may soon prove violent Oppositions if once they gain to be necessary Impositions upon the Regal Authority 65. No man seeks to limit and confine his King in reason who hath not a secret aim to share with him or usurpe upon him in Power and Dominion 66. Nature Law Reason and Religion bind a King in the first place to preserve himself without which 't is impossible to preserve his people according to his place 67. Factions in the State and Schismes in the Church get confidence by vulgar Clamours and assistance to demand not only Tolerations of themselves but also abolition of the lawes against them and a total extirpation of that Government whose Rights they made 68. Some moderate Propositions are by cunning Demanders used like waste paper wherein their unreasonable ones are wrapped up to present them somewhat more handsomely 69. There is nothing so monstrous which some fancies are not prone to long for 70. They abuse themselves who believe all good which is guilded with shews of Zeal and Reformation 71. Popular Clamours and Tumults serve to give life and strength to the infinite activity of those men who study with all diligence and policy to improve present distractions to their innovating designs 72. Armies of propositions having little of Judgment Reason Justice and Religion taking their rise from Tumult and Faction must be backt and seconded with Armies of Souldiers 73. A King is to weigh the reason and justice not regard the number and power of contesting Subjects 74. Tumults can be no other then the hounds that attend the cry and hollow of those men who hunt after factions and private designs to the ruine of the Church and State 75. If the straitness of a Kings Conscience will not give him leave to swallow down such camels as others do of Sacriledg and Jnjustice both to God and man they have no more cause to quarrel with him then for this that his throat is not so wide as theirs 76. Nothing of passion or peevishness or list to contradict or vanity to shew a negative power should have any byas upon the judgment of a King to make him gratifie his will by denying any thing which his Reason and Conscience commands him not 77. A King should not consent to more than Reason Justice Honour and Religion perswade him to be for Gods glory the Church's good his Peoples welfare and his own peace 78. Although many mens Loyalty and Prudence be terrified from giving their King that true and faithfull Councell which they are able and willing to impart and he may want yet none can hinder him from craving the Councel of that mighty Councellor who can both suggest what is best and incline his heart stedfastly to follow it 79. It is no news for some Subjects to fight not only without their Kings Commission but against his Command and Person too yet all the while to pretend they fight by his Authority and for his safety 80. Rebels do alwayes this honour to their King to think moderate Injuries not proportionate to him nor competent Tryals either of his Patience under them or his Pardon of them 81. Some with exquisite malice mix the gall and vinegar of falsity and contempt with the Cup of their Kings affliction charging him not only with untruths but such as wherein he hath the greatest share of loss and dishonour by what is committed 82. That King is a Cyclopick monster whom nothing will serve to eat and drink but the flesh and bloud of his own Subjects 83. Some think they cannot do well but in evil times nor so cunningly as in laying the Odium of those sad events on others wherewith themselves are most pleased and whereof they have been not the least occasion 84. Preposterous rigour and unreasonable severity may be not the least incentive that kindles and blowes up into horrid slames the sparks of discontent which want not predisposed fewel for Rebellion where dispair being added to former discontents and the fear of utter extirpation to wonted oppressions it is easie to provoke to an open Rebellion a people prone to break out to all exorbitant violence by some principles of their Religion and the natural desires of liberty 85. Some men of covetous zeal and uncharitable fury think it a great argument of the truth of their Religion to endure no other but their own 86. It is preposterous and unevangelical zeal to chuse rather to use all extremities which may drive men to desperate obstinacy than to apply moderate remedies 87. Some kind of zeal counts all mercifull moderation lukewarmness and had rather be cruel than counted cold and is not seldome more greedy to kill the Bear for his skin than for any harm he hath done 88. The confiscation of mens Estates pleaseth some better as being more beneficial than the charity of saving their lives or reforming their errours 89. Some men have better skill to let bloud than to stanch it 90. Men prepared to misconstrue the actions of their Soveraign have more credulity to what is false and evill than love or charity to what is true and good 91. A King hath no judge but God above him 92. God doth not therefore deny a Kings innocence because he is pleased so farre to try his patience as he did his servant Jobs 93. Swarms of reproaches issue out of some mens mouths and hearts as easily as smoke or sparks do out of a furnace 94. Men conscious of their own depth of wickedness are loath to believe any man not to be as bad as themselves 95. It is kingly to do well and hear ill 96. A King ought to look upon the effusion of his Subjects bloud as exhausted out of his own veins 97. Royal bounty emboldens some men to ask and act beyond all bounds of modesty and gratitude 98. A King should not let any mans ingratitude or inconstancy make him repent of what he granted for the Publick good 99. Where violence is used for innovation in Religion many feel the misery of the means before they reap the benefit of the end 100. It can not but seem either passion or some self-seeking more than true zeal and pious discresion for any forraign State or Church to prescribe such medicine only to others which themselves have used rather successfully than commendably The Third Century 1 THe same Physick in different Constitutions will have different opperations That may kill one which doth but cure another 2. It is not so proper to hew out religious Reformations by the Sword as to polish them by fair and equal disputations among those that are most concern'd in the differences whom not force but reason ought to convince 3. Mens Consciences can receive little satisfaction in those points which are maintained rather by Souldiers fighting in the field than Scholars disputing in free and learned Synods 4. In matters of Religion those truths gain most on mens judgments and consciences which are least urged with secular violence 5.
some reparations for their former defects 41. As the quality of a King sets him beyond a Duel with any Subject so the Nobleness of his mind must raise him above the meditating any revenge or executing his anger upon the many 42. The more conscious a King shall be to his own merits upon his people the more prone he will be to expect all love and loyalty from them and to inflict no punishment upon them for former miscariages 43. An injur'd King will have more inward complacency in pardoning one than in punishing a thousand 44. We cannot merit of God but by his own mercy 45. Counterfeit and disorderly zeal ought not to abate a King's value and esteem of true piety both of them are to be known by their fruits 46. The sweetness of the Vine and Figtree is not to be despised though the Brambles and Thornes should pretend to bear Figs and Grapes thereby to rule over the Trees 47. The publick interest consists in the mutual and common good both of Prince and People 48. We must not sterve our selves because some men have surfeited of wholsom food 49. God sometimes punisheth Rebellious Subjects with continuance in their sin and suffers them to be deluded with the prosperity of their wickedness 53. Gods grace may teach and enable an injur'd King to want as well as to wear a Crown which is not worth taking up or enjoying upon sordid dishonourable and irreligious termes 51. Let a King keep himself to true principles of piety vertue and honour He shall never want a Kingdom 52. It is a principal point of honour in a yong King to deferre all respect love and pretection to the Queen Dowager his mother especially if with magnanimity and patience she hath sufferr'd for and with his Royal Father and himself 53. A Captive King in the midst of Rebellious Subjects may be wrapt up and fortified in his own innocency and God's grace 54. The bloud of a King destroy'd by Rebels will cry aloud for vengeance to Heaven and they who shed it will have inward horrour for their first Tormenter and not escape exemplary judgments 55. They that repent of any defects in their duty toward the Royal Father may be found truly zealous to repay with interest the loyalty and love which was due to him unto their King his son 56. The mask of Religion on the face of Rebellion will not long serve to hide the men's deformities that use it 57. Mislead Subjects may learn by their miseries That Religion to their God and Loyalty to their King cannot be parted without both their sin and their infelicity 58. God may honour a King not only with the Scepter and government of Realms but also with the suffering many indignities and an untimely death for them while he studies to preserve the rights of the Church the power of his Lawes the honour of his Crown the priviledges of Parliaments the liberties of his People and his own Conscience which is dearer to him than a thousand Kingdoms 59. A Captive King hath as much cause as leisure to meditate upon and prepare for his death there being but few steps between the Prisons and Graves of Princes 60. It is Gods indulgence which gives him the space but mans cruelty that gives him the sad occasions for those thoughts 61. A King in the hands of Rebels besides the common burthen of mortality which lies upon him as a man bears the heavy load of other mens ambitions fears jealousies and cruel passions whose envy or enmity against him makes their own lives seem deadly to them while he enjoyes any part of his 62. A Kings prosperity should not make him a stranger to the contemplations of mortality 63. The thoughts of death are never unseasonable since prosperity alwayes is uncertain 64. Death is an Eclipse which oft hapneth as well in clear as clowdy dayes 65. A King by long and sharp adversity may have so reconciled within himself those natural Antipathies between Life and Death which are in all men that the common terrours of the later may be dispelled and the special horrour of it much allayed 66. A King to whom a violent death approaching is represented by the policy of cruel and implacable enemies with all terrible aggravations may look upon those things as unpoysonous though sharp since his Redeemer hath either pulled them out or given him the antidote of his death against them which as to the immaturity unjustice shame scorn and cruelty of it exceeded whatever a threatned King can fear 67. A pious King never finds so much the life of Religion the feast of a good Conscience and the brazen wall of a judicious integrity and constancy as when he comes to a close conflict with the thoughts of Death 68. Though a King be not so old as to be weary of life it is happy for him if he be not so bad as to be either afraid to dye or asham'd to live 69. It is the greatest glory of a Christians life to dye dayly in conquering by a lively faith and patient hope of a better life those partial and quotidian deaths which kill by piece-meals and make men over-live their own fates while we are deprived of health honour liberty power credit safety or estate and those other comforts of dearest relations which are as the life of our lives 70. A King lives in nothing temporal so much as in the love and good will of his people 71. A King should not think that life too long or tedious wherein God gives him any opportunities if not to do yet to suffer with such Christian patience and magnanimity in a good cause as are the greatest honour of his life and the best improvement of his death 72. In point of true Christian valour it argues pusillanimity to desire to dye out of weariness of life and a want of that heroike greatness of spirit which becomes a Christian in the patient and generous sustaining those afflictions which as shadowes necessarily attend us while we are in this body and which are less'ned or enlarged as the Sun of our prosperity moves higher or lower whose total absence is best recompensed with the Dew of Heaven 73. The assaults of affliction may be terrible like Sampson's Lyon but they yield much sweetness to those that dare encounter and overcome them who know how to over-live the witherings of their Gourds without discontent or peevishness while they may yet converse with God 74. The life of a pious King is the Object of the Devils and wicked mens malice but yet under God's sole custody and disposal 75. We must not by seeming prepared to dye think to flatter God for longer life 76. Triumphing Enemies who are solemnely cruel adde as those did who crucified Christ the mockery of justice to the cruelty of malice 77. That a King may be destroyed as with greater pomp and artifice so with less pity it is but a necessary policy to make his death appear
