for whom I have hitherto suffered as he is the Authour of Truth Order and Peace for all which I have been forced to contend against Errour Faction and confusion If I must suffer a violent death with my Saviour it is but mortality crowned with martyrdomeâ— where the debt of death which I owe for sinne to nature shall be raised as a gift of faith and patience offered to God Which I humbly beseech him mercifully to accept and although death be the wages of my owne sinne as from God and the effect of others sinnes as men both against God and me yet as I hope my own sinnes are so remitted that they shall be no ingredients to imbitter the cup of my death so I desire God to pardon their sins who are most guilty of my destruction The Trophees of my charity will be more glorious and durable over them than their ill-managed victories over me Though their sin be prosperous yet they had need to be penitent that they may be pardoned Both which I pray God they may obtain that my temporall death unjustly inflicted by them may not be revenged by Gods just inflicting eternall death upon them for I look upon the temporall destruction of the greatest King as far lesse deprecable than the eternall damnation of the meanest Subject Nor do I wish other than the safe bringing of the ship to shore when they have cast me overboard though it be very strange that Mariners can find no other means to appease the storme themselves have raised but by drowning their Pilot. I thank God my Enemies cruelty cannot prevent my preparation whose malice in this I shall defeat that they shall not have
of all have excited to crucifie Me. But thou O Lord canst and wilt as thou didst My Redeemer both exalt and perfect Me by My sufferings which have moâ—e in them of thy mercy than of mans cruelty or thy owne justice 27. To the Prince of VVales SOn if these Papers with some others wherein I have set down the private reflections of My Conscience and My most impartiall thoughts touching the chiefe passages which have been most remarkable or disputed in My late troubles come to your hands to whom they are chiefly designed they may be so far usefull to you as to state your judgement aright in what hath passed whereof a pious is the best use can be made and they may also give you some directions how to remedy the present distempers and prevent if God will the lâ—ke for time to come It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of My long restraint when I find My leisure and solitude have produced something worthy of My self and usefull to you That neither you nor any other may hereafter measure My Cause by the Successe nor My Judgment of things by My misfortunes which I count the greater by farre because they have so farre lighted upon you and some others whom I have most cause to love as well as My self and of whose unmerited sufferings I have a greater sense then of Mine own But this advantage of wisedome you have above most Princes that you have begun and now spent some yeares of discretion in the experience of troubles and exercise of patience wherein Piety and all Vertues both Morall and Politicall are commonly better planted to a thriving as trees set in winter then in the warmth and serenity of times or amidst those delights which usually attend Princes Courts in times of peace and plenty which are prone either to root up all plants of true Vertue and Honour or to be contented only with some leaves and withering formalities of them without any reall fruits such as tend to the Publick good for which Princes should alwayes remember they are born and by providence desigâ—ed The evidence of which different education the holy Writ affords us in the contemplation of David and Rehoboam The one prepared by many afflictions for a flourishing Kingdom the other softned by the unparalel'd prosperity of Solomons Court and so corrupted to the great diminution both for Peace Honour and Kingdome by those flatteries which are as unseparable from prosperous Princes as Flies are from fruit in summer whom adversity like cold weather drives away I had rather you should be Charles le Bow then le Grand good then great I hope God hath designed you to be both having so early put you into that exercise of his Graces and gifts bestowed upon you which may best weed out all vicious inclinations and dispose you to those Princely endowments and employments which will most gain the love and intend the welfare of those over whom God shall place you With God I would have you begin and end who is King of Kings the Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the world who pulleth downe one and setteth up another The best Government and highest Soveraignty you can attain to is to be subject to him that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in your heart The true glory of Princes consists in advancing Gods Glory in the maintenance of true Religion and the Churches good Also in the dispensation of civill Power with Justice and Honour to the publick Peace Piety will make you prosperous at least it will keep you from being miserable nor is he much a loser that loseth all yet saveth his owne soule at last To which Center of true Happinesse God I trust hath and will graciously direct all these black lines of Affliction which he hath been pleased to draw on me and by which he hath I hope drawn me nearer to himself You have already tasted of that cup whereof I have liberally drank which I look upon as Gods Physick having that in healthfulnesse which it wants in pleasure Above all I would have you as I hope you are already well-grounded and setled in your Religion The best profession of which I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England in which you have been educated yet I would have your own Judgement and Reason now seal to that sacred bond which education hath written that it may be judiciously your own Religion and not other mens custome or tradition which you professe In this I charge you to persevere as comming nearest to Gods Word for Doctrine and to the primitive examples for Government with some little amendment which I have other where expressed and often offered though in vain Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be not more necessary for your soules then your Kingdomes peace when God shall bring you to them For I have observed that the Devill of Rebellion doth commonly turn hâ—mself into an Angell of Reformation and the old Serpent can pretend new Lights When some mens Consciences accuse them for Sedition and Faction they stop its mouth with the name and noise of Religion when Piety pleads for peace and patience they cry out Zeale So that unlesse in this point You be well setled you shall never want temptations to destroy you and yours under pretensions of reforming matters of Religion for that seemes even to worst men as the best and most auspicious beginning of their worst designes Where besides the Novelty which is taking enough with the Vulgar every one hath an affectation by seeming forward to an outward Reformation of Religion to be thought zealous hoping to cover those irreligious deformities whereto they are conscious by aseverity of censuring other mens opinions or actions Take heed of abetting any Factions or applying to any publick Discriminations in matters of Religion contrary to what is in your Judgement and the Church well setled your partiall adhering as head to any one side gaines you not so great advantages in some mens hearts who are prone to be of their Kings Religion as it losâ—th you in others who think themselves and their profession first despised then persecuted by you Take such a course as may either w th calmnes charity quite remove the seeming differences and offences by impartiality or so order affaires in point of Power that you shal not need to fear or flatter any Faction For if ever you stand in need of them or must stand to their courtesie you are undone The Serpent will devour the Dove you may never expect lesse of loyalty justice or humanity than from those who engage into religious Rebellion Their interest is alwaies made Gods under the colours of Piety ambitious policies march not onely with greatest security but applause as to the populacy you may heare from them Iacob's voice but you shall feele they have Esau's hands Nothing seemed lesse considerable than the Presbyterian Faction in England for many