the abatement of mens sins not the desolating of Nations he will command the Sword of Civil Wars to sheath it self 76. A King of divers Nations may incurre the the censure or misconstruction of one while he gratifies the active spirits among them of the other so far as that he seems to many to prefer the desires of that party before his own interest and honour 77. Religion and Liberty are common and vulgar flourishes to disguise an other errand of that Army which invades their own Kings territories to make him and his Church to write after them and theirs though it were in bloudy characters 78. Presbytery seeks to suppress and render odious under the names of Sects Schisms or Heresies several Parties which if they can get but numbers strength and opportunity may according to Presbyteries opinion and pattern set up their wayes by the like methods of violence representing a wonderful necessity thereof to avoid the further miseries of War which they may first begin and engage themselves to continue until they obtain their end 79. When God hath first taken us off from the folly of our opinions and fury of our passion he hath many wayes to teach us those rules of true Reason and peaceable Wisdome which is from above tending most to his glory and his Church's good 80. They that have any true touches of Conscience will not endeavour to carry on the best designs much less such as are and will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious by any unlawfull means under the title of a Covenant 81. Ties by Leagues and Covenants are either superfluous and vain when men were sufficiently tied before or fraudulent and injurious if by such after-ligaments they find the Imposers really ayming to dissolve or suspend their former just and necessary obligations 82. Factious men to whom it is enough if they get but the reputation of a seeming encrease to their Party little romember That God is not mocked 83. Against the Church the King or the Publick Peace no mans lawfull Calling can engage him 84. The soâ—â— and servile temper of some Divines dispose them in alterations of Religion and Government to sudden acting and compliance contrary to their former judgments profession and practise 85. No man should be more forward than a King himself to carry on all due Reformation with mature judgment and a good Conscience in what things he shall after impartial advice be by God's Word and right reason convinced to be amiss 86. Crowns and Kingdoms have a period with the life of their King but Reputation and Honour may survive to a glorious kind of Immortality when he is dead and gone 87. A King should never permit the malice of his enemies to deprive him of that comfort which his confidence in the generality of his people gives him 88. What a King may bear from foreign enemies he cannot so well from his own Subjects who next his children are dear unto him 89. Nothing could give a King more cause to suspect and search his own Innocency than when he observes many who made great professions of singular piety forward to engage against him 90. When many Professours of singular Piety engage with persons that take arms against their King it gives to vulgar minds so bad a reflection upon Him and his Cause as if it had been impossible to adhere to Him and not with all part from God to think or speak well of Him and not to blaspheme God 91. Truly Learned and Religious men will endeavour to be so well satisfied in the Cause of their injur'd King's sufferings as that they may chose rather to suffer with Him than forsake Him 92. When Popular Preachers though but in hypocrisie and falshood urge Religious pretensions against their King it is not strange that the same to many well-minded men should be a great temptation to oppose Him 93. When a King useth the assistance of Subjects of a different profession from Him they are most ready to interpret it a sighting against Religion who least of all men care whom they imploy or what they say and do so they may prevail 94. So eager are some men in giving their Soveraign better counsel than what they pretend he hath before heark'ned to that they will not give Him leave to take it with freedom as a Man nor honour as a King 95. No men should be more willing to complain than the King be to redress what he sees in Reason to have been either done or advis'd amiss 96. They who of pretended Sufferers become zealous Actors in persecution deprive themselves of the comfort and reward whatsoever they before expected 97. The noise and ostentation of Liberty is the design and artifice some men use to withdraw the peoples affections from their King 98. A good King should be so far from desiring to oppress as not to envy his Subjects that liberty which is all he ought desire to enjoy himself viz. To will nothing but according to Reason Lawes and Religion 99. Lords and Gentlemen which assist their King in a Civil War would not be so prodigal of their Liberties if they suspected he would infringe them as with their Lives and Fortunes to help on the inslaving of themseves and their Posterities 100. As to civil Importunities none but such as desire to drive on their ambitious and covetous design over the ruines of Church and State Prince Peers and People will ever desire greater Freedom than good Lawes allow The ninth Century 1. SUch men as thirst after Novelties or despair to relieve the necessities of their fortunes or satisfie their Ambition in peaceable times become principal impulsives to popular Commotions 2. Rebels will blast the best Government of the best King with all the odious reproaches which impotent malice can invent and expose Him to all those contempts which may most diminish the Majesty of a King and encrease the ungratefull insolencies of his People 3. A King who is well assured that his Innocency is clear before God in point of any calumnies rebellious Subjects do object may prophesie That his reputation shall like the Sun after Owles and Bats have had their freedom in the night and darker times rise and recover it self to such a degree of spendour as those feral birds shall be grieved to behold and unable to bear 4. A King cannot so much suffer in point of honour by rude and scandalous pamphlets as those men do who having power and pretending to so much piety are so forgetfull of their duty to God and him as not to vindicate the Majesty of their King against any of those who contrary to the precept of God and precedents of Angels speak evil of dignities and bring railing accusations against those who are honoured with the name of Gods 5. They will easily contemn such shadows of God as Kings are who reverence not that Supreme and adorable Majesty in comparison of whom all the glory of Men and Angels is but
continue 31. Ignorance Superstition Aâ—varice Revenge with other disorderly and disloyal Passions have so blown up some mens minds against Episcopal Government in the Church that what they want of Reasons or Primitive Patterns they supply with violence and oppression 32. Some mens zeal for Bishops Lands Houses and Revenues hath set them on work to eat up Episcopacy 33. A King solemnly obliged by an Oath agreable to his judgment to preserve Episcopal Government and the Rights of the Church hath a particular engagement above other men so to do 34. The said King being daily by the best disquisition of Truth more confirmed in the Reason and Religion of that to which he is sworn no man that wisheth not his damnation can perswade Him at once to so notorious and combined sins as those of Sacriledg and Perjury in parting with Episcopacy 35. Men of ambitious Covetousness and secrilegious Cruelty will torture with their King both Church and State in Civil dissentions till if he have not an invincible resolution he shall not be forced to consent and declare that he does approve what God knowes he utterly dislikes and in his Soul abhors 36. Should a King pressed by Imperious Subjects shamefully and dishonouraly give his consent to any bold demand against Reason Justice and Religion yet should he not by so doing satisfie the divided Interests and Opinions of those Parties if any such be among them which contend with each other as well as both against Him 37. The abuses of Episcopacy deserve to be extirpated as much as the use retained 38. A right Episcopacy doth at once satisfie all just desires and interests of good Bishops humble Presbyters and sober People so as Church-affairs should be managed neither with tyranny parity nor popularity neither Bishops ejected nor Presbyters despised nor People oppressed 39. A King that can seldom get opportunities to Treat with Subjects in armes against Him should yet never want either desire or disposition to it having greater considence of his Reason than his Sword 40. A King should very unwillingly be compelled to defend himself with Arms against his Subjects and very willingly embrace any thing tending unto Peace 41. No success should ever enhaunce with a King the price of Peace between him and his Subjects which should be as earnestly desired by Him as any man though He be like to pay dearer than any man for it so He reserve his Honour and his Conscience 42. A King should condescend to the desires of his Subjects as far as Reason Honour and Conscience will give Him leave having special regard to those differences that are essential to the security or prosperity of his People To deny some other demands may be the greatest justice to Himself and favour to his Subjects 43. A King willing to condescend to the setling of Church-affairs so as he may give satisfaction to all men must have a care not to comply with such whom faction covetousness or superstition may have engaged more than any true zeal charity or love of reformation 44. Although a King may be content to yield to all that may seem to advance true piety yet He must seek to continue what is necessary in point of Order Maintenance and Authority to the Church's Government especially if He be perswaded that it is most agreable to the true principles of all Government raised to its full stature and perfection as also to the Primitive Apostolical pattern and the practise of the Universal Church conform thereto 45. The King is very excusable both before God and all unpassionate men for the distance between Him and Subjects in Arms against Him that in Treaties and Transactions endeavoureth no less the restauration of peace to his People than the preservation of his own Crowns to his posterity 46. If such Treaties give occasion to any mans further restiveness it is imputable to their own depraved tempers not to any Concessions or Negations of their King who has alwayes the content of what He offered and they the regret and blame for what they refused 47. A King may presage the unsuccessfulness of any Treaty with his Subjects among whom he finds an unwillingness to treat that implying some things to be gained by the Sword whose unreasonableness they are loth to have fairly scanned being more proper to be acted by Soldiers than by Counselors 48. When God gives a King victory over his Subjects in Armes against him it is to try Him that He may know how with moderation and thanks to own and use his power who is the only true Lord of Hosts able when he pleases to repress the confidence of those who fight against him though with great advantage for power and numbers 49. A King who for small beginnings on his part at length is attended on by an Army wherewith He may encounter his rebellious Subjects has this comfort that He is not wholly forsaken by his Peoples love or Gods Protection 50. When God at any time permits the same King to be worsted by his Enemies it is to exercise his patience and teach Him not to trust in the arme of Flesh but in the living God 51. They who fight against their King are forced to slie to the shifts of some pretended Fears and wild fundamentals of State as they use to call them which actually overthrow the present Fabrick both of Church and State 52. The imaginary Reasons which Rebels alledg for self defence are commonly most impertinent and such as will fit any Faction that hath but power and confidence enough to second with the Sword all their demands against the present Lawes and Governours 53. Lawes and Governours 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 54. They are Parasitick Preachers that dare call those Martyrs who died fighting against their King the Lawes their Oaths and right Religion established For 55. Sober Christians know than the glorious Title of Martyr can with truth be applied only to those who seriously prefer God's Truth and their duty in all the foresaid particulars before their lives and all that is dear to them in this World 56. The Wounds and temporal Ruines of those loyal Subjects who are slain in Civil Wars serve as a gracious opportunity for their eternal Health and Happiness while the evident approach of death through God's grace effectually disposeth their Hearts to such Humility Faith and Repentance which together with the Rectitude of their engagement fully prepares them for a better life than that which their enemies brutish and disloyal firceness can deprive them of or without repentance hope to enjoy 57. Those Rebels who may have often the better against their King's side in the Field will never have so at the Bar of God's Tribunal or their own Consciences 58. The condition of loyal Subjects in a Civil War though conquered and dying for their King no question is
by which to find out their Original 10. It hath been often sound that mutual returns of long answers and replies have rather multiplied disputes by starting new questions than informed the Conscience by removing former scruples 11. In former times under Pagan Princes the Church was a distinct Body of it self divided from the Common-wealth and so was to be governed by its own rules and Rulers The Bishops therefore of those times though they had no outward coercive power over mens persons or estates yet in as much as every Christian man when he became a Member of the Church did ipso facto and by that his own voluntary act put himself under their government they exercised a very large power of jurisdictionâ— in spiritualibus in making Ecclesiastical Canons receiving accusations conventing the accused examining of witnesses judging of crimes excluding such as they found guilty of scandalous offences from the Lord's Supper enjoyning penances upon them casting them out of the Church receiving them again upon their repentance c. And all this they exercised as well over Presbyters as others but after that the Church under Christian Princes began to be incorporated into the Common-wealth whereupon there must of necessity follow a complication of the Civil and Ecclesiastical powers the jurisdiction of Bishops in the outward exercise of it was subordinate unto and limited by the Supreme Civil power 12. Although there be no cause to dislike their opinion who derive the Episcopal power originally from Christ himself without whose warrant the Apostles would not either have exercised it themselvs or derived it to others yet for that the practise in them is so clear and evident and the warrant from him expressed but in general terms As my Father sent me so send I you and the like we may chuse rather to fix the claim of the power upon that practise as the more evidential way than upon the warrant which by reason of the generality of expression would bear more dispute 13. Arguments drawn from Names and Words and conjectural Expositions of Scripture are subject to such frailties as in debate will give little satisfaction to his judgment and conscience that requites it 14. The testimonies of so many writers ancient and modern as have been produced for the Scripture-Original of Bishops may be conceived of so great importance in a question of this nature that we are bound both in charity and reason to believe That so many men of such quality would not have asserted the same with so much confidence but upon very good ground 15. One witness for the affirmative ought to be of more value than ten for the negative and the testimony of one person that is not interessed than of an hundred that are 16. A Prince to shew the greatness of his mind is rather to conquer his enemies by pardoning than by punishing 17. A King may expect not to be ceusur'd for having parted with too much of his right when the price and commodity is so great such as security to Himself and peace to his People 18. A prudent Parliament ought to remember how usefull a King's power is to a Peoples liberty 19. A Prince is never to affect more greatness or prerogative than what is really and intrinsecally for the good of his Subjects not satisfaction of Favourites 20. A Prince that so useth his Prerogative will never want means to be a Father to all and a bountifull Prince to any he would be extraordinarily gracious unto 21. All men trust their treasure where it returns them interest 22. If Princes like the Sea receive and repay all the fresh streams and rivers trust them with they will not grudge but pride themselves to make them up an Ocean 23. Subjects who have learnt that Victories over their Princes are but triumphs over themselves will be more unwilling to hearken to changes afterward 24. A distressed King may best learn to own Himself by retiring into Himself and therefore can the better digest what befalls Him not doubting but God can restrain his Enemies malice and turn their fierceness unto his praise 25. If God give an injur'd King success against Rebels He ought to use it humbly and far from revenge 26. If God restore an exil'd King to his right upon hard conditions whatsoever He promiseth He ought to keep 27. Those men who have forced Lawes which they were bound to observe will find their triumphs full of troubles 28. A Prince is not to think any thing in this world worth obtaining by foul and unjust means 29. No Earthly power can justly call a King in question as a Delinquent 30. A good King will not without shewing a reason seek to impose a belief upon his Subjects 31. There is no proceeding just against any man but what is warranted either by God's Lawes or the municipal Lawes of the Country where he lives 32. The true Liberty of Subjects consists not in the power of Government but in living under such Lawes such a Government as may give themselves the best assurance of their lives and propriety of their goods 33. The King who has a Trust committed to Him by God by old and lawfull descent must not betray it to answer to a new unlawfull Authority 34. It is a great sin for Subjects to withstand lawfull Authority as it is to submit to an Authority Tyrannical or any other wayes unlawfull 35. A hasty sentence once past may be sooner repented than recalled 36. It is in vain for a King to be a Sceptick by denying the power Rebels have when greater than He can resist 37. A hasty Judgment passed upon the Life of a King may bring on that trouble and perpetual inconveniency to a Kingdom that the child which is then unborn may repent it 38. God many times does pay Justice by an unjust Sentence 39. Conquest is never just except there be a good just cause either for matter of wrong of just Title and then they that go beyond it the first quarrel that they have to it is it that makes unjust at the end what was just at first 40. Sole matter of Conquest is a great Robbery 41. Those Magistrates or Officers will never be right nor will God ever prosper them who give not God his due their King his due and the People their due 42. The regulating a Church rightly according to Holy Scripture is To give God his due A National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle the Church if out of order when that every Opinion is freely and clearly heard 43. A Subject and a Soveraign are clean different things and a share in Government is nothing pertaining to the People FINIS To the Reader Friend THis Century may be complete and others added when more of His Sacred Majesty's Writings shall be Published Which advertisement I pray take with you as you proceed to the other Titles under which you may apprehend the like defect at the end Icon Animae Basilicae
have the boldness to offer Him or Himself any inclination to use He could not bring both Church and State in three flourishing Kingdoms to such a Chaos of confusions Hell of miseries as some have done who most clamour against his Counsels out of which they can not or will not in the midst of their many great advantages redeem either Him or his Subjects 74. Some mens unsatiable desires of revenge upon the King his Court and his Clergy may wholely beguile both Church and State of the benefit of any either Retractations or Concessions He may have made 75. Some men being conscious to their own formality in the use of our Publick Liturgy have thought they fully expiated their sin of not using it aright by laying all the blame upon it and a total rejection of it as a dead letter thereby to excuse the deadness of their hearts 76. I do not see any reason why Christians should be weary of a well-composed Liturgy as I hold ours to be more than of all other things wherein the Constancy abates nothing of the excellency and usefullness 77. Sure we may as well before hand know what we pray as to whom we pray and in what words as to what sense when we desire the same things what hinders we may not use the same words 78. I ever thought that the proud oftentations of mens abilities for invention and the vain affectations of â—ariety for expressionâ— in publick prayer or any sacred administrations merits a greater brand of sin than that which they call coldness and barrenness nor are men in those novelties less subject to formal and superficial tempers as to their hearts than in the use of constant forms where not the words but mens hearts are to blame 79. I make no doubt but a man may be very formal in the most extemporary variety and very fervently devout in the most wonted expressions Nor is God more a God of variety than of constancy 80. I am not against a grave modest discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts even in publick the better to fit and excite their own and the Peoples affections to the present occasions 81. I know no necessity why private and single abilities should quite justle out and deprive the Church of the joint abilities and concurrent gifts of many learned and godly men such as the Composers of the Service-book were who may in all reason be thought to have more gifts and graces enabling them to compose with serious deliberation and concurrent advice such Forms of prayers as may best fit the Churches common wants inform the Hearers understanding and stir up that siduciciary and fervent application of their spirits wherein consists the very life and soul of prayer and that so much pretended spirits of prayer than any private man by his solitary abilities can be presumed to have 82. What such mens solitary abilities are many times even there where they make a great noise and shew the affectations emptiness impertinency â—udeness confusions flatness levity obscurity vaine and ridulous repetitions the sensless and oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length do fufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that Pharisaïcal way 83. Men must be strangely impudent and flatterers of themselves not to have an infinite shame of what they so do and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous and indeed prophane a manner 84. In Sacramental administrations Ministers own forms to be used constantly are not like to be so sound or comprehensive of the nature of the duty as forms of publick composure 85. In Sacramental administrations and the like every time to affect new expressions when the subject is the same can hardly be presumed in any mans greatest sufficiences not to want many times much of that compleatness order and gravity becoming those duties which by the mean are exposed at every celebration to every Ministers private infirmities indispositions errours disorders and defects both for judgment and expression 86. The want of a constant Liturgy of publick composure this Church will sufficiently feel when the unhappy fruits of many mens ungoverned ignorance and confident defects shall be discovered in a multitude of errours schismes disorders and uncharitable distractions in Religion 87. The Innovations which Law Reason and Religion forbids must not be brought in and abetted much less so obtruded as wholly to justle out the publick Liturgy of the Church 88. The severity of those men is partial and inexcusable who cried out of the rigour of Lawes and Bishops which suffered them not to use the liberty of Conscience which they deny others having the power in their hands 89. They who suddenly changed the Liturgy into a Directory seem to have thought that the Spirit needed help for invention though not for expressions 90. Matter prescribed doth as much stint and obstruct the Spirit as if it were clothed in and confined to fit words 91. This matter of the publick Liturgy is of so popular a nature as some men knew it would not bear learned and sober debates least being convinced by the evidence of Reason as well as Lawes they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledg by taking it away or to displease some faction of the people by continuing the use of it 92. They that use such severity as not to suffer without penalty any to use the Common-prayer-book publickly although their Consciences bind them to it as a duty of piety to God and obedience to the Lawes I believe have offended more considerable men not only for their numbers and estates but for their weighty and judicious piety than those are whose weakness or giddiness they sought to gratifie by taking it away 93. One of the greatest faults some men found with the Common prayer book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for their King to which Petitions they had not Loyalty enough to say Amen nor yet Charity enough to forbear Reproaches and even Cursings of Him in their own Forms instead of praying for Him 94. I wish their Râ—pentance may be their only punishment that seeing the mischiess which the disuse of publâ—ck Liturgies hath produced they may restore that credit use and reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Forms if sound and wholesome words 95. To such as have any jealousie that the King is earnest and resolute to maintain the Church-Government by Bishops not so much out of piety as policy and reason of State this may be said That He being as King intrusted by God and the Lawes with the good both of Church and State there is no reason He should give up or weaken by any change that power and influence which in right and reason He ought to have over both 96. As the King is not to incline to Bishops for any use to be made of their Votes
and Apostacy 47. A King ought rather to live on the Churches almes than violently to take the bread out of Bishops and Ministers mouths 48. They are but golden Calves that must be serv'd when Jeroboam consecrates the meanest of the people to be Priests 49. A King can not so much as pray God to prevent the sad consequences which will inevitably follow the Parity and Poverty of Ministers both in Church and State Because 50. It is no less than a moâ—â—ing and tempting of God to desire him to hinder those mischiefs whose occasions and remedies are in our own power 51. There are wayes enough to repair the breaches of the State without the ruins of the Church 52. As a King should be a Restorer of the State so not an Opressour of the Church under the pretence of publick debts 53. If a good King had not his own Innocency and God's Protection it were hard for him to stand out against those stratagems and conflicts of malice which by falsities seek to oppress the Truth and by jealousies to supply the defect of real causes which might seem to justifie unjust Engagements against him 54. The worst effects or open hostility come short of what is in disloyal close designs 55. A King should more willingly lose his Crown than his credit nor should his Kingdom be so dear to him as his reputation and honour 56. A good name is the embalming of Princes and a sweet consecrating of them to an eternity of love and gratitude among Posterity 57. Foul and false aspersions are secret engins employed against peoples love of their King that undermining their opinion and value of him his enemies and theirs may at once blow up their affections and batter down their Loyalty 58. The detriment of a Kings honor by calumnies should not be so afflictive to him as the sin and danger of his peoples souls 59. Peoples eyes once blinded with mists of suspitions are soon misled into the most desperate precipices of actions wherein they do not only not consider their sin and danger but glory in their zealous adventures 60. Mislead people imagine they then fear God most when they least honour their King and are most ambitious to merit the name of his destroyers 61. A King's pity ought to be above his anger 62. A King's passions should never prevail against himself as to exclude his most compassionate prayers for them whom devout errours more than their own malice have betrayed to a most religious Rebellion 63. It is a generous charity in a King to interpret that his Subjects in armes fight against his supposed errours not his person intending to mend him not to end him 64. It is somewhat above humanity in a King not more willingly to forgive the seductions in his Subjects which occasioned their Loyal injuries then to be ambitious by all Princely merits to redeem them from their just suspicions and reward them for their good intentions 65. A King should be too conscious to his own affections toward the generality of his People to suspect theirs to him 66. A King should never gratifie the spightfulness of a few with any sinister thoughts of their allegeance whom pious frauds have seduced 67. A King should never be perswaded to make so bad interpretatations of most of his Subjects actions as to judge otherwise than that possibly they may be erroneous but not haeretical in point of Loyalty 68. A King should have as sharp a sense of the injuries done to his Subjects as those done to himself their well fares being inseparable 69. Seduced Subjects in this suffer more than their King that they are animated to injure at once both themselves and him 70. A King sometimes hath such enemies among his Subjects as to whose malice it is not enough that he is afflicted unless by those whose prosperity he earnestly desires and whose seduction he heartily deplores 71. A King for restoring tranquility unto his people might willingly be the Jonah if he foresees not evidently that by the divided interest of theirs and his enemies as by contrary winds the storm of their miseries would be rather increased than allayed 72. A King should rather prevent his Peoples ruine than rule over them 73. A King should not be so ambitious of that Dominion which is but his right as of his peoples happiness if it could but expiate or countervail such a way of obtaining it by the highest injuries of Subjects committed against their Soveraign 74. A King should rather suffer all the miseries of life and dye many deaths than shamefully to desert or dishonourably to betray his own just Rights and Soveraignty thereby to gratifie the ambition or justifie the malice of his Enemies 75. A King ought to put as great a difference between the malice of his enemies and other mens mistakes as between an ordinary Ague and the Plague or the Itch of Novelty and the Leprosie of Disloyalty 76. As liars need have good memories so malicious persons need good inventions that their calumnies may fit every man's fancy and what their reproaches want of truth they may make up with number and shew 77. A King should have more patience to bear and charity to forgive than leisure to answer the many false aspersions which men may cast upon him 78. It gives mens malice too much pleasure for a King to take notice or remember what they say or object 79. When a King confutes calumnies it should be more for his Subjects satisfaction than his own vindication 80. Mens evil maners and seared consciences will soon enough confute and revenge the black and false scandals which they cast upon their King 81. Rebels credit and reputation may be blasted by the breath of that same furnace of popular obliquy and detraction which they study to heat and inflame to the highest degree of infamy and therein seek to cast and consume their King's name and honour 82. They are misperswaded who think these two utterly inconsistent to be at once loyal to their King and truly religious toward God 83. Some popular Preachers think it no sin to lye for God and what they call Gods Cause cursing all that will not curse with them 84. Such men look so much at and cry up the goodness of the end propounded that they consider not the lawfulness of the means used nor the depth of that mischief chiefly plotted and intended 85. The weakness of these mens judgments must be made up by their clamours and activity 86. It is a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize their King and his thinking theirs cannot be true if they cry not down his as false 87. A King fights not against his own Religion who imployes Subjects of different perswasions to maintain it 88. Differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out where there is the sameness of Duty Allegeance and Subjection 79. When a King confutes calumnies it should be more for his Subjects satisfaction than
his own vindication 80. Mens evil maners and seared consciences will soon enough confute and revenge the black and false scandals which they cast upon their King 81. Rebels credit and reputation may be blasted by the breath of that same furnace of popular obliquy and detraction which they study to heat and inflame to the highest degree of infamy and therein seek to cast and consume their King's name and honour 82. They are misperswaded who think these two utterly inconsistent to be at once loyal to their King and truly religious toward God 83. Some popular Preachers think it no sin to lye for God and what they call Gods Cause cursing all that will not curse with them 84. Such men look so much at and cry up the goodness of the end propounded that they consider not the lawfulness of the means used nor the depth of that mischâ—ef chiefly plotted and intended 85. The weakness of these mens judgments must be made up by their clamours and activity 86. It is a great part of some mens Religion to scandalize their King and his thinking theirs cannot be true if they cry not down his as false 87. A King ights not against his own Religion who imployes Subjects of different perswasions to maintain it 88. Differences of perswasion in matters of Religion may easily fall out where there is the sameness of Duty Allegeance and Subjection 89. Different professions in point of Religion cannot take away the community of Relations either to Parents or to Princes 90. It is lawfull for a King in exigents to use the aid of any his Subjects of what perswasion soever 91. It were a very impertinent and unseasonable scruple in a King then to dispute the points of different beliefs in his Subjects when he is disputed with by swords points and when he needs the help of his Subjects as men no less than their prayers as Christians 92. The noise of a Kings evil Counsellers is a usefull device for those who are impatient any mens councels but their own should be followed in Church or State 93. Bold Subjects give counsels more like a drench that must be forced down than a draught which might be fairly and leisurely dranâ—â— if their King liked it 94. Moderate men are sorry to see their King prone to injure himself out of a zeal to relieve his Subjects 95. Truly humble Christians will so highly prize the reward of persecutions as rather not to be relieved than be revenged so as to be bereaved of that Crown of Christian patience which attends humble and injur'd sufferers 96. Men are not more prone to desire liberty than unapt to bear it in the popular sence which is to do what every man liketh best 97. The divinest liberty is to will what men should and to do what they so will according to Reason Lawes and Religion 98. Good men count the bounds of the Lawes their Ornament and Protection others their Manacles â—â— Oppression 99. It is not just that any man should expect the reward and benefit of the law who despiseth its rule and direction 100. He that seeks an unreasonable liberty justly loseth his safety The Fourth Century 1. THose men are the best preservers of their true liberty who allow themselves the least licentiousness against or beyond the Lawes 2. It is impossible chose men should be really tender of their fellow-subjects liberties who have the hardiness to use their King with severe restraints 3. A resolv'd King restrain'd by Subjects will rather perish thaâ— complain to those who want nothing to compleat their mirth and triumph but such musick 4. Conscientious tenderness attended with proud and arrogant activity seeks to hatch every egge of different opinion to a faction or schisme 5. Lawes and Scepters of Monarchs should not intrench on God's Soveraignty which is the only King of mens Consciences 6. God gives no men liberty to break the Law established further than with meekness and patience they are content to suffer the penalties annexed rather than perturb the publick peace 7. some men in the necessities of their fortunes distrust Gods providence as well as their own merits 8. Never were any Princes more glorious than those whom God hath suffer'd to be tried in the fornace of afflictions by their injurious Subjects 9. Some men speak against their King rather what they wish than what they believe or know 10. Rude and scandalous Pamphlets like fire in great conflagrations fly up and down to set all places on like flames 11. It is no wonder if men not fearing God should not honour their King 12. God hath graven such Characters of divine Authority and sacred Power upon Kings as none may without sin seek to blot them out 13. From God alone are all traditions of true Glory and Majesty that is in Kings 14. No news to have all Innovations ushered in with the name of Reformations in Church and State 15. The pride of those that study novelties can hardly allow any share or degree of wisdom or godliness to former times 16. For set and prescribed forms of publick prayer there is no doubt but that wholsome words being known and fitted to mens understandings are soonest received into their hearts and aptest to excite and carry along with them judicious and fervent affections 17. Constant forms of Prayers are not more likely to slat and hinder the Spirit of Prayer and Devotion than unpraemeditated and confused variety to distract and lose it 18. Slight and easie Legerdemain will serve to delude the Vulgar 19. No men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous exactors upon others to conform to their illegal novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawfull Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended Conscientious liberties 21. It is impossible for a Prince to preserve the State in quiet unless he hath such an influence upon Churchmen and they such a dependance on him as may best restrain the seditious exorbitancies of Ministers tongues who with the keyes of Heaven have so far the keyes of the Peoples hearts as they prevail much by the Oratory to let in or shut out both Peace and Loyalty 21. The want of Government is that which the Church can no more dispence with in point of well-being than the want of the Word and Sacrament in point of being 22. Scripture is the best rule and the Church's universal practise the best Commentary of Religion 23. No frame of Church-government is more agreable both to Reason and Religion than that which is Paternal not Magisterial 24. Faction and Confusion Emulations and Contempts are prone to arise among equals in power and function 25. Inconstancy is a great prejudice against Novelty 26. The stream of times and the prevalency of parties overpowreth the judgements of some men 27. Ministers may find as great a difference in point of thriving between the favour of the People and of Princes as Plants do between being watered
God and the Church have especially designed and consecrated some men 65. Confusion in Religion will as certainly follow every man's turning Priest or Preacher as it will in the State where every man affects to rule as King 66. A King may bear with more grief and impatience the want of his Chaplains than of any other his servants and next if not beyond in some things to the being sequestred from his Wife and Children since from these indeed more of humane and temporary affections but from those more of heavenly and eternal improvements may be expected 67. In the inforced not neglected want of ordinary means God is wont to afford extraordinary supplies of his gifts and graces 68. A King that in solitude has Gods Spirit to teach him and help his infirmities in prayer reading and meditation will need no other either Oratour or Instructer 69. Some little practise wil serve that man who only seeks to represent a part of honesty and honour 70. A King cannot be so low but He is considerable adding weight to that Party where he appears 71. When the excentrique and irregular motion of the Times cannot well be resisted nor quieted Better swim down such a stream than in vain to strive against it 72. Impossible it is for lines to be drawn from the center and not to divide from each other so much the wider by how much they go farther from the point of union 73. Professed Patrons for the Peoples Liberties cannot be utterly against the Liberty of their King what they demand for their own Conscience they cannot in reason deny to his 74. Novel Injunctions cannot well be stamped with the authority of Lawes without the Kings consent 75. Men are hardly content with one sin but adde sin to sin til the later punish the former 76. Power is 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 77. Vengeance oft pursues and overtakes them that thought to have escaped and fortified themselves most impregnably against it both by their multitude and compliance 78. Whom the Lawes cannot God will punish by their own crimes and hands 79. Fatal blindness frequently attends and punisheth wilfullness so that men shall not be able at least to prevent their sorrowes 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 80. Brethren in Iniquity are not far from becoming insolent enemies there being nothing harder than to keep ill men long in one mind 81. It is not possible to gain a â—air period for those motions which go rather in a round and circle of fancy than in a right line of reason tending to the Law the only center of publick consistency 82. Men are much more happy when subject to known Lawes than to the various wills of any men seem they never so plausible at first 83. Vulgar compliance with any illegal and extravagant wayes like violent motions in nature soon growes weary of it self and ends in a refractory fullenness 84. Peoples rebounds are oft in their faces who first put them upon those violent strokes 85. A King may so far esteem the valour and gallantry some time shewed by an Army which hath fought against him as to concur toward a just satisfying their demands of pay and indemnity and to wish he may never want such men to maintain himself his Lawes and Kingdome in such a peace as wherein they may enjoy their share and proportion so much as any men 86. It is some kind of deceiving and lessening the injury of a Kings long restraint when he finds his leisure and solitude have produced something worthy of himself and usefull to his Successour 87. In Civil Warres a Kings cause is not to be measured by the success nor his judgment of things by his misfortunes 88. It is an advantage of wisdom to a young Prince to have begun spent some years of discretion in the experience of troubles and exercise of patience 89. In troubles Piety and all Virtues both Moral and Political are commonly better planted to a thriving as Trees set in winter than in the warmth and serenity of times 90. The delights which usually attend Princes Courts in time of Peace and Plenty are prone either to root up all Plants of true Virtue and Honor or to be contented only with some leaves and withering formalities of them 91. Princes should alwayes remember they are born and by Providence designed to the publick good 92. Flatteries are as unseparable from prosperous Princes as Flies ate from fruit in Summer whom adversity like cold weather drives away 93. Charles le Bon a more glorious name for a Prince than le Grand Better for him and his people he be good than great 94. The early exercise of Gods graces and gifts bestowed upon Princes may best weed out all vicious inclinations and dispose them to such Princely endowments and imployments which will most gain the love and intend the welfare of those over whom God may place them 95. A Prince ought to begin and end with God who is King of Kings the Soveraign disposer of the Kingdomes of the World 96. The best Government and highest Soveraignty a Prince can attain to is to be subject to God that the Scepter of his Word and Spirit may rule in his heart 97. The true glory of Princes consists in advancing Gods Glory in the maintenance of true Religion and the Church's good Also in the dispensation of civil Power with Justice and Honour to the publick Peace 98. Piety will make a Prince prosperous at least it will keep him from being miserable 99. He is not much a loser that loseth all yet saveth his own soul at last 100. A Kings affliction is Gods Physick having that in healthfulness which it wants in pleasure The Sixth Century 1. A Prince at mature age ought if satisfied in his own Judgment and Reason seal to that sacred bond which education hath written that it may be judiciously his own Religion and not other mens custom or tradition which he professeth 2. A Princes fixation in matters of Religion is not more necessary for his souls than his Kingdoms peace 3. The Devil of Rebellion doth commonly turn himself into an Angel of Reformation and the old Serpent can pretent new lights 4. 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 zeal 5. Unless a King in point of Religion be well setled he shall never want temptations to destroy him and his under pretensions of Reforming 6. Reforming matters of Religion seems even to the worst men as the best and most auspicious beginning of their worst desfgns 7. Some Reformers of Religion hope
obscurity 6. They who seek to gain reputation with the vulgar for their extraordinary parts and piety must needs undo whatever was formerly setled never so well and wisely 7. I could never see any reason why any Christian should abhor or be forbidden to use the same forms of Prayer since he prayes to the same God believes in the same Saviour professeth the same Truths reads the same Scriptures hath the same Duties upon him and feels the same daily wants for the most part both inward and outward which are common to the whole Church 8. A serious sense of that inconvenience in the Church which unavoidably followes every mans several maner of officiating no doubt first occasioned the wisdom and piety of the ancient Churches to remedy those mischiefs by the use of constant Liturgies of publick composure 9. It was either the tumultuariness of People or the factiousness and pride of Presbyters or the covetousness of some States and Princes that of late years gave occasion to some mens wits to invent new models of Church-government and proposed them under the specious titles of Christs Government Scepter and Kingdom the better to serve their turns to whom the change was beneficial 10. As the full and constant Testimony of all Histories may sufficiently convince unbiased men That 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 pattern 11. Since the first Age for 1500 years not one Example can be produced of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers and Congrations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were 12. Use is the great Arbitratour of words and Master of language 13. Not only in Religion but also in right Reason and the true nature of Governments it cannot be thought that an orderly Subordination among Presbyters or Ministers should be any more against Christianity than it is in all secular and civil Governments where Parity breeds Confusion and Faction 14. I can no more believe that such order is inconsistent with true Religion than good features are with beauty or numbers with harmony 15. It is not likely that God who appointed several orders and a Prelacy in the Government of his Church among the Jewish Priests should abhor or forbid them among Christian Ministers who have as much of the Principles of Schism and Division as other men 16. I conceive it was not the favour of Princes or ambition of Presbyters but the wisdom and piety of the Apostles that first setled Bishops in the Church which Authority they constantly used and injoyed in those times which were purest for Religion though sharpest for Persecution 17. Tyranny becomes no Christians least of all Churchmen 18. The late Reformed Churches whose examples are obtruded for not retaining Bishops the necessity of times and affairs rather excuseth than commendeth for their inconformity to all Antiquity 19. I could never see any reason why Churches orderly reformed and governed by Bishops should be forced to conform to those few rather than to the Catholick example of all Ancient Churches which needed no Reformation 20. It is no point of wisdom or charity where Christians differ as many do in some points there to widen the differences and at once to give all the Christian World except a handfull of some Protestants so great a scandal in point of Church-Government as to change it whom though you may convince of their Errours in some points of Doctrine yet you shall never perswade them that to compleat their Reformation they must necessarily desert and wholly cast off that Government which they and all before them have ever owned as Catholick Primitive and Apostolical 21. Never Schismaticks nor Hereticks except the Arians have strayed from the Unity and Conformity of the Church in point of Government ever having Bishops above Presbyters 22. Among those that have endeavoured or effected a change in the Government of the Church such as have rendred themselves guilty of inconstancy cause a great prejudice against their novelty in the opinion of their King whose consent they would have 23. Their facility and levity is never to be excused whose learning or integrity cannot in charity be so far doubted as if they understood not what before they did or as if they conformed to Episcopal Government contrary to their consciences and yet the same men before ever the point had any free and impartial debate contrary to their former Oaths and practice against their obedience to their Lawes in force and against their Kings consent have not only quite cried down the Government by Bishops but have approved and encouraged the violent and most illegal stripping Bishops and other Churchmen of all their due Authority and revenues the selling away and utter alienation of those Church Lands from any Ecclesiastical uses 24. The Desertors of Episcopacy will at last appear the greatest Enemies to and betrayers of their own interest whose folly will become a punishment unto it self for 25. Presbytery is never so considerable or effectual as when it is joyned to and crowned with Episcopacy 26. Those secular additamenâ—â— and ornaments of Authority Civil Honour and Estate which Christian Princes in all Countryes have annexed to Bishops and Church men are to be lookt upon but as just rewardâ— of their learning and piety who are fit to be in any degree of Church-Government also enablements to works of Charity and Hospitality meet strenthnings of their Authority in point of respect and observance 27. I would have such men Bishops as are most worthy of those encouragements and be ablest to use them 28. A Kings good intention whose judgment faild at any time makes his errour venial 29. It is neither just for Subjects nor pious for Christians by violents and indignities with servile restraints to seek to force their King and Soveraign against the well-laid gounds of his judgment to consent to any their weak and divided novelties touching the Government of the Church 30. I could never see any probable shew in true Reason and in Scripture for the Government of the Church otherwise than by Bishops the greatest Pretenders of a different sense either contenting themselves with the examples of some Churches in their infancy and solitude when one Presbyter might serve one Congregation in a City or Countrey or else denying these most evident Truths 1. That the Apostles were Bishops over those Presbyters they ordained as well as over the Churches they planted 2. That Government being necessary for the Churches wellbeing when multiplied and sociated must also necessarily descend from the Apostles to others after the example of that power and Superiority they had above others which could not end with their persons since the use and ends of such Government still
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 than the most triumphant glory wherein their and their Kings Enemies supervive who can hardly avoid to be daily tormented by that horrid guilt wherewith their suspicious or convicted Consciences do pursue them 59. In the safety and preservation of a King and good Lawes established all honest men cannot but think the wellfare of their Country to consist 60. Not any shews or truth of piety on their side who take armes against their King are sufficient to dispense with or expiate the defects of their Duty and Loyalty to Him which have so pregnant convictions on mens Consciences that even profaner men are moved by the sense of them to venter their lives for Him 61. When Providence gives a good King or denies Him Victory his desire should be neither to boast of his power nor to charge God foolishly but to believe that at last he will make all things to work together for his good 62. A King 's often messages for Peace with his Subjects will shew that he delighteth not in War as his gracious Concessions will sufficiently testifie how willingly he would have prevented it and his total unpreparedness for it how little he intended it 63. When King and Subjects are once engaged in a Civil War it may be too late to review the occasions thereof but not to wish a happy conclusion of so unhapy beginnings nor to believe that the inevitable fate of their sins was such as would no longer suffer the divine justice to be quiet 64. A King is not to desire that any man should be further subject to Him than He and all his People may be subject to God 65. The Passions and Opinions of men are not to be gratified with partiality and popular compliance to the detriment of the Publick and scandal of Religion 66. It is a sad spectacle for all sober men and their Soveraign to behold the dissolutions of all Order and Government in a Church many novelties and schisms and corrupt opinions many undecencies and confusions in sacred administrations all sacrilegious invasions upon the Rights and Revenues of a Church much contempt and oppression of the Clergy many injurious diminutions and persecutings of the King to follow as showers do warm gleams the talk of Reformation which yet has been a known artifice to disguise some mens effecting all the fore-mentioned mischief who have pretended authority and been possessed of power to accomplish it 67. The studies to please some parties whose fury is accompted zeal may injure all 68. A King may offer to put all differences in Church-affairs and Religion to the free Consultation of a Synod or Convocation rightly chosen the results of whose counsels as they will include the votes of all so it s like they may give most satisfaction to all 69. An Assembly of Divines applied though by a Parliament in an unwonted way to advise of Church-affairs being not legally convened and chosen not acting in the name of all the Clergy of a Kingdom not doing any thing with freedom and impartiality being limited and confined if not overaw'd to do and declare what they do is to be so far disliked nor can it be accounted the Representative of a Church 70. Many men cried up for learning and piety met together in an Assembly being not left to the liberty of their own suffrages have been prevail'd upon by the influence of contrary factions who made secret encroachments of hopes and fears to comply with great and dangerous Innovations in the Church without any regard to their own former judgment and practise or to the common interest and honour of the Clergy and in them of Order Learning and Religion against examples of all Ancient Churches the Lawes in force and their Soveraign's consent 71. A King's consent ought never to be gained in any point against a pregnant light that shines in his understanding 72. A due Reformation will easily follow moderate Counsels and give content even to many Divines who have been led on with much gravity and formality to carry on other mens designs which they may discover though they dare not but smother their frustrations and discontents 73. The specious and popular Titles of Christ's Government Throne Scepter and Kingdom also the noise of a through Reformation may as easily be fined on new models as fair colours may be put to ill-favoured Figures 74. Christ's Kingdom certainly is not divided nor hath two faces as some Reforming parties have had at least 75. The breaking of Church-windows which Time had sufficiently defaced 2. The putting down of Crosses which were but Civil not Religious marks 3. The defacing of Monuments and Inscriptions of the dead which served but to put posterity in mind to thank God for that clearer light wherein they live 4. The leaving of Ministers to their liberties and private abilities in the publick service of God where no Christian can tell to what he may say Amen nor what adventure he may make of seeming at least to consent to the Errours Blasphemies and ridiculous Undecencies which bold and ignorant men list to vent in their prayers preaching and other Offices 5. The setting forth of old Catechisms and Confessions of Faith new-drest importing as much as if there had been no sound or clear doctrine of faith in the Church before a long consultation had matured their thoughts touching the first Principles of Religion All these and the like are the effects of poular specious and deceitfull Reformations 76. It were to be wished that some most pretending Reformers had made it their unanimous work to do God's work and not their own they had not as now they have left all things more deformed than when they began in point of Piety Morality Charity and good Order 77. They who think that the Government of a Church and State fixed by many Lawes and long Customs will not run into their new molds endeavour to melt it first in the fire of a Civil War by the advantages of which they resolve if they prevail to make their King and all his Subjects fall down and worship the Images they shall form and set up 78. Christ's Government will confirm the King's not overthrow it if as He owns his from Christ so He desires to rule for his glory and his Churches good 79. Had some men truly intended Christ's Government or known what is meant in their hearts they could never have been so ill governed in their words and actions both against their King and one another 80. The freedom and secresie of a King 's private letters especially unto his Queen commands a civility from all men nor is there any thing more inhumane than to expose them if taken to publick view 81. The King that studies to approve his heart to God's omniscience may be content if Providence will have it so that even his private
may avoid his own 31. By the Sun-shine of God's mercy and the splendour of a Princes virtues whole mountains of congealed factions may be thawed and dissipated 32. Acts of Indempnity and Oblivion should by an indulgent King be offered to so great a latitude as may include all that can but suspect themselves to be any way obnoxious to the Lawes and which may serve to exclude all future jealousies and insecurities 33. If God see fit to restore an injur'd King to the enjoyment of his Kingdoms He ought then to let the Prince his son fully understand the things that belong to God's glory his own honour and the Kingdoms peace 34. A charitable King though injur'd by his Subjects for the future peace of his Kingdoms should encourage the Prince his Successour to be as confident as Himself That the most part of all sides who have done amiss have done so not out of malice but misinformation or misapprehension of things 35. Whatsoever good the Royal Father intended to Church or State in times uncapable of it should be performed by the Prince his Son when possessed of his Kingdom and Power 36. It is a prayer and benediction worthy of an afflicted King That God would after his decease so bless the Prince his Son and Successour as to establish his Kingdoms in Righteousness his Soul in true Religion and his Honour in the love of God and his People 37. Though God permit Disloyalty to be perfected by the destruction of a King yet He may make his memory and name live ever in his Son as of his Father that lov'd Him and a King under whom his Kingdoms flourished for a time 38. A King in affliction should believe God's power and have hope of his will to restore Him to his Rights despairing neither of his mercy nor of his peoples love and pity 39. Although a King 's domestick Enemies use all the the poyson of falsity and violence of hostility to destroy first the love and Loyalty which is in his Subjects and then all that content of life in him which from these He chiefly enjoyed yet they may fail of their end and after the many deaths the King suffers for the good will of his People He may not be wholly dead till their further malice and cruelty take that little of life too the husk and shell as it were which they had only left Him 40. Although that a King must die as a man is certain That He may die a King by the hands of his own Subjects a violent sodain barbarous death in the strength of his years in the midst of his Kingdoms his friends and loving Subjects being helpless Spectatours his Enemies insolent Revilers and Triumphers over Him living dying and dead may sometimes be probable in humane reason nought else being to be hoped for as to mans cruelty yet He is not to despair of God's infinite mercy 41. It is not easie for a depressed King to contend with those many horrours of Death wherewith God may suffer Him to be tempted which may be equally horrid either in the suddenness of a barbarous Assasination or in the solemn cruelty of an unjust sentence and publick execution 42. A King under such a sad apprehension must humbly desire to depend upon God and to submit to his will both in life and death in what order soever he is pleased to lay them out to him 43. All Soveraigns are obliged to own God as King of Kings not only for the eminency of his power and Majesty above them but also for that singular care and protection which he hath over them in the many dangers they are expos'd unto 44. God many times so pleads the cause of that King which he permits to be in the power of disloyal and bloudy-minded Subjects that he shewes him the sad confusions following his destruction presaged and confirmed to Him by those he lives to see in his troubles and God gives his Enemies cause to fear that he will both further divide and by mutual vengeance afterward destroy them 45. It may be the King's comfort who is wronged and dethroned by his Subjects that God gives him not only the honour to imitate Christ's example in suffering for Righteousness sake though obscured by the foulest charges of Tyranny and Injustice but the charity both to forgive them and pray for them that God would not impute his bloud to them further than to convince them what need they have of Christ's bloud to wash their souls from the guilt of shedding his 46. The unfortunate King that sees himself destin'd to be murther'd by his cruel Subjects may bless God if he has the heart to pray not so much that the bitter cup of a violent death may pass from Him as that of his wrath may pass from all those whose hands by deserting him are sprinkled or by acting and consenting to his death are embrued with his bloud 47. Rebellious Subjects cannot deprive a King of more than He may be content to lose when God sees fit by their hands to take it from Him whose mercy he is to believe will more than iufinitely recompence what ever by mans injustice He is pleased to deprive him of 48. A miserable King shall not want the heavy and envied Crowns of this world when God hath mercifully Crowned and Consummated his graces with Glory and exchanged the shadowes of his earthly Kingdoms among men for the substance of that Heavenly Kingdom with himself 49. A good King overpower'd by Rebbels may notwithstanding be perswaded within himself that he is happy in the judicious love of the ablest and best of his Subjects who may not only pity and pray for him but may be content even to dy with him or for him 50. No Subjects that pretend to punish can reasonably therein exceed the errours of their Princes especially where more than sufficient satisfaction hath been made to the publick the enjoyment of which private ambitions may have frustrated 51. An injur'd King's chiefest comfort in death consists in his peace made with God before whose exact Tribunal he need not fear to appear as to any cause long-disputed by the Sword between Him and his causeless Enemies 52. A good King may look upon it with infinite more content and quiet of Soul to have been worsted in his enforced contestation for and vindication of the just Lawes of his Land the freedom and honour of his Parliaments the rights of his Crown the just liberty of his Subjects and the true Christian Religion in its Doctrines Government and due encouragements than if He had with the greatest advantages of success evercome them all 53. The King that suffers for Christ as he is the Authour of Truth Order and Peace being forced to contend against Errour Faction and Confusion shall through Christ enabling Him be more than Conquerour in the end 54. Although any violent death of an unfortunate King be the wages of his own sin as from God and the
of his holy Spirit in us 75. God's Spiritual perfections are such as he is neither to be pleased with affected Novelties for matter or manner nor offended with the pious constancy of our petitions in them both 76. A pious moderation of mens judgments is most commendable in matters of Religion that their ignorance may not offend others nor their opinion of their own abilities tempt them to deprive others of what they may lawfully and devoutly use to help their infirmities 77. The advantage of Errour consists in novelty and variety as of Truth in unity and constancy 78. The Church is sometimes pest'red with errours and deformed with undecencies in God's service nnder the pretense of variety and novelty as deprived of truth unity and order under this fallacy That Constancy is the cause of formality 79. If God keep us from formal Hypocrisie in our hearts we know that praying to him or praising of him with David and other holy men in the same formes cannot hurt us 80. If God gives us wisdom to amend what is amiss within us there will be less to amend without us 81. The effects of blind zeal and over-bold devotion are such as God evermore defend and deliver his Church from them 82. Such should be the uprightness and tenderness of a King whom God hath set to be a Defender of the Faith and a Protector of his Church as by no violence to be overborn against his Conscience 83. The Deformation of the Church as to that Government which derived from the Apostles had been retained in purest and primitive times began when the Revenues of the Church became the object of secular envy which still seeks to rob it of the incouragements of Learning and Religion 84. A Christian King should be as the good Samaritan compassionate and helpfull to God's afflicted Church which when some men have wounded and robbed others pass by without regard either to pity or relieve 85. As the Kings power is from God so should he use it for God 86. Though a Soveraign be not suffered to be Master of his other rights as a King yet should he preserve that liberty of Reason love of Religion and the Churches welfare which are fixed in his Conscience as a Christian 87. Sacriledg invades those temporal blessings which God's Providence hath bestowed on his Church for his glory 88. Some mens sins and errours deserve God's just permission to let in the wild Boar and the subtile Foxes to wast and deform his Vineyard which his right hand hath planted and the dew of heaven so long watered a happy and flourishing estate 89. His memory is cursed who bears the infamous brand to all Posterity of being the first Christian King in his Kingdom who consented to the oppression of God's Church and the Fathers of it whose errours he should rather like Constantine cover with silence and reform with meekness than expose their persons and sacred functions to vulgar contempt 90. Their Counsels bring forth and continue violent Confusions by a precipitant destroying the ancient boundaries of the Churches Peace who mean to let in all manner of errours schismes and disorders 91. The God of Order and of Truth doth in his own good time abate the malice asswage the rage and confound all the mischievous devices of his the King 's and his Churches enemies 92. The God of Reason and of Peace disdains not to treat with sinners preventing them with offers of atonement and beseeching them to be reconciled with himself abounding in mercy to save them whom he wants not power or justice to destroy 93. When God softens our hearts by the bloud of our Redeemer and perswades us to accept of peace with him then as Men and Christians are we enclied to procure and preserve peace among our selves 94. A King should be content to be overcome when God will have it so 95. The noblest victory is over a man's self and his enemies by Patience which was Christ's conquest and may well become a Christian King 96. God between both his Hands the right sometimes supporting and the left afflicting fashioneth us to that frame of Piety he liketh best 97. Whe had need ask God forgiveness for the Pride that attends our prosperous and the repinings which follow our disastrous events 98. When we go forth in our own strength God withdraws his and goes not forth with our Armies 99. Let God be all when we are something and when we are nothing that he may have the glory when we are in a victorious or inglorious condition 100. It is hard measure for a King to suffer evil from his Subjects to whom he intends nothing but good and he cannot but suffer in those evils which they compel him to inflict upon them punishing himself in their punishments The Third Century 1. A King against whom his Subjects take up armes both in conquering and being conquered is still a sufferer in which case he needs a double portion of God's Spirit which only can be sufficient for him 2. A King in time of Civil War as he is most afflicted so ought he to be most reformed that he may be not only happy to see an end of the civil distractions but a chief instrument to restore and establish a firm and blessed Peace to his Kingdoms 3. The pious ambitions of all divided Parties should be to overcome each other with reason moderation and such self denial as becomes those who consider that their mutual divisions are their common distractions and the Union of all is every good mans chiefest interest 4. God for the sins of our peace brings upon us the miseries of Civil War and for the sins of War sometimes thinks fit to deny us the blessing of peace so keeping us in a circulation of miseries yet even then he gives the King if his servant and all Loyal though afflicted Subjects to enjoy that peace which the World can neither give to them nor take from them 5. God will not impute to a good King the bloud of his own Subjects which with infinite unwillingness and grief may have been shed by him in his just and necessary defence but will wash him in that pretious bloud which hath been shed for him by his great Peace-maker Jesus Christ who will redeem him out of all his troubles For 6. The triumphing of the Wicked is but short and the joy of Hypocrites is but for a moment 7. God who alone can give us beauty for ashes and Truth for Hypocrisie will not suffer us to be miserably deluded with Pharisaical washings instead of Christian reformings 8. Our great deformities being within we ought to be the severest Censurers and first Reformers of our own Souls 9. Rash and cruel Reformers bring deformities upon Church and State 10. Factions kindle fires under the pretense of Reforming 11. God shewes the World by some mens divisions and confusions what is the pravity of their intentions and weakeness of their judgments 12. They whom God's
Providence shall entrust with so great good and necessary a work as is a Christian and Charitable Reformation ought to use such methods as wherein nothing of ambition revenge covetousness or sacriledg may have any influence upon their Counsels 13. Inward Piety may best teach King and people how to use the blessing of outward Peace 14. God whose wise and all-disposing Providence ordereth the greatest contingencies of humane affairs may make a King see the constancy of his mercies to him in the greatest advantages God seems to give the malice of a King's enemies against him 15. As God did blast the Counsel of Achitophel turning it to David's good and his own ruine so can he defeat their design who intend by publishing ought they intercept of their King 's nothing else but to render him more odious and contemptible to his people 16. God can make the evil men imagine and displeasure they intend against their King so to return on their own heads that they may be ashamed and covered with their own confusion as with a cloak 17. When the King's enemies use all means to cloud his honour to pervert his purposes and to slander the footsteps of God's Anointed God can give the King an heart content to be dishonoured for his sake and his Church's good 18. When a King hath a fixed purpose to honour God then God will honour him either by restoring to him the enjoyment of that power and Majesty which he had suffered some men to seek to deprive him of or by bestowing on him that Crown of Christian Patience which knowes how to serve him in honour or dishonour in good report or evil 19. If God who is the fountain of goodness and honour cloathed with excellent Majesty make the King to partake of his Excellency for Wisdome Justice and Mercy he shall not want that degree of Honour and Majesty which becomes the Place in which God hath set him who is the lifter up of his head and his salvation 20. When a King knowes not what to do his eyes must be toward God who is the Soveraign of our Souls and the only Commander of our Consciences to the protection of whose mercy he must still commend himself 21. God who hath preserved a King in the day of Battel can afterward shew his strength in his weakness 22. God will be to a good King in his darkest night a pillar of fire to enlighten and direct him in the day of his hottest affliction a pillar of cloud to overshadow and protect him he will be to him both a Sun and a Shield 23. A King must not by any perversness of will but through just perswasions of Honour Reason and Religion hazard his Person Peace and Safety against those that by force seek to wrest them from him 24. A King's resolutions should not abate with his outward Forces having a good Conscience to accompany him in his solitude and desertions 25. A King must not betray the powers of Reason and that fortress of his Soul which he is intrusted to keep for God 26. The King whom God leads in the paths of his righteousness he will shew his salvation 27. Whâ—n a Kings wayes please God God will make his enemies to be at peace with him 28. When God who is infinitely good and great is with the King his presence is better than life and his service is perfect freedom 29. The Soveraign whom God ownes for his servant shall never have cause to complain for want of that liberty which becometh a Man a Christian and a King 30. A Soveraign should desire to be blessed by God with Reason as a Man with Religion as a Christian and with constancy in justice as a King 31. Though God suffer a King to be stript of all outward ornaments yet he may preserve him ever in those enjoyments wherein he may enjoy himself and which cannot be taken from him against his will 32. No fire of affliction should boyl over a King's passion to any impatience or sordid fears 33. Though many say of an afflicted King There is no help for him yet if God lift up the light of his Countenance upon him he shall neither want safety liberty nor Majesty 34. When a King's strength is scattered his expectation from men defeated his person restrained if God be not far from him his enemies shall not prevail too much against him 35. When a King is become a wonder and a scorn to many God may be his Helper and Defender 36. When God shewes any token upon an injur'd King for good then they that hate him are ashamed because the Lord hath holpen and comforted him 37. When God establisheth a King with his free Spirit he may do and suffer God's Will as he would have him 38. God will be mercifull to that King whose Soul trusteth in him and who makes his refuge in the shadow of God's wings until all calamities be overpast 39. A good King though God kill him will trust in his mercy and his Saviours merits 40. So long as an afflicted King knoweth that his Redeemer liveth though God lead him through the vail and shadow of death yet shall he fear no ill 41. When a Captive King is restrained to solitary prayers what he wants of his Chaplains help God can supply with the more immediate assistances of his Spirit which alone will both enlighten his darkness and quicken his dulness 42. God who is the Sun of Righteousness the sacred fountain of heavenly light and heat can at once clear and warm the King's heart both by instructing of him and interceding for him 43. God is all fullness From God is all-sufficiency By God is all acceptance God is company enough and comfort enough God is King of the King God can be also his Prophet and his Priest Rule him teach him pray in him for him and be ever with him 44. The single wrestlings of Jacob prevailed with God in that sacred Duel when he had none to second him but God himself who did assist Jacob with power to overcome him and by a welcome violence to wrest a blessing from him The same assistance and success can God give as he pleaseth to the solitary prayers and devout contentions of a Captive King 45. The joint and sociated Devotions of others is a blessing unto a King their fervency inflaming the coldness of his affections towards God when they go up to or meet in God's House with the voice of joy and gladness worshiping God in the Unity of Spirits and with the Bond of Peace 46. A King ought to ask God forgiveness if guilty of neglect and not improving the happy opportunities he had to meet Priest and People in God's Church 47. A King sequester'd from the opportunities of publick worship and private assâ—stance of his Chaplains is as a Pelican in the Wilderness a Sparrow on the House top and as a coal scattered from all those pious glowings and devout reflections which might best